The garden is about done producing for this season and there are two things going on here at my house. The first is who is going to win the current battle, ole man winter or Mr. Sun. The prize for Mr. Sun is being able to stay out long enough to ripen the remaining vegitables that are still hanging on. The prize for ole man winter is to lay a hard frost on the garden reminding us that he is here to stay. The second thing going on is what to do with the remainding produce before the frost does arrive.
Here in the great state of Colorado we get our first frost sometime during the first week of October. In the high country it comes a lot earlier. I still have tomatoes, cucumbers, and herbs that I have been covering all week to protect from the frost. I will be cutting the herbs today and begin drying them to use this winter. The cucumbers I will leave to see if old man winter or Mr. Sun wins the race. The tomatoes will become pickled.
Some times canning isn’t the easiest way to spend the day but green tomato pickles are one of those vegitables that you will be glad you went through the work. Here is all you need and what to do:
4 pounds green tomatoes
4 medium onions, sliced thin
1 cup chopped pepper, green, yellow. red, or a mix of each
8 cups white vinegar
5 cups sugar
1/4 cup mustard seed
1 teaspoon turmeric, ground
1 Tablespoon hot pepper flakes, optional
Core tomatoes and slice about medium or cut into wedges. I like the wedges. Combine tomatoes, onions, and peppers in a bowl; set aside. In a saucepan combine the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Pack tomatoes into clean, hot pint jars. Do not over pack jars. Pour hot liquid over tomatoes leaving about a 1/2 inch of head space, but be sure you cover the tomatoes with the liquid. Continue to procede as you would any canning process.
You should have about 8 pints of finished product.
This is great for a potluck or break out a jar during the upcoming holidays. It will be a pleasant surprise to all who have never tried them before causing you to receive rave reviews.
Well, guess I better get busy . . . more later.
Enjoy
The garden is about done producing for this season and there are two things going on here at my house. The first is who is going to win the current battle, ole man winter or Mr. Sun.">
The garden is about done producing for this season and there are two things going on here at my house. The first is who is going to win the current battle, ole man winter or Mr. Sun.">
The garden is about done producing for this season and there are two things going on here at my house. The first is who is going to win the current battle, ole man winter or Mr. Sun.">
