Pass the Homemade Roasted Garlic Taco Sauce, PLEASE!!

How I got on to wanting to learn how to can foods is beyond me. Once I start thinking about something though, I almost always become obsessed with wanting to do it. It is not like my garden is ever overflowing with brilliantly-colored fruits and vegetables. Quite the opposite. I start out with good intentions, but never have the time to devote to caring for my garden. Last year the only thing that survived my lack of a "green thumb" was my basil and a few lonely salad cucumbers. Hardly the bounty to start canning with! But, I love the canning jars and the fact that I could give gifts of homemade jams and jellies. And, if I could effectively learn how to can homemade soups, I could send them to my son who is in college.

The word that resonates through my search for information on canning is... MICROORGANISMS!! Forget it!! The last thing I want to do is poison my friends and family. My honey (Kenny) bought me the equipment, so I just had to try.

That brings me to my homemade taco sauce. This is something that I make a lot because we are a family of spicy eating. It is fresh tasting, free of preservatives and extremely cost effective. The good thing about this taco sauce is that it freezes well. So, if you aren't on a quest to can, then pop several containers in the freezer for your eating pleasure.

Gin's Homemade Roasted Garlic Taco Sauce

3 cups tomato paste
2 heads of roasted garlic, cooled
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon Ancho pepper powder
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
t tablespoon hot pepper sauce
5 cups water
1 cup cider vinegar
1/2 corn syrup or honey

(1) Combine all ingredients in a large stock pot. (2) Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until thicken. (3) ENJOY!!

The color of this taco sauce is a deep hue of red. The taste is fresh, spicy, with the tang of sweet roasted garlic. Obviously, it goes great with tacos. It also can be used to make soup, meatloaf, and fresh salsa. You can add or delete chili powder to suit your taste for spicy foods.

I did can this. All I do is keep staring at the jars trying to decide if they are free of bacteria, microorganisms, molds and yeast! I feel pretty confident that I did everything correct and my taco sauce is safe to eat. I will tell you just how confident I am that I canned my taco sauce properly. Next week I am going to Tampa to visit my son who goes to the University of South Florida. He has had mono since Thanksgiving and FINALLY has started to feel better. The last thing I would want to do is to poison him with my canned taco sauce. I am taking him a jar!! Stay tuned........

The WINNER of Super Bowl 43 . . . . Gin's Sweet and Spicy Meatballs

Are you ready for the Super Bowl? I know that I am. This year I am invited to a Super Bowl party and for once can’t wait. I have never much been in to the Super Bowl, but for some reason this year is different. Could it be my birthday is the next day, and I get to go out for my birthday dinner? Could it be that my husband is taking my shopping for some new kitchen gadgets? Or, could it be my Sweet and Spicy Meatballs?

Kick off your Super Bowl party with an enticing crock of Sweet and Spicy Meatballs! The deep sweet flavor of Pepper Jelly combines forces with chili sauce to make a remarkably amazing base for these homemade meatballs. The deliciously versatile thing about these little gems is that they can be made a head, and frozen until the big football day. Make a batch today and your well on your way to serving some pretty amazing appetizers.

Gin’s Sweet and Spicy Meatballs

1 lb. lean ground beef
2 Italian sausage links, casing removed
1 egg, beaten
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1 head garlic, roasted
½ Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoon dried minced onion
2 teaspoons garlic pepper
2 teaspoon Chardonnay smoked sea salt
1 bottle chili sauce

1 cup Pepper Jelly

(1) Roast garlic head and cool. Make paste with roasted garlic. (2) Soak dried onion in ¼ cup warm water. (3) Mix all ingredients and shape in to 1 inch meatballs. (4) Brown in a non-stick pan with a small amount of olive oil. Drain and set aside. (5) Combine 1 cup Pepper Jelly and 1 bottle in chili sauce in a pan and simmer until warm. (6) Add meatballs and warmed sauce to a crock pot. Set crock pot to warm which will gently permeate the meatballs with the mouth-watering sauce.

These meatballs are spicy while being sweet. They are tangy while being mellow. They are bold and diverse. You can serve them with toothpicks or propped on top of French bread slices. What more can ask for? You will be the star. These meatballs are easy with terrific flavors AND they can be made a head of time. May I make a suggestion? Make a double batch or triple batch. You can never have too many of Gin's Sweet and Spicy meatballs on hand.

Jalapeno Infused Chicken Noodle Soup is now served with White Wine Homemade Crackers

Beware, this isn't your Grandmother's Chicken Noodle soup. This original recipe has hearty written all over it with medicinal value second to no other chicken noodle soup (that is my opinion only!!)

This soup is an unique one-pot marvel with a deep rich broth that will undoubtedly bring them back for another bowl. You will have a elegant and sophisticated meal when served with homemade White Wine Crackers. I have never heard of a meal being too good for company, but this could be it? This combination is a glowing testimonial to your cooking abilities and in the end, it is, oh so simple.

