By Teri Cayton – The Parsons Advocate
I miss having a garden, isn’t it funny how things turn around in life. We always had to help mom in the garden growing up and that took away from our play time, the other kids hated it, but not me. I remember how hard mom worked with the tiller and we had to do the hoeing. Now I just wish I had enough dirt to scratch around in and grow a few veggies. Momma Said, “Don’t hate the things you grow to love.”
When I had the space, I used to can everything I could get my hands on and I guess I still could if I go out and buy them but it is just not the same as being invested from the very beginning. It is very satisfying to watch plants you have nurtured begin to bloom and the little fruits begin to grow. The best thing to hear is when the jars would start to pop and seal when you take them out of the pressure canner.
There are not many things as good as to open a jar of fresh canned green beans in the winter. Mom would always put on a big pot to cook as we cleaned and canned the rest. That was my favorite sandwich growing up, a green bean and butter sandwich. Momma Said, “Don’t knock it until you have tried it.”
Fresh cucumbers, green beans, tomatoes, corn, cabbage, even brussels sprouts (that I refuse to eat to this very day) and pole beans. I even made pickles out of squash and zucchini, very tasty if I do say so myself. I actually surprised myself at how good it really was. Just like making bread and butter pickles just use squash instead of cucumbers. Yum-Yum eat’em up.
Yellow Squash and Zucchini Bread and Butter Pickles
INGREDIENTS
- 10 whole Yellow Crookneck Squash (or half and half with squash and zucchini)
- 2 whole Medium Sweet Onions, Sliced into Rings
- 2 whole Medium Sweet Red or Green Peppers, Stem and Seeds Removed Then Sliced (optional)
- ¼ cups Pickling or Canning Salt
- 2-¼ cups Granulated Sugar
- 2-¼ cups White or Apple Cider Vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Celery Seeds (the celery and mustard seeds can be replaced with 4 teaspoons pickling spices)
- 2 teaspoons Mustard Seeds
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric
- 5 jars Pint-sized Canning Jars with Lids and Rings (maybe more)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Wash squash but do not peel them. IT IS IMPORTANT NOT TO PEEL. Slice squash, onions and sweet pepper into thin slices or squash can be left in chunks. Put them all in a bowl. Add 1/4 cup salt and then cover with cold water and ice. Let the mixture stand for one hour, using additional ice to keep it cool or refrigerate. Keeping them cool is important as it will crisp them up. After one hour drain well. (Do not rinse!)
- Combine sugar, vinegar, celery seed, mustard seeds (or pickling spices) and turmeric in a large pot. Bring to boil and boil ingredients for three minutes, stirring occasionally.