Chili & Beans Con Carne

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 yellow onion, chopped

2 1/2 pounds lean ground beef

2 Cups Beef Broth

2 (16 ounce) cans whole peeled

tomatoes, chopped, juice reserved

2 tablespoons garlic cloves, crushed

1 (12 ounce) can tomato paste

1 1/2 teaspoons paprika

2 1/2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon fresh cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons cumin

2 1/2 teaspoons fresh basil

1/2 teaspoon fresh oregano

2 tablespoons fresh parsley

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

12 drops hot pepper sauce

1 can kidney beans

3 tablespoons corn meal

1/2 cup Beer

Direction:

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook green pepper, and onion, until softened. Add the ground beef and cook until browned. Add Broth continue to cook for a few minutes. Stir in chopped tomatoes, garlic, and tomato paste. Season with paprika, chili powder, cayenne pepper, basil, oregano, cumin and parsley. Stir in salt and pepper.

Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium low. Cover, and simmer for 90 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in kidney beans, beer and hot pepper sauce. You can add the reserved tomato juice if more liquid is needed. Continue to simmer for an additional 30 minutes.

In a small bowl, whisk corn meal, and water until smooth. Stir into chili, and cook for a further 10 minutes, or until chili has thickened up.

Stuffed Pork Roast

Stuffed pork roast from Breaux's Mart

Fresh off the pit

Smoked it about 4 hours.
I let it rest before cutting.

Ready to eat

Stuffed Pork Chops

Let it rest before you cut into it

2 boneless pork chops
1 lb ground pork
1 onion
1 tbsp garlic
salt and pepper
Tony Chachere's seasoning
Sides
1lb fresh sausage
homemade rice dressing if you have the chicken inners
Tomatoes and cucumbers-oil/vinegar, fresh  parmesan, salt and pepper 

Chicken inners with celery, garlic and onions

Mix ground pork with onions garlic salt and pepper and Tony's.
Cut a small opening in the pork chops and fill with the stuffing.

Ready for the pit

Add to the pit and cook until ready. Depending on how juicy you want the meat.

Not much left over

Beef Enchiladas

Ready for the oven

1.5 pound ground beef
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 fresh tomatoes diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cayenne pepper or your favorite (cayenne peppers from my garden)
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 tablespoon of vegetable oil
6 flour or corn tortillas
3 cups shredded cheese
Homemade salsa (see my recipe)

Heat up the vegetable oil and while occasionally stirring cook the onions until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for a minute or 2. Add ground beef and cook until brown and drain.

Stir in the cumin, tomatoes and chopped cayenne peppers cook for 2 more minutes. Taste and add salt and black pepper to taste.

Cumin, Tomato and Cayenne added

Make the enchiladas, first preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a large baking dish. In a skillet, heat up the oil on medium-low heat. One at a time, heat up the tortillas in the hot oil until soft. Lay each tortilla on a plate or clean cooking surface and add beef and some of the cheese. Roll the tortilla and place in greased baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Pour sauce over enchiladas and top with remaining grated cheese. Bake for 15 minutes or until cheese is lightly browned and bubbling.I took the rest of the meat and cheese and made nachos so a quick side.

Was told best they have tasted from anywhere

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Cajun Boiled Drunken Chicken

Quartered with onion ready for a plate

1 whole chicken
1/2 can of beer
crab boil
1 small onion
1 BBQ pit
favorite BBQ rub

Eggplant add to the pit

Wash chicken and add your favorite rub and let stand in cool place for 2 or 3 hours. I add honey to mine before adding the rub.

See onion. I force it into the neck

Cut small onion in half. Push into neck area to allow the crab boil steam to stay inside. Place chicken on beer can rack or just on the can. Be careful it will fall over with just a can.

Start the charcoal and once the coals are ready place chicken off to the side using indirect heat for about 3 hours or until the thigh reaches 180 degrees.

Almost ready

We add rice dressing to this meal with fresh tomatoes and grilled eggplant.

