Joy in the Kitchen!

  Summer is winding down here and one of the best parts is that it is time to enjoy the fruits (or vegetables!) of our earlier summer labor planting a garden!  I love garden harvest season!  We are harvesting cucumbers right now.  So far I've canned several pints of Sweet Sticks and several quarts of my Mom's old recipe for Dill Pickles. The recipe I'm sharing today should really be named Linda's Fresh Dill Pickles.   I got the recipe from my Mom and her neighbor Linda gave it to her.  I have no idea why it is called a dill pickle as there is no dill in the recipe and there is sugar in it.  However, it does not have the usual turmeric, mustard seed, and cider vinegar that is often in sweet pickles.   The mystery may continue as neither Linda nor my Mom are around to ask.  If you prefer a traditional sweet pickle taste check out my mother-in-law's recipe Shirley's Sweet Refrigerator Pickles . Today I only mixed up a half batch so I c...

  Our little garden is producing!  We didn't plant most of it until Father's Day weekend due to weather and crazy schedules but it is on now!   When we moved to this home, we left a large garden plot and a slightly warmer climate.  Gardening really helped us feed our large family on a budget.  I remember several years canning close to 100 quarts of green beans, freezing 50-75 3 cup packages of corn, canning several quarts of tomatoes and up to 30 quarts of salsa in a year.  Whew!  I had several children at home so along with many mouths to feed, we had many hands to help!   The garden at our current home has a small garden plot with several raised beds on the side.  This is enough for just a few of us and I don't miss the busy days of canning until the wee hours of the morning when the house was cooler.   We had a fabulous red raspberry crop this year.  I have no idea how many we ate fresh (as we picked), but we weigh...

It is chilly outside.  Cool breeze and overcast.  Tonight it is supposed to drop to below freezing.  It is fall!  Several varieties of our apples are ready to use now and as delicious as they are fresh, we can't eat them all before they'll spoil that way! I've got a few Honey Crisp apples from my trees and some Wealthy apples from Dad's trees.  Dad said his mother preferred Wealthy apples for most of her eating and cooking.  These days you rarely even hear of that variety.   Today I'm drying apples slices in my food dehydrator.   There are several different brands of dehydrators and you can pay a lot or a little.  Mine is probably on the less expensive end of the range and works wonderfully for what I like to do. Who needs artificial scents when you can dehydrate cinnamon apples and fill your home with the scent of apple pie! Dried Cinnamon Apples Peel (if desired), core, and slice several apples and lay out in a single layer on de...

Sweet Stick Pickles When I was quite little I remember my Mom brining cucumbers for sweet pickles.  She had a big 5 gallon crock that she used, and I just remember watching as she checked under the weight.  I did NOT like the smell of those brined cucumbers, nor did I like the sweet pickles once they were made. (I did love the beautiful crock she used though!)  I loved dill pickles!  I married a man who loves sweet pickles.  I had no desire to learn to do sweet pickles like my Mom did when I was little!  My mother-in-law (Shirley) had a perfect solution though as she had a recipe for these easy Sweet Stick pickles.  Shirley got this recipe from her mom Mary, who got it from her friend Mae.  I love these shared and handed down recipes.  The syrup on these tastes almost the same as the one used for the Bread and Butter Pickles I posted a few years ago.  You do need an afternoon to do these as they have to sit in water for 4-5 hours...

Pickled beets are one of the most colorful additions to a relish tray that you could ask for!  I like sliced pickled beets on salads.  I like them as a side for a holiday or special occasion meal.  On an old fashioned relish plate, along with pickles and olives, they brighten any gathering.   I can eat store-bought pickled beets, but I MUCH prefer home canned ones.  These are easy to make and tasty!    I got this recipe from my Mom.  I remember her making pickled beets for several years.  Turns out it is my sister-in-law Lanette's recipe. (The very same Lanette of Lanette's Cinnamon Rolls that I've posted a few years ago!  YUM!  You can trust Lanette!)  It is not spicy, which I love, and the process is simple.  You only need to water bath these as they have plenty of vinegar in them.  Golf ball or smaller sized beets are nice for these if you want them whole, but I quarter, sixth, or cube if my beets have ...

