Old Fashioned Fig Preserves

Grandpa's trees had so many figs this year and Pete loves fig preserves.  We went on a quest to find a good recipe, and we wound up combining several recipes.  While some recipes say to cook the figs for less than an hour, we found the figs had to cook at least two hours.  They were done when they thickened and became dark brown in color.

My Mom never water- bathed figs so we didn't either. We just filled the jars with the hot preserves and sealed them up; put them on the counter to cool and listened for them to seal.

I've always used a 1:1 ratio of figs and sugar.  However, a couple recipes use about half that amount of sugar.  I would like to try this next time.

We heated the sugar and water before adding the figs as directed in the Preserved Figs in Syrup recipe.

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Old Fashioned Fig Preserves

Prep Time:30 Min Cook Time:3 Hr

Yields 4

Ingredients

• 4 Cups whole figs
• 2 Cups sugar
• 4 Lemon slices, seeds removed (1 slice per jar)
• 3/4 to 1 Cup water
• 1 pinch salt

Instructions

• 1
  Rinse your figs in the sink really well and then drain. Remove the stems. Leave whole or cut in half–your choice.
• 2
  In a large, heavy pot, add all the above ingredients.
• 3
  Cook on low for about three hours, stirring occasionally so mixture does not stick or burn. DO NOT LEAVE POT UNATTENDED because burning happens quickly!
• 4
  Cook until very thick.
• 5
  Ladle hot preserves into hot, sterile jars, using canning funnel and oven mitt so you do not burn your hand.
• 6
  Process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Preserves may be stored in fridge for up to one month without the bath.

Notes

• Yields 4 half-pint jars.

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Old Fashioned Fig Preserves

Ingredients:

5 pounds fresh figs

5 pounds sugar

1 cup water (1 to 1 1/2 cups)

Directions:

1.  Wash the figs, then trim off the stem ends.  Put the figs into a large pot and cover with the sugar.  Allow them to sit at room temperature for 3 hours or so.

2.  Heat the figs, water and the sugar, stirring constantly, over moderate heat.  Once the sugar has dissolved, increase the heat to high and bring to a hard boil.

3.  Reduce the heat to medium-low and gently boil for 40 minutes, stirring frequently.

4.  The preserves are done when the foam that has formed on the surface dissipates and the syrup coats the back of the spoon.  Ladle the figs and syrup into hot,sterilized jars, leaving 1/4 inch of headspace.  Wipe the rims of the jars clean then place sterilized lids on top and screw on the rings.

5.  Put the filled jars into a canning pot and cover with water at least 2 inches over the jar tops.  Bring to a boil and boil for 15 minutes.  Use tongs to carefully remove the jars from the water; place on a kitchen towel.  Allow the jars to cool completely before moving them.

Fig Preserves

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Preserved Figs in Syrup

Directions:
1.  Wash figs and trim stems.

2.  Combine water and sugar in a large saucepan and bring to a boil.

3.  Reduce heat to medium-low and add figs.  Cook until turns a dark brown and thickens.

Preserved Figs in Syrup

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Fig Preserves (Emeril Lagasse)

Ingredients :
1 lb figs, washed and stemmed                      5 lbs figs
1 cup sugar                                                     5 cups sugar

In a medium saucepan, mix figs and sugar together and cook on low heat, uncovered, about 30 minutes.

If processing, pour hot preserves mixture into a hot sterile 1-qt or 2 (1 pint) glass canning jars, filling jar; seal jar with lid.  Put jar in water-bath canner and cover with hot water by 1 to 2 inches.  Process, covered, 5 minutes.   Store in a cook, dark place.

*I would add some water.

Fig Preserves

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5 lbs sugar = 10 cups

1 lbs sugar = 2 cups

Peanut Butter Cornflake Crunch Bars

Ingredients:

1 cup corn syrup

1 cup white sugar

1 cup peanut butter

7 - 8 cups cornflakes (without added sugar)

Directions:

Cook syrup and sugar until it comes to a boil.  Stir constantly; do not overcook.

