Frogmore Stew

Posted on August 21, 2011 by okieranchwife

A friend of mine visited South Carolina and all I got was this recipe! I’m not complaining because it is South Carolina in a soup pot! Frogmore Stew is also known as Low-Country Boil and is a classic Carolina dish.  I think I need to learn more about Food Photograghy. The photo doesn’t show how good this dish is!

  • 6 small Red Potatoes
  • 1 pound of your favorite Sausage, cut into bite size pieces
  • 4 small Sweet Onions, quartered
  • 2 frozen or fresh corn on the cob, each cut into 3 sections
  • 1 pound Shrimp, can be peeled or unpeeled
  • Old Bay Seasoning
  • Sea Salt, Pepper, Red Pepper to taste

Boil potatoes, sausage and 2 tablespoons Old Bay for about 5 minutes. You don’t want the potatoes mushy when the boil is finished. Add onions and corn. Add more Old Bay if desired. Boil for an additional 10 minutes.  When the potatoes are tender, add the shrimp and boil until they are red. Don’t overcook.

Remove from the boil pot into a shallow dish. Serves 4. Out here, if we are serving this outside on picnic table, we put down brown paper and serve on the paper.  After dinner, just roll up the paper and shells and throw away.

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Herb and Yogurt Dressing

Posted on August 20, 2011 by okieranchwife

This is a nice dressing for any veggie. You can use this with cucumbers, tomatoes, broccoli or cauliflower

  • 1 clove Garlic, peeled and pressed
  • 1 tablespoon fresh Dill Weed, chopped (2 teaspoons dried)
  • 1 teaspoon fresh Tarragon
  • 1/2 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
  • 1 tablespoon White Wine Vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt or Kosher
  • 1/4 teaspoon Pepper, fresh ground is best
  • 3/4 teaspoon Sugar or Sugar Substitute
  • 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
  • 1/2 cup Greek Style Yogurt

Add all ingredients in a food processor with a blade, in a conventional blender or an immersion stick blender that has a cup processor.  Blend well and serve over salad or veggies.

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Creamy Asparagus Soup

Posted on August 19, 2011 by okieranchwife

To borrow from an old commercial of a name brand soup, this is mmmmm, mmmmmm, good. It is light but filling.

  • 1 pound of fresh Asparagus, trim off the tough ends, cut in 1 inch pieces but set aside the tips
  • 1/2 cup Onion, chopped
  • 1 rib Celery, trimmed and chopped
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted Butter
  • 1 box (32 ozs) low sodium Chicken Broth or Home-made
  • 1 cup Milk
  • 1/2 cup Half & Half
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon All Purpose Flour or Wondra
  • 1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt or Kosher
  • 1/4 teaspoon Paprika
  • White Pepper to taste

Melt butter in a medium size soup pot. Add onions and celery and saute over medium high heat until onions are tender but not browned. Add chicken broth and cut asparagus stalks. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer for about 30 minutes.  Process in a blender, food processor or puree with an immersion stick blender.  Return to soup pot when blended. In a small sauce pan heat the milk and whisk in the flour to make a smooth roux. Add a bit of the warm pureed asparagus soup to the roux. Blend well. Add the roux to the soup pot. Stir constantly until well blended. Add half & half, salt, paprika and pepper. Mix well.  Add in asparagus tips and heat for about 10 minutes until soup is thickened and tips are slightly tender. can serve with crusty bread and creamy butter.

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Guacamole

Posted on August 19, 2011 by okieranchwife

We love avocados and guacamole. When I make this dip, it doesn’t last too long around our place. Some people put tomatoes and peppers and other stuff, but I like to keep it simple.

  • 2 ripe medium Avocados, peeled and pitted
  • 1 teaspoon Garlic, peeled and pressed
  • 1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice
  • 1/4 cup Onion, finely diced
  • Sea Salt to taste

Mash the avocado and mix with the remaining ingredients. Chill in the fridge in a covered storage container for at least 2 hours before serving. Serve with taco chips or tortilla chips.

 

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Chicken and Vegetable Stew

Posted on August 18, 2011 by okieranchwife

Believe it or not Fall is just around the corner. Break out those sweaters and get ready for the harvest season! If your garden has not done well, do a search on the internet for your local Farmers Markets and U-Pick Farms.  You can get some great deals at both places.

  • 1 box (32 ozs) of low sodium Chicken Broth or Homemade
  • 4 skinless, bone-in Chicken Breasts( about 2 1/2 pounds) Bone-in gives the broth more nutrients
  • 1 medium Sweet Onion, chopped
  • 2 ribs Celery, trimmed and chopped
  • 1 package (14 oz) frozen White Shoepeg Corn
  • 1 package (14 oz) frozen Lima Beans
  • 1 can (15 oz) Crushed Tomatoes
  • 1/3 Tomato Ketchup
  • 1/4 cup cooked Ham, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon Sugar or Sugar Substitute
  • 3 tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Hot Sauce
  • 1 teaspoon dried Italian Seasoning

In a Dutch Oven bring the broth to a boil over medium high heat. Add chicken, onion and celery. Return to boil. Boil for 2 minutes. Reduce heat and simmer until chicken is tender. About 30 minutes. Remove chicken from pot and let cool.  Remove the meat from the bones, shred the meat and return meat to pot. Keep bones for making more broth or discard. Add corn and remaining ingredients. Bring back to a boil. Then reduce heat to simmer and cook for 30 minutes.  Can garnish with cilantro or parsley. Serves 4 to 8.

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Oklahoma Chow-Chow

Posted on August 18, 2011 by okieranchwife

Good recipe!!!!!

  • 8 quarts Green Tomatoes
  • 1 medium Green Cabbage
  • 2 Green Bell Peppers, chopped fine
  • 2 tablespoons Mustard Seed
  • 1 tablespoon Whole Cloves
  • 6 medium Onions, chopped fine
  • 8 cups Sugar (It seems like alot but won’t taste sweet)
  • 2 tablespoons Coriander Seeds
  • 1 cup Pickling Salt
  • 3 Red Bell Peppers, seeded and chopped
  • 2 tablespoons Celery Seeds
  • 1 stick Cinnamon
  • 3 quarts White Vinegar

Chop the tomatoes by hand or in food processor to a medium chop. Put in a large bowl and add salt. Let stand overnight. The salt will draw out the liquid from the tomatoes.  The Next day drain and rinse well. Boil the tomatoes and the vinegar for 35 minutes. Add onions, peppers,and all seeds. Tie the seeds in cheese cloth or a muslin bag. You don’t want the seeds in the finished chow-chow.  Add the rest of the ingredients and cook until the onions are tender. Remove bag of seeds and discard.

Pour into sterilized jars. Leave 1/2 inch head space. Clean rims. Adjust the heated lids and tighten the rims to finger tip tight. Process in a boiling hot water bath for 15 minutes. Remove from water and allow to sit undisturbed for 12 hours. Jars should be sealed.

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White Bean Soup

Posted on August 18, 2011 by okieranchwife

Yup, I’m wanting some cool weather! Another one pot dish, that will feed a crowd of people.

  • 3 cups dried White Beans, (Navy, Northern or cannellini)
  • 8 cups Water
  • 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
  • 1 large Onion, Chopped
  • 2 cloves Garlic, peeled and pressed
  • 3 medium Carrots, peeled and sliced in rounds
  • 3 ribs Celery, sliced in rounds
  • 1 teaspoon dried Thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried Oregano
  • 1 teaspoon Soy Sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Brown Sugar
  • 1/2 cup Tomato Paste
  • 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon Red Cayenne Pepper
  • Black Pepper to taste

Put beans in a large pot and add water until beans are covered by 2 inches. Bring to a boil. Cover and take off the heat, Let stand for 2 hours.  Drain and rinse. Put beans back into pot and add 8 cups of water. Cover and simmer until beans are tender. About 1 hour.

