Refrigerator Dill Pickles

I think everyone loves a good pickle, at least I know I do. Whenever I order a sandwich and see a delicious crunchy pickle on the side, I have to think….which do I eat first the sandwich or the pickle? Well, needless to say the pickle usually wins. I have a plethora of cucumbers from the garden and decided to make a ton of fresh pickles instead of giving the cucumbers out to friends, and I am so glad that I did, I just tasted the first pickles out of the batch and they are simply amazing…tangy, salty, and crunchy, how could they possibly get any better?

Refrigerator Dill Pickles

Cucumbers
Fresh Dill
Jalapeno Peppers
Grape Leaves
Black Mustard Seed
Whole Pepper Corns
Whole Allspice
Bay Leaves
Apple Cider Vinegar
Water
Kosher Salt

Sanitize the containers you are going to use in the dishwasher, or in the sink with water and bleach. Cut the cucumbers into spears. Next, add a handful of dill, jalapeno pepper, grape leaf, tablespoon mustard seed, pepper, allspice, and a few bay leaves, and enough cucumbers to fill the jar. To make the brine bring to boil one part vinegar, one part water and ¼ cup salt per 2 quarts of liquid and boil for 2 minutes. Pour hot brine over cucumbers to cover and place lid on container. Let sit on counter for 2 days, then store in refrigerator for several months. Pickles are best if left for a few days before serving. You can also pickle any other vegetables, such as green beans, carrots, or celery the same way. I also added some onion and garlic to my pickles to add an extra bit of zing.

The Best Ever Fried Chicken

I saw this recipe in my Cooks magazine and have been dying to try it out. It’s a lot of work, but well worth the effort. This is the best fried chicken I have ever tasted, and I thought my fried chicken recipe was pretty good. The chicken turns out super tender and moist and the coating is thick and really really crispy. The only thing I am going to change the next time I make this is to add a little cayenne pepper to the coating to give it a little kick. The chicken has to soak in the buttermilk bath, so you do have to start this in the morning.

The Best Ever Fried Chicken

½ Cup, plus 2 Tablespoons Salt
¼ Cup Sugar
2 Tablespoons Paprika
3 Medium Garlic Heads, cloves separated and peeled
3 Bay Leaves, crumbled
2 Quarts Low-Fat Buttermilk
1 Whole Chicken, cut into 8 pieces
4 Cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 Large Egg
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
½ Teaspoon Baking Soda
4 Cups Vegetable Shortening or Refined Peanut Oil

In a large zipper-lock bag, combine salt, sugar, paprika, garlic cloves, and bay leaves. With a flat meat pounder smash garlic into salt and spice mixture thoroughly. Pour mixture into large plastic container or nonreactive stockpot. Add 7 cups buttermilk and stir until salt and sugar are completely dissolved. Immerse chicken and refrigerate for 3 hours. Remove chicken from buttermilk brine and shake off excess; place in single layer on large wire rack set over rimmed baking sheet. Refrigerate uncovered for 2 ours. (After 2 hours, chicken can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated up to 6 hours longer.)

Measure flour into large shallow dish. Beat egg, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium bowl; stir in remaining 1 cup buttermilk (mixture will bubble and foam). Working in batches of 3 dip chicken pieces in flour and shake dish to coat. Shake excess flour from each piece, then using tongs, dip chicken pieces into egg mixture, turning to coat well and allowing excess to drip off. Coat chicken pieces with flour again, shake off excess, and return to wire rack.

Adjust oven rack to middle position, set second wire rack over second rimmed baking sheet , and place on the oven rack; heat oven to 200 degrees. Line large plate with double layer paper towels. Meanwhile, heat oil (oil should have 2 ½ -inch depth in pan) to 375 degrees over medium-high heat in large 8-quart cast-iron Dutch oven with diameter of about 12 inches. Place half of chicken pieces skin side down in oil, cover, reduce heat to medium, and fry until deep golden brown, 6-8 minutes. (Spot-check oil temperature; after first 6 minutes o frying, oil should be 325 degrees. Adjust burner if necessary.) Turn chicken pieces over and continue to fry, uncovered, until deep golden brown on second side, 6-8 minutes longer. Using tongs, transfer chicken to paper towel-lined plate; let stand 2 minutes to drain, then transfer to rack in warm oven. Replace paper towel lining on plate. Return oil to 375 degrees and fry remaining pieces, transferring pieces to paper towel-lined plate to drain, then transferring to wire rack with other chicken pieces. Cool chicken pieces on wire rack about 5 minutes and serve.

