Karan A. Heffelfinger

Transcription

1 CREATIVE NEWS AND VIEWS May 2010 Karan A. Heffelfinger, MA, M.Ed., CFCS Family & Consumer Sciences Agent Texas AgriLife Services Pecos County 100 East Division Street, P.O. Box 1357 Fort Stockton, Texas FAX: Hello Pecos County, KARAN S MESSAGE April showers bring May flowers and spring goes into summer! May is a busy time of year with graduations, Mother s Day and Memorial Day. Memorial Day is not only a time to get out the barbeque grills, but a time when we also think of the end of the school year, picnics, family reunions, parades, etc. It is also a time for National Pickle Celebration. This newsletter will focus on cukes and pickle recipes. Karan A. Heffelfinger PECOS TEXAS EXTENSION EDUCATION ASSOCIATION TEEA Craft Club The TEEA Craft Club met on Wednesday, April 28, 2010, 10:00 am at the Pecos County Civic Center to decorate for the Senior Conference held on Thursday, April 28, Lunch was provided. Members hosted a booth at the conference, donated door prizes and helped package gift bags. The next TEEA Craft Club meeting will be held on Thursday, May 13, 2010 at 10 am in the Pecos County Texas AgriLife Extension Office. Members will be working on the Quilt Challenge. Lunch will be provided. Cooking Club The TEEA Cooking Club met on Thursday April 29, 2010 at the Senior Conference. They prepared the luncheon for the event at the Civic Center and donated food items including desserts. Members are reminded that on June 12, 2010 the Cooking Club will be traveling to Fredericksburg, Texas to a Cooking School by Chef Jacque Rudeman. The class will begin at 11:00 am to 2:00 pm and feature a five course peach meal. Chef Rudeman will demonstrate Fuzzy Navel Shrimp Shooter; Poached Peach and Green Salad with Champagne Vinaigrette; Citrus Peach Sorbet: Peach Pit Smoked Salmon with Asparagus; Gingered Peach Jam Tartlets. The cost to attend the school is $ with the club members planning to spend the evening in Fredericksburg. There is still room to sign-up. Call the Extension Office and reserve your space. The TEEA Cooking Club will be meeting on Thursday, May 13, 2010, 6 pm at the Pecos County Texas AgriLife Extension Office. The Cooking School trip will be discussed and the program will be on Pickles. NEWS FOR SENIORS The Senior Celebration Conference was held on Thursday, April 29, 2010 from 9:00 am until 1:00 pm at the Pecos County Civic Center. The theme was Stroll Down Memory Lane. The 2010 Conference included several health booths, a variety of workshops, a key note speaker, games, speeches, prizes, arts and crafts exhibits, music entertainment

2 and a luncheon. Plan to attend the Stroll Down Memory Lane Pecos County Texas AgriLife Extension Services Senior Celebration Conference on Thursday, April 29, 2010 from 9:00 am until 1:00 pm at the Pecos County Civic Center. DO WELL BE WELL DIABETES UPDATE Pecos County Do Well Be Well Diabetes Classes will start in June at the Fort Stockton Senior Citizen Center, 4:30 pm just prior to the evening Pot Luck Dinners of June 8, 12, July 13 and August 24, Call the Pecos County Extension Office for more information at to register. With Do Well-Be Well, one will learn how to control their diabetes; treat high blood sugar, monitor blood sugars, prevent and diagnose long term diabetes problems and enjoy a diabetic food demonstration. BLT BETTER LIVING FOR TEXAS Some tips for the month include: When making changes and you need flavor or a balance of flavors, add a small amount of vinegar at the end of the cooking process. Time your garlic by mashing the garlic into a paste that will distribute evenly. Think thin with meat when breading so it will cook and the breading will not burn. FOOD PROTECTION MANAGEMENT AND FOOD SAFETY TRAINING CERTIFICATION Food Protection Management Certification Classes will be held September 15-16, 2010 at the Pecos County Texas AgriLife Extension Office from 9 am 5 pm daily. For more information, or to register, please contact the Extension Office at Food safety is an important issue for all families, restaurants, fast food chains, etc. 4-H SCHOLARSHIP AUCTION This year s auction was held Saturday, April 10, 2010 at the Pecos County Coliseum from 9:30 am until finished. The auction committee and staff want to thank all those who donated items for sale. The auction benefits the 4-H members with scholarship money after high school graduation. Please mark your calendars and start saving items for auction in the 2011 auction. The date will be April 9, 2011 at the Pecos County Coliseum. Help build the Scholarship Fund for the Pecos County 4-H ers. RECIPES Here is a recipe few have heard of that is delicious. It is a West Texas treat called Fried Pickles. 1 egg 3/4 cup milk Pinch of Cayenne Beat the above ingredients together, then Mix together in another bowl: 1/2 cup cornstarch 1/2 cup cornmeal 2 tablespoons chopped dill 2 teaspoons paprika, salt and pepper Dip about 3 dozen old pickles slices in plain cornstarch Egg wash Drag through cornmeal mixture Fry in 2 inches of oil at 375 F about 3 minutes Drain on paper towels ands serve with ranch dressing

