CANNING SLOPPY JOES

CANNING SLOPPY JOES
If you need some quick meals this summer when you want to do anything but cook, you might consider canning your own sloppy joes.  Just open, heat, and put it on a bun.  What could be easier?  Olivia and I started canning sloppy joes after we mastered canning beef and chicken and asked ourselves, "What else could we do to make meals a little easier?"  Sloppy joes have always been a favorite with us, so we came up with a way to do it!  If you take the time to preserve a batch, you won't be sorry this summer when it is too hot to cook or beautiful weather beckons you somewhere other than the kitchen!
-Nanette

CANNING SLOPPY JOES

9 pounds ground chuck
5 large onions, chopped
2 large containers ketchup (80 ounces total)
1 12 ounce can tomato paste
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons celery seed
1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1/4 cup minced garlic (from the jar...  Yes, it seems like a lot, but this is 9 pounds of meat! :) )
pepper to taste

Brown hamburger until pink just leaves chuck.  Remember, you don't need to cook this until the point you would normally, because the meat will continue to cook during the processing time in the pressure canner.

Mix in the remaining ingredients and heat the mixture through.  Once warmed, can in pint jars.  Process the jars at ten pounds pressure for 70 minutes.  Yields approximately 15 pints.

SOURDOUGH WAFFLES

SOURDOUGH WAFFLES FOR MOTHER'S DAY OR ANY DAY!

  Mother's Day seems like the perfect time to reminisce about how mothers connect with their children through food.  Things like holiday meals, favorite family recipes, special occasions, and even the homemade popsicles mothers have made for years with Tupperware molds all contribute to our childhood memories of mother's kitchen and the love of family.
  I can't remember a time when Olivia didn't enjoy cooking.  As a child she even had her own herb garden that she tended and used for cooking purposes.  When she was in a stroller, she went with me on Saturday mornings to the local farmers market to pick out  produce.  Many of those people knew her by name and watched her grow up.  Olivia's love of cooking developed into an early desire to become a chef (a desire that was put aside when she learned many chefs work extremely long hours and often in the form of split shifts).  Nonetheless her passion for cooking has remained and we still share the love of going to the farmers market on Saturdays during the summer.
  I must say one of my greatest joys and, I have to say amusements, has been her growing interest in gardening and food preservation.  She reminds me often that she never really intended to have a garden.  As her mother, it gives me joy to see her approach the garden anew each year and work so diligently in late summer and early fall to preserve the harvest.  It makes me very happy to know she shares the love of the earth, God's creation, and being part of the circle of life.  I know that will live on in her long after I am gone.
  Building those memories and bonds is what Mother's Day is all about.  Fellow moms--enjoy your day and savor the bonds.  Also enjoy making these wonderful sourdough waffles.  Getting the starter going is a great family endeavor. The first few waffles may turn out a little light, like the ones shown below, but the rest will be golden and delicious.
-Nanette

Classic Sourdough Waffles

Recipe from:  King Arthur Flour Overnight sponge 2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour 2 tablespoons sugar 2 cups buttermilk 1 cup sourdough starter, unfed Waffle or pancake batter all of the overnight sponge 2 large eggs 1/4 cup vegetable oil or melted butter 3/4 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda Directions 1) To make the overnight sponge, stir down your refrigerated starter, and remove 1 cup. 2) In a large mixing bowl, stir together the 1 cup starter, flour, sugar, and buttermilk. 3) Cover and let rest at room temperature overnight. 4) In a small bowl or mixing cup, beat together the eggs, and oil or butter. Add to the overnight sponge. 5) Add the salt and baking soda, stirring to combine. The batter will bubble. 6) Pour batter onto your preheated, greased waffle iron, and bake according to the manufacturer's instructions. 7) Serve waffles immediately, to ensure crispness. Or hold in a warm oven till ready to serve.

