Cha's Kitchen Blog: December 2017

Sunday, December 31, 2017

Grandma's Staff Of Life In Addition To Butter Pickles

fezarcha December 31, 2017 pickles

When I was a piffling daughter I watched my (very German) Aunt Welentina Ezlinger make pickles inward her basement. I climbed upwardly on a stool in addition to watched her trouble upwardly the hot jars in addition to pose "seeds" inward each one. She in addition to then packed the jars tight amongst cucumbers from her garden and poured a hot vinegar liquid over them. That was virtually threescore years ago, but I retrieve it similar it was yesterday. I was hence impressed!! I intend of her when I brand this recipe.

We beloved these staff of life in addition to butter pickles!! They are fresh in addition to vivid tasting in addition to are worlds meliorate than commercial pickles!!

GRANDMA's BREAD AND BUTTER PICKLES vi PINTS

4 cups water

1/4 loving cup pickling tabular array salt (not regular salt)

10 large pickling cucumbers

ice cubes (I operate 2 trays of H2O ice cubes)

3 cups sugar

2 cups water

2 cups apple tree cider vinegar

2 teaspoons solid set down turmeric

2 teaspoons mustard seed

1/2 teaspoon celery seed

Wash the pickling cucumbers in addition to spell them into 1/8" slices (I cutting mine only a tad thicker than 1/8").

In a LARGE bowl, mix four cups H2O in addition to 1/4 loving cup pickling salt until good dissolved. Add cucumbers in addition to H2O ice cubes in addition to gently swirl, making certain the slices are all submerged. Let cucumber slices soak for 2 hours.

After 2 hours, drain the cucumbers (throw away the liquid) and rinse completely amongst fresh water (I rinse mine 2 or 3 times).

In a large/deep pan, mix 3 cups sugar, 2 cups water, 2 cups apple tree cider vinegar, 2 teaspoons solid set down turmeric, 2 teaspoons mustard seed in addition to 1/2 teaspoon celery seed. Bring this mixture to a boil.

Reduce oestrus to LOW in addition to pose the cucumber slices in. Stir gently in addition to allow the cucumber sit down inward the hot liquid until they are all hot (but non cooked). Don't allow the cucumbers boil.

Remove the slices from the hot liquid (with tongs) in addition to pack straight into sterilized PINT size stonemason jars (pack every bit many every bit you lot tin laissez passer on notice larn into the jars...pack tightly).

When the jars are all packed amongst cucumber slices, convey the pot of vinegar liquid dorsum to a boil. Remove from the oestrus in addition to pour into the jars of cucumber slices, to inside 1/4" of the top. Run a CLEAN knife some the sides of the jars to take away whatever air bubbles.

Wipe off the rims of the jars amongst a build clean moist towel in addition to screw on the 2 spell lids.

If you lot are going to operate these pickles inside 2-3 months, you lot tin laissez passer on notice just keep them in the refrigerator at this stage. If you lot desire to buy the farm along them for a lot longer or if you lot desire to shop them inward the pantry, you'll select to process the PINTS immediately inward a hot H2O john for 10 minutes.

Whether you lot buy the farm along them inward the fridge, or pose them through a hot H2O bath, you lot volition select to allow the cucumbers "pickle" for 2 or 3 weeks earlier you lot swallow them, gently "shaking" the jars in 1 trial a day.

ENJOY !!

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Homemade Vanilla Extract

fezarcha December 31, 2017 GIFTS FROM THE KITCHEN

The Halloween/Thanksgiving/Christmas baking flavor is just some the corner and I decided to stock the pantry with baking supplies. Well, I was shocked at the increased toll of practiced lineament vanilla; some of it is equally high equally $15 for simply a few ounces!!

With that inwards mind, I decided to build my ain vanilla, although I had NO CLUE how to do it. After some Internet research, I was thrilled to learn that the process was SUPER EASY and only takes TWO ingredients (vodka in addition to vanilla beans)!!

At outset I was concerned because vanilla beans are non e'er inwards my budget. I similar McCormick build spices, but their toll for TWO vanilla beans is over $10!! Homemade vanilla extract would live on outrageously expensive at those prices, in addition to then dorsum to the Internet.

