Can It!

So i have decided that I want to preserve enough vegetables to last through the winter...mainly because I am poor as hell these days and I just prefer fresh to processed anything! So Since the flooding has had me home bound for the last 5 days I have made homemade pasta sauce, salsa, corn relish, pickled hot peppers, hot pepper jelly, marinated peppers and onions and assorted pickles of the cucumber variety.  I have also processed and frozen, squash, green beans, fresh corn, and a variety of other produce.  But the marinated peppers and onions turned out awesome!

Marinated Peppers and Onions

6 cups green bell peppers, chopped
3 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped/seeded yellow squash (mostly for a bit of color)
1 tbs horseradish
2 tbs pickling spice ground.
1 tbs Italian seasoning
2.5 cups apple cider vinegar
1.5 cups sugar

Put all of the ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes or until onions begin to become translucent.  Pack into hot canning jars. Water bath for 20 minutes.   These are delicious, they taste like they have been marinated  and are just a wonderful accompaniment to burgers or mixed in with fresh cooked corn.

Garden Love

My best friend gave me a ton of veggies from her garden, since mine was flattened by a fallen tree thanks to Hurricane Irene so I have spent the day making wonderful pickles, spring rolls, relishes and for dinner:
Swiss Chard Parmesan

Ingredients

	1 pound(s) Swiss chard, roughly chopped
	1 cup(s) canned diced tomatoes
	1 tsp garlic powder
	1/2 tsp table salt
	1/2 tsp black pepper
	1 tsp minced onion
	1/4 cup(s) white wine
	1/4 cup(s) reduced fat parmesan cheese

Instructions

Reserve parmesan, Place all other ingredients into a pan and cook until swiss chard begins to wilt. Remove from heat, drain, toss with parmesan cheese and serve.

Steak and Shirataki Tofu Noodles w/ a spicy Peanut sauce

Ok so i have been watching one to many Korean drama's on netflix, subtitles and all.  That combined with the wonderful Thai food I had at the filling station in Benton...yes I said Thia food in Benton, they don't have a stop light but they have an authentic off the boat Thai chef...put me in the mood for Asian inspired food.

Steak and Shirataki Tofu Noodles w/ a spicy Peanut sauce

Ingredients

	8 oz cooked trimmed beef eye round steak or roast, cut into 2 4oz steaks
	1 pound(s) House Foods Tofu shirataki angel hair shaped noodle substitute
	1/2 cup(s) green snap beans
	1/2 cup(s) carrot(s), sliced thin
	1/2 cup(s) green pepper(s), sliced
	1 Tbsp reduced-fat peanut butter
	1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
	1/4 cup(s) soy sauce
	1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
	1/2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
	1 Can Bamboo Shoots
	1 tsp Sriracha chili sauce    2 tsp garlic salt

Instructions 

Sprinkle
the steaks with the garlic salt and set aside.
Set a pan over medium heat and allow to get hot.
Mix the peanut butter, sesame oil, sriracha, lemon, rice wine and soy sauce and place in the microwave for 25 seconds. Wisk together.
Spray coat the hot pan. Put the steaks into the hot pan and cook for 2 minutes on each side, then remove from pan and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
Add noodles, veggies to pan and let cook for 3 minutes. Add peanut-butter sauce to noodle mixture and cover. Let cook for another 5-8 minutes or until veggies are par cooked.
Slice the steaks into 1/8" strips and separate into 3 portions.
Place noodles into 3 bowls with meat over top, serve

Scallops and Veggies

Scallops and Veggies over Rice

 This is a simple meal thats only 10 weight watchers points.

Ingredients

	1 pound(s) scallops
	1 cup(s) cooked asparagus
	1 cup(s) frozen sliced summer squash
	2 clove(s) garlic clove(s) (medium)
	1/8 cup(s) Spanish onion
	1 cup(s) plum tomatoes, diced
	1/2 cup(s)  Merlot
	1 tsp Italian seasoning
	1 serving(s) Nutrasalt Seasoned salt, tsp.
	3 Tbsp teriyaki sauce
	1 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
	3 cup(s) cooked white rice

Instructions

chop the vegetables and cook with scallops and all other ingredients, in a pan over medium heat, Covered for 10 -15 minutes or until scallops are cooked and veggies are cooked but still crisp. Serve over rice.
Cook rice according to packaging. 1 cup rice per serving.

Wasabi Almonds

This are my favorite snack to bring on vacation, aside from homemade beef jerky of course (see my beef jerky section), but normally i purchase the Archer Farms brand from target, but with the prices steadily rising i wanted to make my own. So these were definitely on my "to try" list. Not only do you get more for your money, but they taste like the Archer Farms version and are so worth the small amount of time to make. So instead of a yearly treat, they have become a staple.

