Spicy Canned Carrots

This recipe makes 6 pints.

Ingredients:
8 cups white vinegar
6 T kosher salt
2 cups sugar
6 cloves garlic, sliced
crushed red pepper flakes
3 jalepenos, sliced lengthwise
4 lbs carrots, cut into 3 1/2 inch pieces

Boil vinegar and salt for 2 minutes so salt is dissolved.

In the meantime, place the jars over the boiling water in a canning pot in the jar holder.

Put slices of garlic and some pepper flakes in each jar. Fill the jars with carrots, making sure there is 1/2 inch head room.

Then put a few slices of jalepeno in each jar. 

Make sure the carrots are packed tightly.

Ladle vinegar over the carrots until the jar is almost full, leaving 1/2 an inch open at the top.

Place the lids in boiling water for a few minutes, then place them on the jars. Then put on the rings, hand tight.

Submerge the jars so the lids are covered by at least one inch. Boil for 10 minutes.

Remove the jars and allow them to cool for a few hours on a towel. You will hear pops, that means the jars are sealing!

To make sure they are sealed, the lid should be slightly indented. If not, put them in the refridgerator and eat them up.

Dilly Beans

This recipe makes 6 pints.

Ingredients:
4 cups apple cider vinegar
3 T kosher salt
6 sprigs dill
12 cloves garlic
12 dried chili peppers
crushed red pepper flakes
2 lbs green beans

Boil vinegar and salt for 2 minutes so salt is dissolved.

In the meantime, place the jars over the boiling water in a canning pot in the jar holder.

Put 2 cloves of garlic and some pepper flakes in each jar. Fill the jars with beans, making sure there is 1/2 inch head room.

Then put a dried pepper and sprig of dill in each jar. 

Make sure the beans are packed tightly.

Ladle vinegar over the beans until the jar is almost full, leaving 1/2 an inch open at the top.

Place the lids in boiling water for a few minutes, then place them on the jars. Then put on the rings, hand tight.

Submerge the jars so the lids are covered by at least one inch. Boil for 10 minutes.

Remove the jars and allow them to cool for a few hours on a towel. You will hear pops, that means the jars are sealing!

To make sure they are sealed, the lid should be slightly indented. If not, put them in the refridgerator and eat them up.

Raspberry Sauce

My grandma always used to make an awesome raspberry sauce to pour over ice cream. We made a very close reproduction below.

You can multiply this recipe as needed. The amount below will yield approximately one pint.

6 pints raspberries
3/4 cups sugar
3 T lemon juice

Wash the raspberries and put in a pot with sugar and lemon juice.

Mash the mixture together. I used a dough cutter but a potato masher would also work.

Cook the sauce at a slow boil for 30-40 minutes, until it is a dark red.

Run the sauce through a chinois or strainer to remove the seeds.

Place in cans, put on lids (boiled in water 2 minutes) and rings. Submerge in boiling water for 20 minutes. There should be an inch of water above the top of the lid.

Remove from the boiling water and place on a towel to cool for several hours. You will hear the lids 'pop'.

Before storing, check to make sure all of the lids are slightly indented, this means they are sealed.

If you have a jar that didn't seal, you can either use it right away, or store in the freezer for up to six months.

Mango Avocado Sauce

This is a refreshing sauce that is healthy, and can be used on a lot of different things. I have used it with chicken quesadillas, fish tacos, and my favorite is with a spicy black bean burger (thanks, Mom!).

Ingredients:

1 diced mango

1/3 cup diced red onion

2 avocados (1 diced, 1 mashed)

1 container plain greek yogurt

2 T lime

1 t salt

1 t black pepper

You can also add a jalepeno or serrano chili for spice.

I like to let this sit for about an hour before using, so the flavors can intensify.

Berry Apple Pecan Salad with Greek Yogurt Sauce and Toasted Coconut

This is a very healthy and low calorie dessert.

1 pint raspberries

1 pint blackberries

1 pint strawberries, sliced

2-3 apples (I shredded mine, but you could also dice them)

Toasted Pecans

Toasted Coconut

For the sauce:

1 container Greek yogurt (any flavor is fine, I used vanilla)

1 T Splenda (feel free to use sugar if you want)

1 T lime juice

1/3 cup coconut milk (I used unsweetened, 45 calories per cup)

This makes a pretty good amount of salad, so I would only make up half, and store the leftover sauce separate from the fruit.

Skinny Bang Bang Shrimp

These skinny (not breaded) Bang Bang Shrimp make a great appetizer, but would also be very good on a salad, or in a taco or quesadilla.

Grill 1 lb Shrimp. (You could also cook in a pan, but the grilling makes it a bit smoky)

Bang Bang Sauce:

1/3 cup Mayo (look for a low calorie option, I used the Olive Oil Mayo from Kraft)

1-2 T Sriracha sauce

1/4 cup thai chili sauce

Toss with the sauce, garnish with chives, and serve!

I am going to try this with chicken cubed up next time. 

Grilled Tilapia w/ Nectarine Salsa and Sweet Potato Wedges

Tilapia:

Mix together 

1/2 t onion powder

1/2 t garlic powder

1 t paprika

1 t salt

1 t pepper

1 t chili powder

Grill fish (spray the grate down well with Pam or brush with olive oil).

Nectarine Salsa:

2 nectarines

1 avocado

1 Serrano pepper

1/4 red onion

2 T lime juice

Dash salt

Do this 30 minutes in advance to let the flavors mingle.

Sweet Potato Wedges

Cut sweet potatoes into wedges and boil for 10 minutes. Let cool.

Brush with oil and salt the wedges. Grill until browned on each side.

Light Greek Yogurt Blue Cheese Dressing

Mix together:

8oz plain Greek yogurt

4 oz blue cheese

1 T apple cider vinegar

1 t lime juice

1/2 t garlic powder

1/2 t onion powder

1/2 t salt

1/2 t black pepper

Chicken Yakotori with Baby Corn and Scallions

I love yakotori (also known where I live as "chicken on a stick"). The recipe is pretty basic, with the addition of scallions and baby corn to the skewers, to dress it up and bit (and pump up the flavor).

I used chicken breast instead of the traditional chicken thighs, just to lighten it up a little.

Cook the following over medium heat until reduced by half:
2 cups mirin
1 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup sugar
3 garlic cloves
chili flakes or sriracha

Marinate 1 lb of 1 inch cubed pieces of chicken in half of the above sauce, once it has cooled. Reserve the other half of the sauce.

After marination continues a for a few hours, skewer the meat and grill it. Baste with the remaining sauce. Baste and baste and baste. The glaze that forms is delicious. You will wish you basted more than once if you ignore me...

You could serve this with rice and/or a grilled vegetable like asparagus or green beans.

Asian Volcano Scallop

I have had something similar at a sushi restaurant so I wanted to make it at home.

Bottom to top, this is how I assemble these tasty little appetizers:

Lettuce leaf
Soy/Mirin sauce
Scallop
Crab Salad
Sweet Potato Strings
Soy/Mirin sauce

The lettuce leaf is easy, and any kind will do. You could use romaine, bibb, or even iceberg if you had it on hand.

The soy/mirin sauce is easy, just reduce:
1/4 cup mirin
1/2 cup soy
1/4 cup sugar

For the scallops, I sear them in a super hot pan with sesame oil for 2 minutes on each side. Don't let them sit around long, you should serve them warm.

Crab salad is also simple, just mix:
crab
1/4 cup mayo
sriracha sauce (really depends on how spicy you want it)
1 t sugar

For the sweet potatoes use a potato peeler to make thin strips, bake at 325 til brown.