My little warrior found a bag of marshies yesterday and helped himself. He’s trouble with a capital T. My mom & grandmother will be journeying down to the Deep South from Illinois tomorrow to keep the rovers for MANY days while I am away. I warn Mom often that the children, although mostly sweet, can also be rotten. This includes the Rover. I feel inclined to leave notes in drawers and behind cabinets to warn them of things that might make them a little crazy…
- as soon as you pour their juice in a cup and hand it to them they will get upset and want a different cup
- as soon as you pour orange juice in their cup they will want apple juice
- as soon as you hand them the princess fork they will want the Dora fork
- as soon as you put them in shorts they will decide they want to wear a dress
- as soon as you take Rover’s diaper off he will tee tee all over the floor and has been known to poop as well
- Rover doesn’t really like words, he prefers animal sounds and all of his animals are half-bred dinosaurs so every animal has a “roooaaarrr” to it… even the cows sound ferocious
- be prepared for at lots of wardrobe changes
- Rover can climb the bar stools and then climb onto the counter top
- Paige likes bandaids and will likely have lots of “boo boos” that need bandaids
If you can figure out how to remedy all of these things before I get back, I’d LOVE it!
I can’t tell you how excited I am about first our weekend away {Justin and I without kids} and then the big journey to Italy but I also feel inclined to share that traveling, packing, thinking about leaving my children for what seems like will be forever has totally thrown me for a loop! I’m hoping the weekend of relaxation will prepare me for the BIG trip! I know for certain I will miss the fire out of Justin and the rovers… my goodness do I love them all with every ounce of my being!
My little ole laptop will be staying here, safe and sound where she belongs! I hope to post a few mobile uploads while I’m away and give at least a couple updates! And now… moving on to pickles! Was that a good transition?
Last summer I tried to share a few of my favorite summer garden recipes: Cucumber Dill Spread, Squash Casserole, Chicken Delight, & Baked Butternut Squash. So, I thought I’d continue the tradition this summer. My master gardener brought home about 4 pounds of cucumbers yesterday from our garden. I think we got a little over zealous with the cucumbers this year; we have 15 plants! Anyway, last night after the kids were in bed we had a hot date in the kitchen making refrigerator pickles and you just have to trust me on this one… they are DELICIOUS!!! We went for a slightly sweet dill recipe and we have the most delicious, crunchy, sweet, tangy pickles and I wish you all could come by to try them. {Recipe posted below with our modifications noted!}
We started with 4 pounds of cucumbers. We just used regular ole’ cukes from our garden. Not pickling cucumbers.
Four pounds of cucumbers yielded 10 pints of pickles.
This recipe does not call for the cucumbers to be cooked or processed in a water bath… this keeps them fresh and crunchy but also means they should be stored in the refrigerator where they will last several weeks.
We packed each jar with thinly sliced Vidalia onions and cucumbers.
The recipe calls for fresh dill but I was fresh out of fresh dill so I used Watkin’s organic dill that I had in the cabinet and it worked great. I sprinkled 1/2 to 1 tsp on top of every jar.
You bring the apple cider vinegar, water, sugar and spices to a boil on the stove top and then pour it directly over the cucumbers and onions.
The recipe calls to leave them uncovered in the refrigerator for 24 hours before putting the lids on them. Your entire fridge will smell like pickles…
And speaking of lids, I found these gems at Walmart. I’m not sure where I’ve been but for some reason these have eluded me. They are brilliant.
I can’t decide if it’s appropriate to share that we ate an entire jar at dinner tonight?
Here’s the recipe {with my notes/modifications in BOLD} from Bon Appetit:
Slightly Sweet Dill Refrigerator Pickles
Ingredients
* 1 small sweet onion (such as Vidalia or Maui), thinly sliced
* 2 pounds medium pickling cucumbers, scrubbed, cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds {we used regular ole cucumbers}
* 1 large bunch dill, coarsely chopped (stems included) {used dried}
* 1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds {used 1 tsp of mustard powder}
* 2 teaspoons whole white peppercorns {could only find black}
* 1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar {we increased this to 2 cups}
* 1 cup water {increased to 1 1/2 cups}
* 1 cup sugar
* 3 tablespoons coarse kosher salt
* 2 teaspoons dill seeds
{We doubled this recipe and it yielded 10 pints but there wasn’t near enough liquid… so be sure to make note of changes above}
Preparation
* Divide sliced onion between two 1-quart wide-mouth glass jars. Pack cucumber slices horizontally in jars. Top each jar with dill.
