Swiss Chews {Flourless Chocolate Crinkle Cookies}

Classic Chocolate Crinkle Cookies (or Swiss Chews as Mom always called them) are crispy on the outside, fudgy on the inside, and perfect for the holidays!

All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.

~ Charles Schultz

Crispy on the outside, fudgy on the inside, Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are amazingly simple to make, and taste absolutely decadent: (I also have it on good authority that they are one of Santa’s favorite treats!)

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Back when I was small, every year around the first of December my mom would get together with her friend Betty and bake. Betty would always come up with a few new cookie ideas for them to try, but no matter what else they baked, the holy trinity of Christmas cookies at our house was Joe Froggers (a spicy, rum-infused molasses cookie), Chocolate Thumbprints, and Swiss Chews, more commonly known as Chocolate Crinkle Cookies.

I always knew my mother’s chocolate crinkle cookies were better than anyone else’s, but for a long time, I didn’t know why. I guess I just supposed everyone thinks their mother’s cookies are the best.

It wasn’t until I started comparing chocolate crinkle cookies recipes that I figured out what made Mom’s cookies so unique. Unlike most recipes, Mom’s cookie recipe didn’t require any flour. It uses ground walnuts for structure instead – making these little sweethearts completely gluten-free. (You’re welcome, my gluten-free friends.)

Swiss Chews {Flourless Chocolate Crinkle Cookies} | The Good Hearted Woman

Chocolate Crinkle Cookie dough balls, rolled and ready for the oven

5 from 13 votes

Swiss Chews {Flourless Chocolate Crinkle Cookies}

Crispy on the outside, fudgy on the inside, and perfect for the holidays!

Course Cookies

Cuisine Yummy

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Refrigeration Time 2 hours

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 36

Calories 58 kcal

Author Renée ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder optional
1 tsp kosher salt
8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
3 eggs separated
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 - 3/4 cup powdered sugar for rolling prepared dough in

Instructions

Preheat oven to 340° F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or Silpat mat.

Cookie Dough Prep

In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks slightly. Set aside.
In a food processor, pulse walnuts until they resemble cracked wheat. [Be careful - if you let them go too long, you'll have walnut butter!] Measure walnuts after chopping. Set aside.
Melt chocolate in a glass bowl in the microwave for 40 seconds at a time, stirring after each cycle, until chocolate is completely melted. Allow to cool slightly.
Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites until they form stiff peaks. To the beaten egg whites, gradually add brown sugar mixture and then vanilla, beating until thick. Gently fold in walnuts and beaten egg yolks.
Fold the melted chocolate chocolate into the whipped egg-white mixture.
Refrigerate dough for at least 3 hours, or overnight. [DO NOT attempt to make cookies until the dough is cold!]

Forming Cookies

Form 1" balls of dough using a small cookie scoop or spoon. (About 2 teaspoons per cookie.) A small cookie scoop works perfect for this.
Pour 1/2-3/4 cup powdered sugar into a shallow bowl or plate. Rolls cookie dough balls in powdered sugar. Place cookie balls on prepared cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart. (You do not need to press the cookie balls down.)
Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. (If you make your cookies larger, you may need to bake them for an addition 2-3 minutes.) Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before moving to a cooling rack.

Recipe Notes

Walnuts should be chopped very fine, but not beyond recognition - about the same consistency as cracked wheat.

Swiss Chews are free of added fats. No oil. No butter. (Trust me on this: they don’t need it.) Which brings me to this little extra holiday bonus: these deliciously fudgy bites of heaven have only about 58 calories per cookie! Can you believe it‽ Now you have no excuse: go make a batch or three today!

Thank you so much for being a faithful reader and supporter of The Good Hearted Woman. ❤ Be sure to Pin and Print this recipe!

P.S. I’m sharing this recipe on the Weekend Potluck Recipe Linkup. Check it out for more great Christmas recipes!

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Colonial Cream of Peanut Soup {with 21 Topping Ideas}

November 21 By Renée ♥ 12 Comments

Cream of Peanut Soup, a mainstay at Colonial Williamsburg’s King’s Arms Tavern, is oddly scrumptious. We’ve updated the historical recipe with 21st Century tastes in mind, while retaining the rich, satisfying essence of original.

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The first time I ever tasted peanut soup was at the Kings Arms Tavern in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia. I was seventeen, traveling with my high school history class on our much-anticipated “East Coast American History Tour.” We had been studying, planning, and saving our pennies for three long years to travel from Oregon to the East Coast, and Williamsburg was one of our most anticipated stops.

Colonial Williamsburg, as you may know, is a full-scale working village that recreates the town of Williamsburg during the time period leading up to the American Revolution. The King’s Arms Tavern first opened there in 1772.

That me on the left with my lifelong friend Julie B, waiting in the Portland airport to take off on our East Coast adventure. From an era long before selfies, it is one of only two pictures I have of myself from the entire trip. The image on the right is a shot of Colonial Williamsburg.

As my classmates and I settled in for dinner, I vaguely remember an older lady in Colonial costuming reviewing our prix fixe menu with us, adding colorful little stories and historical context about each dish as she went. Reading ahead, I noted that one of our courses was to be “peanut soup.” I’d never heard of such a thing and was intrigued. Peanut soup? It sounded oddly scrumptious.

Peanuts, the Colonial lady continued, were thought to have been brought to America by Portuguese slave traders. Along with black-eyed peas and yams, peanuts were carried on slave ships to feed enslaved Africans during their passage to the New World. Peanut soup itself is most certainly an adaptation of the peanut soups brought from Africa.

Soon after our hostess completed her introduction of the menu, our peanut soup arrived, accompanied by a sweet potato roll. The soup was creamy and smooth as silk, and the sweet potato rolls were warm and crusty. The two created a perfect pairing, and were very satisfying all by themselves. I was full before the end of the soup course, and though I don’t remember the rest of the meal, I do remember buying a cookbook for my mom before we left the King’s Arms Tavern.

That trip was eons ago, and the cookbook is now mine. So it was to the Williamsburg Cookbook that I first referred when I set out to recreate the memory of that long-ago peanut soup. However, after making a test batch per the directions, I was a little disappointed in the outcome: it was simply too bland for my 21st century tastes, so I decided to make some adjustments.

The first thing I did was cut the recipe in half, for two reasons: first, the original recipe makes almost four quarts of peanut soup! Unless you have a very large family or are running a Colonial tavern, you do not need four quarts of peanut soup. Which leads me to the second reason I decreased the recipe: this is a Very Rich Cream Soup. You simply won’t need as much peanut soup as you might need, say a lighter, brothier soup like chicken noodle or beef barley.

