Sweet Pickles

This is a recipe that my sister-in-law and I came up with years ago after several trial and error attempts at making sweet pickles from others' recipes. When our families won't eat them, that's bad! They love pickles. So, we decided to experiment and this recipe was the final result.....instant "hit" with every slice of pickle eaten!
When we did this the first time, we really didn't have much hope....we were about to give up. We didn't want to use all of our best pickling cucumbers just in case in went bad again. So, you know the big cucumbers that most of us would refuse to pickle? Well, that's what we used that first time, with fantastic results.
This is not a "quick" pickle, it takes 4 weeks total....but, so worth the wait. Hope you give it a try! Leave us a comment and let us know how it went if you do.
Thanks for stopping by!

Sweet Pickles

 

Wash and pack whole cucumbers in a 1 gallon container (that can handle boiling liquids). Set aside for now.

 

In large saucepan mix:

 

4 cups vinegar

4 tbs pickling spice

4 tbs salt

2 tbs alum

 

Bring this mixture to a boil, stirring frequently. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and pour over cucumbers. If this does not completely cover the cucumbers, finish filling with water.   Place lid on pickle container and store in cool, dark place for 2 weeks.

 

After 2 weeks, strain brine from cucumbers and discard. Slice the cucumbers into prepared jars.

 

Mix separately and Well:

4 cups sugar

6 tbs water

Pour this mixture over sliced cucumbers in jars. Put in water bath canner for 30 mins to seal. When sealed and cooled, store in cool place for 2 weeks. 

 

After those 2 weeks, open and enjoy!

Pickled Beets (Sweet)

It may seem a bit odd that I am posting a beet canning recipe this time of year. It’s just May right? Nowhere near harvest season. Well, I have some store bought canned beets that we will never eat in that form. So, I have decided to take the syrup recipe from these directions and re-can those beets. I’ve never tried this before, so I’m not sure if it will work. If it does work, I’ve turned something my family will not eat into something they will. If it doesn’t work, I’ve lost very little. I think it’s worth a try.

This recipe was passed to me by my dear aunt Karen, who upon hearing that I “hated” beets convinced me to try one of hers. It was love at first bite! Now, many years later, I have witnessed that same reaction in family and friends when they’ve said the same thing to me and I convinced them to try mine. Only one person every said to me that they still didn’t like them. Most asked for a jar to take home and/or the recipe.

These beets are fairly easy, although they do take a bit of time cleaning and preparing. This recipe is easily adjusted to the amount of beets you wish to work with at a time. I’ve done anywhere from 1 canner run at a time to 4 bushels (that took a while) but, I always break it down into manageable amounts. The amount of sweetness is also easily adjusted, (more about that in the directions).

INGREDIENTS:

Beets

Sugar

White Vinegar

Water

The amount needed for each is determined by how many beets you want to work with at a time.

DIRECTIONS: 

First: Cut all but 1 inch off of leaves and stems of beets (yes, this will leave 1 inch of leaf and stem on the beet) and Do Not cut the root, at all (cutting causes the beet to “bleed” too much curing boiling). Scrub clean. Place appropriate size pan ~ one that will hold the beets, covered with water and room to boil. Once they have reached a boil, continue boiling until the largest of the beets are easy to stick a fork into, but not too soft (time varies depending on size of beets). Once they reach this stage, strain them and let cool until they are cool enough for you to handle. Slip off stems, skin and roots and pack into prepared jars in whatever form you prefer: whole, sliced, diced, halved. Leave a ¼ in headspace in jar. Set aside.

Second: Bring to boil and continue to boil for 15 minutes:

Equal amounts sugar and white vinegar and half of the amount of water. 

For Example: 1 cup sugar, 1 cup vinegar, ½ cup water. You can start with this mix and adjust to your taste: want them less sweet? Remove some of the sugar and/or add more vinegar.  You can also adjust the water if the “syrup” is too thick or strong for your taste.

