Sweet Pickle Relish

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August 5, 2024 By Jennifer Lambert 14 Comments

Our garden has done just wonderfully this year!

I planted so many cucumber plants and seeds since the last couple years weren’t that great for us.

I may have overdone it a little.

I have two cucumber patches to see how they would do with different environments.

I have a box in my backyard with a trellis (far right) and I planted some burpless seedlings and some very cheap seeds.

I also have a front side garden box and I let them climb up the fence.

I became overwhelmed with so many cucumbers.

I’ve made sweet and spicy pickles.

I’ve made dill pickle spears and coins.

I’ve made creamy cucumber salad and sliced cucumbers for green salads.

So, I still had too many cucumbers.

I decided to try to make sweet pickle relish.

Aaron’s dad and grandma made this over two decades ago and I’m on my last jar!

We can’t find her recipe. She was a true country cook and did most things by memory.

I found some recipes online but none were just quite right.

My favorite relish recipes are here.

I shredded the cucumbers, bell peppers, and onion in my food processor.

I salted the shreds for a couple hours and let drain into a bowl.

I combined the vinegar and sugar to a pot and brought to a boil, then added the relish mix to simmer for about fifteen minutes.

Some recipes call for white vinegar and others for apple cider vinegar. I used white, but I may see what apple cider vinegar does next time.

I added the hot relish to my sterilized jars with a clean ladle, then did a boiling water bath for about 20 minutes.

I mixed in a lot of spices and some turmeric for color. Some recipes call for spicier or more veggies or red bell pepper. I can mix it up and do something different next time.

I so think one whole cup of sugar was too much for eight cucumbers. I can lessen it next time.

I have some leftover relish that didn’t fit in my jars in my fridge to enjoy right now!

5 from 3 votes

Sweet Pickle Relish

Servings 4 canning jars

Ingredients

8-10 medium cucumbers
2-3 medium green bell peppers
1 small sweet onion
4 T kosher salt
1/2-2/3 cup white sugar
2 cups white vinegar
1 t celery seed
1 T mustard seed
1 t coriander seed
1/2 t coarse black pepper
1/4 t turmeric

Instructions

I partially peeled some of the tougher skin of the cucumbers and cut off the ends.
Grate or use a food processor to shred the cucumbers, peppers, and onion.
Scrape the shreds into a colander and add salt and some ice cubes. I let the colander drain into a bowl for two hours.
Combine vinegar and sugar and bring to a boil.
Fold in shreds to sweet vinegar and mix thoroughly. Simmer for about 15-20 minutes.
Ladle into sterilized jars. Place lids and rings on jars. Water bath with boiling water for 20 minutes for seal.

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Favorites on the Grill

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April 29, 2024 By Jennifer Lambert 9 Comments

Growing up, my dad grilled only twice a year or so – burgers on the Fourth of July and steaks at the end of summer. I had burgers and hot dogs and grilled corn! at my aunt’s house on Easter. I remember my dad’s brother visited once and he grilled barbecue sauce chicken quarters and they were so delicious!

We grill year-round.

We own a nice propane grill, two charcoal Weber kettles, and a 7-in-1 dual fuel smoker grill.

We grill several times a week and it’s great to keep the kitchen cool in the summer. I prep salads and sides like rice or potatoes and steamed or roasted veggies.

Beef

Tritip is one of our favorite frugal meals and we even get leftovers! My kids prefer this on a gas grill.

Korean Steak is still a favorite and tastes best on charcoal.

Balsamic Steak – easy marinade with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, rosemary, and garlic. I often use a London Broil for this.

Vietnamese Steak – delicious and complex flavors! soy sauce, lime juice, fish sauce, chopped fresh cilantro, basil, and mint

Round roast or tenderloin – I make a paste with Dijon mustard, garlic, salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme and grill until rare to medium.

Greek Burgers – so delicious and a little different from traditional American burgers.

Chicken

Vinegar Chicken – My husband’s father used to make this! Bone-in chicken pieces grilled on charcoal, basted with apple cider vinegar and butter with salt and pepper until cooked to temperature

Zaatar chicken breasts are fun and different and great with rice pilaf

Teriyaki chicken thighs are always a favorite!