Good Eats

Rice dressing or as we call it Dirty rice

Grilled eggplant

Homemade Dill Pickles

15 cucumbers
4 qt water
4 qt apple cider vinegar (5% acetic acid)
1 cup sugar
4 tbsp. dill
2 lg clove garlic
2 onions
1 cup Kosher salt
2 tbsp. peppercorns
3 tbsp. mustard seed

3 tbsp. pickling spice

3 cayenne peppers (optional) 

Wash and quarter or slice cucumbers as desired or you can leave them whole.  Slice onion and peel garlic, and dill weed and place in container add Cayenne here too.  Tightly pack pickles into container.  Pour vinegar and water into sauce pan with sugar, salt, peppercorns and mustard seed.  Bring to just barely a boil.   Pour over cucumbers to cover.  Place the lid on the container.  Put jars in water bath.  The pickles will be ready to eat in 10 days but the longer they sit the more dill flavor they will have.

Enjoy Pictures to follow

PICKLED CARROTS & CAULIFLOWER

2 med. heads cauliflower (about 3 lbs.)
2 bags small carrots  
6 very small cucumbers
1/2 c. salt
4 c Water
6 (1 pt.) canning jars & caps
4 c. apple cider vinegar
1 c. sugar
4 tsp. mustard seeds
3 green cayenne peppers
2 tsp. celery seeds 

1/2 tsp. dill weed per jar

2 onions

1⁄4 tsp. turmeric per jar
2 heads of garlic

6 tbsp. pickling spice
6 tbsp. whole black peppers

Cut cauliflower into flowerets. In 6-quart enamel, stainless steel, or glass container, stir salt and 6 cups water until salt is dissolved. Add cauliflower and carrots; cover and let stand in cool place about 4 hours. 
 
Drain vegetables; rinse with running cold water; drain thoroughly. In 8-quart saucepan heat vinegar, sugar, mustard seeds, black pepper, pickling spice and 4 cups water to boiling, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook 5 minutes. Add vegetables; heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 5 minutes longer, stirring occasionally.

In each hot jar, place dill weed, turmeric, onion, garlic, halved cayenne pepper and 1 small cucumber. With slotted spoon, spoon hot vegetables into hot jars to 1/4 inch from top of jar. Immediately ladle hot vinegar mixture over vegetables in jar to 1/4 inch from top of jar. (Keep mixture simmering while filling jars.) with small spatula, carefully remove any air bubbles between vegetables and jar. Close jars as manufacturer directs.

Place jars on rack in canner half full with boiling water, far enough apart so that water can circulate freely. Add additional boiling water if needed so that water level is 1 to 2 inches above tops of jars (do not pour water directly on jars) and boil gently 15 minutes. Cool at least 12 hours.

Orange Chicken

Ingredients:

Chicken-
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1-1/2” cubes)
1 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 eggs (beaten)
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper Oil (for frying)
Orange Sauce-
1 ½ cups water
2 tablespoons orange juice
¼ cup lemon juice
1/3 cup rice vinegar
2 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon orange zest (grated)
1 cup packed brown sugar
½ teaspoon ginger root (minced)
½ teaspoon garlic (minced)
2 tablespoons green onion (chopped)
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons water

Preparation: 
Forgot to add I marinate the chicken for 3 or 4 hours is a sweet soy sauce and orange juice mixture

Step 1: Combine flour, salt, and pepper. Dip chicken in egg mixture and shake in flour mixture to coat. Deep fry chicken in batches at 375 degrees in a deep fryer (or use a wok) until completely cooked.

Step 2: Meanwhile, in a large saucepan combine 1 ½ cups water, lemon juice, orange juice, rice vinegar, and soy sauce. Blend well over medium heat for a few minutes. Stir in brown sugar, orange zest, ginger garlic, and onion. Bring to a boil.
Step 3: Combine 3 tablespoons of cornstarch with 1/4 cup of water and mix thoroughly. Slowly stir cornstarch mixture into sauce until it thickens. Pour sauce over breaded chicken, and if desired add red pepper flakes and garnish with green onions.

