Pickled Pepper Rings

      Pickling at Home may seem like an intimidating task, but the job requires minimal materials and investment. If you're already growing an item you would like to pickle, the cost is reduced further. In my case, I had several hot pepper plants which were producing more fruit than I could use at one time. The solution was clear: pepper rings.

Basic Equipment for Pickling/Canning:

•  white vinegar
•  non-iodized salt
•   a pot large enough to hold your jars and have them covered with, at least, a half inch of water*
• - a rack to go inside your pot (I use the round grate to a small indoor grill)
• you can also purchase a canning   rack for a modest sum
• - a pressure canner*
• - canning jars with lids and rings**
• - a jar lifter
• - any specialized seasoning mixture (i.e., garlic, dill, black pepper, red pepper flakes, dill seed-dill pickles, cilantro and lime for salsas, etc.)

Ingredients for Hot Pepper Rings:

• Approximately 1 pound of hot or sweet peppers
• 2 cups of water
• 3 teas. of pickling salt (any non-iodized salt)
• 3 - 1 pint canning jars with lids and rings
• 3 cups of white vinegar
• 3 cloves finely minced garlic
• A pair of rubber gloves - if handling hot peppers

Directions:

1.  Wash all jars, lids and rings with anti-bacterial dish soap and rinse in hot water. I usually wash my pot
      and rack as well. Set the rings aside to dry.
2.  Place your rack in the pot and fill with enough water to cover the pint jars once added.
3.  Bring your pot of water to boil. Reduce heat and keep water simmering. Place empty jars and lids in/on
     your canning rack.
4.  Wash the peppers thoroughly, discard any which are blemished or show signs of insect damage. Then
     slice the tops from the peppers and slice into the size desired. It is a good idea to keep the slices
     between 1/4" and 1/2". Feel free to mix pepper varieties if you wish.
5.  If trying to remove some heat, do your best to shake out the seeds from the rings. I keep them in, I like
     it hot!
6.  In a small pot, heat the vinegar, water and garlic until barely boiling.
7.  Using a jar lifter, remove the jars from the large pot - pour any water in the jars back into the large pot.
8.  Fill each jar with the peppers, leaving only 1/4" headspace to the top of the jar, and ladle hot liquid into
     jars maintaining same. Tap jars lightly to remove air bubbles or use a plastic spatula to stir them out.
     Place one lid on each jar and wipe the ridges for the ring clean.
9.  Using your fingertips, gently tighten the ring on the jar until just tight.
10. Using the jar lifter, place the jars back into the large pot, ensuring water completely covers the jars.
11. Process jars for about 10 minutes in nearly boiling water. A rolling boil is far too hot, but you'll want to 
      see rippling at the surface.
12. Remove the jars from heat and set somewhere safe to cool - out of sunlight on a heat resilient surface.
13. Press the lid of each jar down gently with your finger, if the lid pops back up, the jar failed to seal.
      Return it to the processing pot for another 10 minutes. If it still fails to seal or you see water seeped
      inside, you may rinse and use the peppers immediately or store in a refrigerator for up to 3 days.
14. Let sealed jars sit for 48 hours, undisturbed, and check for seal again. If the seal has not taken, discard
      the contents of the jar. If the seal is good, store the jar in a cool, dark place to maintain integrity.

Your peppers will pickle in 3-6 weeks. They will store for about a year. 

Notes:

ONLY use fresh produce-without blemishes and while at peak of ripeness-for best flavor

NEVER fill a canning jar with any kind of crack, chip, or visible flaw in the glass

NEVER place your canning jars in the bottom of a hot pot of water with no rack

ALWAYS use fresh, filtered water for any water going into the jars

* Pressure canning is the best method to maintain the highest standard of food safety, and the most effective way to avoid food borne illnesses from canned foods. It is 100% required (absolutely not kidding about this, no exceptions) for low acid produce and any kind of meat product. If you have any doubts about the acid content of the produce or when you must use a presser canner, please feel free to contact me.

** Do not reuse glass jars from the grocery store purchased with items already inside, these jars are almost impossible to reseal properly and can cause food borne illness when used for home canning. While it is tempting to, say, reuse a pickle jar for making homemade, do so at your own risk.

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Make your own Taco Seasoning

Making your own spice blends means experimenting. Luckily, I have done the experimenting for you in this case.

You may be asking, "Why make my own taco seasoning? I can buy the stuff in the supermarket for $0.99!" The answer is simple: SALT. Spice blends you purchase at the store have an inordinate amount of salt content. You miss out on a lot of the flavor of your dish when there is too much salt.

So let's get started!

You'll need: 1/2 t. oregano, garlic powder and sea salt. 1 t. onion powder, chili powder and paprika and 1 1/2 t. cumin powder. You can also add a sprinkle of cayenne pepper if you'd like.

Blend in a small dish and use about 1 1/2 T of seasoning per lb of ground beef. (I put the entire result in..yum
!) You will also add about 1/2 c. of water to your beef when you add the seasoning and cook it down.

Don't forget, thrifties, you can always double or TRIPLE your ground beef and seasoning mixture and freeze for later for a super-easy weeknight meal.

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Roasting Your Own Veggies - DIY Restaurant Flair

Roasting Your  Own Vegetables

Roasting Vegetables can be a very big hit at a dinner party. It shows you're not afraid to take a little heat in your kitchen.

      I had a craving for Tex-Mex so instead of going out I decided to try and re-create some of the restaurant flavor at home. Roasted vegetables, especially garlic, onions and peppers, take on a very distinct flavor when roasted over a flame. (As you would suspect if you've grilled ANYTHING). Roasting something over a flame inside of your home presents different challenges.

      For example, if you roast an onion, the paper thin outer layers will start to shed and fly away. The smudges of ash over your kitchen will be worth it I promise! Please follow basic safety rules when using an open flame in you're home. If you're timid, invite a friend over and keep a fire extinguisher nearby. Now to the good stuff.

The Basics: 
1. Wash your vegetables, ensure they are free of dirt and debris. If you see dark spots, take this time to remove blemishes with a sharp knife.

2. You may want to remove the grate cover from your burner at this time. Go ahead and grab a pair of tongs and a stainless steel meat fork.

3. I started off with tongs and the grate on as pictured below and slowly rotated the pepper over the flame careful to blacken all sides.

Slowly, carefully..

 Things were progressing here but I wasn't, by any means, quick.

You may find this has greater maneuverability 

I found it was much easier to remove the grate from the burner and proceed to hold the pepper with a long meat fork. It was easier and faster.

4. Then it's a quick dunk in ice water and remove the skins with your fingers. (use a knife to gently encourage stubborn spots.)

5. Voila! You have restaurant quality roasted peppers. 

      Now you can stop right here and serve them with a dip or slice em up and put them on a sandwich or wrap. Since I'm still in the mood for Tex-Mex, I browned some ground turkey in a pan (I added garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, ancho chili powder, black pepper, cumin and homemade cayenne pepper to make a healthier homemade taco seasoning. I'm experimenting a bit with the exact measurements right now. More later!)

     In a separate skillet I added a drizzle of olive oil, thick chopped onion and 2 cloves of garlic. I cook these until the onions are translucent and the garlic just barely starts to brown. In go the sliced fire-roasted peppers and there you have it. A healthier than eating-out dish with restaurant flair. 

Thanks for taking the time to DIY, come back soon!

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