Cee Dub begins by explaining that we are going to process using the water bath method of canning. We do not need to pressure can because of the high acidity of the vinegar brine. Anyone who is canning needs to go to the Ball Blue Book of Canning and Preserving for directions for proper canning methods. It describes how to prepare your products and has the full directions for great and safe products. ALWAYS follow directions. He discusses places to get other canning resources. He then begins to ladle hot brine into the jars. We’ll want to get out as many air bubbles as possible and fill the jars leaving about one half inch head space. Our mothers both did all their canning in the summer, in hot kitchens with no air conditioning. We do our processing outside on a camp stove to keep the heat out of the house. After filling the jars, he demonstrates taking a table knife and sliding it down the sides of the jars to remove additional air bubbles. When the jars are ready, he wipes the rims to make sure there are no particles on the rim that would prevent a seal. Then he places the lids on, and puts on the rings. He uses a canning tool that has a magnet on one end to remove the hot lids and rings from the hot water. He uses a damp towel to insulate your hands from the heat and make the hot jars easier to handle. Then he twists the rings on snugly. When all the lids and rings are on, the jars are ready for the water bath. After the jars have processed, we will remove them from the canner and set them out on a towel to begin cooling. In a short while, the lids will begin to “pop” on their own. Cee Dub demonstrates the sounds of the lids. If it makes a popping sound and moves up and down when pressed, the lid has not sealed. The product can be eaten fresh and will be good in the refrigerator for about a week. If the lids are sealed, they are good for over a long time. We’ll then label them and put them in our pantry. But remember, these pickles need to sit on the shelf for about five to six weeks before they are ready to eat. Like many other things, they get better with age! He ends with a little review and discusses his own garden, the benefits of pickling, and doing things yourself. It is a matter of pride!

Today, Cee Dub is doing Dilly Green Beans. He begins by setting out five jars filled
with green beans ready to finish preparation. Because the canner holds seven jars, he
fills an additional two jars with green peppers and banana peppers to complete the load
in the canner. He discusses placing a line on a cutting board and cutting the beans to
the right length so they are even in the jar. But since some beans are not straight, he
discusses having one jar that is just pieces from the uneven cuttings. Cee Dub shows
the garlic, peppers, and dill that already have been placed in the jars. The dill came
fresh from our garden. He shows how he removed a bean and shoves the wad of dill
into the jar for an intense flavor.

Pickles, pickles, and more pickles! Cee Dub begins this Section of the Powerless
Cooking Learning Module-In A Pickle by sharing all the pickles Cee Dub and Pen have
put up so far this season. They have been busy. He first shows the asparagus, stating
that we used two sizes of jars. The small ones are used for gifts and for Cee Dub’s
mom. These were done in May using asparagus from a local farmer’s market. Next he
shows the dills. It was a banner year for cucumbers. He started with the baby dills used
for snacking or chopped up for potato salad. He then shows the dill chips for burgers
and hot dogs. Using a simple kitchen vegetable crinkle cutter, he is able to make the
chips look a little fancier. He also shows a jar of the dill spears. He points out the wad
of dill, the garlic, and the chunk of hot red pepper in the jar for a little extra bite. We
serve the spears with pastrami and corned beef sandwiches. Next, he shows the okra
pickles pointing out the garlic, dill, and hot pepper. The okra we grew this year is a
crimson variety. The crimson color was on the pods when we picked them, but when
we poured the hot brine over them, the color bled out into the brine. Another vegetable
we pickle is jalapenos in large and small jars. You will notice that many of these slices
are red. That is because when peppers are left on the vine too long, they begin to turn
red and are called chipotles. We were traveling so many of our peppers turned red
before we got them canned.

Cee Dub is ready to begin the canning process outside. While the water is coming to a
boil in the canner, he discusses and demonstrates how tight the rings should be on the
jars, i.e., snug but not cramped down. He shows how the jars look in the canner. He
puts the lid on and then waits for the water to come back to the boil. When it does, he
lowers the jars into the water. The jars need to be submerged under boiling water for
fifteen minutes to process completely. He uses the timer on his phone to start marking
time. When the time is up, Cee Dub will pull the jars out of the canner onto the table to
begin cooling. As the jars cool, one can hear the lids on the jars begin to pop, which
signifies that they have sealed. Water comes to a boil and Cee Dub lowers jars into the
canner and jars are completely submerged in water. He starts marking time of fifteen
minutes. After the time is up, Cee Dub removes the lid and lifts the rack of jars up out
of the water. He then removes the jars from the canner and sets them out to cool. It
won’t take long for them to begin popping. He is ready to prepare another batch of
seven jars, going through the same process as done before. When those are all
processed, he calls it, “Asparagus Season 2017!”

