summer snackin'--make your own pickles

 Two years ago, a family friend brought homemade pickles to our Christmas Eve party and they were ba-na-nas (they were cucumbers, but you know what I mean). I have been thinking about them randomly ever since, because they were the best pickles I've ever had, so when I saw this recipe on the A Beautiful Mess blog I (talked incessantly about it for a week & then) jumped on it. 

 You'll need: veggies to pickle (I was boring and stuck with cucumbers), peppercorns, dill sprigs, 1 cup white vinegar, 2 tsp salt, 1 tbs sugar, 1 cup water. I also added peeled & halved garlic cloves to 2 of my jars & seeded, sliced serrano peppers to one jar, just for some added kick. 

 1. slice veggies & throw in jars.

2. add a few dill sprigs & a small handful of peppercorns to each jar. add garlic & peppers if desired.

3. mix water, vinegar, sugar & salt together then pour over veggies. seal, throw in the fridge overnight, et voila! they get more & more flavorful as time goes on, but I couldn't wait more than a day. Enjoy as a snack or on a yummy sandwich--I certainly have been. Thanks to Emma for the recipe!

xo Charity

summer cookin: Thai Lettuce Wraps

My family is a food family--we all love to cook & we all have our specialties. Last week,  I was talking to my older sister from San Diego while I grocery shopped, and mentioned that I was looking for some fresh summer meals to make. She suggest Larb, a Thai lettuce wrap dish, which she had made for our family the last time she visited. I made a big bowl of it & snacked on it all week--it's delish, fast, healthy, and perfect for a summer lunch. Recipe below.

Ingredients:

1 lb ground turkey

fresh basil (I used Thai basil)

mint

fish sauce

Sriracha

1/2 of a small onion

1 large clove of garlic

1 carrot

1 lime 

romaine lettuce

1. Cook turkey until browned. 2. While turkey is cooking, chop the carrot, onion, and garlic & combine in a large bowl. Add mint & basil to taste. 3. Drain turkey & add to bowl. 4. Toss with fish sauce, Sriracha, and lime to taste. 4. Spoon mixture onto lettuce, top with a little extra lime & Sriracha, and enjoy! I had mine with a Bridgeport "Summer Squeeze" beer and it was perfection. 

Thanks to my sister Katie for the recipe! Do you have any meals you love for summer? Leave some inspiration! xo. 

pizza & boys

A few nights ago, I was hanging out with a few of my guy friends at Starbucks (doing everything BUT homework, yay summer!) & we realized we were all starving. My family likes to have homemade pizza parties now & then, so I suggested we do that instead of going out. We picked up crust (I'd like to make my own next time, but we were huuungry) and lots of ingredients, turned some music on, and had a lot of fun! We made one BBQ pizza with garlic, chicken, mushrooms, red onions, and bacon and one Supreme pizza with red sauce, italian sausage, pepperoni, red onion, green pepper, mushroom, and olives. Seriously, they were amazing. We couldn't stop talking about them all night, as I watched "Love and Other Drugs" with just me and three boys. So many sex/nude scenes...that was a bit awkward, but it could have been worse. Can't wait to make these pizzas again soon! Next time, I want to try a white sauce and/or pesto-based pizza.









et viola!

my first quiche

Last week, I took a break from studying to make my first quiche! My mom had made an extra pie crust while I was home last weekend, so she sent it back up to Bellingham with me and I filled it with eggs, milk, chedder & mozzerela, and sauteed spinach, mushrooms, onions, & bacon - and a good amount of salt and pepper. Served with a spoonful of sour cream and a hot mug of coffee, it made several delicious breakfasts last week. So yum!

sunshine in a bowl

If I make summer foods, will it force summer to come faster? In my family, pasta salad tastes like summer.

Learning to cook

Okay, maybe this isn't a big deal and sauces are really easy to make, but I've never made my own white sauce before so I had to document my first time! My mom gave me a few tips on making sauces when she visited me last weekend, so I had to try one out for my boyfriend and I this week. I made the sauce with mushrooms, onions, garlic, white wine, flour, milk, and parmesan, salt & pepper. And it was delicious! I baked chicken with olive oil and herbs and cooked cheese tortellini to go with it, served with salad and bread. Like I said, maybe it's not a big deal, but I feel like making my own sauce is one more step to housewife status so I'm proud!

Tofu Phad Thai

I made this yummy recipe a few weeks ago, after a very frustrating afternoon. I came home irritated and starving, and cooking this phad thai (and eating it, of course) was an amazing stress relief. By the time I had finished making it it and sat down with my roomate to eat it, I was laughing and forgetting about my awful afternoon. Hopefully it will down to the same for you! Not to mention, it is de-lic-ious.

Sauce:
peanut butter (chunky or creamy is fine, depending your taste)
juice from one lime
coconut milk
little bit of soy sauce
2 cloves garlic
crushed red pepper seasoning
couple tablespoons of diced onions
olive oil

One package of yakisoba noodles
one package of firm tofu
carrots, grated for garnish
bean sprouts

(alot of these things are approximate, because I didn't measure things when I made it + the amounts in the sauce depend on how peanuty/tangy/spicy you want it to be.)
To make the sauce: heat olive oil in a large sauce pan over medium-low heat. Add garlic, onions, and crushed red onion to the oil and let it simmer for a few minutes, to infuse the flavor. Next, add the peanut butter. When I made it, I ended up using about half of a small jar of creamy peanut butter, but that depends on your preferences. Stir constantly until melted, then add a little bit of soy sauce and about half of a can of coconut milk. When that is completely mixed, squeeze in the juice from one lime (I like things pretty lime-y, so you may want less). Stir constantly until completely mixed, then set aside.

To make the tofu, heat a small amount of olive oil with salt, pepper, and pressed garlic, to taste. Cut tofu into bite-size squares and fry in the olive oil until crispy on bottom and top.

Make the yakisoba noodles according to the package instructions - I made mine in the microwave and they worked just fine.

Put noodles on a plate, spoon sauce over the noodles, and add the tofu on top of the sauce. Garnish with a handful of bean sprouts and grated carrots, et voila! You have a mouth-watering, vegetarian-friendly, exotic dinner. Plus, the leftover sauce is great for dipping or spooning over chicken for a quick appetizer. Enjoy!

dishes for The Palace!

from my sister's collection of random Anthrologie dishes she bought when she lived in downtown Seattle for a year. can't wait to move in!