Refrigerator Pickles

This is a super easy way to make pickles, no canning equipment needed.  This was my first foray into canning something all by myself.  The success gave me enough confidence to move forward and try out my shiny new water bath canner (next recipe!) so I count it as the beginning.  I was inspired by The Hip Girl's Guide To Homemaking and went from there.  This lets you enjoy yummy pickle-ness without added dyes that seem to be in everything. Take advantage of all the sales at the farmers markets on cucumbers and enjoy homemade pickles in the fridge for several months!

Pickling cucumbers being sliced

Jars:
You will need jars to put your pickles in.  These don't have to be new, don't have to be special - whatever washed out glass jars with lids will work just fine.  I used an old pickle jar and  jelly jar.  You can also do just a couple of cucumbers at a time so it doesn't have to be a day-long thing.  I made mine on a weeknight and still got to bed on time. 

Cucumbers:

Cucumbers ready to go into jars

Pickling cucumbers are in season and readily available at many farmers markets right now, but they aren't available year round.  You can still make pickles!  Regular cucumbers will work just fine; they have thicker skin so you may want to peel them. 

There are many tricks to getting crunchy pickles.  Veteran picklers have told me that some years they come out crunchy and some years they don't, so if they don't get crunchy on your first try blame it on the rain and make some more.  The first and most important is to choose the freshest cucumbers available, picked that morning if possible.  The second is to scrub the heck out of the cucumbers and especially make sure there is no remnant of the flower, since the flowers have enzymes that destroy crunchiness.  That isn't exactly scientific but it's the important bit.

Spices!
Both with the easy pickles (this recipe!) and regular ones that get processed for shelf-safe canning, you can play with the spices all you want without affecting the food safety.  Prepackaged blends can be purchased, but it's pretty fun to make something up and you are only out a few cucumbers if it's terrible.  I also added a garlic clove to each jar for some extra pizzazz.  (I totally want to play that word in Words With Friends now)

Local source for pickling spices: Pars Market & Restaurant in Holladay (do yourself a favor and try out their restaurant too, they have great middle-eastern food!)
Favorite local source for pickling cucumbers: Urban Farm & Feed / Wasatch Front Farmers Market

Jessica's Pickling Spices

Jessica's Pickling Spice Blend
2 Tbsp mustard seeds
1 Tbsp whole peppercorns
2 Tbsp allspice
2 tsp ground cloves
2 tsp dill seeds
1 tsp dried red pepper flakes
1 bay leaf, crumbled


Mix all spices together, omitting any you don't want and adding anything else you think sounds good.






Refrigerator Pickles
Makes about 2 pints
Note: this recipe does not make shelf-safe pickles, they must be kept in the fridge!

INGREDIENTS
3-4 medium or large pickling cucumbers, as fresh as possible (fresh = crunchy)
1-2 tsp pickling spice blend
2 cups water
2 cups white vinegar (5% acidity)
1-2 Tbsp pickling salt or kosher salt or sea salt (not table salt)

DIRECTIONS
1. Start making the brine: boil salt, water, and vinegar
2. Get your jars hot - bring to a not-quite boil until you're ready for them.  Handle carefully!
3. Wash cucumbers, paying special attention to the flower end.  Cut cucumbers into whatever shape you want.
4. Pour pickling spices into glass jars (1/2 to 1 tsp per jar, whatever looks good)
5. Stuff cucumbers into glass jars, no closer to the top than 1/4"
6. Pour hot brine into glass jars, up to about 1/4" from the top - make sure cucumbers are covered, but it's okay if they float to the top. 
7.  Run a thin plastic knife or spatula around the inside edge of the jar to let hidden air bubbles escape.  This makes better pickles.  Wipe the edge of the jar clean. 
8. Put lids onto jars *loosely*, so the gases can escape.  Write the date on the jar lid!  Sharpie markers work well for this. 
9. Put jars into fridge, in a place nobody will move them or knock them over.
10. Leave them alone!  Do not eat for at least 3 weeks!  (trust me they are not good yet!)
11. Put them on every sandwich you make because they are delicious.  

Caramel Sauce

Caramel Sauce over pears and toasted walnuts

My husband made this wonderful caramel sauce to serve over fresh pears and toasted walnuts.  It's sweet and perfect.  It was also delicious over chocolate ice cream... and the couple of spoonfuls that I ate plain (shhhh).  It's pretty thin while it is hot then thickens up more as it cools, but who can wait that long?  The photo was taken before the sauce thickened, it turns a beautiful medium brown color. 

This is another winner from the Food Network with lots of happy reviews and five stars.  WIN!

