Pickled Watermelon Radishes

 

Watermelon radishes. What are they? Up until a couple of days ago, I would not have been able to answer that question. Today, I can. Watermelon radishes are an heirloom variety of Chinese daikon radish, getting their name from their bright, pink interior and green skin, rather than the taste. Some, I find, are deep fuchsia pink on the interior, others are pale green with pink striations. Either way, they are quite good, and far less harsh than what I’ve always known to be of standard radishes. They are members of the mustard family, and are firm, crunchy, and pleasantly mild.

These can be used on a charcuterie tray, a relish tray, in a Buddha bowl, or on top of salad. Wherever you use them, they are going to look lovely, and draw attention.

I chose to pickle mine, adapting a recipe that I found on loveandlemons.com. If you don't feel as though you are intrepid enough to try the watermelon radish, you can certainly feel free to use this pickling recipe with the common radish. Imagine how lovely these would be to take to your host or hostess when attending barbecues or picnics this summer.

Photo: Amazon

 Then again, maybe with planting season coming up, you’d just like to grow your own. You can find seeds here.

Pickled Watermelon Radishes

1 5-lb. pkg. Melissa’s Watermelon radishes

1 c. white vinegar

1 c. water

2½ T. sugar

1 T. sea salt

½ t. mixed peppercorns

½ t. mustard seeds

 Thinly slice the radishes (using a mandoline, if possible), and divide between 4 12-oz. jars.

Heat the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar and salt dissolve, about 1 minute. Pour the brine over the radishes and stir in the peppercorns and mustard seeds. Let cool and chill until ready to use. Pickled radish slices will be ready to eat in about 1 hour, radish halves are best when pickled overnight.

 Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

 As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Garlic Parmesan Mushrooms

 

 Are you ready for something new and exciting for Meatless Monday? Well then, you have come to the right place. Not only is this recipe super simple to make, but also extremely versatile. It can be used as a sumptuous side dish, ladled over a sizzling steak, or, to get a magnificent main dish, toss it with the hot cooked pasta of your choice. It is amazingly good, and tastes as though it’s much more difficult and time-consuming to make.Garlic Parmesan Mushrooms

Adapted from dailyviral.net

 2 T. butter

1 T. extra virgin olive oil

6 cloves garlic, minced

8 oz, whole baby bella mushrooms

⅓ c. heavy cream

2 T. cream cheese, room temperature

⅓ c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

¼ t. onion powder

¾ t. Italian seasoning

Salt and pepper, to taste

Fresh parsley, to garnish

Rinse and clean the mushrooms and pat dry.

Melt butter and olive oil in a 10" skillet over medium heat

Add mushrooms and cook until browned, around 5 – 7 minutes.

 Add garlic, cream, cream cheese, Parmesan, onion powder, and Italian seasoning, and cook for 5 – 10 minutes, until sauce is thick and creamy. Salt and pepper to taste.

 Garnish with fresh parsley and serve.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Product Recommendation: Automatic Foam Soap Dispenser, Here's Why You Need It

I don’t know if you’re anything like me, but I wash my hands many times throughout the day because I spend a lot of time in the kitchen cooking, cleaning up, and doing dishes. In the past, I’ve purchased plastic bottles of foaming hand soap from various companies.  I have no complaints about any of those with the exception that, when the bottle is less than half full, depressing the dispenser on top will often send the bottle noisily toppling into the sink. I also find that the top button can get pretty messy from the repeated touching with dirty hands.

Photo: Amazon

This Automatic Foam Soap Dispenser solves all of those problems. All you do is twist off the top, fill it with liquid designed to create foaming hand soap, twist the top back on, and put it in place. Anytime you need to wash your hands, just put your hand underneath, and the proper amount is immediately dispense. You can fill it with the foaming hand soap refill of your choice, or you can make your own by combining a tablespoon of Dawn dishwashing liquid with water and adding a number of drops of the essential oil of your choice. You even have the option of mounting it to the wall if this is what you prefer.

Photo: Amazon

One thing I particularly like about this is that it requires no batteries, but charges by use of a USB cable. I never thought washing my hands could be as much fun as it has turned out to be thanks to this wonderful automatic soap dispenser.

Photo: Amazon

With Mother’s Day on the horizon, if you’re struggling to come up with a gift, this may just be your answer. You can grab one here.

