Sunday, August 31, 2014

Dining Out Gulf Coast Tradition - Steamed Shrimp on the Beach!

Without fail, we ALWAYS get at least a pound of steamed shrimp while at the beach to eat literally AT the beach.  Goatfeathers Seafood Market provided this trip's delicacy meal.

Steamed with Old Bay Seasoning and served with their house made cocktail sauce, it was great to sit at the beach and peel shrimp and enjoy the sun, the surf and the Gulf breeze.  It doesn't get much better than this. 


Saturday, August 30, 2014

Dining Out - Gulf Coast -- 723 Whiskey Bravo


We arrived mid-afternoon on Highway 30A and were starving.  We chose 723 Whiskey Bravo for a late lunch.  We were promptly seated and Mickey was our server.  He was very helpful in assisting me in choosing the perfect "I'm finally at the beach" libation to begin my meal.

A very cold, delicious watermelon martini.


I again went to him for direction on a lunch selection and he definitely helped me choose the PERFECT beginning for my week at the beach.

A Caesar Salad topped with Panko Shrimp.  Lightly dressed (so no soggy romaine!) and a liberal amount of Parmesan.  The shrimp were freshly prepared and I enjoyed their extra crunch due to the panko.


Sweet Harold went with his personal favorite....the seafood basket:  This one had oysters, shrimp and grouper.  As always, he was pleased.


In large part to Mickey's attention to detail at our table and the freshly prepared food, Lolly gives 723 Whiskey Bravo 5 out of 5 forks!

Friday, August 29, 2014

Dining Out - Southeast -- Chez Lulu, Birmingham, AL

I had a most wonderful lunch yesterday in celebration of my birthday!  I chose Chez Lulu in Mountain Brook, a suburb of Birmingham, Alabama.  

A small gem hidden in plain site, located adjacent to Continental Bakery which provides all the bread for the restaurant. 

Very small and intimate, with a menu featuring fresh soups and European tartes made daily from fresh produce and top quality ingredients, delectable dips and spreads, Mediterranean special entrees and gourmet sandwiches on rustic hearth baked breads.  Everything we ordered was delicious.

I started out the celebration with a bubbly glass of Prosecco!


My dining companion had a mojito.


Complimentary assortment of bread with olive oil was served.  Knowing my love of bread, of course I forgot to take the picture until the basket was almost empty.  Oops.


We decided on the Artisinal Cheese Sampler Platter for starters.  A wonderfully soft Brie, an extremely tangy goat cheese and a strong and full bodied blue cheese served with sliced pears, strawberries, red grapes and chopped walnuts.



We both chose the soup of the day, French Provençal with Pistou.  We both enjoyed this soup.  Full of vegetables and nicely seasoned.


My dining companion ordered the Tarragon Chicken on Sourdough Bread.  I had a bite and the chicken was well seasoned, tender, the mayo/chicken proportion was excellent and the tarragon flavor was not overwhelming.  The chicken salad is also available as a salad selection if you don't want a sandwich.


I ordered the zucchini and red pepper tart.  The vegetables were tender and the tart was cheesy and delicious.  


We shared the Pear Tart with apricot glaze.  The crust was just a tad difficult to cut through, but the flavor was amazing.


And for the grand finale, the ladies' room has a lovely fainting couch.  I loved it.


Thursday, August 28, 2014

Fleur de Lolly has been nominated for a Liebster Award!


I'm very pleased and proud to announce that my blog has been nominated for a Liebster Award that is given by fellow bloggers to acknowledge blogs that are worthy of giving a second (or third!) read and following as a member.  I enjoy the time that it takes to prepare meals, get the recipes in written form and get the perfect (or to me, almost perfect) pictures for the blog posts.  It really is a labor of love for me.  I enjoy sharing my love of food and cooking with all of you.


I was nominated by Lara at Methodical Living.  Check out her blog by following this link.  http://methodicalliving.blogspot.com/p/about-methodical-living.html

She has so much information to help us all declutter and organize our lives!  Thank you Lara!

I'm going to answer the questions that Lara posed to me and then share my own questions with MY nominees!

