Arkansas Pepper Sauce

I inherited this recipe from my mother.  Modify as you wish.  I do!

My parents were from Arkansas, raised on farms, thus a huge fan of living on the land, subtracting the middle man. When they migrated north and settled in Michigan, they brought those traditions with them and they served us well.  My dad hunted, my mom skinned it. We had fruit trees (cherry, pear, and apple) and those whole foods along with the rich and festive gardens were a staple for our large family.

I tender this recipe as Arkansas Pepper Sauce because I received it by request, then embellished it to my flavor (garlic, spices), and thus became a huge fan of canning.  You can do it using any jar, just make it clean and handle with care.

Ingredients
jalepeno, whole or sliced peppers
white vinegar
water
1-2 T minced or sliced garlic
1 t -1 T peppercorns
1-2 T olive oil (any oil will do)
dash of dill weed
dash of Italian herbs (rosemary, basil, oregano)
1/4 to 1 t salt (table or sea salt) to taste
1t to 1 T sugar to taste


Supplies
jars with lids
measuring cup
tablespoon
strainer opt.

Instructions: You may use any jars you like, though mason is preferred.  Just clean with hot soap water, rinse with hot water, and air dry.  Here comes the science.  The amount of brine you create originates from the size of the jar you select and the amount of peppers you elect to can.

Place sliced or whole peppers washed peppers into your selected jar, fill with water, leaving about 1/2 -1 inch space between the water line/peppers and the rim of the jar.  Now take this water and pour into your measuring cup.  This is the minimum amount of liquid to create your brine.  Keep track of this measurement, but discard the water, leaving the peppers inside of the jar.

Measure your vinegar from that measurement of water from earlier.  Pour that vinegar into a small pot.  Add from 1 t to 1 T of sugar, but do not be afraid to taste.  Add salt to taste, then minced garlic.  The rest of your spices and olive oil are placed inside of the jar atop of the peppers.  Bring the pot of vinegar, sugar, salt, and garlic to a boil.

Pour your brine over your peppers, remember not to overfill, keeping mind of the 1/2 - 1 inch space between the liquid/pepper line and the rim of the jar.  If you wind up with more liquid, use the strainer to separate the last of the liquid with the garlic.  Then place the garlic into the jar.  Screw the top on, give it a gentle whirl to mix.  Wipe jar clean and tilt to remove bubbles. 

Set on the counter to cool.  If you are using canning jars, use the seal test to determine ready for use.  You do this by pressing your finger onto the lid.  If sealed it will not pop back.  If not sealed, refrigerate for use.  Store up to one year.

Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients.
1/2 c frozen mixed vegetables
1 serving Gardein Beefless Tips (quartered)
1/4 c chopped celery
1/4 c chopped onion
1/2 small diced tomato
1 small baker potato
1 T minced garlic
1 pk Hunt's tomato paste
water
canola oil
margarine
milk powder
2 T shredded Colby Jack Cheese
salt, pepper, onion powder, chives, ranch flavor (potato), Italian Season, garlic powder, sugar or sweetener

Directions.  Wash and Boil your potato for 10-15 minutes.  Meanwhile, saute onion and celery in a small skillet, then toss in your tips.  Add your spices and tomato paste.  Squeeze in the tomato paste and water, 1/4 cup at a time.  Stir.  Fold in your mixed vegetables.  Sweeten to enhance the flavor of the tomato paste.  Reduce heat to low simmer.  Sauce should be thick but not stiff, forming the consistency of stew.

Remove potato from heat, rest in a ice water bath for 5-10 minutes until cool to touch.  Remove the skin.  Mash with a fork.  Season with onion powder, ranch flavor, garlic powder, and salt to your taste.  Add 1 T of margarine and 1 T of milk powder.  Stir with fork.  Add a little water, 1 T at a time, whipping potatoes into stiff peaks.  Sprinkle in chives.

Pour the stew into a large ramekin.  Do not over fill.  Leave room for the potatoes.  Add potatoes.  Sprinkle with oil, chives, and cheese.  Bake until bubbly, cheese melts, or to your desired result, starting at 350 degrees F, but only increasing heat to brown if you desire.

🍃Vegan Variant.  Omit or substitute dairy for non-dairy.  Substitute dairy for non-dairy.  

