Exploring In The Kitchen

                                         

      On cold winter nights, I like to cook hardy meals that take the chill out of the air. This  second polar vortex has thwarted my gallant attempts. I knew the only way to avoid a  scene from the Shining was to daydream about summer.  My steamy fantasy included sunshine, grass between my toes and a picnic, but my reality was faced with gray skies, snow-broth and another night of gruel. My ever optimistic imagination really wanted a picnic with barbecue and fresh melon, crisp salad. I often have hurry home after a long day and decide in a few minutes what to cook and ribs take 4-6 hours, but tonight I vowed I was going to take control of my life and my disposition. I had schemed all morning about having supper cooked and ready to serve in twenty minutes after I rushed in the door. I would have a picnic, even if it was seven below zero,snow was up to my ankles and the sun had gone to the dark side of the moon.
      On my lunch hour I rushed  home. I threw frozen pork spare ribs in the electric roaster .I had the salad in the serving bowl, I even had desert, cantaloupe waiting in less than twenty minutes. I knew I was victorious,so  like Peyton Manning, my mind could  now just focus on the Super Bowl for the rest of the day. At 6 o'clock even  I proudly strolled in the door like I was Violet Crawley, and  the staff had dinner prepared without me even having to summon them. I opened the fridge and slammed the door in disgust, muttered and whined like  Brady as I searched the pantry, and I moved the chair reminiscent of Bobby Knight as tried to find the nonexistent bottle of barbecue sauce on the top shelf. 
     My mind raced with options, I could just given in to winter and open  jars of kraut and  boiled potatoes, I could order pizza and pretend the ribs were for a pitch in at work, or I could just make my own barbecue sauce. I knew it was an option, but I feared messing up and ruining supper. My own sauce takes hours to simmer, and I didn't really want to even wait for it to come to room temperature. So I modified my recipe to cook on the meat and the result was great. I was able to believe that this cold weather would soon change and I would be in my garden soon.

1 cup ketchup
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp or to taste ground black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
a dash or two of Worcestershire sauce
a squirt of prepared mustard(or 1/4 tsp ground mustard)
1/2 cup brown sugar

 In a medium bowl, stir together  ketchup, paprika, (canning) salt, ground black pepper,  garlic powder, , Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and brown sugar until well blended. Brush on ribs, and cook for 15 minutes or until the sugar carmelized.

Sometimes I make old recipes just because of nostalgia. Piccalilli  reminds me of the stories my grandmother like to tell of the depression.  She was tough, smart and never wasted even a plastic margarine cup.   She grew up to be a nurse, serve in the military and be a proud divorcee and single mother. She loved to tell stories and as a child sometimes I fell for them. If you ever spoken to anyone over the age of  80 about their childhood ...you know the stories.  ...Grandma's  always began five miles to school uphill both ways carrying a load of firewood and two younger brothers on her shoulders because the snow was up to her chest. I use to laugh at that picture in my head because my grandmother was a diminutive woman and I was taller that her in second grade.  So the idea that the snow was up to her chest seemed to be a realistic, especially after the blizzard of 1979 where the snow was over my head.  But those stories had a point.  Life was hard, but planning and know how made life easier. I loved to hear how everything from the garden was used, and canned to get through the winter.  Piccalilli is green tomatoes and garden leftovers relish and a similar recipe is called rummage relish based on rummaging through the garden and the icebox to find enough ingredients to can. I love this relish with slightly tart bite with fish or to brighten a drab chicken dinner.

Piccalilli

2 med. sized cucumbers, peeled and chopped fine

1 small cabbage, finely chopped

1 large onion finely chopped

3 bell peppers, chopped fine

6 lbs green tomatoes, cut up

2 TBS of canning salt

2 cups brown sugar (or to taste)

2 cups white distilled vinegar

2 tsp. celery seed

2 tsp. mustard seed

Mix all chopped veggies & salt together and allow to stand for 4 hours. Drain into a colander. Simmer brown sugar,vinegar, celery seed, and mustard Combine veggies with remaining ingredients in a pot, bring to boil, cook for 20 minutes. Pour into pint jars,  remove bubbles wipe lids and seal. Process for 15 minutes in a boiling water bath.

Sometimes I make old recipes just because of nostalgia. Piccalilli  reminds me of the stories my grandmother like to tell of the depression.  She was tough, smart and never wasted even a plastic margarine cup.   She grew up to be a nurse, serve in the military and be a proud divorcee and single mother. She loved to tell stories and as a child sometimes I fell for them. If you ever spoken to anyone over the age of  80 about their childhood ...you know the stories.  ...Grandma's  always began five miles to school uphill both ways carrying a load of firewood and two younger brothers on her shoulders because the snow was up to her chest. I use to laugh at that picture in my head because my grandmother was a diminutive woman and I was taller that her in second grade.  So the idea that the snow was up to her chest seemed to be a realistic, especially after the blizzard of 1979 where the snow was over my head.  But those stories had a point.  Life was hard, but planning and know how made life easier. I loved to hear how everything from the garden was used, and canned to get through the winter.  Piccalilli is green tomatoes and garden leftovers relish and a similar recipe is called rummage relish based on rummaging through the garden and the icebox to find enough ingredients to can. I love this relish with slightly tart bite with fish or to brighten a drab chicken dinner.

