Quick Pickles

Biting into a chilled cucumber is like biting into ice water...

Biting into a chilled cucumber is like biting into ice water. The taste is cool and clean. It’s no wonder because they are made up of 95% water.

While cucumbers don’t pack as much nutritional value as some of their garden neighbors, they do have a bit of vitamin A, vitamin C, magnesium, phosphorus, manganese, and potassium. Plus with skin intact, they provide a healthy dose of fiber.

Cucumbers are often used topically for skin problems. The oft shown cliché of two slices on each eye actually will help lessen the damage from a night out on the town. The coolness of the cukes can sooth tired, puffy eyes. Plus eating one will help re-hydrate you.

I love these pickles. They are quick, easy and delicious. I see no need to buy store-bought pickles again!

Ingredients
2-3 cucumbers, trimmed and cut into 1/4-inch round slices
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup cider vinegar (or enough to cover the cucumber slices)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup onion, sliced thin

Grilled Meat Loaf, Mashed Potatoes & Green Beans

Growing up I went through a phase of requesting meat loaf for my birthday dinner. My Grandmother’s recipe with a tangy tomato sauce was the perfect accompaniment for a chilly winter evening. We always had it with mashed potatoes and home-canned green beans. I’ll admit the green beans were not my favorite part. As we were a clean-plate family, I begrudgingly ate the five or so that were put on my plate.

I usually don’t make meat loaf in the summer, mainly because we don’t have air conditioning in our kitchen. Happily I stumbled on a recipe for grilled meatloaf in a magazine (it was a “special advertising section” for a grill). It sparked my imagination to try a family favorite—meat loaf, mash potatoes and green beans—all on the grill.

As luck would have it, my husband and I were in Virginia last weekend visiting family. Who better to try a redux of a family standard?

I believe the first response to my proposed meal was, “That sounds interesting” with “interesting” stretched out and the last syllable raised like a question. Then it was “That will take FOR-EVER” followed by “Have you USED Mom’s grill lately?”

“Pish-posh,” I replied as I mixed the meat with my hands. My sister then began busying herself making her kids a separate meal. I’m not sure if it was taste preference or time concerns. To be fair, the later is legitimate. I’ve been known, to my Mom’s chagrin, to sit down for dinner at 9 or 10 at night.

Mom has a gas grill. The ignition switch has long been broken, but with a quick strike of a match we were off and grilling. I set the heat to medium and carefully set the loafs on the grates and closed the grill. In no time, the bottom of one was chard pitch black. Oops. My sister was right about the grill; apparently it has quite a hot spot. She was also right about the time. Aside from the uber-well-done bottom, the meatloaf was coming along nicely but the potatoes were rock hard. My quick-thinking husband popped them into the microwave then returned them to the grates for a grilled finish.

The green beans were the least trouble, if you don’t count loosing a few through the grill grates. The whole meal was on the table in about an hour. The kids still preferred the cheese quesadillas but the adults were all quite happy with the grilled feast, burnt meat and all.

Grilled Meat Loaf
Adapted from a Weber grill advertisement.

Ingredients
2 lbs ground beef (local and /or grass fed preferred)
1/2 lbs ground pork sausage (local and nitrate-free preferred)
2 slices whole wheat bread, torn into small pieces
1 cup onion, chopped fine
2/3 cup green pepper, chopped
2 eggs
2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2-3 garlic cloves minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
1/2 cup ketchup

Method
-In a large bowl, mix ground beef, sausage, bread, onion, green peppers, eggs, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, 1/4 cup ketchup, salt and pepper. Mix
well, using your hands is the best way.
- Divide into three loafs.
- Mix the ketchup and barbecue sauce and generously brush each meat loaf with it. Reserve the remaining sauce to serve with the meatloaf.
-Prepare the grill for indirect heat medium-to-medium low heat, about 300ºF. Spray or wipe grates with oil to prevent sticking.
-Gently place the meatloaf onto the grate. I found it easiest to use my hands, but a metal spatula would work also.
-Grill with the lid closed until the interior meat temperature is155ºF or until the juices run clear. This will take around 35-45 minutes. If your grill has a hot spot, watch it and move things around accordingly.
-Remove from grill and let rest for 10 minutes. Add the remaining sauce equally on each loaf, cut into 1/2 inch slices and serve with mashed potatoes.

Serves 8



Grilled Mashed Potatoes
These tasted like smoky baked potatoes with all the good stuff on them already.

Ingredients
8-10 medium-large potatoes, washed, skin on (any type will do)
1 stick of butter
1/4 cup of milk
1/4-1/2 cup of plain yogurt or sour cream
Salt and pepper to taste

Method
-If potatoes are large, cut in half. Rub each potato with butter and place on in a microwave safe dish. Microwave for five minutes.
- Spray or wipe grates with oil to prevent sticking and prepare for medium heat.
-Close grill lid and roast for about 15 minutes or until soft, turning often.
- Place grilled potatoes in a large bowl and add the remaining butter, yogurt or sour cream, milk, salt and pepper and mash.

Serves 8


Grilled Green Beans
Double this recipe and have grilled beans on hand to toss in a salad.

