Traditional Salsa

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Recipe from Ball

This is my third different kind of salsa I have canned this year.  They have all been delicious! :)  This one is very mild and very fresh tasting.  I actually made 1 1/2 times the recipe, which made 7 pints.

I prepped the tomatoes a few days before.  Peeling, dicing and draining.  If you leave all of the juice in, the salsa is too runny.

Ingredients:
7 c (about 5 lb) peeled, diced, cored tomatoes
6 green onions, sliced
2 jalapenos, seeded and minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c white vinegar
2 T lime juice (about 1 lime's worth of juice)
4 drops hot pepper sauce
2 T minced cilantro
2 t salt

Directions:
Sterilize jars and lids.  Prepare boiling water canner.

Combine all ingredients in a large stockpot.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Ladle hot salsa into hot jars, leaving 1/2-inch head space.  Remove air bubbles, wipe rims and set lids on jars.  Apply bands and adjust to fingertip tight.

Boil in the water canner for 15 minutes.  Check seal after 12-24 hours.  If not sealed, refrigerate immediately.

Sweet Pepper Salsa

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Recipe from Aunt Sharon (I believe she got this from her Ball Canning Cookbook)

This was another great way to use up some peppers!  This recipe uses 3 cups of peppers.  Again, I kind of mixed it up a little bit.  The recipe calls for 1 cup each of red, green and yellow bell peppers. I used bell peppers (green and yellow), sweet banana peppers, sweet yellow peppers, jalapenos and red chili peppers. 

The salsa is delicious!  It has just a little bit of spice, but it's not overpowering.  I think I only used about 3-4 jalapenos and 3 red chilies.  I wanted to keep this at about a medium temp, as I knew the Tomatillo Salsa would be pretty spicy.

Ingredients:
7 c peeled, cored, chopped and seeded tomatoes
3 c peppers (see above what I used)
1/2 c chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 T minced cilantro
1 t salt
1/2 c vinegar
2 drops hot pepper sauce

*This recipe makes about 7 half pints

Directions:
Sterilize jars and lids and prepare boiling water bath canner.

Combine all ingredients in a large stockpot.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.  Ladle hot salsa into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space.  Remove air bubbles and wipe rim clean.  Center hot lid on jar and screw band on to fingertip tight.

Process for 15 minutes in the boiling water bath canner. Remove jars from water and check seal after 24 hours.  Store in a cool, dry place.

Spicy Tomatillo Salsa

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Recipe from Ball

My aunt sent me this recipe that she uses from Ball canning.  To make up the 1 c of peppers, I used jalapenos and red chili peppers.  So this recipe has a definite kick, but the sweetness of the tomatillos really balances it out.

We had so many peppers this year that I just had to figure out something to do with them.  I also made some Sweet Pepper Salsa, which I'll post later.  And I may get some tomatoes from my dad's garden to make some more, plus I am thinking about pickling some peppers and/or drying them out to use later.

I really like how this turned out.  I thought it may be a bit too spicy for me, but, as I mentioned above, the sweetness of the tomatillos really just makes it delicious!  One thing that I didn't do, that I would do the next time, is to drain the tomatillos so the salsa isn't quite so juicy.  Since I chopped these in a food processor, they maintained all of their juices, and it was just a bit too much.

Ingredients:
5 1/2 c chopped, cored tomatillos
1 c chopped onion
1 c chopped pepper (as I said above, I used all jalapeno and red chili)
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 T minced cilantro
2 t ground cumin
1/2 t salt
1/2 t red pepper flakes
1/2 c vinegar
4 T lime juice

*Makes about 4 (8 ou) 1/2 pint jars.

Directions:
Sterilize jars and lids and prepare boiling water canner.

Combine all ingredients into a large saucepan. Heat to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Ladle hot salsa into hot jars, leaving 1/2 inch head space. Wipe rim and center hot lid on jar. Apply band and adjust to fingertip tight.

Process jars in boiling water canner for 15 minutes.  Remove jars and cool.  Check lids for seal after 24 hours and store in a cool, dry place.

Marinara w/ Red Wine

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Recipe from Mrs. Regueiro's Plate

I had a bit of Chianti left over from a couple of past recipes, and came across this recipe to use it in marinara sauce.

I really loved this.  I used it on this Grilled Pizza, and I'm using it on pasta with meatballs tonight.  It has a really rich flavor from the wine.  I thought it was delicious!