 As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Bacon-Wrapped Meatloaf

 

Meatloaf is one of my favorite things. At heart, I’m just a simple girl, and nothing pleases me more than comfort food, whether it comes in the form of a double cheeseburger, or meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and green beans. Because I love it so much, I’m always looking for new recipes. I found this one on Pioneer Woman’s website. Let me just say that this is excellent, but I had a bit of trouble with it. I followed the directions exactly as written, with the exception that I cut the recipe in half. After I had baked it for the required amount of time at the required temperature, I pulled it out of the oven, went to slice it, and it wasn’t near done; it was shockingly mushy inside. One would think that perhaps there was something wrong with my oven, but I had something else baking in the oven at the same time, and it came out just fine.

 Considering that I had already planned this meatloaf for two nights, plus meatloaf sandwiches, I was not going to let this deter me. I cranked the oven up to 400°, and put it back in for 30 minutes. It came out perfectly, and that bacon was wonderfully crisp. I don’t know what my problem was; I just wanted to give you that information so that if you find yourself in a similar situation, you’ll know what to do. Honestly, considering her meatloaf was twice the size of mine, it stands to reason that one half that size would’ve gotten done sooner. Anyway, it’s delicious; just watch how you bake it.

Bacon-Wrapped Meatloaf

For the Meatloaf:

1 c. whole milk

6 slices white bread*

2 lb. ground beef

1 c. (heaping) freshly grated Parmesan cheese

¼ t. seasoned salt

¾ tsp. salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/3 c. minced flat-leaf parsley

4 whole eggs, beaten

10 slices thin/regular bacon

 For the Sauce:

1½ c. ketchup

1/3 c. brown sugar

1 t. dry mustard

Tabasco, to taste

 Preheat oven to 350˚ (See note above). Pour milk over the bread slices. Allow it to soak in for several minutes.

 Place the ground beef, milk-soaked bread, Parmesan, seasoned salt, salt, black pepper, and parsley in a large mixing bowl. Pour in beaten eggs.

 With clean hands, mix the ingredients until well combined. Form the mixture into a loaf shape on a broiler pan, which will allow the fat to drain. (Line the bottom of the pan with foil to avoid a big mess!)

Lay bacon slices over the top, tucking them underneath the meatloaf.

 Make the sauce: add ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, and hot sauce in a mixing bowl. Stir together. Pour 1/3 of the mixture over the top of the bacon. Spread with a spoon.

Bake for 45 minutes, then pour another 1/3 of the sauce over the top. Bake for another 15 minutes. Slice and serve with remaining sauce.

 * I used half bread and half Italian breadcrumbs. It gave it a lovely texture, and I liked that extra little bit of flavor.

 As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Smothered Burritos

 

When you’re craving something special, is there a particular cuisine that appeals? For me it’s Mexican, or at least the American version of Mexican food that I have grown to love over the years. These smothered burritos never fail to satisfy that culinary lust. They are stupidly simple to put together, but the entire process takes a bit of time because the beef is best when slow cooked and refrigerated overnight, maximizing the flavor. After that is accomplished, assembly is simple, and these have been known to please a crowd.Smothered Burritos

 For the beef:

1 2-2.5 lb. chuck roast

1 1-oz. pkg. taco seasoning mix

1 10-oz. can Rotel tomatoes*, undrained

 Place chuck roast into the bottom of a 4-5 quart slow cooker. Sprinkle taco seasoning over the top, and pour over tomatoes to cover. Cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours until meat is tender. Remove meat, shred with two forks, removing pieces of fat. Return meat to the slow cooker for 15 minutes.

Place meat into a lidded container, and refrigerate overnight.

 To Assemble:

8 large (burrito-size) flour tortillas

1 16-oz can refried beans

2 10-oz cans enchilada sauce

1 lb. white American cheese, shredded, divided

Fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 375° degrees. Spray a 9” x 13” baking dish with PAM. Pour 1 can of enchilada sauce into the bottom of the baking dish and spread evenly. If any juices or sauce remains from the cooked beef, add it as well.

 Slightly warm refrigerated beef in a microwave or pan on the stove.

 Arrange tortillas on a clean work surface. Divide refried beans among the tortillas, spreading them in a line across the center of the tortilla. Top beans with a generous amount of beef, and then shredded cheese to cover. Wrap each “burrito style,” i.e. fold the sides over the filling, fold the bottom up to cover the filling, and roll.

 Place each filled burrito seam side down into the baking dish.

Slowly drizzle remaining can of enchilada sauce over burritos, being sure to cover every bit of the tortillas.

Top each burrito with remaining cheese.

 Cover loosely with foil, tenting if necessary to avoid sticking to the cheese. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until cheese is completely melted and sauce is bubbly.

 Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro. Serve with burrito toppings of your choice, e.g. pico de gallo, salsa, sour cream, black olives, diced red onion, guacamole, shredded lettuce, etc.

 *Diced tomatoes and green chilies

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Mustard Caper Sauce for Broccoli or Brussels Sprouts

 

I happen to be one of those people who likes vegetables, so a little salt and pepper, and a bit of butter, and I’m good to go. But, if you’re one of those people who likes vegetables dressed up a bit, you are going to be over the moon once you taste this sauce. It was created with broccoli in mind, but it’s equally good over sautéed brussels sprouts. This is one of those things that is so good that it’s hard to stop eating it. It‘s also incredibly simple to put together, and company worthy. How often does that happen? Mustard Caper Sauce for Broccoli or Brussels Sprouts

6 T. butter (not unsalted)
1 T.
Dijon mustard
Juice of half a lemon
Pinch of white pepper
2 T. capers

Place butter, mustard, lemon juice, and pepper into a medium pan over medium heat. As the butter melts, whisk ingredients together until blended. Add capers, stir to combine, and pour immediately over cooked broccoli and serve. This makes enough to cover up to one pound of broccoli or brussels sprouts.

 As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Garlic Butter with Fresh Herbs

 

It’s a rare day when I don’t have a crock of garlic butter in my fridge. I love to make it up fresh every week, finding multiple uses for it as the days progress. It’s delicious on vegetables, makes garlic bread an easy fix, and when buried in the center of a patty of ground beef ready for the grill, adds flavor and yields a juicy burger. I think you will find that it will serve you well this summer, providing you with many uses throughout, making cooking less of a chore, while amping up the taste of a variety of foods.

Garlic Butter with Fresh Herbs

1 c. butter, softened,
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 T. minced fresh parsley
1 T. minced fresh chives
1 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice

In a medium mixing bowl, beat together all ingredients with a hand mixer. Using a rubber spatula, scrape into a container, cover, and store in the fridge until ready for use.

To make garlic bread, cut a baguette on the diagonal in slices about 1 inch thick. Spread copious amounts of garlic butter on each slice, and top with a mound of cheese. Slide into the broiler until the cheese has melted, and then enjoy.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Death in le Jardin by Ian Moore, Reviewed

Prior to reading Death in le Jardin, the fourth in the Follett Valley Mystery series, I had not been acquainted with this series or author Ian Moore. It took m​e no longer than reading the first page to absolutely fall in love with the characters, the writing style, and the anticipation of what was to come.

 Insouciant, middle-aged Richard Ainsworth is living the sweet life in Saint-Sauver in the Follet Valley, a quiet French backwater, puttering around his posh B&B with sidekick gal pal, former bounty hunter, and possible assassin, Valérie d’Orçay and her pampered Chihuahua, Passepartout.

 When the housekeeper of their B&B is charged with murdering her brother-in-law, who was at one time her fiancé (gotta love the French) life gets complicated. Their investigation sends them to a rather bizarre garden town/commune filled with a variety of strange and dodgy people.

 In addition to being a wonderful and complex mystery, the story is very atmospheric. The descriptions were so vivid and detailed that I felt as if I were there right along with the characters. The characters themselves are rich, well developed, quirky, and strange, you name it, and you’ll find it in this book.

 At this point I might add that there is no need to have read the previous books in this series (although you will definitely want to), as this stands quite well on its own.

 I can’t remember the last time I had such a good time reading a book. It was a wonderful bonus that I was surprised by the conclusion of the mystery. Wonderful.

 It is scheduled for publication on June 6^th; you can preorder here.

 Many thanks to NetGalley, Farrago Publishing Co., and author Ian Moore for the advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

 As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Orgy in a Barn

  

Okay, here’s the thing. Knowing that I am going to need a lot of cocktails to get me through the baseball season, I decided that I was going to find one signature cocktail for the entire summer of 2024. I chose a cocktail that I found online called Sex on the Farm because it sounded refreshing, included cranberry juice and orange juice (that I knew I would freshly squeeze), and just seemed to be exactly the flavor profile that I was looking for.

 

What happened was, when I went to make this cocktail I had completely forgotten the measurements of the ingredients, and ended up quadrupling the amount of peach schnapps!! I also decided to use the juice from a Melissa's Ojai pixie tangerine because they are so deliciously sweet, instead of orange juice, and both of those changes took this cocktail over the top. It is magnificent! As a consequence, I figured that I really needed to rename the cocktail with a nod to the original, but giving it something of my own, ergo the Orgy in a Barn cocktail was racily born. Try it! (The cocktail, not the barn orgy. That would be rude and perhaps off-putting for the animals.)

