Salsa

Garden Fresh Salsa

1 cup green peppers, finely chopped

1 cup onions, chopped

2 cups (2 medium sized) tomatoes, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

5 Chile peppers, thinly sliced

10 black olives, sliced

1 tsp tarragon leaves

½ tsp kosher salt

7 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

½ tsp fresh ground pepper

Combine all ingredients in a bowl to combine.  Stir well and chill in fridge four hours or more before serving.  This goes great on salads instead of dressing or as a low fat condiment on burgers and hot dogs, or just as a side all by itself. 

© Crackerberries 2013

Venison Sloppy Joes

Open-Face Venison Sloppy Joes

Venison Sloppy Joes

10 oz can of diced tomatoes with Chiles, drained, reserving liquid

3 oz tomato paste

½ cup chopped onion

1 small green pepper, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

½ cup water

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

½ tsp cayenne pepper

6 oz cooked venison meat*

1 cup fig BBQ sauce*

1 tbsp olive oil

Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat and sauté the onions, garlic and green pepper for 5 minutes.  Add tomatoes, tomato paste, water and spices and cook until bubbling.  Add meat and BBQ sauce and cook until heated through.  Serve over herbed pizza crust, or between if you'd rather have a sandwich style sloppy joe.  This herb crust is thick enough to slice.

 *Substitute venison and fig BBQ sauce for any meat and BBQ sauce of your choice.

Herb Pizza Crust

1½ tsp active dry yeast

½ cup warm water

½ cup whole wheat flour

1¾ cup all purpose flour

½ tomato juice (reserved from diced tomatoes)

1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary leaves

4 fresh basil leaves, snipped

1 tsp olive oil

¼ tsp fresh ground pepper

Sea salt

Combine all ingredients in bread machine and select dough option.  If a bread machine is not an option follow these instructions:

Dissolve yeast in warm water in medium bowl.  Stir in remaining ingredients except for the all purpose flour, then add the APF ½ cup at a time to make dough easy to handle.

Turn onto lightly floured surface and gently roll dough in flour to coat.  Knead dough for about 5 minutes or until smooth and elastic.  Spray a medium size bowl with nonstick cooking spray.  Place dough in bowl and cover with dish towel.  Let rise in warm place on hour or until double in size.  (Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.)

Punch down dough and roll out on lightly floured 13 x 9 inch metal baking pan.  Using pizza cutter, slice dough almost all the way through into six portions.  Let stand 10 minutes while oven preheats to 400°.  Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.  Bake 20-23 minutes, until lightly browned on top.

© Crackerberries 2013

Fig BBQ Sauce

We were getting overwhelmed with the figs so we had to come up with a way to use them.  Instead of using tomatoes in a homemade barbeque sauce, we replaced them with figs and what a tasty BBQ sauce it turned into.  Here’s the recipe.

2020 update:  we have been working on this for years and every year we come up with a new twist that makes it better than the last.  We have added mesquite whiskey, hot peppers, etc.  It is a never ending challenge to make it better than the year before.  Here is the basic recipe.  Feel free to experiment. 

10 cups chopped fresh figs

2 whole heads of garlic, cloves peeled and separated

4 cups chopped onions

1 tbsp. paprika

½ tbsp. cayenne pepper

2 cups dark brown sugar

12 oz. can of tomato paste

2 cups cider vinegar

Place figs, garlic and vinegar in preserving pot.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours, stirring often.  After two hours, when the figs have cooked down considerably, add cayenne pepper, paprika, brown sugar and tomato paste.  Cook one more hour stirring more often, until thickened to desired consistency.

Ladle into hot sterilized jars and process in boiling water bath for 15 minutes. 

Yield: 7 pints.

© Crackerberries 2013

White Bean Stew with Venison

Tuscan White Bean Stew with Venison

2 cups white beans, soaked overnight

6 cups water

1 tsp salt

1 bay leaf

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, coarsely chopped

3 carrots, peeled and chopped

3 stalks celery, diced

6 cloves garlic, chopped

½ tsp fresh ground pepper

1½ cups chicken broth

1 cup venison neck meat

Combine beans, water, ½ tsp salt and bay leaf in Dutch oven or kettle.  Bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce heat to low, cover partially and simmer until the beans are tender (about 1- 1½ hour).  Drain the beans reserving ½ cup liquid.  Discard bay leaf.

Combine reserved liquid and ½ cup of the cooked beans in a bowl or food processor and mash until it forms a paste.  Stir the bean paste into the cooked beans and set aside.

Add olive oil to the kettle to heat.  Stir in onion, carrots and celery and cook 10-15 minutes until tender crisp.  Stir in garlic and cook until softened (2-3 minutes).  Stir in salt, pepper, beans, venison, and chicken broth.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low and simmer until the stew is bubbling and thick.  Serve with croutons.

