Pickled Hot Wax Peppers or Jalapenos

Canned hot peppers

So where have I been? I have had a crazy last few weeks. As fall comes, and summer, my favorite season of the year quickly slips away, so does a lot of my personal time. This seems to happen every year. Maybe it is symbolic in some way. I will have to think about that.... Anyway, aside from being back to teaching school and still working at my office, I have had a great past few weeks surrounded with people I really love and have had some unique experiences. My parents were here for the Labor day weekend (more to come on that visit),  I went to a local artisan craft festival with some great friends, this weekend I attended a totally inspirational continuing education seminar that I am excited about implementing at my office, and thanks to a new knitting store in town, I have gotten bitten again by the knitting bug. Christmas gifts are flying off my needles daily.

I know that I have been slacking on my blog and it is not because I don't love you but I guess I took a hiatus because life happened. For the past 2 weeks, I have felt guilty about not blogging. I have been cooking and baking, but just not letting everyone know about it. Today, however, I got two quiet reminders to step it up. First, this morning, I wake to a web page congratulating me on my blog and asking me to add my blog to their food website. Cool huh? Then after my inspirational seminar ended this afternoon, I was still floating in the possibility of "helping others" and making a difference and I receive a grounding text from my sister asking "When is there going to be another Bonbons & Biscotti Blog?" Ugghhhh!

Even though from my front door to my sisters it is 543 miles, at times we somehow know without talking , that the other is in need of something, whatever that something might be; emotional support, a reason to laugh or as today a kick in the butt. I think this unspoken connection has really become obvious to me over the past year. At times I feel like she needs me in some way and at times when I need a little push (like today,) or some sort of comforting, she has seemed to know. Even about a months ago she had a dream about something that I have been contemplating in my life. These "sister stories" are not uncommon but I guess to me it is a new finding in my life and a welcomed connection with someone who is very important in my life.

So little sis, I posted this recipe for you since we both are such dorks when we make this recipe; lining our newly canned, beautiful jars up on the counter to appreciate and show everyone. Sister canning pride!

Blackberry Pound Cake

Blackberry Pound Cake

Here is the other blackberry recipe that I mentioned in the last post. I will refrain from being so wordy in this post since I gave you my Blackberry story the last time.

I would like to thank every one's comments and encouragement over the past few month. I have received a lot of personal messages and Facebook love. I am humbled that my last post touched so many of you. I have wanted to write a blog to condense and share my family memories for a few years, but I never thought people would be interested. You all have proved me wrong. Thank you!!

Please continue to tell your family and friends about Bonbons and Biscotti. Spread the word, share the love.

XO

Rebecca

Blackberry Lemon Thyme Jam

Blackberry Lemon Thyme Jam

Every summer when I was a child, as a family we looked forward to blackberry season. Because I lived in a somewhat rural area in Western Pennsylvania, our house was surrounded by wooded and undeveloped areas. This allowed for the perfect environment for wild blackberries to grow. They were not the "monster-size" berries that you find at the grocery store now, they were tiny, sweet purple clusters that mother nature tended all on her own.

My dad was the blackberry pro; spotting them on the side of the road as we drove home from my grandma's house or the grocery store.  Dad is a man of few words. He will talk when needed but he is never a person to "waste words" just to hear himself talk. Us girls always knew when he was thinking and as we would drive, we knew he was making mental notes of location and approximate ripening time for our berry picking.  When that day came and dad declared the berries ready, we would all bundle up in our long sleeve shirts and long pants and head out. Since my sister and I were young, we would pick the berries along the bottom and the perimeter of the berry patch so we did not get "stuck" by the thorns on the bushes. Mom and Dad would always venture more into the middle of the patch and therefore get the largest haul.

One really memorable thing about berry picking for me was the vessel that we brought the berries home in: my dad's miner's bucket. For most miners, the bucket that they use to take their lunch into the mine, is a very special item. It is an item that they carry with them everyday; into a place unlike any other and a scene that most people will never see. Most miners carry the same bucket through their mine career. Those buckets see young, hopeful men just starting out going into the mine, they see hard work, the loss of best friends and in this day and age, business politics, and unfortunate mine closing which include the loss of local jobs that have sustained families for generations.  In most cases, the mine bucket will "retire" or become "laid off" from it's duties at the same time their owner does.

