Alternative to Canning Tomatoes

Alternative to Canning Tomatoes

Posted on by Jenny MacBeth

An easy alternative to canning tomatoes.

Canning your own sauce is awesome for the freshness, but I hate canning. It’s hot, messy, and time consuming. Not to mention, buying the tools gets expensive.

An old friend of mine taught me this alternative way to canning tomato sauce. I’ve been doing it for years. It’s easy, I love it, and I want to share it with you. Even if you don’t have an overflowing garden of tomatoes (I don’t), go to your local farmer’s market and grab a bunch. That’s what I do.

Side note: I was playing around with Photoshop’s watercolor tool. Not sure I like it, but the photos kinda look artsy.

You’ll Need

18-20 quart stockpot
Immersion blender
8 gallon size freezer bags
20 pounds of fresh tomatoes (I used heirloom), quartered
1 1/2 cups of EVOO
2 large Spanish onions, quartered
1 (8 oz.) jar of marinade already peeled garlic, or 30 cloves of garlic
1 cup of basil, packed
1/4 cup of sugar
1 tablespoon of Sea Salt
1 tablespoon of Pepper

Let’s get started…

Tomato washing. If you buy from a farmer’s market, I wouldn’t worry about using any special vegetable wash. They usually do not use chemicals to help the growing process, but it’s always a good idea to ask. I just use warm water and a paper towel to wipe each one clean.

This recipe is also great for ‘no more tears.’ Instead of dicing your onions, chop your onions and tomatoes into big quarter size pieces.

No need to chop up or remove the stems from your basil, and I will show you why.

Fresh is best, but the point of this recipe is saving time. I use already peeled garlic to help me accomplish that goal.

Toss it all into an 18 to 20 quart stockpot. On the stove, bring it to a boil on high heat. Cover and reduce to medium heat. Let the tomatoes cook down for about 10 minutes.

By using an immersion blender you save time…

No fine chopping
No skinning the tomatoes
No long hours for it to all cook down

Using your immersion blender, start to blend all the ingredients together while it cooks. Warning: Do not lift hand tool out of the sauce while in use. Trust me. I’ve learned the hard way. Sigh.

Continue to blend for about five minutes.

Once everything is smooth and blended, bring sauce back to a boil, cover and reduce heat to simmer for about 30 minutes. If needed, add more salt and pepper to taste.

Make sure your sauce is smooth. If not, take the immersion blender back through the mixture.

Remove lid, and let cool until easy to handle.

I don’t know about you but I do not have much freezer space.

I like that the baggies can lay nicely on top of each other. Take a black sharpie and write on the gallon size freezer bags, Tomato Sauce and the date. Put four cups into each bag. Sauce will store in your freezer for about six to eight months.

Recipe makes eight baggies. That is equal to eight 26 ounce store bought jars. This saves me $20, and the freshness is well worth the effort. This is an all purpose sauce to be used for any recipe needing tomato sauce.

Little time. Little money. Little mess. No preservatives. A fresh alternative.

#GL2E

Sicilian Style Eggplant Casserole and Cheese Pastry Puffs

Posted on by Jenny MacBeth

A delicious twist to Eggplant Parmesan.

The best market place in Pittsburgh is the Strip District. There’s never a dull moment with lots of diversity from the food to the people. You can’t help but want to peruse the wares of the outdoor vendors. You can find everything from Yinzer pride souvenirs, to fresh foods, to hipster cafés, to down-home diners. Fabulous good stuff!

The streets get packed on the weekends. Especially, on a bright sunny day no matter the temperature. Be prepared for a crowd. I love the outdoor market feel. There is no other place like it in the city. When you’re shopping in the Strip you’re really a part of Pittsburgh’s history.

My family and I go to the Strip at least once a month. We go early to find free parking. If you are willing to pay for parking, then you won’t have any problems. We grab breakfast at Pamela’s or Deluca’s, both serve awesome diner food, before heading out to shop for seasonal yummies.

One place we always hit is Stan’s Produce Market. He pretty much gives it away; very cheap yet great quality produce. It definitely beats sub-par grocery produce. I spent a total of $19 on two large eggplants, a large bag of carrots, three avocados, a bunch of leeks, onions, basil, a jar of already peeled garlic, and a few other things. That’s just craziness. That is why I dedicate this recipe to Stan’s Produce Market in the Strip. You inspired me to make this because I couldn’t pass up a good deal.

No beer in this eggplant casserole recipe, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have one. I am!

