Spicy Cabbage/Jicama Cole Slaw

(Serves 8)
This recipe is either from "The Chew" or a health-conscious show like "Dr. Oz"? It is best when refrigerated overnight. Jicama is a less-known roughage plant in the produce section of the grocery store. Its texture and neutral flavor helps it to take on the flavors of spices it is put with.

1 1/2 C shredded green cabbage
1 1/2 C shredded red cabbage
1 C shredded carrots
1/4 C finely sliced green onions (2 stalks)

Toss the above in a large mixing bowl (I used a bag of pre-shredded mixed cabbage with carrots)
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1 1/2 C shredded jicama (1 medium, I used a potato peeler to peel it and then shred)
1 T lemon juice
1/4 C cider vinegar (I added apple cider vinegar)

In a small bowl, toss the jicama with the lemon juice and the vinegar and then mix it with the first set of ingredients above

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1/8 C sugar substitute (I added 2 T Stevia)
1/2 T organic honey (I added agave nectar)
1 t salt
1 t freshly ground black pepper (mine wasn't freshly ground)
1 t garlic powder
1 t onion powder

Using a small mixing bowl (I used a cereal bowl), combine the sugar substitute, honey, salt, pepper, garlic powder and the onion powder, and whisk the ingredients together until the sugar and honey dissolve. Pour the sugar mixture over the cabbage mixture and toss to thoroughly combine. Cover with food-safe plastic and place the coleslaw in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes.

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1/2 C low-fat olive oil mayonnaise or canola mayonnaise (I added Hellman's low-fat mayo)
1/4 C buttermilk
1/2 T coarse-grain dry mustard

Using a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, buttermilk, and mustard together until well blended. Add the mayonnaise mixture to the coleslaw and toss to thoroughly combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to overnight before serving (this helps the coleslaw spices to punch).

Fairy Dust or Taco Seasoning

I triple the recipe below, mixing the ingredients together thoroughly. Then I put it into an old seasoning bottle. We use it for taco seasoning or for a sprinkling on our foods, like a salt, and it adds a nice south-of-the-border kick. A Mexican restaurant near us endearingly calls their taco seasoning-like mixture "Fairy Dust."

1 T Chili Powder
1/4 Tsp Garlic Power
1/4 tsp. Onion powder
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp Paprika
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp black pepper

Mix together and enjoy!

Chicken Cabbage Stir fry

CHICKEN CABBAGE STIR FRY (Kathy Quinn Manning)

Anything with ginger sounds healthy delicious...

Ingredients:

3 chicken breast halves
1 teaspoon oil of your liking
3 cups green cabbage, shredded
1/2 cup diced red bell peppers
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1⁄2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1⁄2 cup water
Soy sauce to taste

Directions:

1. Cut chicken breasts into strips.
2. Heat oil in a frying pan.
3. Add chicken strips and stir fry over medium-high heat, turning constantly until done.
4. Add cabbage and red peppers and sauté 2 minutes until cabbage is crisp-tender.
5. Mix cornstarch and seasonings; add water and soy sauce, and mix until smooth.
6. Stir sauce into chicken/cabbage mixture.
7. Cook until sauce has thickened and chicken is coated, about 1 minute.
8. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours. 

(Add onions and red peppers to taste)

Cast Iron Seasoning

I've always put my cast iron pan in the oven for an hour, oiled, to fully re-season. This is an alternate method I want to remember, from this website:  5 Reasons to cook with Cast Iron Pans  

"The best and simplest method I’ve found to clean and season my cast iron is as follows:

* Cover the bottom of the pan with a healthy layer of kosher salt and add about a half inch of cooking oil. Heat the skillet until the oil gets hot enough to begin smoking then remove from heat. Carefully dump the oil and salt into a bowl and use a ball of paper towels to rub the inside of the pan until it is smooth and clean. Allow to cool before returning to the cupboard."

