DIY Refrigerator Pickle Kits - New Product Launch

We are very pleased to announce after a summer of experimentation we have perfected our DIY Refrigerator Pickle Kits. Now you can make easy pickles at home. No canning needed.  They are ready in about 24 hours.  Use them on burgers, in sandwiches and for snacking.

You get instructions, seasonings, and even the jar so you can make pickled vegetables in your refrigerator. All you add is vinegar and water and your favorite vegetables, be they cucumbers, zucchini or other veggies!

You can make perfect pickles in three easy steps:

1. Prep the jars and clean and slice the vegetables
2. Make a flavorful brine with the enclosed ingredients and the addition of vinegar and water
3. Pour the warm brine over the vegetables, seal and refrigerate.

We developed 5 different recipes that make tasty quick pickles that require only about 10 minutes of prep work to give you snacks or sandwich condiments!

       Dill Spears

  

                    Hot and Dill Pickles 

                                    

Secret Recipe Pickles

  

Sweet Pickles

                                            

    Mustard Pickled Vegetables

Ways to use these -

• Use them on sandwiches
• Blend them into tuna fish
• Use in Bloody Marys
• Mix into your salad
• Make part of a Charcuterie Board
• Or use the pickle juice in vinaigrette

You can pick out your favorite pickle recipes on Etsy or our website.

We love these kits because they make is so easy to make your own pickles with out the hassle of canning.  You get detailed step-by-step instructions, a specially crafted seasoning packet and a jar just the right size to make a batch of pickles you can enjoy in 24 hours.

Get yours today from our website.

Spiced Pickled Beets - Monthly theme

 As promised earlier this month, here is the spiced pickled beets recipe.  The hardest thing about the recipe is cooking the beets and peeling them.  Beets will color your fingers, so grab a pair of gloves.  We have so many gloves around the house these days it was easier than usual this year to keep the purple at bay.

Spiced Pickled Beets (makes 4 pint jars)

3 pounds small fresh beets

2 cups sugar

2 cups water

2 cups cider vinegar

2 cinnamon sticks (3 inches)

1 teaspoon whole cloves

1 teaspoon whole allspice

Directions

Scrub beets and trim tops to 1 in. Place in a Dutch oven and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until tender, 25-35 minutes. Remove from water; cool. Peel beets and cut into fourths.

Place beets in a Dutch oven. Add sugar, water and vinegar. Place spices on a double thickness of cheesecloth; bring up corners of cloth and tie with string to form a bag. Add to beet mixture. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 10 minutes. Discard spice bag.

Carefully pack beets into 4 hot 1-pint jars to within 1/2 in. of the top. Carefully ladle hot liquid over beets, leaving 1/2-in. head space. Remove air bubbles and adjust head space, if necessary, by adding hot mixture. Wipe rims. Center lids on jars; screw on bands until fingertip tight.

Place jars into canner with simmering water, ensuring that they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil; process for 35 minutes. Remove jars and cool.

If you want to make your own pickles in the refrigerator, try our new DIY Refrigerator Pickle Kits

Mexican Refrigerator Pickled Vegetables - Pickled Things Recipe Theme

This is a Mexican pickled vegetable recipe which is much different from a traditional pickled vegetable recipe.  The secret ingredient is Mexican Oregano. Mexican Oregano (Poliomintha longiflora), not to be confused with Cuban Oregano or Cuban Thyme which is a succulent, this is a leafy herb the looks more like tarragon than oregano. Although not a true oregano, Mexican oregano is native to Mexico, Guatemala and parts of South America. Lavender flowers bloom from summer to fall. The leaves have a spicy flavor that many gourmet chefs prefer. Placing whole branches over hot charcoal impart incredible flavor to grilled foods. We have a Secret Recipe DIY Refrigerator Pickles, but it has our special pickling spice, not Mexican Oregano. 

From this seasoning, which is a great companion to hot and spicy, you can make great pickled vegetables.

Mexican Refrigerator Pickled Vegetables  (Verduras en Escabeche)

3 Tablespoons vegetable oil

12 cloves garlic

1 cup sliced carrots

1 cup small cauliflower sections

8 jalapenos and 4 serranos, slit vertically down one side

1 large onion, sliced vertically

1 cup mild vinegar: cider, white wine, or herb-flavored

1 cup water

2 bay leaves

2 whole cloves

3 Tablespoons dried Mexican oregano

6 peppercorns

2 teaspoons kosher salt

Directions:

Heat oil and add garlic. Sauté until garlic turns golden and remove from oil. Add carrots to hot oil; cook two minutes then add cauliflower, chiles and onion. Continue to cook & stir for about two more minutes - keep veggies crisp.