Our favorite fajita marinade – great on chicken, beef, shrimp, veggies, tempeh!

Monterey Chicken Breasts – super simple and delicious, better than a restaurant!

Tandoori Chicken – great served with rice and naan and veggies

Chicken Satay with The Best peanut sauce – also great with rice naan and veggies

Pork

Souvlaki pork chops – great for boneless loin chop! lemon juice, olive oil, lemon pepper seasoning, garlic, oregano, salt

Sage garlic pork chops – chopped fresh sage, garlic, salt, pepper, olive oil. I prefer these on charcoal.

Pork tenderloin roast – I make a paste with Dijon mustard, garlic, salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme and grill until medium. The heat holds over and then it’s just perfect after resting.

Lamb

Lamb chops – I make a paste with Dijon mustard, garlic, salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme and grill until rare to medium. These are my favorite for Easter and Mother’s Day.

Lamb Burgers – these smell great and toppings like pickled onions and tzatziki are fun.

Seafood

I could eat seafood every single day, but it’s so expensive in landlocked Dayton, Ohio! We do purchase boxes from KnowSeafood every couple months and they have great quality! I eat seafood several times a week.

Plank Grilled Salmon – super easy and tasty and I could eat this every week.

Branzino – this might be my favorite meal! We also grill lemon pepper trout in a similar way.

Shrimp – I like to place these on metal skewers with lemon pepper and garlic. I use leftovers for shrimp and grits!

Lobster Tails – great butterflied and simply seasoned with garlic butter

Veggies

Tempeh – I love to marinate this in fajita seasoning!

Zucchini and Eggplant – sliced thinly and simply seasoned with salt and pepper and garlic with olive oil. Also great on pizza!

Corn – I love to marinade with olive oil and chili powder, but Italian dressing does great in a pinch!

Bread

Pizza – We often prep our pizza dough and do a parcook on the grill, then toppings, then grill a second time to melt the cheese. It’s so delicious!

Naan – It seems I can never make enough dough, even if I quadruple the recipe! So amazing with garlic butter. Goes great with Tandoori Chicken!

Also, a favorite appetizer is stuffed wrapped figs! I only get these maybe once or twice a year with the seasons. I stuff the figs with herbed goat cheese and wrap with proscuitto. After grilling to melt the cheese and fry up the ham, I drizzle with honey and sliced almonds.

Resources:

I post lots of our cooking adventures on Instagram.

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Easy Dressing Recipe

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November 23, 2021 By Jennifer Lambert 1 Comment

Jump to Recipe

I have a shortcut to make an easy and delicious dressing for Thanksgiving.

The shortcut is to use storebought cornbread and stuffing mix. I have often made my breads from scratch, but we really can’t much tell the difference and it always made way too much and I hate waste.

My mom didn’t add cornbread, but I like the mix of textures and flavors. My mom also didn’t use the sausage in her dressing recipe, but I find it adds a nice texture and flavor. Some people like oysters and chestnuts. You can make this your own, with whatever flavors you like. There are different flavors and brands of stuffing mix and I often add in some fresh herbs like sage.

I start with sausage and veggies. I saute those in butter. It smells wonderful!

I like to crumble the sausage really fine so it all melds together well.

I add in crumbled cornbread and the stuffing mix. For this recipe, I used half the square of the storebought cornbread and about half the bag of stuffing mix. Probably 2 cups of each.

I pour just enough chicken stock (you could use turkey stock, vegetable stock, or homemade stock) until it’s wet and well-mixed.

It should be cool enough to add in the eggs. We don’t want those to scramble!

I spray my 8×8 pan with olive oil. I actually like to cover my pan in the fridge for overnight.

Ready for the oven!

This was always my favorite dish on Thanksgiving. It’s actually simple and so flavorful and makes great leftovers.

