Recipes

Garden Salsa






13 cups tomatoes cut in large dice, drain before measuring
2 cups diced green pepper
6 diced onions (I used 3 of the jumbo onions and it was fine)
1 cup small dice jalapenos (can mix jalapenos and cayennes)
1 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 Tbsp. salt
1 1/2 Tbsp. finely minced fresh garlic
1 15-oz. can tomato sauce
1 6-oz. can tomato paste
1 Tbsp. finely chopped cilantro
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground oregano
1 tsp. ground cumin

Mix everything in a large pot, bring to a boil. Turn heat way down and simmer, stirring occasionally, until mixture is thick enough to suit you. Taste for seasoning, adjust at this point. Pour hot mixture into pint jars, seal, and process in boiling water canner for 15 minutes.

This is pretty spicy, for a milder sauce use fewer hot peppers. For killer sauce, use more. Do not omit the sugar entirely – the salsa is “lacking” without it. Any of the seasonings can be adjusted to your taste.

Be sure and drain the tomatoes before measuring, you do not need the extra juice and it will take forever for it to thicken.



Mini Pineapple Upside-down Cakes

Topping:

1 can pineapple chunks drained, reserve juice for batter
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup melted butter

Batter:

1 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
1/2 cup reserved pineapple juice
1 egg

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray a non-stick muffin tin or mini cake tin with cooking spray. Mix the brown sugar and melted butter together and divide equally between the muffin pan cups. Arrange pineapple chunks on top of the brown sugar mixture.

Mix the batter ingredients together to make a smooth batter. Pour batter over the brown sugar, pineapple mixture, filling each cup about 3/4 full. Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean.

Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Turn the muffin tin over on a cookie sheet or flat pan and tap each section until the individual cakes are released. Allow to cool completely and store in refrigerator. When the muffin pan is flipped over, the brown sugar and pineapple mixture is now the topping for each cake.

All Summer "Almost Wicker's" Barbecue Sauce

1 and 1/2 gallon water
1/2 gallon cider vinegar
2 oz. ground black pepper
2 oz. salt
1 Tbsp. cooking oil
2 oz. granulated sugar
2 oz. brown sugar
2  oz. chili powder

Mix all ingredients in a large stock pot and bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and cool. Stir up and start to fill containers. Keep the ingredients stirred so there will be spices in every container. I use clean empty one gallon tea containers with a twist lid. The sauce can be stored in the refrigerator or in a cool dark place.

To use, shake the container and pour out enough sauce to marinate whatever it is you are having. Brisket and large pork cuts can marinate overnight. This sauce will not burn and can be used to moisten the meat as it cooks. It is excellent for use on beef, chicken, pork, shrimp or fish. When we use this sauce, we serve a sweet finishing sauce at the table.

Sometimes I double the pepper or add cayenne...you can add garlic or any seasoning you like.



Scalloped Potatoes

Spray a large pan with cooking spray
Peel and slice as many potatoes as you need
Place a layer of potatoes in the pan and sprinkle with about 3 Tablespoons of flour. Season with garlic (or not, your preference), salt and pepper. Grate some cheese over the layer and dot with butter.



Repeat with another layer just like the first. Scald enough milk to cover all the layers and pour over while still hot. It took about 4 cups for this deep 9 x 13 pan.


Bake at 325 degrees until the liquid has been absorbed and the potatoes are tender, about an hour and a half. Remove from oven and sprinkle with more cheese. These are good hot, at room temp, or reheated. The flour and milk make a "custard".