Brian's Salad

Talking to Chef tonight and he told me this salad was a hit at his BBQ Saturday.

English cucumbers peeled in strips for color, then quartered and cut in bite sized pieces.

Fresh strawberries cut in halves or quarters depending on size.

Fresh snipped dill.

Dressing: Balsamic vinegar
Oil
Honey
Salt and Pepper

Hope you enjoy!

Handy Freezer Item

Picked zucchini and tomatoes for my freezer "concoction" I make every year.

Ingredients:

Tomatoes
Zucchini
Onions

Chop the onions and zucchini in food processor on the large grater.
Hand chop the tomatoes in about 1" pieces saving all the juice and seeds.

Mix and cook the vegetables until tender and seal in Ziplock bags. Freeze.

***I lay a bag in shallow containers like 8" x 8" baking dishes. Fill the bag as it lies in the dish. Press the air out, seal and lift bag to the counter. Release just a wee bit of a corner and adjust so the bag is now a "filled flat bag". Freeze on cookie sheets or anything level.

I don't add any spices because that lets me use it for various dishes through out the year.
Ideas: in soups, stews, casseroles, etc. I've even used it for meatloaf after draining some of the juice off. These freeze bags keep the mixture great for as long as I have product.

Update: 7PM and I have 88 ounces of wonderful veggies ready to go in the freezer - I'll take a pic and post it but too tired now - I hate getting old:)

BTW, I put in jars to give away but for ourselves, I freeze in Ziplocks.

French Bread

I like to cut in thick slices and spread with a bit of margarine - then mix dried parsley and Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle over the bread and broil. (Mom used to use mayo instead of margarine - a nice change.)

Chicken Thighs A la Chef

So I was bemoaning the fact that I had accidentally bought bone - in thighs for our BBQ. Chef asked why I'd want boneless - cause your Mom is lazy and wants "easy", Darling:) I want them to cook fast!

Anyway, he blanches his and then "gives them color" on the BBQ. Pressing for details, he told me to have the water just at a very low simmer (if that). As I understand it, the meat cooks more thoroughly to the bone. Then one can reduce the broth and make soup base, etc. I thought broth came in cans! Just kidding, Brian. Thanks for your help, as usual.

"Salsa Chicken"

Prep time: 5 min.
Bake time: 55 min.

4 chicken breasts
1 cup salsa

Preheat oven to 375F
Cover bottom of a glass baking dish with salsa.
Place chicken in dish.
Pour salsa over the breasts.
Bake, uncovered in center of oven for 30 min.
Turn chicken, basting occasionally til done.

***As a variation, I sometimes finely chop onion and add to dish. After 30 minutes, add cubed, cooked yams. Toss in the salsa. Very delicious!

Asparagus with Parmesan

Asparagus with Parmesan

Asparagus

Parmesan cheese

Oil or cooking spray

Wash asparagus and just shake so a wee bit of water clings it.
Lay in a single layer in a baking dish coated with oil or sprayed with Pam.
Sprinkle Parmesan cheese generously over it.

Bake uncovered in a 400 oven for about 10 minutes - I bake til the Parmesan just starts to appear crusty.

(This is not a "recipe" - just did it one night and it's become a family favorite.)
As I make these recipes in the future, I will take pics and post with the recipe

Sorry -

It has been requested that I post recipes "properly" meaning listing ingredients and their amounts as books do. I will as of the next posted recipe. This site is not meant to be a professional recipe site. I am posting only recipes which I have cooked my self. Also, for every recipe I post, I read thru many times and actually tick off the ingredients (which will forthwith be listed properly:) with a pencil to avoid errors.

These recipes are not difficult and just a collection of our family favorites. The most involved one is probably stuffed cannelloni or chocolate cheese cake.

So to my commenter who was miffed, sorry. (And it wasn't my Bro!)

Chow

Chow

Green Tomatoes
Onions

Cut equal amounts of tomatoes and onions.
Sprinkle course salt over the mixture and let it sit over night.

Next morn, rinse and drain.

In a spice bag or cheese cloth: 1/2 cup pickling spice

1 tsp dry mustard to add to the vinegar.

Pour 3 cups white vinegar over the vegetables.

Add 4 cups white sugar.
Mix well - as usual, I let it sit about 10 minutes before cooking.

Push the spice bag into the mixture and simmer about 1 hours til all vegetables are tender.

***I tie my spice bag to the handle of the canning pot.

1 canning pot makes about 11 quarts. As usual, I pour into sterile jars and process about 10 minutes even though any recipes I see for pickles says to just seal in sterile jars.

Wonderful to serve as a pickle or on sandwiches.

I Need Exact, Detailed Explanation/Method

So my Bro is a great cook but has a hissy fit if I just send him a recipe with basically the ingredients. He will phone me and ask all kinds of details.
So I tease him and now I will say, take 1 green pepper, wash and dry, set on chopping board, get knife - -- -Ok, enough!

Still fun to bug "little bro".

Pear Mincemeat

Pear Mincemeat

6 cups sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp table salt

8 pounds pears
2 tart apples - peel & core
1 orange - use rind, remove seeds

1 cup grape juice
1 cup cider vinegar
6 1/2 cups raisins (I mixed light and dark)
Measure and mix your sugar and spices in a large canner pot.

Have your fruit prepared - I like the pears sliced and then chopped so they are a nice size for tarts. I chop the apples and orange in the food processor - just pulse til it's a size you like.

I found it good to toss the spices and fruit and let it sit a bit - about 10 minutes.

Add the raisins.

Mix the liquids and add to the fruit mix. I like to stir it with a wooden spoon and then let it sit a few minutes before cooking. The sugar starts to dissolve.

Place pot over medium heat until the mixture gets warmed through - then I turn the heat up to bring it to boiling, reduce to a low simmer. Cook til thickened. I stir constantly - bring your stool to the counter and stove. It doesn't take too long.

Spoon into sterile pint jars. I process 10 minutes but the notes I put on my original recipe said you could just fill and seal. (I process all my jams and chutneys, also.)

This mincemeat has a great color - not harsh like the "regular" and it's flavor is very mellow.

I think it made about 5 pints.

"Recipes I Need"

So this blog is dedicated to my sister who had a box labeled "Recipes I Need". After several moves hauling this heavy box around, she decided to toss it. It's been a joke ever since and her husband delights in recalling how heavy it was and how many moves it made!

So to all the folks in Blogland, I hope you enjoy this recipe site. All recipes are favorites.

Please feel free to comment (I cook for comments:) and pass along your own favorite if you like.