Cinnamon Cucumber Pickles - Yummy

I love this time of year.  The air is crisp and cool and colour is everywhere.  Living by the St. Lawrence River we are on the pathway of millions of Canadian Geese heading south for the winter.  What a great sound as they head over our home honking in the distance. 

The best part of fall is "Canning"!  If you have never tried here is a recipe that everyone will marvel at and it is different and delicious.  I discovered this recipe at an event last year and I wasn't even sure what it was made of.  I had never seen Cinnamon Pickles before.  They are made with Cinnamon Candy and Cinnamon Sticks. 

Cinnamon Cucumber Pickles

2 gallons cucumbers

3 packages of pickle crisp(Bernardin)

Water

Day 1

Peel cucumbers, slice lengthwise and remove seeds slice about 1/4" thick

Put cucumbers into a large pot, crock or plastic pail, add the pickle crisp and fill enough water to cover the cucumbers and soak overnight.

Day 2

Drain, rinse and then cover cucumbers with clear, cook water and top with a tray of ice and let sit for 3 hours.  Drain cucumbers.

Combine the following and pour over cucumbers

1 Cup of vinegar

1 oz red food color

1 tablespoon Alum

Then add enough water to cover the cucumbers with the above on.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 hours.

Drain and discard the liquid.

Bring the following to a boil

3 cups of cider vinegar

2 cups water

10 cups sugar

8 cinnamon sticks

8 oz package of red hot cinnamon candy 

Pour this boiling syrup over cucumbers and let sit overnight

 

Day 3

Drain the syrup off the cucumbers into a pot and bring it to a boil.  Pour back over cucumbers

 

Day 4

Drain the syrup off the cucumbers into a pot and bring it to a boil.  Pour back over cucumbers

 

Day 5

Drain the syrup off the cucumbers into a pot and bring it to a boil.  Pour back over cucumbers

 

Day6

Bring syrup to a boil again.  Put cucumbers into sterilized jars, cover with hot syrup and seal.  Seal jars in boiling water bath for 5 - 10 minutes.

Please share your recipes with me.  Looking forward to hearing from you.

Lorraine

,

Baskets of Food

Gift baskets and food go hand in hand.  With our new contact for the absolute best smoked Salmon, we are providing regular  smoked salmon and Maple Candied with cracked pepper from British Columbia. 

"Smoked salmon is also high in Vitamin E, which is also a great antioxidant. Vitamin E can reduce or lower the risk of heart disease and has also been shown to play a protective role against cancer as well".

In many of our gift baskets we have smoked salmon, crackers, cheese, salsas, chocolate and dips, all the foods people enjoy receiving for entertaining. Keeping it simple is enjoyed by the host and the guest.  The items in my gift baskets have been tried by myself and others and I am proud to provide them in my baskets.  Our gift baskets are 100% guaranteed!  

Baskets of Apples

I love going apple picking in the fall.  The apples are so red and crunchy.  Your basket is filled in no time and it hard not to fill many baskets.  

Check out the new fall gift baskets at www.uniquegourmetgiftbasket.com  They are filled with treats for cool autumn night.  

I love to cook and came across a great quick apple dessert that I have included.  Instead of using can filling, I will make my own  to make sure there are lots of chunks of apple.

Enjoy

No Bake Apple Spice Cake

Ingredients

• 2 (3.4 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix
• 1 quart milk
• 1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 1 pinch nutmeg
• 4 individual packages cinnamon graham crackers
• 2 (21 ounce) cans apple pie filling
• 1 (16 ounce) can prepared vanilla frosting
• 1 pinch cinnamon

Directions

1. In a bowl, mix the pudding mix, milk, whipped topping, and a pinch of nutmeg.
2. Layer the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan with 1 package cinnamon graham crackers. Top with 1/2 the pudding mixture. Layer with another package graham crackers. Spread the apple pie filling over the crackers. Top with another package graham crackers. Layer with remaining pudding mixture, and top all with remaining package of graham crackers.
3. In the microwave, heat the vanilla frosting for about 10 seconds on High, until easily spread. Mix in cinnamon. Spread over the top layer of graham crackers in the pan. Cover, and refrigerate at least 12 hours.