Grilled Chicken Pizza

We've had great weather here where we live, so we've been grilling out a lot lately. I've been looking for new grilling recipes to try!

I found this one in Family Circle Magazine and it looked good to me, but I was a little nervous to try it out. The reason being that we're not exactly maverick in our food preparation. We tend to make pizza in the oven, the way our ancestors did. We grill burgers and steaks, not pizza.

After our pizza success last week, I decided to jump in with both feet!

Grilled Chicken Pizza


Chicken

6 bone-in chicken thighs or bone-in chicken breasts
salt
pepper
1 tsp paprika
olive oil

Crust and Toppings

1 canister refrigerated pizza dough
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 c jarred pizza sauce
2 c shredded mozzarella cheese
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
3 tbsp shredded fresh basil leaves

1. Prepare chicken. Rub chicken with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and paprika. Place on baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes. Allow chicken to cool slightly and shred.


2. Roll crust on a lightly floured surface and let rest.


3. Heat gas grill to medium. Brush pizza dough with some olive oil. Transfer dough to grill, oiled side down. Brush dough top with olive oil. Cover and grill, 3 minutes. Using tongs and a spatula, flip over dough.
   


4. Working quickly, spread pizza sauce on dough and top with mozzarella cheese and chicken. Grill 2-3 minutes or until cheese is melted.


5. Remove pizza to cutting board and top with grated Parmesan and fresh basil and serve.

Now, this was very good, but D wanted me to warn you about something! As the resident griller in our house, he did quite a bit of the work for this meal. Here's what he had to say about it:

"Make sure they know that they have to own a rolling pin to roll out the dough and they need to have all the toppings out at the grill before they start!"

I guess I never mentioned that we don't own a rolling pin. Its not really one of those things that I ever needed. So, instead of rolling my pizza dough out into circles, our dough was in the shape of a square (the way it was when it came out of the canister) and then I cut it in half diagonally so it would fit on the grill.

So folks, the moral of the story is, the pizza was yummy (and it had a nice char-grilled flavor), but the difficulty was a little higher than just popping a pizza in the oven.

A Party Menu

We hosted an engagement party for friends of ours who got engaged over the weekend. We I was in cahoots with the future groom to get the party planned out before he even proposed. Her family was in from out of town, so we wanted to have a celebration with family and friends while they were all in town!

Since I always have trouble coming up with interesting hors d'oeuvres for parties, and figuring out when to make each item so I'm not a hot mess crazy woman the day of the party, I thought I'd share with you the menu I served and how I pulled it off!

To start, we knew that the future Mr. and Mrs. would be going out to eat with their immediate families before the party, so we decided to invite the guests to come around 8:00 pm. This meant that I would only be preparing appetizers and desserts for guests to nibble on. We invited about 30 people, but being Memorial Day Weekend, many were unable to make it. In total we had about 20 people in attendance.

Here's the menu I put together:

Homemade Bread and Butter Pickles
Sweet Onion Relish
Pickled Radishes
Blazin' Buffalo Style Chicken Piadinis
Caprese Skewers
Green Goddess Dip with Crudites
Santa Fe Wraps
Spicy Eggplant Dip with Parmesan Toasts

Knock You Naked Brownies
Orange Chiffon Layer Cake

I chose this menu because it offers a wide-range of snacks for all tastes, and it is also a mixture of prep-ahead and same day recipes. The following is my cooking schedule for a Saturday evening party (if you remember correctly, I already made the Radish Pickles, so that is one less thing to do!):

Tuesday
Make Sweet Onion Relish
Make Bread and Butter Pickles

Thursday
Grocery shop

Friday
Make Eggplant Dip
Make Brownies
Make Cake

Saturday Morning
Make Green Goddess Dip

Saturday Afternoon
Assemble Caprese Skewers
Prep Buffalo Chicken Piadinis

Saturday Evening
Put Piadinis in oven
Pour cocktails and enjoy the party!

As you can see, there is a lot of work to be done, but in the end, it is very feasible to host guests for cocktails and hors d'oeuvre and still enjoy the party!

Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

After canning the strawberries the other day, I really wanted to make homemade ice cream. I remember my parents making it when I was a kid and I just remember how much more delicious the homemade ice cream is than store bought. When we were out this weekend, we saw that they had an ice cream maker on sale, so we bought it and Sunday we decided to try it out.

