Pork Stock

Okay this stock recipe may be shocking to you but give it a try you will be pleasantly surprised.

Roast them bones! Typically I always buy bone in pork roasts and remove the bones to my pork bone bag before cooking my pork roast. (Two for one deal here) To roast the pork bones lay them on a rimmed cookie sheet brush them with oil, salt and pepper roast until a deep brown in a 350 degree oven usually 30 minutes. In a large stock pot place frozen veggies out of veggie bag frozen pork bag with any additional bones then fill the pot to the top with cold water.

Add:

One bay leaf
1/4 tsp thyme
One cored and sliced apple or pear skin on

Bring the stock up to a boil over medium high heat. Once the water is boiling reduce the heat to a simmer and simmer uncovered 5 - 8 hours, strain off solids (twice) cool, remove fat, package and freeze.

TIP

When cooking a roast I reserve and freeze any leftover juices (fat removed) and add this liquid to my pork stock in the beginning of the process. If you have many leftover pork bones that may have been grilled over smoke or charcoal remember your stock will take on that smoke flavor and you may want to label your finished product as "smoked" depending on the flavor.

Chicken Stock

Roast them bones! Typically I roast chicken for the main meal. I am careful to reserve any cooled roasted chicken bones skin and parts to my chicken freezer bag for future stock. But sometimes I just need them bones so I will buy bone in skin on chicken breast bring it home strip the meat from the bones freeze the boneless skinless chicken meat for another meal, then I roast just the skin and bones. To roast the Chicken bones skin lay them on a rimmed cookie sheet brush them with oil, salt and pepper roast until a deep brown in a 350 degree oven usually 30 minutes. In a large stock pot place frozen veggies out of veggie bag frozen chicken bag then fill the pot to the top with cold water.

Add:

One bay leaf
1/4 tsp rubbed sage
1/4 tsp thyme

Bring everything up to a boil over medium high heat, reduce the heat to simmer and simmer 5 -10 hours. Strain out solids (twice) cool, remove any remaining fat, package and freeze.

TIP

Any juices left on cookie sheet need to go into your stock pot in the beginning.

Beef Stock

Roast them bones! If you are using soup bones purchased from the butcher you will need to roast them first. Typically I always buy bone in beef roasts and remove the bones to my beef bone bag before cooking my beef roast. (Two for one deal here) To roast the beef bones lay them on a rimmed cookie sheet brush them with oil, salt and pepper roast until a deep brown in a 350 degree oven usually 30 minutes.

In a large stock pot place frozen veggies out of veggie bag frozen beef bag and any additional bones then fill the pot to the top with cold water.

Add:
One bay leaf
1/4 tsp crushed rosemary
1/4 tsp thyme

Bring the stock up to a boil over medium high heat. Once the water is boiling reduce the heat to a simmer and simmer uncovered 5 - 8 hours, strain off solids (twice) cool, remove fat, package and freeze.

Tip

When cooking a roast I reserve and freeze any leftover juices (fat removed) and add this liquid to my beef stock in the beginning of the process.

If you have many leftover steak bones that may have been grilled over smoke or charcoal remember your stock will take on that smoke flavor and you may want to label your finished stock as "smoked" taste it to determine smoke flavor intensity.

Vegetable Stock

In a large stock pot or pan place frozen veggies out of veggie bag fill to the top with cold water. Add one bay leaf and bring the stock up to a boil over medium high heat. Once the water is boiling reduce the heat to a simmer and simmer uncovered 5 - 8 hours, strain off solids (twice) cool, remove fat, package and freeze.

Meat Ball Subs

1/2 Small Yellow Onion - Sliced in Rings
1/4 Green Bell Pepper - Sliced into Strips
1 pad of butter
1 Can Diced Italian Tomatoes
1 Clove Garlic run through press (or diced fine)
12 Brown & Serve Meat Balls (See recipe)
4 Four Inch Hogie Rolls
4 Slices Swiss Cheese (Can substitute Pepper Jack)

In fry pan toss in butter, onion and bell peppers, saute until transparent. While peppers and onions are sauteing, take canned Italian Tomatoes and puree (in food processor, hand held immersion blender or blender). Once peppers and onions are done, remove from the pan and set to the side. Pour pureed Italian Tomatoes into the pan along with the garlic and the Brown and Serve Meat Balls (see recipe on this blog). Heat through (until Meat Balls are hot in the middle).

