Bread and Butter Refridgerator Pickles

 

Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles

• 5.5 cups sliced pickling cucumbers (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 1.5 tablespoons kosher or pickling salt
• 1 cup thinly sliced sweet onion (I used regular)
• 1 cup granulated white sugar
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1.5 teaspoons mustard seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seeds (or 1/8 teaspoon celery salt, in a pinch)
• 1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric

Combine cucumbers and salt in a bowl. Cover with a thin tea towel and chill 1.5 hours. Or, if you are like me, get busy doing other things and just leave them in the fridge overnight.  Rinse cucumbers well in a colander, to remove salt. Drain well. Return cucumbers to the bowl along with sliced onion.

Combine sugars, vinegars, seeds and turmeric in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer, stirring until sugar dissolves. Pour over cucumbers and onions. Let sit at room temperature for one hour. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours and up to 2 weeks.

Makes approximately 4 cups of DELISH pickles

You will die.  They are SO good!

 Salting them helps withdraw the water from the cucumbers so they have a nice "crunch" to them.

 Drain well....

 Vinegar on the stove - this goes so quick.  I love that it's not a huge project but you still get a great finished product from your garden!

 Mixing in the vinegars..and then let it all soak together!

If you try this out, let me know what you think!

Homemade Summer Salsa

Mindy's Summer Salsa

1/2 bushel tomatoes, peeled and quartered 

(about 30#, I like to use a variety of toms for a better tasting salsa, Cherokee Purples, Big Boy, Romas, Early Girls, etc)

2 red peppers

2 green peppers

6-8 anaheim peppers

 4-6 jalapenos (or less if you would like it mild)

2 med onions (I mix 1 yellow and 1 red)

6 cloves of garlic.

Grind all of the veggies in the food processor and add to tomatoes. 

1/2 to 3/4 cup salt

1 T oregano

4 T cumin

 1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 cup cider vinegar

2 (12oz) cans tomato paste.

Simmer 3 to 4 hours (to the consistency of your liking) some yummy add ins..... I always use.. 4-5 tomatillos, lime juice (about 1/4 cup) and 1/2 cup chopped cilantro. 

I'll have to write a separate post on how to actually can this - it's fairly time consuming but well worth the work involved!

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

I'm trying to be more organized this school year and planning out weekly dinner menus.  I tried this recipe for the first time last week and it was SO GOOD!  I will for sure be making this again!

 (I know, this picture isn't the greatest, snapped in a hurry before pack meeting!)

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos
from Our Best Bites Cookbook

makes 14-16 corn tortillas or 10-12 flour tortillas

total time: about 45 minutes

1/3 C (3 oz) cream cheese
1/4 C green salsa
1T fresh lime juice
1/2 t cumin
1 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t granulated garlic, or garlic powder
3 T chopped cilantro
2 T sliced green onions
2 C shredded cooked chicken
1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
6-inch corn or flour tortillas
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, optional
nonstick cooking spray
kosher salt
Creamy Cilantro-Lime Ranch Dressing (recipe follows)

Heat oven to 425F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray it lightly with cooking spray.

Heat cream cheese in the microwave for 20-30 seconds so it’s soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro, green onions, chicken and pepper jack cheese.

Wrap 3-4 tortillas at a time in damp paper towels and microwave for 20-30 seconds so they are soft and pliable. If you find your tortillas are cracking when rolled, use damper paper towels and increase the microwave time.

Place 2-3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture on the lower third of each tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges, and then roll up.

Place seam-side down on the baking sheet in a single layer. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or brush with vegetable oil. Sprinkle with a pinch of kosher salt on top. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown. Cool for 5-10 minutes and then serve with Creamy Cilantro-Lime Ranch Dressing.

Creamy Cilantro-Lime Ranch Dressing
from Our Best Bites Cookbook

makes 2 cups

1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup milk or buttermilk
1 lime, juiced (about 2 tablespoons lime juice)
1 package dry Ranch dressing mix
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro
1/4 cup green salsa
hot sauce, to taste

Combine mayonnaise, milk, lime juice and the contents of the ranch dressing in a blender or food processor. Add garlic, cilantro, and green salsa and blend to thoroughly mix all the ingredients. Season with hot sauce, if desired. If possible, refrigerate for several hours to allow the dressing to thicken and the flavors to meld.

