Dilly Beans

I like having ready made side dishes to help make meal prep easy. As with applesauce, pickled beets, and salsa, these dill beans make a great side to sandwiches. We can throw burgers on the grill and enjoy a homemade dinner in about 15 minutes. The zippy beans are more substantial than a cucumber pickle and stay crisper in the brine. I've heard of people adding them to a relish tray, used as a swizzle stick for a Bloody Mary, or enjoying a whole jar in a single sitting.

Dilly beans are traditionally made with green beans. But since we grow both wax and yellow, I used both. The garlic and cayenne punch up the flavor. After making, let sit on the shelf for at least a week before eating.

Remove ends from beans and place in jar lengthwise.

Add fresh dill or dill seed, cayenne and garlic clove.

Combine brine ingredients and bring to a boil. Simmer 10 minutes and pour over
beans in jars. Adjust lids. Process 10 minutes in a boiling water bath canner.

Allow jars to sit at least one week before consuming.

Dilly Beans
from The Ball Blue Book
makes 4 pints

2 lbs green or wax beans
1/4 cup canning salt
2 1/2 cups vinegar, 5% acidity
2 1/2 cups water
1 tsp cayenne, divided
4 cloves garlic
4 heads fresh dill or 1/4 cup dill seed

Wash & trim beans. Peel garlic. Combine salt, vinegar, and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.

Pack beans lengthwise into jars leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Add 1/4 tsp cayenne, 1 clove of garlic, 1 head of dill or 2 tsp dill seed. Ladle hot pickling liquid over beans leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims and adjust lids. Place in a boiling water bath. When water starts to boil, process pints and quarts 10 minutes. Remove from canner, cool 12  hours. Remove rings, wipe jars and store. Consume within 1 year.

Pizza Pasta (baked penne)

When folks learn that I preserve the food from our garden they often ask: "How do you use all that food?"

My goal in preserving our garden is not just to enjoy it all year, but also to have products on hand that make meal prep easier. One of my go-to quick, satisfying dishes is Pizza Pasta which uses our jarred tomatoes and pickled banana peppers, frozen sweet peppers, and cayenne made from our dried peppers.

The recipe is an oldie-but-goodie from my college days. You can increase or decrease the ingredients to feed more or less people, bake in a large casserole or individual ramekins and use whatever pizza toppings you like. We're fans of pepperoni, sausage and banana peppers. It would be just as tasty with different meats and sauces (chicken, artichoke and bacon with a white sauce sounds good).

Pair with a fresh, crispy salad and homemade focaccia for a hearty dinner.

We buy half a hog twice a year from Six Buckets Farm.
The hog is processed locally which allows us to select seasonings.
We usually order hot Italian and breakfast sausage.

In a large pan brown sausage. I typically use 1/2 lb for this recipe.
While sausage browns, cook pasta according to package directions.

Remove browned sausage from pan, pouring off all but 2 Tbsp fat.
Add chopped peppers and onions to the pan. Saute for 5-6 minutes.
Add garlic and cook 1 more minute.

I use 3 cups of home canned tomatoes.
If you don't preserve tomatoes, substitute commercially canned. 

While vegetable saute, chop herbs. We still had fresh parsley and rosemary.
I added dried basil and oregano along with a pinch of our cayenne pepper.

Add tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, cayenne, herbs, salt and pepper. Simmer 5 minutes.

Combine sauce with cooked pasta and place in prepared dish. Top with pizza toppings.
I especially like the spicy, vinegary bite of pickled peppers.

We preserve a variety of peppers, but use the banana peppers in pasta,
salads and as a sandwich topper.

Top with cheeses and bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.

Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Cheesy, saucy, comforting goodness!

Pizza Pasta
12 oz penne or ziti. I prefer whole grain.
2-3 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup each chopped onion and sweet red or green pepper
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups canned tomatoes with juice, home or commercially canned
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp sugar
pinch of cayenne, optional
Basil, oregano, rosemary, parsley, salt and pepper to taste
8 oz mozzarella, shredded
1/4 cup parmesan, shredded
Assorted pizza toppings of your choice: banana peppers, cooked Italian sausage, pepperoni, olives, etc.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease a 9x13 casserole dish. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and set aside. In a large pan, saute onion and sweet peppers in olive oil until translucent, about 5-6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add garlic and continue to cook an additional minute. Add tomatoes, paste and sugar. Simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Add cayenne, herbs and season with salt and pepper. Toss sauce with pizza toppings, pour into prepared dish and top with cheeses. Bake for 15 minutes or until bubbly and browned on top. Let cool 5 minutes before serving. Makes four generous servings.