3 Day Refrigerator Dill Pickles

We got quite a bunch of cucumbers from our garden this year, so after a while of having cucumber and tomato salad...we were looking for other uses for our cucumbers.

Pickles! We love pickles, and when they are made from the cucumbers and dill we grew in our garden...that's even better!

We were really excited when we found out that we could make pickles WITHOUT a pressure canner,  considering we don't have one at the moment. This recipe is super easy too, you only need a few ingredients.

Here is how we made them. (you can always adjust this recipe to fit your situation.)

You will need:

3 1/2 cups water

1 1/4 cups white vinegar

1 tbl sugar

1 tbl sea salt

4 cups cucumber spears (or you can do slices like we did)

2 garlic cloves

2 heads of dill

2 leaves off of a wild berry bush (optional) 

Slice your cucumbers and place them in a large mason jar.

Cover your cucumber slices with cold tap water and place them in the refrigerator until you are ready to use them. This helps the cucumbers stay crisp.

Now that your cucumbers are all sliced up and ready to go, you can start on the pickle brine.

Stir the water, vinegar, salt. and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Once it is boiled, remove from the heat and allow it to cool.

Once the brine is cooled take the cucumbers out of the refrigerator and drain them. Place the cucumbers back in the jar once you have drained them. To the cucumbers add the garlic, fresh dill, and the berry leaves. The berry leaves are a natural way of encouraging crispness in your cucumbers as they are turning into pickles.

Once everything is in the jar, cover with the cooled water and vinegar mixture. Place a lid on your jar and place it in your refrigerator for 3 days.

It is such an easy recipe and they turn out so yummy! I hope this inspires you to try your own refrigerator pickles. :)


 "And on the 8th day, God looked down on his planned paradise and said, "I need a caretaker." So God made a farmer." - Paul Harvey

Soft Ginger Cookies

It has been kind of dreary the past couple of days. The snow has been melting and we have been getting a little bit of rain/sleet. We needed a little pick me up, so I decided to make soft Ginger Cookies.  

( Click Here to watch me make the Ginger Cookies)

Soft Ginger Cookies

2 1/4 cup flour

2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp clove

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup soft butter

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 tbl water

1/4 cup molasses

and an extra 2 tbl sugar

Preheat your oven to 350.

In a large bowl sift together all your dry ingredients.

Cream 1 cup of sugar and 3/4 cup of  butter together until light and fluffy.

Then beat in 1 egg and stir in the 1/4 cup of molasses and 1 tbl of water.

 Gradually add your dry mixture to your wet mixture until it's all combined.

Place your 2 tbl of sugar in a bowl and set aside.

Take 1 tsp of cookie dough and roll it in the sugar, then place on an ungreased baking sheet.

Bake your cookies for 8-10 minutes.
 

Enjoy your soft yummy ginger cookies!! :)

"And on the 8th day, God looked down on his planned paradise and said, "I need a caretaker." So God made a farmer." - Paul Harvey

Summer Squash Johnny Biscuits

Y'all ever have an abundance of summer squash from your garden and are running out of ways to use it?

 Well here is a simple yummy way to use them, AND to sneak in some veggies for your kids. 

I call them Summer Squash Johnny Biscuits.

 You will need...

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup white sugar 

 5 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 sticks of butter

 1 egg, beaten (duck eggs are best)

1 cup milk

 

2 cups shredded summer squash 

(MAKE SURE YOU SQUEEZE ALL THE LIQUID OUT OF THE SQUASH)

1.) Preheat oven to 400 degrees & grease the baking sheet you will be using

 2.) In a bowl, combine all the dry ingredients together

 3.) Cut your butter into the dry mix.

4.) Beat the egg and milk together in a small bowl, and mix into flour mixture until moistened. Then mix in your summer squash.

 

5.) It will be a sticky mess (have your kids help for some extra fun) but grab a portion of the batter with your hands and place it on the baking sheet.

6.) Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown....Enjoy!!