Grandma's German Dill Pickles

I've canned a few quarts of these this year, and after waiting the excruciating 6 weeks, we finally got to try them.  They take me right back to Grandma and Grandpa's backyard:) yummy!

2 c water

1 3/4 c white vinegar

1 c sugar

4 tsps salt

Combine all ingredients into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn off heat. Set aside until jars are prepared

Onions, roughly chopped, about 1/2 per jar

Garlic, roughly chopped, about 2-3 cloves per jar

Dill weed

peppercorns

cucumbers

Stuff each bottle with onion, garlic, a couple sprigs of dill, and about 3-4 peppercorns. The fill with cucumbers, really stuff them in there! 

Fill jar with liquid leaving a 1/4 inch headspace. Process for 5 mins in a water bath.  Wait 6 weeks until enjoying them!

Gluten Free Breakfast Porridge

Well it's been quite while since anyone posted anything! I'm hoping we can start up again with our sharing:) So I've been really trying to steer clear of Gluten and other allergenic foods and I have to admit that breakfast has been one of the hardest meals to make! So here is a recipe that I found on another website (can't seem to find it again) but I really really like it! YEA!

1 medium banana

2 eggs

1/2 c almond or coconut milk (I prefer coconut, the kind in the can)

2 Tbsp golden flax seeds

2 tsp hemp seeds (these are soooo expensive, so some use them if you can)

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp cinnamon

pinch of salt

2 Tbsp Almond butter (optional)

2 tsps Butter (optional)

Combine everything except the almond butter and butter in a blender and blend till smooth.  Put into a saucepan and cook on med-high heat stirring constantly until thickened.  Remove from heat and add butter and almond butter if using. Stir until combined.   

I do like it the best with the added optional ingredients, they give it a really yummy consistency and flavor.  Also I usually double this and keep the leftovers for another morning. If you do that make sure to heat it up with a little more of whichever milk you used!  Yum!  Also very yummy with added berries and nuts.

Most Delicious Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

I've been obsessed with pumpkin lately!!! I just crave it, so now I have a healthy way to eat it, cause eating a billion pumpkin pies was probably not a good idea :)

1/2 can coconut milk or about 1 cup, can use lite but I like the regular

1 cup pumpkin puree

1/2 - 1 (depending on size) frozen banana

1/4 cup pecans

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp cloves

1/2 tsp vanilla

about 2 Tbsp natural maple syrup (could use honey) or more, sweeten to taste.

1-2 cups ice

put it all in a blender and blend till smooth.

Roasted Pork Loin

This is one of my favorite Sunday dinners! It's super easy, doesn't take way long, and seems like you made something 'special.'  Any way, hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup finely chopped green pepper
3 tbsps butter
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp ground mustard
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 boneless pork loin roast (4-5 lbs) (I usually do a 2-3 lb one, which is plenty for us with leftovers)

In a skillet, combine the first 12 ingredients; saute until the veggies are tender. Separate roast and randomly cut several deep slits, about 1 inch wide, on the inside of the roast. Fill the slits with some of the veggie mixture; tie together (or I just place the back together, yeah I'm lazy like that). Place on a rack in a shallow baking pan. Spread remaining veggie mixture over roast. Bake, uncovered, at 325 degrees for 2-3 hrs (for a smaller roast it's about 1 1/2 hrs) or until meat  thermometer reads 160-170 degrees. Let stand about 10 mins before slicing.

Creamy Orzo with Chicken Mushrooms and Red Peppers

From Mels! So I've now made this twice with plans to make it again! I love the mushrooms and the creamy sauce!!! It's more of an everyday meal, but it's a good one. I also added chopped asparagus last time cause I had to use it and it was awesome.  Yum!

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 average-sized chicken breasts (about 1 to 1 ½ pounds), cut into chunks
• 1-2 red bell peppers, cut into ½-inch pieces
• 8 ounces white button mushrooms, quartered
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 pound orzo pasta
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened (can use 1/3 less fat cream cheese)
• 1 cup reserved pasta water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
• Squeeze of fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the orzo and cook according to package directions until tender. When the orzo is ready, reserve 1 cup of the pasta water (ladling it into a small bowl is my method) and then drain the orzo and set aside.
2. While the orzo cooks, in a large nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the hot oil and brown on all sides. When nicely browned (but not all the way cooked through), add the peppers, mushrooms and thyme. Stir and let cook for about 5 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the mushrooms and peppers have softened and browned and most of the liquid has evaporated. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
3. In the skillet over medium heat, add the softened cream cheese (if you forgot to let the cream cheese soften at room temperature, no worries! Pop it in the microwave for one minute on 40% power) in bite sized chunks and stir so that the cream cheese melts and coats the chicken and vegetables. Add the reserved pasta water and bring to a simmer. Add ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Stir. Add the orzo, Parmesan, lemon juice and fresh parsley. Stir to combine and heat through. Garnish with additional Parmesan and parsley.

Roasted Pepper and Quinoa Chili

So I found this recipe on another site, but since I pretty much changed it completely, I'll just call it mine:)


1 Red Pepper
1 Yellow or Orange Pepper
1 jalapeno pepper (cut out all seeds and veins)
1/2 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
olive oil to coat pan
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, minced
1 4oz can green chili's
1 diced canned chipotle chili (can use less, it's pretty spicy!)
1 1/2 tsp. cumin
1 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. chili powder
2 carrots, diced small
2 stalks celery, diced
2  14 oz. cans diced tomatoes
4 cups beef broth (could use veggie or chicken too)
1 can pinto beans or black beans
1 can kidney beans
salt to taste

cheddar cheese
corn chips
sour cream

Cook quinoa according to package directions.

