Pepper is one of the most economical vegetables to grow. With proper planing and timing, you can harvest peppers for 4-5 months out of your own garden, and you can preserve the excess peppers by freeze or pickle them.
February is time to start your pepper plants. Select varieties you like and pick the early kinds. The following is a few varieties I grew last year (see blog titled "Battle of the Pepper Field"):
1. Estella Pepper: The Estella Pepper is a bullhorn shaped one that is mild when young and develop more pungent taste when matured more. It is ideal for Chili Relleno. The pepper is a lot like Anaheim pepper with one distinct benefit-the skins are a lot easier to come off when charred. I also used this pepper a lot in my salsas. It is a extreme early maturing variety and was ready to harvest before any others and lasted until early December.
2. Sweet Eda Bell Pepper: This is an early maturing bell pepper. The peppers are very meaty and sweet. A good tasting pepper. The plant doesn't get very tall, and is sturdy and robust. It sets fruit easy and has high yield.
3. Jalapeno Pepper: I started this one from seeds in Feb. I thought the small pepper may be maturing earlier, but it didn't. The plant is 50% taller than the Sweet Eda and peppers matured after both the Estella and Sweet Eda. However, it was well worth the wait. I got tons of jalapeno peppers and they have this sweet taste on top of the hotness. I made many many snacks of jalapeno poppers and they were ALWAYS popular.
4. Yellow Banana Peppers: This is a bullhorn shaped pepper but is not hot. Plant is very productive, maturing later the Estella. I made a lot of pickles with this one and I also used them for salsa to add flavor and bulk.
5. Super Hot: This is a super hot pepper, super productive, early maturing. Grow waives of peppers like cloud. The peppers are milder when young and get VERY HOT when old. I couldn't eat the red ones, and I consider myself have good tolerant for heat in food. I got a good recipe from Kim, my Korean friend, of stir fried super hot with anchovies... it was mouth watering good and also burns coming and going....
That't all the peppers I grew last year. I think now I should go get the seeds in the pots so I can have peppers again this year!
Spring is right around the corner, so happy gardening!
Each time you try a new recipe, it's like .......
Each time you try a new recipe, it's like blazing a new trail. Today, I tried a Yucatán version of slow cooked pork using Fenugreek seeds. It turned out AMAZINGLY GOOD! I like to try anything once (with very few exceptions....) This recipe is inspired by a Youtube clip with significant modification....I cooked mine version in a crock pot, without the banana leaves. So, it's not exactly the original cooking, nonetheless, it turned out great for me ^-^.
Note: Fenugreek seeds ( to read more see: http://www.theperfectpantry.com/2006/12/fenugreek.html). I got a packet of it from an Indian guy I met at a market. It didn't come with instructions or anything...
2 lb. pork lion (or any cut), cut into 2" cubes
Juice of 1 lime
2 T. lemon juice
1 t. Fenugreek seeds
a pinch of ground clove
a pinch of ground allspice
1 hot pepper, chopped fine
1/2 C. orange juice
salt and pepper to taste
Place all ingredients in a crock pot, let cook until meat is tender (about 2-3 hr.). It will produce its own juice, use some of the juice in the rice and beans below.
Meanwhile, make rice and beans:
2 C. jasmine rice
1 can (16 oz.) kidney beans
1/2 C. tomato sauce
3 C. Water
1/2 C. juice from the crock pot
Place all ingredients in rice cooker. Cook until done.
Serve pork over rice and beans. Top with chopped jelopeno pepper and cilantro. Enjoy!
Note: Fenugreek seeds ( to read more see: http://www.theperfectpantry.com/2006/12/fenugreek.html). I got a packet of it from an Indian guy I met at a market. It didn't come with instructions or anything...
2 lb. pork lion (or any cut), cut into 2" cubes
Juice of 1 lime
2 T. lemon juice
1 t. Fenugreek seeds
a pinch of ground clove
a pinch of ground allspice
1 hot pepper, chopped fine
1/2 C. orange juice
salt and pepper to taste
Place all ingredients in a crock pot, let cook until meat is tender (about 2-3 hr.). It will produce its own juice, use some of the juice in the rice and beans below.
