It was a treasure trove! The book recipes are super exciting, but the handwritten notes on beautiful cards were the highlight. The small clippings cut out of old newspapers delicately pinned inside the book were so incredibly charming, I just about lost my mind.

Try different cheese. As mentioned above, you can replace the cheddar cheese with other desired cheese. White cheddar is a great option. The stem end will have large, indented circle and the blossom end will be smaller, rougher and may even protrude outward slightly.

Add all the brine ingredients to a stainless steel or other non-reactive pan (i.e. not aluminum or cast iron) and bring to a boil. Simmer 5 minutes. Turn off heat and allow mixture to steep while you prep the cukes and fill the sterilized jars. Ingredient Tips: I prefer Ball Glass Jars. You will need 2-pint size jars for this recipe. If you want to can more, simply double or triple the recipe. This simple recipe is great, especially for when you are just getting a few cucumbers off the vine.

Step 7: Place a hot lid out of the warm water onto the top of the jar and add a ring. Hand tightens the ring. Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce. I love these with Buttermilk Ranch or my Tangy Alabama White Sauce. My suggestion if you are unsure how hot you want them is to do a few tests and mark your jars. This way you know for next year what was perfect. Place in hot water bath and process for 10 minutes at a rolling boil. (Adjust time based on altitude as required)

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Step 3: While the water bath canner is going, get a saucepan or medium size pot and fill it up with water. The tools in this canning tool kit will make life so much easier. The jar lifter will help you get the jar into and out of the boiling hot water bath canner. The jar funnel in this kit allows you to pour the hot brine into the jars when filling them up. The headspace tool and bubble remover help you measure the right amount of liquid that is in the jars and get the bubbles out.

Cool in the pan first. If you try to remove the cheddar cheese chips from the pan immediately, you’ll just have melted cheese on your hands. Give it a few minutes to set so you can easily transfer it to the paper towel plate. Make sure the cheese is browning. It’s important to bake these until the cheese is bubbling and the edges are browning or they won’t be crispy. In each jar, add 1 garlic clove, 1 teaspoon of dill seed, and 1/2 teaspoon of peppercorns to the bottom. If using sliced cheese, cut into pieces that fit the muffin tin, and for shredded cheese, the finer the shred, the faster it will melt.Although, if you aren’t quite sure which end is which, go ahead and cut both ends off. 5. Avoid Over Processing Step 5: Using your bubble tool or a wooden dowel rod, move the cucumbers around in the jar to allow the bubbles to escape.

Sprinkle each chip with Everything bagel seasoning if using. Note: you can use any seasoning you want you you can bake them without any seasoning. I want to encourage you to try them both ways. Other uses for this chemical include using it as a water hardening agent, in medicine, and in road work. It is often used in below-ground pools as the calcium leeches into the concrete and help prevent erosion. Its medicinal abilities include lowering blood pressure and soothing acid burns. This really isn’t a secret, rather an old method that has been passed down from generation to generation.

Canning is an old art that was once a way of life for many. Until recent years, it became a more recreational activity. There’s been a resurgence in canning and other forms of food preservation, as people have become more concerned about food shortages. Other aspects of the economy that make people’s futures more uncertain has also led to more people taking up canning. Although many gardeners like to showcase the massive size of their homegrown produce, this is one instance that smaller and thinner is better. As with the Ball jars, I prefer the ball-brand lids too. There are some cheaper brands, but they sometimes fail. It is best to bite the bullet and buy the name brand when it comes to food safety in my opinion. Ingredients-makes 2 Pint Jars Cucumbers Yes. Add a few sprigs of Dill in place of the 1 teaspoon of dill seed per jar. I prefer fresh dill myself. Can I Add Onions?