SWEET-SOUR PICKLES

This recipe is so old I don't remember anything except is was always around. I never made these pickles myself. My family was small and did not use as many pickles as my mother and grandmother did. 

cucumbers, small or sliced 

2 cups vinegar 

1 cup water 

1 cup sugar 

few mixed pickling spices tied in a bag  

Put cucumbers in a large bowl or a crock, sprinkle with the salt. Cover with boiling water and let set overnight. Next day, drain the water off. Boil the vinegar, water, sugar, and pickling spices. Drop the cucumbers into the hot mixture and bring back to a boil. Fill jars and seal.

file photo

HOMEMADE ZUCCHINI RELISH

When I was a young wife and mother living in Indiana during the 70s, I grew lots of zucchini in my garden. This is one of the recipes for preserving them.

10 cups peeled, ground zucchini
4 cups ground onions
5 tablespoons salt
2 1/4 cups vinegar
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon each of nutmeg, dry mustard and turmeric
2 teaspoons celery seed
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 red bell pepper*, chopped fine
1 green bell pepper*, chopped fine

Combine the zucchini, onions, and salt together and let stand overnight. Next morning, drain and rinse with cold water. Combine the mixture with the remaining ingredients and cook for 30 minutes; mixture must be hot. Pour into hot clean jars and seal with hot lids. Makes 7 pints.

file photo for reference

HOMEMADE SWEET LIME PICKLES

 Some of these old recipes are sadly lacking in directions. The housewife back then knew what to do. 

This is a perfect example.

Slice 7 pounds of cucumbers and soak in 2 gallons of water. Add 2 cups of lime. leave in this for 24 hours. Wash well and soak in water for 3 more hours. 

Cover with this solution: 2 qt. vinegar 9 c. sugar 1 tbsp. salt 2 tsp. whole cloves 2 tsp. celery seed 1 tsp. mixed spices Let stand overnight in this solution. Bring to a boil and can.

file photo

CARROT RELISH

4 cups (approx 10 med) carrots

3 cups (about 7 med) finely ground onions
1/2 cup finely ground green bell peppers
1/2 cup finely ground red bell peppers
1 1/2 cups finely ground cucumbers
1/4 cup coarse pickling salt
1 1/2 cups white vinegar
2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp celery seed
1 tsp mustard seed

Combine vegetables in a large bowl. Sprinkle with salt. Let stand 30 minutes. Combine the remaining ingredients and let stand, stirring often, while vegetables are soaking in salt. Pour vegetables into a large sieve; drain well, pressing vegetables lightly with a back of a spoon to remove all excess liquid. Stir vegetables into vinegar mixture and ladle into hot, sterilized jars. Top with hot lids to seal.

file photo for reference - not this recipe

Old Fashioned Apple Butter

If you are a regular on this blog you know I grew up in the Southern Indiana countryside where we raised large gardens and our own beef, pork, and chickens.  My grandparents, who lived next door, had a small apple orchard. I can vividly remember picking up apples and the delicious aromas as grandma turned them into homemade apple butter.  I loved eating that apple butter all winter long on toast, biscuits, etc.  This was not grandma's recipe but one from another lady on over in the country.  Grandma never used a recipe saying hers was in her head.

Cook on top of stove:
1/2-bushel apples, any variety except red delicious, washed and cored but not peeled
1 gallon or more of sweet cider
When tender, run through a food mill or colander.
Cook in large pan, in the oven at 350 degrees, stirring occasionally.
Bake 5 to 6 hours.
Add:
1 1/2 cups cinnamon red hots that are dissolved in 2 1/2 cups hot water
Add:
3 cups light brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
4 to 6 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
Return to oven, simmer, stirring occasionally, until desired consistency to can in sterilized jars, seal.

Make about 12 quarts.

file photo for reference

MIZ NELLIE'S END-OF-SUMMER RELISH

This is an old recipe from my childhood days in Southern Indiana.

4 cups onions, ground
4 cups green tomatoes, ground
4 cups cabbage, ground
5 1/2 cups green bell peppers, ground
3 cups red bell peppers, ground
4 cups cucumbers, ground
1/2 cup salt
1 tbsp celery seeds
6 cups sugar
2 tbsp mustard seed
1 1/2 tsp tumeric
4 cups cider vinegar
2 cups cold water

After grinding the vegetables, place them in either a stainless steel or enameled pot; add the salt. Let stand overnight in the refrigerator.

Next day, pour off the liquid from the vegetables. Rinse well and drain again. Add to vegetables the celery seed, sugar, mustard seed, turmeric, vinegar, and cold water. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 3 minutes. Pack into 8 hot pint jars. Seal and place in a hot water bath and process for 3 minutes.

file photo - not this exact recipe

BREAD AND BUTTER PICKLES WITH BELL PEPPERS

As a child in Southern Indiana, we had big gardens and grew lots of cucumbers, peppers, and other vegetables. We canned them and ate them all through the winter. This is one of our canning recipes.