  1. Why did you decide to start your blog?  I wanted to share my love of cooking and food with others.  I definitely wanted a written record of recipes and pictures to share with my children and grandchildren. 
  2. Who is the most influential person in your life?  My grandmother who taught me the lessons of hard work and perseverance.
  3. What is your favorite dessert?  Chocolate Cream Pie
  4. If you could own any animal, what would it be?  A Beagle or a German Shepherd.
  5. I'd like to believe that there are two types of people in the world Beatles fans and Elvis fans. Which one are you? I'm an Eagles fan, through and through.
  6. What is your proudest moment?  The births of my children.
  7. If you could have dinner with any celebrity, politician, or other influential person (alive or dead) who would you choose?  Napoleon.
  8. What is your absolute favorite book? Any cookbook I own.
  9. If you could live anywhere on Earth, where would you settle down?  Montana.
  10. What have you learned since starting your blog? That even though you don't think people are reading because they don't post comments, they are.  I'm not actually talking to myself.  :) 

Here are the blogs I'm nominating:

Susan from http://susansaulsart.blogspot.com/ sharing art and thoughts on life
Yvonne from http://veggiesuccess.com/ sharing vegetarian knowledge
Fernanda from http://cookandmove.com/ a bilingual blog sharing healthy recipes. Emily from http://www.vivreblog.com/about/ a lifestyle blog

Nominees, here are your questions:
  1. What do you hope to accomplish with your blog?
  2. What is the most challenging aspect of writing your blog?
  3. Favorite comfort food?
  4. How many other blogs do you follow on a regular basis?
  5. How many cities have you lived in during your adult life?
  6. How many blog posts do you average per month?
  7. How many blog followers do you hope to have this time next year?
  8. What is your favorite movie?
  9. What is your biggest pet peeve?
  10. Who has been the biggest supporter of your blog?

Mediterranean Ratatouille Stir Fry


I'm using up the remaining summertime vegetables. A few eggplant here, some squash there, a bell pepper and some onions.....a little bit of tomato. What does all that equal? A delicious and very healthy dinner.  

1 T. olive oil
1 small yellow onion, halved and then thinly sliced
1/2 red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 small eggplants, ends trimmed and then chopped
3 small yellow squash, ends trimmed and then chopped
1 small zucchini, ends trimmed and chopped
1/3 cup pitted Kalamata olives
1 T. capers, drained
2 cups diced tomatoes
1 1/2 t. McCormick's Mediterranean Sea Salt
toasted pine nuts for garnish
1 T. fresh oregano for garnish
3 cups cooked couscous

In a large skillet or wok, over high heat, add olive oil. When it begins to shimmer, add onions, garlic and bell peppers. Let them cook for about 1 minute.


Next toss in the eggplant, yellow squash and zucchini.  Let these cook for about 3 minutes.  You want them to soften, but not get mushy.


Next add in the remaining four ingredients. 


You want the tomatoes to JUST begin to give up their juice. Taste one of the eggplants or squash to check for its tenderness. When they meet your taste test, remove from heat.

In a small skillet, over low heat, add 1/3 cup of pine nuts. When you can smell then, they're toasted. This will only take a minute or so. Add the pine nuts and oregano. Serve by itself or over couscous, pasta, or rice.



Monday, August 25, 2014

My Grandmother Clara




My paternal grandmother was born in 1912 and died in 2007.  She was affectionately known as Ka-Ka to her family and grandchildren, both biological and to the numerous children she was connected with through her church and community on her beloved "mountain."

She was a very strong woman.  Independent, strong willed and stubborn.  I learned so many life lessons from her that help me every single day of my life.   Her love for her family was legendary.  She always wanted to know where we were and what was happening in our lives.  She was my rock. 

She was widowed at age 22 in the middle of the Great Depression.  She was left to raise two sons, ages 6 and 4.  She had a strong faith and a loving family and she did the best she could with her life's situation.  She eventually remarried and ran a country store adjacent to her home for many years.

Every year she planted a large garden and spent the summer canning tomatoes, vegetable soup, making kraut and pickles.  Her summers were spent on the never ending search for canning jars.  Trust me, I know the feeling.

I spent countless hours as a little girl, planting the seeds, weeding and then helping shell peas and butter beans, breaking green beans and silking ears of corn.  One of my very first jobs in her kitchen was to put the 1 teaspoon of salt in each of the canning jars before the green beans and tomatoes were added.  I learned how to plant potatoes and then as I got older to DIG potatoes.   