Caramel Sauce

INGREDIENTS
1 packed cup brown sugar
1/2 cup half-and-half
4 tablespoons butter
Pinch salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS
Mix the brown sugar, half-and-half, butter and salt in a saucepan over medium-low heat.
Cook while whisking gently for 5 to 7 minutes, until it gets thicker.
Add the vanilla and cook another minute.
Turn off the heat, cool slightly and pour the sauce into a jar.
Store covered in the refrigerator.  Stir before using.

Berry Maple Syrup

We're getting close to berry season!  This makes a special treat for breakfast and is a great way to use up that giant container of berries that's on a great sale but won't get eaten before they go bad.  This will definitely get eaten. 

Fresh strawberries are a great breakfast combo.  I love this with cranberries and like to get a stash for the freezer when they go on sale in December.  Blueberries work very well too, or a combination!  The only thing I don't recommend is frozen strawberries since they lose their color and texture when frozen, those are better saved for smoothies. 

Cranberry Maple Syrup on sourdough French Toast

Berry Maple Syrup
Serve over french toast, pancakes, waffles, ice cream, etc.

INGREDIENTS
2 cups any kind of berries, fresh or frozen
2 cups maple syrup - go for the real stuff!

DIRECTIONS
1. If frozen: Mix ingredients together in a pot on medium-high, shaking/stirring frequently, until the cranberries are defrosted.  If not frozen, start at step 2.
2. Turn down to medium and stir occasionally until the mixture gets bubbly.  Some berries will pop when they heat up so make use of those kitchen aprons!
3. Turn burner to low and keep warm until ready to serve.

(tags: cranberry syrup, blueberry syrup, strawberry syrup)

Homemade Mustard

This post has been a long work in progress!  I definitely encourage all of you readers to try this at home.  If you have never tried making mustard yourself, this process might just be mind-blowing. Spicy mustard, honey mustard, rosemary mustard, apricot mustard, you can use just about anything.  Below is a basic recipe outline and a specific combination that I have enjoyed.  I suggest experimenting in small batches, until you find the combinations that you like the best.  The most important thing for this recipe/project is to take notes as you do things so that if you find the best mustard ever, you can make more.  

Homemade brown mustard served on an egg salad sandwich

I have read that Indian grocery stores have mustard seeds at low prices - I haven't found one near me yet but keep an eye out for them!  If you are lucky enough to have more than one option of color, the darker the color, the spicier the seeds. Growing mustard yourself is do-able but a heck of a lot of work.  The dried stalks with seed pods have very sharp tiny spines so get the heaviest garden gloves you can find (yes that's personal experience).  If you want to grow your own, you can plant the ones from the spice tin, but be warned that it's an invasive weed in many places so it might not go over well with the neighbors.

It is well worth it to keep an extra coffee grinder on hand for spices such as this, as the seeds in a mortar and pestle get very excited and like to jump all over the kitchen without an awkward hand-covering style of pounding, but it can be done either way, especially if you have ambitious kids with too much energy.

Everyone who tries this, please share your recipe variations below, I look forward to reading about your adventures!  



Homemade Brown Mustard: Basic Recipe

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT
Spice grinder or mortar and pestle

INGREDIENTS
6 Tablespoons whole yellow mustard seeds (or any color)
1/2 cup mustard powder
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup water (Cold for more spicy, Hot for less spicy - beer or wine can be substituted)
3 Tablespoons cider vinegar (or any vinegar)

DIRECTIONS
1) Grind mustard seeds for just a few seconds in an electric grinder or until desired consistency with a mortar and pestle.  This gives your mustard its texture.
2) In a glass container, mix together mustard seeds, mustard powder, and salt.
3) Add water and stir well.  Let sit for between ten minutes and overnight (cover loosely if desired but not airtight).  The shorter the sitting time, the spicer the mustard will be.  Adding vinegar (the acid) freezes the chemical reaction between the seeds and water.
4)  Add vinegar and stir well.
5) This is the most important step!  Let your mustard sit for at least 12 hours.  It does not need to be in the fridge.  It's likely to be terrible until it has cured properly so if the smell is bad, don't despair, some take a day or two before they are really good.

Serve with sliced meats, cheeses, eggs, in potato salad, on sandwiches, etc.  Enjoy!


Brown Cider Mustard
This is not very spicy and has a nice apple cidery flavor to it. The ingredients are half of the main recipe above, which is a good taste-test amount. 

INGREDIENTS
3 Tbsp whole yellow mustard seeds
1/4 cup mustard powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup warm water
2 tsp Cider Vinegar

DIRECTIONS
1) Grind mustard seeds for just a few seconds in an electric grinder or until desired consistency with a mortar and pestle.
2) In a glass container, mix together mustard seeds, mustard powder, and salt.
3) Add water and stir well.  Let sit for 24 hours, loosely covered, not refrigerated. 
4) Add vinegar and stir well.  Let sit for an additional 12 hours before using it, and refrigerate leftovers in a covered glass container. 