 

Wasabi Almonds

Ingredients:

Serves: 16,

Yield:3 cups apprx

• 1 egg white
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 lb natural almonds (brown skin on)
• 4 tablespoons wasabi powder
• 1 teaspoons coarse salt
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch

Directions:

Prep Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 1 1/4 hr

1. Preheat the oven to 275°F.
2. Line a baking sheet with Release Foil or lightly greased foil or lightly greased parchment paper.
3. Whisk the egg white and water together until foamy.
4. Add almonds and toss to coat.
5. Place almonds in a sieve to allow excess egg white to drain off toss lightly as you are draining them.
6. Stir together the wasabi, cornstarch & salt in a large bowl or zip lock plastic bag.
7.  Add almonds and toss to coat.
8. Spread the almonds on the baking sheet single layer and bake for 30 minutes.
9. Stir gently lower heat to 200°F and continue baking for a further 20 minutes.
10. Let cool completely.
11. Serve now or store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/wasabi-almonds-150444#ixzz1TAqg1Cb5

Cooking, Cooking

Dinner tonight was a mixed bag of ethnic fusion. I made this wonderfull chicken recipe that I got off of weight watchers...it was great. And because I needed to give it a try, I made a polish dish that roughly translated means potato and barley dumplings. I have to admit I was skeptical about the dumplings....but they were really really good. and filling.

Ginger and Teriyaki Chicken

Course: main meals PointsPlus™ Value:    4 Servings:  4 Preparation Time:  20 min Cooking Time:  35 min Level of Difficulty:  Easy

Our ginger-flavored broth does double duty in this recipe: It's a cooking liquid for the chicken and a tangy base for the dressing.

Ingredients

	1 Tbsp ginger root, freshly grated
	1 clove(s) garlic clove(s), minced (medium)
	1 cup(s) fat-free chicken broth
	1 pound(s) Chicken, breast, raw, without skin & bone
	1 stalk(s) celery, rib, chopped (medium)
	1 small sweet red pepper(s), chopped
	1 medium scallion(s), finely chopped (green part only)
	1/4 cup(s) teriyaki sauce
	1/4 tsp black pepper
	16 piece(s) lettuce, use tender, inner Romaine leaves

Instructions

• Combine ginger, garlic and broth in a large skillet; bring to a simmer. Add chicken in one layer; return to a simmer. Cover and simmer, turning chicken over after 15 minutes, until chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat and let chicken sit in broth for 5 minutes.
  
• Reserve 3 tablespoons of cooked broth; discard remainder. Cut chicken into bite-size pieces and place in a medium bowl; add celery, red pepper and scallion.
  
• In a cup, combine teriyaki sauce, reserved broth and black pepper; stir well. Pour over chicken mixture and toss to combine.
  
• To serve, arrange 4 lettuce leaves on each of 4 plates. Spoon 1/4 cup of chicken mixture into each leaf. Pick up each leaf and eat with your hands. Yields 4 filled leaves per serving. 

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PYZY Z KASZA JECZMIENNA or Potato Barley Dumplings

Ingredients

	1/2 cup(s) uncooked barley
	3 cup(s) uncooked potato(es), grated
	4 Tbsp table salt
	1 Tbsp garlic powder
	2 Tbsp dried parsley
	1 cup(s) all-purpose flour
	10 cup(s) water
	1 large egg(s)

Instructions

  Soak the cracked barley in 3 cups of water over night. Shred the potatoes on a grater and mix with the potatoes. Using cheese cloth or a clean towel. Remove the remaining moisture from the potatoes and barley.
add in garlic and parsley , flour , egg and 1 tsp. salt. Roll into walnut sized balled between floured hands.
Bring remaining water and salt to a gentle boil. Drop dumplings into boiling salted water and boil about 30 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon.Variations are served with pasta sauce or fried onions and diced bacon (not included in recipe.) Or stuff with ground beef.makes about 50 dumplings. Serving size 5 dumplings

Traditionally these are served with diced crisp bacon and tossed in the bacon drippings before serving. 

Note: I found that flouring my hands was not quite enough to make these into balls.  So I used a plate and put a handful of flour on it and dropped spoon fulls of the mixture onto the flour. it made it easier to flip the dumplings over and then pick them up and roll them into balls. 

its hot and I am broke

it seems the hotter the summer gets the more money I spend that I hadn't planned on spending. Money for a new wall, gutters, tree removal.....yay. So that means going out for ice cream is out. But i have fruit and I have ice!

