Summer Recipes Sweet Pepper Relish

Unlikely Merger is now available and it's FREE on Kindle! 
Today's the last day, so grab your copy before it's too late.

Summer is my favorite time of year - sunshine, water, fishing, swimming, boating, and blessed warm temperatures. But one more aspect makes summer best of all - FRESH VEGETABLES straight from the garden.

Long ago, in a galaxy far, far away, I used to truck farm - we owned 30 acres and we planted (mostly on hands and knees) half of it with vegetables that we sold at local farmers markets or we preserved for our own use. Today, I'm sharing one of the recipes that became a favorite during that time. The jars were so pretty, I usually kept some of them out for display, at least as long as I could keep the stuff around.

Sweet Pepper Relish

by Tracy Ruckman

2 dozen bell peppers - use red, green, and yellow for a bright relish

3 large onions

4 cups vinegar (5%)

2 cups sugar

3 tablespoons canning salt

Wash and drain the vegetables. Chop in small chunks or fine, depending on your preference for texture, using food processor if possible. Cover the vegetables with boiling water and let sit for 10 minutes. Drain, then cover again with boiling water. Bring mixture to a boil, then remove from heat and let sit for another 10 minutes.

Drain well. Use a kitchen towel to press all water out of vegetables through colander. Just don’t crush them.

Place the veggies back in the pot and add the vinegar, sugar, and salt. Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes.

Pack into sterilized jars, seal and process in boiling water back for five minutes.

This recipe makes approximately 6-8 pint jars.

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Tracy Ruckman owns two traditional publishing companies (Write Integrity Press and Pix-N-Pens), one subsidy press (TMP Books), and a digital magazine (Imaginate). She is also a full-time student seeking her MFA in Screenwriting. In her spare time, she loves to eat, sleep, and bathe. She's proud mom to two grown sons and makes her home with the real-life Prince Charming in metro Atlanta.

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Summer Recipes Keeping it Simple

Unlikely Merger is now available and for a limited time, 

it's FREE on Kindle!

Today's recipe comes from Suzy Moore, one of the authors of Unlikely Merger. Suzy has been a blessing to all of us at the WIP/PNP family since we were first introduced in 2013. She's helped us with administrative tasks on several big projects, and we're grateful for her time and efficiency! We were thrilled to have her join us on our latest book.

Marinated Summer Veggies

by Suzy Moore

My grandparents loved summer produce. Grandpa was an avid gardener and Grandma always knew

exactly what to do with the bounty. All summer long there would be a row of tomatoes ripening on the kitchen window sill, and the aroma of green peppers, green onions, and cucumbers hung in the kitchen like a welcome from the garden.

Many of my aunts, uncles, and cousins lived nearby. For the ones that didn't, summer was usually the time they came to visit, so there were lots of get-togethers and potlucks and barbecues at Grandma and Grandpa's house during those months of long days in the sunshine.

My favorite summer recipe is heavy on the "summer" and probably a little too simple to be considered a "recipe", but it's my go-to favorite any time we are attending a summer potluck, or just celebrating the season at home. The smell of the vinegar and cucumbers takes me right back, every time, to my grandparents' kitchen and all of those wonderful childhood summer memories.

There are plenty of variations on this basic rendition, and the amount of each ingredient can be tweaked to suit your individual taste.

You'll need:

2-3 cucumbers, peeled and very thinly sliced

1 large white onion, sliced into thin rings

Equal parts vinegar (I like to use apple cider vinegar) and sugar-approx. 2/3 cup

Dill and black pepper to taste

Layer the vegetables in a bowl and pour the vinegar, sugar and spices on top. Stir well to mix. Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for as long as you can wait before digging in!

You can also add a teaspoon or so of your favorite oil, fresh tomatoes, chopped green peppers, and any other spices you may like.

Summer fare that is full of flavor and aroma, and simple enough to throw together quickly without missing out on any of the fun in the sun.  Happy summer eating!

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Suzy Moore loves to get lost in a good story. She has a passion for the written word and for the many ways it can touch and uplift through the sharing of lives, stories, and most importantly the Gospel. She lives in rural Missouri with her husband and five children where she is a homeschooling mom, free-lance editor, and wanna-be farmer of all things natural and delicious. Connect with her on Facebook at her website. 

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Friday, June 26

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