Alexia Fries and The Battle of The Fry Sauces.

What? You haven't heard of fry sauce?

Well neither had I when I hauled my college aged self across the country from Pennsylvania to Idaho 20 years ago.

I discovered that every fast food restaurant -- every one -- had fry sauce available for their patrons. An orange dipping sauce that I thought was weird. But then I am not really a mayo fan.

Legend has it that Fry sauce, which happens to be a blend of mayo and catsup flavors, was first commercialized by Some Dude.  Arctic Circle claims to have invented it in 1948.  They do claim to have the original fry sauce on all their little fry sauce packets.

So, maybe the fry sauce craze has spread beyond the Western United States. You tell me. But here in Utah it is still going strong. Every one has their own version and now you can even buy it by the bottle from Arctic Circle at their burger joint and from the grocery stores from brands like Famous Daves. (see you may be able to find it in your grocery aisle next to the catsup even if you live in PA.)

So, when I was offered a chance to sample Alexia products through my foodbuzz publisher affiliation I thought what better way to sample some Alexia Seasoned Waffle Fries than with a fry sauce showdown with my family. After all, my children are Utah natives they have a pretty good handle on the fry sauce culture.

First, I just have to say this. Sometimes my extremely clever 13 year old boy can revert to sheer naivete. He took one look at the waffle fries and said. "Did you make these in the waffle maker or something." So funny. As if waffle fries are easy to make, that is why I love to buy them at the fast food joint or try fozen versions like Alexia for my homemade hamburger nights.

First: our review of the waffle fries. Obviously my kids liked them. I thought they crisped up beautifully, although I was expecting them to have a little more spice kick. The spices were relatively mild. Which is probably why the kids loved them.

One of their biggest benefits in my book is their ingredient list: All natural ingredients win no trans fat.

Next benefit: perfect for dipping into fry sauce. All those little indentations perfect for holding this pink sauce.

We tried 3 fry sauces.

The original from Arctic Circle

                                 
 Famous Dave's Fry Sauce
                                   

Some Dude's

We tallied our really scientific results and this is what we decided.
Arctic Circle got 3 out of 5 votes for the best and the other two voters said they were all equal.
I personally liked Arctic Circle the best. It's got a zing. I am sorry those of you who don't have Arctic Circle near you. You will have to settle.

I did like Famous Dave's second best. It had more catsup flavor than mayo. My son's second choice was some Dude's and it leaned towards more mayo flavor. So, I guess the question is, do you prefer mayo or catsup better?

If all else fails do what my kids do sometimes. Make your own by mixing mayo and catsup together in a bowl. Experiment. Find your fry sauce nirvana.

Eggplant Caponata Sandwiches

Recipe Trial:

I have never made a caponata. So this recipe has been on my radar for a while. I have to say I am kind of in love with it. I am a big eggplant fan (and would dedicate space in my garden to this plump purple veggie if my husband and I were not the only ones eating it) and in this recipe it is just perfect. I love the way eggplant soaks up flavors and makes them better.

This recipe was even tastier the next day. Don't you just wish all leftovers were like that? I spooned it onto some hearty Italian bread, sprinkled it with some feta cheese and warmed it in the microwave for about 15 seconds. A perfect open faced sandwich. I almost retrieved the rest of the eggplant from the refrigerator so I could saute up some more caponata for the next day.

I altered this recipe a little from a recipe I found in Food and Wine. 
They added fresh avocado to theirs and I opted out (OK I didn't have any left. I have been eating avocados all week.) But I did add the feta which added that sharp tang and the Italian bread which soaked up all the tastiness. Mmm it was lip smacking.


Did I say I was in love with this recipe?

Recipe 

1. 1 to 2 tablespoons brined capers, drained
2. 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3. One 1-pound eggplant, peeled and cut into 1/3-inch dice
4. 1 medium onion, finely chopped
5. 1 celery rib, finely chopped
6. 1 medium tomato, finely chopped
7. 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
8. 2 teaspoons sugar
9. 1 teaspoon pine nut
10. Salt and freshly ground pepper 
11. 1/4 Cup of feta cheese
12. Italian Bread 

