Tag: cider vinegar

A Blast from the Past

So many of you have joined this blog since it was begun back since 10 years ago, that I thought you might enjoy a flashback from the past, more or less the recipe that started it all! Hope you will enjoy this recipe as much as myself and many others have turned to so many times… Thanks for hanging in there my friends! Originally posted March 19, 2011

Rose and Thistle Salad Dressing

Technically, this recipe was stolen from a little restaurant in Kingsville, Ontario, Canada. The restaurant is/was The Rose and Thistle.  As a special request was made, I decided to post this one early…let me know how it turns out Bev…

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup cider vinegar
  • 1 cup salad oil (NOT Olive)
  • crushed garlic to taste
  • 1/2 tsp dry mustard
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1 T honey
  • Dash Worcestershire
  • Dash pepper

Put into a blender for 1 to 2 minutes. I cheat and pout it in a shaker and shake hard.

Make it ahead as it keeps in the refrigerator for several weeks. It is great on almost any salad, including spinach!

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Kielbasa Apple Skillet

Thawed a whole package of kielbasa from Costco so that I could slice some up for a little get together with two friends. Needless to say, I di not use the whole package. What to do, Pinterest? Voila…luckily I had some wonderful Granny Smith apples in the crisper. Alas, no apple butter, but I did have some mango chutney to use in its place. The dish was awesome and easy. Oh yeah…this was not turkey kielbasa…LOL

Kielbasa Apple Skillet

Ingredients

  • 14-16 ounces low-fat turkey kielbasa sausage OR pork
  • 1 large sweet onion, peeled and sliced
  • 2 large Fuji apples, sliced into thin wedges
  • 1-2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 1 tablespoon butter or coconut oil, optional
  • 1/2 cup Musselman’s Apple Butter OR chutney
  • 2 tablespoons Musselman’s Apple Cider Vinegar
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions

Preheat a large skillet to medium heat. Add the butter or oil. (If using a good nonstick skillet, no butter is needed.) Slice the onion and apples. Then cut the kielbasa into 1/2 inch rounds. Remove the rosemary leaves from the stems and roughly chop.

Once the skillet is hot, sear the kielbasa pieces for 2-4 minutes, until brown on both sides. Remove from the skillet and set aside.

Next add the onions to the skillet. Sear for 2 minutes to soften, then add the apples and rosemary. Allow the apples and onions the cook until soft and brown, but not mushy. Stir gently as to not smash the apples, about 5-7 minutes. Salt and pepper liberally.

Add the sausage back to the skillet, along with the Musselman’s Apple Butter, apple cider vinegar, and 1/2 cup water. Simmer and stir to thicken the sauce for 2-3 minutes. Taste, then salt and pepper as needed. Serve warm.

Turmeric and Ginger Chicken Soup

Ok…its a little chilly out there, depending on where you live. Actually it’s chilly in Mexico where the temperature last night dropped to 13 C. Forget Christmas…LOL. It’s chicken soup time! Dig in (to the soup, NOT the snowbanks).

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Turmeric and ginger are excellent additions healthwise BTW.

INGREDIENTS

  • 8 bone-in chicken thighs , skin removed
  • 12 cups cold water 
  • 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
  • 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro stems or fresh parsley stems
  • 2 shallots , quartered
  • 2 carrots , coarsely chopped
  • 2 large cloves garlic , smashed
  • 1 piece (1 inch) fresh turmeric (unpeeled), thinly sliced
  • 1 piece (1/2 inch) fresh ginger (unpeeled), thinly sliced
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (approx.)
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves or fresh parsley leaves
  • OPTIONAL – 1 liter of Campbell’s Chicken Broth

METHOD

In Dutch oven or large heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine chicken, water and vinegar; cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium; simmer for 30 minutes, skimming and discarding froth.

Stir in cilantro stems, shallots, carrots, garlic, turmeric and ginger; partially cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 to 40 minutes.

Remove from heat; using tongs, transfer chicken to cutting board.

Using 2 forks, shred into bite-size pieces; sprinkle with salt.

Strain broth through fine-mesh sieve into separate large saucepan; discard solids.

I prefer my soups chunky, so I used my immersion blender to chop up some of the veggies before I added the chicken back to the pot. At this point I also added the liter of chicken broth.

Return chicken to broth; stir in cilantro leaves. Season with salt to taste.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

NUTRITIONAL FACTS

Per each of 6 servings:

Sodium 493 mg

Sugars 0 g

Protein 30 g

Calories 171

Total fat 5 g

Potassium 611 mg

Cholesterol 155 mg

Saturated fat 1 g

Total carbohydrate 0.0

 

Marinated Pork Chops

We are back! On March 10th we flew with two friends to Mexico City for three days and then we flew over to Puerto Vallarta for a few more days to visit with our friends who have moved over there last year. A bonus was seeing our old friends Bruce and Mary who we had last seen four years ago. FYI…Bruce and Mary have a wonderful blog Set Free in Mexico  https://setfreeinmexico.com/ if you want to read about their adventures.

