Cranberry-Pineapple Sauce

Serving Size : 8

12 ounces fresh cranberries -- picked over and rinsed
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
1 8 oz can crushed pineapple in syrup
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 pinch salt

In a medium saucepan, combine cranberries, sugar and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add crushed pineapples, lemon juice and salt to the pan, stir well. Cook for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until nicely thickened.

Sauce can be served warm or cold, and can be made up to two days ahead of time. Store in the refrigerator, tightly covered.

Cranberry Chutney

from The Farmhouse Cookbook by Susan Loomis

Cranberries are so full of natural pectin that they are ideal for conserves, and this sweet, tart spread is wonderful. It can be canned or frozen, or kept in the refrigerator for weeks. I like to use it on sharp Cheddar cheese sandwiches, as a condiment for curry, or alongside roast chicken.

1 pound (4 cups) fresh or frozen cranberries
I small tart apple, peeled, cored, and diced (I never peel)
2 cups packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup dried currants
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. yellow mustard seeds
1/2 to 1/2 tsp. dried pepper flakes

1. Place all the ingredients in a large heavy saucepan (using only 1/4 tsp. of the red pepper flakes) and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer until the mixture thickens slightly, about 25 minutes. The cranberries will pop as they cook. Taste and adjust the pepper flakes.

2. Allow the chutney to cool, then ladle into jars. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 months. Alternatively, ladle into sterilized jars and *seal according to mfrs. instructions. Or place in freezer containers, allow to cool to room temperature and freeze for up to one year.

Yield: 2 pints

*Process for 10 minutes in a boiling water canner
NOTE: I like to add some finely chopped orange rind.

Raita with Onion and Tomato

2 cups plain nonfat yogurt
1 cup 1/4- inch tomato cubes
1/2 cup 1/4-inch cucumber cubes
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon roasted cumin powder**
1/4 teaspoon cayenne (optional)

Stir the yogurt well with a wire whisk in a small bowl. Add the tomatoes, cucumber, onion and salt, stir to combine.

Garnish with the roasted cumin powder and cayenne if using. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

**Roasted cumin powder: In a frying pan or an iron griddle, dry-roast 1/4 cup of cumin seeds over medium heat until reddish-brown to dark brown. Cool to room temperature. Grind the seeds in a blender or spice grinder and store in an airtight container.

Salsa Verde

adapted from a Cooking Light recipe

2 teaspoons cumin seeds
3 jalapeno peppers
2 pounds tomatillos, husks removed and tomatillos washed
1/4 cup chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
3/4 teaspoon sea salt

Place cumin seeds in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat, and cook 2 minutes or until toasted. Transfer seeds to a spice or coffee grinder, and process until finely ground.

Cut 1/4 inch off stem ends of peppers; discard stem ends. Using the tip of a paring knife, carefully remove and discard membranes and seeds, leaving peppers intact.

Using an outdoor grill or an indoor grill pan, place tomatillos and peppers on the grill over medium-high heat. Cook until charred on all sides- about 15 minutes. Put grilled tomatillos and peppers in a small bowl to catch juices.

Transfer the tomatillos and peppers to a blender, and puree until smooth. Add the onion, and pulse 5 times or until blended. Pour pepper mixture into a medium bowl. Stir in cumin, cilantro, lime juice, and salt.

Pickled Peppers- No Salt

Yield: 8 pints

8 quarts peppers (red, green, yellow, banana, cherry, and hot)
1/4 cup sugar
8 cups white vinegar
2 cups cold water
16 cloves garlic

Wash the peppers. (Remember to wear rubber gloves when washing and handling hot peppers to prevent your hands from burning.)

If using small whole peppers, cut two small slits in each pepper to allow for complete pickling. When using larger peppers, cut the stems off, take out the seeds and cut in fourths or eighths.

Combine all the ingredients in a kettle except for the garlic; simmer for 15 minutes.

Pack the peppers and 2 garlic cloves into each clean, hot pint jar, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Adjust caps. Process pints 10 minutes in boiling water bath canner.

Basil Pesto

recipe by Ina Garten

1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup pignolis (pine nuts)
3 tablespoons chopped garlic (9 cloves)
5 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups good olive oil
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Place the walnuts, pignolis, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process for 15 seconds. Add the basil leaves, salt, and pepper. With the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil into the bowl through the feed tube and process until the pesto is thoroughly pureed. Add the Parmesan and puree for a minute. Use right away or store the pesto in the refrigerator or freezer with a thin film of olive oil on top.

Notes: Air is the enemy of pesto. For freezing, pack it in containers with a film of oil or plastic wrap directly on top with the air pressed out.

To clean basil, remove the leaves, swirl them in a bowl of water, and then spin them very dry in a salad spinner. Store them in a closed plastic bag with a slightly damp paper towel. As long as the leaves are dry they will stay green for several days.

Creamy Cucumber Salad

4 medium cucumbers -- cut into slices
1 small onion -- thinly sliced
8 ounces sour cream
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

In a large bowl, combine sour cream, vinegar, sugar, salt & pepper.