I discovered that the best vanilla extracts are NOT made out of the same form of vanilla beans that y'all bake alongside (whew!! That was a relief.). Vanilla extract is made alongside Grade B vanilla extract beans (I didn't fifty-fifty know at that spot was such a thing). Google it in addition to y'all volition detect a lot of places to purchase them. Just build certain they are labeled MADAGASCAR BOURBON EXTRACT GRADE B VANILLA BEANS.

The 6" beans aren't rattling pretty to hold off at (they aren't plump in addition to supple in addition to y'all CAN NOT bake alongside them), but they build GREAT extract. When y'all lodge them, they volition build it looking similar this:

Supplies
1 quart of vodka (see note)
4 ounces of Madagascar Grade B extract vanilla beans

This makes a LOT of vanilla, but I own got inwards heed to set it inwards pretty piffling bottles in addition to tuck it into vacation gift baskets, in addition to then a quart of extract is a practiced thing.

TIPS:
Don't waste materials your coin on expensive vodka, thinking that this volition build ameliorate vanilla...it does not. Good news!! The cheapest vodka plant simply likewise equally expensive vodka for this project!!

You volition demand a jounce that is a flake bigger than a quart since the vodka AND vanilla beans own got to lucifer inwards it (I learned that the difficult way).

Cut the aeroplane B extract vanilla beans into 1/2" pieces in addition to set them into the quart of vodka..........that's it!! Now all y'all own got to do is milkshake the bottle a piffling (every few days) in addition to later a month, it volition live on extract!! What could live on easier?

Before using the extract (or giving it away), strain the spent vanilla edible bean pieces out of the extract. If y'all don't desire ANY vanilla seeds inwards the extract, run the finished production through a java filter.

Decorative bottles similar this are available online for well-nigh $2.50 each, they would build a pretty gift.

This extract volition live on practiced forever, or until the rattling concluding drop. No demand to refrigerate it.

This photo is alone ii weeks into the extract procedure

(see how rich it looks already?)

For those of y'all who are concerned that homemade vanilla

is non equally "strong" equally commercial vanilla...never fear!!

This homemade vanilla is rattling rigid (in a practiced way) in addition to

you volition LOVE it!!

ENJOY!!!

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Mushroom Quinoa

fezarcha December 31, 2017 QUINOA

The get-go fourth dimension I bought quinoa, I cooked it without whatsoever seasonings. I tasted it, shrugged my shoulders in addition to and hence pose it dorsum inward the pantry. This COULDN'T hold upward the same quinoa that people were raving nigh could it?

What I institute out (much later) was that yous get got to add veggies, spices, etc. to the quinoa (while cooking) and then something magical happens. Quinoa takes on the attitude of whatever yous develop it with......want beefy? develop it inward beef broth, desire it spicy? develop it amongst Rotel tomatoes. Some people fifty-fifty eat it for breakfast, but I haven't tried that yet.

So, lately, I've been experimenting with adding unlike things to quinoa in addition to this beefy quinoa was a hit. I promise yous similar it too.

MUSHROOM QUINOA
3/4 loving cup chopped onion
6 large mushrooms
1 large carrot
1 loving cup peas
1 loving cup quinoa (rinsed in addition to drained)
2 cups beef broth (I used Campbell's beef consume)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dark pepper
pinch of cayenne (optional)

Prep work: Remove stems from mushrooms in addition to pose them inward the nutrient processor along amongst the carrot. Pulse them until both vegetables are nigh the size of a pea. Next paw piece the mushrooms fairly thickly in addition to laid aside. Note: add together every bit many of your favorite veggies every bit yous want.

Saute onions in addition to hence scoot them over to border of pan. Add the mushrooms in addition to sauté them (in the onion pan) until yous move past times about toasty brownish color on the edges.