Quick Blackberry Jam

My blackberry bushes have produced a ton of fruit this year and are so sweet and juicy. I was making dinner yesterday and had biscuits on the menu and realized I was out of honey and didn’t have any jam in the cupboard, so decided to whip up a batch of jam. I have never made jam this way, but thought I could figure it out and it turned out perfectly. I also love the fact that I didn’t have to sterilize a bunch of jars and make a huge mess, like you do when you do canning.

Quick Blackberry Jam

4 Cups Blackberries
½ Cup Sugar
2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
¼ Cup Cold Water

Place the blackberries and sugar in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Using a wooden spoon mash up the blackberries and stir constantly until they let out their juices and come to a boil. Continue to cook over medium high heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Next mix the cornstarch with the water, add to the blackberries and stir until thickened. Place the jam in a sealable container and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Fried Green Tomatoes

My tomatoes in the garden are almost ready, I wish I could magically ripen them. In the meantime I decided to make use of the green tomatoes and fry them up for an appetizer. They turned out really nice and crispy and perfectly cooked on the inside. The only thing to keep in mind is to not cut your slices too thick, or the sourness of the tomatoes will overpower the breading.

Fried Green Tomatoes

6 Green Tomatoes
1 ½ Cups Flour, plus ½ cup
½ Cup Cornmeal
1 Teaspoon Salt & Pepper
Buttermilk
Oil, for frying
Kosher Salt

Slice the tomatoes into medium slices. Mix the 1 ½ cups flour, cornmeal ,and salt & pepper together in a large bowl. Add enough buttermilk to the flour mixture to make a thick batter (you want the consistency of a pancake batter) about 3 cups.
Dredge the tomato slices in the flour and shake off any extra then coat with the batter. Fry in ¼ inch of oil over medium high heat for a few minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain and sprinkle with a little kosher salt. Serve hot.

Corn Chowder

I have been loving all the sweet fresh corn that is available and decided to make a yummy corn chowder. It’s been very unusually cold and rainy here in Portland so this is the perfect thing to make to warm you up. The only thing I hate about this recipe is cutting the kernels off the cob, it’s messy and kind of a pain, but well worth the effort. I just used a very large bowl and tried to keep the mess contained as much as possible. I was on a total corn kick when I made this and made a sweet cornbread to go along side of the chowder.

Corn Chowder

1 Stick Butter
1 Large Onion, diced
2 Small Carrots, peeled and diced
2 Stalks Celery, diced
2 Russet Potatoes, Peeled and diced
¼ Cup Flour
6 Cups Chicken Stock
10 Ears Corn, husked and kernels removed
2 Cups Heavy Cream
Salt and Pepper
Fresh Thyme

In a large stock pot melt butter over medium high heat, add the onions, carrots, celery, and potatoes and cook until softened. Next add the flour and cook until fragrant, but do not brown, about one minute. Pour in the chicken stock and turn down to a simmer and cook until potatoes are very soft, about 10 minutes. Using a stick blender puree the vegetables to create a smooth thick stock. Next add the corn and cook until tender, about 10 more minutes. Pour in the cream and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with a sprig of fresh thyme.

Chicken Fried Steak & Gravy

I am on vacation this week and am so excited to get back in the kitchen. I went and visited my parents in Boise over the weekend and had a blast, and mom cooked for me, what a treat. I have a bunch of new recipes that I want to try over the next couple days, so I should be posting more regularly.
I remember eating chicken fried steak growing up and absolutely love it. It’s funny how many people I know have never had it before. It’s really quick to make and cube steak is really inexpensive, so it’s an easy way to make a hearty meal in no time with little cost. I usually serve this with mashed potatoes, or a warm biscuit.

Chicken Fried Steak & Gravy

1 Cup Flour, plus 2 Tablespoons
½ Cup Cornmeal
1 Tablespoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Pepper
1 Pound Cubed Steak, cut into 4 pieces
2 Tablespoons Butter
4 Cups Whole Milk
Vegetable Oil or Crisco, for frying

Mix the one cup of flour, cornmeal, salt and pepper on a plate to combine. Heat a large heavy bottomed frying pan with ¼ inch oil over medium high heat. Dredge the steaks in the flour mixture to coat, place into frying pan. Cook steaks until browned on first side, then flip and continue cooking until other side is golden brown. Remove from pan and place on a paper-towel lined plate.

