I got impatient a few weeks back waiting for my yellow pear tomatoes to ripen on the plants.  I had a mean hankering for pickled green tomatoes.  Usually, pickled green tomato recipes are for the end of the growing season, not the beginning.  A voice in my head said, "Who cares what time of the season it is?  There's the green tomatoes you need for the recipe right there in front of you!"  So, I picked the plants clean.

I've made a very similar recipe to this last fall season, it called for red bell pepper.  I didn't have any on hand, but I did have lots of carrots.  I really dig pickled carrots.  I made sure to fill my jars with carrots small enough to be eaten with good crackers.

The only drawback to making pickled anything is waiting.  Waiting for the vegetable to soak up the brine and turn into a pickle.  Oh but when that time finally comes to enjoy them on top of a salad, on the side of some smoky barbecue or just spread over a cracker - oh baby!  Is it good!  I have fun watching my friends gobble up a jar when we get together for grilling.  Pickled carrots and green pear tomatoes just ROCK!

HERE'S ALL IT TAKES

makes 3 1/2 pints

• 1 gallon green yellow pear tomatoes
• 1/4 gallon white onion, roughly chopped
• 1/2 pint serrano peppers, stem and seeds removed, roughly chopped

• 3 cups table sugar
• 3 cups white vinegar
• 1/8 cup table salt
• 1/8 cup fresh ground pepper

Put all the ingredients into a large cooking pot and bring to a rapid boil over medium high heat.  Boil for 5 minutes.

Ladle tomatoes, onions and peppers into clean, hot canning jars.  Pour hot brine into each jar leaving 1/2-inch headspace between the top of the liquid and the lid.  Remove any trapped air bubbles.  Cover with 2-piece lid.

Use a boiling-water canner to process pickles for 5 minutes.  Transfer jars onto a tea towel covered area for a day.  Check seals, then store in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year.  (You'll have them eaten up in 4 months.  Trust me.)

Let me know if you would like me to make a canning video for this recipe.  It would not be hard for me to crank one out for you.

The first growing season I spent putting up jams and jellies, I used pectin in everything.  That's what the recipe said to add, so that's what I did.  This past strawberry pickin' season, I made strawberry jam the old fashion way or the classic way.  I kept the pectin box in the pantry and I pulled up my high chair next to the stove and went to stirring.

There's nothing to working with homemade jam recipes, especially when there's only stirring, patience and a watchful eye needed.  And you won't believe the intense flavor that comes from slow cooked strawberry jam.  IT IS AMAZING.  I had a couple of friends over to taste this recipe.  You should've seen their eyes light up!  They both said it was the best tasting jam they had ever tasted.  I completely agree.

HERE'S ALL IT TAKES

Makes about 4 pints

• 2 quarts fresh picked strawberries
• 6 cups sugar

Wash strawberries and drain.  Remove stems.  Crush strawberries one layer at a time with a potato masher or use an immersion blender.

Combine strawberries and sugar in a large saucepot.  Bring slowly to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves.  Cook rapidly to gelling point, about 20 to 30 minutes.  As mixture thickens, stir frequently to prevent sticking.  Remove from heat.  Skim foam if necessary.

Gel Test: When two drops become one - that's the happy moment call sheeting.  Stir the spread with a wooden spoon.  Lift the spoon out of the bubbling liquid so it's parallel to the floor and tilt it to face you.  The spread will run off the spoon in a stream at first and then in individual drops.  When two drops lean into each other on the edge of the spoon and join into one big sloppy drop before dripping off the edge of the spoon, you have sheeting.

Ladle hot jam into hot jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace.  Adjust two-piece caps.  Process 15 minutes in a boiling water canner.

Did y'all catch that video I made when I went to pick strawberries?

Sour cherries are available in late May through June here in Texas.  So, I wanted to take advantage of this time and try making a batch of Cherry Jam.  I've made applesauce, blueberry jam, red plum jam, strawberry jam and I figured we could never have enough jam in the pantry.

This recipe includes instructions for canning the jam.

HERE'S ALL IT TAKES

to make 6 cups

• 3 pounds sour cherries, enough to make 4 cups finely chopped cherries
• 1 box Sure-Jell Premium Fruit Pectin
• 4 3/4 cups sugar

Bring boiling-water canner to a simmer.

Wash jars and bands in hot, soapy water; rinse in warm water.  Pour boiling water over flat lids in saucepan off the heat.  Let stand in hot water until ready to use.  Drain well before filling.

