Bethany's Harvest Soup

Harvest soup
1 cup raw cubes pumpkin, skinned and seeded
1 diced onion
2 inches fresh Ginger, skinned with a spoon, grated
2 tbs olive oil
8 oz. shell pasta
2 zucchini diced
1 can diced tomatoes
4 cups chicken stock
2 tbs fresh basil

1. Saute onion, ginger and olive oil in a pasta pot. Add zucchini and tomatoes and sauté.

2. Add stock and pumpkin to the pot. Bring to a boil.

3. Add pasta, salt and pepper. When pasta is cooked, the soup is done. Garnish with fresh basil and serve.


Recipe courtesy of Bethany Price.

Easy Scones

http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/simple-scones/Detail.
Great with lemon curd.

Nectarine Butter

Recipe for nectarine butter from http://www.pickyourown.org/peachbutter.htm
Modifications include no spices, use only two cups sugar, add about 1 cup rosé wine, I used La Ferme Julien with the goat on the label.
I also only filled the crockpot 1/2 full with fruit, and used fruit that was nearly ripe--fragrant, but not soft.

Two Recipes for Spicy Pickled Green Beans

3 lbs Young green beans
4 long, thin Red chiles (fresh or dried)
4 large Garlic cloves
1 tbsp Peppercorns (white, black, green or a mixture)
1/4 cup loosely-packed fresh dill sprigs (or 4 tbsp dried dill weed)
2 1/2 cup Water
2 1/2 cup White wine vinegar
1/4 cup Salt


Trim and remove strings from the beans. Rinse well and set aside.

Sterilize jars and lids in boiling water. When jars are cool enough to handle, fill each upright with beans until they are snug. Insert chiles and garlic cloves (preferably around outside so they can be seen). Divide peppercorns and dill among jars.

Separately bring the water, vinegar and salt to a boil in a non-reactive sauce pan. Ladle the hot brine over the beans leaving about 1/2-inch head space.

Wipe jar edge clean and screw on sterilized lid and band according to manufacturers instructions.

Process in a boiling water bath for 12 minutes. Remove and allow to cool completely at room temperature away from drafts.

Check lids to make sure proper seal has been attained.

Store for at least one month before using to allow flavours to develop.

Recipe from bakespace.com



Recipe Two:
2 1/2 pounds fresh green beans
2 1/2 cups distilled white vinegar
2 cups water
1/4 cup salt
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 bunch fresh dill weed
3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Directions

Sterilize 6 (1/2 pint) jars with rings and lids and keep hot. Trim green beans to 1/4 inch shorter than your jars.
In a large saucepan, stir together the vinegar, water and salt. Add garlic and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. In each jar, place 1 sprig of dill and 1/8 teaspoon of red pepper flakes. Pack green beans into the jars so they are standing on their ends.
Ladle the boiling brine into the jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of the tops. Discard garlic. Seal jars with lids and rings. Place in a hot water bath so they are covered by 1 inch of water. Simmer but do not boil for 10 minutes to process. Cool to room temperature. Test jars for a good seal by pressing on the center of the lid. It should not move. Refrigerate any jars that do not seal properly. Let pickles ferment for 2 to 3 weeks before eating.

Recipe from allrecipes.com

Bloody Mary Pickled Asparagus

The recipe is for a pint of asparagus and yes it is worth just doing one of two pints. If you have exceptional long asparagus go for a quart jar.

1 lb asparagus, trimmed
2 c white vinegar
1/2 c water
1 T salt
1 t horseradish
1 t hot sauce
1/2 t black pepper, cracked
1/4 t celery seed (optional)
Trim the asparagus to the height of your jars.  Simmer vinegar, water, and salt until salt is dissolved.  Place the spices in the bottom of your jar.  Place your jar on its side to make packing the asparagus easier.  When your jar is filled pour the warmed vinegar over the asparagus until the jar is filled to within 1/2 inch of the top.  Process for 10 mins.

Recipe from locallypreserved.blogspot.com

Spicy Carrots, Onions and Jalepeños

5 pints total of carrots, onions and jalapeños, 1/4 inch thick slices
4 cups cider vinegar
1 tablespoon pickling salt
10 cloves garlic
5 bay leaves
5 sprigs of oregano
1 1/4 teaspoons peppercorns
 
Bring to a boil the vinegar and salt.
 