Fruited Water Ice

1 apple – Cored

1 Pear – Cored

1 banana – peeled

1 kiwi- peeled

½ cup pineapple-fresh

½ cup cantaloupe – fresh

2 sweet’n’low packets

3 cups of ice

blender

This works with any fruit combo. I make it a lot as a snack or when I have leftover fresh fruit salad. Put it all in the blender (I don’t even peel the apples or pears) Pulse until it’s the consistency of water ice.  Add more ice if needed. This makes quite a bit, so if it isn’t all going to be eaten. Pour the remaining blended mixture into an ice cube tray and freeze. When you want more pop the “ice cubes” into the blender again and eat.

Ice Cream…without all that nasty stuff

2 cups frozen fruit of choice (I like mixed berries)

Make sure its frozen without added sugar

½ to ¾ cup of soy or almond milk, unsweetened.

Blender

Add all ingredients to blender and pulse until smooth. Eat.

Black Bean Burgers with Blue Cheese Mayo

I was flipping through the channels one day and came across Sandra Lee making black bean burgers. The idea intrigued me. I decided to give it a try but I could not find her recipe. So i made up my own. After about 3-4 tries (none of which were bad) i settled on this. Its very good and even my ex. who was a strict carnivore loved them.  

Ingredients

3 oz Crumbled Blue Cheese
	3 clove(s) garlic clove(s), MINCED
	1 cup(s) onion(s), MINCED
	2 Tsp black pepper,   Salt to taste
	1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
	6 tbs Burgundy  Steak Rub, or your favorite smoky rub.
	1 egg
	6 slice(s) tomato(es)
	6 tsp   mayonnaise
	12 oz dill gherkins
	1 cup(s) lettuce
	16 oz canned black beans
	3/4 cup(s) dried Italian style bread crumbs

Instructions

With clean hands crush and mash the beans leaving half crushed and half whole for texture. Reserve the Blue Cheese, tomato, lettuce, onion, mayo and pickles.  Add all other ingredients and mix gently. If the mixture is to wet add a bit more bread crumbs.  This usually makes about 8-10 patties (i like to freeze the leftovers) Bake or grilled until cooked through (usually about 18-20 minutes on a medium heat grill)
place tomato, lettuce and pickles and put on each burger. Mix the Blue cheese with the Mayo. Spread mayo and blue cheese mixture on buns or use as a dipping sauce.

(i have also made this with 4 pieces of crumbled cooked bacon mixed into the beans)

Baked Jalapeno Poppers

What do you make for a group of middle ages reenactor's who like life spicy....poppers!  I quadrupled this recipe and there were none left over. 

 

Ingredients

	1/4 cup(s) reduced-fat feta cheese
	4 oz low fat cream cheese
	1/2 cup(s) shredded fat-free mozzarella cheese
	2 tsp garlic powder
	1 Tbsp dried coriander leaf
	1/3 cup(s) raw onion, grated (chopped)
	1/8 cup(s) carrot(s), grated
	3 oz Boar's Head Queso para freir cheese
	20 medium jalapeٌo pepper(s)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Cut 1/3 of each pepper off lengthwise and scoop out the seeds.

Place on a baking sheet. If peppers do not sit flat on the baking sheet, slice a thin piece off the bottom of the pepper so it will not roll around.
Mash the feta, queso, cream cheese, shredded cheese, cilantro, carrot, garlic, and onion together and stuff the peppers with the mixture.

Roast for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the peppers are tender and the cheese is brown at the edges and bubbly.

heaven and hell

Today was our annual may day celebration at school and in true mayday fashion the entire small town of Benton poured out onto the soccer field (the wet, squishy soccer field) to watch the elementary students dance to Beatles songs and see the May Queen receive her crown. Not that I was able to see any of it from the concession stand. I am the student council advisory and that means the concession stand was all mine. My feat hurt, my head hurts and I am dog tired. Normally this would mean that I am in no mood to cook. Today it made me hungry for red meat. London Broil and a beautiful vegetable strata. Unfortunately I was so hungry, I forgot to take a picture.  But the recipes are as follows.

Marinade for London broil:
1/4 cup Patron Cafe Tequila
2 tsb parsley
1tbs cilantro
1 tsp red pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1tbs worchestershire sauce
1tbs soy sauce
salt and black pepper to taste


Veggie Strata:
use a mandolin to slice all of the veggies
1/2 cup carrot
1/2 cup potato
1/2 cup leek
1/2 cup fennel bulb)
1/2 cup zuccini
1/2 cup Firm (semi ripe) roma tomato
1/4 c shredded parmesan
Hawaiian volcanic salt
1 tsp garlic powder

In a large deep 9" baking dish layer veggies. In between each layer sprinkle small amounts of cheese, and garlic powder. Sprinkle salt on top to taste. Cover with tin foil and bake at 350 for 40 minutes.

