Refrigerator PIckles - A Family Tradition.

I have a sunburn, so it is now summer and that means it's time to start my never ending pickle pot!

I've had one of these babies going in my fridge every summer since my grandmother started this tradition, and I even have some of her old jars that I use in her honor.  These are THE best pickles and this is THE best recipe, but that's just my opinion!  

You can keep rotating this brine indefinitely, just add a few more (or less ) seasonings, some vinegar and water, and it will last about a month.  Adjust to your family's liking. Our family likes lots of garlic and lots of vinegar and tons of fresh dill.  :)

Let's get started.  First you will need to gather up all of your ingredients...Cukes ( I use the regular old cukes from the grocery store.  Use what YOU like!  One large red onion, one orange pepper, Heinz white vinegar, kosher salt, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, dill SEEDS, (now weed), fresh dill (VERY important!) and fresh garlic.  YUM.

OH this smells so good...  Now, prepare your veggies, I like to cut my cukes rather thick, and I only remove about half of the skin.  This keeps them nice and crunchy.

Cut your orange pepper and your red onion into rings (these really have very little impact on the flavor of your pickles.  They pickle up just like your cukes, but MAN these are YUMMY on a brat or a burger fresh from the grill.  OK..now peel your garlic.

SO pretty and SO fragrant.

Now, let's layer these up.

I've used a glass jar with a lid that I found in the kitchenware department at Target.  They have 3 sizes.  This is the medium sized one, and I always have to put some pickles into my big blue Mason jar in honor of my grandmother who taught me this recipe.

Drop in your garlic.  I use 3 peeled pieces per jar.  If you like more, use more.  Then, add your cukes, onions, peppers, and fresh dill.  Layer them so they look pretty. 

GORGEOUS!

Now mix your spices.  

I have used two containers, so I'll use about 1/4 for my Ball Jar and the rest in my glass jar.  

Pour on top of your layered veggies.  Should look like this:

Next, we need to mix our brine.  Or, our vinegar and water.  This is where tastes will vary greatly.  We like ours quite vinegar-y.  If you don't want a strong bite, mix your vinegar and water half and half, if you like it vinegary as we do, go one part water / two parts vinegar.  You can always adjust this later as you begin to eat your pickles!

Pour your vinegar and water mixture over the spices and veggies until it reaches the top of your container.  

Pop your lid on, give it a few little shakes, and watch the spices and seeds float around a bit.  And guess what?  You just made pickles, darling.  Pop in your fridge, and  you will have crunchy, delicious, fresh chemical-free pickles all summer long.

As your brine and your pickles begin to disappear, add more!  Chop up a cuke.  If you have leftover salad ingredients such as asparagus, raw green beans, cauliflower, etc, toss them in your pickle pot.  Experiment and make this your own and ENJOY!  You will notice that your brine will become cloudy after a while, at that time, start over with a fresh batch.  

With love, 

Karen

RECIPE

 Refrigerator Garlic Dill Pickles

2 quarts Heinz White Pickling Vinegar

1 quart water 

Fresh dill

6 cloves of garlic, peeled 

10 tsp kosher salt

4 tsp mustard seeds

4 tsp coriander seeds (not ground, be sure you're using seeds)

2 tsp black peppercorns

4 tsp dill seeds (not weed)

10 medium sizes cucumbers

1 large red onion

1 large orange pepper

Prepare your veggies:  peel and chop cukes into 1/4 inch thick rounds.  Peel garlic, cut pepper and onion into rings. 

Pack into container(s) .... Use glass only.  The vinegar will break down a plastic container and you will end up with a big batch of yuck.  Layer garlic, cukes, onion, peppers, and fresh dill.  

Mix your spices.  Divide evenly amongst containers and place right on top of your layered veggies.

Mix your brine.  Mix to your liking.  You can easily adjust this later.  Remember, this is YOUR recipe!

Pour over veggies, pop a lid on, and place in your fridge overnight.  

ENJOY!

Please indulge me....

This is a pet post.  I know that there are way more than enough pet photos on the internet, but when I saw this picture of our Border Collie, Chaser....I nearly cried from the cuteness.   He's just all: "MOM PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF DOG!  GIVE ME A MORSEL!"  The pathetic little guy did, in fact, get a bite of my Mother's Day egg casserole.  :)  Bless his little pointed head, I love this dog.

Ugly Brass Chandelier to Pretty Brass Chandelier!

