So Much To Make: DIRECTIONS

Showing posts with label DIRECTIONS. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 8, 2015

How to Make Perfect Pickles

I LOVE a good dill pickle. And after making them homemade, the store-bought ones are often second-rate. But I've read that many people have trouble making their pickles have the taste and the texture they are looking for. I have now successfully made PERFECT PICKLES twice, and I want to share what I did so you can enjoy the dilly, salty, crisp goodness yourself!

The secret is in the method. Pickles can become soggy if they cook too long in the brine. But you want the jars to cook enough to seal correctly and safely for preservation of the food. I will share the method that has worked for me. More information on safe pickling procedures can be found here: http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can6b_pickle.html.

I started with this mess of cukes from Bountiful Baskets. They were ripe and ready for pickling. They were too big to pickle whole, so I decided to do spears and slices.

1. First, prepare your pickling brine: 8 1/2 cups water, 2 1/4 cups white vinegar, 1/2 cup pickling salt. Bring brine to a full boil, stirring often. Remove from heat and set aside.

2. Second, prepare your cucumbers. I sliced mine lengthwise into sixths for spears, and into about 1/4" slices.

3. HERBS: One thing I LOVE about this recipe is the simplicity of the ingredients. You'll need fresh dill, fresh garlic, and fresh parsley (optional).

4. In each sterilized quart-size jars, place a clove of garlic, and 1 sprig each of parsley and dill.

5. Now, STUFF the pickles into the jar. Spears should stand up and and have seeds turned inward as much as you can. Finish each jar with another sprig of dill, parsley, and garlic clove.

6. Prepare your water bath canner by filling about halfway with water. Bring to a low simmer.

7. Pour brine into filled jars, leaving 1/4" of headspace. You may need to tap the jars gently on the counter a few times to remove air bubbles and make room for more brine.

8. Wipe rims and place sterilized seals and rings (tightened just slightly) on the jars.

9. Place the jars into the simmering water, making sure the water only comes to the neck of the jars. Process pickles for 15 minutes, beginning timer as soon as you place them in the water. Avoid letting water reach a rolling boil, but keep it simmering. This will seal the jars, but won't cook the heck out of the pickles.

10. Remove jars and cover with a towel as they cool. Listen for the glorious POP that lets you know they have sealed. Wait at least 3 weeks to enjoy your pickles. The "pickling" happens as the cucumbers sit in the brine and soak in all the yummy flavors, so don't cheat and open them early. We had to put a countdown calendar up in our house so the kids would know when they could dig in!

Perfect Dill Pickles

Makes 7 quarts

Ingredients:

8 1/2 cups water

2 1/4 cups white vinegar

1/2 cup pickling salt

Picking Cucumbers (30-40 medium or 10 lbs), washed and cut into slices or spears

Fresh dill

Fresh parsley (optional)

Fresh garlic

Directions:

1. Prepare your brine by boiling water, vinegar, and salt, stirring often. Remove from heat and set aside.

2. In the bottom of each sterilized quart-size jar, place a sprig of dill and parsley, and one peeled garlic clove. Fill the jars with cucumber slices or spears, turning spears seed-side in if possible. Finish with another sprig of dill, parsley, and a garlic clove.

3. Fill water bath canner about half-way with water and bring to a simmer on the stove.

4. Use a funnel to pour brine into the stuffed jars, leaving 1/4 inch of head space. Wipe rims, and top with sterilized lids and rings.

5. Place jars in water bath, making sure the water reaches just to the top of the neck of the jars. Process in water bath for 15 minutes, avoiding a rolling boil, but maintaining a simmer.

6. Remove jars from water bath and cool on the counter, covering cans with a dish towel. Store in a cool, dark place for at least 3-4 weeks before opening.

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Tuesday, February 17, 2015

How To Alter a Man's Shirt to a Woman's Shape

ALTERATION SEWING TUTORIAL: MAN'S SHIRT TO A WOMAN'S SHAPE. EASY BEGINNER PROJECT

I love that collared shirts are in style. They are versatile, comfortable, and can easily dress up a casual outfit. Unfortunately, however, I don't have many. And most that I do have are too short for today's style. So I decided to hit the local thrift store in search of men's shirts (so they'd be nice and long) to alter to my needs.

