Patty Van Dorin

oh, yum

Homeade pork and beans, so yummy and easy.

I used this recipe as a starting point and didn't change it much.
In place of the meat that was called for in the recipe, I used a few smoked ribs that were left over from Saturday's meal.

Homemade pork and beans is a perfect way to extend meat or to use a small amount of meat leftovers. The other change was that I added an additional 1/2 teaspoon of salt, omitted the cilantro and Tabasco sauce. The next time, I will add one more jalapeno pepper, as I couldn't taste the one that I used. I think one more will be perfect without making it hot.

I didn't have rice made in time for the beans but this recipe makes enough that I can have beans and rice tomorrow. This is a perfect make ahead or freezer meal as it is better the second day or when reheated.

let me count the ways

Diane asked, "Just curious ~ what is one (or more!) of your fave ways to use your mint jelly",

So let me count the ways:
1. on toast
2. as a glaze for chicken and pork chops
3. as a condiment for lamb
4. on a cold meat sandwich, especially post-Thanksgiving turkey
5. as a de-glazing sauce
6. on brie cheese baked in a puff pastry crust
7. peanut butter and jelly sandwich
8. on a grilled cheese sandwich
9. on vanilla ice cream
10. on steamed carrots
11. as a dip for won tons
12. as a dip for grilled sausage bites
13. on warm biscuits with breakfast
14. glaze for chicken wings
15. spread on cornbread
16. with cream cheese on a bagel
17. on pancakes
18. on a Dutch Baby (see earlier post)
19. in hot tea
20. put into the center of cupcakes
21. mixed with greek yogurt as a vegetable dip
22. on top of cheesecake
23. as a glaze for shrimp
24. between layers of a chocolate cake
25. and right off the spoon

darn, now I've made myself hungry

Pin Friendly

Have you been following all the controversy with Pinterest?
To pin or not to pin.

Just letting everyone know this is a pin friendly blog, so pin anything on my blog that you like.

And back to what's going on..

Already this year, I have a bumper crop of mint. I am so glad that I contained the two that I planted as it is a crazy invasive plant. Where I live it is a joke that if you have mint growing on your property the best way to get rid of it is to move.

So, with this much mint it is a good thing that I love to make jellies.
For the Mint Jalapeno jelly that I made today, I used my chocolate mint. The aroma of this mint incredible and made into an excellent jelly.



Jalapeno Mint Jelly

2 cups fresh mint, finely chopped (reserve 1/3 cup)
1 1/2 cups water
3 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cups apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 jalapeno peppers, finely chopped
1 envelope liquid fruit pectin

Combine 1 2/3 cup mint and water, bring to a boil.  Cover and let mint steep for 30 minutes.  Strain this liquid through a fine sieve and press mint to release as much liquid as possible. Set aside the liquid and discard the mint leaves.

Combine reserved mint, jalapeno peppers, sugar, vinegar, lemon juice, and mint liquid into a large stainless steel pan. Bring to a boil and stir constantly for 15 minutes.

Add liquid pectin and continue to cook over high heat at a boil for another 10 to 15 minutes.

Pour into hot sterilized jars and place in hot bath for 10 minutes. Remove jars and allow to cool

Makes 4 to 5 half pint jars of jelly.

good stuff from the weekend

roses from the garden

a big pan of ribs from the smoker

strawberry sour cream pie
I used this recipe

and more bangle stacks were made
here on etsy

So really, can a weekend get any better than that.

Dutch Baby for One

Did you grow up loving a particular food but the family you married into somehow never acquired the taste for it?

That's how it is with me and the Dutch Baby. I love Dutch Babies but my family calls it revolting.

So, I needed to come up with a recipe for one and while I was at it, a healtier and lower calorie version.

A Dutch Baby is kind of cross between a pancake and popover that is slightly sweet. It is something I prefer to pancakes with (revolting) heavy syrup. My favorite topping for a Dutch Baby is freshly grated lemon rind and a sugar substitute like Splenda. Orange zest is also good and a Dutch Baby can also be topped with fruit. For this single version, I use an 8" cast iron skillet. A true Dutch Baby uses a considerable amount of butter but I cut the butter back to the bare minimum. The full butter version is better but I think this is a good compromise.

Now, this is what I call comfort food.

Dutch Baby for One

1/2 Tablespoon butter
1 egg (at room temperature)
1/3 cup milk (at room temperature)
1/3 cup flour
dash of salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
sprinkle of cinnamon
sprinkle of nutmeg

grated lemon rind
sugar, sugar substitue or powdered sugar

Eggs and milk should be at room temperature or the Dutch Baby will not puff when baking. It deflates quickly after taking out of the oven and when topping with lemon and sugar.

Put the butter in the cast iron skillet. Place the skillet in a cold oven and set baking temperature to 450 degrees. While the skillet is heating and the butter melting, mix up the Dutch Baby batter.

Beat egg with a fork until frothy. Add milk, flour, salt, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix to combine but don't over beat the batter. This batter will be thin and runny.

When oven has reached 450, carefully remove skillet and swirl butter to coat the surface of the skillet. Butter will be a deep brown color but not burnt.

Pour batter into hot skillet and return to oven.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown.

Top with lemon zest and sugar. Cut in wedges, serve immediately and enjoy.

Fig and Prosciutto Crostini

 
Woo hoo, it's fig season!

Fig and Prosciutto Crostini 

Top each half of a fig with a small piece of brie, push the cheese into the center of the fig, drizzle lightly with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, top with a small sprig of rosemary and wrap in a piece of prosciutto. Put fig prosciutto wrap on top a piece of toasted french bread slice.

Place in 350 degree oven for 5 to 7 minutes.

These are good as an appetizer or as an entrée with side spinach salad.

my favorite summer pasta

 
Lemon Pasta with Pine Nuts

1/2 package of angel hair pasta
1/8 cup of extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon of lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
1 teaspoon lemon zest, finely grated
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup toasted panko
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1/8 cup fresh chopped basil (I used thai basil but use what you have)

Prepare pasta to al dente and place in a large bowl. 
Add rest of ingredients and toss to combine.

Enjoy!
 

ode to a pluot

 
Where have you been all my life?
Oh how I love you, sweet pluots.

Guilt Free Fruit Dip for one

Sometimes all you want is a little bit of a sweet treat.
 

Caramel Fruit Dip

1/4 cup Greek yogurt
1 ounce low fat cream cheese
honey
sugar free caramel syrup (the type of syrup used to flavor coffee)

combine ingredients in a small blender (I used a bullet type blender) or whisk until smooth. 

I drizzled the honey before blending and used about a tablespoon, same with the syrup. Start out with just a little and add more to taste.

Serve with fresh fruit.

There are so many variations to this simple recipe.
-try other flavors of the sugar free syrup.
-chocolate raspberry: add 1 teaspoon cocoa powder and Raspberry syrup

This is the syrup that I used.  It can be found in the coffee and tea sections at stores.

 

little things that drive me crazy and simple solutions

 
No matter how well the olive oil bottle is wiped, it always leaves an oily ring on the shelf.

Simple solution: a metal jar lid that is slightly larger than olive oil jar.