3 Watermelon Pickles 16 cups cubed watermelon rind 3/4 cup pickling salt 1 gallon water 6 cups granulated sugar 4 cups white vinegar 2 cups light brown sugar - (firmly packed) 2 lemons sliced thin 1 tablespoon whole cloves 1 tablespoon whole allspice 4 cinnamon sticks broken in half 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds Day No. 1: Cut the watermelon rind into manageable chunks. Scrape all the remaining red watermelon meat from the inside of the rind. Peel off the hard green skin of the outer rind with a small knife. (It's not difficult, but it takes a while.) Cube rind into bite-size pieces. In a large bowl, dissolve salt in the water. Transfer cubes to the salted water. Find an outof-the-way corner of your kitchen for the bowl and then weight the rind down with a plate to keep it submerged. Soak the cubes for about 24 hours. Day No. 2: Combine remaining ingredients in a large saucepan and bring them to a boil, simmering the syrup for about 5 minutes. While the syrup simmers, drain the cubes, rinse and drain again. Rinse the bowl the cubes were soaking in and return the cubes to the bowl. Pour the hot syrup over the rind, return the bowl to its original resting place, cover it lightly and let rind soak for another 24 hours. Day No. 3: Sterilize canning jars according to manufacturer's directions. Pour the cubes and syrup into a large pan and bring the mixture to a boil. With a slotted spoon, pack the cubes lightly into the prepared jars, dividing the lemon slices and spices equally among the jars. Pour the syrup over the cubes, covering them but leaving about 1/2-inch head space. Seal. Process the jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Allow the pickles to sit for at least 1 week (preferably several) before serving. Vegetable Pickles 1 quart small green tomatoes 4 red bell peppers 2 quarts small cucumbers 1 head cauliflower 1 quart small pickling onions 2 cups salt 1 gallon cold water 1 cup all purpose flour 6 tablespoons dry mustard Sugar (no amount listed) 2 teaspoons celery seed 1 tablespoon turmeric Distilled white vinegar as needed Cut tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and cauliflower in medium-size pieces. Add onions. Make brine of salt and water and pour over vegetables, let stand 24 hours. Heat just to scalding point, then drain. Mix flour, mustard, sugar, celery seed, and turmeric with enough cold vinegar to make 2 quarts in all. Cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Add pickles. Heat thoroughly and pour into sterilized, hot jars and seal. Process 10 minutes. This recipe yields 4 pints.

4 Heff s Hot and Spicy Pickles medium pickling cucumbers 4 cups vinegar 3 quarts water 2 tablespoons sugar fresh dill alum 1 garlic, bulb whole cloves and some chopped 3/4 cup kosher salt or sea salt 1-1/2 tablespoons peppercorns red dried hot chili peppers or crushed red pepper flakes 1 tablespoon pickling spices Clean cucumbers in cold water. Place water, vinegar, sugar, salt in large pot. Place sprigs of dill (stems and all) and pickling spices in cheesecloth. Knot the cheesecloth and place in pot with the rest of ingredients. Bring to a boil to make a brine solution. Place a few peppercorns, few garlic cloves or chopped garlic, 1/8 teaspoons Alum, a couple dried whole chile peppers in each empty canning jar that is going to be used. If you desire hotter pickles, add optional 1-2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes to each jar. Then place pickles in jar and fill with brine solution. Can for 8 minutes in water bath. Cool the jars quickly and pickles are ready to eat in about 2 weeks. Spicy Garlic Dill Pickles 7 pints water 1 pint white vinegar 1 cup pickling salt 6 dried red chile pods 6 garlic cloves 6 sprigs dill weed, each about the size of your fist 1/2 bushel cucumber, 4 to 6 inch size Wash cucumbers, drain. Cut cucumbers lengthwise into quarters. Bring water, vinegar and salt to a boil. Place 1 dried pepper, 1 clove garlic and 1 sprig dill into each hot sterilized jar. Pack cucumbers tightly into jars. Ladle hot liquid over cucumbers, leaving 1/4 inch head space (This should cover the cucumbers). Remove air bubbles by running a knife down into the jars. Put lids and rings on jars. Process for 15 minutes in a boiling water canner. Remove jars to a towel on a counter. The lids should be sealed (you won't be able to "pop" the lids). Allow to sit for at least 6-8 weeks before opening. In Pennsylvania my Husbands family always prepares a special dish made with cucumbers. It is called "mizeria". Literally I believe it means "misery," in Slovak or Polish. It is a dish that was enjoyed by Slavonic peasants, who were nicknamed "the miserable ones" by the well to do in the old country. Trust me when I say it is anything but "misery"; instead, it is a fantastic accompaniment to pork and ham. It s best if you use one large cucumber with or without seeds, washed and trimmed. This is Sour Cream Cucumbers with Vinegar Salad. Salt 1/2 cup sour cream 1 teaspoon sugar 2 teaspoons white vinegar 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill Run a channel knife or fork down the length of the cucumbers to produce a pretty edge, and slice thinly. Place in a colander over a bowl to catch the juices and salt the cukes liberally. Allow to stand for 30 minutes.