Sorry, no picture.  I'll try to remember to take one tonight of the pasta.

Ingredients:
1 T olive oil
1 c chopped onion
1 1/2 t minced garlic
1/2 cup good red wine (I used Chianti)
1 (28 ou) can diced tomatos
1 T fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 1/2 t kosher salt
1/2 t pepper

Directions:
Heat the olive oil in a small stockpot or dutch oven.  Add onion and saute over medium heat until translucent, 5-10 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for one minute more.

Add wine and cook on high heat, scraping up all the brown bits, until almost all liquid is evaporated.

Stir in the remaining ingredeints.  Cover and simmer on low for about 15 minutes.

Once this was cooked through, I put it in my food processor and pulsed about 4-5 times.  I like my sauce just a bit smoother.

Fire Roasted Creamy Tomato Sauce w/ Chicken Sausage

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J and I were having pasta last night.  And I decided to try something different than my typical 'pour pasta from jar and heat'. :)

So I had some chicken sausage in the freezer, Italian style, and some diced tomatos and decided to throw something together and see how it came out.

This was really good.  It was a bit spicy from the fire-roasted tomatos and the sausage, and had really good flavor.

Ingredients:
1 14 ou can fire-roasted diced tomatos
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/4 c onion, chopped
Dried basil and oregano
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 T tomato paste
1/2 c half and half
2 links chicken sausage, sliced into bite-sized pieces
Pasta of choice, cooked

Directions:
In a food processor combine the diced tomatos, garlic, onion, basil, oregano, salt and pepper.  Pulse about 8-10 times, leaving some small pieces of tomato and onion intact.

In a saucepan, cook the sausage over medium heat until heated through.  Pour the tomato mixture over it and mix.  Bring to a simmer for about 5 minutes, then add the tomato paste to thicken.  Simmer for about 2-3 more minutes, mix in the half and half, and remove from heat.

Serve over pasta.

Hot Sauce

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Recipe from pickyourown.org

I made this canned hot sauce as a gift for some of my family for Christmas.

I have to admit, I did not pick my own tomatos.  That's a difficult thing to do in Pennsylvania in November.  Nor did I buy fresh and dice myself.  I bought canned.  And, while fresh may have tasted a little bit better.. maybe - canned is so much easier. :)

For this recipe you'll need a food mill, or at least a makeshift food mill.  This made about 7-8 half pint jars.

Ingredients:
8 c (64 ou) diced tomatos, juices reserved
About 1 1/2 c peppers, seeded & chopped - I used serrano, but you can do habanero, jalepeno or hot chili peppers)
4 c distilled white vinegar
2 t canning salt
2 T whole mixed pickling spices
Cheesecloth (6"x6") or spice bag
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped, optional

Directions:
Sterilize your jars and lids.

Place pickling spices in a spice bag or cheese cloth and tie ends firmly.

Mix all ingredients together in a large Dutch oven or stockpot.  Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  Simmer for about 20 minutes, until tomatos are soft.

Remove pickling spices from the sauce, then run the sauce through a food mill. Return the strained liquid to the stockpot, heat to boiling then boil another 15 minutes.

Ladle sauce into jars, leaving about 1/2" head space.  Place lids and bands on jars.

Process jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.  Let cool, undisturbed, for 12-24 hours.

Sauce improves with age.Wait at least 1 week prior to using.

Pinot Grigio Jelly

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Recipe from All Recipes
  

I made a batch of this jelly as a gift for some family for Christmas.  You can really use any kind of jelly you prefer in this recipe.  I chose Pinot Grigio because I know people who are getting it, like it. :)

I tasted this when it was done, as I was ladling it into jars.  It tastes just like Pinot Grigio, only sweeter. :)  It's supposed to be good with cheese and crackers.

This is a canning recipe.  For canning tips, go to freshpreserving.com. If you have never canned before, check this website for how to prepare jars, and how to know if they are properly processed, as well as other tips.

This recipe made 5 8-ounce jars.

Ingredients:
3 1/2 c wine
1/2 c fresh lemon juice
4 1/2 c sugar
1 package dry pectin (I used Ball 1.75 ou package)

Directions:
Combine wine, lemon juice and pectin in a large saucepan.  Bring to a boil, stirring frequently.

Add sugar and return to a rolling boil (one that cannot be stir down) and boil for one minutes.  Stir constantly.

Remove from heat and skim foam from top, if necessary.

