Girls Night Appetizer

I work in a testosterone infused industry.  Over the past several years, I've bonded with an amazing group of women I work with.  We're all relatively senior managers and most of us have spent most of our carers as one of the few, if not the only, women in the room.  We sometimes jokingly (or maybe not) refer to ourselves as the "Power Women".

Tonight we're gathering at the home of one of our friends who lives walking distance from the office.  Our assignment was to bring an appetizer and a bottle of wine.  Last night was my husband's golf night, so I had an opportunity to make a mess in the kitchen and try something new.  The Power Women will be the guinea pigs for my newest creation.

The CSA delivery is tonight and I still had basil left from last week.  I found a recipe for Williams Sonoma Rosemary and Parmesan Madeleines that looked really good and called for ingredients that I happened to have on hand.  I just substituted basil for the rosemary.  I wanted to serve them with something tomato-y and looked and looked for a recipe that would hold up overnight--I was thinking bruscetta in a dip.  I finally found a recipe on, of all places, the Sams Club website that provided inspiration.  Here's my adaptation:

Creamy Tomato Basil Dip

8 ounces neufchatel cheese, brought to room temperature

3 Tablespoons crushed tomatoes (this is what I had on hand, tomato sauce or a reduced amount of tomato paste would probably work just as well)

2 Tablespoons reduced fat sour cream

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

2 Tablespoons fresh basil, finely chopped

1 Tablespoon red onion, finely chopped

1 medium yellow tomato, seeded and cut into small dice

1 T. capers, finely chopped

8 Kalamata olives, finely chopped

Place cream cheese, crushed tomatoes and sour cream into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Blend on medium speed until well mixed, about 3 minutes.  Add remaining ingredients and mix thouroughly.  Scrape into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight.

Saving Summer in Jars

It's Rick's job to take the dogs out during the week.  On weekends, it's up to me.  When Hershey, Bailey and I went outside yesterday morning, there was a distinct hint of autumn in the air.  While the calendar promises five more weeks of summer, yesterday morning was a jolting reminder of colder weather to come.  Sadly, with that colder weather will be the end of the delicious locally grown produce we've been enjoying these past several weeks.

The timing was perfect for me to take the Pickling, Canning and Preserving class at the Viking Cooking School.  I've done some canning before, but I was anxious to learn some new tricks.  Some weeks it's hard to keep up with the vegetables in our CSA share.  I don't want them to go to waste and I'm hoping to save that summer deliciousness for the cold and windy days to come.

There were 11 people in the class--10 women and one man who seemed to be there with his wife and daughter.  I was in a group of four.  Our instructor was Chef Steve, who, despite (or perhaps because of) 30 years in the restaurant business just learned to can this year.  We made strawberry jam, garlic dill pickles, tomato jam and sweet and spicy pickles then watched Chef Steve make homemade hot sauce.  I always pick up at least one useful tip at these classes.  Yesterday I learned how to cut a jalapeno and leave the ribs and seeds intact.  

Inspired by how easy it seemed in class, when there were four people to do all the dicing and stirring, I decided to make jam from the peaches and jalapeno pepper I picked up at the farmers market on Saturday.  

Peach Lime Pepper Jam

Made in the Microwave

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 cups peaches (about 3 large), peeled, pitted and chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced

1 Tablespoon lime juice

Start by washing 3 4-ounce canning jars in hot soapy water.  Set a stockpot on the stove to boil with enough water to cover the jars by an inch.  Sterilize the jars in the boiling water.  Once the water returns to a boil, cover the stockpot and turn heat to low.

Place 3/4 cup of sugar in the bottom of a large microwave safe bowl.  Cover with 1 cup of the peaches and the diced jalapeno pepper.  Then add remaining sugar; cover with remaining peaches.  Pour lime juice over the top.  Do not stir.

Microwave on high, uncovered for 2 1/2 minutes.  Stir.  Microwave again for 2 1/2 minutes.  Stir again.  Then microwave for 4 minutes, stir, 4 more minutes, stir, 2 minutes, stir.  Now check to see if a gel has formed.  You can tell a gel has formed if you dip a cold spoon in the mixture and the drops become very thick with two drops running together before sliding off the spoon.  

While the peach mixture is cooking, place jar lids and bands in a saucepan and bring to 170 degrees.  Do not boil the lids--boiling will ruin the seals.

When the mixture forms a gel, ladle jam into the hot jars, leaving 1/2-inch space between the surface of the jelly and the top rim of the jar.  Wipe the jar rim clean with a wet paper towel.  Put on lids and rings. 

Bring the water in the stockpot back to boiling.  Using a jar lifter, carefully place jars in boiling water.  Cover stockpot.  When water returns to boil, boil jars for five minutes.  Remove jars from pot, set on a towel on the counter to cool.  Check to make sure the jars are sealed.  Label and enjoy within 1 year.