Westby Border News                              Volume 1      Issue 11                                                                            Page 4

   Diana gave me this recipe for dill pickles.  They are an easy, great tasting, crisp pickle.  It doesn't seem to matter if you use small cukes or spear larger cukes they remain good and crisp.  You will need adequate refrigerator space if you plan to make very many quarts.

Wash and chill cucumbers for at least 1 hour
In each quart jar add fresh dill, 1 clove of garlic, 2 Tbles canning salt, and ½ cup vinegar.
Fill the jar with cucumbers and then add cold water to fill.
Put on lid and shake.
Refrigerate 6 weeks before use.

   Corn on the cob.  Who doesn't love it?  Grilled, boiled, or micro waved on the cob they are all acceptable, but if you are looking for that fresh taste in January you may want to try this.  This recipe for frozen cream corn has been around for years, but I feel it needs repeating.  Karen gave it to me long ago and I just made a couple batches the other day.  It will be great for a side dish or in chowders or shortbreads this winter.  One trick I have learned over the years is to use an angel food cake pan and electric knife to take the corn off the cob.  After husking, put the narrow end of the cob in the hole in the center of the cake pan.  Use the electric knife to cut the kernels off the cob and they fall right into the cake pan.  Works slick!

14 cups corn
1 1/2 cups water
½ cup sugar
   Boil until corn is soft.  Add more water if necessary. (I have done this in the oven as a double batch makes a large enamel roaster full)
   Remove from heat and add 1 cup of carnation milk or light cream and 1 cup butter.  (I cut back to ½ cup butter)
   Cool quickly and freeze.  The 1 quart freezer bags work great.  When you squeeze all the air out of the bags and lay them down flat they store very nice in the freezer.

I could go on and on, but for now LIFE IS GOOD!

   Here in the North Country we try to cram 3 months of summer into 2 months and that at times is stretching it.  Yes, this summer we have had more than our share of heat, but that doesn't always equate to summer.  That same scenario holds true for the gardens and fresh produce.  Although we now have access to better tasting produce all year around, there is a small window of fresh picked, in season fruits and veggies you just can't get enough of.  We have been living on strawberries, blueberries, peaches and cukes, tomatoes, and corn.  I do grill an occasional steak or burger just to make Danny happy, but in my mind it isn't really necessary.  This issue I want to share a few recipes that really are much better with fresh garden produce.  Not wanting to mislead anyone I need to mention I do not have a garden.  Just very good, generous friends and access to farmers markets that keeps me in an ample supply.

   Cucumbers have been coming on for some time now.  I recently cut out a recipe from the paper for a cucumber salad that was quite tasty.  It really is just a little different version of the cukes and sour cream recipe we all grew up on.  If this salad will not be eaten at one sitting I would salt my cucumbers and let them drain after chopping so the salad will keep better.  I also cut back the amount of sour cream (2 cups) in the original recipe so if you feel it lacking you may wish to add more.

2 cups chopped cukes
½ cup chopped green pepper
½ cup thinly sliced green onion
½ cup thinly sliced radishes
½ cup sour cream
1 T milk
½ t salt (may use less if you salted your chopped cukes)
Combine vegetables.  Stir in sour cream, milk, Salt & pepper to taste.  Mix well.

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