First Stab at Home Made Pickles

As some of you know, we tilled up a nice sized area this spring at the back of our property for a garden. We filled it with zucchini, carrots, cabbage, purple beans, cucumbers, squash, watermelon, cantaloupe and a ton of pumpkins. I've been neglecting my duties as weed-picker as of late and the garden is looking a little forlorn, but we still have lots of yummy veggies coming out.

Anywhoo, we love pickles! Who doesn't? (If you're saying 'me!', I'm thinking you got dropped on your head as a child).

This spring, I pictured harvesting a bushel of cucumbers every week and making cans upon cans of pickles. Sadly, some of our plants got a disease called downy mildew and didn't produce as nicely as expected.

Finding A Farmer's Market Near You

It's getting to be that time of year here in Michigan. All of the regional farmers flock to the concrete jungle to peddle their goods, and do we love it!

I'm lucky to work downtown where every Thursday during lunch, I can walk a block over to our city's farmer's market; a little parking area filled with fresh produce, yummy baked goods, smoked fish, sweet berry syrups, flowers and popcorn.

While I love our little local farmer's market, I thought it'd be fun to find some bigger ones. I've heard of city markets that last all day and have special events like Chef demonstrations, recipe competitions, kids activities and more.  

These two websites will help to locate your local farmer's markets:

USDA Farmer's Market Directory - This was the best site I found as far as having every farmer's market listed. They also have links to the market's websites if they have one.

Local Harvest - In addition to finding farmer's markets, it finds local farms.  You can visit their own website to see what products they offer, some even do deliveries!

Do you frequent your local farmer's market? What are your favorite things to get? Honey, raspberries, butterleaf lettuce and smoked fish are some of my favorites.

Recipe Roud-Up : Pumpkin

Ready for some more fall recipes? We already checked out some squash recipes, so it's time for my personal favorite- Pumpkin!

 


Closet Cooking

Pumpkin Gnocchi in a Creamy Gorgonzola Sauce

 Gnocchi are soft dumplings most commonly made from potatoes (I always think of them as baby mashed potato balls). Here's a how-to using only four ingredients, plus a pinch of nutmeg.

 

Skinny Taste

 

Skinny Pumpkin Spiced Latte

The first thing I go for when the weather gets cool. This recipe uses fat free milk and spices, making it only 115 calories instead of the 380 calorie Starbucks version.  

Oh She Glows

How To Roast Perfect Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkin carving isn't complete if you don't save and toast the seeds. For this recipe, she boils them in saltwater before roasting. They're so much fun to make because you can use any spices that you have in your cabinets. My two favorites mixes are cajun and cayenne pepper or butter and brown sugar.

Confessions of a Chocoholic

Smoked Gouda and Pumpkin Mac and Cheese

This lady is a self proclaimed Choco-holic. Well, I'm a Mac-oholic. I included a recipe for Butternut Squash Mac n Cheese in this post, so it's only fair that we give a shout out to some Pumpkin too. Plus, it has smokey gouda cheese. Yum, Yum, Yum. 

Sugar Mama Cooks

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Stuffed Muffins
Spice cake mix + canned pumpkin = muffins. Cream cheese + sugar + vanilla = filling.  
Easy-Shmeasy.

What are you favorite Pumpkin recipes?

 

Recipe Round-Up - Squash



Since it's about that time, here are some squash recipes from around the web that I'd love to try. Kelly won't be thrilled- he doesn't like the name 'squash', nor does he like the texture. Those two reasons are pretty much a dead giveaway that when he responds with 'Oh, this is pretty good', he's lying.

Iowa Eats Girl

Butternut Squash Mac n Cheese

I tried this recipe last fall and can't wait to make it again. I love macaroni and cheese in any way, shape or form and this is one of the more unique recipes. The sweet squash mixed with the salty bacon and smokey, cheesy noodles. Say hello to heaven.

 

 

The Kitchn

Stuffed Acorn Squash

While I love the tried-and-true butter and brown sugar baked acorn squash, I'm willing to venture out of the box for this version using sausage, onion and mushrooms. It might be a good way to re-use your leftover veggies and meat when you combine them with a box of stuffing from the pantry.

