Jalapeno Salsa

Finally!!!
We have the chance to make and can salsa!
The recipe will follow...but here are the photos!

Three cups of peppers...we do about half hot peppers and half sweet (red and yellow bell, Hungarian, and cherry peppers).

Locally grown organic garlic...not from our garden, but we do have garlic on order from Seed Savers for next year!

Waiting to cook...

Ready to be ladled into the jars.

We are not always good to keep track of the recipes we try from year to year, but here is the recipe we are using this year...so far, it tastes good. : ) I say, "so far," because it does change while it sits after canning, but we expect it to get nothing but better. We have found that if it gets more flavorful (and hotter) while it rests.



If you will not be canning it, then the ratio of ingredients won't matter...make it as you like!



Taken from the Ball Canning Guide:



CANNED JALAPENO SALSA RECIPE


Makes 3 pints
3 cups peeled, chopped tomatoes
3 cups seeded, chopped jalapeno peppers (we did a mix of peppers)
1 cup chopped onion
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tb minced cilantro
2 tsp oregano
1 ½ tsp salt
½ tsp cumin
1 cup cider vinegar
Combine all ingredients in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, then simmer 10 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent scorching. Pour into clean jars leaving 1/4 inch head space. Process 15 minutes in a boiling water canner.
Note: It is safe to change the ratio of hot to mild peppers; just do not add more than 3 cups total peppers. The amount of onion may be decreased, but not increased. The amount of vinegar CANNOT be decreased. The salt is present for quality flavor and can be omitted. If you wish to add DRY spices such as cayenne pepper, dried cilantro, or hot pepper flakes; that is safe to do.

Candied Beets

Beets...you love them or you hate them. It seems that most fall into the latter category.

However, most in our family actually like them...only the mom does not. But she tries (to hide them in things so SHE can't tell!).

Above is something that we've enjoyed a few times these past couple weeks.

Candied Beets served on a bed of greens.

The sauce alone is like a really sweet salad dressing. The beets add a wonderful earthiness to the salad.

There is no set recipe for this...we improvise as we go along.

Here is what we did.

Scrub the beets (about 1/2 to 1 per person, depends on how much you like beets and the size of your beets), cut off the top and bottom. Cut beet in half (or quarters, if it's a very large beet).

Microwave beets until soft (we lay them out, cut side up, on a heavy paper towel).

Place beets under cold water, one at a time, and slip skins off.

Dice beets.

In Saucepan, place 1/2 cup sugar and just enough vinegar to make a thick paste. Don't add too much vinegar!

Boil sugar and vinegar until it comes to a rolling boil. Boil a couple minutes, stirring frequently or constantly.

Add beets.

Continue to boil until the sugar reaches a thick candy like stage or until you cannot wait any longer. : )

Serve over mixed greens, or meat, or??? (the other day, they were adding it to their potato leek soup...)
The boys think it's much better when it starts to get thick and shiny...and who wouldn't! It's called Candied Beets for a reason.

Since even this doesn't hide the "wonderful beet flavor" enough for the mom, she simply uses the beautiful beet colored sauce on her salad.

Pesto Mashed Potatoes

Though we honestly don't eat them that often, we *love* our smashed potatoes around here. Our favorite way is with loads of caramelized onions. yum!

However, we came across this recipe this summer and thought we should share. It's very tasty! We made it with our homemade pesto...yum!! : )

Pesto Mashed Potatoes
Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray
Show:
30 Minute Meals
Episode:
Turbo Classics

2 1/2 pounds small red skinned potatoes

Coarse salt

1 cup chicken broth (we didn't need 1 full cup)

1 cup prepared store bought pesto (again...use your own homemade!)
Cut larger potatoes in half and leave small potatoes whole. Cover potatoes with water and bring water to a boil. Add salt and cook until potatoes are tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain potatoes and return them to hot pot. Add broth or stock and smash the potatoes up. Add pesto and smash to desired consistency. Serve while hot. (you can also freeze this!)