Remove from heat; add peanut butter and stir until smooth.  Pour mixture over cornflakes in a large bowl.  Mix until cereal in thoroughly coated.

Spread into a buttered 9 x 13 buttered pan and press down lightly with buttered hands.  Cool and cut into bars.

*Pour mixture out onto waxed paper.

Peanut Butter Cornflake Crunch Bars 

Jalapeño and cheese breakfast casserole

Ingredients:
4 large eggs
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup cottage cheese
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (4 ounces)
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 4-oz. can chopped green chilies or
2 jalapeños, stems and seeds removed, diced
Salsa for serving

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8x8 casserole dish or baking pan.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Stir in the flour, dry mustard, baking powder and salt. Stir in the cottage cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, cheddar cheese, butter and jalapeños, and mix until incorporated.

Pour the eggs into the casserole dish, and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the top is lightly browned and the center is firm. Serve warm with salsa.

Yield: 4-6 servings

 Egg Casserole

Bread & Butter Pickles

Ingredients

• 8 cups water
• 1/2 cup pickling salt
• 1 1/2 cups thinly vertically sliced yellow onion
• 5 lbs pickling cucumbers (thin skinned), cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
• 4 1/2 cups white vinegar
• 3 cups sugar
• 2 1/2 Tbsp mustard seeds
• 1 1/2 tsp celery seeds
• 1 1/2 tsp turmeric
• jalapeno peppers, optional

Combine water and salt in a large container and stir. Add onion and cucumber and let stand at room temperature for 3 hours. Drain brine and rinse with cold water.

Combine vinegar and remaining ingredients in a large pot. Bring to a boil. Add the cucumber mixture and bring to almost a boil. Using a slotted spoon, remove the hot cucumber mixture and divide into 6 (1-pint) hot, sterilized jars. Divide the hot vinegar mixture among the jars, filling to 1/2 inch from the top.

Remove air bubbles and wipe jar rims. Cover with metal lids and screw on bands. Process in boiling-water bath for 15 minutes. Remove jars from water bath. Cool completely, checking for a proper seal.

For best flavor, allow 2 weeks before eating. Store in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year.
 
Nutritional Information
Serves 24 ~ serving size about 1/3 cup
Per serving: 42 Calories, 0.1 g, 1 g Protein, 11 g Carbohydrate, 1 g Fiber, 0 mg Cholesterol, 0 mg Iron, 194 mg Sodium, 17 mg Calcium

Bread and Butter Pickles
Source: Cooking Light August 2014, adapted from The Foothills Cuisine of Blackberry Farm

Triple Chocolate-Covered Peanut Clusters

• I made this for the first time Christmas 2013 after rediscovering the recipe among recipes I had collected on the www.myrecipes.com site.  These are a great addition to Christmas goodies- easy and tasty.
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• 1 (16-ounce) jar dry-roasted peanuts
• 1 (16-ounce) jar unsalted dry-roasted peanuts
• 18 (2-ounce) chocolate bark coating squares, cut in half
• 2 cups (12-ounce package) semisweet chocolate morsels
• 1 (4-ounce) package German chocolate baking squares, broken into pieces
• 1 (9.75-ounce) can salted whole cashews
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

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Combine the first 5 ingredients in a 3 1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW 

2 hours or until melted (may take less time).  Stir chocolate mixture.  Add cashews and vanilla, 

stirring well to coat cashews.  Drop nut mixture by heaping tablespoonfuls onto wax paper. 

Let stand until firm. Store in an airtight container or freeze up to 1 month.

*Makes 5 pounds or about 60 clusters

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• Triple-chocolate Covered Peanut Clusters

Chocolate Fudge

After being on vacation and eating fabulous fudge, I went on a quest to find a recipe for my favorite Christmas treat- fudge.  I'm not sure this would always work out but I found a video on you tube showing how to make fudge.  I actually went through and wrote down the recipe and directions from the video.  It is great.  Just make sure to make fudge and other candies on a low humidity day or you may have to eat it with a spoon!

