What We (Will Be) Eating

It all started about 2 years ago. I was wandering through Cost Plus World Market on a Friday evening when I came across the clearance food rack. This was a favorite in the store because it was a nice way to try food I wouldn't otherwise have given a second glance. And on that clearance food rack was a packet of dill pickle mix for canning. Now, I've never canned before, but I remember having lots of mason jars of pickles, tomatoes, and peaches in our basement growing up. So I decide to give it a try myself!

It took about a week to get all of the supplies together (jar lifter, jars, lids, bands, cucumbers, etc...) but the next Friday night I gave it a shot. To be honest, they weren't my favorite; they were a little on the sweet side.  But that got me to try freezer jam, canning cranberry sauce, strawberry rhubarb jelly, and a few others, mostly in the freezer-preserving category.

I found myself running out of freezer space and also in posession of a Barnes & Noble gift card. I was wandering around trying to think about what I could buy, when I saw this:

I have about 20 "to try" recipes dog-eared right now, but I started simple with the basic pickled vegetable recipe. Its about two pages long and really detailed, which makes it perfect for a beginner like me. If you find yourself in a bookstore, check it out. Its pretty fun. And in about 5 weeks, I'll let you know how the pickled cucumbers and carrots taste!