Pickling lime is used to help keep the vinegar from breaking the cells of the cukes down. You should only store the cukes a maximum of 48 hours in a lime/water soak in the fridge. I found that if I just wash the cukes, drain slighly, and then store in a big plastic bag (open) in the fridge vegetable crisper drawer, it will help keep enough moisture inside as the bag sweats some. In my case, they only get stored for a max of about 3-4 days. I have stored almost a whole batch worth right now, but will not get to them until after tomorrow night, when I pick a few more. My plan is to make another batch of mustard pickles as my last batch flavor was really good. I used a combination of vinegars, as well as mustard seeds both yellow and brown. Its slightly sweet as a salad mustard should be. With cucumber chunks, and pickle crisp, you should be just fine. If you just need a couple of more cukes, you can also buy a couple at your local supermarket. These are in season right now, so you should have some decent ones. In the future, if you have enough space, plant a few more cuke plants. I have about 40 here and they are on a 4 foot tall trellis. I set it up so I can see all the cukes from one side of the trellis. They get well watered every day as they need plenty of water. Without it, they don't usually develop their nice length. Also, check to see if you missed a big old cuke (like a small watermelon), as these tend to stop more cukes from forming and growing. As an added option, you can also pickle cauliflower, sweet red peppers, and small onions in the same batch and call it a sweet mixed pickle, so there you would use less cukes.

Second the issue. Pickling lime was only used as a presoak and should NEVER be added to any pickling brine. The pickles are not safe to consume!! Even if only just made, they contain too much of the caustic lime, as it would be like trying to eat Draino! Its always a good idea to research ingredients that you are unsure about, and never guess at any substitutions. Pickling lime is a very old crispingp rocess and today, its been replaced with a much safer product that can be mixed with vinegar salt picking brines. The sediment you have will never dissolve and once shaken it makes a very cloudy brine, but soon settles again. If you plan to make pickles again, I suggest that you read through some of the many recipes and instructions mentioned on this forum. Mrs. Wages makes a few nice pickle mixes and none contain any pickling lime, although Mrs. Wages also is the only maker/seller of pickling lime right now, as Ball has discontinued that a few years ago due to the Pickle Crisp (calcium chloride) product being much safer to use and mixes with brines.

Well, changeling, I'm way too late for this party, but I agree, the beans were too old. Sometimes they'll just stay hard, and that's....well....icky. Other than that, your recipe is just what I use, I seldom measure anything, I just dump things in because, after all, it's bean soup. (shrug) I don't think I've ever actually had to cook soup for 5 and a half hours, though! A couple of times I've accidentally overcooked it and ended up with bean mush which is also.....well.....icky. LOL I use navy beans, pinto beans, cranberry beans, great northern beans, whatever beans I have on hand. They take varying times to cook, but the only time I've gotten a weird color is when I cook black beans. Now, overcook them and you've got one ugly soup! Tell me the cornbread was at least good..... Annie

Ilana, this is the recipe I've been using, I like the addition of honey. I don't do this by hand, I put the wet ingredients into the bread machine, add the dry ones and set it on "dough". I normally start with 3 cups of white and 3 of wheat, and adjust by adding more flour if the dough is too wet. HONEY WHOLE WHEAT BREAD · 3-1/2 to 4 cups all purpose flour · 2-1/2 cups whole wheat flour · 2 pkg. active dry yeast · 2 tsp. salt · 1 cup milk · 1 cup water · 1/2 cup honey · 3 Tbsp. oil · 1 egg In large bowl, combine 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup whole wheat flour, the yeast, and salt and mix well. In saucepan, heat milk, water, honey, and oil until a thermometer reads 120-130 degrees F (warm) Add liquid mixture to flour mixture and stir to combine. Beat this batter for 3 minutes. Then, gradually stir in rest of whole wheat flour and enough remaining all-purpose four to form a firm dough. Sprinkle work surface with flour and knead dough, adding more flour if necessary, for 5-8 minutes until smooth and satiny. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning the dough in the bowl to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place about 1 hour, until double in bulk. Punch down dough and divide into 2 pieces. On lightly floured surface, roll or press each piece of dough to a 14x7" rectangle. Starting with shorter side, roll up tightly, pressing dough into roll with each turn. Pinch edges and ends to seal and place dough, seam-side down, into greased 9x5" bread pans, making sure short ends of bread are snugly fitted against the sides of the pans. Cover and let rise in warm place until the dough fills the corners of the pans and is double in bulk, 30-40 minutes. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 35-40 minutes, until bread is golden brown. Remove from pans and cool on wire racks. I like to brush the bread with butter when it's still hot from the oven for a softer crust. This has become my "go to" wheat bread recipe, even the grandkids like it. Annie