Split Hogie rolls down the middle, place the Swiss Cheese in the back of the roll. Place 3 meat balls per sub on top of the cheese, ladle sauce over Meat Balls generously, top with the onions and peppers and serve. Makes 4 Subs

Side Note: I always add 2 tbsp of ground flax seed to the pureed tomatoes to boost the health benefits.

Broccoli Salad

This recipe orignated from my sister-in-law. It is yummy and so easy to prepare. It only takes a minute.

2 Crowns Broccoli cut small (about 4 Cups)
1/2 Bottle of Real Bacon Bits (about 1/8 of a cup)
2 Green Onions Diced
1/4 Cup Craisins
1/8 Cup Sun Flower Seeds
Poppy Seed Dressing to Taste

Mix everything together and poof you have a wonderful and healthy side salad.

Must I say it again, this is another great place to toss in a couple tablespoons of that ground flax seed. Ground Flax Seed is high in Omega 3's and helps keep things moving.

Salsa

This recipe makes about 18 - 20 pints of Salsa

This recipe in part was given to my by my dear friend "Shadow Mountain". It is the best canned salsa I have ever eaten and I get many compliments on it. Friends specifically ask for it for a Christmas gift.

NOTE: This recipe is designed for "Hot Pack" Canning Method. You should have some canning experience before preparing this recipe for canning. If you choose to make this recipe and not "can it", cut it down accordingly and only make enough for consumption over a period of two weeks. Be sure to start with clean sterilized jars and new lids, being careful not to contaminate them during the process. Make sure your salsa is boiling hot when you add it to the jars. Make sure you wipe off the rims of the jars before placing on the lids to make sure they are clean for a tight seal. Make sure you leave 1/2 head space in each jar. Once "canned" I place the jar upside down for the first 15 minutes of cooling time. Make sure you double check to insure you have a good tight seal on your lids.

Please before attempting this recipe read it through first before you start, including the instructions.

1/2 Bushel Tomatoes
4 Anaheim Chili's - Stemmed and Seeded
4 Large Roasted Anaheim Chili's - Stemmed and Seeded
4 Large Onions - I do roast 2 of them as well but not necessary
2 Jalapenos - Stemmed and Seeded (more if you like)
2 Roasted Jalapenos - Stemmed and Seeded (more if you like - roasting seems to mellow the flavor)
2 Red Peppers - Stemmed and Seeded
2 Roasted Red Peppers - Stemmed and Seeded
1 Green Pepper - Stemmed and Seeded
1 Roasted Green Peppers - Stemmed and Seeded
8 Cloves Garlic
3/4 Cup Sugar
2 Cups White Vinegar
4 tsp Oregano
4 Tsp Cumin
4 TBSP Salt

IMPORTANT - when I work with jalapeno peppers, I always wear gloves.

To Roast Veggies - Just toss them on your grill skins on and then grill until skins turn black. Remove veggies and toss into a paper bag, seal up the bag allow to steam for a few minutes. The skins will slip right off.

I roast 1/2 of the veggies for this recipe tomatoes, onions and peppers the other half I leave fresh. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO ROAST...I just really like the flavor and different textures that the roasted veggies give.

Skin fresh tomatoes (toss in boiling water for about one minute to make the skin slip right off). Dice all the veggies.

SIDE NOTE: I like some of my veggies in chunks so I dice it all up and then put to the side some of the larger chunks. I toss everything into my cooker and cook it down to desired consistency. I add the chunks back in during the last 10 minutes of cooking so they stay larger. This makes for a chunky salsa.

Put everything into a large pot and cook down to desired consistency. Bottle and hot pack in boiling water 20-25 minutes, for pints, 25 -30 minutes for quarts.