Pretty Pickled peppers Preferrred! ( Vanity, Recipe request! )

So here we are in Michigan, and the Washtenaw county 4-H Youth Fair is in less than two weeks.

My daughter Caitlin is working hard on her projects, but since I am impaired as far as things like sewing are concerned, ( and therefore can't teach her! ) most of her projects will involve food.

This year, we have signed her up to do some canning and preserving.
For her age group and experience level, she needs to have two differet types of things, properly canned and presented. I have all needed equipment.

We are planning on a Strawberry Rhubarb Jam as one, but after some hinting from Daddy, Caitlin has decided that she would like to do a simple Pickled Pepper.

Smaller batches are better, but she would like to have a few jars to hand out as gifts come Christmas.

Hi there!

Show Weeks began today, and just wanted to share with you guys that Caitlin not only got Blue Ribbons, but she was chosen for the Honors competition, and WON! in two catagories!

The first was for a knitted pot-holder, but the second was for her canning, with recipes gotten off of sites that people here provided.

In 4-H , "Honors" is a little extra bennie besides the usal ribbon and cash prize. You get a fancy purple rosette and are invited to an
"Honors " ceremony, which is pretty cool.

Caitlin is vey excited as this is the first time she has gone up for honors consideration, and both of her Honors projects took a rosette.

She got six blue ribbons for her other projects, so she is happy and i am proud.

If i live through the llama showing tomorrow, i will post her recipes here, probably Wednesday.

thank you all for you help and encouragement.

Tia

(exhausted but happy!)

Papatom wrote:

Sounds like a good time was had by all. Any interesting behind-the-scenes stories? Anyone taste tested the winning recipe yet?

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The pickles are not ready yet, but the jam is great, and so are the borwnies!
Funny when we did the jam: there was only a little left in the pot after we got the reast in jars, so I took a piece of bread and spread some of this brand-new, fresh jam on it, handed her the slice and said "Eat that".
She was stunned. "oh MOM! that's the best thing I've ever tasted! Is that how jam is supposed to taste, really?"
I just grinned and said "Yeah".
She wants to do more canning.

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Reminds me of a family I know on the Maryland Eastern shore who showed sheep - five girls and a boy. Your story may have a happier ending as I never see Llama chops in gormet cookbooks.

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Llamas can be obstreporous. I have been threatening experiments like Llama Llasagna and Llama Linguini for a couple of weeks now. Frosty ,
( the llama she works with) was well-behavd today and submitted to grooming, but i know better. He's saving it up for tomorrow for the competition!

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Good luck on a blue-ribbon performance next year.

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Thanks, and we will certainly shoot for that!

Tia

jellybean wrote:

Tell Caitlin congratulations and give her a big hug! Way to go, Caitlin!!!

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Thanks, jellybean, I will do that and show her this thread!

Now if we can just make it through til the endd of the week and the closing ceramonies and tear-down! LOL!

Today is my day to cook for the Club.... baked spaghetti with meatballs, garlic toast, fruit salad and a "store-bought " fancy torte fom the deli, hopefully to celebrate our victories!

thanks again!

Tia

This recipe won a blue ribbon and came from a link provided by Mineral Man.

Thanks, Dude! from RJQUINN Mrs. Quinn's Easy Brownies

3/4 cups melted butter or margarine
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teasp. vanilla
3 eggs
1/2 cup Hershey's cocoa
3/4 cups flour
1/2 teasp. baking powder
1 cup chopped, toasted nuts ( we left this out as some of us don't like them)
1 cup chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350 degrees, grease a 13x9" pan Beat butter, eggs, sugar, vanilla in a large bowl. Mix in cocoa, flour, baking powder and salt. Stir to combine. Stir in nuts and chocolate chips. Pour into pan. Bake 20-22. minutes.

Cool. Cut. Enjoy!

Interesting note: In our Club, the rule is , any food made like cookies, cake, pie, brownies, becomes club property after it is judged, brought back to the campsite and all is consumed except for the exhibit piece and the judge's sample. Needless to say, Caitlin is a popular girl at the moment! LOL!

Tia

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