Blogiversary!
Bread and Butter Pickles
Today marks the 1 year anniversary of The Flaming Pot Holder (and it is my 46th birthday)! Thank you all for reading my posts, trying the recipes, commenting on the recipes, sampling my food/drinks, offering excellent feedback, sharing my blog with friends, etc. I truly appreciate it! I have thoroughly enjoyed the past year. I am looking forward to the upcoming year and some changes to the blog – weekly postings, categorizing the recipes, revamping the look of the blog, improving my photographs, and creating a Facebook page for the blog. All in due time :)
This blog started with a tribute to my mom – recreating her cornbread recipe. Today’s post is also about my mom, this time her incredible Bread and Butter Pickles. The pickles in the photo were actually made by my mom. Mom made me a batch for my birthday in 2009. She shared a few jars with friends, but the rest of the batch was mine. Best. Gift. Ever! Mom’s friend Ursula had an extra jar from my mom and she gave it to me. We are down to the last jar and a half and we are savoring every bite.
I have never made these pickles by myself. Over the years, I helped my mom countless times. When our second set of cucumber plants start producing, I’ll make my very own batch. Hope you enjoy mom’s recipe for bread and butter pickles. They are a wonderful accompaniment to a garden-fresh veggie dinner with cornbread!
Bread and Butter Pickles (Print recipe)
Vegetables:
9 cucumbers, washed, NOT peeled
6 medium white onions
1 green bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
6 garlic cloves
⅓ cup salt
Ice
Wash the cucumbers, do not peel them. Peel the onions. Wash and core the bell peppers. Peel the garlic. Slice the vegetables thin (either a mandolin or a food processor would work well and save some time). Layer the vegetables with ice and salt. End with a layer of salt on top. Cover with a lid or a clean towel. Let everything sit for at least 3 hours (or overnight). Drain thoroughly. Make the pickling mixture:
Pickling Mixture:
3 cups distilled white vinegar
5 cups sugar
1½ teaspoons turmeric
1½ teaspoons celery seed
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
Combine the ingredients and pour the mixture over the drained vegetables. Heat to boiling only (stirring every now and then). Ladle into 8 sterile pint jars. Process according to your canner’s instructions. Wait one month after canning before serving. Makes: 8 pints.
Three Handwritings – Grandmom, Dad, and Mom?
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The Flaming Pot Holder 
Happy Blogiversary!
Thank you!! It’s been a fun year :)
Hi Katie- happy blogversary! And especially HAPPY BIRTHDaY!!!
I know you treasure your recipes from your family so much. I have a few of my grandmother’s and imagine her hand on my shoulder each time I make something of hers. Info hope you’ll let me be a taste tester when you try your own batch of these!
Thanks Cyndia! Yep, I love family recipes. One of my favorite parts of this post is the three slightly different recipes in different handwritings. Sure, I’ll let you taste test them (after the one month time has passed :).
Hi, Katie,
Happy blogversary! Although it’s been a wonderful blog as is, I’m looking forward to your changing adventure in foodagogy (the principles, practice, or profession of teaching food).
Thanks Bonnie! I’m lucky to have friends like you following my blog, offering feedback, encouragement, etc.
Happy Blogiversary and Happy Birthday. I haven’t made bread and butter pickles since before the kids were born, but as I read your recipe, I could taste them again! I loved that you included photos of the hand written reicpes…they look a lot like mine. Nice memories.
Thanks Robin! It cracked me up to find three versions of the same recipe in different handwritings. I guess Mom asked Grondmom (my dad’s mom) for the recipe. She lost it, so Dad asked again (but he wrote it this time). Then Mom probably just wrote down the basics on a sticky note when she made it. I do that all the time – many scraps of paper with parts of recipes. Guess I get it honestly!
Katie, Happy Happy! Can’t wait to try this out! I am so glad to have found your blog, and have been trying some of your recipes, which have all been wonderful. Love how you write, brings it alive.
Thank you Nancy! I’m glad you found it too. My writing “style” is kinda like me – what you see is what you get! Unfortunately, I did not inherit my Mom’s gift for storytelling, but I will keep trying :)
Happy Birthday, Katie. I am presently in Huntsville Hosp., but after I am my old self, I will enjoy making your Mom’s pickles. I still miss her. Love, Lynette
Oh Lynette, I am very sorry to hear that. If you need anything, please email or phone me. Hope to see you soon, because I have something for you and I’ve missed you. Sending you lots of love and hugs!
Happy birthday to one of the neatest women I know. I have read and savored your blog posts. you are a really good writer, Katie and I am a devoted fan. Much love to you and Matt.
Thank you Helen. That means so much coming from you. Much love to you and Ed.