1. In a small bowl, cover the capers with water and let soak for 15 minutes; drain. Add peeled and cubed eggplant to a colander sprinkle with salt and let sit in a sink or over a bowl for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes rinse and drain eggplant.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the eggplant and cook over moderately high heat until the bottom browns, 5 minutes. Stir and cook until browned all over, 10 minutes longer. Transfer the eggplant to a bowl.
3. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the onion and celery to the skillet. Cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Add the tomato, cover and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
4. In a saucepan, simmer the vinegar and sugar to dissolve the sugar. Add the pine nuts and capers and cook for 1 minute.
5. Return the eggplant to the skillet. Stir in the vinegar mixture and cook over low heat for 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Pile caponata on bread and add a few crumbles of feta to each open faced sandwich. Warm in microwave for 15 seconds if caponata has already cooled.

Easy Coconut Rice

Sometimes I steal borrow things from my Sister -in-law. Last week it was a book. She had it -- I needed to read it. This time I may have "borrowed" her coconut rice recipe and adapted it. You can find her original at eathehughesfoodblogspot.com I try to always keep a can of coconut milk in my pantry. It's one of those things I restock as soon as I use it. Now I am not saying you need to bulk up on coconut milk unless you use it alot. But is an amazing thing to have in your pantry.

So this recipe combines this handy pantry extra and a pantry staple. Rice.  As a foodbuzz publisher sometimes I get the opportunity to taste test new food products. ( this is totally my favorite part of being a food blogger). I was recently sent the new Uncle Ben's whole grain white rice.

Yes I was intrigued. My main issue with rice is that the good stuff takes a really long time to cook. I rarely have the time for more than instant and I am a big fan of instant brown rice. But my family likes the white stuff and I love a long grain rice. So I was pretty excited to give this new rice a try. It is not instant but it cooks pretty quickly and it is a long grain rice. So while it does not have that nutty flavor I love in a brown rice, it has some definite good qualities.

I decided to give the rice a try with my SIL's coconut rice recipe. I really liked it. My family was a little put off by the coconut creaminess in their rice. But hey they have coconut issues. So I don't think their opinion really counts here. If you like a coconut rice this is a quick and easy version that makes a nice side dish to a Mexican, Carribean or Thai meal.


For 4 Servings


1 4.4 oz box of whole grain white rice

2/3 Cup of coconut milk

2/3 cup of water

1 tsp sugar

pinch salt

Directions.

2. Put the coconut milk, water sugar and salt in saucepan, stir until the sugar is dissolved and the liquid is well blended.

3. Add the rice and bring to a boil. Cover tightly and reduce the heat to its lowest setting. Simmer for 10-12 minutes.

4. The rice is done when the grains are soft enough to crush between your thumb and forefinger. 5. Turn off the heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes or until most of the water is absorbed. Stir and serve

Bacon Chayote Saute

What? How do bacon and chayotes have anything to do with a blog devoted to pantry or food storage cooking. Well hold on and I will tell you.

I pretty much like to believe that I live the real life version of Food Network's Chopped. I have to make awesome food from what I get. A couple times a month I order a veggie/fruit basket from a food co-op. For $15 I get an amazing amount of produce. But it is always a surprise. Especially when I get things like chayotes (which I have never cooked or eaten before.) I am a big believer in eating seasonal produce.

So this week I got 6 chayotes. They look like this.

And I got a care package from Foodbuzz and Tostitos offering some new dip seasonings to try. Now I do actually store powdered dip seasonings. I think of them as emergency seasoning or easy solutions for impromptu parties at my house that require delicious dip. I do have issues with some of these dip starters. I hate MSG and so I rarely buy the Hidden Valley seasonings. I was pretty excited to discover that the new Tostitos dip starters have no MSG. And the Golden Onion flavor sounded different.

Well back to the Chopped episode of my life. I decided to come up with a recipe using Chayotes and the Golden Onion dip starter from Tostitos. And some bacon (in case I hated the chayote flavor)

Turns out I love chayotes. They are like the most exotic squash ever, being that they combine a little cucumber, green apple and squash in one. Sounds weird but they are tasty raw in a salad and they absorb flavors well when sauteed to a just crisp/tender stage. I absolutely love this delicious side dish that I came up with.

This post was entered in the Denny's and Foodbuzz baconalia contest.