Today’s recipe is an easy one…mix the marinating ingredients and pour over the chops, refrigerating for 6 hours or so. After that, just BBQ…

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Marinated Grilled Pork Chops

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 to 6 pork chops
  • ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
  • 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon brown mustard or gourmet mustard blend
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
  • 1 clove garlic finely minced
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

 INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Wash chops and pat dry. Put in a large food storage bag. Combine the remaining ingredients and pour over the chops. Seal the bag and turn to coat the pork chops. Refrigerate for *3 to 6 hours, turning occasionally.
  2. Grill the chops over high heat for 5 to 7 minutes on each side or until the chops register about 160° on an instant read thermometer.

 

Slow Cooker Kielbasa and Barbecue Beans

Took this recipe off of Pinterest – Mom on Timeout, since I had all of the ingredients at hand and felt like a lazy dinner. I am not a fan of BBQ sauce so I omitted it entirely at first. I also changed the amount of beans as you can see by the red… My slow cooker often seems to cook in less time, so I checked it after 3 hours and it was done as well as I like it.

Slow Cooker Kielbasa and Barbecue Beans (Author: Trish – Mom On Timeout)

Ingredients

  • 2 large can black beans, drained and rinsed (originally 2 – 15 oz. cans)
  • 1 15.8 oz. Great Norther beans, drained and rinsed (instead of two)
  • 1 15.25 oz. can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 onion, diced
  • ½ cup barbecue sauce (omitted and it made no appreciable difference)
  • ¾ cup ketchup
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp mustard
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • ½ cup maple syrup
  • ¼ cup molasses
  • 1 14.5 oz. can chicken broth
  • ½ lb. bacon, cooked, cut into bite size pieces
  • 2 lbs. Kielbasa, cut into bite size pieces (or less)

Instructions

  1. In a large slow cooker, add all of the ingredients except for the kielbasa and stir gently to combine.
  2. Place the kielbasa on top and cover with the lid.
  3. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 4 to 5 hours. (I found it was done on low after 3 hours and kept it on warm for 2 more).

Notes

I recommend the low setting for this recipe because on high, the beans tend to get dried out. If you need to cook on high due to time constraints, monitor the beans and add more broth or water if necessary.

 

Pan Roasted Pork with Rosemary Applesauce

Michael Dixon Smith is a Canadian chef and writer, host of The Inn Chef, Chef at Home, Chef at Large, Chef Michael’s Kitchen, Chef Abroad, and Chopped: Canada (all of which have appeared on the Canadian Food Network). Some of Michael’s recipes have been used by me for many years. One of his best is the French Onion Soup which was posted on this site in January 2012. For more of his great recipes, follow the link below.

http://chefmichaelsmith.com/

And now here is today’s great fall recipe!

Pan Roasted Pork with Rosemary Applesauce
Ingredients
for the applesauce:
1/4 cup olive oil
4 onions, peeled and thinly sliced
4 of your favourite apples, cored and cut into chunks (I used Granny Smith)
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary
a sprinkle or two sea salt and freshly ground pepper
For the pan-roasted pork chops
4 thick centre-loin pork chops
2 tablespoons Butter
1 tablespoon any vegetable oil
a sprinkle or two sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Procedure
For the applesauce, heat the oil in a small saucepan. Add the onions and patiently cook them, stirring occasionally until they are caramelized and turn golden brown. Add the apple chunks, apple cider vinegar, rosemary and salt and pepper. Stir well. Simmer until the apples are very soft. Serve warm, or refrigerate and serve chilled.The applesauce will keep for several days.
For the pork chops, preheat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Splash in the oil and toss the butter into the centre of the oil. This will help keep the butter from burning. Pause until the butter begins to brown.
Meanwhile, pat the chops dry using paper towels, then season them with salt and pepper and carefully place them into the hot pan. Sear for 2 minutes or so on each side. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook for another 10 minutes.

Serve with the warmed applesauce.

Zesty Potato Salad and Cebollitas Asadas (Grilled Green Onions)

Two for one day. Both recipes are great for a BBQ party. The salad you can make ahead. The green onions should be done a half hour or so before you want to BBQ them.

ZESTY POTATO SALAD www.cooks.com

4 cups cooked potatoes
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 hard cooked eggs, chopped
1/4 cup green onions, sliced
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 cup Miracle Whip
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon horseradish* (optional)
dash of green Tabasco or red pepper (optional)
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
Simmer potatoes until fork tender. Remove skins, and cut into cubes. At this point I usually cover the warm potatoes with the cider vinegar and celery seed (that’s how my Mom did it…LOL)
In a bowl, combine celery, eggs, potatoes, onions, vinegar* (see above note) and seasonings. Toss lightly to combine.
In a separate small bowl, mix mustard, and salad dressing. Stir into potatoes.
Refrigerate before serving.
Variation: Add cooked and crumbled bacon bits to the salad dressing and proceed as above.