Third: Once you’ve boiled your “syrup” for 15 minutes, pour over beets in jars leaving ½ in headspace. Try to remove any air bubbles by running a butter knife or chopstick, etc around in the jar. Wipe rims of jars clean and cap. Process these in water bath (canning method) for 30 minutes. Remove from water bath and place where they can sit undisturbed until they are completely cooled.

 

Anniversary Chicken

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees

 

6 - skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

2 tbsp olive oil (we prefer olive oil, although you can use any cooking oil)

1/2 cup - Kikkoman Terriyaki sauce

1/2 cup- Kraft Ranch salad dressing

1 cup - shredded cheddar cheese

3 - chopped green onions

1/2 cup - bacon bits (the Real thing, Not imitation)

1 tbsp - chopped fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

 

Heat large skillet over medium heat; heat oil; add chicken breast and saute 4-5 minutes, until each side is white.

Remove chicken from skillet and place in 9x13 baking dish.

Pour, or brush, terriyaki sauce evenly over chicken breast; then the same with the ranch dressing.  Sprinkle cheese, then green onions and bacon bits on top.

Bake 25 to 35 , minutes until juice runs clear.

Garnish (if desired) and serve.

 

 

 

Coleslaw

I am very picky about coleslaw, and rarely find any I actually like, but this turns out pretty well.

Ingredients:

4 cups shredded cabbage
1 cup shredded carrots (more or less according to your taste)
1 cup mayonnaise
4 tsp sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Mix mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Pour over cabbage and carrots and mix together well.
Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Chicken Pot Pie

Absolutely one of our family's favorite meals. Simple to make and adjust to your own tastes.
My mother got this recipe off of a soup can label and gave to me a few years ago. I've made it so much that I don't even need the recipe anymore, but I keep it written down so I can pass it on to family and friends easily.

Preheat oven to 350.

Ingredients:

2 - 10 oz cans cooked chicken (drained)
1 - can mixed vegetables (drained)
1 - can cream of chicken soup
2 - cans cream of mushroom soup
1 - can water chestnuts (drained)
1/4 tsp sage
2 - packages ready to bake crusts (the kind in a can normally you will find them near canned biscuits in the store, there are 2 per pack.)

In large mixing bowl combine chicken, vegetables, soups, water chestnuts and sage.

This will make 2 pies, so take 2 of the roll out pie crusts and line 2 pie pans with them. Divide chicken mixture between the 2 pies. Top each with another roll out pie crust. Crimp the edges to seal and cut off excess. Prick holes in the top of each crust with a fork, for venting.

Bake for 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

Cool slightly before serving.

Helpful hints:

Mixed vegetables are optional, they can be  replaced with corn, green beans, mushrooms, onions, peppers, broccoli, etc.

Water chestnuts are optional.

If you prefer to make your own pie crust, that would be great as well.

Can also be made this without a "bottom" crust.

For no mushrooms, replace cream of mushroom soup with more cream of chicken, cream of broccoli, etc.

This can be doubled easily, and I highly recommend it if you plan on taking it to a family gathering because this goes very quickly.

Strawberry Bread

Preheat oven to 350.

Ingredients:

3 cups self-rising flour
4 eggs (beaten)
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
2  10 oz packages frozen strawberries, thawed and chopped
(or 2 cups fresh strawberries washed, cleaned and chopped)

Add flour to large mixing bowl and form a shallow well in the center of flour. In separate bowl combine beaten eggs, oil and strawberries and pour into well. Gradually stir to mix, until mix well.  Spoon mixture into 2 greased loaf pans.
Bake 1 hour.
Cool at least 10 minutes before serving.

Quick Fruit Cobbler

So very easy and absolutely delicious with any fruit or berry you prefer.

Preheat oven to 350.

Ingredients:

1 stick butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
1 cup self-rising flour
1 cup milk
2 cups prepared fruit of choice

Place stick of butter in 9 x 13 baking dish and place in oven until butter is melted.

Mix sugar, flour and milk well. Pour into baking dish over melted butter. Pour fruit over that mixture. Bake 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Helpful hints:

This recipe can be increased, just always keep equal amounts of flour, sugar and milk.

Fruit amount can also be adjusted to more, or less, according to your personal taste.