making your own sugar is as easy as one, two, three

Did you know that you can get sugar from a beet and not just any ordinary beet.  We have Napoleon to thank for this.   During the Napoleonic Wars, sugar was scarce, and he encouraged the production of sugar beets on a very large scale. 

Remember Victory Gardens?  During this time period, sugar beets were planted by farmers and in home gardens as a regular crop and later turned into sugar.  The greens and left over pulp are great food for livestock or can be added either to your regular compost or vermicomposting bin.

Ingredients:

Sugar Beets – a pound or more

Directions:

1. Wash and scrub beets well
2. Slice beets into slices slices or grate into small pieces
3. Place the beets in a large saucepan and add enough water to cover them
4. Cook beets on medium heat until they are soft and lose their coloring
5. Strain beets with a colander and reserve the juice.
6. Return juice to saucepan and simmer until it develops a thick and syrupy consistency similar to corn syrup or honey
7. Remove from heat and allow to cool.  As the syrup cools, it will start to crystallize.  Cover pan with cheesecloth or a dishtowel and allow to sit overnight.
8. Remove the crystallized beet sugar from the pan and pound (break) it into small sugar crystals
9. Store in an air-tight container and use as you would sugar

Tasty Tuesday ~ Herbed Potato Soup

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 1/2 cups milk

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place potatoes and water in a large saucepan; cook over medium heat until tender.
2. In another saucepan, saute onion, celery in butter until tender. Stir in the flour, salt, thyme, rosemary, and pepper. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes.
3. Add potatoes and carrots with cooking liquid; heat through.

Tasty Tuesday - Cheese Lover's Chicken

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 (15 ounce) cans tomato sauce
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 medium garlic clove, chopped
• 3 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1 cup fine dry bread crumbs
• 1 pound Cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 pound mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt to taste
• salt and pepper to taste
  
   

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

• Lightly grease a baking dish that is deep enough to allow at least one inch between the chicken and the top of the dish.
• In a large pot over medium heat, stir together tomato sauce, tomato paste, sugar, parsley, basil, oregano, and garlic.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, toss chicken with bread crumbs until completely covered. Arrange chicken in baking dish and sprinkle to taste with garlic salt and pepper to taste. Top chicken with half of shredded Cheddar and mozzarella cheeses. Pour tomato sauce evenly over chicken. Reserve half of the remaining Cheddar and mozzarella cheeses, and sprinkle the rest over the chicken and sauce.
• Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake for about 50 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Remove foil, and top with remaining Cheddar and mozzarella cheeses. Return dish to oven and cook, uncovered, until the cheese on top melts. Remove and let sit five minutes before serving.

Apple Berry Pie

A wonderful pie brimming with apples and berries

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie
• 1 cup white sugar
• 4 teaspoons tapioca
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 cups fresh blackberries or blueberries
• 3 cups apples - peeled, cored and sliced
• 2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
  

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). On a lightly floured surface, roll out one crust, and place in a 9 inch pie plate. Roll out top crust, and set aside.

• In a large bowl, mix together the sugar, tapioca, and cinnamon. Add blackberries and apple slices. Toss gently to coat without mashing the berries. Let stand for 20 minutes.

• Spoon filling into pastry lined pan. Dot with butter. Moisten the edge of the pastry with water. Cover with top crust; trim and crimp edge. Cut a few slits in the top to allow steam to escape during baking. Cover edge with foil to prevent over-browning.

• Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and continue baking for 20 to 25 minutes, or until crust is golden brown. Cool on wire rack