Vegetable Pot Pie (Vegan)

Ingredients
1-2 16 oz pkg frozen mixed vegetables
1 pkg Beyond Meat (beyond chicken) cubed
1/8 c diced celery
1/8 c diced onion
1/4 c diced mushroom
diced garlic cloves (1-2)
flour for roux, hot water
Oil for saute (safflower, sunflower, or canola)
Pie shells (1-2) 9 inch

Preparation:
Heat a large skillet, add oil, season, then lightly saute celery, onion, mushroom, and garlic cloves.  Remove to an adjacent plate or dish. Mix 2-4 teaspoons of flour with equal parts hot water to make a slurry.  Add more oil, saute beyond chicken cubes until brown bringing up heat to create a slight tacky sear.  Add a little more oil, pour in slurry, stir, and more water 1/2 cup at a time, creating a roux around your beyond chicken pieces.

Your roux should be thick and creamy.  Add in your mixed vegetables and your saute vegetables.  Take your skillet off of the heat to bring down temperature.

Cover your crust edges.  Pre-bake your crust for 10-15 minutes on 300-350 but watch it so that is not over browned.  Let it stand for 5-10 minutes.  Fill your pre-baked shell to your desired height, taking into consideration the size of your second shell for the cover/seal. Close your pie with the second crust. Recover the outer edge, bake at 350-400 (350 if convection).

Slice or prick the center to allow steam to escape. Place pie on a baking sheet. Bake 30-45 minutes until golden brown/crust is flaky. 

Chickpea Croquettes, Green Beans, and Potato Hash

Ingredients
1 – 15 oz can organic chickpeas, drained, mashed

¼ c diced red pepper

¼ c diced celery

¼ c diced onion

1 T minced garlic

2 T minced carrot

½ c organic whole grain bread crumbs

3 T corn starch

1 jumbo egg or two large

Seasoning: old bay, salt, coarse black pepper, onion powder, Italian seasoning, fennel, cumin, ranch season, and dill

Preparation:

Sauté vegetables in oil. Mash chickpeas. It is okay to leave a few whole. Add vegetables, spices, breadcrumbs, cornstarch, and eggs.

Fry in medium hot oil on each side.  Remove and blot with paper towel. Serve with greens, potato hash, or whatever you like!

greek salad...my way

Ingredients: 
1 head Green Leaf Lettuce (or Romaine Lettuce or Iceberg lettuce will work fine too), 1 Red Bell Pepper, 1 Green Bell Pepper, ½ a Red Onion, 1 cup Black Olives, 1 cup Grape Tomatoes, ½ an English Cucumber, 1 cup Feta Cheese cut into small cubes (more for serving).

to make the dressing: 3 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil, The Juice and Zest of one Lemon (or lime),2 tablespoons chopped fresh Parsley, (dry is okay too but a 1/4 t.) ½ tablespoon dry Oregano, ¼ teaspoon minced Garlic, Salt to taste, Ground Black Pepper to taste

veggie loaf (mock meatloaf)

Ingredients

1 1/2 c Organic Textured (non-GMO) Soy Protein (T.S.P.)

1 1/2 c boiling water

Baked Vegetarian Loaf

3/4 c cooked whole grain brown rice

2 T ketchup

2 T spicy brown mustard

2 T soy or liquid aminos

1 celery stalk diced

¼ c minced carrot

¼ c diced onion

1 T minced garlic

1 c bread crumbs

2 T flax meal

1 flax egg

3 T Olive Oil (divided)

Seasoning: Old Bay, Onion Powder, Basil, Thyme, Rosemary, Black Pepper, Garlic Powder, Paprika, Chili Powder, Cumin, salt

Preheat Oven to 400 degrees.

Preparation:

Sauté celery and onions in 1 T of olive oil until translucent. Add carrots and garlic. Add a pinch of salt and black pepper. Combine water with T.S.P. and the remaining ingredients plus 1 T of oil. Season the mix to your desired taste. Pack this into loaf pan (cover with foil) or roll in parchment then double roll in foil. 

*For this try, I used the latter.

Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove let stand for 10 minutes before slicing.

*Place into the refrigerator to chill overnight to slice for storing. 

Green Beans in Stewed Tomatoes, Mac 'n Cheese,
and Veggie Loaf w/ Peppery Onion Gravy

garden vegetable stew

Gardein Beefless Tips, stewed tomatoes, tomato paste, rainbow peppers,
roasted potatoes, carrots, onions, garlic,
spices (salt, coarse black pepper, smoked red pepper, oregano, parsley, thyme, and cayenne.

vegetable stir fry

Fresh Vegetable Stir Fry:
red pepper, banana squash, broccoli, green beans, red onion, eggplant, minced garlic (fried in olive oil).
My special sweet 'n sour sauce. Served over whole grain brown rice with a vegetable egg roll.

