1 pound fresh jalapeños

1 cup water

3 cups vinegar

one carrot sliced

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/8 to 1/4 cup sugar depending on you taste

1 Tablespoon  salt

Bring to a boil

Have your jalapenos in the jars and add sliced carrots, garlic and a quarter teaspoon dried oregano if you like. Use a canning funnel to pour the liquid in the jars. You don’t want anything to touch the top of the jar while loading. Best to use 16 oz size jars. Holds about 6-10 fresh jalapenos. To do this properly for long term storage the jars should be boiled first, and again after  they are loaded and sealed. If you are going to eat them in the next couple of months this is a good enough and allows you to test the recipe before canning a batch you want to keep long term without having to boil the filled jars. Boiling the filled jars will give you a softer jalapeño. If you don’t boil the filled jars they won’t be preserved for long-term storage at room temperature.
I use Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar.
Jalapenos should be pierced with a knife cut longitudinally to allow the brining mix in.
Put in the refrigerator if you used the the quick method, and taste after one month of soaking. Wait just one week if you used the second method(boiling the filled jars) then eat em’ up. They improve with age.

Makes about 3-4 jars.

2 14 1/2 oz cans of DelMonte Organic Diced tomatoes
1 clove garlic minced
1/4 yellow onion chopped
1 jalapeno seeded and minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup of chopped cilantro (optional)

In a food processor or blender puree one can of tomatoes. Add all ingredients, except cilantro to a heavy 2 quart pot and cook over medium to low heat for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cooking longer makes the salsa thicker.
When salsa has cooled to about 100 degrees add cilantro. Serve at room temperature.

Note: If you want hotter salsa add another jalapeno. Jalapenos vary greatly in hotness. The only way to tell how hot they are is to taste them before cooking.

2 cups chopped fresh mushrooms, 1/2 White Button and one half Crimini
1 clove garlic
1 slice of bread cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 1/2 TBSP olive oil
1/4 tsp dried oregano flakes
pinch of dried thyme
salt and ground white pepper to taste
1 acorn squash

Cut squash in half lengthwise and scrape seeds out.
Saute mushrooms in olive oil for about 7-10 minutes on medium low heat, add garlic, thyme and oregano and cook 3 more minutes. Remove from heat, add bread and mix well. Fill each half of squash until stuffing is about one inch above rim of squash. Spray with olive oil and wrap in aluminum foil. Bake for 60-70 minutes at 350 degrees or until squash is tender. Great with chicken or pork.

1 cup carrots cut into 1 inch chunks
1 cup celery cut into 1 inch chunks
1/2 medium yellow or white onion sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cups cauliflower florets or broccoli florets, or combine the two
Lawrey’s seasoning salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
1 small clove garlic sliced, optional

In a 9×9 inch baking dish spray oil before adding onion, carrots and celery. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake uncovered for 25 minutes, stirring once. Remove from oven, add florets and stir. Return to oven and bake about 8-10 minutes until desired doneness is reached. You can broil the last 3 minutes if you want a browned look to it.

Variations:
Add red potato chunks that have been parboiled for 20-25 minutes just short of soft cooked. These are best added 12 minutes into the cooking process when stirring the onions, carrots and celery.
Add cut up whole chicken pieces that have been baked for 40 minutes at 350 degrees to the carrots, onion and celery.

1 acorn squash cut in half and seeded
2 cups fresh corn cut off the cob
2-3 jalapeno peppers seeded and diced
1 small clove garlic minced
10 cherry tomatoes cut in half
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
salt to taste, appx 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 T roasted pumpkin seeds for garnishing, optional

Place acorn squash cut side down in baking dish with 1/4 inch of water. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 40-50 minutes. After squash has been in the oven for 25 minutes cook jalapenos in a saute pan with oil for 5 minutes on medium low heat. Add garlic and cook for one minute. Add corn and cook for 8 minutes stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes, and salt, and cook for 2 minutes. Remove squash and transfer to serving platter. Top with vegetable mix and add pumpkin seeds as topping.

Note: if serving as main dish keep halves as is to serve two people. If serving as a vegetable side dish cut in half after removing from oven so you have 4 quarters arranged on a platter, and scoop vegetable mix across the middle sections of the squash to serve four or more people.

1 15 oz can of red beans
1 15 oz can of stewed tomatoes
2 T minced onion
1-2 cloves minced garlic
1 T olive oil
1 hot red pepper (optional)
2 cups fresh spinach
2 T fresh oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste

Saute onion and garlic for 7-10 minutes on medium low to low heat. Add tomatoes, hot pepper and beans then simmer for 15 minutes on medium low heat. Add fresh spinach and cook for 5 more minutes. Add fresh oregano and serve immediately. Can be served as a side dish or main.

Note: if using dried oregano add to the pot with the tomatoes
Serve with rice or pasta and garnish with fresh parsley.

2 lbs of eggplant , either Asian or regular will work. For Asian style cut lengthwise. For regular slice into 3/4 inch thick discs
1/4 cup Kikkoman BBQ sauce
1 T soy sauce
1 T any American basic BBQ sauce
1 t rice wine vinegar

Mix Kikkoman BBQ, soy sauce, American BBQ, and rice wine vinegar together. Brush oil on flesh side of eggplant, and grill on a medium hot grill basting with BBQ sauce mixture turning once or twice. Serve when tender.

Note: You can substitute rice wine vinegar with white wine or beer.