Meanwhile, make rice and beans:
2 C. jasmine rice
1 can (16 oz.) kidney beans
1/2 C. tomato sauce
3 C. Water
1/2 C. juice from the crock pot
Place all ingredients in rice cooker. Cook until done.
Serve pork over rice and beans. Top with chopped jelopeno pepper and cilantro. Enjoy!
Holiday Cookies 2
This year I discovered a new (to me) easy recipe with the help of my friend Margie. She gave me some mini tart pans and a wooden stamp for making these mini pecan or jam tarts. I can't wait to try...thinking I can put the jams I made throughout the summer to good use. What a perfect gift! Thanks Margie!
Here's the result of my first attempt:
For crust I used:
1 (6 oz.) cream cheese
1 c. soft butter
2 c. flour
For pecan tart filling: (one should cut this recipe in 1/2. I had way more than I needed, but just went ahead made more pecan tarts!)
1 Cup White Corn Syrup
1 Cup Brown Sugar
1/3 Teaspoon Salt
1/3 Cup Melted Butter
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
3 Eggs
2 Cups Pecans for topping the tart
For jam tart filling:
Strawberry Lemon Zest Jam,
Concord Grape with Blackberry Jam, and
Blue-Blackberry Jam.
First place all ingredients for crust in a food processor, process until a ball has formed and Stop. Remove the dough from the food processor. Divide dough into small balls about 1" in diameter, place them in individual tart pan cup. Place the tart pan in the fridge for about 20 minutes. After taking them out of the fridge, use the wooden stamp to push the balls into a cup shape. Fill the crusts with the various filling. For the pecan tarts, fill the crust half way and top with pecans. For the jam tarts, fill the crusts 2/3 full. Bake at a preheated 325F oven for 30 minutes, or until the crust turn lightly golden. Cool and serve. They look a lot harder to make than they really are.
Post cooking notes: This crust recipe is a really simple one, it would work well on pies too. It is flaky and delicious and super easy to work with....
Tasty Kohlrabies in December!
Kohlrabi is a above the ground vegetable from the cabbage family that resembles a turnip. Many people do not know about them here in America. They are easy to grow and versicle in cooking. If you plant them in May you can start harvesting them as early as July (see earlier post: http://thegardenchronicle.blogspot.com/2008/07/07-07-08-giant-kohlrabi.html). The beauty about it is, they grow well in hot and cold climate. I am just harvesting the rest of mine before the hard frost suppose to hit this weekend (December 12). And the frost hardened kohlrabies tasted extra crunchy and sweet!
I like to slice the kohlrabi and put them in salad, or slice them really thin, add vinegar, salt and tiny amount of sesame seeds oil. They are pretty tasty in soup as well.
All of the Germans I met gave me the same recipe:
Peal and slice kohlrabi into 1/4" pieces, cook in salted water until tender to the bite. Make a white cream sauce, and pour over the cooked kohlrabi. You may flavor your sauce with blue or Gorgonzola cheese. Anyway you eat them, they taste great and are good for ya! :)
I like to slice the kohlrabi and put them in salad, or slice them really thin, add vinegar, salt and tiny amount of sesame seeds oil. They are pretty tasty in soup as well.
All of the Germans I met gave me the same recipe:
Peal and slice kohlrabi into 1/4" pieces, cook in salted water until tender to the bite. Make a white cream sauce, and pour over the cooked kohlrabi. You may flavor your sauce with blue or Gorgonzola cheese. Anyway you eat them, they taste great and are good for ya! :)
Holiday Cookies
Three of my favorite holiday cookies are: Molasses Cookies, Lime Icebox Cookies and Double Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies.
The reasons I like them are they are easy to make, delicious and keep good.
Lime Icebox Cookies:
· 1-1/2 Sticks of Butter
· 1-1/3 C. Powdered sugar
· (Cream the above together)
· 1 T. Vanilla Extract
· 2 t. Lime Zest
· 2 t. Lime Juice
· 1-3/4 c. flour
· 2 T. Cornstarch
· 1/4 t. salt
· Powdered sugar to cover cookies after baking.
Mix all the ingredients together, then shape the dough into half inch logs with wax paper. Chill dough. Cut into think wafers and place on parchment paper or silicon baking mats. Bake in a preheated oven at 350F for 12-15 minutes (no convection bake). Transfer cookies to a cooling rack, when completely cool, roll cookies in powered sugar.