* Using mortar and pestle or resealable plastic bag and mallet, crush mustard seeds and peppercorns together. Place crushed spices in medium saucepan. Add vinegar, 1 cup water, sugar, coarse salt, and dill seeds. Bring mixture to boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves.
* Ladle mixture evenly over cucumbers. Leave jars uncovered and chill 24 hours.
* Cover glass pickle jars tightly with lids. Do Ahead: Can be made 1 week ahead.
* Keep refrigerated.
You should try them, they are delicious! Ok, hope to get one more post in before I head across the pond!
Aura
June 9, 2010 at 10:42 pmYum! Thanks for the recipe. I have a gang of cucumbers growing in the garden this year, and my husband can’t stand them. But he loves loves loves pickles.
Lillian - Domestic Simplicity
June 9, 2010 at 10:45 pmYUM YUM YUM!!! My mom is making something similar for us to take on our family beach vacation in two weeks and I just can’t WAIT! Your notes sound like a day in my life…the climbing on things(he just figured out how to get on a chair and life as we know it is officially over!), the outfit changes, the never-ending need for band-aids…one day it will all be a lovely memory, no?? 🙂
Enjoy your trips like crazy!!!
Kari
June 9, 2010 at 11:05 pmI can’t get enough of hearing about your kids. They have got to be some of the cutest kids I’ve ever seen and hearing about their quirky kid-ness always brings a smile to my face. Tonight, I literally laughed out loud when I read about Rover and his “tee-tee” on the ground and dinosaured cows. Thanks so much for sharing your sweet blessings with us!
Cath
June 9, 2010 at 11:13 pmOH Darby,
You never cease to make me laugh even at this wee hour of the night/morning.
I’m trying to finish a huge paper and I had to take a break and wa-lah to my surprise a fresh new post, so great!
Here is my simple remedy……..YOUR MOM RAISED KIDS! she is probably LOL because, grandmothers have it figured out and what we don’t we just laugh about cause it is just so dang cute!!
Try to relax and enjoy this incredible journey you are about to embark on, your mom & kids GG mom (and Justin) have it covered.
I will miss your posts and look forward to your return.
Happy trails.
Chris
June 9, 2010 at 11:15 pmDARBY I have 4 jars of pickles in my fridge that are about 6 months old b/c nobody will eat them because I messed up the salt ratio. I will have to try your recipe, I’ll call you for help!
Lindsey
June 9, 2010 at 11:23 pmDid you finally decide on what you’re packing?! I hope that you have a great weekend, sans kiddos with Justin, always good for a marriage, and that you have a FANTASTIC time in Italy. Can’t wait to hear about it. Thanks again for your support, checking in on us, and faithful friendship, appreciate it more than you know!
BTW, thought of Justin yesterday. Quote from Jonathan “If we go down to the beach and find oil I will collect it in mason jars and put it on my kids’ dressers, so they will remember what we did to the earth and to take care of it.” Also thought of Morgan when A found a dead dragonfly on the porch yesterday and carried it around with her all afternoon, sticking it in our faces for us to examine it’s eye, wings, etc.
Love you and have a great trip. Will give an update on our end tomorrow.
Stephanie
June 9, 2010 at 11:34 pmas a lurker who has lots of cucumbers in the garden, i was actually thinking the other day…please darby, gimme a pickle recipe!
have a wonderful trip… we will all miss you and look forward to a detailed recap of your adventures!