For my homemade crackers and pie crusts, I always keep shortening and a stick of butter in the freezer. This little trick makes for the flakiest most flavored crust and crackers you will ever make. So, if you need to, head to your freezer and stock it with a tub of shortening and a stick or two of butter.

Jalapeno Infused Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

2 32 OZ cartons of Less Sodium chicken broth

4 boneless chicken breast

4 carrots, cut in to thick coins

5 cloves of garlic

2 jalapeno peppers halved and seeded

noodles of your choice (I use 1/2 package of Amish noodles)

1 tablespoon of garlic pepper

8 teaspoons chicken soup base

1/2 teaspoon celery salt

Combine chicken broth, chicken, garlic and jalapeno peppers in a large pan. Gently simmer over low heat until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken, garlic, and jalapeno. Shred chicken and smash garlic in to a paste, through away the jalapeno peppers. Add chicken, garlic, carrots and noodles back to broth. Simmer until noodles and carrots are cooked through. Season with garlic pepper, soup base and celery salt.

White Wine Homemade Crackers

4 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 cup shortening

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup heavy cream

1/3 cup ice cold white Wine

Chardonnay Smoked Sea Salt

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees.
Sift the flour, baking powder, and baking soda together in a bowl and cut in the shortening and butter. I use my food processor and pulse for a minute or so. Mix the ice cold wine and heavy cream together and slowly pour into the dry ingredients. When the dough comes together, stop mixing. Your dough will be wet and sticky. Working with small balls of the dough, dust your counter with flour, take the dough and gently knead until it becomes pliable. Now dust your rolling pin and roll this piece out as thin as you can get it. Sprinkle this dough with the Chardonnay Smoked Sea Salt and gently press in to dough. Cut the dough using a biscuit cutter of your choice. You can prick the crackers with a fork or you can leave as is. If you don't prick the cracker you will have a puffed cracker instead of a flat one. Each is really good. Place crackers on a baking sheet in the oven for about 10 minutes. When the edges reach a golden brown, and they are crispy to the touch, they are done.

These crackers are savory and sweet and are the perfect accompaniment to the Chicken Noodle Soup. The soup is silky, spicy, chunky, and chocked full of complex flavor. The peppers add a deminsion that will perk up your taste buds, and chase away any cold or flu that might plague you.

Now, get your spoon and enjoy!!

That is the Way the Spicy Black Bean Burger Fries

You know what my husband just said to me? Of course you don’t, but I am getting ready to tell you!

“What is the deal with the beans? We have had black-eyed pea salad and Navy Bean soup in the last couple of days. Can we lay off the beans for a while?” said my honey pie husband.

This all came about when he wandered in the kitchen noticing that I was whipping up a batch of my Spicy Black Bean Burgers. I have to tell you that he would rather eat cold sautéed spinach without salt that has been sitting around for days, than indulge in one of these meatless burgers. It is his loss, and that is all I can say about that!

These Spicy Black Bean Burgers are big and bold with fresh tasting ingredients that are guaranteed to tickle your tummy and leave you satisfied for hours to come after consumption. They are hearty, with an earthy dimension that only black beans can bring to a burger. Their flavor is pumped up with roasted garlic and jalapeno peppers. They are in the easy to make category and chock full of nutrition.

Stay tuned for a warning before you bite in to one of these scrumptious satisfying textured meatless masterpieces!

Spicy Black Bean Burgers

3 cans rinsed and drained black beans

1 1/2 cup Japanese-style panko breadcrumbs

2 large eggs

6 scallions, both white and green parts, minced

A handful of chopped fresh cilantro

1 whole head of garlic, roasted

1 jalapeno, roasted

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 1/2 teaspoons onion powder

1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1 tablespoon McCormicks Worcestershire pepper
2 teaspoons honey
Juice of one lime

Directions

Place 2 cups of the black beans, roasted garlic and jalanpeno pepper in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until chunky. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add remaining whole black beans, plus panko, eggs, scallions, cilantro, cumin, red pepper flakes, onion powder, honey, lime juice, salt and pepper and mix until well combined. Form burgers into patties which should be approximately ½ cup each. Roll each burger in panko break crumbs. Place burger patties into refrigerator to chill and set up. This is a very essential step to avoid having a pile of shapeless black bean mush! When ready to cook, remove patties from refrigerator and place a cast-iron skillet over high heat with a small amount of the cooking oil of your choice. Cook for about four minutes on first side or until well seared and with a flipping spatula, turn onto second side and allow to cook for an additional five minutes, over medium heat. This recipe makes four to six burgers. If freezing, cook burgers first and freeze, heat in the microwave and enjoy at a later date.

These burgers lend themselves to countless condiment combinations; cheeses, lettuce, fresh tomato slice, onion, salsa, sour cream, avocado, pepper jelly, homemade mayo, mustard, relish, and on and on and on. The sky is the limit!

Now, for the above mentioned warning. Warning, warning, and one more warning. Don’t try a bite, if you are not primed to eat the entire veggie burger. And, that is the way the Spicy Black Bean Burger fries. The end.