Garden of Eatin'

I wanted to share a few recipes that I’ve tried recently and ended up stuffing ourselves until we were ready to pop really liking.

Stuffed Pork Chops with Smoked Gouda & Bacon

We couldn’t get enough of this. I baked these instead of grilling and they were divine. Can’t wait to try them on the grill. From Allrecipes.

• 2 ounces smoked Gouda cheese, shredded
• 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 (2 1/4 inch thick) center-cut, bone-in pork chops (I used boneless)
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• ground black pepper

1. Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat.
2. In a small bowl, combine the cheese, bacon, parsley, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper.
3. Lay the chop flat on cutting board, and with a sharp knife held parallel to the board, cut a pocket into the pork, going all the way to the bone, but leaving the sides intact. Stuff cheese mixture into pocket, and close with a wooden toothpick. Brush meat with oil, and season with salt and more black pepper.
4. Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill over medium heat for 5 to 8 minutes on each side, or until pork is done. Careful not to overcook!

Cedar Plank Grilled Salmon

SO GOOD. Modified lightly from Allrecipes.

• 1 (3 pound) whole filet of salmon, skin on, scored slightly into the flesh
• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 large garlic cloves, minced
• 2 Tablespoons dried dill weed
• 1 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried or fresh lemon peel/zest

1. Soak an untreated cedar plank (or planks) large enough to hold a side of salmon (5 to 7 inches wide and 16 to 20 inches long) in water, weighting it with something heavy, like a brick, so it stays submerged 30 minutes to 24 hours.
2. When ready to grill, either build a charcoal fire in half the grill or turn grill burners on high for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, mix oil, garlic, dill, salt, pepper and lemon zest; rub over salmon and into scored areas to coat.
3. Place soaked cedar on hot grill grate, close lid, and watch until wood starts to smoke, about 5 minutes. Transfer salmon to hot plank, move salmon off direct charcoal heat or turn burners to low, and cook covered until salmon is just opaque throughout (130 on a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest section) 20 to 25 minutes or longer, depending on thickness and grill temperature. Let sit 5 minutes; serve with lemon wedges.

Teriyaki Chicken

Even my super picky 7 year old that has like 5 foods he’ll eat loved this. So that makes 6 foods. From Allrecipes.

• 1 1/2 cups pineapple juice
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 4 (6 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1. In a large bowl, mix together the pineapple juice, soy sauce, ginger, garlic powder, and white pepper. Reserve a small amount of the marinade separately for dipping later.
2. Place chicken in marinade, and add enough water to cover. Cover, and refrigerate for 24 hours.
3. Heat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat.
4. Brush grate lightly with oil. Grill chicken 5 to 7 minutes per side, depending on thickness. Chicken is done when inside is no longer pink and juices run clear.

I love this bread straight out of the breadmaker with gobs of butter on it. Done in less than 90 minutes with next to no work!

Add to your breadmaker in the following order and start it on the Quick Bread setting. Makes a 1.5 lb loaf

1c+ 1T warm water (115-125F)
3/4 tsp salt
4tsp sugar
1/2c shredded sharp cheddar cheese
4tsp dried onion
3c bread flour
1T bread machine yeast

Give it a chance, it tastes better than the name eludes to

Serves 12-16 – great salad to take to a picnic or backyard BBQ.

Homemade Ranch Dressing & Dip

Choose one:
1-1/2 cups mayo (I can’t eat sour cream so this is what I use)
1 cup mayo + 1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 tsp (rounded) dried chives
1/2 tsp (rounded) dried parsley
1/2 tsp (rounded) dried dill weed
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

Milk to thin as needed

In a small bowl, add the mayo (add sour cream if desired), mix in all the spices and use as is for dip, or slowly add milk while constantly stirring til desired thinness is reached for salad dressing.

Let set 30 minutes to blend flavors.

Crab Salad

Super simple crab salad that my kids love -

Ranch Dressing from above
16 oz bag noodles (like small shells, corkscrews, etc)
1-2 lb imitation crab (some people like lots, some not as much)
16 oz broccoli florets

Make the dressing first, cover and keep in fridge. Cook the noodles until al dente, drain under cold running water and place in large bowl.

While the noodles cook, steam the broccoli until just tender, then drain under cold running water and place in the bowl with the noodles.

Do not let the noodles or broccoli get mushy.

Chop the crab into small bits and add to the bowl.

Pour the dressing over the top, mix in, and refrigerate for an hour or more to completely cool and allow flavors to blend.

Good stuff right here, you won’t be disappointed!

4 baking potatoes – wash, wrap in aluminum foil, and baking in a 350F oven for about an hour
1 lb bacon – fry, drain, cool and crumble
1/2 c milk
4 Tbsp butter
salt & pepper to taste
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
8 green onions, sliced
Sour cream

Slice potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop the flesh into a large bowl. Leave 1/4 inch of flesh on the skin. Set potato “bowls” on a baking sheet. To the potato flesh add milk, butter, salt, pepper, 1/2 cup cheese, 1/2 the bacon, and 1/2 the green onions. Mash the mixture. Spoon into the potato skins. Top each with remaining cheese, green onions and bacon. Bake for an additional 20 minutes. Serve immediately with sour cream if desired.

I posted last year with some zucchini recipes. I recently dug the year old frozen zucchini out of the freezer and made a few loaves of zucchini bread and wanted to note that the recipe is great with thawed (and drained! don’t forget to drain it!) zucchini. I modified it slightly and it’s even BETTER. So get thee to your garden (or farmer’s market or heck, even the store!) and grate and freeze some, so you can enjoy this all winter long – warm bread on cold days is SO nice!