Spicy Eggplant And Broccoli In Ginger Sauce

Eggplant stir-fried with garlic, chili paste, fresh ginger, yellow onion, broccoli, basil, and bell pepper. Flavored with a wonderful soy sauce and oyster sauce mixture and garnished with cilantro.

Ingredients - 2 pounds Eggplant 3 tbsp. Vegetable Oil 2 tbsp Cornstarch 2 tbsp. minced Garlic 1 tsp. Ground Chili Paste 2 tablespoons minced Fresh Ginger 2 small Yellow Onion, cut into thin wedges 3 cups Broccoli cut into bite-size pieces, blanched, and shocked in ice water 2 tbsp. Soy Sauce 2 tbsp. Oyster Sauce 1/2 cup Water 1 Red Bell Pepper, dice 1 Yellow Bell Pepper, dice 1 Green Bell Pepper, dice 1/4 cup Fresh Basil Leaves, halved 6 Fresh Cilantro Sprigs, for garnish Preparation: 1. Mix water with cornstarch. Set aside. 2. Peel and slice eggplant in half lengthwise. Slice eggplant halves into approximately ¾” slices. 3. Soak eggplant in water to prevent discoloration. 4. Remove eggplant from water. 5. Heat vegetable oil in wok over medium heat. Add garlic, ground chili paste, and fresh ginger to wok. Stir-fry 20 seconds. 6. Add eggplant to wok. Stir-fry 4 minutes. Add onion wedges, broccoli florets, soy sauce, and oyster sauce, reduce heat and stir-fry 3-4 minutes. 7. Stir cornstarch mixture. Add 1 tablespoon at a time and stir to thicken sauce. Stop when sauce coats back of spoon nicely. 8. Add the bell peppers and basil. Remove from heat. 9. Transfer to serving dish and add cilantro.

Homemade Salsa

4 qt jars
15 tomatoes
kosher salt
6 large onions 
4 tbsp. minced garlic
1 lb. Jalapenos
2 1/2 cups minced cilantro
1tbs cumin seed, ground
1 12 ounce can tomato paste
12 tbsp. lime juice

Blanch the tomatoes for 1 to 2 minutes a few at a time. Add to cold water and remove skin and seeds.
Chop them coarsely and add to large strainer sprinkle with salt to help remove liquid. I used about 4 tbsp. Let the tomatoes drain for several hours.

Not much better than fresh tomatoes

Peel and chop the onions, remove stems and seeds from the Jalapeños and mince the garlic.

Chop the strained tomatoes. Mix them with the chopped onions, garlic, in a large, deep pot. Chop the cilantro and mix it in, along with the ground cumin seed.

This should be lime juice in the picture

Mix the tomato paste with a cupful of the salsa, until it is lump-free. Mix it into the pot of salsa. Taste the salsa, and add some salt if you think it needs some more. Bring the salsa to a boil.

Add to qt. jars along with 3 tbsp of lime juice to each jar and put in pressure cooker for 15 minutes at 11lbs psi.

Remove and let cool, add labels and store until ready to use.

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

Canned and ready to use

Ingredients

20 lg. tomatoes
7 tbsps. garlic
2 lg. onions

2 diced eggplants

1 bunch of celery
10 tbsp. (2/3 cup) basil pesto
2 tbsp. dry oregano
2 tbsp. dry marjoram
1 tbsp. salt
1 cup honey

1.5 cups red wine
5 tbsps. olive oil

Ready for the jars

Directions

In a small pot add some olive oil and smother diced up eggplants until smooth

Coat the bottom of a large pot with olive oil over medium heat and add the garlic. While the garlic starts to cook, chop onions and add them to the pot.

Stir frequently until the onions are translucent and the garlic starts to get a little darker. Add the tomatoes, eggplant, and celery and stir.

Add the honey, wine, pesto, oregano and marjoram and stir.