Peanut soup is very much like a thin satay sauce, but less sweet. To the original list of ingredients, I added lemon juice for brightness, hot pepper for kick, brown sugar (because it is the secret to almost everything), and kosher salt because – Holy-Low-Sodium-Diet, Batman! – did this recipe ever need it!

5 from 7 votes

Colonial Cream of Peanut Soup

Inspired by the Peanut Soup at the King's Arms Tavern in Colonial Williamsburg.

Course Main dish or side

Keyword Peanut Soup

Servings 12

Author Renée ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely diced celery
2 tablespoons flour
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup smooth peanut butter (I use Skippy)
1 cup light cream or half-and-half
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 - 2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Finely chopped salted peanuts for garnish

Instructions

In a heavy saucepan or stockpot over medium heat, sauté onion and celery in butter until soft. (Do allow them to brown.)
Sprinkle flour over sautéed vegetables and stir to combine. Stir to saute for one minute.
Add chicken or vegetable stock to vegetables. Bring mixture to boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
Allow the vegetable mixture to cool to a temperature that is safe to work with before proceeding to the next step.
Option 1: Puree the cooled soup in the saucepan with a hand blender until smooth.
Option 2: Puree the cooled soup in a blender and return to saucepan.
Into the pureed soup in pan, add the peanut butter and half & half. Stir until peanut butter has completely dissolved into the soup.
Stir in lemon juice, kosher salt, hot pepper sauce, and brown sugar.
Return pan to heat only to warm to soup to serving temperature. (DO NOT BOIL!) Garnish as desired.

SERVING:

Peanut soup can be served hot or cold. (Mr B and I both prefer it warm.) Pair it with a green salad and you’ve got yourself a seriously satisfying meal.

Many people reserve peanut soup for the holidays, like stuffing or cranberry sauce. If it is your plan serve peanut soup as the first course of a larger meal, we suggest offering it in small bowls or demitasse cups, no more than 4-5 inches across. Serving small portions will make a satisfying transition to the main course without ruining your guests’ appetites.

Peanut soup can be served as is, but if you want to make things interesting, offer toppings in small cups or bowls and give your guests the opportunity to create their own flavor combinations. My favorite combo so far is bacon, pine nuts, pomegranate pips, and a dash of harissa.

Peanut Soup Toppings

NOTE: The word “topping” is actually a bit of a misnomer. While this is a very rich soup, it isn’t as thick as you might imagine, so heavier toppings tend to sink to the bottom of your bowl. (Don’t tell anyone, but I had to use a little blogger magic to keep those banana chips floating on the surface.) Anyway, that’s what spoons are for.

This list of topping ideas is intended to get you started, but there are dozens of other choices that would work just as well. Just look through your pantry and/or fridge and pick out something fun!

Choose topping/add-ins that give the soup crunch, and bite, and really enhance the flavor of the soup itself. Fresh, citrusy flavors and little crunchy bites work especially well.

apple slices
popcorn
Gold Fish Crackers
peanuts
bacon bits
tortilla cut-outs
parmesan crisps
green onions
banana slices
pomegranate pips
Orange slices
dill pickle
cilantro
granola
poached egg
honey
toast points
pepitos
red pepper flakes
harissa
whole grain croutons

Thank you so much for being a faithful reader and supporter of The Good Hearted Woman. ❤ Be sure to Pin and Print this recipe!

The Best Triple-layer Strawberry Cake {from Scratch}

September 10 By Renée ♥ 23 Comments

Perfect for any occasion, this Southern Triple-layer Strawberry Cake (made from scratch – no boxed cake mix!) is a moist, amazingly delicious cake with a fresh, bright strawberry buttercream frosting.

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For me, baking is often about memories. Sometimes I bake memories for people I love: pineapple-upside down cake when we go camping, peach cobbler in August, pumpkin pie for my mother’s birthday. Other times, baking is a path that takes me back in time.

Recently, Mr B and I traveled to Tennessee, where we had the honor of attending the Change of Command and Retirement Ceremony for one of his best friends from his Navy days. If you’ve never attended the retirement rites of a senior military officer, I highly recommend it. It may very well renew (or redeem) your faith in both our country and the people who protect it. (And if the flag passing ceremony of Olde Glory doesn’t move you to tears, I don’t know what will.)

After the formal ceremonies concluded, we were ushered into a reception room filled with sailors decked out in their full dress whites, along with families and friends. My eyes roamed from one small cluster to the next; to the smiling faces, the convivial conversations, the warm embraces.

In the middle of the reception room was a long refreshment table with two large, beautifully decorated cakes on either end. Centered between them sat a modest, unpretentious pale pink layer cake.

A memory flickered.

That pink cake. My mother always told me that Southerners love their cakes. I plated a small piece and took a bite.

In an instant, I was four…maybe five, sitting on my stool at my Pop’s yellow chrome and formica kitchen table. I don’t know the occasion, but I remember that cake. Smooth, sweet, pink, and perfectly strawberry.

It tasted like summer.

Standing in that reception room in Tennessee, I had not tasted strawberry cake in fifty years, but as that single bite melted on my tongue, it was yesterday.

When Mr B and I returned home to Oregon, I set about baking myself a memory.

Perfecting a recipe for a Strawberry Cake from scratch wasn’t easy. Nearly every recipe source I could find required a boxed cake mix, and I was intent on baking a cake *from scratch.*

In my quest, I consulted at least fifteen different recipes, cookbooks, and bakers’ websites before I finally felt confident about my game plan. However, once I got the ratios for everything right (the sugar levels were especially tricky) and recognized that those whipped egg whites make all the difference, it all fell into place.

I couldn’t be happier with the outcome!

This Strawberry Cake is far and away easier to make than you might imagine; and in my opinion, working with the triple layers is easier than two thicker layers. My recipe for Strawberry Cake from scratch results in a moist, amazingly delicious cake with a fresh strawberry buttercream frosting. You are going to love it!!!

Frosting Philosophy

There are two basic schools of thought about frosting: (1) the cake is a necessary conveyance for getting as much frosting as possible into your mouth; and (2) the cake is the star, and frosting is, well… frosting. It is for sealing the cake and adding additional texture and sweetness, but don’t go all crazy and let it overpower the cake.

I belong to the second, “less-is-more” group. You may notice that, in the images here, there is only enough frosting between the layers to hold them together, and that the outer frosting isn’t spread on very heavily. For my tastes, this amount of frosting provides the perfect balance for this cake.

If, however, you lean toward the first, “the-more-frosting-the-better” group, be assured that you will not run short of strawberry frosting with this recipe. I had well over a cup leftover when this cake was done. (Hello, late-night frosting-n-graham-crackers!)