Add cooked garlic back in along with vinegar, water, and spices. Bring to boil then remove from heat. Transfer veggies and liquid to a clean, hot jar. Let cool and cover. Let develop overnight in the fridge. The oil will cloud up, so let sit for 10 minutes at room temp before serving.

RECIPE THEME

Each month a theme is chosen and a number of recipes on that theme from my massive archive will be shared.  This year we have 12 new topics, different from the topics of last year.  To find the recipes of last year, check out this recipe link or search the blog with the topic Recipe2018, or Recipe2019 

You can search the monthly theme by looking for the theme keyword in the search box and it will pull up the recipes on that theme as posted, so look at the bottom of the recipe in each posting for the KEYWORD in the () to search for each  month.  All recipes this year will be tagged Recipe2020 so you can find them all.

The themes are:

Feb 2020 - Footbal Tailgate Favorites (AppFeb)

March 2020 - Kabobs (KabobMar)

April 2020 - Brunch (BrunchApr) more in 2021 also

May 2020 - Non-Traditional Pizza (PizzaMay)

June 2020 - Stir Fry Dishes (StirJun)

July 2020 - Salads with no lettuce (SaladJul)

August 2020 - Pickled things (PickleAug)

September 2020 - Quiche (QuicheSep)

October 2020 - Squash Soups (SquashOct)

November 2020 - Pumpkin (again) (PumpNov)

December 2020 - Turkey Recipes (TurkDec)

Beet Pickled Deviled Eggs - Recipe Theme for August

Today I have a unique pickled recipe to try. In this recipe you pickle eggs in beet brine and then make deviled eggs from the pickled eggs.  It is a different recipe and fun to make for a labor day picnic.

Pickled Beets are my husbands favorite pickled item and later this month I will share a wonderful spiced beet pickling recipe for you to try.

Beet Pickled Deviled Eggs

6 large eggs
1 16-ounce can or jar pickled beets
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon peppercorns
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1 tablespoon vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh rosemary for garnish

Directions:

Hard boil your eggs and remove the shells. Set the eggs aside.

To prepare the brine, pour the liquid from a can of pickled beets into a large mason jar or bowl. Add cider vinegar, sugar, peppercorns, and salt. Stir mixture. Carefully (that beet juice will stain!) lower the peeled eggs into the brine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours, or up to 3 days. The longer you leave them in the brine, the more sour and pink they'll end up. I like just the rim of pink and slight pickled flavor, so I let mine sit about 16 hours.

When brining time is finished, cut each egg in half and scoop out yolks. Place yolks in a medium-sized bowl, along with the mustard, mayonnaise, curry, vinegar, and olive oil. Mix and mash until smooth. Add a little bit of water to the mixture if too stiff. Salt and pepper to taste.

Using a pastry bag or a plastic bag with the corner cut off, pipe the yolk mixture back into the pink eggs. Sprinkle with chopped rosemary and season with salt and pepper.

If you want to pickle beets or other vegetables in your own refrigerator, try our DIY Refrigerator Pickle Kits.

RECIPE THEME

Each month a theme is chosen and a number of recipes on that theme from my massive archive will be shared.  This year we have 12 new topics, different from the topics of last year.  To find the recipes of last year, check out this recipe link or search the blog with the topic Recipe2018, or Recipe2019 

You can search the monthly theme by looking for the theme keyword in the search box and it will pull up the recipes on that theme as posted, so look at the bottom of the recipe in each posting for the KEYWORD in the () to search for each  month.  All recipes this year will be tagged Recipe2020 so you can find them all.

The themes are:

Feb 2020 - Footbal Tailgate Favorites (AppFeb)

March 2020 - Kabobs (KabobMar)

April 2020 - Brunch (BrunchApr) more in 2021 also

May 2020 - Non-Traditional Pizza (PizzaMay)

June 2020 - Stir Fry Dishes (StirJun)

July 2020 - Salads with no lettuce (SaladJul)

August 2020 - Pickled things (PickleAug)

September 2020 - Quiche (QuicheSep)

October 2020 - Squash Soups (SquashOct)

November 2020 - Pumpkin (again) (PumpNov)

December 2020 - Turkey Recipes (TurkDec)

Spicy Quick Refrigerator Pickled Red Onions - Monthly Recipe Theme

This month the recipe theme is "pickled." One of the best ways to preserve fresh veggies is to brine, ferment or pickle them.  The act of placing veggies in vinegar or salt saves the attributes and makes a great snacking or condiment item.  Many folks shy away from pickling because they see it as too difficult, but I have recipes for easy refrigerator or quick pickles as well as canned pickles too.

And this month we will launch our new DIY Refrigerator Pickle Kits.  They come with everything you need to make quick pickles including seasonings, instructions and the jar to make them in.

