Lemon Lime Paprika

We found a spice mix on the clearance rack and then discovered we could not find it anymore! So Adrian spent some time experimenting and came up with a very similar blend. It is great on chicken or on popcorn.

Eggplant Lasagna

Unless you use the Italian sausage, this is a very good vegetarian lasagna. We hope to make often.

Boerewors

We took this recipe to the butchers, and he custom made this sausage for us. It is a drier sausage, but so good. (It should be a moist sausage, so it was not exactly right)

Unfortunately, he did not tell us what meats he used, though we asked him to keep notes so we could duplicate it. He did record the spices. When we try this again, I think we will omit the bacon and just use fattier pieces of pork.

Better Biltong

While shopping, I discovered some nicely priced meat. I bought a few packages with the hopes of trying biltong in the dehydrator. This is a simple recipe that we prefer to the original one.

Do not reduce the salt but you can add some if you would like it saltier. Coriander and pepper are the traditional biltong spices, but add other spices to your preference. Some people add 1/2 tsp brown sugar per pound, but that is a taste preference.

If storing in the refrigerator, we like it best dried around 50% of original weight. Dry it longer (lose at least 65% of original weight) if wanting to use backpacking.

See notes at the bottom for more suggestions.

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

This is basically the inside of a pot pie. Instead of a crust, either serve with fresh biscuits or, like Audrey recommended, cheese crackers! While this is good the first day, leftovers for lunch was even better.

Marinara Sauce (to Can)

This summer we wanted to make Marinara Sauce to can some garden tomatoes our neighbor, Mrs. Beer, shared with us. We knew she often cans her extra tomatoes, so we asked for her favorite recipe. She gave us this one and we adjusted it very slightly.

We usually eat a whole quart of sauce with spaghetti, but decided to can pints instead this year. Our thought was to use it for extra special grilled pizza since we often have that with company. This sauce is also extra good on homemade noodles.

Using roma tomatoes are best for a thick sauce, but we usually combine them with assorted tomatoes from the garden. We think it creates a better blend of flavors.

Vodka Sauce to Can

We tried vodka sauce when a we had a coupon for a name brand jar. We liked it and bought it a few times. Then we discovered how easy it was to make. This sauce is great plain, but it is even better when cream is added. We often use it instead of pizza sauce.

Some simple recommendations for this recipe:

If you can, use at least half Roma or Amish tomatoes. Then mix and match assorted tomatoes for a fuller flavor. Different amounts of tomatoes will product different amount of liquid in the sauce, so you may need to strain it or boil it longer.

Adding olive oil is optional, but I recommended it.

Use a cheap bottle of vodka. What you do not use in the sauce, use for vanilla extract 🙂

Feel free to adjust seasonings, but do not alter amounts of tomatoes or onions if you plan to can the sauce.