A full morning in the kitchen...

I found a new recipe for Dilled Green Bean Pickles. The recipe I've been using is too salty! Hope the ratio on this one is better.

Dilly Beans - WaterBath Canning
makes 6 pints

3-3/4 cups vinegar
3-3/4 cups water
1/3 cup pickling salt
6 cloves garlic, crushed or thinly sliced
3 teaspoons dill seed (or 6 dill heads)
3 lbs beans, trimmed and cut into jar-length pieces

PREPARE boiling water canner. Heat jars and lids in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Set bands aside.
TRIM off ends of green beans and discard. Cut to length. Wash.
COMBINE vinegar, water, and salt in a large saucepan. Bring to boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve salt.
PACK dill, garlic, and beans in jars leaving 1/2-inch headspace.
REMOVE air bubbles. Wipe rim, center hot lid on jar. Apply band and adjust until fingertip tight.
PROCESS filled jars in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes. Remove jars and cool.
CHECK for seal after 24 hours. Lids should not flex up and down when center is pressed.

from: Fresh Preserving website

Stevia Extract

It's been 2-1/2 days since I immersed the stevia leaves in vodka.

Time to finish the process.

375 ml bottle of vodka produced 54 ml, perfect amount for a 2-ounce bottle.

• STRAIN liquid off the leaves.
• SIMMER 30 minutes (do not boil!) to cook off alcohol and precipitate out impurities.
• STRAIN through something like a coffee filter.
• COOL
• STORE in opaque glass containers.
• USE to sweeten coffee, tea, etc.

See blogpost from July 2, 2014 for more discussion and pictures of entire process.