3 3/4 cup sugar

4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped

1 1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tsp salt

3 Tbs corn syrup

1 tsp butter

1/2 cups chopped pecans, or walnuts

1 tsp vanilla, optional

3 Tbs cold unsalted butter (use later)

Butter the sides of a 3 qt. saucepan with 1 tsp. butter.  Add all ingredients except butter; stir until combined over medium heat.  Gently stir until the mixture comes to a boil.  A wooden spoon works well.  After it boils, cover with a lid for 2 minutes (traps steam in the pot to wash down the sides) and do not stir after this to avoid sugar crystals forming.

Rub the face of a thermometer with butter.  Cook until 236 degrees is reached. Remove pot from heat.  Add 3 Tbs. butter but DO NOT STIR.  Cool to 110 degrees (takes 1-2 hours).  Line a 8 x 8 pan with foil and butter the foil.

Pour mixture into mixer bowl.  Attach flat beater to mixer.  Turn to Speed 2 and mix (can take 20-25 mins) or until fudge stiffens and loses its gloss.  Quickly turn to Stir Speed and add nuts, mixing until just blended. Spread in buttered pan; cool to room temp.  Cut into squares when firm.

Apple-Cranberry Casserole

INGREDIENTS:2 c raw cranberries3 c apples, peeled and chopped1 1/2 c sugar1 1/2 c quick oatmeal, (uncooked)

1/2 c brown sugar

1/3 c flour

1/2 c pecans, chopped

1/2 c margarine or butter, melted

1 Tbs cornstarch

DIRECTIONS:                                                                                                                                           In a 2-quart casserole that has been sprayed with cooking spray, combine apples, cranberries, cornstarch and sugar. Mix oats, brown sugar, flour, pecans and melted butter in bowl and place on top of apple/cranberry mix. Bake in 325 degree oven for about 45 minutes or until bubbly and brown.                                                            *Next time thaw the cranberries.  Use 2 Tbs cornstarch.

Light, Crisp Waffles

I have been hungry for waffles lately and couldn't find the recipe I had previously used.  Before heading out of town last Friday, I found the perfect recipe that I wanted to try Sunday morning. 

I had read over the recipe prior to Sunday morning to ensure that I had all the ingredients listed.  To get a crisp outside coating on waffles, recipes state you should get a 'screaming hot waffle iron.'  The way I achieved this was to heat my waffle iron up as I mixed my 'first' batch of waffles.

I carefully measured 3 1/2 cups of flour followed by other ingredients and didn't realize anything was amiss until after I added the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and had the consistency of cookies!  Quickly looking over the recipe, I immediately spotted where I had gone wrong.  The very first ingredient listed is 3 1/2 oz. flour... which is about 3/4 cup of flour and not the 3 1/2 cups that I had so carefully measured out!

So, after flinging the 'cookie waffle dough' into the trash I mixed up another batch that was delicious.  The trick was to follow the directions and pour onto my extremely hot waffle iron.

I saw a couple of recipes that called for cornstarch in the waffles and was curious to read about cornstarch.  While I knew that cornstarch was used as a thickener, I did not know that until 1850 it was used to starch laundry and had industrial uses as well!  Hmmm...

Light, Crisp Waffles

 

3-1/2 oz. (3/4 cup) bleached all-purpose flour
1 oz. (1/4 cup) cornstarch
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup milk
6 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 large egg, separated
1 Tbs. sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract 

 

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Heat the waffle iron.
Mix the flour, cornstarch, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Measure the buttermilk, milk, and vegetable oil in a  measuring cup; mix in the egg yolk and set aside.

In another bowl, beat the egg white almost to soft peaks. Sprinkle in the sugar and continue to beat until the peaks are firm and glossy. Beat in the vanilla.

Pour the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk until just mixed. Drop the whipped egg white onto the batter in dollops and fold in with a spatula until just incorporated.

Pour the batter onto the hot waffle iron and cook until the waffle is crisp and nutty brown .  Eat and enjoy with maple syrup or try the Brown Sugar Syrup recipe.