5 from 9 votes

Triple-layer Strawberry Cake with Fresh Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Strawberry Cake

Servings 12 servings

Author Renée ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

Strawberry Puree

8 ounces fresh hulled strawberries
2 tablespoons white sugar

Strawberry Cake

4 egg whites room temperature
2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour VERY Important: Sift, THEN measure.
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
1 3/8 cups white sugar
1 3-ounce pkg Strawberry flavored Jell-O®
1 teaspoon salt
3 egg yolks
1 cup milk 2% or whole
1/2 cup fresh strawberry puree
1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Strawberry Frosting

6 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter room temperature
1/3 cup strawberry puree
1 tablespoon strawberry jam or 1/2 tsp. strawberry extract
1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Make Strawberry Puree

Combine fresh strawberries and two tablespoons of sugar in a blender. Pulse until strawberries are reduced to a pulp. DO NOT blend until smooth. (You will use 1/2 cup of the puree for the cake. Reserve the remaining puree to use in the frosting.) Set aside and allow to macerate further while you perform next few steps.

Make the Cake Layers

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour three 9-inch round cake pans.
Whip eggs whites until they form medium peaks. Set aside.
Combine sifted flour and baking powder. Set aside.
Whisk together milk, strawberry puree, lemon zest, and vanilla. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter, sugar, dry strawberry Jell-O®, and salt. Beat in eggs yolks one at a time.
Stir flour mixture into batter alternately with strawberry-milk mixture.
Gently fold in whipped egg whites.
Pour batter evenly into the three prepared cake pans. Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick or skewer comes out clean.
Allow cakes to cool in their pans over wire rack for at least 10 minutes. Carefully tap out onto wire rack to cool completely.

Make Strawberry Frosting

Using an electric mixer, beat butter on medium-high until light and fluffy.
With mixer on low, add powdered sugar to the whipped butter alternately with 1/3 cup pureed strawberries. Combine thoroughly into a soft, creamy mixture that will hold its shape. Cool in the refrigerator for 10 minutes, or until it has firmed up slightly.

Assemble the Cake

Spread the top of the bottom layer of cake with frosting. Add the middle layer and refrigerate again until the frosting has firmed up a bit. Add the top layer and frost sides and top of cake.
Decorate with fresh strawberries if desired.

Recipe Notes

VERY IMPORTANT: Sift the flour, and THEN measure it! (If you're wondering why, try measuring it first, sifting it, and then measuring again.)

Cake freezes well.

If you are spreading the frosting on thick, you may want to refrigerate the cake after you apply the frosting between each layer until the frosting has firmed just a bit; about 10-15 minutes for each layer. (If you are frosting it thin, you probably won't need to do this.)

The BEST Strawberry Cake Ever (from scratch - no boxed mix!) with Fresh Strawberry Buttercream Frosting 🍓 You are going to love it! #strawberries #cakes #baking Click To Tweet

Cakes are Persnickety, and Ingredients Matter

Flour: It’s important to use cake flour for this cake. Cake flour is a finely milled, delicate flour that results in a fine crumb and a good rise. The primary difference between cake flour and all-purpose flour [AP] is that cake flour has slightly less protein, which translates to less gluten in your cake, which means you will have a more tender cake. My personal cake flour preference is Bob’s Red Mill Super Fine Cake Flour. And I cannot stress this enough: when it comes to flour in baking, sift THEN measure.

Jell-O®: Y’all know that I try to avoid the boxes, but this recipe just doesn’t fly without Jell-O®. If possible, avoid using off-brand gelatin: the strawberry flavor in them usually tastes like cheap kids’ candy.

Strawberries: Fresh and frozen will both work.

Egg White Whipping Stages

Soft peaks barely hold their shape, and flop over as soon as the beaters are lifted.
Medium peaks can hold their shape, but the peak curls over when the beaters are lifted.
Stiff peaks stand straight up when the beaters are lifted.

Bake your life easier: Line your cake pans with parchment paper!

**Thank you so much for being a faithful reader and supporter of The Good Hearted Woman. ❤ Be sure to** Pin and print this recipe!

P.S. Did I mention how much I LOVE LOVE LOVE my new cake pans!?! I finally took the plunge and bought three – count ’em: 3 – matching 9″ cake pans. As in, they are all the same size, shape, and weight! As in, I can put them all in the oven at the same time and take them out at the same time because they all bake evenly!! Aaahh! I was so excited to get them that I completely cleaned out my baking shelf so that they would have a cozy new place to hang out when they aren’t in use. (For those of you who regularly bake a lot of cakes, this might sound ridiculous, but this is the first time in my life that I’ve ever had more than two cake pans that match exactly, and I am going to celebrate it! Whoohoo!) If you are thinking of buying a new set of cake pans, check these out; they are the ones I have now.

How to Pick a Perfect Watermelon {+ 101 Amazing Watermelon Ideas}

July 31 By Renée ♥ 10 Comments

Knowing how to pick a perfect watermelon isn’t a magic trick. Just remember: Girls are sweeter, size matters, and your Mama was probably right.

The picture above is one of my all time favorites. It was taken on a sweltering July night in the summer of 1995, in my Uncle Russel’s backyard in Maryville, Missouri. The little girl on the left looking straight into the camera grew up to be a dedicated, compassionate teacher, and her sister is now a talented photographer with a gift for capturing light. This image recalls one of my fondest memories from their childhood, and the second best watermelon I’ve ever eaten in my life.

For the record, the best watermelon I’ve ever eaten was on the shores of Spirit Lake in the shadow of Mount St. Helens, a few years before she blew her top. It was the first of my “coming-of-age” summers, and I still remember the boy I was sitting with. (His name was Shawn, and he was beautiful.)

Coincidentally, the third best watermelon I’ve ever eaten was, like the second, grown and eaten in Missouri… and even as I type that, it occurs to me that my summer memories are as entwined with the feels and flavors of ripe watermelon as a field of vines in the late summer sun.

How to Pick a Perfect Watermelon

Hey, remember that summer we had that mealy, grainy, flavorless watermelon? How ’bout we go find one just like it and relive the moment!
~ No One Ever

If you’re like me, eating watermelon isn’t always just about eating watermelon. Sometimes, one cool, juicy bite can take you back to times and places and loved ones long gone, and bring them into clear focus for a sweet moment. No one wants to a mealy, grainy, flavorless melon – it cheats you out of both the moment and the memory.

Here are a few easy tips to help you pick a perfect watermelon:

Check the “Field Spot.”

The yellow spot, known as the field spot, is the place where the watermelon rested on the ground as it was growing. The yellower the spot, the riper the melon. A ripe watermelon will have a creamy yellow or orange-yellow spot. If the field spot is white or very pale yellow, choose another melon.

