Sweet Vinegar Peppers

How is everyone's summer so far?  Our home has officially ended the baseball season and started football!  That coincidentally means that gardens are big and full.  If you don't have a garden yet (ahem...me!)  Then hit up the bountiful farmers market and take advantage of the fresh, local produce.  The first time I heard of Sweet Vinegar Peppers was on the cooking show Kitchen Boss, I knew right then I had to find them.  After failing to spot any in store...I decided to make my own.  This is naturally a wonderful 'traditional', lacto-fermented food full of enzymes, vitamins and good bacteria for your tummy.  Perfect way to use up a lot of peppers from your garden.  Easy to do and good for you in many ways. 
You are able to Can Preserve these too, otherwise just relocate the jars to your refrigerator until ready to use.  If your garden is still full try making this versatile "Italian Salsa" called Giardiniera that I made last year, which is a husband favorite! 
Recipe to use these wonderful little guys coming soon!

Sweet Vinegar Peppers

Print recipe here

2 lbs sweet red, orange and yellow bell peppers (I used the cute mini ones)

1 TB garlic, minced

1 TB dried oregano

3 TB celtic sea salt or kosher salt

3 C water

3 C vinegar

1 small dried chili pepper pod for each jar (optional for heat)

1. Slice peppers into rings, throw away the center core but don't worry about removing seeds. Jam pack into glass jars.

 

2. Add garlic, oregano, salt, water, vinegar to a beverage pitcher. Stir until all salt has dissolved.

3.  Pour the liquid into each jars until peppers are fully covered.  If adding a hot pepper, add now.  Cover and let sit in your dark pantry or cupboard for 3 days, remembering to shake each jar- each day. This is when they ferment, flavor and pickle.

4. After 3rd day, move to refrigerator. Will keep for many months. Use for topping sandwiches, spaghetti, pizza, salads. * If your my daughter you will just consume a whole jar like candy!

Today's recipes where brought to you by, inspired or adapted from:  Seasonal Chef and Kitchen Boss

Linked up at:  33 Shades of Green, Whole.New.Mom., Healthy Home Economist and Real Food Whole Health

Green Chile Chicken Skillet and a 'How To'

I never need a special holiday like Cinco De Mayo to enjoy some (or a lot) of Mexican cuisine.  Mexican food is one of my top favorites.  This off-beat recipe packs huge flavors, quickly shooting up my list of favorite easy weeknight meals.  Serve over cooked basmati rice, in a tortilla or just plain covered in lots of salsa and guacamole.  Shhhh, don't tell anyone it is low carb or healthy because they will never suspect a thing....  Even if your not a huge fan of the cauliflower, I think you should give it a try.  You don't taste it in there at all, giving nutrition and texture to even the pickiest of palettes.

Green Chile Chicken Skillet
Print recipe here
2 TB unsalted butter
2 TB grapeseed oil
1 tsp garlic, minced
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces
1 red onion, diced
1 head cauliflower, trimmed to florets
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chilies
1 (14.5 oz) can Muir Glen Fire Roasted Tomato
1 tsp celtic sea salt
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp ground cumin
green onions, chopped
cilantro
shredded cheese
salsa
guacamole
limes

1. "Rice" your cauliflower by placing the cauliflower florets in a food processor.  With an "S" blade, pulse until the florets become the size of rice grains. Set aside. (How To: located below this recipe)

2. Heat the butter, oil and garlic on medium-high for 1 minutes. Add the chicken pieces and saute for 8 minutes or until no longer pink through the center.

3. Turn down to medium heat, add the red onion and cook for 5 minutes.

4. Add the “riced” cauliflower, green chilies, tomatoes, salt, oregano and cumin. Stirring frequently, cook another 10 minutes, until juices cook down and “rice” is cooked through.

5. Serve while hot, top with green onions, cilantro, cheese, salsa, sour cream, guacamole and a squirt of fresh lime. You can also serve this over steamed basmati rice or in a taco shell if desired.

How To: "Rice" Cauliflower
Print recipe here
1 head of cauliflowers, trimmed to florets
food processor with and “S” shaped blade

1. "Rice" your cauliflower by placing the cauliflower florets in a food processor. With an "S" blade, pulse until the florets become the size of rice grains. Set aside to use in your recipe.


Today's recipes where brought to you by, inspired or adapted from:  Elena's Pantry

Hot Cocoa Truffle Balls

Advent is here, Christmas songs have been blasting my house with my off pitch voice for weeks now, but my kids love me anyways.  Christmas is My Favorite and My Best.  I love this time of year, I think it is because my love language is giving and helping.  Not to mention the whole Jesus was born so that I can live and He can live through me Miracle, right?  MN is a great place to live in December when it is Christmas time, but ask me again in January, February and March!?!?!  Today is freezing, if you have never been here you should truly experience the feeling of your nose hairs freezing in under 1 second.  I would like to let you know of a giveaway I noticed for a Naughty and Nice Holiday Trip Giveaway to the Mall of America!  Good luck to everyone who enters and if you win, email me so I can show you around, ask my friends....I can walk through that place with my eyes shut, ears covered after spinning around 100 times.  Sad but true, and there is no tax on clothes here. 

