I had the honor of being contacted early this month by Dan from "High Five Naturals" to test out and give my input on his companies new product. I thought a blog review was in order on this one!!   The easiest 'oven mitt' I've ever owned that also withstands extreme heat yet has so many versatile uses. These felt more nimble to use and I felt more secure in picking up items like hot canning jars out of my boiling water bath and pressure canner. I love that they are odor resistant (and mildew resistant too!) I rinse mine off in soapy water and off I can go again onto another project!  These gloves are made by High Five Naturals and let me tell you - I will no longer burn my hands preparing corn (from the cob) for canning too!  I can grab the cobs right out of the boiling water and place them into the ice bath for processing.  I found that I can hold large items more securely with these on, I always set my just cleaned canning jars in the oven to keep HOT while preparing items that will be canned - reaching in and grabbing a HOT jar no longer requires an odd reach into the oven with a jar lifter or outdated oven mitts, or a kitchen towel - I just grab them with my 'High Fives' on and even better - I also place my hot jars directly into my canner with them on... If you click on "Read More" I've added some great information directly from High Five Naturals - a great product that should be added to your Canning line up!!  Remember these are also multi-functional so many MORE great uses around the house but - for handling HOT foods and HOT jars with BOILING water around as you are CANNING - these are GREAT!  - Enjoy! Diane 

Why not! I'm not sure about you but, we love roasted and grilled chicken.  I used to toss the carcass and never give it a second thought - until lately!!  It so easy to make Homemade Stocks and in your slow-cooker too!!  The flavors are richer and most times the color is even deeper then any store bought stocks/broths.  Who wouldn't want to know what went into their stock and control it so there aren't any added unwanted items like 'msg'  try this - you'll like it! Enjoy - Diane  


Homemade Slow Cooker Chicken Stock 

2 lbs Chicken Bones (carcass) 
1 1/2 tsp salt *you can hold off adding until the end if you prefer and adjust to your taste
2 medium onions, rough chop
2 carrots, rough chop
bulb of garlic, cut in half horizontally
3 celery ribs, rough chop
boiling water to cover chicken carcass
1 Tbs Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Bay leaf
8-10 black peppercorns
3 spring fresh thyme 

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Combine chicken bones, onions, celery, and carrots in a large roasting pan; toss with oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Roast until the bones and vegetables are a rich golden brown, about 30 to 40 minutes.
Transfer the bones and vegetables to a large stockpot...or slow cooker (mine is a 6 Qt) cover with enough boiling water to just cover the chicken carcass, add in remaining ingredients, cook on LOW for 12-18 hours (your preference, taste after 12 hours) I pour my liquid that has been strained (strain through cheesecloth) into a fat separator and then place the resulting fat free liquid into a fridge safe container to use within 5 days (or pressure can or freeze stock for future use.) 

**rough chop meaning you don't peel the onion and you don't cut or take off any peelings from carrots and leave celery whole - with leafy greens too...
** the apple cider vinegar will not flavor your dish but, helps to leech out the minerals from the carcass while cooking - adding more nutrients to the final product. You can use white vinegar as well. 

Yields 2.5 to 3 Quarts of Stock. 

*note: with an hour left of cook time (when bones were just falling apart) I added 
a pinch of Rosemary added for flavor. 

If Canning - NCHFP Inst. on Pressure Can Meat Stocks/Broth:  10 lbs weighted canner/11 pounds dial gauge canner (or according to your altitude/local regs.) 
for: 2o minutes/pints    25 minutes/quarts. . 

Recipe & Photo by: Diane Baker for Canning and Cooking at Home

  Bird! is the Word...and it's that time of year when everyone is trying to decide between fresh, frozen, organic, smoked, fried, brined, baked, or grilled....turkey!  No matter what your choice, this recipe is the one I use and never fails to impress on taste. It's moist and flavor-filled.  I also remove the neck and use that in making an extra pan of gravy, I place carrots, onion and celery in the pan with a bit of chicken broth, a bay leaf and the neck and let that simmer a good 45 mins and then strain liquid from solids and finish off making that second gravy with a roux of butter and flour in equal parts to the liquid I get...that way everyone has plenty of gravy and its great to add to Turkey Posole when making the "leftovers" from Thanksgiving day!!   I do make the traditional 'pan gravy' from the turkey juices (after taking the fat out) and again a simple butter and flour roux is used there too. Enjoy - Diane 