Recipe summary Hands-on time: 42 mins. to 50 mins. Baking time: Total time: 12 hrs 42 mins. to 12 hrs 50 mins. Yield: Overnight

BAKED CHICKEN CHIMICHANGAS

CINCO DE MAYO ENTREE:
BAKED CHICKEN CHIMICHANGAS




In honor of Cinco De Mayo, here is a great Mexican dish you will want to try soon.  The ingredients are simple, the process is easy, and the taste is great!

You may be seeing a lot more recipes with a Southwestern or Mexican flare in the coming months.  Olivia and I went shopping for flower and vegetable plants today for our gardens, and Olivia found quite a few interesting pepper selections.  I'm confident it will work out well for her and those who enjoy the food she makes.  She likes spicy food she is innovative at preserving overflowing produce, so I'm sure it will all work out well.

We had great fun shopping for plants today.  We went to a nursery in Ligonier, Indiana that has been family run for many years.  In addition to selling plants, they also have a restaurant and in the fall, they produce fun and innovative displays with pumpkins.  They fashion them in the likenesses of Presidents, cartoon characters, cultural icons, etc.  We took Olivia there when she was a toddler.  Today she and I traveled  there to buy plants for our gardens.  That is one of the many things I love about growing up, having a child, and living in the same state for many years.  We have gathered a treasure of great memories.  I thought about those today as Olivia and I explored the plants together, talked over flower combinations and choices, and, of course, explored the mind boggling array of peppers.

Whether you mark Cinco De Mayo with great Mexican food, gather together to celebrate a meal during upcoming Mother's Day, or plan your own vegetable garden, be sure to make a lasting memory with those you love.

- Nanette

BAKED CHICKEN CHIMICHANGAS

8oz pkg. cream cheese

8oz. Lightening Jack or Pepperjack cheese, shredded

1 1/2 Tbsp. taco seasoning

1 lb. cooked chicken, shredded  (I used one pint jar of homemade shredded chicken and it made five chimichangas.)

8 flour tortillas

cooking spray

shredded cheddar cheese

green onions, for garnish

sour cream

salsa

Stir together cream cheese, Lightening Jack or Pepperjack cheese and taco seasoning.

Fold in chicken.

Divide among flour tortillas.  Sprinkle A bit of cheddar cheese on top of the mixture on each tortilla.

Tuck in sides, and roll up each tortilla.  You may need to use toothpicks to keep the  chimichanga together.  (See the picture below.)

Lay seam side down on a cookie rack placed on a large cookie sheet.  Make sure you've sprayed the cookie rack.

Spray tops of tortillas with cooking spray.

Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.

Turn chimichangas over, and bake an additional 15 minutes.

Serve with cheddar cheese, green onions, sour cream, and salsa.

Pork Chops Saltimbocca

Pork Chops Saltimbocca

This recipe has four of my favorite ingredients: pork chops, prosciutto , spinach and provolone.  With these key ingredients you can't go wrong. This is almost a meal in itself . Maybe you could add a salad or some bread. Whatever you choose to accompany it I' m sure you will enjoy it as much as Olivia and her husband did.

-Nanette 

Pork Chops Saltimbocca
Recipe courtesy Food Network Magazine

Prep Time:20 minInactive Prep Time: -- Cook Time:20 min
Level:
Easy
Serves:
4 servings

Ingredients
4 7-to-8-ounce boneless center-cut pork chops (about 3/4 inch thick)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4 large sage leaves
8 thin slices prosciutto
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 slices provolone cheese (about 3 1/2 ounces)
1 pound baby spinach
Juice of 1 lemon, plus wedges for serving
1 large shallot, finely chopped, or 1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
2/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Season the pork with salt and pepper. Top each chop with a sage leaf, then wrap in 2 slices prosciutto.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chops, sage-side down, and cook, turning once, until the prosciutto is crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a baking sheet, reserving the skillet, and roast until a thermometer inserted sideways into the center of a chop registers 145 degrees F, about 8 minutes. Top each with a slice of provolone; return to the oven until the cheese melts, 1 to 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, put the spinach in a microwave-safe bowl; add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon water and a pinch of salt. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave until wilted, 3 minutes; drain. Drizzle with half of the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.

