Pickled Red Cabbage

Pickled red cabbage recipes are plentiful in the Google machine. This one is a combination of recipes found for our crunchy, red, friend. Cabbage is a cruciferous vegetable and very good for you. Snack on pickled cabbage by itself, put it on fish tacos, sandwiches, in salads, or whatever else your own creativity comes up with. Other vinegars can be used, and coriander seeds, whole peppercorns, and caraway seed can also be added for extra flavor.

1/2 head red cabbage, cored & thinly sliced

1 1/3 cups water
1 1/4 cups apple cider vinegar
6 garlic cloves, peeled & sliced
1 1/2 tbsp Kosher salt

2 tsp granulated sugar

Put the cabbage in a large bowl. Bring the water to a full boil in a small saucepan. Remove the pan from the heat and add the vinegar, garlic, salt, and sugar. Stir. Pour the hot mixture over the shredded cabbage. Use a slotted spoon to fill the jars with cabbage. Make sure you see garlic in both jars. Pour the liquid over the cabbage, put on the jar lids, and store in the fridge for 24-48 hours before eating. This recipe makes 2 pints of pickled cabbage which needs to be stored in the fridge for no more than 2 months. 

Rosemary Salt

Rosemary salt is a nice way to preserve the flavor of the fresh rosemary you may have growing in your yard. I'm growing rosemary in my backyard and in a large pots on the deck. Rosemary salt goes well with a lot of foods, especially roast pork and potatoes. Try sprinkling rosemary salt in olive oil and using it for dipping fresh bread.

All you need is 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh rosemary and 1 tablespoon of Kosher salt. Mix the rosemary and salt together in a bowl and put it in a clean glass jar. Cover and store at room temperature, away from direct light or heat, until the end of eternity.

Peanut Sauce

Oh. So. Good. You can put peanut sauce on a lot of stuff. Pasta, grilled veggies, chicken, rice, and more.

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon vegetable oil 

2 teaspoons sesame oil

2 teaspoons fresh ginger, peeled and minced

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 cup creamy, low-fat peanut butter

Whisk everything until well blended. Store in the fridge.

Dad's Barbecue Sauce with a Mustard-Vinegar Base

This is dad's mustard-vinegar based BBQ sauce that goes with his pulled pork recipe on my blog. 

Ingredients:

1 cup yellow mustard
½ cup sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
¾ cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup water
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp white pepper
½ tsp soy sauce
2 tbsp butter

In a small saucepan, mix all ingredients except soy sauce and butter. Bring to a boil and lower heat to simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Stir in the soy sauce and butter and simmer for 10 minutes. 

Marinara Sauce

Red sauce, tomato sauce, gravy, marinara. It goes by various names. Is there any difference? I started to read and found a lot of information and opinions out there. It seems there are subtle differences in these sauces with one thing in common: it usually goes with pasta or pizza. Marinara sauce is simpler with fewer ingredients than a heavier red sauce, and marinara doesn't include tomato sauce or paste. It also cooks faster. I use this marinara as a base sauce for homemade pizza.

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced

1/3 cup yellow onion, chopped fine

5 vine-ripened tomatoes, cored & quartered
2 teaspoons fresh basil, chopped

1 teaspoon fresh oregano, chopped
Kosher salt to taste

Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Add garlic and onion and saute in oil until light brown. Stir in the tomatoes, basil, oregano, and salt. Lower heat to medium-low and mash the tomatoes to help them break down, depending on how chunky you like your marinara sauce. Cook the sauce for 30 minutes.

Cheese Grits

I truly enjoy all of the regional variations in food. For example, grits. Typically seen on menus in the South. This recipe for grits is from a fellow foodie living in the South, who reports the dish to be "quite good". Top your grits with this BBQ Shrimp.

Ingredients:
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup milk
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1 cup quick-cooking grits (not instant)
4 oz Gouda cheese, shredded
1 tbsp butter

In a medium sauce pan, combine the broth, milk, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil and slowly add the grits. Lower to simmer, cover, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off heat and add the cheese and butter. Stir to mix. Serve in large bowls.

