Try & share some of my restaurant created recipes that have been served for decades to thousands of people:
Fresh Cinnamon Applesauce
8 medium –large sized apples – Granny smiths are best
24 oz apple cider or juice
¼ pound light brown sugar
2 ½ T good quality ground cinnamon
½ t ground ginger
¼ t ground nutmeg
Fast method: Simmer 18 oz of water, add brown sugar and seasonings. Add one ½ can of concentrated apple juice-frozen-thaw first. Then add your peeled and cut-up apples. The smaller the pieces (wedges are cool) the better your end result. Simmer until the apples fall apart. The thickness of the sauce will depend on you. More cooking=thicker sauce. It can be removed at any time once the apples fall apart. Stir with a whip and this process will quicken. Optional 4oz stick of butter can be stirred in. This is very shelf stable in sealed refrigerated container 40 degrees and lower. It can be frozen. Great straight up, cold or warm, on ice cream, fruit, cereal, pancakes, French toast, between cake layers, made into ice cream, hot oat meal or in crepes.
Sun dried Tomato Corn relish
4 cups kernel corn – frozen works best – thawed.
½ cup diced sun dried tomatoes
½ cup diced green bell pepper
½ cup diced red bell pepper
¼ cup minced jalapeño – no seeds
½ cup chopped cilantro fresh
2 oz. lemon juice
3 oz. white vinegar
6 oz. corn oil
1t black pepper
1t salt
Mix salt, pepper, oil, lemon juice and vinegar in a mixing bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients, mix well, cover and refrigerate. Serve chilled. Toss just before serving.
Shelf life is about 7 days before vegetables begin to get too soft.
Cranberry Relish
4 cups cranberries
1 ½ cups brown sugar
6oz orange juice
3T lime juice
4oz cider vinegar
4oz water
½ t nutmeg
¼ t ginger
¼ t allspice
¼ t dry mustard
Add all ingredients except lime juice into a thick bottomed pot. Heat on a low flame until it simmers. When cranberries begin to fall apart and sauce thickens, remove from fire. Add lime juice. Stir well. Serve warmed, or chilled. The longer you simmer it the thicker it will get. If it is too thick for your tastes, add a few ounces of water to thin it down.
Banana Bread Pudding
1 quart whole milk
7 large eggs
¾ cup brown sugar
1T vanilla extract
1¼ pints pureed ripe banana
1T rounded Cinnamon
1 each 20oz loaf wheat bread- sweet/honey version is best
Toast bread until light brown. This can be done in an oven spread out on a sheet pan at 350 degrees. Baking time will vary.
In a mixing bowl dissolve brown sugar with the milk, cinnamon and vanilla, mix well. Beat the eggs into the milk & sugar mix. Stir very well until smoothly mixed. Break up the bread into medium large pieces, and mix into the batter. Stir well and make sure the bread sucks up the batter. Butter a baking pan large enough to hold the mix. Add the mix, spread out evenly. Cover with foil, bake at 325 degrees. Remove foil if you want to brown off the top when it is near done baking. Internal temperature should be no less than 165 degrees, don’t go over 180 is you are getting into over baked levels. Pudding will be firm but moist to touch.
Additional ingredients can be added into the mix like blueberries, blackberries, pecans, walnuts, pears, peaches, soaked raisins, dates, cherries, etc.
When pudding comes out of oven honey or maple syrup diluted with a little water can be brushed over the top. Likewise, melting Salted butter is a nice touch, as the salted butter will enhance the sweet pudding flavor. Serve warm or cold, with ice cream or caramel sauce, whipped cream or chocolate sauce.
