Bills Dills Recipes

CANDIED DILLS

Steps:

• Remove and reserve half the pickles from their container. Pour approximately 1/2 the sugar over the pickles. Pour in 1 tablespoon pickling spice and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Repeat with remaining pickles, sugar, pickling spice and cinnamon.
• Seal the jar and refrigerate. Turn approximately every six hours for 24 hours to help dissolve the sugar. Serve when the sugar has dissolved.

BILL'S DIVINITY

Steps:

• In a 2-quart saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup, salt, and water. Cook to hard-ball stage (260 degrees F, or 125 degrees C), stirring only until sugar dissolves.
• Meanwhile, beat egg whites to stiff peaks. Gradually pour syrup over egg whites, beating at high speed on electric mixer. Add vanilla and beat until candy holds its shape, about 4-5 minutes. Quickly drop from a teaspoon onto wax paper; cool.

BILL'S BLUE CHEESE DRESSING

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise and Worcestershire sauce. Season with mustard, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir in blue cheese. Cover, and refrigerate for 24 hours before serving.

BEA AND BILL'S BREAD AND BUTTER PICKLES

Steps:

• Combine cucumbers, onions, pickling salt, and garlic in a large pot. Place enough cracked ice atop the cucumber mixture to cover by at least 2 inches.
• Cover the pot with a lid and refrigerate 3 to 12 hours. Drain all liquid from the mixture. Discard any remaining pieces of ice. Remove the garlic and set aside.
• Bring the sugar, vinegar, mustard seed, turmeric, and celery seed to a boil in a separate large saucepan, stirring frequently. Add the cucumber and onion mixture; return to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook at a simmer until cucumbers and onion are soft, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Sterilize the jars and lids in boiling water for at least 5 minutes. Pack the cucumber and onion mixture into the hot, sterilized jars, filling the jars to within 1/2 inch of the top. Run a knife or a thin spatula around the insides of the jars after they have been filled to remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rims of the jars with a moist paper towel to remove any food residue. Top with lids and screw on rings.
• Place jars in a canning pot with at least an inch of water covering all of the jars and boil for 10 minutes.
• Remove the jars from the stockpot and place onto a cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart, until cool. Once cool, press the top of each lid with a finger, ensuring that the seal is tight (lid does not move up or down at all). If you have a can that does not seal, just stick it in the fridge and eat that jar first. Store in a cool, dark area, and wait at least 3 hours before opening.

POP'S DILL PICKLES

Steps:

• Place cucumbers in a large pot and cover with ice cubes. Let them sit for at least 2 hours but no more than 8. Drain and pat dry.
• Place the water, vinegar, sugar, pickling salt, and pickling spice into a saucepan. Bring to boil, then simmer for 15 minutes.
• Sterilize the jars and lids in boiling water for at least 5 minutes. Pack the cucumbers into the hot, sterilized jars, filling the jars to within 1/2 inch of the top. Place 1 dill head and 1 clove of garlic into each jar. Pour the hot pickling liquid into the jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of the rim. Wipe the rims of the jars with a moist paper towel to remove any food residue. Top with lids, and screw on rings.
• Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then carefully lower the jars into the pot using a holder. Leave a 2 inch space between the jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary until the water level is at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Bring the water to a full boil, cover the pot, and process for 5 minutes, or the time recommended by your county Extension agent.
• Remove the jars from the stockpot and place onto a cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart, until cool. Once cool, press the top of each lid with a finger, ensuring that the seal is tight (lid does not move up or down at all). If any jars have not sealed properly, refrigerate them and eat within two weeks. Store in a cool, dark area, and wait at least 1 week before opening.

UNCLE BILL'S DILL PICKLES

Steps:

• PREPARATION OF DILL CUKES THE NIGHT BEFORE.
• Remove blossom ends and stems and discard.
• Place dill cukes into a large tub or a clean laundry tub.
• Cover with cold water.
• Add 2 bags of ice cubes or 1 block of ice.
• Let chill overnight.
• BRINE.
• In a cooking pot, add water, vinegar, pickling salt and brown sugar and bring to boil.
• Boil for 2 minutes.
• Prepare 4- 1 quart wide mouth canning jars by washing well with soap and water and then rinsing well with hot water.
• Place jars upside down on the rack in the oven and heat at 325 F for about 15 minutes.
• Wash and drain dill cukes.
• Place 1 dill head and stem in the bottom of each jar.
• Stuff the jars with cukes, vertically.
• Stuff a few sliced carrots, 5 garlic cloves and 4 horseradish pieces in the voids between the cukes in each jar.
• Stuff one Jalapeno pepper into each jar.
• Place another dill head and stem on top of the cukes in each jar.
• Fill jars with hot brine to within 1/2" of top of jars.
• Make sure that none of the dill head is touching the top of the jar.
• Push the dill heads down if necessary.
• Wipe tops of jars clean.
• Prepare canning lids according to manufacturers instructions.
• Place lids on jars and screw on screw tops finger tight only.
• Prepare a canner and bring water to a boil.
• Place jars in rack with lids up and immerse in the boiling water.
• Boil or process for 10 minutes.
• Remove jars onto a dish towel and cover with another dish towel to cool.
• Jars are sealed when the lids pop and are concave (curved down).
• Should any jar not seal, just remove the lid and discard and place another prepared lid and repeat the process.
• When cooled and sealed, label jars and store in a cool, dark place.
• Allow 4 to 5 weeks for flavors to develop before using.
• This recipe makes 4- 1 quart jars and requires 12 to 16 dill cukes for each quart depending on the size of the cukes.
• Dill cukes should be 4" to 5" long and as fresh as possible.

FERMENTED DILLS

Steps:

• Cover the cucumbers with cold water, scrub off their prickly spines and drop them into a colander.
• Combine 13 cups water with the pickling salt in a large saucepan and bring to a boil, whisking to dissolve the salt.
• Into the bottom of each sterilized 1-quart jar, drop a layer of cabbage leaves, 1 garlic clove, 1 small grape leaf, 2 red chiles if using and a tuft of crown dill. Pack the jar with cucumbers, standing them upright and getting in as many as you can. Top each jar with another garlic clove, grape leaf, red chile and another tuft of crown dill. Pour hot brine into each jar, leaving 1/8-inch headspace. Wipe the jar rims with a cloth dipped in boiling water. Screw the sterilized lids on tight, as tight as you possibly can.
• Once they cool, transfer the jars to a warm place (75 degrees F or so) and let the pickles ferment for 1 week. This is the warm jump-start period for the longer ferment; the brine should get cloudy and the lid tops should become tight with pressure. Then transfer the jars to a cooler place (a root cellar would be great, but any place a few degrees cooler than room temperature is fine) and wait at least 6 weeks and up to 6 months before consuming.

BILL'S DILLS RECIPE

Steps:

• place dill and garlic in jar. Pack cucs flower end down and tight in jars. bring water, vinegar and salt to boiling, fill 1 jar and put lid and ring on immediately, skrew down tight. repeat

UNCLE BILL'S DILL DIP

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl, add softened cream cheese, and mayonnaise and mix well to blend.
• Add dried dill weed, Bea monde seasoning, parsley and scallions and mix well to blend.
• Chill before serving.
• Refrigerate any unused portions.
• Bea Monde Seasoning is available in most super markets or specialty food stores.
• If desired, you may substitute and use sour cream instead of cream cheese.