Spicy Dill Pickles

Our dad calls these "Delayed Atomic Reaction" pickles.  I swear they aren't THAT spicy.  And yes, this is coming from someone who loves ghost pepper flakes.  But I think the jars he got had extra potent peppers.  Either that or he ate the pepper thinking it was a pickle.  LOL  We've laughed about these pickles for years now.

Don't let that scare you away.  The level of spice can be adjusted to your taste.

In the summer of 2011, my dear friend Sandy Hanson shared a jar of her spicy pickles.  I am NOT kidding... they were the best tasting pickles I have ever had.  I just had to learn how to make them.  That fall, she taught me how to can with this recipe.  I didn't even know I wanted to learn how to can  And now I've canned a LOT.  It's a precious gift, Sandy, and I will be forever grateful!

Spicy Dill Pickles

This recipe yields 14 quart jars.

In pot #1, boil the lids and rings for your jars.

In pot #2, (a large stock pot), boil water- this is for the canning process.

In pot # 3, boil the following ingredients:

3 qt water
3 qt white vinegar
1.5 c pickling salt

In each clean, sterilized quart jar add the following ingredients.  You'll need to multiply the following amounts by 14.  Add the spices first, then dill weed, then peppers, and cucumbers last:

2 tsp mustard seeds
2 tsp minced garlic
1/8 tsp celery seed
1/8 tsp dill seed
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
1/8 tsp black pepper corns
1/4 tsp pickle crisp granules
1 sprig fresh dill weed
1 Habanero pepper, sliced in half (omit for medium and mild spiced pickles)
1 Serrano pepper, sliced in half (omit for mild flavored pickles)
5-7 small cucumbers

Pour liquid into jar over cucumbers until just below the neck.  Put lid on and then the ring (just finger tight, leave the rings kind of loose).  Boil jars completely submerged in water for 10 minutes.  Remove from the water, set aside and cool (and the best part...listen for the POP!)  Once boiled and sealed, you can tighten rings. If they don't seal, you can turn them upside down.  If they still don't seal, keep in the refrigerator.  They will keep for a few weeks.  When Sandy and I made these, we made 6 dozen, and only one didn't seal.

And this is the worst step.  These pickles will be ready after a month.  The waiting is a killer.  After that, they will keep for years.  Though I doubt they will last that long.

Laura & Sandy

Basic Rice & Quinoa Recipes

Lately we've been eating a lot of rice and quinoa recipes.  Here are basic recipes:

Wild Rice

1 part rice (#1271 at the Good Food Store in Missoula, Montana, USA)
2 parts water

Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan, add rice, simmer on medium heat - covered - for about 45 minutes.

Brown Rice

1 part rice
1 part water
1 part chicken or vegetable broth

 Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan, add rice, simmer on medium heat - covered - for about 45 minutes.

Black Rice

1 part rice (#1272 at the Good Food Store in Missoula, Montana, USA)
3 parts water

Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan, add rice, simmer on medium heat - covered - for about 40 minutes.

Quinoa

1 part quinoa
1 part water
1 part chicken or vegetable stock

Bring water and stock to a boil in a medium saucepan, add rice, simmer on medium heat - covered - for 20-25 minutes.

Sticky Buns

Okay.  We've been holding onto this one.  But in the spirit of "almost" spring and a few more cold mornings in our future, we thought we'd share.  Enjoy while being snuggled on the couch under your favorite afghan.  

Sticky Buns

1 bag frozen Rhodes rolls
Crisco, for greasing the pan and rolls
1/4 c cinnamon
1 box of butterscotch pudding
1/2 c (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 c brown sugar

1. Grease bundt pan with crisco.  Grease top of each frozen roll before putting in pan. Place 22-24 rolls evenly in pan.
2. Sprinkle rolls evenly with cinnamon.
3. Sprinkle rolls evenly with 1/2 of the butterscotch pudding packet.
4. In small saucepan, melt butter and brown sugar together. Use low/med heat stirring constantly. It takes awhile to turn into a creamy caramel where the butter and sugar are completely combined, but as with many of our lessons, low and slow!
5. Pour mix over rolls evenly.
6. Cover with light towel and let rise overnight.
7. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes (check at 20).
8. Put a cookie sheet on the rack below in case it oozes caramel.
9. Might need to lower the rack... Depending on how tall they rose... Don't want to burn the top.
10. They're done when the tops are a dark, golden brown.
11. Invert onto large plate.

Smoked Goose

Don't be scared.  We use this in place of the "pork" in "pork and seeds".  OMG  It's amazingly delicious!!

