Tuesday, June 19, 2007

It Doesn't Get Any Better!

                       

In a message dated 6/13/07 5:34:26 P.M. Central Daylight Time, AOLAlerts writes:
DO you have a good bread and butter pickle recipe you would want to share??? :-)
Wish I were coming to your house for some of that good okra tonight!!! lol
That was from Carlene, in response to the last post.  And the answer is "Yes".
 
Well, actually, the recipe come from my sister Edna.  And Pete has used it for years to make his crunchy, tasty Bread and Butter pickles. 
 
4 quarts sliced medium cucumbers
4 medium white onions, sliced
2 green (bell) peppers, chopped
3 cloves of garlic
1/3 cup coarse-medium salt(pickling salt)
5 cups of sugar
3 cups of cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric
1 1/2 teaspoons celery seed
2 tablespoons mustard seed
 
Do not pare cucumbers; slice thin.  Add onions, peppers and whole garlic cloves.  Add salt; cover with cracked ice; mix thoroughly.  Let stand 3 hours; drain well.  Combine remaining ingredients; pour over cucumber mixture.  Heat just to a boil.  Seal in hot, sterilized jars.  Makes 8 pints.
 
(Tips:  Use only firm, fresh cucumbers.  Never try to double the recipe.  Get out all ice that did not melt before boiling.  Turn jars upside down for 5 minutes after closing them, then turn right side up for a guaranteed seal.)
 
All these additions and improvements and AOL pictures still can't keep the animation in a gif. ?!  Of course, no one ever asks me what would be most time saving/convenient for me.
 
Emmy horse is still pregnant.  No colt. Pete's decided she's keeping it to herself.
 
Thunder rolling outside.  More scattered thundershowers.  Every single day.  Almost too much water for the garden!  Now we are also gathering a few ears of sweet corn, and have picked some peas.  Cooked a big pot of purple hulls and a large skillet of smother-fried okra last night.  Some fried hot water cornbread and a few pieces of steak to round it out. 
 
Wish you all could have been here the other evening.  It was a perfect time.  Pete's sister Mary and her husband Jim came over about an hour after I got in from work.  They had brought some boudain and some wieners.  (Would you believe that neither aol spell check nor Merriam-Webster have a clue about boudain!!!  I had to use the local phone books listing of a local boudain maker to check the spelling!)  Pete fired off the grill and thawed out some country style ribs and link sausage.  I stuffed some of our good, fresh jalapeno peppers with cream cheese and wrapped bacon around them. 
 
We cleaned off the old 1950's dinning room table on the front porch.  Pete hung a drop light in the rafters.  And we broke out the old, large, green, dominoes from the pool hall daddy ran once upon a time in Carthage after he had his leg ran over by a dozer.  Plug in the box fan and point it this way!
 
We shuffled and started a round of 42 while the charcoal was burning down.  Before long, Mary's son and his wife and two young boys showed up.  Hannah had playmates and Bubba had someone to shoot the bull with.  The food went on the grill right after Mary and I beat Pete and Jim in the first game.  Pete pulled a few ears of sweet corn and threw on there too. 
 
Then we started the next game, and us girls did some high bidding and some quick setting of the men to win that one with the men only having one mark to their credit.  Bubba found the oldies tapes, swamp gold, classic country and Cajun that Pete's mama had made for Pete from the treasure trove of old 45's they had.
 
Conversation, aggravation, laughter.  One more game of Forty-two.  Seem we almost always play three.  This time we went back and forth and back and forth until the guys finally emerged victorious by one mark.  Get that food off the pit!  Slice some tomatoes.  Cut up some cucumbers.  Where's the plates and the light bread?  Before long everyone is stuffed.  A little cleaning up.  Leave most of that; I'll deal with it tomorrow. 
 
Soon, things wind down and they begin to saunter on off to home.  Bug is still wide awake, even though it is after 1:00 AM.  It had been a very hot, muggy day earlier.  And I had surely thought of jumping in the pool to cool down.  But too much company.  All that has to be is put away.  Come on Bug, let's go for a late swim!  And we jump in and cool off and relax with a canopy of stars overhead. 
 
Get out, dry off and ease on toward bed.  Sweet dreams.  It doesn't get any better, people! 


27 comments:

  1. Sounds wonderful!  Glad the day/night was good for you.  
    I did an entry on posting animation the other day... it's not the quickest but it works.  Yell if you need help
    hugs
    d

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  2. Oh that sounds wonderful...  Linda

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  3. amen sister....it doesn't get any better than good company...good food...and a good cooling swim....God Bless you all....made my heart sing just to read all this...the recipe sounds great....but I am past the canning/pickling stage...LOL...and hubby said.....that okra sounded like a bit of heaven...I don't eat nor cook okra...of any kinds....bad wife...northern wife....LOLOL....but he gets his share at Cracker Barrell and when we go home.....to Alabama....hugs to ya from KY...Ora

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  4. It sounds perfect!