Look for “Webbing.”

When you see weblike brown spots on the watermelon, it means that bees touched the pollinating parts of the flower many times. The more pollination, the sweeter the fruit.

Avoid bumps & blemishes.

Other than webbing, note any lumps, dents, soft spots, or other irregularities. If the melon you’re considering is covered with blemishes or bumps, choose another.

Girls are sweeter.

Did you know that there are male and female watermelons? Male watermelons are more elongated, usually bigger, and can have a flat, watery flavor. Female watermelons are usually rounder and sweeter.

Size matters.

Don’t go for the biggest or smallest melon in a group: try to choose an average sized melon that feels heavy for its size. A ripe watermelon will feel heavier than one that is less ripe. (I use this trick for choosing oranges, too.)

Check the tail.

If your melon still has its tail, check to be sure it has dried up. If it’s still green, it means the watermelon was picked too early. Similarly, the surface of the melon will turn from shiny to dull when the melon is ripe.

Thump it!

Your Mama knew what she was doing! Go ahead and give it a good knuckle-thump, and then take note of how it sounds. You want to hear a deep, hollow sound. If the sound is dull, the fruit likely isn’t quite ripe.

Now that you’ve picked out your perfect watermelon, here are 101 things you can do with it!

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Roasted Ratatouille {with Pan-fried Onions}

May 31 By Renée ♥ 12 Comments

Fragrant layers of bright zucchini, tender Japanese eggplant, and juicy romas – all roasted to perfection in a nest of herby, garlicky tomatoes and pan-fried onions.

No one makes ratatouille like I do. In fact, it seems like E-V-E-R-Y-O-N-E puts their own flare on this simple summer vegetable medley. My personal spin? Pan-fried onions for extra sweetness and depth of flavor. SO GOOD!

Originally from the South of France, ratatouille is an amazingly versatile dish, both for the cook and as a meal. Traditionally made with a base of tomatoes, zucchini, onions, eggplant, garlic, and herbs, home chefs around the world add everything from potatoes to porcinis to the mix. Some cook it in a pot on the stove, others roast it in the oven. You can even make it in a slow cooker, or an Instant Pot! The whole idea is, once you have the basic recipe down, feel free to make it your own.

And here’s a little secret… (shhhhh….)

When it comes to making ratatouille, it really doesn’t matter how you put it together.

It’s true! Whether you choose to “fussy up” and camera-ready your ratatouille, or just throw everything in the dish and let the chips fall where they may, the fragrant flavors of all those fresh summer veggies and herbs will magically combine to create something your tastebuds will love.

Ratatouille can be enjoyed hot, cold, or somewhere in between. Serving suggestions are just as flexible, too: as is, over rice, on toast, in pasta, on a sandwich, and with eggs are just a few ideas. (One of our favorite breakfasts is leftover ratatouille with poached eggs.) Enjoy!

5 from 5 votes

Ratatouille with Pan-Fried Onions

Course Main Course

Cuisine Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Servings 4

Author Renée B. ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

1 large sweet or red onion sliced 3/8" thick
4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil divided
14 ounces crushed or diced tomatoes (1 can, drained)
1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
2 cloves minced garlic about 1 1/2 teaspoons
1 Tablespoon fresh basil chiffonade
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary or a small spring fresh, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1 lb medium zucchini sliced 1/4" thick
1-2 Japanese eggplant sliced 1/4" thick
3 fresh Roma tomatoes sliced 1/4" thick

Garnish:

Fresh basil
Finely grated Parmesan or Romano cheese optional

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a deep-dish pie plate with cooking spray. Set aside.
Heat a cast iron or heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 teaspoons of olive oil and swirl to coat skillet. When a water droplet sizzles on the surface, carefully place whole onion slices on the skillet. Allow onion slices to brown and crisp on one side for a few minutes, and then carefully turn them over using a spatula and brown the other side. Allow onion slices to cool, and then separate onion rings from one another and set aside.
In a small bowl, combine dried oregano, thyme, rosemary, salt, pepper, and chili powder.
In a medium bowl, combine crushed or diced tomatoes, remaining olive oil (2 teaspoons), vinegar, garlic, fresh basil, and all but 1 teaspoon of the herb mixture.
Pour tomato mixture evenly into the bottom of a deep dish pie plate. (I use my cast iron pie dish.)
Arrange sliced veggies around the edge of the plate in a pattern that makes you happy. (I did tomato-zucchini-eggplant-zucchini-eggplant-repeat.)
Put the pan-fried onion mixture in the middle of the veggie-ring. Arrange more veggies in the middle, until you are either out of veggies or space, whichever comes first.
OPTIONAL: At this point, you can spray the whole thing with a little cooking spray or brush it with just a bit of olive oil to encourage browning if you would like. Doing so also seems to make the whole thing look better after it is done roasting.
Sprinkle remaining dried herb mixture over the top of the prepared ratatouille.
Bake in preheated oven for an hour, or until the sauce is bubbly and the veggies are tender (but not mushy!!)
Garnish with fresh basil and freshly grated Parmesan or Romano.

Recipe Notes

Weight Watchers: 1 serving (1/4 recipe) = 1 SmartPoint [2018]

Alternate (aka "non-fussy") Prep: Put the crushed tomato mixture in your baking dish. Top with pan-fried onions. Throw the veggies on top. Bake as directed.

Recipe Notes:

This dish is best when made with the freshest veggies possible.
Be sure to slice your vegetables uniformly to all be approximately the same size and thickness so that everything cooks evenly.
Japanese Eggplant is more tender than Italian eggplant, and works better for this dish. However, if you cannot find it, you can definitely use Italian eggplant as a substitute. The important thing is to cut it in approximately the same size as the other veggies you will be using so everything cooks evenly.
Ratatouille and similar foods (i.e., spaghetti sauce, lasagna, and eggplant parm) usually taste better “the next day,” after flavors have had a chance to marry and mellow. I’m sure that there is a scientific explanation for this phenomena, but whatever the reason, keep this in mind if you plan to serve this dish to company. I often make meals like this a day ahead of time, refrigerate overnight and reheat to serve.

Armenian Lentil Stew {with Eggplant & Golden Raisins}

April 16 By Renée ♥ 19 Comments

Armenian Lentil Stew is a thick, rich medley of eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, onions, golden raisins, and lentils, all flavored with a savory-sweet blend of traditional herbs and spices. Naturally vegan and gluten-free, it is wonderful alone, or served over a bowl of rice or bulgar.

Ten years ago, my daughter married a young Armenian named Vahe. When I first met Vahe, I could barely locate Armenia on a map; moreover, I knew virtually nothing about its rich culture and even less about the tumultuous history of its proud and faithful people. All I knew was this earnest, poetic young man loved my daughter, which is all I really needed to know back then.