The ice cream maker that we bought came with an instruction manual that contained a recipe, but I decided to look online to see what I could find. The recipe I ended up using was very similar to the one in the manual. Here it is!

Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream
via Cooks.com

2 c sugar
1/3 c all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
6 c milk
6 eggs
3 c heavy or whipping cream
3 tbsp vanilla extract
About 10-20 lbs. cracked ice
About 3 c rock salt or 2 c table salt

1. In heavy 3 quart saucepan with wire whisk, combine sugar, flour and salt. Beat in milk and eggs until well blended. Cook over medium low heat, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens and coats spoon, about 30 to 45 minutes. (Do not boil or mixture will curdle.) Cover surface with plastic wrap; cool completely, about 3 hours.


2. Pour cooled egg mixture, cream and vanilla into 5 or 6 quart ice cream freezer can. Place dasher in can; cover; place can in freezer bucket; attach motor or hand crank. Add 2 cups water to bucket.


3. Fill bucket half full with ice; sprinkle with 1/4 cup rock salt or 3 tablespoons table salt. Add about an inch of ice and 1/4 cup rock salt or 3 tablespoons table salt. Repeat layers of ice and salt until 1" below can lid. Freeze as manufacturer directs, adding more ice and salt as needed. Freezing takes about 35 minutes.


4. After freezing, ice cream will be soft. Remove motor or crank; wipe lid clean. Remove dasher; with spoon, pack down ice cream. Cover surface of ice cream with waxed paper. Replace lid and put cork in hole in center; add more ice and salt to cover lid. Let stand to harden, about 2 to 3 hours, adding ice as needed. Or, place container in home freezer for 2 to 3 hours. Makes about 3 1/2 quarts or 28 servings.


5. For Strawberry Ice Cream: Prepare egg mixture as in Step 1 for Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream. While egg mixture is cooling, in medium bowl with potato masher or slotted spoon, crush 1 1/2 pints strawberries, hulled with 1 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons lemon juice; let stand about 1 hour. In freezer can, as above, stir cooled mixture, heavy or whipping cream, vanilla, strawberries and 1/4 teaspoon red food color. Freeze and harden as above. Makes about 4 quarts or 32 servings.


6. Chocolate-Rich Ice Cream: Prepare egg mixture as in Step 1 for Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream except use 3 cups sugar. Remove egg mixture from heat; stir in 1 (8 oz.) package unsweetened chocolate squares until chocolate is melted. In freezer can, as above, stir cooled egg mixture, heavy or whipping cream, and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract. Freeze and harden as above. Makes about 4 quarts or 32 servings.

Fish Tacos with Cilantro-Lime Crema and Tomato Apple Salsa

Part of this recipe came from Cooking Light and the other part was created by me. Enjoy!
Crema

1/4 c thinly sliced green onions
1/4 c chopped fresh cilantro
3 tbsp fat-free mayonnaise
3 tbsp reduced-fat sour cream
1 tsp grated lime rind
1 1/2 tsp fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp salt
1 garlic clove, minced

Tacos

1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp ground red pepper
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 pounds tilapia fillets
cooking spray
4 taco shells
Tomato Apple Salsa

1. Preheat oven to 425°.


2. To prepare crema, combine the first 8 ingredients in a small bowl; set aside.


3. To prepare tacos, combine cumin and next 5 ingredients (through garlic powder) in a small bowl; sprinkle spice mixture evenly over both sides of fish. Place fish on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 9 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness.


4. Place fish in a bowl; break into pieces with a fork. Heat tortillas according to package directions. Divide fish evenly among taco shells; top each with salsa and crema.

Tomato Apple Salsa

1 sweet apple (we like Braeburn), chopped
1/2 package grape tomatoes, chopped
1 jalapeno, minced
1/4 red onion, minced
lime juice
salt
pepper
olive oil
white vinegar

1. Mix all ingredients together in a medium bowl. Spoon onto fish tacos for sweetness and added crunch.

Canning Strawberries

I might be crazy.

If you asked my husband he would tell you that I am without a doubt. He wouldn't even hesitate before answering.

We've gotten at least a pint of strawberries per week (but usually about 4 dry pints/week) in our farm box. Now, I don't know about you, but we can only eat so many strawberries in one week. Add to that the fact that they are so fresh that they practically rot on the way home from picking up the box and I decided to try something new!