Ingredients
1 pound fresh green beans, ends trimmed
1/8 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Method
-In a large bowl, toss beans with olive oil, garlic salt and pepper.
- Place beans on medium-hot grill. Set bowl used to mix aside. Grill for about 10 minutes turning them often (try not to loose too many through the grates). The beans should be bright green and slightly charred in spots.
-Return grilled beans to the bowl and toss. Add more olive oil, salt and pepper if needed.
-Serve warm or cold.

Sour Cherry Pies To Go

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Excerpt from my July 10, 2009 column in the Register Star and Daily Mail:
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I look forward to the first weeks of July. Not for the fireworks or summer cookouts, but for the sour cherries. I patiently wait for the sweet cherries to come and go and keep my eye out for the sour ones. Once they are ready, I pick as many as a person can reasonably haul. I pit them, divvy them up into Ziploc bags, freeze them and hoard them for the rest of the year. They are, by far, my favorite fruit.

Growing up, we had three cherry trees on the farm. There was a black cherry tree a few yards from our back door and two sour cherry trees on the far side of the field beside the garage. I would happily climb through the barbed-wire fence and cross the field to fill my pail with cherries. Then, with little supervision, I would make a sour cherry cheesecake, using a pre-made gram cracker crust, sweetened condensed milk and cream cheese. My recipes have changed since then, but my fondness for sour cherry desserts certainly hasn’t.

I could eat sour cherry pie filling with a spoon, though it is a little more civilized to eat it in a pie. Here’s a version you can throw in a lunch box. The recipe is adapted from a cherry turnover recipe from www.recipegirl.com who adapted it from The Art & Soul of Baking, which probably adapted it from some place else.

Ingredients
For Crust
11/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon sugar
pinch of salt
1 stick cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
8-ounce package of cold cream cheese, roughly cut into pieces
I teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar

For Filling
2 cups pitted & halved fresh sour cherries
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 Teaspoon salt

For Assembly:
1 large egg yolk
2 Tablespoon milk
Sugar

Method
Crust-
You can make this either using a pastry blender or a food processor
-Place the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl, mix for a few seconds.
- Cut in the cold butter pieces with pastry blender and mix, until the mixture looks like crumbs (or pulse with food processor).
-Add vinegar and cut in the cream cheese and mix until a ball forms ( or pulse quickly with food processor until a ball has formed).
-Turn the clump of dough onto floured surface and knead gently to bring dough together. This dough is forgiving but try not to over work it.
-Flatten into a 7-inch square.
-Wrap with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes or up to 2 days.

Filling
-Pit cherries and place in medium saucepan.
-Mix cherries with sugar, cornstarch and salt.
-Heat over medium until juices have thickened.

Assemble
-Heat oven to 375°F
-Place the dough on a lightly floured surface.
- Roll into a square that is roughly 15x15 inches. The dough will be stiff and a little hard to work.
- Using a pizza cutter, cut into nine 5-inch squares.
- Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper or lightly grease with butter.
- Place the dough squares onto prepared baking sheets. Place a couple of tablespoonfuls of the cherries onto each square.
- Whisk the egg yoke and milk together
- Brush edges of pastry square with egg wash. Carefully fold into a triangle, keeping the cherries enveloped in the dough. Use the tines of a fork to press the edges together and seal them.
-Brush the tops of the pies with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.
-Using a sharp knife, carefully cut two-three slits in the top of each turnover to allow steam to escape during baking.
-Place baking sheets in oven and bake for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown. Rotate the sheets halfway through.
-Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool. Serve warm with ice cream or at room temperature. I like mine plain. I want as little as possible getting between me and that sour cherry pie filling!

Yield: 9

Grilled Meat Loaf, Mashed Potatoes & Green Beans

A family favorite — meat loaf, mashed potatoes and green beans — all on the grill.

Finally, my column is online! Click here to read more.

Cherry Garcia Knock-off

I’m pretty sure I’ve cracked the Cherry Garcia code with this one.
I’m pretty sure I’ve cracked the Cherry Garcia code with this one.
Click here.

Sour Cherry Ketchup

This is my new favorite ketchup.
Click Here.

Aussie Burgers

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Excerpt from my July 3, 2009 column in the Register Star and Daily Mail:
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After visiting Australia, my cousin Leslie asked me if beets because she wanted to put them on a burger. Apparently, if you are Down Under, it is customary to add a beet slice to your grilled burger…and a fried egg, pineapple or whatever else you fancy.

Get both hands and plenty of napkins ready for this one.

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Sugar Snap Pesto

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Excerpt from my June 26, 2009 column in the Register Star and Daily Mail:
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Pesto means “to pound.” Traditionally it was made with a mortar and pestle. I will occasionally make regular pesto that way. For this recipe, a food processor makes quick work of “pounding” the pea pods. The result is a beautifully green, bright tasting pesto. Perfect for tossing in pasta or serving with grilled fish or chicken.
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Sweet Pea Ice Cream with Orange Zest

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Excerpt from my column in the Register Star and Daily Mail:
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This is for the adventurous ice cream eater. The flavor is a combination between orange sherbet and green tea ice cream. It makes a nice bright ending to a summer meal. You will need an ice cream maker for this recipe.

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