little red chili peppers
zucchini
green beans
tomatoes
This is what we have in abundance in our garden now. Any ideas? There are a ton of chili peppers. They're darling, and look so pretty, but I don't know what to do with them... Is there any way to preserve them? I'm inept when it comes to spices.
Here's a couple from Barbo's site. I search under Core Zucchini dated back to last August.
Slow Cooker Chili Verde
POINTS® value | 9
Servings | 4
Preparation Time | 25 min
Cooking Time | 425 min
Level of Difficulty | Moderate
main meals | This pork and vegetable green chili is delicious over polenta but you can spoon it over two cups of canned, heated pinto or kidney beans if you prefer.
Ingredients
1 medium poblano chile
1 Tbsp canola oil, or 1 1/2 tsp each canola and olive oil
1 small onion(s), diced (about 1 cup)
1 large garlic clove(s), minced
1 medium zucchini, trimmed and diced
1 pound lean pork tenderloin, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 cup chopped tomatillos, about 3 small husked tomatillos
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper, or 1/4 tsp chipotle chile powder
1/4 tsp dried oregano, crushed
1 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 cup fat-free chicken broth
8 1/2 oz polenta, use half of a 17 oz prepared polenta log
Instructions
1. Place poblano chile over open flame of stovetop and roast until browned all over, turning with metal tongs, about 5 minutes total. (Note: If you have an electric range, broil chile, turning every few minutes, until browned.) Place chile in a resealable plastic bag; close and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onion, garlic and zucchini; sauté over high heat, stirring frequently, until tender, about 3 to 5 minutes. Spoon vegetables into a 3- to 5-quart slow cooker; add pork and tomatillos.
3. Remove chile from bag and hold chile under running water; scrape off skin with fingers. Chop chile and add to slow cooker; add cumin, cayenne or chile powder, oregano, salt, pepper and broth. Cover and cook stew on low for 6 to 7 hours.
4. Cut polenta into small pieces; place in a microwave-safe serving bowl. Microwave on HIGH until polenta is hot and tender, about 2 minutes. Mash polenta and then beat with a spoon to a fluffy consistency. Spoon stew over polenta and serve. Yields about 1 cup of chili and 1/4 of polenta per serving
A diet rich in high-fiber meals, like this one, not only reduces cholesterol, but may help keep your blood pressure in check, thus reducing heart-attack risk. Try not to let the polenta sit more than five minutes; it will start to thicken and dry out. If this happens, simply stir in a little extra hot chicken or vegetable broth to loosen it up.
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: about 30 minutes
Vegetable Ragout
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 cup chopped onions
* 2 garlic cloves, pressed
* 1 medium eggplant, peeled and cubed (about 6 cups)
* 1 medium zucchini, cubed
* 2 cans (14 1/2 oz. each) diced tomatoes
* 1 can (15 oz.) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
* 1 cup water
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
* 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Polenta
* 1 can (14 1/2 oz.) reduced-sodium chicken broth
* 1 1/4 cups water
* 1 cup yellow cornmeal
* 1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish{use FF on CORE}
1. Make vegetable ragout. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often until edges begin to brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute. Add eggplant and cook, stirring until lightly browned, 3 minutes. Add zucchini and cook 5 minutes more. Stir in tomatoes, chickpeas, water, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Increase heat to high and cook 15 minutes more (if sauce looks like it's getting too thick, cover).
2. Meanwhile, make polenta. In a medium saucepan, bring the broth and water to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and gradually sprinkle in the cornmeal, whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring often, until very thick. Stir in Parmesan cheese. Spoon polenta into shallow bowls and top with vegetable ragout. Sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese, if desired. Makes 4 servings.
Make it kid-friendly: Add some vegetable or chicken broth to the ragout to make a hearty vegetable soup. For extra fun, toss in some alphabet noodles, too.
Second-meal secret: The vegetable ragout makes a tasty pasta sauce. Try it with fettuccine or ziti, cooked according to package directions.
12 ounces fresh small green beans, ends trimmed
8 fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup chopped red onion
3 tablespoons canola or corn oil{on CORE use less oil}
1 tablespoon balsamic or red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Cook the green beans in a large pot of boiling water for 5 minutes; drain. Plunge the beans into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking and retain their bright green color.
Drain and place in a large bowl. Add the mushrooms and onions to the beans; toss to mix. For the dressing, whisk the oil into the vinegar in a small bowl; add the remaining ingredients and pour over the green beans. toss lightly. Serve immediately.
1. Heat oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add shallot; cook, stirring, until translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add mushroom caps; cook until tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Add 3/4 cup water and green beans; season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine; reduce heat to low. Cover; cook until beans are crisp-tender, 7 to 10 minutes. If any liquid remains, raise heat, and cook until it evaporates.
Oh, of course! I have a food dehydrator. Could I use it for my chilis? They're the skinny, pointy, dark red kind, and they're about 2 inches long, maybe? I'm not sure about the skin's thickness...
I will call my brother, he makes what he calls "Essence from he**" from peppers he dries and grinds. Just got off the phone with him. He said he dehydrates them whole, then when they are done he pops the tops off, (take the seeds out if you don't want them as hot), then he puts them in the blender and makes them into powder for seasoning, like cayenne pepper. My Mom said you could boil some vinegar then pour it over the peppers that you have put in a small pepper sauce jar. Cap and use the juice on greens (collards, turnips, cabbage etc) or what ever you like pepper sauce on. Hope this helps.
Zucchini Pancakes (from Cooking Live)
1 1/2 pounds zucchini (about 3 large)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 large egg
3/4 cup coarse fresh bread crumbs or cornmeal
Black pepper to taste
Vegetable oil for brushing skillet
Grate zucchini on the largest holes of a grater into a colander and combine well with salt. Let zucchini drain 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.
Using hands, squeeze as much liquid from zucchini as possible. In a bowl stir together zucchini, onion, egg, bread crumbs, and pepper to taste until combined well.
Lightly brush a 12-inch non-stick skillet with oil and heat over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Drop four 1/8-cup measures of zucchini mixture into skillet and with a spatula flatten into 1/4-inch-thick pancakes. Cook pancakes 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until golden and cooked through, transferring pancakes to an ovenproof plate. Keep pancakes warm in oven while making more pancakes in same manner.
What Can I Make With...?
