D.I.Y. Roasted Red (and Yellow) Peppers

I never got the obsessions with roasted red peppers; to me they always tasted vinegary and bitter. However, an excess of peppers from my local farmer dictated that I experiment with recipes before my peppers went bad. The result: delicious, sweet and cheap roasted red, yellow and orange peppers perfect for salads, scrambled eggs and eggplant stacks.



Step 1: Heat broiler to highest temperature. Remove the stem and seeds from your pepper, then slice edges to make the pepper lay flat. Place on a baking sheet and place under the direct flame of the broiler.






Step 2: Check the peppers after 10 minutes and then every couple of minutes after that. Remove peppers when the skin is completely black.


Step 3: Dump peppers in a large bowl and immediately cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Let sit 10 to 15 minutes. This allows the peppers to steam and helps to remove the blackened skins.







Step 4: Gently remove skin from peppers. You can store
these in the refrigerator for up to a week in a plastic container.

Crockpot Fridays: Cooking a Whole Chicken

D.I.Y. Chicken Broth

This is a really simple and effective way to get the most out of your chicken. I love buying whole chickens to cook; not only do Mike and I each get to eat our favorite parts, whole chickens are very inexpensive and easy to cook. The benefit of using a crockpot is that you are able to retain all the delicious juice that accrues during cooking. And, with just a little extra work, you can make your own chicken broth without the alarming amount of sodium. Ina Garten would be proud.

Step 1: Place entire chicken in crockpot; don't add any liquid.
Season with salt and pepper. I added a couple squirts of organic, stone-ground mustard, but it really didn't do anything for the flavor. Cook on high at least four hours, then turn down to warm or turn off.




Step 2: Once chicken has cooled off some, separate the meat from the bones and skin. There will be a large amount of liquid in the pot. DO NOT GET RID OF THE JUICE! You should now have all the meat of the chicken in one container, which is perfect for making chicken salads.





Step 3: Add one large onion (quartered or roughly chopped), a couple of sprigs fresh rosemary and thyme (dried is fine if that is all you have) and whatever other seasoning you would like to find in your broth. Pour in four cups of water. Leave the heat on low and cook for another 8 hours.




Step 4: Strain the entire contents of the crockpot, making sure that the bones, skin and any other solids do not get mixed with the broth.

Step 5: Store the remaining liquid in an air-tight container for up
to a week. If you don't plan on using the broth immediately, you can also store in the freezer.

Do it Yourself: Beef Jerky

Beef jerky is one of my favorite protein snacks, but purchasing commercially produced jerky is expensive. Not only does purchasing jerky mean wasteful packaging, but it typically includes ingredients that I do not want to consume. Making your own jerky is cheap, easy to make and let's you be in control of the flavors and seasonings. If you do not have a food dehydrator, don't fear; your oven will suffice.

Beef Jerky

2 lbs london broil or flank steak
1 tsp any seasoning you like (I used salt, pepper, cayenne, curry and tumeric)

Put london broil in the freezer for 1 hour to make cutting easier. Before slicing meat, rinse and pat dry meat, trimming off any excess fat. Cut meat against the bias into 1/8 inch slices and put into large bowl with seasoning blend. Marinate up to 24 hours.

If you are cooking in the oven, place aluminum foil across the bottom of your oven. Carefully place each piece of jerky on the oven racks (see image below). Put oven on lowest setting or no more than 170 degrees. If your oven, like mine, does not go below 200 degrees, prop the door open. Cook 2-5 hours, depending on your oven and your desired degree of 'dryness'.

When your jerky if finished, let it cool to room temperature, then store in plastic bags with one paper towel to soak up any moisture. Your jerky will keep up to two weeks or longer if kept in the fridge.