Strawberry Compote - Video Recipe

The last time I made pancakes, I reached for the maple syrup only to find the bottle almost empty, and my backup, fruit jam, was starting to form mold in the jar. As a tasty substitute, I cooked a fresh Fruit Compote made with strawberries. Plus, this fresh fruit recipe is perfect for homemade Cranberry Sauce during the holidays.

Fortunately, I had half of a one-pound container of strawberries left from my last 99c only Store run (and I do see them on sale for the same price at my local Latin grocery store.)

Even though they were a few days old and starting to wrinkle just a little bit, I salvaged enough to make a Strawberry Compote. I first rinsed them off, then trimmed the stems and sliced off any soggy spots from the berries.

Next, I assembled a few ingredients that makeup Fruit Compote, including apple juice, honey, and a little ginger. Finally, I added everything to a pot and let it simmer for a few minutes to soften (and mash) the fruit into a fragrant and fruity sauce. That's it.

The consistency of my Strawberry Compote is a little looser than a fruit jam.

This is a versatile sweet topping, and you can use almost any fruit and berries you have on hand - canned, frozen, or fresh. Go ahead and try it with pineapple, peaches, blueberries, blackberries, apples, bananas, pear - even seedless grapes and cherries. If you use canned fruit, the juice will be sweet enough, so leave out the honey. And you can use this recipe with fresh cranberries for a homemade chunky Cranberry Sauce (compote) for Thanksgiving and Christmas meals.

You can spread my Strawberry Compote over pancakes, waffles, toast, French toast, cereal, and any favorite dessert like ice cream or pie. And store it in the refrigerator, if you have any left.

Strawberry Compote - VIDEO

Play it here, video runs 1 minute 24 seconds.

My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here.

Ingredients (about 2 servings)

• 2 cups fresh fruit - I used strawberries. Okay to use frozen or canned fruit. Some fruits to use include peach, pineapple, pear, apple (add a teaspoon of lemon juice to keep the apple from turning brown), and all types of berries including cranberries. You can leave on some peach and apple skin.
• 2 tablespoons apple juice - okay to substitute with favorite fruit juice like orange, cranberry or grape juice.
• 1 teaspoon of honey - or your favorite sweetener.
• 1/4 teaspoon of ginger - fresh grated or minced, dried powder, or from the jar. This is optional, okay to leave it out.

Instructions
 Prepare fruit. I used fresh strawberries and just removed the stems and leaves. Depending on the strawberry size, half them or slice them into small sizes. You can use almost any fresh fruit on sale, or that you prefer.

For my recipe, I use 2 cups of your favorite fresh fruit. This recipe is easy to half or double the amounts.

Over medium heat, place the fruit in a pot.

Add apple juice, ginger honey, or your favorite sweetener.

Once the liquid starts to simmer, reduce heat to low. Use a fork or spoon to muddle and mash the fruit.

Continue cooking over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, occasionally mashing fruit as it gets soft. Compote is ready when liquid is reduced by half and all the fruit is mushy and soft.

Remove from heat and transfer to a small bowl or jar to cool to room temperature, so it thickens a little more. It is now ready to serve. While Strawberry Compote sets, you can cook up a stack of pancakes.

The consistency of my Strawberry Compote is a little looser than a fruit jam.

Store in the refrigerator. Serve with French toast, waffles, pancakes, oatmeal, ice cream, and more. You can give it a quick microwave (or warm it slightly on the stovetop) before serving.

Hindsight
The recipe is easy to double ingredients. You only need to add a little more fruit juice though - about 1/3 cup total.

Use any favorite and seasonal fruit, like cranberry, peach, pineapple, pear, apple (add a teaspoon of lemon juice to keep the apple from turning brown), and all types of berries. Obviously remove cherry, apple, pear, and peach seeds. You can remove peach and apple skin, or leave some of it on.

For homemade Cranberry Sauce, use whole berries. You can thicken the sauce by cooking for an extra 5 to 10 minutes until you reach the desired sauce texture. Remember, any sauce will continue to thicken as it cools down.