Piccalilli

2 med. sized cucumbers, peeled and chopped fine

1 small cabbage, finely chopped

1 large onion finely chopped

3 bell peppers, chopped fine

6 lbs green tomatoes, cut up

2 TBS of canning salt

2 cups brown sugar (or to taste)

2 cups white distilled vinegar

2 tsp. celery seed

2 tsp. mustard seed

Mix all chopped veggies & salt together and allow to stand for 4 hours. Drain into a colander. Simmer brown sugar,vinegar, celery seed, and mustard Combine veggies with remaining ingredients in a pot, bring to boil, cook for 20 minutes. Pour into pint jars,  remove bubbles wipe lids and seal. Process for 15 minutes in a boiling water bath.

I had a great time at the Bloggy Conference at Cedar Point. One of the sponsors was Udderly Smooth Hand Cream.  . I was so pleased  swag bag because as I forgetful and this is one of the items I didn't pack. I liked how the scent didn't compete with my cologne, it was a soft fresh scent. Well, when I went to work on Monday I brought one of the tubes with me. My plan was to use it every day for the week and see if it prevented my hands from drying out, as I wash my hands a hundred times a day at work and if it could hold up to my work week I knew  it was a keeper. So Monday, its out on my desk and a few coworkers asked if they could try it, all had high praise for the scent and it being non greasy. I came in early on Tuesday and it was gone. Not the bottle just the contents. I thought that was odd but I have to smile when you put the good stuff out in the open people will share it. So four days later my hands a soft and smooth and I will make this my new hand cream. The second tube is locked up in my drawer...and I'm not sharing well maybe if your hands are cracked and I owe you a favor.

All opinions are my own; Udderly Smooth did provide the product for review.

 So I tried my hand at organic gardening this year. I have had some great fresh veggies for salads and cooking. But now it's getting close to the end of tomato season. So I'm canning the  "seconds". Seconds are the not so pretty fruits and veggies. They may have a  blemish or need to be used today. I also ask for seconds at the famers market when I'm canning and get produce for about half price.
 Salsa is a good starting experience in canning. I always suggest that canning be done with at least 2 people as accidents can occur (even with experienced cooks and someone needs to be able to call 911) and the boredom factor is cut to nothing when you can chat the water-bathing time away. 
For Best results use canning salt. Table salt contains iodine. In canning  table salt makes things look cloudy and if you take time to try canning for the first time or to teach a teenager you really want a product you can show off.
A note about heat index of your salsa. Choose your peppers wisely. If you like it hot use jalapeno with seeds, medium take the seeds out the  jalapenos or if you like it mild use Anaheim. A mistake have made before is not using gloves for the peppers, I touched my eye once and thought it would never stop burning. I'm playing roulette by using what left in the garden. But I will taste test and if its too mild will add red pepper flakes if its too hot its a Christmas gift for my in-laws(they love it hot). 
This salsa makes a great chip dip or omelet.

Equipment needed
Cutting board
2 sharp knives
Latex gloves(for peppers)
a canning funnel. not realy needed but it saves, time, mess and cleaning the jars to ensure a good seal
canning jars with rings and new lids
a water bath or a large stock pot with a rack( but some use canning rings connected with bread ties for this when they first start canning)
a timer( I use my microwave for this)


Recipe

Indiana Summer Salsa

5 pounds tomatoes...for me this is anything left in the garden
1 pound green peppers
1/3 pound jalapenos, Anaheim or red chilies or even teaspoon of red pepper flakes.
1 pound onions
1 cup apple cider vinegar
3 teaspoons of canning salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
(7-8 pints)

Wash 8 Jars then sterilized by boiling them in hot water for 10 minute let air dry( do not use a towel to dry) before they're filled or you can do this by using your dishwasher.

Stem and seed peppers and jalapenos.
Chop peppers. Peel and chop  onions.
Peel tomatoes by blanching for ten seconds then coarsely chop tomatoes (drain excess liquid). Combine all ingredients in a   large saucepan and bring to boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for 10   minutes.
 Fill jars, (pints) leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Wipe the rim of the jar if needed(if you did not use canning funnel) Add five minute boiled lids and rings and   process for 20 minutes in a waterbath canner.