Spiced Fig Preserves

While the boys were at tae kwon do last night, I decided to do something with the figs coming ripe on our tree. Our tree is a mystery white variety, and I find them a bit tasteless.

The birds had started on some of the ripest figs, but there were plenty left (4 pounds worth). But the fig beetles aren't out yet, so there are actual whole ripe figs (yay!).

I made up a recipe using about 4 online ones as guides. The labels came from All About Orange. I used the blank label, printed on full-page stickers on my inkjet printer, then covered in contact paper and cut out with my circle cutter.

Spiced Fig Preserve

3.75 pound washed, de-stemmed figs
4.5 cups sugar
4 cups water
3T lemon juice
1.5 t ground cinnamon
1 t ground ginger
.5 t ground cloves
.75 t vanilla extract

Chop figs, there will be about 9 cups worth. Set aside. Put water and sugar in large Dutch oven, cook until sugar dissolves. Add figs, lemon juice, spices, and extract. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a heavy simmer. Cook down for about 45 minutes, mixture will thicken, and be about 200°. Put in sterilized jars, water bath process 10 minutes.

More figs!

Linked to: Sew Darn Crafty

Chicken and Cilantro Pesto Tamale Pie

OK, maybe not a tamale pie per se. But for lack of a better term. But this is just soooo yummy.

Cilantro Pesto
1 bunch cilantro, including stems
1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup raw cashews
1/2 cup rough-grate parmesan
1 garlic clove
1/4 t salt

Put the cilantro and olive oil into your food processor—it should be full of cilantro leaves and stems, but don't pack it. Blend, then add rest of ingredients and blend until it is uniform.

The bowl goes from full to not so full when the cilantro is all chopped.

Dough
I took my basic dough recipe from here. (I love allrecipes.com!)

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup masa harina
4.5 t quick-acting/bread machine yeast (= 2 envelopes)
1 T sugar
1/2 t Kosher salt
3/4 c 120–130° milk
3 T canola oil
1 egg

Mix dry ingredients, add milk, oil, egg. Mix well. Spray a square casserole pan with cooking spray (I use olive oil), spread batter in the casserole.

Scrape pesto in bowl you used for the batter. Add chopped cold chicken—I use leftovers from a roast chicken. I add 1/2 cup to 1 cup, depending on how much I have. Stir the chicken in. Then spread the pesto/chicken mix onto your dough.

Heat oven to 350°, and put pan in immediately, when the oven is till cold. Bake 30 minutes or until done.

Enjoy!

Serve with a salad, or black beans, or fresh pan-fried spinach and crockpotted great northern beans like I did. Or whatever!