Bacon Chayote Saute

2 Chayote peeled, pitted and chopped.
2 Tb of margarine or butter
1/2 onion diced.
2 slices of bacon chopped
1/2 green pepper chopped
1/2 bag of Tostitos golden onion dip mix (or other dip mix flavor)

Heat butter or margarine in saute pan. Add onion, bacon and green pepper to pan and cook until onions are tender.

Toss chopped chayote with dip mix and add to saute pan. Cook and stir occasionally until chayote is tender crisp.

Serve immediately

Tabbouleh Salad -- Perfect Pantry Staple

Now in my limited understanding of stocking up on grains I have been taught that three grains are essential for food storage. Wheat, rice and oatmeal. Ummm, boring. I already have all these things and nothing gives me a self sufficiency self esteem boost like grinding my own flour. But I need variety. I need things like flax and bulgur wheat and rye.

One of my favorite salads of all time is Tabbouleh. Maybe it is my French grandmother who grew up in North Africa rubbing off on me, but I love the stuff. (Yes I know it is Middle Eastern, but she ate stuff like this) It is so healthy, refreshing, filling and unique. Add some veggies and herbs to bulgur wheat and you have a lowfat, healthy lunch or side dish.

Now there are many ways to make tabbouleh. You can do it all from scratch by buying your own bulgar wheat. Or you can buy it in expensive mixes at the grocery or you can go down to the local health store and buy the mix in bulk. I buy mine in bulk at my health food store. Because it is cheaper and then I have an easy, handy, lunch that just takes some water, olive oil, tomatoes and cucumbers. Just keep in mind that although this is an easy dish it does require some preplanning. It needs at least an hour to soak.

If you buy a pre seasoned mix follow the directions on the box or.
add 1 1/4 cup boiling water to 1/4  cup tabbouleh.
Pour boiling water over mix and let soak for 1 hour.
Add 1/4 cup lemon juice and about 1/3 cup olive oil to reconstituted mixture.
Gently stir in 2 chopped tomatoes and 1 cup cucumber, chopped.


Here is the recipe from scratch.
3/4 Cup uncooked bulgur
3/4 cup boiling water
1/4 Cup Lemon Juice
1 Tb extra virgin olive oil
2 med tomatoes chopped
1 cup diced cucumber
1/2 Cup  red onion (optional)
1/2 Cup chopped fresh parsley
2 md green onions
2 TB fresh mint, chopped
3 md garlic close
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Stir together bulgur and boiling water.
Let stand 1 hour.
Add lemon juice and oil and toss with bulgur mixture.
Gently add remaining ingredients and let chill for 1 hour.

Keeps for up to 3 days.

Peas Please! Pea Salad and a Food Storage Giveaway

This post has so many different purposes. First I want to reveiw the Freeze dried peas I received from The Ready Store. Second, I want to give you a recipe for  a yummy pea salad and Finally, I want to give away some of the amazing bounty from The Ready Store. They gave me so much and I feel the need to share.

I love fresh peas. So much so, that I have issues with canned peas. In fact, I have issues with a lot of canned veggies. I stock up on frozen peas (they are a staple in so many recipes) but I like to have a backup plan for when the power goes out or other emergencies (like I forgot to buy peas on the last shopping trip). This is a pantry/food storage cooking blog after all. And in Southern Utah we have a lot of power outages. I don't know why. We just do. So, I try to keep a couple cans of canned peas in my food storage. But frankly, I just can't bring myself to eat them. Enter the big #10 can of Saratoga Farms freeze dried peas from The Ready Store. Hmmm. Could these be the answer to my pea woes? 

These are the peas straight out of the can. Just add some water to these and let soak for 5 to 10 minutes. Then drain. I prefer a longer soak time. These peas have a little crunchiness to them and a little extra soaking time helps get rid of the freeze dried tastse.

Wow, these look like real peas. And here is my review: They are sweet and flavorful but just a little chewy or crunchy sometimes. I may not eat them plain as a side dish but they are infinitely better than those mushy canned stuff and they are really tasty in the following creamy pea salad. I also think that they would work well in a soup or casserole.  The best part:: There are no additives or preservatives. One ingredient only. Peas

The info: Cost $19.95

Servings per container: 24

Shelf Life 30 years unopened (that is forever) or several weeks once opened.

Now give this tasty creamy pea salad a try with any peas (except canned)

I used the rehydrated freeze dried peas and it turned out pretty tasty.