I knew we were getting 2 pints in our box this week and since we live in "strawberry country" I stopped on the way to pick our box up and bought a few more pints. I came home and got started on my mission:

Canning Strawberries. (!)

The website that I used for guidance claims that the finished product can be used for a myriad of things, like flavoring homemade ice cream, topping for pancakes, sundaes, strawberry shortcake, etc.

Sounds good to me!

Let's get started.

Canning Strawberries

4 (or more) pints fresh strawberries
white sugar
canning supplies

1. Start by preparing your strawberries. You'll need to clean them, hull them (or if you're lazy like me, just cut the tops off) and halve or quarter them if they're big.
   
2. Place in a large stock pot and add 1 cup of white sugar for every 2 quarts (8 cups) of strawberries. Let the mixture sit for at least 2 hours, or as long as overnight. Syrup will form naturally at the bottom of the pot.


3. Place pot on stove top and heat (but make sure the berries don't cook). Prepare cans and hot water bath for cans.
4. Fill jars with berries and top with syrup. Leave about 1/2 inch at the top of the jar. Place lids and rings on jars and tighten.
5. Gently place jars in hot water bath and process for 15-20 minutes.

Soothing Lettuce Wraps

I'm not sure why we labeled P.F. Chang's Lettuce Wraps "soothing," but my sister started it and since that fateful day 100 years ago, we've called them that, even in the restaurant where the server inevitably looks at us like we've each grown an extra head.

I digress.

I caught a wild hair a few months ago and bought a bottle of Peanut sauce and had every intention of using it immediately. Well, fast forward a few months and I think you know where I stand (pizza crust in my freezer for 5 months, anyone?).
I decided that it was time to use it. Didn't matter how, we were gonna drink it if we had to. To be honest, I was sick of pushing it from one side of the pantry to the other whenever I needed something located behind it.

I found a recipe for {Soothing} Chicken Lettuce Wraps and it called for Peanut Sauce, so I decided to make them. OMG. D told me that usually during dinner I pick at my food and claim that I ate a late snack (or half a bag of Tostitos and a jar of salsa). He said it was almost funny because I was literally inhaling these bad boys, sauce running down my arm. {It wasn't pretty, folks.}

Here's the recipe:

Soothing Lettuce Wraps
via AllRecipes.com

1 rotisserie chicken, skinned and boned, meat pulled into large chunks
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 head fresh cabbage
1 small onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons white sugar
black pepper to taste
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 head green leaf lettuce, leaves separated, rinsed, and patted dry
1 cup Thai-style peanut sauce

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, garlic, ginger, cabbage, onion, sugar, and pepper. Pour in hoisin sauce, soy sauce, and vinegar. Bring to a simmer, and cook and stir until the chicken is hot, and the liquid has been absorbed, about 10 minutes.



2. To serve, line a platter with lettuce leaves, and pour the chicken mixture into the center of the platter. Each diner assembles their own wraps by placing some of the chicken mixture onto a lettuce leaf, adding a little peanut sauce, then rolling into a cylinder.

Chicken with Tomatoes and Mushrooms

via Martha Stewart

4-6 bone-in chicken thighs
1 tbsp olive oil
1 pound mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (14.5 ounces) stewed tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a large (5-quart) saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, heat oil over medium-high heat; swirl to coat bottom of pan. Cook chicken, turning when it easily releases from the pan, until golden, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate.


2. Add mushrooms; cover, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, tomatoes, and oregano. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, covered, until tomatoes have broken down, 10 to 15 minutes.


3. Return chicken and any accumulated juices to pan; cover, and cook until chicken is opaque throughout, 4 to 6 minutes. Turn chicken to coat with sauce, and serve.

This is a great meal to serve guests as it is fairly easy to make and feeds a crowd, just add more chicken and another can of tomatoes! Serve alongside warm, crusty bread and a green salad and you've got yourself a hearty Sunday (or weeknight) dinner.

This recipe is definitely a favorite in our house!

Buffalo Chicken Dip

1 original flavored rotisserie chicken
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 8oz blocks plain cream cheese (room temperature)
1 bottle of hot sauce
1 cup of ranch dressing or to taste
Tortilla chips, for dipping

1. Shred rotisserie chicken in large bowl. Add cream cheese. Mix well. Slowly add shredded cheese, hot sauce, and ranch to taste. Stir until mixed well.


