ORANGE JELLY

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This light and sunny orange jelly is not only great for your morning toast, but it is a good glaze for baked chicken.

I still remember the first time I bought marmalade for my family...they hated it. Well, they hated the "chunks" (and so did I), although the jam in between the chunks was tasty (does that make sense?). That is when I decided to create an orange jelly that had "no chunks"...this is it.

4 medium oranges
2 medium lemons
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups water
5 cups granulated sugar
1 pouch Sure Jell liquid fruit pectin

Wash and dry the oranges and lemons. Using a very fine zester, remove (just the colored part of the peeling) making sure you don't go deep into the skin or you will get the white pith, which is bitter. Set the zest aside.

After you zest the fruit, peel and cut up the peeled oranges and lemons, then pulse them in the food processor until they look like this, then set them aside.

Put the orange and lemon ZEST into a heavy bottomed saucepan and add 1 1/2 cups of water and the baking soda. Bring to a boil over high heat, then turn it DOWN TO A SIMMER, cover and simmer (stirring occasionally) for 20 minutes.

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After 20 minutes, add the chopped oranges and lemons and simmer for another 10 minutes.

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Press the cooked fruit-zest mixture through a strainer and measure off 3 cups of the juice.

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Place exactly 3 cups of strained juice into a large heavy bottomed saucepan and add the sugar. Bring mixture to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in liquid pectin and return to a full rolling boil for exactly one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and skim off any foam with a metal spoon.

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Immediately pour into prepared jars, filling to within 1/8" of the top. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with 2-piece lids and screw bands. Process jars in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.

NOTE: Because this is a citrus jam, it can take up to a week to full set, but it is SO worth the wait.

ENJOY !!!

ORANGE POUND CAKE

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Sweet and extremely moist, this

pound cake gets rave reviews from 

my "Picky-Picky Hubby" 

2 + 2/3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/3 cup poppy seeds
2 1/2 cups white sugar
4 teaspoons fresh, finely grated orange zest
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, soft
8 ounce cream cheese, soft
6 large whole eggs + 2 large egg yolks (room temp)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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Whisk flour, baking powder and salt together and set aside.
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Put the sugar and orange zest in the food processor and pulse it for 20 seconds, set aside.
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With a stand mixer (using paddle beater) beat the softened butter and cream cheese together until smooth and creamy (about 2 minutes). Add the sugar and zest mixture and beat until light and fluffy (about another minute). Beat in the whole eggs, one at a time, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl after each egg. Beat in the 2 egg yolks and the vanilla.
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With your mixer on low, beat in the flour mixture, stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl a couple times. Beat until smooth.
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Spoon the batter into TWO greased and floured 9x5x3 loaf pans (or 8 mini loaf pans). Bake on center rack of a pre-heated 350F oven for 50 minutes (my oven takes 55 minutes) or 25-30 minutes for mini-loafs.
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Cool in pan (on a rack) for 20 minutes, then turn out. Glaze while still warm.
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ORANGE GLAZE FOR POUND CAKE
2/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/3 cup white sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
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Bring orange juice and sugar to a boil, over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until mixture thickens and reduces to 1/2 cup (3 or 4 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Keep brushing the tops and sides of the warm pound cake until all of the glaze is used up.
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NOTE: This pound cake has such a fresh clean taste and because it is just a little different, it would make a great gift for someone.

ENJOY !!!

CROCKPOT CHICKEN CHILI

Are you tired of the same old chili recipe? Try this chicken chili!! It is delicious, hearty and super easy to make. Comfort food, through and through. Oh, and it freezes well too!!!

The night BEFORE you want to eat, put (most) of the ingredients into the crockpot and cook on low all night (or for about 8 hours). The next morning, add the raw chicken thighs and shredded carrots and let it cook all day on low. It will make your house smell scrumptious!!!

1 1/2 cups DRY Great Northern white beans (the small ones)
4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 cup chopped onion (sauteed)
4 ounce can mild green chiles (I use Ortega brand) 
2 cups grated carrots
3 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 clove garlic minced
1/2 teaspoon dry oregano leaves
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (more if you like "heat")
1 teaspoon salt (use salt ONLY if you are using salt free broth)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
6 cups chicken stock (see note below about salt)
1 cup Monterrey Jack Cheese shredded

Wash and sort the dry beans (do not pre-soak) and put them in the crockpot. Add the chicken stock, sauteed onion, seasonings and green chile's. Cook on LOW setting overnight (or for about 8 hours).

In the morning, remove about 1 cup of the beans and mash them thoroughly. (I put them in the blender)  Return the mashed beans to the crockpot; this will thicken up the broth in the chili.

Cut the raw chicken into large pieces and add it to the crockpot along with the shredded carrots.  Cook this on LOW for another 6 to 8 hours depending on how big your chicken pieces are.

About 30 minutes before you want to serve the chicken chili, add the shredded Monterrey Jack cheese and stir. This adds such a wonderful taste and texture.

I hope you like this hearty
chili as much as we do

NOTE: If you use salt free chicken broth, go ahead and put the teaspoon of salt into the chili. Taste it again after it is finished cooking (and after you've added the cheese) to see if it still needs more salt.   If you use chicken broth made from bullion, don't add ANY salt to the recipe, as the bullion broth is already quite salty.

NOTE: I hope you don't leave out the grated carrot, it really adds a wonderful taste and texture to the chili.

NOTE: We are fairly timid when it comes to spicy heat in our food, so I use an 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne and it is absolutely perfect for us. If you like more heat in your food, just add more cayenne.

NOTE: This makes a big pot of chicken chili. It freezes well.

ENJOY !!!