You’ll Need

2/3 cup of all-purpose flour
2/3 cup of Italian bread crumbs
2 Sicilian style eggplants, peeled and sliced
4 large eggs
3 cups of tomato sauce (I use my Alternative to Canning Tomato Sauce)
1/2 cup of Basil, roughly chopped. I just pull apart with my fingers.
1 cup of Parmesan cheese, grated
8 – 10 slices of fresh mozzarella balls
Lemon zest, about half of a lemon
Olive oil, as needed
Sea salt and ground pepper

Let’s get started…

Put your tomato sauce in a sauce pan and cook over medium heat. If you are using my Alternative to Canning Tomato Sauce recipe, and it is frozen, there is no need to thaw it. Just take it from freezer to pot, and cover to help speed up the process.

Add lemon zest to the warming sauce. Not much is needed at all. I do a little less than half of a lemon. As my friend Leslie says, “It seems to brighten the flavors.”

Slicing

While your sauce is heating, slice your eggplant (about a quarter inch thick).

Mixing

Mix together the flour and bread crumbs in a flat dish. Beat the eggs in a separate flat dish. Coat each eggplant slice in your flour mixture then dip each one in egg wash.

Frying

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Transfer coated eggplant into the hot skillet, and fry for 30 seconds on each side. Transfer to a paper towel.

Layering

Spread a layer (about 1 cup) of warm sauce on the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish.

Top with a layer of fried eggplant slices. I overlap each slice.

Sprinkle basil over the eggplant (about 1/4 cup per layer).

Add a layer of Parmesan (about1/2 cup per layer).

Repeat one more time; giving you two layers.

Top it off with about nine slices of fresh mozzarella; sporadically placed.

Baking

Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes, uncovered

Let it cool for 10 minutes before slicing.

Cheese Pastries, The PUSHER

As Glen’s father, Ed, would say, “You need a pusher.”

Pusher Definition: A bread-like substance, such as, muffin, biscuit, or crusty bread, to help you push your food onto your fork.

Ha! I agree.

While your eggplant cools a little, cook your pastries.

For Pastries, You’ll Need

Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets (two sheets per box)
2/3 cup of Asiago cheese, grated (or any cheese you like)
1/2 of lemon, zested
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
Olive oil (about 2 tablespoons for drizzle)

Pastry Instructions

Thaw according to the instructions on the box. I usually set it out on the counter while I make the eggplant.

Coat a cookie sheet with cooking spray. Leave pastry sheets folded and place on the cookie sheet. Cut pastry sheet about one inch wide, and separate with a little space between each one.

Drizzle olive oil over the pastries. Sprinkle the cheese and garlic over the top. Finally, take your lemon and zest sporadically over the pastries. Don’t worry about being neat with the ingredients. – The olive oil will soak up the flavors; infusing the pastry while it cooks.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes.

Done! Serve with a green salad and a Peroni Red. Your family is going to love it. Glen does not like Eggplant Parmesan and said, “This is amazing. I love the textures.” I believe the secret is in the fresh produce and the lemon zest. A little zest brightens the flavors. That goes for life in general.

Depending on how big you cut the slices, the eggplant can serve 6 to 8 people. The Pusher makes about 18 -20 individual pastries.

Thanks for the yummy produce and great prices Stan.

Middle Eastern Hummus, Photo by Jenny MacBeth using iPhone 4S

Easy Hummus Recipe

Posted on by Jenny MacBeth

As I mentioned on Facebook, I’ve never made hummus, so I researched online recipes. I’m sure you can agree, when you Google Hummus, it can be overwhelming. I just used the common ingredients; chickpeas, tahini sauce, and lemon juice, and added in some of my own yummies.

Since making it, the hardest part was deciding on the toppings. The flavor of hummus is like the color black; it goes with everything. You can use whatever your little taste buds desire.

A Facebook follower, Missy, piqued my interest with roasted red peppers. When I was at the grocer, I noticed a jar of fried, marinated peppers. Grabbed it! I also diced up some Kalamata olives and walnuts. I left the toppings off for my guests to decide how to dress it.

Since I had eight cans of chickpeas in my cabinet, ah, er, a lot, I shared with all my friends (aka guinea pigs). I’ve also adjusted the recipe to fit a more reasonable party size. Tee hee!

