Sun Tea: Sage, Mint, and chili

I've been on a real sun tea kick lately.  Our garden in full swing and the long summer days make it perfect sun tea weather.  You can make endless varieties of sun teas depending on what fresh herbs are available to you.  This recipe is one of my more adventures ones, it has a great herby taste to it with a bit of a kick from the chili pepper.

Ingredients:

Lemon, 1
Mint, 1 bunch
Sage, 1 bunch
Honey, 3 TBLS
Dried red chili pepper, 1-2 depending on how spicy you like it
Water

Instructions:

1. In the morning place all the ingredients in a large mason jar or clear sealed pitcher 
2. Cut the lemon in half and juice into pitcher, put the lemon halves in the pitcher as well
3. Fill with water and seal
4. Place the pitcher in a spot that will get sun all day
5. By the evening the tea should be ready to be served with dinner.

Jeff's Favorite Kale

This truly is my favorite way to eat kale.  It makes a wonderful side to grilled pork chops, but is hearty enough to stand as a meal of it's own.  I wish I had discovered this tasty, vitamin packed leafy green sooner in life.  One tip though, while it may be tempting to eat the whole dish by yourself, it's really best shared!

Ingredients:

Kale, 1 bunch (any variety) chopped
1 Apple chopped (I like fuji)
1/2 an Onion, chopped
4 strips of bacon, chopped
Apple Cider Vinegar, 2 TBLS plus extra for dressing
Black pepper, fresh cracked to taste
Grapeseed oil


Instructions:

1. Add a small amount of grapeseed oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat
2. Remove the tough lower stems from the kale and chop the kale, onion, apple, and bacon 
3. When the oil is heated add the onions and bacon to the skillet
4. After a few minutes add the apple to the skillet with the black pepper
5. When the onions and bacon begin to look cooked add the kale
6. Once the kale becomes wilty add the apple cider vinegar, stir and remove from heat
7. Feel free to add more apple cider vinegar if you desire more 

Note:  If the onions or bacon begin to stick to the bottom of the pan at any time add a TBLS of water and stir

Note: This dish also works very well with collard greens or swiss chard

Watermelon Blender

Worst photo I've added to the blog.

This is a great way to have watermelon and a refreshing summer drink.

Ingredients:

Watermelon

Rum (optional)

Mint Sprig (optional)

Instruction:

1.  Cut up the watermelon into chunks and blend in a food processor 
2. If you are in the mood for a mixed drink at a shot of rum to a cup and add the blended watermelon
3. Add a sprig of mint to your glass to add a bit of flair

Stir Fried Green Beans

This is a great quick and flavorful side dish.

Ingredients:

frozen organic green beans, 16oz bag
chili flakes, 1 tsp
garlic powder, 1 tsp
soy sauce, a few good squirts
grapeseed oil

Instruction:

1. Heat your skillet on medium-high heat and add oil
2. When the oil is hot add the green beans, chili flakes, and garlic powder
3. Saute the green beans until they start to get a little color and remove from heat
4. Add a few good squirts of soy sauce, mix and serve

Note: Costco has great deals on huge bags of organic green beans.
Note: If you use fresh garlic, mince and add to the pan 30 seconds - 1 minute before you take off the heat.

Slow and Low BBQ Chicken

My family, extended family, and friends who I've served this to love this dish.  The slow cooking makes the chicken legs wonderfully tender and the BBQ sauce rich and meaty.  This isn't a meal for a first date though, it's messy!

Ingredients:

Chicken Legs, skin on bone in, 1 family pack
BBQ Sauce, 1 can (I use Stubbs HIckory Bourbon)
Water, 1/2-3/4 of a  cup
Apple Cider Vinegar, 1/4 cup
Worcestershire sauce, a few good squirts
Grapeseed oil

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325
2. Peel the skin off of the chicken legs
3. Pour a bit of grapeseed oil into the bottom of a baking dish and place the chicken legs in making sure they don't overlap
4. Pour BBQ sauce, water, apple cider vinegar, and worcestershire sauce over the chicken
5. Bake the chicken for 2 and a half hours turning every half hour or so 

Grilled Peaches

Now that peaches are in season this makes a great summer dessert that is quick, easy, affordable, and great to serve to guests.

Ingredients:

peaches
grapeseed oil
molasses
vanilla yogurt (for this I prefer the Wallaby brand vanilla)

Instructions:

1. Heat the grill so it's nice and hot
2. Rub the peaches with a little grapeseed oil
3. Place the peaches on the grill for a minute or two on both sides, until they start to get grill lines.
4. Remove peaches from the grill, drizzle with molasses, put a dob of yogurt on each peach half and serve

Note: You can also try this recipe with apricots.

Savory Roasted Sweet Potatoes

This  is our goto recipe when we are hungry for sweet potatoes.  Serves 4

Ingredients:

3 sweet potatoes

1 head of garlic

butter, 3 or 4 knobs 

grapeseed oil, a small glug

smoked paprika, to taste

cumin, to taste

salt, to taste

pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Peel sweet potatoes and cut into 1” by 1” cubes
3. Crush garlic and take it out of it's skin
4. Put sweet potatoes and garlic into a mixing bowl and toss with a small glug of grapseed oil, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper
5. Put sweet potato and garlic mixture onto a baking dish with a few good knobs of butter making sure the the potatoes do not overlap each other
6. Cook for 45 minutes or until sweet potatoes start to brown, turn half way through cooking.

Note: I prefer the taste of garnet yams, but there are plenty of good varieties of yams you can use.