Into each jar pack 2 cloves garlic and 1/4 teaspoon peppercorns and veggies.  Pour the hot liquid in to the jars, leaving 1/2 headspace. Slip a bay leaf and a sprig of oregano down the side of each jar.  Process for 20 minutes.
 

Recipe from http://knitandnosh.typepad.com

I didn't have pickling salt when I made this, so I look conversions. Beware though, switching salts can make your pickles cloudy or dark. http://www.amazingribs.com/recipes/my_ingredients/zen_of_salt.html

Lentil Soup with Dried Apricots

 Serves 8

1 1/2 cups brown or green lentils
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup dried apricots, chopped
28 oz can diced tomatoes
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried thyme
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
5 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice — this takes a few lemons
Chopped cilantro for garnish

1. Rinse and pick over the lentils. In a soup pot, heat the oil and sauté the onion, garlic, and apricots until soft. Stir in the cumin, thyme, salt and pepper. Add the tomatoes. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the lentils and broth. Bring to a boil then cover and simmer until the lentils are soft, about 30 – 35 minutes.
2. Puree part of the soup in a blender and add back to the pot or use a handheld wand blender. Stir in the lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasonings. Garnish each bowl of soup with cilantro. This soup can be frozen for a quick dinner another night.

Recipe by Dr. Maring

Khichri (Indian Rice dish)

1 sweet onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup basmati rice
5 cups water (more if needed)
2 tsp salt (or to taste)
1 cup red lentils
3 tbsp margarine
2 shallots, thinly sliced
2 tsp garam masala
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Get water boiling on the stove in an ovenproof pan with a lid. Rinse rice and put in boiling water with onions, garlic, and salt. Reduce heat and simmer on low, uncovered, for 20 minutes.

2. Rinse red lentils and add to pan. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

3. By now the rice and lentils will be mostly cooked and getting fairly dry. If too dry, mix in some more water, then place in the oven. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until fully cooked.

4. Heat margarine in a small pan over medium heat and fry sliced shallots for 5-7 minutes, until golden. Add in garam masala, then gently stir into khrichi along with the cilantro. Add water, if needed, to reach desired consistency. It can be more dry like a biryani, or wetter like a porridge. Season to taste and serve.

Recipe courtesy of http://vegandad.blogspot.com

Samosa Potato Salad

Serves 6–8 as a side dish

2 pounds new potatoes
1 bayleaf
1/3 cup olive oil
2 – 3 large shallots, chopped (about 1 cup)
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and grated
2 teaspoons garam masala
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 cups frozen peas
salt and pepper
fresh chives (optional)

1. Wash the potatoes thoroughly and chop them into bite-sized pieces. Place them in a large pot, and fill it with enough cold water to cover the potatoes. Add the bay leaf, cover and bring to a boil over moderate heat. Once boiling, cook uncovered for 5–8 minutes, until the potatoes are fork-tender. Discard the bay leaf, drain, and let cool.

2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute the shallots for about 3 minutes until translucent, then add in the garlic and ginger and cook for 1-2 minutes longer. Stir in the spices, lemon juice and peas. Continue to stir the mixture until the peas have completely thawed.

3. Toss the potatoes and shallot mixture together in a large bowl, add salt and pepper to taste. Top with freshly chopped chives, if desired. Serve immediately, or chill thoroughly in an air-tight container. Keeps 1 week.

Recipe courtesy of http://bittersweetblog.wordpress.com

Vindaloo Vegetables

3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 tbsp. ginger, peeled and chopped
1 small date, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/4 tsp. cardamom
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper, or to taste
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1 tbsp. white wine vinegar
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 carrots, thinly sliced
1 green or red bell pepper, seeded and diced
4 cups cauliflower florets
2 zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 1/2 cups cooked kidney beans (or one 15.5 ounce canned beans, rinsed and drained)
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
Water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper (salt is optional)
1 cup frozen green peas, thawed

1. In a blender or food processor, combine the garlic, ginger, date, coriander, cumin, mustard, cayenne, turmeric, vinegar, and 1/2 cup water; process until smooth and set aside.

2. Heat a large non-stick pot or wok over medium-high heat. Add the onions and carrots and one tablespoon of water, cover, and cook until softened, stirring often and adding more water as necessary to prevent burning--about 5 minutes.

3. Add the spice paste from the blender and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the bell pepper, cauliflower, zucchini, and kidney beans. Cover and turn heat to low.

