Thursday, November 17, 2011

Refrigerator Dill Pickles

Ingredients: 

1/3 to 1/2 pound cucumber slices (or summer squash)
1/2 cup white distilled vinegar
1/2 cup cold water
3/4 TBS kosher salt
1 clove garlic, sliced
1/4 cup fresh dill
1/4 tsp mustard seed, crushed
1/8 tsp red chili flakes
1/4 tsp black peppercorns

Directions:

1. Place all seasonings (except salt) in bottom of a 1-pint mason jar. Add cucumber slices, packing tightly.
2. Measure vinegar, water and salt into separate container and stir until salt is dissolved.
3. Pour liquid into jar, making sure to cover cucumbers completely. (Mix another batch if necessary.)
4. Screw lid tightly on jar and shake for about a minute. Put in refrigerator.
5. Shake jar every day for about a week. After a week, they are ready to eat!

Sweet Tea Vodka

Let's face it, even sailors get tired of drinking rum everyday. This summer, we found a quick, easy way to make our own Sweet Tea Vodka:

Pour vodka into a pint-sized mason jar.
Add two teabags (we used Lipton Tea).
Wait two hours. Shake. Serve with Lemonade and simple syrup (1 part sugar to 1 part hot water) to taste.

For Fall, try soaking Apple Cinnamon teabags in vodka or rum and mixing with apple cider.