Briefly, the 5 reasons include: Health (using less oil to cook); health (because of iron added to diet); health (chemical-free cooking that non-stick pans don't offer); economy (the pans are fairly reasonably priced); longevity (they last longer than a lifetime).

The main thing is to learn the proper care of cast iron pans, never letting them soak in water and lightly oiling them after each clean-up.

Brussels Sprouts Made Right

Paleogrubs Provided this recipe

Brussels Sprouts

Let’s not blame the Brussels sprouts for some unimaginative cooks. Instead, let’s get those wee little cabbage-head looking things tender on the inside and crispy on the outside and treat them to a sprinkling of wonderful flavors, and *then* see what we think!

This recipe does exactly that. The quick (emphasis on “quick”) boiling bath gets them tender to the core. But the baking is where the flavor really gets developed. Of course, we add some flavor – the garlic and cayenne – which takes things to a new level, but the actual process of baking creates flavor as well. When a food is exposed to heat and it browns, it’s called caramelization. Basically, it means the sugars in the food you are heating are breaking down. The result is the brown, caramel-like color, and the creation of a rich, nutty flavor.

Ingredients

1. 1 pounds Brussels sprouts
2. 2 garlic cloves, minced
3. ½ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
4. 4 tbsp olive oil
5. 2 tsp lemon juice
6. salt to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil, add the Brussels sprouts and cook for two minutes. Drain well and place the Brussels sprouts in a large bowl.
3. Add the minced garlic, cayenne pepper and olive oil and gently toss to coat. Transfer the Brussels sprouts to a baking pan and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 15-20 minutes, shaking pan occasionally, until sprouts are quite brown and crisp on the outside and tender on the inside.
4. Adjust the taste with more salt if necessary, drizzle with lemon juice, toss to combine and serve.

By Harper

Leftovers. Don't Wanna Be Right

Apple Crisp Pie

Martha Stewart Butter Crust (makes 2 crusts, one to freeze for later)

2 1/2 C all-purpose flour
1 tsp coarse salt
1 tsp sugar
1 C (2 sticks) COLD, unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/4 to 1/2 C ice water

Place flour, salt, sugar, & butter in the bowl of a food processor for a few seconds until the mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds. Add ice water in a slow, steady stream, pouring it through the feed tube just until the dough holds together. Do not process for more than 30 seconds.

Turn dough out onto a work surface. Divide into 2 equal pieces,  Wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour before rolling out. While crust chills, prepare the apple filling.

Apple Filling

5-6 large Granny Smith or tart apples (peeled, cored, sliced)
1/2 to 3/4 C sugar (depending on your sweet tooth)
Lemon juice (less or more depending on tartness of apples)
1 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Nutmeg
Pinch ground cloves (optional, I'm not a fan)
2 T Flour
2 T unsalted butter

Crunchy Apple Crisp topping

3/4 C Quick-cooking Oatmeal
3/4 C Flour
3/4 C Brown Sugar
1 Tsp Cinnamon
Salt, to taste
1/2 C (1 stick) cold unsalted butter

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. 
2. Crust: Remove disk from the refrigerator. On a lightly floured surface, (between 2 sheets of wax paper, optional) roll out crust in a 1/8 inch circle to a diameter slightly larger than that of an 11-inch pie plate. Press one pastry circle into the pie plate, freeze the second disk.
3. Filling: In a large bowl, combine apples, sugar, lemon, spices and flour. Toss well. Spoon apples into pie pan. Dot with butter. 
4. Topping: Use a pastry cutter or food processor to cut butter into the combined sugar, oats and flour. Cover apple filling with the Apple Crisp topping (it is the yummy, crunchy top crust). 
5. Baking: The thickness of the apple slices determines the length of baking time. If using an apple peeler/corer, the apple slices will be thinner and the pie might need less baking time, 50 minutes, to insure the apples don't become overly mushy. Otherwise, if apple slices are thicker, bake for 60 minutes.

Cool and enjoy!!