Bridal Shower Buffet

 For my future sister in law's bridal shower we created a tea party atmosphere with finger sandwiches and hors d'oeuvres. The buffet was a hit but I will never again make that many mini three tiered cakes. They were a pain, particularly when my dog decided to help himself to a few.

 Sausage Balls:

3 cups of Bisquick
2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
1 lb breakfast sausage (loose)
1/2 cup water

Directions:
combine all of the ingredients until it forms a crumbly dough. On a non stick baking sheet drop 1" balls of the dough. Make sure to roll it between your palms so that it sticks together well. Bake at 375 for 12-15 minutes or until light brown.
Serve!

 

Hawaiian Chicken Sandwiches:

2 small cans of chicken

1/2 cup crushed pecans

1/2 cup mayo

1 lb cooked crisp bacon, chopped

1 small can of crushed pineapple

1 loaf of marbled rye

1/2 cup onion

Combine all ingredients, reserving the bread. Spread a thin layer of chicken mixture on half of the bread, Top with the other half of the bread and slice into 's or use cookie cutters for fun shapes.

 Cheater's Spice Cakes:

1 box of Duncan Hein's butter cake mix
2 tbs of 5 spice powder

Directions:
Mix the cake batter by the directions on the box. Add in the 5 spice powder. Bake according to the box directions.  Ice if desired.

Cucumber Sandwiches:

1 large English seedless cucumber
16 slices of white bread crusts removed.
8 oz of cream cheese
3tbs of parley chopped fine
1 stick of softened salted butter
salt and pepper to taste

Slice the cucumber very thin. I use a mandolin for this.Spread 8 slices of the bread with cream cheese and 8 slices with the butter.  Place cucumbers in an even layer on the cream cheese bread slices. Sprinkle with parley and top with the buttered bread slice. Slice into 4 triangles and serve. parsley and a touch of salt and pepper and top off with a buttered slice of bread. Cut each into 4 triangles.

Cheese and Bacon Finger Sandwiches:

Read more about it at www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,181,147183-230197,00.html
Content Copyright © 2011 Cooks.com - All rights reserved.

1 loaf bread with crust removed

Mix:

1/2 lb. shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 lb. fried bacon
1 sm. onion chopped
1 sm. pkg. sliced almonds
1 c. mayonnaise
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
Pepper to taste

Spread mix onto slice of bread and then cut into thirds. Place onto foil covered cookie sheet. May freeze until ready to cook. Cook uncovered at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.

Cheese Cake Wantons:

1 package wantons
2 packages of cream cheese
1.5 cups of sugar
2 tsp of vanilla extract
1 can of cherry pie filling

In a bowl combine the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Using a non stick mini muffin pan press each wonton wrapper into the muffin forms. Bake the shells for 10 minutes at 350 degrees or until golden brown. Cool the cups and fill with the cream cheese mixture. Put a dollop of cherry pie filling on top of each. Serve

 Walnut Chicken Salad in Wanton Cups:

1 package of wanton shells
1 large can of chicken
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 tbs parsley
8oz of cream cheese
1/2 cup minced onion

Combine the cream cheese, onion, walnuts, chicken and parsley in a bowl and set aside. Using a non stick mini muffin pan press each wonton wrapper into the muffin forms. Bake the shells for 10 minutes at 350 degrees or until golden brown. Cool the cups and fill with the chicken mixture.  Do Not Refrigerate! Fill these right before serving, otherwise the wontons will get soft.



Deviled Eggs:

2 dozen eggs, Hard Boiled
2 tbs mayo
2 tbs sour cream
1 tbs Dijon mustard
1tbs horseradish
Chopped chives

Cut each egg in half,  pop out the yolks into a blender. Add the mayo, sour cream, Dijon mustard and horseradish. Blend until smooth. If needed add a bit more mayo for creamy texture and a bit more Horseradish for zing.  Put the yolk mixture in a plastic zip lock bag. In a bowl of water gently wash off each egg white. Pat them dry with paper towels and place on a serving tray. Cut a small bit of corner off of the zip lock with the yolk mixture. Squeeze a generous amount into each egg shell. Sprinkle small amounts of chives on top of each egg half. Serve.

Baked Lemon Picatta Sole

1tbs butter
1 sole fillet, about 4 to 6 ounces
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons capers
2 teaspoons chopped parsley
tin foil

1.season the sole with salt and pepper and place on tin foil. Build the foil around the sole to  create a "bowl".
2.Add all the other ingredients to the tin foil "bowl".
3. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until fish is cooked.


This is my version of quick food. Some people do McDonald's or pop in a frozen Pizza. In the time it takes to get either of those I have made this wonderful fish entree.  Serve it with a baked potato or over pasta. Delicious!!