Refrigerator Dill Pickles and Odds and Ends

The kids around here went back to school today, but you can't make me start. No, sir. I need to feel the Fall-is-Coming-cool breeze before I begin homeschooling. (Not that we really quit during the summer-but sh!-don't tell the charges.) Fall is still many ice cream cones and days by the pool away. And what about summertime dill pickles? You need to make them while you can eat them with a grilled cheeseburger on the patio. One of my loyal readers requested that I kindly repost the recipe. They're so easy to make, even a seven year old can do it. Here's proof-this is my West making pickles on youtube. (Warning-it lasts seven minutes, so you may not want to watch unless you are struck by insomnia or you are eleven months pregnant, craving pickles, and relegated to bed rest. Or just because you feel like it.) Here's the link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K027V7LTuLUIn

In other news, I'm still gushing about Food on the Table. (Hopefully there'll be stores in every neck of the woods, across the nation soon so that we can all gush together.) It's so fantastic to select sale items from my grocery store and have recipes and grocery lists generated for me. Look what's on my menu this week, thanks to Food on the Table.Here's my grocery list. And this is how much I spent for my entire week's worth of groceries: $53.49! I didn't just buy food for my recipes. I bought the usual stuff too, like cereal, milk, yogurt, orange juice, ice cream, baking staples and lunch foods. I had some produce in the garden and some staples on hand-but honestly, I'd say I saved an absolute bundle. I'm hopeful it will be a useful tool for all of my readers! Give it a try. Oh and one more thing-have you bought any Push Up popsicles this summer? (And in case you're wondering-no he doesn't brush his hair in the summer. Unless it's Sunday. And even then, not so much.) This is West's winning design on the package! You can't see it too well in the picture, but it's a little robot all made from Push Up popsicles. Oh wait-here's a better picture. Come by and have one at our house. They're all the rage with the whippersnappers that don't go back to school in August. Refrigerator Dill Pickles

Estimated cost: $5.00
Notes: The price will vary depending on the cost of your local cucumbers, but it's still going to be lots cheaper than purchasing pickles.
about 10 Kirby cucumbers, sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, sliced
fresh dill, about 10 sprigs
6 cups water
2 cups vinegar
1/4 cup salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon black pepperLayer cucumbers, onion, and garlic in clean glass bottles. In a medium saucepan, boil water, vinegar, salt and sugar. Let cool for five minutes. Pour over cucumbers in jars to cover and refrigerate. (If you run out of liquid, just add equal parts water and vinegar.) Cucumbers will be best after one week-but I can never wait that long. Good luck!
Coming Soon...(In no particular order, or as the mood strikes)

Mexican Grilled Corn, Chicken Fettucini Alfredo, Blueberry-Walnut-Maple Granola, Blue Cheese Rib Eye Steaks, Tomatillo Guacamole

Root Beer Barbeque Chicken

Why you should make extra Root Beer Barbeque Sauce....
I've had a heartfelt, desperate request for "ANYTHING without bones" and Root Beer Barbeque sauce. While I felt absolutely confident that the smoky-sweet soda sauce would be smashing on chicken, I hadn't actually tried it. Now I can bear witness.

I can relate to the repulsion of eating meat off the bones. After all, I spent a couple of years as a vegetarian after doing a study abroad in Israel. With no refrigeration in the Old City meat markets, even King Henry VIII would have gone veggie. I survived and recovered, but I still think twice before sinking my teeth into a side of ribs. I think twice. Then I gobble them up.

The concept for chicken is the same as for the ribs, except I add a smidgen of olive oil to the marinade because chicken can dry out fast on the grill. I used chicken tenders, but you could use any boneless, skinless chicken you've got around; thighs, breasts, or other sultry cuts.

As a bonus, with leftover chicken and my refrigerator pickles (see yesterday's post), I packed my husband a humdinger of a sandwich: whole grain bread smeared with Caesar dressing and piled high with chicken, pickles, and romaine. In a cruel twist of fate, he left it in his work fridge before we left for a week's vacation. I'm told, by his very reliable and trustworthy coworkers, that the sandwich was in fact worth skipping vacation for.

