Sweet and Spicy Pickled Radishes

Ingredients:

1 lb. radishes, sliced thin

1/4 C. cilantro, chopped

1 jalapeno, stem removed, finely diced

1 C. distilled white vinegar plus more as needed

2 T. sugar

2 T. kosher salt

1 t. red pepper flakes, optional

1 T. mustard seed

Directions:

1. Wash and dry the radishes.
2. Thinly slice the radishes and add to a large bowl along with the chopped cilantro and diced jalapeño, set aside.
3. In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar with the sugar and salt and stir until dissolved. 
4. Bring mixture to a low boil on the stove, then turn off and allow to cool completely. 
5. Pack a quart canning jar to the top with the radish/cilantro/jalapeño mixture. 
6. Pack tightly. 
7. Sprinkle the red pepper flakes and mustard seed on the top of the packed radishes.
8. Pour the cooled vinegar mixture over the top of the mixture in the jar, if needed, top off with additional vinegar and a pinch of salt.
9. Place the lid and ring tightly on the jar and allow to sit at room temperature for 24 hours before placing in the refrigerator.
10. Consume within 7-10 days.

Cheese and Pepperoni Pizza Stromboli

Ingredients:

Pizza Crust Dough

Pizza or spaghetti sauce

Mozzarella cheese

Pepperoni

Note:  Thinly sliced toppings work the best.  Also toppings that do not produce a lot of moisture also work better.

Directions:

1. Make the pizza dough and roll it out into a thin rectangle.
2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
3. Cover 2/3 of the dough (left side) with a thin layer of pizza or spaghetti sauce; make sure to leave a 1-inch edge without sauce and the 1/3 of the dough (right side) without sauce to allow the dough to seal properly.
4. Sprinkle with an even, yet thin layer of cheese.
5. Layer on the pepperoni or other toppings.
6. Starting with short edge of rectangle on the left side of the dough, roll the dough up and pinch the edges closed to seal in the ingredients.
7. Place the Stromboli seam side down on a foil lined baking sheet.
8. Bake for 15 minutes, until the crust is golden brown.
9. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before slicing.

Homemade Pickled Ginger (Gari)

 Ingredients:

8 ounces fresh young ginger root, peeled

1 ½ t. sea salt

1 C. rice vinegar

⅓ C. white sugar

Directions:

1. Slice ginger into paper-thin slices. 
2. Place in a bowl, sprinkle with sea salt, and stir to coat. 
3. Let stand for about 30 minutes.
4. Rinse most of salt from ginger slices, then transfer to a clean lidded jar.
5. In a saucepan, stir together rice vinegar and sugar until sugar has dissolved. 
6. Bring to a boil, then pour the boiling liquid over ginger slices in the jar.
7. Seal the jar. 
8. After a few minutes, the liquid may change to a slightly pinkish color; don't be alarmed. 
9. Store in the refrigerator for at least 1 week.

Tamale Pie

 Ingredients:

1 box corn muffin mix (such as Jiffy)

1 large egg

1/2 c. sour cream

1/2 c. canned creamed corn

1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. chili powder

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded.

1/2 c. red enchilada sauce

1 c. shredded cheddar

1 c. shredded Monterey Jack

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°. 
2. Grease a large oven-safe skillet with cooking spray. 
3. In a large bowl, whisk together corn muffin mix, egg, sour cream, and creamed corn. 
4. Transfer to prepared skillet and bake until golden, 20 minutes. Let cool.
5. Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. 
6. Add onion, cumin, and chili powder and season with salt and pepper. 
7. Cook until soft, 5 minutes. 
8. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute more. 
9. Add chicken to onion and garlic mixture.
10. Add 1/3 cup of enchilada sauce.
11. Poke entire surface of cornbread with a fork and pour over remaining enchilada sauce. 
12. Spread chicken mixture over crust.
13. Sprinkle with cheeses.
14. Cover with foil and bake until cheese is melty, about 20 minutes. 
15. Switch oven to broil, remove foil, and broil until cheese turns golden, about 5 minutes.

Homemade Flour Tortillas Made From Scratch

Ingredients:

1 3/4 C. All-purpose Flour

1/2 C. Water

1/4 C. Coconut Oil

1 t. Salt

1/2 t. Baking Powder, optional

Directions:

1. Heat the water in the microwave. 
2. Then mix the oil into the water until it is all melted. 
3. In a large mixing bowl add flour, salt, and baking powder and mix well.
4. Pour the water-oil mixture over the flour, using a fork mix it together well. 
5. Using your hands, knead the dough several times. It should look and feel like a big ball of playdough. 
6. Divide that dough into 9 balls. 
7. Flatten each ball with your hand trying to keep it as round as you can.
8. On a clean suffice or plate add a light dusting of flour then place one of the flattened balls on top. Lightly dust the top of the ball with flour. 
9. Using a rolling pin (or a tortilla press if you have one) slowly start working around in a circle to flatten it out. You want to get it as thin as you can without ripping it. 
10. After you have it flattened heat a non-stick or cast iron skillet on medium to high heat on the stove. Cook it about 40 to 60 seconds on each side. 
11. Repeat for each tortilla.
12. When you remove from the pan, place in a warmer or on a plate with a lid over it to keep them hot and moist do they do not harden or dry. 

