The Costco Connection

Pickled Veggies

Pickling is a great way to prolong the life of many veggies that might otherwise shrivel up in your fridge. Feel free to venture beyond peppers and cucumbers and experiment with a variety of produce, such as cauliflower, green beans, asparagus and carrots.

1 cup water ½ cup rice vinegar ½ cup sugar

2 sweet bell peppers, seeded and thinly sliced

1 seedless cucumber, thinly sliced

In a small saucepan, combine the water, vinegar and sugar, and bring to a boil. Cool and add the peppers and cucumbers. Refrigerate for 2 hours. The pickled veggies will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Recipe courtesy of Dana Reinhardt

expiration date and before they turn slimy, try tossing washed spinach or kale into the freezer overnight, along with bananas past their prime (remove the peels first). Whir them in a blender with a cup or two of Greek yogurt, along with a few other ingredients, for a smoothie that even the pickiest eater in your house will enjoy to the last slurp.

If you have fruit that is turning, break out a basic dehydrator or use your oven to make banana and apple chips, and apricot, blueberry and strawberry fruit leathers.

Or, wash extra fruits and vegetables and then seal with a FoodSaver and pop them in the freezer for later use.

There will forever be leftover produce in the average household, but knowing a few tricks to help use it up before it goes bad will bring more nutrition to your household, and more savings in the bank to boot. C

Laura Bode ( laurabodedesigns@gmail.com) is a freelance writer in Redmond, Washington.

“I love canning and
preserving and being
able to share what
I’ve created with
friends and family—
there is so much
satisfaction in it.”

—Marisa McClellan

Berry Jam

6 cups smashed blueberries, blackberries or raspberries ( 3 quarts whole berries; see note)

4 cups granulated sugar Zest and juice of 1 lemon

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon freshly grated
nutmeg
Two 3-ounce packets liquid pectin

Prepare a boiling water bath and three regular-mouth 1-pint jars in preparation for canning. Place the lids in a small saucepan, cover them with water and simmer over very low heat.

Combine the smashed berries and sugar in a large pot. Bring to a boil over high heat and add the lemon zest and juice, cinnamon and nutmeg, and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until the jam is shiny and thick looking. Add the pectin and return to a rolling boil for a full 5 minutes.

Remove the pot from the heat and ladle the jam into the prepared jars. Wipe the rims, apply the lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Makes three 1-pint jars.

Note: It is important to mash your berries before combining them with sugar and putting them in the pot. Without the juice from inside the berries, the sugar won’t break down as quickly and could easily scorch before it has a chance to dissolve.