"Louisiana style hot pepper sauce"

I learned how to make this "Louisiana style hot pepper sauce today" and it is soooo tasty.  Starting a batch now.  Note that you either want to use all green peppers or all any other color.  Mixing red and yellow and orange is pretty, but when you add green to that it turns a brown that's not so appetizing.  

• 1 pound fresh peppers, cleaned and stems removed (weighed after destemming) 
• 4 cloves garlic (20 g)
• 1 tsp salt (6 g)
• 1 cup white vinegar 

Start water bath and heat jars.   

Roast peppers on a sheet pan with the garlic at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.  (Note: easier to leave skins on garlic until after roasting, then remove.)  Peppers should be wilted and just starting to char.  Cool and peel garlic.

Puree peppers and garlic with vinegar.  Run in batches for longer than you think necessary (8 minutes in a regular blender, less in a Vitamix.)  Should be smooth except for seeds. 

Put in pan, add salt, and bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes.   Ladle into hot jars with 1/2" headspace and water bath process for 20 minutes.  

The person who taught me this grew 260 varieties of peppers last year and brought many of them for us to taste.  What I learned is that I really like the flavor of scotch bonnets and can take the heat, but a very hot habanero is unpleasant and I will drink a lot of milk to recover. 

This sauce is great with chips and probably with lots of other things.  

If picking throughout the season, pick & destem the peppers, weigh them and mark that, then roast them, and then they can be frozen.   

 

Russian potato salad

 I ate versions of this salad often when I was in Russia, and I have had a fierce craving for it lately.  It's mostly potatoes, with hardboiled eggs, carrots, pickles, and mayo.  Add in aromatics and meat if desired (ham is common). 

Ingredients

• 5 medium-large waxy potatoes (such as yukon gold)
• 3 carrots 
• 4 eggs
• peas - a can or thawed frozen 
• shallot or green onion or onion, finely diced 
• (celery if desired, cucumber, etc.) 
• ham or other meat (optional); I'll use some chicken sausage  
• pickles, 4-8 depending on size - lacto-fermented are best  
• mayonnaise (don't skimp); can substitute some of this out for yogurt or sour cream
• salt and pepper (check salt before adding, depending on pickles) 

Directions

Clean (and peel if desired) potatoes and carrots.* OR some say to let boil intact and then peel after.  Boil large pot of water, add potatoes for 10 minutes, then add eggs and carrots and boil another 10 minutes.  REmove eggs and vegetables and let cool.  

Dice potatoes and carrots.  Peel and dice hardboiled eggs and meat and pickles and any optionals. Mince onion and any herbs desired (such as dill). 

Stir everything together with mayo. 

 

*Note: some say to peel and chop first, others say to keep peels on and boil whole, others say to chill after boiling to make it easier to process them.  

whole wheat pitas

NOTE: these weren't good.  I'll try something else.   

Since Trader Joe's stopped carrying the good whole wheat pitas (and replaced them with sugar-added, undercooked, higher calories, weird overly soft texture yuckness), I'm going to start making my own.  They are just so great for breakfast especially - a good fiber boost to the day, which I usually fill (or fold over, actually) with tuna or lentils.  

Here's the recipe I'm trying today.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup warm (105-115) water
• 2 tsp active dry yeast
• 1/2-1 tsp sugar
• 2 tsp olive oil 
• 1-1.5 tsp salt  
• 2 cup whole wheat flour + more as necessary

Activate yeast in water with sugar, let foam for 5-10 minutes.

Add other ingredients, stir in.  Knead lightly, add more flour as necessary.

Set aside covered for 2 hours.

Divide into 9 balls.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees with pan(s) in oven.  Roll balls out 1/2" thick, 3-4" wide.  

Bake on preheated pan for 12 minutes, flipping once halfway.   

 

zucchini taco lasagna

Here's what I plan to do with this Mexican-style zucchini taco lasagna, based on ideas from numerous places.