Impossibly Easy Cheeseburger Pie

Ingredients:

1 lb. extra lean ground beef

1 C. onion, diced

1/2 t. salt

1 C. shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 C. Bisquick Baking Mix

1 C. milk

2 eggs

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Spray 9" pie plate with cooking spray.
3. Cook ground beef and chopped onions until beef is brown; drain.
4. Stir in salt
5. Spread in pie plate and sprinkle with cheese.
6. Stir remaining ingredients until blended.
7. Pour into pie plate.
8. Bake 25 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Zucchini Fritters

 Ingredients:

2 zucchini

2 carrots

1 onion

salt, pepper and spices to taste

4 T. flour

1 egg

Directions:

1. Grate the zucchini, carrots, and onion into a bowl.
2. Remove excess moisture from mixture.
3. Add salt, pepper, flour and egg, and mix well.
4. Form into pancake shapes.
5. Place into hot oil to cook

Party Pretzels

 

Ingredients:

4 to 4 1/2 C. all-purpose flour

1 pkg. active dry yeast

2 T. sugar

2 1/2 T. salt, divided

1 C. milk

1/2 C. water

2 T. vegetable oil

2 eggs, lightly beaten with 1 T. water

Vegetable cooking spray

Coarse salt, Parmesan cheese, poppy, sesame or dill seeds

Directions:

1. In a large bowl thoroughly mix 1 1/2 cups four, undissolved yeast, sugar and 1/2 teaspoons salt.
2. Heat milk, water and oil to 120 to 130 degrees.
3. Add to dry ingredients and beat 2 minutes at low speed of an electric mixer.
4. Increase speed to high, beat an additional 2 minutes.
5. Stir in enough additional flour to make a soft dough.
6. Knead dough on a floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
7. Place in a bowl coated with vegetable cooking spray.
8. Cover; let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 30 to 40 minutes.
9. Punch dough down. Divide dough into 12 portions.
10. Roll each piece into a 12-inch rope.
11. To make pretzels, curve ends of each rope to make a circle; cross ends at top.  
12. Twist ends once and lay down over the bottom of the circle.
13. Cover shaped pretzels; let rest in a warm, draft-free place for 5 to 10 minutes, until risen slightly.
14. In a large pot bring 2 quarts of water and remaining 2 tablespoons of salt to a boil; reduce heat to simmer.
15. Place 4 to 5 pretzels in water; cook 20 seconds, turning once to cook both sides. 
16. Remove and drain on a wire rack.
17. Repeat with remaining pretzels.
18. Place pretzels on baking sheets coated with vegetable cooking spray.
19. Brush with beaten egg mixture and sprinkle with desired toppings.
20. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 35 minutes or until done. 
21. Cool pretzels on wire rack.  
22. Serve with various spreads or dips, if desired.

Tip:

If you are looking for Pretzel Buns, but are having a hard time finding them in the store, try using the recipe above, but instead of shaping them into pretzels in Step 10, shape them into round buns.  We did this and they were quite good.

Microwave Sticky Buns

Ingredients:

3 T. butter
1/3 C. brown sugar
1 T. water
1 t. cinnamon
1 can refrigerator biscuits
1/2 C. chopped nuts (optional)

Directions:

1. In 8 inch round glass dish combine: butter, sugar, water, and cinnamon. 
2. Microwave on high for 1 minute. 
3. Stir as soon as butter is melted. 
4. Stir in nuts. 
5. Separate biscuits. 
6. Cut each into quarters. 
7. Place into sugar mixture. 
8. Stir carefully to coat each piece. 
9. Push biscuits to outside of dish and place a custard dish in center upside down. 
10. Cook on high 2 1/2 to 3 minutes. 
11. Remove custard dish and let stand 2 minutes before pulling sections apart. 

Tip: dump sticky buns onto a serving platter, put round plate over buns upside down then turn over. Remove custard dish afterwards.