I'm not sure where Mom got the recipe for this relish, but it was written on the back of a 1960 TV listings sheet.   Reading what was on TV in 1960 was pretty interesting!  Did you know there was nothing on until 8a.m. and the last programing was done by 10:30p.m.   Ah... those were the days!  (though it was before my time so I don't remember it... just sounds lovely!)    Sometime I'll have to borrow that paper and list the programs.  So fun! Anyway - this relish was a staple in my house as I grew up.  It is great on hot dogs or with sandwiches or roast beef.  It's sweet like bread and butter pickles and nice and crunchy.  Mom has made some and shared with me through the years.  It's time I made it on my own!  I've got about a bushel and a half of green tomatoes to use! Mom used to borrow a hand grinder that ground fairly course.  You can't put the veggies in a blender or it will be too fine....

I'm not sure where this recipe came from, but I remember eating them and puckering when I was fairly small.  The recipe calls for tiny cucumbers, about the size of your little finger.  It is a great way for me to control my cucumber patch right now since it's producing more cucumbers than I need for other pickles!  These are quick and easy.  They do make you pucker up though.  Very tangy and the horseradish adds some bite. These are one of the reasons I love to can.  You won't find these pickles on the shelf of any store, and they are a fun addition to a special meal!  (I especially love them with roast beef.) Sally Lund Pickles Enough finger-length cucumbers to fill 3 pints (or 6 half-pints if you prefer) Wash cucumbers being sure to brush off all the prickly spines.  Pack in to jars.   Mix the following together, heating enough to dissolve the sugar: 2 C. apple cider vinegar 1/4 C. brown sugar 1/4 C...

I don't remember when Mom started making Dilly Beans , but she has as long as I can remember and I've always loved them.  My kids really love them.  I save them for special occasions like Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Birthday's.   If I didn't limit them, they'd be gone before fall was over.  I don't count these as a vegetable much to my children's dismay. The recipe is simple and EASY.  They can be done with minimal equipment and canning skills.  My biggest problem in sharing this recipe is giving a quantity of fresh green beans.  When I do them, I just pick my patch of beans, save out the nice straight ones for this and snap and can the rest as regular green beans.  Then I do however many quarts of dilly beans as I ended up with straight beans for. :)  Yesterday it was 6 quarts.... today I had 4 quarts. Warning :  This vinegar solution is lower in acid that the currently recommended amounts.  It is the same reci...

This recipe is one of those childhood memory things .  I remember Mom cooking hamburger patties in this once in a while and I loved the delicious flavor it added.  I've thought about it several times since I was married, but this year I finally asked Mom for the recipe.  She said she used to love putting it on fried potatoes and different kinds of meat.  (I only remember it on hamburger patties)   My husband remembers his Mom making chili sauce as well.  He remembers her mixing it with mayonnaise to make thousand island dressing.  I had to call his Mom about it too and her recipe was basically the same as my Moms.  :)  Go figure.  She said though, that sometimes they couldn't get celery so they just used some celery seed in it for flavor.   The celery is about my favorite part of this. In trying to figure out why this is called "chili" sauce, I did some research online and found that MOST recipes do call for some ty...

If you grow zucchini or live near someone who does, there is always a need for more ways to use it!  My friend AnnaRuth passed on this recipe which she says is her favorite.  I made it for the first time today.  It does taste wonderful and the texture is just right for relish.  This tastes a lot like bread & butter pickles all ground up.  :)  My Mom makes an amazing hot dog relish that isn't as sweet and uses green tomatoes as its base.  I'm hoping to try that one soon! You can use any size zucchini, but if it's a large one, the skin should still be tender enough to pierce with your fingernail, and you'll want to remove the seeds before grinding it.  I used an electric grinder to grind my onion and zucchini.  If you don't have an actual grinder, you can use a food processor being sure to leave the veggies somewhat chunky.  Shredding it doesn't give as nice of a texture. Zucchini Relish 10 C. zucchini, unpeeled, ground 4 C. onio...

