I keep thinking that as I get older time won’t go by so quickly. Wrong! Time seems to fly by even faster than ever. This is my way of explaining why it’s taken me so long to post this recipe for green tomato salsa! I suppose it’s all in your perspective. Instead of thinking that I’m ‘late’ in writing this, I should probably think that I”m sharing this recipe BEFORE you need it.

Ha! Problem solved.

So. Flashing back to November when we finally got a killing frost. (Global warming isn’t real, my ass!) We harvested a pretty good sized amount of green tomatoes.

We love fried green tomatoes but with this amount, I had to think a little bit out of the box. Thankfully I have a nice collection of Ball Blue Books. They are THE go-to guide for canning recipes. If you can find older copies, even better. Ladies back in the day knew how to preserve, or ‘put up’, the bounty of their summer harvest so it could be enjoyed later and the older editions have recipes that are hard to find.

Don’t be discouraged if you don’t have one of these books. You can also visit their website which has a great recipe for Green Tomato Salsa. You can also do a Google search for inspiration.

Bottom line is that you basically need to chop up a bunch of green tomatoes, peppers, onions and jalapenos – add some cilantro, cumin, salt, pepper and vinegar. Cook it and then jar it up!

Chop, chop, chop, chop.

Fast forward, it’s now March and we only have one jar left. We’ve been eating it with chips and pureeing it to make a sauce which is outstanding on steak, chicken and fish. So, folks, we have a winner!!!!!

If you’ve never canned before, this is a good place start. Would love to get your green tomato recipes or salsa recipes. Drop a link to your favorite in the comments.

This post contains affiliate links. That means that if you click on one, I may receive a commission.

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I based my recipe on the one found here. With the exception of the spices and the dill, everything came from my garden. I did some research and found that refrigerator pickles will last for a long time. Some say three months and others say up to a year. Trust me – yours will not last that long!

The brine is also excellent for pickling zucchini, beans, cauliflower, carrots or whatever else you feel inclined to pickle.

Enjoy!

Crunchy Refrigerator Dill Pickles

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

16 hours

Total time

16 hours 10 mins

 

Crunchy dill pickles done my way. Yum!

Author: Kimberly Hickok

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 3 to 4 pounds pickling cucumbers
• 1 Jalapeno
• 1-2 cloves of garlic
• Fresh dill
• Dill seed
• Pickling spice (with cloves removed)
• 6 cups water
• 2 cups white vinegar
• ⅓ to ½ cup of kosher salt

Instructions

1. Make sure jars and lids are clean. Run through the dishwasher or sterilize in boiling water, then cool jars.
2. In each jar place cucumbers, a clove or two of garlic, one jalapeno sliced into thirds and a sprig or two of fresh dill. Add a pinch of dill seed to each jar. Cucumbers can be sliced into rounds or spears - whatever you prefer.
3. In the meantime bring the water, vinegar, kosher salt and pickling spices to a boil.
4. Pour the hot brine over the cucumbers and let sit at room temperature for 3 to 4 hours covered with a clean kitchen towel.
5. Next cover and refrigerate.
6. The pickles are best after 2 to 3 days but you can eat them as soon as 12 hours after making them.

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Case in point – pickled red onions. I love them! They’re quick and really easy to make.

Pickled Red Onions

Pickled Red Onions

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

25 mins

 

Quick and easy recipe for pickled red onions. Delicious on burgers and tacos!

Author: Kim Hickok

Cuisine: American

Serves: 1 jar

Ingredients

• 1 medium-sized red onion (about 1½ cups sliced onion)
• ¾ cup very hot water
• ½ cup white vinegar
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• ⅛ tsp. crushed red pepper (optional)
• Bay leaf (optional)
• ½ tsp. salt

Instructions

1. Slice the onion into thin rings and place into a container that has a tight fitting lid. Combine the rest of the ingredients stirring until the sugar and salt dissolve. Pour over the onions, put the lid on and refrigerate. You can wait a day but if you’re impatient like me, you’ll only be able to wait a few hours before digging in. The onions will last up to a week in the refrigerator but ours are always gone by then.

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Below are links to some items that you might find helpful if you decide you want to get into pickling. If you make a purchase using any of the links below, I receive a small commission. Happy pickling!

The post Pickled Red Onions appeared first on Kimversations.

The space has been completely transformed. Attention has been given to every detail. It gives welcoming, cozy and classy vibes all at the same time. The effect is achieved with color (think English library), beautiful lighting (feels like candlelight but not too dark), wallpaper, artwork and furniture.

