Black Sesame Sauteed Green Beans

BLACK SESAME SAUTEED GREEN BEANS

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Is there anything better than fresh produce in the summer? Confession... when its over 100 degrees outside I get a little overwhelmed around dinner time, but I can ALWAYS talk myself into firing up the stove for a bit of fresh produce. Today I got a great deal on some freshly picked green beans, and couldn't wait to cook them up. This recipe is fast, simple and adds tons of flavor without overwhelming the crispy earthy goodness of the green beans.

INGREDIENTS

1 lb. fresh green beans, washed, stem-ends removed

2 Tablespoons HOMESTEAD SEASONINGS VEGGIE BLEND

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

drizzle of dark sesame oil

2 teaspoons of garlic powder

2 Tablespoons toasted black or white sesame seeds

HIMALAYAN Pink SEA SALT and fresh ground pepper to taste

pinch of cayenne (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cook the prepared green beans in a pot of boiling water for two minutes. 

Immediately remove from water and plunge into a big bowl of ice water to stop cooking. Drain. Blot dry.

2. In a saute' pan heat oil over medium heat and then add Green Beans, HS Veggie Rub and garlic powder. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the bean begin to brown a little. Remove pan from heat, add the remaining ingredients- tossing gently to coat. Serve immediately.

 FAST, delicious and healthy .... three of my favorite things in the kitchen! Enjoy~

Herb Rubbed Mushroom Caps

HERB RUBBED MUSHROOM CAPS
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I love mushrooms! I do... I am a true-blue mushroom lover, sometimes I just eat them raw- I know thats probably pretty weird, but they are one of those veggies?? fungi?? well.. food! But I have come to grips with the fact that they are one of those foods people either LOVE or HATE... not many "in-betweeners" out there. SO for all those non-mushroom people out there, you may not be a big fan of this recipe, but I will say this much--EVERY time I make them... there are NO leftovers! They are perfect for parties, pot-lucks, game days, holidays, you name it! Cheap, Super Fast to make and DELISH! Its a simple recipe, which starts with (of course) MUSHROOMS! I pick them up in bulk at Costco or Sams, but for a normal family 1 or 2 of the smaller grocery store containers is usually enough for a side dish.

Really quickly, here are a few tips on storing and cooking mushrooms > > > > > > > > > >
If you won’t be using the mushrooms right when you get home from purchasing them, store them in a brown paper bag, just fold the top over loosely and your good to wait a few days. Just before cooking the mushrooms they will need to be cleaned. Although common wisdom says mushrooms should never be washed, many mushroom experts disagree. Wild mushrooms can be covered in all sorts of craziness including snail goo so always wash them to help remove bacteria. (For safety, they should also be thoroughly cooked.) Farmed mushrooms are either sprayed with pesticides and chemical fertilizers or grown in organic fertilizer (read: animal dung); either way, you should wash them. Nonetheless, don’t soak them in water, since it can really change their flavor. Instead, gently rub them with a damp terry towel or soft vegetable brush.

INGREDIENTS:
2 Dozen Large Mushroom
2-3 tablespoons HOMESTEAD SEASONINGS Veggie Blend
3 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
HIMALAYAN Pink Salt to taste (optional)

 INSTRUCTIONS
Start cleaning by the mushrooms in what ever way you see fit! Pop off the stems and hold onto them for another great dish later during the week. Get a large, non-stick frying pan or skillet and lightly coat with a bit of olive oil.
Place the mushroom caps, bottoms-up, inside the botton of your pan. Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the caps and generously sprinkle with the HS Veggie Rub. After about 3-5 minutes they will begin to >snap,crackle,pop<
Check one of the mushrooms out towards the edge, by flipping it over. They should begin to look golden brown, if they are not then give them another few minutes.

 Deliciously Golden Brown!

< < NOW BACK TO THE INSTRUCTIONS > >

 Add another sprinkle of the HS Veggie Blend, and a pinch of Himalayan Pink Salt and cook for another 3-5 minutes. You will notice water or moisture start to collect at the bottom of the pan, that means that they should be tender and ready to eat! Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the mushrooms with a slotted spoon to your serving dish (leave all that weird mushroom water behind) You can then dive right into these bad boys! I like to serve them with a multitude of different dips from simple ranch dressing, to spinach & artichoke or even one of my favorites; a jalapeno n' dill and sour cream dip that I will be featuring later this week! You name it, they are yummy on the side of something, or just by YUMMY ole' selves!! enjoy~

 

Hearty Homestead Chicken Pot Pie

HEARTY CHICKEN POT PIE
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INGREDIENTS:
3 cups cooked chicken diced*
2 tablespoons Homestead Seasonings Chicken Rub
1 cup frozen peas and carrots
1/2 cup frozen corn sweet/white
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup sour cream
3 cups biscuit mix
1 1/2 cups milk
2 eggs
1/2 cup shredded cheese (optional garnish) 

Servings 10+
Prep Time:15 (plus time to cook/dice chicken)
Cook Time: 35



Note* Good Quality canned chicken or turkey is a great substitute for this recipe. If you are in a time crunch, opening a can could end up saving you an over an hour of prep time*


INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat Oven to 400 degrees
Grease the bottom and sides of a 9x13 glass dish really well.
In a medium bowl add:
Cooked/diced chicken, HOMESTEAD SEASONINGS CHICKEN RUB, sour cream, and frozen veggies together and mix well, then spread mixture into the bottom of the 9x13 baking dish.
In a separate bowl:
mix Biscuit baking mix, milk and eggs (should be the consistency of a thin cake mix) Spread mixture evenly over chicken pot pie-- make sure you go all the way to the edges!
Bake at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Now the mixture will rise and spread so its always a good idea to protect the bottom of your oven with a second pan covered in foil. ( I have unfortunately learned the hard way..many, many, many times.) Once the Pot pie is all golden brown and delicious, let it sit for at least 5-8 minutes. This will give the mixture a chance to thicken and set. Slice and serve.... dinner in a dish-- It doesn't get much better than that!

Savory Barbequed Corn on the Cob

Barbequed corn on the cob is a delicious summer treat, that is always a crowd pleaser!

The problem though is once it is soaked in salt an butter, 

you lose a lot of the barbequed flavor and definitely the "healthiness"s factor.

Not to fret... Homestead Seasonings has a wonderful and flavorful alternative.

INGREDIENTS:

6-8 Ears:  FRESH Corn on the Cob

(shucked and washed well)

2 Tbsp: HOMESTEAD SEASONINGS 

 Salt Free Veggie Blend

3 Tbsp: Olive Oil

INSTRUCTIONS:

Completely shuck the corn, and wash well. Brush with Olive Oil and Sprinkle all sides well with HOMESTEAD SEASONINGS: Veggie Blend.
Grill the corn on a well heated BBQ, set to low heat. Simply grill the exposed corn directly over the heat of the grill. This method will require constant attention, but result in a juicy blackened cob of corn. This blackening in not a bad thing, and as long as you are vigilant, and turn often, this corn will taste nutty, smoky sweet. You should keep the lid down, but will need to keep turning the corn about every minute or so. Grill corn for 15-18 minutes, or until the corn is tender and bright in color. Pull from grill and let sit for 5 minutes. Serve with with a pat of Butter or even our special Veggie Blend Herb Butter~ Enjoy!