To make things more uniform, Cee Dub cuts the asparagus into the right lengths for
each jar. He uses a cutting board that has marks for the lengths for pints and half-pints.
The smaller jars are for Cee Dub’s mom and holiday gift baskets. He lays out the
asparagus and cuts tops for the little jars, and cuts another section of the spears that
will also fit in the little jars. He then trims up the remaining stalks by cutting the woody
ends from the spear pieces and puts them into a pint jar. Some jars will be just the
bottoms of the stalks without the pretty heads. Those jars are used for Cee Dub and
Pen’s regular consumption for snacks. While the brine is heating, Cee Dub discusses the
best place to start to find a good brine recipe. He recommends going to the Ball Blue
Book of Canning and Preserving, where there are many recipes for brine. Also,
there are many resources out there, but always go to trusted sources. He describes
some of the books that he uses. Cee Dub then discusses things one can add to the
basic brine to additionally flavor pickles. In these asparagus pickles, we are adding
garlic cloves. In our dill pickles, we add dill or dill weed, garlic chunks, pieces of dried
hot peppers, and dried jalapenos for really hot. The point is that one can take the basic
brine and do many things with it for various types of pickles. But for pickled beets, we
use another brine. Cee Dub checks the brine and it is almost boiling. He wants to boil it
for a couple of minutes so that the flavors release in the mixture. He explains that by
using the vinegar, an acid, one only needs to water bath the jars. The pickling by the
vinegar is a method of preservation in and of itself. The bacteria cannot live in the high
acidity. If we were simple canning the asparagus plain, we would need to pressure can
the jars to preserve. He then pulls out the spice sack and sets aside. Using a ladle, he
fills the jars with hot liquid to where we have about a half inch head space. He lets the
jars rest so the air bubbles come to the top; adjusting with more liquid as needed. Cee
Dub wipes the top of each jar to assure a good seal. He uses a little magnet to retrieve
the lids and rings from hot water. The hot water softens the rubber on the lid for a
better seal. He sets the lids on and screws on the rings to a firm tightness. The canner
holds seven jars at a time. When they are all ready, we will do the water bath process
outside to keep the heat out of the kitchen. If a jar does not seal, it can be kept in the
refrigerator for a couple of weeks and eaten fresh.

Cee Dub prepares the basic brine, calling his “all-purpose” brine. He states that we
have this recipe calculated for different quantities. Today he is making brine calculated
for three quarts (or six pints). He begins by pouring two cups of water into a kettle. He
adds four cups of white vinegar. He then adds one-half cup sugar and one-fourth cup
canning salt. He begins to heat up the mixture and stir to dissolve the ingredients. It
needs to come to a boil. The spices could be added directly to the liquid, but then they would need to be strained out later. So he then prepares a spice ball. Cee Dub starts
with a square of cheesecloth laid out flat. He places one teaspoon red pepper flakes
and one tablespoon pickling spices on the cheesecloth. Then he gathers the corners
and ties it with a long string. After dropping the ball into the brine mixture, he ties off
the string to the handle for easy retrieval later. The spices will flavor the brine as it
heats up.

Cee Dub begins this Section of the Powerless Cooking Learning Module In A Pickle
relating to Pickled Asparagus. We eat a lot of pickles so we make a lot of pickles as they
become available in season. Asparagus has a short season and comes on early, so it is
usually the first thing we preserve. We’ve already eaten some and frozen some. In fact,
we have gone back several times for more. Watch for asparagus in the store, at
produce stands, and local farmers’ markets or vendors selling in your area. Cee Dub
describes the place where we found ours here in town. The place is on the honor
system. The bundles are weighed out in one pound bundles. You write down how much
you are taking and leave cash or a check in a lock box. Cee Dub puts up some half-pint
jars that he and Pen put into gift baskets at Christmas; also, using the smaller quantity
half-pint jars for his Mom. Cee Dub reminisces about picking asparagus when he and
Pen were kids taking home nature’s bounty.

