My journey of cooking, gardening, preserving and more
Every year I’m in awe of just how many eggplants one plant can product and this year is no different. Here are a couple of shots of some of the eggplants I harvested out of our garden last year: Beautiful, aren’t they? This past weekend, I decided …
It’s that time of year again! (I mean canning time, of course) First on the canning schedule this year was corn salsa (or corn relish, if you prefer). Skelly’s Farm Market, a local farm stand, is selling the sweetest, juiciest sweet corn right now and …
My husband, beet lover that he is, put our beet seeds in the ground in late March. We just harvested the bulk of them about a week ago (early July) and oh, what a harvest it was! Beets are so good for you – they’re rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals and, especially in their raw form, are great for cleansing your body.
If you’re only familiar with beets in their cooked state, I really hope you’ll try them raw. They’re crunchy and delicious, with an earthy flavor all their own. Their greens are great in salads and juices, too, so don’t toss those beet greens!
In a large bowl, toss all of the ingredients together. Let stand for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Easy recipe, right? Are beets messy to work with? Yes. Will they stain just about anything they come in contact with, including your hands? Yes. Are they super great for you and delicious and totally worth the mess? Absolutely!
I know it’s impossible to tell that there are even carrots involved here, but there are; the beet juice stains them before you’re even done mixing, but they add a special flavor and sweetness of their own.
Oh, and the lovely plate the slaw is on? It’s from the set of my grandmother’s china that I inherited. Beautiful, isn’t it?
If you want to eat more raw food recipes and are looking for a way to amp up the nutrients in your side dishes, this is it. If you’re looking for other slaw or salad recipes that are made with oil and vinegar, and no mayonnaise, check out my Asian-style slaw and my slaw with Dijon mustard and cider vinegar. Enjoy!
This is a popular summertime recipe in my house because the only thing I have to truly cook is pasta. This no-cook tomato pasta sauce is simple, flavorful and delicious, especially when you use sun-ripened tomatoes and fresh basil from your garden or farmers market. …
There’s not been much time for blogging for this girl lately. First there was painting, to get ready for new living room furniture. Then veggie gardening, followed by flower gardening. And in between, I’ve been working on refinishing a cool side table I found at …
Grrrr! Don’t you hate it when you have this easy, quick dinner of pork chops planned, but then they end up dry as a bone? I’ve totally done this and been so disappointed that I just want to throw the whole meal in the garbage can.
Well, one thing has saved me from a complete meltdown and it’s this: a quick brine. Brining always sounds like a great idea but, seriously, who has the time on a weeknight? Usually, it involves a gazillion ingredients and a minimum of 12 hours in the fridge…sheesh!
Well, this (hopefully) will bring you out of your dinner despair. It’s a quick and easy brine that can be customized to whatever your tastes and time allow.
Here’s the basic recipe:
Mix salt and water in a bowl and stir well, until salt has dissolved. Cover pork chops completely with brine and let sit for 1 to 2 hours. Remove from brine, pat dry and cook as usual.
What? Where you expecting something more difficult? This is seriously all you need to do to ensure your pork chops are tender. Well, alright, you still can’t cook them to death, but this will help.
I tend to add a few variations to this, depending on:
But here are some suggestions to add:
Also, feel free to mix up the liquid; instead of water, add beer or stock for a little more flavor.
Keep in mind that thinner cuts of pork can sit an hour or so, but for thicker cuts, 2 hours will probably give you better results.
This is a fantastic recipe for the grill too. It won’t save you from extended over-cooking but it’s pretty forgiving if you have a tendency to leave your chops on the heat for a little longer than needed. Try this with chicken too – I think you’ll be amazed at the results.
Happy cooking!
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There is really nothing so darkly primitive and luscious as roasted beef marrow bones. Add in some vegetables and cloves of garlic and the beauty and fragrance is simply divine. I’ve made homemade stock for many, many moons because I don’t like things to go …