Wash, pit and finely chop cherries. Chop finer than I show in the photo below. You can run the cherries through a food processor to pulse to chop.  Do not puree because jam should have bits of fruit throughout.

Measure exact amount of prepared fruit into a 6- to 8-quart saucepot.  Add and stir in 1 box of pectin.  Bring mixture to a full rolling boil (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly.

Stir in sugar quickly.  Return to full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat.  Skim off any foam.

Ladle quickly into prepared jars, filling to with 1/8-inch of tops (to the top screw thread of the jar).  Wipe jar rims and threads with a clean moist towel.  Cover with two-piece lids.  Screw bands on finger tight.  Place jars on elevated rack in canner.  Lower rack into canner.  WAter must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches; add boiling water if needed.  Cover; bring water to a gentle boil.  Process jams 10 minutes.  Adjust processing time according to Altitude Chart below.

Remove jars and place upright on a towel to cool completely.  After jars cook, check seals by pressing middle of lid with finger.  (If lid springs back, lid is not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.)

Let stand at room temperature 24 hours.  Store unopened jams in cool, dry, dark place up to 1 year.  Refrigerate opened jams up to 3 weeks.

Take a look around, you just might find a local farmer growing beets.  Take the opportunity to stock up on them and put up a few jars.  You'll be glad you did.

HERE'S ALL IT TAKES

makes about 6 pints

• 3 quarts beets (about 24 small beets)
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 tablespoon whole allspice
• 1 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 3 1/2 cups white distilled vinegar
• 1 1/2 cups water

Wash beets and drain.  Boil beets in a large pot with enough water to cover by 2 or 3 inches.  Bring to a low boil and cook until beets are tender when pierced with a knife, 30 to 40 minutes depending on the size of the beets.  Drain and set aside until cool enough to handle.

Skins will slip off cooked beets easily.  Pinch the beets with a little pressure and pulle the skins away.  Use a small paring knife to cut away any stubborn bits or damaged spots.  Red beets will stain everything they touch, including your hands, so wear gloves, unless you like pink hands.  Cut beets in half and then into 1/4-inch slices.

Combine the sugar, cinnamon sticks, allspice, salt, vinegar and water in a large saucepot.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat.  Simmer for 15 minutes.  Remove cinnamon sticks.  Pack sliced beets into clean, hot jars, arranging them snugly bur with enough room for brine to circulate.

Ladle hot liquid over beets, leaving 1/2-inch headspace.  Remove air bubbles.  Adjust 2-piece caps.  Process pints and quarts 30 minutes in boiling water canner.  Remove jars and set aside for 24 hours.  Check seals, then store in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year.

Red plum jelly or red plum jam, either one works for me.  There's nothing like eating fruit jams from fresh picked fruits, especially if you picked the fruit yourself.  I confess that I didn't have to pick these plums.  My dear neighbors have plum trees in their backyard and brought me a couple of bags.  It's always a sweet thrill to receive such gifts.

Red plums have their own pectin, so when making jam, it's not necessary to add powdered pectin.  Save that box for making jellies.  All it takes to make this red plum jam recipe is a little patience.

HERE'S ALL IT TAKES

To make 3 pints

• 5 cups red plums, washed, seeded, coarsely chopped
• 3 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup water

Combine the plums, sugar and water in a large saucepot.  Bring slowly to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves.  Cook rapidly to gelling point.  As mixture thickens, stir frequently to prevent sticking.  Remove from heat.  Ladle hot jam into hot jars.  Adjust two-piece caps.  Process 15 minutes in a boiling-water canner.

Testing the Gelling Point

Thermometer

Use a candy thermometer to measure the temperature (220ºF is the magic number).

Sheeting

When two drops become one, that's the happy moment called sheeting.  Stir the spread with a wooden spoon. Lift the spoon out of the bubbling liquid so it's parallel to the floor and tilt it to face you.  The spread will run off the spoon in a stream at first and then in individual drops.  When two drops lean into each other on the edge of the spoon and join into one big drop before dripping off the edge of the spoon, you have sheeting.

Well last plum season, my dear neighbor brought of over a bag of fresh picked red plums.  They weren't quite ripe enough to work with, but it was necessary to get them off the tree early before the squirrels got to them. All I needed was a little patience and place to lay them out for a couple of days.

Here's a photo of what they looked liked right off the tree.

Here's what they looked like 2 days later.

It's amazing how different they look, isn't it?  Now, I was ready to get bizz-A in the kitchen.