And I knew he could cook, because whenever he visited us, that is what he did – COOK! Using nearly every pan in my kitchen, he would make us a bountiful feast of Armenian-inspired fare. Everything from delicious garlicky green beans with eggs to delectable eggplant rolls stuffed with carrots and raisins to amazing fire-roasted shish kabobs. (Like many Armenians, Vahe is a master of fire and skewer.)

Over the last decade, I’ve learn a lot. I’ve developed a great appreciation and genuine respect for my son-in-law and the hard-fought struggle he has endured to become an American citizen. I’ve gained four amazing Armenian-American grandchildren and a wonderful extended family. I’ve read a number of books and countless articles on Armenian history (of which I was taught virtually nothing about in school) and learned a great deal about traditional Armenian cooking as well.

Did you know that Armenia is one of the oldest countries in the world? With a recorded history of about 3500 years, the small, landlocked country has a cuisine as old as the nation itself, where it occupies a unique place in Asiatic cuisine. Relying on a rich medley of diverse tastes and fragrances, Armenian cooking often employs savory flavors like lemon, garlic, onion, paprika, and sumac, and warm spices like cinnamon, vanilla, and cloves.

I’ve known for some time that I wanted to celebrate this milestone in our family’s history here on GHW with a traditional Armenian recipe, so when I saw “Armenian Lentil Stew” on a restaurant menu awhile back, I knew that I had to give it a go. In the end, I don’t know how “traditional” this recipe is; in fact, my culinary instincts are telling me that, even with my exhaustive research, it may be a bit Americanize. All I know is, it’s delicious.

When it comes to ethnic recipes, I’m usually a stickler for authenticity, but under the circumstances, I think it’s perfect. My son-in-law – who coaches his daughters’ soccer team and reads Kant (in Russian) to his three-year old son, who would move heaven and earth for my daughter, and who stood almost five years ago in a courthouse and pledged his allegiance to the United States of America… well, he’s a little Americanize now, too.

Happy Anniversary, kids. May you have many more to come. 💚

5 from 8 votes

Armenian Lentil Stew

Course Main Dish, Soup

Cuisine Armenian

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Servings 8

Author Renée B. ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

Stew

1 cup dried red or brown lentils or combination
5 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1/2 cup golden raisins chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 large onion diced
1 pound eggplant peeled and diced 1/4-3/8"
1 28-oz can diced tomatoes undrained
1 bell pepper red, green or yellow, diced
3 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons hot paprika or regular paprika
1-2 teaspoons kosher salt or to taste
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 heaping teaspoon crushed dried mint leaves
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

Garnish (Optional)

fresh mint or cilantro chopped
sour cream or plain Greek yogurt

Instructions

Rinse lentils and place in large sauce pan. Add broth and chopped apricots and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.
Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or other heavy pan over medium heat until it begins to glisten, and then add chopped onions. Saute onions 5-7 minutes, until translucent.
Add eggplant, tomatoes, bell pepper, and garlic to onions. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add lentil mixture and remaining Stew ingredients to vegetable mixture. Simmer until lentils are tender; about 30 minutes. Adjust seasonings to taste.
Garnish with fresh mint or cilantro and a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt. Serve as is, or over cooked bulgar or basmati rice.

Recipe Notes

WW Smartpoints [2018] - 16 Smartpoints total for one whole batch, or 2 Smartpoints per serving
If stew becomes too thick while cooking, just add some additional broth or water.
Like most stews, this is always better the next day when the flavors have had a chance to play together.

I used a number of recipes for inspiration and guidance in the development of this Armenian Lentil Stew recipe; most notably, Armenian Lentil Soup with Eggplant and Apricots [Peanut Butter Runner], and Armenian Lentil Soup [Epicurious].

Do you love beautiful pottery? The stunning bowl in the back left of many of these stew images is from Muddy Pants Pottery. Check them out!

Spicy Polenta Pizza Crust {Gluten-Free}

February 20 By Renée ♥ 14 Comments

Not just another “gluten-free option,” this Spicy Polenta Pizza Crust is full of flavor, easy-to-make, and holds up under a load of pizza toppings!

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

For the past few weeks, I have been kicking around the idea of making a polenta-based pizza. I have all kinds of ideas about what to put on top of the corn-base crust (I’ll be sharing one of my favorites next week!) but first I had to come up with a tasty, dependable, easy-to-make crust. A pizza crust that isn’t just a “gluten-free alternative” (and to be clear, I’m not GF). I wanted a crust that could stand up flavor-wise to traditional crust, and hold up to a pile of toppings without crumbling. I’m super happy with how it turned out on all counts.

(Technical Point: Before any “Polenta Purists” start calling me out, let me clarify: I know this crust isn’t technically “polenta.” It’s actually more of a Polenta-Meets-a-Giant-Johnny-Cake, but that is simply too long to put in a recipe title, so let’s just go with “polenta” and call it good, ok?)

As you can see by the pictures, I made this pizza crust in a cast iron griddle, which I believe is the best tool for the job. Cast iron is basically nonstick – as long as you keep it well-seasoned, which is a non-issue if you cook with it regularly. Plus, you can avoid all those all those mysterious lab-created non-stick chemicals that can become toxic and break down at high temperatures. Cast iron is generally relatively inexpensive, by cookware standards. Moreover, cast iron will last you a lifetime: I’ve even heard of people handing their down to children or grandchildren at the end of life.

If cast iron is something you’re thinking about investing in, I suggest starting with a 10-inch chef’s skillet and following it up with a 10-inch round griddle. These are the two cast iron items I use most often, followed closely by my beautiful cast iron pie plate!

One final word about cast iron. If you find a cheap second-hand pan that looks rusted and lost, grab it, hold it close, and run home fast! With a little elbow grease and some patience, you will have beautiful, shiny new pan in no time. (Here’s a great tutorial on “Reviving Old Cast Iron.“)

This Shrimp & Grits Pizza {with Gluten-free Polenta Crust} honors the flavors and essence of its classic Southern roots, while presenting the components of this time-honored favorite in a deliciously unique way. | The Good Hearted Woman

Sneak peek! Look what’s up next week!

TIP: This recipe makes exactly enough pizza crust “batter” to make one 10-inch pizza. If your skillet is larger or smaller, adjust amounts accordingly.

5 from 6 votes

Spicy Polenta Pizza Crust

Not just another "gluten-free option," this Spicy Polenta Pizza Crust is full of flavor, easy-to-make, and holds up to a load of pizza toppings!

