Corn Relish

What you will need:


9 cups of frozen corn kernels, thawed
3 cups of cabbage, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups of green tomato, unpeeled, cored and chopped *optional
1 cup of onion, finely chopped
1 cup of red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
4 cups of white vinegar
3 cups of sugar
1 cup of water
2 tbsp of dry mustard
1 tbsp of celery seeds
1 tbsp of mustard seeds
1 tbsp of salt
1 tbsp of ground turmeric
5 pint sized jars

In a saucepan, combine corn, cabbage, green tomato, onion, red pepper, vinegar, sugar, water, dry mustard, celery seeds, mustard seeds, salt and turmeric. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 25 minutes or until vegetables are tender-crisp.

Meanwhile, heat sterile jars in a hot water bath over medium heat, making sure not let the water come to a boil. Remove the jars. Heat the lids, leaving the screwbands on the table. Fill the jars one at a time, leaving about a 1/2 inch head space. Push a rubber spatula down into the side of the jars three to four times to remove any air bubbles trapped inside. Wipe off the rim with a napkin or paper towel to clean off any residue and place lids on, place the screwbands on and tighten, make sure not to over tighten.

Process the filled jars in a boiling water bath ( make sure the jars are fully submerged up to 2 inches over top of jar). Bring to a rapid boil and cover. Let boil for about 15 - 20 minutes. Turn heat off and let cool for 5 minutes, then remove jars and place in a draft free place to let cool and seal for 24 hours.

*Note: When I made this for the first time I referenced two different recipes, they were similar except for the green tomatoes. I couldn't find green tomatoes in our grocery store so I picked up some tomatillos instead. 


Admin Notes: I love corn relish, this was my second attempt at canning and I must say it was a success. This stuff is delicious. I was obsessed with canning for about a year and I made all sorts of jellies, jams and relish. Some were a success and others not so much. I loved to experiment and what can I say, you win some and you loose some but this one was a definite win, in my opinion. I haven't made it again since though, in fact I haven't canned anything in a few years, mainly because it takes up so much time. I should really start canning again, I really did enjoy it. My first experience wasn't to great, see my Jalapeno Jelly recipe for that story lol.

Beef Stroganoff

What you will need:


1lb of ground beef
1 med. onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
3 tbsp of flour
1 tsp of beef bouillon or 1 bouillon cube
3/4 tsp of salt
1/4 tsp of pepper
1 cup of water
1 cup of sour cream
rice, noodles or thin sliced potatoes

Saute hamburger, onions and garlic in skillet. Mix in flour, bouillon, salt and pepper. Stir in water; heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in sour cream; heat 2 minutes. Serve over hot rice, noodles or thin sliced potatoes.

Admin Notes: This makes a really good meal in my opinion. In fact I made it tonight and just finished eating it over thin sliced potatoes. I got mad at my wife while I was cooking though, she was in the kitchen, crowding my space, I asked her to do something for me and she asked what I thought was a stupid question and I snapped at her. We had a shouting match which resulted in deathly silence for the next hour. I can be a real jerky grouch when I'm cooking. We have since made up, so all is good in the Camick household

Chocolate Syrup

You will need:


1 cup of boiling water
1 1/2 cups of sugar
3/4 cups of cocoa powder
pinch of salt
2 tsp vanilla

Bring water to a boil in a tea kettle. Combine dry ingredients in a sauce pot. Measure out 1 cup of boiling water and add to the mixture. Bring to a rolling boil, stirring constantly for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Let cool, ladle into a jar and refrigerate.

Admin Notes: My wife makes this all the time for our son, we get our milk for free through the WIC program, but he loves chocolate milk. One can of cocoa powder is worth three to four bottles of chocolate syrup you would buy from the store and it only costs us a buck and a half. This is a good money saver for those who love chocolate milk.