Cinna-FUN! Rolls

Up until now I have never attempted anything that has to do with yeast.
There is always this fear will it work willit not wirk, will it rise will it lay flat like a pancake and suck. These are the things I ponder about which in turn deters me.



While browsing Foodgawker the other day I saw the picture to turn any yeast fearing pansy, into a brave and capable bread making machine!!

Mangio da Sola has the most exquisite recipe for cinnamon rolls. Also they are much less labour intensive then I would have imagined which I think is why I had so much fun making them. They also are the closest thing to "Cinnabon" rolls then I have tasted anywhere else. Apparently my 8 year old says that's a good thing.

I won't list the recipe, if you want it just click in the link to Magio da Sola. I altered the filling by adding:
2 tsp of cocoa powder
1/2 tsp of freshly grated nutmeg

Also I altered the icing by reducing the powdered sugar and adding maple syrup instead. You know us crazy Canadians we put that stuff on everything.

Bon Appetit: Pear Caramel Butter

So I tried my hand at canning on the weekend. My first time out and all in all it was really successful! I was so pleased when I heard the seal's take. I was on the phone with my sister in England and as I was taking out the jars we both heard the "pop", I started to yelp in excitement, my sister then said, "you've never done this before have you?", "no I haven't" I replied, hence my ridiculous amount of hysteria.
The recipe below I got in this month's Bon Appetit, which I get really excited for once a month when it comes in the mail. The recipe is also REALLY labour intensive. Peeling coring and chopping 7 pounds of pears is nobody's idea of a good time. Also I don't own a food mill, so I pureed it by potato ricer.
I'm really excited to try new recipes! Next I'm making "Peach & Rosemary Jam" a la Martha Stewart.
Happy canning everyone!

Makes about eight 1/2-pint jars
Recipe by Jill Silverman Hough
Bon Appetit October 2008

Ingredients:

7 pounds ripe Bartlett pears

1/4 cup Apple Juice

6 Tbsp of lemon juice, separated

3 cups (packed) golden brown sugar

1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

3/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

* Note the bee/wasp

Preparation:

• Combine apple juice and 4 tablespoons lemon juice in heavy large deep pot. Peel, core, and cut pears, 1 at a time, into 1/2- to 3/4-inch pieces; mix pears into juice mixture in pot as soon as pears are cut, to prevent browning. Cook over medium heat until pears release enough juice for mixture to boil, stirring frequently, about 16 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer until pears are very tender, stirring frequently, about 20 minutes (mixture will splatter). Remove pot from heat. Press pear mixture through fine plate of food mill into large bowl. Return pear puree to same pot. Add 2 tablespoons lemon juice, brown sugar, nutmeg, and 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered until pear butter thickens and is reduced to 8 cups, stirring every 5 minutes to prevent scorching, about 1 hour.

• Ladle pear butter into 8 hot clean 1/2-pint glass canning jars, leaving 1/4-inch space at top of jars. Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar threads and rims with clean damp cloth. Cover with hot lids; apply screw bands. Process jars in pot of boiling water 10 minutes. Cool completely. Store in cool dark place up to 1 year.