I just made a big batch of my quick fix spicy pickles. Man, they are good! But making them left me with a container full of dill pickle pieces. Ends, small pieces, little chunks. The parts that didn’t cut the mustard so to speak. So, what to do with those pickle scraps? Make quick fix pickle relish! I not only loved it, I thought it was much better than the store-bought stuff.
Make The Spicy Version, Too
For a spicy version of this quick fix pickle relish, just add a few good pinches of dried red pepper flake. You’ll want to let the relish ‘get happy’ in the fridge for a few hours before using it so that it gets good and spicy. Stir every once-in-a-while to help speed things along.
For a spicy version of this quick fix pickle relish, just add a few good pinches of dried red pepper flake. You’ll want to let the relish ‘get happy’ in the fridge for a few hours before using it so that it gets good and spicy.
Maybe, like you, I at first made a face when I came across the idea for macaroni and cheese pasta salad. But then, I thought, hey, I love mac-and-cheese. I love pasta salad. What I thought could be a crazy idea might well be brilliant. And it was. Traditional pasta salad flavors with a bit of cheddar cheese. I often cube cheddar cheese into my pasta salads, so the idea of using boxed mac and cheese really isn’t that much of a stretch. And it’s sure easier.
The Perfect Pasta Salad?
You can easily double this recipe for a family get-together. And I honestly wouldn’t be afraid to add a minced jalapeno or two to this macaroni and cheese pasta salad for a little kick. I also like to substitute chipotle powder or smoked paprika for the black pepper for a little smokiness.
I almost always use Blue Plate mayonnaise in the dishes I make. I think it is the best around. If you can’t find it locally you can pick it up online for a fair price.
Maybe, like you, I at first made a face when I came across the idea for macaroni and cheese pasta salad. But then, I thought, hey, I love mac-and-cheese. I love pasta salad.
These quick fix spicy pickles absolutely hit the spot. I love dill pickles, and I love a little spiciness so it was easy to love these pickles. They aren’t overly sweet and they aren’t overly spicy. Though you can certainly make them spicier (or less) if you want. I found them to be just right. They are perfect for sharing with the neighbors without having worry that they’d be too hot for them.
Save That Pickle Juice!
Whatever you do, do not discard the brine from the jarred pickles when you make a batch of quick fix spicy pickles. Save it for making Nashville hot chicken or for use as a brine for chicken wings. I always save my pickle juice. I also cut off the ends of the pickles. Since that left me with a bowl of pickle pieces, I decided to make a quick and easy pickle relish.
“My, oh, my” is about all we could say when we both took a bite of these grilled corn grits. The talking stopped and the enjoyment began. Creamy grits with fire-roasted corn. The corn adds just a hint of smokiness, a little crunchiness, and even more corn flavor to what are already fantastic corn grits. This is definitely a favorite side dish in our house. I used fresh corn-on-the-cob, scraping off the delicious kernels to make this delicious treat!
That Great Roasted Flavor
You can roast the corn in the oven, under the broiler, if you’d like. You won’t get that nice grilled smoky flavor, but the roasted corn will still add a lot of flavor to the grits. I grilled my corn on a charcoal grill, directly over the hot coals. It didn’t take long and it was well worth the effort.
Use Canned Corn In A Pinch
If it’s not quite corn season where you are, you can use canned corn or frozen (thawed). Just drain the corn and spread it out on a baking sheet. Place under your broiler and broil until lightly charred, keeping an eye on it as it broils. For a smoky kick to your grits, try smoking the raw grits first.
Cook, rotating the ears frequently, until all sides are lightly charred.
Remove from the grill and let cool slightly before cutting the kernels from the ears.
Add the chicken stock and 3 tablespoons of butter to a medium sauce pan.
Bring to a boil and stir in the milk, salt and pepper.
Continue boiling while whisking in the grits.
Add the corn. Cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring continuously, until the grits are creamy. You may have to add more stock or half and half if they get too thick.
Serve topped with the remaining butter and garnished with the sliced green onion.
This is my go-to po boy bread dough recipe from the bread machine. No way am I enough of a baker to make a dough from scratch without a bread machine. I could never make something as good as this dough. It makes for the perfect po boy. The bread gets a nice crunchy, but thin, exterior. The insides are light, soft and airy.
I’ve made this po boy bread from a bread machine at least 30 times and every time it has come out great. Well, or it did after I got the hang of rolling it into a nice loaf shape. I also learned that cutting the slits isn’t just for making it pretty, the bread seems to keep a better shape.
Those Pretty Slits
To get the slits just right you need to use a very, very sharp knife. You don’t want to manhandle the dough cutting it. You want the knife to go through it effortlessly.
Check out The Southern Po’ Boy Cookbook for ideas on how to use your po boy bread. I love making the ham and Swiss po boy from the cookbook, among others! (And you have to use this bread when making my Cajun Muffuletta poboys!)
Place ingredients into your bread machine in the order listed.
Process on the dough settings. After 5-10 minutes check the consistency of the dough. It should be sticky but not stick to the sides. If it is too dry add water, but in 1/2 teaspoon increments. If it is too wet add more flour 1 teaspoon at at time.
When the dough cycle is completed remove the dough to a lightly floured surface.
Roll the dough out into a rectangle that is approximately 16" x 12".
Roll up the dough along the long edge.
Pinch the seam and ends closed and place onto a lightly greased baking sheet, seam-side down.
Cover with a cheesecloth and place into a warm place to rise until doubled, about an hour.
After about 30 minutes of rising preheat your oven to 425 F.
Uncover the bread and, using a very sharp knife, make a few 1/2″ deep slits along the top of the dough, about 2″ apart.
Whisk together the glaze ingredients and brush over the top of the dough.
Bake for 20 minutes.
Reduce the temperature to 350 F and bake another 5-10 minutes or until golden brown.
I need a t-shirt that says “Don’t get between me and my pickled black-eyed peas”. I found them to be so dangerously good that I didn’t want to share with anyone. Ever. The peas absorb the vinegar, getting a really nice tart kick to them. For a little heat, jalapenos (they do get tamed down a bit the longer they pickle). Crispy red onions and a little garlic round out what is a perfect side dish.
Cold Peas Are Perfect
These pickled black-eyed peas remind me of the Georgia caviar I made a while back. Black-eyed peas are wonderful in a cold salad and even better when pickled. Don’t let the jalapenos worry you if you aren’t into spicy foods. You can of course leave them out but I found that they do not overpower the salad at all. You don’t have to eat them, but leave them in to add flavor.