FIVE MINUTE PICO DE GALLO SALSA RECIPE September 16, 2012

I make this every summer just as soon as I have enough ripe tomatoes in the garden. Then I eat way too much of it.  (I’ve long held the theory that germs can’t survive in a body that consumes lots of garlic, chilies, and onions! This gives me a good excuse to indulge. )

This is the recipe I’ve perfected over the years.   It is very forgiving. You can use any type of tomato, or a blend of types.  Make it as hot as you desire. Try different kinds of chiles.  If I have gotten carried away and added too many, I sometimes add half a cucumber. Not traditional, but good. This lasts for a few days in the fridge, but usually disappears right away.

5 or 6 Tomatoes

1 or 2 Jalapenos

2-4 Cloves of garlic

¼ Red onion

Cilantro to taste

1-2 Tablespoons of cumin and oregano

1 Lime, juiced.

Dice the onions, garlic and chilies.

Stir it all up.

Finely dice the tomatoes, garlic, onion and cilantro. Add spices and lime juice. Mix well Get the bag of chips and dig in.

Enjoy!

QUICK & EASY HOMEMADE PIZZA ! March 28, 2012

A long-standing tradition in our family is home-made pizza night. I make a pizza crust for each person, so that we can all put on our individual toppings. Rather than buy the tasty, but expensive pre-made crusts in the store, I whip up my own, in no time. Seriously, this can be oven ready in under ten minutes. While the crust is cooking, prepare your toppings. I can have a home made pizza on the table in 30 minutes, start to finish.

QUICK & EASY HOMEMADE PIZZA CRUST:

2 cups flour. This can be a mix of unbleached white, whole wheat and other types, depending on what you are making, and your mood.

!/4 to 1/2 cup olive oil.

1 Tablespoon baking power

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt.

1 Tablespoon sugar

Add enough water until it forms into dough, about 1/2 cup. Turn out onto a floured surface and roll out.

Transfer to oiled pizza pan, and (my sons favorite part) poke with a fork to prevent air pockets. Bake about 10 minutes, or until browned at 350 degrees.

And now, prepare toppings.Add toppings to baked crust and return to oven. Turn oven temperature up to 400 degrees, and until browned, about 10 minutes.

Last night my son and I made home made pizza’s.We used this recipe for the crust. We make 2 different ones as we have very different taste in toppings. My son had the traditional tomato sauce and cheese version. I didn’t use sauce or cheese on mine. Instead I brushed the crust with olive oil and sprinkled red chili flakes on it. I sliced a tomato thinly and laid it on first. This turns into sauce-like while it bakes. Then I topped it with roasted garlic, roasted bell peppers, olives,and lots of veggies. Yum.

The possible combinations are endless.

ENJOY!

VEGAN BARLEY-VEGGIE BURGERS March 22, 2012

  VEGAN AND GRILLABLE BARLEY-VEGGIE BURGERS

 

The inspiration for this recipe came from wanting to make a veggie burger that I could grill without it falling into pieces.I make millet burgers, which are tasty, but disintegrate at the mere sight of of a grill. Sure, you can buy some good ones, but  I wanted to make my own veggie burgers from scratch. So after a bit of experimentation, here’s what I came up with.

Cook 2 cups barley. (Bring 2 cups water to boil. Add 1 cup barley. Lower to simmer, and cook till done.This takes about 40 minutes.)  Let cool. While the barley is cooking, dice about 2 cups of veggies. I like to use carrots, broccoli, various colors of bell peppers, red onions, garlic, and celery. Saute these in a bit of olive oil, until almost, but not quite cooked. They will cook more later.

Take about one cup of the cooked barley and put in blender or food processor.  Add /2 cup of oats, and about 1/4 cup of the veggies.

(If you are making these for picky kids, you can add in all the veggies now.  It will be our secret. )

Add seasonings, such as oregano, rosemary, thyme, cayenne, and black pepper. Blend until smooth.

Now mix the contents of the blender, the cooked barley and the cooked veggies in a large bowl and stir well.  Shape these into patties, flouring your hands first.

 

Now these babies are ready to be slapped on the grill. If its cold and raining like it is here right now, you can cheat and use your range top.

Cook until browned and crispy, then turn to the other side and cook until done.

 

The one on the left side is all gussied up for my dinner!

Top with your usual burger fixings, and dig in. I like to serve these with a side of sweet potato fires.

ENJOY!

“Kitchen Sink” Soup January 3, 2010

When my daughter was home for Christmas, she suggested I post about the soup we were having for dinner. My son’s friends call it kitchen sink soup and I call it leftover soup, and everyone that eats it calls it good.

I have a gallon jar full of mixed beans. I buy the 16 bean mix bags  when I find then on sale-usually at the grocery outlet. Love that store! When I have a small amount of uncooked beans or legumes I add them to the jar and shake it up.

