Well, I have to say, I must have been over-zealous in my "sowing" because I have been reaping, and reaping, and reaping. I'm so glad my friends, neighbors, the kids' teachers, and my husband's co-workers like vegetables so much because I can't use or preserve these veggies fast enough.
This week the kids and I blanched, canned, and froze a lot of vegetables. I made a sauce with our tomatoes, garlic, and basil; we froze zucchini, squash, and green beans, I made tons of pesto and froze it in cubes for later use, and then we made a bunch of sun pickles using my grandma's recipe.
We started out by washing our jars and our cucumbers. This is Abby's bossy face as she tells her brother how to correctly wash the cucumbers and in return he is showing her his "Whateva" face...
Then we got out our ingredients: fresh dill (I had to buy it because I killed mine...twice), garlic, vinegar, and pickling salt.
The kids stuffed some dill and cloves of garlic into the bottom of the jar and then packed in the cucumbers that I cut into spears.
Then we put in a mixture of water, vinegar, and pickling salt. I don't know exact measurements, I'm not an exact measurement kind of girl...that's why I don't bake.
Then you top it off with a thick slice of white bread. I don't know why, it's just what my Grandma did.
Then you put the lids on loosely and set the jars in the sun for about 2 days.
I LOVE home-canned pickles! My mom used to make them when we were little! I wish she still did. But she didn't put a slice of bread in, I wonder what that's for. I'll have to ask my grandma!
Posted by: Smwonder00 | June 17, 2009 at 07:09 AM
MAN!!! Go seaweed! Having a little coveting moment over here.
Posted by: Jen Taylor | June 17, 2009 at 06:35 AM
I am so impressed. Really. I can't believe how much you have.
Posted by: MelodyA. | June 13, 2009 at 06:29 PM
That's so great! What a fun thing to do with the kids. I love pickles! I wish I had a green thumb like you.
Posted by: Rosie Ferroggiaro | June 13, 2009 at 08:09 AM