Dill Pickles

5 pint Mason Jars

4-5 lbs Cucumbers

4 cups water

4 cups vinegar 5% acidity

1/4 cup Pickling Salt

2 Tablespoons Sugar

1 Onion thinly sliced

5 Garlic Cloves

Seasonings Per Jar:

1/8 teaspoon Pickle Crisp

1/8 teaspoon Turmeric

1 teaspoon Mustard Seed

1 teaspoon Dill Seed

1 teaspoon Coriander Seed

1 teaspoon Peppercorn

fresh dill sprig

Sterilizing jars.
Bring a canning pot of water to a boil and sterilize wide-mouth pint jars. Bring a small sauce pan of water to boil and sterilize the lids and rings.

Prepare the cucumbers.
Wash and dry the cucumbers. Trim away both ends of the cucumber. Leave the cucumbers whole, cut them into spears, or slice them into coins, as desired.

Pickling brine.
Place the water, vinegar, salt, and sugar in a medium saucepan over high heat and bring to a rolling boil. You may not use all the brine.

Preparing jars.
At the bottom of each sterilized mason jar place ingredients for seasonings per jar. Pack the cucumbers into the jars. Leave ~1 inch head space to top of the jar. Pack them in as tightly as you can without smashing the cucumbers. Top with some onion slices and a garlic clove. Ladle brine into the jars leaving 1/2 inch head space from the top. Finger tight lid and ring onto jar.

Canning Jars.
Return filled jars to canning pot. Bring to a boil and process for 10 minutes. Remove jars to a towel and let sit for a few hours till cooled down. Test lids to make sure they have a seal.

Slow Cooked Shredded Mexican Chicken

 1 Tablespoon Chili Powder

1 teaspoon ground Cumin

1 teaspoon Seasoned Salt

1 teaspoon Pepper

1/2 teaspoon White Pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper

1/2 teaspoon Paprika

1/4 teaspoon dried Oregano

1/4 teaspoon crushed Red Pepper Flakes

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 cup Chicken Broth

Mix Seasonings.  Rub over Chicken.

Place chicken in a  slow cooker.  Add broth.  Cook on high for 1 hour and low for 3 hours or until chicken is tender.  

Remove chicken.  Shred with 2 forks.

Carrot Broccoli Cheese Soup

1 Tablepsoon + 1/4 cup Butter (divided)

1 Onion, diced small

1 Garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup Flour
2 cups Chicken Broth

1 cup Milk

1 cup Heavy Cream
3/4 teaspoon Salt

3/4 teaspoon Pepper

1/2 teaspoon Paprika 

1/2 teaspoon Ground Mustard

Pinch Cayenne

2 Carrots, peeled and thinly sliced rounds

1 head Broccoli, florets cut into bite size pieces, stalk trimmed and chopped

8 oz Block Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded

In a soup pot melt 1 Tablespoon Butter over medium high heat.  Sauté Onions for about 4 minutes.  Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.  Remove to a small bowl.

In the same soup pot melt 1/4 cup butter over medium high heat.  Remove from heat and stir in flour till combined.  Return to heat and pour in chicken broth, milk, and cream (I like to combine them into a 4 cup measurer so they pour together).  Wisk constantly for about 5 minutes.  

Lower heat to medium low and continue whisking occasionally for ~15 minutes.  You only want it to be at a simmer.  

Add seasonings and combine with whisk.  

Stir in veggies included set aside bowl of onions.  

Simmer for 20-25 minutes.

Add cheese in small amounts while stirring to incorporate throughly before adding more small amounts.  

Note:  To make it a more hearty meal instead of a side dish add 2 red potatoes, diced, when you add the veggies to the soup.  Then add 3-4 oz of diced ham before you add the cheese.

Frito Taco Casserole

1 lb Ground beef
1 small onion sliced
1 Can of Rotel 
2 TablespoonsTaco seasoning
1 Can Black Beans, drained and rinsed

1 Can Corn, drained
2 oz. Cream Cheese
1 Can Enchilada Sauce (10 oz)

1 Bag of Frito Corn Chips

2 C. Shredded Cheese

In a skillet brown the meat and onion. Add the Rotel and taco seasoning. Simmer until any liquid is evaporated. Add black beans, corn, and cream cheese.