4 qts sliced cucumbers
6 medium onions, diced
3 garlic cloves
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
3 cups white vinegar
5 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp mustard seed
1 1/2 tsp celery seed

Put the cucumbers, onions, garlic, and bell peppers in a large pan or bowl and cover with ice. Let stand for three hours. Drain all the water from the vegetables and pack the vegetables into hot, sterilized quart or pint jars, leaving room for the liquid.

In a large saucepan, combine the vinegar, sugar, turmeric, mustard seed, and celery seed. Bring the mixture to a boil. Pour the mixture over the vegetables leaving some air space at the top of each jar. Seal with hot sterile lids.

Before storing check to be sure jars have sealed. Top should have a slight indention and as the jars cool that should have made popping sounds. Any jars that haven't sealed should be refrigerated and used first.

File photo used for reference.

ZUCCHINI MARMALADE

This is an old recipe from Lawrence County Indiana where I was born and raised, oh so long ago!

6 cups grated zucchini, peeled
5 cups sugar
1 can crushed pineapple in juice
1 box Sure-Jell
2 tbsps lemon juice
1 box (6-oz) apricot-flavored gelatin

Cook the zucchini and sugar for 6 minutes; Remove from the heat. Add the pineapple, Sure-Jell, and lemon juice. Return to the heat and cook for another 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the gelatin. Stir until gelatin is completely dissolved. Seal in jelly jars or place in freezer containers and freeze.

file photo for reference only

OLD FASHION STRAWBERRY JAM

This recipe gives certain results every time!

8 cups fresh strawberries
1 box (1 3/4-oz) Sure-Jell powdered pectin
7 cups sugar

Wash and hull the berries, crush.  This should leave you with about 5 cups of crushed berries. 

Place the berries in at least an 8-quart size pan and add the pectin.  Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly.  As soon as the mixture reaches a full boil, stir in the sugar a little at a time and let come back to a full boil that you cannot stir down.  Boil for 1 minute stirring constantly.

Remove pan from the heat and immediately ladle into hot sterilized jelly jars.  Screw on hot sterilized 2-piece lids and process jars in a boiling water bath for 5 minutes. 

Note:  If you plan to use the jelly soon, you can skip the hot water bath and just refrigerate.

Yield: Approximately 6 cups of jam.

file photo for reference

GREEN TOMATO MINCEMEAT

 This is an old Amish recipe that uses up the green tomatoes in canning.

1-peck green tomatoes

2 boxes raisins 

5 lbs brown sugar

2 tbsp cloves

2 tbsp cinnamon

2 tbsp allspice

1 cup vinegar

6 large tart apples, peeled and chopped

Grind tomatoes and drain the juice measuring to see how much there was. Add as much water to the tomatoes as there was discarded juice. Add the raisins, spices, and vinegar. Cook the mixture 45 minutes then add the apples. When the apples are tender, pack the mincemeat into clear canning jars. Seal jars by cooking in a hot water bath.

file photo

EASY FREEZER STRAWBERRY JAM

2 cups fully ripe, completely crushed fresh strawberries

1 box Sure-Jell
3/4 cup water
4 cups sugar

Mix the sugar into the crushed strawberries; let stand 10 minutes. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Mix the Sure-Jell and water together in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute. Stir the Sure-Jell into the strawberry mixture. Stir for 3 minutes. Ladle the mixture into freezer containers, cover with lids and let set at room temperature for 24 hours. Store in freezer. This is good as a jam and also as a topping for ice cream.

 

 file photo

HOT PEPPER RELISH

12 hot peppers

12 green tomatoes
3 cups sugar
3 tsp salt
12 cups bell peppers
12 yellow onions
2 cups cider vinegar

Grind the hot peppers, green tomatoes,bell peppers, and onions. Place mixture in a colander and run hot water over vegetables for about 5 minutes; drain well. Place in a large saucepan.

In another saucepan, bring the sugar, salt, and vinegar to a boil. Pour the sugar mixture over the vegetable mixture and cook over medium heat until very hot, stirring occasionally. Do not allow to come to a roiling boil. Place in clean, hot pint jars and seal with hot bands and lids. Be sure jars seal.

Yield: 6 pints

file photo for reference only

MOM'S REFRIGERATOR PICKLES

This recipe is from my late mother.

7 med cucumbers, scrubbed and sliced thin
1 large onion, sliced and separated
1 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup salt

Mix the above ingredients together, cover with water, let stand for 2 hours.

1 cup vinegar
2 cups sugar
1 tbsp celery seed

In a medium saucepan, bring the vinegar, sugar, and celery seed to a boil. Turn off heat and allow to cool.

Drain the cucumber mixture, rinse and drain again. Put the cucumber mixture into containers and pour the cooled syrup over them. Refrigerate.

 

file photo

GREEN TOMATO RELISH

This recipe is from an old PTA recipe book.

1 peck (8-qts) green tomatoes
6 green bell peppers
6 red bell peppers
7 large carrots, chopped (cooked separately)
10 onions
3 stalks celery
2 tbsp mixed pickling spice, tied in a cloth bag
5 cups vinegar
5 cups sugar

Cut or grind coarsely all vegetables, except the carrots, and put in salt water brine overnight. (To make the brine use 1/4 cup salt to 1 quart water.) The next day, drain or squeeze out the brine, add carrots which have been chopped or coarsely grind while raw and then cooked. Cook vinegar, sugar and spices together; bring to a boil. Add the vegetables and cook 10 minutes. Put into clean hot canning jars and seal while hot.

