Old Time Mustard Pickles

Mustard Pickles

3-4 lbs. cucumbers, sliced and soaked in salt water brine overnight.

            Brine = 1 cup canning salt + 2 quarts water

½ cup prepared mustard

2¼ cups white vinegar

¼ cup canning salt

1½ cups sugar

1 tsp. turmeric

Drain and rinse pickles thoroughly (2-3 times)

Combine vinegar, sugar, salt and mustard in preserving pot and bring to a boil.

(*Combine mustard and turmeric with ¼ cup of vinegar makes the mustard blend into the other ingredients better)

Add cucumbers and return to a boil. Cook 2-3 minutes, until cucumbers change color.

Pack into sterilized jars, be sure liquid covers pickles. Seal and process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

Yield: 5 pints

© Crackerberries 2014

Elle-licious Morgan

Elle Marlow is the best-selling author of historical and contemporary romance. She was kind enough to share one of her recipes with me and I thought I’d share it with you.

Check out her website at www.ElleMarlow.Blogspot.com and if you are in the mood for a fun, sexy, cowboy, get her new book, Josey’s Mountain. Ooooh, now Hawk is my kind of cowboy!...

Now for the drink that will go along with a romance novel. Mmmm, Hawk.....

Grab a tall beverage glass and fill it with ice.

Pour in equal parts Captain Morgan’s Spiced Rum, orange juice and Mountain Dew.

(Me, being the experience drinker that I am, doubled up on the Captain).

Stir well and add a couple of cherries and you have yourself a sweet beverage that will remind you of your high school days. Don’t say you never did it. Stealing swigs of booze from your parent’s liquor cabinet and chasing it with some Mountain Dew! Awe yeah, thanks for the walk down memory lane Elle Marlow.   

Elle Marlow Western Romance Author: Stay tuned for July 1st, when the Ellite blog has ...

Elle Marlow Western Romance Author: Stay tuned for July 1st, when the Ellite blog has ...: Stay tuned for July 1st, when the Ellite blog has Crackerberres Anderson on board to discuss her latest novel, Blackhorse 2015 and she has t...

Tomato Pie

Crackerberries Tomato Pie

5 tomatoes fresh from the garden

Rule #1: Never put your tomatoes in the fridge because it halts the ripening process and kills the flavor

1 pie crust

Rule #2: Always make a homemade pie crust instead of a store bought. That way you can make the crust as thick as you like.

1 cup light mayonnaise

Rule #3: Be sure to use mayonnaise and not salad dressing because something like Miracle Whip is too sweet and it takes away from the flavor of the pie.

Fresh mozzarella cheese

2 cups shredded Monterey Jack, cheddar and Asadero cheese blend

Rule #4: Mix up your cheeses, use any kind you like.

4-5 Chile peppers, sliced

Rule #5: Do not touch your face after slicing Chile peppers

1 tsp fresh ground black pepper mélange

Rule #6: Don’t forget the seasoning

Sea salt

Preheat oven to 350º.

Prick the bottom of the pie crust and sides.

Bake 12-15 minutes until crust is slightly puffy.

Combine mayonnaise, 1½ cups cheese and pepper.

Slice tomatoes and sprinkle with sea salt.

Sprinkle bottom of pie with ½ cup of shredded cheese blend.  Layer with tomatoes, spread with mayo/cheese mixture. Do this three times. Top with slices of fresh mozzarella and sprinkle with Chile peppers.

Bake 40-45 minutes until crust is golden and juices are bubbling and cheese is melted.

Cool ten minutes or more before serving.

© Crackerberries 2014

Chile Dill Pickles

4 lbs. cucumbers

14 sprigs fresh dill

35 black peppercorns

14 Chile peppers

1 qt. water

1 qt. white vinegar

¼ cup canning salt

Soak fresh washed cucumbers in tub of ice water overnight. 

Next day prepare the jars.  Drain pickles and wipe dry.

Put into each jar:

2 sprigs dill

5 peppercorns

2 Chile peppers

Slice into spears or pack whole into jars.

