Processing a big batch of potatoes....

I managed to get my hands on some local organic potatoes. So I had decided to dry all of them until my SIL got a big stash and couldn't use them all up fast enough. I told her they could be canned and since shes been giving me lots of stuff lately and she asked if I would do that. ... I did. I found out I really like them. I tested them this morning when one jar didn't seal and had to be used up. And then I made breakfast burritos and decided that I will use up the rest of my organic potatoes by canning them. This is how I did all of it. 

 Dehydrating potatoes....

I took one bag of my organic potatoes to dehydrate. First you want to peel them all and wash them. I cut them into thick 1/2 in. slices then diced those slices. You don't want them too big because you want them to dry thoroughly. You could also slice them thin to use to make homemade Au gratin.

Then I got a big pot and filled it with water, bring that to a boil. Also get a big bowl of ice water ready. Be sure you have a strainer or colander that you can lift in and out of the water to make it easier to do the blanching. Once its boiling fill the strainer with the cubed potatoes and plunge into the boiling water. Let it come back to a boil then boil for about 4-5 min. Test and when a skewer can be inserted they are done. Do not over cook tho or they will just fall apart.

When they are done, plunge the strainer with the potatoes in the water to cool quickly. Remove and put in a colander on the side so any excess water can drip off. Repeat this process with all of your potatoes. If you don't cook them enough when they dry they will have black spots in them.

Once they are done, layer them on your dehydrator trays, making sure to leave some spaces around them so they dry thoroughly. I set the temp. to 135 degrees and let it run till the potatoes are dry. Mine dried in about 5hrs. but I was going to bed so I shut it off and checked it the next day. Since I live in an area of humidity I ran it the next morning for another hr or so just to be sure. Then you let it cool. Don't seal them in anything until they are cool but don't leave them out too long or they may start to reabsorb humidity in the air. I put mine in lg. canning jars but you could seal them in bags too...but these sometime have sharp edges so you might want to double bag for long term storage.

BTW someone told me they also dry the potato peels if you know they are organic. This gets ground up when dry and can be used to thicken gravies and such. Its good for those who have to be gluten free. Of course if you plan to do this, make sure you scrub all the potatoes well, first. 

Canning Potatoes

I canned what my SIL gave me so she wouldn't lose them. They couldn't use them up fast enough and she knew they would rot. Canning is very easy if you have a Pressure Canner.  I made qts jars for her but for myself I will make pts. since there's only two of us here.

First fill a lg container with water and sprinkle in some salt, maybe a tb. or so.  It depends on how many potatoes your doing. Peel the potatoes and cube into 1in. cubes, you don't want them too small cuz they will get mushy. If your potatoes are small you could can them whole. Soak these cubes overnight. The reason for this is, it helps remove alot of the starch which settles in the jars and makes them look really cloudy. However if you don't care about that, then skip this step.

Next day get your pressure canner ready, your jars and lids. Boil a pot of water because you will add this to the jars.  

 Now fill each jar with the raw potato cubes, shake it well to make room for more. Leave a 1in. space at the top. Put 1 tsp. salt in each jar and then top with the boiling water. Wipe the rim and put on the lid and ring. At this point I tipped the jar slightly and rolled it to try to release any air bubbles then I checked the water level again. If it needs more add it. You need a 1in. space.

When all are filled put in canner and put the lid on. When canner starts to vent, let it vent for 10min. Then put the weight on it and start your timing. At ll lbs. pressure,  40 min. for qts...35 min. for pts. Let cool and remove from canner. Let cool on a towel on the counter overnight, check seals.

Today I checked them and one of the jars didn't seal so I decided to use it up. I made these ....

Breakfast Burritos 4-6 servings

1qt. jar of canned potatoes
1 med. red onion, chopped
4oz of loose breakfast sausage
4 strips of thick bacon
6 eggs, beaten
2 oz cheddar cheese , shredded
S & P
6 lg. burrito tortillas

Drain the potatoes in a strainer and run a bit of water over them to remove excess salt. Heat a pan and cook the sausage and bacon till browned. Remove. Save bacon grease in the pan.  Add potatoes to the pan. If you need more oil to keep from sticking add a bit of butter to the bacon fat. Add the chopped onion and fry till onions are soft and potatoes start to brown. Add meats back to pan. Add beaten eggs and stir well cooking the eggs. Top with cheese and let melt.

Scoop enough of the potato mixture into a tortilla that has been steamed or grilled and roll up . You could add almost anything to these and serve with salsa or anything you like to have your eggs with.

Italian Frittata

Italian Frittata Serves 6

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

4 slices thick bacon, chopped
4 breakfast sausages, cut into sm. chunks
Ham, about 1/4lb. chopped

Fry all meats till cooked and brown, drain and remove from pan. Set aside in a bowl. 

Potatoes, 1 peeled and chopped or leftovers 

half an onion, chopped 

1 lg. garlic clove, minced 

Salt and pepper 

Fry potatoes in meat drippings, adding some butter if needed. Add a few shakes of salt and pepper to taste. 

When potatoes are almost done, add onion and garlic. Cook till potatoes are tender. Remove to bowl holding meats.