Croutons: 

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

3 cloves garlic, quartered

2 slices bread, cut into 1 inch cubes

In large cast iron fry pan, heat oil over medium heat.  Add the garlic and sauté for one minute.  Remove from heat and let stand for ten minutes to infuse garlic flavor into the oil.  Remove and discard garlic and return pan to stove over medium heat.  Add bread cubes and stir often cooking until lightly browned 5-7 minutes.  Transfer to bowl until ready for use.

Venison Neck Roast

1 4-5 lb deer neck roast

Marinade

½ cup cider vinegar

½ cup brown sugar

1 tbsp liquid smoke

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp red pepper flakes

¼ cup canola oil

1½ cups chicken broth

1 tsp salt

½ tsp fresh ground pepper

Combine marinade ingredients in large zip lock bag.  Add roast and let stand overnight in fridge.  Remove roast from marinade and place in crock pot.  Discard marinade.

Pour 1½ cups chicken broth over roast.  Add salt and pepper and cover.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours flipping roast half way through cooking time.  Remove and let cool before pulling meat from bone.

© Crackerberries 2013

Watermelon Pickles

Pickled Watermelon Rind

6 lbs watermelon rind, about a 15 lb watermelon

¾ cup canning salt

3 quarts water

2 trays ice cubes

9 cups sugar

3 cups white vinegar

3 cups water

1 tbsp ground cloves

1 tbsp whole allspice nuts

6 one inch pieces cinnamon sticks

1 lemon, thinly sliced

                                                                                                       

 

Combine canning salt and 3 quarts water and stir until salt dissolves.  Pare green rind and pink flesh from watermelon.  Cut into one inch squares and cover with the salt brine.  Top with ice cubes and let stand in refrigerator overnight.  Next morning drain and rinse watermelon.  Place watermelon in preserving pot and cover with fresh cold water.  Bring to a boil and cook until barely tender (10 minutes or so after the water comes to a boil.)  Drain and place watermelon in large container.

Combine sugar, vinegar, 3 cups water and spices (place allspice and cloves in cheesecloth) in preserving pot and bring to a boil.  Pour hot liquid over watermelon and cover with lemon slices.  Place dish towel or other loose fitting cover over watermelon and let stand on counter 8-9 hours.

Heat watermelon and syrup in preserving pot until boiling and cook until watermelon is translucent 10-15 minutes.  Spoon melon into hot sterilized jars; divide lemon and cinnamon sticks amongst jars and cover with hot syrup leaving ¼ inch head space.  Seal and process in boiling water bath for ten minutes.

Yield: 7 pints

© Crackerberries 2013

Tossed Rice Salad

Tossed Rice Salad

Are you tired of the same old salads at picnic gatherings?  Try this alternative to potato salad or macaroni salad.  I was try to think of something different to serve with chicken quesadillas and wanted something cool, not hot.  I had these mixed frozen veggies that aren’t really good by themselves, so this is what I came up with.

3 cups cooked white rice, cooled completely

2 cups frozen mixed veggies (gumbo blend), thawed

1 small green pepper, diced

1 cup chopped *TARD cucumbers

½ dozen or so, cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered, depending on size)

½ tsp celery salt

½ cup creamy Caesar dressing

Hot sauce and sliced green olives (optional)

Combine all ingredients except the hot sauce and green olives, in bowl and toss; chill four hours and salt and pepper to taste before serving.  Garnish with olives and the hot sauce really adds to the flavor.  Not too much, now!

© Crackerberries 2013

Peach French Toast

Peachy Keen French Toast

1 6 oz container peach yogurt

2 eggs, lightly beaten

¼ cup milk

1 tsp vanilla

Half loaf white bread

Combine yogurt, eggs, milk and vanilla in medium bowl and mix well.  Dip bread in bowl to cover, place on grill and cook 2-3 minutes per side.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar (optional) and serve with your favorite breakfast side.

© Crackerberries 2013

No Bake Cookies

No Bake Cookies

In the summer no one likes to get the oven going.  These are a perfect cookie alternative.  The granola healthy version

2 cups sugar

½ cup cocoa

4 tbsp butter

½ cup milk

½ cup crunchy peanut butter

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1 cup whole grain quick oats

2 cups granola cereal (Quaker Natural oats, honey & almonds)

Place sugar, cocoa, butter and milk in a medium sauce pan.  Bring to a boil, stirring mixture constantly.  Add peanut butter, vanilla, oats and granola.  Stir well and remove from heat.  Drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper.  Let cool completely and harden.

