Banana Apple Muffins

You may have never had these before. That is because I just made them up.

Banana Apple Muffins
1 1/2 c flour
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t baking powder
1/2 t coarse salt
2 t ground cinnamon
1/4 t ground nutmeg
dash ground cloves
1/2 t grated orange peel
1 c brown sugar

1/2 c vegetable oil
1 egg
1 1/2 t vanilla
3 ripe bananas, peeled

1 apple, peeled and diced

Use a mixer and mix dry ingredients together, then add and mix wet ingredients and bananas. Mix in apples by hand. Spoon into greased muffin pan. Bake 350, 18-24min.

Pickles

Our very wonky and strangely colored(greenish/yellowish/orange tinged) cucumbers are starting to finally produce! And so I have started with 2 different batches of refrigerator pickles...

Yellow Pickles
2-3 sliced cucumbers
1 sliced onion
1 1/2 c white vinegar
1/2 c sugar
3/4 t sea salt
1/2 t mustard seeds
1/2 t celery seeds
1/2 t ground turmeric
1/4 t ground red pepper
1/2 mixed peppercorns
4 cloves garlic, minced

Layer cucumbers then onion in large jar. Boil remaining ingredients, 1min. Pour into jar.


Pink Pickles
2-3 cucumbers, sliced
1 onion, sliced
2 c sugar
1 c red wine vinegar
1 T celery seed
1 T pickling salt

Layer cucumbers then onion in large jar. Boil remaining ingredients, 1min. Pour into jar.

Fig Water Kefir

This one is my favorite so far. But since I am new to this I think that it might be the ratio of grains to water that is helping. They have grown enough to split, but I reserved enough in the main batch to make a good water kefir and two secondary meh and bad batches.

This is 'sprightly', not necessarily fizzy and has the mild ginger bite of REAL gingerale.

Fig Water Kefir
6 c filtered/spring water
1/2 c raw sugar
1 t black strap molasses
1 1/2" grated fresh organic ginger root
1/2 lemon, organic and washed
1 dry organic fig
2/3 to 1 c water kefir grains
1/4 t aluminum free baking powder (oops I used baking soda)
1/2" square piece of eggshell from a boiled egg

I boil the water to dissolve the sugar and then add everything but the kefir grains, and put the mixture in the fridge for a few hours to cool. Add grains let sit 2-3 days in sealed glass container-- only fill 2/3 of container. Strain to separate liquids from solids. Put liquid in sealed glass container, filled 2/3, and let sit 1-2 days at room temperature. Then keep in refrigerator, serve cold. Keep kefir grains, removing and tossing all other solids(fig, lemon, ginger, eggshell), and repeat.

Curried Celery Soup

This will be in my first time ever home made backpacking meal. Also first time cooking for myself or anyone else on a camping trip. I will be having this as a side to go with salmon(rei) and brown rice(trader joe's).

Curried Celery Soup
1 onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 T curry powder
1 1/2 cup diced potatoes
3 3/4 c chicken stock
4 T parsley

Saute onion and celery. Add curry powder, potatoes, and stock. Simmer until potatoes are done. Puree with stick blender. Stir in parsley.

1 c soup = 1/2 c dried soup mix
3 c soup = l lined dehydrator tray
Dehydrator time 10 hrs

Dried Blueberries and Strawberries

There is always a chance of flavor cross-contamination when drying different things at the same time, but I think this one will be okay.

1 lb organic strawberries = 1 tray = ? qts dried organic strawberries = $2.99
Dehydrate 10-14 hrs.

2 cups frozen wild organic blueberries = 1 lined tray = ? c dried organic blueberries = ~ $2.50
Dehydrate 12-16 hrs.

Apple Rings

Dehydrated apples, for backpacking.

3lbs organic apples = 1 1/2 - 2 qts organic unsulphured dried apples = $3.69

3lbs fills the entire dehydrator (4 trays). Usually I make them crispy, I am going to try for a more traditional apple ring this time.

Dehydrator time = 8-12 hrs.

Honey Basalmic Chicken with Basil

By request. We usually eat this mid summer when we have a TON of basil that needs to be eaten.

Honey Basalmic Chicken with Basil (for 2)
chicken, sliced into tenders
salt
pepper
4T basalmic vinegar
2T honey
1-2c fresh basil

Salt and pepper chicken, sautee until almost/mostly done, browned on the outside.
Combine basalmic vinegar and honey, add to pan with chicken. Simmer to reduce and finish cooking chicken, (5-8 min? it won't be a thick sauce). Add 1-2 c fresh basil (or as much or little as you want, we like a lot!) to the pan, JUST before serving, turn off heat and allow to wilt (1-2 min). Serve with couscous or potatoes. It is good over garlicky mashed potatoes, or for less work mushroom couscous made with chicken broth.