You’ll need

2 (15 oz.) cans of chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
½ cup lemon juice, I used fresh squeezed
½ cup tahini sauce
As much garlic as you like. I used two cloves per can of chickpeas.
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 teaspoon of salt (to taste)
1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil
Your favorite additions – roasted or fried red peppers, basil, pine nuts, paprika, crushed garlic, sliced almonds, diced onions, jalapeños, the list is endless.

Let’s get started…

Many recipes call for a food processor or blender. I have a immersion blender. It’s easy to clean, and one of my favorite kitchen tools.

Drain and rinse the chickpeas. In a large bowl, mix your lemon juice and tahini, until thick. Add in your garlic, cumin, salt, olive oil, and chickpeas. Now, you can mix in your additions at this point, or add just a little, or use for toppings. Decisions. Decisions. Just be creative. I used a jar of fried peppers and its juices, as a topper. You can’t go wrong with hummus. For years, I thought that it would be hard to make. People have told me that it’s difficult to balance the flavors. As long as you don’t go overboard with the lemon juice and salt, I don’t see any problems in ruining the taste. Okay! Perhaps you can screw it up, but if you take baby steps in your experiment, you can always fix it.

Whatever you decide, start to blend everything together. With using an immersion blender, you may need to add a little water, or olive oil to help get it smooth. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It will still taste yummy. Trust me.

Serve up with your favorite tortilla chips, crackers, and/or veges. Challenge: Try spreading hummus on a sandwich, or burger, or chicken, etc., and let me know what you think.

Enjoy!

Cast Iron Skillet, Sweet Fried Potatoes

Posted on by Jenny MacBeth

Breakfast is my favorite meal. Mostly because I always have bacon. Since we moved into our new home, we’ve had overnight guests just about every weekend. Absolutely love a full house for breakfast served with mimosas.

This recipe is my sister, Donna’s. I’m also thinking that it’s a Pittsburgh thing because I know a lot of people who serve their fried potatoes with sugar and onions. It’s the best!

You’ll need:

1/2 stick of real butter
1 (24 oz.) bag of fingerling potatoes, sliced
1/4 cup of brown sugar
1 1/2 cups of sweet onion, chopped
4 garlic gloves, minced
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Let’s get started.

Brown butter in cast iron skillet on medium-high heat. Once the butter is brown, stir in the potatoes and cook for three minutes.

Reduce heat to medium and add in the brown sugar, onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Keep tossing the potatoes until soft and onions are slightly blackened with a caramelized coating. This takes roughly five minutes.

Serve with your favorite breakfast eggs and bacon (of course). This is even great with your favorite dinner.

The cast iron skillet is the secret. I’ve made this same recipe in a non-stick skillet and they do not taste the same.

Do you use sugar in your fried potatoes?

Kale Salad with Dijon Dressing

Posted on by Jenny MacBeth

Okay, kale, it’s green. IT’S GREEN. It’s also very bitter. This is the first time I’m eating it raw. I’ve had it cooked in butter, and that’s always a good thing. I read an article of the benefits of eating lots of kale. Which, I already knew, but it’s GREEN. It said that kale is king of green foods. It’s packed with calcium, minerals, vitamins, fiber and great for those detox’ers. I thought, “What the hell. Why not? I’ll just add my Dijon dressing to it, and all will be right.” All the while, keeping my fingers crossed.

I took a few handfuls of chopped kale (about 2 cups). Since I didn’t have shredded carrots, I stole a few off the bunnies. Shhh! Buy a bag of shredded carrots, or julienne two small carrots.

Use about 1/4 cup of parsley and sliced green onions. Add about two tablespoons of sunflower seeds, and one tablespoon of sesame seeds.

Season with ground sea salt and ground black pepper. My mistake, I was thinking, “This is going to be one bitter salad,” that I added too much salt. – Trust me, it’s so good that you only need a little.

For my Dijon dressing: Mix together one tablespoon of EVOO and Dijon. Add in one teaspoon of vinegar. – Whisk.

Drizzle over the greens and toss. This salad is moan worthy.

Secret ingredient: Pair this salad with a Belgian Pale Ale, or even a Blue Moon.

Please share your ideas because this girl likes to eat.

bruschetta finished, photo by jenny macbeth

Bruschetta Dip. Great for Parties.

Posted on by Jenny MacBeth

WOW your friends with this cool and easy dip. It’s awesome for picnics.

This yummy idea was inspired by, Monica Sieber from Pittsburgh, PA. Thanks girl. We love it!