Yield:  40 cookies

© Crackerberries 2013

Fig and Chicken Bake

Baked Fig & Basil Chicken

1¾ lb skinless chicken leg pieces

¼ cup fresh basil leaves

1½ tbsp lemon juice

3 cloves garlic

1 tsp fresh grated ginger

4½ tbsp brown sugar, divided

Kosher salt

2 tbsp cider vinegar

6-8 Kodata figs

Wash chicken and place in lightly greased baking dish.  Sprinkle with kosher salt.

Combine basil, garlic, lemon juice, ginger and 2½ tbsp brown sugar in food processor and blend until smooth.  Pour over chicken.

Combine remaining brown sugar, cider vinegar and 4-5 figs in processor and blend until smooth.  Pour over chicken.

Cut up remaining figs and spread around chicken.

Bake 375° one hour and 15 minutes.  Cool slightly before serving.

© Crackerberries 2013

Tuna Pea Wiggle

Baked Tuna Pea Wiggle

One of the easiest suppers I've made.

2 cups egg noodles

5 oz can tuna fish

1 can cream of mushroom soup

2 cups frozen peas

1½ cups bread crumbs (2 slices)

½ cup milk

2 tbsp butter

¼ tsp pepper

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

½ tsp ground marjoram

Cook and drained noodles according to package instructions. Drain tuna fish.  Mix milk and mushroom soup together.  Combine noodles, peas and soup together in lightly greased baking dish. 

Melt butter.  Toast bread, and break into tiny crumbs.  Combine bread crumbs with peppers and marjoram.  Pour melted butter over top and toss to combine. Spread crumb over top of noodles.  Bake in 350° oven for 30 minutes until bread crumbs are browned and wiggle is bubbling.

© Crackerberries 2013

Sweet & Spicy Relish

Yellow Dot Hot Dog Relish

3½ lbs cucumbers, (8 cups, shredded)       

2 cups onion, finely chopped

¼ cup canning salt

Sprinkle onion and cucumbers with salt and add enough cold water to cover; let stand at room temperature for 2 hours.  I did not brine the cucumbers in ice water or salt water overnight this time.  Fresh picked out of the garden and processed.

1½ cup cider vinegar

½ cup red wine vinegar (only because I didn’t have enough cider vinegar)

2¾ cups sugar

½ tsp celery salt (only because I was out of celery seed)

2 Tbsp ground mustard

1 Tbsp mustard seed

1 Tbsp red pepper flakes

1 tsp ground turmeric

Drain and rinse, drain and rinse, drain and rinse cucumber mixture.  Bring vinegar, sugar, celery salt, ground mustard, mustard seed and turmeric to a boil.  Add cucumber/onions and red pepper flakes and return to a boil.  Reduce heat slightly and simmer 15 minutes, stirring often until mixture begins to thicken; spoon into hot sterilized jars, and process in boiling water bath for ten minutes.  Yield:  4 pints 

© Crackerberries 2013

Fig-Pear Preserves

Figgy Pear Preserves

The fig tree just keeps producing fruit and I just keep trying to come up with new ways to preserve them.  This one is very tasty and different.

4 cups chopped pears, the hard kind

8 cups chopped fresh figs, less ripe is better

1/3 cup lemon juice

6 cups sugar

Combine all ingredients in preserving pot and bring to a boil over med-high heat.  Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 2- 2½ hours until thick and brown.  Stir very often.

Spoon into prepared sterilized jars and seal in boiling water bath for 10 minutes.  Yield: 8 – 8 oz jars.

© Crackerberries 2013

Italian Pesto Chicken

Italian Pesto Chicken

1¼ lb boneless, skinless chicken breast

5 oz Jimmy Dean Italian bulk sausage

¾ cup smoked almond pesto (recipe below)

1 cup Italian style bread crumbs

2 slices provolone cheese

1 egg, beaten

Salt and pepper

Sauté sausage until no longer pink, drain grease and set aside to cool.

Pound the chicken breast to 1/8 of inch thickness.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper on both sides.  Spread pesto over chicken, layer one slice of cheese on each breast.  Roll chicken breast tightly, secure with toothpick if needed.  Cut each breast in half.  Dip in egg mixture, then in bread crumbs.  Place in lightly greased baking dish and cook at 350° 35-45 minutes. 

Smoked Almond Pesto

4 cups fresh basil leaves

4 cloves garlic

½ cup smoked almonds            

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

¼ tsp ground pepper

½ tsp kosher salt

Blend above ingredients in food processor until smooth.  Stir in 1¼ cup parmesan cheese.  Makes 2 cups and can be stored in refrigerator in tightly sealed container for up to two weeks.

© Crackerberries 2013