She taught Sunday School for over 70 years and was the church treasurer for 50 years.  

After her death, I took possession of a LARGE tin of recipes.  Recipes handwritten very formally, recipes scribbled on the back of envelopes, recipes given to her by other ladies of her generation which were second grandmothers to me as I grew up and dozens upon dozens of recipes clipped from newspapers and magazines.  The Lolly Apple didn't fall very far from the Ka-Ka tree it seems.

There are recipes with no title, but written in her handwriting.  I'm intrigued (and a little apprehensive) by these.  We will refer to them in the future as Mystery Recipes.

Each Christmas I can remember her baking a "chicken loaf."  Think meat loaf, but made with shredded chicken.  I know it had rice mixed in and I can remember chopped onions and maybe bell peppers.  When she was about 93 or so, I begged her for that recipe.  She looked at me and said "That was 50 years ago!  I can't remember what I put in that chicken loaf."  I have searched through each and every faded scrap of paper in the tin and didn't find anything that resembled her Chicken Loaf.  I will try it on my own and see what I can come up with through my memories.

I don't think I ever realized what a sweet tooth my grandmother had either.  I would say 80% of the recipes in the tin were for cakes, pies, candy or Christmas cookies.

It's emotional for me to go through these recipes and see her handwriting and let the memories of her banana pudding, biscuits, chicken loaf and summertime canning flood my heart.  

I plan on slowly going through the tin and cooking as many of these as I can as a tribute to her.  I will scan in her handwritten recipes and also the yellowed clippings from the newspaper so you can take the journey with me.  

I am eternally grateful I was her granddaughter.  I hope I am making her proud.


Sunday, August 24, 2014

Sides for the Jamaican Jerk Seasoned Burgers


These are such simple dishes that, with a little bit of love and attention, can be an integral part of your meal. 

Yellow Rice with Coriander
1 large package of yellow rice mix, cooked according to package directions.  Mix in 1/2 t. ground coriander and place in serving bowl or on platter  Top with a few pats of butter and a 1 t. lime zest.


Citrus Cole Slaw 
2 cups shredded cabbage
1/4 cup chopped red onion
Pinch of fresh thyme
1/4 t. ground coriander
3 T. mayonnaise
2 T. orange juice
1 t. orange or lime zest
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a medium bowl, gently mix all ingredients.
 

Black Beans with Cumin
You can either use canned black beans (rinsed and drained) or cook dried black beans for a few hours in beef stock.  

If using canned, put in a medium saucepan, over medium heat, add 1 t. minced garlic, 1 t. ground cumin.  Top with lime zest before serving.

If using dried beans, soak for a few hours or overnight in cold water.  Drain and place in a medium or large saucepan and add enough beef stock to cover.  Add 1 t. minced garlic and 1 t. ground cumin.  Cook over medium low heat, stirring occasionally, until beans are soft and cooked through.  Add salt to taste.  Top with lime zest before serving.


Citrus Slaw


I served this slaw on top of the Jamaican Jerk Seasoned Burgers. But, oh it is so light and fresh, it would be amazing with roasted chicken or any grilled meat or fish. 

2 cups shredded cabbage
1/4 cup chopped red onion
Pinch of fresh thyme
1/4 t. ground coriander
3 T. mayonnaise
2 T. orange juice
1 t. orange or lime zest
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a medium bowl, gently mix all ingredients.

Jamaican Jerk Burgers


This recipe came across my email feed from Simply Recipes. I adapted a little here and there and we thoroughly enjoyed the flavors. The recipe calls for either Scotch Bonnet or Habanero chile peppers. I used Serranos. The slaw is a citrus mayo based version and it definitely helps to cool the heat of the peppers in the burgers.

2 t. white vinegar
1 T. water
1/2 Scotch Bonnet or Habanero pepper, seeds removed and minced 
1/2 cup chopped green onion, including greens
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 T. fresh thyme
1 t. ground allspice
1 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 t. ground nutmeg
1/2 t. ground coriander
1 t. ground ginger
1 T. molasses
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds ground chuck

In a food processor, put the vinegar, water, chili, green onion, garlic, thyme, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, coriander, ginger, molasses 1/2 t. each of salt and pepper. Pulse until finely chopped. If you do not have a food processor, finely mince the chili, garlic, and green onion. Mix ingredients together in a bowl.

