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 I think some of you know, I am not the 'talky bloggy' sort - I can't just write some magical story about food unless it evokes a memory. I sincerely post the recipes that I have made and truly enjoy. That being said, I remember making a trip a few times a year growing up with my sisters and Mom to a little town in Illinois called Long Grove (I still go any chance I get) They have amazing little quaint shops, bakeries & restaurants - like the AppleHaus, the Irish Store and every store sells beautiful baked good or fresh ice cream and produce along with pretty antiques and such... Long Grove holds a strawberry festival every year too - the little town with covered bridges, adorable taverns and a nice little restaurant overlooking a small pond.... love that little town and this bread reminds me the same bread we bought from their bakeries and of all the great times with my family there - Enjoy! Diane Bacon Cheddar Beer Bread 3 cups all purpose flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons granulated sugar 1 1/4 cup shredded cheese (I used Cheddar) 1 12 ounce bottle of beer (can is fine too) 4 slices of bacon, cooked and chopped (1/4 c real bacon bits) 2 tablespoons butter, melted **try adding a 1/3c diced jalapenos for a "kick" and some sharp cheddar for a "pow"! Diane Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare bread pan by greasing with butter. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and sugar with a whisk. Make a well in the center. Add bacon, about 3/4 of cheese and full beer into the well. Stir mixture with a spoon until combined. Pour mixture into prepared bread pan. Add remaining cheese. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of butter. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and drizzle remaining butter over the top. Bake for an additional 25-30 minutes or until browned on top and loaf thumps when you tap the top. Remove to a wire rack and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Remove from pan and allow to cool on wire rack. You can brush with more butter if you choose. Recipe Adapted from: Southern Food Photo by: Diane Baker for Canning and Cooking at Home
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 I love finding good uses of the produce form my garden and this recipe uses my homemade salsa and home grown/dried oregano too...I even used some of that sweet corn I prepared for freezing a few days ago - this recipe came together great! I will say that you need to make sure you have enough cornbread mix for the topping at the end so, make sure to keep a keen eye on dividing the mix (and maybe short the bottom a bit if you are using one box of Krusteaz mix - enjoy! Diane Colorado Tamale Pie cooking spray 1 .50 pounds ground beef 1 small onion, diced 1 large diced poblano pepper 1 small can diced mild green chile peppers 1 teaspoon salt 10 oz any salsa 1/2 tsp dried oregano 1/2 tsp ground dried chile powder, increase for extra spicy 1 box dry corn muffin mix (Krusteaz) ** 4 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese, divided 4 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided 8-12 ounces corn Preheat oven to 350 Brown ground beef, onion and pepper until you brown well enough to drain off excess fat. Add green chile peppers, salt, salsa, oregano, chile powder and mix well with ground beef - let simmer at medium while you prepare the cornbread mixture. Spray baking dish with cooking spray. Prepare box of cornbread mix and place half onto bottom of prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with corn and half the cheese. Add all of the ground beef mixture on-top of that. place remaining cornbread dough mixed remaining 1/2 of shredded cheese along center - on-top of ground beef and use a fork or spoon to gently push cornbread outwards towards edges of 9x13 baking dish (you do want to leave about an inch space around entire dish of no cornbread so steam and any juices can escape while cooking.) Bake on-top of a cookie sheet to catch any drips at 350 for 50-60 mins until top is golden brown, let rest 5 mins and serve. **you can use 2 boxes of Jiffy Cornbread mix (plus the ingredients to make that) in place of the one larger box of Krusteaz Mix