Cee Dub begins by reviewing what we did in this Learning Module. We started this process with a purchased a pork belly that was trimmed and had the hide removed. He recommends that if you are a beginner start with one of these bellies that is already trimmed and ready to go. We then mixed up our brine, that has a preservative in it, with water and mixed to dissolve. We put the belly in the brine and it all went into the fridge for about six to seven days, turning it every day. When it came out of the brine, we did a salt test by frying up a couple pieces. If OK, then proceed to smoking. If not salty enough, just put it back in the brine for another day. If it is too salty, soak for a day and do test again. This is the way to make this bacon individually just for you to your personal taste. There is a little bit of maple flavoring in our brine, but if you wanted to get a stronger maple flavor, one could add about one-half cup real maple syrup per gallon of brine; or, in our case, one cup of syrup for the two gallons of brine we used. If you want peppered bacon, sprinkle course black pepper on the inside of the belly before putting it in the smoker. And, you want to almost cover that bacon with pepper to get the right amount. Then we placed out brined pork bellies in the smokers, using both a propane smoker and an electric smoker. The target temperature we shoot for is about 135 degrees which is less than fully cooked. We used apple wood chips for smoking, but other choices work well, too, like pecan or hickory. It is the smoke that really flavors the bacon and one can tell the difference by comparing the finished bacon to that of the salt test pork. Now, regarding the cost savings when you make your own bacon. Cee Dub bought some house brand bacon, nothing fancy, at the store which cost about $6.67 per pound. The cost of our bacon which includes the belly, the brine, and the bags, we are into our bacon for about $3.75 per pound. That equates to roughly half the price of store-bought bacon which is a considerable savings. Cee Dub then shows how he packaged all the bacon. He shows how he puts single servings in Ziploc bags, leaves the bags open, then vacuum seals two of those bags in a bigger bag for storage in the freezer. He also makes up some packages of the little pieces for his mom, packages the ends for cooking in recipes, and puts the large trimmings in a bag to add to venison burger. Be sure to label everything. He has all the fixing ready to make some delicious BLT’s for lunch. Hope you have enjoyed this Powerless cooking Learning Module.

Cee Dub tells us that the bacon finished late last night. He then cooled them and put the pieces in the refrigerator overnight. He holds up the two pieces to show how they look after smoking. He explains a trick he learned is that the colder the meat, the easier it is to slice whether we are using a mechanical slicer or slicing it by hand. So, this morning, he put the pieces in the freezer for a couple of hours or so to firm up before slicing. Before slicing he describes the slicer he will be using. It is a home model and much smaller than the commercial models that can handle the entire length of the belly. Cee Dub trims the belly pieces into chunks that can be accommodated in the slicer. He saves all the trimmed pieces. Those will be used in Fried Cabbage or Baked Beans. He turns the slicer around so that it can be operated properly. The slicer can be adjusted to the desired thickness. Cee Dub likes his a little thicker than store-bought bacon. He begins to slice the bacon placing it onto a tray. However, the slicer is slipping a little on the counter so he places a wet rag under the slicer to provide a better platform. He slices all the bacon, ending up with larger pieces and short pieces. It is amazing the volume out of a pork belly that started at about eleven pounds. The bacon ends and pieces can be used in recipes as well as frozen and used in processing with venison and elk for burger and sausage. He shows how to stack the bacon for placing in packages so it looks like store-bought. He says that it smells so good that he is going to fry some up for a BLT in his near future.

