The things I done did.

I got to can in the daylight! Talk about bliss. There is something to the saying about taking things for granted. . . 

I digress, last night I harvest a decent amount of cucumbers, crookneck squash and summer squash.

I am running dangerously low on canning jars. An added stress in my life. Wait, I promised not to get whinny about things. Let us move on. One solution to lack of jars;

A bit of airing out and sun drying. 

I decided to use some of the crooknecked squash in a relish. Sunshine is always needed in the darkest of winter.

Sunshine relish

4 lbs shredded crookneck squash 

2 large onions, minced

1 large red bell pepper, chopped

2 tablespoons canning salt

4 cups sugar

3 cups cider vinegar

1 tablespoon each celery seed,  and ground turmeric

1 tablespoon whole seed mustard

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon cracked peppercorn

Directions

In a large pot combine the sugar, vinegar , salt and seasonings. Bring to

a boil. Add squash, onion and bell pepper then return to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer

for about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Ladle hot mixture into six hot pint jars, leaving 1/2-in.

headspace. Remove air bubbles; wipe rims and adjust lids. Process

for 15 minutes in a boiling-water canner. 

I went ahead and canned a few jars of straight squash. Just sliced summer squash in water. A bit of salt if you'd like. You really should pressure can these at 10 lbs for 30 mins. I hot water bathed for over 90 mins.

And finally some sweet pickles. I have the mixture premade so that I don't have to have a plethora of cucumbers to start canning. Just reheat the mixture if you have leftover.

2-1/2 pounds 3-inch pickling cucumbers, well-scrubbed and quartered into spears (about 12 cups spears)

4 cups cider vinegar

4 cups sugar

1/4 cup kosher salt

2 teaspoons mustard seeds

3/4 teaspoon celery seeds

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

6 heads dill

2 medium sweet white onions, halved lengthwise, cut crosswise into 12 1/2inch-thick slices (I actually minced them this time)

7 whole cloves, crushed

In a large saucepan, stir together vinegar, sugar, salt, mustard seeds, celery seeds, cloves and pepper. Bring to a boil over a high heat, stir to dissolve sugar.

Put dill and 1 slice of onion (or the minced onion) at the bottom of each of your sterile jars.

Pack spears into sterile quart (pints for me) jars. ladle vinegar mix over cucumbers in the jar, leaving 1/4 inch head space. Process in hot water bath for 5, 10, 15 minutes depending on how high you are from sea level.

The above picture was taken just as I removed the jars from the canner. The pickles will stop floating in 24 hours. I know that freaks some of you out. -wry grin-