Ladle into hot, sterilized jars. Leave 1/2" head space in jars.

Place lid and band on jar and tighten.  Process in a boiling water bath for 5 minutes.

Remove from water and let sit and cool for 12-24 hours.

Strawberry Jam (No Sugar Added)

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Recipe from Fresh Preserving

I made this as a Christmas gift for some of my family.  I really don't think you need sugar with strawberry jam, because the strawberries are typically sweet enough.  Just make sure you use the pectin that you can use without sugar.

This is a canning recipe, so check out freshpreserving.com for canning tips if you've never done it before.

(This recipe made just a little over 5 8-ounce jars.)

Ingredients:
4 c crushed strawberries (about 4 pints)
1 c no sugar added white grape juice
1.75 ou package No Sugar Needed Pectin
Red food coloring, optional

Directions:
Prepare boiling water canner and sterilize jars and lids.

Combine strawberries and juice in a large saucepan. Gradually stir in pectin.  Bring mixture to a full rolling boil (one that can not be stirred down), over high heat, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat and skim foam from top, if needed.  Mix in food coloring if you would like a brighter color.

Ladle hot jam into hot jars, leaving 1/4" head space.  Wipe rim and place lids and bands on jars to fingertip tight.

Process jars in boiling water bath for 10 minutes.  Remove from water and let sit, undisturbed, for 12-24 hours. Lids should not flex up and down when center is touched.

Turkey Meatballs w/ Quick and Spicy Tomato Sauce

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Recipe from Ellie Krieger

I love recipes that can be used for multiple meals.  I made this over pasta for dinner last night, and I plan to make meatball hoagies later in the week with the leftovers. :)

J and I both thought this was great.  The meatballs were really flavorful and the sauce had just enough spice without being overpowering.  I made this in advance on Sunday, so all I had to do last night was reheat it and cook the noodles.

This recipe called for fresh herbs, but I didn't want to buy them just for a tablespoon or less, so I just used dry.

Ingredients:
Sauce:
1 T olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 T tomato paste
1 (28-ou can) fire roasted diced tomatos
1 t finely minced canned chipotle in adobo
1/2 t dried oregano
1/2 t dried rosemary
Salt
1 T dried basil
(note: I also added in some water at the end, as it was a bit too thick for my tastes)

Meatballs:
1 lb ground turkey
1/2 c bread crumbs
1/4 c grated Parmesan
1/2 c finely grated carrot
1/2 c finely chopped onion
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 t dried parsley
1 t dried thyme
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 t salt
Pepper

Directions:
For the sauce, in a large saucepan heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the onions until translucent, then add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute more.

Add remaining ingredients and bring to a low boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, until liquid has evaporated slightly.

For the meatballs - preheat the broiler and spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray.

Combine turkey with all other ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  Form the turkey into 1-inch balls (the recipe says 2 1/2-inch, but I wanted mine smaller - this made about 24 meatballs) and place on the cookie sheet.

Broil for about 7-8 minutes, turning once, until browned and almost cooked through.  Remove from the oven and place in the sauce.  Cover and cook for an additional 10 minutes.  Serve over pasta (or however you wish to eat it.) :)

Crockpot Pumpkin Butter & Pumpkin Spice Lattes

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Recipe from Adventures in my Freezer
  

Delicious!!  I made this pumpkin butter while I made the apple butter, and it turned out sooooo good!  I have been spreading it on these Cinnamon Butternut Squash Muffins - the combination is perfect!  I'm going to have to make more muffins. :) 

I also used it to make a very good pumpkin spice latte (recipe below), and pork chops over rice.

This is a really simple recipe where you just throw everything in the crockpot and let it go.  I'm sure it could be very easily adapted to using the stovetop as well.

Pumpkin Butter
Ingredients:
1 large can pumpkin puree
1 T pumpkin pie spice (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves - I just combined these to about 1 T)
1 1/2 c sugar

Directions:
Mix all ingredients in the crockpot.  Set on high until the mixture begins to boil.  Turn to low for about 1-2 hours.  Spoon into jars, and freeze what you don't plan to use right away.

Note: The USDA recommends that you do not can pumpkin butter (or any type of pureed squash or pumpkin) for various safety reasons.  I saw this cited on quite a few websites, so a quick google search can give you specific reasons.