HERE'S ALL IT TAKES TO MAKE RED PLUM JELLY

To makes 4 pints

• 5 1/2 cups plum juice (about 5 pounds plums)
• 1 package powdered pectin
• 7 cups sugar

To Extract the Juice from the Plums

Wash and removes seeds.  Cut up fruit and slightly crush it.  Add 1/2 cup water for each quart of prepared fruit in a large saucepan.  Cover and simmer fruit until soft.  Strain fruit through several layers of cheesecloth to extract juice.  Juice can be used fresh or frozen for later use.

To Make the Jelly
Combine plum juice and powdered pectin in a large pot.  Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently.  Add sugar and keep stirring until the sugar is dissolved.  Return to a boil.  Boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly to keep the liquid from boiling over and out of the pot.    Remove from heat.  Stir gently to settle foam.  Ladle hot jelly into hot jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace.  Adjust the two-piece caps.  Process 10 minutes in a boiling-water canner.  Allow the jars to cool for 24 hours.  Check to make sure you got a good seal. Properly sealed jelly will last one year in a cool, dark place.

I just want to say something to all those veteran canners out there.  I know that in the photo above, I do not have my jelly to the 1/4-inch headspace mark.  At the time, I wasn't thinking of entering my jelly in any contests.  I was just making jelly for my family.  But I confess, when it came time for our local county fair, I was sorry I didn't get the jelly to the mark.  I had my clarity and fruit set spot on, but I knew the jar wasn't full enough to earn a blue ribbon.
Next season.

Oh my friend, let me tell you that you ain't never had a pickled green tomatoes recipe like this one.  Well, maybe you have, but I haven't.  I got the recipe over the phone from a farmer who said it was his grandmother's recipe.  He said she was probably turning over in her grave because he was giving away her recipes.  I can just see her right now.   She's doing cartwheels as I post her recipe on the internet! OOWee!

Well, that's alright.  Good recipes are suppose to live on, not die with their makers.

Anyhoo.  I had fun making up this batch of pickled green tomaters.  The hardest part was waitin' three weeks before I could open the jars to taste them.  It was stressed to me the importance of letting the peppers, carrots and red bell pepper marry up with each other for a good while before eating.  And I'm so glad I waited.  If I had known those carrots were going to ROCK like they did, I would have put a whole more carrot sticks in the jars.  Mercy are they good!

HERE'S ALL IT TAKES TO MAKE A BATCH

Makes 9 pints

• 2 gallons green tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 1/2 gallon white onions, thinly sliced
• 1 pint serrano or jalapeno peppers
• 6 cups granulated sugar
• 6 cups white vinegar
• 1/4 cup table salt
• 1/4 cup fresh ground pepper

• 3 to 5 carrots, scraped and cut into matchsticks or medallions
• 2 red bell peppers, cut into strips, squares or diamonds, whatever you desire

Put all the ingredients, EXCEPT the carrots and red bell pepper,  in a large pot.  Bring to a boil then count off 5 minutes.  Transfer hot vegetables to hot canning jars.  Seal and process in waterbath canner for 5 minutes.  After the jars have cooled for 24 hours, check to make sure they have a good seal before storing in a cool, dark place.

It's best to wait at least 3 weeks before poppin' the lid on a jar for good eatin'.  It's really worth it to wait 2 months.  These sweet and spicy tomatoes keep gettin' better the longer they set.

SOMETHING NEW I LEARNED

To measure out 2 gallons of green tomatoes cut into wedges:  cut the top off a one gallon vinegar jug.  Fill the jug and you've got 1 gallon! I learned this from the farmer's wife.  She's pickled this recipe plenty and she knows what's she's talking about.

Here's a picture of the everything except the carrots and red bell pepper in the pot.

If you have questions about putting up fruit and vegetables, just holler for me through the Contact Form.

This pickled green tomatoes recipe comes to us from Sue Adams, a loyal reader here of SimpleDailyRecipes.com.

HERE'S ALL IT TAKES

• 1 peck green tomatoes sliced
• 1 1/2 ounce black peppercorns
• 6 cups granulated sugar
• 1 ounce whole allspice
• 1/4 ounce ground mustard
• 1 dozen onions sliced
• 1 ounce whole cloves
• 1 ounce mustard seed
• 2 quarts white distilled vinegar

Mix 1/2  cup salt with tomatoes  and onions with 1/4 cup salt and let set overnight. Drain good.

Tie spices in bag and place into kettle with the vinegar and sugar, heat to boiling point, add tomatoes and onions and let simmer slowly for 20 minutes. Do not overcook, will not be crisp. Pack in jars and seal immediately.