Recipe and Photos by: Diane Baker for Canning and Cooking at Home  Freezing Corn (taken fresh off the cob) I will be making sweet corn cob jelly tomorrow - stay tuned! Diane 10-12 ears of sweet corn (yield approx 10 cups Kernels) 1 Gallon Water Large Stock Pot Ice Cold Water Large Bowl Sturdy Knife Freezer Safe Containers or Baggies Boil Water in large stock pot, add shucked and cleaned corn with all silk removed. Once full boil returns - boil corn for 4 minutes. When done, remove corn to an ice water bath (large pot or vessel with cold water and ice to submerge corn into) let corn cool in ice bath for 4 minutes. Remove and set on paper-towels. Grab a large cookie sheet or bowl and a sturdy knife (I like using my large bread knife) and cut kernels off cob into bowl/onto tray. Package Corn into Freezer safe baggies or containers (I filled my freezer bags with 2.5 Cups of corn each and marked the contents and dated.) Place in freezer. Enjoy Summer corn in the middle of Winter Diane Photo by: Diane Baker for Canning and Cooking at Home  Those that know me know that I do things under the saying "go big or go home." I never realized that applies to me and canning. I ventured down to the new Farmers Market in town - on a mission for Pickling Cucs! Many people don't realize that there are specially grown cucs for pickling - ones that are smaller, thinner skinned and more dense "inside" so that bacteria/enzymes are easily killed off in canning/fermenting. I prefer Kirby's if I can get them. I also grow my own but, there are never enough maturing all at once *those I grow usually end up being made into "fridge" pickles on a jar-by-jar basis. So...back to the market - first Farmers stand I walk up to and they are already all sold out - I was so bummed. There are only 2 Farmers Veggie Stands at this smaller Farmers Market. I thought that chances of getting any cucs at the other stand was about 10% ... luck was finally on my side and as I walked up to the second Farmers stand - I saw a large box of nice big Kirby cucs staring back at me!! the sign said "50 cents each of 3 for $1" - I started filling a bag with glee!! then it dawned on me - why not ask to buy the whole case? I ended up talking to the Farmer himself (super sweet guy) he sold me the box for $12.00 and gave me a large bunch of fresh Dill for free too!!! I had no idea how many cucs were in the box - 48 to be exact! *yep, do the math, I did pretty well... SOOO for the last 2 days I've been pickling - 2 recipes each day and taking today off to focus later on the sweet corn I bought from him too!!! I will post below all 4 recipes and photos - 2 from Ball's Blue Book. 1 from Mrs. Wages and 1 from "Put Em Up" recipe book. Sit back, count your canning jars, check your vinegar supply and get ready to CAN SOME PICKLES with me - Enjoy! Diane Four Pickling Recipes for using Pickling Cucumber!
1. Mrs Wages Kosher Dill Pickle Mix called for the simplest of the 4 recipes as it was premeasure, premade spice packet. This is my first time trying this mix. I will report back on the taste test when done. This was a simple "add vinegar and sugar, bring to boil, pour over cucs packed into jars" type of recipe. 2 Put 'Em Up! Dill Spears I found this recipe for a dill with sugar mix from Sherri Brooks Vinton's Book "Put 'Em Up!" ..."These pickles have lots of great dill flavor. Keep a bunch to sidle up to a sandwich, or chop them up into preparations such as tartar sauce and Russian dressing..." Sherri Brooks Vinton/ Author INGREDIENTS 5 pounds cucumbers, ends removed, cut into pint-jar size spears ½ cup salt 2 cups ice cubes 4 cups distilled white vinegar 2 cups water 2 tablespoons sugar 8 garlic cloves, peeled 2 tablespoons dill seed 1 teaspoon celery seed 1 teaspoon peppercorns Makes Approx 6 Pints Directions: Layer the cukes with the salt in a large bowl and cover with a layer of ice cubes. Set aside for 2 hours. Drain, rinse, and pack into clean, hot pint canning jars. Combine the vinegar, water, sugar, garlic, dill seed, celery seed, and peppercorns in a medium nonreactive saucepan, and bring to a boil. Pour the hot brine over the spears to cover by ½ inch. Leave ½ inch of headspace. Wipe the rims clean; center lids on the jars and screw on jar bands. Process for 10 minutes. Turn