Put the lid on the pot and simmer over low heat for at least an hour, stirring occasionally.

Once the sauce is thoroughly heated through, process it in food processor.

If it’s too thick, add water. After an hour of simmering,

Once you’re done cooking you’re ready to start canning.

Using your canning funnel fill all the jars to the bottom of the threads.

Wipe the rims to make sure there’s no sauce on them, and add the lids and rings. Do not tighten rings now. Just hand tight for now. Some air will need to escape while in pressure cooker.

Fill your canning pot with water level recommended and lower the jars in.

Add lid and start on high heat until pressure starts to build. Pressure called for 12lbs for 20 minutes.

Remove the jars from the pot and let cool. 

Ready for the pressure cooker

Add labels and store until ready to use.

Simple Spice Peach Jam

Finished

All you will need:

4 - 29 oz cans of sliced peaches in heavy syrup and

4 cups of sugar.

1 tsp cinnamon

Pour peaches and syrup into medium sized pot. Heat over medium/low for half an hour stirring occasionally.

The Start

Gently stir in sugar and cinnamon.


Raise heat to medium and continue cooking. Keep stirring them often. Let them cook down slowly until the peaches have cooked down 1/4 of what you started with and have the consistency of jam or preserves. Cooked mine for over 3 hours. Once they started to bubble I turned the fire down to medium/low.


Remove from heat and fill clean sterilized jars with mixture. 

Nice and thick

Clean the rim of the jar and put a lid and ring on each jar and tighten barely finger tight. Don’t put them too tight at this time. So some air can leak out of the jar. The heat will cause the air to expand and squeeze out under the lid. Put the jars in a pot with enough water to cover the jars an inch or two. Over high heat bring everything to a boil. Go for about 20 minutes after the water in the pot comes to a boil.

After the 20 minutes of boiling, remove from heat and you can tighten the ring. When it cools, the air will contract and vacuum seal the lid. Once the lid seals let cool then store.
The 4 cans of peaches turned into 3.5 jars.

4 29oz cans down to 3.5 pint jars

Bread And Butter Pickles

Ingredients

18 cucumbers (these are from my garden)
1 cup kosher salt
8 cups cider vinegar
8 cups sugar
6 large yellow onion
4 tablespoons yellow mustard seed
2 tablespoon celery seed
2 tablespoon turmeric
2 tablespoon coarsely cracked black pepper

Directions

Sliced up all the cucumbers and put in 2 large bowls (my biggest was to small)

Dissolve the salt in a large pot with 6 quarts of water.

Once the salt is dissolved, add the cup up pieces and

You can use kosher salt or pickling salt. Don’t use iodized table salt.

Add sliced cucumbers to salt water mixer and cover. Put it in the fridge overnight. 

Next day

Combine the sugar and the cider vinegar in a large pot over medium heat and stir until it’s dissolved.

While you’re waiting for the sugar to dissolve, slice the onion very thin.

Add the mustard and celery seed to the pot.

Add the onion and turmeric and stir.

Drain the cucumber pieces.

Add the cucumber and stir. My pot was a little small so I did it in two pots. I guess I could have done this outside in the small crawfish pot.

Over medium heat until it comes to a boil.

Then turn the heat down, cover the pot and simmer for five minutes.

Cooling and ready to add to the jars

Canning

Add as many jars you can to a pot with water and boil to sterilize them. I could only do 4 at a time.

 Once they are sterilized remove them and let the water drain out. With a large mouth funnel start adding the cucumber mixture.

Leave a half inch from the top of each jar. The jars won’t seal right if you don’t. Just fill to the bottom of the threads and you should be fine. 

1st and 2nd batch

Clean the rim of the jar and put a lid and ring on each jar and tighten barely finger tight. Don’t put them too tight at this time. So some air can leak out of the jar. The heat will cause the air to expand and squeeze out under the lid.Put the jars in a pot with enough water to cover the jars an inch or two. Over high heat bring everything to a boil. Go for about 10 minutes after the water in the pot comes to a boil.