Turn off the heat and stir in the cream cheese until melted and combined. Stir in the enchilada sauce.

Spray a 9×13 pan with cooking spray. Dump 1/3 of the bag of Fritos into the bottom of the pan.

Top with 1/2 of the meat mixture and 1/2 of the shredded cheese. Repeat the layer Chips, meat, cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and casserole is heated through.  Before serving sprinkle last 1/3 of fritos on top of casserole.

Pickled Jalapenos

1 1/2 lbs Jalapenos

2 cups Water

2 cups Distilled White Vinegar (5% acidity)

2 Tablespoons Pickling Salt

2 Tablespoons Sugar

2 cloves Garlic, minced

Sterilizing Jars and Lids:

Wash jars in soapy water.  

Place jars on a rack in a canning pot.  I like to use little jars for pickling jalapenos.  Fill pot with hot water at least an inch over the top of the jars.

Bring to a boil.  Boil jars, covered, for 10 minutes.  Start timer when you see steam emerging.  After timer goes off turn off heat and leave everything alone till ready to can.  

When it is time to can, invert jars onto a kitchen towel to dry.  Jars should be filled while still hot.  

Sterilize the lids in boiling water for 5 minutes.

Do not place filled jars back in canning pot.  Just rest them on the towel.  

Instructions:

Thoroughly wash peppers.  

Wear gloves while cutting peppers.  

Cut tops and bottoms off of the peppers.  Then slice into rings.  I like to seed half of my jalapenos for a more milder taste.  Do this with a thin long knife, I use a boning knife, to cut out the seed core in a circle.  Then use a fork tine to pull out the core.  Place jalapeno slices in a medium bowl.

In a medium sauce pan, bring vinegar, water, salt and sugar to a boil.  Add the peppers and garlic the vinegar mixture, stir then remove from heat.  Allow peppers to sit for 15 minutes.  

Pack the jars with peppers.  Use a spoon to gently cram them in, they can be packed pretty tight.  Top with brine.  Leave 1/2 inch head space at the top of each jar.  Place lid on jars and finger tight ring.  

Bring the canning pot to a boil.  

Gently place filled jars in water with a canning tong.  Cook, covered, for 10 minutes.  

Remove from canning pot with canning tongs.  Towel dry and place on towel to cool.  Wait 24 hours till eating.  Store in fridge once jar is opened.

Easy Bean Casserole - Eric Winder

5 Flour Tortillas
1 can Bean and Bacon Soup
1 can Ranch Style Beans
1 can Corn, drained
12 oz Salsa
4 cups shredded Mexican Cheese blend

With a pizza cutter cut tortillas into 1 inch squares.  

Mix soup, beans, and corn in a bowl.  

Layer in a round casserole dish 1/3 of the following each: tortillas, soup mixture, salsa, then cheese.  Repeat two more times.

Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes until bubbly. 

Chimichurri Barramundi

2-3 Carrots
1 Broccoli Head
6 Cloves Garlic, divided
6 Tablespoons Olive Oil, divided
1 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Pepper
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan
1/4 cup Cilantro, minced
2 Lemons
2 teaspoons Cumin
1/2 - 1 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
4-6 fillets of Barramundi (or any Sea Bass)

Preheat over to 425.

Cut carrots on a diagonal about 1/4 inch thick.  Cut Broccoli into 1/2 inch chunks.  Toss carrots, broccoli, 1/2 minced garlic, oil, salt, and pepper.  

Spread out carrot mixture on a jelly roll pan.  Sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese.  Roast in oven for 25 minutes.  

In a small bowl, combine cilantro, Zest from 1 lemon, Juice from same lemon, 4 Tablespoons Olive Oil, and the rest of the garlic, cumin, and crushed red pepper .  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Heat a large caste iron pan over medium high heat.  Add a large drizzle of oil to cover the bottom of the pan.  Pat fish dry and season on one side with kosher salt, pepper, and cumin.

Cook fish, seasoned side down, in hot pan for 4-6 minutes per side.

Serve fish with Cilantro sauce on top and with roasted veggies.