You’ll Need:

3 (14.5 oz.) cans of diced tomatoes

2 (8 oz.) bricks of cream cheese

8-10 garlic gloves, crushed

1 cup of fresh basil, chopped

2 Tablespoons of balsamic glaze

3 Tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt and pepper

Let’s get started…

Slightly drain the diced tomatoes.

Chop up the basil. I just love chopping fresh herbs. It makes our house smell so divine. Even our bunnies come running out to the kitchen to see what I’m making.

In a large bowl, toss in the tomatoes, basil and crushed garlic.

Add in the balsamic glaze and olive oil. Season with some sea salt and fresh ground pepper and mix.

Spread the cream cheese over the bottom of an eight inch round dish, or any type of shallow serving platter. Pour your mixture over the top of the cream cheese.

Slice down a baguette loaf. No need to toast the bread or bake the dip. It’s ready.

Hint: This dip tastes better the longer it sits, so you can prepare it the night before.

YUMMY!

Any cool ideas? Please share because this girl likes to eat.

White Ale Potato Leek Soup

Posted on by Jenny MacBeth

Someone asked me recently, “Do you have a case of beer for each beer you use in your recipes?” That’s expensive! I do not buy by the case. Only for parties. The state of Pennsylvania has strict LCB laws. Boo hiss. There are a few (not many) venues that can sell by the bottle in the Pittsburgh area. It too can be expensive, but I like a variety. Different beers for different days; I’m moody. I really wish the liquor stores would start selling craft beer like they do wine. When I travel to other states with stores dedicated to rows and rows of craft beer, I think I’ve died and gone to beer-haven.

After planning out my recipes, I head over to my favorite Pittsburgh beer emporium, 1 For The Road, for a little grocery shopping. I pick and choose a few flavors I haven’t tried along with my must haves, and a few for my drinking pleasure. I have a beer cellar where I store most of my beer. It’s nothing fancy. More like a large place on the floor in the basement that I call my beer cellar. I hope to one day have a Kegerator and a chair.

Enough with my babble. Grab yourself a Stella Artois and let’s get cooking.

This soup is yum-yum good. I love it. It’s thick and creamy, but with a light taste. I think Stella is the perfect ale for this recipe. Of course, you can use any light beer, but make sure it’s a white ale. Anything darker will change the flavor.

It’s easy and can be made in less than an hour. You’ll see in the instructions, I’m using my immersion blender. It rocks! If you do not have one, you need to get one. It’s my favorite cool tool. It makes it quick, easy, and less messy. That leaves more time for beer.

You’ll Need

3 tablespoons of butter
3 cloves of garlic, peeled
2 large shallots, peeled
4 leeks, only whites roughly chopped
6 potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
3 cups of chicken broth ( or vegetable broth)
1 bottle of white ale (I use Stella Artois)
1 cup of heavy cream
1/2 tablespoon of nutmeg
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
Olive oil and chives, for garnish

Let’s get started…

Roughly chop up three potatoes and all four leeks. No need to do any fine chopping. The immersion blender will take care of it. We will get to the other three potatoes later.

In a large dutch oven (or soup pot) toss in all the ingredients except for three potatoes.

Over a high heat, bring to a boil. While you wait for it to boil, chop up the other three potatoes into quarter size bites, and set aside.

Once the soup reaches its boiling point, reduce heat to medium. Using an immersion blender, slowly blend the ingredients until smooth. Cook for an additional 20 minutes. Add in the chopped potatoes to chunk it up. Cook until potatoes are tender (about 8-10 minutes). And, salt and pepper to taste.

Drunken good! Garnish with olive oil and chopped chives, and grab another S T E L L A.

Spicy Sesame Noodles or Green Beans

Posted on by Jenny MacBeth

This is a great sauce you can use on noodles or even green beans.

You’ll Need

1 pound of fettuccine or linguini style noodles (or 2 pounds of french cut green beans)
4 tablespoons of roasted sesame seeds
4 tablespoons of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of Chinese chili paste (optional if you do not like the heat)
2 tablespoons of low-sodium soy sauce
4 large garlic cloves, crushed

Let’s get started…

Green Beans

Using a medium size sauce pan, bring 1/3 cup of water (enough to cover the bottom of your pot) to a boil with some sea salt. Add your green beans. Boil for one minute covered. Turn off burner and let it sit covered for one minute. We want to blanch the beans. This keeps the beans crispy.

Drain and rinse with cold water.

Noodles

Boil your pasta to your liking. I like it al dente. It usually takes six to eight minutes per pound of fettuccine or linguini.

