Posted on 08/17/2017 4:07:35 PM PDT by Jamestown1630
It’s been very humid and muggy here the last few days, and I’ve wanted fresh, crisp, and cold things to eat and drink.
This week’s newsletter from Lee Valley features a kicked–up Bread-and-Butter Pickle:
http://www.leevalley.com/us/newsletters/Gardening/2534/Article3.htm
I’ve been looking through ‘Square Meals’, a delightful book by Jane and Michael Stern which is, as the preface states, "about the friendly foods of childhood and the bygone dishes that were, not so long ago, in the repertoire of every homemaker".
It's a fun book, full of vintage/retro recipes, photos and drawings; and a lot of commentary on the food habits of decades past. In a section on The Cuisine of Suburbia, they describe a 'Luau in your Living Room' which includes this recipe for a cocktail called 'Apricot Slush':
Claire's Apricot Slush
6 oz. frozen Orange Juice Concentrate
6 ox. frozen Lemonade Concentrate
1/2 C. Sugar
6 C. water
1 Pt. Apricot Brandy
Blend and freeze. To serve, scoop 1/2 C. into a glass and fill with 7-Up
Serves 8
Another book I found at the thrift store recently is a tiny 1958 book of French recipes from the Peter Pauper Press: ‘Simple French Cookery’, with recipes compiled by Edna Beilenson. (You can still buy this little book through Amazon.) It included a dish that I’d never heard of, but which is apparently a classic of French Bistro fare: Celeri Remoulade – and it looks like an interesting celeriac alternative to Cole Slaw. Here is the Epicurious updated take on it:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/celery-root-remoulade-11069
-JT
And should have put a paragraph after image. Sigh. When you go to the link page, each image is a link to a separate Daily Mail food article.
I think my in-laws freaked out over the (probably natural) ‘moldy’ stuff on top. My husband is determined to try it soon.
I hadn’t seen ‘pickle pipes’ - we’ve been using these for Kimchi:
My husband wasn’t crazy about Tabbouleh when I made it from bulgur; but made from quinoa, I barely get a share of it ;-)
We got an Aerogarden early in the summer, and have to keep it in a spare bathroom that the cats can’t enter - which is sad, because it really is pretty when all the herbs begin to come on.
We were kind of amazed at how well things grow in it; but some of the slower-germinating, slow-growing things got crowded out, and I don’t think the thyme did anything at all. Basil and dill do splendidly. We’re going to try our own seeds next time.
That salad looks very good! I’ve never used farro, but I assume ‘Bob’s’ has it?
I had not seen those tops. Originally, I was going to get her something that stood up pretty high above the lid, but I don’t think it would have fit on her pantry shelf. The pickle pipes are no problem.
The pickle pipes folks sent me a nice e-book with my order & I’d love to do some fermented foods - another project to take up in the future. :-)
Actually, your tops look easier to use and clean. I’ll show them to husband.
Thank you. I’ve been doing this for about 2-1/2 years and, honestly, sometimes my mind goes *poof* - I run out of ideas and have no notion of what to post until I sit down to do it.
(It makes me think that running a good blog must be almost a full-time job, and very appreciative of the bloggers I enjoy and follow.)
Last time I checked, Bob’s carried farro. I buy it locally and it is cheaper.
Thanks. That would make a very nice office-party recipe.
CHILLED CANTALOUPE SOUP
Blender puree cantaloupe pieces, orange juice. Pour into bowl; stir in
cream and lemon zest. Chill at least one hour. Pour chilled soup into bowls.
SERVE garnished w/ mint chiffonade, swirl of cream.
But here's the strange one that I love. Black cherry jello. Bing cherries, canned cut in half. Green olives stuffed with pimientos sliced. English walnuts chopped.
On certain jellos (not the pear one but the above 2 and others, my mother used to stir some cottage cheese into some Miracle Whip diluted with just a little milk for a dressing. I just love it, could sometimes just eat spoonsful of that by itself. It never caught on with my kids though.