Ingredients

•  zucchini (3-4 depending on size, if smaller-medium)
• meat and beans (I'm using 1/2# of ground turkey and 1 can of black beans, drained (rinsed if commercially canned) - NOTE: I like the texture of ground meat in this, but I think I can do that with tofu (break it up small and bake it, then heavily season it).  
• onion
• peppers (using up some poblanos; canned chili peppers would be nice)
• garlic  
• corn (using about 1 cup of frozen corn, thawed; could be replaced with other vegetables) 
• salsa (using a pint of salsa - could also be partially replaced with some tomato sauce 
• ricotta cheese (15 oz container) - NOTE: I did not care for this.  I may replace with cottage cheese next time. 
• seasoning: taco seasoning and/or cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, pepper, salt, onion powder and garlic powder if preferred 
• 2 cups pepper jack cheese (8 oz) 
• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped (which of course I forgot ...)

Instructions

Thinly slice the zucchini length wise.  If very wet, salt and let sit half an hour and then drain and dry off.  Otherwise, just put it on a pan and roast for about 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees F.  Set aside.

Cook meat, add onions and peppers and cook until soft.  Add garlic for a couple of minutes, and then beans and other vegetables such as corn to heat up. 

Combine ricotta and egg and some pepper in a separate bowl.

Start layering the pan: 

• a layer of salsa/tomato sauce
•  layer of zucchini
• layer of half the ricotta mixture
•  half the meat/bean mixture
•  1/3 of cheese
• zucchini
• ricotta
• meat
• cheese
• zucchini
• salsa 
• cheese  

Cover with foil.  Bake at 375 for about 45 minutes.  Remove foil, bake another 10 minutes.  

 

salsa recipe from a farm nearby

 The farmstand near where I used to work just posted this recipe for salsa on their Facebook feed, and I'm interested in giving it a try.  

• 12 cups diced tomatoes, drained
• 2-4 large onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup jalapenos, chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• 2 cups anaheims, chopped
• 3 T salt (that seems like a lot - will reduce to 3 tsp or less) 
• 1 cup cider vinegar  
• (I'll add spices such as cumin, oregano, cilantro) 

 Bring to a boil, simmer 30 minutes (or less if canning).  Eat fresh, freeze, can. 

If canning, water bath for 15 minutes in pints or smaller.  

pear muffins

 Have a lot of imperfect pears, and this pear muffin recipe is fine.  I actually like the muffins better when not fresh from the oven (when they've been frozen and reheated) - the flavor seems better then. 

Mix and let sit for at least 15 minutes.

• 1 cup old fashioned oats (90 grams)
• 1 cup milk (245 g)

Mix in different bowl: 

• 1 cup white whole wheat flour (110 g)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom

 

Add to oats once soaked: 

• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg beaten
• ¼ cup olive oil (or any neutral-tasting oil)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

Then add in the dry ingredients, mixing lightly, then fold in: 

• 1½ cup fresh lightly diced pears

 

and put into 12 muffin tins  

 

400 degrees 18-20 minutes  

oven zucchini and sausage

 In my quest to eat a lot more zucchini since it's going gangbusters in my backyard, here's what I plan to make today:

• zucchini (I used about 6 small-medium), cut in chunky half-rounds
• olive oil (perhaps 1/2 T)
• spices (I used salt, onion powder, garlic powder, lemon pepper) 
• chicken sausage (I used 3 pre-cooked sausages cut diagonally)

Chop zucchini and mix in bowl with oil and spices.  Spread on sheet pan with sausages.

Roast at 400 degrees for 15 minutes and check for zucchini doneness.  (I like mine a bit firm, not mushy.)

braised white beans

 This was a nice hearty dish that goes very nicely on thin toasted whole wheat sourdough.   I didn't use greens this time but I will in the future.

• garlic, shallots, or other aromatics 
• rosemary or other herbs  
• white beans (I used Great Northern beans that I'd canned without any salt, so I just dumped the jar in) 
• kale or other green, large handful, chopped
• salt & pepper 

Saute aromatics in wide pan, then dump in beans, herbs, greens.  Cook on medium heat to cook down the liquid.  Add salt and pepper, other spices and herbs as desired.  

green beans and ground sausage

That's pretty much all it is, just green beans and ground sausage, but it made a nice meal.  I did also add garlic and pepper. 

