Spiced olives

use the juice that's in the jar
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 small cloves garlic, slivered
1 jar (7 ounces)green olives *mixed olives are great

Place oregano, pepper flakes and garlic in jar of olives with olive juice
Cover tightly and shake until seasonings are well distributed. Refrigerate

Refrigerator cukes

8 cups sliced cucumbers
2 (at least) cups sliced onions
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. celery seed
1 cup white vinegar

Mix all together and put in refrigerator. Stir them the next day.
These will last for ages......I just finished mine that I made last fall!!

Phyllis, would these be somewhat like what my bf had in New York, called half sour pickles? I haven't been able to find any locally and wouldn't it be a treat for him if I made some!

Jean -- for half-sours, I think you need garlic and dill as part of the mix.

You should check in the refrigerated sections of your supermarket (sometimes near the deli, sometimes near dairy) to see if it sells jarred pickles under the "Ba-Tampte" label (it's out of Brooklyn). Their half-sours are pretty good! (I buy, I don't try to replicate!)

But I think there are recipe variations on the web.

This is tried and true! My DGS and I made it together. Yum!

Michael Smiths Homemade Ketchup

Ingredients

1 can chopped tomatoes (28 oz)
1 can tomato paste (small)
1 large chopped onion
1 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
2 spoonfuls nutmeg (heaping)
2 pinches ground allspice
2 bay leaves (or 3)
a sprinkle or two of salt and pepper

Directions

Pour everything into a sauce pot and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Continue cooking until the mixture reduces by half, about 45 minutes. Puree until smooth with an immersion blender or in a stand blender or food processor.

I have a couple of salsa recipes I have worked with over the years to get them where I like them.

FRESH SALSA
4to6 large Roma tomatoes diced(if peels bother you then submerge tomatoes in boiling water for a few seconds then peel)
1med red onion diced finely
2cloves garlic diced and crushed(add more for garlic lovers)
Juice of one lime
Juice of one lemon
1Tbs. finely chopped cilantro(less if you donâÂÂt care for cilantro)
1tsp. ground oregano
1Tbs. oil(I use olive)
2Tbs. Apple Cider Vinegar
1/3tsp. sugar
1/2tsp.black pepper
1tsp.salt
1tsp. Garlic salt
1to2 finely chopped canned jalapenos(seeds and veins removed)1=mild etc.
(or if you donâÂÂt want to mess with peppers add one can of Rotels hot or mild)
It is best to crush the peppers to avoid hot spots.
If you want hotter use Serrano chilies(seeded and deveined)chopped finely.
(1serrano chili=2jalapenos)
Fresh peppers can be used also but dice very small.

I put all in a glass mixing bowl and use hand held blender/immersion(milk shake type) to mix well. Let set in fridge for a few hours to overnight for flavors to blend.
If you prefer a looser salsa add 1/2cup icey cold water.

I WANT SALSA NOW SALSA

1 141/2 oz can diced tomatoes
1 can Rotels hot or milder as desired
1/2 red onion finely chopped
2cloves finely chopped garlic(or 1Tbs.bought diced garlic)
1tsp salt/garlic salt
1tsp oregano
1Tbs lemon juice
Put in bowl and mix well serve with tortilla chips.

Strawberry Vinegar

1 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1 1/2 cup washed and hulled strawberries
1/2 cup sugar

Put strawberries and vinegar in a 1-quart jar. Seal jar and let stand in a sunny window 3 -- 4 days (vinegar should appear bright red) Strain vinegar into a small stainless steel or enamel saucepan; discard berries. Stir in sugar and heat over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Simmer over low heat approx. 10 minutes. Cool and pour into pint bottle. Cover and store in a cool, dry place or in refrigerator.

So Good French Dressing

1 C. Ketchup
1 C. Oil
Juice of one lemon
1/2 C. Sugar
1/2 C. Vinegar
1/2 tsp. Paprika
Salt and pepper to taste
Garlic powder to taste.
Blend together and store in refrigerator

I often use this sauce to slather on a piece of fish before broiling it, but it also wonderful as a shrimp (or crayfish) dipping sauce.

Remoulade Sauce
* 1 cup mayonnaise
* 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
* 2 Tbsp chopped capers
* 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley (or 1 Tbsp dried parsley)
* 1 tsp crushed garlic
* 1 pinch of dried tarragon
* 1 1/2 tsp Anchovy paste
* 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)
* 1/4 teaspoon paprika (for color)

Blend together and store in refrigerator

Blueberry Syrup

1 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup water
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 tablespoon butter

In a medium saucepan, mix the sugar, cornstarch, and water. Bring to a boil. Stirring constantly, cook 3 to 4 minutes. Mix in the remaining 1 cup blueberries. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes, until the blueberries burst

Rosemary Garlic Mayonnaise

1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tblsp. chopped fresh or dried rosemary
1 Tblsp. lemon juice
1/8 tsp. salt

Stir together all ingredients. Chill. Yield: 1/2 cup

My cousin sent this to me a few years ago.

BRANDIED PEARS

Makes 3 quarts (USE THE WIDE MOUTH JARS!)

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
5 1/2 pounds fresh pears of your favorite type (about 20 pears)
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
3 cups brandy

Fill a large bowl halfway with cold water, and add lemon juice. Peel pears as carefully and smoothly as possible, leaving stems attached. Place pears in water as they are peeled.