Note: File Photo for reference only.

Not this exact recipe.

SWEET PICKLE STICKS

I got this recipe in the 1970s from one of my best friends when I was a young housewife in Southern Indiana. These pickles are great!

Wash and cut into sticks enough cucumbers for 7 quarts.

Pour boiling water over the cucumbers and let sit overnight.

The next day, drain the cucumbers and pack into clean canning jars.

Combine the following ingredients in a large saucepan and boil for 5 minutes:

7 cups cider vinegar

6 3/4 cups sugar

6 tbsp salt

3 tbsp celery seed

3 tbsp mustard seed

6 tsp tumeric

Green food coloring, optional

Pour the hot mixture over the cucumbers in the jars. Have jar lids boiling in water. Seal the jars with the hot lids. Process in boiling water bath for 5 minutes to seal well.

CLIPART FOR REFERENCE

BELL PEPPER RELISH

This is an old Hoosier recipe.

18 bell peppers (use a mixture of red and green), chopped
1 large head of cabbage, shredded
2 tbsp celery seed
2 tsp mustard seed
2 tsp salt
2 cups white vinegar
1 quart apple cider vinegar

Mix all ingredients together in a large saucepan or stockpot and bring to a boil; let stand for 20 minutes. Seal in sterilized jars. Make sure jars seal or place in refrigerator.

 Note: Photo used for reference only.

Not this exact recipe.

CANDIED DILL PICKLES

This is another old recipe from my Southern Indiana childhood. We always made our own pickles. Store bought pickles were rare in our area.

Slice cucumbers lengthwise in quarters. Cover with 1/2 cup salt to 1 quart water solution. Let stand in this solution for 3 days.

Drain and cover with cold water. Change water each day for 3 days. Drain.

Cook 2 cups vinegar, 4 quarts water, and 2 tablespoons of alum. Pour over the cucumbers; leave overnight. Drain. Reheat and cover cucumbers for a second day.

Drain. Boil 2 cups sugar, 2 cups vinegar, 1 tablespoon dill seed, and 1 tablespoon mustard seed. Discard alum-vinegar mix and cover drained cucumbers with the sugar and vinegar mixture. Let set one day.

Drain. Add 2 more cups sugar to vinegar and pour over cucumbers. Next day, pour off vinegar and reheat. Put cucumbers in jars and pour hot vinegar over and seal.

Note: If any of the jars don't seal, refrigerate or place in a hot water bath.

LBJ'S PICKLED OKRA

3 pounds whole okra
6 hot peppers
6 cloves garlic, peeled
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup salt
1 tablespoon mustard seed

Wash and scrub okra and pack in clean jars. Add to each jar 1 hot pepper and 1 clove garlic. Boil remaining ingredients. Cover okra with hot liquid, filling to within 1/2" of the jar lid. Adjust lids. Process in boiling water for 10 minutes.

File Photo

HOOSIER CORN RELISH

2 quarts corn (12 to 15 ears)

1 pint diced red bell pepper
1 pint diced green bell pepper
1 quart chopped celery
1 cup sliced onion
1 cup sugar
1 quart vinegar
2 tbsp salt
2 tsp celery seed
2 tbsp dry mustard
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp tumeric, optional
1/2 cup water

Shuck corn and place in boiling water; simmer 10 minutes.  Remove and plunge into cold water.  Drain.  Cut corn from cob but do not scrap cobs.  Measure out 2 quarts.  Combine the bell peppers, celery, onion, sugar, vinegar, salt, and celery seed.  Boil 15 minutes.  Mix the mustard and flour and turmeric (if you want a brighter color).  Blend with the water.  Add with the corn to the pepper mixture.  Stir and boil 5 minutes.  Pack into clean, hot pint jars, filling to a half inch of the top.  Place lids tightly on jars.  Boil jars in a hot water bath for 10 minutes being sure the jars are completely covered with the water.  Remove jars and be sure they are sealed.

file photo for reference

BREAD AND BUTTER PICKLES

4 lbs cucumbers, sliced

8 small onions, sliced

1/2 cup canning salt

5 cups sugar

4 cups white vinegar

2 tbsp mustard seed

2 tsp celery seed

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1 1/2 tsp ground turmeric

In a large container, combine the. cucumbers, onions and salt. Cover with crushed ice; mix well. Let stand for 3 hours. Drain, rinse and drain again.

 In a large kettle, combine the sugar, vinegar and seasonings; bring to a boil. Add cucumber mixture and return to a boil. Ladle the hot mixture into hot jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Adjust caps and process 15 minutes in a boiling water bath. Remove jars to a wire rack to cool completely. This makes 4 pints. Be sure the jars seal. Any unsealed jar should be kept in the refrigerator.  This is a file photo below.

1/2 tsp groin