Nanny Logan's Bread & Butter Pickles

16 cups cucumber sliced

6 medium onion sliced

⅓ cup salt

Ice cubes

Put cucumber and onions in a large pot, I like to layer them in my pot ( ½ cucumber  ½ onions). Sprinkle salt over the top and cover with ice cubes.

Once your ice has melted drain liquid off.

In a separate bowl mix together.......

3 cups white vinegar

5 cups white sugar

1 ½ tsp. numeric

1 ½ tsp. celery seed

2 Tbsp. mustard seed

Mix well and pour over cucumber and onions. Bring to a boil, occasionally stirring so your cucumbers look like pickles. Pour into jars and put lids on. They will seal when then cool. 

I get 7 500ml jars from one batch.

Charlotte's Pickled Beets

2 cups apple cider vinegar

2 cups white sugar

2 cups water

5 lbs beets

1 Tbsp salt

1 tsp ground allspice

2 Tbsp whole cloves

Cheesecloth

Cook beets in skins until tender, make sure to leave a little bit of green at the top of your beet when boiling so your colour doesn't bleed out. Run under cold water and slip off skin. Slice and place in jars. 

Boil the remaining ingredients for 5 minutes with spices in cheesecloth. Pour liquid on beets immediately. Seal immediately. 

If bottle doesn't seal properly once cooled, remove lid, apply new lid and boil bottle for 5 minutes. I get 5 500ml jars out of one batch.

Kirha's Oven Rice

This is a new recipe for our house that I absolutely love. If you like easy and delicious this is your rice to make. My friend Tanya made it for church potluck the other month and I've been thinking about it ever since. She kindly shared the recipe with me the other day and I've been enjoying it lots!! It's a great dish if you have a bunch of people to feed.....

Kirha's Rice ( Tanya's sister in law)

2 cups long grain rice

3 ½ cups of water

¼ cup of oil

½ cup soya sauce

frozen peas ( I used 1 cup)

frozen corn ( I used 1 cup)

1 cup chopped celery

1 can mushrooms & juice

1 cup chopped green peppers

Put in roasting pan in order and mix. Bake  covered at 335º F for 1 hour.

Chickpea,Cherry & Ginger Salad

This is a new recipe we tried tonight in our house and I LOVED it.....wasn't so sure when I watched Jeff make it but can't stop eating it and it's good for you....

2 ( 15.5 oz) cans chickpeas

1 ( 11oz) can mandarin oranges

Half a red onion, sliced

1 clove minced garlic

1 Tbsp minced ginger

2/3 cup chopped pecans

2/3 dried chopped cherries

1 minced jalapeño

1 cup chopped parsley

4 oz. feta cheese

Whisk together 2 Tbsp of EACH apple cider vinegar and olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour over chickpea salad and mix well.

** Side note.....we used cashews and fresh cherries......plus Jeff didn't realize we had cilantro and not parsley until it was too late.....LOL.....it was STILL AMAZING with the cilantro!!!

Oven Roasted Potatoes

We tried a new recipe tonight and it had the approval from Jeff so it's a keeper......

1/8 cup olive oil

1 Tbsp minced garlic

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp dried marjoram

1/2 tsp dried dill weed

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp dried parsley

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp salt

4 large potatoes, peeled and cubed

Preheat oven to 475F. In large bowl combine oil and spices and mix well. Stir in potatoes until evenly coated. Place in a single layer on roasting pan or baking sheet. Roast 20-30 minutes, turning occasionally to brown.

I found these had some kick to them so be careful on your pepper flakes. I also didn't have marjoram or thyme but they were still awesome!!!

So delicious.....

Roasting perfection.....

Tri Color Pasta Salad

Spring is here and that means more BBQ and salads. Tonight we are having chicken with pasta salad......and who knows what else. This is a must in our house....my kids just came up and they could tell from the smell of noodles what I was making. I had to smack fingers as they kept trying to sneak some from the bowl. It's easy to make and so yummy.....I'm really wishing I had made a bigger batch.....