Sauteed Crookneck Squash - Video Recipe

I like a side dish that takes minimal prep - no peeling or need to clean it out. You can cook it whole or slice it and saute. I like to add a little onion and garlic with a dash of salt and pepper.

 Play my video recipe below to see for yourself how easy it is to make my tasty vegetarian side:

Sauteed Crookneck Squash - Video

Play it here. Video runs 1 minute 58 seconds.

Also called Summer Yellow Squash, the skin is a bright hue and usually smooth, but sometimes it has a bumpy surface.

You don't peel this type of squash as the skin tenderizes when cooked. You also eat the seeds. All I do is slice off the tough squash ends, then cube the squash for cooking - so there is very little waste.

Squash comes in all shapes and sizes, some have a hard shell. Yellow Crookneck Squash is similar to green Mexican squash. Italian squash is called zucchini.

This recipe comes together quickly. It only takes about 10 to 15 minutes of slow cooking to tenderize fresh squash.

I get whole fresh squash at my local Latin grocery and 99c only Stores for around a dollar per pound. I used 2 whole yellow squash for this recipe, a half onion, and one small garlic clove. You can substitute zucchini or Mexican squash for Crookneck Squash, they taste similar enough.

Next time you are in your local farmers market or a regular grocery store make sure to pick up a few Crookneck Squash and try my brightly colored sauteed side dish.

Ingredients

3 cups Squash - about 2 medium-sized Crookneck Squash. Roughly chop into bite sizes. Okay to use Italian squash (zucchini) or Mexican squash.

1/2 Onion - about 1 cup chopped.

1 teaspoon Garlic - chopped.

1 tablespoon Oil - to saute onion, garlic and squash.

Salt and Pepper - to taste

Directions

Chop half an onion. You can cut into larger or smaller pieces to suit your taste.

Add cooking oil to a pan over medium heat. Saute onion and saute until soft, about 3 to 5 minutes. While onion sautes, you can chop squash and garlic (or use chopped garlic from a jar.)

Add chopped garlic to cooked onion. Mix and saute for a minute.

Roughly chop yellow squash into bite sizes. Discard the tough stem and end piece. Finally, add chopped squash and season with salt and pepper. Mix cooked onion, garlic and squash.

Turn the heat to low and cover the pan or pot. 

Now all you are doing is softening the squash by letting it steam for about 15 minutes total. Stir squash every once in a while.

The yellow squash will break down and release some liquid as it steams. I don't add any water, but do check on cooking squash in case the the liquid cooks out too fast. If so, add a tablespoon of water as needed. 

As long as the pan or pot is well covered, and the heat is not too hot, the squash will stay moist.

You can cook the squash as long (or little) as you like, to reach desired tenderness.

Serve hot when done. My Sauteed Crookneck Squash freezes and reheats fine, too.

 My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here.

Mexican-style Pinto Beans - Video Recipe

I grew up eating Pinto Beans. We had them added to breakfast, lunch, and dinner. After you watch my latest video recipe you'll see how easy it is to do for yourself - and you don't have to have them for every meal like I did.

My latest cheap$kate homemade recipe is a long time coming. I cook with Pinto Beans more than any other legume, everything from chile-flavored Texas-style Beans to creamy Refried Beans. I enjoy making Mexican entrees often and Mexican-style Pinto Beans show up every time.

And I'm not too proud to use Pinto Beans from the can - they are cheap enough, taste fine, and are so convenient - the same way I always keep a couple cans of tomato sauce for pasta at the ready.

There's nothing better than the fragrance of slow-cooking beans on the stovetop. Like Marcel Proust's madeleine cookie, whose taste stimulates the unfolding of his series of novels "Remembrance of Things Past," the simmering smell of a pot of Pinto Beans soothes my soul with homey thoughts.

Dried pinto beans are tan, with leopard-like spots, which fade to deep brown when cooked for hours.

