Candied Dill Pickles

This is the time of year when the cucumbers are just being planted and your wishing you had some fresh pickles.  Well, I have my Grandmother White's recipe for Candied Dill's to share with you.  We start with Dills from the store!  I hope you enjoy these like our family does!  They are so yummy!

1 quart Dill Pickles
2 cups Sugar
1/2 cup Tarragon Vinegar or Apple Cider Vinegar
1 teaspoon Celery Seed
1 teaspoon Mustard Seed

Wash and drain cucumbers (pickles) and cut into chunks.  Mix all other ingredients and bring to a boil.  Remove from heat.  Let cool and pour over chunk pickles.  Can be canned while hot, otherwise, place them in the refrigerator.

In order to do a gallon of pickles just double the syrup recipe. 

Turkey Chili & Brown Rice

In my quest for a cleaner diet while cleansing, I have been (trying) to eat less red meat, and cut out some of those bad carbs.
Today I whipped up a chili, made much like My Grandma Branham's chili. We did do it a smidge different. 
Here is what you need:
2 pounds Ground Turkey
Olive Oil
1 Bel Pepper
1 Onion
3 little sweet peppers (red, orange, yellow) I purchase these at Costco in a huge bag.  My kids eat them like apples.
1pkg of Williams Chili Seasoning - Original
2 cans of petite chopped or stewed tomatoes
2 small cans of tomato sauce
1 can dark red kidney's
1 can of chili beans (pinto's with chili seasoning)
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp Penzey's Spices - Chili 3000
1 jar of Wickles

Here's what we did.

Fry 2 pounds of Turkey in a little olive oil or chicken stock.
Add salt & pepper, and once its frying good, add a chopped green bell pepper, and chopped onion.Once the meat is completely cooked add your spices, and Williams Chili seasoning packet.   Make sure all of the meat has the chili stirred in very well.  Next add your beans,  tomatoes and tomato sauces.  Stir very well, Bring to a boil and then reduce heat.  Let the chili simmer on low.
While the chili is working and all the flavors are getting happy together, in your rice cooker place 2 cups of brown rice, with slivers of garlic and a drizzle of olive oil and 4 cups of water.  Start the rice cooker and lunch should be ready in about 30-40 minutes!

 We always serve Chili with pickles.  If you have been hanging around the Hungry Momma very long you know that by now.  However in July we were introduced to Wickles! OH MY GOODNESS DELICIOUS!
You must pick up a jar of these.  I love their story too.  A family giving away their pickles for Christmas gifts started receiving the empty jars back for refills - they have a whole line now!  I just love that!  Yay Wickles!  I will gladly pay more for these! 

When dishing up my bowl, I replace my usual cornbread with brown rice and my splurge of course was the cheese and the pickle.  If you are not cleansing then eat it and don't let yourself feel one bit bad!  This is a good lunch!

Eat up and enjoy!

Aunt Viki's Sweet Pickles

I have been meaning to post this for some time now.  This is my Aunt's recipe for the most amazing sweet pickle you have ever put in your mouth!  These are the pickles that I love to eat with Chili.  I know that pickles are a summer thing - but its always winter when Im craving them.  I am going to post this now while I am wishing I had a jar in my pantry to go with the Chili on my winter menu!

7 lbs Cucumbers
2 cups of pickling lime
1/2 gallon of vinegar
8 cups of sugar
1 Tablespoon of salt
1 Tablespoon of Cloves
1 Tablespoon of Celery Seed
1 Tablespoon of All Spice

Mix 2 cups of pickling lime with 2 gallons of water, pour over sliced cucumbers.  Soak 24 hours - stirring often.  Pour off, and Rinse the cucumbers VERY GOOD 4 or 5 times if necessary.  Let the cucumbers set in ice water for three hours.  Drain Well.
Mix Vinegar, Sugar, and Salt.  Pour over the cucumber slices and soak for 6-24 hours (longer for convenience).  Cook until transparent and only gently stir them.  Pour into jars and cap off.  As with any canning make sure that before you put the lids on,  the top of the rim is wiped off with a scalding hot cloth.  This will ensure that you have a great seal and that there isn't any pickle juice or sweet syrup hindering that! 
Once you place the rings on - give these jars a 10-15 minute hot water boil bath.   Your jars will seal as they cool and you will have pickles in the summer and the winter - depending on how quickly you eat them and if you share them! :) This recipe will make about 12 pints.
I say this is an AWESOME Christmas gift idea, because they are a labor of love, but not hard to do.  I received them in my stocking a few years ago and it was probably one of my favorite gifts!