Spicy Quick Refrigerator Pickled Red Onions

1 Tbls. Sea salt

1 large organic red onion, thickly sliced

1 tsp whole black peppercorns

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp cumin seeds

1/8 tsp red chili flakes

1 bay leaf

3 cloves garlic, peeled and halved

1 1/2 cups red wine vinegar

Directions: 

Toss salt and sliced onions together in a bowl.  Allow to sit for 30 minutes or until the onion begins to release juice.  In a sterilized pint jar, mix together the peppercorns, oregano, cumin, bay leaf chili flakes and garlic.  Add the onion, salt and juice to the jar and pour vinegar to the top.  Be sure to cover the onion completely.  Seal with a lid and refrigerate overnight before using.  Enjoy on salad, sandwiches, tacos, pizza and wraps.

RECIPE THEME

Each month a theme is chosen and a number of recipes on that theme from my massive archive will be shared.  This year we have 12 new topics, different from the topics of last year.  To find the recipes of last year, check out this recipe link or search the blog with the topic Recipe2018, or Recipe2019 

You can search the monthly theme by looking for the theme keyword in the search box and it will pull up the recipes on that theme as posted, so look at the bottom of the recipe in each posting for the KEYWORD in the () to search for each  month.  All recipes this year will be tagged Recipe2020 so you can find them all.

The themes are:

Feb 2020 - Footbal Tailgate Favorites (AppFeb)

March 2020 - Kabobs (KabobMar)

April 2020 - Brunch (BrunchApr) more in 2021 also

May 2020 - Non-Traditional Pizza (PizzaMay)

June 2020 - Stir Fry Dishes (StirJun)

July 2020 - Salads with no lettuce (SaladJul)

August 2020 - Pickled things (PickleAug)

September 2020 - Quiche (QuicheSep)

October 2020 - Squash Soups (SquashOct)

November 2020 - Pumpkin (again) (PumpNov)

December 2020 - Turkey Recipes (TurkDec)

Weekend Recipe - Green Tomato Pickles

The weather turned here almost overnight.  We went from 60s and pleasant to 26 degrees at night  in 24 hours. As a result many people harvested tomatoes before they were killed by the frost.  We used to do this too.  Anything still on the vine was removed even if it was green.  Then a week or so later when we recovered from all that harvesting we decided what to do with the green tomatoes.  This was a favorite recipe.

This is a canned recipe so if you have never canned before read up on it in the Joy of Cooking or this great new book I found on canning called Canning and Preserving with Ashley English.  She has a whole section on pickling.

Green Tomato Pickles

1 dry quart of green tomatoes (This is what will fit in half a peck basket or about 1/6 more than a liquid quart by measure.)
2 large onions
1/3 cup plus 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 cups vinegar
3 red peppers, seeded and chopped
3 green peppers, seeded and chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped, not pressed
1 1/2 tsp. dry mustard seeds
1 1/2 tsp. whole cloves
1 Tbls. ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp. celery seed
(I use 3 Tbls. of Backyard Patch Pickling Spice instead of these spices to make mine)

Slice the green tomatoes and onions thinly. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of salt and let stand overnight.  This removes the excess water and is important to the preserving process so do not skip this step.  Rinse and drain in the morning.

Bring the vinegar to a boil and add the peppers and garlic and boil vigorously for 1 minute.  Add the tomatoes, onions and spices and simmer slowly for 20 minutes.  Pack while still hot into sterilized canning jars and seal immediately with hot sterilized caps.  Then process in a hot-water bath for 5 to 7 minutes.  Makes 5 to 6 pints of pickled tomatoes.

Crab - Shrimp Boil - Weekend Recipe

During the recent government shutdown there was bad news about Crab.  No permits meant no fishing for crab.  With that on my mind, I thought we need to make the most of the crab we can get!  So I adapted my picking spice to make a crab boil.  It is truly awesome and I don't even care for seafood that much!

Crab/Shrimp Boil

• 2/3 cup Backyard Patch Pickling Spices
• 1/4 cup sea salt
• 1 Tablespoon celery seeds
• 1 Tablespoon minced dried chives
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 5 bay leaves

Preparation:

Add pickling spices, sea salt, celery seeds, chives, ginger, oregano, and bay leaves to the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Pulsing, process until the mixture forms a coarse powder. 

For cooking shrimp, add 1/4 cup of the spices, along with 2 teaspoons salt, to a large saucepan of boiling water or half water and half beer. 

For lobster or crab, use 1 part distilled white wine vinegar to 3 parts water. Add the seafood and cook for 2 minutes, or until just cooked through. Remove the seafood and serve or chill. 

Yield: about 1 cup