FALL FOODS

Well the cool fall weather is amongst us again...THANK YOU!!! since I am not a hot weather person at all and have the white body to prove it.  I love Warm weather for vegetable gardens, summer farmer market and fishing at the shore.  But now it is pre Holiday time......time to think of pumkin recipes..not in beer tho..please no more pumpin beers....but baking and cooking those foods that you now dont worry about the calories since we are all now wearing layers of clothes....

Your Thanksgiving meal will be here soon. Do you stay with all your traditional favorites? or do you change one or two items to mix up your meal or desserts?? Check out the poll for thanksgiving and lets swee what your all thinking...

Holly's Refrigerator Pickles

Cucumbers are a satisfying, low maintenance crop.  They can reproduce in even greater quantities than zucchini (perhaps a comparison to rabbits might be more accurate here) and such has been the case in my garden this summer.


Hmmm...  What to do with so many cucumbers?
 

I could give some away (and I have) but once one exceeds that unspoken give away limit they risk being avoided at all costs by friends, relatives and neighbors.  I can hear the panicked voices in my head now, “Oh, no!  It’s the cucumber lady -  RUN!  Turn all the lights off and hide in the basement!”  Not wanting to inflict such irreparable damage upon others, I decided the best course of action was to try my hand at making refrigerator pickles.

Anyone who cooks understands that the general rule of thumb, when preparing a new recipe, is to follow the instructions exactly.  The next time you make it you can alter ingredients to suit your personal tastes.  

I’d planned to adhere to this rule with the pickles.  However, research rapidly proved that was going to be damn near impossible.  The discrepancies in batch sizes and ingredient quantities (from recipe to recipe) were immense. I couldn’t find a single one that looked right for me.  I had to pour myself a drink and mull it over.  I’m no professional, I thought (I leave that to Tom), but I am a really good cook.  If I could master challah bread then couldn’t I cobble together my own pickle recipe?  So I tried.  And 5 days later I found out I was right!  If you long for a firm, crisp pickle that makes you pucker up and beg for another, try this on for size:

>2 parts apple cider vinegar   to 1 part water
>1 tsp sugar per quart size jar
>2 Tbsp kosher salt per quart size jar (use non-iodized salt)

>2-3 large cloves garlic (sliced) per quart size jar

>1 tsp peppercorns per quart size jar

>¼ cup fresh dill sprigs per quart, moderately packed

>fresh, firm cucumbers; enough to fill the jar(s)

Bring water to a boil (more than you think you’ll need, just to be safe).  Dissolve sugar and salt in 1/2 to 3/4 cup of hot water (again, per quart).  Let water cool to room temperature before using.  Save remainder of boiled water to satisfy the 2 to 1 ratio with vinegar when filling jar(s).

This is one of the very few times in life when size actually doesn’t matter.  Slice unpeeled cucumbers in whatever shapes you like; coins, halves, spears (do NOT use waxed cucumbers). Put dill, peppercorns and garlic in bottom(s) of jar(s).  Place cucumbers on top.  Fill jar(s) with vinegar and water, enough to cover tops of cucumbers.  Refrigerate immediately.  Allow to marinate 5-7 days.  Shake jar(s) one or two times a day.  Pickles can be stored in the refrigerator for approximately 5 to 6 weeks.  Feel free to add other spices that you like.  I’ve seen recipes where mustard seeds, fennel seeds and ground turmeric have been included.

Enjoy!  H.L.    

The Ultimate Strawberry

Handpicked, vine ripened berries from my (Holly's) Garden State garden!

 

Preface:  Well, we kind of dropped the ball on the food blog a while ago.  I can't say there's any real good reason for that so instead of wasting space making up excuses I'm just going to jump right in and start posting!

 

One of the great joys of summer is feasting on local, seasonal fruits.  Whether they are berries, peaches, watermelon or tomatoes the satisfaction is unsurpassable. 

 

I'm not much of a "fruit" person by nature with the exception of my excessive love for tomatoes (I'm currently raising 36 tomato plants, 11 different varieties).  

My husband constantly reminds me that I should "eat more fruit".  To me, however, fruit is simply unbearable when out of season.  

So...when it is in season I enjoy it to the fullest!  What could be better than locally grown apples in the autumn?  So crisp...So refreshing...So fresh!  Likewise, in early summer, what could be better than a bowl full of juicy strawberries?  That vibrant red flesh accentuated by a verdant crown of leaves, ripened to perfection in the sun. 

Mmm Mmm!

One could slice and carefully perch them atop shortcake and further adorn them with whipped cream, but...most of the time I'm far too impatient for such frivolities.  I prefer the sweet satisfaction of sinking my teeth into that luscious flesh and basking in the immense flavor of summertime without even having to leave my garden.

  

Summer's Bounty of the Jersey Shore!!!

The fresh catch of crabs, shrimp and clams boiled in seasoned broth. Add local New Jersey corn and blue potatoes. What a meal...fresh from the farm of the land and sea.

Summer's Bounty

This summer is granting us a beautiful bounty of tomato treasures. Holly and I have been harvesting several heiloom varieties. Holly took a great pic of the different varieties she is growing in her yard. You just can't beat a fresh Jersey tomato in the summer. YUM!!!

Creme Brule Recipe

Creme Brule
As our Grandma Julie always said "Since Dessert is the best part of the meal, you should have it first." So we are doing a dessert recipe for our first recipe. This item is a crowd favorite at my house. It is a wonderful blend of sweet heavy cream blended with luscious egg yolks. This custard and presentation will send your taste buds in a lactose coma.

2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar
3 egg yolks
1 tsp of pure vanilla
pinch of salt
4 Tbs. of super fine sugar
5 cups boiling water

Equipment needed:
saucepan
spoon
ladle
4 6 oz. ceramic ramekins
baking pan
kitchen towel
kitchen torch

Method:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F

In a saucepan heat the cream, regular sugar and pinch of salt over low to medium heat. Stir occasionally until you see steam rising off the cream. This should take 4 to 5 minutes.

In a bowl mix the egg yolks and vanilla and whisk till smooth. Now you need to temper the hot cream into your yolks. Ladle small amounts of the cream mixture into the egg mixture, mixing well. Do this slowly, since rushing this process will cause your eggs to scramble. Do this process until all the cream mixture is in the egg mixture. Divide your mix into the ramekins.

Place the towel in your baking pan. Place the ramekins in the pan. Place the pan on the rack in the oven. Pour boiling water into the pan till it is halfway up the ramekins.
Bake till custard sets in about 25 minutes.
Chill for 3 hours or overnight.

Sprinkle 1 Tbl of superfine sugar over each ramekin. Using the kitchen torch, move the flame around the sugar until it heats up and melts, bubbles and browns. Do not worry if some areas get darker than other areas.

Now take a spoon and crack open that harden sugar package and enjoy the heavenly delight behind it.

Our first Photo shoot....

Holly and I were able to get together for our first photo shoot. She transformed my living room into a photo studio. As you will see we did a full meal. Recipes to follow shortly. I just wanted to show you the great work! Tell us what you think!