Cee Dub holds up the large slab and describes how a commercial smoker would hang the bacon by hooks in the lengthwise vertical direction from the butt end in a smokehouse where the air can circulate all around the slab. Here we are going to lay the slab on a rack in about the middle of the Camp Chef propane smoker so the heat and smoke circulates all around the slab. He explains how he has set up the heat source configuration. He begins at the bottom with the wood chip pan where he has placed apple wood chips. Other wood chip flavors can be used such as hickory, maple, or pecan. Because mesquite is very intense, he does not recommend using it. A word of caution…it is easy to over-smoke your bacon; therefore, we are going to use only one pan of chips during this process. To keep the heat from being too intense coming from the bottom, Cee Dub explains the method he uses to disperse the heat and distribute the smoke more evenly. He first puts the chips over the heat source. Then he puts in the drip pan above that contains two diffuser plates to spread out the intensity. The more metal used to spread the heat and smoke the better. Then he places a square cast iron Dutch oven upside down above the diffuser plates in the pan. This captures the smoke and radiates the smoke and heat out that rise from the heat source and chip pan. He then turns on the burner starting at about medium heat until the smoke starts; then, he will turn it down. He shuts the door to the smoker. He then goes over to the Smokehouse Big Chief Smoker to do the little piece that is the end of the pork belly. He could have done both pieces in the larger smoker, but he wants to demonstrate two different smokers. Again, we will use one pan of chips on our electric burner at the bottom. He has placed the lid of the square Dutch oven he used in the bigger smoker as a diffuser for the heat and smoke. He puts the lid on and plugs into the electrical outlet. He further explains smoking techniques and heat control as well as how the outside temperatures affect smoking. Longer smoking times are desired so the better you can control the heat, having it rise slowly, the better your end product will be. We are going to smoke to a given temperature using a digital thermometer. We will smoke to about 135 degrees to 140 degrees by inserting about an inch into the pieces of bacon. When it hits the temperature, we will turn off the smokers, let the pieces cool a little, and then we will refrigerate overnight until they are thoroughly cooled. Perhaps there will be some BLT’s in the future. So let’s wait for the smoke to start rolling.

Cee Dub starts this segment by explaining the correct measurements for mixing the brine which is one and one-half cups dry brine mix per gallon of water. He then proceeds by taking the pork butt out of the brine where it has been soaking for about a week. He explains that at this point before smoking, it is best to do a taste test for salt content. He slices off about three pieces that he will fry up to test the salt content. After the pieces are cool, he does a taste test. If the salt content is OK, then we will proceed to smoking. If it is too salty, soak it in water for a day and test again. Cee Dub takes a bite and decides that this bacon is ready to smoke. The smoker is ready to go outside.

Our pork belly has been trimmed and is now ready to be cured. One can use a dry rub or a liquid brine which is the method we are going to use here. A liquid brine is composed of three primary ingredients which are salt, sugar, and a curing agent. These are combined into a commercial mix so that all one has to do is mix the right amount of the mix with water. The curing agent is most often in the nitrate family and in typically sodium nitrite. Folks ask why we need that preservative in our food. The primary reason is that the sodium nitrite is an anti-bacterial agent. The food safety folks tell us that food held between 40 degrees and 135 degrees for longer than two hours is subject to bacterial growth and contamination. Our bacon during the smoking process will be spending more than two hours in the danger zone. So by using sodium nitrite in the curing process will prevent the bacterial growth while smoking. Sodium nitrite is used in other curing processes as well. It should be noted that sodium nitrite occurs naturally occurring compound found in most green vegetables and is harmless in small quantities. Every time you eat spinach, leaf lettuce, cabbage, and celery, naturally occurring sodium nitrites are being ingested. The liquid brine that we are using is a combination of salt, sugar, cane sugar, maple syrup solids, and less than one percent sodium nitrite. It is available in the Powerless Cooking Store for purchase. A liquid brine makes it much easier for a beginner because it assures a more even distribution of the sodium nitrite. Cee Dub states that he uses 1 ½ cups brine mixture for each gallon of water and our recipe here is for two gallons. Whoops! He puts in 2 ½ cups, rather than 3 cups, brine mix into the water. As he tells his audiences, he is not good with math. (Not to worry, he fixes it later in next segment!) He then dissolves the mix in the tub and after adding the pork belly pieces, it will remain in the refrigerator for about a week, turning it every day. Cee Dub then describes how a commercial operation does this same process. They are not interested in a long curing process of five to seven days. Instead they will mix the brine and trim the pork bellies, maybe up to 250 to 300 pounds at a time. Then they are going to put all into a stainless steel drum called a tumbler. After the lid is put on, a vacuum is pulled, maybe up to fifteen atmospheres of vacuum on the bellies. Under pressure, the muscle fibers separate and that allows the pork to absorb that brine in just a few hours. The process done this way takes only a few hours as opposed to a week of soaking in the brine. Cee Dub then places the pork belly pieces into the brine and makes sure they are submerged. If needed, one can place a dinner plate on the pieces to act as a weight. Every day, we will turn the pieces over. He then puts it into our outside refrigerator. We have one that has been soaking in the brine and is ready for the next step.

