Summer Squash or Zucchini Relish

While my garden was not the greatest success this year, one of the vegetables that grew successfully was the squash. Farm Dad and I love squash in the summer (we're still working on the farm children). However, even lovers of squash cannot consume all the wonderful squash that appears each day in the garden. So a few years ago, I searched for a way to preserve the squash beside freezing it. I found a variation of this recipe for squash relish. It's a sweet relish and I use squash, zucchini or both in it. It preserves well and tastes wonderful (if I do say so myself). I eat it with most grilled meats, on hot dogs, with hamburgers, or just by itself. "Yummy" is the word for this preserved garden delight.

Remember that we have a large family so I make everything in double, triple, sometimes even quadruple amounts. It's okay to vary the amount of the ingredients with this. The recipe below should make approximately 6 pints.

2 cups chopped squash or zucchini or both (about 3 medium)

1 cup chopped onion (about 1 medium)

1/2 cup chopped sweet green pepper (about 1 small)*

1/2 cup chopped sweet red pepper (about 1 small)*

2 tablespoons salt (I use sea salt)

1 3/4 cups sugar

2 teaspoons celery seed

1 teaspoon mustard seed

1 cup cider vinegar (I like Bragg's raw organic apple cider vinegar)

* If I don't have red peppers, I use all green and vis versa.

Combine squash/zucchini, onion, green and red peppers; sprinkle with salt, cover with cold water. Let stand 2 hours. Drain; rinse and drain thoroughly. Combine remaining ingredients in a large sauce pot. Bring to a boil. Add vegetables; simmer 10 minutes. Pack hot relish into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Adjust caps. Process 10 minutes in a boiling-water canner.

It's homemade goodness at it's best! The garden work pays off with this delight.

Note: Photo courtesy of Eldest Farm Girl

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