Spicy Honey Dills: Homemade Refrigerator Pickles

No, Im not pregnant but I do love pickles, they are a perfect little snack that packs in a lot of flavor with little calories. They are also great on burgers or any sandwich and so easy to make that you’ll forget about buying them at the store.

Spicy Honey Dills: Homemade Refrigerator Pickles

1 1/2 c water

1 1/2 c apple cider vinegar

2 t chopped garlic

1 jalapeño sliced

1 small yellow onion sliced

5 small thin skinned cucumbers sliced into 1/4 “-1/2” rounds

2 T honey

2T pickling spice

1/2 t dried thyme

1/2 t red pepper flakes

1/4 t black pepper

1/2 t salt

1 1/2 t dried dill weed

Pour water and vinegar into a med sauce pan. Add pickling spice, thyme, red pepper, dill, garlic, salt and pepper, bring to a low boil and stir in honey. Turn heat off and let cool.

Meanwhile layer cucumbers, onions and jalapenos in a glass jar. 

Add cooled liquid into jar until it covers the cucumbers, put on lid and refrigerate for at least 24 hours. 

Turkey Fruit and Cheese Plate

 

Gobble Gobble! I saw something like this on Pinterest and decided to try it out for myself, I think it needs work but can be perfected by Thanksgiving.

Pool Party: My Nephew’s 1st Birthday

I come from a very large family, and my nephew turned one last week and so we celebrated in style.  It was a collaborative effort by friends and family with ideas from everyone and Pinterest. It turned out so cute I thought I would share some of the highlights. The cake above came from the very talented Creative Wine-O, check out her facebook page here. The detail was stunning. The beach ball was the “smash” cake and even the sand dollars were edible.

To celebrate his first revolution around the sun my sister made a timeline, featuring a picture from each of his 12 months. Use ribbon and clothes pins to hang. Make sure you put it in a place that is easily accessible so all guest can admire it.  We also used this as the back drop when he ate his birthday cake. We placed his high chair in front.

We hung a fishing net ( available at party stores) over the main food table and attached sand molds to it. We also had a craft table so that some of the older kids could make paper plate fish to hang in the net. We also used sand buckets and shovels to serve some of the food in.

One of the highlights of the food table was this awesome watermelon carved into a shark by my brother-in-law. We then filled it with various cut up fruit.

He also made a cantaloupe into a blow fish.

Vegetables morphed into a tropical fish.

Spinach dip was turned into a jolly octopus using a bread bowl and pretzel sticks.

Make your own hummus beach by spreading hummus in a shallow tray ( I used a clear lid to a casserole) and decorate with drink umbrellas and Pretzel Crisp crabs.

I found a dolphin sandwich cutter at Sweetbay, perfect to make mini sandwiches for the kids.

Swedish fish and gummy worms turned into an edible bait bucket decoration.

Each child got to take a bit of the fun home. Our good family friend made party buckets out of plain sand buckets decorated with stickers and ribbon and filled with beach themed goodies from the dollar store.

It was a true success and a joyous celebration of one of our youngest family members birthday.

Pretzel Crisp Toffee Candy

 

I couldn’t wait for the Holiday Pretzel Crisps to come out so I made these today.

Pretzel Crisp Toffee Candy

1 7.2 oz bag Original Pretzel Crisps

1 c  unsalted butter (2 sticks)

1 c brown sugar

1 c chocolate chips

1 c crushed pecans

Preheat oven to 400. line a baking sheet with a silpat or spray with cooking spray

Lay Pretzel Crisps evenly on the pan.

 

Melt butter in a small sauce pan with the brown sugar over med high heat

 

Bring to a boil and boil over med heat for 3 minutes

 

Pour over Pretzel Crisps and bake for 5 minutes

Remove from oven and scatter chocolate chips and nuts over the top while still warm, slightly pressing them down with a rubber spatula to help them stick.

 

Refrigerate baking sheet for at least 2 hours or until candy is hard.Break into pieces. Store in an airtight container.

 

** Other additions, chopped peppermint candy, toasted coconut, chopped peanuts, peanut butter chips, mini M and M’s

 

Easy 3 Ingredient Key Lime Pie Dip

I made Key Lime Pie last week, one of my family’s favorites, and as I was licking the spoon and bowl I had an idea. Why not make this into a dip that I could eat on graham crackers and fruit?  So here it is, tastes just like the pie,I don’t have to lick the bowl anymore and it’s so easy with only 3 ingredients I will be making it all Summer.