Julie
June 9, 2010 at 11:56 pmYour pickles look beautiful and your kids sound totally normal. The kids will be perfect for the Grands so go and enjoy your time away! 🙂
Lauren
June 10, 2010 at 1:14 amFerocious sounding cows! That is hilarious!! I love the notes you are leaving your Mom about what to expect from the children…too cute. The pickles look delish. Our cucumbers are just about ready to be picked. I’m going to try that recipe. I am not a huge pickle fan, but I’ve got to do something with all the cucumbers that we’re going to have….so I might as well make some pickles. And this recipe looks good. Have fun getting ready for your trip!
Karena
June 10, 2010 at 1:56 amReminds me of all of the pickles my mother used to make, including her famous bread & buttter pickles!
Karena
Art by Karena
kendall boggs
June 10, 2010 at 5:14 amHave a great trip Darbs! Jealous! 🙂
Paula
June 10, 2010 at 5:29 amYum! We ended up with tons of cukes last year…we have lots of pickles in the basement…we just bought the spice packs from the store…expensive! Thanks for the recipe! Sounds yummy! And a pint of pickles among 5 people is nothing!
Hope you enjoy your trip!
natalie @ our old southern house
June 10, 2010 at 5:59 amgirl, i totally get you on this. i’m good for about 36 hours apart from mary margaret before i start missing her something fierce. it really is true that once you have kids your heart is outside your body walking around in them.
i can about 25 cases of stuff every year and do 3 types of pickles. if you still have extra cucumbers and want to check out my recipes, here they are: https://oldgeorgiahouse.com/?p=488
have a great trip!
Meredith
June 10, 2010 at 6:00 amGlad my kid is not the only one that “needs” orange juice/apple juice/crackers/etc and then doesn’t want it the second that I give it to her! Have a great time in Italy and I can’t wait to hear all about it!
Cat Moore
June 10, 2010 at 6:18 amhope you and sis have a fun, relaxing time!!! will say a prayer for you AND your rovers 🙂
Tonya
June 10, 2010 at 6:26 amHave a super time! Your kiddos sound just like mine! Your recipes look great and I’m definitely going to try them out this summer!
kat
June 10, 2010 at 6:42 amI can’t wait to try the pickle recipe. Have a wonderful time in Italy. It is so beautiful there, you will LOVE it.
Tara Verdigets
June 10, 2010 at 6:50 amHave a great trip and have a great birthday! I can’t wait for the post when you get back!
Whitney
June 10, 2010 at 7:24 amWhere did you get that pink scale? So cute! Have a wonderful trip!
Rhonda
June 10, 2010 at 7:29 amOh, I am BEYOND thrilled that you and erika will get to celebrate in italy!! what a fabulous birthday with your “wombmate”! Enjoy it for me, will ya?! Please pack your camera, and take lots of wonderful pictures so we can all enjoy vicariously through you….have a wonderful time- and remember, the kiddos will be fine, spoiled beyond measure!
Jennifer
June 10, 2010 at 7:37 amHave fun!!!! Can’t wait to hear all about it when you return! I’ve made several trips to Europe, but never to Italy. It’s one place I can’t wait to visit – I’m ready to book a trip after reading the email your sister posted! 🙂
Lauren Ahier
June 10, 2010 at 7:53 amI just read that we are getting pickling cucumbers at our local market this weekend here in Virgina, looking forward to trying your recipe!
Have a wonderful trip – Lauren Ahier
sloan
June 10, 2010 at 7:54 amWIshing you a very happy birthday and a fabulous time with Erika in Italy – CAN’T WAIT to see the pics from your birthday trip, what an incredible time you’ll both have 😉
Carrie
June 10, 2010 at 8:13 amI hope that you have a great time in Italy! You should eat gelato every chance you get!
Ashley
June 10, 2010 at 8:31 amOooo this is my kind of recipe! Looks nice and easy!
Can’t wait to see and hear about your adventures with your sister! So fun and enjoy having some You time! 🙂
Melissa
June 10, 2010 at 9:15 amItaly??? Lucky lucky girl!! Have a blast. The recipe for the pickles looks quite yummy and easy (which is key!).
