Village Apple Sauce

Original Recipe from:  Carol Coleman

This is the Apple Sauce my kids grew up eating.  I started feeding it to them when they were babies and they still prefer it to any store bought option out there.  Carol taught me how to make this when I was about 12 years old, and it has always been a very special recipe of mine.  You can make this recipe for canning by making several batches (as many as you need to last a year), or you can make it a batch at a time (it freezes well).  I highly recommend canning it as you probably won’t want any other kind after tasting this recipe.  During the years when I wasn’t canning, I would always make it for the winter holidays due to popular request from my family.  

Ingredients

6-1/2 pounds Apples, washed, cored, and quartered.  Note: do not peel.

4 cups Water

2-1/2 cups Sugar

Directions

Cook Apples and Water in a large pan until the skins come off easily.  Using tongs, life out all peels.  Mix in sugar and cook until sauce is chunky to taste.  

Note:  If you prefer a smooth apple sauce, use an immersion blender during the final stages of cooking to smooth out the chunks.  If you do not have an immersion blender, a potato masher or food processor will work just as well.  

Village Barbeque Sauce

Original Recipe from:  Kay Johnson-Bowers

This is a recipe I forgot about for years.  I used to make it, stopped because I fell for the convenience of just buying a bottle off the shelf.  My excuse was that I was busy and didn’t have time to make everything from scratch.  What I didn’t realize was the amount of sodium and high fructose sugar is in so many of those convenient choices.  Now, in an effort to be more responsible with my diet, I started to make my own recipes, and those of my family.  The very interesting thing is that I’ve learned it really isn’t that time consuming to make my own, and I’m healthier for it.  If you have your fallen for the convenience of bottled sauce, I challenge you to try making your own.  Try a few different recipes, make some additions of your favorite spices and make one of your own.  Have some fun and be healthier in the process.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

15 ounce Tomato Sauce

2 cups packed, Light Brown Sugar

1/2 cup Red Wine Vinegar

1 tablespoon Sea Salt

1 tablespoon Celery Seed

1 tablespoon Chili Powder

2 teaspoons Garlic Salt

2 teaspoons Oregano leaves

1 teaspoon Red Pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon ground Cloves

Directions

In a medium sauce pan mix all ingredients thoroughly.  Heat to a low boil; then reduce heat to a simmer.  Simmer until thickened.  

Note:  You can double this recipe and refrigerate extra for your next barbeque.  Now, that’s convenient!

Village Honey Barbeque Sauce

Original Recipe from:  Kay Johnson-Tomblin

This blog has had several requests for my barbeque sauce…another recipe I have never written down.  Each time I would make it, it would be a little different.  So, I worked on it and actually wrote it down as I was making it.  I believe I finally have a finished product that is worthy of sharing with you.  This is a sweet barbeque sauce that goes great with ribs and poultry, baked or grilled.  The Village Taste Testers declared this recipe a winner, I hope you do too.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 cup Cider Vinegar

8 ounce Tomato Sauce

1/2 cup Honey

1/2 cup light Dark Brown Sugar

1/3 cup Ketchup (I use Hunt’s No High Fructose Corn Syrup)

1 tablespoon Smoked Paprika

2 teaspoons Chili Powder

Note:  I forgot to include the Ketchup in this picture….sorry.

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a medium sauce pan.  Heat to a boil then simmer for at least an hour, stirring frequently.  If you like it sweeter, add more honey or brown sugar.  If you like it spicier, add more chili powder. 

Brush on ribs or poultry during the last part of the cooking process.  For ribs I brush the sauce on the last hour of cooking; for Poultry the last half hour. 

Store extra barbeque sauce in a sealed container in the refrigerator. 

Our Family Salad Dressing

Original Recipe from:  Lucy Griffin-Bowers

I found this recipe in Grandma’s collection from the 1950’s.  To be honest, I never knew we had a family salad dressing, but I do remember this dressing being around a lot when I was a kid.  Of course, back then there weren’t very many good prepared salad dressings available at the local grocery store.  With the growing popularity of prepared foods, we all got away from making foods from scratch.  Today I worry about foods with ingredients that I can not pronounce.  It seems if you can not pronounce it, it is probably going to be damaging to your body or your diet.  Making foods from scratch with wholesome ingredients seems to me to be the best gift you can give yourself and your family.  I am making an effort to reduce those ingredients I can not pronounce or have no clue what they are, I hope you will too.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups Salad Oil (Vegetable or Olive Oil)

1 tablespoon Sugar

1 tablespoon Salt

2 tablespoons Vinegar

1 teaspoon Celery Seed

2 tablespoons Lemon Juice

1 teaspoon Mustard Seed

1 tablespoon onion juice (or powder)

1 tablespoon chopped Parsley

1/2 teaspoon Thyme (optional)

1 clove Garlic, minced or whole (add whole clove to salad dressing bottle and leave there)

Directions

Combine all ingredients and mix well.  Store dressing in the refrigerator.  When ready to serve, mix 1 part sweet cream to 3 parts of dressing and mix just before serving.  Makes 2 cups basic ingredients. 

Village Vegetable Dip

Original Recipe from:  Kay Johnson-Tomblin

About 25 years ago I attended a summer potluck barbeque.  One of the dishes was a vegetable tray with the most awesome dip I had ever tasted.  The lady who brought the dish rattled off the list of ingredients and I figured out the measurements.  Make this dip instead of your typical Ranch Dressing the next time you make a vegetable tray, I know you will love it.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

2/3 cup Sour Cream

2/3 cup Miracle Whip

1 tablespoon Dill Weed

1 tablespoons Parsley Flakes

1 tablespoon minced Garlic

1 tablespoon Beau-Monde

Directions

Mix all ingredients thoroughly with a whisk.  Refrigerate for one hour before serving.

Cucumber Dip

Original Recipe from:  Virginia Bowers-Johnson

It seems that society has adopted Ranch Dressing/Dip as the universal dip to be used for all occasions.  Before Ranch Dressing/Dip became popular we had a large variety of dressings and dips to choose from, and were chosen to be the best complement to what you were dipping.  I’m campaigning for the return of variety.  Keep Ranch as an option, but explore others…you might just find a new best flavor.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

8 ounces Cream Cheese, softened

1/2 cup finely shredded cucumber, well drained

1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce

Mix all ingredients thoroughly with a whisk.  Refrigerate for one hour before serving.

Honey Mustard Glaze

Original Recipe from:  Snookie Scopas

The first time I had this glaze on a lamb chop, I thought it was the most delectable taste I had ever tasted.  Then Snookie used it on a pork loin and again, absolutely delicious.  Ribs soon followed and, again I was amazed.  The last time Snookie made it he put it on grilled rib-eye steaks, a more fabulous steak I challenge you to find.  I decided to try the glaze on my Easter Ham….it was the Best ham I have ever made!  So far, we haven’t found a meat that this glaze doesn’t work well with.  Give it a try, and let me know what you glazed.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

1/4 cup Honey

1/4 cup Yellow Mustard

1 teaspoon Garlic Powder

Directions

Lamb Chops:  Brush glaze on both sides of each chop.  Grill or broil the chops.

Pork Loin:  Brush glaze on top side of the loin (fat side).  Bake or Rotisserie the pork loin until done.

Ribs:  Brush glaze on the ribs as you would for any other type of sauce.  Bake or Grill the ribs.

Steaks:  Make several passes over the steak with a “knife meat tenderizer”, and then brush glaze on both sides.  Grill or broil the steaks.

Ham:  Glaze ham the last 20 minutes of baking time.