2. Spread into cooking pan, sprinkle shredded cheese on top. Heat in oven for 20 minutes at 325-degrees or until hot and bubbly. Serve hot with tortilla chips.

It should be known that you can dip just about anything in this! D has been known to just eat spoonfuls of it right out of the pan (shhh, don't tell!).


*I also suppose you could roast your own chicken to use in this recipe, and if you have the time for that, then more power to you! I'm usually struggling to get a shower in most days, so rotisserie chicken it is!

PW's Soul Sweet 'Taters

These are so good.

There is really nothing else to say about them except "make them."

We made these for Thanksgiving dinner this year and last week I bought sweet potatoes at the grocery store, forgetting that we had some coming in our farm box. This excess of sweet potatoes got me thinking about what to make to use some of them up. I honestly couldn't resist making this scrumptious dessert side-dish.

*Warning: Do not make unless you're prepared to eat the entire pan. Also let it be known that PW is not famous (infamous) for her healthy recipes.

PW's Soul Sweet 'Taters

2 whole medium sweet potatoes
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c milk
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c pecans, chopped
1/4 c flour
3/8 sticks butter

1. Wash sweet potatoes and bake them in a 375-degree oven for about 30-35 minutes, or until fork tender. When they are finished cooking, slice them open and scrape out the flesh into a large bowl.


2. Add sugar, milk, egg, vanilla extract and salt. With a potato masher, mash them until lumpy. Do not over mash.


3. In a separate bowl, add brown sugar, pecans, flour, and butter. With a pastry cutter or fork, mash together until thoroughly combined.


4. Spread the sweet potato mixture into a regular baking dish and sprinkle the crumb mixture all over the top.


5. Bake in a 400-degree oven for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

That is it. Its really a pretty easy recipe, and if you're like me, you already have most of the ingredients in your pantry. Please also note that this recipe can very easily be doubled for a larger crowd (as I am posting half the original recipe). I made it this way because there are only 3 of us eating at our house (no, AbbyDog doesn't get to eat dinner with us) and we have leftovers in the fridge!

Make this next time you have company over or just want a special side dish at dinner. Just don't say I didn't warn you!

Carmelized Onion and Arugula Pizza

I've had a pizza crust in my freezer since the week we moved into our house for a while and I decided that I needed to use it. We're not huge pizza people, and we live a ways from the nearest "town" so good pizza is not something we can just order. We're also from a city that is famous for its pizza, so we're a little picky and a tad judgmental.

Needless to say, when we want pizza, we usually fly home and have the good stuff, haha, I wish! Okay, so we just buy a store bought crust (yes, I know you can make your own, but I'm lazy) and load whatever toppings we can find on top. Pop it in the oven and (depending on which brand of crust you bought) 8-22 minutes later, its ready to eat!

So anyway, last night we had "pizza" on the menu and I just was not feeling the usual red sauce, onion, green pepper, sausage, cheese combo we normally do (plus we don't have any sausage). I ventured over to my trusty friend, Google, and did a little searching. After that came a little mixing and matching, followed by some praying.

Here's the result:

Caramelized Onion and Arugula Pizza
snippets taken from Pete Bakes! and Everyday with Rachael Ray

1 whole wheat thin pizza crust
1 c shredded mozzarella cheese
caramelized onions (recipe below)
white sauce (recipe below)
1-2 c arugula

1. Preheat oven according to directions on pizza crust.


2. Spread white sauce over crust.



3. Place caramelized onions on crust and sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the top.



4. On a pizza stone, bake for time specified on crust packaging.



5. Remove pizza from oven and pile arugula on top of hot pizza. Slice and enjoy!

White sauce

2 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
1 c milk
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tbsp fresh basil, minced
1/2 c parmigiano-reggiano cheese, shredded

1. Heat the butter in a small saucepan. Add the flour and stir until thoroughly mixed.


2. Slowly whisk in milk, adding gradually. Stir in remaining ingredients.


3. Sauce will thicken upon standing.

Caramelized Onions

3 tbsp butter
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2-1/2 pounds onions, thinly sliced
salt and pepper
2 tsp sugar

1. In a large skillet, melt the butter in the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper, and cook, stirring constantly, until the onions begin to soften, about 5 minutes.



