Home Made Refrigerator Pickles

It's that time of the year the season of canning. I love to can, beets, pickles and tomatoes every year then stock up my pantry for the winter months. What about you? This is the season all of the fruits and vegetables are in full bloom and the farmers markets are full of all sorts of goodies. The other day I was at the farmers market and they had these beautiful pickling cucumbers so I decided to make refrigerator pickles. I remember as a kid my grandmother used to can all sorts of goodies. So when I saw these beautiful cucumbers I new exactly what I was going to make.

Home Made Refrigerator Pickles Ingredients:
8 small pickling cucumbers
3 teaspoons salt
3 teaspoons dill
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup sugar

Wash and clean and cucumbers remove ends and peel carrots.

Score Cucumbers then slice either with Mandalay or Cuisinart.

Then pour on cookie sheet and season with salt and dill let liquids sweat out for 1 hour and a half.

Next make pickling liquid add water vinegar and sugar in pot and bring to a boil.

Prior to placing pickles in large canning jar make sure you clean and boil then place cucumbers in Jar then pour pickling liquid on top.

Place in refrigerator for about 2 hours then serve if you wish or you might wait for a deeper taste you decide.

I served mine on a Hamburger stuffed with blue cheese which I will show later this week.



Enjoy,

Sheila Fretz

A #GlutenFree 4th of July Party What will you serve?

So if you are like me we have our 4th of July planned out the week before or so. Every  year we start the day before decorating our bicycles for the M Street Parade our Independence day out with a fabulous breakfast. This year we will have the #GlutenFreeEgg Stack. Then after the parade is over we will come home and get ready for our #GlutenFree 4th of July. 

I don't know about you but I find it very hard to go to a 4th of July party especially if it's not at a home that is gluten free. So in those cases we pack our own Gluten free dinners and snacks. So this year we have decided to have our own back yard BBQ that is totally Gluten free and this is what we will serve.

7 layer bean dip in honor of our Independence 

Gluten Free Southern Pickle Dip 

Caramelized Onion Dip Served with baked potatoes or potato chips

Bacon Wrapped Italian Sausage and Bratwurst cooked on the BBQ

Cowboy Steak

Watermelon Cucumber Salad

A Fresh Fruit plate with seasonal fruit

A red white an blue very berry dessert

Enjoy and have a safe Independence day

Sheila Fretz

#GlutenFree Egg Stack

Gluten Free Egg Stack

With 4th of July being around the corner, I wanted to share a breakfast recipe that's quick easy and fun. I love to make this when we have guest coming for a long weekend and it's great because it's fancy looking and super easy. 

Makes 6 servings

Gluten Free Egg Stack Ingredients:

cooking spray gluten free

1 1/2 cup of gluten free hash browns.

2 tablespoons of butter

6 eggs

6 slices of precooked bacon chopped up.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Equipment:

1 cupcake tin with 12 wholes

1 Cookie Sheet

1 frying pan

2 biscuit cutters the size of a cupcake tin

1 spatula

knife for chopping bacon.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

In a cupcake tin generously spray all of the cupcake wholes. Next add about 1/8 cup of potato mixture in all 12 tins and firmly pack then spray one more time with cooking spray. Place in oven at 350 degrees for 10-15 min until golden.

Once cooked let cool then invert on a cookie sheet.

Next spray the cooking spray on biscuit cutter and add about 1/3 of the 2 tablespoons of butter to the frying pan. place eggs in biscuit cutter until cooked to your liking. Also place cooked chopped bacon on the side. 

When Eggs are cooked to your liking start the egg stack by placing potato cakes on a plate next a egg then potato cake and sprinkle with bacon.

Enjoy and have a safe and Happy 4th of July.

Gluten Free Southern Pickle Dip

Gluten Free Southern Pickle Dip is so yummy and tasty, I like to eat mine with carrots and Potato chips; rotating back and forth. I love the taste of dill pickles, I like them fried and coated, I like them by them selves and I also like them in my dip. The other day I went to a get together at one of my friends houses and she was talking about this home made dill pickle relish that her grandma used to make and then she said she made a dip with it too. I asked her if she had the recipe but unfortunately she said when gran died it went with her. I hate to hear that, but at the same time, it makes me want to recreate for her. So I asked her a couple key questions then started my shopping list in my head. Then as soon as I got home I started to recreate the dip.  I recreated the dip with a few store bought items plus a couple items that I picked up on the way home. I finally got it perfected last week. I can't wait to share it with you and my friends at my next back yard BBQ. 

Gluten Free Southern Pickle Dip Ingredients:

1 cup of cream cheese

1/2 cup of mayonnaise

1 cup of sour cream

1 tablespoon of dill weed

1 cup of dill pickle relish (Gourmet Kosher style)

1 cup of chopped chives (half for garnish) 

salt and pepper after refrigerated if need be

In a food processor with the sharp blade in place all ingredients in the bowl except 1/2 of the chives. 

Next turn on Food processor and turn on until fully blended.

Place in refrigerator for 2 hours so for flavors to blend together garnish with chives just before serving and add salt and pepper if needed.

I serve with both fresh vegetables and ruffled potato chips.

Enjoy~

Sheila Fretz

Gluten Free Caramelized Balsamic Onion Dip

 

I love summer! Going to back yard BBQ's, sitting around with friends having drinks and appetizers while watching the kids swim. I love a go to easy dip that I can serve and if their are any leftovers the next day. I try to make something healthy with my Gluten Free Caramelized Balsamic Onion Dip, I like to always put a little out at a time. I hate for food to sit outside on a hot day to long. so when I serve my dip after I make it. I break out in 3 equal size bowls. Two go in the refrigerator one goes out with the chips. Then on a as needed basis I bring a new bowl out and refresh the chips. The next day I made this baked potato in the oven then added a little of my leftover dip that was never put out on my baked potato with a little bacon.  