Easy Guacamole (Moved to SomeplaceThatsGreen.com)

This recipe has moved to my new blog home - Quick and Easy Guacamole at Someplace That's Green!  Please visit me there for this recipe and many more. 

Easy Guacamole, ready for party time

Homemade Ranch Dressing

Welcome, spring weather!  Welcome also to delicious and crunchy local carrots, fresh greens, and all manner of sprouts. For those of you local to Salt Lake City, check out the selection at Wasatch Front Farmers Market (5823 S. State), you will be very happy you did. 

Salad with Homemade Ranch Dressing

Best Ranch Dressing Ever

This recipe has been moved to my new website home at: 
http://www.someplacethatsgreen.com/2014/03/30/homemade-ranch-dressing/

Thanks and please come visit Someplace That's Green to follow my newest food adventures!

Brown Gravy from Pan Drippings with Ale and Cider

The perfect accompaniment for roasted meat is gravy made from the pan drippings.  My favorite recipe, below, is from the 1981 Joy of Cooking book.  Besides, what else would you use the pan drippings for?  It's free gravy!  No preservatives and it goes with everything.  This works for roasted chicken, turkey, beef, pretty much any meat that gets roasted.

For this recipe I roasted a small chicken, generally following the Winning Turkey recipe from Thanksgiving.  It did not need thawing and I didn't have a ton of planning time so I put the salt on and let it rest on the counter at the same time for about 45 minutes.  This was enough to give it perfect crispy skin.  I stuffed the cavity with quartered onion and apple, and used apple juice for about a third of the cooking liquid. 

After roasting is when the gravy begins!  Carefully remove the meat from the pan.  That part isn't strictly necessary but it makes it a ton easier to get the drippings out of the pan without trying to tip the pan on its side while holding the hot meat in place.  Place the meat where it will remain hot.

Take out 2 Tbsp drippings and put in a small saucepan.  (Note, SAVE the rest, you will need them too) Using a wire whisk, blend in the flour until the mixture has thickened and is well combined and smooth.  Congratulations, you just made a roux! 

Cook slowly and stir constantly, while adding 1 cup of liquid: as much of the pan juices as possible, plus either milk, beer, stock, cream, or water.  I used 1/4 cup of Cutthroat Pale Ale (mostly for an excuse to open one) and the flavor blended perfectly with the apple-stuffed chicken.  Add an extra Tablespoon of flour to increase the total liquid to 1 1/2 cups - I really like gravy so extra is always good. Add spices to taste, if desired.  The spices will vary depending on what the gravy will be served with.  I didn't add anything extra for this version.

Continue to simmer while stirring until the gravy has reduced a little, then turn off the heat.  It will thicken as it cools. 


Brown Gravy from Pan Drippings with Ale and Cider
from Joy of Cooking, 1981 edition
Makes 1 cup


INGREDIENTS
Pan drippings from roasted meat (as much as is available, up to 1 cup)
1 to 2 Tbsp flour
Additional liquid to make one cup including the pan drippings: milk, beer, stock, cream, or water (enough to make 1 1/2 cups total if you want extra gravy)
Salt & Pepper, to taste
Fresh or dried minced herbs
Grated lemon rind, etc.

DIRECTIONS
1. Remove the meat from the pan.  Place it where it will remain hot.
2. Take out 2 Tbsp drippings and put in a small saucepan.  Using a wire wisk, blend in the flour until the mixture has thickened and is well combined and smooth.
3. Cook slowly and stir constantly and stir constantly, while adding 1 cup of liquid: as much of the pan juices as possible, plus enough liquid to total 1 cup. Add spices to taste.
4. Continue to simmer while stirring until the gravy has reduced a little, then turn off the heat.  It will thicken as it cools. 

Tartar Sauce

I love fish.  I especially love crunchy breaded baked fish.  I haven't gotten to that section of my recipe book yet so I buy it at Costco.  Of course, I think fish isn't quite as good without tartar sauce, and the bottles at the store include unnecessary ingredients and end up with a few tablespoons used then the rest of the bottle taking up room in the fridge until it expires and my husband makes me throw it out because he knows I won't really eat it.  I can't be the only one, right?

Recently I had the brilliant idea that I can MAKE tartar sauce.  The recipe is pretty simple.  It can also easily be made as small portions so there is no waste and no taking up of fridge real-estate.  It's also pretty good and even better the next day. (cold fishy leftovers YES!)  So far I have been able to stop myself from eating it with a spoon, but just barely.  I really like tartar sauce.  I am also very happy to have a reason to use this adorable tea-cup in a food photo. 

Tartar Sauce
Recipe from Allrecipes.com

INGREDIENTS
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon minced onion (I didn't add this)
salt and pepper to taste (I didn't add this either)

DIRECTIONS
Mix everything together.  Refrigerate.  This is best if prepared at least an hour in advance to let the flavors settle together, but pretty good even if you don't wait.