2. Stir in the sugar and cook, scraping the browned bits off the bottom of the pan frequently, until the onions are golden brown, about 20 minutes.

We had arugula in our farm box this week, so we used that, but I'm sure that it would be just as good with fresh spinach or even omitting the greens all together! You could also add Italian sausage to the pizza if you wanted some extra protein.

Homemade Bread

This weekend our neighborhood had its "garage sale weekend" and we headed out in the car to drive around the streets of our 'hood and look at other people's crap. I told D that there was a specific list of things that I was looking for and they included:

• A Kelty Kids Carrier
• A Bread Machine
• A B.O.B. Double Stroller (for future purposes, no announcements being made)
• A decent dresser to refinish for our bedroom
  
• Good quality baby clothes and toys

I honestly was not expecting to find any of those things (aside from the baby clothes and toys). And as we were driving around we passed what looked to be an inviting sale. We parked the car, hopped out and the first thing we saw was a bread machine! When the woman said that we could have it for $5, I jumped at the chance! I figured that even if it didn't work I'd only be out $5.

Well folks, it works!

Yesterday I made my first ever batch of homemade bread in my brand new gently used bread machine. Here's the recipe I used:

Light Oat Bread

via AllRecipes.com

1 1/4 cups water
2 tablespoons margarine
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

1. Add ingredients to bread machine pan in order recommended by your manufacturer. Use regular light setting.

Oh, I should also mention that it is {according to D} the most amazing bread he's ever eaten. Definitely try this recipe out if you're looking for a good bread machine recipe!

Grilled Eggplant

via The Happy Housewife

The hubs loves eggplant. I'm more of a fair-weather fan, myself. If someone puts a plate of eggplant parmesan in front of me, then I love it, otherwise, meh. We had the Spicy Vegetable Curry a few nights ago and last time I made it, I made the mistake of putting an entire eggplant in the curry. Do not do this. Only put some in and save the rest of your eggplant for another day.

This leftover eggplant brings me to this recipe that I found online. You can click on the link above to see the original, but I didn't change anything, so you can just stay here. ;) We were already planning to grill tonight, so throwing this together was pretty easy, not to mention we already have all the ingredients in the pantry (you probably do, too!).

1 large eggplant
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp basil
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Mix all the ingredients together except the eggplant.

Cut the eggplant lengthwise into 1/2-inch thick slices. Brush the sliced eggplant on both sides with the marinade mixture. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Brush again with the mixture and place on a hot grill.

Grill for 7 minutes and flip. Grill for another 7 minutes and serve.

That's it! Super easy, and healthy to boot!

Green Chile Turkey Burgers with Spicy Mayo

I made this recipe up last summer when a friend of ours gave us a home-canned jar of banana peppers that she grew in her garden. We were looking for excuses to eat them and they pair perfectly with these burgers!

Burgers:

1 lb ground turkey
1 can diced green chiles, drained
1 egg
1/2 c breadcrumbs
1 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
lettuce, for serving
red onion, thinly sliced for serving
mild banana peppers for serving
4 whole wheat hamburger buns

Spicy Mayo:

1/4 c mayonnaise
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

1. In a large bowl, combine turkey, green chiles, egg, breadcrumbs, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix until all ingredients are incorporated. (You may need to add more breadcrumbs if the mixture seems especially wet.) Form into four equal patties and set aside.


2. Heat grill to medium and place burger patties directly on grates. When patties release easily from grate, about 6 minutes, flip and cook another 5-6 minutes, until juices run clear.


3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together mayo, lemon juice, and cayenne pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve.


4. Place burgers on buns and top with lettuce, onion, banana peppers, and spicy mayo. Enjoy!

This is one of our absolute favorite go-to meals! I make it at least every other week and they just never get old! Serve with a side of asparagus or baked sweet potato fries for an easy weeknight meal.

Skirt Steak Pitas

via Family Circle

Makes 4 Servings
Prep 15 minutes
Grill 6 minutes

3 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp Greek seasoning
1 tsp brown sugar
1 lb skirt steak
1-7 oz container Greek yogurt
2 oz reduced-fat feta cheese, crumbled
4 Roma tomatoes, cut in half from top to bottom
1 large red onion, peeled and cut into ½-inch slices
4 whole wheat pitas
1 c shredded lettuce

1. In a small bowl, blend olive oil, vinegar, mustard, 1 teaspoon of the Greek seasoning and brown sugar. Reserve 3 tablespoons of the mixture. Place the remainder in a large re-sealable plastic bag. Add the steak and marinate in the refrigerator for 1-4 hours.


