Mom's Zucchini Relish

My mom has been gone for almost 5 years now but I still miss her like crazy. I also miss her cooking. She was a fabulous cook, particularly of those basics that most everyone craves--chili, baked beans, baked ziti, homemade bread. And her famous Zucchini Relish, which I haven't had in years and years.

So when I came across the recipe, and had a huge number of zucchini from the local farmer's market (one of these days, I'll plant my own garden, LOL), I decided to try this. It turned out EXACTLY like I remembered my mom's. It was my first time canning, too, and all the little jars sealed perfectly. I was quite proud of myself, LOL.

Mom's Zucchini Relish (makes 5-6 pints)

6 cups or 4 medium zucchini, chopped (FYI, I used a food processor for all the veggies)

4 cups or 4 big onions, chopped

5 tablespoons table salt or 3 tablespoons kosher salt (I always use kosher salt)

4 green peppers, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped (optional; and I had already used my red pepper so I didn't use one)

2 1/2 cups white vinegar

6 cups sugar (I know, I know, but it's not like you eat the whole jar of relish at once)

1 tablespoon dry mustard (that's the spice, not the stuff you throw on a hot dog ;-)

3/4 teaspoon nutmeg

3/4 teaspoon cornstarch

3/4 teaspoon tumeric

1 1/2 teaspoons celery seed

black pepper to taste

green food coloring (optional) if you want the relish to be really green

In a large bowl, mix the zucchini, onions and salt. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit overnight. The next day, drain the zucchini well (I also squeezed out as much liquid as I could). Add all the remaining ingredients and stir. