YMBB Hors d'oeuvres and Cocktails Archives - Yelton Manor Boutique Hotel B&B

Pear Vanilla Jam

October 23, 2018 by Elaine

It’s very rare to find pear jam in markets because pears do not have enough natural pectin to permit them to gel up nicely without adding gigantic quantities of sugar and artificial pectin. Once you add all that to pear, the delicate flavor of this fruit gets ruined.

Then along comes the magic of THIS recipe with a special kind of pectin — Pamona’s Pectin powder and calcium water — that makes a pear jam that sets up beautifully with a minimum of added sugar. In addition, the simplicity of not having to peel the pears makes preparing the jam a cinch while adding a pleasurable texture to the otherwise smooth pear preserve. The vanilla bean itself is an essential item too, do not substitute vanilla extract. Though frightfully pricey ($4-5 apiece at this writing) the fresh vanilla goo scraped from the bean is THE essential taste and texture in this superlative treat.

My friend George gave this recipe to me and it cites its origin as Melissa Keyser of Sweet Bee Garden. George said that this was written on it: “This recipe will change your life!”. It is not an overstatement. This jam is a family staple on our biscuits, muffins, bagels, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, warm brie bruschetta and right off the spoon standing with the refrigerator door open. Everyone gets a jar for a holiday gift.

Start with soft skin pears (like Bartletts) fresh from the farm, usually (here in Michigan) in September. Wash and dry them when they are green and firm, then let them ripen, spread out on towels. They should get very very ripe, even if browning.

Ingredients:

16 cups cored and chopped very ripe thin skinned pears, unpeeled

4 vanilla beans, split and scraped

4 cups sugar

5 teaspoons Pamona’s Pectin Powder

10 teaspoons Pamona Pectin calcium water

Instructions:

In a large pot, combine pears, vanilla beans and all the vanilla scrapings. Cook over medium heat until the fruit is soft and smashable. Remove the vanilla pods. Use an immersion blender to break the fruit down into a smooth sauce. Add the calcium water.

In a separate bowl, mix the pectin powder with the sugar, then stir it into the fruit. Bring the fruit and sugar to a rolling boil and boil for 5 minutes.

Fill sterile canning jars, leaving 1/4 inch space, and process according to appropriate canning methods in boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Yield: 11 1/2 pint jars

“The BBC!”: Blueberry Breakfast Cake

Yum

June 23, 2018 by Elaine

This treasured treat is the only recipe still on our menu since Day #1 when The Manor first opened in 1988. It’s timeless, delicious, and easy. So easy, in fact, that we’re a little embarrassed. But we’ve set aside our pride and admit that what makes this cake effortless is that it begins with a simple store bought Yellow Cake Mix. The convenience of having the dried ingredients premeasured, consistent and always on hand is a busy baker’s dream!

The key ingredient that insures that The BBC is so eye-popping amazing is the quality of the blueberries. Don’t skimp!! We use huge, sweet, organic mid-July South Haven blueberries, available to us fresh from our local farms and the rest of the year from our freezers.

Ingredients:

1 Yellow Cake Mix (NOT Duncan Hines, just don’t), with pudding in the mix or “Extra Moist”

3 eggs

3/4 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup sour cream

2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen (Add a pinch of vanilla if you like the taste)

Mix the blueberries, preferably frozen to best hold their shape, into the dry ingredients first. Using frozen berries helps keep them from bleeding out into the cake. Mixing them into the flour first keeps them from clumping or falling to the bottom of the pan during baking.

Whisk together the eggs, sour cream and oil and then add into the dry ingredients turning gently from the bottom, don’t overmix and don’t break your blueberries. Spray a seasoned bundt pan liberally with Pam or other nonstick oil. Spread the cake mixture into the bundt pan distributing the blueberries evenly. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.

If using frozen berries you may need an extra 5 minutes of cooking time. The BBC should be a nice golden brown across the entire top and have no softness in the center. If you cook it a shorter time it’s a wonderful fluffy cake. If you cook it a bit longer the crust caramelizes and holds up under lemon curd or a berry compote. It’s a personal choice.

Let cool 10 minutes before gently turning it onto a platter or rack.