Light, Crisp Waffles

Brown Sugar Syrup

Granola

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup walnuts, diced
• 1/3 cup shredded sweet coconut
• 1/8 cup plus 1 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 1/8 cup plus 1 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1/8 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup raisins

Directions:

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts, coconut, and brown sugar.
In a separate bowl, combine maple syrup, oil, and salt. Combine both mixtures and pour onto sheet pan. Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to achieve an even color.
Remove from oven and transfer into a large bowl. Add raisins and mix until evenly distributed.

*Use in Banana Coconut Breakfast Muffins

Inspired by Alton Brown:  Granola

Banana Coconut Breakfast Muffins

Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 2 extra-large eggs
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 bananas)
• 1 cup medium-diced ripe bananas (1 banana)
• 1/2 cup small-diced walnuts
• 1 cup granola
• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
• Topping (optional)  granola or shredded coconut                                                    

Directions:

 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Line 24 muffin cups (regular size pans, not mini size) with paper liners. Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. In another bowl, combine the eggs, milk, vanilla, and the melted butter.  Pour wet ingredients into the mixing bowl, blend together but don't over mix.

*If making the night before, cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate.  In the morning (batter will be cold and stiff), continue directions:

Mash two bananas and add them to the batter.  Fold the diced banana, walnuts, granola, and coconut into the batter.  Spoon (or scoop using an ice cream scoop) the batter into the paper liners, filling each one to the top. Add topping, if desired.  Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool slightly, remove from the pan, and serve.

Inspired by Ina Garten:  Banana Crunch Muffins

Italian Pasta Salad Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
• 1 pound bow tie pasta
• 1 cup store-bought balsamic vinaigrette dressing
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes or slicer tomatoes, diced
• 2/3 cup pitted kalamata olives
• 1/2 diced green bell pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion or green onions
• Grated Parmesan, for topping or mozzarella

Directions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium heat. Add the pasta cook it according to package directions.

While the pasta is cooking, in a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinaigrette, mayonnaise, and sugar.
Drain the pasta well, transfer to a large serving bowl, and let cool. Add other ingredients. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Sprinkle with the cheese, toss lightly, and serve.

*Mushrooms, optional

Inspired by Paula Deen:   Italian Pasta Salad

Paula Deen's Smothered Chicken

• 1 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• Salt and black pepper
• 1 whole chicken (3 1/2 pounds), cut up, rinsed, and patted dry
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 1 small green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk 

 In a wide, shallow bowl, whisk together the flour, garlic powder, and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and black pepper. Lightly sprinkle the chicken all over with salt and pepper. Dip each piece of chicken in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess flour. (Set any leftover flour aside to use in step 3.)

In a large skillet with a lid, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown all over, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

Add the onion and bell pepper to the skillet and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in 3 tablespoons of the reserved flour mixture and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the milk and 1/2 cup water. Simmer until the sauce has thickened and is nice and creamy, about 5 minutes.

Return the chicken to the pan. Cover and simmer on low heat until the chicken is tender, about 30 minutes, adding water as necessary.

Crawfish Etouffee

• 1 pkg. frozen crawfish tails
• 1 TB. Cajun seasoning
• 4 TB. butter
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, may need a little more
• 3/4 Cup finely chopped onion
• 3/4 Cup finely chopped celery
• 3/4 Cup finely chopped red bell pepper
• 1 - 2 TB. Garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp. thyme
• 2-3 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
•  1 tsp. hot sauce, optional
• 3/4-1 Cup fresh tomatoes, diced
• 1 can chicken broth
• 1 - 1 ½ cups water
• 1/2 cup green onion tops, thinly sliced
• 3 TB. fresh Italian parsley, minced
• ½ tsp. salt, to taste, or to taste
• 1/2 tsp. PEPPER, or to taste
• Cayenne pepper, optional
• Hot cooked rice

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the roux is the color of peanut butter, about 10-15 minutes. Add the onion, celery and bell pepper and cook until translucent, stirring regularly, about 5-10 minutes. Stir in the remaining cajun seasoning, garlic, thyme Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce, if using. Cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes. Add a small amount of the broth, stirring well to form a paste. Add the remaining stock gradually, stirring constantly so it is nice and smooth. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer for about 30minutes (thickens the sauce.)

