Category: Cooking

Spicy Bread and Butter Pickles

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Spicy Bread and Butter Pickles

Spicy Bread and Butter Pickles

I made a couple of batches of these pickles last night. I made one batch regular and one batch spicy. I get requests every year for spicy Bread and Butter Pickles. While you should follow recipes for pickles carefully- those amounts of vinegar, salt, sugar etc., all are important for safety and a good end product, you can play around with seasonings a little. In this case I just added a teaspoon of red pepper flakes to each pint jar right before filling and processing for the spicy version.  Just enough of a kick. You might want to add a little more or less according to your taste.

Bread and Butter Pickles*

6 quarts thinly sliced pickling cucumbers
6 medium onions, peeled and sliced thin
½ c. pickling salt
1½ quarts vinegar
4½ c. sugar
½ c. whole mustard seed
1 T. Pickling spice
1 T. celery seeds
Wash cucumbers and trim off ends before slicing. Place in non-reactive bowl
(stainless steel, enamel, plastic) add the onions and then salt and stir. Allow cucumbers and onions to sit in the salt for 3 hours. After 3 hours drain well, but do not rinse. Meanwhile combine remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Add cucumbers and onions and return to the boil. As soon as the mixture is boiling ladle into clean, hot pints jars, leaving a good ½ -inch of headspace. Wipe rims and screw on lids firmly. Place in boiling water bath and process  for 10 minutes. Remove to counter and allow to cool naturally. Makes 12 pints.
* For Spicy Bread and Butter Pickles add 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes to each pint jar just before filling.

Note: These need a couple of weeks for the flavors to develop. They can also be made with firm, small zucchini.
Source: Putting Food By

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Lemonade Glaze for Chicken or Pork

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Lemonade Glazed Chicken

Lemonade Glazed Chicken

When I was asked by a local television station to do a segment on cooking with lemonade my first thoughts went to desserts. I made several sweet dishes but I also wanted to go for some savory uses. I ended up creating this lemonade glaze. I’ve tried it on chicken a couple of times and I could see it going well with pork or even seafood. The sweet/sour nature of lemonade works well as a base for sauces. I used homemade lemonade concentrate, but store bought is fine, too. Here is the recipe. I hope you’ll try it. It really is good.

Lemonade Glaze for Chicken or Pork

2 T. oil
1 medium onion, chopped fine
2 t. minced garlic
12 oz. lemonade concentrate
¼ c. red wine vinegar
2 T. hot sauce, or to taste
1 T. prepared mustard
3 T. honey
1 t. cumin
1 t. ginger
2 t. salt, or to taste

Heat oil in pan and cook onion until lightly browned. Add garlic and cook 1 more minute. Add remaining ingredients and cook until mixture has cooked down and thickened- about 10-15 minutes on medium high heat. Stir occasionally. You should end up with about 1½ of glaze.
To use: Brush on meat during last 15 minutes of cooking if baking or grilling. Add in last 5 minutes if cooking in a pan.

Here is the recipe for the lemonade concentrate.

Homemade Lemonade Mix

 

 

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Lemonade Cookies

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Lemonade Cookies

Lemonade Cookies

These are a perfect summertime cookie. With the sweet tangy flavor of lemonade they are a great addition to any picnic or cookout. They are soft, cake-like cookies with lemonade in the batter. Once baked they are brushed with a little lemonade concentrate and sprinkled with sugar for an extra  lemonade flavor.

Lemonade Cookies

1 c. butter, softened

1 c. sugar, plus extra for sprinkling

2 eggs

1/2 c. lemonade concentrate, plus extra for brushing on cookies

2 t. lemon zest

3 c. flour

1 t. baking soda

In medium bowl beat together the butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs and then add the lemonade concentrate and lemon zest. Combine the flour and baking soda and stir into the butter mixture. Chill dough 1 hour. Preheat oven to 375. Lightly grease baking sheets. Scoop dough in rounded tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheets about 1 inch apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until light golden. Once cookies have cooled brush with a little lemonade concentrate and sprinkle with sugar. Makes about 5 dozen.

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Cooking Camp in Mentor- Cooking with Fruit

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Warm Blueberry Cake

Warm Blueberry Cake

Today was all about cooking with fruit. We made blueberry soda with blueberry syrup and club soda, warm blueberry cake, grapesicles- which are frozen grapes, fresh strawberry jam and chocolate dipped strawberries. A good time was had by all.

 

 

 

 

Frozen grapes- great summer snack

Frozen grapes- great summer snack

Warm Blueberry Cake

2 c. biscuit mix
1/2 c. sugar
1/3 c. milk
2 T. oil
1 egg
1 1/2 c. blueberries

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour a 9×9-inch pan. Beat all ingredients together, except berries, for about 30 seconds. Fold in berries and pour into prepared pan. Bake for about 35 minutes. Cake should be golden brown on top and test clean with a toothpick. Serve warm.

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Mentor Camp- Snack Day

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Tiger Paws

Tiger Paws

It was all about the tiger paws in camp today. Biscuit dough brushed with melted butter, dipped  in cinnamon sugar and adorned with slivered almond “claws” and then baked. We also made yogurt and fruit cups with fresh peaches and topped with homemade granola. Mexican Pizzas were a big hit and we finished off the day making a trail mix.

