Pressure canning recipes

Chili con carne

10 lbs ground beef
water to cover
2 Tbsp. chili powder
1 c. chopped onion
1/4 c. shortening
2 Tbsp. salt
small clove garlic

Simmer beef in water to cover for 15 mins. Add all other ingredients and mix well. Heat thoroughly. Pack in clean, hot containers. Adjust lids. Process at 10 lbs. Pints for 75 mins and quarts for 90 mins.


Goulash

6 lbs. lean meat, cubed
1/2 c. shortening
6 onions, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1/2 c. chopped celery
1-1/2 qts. tomato juice
1 Tbsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. thyme
salt

Brown cubed meat in hot fat. Add onions and simmer until a golden color. Add remaining ingredients and cook thoroughly for 10 minutes. Pack hot in clean, hot containers to within 1 inch of top. Adjust lids Process at 10 lbs. Pints for 75 mins and quarts for 90 mins.

Sweet potato pizza crust

1.5 c. mashed sweet potato
1.5 c. whole wheat flour (or almond flour)
1 c. shredded mozzarella
2 large eggs (whole)
1 egg white
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
0.5 tsp. oregano
0.5 tsp. basil

Chicken, broccoli, and mushroom casserole

1 rotisserie chicken, breast and leg meat diced
1/2 lg. onion, diced
1 lb. mushrooms, sliced
1 lb. broccoli, cut into bite-sized florets
8 oz. bok choy, diced
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 c. half and half
3 Tbsp. corn starch
4 oz. shredded cheddar
Salt and pepper to taste

Remove the meat from the chicken, dice it into bite-sized cubes, and save the carcass for stock. Cook mushrooms and onions in butter and olive oil until mushrooms have released their water and the onions are translucent. Add the bok choy and cook until the leaves wilt. Meanwhile, steam the broccoli florets. Mix all of the vegetables, any remaining cooking liquid, and chicken in a large bowl. Fold in shredded cheddar. Warm half and half over medium heat. Turn heat to medium-high and whisk in corn starch until thickened. Mix sauce with the vegetable and chicken mixture. Pour into a deep-dish 8x8 casserole and bake 30 mins, or until bubbly.

Balsamic-roasted strawberry tart with chocolate almond crust

Chocolate almond crust
(adapted from here)

1 1/2 c. almond meal/flour
1/4 c. cocoa powder
4 Medjool dates
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 c. coconut oil

Combine almond meal, cocoa powder, dates, sugar, and coconut oil. Process for about 60 seconds until dates are incorporated and mixture sticks together when pinched. Press into a 9-inch tart pan with removable base. Refrigerate 15 minutes.

Balsamic-roasted strawberries
(adapted from here)

2 pounds fresh strawberries
2 Tbsp. sugar
4 Tbsp. good quality, aged balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Hull strawberries and slice into quarters. Place berries in a 9x13 glass pan. Sprinkle with sugar and balsamic vinegar. Roast for 45 minutes until thick and syrupy. Cool.

Filling and finishing tart
(adapted from here)


8 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 c. balsamic-roasted strawberries with syrup

Mix cream cheese, sugar, and strawberries until smooth. Spread filling over refrigerated tart crust.

Strain syrup from remaining balsamic-roasted strawberries. Spoon strawberries over the filled tart. Reserve syrup for serving. Refrigerate at least one hour before serving.

Chipotle Ham and Bean Soup

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Adapted from Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch
 
1 lb dry navy beans

1 Tbsp. raw apple cider vinegar)

1 smoked ham hock

1–2 cups diced ham

3 medium carrots, diced

3 stalks celery, diced

1 medium onion, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1–2 Tbsp. pureed chipotles in adobo*

1 tsp. Lawry’s seasoned salt

½ tsp. garlic powder

4.5 cups water

1 can beer (or additional 1.5 cups water)

salt and pepper, as needed

Sort the beans to remove broken beans or rocks. Cover beans with 2 inches of water, add vinegar, and soak overnight. In the morning, drain the soaking liquid from the beans and transfer to a crockpot. Add ham hock, vegetables, seasonings, and liquids to the crockpot. Cook on low for 8–10 hours. Add the diced ham to the crockpot about an hour before you plan to eat and adjust seasonings as needed.

Verdict: For a fairly inexpensive recipe, this is really delicious and filling. It’s even better when served with jalapeno cheddar cornbread.

*You can buy cans of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce in the “international” section of the grocery store. Most recipes call for 1 minced pepper and some of the adobo sauce. I’m way too lazy to measure that out and mince the pepper. I puree the contents of the entire can and freeze it. When I need chipotles in adobo, I pull out the brick of pureed peppers, cut off a slice, and put the rest back in the freezer. MUCH easier.