Adapted from a recipe by Camille Schank

This recipe can easily be halved

20 oz of frozen peas, defrosted  or 3 cups fresh or rehydrated freeze dried peas

1/4 Cup green onions, chopped

8 slices of bacon, chopped

1/4 Cup mayo

1/4 cup Sour Cream or plain yogurt ( I used greek yogurt because that is what I had)

2 TB parsley or 2 Tsp parsley flakes

salt and pepper to taste

dillweed to taste

Mix mayo, yogurt or sour cream, parsley, salt and pepper and dillweed. Combine with remaining ingredients: peas, onions and bacon. Chill for at least 1/2 hour.

The Give-Away 

 The Ready Store sent me a full box of goodies and I want to share some of the goodies with my readers. I am keeping a few of the items including the wind up rechargeable flashlight/FM/Am radio/Siren/cell phone charger. What an awesome idea. This will be perfect for our 72 hour kits.

It is a double whammy prize: 

I already have lots of dried apple chips in my food storage. They are one of my family's favorite snacks. So, I am giving away a #10 can of freeze dried cinnamon apple chips from The Ready Store. I am also giving away one of their emergency kit portable canisters. I already have something similar in each of my cars and I think they are a handy space saving emergency kit that can be tossed in cars or a backpack for a day hike.

Each portable kit includes

1) 32 oz Water Bottle
Warmth & Shelter (4 Pieces):
(1) Emergency Blanket
(1) Emergency Poncho
(2) 8-Hour Handwarmers
Light & Communication (2 Pieces):
(1) 12-Hour Lightstick
(1) Mini LED Flashlight with Batteries
Emergency Tools (2 Pieces):
(1) 5-in-1 Survival Aid with Compass
(1) 12-Function Swiss Style Knife
First Aid (1 Piece):
(1) 12pc First-Aid Kit

Here is how you win. Please make a comment at the bottom of this post on what you want to stock up on in your pantry this month, whether it is Nutella or turkey gravy, I am interested to know what people want in their food storage. Please leave some way to email you either through a link to your contact info or with your email address, The contest starts April 12 and ends on April 19th. Due to shipping costs, I need to limit this contest to residents in the United States. The winner will be randomly chosen on April 19th.

Good Luck!.

Quickie Baked Beans

Today I post a recipe that is just for the love of my eight-year-old daughter. She is a little different when it comes to her taste in food. At least different than me. The girl loves baked beans. She also loves anything with bacon and barbecue sauce. However, she would rather eat her noodles plain than with spaghetti sauce, she hates onions and shrimp and mushrooms and apple pies. Weird, I tell you. But because I love her I occasionally whip up some baked beans. And I say whipped because I am one busy mom and the bean thing is usually a last minute decision. So, while I will eventually post a made from scratch baked beans recipe, today I am going to give you the easiest quickest way to make those pork and beans from the pantry taste delicious.

Did I tell you she doesn't like her pork and beans straight from the can. Fortunately, my husband is a big baked beans fan as well (that's where she gets it from). And so just in case you have a bean lover in your house or you are trying to think of a way to add some flavor to that can of pork and beans on your pantry or food storage shelf, I bring you the easy peasy recipe very slightly adapted from my well-worn, well-loved Better Homes and Gardens cookbook.

This recipe can be doubled

3 slices bacon

2 Tb of dried minced onions (or 1/4 cup chopped onion)

1 can of pork and beans in tomato sauce

1/8 cup of catsup

1 Tb of brown sugar

1 tsp of prepared mustard

1/2 tsp of Worcestire sauce.

Cook bacon until crisp. In a medium saucepan combine all ingredients and cook over low heat for 15 minutes until mixture begins to thicken and is heated through. Stir frequently to prevent the bottom from burning.

Hammy Hashbrowns Straight From the Pantry

Featured Food Storage: Canned Ham
Pantry Suggestion: Boxed dehydrated Golden Russet hash brown potatoes

I bought a case of canned smoked ham. Unfortunately, I have never used smoked canned ham. I have been trying to think of a way to use this new addition to my food storage when I caught sight of the dwindling supply of boxed hash browns. Oh Yes! This had to work. And it did and it was delicious and it was so pantry friendly. This is so ridiculously easy it is more like a tip on how to use that canned ham. It is also a review of one of my favorite pantry items. I love these hash brown boxes.