Put EVERYTHING into a large sauce pot and convey to a boil; trim down heat and put a tight plumbing equipment lid on it. Reduce boil to a gentle simmer (like for rice) in addition to develop for 15-20 minutes. You volition know that the quinoa is cooked completely when yous meet that it has swollen to a semi transparent trivial circle in addition to it has a small-scale white seed shoot on it similar this:

After the quinoa is cooked, I similar to plough the rut off in addition to allow it sit down (with lid on) for 10 minutes earlier eating.

Depending on how many veggies yous pack into this recipe (there is no limit), yous should move past times five or half dozen cups inward the concluding dish. I freeze it inward ane loving cup measures. No necessitate to defrost, but microwave uncovered for two minutes. It makes a corking (and filling) lunch, amongst no guilt !!

ENJOY !!

Quinoa is known every bit a super nutrient for many reasons. The description of most of those reasons are words that I don't purpose every day, similar flavonoids, phylonutrients, antioxidants, etc.

For me, my reasons for enjoying quinoa are: it's quick in addition to slow to prepare, it volition get got on whatsoever seasonings yous similar in addition to most of all, I tin eat a large bowl of this in addition to it doesn't lawsuit my blood sugars rattling much at all, summation it's gluten free!! I promise yous endeavor it.

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Oven Barbecue

fezarcha December 31, 2017 PORK RECIPES

What is a soul (who is hungry for barbecue) supposed to practise afterwards the grill has been seat away for the season? Well, she goes for the oven.

I've tried lots of oven barbecue recipes, but it wasn't until I constitute this ~~recipe~~ cooking technique that picky-picky hubby gave it 2 thumbs up, in addition to it couldn't hold upwards easier!!

The "trick" is long SLOW cooking at a reduced oven temperature. It makes the meat moist, succulent in addition to flavorful. The ribs nigh melt inwards your mouth!!

Whether yous are cooking for 2 or 12, this recipe is certain to please!!

The next directions are for solid soil mode pork ribs. Country mode ribs are big MEATY pieces of pork (some convey bones, only about don't) in addition to they await similar this every bit opposed to the babe dorsum rib cut.

We similar to instruct the boneless variety (much less waste) but they come upwards amongst the os inwards also in addition to they are really economical.

Preheat your oven to 300°F in addition to seat the pork inwards a large baking pan (make certain they don't deport on each other). Put only a niggling H2O inwards the pan, mayhap 1/8" or so. The amount isn't critical, yous only require to comprehend the bottom of the pan a little.

Put a tight plumbing equipment lid (or comprehend tightly amongst foil) in addition to bake the pork at 300° for 2 hours. At the halt of 2 hours, drain ALL the liquid (there volition hold upwards quite a bit) in addition to throw it away.

Pour an eighteen ounce bottle of your favorite barbecue sauce over the meat, coating all sides. Note: The eighteen ounce bottle volition operate for 2-3 pounds of meat, if yous are making less, yous tin forcefulness out role less barbecue sauce.

Cover tightly in addition to provide meat to oven. Bake only about other 45 minutes. Note: one-half agency through that final 45 minutes, uncover meat in addition to baste it amongst only about of the sauce that's inwards the bottom of the pan. The sauce volition thicken upwards during that final xx minutes amongst no foil. That's it!!

ENJOY !!

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Yummy Murphy Side Dish

fezarcha December 31, 2017 POTLUCK

If you lot are looking for a novel agency to educate potatoes, I promise you lot volition endeavour this recipe. It is non solely EASY, but it is oh thence tasty together with a real squeamish modify from baked or mashed potatoes.

This recipe would too hold upward wonderful for a potluck or buffet because you lot tin brand a huge batch AND they remain hot for a long time; they are too real tasty at room temperature !!

2 pounds of Yukon golden potatoes (washed together with dried)
4 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dark pepper

Cut the potatoes into 1" thick slices together with lay them inwards a bowl. Mix everything else together together with pour over the potatoes, coating well.

Spray a baking pan (that has a lip) alongside cooking spray together with thence lay the potatoes inwards the pan, cut side down together with don't allow the slices send upon each other.

Bake inwards a preheated 450° oven for xx minutes. Flip the potatoes over together with bake for simply about other xx minutes.