Anyways, back the the topic of food.  I made these today and they are decadent and wonderful.  Try them right away, do not wait.  You will not regret!

Hot Cocoa Truffle Balls
Print recipe here

2 C (1 12 ounce package) chocolate chips (I prefer the high % cocoa chips)
1 C organic heavy whipping cream
1 TB organic powdered sugar (or any sugar)
½ tsp Vietnamese Cinnamon
dash or pinch of ground nutmeg
⅛  tsp celtic sea salt

1. In a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients. Microwave for one minute. Remove and stir until grainy.

1 minute

2. Place back into microwave for 1 minute. Remove and stir until mixture is fully combined and very smooth and silky. When you first start stirring, after the first minute or so, you’ll wonder if this mixture will ever come together.  Stir in your cinnamon and nutmeg.

2 minute

3. Let the mixture cool 10 minutes at room temperature. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

4. Scoop out a scant ¼ cup spoonfuls of the mixture and place them on a wax paper-lined baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator and let the mounds harden for 15 minutes. (Or in my case, stick them outside....)

5. Bring the tray of chocolate mounds back out. Roll the chilled mounds into balls and place on squares of foo-foo Christmas plastic wrap cut into 6” squares.


Cute, looks like penguin is holding up the Truffle Ball :)

6. Pull the sides of the plastic wrap over to cover the ball and place the balls in the freezer until ready to use.  Makes 12 truffles.

 

 
Make the Truffle Hot Cocoa:

1. Pour 1 ½ cups of whole milk into a microwave-safe mug. Place one unwrapped Hot Cocoa Truffle Ball into the milk. Microwave for 2 minutes. Stir well until the chocolate is combined with the milk. Serve piping hot covered in your choice of whip cream, marshmallows, cinnamon, nutmeg (Ahem- Kahlua) and stir with a candy cane or cinnamon stick!

Wonderful variations ahead, let your imagination go wild and create your own favorite melted mug of naughtiness!

Cherry Cordial Truffle Balls
Sub the chocolate chips for 1 cup chocolate chips, 1 cup cherry chips. Nix the cinnamon and nutmeg.

Hot Toffee Truffle Balls
Sub the chocolate chips for 2 cups butterscotch chips.

Mexican Hot Chocolate Truffle Balls
Add ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper ½ tsp vanilla extract. Nix the nutmeg.

Melted Almond Joy Truffle Balls
Add in 1 tsp each of almond extract and coconut extract. Nix the cinnamon and nutmeg.

Melted Reese's Cups Truffle Balls
Add in ¼ cup peanut butter when heating the ingredients. Nix the cinnamon and nutmeg.

Melted Andes Mint Truffle Balls
Add 1 tsp peppermint extract. Nix the cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir with Candy Cane!



Today's recipes where brought to you by, inspired or adapted from:  Mels Kitchen Cafe

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

I hope all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  I wanted to post this earlier but have been dealing with some solid head colds around here.  The kind that throw off your equilibrium and make you feel like you just stepped off the Gravitron!  But we are all better now and while monkeying in my kitchen a few days ago I came up with this gem of a breakfast treat.  Wonderful enough to officially label it as My Favorite and My Best, the flavor is fresh yet intense.  I think I ate almost the whole dozen!  My Big Guy has labeled these as his favorite as well.  The Beurre Noisette (pronounced bur nwah-zet) makes this so savory, the lemon gives it a fresh zest and the yogurt keeps them moist.  I hope you give these a try and love them as much as we do, we are on our 3rd batch already this week.  The How To below is for the Beurre Noisette (Browned Butter), but when you say it in french it sounds all the more fancy.

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
Print recipe here

⅔ C turbinado sugar (Sugar in the Raw) + 2 TB for sprinkling tops
zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 C whole wheat pastry flour
2 tsp aluminum free baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp celtic sea salt
¾ C plain Greek yogurt or cultured sour cream
2 large free range eggs
1 tsp almond extract
½ C browned butter, cooled
2 TB poppy seeds
¼ C sliced almonds

1. Preheat oven 400 degrees F. Line a 12 regular sized muffin tray with paper muffin liners, place the muffin pan on a baking sheet and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, measure the sugar and top with lemon zest. Combine until the wonderful lemon fragrance rises and consumes your smelling senses! Whisk in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a a smaller bowl whisk together the eggs, Greek yogurt or sour cream, almond extract, lemon juice , browned and cooled butter.

3. Make a well in the dry ingredients bowl, pour the wet ingredients into the well and mix until almost thoroughly combined. Add poppy seeds and combine. Be careful not to over mix!

4. Divide batter between muffin cups. Sprinkle each muffin with sliced almonds pressing slightly, top with turbinado sugar.

5. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until the tops are golden and a wood skewer inserted in the center of the muffin comes out clean.

6. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing, if you can wait that long before ripping one out and biting into it!
 
 
 
How To: Beurre Noisette (Browned Butter)
Print recipe here
 

1. Heat your pan to medium high heat, place the butter in a pot or pan.

2. High heat will brown the butter quickly, and maintain a regular consistency. However, if you do not monitor the butter properly, the milk solids and salt particles will sink to the bottom of the pan and burn. Keep an eye at all times on the pan.

3. Cook, stirring constantly, until the butter becomes a light tan color. Remove the pan from the heat. The butter will continue cooking even after you remove it from the burner. The finale should be nut-brown and have a toasty aroma. Overcooked butter will have a very bitter taste.

5. Substitute brown butter for melted butter. It will add a complex and nutty flavor to your food with this classic French technique.
 
 
Today's recipes where brought to you by, inspired or adapted from: A Saved by the Egg Timer: Original

Would you like some coffee in your cream?

Alright, so I love fresh coffee with a little cream.  But after tasting this, I love fresh cream with a little coffee! 

The flavored creamers that you buy in the grocery stores are sooooo bad for you!  Did you know they usually don't even contain cream in them at all?  Many popular brands contain bad oils and horrible ingredients.  Don't even get me started on the sugar free ones!  Yucky!  Why would I buy a bottle of "creamer" that does not contain any cream!  These recipes taste so much better and is much better for you.  Take this as a base and experiment until you find your perfect little cloud of happiness that you can pour in your favorite mug.  Remember mine?  It still makes me happy!  As far as the option I listed for milk and sugars, it is all personal taste and allergen based.  I have used all of them and like all of them equally.  I basically use whatever is already open in my fridge for milk and sweetener depend all on what I feel like adding...totally random. 

Which also bring me to Kitchen Technique #6-  Grade A Maple Syrup has less maple flavor, more sweet, thinner and lighter.  Grade B Maple Syrup has more maple flavor, less sweet, thicker and darker.  Choose based on how much maple flavor you want...or in my case, go with what you have in your pantry.  More recently my pantry contains the latter- Grade B Maple Syrup is divine!  From a health perspective it contains more mineral content too.

Serve this on your holiday table before your large meal and with your huge piece of holiday pie.  I hope you and your guests enjoy them as much as I do!


Homemade Coffee Creamer: Holiday Pie Edition

Pumpkin Praline Pie Creamer
Print recipe here

1 cup whole milk, almond milk or coconut milk
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 C sucanat/ raw cane sugar, 1/4 C pure maple syrup or 1/2 tsp stevia (KT#6)
3 TB pumpkin puree
1/2 tsp Vietnamese cinnamon
1/2 tsp pumpkin spice
1 1/2 tsp butterscotch extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1.  Whisk together milk, cream, sweetener, pumpkin and pumpkin spice in a medium saucepan over medium heat.

2.  When mixture begins to steam up from pan, remove from heat and stir in butterscotch and vanilla extract. Pour into a glass bottle and store in the refrigerator. Use according to your own taste in coffee, hot cocoa, ice cream, oatmeal, french toast...

Coconut Cream Pie Creamer
Print recipe here

1 cup whole milk, almond milk or coconut milk
1 cup heavy whipping cream

1/2 C sucanat/ raw cane sugar, 1/4 C pure maple syrup or 1/2 tsp stevia (KT#6)
2 tsp coconut extract

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Whisk together milk, cream and sweetener in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When mixture begins to steam up from pan, remove from heat and stir in coconut and vanilla extract. Pour into a glass bottle and store in the refrigerator. Use according to your own taste in coffee, hot cocoa, ice cream, oatmeal, french toast...

French Silk Pie Creamer

Print recipe here

1 C whole milk, almond milk or coconut milk
1 C heavy whipping cream
1/2 C sucanat/ raw cane sugar, 1/4 C pure maple syrup or 1/2 tsp stevia (KT#6)
2 TB unsweetened cacao powder
2 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Whisk together milk, cream, sweetener and cocoa powder in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When the mixture begins to steam up from pan, remove from the heat. Stir in almond and vanilla extract. Pour into a glass bottle and store in the refrigerator. Use according to your own taste in coffee, hot cocoa, ice cream, oatmeal, french toast...

How To: Make a Latte
Print recipe here

1.  4 TB of your favorite creamer in a coffee mug.

2.  Use this "Whizzer" or more appropriately Milk Frother.  Just before you pour the coffee in, place the Whizzer down in cup and into the milk, whip for about 20 seconds until the milk begins to froth and thicken.

3.  Turn the Whizzer off before removing from milk, pour fresh strongly brewed coffee over top and watch magic happen! 

Top with whip cream, cinnamon, pumpkin spice, nutmeg ,cocoa or vanilla sugar if you desire. 

4.  Repeat.

What is "The" pie that will make you cave and stuff more down your throat even though you cannot fit in another bite after Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner?  I would love to know!

And...How do you like the new look?!?!

Today's recipes where brought to you by, inspired or adapted from:  Deliciousley Organic