They store so beautifully, they cook up absolutely delicious with just a little oil and they are way better than the frozen variety. Yes, I know I could shred my own hash browns but frankly this is so much easier. Open box, pour water to fill line and let sit for 10 minutes. I buy mine in a multi-pack from Costco.

Here is my recipe for Hammy Hash browns.

One box of hash browns or 3 cups other hash browns

2 - 6 oz cans of smoked ham

Salt and pepper

2 Tb oil

1/2 Cup cheddar cheese (optional)

Prepare your hash browns according to directions. Heat grill pan. Heat oil. Add hash browns and ham. Stir with spatula and then let set until underside begins to brown. Season with salt and pepper. Continue to turn hash browns and ham until browned. Add cheese if using and stir until cheese starts to melt. Serve warm

TIP: These would be yummy with a little salsa from the pantry.

Swiss Cheese Popover

I am always looking for a simple bread side for dinner. I want easy and I want variety. My husband actually whipped these up for Tuesday soup night and I really liked them. The Swiss cheese and egg added to this simple batter was delicious. To be fair my children did not love them. But we are still in the process of trying to convert them to Swiss cheese. My hubby liked the toasted cheese crust the best and I liked the interesting texture of these popovers.

Swiss Cheese Popovers
1/2 Cup flour
1/8 tsp salt
1 egg, room temperature
1/2 Cup milk room temperature ( we actually used reconstituted Morning Moos powdered milk and these turned out fine)
1 TB melted butter
1.2 tsp Dijon-Style mustard
6 TB shredded Swiss cheese

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Stir flour and salt in medium bowl. Beat egg, milk, melted butter, and mustard in a different bowl. Pour over flour and stir to form batter. Do not beat.

Grease 4muffin cups and fill each cup with 1 TB shredded cheese. Allow cheese to stick to sides of muffin tins. Divide batter between cheese coated cups. Top with remaining cheese. Fill empty cups half-full of water for even baking.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until popovers have risen and are golden brown. Remove from muffin tin and serve warm.

Pear Pecan Salad with Homemade Raspberry Vinaigrette

Featured Pantry/Food Storage Items: Canned Pears, Vinegar and Nuts.

Pantry Storage Suggestion: Stock up on an extra bag of nuts this grocery tip.

This is going to be a special post with three recipes. Why am I feeling so generous? Frankly, I am so busy preserving food I only have time to do one post but also because all these recipes go together. They need to be together.

I often question my sanity while in the throes of canning season. "Do I really need all those canned pears?" I ask myself. After stumbling across this salad the other day using some canned pears, all I could think of was maybe I need to do more pears. I restrained myself. I still have so much canning to do, including salsa, which is really a project. Anywho -- I also do canned pears because the difference between home canned pears and store canned pears is laughable. They are so tasty when you do them yourselves. I can my pears in 100% white grape juice. I decided to throw some canned pears in my spinach salad. Garnished by yummy extras and some raspberry vinaigrette, heavenly.

Well, now I decided I needed to make my own raspberry vinegar (I had extra raspberries after two batches of raspberry jam) just so I could make my own vinaigrette all winter. So, I bring you the tasty three recipes that will keep you in delicious salads bright with flavor year round. My daughter, a non salad dressing kind of gal, loves this stuff. She asks for it on everything from her raisins to her spinach.

Raspberry Vinegar.

2 Cups raspberries

1 quart white wine or white vinegar

1/2 Cup sugar

Mash fruit in a large bowl. Put crushed fruit, vinegar and sugar into a large nonreactive pot. Bring to a simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, until cool. To remove fruit pulp, strain through a cheesecloth lined funnel into glass container. Cap with a nonmetallic lid. I like the new plastic screw on lids for canning jars. If you decide to use a decorative jar make sure it has a plastic or cork lid. The vinegar can be used immediately.

Raspberry Vinaigrette I actually cut the following recipe by 1/3 because the dressing should be used in 7 to 10 days and I am more of a sprinkler than a pourer.

1 1/2 Cup raspberry vinegar

3/4 cup sugar

1 TB poppy seeds

1/2 tsp dry mustard

1/2 Cup vegetable oil.

a dash of salt (optional)

Mix raspberry vinegar and sugar in a bowl and let sit until sugar is dissolved. Add poppy seeds and dry mustard and salt. Mix well. Whisk in oil and whisk until well combined. Chill and serve.

