FRESH FROM THE GARDEN

I have an abundance of  tomatoes, okra, green beans, and cucumbers this year. I have given some away to friends.  I like sharing but I'm not foolish.  I need to pickle or freeze something for the winter. I would hate to be pining for frozen fresh veggies this winter. 

I started planting  a small garden after my favorite grocery store had too many recalls on vegetables a few years ago. I have a small garden in back yard or do the container garden on my porch.

Here are some recipes for quick and refrigerated
pickles from the web and my cookbook collection.
I do not have the patience for the canning method.

READY TO SERVE QUICK PICKLES


1/2 C  vinegar
1 tsp celery  seed
1 tsp  salt
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp dried dill
1 bay leaf 
4 medium cucumbers, sliced

In pot add vinegar, celery seed, salt, sugar, garlic,
and bay leaf.Cook over medium heat until salt and sugar dissolves. In bowl, add cucumbers  and the 
dill. Pour pickling liquid in the bowl and mix  well. 
Allow the pickles to cool. Serve room temp or chill
in fridge. 

BASIC QUICK PICKLES


Brine:

1 T  mustard seeds
1 tsp  whole black peppercorns
1 1/4 C  vinegar
3/4 C  water
1/4 C  sugar
2 T  salt
1 bay leaf

Tip:  Use 1 pound of your favorite garden veggies
(carrots, cauliflower, cucumbers, grape or cherry
tomatoes or zucchini)

Put your veggies in quart jar but leave 1/2 inch room at the top.

Prepare brine:  In a pot, add ingredients for the brine and stir to mix well.  Bring to a boil over medium heat until  salt and sugar have dissolved.

Pour the brine into the jar,  Allow the pickles  to cool to room temperature.  Seal the jar  and  store in the fridge a week before serving. Pickles will last in fridge for a month.   

 

I like reading Southern Living Magazines in the summer.  They have lots of recipes for garden
vegetables.  These pickle recipes below were
inspired by Southern Living.  I have adjusted
these recipes to fit my family's needs. Please
go to Southern Living website for exact recipe: 

http://www.southernliving.com/?xid=logobar-mr

QUICK PICKLES

4 cups thinly sliced cucumbers ( 2 large)

1/2 C sliced green onions

1/2 C  vinegar

3 T  sugar

1 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp  salt

Place cucumbers and onions in a large bowl. Add 

the rest of the ingredients to a pot. and stir to mix well. Bring brine to a boil and simmer until salt and sugar dissolves. Pour brine over cucumber mixture. Let stand 30 minutes. Serve with a slotted spoon.

Easy Refrigerator Pickles

6 C sliced cucumbers

2 C thinly sliced onion 

1 1/2 C vinegar

3/4 C  sugar

3/4 tsp  salt

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp  celery seeds

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

1/4 tsp black pepper

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

Place 3 cups cucumber in a medium glass bowl;

top with 1 cup onion. Repeat procedure with the

remaining 3 cups cucumber and remaining 1 cup

onion.

Combine vinegar and remaining ingredients in a

small saucepan; stir well. Bring to a boil; cook

1 minute. Pour over cucumber mixture; let cool.

Cover and chill at least 4 days. Last one month

in fridge.

Tip: Can add 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric.  Recipe
didn't give how many jars to use or jar size.

Quick Confetti Pickles

1 large cucumber

1 medium yellow squash

4 tablespoons salt, divided

1 medium carrot

10 standard-size radishes

4 dill sprigs

Brine

1 C vinegar

1/4 C sugar

2 T lemon juice

2 C water

Wash and slice cucumber and squash. Place in colander and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons salt. 

Toss and let drain 30 minutes.

Peel and slice carrot and radishes then toss

with squash and cucumbers.  Pack veggies 

and dill sprig in 2 (1-pt) jars.  Leave ½ inch 

space at top.

Add ingredients for brine and remaining 2 Tbsp.

salt to saucepan. Bring to boil over medium-high

heat, stirring until sugar and salt dissolve.  Pour 

hot brine over vegetables and apply lids. Chill 24 hours before serving.Pickles last 3 weeks in fridge.

