Pickled: Garlic, Cucumbers and Beets

Cucumbers, garlic and beets are in season so we've been eating them fresh, but I also love to pickle veggies so we have a delicious, healthy snack later in the season. 

Who doesn't love garlic?  I seriously can not get enough of it and I've been stocking up at the local farmer's market.  For some reason, I haven't had good luck growing anything other than garlic scapes.

Here's the recipe I love for pickled garlic:  Pickled Garlic

Picled Garlic - YUM!

My cucumbers are going CRAZY this year.  Wowser!  My son Gus is the cucumber king - he eats them like apples right after they've been picked.  Anyway,we  LOVE my Grandma Evelyn's Refrigerator Pickle recipe.

Grandma Evelyn's Refrigerator Pickles

Thinly slice 7 cups of cucumbers and 1 sliced onion - add 2 tablespoon of salt. Let sit for 1 hour and rinse off salt and drain juice. Combine 1 cup of vinegar to 2 cups of sugar and add 2 tsp. of pickling seasoning and bring to a boil.  Add liquid to cucumbers, jar up and refrigerate.  These are fantastic!!

Grandma Evelyn's Refrigerator Pickles in her relish tray

After my running group today (Ski and Tea) I went to the garden and picked another 8 cucumbers (where do they come from so quickly?), so I chopped them all up and I'm going to pickle some in the regular fashion and I'm making "Parents Pickles" with garlic, jalapenos and red pepper flakes for a little variety.   I'll let you know how they turn out (thanks for the inspiration, Susan Buchman).  I wonder how many hours I've spent cutting cucumbers this week?  Ugh.  Let me know if you have an easier way that works.

And last but not least, my Grandma Evelyn's Pickled Beets Recipe - beets ALWAYS remind me of her and I love her recipe.

Grandma's Pickled Beets

Boil 16 beets for about 45 minutes until tender.

In a saucepan, boil 1 cup of vinegar, 1/2 cup of sugar and 1 tablespoon of pickling spice.

Pour over beets and refrigerate overnight.

Yum, Pickled Beets

We're still been checking things off our summer bucket list.  Yesterday we had a play day at the KOA.  If you live in Hayward, have kids over the age of 5 and under the age of 13 - it's a MUST. For $14.00 the kids can swim, mini-golf, jump on their giant outdoor trampoline, take an old fashioned wagon ride, and play on their amazing playground.  Seriously, it's like a vacation for moms too. 

My camera was almost out of juice, so I didn't get the best pictures, but here's one:

Full on water gun fight at the KOA.  No one was exempt from getting sprayed and it was HILARIOUS.  Even my mild-mannered Greta got in on the action.

What are you pickling this weekend?  I'm kicking myself for not pickling asparagus in the Spring!  Oh well, there's always next year.

Thanks for reading,

Kristin

P.S.  I've been meaning to put a picture of my Grandma on my blog.  I still can't believe she's not here with us.

My Grandma and me before the Oprah show in 2009

Kristin