Homemade Refrigerator Pickles

My garden was pretty sad and wacky this year and I am still oh so slowly getting cucumbers so these home made pickles came in handy for something different and delicious. My Dad says his mom used to make the best pickles when he was a kid. Maybe I am channeling her because I'm not sure I can ever eat the store bought ones again! I made 2 batches. One with regular white vinegar and one with cider vinegar. I'm thinking the white vinegar ones turned out a bit crunchier. Both were super yummy! I am considering making a batch with rice vinegar...hmm.

Here ya go!

2 cups cider vinegar (distilled white vinegar can also be used. I may be tempted to try it with rice vinegar as well)
2 tsp. kosher or pickling salt. (non-iodized)
1 Tbs. pickling spices (McCormick)
pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
8oz or quart size canning jars (I used 8 oz b/c that's what I had)
1-3 or more 3" garden grown cucumbers. Washed and quartered lengthwise. Ends trimmed. (to make spears)
4-8 cloves fresh garlic.
fresh dill

Bring vinegar, salt and spices to a full boil in medium saucepan over high heat. Cool completely.
Sterilize canning jars by immersing in a pot of boiling water for 10 minutes. The jars should be hot when adding the veggies.
Layer the cucumbers, garlic, and dill in the hot jars. Pour in enough of the vinegar to cover completely. You may need to spoon the spices into the jars as well. Screw on lid and refrigerate for at least 3 days before eating. (The pickles can be stored, covered and refrigerated, for up to 1 month. (Ha! They will not last that long!)

This is a recipe I put together from a couple of recipes. You could also add some sliced onion and some grape tomatoes as well. The addition of red pepper flakes gives it a little extra bite. If you are a lover of crunchy dill pickles, you will be in heaven! I used fresh cucumbers from my garden but I am curious to try store bought cucks. My garden cucks had a nice little sweetness to them. Also, when using home grown cucks, be sure to pick them while the are still bumpy and prickly. Once they start yellowing and getting smooth they will not make a crunchy pickle. These were like baby pickle spears. I could fit 1 to 1 1/2 pickles in each 8 oz. jar.

Enjoy! Let me know what you think! Okay, gonna go eat another pickle now!

Italian Lemon Tartlets

This is my first blog as a "foodie." I usually just post random meals and desserts on Facebook and one day a friend said, "you should start a blog." Today, after going through a bazillion, unorganized recipes, I thought, "Hmm, maybe a blog will help keep my recipes organzied!" So here goes. This recipe, as with many of my recipes, come from taking ideas from other recipes to create a dish or dessert to my own liking. This dessert is an Italian Lemon Tart. I was really craving lemon tarts after buying Dickinson's Lemon Curd for some reason. I just couldn't find exactly what I wanted! So I searched the web to find the Frankenstein parts to create a creamy, lemony tartness with a snap of ginger. Oh my! You will have to stop yourself from eating several before anyone even knows they are gone!

1 jar Dickinson's lemon curd (in jam isle of Safeway or Fred Meyer)
30 gingersnap cookies
4 tbs. unsalted butter, melted
3/4 C. chilled whipping cream
1/2 C. white sugar
1/2 - 8 oz. container mascarpone cheese
1-2 tbs. limoncello (optional) (an italian liqueur)


Preheat oven to 350 deg. use muffin cup liners to line a standard size muffin tin.

For tart:
Use food processor to crush cookies until a somewhat even crumb is achieved.
Place crumbs in a bowl and combined with melted butter until mixed.
Distribute crumb mixture evenly among muffin cups.
Using hands press crumb mixture flat along the bottom and up sides of muffin cups.
Place approx. 1 tbs of lemon curd in each crumb tart.
Bake in 350 deg oven for about 7-8 min.
While still hot, spread warm lemon curd to the edges of the bottom of each tart.
Let cool completely. (over refrigerate overnight)

For whipped cream:
in a medium bowl add 3/4 C chilled whipping cream and 1/2 container of mascarpone cheese.
Add sugar and limonello
Using hand mixer, beat until stiff peaks form. (Whipped cream consistency)
Spoon whipped cream into a sandwich size baggie. Cut off one corner to create piping bag.
Pipe whipped cream on to cool or chilled tarts.
Add a blueberry on top for accent. :)
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