Pickles-Saving Summer's Bounty of Cucumbers and Peppers

We're getting to that part of summer where the garden starts to really pay off and provide lots of goodies. Whether we just have a little extra or specifically planted for abundance, I thought it would be good to share some of my all time favorite pickling ideas for preserving. Many of these recipes can be reduced, some are for hot water bath canning, some are freezer pickles and some are refrigerator pickles. I think you'll find something you like in this mix!

If I had to choose only one recipe to share with you it would be these Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles! Here's what I love about them: they're quick, the recipe can be cut in half (or less), you can use any pepper of your choice or no peppers at all or only peppers-as in these Jalapeno Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles. And it's a sweet pickle, ready in a week, that will appeal to almost everyone-gotta love that! 

(Not as fond of the old pic from when I first started blogging, will update soon:@)

These Salty, Garlicy, Sweet Freezer Pickles are also special and if you like a little pucker power in your pickles you'll like this recipe! If you've never made freezer pickles before please note that, while I'm a big fan of cutting back on sugar when I can, you do have to use all of it in these recipes. That's what preserves the cucumber's crunch. Freezer Dills are HERE.

This Pickled Jalapeno Canning Tutorial is one of five pickled jalapeno recipes on my blog (so far...). Other jalapeno ideas can be found HERE.

For a more involved project how about Canned Homemade Zucchini Relish. Sub as many cukes as you have or would like to for some zucchini, although most of us are trying to find ways to use up our overachieving zukes right about now too! I would call this a perfect hotdog relish (just don't tell the kids there's zucchini in it).

As for the pic I lead off with, they're Refrigerator Marinated Banana Peppers. They're super simple, oh-so-tasty, and I just happen to like that pic:@) They're good on sandwiches and topping cheese and crackers. The only thing to plan for is they do require a good 6-8 weeks to marinate in the fridge so as I suggested in the original post, if you make them now you'll have some killer peppers for football season!

There you have a few ideas folks, there are many more in my Recipe Index, scroll down to Condiments: Pickling. I'll also have a new small batch pickle in a few days... stay tuned!

Enjoy what the garden gifts you and have a happy day:@)

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