Garlic Dill Pickles

by

Ingredients

  • 2 quart kirby cucumbers (approximately 3 pounds)
  • 1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
  • 1 1/2 cups filtered water
  • 2 tablespoons pickling salt
  • 8 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 4 teaspoons dill seed
  • 2 teaspoons black peppercorns
  • 1 teaspoon red chili flakes

Directions

1.

Wash jars thoroughly in warm, soapy water. If you plan on making shelf stable pickles, prepare a boiling water bath canner. Put fresh canning jar lids into a small saucepan with 3 inches of water and set to the barest simmer.

2.

Wash and dry kirby cucumbers. Remove blossom end. Cut into chips, spears or leave whole, depending on your preference.

3.

Combine vinegar, water and salt in sauce pan and bring to a boil.

4.

Equally divide garlic cloves, dill seed, black peppercorns and red chili flakes between jars. Pack prepared cucumbers into jars as tightly as you can without crushing them.

5.

Pour the brine into the jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace (that’s the amount of space between the surface of the brine and the rim of the jar).

6.

Remove any air bubbles from jars by gently tapping them. You can also use a wooden chopstick or plastic utensil to help remove stubborn bubbles.

7.

Wipe rims and apply lids and bands (don’t screw them on too tightly).

8.

If processing jars for shelf stability, lower jars into your processing pot. When water returns to a boil, set a timer for 10 minutes.

9.

When time is up, remove jars from canning pot and allow them to cool. When jars are cool enough to handle, check seals.

10.

If you choose not to process your jars, let them cool before putting them into the refrigerator. Do note that your jars may seal during the cooling process. However, without the boiling water bath process, that doesn’t mean they’re shelf stable. Still refrigerate.

11.

Let pickles rest for at least one week before eating.

https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2011/08/garlic-dill-pickles.html

Sweet Potato Tomato Sauce

by

This sweet potato sauce is something else! Sweet potatoes, red bell peppers, and a big pile of aromatics are roasted, puréed, and then combined with a spicy tomato base and topped off with a bit of cream to create the ultimate sauce that is just a bit sweet, fragrant, and spicy.

Be sure to boil your pasta in enough water that you’ll be able to remove about 1¾ cups for the sauce!

GRADE

  • Serves: 6
  • Cost: $
  • Skill Level: Easy
  • Time to Make: 40 minutes

INGREDIENTS FOR PAPPARDELLE AND SWEET POTATO SAUCE

  • 16 ounces pappardelle pasta
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 medium sweet potatoes
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 red Fresno chili pepper
  • 2 shallots
  • 5 cloves garlic
  • 1 14.5-ounce can of crushed tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper (more or less to taste)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Pinch of sugar
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream, optional

FOR SERVING

  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Shredded aged provolone (Or parmesan cheese)
  • Fresh basil leaves

METHOD

Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pappardelle according to the pasta instructions and reserve 2½ cups of the pasta cooking water.

Prepare Ingredients: Preheat oven to 400ºF. Peel and roughly chop the sweet potatoes. Trim and roughly chop the red bell pepper and red Fresno chili pepper. Peel and cut the shallot in half. Peel the garlic. Transfer the vegetables to a baking sheet and toss with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to the oven. Cook for 30 minutes until fork-tender. Transfer the roasted vegetables to a food processor along with 1 cup reserved pasta cooking water and purée until smooth and creamy. Set aside.

Start the Tomato Base: While the vegetables are roasting, prepare the tomato base. In a large pot, combine the crushed tomatoes with the parsley, onion powder, crushed red pepper, sugar, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes. (The tomato base should be done right as you’re finishing roasting and puréeing the vegetables). Pour the purée into the sauce along with the remaining ¾ cup pasta cooking water. Stir in the heavy cream if using and then season the sauce according to your tastes. Simmer for 5 additional minutes before adding the pasta to the sauce and tossing to coat. Cook an additional minute or two to re-warm the pasta.

To Serve: Divide the pasta between bowls and drizzle a bit of extra virgin olive oil on top. Sprinkle with the shredded cheese and arrange a few basil leaves on top of each dish. Enjoy!