Using your hands, gently mix the jerk mixture in with the ground beef in a large bowl until just incorporated. Do not over-mix. Shape into patties, about 1/2 inch thick and wider than the diameter of your hamburger bun. Chill about 20 minutes or until you are ready to cook. Remember to wear gloves while handling the jerk seasoning or thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water after handling.

Prepare gas or charcoal grill for cooking over high direct heat. Place the patties on the clean, well-oiled grill grate. Grill the burgers for about 5 minutes per side. Do not press down on the burgers while cooking. If you don't have a grill, you can use a grill pan or a cast iron frying pan.

Serve burgers topped with cole slaw, without without hamburger buns.

Citrus Cole Slaw

2 cups shredded cabbage
1/4 cup chopped red onion
Pinch of fresh thyme
1/4 t. ground coriander
3 T. mayonnaise
2 T. orange juice
1 t. orange or lime zest
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a medium bowl, gently mix all ingredients.

Roma Tomato Spaghetti Sauce



I have finally reached the LAST of the Roma Tomatoes of 2014. Unless I go back and get some more! I hope y'all have enjoyed these canning recipes as much as I have.  

As soon as the pressure canners go on sale in a few weeks, I am purchasing one. Next summer we will be able to can recipes which will include meat. You can't safely do that with water bath canning. So this is a meatless spaghetti sauce recipe. When I get ready to use this, I'll just need to brown some ground pork, beef or Italian Sausage and we will be all set!

To keep the pH balance safe with the added ingredients, the ingredient list will include not only commercially bottled lemon juice, but powdered citric acid add to the jars before filling as well.

6 quarts Roma tomato puree (I cored the tomatoes, quartered them and pureed them a batch at a time in the blender. I left the skins on and seeds in....the blender/food processor is your friend!)

3 medium yellow onions, chopped
1/2 orange bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup minced garlic
3/4 cup bottled lemon juice
1 1/2 t. salt
1 1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper
1 t. red pepper flakes
1 T. dried parsley
1 t. dried basil
1 t. dried oregano
3 t. powdered citric acid

Prepare quart jars by placing them in a deep water canner. Add water and bring to a simmer. Place lids and rings in a medium saucepan of water and bring to a simmer.

Place tomato puree in a large Dutch oven or stock pot. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring frequently to avoid sticking. 


Add remaining ingredients (except citric acid) and bring to a hard boil over medium high heat, stirring frequently, until mixture is reduced by one third, about 15 - 20 minutes.


Spoon 1 t. citric acid into each hot quart jar. Carefully ladle sauce leaving 1/2 inch head space. Wipe rim and center lid on the jar. Apply ring and adjust until fit is fingertip tight.

Process filled jars in boiling water bath for 45 minutes. Remove jars and cool in a non-drafty area. Check lids after 12 hours to make sure they have sealed.  


Green Tomato Chow-Chow or Piccalilli Relish


In some parts of the country this relish is known as Piccalilli, in the Southeast we refer to it as chow-chow, others call it hot dog relish. At our house, we would normally eat this spooned over cooked dried beans or slow cooked greens. I think it would be delicious on fish tacos as well.

5 cups finely shredded cabbage
4 cups unpeeled, chopped, cored green tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped red onions
1 cup chopped yellow onions
1 cup seeded, chopped green bell pepper
1 cup seeded, chopped red bell pepper
3 T. salt
3 cups white vinegar
1 3/4 cups water
1 cup granulated sugar
1 T. minced garlic
1 bay leaf
2 t. ground turmeric
1/4 t. dill weed
1/2 t. ground coriander
1/4 t. celery seed
1/2 t. red pepper flakes
2 T. mustard seeds
4 whole cloves
5 whole allspice
1/2 inch piece candied ginger
citric acid
6 (8 oz. 1/2 pint) canning jars

Combine cabbage, green tomatoes, onions, bell peppers and salt in a large glass or stainless steel bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand in a cool place for 12 hours or overnight.


Transfer to a colander placed over a large bowl and drain. Rinse with cool water and drain thoroughly.

Place ginger, mustard seed, cloves and allspice in a square of cheesecloth and tie securely.