Easy Dressing

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 8

Ingredients

1/2 tube breakfast sausage
1 carrot peeled and chopped
1/2 onion chopped
5 celery stalks chopped
2 T butter
2 cups cornbread
2 cups herb stuffing mix
1-1.5 cups chicken stock
2 eggs

Instructions

Sauté sausage and vegetables in butter until cooked through.
Crumble in cornbread and add bread mix.
Pour in chicken stock and mix. This should be cool enough to add in eggs so they don't scramble! If not, wait until cooled.
Mix in eggs. It should be quite wet.
Pour into greased 8×8 pan. Cover in fridge for overnight.
Bake 350* for about an hour or until firm and browned on top. Serve warm or room temperature.

What’s your favorite Thanksgiving food?

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Slow Cooker Meals

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September 27, 2021 By Jennifer Lambert 17 Comments

With autumn and cooler temperatures, we also tend to be busier with fall activities.

Slow cooker meals are a staple at least once a week so we have a nice hot meal that anyone can eat when they’re ready for their dinner on busy nights.

I really do love to cook, so I don’t use many appliances that do the job for me. I don’t have any of the trendy tools that the pandemic made even more popular. I am kind of a snob in the kitchen and a bit old-fashioned.

I have had our slow cooker since I received it as a wedding gift and it’s lovely. I use it mainly to roast meats and make stews.

I also like to make meat stock for the freezer, and we often can applesauce and marinara sauce.

Our favorite slow cooker meals

Asian Pork Ribs

We like to buy meaty country ribs for easy Asian pork ribs. I serve with rice and a vegetable, sometimes salad too.

Pulled Pork

I buy a small pork butt, bone in, and cook it long on low, for about 12 hours. Sometimes, I do the Dr. Pepper recipe, but often, I just cover with our special dry BBQ seasoning and liquid smoke and a cup of apple juice. We pull it apart and serve on wheat buns with cheese and sides like fries, cole slaw, baked beans. Makes great leftovers!

Stewed Pork

Chile verde: Cube pork tenderloin. Sear in fat. Add carrots and onions, a can of jalapeno peppers or chopped fresh jalapeno peppers, and a jar of salsa verde. Cook on low for about 6 hours. Great in tortillas or as a stew.

German Pork Chops

I love these bright flavors! I place in the bottom of the slow cooker: a bag of cole slaw, a sliced peeled apple, sliced sweet onion, top with pork chops and some seasonings (Italian blend and garlic or fennel and caraway) with some beer or chicken stock. Great with beets and some potatoes.

Taco Chicken

Boneless chicken parts (breasts cook less time than thighs) with a jar of your favorite salsa, cooked for about 4-5 hours on low. Often, I add a can or frozen bag of corn and a can of pinto or black beans. A few spoonfuls of taco seasoning or one of those packets are great. This can easily turn into a lovely soup with some chicken stock. I shred the chicken and usually serve over rice or with tortillas or as taco salad. It’s versatile and a crowd favorite.

Whole Roast Chicken

It’s easy to roast a chicken in a slow cooker! I usually place breast down so it stays moist. Season with garlic and salt or lemon pepper. I don’t add any liquid. I cook on high for about 4 hours or until thermometer reads 165. Sometimes, I broil it in the oven to crisp up the skin. The leftover liquid makes a lovely gravy.

Chicago Beef

A chuck roast goes a long way with some Italian seasoning or an onion soup packet, cooked about 6 hours on low. I don’t often add much liquid except maybe a dash of Worcestershire sauce and half a can of beer. Chopped or pulled on hoagie rolls with cheese and sautéed veggies, this is a family favorite.

Pot Roast

My husband grew up with a simple pot roast using onion soup mix packet and I often make this. Other times, I make the sauce from scratch with fresh herbs and a dark beer. I love lots of root veggies. Makes a great leftover minestrone soup with beans and noodles! I usually buy a lovely chuck roast at our local butcher or the commissary.

I set it on low for about 6 hours. I usually have to thicken the gravy on the stovetop.

Stewed Beef

I have a few ways I make stewed beef.

Burgundy beef tips: I season the meat and dredge in flour and sear in fat with onions, celery, and carrots. I season with thyme and rosemary and bay leaf, then pour in some red wine and beef stock and simmer on low for about 5 hours. This is great over noodles or rice.

Traditional beef stew: I season and flour the beef and then sear in fat. I pour in a dark beer with veggies (onions, carrots, and celery) and set it on low for 6 hours and forget it. I serve with rice, noodles, or potatoes.