Pear Pecan Salad There are no real measurements here because it depends on how many people you are feeding.

Canned pears (I would use 2 halves per person.)

Baby spinach

A handful or two of pecans

1/4 cup of mozzarella cheese chunks per person

herbed croutons

freshly shredded Parmesan cheese

Toss and top with Raspberry Vinaigrette.

Ratatouille -- Heritage Cooking

Featured Food: Zucchini for Zucchini week

Ratatouille makes me smile from the beginning. I catch myself grinning as I chop eggplant and slice green peppers. I admit there is always a certain silent zen that I achieve when I am chopping veggies but the thought of making this dish my French grandmother used to make for me, brings me sheer joy. Perhaps you have a dish that brings you joy from the making all the way to the eating. Hopefully, this post will inspire you to go make your happy food. My first bite of a perfect ratatouille is the beautiful fusion of memory and present. I just wish my kids could experience the same ratatouille nirvana. Someday, I tell myself, they will totally get it. For now, they at least love the couscous I serve it on.

I know every foodie out there knows how to make ratatouille. But this is the recipe my French Grandma Mimi who grew up in Morocco taught my mother, her daughter-in-law, and I love it. My family version takes about half an hour to cook. Although it is all about the fresh veggies and there are few pantry items in sight, most of the ingredients can come straight from the garden and I believe a garden is a living pantry. I do so love summer when so fewer things come out of a box or a can. I did have to go buy the eggplant. But only because last year when I grew eggplant I was the only one in the family eating it. This year I decided to give more space to a more well loved veggie, cucumbers.

Grandma Mimi's Ratatouille (I halved my recipe because this really does make a lot)

1 Tb Olive Oil

1 eggplant cubed

2 medium zucchini cubed

2 medium onions sliced

1 green pepper sliced

1 to 2 med tomatoes cubed ( I actually used some of my canned tomatoes)

1- 8 oz can of tomato sauce

Dash of cumin (you really need the cumin but don't overdo it)

1 tsp of garlic powder or a little more to taste.

Dash of salt.

Prepare eggplant by peeling and chopping into cubes. Place a layer of eggplant in strainer and sprinkle with salt. Repeat layers and salt. Let sit over a bowl or in sink for 10 minutes. Drain. This process reduces the bitter flavor of eggplant.

Heat oil in frying pan over medium heat. Saute onion 2 to 3 minutes. Add green pepper; saute 2 to 3 minutes. Add zucchini and saute for 1 to 2 minutes. Add tomato sauce, eggplant, and spices. Stir well and cook over medium low heat for about 15 minutes or until veggies are tender/crisp. Stir often but you can cover between stirring.

Serve over rice or couscous.

TIP: Ratatouille makes a great vegetarian meal and the leftovers make an even better low cal lunch the next day.

Russian Cooked Vegetable Salad

Featured Food Storage/Pantry Items: Canned beets or fresh beets, canned peas, pickles.

Storage Suggestion: Stock up on canned beets or preserve beets from your garden.

I have been trying to come up with a salad recipe for this blog that featured mostly food storage and pantry items for some time now. Then I remembered this favorite salad of mine which is an authentic Russian dish. I was first served it by our Russian friends. The weird part is I am not usually a fan of canned beets or canned peas but I love them in this recipe. You can always use fresh beets from your garden also. The best part about this recipe is that it uses long storage veggies like carrots and potatoes and canned veggies. A perfect food storage recipe that features a bright and fresh flavor.

Russian Salad

1 can (16 oz) of sliced beets (I actually used a smaller can and it turned out fine)

3 medium size potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes

2 medium size carrots, peeled

3/4 cup chopped onion

3 medium size dill pickles or 1/2 cup , cut into 1/2 inch dice

1 can peas

1/4 cup chopped scallions

1/ Cup finely chopped dill or 1 TB dried dill

Salt and pepper to taste

Dressing:

1 tsp dry mustard

1/2 tsp sugar

3 Tb red wine vinegar

1/3 Cup sunflower or canola oil

Salt freshly ground pepper to taste

Peel and dice potatoes and boil in lightly salted water until tender but still slightly firm. Drain and chill potatoes in refrigerator. Chop remaining veggies while potatoes are cooking. Combine veggies with cooled potatoes and season with dill and salt and pepper. Toss gently. Whisk dressing ingredients together and toss gently with salad.