3 cups all-purpose flour (make it healthier with 1/2 of that whole wheat)
1 teaspoon salt
1.5 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup applesauce
1 1/4 cups white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups grated zucchini

DIRECTIONS

1. Grease and flour two 8 x 4 inch pans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2. Sift flour, salt, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl.
3. Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugars together in a large bowl. Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture, and beat well. Stir in zucchini until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pans.
4. Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan, and completely cool.

I make 2 rectangle pizzas with this recipe. SO EASY!

Have your bread machine ready with paddle in place and in this order, add:

2 tsp dry yeast
3 cups flour
1 tsp salt
2 T sugar
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1 cup + 2 T water

Set your machine to dough cycle, hit start and walk away.

When it lets you know it’s done, grease a large mixing bowl, place the dough inside, turn over, then cover and let rise about 30 minutes, or til nearly double.

Next, knead the dough lightly, let rest 5-10 minutes then roll out to your pan shape/size.

Add your toppings and bake in a 400F oven for 8-20 minutes (depends on your toppings, so keep an eye on it!)

Let your pizza rest for 5-10 minutes after baking to let any cheese “set” and not be runny. Enjoy!

(originally posted on another blog of mine a year ago)

1 cup 115°F water
2 tsp Red Star Bread Machine yeast
3 T C&H Sugar
¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
2 ½ cups bread flour
½ cup whole wheat flour
1 ½ tsp salt

Get ready: Take the pan out of the bread machine, and leave/put the paddle in. This recipe will have you add ingredients in an order different from your machine’s instructions say to, but it won’t break it or anything bad. On the contrary, it’ll make quite the yummy loaf of bread. This is made at 170ft above sea level, your elevation may necessitate changing things a bit.

Pour water into bread machine pan, then sprinkle yeast and sugar in. Don’t mix, just let it set. Wait 10 minutes, mixture should be foamy (this is called proofing and must happen, if it doesn’t, get new yeast and try again). In the meantime, get the EVOO ready and mix together the flours and salt together. After 10 minutes, gently pour the oil in, then slowly pour the flour mixture.

Set your machine to White Bread cycle, medium color, 1 ½ lb loaf. Push start. Leave it alone, it’s ok if the machine misses little bits of dough, it won’t ruin anything. Just leave the whole thing alone. Don’t open the lid, until the machine tells you it’s done. Then, immediately remove the pan, then remove the loaf from the pan and set on a wire rack to cool for 15-30 minutes. Don’t slice before 15 minutes. The loaf won’t turn out as well if you let it set in the machine and/or pan after it’s done cooking. I screwed up a loaf 3 days ago by going outside and weeding 30 minutes before the bread was done and it sat in the pan for an hour, and the whole loaf just went from -oh my god- amazing to -yuck store bought bread-

For lunches or the “ah crap I forgot to take something out for dinner” dinner (I’ve never done that :hide ), make this up ahead of time for best flavor or serve immediately if they just can’t wait. We make sandwiches with it, it’s probably great on crackers. My 2 year old like to steal the whole bowl and eat it as is (note to self, remember to get fridge lock). This is another “from memory” recipe, adjust amounts to suit your family’s tastes.

Amy’s Chicken Salad

2 cans white chicken
3 stalks celery, finely chopped
1/4 onion, finely chopped
1 tsp capers, minced
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4-1/2 cup mayo
salt, pepper and a dash hot sauce to taste

Drain chicken well, add to medium size bowl. Add celery, onion, capers, oregano, and garlic powder. Mix in enough mayo to reach spreadable consistancy. Add salt, pepper and hot sauce to taste.

I promised some time ago to post how I make potato salad and never got around to doing so because I do it off memory instead of a recipe page to remind me. So, here it is. Everyone likes theirs different, but my very picky family loves it. This makes a lot – I use this ginormous metal bowl to mix it all in!

Amy’s Potato Salad

4 lbs potatoes – any will work, young reds taste the best and are tender
6 eggs to hard boil

Basic dressing:
1.5 cups mayo (you may need more)
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp yellow mustard
2 Tbsp dill relish
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried chives
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
pinch dill weed
pinch cayenne powder
salt & pepper to taste

Make the morning or night before you need this to let the potatoes and eggs cool and flavors combine.

Mix together all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl, cover and refridgerate to let flavors combine.

Start a big pot of water to boil, I use my pressure cooker (sans lid). Peel potatoes if you don’t like skins and cut into slightly larger then bite size pieces. Add potatoes to boiling water, let cook about 10 minutes or until they look a little translucent and break apart with a fork (don’t over cook or you’ll have mashed potato salad).

While potatoes are cooking, add eggs to a small or medium size pan, cover with COLD water, set on stove. I cook them about 17 minutes from putting on the stove, or 12 minutes from boiling. I do not add anything to the water.

Drain potatoes, carefully put into large bowl, put into fridge.Every 30 minutes, carefully and with a big spoon, stir the potatoes (bringing the bottom pieces to the top).

When the time is up on the eggs, place the pot in the sink and run cold water over them for at least 2-3 minutes. This should cool them enough to handle. Peel immediately to have the best results (and don’t forget the shells are compostable!). Put the whole eggs in a bowl, then into the fridge.

After 2 hours, chop the eggs, and mix into the dressing. Pour the dressing over the potatoes and mix carefully. The more gentle you are the less potato breakage you’ll have. If it seems “dry”, add more mayo. Let set at least 2-3 hours, covered, in the fridge, then serve.