Harvest

 

I have decided to up the ante with my blogging skills...adding photos to the text to give some more allure to new and old readers alike.  It has taken me most of the afternoon to get the picture, adjust/photoshop the picture, post the picture....you get the idea.  I have run the gammet of excitement, frustration and finally relief that it finally worked!  Let's hope that it will keep getting easier and easier, faster and faster... :)

So the above picture is a happy harvest from my garden...tomatoes, tomatillos and peppers--and if I do say do myself, the BEST tomatoes I have ever had!!  Here is what I did with them...

Marinated Vegetable Salad

(feel free to adjust the quantities and type of veg used here-this is a great one to use up the extra's...)

1 cup cherry tomatoes halved

1 cup cucumber chopped

1 red or yellow pepper chopped

1/2 cup feta cheese crumbled

1/4 cup Italian dressing (or balsamic--whatever you like)

Mix all together and let sit for at least  1/2 hour (the longer the better, and at room temp if you can...) stir occasionally.

One last kick at the can...

So it appears that the summer sunshine has been extended for a little while at least.  Yeah!   As I was spending some time in the garden today, sweating up a sunburny storm--I thought of this lovely refreshing beverage.  I haven't made it yet this year, but I sure hope that I will get one last kick at the can to make it this weekend...here's hoping!


White Sangria

2 750ml bottles of dry white wine
1 cup Grand Marnier or Triple Sec
1/2 cup sugar
2 lemons, limes and oranges sliced thinly into rounds
2 cups stawberries (you can slice them, or leave them whole--whatever suits you!)
1 bottle of club soda


Mix Grand Marnier, sugar, wine and fruit. Let sit at least 3 hours, chilling in the fridge.  Add soda and mix lightly.  Easy!

Ahh, the season to roast.

Once again it appears the season to roast is upon us...it must be, because yesterday I roasted a chicken for dinner!

One of the things I love about the fall/winter season is how much better it lends itself to "multiple mealing".  Now if you have been following this blog for awhile, you will already know what  a big fan I am of getting the most for my money and time when it comes to cooking...and if you have already checked out the Turkey, Turkey page, you will also know how far I can stretch a good thing...Even a 4 pound chicken can  produce at least 4-5 meals for us:
1.  Roast Dinner
2.  Chicken Sandwiches and/or
3.  Left over roast dinner with all the leftover fixins
4.  Soup--one big pot will do at least 2 meals, maybe more.

So, for the $9 it cost to purchase the chicken, the $1 for squash, the $1.50 for potatoes, and $1+ for the stuffing fixings....that's a pretty great stretch, I think.

Here is the best way to roast a chicken--this is for a 4 pound bird, but the method can be transcribed to any size chicken or turkey...this is the only way we do it around here!

Roast Chicken
1, 4lb chicken--giblets removed
1/2 batch stuffing
1 tbsp butter
S&P


Wash and thoroughly dry the chicken.  Stuff the cavity as well as the neck flap--cram as much in as you can and secure it with a skewer.  Place in a shallow roaster and spread butter over it as well as you can--sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Put into a 425 degree oven, uncovered for 15 minutes, then turn heat down to 350 and continue to roast uncovered for 1 3/4 -2 hours (until it is nicely golden brown and the drumstick easily turns/comes off).  Remove from oven to cutting board and tent with foil for 10 or so before carving....


Gravy
Pour 3-4 cups water into the roasting pan and bring to a boil on high, whisking to remove all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.  Have ready 2-3 tbsp cornstarch mixed with about 1/2 cup water.  Turn down heat to simmer, and add cornstarch mixture to pan juices whisking until gravy is thick.  Remove from heat and add S&P to taste.

Time is of the essence...

There are certain go to recipes I use when time is of the essence...like when  you need a quick dessert, or a special after school snack.  No matter how much I love to cook and bake,  there are always days when other things take priority... 

Here is a recipe for just such a day:

Oatmeal Raisin Squares

2 cups quick cooking oats
1 cup brown sugar
half cup melted butter
1 tsp baking powder
half tsp almond extract
half cup raisins or currents or chopped dried cranberries


Mix all ingredients together (they will be just crumbs at this point).  Spread and press into a bar pan.  Bake at 400 degrees for 17 minutes.  Take out of oven and cut in pan immediately and allow to sit in pan until cool.

Pickle-rama continues....

Sometimes I forget how many recipes I have until I start pulling them out of obscurity, or someone asks me for one that I have made for them before.  There are many that have come in and out of my kitchen...some made many times and then forgotten, some made regularly...How about you?  Is it time to pull some of your old fave's out of obscurity?

As pickle week continues here, I have another family favourite to share--I had a friend email today for this recipe...and I had to look through my "binder of chaos" a couple of times to find it--it was obviously time to pull it out of obscurity, and time to reorganize the binder...


