Summertime Refrigerator Pickles

Time to share another recipe–

This is one of my favorite things to do with all those tasty cucumbers.

As you can tell from the photo I’ve added a few thinly sliced strips of yellow sweet peppers to this batch. Yum!

Cucumbers and Onions
(Summertime Refrigerator Pickles)

2 large cucumbers sliced
1 large onion sliced thin
1 1/2 cups white vinegar
1 1/2 to 2 cups water
3 tablespoons of white sugar
1 or 2 cloves of garlic finely minced
salt and pepper

Mix cucumber and onion slices in a large bowl.

Mix vinegar, water, sugar, garlic, salt, and pepper in another bowl.
Stir to dissolve sugar.
Pour over cucumbers and onions.

Cover and refrigerate for several hours before serving.
Overnight is best!

Zazzle Product Of The Week – Baseball & Softball Business Cards

Summer is on the way and with it comes all the fun and excitement of the ball fields so today I thought that the Zazzle product of the week should have something to do with baseball.

This Baseball & Softball Business Card template is one of my best-selling cards and is great for coaches, team managers, and fans of all levels.

Choose your favorite paper from a 110 lb ultra white card stock to virtually tear-proof and water-resistant indestructible synthetic materials. These professionally printed cards are perfect for all of your networking needs and are sure to make you stand out from the crowd.

Not into baseball? No problem check out You Say It for an assortment of quality business card templates. And as usual if you have seen one of my images and would like to have it added to these business cards; just ask! I’ll do my best to try to make it happen.

 

Slow-Cooker Garlic Smashed Potatoes

Looking for lazy weekend meals? Break out the slow-cookers!

Last weekend I tossed a roast in one pot, corn in another, and potatoes in a third and dinner was ready when I was with very little work.

You gotta love a slow cooked meal.

Slow-Cooker Garlic Smashed Potatoes

5# russet potatoes – cubed

3 to 4 garlic cloves – minced

¼ cup onion – finely chopped

1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

¾ cup water

6 to 8 oz cream cheese with onion and chives

6 tablespoons butter

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

½ cup milk

Place potatoes, minced garlic, onion, salt, pepper, and water in a 6 qt slow cooker.

Mix.

Cover and cook on high 4 hours (quickly stir and re-cover half way through cooking time).

After the 4 hours (or when potatoes are done) add remaining ingredients and mash by hand with a potato masher (or whip with electric mixer).

Mix well and serve immediately or hold in slow-cooker on warm for up to 2 hours.

Chocolate Cherry Gooey Bars

Here’s a simple, but very tasty, cookie bar that would make a great dessert for your Valentine dinner!

Chocolate Cherry Gooey Bars

2 chocolate chip cookie mixes (17.5oz size)

6 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 eggs

3 tablespoons water

1 1/3 cups cherry preserves

1 cup milk chocolate chips

Mix cookie mixes, oil, eggs, and water. Mixture will be dry.

Press into a greased 9×13 baking pan.

Spread preserves evenly over top the dough.

Sprinkle milk chocolate chips over the preserves.

Bake at 350 for 30 to 40 minutes or until knife inserted about 2” from edge of pan comes out clean.

Cool completely in pan before cutting into bars.

Happy Pancake Day!

So I saw on Facebook this morning that today is National Pancake Day.

I had no idea.

It seems that the IHOP restaurant chain began “its National Pancake Day celebration in 2006 and has raised more than $10 million to support charities in the communities in which it operates”.

And I hear that today you can get “a free short stack of Buttermilk pancakes; at participating IHOP restaurants . In return you will be asked to consider leaving a donation for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals or other designated local charities.”

Sounds like a good deal to me! But sadly I do not have an IHOP near by.

I do not think that I have ever heard of National Pancake Day before, or if I have I’ve forgotten all about it,  so I woke up Wikipedia and asked him about it. It turns out that “traditionally pancakes are associated with the day preceding Lent because they were a way to use up rich foods such as eggs, milk, and sugar, before the fasting season of the 40 days of Lent.”

I never knew that.

You learn something new everyday!

Now; living in Kansas most of my life I have heard of the pancake race in Liberal but really never knew anything about it before so I read a little about that this morning too. “The tradition is said to have originated when a housewife from Olney was so busy making pancakes that she forgot the time until she heard the church bells ringing for the service. She raced out of the house to church while still carrying her frying pan and pancake. The most famous pancake race, at Olney in Buckinghamshire, has been held since 1445. The contestants, traditionally women, carry a frying pan and race to over a 415 yard course to the finishing line. The rules are strict: contestants have to toss their pancake at both the start and the finish, as well as wear an apron and a scarf. Traditionally, when men want to participate, they must dress up as a housewife (usually an apron and a bandanna). The race is followed by a church service. Since 1950 the people of Liberal, Kansas, and Olney have held the “International Pancake Day” race between the two towns. The two towns’ competitors race along an agreed-upon measured course. The times of the two towns’ competitors are compared, to determine a winner overall. After the 2009 race, Liberal was leading with 34 wins to Olney’s 25.”

Go Liberal Go!!

Now there is one thing about pancakes that I remember from years ago;
a little pancake poem…

Mix a Pancake
~author: Christina G. Rossetti – 1830-1894)

Mix a pancake,
Stir a pancake,
Pop it in the pan;
Fry the pancake;
Toss the pancake,
Catch it if you can.

…and I also know that pancakes are tasty.

HAPPY PANCAKE DAY EVERYONE!!

***************

This pancake photo and many other images from the public galleries over at KKHPhotos.com are available as prints in a wide assortment of sizes, canvas gallery wraps, standout displays,  fotoflōts, photo greeting cards, and postage stamps. They are also available in a wide range of gift items; aluminum bookmarks, coasters, tempered glass cutting boards, keychains, magnets, mousepads, and much more! You can even do your own thing with my photos when you purchase them as digital download stock photos for personal or web use.

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