Gardening Gems - Mexican Fiesta

Tonight I hosted the Gardening Gems Garden Club.  We had a full house with 36 in attendance and a lot of fun!!  September is always Tomato month.  So I came up a few tomato recipes and we had a dill pickle canning demo too.  

Gardening Gems - Mexican Fiesta

Dill Pickles 

cucumbers 

garlic

dill, fresh , frozen or dried

Ball pickle crisp (¼ t. per quart jar)

3 c. water

3 c. apple cider vinegar

 ¼ c. pickling salt

Wash cucumbers and slice or place in jars whole. Add a clove of garlic,

1 head of dill (fresh or frozen is best), and pickle crisp to each jar. 

Place in sauce pan; water, vinegar, & salt. Bring to boil and pour over the

cucumbers, leaving ½ inch headspace. Place lids on jars. 

Place jars in canner on a rack and cover with 1" of water. Bring to boil and process

in boiling water bath for 10 minutes for pints & 15 minutes for quarts.

Do not open jars for 6 to 8 weeks to allow the cucumbers to turn to

pickles. 

* For Dilly Beans use green beans instead of cucumbers. This

makes enough brine for 3 quarts.

MEXICAN LASAGNA

1 bag Doritos, (I prefer nacho cheese flavored)

2 lbs. hamburger 

2 c. salsa

1 pkg. taco seasoning

1 tsp. chili powder

1 to 2 chopped, green or red peppers

1 sm. chopped, onion

1 to 2 diced, tomatoes

2 to 3 c. grated cheese

Brown hamburger and add salsa, taco seasoning and chili powder and set aside. In

9x13 sprayed pan layer in the following order: Doritos, meat mixture, green

peppers, onion, tomatoes, and top with grated cheese. Bake at 350°

for 30 minutes.

Our favorite Summer main dish when you have all the

fresh vegetables in the garden. Use fresh or canned salsa. 

Taco Pizza

1 Batch of Tomato Bread Dough  (see recipe below)

2 - 16 oz. refried beans

2 T. taco seasoning

2 t. granulated garlic

2 t. granulated onion

1 1/2  lb. hamburger

2 c. salsa

3 T. taco seasoning

1/4 c. water

1 t. granulated garlic

1 t. chili powder

1/2 t. salt 

1/4 t. pepper

2 c. chopped peppers

1 c. chopped onion

2 c. chopped tomatoes

3 c. grated cheese (half cheddar, half mozarella)

1/2 c. chopped cilantro

Divide dough in half and rolled out on 2 baking stones.  Bake at 375 for 10 to 15 minutes, do not fully bake.  It will go back in the oven after all the toppings are added.

Mix together the refried beans, 2 T. taco Seasoning and 1 t. garlic and onion.  Spread half over each  partially baked crust.

Brown the hamburger and add the salsa, 3 T. taco seasoning, water, garlic, chili powder, salt and pepper. Spread half over the refried beans on both pizzas.  Top each one  with peppers, onion and tomatoes.  Sprinkle with grated cheeses.  Top with chopped cilantro.  Bake at 375 for 10 to 15 minutes more, until cheese is melted.  

Serve while hot.  

TOMATO BREAD

1/2 c. warm milk - microwave 30 seconds

1-2 ripe tomatoes, pureed (1/2 c.)  I use 3- 4th of July Tomatoes.....they are small and juicy

2 T. fresh basil, minced

1 T. fresh chives, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 t. fresh oregano, minced

1 egg

2 T. oil

1/2 t. salt

1 T. sugar

3 rounded c. bread flour

1 scant T. yeast

GARLIC CHIVE SPREAD

1/2 c. butter, softened

1 T. fresh chives, minced

1 garlic clove, minced

Puree the tomatoes and herbs together in the food processor  (saves chopping the herbs).  

Place bread ingredients in bread machine pan in order listed.   Check dough after 5 minutes of mixing, add 1 to 2 T. water or flour if needed.  Bake in bread machine or remove dough, form as desired.  Bake in oven at 375 for 20 minutes.  

In bowl, combine spread ingredients. Serve with bread.