Bread and Butter Pickles

1 4qt basket of cucumbers (about 1 1/2 inch in diameter)
8 med onions
1/2 cup salt
5 cups vinegar
1 tsp tumeric
2 large red peppers
5 cups sugar
2 tbsp mustard seed
1 tsp whole cloves


Slice cukes and onions (thin rings) and peppers into strips.  Dissolve salt in ice water and pour over veggies.  Let stand 3 hours then drain.
Combine vinegar, sugar and spices.  Bring to a boil.  Add drained veggies and heat to boiling point.  DO NOT BOIL.
Pack in pint or half pint jars.

Pickling Mania

This weekend in Pickle Preserving Mania.

Mom and I are making about 5 different batches of goodies--I can hardly wait for the satisfaction of seeing my pantry cupboard stocked full of deliciousness (...and although my Mom always says it is my Dad who craves the satisfaction of a full cupboard, I think she enjoys it just as much--am I right Mom? :)

When I posted last about making pickles, I had a couple of questions about safety--so I thought I would address that issue (because I know if you have never canned before, it kind of freaks you out...).  Let me start by saying, our family has been eating homemade pickles, salsa, tomatoes and relish since we were born--no one has ever gotten sick.  Also, my Mom (and now me)  have given countless jars of jam, dill pickles and relish as gifts--no one has ever gotten sick.  That being said there are some "canning rules" you need to follow to ensure a successful batch.

1.  Always use clean, sterilized jars. ( you can sterilize a couple of ways:  in the dishwasher on the sanitize setting, boiling the jars, or placing them in a hot oven for 15 minutes)

2.  Always make sure the utensils you are using are clean and fresh from the dishwasher (or hot soapy water)

3.  Make sure if you are adding brine to the packed jars, that it is simmering or almost boiling--the heat is necessary!!

4.  Always use clean lids-- you can reuse lids, but remember if they are dinged, rusty or otherwise damaged don't use them!

5.  Soak your lids and rings in simmering water before you put them on the packed jars.

6.  Make sure you wipe the top of the jars with a clean cloth just before applying the lids--you want to make sure that it gets a good seal, and if there is anything on the rim--you won't.

7.  Generally speaking we only "heat process"--which means boil the packed jars--when making anything with tomatoes (mucho important!).  Although many recipes recommend a heat process, we find it an unnecessary step--but use your own discretion!!

8.  Have fun!  And enjoy the fruits of your labour!!

Here is a favourite...and one we will make this weekend.  Please note it is very hot and spicy!!! Beware!



Salsa

8 cups chopped peeled tomatoes (if you pre-boil the tomatoes for a few seconds, the skin will peel right off)
4 cups chopped hot banana peppers
1 cup chopped hot red peppers
2 chopped fresh cayenne peppers
1 cup chopped and seeded jalapeno peppers
2 cups chopped onion
4 cloves minced garlic
2 cups cider vinegar (do not substitute)
1 can tomato paste
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp salt
2 tsp hot paprika
1 tsp dried oregano
  
 In a large saucepan combine all the ingredients and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for about 1 hour or until thick enough to coat a spoon.  Stir in additional heat such as dried cayenne, hot sauce, dried chilies if you want more heat and simmer for 5 minutes.  Fill in sealed jars and process in boiling water for 20 minutes.  (makes about 9 cups of sauce )


Tip: this recipe easily doubles or triples--just adjust the quantities...

Happy New Year!

I don't know about you, but the first day back at school still seems like "a New Year" has just begun..even when it isn't me going back to school!  It's like a fresh start...a new beginning...a chance to renew things that have grown tired and weary.

So, here's to a New Year...may it be a happy and prosperous one for us all!

~~ this is a new recipe for me....I have tried it twice now with glowing results from my family.  I made it again for dinner tonight--and it will give us all lunch tomorrow too (yippee, my favourite kind of cooking--2 meals for the price of one!)

Southwest Egg Rolls
(makes  great appetizer or dinner or lunch..you decide!)

1 pkg egg roll wrappers from the produce section
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 green onions finely chopped
1 tomato chopped
1/4 cup tomatillos chopped (if you don't have these growing in the backyard-pop over and I will give you some!--or you can use some extra tomatoes...)
1/4 cup cilantro
1/4 cup corn (optional)
1 small red or yellow pepper chopped finely
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp chili flakes (or more if you like it spicy)
1 cup shredded cheese (like cheddar, monteray jack, marble)
S&P

Mix all the ingredients together (except the egg roll wrappers).  Combine well.  Lay a wrapper with one corner pointing towards you.  Place a couple tablespoons of filling in center of wrapper, fold the corner closest to you over the filling.  Fold in both corners and roll up like an egg roll.  Dab a bit of water on the last corner, so that it will seal, roll and place seam side down on a lightly oiled baking sheet.  Brush eggrolls lightly with oil if you  like and bake at 425 degrees for about 25 minutes, turning once.  They should be browned and just a little crunchy.  Serve with salsa or your favourite southwest style dip...