SLICE tomatoes. Sprinkle with salt and allow to stand overnight. Next morning drain and pour 2 quarts of boiling water with 1/2 tablespoon of powdered alum over the tomatoes and let stand 20 minutes. Drain and cover with cold water, drain. Combine vinegar, water, sugar and spices (tie spices loosely in bag) and bring to a boil. Pour this over the tomatoes. Let stand in this solution overnight. Then drain and bring solution to boil and pour over tomatoes. Let stand overnight. On the third morning bring the pickles and solution to a boil. Pack into sterilized jars to within 1/2 inch of top. Put on cap, screw band firmly tight. Process in boiling water bath 10 minutes.
Yield: 8 pints.

Place broccoli in a saucepan with 1 inch of water. Add lemon rind slivers. Steam broccoli and rind until broccoli is just crisp-tender. Drain broccoli and keep warm. Reserve lemon rind slivers. In a small cup, whisk together lemon juice, 2 tablespoons olive oil, black pepper, and salt to taste.
While broccoli cooks, in a small frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil; saute minced clove of garlic until golden, not brown. Add dry bread crumbs and lightly toast crumbs while stirring. Pour lemon dressing over warm broccoli. Stir to coat evenly. Top with bread crumbs and lemon rind slivers, and serve.
Makes 4 servings

In a bowl, beat butter, parsley, chopped pepper and cumin until well combined. On waxed paper or plastic wrap, shape butter mixture into a log. Wrap tightly and chill until firm. Cut butter log into 20 pieces.
Preheat broiler.
Place mushrooms, hollow part up, on a broiler pan. Place one piece of butter log into each hollow. Broil 4 to 5 minutes or until butter melts and the mushrooms are cooked. Garnish. Serve immediately.
Serves 4. Serving Size: 5 mushrooms

In a medium mixing bowl combine the olive oil, garlic, rosemary or basil, and the salt. Let mixture stand for 2 hours. Add the vegetables to oil mixture, tossing to coat. Spoon vegetable mixture onto a 24x12 inch piece of heavy foil. Bring opposite edges of foil together; seal tightly with a double fold. Fold in remaining ends to completely enclose vegetables, leaving a little space for steam to build.
Grill the vegetable packet on a grill rack directly over medium-hot coals about 20 minutes or till vegetables are tender, turning the packet over halfway through the cooking time. (Or, bake vegetables in a 350° F oven about 25 minutes or till tender.) Season vegetables to taste with pepper.
Makes 4 side-dish servings

To Grill Vegetables:
Place in grill basket and grill over medium heat until tender and slightly charred, turning occasionally.
To Roast Vegetables:
Preheat oven to 450°F.
In large re-sealable plastic bag, combine vegetables, oil and Seasoned Salt; toss to coat. Remove vegetables and arrange on rack set on large baking sheet or on broiler pan. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes. Vegetables should be slightly 'charred'. Arrange vegetables on platter to serve
HINT: If roasting root vegetables, cover and roast for 20 minutes before removing cover and adding remaining vegetables to be roasted. Additional vegetables may be used, just increase olive oil and Seasoned Salt
serves 6