Whenever I used to see my dad's mine bucket come home from a long day's work; dirty, scuffed, and with its reflective stickers, I was instantly proud of my dad. But most important for a miner's kid, that bucket was always a sign that my dad was home! Mining is dangerous and knowing he was home was always comforting and a relief (some of my fellow classmates where not so lucky.) The dirty, empty bucket would then sit on the kitchen floor until we were done eating dinner as a family. After dinner, as my mom scrubbed that bucket to get it ready for the next shift,  I always wondered what the bucket had seen that day!

I think that vessel, my dad's bucket, is one of my family's most valued items. It was present in our everyday life and saw my family in all stages of our lives.  If it could talk, it could tell the story of the mine, my dad's long hours there, me and my sister's childhood and my mom ever present in the kitchen making home life happy. That bucket did not just feed my Dad lunch; it fed our entire family.

And on special days in mid summer, in rural Pennsylvania, that shiny silver bucket would go into the woods empty and come out brimming with dark purple berries....

Bourbon Peach BBQ Ribs

Bourbon Peach BBQ ribs are for dinner tonight.

So I have been really hungry for some sticky BBQ ribs and by now if you have been following my blog, you probably realize that when I am craving something, I rarely go out and buy it. I usually make it. So this past weekend, a very good friend came over to watch the Olympics opening ceremonies and I took this chance to cure my craving. I made us ribs!
Although this is a long process, it is so worth it. Saucy and delicious! I do admit, sometimes if I am in a hurry, I use store bought sauce but this recipe is quickly becoming one of my favorites so I want to share. I wish that I could share by giving you each a sticky sweet bourbon rib but maybe I will inspire you to make your own!

BTW I refrained from posting the pics of us licking our fingers after dinner!

Hot Red Pepper Jelly

Hot Red Pepper Jelly

When I was in Charleston this past Thanksgiving, I went to one of my favorite restaurants in that area Hominy Grill and had the appetizer of goat cheese and hot pepper jelly on water crackers. It is one of my favorites; simple flavors and textures but so satisfying.

When my hot peppers started to come in this summer, I thought again of this concoction and instantly thought why would I buy this jelly when I can make my own. I have had this recipe on my "to do list" for quite a few weeks now but this past weekend, I am not sure if the craving got to be to much or if the stars were aligned just so and all other aspects of my life in order, but I set about the task of making this wonderful jelly. 

As I sit on my couch four days later, enjoying a glass of wine and a few crackers with goat cheese and my hot pepper jelly, I am feeling very accomplished.

Luscious Lemon Cupcakes

Every year my family and I meet at Outer Banks, NC for a week at the beach. I drive up from South Carolina and they come down from Pennsylvania. This is something that all of us look forward to every year; a week of relaxation, catching up and all around family time. For the past few years, my sister, her husband and her son have not gone on the trip. They decided to go this year and it was their son's first time at the beach. I think that we were all excited about all the new experiences that he would have. To me, the beach was always a magical place where life took on a different pace. It was so nice to be able to slow down and take that time with him to really see his amazement in even the smallest ocean adventure; from ghost crabs that come out at night to the amazing display the dolphins put on for us during a mid day feeding. He was excited by every new adventure.  While I am a lover of all things "beachy," seeing so much through his eyes this year really reminded me what an enthralling place the ocean and all its inhabitants are. I was so happy to be able to experience those things with him.

While we are there it happened to be my little sister's birthday. We decided  the week before the trip to have a small surprise party. My nephew was particularly proud that he kept this event a secret from his "mum."  My sister loves white cupcakes with white icing but she and my mom are also very fond of lemon.  I whipped up these cupcakes at home before I left and froze them till the party day. I also made the icing and refridgerated it till it was needed, then whipped it again before icing. They were a great, refreshing "Lemonicious" birthday suprise.

Strawberry Riesling Slush

Ready for the weekend? I don' know what the weather is going to be where you are but here is SC it is going to be in the 90s. Why not sit on your back porch with a group of friends and share a frosty summer drink? I have the perfect one here. So simple and you can prepare it before and have it in the freezer for that after work drink or the group of unexpected friends that stop in for a chat. Make extra and make it tonight!

