It's the season once again when the garden has given out, the nights turn cold and the veggies are ready to be picked. I love to bottle, don't ask me why , I just love it. Maybe because it's looks to pretty on the shelf. The family has their favorites like... Polish Dills, sauerkraut, Relish, Pickled bean salad, Pickled Hot and Spicy Vegetables along with a few others. Above are the Pickled bean salad, and the Pickles hot vegetables. What do you do with them. Well the men in our family are Hot and Spicy, so they just open a bottle and eat the vegetables. The Bean salad I use in Salads, or right out of the bottle. If you have never canned, these are easy recipes to get started on. So head the your local farmers mrkt. this weekend and get started.
PICKLED BEAN SALAD
4 lbs. any variety beans you like, cut in half
2 cups sliced celery
1/2 lb sliced onion
2 cups chopped red pepper
2 cups carrots sliced
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 Tbs. mustard seeds
1 tsp. celery seed
4 tsp. canning salt
3 cups white vinegar
1 1/2 cups water
Wash and cut up veggies. In a large pot, bring water to boil, add veggies. Cook until crisp tender 5-7 minutes. Drain, keep hot.
Combine sugar, mustard seed , celery seed, salt, vinegar and water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook 10 more minutes.
Pack warm veggies into hot Pt. jars leaving 1/4 inch head space. Ladle hot liquid over veggies-leaving 1/4 inch head space. Remove air bubbles, place on new lids and process in a hot water bath for 15 minutes.
* note: you can use this liquid and same method to can any vegetable.
Cheers,
Peggy