Still using up cucumbers! My dill is finally coming on, so I did 5 quarts of dill pickles and then had enough cucumbers left to do these yummy pickles. These sweet Bread and Butter Pickles are a little more time consuming than a quick dill pickle, but are easy to do and tasty to eat.  They are a lot like the Refrigerator Pickles I posted about last week, but these are easily bottled to use through the year. (and save fridge space)  Bread and Butter Pickles are meant to be used on sandwiches or as an accompaniment to a main dish.  My favorite way to eat them is with tender roast beef.  Yummy!  This is my Mom's recipe.  I don't know where she got the recipe, but she was making these before I was born.  (back in the day of the dinosaur if you ask my younger kids lol ) Mom's Bread & Butter Pickles 6 quarts of sliced pickling cucumbers (about 1/8 inch thick) 2 quarts of sliced onion 4 peppers, sliced (green, red, or a combination of both) 1/2 C. salt ...

My Mother-in-law is a great cook!  She has always done a lot of canning as well.  This sweet pickle recipe is one that Dave requested I learn to make soon after we were married.  It's SO easy!   I'm more of a dill pickle person, but I like these with roast beef, and since my fresh dill isn't ready yet, these will help use up those first cucumbers.  They taste similar to bread and butter pickles.  These are not brined or canned.  You just slice up your veggies, fill a gallon sized GLASS jar, and pour the heated vinegar solution over it.  Easy peasy! Shirley's Sweet Refrigerator Pickles 4 C. apple cider vinegar 4 C. sugar 1/4 C. salt 1 1/3 tsp. turmeric 1 1/3 tsp. mustard seed 1 1/3 tsp. celery seed Heat (not boil) until sugar dissolves.  Pack sliced cucumbers and sliced onions into gallon sized glass jar.  Pour hot vinegar syrup over the vegetables.  Cover jar with plastic wrap and then foil or a lid.  When cooled, place ...

We've been planting and tending our garden for the past 2 months waiting for harvest time.  It's HERE!   :)  In the past week we've been busy, busy, busy canning and freezing!   Dad and Mom were amazing and let me have a picking off their raspberry patch a few days ago.  5 hours picking those berries!  I'm not sure how many berries are in a traditional flat, but I'd venture to guess we got at least 4 or more flats.  Those ruby red jars of raspberries sure look beautiful on my pantry shelf!  (it might be hard to let people eat them!) In the last week we have: frozen 12 cups of peas bottled 14 quarts of raspberries frozen 9 quarts of raspberries made 3 batches of raspberry freezer jam bottled 16 quarts and 17 pints of green beans We are eating fresh: summer squash (crookneck and zucchini) green beans peas red potatoes onions swiss chard lettuce Cucumbers are starting to come on and I notice there are two nice sized eggplant that are rea...

I love Strawberry Rhubarb Syrup !  It's such a beautiful color and tastes fabulous on pancakes , waffles, or ice cream.  One of the best things about this recipe is that it doesn't use actual strawberries, but just strawberry flavored gelatin to create the traditional strawberry rhubarb blend of flavors.  So many people have nice rhubarb plants that go unused every year... mine included sometimes, don't be afraid to ask a neighbor if they have extra rhubarb to share.  I can't remember if I got the recipe from Mom or someone else, but it is my favorite way to use rhubarb.  I borrow my Mom's juicer to make rhubarb juice, but if that wasn't available, I would just cut up a good portion of rhubarb (cleaned and rinsed) in 1 inch sections, put it in a large pot, add 3-4 C. of water and simmer until the rhubarb gets mushy.  Strain that through a colander with cheese cloth and as long as you end up with 8 cups of juice - you're ready to go!  (I've had to si...