(Originally from: Martha Stewards show)
Molasses Cookies
· 2/3 c. vegitable oil
· 1 c. sugar
· 1 egg
· 1/3 c. molasses
· 2-2 1/4 c. flour
· 2 tsp. baking soda
· 1 tsp. cinnamon
· 1 tsp. ground cloves
· 1 tsp. ginger
· sugar for coating cookie dough
Mix all the ingredients in order, then shape the dough into balls and roll them in the extra sugar. Place thm on a cookie sheet on parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes, they’ll be golden brown and cracked on top.
Originally from: thecookfulyouth This recipe is for Crazy Aunt Robyn.)
Double Batch Chocolate Cookies
· 5 Sticks of Butter
· 1-1/2 C. Dark Brown sugar
· 1 C. sugar
· (Cream the above together)
· 2 eggs
· 1 T. Vanilla Extract
· 3-1/2 c. flour
· 2 t. Baking Soda
· 1 t. Salt
· 6-7 c. oats
· 2 c. Chocolate Chips
Mix all the ingredients together. Bake at a preheated oven at 375F for 10-11 minutes.
(Originally from: Our friends Kohl)
The reasons I like them are they are easy to make, delicious and keep good.
Lime Icebox Cookies:
· 1-1/2 Sticks of Butter
· 1-1/3 C. Powdered sugar
· (Cream the above together)
· 1 T. Vanilla Extract
· 2 t. Lime Zest
· 2 t. Lime Juice
· 1-3/4 c. flour
· 2 T. Cornstarch
· 1/4 t. salt
· Powdered sugar to cover cookies after baking.
Mix all the ingredients together, then shape the dough into half inch logs with wax paper. Chill dough. Cut into think wafers and place on parchment paper or silicon baking mats. Bake in a preheated oven at 350F for 12-15 minutes (no convection bake). Transfer cookies to a cooling rack, when completely cool, roll cookies in powered sugar.
(Originally from: Martha Stewards show)
Molasses Cookies
· 2/3 c. vegitable oil
· 1 c. sugar
· 1 egg
· 1/3 c. molasses
· 2-2 1/4 c. flour
· 2 tsp. baking soda
· 1 tsp. cinnamon
· 1 tsp. ground cloves
· 1 tsp. ginger
· sugar for coating cookie dough
Mix all the ingredients in order, then shape the dough into balls and roll them in the extra sugar. Place thm on a cookie sheet on parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes, they’ll be golden brown and cracked on top.
Originally from: thecookfulyouth This recipe is for Crazy Aunt Robyn.)
Double Batch Chocolate Cookies
· 5 Sticks of Butter
· 1-1/2 C. Dark Brown sugar
· 1 C. sugar
· (Cream the above together)
· 2 eggs
· 1 T. Vanilla Extract
· 3-1/2 c. flour
· 2 t. Baking Soda
· 1 t. Salt
· 6-7 c. oats
· 2 c. Chocolate Chips
Mix all the ingredients together. Bake at a preheated oven at 375F for 10-11 minutes.
(Originally from: Our friends Kohl)
Esay Homemade Cheese Cake: Not for the faint of heart! super easy and delicious!
For Crust:
1.5 C. Gram cracker crumbs (comes in a box)
3-4 T. Butter, room temperature
Mix the gram cracker crumbs and butter together, shape in a spring formed pan. Bake at a 350 degree pre-heated oven for 10 minutes.
Filling:
1.5 lb. cream cheese (bought from a local restaurant supply store, $3.86 for a 3 lb. block, which makes two l0" cheese cake);
4 whole eggs, and two egg yorks, room temperature;
1.5 C. Sugar;
2 t. vanilla abstract;
a pinch of freshly grounded nutmeg;
a pinch of lemon zest.
In a food processor, blend together cream cheese and sugar until smooth (2-3 minutes), add eggs/egg yokes one at a time while keeping the food processor running, add vanilla, nutmeg and lemon zest.
Pour the filling in the baked pie crust. Lower oven temperature to 325 degree (make sure do not use convection baking, use regular baking instead). Bake for an hour and fifteen minutes, or until a knife inserted comes out clean.