Sex at a Farm Stand

 1½ oz. vodka

2 oz. peach schnapps

2 oz. cranberry juice

2 oz. freshly squeezed Ojai tangerine juice

 Give it a stir and pour it over ice in a glass. Garnish with a wedge of tangerine, and a stemmed cherry.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Spinach, Beet, and Pear Salad with Raspberry Mustard Vinaigrette

 

Did I mention that I bought a lot of lettuce? Yeah. I bought a three-pack of hearts of Romaine, a head of iceberg lettuce, and a bag of baby spinach. I outfoxed myself by storing it all neatly in the vegetable crisper rather than scattering it recklessly around the fridge. As a consequence, I thought I needed lettuce, so I went to the grocery store and I bought a three-pack of hearts of Romaine, a head of iceberg lettuce, and, you guessed it, a bag of baby spinach. That’s a lot of greenery.

To keep things from getting routine in the salads that I’ve been having every day (and honestly, if it would help get rid of the lettuce, I would have one at breakfast), I’ve been experimenting with different ingredients. As is the case with most salads, the dressing is the star of the show, but this combination of ingredients is not only delicious, but it is highly nutritious with the spinach, beets, walnuts, and pears. It’s also beautiful, and makes a lovely presentation.Spinach, Beet, and Pear Salad with Raspberry Mustard Vinaigrette

Salad:
Fresh baby spinach
1 Melissa’s Bartlett pear, peeled and thinly sliced.
1 8-oz. pkg. Melissa’s steamed baby beets, thinly sliced.
Handful of broken walnuts
Blue cheese, as much as you like

Raspberry Mustard Vinaigrette:
¼ c. canola oil
¼ c. raspberry balsamic vinegar
2 T. grated shallot
1 T. raspberry jam

1 t. Dijon mustard
1 t. sugar
Pinch of salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Place all ingredients into a mini food processor, and process until emulsified. If you don’t have a mini food processor, you need to get one. You can use them for so many things, and they make salad dressing like nobody’s business. When you use one of these to make salad dressing, it quickly emulsifies, and stays emulsified; there is no separation in the fridge.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

 

Salsa and Guacamole Kits Make Cinco de Mayo Prep a Breeze

 

You may recall when I told you about Melissa’s Produce’s wonderful salad kits. (If you have yet to read that blog post, you can find it here). They also offer a Potato Leek Soup Kit that you can read about here. You may not be aware that they also have salsa and guacamole kits. Today, I was really missing summer, and wanted to taste the delicious produce that I generally find myself harvesting from my garden in late July. No problem! All I did was take the ingredients out of the container, follow the directions, chop! chop! chop! and in no time I had the most delicious salsa and guacamole ever. What remained of the kits (butt ends and seeds of the tomatoes, skins from the garlic and shallots, avocado skin and pit, as well as the juiced limes) all went into my compost bin, so not a smidgen was wasted.

 I set the seeds from the jalapeño aside to dry so that I can plant a couple of them in what I hope will be my own salsa garden this summer. I have pretty much decided (aside from my citrus trees, of course) to grow salsa ingredients because I love it so much, plus there’s so much you can do with tomatoes, jalapeños, and onions.

This kit does not come with cilantro, so if you like that addition, you’ll have to add it yourself. I did remove the seeds from all but one of the tomatoes so as not to make it too juicy. I also like to add a little pinch of cumin to mine to give it that little bit of je ne sais quoi. Simple, delicious, healthy. The next time you’re at your supermarket, look for these wonderful kits. You won’t be sorry. What an easy way to ready yourself for Cinco de Mayo!

¡Ole!

Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

 

I have a confession to make. I will often use dry ranch mix to make ranch dressing. It’s quick, it’s easy, and let’s face it, when you want ranch, you want ranch! Unfortunately, I made the mistake of buying the spicy version of the ranch mix, and I didn’t like it at all. Because I wasn’t about to run out to correct my error I decided to make my own. Yes, this is a tiny bit of trouble, but the freshness is out of this world.

Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

½ c. Duke’s mayonnaise
½ c. sour cream
½ c. buttermilk
1 T. dried dill
1 T. dried minced onions
1 T. dried parsley
1 t. garlic powder
¼ t. Everything But the Bagel seasoning
¼ t. freshly ground black pepper
1/8 - 1/4 t. kosher salt
1 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice

Place all ingredients into a mini food processor, and process until combined. Failing that, place all ingredients into a medium mixing bowl, and whisk the heck out of it. Store in the refrigerator in a covered container for no longer than two weeks.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.