Combine drained cabbage and tomato mixture, vinegar, water, sugar, garlic, turmeric, dill weed, celery seeds, coriander, bay leaf and red pepper flakes in a large Dutch oven. Cover and bring to a boil over medium high heat.  

Uncover and reduce heat to a simmer and let mixture cook for an hour until thickened. Stir frequently to keep from sticking. At the end of the cooking time, remove spice bag and bay leaf.
 

Prepare your boiling water bath. Heat jars, lids and rings in a small saucepan filled with water. 

Ladle mixture into hot jars, adding 1/8 t. citric acid to each jar, leaving 1/2 inch head space. Remove air bubbles and wipe rims clean with a dampened paper towel. Place lid on jar and apply band until it is fingertip tight.

Process the jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes with water covering the tops of jars by at least 1 1/2 inches. Remove jars to a non-drafty spot and let cool. Check lids to assure they have sealed. Refrigerate any which have not sealed and eat within 2 weeks.

Saturday, August 23, 2014

Spicy & Garlicky Dill Pickles


Years ago, I attempted to make pickles.  Several times.  They were always soft and never were crunchy.  This time, I decided to give them a 3 1/2 hour soak in pickling lime first.  I'm hopeful that this will add the "crunch" that pickles are supposed to have.  These have jalapenos and lots of garlic.  I can't wait for them to soak for a bit and then give them a try.  I will report back!

36 pickling cucumbers, washed, ends trimmed and sliced
4 cups water
1/2 cup pickling lime
14 cloves garlic, halved
1 large jalapeno, finely chopped
dried dill weed
5 cups water
4 cups pickling vinegar
1/3 cup pickling salt

In a large, enamel or glass bowl, add the 4 cups water and pickling lime.  Stir to combine and add the sliced cucumbers. Let them soak for 3 1/2 - 4 hours.


While the cucumbers are soaking, prepare the canning jars.  I used 5 wide mouth pints and 2 quart jars.  Wash and sterilize them and then add 4 halved garlic cloves for pint jars and 6 halved garlic cloves for quart jars , a little of the minced jalapeno and 1/4 t. dill weed for pint jars and 1/2 t. dill weed for quart jars.



When the soaking time is over, rinse each cucumber slice individually.  You must remove all traces of the pickling lime.  

Heat the lids and rings in simmering water and have ready to put on jars.

Gently pack each jar with the cucumber slices.  

Bring the water, vinegar and salt to a boil and remove from heat.  Slowly ladle brine over the cucumbers and using a spoon, gently press down and add a few more slices if needed.

Fill to leave about 1/2 inch head space.  Add the lids and rings and process in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes.  Carefully remove from water and let cool in a non-drafty place.




Spiced Apple and Pear Butter


The plethora of apples and pears continue! Instead of making apple jelly or pear preserves, this time I decided to make a combination of apple and pear butter. I can't wait to to sample this butter spread on hot biscuits at breakfast. The ginger adds a nice spiciness to the butter and blending the flavors of the apples AND pears is delicious.

And no standing over a hot stove, stirring for hours either. Get out the crock pot and let it do the work for you.

This recipe made 5 pints for me. Depending on the size of your apples and/or pears, you may have a little more or a little less.

12 medium pears, peeled, cored and chopped
12 medium apples, peeled, cored and chopped
3 cups light brown sugar
2 cups apple juice
3 whole cinnamon sticks
1 t. ground nutmeg
1 t. ground ginger
1 t. ground allspice

Add all ingredients to the crock pot and stir to combine. Put on the lid and set to low.


Let apples cook for 6 - 8 hours. Every hour or so, stir the mixture. This picture was taken about half way through the cooking process.


At the end of the cooking time, remove the cinnamon sticks. I used an immersion blender to get the mixture blended very smooth. You could also use a regular blender, working in batches. Or you could actually use a potato masher if you want to leave some texture.


Ladle the mixture into sterilized pint canning jars. Wipe the rims clean and add the lids and rings. Process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes. Remove from the water bath and let cool in a non-drafty spot. Listen for the "ping" as the jars seal as they cool. Refrigerate any jars that don't seal.


Thursday, August 21, 2014

Pickled Pears


Oh boy!  The pears are ready to be picked from the trees and instead of starting with recipes for pear desserts, I thought I'd just go ahead and pickle some of the first ones and let you enjoy the recipe for these.