Oven-Roasted Turkey

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 14 -pound turkey, giblets removed, washed and dried
melted butter, for drizzling
Fresh thyme, for garnish

Directions:
Mix the smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper in a bowl. Sprinkle some of the spice rub inside the cavity of the turkey. Separate the skin from the breast meat with your fingers, starting at the top of the breast and sliding to the right and left, then working down. Massage some of the rub onto the meat under the skin. Sprinkle the remaining rub on the turkey's skin. Place the turkey on a sheet tray and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight or up to 24 hours so the flavors can marry.

Set a rack at the lowest position in the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Remove the turkey from the refrigerator to bring to room temperature. Tie the legs together and tuck the wing tips under. Place the turkey in a roasting pan. Drizzle the outside of the turkey with a few tablespoons of butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast the turkey - covered - about 3 hours, or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F. Transfer the turkey to a platter, cover loosely with foil and let rest 30 minutes before carving. I do baste with pan juices and remove the cover when 30 mins if left in the cooking time. 

Recipe Adapted From: Patrick & Gina Neeley
Photo by: Diane Baker for Canning and Cooking at Home

I love nothing better in the morning then a buttery slice of heaven (cinnamon coffee cake) with my first cup of coffee. I usually make sure I have everything ready to go in the morning so I can whip this up and pop it in the oven - the smells are just the perfect 'wake up' call for the rest of the family.  This is quick and easy. Enjoy - Diane 


Cinnamon Coffee Cake

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
6 tablespoons white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup shortening
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 inch square pan.
In a large bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Cut in the shortening with a pastry blender to the size of small peas.
In a separate small bowl, beat the egg well, then stir in the milk and vanilla. Add the egg-milk mixture to the flour mixture all at once. Stir carefully until just blended.
Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly. Drizzle top with melted butter.
In a small bowl mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Sprinkle the cinnamon topping onto batter. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. 
Recipe by: Stephanie Photo by: Diane Baker for Canning and Cooking at Home

      I grew up with this in my parents house being known as lasagna. My Mom made this and I always loved it. I don't know if it was the pan she cooked it on or her magical oven that gave it such flavor but, I can never recreate the taste!  A savory blend of meats and cheeses are encased in wonderful fluffy crescent dough.  I would guess that she ran across this recipe way back when and got it from one of her many cookbooks or the newspaper.  All the same, it was my personal favorite and I requested it when asked what I'd want for my "birthday dinner."  I'm sure this recipe can be modified all the way around to suite your own tastes!  like using ground turkey with low-fat cheese and adding other cooked vegetables or a chicken divan type creation.  Have fun, create your own - enjoy! Diane 

Phyllis's Lasagna

Ingredients:
Meat Filling: 
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
3/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 small can tomato paste
1 tsp parsley
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp salt
dash of pepper

Cheese Filling: 
1 pack (2cups) of mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 cup cream style cottage cheese or 1 cup ricotta *your choice
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 egg
2 tubes of crescent rolls

Meat Mixture: 
Brown meat, drain off fat. add chopped onion, stir until tender.
add all herbs & spices listed under Meat Filling. Stir in tomato paste.
let everything cook for 20 mins uncovered. While that is cooking, place first tube of crescent rolls on cookie sheet (as for pie crust, pinch seems together) 

Cheese Mixture:
Beat egg, add to cottage cheese & parmesan cheese.

Place first roll of dough down on a large baking sheet - add meat mixture in the middle.  Alternate meat mixture and cottage (or ricotta) cheese mixture. Then sprinkle mozzarella cheese. 
Once all the filling is down, place the second roll of dough down over the filling and pinch any holes in seams and pull up sides of crescent roll dough to form one large bread loaf. 

Bake at 325 for 45 mins to an Hour (check to make sure it doesn't get too brown) 

serves: 4-6
Recipe Adapted by: Phyllis C 
Photo by: Diane Baker for Canning and Cooking at Home