1 lg. portobello mushroom, gills removed and chopped
1 roasted pepper, chopped
1/2c. drained artichoke hearts, chopped
1 tsp. basil

Add butter to pan and toss in chopped mushrooms.

 When liquid from mushrooms is almost gone add all other veggies and basil. Cook till heated thru.

 Turn off heat and put back into pan all items previously cooked that are in the bowl.

1 dozen eggs
about a 1/4c. water
Salt and pepper
1 1/2c. assorted cheeses , chopped

Beat eggs with water till well blended. Use water not milk like many recipes say. Water evaporates when cooking. The milk just makes things watery. Add more Salt and pepper and mix. Add chopped cheeses and mix. I used cheddar, muenster and provolone with some grated Parmesan. Pour egg/cheese mixture into pan and mix well to distribute cheeses. Top with more grated Parmesan. 

 Cook on med. heat on stove till eggs look like they are set about 1in. from edges. 

 Cover handle of pan with foil, if the pan your using cannot withstand oven heat. Then place in oven and bake for approx. 15-20min. or till center is set. Run knife around the edges to loosen. If using a non stick pan that's usually enough. If using a reg. pan you may want to run a spatula under the frittata to be sure its loose. Top with lg. plate and turn it out of the pan onto the plate. Serve hot, or room temperature.

We like ketchup on this but you could use salsa or hot sauce or anything else you might like on your eggs.

Frittatas are often sold in Italian delis by the lb. I make a big one and then refrigerate whats left for another day. If we wont eat it all during the week, Ill freeze it in single portions, then I just thaw and microwave when we want it. You can use anything in these, using up whats leftover in the refrigerator or just one or two ingredients. I save bits of meats and things in my freezer to use just for this. When I have enough I take them out and make a big one. It's a lot easier to make one big one and save the leftover than make a small one all the time.

Ive used leftover  steak or roast beef, kielbasa, linguisa or pork roast too. Pancetta or prosciutto is nice too. I save potatoes when I make my garlic roasted ones just for this. Sometimes Ill even save french fries or tater tots leftover for it too. I don't like green pepper so I often use roasted peppers. But Ive used spinach, asparagus and even a few frozen peas when I wanted more veggies. You can use one cheese or several or clean out your refrigerator of bits and pieces too. Its a great leftover recipe and it tastes incredible.

Eggs to die for.....

My neighbor stopped by the other day because she lost my phone number and she brought me another dozen of those wonderful organic eggs. I am in love, can you be in love with eggs?

I decided this time to use them in french toast. I remembered how awesome they were in my egg salad. Ive never seen eggs like this. Now I used to get fresh eggs from an egg lady two blocks from me when I lived in NJ. They were good eggs.....but I honestly cannot remember if they were like this. I don't think they were. Whatever this woman does, well all eggs should be this good.

I cracked open the eggs to put in a glass baking pan. Its what I do to soak my bread for french toast. These yolks were of course so yellow they were almost orange. And the yolks held up high......they didn't flatten out like the store bought ones. I was surprised. I poured some milk in to get them ready to be whisked. I have a habit of breaking the yolks first with the whisk then beating. I did it this time, only the yolks, well.......they didn't go flat like the store bought ones. They held their shape and even had the whisk marks in them. No they weren't bad or cooked or anything.

But they were so rich that when I began to beat them into the milk.........this time I had to really beat them into it. There were globs of yolk that floated on the milk till I whisked them hard. They were that rich. Now Ive cooked alot of things in my life for my family and for restaurants . And Ive had really good products right from the source.  Ive grown my own and made my own of many things. And so I'm pretty hard to impress, but these did.

And so I just called the egg lady. My neighbor gave me her card. Shes in Dallas now getting more chicks I think. And she promised to call me when she gets back. She says shes got bigger eggs too! I gushed and fawned and told her I understand she has clients, she doesn't sell to the public but I just have to be on that list! I told her these are possibly the best eggs Ive ever had. And so when she gets back Ill be going down there, shes not far. I want to talk to her and see what she does. I am amazed. And then Ill be putting in my order to have some every week. We love eggs here.

But it makes me wonder........did our grandparents or great grandparents have eggs like this or is she doing something special? And........why cant we always have eggs like this, sold even in the stores.  No wonder the eat local movement is growing.

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According to an article in Mother Earth News, chickens who live better produce eggs that are healthier for us. In an independent study, they compared eggs “from 14 flocks around the country that range freely on pasture or are housed in movable pens that are rotated frequently to maximize access to fresh pasture and protect the birds from predators” with the official egg nutrient data from the USDA for “conventional” eggs. The results? They found that eggs from hens raised on pasture may contain:

    * 1/3 less cholesterol
    * 1/4 less saturated fat
    * 2/3 more vitamin A
    * 2 times more omega-3 fatty acids
    * 3 times more vitamin E
    * 7 times more beta carotene

UPDATE: 
 I got 4 dozen eggs from her for the holiday and gave 2 dozen to my inlaws. They are crazy about them too so its not just me. I asked my egg lady tho what she does to make these so good. She tells me she feeds them wheat, not corn like many do. And they are free to roam for bugs and grass and such. I did see them doing that there. They hunt and fish too and are very much about going back to the land. I love that and if Im lucky I may even get a chance to buy some beef, venison or elk from them. She also gave me a card for a local U pick blueberry farm. I love this since we just adore berries!!! So Ill be posting more about my local finds as more pop up.