Jalapeno Cheddar Cream Cheese

1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1 oz. pickled jalapenos, finely diced
1 oz. shredded cheddar
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

Chili v.2

Our first chili recipe was okay, but we needed something different. When we had company for the Super Bowl, I made a fairly simple ground beef chili using a Lawry's seasoning packet, and it was excellent. This is a fairly close reproduction of the Super Bowl chili using a copycat Lawry's seasoning recipe and a combination of ground beef and cubed round steak.

Crockpot Chili

3/4 lb. ground beef, cooked (about 1/2 lb. cooked weight or a little more)
1 lb. round steak, trimmed and cubed in 3/8--1/2 inch dice
1 Tbsp. A1 steak sauce

1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
1 can (12 oz) hoppy beer (I've used both New Belgium Rampant and New Belgium Shift)

1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 large yellow onion, diced
1 large carrot, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1/2 yellow squash, diced

1 Lawry's chili seasoning packet (or equivalent -- see below)
1/2 Tbsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. chipotle chili powder
Salt and pepper to taste

As a general rule of thumb for chili, I dice all of the vegetables so that the pieces are smaller than the beans. Brown the round steak cubes with A1, but do not cook through. Cook the ground beef (if it isn't already). Mix all ingredients in a 4 qt. crockpot (it will be full). Set crockpot on high for 3-4 hours, and turn to low until ready to serve.

Verdict: This chili was very good, but not quite the same as the one we made with the original Lawry's seasoning packet. We prefer all ground beef chili.

Lawry's chili seasoning copycat recipe
Slightly modified from The Hayley Daily

1 Tbsp. flour
1/2 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cocoa powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. oregano

Slow cooker chili

1 c. pinto beans, soaked overnight
1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
1 6-oz can tomato paste
1 c. water
1 12-oz bottle beer (I used the New Belgium Rampant IPA)

8 oz bacon, diced
1/2 lg onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 poblano pepper, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, minced

2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. paprika
1 Tbsp. cumin
1 Tbsp. cocoa powder
1 Tbsp. chipotle chile powder
1 tsp. black pepper

1.33 lbs stew meat, cut in bite-sized chunks

Early in the morning (7am-ish), put the soaked beans and all of the liquids in the crock pot. Cook on High. Mid-morning (11am-ish), saute the bacon and onion until the bacon fat is mostly rendered. Add the peppers and saute until softened. Add the sauteed vegetables to the crock pot, along with the spices and stew meat. Continue cooking on High until the beans and meat are tender (about 6-7 more hours). Cook on Low with the lid ajar to thicken, if desired. Ready to serve by 7-8 pm.

We decided this would probably be better with less poblano. 

Cauliflower "mac" and cheese

Adapted from Vegetarian Times.

1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets (about 8 c.)

3 Hatch chilies, diced, or about 4 oz. canned green chilies

1 15.5-oz can fire-roasted tomatoes, drained

2 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 c. whole milk
1 c. half and half
2 c. grated extra-sharp cheddar (I used 1 c. aged white cheddar and 1 c. sharp cheddar, packed)
1 Tbsp. dijon mustard
2 egg yolks
salt and pepper, to taste

1.5 c. fresh breadcrumbs + 2 Tbsp. butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil, and cook the cauliflower florets for 5-7 minutes, or until just tender. Drain and add to a large bowl with the diced chilies and fire-roasted tomatoes.

Melt butter in a sauce pan over medium heat. Add the flour, and cook for 1-2 minutes, whisking constantly. Whisk in milk and cream. Cook over medium heat for 7-10 minutes until the sauce is thickened. Incorporate the cheese one handful at a time. Let the first handful melt before adding another. Once the cheese is fully incorporated, remove the pan from the heat. Allow to cool slightly. Whisk in the mustard. Add the egg yolks one at a time, whisking constantly to prevent curdling. (Or temper the yolks using a separate bowl.) Season cheese sauce liberally with salt and pepper. Pour over cauliflower and mix thoroughly. Transfer to a 9x13 pan.

In a saute pan, melt the remaining 2 Tbsp butter and toast the breadcrumbs slightly. Sprinkle bread crumbs over the casserole. Bake 30 minutes, or until casserole is hot and bubbly.

Carrot soup

This is a completely made up attempt at carrot soup, based only on what was in the cupboard/fridge.

Carrot soup

1 Tbsp. olive oil
8 oz. yellow onion
8 oz. diced carrots
1/2 tsp. chipotle chili powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. salt
8 cloves roasted garlic
3 c. water
1/2 c. heavy cream

This turned out very well. I would use more carrot than onion next time (to boost the carroty flavor). I'm surprised, but the garlic was not overwhelming. It was very mellow. I'd use the same amount of spices again, even if I increased the carrots. Some bites were a little hotter than I'd expected!