Peach Apple Salsa - from the USDA Complete guide to home canning

This is probably my favorite canned salsa!! 

https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_salsa/peach_apple_salsa.html

Peach Apple Salsa

6 cups (2¼ pounds) chopped Roma tomatoes (about 3 pounds tomatoes as purchased)

2½ cups diced yellow onions (about 1 pound or 2 large as purchased)

2 cups chopped green bell peppers (about 1½ large peppers as purchased)

10 cups (3½ pounds) chopped hard, unripe peaches (about 9 medium peaches or 4½ pounds as purchased peaches)

2 cups chopped Granny Smith apples (about 2 large apples as purchased)

4 tablespoons mixed pickling spice

1 tablespoon canning salt

2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes

3¾ cups (1¼ pound) packed light brown sugar

2¼ cups cider vinegar (5%)

Yield: About 7 pint jars

Please read Using Boiling Water Canners before beginning. If this is your first time canning, it is recommended that you read Principles of Home Canning.

Procedure:

   1.   Wash and rinse pint canning jars; keep hot until ready to use. Prepare lids according to manufacturer's directions.

   2. Place pickling spice on a clean, double-layered, 6-inch-square piece of 100% cheesecloth. Bring corners together and tie with a clean string. (Or use a purchased muslin spice bag or I use a tea infuser).

   3. Wash and peel tomatoes (place washed tomatoes in boiling water for 1 minute, immediately place in cold water, and slip off skins). Chop into ½-inch pieces. Peel, wash and dice onions into ¼-inch pieces. Wash, core, and seed bell peppers; chop into ¼-inch pieces. Combine chopped tomatoes, onions and peppers in an 8- or 10- quart Dutch oven or saucepot.

   4. Wash, peel and pit peaches; cut into halves and soak for 10 minutes in an ascorbic acid solution (1500 mg in half gallon water). Wash, peel and core apples; cut into halves and soak for 10 minutes in ascorbic acid solution. Quickly chop peaches and apples into ½-inch cubes to prevent browning. Add chopped peaches and apples to the saucepot with the vegetables.

   5. Add the pickling spice bag to the saucepot; stir in the salt, red pepper flakes, brown sugar and vinegar. Bring to boiling, stirring gently to mix ingredients. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove spice bag from pan and discard.

   6. With a slotted spoon, fill salsa solids into hot, clean pint jars, leaving 1¼-inch headspace (about ¾ pound solids in each jar). Cover with cooking liquid, leaving ½-inch headspace.

   7. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace if needed. Wipe rims of jars with a dampened, clean paper towel; apply two-piece metal canning lids.

   8. Process in a boiling water canner according to the recommendations in Table 1. Let cool, undisturbed, 12 to 24 hours and check for seals.

Serving Suggestion: Serve as a side with or spooned on top of grilled pork chops or any grilled meat.

OF course it is great on tortilla chips too!!  At serving time I add 1/2 c. chopped cilantro to a pint jar and stir it in.  

 Recommended process time for Peach-Apple Salsa in a boiling-water canner.

  Process Time for hot packed PINTS at Altitudes of

0 - 1,000 ft = 15 minutes

1,001 to 6,000 ft = 20 minutes

Above 6,000 = 25 minutes

Nutrition Information (Estimated values using Nutritionist Pro™ software)

Per 2 Tbsp: Calories 30, Total Fat 0 g, Sodium 66 mg, Fiber 0 g, Protein 0 g. 

Daily Values: Vitamin A 3%, Vitamin C 8%, Calcium 1%, Iron 1%.

Percent Daily Values based on Dietary Reference Intakes.

Developed at The University of Georgia, Athens, for the National Center for Home Food Preservation. Released by Elizabeth L. Andress, Ph.D., Department of Foods and Nutrition, College of Family and Consumer Sciences. August 2003.

Pina Colada Zucchini Bread

4 c. flour

3 c. sugar

2 t. baking powder

1-1/2 t. salt

1 t. baking soda

4 eggs

1 1/2 c. canola oil

1 t. each coconut, butter and vanilla extracts

3 c. shredded zucchini

1 c. coconut

20 oz. pineapple, drained & pureed (save juice for frosting)

1/2 c. slivered almonds

Frosting:

2 c. powdered sugar

¼ c. pineapple juice

Spray the bottoms of 3, 8x4-in. loaf pans and line with waxed paper and spray the paper; set aside.

Place in mixer bowl and mix: flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, oil and extracts. Mix into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in the zucchini, coconut, pineapple and almonds.

Pour into prepared pans. Bake at 350° for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Gently remove waxed paper.

Stir together the frosting ingredients. Drizzle or spread over the top of the loaves.

**1 batch makes 5 medium loaves (bake 45 to 50 minutes)  and 1 small loaf (bake 35 to 40 minutes.