4. Put the tomato paste and 1 1/4 cup water in the blender and blend thoroughly. Add the tomato paste mixture to the vegetables, season with pepper and salt (if using), cover, and cook until the vegetables are tender, but not mushy, about 20 minutes.

5. Add the peas and allow to heat through for about 5 minutes. Serve alone or over basmati rice or other grain.

Recipe courtesy of http://blog.fatfreevegan.com

Minestrone Soup

Today was a cold day, and I was craving soup. However, I was low on groceries. I made minestrone with what was in the back of the refrigerator produce bin---and it turned out to be delicious.

pasta pot full of veggie broth
pinch Italian seasoning
3 carrots, chopped
3 stalks celery, diced fine
1 cup frozen chopped spinach
8 oz dry egg noodles
2 onions, diced fine
3-4 cloves garlic, sliced
few grinds of fresh pepper
pinch of salt

Before I get to the recipe, I have to talk about one of my most favorite things. Trader Joe's makes these little packets of concentrated vegetable broth. They come in a small green box. Inside are a dozen tubes of...vegetable syrup? Basically, that's what it is. Really concentrated, thick broth. You add 1 tube to 1 cup of water. They save sooooo much cabinet space, are very light to carry, and are perfect for backpacking meals. Also, they have amazing flavor and are low-sodium. Can you tell how much I love them?
So anyway, that intro is just to say--when I made this recipe, I used a pasta pot full of water with 4 or 5 packets of broth mixed in.

1. Bring the broth to a simmer. Add a small pinch of Italian seasoning ground between your fingers. As the broth is heating, dice the celery, then add it to the pot.

2. Dice the carrots, and sautee them in a tablespoon of olive oil. (Don't skimp on the olive oil, it's the only fat in the dish.) While the carrots cook, dice the onions and garlic.

3. When the carrots are "al dente", add them to the pot, and saute the onions and garlic in the pan. When the garlic and onions are translucent, add them to the pot along with the frozen spinach, and bring the pot to a boil.

4. Add the egg noodles and cook according to package directions. (Mine only took 4 minutes.) Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve topped with grated Parmesan.

P.S. This was so good that after we ate the whole pot for lunch, I turned around and made another batch before the stove cooled down. Now that is a good recipe.

Shiitake and Sourdough Stuffing

Serves 8.
Prep time is 15 minutes, total time is 40 minutes.

1/4 cup butter
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 cup onion, chopped
3 cups shiitake caps, sliced
6 cups sourdough bread, in 1/2 inch cubes (slightly stale is best)
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp sage
1/2 cup broth

1. Preheat oven to 325. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add celery, onion and mushrooms, and saute 10 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Stir in bread cubes, spices and broth.

2. Spoon stuffing into a lightly greased 3-quart baking dish. Bake 30 minutes or until bread is golden and toasted.

Recipe courtesy of Try-Foods International.
274 calories per serving.

Braised Red Cabbage

Serves 6

2 tablespoons butter
1 small red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1 medium (2 1/2 pounds) red cabbage, quartered, spines removed and thinly sliced
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons caraway seeds
2 tablespoons yellow mustard seeds
1/2 cup cider vinegar
3/4 cup dry red wine
1 large tart apple, such as Granny Smith, peeled and coarsely grated
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Melt the butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the cabbage and toss until it begins to wilt, 2 to 3 minutes.

2. Add the brown sugar, caraway seeds, mustard seeds, vinegar, wine and apple. Stir to combine, and season with salt and pepper. Cut a circle of parchment paper the size of the bottom of the pan, slice a small vent in the middle, and place directly over the cabbage. (I'll just use a pan lid when I try this recipe.) Simmer until the cabbage is soft, about 45 minutes. Adjust salt and pepper, and serve.

Recipe from wednesdaychef.typepad.com/

Mushroom Ragout

Serves 4

1 1/2 pounds mixed mushrooms (I used white button, little cremini, and shiitake mushrooms)
2 tablespoons butter
2 leeks, white part only, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt, plus more to taste
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup stock (chicken or vegetable)
1/4 cup creme fraiche (plus a little more if desired) see Note
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Clean the mushrooms and cut them into chunks of roughly even size.

2. Melt the butter in a large shallow saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks, sprinkle with salt and cook, stirring often, until softened, 5 to 8 minutes.