After the 10 minutes of boiling, remove from heat and you can tighten the ring. When it cools, the air will contract and vacuum seal the lid. Once the lid seals store. Let them stand for 2 weeks and enjoy.

My 1st batch

Cashew Chicken

 Tami and the kids wanted another meal cooked outside on the wok.

Ingredients:

2 lbs boneless & skinless chicken breast (cut into small cubes)
1 cup cashew nuts
1 green bell pepper, (cut into small square pieces)
5 or 6 slices ginger
1 onion (cut into small square pieces)

1 package stir fry vegetables

Marinate:

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoon corn starch
2 teaspoon rice wine

Sauce:

1 tablespoon shrimp sauce
3 teaspoon soy sauce 

6 tablespoons water
3 dashes white pepper powder
2 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoon rice wine

3 teaspoon sesame oil
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Marinate the chicken meat with the baking soda for 15-20 minutes and then rinse the chicken thoroughly. (Please make sure that the chicken is properly rinsed clean of the baking soda.)
2. Pat the chicken meat dry with paper towels and then marinate with the rest of the ingredients for 15 minutes.
3. Mix the sauce together and set aside.
4. Heat up a wok with 2 tablespoons of cooking oil and stir-fry the chicken meat until the color turns white or half-cooked. Dish out and set aside.
5. Add another 2 tablespoons of cooking oil into the wok and add in the ginger slices, bell peppers and onions.
6. Stir-fry until you smell the peppery aroma from the green peppers and add the chicken meat back in.
7. Add in the cashew nuts and do a few quick stirs then the vegetables.
8. Add in the sauce and stir continuously until the chicken meat is cooked and well coated with the sauce. Add salt to taste, dish out and serve the Cashew Chicken hot with steamed white rice. (I made a nasi goreng (fried rice) to go with it)

Sweet and sour pork

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 lb. pork tenderloin (cut into bite size pieces)
1 green bell pepper (cut into pieces)
1 red bell pepper  (cut into pieces)

1 yellow bell pepper  (cut into pieces)
2 onions (cut into wedges)
1 can pineapple chunks
4 carrot sticks (chopped)

bunch of dried peppers ( I used fresh ones here)

1 can baby corn
1 clove garlic (finely chopped)

1 cup sliced almonds
Oil for frying

MARINATE:

1 teaspoon dark sweet soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon corn starch
1/2 teaspoon rice wine

2 eggs

1 teaspoon plum sauce

1 teaspoon shrimp paste

1 teaspoon hot sauce

FRYING BATTER:

1/2 cup water

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1teaspoon each salt and pepper (I used Tony's)
1 cup. all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons. corn starch
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
5 teaspoon cooking oil
1 small pinch of salt

SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE:

3 tablespoons tomato ketchup
2 teaspoon plum sauce

2 teaspoons dark sweet soy sauce
1 teaspoon Chinese rice vinegar (transparent in color)
1 teaspoon Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce
1 teaspoon shrimp paste
1 teaspoon corn starch
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons water

METHOD:

Cut the pork tenderloin into pieces and marinate with the ingredients for 30 to 60 minutes.

Mix the sweet and sour sauce ingredients well and set aside.
Chop vegetables and set aside until ready 

When the pork is well-marinated, transfer the pork pieces into the flour and seasonings and make sure they are well coated. Add the cooking oil into the wok enough for deep-frying. Once the oil is hot, deep fry the pork pieces until they turn golden brown. Dish out and drain on paper towels.

Heat up the wok and add in some cooking oil. Add in the chopped garlic and stir fry until light brown, then follow by the bell peppers and other vegetables and pineapple pieces. 

Stir fry until you smell the peppery aroma from the peppers and then add in the sweet and sour sauce. As soon as the sauce thickens, transfer the pork into the wok and stir well with the sauce. 

Add in the chopped scallions, do a few quick stirs, dish out and serve hot with steamed white rice.