This soup makes a complete complex protein and it is packed with all kinds of  vitamins, minerals and nutrients. This soup is very nourishing and comforting. It makes your body happy.

When the urge to make soup hits, and it does often in January, I bring out my trusty old crook pot. I rinse the beans and soak them overnight. I always add some barley and other grains. In the morning I turn the crock pot on high, and go about my day.  I usually throw in some frozen tomatoes that I bought at the farm down the road last summer, along with a bay leaf. You can add a can of tomatoes later instead.

About an hour or two before dinner time, I add whatever veggies need to be used, which always includes lots of fresh garlic and onion. I add some veggie broth and or some miso.  (A note about miso. It is a concentrated soy bean paste, and very nutritious. Add at the last. If miso boils all the beneficial parts of it are killed.)  If you have a  half can of corn in the fridge for example, throw it on in.  I like to add oregano, thyme,  rosemary and cayenne.

This soup is different every time I make it, as I use whatever is on hand.

It’s a very versatile soup. Add tomatoes or not, Add different spices. Add whatever veggies are on hand. Sometimes I throw in a handful of noodles. It takes very little actual hands on time. Throw together some quick corn bread muffins (anyone want the recipe?) and maybe a small salad or marinated cucumber and dinner is served.

This soup is very inexpensive to make, and it makes good use of foods that would otherwise get wasted. If you have leftovers-and I always do-you can freeze it in pint containers. This is quite handy to take to work with you. It’s thawed by lunch time. I like to reuse yogurt and margarine containers for that. They work well for this.

It’s a joy to come home after a hard cold day out in the real world to home make soup awaiting for you, the scent reaching you as soon as you open the door.

Here’s a few photos-and my lunch:)

Potpourri November 30, 2009

The year has fled by yet again and now it’s time to think about making some gifts for the holidays.

This year I’ve decided to give some potpourri. Potpourri is usually a mixture of dried, naturally fragrant plant material, used to provide a agreeable natural scent in houses. You can place it in bowls or small cloth bags, or as I did, in glass jars.

I prepared it today, but really I started it last summer when I picked and dried roses and lavender.
I chose to use the glass jar because it shows the pretty dried flowers. The jar held a candle until recently, so it was also a good way to recycle the jar. When the candle was done, I took out the leftover wax and put aside for remaking into candles. I then cleaned the jar thoroughly.

This is a before and after photo of the candle jars.

I mixed rose petals, a dried orange peel and some lavender in the jar. I then added some vetier root powder as a fixative to keep the scent strong. Orris root can also be used.  I added some rose and some lavender essential oils to the mix and gently stirred with a wooden spoon. I put on the lid and tied on a pretty ribbon. Wala!  A finished gift ready to go. The cost was minimal and it only took a few minutes. Also it made my home smell nice while I was making it.

I have all the ingredients assembled.

Time to mix in the scents and the fixative.

The finished product!

I save pretty jars and interesting containers throughout the year. I also collect flower petals, pine cones and whatever I come across. Then when it’s gift time I have lots of material on hand to work with.

There are many things that can be added. Allspice, cloves, cinnamon bark, mint, any kind of sweet smelling flowers are all great additions.   A winter themed  one could have small pine cones mixed in and scented with wintergreen, for instance. You are only limited by your imagination

I really enjoy making small gifts for friends on many levels. I enjoy planning what I am going to make each year.  I put on some good music and spend an peaceful quiet afternoon having fun creating presents for my loved ones. I also like not driving to a mall and fighting the crowds to purchase mass produced objects that are most likely made in China.  And of course, I like to recycle and reuse whatever I can, remaking what would be trash into something useful and attractive.

I hope that if you try it you will enjoy creating gifts as much as I do.

Dried Cinnamon Apples September 20, 2009

This is a great way to preserve fruit for the winter. This also makes a nice gift when placed in a pretty jar and tied with a ribbon.

I have a dehydrator, but you can dry foods in your oven just as well. I also use my car to dry food on hot days.  Just roll up the windows to keep the bugs out and the heat in. The first time I tried this I burned my hand on the metal cookie sheet I was using.  This way is not only cost efficient (free!) but also makes your car smell really nice. Talk about your natural car freshener:)

Mix a bowl of turbanado sugar and cinnamon to your taste. I usually start with about 1/2 cup of sugar and about 1/4 cup of cinnamon. Mix well. I like to put it in a bowl and toss with a fork, but you can also put it in a ziplock Baggie.

Take your sharpest serrated knife and slice apples as thinly as possible. Dip into the cinnamon sugar mix and coat well. Place on drying rack till dry. You do need to make sure that they are completely dry, or they will mold.

This method works on  about any fruit or veggie. I’ve dried squash, tomatoes, bell peppers, hot peppers and onions like this. I like to throw a handful of dried veggies in my winter stews.

Here’s a photo of the process.

