Blueberry Fritters

Blueberries are one of the best tasting fruits I can name. Not only are they good, they're good for you. I remember a trip to see my Grandmother in Nova Scotia one year and while there, my aunt made some blueberry dumplings in a blueberry sauce all made with fresh picked wild blueberries. It was fantastic. While I don't have that particular recipe or the wild blueberries, I hope this one appeals to your taste buds.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Packages frozen blueberries (9 Oz. each)


• 4 Cups all-purpose flour


• 3/4 Cup sugar


• 3 1/2 Tsp. baking powder


• 3 Cups oil


• 5 Eggs

Thaw the blueberries well; drain off syrup and save. Sift together the dry ingredients.

Measure the blueberry syrup. There should be about 1/2 cup. If not, add water to complete the measure.

Place oil in a heavy, deep kettle or deep fryer and begin heating gradually. By the time you have finished mixing the fritters, the oil should have reached 350 degrees on a deep-fat frying thermometer and be just right for frying.

Beat the eggs with the blueberry syrup until foamy. Mix quickly into the dry ingredients and fold in the berries. Drop from a tablespoon into the hot oil. Turn the fritters frequently as they cook so that they become chocolate brown on all sides. Drain on paper toweling and serve hot.

Sauteed Artichokes with Butter & Garlic

One of my favourite vegetables is the artichoke. While it can be a little tricky to enjoy, it's really not that bad. The worst part is the fuzzy piece in the center known as the "choke", hence the name.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Large artichokes or a handful of baby ones


• 3 cloves garlic (chopped)


• 2 Tbsp. butter

Rinse artichokes in cold water. Using a sharp knife, cut the top 1/3 off of each one. Next, trim the stems to about 1 inch, and remove the smaller leaves from around the base. Use scissors to remove any remaining leaf tips.

Cut each artichoke in half from the bottom to the top, then use a spoon to scrape out the hairy choke in the middle. Rinse again to remove any residual hairs.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, and saute for about 1 minute to flavor the butter.

Arrange artichoke halves cut-side down in the skillet. Saute for about 5 or 10 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Reduce heat to low, and pour in about 1/4 cup of water, cover, and let steam for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the artichokes are tender. A fork should easily pierce the stem.

Cajun Style Pork Ribs

This being Labour Day, I thought the perfect thing to have for supper while watching the football game (Go Ti-Cats) would be some ribs. While most would do this on the barbeque, I'm afraid you will have to figure out the temperature to cook them at as I do them in the oven.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 Cup olive oil


• 3 Tbsp. brown sugar


• 1/4 Cup vinegar


• 1/4 Cup scallions (finely diced)


• 1 Tbsp. cayene pepper


• 1 Tbsp. chili powder


• 2 Lbs. pork ribs

In a large zip-lock bag, mix together the first six ingredients and set aside. Trim any excess fat from the ribs with a sharp knife, and poke small holes in the surface of the meat.

Place meat in bag (you may have to cut the ribs to fit) and seal tightly and place in refrigerator for at least 2 hours. If this step is done the night before and left to marinate overnight, it's better but 2 hours works well.

After the time is up, transfer the ribs to a baking pan, cover with lid or foil and set in a preheated 300 degree oven and let cook for 3 to 3 1/2 hours.

When meat is cooked, place on cutting board and let rest for 5 mins. before cutting.

Mulligan Stew

Some of my favourite meals are ones that can be made using one pot. Soups, some pastas, and the one I like best, a good hearty stew. This stew is great and having some home made biscuits to go with it doesn't hurt either.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour


• 1 Lb. beef brisket (cut into 1" cubes)


• 1 Tbsp. olive oil


• 1 Onion (chopped)


• 8 Oz. fresh mushrooms (sliced)


• 6 Cloves garlic (finely diced)


• 6 Oz. tomato paste


• 2 Cups beef broth


• 1 Bottle of favourite beer


• 6 Large carrots (peeled and cut into 1" chunks)


• 2 Large potatoes (peeled and cut into 1" chunks)


• 2 Tbsp. fresh parsley (chopped)

Coat cubed beef in flour. In a large skillet over medium high heat, add oil and brown beef on all sides. Remove beef from skillet.

Sauté sliced mushrooms and onions over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add beef, tomato paste, beef broth, beer, potatoes, and carrots. Simmer covered for one hour.

If needed, thicken by mixing 1 Tbsp.cold water with 1 Tbsp. corn starch together and stir corn starch mixture into the stew.

Garnish with parsley and serve.

Pickled Onions

Now that September is here, most people start their yearly canning. Pickles are the item most make. Dill pickles , pickled beets, and pickled onions are just a few I've made in the past. As with all recipes, substitutes can be made where the pickling brine goes.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 1/4 Lb. pearl onions


• 3 Cups vinegar


• 1 Tbsp. pickling spice


• 2 Dried chili peppers (optional)


• 1 Clove garlic (optional)


• 2 Bay leaves (optional)

In an empty cooler, pour in enough water to cover peeled onions (to your best estimate). Add salt to the water until water is saturated (at this point, a raw egg should be able to float in it). Pour in peeled onions and soak for at least 12 to 15 hours.

Remove onions from salt bath, rinse in cold running water and move to large bowl. Meanwhile, place a large pot filled with enough water to cover canning jars onto a burner and bring water to a boil.

In a seperate pot, add vinegar, salt, and pickling spice and bring to a boil (at this point, you can add whichever of the optional ingredients you wish). Fill sterilized canning jars with the onions, and using a ladel and small strainer (to stop spices from getting in jar), fill jars with boiled brine.

Seal jars and do a regular bath in the pot of boiling water. Store pickled onions for at least 6 weeks before eating.

Tasty Mac & Cheese

While it's easy to cook up a box of Kraft dinner, nothing beats the taste of a real mac and cheese dinner.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 Lb. elbow macaroni (cooked)


• 1 Cup breadcrumbs


• 1 Cup grated parmesan cheese


• 3 Tbsp. butter


• 3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour


• 3 Cups evaporated milk


• 2 Tsp. salt


• 4 Cups cheddar cheese (grated)

Combine breadcrumbs with the parmesan cheese and save for later on.

Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan, add the flour and cook over low heat stirring for 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in milk and salt. Bring to a boil, lower heat and cook for 5 minutes.

Add 3 cups of the cheddar cheese, and stir until melted. Pour mixture into the cooked macaroni and pour into the greased baking dish.

Sprinkle remaing cheese over top of macaroni then sprinkle the breadcrumb mix on top of that.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

Cheesy Beef Burritos

Over time I've learned that there must be some variety when faced with cooking ground beef. You can only eat meatloaf or hamburgers just so much before you lose it. This burrito recipe is easy enough and tasty too.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 Lb. ground beef


• 2 Tsp. chili powder


• 1 Can (19 Oz.) black beans (drained & rinsed)


• 1/2 Cup salsa


• 3/4 Cup shredded cheddar cheese


• 4 Tortillas (9 inch)


• 1/4 Cup sour cream


• 1 Tomato (chopped)


• 1 Cup shredded romaine lettuce

Cook meat and chili powder in large skillet on medium-high heat 5 min. or until meat is no longer pink, stirring frequently. Add beans and salsa; cook 5 min. or until heated through, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Stir in cheese.

Spread meat mixture down centres of tortillas; top with sour cream, tomatoes and lettuce.

Fold in opposite sides of each tortilla, then roll up burrito-style.