Stroganoff is easy! I just add sour cream or cream cheese to the beef stew gravy.

Goulash: I add tomatoes, tomato sauce, and paprika.

Asian beef: I add stew meat with soy sauce, brown sugar, mirin, black pepper, garlic, ginger, onions, and a little bit of sesame oil with cornstarch and cook on low for about 5 hours. I serve over rice with sauteed veggies. This is actually my kids’ favorite stew.

Swiss Steak

I love Swiss steak, but my husband does not. I like to dredge in flour and sear round steak and smother in onions, bell peppers, and tomatoes. Cook on low for about 6 hours.

Irish Stew

We love Irish stew all year long. Cubed lamb dredged in flour and sugar, seared in fat, then I pour in a Guinness or red wine with herbs. I add root veggies and cook on low for about 6 hours. I sometimes have to thicken the gravy.

Roast Ham

This is a great way to free up oven space during holiday times too!

I pour cola or Riesling wine over the ham and glaze with mustard, brown sugar or maple syrup, and pumpkin pie spices. Cook on low about 6 hours or until thermometer says 145.

My favorite tools:

In the past, I have made breakfast casserole and bread pudding in my slow cooker for breakfasts. It’s really very versatile, especially when feeding a crowd or when the oven and stovetop is needed or when I’m very busy or away from home.

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What are your favorite slow cooker foods?

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Garlic Knots

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March 8, 2021 By Jennifer Lambert 8 Comments

We have pizza night every week, usually on Fridays.

We make our own pizza dough.

We often make our own marinara sauce.

We each have our favorite toppings.

Lately, we’ve been making these amazing garlic knots.

We keep one of our pizza doughs separate and cut it into slices.

One of my kids rolls each slice into a string and braids it into these gorgeous knots!

They’re like little baskets of delicious.

A brush of egg white makes them crispy and shiny.

They puff up just right and are chewy inside while crispy outside.

I think we might put some cheese inside to see how that turns out.

A brush of garlic butter after they bake makes the whole kitchen smell amazing.

These garlic knots are great with a sprinkle of herbs and Parmesan and served with warm marinara sauce.

This is our favorite pizza dough recipe for these garlic knots.

Garlic Knots

Ingredients

1 pizza dough https://www.jenniferalambert.com/homemade-pizza/

Instructions

Cut pizza dough into 16-18 slices and roll into long strings
braid, twist, or spiral into roll shapes and place on baking sheet
brush with egg white
10 minutes in 500* degree oven
Brush with garlic butter after baking and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese
Serve hot with marinara sauce

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Rosemary Lemon Turkey Meatballs

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February 15, 2021 By Jennifer Lambert 3 Comments

One of my family’s favorite meals is turkey meatballs. It seems light but filling. One pack of turkey is barely enough for 5 people these days! There are no leftovers.

It’s a forgiving recipe and you could mix up the seasoning for different combinations. You could also use the prepared Italian bread crumbs to save time. Gluten free options like almond flour would surely substitute fine in this recipe.

I use dried onions because they all but disintegrate, leaving flavor but almost undetectable by picky eaters. You could also grate or chop fresh onion.

If the lemon is too strong, you could serve the meatballs with plain gravy.

I use a ice cream scoop to measure out the meat mixture and roll them in wet hands to form balls. Flouring the meatballs gives them a nice crispy texture.

The lemon gravy is super simple and my family loves it!

This is a simple meal on busy nights. I can have it on the table in about 30 minutes if I form the meatballs earlier in the day and store in the fridge.

I usually serve these delicious rosemary lemon turkey meatballs with broccoli and noodles.

