I love this recipe because I can use any kind of veggie!!

Just cold pack the cold veggies into sterilized jars.  You can sterilize the empty jars by placing them in a hot water bath for 10 minutes before packing.

Today I am making 2 different kinds.

One is a mixed veggie pickle made with carrots, green beans and peppers.  I added garlic and dill!

The other one I made is Green Cherry tomato pickles!  I have never done this before so I will for sure let you know how they turn out. I added garlic and basil to this one.  I got the pickling liquid recipe from “Bernardin Guide to Home Preserving” – Which will follow below.

I have no idea why but preserving food gets me all excited!

To me it’s a beautiful thing….. Maybe I’m just weird.  :P

Pretty!

More pretty…..

Before you start boiling your pickling liquid you want to get a seperate pot of water and put the amount of sealer lids you’ll need into it..  This recipe makes 6.  Bring this to a boil, with the sealer lids in it, then boil for 5 minutes.  Turn off the heat but keep the seals in there to keep them soft until ready to use.

Now lets make your liquid: In a large pot add:

5 cups – White Vinegar

1 – 2/3 cups – Granulated Sugar

1-  2/3 cups – Water

4 tsp – Pickling Salt (NOT table salt)

Bring to a rapid boil and boil hard for 5 minutes.

Add the liquid to each jar leaving a 1/2 inch head space.

Then wipe down the rims with a wet paper towel…Don’t use a cloth towel.  It is not as clean plus you can get lint on your jars.

Then take your lids (canning kits come with this magnetic tool…LOVE IT) and place on top of jars.

Now get your little screw lids and screw those babies on until finger tight.  Don’t turn them too too tight!! Just enough that they are on…..not welded shut.

Place them into a boiling hot water bath.  Make sure you have about 1 to 2 inches of water covering the jars.

Canning kits come with a rack that you put the jars in first. Then you just lower them in… Don’t be scared!  Just be smart.

Once water has come back to a boil……let them boil away (process) for 10 minutes.

Take them out of the water.  I use the magnetic tool to get the handles out of the water then I just pull the rack out.  You’ll use the jar lifter from the canning kit to remove the jars from the rack and to place them on a clean tea towel on your counter.

Let them sit undisturbed for 24 hours.  You’ll hear pop pop pop over a period of time.  That is the jars sealing.  If you don’t hear that sound don’t worry!  Tomorrow just test the seals by pressing down.  If there is no movement they sealed themselves.  If there is movement put them in the fridge…they didn’t seal properly.

Now label them all purty like and put in your pantry, basement, closest or where ever it is cool and dry.

ENJOY in a month’s time. They need some time to soak up the flavour.