Pumpkin Spice Latte
Ingredients:
1 mug milk with 1 t instant coffee OR 1/2 milk and 1/2 strong coffee
1 t vanilla extract
1 T (or more if desired) pumpkin butter

I threw in a cinnamon stick to make it fancy. :p  If only I had some of that whipped cream that they put on top at Starbucks. :)

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a mug and microwave until hot.  Stir well and enjoy!

Canned Apple Butter

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Recipe from Cooking Light

This is recipe number three using my Ingredient of the Month: Apples!  And what a delicious way to use them!

This is a recipe that can either be made overnight in the crockpot, or in a few hours stovetop.  I decided to just go with the stovetop method.

I haven't actually eaten this apple butter except for a quick taste before I canned it.  But it was delicious!  Exactly like I remember it. :)

This recipe uses the flavors of brown sugar, honey, cinnamon, apple cider, cloves and mace.  I decided to use Granny Smith apples.  I didn't change the recipe at all, so check the link above for the full recipe.

Overall the recipe was extremely easy to make.  Peeling the apples was a bit time-consuming, but easy.  The most difficult part was straining it.  I don't have a sieve so I used one of my wire-mesh strainers and pressed it through with a pestle.  My arm definitely hurt after a while, but it got the job done. :)

For canning, I used the website freshpreserving.com.  This is a great canning resource, so I'd recommend taking a look at it, and follow the instructions on this site for canning.  This was my first time canning, but it's so easy!  And I plan to do more in the near future. :)

It's important to remember that you must sterilize the jars and lids, and once you remove the full jars from the water bath - just leave them alone for 12-24 hours. 

Apple butter has to process in the water bath (rolling boil) for 10 minutes. 

There are so many ways you can use apple butter - spread it on muffins, rolls, bagels and bread; serve it over chicken and pork; or mix it in with your oatmeal, yogurt or cottage cheese.

How do you eat your apple butter?

Pulled BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

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Recipe from Ellie Krieger
  

We have a ton of shredded chicken right now in our freezer, and I wanted something quick, easy and healthy to make with it.  I came across these BBQ chicken sandwiches.  I liked the idea of making my own sauce, but still keeping everything extremely simple.

J and I really liked these!  The sauce was so easy to make, and we loved the flavor!!  It made a lot of chicken, but we'll probably just freeze the leftovers for another day.

Ingredients:
1 T canolo oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14-ou) can tomato sauce
1/4 c tomato paste
1/2 c water
1/3 c apple cider vinegar
5 T mollasses
1/4 t pepper
1/2 t liquid smoke (I didn't have any, so I skipped this)
4-4 1/2 c shredded chicken
Whole wheat hamburger rolls
Toppings of choice - we just used mozzarella cheese, but tomatos and lettuce are good options as well.

Directions:
Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat.  Add the onions and saute about 5 minutes, until soft and translucent.

Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add remaining ingredients through liquid smoke, bring to a boil, and then simmer for about 15 minutes.

Finally add the chicken and simmer for about another 10 minutes.

Build your sandwich and enjoy!

Caesar Salad

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Recipe from FoodNetwork.com
 

I wanted a simple salad to go with the Butternut Squash Ravioli, and I came across this recipe for Caesar Salad that seemed good and easy. 

The croutons were delicious!!  J and I were both sneaking them as I prepared the rest of the meal. :)

The dressing was okay - way too much garlic.  I cut back from 6 cloves to 5 - but I'd probably go to 3.  It also helps to add more olive oil and pepper.  I didn't dislike it, but I've also had better.


Ingredients:
Dressing
6 (as I mentioned above, I'd take it down to 3 or 4 at the most) cloves garlic, mashed and minced
1 T Dijon mustard
1 T vinegar
2 T mayo
1/2 (I'd add in a bit more, taste as you go) c olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Lemon Juice (I did about 1 T)
Minced anchovy fillets (optional) - I skipped these

Directions:
Combine garlic, mustard, vinegar and a bit of salt in a food processor and mix thoroughly. Add mayo and blend to form a thick paste.  Slowly stream in olive oil.  Remove to a small bowl and add in lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.

Croutons:
1 baguette
3 T butter
1 t garlic powder
1 t paprika
1 t pepper

Directions:
Cut baguette into cubes.  Melt butter in a large saute pan and then season with the spices. Add bread cubes and toss well to coat with the butter mixture.  Saute until bread cubes brown on all sides.  Set to side to cool.

Salad:
Romaine lettuce
Fresh grated Parmesan
Croutons
Dressing

Directions:
Wash and dry lettuce.  Layer the lettuce, cheese and croutons and top with desired amount of dressing.