Cebollitas Asadas (Grilled Green Onions)

Cebollitas is Spanish for little onions. It’s a Latin staple when it comes to grilling. These onions when grilled become soft, fragrant, sweet, and caramelized with a salty and tangy flavor.
Ingredients:
20 spring onions or large scallions (about 4 bunches) washed and trimmed
2 tablespoons salted butter
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Salt
1 lime, juiced (optional)
Directions:
Preheat grill.
Place onions on a large sheet of foil with butter and soy sauce. Seal onions securely in the foil. To do this lay the onions in the middle of the foil sheet, and fold in each side of the foil. Do the same with the remaining two sides. Wrap the foil around the onions like a present.
Grill onions or scallions on a rack set 5 to 6 inches over grill, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from foil and place on the grill (across the rungs) and grill on medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes on each side until softened and lightly charred.
This recipe can also be made in the broiler about 3 inches from heat for 10 to 12 minutes.
Broil open for 6 to 8 minutes more until a desired char is achieved.
Transfer onions or scallions to a platter and sprinkle with salt and garnish with lime juice (if using).
www.muybuenocookbook.com

Sweet Amish Macaroni Salad

Considering that my spouse is NOT a big pasta fan, I was surprised when he wanted to try this summer salad! It turned out to be awesome with this particular dressing. Great for the long weekend coming up in Canada.

Sweet Amish Macaroni Salad

Serves 12 to 15 (you can half it if you are not feeding 15…LOL)

Ingredients:

1 lb. macaroni (we used the little ‘tulip cups’ in multiple colours)

4 hard boiled eggs chopped

1 small onion finely diced

3 celery stalks finely chopped

1 small bell pepper, preferably red for colour, chopped

1 can of artichoke hearts quartered* (add a few hours before serving so they don’t get soggy)

black olives to your liking

Dressing:

2 cups mayonnaise (do NOT use Miracle Whip)

1/2 cup sugar

1/8 cup yellow mustard

2 Tablespoons dill pickle relish

1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar

3/4 teaspoon celery seed

1/4 teaspoon salt

paprika for garnish

Cook the macaroni according to package directions and let cool. Add the other ingredients to the salad. Toss with 1/2 to 3/4 cup of the dressing. You can save the rest to be served at the table.

Chill overnight for best flavor. Will keep for two days in the refrigerator if not all eaten.

Hot German Potato Salad

I know, what am I doing posting a salad recipe when it is almost WINTER!!! Because it is a hot salad and great with a pork roast. I have been making this for quite sometime and just came across it in my Kraft Foods Recipe Box today.  If you are not familiar with the Kraft Foods site, once you sign up you can maintain your recipes online. Wherever you are at in the world you can go online and find that special recipe when you are at a friend’s house! Of course, it is also great with schnitzel or German sausage or bratwurst. It does make a large salad so cut the ingredients in half for two people. How much bacon you want to use is a personal preference…..

Hot German Potato Salad

6 medium  potatoes, peeled, cooked and sliced (they look better peeled).

8 slices  bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 medium  onion, chopped

2 stalks  celery, thinly sliced

1 Tbsp.  flour

1/2cup  water

1/2cup  cider or white vinegar

1/3cup  sugar

1/4tsp.  each: Salt and pepper

Make It

PLACE potatoes in large bowl; set aside.

COOK and stir bacon in skillet on medium heat to desired crispness. Remove bacon from skillet; drain, reserving 2 Tbsp. drippings in skillet. Set bacon aside.

ADD onion and celery to skillet; cook and stir until celery is crisp-tender. Blend in flour. Stir in water, vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper and bacon. Bring to boil. Cook on medium heat 5 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Pour over potatoes; mix lightly. Serve warm.

Maple Mustard Chicken Wings or Thighs

Was looking for something to do with chicken thighs and came across lots of recipes for chicken wings. What the…? Why not use the same ingredients and substitute the thighs? Happy to report that they worked very well! So next time you are looking for recipes to do something different with thighs OR legs, just use any wing recipe…… WING IT! LOL

Maple Mustard Chicken Wings OR Thighs

Ingredients

2 lb. Chicken wings or thighs

2 T vegetable oil

2 cloves of garlic minced

½ teaspoon each of salt and pepper

1/3 cup maple syrup

¼ cup Dijon mustard

¼ cup grainy mustard

2 T cider vinegar

Preparation

 Mix all of the above ingredients in a bowl large enough to contain the wings or thighs. Add in the chicken pieces and toss well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or for up to 24 hours.

Reserving marinade, arrange chicken on a rack on foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Spoon half of the marinade over top. Bake in 400 degree oven for 20 minutes and turn over. Brush reserve marinade over the chicken. Bake until juices are clear…about 20 minutes more. Broil for 1 minute if you want them crispier.

This recipe can be found in Canadian Living : Best of Chicken magazine  Spring 2008, page 61