Orange-Banana Vegan Smoothie

Here's another recipe for a vegan smoothie. All of the orange in this makes this smoothie very refreshing and summery. Put everything in a blender or food processor and enjoy. Quick breakfast too!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup ice
1 orange, peeled & sectioned

1 banana
1 cup soy milk
1/3 cup orange juice
1 tsp raw sugar

Mama's Chocolate-Banana Protein Smoothie

Here's a refreshing chocolate-banana smoothie recipe and it's a great way to use up those frozen bananas in your freezer. 🍌🍌🍌

Ingredients:
2 scoops of your favorite chocolate protein powder

2 cups milk (any kind)

1 frozen banana (or fresh), cut into 3-4 pieces

1/4 tsp vanilla

ice (optional)

Blend everything together and enjoy.

Non-Fat Yogurt Cheese

Yogurt cheese is what's leftover after you strain yogurt through a mesh bag or a few layers of cheesecloth. It's a healthy alternative to sour cream and cream cheese and fun to make. You can mix yogurt cheese with grated cucumber and make tzatziki, roasted or raw garlic, fresh chopped herbs, spices, or whatever you like. Yogurt cheese is good on baked potatoes or as a dip with crackers and veggies.

Here's what you'll need:

1 mesh strainer bag or cheesecloth

1 large colander

1 large bowl
1 32 oz container non-fat plain yogurt

Put the colander on top of the bowl. Put the mesh bag or 3-4 layers of cheesecloth in the colander and scoop the yogurt into the mesh bag. Put the whole contraption in the fridge overnight. 

In the morning, pour the excess liquid out of the bowl. About half of the yogurt will be liquid, or whey. If you use non-fat plain Greek yogurt for this recipe you'll have less liquid. Empty the yogurt cheese out of the mesh bag or cheesecloth into a bowl. You should now have something that looks like sour cream or cream cheese. In the photo, you can see the spoon is standing up due to the thickness of the yogurt cheese. 

Your yogurt cheese is now ready to be used alone or with your favorite ingredients. After mixing ingredients to yogurt cheese, refrigerate it for a few hours to allow the flavors to blend. Enjoy your healthy yogurt cheese.

Roasted Garlic

There are only two things you need for this recipe--garlic & olive oil. If you've ever roasted garlic in the oven, you know just how wonderful your kitchen can smell once the garlic starts to cook. Garlic gets sweeter with roasting, and you can add it to bread, dips, veggies, meats, or whatever suits your fancy.

Heat oven to 350. Remove loose paper from the garlic bulb and put it in the middle of a layer of heavy duty foil on a shallow pan. Pour one tablespoon of olive oil over top of the garlic, wrap it and twist the foil closed at the top. Roast garlic in the oven for 45 minutes.

Let the garlic cool after you remove it from the oven. Next, squeeze the delicious sweet roasted garlic out of each garlic clove and it's ready to use. You can store any leftovers in the fridge.

Italian Quiche

I am calling this recipe Italian Quiche because it includes proscuitto and two types of  cheese-- parmesan and mozzarella. You'll need a 9" deep dish pie crust. You can make one from scratch or you can use a refrigerated or frozen one. This is a fast recipe that can easily be put together and you get a lot of bang for your buck. The quiche ingredients can be changed to suit your own tastes. I've seen recipes for crustless quiche as well. Today, I used what I had in the house. This quiche is good hot or cold, and makes a great breakfast, lunch, dinner, or midnight snack.

Ingredients:

6 eggs
3/4 cup fat-free milk
1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated

1 cup parmesan cheese, grated

1/4 cup blue cheese, crumbled

4 thin slices proscuitto, torn into bite-sized pieces
1/2 tsp mustard powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp salt

Dash of red pepper flakes

Heat oven to 350. Whisk the eggs in a large bowl, then add the milk and whisk again. Add the cheeses, proscuitto, and all of the remaining ingredients, making sure the egg mixture is well blended. Place your crust into a 9"glass pie dish and pour mixture into the pie crust. Put the pie on a cookie sheet covered in parchment paper and bake for 45-50 minutes. Slice and serve. 