Boil vinegar, water and salt for 5 minutes and pour over cucumbers.  Seal and process in boiling hot water bath for 10 minutes.  Makes 7 pints.

© Crackerberries 2014

Blueberry Muffins

Blueberry Muffins  

2 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup white sugar

1 tbsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp. cinnamon

¾ cup milk

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

1½ cups fresh or frozen blueberries

Combine dry ingredients in large bowl and mix well.  Gently stir in blueberries. In large measuring cup combine eggs, oil and milk and stir to blend. Combine to dry ingredients and stir just to moisten.  Spoon into lightly greased muffin tins and bake 400º for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.  Remove from tins immediately.

Optional Lemon Glaze:  Combine ½ cup confectioner’s sugar with 2-3 tsps. lemon juice and drizzle over muffins.

© Crackerberries 2014

Flavor Water

 

FLAVOR WATER

1 apple, cored and thinly sliced

1 lemon, thinly sliced

2 cinnamon sticks

1 tsp whole cloves

2-3 trays ice cubes

Water

 

Place the fruit on the bottom of jug and sprinkle with cloves and cinnamon stick.  Cover with ice and top with water.  Keep in fridge for a refreshing tall cool beverage during the hot days of summer.  Refresh ice and water 2-3 more times before changing fruit and spices.

 

© Crackerberries 2014







Eggs Bennie Cheese Burger

Eggs Bennie Cheese Burger

 

½ lb. ground beef

2 onion hamburger rolls

4 slices cooked bacon

2 slices Asiago cheese

2 poached eggs

½ cup Duke’s mayonnaise

¼ tsp. ground turmeric

½ tsp. lemon juice

½ tsp. garlic salt

½ tsp. onion powder

¼ tsp. fresh ground pepper

1 tsp. basil or other Italian seasoning

Form ground beef into two patties.  In small platter combine garlic salt, onion powder, basil and pepper.  Roll outside edges of burgers in mixture.  Heat cast iron skill on medium heat and cook burgers until done, (about 4-5 minutes per side).

In small pan or metal bowl, combine mayonnaise, turmeric and lemon juice.  Set on burner on low heat to barely warm mixture.

Toast hamburger buns.  Build by layering cheese, cooked bacon, burger, poached egg.  Top with warmed sauce and serve with fresh fruit and Jon Hunter’s favorite drink, a Bloody Mary made with V8 juice and garnished with a carrot. 

 

 © Crackerberries 2014

Southeastern Pita Breakfast Pockets

Southeastern Breakfast Pita

 

2 pita pockets

4 eggs

½ cup chopped onions

½ cup chopped red peppers

¼ cup chopped fresh tomato

¼ cup canned mushrooms, drained

2½ oz. turkey sausage

2 slices Gouda cheese

Cook turkey sausage until no long pink, (5-7 minutes).  Stir in onions and peppers and cook two more minutes. Stir in tomatoes, mushrooms and eggs.  Cook until eggs are fluffy, (3-4 minutes).

Meanwhile, preheat cast iron skillet on medium high heat.  Place one pita in at a time and grill until the bottoms are nicely browned.  Working with one at a time, place a slice of cheese on the center of the pita.  Fill with half of the egg mixture.  Fold over and hold in place to secure.  Continue with the second pita.

 
Serve with hot sauce and yogurt, or fresh fruit.

 

 

© Crackerberries 2014

Turtle Soup

 

 

I've never had turtle soup before.  Never even thought about eating a turtle.  Maybe joked about it in a blog about a turtle soup.  See what happens when you joke about things?  This big guy or girl (not sure how you tell the sex of a turtle) was hoofing it across the drive-way when I went out to get the mail.  It was about eight feet from the road when I ran back for my camera.  As you can see, it was not afraid of me at all because it didn't retreat to it's shell like other turtles I've tried to photograph. 

Just to give you an idea of how big it was, the claws on it were as long as my pinky finger, maybe longer, which is about 2½ inches long.  Well, I was certain it was going to cross the road, and this road is unforgiving.  I grabbed a stick and started pushing it along.  Made it to the center line, this all the while traffic is coming, and I'm running out of the road as to not get hit.  The traffic was pretty good at first, going around the turtle not to hit it. 