This recipe will make about 6 pints or 3 quarts of pickled pears.

6 lbs. pears about 40 - 45 depending on the size
Water 
2 T. salt
3 cups white pickling vinegar
6 cups sugar
2 slices candied ginger or a few slices of fresh ginger root
2 T. EACH whole cloves and whole allspice
1 lemon, thinly sliced
5 2-inch cinnamon sticks

Peel pears.  To prevent darkening while you're peeling them, drop the peeled pears into mixture of 2 quarts water, the salt and 1 T. vinegar.

In a large Dutch oven, combine 5 cups water, vinegar, sugar and ginger.

Tie cloves and allspice in a small cheesecloth bag and add to the mixture along with the sliced lemon and cinnamon sticks.  Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer 10 minutes.

Drain the pears thoroughly and add them to the syrup.  Bring to a boil again and cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until pears are just tender.

Pack pears in hot sterile canning jars.  Add a cinnamon stick to each jar if you'd like.  Remove spice bag and lemons from syrup.  Pour syrup over pears to within 1/4 inch from top of jars and seal.

Process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes.  Remove to a non-drafty area to cool.  Check lids to make sure they have all sealed.  Refrigerate any which have not sealed and eat within a week or so.


Wednesday, August 20, 2014

I DO love caprese salads!


Just a little Lolly Love to share.  I used two different sized heart shaped cookie cutters to cut through a thick slice of mozzarella and a very thick slice of tomato.  Drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and sprinkled with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Top with a perfectly heart shaped basil leaf.

Deconstructed Caprese Salad


Yes, sometimes I can spend 20 minutes layering the tomatoes, the mozzarella, placing the basil leaves just so.  But then SOMETIMES it just fun to play with your food.

2 medium tomatoes, chopped, cores removed
2 thick slices of mozzarella, chopped
3 - 4 basil leaves shredded
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
olive oil
balsamic vinegar or balsamic vinegar glaze

Mix the tomatoes and mozzarella together.  Sprinkle basil on top.  Season with salt and pepper to taste and drizzle on olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Enjoy the best taste of summer!

Monday, August 18, 2014

Curried Chicken and Couscous Salad


This is another great idea for a light, but protein filled, summer salad.  The fresh taste of summer vegetables blend so nicely with the healthy couscous.  Enjoy as soon as it's made or refrigerate overnight.  It also makes excellent carry to work or school lunch for the next day.

1 box Near East Couscous cooked according to package directions (only takes 5 minutes!!)
1 rotisserie chicken, skin and bones removed, meat lightly shredded
1/2 cup finely chopped cucumber
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
2 medium tomatoes,chopped
2 T. capers, drained
2 T. Greek Yogurt
1 T. McCormick Mediterranean Spiced Sea Salt
1/2 t. ground coriander
1 t. curry powder
1/2 T. finely chopped oregano
Toasted pine nuts for garnishing (if desired)

Combine the cooked couscous with remaining ingredients.  Serve immediately or refrigerate to let flavors mingle. I served with pita chips.

Sunday, August 17, 2014

Spicy Yellow Squash, Onion and Three Pepper Relish


A few remaining yellow squash, an onion and some assorted peppers and a little work and now we have some delicious and spicy relish to enjoy on beans with cornbread in a few weeks.

4 cups water
1/2 T. pickling lime
2 cups diced yellow squash
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
1 Serrano pepper, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
3 Cajun baby belle peppers, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups white vinegar, pickling strength
1/2 cup bottled lemon juice
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. ground coriander
1/2 t. ground cumin
1/4 t. ground turmeric
1/2 t. red pepper flakes

In a medium sized enamel or glass bowl, dissolve pickling lime in water.  Add squash, onion and peppers.  Stir to combine and allow to soak for at least an hour.  Drain and rinse several times with cold water.  Drain.

In a 4 quart pot, over high heat add vinegar and remaining listed ingredients including minced garlic..  Bring to a boil and add squash, onions and peppers.  Let cook for 5 minutes and pack into canning jars.  

Carefully ladle in brine, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.  Boil in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes.  Remove from water and let cool in a draft free space.  Listen for the pings as the jars cool to make sure they have sealed properly.

Questions about canning?  Check out THE authority on canning http://www.freshpreserving.com/getting-started