Tex-Mex style pork loin roast

2 lb pork loin roast (whatever fits comfortably in the crockpot)

1 large white onion, sliced

1 can diced tomatoes (no salt added), partially drained

1 can green chilies (preferably from Hatch, NM)

1 tsp chipotle chili powder

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp oregano

1 c half and half

2 Tbsp corn starch (about)

Place the majority of the sliced onion on the bottom of a 3-4 quart crockpot. Add half the chilies and tomatoes. Put the pork loin on top and cover in seasonings. Place the remaining onions, tomatoes and chilies around and on top of the roast. Cook on high 4 hours, and on low for as long as you need. (I cooked it on low for an additional  2 hours, but it would have been done after 4 hours on high.) 

When the roast is ready, heat the half and half in a 10" skillet. Gradually add the braising liquid from the crockpot to the half and half. Whisk in enough corn starch to thicken into a gravy. This makes a lot of sauce, nearly filling my 10" skillet. That's okay -- it's great with mashed potatoes!

This was delicious -- it was almost like eating a tortilla soup on a plate. I imagine it would also be delicious with chicken instead of pork, or brown rice instead of mashed potatoes. 

Quick pickle (attempt #1)

1 qt mason jar

Fill the mason jar with thinly sliced radishes, carrots, red onion, and thin stalks of asparagus. Add

20-25 peppercorns
2 bay leaves
1 large clove slightly crushed garlic

Bring the following pickling liquid to a boil and simmer about two minutes, until the sugar and salt are incorporated:

1 1/4 c. water
1 1/4 c. white wine vinegar
1/4 c. sugar
2 Tbsp. kosher salt

Pour over the vegetables in the mason jar. Let cool at room temperature.

Pizza casserole

Yield two 8"x8" pans

1.25 lbs ground beef (80% lean)
3 links Johnsonville hot Italian sausage, removed from casings
1/2 large yellow onion, 1/4" dice
6 oz. whole wheat elbow noodles
1 large green pepper, 1/2" dice
1/2 large yellow pepper, 1/2" dice
8 oz. cremini mushrooms, sliced
7 oz. pepperoni, quartered
1.5 jars Classico Spicy Red Pepper pasta sauce (about)
12 oz. shredded Sargento mozzarella and provolone
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp. oregano
Salt and pepper to taste

Brown the ground beef, Italian sausage and onion. Meanwhile, cook elbow noodles in heavily salted water until al dente. Drain pasta and meat, reserving 1 Tbsp. meat drippings. In the drippings, cook mushrooms until they release their water. Add peppers, and saute until slightly soft and mushrooms are browning. Combine pasta, meat, pepperoni, and 1 jar of pasta sauce in a large bowl. Season with salt, pepper and crushed red pepper. Divide half the pasta mixture between two 8"x8" pans. Divide the remaining (approximately) half jar pasta sauce and vegetables between the pans. Top with the remaining pasta, and cover each pan with cheese. Bake at 375 until cheese is browned and sauce bubbly, about 30 minutes. Let stand 15-20 minutes before eating.

(We decided this could be even better with twice the mushrooms and some sliced green olives.)

Lentil, potato and kale stew

1 c. French lentils
1 15-oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes with juice
3 c. water
1 Tbsp. cumin
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper1 large (4 oz) carrot, sliced into 1/4" coins
1 medium (8 oz) yukon gold potato, ~1/2" dice
1 small bunch kale, torn into bite size pieces

Rinse and pick through lentils. Combine lentils, water, tomatoes and spices in a sauce pan and bring to boil. Reduce to simmer and add the carrot. After about 10 minutes, add the potato. When the potato is nearly tender, add the kale, stirring frequently to wilt it into the stew. You might need to add up to 1/2 cup water to keep things from sticking.

Roasted red pepper feta dip

Adapted from A Spicy Perspective.

1 lb. feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 lb. whole milk cottage cheese
2 cloves garlic, roughly minced
1/3 c. olive oil, plus 1-2 Tbsp. as needed
1 lemon, juiced
1-1.5 Tbsp. fresh thyme
1 Tbsp. dried oregano
1+ tsp. crushed red pepper
1/4-1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 large roasted red pepper, jarred is fine

 Using a food processor, pulse the first 9 ingredients together until smooth. Add more olive oil as necessary to achieve a smooth consistency. Drain and dice the roasted red pepper. Add to the food processor and pulse a few times to combine. There should still be chunks of red pepper, but the whole mixture should have a red/pink hue.

This is delicious as a dip, but it's even more delicious on a modified BLT:

Open-faced bacon, egg, tomato sandwich

1 slice Genesis 1:29 bread, or other whole grain sprouted bread, toasted
2 Tbsp. feta dip (above)
pinch crushed red pepper
1-2 slices bacon, cooked
1-2 slices garden fresh tomatoes
1 egg, over easy

Toast the bread, spread on the feta dip while it's still warm. Add an extra pinch of crushed red pepper, and top with tomatoes. Salt the tomatoes, and top with bacon. Cook your egg (over easy or medium is perfect), and top with sandwich with the egg. Add salt and pepper to taste. Devour.

