Category: OLD BLOGS

Garlic Dill Pickles & Birthday BASH giveaway!

Hubby loves pickles!  I mean he reallllllllllllllllllllllly loooooooooooooooves pickles.  Unfortunately I am deathly allergic to mustard and just don’t make them enough for him because of my allergy.  But, the other day we ran across some awesome pickling cucumbers at the local farmers market produce and he begged (realllllly) and promised all sorts of fun stuff  (I’m blushing) so I gave in and made my super secret Garlic Dill Pickles for him.  Now I’m going to share them with you.

GARLIC DILL PICKLES
2 pounds cucumber pickles, washed
2 cups white vinegar
4 cups water
1/4 cup pickling salt
2 tablespoons fresh dill*
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
2 large cloves garlic, minced 
1 large Vidalia onion, whole

  • Chill the cucumbers in a bowl of ice water for 30 minutes or more.
  • In a medium non-reactive pan heat the water, vinegar and salt over a medium high heat until the salt is dissolved. Set aside to cool.
  • Cut cucumbers to desired size.
  • Place cucumbers in large jar.
  • Stir garlic, dill and mustard seed into vinegar mix.
  • Pour cooled mixture over pickles.
  • Place whole onion on top to weight pickles to keep them submerged.
  • Set in a cool place for 3-4 days at room temperature and then move to refrigerator for crisp pickles.

*you can use dehydrated, but I prefer not to when at all possible – fresh gives such a better flavor!


CSN stores is helping us celebrate our birthday by giving YOU the present!

We were recently made aware of a wonderful online shopping experience  and it’s available right from your desk top. Whether you are looking for a sofa, TV stands, dining room furniture or cookware they have it all.
Seriously, you really need to go check out these sites
www.racksandstands.com
www.allmodern.com
www.diningroomsdirect.com
www.cookware.com
www.moremailboxes.com

Maybe you need a new spice rack like this one? How can you get it for free? By joining in on this giveaway of course!

The winner receives a $60 gift certificate to use
as they wish on any of the CSN.stores websites.

Kamenstein 16 Jar Acadia Wood Spice Rack

THE RULES
  • Answer one question – What is your favorite kitchen appliance color?
  • You can earn an extra entry by blogging about this contest. Come back and leave a 2nd entry with the link.
  • You can earn another entry by becoming a follower of OUR KRAZY KITCHEN. Come back and leave a comment.
  • You can earn another entry by signing up to be a guest host.  Your guest host piece would need to be completed and in place before the deadline.  We would then schedule it into our time slots available over the next 2 months.
  • No entries after 11:30 pm Pacific Time Sunday, 6/27.
  • Winner will be selected at random and announced Wednesday, June 30th.
  • Good luck!

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Disclosure: I did not receive any type of compensation for this post. CSN stores is sponsoring this giveaway and will handle prize fulfillment. All opinions are my own and I was not influenced to post them.

CREATIVE LIES AND A TRUTH

My very dear friend Diana from Forgetfulone wants me to share deep dark secrets with you and she also wants me to actually lie. You heard me she wants me to lie.  Those of you who know me in person know that I am a notoriously BAD liar. MY sweet SIL has been trying to teach me, but she’s says it’s hopeless. Let’s hope that doing it in writing comes easier for me than face to face.

HERE ARE THE RULES OF THE AWARD…
1.Thank the person who gave this to you. ~ Thank you Diana for trying to make me a Liar.
2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog.
3. Link to the person who nominated you.
4. Tell us up to six outrageous lies about yourself, and at least one outrageous truth.
5. Allow your readers to guess which one or more are true.
5. Nominate seven “Creative Writers” who might have fun coming up with outrageous lies.
6. Post links to the seven blogs you nominate.
7. Leave a comment on each of the blogs letting them know you nominated them.

So here goes:

  1. I collect owls.
  2. I was a child bride.
  3. I hate fish.
  4. I love white walls.
  5. I won’t drive on the freeway.
  6. I always wear gloves when handling food.
  7. I never wear shorts.

Be sure and leave a comment about which one you think is true and in a few days I will reveal the realities. I can’t wait to see what you all have to say.

Now for those next 7 lucky bloggers who get to lie their butts off (in no particular order):
Martha – Menagerie & Seaside Simplicity
Min – Bad Girl’s Kitchen
Kiy – Rocking Chairs & a Tricycle
Jen – Tatertots & Jello 
Janet – Fond of Snape
Tammy – Queen Size Funny Bone
Martha – A Sense of Humor is Essential

I can’t wait to see what you all have to say.
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Chicken and Onions in White Wine Cream Sauce

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/3 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 cup butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small white onion, sliced and split into rings
1/3 cup white wine
2 tablespoons dried parsley
3/4 cup whipping cream

In a shallow bowl sift together the flour, salt and pepper. Coat chicken with flour mixture and pat firm caking the flour into all the crevices. In a large skillet heat together the butter and olive oil. Saute’ the onion rings until browned and beginning to caramelize. Add the chicken and cook until brown on both sides and cooked through. Remove the chicken and onions and set aside. Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes until heated through. Add the parsley and whipping cream, cooking over low heat until sauce thickens. Serve over chicken and mashed potatoes. Top with the onions.
Now for the really fun news.  OUR KrAzY kitchen turns one year old in just 3 weeks on June 27th.  We would love for you to join us as we throw ourselves a birthday bash.  Right here on Simply Delicious Sunday we will have a link for you to add your favorite recipe for birthday cake or whatever.  The KrAzIeR the better.  Be sure to join us and celebrate!