A few pics . . .

One of the dining spaces. Love the green!

Look at all the detail! Beautiful pendant lights over the bar, gorgeous wall sconces behind the bar and see the wallpaper? Definitely a place you’ll want to enjoy a sip or two.

Now on to the food!

Seafood Trilogy

The trilogy came out on two plates. One plate featured a perfectly cooked scallop topped with caviar set on a delicate parsnip, almond butter sauce with citrus. The scallop was LIKE BUTTER! So good. Alongside the scallops were four oysters prepared four ways – Rockefeller, Bravas Kilpatrick, with cucumber vermouth and a chili citrus ponzu mignonette. ALL WERE OUTSTANDING! I had never had them prepared Bravas Kilpatrick. Will def get them when I go back!

Interesting take on Fritto Misto – calamari, oyster, fennel, celery, citrus aioli and avocado. Good!

More pics. I wish the pics were better. It is super hard photographing candlelit food.

Small Plate Melange

LOVED, LOVED, LOVED the Lobster Dumplings with chayote and black vinegar. The Smoked Beef Carpaccio had just a hint of smoke and I appreciated the sour dough croutons for contrast and crunch. I had to pass on the Mango and Chayote offering as I have a peanut allergy.

Pics of the dumplings and carpaccio . . .

The small plates were followed by a cup of Pasta Fagioli. I didn’t get a pic. I will say, though, that if you’re expecting a more traditional pasta fagioli, this isn’t it. I have never had guanciale or scarlet runner beans in my fagioli. The soup also had tarragon (not my fave). If you go and try it, let me know your thoughts!

Here’s where I should mention that for each of Chef Elliot Vogel’s menu selection, sommelier Jonathan Stewart paired the perfect glass of wine. The Delaware’s sister restaurant, Daley’s on Yates, puts together tasting menu/wine pairing events. Highly encourage you to attend. You will not be disappointed!

Large Plates

Time for the show stoppers! First up, Korean Short Ribs & Shishito Peppers. I am a huge fan of Korean-style short ribs. I would have never thought to pair shishito peppers with the ribs and am glad Chef Elliot did. Also on the plate – pak dong, sesame, mojama, tare, wasabi and tagarashi.

The Prime South Dakota Beef Duet featured a dry aged striploin- cooked perfectly rated and Wellington/ Both were melt in your mouth delicious.

More pics . . .

I also passed on the Pistachio Gelato dessert as I am allergic to pistachios.

A note about the bar menu. The meal started with a non-alcohol cocktail. A cold toddy, made with n/a bourbon (made from unpopped popcorn?!). The meal ended with The Delaware, a dessert cocktail reminiscent of an Orange Julius. My suggestion? Be adventurous. Whether you enjoy your cocktail with, or without, alchohol you’ll have some fun options to choose from.

The Delaware is now open for business. For more information about the restaurant and to view the full menu and their hours, visit their website – https://www.thedelawarealbany.com/.

*Except for the delightful meal, I was not compensated in any way for this post.*

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How To Make Cauliflower Pizza

Making the crust is surprisingly simple. Start with a whole head of cauliflower, cut into 1/2″ thick slices. To do that, trim the bottom so it lays flat on a cutting board. Then cut slices, cutting from top to bottom so that you have cauliflower ‘steaks’. Drizzle a bit of olive oil over each slice, then bake at 400F until tender.

You can turn it once during baking if desired. PRO TIP: To speed up the cooking process, preheat your baking sheet.

Once your cauliflower slices are tender, top them with your favorite pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, and pepperoni (or any other toppings you prefer). Bake until the cheese is nice and melted. Enjoy!

Look at that melty cheese!

Toppings

The great thing about this recipe is that it can be easily adapted to whatever toppings you prefer on your pizza! If pepperoni isn’t your thing, feel free to substitute in any other topping you like – mushrooms, olives, sausage or ground turkey . . . you name it! You can also experiment with different types of cheeses; while mozzarella is traditional on pizza, try out something like provolone or feta for variety.

If you have a variety toppings, each person can make their own individual cauliflower pizza with their choice of toppings.

This recipe is also great if you have a craving for pizza and just want one for yourself.

Go For It!

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a creature of habit and don’t like to switch things up. But in this case, I highly recommend this variation on pizza. Go for it! Get creative. Cauliflower pizza is a great way to cut back on carbs without sacrificing taste. With its endless possibilities for customization and its tasty flavor combination, I’m pretty sure that cauliflower pizza will become a favorite at your house too. Enjoy!

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