Course Main Dish

Cuisine Gluten-free

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Author Renée B. ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

1 cup medium-grind cornmeal I use Bob's Red Mill Medium Grind Organic Cornmeal
½ cup flour I use Bob's Red Mill GF Flour
2-3 teaspoons Spicy Skillet Dry Rub RECIPE Below (or use your own spice blend)
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
1 egg lightly beaten
1 tablespoon olive oil or a little more
1 cups shredded cheese Your choice!

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F.
In a large bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, salt, baking powder, and Spicy Skillet Dry Rub.
In a medium saucepan, heat milk and butter over medium heat until tiny bubbles begin to appear around the edge of the pan. Remove from stove and stir until butter is completely melted.
Add the hot milk mixture to the dry ingredients and stir to blend. Whisk in the beaten egg and thoroughly combine. Let set briefly while you prepare skillet.
Heat a 10-inch cast iron skillet or round griddle over medium heat until a drop of water sizzles on the surface. Add a tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet and swirl oil to thoroughly cover pan. Give the cornmeal mixture one more good whisking, then carefully pour prepared cornmeal batter into hot griddle and spread evenly with spatula.
Remove prepared crust from oven, and switch oven to broil.
Optional: If you wish, you can flip the crust over at this time. I do this because I like the browned part facing up, plus it gives the other side a chance to brown a bit too.
Sprinkle prepared pizza crust evenly with a generous cup of shredded cheddar cheese, then place under broiler for 1-2 minutes to melt the cheese.
Remove from oven and distribute toppings of your choice over pizza. Return to broiler just long enough to warm toppings and melt any topping cheese; about 2-3 minutes.

Recipe Notes

This recipe makes one 10-inch pizza. If your skillet is larger or smaller, adjust amounts accordingly. This is meant to be a basic crust recipe. If you want to change things up to go with your pizza toppings, go for it! Simply substitute in your favorite spice blend for the Spicy Skillet Dry Rub, and you're good to go!

Step 6: Bake in preheated oven for 8-9 minutes, or until the top is set and the bottom is beginning to brown.

Step 8: (Totally optional) If you wish, you can carefully flip the crust over at this time. I do this because I like the browned part facing up, plus it gives the other side a chance to brown a bit too.

Tip: You can find the ground pasilla pepper and ground New Mexico chili pepper used in the following dry rub in the Mexican/Hispanic foods aisle of most grocery stores (in my area, Winco, Freddy’s, and Safeway all stock them) or in your local Hispanic Mercado (i.e., Su Casa Imports, El Mercado, etc). I found the ground chipotle pepper in the bulk section at Winco. All of the dried ground peppers are very inexpensive and the recipe makes a lot of dry rub, so it will go a long way.

Spicy Skillet Dry Rub

Course Condiment

Prep Time 5 minutes

Total Time 5 minutes

Author Skillet, Seattle, WA [IFBC 2015]

Ingredients

5 tablespoons smoked paprika
1 tablespoons garlic salt
2 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
1 tablespoons ground pasilla pepper
2 teaspoons ground chipotle pepper
1 tablespoons ground New Mexico chili pepper
1/2 tablespoon ground mustard powder
5 teaspoons white granulated sugar
2 tablespoons kosher salt

Instructions

Mix all ingredients. Store in an air-tight container.

Recipe Notes

Ingredient Substitution: If you don't have all the dried peppers on hand, just substitute 3 tablespoons of regular chili powder for the ground pasilla, chipotle, and New Mexico chili peppers.

♥︎ Did you love this Cast Iron Spicy Polenta Pizza Crust recipe? If so, I would appreciate it so much if you would give it a star review in the comment section below! Also, be sure to snap a picture of your finished pizza and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #thegoodheartedwoman.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a small commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running, and at the same time allow us to keep traditional advertising to a minimum. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

Gochujang Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Cilantro & Peanuts

January 25 By Renée ♥ 21 Comments

Crispy, tender, spicy, sweet, and addictive are just a few of the adjectives that describe these amazing Gochujang Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Cilantro & Peanuts.

Last May, Mr B and I had tickets to see Marc Cohn at the Aladdin Theater in Portland, so we decided to make a night of it. We started out with a light meal at Southpark Seafood (our current Portland happy hour spot!) before the concert. With a relaxed-chic vibe, this northwest Portland eatery features sustainable seafood and farm-fresh ingredients, and while their happy hour drink menu is just average ($6 house wines and sangria, $5 local brews), Southpark Happy Hour Eats are outstanding in every way.

For our meal, Mr B ordered six Oysters on the Half Shell [$6/3] for himself (I don’t do raw oysters) while I opted for the Spicy Shrimp & Grits [$10]. We also shared a Caesar salad [$6] and an order of their signature Gochujang Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Cilantro & Peanuts [$7], and finished with a board of their amazing Maple Cream Puffs (with maple pastry cream, maple frosting, AND candied pecans) [$5]. The entire four-course meal for two was less than $40… in Portland!!! (Excluding beverages and tip, of course). AND, everything was delicious!

We especially enjoyed the Gochujang Roasted Brussels Sprouts – they were literally the best Brussels sprouts I’ve ever eaten! Crispy, tender, spicy, sweet, and addictive are just a few of the adjectives to describe these amazing oven-roasted sprouts.

I immediately put it on my list of recipes to figure out and blog about (as in, I opened Evernote right there at the restaurant and typed myself a quick reminder). I’ve heard that Southpark will just give you the recipe if you ask, but I was interested in learning more about its mysterious new-to-me ingredient, Gochujang paste, so I decided to take it as a challenge.

Gochujang Paste, or Korean Red Chili Paste, I’ve since learned, is a savory, sweet, spicy fermented condiment made from chili powder, glutinous rice, fermented soy bean powder, and salt. It gets its sweetness from the glutinous rice and has about the same consistency as a thick hoisin sauce or tomato paste, but is much stickier. You can find Gochujang paste at almost any Asian market. If you’re at all worried that the Gochujang paste will make the sprouts too spicy, don’t be. The end result is a savory, sweet, almost mapley Brussels sprout with a subtle but respectable hint of heat.