Shrimp Cakes

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Recipe from Elizabeth's Edible Experience

I was really excited to try this recipe.  I love crab cakes, but the lump crab meat I get at my grocery store - not so great.  I thought these were really good! 

My changes - I skipped the bell pepper - so I didn't even bother cooking the garlic before I put the cakes together.  I just threw it in the bowl with the rest of the stuff.

I made these cakes a day in advance, and cooked them when I was ready to eat.  I made the salsa a few days in advance, except for the avocado - which I added when ready to eat.

Ingredients:
Cakes:
1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
Cooking spray
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 c thinly sliced green onions
3 T reduced-fat mayo
1 T lime juice
1 1/2 t hot sauce
1/2 t sugar
1/4 t salt
1 large egg
1/4 c finely chopped cilantro
3/4 c Panko, divided

Salsa:
2 ears corn, roasted (or grilled) and cut from the cob
1 diced peeled avocado
1/4 c chopped cilantro
3 T finely chopped red onion
2 T finely chopped jalapeno
1 T lime juice
1/4 t salt

Directions:
To prepare salsa, combine all ingredients except for avocado and mix well.  Add avocado and stir gently.  (If making this in advance, don't add the avocado until ready to eat.)

Cook the shrimp with some salt and pepper in a skillet until pink.  Place in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.  Place in a large bowl.

Add remaining ingredients including 1/4 c of Panko.  Mix well.

Divide mixture into 4-5 equal patties, about 1/2 inch thick.  Pat them with the remaining Panko on both sides.  Let chill for at least 1 hour, or overnight.

Preheat a skillet to about medium-high heat and coat with cooking spray.

Cook the cakes for about 4 minutes per side, until browned.  Serve salsa over cakes.

Grilled Chicken Tenders w/ Cilantro-Sesame Pesto

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Recipe from EatingWell.com


Mmmmm... Cilantro-Sesame Pesto. Such a great idea. :) J and I both really liked this dish. The pesto was delicious!

Ingredients:
1/4 c lime juice
1/4 c soy sauce
1 T canola oil
1 t chili powder
1 pound chicken tenders (or chicken breasts if that's what you have)
2 c loosely packed cilantro leaves (about 1 1/2 bunches)
2 scallions, sliced
2 T toasted sesame seeds

Directions:
Whisk together lime juice, soy sauce, oil and chili powder in a medium bowl. Reserve 2 T of the marinade for the pesto.

Marinade the chicken in the bowl, covered and in the refrigerator, for 20 minutes to 1 hour.

Meanwhile, place cilantro, scallions, sesame seeds and reserved marinade in the food processor and process until smooth. (I actually added about 1 1/2 T more EVOO to smooth it out a bit more - just my preference, though.)

Preheat grill to medium-high heat and oil the grill racks.

Remove chicken from marinade (discard remaining marinade) and grill until no longer pink in the middle - about 3-4 minutes per side.

Serve chicken with the pesto.

Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos w/ Homemade Salsa

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Chicken recipe from For the Love of Cooking

On a cooking board that I frequent, the cooking challenge this week is to make something with tomatos. I love salsa! I've never tried to make my own, so I decided this would be the perfect time to try it out.

This chicken sounded really good, so I decided to make some tacos to go with the salsa.

The salsa was good, very fresh tasting. The green onions, tomatos and jalepeno were all straight from our garden. I could've used a bit more spice, however. I had bought canned chilies to put in here too, but all my other ingredients were so fresh, I didn't want to use them.

Salsa
Ingredients:
3 Roma tomatos
3 vine-ripened tomatos
1/2 jalepeno
2-3 T cilantro
2 medium green onions
Juice of 1/2 lime
Pepper to taste

Directions:
You can use a food processor or, if you like your salsa to be chunky, just chop all ingredients and mix together.

I was feeling lazy, so I went with a food processor.

First place the cilantro, jalapeno and onions (cut into smaller pieces) into the food processor and pulse a few times to chop.

Quarter the tomatos and process until salsa is at desired consistency. Add the lime juice and pepper to taste. Pulse once or twice to mix.

Place in a sealed container in the refrigerator for at least one hour to allow flavors to blend.

