WEEKLY MENU 08.21.22
Baby Boy has been delivered back to school and we’re settling in to the summer bounty during the Weekly Menu 08.21.22 ~
Our farm stands are finally brimming and we’re going to check them out during the Weekly Menu 08.21.22. I LOVE CORN. And I love tomatoes, but only in season. We’re in season, baby! This year, I’m finally going to make Grandma Schultz’s Chili Sauce. We have Pickled Jalapenos on the docket this week and I MIGHT make grape juice – which is ridiculously easy and fun to have on hand.
A few weeks ago, three high school besties and I had a mini-reunion in beautiful Port Clinton, Ohio. Our two Ohioan members own condos up there, so there we went. We hopped the Jet Express Ferry and visited Put-In-Bay for my first time, ever, which was a hoot. I didn’t know there were islands in Lake Erie!
During brunch on Sunday, Dana provided the most wonderful Candied Jalapenos that I have ever had the joy of eating. Because we’re a spicy family, I’ve committed to making some, because the jar she sent me home with is long gone. The recipe calls for a teaspoon of cayenne pepper – which means the jalapenos are actually spicy. Halleluiah! (Affiliate links follow – see Disclaimer Page for Details)
I’ve never canned before.
Mom was a master, though, and I was usually her helper, so I feel like I’ve got a good base for it. Grandma Schultz’s Chili Sauce Recipe is a doozy, and pretty easy to screw up, because of the sheer quantity of burnable sugar added. I’ve got some good stirrers though, so I envision happy things. I’ll let you know how it goes.
The grape juice recipe is from way back. Into a quart sized Mason Jar, add a cup and a half of fabulous Concord grapes (which our region is famous for), a quarter cup of white sugar and fill up with water. The canning itself does the work – you don’t even have to remove the seeds, just strain before serving. Doesn’t a grape juice mustache make you smile?
Out of season tomatoes aren’t getting any better.
Which is shocking with all the advances in science out there. They still taste like cardboard. But such is life ~ we’ve got to enjoy them while we have them. The best way to eat them, IMHO? Broiled Tomatoes. They were one of Mom’s favorites for a reason.
HOW DO YOU MAKE BROILED TOMATOES?
It’s pretty simple and mind bogglingly good. Thick slice a ripe tomato. Put it on a sprayed baking sheet. (Affiliate links follow – see disclaimer page for details.) Sprinkle with kosher salt and regular all purpose flour. Top with a slice of butter (there is probably a tablespoon on this whole tomato) and chopped bacon. (BACON!) And BROIL.
These are so good that I habitually wipe up the leftovers with the empty cob and eat them. Don’t judge. Just try them yourself!
Want another in-season only favorite? How about Tomato Salad? That looks like lunch this week…
And corn. Sigh. I know it’s a starch, and probably not that good for us, but at this time of the year? I don’t care. Grilling corn on the cob has become fairly ubiquitous, but it’s not my favorite way to cook it. It tends to be dried up and less sweet. Steaming the cobs in a big pot of salted water on the stove might be old fashioned, but it’s still the best way to prepare it.
I often listen to Milk Street Radio during my daily walk (and I would highly recommend it). A listener called in with his corn buttering tip: quarter a slice of white bread and put a pat of butter on each piece. Use THAT to butter the corn. And, you know, eat the bread once you’re done. Isn’t that great? I’m doing that on Sunday.
What ELSE is on the Weekly Menu 08.21.22?
We’ve got a couple of fun recipes going on this week. The Cheese Dip purports to make me famous. I’m looking forward to that: I just wandered Pinterest to find an easy appetizer. The Stuffed Sausage is a simple, three ingredient baked meal. Italian sausage is stuffed with string cheese then smothered in marinara sauce. OMG. Right? Baby Boy – this one seems like it’s right up your alley.
We’re pressing the crockpot into use for the copycat recipe on Tuesday. Barbacoa is a Mexican version of chuck roast that we’ll eat out of tortillas after it’s perfectly shredded. Of course we’re ending the week with a good Summer Corn Chowder. Soup. It’s been too long.
WEEKLY MENU 08.21.22
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