Serve with Potato chips or on a baked potato you decide 

Gluten Free Caramelized Balsamic Onion Dip Ingredients:

1 large onion chopped

2 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar aged

2 cups sour cream 

Sprinkle with Bacon (optional)

Potato Chips or Baked Potato 

Equipment

1 frying pan

1 wooden spoon.

1 blender

In a frying pan caramelize onion with butter.

Next add balsamic vinegar

Place caramelized onions in blender with 1 cup sour cream.

When well blended take last half of sour cream and fold in.

Separate out in 2 to 3 bowls depending on the size of your crowd.

Enjoy

Sheila Fretz

 

#GlutenFree Peanut Butter & Chocolate Pretzel Snack Mix

Being Gluten Free does not mean that you need to deprive yourself. There are more and more Gluten Free items out there each and every day. However, I have noticed that there are a lot more treats ans in sweets available now than let's say 5 years ago. I feel that no mater if you are gluten sensitive, intolerant or if you have celiac disease it does not mean that it has to ruin your life. You can learn to go to peoples houses with your own snacks and treats. To be honest your host will probably welcome the idea. I let people know up front not to worry about Miss J. I will make sure she has plenty of snacks and treats and if we happen to be going for a BBQ or a Pizza party I make sure I call ahead to find out the menu. I next prepare her the same food at home so she doesn't feel left out. This way there are no cross contamination issues. 

So the other day we went to a a BBQ and the host said that she had made snack mix with Gluten Free Cereal. J was so excited. but prior to letting her have some of this snack mix I asked the host a couple of questions. What kind of pretzels are these? She said I don't know just regular old pretzels. So we decided to pass because if your host can't tell you exactly what's in it it's best to skip it. After we came home, I asked Miss J if she wanted me to make her some snack mix and yes she did. So here is my recipe for Peanut Butter & Chocolate Pretzel Snack Mix .

Gluten Free Peanut Butter & Chocolate Pretzel Snack Mix Ingredients:

1 bag of Chocolate Chips (processed in a Gluten Free Facility)
1 Cup Crunchy Peanut Butter (Gluten Free)
1 stick of butter
9 Cups of Gluten Free Cereal ( I used 3 Cups Cinnamon apple 3cups plain and 3 cups Honey Nut)
3 Cups Pretzels (Glutino Gluten Free Pretzels)
2 Cups of peanuts
1 1/2 cups of powder sugar

Equipment:

2 Sheet of Wax Paper
1 Supper Large Bowl
1 Medium Size Bowl (Microwave safe)
a pair of disposable gloves
2 cookies sheets

In a medium size add first 3 ingredients and place in microwave for 30 seconds at a time on high stiring each time 30 second is up.

It took about 3 times for mine to be creamy.

In a large bowl combined pretzels, peanuts and ceral.

Now it's time to put your gloves on but before you do that get your 2 cookie sheets out and place waz paper on each of them.

Next pour chocolate peanut butter mixture on pretzel mixture and make sure you have your gloves on and toss with hands.

After fully coated add powder sugar a little at a time while continually tossing.

After fully tossed place on cookie sheet in refrigerator for about a hour until completely set.

Makes about 12 (1) cup servings i.e. this bowl is 8 ounces.

Enjoy...

Sheila Fretz

#GlutenFree Chicken in a paper bag the way my Mom used to make.

 

 

I love a good rotisserie chicken; I love the way the skin is crispy and almost taste like a piece of salty candy and has that savory flavor. The other day I was discussing with my hubby before there were plastic oven bags people made there chickens in paper bags. He was in shock!  He said "Your oven will catch on fire!" I assured him that it would not, but I promised him that I would stay home while I was cooking the chicken the brown paper bag. My mom cooked it this way for years. The reason it works is the bag just keeps enough steam in the bag to keep the chicken moist. While caramelizing the skin at the same time, to get that savory crunchy flavor.  So yesterday we both got home from work a little early and we decided it was time to make this chicken. He even offered to help me and cleaned the chicken before I could snap a few shots. This is quick and easy just follow the directions and you will be done in a snap. Enjoy~

 

 

Chicken in a paper bag Ingredients:

 

1 large 3 or 4 pound chicken

3 Tablespoons salt

3 Tablespoons pepper

3 tablespoons garlic powder

1 medium size onion

a sprig or two of Rosemary (optional)

 

 

Equipment

 

1 large cookie sheet or Jelly roll pan with edges

1 Large grocery bag with handles removed

1 piece of String.

1 meat thermometer

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

 

 

 

Clean Chicken by salting cavity and rinsing thouroughly and pat dry.

 

 

Cut 1 onion in quarters

 

 

Place onion and Herbs in Cavity

 

 

Liberaly coat the chicken with Salt peper and garlic powder.  DO NOT ADD ANY OIL!

 

 

Next pace in Bag that has been placed on a cookie sheet.

 

 

Tie Bag closed making sure the bag has some air in it and is pouffy.

 

 

About 2 hours in place a meat thermometer to the thickest part of the chicken where the leg meeets the breast the temperature should register 160 degrees. BE CAREFULL WHEN OPENING BAG STEAM BURNS CAN HAPPEN. If it's not at 160 degrees seal the bag up again. This is why I use a a meat thermometer that you can leave on in the begining of the cooking process leading out of the bag.

 

 

 

If your bird does read 160 degrees cook uncovered for another half hour to get that crispy skin.

 

Enjoy your chicken in a bag

 

Bon Appetit~

 

Sheila Fretz