Basic Dill Fermented Pickles

2 c. filtered water
1 Tbsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. sugar
2-3 heads of dill or 2-3 TBSP fresh dill leaves

1 tsp. peppercorn
1 tsp. mustard seed

3 cloves garlic, chopped into sections

4-5 small or medium pickling cucumbers

½ onion sliced (optional)

1. In a pot over medium high heat dissolve the salt in 1 cup of the water.

2. Turn off the heat and add the other cup of room temperature water.

3. Add the pickle ingredients to a glass pint jar. To the bottom of the jar add the smashed garlic cloves, dill, sliced onion, peppercorns, mustard seeds, or whatever you like to add more flavor.

4. Cut off the ends of the cucumbers and make sure that the tops are 1 inch below the top of the jar.

6. Pack the cucumbers in the jar (small whole ones or quartered are easiest). These should be packed tight enough that nothing floats to the top.

7. Pour the brine over the cucumbers.

8. Screw the lid onto the jar. One of these jar weights can also be used to keep the cucumbers below the brine (to avoid mold growth).

9. Let the jar sit out at room temperature for 2-3 days, until pickles are the desired flavor. Be sure to release the air from the jar occasionally or built up pressure can cause the jar to explode! You can also buy special fermenting lids that don’t need “burping.”

--I've seen other recipes which state to pickle them for 3 weeks at least.

10. When pickles are as sour as desired, store in the fridge for several months. The cold temperature halts the fermentation process.

Blueberry Muffins / Coffee Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees for Muffins, 325 degrees for coffee cake.  This works great as a coffee cake as well.  I made 8 muffins and poured the rest into an 8x8 glass baking dish.  

Streusel Topping

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

4 tablespoons butter, slightly softened and cut into 1/2 inch pieces

In a medium bowl, stir flour and sugar.  Add butter pieces and combine mixture with a fork until topping resembles coarse crumbs.  Set aside

Muffin Batter

2-1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1-1/2 sticks butter (room temp.)

1-1/2 cups sugar

3 large eggs, (room temp.) 

1-1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

8 ounces sour cream

1/4 cup milk

2-1/2 cups fresh blueberries

In a medium bowl, sift flour, baking powder and baking soda.

With an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes).  

At low speed, beat  in one egg at a time, then add vanilla, sour cream, and milk until combined.  

Add 1/3 of dry ingredients at a time and beat until just combined.  

With a spatula, evenly fold blueberries into batter.

Spoon batter into muffin pans and fill each cup to the top. 

Sprinkle streusel topping over batter.

Bake Muffins at 350 F for ~30 minutes.  

Bake Coffee Cake in the 8x8 pan at 325 F for 50-55 minutes

*I usually start checking these early because I like them lightly brown not dark.

Makes 24 muffins. 

Kohlrabi Cakes

 Kohlrabi is something which grows very well in the Spokane WA area.  We found a variety that can be planted in May and be harvested by early July.  Having a lot of kohlrabi, I decided to start experimenting with it in recipes.  Every part of kohlrabi is edible and delicious.  The greens are a tougher type of green great for sauteeing like chard or collard, or putting in soups or quiche.  The bulb is sort of turnip like, but has a fibrous exterior which must be peeled off until you get to the smooth meat underneath.  

Mashed kohlrabi bulb didn't work.  I thought it might be sort of like mashed potatoes, but its consistency is off.  I thought the flavor was good, but Alex didn't like it for the texture.  It came out too watery with a lot of lumps.  

I then tried turning them into sort of a fritter or potato pancake.  Added flour, egg, feta cheese, onion and some seasonings and it came out great.  Its more work than a potato pancake but its a viable use for kohlrabi if you're out of stews to put them in.  

3-4 large kohlrabi, de-stemmed, peeled, diced, pressure-cooked.
2 eggs
1/2 c. flour

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 c. minced onion

1/3 c. crumbled feta cheese

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp salt

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp sour cream

The kohlrabi bulb has to be peeled down to the smoother meat beneath the fibrous exterior.  Once its peeled and de-stemmed, dice it into 3/4 - 1 inch chunks and place in pressure cooker with 3/4 c. water.  Pressure cook for 20 minutes.  This will help ensure that its well cooked and soft. 

In a stand mixer, use a whisk attachment and whip the kohlrabi until its as smooth as possible.  Add the remaining ingredients, and mix.

Fry pancake-sized (about 3 inches across) amounts in olive oil in a frying pan.  Cook for 2-3 min per side.  Server with sour cream.