Pickled Jalapeño Rings

Pickling peppers is a great way to use an over abundance from your garden during peak season or when you find a great deal at the farmer's market. Pickling also gives jalapeño peppers that wonderful pickled taste. It's extremely easy and very affordable especially if you already own the jars!

This recipe is for one quart of pickled jalapeños. Adjust the following recipe according to how many quart or pint jars you wish to fill.

Ingredients:

10 or more fresh whole Jalapeño Peppers

1/2 Large Purple Onion thinly sliced

2 pods fresh Garlic

1 tbsp. Mustard Seed

1 tbsp. Dill Seed

1 tbsp. Salt

4 cups (approx) Apple Cider Vinegar

Directions:

Wash peppers and cut ends off. Slice peppers about a quarter of an inch thick into rings, leave the seeds if you want a little extra heat. 

Thinly slice the purple onion and add a shallow layer to the bottom of the jar. 

Add a layer of jalapeño rings on top of the onions and continue the pattern. (We usually layer the onions in three layers.) Add pods of garlic at about half full.

Once jar is full, add all spices minus salt to the top of the mixture in the jar. Bring apple cider vinegar to a boil, add salt and pour over the mixture in the jar until jar is full. 

Tightly place the lid and ring and wait for the pop, (sealed). Once cooled place jars in a dark cool area.  After 2-3 weeks peppers are pickled and ready to serve! 

(If using pint jars cut all spices in half from one tablespoon to one teaspoon)

Rosemary Bread Stuffing

Ingredients:

2 Celery Stalks finely chopped

2/3 cup of Chicken Broth
1/2 cup sliced baby Portabello Mushrooms

2 tbsp butter

1/4 tsp. Garlic Powder

3/4 tsp. Paprika

1/4 tsp. Rubbed Sage

1/8 tsp. (A dash) of Nutmeg Powder

1 tsp dried Parsley

1 tsp. Sea Salt

1/4 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper

1/8 tsp. Cumin

8 slices of loaf bread toasted and cubed into 1/2 inch pieces

Finely chopped Celery Leaves from one large head of Celery
3 sprigs of fresh Rosemary, leaves stripped and finely chopped

Directions:

Preheat a large skillet on medium heat, melt butter and add all ingredients except chicken stock and bread pieces. Cook the saucy mixture for 5-7 minutes or until celery is fork tender. Add chicken broth and allow mixture to reduce slightly, approximately 3-5 minutes. Add bread pieces cover and remove from heat, allow to sit 5 minutes. Stir and cover, allow to sit an additional 5 minutes. Ready to serve or use as a stuffing for pork or chicken. Serves 4 as a side dish or 4-6 if using as a stuffing.

Hot Dogs and Sauce

This simple but tasty take on Hot Dogs is a recipe that has been handed down for generations in our family. It's inexpensive, easy and awesome.

Ingredients:

1 pack of Hot Dogs

1 pack of Hot Dog Buns

1 medium Onion diced

2 15 oz cans of Tomato Sauce

1 tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce

1 tbsp. Yellow Mustard

1 tbsp. Apple Cider Vinegar

1 tbsp. Butter

1 tsp. Brown Sugar

Directions:

In a large pot combine all ingredients except Hot Dogs and buns. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally. Cut 3 slits in Hot Dogs and add to the sauce. Reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes or until sauce has thickened. Place Hot Dogs in buns, cover with sauce mixture and serve.

Savory Braised Celery

The best way to enjoy celery

Ingredients:

8 Celery Stalks with leaves
1/2 cup Beef Broth
1 Lemon (zest and juice)
1 tbsp. Butter
1 tbsp. Dried Onions
1/2 tsp. Black Pepper
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. Garlic Powder
1/4 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes


Directions:

Clean celery stalks including the leaves. Cut the leaves off of stalks and set aside. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the stringy membranes from the back of the celery stalks. Cut stalks diagonally into 1/2 to 1 inch pieces. Mix celery, lemon juice and zest in a bowl, cover and refrigerate for one hour. Finely chop the celery leaves set aside in the fridge (to be used later).

Heat butter in a large frying pan on medium to high heat. Add celery and lemon mixture and all ingredients except the beef broth and celery leaves. Cook until celery is al dente, about 5-7 minutes. Add broth and celery leaves and cover continuing to cook for an additional 5-7 minutes. Remove cover cook another 3-5 minutes until broth reduces somewhat and begins to thicken. Remove from heat and serve.  Salt and pepper to taste. Approximately 4 servings