Quick Refrigerator Pickles

1/2 C vinegar

1/4 C water

1/4 C  sugar

2 tsp salt

1 flavoring variety (see below for options)

1 pound fall vegetables, steamed, boiled, or roasted until just tender

Combine the vinegar, water, sugar, salt, and

flavoring variety of your choice in a medium nonreactive saucepan,and bring to a boil.Stir

to dissolve the sugar and salt, then remove 

from the heat. 

 

Divide the vegetables evenly between jars or containers. Pour the brine over the mixture, 

leaving 1/2 inch of space between the top of 

the liquid and the lid. Cool, cover, and store 

in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

3 Great Varieties

Dilly Pickles: 2 TBSP fresh dill weed, 1 TBSP dill seeds, 2 garlic cloves (sliced), 1/2 onion (sliced).

Asian Pickles: 2 TBSP soy sauce, 1 tsp peppercorns,

1/2-inch fresh ginger (sliced into coins), 1 garlic clove (cut in half).

Spicy Pickles: 2-4 garlic cloves (sliced), 1 jalapeño (sliced), 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper.

 

Note: Jar size not given in recipe

I am trying to eat healthy so I have started stocking my fridge with fresh vegetables from my garden or from local grocery store produce isle.I make a large toss salad and keep it in the fridge and eat a small bowl of salad for a snack. I also use fresh produce
for a quick side dish during the week. Here are the
combinations I use:

LETTUCE WEDGE + DRIZZLE OF FAVORITE SALAD DRESSING

LETTUCE LEAVES+ HANDFUL OF GRAPE OR CHERRY TOMATOES

LETTUCE LEAVES +TOMATO SLICES + DOLLOP OF MAYO

SLICED TOMATOES SPRINKLED WITH SALT, PEPPER, & SUGAR

GRAPE OR CHERRY TOMATOES SPRINKLED WITH SALT, PEPPER,

AND SUGAR

GRAPE OR CHERRY TOMATOES + DRIZZLE OF FAVORITE SALAD DRESSING 

SLICED CUKES + DRIZZLE OF VINEGAR + SALT + PEPPER

SLICED CUKES + SLICED ONION RINGS 

LETTUCE LEAVES + PEAR HALF + DOLLOP MAYO

CANTALOUPE WEDGE WRAPPED WITH PROSCIUTTO HAM

SLICED KIWI FRUIT

SLICED BEETS + SLICED ONION RINGS

SLICED BEETS + ONION RINGS+ ORANGE SEGMENTS

GRILLED BUNCH GREEN ONIONS

GRILLED  SMALL HEADS OF ROMAINE LETTUCE

PAN FRIED GARDEN VEGGIES



1 lb sliced okra, yellow squash or zucchini
1/2 C self rising flour
1/2 C self rising corn meal
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 C oil
salt and pepper to taste




Mix cornmeal,flour, and paprika in paper bag
and set aside.  Rinse the sliced veggies and
sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Toss the
veggies with the flour mixture. Let veggies
stand until they look wet. Heat the oil in pan
over medium high heat. Dredge the veggies 
in the flour mixture and place in the hot oil.
Shallow fry the veggies until they are golden
brown on both sides.


Tip: Add more oil if necessary. Shallow frying
healthier than deep fry. Dredging veggies
twice makes crispier coating. Cast iron pan
yield best results.

I watch a show called Deals on the Living
Well Network everyday.  The premise of
the show is all about saving money on
everything from clothes to food. I saw
this recipe for green beans. It was just
what I needed to use green beans from
my garden.I adjusted it a bit to suit my
family's taste. The family loved them.

SAUTEED GREEN BEANS

1 lb. fresh green beans
2 T oil
1 garlic clove, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes


Wash and trim ends off the beans. Drain well. 
In pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic 
and  green beans to the pan.  Saute' veggies 
for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with salt, black pepper,
and red pepper.