Pico de Gallo salad/salsa

Another recipe using all the goodness from our latest Bountiful Basket (Mexican Basket).  I thought it needed more, but DarRell scarfed it down and asked for more, so it must be that good!

Pico de Gallo salad/salsa

Ingredients:
2 whole tomatoes, chopped
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
1/2 whole red onion, chopped
1 whole lime, juiced
1 can (15 oz) corn, drained
1 can (15oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 whole jalapeno, finely diced

combine all ingredients in a large bowl, plus salt and pepper to taste, and refrigerate to chill.  Serve with chips, on it’s own, or as a topping to whatever you want.

Green Salsa (Salsa Verde)

Another product from the yummy goodness from Bountiful Baskets.  A week or so ago, I ordered the Mexican Basket that came complete with tomatillos, cilantro, limes, peppers, onions, etc.  First thought that came to mind was making salsa.  I found this recipe through their message board, and turns out, is VERY yummy.

Green Salsa

Tomatillos (I used every last one that came in my basket, I think there were about a dozen or so in it?)
2 limes
cilantro – to taste (i think i used about 1/2 bunch, maybe less)
4 peppers – I believe they were possibly Serrano's or Anaheim
1 jalapeño
1/2 large onion
2-4 cloves garlic (I tend to use more garlic than needed)

Peel skins of tomatillos, wash, and pat dry.  Toss the tomatillos with olive oil and roast at 425 degrees until brown.

*option – you may broil your peppers until blackened.  Cover for a few minutes
and then peel off the black skins.

Process all ingredients in a food processer or blender until smooth.

*for a creamier sauce/dressing:  Emulsify some olive oil in it (optional) and add 1/4 cup(ish) of sour cream

Dilly Beans

Thanks to Pat, I’ve fallen in love with bottled dilly beans.  However, my new addition to the garden (the beans!!!) are not even close to being ready for bottling.  Recently, in the last two baskets from Bountiful Baskets, we’ve gotten green beans!!!  Dying to get my hands on more dilly beans, I did a search for them and found a fresh version.  Although they aren’t as good as the bottled kind, they’ll totally do (I’ve even been known to eat them for breakfast… shhhh, don’t tell anyone).

DILLY BEANS

Ingredients: 
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 2 cups whole fresh green beans (ends trimmed and cut to bite size)
-  2 Tbsp chopped fresh dill weed 
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced onion 
- 1/3 cup white wine vinegar 
- 2 tsp canola oil
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 2 cloves garlic, slice (i use at least double that)
- 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

In a 2 quart saucepan, heat water to boiling.  Add beans.  Cover and cook about 3 minutes or until bright green bust still crisp; drain. 

In a medium bowl, toss beans, dill weed, and onions

In a 1 quart saucepan, mix vinegar, oil, sugar, garlic, and red pepper flakes.  Heat to boiling, reduce heat.  Simmer uncovered 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Pour over green beans; mix well.

Cover and refrigerate 20 minutes or until serving.

Frogmore Stew

I've had something like this at a Fireman's Auxiliary dinner. It's a pretty forgiving dish. I've tweaked it to how i like to make it. You'll find so may different variations out there, so take it in stride and throw what you like in it.
A GREAT summer evening meal when you just don't want to pack it all up and call it a day.

Frogmore Stew

3 quarts of water (give or take... it's just for boiling)
1 lemon halved (sometimes i use more)
1 medium onion, halved (sometimes i use pearl onions. DarRell loves those in this recipe)
2 cloves of garlic, smashed (i usually use more... up to a bulb and end up throwing each peeled clove whole in the pot. We are garlic lovers)
salt to taste
1 3oz pkg dry crab boil (or 1/2 cup Old Bay seasoning)
2 large cans of new potatoes
1 pkg of smoked sausage, cut into bite sized pieces (sometimes i add more because this is my favorite part of the meal)
4 ears of corn, chucked and broken in half
1 lb chicken, cut into bite sized pieces
1 1/2 lb unpeeled lrg shrimp
1/2 cup butter melted
1 dash hot pepper sauce (i.e. Tabasco or Louisiana hot sauce)

Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Squeeze the juice from a lemon int the water, and throw in the halves. Add onion, garlic, salt and crab boil/old bay seasoning. Reduce heat to medium/low and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the potatoes, chicken and sausage, and return to a boil. Simmer covered for 20 minutes. Add the corn to the pot and cover, cooking 10 more minutes. Remove from heat, stir in shrimp and cover for 5 minutes. Drain off liquid before serving.

Mound on a paper covered table and sprinkle with additional Old Bay Seasoning if desired.

Stir together the melted butter and hot sauce and serve as a dipping sauce.

Onion Straws

Another one of PW recipes.
This one is super good, especially on top of burgers!

Onion Straws

1 large onion
2 cups buttermilk (for a buttermilk substitute: for every cup of milk, add 1 Tbsp of vinegar and let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes until it looks curdled. Stir before using)
2 cups flour
1 scant tablespoon salt
Lots of black pepper
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
Oil for deepfrying

Slice onion very thin.
Place in a baking dish (i use a ziplock bag) and cover with buttermilk for at least one hour.
Combine dry ingredients and set aside.
Heat oil to 375 degrees.
Grab a handful of onions, throw into the flour mixture, tab to shake off excess, and PLUNGE into hot oil.
Fry until golden brown.

Crash Hot Potatoes

This recipe almost cured me of hating potatoes... Almost.
Courtesy of The Pioneer Woman
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/

Crash Hot Potatoes
(we call them Hot Crash Potatoes... it just rolls off the tongue better)

New Potatoes (i REALLY prefer the smallish red ones)
olive oil
Kosher salt
Black Pepper
desired herbs (i LOVE the garlic pepper seasoning grinder from McCormick. The Italian Herb seasoning grinder is fab too!)

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add in as many potatoes as you wish to make and cook them until they are fork-tender. Or if you are like me, nuke a bunch in the microwave. It's faster and easier and less mess.

On a sheet pan, generously drizzle olive oil. place tender potatoes on the cookie sheet leaving plenty of room between each potato.

With a potato masher (the squiggly looking one), gently press down each potato until it slightly mashes, rotate the potato masher 90 degrees and mash again. brush the tops of each crushed potato generously with more olive oil.

Sprinkle potatoes with kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper and whatever desired herb you wish.

Bake in a 450 degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.