 

 

A Sweet Pea Chef



Roasted Butternut Squash Bisque

Yes, this one does somewhat resemble baby food, but after looking at all of the ingredients I would have to give this one a go. Squash, onions, carrots and vegetable stock with pepper, nutmeg and heavy cream.  Maybe add a few toasted pumpkin seeds on top? Yummy.

 

 

 

A Spicy Perspective

 

Black and Orange Forbidden Rice

Here's an interesting one. Apparently 'Forbidden Rice' is an actual type of rice. This recipe combines the rice with roasted acorn squash, pecans, diced shallots and savory fall seasonings.

 

 

Have you tried any of these recipes? What are you favorite ways to eat squash? 





Recipe Round-Up

There's not much better than a Sunday afternoon nap, especially being woken by an amazingly scrumptious aroma wafting from the kitchen.

Kelly had gone Salmon fishing on Lake Michigan with his stepdad Sunday morning, so what I was smelling was fresh caught salmon baking in the oven and chopped veggies from the garden being steamed.  I couldn't believe my eyes, nose or mouth. See, this was the first dinner he'd ever cooked for me and it was to-die-for yummy. Well, let me tell you, it's going to have to happen a little more often.

Since our fridge is bursting with fresh salmon, I searched some of my favorite food blogs for a few recipes.



Skinnytaste

Here's a recipe for Naked Salmon Burgers using red and yellow bell peppers. I don't think I'd leave them naked, probably dress them with a little of her Zesty Avocado Cilantro Dressing and stick on a toasted pretzel bun. Yummmm.

 

Design Love Fest

Spicy and sweet Salmon Tacos with Mango Salsa. She uses chili powder as the fish seasoning, but I think I'd switch it up for cajun and maybe a dash of cayenne pepper.















Wait Til Your Father Gets Home

 

This one is a little nostalgic...our sitter's family had a cabin on Trout Lake in the U.P. Whenever we'd travel up there to stay, we would stop at this little convenient store to purchase some of their smoked salmon dip. With a box of Wheat Thins, we would have the container of dip devoured before we even made it to the cabin. This Smoked Salmon Dip recipe looks like it might just take me back.



















Dinner a Love Story

This Salmon Salad might be on the menu for tonight. Potatoes, corn, green beans, cucumbers....yum.Yes. Definitely on the menu tonight.











Do you know of any good Salmon recipes?

Too Much Zucchini

We walked out to the garden last night and picked five zucchini, with plenty more that will be ripe within the next few days. Seeing as how everyone is in the same predicament right now, I can't even pay people to take some off of our hands. In light of this slight problem, I've been searching the web for the past week to see what other people are doing with their abundance. Some of my favorite ideas are below.

[ The Live-In Kitchen ]

Absolutely trying this vegan zucchini brownie recipe. They look full of gooey, fudgy deliciousness.








Here are a couple ways to store your extras. How-to freeze zucchini in chunks and freezing shredded zucchini (useful for baked goods, soups and sauces).

[ The Nourishing Home ]

Zoodles! Add in some yellow summer squash for a little variety. Here is a helpful link on how to spiralize and she has a note at the bottom suggesting using a julienne peeler, which is what I use at home. One of my favorite ways to enjoy them is steamed, then tossed in avocado oil and parmesan with a little salt and pepper.






Honey just introduced me to fried zucchini for the first time. Yum, yum, yum is all I can say to that one. He prepares it by discarding both ends and cutting the remainder into nice, thin slices. Next, coat the slices in flour seasoned with pepper and garlic salt then drop them in hot oil to fry for a couple of minutes. Once they are golden brown, remove and drain on a cookie rack or tray lined with paper towel. Sprinkle with a little more salt & pepper for good measure, then enjoy!

 

[ The Pioneer Woman ]

Break out the grill for some lemony zucchini wedges.

[ Martha Stewart ]

Or you could get completely crazy and try some zucchini quesadillas. With avocado and smokey, mozzarella cheese...ummm, yes please.







What are you doing with all of your zucchini?