3. Add the mushrooms and stir to mix well. Add the thyme, bay leaf and cayenne pepper and mix well. Add the wine and cook, stirring, until the liquid is reduced to a glaze.

4. Add the stock and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are tender, about 15 minutes (cooking time will depend on variety and age of mushrooms).

5. Stir in the creme fraiche and heat through. (Add more if you want more liquid.) Taste and add more salt if needed. Season well with pepper and serve.

Note: Pour 2 tablespoons of buttermilk and 2 cups heavy cream (do not use the ultra-pasteurized, additive-filled kind or this won't work) into a clean glass jar. Screw the lid shut and let stand at room temperature (between 65 and 75 degrees) for 8 to 24 hours, or until thickened. Stir and refrigerate at least 24 hours before using (this helps to continue thickening the cream). It will keep for about 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

Recipe from thewednesdaychef.typepad.com

Chocolate Blueberry Cake

Makes 3 dozen bars

Cake:
1 box Pillsbury Devils Food cake mix
1 21-oz can of blueberry pie filling
1 tsp almond extract
2 eggs beaten

Frosting:
1 cup sugar
5 tbs butter
1/3 cup milk
1 cup or 6-oz semi sweet chocolate pieces

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Grease and flour a 13x 9 pan.

3. In a large bowl combine ingredients, stir by hand until ingredients are well mixed.

4. Pour into pan and bake for 25-30 minutes.

5. In small saucepan, combine sugar, butter, and milk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. After 1 minute, remove pan from heat and add chocolate pieces. Stir until smooth, and pour over warm cake.

Recipe from Lorraine Harms.

Southern Made Cheese Ball

Serves approximately 45 (2 cheese balls of 3 cups each)

Note: The flavor of this cheese ball is best after it blends for a few hours or overnight. It also freezes well, which is important since the quantity is so large.

3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened (I use 2 bars Neufchatel cheese and 1 cream cheese)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon low-salt Creole-style seasoning
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon creamy salad dressing, e.g. Miracle Whip
1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans or sliced green onions to coat finished cheese ball

1. In a large bowl, mix by hand cream cheese, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, green onions, chili powder, Creole-style seasoning, Cheddar cheese, and creamy salad dressing.

2. Form the mixture into one or more balls. Chill in the refrigerator at least 1 hour before serving.

Note: I use the Neufchatel cheese because it has 1/3 the fat of cream cheese without the "fat free" texture. You can find it in bar form, right next to the cream cheese. Also, if you are planning to freeze your cheese ball, use the pecans instead of green onions to coat it. One last note--if your cheese ball turns out too salty, try a low-salt Creole seasoning next time.

Recipe from allrecipes.com

Jason's Creamy Chicken and Chile Enchiladas

Serves 4-6

1 pound uncooked chicken breast strips
1 8-oz package of cream cheese, cut into strips
1 4.5-oz can chopped green chilies
12 soft taco or fajita-size flour tortillas
2 10-oz cans green chile enchilada sauce
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Lightly grease a 13x9 baking dish. Cook chicken in a 10 inch skillet over medium high heat, until no longer pink in the center.

3. Add cream cheese and chilies, reduce heat to medium. Cook and stir until blended, and cream cheese is melted.

4. Spoon chicken filling into tortillas, roll up, and place seam side down in baking dish. Pour enchilada sauce over top, sprinkle with cheddar cheese.

5. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until hot and cheese is melted.

Grandma Avilla's Rice Stuffing

Serves 8-10

6-8 cups cooked white rice
1 chopped onion
3-4 stalks chopped celery
pepper
salt (optional)
cumin to taste

1. Saute onion and celery in a little oil, until tender-crisp.

2. Mix all ingredients. Stuff or bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

This recipe is courtesy of Judy Greaves.

Baked Pears with Cream

Serves 4

4 pears, use Anjou or another firm baking pear
1 tbsp.sugar
8 tbsp. cream
2 tbsp. butter

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Peel each pear, cut in half lenghtwise, and remove seeds.

2. Generously butter a glass baking dish just large enough to hold the pears. Sprinkle dish with half the sugar.

3. Put pears cut side down in the dish, radiating from the center. Sprinkle with remaining sugar and bake for 20 minutes.

4. Remove pears from oven. Pour cream over the pears and return to over for 15 minutes. Serve pears hot from the oven.

Recipe from my friend Alfreda Baroni.