Pear Preserves September 18, 2009

My Pear tree

I live on .25 acre. An amazing amount of food grows here-a lot of it without a lot of help from me. I was lucky enough to have mature fruit trees already here when I got my house. I have them pruned every year or so, and that’s about it.

This time of year the bounty begins. I feel obligated to use as much as possible. (I laid down to take a short nap the other day, but couldn’t sleep. I kept hearing pears and apples falling  and hitting the ground. I had to get up and go collect them:)  I can it, dry it, freeze it, make into pie filling, make cordials and whatever else I am inspired to try.

This  week I’ve been making pear jams and preserves. I’ve made 4 batches for a total of 20 pints so far. The first batch was pear jam. This is how I do it:

Pear Jam

Dice pears until you have about a quart of them.  I usually add several apples as well for two reasons. The pectin in the apples help to thicken the jam and also because I have two apple trees. I need to use them up!   Add between 1 and 3 cups sugar as you prefer. I like tasting the fruit, so I only add about a cup. Cook this down at a medium boil till thickened-about 20-30 minutes. You don’t need to stir continually but do need to do so pretty often to keep from sticking.   Add a couple teaspoons clove and allspice towards the end. Have your hot water bather heating up and your jars and lids ready. I heat those up in glass dishes in my oven. When the jam is thick enough  pour into the heated jars, seal and place in the hot water bather.  Process for 20 minutes. This usually makes about 4 pints.

Then I got adventurous.  This is the next version:

Spiced Pear Preserves.

Boil 2 cups water. Add 1 cup sugar and boil for 5 minutes. This makes a simple sugar syrup.  Dice or put in food processor pears  until you have about a quart.  Add to syrup. Cook pears until they boil about 5 minutes. Add 2 cups sugar, 4-5 pieces cut up crystallized ginger and or orange peals, thinly sliced lemon or lime, and chopped up pecans. Just made that batch this morning, and unfortunately, I didn’t have any leftovers. So,  I’ll wait till this winter to open and sample it. I like to save my canned goods till I can’t get the fresh food anymore. This also helps me look forward to winter more:)

Here’s the finished preserves-All ready to join the others in my pantry in a neat row.

I”ll talk about drying apples in the next few days.

Pear Preserve

HEAT WAVE August 21, 2009

105. That’s what the sign said as I dove past at about 3:00 this afternoon. Whew.  It’s August all right.

Over the years I have learned how to keep my house cool-at least relatively-during these heat waves.

When it starts to heat up outside we shut all the windows and doors. We always have fans going.  I like to freeze a few pans of water, then put them on a tray and under a fan. It’s wonderful. Poor man’s air conditioning.

Every evening when it starts to cool off, and is cooler outside than in, we reverse the process and open all the doors and windows.

Best of all, though is my outdoor bedroom–my tent. When it’s too hot to sleep inside I blow up my air mattress and sleep watching the summer stars.

Anyone have any other ways to stay cool?

Ripe Cherries June 15, 2009

It’s Cherry Day!

This morning I decided it was time for Cherry Day; an annual event around here.  The vacant lot behind my house has some old and productive Queen Ann’s cherry trees  planted on the edge of my place. They hang over my yard.  So I consider the cherries in my yard mine.  I like cherries, and I like to put up the food that grows on and around my place.

My son and I picked about 3 1/4 pounds of  the small tasty cherries.  We would have had  more, except I ate a lot of them.  I had to keep my strength up. It took us about an hour. Picking cherries on a warm and sunny June  summer Sunday morning is  pretty great.

I’m not, however the only one around that likes cherries. So do the squirrels and the birds, particularly the ravens. They both chew me out when I go into the back yard for any reason during cherry season, even for completely innocent errands like hanging out the laundry. I’m sure I can understand both the squirrels and the ravens. They both tell me the same thing. “Stay away Human! Those are for me!”

These trees are old and probably 30 ft tall. Most of the cherries grow towards the top, tantalizingly out of reach-at least of me, being without feathers or claws. So, I gather what I can from the ground with my ladder. The tops of the trees were filled with a squirrel family feasting and above them was a large raven eating his fill. There is enough for all.

Making jam, especially from free fruit around your place is one of the ways to live easier on the planet. No trucking involved! I find the jars at garage sales, and reuse them over and over.

I was recently given a cherry pitter which I now consider one of the top inventions of all times. Okay maybe not that great, but it saves hours of tedious work, so I love it. If you are going to use fresh cherries, it’s worth finding one.

Once I pitted them, I had the jam made in less than an hour. I just follow the directions on the pectin box.

I got 2 and 1/2 pints of cherry jam for about 2 hours work. That jam will be a special treat next winter, and in the meantime I’ll admire the jars on my pantry shelf.

Here are some photos:

The full Cherry tree.

The fruits of our labor.

A much smaller bowl after pitting them.

The finished jam.

Being vegan April 18, 2009

Check out this cool blog about being a vegan.

http://epicuriousvegn.blogspot.com/