My mother comes from a small fishing village on the Gulf Coast of Texas, and we lived there with her parents, Big Daddy and Big Mama, for a year or so. Big Mama always had a pot of beans going. These legumes showed up for breakfast as Scrambled Eggs with Refried Beans; for lunch, it could be freshly made flour torilllas that we made into Ground Beef Tacos with Beans and Rice; and for dinner Mexican Rice with Shrimp served with Pinto Beans.

So you see how Mexican-style Pinto Beans can be paired with almost any Latin entree, and as a BBQ side dish with cool coleslaw or potato salad.

Pinto Beans are inexpensive at almost any grocery store, especially in Latin markets. This recipe is perfect for my fellow cult cheap$kate followers.

And it's a short and easy-to-get ingredients list, so you can make your own pot of beans no matter where you live. Dried Pinto Beans are carried everywhere. You can use fresh chopped onion and garlic - but there is nothing wrong with using shortcuts like dried onion flakes and garlic powder.

The spices are dried oregano, cumin, and a bay leaf - finishing up with salt and pepper.

My Mexican-style Pinto Bean recipe is tasty without meat. But if you are so inclined, then add smoky pork flavor with a few slices of bacon, some chopped ham chunks, or a ham hock.

It does take about 4 hours to tenderize pinto beans, so, you may want a book or magazine handy to help fill the time.

Some like their beans with a bit of texture, while others like them very tender. You know your friends and family, so it's up to you to decide how long to cook beans. Soak the beans overnight and cut down on the cooking time by an hour or so.

Once the beans are tender, it's a simple step to make Refried Beans, too. All you do is add a couple of cups of tender beans to a heating frying pan that has a tablespoon of oil. Next, pour in a few tablespoons of the bean broth. What you want is enough liquid to mix with mashed beans until the desired creaminess is reached. If you add too much liquid, then add more beans.

So while a big pot of Pinto Beans is on the stove, filling the kitchen with its fragrance, you can click on any of my following recipes that feature this filling and flavorful south-of-the-border legume: Scrambled Eggs and Refried Beans, Huevos Rancheros, Breakfast Burrito, Carnitas, Ground Chicken Tacos, Carne Asada, Mexican Rice, Chicken Tinga Stew, Charro Beans and a Frybread Taco.

Mexican-style Pinto Beans - VIDEO

Play it here, video runs 2 minutes.

My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here.

Ingredients

• 1 pound dried pinto beans - rinse and remove any debris, if necessary
• 1 onion - chopped. Yellow or white onion.
• 1 tablespoon garlic - chopped fresh or from the jar.
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 9 cups of water - For extra vegetarian flavor, add a cup or two of veggie broth (be sure to reduce water an equal amount.)

*For extra flavor add a slice or two of bacon. You can also add any of the following: a ham hock, ham bone, or chunks of ham.

Directions
If you like bacon in your beans then start sauteing a couple of slices in a large pot.

For vegetarian Pinto Beans go right to adding a tablespoon of oil to a large pot with a cover.

Click on any photo to see larger.

Add one chopped onion and saute for 5 minutes until tender. Add chopped garlic and saute for another minute.

Sprinkle on ground cumin, dried oregano, and salt and pepper to taste. Recipes call for Mexican oregano, but you can use any type, really.

Now time to add the beans. Rinse and remove any debris from dried pinto beans, if necessary. Cook beans in any large pot. I have a clay one that is especially used for cooking beans.

Add pinto beans to a large pot with 9 cups of water. Add one bay leaf.

*You can soak beans overnight or for a few hours first. I usually just go right to getting the water to come to a boil, without soaking them. It's up to you, soaking will speed up the cooking time, and you will save about an hour of simmering.

If you add veggie broth be sure to reduce the water amount.

Bring the pot of beans to a boil. Reduce heat to a low simmer and cover the pot of beans.

Cook covered until beans are tender, anywhere from 3-5 hours. You can start tasting them after a few hours to check for tenderness. Stir occasionally, so beans don't burn or stick to the bottom of the pot.

And check beans from time to time to make sure the liquid doesn't cook out. Add water as needed. What you want is for some of the water to cook out, so you get a thick soup of broth with the beans.