Combine sugar, cinnamon sticks, and 3 quarts water in a large stockpot. Drain pears, and add to pot. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until just tender when pierced with a knife, 10 to 30 minutes, depending on size and ripeness.

Remove pears from liquid with a slotted spoon and divide evenly among three quart jars. (It's OK to slice them in half to make them fit into the jars, if necessary, but they present better whole, IMO.)

Raise heat under pot to high and cook liquid until reduced to 2 cups, about 50 minutes. Remove from heat; strain liquid through a sieve lined with cheesecloth into a bowl. Divide the liquid evenly among the jars, and add about 1 cup brandy, or enough to cover pears, to each.

Allow jars to cool, and screw on lids. Refrigerate for several weeks before eating to allow flavors to develop.

These are very good and make a lovely gift presentation tied with cinnamon sticks and a pretty bow.

I always make tartar sauce when I fix seafood. It is basically mayonnaise to which I add chopped Claussen dill pickles, chopped pimento stuffed green olives and chopped purple onions. I also use it for a spread on sandwiches. It is especially good with ham sandwiches. I try to keep some on hand all the time in the refrigerator.

Here is a sweet pickle recipe I got from Gardenweb years ago. It is really good.

14 Day Sweet Pickle
â¢Posted by benflower (My Page) on Sat, Aug 2, 08 at 15:55

You will need some kind of crock (glass or glazed pottery)-- I bought a couple at Walmart year before last - they are clear glass (2 gallons each) with glass lids, sort of like the glass jars they used to have candy in at old timey general stores. Don't know if they still have them.

Anyway this is the recipe.

Lay crock on its side and pack cucumbers in as tightly as possible. (This recipe is not exact. I have tweaked it some with regard to quantities though, and it still works out fine.) These are the quantities I used for one - 2 gallon crock.
Day 1 - Dissolve 2 cups of salt in 1 gallon of boiling water. Pour over cucumbers and let stand 24 hours.

Day 2 - Dissolve 1 to 1 1/2 jars of powdered alum (the recipe is old and says a box of alum-- don't think it comes that way anymore - 1 used 1 and 1/2 containers - which were 1.9 ozs. each for the 2 gallon crock of pickles.

Day 3 - Drain cukes. Pour fresh boiling water over cucumbers and let stand 24 hours.

Day 4 - Drain. Boil together 1 gal. vinegar and about 1 oz. of pickling spice ( put spices in cheescloth or old clean handkerchief and tie up)-- put in pot with vinegar. After you pour the vinegar over the pickles, put the bag of spices in the top of the crock with the cucumbers.
let stand for 9 DAYS.

After 9 days - Drain cucumbers and slice crosswise. Put a layer of cucumbers and a layer of sugar in large plastic bowls or some type of non-reactive container. Use plenty of sugar so you have enough syrup to cover the cucumbers when you pack them in jars. (I think about 5-7+ lbs. for the 2 gallon crock.) Let the sugar melt and then fill clean jars. (qts. or pints) No need to process. These keep very well for a couple of years in a dark dry place.

The amount of pickles you have depends on the size and quantity of cucumbers. But like I said I'm doing a 2 gallon crock and I expect to have probably about 5-7 qts. of pickles.

For potato salad, chicken salad, etc. these are the absolute best. Make sure to chill before using.

Please excuse the approximate quantities. This is a very old recipe, but I've never had a bad pickle.

French Apple Marmalade
Source: The Calgary Herald, May 12, 1973

Eaten with hot biscuits, this is a treat you wonâÂÂt forget.

4-5 apples (about 1 lb.)
2 T butter
Grated rind of 1/2 lemon
1/2" stick of cinnamon
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup sugar
1 t orange flower water or 1 t grated orange rind
1 T apricot jam or jelly

Peel apples and slice thinly. Place in a saucepan with 1/2 cup of water and the butter, lemon rind, cinnamon, bay leaves, and sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until apples are soft, then add remaining ingredients.

Remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaves and beat with a wire whisk or a spoon until creamy and well blended.

Keep refrigerated and serve cold. Makes 2/3-3/4 cup.

This is my homemade mayonnaise. It can be made in the microwave or on the stove.

1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp dry mustard
3 tbsp flour
2 eggs
3/4 cup vinegar
3/4 cup water
salt

Combine and heat in microwave, stirring occasionally. When cool, add 1 tbsp butter. This is terrific on sandwiches, in coleslaw, egg salads, etc. We love this stuff.

Jasdip, about how long do you leave it in the microwave to heat, and is the setting on high?

Hi Walnutcreek,
I don't cook it on High, maybe on 6 or 7. Try it for about 3 minutes, stir and heat some more if it's not thick. You don't want it thickened totally while it's cooking, as it thickens when it cools.

Years ago I got a great refrigerator dill pickle recipe on GW and sadly, I can't find it now. You made the dills as you picked the cucs from the garden. You made the brine in a large jar and added small cucs until the far was full. Of course, you must refriderate the large jar, but I have two fridges. so no problem. They were delicious. Did anyone else get that recipe and if you read this, would you please share?

I saved a recipe like that...can't remember where I got it from, but probably here. I came across it again awhile back. Let me see if I can find it again.

I haven't found it yet....but I am thinking maybe Ruthie posted it.