• 2 cloves garlic
• green beans (a pound?  I have no idea, just whatever was ready for harvest in my garden)
• 1/2 pound ground Italian chicken sausage 

Lightly saute garlic on medium-low heat until aromatic, a couple of minutes.  Add green beans and saute a couple of minutes at medium heat.

Add 1/4 cup water and bring to boil.  Put a lid on it and cook for about three minutes.  When still firm, remove from heat, add pepper and any other desires seasoning.  Put beans and garlic on a plate/bowl.

Using the same pan, cook the sausage.  Once fully cooked, add the green beans/garlic mixture back in and stir to heat.  Taste and season accordingly.

Could eat with roasted root vegetables or a grain or whatever but I like it just like this!   

spiced lentils w/carrots

Spiced lentils, made by Dear Friend and super tasty.   

• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic
• 4 carrots, chopped 
• 1 tsp grated garlic
• cumin, cinnamon, allspice, crushed red pepper, garam masala, etc. 
• 1 cup brown or green lentils
• 3 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1/4 c dried fruit
• 3 cup veg broth

Saute onion, garlic, ginger, and carrots in a healthy amount of olive oil.

Add spices.

Add rest of ingredients, stir, bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.  

baghali polo - favas, dill & rice

I had dill to use up and plentiful favas and came upon baghali polo recipe.  Seems there are many ways to make it.

Here's what I did, which was ok.  It would definitely be better with basmati rice; I used short-grain brown because that's what I had on hand.  I'm sure it's much better when made by someone Persian. 

https://www.themediterraneandish.com/baghali-polo-persian-dill-rice-with-fava-beans/ 

 https://food52.com/recipes/41908-rice-with-favas-and-dill-baghali-polo

https://www.aheadofthyme.com/baghali-polo-persian-dill-rice-with-fava-beans/ 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdT4KdsVnpk 

• 1.5 cup rice 
• 2 cups favas shelled and peeled as necessary 
• dill bunches (add dry as necessary), chopped 
• salt
• oil
• butter
• saffron  

Parboil the rice.  I did 15 minutes and probably should have done 30. 

Saute the favas and dill with oil and butter.  

Put a pinch of saffron in 1 cup hot water with more butter if desired. 

Layer 1/3 of rice on bottom, half favas & dill, alternate for rice on top.  Put three holes into the rice with handle of spoon, pour saffron water in and turn on heat.

Once steaming, turn down very low, put towel under lid, and cook about 50 minutes.   

tahini cake with chocolate

 This cake was quite good.  I adjusted it a lot and it still turned out good.  It rose a lot which surprised me.  I went short on oil because it was the end of the bottle, and a bit more tahini to finish that jar.  I used one large duck egg instead of the egg + yolk, and I used whole wheat flour and dark chocolate.  Next time I would skip the topping and just mix everything in.  Most of it got frozen; not sure it will stay good for long because I cut the sugar so much.  

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons oil 
• ⅔ cup/170 grams tahini, well-stirred
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• ¾ cup/177 milliliters whole milk
• ¾ cup/150 grams plus 2 tablespoons sugar (I reduced to 1/4 cup + 1 T; no need for sugar on top)
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1½ cups/192 grams all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup/115 grams coarsely chopped semisweet chocolate
• ¼ cup sesame seeds, toasted (recipe called for some to be on top but it made it messy) 

Preparation

1. Heat the oven to 350. Line 9-inch square baking pan with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides. 
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the oil and tahini. Add the egg, egg yolk and milk and whisk until completely smooth. Whisk in sugar and the vanilla. 
3. Add the flour, baking powder and salt and fold in with a rubber spatula. Fold in chocolate and sesame seeds. 
4. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Bake until the cake is puffed and set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out almost clean with a few moist crumbs attached, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes in the pan, then lift the cake out of the pan using the parchment overhang and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. 
5. To serve, cut the cooled cake into 16 pieces. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw uncovered at room temperature before serving. 

