Today I Made pickles!!

Today I started to make pickles using my own cucumbers!!
Now I have to wait 3-4 days before trying them. I have had a note on my kitchen cabinet for quite some time; the note said:

"look into pickling"

Since my cucumber plants have really started producing I figured I'd better get to pickle investigating. Thankfully the Lord loves that I procrastinate so He made sure I watched the Martha Stewart show last week where they...
dun, dun-na-nahhh...
pickles!!

Enjoy these photos, recipe link at end of photos.
(All photos are taken with my LG Zenon, camera phone- oh to have a real camera)

Introducing... Journey of the Cucumber





Soaked cucs in ice water, gathered my ingredients.

Soaked cucs in pickling mixture, placed a small plate on the top to keep them under water; sealed the whole thing with saran wrap.
Recipe link is here, I will post pictures when pickles are ready to eat!!

Monster Cookies

Making these for an upcoming youth event with my small group!
Each cookie calls for 1 cup of batter!!
Yummy!

Strawberry Pie

Attempting a strawberry pie.

Thought I was gonna make this a few weeks back but when I got to the grocery all the strawberries were sold out! Just got to buying some last night so wish me luck.




Here's the recipe I'm gonna make:

Ingredients
2 (8 inch) pie shells, baked
2 1/2 quarts fresh strawberries
1 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup boiling water
1 (3 ounce) package strawberry flavored gelatin

Directions
1. In a saucepan, mix together the sugar and corn starch; make sure to blend corn starch in completely. Add boiling water, and cook over medium heat until mixture thickens. Remove from heat. Add gelatin mix, and stir until smooth. Let mixture cool to room temperature.
2. Place strawberries in baked pie shells; position berries with points facing up. Pour cooled gel mixture over strawberries.
3. Refrigerate until set. Serve with whipped cream, if desired.

Monday's menu

day 1: General Tso's Chicken
day 2: tacos
day 3: pizza
day 4: beef stroganoff
day 5: steaks on the grill
day 6: chicken on the grill
day 7: yoyo

also making a strawberry pie!

Monday's Menu/Meal Plan Monday- Whatever

I can only go so long with this whole menu thing before I am ready to pop!
Ugh.
I just can't seem to love or even like cooking for more than a few weeks.
But...
I have 3 hungry mouths to feed,
and...
it is my responsibility to feed them,
so...
I press on.
Cooking, and cooking even when I want to eat a bowl of cereal and call it a day!

Haven't even given this weeks menu a thought.
I will and probably won't post it here but if I do, you'll know it!
Happy eats this week!

Valentine's Day

We had fun making chocolate this year.
Peanut butter cuts with pink and dark chocolate. yummy.

Monday's Menu

Sunday: Lasagna
Monday: Parmesan Tilapia
Tuesday: Teryaki pork on grill
Wednesday: make your own pizza
Thursday: Parmesan covered salmon
Friday: Beef stroganoff
Saturday: leftovers