at this moment, wes and i are currently weaving our way through thursday afternoon traffic in los angeles on our way out of town for the long weekend. i'll just let you digest that for a moment. 

but it will all be worth it since we are en route to south lake tahoe with friends for some much needed rest, relaxation and rejuvenation.

of course, it would not be a weekend away if there wasn't a wee bit of cooking. so i brought these "poor man's capers" with me to work on some recipes.

nasturtiums are going to seed all around us and i HATE letting things go to waste. i already dried plenty of seeds for next years garden and i still have hoards. i also hate buying pricy capers. so i am killing two birds with one jar of pickled nasturtium seeds. 

no nasturtiums around you?! come pick some up from my house! 

pickled nasturtium seeds

yields: 1 cup

prep time: 48 hours

active time: 3 minutes 

inactive time: 1 hour

total time: 2 days

ingredients: 1 cup nasturtium seeds. 2 cups water. 1 tbs kosher salt. .25 cup white vinegar. .25 cup apple cider vinegar. 1 tsp white sugar. 1 tbs pickling spice. 6-8oz mason jar.

start by rinsing all your seeds making sure to remove any petal or dirt residue.

place the seeds in a bowl with the water and salt and allow them to soak in the fridge for two days.

when you are ready to finish up your "capers" drain them from the water.

place the seeds in the jar with the pickling spice and sugar.

combine your vinegars and pour them over the seeds filling up the jar. 

close the lid and shake well to combine. allow them to pickle for at least an hour before enjoying but they will just improve with time.  use immediately or store in the fridge for up to 3 months.  

xo, a

in case you skipped a beat, a few months ago i spent some time focusing on serrated knives and many of their glorious uses. honestly, it is number two in my list of must have knives. and here is one of the most important reasons. 

pico de gallo is one of my staples. when i can get my hands on good tomatoes, i make sure to keep it around at all times. i love it on its own with chips, on a quick quesadilla or spooned over freshly grilled chicken or steak. 

the bonus is that is requires no cooking and is as simple as chopping things. be sure to use your serrated knife for the tomatoes to get nice clean cuts. 

pico de gallo
serves: 4 cups
total time: 20 minutes
ingredients: 3 cups diced (about .5 inch) vine ripe tomatoes. 1 small brown onion, diced (about .25 inch). 4 garlic clove, minced. 2 tbs chopped cilantro. 1 tbs lime juice. 1 tbs kosher salt. 1 tsp fresh ground pepper. 

in a large bowl, combine the tomatoes with half the salt and pepper. 

add in the onion, cilantro and garlic. 

sprinkle the remaining salt and pepper over the top and drizzle with the lime juice. stir well to combine. 

serve with your favorite chips. or store on hand for up to a week.

xo, a

pico de gallo
serves: 4 cups
total time: 20 minutes
ingredients: 3 cups diced (about .5 inch) vine ripe tomatoes. 1 small brown onion, diced (about .25 inch). 4 garlic clove, minced. 2 tbs chopped cilantro. 1 tbs lime juice. 1 tbs kosher salt. 1 tsp fresh ground pepper.
n a large bowl, combine the tomatoes with half the salt and pepper. add in the onion, cilantro and garlic. sprinkle the remaining salt and pepper over the top and drizzle with the lime juice. stir well to combine. serve with your favorite chips. or store on hand for up to a week.