Happy Mardi Gras.....Pickled green beans!

It's Mardi Gras!!!  My hubster wishes he was in New Orleans....I think I'm ready to go for Mardi Gras.....no worries, we like the family friendly side of the festivities AND as we were so suddenly jolted into reality by the Abogg.  Two of the kiddos will be 21 next year for Mardi Gras.   aaah yayayayaya  Say it ain't so!!!

It's TuTu Tuesday and remember I still wish I could wear one of these


because if I could get away with it I would!! Don't cha know!!!
Seriously, with some black leggings and a cute little denim top and some boots.. I think I could do it!

Ok, onto the pickling of the green beans. What's that you say? You've never had a pickled green bean??
I'm so very terribly sorry to hear that because you really don't know what you are missing!   Especially in a nice bloody mary.  Oooohhh LaLa

First up you need some of these...helllooooooo that wasn't difficult to figure out was it?? heeheee

Just wash them and let them drain. Pick off the bad spots if they have any.  Just break off the end, nothing complicated here folks.   

Now....you want to put your jars in some slowly boiling water.  Just heat those jars up while you are doing the other stuff and they will be ready and waiting on you.

I like to lay my green beans out like the pic above because it makes it easier to get them in the jar.

Now grab this stuff

you need 2 cups white vinegar, 2 cups water and 1/4 cup salt. Put that on and bring it to a boil.

Now while that's coming to a boil get the rest of your items ready

you will need the following for each jar:

1/2 tsp. red pepper, 1 large sprig dill, 2 cloves garlic and I tossed in about 1/8 tsp. of red pepper flakes.

Put the beans in the jar and add the garlic cloves and the dill. Stuff the jar good and full with beans.

Once they are in the jar add in the red pepper and flakes if using.

Then pour the boiling mixture over the top to fill and screw on the lids nice and tight

Now just let them alone (as my grandmother would say) and if you listen after a while you will hear the sound of the jars sealing up.  It's a popping noise (not very loud) and the lid of the jar will not be springy.

like I said, just let them rest and hang out until the jars have cooled off and have sealed. Then tuck them away someplace dark and cozy.  I just put mine on the top of the pantry.  They need to hang out in the jars about 4-6 months.  It's worth the wait and then you can enjoy those beans.  We eat these like we eat pickles so it's a nice treat to know these are in the pantry.   I just make them in small batches whenever I find the green beans on sale.

Now in case you wondered this was dinner last night

I found 2 very small containers of spaghetti sauce and 1 lg. container of lasagna meat sauce in the freezer. So I unthawed them both and used them as spaghetti sauce. It was yummmmmooooo.

That's just boiled broccoli with some Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.  The bread is a garlic Parmesan from the Kroger and that my friends was dinner.  And in the words of Cousin Eddie...it was goo-oood!

Enjoy your evening my peeps and celebrate what's left of Fat Tuesday and as they say.....