Category Archives: Snacks

Crispy Pickles

Leave a reply

Crispy PicklesWe got pickling cucumbers again this week. (Would like salad cucumber, please!) I decided to try some refrigerator pickles to serve with hamburgers, and to eat as a snack. I used Serious Eats method for quick pickling, and it worked really well! I experimented by using Splenda instead of sugar; this did not seem to make a difference.

Print
Crispy Pickles
Recipe type: Side, Snack
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
 
Ingredients
  • 4 medium pickling cucumbers (I probably could have pickled a few more with the same amount of brine.)
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 2 cups white vinegar
  • 2 cups water
  • ¼ cup Splenda
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 tablespoon fennel seed
Instructions
  1. Wash cucumbers and slice. (I sliced mine into chips so I could put on hamburgers). Place in a colander and sprinkle with salt. Let sit for about 30 minutes. Rinse and allow to drain.
  2. Combine remaining ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil.
  3. Place drained cucumbers in a heat proof bowl. Pour brine over. Leave uncovered at room temperature until cool. Then refrigerate (covered) for at least 24 hours before eating.
Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

I put my leftovers into a smaller container and covered with some of the brine.

Happy eating!

Ruth

Versatile Salsa

Leave a reply

Cucumber SalsaIn many parts of the country, salsa is some mushy tomato stuff in a jar. In reality, the definition of salsa is a mixture of chopped vegetables (or fruits) that is used as a condiment. I decided to use some of the cucumbers from this week’s box to make a salsa to serve on grilled fish. While the fish was grilling, I was “sampling” the salsa with chips, and it tasted good for that, too! Feel free to adjust the proportions to your taste. Salsa is not an exact science!

Print
Cucumber Salsa
Prep time: 
Total time: 
 
Ingredients
  • 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
  • 2 medium cucumbers, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 jalapeno peppers, minced
  • ¼ large red onion, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
Instructions
  1. Combine all ingredients. Serve over meat, with chips, or any way you usually use salsa.
Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

I put this over grilled salmon and served it with Zucchini with Corn and Cilantro from Health.com.

Happy eating!

Ruth

 

Pretty in Pink Cookies

Leave a reply

Pretty in Pink CookiesI spent half of Sunday afternoon deciding what to do with the beets from our harvest box. I knew I wanted to bake with them, and had actually roasted them on Saturday. I saw a blog post about making bread in the crock pot that sounded interesting. But, I on call, and was afraid that I would get the bread started and then have to go out and make a patient visit. Cookies seemed to be a much safer choice. (Though, in the end, I didn’t end up getting called.) I found this recipe for pumpkin cookies from The Post Punk Kitchen and thought it would easily adapt. I got a big, unsolicited, “These are really good,” from my husband, and I hope you will like them, too.

Print
Pretty in Pink Cookies
Recipe type: Snack, Dessert
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4 dozen
 
Ingredients
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1⅓ cups oatmeal
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1⅓ cup sugar (Might try less next time.)
  • ⅔ cup canola oil
  • 2 tablespoons molasses
  • 1 cup pureed roasted beats
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup walnuts, chopped
  • ½ cup dried cranberries
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2 cookie sheets with non-stick cooking spray.
  2. Combine flour, oatmeal, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.
  3. Cream sugar and oil, add molasses, beets, vanilla and mix well. Slowly stir in flour mixture. Add nuts and dried cranberries. Stir to combine.
  4. Drop teaspoons of dough onto cookie sheet. Bake for 16 minutes, turning sheets and rotating pans halfway through. Cool on wire rack.
  5. These taste much better after cooling thoroughly.
Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

Happy eating!

Ruth

Green Chile Hummus

2 Replies

green chile hummus

I’ve been enjoying store bought flavored hummus on crackers lately. My friend (the one who introduced me to Los Poblanos) brought some home made hummus to a group meeting once. She told us it was easy to make. So, I decided to use some of the chile I had left over
from our last box to make Green Chile Hummus to serve as a snack to our niece and her husband. I found this basic recipe for hummus at About.com. I could not find tahini in our local grocery store, so I consulted several sites and figured out how to make my own. The green chile flavor was a nice compliment to the sesame flavor.

Print
Green Chile Hummus
Recipe type: Snack
Prep time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 5-10
 
Ingredients
  • ½ cup toasted sesame seeds
  • 2-3 tablespoons sesame oil
  • 1-16 ounce can chick peas
  • ¼ cup of the liquid from the chick peas
  • ½ cup chopped roasted green chile
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
  1. Place sesame seeds and 2 tablespoons of sesame oil in a food processor. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Add additional sesame oil if necessary.
  2. Drain chick peas, reserving ¼ cup of the liquid. Add chick peas and reserved liquid, chile, garlic, salt, and olive oil to food processor. Process until hummus reaches desired consistency.
Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

 

Albuquerque International Balloon FiestaIt is Balloon Fiesta time in Albuquerque! We spent this morning watching hundreds of balloons inflate and ascend. It is an amazing sight!

Happy eating!

Ruth

Spicy Eggplant Chips

1 Reply

spicy eggplant chipsLast summer, we got huge eggplants in our box several weeks in a row. I always dreaded trying to find something to make with eggplant. When we got our first eggplant this year, I found this recipe for Eggplant Chips from What’s Gaby Cooking, and decided to try it. My first effort was not so successful, because I cut the eggplant too thickly. This time, I used the thinnest slicing blade on my food processor (2mm), and they were much better! The Cajun seasoning makes them taste great alone, or you can serve them with salsa.

Print
Spicy Eggplant Chips
Recipe type: Snack
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 2
 
Ingredients
  • 2 small eggplant
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • ⅓ cup olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning (low sodium if you can find it)
Instructions
  1. Wash and peel eggplant. Slice eggplant with 2 mm blade of food processor.
  2. Place eggplant in a single layer on a parchment paper covered baking pan. Sprinkle with salt. Let sit 1 hour.
  3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Blot moisture from both sides of eggplant slices and return to pan.
  4. Mix olive oil and Cajun seasoning. Brush onto both sides of eggplant slices.
  5. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown. Watch carefully to prevent burning.
Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

I think I’m going to make these again, as a game day snack. With football season coming up, what are you planning to eat on game day?

Happy eating!

Ruth