Judy's Dill Pickles

When I was growing up my sister and mom would can all sorts of things, from jellies and sauces to various pickles.  I love pickles!  Especially dill pickles.  But I never tired to make them on my own.  My daughter asked me to do it just about every summer.  I guess I just thought it was going to be hard and too much work; it seemed that way to the child me.  Plus, they seemed to make endless amounts.  Hundreds of pickles.  All-day canning marathons.  This year, I was feeling brave and decided to just try it on a smaller scale.  I found the recipe my sister wrote for me way back.  The result: SO easy!

Here's what you'll need:
15-18 cucumbers, 3"-4" inches long
3 c white vinegar
3 c water
6 TBSP salt
1 bunch fresh dill, divided into 6
12 garlic cloves, cut in half
6 tsp mustard seeds
6 pint-sized canning jars (wide mouth are easiest) with lids and rings. sterilized

Combine the vinegar, water and salt in large saucepan.  Bring to a boil.

Place 1/6 of the dill, 4 garlic halves and 1 tsp mustard seeds into the bottom of each sterilized jar.

Remove both ends from the cucumbers, and cut them into spears.  I put the smaller ones into 6, the larger ones into 8.

Stuff the cucumbers into the jars, filling as full as possible without sticking out of the jar.

Ladle the brine into the jars, leaving 1/2" at the top.  Wipe the rims, then top with a lid and ring.  Hand tighten.  Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.   Transfer the jars to the counter to cool.  Let rest 24 hours.  Check seals.

Store in a cool, dark place.  Makes 6 pints.

Enjoy!

Strawberry Jam

It's strawberry season! I absolutely love fresh-picked strawberries.  For years, my son had a strawberry patch and I was spoiled by the easy access.  Yesterday I picked up a few quarts at a local farm stand. They're small, but so sweet.  I decided making jam was a necessity!  Don't stop reading now.  It's not hard. I'll walk you through the steps and you'll soon be enjoying your own fresh jam, made from the local bounty.

Here's what you'll need:
2 quarts of strawberries, rinsed and stems removed
1 package fruit pectin
7 c sugar

You will need 9 1-cup canning jars with lids and rings.  Put the jars in a large pot.  Fill with enough water to cover them by 1 inch.

Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer.

Place the lids and rings in a separate pot.  Cover with water.

Bring to a simmer. Keep on low heat.

Pulse strawberries, 1 cup at a time, in a blender.

Do not puree!  Jam should have bits of fruit in it.

Measure out 5 cups of strawberry puree and put it into a large pot.

Measure out the sugar into a separate container.

Stir the box of pectin into the strawberry puree, mixing well.

Bring to a full rolling boil (one that doesn't stop when stirred) over high heat.
Add the sugar, all at once.

Return to a full rolling boil.  Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat.

Remove the jars from the boiling water with tongs.

Use a ladle to fill the jars to withing 1/8-inch of the top.

When all the jars are filled use a clean, damp cloth to wipe the rim and clean the threads of any spilled jam.  This is necessary for the seal.

Place a lid and ring on each jar.  Tighten, by hand, just until tight.  Turn each jar upside-down as you put the lids on.

Once all the rings are on, set a timer for 10 minutes.

Turn the jars right side-up.  You will hear the lids "pop" as a seal is made by the vacuum created by the hot jam pulling tightly on the lid.  Allow to sit on the counter 24 hours.  This will allow the jam to set.

Test the seals by pushing down on the top of the lid.  If it pushes in, the seal is not set and you'll need to refrigerate the jam.  Store the sealed jars in a cool, dry, dark place for up to one year.

*This canning method is not suitable for all types of canning, but is totally acceptable for jam.

Enjoy!