Heat the reserved skillet over medium heat; add the shallot and cook, stirring, until soft, 3 minutes. Add the broth and simmer until reduced by half. Stir in the remaining lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Divide the pork among plates; drizzle with the shallot sauce. Serve with the spinach and lemon wedges.

CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP

I rarely post on the blog, as I normally leave Mom to write and post on the blog.  Normally I focus on the recipes, and she writes.  Tonight, however, I could not help but post this recipe right away!!!

With the indecisive weather we are having in Indiana, soup seems like just the ticket on a cold rainy night like tonight was.  I made this soup and it was a huge hit with both my husband and myself.  I love the combination of smokey flavors with all of the bright colors of the peppers.  Yum!

This soup also was an opportunity to use a lot of different pantry items that I had purchased, prepped, made, frozen, or canned ahead of time.  Here are some examples:

• For the red, orange, and yellow bell peppers, I used pepper strips I had frozen in the freezer.  Last time colored peppers were on sale for a mega deal, I bought a bunch, washed them, cut them into strips, and froze them for....a rainy day! ;)
• I used home canned shredded chicken breast.
• I had one lone jar of a home canned tomato, onion, and olive oil mixture left over from last summer.  I used this in my soup.  (Rotel would EASILY substitute for this, so that's why I wrote it into the recipe.)  I used the olive oil in the mixture as the olive oil to brown my onion and pepper mixture.
• I had both homemade chicken broth and homemade beef broth in the freezer from some previous cooking endeavor, so I thawed those and used them.
• Lastly, I had home frozen corn that I had taken off of the cob and frozen last summer.

I will definitely be making this recipe again...even when I don't have a bunch of freezer and canned staples to use up!  Enjoy!

-Olivia

CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP

For the Soup:
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1 can of shredded chicken breast  
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, diced
1/4 cup diced yellow bell pepper  
1/4 cup diced orange bell pepper1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
One 10-ounce can Rotel 
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth  
4 cups hot water
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups dried pinto beans
4 cups beef stock  
2 cups frozen sweet corn  

For the Crunchy Tortillas:
4 corn or flour tortillas
pinch of chili powder
Kosher salt
vegetable cooking spray

For the Cilantro Cream:
3/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup chopped cilantro (more or less to taste)
pinch of Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

For the Jalapeño Topping:
1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
1 tablespoon cilantro, minced

Additional Garnishes:
Mexican blend cheeseDiced red onion

Directions:


The day before - 
Soak the pinto beans in cool water on the countertop overnight.

The next day-
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Bring the beef broth to a boil.  Add the drained pinto beans and return to a boil.  Cook over medium high heat for 15-20 minutes until soft.
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Throw in the onions, bell peppers and garlic. Mix in the ground cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, and salt.  Stir to cook the vegetables until they begin to turn golden brown, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the frozen corn.

Add the shredded chicken and tomato mixture, juice and all. Add the chicken broth, hot water and tomato paste. Stir to combine and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Add the pinto beans, beef broth and all. Simmer the soup for 10 to 15 minutes. Give it a taste and add salt if needed.

For the Crunchy Tortillas-
Cut the tortillas into 1 inch strips.  Place the strips on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with vegetable oil.  Some of the strips may overlap, and that's okay.  Spray the tops of the tortilla strips with vegetable oil and sprinkle on the Kosher salt and chili powder.  Bake until the strips are brown for about 15 minutes.

For the Cilantro Cream-
Mix the sour cream, cilantro, Kosher salt, and garlic powder together.

For the Jalapeño Topping-
Mix the jalapeño and cilantro together.