I don't have a picture of this dish right now, but I found this great one on someone else's blog. http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1171/1201969131_a906b2684c.jpg&imgrefurl=http://urbandrivel.blogspot.com/2007_03_01_archive.html&h=375&w=500&sz=82&hl=en&start=15&um=1&usg=__YefayrtIaFPpZZi6G7KnyKIeIC8=&tbnid=rRA_HYoaqsez0M:&tbnh=98&tbnw=130&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dpesto%2Bmashed%2Bpotatoes%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1G1GGLQ_ENUS275%26sa%3DN%26ie%3DUTF-8

Dilled Potato & Cucumber Salad

Dilled Potato Cucumber Salad

1 lb. new potatoes, cut in half or quarters
1/3 cup sour cream
6 cornichons, chopped (about 1/4 cup) cooks note says these are made from gherkins and to substitute gherkins if need be
2 tbs chopped fresh dill
2 tsp. capers, rinsed, drained and chopped
1 seedless cucumber, thinly sliced

Cover potatoes with water, add a good pinch of salt and cook about 10-15 minutes or until done. In the meantime, combine sour cream, cornichons, dill and capers in a bowl. Drain potatoes and return to pot for a minute to dry out slightly. Combine potatoes and cucumbers with sour cream mixture and toss to combine. The recipe didn't say to chill, but I thought cold would be best, so I did.
Though it was good this way, I like to try new things. So, next time, I'm going to make it a little bit differently...I will leave out the gherkins (I never did find cornichons in Rochester!) and add onion. I think tomatoes would be good in here, too.

Grilled Veggies

We grill out as much as possible...year around.
In the summer, we eat this a few times a week.

Grilled Veggies

1 potato per person
2 carrots "
1/2 pepper "
1/2 onion "
(you can add other things like pea pods, green beans, summer squash, beets)

*Cube potatoes and carrots into 3/4" pieces. cook in microwave until just soft (do not cook all the way or they will get too mushy on the grill).
*Slice peppers and onions as you like. we cut the onions into 1/8ths, and the peppers into similar sized slices. you will not need to precook these veggies (or pea pods and summer squash. beans need just a bit of precooking, beets need more, like the potatoes)
*Pour a few tablespoons of olive oil in a large bowl. add all the veggies.
*Season as you like. Following is what we use. (this is for 5 or more servings...we do have three growing gardeners to feed!) adjust seasoning to your tastes.

2 tsp Penzeys Spicy 4S seasoned sea salt
1 tsp McCormick's Worcestershire Ground Black Pepper Blend
1 tsp garlic salt (or garlic powder)
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp sweet Hungarian paprika
1/2 tsp crushed Red Pepper seeds (the type you find at pizza restaurants...we use hot ones, though. if you don't appreciate spicy food...leave this out)
1 tsp ground turmeric
a few dashes of cayenne powder (again, leave out if you don't like the heat)

Another yummy seasoning is simply chopped up fresh rosemary leaves and a little sea salt.

*Put all seasoned veggies in a grill pan and cook on grill, stirring often, until veggies start to caramelize. this takes at least 30 minutes of grill time.

Enjoy your grilled farm fresh veggies!

Green Beans w/Garlic Recipe

The green beans are starting to ripen at a fast and furious pace...and they are SO yummy! Here is what we had for lunch today. The first photo is in the pan, the second shows the beans plated up.

It is very easy to make. (all veggies are from the garden!)

*peel and smash 2 cloves of garlic per person (more or less as you like), set aside so the flavor of the garlic can develop.
*wash and trim your green beans, a handful per person.
*slice an onion.
*lightly saute onion in olive oil.
*with the heat on low, add garlic and beans. (sometimes I add a dash of pepper flakes) cover very loosely for a couple minutes (I just set a lid from a smaller pan on top). this will steam the beans a bit. remove lid.
*gently saute until beans are tender crisp (it doesn't take long when the beans are so fresh and tender, like these are).
*serve and enjoy immediately.
*today the beans were served with grilled chipotle chicken on top. yummy!!!