Zucchini Relish

10 Cups zucchini, grated
4 Cups onion grated
5T. Salt

• Put in a large bowl.  Mix well.
• Let stand overnight.
• Drain and rinse well with cold water.  Drain again

Put the zucchini mix in a large kettle with the following:

• 2 ¼ c. vinegar
• 4 ½  c. Sugar
• 1 t. nutmeg
• 1 t. turmeric
• 1 t. dry mustard
• 1 t. cornstarch
• 1 t. ground pepper
• 2 t. celery salt
• 1 green pepper chopped
• 1 red or hot pepper chopped

Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Pour into jars and process in boiling water bath for 5 minutes

 

Green Salad Dressing

1 large handful parsley                                                            
1 T mustard
1 small handful basil
½ c cider vinegar                                                              
1 tsp salt
2 small pickles (gherkin size)      
4 leaves of swiss chard
2 cloves garlic
½ c olive oil or any other good quality oil

Place all ingredients except the oil in food processor and blend into a smooth paste. With the machine still running, slowly add the oil and blend until it is emulsified to a thick, creamy sauce. Freeze in wide mouthed pint jars.

BREAD AND BUTTER PICKLES

• 5 lbs of 4 to 5-inch pickling cucumbers
• 8 cups of thinly sliced onions (about 3 pounds)
• 1/2 cup canning or pickling salt
• 4 cups of vinegar (5 percent)
• 4-1/2 cups of sugar
• 2 tbsp mustard seed
• 1-1/2 tbsp celery seed
• 1 tbsp ground turmeric
• 1 cup pickling lime (optional- for use in variation below for making firmer pickles)

Yield: About 7-8 pints
Procedure: Wash the cucumbers. Next, cut off about 1/16-inch of the blossom end and discard. Cut them into 3/16-inch slices. Combine cucumbers and onions in a large bowl. Add salt. Cover with 2 inches crushed or cubed ice. Refrigerate 3 to 4 hours. Add more ice as needed.
Combine remaining ingredients in a large pot. Boil 10 minutes. Drain and add cucumbers and onions slowly reheating to a boil. Fill jars with slices and cooking syrup, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Place your jars in a canner filled half way with warm (120º to 140ºF) water. Then, add hot water to a level 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Heat the water enough to maintain 180 to 185ºF water temperature for 30 minutes. Check with a candy or jelly thermometer to be certain that the water temperature is at least 180ºF during the entire 30 minutes. Temperatures higher than 185ºF may cause unnecessary softening of pickles.
Storage: After processing and cooling, jars should be stored 4 to 5 weeks to develop ideal flavor.
Variation: Squash bread-and-butter pickles. Substitute slender (1 to 1-1/2 inches in diameter) zucchini or yellow summer squash for cucumbers.

Fast Favorite Garlic Dill Pickles

Often called kosher-style dill pickles, these are quick to make. Use either whole cukes or cut larger ones into quarters.

8-10 cucumbers
2 cups white vinegar
2 cups water
1 Tblsp salt
4 heads fresh dill
4 cloves garlic

1. Cut cucumbers into quarters.
2. Combine vinegar, water and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
3. Remove hot jars from canner. Place 1 head fresh dill and 1 clove garlic  into each jar; pack in cucumbers. Pour boiling vinegar mixture over cucumbers to within ½ inch of rim. Process 10 minutes for pint jars and 15 minutes for quart jars.

Makes 4 pint jars.

Ratatouille (from Joy of Cooking)
¼ c olive oil
1 medium eggplant (1 lb), peeled & cut into 1 inch cubes
2 lbs zucchini & summer squash, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 ½ cups sliced onions
2 large peppers, cut into 1 inch squares
3 cloves garlic, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1 ½ cups chopped fresh tomatoes
2 to 3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
¼ cup chopped fresh basil

1. Saute ¼ c olive oil, eggplant, zucchini and summer squash in a large skillet or Dutch oven over high heat until the vegetables are golden and just tender, 10 to 12 minutes.
2. Remove the vegetables and reduce the heat to medium high. In the same pan, cook 2 Tbsp olive oil and onions until slightly softened.
3. Add peppers and garlic, and cook stirring occasionally until the vegetables are just tender but not browned, 8 to 12 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Add tomatoes, thyme and bay leaf. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 5 minutes.
5. Add the eggplant, zucchini and summer squash and cook until everything is tender, about 20 minutes more. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Stir in basil.
6. Cool and let rest one day in the refrigerator to develop flavor. Freeze in pint or quart Ziploc freezer bags.

Makes 6 servings

Serving Tip: Serve with rice and feta cheese as a vegetarian entrée or as a side with lamb or chicken.

Gazpacho Salsa
Serve with beef or chicken fajitas and with all types of fish

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
8 large tomatoes, chopped
1 cup diced peeled cucumber
1 cup diced green pepper
4 cups tomato juice
2/3 cup red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp each: ground cumin & paprika
4 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1. Heat oil in a large stainless steel or enamel saucepan and sauté onion on medium heat for 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
2. Stir in tomatoes, cucumber, green pepper, tomato juice, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, cumin and paprika. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat and boil gently, uncovered, for about 30 minutes or until mixture is thickened, stirring occasionally. Stir in basil, salt and pepper and cook for 2 minutes.
3. Remove hot jars from canner and ladle salsa into jars to within ½ inch of rim. Process 20 minutes for half-pint and pint jars.

Makes 8 cups