Farmer Fred Salsa

2 lbs. of very ripe tomatoes (Celebrity, Ace, Big Beef)
 
2 to 4 warm to hot peppers, seeds removed (Inferno, Numex Joe E. Parker or Anaheim) (Wear Rubber Gloves)
 
One-half of a home grown onion (preferably a yellow,
such as Stockton yellow, Or Stockton Red)
 
One-half cup fresh cilantro (remove stems)
 
2 cloves minced garlic
 
2 tsp. sugar
 
2 TBS juice from a fresh lime
 
Garlic salt (to taste)
 
Dice the tomatoes. (or use a food processor...very briefly).
 
Chop the peppers, onions and cilantro in a food processor.
 
Stir all ingredients, including the garlic, sugar, garlic salt
and lime juice, together.
 
Makes about 3 cups.

"Sweatin' Up a Storm" Chili

3 medium onions (Stockton Red)
2 medium sweet peppers (Tequila, Flamingo or Gypsy)
3 stalks celery
3 cloves garlic
1 serrano chili pepper (remove seeds)
1 jalpeno chili pepper (remove seeds)
1 Fresno or Anaheim chili pepper (remove seeds)
For sadists and mosochists only: Leave the seeds in the peppers.
8 lbs chuck, coarsley ground
30 oz. fresh tomatoes (peeled and cored)
15 oz. tomato sauce
6 oz. tomato paste
7 oz. diced green chilies (canned)
2 or 3 fresh bay leaves
2 Tbs fresh oregano
4 Tbs fresh cilantro
1 Tbs fresh parsley
1 Tbs cayenne pepper
6 oz. chili powder
1 Tbs crushed cumin seed
12 oz. Carte Blanca beer (You may consume 6 oz. of this directly)
12 oz. spring water
Add garlic salt to taste
Add Tabasco sauce to taste
Dice and saute first seven ingredients. Add meat; brown.
Add remaining ingredients.
Add enough water just to cover the top of the ingredients.
Cook for three hours on low heat. Stir often.

Makes 24 servings. Freezes well. Supply diners with sweatbands.


This chili recipe took first place in the 1984 Sacramento
Media Chili Cookoff. The Secret? Home grown ingredients,
especially the tomatoes, peppers, garlic and onions!

For best results, use paste tomatoes. Recommended varieties:
San Marzano, Classica, Viva Italia, Polish Linguisa or Roma VF.

Fruit Smoothies

Add ingredients to a blender:

One cup of your favorite fruit. My favorites for smoothies
include mulberries, cherries, pluots, blueberries or peaches.

One and a half cups orange juice or apple juice, along with One-quarter cup non-fat milk.
OR:
2 cups almond milk.

One cup vanilla yogurt.

One banana.

Six tablespoons soy protein powder (optional).

Blend thoroughly. Refrigerate unused portion.

Makes 40 oz, about five servings.

175 calories per serving.
30 grams carbohydrates per serving.
7 grams protein per serving.

Note: to enjoy this delicious drink throughout the year,
vacuum seal and freeze your excess cherries, mulberries
and blueberries. Cut excess pluots and peaches into chunks;
seal and freeze.

Experiment with other fruits, including plums, apricots,
cranberries and nectarines!

Easy Plum Freezer Jam

Easy Plum Freezer Jam

Pit and chop three cups (about three pounds) of fresh, ripe plums. Put into a large bowl.

Add half cup of fresh lemon juice.

Stir in one small box of pectin. Stir every five minutes for thirty minutes.

Stir in one cup light corn syrup.

Stir in four and a half cups of sugar. Stir for three minutes or until sugar is dissolved.

Clean with boiling water and then thoroughly dry seven, one-cup containers. Fill containers to within a half-inch of the top with the jam. Cover. Let stand at room temperature for 24 hours. Then,

Freeze containers for up to one year. Place into refrigerator before using to thaw. Will last in refrigerator for three weeks

Chocolate Clusters

two ounces of Bakers German Chocolate
12 ounces semi sweet chocolate chips
12 ounces white chocolate chips
16 ounces dry roasted salted peanuts

Stir all ingredients in slow cooker.
Cook on low, three hours. Do not stir or lift lid.
After 3 hours, stir well for 3-5 minutes.

Drop by tablespoon onto wax paper
OR
Spread on wax paper and cut into squares when cool.