More broth may be added to ensure a gravy consistency.  Add the  crawfish, green onion and parsley; simmer for 10 more minutes.   Add salt, pepper and cayenne to taste.  Serve over rice.

Etouffee

Tortilla Meatball Soup

When I got my Cooking Light magazine, I knew I was going to cook this dish... I just had to wait for cooler weather.  The soup is very flavorful and reminds me of the tortilla soup I routinely eat at a restaurant in East Texas.

Everyone who knows me knows that I don't do spicy... at all.  My mouth just can't tolerate the heat from any type of pepper.  The only peppers I will eat are  mild chile peppers and bell peppers!  But I wanted to make this recipe as written so I bought my jalapeno and chipotle peppers.  I must say that the chipotle peppers smelled deliciously in that smoky sauce.  They smelled so good that I already plan to try them in some beans or some other Mexican dish!  Mind you I scraped the peppers... the jalapenos and chipotles... where there wasn't a seed or membrane left, and the soup was not spicy (hot) in the least.  However, I was asking myself why I was cooking with peppers instead of just leaving them out of the dish.  I was also wondering what I was going to eat if it was too spicy for me.

One thing I will say about this tasty dish is that it is time consuming.  Do whatever you can early, such as mixing the meatballs early in the day and storing them in the fridge until ready to cook.  The peppers can also be prepared early in the day.  It definitely wouldn't hurt to have an extra set of hands on deck to help out.

The recipe did not call for tomatoes but I decided to add them for flavor.

lol  I just realized the recipe calls for 2 cups of potatoes!  I didn't have the recipe with me when I shopped for ingredients.  I had hastily scribbled down the ingredients before leaving home and bought two pounds of potatoes... even carefully weighing them at the store not to have too many!  So the recipe was hearty and more like stew than soup... thick and chunky, and this is how I will continue to cook it.

My notes:
I plan to make this soup again.  Next time, I plan to boil a chicken and use the chicken broth.
I used 2 cups of frozen corn kernels and placed them around the peppers as directed.
I baked the meatballs.  I suggest mixing them early in the day, and even preparing the peppers beforehand.

Ingredients:

• 2 jalapeño peppers
• 1 red bell pepper
• 2 ears corn on the cob (used 2 c frozen kernels)
• 4 (6-inch) corn tortillas, cut into 1/2-inch-thick strips
• Cooking spray
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 6 garlic cloves, minced and divided
• 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 pound ground sirloin
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce, minced (and seeds removed)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 2 cups (3/4-inch) cubed red potatoes (used two pounds potatoes:-) )
• 1 cup (1/2-inch-thick) carrot slices
• 3 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 1 can fire-roasted tomatoes
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation

1. Preheat broiler.
2. Cut jalapeños and bell pepper in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place pepper halves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet. Arrange corn on baking sheet with peppers. Broil 4 to 6 minutes or until blackened, turning corn once. Place peppers in a paper bag; fold to seal. Let stand 15 minutes; peel. Mince jalapeños, and coarsely chop bell pepper. Cut corn kernels from cobs. Set aside.
3. Place tortilla strips in a single layer on a baking sheet; lightly coat with cooking spray. Broil for 3 minutes or until golden brown, turning after 2 minutes. Set aside.
4. Combine 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 garlic clove, panko, and the next 3 ingredients (through chipotle chile) in a large bowl, and gently mix until just combined. With moist hands, shape the meat mixture into 24 meatballs (about 2 tablespoons each).
5. Place a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add meatballs to pan; sauté for 8 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove from pan. (I baked the meatballs) 
Add onion, potatoes, and carrot to pan; sauté 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add remaining 5 garlic cloves; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add peppers, broth, tomatoes and 2 cups water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 20 minutes or until vegetables are almost tender, stirring occasionally. Return meatballs to pan. Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and corn; return to a simmer. Cook 10 minutes or until meatballs are done. Ladle 1 1/2 cups soup into each of 6 bowls; top each serving with 4 teaspoons Monterey Jack cheese, 2 teaspoons cheddar cheese, and 4 teaspoons cilantro. Top evenly with tortilla strips.