1/2 green pepper, seeded and chopped

2 chopped tomatoes ( I remove the seeds)

1 small english cucumber, remove seeds and chop

1 carrot, peeled and chopped

500g tri-color fusilli pasta, cooked and cooled

Sauce:

2/3 cup white sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup ketchup

1/4 vinegar

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 tsp paprika

Cook and cool your pasta and put in salad bowl. Add all your chopped veggies and mix together. Put all your sauce ingredients in a separate bowl and whisk together well. Pour over salad and mix up. Put in fridge to cool. Mix before serving as the dressing tends to settle on the bottle.

I like to toss cheese in mine when I serve it. I have one who doesn't like cheese in her salad so I try to get her some up first. I also don't really measure out the salt, pepper and paprika so you want to taste it and see if you want a little more or not. Enjoy!!

Scalloped Sweet Potatoes

This is a must on the recipe blog. This recipe comes from my brother's father in-law Herbie. He somehow got Michael to try these and in turn Michael has got us hooked. They are a MUST at an holiday dinner and a bonus any other time of the year. Trust me, you will LOVE LOVE them!!!

3/4 cup whipping cream

1/4 cup milk

2 bay leaves

1 large spanish onion

1/4 cup butter

3 good sized sweet potatoes

2/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

salt & freshly ground black pepper

In medium saucepan, combine cream, milk & bay leaves. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Remove bay leaves.

Cut onion in half lengthwise and slice into thin lengthwise strips. Melt butter in large skillet over med-high heat; add onion and cook, stirring often for 15-20 minutes until onion is golden brown. Let cool. Spread 1/4 cup of the cream mixture in generously buttered 12 by 9 shallow baking dish. Arrange layers of sweet potato in dish overlapping slices. Spread with half of the caramelized onions:season with salt and pepper. Repeat layers. Top with layers of sweet potato slices; drizzle with cream mixture, sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Cover dish with foil. Bake in preheated oven at 350F for 45 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake 15-20 minutes more until the top is golden brown and potatoes are tender when pierced with a paring knife. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Broccoli Salad

This is a recipe I got when I was in cooking school from one of the wonderful ladies in the cafeteria. Sarah LOVES when I make this and it never lasts long in our house.

Broccoli Salad

1/2 pkg bacon, cooked until crispy, broken into small pieces

1 head broccoli, cut into small pieces

3 green onions, chopped

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Sauce

1/4 cup white sugar

2 Tbsp vinegar

1/2 cup mayonnaise

All the above measurements are a best guesstimate. I usually double everything and make a huge batch as it won't last long. Prep all your ingredients and mix together in a bowl. Whisk together the sauce ingredients and mix in salad. Best if you chill for a couple of hours. Enjoy!!

Bowtie Pasta Salad

I have another fantastic friend..... she now has a blog that is all kind of amazing recipes. I guarantee that anything you try you will love. She has an amazing talent for cooking and baking that I know was taught to her by her phenomenal Dad and one that I'm sure she'll perfect one day. I really don't know how she stays so skinny.......

This pasta recipe is one of hers. It is an absolute favourite. I love to make and but at the same time I have to be careful because if I don't have many to share it with I will eat it ALL. Try it out......you will love it.......it's a nice change from some of the regular summer salads.

1/4 cup green onion, chopped

1 cup celery, chopped

1 1/2- 2 cups red grapes, cut in half

1 cup crasins

2 can mandarin oranges, drained

1 cup cashews

1/2 cup mayo

1 cup cole slaw dressing

1 box bow tie pasta

Cook your pasta , cool and place in bowl. I then cut up the first 3 ingredients , throw them in the bowl with the noodles and then mix in with the crasins. I'll then take the mayo and cole slaw dressing , whisk it together and pour over the noodles etc. Then I cover and it's best if it can sit for a few hours to be good and chilled. When you are ready to serve you add your mandarin oranges and cashews. If I know it's not all going to be eaten that day I like to put the cashews on the side for people to add themselves. Otherwise they aren't crunchy the next day when you go to have the leftovers.