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Show By Angie Martin 1 Let's start some of our preserving as vegetables begin to ripen in the garden and more and more fresh fruit is available in the supermarket. I like to y S-l start my summer canning and pickl- j ing as early as possible and just do one i' -- small batch at a time usually after I i"" work and then maybe a canner full on I t """""Tr". " a weekend. This way, I use freshly J (.-... V . picked or purchased vegetables and j ($" S 1 fruits and don't have the headache of O ' x ' all day canning sprees. This method j " seems to work well for people who are 1 V employed and can't always spend a lot 4 " v"VxV--r of time processing food. And I think about Christmas giving now when making jams, jellies, pickles and other goodies. The following recipes you might want to start making now. The Zucchini Ring Pickles come from (Grandma) Lulu Nette in Orofino, Idaho. They are delicious as well as a bright color for your holiday table. Grandma Nette says that they are a lot of work but I think that they are worth the effort. I hope you will enjoy her recipe as much as I have. I have also answered a request for a home-made summer sausage. This is a real summer favorite take it along on trips and picnics in your cooler and enjoy using this handy meat all summer long. Next week I have some summer salads and some barbecue recipes for you. ZUCCHINI RING PICKLES 2 gallons zucchini. Peel, cut out seeds and slice into rings or sticks 2 bottles of lime (buy this at the drugstore) Add lime to 84 quarts of cool water and stir. Let set one hour, stirring once in awhile. Pour water off slowly (be sure it looks clear and and the white sediment is settled to the bottom). Save the water, but throw away the sediment. Soak zucchini 24 hours in this solution then drain and wash zucchini thoroughly in cold water. Then soak 3 more hours in cold water, drain. Simmer pickles for 2 hours in the following mixture: 1 cup white vinegar 1 Tbsp. alum 1 bottle of red food coloring Enough water to cover pickles Drain mixture from pickles and discard. Mix: 2 cups vinegar 10 cups sugar 2 cups water 8 sticks cinnamon 1 pkg. red hots Heat to boiling and pour over pickles. Let stand for three days then seal in hot jars and process in boiling water bath for 5 minutes. These make lovely Christmas gifts and are nice to serve with holiday meals. WATERMELON PICKLES 2 lbs. watermelon nna 1 qt. cold water '2 Tbsp. slake lime 2 cups cider vinegar 2 cups water 134 lbs. sugar 1 Tbsp. each whole allspice and whole cloves 3 pieces, 3-inch stick cinnamon 'z lemon, thinly sliced, optional Green food coloring, optional Use firm, not overripe, watermelon with thick rind. Trim off green skin and all pink pulp. Cut into 1-inch cubes. Combine 1 quart cold water and slake lime. Pour over rind in enamel pan. Let stand 1 hour. Drain. Cover with fresh water. In enamel pan, place rind and fresh water to cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes or until rind is tender when pierced with a fork. Drain. Make a syrup of the vinegar, cups of water and sugar by bringing to a boil. Cooking until sugar is dissolved. Add spices (tied in a cheesecloth bag for easy removal) and the rind. Simmer, uncovered, over low heat for 1 to 14 hours or until rind looks transparent. Remove spices. Add lemon slices and food coloring, if used. Pack pickles in hot sterile jars. Fill with hot syrup, leaving 4-inch headspace. Process in boiling wter bath for 5 mintues. Seal and store in a cool place. Makes 6 pints. Note: Drained watermelon pickles can be an interesting addition to fruit cakes. Slaked lime can be purchased from a hardware store. SPICES ORANGE-PINEAPPLE PICKLES 6 large, thick-skinned oranges 14 cups honey 4 cup distilled white vinegar 10 whole cloves 3 small sticks cinnamon 1 medium pineapple (24 to 3 lbs.), peeled, cored and cut into chunks Cut peel from oranges. Cut into quarters, removing pith. Cut each quarter in half and drain, reserving juice. In large saucepan or Dutch oven, combine com-bine honey, vinegar, cloves and cinnamon sticks. Add pineapple chunks and reserved orange juice. Bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, for 25 minutes. Stir in orange wedges. Ladle at once into hot jars, putting a cinnamon cin-namon stick into each jar. Adjust lids and process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Remove and complete seals if necesary. Set jars on wire rack covered with cloth or towel and cover with another cloth. Let stand until cold. Then store in cool, dry place. Always allow finished pickles to stand a few days before serving. Makes 3 pints. PLL'M GOOD FRL'IT ROLL 4 to 5 cups pitted, sliced plums, unpeeled 4 cup sugar 4 tsp. nutmeg 4 tsp. cloves Combine plums, sugar and spices in saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Boil for 3 to 4 minutes until fruit begins to soften. Cool 10 minutes. Pour mixture into blender and puree until smooth. Cool. Spread heavy plastic wrap in 2 cookie sheets, and pour puree evenly, spreading to fill bare spots. Puree should be 4-inch thick. Place cookie sheets in up-pr up-pr part of oven. Set temperature at 150' and leave oven door open. Drying Dry-ing process will take 6 to 10 hours. Fruit is ready when it can be pooled off plastic wTap. Roll up and wrap in fresh plastic wrap to store. Cut into slices to serve. Note: The fruit puree need not be strained. The fruit skins make an interesting in-teresting pattern and contain most of the vitamins. Fruit Rolls will keep at room temperature for 1 month; in refrigerator for 4 months. They can also be frozen if wrapped well. This is a good way to use all of the ripening summer fruits including poaches and nectarines. Fruit Rolls are great for camping or backpacking. Makes 2 rolls. IIA.MBL RGER SIMMER S A I' SAGE 2 lbs. lean ground round or chuck 1 cup warm water 2 Tbsp. curing salt (use Tender-Quick only) 2 Tbsp. liquid smoke 2 tsp. each garlic salt, onion salt and mustard seed. Add the salts and seasonings to the warm water. Add mixture to the ground beef in a medium bowl and mix ingredients together well w ith a wooden spoon or use your hands. Shape the meat into one large roll ( 14" or 2" in diameter) or divide into half and shape into tw o smaller rolls. Wrap rolls tightly in foil, shiny side in and place in refrigerator for 24 hours. Bake meat on rack after punching holes in the bottom of foil 2-3" apart. Set the rack in a pan with sides for balance. Bake at 350 for 2 hours. Cool before serving. Keeping quality: this should last about one week. Store tightly wrapped in the refrigerator |