Inspired by Queen Dee of Queen Dee Fitness
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_udrpFtEHE

broccoli vegetarian pasta salad

Hot days drive your desire for cooler foods. Here's a salad that you make your very own way. As a vegetarian I of course took the vegetarian route. But you can use chicken breast if you choose. You can substitute other vegetables, such as rainbow peppers, tomatoes, and cucumber.

2 cups tri-color rotini uncooked (cook al dente)

1 cup vegetarian (meatless chicken) strips (about 4-5 pieces)

1-2 cups broccoli cut in pieces steamed (1-2 minutes)

1 T minced garlic

2 T diced red onion

2 T diced celery

1 T minced carrot

¼ c sharp cheddar cheese

Salt, dill weed, black pepper, bacos, and parsley to taste

Preparation. Sautee strips in garlic, cool, then slightly pulse in food chopper.  Mix ingredients. Season to your taste. Chill. Serve with Vegetable Crackers.

You can use coleslaw dressing to your desired taste or make your own.

Dressing:

3 T mayo/salad dressing

1 T sour cream

1 T Caesar Dressing

1 T acv

1 T sugar

1 t honey

dill weed, black pepper

asparagus bisque

1 lb. asparagus
2 T. coconut oil
1 T. minced garlic
1/4 c. chopped red onion
black pepper, seasoned salt

Cut asparagus into 1-2 inch pieces. In a saucepan, sautee ingredients on med-low heat, lightly season, and cover. Occasionally check pan for tenderness. Blend vegetables, return to saucepan. Turn heat to medium/boil, and then gradually add water two cups at a time. Simmer on low for 20 minutes.  Season to taste.

potato and corn chowder

2 sl of Morningstar Farms bacon strips diced
½ c diced onion

½ c diced carrot
½ c diced celery
3 T minced garlic
5 diced potatoes
1 c corn
salt, pepper, thyme, parsley (to taste)
½ c milk
Vegetable oil
water

In deep pan, sauté the first four items in a few tablespoons of vegetable oil until translucent. Season to taste. Peel and cube potatoes. Add them to sauté. Add garlic and corn. Deglaze, using a cup of water. Season to taste. Add milk. Bring to a boil, then reduce, and leave uncovered for 20-30 minutes. Stir occasionally. Ladle into bowls or ramekins. Serve with grilled cheese!

sweet 'n sour tofu (chicken flavored)

Prepare tofu overnight to freeze. This will produce a chewy texture, similar to chicken. This recipe is for 1 cup of sliced tofu.

1 cup of sliced or cubed extra firm tofu, drained
2 T Weber Roasted Garlic & Herb Seasoning
2 T Chicken flavored powdered broth
Zip lock bag

Slice Tofu into small cubes ½ inch squared or slice into strips. Place into boiling water for 15 minutes. Remove. Cool. Press between paper towels to remove excess water. Place in into a shaker bag. Add Seasoning and Chicken flavored powdered broth. Place into freezer. Thaw your tofu when ready to prepare.


For crispy tofu:
prepared, thawed tofu
½ cup all-purpose flour or Corn starch
1 raw egg
Cooking oil

For sauce:
2 T soy sauce
2 T vinegar
2 T brown sugar
3 T ketchup (to taste)
1 T cornstarch (For thicker sauce, use 2-3 T)
¼ t sesame oil (optional)
½ cup water or chicken stock
¼ cup orange juice

For vegetables:
2 stalks green onion, cubed
1 small onion, cubed
1 green bell pepper, cubed
1/2 small carrot, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped


Whisk egg and pour over tofu. Add flour gradually (or corn starch). Mix well until sticky and shiny, break loose pieces of tofu and drop into hot oil 350 degrees. Fry for 5-7 minutes.

They will start to brown. Drain.

Mix water and Corn Starch. Add this and remaining ingredients to sauce pot. Whisk over medium to low heat. It will change from cloudy to translucent. Add more water if too thick. Remove from heat.

Sauté vegetables in a few drops of oil over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Pour in sauce. Combine fried tofu. Mix until all pieces are covered.

Serve with Egg Roll, crab meat cheese rangoon, and vegetable fried rice.

Sweet 'n Sour Tofu (chicken flavored)