Run knife around the cake pan, and place the cake pan on a cooling rack. Here's comes the hardest part: Wait until completely cool before serving. Top with cherry pie filling if you prefer. (My friend swears by it)
1.5 C. Gram cracker crumbs (comes in a box)
3-4 T. Butter, room temperature
Mix the gram cracker crumbs and butter together, shape in a spring formed pan. Bake at a 350 degree pre-heated oven for 10 minutes.
Filling:
1.5 lb. cream cheese (bought from a local restaurant supply store, $3.86 for a 3 lb. block, which makes two l0" cheese cake);
4 whole eggs, and two egg yorks, room temperature;
1.5 C. Sugar;
2 t. vanilla abstract;
a pinch of freshly grounded nutmeg;
a pinch of lemon zest.
In a food processor, blend together cream cheese and sugar until smooth (2-3 minutes), add eggs/egg yokes one at a time while keeping the food processor running, add vanilla, nutmeg and lemon zest.
Pour the filling in the baked pie crust. Lower oven temperature to 325 degree (make sure do not use convection baking, use regular baking instead). Bake for an hour and fifteen minutes, or until a knife inserted comes out clean.
Run knife around the cake pan, and place the cake pan on a cooling rack. Here's comes the hardest part: Wait until completely cool before serving. Top with cherry pie filling if you prefer. (My friend swears by it)
Thanksgiving
Thanks giving is here. I've done my share of cooking. Enchilada is my main dish and I have done a few other easy dishes. Here are the dishes and tips that might be helpful to you...
Pumpkin pie: I used the winter squash I grew from my own garden. The key ingredient (besides the squash) is Condensed milk. This will give the pumpkin pie the right consistency. I also used freshly ground nutmeg, ginger and cinnamon for my spices. Bake the pie at 425 degree for 15 minutes, and reduce to 325 degree and bake for another 45 minutes.
Cheese Cake: I put cream cheese, sugar in my Cuisinart food processor, process until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time while continuing blending, add flour for thickening add a dash of freshly grounded nutmeg and vanilla. Keep blending until the mixture is very smooth. Pour all in a preformed pie crust. Bake at 325 degree oven for 1 hr. or until a knife inserted comes out clean.
To make a smooth top, blend together sour cream, powdered sugar and a little cream cheese, make a thick slurry, pour on top of the cheese cake and bake for another 15 minutes.
Enchilada: This is not a traditional Thanksgiving dish, but it's my contribution to a family get together. I first cooked up 3 lb. beef (cheap cuts) with: California chili powder, New Mexico chili powder, a dash of dried mustered, onion powder, garlic powder, a cube of tomato flavored chicken bouillon, a few (4-5) whole cloves, some chopped onions and tomatoes and 1/2 C. of vegetable oil. Cover dish with foil, bake at 325 degrees for 2.5 hours or until meat is tender. Cool the meat.
#Prepare tortillas. I use corn tortillas. Cook tortillas on a frying pan with a little oil until they become soft and pliable. Fill each corn tortilla with beef roll it up and place in a baking dish.
#Making the enchilada sauce: Pour 1 T oil in a frying pan, add chopped jalapeno pepper, chopped tomato and garlic. Cook until they turn soft. Add water, Mexican oregano, cumin and salt to taste. Bring the sauce to a boil. Use a submersible blender, blend the sauce until smooth.
Pour sauce over the prepared tortilla. Cover it with cheese (I use a blend of cheddar and Monterrey Jack cheese.
Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.
What's next...oh
Brown rice salad: This is a really fast and easy recipe and everyone loves it! Cook the brown rice in a rice cooker. (Put in 1.5 times as much water as you would white rice, the rice cooker will know when to stop cooking). After the rice is done, add olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, chopped onion, chopped green onion, chopped parsley, chopped garlic and finely chopped almonds, salt and pepper to taste. You may add other fillers to the salad.