Cucumber Tea Sandwiches

I made these for our little Royal Wedding Celebration and they were so yummy!  Perfect for summer parties and bridal showers!

 

Cucumber Tea Sandwiches Recipe

 

Photo by: Taste of Home Cucumber Tea Sandwiches Re

IngredientsCucumber Tea Sandwiche

• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon snipped fresh dill
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 2 large cucumbers, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped sweet red pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup pimiento-stuffed olives, chopped
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
• 12 slices whole wheat bread
• Cucumber slices and fresh dill sprigs, optional

Directions

• In a small bowl, combine the first eight ingredients; beat until blended. Stir in the cucumbers, red pepper, onion, olives and parsley. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 hours.
• Remove crusts from bread; cut each slice into four triangles. Spread with cream cheese mixture. Garnish with cucumber slices and dill sprigs if desired. Yield: 4 dozen.

Roasted Sesame Pork Tenderloin with Asian Slaw

I founds this recipe in the March issue of Southern Living magazine and gave it a try for Sunday dinner.  It was really good!   

 

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/2 cup sesame-ginger dressing, divided
• 1 (1-lb.) pork tenderloin
• 1 head napa cabbage, shredded (about 4 cups)
• 4 green onions, sliced
• 2 large carrots, grated
• 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro (I used 1/2 cup)
• 1/4 cup chopped wasabi-and-soy sauce-flavored almonds (spicy peanuts would have also been good!)

Preparation

• 1. Preheat oven to 450°. Whisk together soy sauce and 1/4 cup dressing in a large shallow dish or zip-top plastic freezer bag; add pork, turning to coat. Cover or seal, and chill 15-20 minutes, turning once.
• 2. Meanwhile, combine cabbage, next 3 ingredients, and remaining 1/4 cup dressing. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
• 3. Remove pork from marinade, discarding marinade. Place pork on a lightly greased aluminum foil-lined baking sheet.
• 4. Bake at 450° for 25 to 30 minutes or until done. Remove from oven, and let stand 5 minutes before slicing.
• 5. Toss slaw with almonds; serve with pork. 

White Chocolate Popcorn

White Chocolate Popcorn is just heaven to eat and a fun treat to have on hand for a holiday snack.

You will die when you see how easy this is to make! 

You will need:

popcorn kernels

marshmallows

M&M's 

white chocolate

 Pop about 1/2 cup kernels of popcorn.  Use your amazing popcorn popper that your cousin bought you for your wedding gift.  This Sunbeam appliance will.not.die.  We use this at least 3-4 times weekly for 9 years now and it just keeps popping! 

Dump all the popcorn into a large pan and look for any un popped kernels. 

Sneaky three right here.  

 In a large bowl - mix 1/2 bag of mar mars (as we call them around here) and a 1/2 bag of M&M's
Add popcorn and mix together....

 

In a microwavable dish, melt 1/2 bag of white chocolate chips or white almond bark.  Stir every 30 seconds until melted.

 I like Nestle...but the almond bark is good also. 

 When chocolate is melted - pour over popcorn mixture, stir well and make sure everything is evenly coated with chocolate.  Put into parchment paper covered cookie sheet to set.   About 15-20 minutes.

Enjoy!
Linking up to Coastal Charm

Candy Cane Puffs

 1 1/2 cups flour

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp. peppermint extract

package white chips

1/2 cup peppermint candies, crushed

Combine flour and salt; set aside.

Blend together butter and sugar; beat in egg and extracts. Mix into flour mixture using low speed. Wrap dough in plastic wrap; refrigerate for one hour.Or more if you are like me and had things to do and forgot about it for two.

Shape dough into walnut-size balls; place on lightly greased baking sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes; cool. 

Melt white chocolate chips in microwave, stirring every 30 seconds.

Dip tops of cooled cookies into melted chocolate. Sprinkle on crushed peppermints; set on wax paper or parchment paper until hardened. Makes about 3 dozen.

 These were SO SO easy to make and they were yummy!!
Linking up to the cookie party at Pleasant Home and the party at No Minimalist Here!

I got this recipe from cute Julie over at A Vintage Chic!