Brad’s Produce Recipe Blog

Mary's Sweet Pepper Relish

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 12:33:00 GMT

12 green peppers
12 red peppers
12 candy onions
1/2 cup salt

2 tablespoons mustard seed
2 teaspoons celery seed
6 cups sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
1 1/2 cups vinegar
1 1/2 cups water

Finely chop vegetables and add 1/2 cup salt. Pour boiling water over vegetables 2 times and let drain completely. Mix spices with sugar, vinegar and water and add vegetables. Cook for 30 minutes. Put hot mixture into hot jars and seal. Makes 6 pints or 12 half pints.

This recipe is added in loving memory of Mary Cole.

Cauliflower Au Gratin

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:52:00 GMT

3 cups cauliflower, flowerets separated
1 can (10 1/2 oz) cheddar cheese soup
2 tablespoons dry breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon melted butter or margarine
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Boil cauliflower in water until crisp tender. Drain off liquid. Pre-heat oven to 350 F. Put cauliflower in a greased 1 quart casserole dish. Pour cheddar cheese soup over cauliflower. Mix breadcrumbs with melted butter and sprinkle over the top. Sprinkle parsley on top. Bake or 20 to 30 minutes.

Creamy Cole Slaw

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:51:00 GMT

1 head of cabbage, shredded
2 carrots, shredded
2 tablespoons chopped sweet onion (optional)
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon dry mustard
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon white vinegar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon celery seed
Salt and pepper to taste

Shred cabbage and carrots into a large bowl and add onions. Mix together remaining ingredients in a separate bowl. Add the mixture to the cabbage, carrots and onions. Mix well. Cover and chill 1 - 2 hours before serving.

Crunchy Bok Choy Slaw

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:57:00 GMT

1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 cups very thinly sliced bok choy
2 medium carrots shredded
2 spring onions thinly sliced

Whisk vinegar, oil, sugar, mustard and salt in a large bowl until the sugar dissolves. Add bok choy, carrots and spring onions. Toss to coat with the dressing. Serve immediately.

Corn With Bacon and Mushrooms

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:57:00 GMT

2 slices bacon
1/2 cup thinly sliced spring onions
3 cups sliced mushrooms
4 ears corn, kernels cut from cob
1/4 cup water 1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Transfer to a cutting board and chop. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat from the pan. Add spring onions and cook, stirring until softened about 2 minutes. Add mushroom and cook until they begin to release their juices, about 3 minutes more. Add corn kernels and water and cook until the corn is tender-crisp, about 4 -5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in chopped bacon. Season with salt and pepper.

Garden Vegetable Soup

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:56:00 GMT

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups chopped leeks, white part only (from approximately 3 medium leeks)

2 tablespoons finely minced garlic

Kosher salt

2 cups carrots, peeled and chopped into rounds (approximately 2 medium)

2 cups peeled and diced potatoes

2 cups fresh green beans, broken or cut into 3/4-inch pieces

2 quarts chicken or vegetable broth

4 cups peeled, seeded, and chopped tomatoes

2 ears corn, kernels removed

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup packed, chopped fresh parsley leaves

1 to 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Heat the olive oil in large, heavy-bottomed stockpot over medium-low heat. Once hot, add the leeks, garlic, and a pinch of salt and sweat until they begin to soften, approximately 7 to 8 minutes. Add the carrots, potatoes, and green beans and continue to cook for 4 to 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the stock, increase the heat to high, and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, add the tomatoes, corn kernels, and pepper. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the vegetables are fork tender, approximately 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat and add the parsley and lemon juice. Season, to taste, with kosher salt. Serve immediately.

Bacon & Caramelized Onion Asparagus

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:55:00 GMT

3 slices bacon
1 1/2 lb fresh asparagus spears, trimmed
1 tablespoon water
1/2 cup chopped sweet onions
1/2 cup ranch dressing

Cook bacon in skillet until crisp. Drain bacon on paper towels. Discard drippings from skillet but do not wash skillet. Place asparagus in microwaveable casserole dish and add water. Microwave on hgih 4 to 5 minutes until asparagus is crisp tender. Meanwhile add onions to skillet; cook and stir 5 minutes. Stir in dressing. Drain asparagus; top with sauce and crumbled bacon. Makes 6 servings.

