How incredible it is to live in the South in the summertime.

By Staff
Delicious home-grown vegetables and fruits can be found in your garden, roadside produce stands, grocery stores and given as gifts from friends and neighbors.
Many of us enjoy these treats all summer long. Nowhere but in the South can you find the tastes you get from a local dinner of fresh green beans, fried green tomatoes, homemade slaw, fresh sliced tomatoes and cornbread.
We hope these recipes will help add some extra "Southern" to your dinner table.
Oil and Balsamic Vinegar Dressing
(Use with fresh greens and raw vegetables from your garden, also a good diabetic recipe)
1 T. Dry Mustard
1 T. Garlic Salt
1 pkg Sweetener
1/4 c. Olive Oil
1/8 c. Red Wine vinegar
1/8 c. Balsamic Vinegar
Mix in a small jar with lid. Shake. Store in refrigerator. Add more salt if needed. Serve small amount on salad.
Crock Pot Pickles
4 cups white vinegar
12 cups water
2/3 cup pickling salt
8 sprigs fresh dill weed
8 heads fresh dill weed
Combine salt, vinegar and water and heat to boiling. Then set aside. Sterilize crock. Wash 50 medium pickles. Prick with fork or slice into crock with alternate layers of dill. When crock is filled, put a few pieces of Lump Alum on top. Fill crock to overflowing with the salt, vinegar, water mixture. Cover the pickles with a stone plate to keep them under brine. In a warm room these pickles will be ready for eating in 3 to 4 days. For longer storage, keep them in refrigerator.
Squash Relish
2 qt. yellow squash
2 c. grated onion
2 c. sweet green pepper, grated
2 c. red peppers grated
3 T. mustard seed
2 T. celery seed
1 qt. white Vinegar
3/4 qt. water
1/2 c. salt
2 qt. cold water
1 and 1/2 c. sugar
Dissolve salt in 2 qt. water. Pour over vegetables and let stand about 1 hour. Drain. Tie celery seed and mustard seed in a cloth bag. Bring vinegar, water, sugar and vegetables to a simmer for 10 minutes. Pour into hot jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Process for 10 minutes in water bath to seal.
Tomato Relish
2 qt. tomatoes
2 sweet peppers chopped
2 hot peppers chopped
1 c. apples chopped
1 and 1/2 c. vinegar
1 c. onion chopped
2 and 3/4 c. sugar
1 t. salt
Mix all ingredients in a large saucepan and simmer about 1 hour or until thick. Put into prepared hot jars and seal will your Ball lids. Makes 4 pints.
Pool Room Slaw
1 gal. shredded cabbage (about 2 heads)
2 lg. bell peppers, grated
3 large onions, grated
1 c. white vinegar
1 T. salt
3 grated carrots
1 and 1/2 pt. prepared mustard
3 c. sugar
1 t. red pepper
1 t. black pepper
Mix all ingredients and simmer in a large saucepan for about 20 minutes. Pack in prepared hot jars and seal. Makes 8 to 9 pints.
Easy Parmesan Chicken
1 (26oz.) jar spaghetti sauce
6 T. grated Parmesan cheese divided
6 small boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 and 1/2 c. Kraft shredded Mozzarella cheese
Pour sauce into a 13×9 baking dish and stir in 4 T. of Parmesan cheese. Coat both sides of chicken with sauce. Cover with foil and bake at 375 for 30 minutes. Remove foil and top with Mozzarella cheese and remaining 2 T. Parmesan cheese. Bake for 5 minutes. When cheese is melted and chicken is cooked through, remove form oven.
Reunion Goulash for the Family
1- 3 or 4 lb.chicken
2 lb. stew meat
1 lg. onion
1-10 oz. frozen corn
1-10 oz. frozen baby limas
1-10 oz. frozen okra, sliced
3 lg. tomatoes, sliced
1 lg. potato, diced
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
Boil chicken until tender. Take the chicken out and set aside. Pull meat off the bones and put back in the chicken stock. Add all other ingredients and boil until beef is tender.
Sweet Vidalia Onion Relish
4 large red bell peppers
4 large green bell peppers
4 large yellow bell peppers
40 cups grated Vidalia onions
1/4 cup kosher salt
2 large heads cabbage, finely shredded
3 tablespoons kosher salt
9 cups white sugar
2 quarts apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons ground turmeric
3 tablespoons mustard seed
1 tablespoon celery seed
Roast red, green, and yellow bell peppers over an open flame or in broiler, turning frequently, until skins are charred and blistered.
Place in a bowl and cover with plastic; let sit 5 to 10 minutes. Remove skins. Cut peppers in half, lengthwise. Remove seeds and stem, and chop into small pieces. Set aside.
Place grated onions in a colander to drain liquid. Place them in a large bowl, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup kosher salt. Mix by hand. Mix in cabbage and 3 tablespoons salt by hand. Let sit 1 hour.
Place onions and cabbage into colander, and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
Place cabbage and onions into a large pot over medium-high heat. Add roasted bell peppers. Stir in sugar, apple cider vinegar, turmeric, mustard seed, and celery seed. Bring to a low boil, stirring constantly to prevent onions from sticking to the bottom. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring often.
Fill sterilized jars with hot relish about 1/2 inch from the top. Place in a bath of simmering water, covering the jars by one inch.
Process for 10 minutes, or according to your local extension's guidelines.
When jars start to seal and vacuum, the lids will make a pop sound and your canning was a success.
Once jars have been opened, store in the refrigerator and use within two weeks.
Fresh Strawberry Pie
Purchase 1 lg. Graham Cracker Crust
Filling:
1 sm. Strawberry Jello
3 t. cornstarch
1 c. sugar
1 and 1/4 c. boiling water
1 and 1/2 c. strawberries sliced
1-8oz.pkg. cream cheese
1/2 t. confectioners sugar
1 pkg Dream Whip
Dissolve jello, sugar and cornstarch in boiling water. Chill until thickens and add strawberries. Mix cream cheese with confectioners sugar and fold in Dream Whip (use pkg. directions and omit vanilla). Pour into crust and chill. Top with strawberry mixture and chill until set.