Crockpot Beefy Potato Taco Casserole

 

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef
2 cloves garlic minced
1 oz. packet taco seasoning
10.5 oz. cheddar cheese soup
4 C. potatoes sliced
2 C. shredded cheddar cheese

1 C. beef broth

Directions:

1. Brown your ground beef with garlic and drain.
2. Place your potato slices in the bottom of a slightly greased 4-quart crock pot.
3. Spread your ground beef evenly on top of your potatoes.
4. Sprinkle your taco seasoning on top of everything.
5. Spoon your soup evenly on top.
6. Sprinkle your cheese evenly across the top of everything.
7. Gently pour your beef broth evenly around your crockpot.
8. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or high for 2-2.5 hours.
9. Let it cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Kimchi

Ingredients:

1 medium head Napa cabbage (about 2 pounds)

1/4 C. iodine-free sea salt or kosher salt 

Water, preferably distilled or filtered

1 T. grated garlic (5 to 6 cloves)

1 t. grated, peeled fresh ginger

1 t. granulated sugar

2 T. fish sauce or salted shrimp paste, or 3 tablespoons water

1 to 5 T. Korean red pepper flakes (gochugaru)

8 oz. Korean radish or daikon radish, peeled and cut into matchsticks

4 medium scallions, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

Directions:

1. Cut the cabbage lengthwise through the stem into quarters. 
2. Cut the cores from each piece. 
3. Cut each quarter crosswise into 2-inch-wide strips.
4. Place the cabbage in a large bowl and sprinkle with the salt. 
5. Using your hands, massage the salt into the cabbage until it starts to soften a bit. 
6. Add enough water to cover the cabbage. 
7. Put a plate on top of the cabbage and weigh it down with something heavy, like a jar or can of beans. 
8. Let stand for 1 to 2 hours.
9. Rinse the cabbage under cold water 3 times. 
10. Set aside to drain in a colander for 15 to 20 minutes. 
11. Meanwhile, make the spice paste.
12. Rinse and dry the bowl you used for salting. 
13. Add the garlic, ginger, sugar, and fish sauce, shrimp paste, or water and stir into a smooth paste.
14. Stir in the gochugaru, using 1 tablespoon for mild and up to 5 tablespoons for spicy; set aside until the cabbage is ready.
15. Combine the vegetables and spice paste. 
16. Gently squeeze any remaining water from the cabbage and add it to the spice paste. 
17. Add the radish and scallions.
18. Using your hands, gently work the paste into the vegetables until they are thoroughly coated.  The gloves are optional here but highly recommended to protect your hands from stings, stains, and smells!
19. Pack the kimchi into a 1-quart jar(s). Press down on the kimchi until the brine (the liquid that comes out) rises to cover the vegetables, leaving at least 1 inch of space at the top. 
20. Seal the jar.
21. Place a bowl or plate under the jar to help catch any overflow. Let the jar stand at cool room temperature, out of direct sunlight, for 1 to 5 days. 
22. You may see bubbles inside the jar and brine may seep out of the lid.
23. Check the kimchi once a day, opening the jar and pressing down on the vegetables with a clean finger or spoon to keep them submerged under the brine. 
24. Taste a little at this point, too! 
25. When the kimchi tastes ripe enough for your liking, transfer the jar to the refrigerator. 
26. You may eat it right away, but it's best after another week or two. 

The Original Fantasy Fudge

 Ingredients:

3 C. white sugar

¾ C. margarine

⅔ C. evaporated milk

1 (12 oz.) bag semisweet chocolate chips (3 C.)

1 (7 oz.) jar marshmallow cream

1 C. chopped walnuts, optional

1 t. vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Line a 8x8 pan with aluminum foil.
2. Mix sugar, margarine, and evaporated milk in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. 
3. Bring mixture to a full boil and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
4. Remove from the heat and add chocolate chips; stir until chocolate chips are melted and mixture is thoroughly combined. 
5. Stir in marshmallow cream until incorporated. 
6. Mix in walnuts and vanilla.
7. Transfer fudge to the prepared pan and use an offset spatula to spread out and flatten. 
8. Let cool for at least 1 hour before cutting into squares.

Tteokbokki – Spicy Korean Rice Cakes

 

Ingredients:

1 C. rice cake (dduk/tteok) for tteokbokki (5-6 oz.)

2 t. Korean spicy bean paste (gochujang)

2 t. sugar

1 t. soy sauce

3/4 C. water

Sesame seeds (optional)

Sesame oil (optional)

Directions:

1. If your tteok/dduk is frozen, defrost by soaking in cold water for a few minutes and drain.
2. Add water, gochujang and sugar to a pan and bring to a boil on medium high heat.
3. Add the tteokbokki tteok to the gochujang water and lower the heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes until broth is reduced and sauce is thick.
4. For extra flavor, sprinkle some sesame seeds and/or a swirl of sesame oil.