SPAGHETTI SQUASH
2 cups water
1 spaghetti squash, a size which will fit in slow cooker/Crock Pot
With a skewer or large fork, puncture several holes in the squash. Pour water in the slow cooker/Crock Pot, add the whole squash. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 9 hours. Split and remove seeds, then transfer the “spaghetti” strands to a bowl. Serve tossed with butter and salt and
pepper, Parmesan cheese or your favorite sauce.
CROCKPOT AUTUMN PORK CHOPS
Serving Size : 6
6 pork chops
2 medium acorn squash — unpeeled
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons melted butter
3/4 cup brown sugar — packed
3/4 teaspoon brown bouquet sauce
1 tablespoon orange juice
1/2 teaspoon orange peel — grated
-Trim excess fat from chops. Cut each squash into 4 to 5 crosswise slices; remove seeds.
-Arrange 3 chops on bottom of slow-cooking pot.
-Place all squash slices on top; then another layer of remaining 3 chops.
-Combine salt, butter, sugar, bouquet sauce, orange juice, and orange peel. Spoon
over chops.
-Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours or until done.
-Serve one or two slices of squash with each pork chop.
CROCKPOT APPLE BUTTER I
apples — cut up, to fill 3 1/2 qt. crockpot
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup apple cider
juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon cinnamon
Cut blemishes off apples and cut into chunks to fill 3 1/2 qt. crockpot. Add sugar, cider and lemon juice. Cover and cook on Low for 8 hours. Stir. Add cinnamon and cook another 10 hours. Stir occasionally until brown. Run through Food mill or any strainer to strain out seeds and skins. I used the blender. To thicken, if not thick enough, return to slow cooker and cook on High uncovered until desired consistency.
YIELD: Makes 3-4 pints.
Pear and Mango Chutney
Ingredients:
250 gms. raw firm mango
250 gms. pears.
500 gms. sugar
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. red chilli powder
1 tsp. garam masala
1 tbsp. marshmelon (kharbooja) seeds.
1 tbsp. raisins.
2 cloves powdered
8 each almonds and cashews chopped finely.
Method:
Peel and mash and pear.
Put 1 tbsp. sugar in a heavy saucepan.
Heat on a low flame, stirring and cooking till it turns brown.
Add 500 ml. water and boil.
When the sugar has fully dissolved in the water add remaining sugar.
When it begins to boil again add the mashed fruit, cashew, raisins, seeds, chilli and salt.
Boil till a thick jam consistency is obtained. Stir occasionally.
Add the clove powder and garam masala.
Cool a bit and transfer to clean airtight jar.
Making time: 1 hour
Shelf life: 1 month
Makes 1.5 kgs. chutney.
Spicy Sev
Ingredients
2 cups gram flour (besan)
1/2 tsp. ajwain (omam) seeds
1 1/2 tsp. red chilli powder
1 tbsp. oil
salt to taste
2-3 pinches asafoetida
water to make dough
oil to deep fry
Method
1.Mix the chilli, oil, salt and seeds into the flour.
2.Add enough water to make a dough which is quite gooey.
3.It should not be pliable but sticky.
4.Grease the inside of a Sev-press, fill with the dough.
5.Press into hot oil, and fry lightly on both sides.
6.Drain well and cool before storing.
Variation:
You may adjust the chillies as per taste.
You may omit chillies to make bland sev.
You may add finely crushed dried herbs (eg. mint) for add flavour.
Note: A sevpress is similar to a vermicelli press, but it should be small enough to handle over hot oil.
Making time: 15-20 minutes
Makes: 250 grams approx.
Crab-Papaya Appetizer
1 large papaya
6 1/2 ounces crabmeat — drained
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon curry powder — or to taste
Cut the papaya in quarters, lengthwise. Remove seeds. Hold a papaya quarter in left hand … and using a sharp-edged teaspoon scoop up sections of papaya and turn over … leaving sections in shell. Place pieces of crabmeat between sections. Repeat with remaining quarters. Combine remaining ingredients. Spoon over papaya and crabmeat.
A 3-DAY MARMALADE
Ingredients
5 each sour oranges
1 each grapefruit
1 sugar, granulated
Directions:
1st day. Cut sour oranges and grapefruit in half and remove the seeds. Cut the pulp and rind in slices. Measure. Add 3 times as much water as fruit. Let the mixture stand.
2nd day. Boil the mixture for 20 minutes at a hard boil. Set aside for the next day.
3rd day. Measure the mixture and measure an equal amount of sugar. Boil the fruit for 20 minutes, and add sugar all at once. Stir. Boil 35 min. or until a little jells on a cold saucer. Seal with paraffin while hot.