Laura Kirch
June 10, 2010 at 9:17 amI would love to know where to get my hands on one of those bowl/scales, brilliant! Love your photos.
Katie
June 10, 2010 at 9:20 amThe pickles sound delish! That scale! Love it!
Meagan
June 10, 2010 at 10:03 amohmygosh….those pickles look sooo good! My husband loves, loves, loves pickles, but I’ve never tried to make my own. I think this will be my weekend project.
If we don’t hear from you before, have a wonderful trip to Italy! It is my favorite place to travel!
randi
June 10, 2010 at 10:03 amI have never commented on your blog until today. The pickle recipe did it! I am so making these and will likely eat them all myself while I am home this summer. No worries there! Anyways- your blog is very inspiring!
karisa
June 10, 2010 at 10:09 amcan’t wait to try the pickle recipe. i’ve wanted to try some in the past, but could never find pickling cucumbers. glad to see you can use regular ones and they turn out just as yummy. does anyone know if you have to sterlize the jars first? if so, how? i don’t have any canning equipment.
Melise
June 10, 2010 at 10:16 amYour notes to your mom make me crack up! That outfit change thing is currently my world! You have a GREAT trip, be safe and enjoy yourself. Don’t stress about posting, we’ll see it all when you get back. I can’t wait to feel like I’m there as I’m sure I will with your awesome photography! God Speed!
Christi
June 10, 2010 at 10:27 amHappy 30th!! Hope you and your sister have a fabulous time in Italy!!
Bethany
June 10, 2010 at 10:56 amfor some reason, i can only ever see the top half of your pictures, unless i leave my window open for hours until they all load. never the less, i enjoy what i can see. i did manage to see the entire picture of your littlest with his mouth stuffed full o’ marshmallows. totally hilarious.
Christy
June 10, 2010 at 11:33 amThe pickles sound delish! Will have to try them. Yum!
Speaking of rovers, when my Rover was about JM’s age I literally caught him swinging from the chandelier in the DR. He climbed up on the DR table & was swinging back and forth. My hear stopped. 🙂 JM reminds me so much of my little one, although at 6, nearly 7 things have calmed down a lot! Three was rogh, so be prepared. 🙂
Suzanne
June 10, 2010 at 12:12 pmYour list of things to tell your mom cracked me up! I can so relate. Enjoy your trip across the pond. Italy is a wonderful place. I went there on my honeymoon and DYING to go back.
Lori
June 10, 2010 at 1:48 pmHappy birthday – enjoy your getaway weekend and your trip to Italy! Charge up that camera 🙂
A Chic Critique
June 10, 2010 at 2:03 pmYour blog is absolutely darling. I came across it through your sister’s design blog & Rachel Berry (NestEgg in Nashville). Your children are precious!
Jessica
June 10, 2010 at 2:45 pmI’m jealous of your trip to the beach AND your trip to Italy! I hope you and Erika have THE best birthday! 🙂 Those pickles look SO good…have to try them sometime.
meaghan
June 10, 2010 at 3:36 pmafter seeing your pics as a kid on your sister’s website….i can see you in your kids!!! hope that’s encouraging!! my kids don’t look ANYTHING like me 😉
Amelia
June 10, 2010 at 4:50 pmI have my own two year old Rover and after reading your list of warnings I feel a sense of relief that it is not just my own child who does these things! Have a great trip and enjoy your weekend!
Jennifer
June 10, 2010 at 5:22 pmYou are going to Italy. YOU are going to Italy!
