My Garden update- Dill Pickle Slices

I have gotten all the peas pulled so we have seed for next year.  Lettuces have now all bolted and going to seed so will be watching carefully so I can get lettuce seeds.  Radishes have also bloomed out nicely so should be able to get seed for those also.

Melon's are looking great so need to be watching for those ripen very soon.  Tomatoes are coming on much stronger now and peppers are coming in strong too.  Might be able to make salsa up soon!  I've experimented with using the burpless cucumbers to make dill pickle slices and it seems to be working.  Not as crisp as I would of liked but not mushy either.  So I will go ahead and make a couple more batches to can up.

I keep going down to look at all those carrots we canned up last week.  They look so pretty in the jars!  I've been so pleased with this years garden.  Mulching has made all the difference in all we've grown.  We still haven't had any serious rain here.  This is the time of year we usually dry up so not to hopeful about getting serious rain.  It would be a great help to my garden but our row crops are already beyond help.  I can not stress enough about having a good food supply built up before this Fall.  Grocery prices are going to go through the roof in the coming year.

If you do not garden, PLEASE, go to farmers markets and see how much you can get and preserve for the coming year now while you can still get decent prices.

Here is the recipe I'm using this year to use up all these burpless cucumbers:


Dill Hamburger slices
Here are some tasty dill pickle slices to top your burgers or sandwiches.

Ingredients:

• 4 pounds pickling cucumbers
• 2 tablespoons canning salt or kosher salt
• 2 1/2 quarts water
• 3 cups cider vinegar
• 3 cups water
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons canning salt or kosher salt
• 6 teaspoons dill seeds
• 3 teaspoons mustard seeds
• 6 bay leaves
• 18 to 24 black peppercorns
  

Preparation:

Slice ends off cucumbers then slice in 1/4-inch rounds. Put the cucumber slices in a large nonreactive bowl or pot and cover with the 2 1/2 quarts of water. Add 3 tablespoons salt and stir until salt is dissolved. Cover and let stand for 12 hours.
Drain cucumber slices.
Prepare jars. Fill a boiling water canner half-full with water; add jars and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low to keep jars hot.
In a nonreactive pot, combine the 3 cups vinegar and 3 cups water. Stir in 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 tablespoons of salt until dissolved. Bring to a boil. Into each of 6 pint jars, add 1 teaspoon dill seeds, 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds, 1 bay leaf, 3 or 4 peppercorns, and about 1 teaspoon of chopped garlic. Pack with cucumbers.
Add hot vinegar mixture to each jar, leaving 1/2-inch of headspace.
Wipe rims and threads of jars with a damp paper towel. Fit with lids and screw on jar rings tightly. Put the jars in a rack and lower into the hot water. If necessary, add more boiling of near-boiling water so the water level is 1 to 2 inches above the jars. Bring to a boil. Cover and boil gently for 10 minutes. Remove to a rack to cool completely. Check for seals about 24 hours later. Store in a cool dark place for a few weeks before using

Hope you enjoy!
Cherlynn