Drain and rinse with cold water.

Sauce

While your beans or noodles cook, mix together the sesame oil, chili paste, soy sauce and crushed garlic.

Once your beans or noodles are ready, toss in the sauce and sesame seeds.

You can eat this warm or cold. If you serve it cold, chill for about an hour.

Easy, yummy and spicy. Just how I like my men.

#GL2E

Citrus Bluemoon Summer Ale Pasta Salad

Posted on by Jenny MacBeth

This is definitely a unique and delicious pasta salad if I do say so myself. That, or it’s the two beers I drank whilst making this. Ha!

Tip

You can prepare everything in advance, however, mix it right before serving. Not sure why, but it tastes best the first day.

You may not want to use all the dressing. I suggest you gradually pour it while mixing your salad. You can decide how much is enough.

You’ll Need

1 cup of Bluemoon Summer Ale
3 tablespoons of shallots, minced
1 teaspoon of finely grated orange zest
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
4 tablespoons of EVOO
1 pound of your favorite pasta, I used Rotini
1/2 cup of green onions, chopped
1/2 cup of pecans, chopped
1/2 cup of Kalamata olives, seeded and chopped
1 cup of Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 can of oranges, drained
1 cup of Mozzarella cheese, grated
Sea salt and ground pepper to taste

Let’s get started…

Grab a beer or seven, and turn on Pandora.

The Dressing

In a small bowl, whisk the beer, shallot, orange zest, honey, mustard and oil. Or, if you have a shaker, that would be best. Season the dressing with salt and pepper to taste. This can refrigerate up to three days. I wouldn’t push it any longer. Homemade dressings can get funky, awfully quick. Especially, without having the added preservatives.

When I use tomatoes in salads, I remove the center with a spoon. This helps to keep your salad from getting watery.

If you do not have time before serving, chop up everything ahead of time and store in your refrigerator. Right before serving, toss all your ingredients in a large bowl. Slowly pour the dressing over the top and mix it all together carefully.

Top it off with Mozzarella cheese.

Done! This salad does not take much time at all. Particularly, while drinking a beer.

You can also add in spinach or other vegetables. Play with it!

I would love to hear from you. Contact me because this girl likes to eat.

#gl2e

Holy Moses White Ale Potato Salad

Posted on by Jenny MacBeth

Featured in Taste of Home Simple & Delicious

This potato salad and the Kale salad are great for hot, outdoor picnics because it does not call for mayo. It calls for beer. And, who doesn’t like beer? I’m not a potato salad fan, but I have to say, “I really love this.”

I’m not a fan I guess because most people use Miracle Whip, and I’m always hesitant to eat a mayo based salad on a hot day, especially, when it sits out for more than an hour. This salad has a longer picnic-table-shelf-life.

Let’s get started…

You’ll Need:

1 (24 oz.) bag of Fingerling potatoes

4 cups of baby arugula, or chopped kale

1 (11-12 oz.) package of grape tomatoes (or cherry)

2/3 cup crumbled bacon

6 green onions, diced (about 1 bunch)

1/2 cup of chives , diced

 1 (4 oz.) package of Gorgonzola crumble cheese

Dressing Ingredients 

1 package of Good Seasons Italian dressing mix

 1/2 cup of white ale style beer  (drink the rest)

2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons of Balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

Prep

You can cut the potatoes anyway you wish, however, I like cutting them at an angle. It makes it look more fancy, I think.

Boil the potatoes in a little sea salt for about 6-8 minutes, or until ‘fork’ tender. Drain and let cool.

While the potatoes boil, chop up your chives and green onions.

For the bacon, I bought a big bag of Hormel Real Crumbled Bacon, and have been keeping it in my freezer.

You can cut the tomatoes in half if you like, but I think it makes the salad soggy. Not to mention, it’s more work.

Whisk your dressing ingredients together. Very important: Consume the other 1/2 of the beer. Cooks don’t waste!

In a large bowl, toss in all the ingredients with the Gorgonzola cheese. If you do not like the blue taste of Gorgonzola, use feta. Feta gives the salad a milder taste.

Pour the dressing over the salad and gently toss.

Tip: If you use baby arugula, you can get everything ready the day before. However, wait to toss it before you serve it. The arugula can become wilted. Kale is more hearty and can withstand sitting overnight in the refrigerator.

Secret Ingredient: I used Holy Moses White Ale by Great Lakes Brewing Co.

Enjoy!