YOU ARE GOING TO ITALY!!! I am SOOOO HAPPY for you! (And so jealous…I want to go back. BAD.) I hope you have the most wonderful time in the world. Oh. You are going to have so much fun. Hooray for you!
andi
June 10, 2010 at 6:26 pmLet’s celebrate 30 when you return from your trip to visit the Romans. 😉 You’ll have to come armed and ready. We’re a tough crowd and you know we’ll be dying to hear about your trip. The lids are genius! Completely appropriate to eat an entire jar of them at dinner at my house, that would have BEEN dinner. 🙂
Allyson Dozier
June 10, 2010 at 7:26 pmLooks delish! I have to tell you a summer favorite of mine is Paul Deen’s Tomato Pie. I’ll have to email you the recipe or you can probably find it online. Have a ball in Italy!! I would kill for a weekend away with my hubby! Can’t wait for pics and stories from your trip.
cait
June 10, 2010 at 7:43 pmso yummy! can’t wait to make these! enjoy your trip….just at tad bit jealous… 🙂
Dana D@BoysMyJoys
June 10, 2010 at 8:28 pmYum! I make a sweet pickle recipe a lot like that, but use a salt/strainer method to keep from having to leave the pickles unopened in the refrigerator. It’s here: https://boysmyjoys.blogspot.com/2009/10/refrigerator-sweet-pickles-for-canning.html
Nothing says summer is here quite like the start of canning!
🙂 Hope you have a great trip!
Andrea
June 10, 2010 at 9:16 pmMy husband should be a pickle judge he’s so critical of every recipe….he’s especially fond of bread and butter pickles. After trying many kinds though, this has been proclaimed the best recipe ever. We kept it in the fridge last year, but this year I plan on canning. We only have 8 plants, but I still know we’re going to have TONS! https://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Microwave-Bread-and-Butter-Pickles/Detail.aspx
Can’t wait to try your dill recipe as well….I’ve been on the lookout for a good one!
And thank you so much for the stories of the rover. I sometimes feel like I’m the only one with an overcrazy loves life little rugrat, but everytime you post about the Rover, I finally feel someone understands! My mom is also staying with the kids while I go on a weeklong trip myself, and I’m in fear they’ll tie her up and live on cereal for the week. Hopefully they’ll all make it through safe, sound, and with our mothers out of the insane asylum by the end!
Anna
June 11, 2010 at 6:46 amHave never done anything like the pickles but REALLY wanna try it!!!!! Hubby and I are going away this weekend too, YEA. Good to know your kiddos are just as fickle as mine, drives me bonkers in the morning, especially when I haven’t had more than 1 cup of coffee yet, LOL
Cannot wait to hear all about and see all the pics from your trip, soooooooo awesome
Hannah
June 11, 2010 at 6:49 amHappy bday!!!
Whenever y’all get back & things return to normal, you should consider selling produce & honey at the Poplar Head Farmers Market on Saturday mornings…. You could also sell baked good & canned goods too….
Chrissy
June 11, 2010 at 7:35 amYou guys are amazing! I can’t imagine my hubby helping me in the kitchen … with anything … let alone pickles.
Okay, so your trip to Italy … DO NOT LEAVE WITHOUT EATING “Nutella Gelato”. It’s different than the regular hazelnut gelato. Not many gelato shops have NUTELLA Gelato and they will say they do and hand you a thing of hazelnut. The real deal … NUTELLA gelato … is white with this strip of almost fudge looking stuff through it, whereas the hazelnut stuff looks a bit like coffee ice cream. Trust me, nutella gelato is the most amazing thing you will ever eat. Okay, maybe not but it is the best ice cream/gelato you will ever eat. :o)
Ask around … I can’t remember where the shops were that carried them in Rome. One was near the American Embassy (I only remember that b/c we walked there after the event we attended). And the only reason we ended up there was b/c I was determined to eat it and my hubby’s friend, who worked in Rome, knew this one place carried it. It’s worth some extra effort to find the real deal. PROMISE! In the two years we lived in Europe, I pretty much always passed on gelato unless it was Nutella gelato (and when I found it, I ate enough to last a few months.) :o))
Enjoy your trip!
kelly
June 11, 2010 at 10:32 amthat’s how you do it!!!
I just planted my cucumbers. i’m book marking this page!
thanks!
http://www.kellyloves.wordpress.com
Jennifer
June 11, 2010 at 1:18 pmOh, have so much fun on your weekend away, and on your time in Italy; just enjoy every minute! I’ve only been away from Erick and the boys a few brief times, but it seems that we appreciate each other so much more once we are all together, even if we’ve only been apart for a day or two! I’m so excited for you!