Smoked Goose

2-3 goose breasts, rinsed
1/4 c brown sugar
1/4 c salt
1 c soy sauce
1 tsp onion powder
2 tbsp minced onion
1/2 c sherry or dry red wine
2 tbsp grated fresh ginger or 1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 c orange juice
1 1/2 c water
Hot Chinese Mustard
Sesame Seeds

1. Place goose breasts in large zip top bag.
2. In large bowl, mix all remaining ingredients well, except mustard and seeds.
3. Pour over goose breasts into zip top bag.
4. Seal bag and place flat onto a large plate (in case the zip top bag leaks).
5. Refrigerate overnight, at least 8 hours...up to 24 hours.
6. Remove goose from bag and rinse.
7. Dry with paper towels until completely dry.
8. Place in smoker for 2.5 - 3 hours.
9. Finish cooking in oven at 300 degrees for one hour.
10. Slice into bite sized pieces and serve with hot mustard and sesame seeds.

Courtesy of the internet.  I can not find the picture I took this Christmas!  But ours looked just like this.  Must organize photos! :)

Enchiladas

Only the best enchiladas I've ever had.  And I don't normally like enchiladas.  Thanks to my friend, KayCee Hall, for the inspiration and 95% of the recipe.

Enchiladas

1 lb ground beef
1.5 tbsp taco seasoning (I used Fiesta Dip from Tastefully Simple)
1-4 oz  can diced green chiles
1-15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
3 green onion stalks, diced
1-4 oz small can chopped olives, drained
Burrito shells
1 lb Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
1 lb Mexican Cheese, shredded
1-10 oz can Old El Paso Mild Enchilada Sauce
1-10 oz can Old El Paso Medium Enchilada Sauce

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. In a separate bowl, mix both enchilada sauces together.
3. In medium skillet, brown ground beef, drain and return to pan.
4. Add taco seasoning and stir well.
5. Off the burner add diced green chillies, black beans, chopped green onions and olives.
6. Divide filling between 5-6 burrito sized shells, put a handful of shredded mozzarella in each and roll up. You can also use small shells which fits more into the pan. 
7. Place in GREASED 9 x 13" pan, pour mixed enchilada sauce over burritos.
8. Top with shredded Mexican cheese. 
9. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees (325 degrees if using a glass pan for 30 min. 
10. Remove foil and bake for 10 more minutes.

You can make ahead and put in fridge.  When baking, add another 15-20 min baking time. 

Top with sour cream when serving, optional.

And these are amazing left over so next time, I will make a double batch!!

p.s.  I had some meat mixture left over.  It was amazing in taco salads.

USANA Nutrimeal Chia Seed Pudding

We're always looking for ways to incorporate our USANA products into healthy recipes. And this?  Accidentally delicious and SUPER healthy!! There are a ton of chia seed pudding recipes online. I combined a few of them and voila!

USANA Nutrimeal Chia Seed Pudding

1/2 c chocolate almond milk
1/4 c unsweetened almond milk
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tbsp USANA Dutch Chocolate Nutrimeal
2 tbsp plus 2 tsp chia seeds
1 tsp maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp stevia (optional)

Mix all ingredients well (takes a bit to incorporate the cocoa powder, but be patient, it will).  Store in an air-tight container overnight.  And then enjoy!

This is not your ordinary pudding.  It has texture.  If you can get over that, it will be the best pudding you'll ever have.

The best part?  The whole thing is only 306 calories (according to sparkpeople.com) and after 5 bites, my chocolate craving was satisfied.

 p.s.  This is gluten free if your maple syrup and vanilla extract are.  

Lemon Meringue Pie

As per request of our Dad for dessert after our big holiday meal, we made this lemon meringue pie.  It still needs some work (it's suggested to add cream of tarter to the meringue so it adheres to the pie and crust).  It was amazingly delicious, but our meringue slipped all over the place.

Lemon Meringue Pie

For the pie:

1 9-inch pie crust, baked as directed, cooled
2 2.9 oz boxes lemon flavor cook and serve pudding
1 c sugar
1/2 c lemon juice
zest of 2 lemons
4 egg yolks
4 c water

1. Stir the pudding mix, sugar, water, lemon juice, lemon zest and egg yolks in sauce pan over medium heat.
2. Bring to a full boil, stirring constantly.
3. Cool completely, stirring twice (to remove film that is on top of pudding mix).
4. Pour into pie crust.

For the meringue:

6 egg whites
2 tbsp corn starch
4 tbsp cold water
1 c boiling water
3/4 c sugar
2 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Blend corn starch and cold water in sauce pan. 
3. Add boiling water and then cook on medium heat until clear and thick, stirring constantly.
4. Let stand until completely cold.
5. With stand mixer, on high speed, beat egg whites until foamy.
6. Gradually add sugar.
7. Beat until stiff, but not dry.
8. Turn to low speed and add vanilla and salt.
9. Gradually beat in corn starch and water mixture.
10. Turn stand mixer to high again and beat well.
11. Spread meringue over pie.
12. Bake for 10 minutes or until edges are golden brown.