3 Quarters Today

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vegetables

Homemade Sweet Pickles

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Our cucumber crop tends to be pretty amazing and after I’ve had my fill of cucumber sandwiches I turn making homemade pickles.  For the first time I tried refrigerator pickles instead of canned. I’ve always avoided refrigerator pickles due to the lack of refrigerator space. But, we’re eating them so fast it doesn’t make a difference.

Homemade sweet pickles

Even my daughter who only likes dill pickles likes these. She said they are sweet, but different.

The recipe is very easy and fast.

Ball Pickle Crisp 5.5 oz. JarSpicely Organic Pickling Seasoning – CompactTwang Pickle Salt, 1.15-Ounce Shakers (Pack of 20)

Homemade Sweet Pickles

Ingredients

  • Sliced cucumbers (about 4 large)
  • Sliced sweet peppers
  • Sliced onion
  • 2 cups vinegar
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 TBSP salt
  • Ground Garlic and pepper seasoning. (to taste about 1 TBSP)

Directions

  1. Pack cucumbers, peppers and onions tightly  into jars. Mix all ingredients into saucepan and bring to a boil until sugar dissolves and liquid is clear (about 10 min)
  2. Pour into packed jars, seal and store in refrigerator.
  3. Let soak for 24 hours before eating to let the vinegar and flavors combine.
  4. Store up to three months (but they won’t last that long)

You can easily make hamburger relish by using a handy chopper and processing the finished pickles into cucumber relish for macaroni salad, burgers or hot dogs.

Canning Supplies

I have purchased my canning supplies a little bit over the years and love my canning funnel and lid magnet. Seriously, the right tools make the job faster and easier. My Mom made jelly, canned tomatoes, and put corn and strawberries in the freezer.

Ball Mason Jars Wide-Mouth Can or Freeze – 16 oz 12pkTattler Reusable Wide Mouth Canning Lids & Rubber Rings – 12/pkgOrchard Road Regular Mason Jar Canning Lids, Full Case! 360 Lids (30 dozen), (Lids Only; No Rings), BPA FREE!Norpro 605 Canning Lid RackJarden Home Brands Ball Secure Grip Hot Jar Handle (Discontinued by Manufacturer)Back to Basics 400A 7-Quart Aluminum Home Steam Canner

I guess I have continued the tradition and during the summer my big canning pots and supplies pretty much stay out on the cabinets all week for a quick batch of pickles, jelly, or jam.

 

More Homemade Pickle Recipes

It’s time to make the pickles … or jelly … or …

The enhanced flavor of potato salad, chicken or tuna salad sandwiches and other dishes from using homemade pickles and juice is undeniable. And, there’s nothing like opening a steaming hot biscuit and dousing it with a spoonful of fresh, preservative …

Pack pickled peppers and other fun foods for your picnic

The other thing, she noted, is fresh homemade pickles. “You get some fresh pickling cucumbers, throw them in a jar with water, salt, pickling spice, garlic and dill,” she said. “Give them at least three days in the refrigerator and they’re just fresh …

Easy Homemade Dill Pickles – Heavenly Homemakers

Filed Under: Canning and Preserving, Recipes, Side Dishes and Snacks Tagged With: canning, dill pickles, easy pickle recipe, homemade pickles, preserving. Hi! I’m Laura and it is so nice to have you here. Really. You have …

Ridiculously Easy Homemade Dill Pickles | Organic Health

This recipe only takes about fifteen minutes to complete and will leave you with the best homemade pickles in town. They also contain probiotics that help produce better digestion and strengthens our immune systems!

Homemade Pickles | A Fat Girl’s Food Guide to Eating in …

Until recently the joy of a good pickled cucumber eluded me. I just never quite understood their allure until I went to New York and had the cream of the crop pickle wise at the famed Katz Deli, and I’ve not looked back since.

Homemade Pickles – Instructables

This instructable will teach you how to make homemade pickles using cucumbers, mason jars, brine, and any extra flavorings. The whole process requires about 6 steps. 1. Purchasing Supplies. 2. Sterilizing Equipment. 3. Making the brine. 4.

 

Grilled Kabobs, Food on a Stick

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Last week I got tired of the same old thing, grilled pork chops, chicken breast. I wanted something fun and different.  Shish Kabobs sounded fun, I even bought permanent metal skewers instead of the thin bamboo that burn and break in half. This means I have to fix Kabobs again, darn. (read sarcasm here)

What is it about food on a stick that is so tasty? Maybe it’s the lack of utensils, the youthful feeling you get just like when you sucked down a Popsicle sitting on the back step. Think about it corn dogs, Popsicles, and all kinds of state fair food are found on a stick. I’ll get to that on a later post.

Shish Kabobs on the Grill
Shish Kabobs on the Grill

Not really a recipe here.  It’s pretty much personal preference. I used chicken , pineapple, sweet peppers, mushrooms and pieces of corn on the cob.  After seasoning everything with a Garlic Rosemary mix I lathered it with a sweet Chinese sauce made from a mix of Dorothy Lynch (french) dressing, poppy seed dressing, soy sauce and ginger.

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Day 209/365: Grilled Yellow Zucchini

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Grilled Yellow Zucchini recips
Yellow Zucchini (My Olympus is back)

I’m the first one to admit that I don’t like yellow and green mushy vegetables. This includes squash, asparagus, and zucchini. But on the prompting of my good friend Beth, and my daughter who is a good sport about trying new foods, I have decided to expand my horizons. Nelson Farms is helping a great deal as they have a produce stand set up in the parking lot where I work all summer.

These were so pretty at the stand I just had to pick up a few and try grilling them. Because everything taste better grilled.

Grilling Yellow Zucchini
Grilling Yellow Zucchini

So, if I’m going to grill I’m going to use my new Pampered Chef grilling basket. Not knowing which way to slice these veggies, I tried the circles and lengthwise. After digging through my spice cabinet I picked two out, a vegetable supreme and a Mrs. Dash Tomato, Basil and Garlic mixture. Wasn’t sure what would be best so I just experimented by adding the herbs to some olive oil and coating both sides of the sliced zucchini.

Grilled Yellow Zucchini
Grilled Yellow Zucchini

Doesn’t it look delicious? I even impressed myself.  Still not too much of a fan of the mushy factor, but I did like the long skin side pieces. My son thought they tasted like weird tasting eggs, he wasn’t a fan. But I ate them all and would try them again with different seasonings.

Anyone have any ideas with what else to do with yellow zucchini?

Photography notes: I’ve brought out my Olympus E10 camera again. I have it handy at work (Hamilton Color Lab) so I can take photos of various projects for an upcoming new blog series. Yes I take photos of photos. Redundent isn’t it.