The next round of helping it along didn't go so well.  A truck came and drove right over the top of the turtle, cleared it completely, but scared the be-geesus out of it I'm sure.

I went to give it another boost with the stick, and it surprised me with a giagantic jump and open mouth towards my hand, leg, foot, most likely whatever it could get those big jaws around.  That time the poor thing had turned around, and was in the middle of the road.  Traffic was coming and I had no choice but to leave it.  I couldn't bare the thought of seeing it get mashed into the pavement, so I headed back to my house.  A few minutes later I heard a car smack it.  There were no cars coming in the other direction so I know it was purposeful.  Hurt my heart.  I couldn't bare the thought of going back to look.  But then, a van stopped and two men jumped out. 

 

I ran across the lawn and yelled, "Did it make it?" 

 

By then one of the men, a big man with a healthy appetite, had the turtle by it's tail and was hauling it towards the van.  "Nope, didn't make it.  You gotta box?" 

 

"Awwe, I think someone hit it on purpose.  Hold on, I'll get a box."

 

At that time I didn't know why he wanted the box.  Me in my little fairy-tale land that I live in most days, led me to believe he was being a good citizen and was going to take the poor thing home to give it a good burial, or something like that.  I finally found a box, figuring it would hold the turtle until he got home with it.  When I brought it down to the men, I noticed the turtle was still alive because he was moving and there was only a little bit of blood on the top of his shell and front foot.

 

"Oh, maybe he'll be okay," I said as I handed the box to the skinny younger man.

 

The big man says, "Oh he'll be fine.  Long's we get him cleaned out tonight, he'll be good eatin'"

 

"Oh, okay, have a nice day."

 

What else could I say?  The turtle was just minding his own business and now he's supper.

 

 

© Crackerberries 2014

Strawberry Margarita Jell-O Shots

 

I stole this recipe from a website. It cracked me up, but I love Strawberry Margaritas so had to try.
http://youtu.be/ziHCAvMsfRs

 STRAWBERRY MARGARITA JELLO SHOTS
1 Cup Water
Box of Strawberries
Packet of Strawberry Jello
3/4 Cup Tequila
1/4 Cup Triple Sec

I found that if you cut the bottoms off the strawberries after they set, it works better.  The Jell-O doesn't tend to seep out.  :)

© Crackerberries 2014

Apple Coffee Cake

Apple Coffee Cake

 

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

2 cups brown sugar

¾ cup shortening

1 tsp baking soda

1 egg

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp maple extract

1 cup hot coffee

2 apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced

1 tbsp lemon juice

 

Preheat oven to 350º

 

Toss apples with lemon juice and set aside.

 

Combine the brown sugar and flours together.  Cut in shortening until mixed well, (it will be lumpy).  Take out one cup of mixture and set aside.

 

Dissolve baking soda in hot coffee and add to remaining flour/sugar mixture.  Add the egg, vanilla and maple extract and mix quickly.  Do not over mix.

 

Pour batter into a rectangle glass baking dish.  Layer sliced apples over top.  Sprinkle with crumb topping.  Bake at 350º for 45 minutes.  Can sprinkle with powdered sugar and served warm or cold.

 

 

© Crackerberries 2014

Bloody Mary

Bloody Mary

4 oz. vodka

10 oz. tomato juice

1 tbsp. lemon juice

1 tsp. horseradish

½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Couple shakes Texas Pete or Tobasco sauce

1 stalk celery, halved

Dash cayenne pepper

Dash celery salt

Salt and fresh ground black pepper

Build over ice in a large mixing glass.  Add spices first,(salts, peppers,  hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce) then vodka, followed by tomato juice, lemon juice and top with a dollop of horseradish.  Garnish with fresh celery and lemon slices if desired.

“Hey, Dalton!  Bloody Mary?  Some breakfast?”  Anyone know what movie that is from?

© Crackerberries 2014