Bread and Butter Refridgerator Pickles

 

Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles

• 5.5 cups sliced pickling cucumbers (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 1.5 tablespoons kosher or pickling salt
• 1 cup thinly sliced sweet onion (I used regular)
• 1 cup granulated white sugar
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1.5 teaspoons mustard seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seeds (or 1/8 teaspoon celery salt, in a pinch)
• 1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric

Combine cucumbers and salt in a bowl. Cover with a thin tea towel and chill 1.5 hours. Or, if you are like me, get busy doing other things and just leave them in the fridge overnight.  Rinse cucumbers well in a colander, to remove salt. Drain well. Return cucumbers to the bowl along with sliced onion.

Combine sugars, vinegars, seeds and turmeric in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer, stirring until sugar dissolves. Pour over cucumbers and onions. Let sit at room temperature for one hour. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours and up to 2 weeks.

Makes approximately 4 cups of DELISH pickles

You will die.  They are SO good!

 Salting them helps withdraw the water from the cucumbers so they have a nice "crunch" to them.

 Drain well....

 Vinegar on the stove - this goes so quick.  I love that it's not a huge project but you still get a great finished product from your garden!

 Mixing in the vinegars..and then let it all soak together!

If you try this out, let me know what you think!

Raspberry Peach Freezer Jam

Raspberry Peach Freezer Jam

Dan and I made 36 jars of this last night (some are those tiny, cute jars for gift giving) and oh my goodness I think this recipe makes the most beautiful colored jam I have ever seen in my life!

Gorgeous!  

We just followed the recipe in the SureJell box using the instant pectin (it's a silver and blue box you can pick up at Wal-Mart)

No cooking on the stove, just sugar, lemon juice, pectin and berries!

Delish!

Linking up to Black Cat's Cheap Thrills Thursday!

Fresh Garden Salsa

I made this delicious salsa from a recipe I got from my friend Kari.  After sampling hers, I knew it was going to be a big hit!

Here is the full recipe, although I made a 1/2 batch to test it out and learn the ropes.

28-30 tomatoes, peeled and chopped

(I used a mixture of Romas, Big Boys and Celebrity.  Using a mixture will give you better flavor.  If you aren't sure how to peel a tomato, go here. ) 

4 green peppers, chopped

4 onions, chopped

12-15 Anaheim peppers, seeded and chopped

2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped

4 big cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp salt

2 tsp dry mustard

1 can chopped and sliced green chilies

1/2 cup sugar

4 cans tomato paste

I chopped everything in my Cuisinart instead of by hand.  I hate chunky salsa...so if you want a chunkier consistency, I suggest you chop some things if not all by hand.  

Put all together in a large stock pot  and mix together well.  Let stew on low heat for 21/2 hours.  

You will need a canning pot with metal rack and lid as well as canning jars, lids and rims.

While salsa is stewing, make sure jars are washed well.  Place on a cookie sheet in an oven at 225 degrees for at least an hour until you are ready to use them.  Do not let them cool down before filling.

In a separate pan on the stove, boil water and place lids and rims in to sterilize for about 15 minutes.  Take out and dry off.  Set aside. 

Fill canning pot full of water and start to boil.  Once boiling, reduce heat.

Taking one jar out of the oven at a time, fill with salsa leaving about 1/4-1/2 inch head space.  Place lid on and then tighten rim.  Place in wire rack in hot canning water.  Repeat until rack is full.  

Lowering rack full of salsa jars into the canning pot, make sure there is at least 2-3 inches of water covering the top of the jars.  Cover pot with lid and let gently boil - process time is 15-20 minutes.

When done, take jars out and set aside.  Repeat process until all jars have been filled and processed.

Half recipe makes about 7 pint jars of salsa. 

Full recipe makes about 14 - 15.