Cheesy Bread Sticks: I always make these delicious cheesy bread sticks and serve them with my Basil Tomato Butter (see below).In a cup, add 1 C. water, 1 t. dry yeast, 1/2 C. flour. Stir to blend. Let it stand overnight. Day 2: in the mixture, add 1 T. dry yeast, 1 C. warm water, 1 t. salt and a dash of sugar, and enough flour to make a soft dough. Let the dough stand until doubled. Roll the dough on a floured board. Brush the flattened dough with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt. Sprinkle with a generous amount of shredded Parmesan cheese. Cut it into strips with a pizza cutter. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until lightly brown.
Tomato Basil Butter:
2 C. fresh basil, 1 can of 6-oz. tomato paste, 1 stick of butter (room temperature), 4 cloves of garlic, salt to taste. Finely chop basil, garlic, and salt. In a bowl, mix tomato paste, butter and finely chopped garlic and basil mixture. Blend with a rubber spatula until smooth. Keep in the refrigerator for up to a week. Great for fresh baked bread, sandwiches. Especially good for making leftover turkey sandwich.
Pumpkin pie: I used the winter squash I grew from my own garden. The key ingredient (besides the squash) is Condensed milk. This will give the pumpkin pie the right consistency. I also used freshly ground nutmeg, ginger and cinnamon for my spices. Bake the pie at 425 degree for 15 minutes, and reduce to 325 degree and bake for another 45 minutes.
Cheese Cake: I put cream cheese, sugar in my Cuisinart food processor, process until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time while continuing blending, add flour for thickening add a dash of freshly grounded nutmeg and vanilla. Keep blending until the mixture is very smooth. Pour all in a preformed pie crust. Bake at 325 degree oven for 1 hr. or until a knife inserted comes out clean.
To make a smooth top, blend together sour cream, powdered sugar and a little cream cheese, make a thick slurry, pour on top of the cheese cake and bake for another 15 minutes.
Enchilada: This is not a traditional Thanksgiving dish, but it's my contribution to a family get together. I first cooked up 3 lb. beef (cheap cuts) with: California chili powder, New Mexico chili powder, a dash of dried mustered, onion powder, garlic powder, a cube of tomato flavored chicken bouillon, a few (4-5) whole cloves, some chopped onions and tomatoes and 1/2 C. of vegetable oil. Cover dish with foil, bake at 325 degrees for 2.5 hours or until meat is tender. Cool the meat.
#Prepare tortillas. I use corn tortillas. Cook tortillas on a frying pan with a little oil until they become soft and pliable. Fill each corn tortilla with beef roll it up and place in a baking dish.
#Making the enchilada sauce: Pour 1 T oil in a frying pan, add chopped jalapeno pepper, chopped tomato and garlic. Cook until they turn soft. Add water, Mexican oregano, cumin and salt to taste. Bring the sauce to a boil. Use a submersible blender, blend the sauce until smooth.
Pour sauce over the prepared tortilla. Cover it with cheese (I use a blend of cheddar and Monterrey Jack cheese.
Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.
What's next...oh
Brown rice salad: This is a really fast and easy recipe and everyone loves it! Cook the brown rice in a rice cooker. (Put in 1.5 times as much water as you would white rice, the rice cooker will know when to stop cooking). After the rice is done, add olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, chopped onion, chopped green onion, chopped parsley, chopped garlic and finely chopped almonds, salt and pepper to taste. You may add other fillers to the salad.
Cheesy Bread Sticks: I always make these delicious cheesy bread sticks and serve them with my Basil Tomato Butter (see below).In a cup, add 1 C. water, 1 t. dry yeast, 1/2 C. flour. Stir to blend. Let it stand overnight. Day 2: in the mixture, add 1 T. dry yeast, 1 C. warm water, 1 t. salt and a dash of sugar, and enough flour to make a soft dough. Let the dough stand until doubled. Roll the dough on a floured board. Brush the flattened dough with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt. Sprinkle with a generous amount of shredded Parmesan cheese. Cut it into strips with a pizza cutter. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until lightly brown.
Tomato Basil Butter:
2 C. fresh basil, 1 can of 6-oz. tomato paste, 1 stick of butter (room temperature), 4 cloves of garlic, salt to taste. Finely chop basil, garlic, and salt. In a bowl, mix tomato paste, butter and finely chopped garlic and basil mixture. Blend with a rubber spatula until smooth. Keep in the refrigerator for up to a week. Great for fresh baked bread, sandwiches. Especially good for making leftover turkey sandwich.
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