 

 

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Peach and yogurt cup with granola

Peach and yogurt cup with granola

Mexican Pizza

Mexican Pizza

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Lemonade Biscuits

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Lemonade Biscuits

Lemonade Biscuits

I know it sounds odd but these are some of the lightest biscuits I ever made- and easy, too. They aren’t sweet, as you might imagine, but do have a slight lemon flavor. Great with almost any savory dish I could see using these as the base for strawberry shortcake, too.

Lemonade Biscuits

3 c. flour

4 t. baking powder

1 t. salt

1 c. heavy whipping cream

1 c. prepared lemonade

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine dry ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Add cream and lemonade and stir gently until dough just holds together. Using flour on a board, gently knead the dough using gentle pressure until it just holds together. Dough will be sticky. Press or roll out about 1/2 inch thick and cut out with 2 inch biscuit cutter. Re-roll scraps. You should get 20-24  biscuits. Place on baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown on the bottom and light brown on the top. Cool on wire rack.

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Swiss Chard Gnudi

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Swiss Chard Gnudi

Swiss Chard Gnudi

I love Swiss Chard and have been enjoying a lot of it lately. It is abundant at local farm markets and in my yard. I decided to use some of my chard to make  gnudi. What are gnudi? They are little dumplings. Gnudi are similar to gnocchi but you use ricotta cheese instead of the potatoes. When done right they are tender and light. These were like little pillows of flavor. I just served mine tossed in butter and topped with fresh grated Parmesan cheese. If you are trying to get your family to eat more greens- try making these.

Swiss Chard Gnudi

1 lb. Swiss chard, stem ends trimmed
1 c. whole milk ricotta
½ c. grated Parmesan cheese plus extra for sprinkling
¼ c. dried minced onion
1 egg
½ t. coarse salt
¼ t. fresh ground pepper
1/8 t. ground nutmeg
¾ c. flour, plus extra for rolling
Butter
Grated Parmesan cheese
Cut chard leaves from each side of center stem. Cook chard leaves in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 3 minutes. Drain; cool. Squeeze chard leaves until very dry; place in processor. Using on/off turns, finely chop chard. Add ricotta, ½ cup Parmesan, onion, egg, coarse salt, pepper, and nutmeg; process to blend. Transfer mixture to medium bowl. Add ¾ cup flour; stir to blend. Cover and refrigerate dough overnight.
Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Spoon some flour onto large plate. Working in batches, drop heaping teaspoonfuls gnudi dough (size of small walnuts) onto plate with flour to form about 36 gnudi. Using floured hands, gently shape each into 1 1/2-inch-long, 1/2-inch-thick oval. Tap off excess flour; transfer gnudi to prepared baking sheet. They can be made 2 hours ahead. Cover and chill. Bring large wide pot of salted water to boil. Slide gnudi into pot; cook until they float to the top, about 4-5 minutes. They are very tender so remove from water gently. Toss cooked gnudi in butter and sprinkle with cheese. Serves 4.

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Counter Blender

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IMG_3275This picture is from the kitchen at Wildwood, where I often teach. Never much paid attention to it until the other day. It’s a built in blender motor and switch. I was curious so I turned the switch and the motor still works!!! Have no idea if a newer blender would work but I think I am going to give it a try. Kinda cool, although I see limitations. If the motor goes probably impossible to fix. Then again, I have no idea how old it is, but it still works. Any idea when these were made and installed? Any body ever have one They are going to be remodeling the kitchen soon so I am sure it will be pulled out.

If you unscrew this knob there is an attachment for the blender

If you unscrew this knob there is an attachment for the blender inside.

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Lemonade Cheesecake Squares

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Lemonade Cheesecake Squares

Lemonade Cheesecake Squares

I always enjoy the combination of lemon and cheesecake. I wanted a new recipe and decided to  jazz up the flavor with lemonade both in the filling and as a glaze on top. The end result is just what I had hoped for. Creamy, not too sweet and a pop of lemon flavor from the glaze. I also wanted to add more texture to the crust so I added some oats in addition to the graham crackers and baked this cheesecake in a 9×13-inch pan. You could serve it with a few berries on top, if you like. Here is the recipe.

Lemonade Cheesecake Squares

Crust:
¾ c. butter (1½ sticks)
1 ¼ c. graham cracker crumbs
1 c. oatmeal, old-fashioned or quick cooking
¼ t. salt
Filling:
2 (8oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
¾ c. frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed*
3 T. flour
2 eggs
2 t. grated lemon peel
Glaze:
¾ c. frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed*
2½  T. cornstarch

Heat oven to 350-degrees. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan. Beat together butter with the rest of crust ingredients. Press into bottom of prepared pan and bake 20 minutes. Beat cream cheese, lemonade and flour until fluffy. Stir in eggs and peel. Pour over crust and bake for 25 minutes, or until set. Cool then add the glaze. To make the glaze: in small saucepan combine the lemonade with the cornstarch. Heat together over medium heat until mixture becomes thickened and bubbly, stirring constantly. Pour over cheesecake. Store covered in fridge. Makes 24 squares.

*You can use store bought frozen lemonade concentrate or here is the recipe I use to make my own.

Homemade Lemonade Concentrate

1 1/3 c. lemon juice- fresh or bottled

1 c. sugar

lemon zest, optional

Combine ingredients and stir until sugar is dissolved. Freeze until ready to use. Makes a little over 1 1/2 cups. To use: combine three parts water to one part  concentrate.

Homemade Lemonade Mix

 

 

 

 

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