Recipe originally posted here

My new favorite pasta sauce is a Sweet Potato Tomato Sauce – You can serve it with whatever pasta (whole grain, gluten free, etc) that you like and it's super delicious! Recipe in the comments. [OC]
byu/BushyEyes inEatCheapAndHealthy

Cucumber Salad

by

Makes 4 servings

  • 6 small or 3 med cucumber chopped to 1 in pieces
  • 2 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 2 tbsp Lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 small can black olives
  • 1/4 large red onion
  • 2 cups cherry tomatoes
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • Black pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup feta

Combine everything but the feat in a bowl, mix well so it is fulled dressed. Refrigerate over night and mix well before serving. Top with Feta to serve

Easy Coleslaw Dressing

by

This slaw dressing is excellent for making slaw with bitter veggies like kale and red cabbage

  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 3/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper

Method:

Mix the sugar and the mayo until smooth.  Add lemon juice and vinegar and mix well.  Too much lemon or vinegar will make the mayo curdle. This will keep in the fridge covered for up to a week.

Stuffed Lemon Squash

by

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb beef
  • 5 lemon squash
  • 1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • Pepper
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • Soy sauce
  • Shredded cheddar cheese
  • Red bell pepper, chopped

Method:

Halve the squash and scoop out just the seeds, leave as much of the meat of the squash intact as you can.  Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350.

In a mixing bowl combine the ground beef, Cayenne pepper, salt, a splash of Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce and pepper.  Brown the beef in a medium skillet.  After the beef is browned, remove from heat and add a 1/4 cup shredded cheese and red bell peppers.  Mix well until the cheese is mostly melted. Drain any fat in the pan off before stuffing.

Full the squash halves with the beef mixture and bake for 30 mins.  Pull out, top each with shredded cheese and bake for 10 min minutes.

Let stand for 10 mins. Carefully tilt each squash (without losing the stuffing!) to drain any liquid that may have pooled in the squash.  Makes 10 squash halves.

Grilled Chicken Breast with Potatoes

by

Makes 10 servings

Ingredients

  • 6 chicken breasts
  • 3-4 zucchini or yellow squash, sliced diagonal long, 1/4 in thick
  • 1 lb small red and gold potatoes, chopped 1 in cubes
  • 1/2 tbsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tbsp dried basil
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp garlic salt
  • Soy sauce
  • Balsamic vinegar

Optional fresh herbs keep on stalk – oregano, thyme, sage, parsley, marjaram, savory.

Method

Marinate chicken in balsamic vinegar and soy sauce. 1 to 2 ratio balsalmic to soy.

Marinate zucchini in balsalmic.

Heat grill to 350.

In a large bowl mix potatoes, oil, dried herbs and garlic salt. Put potatoes in foil lined baking pan. Add any herbs on stalk over potatoes. Cover with foil.

Put the potatoes on the left half of grill, covee grill  and turn heat down to keep at 350. Cook potatoes covered for 35 min.

After 35 mins open grill and turn heat up on the open side. Oil grill. Uncover potatoes. Grill chicken breast for about 6 mins a side or until cooked.

Remove potatoes and chicken and set aside. Put zucchini strips on grill for 4 mins.

Remove zucchini and let cool.

Slice chicken breast in to medallions and split all in to 10 even servings.

 

 

 

Peppermint Snap

by

Makes 4 drinks

Ingredients

Mixer for 4:

  • 2 c water
  • 1/2 c sugar
  • 1c mint leaves
  • 1 oz lemon juice

Per drink

  • 1.5 oz Vodka or Rum

Method

Mix the sugar and water together until the sugar is complete dissolved. Muddle the mint leaves with a small amount of sugar until they form a paste.  Add the mint paste and the lemon juice to the water and sugar to create the mixer.

Strain muddled leaves out of mixer. Fill a highball glass with ice, fill glass 1/4 with mixer, add shot or Vodka or Rum, fill glass the rest of the way with mixer.  Stir and enjoy.

 

Quick Spicy Marinara

by

Ingredients

  • 2 cans diced tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp oregano
  • 1 tbsp basil
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 clove of garlic, chopped
  • Fresh chopped herbs – marjoram,  thyme, savory, sage
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • Black Pepper to taste
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Method:

Lightly strain tomatoes and set juice aside, can be used for thinning sauce while cooking or disposed of. Add all ingredients to blender. Blend until mixed well but not foamy.

Can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 week. Bring to a simmer before serving.