Garlic Dill Pickles

 I normally do this in multiple batches, with the Kirby cukes cut into different shapes, 1/4 spears, long slices (end to end) and slices (across the pickle). I slice using a mandolin for consistency.

5 pounds pickling cucumbers, I use Kirby cucumbers
about 8 wide mouth Ball pints (quarts are also ok, see below for different process time)
dill seed
garlic cloves
(small dry chile pepper optional in each jar)
1/4 cup pickling salt (I use Kosher instead, you want pure salt - no additives)

5 cups water
5 cups 5% white vinegar
5 tbs pickling salt (Kosher)



Cut a thin slice off both ends of the cucumbers put in a food safe non-reactive container (I use a Stainless stock pot), cover in water, add the 1/4 cup pickling salt, put a couple of pounds of ice on top, and put in a cool place or refrigerator over night.

The next day mix the water, vinegar and pickling salt and bring to a boil. [This is a ratio of 16:16:1 and since I do multiple batches I usually use a gallon of vinegar, a gallon of water and a cup of salt]

In each jar put 1.5 tsp of dill seed (or large head of fresh dill) and a cut up clove of garlic. Size of clove depends on Vampire infestation. (Double for quarts)

If you are cutting the cucumbers so they are lengthwise, such as spears, trim the cucumber so they will fit, standing up in the pint jar, with enough room that they are covered when the jar is filled to 1/2" of rim. (Headspace). Do not discard the leftover trimmed pieces of cucumber

Pack the jars, cover the cucumbers with the boiling vinegar, water, salt mixture, put on two piece lids and waterbath process 10 minutes (10 minutes at a full boil, with the jar fully covered). If you choose to use quart jars, process 15 minutes.

Remove from waterbath, let them sit 24 hours, refrigerate those that don't seal.

Store in cool, dark, relatively dry space.

Wait about 8 weeks.

Will keep for at least a year.

The trim, from fitting the cucumbers to the jar can be sliced across for simple slices and then canned as above, or left as chunks, which are useful in cooking, and then canned as above.

Blueberry Jam

The Source

(with some modifications)

2 pints and 4 half pints of blue berry jam.

4 cups blueberries
3 cups granulated sugar
1 cup water

5 tart apples, blossom and stem ends removed. 
2 limes, blossom and stem ends removed, skin not removed.

Put quartered or eighthed apples and limes through 2mm slicing blade of Cuisinart, heat until you have apple sauce.

(Note trash can just in position to scrape cutting board into. The can can slide under the table. Julia Child, the cat, is hoping I'm trimming chicken).

Put through food mill. Discarding seeds.

Heat adding water, sugar and blueberries. 

When hot an immersion blender helps.

Boil, while stirring 20 minutes, until jam heaps in spoon.

Put up in desired jars.

Process BWB 10 minutes, and don't do as I always do on a BWB and forget the white vinegar, about 3 tbls in the water.

Curry Pickles

Curry Pickles

2.5 pounds Kirby cucumbers

Pickling or Kosher salt.

2 ½ cups cider vinegar (5%)

1 2/3 cups granulated sugar

1 tbsp curry powder (medium is probably best)

2 tsp Pickling Spice*

1 tsp celery seeds

1 tsp mustard (yellow) seeds.

This multiplies very easily, yields about 2 and a half pints.

Remove and discard ends of cucumbers. Slice remaining cucumber, put in non-reactive bowl, lightly salt. (probably 2 or 3 separate layers).

Let sliced cucumbers sit in cold for 24-48 hours.

Wash salt off, two or three times.

Place in stock pot with other ingredients and bring to boil.

Using slotted spoon, place cucumber slices in warm pint jars, fill to within half inch of top with loosely packed sliced and fill with pickling liquid.

Seal with two piece lids.

Boiling water bath; 10 minutes pints, 15 minutes for quarts (which are an option).

*Pickling spice, either purchase or make your own. 

Rare Roast Beef

4 pound beef roast

large onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 pint beef stock (dark)
olive oil

In a large steel pan, over high heat, bring the oil to not quite smoking.

Brown the beef on all sides.

Mix the chopped vegetables and mound in the center of the pan, put the beef on top.