Shannon
June 11, 2010 at 1:30 pmThanks for sharing this recipe– can’t wait to try it!! Have a great trip 🙂
Cami (Good Craft Day)
June 11, 2010 at 8:07 pmOh these look fabulous! Thank you so much for sharing! I have a whole case of glass Ball jars and now I know exactly what I will be doing with them. Have a wonderful trip and I look forward to your posts when you return. Your list about your kids made me laugh out loud. Loved it.
Paula
June 13, 2010 at 6:07 amIn a pinch, a hellman’s mayonaise jar lid will fit on a regular size canning jar (not the wide tops). It’s not as secure as the above, but again–in a pinch!
angela
June 13, 2010 at 6:10 am…..about now you are relaxing and sipping on something cool…..and I hope your time is WONDERFUL!
Emily Loerke
June 13, 2010 at 6:42 amhappy birthday twinners! you are kind of a big deal now that you’ve hit your dirty 30. know that sarah and i are celebrating your birth with lots of leg kicks and fist pumps! much love, em
Laura
June 13, 2010 at 2:08 pmI love pickles! This look super easy to make.
I’m hosting the 90 Days of Kindness Challenge. I’d love it if you took the challenge with me!
Laura @ along for the ride
Cortney
June 14, 2010 at 4:05 pmThanks for the recipe! I had a great time making these this weekend – gave me a good reason to waer my cute, new apron! Happy b-day!
I Can Can! « Minnesota Mom
June 22, 2010 at 5:32 pm[…] minnesotamom @ 4:31 pm I’ve long been afraid of the world of canning. But after I saw Darby’s recent pickle job, I decided I could do that. So I […]
Sickness & Linky Links
July 8, 2010 at 8:59 pm[…] been wanting to make these pickles since I saw the post a couple weeks back. Hoping to finally get to it next […]
Can this garden be saved? | Cupcakes and Commentary
July 14, 2010 at 2:41 pm[…] wishing right now I had decided to grow cucumbers this summer. My sister and her husband made these Refrigerator Pickles from Fly Through Our Window and they are SO […]
Kristi
August 11, 2010 at 11:23 amI just wanted to drop a note and let you know I made the pickles this past weekend and they are truly amazing! Thanks for sharing–it was a lot of fun to make and enjoy.
Home Preserving Tally 2011 -- What Have you Canned, Frozen, or Dehydrated this year? - Page 24 - WeUseCoupons.com
July 6, 2011 at 1:56 pm[…] whole house smells like a giant pickle–hahaha. Used the recipe down at the end of this blogpost: Getting Ready & Sweet Crunchy Dills | Fly Through Our Window – Fly Through Our Window I tasted the brine–it was so yum! Now to wait….I think I may try a bite later […]
Looking for Pickle Recipes - WeUseCoupons.com
July 14, 2011 at 12:56 pm[…] Getting Ready & Sweet Crunchy Dills | Fly Through Our Window – Fly Through Our Window i just made these the other day–we went thru 3 qt jars in 2 days! i love them! i'm ok w/ normal dill pickles, but they aren't something i feel i NEED to have. but these pickles i made–i may NEED to have one here in a min, cause now I'm thinking about them…. hahaa! […]
amber
January 21, 2012 at 9:56 pmLove this recipe! I’m new to your page and new to canning (I guess I can’t even officially call myself ‘new’ b/c I’ve not done it yet), but my heart has been there for quite a while. So, while back in the States (we live in China), I gathered all the different supplies that I thought I’d need for canning and brought them back w/ me. However, since being back and doing more research, I’ve found I don’t have everything I need. Oh well, such is life over here. My question is: How long are the pickles still good? and when you finish putting them in the jars, and sealing them after 24 hrs. do you just screw the lid on? no need for putting them into some pressure cooker thing?
I’d love to do these! Just thinking, I’d like to do a lot of them, then store them?. Italy!!! that is actually our next country to visit! Love everything I read and see about it! What an adventure!
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