Marinated Red or Yellow peppers...

 

Marinated Peppers, you can use red, yellow, orange or purple...

4 lbs firm peppers

1 cup bottled lemon juice

2 cups white vinegar

1 tbsp oregano leaves

1 cup olive or salad oil

1/2 chopped onions

2 cloves of garlic, quartered

Yield : about 9 half pints

Peppers may be left whole. Large peppers may be quartered. Was, slash two to four slits in each pepper, and blanch in boiling water. Or blister skins of tough skinned peppers using the oven method. 

Oven method, place peppers in a hot oven (400 degrees) until skins blister.

After skins blister place peppers in a pan and cover with a damp cloth, or brown paper bag. This helps make the peppers easier to peel. Cool for 10 minutes then peel off the skin. 

Flatten whole peppers, Mix all the remaining ingredients in a saucepan, heat to boiling. Place 1/4 garlic clove or small clove and 1/4 teaspoon salt in each warmed 1/2 pint jar. Fill hot jars with peppers. If using 1 pint use 1/2 teaspoon salt per jar. Remove air bubbles, leave 1/2 inch head space. Wipe rims of jars, add lids and process for 15 minutes. Water bath or steam canner...

Red Pepper Flakes

Red Pepper Flakes

Making your own....taste so much better....

Growing these in the garden is fun, they are colorful....I am looking forward to doing another batch or two this garden season....

Ingredients:
1 pound cayenne peppers

Yields:
1/2 cups red pepper flakes

Prep Time:
20 minutes

Cook or Drying Time:

6-8 hours

Directions:

Wash the peppers and pat them dry. Cut the peppers length-wise and take out the pith and seeds. Set oven at 200 degrees and place peppers skin side up, and let roast for about 6-8 hours until roasted, dark and dry. You’ll know the peppers are ready to be grinded when they become brittle.

Next, let the peppers cool a bit and put them in a grinder. You can use a coffee grinder, a food processor—whatever you have in your kitchen. Start by grinding just a little to see the size of flakes you get. The less grinding—the more flakey the result. The more you grind—the closer it’ll look to the powdered pepper you buy in a store.

Let the peppers sit for about 15 minutes before you open the grinder or the food processer. You’ll end up sneezing from the peppers.

You can substitute cayenne peppers for other peppers as well.

Also you can use a food dehryderator for drying peppers if you have one....
These cayenne pepper flakes are better than the ones you fine in the store...the color is rich, the flakes smell fresh and the taste is worth the time it takes to do your own.

How to use:
My first experiences with red pepper flakes were at pizza restaurants, with those glass shakers full of seeds and flakes. I also love going to a favortive deli store and I ordered red pepper flakes on my sandwich....

As I learned to cook, I threw them in only when a recipe called for them, and always in very small amounts. Now, I use them on pasta, vegetables, in sauces...
We love red pepper flakes with Asian ingredients and add them to sauces like the spicy peanut sauce that goes with our any vegaetable and summer rolls and for some reason they are just perfect on broccoli.

Roasted Red Pepper.....Pasta

Roasted Red Pepper and Basil Pesto Penne

Ingredients:

3 cloves garlic

1/3 cup pine nuts

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup roasted red bell pepper (fresh or jarred) Or  1 cup of My Gardner Guy's  Roasted Red Pepper Spread http://mygardnerguy.blogspot.com/2011/11/roasted-red-pepper-spread.html

1 cup basil leaves

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 lb. penne pasta

¼ cup heavy cream, optional

Directions:

Place garlic and pine nuts in a food processor.  Pulse until finely chopped.  Add Parmesan, red pepper, basil leaves, salt and pepper.  Pulse until well combined.  With the motor running, add olive oil through the feed tube and process until incorporated.  Set aside.

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain and return to the pot.  Add the pesto to the pasta and stir to combine.  Stir in heavy cream if desired for a creamier sauce.  Heat until warmed through.  Serve immediately. If you make the My Gardner Guy's Roasted Red Pepper Spread....use 1 cup and depending upon your taste you may or may not want to use less freash garlic and fresh basil...

Georgie