Dilly Beans

My daughter had a friend come over to make dilly beans with us and it was such a hit that we've been making them on repeat all summer.  This is the best recipe that we used so far, even though we continue to tweak it.  Make it your own and enjoy it!

Dilly Beans

makes 1 quart jar

1 pound green beans

2 cloves garlic

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional

1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds

2 sprigs fresh dill

1 cup white vinegar

1 cup water

1 tablespoon kosher salt

3 tablespoons sugar (or less, it doesn't make it sweet though)

Trim both ends from your beans (they fit nicer in the jar this way). Rinse green beans under cool running water and drain well. 

Place garlic cloves, red pepper flakes, and mustard seeds in the jar (or forget and shove them in after).

Place the jar on its side. Place dill sprigs down first (or forget and shove them in after), then stack the beans in the jar, orienting them so that they will stand up straight when the jar stands upright. Pack the jar as tightly as possible. Stand the jar upright again.

Bring vinegar, water, kosher salt and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat. Pour the brine over the green beans, filling the jar to within 1/2 inch of the top. You may not use all the brine (or if you didn't really pack the beans in, then you might need to make more brine).

Gently tap the jars against the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles. Place the lids over the jars and screw on the rings until tight.

Let the jars cool to room temperature before placing in the fridge.  Wait 48 hours before trying but they get even better with age.

Pizza in the Ooni oven

This is the best recipe and technique so far for our Ooni pizza oven.

Pizza Dough

makes 7 small pizzas (enough for 6 hungry people plus leftovers)

552g lukewarm water
1 1/2 heaping teaspoon (5 1/4 grams) active dry yeast
919 grams bread flour, plus extra for dusting
27 grams sea salt

In your stand mixer bowl, mix warm water and yeast. Add in flour and salt. Using dough hook, mix for 5 to 10 mins until firm and smooth. Cover the bowl and let rise for 2 hours (it should double).

Divide dough into 7 pieces.  Roll each into a round ball.  Cover (or brush with water occasionally) and let rest 30 to 60 mins (it should double).

Stretch dough as thin as possible.  Place on your floured peel (or use the back of a quarter sheet pan, floured). Precook your dough by sliding it into the pizza oven for 2 mins, turning once.  You can probably fit 2 in your small Ooni.  Remove the oven to add toppings (lots of them!) then return to the oven for another 2-3 mins, turning once.  You can precook all your pizzas ahead of time. Keep pizzas warm in your kitchen oven while you finish baking all your pizzas.

Pickled Beets

This recipe comes from an unexpected source, a lunch lady, at the elementary school.  When my kids were in elementary school, I had visited a neighboring school to learn about their farm to school lunch program and they served these beets.  I have been making them ever since with a few changes.

Pickled Beets
makes 2 jars, 1 quart each, doubles/triples easily

6 medium beets, diced, roasted with oil and salt, rosemary (optional)
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

Put the beets in the jars.  Boil the remaining ingredients.  Pour over the beets. Keep them in the fridge for a minimum of 3 days before trying.  

They keep well in the fridge for winter but I haven't tried to can them for pantry storage.  It should work well with all the added sugar but who knows!

Coconut Rice

Coconut Rice

Delilah made this coconut rice and it was addictive!

Coconut Rice
serves 4

1 ½ cups uncooked white rice
1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk, well shaken and stirred
1 ¼ cups water
2 teaspoons sugar
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon coconut oil

Place rice, coconut milk, water, sugar, salt, coconut oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer, undisturbed, for 11 minutes. Taste, it should be just about done. Turn off heat and let sit covered, until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes.

Garlic flatbreads

 These are so simple and so delicious.  You could definitely make them without the garlic if you don't have or you could add other spices, like cumin and coriander.

Garlic Flatbreads
mostly from King Arthur
makes a dozen small (serves 4 easily with veggies and hummus)

3 cups (360g) All-Purpose Flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
3 tablespoons (35g) olive oil or vegetable oil
1 cup (227g) water
2 to 3 tablespoons (25g to 35g) vegetable oil, additional for frying
3 garlic leaves, finely diced (scissors work great)

Place the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. Add the oil and ice water, and mix to make a soft, cohesive dough. Adjust with flour or water as needed. The dough should be moist but not sticky. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
Preheat a heavy-bottomed pan. Add 1 tablespoon oil and heat until the oil starts to shimmer in the pan.
Divide the dough into 10 to 12 equal pieces. Each piece be about the size of a large egg. Using oiled hands, shape the pieces by flattening between your palms as flat as you can get them.
In batches, fry the flatbreads in the hot oil for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden brown. Flip and fry on the second side for another 2 minutes. Transfer from the pan to a rack to cool slightly before serving. Add more oil as needed.
Serve with hummus and veggies for an easy summer meal.

Our favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

The title says it all.  These are our favorite!

2 sticks butter

13 ounces white sugar

2 ounces raw sugar

1 ounce molasses (maybe a tablespoon)

2  eggs 

2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 tsp Baking soda 

3/4 tsp salt 

1 pound All Purpose flour

1 lb. chocolate (cut into small chunks or a better chocolate chip brand) 

Using a stand mixer, cream the butter and the sugars until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Scrape down the side of the bowl. Add eggs. Add the vanilla. Scrape down the bowl with a spatula. Add the baking soda and salt. Mix well.  Add the flour and mix just till barely incorporated.  Add chocolate chunks/chips and fold in.

Bake at 360* for 12 minutes till lightly golden on the outside but soft on the inside.  

Earl Grey Cookies

 CHEWY EARL GREY SUGAR COOKIES

from NYT

AH-Mazing!  The original suggested adding chocolate chips and swapping the tea bags for chamomile or chai but I think they are just perfection with Earl grey.

1 1/4 cups/250 grams granulated sugar, divided

14 tablespoons/198 grams unsalted butter

1 tablespoon finely ground Earl Grey tea leaves, from about 3 tea bags  (we used just 2 teabags and didnt measure)

1/2 cup/100 grams light brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (Diamond Crystal) use less if you're using salted butter

1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest, we skipped

1 large egg

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups/320 grams all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Heat the oven to 350 degrees and line 2 cookie sheets with silpats. Put 1/2 cup/100 grams granulated sugar in small bowl, and set aside.

Combine the butter and tea leaves in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Melt the butter, stirring occasionally, until it just begins to sizzle around the edges. Remove from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes.

Add the tea butter to a large bowl, then add brown sugar, salt, orange zest and remaining 3/4 cup/150 grams granulated sugar. Use an electric mixer on medium speed or a whisk (we used a wooden spoon) to combine for about 30 seconds; the mixture will be grainy and separated. Add the egg and vanilla, and mix until combined and smooth, about 30 seconds.

Add the flour, baking powder and baking soda to the bowl, and mix on low speed or with a rubber spatula until just combined (again, we used a wooden spoon). Use the spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure the dough is evenly mixed.

Use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop to portion the cookies. Alternatively, measure 2 tablespoons of dough with a measuring spoon. Roll each dough ball in the reserved granulated sugar, then place on the baking sheets 2 inches apart.

Bake the cookies until set, light golden at the edges and crackled on top, 16 to 19 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back in the oven halfway through the baking time. Remove Cookies from the oven and let cool on the baking sheets. Store extra cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or for a few weeks in the freezer.