4 from 1 vote

Rosemary Lemon Turkey Meatballs

Course Main Dish

Servings 12 meatballs

Ingredients

1 package ground turkey
1 egg
1/4 cup panko
1 t dried onions
1/2 t crushed rosemary
1/2 t lemon peel
1/2 t garlic
salt and pepper

Lemon Sauce

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
splash sherry
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup lemon juice
garlic, rosemary, salt, pepper

Instructions

Mix meatballs and let sit covered in refrigerator for at least an hour.
Flour meatballs and let sit until absorbed. Flour again.
Fry meatballs in oil on medium heat until cooked through – about 5-8 minutes each side. Or place in a muffin tin with oil and roast for 20 minutes at 375*, turning once.
Keep meatballs warm while you make sauce and sides.
For optional sauce, melt 1/4 cup butter and add equal amount of flour and whisk until paste. Do not allow it to brown. Add a splash of sherry, 1/2 cup chicken stock, juice of one lemon. Add rosemary, garlic, salt, pepper. Whisk and simmer until thick. Strain. Serve sauce with meatballs and noodles. We like steamed broccoli too.

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Lamb Stew

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March 10, 2020 By Jennifer Lambert Leave a Comment

I love lamb, but it’s pretty expensive in the USA, so my kids get very excited when I find it on sale.

We often make the lamb stew with leftover roast lamb from Easter dinner or “on sale” fresh chopped lamb.

This stew can be made two ways and both are rich and full.

My kids prefer the stew with Guinness instead of red wine. It makes the gravy less sweet.

It’s like most stews – onions, carrots, and potatoes. You can add celery root, turnips, parsnips, rutabagas, or other savory veg.

I dredge the lamb in raw sugar, seasonings like rosemary, and flour. Then I sear it in fat.

I add the beer or wine and beef stock, some Worcestershire, and bring to a boil to make gravy. Then I slow cook for about six hours.

I love my slow cooker so I can fix it and forget it, but the house smells so amazing all day long!

I often add some peas at the very end or as a side dish.

We like to serve this with fresh bread machine soda bread.

Lamb Stew

Course Main Course

Ingredients

1 lb lamb, cubed
1-2 T sugar
2-3 T flour
2 T olive oil
2 T butter
1 bottle dark beer or 1 cup dry red wine
1 box beef stock or about 3 cups
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1-2 t salt
1-2 t dried thyme
1/2 t coarse black pepper
1 small onion diced, chopped, sliced – however you like it
2-3 carrots peeled and sliced
1 lb small red potatoes
1 T parsley chopped, fresh for garnish

Instructions

Sprinkle lamb with sugar and dredge in flour.
Sear lamb in olive oil. Remove to a plate to make roux.
Add butter to remaining oil and more flour if needed to make a roux.
Add beer or wine and scrape pot. Add beef stock and bring to boil.
Return lamb, spices, and vegetables to pot.
Simmer on low for about two hours or set slow cooker to low 4-6 hours.
If gravy is too thin, add some water thickened with cornstarch. Sprinkle with fresh parsley.
Serve hot stew with soda bread and salad.

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I’ve never liked corned beef and it’s not traditionally served on St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland. It’s more of a New England immigrant food.

Some other fun traditional Irish recipes:

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Soda Bread

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March 9, 2020 By Jennifer Lambert 8 Comments

Sometimes, I just want a very simple bread that doesn’t take all day to make.

Soda bread is versatile, delicious, and quick in the bread machine.

The sides and bottom of the loaf are crispy and firm. The top steamed a bit. The middle is soft and crumbly.

We prefer our soda bread without fruit, seeds, or nuts. It’s delicious either way, I’m sure.

We serve this with soups, for snacks, for breakfasts. It goes great with our lamb stew!

My bread machine completes this quick bread cycle in about 1.5 hours.

Soda bread isn’t just for Saint Patrick’s Day!

5 from 2 votes

Soda Bread

Ingredients

1/2 c water
1 c buttermilk +2T
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 T unsalted butter
2 T molasses
1 c whole wheat flour
2 c bread or cake flour
1/2 t baking soda
1 1/2 t kosher or sea salt
2 t yeast
2 t caraway seeds optional
1 c currants and/or raisins optional

Instructions

Place all ingredients in the bread machine in order – liquid ingredients at the bottom and dry ingredients on top. I like to put the yeast in last, making a little divet in the center of the flour.
Set bread machine to "Quick" cycle. Go live your life for a couple hours.
When the bread machine beeps, you can add seeds and fruit to the cycle if using.
Allow bread to set for 10 minutes before removing it from the bread machine. It'll steam a bit and be softer.
Serve sliced warm with salted Irish butter and/or jam.

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