Easter Cheese

Easter is on its way and I'm thinking about what I want to make for the holiday this year. As I wandered online looking for some new ideas I ran across a recipe for this cheese. I was stunned! My gramma made this cheese and I used to long ago too. In fact I taught my mom how to make it. I used to watch gramma make it and mom never did. So one day when she asked about it, I said I know how to make it!

Its not really a cheese per se, its more like a solid custard. But we serve it with the Easter meal of ham and kielbasa and such. Its a very Hungarian thing. But I never knew anyone who ever made it besides gramma. This recipe makes a lot. You don't have to make all this. In fact you can eyeball it cuz Ive done that when I wanted to make just a bit. I just used the amount of eggs I wanted, added some milk, the flavorings and tasted it while it cooked to see how much sugar to use. So here's the basic recipe. Feel free to make as much or as little as you want. Its really easy. Plus we used to fight over the liquid that was left. We loved to drink it. It almost tastes like eggnog only lighter. Don't waste it, its yummy.

Easter Cheese

* 12 eggs
* 4 cups milk
* 1 cup sugar (I would do this to taste, you can get away with less)
* 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
* 1 pinch ground nutmeg (my gramma used cinnamon, no nutmeg)

1. In an electric mixer, beat the eggs until mixed well.
2. Transfer the eggs to a double boiler and stir in milk, sugar, vanilla and nutmeg. Cook over a medium heat for 30 minutes. Use a metal slotted spoon and constantly stir the bottom of the pan to prevent scorching.
3. When the mixture looks just like cooked scrambled eggs, pour it carefully into a cheesecloth-lined colander. Carefully gather the ends of the cheesecloth in your hands and pull them together until the cheese forms into a ball. Tie the cheesecloth tightly at the top of the ball. Tie the cheesecloth ends over a faucet or to the handle of a kitchen cabinet (place a bowl under to catch the whey dripping down) and let hang for about 3 hours.
4. Untie the cheesecloth and wrap the cheesecloth ball in plastic wrap before refrigerating. The cheese will keep for about a week. Slice and serve.

Save the liquid to drink. Its safe its been cooked and its delicious!

Easy Ceasar Dressing

I love ceasar salads, all kinds , with chicken, plain , shrimp you name it. But I hated making the dressing every time I wanted it and somehow bottled dressings dont taste as good as homemade. Then I found this recipe. I love it! I make a big batch and put it in an old jar and keep it refridgerated for when I want it now. When you really think about it the base is really a homemade mayonnaise so thats whats used in this instead of making this by hand. By doing that it keeps well too.

EASY CEASAR DRESSING MAKES 6 SERVINGS

4 anchovy fillets (yes use it, it does make a difference and when blended you dont taste it)

3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped up a bit

2 tb. extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. Dijon

1/2 tsp. Tabasco

1 1/3c. mayonnaise ( I like Best Foods, its Hellmanns in the east)

2tb. Parmesan cheese

2tb. (or more) fresh lemon juice

Extra Parmesan for the salad when served.

Blend all ingred. in a food processor then chill.

I usually put all the ingred. down to the Dijon in the processor, then zap it a bit till the garlic is pretty ground up. You dont want chunks of that. I use anchovy paste you can buy in a tube because I dont use it much. I dont need to buy a bunch then have it go bad. I squirt out what I think are 4 fillets and add. Once the good stuff is blended I add the mayo, cheese and lemon juice and zap. I add the Tabasco and zap once more and taste to adjust if needed. I always use fresh lemon juice for this , its the best. This dressing is not strong so for us I usually add a bit more of the flavorings and maybe another garlic clove. Taste when you make it and decide for yourself.

BLENDER HOLLANDAISE

This is the time of year I bring out my Hollandaise recipe for asparagus. Everyone says Oh I cant make that but Ive found a fool proof way to make it. Found this recipe years ago and its become a family classic now.

BLENDER HOLLANDAISE makes 3/4c.

3 egg yolks

2tb. fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. cayenne or white pepper (I like cayenne)

1 tb. minced fresh parsley (optional)

1/2c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and sizzling hot

Combine yolks, lemon juice, salt, cayenne and parsley (if using) in a blender or food processor and mix 5 sec. With machine running, pour hot butter into egg mixture in slow steady stream (it should take about 15 sec.) If sauce is too thick, stir in 1-2tb. hot water. Keep warm in double boiler. Do not reheat.

I like to use cayenne in this but dont worry theres not enough of it to give it heat. The hot butter cooks the yolks so you do not have to worry about raw egg problems but the machine keeps it smooth. You can add the parsley if you wish or just use it to top the whole dish. I usually make this the last thing I make before we eat so I dont have to keep it warm, its fast and ez.