Key Lime Pie Dip

1 c sweetened condensed milk

1 c sour cream

1 1/2 T key lime juice

Mix the ingredients together in a small bowl. Garnish with a lime slice and graham cracker crumbs if desired. Serve with graham crackers, apples, strawberries, vanilla wafers etc..

Heels in the Kitchen: Elvis Cookies

Today I am wearing heels in the kitchen, special occasion?  No, but 15 months after knee surgery I still look like a 10 year old trying to walk in her mom’s shoes. I am sick of flats, and flip-flops, I want to wear grown up shoes, after all I love shoes and there are too many pairs of heels to count, in my closet, just collecting dust. Maybe I am over thinking it, so I figured if I put them on while I was busy in the kitchen I would forget about the awkwardness and just walk in them. Well, I think it was slightly helpful, next step mopping and gardening in heels, the neighbors (and my family) may think I am crazy but I am getting back in my shoes!

Oh and I made these delicious cookies today, oatmeal, peanut butter, banana and chocolate chip. So obviously I named them Elvis cookies, thank you, thank very much.

Elvis Cookies: Oatmeal, peanut butter, banana and chocolate chip

1 1/2 c flour

1 c sugar

1/2 t salt

1/2 t baking soda

1/2 c butter softened

3/4 c peanut butter

1 egg

2 bananas mashed

1 1/2 c old fashioned oats

1 c mini chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Add flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, butter and peanut butter to a large bowl. Beat on low until ingredients are combined and the mixture starts to crumble. Add egg, bananas and oats, mix until it forms a dough, stir in chocolate chips. use a med ice cream scoop or a heaping tablespoon and place dough on cookie sheets.

bake for about 18 minutes or until edges brown and cookies are slightly golden. (my oven is on the slow side so check after 14 minutes)

Let cool and enjoy! Makes about 4 dozen

Cantaloupe Smoothies

 

A quick dessert or after school treat, these are rich and delicious (and healthy too).

Cantaloupe Smoothie

1 small-med cantaloupe cut into chunks, seeds and rind removed

1/2 c milk

1 cup ice

Put milk and cantaloupe into a blender and puree until cantaloupe is broken up, add ice and puree until smooth. Serve with fresh berries if desired.

If you have a larger cantaloupe add 1/4 cup more milk and ice.

Beet and Blue Cheese Hummus

Beet and Blue Cheese Hummus

Valentines’s Day is right around the corner, looking for a festive snack that doesn’t involve sugar or chocolate. Try making this delicious and savory hummus, go all the way and cut pita into heart shapes with a cookie cutter or serve with red veggies like peppers and cherry tomatoes.

Beet and Blue Cheese Hummus

1 15 oz can chick peas, drained and rinsed

3 T Tahini (sesame seed paste)

2-3 T blue cheese ( you could also use feta)

1 t salt

1/2 c sliced pickled beets

2 T beet juice from jar

1/2 c olive oil

1T chopped green onions

Add all ingredients except oil to a food processor, turn on and slowly drizzle olive oil in.  Continue to process until all ingredients are completely smooth, add more oil if it is too thick.

Serve with pita, tortilla chips or fresh veggies. I drizzled some extra beet juice on top when serving.

 

 

Raspberry and Nutella Granola Bars

Well here is another thing I won’t need to buy at the grocery store, I just made my first granola bars and they were easy! I am already thinking of new flavor combinations, They are perfect for on the go snacks and breakfasts.

Raspberry and Nutella Granola Bars

2 c old-fashioned oats

1/2 c dried raspberries

6T butter

1/2 c nutella

1/3 c brown sugar

1T honey

Mix oats and raspberries in a large bowl. Melt butter over low in a saucepan, mix in nutella, sugar, and honey. Pour over oats and place in an 8×8 pan lined with tin foil, that has been sprayed with cooking spray of butter.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, cool and cut into bars.

Buffalo Cauliflower

Yes I am mean, this is what I tried to serve my husband and kids as so called wings. But guess what it was delicious, maybe not low fat but it sure is healthier than regular buffalo wings and if you don’t over think it , it tastes pretty similar. The heat and crunch are there and dip anything in blue cheese and its a winner. Mix it up this Super Bowl and try this, perfect for vegetarians and dieters.

3 T butter

2 T hot sauce

1 head cauliflower , cut into florets

blue cheese dressing (optional)

Met butter in a pan

add hot sauce and stir over med high heat. Add cauliflower and saute for about 4 minutes, until coated, but still crunchy.

Sprinkle with salt. Serve with blue cheese dressing