5 from 6 votes

Gochujang Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Cilantro & Peanuts

Course Side Dish

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Author Renée B. ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

1 1/2 lb Brussels sprouts
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons seasoned rice wine vinegar
3 tablespoons honey
2 1/2 tablespoons Gochujang paste
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup Chopped cilantro plus extra for garnish
1/4 cup chopped unsalted roasted peanuts plus extra whole peanuts for garnish

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425°. Line a heavy sheet pan with a Silpat mat (or with aluminum foil sprayed with cooking spray) and set aside.
With a paring knife, remove the base off of each Brussels sprout and cut down the middle from stem end to flower.
In a medium bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, honey and Gochujang paste. Add in Brussels sprouts and toss to coat.
Spread prepared Brussels sprouts evenly on prepared sheet pan. Season liberally with salt and pepper.
Roast Brussels sprouts in preheated oven 25-30 minutes (depending on how large your sprouts are), or until the sprouts are dark golden. (See note.)
Remove from oven. Sprinkle peanuts and cilantro evenly over roasted sprouts and then transfer everything to serving dish. Garnish with additional chopped cilantro and peanuts. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Recipe Notes

When spreading Brussels sprouts on the pan to put in the oven, I like to start them all with their cut side down, flipping them with a spatula halfway thru the cooking process.

The sauce in the recipe here (olive oil, vinegar, honey, and paste) has a multitude of uses beyond Brussels sprouts, from chicken marinade to kale chip dressing. In any event, I’m not sure how close this is to the Southpark Seafood recipe, but it sure tastes spot-on. I hope you enjoy these Gochujang Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Cilantro & Peanuts as much as we do!

Additional recipe credit: While the inspiration for this post came from Southpark Seafood, the actual recipe shared here is an adaptation of this recipe by The Garlic Pad.

Garden Fresh Gazpacho

September 11 By Renée ♥ 31 Comments

Classic Spanish Gazpacho is the perfect summer soup – chilled, savory, and full of rich, robust, garden-fresh goodness.

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

I remember the first time I ever ate gazpacho: I have to admit, I was dubious. Cold tomato soup? Really? I was twenty and I’d never eaten cold soup of any kind before. I wasn’t sure that I wanted to either, but I was at a luncheon hosted by a friend’s mom, and you remember what your mama always told you when you went to eat at other peoples’ houses, right? Anyway, when I tasted it, I found it to be surprisingly rich and savory, with slightly sweet overtones and more body than I expected from a purely vegetable-based soup.

Since then, I’ve worked to perfect my own gazpacho recipe, one little batch at a time. At this point, I think it’s pretty darn awesome.

Garden Fresh Gazpacho Recipe | The Good Hearted Woman

Gazpacho Starter Kit 😉 For reference, the big tomato on the right side (at 3 ‘o clock) is about five inches across.

As far as I’m concerned, there is only one good time of year (in the Northern Hemisphere) to make traditional tomato-based gazpacho: in the waning months of summer and through September, when the gardens and farmers markets are overflowing with warm, fat, vine-ripened tomatoes and shiny sweet peppers.

The picture above shows a single day’s harvest from our garden last week. Thanks almost entirely to Mr B’s dedicated gardening skills, we are flush with a wide variety of tomatoes, cukes, and peppers! In an effort to use everything at its peak of freshness, I decided to make a big batch of gazpacho to get us through a busy week. (Gazpacho will keep about a week in the fridge.)

Garden Tip: We plant marigolds in our garden as part of our organic pest control plan. You probably already know that they repel a number of creepy-crawlies, but did you know that they are edible? Marigolds have a slight citrus flavor, and can range from spicy to bitter, tangy to peppery, making them great for salads or as a pretty garnish on any savory dish.

Garden Fresh Gazpacho

Course Soup

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 2 hours

Total Time 3 hours

Servings 12 Servings (1 cup each)

Calories 120 kcal

Author Renée B. ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

Tomato Mix 1

4 lbs. vine-ripened tomatoes peeled & diced 1/4"
1 lb. cucumbers peeled, seeded & diced 1/4"
1/2 lb red orange, yellow or green bell peppers, seeded & diced
1-2 jalapeno peppers seeded and diced 1/8"
1/2 lb. onion diced 1/4"
15-20 large fresh basil leaves, chiffonade
4 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1-3 teaspoons Sriracha or other hot sauce
1 teaspoon chili powder optional **
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Tomato Mix 2

1 lb tomatoes roughly chopped (or cherry tomatoes)
1/3 cup olive oil
1 lime - juice & zest
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine Tomato Mix 1 ingredients: diced tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, jalapeno, onion, basil, garlic, salt, cumin, oregano, Sriracha, and pepper. Toss thoroughly to combine.
In a blender jar, combine Tomato Mix 2 ingredients: Rough chopped tomatoes, olive oil, lime juice, lime zest, balsamic, and Worcestershire sauce. Puree mixture until smooth.
Pour Mix 2 into bowl with Mix 1 and stir to combine.
Using a hand-blender, puree the two mixtures together until it reaches the desired consistency. If you like your gazpacho very chunky, you don't need to do this step. (See Blender Note below)
Refrigerate 2 hours or overnight to allow flavors to blend.
Garnish with additional diced veggies, avocado, and/or sour cream. Serve cold.

Recipe Notes

This recipes lends itself easily to halving or doubling.

Serve with hearty, rustic bread on the side.

** In my most recent batch of gazpacho, I subbed in a teaspoon of my Spicy Rockfish Dry Rub for the chili powder. Totally awesome – I highly recommend it!!

Blender Note: Some people like their gazpacho very chunky, while others prefer it completely pureed: the choice is yours. If you don’t have a hand-blender, you can definitely do the last step in your regular blender jar: just puree about half the total mixture in the blender and then remix everything together. That said, I prefer the hand-blender method because I think it allows for better control of the final product.

Final Thoughts: Like biting into the perfect BLT, for most of us there is only a narrow window of opportunity each year to enjoy truly great gazpacho. Certainly you can make it year round, but don’t try making gazpacho in February with my recipe. (How often do you read about bloggers expressly advising you not to use their recipe?) If you want great garden-fresh gazpacho, and you have a bunch of ripe, sweet tomatoes, then this is your gazpacho recipe. However, if all you have are those hard little red balls they sell in the grocery stores in the winter months, then look for a recipe that uses canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, or tomato juice. Hot house tomatoes and the like simply do not have the depth of flavor or sugar content to make it worthwhile. (Nor do they taste like actual tomatoes.)

Some things are worth the wait.

^{Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they will help us keep this site up and running – and (relatively) ad-free!! Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!}

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27 Quick Pickle Recipes for Your Garden Bounty

September 1 By Renée ♥ 26 Comments

Quick pickles are delicious, small-batch friendly, and super easy to make. Plus, they require no special equipment and are usually ready to eat within a day or two of preparation.

Quick Refrigerator Pickle Recipes | The Good Hearted Woman

In my fridge: Mexican Carrots, Pickled Red Onions, Swedish Cucumbers, and Cucumber Salad

Our garden is bursting at the seams right now, and we are hustling to preserve all that fresh garden bounty, and one of our favorite ways to do that is pickling. (Yeah, I know, Portland. We can pickle that.) Our fridge is crammed with tart, tangy quick pickles that will last us through the next couple of months until our traditionally canned,”real” pickles have had time to percolate in their jars out on the pantry shelves.

