Appetizers

Quick Dill Pickles

Mildred Richards

• 3 quarts water
• 1 cup salt
• 1 quart cider vinegar
• 1 head dill for each jar
• 1 clove garlic for each jar of cucumbers

Cut and slice cucumbers in to spears. Place in clean jars. Add dill and garlic to jars. Bring water, salt and vinegar to boil in large pot. Use dipper to scoop up enough liquid for each jar to pour over cucumbers, dill and garlic.

Jars and lids must be heated in boiling water for a few minutes so you will get a good "seal" when closing. Jars must be proper canning jars such as Kerr or Ball brand. You may use the jars from last canning season, but you will have to purchase new lids and rims.

After sealing, immediately cover the pickle jars with a towel so they will not cool off too quickly. You will be able to hear the lid pop. This means they have sealed properly. 

Let the pickles set for 7 days before eating. 

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Bread & Butter Pickles

Mildred Richards

• 4 quarts medium cucumbers, sliced
• 6 medium sliced white onions
• 2 green peppers, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/3 cup coarse/medium salt
• 5 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric
• 1 1/2 teaspoons celery seed
• 2 tablespoons mustard seed
• 3 cups cider vinegar

Do not pare cucumbers. Slice thin. Add onions, pepper, and whole garlic cloves. Add salt, and cover with cracked ice. Let stand for 3 hours. Mix thoroughly

Combine remaining ingredients. Pour over cucumber mixture. Heat just to a boil. Seal in hot, sterilized jars.

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Shake-A-Sack Apple Snack

• 2 cups Homemade Dried Apples (Recipe Below), quartered, or store-bought dried apple chunks
• 1 package (6 or 7 ounces) dried peaches or apricots, halved and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 2 cups bite-sized wheat-, rice-, corn-, or bran-square cereal
• 1 cup corn puffed cereal or tiny marshmallows
• 1 cup coconut 
• 1cup slivered almonds (optional), toasted

In a large heavy-duty plastic bag, combine Homemade Dried Apples, dried peaches, wheat-squared cereal, puffed corn cereal, coconut, and almonds. Close bag and seal. Shake well until mixed. Makes 8-9 cups.

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Homemade Dried Apples

Core 4 medium-size tart cooking apples. Peel apples if you like. Slice the apples into rings, about 1/4 inch thick.
To keep the apple rings from browning, in a large bowl, combine 2 cups cold water and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Add apple rings, making sure each apple ring gets coated with the water-lemon mixture. Let stand for 5 minutes. Drain Well. Pat apple rings dry with paper towels.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Lightly coat 2 wire racks with a nonstick cooking spray. Arrange the apple rings in a single layer on the wire racks, making sure rings to not touch or overlap. Set each rack on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. Reverse positions of the baking sheets in oven rack and vice versa. Bake for 15 minutes more. Turn off the oven. Let the apple rings dry in the oven, with the door closed, for 3 hours. 
To store, place apple rings in a large heavy-duty plastic bag. Close bag. Makes about 4 cups 

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Pumpkin Patch Party Mix

• 4 cups air-popped popcorn Toasted Fresh Seeds (recipe below) or 3 cups shelled sunflower nuts
• 2 cups honey graham cereal, round sweetened bran cereal, or round toasted oat cereal
• 1 1/2 cups lightly salted dry-roasted mixed nuts or peanuts
• 1 1/2 cups candy corn or gumdrops
• 1 1/2 cups raisins

In a large bowl, stir together the popped popcorn, Toasted Fresh Pumpkin Seeds, honey graham cereal, mixed nuts, and raisins.

To store, place in a tightly covered container. Makes 12 cups

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Toasted Fresh Pumpkin Seeds

Remove the seeds from a pumpkin, leaving behind as much of the fiber as you can. Immediately place the seeds in a large bowl of water to avoid any fiber from drying on the seeds.
Transfer the pumpkin seeds to a colander. Thoroughly rinse the pumpkin seeds under cold running water, rubbing the seeds between your fingers until the pulp and strings are washed off. Drain well. 
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. In a medium sized bowl, combine 3 cups of the pumpkin seeds, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, and 1 teaspoon of salt; stir to coat well. Spread the seeds onto a baking sheet. Bake for 65 to 70 minutes or until lightly browned, and crisp, stirring often to brown the seeds evenly. Cool to room temperature. (The seeds also are good salted and eaten as a snack) To store, place in a tightly covered container (will keep for 1 week) Makes 3 cups.

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