Crockpot Pulled Pork BBQ

When I moved to SC in 1999 to attend school, I quickly got introduced to BBQ.  Not the type that comes from the grill, but slow cooked, smoky, falling of the bone pork BBQ.  This was a new culinary experience for me and I fell in love!! Not only did I fall in love with the BBQ but also all the sides that came with it; Brunswick stew being my favorite.  I enjoyed the laid back attitude in the restaurants and appreciated the pride in the cooking and culture. As I met folks from this area, they all thought I was a bit of a novelty. "What do you mean you never had Fried Okra? She has never tasted Hash!! You don't know what a chitlin is?  We need to get you some Pully Bones......" What??  And so off we would go.....I enjoyed every chance meeting I had with the food of this region. OK, I did put my foot down on the chitlins and the boiled peanuts can trigger my gag reflex like nothing else. But truthfully, today, nothing is more comforting after a long day at work than a bowl of hot cheese grits.

Thanks to a very special lady here in the south, a grandma of sorts, I learned to cook a lot of the dishes that I learned to love. She took me under her wing and we started out simple. I don't think she had much confidence in me; "the girl who was not from here." But over time, I proved to her that I wanted to learn and for that she was quite proud and not afraid to tell whomever was around. A lot of the recipes she told me were not written down and still aren't.   Since her passing last year, I don't know where any of her written recipes have gotten to, but I will always rememeber the one measurement  she always used, when in doubt, "just add you a lil' bit."

She gave me more than "a lil' bit" as a newcomer to this area ....she gave me a lot of Love.

Grandma Ethel's Calico Baked Beans

Slow cooking allows the flavors to really blend.

This is one of my Grandma Ethel's recipes that I remember eating every year at our family reunion. It is an old recipe that I have had forever but never made. I have had multiple parties and cookouts but I guess I never made "the occasion" to make this recipe. When I was planning my Summer Porch Party to share my new house with my best friends, I was going through recipes and thought why not use an old recipe that is new to me since I had never made it.

It has been quite a few years since I have had these slow baked, legumes. The classic recipe is really simple and the smell that fills the house while the beans cook is amazing. There is a good amount of bacon and ground beef in this recipe which makes it superfilling. It is hearty enough to eat as an entree or pair it with some chicken or a burger for a great side dish.

These beans got rave reviews at my party which made me proud. Not only was I proud of the recipe itself but I was humbled once again to make a recipe that was my Grandma's; keeping her spirit with me in the kitchen and through the celebrations of my life.

Cannoli Cupcakes

 

Cannoli Cupcakes

This is a recipe that combines two of my favorite desserts and definitely a lot of my favorite flavors. I am a sucker for a cannoli of any type and cupcakes are one of the most indulgent things in life.

Cannoli always remind me of my Mom. That has been one of our favorite desserts for as long as I remember; no actually since our days of going to the beach in Maryland when I was a child. On one special night, we would walk down the boardwalk in Ocean City to get our cannoli fix. It was something that we did every year and I think that this became our special dessert because we only got them one time per year. As time changed and the years passed, we quit going to Ocean City and so no more "Beach Cannoli" that we looked forward to every year.

Sometime in my early college years, I think I was a freshman, I came home for the summer and wanted to make my Mom cannoli for her birthday. I sprung this idea on my Dad and explained that I needed port wine for the recipe.  At the time, I was not yet able to purchase alcohol. In his always silent, supportive way he headed off to the store to score our wine.  Before I had left school, I had purchased a set of cannoli shell forms at a culinary shop at the local mall. When Dad got home, we started our task and what a task it was!!! We still reminisce about this and just shake our heads. For two people who are familiar with the kitchen and culinary techniques, we had a cannoli frying mess on our hands!!

I jumped right in and started the production but could not get the dough to stay on the form. As I dropped them in the hot oil, they would quickly unfold and bloom almost flower like and then puff up like a giant elephant ear. My Dad stepped in thinking that he could master the concept- Fail! We both stood there with oil popping out of the pan burning our arms and fingers and not sure what to do next....

To make an already long story short, that birthday my mom got a few cannoli that we salvaged toward the end of the production when we finally got the hang of it. The rest were turned into "cannoli shell chips" which we ate with the filling -chips and salsa style. And truthfully no matter the shape they tasted great!!!

This cupcake was inspired by my love for cannoli and thank the kitchen gods, it was much more simple than my original cannoli adventure.

Ready... set... Go!