Here is the man-shirt pre-altering. I bought this on half-off at Goodwill for $3. Pretty big and shape-less, huh? But it has good arm length and fun, unusual pockets, so I was hoping for some potential. It's important to choose a shirt that isn't way too big in the collar or arm-length because those are not easily altered.

Now on to the altering process. It is SO quick and easy. If you are a sewing rookie, this would be a good way to get your feet wet.

1. Turn the shirt inside out and flatten along the seam on the inside of the arm and torso.

2. Use chalk to draw a smooth line along the seam the amount you'd like to take the shirt in. Blend the ends of your chalk line into the existing seams prior to the cuff and base of the shirt. If you are unsure of how much to take in, lay a shirt that fits as you would like this one to, and trace along that shirt's outline.

3. Cut along the lines you drew.

4. Lay the piece you cut out from the first side along the opposite edge to use as a guide to draw another chalk line.

5. Cut along the chalk line.

6. Pin the edges together, being sure to line up the cross seams at the armpit. Sew the new edges closed, blending into the existing seams at each end. I used a serger, but if you don't have a serger, a zig-zag stitch outside your first straight stitch will help prevent fraying.

Here it is all sewn up, but still inside out. It actually looks like a woman's shirt now!

Now I have a "new" shirt!

Go thrift-store shopping or raid your hubby's closet and enjoy!

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Monday, November 17, 2014

Parmesan and Scallion Roasted Asparagus

Asparagus is in season, which means not only is it in abundance, but it is typically a pretty good deal at the supermarket. And it should continue to be for a few months.

Asparagus is one of the few veggies I didn't grow up eating. We ate a variety--okra, rutabaga, beets, and all kinds of squash--but I never once remember eating asparagus. I've asked my parents about this, and one of them (my dad, I think) had only ever had canned asparagus, and so determined he didn't care for it. As a result, my mom never made it. I think they eat it often now, though.

Despite my childhood deprivation, I LOVE this vegetable. I actually started a patch of it in the garden of our old house. Hopefully the new owners are reaping the benefits of my labors. My favorite way to prepare asparagus is roasting it. And this recipe is a fail-safe favorite. The stalks are tender, but not slimy, well-seasoned, and pretty to present.

Here's the how-to, followed by the recipe:

Cut woody ends off asparagus stalks. In a large bowl, toss together asparagus, scallions, oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and shredded Parmesan cheese.

Spread coated stalks on a roasting pan. Scoop up the scallions and cheese that are left in the bowl and spread across the top of the asparagus.

Here they are, ready to go in the oven. Roast at 450° for 15 minutes.

Serve warm. Asparagus are one of the few foods that are appropriate to eat with your fingers. Did you know that? I still use a fork sometimes, though.

Parmesan and Scallion Roasted Asparagus

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 lb fresh asparagus

1/4 cup avocado oil (olive or canola work, too)

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Pinch of ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

3 scallions (green onions), chopped

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450°. Chop tough, woody ends off the asparagus stalks. I usually take about 2 inches off.

2. Toss all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl, completely coating the asparagus in the oil and spices.

3. Spread the asparagus in a row on a large roasting pan. It is okay for them to touch and overlap some. Scrape the bowl for the excess scallions, cheese, and oil. Spread this across the top of the row of asparagus.

4. Bake 15 minutes. Remove immediately, and serve promptly.

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Friday, September 26, 2014

Easy-Sew Pumpkins

I made these fun pumpkins last year (before I began this blog), but I decided I should share them anyway! I used a super tutorial found here on Positively Simple. Here a few little tips I learned while making these:

I found most my fabric on the discount table at JoAnn's. They had a bunch of decorator samples (about 16"x16") for $0.50 each. Score! So check there--I have seen those samples on sale often.
I played around with the pattern to get slightly different shaped pumpkins. On one pumpkin I made the teardrop shapes more wide, on another I made them more tall. I loved the simplicity of this design that allowed for tweaking here and there to get the shape you want.
Use needle nose pliers if you have trouble pulling the needle through the pumpkin center. I was frustrated until I figured out this little hack.
I skipped hot gluing the cinnamon stick. I tend to skip hot-glue whenever possible. I am usually disappointed with its durability in the long run. I liked the look of just the ribbon. (Obviously this is just my opinion. :))

I made two Dora pumpkins for my daughter to decorate her room with. She adores them!