Sausage and Kale Soup

Tue, 20 Apr 2010 18:25:00 GMT

3/4 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
4 cups chicken broth
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 bunch kale, trimmed and chopped
1 can (15 ounces) white kidney or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 pound fully cooked Polish sausage or turkey kielbasa, sliced

In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, saute onion and garlic in oil until tender. Add the broth, potatoes, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Using a potato masher, mash potatoes slightly. Add the kale, beans and sausage; cook over medium-low heat until kale is tender. Yield: 7 servings.

Herbed Corn and Edamame Succotash

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:58:00 GMT

1 1/2 cup fresh shelled edamame
1 tablespoon oil
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup fresh corn kernels
3 tablespoons dry white wine or water
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Cook edamame in boiling water for about 4 minutes and drain well. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add bell pepper, onion and garlic; cook, stirring frequently until vegetables start to soften. Stir in corn, wine (or water) and edamame; cook, stirring frequently, for 4 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in vinegar, parsley, basil, salt and pepper. Serve immediately. Serves 6.

Mashed Turnips with Bacon

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:39:00 GMT

Ingredients

2 pounds turnips

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 pinch salt

1 pinch ground black pepper

1 dash garlic powder

1/2 pound bacon - cooked and crumbled

2 tablespoons rendered bacon fat

Directions

Peel and cube the turnips. Cook in a saucepan in salted water until very tender. Drain, then mash with the butter or margarine, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Set aside.
In a skillet fry the bacon until nice and crispy. Remove from the skillet and crumble. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease.
To the skillet with the 2 tablespoons of bacon grease add the mashed turnip and crumpled bacon. Stir and heat to the desired temperature before serving.

Kale with Bacon

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:59:00 GMT

2 bunches kale, trimmed and torn

8 bacon strips, diced

2 large onions, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

In a large saucepan, bring 1 in. of water to a boil. Add kale; cook for 10-15 minutes or until tender. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove to paper towels; drain, reserving 1 teaspoon drippings. In the drippings, saute onions and garlic until onion is tender.

Drain the kale. Stir in the onion mixture. Add the salt, pepper and reserved bacon, heat through and serve. Yield 6 servings.

French Onion Soup

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 19:02:00 GMT

1 large sweet onion thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
1/4 cup butter cubed
2 cans beef broth (14 1/2 oz each)
2 tablespoons sherry
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 slices French Bread (1/2 inch thick) toasted
4 slices provolone cheese

Place onion and butter in a 1 1/2 quart slow cooker coated with cooking spray. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or until onion is tender. Stir in the broth, sherry and pepper. Cover and cook 2-3 hours longer or until heated through. Ladle soup into overproof bowls. Top each with a slice of toasted bread and cheese. Broil 4-6 inches from heat for 2 to 3 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve immediately.

Tomato and Cheese Strata

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 19:01:00 GMT

10 slices of white bread
4 medium tomatoes, sliced 1/2 inch thick
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
4 green onions thinly sliced
4 eggs
2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon salt

Line a greased 8 in baking dish with four bread slices. Layer with half of the tomatoes, cheese and onions. Top with remaining bread (slices will overlap). Layer with remaining tomatoes, cheese and onions. In a small bowl whisk the eggs, milk and salt. Pour over the top. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake, uncovered, at 350F for 45-50 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting.

Asparagus Strata

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:59:00 GMT

4 cups water
1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 cups milk
6 bread slices, crust removed and cubed
6 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon salt

In a large saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add asparagus; boil, uncovered for 3 minutes. Drain and immediately place asparagus in ice water. Drain and pat dry. In a large bowl, combine the asparagus, milk, bread cubes, eggs, cheese and salt. Transfer to a greased 2 qt baking dish. Cover and refrigerate for 5 hours or overnight. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake, uncovered, at 350F for 45-55 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Yield 6 servings.

Scalloped Tomatoes

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:40:00 GMT

Good olive oil

2 cups (1/2-inch diced) Fench bread

16 plum tomatoes, cut 1/2-inch dice (about 2 1/2 pounds)

1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup julienned basil leaves, lightly packed

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large (12 inch) saute pan over medium heat. Add the bread cubes and stir to coat with the oil. Cook over medium to medium-high heat for 5 minutes, stirring often, until the cubes are evenly browned.

Meanwhile, combine the tomatoes, garlic, sugar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. When the bread cubes are done, add the tomato mixture and continue to cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the basil.

Pour the tomato mixture into a shallow (6 to 8 cup) baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with the Parmesan cheese and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the top is browned and the tomatoes are bubbly. Serve hot or warm.