We no longer glaze The BBC for breakfast because we think it’s just too sweet that way. But if you are presenting it for a luncheon or dessert, it’s beautiful when drizzled with a simple icing. Mix 2 T melted butter, 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 T orange juice. adjust for thickness with either more sugar or more juice.

Drizzle on top so the glaze runs into the grooves of the bundt cake, so gorgeous!

Pickled Daikon Radish and Carrot Coins

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January 9, 2017 by Elaine

This lovely pickle came to my attention in my favorite canning book, “Food in Jars” by Marissa McClellan.

Reminiscent of the classic garnish in Vietnamese restaurants, the ginger and star anise flavor also pairs with sandwiches, tacos, cream cheese and crackers, or spooning from jar straight to your mouth.

Use a mandolin (carefully!!) to make perfect, paper-thin coins.

Gather up: 1 lb organic carrots

1 lb young, organic daikon radish

1 1/2 cups distilled white vinegar +equal parts water

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3 T salt

1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

3 T coriander seeds

2 teaspoons black mustard seeds

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (more if you want them hotter)

3 whole star anise

This will make 3 pint jars, so double or triple the batch while you are at it. Important: The spices will go into the jars before you load them with the vegetables in order to be sure they are perfectly, evenly distributed.

Slice the vegetables with a mandolin and set aside.

Combine the vinegar, water, sugar salt and ground ginger in a pot and bring to a boil. Combine the remaining spices and distribute evenly in your sterilized jars. Once boiling, add the sliced veggies to the brine, stir to combine and immediately remove from heat.

Add the veggies to the jars. Ladle the hot brine into the jars leaving 1/2″ of head space. Gently tap the jars to loosen any air bubbles and use a chopstick to remove bubbles. Check the headspace again and add more brine if needed. Wipe the rims, apply lids and rings. Process in a boiling water bath for 5 minutes.

Because they are so thinly sliced these pickles require no curing time and can be eaten immediately.

Sweet Pickled Jalapeno Peppers AKA “Cowboy Candy”

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January 8, 2017 by Elaine

The single most requested recipe from our afternoon Beach Break Snacks is now here!

Piled on cream cheese and crackers, stuffed into hummus wraps and sandwiches, with deviled eggs, in Bloody Marys, there is no end to how to enjoy these! Be sure to save the leftover sweet/hot syrup for basting over summer BBQ!

I triple this recipe because I’m always cooking for a crowd, you may also wish to double or triple it and make it your signature gift from your own kitchen.

These can be made year round but the jalapeno grown nearby to you in summer are the freshest and hottest choice!

Gather up:

3 lbs fresh, firm jalapeno peppers

2 cups cider vinegar

6 cups white granulated suga

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon celery seed

3 teaspoons granulated garlic (or 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder)

1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

Wear gloves and be certain not to touch your face, eyes or anything else when in process.

Remove and discard the stems from peppers, then slice into 1/4 inch rounds. There is no need to separate the pith or the seeds.

In a very deep pot, bring cider vinegar, sugar, turmeric, celery seed, garlic and cayenne to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the sliced peppers and simmer gently for 4 minutes. Use a slotted spoon and remove the peppers. Turn heat up under the syrup pot and bring to a full, hard, rolling boil for 6 minutes.

Spoon the pepper rings into sterile canning jars, leaving 1/4″ head space. (I use pint jars for family, half pints for gifts.) Ladle hot syrup into the jars. Use a wooden chopstick to release air bubbles several times. Wipe rims with wet paper towel, seal and cap. Process in a boiling water bath for 10-15 minutes. Let sit 24 hours on cooling racks, wipe and label.

Get your rubber gloves on and get to it!

Sprouts! The Simple Tools You Need:

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November 19, 2016 by Elaine

Sprouts are truly power food! All the energy of the final plant is available in one tiny, sprouted seed or bean. We include sprouts on our breakfast buffet and Beach Break Snacks every day. I am always experimenting with different kinds but our tried and true favorites are linked for you here: mung beans, lentils, dun peas, radish, and a “Zesty Mix” of radish, clover, alfalfa and fenugreek seeds. Purchasing these organic products from Amazon makes it easy to source/buy and a Prime membership saves me a fortune on shipping.