Caprese turkey meatballs

Adapted from Cooking Canuck.

Yields 26-30 meatballs

1/2 medium yellow onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1.5 oz. dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
4 oz. fresh mozzarella, diced
0.2 oz. basil, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. red pepper flake
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 egg
3/8 c. panko (1/4 c. + 2 Tbsp.)
1.25 lb ground turkey

Combine the first 9 ingredients in a large bowl, mix well, and let sit for 20-30 minutes in the fridge. When ready to make the meatballs, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a half sheet pan with aluminum foil. Mix the turkey, panko and egg with the other ingredients. Roll out golf-ball sized meatballs (I got 26). Bake about 20 minutes, or until firm to the touch and cooked through.

Tomato basil soup

Makes 3 quarts

Adapted from here

2 15.5-oz cans fire roasted diced tomatoes, with juice
1 c. chopped celery
1 c. chopped carrots
1 c. chopped onion
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 Tbsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. red pepper flake
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
3.5-4 c. chicken broth
1 bay leaf

Put all of the above ingredients in a 3 quart (ideally 4 quart) slow cooker and cook on LOW for 5-7 hours until the vegetables are tender. About 30 minutes before serving, prepare a roux: 2 Tbsp. butter 3 Tbsp. flour 2 c. half and half Cook the butter and flour for 5-7 minutes. Whisk in the half and half, and cook over medium until the mixture thickens. Whisk 3 cups of hot soup into the cream mixture, in batches. Return the soup to the slow cooker. Add additional basil and oregano, if needed. I added extra salt and pepper here, too. Cook for another 20-30 minutes and do a final check on seasonings.

The original recipe called for a cup of parmesan cheese. While the soup was delicious without the parmesan, next time I'll use it. Also, I got 3 quarts of soup, whereas the recipe yielded 2 quarts.

Parmesan chicken with Caesar roasted romaine

This recipe modified from here.

 3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 10 oz each)
1/2 tsp. Montreal steak seasoning
1/2 c. grated Parmesan (about 1.5 oz)
1/2 c. Panko
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 Tbsp. worcestershire
2 Tbsp. chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 garlic clove, chopped
2 large hearts of romaine, halved lengthwise
4 anchovy fillets
1 lemon, cut into wedges
High quality extra-virgin olive oil for dressing

 Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a half-sheet pan with foil. Season chicken with Montreal steak seasoning and place in the oven for about 10 minutes, while preparing the rest of the ingredients. Combine cheese, panko, 2 Tbsp oil, parsley and garlic clove. Season with salt and pepper. Pull chicken from the oven and pat 3/4 of the panko mixture on to the chicken. Roast chicken until crumbs begin to turn golden and chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes.

Drizzle the romaine with 1 Tbsp oil, drizzle each half of romaine with worchestershire, sprinkle with the remaining panko mixture. Add the lettuce a second half-sheet pan, lined with foil, and put in the oven for about 5 minutes until slightly browned at the edges. Divide among plates. Serve with lemon and olive oil for dressing.

Chili rubbed pork tenderloin with cherry sauce

1 to 2 lbs pork tenderloin (I used a 24 oz loin)
2 Tbsp olive oil, divided

1-1/2 Tbsp chipotle chili powder
1/2 Tbsp chili powder
1/2 Tbsp paprika
1/2 Tbsp salt
1/2 Tbsp pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp oregano

1-1/2 oz dried Bing cherries
4 oz Pom pomegranate/cherry juice
2 to 4 oz red wine
1 Tbsp butter

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Mix up the spice rub and set aside. Rinse the pork tenderloin and pat dry. Trim any silver skin. Pour about 1 Tbsp oil in a large plastic bag. Add the pork and make sure it's completely coated in oil. Pour in the spice rub and shake, knead, etc, until it's thoroughly coated. Let rest about 5 minutes in the spice rub.

In a small bowl, combine the cherries and cherry juice. Microwave for about 1 minute. Let the cherries sit in juice until the meat is done.

Preheat a large non-stick, oven-safe skillet. Add the remaining 1 Tbsp oil and sear the pork on all sides. Transfer to the oven for 18-20 minutes, or until the internal temperature is about 160 degrees (well done). Remove the meat to a plate to rest and tent loosely with foil.

Return the pan to a burner and deglaze with the cherries and cherry juice. Add 2 to 4 oz of red wine to coat the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer and reduce to half. Add 1 Tbsp butter to finish the sauce.

Dublin Dash

Though it's still not much to brag about, I ran this year's Dublin Dash in 31:14 and set a new PR!