The garden is really getting ready to perk up and send forth a plentiful supply of wonderful veggies. Of course without doubt the most predominate of the plants will naturally be the zucchini. I previously told you how you could make an unusual zucchini dish called zucchini marmalade and now I need to let you know what to do with the other extra zucchini.

I am not a person who wastes anything and I believe if that plant has the energy to grow I will eat it. In all seriousness I would like to tell you how to make Zucchini Relish.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup of prepared vegetables including zucchini, onion and green pepper.
• 1 jar of prepared horseradish
• 1 jar of drained and chopped pimientos
• 1/2 cup of white vinegar
• 2 tsp. of salt
• 1 tsp. of celery seed
• 1 tsp. of dill seed
• 1 box of Fruit Pectin
• 1/2 tsp. of butter
• 4 cups of sugar

Method

After gathering all the necessary ingredients bring your half filled boiling-water canner to a simmer. Wash all your jars and bands in a hot soapy water solution and rinse them well in warm water. Pour some boiling water over the flat lids that you have placed in a saucepan. Let it stand in the hot water until you are ready to use them. Drain the water well before you fill the jars.

Now finely chop the vegetables. Start with the zucchini. Rinse and drain it well. Measure exactly one cup of the zucchini into your 8 quart saucepan. Next add ¼ of a cup of finely chopped onion to the saucepan. Take ¼ of a cup of the green pepper and chop it up into fine pieces. Add the horseradish, your pimiento, the vinegar, all the spices (celery seed, salt and dill. Mix them well into the saucepan with the other ingredients.

Stir the pectin into the prepared vegetable mixture. Add the butter and bring the mixture to a full rolling boil. By this we mean a boil that does not stop bubbling when you stir it. Continue heating and stir the mixture continuously. Add the sugar to the mixture. Once again return the saucepan ingredients to a rolling boil for one minute. Remove the pan from the heat and skim off any foam that may be visible.

Ladle the mixture immediately into the hot prepared jars. Leave 1/8th of an inch of headroom at the top of the jar for expansion. Carefully wipe the jar threads and rims clean. Place the lids on the jars tightly and place in the water bath canner rack. The water in the canner must cover the jars by two inches. Bring the water to a gentle boil and process the jars for 10 minutes.

When the time is up remove the jars and place on a towel until completely cool. After the jars have cooled check the seals by gently pressing the middle of the lid with your finger. Should the lid springs back then it is not properly sealed and should be used as soon as possible. Keep it refrigerated.

This recipe will make about 5 or 6 half pints.