2. In a second small bowl, mix together the yogurt and feta; cover and refrigerate until ready to use.


3. Heat gas grill to medium-high or coals in charcoal grill to medium hot. Lightly coat grill rack with olive oil or cooking spray.


4. Brush tomatoes and onion with some of the reserved oil and vinegar mixture. Place tomatoes on grill, cut-side down along with onion slices. Grill for 3 minutes; turn, brush with remaining oil mixture and grill tomatoes for additional 2 minutes and onions for 3 minutes, until tender. Remove to a plate to keep warm.


5. Remove steak from bag and grill about 2 minutes per side or until internal temperature reaches 130 degrees on an instant-read thermometer for medium-rare. Remove from grill and allow to stand 2 minutes before thinly slicing.


6. Serve pita slightly warmed and layer with lettuce, yogurt mixture, and sliced steak. Accompany with grilled tomatoes and onion.
   

Per serving:
555 calories; 25 g fat (8 g sat); 37 g protein; 48 g carbohydrate; 7 g fiber; 876 mg sodium; 62 mg cholesterol

I was trying to come up with new Summer time recipes now that the weather is warming up and when I got the new Family Circle in the mail this week, this recipe caught my eye immediately! Its an all-in-one recipe, meaning that the side and the main dish are all included in this recipe.

Enjoy!

Radish Pickles

via Tasty Kitchen

We got radishes in our Farm box this week and I was trying to think of a creative way to use them. We're not big radish eaters in our house, but we do like pickles! Add in the fact that I don't want to waste any of the fresh, local produce we get in our box each week, I have been wanting to try canning something. This recipe seemed like the perfect excuse to try!

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Difficulty Easy
Servings 4

Ingredients



2 bunches Radishes
1 large Yellow Onion
1 cup Rice Vinegar
1 cup Water
1 pinch Salt
½ cups Sugar

1. Wash radishes really, really well. Slice radishes and onion as thinly as possible. You can use a mandolin, but a good sharp knife works well (plus I don't have a mandolin). Pack sliced radishes and onion in jars as tightly as possible.



2. Place water, rice vinegar, and sugar in a sauce pan and let rest until sugar and salt dissolve. Once everything is dissolved, bring to a simmer. (I have to admit, the sugar in mine didn't dissolve until I simmered.) Simmer for about 15 minutes. Turn off heat and allow to cool. Pour cooled mixture over the radishes, leaving about 1/2 inch of head space. Use a knife or skewer to remove air bubbles.



3. Process in a hot water bath for 20 minutes, remove from water and as the jars cool you should hear the tops "pop." If they pop, pickles are good (unopened) for one year. If they don't pop, eat within one month.

Spicy Vegetable Curry

via Skinny Bitch Ultimate Everyday Cookbook

Once or twice a week we like to have a vegetarian meal (not only because it helps our pocketbook, but its healthy and yummy as well). This is a favorite in our house! Sometimes I add tofu to the veggies, but its a hearty meal even without it!

Makes 4 servings

3 tbsp grapeseed oil
1 tsp chopped fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 (14-ounce) can light coconut milk
1 1/2 cups water
2 tsp red curry paste
2 tbsp white miso paste
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 c mushroom halves
1/2 c 1-inch zucchini slices, halved
1/2 c cubed eggplant
1/3 c sliced okra
salt and pepper, to taste
1 tsp lime juice for garnish
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes for garnish
freshly cooked jasmine rice, for serving

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the ginger and garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Add the coconut milk, water, red curry paste, miso and curry powder, and stir until well combined. Reduce heat to low and simmer 20 minutes.


2. In a medium frying pan, heat the remaining oil over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, zucchini, eggplant and okra and saute about 3 minutes. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Add the vegetable mixture to the curry sauce and cook an additional 10 minutes. Garnish with the lime juice and red pepper flakes. Serve with jasmine rice.

Per serving:
130 calories; 11 g fat (1 g sat.); 0 mg cholesterol; 7 g carbohydrate; 7 g fiber; 12 g protein