Seeds Arrived! Hurry, Spring!

Just last Friday eve I entered my Baker Creek, and they were already in my mailbox this afternoon! We've ordered from them for about 5 years or so now. The order is always received quickly! There is a full list of what all we ordered here, but I am especially excited about a few varieties in particular. I'll link to the order page for each if you're interested:

First, I FINALLY got around to ordering Mexican Sour Gherkins Cucumber. Pickled veggies are a staple in my every day diet, and I have been very curious as to how these might taste when pickled in Dad's Dilly Bean brine.

We have never really had good luck with large carrots, so we thought perhaps some of the smaller rooted varieties might be something worth trying instead. I wanted Parisienne, a sort of radish sized and shaped variety, and Brian was eyeing the narrower Little Finger, so we went with both! We were also given a second packet of Parisienne as our free gift! Can never have too many carrots.

Then, there are the grains, Golden Giant Amaranth and White Sonora Wheat. I am not sure exactly how they will fare in Zone 6a here, but I thought it was worth a shot. I'm really interested in grinding flour and making breads and tortillas.

Brian insisted we order the world's hottest pepper, the Trinidad Scorpion Pepper. An old classmate of mine commented that they are "ridiculously hot". In the past we've grown Habaneros, which are great in chili when used sparingly. I guess, we'll have to see!

I had mentioned maybe a week ago that I'd like to expand my herb garden and begin market selling at some point. Baker Creek has many herb seeds to choose from, although they don't specialize in them. I ordered 9 different varieties to add this year! At some point, I may put in an order to Richter's Herbs, who specialize in herb seeds and plants as well. I have a little research to do regarding the planting conditions of a few of them yet.

I was honestly in a pretty grumpy, cabin feverish mood this afternoon, but as soon as I saw that envelope in my mailbox, it was all good LOL Are you planting anything new this year? Have any advice concerning these I mentioned? Comment below!

You may order a FREE Baker Creek Seed catalog HERE.

DEHYDRATING: Peppers

Sweet Peppers are a fairly common ingredient, found in cuisines across the globe. Unfortunately, they are quite expensive in the off-season. Preserve your harvest efficiently by dehydration!

Dehydrating peppers (both sweet and hot) is extremely simple. All you have to do is either slice or dice the peppers, and dehydrate at 135 degrees for 10-12 hours (slices take longer than dices). When they are done, they will be very stiff, and slices will snap in half easily. Store your peppers in jar in a cool, dark place. If you plan on storing your peppers longer than one year, place an oxygen absorber in the jar. (Available HERE)

Cooking with your dehydrated peppers is easy as well. If you're making sauce or chili, simply add them as is to the pot (if you are using slices, crush them first). They will rehydrate during the cooking process. If you'd like to use them on pizza or in salads, soak in lukewarm water for 20 minutes before adding them to your recipe.

Personally, I prefer slices, as it's more time efficient, and can be easily crushed before use. If you are dehydrating for pizza topping or in pasta salads, I'd recommend dices for presentation.

RECIPE: Spicy Venison Chili

As harvest season begins to draw to a close the days grow shorter and cooler, bringing in both deer hunting season and tailgating season. Here's a great way to utilize those home canned tomatoes and harvested meat and please guests at the same time. This chili can be made ahead in large batches and frozen.

Chili has been frozen and thawed after 6 months. 

INGREDIENTS:

3 lbs. Ground Venison

1 Large Yellow Onion, chopped

3 Cloves Garlic, minced**

2 Cans Chili Beans

2 Cans Chili Beans in Spicy Sauce*

2 Qt. Home Canned Tomatoes with Juice, diced

1 6 oz. Can Tomato Paste

3 Stalks Celery, chopped

2 Green Peppers, seeded and diced

1/2 Bottle of Beer (We use Miller Genuine Draft)

1 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce

1 Tbsp. Tabasco Sauce**

4 tsp. Beef Bouillon Granules

1/4 c. Chili Powder

1 Tbsp. Cayenne**

1 Tbsp. Cumin

1 Tbsp. Oregano

1 tsp. Basil

1 tsp. Sugar

Salt and Pepper to taste

* Use plain chili beans for mild chili

**Adjust amounts by half for mild chili

+You may substitute venison for any ground meat- beef, turkey, chicken etc.

PREPARATION:

In a large pot, brown venison together with onion and garlic. Drain any excess grease. Add all other ingredients to the pot, mix well and cover. Simmer chili for about 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally. May be served topped with shredded cheese, if desired. 

To freeze, simply fill freezer safe containers with cooled chili, leaving about 1/2" head space. Stores well for about 6 months.

RECIPE: Zesty Salsa

This salsa was a big hit at holiday parties this past year. Just the right amount of tang vs. zing! 