Sprouting is easy. All you need is a space on your kitchen counter for your small “farm”. All seeds, peas, legumes etc are soaked first (6-10 hrs), then rinsed and drained about three times a day until harvesting (3-5 days). In a trial and error learning curve over the past years I have determined which sprouting tools are optimum for each type of sprout.

I use a 1/2 gallon ball jar and draining lid for the very small seeds of radish, alfalfa, fenugreek, clover. The small seeds immerse and soak about 4-6 hours. Then, rinse and drain, then rotate the jar so that the seeds cling to all sides. Cover with towel to keep out the light. Rinse and drain several times a day until they attain desired sprout size. I like my sprouts at about 1/4-1//2 inch, and these take about 3-4 days.

For larger choices, like the dun peas, mung beans and lentils, I use The Easy Sprouter, a “cup in a cup” technique. You can soak (6-8 hours) and rinse easily and it’s compact on the counter too. The manufacturer claims you can rinse less frequently with this tool/technique so if you’re away from home for extended periods this can help. The sprouts can get very intertwined in this small cup as they grow, but a final soak and gentle swish separates them.

I love these stackable trays too. After soaking overnight in ball jars, divide beans, peas, lentils etc into the trays. Rinse and drain 2-3 times a day. Rotate top tray to bottom at each rinse for consistent, even sprouting. I harvest when sprouts are about 1/2 inch long.

Experiment! Harvest, let them dry out slightly, store in ZipLock bags in the fridge. I date the bags too. Sprouts last a very long time (several weeks) if stored correctly, but we find that the first 10 days are the freshest and best.

Any questions or concerns? Feel free to email me: elaine@yeltonmanor/com

Cranberry Chutney

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November 19, 2016 by Elaine

This luscious sweet-tart chutney is served at YMBB’s Beach Break Snacks with cream cheese and crackers. It’s yummy poured over baked Brie too. Meat eaters love it on roast pork, chicken and, of course, turkey sandwiches. Cranberries are in season October through the holidays and we get ours locally at DeGrandchamps Blueberry and Cranberry Farm.

I make both pint jars (gifts) and quart jars (family size). Because I serve so many I make this recipe X 6 with no degradation of flavor or texture; so double or triple as you wish.

Ingredients:

4 cups fresh cranberries

2 cups orange juice (organic)

1 cup apple cider (organic)

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

1/4 cup cider vinegar

2 cinnamon sticks

12 mint leaves

1 T grounds coriander

Combine all ingredients in large pan(s) over medium heat. Stir frequently. Cook until thick and reduced, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

If canning: Ladle into sterilized jars, seal, process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

Mixed Pickling Spice and Yelton Manor Bed and Breakfast “Breakfast Pickle”

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August 7, 2016 by Elaine

Yelton Manor Bed and Breakfast pickles are the highlight of our afternoon Beach Break Snacks, 3PM-6PM every day. I make at least 12 different kinds, preserving the ongoing summer harvest of fresh vegetables from early spring asparagus to late season brussel sprouts. I use our many different herbs and spices, and I use fresh dill and other herbs from the garden. I make a tarragon brine, a cumin pickle (very Indian flavor) and a star anise (very Asian flavor). When I discovered this mixed pickling spice I was very intrigued to try the amazing combination of flavors. As it turns out, the clove, cinnamon and allspice overtones give this mixed spice an aroma reminiscent of Christmas, so it’s ideal for the holidays. Now we have also added it to our breakfast buffet just for the heck of it. I tried it with many vegetables, from summer squash to beans, yet plain old pickling cucumbers won the taste test for me. You can experiment with it any way you please. I buy organic spices from Penzies or Amazon.

Mix in a jar:

3 T crushed bay leaf

3 T black peppercorns

3 T whole allspice

3 T coriander seeds

3 T mustard seed

# T juniper berries

1 T whole clove

1 T dill seed

1 cinnamon stick, crushed into small pieces

Place all in the jar and shake to combine. Isn’t it gorgeous??!!! Just the mixed spice alone makes a lovely gift!