BALSAMIC BERRY SAUCE

It’s shortcake season and I thought I would change it up a bit with this awesome BALSAMIC BERRY SAUCE.  I hope you like it.

1 tablespoon butter
1 cup fresh blackberries, pureed large
8 ounce can crushed pineapple, drained slightly
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

  • Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the berries, pineapple, sugar, and balsamic vinegar.
  • Cook until the strawberries are heated through and darkened to a deep purple.
  • Spoon berries over shortcake or ice cream and serve.

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CAST IRON SKILLET ROAST CHICKEN with APRICOT MAPLE PINEAPPLE GLAZE

Do you like those rotisserie chicken from the market? I do, but on average they are only 2-3 pounds and cost anywhere from $5-$8 or even more. My local grocer ran a unadvertised special the other day and I got this 5.86 pound beauty for 97 cents a pound.

I love my cast iron skillet too! There is nothing better for even cooking heat! I like to roast my chicken in there so the sides are always radiating an even heat to whole chicken.

CAST IRON SKILLET ROAST CHICKEN
1 5-6 pound roasting chicken
4 tablespoons butter, softened
salt & pepper
1/2 onion, wedged small
1 cup apricot pineapple preserves
1/4 cup PURE maple syrup
  • Wash chicken and dry.
  • Spread butter along the inside of the cast iron pan and all over the chicken.
  • Generously salt and pepper the chicken.
  • Place onions along side the chicken.
  • In a small bowl whisk together the preserves and syrup. Set aside and allow to come to room temperature.
  • Roast at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours.
  • With a pastry brush spread preserve mixture all over the chicken every 10-15 minutes until skin is crisp and chicken is cooked through. This should be from 30-45 minutes based on the actual weight of your chicken.

Aw Shucks, we’re blushing…again…

Julie over at Mommie Cooks has honored us with this award.  Can’t you see us blushing?  Well, we are.  We are also extremely grateful for our loyal followers, commenters and our wonderful creative cooking crew here at OUR KrAzY KiTcHeN and pass this award along to all of you!  There are “rules” for this award, but since we are a co-op so to speak we are bending those a bit.
The Rules:
1. Thank the person who gave you this award. Which we do profusely.
2. Share 7 things about yourself. How about 10?  We’ll give you the 10 people who make up this blog and their home sites.
3. Pass the award along to 15 bloggers who you have recently discovered and who you think are fantastic! That’s all of you.
4. Contact the bloggers you’ve picked and let them know about the award.

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY ~ STRAWBERRY PIZZA & STRAWBERRY CREAM CHEESE PIE ~ SAME BASIC RECIPE 2 WAYS

STRAWBERRY PIZZA
1 package Pillsbury pie dough (or homemade if you have time)

2 eggs
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar + 3-4 tablespoons
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 pound strawberries, cleaned and sliced
whipped cream

  • In a medium mixing bowl sprinkle 3-4 tablespoons of sugar over sliced strawberries and toss. Set aside.
  • Cut out 4 – 5 inch rounds.
  • Bake 10 minutes at 400 degrees.
  • Cool.
  • In a mixing bowl combine cream cheese, eggs, 3/4 cup sugar and vanilla. Beat until well blended.
  • Bake cream cheese mixture 10 minutes until slightly thickened.
  • Spread over “pizza” rounds.
  • Top with spoonfuls of strawberries.
  • Add whipped cream and top with CARAMEL SAUCE and MOCHA HOT FUDGE SAUCE.

RUSTIC STRAWBERRY CREAM CHEESE PIE
1 package Pillsbury pie dough (or homemade if you have time)
2 eggs
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar + 3-4 tablespoons
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 pound strawberries, cleaned and sliced
whipped cream

  • In a medium mixing bowl sprinkle 3-4 tablespoons of sugar over sliced strawberries and toss. Set aside.
  • Fit crust into pie plate, prick bottom in a couple places with fork tines and bake 5 minutes at 400 degrees.
  • In a mixing bowl combine cream cheese, eggs, 3/4 cup sugar and vanilla. Beat until well blended.
  • Pour into pie plate and bake cream cheese mixture 15 minutes until slightly thickened. You will need to lay a piece of foil over top for part of the time to prevent crust from burning.
  • Spread over “pizza” rounds.
  • Top with spoonfuls of strawberries.
  • Add whipped cream and top with CARAMEL SAUCE and MOCHA HOT FUDGE SAUCE.