As with any type of slow cooking, make sure to stir from time to time. Sometimes the beans will stick to the bottom of the pot, so scrape and stir before they burn.

To thicken bean broth, uncover and continue cooking the last half hour or so. You can also mash some of the beans to thicken the sauce.

Pinto beans can cook all day at a low temperature. This recipe works fine for a crock pot.

Hindsight
Soak beans in water overnight to cut down on cooking time by an hour or so.

The beans will taste even better the next day. Pinto Beans freeze well, so make plenty for later.

It's easy to make Refried Beans. Just add some cooked whole pinto beans to a frying pan with a little oil. Mash the beans with a fork or potato masher until mushy. Just stir and cook the beans until hot. You can add bean broth to make the Refried Beans texture as thick or thin as you like.

Fresh Boiled Corn - Video Recipe

Summer corn is in season and my easy Fresh Boiled Corn video recipe is here just in time for you to try.

The only prep is cleaning the Fresh Corn and that is easy enough, although a little messy with all the silk threads under the Corn husks.

I break off any long stalk parts that are left on. You can boil the Corn whole. I like to break it in half if the Corn is very large.

Fresh Corn is often on sale at my local Latin and regular grocery stores, and you can always pick up a few ears cheaply at your local farmers market or roadside veggie/fruit stand.

Once the Fresh Corn is boiled tender you can add it to your barbecue grill, right beside that steak or hamburger. Turn the Corn a few times to get a little char all around.

When the Fresh Corn is done, and cool enough to handle, slice off the kernels and use them for a few more of my cheap$kate recipes like Roasted Cream Corn, Sweet Corn Pudding, Corn and Tomato Salad, Black Bean and Corn Salad, and Calabasitas Mexican Stew; plus add some fresh cooked corn to Fake Crab Ceviche and Clam Chowder.

I spent my high school years in Louisiana and dug into many backyard Crawfish Boil that features crayfish, corn cobs, and red potatoes boiled in a heady mix of spices that make up a typical spicy seafood boil.

After removing hot Fresh Boiled Corn from the pot, I simply add butter or a fave substitute, and season with salt and pepper. If you have a favorite seasoned salt then use that. You can keep it vegan with a fave butter substitute, or drizzle on a flavorful oil. 

Now is the time to cook with Corn while it is in peak season and cheapest - just the way I like it!

Fresh Boiled Corn - Video Review

Play it here. Video runs 1 minute, 37 seconds.

My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here.

Ingredients (2 servings)

• 2 Ears of Fresh Corn - I halved the ears of corn. Okay to add more corn to your pot of water. It will take about the same time to cook, whether it's 2 ears or 4.
• Water - enough to cover the shucked corn.
• Salt and Pepper to taste - when serving boiled corn.
• Butter - or butter substitute when serving boiled corn.

Directions

Over high heat, add enough water to a pot to cover cleaned corn. 

As water comes to a boil clean the corn cobs. Remove the silk and husks that cover the corn. Silk are thin soft threads. They will take the longest to remove - a quick rinse of water in the sink will help take off the smallest strands of silk and boiling will get rid of any that's left.

You can break off any longer stem. Sometimes it's hard to remove, so it's okay to just leave it on. I like to half my corn cobs if my pot is small. Also, kids may enjoy corn that is smaller and halved.

Add cleaned corn to water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a low boil or simmer. Cover pot and cook corn until it is tender about 10 minutes.

Some like their corn cooked less and others like it cooked longer - it's up to you.

When done, allow corn to cool for a minute before serving as it's very hot. Be careful handling hot corn. 

I just like salt, pepper, and butter on my hot Boiled Corn. If you have a favorite seasoned salt then use that. Okay to leave out pepper. 

Hindsight
During barbecue season I throw a couple of Boiled Corn cobs on the grill when I cook a steak or hamburger. Depending on the hotness of your grill it takes about as long to cook a steak as grilling Boiled Corn.

Turn the corn when one side is slightly charred. You can char the corn as much as you like. Grilled Corn will dry out some.