Here’s my favorite way to use this spice mix: Obtain small Kirby pickles from your local farmer, freshly picked. Cut the blossom end to keep the pickle crunchy. Leave whole…. or cut into spears or rounds, your choice.

Increase this recipe as you need to, this is for 4 pints. For the brine: 3 cups apple cider vinegar mixed with 3 cups water and 3 T pickling salt, heated to boiling. Put a slice of lemon and a one tablespoon of the mixed spice in the bottom of sterilized jars. Pack in the pickles. Nestle in some garlic cloves too. Slowly pour the brine into each jar, wipe the rims and cover with lids and rings, process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

Yum! See the lemon slice in there? You can increase that to two slices if you like the extra zing it brings to the brine.

Mark these for your Christmas holidays, they make great hostess gifts if you are invited to dinner! But eat them any time when you want a very unusual and zesty pickle.

Tarragon Pickles

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July 25, 2016 by Elaine

It’s a happy day when the farmer’s market has a half bushel of perfectly small and crisp Kirby pickle cukes! I have been wanting to try a new taste and my French tarragon just happened to be in full summer bushiness. I researched and found this simple refrigerator pickle based on a Martha Stewart recipe.

I multiplied the recipe by 9 in order to make a big batch.

Here is the original recipe:

4 Kirby pickles, washed, dried and quartered lengthwise. Trim the blossom end for a crispy pickle result.

2-3 springs fresh tarragon

1 3/4 cups distilled white vinegar

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

Place cukes and tarragon in sterilized pint jars.

Heat vinegar sugar, red pepper and salt in a pan, stirring until all is dissolved. Pour into jars. Let cool, cover. Refrigerate overnight and up to 6 weeks before serving.

Light and Lazy Lasagna

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January 30, 2016 by Elaine

This is a simple recipe that makes it easy to feed a crowd or make enough to have leftovers all week. Meatless and very light (uses wontons instead of noodles), this recipe will become a family favorite!

Basic recipe for 4 stacks, then multiply by the amount you are making (I have made X5 here):

3/4 cup whole milk ricotta cheese

1/4 cup Parmesan Reggiano cheese, grated

12 wontons

Homemade tomato sauce

Mix the cheeses in a bowl. Preheat over to 400.

Butter baking dishes and coat with sauce. Blanch the wontons individually, dipping them with perforated spatula in hot water, lift out and lay on towels to dry. Lay one layer of wontons in dishes. Top each wonton with a dollop of cheese mixture, flatten cheese to edges. Top with 2nd wonton. Top with another layer of cheese mixture. Top with final wonton and a dollop of sauce.

Bake for 15 minutes or so. These are perfectly nice reheated in the microwave the next day. These also freeze easily after baking and reheat nicely weeks later. Easy, light, delicious!

Dilly Garlic Beans

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July 10, 2015 by Elaine

Hands down, this is everyone’s favorite pickle. Make yourself some!

Get green and yellow beans, absolutely dew-drop fresh from the Farmer’s Market or directly from your favorite local farmer. Organic garlic. Fresh dill flowers. And lovely, long red chile peppers called Arbol chiles.

For 4 pint jars (multiply as you wish):

2 1/2 cups white distilled vinegar

2 1/2 cups water

1/4 cup pickling salt

4 garlic cloves (or more to taste)

dill flower seed heads

Arbol chiles

Washing the beans and dill.

Cleaning and preparing the garlic cloves. Choose your biggest and most attractive cloves.

Prepare a boiling water bath and sterilize your jars, caps and screw tops. Wash and trim the beans. Combine the vinegar, water and salt and bring the brine to a boil. Pack jars tightly without bruising the beans, into sterilized jars into which you have place dill flowers heads, 2-4 cloves of garlic and 1-2 arbor chiles. Slowly pour the hot brine over the beans. wipe the rims, add the rings/screw tops and process in water bath for 5 minutes. Let these pickles cure for two weeks at least before eating.

Is this a mess? Yes. Does it take some time? Yes. Put some music on, pour a glass of wine, perhaps, and enjoy the fun of perfect food prep and the gift of excellent nutrition for your family!