To serve, ladle the soup into bowls.  Place the crunchy tortilla strips on top of the soup.  Sprinkle red onion and Mexican cheese on top.  Place a spoon of the cilantro cream on the soup.  Top with a sprinkle of the jalapeño topping and serve. 

Approximately 8-12 servings.

EXTREME CHEESESTEAKS

I admit I have not tried these yet, but when Olivia made them I heard all about them and how good they turned out, so I am anxious to give them a try.  She saw a similar recipe on Food Network and decided to make a few changes and make the recipe her own.  I especially like the inclusion of both horseradish sauce and au jus.  I like both when it comes to a cheese steak sandwich.  These tasty sandwiches will make a great addition to your spring and summer menu lineup!
-Nanette

EXTREME CHEESESTEAKS

Ingredients

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 8-ounce thin cut sirloin steaks, at room temperature
Granulated garlic, to taste
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
3/4 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup shredded white cheddar cheese (about 2 ounces)
1/2 cup shredded provolone cheese (about 2 ounces)
1 large onion, halved and sliced
4 fresh crusty sub rolls, hinged
Horseradish Sauce (see below)
Au Jus Sauce (see below)Directions

Begin making Au Jus sauce at the bottom of the recipe first, so it has time to reduce.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat 2 teaspoons vegetable oil in a cast-iron skillet over high heat until very hot. Season both sides of the steaks with granulated garlic, salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium high and sear the steaks until well browned, about 2 minutes per side for medium-rare to medium doneness. Remove from the skillet and loosely cover with foil. Meanwhile, mix the ricotta, cheddar and provolone in a bowl.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and season with salt and pepper; cook, stirring, until the onion is soft, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

Thinly slice the steaks against the grain.  Place the four slit sub rolls on a lined baking sheet.  Equally divide the steak amongst the four rolls.  Place the sautéed onions overtop of the steaks.  Divide the cheese mixture over the tops of the sandwiches.  Place the baking sheet in the oven until the cheese mixture is melted and gooey.  

Horseradish Sauce:
1/3 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons mayonaise
1 tablespoon horseradish (more to taste)
pinch of salt

Mix all horseradish sauce ingredients together in a bowl.  Serve with the sandwiches.

Au Jus:
1 8 oz. can beef broth
3 beef bouillon cubes
1 tablespoon minced garlic
3 shots worchestire sauce

Mix all Au Jus ingredients together in a small sauce pan.  Slowly simmer over medium or medium-high heat until reduced by half.  Serve warm with the sandwiches.

ROOT BEER FLOAT CAKE

ROOT BEER FLOAT CAKE

This recipe is another one we saw demonstrated at the recent Das Essenhaus cooking show in Middlebury, IN.  I was absolutely astounded to find the the Dream Whip/root beer "frosting" you make for it tastes EXACTLY like the foam on a root beer float.

I don't know about you, but nicer weather makes me long for a trip to a good hot dog stand were you can get a great chili dog and perhaps top it off with a root beer float.  If the weather isn't quite there yet to accomplish this, try making the root beer float cake.  I think you will find it a moist and delicious alternative.

Sleet and snow are still making an occasional appearance here, but Olivia has planted her potatoes and other cool weather crops such as lettuce and peas can't be far behind.  Warm weather food will soon be here. Bring it on!

- Nanette

Ingredients

• 1 package white cake mix (regular size)
• 1 3/4 cup of root beer divided
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 envelope whipped topping mix (Dream Whip)

Directions

• In a large bowl, combine cake mix, 1-1/4 cups root beer, oil and eggs. Beat on low speed for 2 minutes or stir by hand for 3 minutes.
• Pour into a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.
• In a small bowl, combine the whipped topping mix and remaining root beer. Beat until soft peaks form. Frost cake. Store in the refrigerator. Yield: 12-15 servings.

White cake mix and a box of Dream Whip.

It may not look good when the cake is mixed, but it will taste good!

The unfrosted and unadorned cake.

Making the "float foam" frosting!

The finished product!

Wash it down with root beer--of course!