Line a cookie sheet with foil. Cut bell peppers and jalapeno in half and clean out then put on cookie sheet skin up and flatten with hand. Broil for about 10 mins until blackened.  Then cover with another sheet of foil and seal edges together. Let sit and sweat for another 10 mins.

While peppers are sweating, cook onion in olive oil until translucent, then add garlic and spices (make sure the heat isn't too hot or it'll burn the garlic). Then add green chili's, chipotle pepper, celery, and carrots; cook for about 30 seconds.  Add tomatoes, beef broth, beans, and quinoa. While simmering take roasted peppers and peel off skins, then roughly chop and add into chili.  Cook until carrots are just barely cooked.

Serve with cheese, chips, and sour cream if so desired!

Almond Flour Pancakes

So I've finally found a dairy-free/gluten-free pancake recipe that I like! They really are very yummy,  so that's why I'm putting it on here! Also, if you're wondering, I got the almond flour at winco where it was definitely the cheaper than anywhere else I've seen it. This is from Elana's Pantry:

• 2 eggs
• ¼ cup agave nectar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups blanched almond flour
• ½ teaspoon celtic sea salt
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• grapeseed oil for sauteing

1. In a blend, combine eggs, agave and vanilla and blend on high until smooth
2. Add almond flour, salt and baking soda and blend again to incorporate dry ingredients into batter
3. Let batter sit for 15-20 minutes to thicken up (this is a must!)
4. Warm grapeseed oil in a large skillet over medium heat. These take a little longer to cook so don't turn up the heat too high or they'll get overdone.
5. Ladle pancake batter onto skillet
6. Pancakes will form little bubbles, when bubbles open, flip pancakes over and cook other side
7. Remove from heat to a plate
8. Repeat process with remaining batter, adding more oil to skillet as needed

Yields 12 pancakes
editor's note: I use a cast iron skillet to make these pancakes

My Vegetable Soup

This one is for Holly!


Ingredients:
1/2 lb bacon
1 red onion, diced small
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 28oz can San Marzano whole tomatoes, crushed with hands
2 8oz can tomato sauce
8 cups beef stock (I usually use better than bullion beef flavoring)
1 can white beans, rinsed
1 can kidney beans, rinsed
2 stalks celery, diced
1 cup shredded cabbage
1 yellow squash, sliced into small circles (about 1/8in)
1 zucchini squash, sliced thin also
2 carrots, diced
1 large handful of Spinach

Method:
Cook bacon in large stockpot, remove, let cool and crumble.  Pour out bacon fat leaving only a couple of Tbsps. Saute red onion and herbs in bacon fat until onions are translucent (making sure to scrape up all the brown goodness on the bottom of the pan). Add canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, and  beef stock into pot and bring to a boil. Add beans and bring back to boil.  Add cabbage and celery first and bring back to a simmer, next add squashes and again wait until it simmers. Add carrots and bacon and again let it come to a simmer. Simmer for a few minutes until carrots are just barely tender (I hate mushy carrots!). Add spinach last and stir until it's just wilted.  Season with salt and pepper as needed. Enjoy! And as with most soups it tastes even better the next day!

Peanut Butter Bar Cookies

Okay so I made up this recipe and it turned out super super good (and naughty).

Filling:
1/2 c peanut butter
2 Tbsp Softened Butter
1/4 tsp vanilla
3/4 C. Powdered sugar

Cream peanut butter and butter together. Slowly mix in 1/2 c powdered sugar. Add vanilla. Mix in remaining powdered sugar (should be slightly sticky). Put in refrigerator until cookie dough is made.

Cookie dough:
3/4 c butter, softened
1/2 c peanut butter
1 1/4 c sugar
3/4 c brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 1/2 c oatmeal
2 3/4 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350
Cream together butter, peanut butter, and sugars. Then add eggs vanilla and oats.
In a separate bowl mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Slowly mix in flour mixture.

To make cookies: take out filling
Use a cookie scoop (mine is a 1 1/2 tbsp size). Scoop a level scoop and roll it into a ball, then take your finger and made a depression in the cookie. fill cookie with about a 1/2 tsp. filling, then pinch the dough closed and roll it into a ball again. Repeat until all are made. Bake about 10 mins. Let cool completely.

Chocolate ganache:

1 bag semi sweet or milk chocolate chips (12 oz)
3/4 c heavy cream

put in a microwave safe bowl and microwave at 30 second increments until chocolate in smooth and shiny (be careful not to burn!).  I like to put it in while the cookies are baking for about 40 seconds and then let it sit until needed.  Then if it needs to be heated more you can, but it may not.  Reheat again later on for about 15-20 secs if needed to keep it smooth.   I just spooned it on a spreaded (not really a word :))  it around the tops of each cookie.

Mrs. Field's snickerdoodles

• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

For rolling:

• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

1. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars with
an electric mixer on high speed. Add the egg and vanilla and
beat until smooth.

2. In another bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking soda, and
cream of tartar.

3. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix well.

4. Preheat oven to 300 degrees while you let the dough rest for
30 to 60 minutes in the refrigerator.

5. In a small bowl, combine the sugar with the cinnamon for the
topping.

6. Take about 2 1/2 tablespoons of the dough and roll it into a
ball. Roll this dough in the cinnamon/sugar mixture and press it
onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Repeat for the remaining cookies.

7. Bake the cookies for 12 to 14 minutes and no more. The cookies
may seem undercooked, but will continue to develop after they are
removed from the oven. When the cookies have cooled they should be
soft and chewy in the middle.

Makes 16 to 18 cookies.

These are really good ones!