I just checked in on Harvest and saw your post. I'm so glad these came close to yours. I still hope your lost recipes turn up. It's so frustrating to lose those precious notations.

Carol

I used up the remaining pickling cucumbers for Carol's B&Bs and they look gorgeous.

Since this was an unplanned canning I had a little trouble with color. ;) No green pepper so I used sweet red pepper and no white onion so I subbed 1 large purple onion and a bunch of green onions but I think they look great.

Also Carol's recipe yielded 4 pints but 1 of my jars cracked during the water bath, but otherwise it was fun making the B&Bs!!

Michelle

I like that color. Those pickles look be-yoo-ti-ful!

I'm sorry about that lost jar. Thermal shock (bottom falls out), Pressure break (vertical crack that forks and divides) or Impact break (straight out from point of shock)?

I always cringe when I see a friend returning jars and they're all clanking together in the bottom of a plastic sack.

Carol

The bottom fell out so it was thermal shock. I don't have many pint jars and it was one of my Kerr Vintage Jars that I mistakenly grabbed...durn!

It was so fun making the B&Bs and I can't wait to taste 'em!

Michelle

There's nothing like a canner full of floating pickles. I know what you mean about vintage jars. Annie and I have talked about the jars we always keep at home and never give to anyone.

I still use MIL's old Kerr, Ball, Atlas, etc.

I have a couple of dozen of the squatty Ball Special pints I keep just for one old Farm Journal relish recipe. They never get passed on.

I just gave DH's cousin a bunch of narrow-mouth quarts because I just don't need them for canning, but it hurt a little to let go of the neat old Atlas ones (not to mention four cases of old blue and clear bail jars with rubber rings)and pre-war zinc lids. Still, there's no sense keeping them here in a "jar museum" when she can use them for canning and crafting.

Carol

Michelle, your B&B's are beautiful!! I think the red pepper looks better than the green. Sorry about the broken jar....I had one break last year with jam....icky, sticky mess in the canner. I bet they will taste wonderful! Great job!

Thanks Andi and Carol! I am very pleased with the appearance and hope they taste great. Sweet pickles are a favorite late night snack of mine!

Carol, I do have a question. I thought your recipe would yeild more pints and so had extra lids and seals boiling just in case. Can I reuse the seals even though they've been sterilized once or should I put them in the "Not for Canning Box"?

Don't you just love the old Atlas Jars! I have several and the glass is so heavy and thick compared to other vintage brands.

Michelle

You can re-use the seals. I usually have one or two extra in the water just in case. I never can seem to manage exact numbers.

Just take them out, get them dry and they're ready to go the next time around.

Carol

Thanks for the update, Sharon! I am on my way to search for that recipe!

Michelle, yours look really pretty!

Linda

oh those are so pretty-- look much better with the red peppers .

Gorgeous!!!

I use red pepers in mine too, equal red to green. Love the look.

Took pics and will post when I am back in the land of high speed.

Linda the recipe is on the Harvest Forum in the thread I posted looking for a B&B recipe. If you can't find it tell me and either Carol or I will post!

Found it, thanks!

Linda

Michelle, I think those are very pretty, prettier with the red peppers than they would be with the green.

Sorry about the jar, I do that every now and then, like when I told Jessica that I always put cold jars into a hot canner and seldom get breakage. That's when I heard the crack and sure enough, the bottom fell out of a jar of those lemon/rosemary pickled beans. LOL

Carol and I HAVE discussed jars we keep and never use or give away. I have a dozen of those squatty short wide mouthed Ball pints that always get used for salsa because they are a perfect shape, but I never give them away. I keep the old Atlas/Sterling/Mom's/Everlast/Corning jars and only use them as a last resort and I never give those away either. (grin) I collect old canning jars, now THAT'S funny.

Annie