Add cucumber and onion slices; gently mix together.

Cover; refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Michael's Fennel Spice Rub

1 cup fennel seeds
3 Tablespoons coriander seeds
2 Tablespoons white peppercorns
3 Tablespoons sea salt (preferrably grey) ** I tend to agree, grey salt is a great splurge.

In a saucepan over med-low heat, toast the fennel, coriander, and peppercorns. Toss them frequently, and toast until golden brown and fragrant. Pour onto a plate to cool completely.

Combine toasted seeds with sea salt in a blender and grind. If making a half recipe, you can use a spice grinder. When using the blender, make sure to pause and shake the jar a few times to evenly distribute the ingredients.

Fennel spice rub will keep for about 6 months tightly sealed in a spice jar. (But I bet it won't last that long)

Three Pepper Salsa

Salsa

10 pounds tomatoes -- peeled and chopped
4-6 medium onions -- chopped
3-5 cups chopped bell peppers
5 jalapeno chile peppers -- seeded and chopped
4 serrano peppers -- seeded and chopped
1 habanero chile -- seeded and chopped
6 cloves garlic -- minced
1 1/3 cups apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup cilantro -- chopped
1/4 cup salt
3 teaspoons ground black pepper
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons lime juice
3 or 4 12 oz. cans tomato paste
1 Tablespoon ground cumin

Combine everything except bell peppers, hot peppers, onions, and tomato paste. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and simmer for at least 30 minutes, stirring occassionally.

Add all peppers and onions, return to a simmer, and simmer for another 10 minutes.

One can at a time, add the tomato paste, giving each addition time to cook a little bit (about 5 minutes between additions). Very frequent stirring will be necessary at this point. Add tomato paste until it's thickened nicely. Simmer 20 minutes more- stirring frequently to prevent scorching.

Ladle into hot jars. Add lids and process in a boiling water canner for 15 minutes.

Makes 9 quarts of salsa.

Big Daddy's Carolina Style Barbecue Sauce

Big Daddy's Carolina Style Barbecue Sauce #120492
recipe by Rita L

1 cup prepared yellow mustard
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon liquid smoke(hickory flavoring)

Mix all except soy, butter and smoke. Simmer 30 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients and simmer for 10 more minutes. Vinegar taste may be very strong until completely cooled. Refrigerating overnight is best and allows flavors to blend.
Add a few drops of Louisiana Hot Sauce at the end if additional heat is desired.

Red Barbecue Sauce

Joy of Cooking Barbecue Sauce

1 1/2 cups ketchup
1 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons dry mustard
4 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 minced garlic cloves
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 slices lemons

Over medium heat stir all of the ingredients together.

Mom's Fridge Pickles

from Fresh Every Day by Sara Foster

makes about 1 quart

1 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 whole cloves
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon dill seed
4 to 5 small kirby (pickling) cucumbers, peeled in stripes and sliced into 1/8 inch thick rounds
1 small white onion, thinly sliced into rounds

1. Combine the vinegar, sugar, salt, black pepper, cloves, bay leaves, red pepper flakes, and dill seed in a quart jar. Place the lid on the jar and shake until the sugar has dissolved.

2. Layer the cucumbers and onion in the jar using a wooden spoon to press them tightly into the jar. Place the lid on the jar, shake it well, and refrigerate at least 4 hours, shaking the jar occasionally to keep the ingredients mixed. These pickles will keep in the refrigerator for at least 1 month.

Pickled Red Onions

Pickled Red Onions

3 TBS olive oil
1 large red onion, peeled, cut in half, and sliced into thin slices
3/4 tsp dried thyme**
2 TBS red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp sugar
pinch salt
black pepper to taste

1. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the red onion slices and the thyme. Saute, stirring frequently for 3-5 minutes, just until softened.

2. Meanwhile, combine the red wine vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper in a bowl.

3. Add the sauteed onions to the vinegar mixture, stir well to combine.

4. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight. This will keep in the fridge for several days, several weeks if vacuum sealed with a Foodsaver.

**You can substitute your choice of dried herbs for the thyme.

Caponata

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis
Serving Size : 6

1/4 cup olive oil
1 celery stalk -- chopped
1 medium eggplant -- cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 red bell pepper -- cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium onion -- chopped
1 can diced tomatoes -- (14 1/2-ounce)
3 tablespoons raisins
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon drained capers

Heat 1/4 cup of the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the celery and saute until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Add the eggplant and saute until beginning to soften, about 2 minutes. Season with salt. Add the red pepper and cook until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and saute until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes with their juices, raisins, and oregano. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Simmer over medium-low heat until the flavors blend and the mixture thickens, stirring often, about 20 minutes. Add the vinegar, sugar, and capers. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Tzatziki

8 ounces plain yogurt
1/2 cup cucumber -- chopped
1 tablespoon onion -- chopped
1 tablespoon parsley -- chopped
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon garlic salt

Combine, chill until ready to serve.


NOTES : Do not use fat free plain yogurt.