The basic building block of bacon is a pork belly or side of pork. Cee Dub orients the viewer as to where the pork belly is found on the pig. He also has a chart to diagram exactly where the pork belly is located which is below the pork loin. There are two pork bellies per pig. This pork belly has the rind, or hide, trimmed off; but, often the rind is still on the pork belly. The pork belly can be purchased either way. And, the method we are using today works equally well with the rind on or off. For the person doing this for the first time, it is easier with the rind cut off. Cee Dub explains that perhaps the pork belly you purchase is going to be wider than this one and it will be solid fat at the bottom. Cee Dub explains that he begins trimming from the bottom in about one inch intervals working up the belly until you begin seeing the sheet of muscle that runs up the width of the belly. What he needs to do now is trim our belly down for a couple of reasons. One, the tubs we have to brine in are not large enough to accommodate this entire pork belly. Secondly, a full-sized belly will not fit into our smoker so it needs to be trimmed to fit the smoker you are using.

Cee Dub introduces this Powerless Cooking Learning Module on Makin’ Bacon. This Learning Module will feature making pork bacon. But, in another segment, he will demonstrate making beef bacon for folks that have specific dietary, religious, or personal preference for beef bacon. It is amazing how easy it is to make bacon, how much money can be saved by making it yourself, and what a great tasting product you have in the results. While researching this Learning Module, Cee Dub explains that bacon has been around since man met hog; and, he passes on a little tidbit of history. It seems that in England in the 12th Century, a preacher promised a side of bacon to any man who could swear before the congregation and God that he had not quarreled with his wife for a year and one day. The process starts with a pork belly. We are using a wet brine, but a dry one could be used. After brining, the bacon will be smoked. Let’s get started by getting the pork belly prepped.

Cee Dub reviews the steps he followed in this segment of making pickled fish. Start with nice fresh skinned fillets of your choice. Then place the fillets in a non-reactive container with a lot of salt to complete a salt cure which is a very basic method of preservation that prevents the growth of bacteria and also pulls the moisture out of the fish. Leave them there in the refrigerator for at least a couple of days before proceeding. When ready to pickle, rinse the fillets under cold water, soak them in cold water for about 15 to 20 minutes, and drain them. He reviews making up the brine. Also, you can add other things to your brine such as fresh herbs or other spices to change the flavor if you desire. Cut your fish into cracker-size morsels, strips, or the size you desire. Pack the pieces in the brine in the jar adding sliced onions, sliced lemons, and sliced limes; mixing as you go. Cee Dub explains how to use this same method to pickle shrimp. However, instead of using the salt cure, the fresh shrimp are pre-cooked until pink in some of the brine, then cooled, and added back into the brine in the jar, or smaller jars, with the other ingredients. This also makes a great snack. Cee Dub opens up a jar of pickled Salmon to show just what it looks like out of the jar. The pickled fish will keep for months in the fridge, but you will most likely eat is pretty quickly. Now, just go catch some fish and try making pickled fish!

The fish have been soaking for about 15 minutes. Soaking them longer will take out more of the salt. While Cee Dub places the fillets into a colander to drain, he notes how the fish are now much more flexible. In addition to the fish, Cee Dub has sliced up some onions, and will also thinly slice up a lemon and a lime to add as well. The vinegar solution has already begun taking on the color from the spices that were added earlier. He then begins to cut up the fish into strips and pieces, about one-half to one inch in width and then cut again to make bite-sized pieces. One can tell that the fish has been toughened up by the salt. If you have fish left, they can be put back into the salt mixture to use another time. Cee Dub continues to cut the fish and put the pieces in the jar and adding the onions, lemon and lime slices, and mixing as he goes. When he is done, he mixes it all a final time, and them puts the lid on the jar. The jar of fish will go back into the refrigerator and sit for about a week. Then if desired the fish can be re-packed into smaller jars to distribute to friends. He notes that this is a fresh pack pickle that needs to remain refrigerated. It does not require water bath or pressure canning.