Root Beer Barbeque Chicken

Estimated Cost: $4.00

Notes: When your store has chicken on sale ($1.77/lb at mine), cram your freezer.

2 cans root beer, divided use

1/2 cup smoky barbecue sauce

1/2 cup Dijon mustard, plus 1/4 cup more for marinade

brown sugar, if needed

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken

1 teaspoon each salt and pepper

1 tablespoon each paprika and garlic powder

2 tablespoons olive oil

In a small saucepan, boil one can root beer until thick and syrupy, about 30 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup each smoky barbecue sauce and 1/2 cup Dijon. Taste this sauce and add brown sugar if the sauce needs a little sweetness. (Notes: you should have plenty of extra sauce for dipping-just reserve half of it before spreading it on the chicken.) Meanwhile, smear chicken with Dijon. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder; drizzle with olive oil. Place in zip top bag. Pour root beer over chicken, cover and marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours. Grill or broil chicken, about five minutes per side, or until outside is nicely browned and inside is no longer pink.

Coming Tomorrow:

Grilled Cherry Tomato Salad with Rosemary Vinaigrette

Food and Furthermore IV

Refrigerator Dill Pickles and more.... With such cute, wee cucumbers at our local farmer's market, and with a bit of leftover dill Memorial Day's potato salad, I was compelled to produce pickles... Refrigerator pickles are ever so much better than heat processed pickles. CRUNCH! That's the big difference, in a word. You'll also appreciate how easy and inexpensive it is to make quarts and quarts. (Scroll down to the bottom for the recipe.) I make as many as we'll need for a couple of months, and a few extra jars to share.

In fact, I just gave my pesty little brother a jar of pickles and a jar of strawberry jam. He deadpanned, "Do you think my wife is pregnant?" Although the thought was far from my mind, he does have five children and the "baby" is turning three this month. You just never know when pickles and jam might come in handy, Roy. Here are three of his girls plus one of mine. His oldest girl (top right) just cut off her braid to donate to "Locks of Love." What a gal! Furthermore, we had loads of company this weekend. We live across the street from my parents, so whoever visits them, visits us, too. (That's mostly a good thing!) I'm crazy about my nieces and nephews. Just look at that face!And furthermore, we celebrated my superhero Dad's 67th birthday. I still think he could be the President of the US, or an FBI agent, or at the very least John Wayne. Plus, he put up with me when I was a teenager. The least I can do is make his favorite chocolate mayonnaise cake. My British great grandma used to make it for him when he was a boy, chock full of dates and walnuts. (I'll pass on the recipe-if anyone wants it. Leave a request in the comment section.) It's surprisingly delicious to grown-ups, but I divide the batter in half and make some plain chocolate mayonnaise cupcakes, too-with a cute candy initial piped from vanilla melts. Actually, I don't even admit to the kids that there is mayonnaise in the cake at all. See how fun my Dad is? You've got to have a sense of humor to raise 10 kids. Especially if 8 of them are girls. And at least one of the boys (Roy) is excessively pesty.
Here's what the ex-basketball star got for his birthday. I wonder if he'll still be willing to help me practice my right hook....
Now on to those little pickles....

Refrigerator Dill Pickles
Estimated cost: $5.00

Notes: The price will vary depending on the cost of your local cucumbers, but it's still going to be lots cheaper than purchasing pickles.

about 10 Kirby cucumbers, sliced

1 onion, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, sliced

fresh dill, about 10 sprigs

6 cups water

2 cups vinegar

1/4 cup salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon black pepper
Layer cucumbers, onion, and garlic in clean glass bottles. In a medium saucepan, boil water, vinegar, salt and sugar. Let cool for five minutes. Pour over cucumbers in jars to cover and refrigerate. (If you run out of liquid, just add equal parts water and vinegar.) Cucumbers will be best after one week-but I can never wait that long. Good luck!

Coming Tomorrow: Using your Root Beer Barbecue Sauce on Grilled Chicken-plus a leftover bonus