Bread & Butter Pickles

Sweet and Tangy Bread and Butter Pickles 🥒

Ingredients

For the Pickles:

6 cups thinly sliced cucumbers (about 4-5 medium cucumbers)

1 cup thinly sliced onions

1/4 cup kosher salt

Ice cubes

For the Brine:

2 cups white vinegar

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1 tablespoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon celery seeds

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

Instructions

1. Prepare the Cucumbers and Onions:

In a large bowl, combine the sliced cucumbers and onions.

Sprinkle with kosher salt and toss to combine.

Cover with ice cubes and let sit for 1-2 hours. This helps to crisp up the cucumbers.

2. Make the Brine:

In a large pot, combine the white vinegar, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, mustard seeds, celery seeds, ground turmeric, and ground cloves.

Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugars dissolve. Remove from heat.

3. Prepare the Jars:

Drain and rinse the cucumber and onion slices well under cold water to remove excess salt.

Pack the cucumbers and onions into sterilized mason jars (quart-size), leaving about 1/2 inch of headspace at the top.

4. Add the Brine:

Carefully pour the hot brine over the cucumbers and onions in the jars, ensuring they are fully submerged.

Tap the jars gently to remove any air bubbles and add more brine if needed.

5. Seal and Refrigerate or WB 10 mins

Let the pickles sit for at least 24 hours before tasting, but they are best after 1 week.

6. Enjoy:

Store the pickles in the refrigerator and enjoy within 2-3 months for the best flavor.

Herbal Spread

 This is so delicious. Think of it as a base for all your herbal dip imagination. I fresh picked the herbs from the garden. I had it on olive crackers from Trader Joe’s and an everything bagel. 

I made 1/4 this recipe and mixed it by hand. 

8 ounces plain cream cheese, at room temperature

1/2 cup fresh goat cheese, at room temperature

1/4 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons freshly grated pecorino cheese

1 garlic clove, finely minced

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh dill

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh mint

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh basil

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh chives

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

IN THE BOWL OF a stand mixer fitted with the paddle

attachment, combine the cream cheese,

goat cheese, and sour cream. Beat on

medium-high speed until the mixture is fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the pecorino and garlic and beat for 1 minute, just to combine. Add the dill, mint, basil, chives, and pepper and beat to combine.

Vietnamese Chicken Salad with Sweet Lime-Garlic Dressing (GOI GÀ)

 “The taster” took this photograph of dinner tonight. Green are all from the garden. They were meant to be edible decorations and we ate them all! I’m only missing the jalapeño and cilantro but it was fine. 

	INGREDIENTS
	1/3 CUP LIME JUICE, PLUS LIME WEDGES, TO SERVE
3.5	TABLESPOONS FISH SAUCE
1½	TEASPOONS WHITE SUGAR
2	MEDIUM GARLIC CLOVES, FINELY GRATED
1	SMALL RED ONION, QUARTERED LENGTHWISE AND THINLY SLICED
3	CUPS SHREDDED COOKED CHICKEN
	MEDIUM HEAD GREEN OR RED CABBAGE (14 OUNCES), CORED AND SHREDDED (ABOUT 4 CUPS)
4	MEDIUM CARROTS, PEELED AND SHREDDED ON THE LARGE HOLES OF A BOX GRATER (ABOUT 2 CUPS
3	MEDIUM JALAPEÑO CHILIES, STEMMED, HALVED LENGTHWISE AND THINLY SLICED
1	CUP LIGHTLY PACKED FRESH BASIL, TORN
1	CUP LIGHTLY PACKED FRESH CILANTRO LEAVES AND TENDER STEMS, ROUGHLY CHOPPED
1½2	Cups ROASTED, SALTED PEANUTS, ROUGHLY CHOPPED

DIRECTIONS

In a small bowl, stir together the lime juice, fish sauce, sugar and garlic, until the sugar dissolves. Add the onion and let stand for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In a large bowl, toss together the chicken, cabbage, carrots, chilies, basil and cilantro. Pour on the red onion-dressing mixture and toss. Toss in half of the peanuts, then transfer to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with the remaining peanuts and serve with lime wedges on the side.

Lilac Syrup

It’s delicious, tastes just like lilacs smell. 

Use it in drinks like a lilac blueberry lemonade. Maybe try it in baklava? 

2 cups of lilac flowers (no green) 4 cups of water, 2 cups of sugar, splash of lemon and a few blueberries for color. I made a half recipe, omitted the lemon and blueberry and added a dash of maple syrup. 

Simmer sugar water for 10-15 mins, let sit 5 min to cool. Pour onto flowers/ blueberries/lemon juice in a jar. Let sit for 6 hours then strain. 

Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks or freeze! 

Shrub Vinaigrette

 Shrub Vinaigrette

I cut this recipe in half and still have leftovers. It’s super delicious, great with greens. I added crumbled blue cheese, craisins and candied pecans (Trader Joe's). 

2 Tbs. Raspberry Shrub 

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1 small clove garlic, finely minced

6 Tbs. oil, safflower, canola or light olive

Whisk all the ingredients together until emulsified.

Serve over your choice of greens and other veggies.

Add cheese and nuts for a variety of flavors

This recipe came on a card from my Etsy shop shrub order from Finger Lakes Harvest. 

Gnocchi with Sausage

 This recipe is inspiration from Blue Apron. 

16 oz package of sweet Italian sausage

1 package gnocchi 

1 Tb Calabrian chili paste 

Package of mozzarella pearls

1/2 package grape tomatoes (ok to omit) 

2 8oz cans tomato sauce

1 Tb Italian seasoning

450 oven

Add all ingredients except mozzarella to a baking dish and cover tightly with foil. Bake 30 minutes. 

Uncover, add mozzarella and bake 7-10 minutes more until nicely browned. 

Thai Chicken Stir-Fry

I was looking for a new cookbook with healthy meals and have been enjoying Well Plated by Erin Clarke. The homemade Pad Thai sauce is really good. I added fish sauce to the recipe and would try tamarind in it too. I used 1 tsp red pepper flakes not 2 and the heat was just fine. 

For the Sauce:

½ cup creamy peanut butter

3 tablespoons water

3 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce, plus additional to taste 3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)

2 teaspoons red pepper flakes, plus additional to taste

1/2 teaspoon fish sauce 

For the Stir-Fry:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided

1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced (about 1½ cups)

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into ½-inch dice

6 cups chopped vegetables of choice (about 1.5 pounds, peppers, broccoli, shiitake mushroom slices)

½ cup chopped dry-roasted, unsalted peanuts, plus additional to taste

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus additional to taste

Prepared brown rice or rice noodles for serving

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sauce ingredients until smooth: the peanut butter, water, honey, soy sauce, red curry paste, vinegar, ginger, garlic, fish sauce and red pepper flakes.

Set aside.

2. Make the stir-fry: In a deep, large nonstick skillet or wok, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot but not yet smoking, add the onion and cook until fragrant and beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken and sauté, stirring occasionally, until fully cooked through, about 4 minutes. The centers of the pieces will no longer be pink and the juices should run clear when a piece is cut. Remove the chicken and onion from the skillet and set aside.

1. With a paper towel, carefully wipe the skillet clean. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, then the mixed vegetables. Sauté until the vegetables are crisp-tender, 7 to 8 minutes, depending on the vegetables selectea.
2. Return the chicken and onion to the skillet.

Add the peanut sauce. Toss to coat evenly, and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes.

Sprinkle peanuts and cilantro on top.