Dill Pickle Recipe

As you know my boyfriend and I grew our first garden at our new home this year. Our garden was super successful producing tons of tomatoes, basil, hot peppers, and other herbs. The one thing that did not turn out so well however were the cucumbers. I am not sure what happened but they grew up to look like ugly little squashes with a thin neck and fat bottom. ha. My boyfriend thought about just ripping out the plant and calling it a loss but I decided "lets make pickles!". And so I did. 

I absolutely love pickles, and they are surprisingly super easy to make.

Begin by slicing your cucumbers however you wish your pickles to be whether it's spears, slices, or coins. Crush about four cloves of garlic and add them to the bottom of your mason jars. Then use about two teaspoons of dill seed and distribute it between the jars. Pack the cucumbers in the jars, but be careful not to crush them. 

You can add whichever spices you would like to your pickles. Black peppercorns or red pepper flakes would be awesome additions. 

To make the brine: Boil equal parts cider vinegar and salted water in a pot. I did about a cup of each. Pour the brine over the pickles until covered. Next, remove the air bubbles from the jars by gently tapping the jars on the counter. Place the lid on the jar and close it until tight. Let the jars cool at room temperature, then place in the fridge. 

Your pickles will last in the fridge for a couple of weeks. The longer you let them sit in the brine the more flavor they will have, so try your best to hold out before chowing down on these babies!

If you wish your pickles to be shelf stable you can process your pickle jars. Take a pot of boiling water, place the jars in the water, and wait about five minutes. Remove the jars immediately and watch the lid pop down. Processed jars will last about a year on the shelf. 

Processing pickles however can result in a softer texture. For crunchier pickles skip the processing step as I did. 

It is best to wait about 48 hours before you eat your pickles. I know, the wait is hard- 

trust me. You can use this same pickling process with green beans or okra (perfect additions to a bloody mary!) 

xo. Casey 

Ricotta Toast

Sunday mornings are my favorite. Monday feels so far away - no responsibilities, just peaceful relaxation. Usually we like to go to a coffee shop or popular breakfast spot for breakfast on Sunday's, and one of the most popular items on every cafe menu right now is toast. Whether it is topped with mashed avocado, chickpea, ricotta, or jam - they are super super popular. And most of the time they can run up to six dollars for a piece of toast. Oof. 

It is one of the simplest breakfasts, usually low in fat and high in flavor which is why it is so popular. Being so simple there is no reason why I can not make this breakfast in my home with ingredients I already have on hand. 

All you need is some good bread and whatever topping you prefer. I topped my toast with some non fat ricotta cheese and honey. Simple and delicious! Paired with a cup of coffee and a breezy morning, it just doesn't get any better than this. 

I hope you have a relaxing Sunday as well!

xo. Casey

Saturday Caturday

James is working all weekend which is pretty extremely lame. So I am going to take this time to work on some really amazing content for you guys. The next couple months are all about the seasons changing, and the holidays are approaching fast. This means a lot more recipes, and DIY things coming your way. I have also been working hard to make the little spaces in my apartment shine and I am excited to share some more "From Apartment to Home" posts with you soon. 

On a side note, has anyone watched Candidly Nicole on VH1? It is seriously hilarious.

George enjoys it too - just look at that face. 

xo. Casey

Friday Five, Summer Shandies

Hi Folks! Summer time means one thing - summer shandies. or is that just me

A shandy is pretty much a citrus based beer, usually lemon or lime. They are light, refreshing, and perfect on a hot summer day. They don't weigh you down while you are spending the day at the lake or the beach. They are perfect, so I thought I would round up my favorites in today's Friday Five!

1. Leinenkugel Summer Shandy. Also known as the fruity pebbles beer because it tastes like.. fruity pebbles. It is definitely my favorite of all the summer shandies. 

2. Shock Top Lemon Shandy. Another favorite, shock top has great flavor. Quick tip: Shock Top is always better on draft. Although equally delicious Shock Top is unfiltered which means there is some unappetizing sediment in the bottom of the bottle. 

3. Curious Traveler. A lemon shandy that has a mustache. sophisticated beer.

4. Narragansett Dells Shandy. Rhode Island beer meets Rhode Island icy treat. Although I was hoping for more with this beer (there was some serious hype) it does have an after taste of lemonade not just lemons, and it works well with beer cocktails which I shared in a previous post. 

5. Bud Light Lime. Technically not a shandy, but the absolute best beer to drink at the beach. 

What are your favorite summer beers? 

xo. Casey

Blu On The Water

As summer is winding down I wanted to share with you my choice for the official spot of the summer - Blu on the Water located in East Greenwich. Blu has great food, delicious drinks, and awesome music all summer long. Everyone is so relaxed there, enjoying the summer without a care in the world either on the deck or docked on their boats listening to the music. 

They have complimentary valet service and indoor/outdoor seating with three different bars outside on the deck. If a popular band like World Premier is playing you better get a table early or else you are looking at an hour and a half wait to get a spot outside. 

The food is pretty great too. The menu isn't too big, and I have tried almost half the things on the menu. I have never had a bad experience at Blu when it comes to the food. The mahi mahi fish tacos are awesome - huge pieces of mahi mahi with a mango salsa and guacamole. The Caribbean jerk chicken sandwich with blue cheese crumbles has become my new favorite item on their menu. Their clamcakes, lobster crab cakes, and muscles frites are awesome appetizers, and they have some of the best calamari I have ever had. You have two options, either the buffalo calamari which is fried and coated in buffalo sauce, or the Rhode Island style calamari with hot peppers and olives. My boyfriends favorite is the BBQ bacon burger. And do not forget to upgrade your fries to the truffle Parmesan fries- so good!

The drinks are pretty awesome as well. Although a little pricey, they are a large sized drink and are extremely delicious. If it is your first time at Blu I highly recommend the watermelon sangria- it is out of this world. 

Blu on the Water completely embodies summer time for me. As the summer winds down I will definitely be taking advantage of the couple weeks left I have to spend at blu before they close for the winter. 

What's your favorite summer spot? 

xo. Casey