I originally found this recipe in the instruction booklet that came with my Presto Pressure Canner. I tweeked it by specifying jalapeno peppers, and adding Tabasco for an extra kick.

INGREDIENTS:

10 c. Tomatoes, peeled/cored/seeded/chopped (about 6 lbs.)

5 c. Green Peppers, chopped/seeded (2 lbs.)

5 c. Onion, chopped (1.5 lbs.)

2 1/2 c. Jalapeno Peppers, chopped/seeded (1 lb.)

1 1/4 c. Apple Cider Vinegar

3 Cloves Garlic, minced

2 Tbsp. Cilantro, minced

1 Tbsp. Salt

1 tsp. Tabasco

Combine all ingredients in a large saucepot. Bring salsa to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Ladle hot salsa into jars leaving 1/4" headspace. Process in a hot bath canner for 15 minutes. Yields 6 pints.

*For larger batches, we use a Norpro Sauce Master with a Salsa Screen attachment to process the tomatoes. Simply rough chop the tomatoes, throw them in the hopper, turn the crank and DONE!

RECIPE: Bean N' Cheese Enchiladas

Mexican cuisine is one of our favorites! Here's a quick and simple enchilada recipe I've developed over the years. You can certainly add or reduce spices to suit your own tastes.

INGREDIENTS:

FILLING:

1 can Refried Beans
1 c. Shredded Cheese (Mexican or Mild Cheddar)
Mild Peppers- dash of jar liquid
1 tsp. Onion, minced
1 Tbsp. Frank's Red Hot
1/2 tsp. Cumin

Mild Peppers- 3 Tbsp. Pepper Rings
4 Burrito-sized Flour Tortilla Shells
1 c. Shredded Cheese
10 Minute Enchilada Sauce *See Below*
Sour Cream

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine filling ingredients thoroughly. Take tortillas and divide the filling equally among them, placing filling in the center of each. Roll up each shell and place them side by side in a 9x11 baking dish. Pour Enchilada Sauce evenly over enchiladas, sprinkle remaining cup of cheese over sauce, and top with mild pepper rings. Bake on 400 for appx. 20 minutes or until cheese is thoroughly melted. Serve with sour cream. Serves 4.

Can be served topped with lettuce, green onion, and tomato if desired. Spanish rice makes a nice complementary side dish.

*Mild peppers can be substituted with Jalapenos, Red Hot can be substituted with Tabasco, and/or add a tsp. of Cayenne for additional heat!

***ENCHILADA SAUCE RECIPE: 
Ten Minute Enchilada Sauce on AllRecipes.com

RECIPE: Carrie's Stinky Cauliflower

A spicy and tangy experimental conglomeration of several recipes inspired by Vlasic Hot Cauliflower and Giardiniera. My brother and I referred to these items as "Stinky Cauliflower" as kids!

INGREDIENTS: 

VEGGIES:

Cauliflower

Carrots

Celery

Cucumber

Red Bell Pepper

SEASONINGS:

1 Jar Green Olives with Pimento, drained

6 Tbsp. Minced Onion

12 Cloves Garlic

6 Sprigs Oregano

6 Jalapeno Peppers, Sliced (OR 6 Tbsp. Crushed Red Pepper)

6 Bay Leaves

3 tsp. Black Peppercorn

6 Tbsp. Olive Oil

BRINE:

5 Cups Water

5 Cups White Vinegar

1/2 Cup Pickling Salt

Prepare 6 sterile quart jars with fresh sterile lids and rings.Chop/slice Veggies coarsely, set aside. Divide Seasonings equally among the 6 jars (1/6th jar olives, 1 Tbsp. onion, 2 cloves garlic, 1 sprig oregano, 1 jalapeno, 1 bay leaf, 1/2 tsp. peppercorn, 1 Tbsp. olive oil each). Pack Veggies into jars after seasonings, as equally as possible, leaving 1/2" head space.

Begin heating water to appx 140 degrees in your hot bath canner while combining Brine ingredients in a non-reactive pan. Bring Brine to a boil, then pour brine into jars leaving 1/2" head space. Place sterile lids and rings tightened to touch on jars and place them into hot canner using canning tongs. 

Place lid on hot bath canner and bring water to a rolling boil and place lid on canner (see directions to your individual model if using a pressure canner as a hot bath canner. Some parts may need to be removed first!). After the water begins to boil, set a timer for 10 minutes. Continue boiling vigorously.

After 10 minutes, carefully lift the canner lid away from you (to avoid steam burns) and let jars sit in hot canner for 5 minutes. Remove jars from canner with tongs and place jars on a towel where they will not be disturbed for roughly 24 hours. You should hear occasional "pings" as cooling jars seal.

Store for at least 2 weeks before serving. Will last about 1 year under desirable storage conditions. Makes appx. 6 quarts.