Relishing Summer

I've been doing some canning lately.  A lot of canning.  Relish.  Pickles.  Tomatoes.  Spaghetti sauce.  For some reason, it's always like this at the end of the summer.  After weeks of waiting impatiently for that first ripe tomato, everything ripens at once and it's a mad dash to get it all canned, frozen, or otherwise used up. 

 Anyone who gardens knows that by the middle of August the zucchini have nearly taken over the garden, and people are resorting to leaving the excess in unlocked cars in the Walmart parking lot.  It hasn't gotten to that point yet around here, but it's been close!  Then I found this wonderful sweet relish recipe that uses......not cucumbers......zucchini!  Not only that, it's the best sweet relish I've ever tasted.  So far it's resulted in 3 large batches for us and requests from my mother and inlaws for more.  It's too good not to share.  So here it is....

Sweet Relish

10 C chopped zucchini

1 C chopped celery

5 C chopped onions

2 red peppers, chopped

3 green peppers, chopped

1/2 cup coarse salt (I use canning salt)

6 C sugar

2 tsp tumeric

1 tblsp dry mustard

3 tblsps corn starch

5 c white vinegar

Chop all vegetables using food processor, measure into a large bowl.  Add salt and mix well.  Cover and refrigerate 24 hours.

Drain and rinse vegetables.  Place in a large, heavy bottomed pot.  Combine cornstarch and 1/2 cup sugar, mix well and add to pot.  Add remaining sugar, spices, and vinegar.  Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat and boil 20 minutes. 

Using a canning funnel, pour into pint or 1/2 pint jars.  Add lids and bands.  Process in a boiling water bath canner for 20 minutes.  Allow to stand for 24 hours before removing bands and storing. 

Hope you enjoy! 

And finally, for those needing their kid photo fix, here's a picture of my 2 helpers, all ready to freeze beans in their aprons.  Aren't I lucky to have such good help? :-)