Quiche goes well with cantelope and other fresh fruit. Store any leftovers in the fridge or freeze them.

Dicing

Food Tip:  there are mainly three sizes of dicing when it comes to food:

Large=3/4" cube

Medium=1/2" cube

Small=1/4" cube

Cold English Cucumber Soup

Quick & easy summer soup recipe! This cold soup is perfect for those summer days when it's too hot for the oven. This soup is delicious, full of flavor, and refreshing. It's like a taste of summertime...

Ingredients:

4 cups low-fat plain yogurt                                     

1 cup light sour cream                   

1 English cucumber, ends trimmed off & cut into 2" chunks

2 cloves garlic, peeled

1/2 tsp dill weed 

1/2-1 tsp Kosher salt

Zap everything in blender until smooth. Chill for a couple of hours. Stir again before serving. 

Makes ~ 6 cups.

No-Bake Cookies with Peanut Butter, Oats & Chocolate

Sweet tooth? Too hot for the oven? Try these creamy and chewy no-bake cookies. They are easy to make and before you know it, a big batch of these cookies will be sitting on your table. Extra bonus--you'll only need to use one pan. 

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup milk

2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1 tsp vanilla

3 cups old-fashioned oats

Add sugar, butter, milk, and cocoa to a medium saucepan. Heat the mixture to boiling and let boil for one minute, stirring often so it doesn't burn. Remove pan from heat. 

Stir in the peanut butter and vanilla, mixing well. Add the oats and mix thoroughly. 

Place by tablespoon (for small) on parchment paper and let set for a couple of hours. Store in an airtight container. You can freeze any leftovers.

Makes about 48 small or 24 large cookies. 

Fresh Blackberry Crisp

 

It's summertime and fresh berries are everywhere. This recipe is easy and can be whipped up quickly. Enjoy your food!

Ingredients:

3 cups fresh blackberries 
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cornstarch
2 tsp water

1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 cup butter

Preheat oven to 375. Pour blackberries into a buttered 

8" x 8" baking pan.

In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients except the butter. Sprinkle mixture over the berries. Cut and drop small pieces of butter across the top. 

Bake at 375 until filling is bubbly, 20-25 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes. This crunchy, oaty, crisp goes great with vanilla frozen yogurt.

Sweet & Sour Summer Veggie Salad

There are many great things about this delicious and colorful summer veggie salad. There's the crunch factor; store up to two months in the fridge; easy to make; healthy; and, it uses up a lot of veggies if you're on overload. The spices and veggies can be switched up to suit your own tastes. 

1 English cucumber

1 large red bell pepper

1 large yellow bell pepper

1 large red onion

1 tbsp Kosher salt

2 cups white vinegar

1-1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 tsp dill weed

1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper

2 handfuls of ice

Thinly slice all of the veggies and put them in a medium bowl. Toss veggies with the salt. Bring the vinegar, sugar, dill, and cayenne to a boil in a medium saucepan. Remove the pan from heat and add two handfuls of ice. Put the veggies in a wide mouth 2 quart jar or whatever you have around that will work. Pour the vinegar mixture over the veggies. Store in the fridge. You're done!

Traditional Pine Nut Pesto

It's time to harvest that big beautiful basil in your garden! I'm growing 5 big pots this year. It takes a lot of basil to make a small amount of pesto but it's well worth it. 

This traditional pesto recipe uses fresh basil and pine nuts. You can switch out the basil for cilantro or spinach, and use walnuts instead of pine nuts. Walnuts typically cost less than pine nuts.

Pesto freezes well and can be mixed with pasta or vegetables, spread on toasted bread, or used as a pizza sauce.

Ingredients:

4 cloves garlic, peeled (or as much as you want)

1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt

2 cups basil leaves, packed

1/3 cup pine nuts

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4-1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Blend the garlic and salt in a food processor. Add the basil and pine nuts and blend well. Add the cheese and blend again. Remove lid, scrape inside of the bowl, cover, and add the olive oil through the top of the food processor lid. Blend until all 

ingredients are thoroughly combined and the pesto 

is smooth. 

