Our family was away for a little getaway this week. Now we're home, and I found I really needed to prioritize my day.
The garden is doing so well, and the pantry is full, there was no need to make a stop at a grocery store on the way home. However, we did go into the drug store to pick up some milk that was on sale. We had seen their sign early in the week on our way out of town. One of my kids remembered as we were passing that store coming home. Yea for kids and their great memories! So we got the two gallons of milk (and a rain check for a third -- they were all sold out of whole milk, and I'd like a gallon for yogurt).
We arrived home just before dinner last night. Fortunately, I had left a container of chili in the freezer. That, along with some crackers, made a quick and easy dinner for us. This was wonderful for me, not to have to do a lot of cooking the moment I walked in the door. I was able to take it easy for a bit, and leisurely go through the receipts for the trip and log them into my budget. The trip was indeed affordable! I'll fill you in on the highlights in the next day or two.
Before going to sleep last night, I made out my list of priorities for the next day. If my family was to have clean clothing, then laundry should be high on the list.
I had seen a lot of green beans maturing on the plants, before we left, plus the dill was about to bloom, so I knew making pickles would also be a priority today.
Someone, who shall remain nameless, took a half gallon of whole milk out of the freezer, the morning that we left, and put it into the refrigerator for the duration of our trip. This was the last half gallon of whole milk. I'd been saving it for yogurt. As it was now thawed, this meant that making yogurt would also be necessary for the day.
If we were going to have fresh yogurt for Friday breakfast, then I also wanted to make a batch of granola.
Plus, I wanted to get a start on painting the garden bench. Busy, busy day! But, as the saying goes, gotta make hay while the sun shines!
So, how'd I do? I got to everything, with the help of my daughters! And as you may want to try dill green pickles yourself, here's the recipe.
How do you make pickles when you have no cucumbers? Well, for us, we make Dill Green Bean Pickles. These are a treat that grace our Thanksgiving and Christmas table every year. They're easy to make and almost free for us, as we grow green beans and dill in our garden.
Dill Beans (makes 3 pints of green bean pickles)
1 1/2 lbs. (680 g) fresh green beans
3 large sprays fresh dill blossoms
4 cups (950 mL) water
1 1/3 cups (320 mL) white vinegar
3 tablespoons (54 g) coarse salt (kosher)
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and quartered
Wash and sterilize 3 pint jars, lids and rings.
Wash green beans. Leave whole, but trim, from stem end, to fit into jars. Wash sprays of dill.
When jars are sterile, pack dill spray, then beans into jars.
Add water, vinegar, salt and garlic to stainless, or other non-reactive, saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Strain out garlic cloves, and pour hot liquid over beans. Seal according to manufacturer instruction. Process for 15 minutes in a water bath. Allow pickles to stand, unopened for 2 months. I keep all my unopened pickles, relishes, salsa, jams and jellies in a spare fridge. Call me cautious.
I made 3 pints today, and hope to make another 3 pints in a couple more weeks. That will be it for homemade dill pickles for our house, unless the cucumbers in my garden decide to do something. I take what I can get around these parts.
With the leftover brine, I simmer it until it is reduced in volume, then use as seasoned vinegar, (blended with plain vinegar in a 50/50 mix, to minimize some of the saltiness) in oil and vinegar salad dressing.
And now, I get to go clean the kitchen from all our messes, and make a quick dinner! I'm exhausted. Someone pour me a glass of iced tea!