The way we like it 130F internal, it cooks in a 350 F oven for 20 minutes the pound. For this roast that was 80 minutes. So for an 8:30 dinner, it goes in the oven at 7:00 and comes out at 8:20, let it sit for 10 minutes, you need to mash, not whip, the potatoes anyway.

Gravy is simple, deglaze the pan with a half cup of the wine you will drink and a little flour, leaving in the vegetables, add the beef stock, bring to simmer and strain into gravy bowl.

At 8:30 carve.

The green beans were blanched and frozen last fall. Get them out and let them defrost, sautee them in a table spoon of bacon fat.

Chili

I'm going to try and be more regular on posting here. Right now I happen to be doing all of the cooking, so I don't have to be in my wife's way for photography.

This one is a bit short on photos, but it is fast.

Chili

2 pounds ground meat - I use beef, but anything you would like
1 tsp olive oil (or cooking oil if you don't have olive)
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup chopped green pepper (or what ever sweet pepper color)
1 cup chopped celery
1 tbl spoon minced garlic
1 tbl spoon oregano (or marjoram)
2 bay leaves
3 tbl spoon ancho chili pepper (I use less and add hot sauce to taste)
           -also use 3 tea spns of regular chili powder instead, still hot-
2 tsp cumin
3 cans diced tomato including liquid (nominal pint can)
1 pint beef broth
1/2 tsp hot pepper flakes (or more or less)
1 can beans (nominal pint, I use a white bean, kidney is fine).

In the bottom of a heavy pan coated with the oil and hot, brown the ground meat.

Add all of the chopped items and all of the spices and herbs other than the pepper flakes. Heat for a few minutes.

Add everything else, salt and pepper to taste

Bring to a boil for at most five minutes, turn way down cover.

You may serve an hour after you started.

Downloads are up.

Camera Nikon D-90 with internal flash.

Lens(es) AF-S NIKKOR 18-55mm f2.5-5.65G

                AF-S NIKKOR 70-300mm f4.5-5.6G

                AF-S NIKKOR 35mm F1.8G

                AF-S NIKKOR 50mm F1.4F

                AF DC-NIKKOR 105 mm F2

Recipe with pictures Downloadable PDF  Link doesn’t work 

on the PDF itself

Recipe without pictures Downloadable PDF Link doesn't work

 on the PDF itself

As always feel free to use and distribute, if you use our pictures 

and/or text then give us credit – thanks.

If you do use the recipe drop us a note in the comments, a link to your post or just what you thought.

© 2013 Virginia L. Dyson & Warner W. Johnston  

Marmalade

This is an exceedingly simple recipe (pictures later of multiple types)

12 oz lemons, ends trimmed and quartered

20 oz citrus, ends trimmed and quartered (grapefruit smaller than quartered)

2 X 1 qt. cold water.

1.5 qt sugar

Using the 2mm blade run the fruit through the food processor.

Put in food safe container with 1 quart of water and put in a cold place overnight. I use plastic

The next day put in stainless stock pot, add the other quart of water and the sugar.

Heat to 222 F. while stirring. I mean when you are stirring it should still be 222 F

Can in hot water bath for 10 minutes.

I do this four batches at a time. If you try and combine the batches while heating, you loose the color and it may burn.

I do not remove the zest as I like the bitter it adds

Four batches yields about 18 pints. They will keep several years in a cool, dark, not too humid place.

I currently have in house, to make:

Meyer Lemon















Lemon

Lime

I have also done and will do in the next weeks if I find
White grapefruit
Navel orange
Blood orange
Tangerine
Clementine

I'm looking for
Pink grapefruit
Key Lime

Downloads not up yet.

Camera Nikon D-90 with internal flash.

Lens(es)          AF-S NIKKOR 18-55mm f2.5-5.65G

                AF-S NIKKOR 70-300mm f4.5-5.6G

                AF-S NIKKOR 35mm F1.8G

                AF-S NIKKOR 50mm F1.4F

                AF DC-NIKKOR 105 mm F2

Recipe with pictures Downloadable PDF  Link doesn’t work 

on the PDF itself

Recipe without pictures Downloadable PDF Link doesn't work

 on the PDF itself

As always feel free to use and distribute, if you use our pictures 

and/or text then give us credit – thanks.

If you do use the recipe drop us a note in the comments, a link to your post or just what you thought.

© 2013 Virginia L. Dyson & Warner W. Johnston