OK I'll admit it.  I'm that mom who will slam on the brakes when I see a "good" pile of junk aside the road.  Much to my children's dismay.  When I saw this poor thing sitting beside a dumpster FOUR YEARS AGO....I couldn't resist.  OK, I could, kind of.  Because I took it home and it sat in my basement storage room for the next four years.

Pretty bad, huh?  It was actually put together, this is what it looked like after I dissected it and wiped it with my (thank you lord for these), Mr Clean Magic Eraser.

I then gave this old girl a squirt of my trusted spray primer and some spray paint, put her back together, added some swagggggg......and she now hangs in our beach house.  I love her. 

This was a quick and simple project!  Really, my kids could do this!  And these poor old, sad fixtures are alll over the place.  While I got this one for free, you can find them in the thrift stores and on Craigslist every day!  Enjoy!

Side-by-Side

And here we have it...finally...a side by side before and after:

I'm just tickled!

Ugly Cabinet / Pretty Cabinet - An Adventure in Thrift Shop Furniture Refinishing

This cabinet has lived in the shadows of our home for many years, first, in a corner in the basement, where we just piled miscellaneous treasure on top of her, to my daughter's room where she held up my daughter's tv, pop cans, candy wrappers, you get the idea.


In preparation for our big move, I wanted to give this baby a coat of paint and make her gorgeous.  I've always known this cabinet had big potential, but I had no idea it would turn out as good as it did.  I'm just tickled!


So......I dragged it out into my driveway on the first sunny day we had (we're in Michigan, enough said)....and began to remove the cobwebs, dust, and gave her a good once-over.

As you can see, this cabinet is just sad.  The top is scratched, the are gauges all over it, no biggie.  


I removed the handles (they are lovely).....and, because I am LAZY....I didn't even sand it.  I used this magic stuff:  (2 cans)

Covered absolutely EVERYTHING.  You don't need a lot, just make sure every surface is covered.  Now came the fun part.  PAINT.


I chose a color called "Well Water" , I got it at Lowe's, and I chose a semi gloss, just because I adore semi gloss.  




I had these napkins, I think I found them a year or so ago at Party City.  The "well water" (it's Robin's Egg, in my opinion), blue in the napkins perfectly matched the blue on my cabinet.  

SO.  I grabbed a foam brush and my trusty Mod Podge and, in a very short time I had THIS:

Isn't she pretty?  I'm just in love with this cabinet now.  I replaced the original handles, and they just give it that finishing touch.  I will still add about 3 coats of varnish to the Mod Podge part, and one to the overall piece, but I just couldn't wait to share this.  After our move, I will show you an "action shot"....I have big plans for this baby.  LOVE.  


If I recall, we paid $10.00 for this cabinet at a thrift store. :)


To say I am just tickled would be an understatement!


COMING UP NEXT.........Vintage Printer's Tray re-do.  


Have a lovely Friday!

Super Quick and Easy Sunday Breakfast Casserole

My family just adores this meal.  

We're in the process of moving ACROSS THE STATE....so my cooking adventures have been a bit pitiful lately.

I always make a huge Sunday breakfast for my kiddos and husband, and they look forward to it...so I felt very guilty when they wandered about last Sunday looking sadly at the empty breakfast table (they're just spoiled.)

I remembered this, and, luckily, I had all of the ingredients on hand.  This can be made in so many variations, so use your imagination.

Here's how I made this one:

You will need:

-cooking spray

-one can of ready-made croissant rolls

-6 eggs

-2 cups of shredded cheese

-shaved ham

-fresh asparagus (blanched)

-salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray

roll out croissant rolls

beat eggs with cheese, pour on top of croissant rolls

top with shaved ham (you could also use crumbled, cooked sausage, bacon pieces, etc..)

add asparagus, salt and pepper to taste.

Cook for 30 minuts or until cheese browns and casserole is bubbly.

Serve with fresh fruit, toast and jam and some juice and coffee and you are A SUNDAY MORNING HERO!

:)

Enjoy! 

Coming up:  My cabinet is done!  Pics to come!  

Have a lovely Thursday!

Ugly Cabinet to Pretty Cabinet

I found this hideous cabinet at a thrift store years ago....it's been in a spare room for quite a while, used for storing miscellaneous treasures.

Time for this baby to shine.....so here's a before pic....stay tuned.  This is going to be just gorgeous when I'm done...and I'll post a tute as well.  

Refinishing old furniture is a favorite hobby of mine.....paint is magic.