5 In a small bowl, mix remaining ingredients. Pat cucumbers dry and place in a medium bowl. Add the dressing and toss with the cucumber slices. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Chill and sprinkle with additional dill, if desired, before serving. Creamed Cucumbers 1 cup mayonnaise 1 1/2 teaspoon sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt evaporated milk 2 large cucumbers, peeled and sliced. Mix mayonnaise, sugar and salt. Add enough milk to make thick sauce consistency. Add sliced cucumbers. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes before serving. Serves 4 Indian Lemon Pickles 6 lemon ½ cup red chili powder ¼ tsp haldi powder ½ tsp methi seeds ¼ tsp mustard ¼ tsp hing ¼ cup salt ¼ cup cooking oil Slice lemon into small dices, put salt, haldi, and keep it aside for 4 to 5 days. Put red chili powder to this lemon and stir properly. Roast methi seeds and dry grind it and keep it aside. Heat oil in a pan, and put mustard, and hing and allow it to cool. When the above oil becomes room temperature, mix it with the lemon, and put the roasted methi powder. Asian Marinated Cucumbers 1/2 cup natural sugar 1 cup water 1/2 pound Kirby cucumbers, thinly sliced 1/2 cup rice vinegar Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan and heat until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and cool. Place the cucumbers in a glass or stainless steel container and pour the sugar syrup and vinegar over them. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. Drain just before serving. Cucumber Tomato Salad 3 1/2 pounds tomatoes (quartered or smaller chucks) 3 cucumbers peeled and sliced 1 onion sliced into slivers 1 green pepper (sliced in Strips) 2 jalepenos0cchopped 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning 16 oz bottle Italian dressing Combine cucumbers, tomatoes, onions and peppers in large bowl. Add seasoning and mix well. Add dressing and mix, place in covered bowl in refrigerator and turn periodically. Will hold up really well in the refrigerator and you can add to it as it goes along.

6 Grilled Cucumber Salad 2 cups thinly-sliced chilled cucumbers 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup thinly-sliced fresh onions 1/4 cup vinegar 1/4 cup water 1 tablespoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon dill weed 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1 dash cayenne Place cucumber slices in medium-size glass bowl and sprinkle with salt. Stir in onions. Place remaining ingredients in 2- cup glass measure and beat with fork to combine. Pour over cucumbers and onions and toss lightly. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes. Stir before serving. Serves 6. Cilantro Cucumber Salad 2 cucumbers 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 1 teaspoon chili powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro Peel cucumbers, slice lengthwise into quarters, and cut into 1 inch pieces; place in large bowl. Sprinkle with lime juice, chili powder, and salt; toss. Toss with cilantro. Refrigerate until chilled. Serves 4. Cucumber Salsa with Spicy Wasabi Dressing 1-1/2 teaspoon dry wasabi powder (or to taste) 1/2 teaspoon warm water 2 cucumbers 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar 2 teaspoons sugar 1 teaspoon sesame oil salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 green onion - thinly sliced 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds or toasted white sesame seeds Mix the wasabi with warm water in the bottom of a mixing bowl and let it stand for 5 minutes. Peel the cucumbers, cut each one in half lengthwise, and use a melon baller or spoon to scoop out the seeds. Cut the cucumbers widthwise into 1/4-inch crescents. Add the vinegar and sugar to the wasabi and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the sesame oil, salt, and pepper. Just before serving, add the cucumbers, green onion, and sesame seeds to the dressing and mix well. Serves 4. BON APPETIT PECOS COUNTY If you have any recipes or requests, please call me at the Pecos County Texas AgriLife Extension Service Office