I loved how the two-tone orange turned out on this one. Both of these fabrics were from the discounted samples swatches I found.

I did some simple embroidery on felt to make this leaf and stem. The stem is stuffed with a couple pieces of felt, then whip-stitched on the edge. I sewed them into the middle instead of hot-gluing.

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Monday, September 22, 2014

Cinnamon Chip Pumpkin Waffles

Happy Fall! One of my favorite Fall traditions is the baking I always do--especially the pumpkin recipe baking! I remember coming home from runs with my dad as a kid and smelling my mom's hotcakes. That was the smell of comfort, of love, of home.

I recently bought a package of cinnamon chips on a whim. My oldest two went on a run together Saturday morning, and I decided to make pumpkin waffles with the cinnamon chips while they were out, in hopes that they could come home to something delicious. The result? All I can say is WOW. My family LOVED these. They are bursting with rich, warm flavor even before you add butter and syrup. The only hang-up is getting full.

If you've never bought cinnamon baking chips, now is the time to find them (they are seasonal)! Check you grocery store, or you can find them online (Amazon or The Prepared Pantry are options).

Here's the easy recipe:

Cinnamon Chip Pumpkin Waffles

Makes 12 large waffles

Ingredients:

4 eggs

1/2 cup oil

1/3 cup sugar

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 tablespoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon cloves

3 cups flour (I used half whole wheat)

2 tablespoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

13/4 cups milk

1 1/2 cups cinnamon baking chips

Directions:

1. Using an electric mixer, beat eggs, oil, and sugar together. Add pumpkin, vanilla, and spices, then beat well.

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Alternate adding the milk and flour mix to the wet mixture, beating after each addition until it is all added and incorporated.

3. Stir in cinnamon chips.

4. Bake on greased waffle iron. Serve with your favorite toppings. We had butter, maple syrup, and some homemade apple pie filling. Mmm,mmm.

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Friday, September 19, 2014

Fall Table Runner

I tend to lean on the side of contemporary--rather than country--in most of my decor, except when I am decorating for fall. Then, I pull out the burlap, the wood, the leaves, and the twine. I love the cool air and earthy smells of fall. I LOVE the warm colors. And I LOVE this table runner.

It is fun and easy (though not quick--I'm not gonna lie). I had it in my mind as a concept, so I wasn't entirely sure how it would work. It will be considerably faster for someone following my tutorial, than it was for me figuring it out as I went!

This is a highly customize-able craft. Once you see how it is done, you can create your own design and make it fit your aesthetic desires.

You will need:

1 plain burlap table runner. I made mine by hemming the sides of a strip of burlap to fit my table.
1/4 -1/2 yard of burlap in 2-3 complimentary tones (one can match runner)
Tacky Glue
Jute Twine
1/2-1 yard Heat-n-Bond iron-on adhesive or similar product

I stuck with earthen tones for my burlap. I tried Elmer's Glue-All also, but I don't recommend it. It was too runny for the purpose. Tacky Glue is just that--tacky.

This worked well enough, but I wouldn't hesitate to by the not "lite" version since this is burlap. Any bonding that was less-than-secure after ironing this on was taken care of by the gluing step.

1. Find or create some pumpkin and leaf stencils/patterns out of paper. I traced some leaf decorations I already had and free-handed the pumpkins. Many templates are available online.

2. Pin your leaf and pumpkin patterns to some of the coordinating burlap and cut them out. I didn't end up liking the way the maple leaf design looked on my runner, but I plan to use it on a pillow!

3. To make the coordinating parts on the pumpkin: Cut a pumpkin shape out of two different colors of burlap. Here the white burlap is on the bottom, the brown on top. Trace lines as shown to divide the pumpkin into 7 curved strips. Cut the strips out. Repeat this for each pumpkin you are making.

4. Lay out your design. I played around with mine a lot. I originally planned to do this "applique" over the entire runner, but because I have a fairly large center piece I use in the fall, I decided to just put it on each end.

