Connie Tinnick's Pickled Eggs

For as long as I can remember, my mom's pickled eggs have been the best ever. I have never found one anywhere else that can compare. She makes them for all the major holidays, and it is something that we all look forward to eating.

A number of years ago she told me that she got the recipe from my fifth grade teacher's wife. As luck would have it, I ran into them both for the first time in years at out local Lowe's hardware. I seized the opportunity to thank her for sharing her wonderful recipe.

Now I share it here.


Ingredients

• 2 cups of water
• 2 cups of drained beet juice
• 2 cups of vinegar
• 1 tablespoon of cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon of cloves
• 1 tablespoon of allspice

• 3 dozen eggs
• 2 large cans of tinned beets

Directions

1. Hard boil the eggs. Allow to cool, shell and rinse.
2. Separate both the beets and beet juice and reserve.
3. In a large combine all the liquids (water, vinegar, beet juice) and spice (cinnamon, cloves and allspice) and bring to a boil. Allow to cool.
4. When all ingredients are room cooled, combine them into a large sealed container and refrigerate.

Notes:

• I think this recipe would be phenomenal with fresh ingredients.
• I have thought about adding black pepper, a few cardamom and bay leaves to the boiling process. I think that would give it a real boost.
• Put it in a sealed container, beet-juice stains horribly
• I would prepare at least two days in advance before eating. All the flavor really seems to come together by then.
• You can continue to add new eggs and beets to the liquid if you run out. Ours usually last a week or more... not sure if that's a good thing or not. I asked mom and she said she uses 3 dozen eggs. Taylor as needed.
  

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Bourbon Balls/Boules de bourbon

Jody and I made these last time I was down to visit. They were holiday favorites of hers from her youth, ::insert me gushing over the flavor::

Jody writes:

My mother made these when I was a kid, I remember the smell distinctly. This is my grandmother's recipe. The reason I'm posting this now is that these MUST be made several weeks in advance of eating them in order for the flavors to truly develop. Make sure you store them in something air tight.

Bourbon Balls/Boules de bourbon

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoon cocoa
• 3 tablespoon Karo corn syrup
• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
• 1/2 cup dates, chopped
• 1 lb. vanilla wafers, crushed well
• 1/2 cup bourbon whiskey
• powdered sugar

Directions

• Combine sugar, cocoa and wafers in a food processor.
• Pulse until mixture is mostly free of large chunks.
• Rough chop and add to the mix the dates and then the pecans.
• Pulse until mixture is of the roughly same consistency.
• Slowly add the Karo syrup and whiskey
• Form into small (3/4") balls, then roll in powdered sugar.

Notes:

• I used some left over sugar and cinnamon mix to coat the balls.
• I think it is a good idea to chill the mix before rolling them into individual servings.
• It might make a good log.

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West Indian Pumpkin Soup/La soupe de citrouille de l'Indie de l'ouest

I had originally planned to serve this at my Autumn Festival party this year. Unfortunately I had to cancel the party. However, Jody and I had the opportunity to make during my little vacation there last week.

I got this recipe from Better Homes and Gardens' America's Ethnic Cuisines.

West Indian Pumpkin Soup
La soupe de citrouille de l'Indie de l'ouest

You can serve this creamy, richly spiced soup cold or hot. Look for pumpkin seeds (also known as pepitas) at Latin American or Mexican markets, if they're not already roasted, toast the raw seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet for 10 minutes in a 350º F oven.

Prep: 1 hour
Roast: ¼ hours
Cook: 40 minutes
Oven: 350°F
Stand: 10 minutes
Makes: 10 cups


Ingredients

• 2 pounds butternut squash or cooking pumpkin, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large Spanish onion, chopped
• ½ Scotch bonnet chile or 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped*
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 2 tablespoons snipped fresh thyme or
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme, crushed
• 2 teaspoons finely grated orange peel
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 small bay leaves
• 6 cups chicken broth
• ¼ cup whipping cream
• ¼ cup unsweetened coconut milk
• 1//2 cup pumpkin seeds, toasted
• 2 Granny Smith apples, cored and diced (optional)

Directions

• In a large roasting pan toss together the squash, sweet potatoes, butter, sugar, salt, and black pepper. Roast in a 350° oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, in a large Dutch oven heat the oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in chile, garlic, and ginger; cook 1 minute more. Add thyme, orange peel, curry, nutmeg, cinnamon stick, and bay leaves. Cook for 1 minute, stirring to coat vegetables. (The mixture will resemble a paste and begin to stick to the bottom of the Dutch oven.) Add the roasted vegetables and any pan liquid, stirring until well combined.
• Pour in broth and bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes to cool. Discard cinnamon stick and bay leaves. Place a small amount of soup at a time in a blender container; blend or puree until smooth. Return pureed mixture to Dutch oven. Stir in cream and coconut milk. If desired, cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Serve cold or reheat.
• To serve, ladle soup into shallow bowls. Sprinkle soup with toasted pumpkin seeds and, if desired, diced apples.

Notes:

1. A Dutch Oven is just a large, deep pot.
2. I used Jalapeño as I have never cooked with Scotch Bonnets before.
3. Instead of roasted pumpkins seeds we used spiced apple rings. Everyone agreed this was a good choice.
4. Matt suggested that is wasn't spicy hot enough.
5. Jody and I think it could have used more nutmeg and possible cinnamon.
6. I think it could use some clove.
7. The soup is nice cold, but I think I like it better hot.
8. It's much better to serve it a day or so after you make it.

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