My gelatin custard set up nice and solid. Next time I will use a thermometer. Stirred custard starts to set at 158 F and should never be cooked over 180 F.
But I should quit while I'm ahead with the jellos. I have a gorgeous apricot cream cheese lemon jello refrigerator cheesecake on graham cracker crust. Uses canned apricots and apricot nectar. Yum. It's kind of a nuisance to make but I am crazy about it, got the recipe out of a magazine a long time ago.
Steak Salad with Peanut-Lime Vinaigrette 
METHOD Sear s/p'ed lb skirt or flank steak in heated sprayed grill
pan 2-3 min per side. Liftout to plate; slice against grain on the bias.
ASSEMBLY Layer on 4 plates: 4 c chp red leaf lettuce; cup ea watercress
leaves, bean sprouts; steak slices, cup diced tomatoes, cucumber, 1/3 c chp
scallions; Dressing over.
SERVE topped w/ 1/4 cup chp dry roasted peanuts.
DRESSING Whisk cup prepared peanut sauce, 2 tbl lime juice.
I think they are dishwasher safe, if I remember correctly.
One ‘new’ thing that I really like is Internet radio; but I still want a regular old radio in my car.
I agree about good sirloin too & dill pickles! Just not a bread & butter pickle gal.
Understood. I have lots of dental issues. I have a bridge in the front that I am very careful with. I don’t bite down on much of anything that gives any resistance.
I haven’t made the Jell-O yet. Although I did open a can of pears and started eating them :-) today I’m harvesting Swiss chard from the garden and making a zucchini dish that uses up 6 pounds!
Those zoodles are so popular now; I looked at a zoodler with three blades but opted to wait because I really like pasta the real deal. But with my bad teeth or if I have trouble with false teeth (need top and bottom), it might come in handy. Only thing is it won't do all veggies and I have a nice food processor with an extra 2mm slicing blade, just a nuisance to get ready and clean. I still don't think the 2mm slicer will do as thin as the ribbon blade on the zoodler.
I'm crazy about peppers and they are SOOOOOO expensive.
Yes be careful with that bridge. Apples and fresh sweet corn you probably shouldn't bite into. I have to cut my corn down the rows to make them double, but I do that anyway because they get more buttery. Haven't been able to eat a fresh apple or other veggies for ages.
I dug this out for you, haven't made it for years. There are various versions on the web, also a 9X12 with apricot nectar. I think I made a jello salad comparable to the pears with a lg pkg lemon jello, 1 8 oz cream cheese, and cut up lg canned apricots.
I will just list the ingredients and amounts and not the instructions. If you or someone else wants them, I'll type them out.
This one uses a 9-in springform pan but I used to make it in the big rectanble cake pan or smaller glass square pan (and eat it all myself because I don't know if anyone else in the family liked it but they were welcome to it)
1 can 30 oz. apricot halves, drained (reserve syrup)
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
2 pkg. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1 can (14 oz.) Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 container (4-1/2 oz) frozen non-dairy whipped topping (I like the Cool Whip extra creamy but it doesn't come in all the sizes)
No-Bake Crust (prefer graham crackers)
1/2 cup butter or margarine (too much imo) 6 tablespoons should be plenty
1/3 cup sugar
1-1.2 cup crumbs
Easy Apricot Glaze (think it should use apricots from a separate small can maybe, have never had mint so never bothered with this garnish which is very pretty)
1/2 cup reserved syrup
1 teaspoon cornstarch
That looks delicious!
Well I’m up early to take my big Persian to the vet. I pray he doesn’t lose his eye - it is badly infected and the antibiotics haven’t helped :(
My shorthair has very thick hair, and I got behind with the comb. It matted up on his back, and I was about to take him somewhere but didn't need the expense, stress on him and me, and hassle.
So I did like I used to do with my Lucy, motioned for him to jump up on the table, and he patiently sat while I tediously and oh so carefully cut into the mats a little snip, then worked through them so carefully and after what seemed like an hour or more, he was freed of them.
How old is your kitty?
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