From Jill-

In order to put up the pickled green tomatoes for eating later, it's important to process them in a water bath canner for 5 minutes.

If you have any questions about canning pickles, relishes and jellies.  Just holler for me through the Contact Form.

This freezer pickles slices recipe is Outstanding!  I actually put up these freezer pickles last summer.  We're still eating on them and they have held up WAY BETTER than my canned pickles.  Not that my canned pickles aren't good, they are.  It's just that these freezer pickle slices are enjoyed more often on different occasions.

I get a bag out of the freezer every time we grill burgers or barbecue chicken.  They go very well on a relish tray and as a side to sandwiches.  Somehow they manage to stay crunchy even after being in the freezer 8 months.  That's how long it's been since I put them up.  I'm not sure I made enough to last me until the locally grown cucumbers are in season again.  I guess I'll just have to make them stretch until then.

The best type of cucumbers to use are fresh picked Pickling Cucumbers.  Pickling cukes are small, firm and have a bumpy skin.  They are 4 to 6 inches long and about 1 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter.  Also, they can hold up to cooking.  The cucumbers we see at the grocery store are called Slicers.  They're only good for salads.  There are many varieties of cucumbers, but initially they are divided by Pickling and Slicer.  When you're buying cucumbers at your farmers market or roadside vendor, ask which type they're selling if you don't know.  They should be able to tell you.

Here's a photo of what pickling cucumbers typically look like.

HERE'S ALL IT TAKES TO MAKE FREEZER PICKLES

• 6 to 8 firm, slender pickling cucumbers, thinly sliced
• 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons salt

• 2/3 cups oil
• 2/3 cups distilled white vinegar
• 2/3 cups granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon celery seed

Mix the cucumber slices, onion slices, and salt together in a large bowl.  Let stand for 2 hours.

Drain vegetables well.  Rinse thoroughly with cold water.  Drain well again.  Return drained vegetables to the rinsed bowl.  Add the oil, vinegar, sugar and celery seed.  Mix well.  Cover and put in the icebox overnight.

Pack in freezer jars or freezer containers, leaving 1 inch head space.  Or place in freezer bags and press out all the air before sealing.  Freeze.  Try putting up in portions that you know you will consume in about 3 weeks.

Freezer Pickle Slices are ready to eat after 1 week, just in case you can't wait too long.  Defrosting is as easy as leaving them out on the counter until thawed, or run them under warm water.  If you're planning ahead, they will thaw after a day in the frig.

Store defrosted cucumber slices in the icebox.  They will keep very well for several weeks, if they last that long. ;D

I just wanted to present to you some simple, straight up information about how to select good asparagus and how to freeze asparagus.  When spring is going on, so are the sales we find at the markets.  It's the perfect time to stock up on fresh picked locally grown asparagus.  Take advantage of early spring and stock up on this terrific vegetable.

HERE'S ALL IT TAKES

Select young, tender stalks with compact tips. Sort according to thickness of stalk. Wash asparagus thoroughly and cut or break off and discard tough parts of stalks. Leave spears in lengths to fit the package or cut in 2-inch lengths.
Water blanch according to thickness of stalk:

• Small stalks........................... 2 minutes
• Medium stalks....................... 3 minutes
• Large stalks........................... 4 minutes

Cool promptly in cold water and drain. Pack into containers, leaving no headspace. When packing spears, alternate tips and stem ends. In containers that are wider at the top than bottom, pack asparagus with tips down. Seal, label and freeze.

Why Blanch Vegetables? Enzymes.

Most vegetables do need to be blanched to stop enzyme reactions. Enzymes are chemicals that continue the ripening process in food. If they are not destroyed, enzymes reaction will go on even during frozen storage--the longer the time in storage and the higher the freezer temperature, the more noticeable will be the results of this enzyme activity. Enzyme activity does not produce harmful food poisoning type spoilage, but rather a deterioration of quality. Blanching improves the quality, preserves vitamins, and retains color, texture and flavor.

Nutritional facts on raw Asparagus in 1 cup or 134 grams :

Calories 27
Total Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 3mg
Carbs 5g
Dietary fiber 3g
Sugars 3g
Protein 3g

Vitamins:
A 20%
C 13%
E 8%
K 70%
Thiamin 13%
Riboflavin 11%
Niacin 7%
B6 6%
Folate 17%
Pantothenic Acid 4%

Minerals:
Calcium 3%
Iron 16%
Magnesium 5%
Phosphorus 7%
Potassium 8%
Zinc 5%
Copper 13%
Manganese 11%
Selenium 4%