pickled peppers.

Pepper Rings

/ jeffreyw

The patio garden continues to produce.  The banana peppers are going bananas (not sorry!).  There is another pepper variety that is called IIRC, gypsy.  Those are like small bell peppers, they are yellow, then turn orange.  The elongated bell peppers turning from green to red are Big Bertha bells.  Not a fan of those – too thin, not meaty enough.We liked the last batch of peppers we pickled so we did them again per this recipe.  A few departures from it:  subbed a cup of seasoned rice vinegar for a cup of the white vinegar, didn’t add sugar because the rice vinegar is full of it, and added a bit of turmeric.

Note that these are refrigerator pickles, they are not processed and should be kept in the fridge.

Mmm… that’s a spicy meatball!

/ jeffreyw

DSC_8289 (1600x1060)Leftover meatballs for lunch.  These are some I made the other day and went heavy on the pepper flakes.  I started with some breakfast sausage that was pretty sharp before I added the fennel seeds, more pepper flakes, bread crumbs, egg, and etc.  I had already used up all the Italian sausage and figured I could make-over the breakfast recipe stuff and come close enough.  I liked it but Mrs J ate about half of one and decided that was plenty.

Tidbits

/ jeffreyw


DSC_7100 (1600x1060)Mmm… green beans and ham.  The meat is some of the cured pork that we buy whenever we go up to the processor about an hour north of where we live.  They bag and freeze chunks that are analogous to bacon ends.  I’m not sure what their curing method is, soaking in a brine is my guess, then smoking for a spell.DSC_4256 (1600x1060)Mrs J is getting serious about wrapping up the patio container garden.  I picked most of the peppers.  The small sweet peppers are great for pickling – I have been using a simple water/vinegar/sugar pickle.  The habs and the Anaheims were frozen whole.  I noticed the jalapenos were starting to wrinkle so they got the same pickling as the little grape sized peppers.  Still to go are a bunch of cayennes, and the ornamental tri-color peppers that have proved to be hot hot hot.  Some other tri-colored peppers have no heat at all.IMG_3116 (1600x1200)They brought this long haired chihuahua to the shelter the other day.  He was found running free by the roadside with his son.  No tags or owner.  They think he’s about 8 years old.  Heartworm positive, he’ll be there a while, his son has been adopted and he is all alone.DSC_4278 (1600x1060)A neighbor called yesterday evening, telling Mrs J there was a momma cat and her kittens abandoned by the road.  She found the mom and three kittens right away.  They were hungry.  Another sweep through the same area found three more kittens.

They all seem to be healthy.  We have them all in the back barn for now, all set up with litter boxes and bedding.DSC_7105 (1600x1060)Bookending the post with beans.  These are red beans and rice.  Kroger surprised me the other day with Andouille sausage.  I bought a ring and used it here.  Just about the perfect addition to the classic bean dish.  I tossed in a few boneless chicken thighs to keep the sausage company.

Tidbits

/ jeffreyw / 1 Comment

DSC_7014 (1600x1060)The mini sweet pepper bushes are producing scads of small peppers.  A while back I dropped a few into a refrigerator pickle I have going with cherry peppers and they did very well.  I started a new pickle with these, equal parts white vinegar and sugar with a half teaspoon of salt per cup of solution.DSC_7025 (1600x1060)Made a big pot of chicken noodle soup the other day, and baked a loaf of white bread to go with it.  Crackers are good and all but wouldn’t you rather dip a nice warm slice of bread into the broth?IMG_3061 (1600x1200)Here’s a pretty kitteh.  Biscuit was sent home with a family but they brought her back after a couple of days.  Mrs J says she hasn’t a clue as to why other than they just changed their mind about wanting a cat.  Shame, she seems well socialized though is not much of a lap kitty.  She likes to play feather on a string and all the other usual games.DSC_7027 (1600x1060)Here’s a nice cheesesteak sammich with a few of those little peppers.  I used a little different method on these.  Usually I just cook the meat with just salt and pepper but I used a simple marinade on the thinly sliced strips today:  Olive oil, soy sauce, some A-1, black pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.  Not a huge difference but it turned out well enough to go ahead with a marinade the next time, too.

Tex-Mex Pr0n – Grilled Burritos

/ jeffreyw

DSC_6886 [1600x1060]Bean and cheese burritos are hard to beat.  Add roast pork and you win.  Dip them with some sweet and fiery habanero peach sauce and they are right over the top.  I have a few of the pickled cherry tomatoes from last year’s garden with them on the platter.  DSC_6887 [1600x1060]I had them again today.  These have cheddar cheese, yesterday’s were made with Monterey jack.  I need to start eating down all the jalapenos I put up last year.  These were packed with carrot sticks and sliced onions with a clove of garlic.  I am really liking this habanero sauce, there are more ripening on the bush so I’ll get at least one more batch.  I may sub papayas or mangoes for the peaches this time.

Cheesesteak Fries in the Nacho Style

/ jeffreyw

What can I say?  I did it for reasons.  The dish was well received by all. moar cheesesteak friesI mentioned this to Mrs J when the whim struck me as I was slicing the frosty flat iron steak.  She said fries with her cheesesteak sammich would be fine.  I said, no, I mean put the cheesesteak filling on top of the fries, like cheese fries.  We’ve had those before.  She said “Oooohhh”!  I took that as an assent.  LOL

Mmm… sammich

/ jeffreyw / 2 Comments

apple smoked pork with giardinieraHaven’t posted a sammich pic in ages!  This one is apple smoked pork piled onto a slice of whole clove garlic bread that the local market is now stocking, it’s a par-baked loaf that needs 10 minutes to finish in the oven.  It’s kind of spendy but it’s so easy I find it’s worth it.  Still working through the jar of hot Chicago style giardiniera.  On the side are some of my own pickled peppers from the garden this summer.