Store in the fridge in an airtight container or freeze.

Fresh Raspberry & Balsamic Vinegar Salad Dressing

You'll get a burst of fresh raspberry with a tangy and sweet taste. A lovely and delectable summer salad dressing. This recipe makes ~ 2 cups.

  

Ingredients:                         

2 cups fresh raspberries
1 tbsp sugar
2/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp honey

1/2 tsp Kosher salt 

Mix the raspberries (or you can use other berries) and sugar in a bowl and let sit for 15 minutes. Mash berries with a fork.

                                                                                       

Pour berry mixture into a pint (2 cup) jar and add the vinegar, oil, honey, and salt. Shake until the dressing is well mixed...the honey can be a little stubborn. Put in the fridge for a bit so the flavors can get to know one another...then shake again and serve over your fave salads, veggies, or on grilled sourdough bread with goat cheese...enjoy!

Quick Hummus

Lemony and nutty. Light, but hearty. That's how this hummus tastes. Makes about 2 cups. 

1 can of garbanzo beans, drained
1/4 cup tahini
2 cloves garlic
Juice of 1 lemon
1 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil
Kosher salt to taste

Blend all ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth. Put in the fridge for a couple of hours so the flavors can blend.

I serve this with carrots, celery, bell peppers, radishes, and toasted whole wheat pita bread triangles. 

Sandwich idea: spread hummus on toasted pita bread and sprinkle with feta cheese and sesame oil.

Fresh Raspberry & Blueberry Muffins

These muffins aren't overly sweet and the berries just burst in your mouth. Makes 17 muffins and you can freeze them.

1 cup buttermilk*
1/2 cup vegetable oil**
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups unbleached white flour
1 tbsp + 1 tsp baking powder
1⁄4 tsp salt
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 cup fresh raspberries

Preheat oven to 375. Use cooking spray in the muffin tins or you can use paper liners. 

In a large mixing bowl using a wooden spoon, mix together the buttermilk, oil, and eggs. Add in the sugar and vanilla extract and mix again. Add in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gently fold in the blueberries and raspberries trying not to smash them.

Add the muffin batter into the muffin pan or into your liners and fill to the top. Bake for 19 minutes. Let the muffins cool 2-3 minutes and then put them on a cooling rack. 

*Make homemade buttermilk by adding 1 teaspoon of vinegar or lemon juice to the milk and let sit for 10 minutes.

**Substitute 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce for oil for a healthier option.

2 Loaves of Rosemary Bread

I recently bought a beautiful, shiny, dark red, stand mixer so I can start making homemade bread, baguettes, and more. I'm a novice when it comes to bread baking and look forward to making many different types of bread, both sweet and savory. The Great British Baking Show is in large part responsible for my new love of baking...in addition to the new mixer. 

This rosemary bread is moist, dense, and delicious. The fresh rosemary taste and scent come through in a big way. The recipe makes 2 loaves of bread and it freezes well. I make this bread about twice a month and the photos are from a couple of different bakes. There's a big difference in the taste and texture of this bread vs. store bought--I may never buy bread from the store again. And, it's great fun to see the dough rise! A little science experiment in your kitchen...

Here's what you'll need:

*5 cups bread flour

2 teaspoons Kosher salt

1 tablespoon plus 1/2+ teaspoon instant yeast

3-4 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped fine

1 cup water

**1 cup low-fat buttermilk

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Spray oil

Kosher salt

In your stand mixer, mix the flour, salt, yeast, and rosemary with the paddle attachment. Add in the water, buttermilk, and oil, and mix on low until the dough is moistened and ingredients are blended in. Switch to the dough hook attachment and mix on low for 4 minutes, then put the dough on your bread board or dough mat, and knead it for 3 minutes. I often let the machine do all of the work.

Put dough in a large bowl sprayed with oil. Cover with a lightweight towel and let rise 90 minutes, whilst sipping a cup of tea. The dough should more than double in size. 

Place the dough on your cutting board or dough mat and cut into 2 pieces. I weigh the dough on a food scale to make sure each piece is the same weight. 