Tortilla Meatball Soup

Vegetarian Chili

With our first real 'cold snap' of the season, I decided on chili.  When I first mentioned veggie chili to my extended meat-eating family, it caused an uproar- you can't have chili without meat!  I've made this dish many times since then and enjoyed it every time.  My husband was eating it last night and thought it would even be good without meat before realizing that it didn't have meat in it!

Ingredients:
1 T oil
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
3-4 Yukon gold potatoes, cut into med.-large chunks
1 package of carrots, chopped into 1 inch pieces (used all but 2 carrots from bag)
1 zucchini squash, halved lengthwise, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. brown sugar
1 1/2 T chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. oregano
salt and pepper to taste
1 can HEB Mexican style tomatoes
1 can Hunts Fire roasted tomatoes
1-2 cans water, enough to cover veggies

Directions:
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add the onions and cook for 3-4 minutes and then add bell peppers, continuing to cook until onions are softened.

Add tomatoes, water and spices and bring to a boil; add potatoes and cook for a while before adding carrots. When carrots and potatoes are mostly done, add zucchini and cook until softened being careful not to cook them too long and they get 'mushy.'

Serve with rice.

This is a versatile recipe. Any vegetable can be added to replace the mentioned veggies.  Corn or beans (black, kidney, pinto, garbanzo) can be added with the veggies or make a bean chili with lots of protein to replace meat.
 

Baked Cabbage

Yum. This is one of those dishes that is very tasty and requires few ingredients. It will definitely be making the rounds in my house. We really enjoyed it. I’ve been wanting to cook this recipe for a long time but with our triple digit Texas summer, I didn’t want to heat up the house.
Next time, I may dice a couple pieces of cooked bacon and stir into the cabbage and potatoes for even more flavor. I think it would also be good to lightly brown some breakfast sausage and add it instead of the bacon.

Ingredients:

1 head of cabbage
2 pats of butter
olive oil
salt and pepper
water
6 medium red potatoes, diced
paprika
red pepper, optional, did not use

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350.
Spray roaster pan or deep casserole dish on sides and bottom. Cut cabbage into strips and place them into the pan or dish. Pour olive oil over cabbage (I didn’t measure but probably used 1/8 c or so).
Place diced potatoes on top of cabbage; put butter on top; salt and pepper to taste. Cover the bottom of the pan with water, no more than 1/4 up the side of the pan. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Remove lid (or foil) and continue to bake until water has evaporated, stirring occasionally. Bake to desired tenderness or until potatoes are done.
*I cooked it about an hour in total, just until the potatoes were soft and slightly browned.

Baked Cabbage

Easy Blackberry Cobbler

This is so tasty and easy to make.  It is my 'go to' dessert recipe when I'm having a craving for something sweet, like tonight:-)  And to top it off, a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top is a must.   

Ingredients:

• 4 cups fresh blackberries
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted
• Vanilla ice cream, optional

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 375°. Place blackberries in a lightly greased 8-inch square baking dish; sprinkle with lemon juice. Stir together egg, sugar, and flour in a medium bowl until mixture resembles coarse meal; sprinkle over berries. Drizzle melted butter over topping. Bake at 375° for 35 minutes or until lightly browned. Let stand 10 minutes. Serve warm with ice cream, if desired.
• Ramekins:  Bake for the same amount of time in 6 (8-oz.) ramekins on foil-lined baking sheet.

Easy Berry Cobbler

Grandma's Blender Ketchup

I love this recipe.  Just thinking about this recipe makes my mouth water.  My mom has made this recipe annually with the tons of tomatoes they have grown through the years.  Although it it called 'ketchup,' it doesn't have the consistency of store-bought ketchup- it's more like a barbeque sauce and my parents actually use it as a barbeque sauce. 

For a quick meal, I use the ketchup to make sloppy joes- brown ground meat and drain the fat; add a jar and heat.  Makes great sandwiches- fast and easy.

*I use my food processor instead of a blender.