off heat, remove canner lid, and let jars rest in the water for 5 minutes. Remove Jars and set aside to cool. 3, Sweet Pickle Relish from Ball's Blue Book of Preserving. Love LOVE this relish and make it every chance I get - so happy to have the cucumbers to do so!! Ingredients 1 quart chopped cucumber 2 cups chopped onion 1 cup chopped red pepper 1 cup chopped green pepper 1/4 cup canning salt 3 cups sugar 2 cups cider vinegar 1 Tbs celery seed 1 Tbs mustard seed Makes Approx 7 Half-Pint Jars Directions Start by preparing jars,and get water in your canner heating. Combine chopped cucumbers, onion, green peppers in a large bowl. Sprinkle with canning salt and cover with cold water. Let stand for 2 hours. Drain & rinse well. Press out any excess water. Combine sugar, vinegar and spices. Bring to a boil. Add well drained vegetables to mix and simmer 10 minutes. Pack into hot jars leaving 1/4 inch head space. Adjust two-piece caps.4.Process 10 minutes in a boiling-water canner, adjusting for altitude 4. Bread & Butter Pickles from Ball's Blue Book of Preserving. I love making my microwave/fridge B&B pickles but, when canning - I like to make sure to do some B&B's so I can 'gift' them out during the holidays. INGREDIENTS: 4 pounds 4- to 6-inch cucumbers, cut into 1/4-inch slices 2 pounds onions, thinly sliced 1/2 cup canning salt 2 cups sugar 2 tablespoons mustard seed 2 teaspoons turmeric 2 teaspoons celery seed 1 teaspoon ginger 1 teaspoon peppercorns 3 cups vinegar Ball® Pickle Crisp® Granules Makes Approx 7 Pint Jars DIRECTIONS: Combine cucumber and onion slices in a large bowl, layering with salt: cover with ice cubes. Let stand 1 1/2 hours. Drain; rinse; drain again. Combine remaining ingredients except Pickle Crisp in a large saucepot; bring to a boil. Add drained cucumbers and onions and return to a boil. Pack hot pickles and liquid into hot jars. 1/4 inch headspace. Add rounded 1/8 tsp Pickle Crisp® Granules to each jar. Remove air bubbles. Adjust two-piece caps.4.Process 10 minutes in a boiling-water canner, adjusting for altitude ALL Photos by: Diane Baker for Canning and Cooking at Home - ALL recipes Credited within Recipe.  Well, with all those cherries earlier this month I made that awesome BBQ Sauce and we put it to great use over the weekend by grilling some pork chops - what a perfect pairing! Enjoy! Diane
Grilled Pork Chops with Atomic Roasted Cherry BBQ Sauce ****************** Pork Chop: Boneless Pork Chops Olive Oil Salt & Pepper Instructions: lightly brush both sides of pork chops with Olive Oil (I use extra light olive oil which has a higher smoke point) sprinkle salt & pepper as desired over both sides of chop, set out at least 30 mins before grilling. Brush BBQ sauce onto chops the last 5mins of grilling/cooking time. Sauce can be served on the side as well. ****************** Atomic Roasted Cherry BBQ Sauce Ingredients 1 pound fresh sweet cherries, pitted and halved (just about 2 1/4 cups halved cherries) 2 tablespoons butter 1 onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 8-ounce cans tomato sauce 1 small can rotel tomatoes with green chilies ½ cup packed light brown sugar ⅓ cup molasses ¼ cup apple cider vinegar ¼ cup apple juice 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon prepared mustard 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper 2 Tbs lemon juice Instructions Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the cherries on the prepared baking sheet, cut-side up. Roast for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside. Melt butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the cherries and remaining ingredients to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and blend using an immersion blender until smooth. Check the thickness of your sauce. If you would like it thicker, return to the heat and simmer for another 10-20 minutes until your desired thickness. Allow to cool; pour into jars and store in the refrigerator. Makes 24oz. **can be water-bathed with 1/4" headspace and for 20 mins (adding time for altitude, check your local regs) Recipe Adapted by: Diane Baker Photos by: Canning and Cooking at Home *original recipe at: EatYourHeartOut #grilling #cherry #bbq |
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