Pickled Squash

Round 2 - Summer squash recipes.
I asked my sister Nora for some help finding ways to use our summer squash and she sent me this recipe (just one of many) she found on a blog called The Kitchn. I knew right away I would try it!

They look like art work in the jar!

Although I had to make a few changes from the original recipe as I didn't have everything on hand, they still turned out pretty great! Here is what I did:

Pickled Yellow Squash

2 pounds small yellow squash
1 sweet Vidalia onion
1/2 a small red bell pepper
1/4 cup kosher salt
2 1/2 cups cider vinegar
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1 pinch hot pepper flakes

Slice squash into very thin rounds. Remove both onion ends, peel, and cut in half lengthwise. Slice 1/2 of the onion into very thin strips, reserving the other half for another use. Seed and finely dice the bell pepper.

Toss squash, onions, peppers, and salt together in a mixing bowl. Add a handful of ice cubes and just enough cold water to cover. Stir well to combine, and set aside for thirty minutes.

Rinse the vegetables well and place in a colander or sieve to drain. Meanwhile bring the vinegar, sugar, pepper flakes and yellow mustard to a boil in a small saucepan. Immediately remove from heat, stirring to make sure the ingredients are dissolved, and allow the vinegar to cool for 3-5 minutes.

Gently pat vegetables dry with a towel and place in an airtight container. Pour vinegar over the mixture, tossing a fork to make sure all the slices get soaked. Cover and refrigerate until cool. Strain from brine before serving.

Prefect side to a BLT

They turned out great! I eat them as a side or just snack on them. Mmmmm, my mouth is watering for them now! 

Squash Recipe Round Up

Scott and I were blessed with a ridiculous amount of yellow summer squash which led to a lot of new squash recipes! With the help of my sister Nora and a little research of my own I'll share with you all of our squash adventures.

A good day's harvest

Recipe #1 Fried Squash

This is by far Scott's favorite way to consume our bounty! We've tried it with 2 different batters, here they are:

Deep Fried Squash

2-4 summer squash cut into rounds about 1/8 -1/4 in thick
1 1/2 c flour
1 T seasoning salt
2 eggs
1/4 c milk
Oil for frying
Salt

Mix flour & seasoning salt in a pie plate for dredging. Whisk together egg & milk in another pie plate.
Wash and cut squash into rounds. Dip into the egg wash and toss in flour mixture until well coated. Gently place into hot oil and let fly until golden brown. Drain on paper towels or newspaper and dust with salt while still hot.

Getting nice and toasty!

Squash with cornmeal batter.

I also made the fried squash with a little corn meal in the flour mixture (equal parts flour & corn meal) which added a different texture however it tasted the same. You cal also have fun with the spices you add into your flour mixture by adding things like cayenne pepper, garlic powder, dill - the possibilities are endless!

Let me know what you try and how it turns out! 

Beets

Papaw showed me how to make pickled beets! It took 2 days and lots of patience, but we did it! There isn't a lot of measuring so each batch is unique, but that is ok with me, each jar I've had has been delish! These won't be ready to eat for a while but I am so looking forward to trying them.

The process.

Makes my mouth water just looking at them! 

I can't wait to plant my garden next year and make them for myself! Just call me Susie Homemaker :)

4th of July - Biltmore Estate

For the 4th of July Scott and I decided to go on adventure to Asheville and tour the Biltmore Estate and gardens. This is something I have been wanting to do since I moved here and Scott was able to get discounted tickets (because it is pretty expensive!) through work, so it all worked out pretty perfectly.

We have been stuck in this rain pattern for more than a month now and I really wanted to explore the gardens so while it was pouring on our drive over we prayed for a break in the weather. About 10 minutes before we arrived in Asheville the rain stopped and they skies turned blue!

As you enter the grounds of this humble summer house, which is about as big as my high school, you drive up a 3 mile driveway surrounded by trees, flowers and a babbling brook.

Once you reach the parking lot you have the option to take the shuttle to the Estate or walk the trail. Scott and I opted for the trail which only took about 5 minutes to get to house. Man was I in for a surprise!  The house was gorgeous, and so much more grand than I had expected.

Thankfully we were smart and got their close to opening so the crowds weren't that bad and we really didn't have to fight our way to see anything. After you enter the house you have the option to pay for an audio tour or they have a guide book that you can use to navigate yourself which is what we opted for.

You aren't allowed to take pictures in the house, but I can say I've never really seen anything like it before. Each room was so unique and so extravagant! They had a formal dining room that seats 64 people, bowling alley and an indoor swmming pool that is still outfitted with the original under water lighting system from 1985!!

The shining star for me was the library which features about 11,500 books and beautiful painted ceiling. If I am going to be honest, it brought a tear to my eye. And as silly as it sounds I imagine the Beast showing Belle his library for the first time. I know exactly how she felt now.

After Scott and I made out way through the house, we grabbed a quick snack, bought a postcard or 2 and headed to the gardens.

Red Velvet cake for Scott and a chocolate croissant for me! 

I loved the gardens! They were in full bloom, although the rain has done some damage the more delicate flowers and shrubs, but it was easy to look past that! I tried to take notes of what I liked so we could plant them in our yard next year :) We follow signs to the bass pond and waterfall which took us on a nice little hike all over the area. We saw lot of little fish, a turtle and a huge black snake that some other visitors pointed out to us.

Between the sprawling lawns and stone busts I felt like I was in a Jane Austen novel, always looking for Mr. Darcy. Biltmore was an amazing experience and I look forward to going back at Christmas when I know it will be even more magical!

