claussen cousins

my love affair with Claussen Kosher Dills goes way back. my Aunt Janelle is to thank for introducing me to these and she is, quite possibly, the pickle fairy. the day i had my first Claussen KD was a fabulous day in my little Laura life. i was about 5 years old, and was hanging out with Alonna, i snapped straight into that tangy vinegared delight and I never once looked back. 

between '89 and '93 if you had asked Alonna or I, we would have both placed Claussen pickles on our top-three foods list. Her other top contenders were 1. ice cream and 2. popcorn. The best part is that we used to fight over who got the biggest pickle.  funny? yes. a joke? no.

pickles 

claussen cousins

pickles part deux 

budding pickle enthusiasts + fair hair

the claussen clones were super easy to make, crispy and delicious. of course, i'll always still keep a jar of the real thing in the fridge.

CLAUSSEN DILL PICKLE CLONES
1 lb cucumbers
1/3 cup minced onion
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tablespoon mustard seeds
1/2 cup fresh dill
1 1/2 quarts water
2 cups cider vinegar
1/2 cup canning salt


Slice cucumbers lengthwise into quarters; add to sterilized jars along with the dill. Boil liquids and seasonings to dissolve the salt & then cool the mixture. Pour over pickles and seal lids and refrigerate.They can keep for up to a year.

printed hand towels

i block-printed these hand towels with carved wood and rubber blocks, using my arrow and laurel wreath blocks. ink is black speedball for fabric. hand towels from west elm.

talkin with my mouth full of zucchini bread

i recently finished talking with my mouth full by the lovely gail simmons. good read. i recommend it to anyone out there that likes food and / or books about food. gail is a gem. anywho, the final section of the book includes some of her favorite family recipes, including a recipe for zucchini bread.

i stumbled upon said recipe right as i had also found myself with an abundance of zucchini from the summer CSA box. what is one to do with three zucchinis per week?  make zucchini bread and eat it everyday, that's what. 

i learned that it is also nice to give a loaf to a friend. That is, if you find friends who appreciate sweet quick breads made mostly of vegetables. My secret tip: just tell your friends it's cake, made from pure cake ingredients. [Cake is a more popular and socially acceptable gift than vegetable bread.] They'll never know the difference. That's just how charming you are, how gullible they are and how delightful this treat is. 

ZUCCHINI BREAD
Adapted from Gail Simmons' Talking with My Mouth Full
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp table salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 tsp vanilla
2 cups grated zucchini

Preheat oven to 350. Grease two loaf pans. Mix dry ingredients and set aside. In a stand mixer or mixing bowl beat the eggs, add in the sugar, oil & vanilla and mix. Add in the zucchini, mix until just combined. Divide the batter between the two loaf pans. Bake until golden brown, about 45 minutes.  

the zingiest pasta of summer

hey peeps. just devoured a pasta like this at cuoco.  i'm all about lemon, garlic & spice and have been all over this since i figured out how to replicate it at home.

Dan isn't big into carbs so it's my go-to when he's not home.

SPICY LEMON, GARLIC & PARM SPAGHETTI
If you're eating for 1, here's what you'll need (multiply accordingly if there are other guests in your party, or extra hunger in your belly):

8 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
1/2 cup parsley (finely chopped)
1 tbsp butter
splash of olive oil
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano (use your microplane)
zest of half a lemon (or zest of a full small lemon, use your microplane again)
spaghetti for one, can be quinoa or regular gluten pasta (cooked al dente in heavily salted water)

cook your spaghetti in heavily salted water (i heard somewhere that pasta water should taste like the ocean). drain and set cooked pasta aside. add butter, olive oil, garlic and red pepper flakes to your pan. cook about 5 minutes on low heat, until garlic is cooked and not brown and the spice of the flakes begins to develop. add in lemon zest. add in your pasta. toss. remove from heat and add in your finely grated parm.

get that pasta into a bowl and slurp it up.    

green arrows

ARROZ VERDE (spicy green rice)
2 cups long grain white rice (jasmine or other)
3 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup verde salsa or sauce (Herdez)
1/4 cup cilantro
4 cloves garlic
1 jalapeno
1/4 of a white or yellow onion
1 package of cotija cheese, crumbled
1 cup of cheddar, grated


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine cilantro, garlic, onion & jalapeno in a food processor, pulse until chopped. Bring broth & verde salsa to a boil and stir in rice and cilantro/onion/garlic/jalapeno mixture. Cover and reduce heat to low, cook for 20-30 minutes or until rice is done.  Stir in cotija and 1/2 cup of cheddar until just mixed. Transfer to a baking dish and cover with the remaining cheddar. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until cheese is melted and slightly browned.

lard guy

i'm pretty into anything spicy, tangy & salty, and the absolute best is when the three flavors combine.  larb gai is quick to whip up and can be served hot in the winter or cold in the summer, or medium temperature any time of year.

LARB GAI

2 tablespoons roasted rice powder (available at Asian markets in the spice aisle)

16 ounces ground chicken breast (you can also use dark meat, pork or beef)

1/2 teaspoon hot chili powder, preferably Thai or Lao

8 teaspoons fish sauce (nam pla)

2 limes, juiced

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 cup slivered red onions

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

2 tablespoons sliced green onions

10 whole mint leaves

Iceberg lettuce leaves for serving

4 cups cooked sticky or jasmine rice, for serving.

Mix lime juice, fish sauce and sugar in a small bowl and set aside. In an oiled wok on medium heat, cook the ground chicken, stirring to break up any chunks.  Remove from heat and place chicken in a mixing bowl, add the rice powder and chili powder and stir. Add in the onions, cilantro, green onion and mint.  Pour the lime, sugar and fish sauce mixture over the ingredients and stir to combine.  Spoon onto a plate and surround with mint and lettuce leaves. Serve with rice or scoop larb into lettuce leaves.

sleepy in the tepee

Because 1) I like to remind charlie & henry that they are 3/32 shawnee and 2) it's important to sleep in style even if your preferred water source happens to double as a toilet for humans. the tepee is from loyal luxe, who also sells a line of sharp doggy bow ties.