 

tofu leek stirfy

 I bought leeks, I had tofu to use up, and I found this recipe.  I used two leeks and two partial yellow onions; other vegetables would be nice in it.  Made enough for three servings; first I ate it alone, but when I heat it up I'll go with high-protein pasta I think.  

Mix together:

• 4 Tbsp soy sauce (or half of that amino acids)
• 2 Tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• 3 Tbsp vegetable broth
• 1 lemon, juice

Cube

• 1 block extra firm tofu, pressed or frozen

And add tofu to marinade for overnight or less time.  

Then save marinade but remove tofu and toss with

• 1 cup cassava flour (believe I used less, and this could be substituted for something else) 

Dry fry the tofu on a cast iron pan until browned on most side.

Slice:

• leeks and onions (recipe called for 1 leek, 1 white onion, 1 red onion; I used two leeks and two small yellow onions)

Saute alliums, and add:

• 1 tsp garlic powder (heaping)
• 1 tsp smoked paprika

Once the alliums are softened a bit, add the tofu in and stir, then add the marinade and cook down. 

Cook just as it is, or eat with rice or pasta or potatoes. 

 

 

corn pudding-ish

 I'm sure this recipe is great, but here's what I had on hand and it hit the spot for a corn custard.

In a large bowl, combine:

• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
•  1/4 cup melted butter
• 2 T cornstarch
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 5+ dashes of hot sauce
• 1/4 tsp salt 
• 1/2 cup sour cream  

Add in:

• 2-3 cups corn (fresh, or thawed)

Bake at 350 for about 50 minutes in an 8x8 pan (greased or with parchment paper).  

roasted bok choy

 Trying to roast more instead of fry, and this was pretty good.  From here.  It's a little fibrous so I slice it after cooking.  REally liked it with "tofu nuggets" (recipe found here). 

Ingredients

• 1 pound bok choy (Shanghai, baby)
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced (or 1 tsp+ garlic powder)
• 2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 Tbsp tamari or soy sauce (choose tamari if GF)
• 1 Tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• 1/2-1 tsp ground ginger
• Black pepper + salt (to taste)
• Garnish: chopped green onion, sesame seeds (black or white)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Prepare bok choy: Slice bok choy in half lengthwise and place face-up on a lined baking dish or sheet pan.
3. Make sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together minced garlic, toasted sesame oil, tamari (or soy sauce), rice vinegar, maple syrup, and ground ginger.
4. Apply sauce: Brush the sauce over the bok choy, getting it into all the nooks and crannies. Season with black pepper and salt, if desired.
5. Bake: Bake in the oven for about 12 minutes, until lightly browned and tender.
6. Remove from oven: Remove from oven.
7. Garnish: Garnish with chopped green onion and sesame seeds (if desired).

 

popcorn

 Don't know where I pulled this recipe from, but it worked!

Heat large heavy-bottomed saucepan with 1 T olive oil and 2 popcorn kernels over medium heat.

When the two kernels pop, pull the pan off the stovetop, turn off heat, and add 1/4 cup popping corn.  Shake the pot around and let it sit for 60 seconds.

Put back on medium heat, with a lid.  Once it starts popping, tilt the lid so the popcorn doesnt' steam. Shake around from time to time, and remove from heat when popping slows.  

enjoy!  Salt and nutritional yeast, yum.  

pear energy balls

 Haven't made these pear energy balls yet, but I'm trying to clear tabs. :)

Ingredients

• 1 cup rolled oats (old-fashioned, not quick oats)
• 1/2 cup dried pears (soft, not rock-hard—check that they’re pliable)
• 1/2 cup almond butter (natural, at room temperature)
• 1/4 cup honey (real honey, not the fake stuff) [i will probably substitute date paste]
• 1/4 cup chia seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• Pinch of salt (seriously, don’t skip this)

---

Instructions

1. Toss your rolled oats into a food processor and pulse until they’re finely ground—think flour-like texture with a bit of texture remaining, not turned into complete dust.
2. Add the dried pears, almond butter, honey, chia seeds, cinnamon, and salt right into the processor with the ground oats. Pulse everything together until it’s well combined and the mixture sticks together when you pinch it between your fingers (if it crumbles, pulse more or add a tiny bit more honey).
3. Let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes—the chia seeds will absorb moisture and everything holds together way better (trust me on this one).
4. Roll the mixture into small balls about 1 inch in diameter—roughly walnut-sized—and line them up on a baking sheet with parchment paper. Don’t stress about making them perfectly round; rustic works just fine.
5. Pop the baking sheet in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to set and firm up. This step is key—skip it and you’ll have a smushed mess when you try to pack them.
6. Once they’re firm, transfer the energy balls to an airtight container for storage. Keep them refrigerated and enjoy whenever you need a quick nutritious boost that actually tastes good!