Chicken Tacos
Ingredients:
Juice and zest of 2 small limes
3 T olive oil
1/2 t cumin
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t red pepper flakes
Salt & pepper, to taste
3 T fresh cilantro, chopped
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat

Other ingredients: taco shells, sour cream, guacamole, cheese

Directions:
Mix ingredients from limes through cilantro in a zip lock bag. Add the chicken and be sure it is fully coated. Place bag in refrigerator and allow chicken to marinate 2-4 hours.

Grill or saute chicken breasts until fully cooked. Allow to cool for about 5 minutes and then shred.

Fill your taco shell with the chicken, salsa and other toppings. Enjoy!

Pesto Chicken Salad

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Recipe from Jenn Cuisine

I really wanted something pretty light and easy to make for dinner last night. I came across this recipe by Jenn last week, and it seemed to fit the bill! I love fresh pesto, and I really like the idea of adding yogurt to it to make it a bit creamier.

This was delicious. Really, really good! And, it's just as good, if not better, the next day! (I had it for lunch today.) I definitely recommend you try this recipe out.

The only change that I made is that I skipped the olives, and used tomatos instead. I really hate olives. :)

I really liked the almonds with this dish. I thought they really added to the meal, and I liked the different texture that they contributed.

Finally - the yogurt really made this pesto. Sometimes I feel like it can have an almost grainy texture to it, but with the creaminess of the yogurt, it really balanced it out.

Pesto
Ingredients:
2 c basil
4 c arugula
juice from 1 lemon
2 cloves garlic
1/4 c EVOO
1/4 c grated Parm
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1/2 c plain yogurt (use Greek if you can!)
salt & pepper, to taste

Directions:
Place the basil and arugula in a food processor and process until finely chopped. Add in remaining ingredients and process until smooth. Use immediately or place in the refrigerator until ready to use.

(I actually made this a couple of days in advance. Just put it in an airtight container and it will be fine. It was a bit thick when I opened it back up, but I mixed in about 1 T EVOO, and it was perfect.)

Chicken Salad
Ingredients:
3 c shredded chicken, cooked
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 medium tomato, chopped
1/4 c onion, chopped (I used a bit less, as I didn't want a very strong onion flavor)
1/4 c sliced almonds, toasted
1 c Pesto
Arugula or other greens

Directions:
Combine the chicken, celery, tomato and onion in a large bowl. Add the pesto and almonds and gently mix together.

Serve over a bed of arugula (or greens of choice) and sprinkle with a few more toasted almonds.

Enjoy!!

Marinades

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I don't have any pictures, but these marinades were so good and such a huge hit at our picnic this weekend, that I have to give you the recipes.

I made 3 different marinades to put over chicken, beef and shrimp. I had cubed the chicken and beef and cooked them in 2 separate grilling baskets. I cooked the shrimp on wooden skewers.

Each of these were so good. I marinaded the chicken and beef in plastic containers over night. I put the shrimp on the skewers in the morning, and set them in a baking pan to marinate for about 6-8 hours. Just whisk these together, and pour them over your meat or seafood.

For the chicken:
From Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations

1/4 c olive oil
4 garlic cloves, pressed
1.5 t dried oregano
1.5 t onion powder
1 t red pepper flakes
Fresh ground pepper, to taste

For the beef:
From $5 Dinners

1/4 c soy sauce
1/4 c dry sherry
1 T minced fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T sesame oil
1 T peanut oil
1 T honey
1 T rice vinegar
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

For the shrimp:
From $5 Dinners

1/2 c orange juice
1/4 c soy sauce
2 T minced fresh ginger
2 T honey
1 T sesame oil

Basil Pesto

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Recipe from Vintage Victuals

The pesto was delicious - although I probably needed just a bit more basil (didn't quite have the full cup). I served it tossed with angel hair pasta with some of the leftover (Not)Rotisserie Chicken.

J and I both thought this was really good, and a really nice change from the typical tomato sauce. Plus it's super easy! I'll definitely be making it again.

Ingredients:
1 c fresh basil, fully packed
1/4 c Parmesan, grated
3 T toasted pine nuts or walnuts (I used pine nuts)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4-1/2 c EVOO
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
Use a small food processor, if you have one. Combine all ingredients except the EVOO and pulse several times to chop the leaves and blend the ingredients.

Place the processor on medium speed and slowly stream in the EVOO. Use less EVOO if you want to use this as a spread, more if using as a sauce.

Use immediately, or place in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2-3 days, or freeze individual portions.

I made this on Sunday, then used it in the pasta on Monday. :)