Cucumbers and Curious Concoctions

September 2011 Provident Ponderings

By Janet Keeler Wilcox

Whenever I think about cucumbers, which never happens unless they are so prolific they are taking over the garden and kitchen—I go looking for recipes. I have one especially favorite recipe for cucumbers.  This one also involves a special memory.  We were still fairly new in Blanding (1974) and expecting our 4^th child.  Our trailer was no longer big enough for our “growing" family and we were looking for a house to buy.  We  had gone to look at Pep Redd’s home, and before we left, his wife Emily (Dr. Jim Redd’s mom) had not only shown us how they used the jerky wires in their basement, but also gave me her relish recipe and I’ve used it ever since.  That was 42 years ago.   Whenever I use it on hot dogs, hamburgers, and in tuna salad sandwiches, I always think of the Redds and their generous and friendly hospitality.

Emily Redd’s Relish

2 quarts ground cucumbers, no need to peel

1 qt. ground onions

2 qts. ground cabbage

1 qt ground green bell peppers, or a mix of banana and bell

Cover with water and ¾ C. coarse salt.  Let stand overnight.  Drain and rinse in clear water.

Mix together 5-8 C. sugar

1 C. water

 5 C. vinegar

3 T. mustard seed

2 T. celery seed.

Pour over ground vegetables and put on heat.  Make a paste with 1 T. dry mustard and 1 T. turmeric and a little water. Add to the other ingredients.  Boil for 2 min,  Fill jars and seal.

BE COOL LIKE THE CUCUMBER

Since there has been an abundance of cucumbers in most gardens.   Here are some facts and uses you may want to try “for such a time as this” when you have enough cucumbers to experiment with. 

1. Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day, just one cucumber contains Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc.

2. Feeling tired in the afternoon, put down the caffeinated soda and pick up a cucumber. Cucumbers are a good source of B Vitamins and Carbohydrates that can provide that quick pick-me-up that can last for hours.  In addition, cucumbers can be used for a great summer drink.

   I make cucumber lemonade when I have “lots” of cucumbers.   You can either juice the cucumbers a la Jack Lalayne style, or blend them up with lemonade and ice like a smoothie.  It really is cool and refreshing. 

3. Tired of your bathroom mirror fogging up after a shower? Try rubbing a cucumber slice along the mirror, it will eliminate the fog and provide a soothing, spa-like fragrance.

4.  Want to avoid a headache? Eat a few cucumber slices before going to bed and wake up refreshed and headache free. Cucumbers contain enough sugar, B vitamins and electrolytes to replenish essential nutrients the body lost, keeping everything in equilibrium.

5. Fight off that afternoon or evening snacking binge. Cucumbers have been used for centuries and often used by European trappers, traders and explores for quick meals to thwart off starvation.  

6. Have an important meeting or job interview and you realize that you don't have enough time to polish your shoes? Rub a freshly cut cucumber over the shoe, its chemicals will provide a quick and durable shine that not only looks great but also repels water.

7. Out of WD 40 and need to fix a squeaky hinge? Take a cucumber slice and rub it along the problematic hinge, and voila, the squeak is gone!  I’m not sure how it works on human joints, though my father-in-law used WD 40 for his knees!

8. Stressed out and don't have time for massage, facial or visit to the spa? Cut up an entire cucumber and place it in a boiling pot of water, the chemicals and nutrients from the cucumber with react with the boiling water and be released in the steam, creating a soothing, relaxing aroma that has been shown the reduce stress in new mothers and college students during final exams.

Go to my web site for canning recipes published last year:  http://providentponderings.blogspot.com/

They have no “expiration date!”

Favorite Garden Recipes

Hopefully, it will be awhile before we’ll be saying, “Arrivederci Roma”, as the tomatoes are finally coming on strong. I have to confess when it comes to canning-- Romas are my favorite.  There is less moisture content, which means thicker salsa, with less time and electricity needed for cooking, or dehydrating.

 

   Here are some of my recent favorite tomato recipes. I always use a food processor (not a blender) to do my chopping/dicing.  This also saves tons of time.

Garden Sweet and Sour Sauce

From Adelle Lovell

1 C. water

8 C. chopped tomatoes (not peeled)

6 C. sugar, mixed with 1 C. clear gel

2 C. soy sauce

4 C.chopped onions

4 C. chopped peppers (all kinds)

4 C. pinapple tidbits with juice

3 ½ C. of Cider vinegar

Mix together and bring to a boil.  Stir often so it doesn=t burn.

Pour into sterilized Jars.  Water bath, or steam process for 50 minutes.  Makes 15-16 pints.  Good with chicken, pork, rice, meatballs, etc.

Lime Salsa

12 C. diced tomatoes (do not removes skins or seeds)

3 large yellow bell peppers, small diced

2 large green bell peppers, small diced

2 large onions, fine diced (or run through food processor)

4 large jalapeno peppers, finely diced with seeds removed

2 tablespoons salt

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup tomato sauce

1 cup bottled lime juice

4 teaspoons minced garlic

3 T. cilantro chopped

Directions

1. Dice tomatoes and place in fine mesh colander to drain extra juice/water. If you use Romas, you can skip this step.

2. While tomatoes are draining, dice remaining vegetables and place in large pot.

3. Add salt, sugar, tomato sauce, garlic, cilantro, lime juice. Add tomatoes to pot and stir well.

4. Bring just to a boil, then ladle into sterilized pint‑sized jars.

5. Process for 12-15 minutes

Fiesta Salsa From Blue Ball canning book (my favorite source for canning questions.)

7 C. chopped tomatoes

2 C chopped peeled, seeded cucumbers

2 C chopped & seeded banana peppers

1 C. chopped onion

½ C. chopped peeled, roasted Anaheim or Big Jim peppers (skins removed)

½ C. chopped jalepeno peppers

 ¼ C. minced cilantro

3 garlic cloves minced

1 T. minced fresh marjoram (or oregano)

1 tsp. Salt

 ½ C. cider vinegar

2 T. lime juice

Combine all ingredients in a large saucepot.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer 10 min.  Ladle hot salsa into sterilized jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace.  Add lids, Process 15 minutes.  (When cutting or seeding hot peppers wear rubber gloves to prevent hands from being burned.)

Roma Chips

Shauna Hurst

Slice Roma tomatoes 1/3” thick and place on cookie sheet (or drying rack)

Sprinkle with seasoned salt, garlic, and chopped basil leaves.

Dry in oven set at 200.  Don’t overcook. 

And finally, A Peach of an Idea!

Freezer pie filling

Line a pie pan with foil. Slice peaches (or other fresh fruit), add sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Pile into pie pan, cover with foil and freeze. After it’s frozen, just lift the whole thing out of the pan, seal in a freezer bag and keep it until you want to bake a fresh peach pie in the middle of a snowstorm. Then, peel off the foil, drop into a pie crust and bake. Absolutely delicious and tastes fresh no matter when you finally make the pie.