 

quinoa tzatziki bowls

I see reels from various people on Facebook from various sources, and I like to see some of the food preparation ideas.

This was from Liam Layton, reposting from @mariannas_pantry.  

They stacked these in jars which were then dumped out and mixed up for a salad serving.  It looks tasty and satisfying so I may try.  I'll definitely be eating this when I'm drowning in cucumbers this summer, but I may not wait!  I haven't had tzatziki in forever.  

- container of tzatziki

- quinoa (I'd maybe cook a cup of it) 

- chopped cucumber, bell pepper, red onion

- chickpeas 

- Kalamata olives

- banana peppers

- feta

 

protein biscuits

 I am for sure making these "protein biscuits" as they seem like a satisfying breakfast option.  From here.  Seems like I can make a lot of substitutions in them.   

Ingredients

• 3 tsp baking powder + flour to 250 g (2 cups total)
• 1 cup (240g) yogurt (they call for dairy free but I'll use dairy) 
• 1 cup (190 g) red lentils, rinsed 
• 1 1/3 cup (320 mL) vegetable stock  
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) olive oil
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp Italian herbs
• 1 1/2 cup (45 g) spinach, finely chopped (I'll replace with zucchini and other vegetables) 
• 1/2 cup (55 g) sundried tomatoes (not stored in oil ... so perhaps reduce oil if using from oil) 
• 3/4 cup (100 g) sunflower seeds
• 1/3 cup (15 g) nutritional yeast  

Instructions Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly oil paper with olive oil. Set aside. Place the rinsed red lentils in a saucepan with vegetable stock. Cover the pan, bring it to high heat until the liquid boils, reduce to medium heat, and cook covered for 10-12 minutes until the lentils are mushy and the liquid is absorbed. Remove the lid and let it steam out for 10 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400 °F (200 °C). In a large mixing bowl, add flour, onion powder, Italian herbs, yogurt, olive oil, cooked red lentils, chopped spinach, chopped sundried tomatoes, seeds, and nutritional yeast. Combine everything together until it forms a sticky dough. Divide the dough into 8 portions and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Bake the biscuits for 20-25 minutes at 400 °F (200 °C) until golden brown. Let them cool down for a few minutes before serving.

raspberry apple oat dessert

Have some raspberries and apples to use up.  Saw this on Forks Over Knives, and I'm giving it a try with modifications.  I plan to freeze portions in jars to eat in the future with oats.

Apple-Raspberry Crisp 

Ingredients

• 8 medium sweet apples, such as Gala or Fuji, chopped (48 ounces)
• 1 pound frozen raspberries, thawed (4 cups)
• 2 cups oat flour (which can just be oats pulverized in a food processor; I used cassava flour)
• 2 cups rolled oats
• ½ cup pure maple syrup (I did use 1/4 cup maple syrup, and substituted 1/4 cup dried plum puree)
• ¼ cup almond butter (I used peanut butter) 
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 425°F.
• In a skillet over medium heat, cook chopped apples, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, 5 to 7 minutes. Add a bit of water if needed to keep apples from sticking. Transfer apples to an 11-inch square or 13x9-inch rectangular baking dish; top with raspberries.  (NOTE: I'm skipping this step because my apples are a little soft already; I'm going to put them into the pan and bake for 10 minutes, then add raspberries for some more time, and then add the topping and bake as below)
• In a bowl, combine oat flour, rolled oats, maple syrup, almond butter, baking powder, and salt; rub in with fingertips until mixture comes together in small clumps. Spread the crumble over the fruit. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.