Random Recipe Wednesday: Pickled Dill-Caraway Carrots

I should probably warn you now that I'm on a pickling spree.  Those pickled grapes made me conjure up a whole list of odd things to pickle.  But let's make carrots first, I don't want to get too crazy on you quite yet.

Our pickling possibilities are endless.  In addition to various vegetables, a few fruits and some other odds and ends, we can mix and match our herbs and spices.  There's also a variety of vinegars to experiment with.  For once I can't seem to work in peanut butter, popcorn or cookies.  I'll have to work on that.

Oh, I also managed to pickle the bottom shelf of the refrigerator followed by the produce drawer and kitchen floor as I spilled pickling brine all over.  On three separate occasions.  Three.  All I can say is, use a container that has a tight fitting lid, not a random disposable container with a mismatched almost-fitting lid.

Random Recipe Wednesday: Garlic-Dill Soda Bread

About a month ago I tried a whole slew of Irish soda bread recipes.  The first recipe claimed to be a traditional family recipe handed down from someone's grandma.  It was so salty and bitter I almost had to spit it out.  The next version I tried resulted in a dense, dry and rather bland bread with a baking soda aftertaste.  I called it quits until a few weeks later when I discovered several cups of sour milk in my fridge.  Rather than dumping said milk down the drain, I decided to give soda bread another go. This time around I baked the loaf in a covered casserole dish.  Bingo.  Except that I then proceeded to eat nearly half the loaf while standing over the stove.

Baking the loaf in a covered casserole dish traps steam and prevents the bread from drying out.  It also produces a loaf with a crisp crust but a soft, light interior.  I was pleasantly surprised with how fluffy the texture is even though the loaf has no yeast.  Better yet it takes only a few minutes to come together and requires no rising time.  It takes just 45 minutes from flour canister to mouth, and apparently only a few minutes more before it's half gone.

Random Recipe Wednesday: Cauliflower Casserole

Let's talk about impulse purchases again.  The good thing about food is its short shelf life, meaning there's less chance to accumulate clutter.  Cookbooks, on the other hand, have a very long shelf life.  In fact, they spend most of their life on the shelf.  As my cookbook collection continues to grow I must be very careful about what I allow to live on my shelves.  A friend of mine recently introduced me to The New Moosewood Cookbook by Mollie Katzen.  She received it from her grandma as a wedding gift and has been enjoying it ever since.  I was immediately drawn in by the unique recipes and new ideas.  However, I was determined that no matter how much I wanted to finish reading it, I wouldn't go home and impulse buy a copy. (Why yes, I do read cookbooks like books, thanks for asking.)

In order to delay my purchase I decided to first check out a copy from the library and see if it was truly shelf-worthy.  After paging through and noting numerous recipes I couldn't wait to try, I was on the verge of a decision.  Is this cookbook really unique and inspiring enough to deserve a spot on my shelf?  While teetering on the edge of this decision, I found a used copy at a second hand store.  You may remember I'm a sucker for a good deal.