CADILLACS ~ PARMESAN ROAST BEEF SANDWICHES, DINER STYLE

As I get older I have noticed that there are fewer and fewer mom and pop style diners. I find this very sad. Some of the best soups, salads and sandwiches I have ever had were diner style. With all the chain restaurants these days they do okay, but they also do formulaic recipes with as few ingredients as they can get away with to make it palatable, at least in my opinion. This recipe I made from memory of a fantastic sandwich I had in a roadside diner somewhere in Texas many years ago.




PARMESAN ROAST BEEF SANDWICHES
8 ounces thinly sliced roast beef (close to shaved)
1 firm tomato 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
4 ounce can mild green chiles, VERY well drained*
4 slices thick quality sourdough bread
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
6 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
mayonnaise

  • Heat 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat in a small skillet.
  • Saute’ onions until JUST tender.
  • Add green chiles and Worcestershire sauce. Drain well if there is any excess oil.
  • Toss roast beef with onion mixture until heated through and well blended.
  • Grill the tomatoes until cooked through.
  • Butter 2 bread slices. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over butter and immediately press down gently so cheese nestles into the butter. This will form a crispier crust.
  • Press bread buttered side down on hot grill.
  • Add grilled tomatoes.
  • Top with shredded cheese.
  • Top with roast beef mixture.
  • Spread mayonnaise on top slices of bread and top sandwiches.
  • Spread butter on top side of bread and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, pressing firmly again to imbed Parmesan cheese.
  • Flip sandwiches and grill until golden.
*I accidentally picked up jalapenos this last time.
NOTE to self. ALSO good, but way HOT!!!

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SLOW COOKED MEAT BALLS

On the weekends when we are going to be home all day, I LOVE the smell of something scrumptious cooking and this recipe is one of my favorites. The great thing about this recipe though is that it’s great for working moms during the week too.

SLOW COOKED MEAT BALLS
1 1/2 pounds ground beef*
4 slices stale sourdough bread made into crumbs
1 JUMBO egg, beaten
1 medium Vidalia onion, finely chopped
1 can cream of golden mushroom soup
1 1/2 cups beef broth
1 can diced tomatoes with garlic and herbs
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon basil

  • With your hands mix together the ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, onion and half the seasonings.
  • Form into 1 1/2 inch meatballs.
  • Spray the bottom of the slow cooker lightly with PURE.
  • Gently lay the meatballs in the bottom of the slow cooker.
  • Mix together the soup, broth and tomatoes.
  • Pour over meatballs.
  • Cover and cook 7-9 hours on low.
*I like to make my own ground beef when brisket is on sale. It makes for a richer tasting beef flavor! Thank you Tyler Florence!

AND DON’T MISS YOUR CHANCE TO ENTER:


I was recently made aware that there is a wonderful online shopping experience available right from your desk top. Whether you are looking for TV stands, dining room furniture or cookware, they have it all.
Remember all these wish list posts I did about all the wonderful quality kitchen dreams and wishes I have? Well, all the items I’m dreaming about to complete my dream kitchen are available from these sites from CSN stores and so are yours!


Maybe you need a new spice rack like this one? How can you get it for free? By joining in on this giveaway of course! The winner receives a $60 gift certificate for them to use as they wish on any of the CSN.stores websites.

Kamenstein 16 Jar Acadia Wood Spice Rack

Want to enter? Head on over to 3 Sides of Crazy for YOUR chance!
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Try a New Recipe: French Dressing

Don’t forget to visit me at The Bad Girl’s Kitchen for more fabulous recipes!

This is a recipe from Julia’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking, which I made recently for my book club. I just downloaded the picture from my new camera, so I thought I’d post it over here–you saw it here first!

The vinaigrette is super simple and simply delicious! Honestly, you won’t believe how easy it is. Try it and see. I served Salad Composée avec sauce vinaigrette. [Mixed Salad with Vinaigrette]

I used red wine vinegar and the “optional” mustard and left out the herbs on accident! No need to “correct” anything at all. I stored this in the refrigerator overnight, pulled it out early to let the oil come back to room temperature, and shook it up right before I tossed the salad. Quick and easy.


Sauce Vinaigrette
[French Dressing]
For about 1/2 cup

For: salads and simple marinades
Salad dressings are always best when freshly made; if they stand around for several days they tend to acquire a rancid taste.

1/2 to 2 tablespoons good wine vinegar or a mixture of vinegar and lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
Optional: 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
6 tablespoons salad oil or olive oil
Big pinch of pepper

Optional: 1 to 2 tablespoons minced green herbs, such as parsley, chives, tarragon, basil; or pinch of dried herbs

EITHER beat the vinegar or lemon juice in a bowl with the salt and optional mustard until the salt is dissolved, then beat in the oil by droplets, and season with pepper, OR place all ingredients in a screw-top jar and shake vigorously for 30 seconds to blend thoroughly.

(guess which method I chose?)

Stir in the optional herbs and correct seasoning just before dressing the salad.