Basic Brown Rice

Brown rice is a staple on our table. My little people prefer it above potatoes (unless it's french fries!), and I like how versatile it is. I use it as a base for many things ~ rice & beans, in place of chips for haystacks, under savory chicken, and so many more.
Brown rice is cooked much like white rice. It just takes about twice as long. I don't mind that, unless I forgot to start dinner until half-an-hour before it should be ready! After the initial prep it doesn't need tended to other than checking occasionally to see if it's done. Here is my method:

Measure your desired amount of dry rice into a heavy-bottom kettle. Basic rule of thumb is that rice doubles in size. So if you want 3 cups cooked, measure 1&1/2 dry. It's not exact, but close.
Cover it with water to the depth of the first knuckle on one finger.
Add 1 tsp salt, and stir to mix it all together.
Bring it just to a boil over medium-high heat.
When it comes to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover with a snugly fitting lid, and let it simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Some recipes say not to lift the lid. My experience is that it really doesn't matter. I like to peek occasionally to see how it's doing. When it's done, remove it from the heat and let it set for about 5 minutes, covered. This helps to make it fluffier. Then fluff it with a fork, and serve with your favorite toppings.
For variety try adding a tablespoon or two of chopped fresh cilantro or parsley.

Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash

Many people have one or two favorite dishes from their past that take them back to pleasant times. This is one of mine. My mom would serve something similar to this once or twice a year. I loved it. My brothers didn't. Sometime after we were married, I mentioned something to my hubby about this favorite dish. He thought it sounded a little odd, (he was raised on meat and potatoes), but he is an adventurous eater so he was game to try it. Guess what? He loved it! Yay!! And now our little people do to! 

Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash

1 large or 2 small acorn squash, halved and seeded.

4 sausage links or brats, unfrozen. 

1/8 tsp garlic salt (if you don't have garlic salt substitute garlic powder and salt)

2 Tbsp maple syrup, optional

Preheat oven to 350.

Pierce the squash halves with a sharp knife all over the inside. Try not to poke through the outer skin. Place in a glass baking dish. Sprinkle with garlic salt. 

Place the sausage links into the squash cavity. Cut the links in half to make them fit if need be. Drizzle maple syrup over. If it pools in the cavity, great!

Pour water into the dish (NOT over the squash!) to a depth of 1/4 inch. Cover and bake 1 hour or until squash is tender and sausage is done. To brown the sausage on top, remove the cover the last 10 minutes of baking time. 

Notes: we prefer a basic sausage. The flavored ones can taste a little odd, depending on the flavor. But do feel free to experiment with your favorite sausage as well! 

      To make the squash sit flat in the pan, cut a narrow slice off the bottom, like this:

I'd love to hear if you try it! What is your favorite comfort dish? 

Oven Roasted Butternut Squash

I am a gardener. An obsessive, compulsive gardener. I can't not plant a garden, and I have a dreadful time knowing when to stop. I'm always just a little scared that something won't germinate well so I plant extra. And almost every time it comes up full force, and results in an abundance of produce. Such was the case with Butternut Squash this past year. I hate to see perfectly good food go to waste, so we've been eating lots of squash. It's a good thing my family all love it! 

One of the fastest, easiest ways that I know of to prepare winter vegetables is roasting. In this case, the natural sweetness of the squash pairs beautifully with garlic and salt. Here's what I do:

Preheat your oven to 400.

Peel and seed one medium sized squash. (I like to peel mine with my potato peeler). Chop it into approximately 1 inch squares. 

Also peel 2 large cloves of garlic.

Put the cubed squash into a pan with sides. Metal works better than glass. Drizzle about 2 Tbsp of olive oil over it, and toss it with the crushed garlic until it's well coated. The cubes should be in a single layer on the bottom of the pan, not on top of each other. Then give it a generous sprinkle of salt and pop it in the oven for 10-15 minutes. Shake the pan occasionally, and test for done-ness. 

I love to serve this with pan-fried salmon, but it makes a great side for many other entrees as well.  Enjoy! 

Hearty Lentil Soup

One of my favorite meals on a cold winter night is Hearty Lentil Soup. Thick and full of rustic flavor, it has a way of warming you up from the inside out. An added bonus is that it keeps very well in the fridge, so I make a full recipe and we eat that for one meal a day all week. To keep it from getting boring I just mix up the side dishes. Serve it with a fresh salad one night, and fresh rolls and fermented dill pickles the next.

Hearty Lentil Soup

In 3 quarts of water cook 2&1/2 cups of any combination of the following:

        Brown Lentils, Red Lentils, Green Split Peas, Yellow Split Peas, Brown Rice

Cook for 45 minutes to an hour, or until just tender.

Add: 1 small onion, chopped

         2 ribs celery, chopped (can use more or less depending how much you like.)