To make the gravy drain the oil from the pan and place back on burner over medium heat. Add butter and reserved flour and cook until light brown. While whisking add the milk and continue to whisk until milk starts to boil, it will thicken quickly. Season gravy with salt and pepper to taste. Plate up the steaks and cover with gravy, enjoy.

I won a cookbook!!!

I Won A Cookbook!

I was so thrilled to get a package in the mail last week all the way from Sweden!!! Anne from Anne’s Food had the privilege of getting her hands on a new cookbook that was recently published in English and held a drawing to give a couple books away. I thought this was such a nice thing to do and I can’t believe I won. I am never lucky with drawings or games, ect…hence the reason I don’t play the lottery, but I won this one, whoo hoo! The book is called In Grandma’s Arbor and it’s all about baking in the Swedish tradition and covers five generations of family recipes. Please read the more detailed article on Anne’s Food Blog.
Thank you Anne for your generosity and for picking me!

Miso Soup

The other day it was a bit chilly here in Portland and I wanted something warm and yummy for dinner. That thought led me to the kitchen, I opened the cupboard and then shut it thinking I hope there is something in the fridge to eat because there is nothing here, well I was welcomed by a very empty refrigerator, but low and behold there was my miso paste! Whenever I’m at the Asian market I pick up a container of miso paste, it keeps forever, it makes delicious soup, and it’s really inexpensive. After my amazing find in the back corner of my fridge, I once again scoured the cupboard to see what I could doctor up the soup with and I just happened to have a few dried shitake mushrooms, a handful of rice noodles and a package of dried seaweed, hurray, dinner was officially started. This is such an easy soup to make, and you can really add anything you like or just add a bit of miso paste to water and have a very simple, but yummy meal.

Miso Soup

4 Cups Water
½ Cup Miso Paste
Handful Rice noodles
6 Dried Shitake Mushrooms
Dried Seaweed (a little goes a long ways!)
Anything else you like…scallions, tofu, shrimp…

Soak the rice noodles in hot water for a few minutes to soften, drain and rinse with cold water, keep in water so they don’t stick together. Soak the dried mushrooms in a bowl with hot water until reconstituted, about 5 minutes, drain, remove stems, and cut into thin slices.
Bring the water to a boil, turn off heat and then add miso paste and stir until completely dissolved, add all other ingredients and stir again to incorporate them into the soup. Place into 4 small bowls, for a starter, or a large bowl for dinner.
I also love to add a little siracha, and rice vinegar to my soup, but that’s just me…so do what you like!

Rum Balls

I was asked to make rum balls for one of my friends “Alice In Wonderland” themed scavenger hunt. They are so simple to make, and quite delicious. I was looking up recipes on line and was a little hesitant to use a recipe that calls for ground up vanilla wafer cookies, but all the recipes seemed to have this as a theme ingredient. We left some out on a plate and wrapped some up in tissue. When you first taste them you just get a hit of the powdered sugar and chocolate, then at the end you can really taste the rum, quite a unique cookie!

Rum Balls

1 ½ Cups Pecans, finely chopped
1 ¼ Cups Vanilla Wafer Cookies, finely crushed
½ Cup Powdered Sugar, plus additional for coating
2 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder
2 Tablespoons Light Corn Syrup
¼ Cup Dark Rum

Mix all dry ingredients, then add corn syrup and rum, mix thoroughly. Shape into 1 inch balls, and roll around in sifted powdered sugar to coat. Store in the refrigerator, can be made several days in advance.

Mint Lemonade

Well I made it back from Phoenix, and boy was it hot! It was at least 110+ every day, so needless to say I stayed inside the entire time! I was planning on taking pictures of the delicious food and posting when I got back, but I forgot my camera, bummer! We had some pretty good food though, the first night we had several different grilled kabobs, and they had every kind of sushi and sashimi you could want. For breakfast we were served the usual American breakfast of bacon, eggs, hash browns. One day for lunch we had the Williams Sonoma Thanksgiving Dinner, it was amazing, I always love a good turkey! And for dinner the last night I was there we had the biggest fillet Mignon I have ever seen that were perfectly cooked and fork tender. I think between the food and champagne I had I gained at least 5 pounds!

I planted mint this spring and it is going absolutely crazy! I finally decided to use some the other day in my cocktail. I love the bright flavor that mint adds, and it's aroma is fabulous too! This is such an easy way to spice up your boring old lemonade, and you can throw in some vodka, or leave it out.

Mint Lemonade

Just tear up several mint leaves, and add to a glass of lemonade, stir well and enjoy.

Add a shot or two of vodka if you need something a little more relaxing.