Put beans and cooking water into a large bowl. Set aside. In the soup pot, heat the EVOO over medium high heat and saute the onions about 5 minutes. Don’t brown. Add garlic and saute for about 1 minute.  Add the beans and cooking liquid back into the soup pot.  Add the remaining ingredients. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.  Serve with crusty bread and creamy butter.

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Hungarian Vegetable Goulash

Posted on August 17, 2011 by okieranchwife

As yes, another one pot meal. My cowboy husband and I are so ready for cool Fall nights! We will sit outside around the fire ring and have dinner with a nice bottle of wine. This is a great fire ring dinner.  I will cook it in the house in a cast iron Dutch Oven, then put it on the fire ring grill to keep it warm while we are eating.

  • 1 medium Onion, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons dry red wine (I like merlot or cab sav)
  • 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
  • 2 cloves Garlic, peeled and pressed
  • 1/2 cup lentils (Green, Red or French)
  • 2 tablespoons Paprika (Hungarian is better but regular is good)
  • 2 tablespoons Tamari (Regular Soy sauce will work well also)
  • 4 cups Vegetable Stock
  • 2 medium Turnips, peeled and diced
  • 3 Carrots, peeled and diced
  • 2 medium Potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 2 cups Green Cabbage, shredded
  • 2 Peppers, seeded and chopped ( can use Ancho, Pablano or Sweet Banana)
  • 1 Bay Leaf
  • 1/2 cup dry Red Wine
  • 1/4 cup Flour
  • 1 tablespoon Arrowroot ( Can use corn starch just as well)

Over medium high heat and in  a cast iron Dutch Oven, heat the EVOO and saute the onion in 2 tablespoons of wine. Saute until tender but not browned.  Add garlic, lentils, paprika and tamari and braise for 2 minutes. Add vegetable broth and simmer for 25 minutes.  Add turnips, carrots potatoes, cabbage and peppers and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the 1/2 cup of wine and bay leaf and simmer until veggies are tender, about 10 minutes.

Mix the flour and arrowroot and dissolve in 1/4 cup of warm water. Blend until smooth and add to the goulash, stirring to blend in completely.  Simmer briefly to allow to thicken.  Serve over egg noodles or rice.

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Red Cabbage Casserole

Posted on August 17, 2011 by okieranchwife

This is another version of German Red Cabbage that I really like. This dish has the added taste of apples that is purely a German element.

  • 1 tablespoon shortening or Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
  • 6 cups Red Cabbage, shredded
  • 1 medium Onion, chopped
  • 1/2 cup of Lemon Juice or Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1/4 cup Sugar or Sugar Substitute
  • 1 teaspoon Sea Salt or Kosher Salt
  • 2 medium Apples, peeled and chopped. (I like the tart type)
  • 1/4 cup Red Currant Jelly

In a cast iron Dutch Oven melt shortening or heat EVOO. Add cabbage, onion, lemon juice/vinegar, salt, sugar. Mix well. Cover and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes or until cabbage is tender. Stir occasionally. Add apples; cook 10 minutes more. Stir in jelly and cook til it melts.

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Oven “Fried” Green Tomatoes

Posted on August 17, 2011 by okieranchwife

This a healthy version of the famous Southern dish.  It is a Paula Deen recipe that I use often.

  • 1/2 cup Yellow Cornmeal
  • 1/2 cup Panko Breadcrumbs
  • 1 teaspoon Creole or Cajun Seasoning (I use our own Fuzz’s Cajun No Salt Blend)
  • 1 whole Egg, beaten
  • 2 large Green Tomatoes, cut into 1/2 inch slices

Preheat oven 375 F. 

Line a rimmed baking sheet with tin foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.  In a shallow dish, combine cornmeal, breadcrumbs and seasoning. In a separate shallow dish, beat the egg.  Dip each slice of tomato in the egg then dredge it in the cornmeal mix to coat both sides. Place on the baking sheet. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, then turn over. Spray each slice with the cooking spray and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes.  Serve while still warm and crispy.

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