Cee Dub shows a large tub of catfish that have been curing in the salt and stored in the fridge. These fish are ready to use for the pickling process. He removes what he needs for this batch of pickled fish and returns the remainder back into the fridge. He then rinses off the salt from each piece under the faucet. While rinsing Cee Dub discusses the various types of fish that can be pickled. Also, pickling is another way to use fish when you have an abundance. After they are rinsed, he covers them with water in a large bowl. Allow them to soak for about 10 to 15 minutes. While they are soaking, Cee Dub will get the remaining ingredients ready.

Of course, step one is catching the fish. Or, in the alternative, you can buy the fish; or, perhaps someone will share fish with you to use. Here, Cee Dub starts with some fresh skinned fillets and shows how to pack them in a container of salt. He shows you some fillets that have been packed in the salt and how the salt has pulled out the liquid and made the fish stiff. Store them in a non-reactive container such as glass or plastic, or even a crock if you have one. These fish can be stored in a refrigerator, root cellar, or a spring house. As long as they are maintained below 50 degrees, they will keep indefinitely. The fish need to be stored in the salt for at least two days. If one does a lot of fish at one time, there may be an accumulation of liquid which can be poured off. A fan can be used to help pull moisture from the fish. Next Cee Dub demonstrates making the brine. He starts with three cups vinegar and two cups water. He adds one cup sugar and stirs it in to dissolve. Then he adds one-half cup pickling spices and stirs them in. This brine can be made ahead of time to allow the spices to release flavor before adding the fish later.

In this “In a Pickle” segment Cee Dub is going to show you a way to pickle fish, which is a great way to preserve fish. This is an old method of food preservation which also provides some variety in the way we prepare and serve fish. We typically think of fried fish, breaded fish, broiled or grilled fish, or even a fish boil. Cee Dub serves his as a snack or appetizer served with some crackers while watching a game on TV. There are several different methods of pickling fish. The one we are going to use in this module comes to us from Herb Good from Hood River, Oregon. He has been a fishing guide for many years. Herb’s philosophy is to use all the fish and he showed us this method which pre-dates refrigeration. It involves just a few basic simple steps so let’s get started.

Cee Dub introduces this Powerless Cooking Learning Module called In A Pickle. He will demonstrate how to pickle some foods that maybe you have not thought of or tried
before. When you think of pickles, you usually think of dill pickles served with your burgers, pickled jalapenos, or pickled okra. But in this Learning Module Cee Dub will take things further. He will show you how to recycle different leftover pickle juices and make pickled eggs using all your leftover Easter eggs. As different foods come on from the garden during the summer, Cee Dub will be adding segments to this Learning Module. Cee Dub will also show how to make salt cured pickled fish which you might not have tried before. Why should we want to make and eat pickled foods? Medical research has shown that eating pickled and fermented foods is very beneficial to our digestive systems and we should include them in our diets. Most of these snacks are usually low calorie, nutritious, and fun to make, too. So let’s get started!

In this Powerless Cooking® Learning Module Fresh Salad Dressings, we have shown you how to make your own salad dressings that are made fresh and with ingredients that you most likely will have in your kitchen pantry. Cee Dub explained why these are so much better for you. We have left out all the preservatives, MSG, artificial flavors and colors, unnecessary salt and sugar, and high fructose corn syrup; and, these ingredients are used to extend the shelf life in the warehouse and the store shelves. There is no need to read a label because you have prepared it yourself and know what is in the jar. It seems that we are learning more from the research that all the preservatives and additives are unhealthy and can cause unwanted health conditions. Cee Dub shows all the dressings that have been made fresh in this Learning Module. These salad dressings are just like your salads…made fresh and eaten fresh!

