So, I do this thing with a local family farm where I ‘join’ an event on facebook on a Friday, and on Tuesday I show up, hand over $10, and get a pretty big honkin’ bag o’ STUFF.
Good stuff, too, like this assortment from yesterday’s Mystery Bag.
I’ve already shared some recipes from past bags – the sugar snap peas were certainly tasty – and I cannot tell you how very, very good their tomatoes are, but…
that’s a pretty full bag o’ stuff for a two person, one cat, and one dog household, so, I’ve taken to pickling, which, as it happens, is dead simple to do.
As with this week’s bag, an earlier one included a quart sized bag of green beans which could be just turned into any number of tasty side dishes (do a search by the little magnifying glass icon at the top o’ the page); but I recalled a recipe I’d come across years ago when presented with a huge bag o’ beans from a friend with a garden:
Spicy Pickled Green Beans.
A tasty munchie on their own, but just think about the possibilities if you happen to be a Bloody Mary fan! I gave a jar to a friend last week, and she texted me a day or so later, disappointed because they had opened the 
jar and, while she had threatened her husband about wanting to save some of Sunday and some Bloody Marys, the entire jar was finished that very same evening.
Good thing that one, quart sized storage bag o’ beans makes four, 12 ounce jars of pickled bean goodness.
INGREDIENTS
•1 qt bag green beans
•1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, per jar
•1/2 tsp Aleppo pepper, per jar
•1/2 tsp mustard seeds, per jar
•1/2 tsp dill seed, per jar
•1 whole garlic clove, per jar
•2 slices fresh jalapeño, per jar
•5 cups white vinegar
•5 cups water
•1/2 cup pickling salt
Wash the beans, trim the ends, and arrange in prepared* tall canning jars – I used 12 ounce jars for this small amount of beans, but regular pint jars would be fine, too.
Distribute the jalapeño slices and garlic among the jars, then add the red pepper flakes, Aleppo pepper, mustard and dill seeds.
Bring the vinegar, water, and salt to a boil in a large pot over high heat, stirring until the salt has dissolved.
Pour the boiling liquid over beans.
Wipe the edges of the canning jars, then top with prepared* lids and “finger tip tighten” bands on each jar.
Process in boiling water for 15 minutes, then remove and allow to cool. Check the seal (press on the center of the lid; if it is flat and doesn’t ‘pop’ when pressed, you’re good to go). BTW – the lids may ‘pop’ into place soon after being removed from the water bath, this is also a good thing.
*Place the jars and lids in boiling water for five to ten minutes before filling. If you have hard water, add a cup or two of white vinegar to the water in the pot to keep your jars from becoming cloudy.
Note: “finger tip tight” means that, when you screw the bands on to the canning jars, you use only your finger tips.
Enjoy your pickles.