5. Read the directions on the Heat-n-Bond. I will walk you through it as well, but reading it will help. Beginning with the top layer of the applique (here, the pumpkin strips) bond the Heat-n-Bond to the back (paper will still be attached).

**Place a piece of disposable fabric or paper over your ironing board when you are working with the iron-on adhesive. The glue will get on everything below when you turn it over to iron. (I should have shown this so you weren't looking at my old, stained ironing board cover!)

6. Cut out the pieces with the paper backing still on.

7. Remove the paper, leaving the clear bonded film on each piece.

8. Attach the pieces to the pumpkins by ironing in place per the Heat-n-Bond directions.

9. Repeat the process for the leaves and the pumpkins--so each piece is cut out with the film exposed. 10. Place each piece where you want it on the table runner and iron in place.

11. Using the Tacky Glue, attach the jute twine along all the seams of the applique. I added a line of twine up the middle of the leaves to add some dimension.I also made a few curly-cue vines with the twine at the top of the pumpkins.

This glue will take about 6-8 hours to dry clear. I pressed down the twine and re-positioned it a few times as it was drying.

And you are done! Isn't it fun?!

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Saturday, September 13, 2014

Canning Peach Salsa

Peaches are here! So many uses, so little time! One of my favorite ways to use peaches when they are in abundance is in Peach Salsa!

I made some last year, but the recipe didn't include tomatoes. We had tomatoes to use this year, so with my neighbor (and partner in canning/crime), we came up with a delicious new recipe! It is just the right combination of spicy, savory, and sweet. Chunky and rich in flavor--you will love it!

First peel and chop peaches. Ours were so ripe, I just peeled them with my fingers right out of the crate. If your peaches aren't so easy, here is a great method from Our Best Bites.

Then, chop tomatoes. I recommend Romas or some other more-meaty, less-juicy variety.

It already looks so pretty, huh?

I used my hand-crank food processor to chop all the peppers, onions, and garlic. I still chopped the cilantro by hand. Add all these ingredients, along with lime zest and juice to the tomato and peach mix. Then, stir in 1/2 cup of sugar.

Put your pot on the stove over medium-high heat. While you are waiting on it to boil, mix 4 tablespoons of fruit pectin and 1/2 cup sugar. Once it boils 3 minutes, mix this into the pot, stirring well. Let it boil 3 more minutes.

Ladle the hot salsa into sterilized canning jars, leaving 1/4 inch of head-space. Wipe rims, and set sterilized lids on each jar. Screw on rings to finger-tight. Process in a waterbath canner: 10 minutes for pints, 15 minutes for quarts.

Let them cool on the counter, then store in a cool, dry place.

I love eating salsa I have canned throughout the cold winter months! And peach salsa is such a rare-find. You will love serving it to family and guests through the holidays!

Peach Salsa (Canned or Fresh*)

Makes 10 pints

Ingredients:

14 cups peaches, peeled and chopped

6 cups Roma tomatoes, chopped

2 red bell peppers, chopped

3 cups sweet onion, chopped

4-5 cloves garlic, finely chopped/minced

1 cup jalapeno pepper, chopped

3/4 cup cilantro, chopped

1.5 teaspoons salt

3 tablespoons lime juice

1/2 teaspoon lime zest

1 cup sugar-divided

4 tablespoons powdered fruit pectin

Directions:

1. In a large stock pot, mix tomatoes, peaches, bell and jalapeno peppers, onion, garlic, cilantro, salt, lime juice and zest. Stir in 1/2 cup of sugar. (*If you are making fresh salsa, add full cup of sugar and refrigerate until ready to use.)

2. Place pot on stove over medium-high heat. Stir together remaining 1/2 cup of sugar and fruit pectin.

3. Bring salsa to a full boil. Boil 3 minutes, then stir in sugar and pectin mixture. Return to a boil for 3 more minutes.

4. Ladle hot salsa into prepared canning jars, leaving 1/4 inch of head-space. Wipe rims, apply sterilized lids and rings. Process in a water bath canner--10 minutes for pints; 15 minutes for quarts. Remove and let cool. Store for 1+ year.