Herbed Crockpot Pork Chops and Cheesy Garlic Food Storage Potatoes

Featured Food Storage and Pantry: Cream of Onion Soup, home grown herbs, and Instant Potato Pearls

I have to admit pork chops in the crockpot is not my favorite way to prepare a chop. I do however think this recipe where the meat was falling off the bone had an interesting twist on the typical creamy crockpot pork chop recipe. And I had a busy day that made my slow cooker necessary. In the spirit of food storage I decided to try cheesy garlic mashed potatoes with instant just to see how it worked out. It definitely gave those instant potatoes a tasty kick. Of course they are not as good as the real spuds but they were pretty good for instant, which I use way more often than I should admit. I am a lazy mashed potato cooker.

Finally, I would like to encourage you to grow your own herbs. Fresh, or so called fresh herbs, in the store cost as much or more than buying the actual plant. I truly believe anyone, including the space challenged can find a corner on a patio, porch or in a window sill to grow their favorite fresh herbs. They continue to grow for many months and they do, dare I say it, add a little spice and flavor to your plain Jane pantry meals. I just barely used up the last of my frozen pesto from last year's basil crop. Oh, the possibilities are endless and the savings are worth it. This year I am growing sage, basil, thyme, tarragon, mint, oregano, chives, rosemary and parsley. You don't need a designated herb garden. I have them tucked everywhere; in my garden, my flower beds and my pots.

Recipe
6 bone in pork chops
2 Tbs mixed herbs, chopped ( I used sage, rosemary and parsley).
2 garlic cloves minced
1 Tb butter
salt and pepper to taste
1 Can cream of onion soup
1/2 Cup of Apple juice (I actually used an apple/mango juice)

Melt butter in a saute pan. Season pork chops with salt and pepper. Mix herbs and garlic and rub on pork chops. Brown pork chops in butter for 1 to 2 minutes per side, until barely browned. Place pork chops in the crockpot and add soup and apple juice. Cook on low for 6 hours.

Cheesy Garlic Mashed Potatoes
For 6 servings

Instant potato pearls cooked according to package directions and desired consistency.
5 Cloves of garlic finely minced
1 Tb chives, finely chopped
1 Cup cheddar cheese

Saute garlic cloves for 1 to 2 minutes in 1/2 Tb olive oil or until slightly softened. Stir or whip garlic, chives and cheddar cheese into hot mashed potatoes and serve. Make sure your garlic is finely minced or you will be getting garlic chunks. Of course, maybe you like chunky garlic bits.

Orange Poppy Seed Dressing

I am on a semi diet again (ssh! I don't want to let my body know what my brain is planning. I become instantly hungry the moment I decide to eat better). As part of my dieting plan I decided I needed to eat more salads and that is Reason #1 that this beautiful orange poppy seed dressing had to be made. I am a big fan of poppy seed dressing. Unfortunately, it is a little over the top in the sugar department. This fresh citrus alternative may just save me as I launch my week of salads for lunch. It is nonfat and uses honey instead of refined sugar. The second reason: Have you seen the cost of salad dressing? If I want to climb out of an Italian dressing rut I need to start making some of my own dressings. I had all the ingredients for this pantry friendly dressing on hand. Although, I rarely buy straight orange juice concentrate. Next time I am going to make this dressing with the orange/pineapple juice I always have stocked. That ought to give it an interesting kick.

This dressing is quite tart but I am loving it on top of watermelon and spinach. If you want to sweeten it, add a touch more honey. All the credit for this recipe goes to Sue Dannahower who had it published at Taste of Home

Ingredients
4 tsp cornstarch
6 TB cold water
1 1/3 Cups Orange Juice
1/4 Cup white vinegar
4 tsp honey dijon mustard
4 tsp honey (add a little more for extra sweetness)
1 1/2 tsp poppy seeds
1/2 tsp salt

In a medium saucepan, stir cornstarch and water until smooth. Stir in the OJ, vinegar, mustard and honey. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 1 minute or until slightly thickened. Stir in poppy seeds and salt and chill in refrigerator.

