Strawberry Rhubarb Refrigerator Jam

After a long and damp winter, nothing excites me more than seeing spring produce sprout up at the farmer's market. Especially things that aren't usually around for very long, like rhubarb. Now, rhubarb pies and tarts are absolutely wonderful in their own right, but I really wanted to try something different this time around, so last week I made the rhubarb hamantaschen cookies from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook... and I fell completely in love with the rhubarb filling. So this week I went back to farmer's market to get more rhubarb, and some strawberries, to make my own version of the filling which I am calling refrigerator jam, since that's pretty much what it is.

Note: This recipe does not include any measurements, because I didn't use any. You can use as little or as much fruit as you'd like, and as long as you coat it completely with sugar it will turn out well! For reference though, I used three medium-sized rhubarb stalks, about a cup worth of strawberries, and approximately 3/4 cups of sugar. (I'm really guessing with the sugar... I just poured it right on in!)

Strawberry Rhubarb Refrigerator Jam

- rhubarb
- strawberries
- sugar

Trim the ends of the rhubarb and remove the stems of the strawberries, then chop both into half-inch sized chunks and place them in a saucepan large enough that they're not too crowded. Pour sugar over them, just enough to completely coat all the fruit. Cook for fifteen minutes over medium-low heat, covered with a lid; no need to stir. After fifteen minutes, take the lid off and cook for another fifteen to twenty minutes, stirring occasionally. To tell whether or not they're 'done', you're looking for a thick consistency that coats the back of a spoon; all of the fruit should be soft and integrated by this point as well. Pour the jam into a clean bowl to cool down completely. Once cool, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator and eat at your leisure! The jam should keep for about three weeks, if you have more self control than I do.

The rhubarb was so fresh that I didn't even peel it; be a rebel, like me.

There's nothing better than farm fresh strawberries! Except maybe chocolate.

Let's get this party started!

Looks like this after fifteen minutes...

Just about done!

Done! But please be patient, no one likes a burned tongue.
Of course this jam is great on toast (what isn't?) but I've been using it to add a little sweetness to my plain ol' greek yogurt in the mornings. I am super tempted to try some on a big bowl of vanilla ice cream... or better yet, in a milkshake! Let me know what your favorite way to enjoy it is!

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Between Three Kitchens has a new member!

Please give a warm welcome to Ciara!

(I realize that this means we are now between FOUR kitchens, but just ignore that little oversight...)

Ciara originally hails from our hometown in New Jersey but is currently baking up a storm in her kitchen in Portland Oregon. After her first guest post she had inquired about posting on a more regular basis, so I decided to make her a part of the team. You've probably noticed that we've all been slacking on posting since the humble beginnings of this blog... hopefully a new member will kick us back into gear and you'll be seeing more posts from us on a regular basis!

- Marine

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Homemade Waffles

When my boyfriend and I moved into our first apartment together a couple of years ago, we got a few house-warming gifts. Amy brought us a case of her father's delicious homemade wine, which we slowly worked our way through during our first year there. Then when Alina came to visit, she brought us a waffle maker. Of course, I had to put it to use as soon as possible, so over the course of a few weeks, I experimented with lots of different recipes before finding one that makes perfect waffles every single time. They're light and crispy on the outside, yet fluffy and hearty inside. They can be topped with anything your belly desires but I prefer them most with Nutella or with strawberry jam, since we rarely have maple syrup in the house. And if you don't happen to have the luxury of owning a waffle maker, this recipe also makes great pancakes!

Waffles

Ingredients:

- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 3/4 cups water
- 1/2 cup oil (canola, vegetable, etc; anything goes, really!)
- 2 egg whites

Preparation:

In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a larger bowl using a whisk, beat the egg yolks enough to break them up, then add the water and oil. Add the flour mixture to the egg yolk mixture and whisk until thoroughly combined. In yet another bowl, use a stand mixer or a handheld mixer (or whisk by hand if you have neither) to beat the egg whites to stiff peaks. Gently fold the egg whites into the rest of the batter. At this point, you can either refrigerate the batter until you're ready to use it (it should last for about a day covered in the refrigerator), or immediately make waffles according to your waffle iron's instructions.

Enjoy!

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Stinging Nettle Soup, Ukrainian Style!

I have recently made an unusual soup - an old gem from the motherland via my great-grandmother. Stinging nettle soup. Yes. In case you have not heard of stinging nettle, it's a leafy plant, and it will sting your skin with nettles (containing formic acid, histamine, acetylcholine, serotonin) which will leave little itchy blisters that go away after 30 minutes or so. To my knowledge, this soup is popular in villages and countrysides in Ukraine and Russia. Probably because nettle grows wild where there is more greenery.

Since I was not able to find this plant on the East Coast, I ordered seeds a couple of years ago and planted them in my yard. Now, it grows pretty wild and requires a bit of "weed" control.

A bit more on the plant: The nettles loose their effect once put into boiling water so don't worry about stinging your tongue (but I do recommend using latext or garden gloves when handling them fresh)! Nettle also has medicinal value and contains lots of vitamins and minerals. This leafy plant has been used for cooking and medicine for many ages. Native Americans are among many cultures who use/used this plant for culinary and medicinal purposes.

For additional information, you can visit this page I found: More on Stinging Nettle

Stinging Nettle Soup

Ingredients

- A hefty bunch of young stinging nettle leaves & stalks
- Chicken/ Pork/ Beef - the meat choice is up to you! I used pork this time, but I prefer chicken
- About 5 hard boiled eggs
- About 3 large potatoes
- 2 large carrots
- 1 large onion
- Sunflower seed oil (if you do not have this, you can always use olive oil)
- Salt & pepper to taste
- A dollop of sour cream

After filling the cooking pot with water, add the meat of your choice, and start cooking it while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. Adding salt at the
beginning will also bring out the flavor. The longer you cook the meat, the nicer broth you will have!
Next you can start boiling your eggs, of if you already have them done, dice them into cubes. Set aside.
Cut off the ends of the nettle plant and mince. Set aside.
Next, dice the potatoes into small cubes and add them to the broth, which should be coming close to a boil.


While you wait for the meat and the potatoes to fully cook, take 2 large carrots and grate them.
Next, dice a large onion into small cubes.
Take the carrots and the onion, and saute them in a large flying pan until golden brown (using sunflower seed oil)
Next, add the carrots and onion to the soup.
Making sure that the potatoes are tender, you can then add the eggs, and lastly, the nettle.
Taste for flavor and salt. If you feel like there is not enough salt, add a bit more, stir, and taste. (I rarely use measurements).
Finally, pour the soup into a soup bowl, and add a dollop of sour cream!
Enjoy!

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