I love doing home canning, preserving food we've grown or that's grown nearby and having it all available to use during the winter.  I remember canning after school in the fall with my Mom.  It was by her side that I learned how to slip the skin off of a peach, cut corn off the cob, and carefully put lids on jars.  Even as a small child I was allowed to assist by mixing the sugar syrup to pour over fruit, or washing the jars.  (I felt so important doing that as Mom told me my hands were just the right size to fit in the jar!)  My Mother learned her canning skills from my Grandma (my Dad's Mother)... and I'm sure she learned to can alongside her mother.   Often when I'm standing with my girls at the sink or stove during canning season, I feel a strong connection with my ancestors.... strong, good women who worked hard to preserve food for their families out of necessity.  No running to Walmart for pre-packaged food for them!  I am honored to carry ...

Just take a look at that beautiful sunshiny Plum Jelly!  I love the translucent plum color.  You wouldn't even have to eat this - just use it as decoration!  :o)  The flavor is fabulous too though, so it wouldn't last long as a decoration at our house... it would be slathered on toast and piled on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches! This batch of jelly is nostalgic.  Dave's Grandpa and Grandma were always so resourceful and frugal.  They rarely let things go to waste.  Their yard, years ago, had a huge Damson plum tree .   In 1994 there was a bumper crop of plums!  I remember picking quite a few and making jelly.  Grandpa couldn't bear to see that fruit fall and go to waste so he spent hours juicing those plums.  I don't know for sure how many gallons of juice he got, but I would guess between 10-15 gallons.  They put the juice in containers in the freezer.  A year later, Grandpa passed away.  He was in the hos...

One of my favorite things to can is salsa.  I can adjust how hot it is to our families taste, I can use vegetables we grow ourselves.  Mainly though, it's easy and it TASTES TERRIFIC!  This recipe made 25 pints today. :)  It may make less if you have a lot of "tasters" helping out. These are going to look fabulous on my storage room shelf.  :) (at least they will look fabulous until they're gone ) Salsa 9 Quarts peeled & diced tomatoes 6 C. chopped onion 6 C. diced green pepper 1 12 oz can pickled jalapeno's, sliced (find in hispanic section of grocery) 2 1/2 C. white vinegar 1/4 C. sugar 1/2 C. salt 1/2 tsp dried red pepper (I leave this out because we don't like it hot) 2 cans diced green chilis 4 cloves garlic diced 1 bunch cilantro (I use 1/2 a bunch) 1 Anaheim pepper (option if you want more heat) 4 tsp. cumin 4 tsp. oregano cook 2 hours uncovered and add: 3 large cans tomato paste Pour into pint jars & waterbath for 20 m...

There is nothing better on a slice of toast than strawberry or raspberry freezer jam. This is not open to debate. LOL! I love the ease of freezer jam and especially I LOVE the fresh from the garden look and taste. I prefer to use MCP Pectin. I've tried others & MCP is just what I'm most comfortable with. I've used it so much I could almost make jam in my sleep. I just follow the insert in the box of pectin, but in case you need to know amounts before you run to the store, I'll post those here. You need: 3 1/4 C. of crushed berries (I just take the tops off, rinse, and then mash them with a potato masher if they're from the garden - if I bought berries from the store, I use my pastry blender to cut them up) 1/4 C. fresh lemon juice (I don't always put this in - but the jam sets up firmer if you do) 4 1/2 C. sugar 1 C. light corn syrup 1 pkg MCP pectin The directions are easy... mix your berries & lemon juice in a LARGE bowl. Add your...

We have been busy playing this month, but it's time to stay home now as the garden is on! The past 2 days the kids have help me freeze 12 cups of peas, 4 quart bags of snow peas, can 6 quarts of green beans, and 7 quarts of dill pickles. We've been busy! :) Our Dill Pickles are a recipe from my Mom. They are an old recipe and as such, use less vinegar than is suggested now for canning. My whole family has made these for years without problems. The directions.... wash freshly picked pickling cucumbers. Slice, cut into spears or leave whole and place in clean canning jars. Put a pinch of powdered alum into each jar and then a good sized head of fresh dill. (I add more sliced cucumbers on top of the dill to squish it down in there good. In 3 quart pan, bring to boil, 3 C. of water, 1 C. vinegar and 1/4 C. salt. Boil 2 minutes and then pour into jars up to the fill line. Clean top of jar to be sure no salt remains, add lids & rings, process in a boiling water ...