Pico de Gallo

I think this is the Mexican form of Bruschetta, except you serve this as a side or with chips and not bread. I like it on eggs, baked potatoes, chips, crackers, and can eat it with just about anything. Give this a try the next time you have some fresh from the garden tomatoes. This is What's (not) Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:
5 vine ripe tomatoes-chopped
3 homegrown jalapenos-diced
1 white onion- chopped

Mix all of the ingredients together and serve with tortilla chips or tacos.

Homegrown Goodness--Tomatoes

The best thing out of a garden in my opinion are tomatoes. I have several varieties growing with some old and some new to me. My grandparents raised Jet Star tomatoes and I can still taste those tomatoes warm from the garden. My husband's grandparents raised Arkansas Travelers, this tomato will bear until frost. In addition to the old favorites I also have a few heirloom varieties. One of the heirloom varieties are Big Zebra, a green tomato with darker green stripes that is great tasting. My husband has to close his eyes when eating them though. He likes a tomato to be red and that is all there is to it. The other heirloom I have in this picture is the Old German and it is yellow with pink spots throughout and tastes similar to the Arkansas Travelers. I have some Cherokee Purple growing too but they are not pictured because they aren't quite ready for picking. No matter what variety of tomato you raise, plant a tomato plant and you will be so pleased with yourself and the best tomatoes in the world.


I like tomatoes semi-pure, meaning salt and pepper only. This is What's Cookin (not) on Beaty's Creek today.

Zucchini Bread

My husband does not care for zucchini too much but he does like this bread with cream cheese on it. This bread keeps well in the fridge and taste so good cold! This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek on this beautiful morning!

Needed:
3 cups all purpose flour
1 t salt
1 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
1 T cinnamon
3 eggs-beaten
1 1/2 cups oil
3 cups sugar
1 T vanilla
2 cups finely grated zucchini
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Sift dry ingredients together. Beat eggs and sugar together until creamy looking and now add oil and vanilla. Now is the time to add dry mixture a cup at a time until all is added. Add zucchini and nuts. I baked mine in loaf pans and this recipe will make 3 loaves. Bake at 325' for 1 hour. Let cool completely before removing from pans.

Broccoli Grape Salad

I can eat this salad everyday of the week. It all started when I was prego with baby number 3, Miss Raine, who just happens to be 10 going on 11 right now. I craved this salad so often that I knew that I needed a master recipe, instead of buying my deli out of it each week. The hardest part for me was the dressing but once I mastered that, it was smooth sailing. That is until I started craving Gala apples and Havarti cheese. Did I mention that Havarti cheese is not be found anywhere near Beaty's Creek??? That is another story for another day. Give this salad a try at your next potluck. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:

1 head cauliflower-broke into small bite size florets
1 pound broccoli crowns-broke into small florets
1 pound red grapes-halved
1 pound bacon-cooked until crisp and drained on a paper towel
1 small red onion-diced
1 cup sunflower seeds
2 1/2 cups mayo
1 cup milk
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 t garlic powder
1 t salt
1 t black pepper


Mix mayo, sugar, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and milk together until sugar dissolves and set aside. Now mix all of your veggies and grapes together. Pour in dressing and add bacon and stir very well. Place in fridge for 4 hours before serving. When serving I sprinkle sunflower seeds on top.

Poke Salad

Sounds odd but around here it says SPRING ALMOST SUMMER!! I have always wondered why "Poke Salad" is called "Poke Salad", one it is not a salad and two it is cooked. My dad said it is as close to a salad as the old timers got so who knows?? Poke is really the last of the “wild grown” edibles that we have around Beaty’s Creek until the fall and it is pretty much everywhere. My grandpa use to say Poke Salad was your spring tonic; it may not be tonic but is a spring favorite. We like our "poke salad" with eggs and of course crusty cornbread. My father likes his "poke salad" with vinegar on top and served like you would any cooked green. This is What's Cookin in my Beaty's Creek kitchen tonight. Hold your breath Sal.....

Needed:
1 paper grocery bag full of very young poke tips (I don’t like the stalks boiled, I have a recipe for those later on.)
Water
Salt
1/2 cup Oil
6 Eggs-beaten


Wash poke very good and place in a large pot, cover with water and boil for 3 minutes, now you will pour all of the water off of the poke. Why you may ask???? Well, poke will make you sick if you eat it after the first boiling. Boil again but this time boil it for only 1 minute and then pour off the water and add oil to poke. You will still have a little water in the bottom of the pot, this is fine, salt poke and sauté in oil for about 3 more minutes, now add your eggs. We don’t like ours real eggy but the amount of eggs is up to you. When you add your eggs you will need to stir and stir and stir again, this helps keep everything even and no big pieces of eggs. Cook until all the eggs are set.

Morel Mushrooms--Need I say more???

If you've never had a Morel mushroom you are missing out. Some people like them in cream sauces but here on Beaty’s Creek we like 'em floured and fried! My husband and son are good at finding Morels and really enjoy the “hunt”. If you grew up around Beaty’s Creek, I am sure you've spent part of your springtime hunting for these prized mushrooms. Here is a recipe for frying Morels Beaty’s Creek Style. If you are lucky enough to know what Morels are, you know that these mushrooms (when fresh) are so rich and delicious that words cannot describe. If you have never eaten Morel mushrooms, look online and get cha’ some. This is What’s Cookin on Beaty’s Creek.


Needed:

25 or more morels-soaked in salt water over night in the fridge (This helps get out any buggies that maybe in the morel.)
2 cups all purpose flour
Salt
Oil
Cast Iron skillet

Drain morels really well and split in half, once split, place in bowl with flour and salt to taste, coat with flour and place in a heated skillet that is covered in 2 inches of oil. Cook until golden brown and drain on paper towels. ENJOY!!

March 14 2018

Still going strong.  I have lost 26 pounds so far, still have a lot to go.  Still having trouble drinking enough but I am improving.  I also started Elevate Coffee and I love it! I  really like Fathead Bread but not in the bread way.  To me, it tastes just like cheese bread from Pizza Hut.  I am working on some pictures so stay tuned.