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  5. awwwwwwwww.....thank you so much for that recipe!!!
    That did sound like a perfect time yall had together...what memeories are made of too!!!
    God bless you,
    love ya,
    carlene

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  6. Ooh!  That sounds so wonderful!!  What a great time.  And my mouth is watering now!
    Lori

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  7. What a great time!  What I like most about it- is it's old fashioned (well- for us older folks anyways!)  The kind of days/evenings I remember growing up and going out to my great Uncle's farm!  Oh those were the best times!  It's nice to see other people besides me who enjoy simple things like that!  I don't have a clue what boudin is Barbara- but I remember visiting Carthage when I lived in Texas- it was a pretty town- but then, a lot of the Piney Woods towns are quaint!  God Bless!  Love Carolyn :)

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  8. Felt like I was there as I read your entry and the dip in the pool just rounded it out. paula

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  9. I thoroughly enjoyed your entry, I felt like I was there with you all.  Thank you for sharing your wonderful day.  Your talking about the stars and the pool, brought back some very special memories for me.  When I was in Australia, I went for a dip in the evening with the moon shining and all the stars out, down there being close to the equator it felt like you could reach out and touch them, it was a very spiritual experience and so beautiful to see.  Thank you for bringing that memory back to me, it is one i cherish.  Take care god bless.

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  10. Sounds heavenly.  The swim under the stars sounded great.

                 Julie

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  11. I have truly enjoyed reading your journal. I'm Roz and I'm new - few days now. I too am a born again believer and love Jesus Chrsit. I also lived in Texas not far from where I think you might be. Joebaby (hubby) and I lived in Baytown - NE of Houston. For a while I worked downtown Houston at the Pennzoil Bldg as a Legal Secretary. Texas is awesome - but I do not miss the skeeters. (mosquitos). We now live in Oklahoma (just moved here in Nov 2001)  Please stop by my journal anytime - you might really enjoy todays and yesterdays entries. BTW - I sell Avon too and Real Estate - but do real estate as referral basis only right now. I have a website www.youravon.com/rnaber if your interested in visiting. I appreciate you. Have a blessed day! Roz  rznaber@aol.com http:/journals.aol.com/rznaber/your-naber-blog/
    #20 Comment from rznaber - 6/20/07 6:01 PM  I transferred this b/c I left it in the wrong spot. Oops...Sorry- I meant to put it  here originally .

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  12. A very interesting entry Barbara. Thanks for sharing your good times and good food with us. Helen

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  13. What a wonderful evening........
    Linda :)

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  14. oh how sweet it soes not get any better than that so glad things are going so good i so do wish i was there we would have loved it have a great week God bless my friend kelley

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  15. ahhhhhh Barbara, only in Texas... I am glad you had such a great time... Now I'm hungry because of this and I'm going to go eat... :)

    Mik

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  16. It's been years since I smelled the makings of bread and butter pickles! My mom used to make them as well as watermelon rine pickles. I haven't found a recipe for the watermelon rine yet, but I will. I definitely eat enough watermelon in the summer to enjoy the pickles afterwards. Your house sounds like louds of fun. Wish I lived closer for a visit. (Hugs) Indigo

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  17. You said it best: doesn't get any better! bea

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  18. The recipe sounds yummy!

    Terra

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  19. Thanks for posting on my journal - your recipe sounds great. Looking forward to hearing from you again and reading your entires. Roz http:/journals.aol.com/rznaber/your-naber-blog/

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  20. I have never heard of bread and butter pickles before.
    http://journals.aol.co.uk/acoward15/andy-the-bastard

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  21. very interesting! Your get together sounded awsome Barbara! way cool!
    love,nat

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  22. HI! THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT. THIS JOURNALING HAS REALLY HELP A GREAT DEAL. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE READ MY MOMS HOURNAL, IT IS CALLED AFTER THE STORM, CHECK IT OUT. SHE SAVED MY LIFE. HUGS TO YOU..BRANDI

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  23. That sounds like just the kind of day I need.  So glad you had a good day and got to spend it with family and friends.  You are right, it doesn't get any better.

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  24. Hi Barb,
    May I have permission to post this great recipe on MY blog, please??
    OLD SOLDIER TOM's JOURNAL.

    Tom Schuckman
    "On Wisconsin !"

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  25. hugs Barbara
    love,nat

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  26. Gosh Barbara!
    You are such a wonderful writer! Woo hoo!
    I love you sweetie!
    I think it si so great how you and your family make a wonderful get together out of things! That is so awesome!
    love,nat

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  27. Yep, this is definitely a great summer entry.... it's timeless. I felt like I was there! bea

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So glad you stopped by! Come 'round any time. ~ Barbara

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