HOW TO COOK AND EAT AN ARTICHOKE aka Vegetable Lobster

Cost on sale April, 2010 about $1.33 each (Michigan)

Preparation:

Chop off the top as shown in the picture. Remove the 1or 2 layers of outer leaves. If the stem is too long, cut it off.

Cook:

Place the whole artichokes in a large pot with a steam basket insert. Add about 2” of water and 1 clove of garlic that has been flattened (not a head of garlic), 1 whole bay leaf, and 1 tsp. of lemon juice. Cover with a lid and steam about 45 minutes. Start with high heat until it boils, then turn down to low for the remaining time.

Dip:

Mix 1 c. chicken broth, 1 Tbsp. Smart Balance margarine, and heat it until the margarine melts. Divide into small dipping dishes.

To eat:

Remove outer leaves, dip, and pull the lower soft part against your lower teeth to remove the edible portion. The edible portion becomes larger and softer as you work into the artichoke. Toward the center you will discover a fuzzy, non-edible portion called the “choke”. Remove it with a teaspoon, without digging too deep. Under the “choke” is the “heart”, the best part! Trim off the remaining stem with a knife. Quarter the choke, dip and eat the quarters. Delicious!

Soup buffet

We had family over for lunch on 12/31 and decided to have a soup buffet, plus pretzel thins with cheese spread. I think everyone liked it, except maybe the 7 year old who declares he hates soup!

Menu:

Meatball stew (left) see recipe 3/13/09 this blog

Corn chowder (right front) recipe today

Bean soup (right back) recipe today

Just the thing for a cold winter day. Enjoy! Eat hardy!

Corn Chowder

Quick and easy

This is one of my all time favorites. My friend Pat requests this one for lunches.

Makes 3 good sized (main meal) servings

Ingredients:

1 can corn, undrained

1/2 c. chopped onion

1 can sliced potatoes or slice, cook, & drain a 6 oz potato

1/3 c. water

2 chicken bullion cubes

1 3/4 c. milk

1 tsp. margarine or butter

1 to 1 1/2 Tbsp. flour

In a large soup pan, saute onion in the margarine. Add the potatoes, corn (undrained) , water, & bullion cubes. Stir in 1 1/2 c. of the milk, and heat thoroughly. Combine the remaining milk with flour, mix well (our old Tupperware shaker works great). Add to the chowder. Cook and stir until bubbly and thickened.

Bean Soup (using Randall's beans)

Quick and easy. Randall's beans come in a big glass jar, about 48 oz.

Picture is a full batch in a 3 1/2 qt pan. For the 2 of us,

Michael often makes up a half batch.

Ingredients:

1 - 48 oz. can Randall's brand mixed beans or northern beans

2 onions, chopped, sauteed in 2 capful wine (or in 2 tsp. oil)

6 c. water

2 tsp. "Liquid Smoke"

1 or 2 bay leaf

Sprinkle of garlic powder

Salt and pepper to taste

In a large pan (at least 3 1/2 quart pan for the full batch), saute the onion, then add all the other ingredients. Cook to desired consistency, approximately 25 minutes, with lid on, vented.

Shrimp Cocktail

Usually we use shrimp size 36-40 (per pound), but the ones in this picture are some giant shrimp size 16-20 that we found on sale just before Christmas. Buy frozen, cooked shrimp and thaw them slightly. Squeeze the excess water out of them. They should still be quite cold, but not frozen.

Cocktail sauce - mix together:

1/4 c. catsup

1/4 t. Worchestershire sauce

1/8 t. dry mustard

1/2 t. lemon juice

2 t. horseradish

Grilled Ham and Cheese Sandwich

Michael makes everything special.

Ham and cheese sandwich. A slice or two of deli ham, a slice of Swiss cheese (or your favorite kind), whole wheat bread, grilled just like grilled cheese. (Butter/oleo on both pieces of bread, meat and cheese inside. Butter side down in pan until golden brown, flip, repeat on other side).

That mushroom soup is Campbell's except Michael adds a can of drained mushroom stems and pieces. Even more mushroomy! Yum! Don't forget some fresh veggie sides for a low cal filler.

Home canned tomatoes (pressure cooker)

This picture is from our last October batch, picked green just before the first hard frost, and ripened in plastic bags on the kitchen counter. The recipe is the same for all fresh picked tomatoes. Roma tomatoes are the best for canning because they have less water content.

Wash your canning jars well in hot water. Be sure you have enough lids on hand.

1/2 bushel Roma tomatoes yields about 27 pints.

Canning is a labor of love - seeing the results is a pleasure. Eating summer's sun-kissed harvest in the middle of the winter is a joy.

Assemble clean jars, lids, screw rings, clean dish towels, pressure cooker, canning tongs (to lift jars), colander, paring knife, medium size bowl, medium size pan, ice, salt, 1/2t. measuring spoon, butter knife, measuring cup.

Wash the tomatoes off under running water, place in colander. Boil water in medium size pan, 2/3 full. Put 4 c. of water in bottom of pressure cooker, and put the rack in (upside down). Fill medium bowl 2/3 full with water and ice to make ice water. Spread clean dish towels on the counter top.

Dip tomatoes into boiling water a few at a time, for 1 minute. Immediately put them in the ice water to loosen the skins. Peel the skins off, trim out any bad spots, cut in half, place into jar. Press the tomatoes together tightly in the jar so that juice forms, filling to within 1/2" of the top, and using the butter knife around the sides to remove air pockets. Carefully wipe the edge of the jar clean, add 1/2 t. salt to each jar. Put on lid and screw band, firmly, but not over tight.

Place 4 jars at a time into the pressure cooker, at 5 lbs pressure. Process for 10 minutes after the pressure regulator jiggles. Important: cool the pressure cooker for 10 minutes before you gently test the regulator to expel any remaining steam.

Carefully remove the jars with the canning tongs, being careful not to touch the rings or lids, and being careful to avoid burns. Place the jars immediately onto the clean dish towels to cool, with about 2" of space in between the jars. You will probably hear the "ping" of the jars as they seal. Let them cool a few hours and then check the seals. Any unsealed jars should be reprocessed (after cleaning the top edge and lid), or placed in the refrigerator to be used.