BLENDER KETCHUP
8 lbs. of  ripe tomatoes, about 48 medium size 
2 sweet red peppers, medium size **
2 green bell peppers, medium size
4 onions, medium size
3 cups vinegar
3 cups sugar
2 teaspoons salt
3 teaspoons dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon red pepper, omit
1 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Quarter tomatoes; remove stem ends. Add peppers, seeded and cut into strips, and onions, peeled and quartered. Mix.
Put vegetables into food processor. Pulse off and on until vegetables are pureed and pour into a large pot. Repeat until all veggies are pureed.
Add remaining ingredients; stir to mix thoroughly. Bring to boil over medium heat; lower heat and simmer, uncovered until volume is reduced by half.
Pour into hot, sterilized jars. Process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes at 212 degrees.

**I use 4 green peppers.

Crumb-Topped Pecan Cherry Cereal Bars

This is so good:-)  These bars can double as a breakfast bar or dinner dessert.  Easy to make with ingredients already in the pantry.  Go to Relish.com for a pic.

*The second time I made these, I had a jar of red raspberry preserves that I needed to use before expiring.  I do not recommend this- the bars tasted flat.  The tanginess of the cherries makes it a standout recipe.
1 c. flour
1 c. quick-cooking oats
1 c. puffed rice cereal * (used Rice Krispies)
1 c. chopped pecans
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. butter, softened
1/4 c. vegetable oil
1/3 c. packed brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 (10 oz.) jar cherry all-fruit spread (used 13 oz. cherry preserves)

* recipe calls for Puffed Brown Rice

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Butter a 9-inch-square baking pan.
2. Combine flour, oats, puffed rice, pecans, cinnamon, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.
3. Using an electric mixer, beat butter, oil, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl until well-blended and creamy. Add dry ingredients and mix until moistened and a crumbly dough forms. Reserve 1 ½ cups of the dough for the topping. Press remaining dough evenly into bottom of pan.
4. Spread fruit spread evenly over dough in pan. Sprinkle reserved dough mixture over top, leaving some areas uncovered. Gently press down to adhere topping to fruit layer. Bake 30 minutes or until deep golden. Cool 15 minutes. Slice into 12 (2 1/4 x 3-inch) bars.

*Recipe says to use brown rice cereal but I used Rice Krispies.

Relish:  Crumb-Topped Pecan Cherry Cereal Bars

Shrimp Cakes with Chili-Lime Cream Sauce

I decided to try a new shrimp recipe and I'm so glad I found this... a delicious mix of flavors and really easy to prepare.  Parsley could be substituted for cilantro even though I couldn't detect the taste of cilantro in it.     

Ingredients:

• 16 uncooked large shrimp (about 1 pound), peeled, deveined
• 1 large egg
• 1 green onion, sliced
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
• 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (did not use) 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Pinch of ground black pepper
• 2 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
• 2 tablespoons (or more) peanut oil

Preparation:

Coarsely chop shrimp in processor. Add egg, green onion, lemon juice, mustard, cilantro, hot pepper sauce, salt, and pepper. Blend in using on/off turns. Add 1 cup panko and blend in using on/off turns. Form mixture into twelve 3-inch-diameter cakes. Roll cakes in remaining 1 cup panko; transfer to waxed-paper-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate 10 minutes. (Can be made up to 4 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Heat 2 tablespoons peanut oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, fry cakes until cooked through and golden brown on both sides, adding more oil to skillet as needed, about 6 minutes.

Spoon 3 tablespoons Chili-Lime Cream Sauce onto each of 6 plates. Place 2 shrimp cakes on each and serve immediately.

I did not make the chili-lime cream sauce but I do plan to make it or some other sauce in the future.

*Several reviewers suggested not to process the shrimp but to dice them by hand so there would be chunks of shrimp in the cakes.  I withheld some shrimp and added them with the panko in order to have some chunks.  Next time I will add all the shrimp after mixing all the other ingredients.  Its really just personal preference.

Epicurious Shrimp-Cakes-with-Chili-Lime-Cream-Sauce