Quick pickles, also known as refrigerator pickles, are simply vegetables that are pickled in a vinegar, water, and salt solution and stored in the refrigerator. (Depending on the recipe, the solution may also include sugar and other spices.) Quick pickles are usually ready in just a day or two, as opposed to traditional pickles, which can take many weeks before they are ready to open.

Cucumber Quick Pickles

Clockwise from top left: Lower Sugar Bread & Butter Refrigerator Pickles, Easy Sweet & Spicy Bread & Butter Pickles, Homemade Dill Chips, Homemade Cinnamon Spice Pickles

Easy Sweet and Spicy Bread and Butter Pickles {Pinch & Swirl}
Homemade Cinnamon Spice Pickles {The Spice Train}
Swedish Cucumbers {Me! ♥}
Pickled Cucumber Salad {The Fit Blog}
Spicy Quick Pickled Cucumbers {Sidewalk Shoes}
Lower Sugar Bread and Butter Refrigerator Pickles {The Seasoned Mom}
Homemade Dill Chips {Culinary Ginger}
Easy Homemade Refrigerator Dills {Certified Pastry Aficionado}
Easy Refrigerator Garlic Dill Pickles {Melanie Cooks}

Onion Quick Pickles

Clockwise from top left: Quick Pickled Vidalia Onions, Pickled Red Onions, The Prettiest Pickled Onions

Pickled Red Onions {Umami Girl}
Quick Pickled Vidalia Onions {The View From Great Island}
The Prettiest Pickled Onions {A Side of Sweet}
Quick Pickled Onions {Sidewalk Shoes}

Garden Medley Quick Pickles

Clockwise from top left: Spicy Vietnamese Pickled Vegetables, Quick Pickled Jalapeños, Small Batch Pickled Beets, Pickled Watermelon Radish

Spicy Vietnamese Pickled Vegetables {Three Olives Branch}
Pickled Vegetables Using Leftovers {Healing Tomato}
Small Batch Pickled Beets {Simple Seasonal}
Caraway Chili Crunchy Balsamic Beet Pickle {The Flavor Bender}
Pickled Watermelon Radish {Omnivore’s Cookbook}
Refrigerator Pickled Radish & Turnips {Girl in the Little Red Kitchen}
Quick Pickled Jalapeños {The View From Great Island}
Pink Peppercorn Pickled Swiss Chard Stems {Abra’s Kitchen}
Mexican Pickled Carrots {Kevin is Cooking}
Russian Grandma’s Pickled Tomatoes {Happy Kitchen. Rocks}
Grilled Zucchini Pickles {The BBQ Bastard}

Fruit Quick Pickles

Clockwise from top left: Pickled Green Strawberries, Pickled Pineapple, Pickled Blueberries

Pickled Green Strawberries {Bacon is Magic}
Pickled Pineapple {Savory Bites Recipes}
Pickled Blueberries {Bacon is Magic}

Classic Chocolate Crinkle Cookies (or Swiss Chews as Mom always called them) are crispy on the outside, fudgy on the inside, and perfect for the holidays!

All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.

Swiss Chews {Flourless Chocolate Crinkle Cookies}

Ingredients

Instructions

Cookie Dough Prep

Forming Cookies

Recipe Notes

Thank you so much for being a faithful reader and supporter of The Good Hearted Woman. ❤ Be sure to Pin and Print this recipe!

Cream of Peanut Soup, a mainstay at Colonial Williamsburg’s King’s Arms Tavern, is oddly scrumptious. We’ve updated the historical recipe with 21st Century tastes in mind, while retaining the rich, satisfying essence of original.

Colonial Cream of Peanut Soup

Ingredients

Instructions

SERVING:

Peanut Soup Toppings

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Perfect for any occasion, this Southern Triple-layer Strawberry Cake (made from scratch – no boxed cake mix!) is a moist, amazingly delicious cake with a fresh, bright strawberry buttercream frosting.

Frosting Philosophy

Triple-layer Strawberry Cake with Fresh Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients

Strawberry Puree

Strawberry Cake

Strawberry Frosting

Instructions

Make Strawberry Puree

Make the Cake Layers

Make Strawberry Frosting

Assemble the Cake

Recipe Notes

Cakes are Persnickety, and Ingredients Matter

Thank you so much for being a faithful reader and supporter of The Good Hearted Woman. ❤ Be sure to Pin and print this recipe!

Knowing how to pick a perfect watermelon isn’t a magic trick. Just remember: Girls are sweeter, size matters, and your Mama was probably right.

How to Pick a Perfect Watermelon

Here are a few easy tips to help you pick a perfect watermelon:

Check the “Field Spot.”

Look for “Webbing.”

Avoid bumps & blemishes.

Girls are sweeter.

Size matters.

Check the tail.

Thump it!

Now that you’ve picked out your perfect watermelon, here are 101 things you can do with it!

Beverages [Kid-Friendly]

Beverages [Adults only]

Frozen Treats

Salads

Salsas

Soups, Skewers & Savory Dishes

Watermelon Mix [Sweets, Party Food & Misc]

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Fragrant layers of bright zucchini, tender Japanese eggplant, and juicy romas – all roasted to perfection in a nest of herby, garlicky tomatoes and pan-fried onions.

Ratatouille with Pan-Fried Onions

Ingredients

Garnish:

Instructions

Recipe Notes

Armenian Lentil Stew is a thick, rich medley of eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, onions, golden raisins, and lentils, all flavored with a savory-sweet blend of traditional herbs and spices. Naturally vegan and gluten-free, it is wonderful alone, or served over a bowl of rice or bulgar.

Armenian Lentil Stew

Ingredients

Stew

Garnish (Optional)

Instructions

Recipe Notes

Not just another “gluten-free option,” this Spicy Polenta Pizza Crust is full of flavor, easy-to-make, and holds up under a load of pizza toppings!

Spicy Polenta Pizza Crust

Ingredients

Instructions

Recipe Notes

Spicy Skillet Dry Rub

Ingredients

Instructions

Recipe Notes

Crispy, tender, spicy, sweet, and addictive are just a few of the adjectives that describe these amazing Gochujang Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Cilantro & Peanuts.

Gochujang Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Cilantro & Peanuts

Ingredients

Instructions

Recipe Notes

Classic Spanish Gazpacho is the perfect summer soup – chilled, savory, and full of rich, robust, garden-fresh goodness.

Garden Fresh Gazpacho

Ingredients

**Thank you so much for being a faithful reader and supporter of The Good Hearted Woman. ❤ Be sure to** Pin and print this recipe!