Form each piece into a ball and place on an ungreased baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Spray the top of the loaves lightly with oil and cover with a lightweight towel for 55 minutes so the dough can rise a second time.

After 40 of the 55 minutes, heat the oven to 450. With a sharp knife make 2-3 cuts on top of each loaf and sprinkle a little Kosher salt inside. Be careful not to make the cuts too deep or long. After the full 55 minutes has passed, put the bread in the oven for 10 minutes. This helps make a good crust. Then, lower the oven to 400 and bake for 22-25 minutes. By now, your house is starting to smell wonderful!

Remove the bread from the oven and put it on a cooling rack for at least an hour before you cut it--if you can wait that long. This hearty bread slices best with a sharp, serrated bread knife. Toasted rosemary bread goes especially well with goat cheese, roasted red peppers, and lots o' fresh garlic. 

*The amount of flour is an estimate, but 5 cups has worked for me every time I've baked this bread. However, the weather, home temperature, and other factors can affect the amount of flour you need. Your dough should be smooth-not too dry, not too wet. If the dough sticks to your hands add a little more flour until you get the right texture. If your dough is too dry add a little more water. You'll get to know the right "feel" for the dough after baking this bread a few times.

**If you find yourself without buttermilk, you can make your own. Add 1 tbsp of vinegar to 1 cup of milk, stir, and let sit for 5 minutes. I have also been using powdered buttermilk with great results.

-Edited 11/2021; 11/2022

Dad's Crockpot Pulled Pork

My dad is a gourmet cook and this meal is from his recipe file. Here is the BBQ sauce recipe that goes along with it. As far as BBQ sauce goes, I prefer the vinegar and mustard-based one tends to find in the South. This time I used Sticky Fingers Carolina Classic. If you can't find it in your local groceria you can probably find it online. Of course, the pork can be cooked on the outdoor grill too, but this method is a pretty decent substitute if grilling out isn't an option for you at the moment.

Ingredients:
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp paprika
2 tsp Kosher salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3-4 lb boneless pork butt (bone in OK)
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Put the onion in the bottom of the crockpot. Combine the brown sugar, paprika, salt, and pepper. Rub this mixture over the pork and place on top of the onions.

Whisk together vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, red pepper flakes, sugar, mustard, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Pour half of this liquid mixture over the pork and keep the rest in the fridge. Cover the crockpot and cook on low for 12-14 hours. During the last 30 minutes of cooking, pour the remaining refrigerated liquid mixture over the pork. 

Remove the pork and onions from the crockpot to a large platter and let it cool for at least 20 minutes. Remove any large pieces of fat and fork shred the pork. Chop the onion and mix it in with the pork, as well as some juice from the crockpot.

      

               

Finally, slap some of this pulled pork on your bread of choice and top it with some good stuff such as.sauce, dill pickles, raw onion, chow chow, or cole slaw.

Baba Ghanoush - Got Eggplant?

Even though it sounds funny it's still good! To me, baba ghanoush is in the same family as hummus. Baba G is garlic-y and has a smoky flavor. If you don't love garlic, you might want to use less. If you love garlic, you might want to use more. 

A dip or spread, Baba G goes great with warm pita bread or naan, crackers, and raw veggies.

1 large eggplant
3 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/3 cup tahini 
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

Slice the ends off the eggplant and slice it in half lengthwise. Put both halves skin side up on a greased baking pan. Put under the broiler until the outside skin of the eggplant is charred black and the pulp inside is soft (20-30 minutes). Let it cool a bit, then scrape the eggplant out of the skin into a bowl to cool, preferably in the fridge for a few hours.

Pour off any extra liquid from the bowl before using the eggplant. In a food processor, mince the garlic and salt. Add eggplant and tahini. Pulse the food processor to mix until smooth. Add lemon juice. Pulse again until lemon juice is blended in. Taste. Adjust lemon juice, salt, or tahini if needed.

For the best flavor, let sit in the fridge for a couple of hours. Makes about 1 & a 1/2 cups of Baba G.