Years ago, now, we went to a friend’s house blessing, which, unlike a house warming, is done before the new occupants move in.
There are blessings and ceremony and, at the end, all of this terrific food!
Our friend had the food catered from a restaurant about 90 minutes south west of here, and we enjoyed Indian savories and sweets that I had not before seen.
Including Manchurian baby corn.
I went kinda crazy over that, and *might* have eaten most of one tray, so, when we got home, I went in search of how to make this magical Manchurian.
It turns out that first, I have to make this Sweet and Sour Sauce, which is really pretty simple to toss together in a small pot, and actually quite nice on its own.
INGREDIENTS
•1 tbsp cornstarch
•1 cup + 2 tbsp water
•1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
•1 cup sugar
•1 cup white vinegar
•1/4 tsp Salt (or to taste)
•1 tsp Cajun Power Spicy Garlic Pepper Sauce – or your fave hot sauce, to taste
•1/2 tsp White pepper (or to taste)
•2 tbsp ketchup*
*I use a spicy organic ketchup that a local company imports from Poland, but your fave will work a treat.
Note: as you prepare the sauce, it will go through a couple of stages where it is cloudy, then, with cooking, clear up.
Dissolve the cornstarch in 2 tablespoons of water and 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and set aside.
Stir the one cup of sugar together with the vinegar, water, salt, pepper and hot sauce over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved and the liquid is clear
Add the cornstarch mixture and continue cooking until bubbly and thick – you will note that the mixture is again cloudy.
I let it simmer for about 10 minutes, until thickened and mostly clear again.
Remove from heat and stir in the 2 tablespoons of ketchup.
Allow to cool, then transfer to jars and stash in the fridge until needed.
Tomorrow, we will revisit the Manchurian Sauce, but you do not need to wait for that to use some of this sauce!
Drizzle some over fried shrimp tacos with scallions, sautéed red pepper strips, and Ranch Jalapeños.
For a bit of extra added fusion flavor, add a bit of your fave ranch dressing.
Full disclosure: I did not, in fact, grill the asparagus for this salad. My husband had grilled the night before, and was not feeling the love to fire up the grill for some veggies, so I sautéed this batch in garlic-infused olive oil, then added some leftover grilled corn and the rest of the ingredients.
INGREDIENTS
•2 tsp lemon juice
Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a bowl and stash in the fridge until needed.
Add the trimmed grilled corn kernels and toss until heated through.
Summer Sunday evenings almost require potato salad, and this one comes together without too much fuss.
INGREDIENTS
Salad:
*Or your own fave steak seasoning.
I have posted before about my (not so) new fave jarred pickle hack; adding a packet of ranch dressing mix into the jar with the pickles, closing it up, shaking it all well to blend and… TA-DAH! Tastier than ever pickles with a hint of ranch.
And that, good folx, is what I have now gone and done.
Ranch Relish:
To make the pickles, simply combine your chosen pickles and pickled jalapeño slices (if using) with a packet of ranch dressing mix in a large jar. Shake until well and truly blended, then stash in the fridge for at least overnight to let the flavors blend.
How much of each is up to you. I normally try to consider what I an planning on making for the week and chop and drain accordingly.
Over the decades, my method for making Buffalo Wings has evolved into a healthier, but still quite tasty recipe. I mean, yeh, there is still an entire stick of butter in the sauce, but when you consider that that one stick makes enough for about two dozen wings, I do not think that that is all that bad a deal.
INGREDIENTS
Buffalo Sauce:
*St. Elmo is available in the meat department at our local market, which is a division of Kroger. If you cannot find it at your market, it is available at Amazon, but kinda pricey. If you prefer, simply substitute your fave steak seasoning.
If you want to make your wings gluten-free, an equal amount of almond flour, or gluten-free Panko crumbs will work a treat.
While the wings are baking, combine the sauce ingredients in a sauce pan over low heat until the butter has melted, then whisk to blend.
Beer. Butter. Brats. Onion. Garlic.
INGREDIENTS
Note 1: we used these queso flavored sausages, but feel free to use your fave.
Add beer to cover (I do not like to cook with “Lite” beers, but you do you), then the butter, onion, and garlic.
Note: the fan in the air fryer is gonna try and lift those parchment paper edges up, so try to arrange your sausages around the edges with the onion in the center.
There are times I just like to mix stuff up a bit, like with yesterday’s 
INGREDIENTS
*Note: for gluten free, substitute your fave breadcrumbs or flour alternative.
Cut the polenta into “fries” then dip into the seasoned flour before arranging in a single layer on the parchment paper lined rack.
My cousin Lois makes a fine bean salad, but, I kinda think I like this one a bit better (sorry, Lois!).
INGREDIENTS
•1 can corn
If you were to come to my house and take a peek in the fridge, you would think that, just mebbe, I have a condiment problem.
But now, I have bumped up the flavor by using my own, rightfully appreciated Barbecue Sauce in place of plain ole ketchup, and, the results are just so very good!
INGREDIENTS
Combine all of the ingredients together in a beaker and give a good whizzz with your immersion blender until nicely mixed.
Yeh, so, it is getting to be sangria season; why not revisit a Mediterranean version, which is simply red wine, Coca Cola, mebbe a splash of brandy, and whatever fruits you feel like tossing in.
INGREDIENTS