Store in an airtight container.

Swiss Chard Lasagna with Ricotta and Mushrooms

8 servings PREP TIME: 1 hour TOTAL TIME: 2 hours (includes baking)


Part 1 -- Béchamel sauce


2 1/2 cups whole milk
1 Turkish bay leaf
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon (scant) ground nutmeg
Pinch of ground cloves


Instructions for:  Béchamel sauce
Bring milk and bay leaf to simmer in medium saucepan; remove from heat. Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add flour and whisk to blend. Cook 2 minutes, whisking almost constantly (do not let roux brown). Gradually whisk milk with bay leaf into roux. Add 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, nutmeg, and cloves and bring to simmer. Cook until sauce thickens enough to coat spoon, whisking often, about 3 minutes. Remove bay leaf. DO AHEAD Béchamel sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface and chill. Remove plastic and rewarm sauce before using, whisking to smooth.


Part 2 -- swiss chard and mushroom layers
1 pound Swiss chard, center rib and stem cut from each leaf
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 1/3 cups chopped onion
4 large garlic cloves, chopped, divided
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
Coarse kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 pound crimini mushrooms, sliced
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg


Instructions for:  swiss chard and mushroom layers
Blanch chard in large pot of boiling salted water 1 minute. Drain, pressing out all water, then chop coarsely. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, half of garlic, and crushed red pepper. Sauté until onion is tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Mix in chard and season to taste with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper.


Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and remaining garlic. Sauté until mushrooms are brown and tender, 7 to 8 minutes. Mix in nutmeg and season with coarse salt and pepper.


Instructions for:  lasagna
9 7x3-inch lasagna noodles
Cook noodles in medium pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain; arrange noodles in single layer on sheet of plastic wrap.


Instructions for:  put it together
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 15-ounce container whole-milk ricotta cheese (preferably organic), divided
6 ounces Italian Fontina cheese, coarsely grated (about 1 1/2 cups packed), divided
8 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided


Brush 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish with oil to coat. Spread 3 tablespoons béchamel sauce thinly over bottom of dish. Arrange 3 noodles in dish to cover bottom (2 side by side lengthwise, then 1 crosswise). Spread half of chard mixture over pasta, then half of mushrooms. Drop half of ricotta over in dollops and spread in even layer. Sprinkle with half of Fontina, then 4 tablespoons Parmesan; spread 3/4 cup béchamel over. Repeat layering with 3 noodles, remaining chard, mushrooms, ricotta, Fontina, Parmesan, and 3/4 cup béchamel. Cover with 3 noodles and remaining béchamel. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 hours ahead. Cover with foil. Let stand at room temperature.


Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake lasagna covered 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until heated through and top is golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes longer. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.


test-kitchen tip:  To test for doneness, insert the blade of a small knife deep into the center of the lasagna for 30 seconds. Remove the knife and feel the blade. If it's hot, so is the lasagna.


Source:  Bon Appetit -- January 2011
Nutritional Information


One serving contains: Calories (kcal) 515.9; %Calories from Fat 57.3; Fat (g) 32.8; Saturated Fat (g) 16.1; Cholesterol (mg) 84.3; Carbohydrates (g) 32.1; Dietary Fiber (g) 3.1; Total Sugars (g) 9.5; Net Carbs (g) 29.0; Protein (g) 23.6; Sodium (mg) 723.2

Great Granola

Preheat oven to 300

3 cups uncooked rolled oats (not instant)

3 cups crispy rice cereal (such as rice krispies)

1 cup multi-grain cereal

Place the oats and both cereals in a large pan (the one you will actually cook in) and toss well.

1 very ripe banana (about 4 oz)

¼ cup honey

½ cup unsweetened apple sauce

1/3 cup frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Mix the above ingredients in a small blender. Pour over the oat mixture and toss with your hands. Do not break the small clumps apart.

Place in oven. Total cook time is 45 minutes. Every 15 minutes remove from oven and toss gently.

½ cup blanched almonds, toasted (or whatever nuts are available)

1 cup raisins or dried cherries

Add the nuts and dried fruit, mix well, and set on wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Makes 6 cups. 1 serving = ½ cup. Calories 282; Carbohydrate 56g; Cholesterol 0; Fat 5g/16%; Sodium 57mg.