Ranch is probably the most popular salad dressing out there and if you have kids, you probably buy a lot of it. They eat it on salads, with veggies, chicken fingers, chicken nuggets, pizza, breadsticks, etc., except maybe strawberry shortcake! Perhaps some folks buy the dry packets and mix their own, using Greek yogurt, buttermilk, sour cream or mayo, to try to save a little money. But when the labels are examined, MSG, along with other preservatives and additives are found in the store-bought brands which we really don’t want or need. The ingredients for our Homemade Ranch Dressing are: one clove garlic that is mashed and minced, one-quarter teaspoon salt, one cup mayo, one-half cup sour cream, one-quarter cup parsley flakes that are minced, one teaspoon dill weed, one tablespoon fresh minced chives, one teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, one-half teaspoon black pepper, one-half teaspoon white vinegar, one-quarter teaspoon paprika, one-eighth teaspoon cayenne pepper, dash of hot sauce, one-quarter to one-half cup buttermilk to thin to desired consistency. Cee Dub starts by having the garlic and the salt mixed into a paste in a separate little bowl. He then starts with the mayo, then sour cream; and, adds the garlic and salt mixture. All the rest of the ingredients are added except for the buttermilk. Cee Dub uses some dried parsley from last summer’s garden that he keeps on hand for cooking instead of fresh parsley. When all the ingredients are mixed up he adds a little buttermilk to thin. If you are using this for dip, you might want it a little thicker than for dressing. After it is chilled, it will probably thicken a little so use buttermilk to thin to desired consistency as desired. This recipe is so simple and enables folks to have Homemade Ranch Dressing whenever it suits your fancy. When removed from the fridge, it is much thicker; so that is the best time to thin the dressing down to the right consistency wanted. Cee Dub dips in a piece of broccoli to test it out and decides it tastes awesome. But for the salad he thins it out using buttermilk to make it flow more easily. To make this garden salad into an entire meal, he adds some fully-cooked shredded smoked turkey, salt and pepper, and croutons. He decides to thin the dressing a little more before putting it on the salad. He notes that some folks might want the dressing on the side rather than on the salad. Cee Dub then gives the Homemade Ranch Dressing the taste test for his own lunch. He definitely approves and he is not likely to share!

When Cee Dub and Pen were youngsters growing up, salads as we know them today, were not served at home…only in restaurants. But when the fresh lettuce was on in their gardens, their moms would serve the same recipe of fresh lettuce topped with a creamy dressing made from things that were plentiful for them. They both had milking cows so they had lots of cream. The ingredients for this Sweet Cream Dressing are: two-thirds cup whipping cream, one-fourth cup sugar, and four tablespoons vinegar. The recipe can be found in Cee Dub’s cookbook, Gather ‘Round the Table. He starts by putting the whipping cream in a bowl, adding the sugar and whisking it until the sugar dissolves. He then adds the vinegar and whisks that together. Cee Dub then spoons this onto the lettuce and adds a little salt and pepper. This is a very quick and simple dressing that can be made any time, but is an excellent way to use with fresh lettuce as it is coming off the garden.

Poppy Seed Dressing is just a little bit fancier than many other dressings; and, therefore, it costs a little more than other dressings. In the store, this costs about $3.50 or more, depending on the brand. Cee Dub tells some stories about folks years ago being drug tested and ending up with positive results for drugs only to trace it back to poppy seed muffins. Perhaps testing methods are better today. This dressing is made similarly to the Honey Mustard Dressing when it comes to the process as well as the ingredients. They are: one-third cup honey, one-half teaspoon salt, one-third cup vinegar, three tablespoons mustard, two and one-half teaspoons poppy seed, one and one-quarter cups oil, and one small onion that is grated. The full recipe can be found in Cee Dub’s cookbook, Gather ‘Round the Table. You will have most of these ingredients in the pantry. Again, there are no preservatives, additives, or high fructose corn syrup in this dressing; just simple ingredients. Cee Dub starts by putting the honey in the blender. He has heated it up a little in the microwave to make it blend better with the other ingredients. He then adds the salt and vinegar, which can be either white or apple cider. He adds the poppy seeds then tells how Pen’s family grew and harvested a lot of poppy seed for her mom’s baking throughout the years. It was quite a chore because one head of poppy had just a tiny amount of poppy seeds in it. He then adds the grated onion, which is optional, and the mustard. Next, Cee Dub blends the mixture. He adds the oil slowly and continues to blend until it disappears. He pours it into a pint jar. It goes in the refrigerator to chill. It will keep for several weeks. Cee Dub also points out that his mom has made and embroidered the aprons you see him wearing during the Powerless Cooking® Learning Modules. After the dressing has chilled, Cee Dub shows using this dressing on a salad. He starts with a fresh tomato from the garden, slices it, and places it around the edge of the salad plate. Then he puts on a handful of leaf lettuce from the farmers’ market. But to make this salad a little different, he adds some cooked decorticated red lentils. These will give the salad more texture, color, and add some fiber and protein. Also, he grinds some black pepper on the salad; then adds the Poppy Seed Dressing. The salad looks delicious!