Out of Helen's Kitchen

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Out of Helen's Kitchen - Preserves

Details: Published on Tuesday, August 21, 2018

By Helen Drysdale

Neepawa Banner & Press

Despite the heat and lack of rain, my garden is producing. For those who garden, here are recipes to help use the surplus.

This is a great way to use up homegrown apples and have a terrific winter treat.

Apple sauce supreme

1 heaped ice cream pail

of apples

1 1/2 cups of water

1/2 cup raisins

1/4 cup sugar

1-2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

2 tsp. vanilla

Wash, peel apples and slice. Place in a Dutch oven. Add water, raisins and sugar. Cook for about 20 minutes. Add cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla. Cook till the softness you desire is obtained (usually 5-10 minutes). Cool and freeze in containers until ready to use.

To be a successful pickle maker, use only the freshest cucumbers. When making dills, never use oversized or over ripe cucumbers. Use only fresh, firm, solid cucumbers.

Family favorite dills

9 cups water

3 cups pickling vinegar

3/4 cup pickling salt

1/2 cup sugar

red dried chili peppers

if desired

1 bay leaf per jar

1-2 cloves garlic for each jar

dill heads

Wash and pack cucumbers into 6 sterilized quart jars that have dill weed and garlic in the bottom. Boil water, vinegar, salt and sugar. Pour hot liquid over cucumbers in jars. Add the peppers and bay leaf. Seal jars. Cool and store for 4 weeks before using. Great to use with roasts, ham and cold meats.

Onion relish

7 large cucumbers,

peeled and sliced

5 large onions, peeled

and sliced

1/2 cup pickling salt

2 1/2 cups vinegar

1 1/2 cups water

2 1/2 cups white sugar

1/2 cup flour

1 Tbsp. dry mustard

1 tsp. ginger

3/4 tsp. turmeric

Cover cucumbers and onions with salt and let stand 2 hours. Cook remaining ingredients until thick. Drain brine from cucumbers and onions and add the drained veggies to the sauce. Let simmer at low for 1 hour. Pour into sterilized jars and seal.