2nd post today, 2 hours later, pickles on the go and recipe

It is now a couple of hours since my last post and yes that is ice over the sliced cucumbers, etc.

This is the BEST recipe for pickles that are like a yum yum or bread and butter pickle but they stay really crunchy and the flavor is really yummy!

Since I had the recipe on the computer from sending it off to friends and family who request it, I pasted it in below.

I really think the secret in making these so crunchy and that they stay that way even after a year in the cupboard is that you sprinkle pickling salt over the veggie mix and add cracked or crushed ice and leave it for a few hours.

This is after digging in and tossing the whole lot with my hands......you can use a big wooden spoon, but hands work better and faster!

oops, I forgot the garlic.........this is from the garden, and has done well this year, unlike alot of my other veggies......

I love large cloves......so much easier to peel, especially when I'm making my very garlic-y dill pickles and I need to peel alot of it.....

ANYWAY, HERE'S THE RECIPE, try it, you'll LOVE it!

While they're sitting I have to clean up my mess and go out to the garden and pick cucumbers! If I get them picked today, I can make some dills while they're small and I'll be caught up for a couple of days on the cucumber patch!

 

Crisp Pickle Slices

Makes 8 pints

3 qts sliced cukes (med size)

6 med. onions sliced

3 cloves garlic

1 green pepper

1 sweet red pepper

1/3 cup pickling salt

3 cups white vinegar

5 cups sugar

1-1/2 tsp turmeric

1-1/2 tsp celery seed

2 Tbsp mustard seed

Slice the cucumbers thin, (not too thin) add sliced onions, garlic and the peppers cut in narrow strips. Add salt, cover with cracked ice, mix thoroughly.. Let stand overnight or 3 hours (I never tryed leaving overnight, just 3 or 4 hrs). Drain. Combine remaining ingredients, pour over cucumber mix. Heat to boiling, seal in sterilized jars.

Yummiest vintage linens, favorite filet lace!

I just love filet crochet work! It has always been a favorite and I just washed and ironed the two pieces pictured, what a pleasure to revive them!

The piece above is just gorgeous and I wish I had a place for it but it will end up on ebay. I think it was meant for a long sofa back but I would love to see it hung as a valance! I love the design of the bluebirds and the roses and bows!

Yummy.........sorry I had to lay it on the floor to be able to get above it and take a picture.

 

Another beautiful piece of filet crochet, this one so fine and delicate! It's a small square, you know, for a parlor table or similar small table. The detail is wonderful!

Just thought I'd share these pics, I know I love going to other blogs and drooling over vintage linens and lace!

Meanwhile..........back at the kitchen.......seems I'm either picking or pickling these days! Glad I took that little bit of time yesterday to do up a couple of my linens!

Feels like summer Saturday

What a great day! Chilly and cloudy enough in the morning to make us think the weatherman lied, but it ended up being sunny and hot, although quite windy. The day started at the farmers market, then on the way home I went to visit my mom at the nursing home.I put a few pics on a slide show from my day. Click on it!

Here's what I did when I got home!

Cold Water Wash Delicate Cycle DO NOT BLEACH

Yes, I cheat!! Not all the time, but once I'm pickling every second or third day, I tire of standing at the sink, scrubbing each little cucumber for my pickles.

So.......I throw some towels in the washer, fill it with cold water, put the cukes in, give them a little gentle agitation, leave them soak for a while then go back and agitate a bit more, fish them out of the water, rinse them off in the sink, and I'm good to go!! Then of course I drain, rinse, then wash the towels, which will clean up your washer.

You'll notice the last picture shows them with the ends trimmed off. I read somewhere that you should trim the blossom end as it may retain some little spores of something or other that can spoil your pickles.......so I just trim both ends while I'm at it.

Anyway, I got another 9 quarts of dills done before supper. It's September! I should be finished doing all this pickling by now. The cucumbers are just peaking now!

It's a beautiful day again today, Sunday. I have lots to do, including unloading my car from market days yesterday! I hope to get some Ebay listings done, then out to pick the cucumbers and other veggies again. I'm almost at my limit for the pickling, thank goodness.

Could be that Kiera will be here for an overnight visit so will get as much done as I can before she comes over this afternoon. She keeps me very busy once she's here. Have a lovely day!