         2 large carrots, chopped

         2 medium potatoes, diced fairly small

         3 cloves of garlic, minced, or 1 tsp dried, minced garlic

         1 pint of diced tomatoes

         1 pint tomato juice

         1/2 Tbsp salt

         1 bouillon cube

         1/2 Tbsp Italian Seasoning (optional)

Bring this all to a boil and simmer until the vegetables are tender. 

A few notes: I usually substitute chicken broth for some of the liquid and leave out the bouillon. 

If I don't have diced tomatoes I just use a little more tomato juice to make up for it. 

I have used a variety of vegetables with fairly good results. Just be sure to add them at                          the right time so they don't overcook. 

Enjoy! 

Traditional Fermented Garlic Dill Pickles

Traditional Fermented Garlic Dill Pickles ~And The Story Behind Them

Ahh… the lovely warm days of summer! I do love summer! Recently we had about a week of cool, rainy, fall-like weather. I didn’t mind, really. It came on the heels of a very busy stretch, so it felt good to have the garden too wet to work in, and not feel bad letting the kiddos watch movies while I snuggled up with a blanket and a cup of coffee. I wouldn’t have wanted it to last, though, and it didn’t. This week is hot and hazy. It makes the cukes go crazy. Ha!

And what do I do with crazy cukes?? Lots and lots of pickles. Hubby and the kiddos love ’em. And garlic dills no less! Growing up, we NEVER ate Garlic Dills. We wouldn’t TOUCH those things! The only time I ever ate them was if by some sad turn of fate I happened to take one when we were invited away for lunch. Otherwise, it was nothing but sweet pickles, thank-you-very-much! Or cinnamon pickles. Yum! But, as often goes, I married a guy who does NOT like sweet pickles. Nothing but Garlic Dills, thank-you-very-much! So what’s a gal to do? I make them. And I’ve actually learned to LIKE them ~ kind of.

And then, last summer I tried a new venture ~ fermented pickles. And I was hooked. They are so easy, and so good! And good for you, too. All those good bacteria and stuff, added to the fact that they are never heated which means the enzyme activity is still there and functional. In all reality they count as part of your raw vegetable intake. Ahh… it makes a health nut’s heart very happy. And add in a hubby who gives rave reviews and kiddos who love them, and it’s a keeper for sure!

How easy is it? This easy: wash the cukes, peel the garlic, stuff them in jars with a head of dill and a few grape leaves on top, pour brine over the whole lot, cover them loosely, and let them set. Just. That. Easy. I took a few pictures to show you.

First, I wash about 2 lb of small cukes (finger size is nice, tho bigger will work also),  and cut off the blossom end. If you leave it on the pickles will go soft. Peel your garlics (I like about 6 cloves per half-gallon), and put them and a good size head of fresh dill into the bottom of a clean half-gallon jar or pickle crock. Then pack in the cukes. Pack them tight, but don’t crush them. Make a brine of 3 Tbsp salt, dissolved in 1 quart of warm water. I err on the scant side of 3 Tbsp since we don’t like our pickles too salty. Pour the brine over the cukes, making sure they are all submerged. It is very important that they are all under brine. Top off the jar with a few fresh grape leaves, making sure they are also under the brine. If they don’t want to stay down, use a fermenting weight or a sterilized rock to keep everything under the brine. Cover the jar loosely. I just set the lid and ring on and turn it a wee bit.

Then, let them set at room temperature until they’re done. Mine usually take about 7-10 days. After the first 3 days taste one. They are done when they taste good to you. A little foam may rise in the jar and that’s ok. Just skim it off. Keep an eye on the brine level, and if it starts getting a little low top it up with a little water.

This is what my finished ones look like. When I think they’re done I just take out the weight, remove the grape leaves, and put them in the fridge. Sometimes I will transfer them to a bigger jar just for ease of storage, but that’s not necessary. Once in the cool fridge the fermentation stops. I also store them in my root pantry in the winter when it stays just above freezing in there. Obviously, that’s not an option right now. All that’s left is to enjoy them. Mine keep for about 9 months in the fridge, but the only way I know that is cause a little jar got pushed to the back and forgotten. Otherwise, well, it depends on how many your family eats. My people will chow through half a gallon in one week if I let them!

A little bit about the grape leaves. They are included to keep the pickles crisp. Apparently they contain natural tannin that does that. I’ve also read that oak, cherry, raspberry, blackberry, and horseradish work if you can’t access fresh grape leaves. I have not tried them, but other folks report a slightly different flavor.

Disclaimer – Please note: I am by no means an expert at this, and am simply sharing what works for us. If you have any concerns on the safety of something, please play it safe. Do your own research, and make sure it is safe before you eat it. If you do decide to give it a try I’d love to hear what you think!

Enjoy the last weeks of summer! I’m sure we will!