TIP
Honey Mustard is a great flavor enhancer for many dishes. Buy an extra bottle next time it is on sale and add it to your pantry shelves. Also, spinach is a great garden staple. Plan on planting it this fall for Spring crop next year.

Quick Rice Pudding

Featured Food Storage: rice, pudding, raisins
Every once in a while I get a hankering for rice pudding. But with a busy hectic dinner time I want to be able to make a quick healthy version. So yes, I cheat. This version from Kraft only takes 20 minutes opposed to the 40 minute or 1 hour recipes. I also did not have instant white rice so I used instant brown rice. I also used a no sugar added cook and serve pudding. You can certainly use white rice and the regular cook and serve pudding. But I was happy with my healthy low sugar pudding and it satisfied my craving whether it was warm or chilled.

1 egg
4 Cups milk (I used lowfat)
1 pkg (4 serving size) vanilla flavored Cook and Serve pudding
1 Cup instant white or brown rice, uncooked
1/2 Cup raisins
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg

Beat egg with wisk in a large saucepan. Gradually add milk, beating until well blended. Add pudding mix; stir 2 minutes. Stir in rice and raisins.

Bring to a full rolling boil on medium heat, stirring constantly. This takes 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The longer it rests the thicker the consistency.
Sprinkle with spices and serve. Makes 5 1/2 Cup servings.

Heritage Cooking -- Nana's Enchilada Casserole and Cowboy Caviar

I am so excited that Cinco De Mayo and my kids' spring break coincided. We cooked our Mexican meal a day early because we will have to settle for fast food tacos on the real Cinco De Mayo, due to the fact that we are going to planted at the baseball field for two hours during chow time.

I have been eagerly awaiting my kids next break so I could teach them this easy family favorite made by their Nana. I amped up the recipe by adding the fried eggs, or I should say my husband fried up the eggs. We have been missing an enchilada montada from a now closed down Mexican restaurant. The owner moved on to greener money pastures. I decided that a fried egg with a soft liquid center would be perfect on top of his Mom's enchilada casserole. The "Cowboy Caviar" which is by no means an exclusive family secret is still a family favorite made often by my sister-in-laws. Like the casserole, it also uses a lot of pantry staples. This meal resulted in happy people and an especially happy husband. My kids enjoyed shredding the store bought roasted chicken and layering the casserole. Of course, you can always use canned chicken. It just won't be as tasty. I love when family dinner is the highlight of the day.

Here is a link to the Cowboy Caviar recipe. Cowboy Caviar.

Enchilada Casserole (serves 12)
1 roasted chicken (shredded)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 TB dried onions or 1 onion finely chopped
1 Cup salsa
1 1/2 Cups milk
2 Cups shredded cheese (A sharper cheddar or a monterey jack makes for a tangier casserole.)
12 corn tortillas

Spray with nonstick cooking spray, a large casserole dish.
Combine liquid ingredients and stir until well combined.
Spread 1/4 Cup sauce onto bottom of casserole. Cover with 1/3 of corn tortillas.
Evenly layer 1/2 chicken, 1/3 cheese, 1/3 sauce mixture.
Repeat layers starting with tortillas.
Add third layer of tortillas, remaining sauce and cheese.
Spray a piece of tinfoil to cover casserole.
Bake at 325 for 1 1/2 hours.

Top with a fried egg if you feel so inclined.

Lemon Rice Pilaf

Featured Pantry Items: Rice and chicken broth

Part of my goal with this blog is to try some of the common food storage recipes in my food storage books. So, this is one of those recipes that I tried and found surprisingly addicting. As rice is one of my food storage staples, I use it a lot. I get bored of the same old rice side and I am often left disappointed by those boxed pilaf versions. I thought this buttery lemon version made a tasty side dish alternative to my overused butter on the rice version.

2 Cups uncooked rice
1/2 Cup butter
4 Cups chicken broth
1/2 cup lemon juice (try to use some fresh if you have it)
1 tsp garlic powder.
1 TB parsley flakes
1 tsp basil
salt and pepper to taste

Bring chicken broth to a boil. Add rice and reduce heat to warm.
Melt butter and mix with lemon juice and seasoning. Add to rice and broth and allow rice to absorb the broth and lemon mixture. It should take approximately 20 minutes. Remove from heat allow to rest for a couple minutes before serving.

Tip:
If you store lemon powder in your food storage you could reconstitute for the lemon juice.