We hadn't planned on doing anything for the evening of the 4th since we had such a big day but Scott's Aunt & Uncle called to say their plans were cancelled because of the rain if we wanted to come over and do fireworks with the kids. Of course we jumped at that opportunity!

The night was full of fireflies, fireworks and family. Pretty perfect in my book! 

One Year

Today marks a year of living on the East Coast.
A year of new cultures, food, climate and bugs.
A year of learning about myself.
A year of love.
A year of firsts.
And a year of ups and downs (more ups than downs thankfully!)

When I packed my bags and headed East I had no idea what was in store for me. Sure I had a plan, and I was going to stick to it, but it seems God had other ideas and for that I am truly thankful.

I have learned some life lessons on my journey so far. Some serious, some silly but all relevant to the world I now live in.

1. If a bug is to big to kill with your shoe, keep one eye on it while backing away slowly. They are like the ocean, never turn your back on it or you'll be sorry.
     I can not tell you how many times this has come in handy. Although our bugs don't compare with, lets say Australia, I have literally had panic attacks over giant spiders.
2. Fresh, local, unprocessed food is something I can't live without.
     Thank goodness I have found a farmers market in the next town over! The produce section at our grocery store is some what of a joke. I never knew how much I loved fresh fruit and veggies until I couldn't find them!
3. Trust your gut when in a bad situation, it is usually correct. 
     If you find yourself stranded in the mountains, with no cell service and someone stops to help you, you'll know right away if you should get in the car with them.
4. Be open to new things, you might be surprised.
     If I wasn't open to trying something new, Scott and I would never have met.
5. Nothing can be more terrifying and beautiful as an intense thunder storm. 
     I enjoy a good storm as much as the next guy, maybe a little more. When the storm turns violent that is another story. Trying to get into the house while the wind is tossing around your BBQ and bending trees is not something I want to relive frequently.
6. Air conditioning is a way of life, even thought it is literally 107 degrees outside, always bring a sweater with you when going out.
     You can go from ripping with sweat to freezing in a heartbeat. Thankful for the AC, but sometimes I have to step outside just to warm up again!
7. Although we are in a beautiful part of the country, people don't appreciate what is in their own backyards. They love to look at nature through the car windows. Weird... 
     Can you imagine going to The Great Smoky Mountains and not getting out of your car? Me either, but it happens! Come on people, the fresh air will do you good!
8. It still makes my heart hurt every time I am served something in Styrofoam.
    Enough said.
9. I have a new appreciation for the old way of life. Growing a vegetable garden is good for the soul. Learning to can and preserve the fruits of your labor and share it with others is even greater. 
     Scott's Papaw has been teaching me the tricks of the trade. Having the life lessons from an older generation is priceless.
10. God's plan for you in infinitely better than the plan you have for yourself. 
     The first 3 months I was here were quite possibly the hardest 3 months of my life. My whole life flipped upside down, but I came out a stronger better person.

I can't talk about the past year without mentioning the best part. When two people take a leap of faith, anything is possible. Scott is by far my greatest adventure.

Here is a look back on some of the highlights over the last year.

City life, country girl, date nights with Luba & Rachel in uptown Charlotte, sun, snow, thunder, ice, Atlantic Ocean, The Great Smoky Mountains, apartment life, housewife, hunting, tractors, giant bugs, fishing, long drives, mixing cultures, Dollywood, Christmas, football games, garden, long nights, southern food and great memories.

One year down, many more to go! Here's to looking forward to the future! 

Green Thumb

For months I have been working on getting some color into the garden and things are finally starting to bloom! After what feels like forever, all of our hard work is starting to pay off!

We were able to acquire some canna lilies from Craigslist that are going to be beautiful once they are in full bloom. I have also collected seeds from the SeaRoses Scott's dad gave us so I can get some more started! It really is starting to look beautiful, not to shabby for a first attempt at a real garden!

Colorado Burrito

I am always looking for new recipes to try and came across this the other day and knew I wanted it right away! Usually I am not a fan of TexMex, in my opinion nothing beats street tacos with a little lime, but there was something about this that appealed to my belly! I spent some time looking at various versions of the recipe and bookmarked a few that looked good. After confirming with Scott that he would  "at least try" it I had the green light to make it happen!

Colorado Burritos 

2 pounds cubed stew meat
1 large can enchilada sauce (at least a 19 oz can)
2 teaspoons Better than Bullion jelly
Refried beans
6-8 burrito-size flour tortillas
2 cups shredded cheese 

Directions:
Spray your slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Put beef, bouillon, and enchilada sauce into slow cooker and cook on low for 7-8 hours, or until meat is very tender (you could also cook on high for maybe 3-4 hours).

When beef is done (it will be very tender and flake off when stirred), turn oven on broil. On an oven-proof plate or baking pan, lay out a tortilla. Place on tortilla about 1/2 cup of the meat, drained by using a slotted spoon, and a spoonful or two of beans. Roll into a burrito. Pour some of the remaining enchilada sauce from the slow cooker over the burrito to cover it and top with cheese. 

Broil until cheese is bubbly, about 2-4 minutes.
Makes 6-8 burritos, depending on how full you make them.

Top with whatever you like - Avocado, sour cream, green onion, hot sauce, salsa. Enjoy! 

Recipe adapted from Six Sister Stuff 

Made some with and without beans. 

Almost ready!

I loved them and am hoping to make them a little more homemade next time (beans, enchilada sauce), Scott said he would eat it again but probably not ask for them. So I guess they won't make it into the regular rotation but I am go glad he "at least tried" them!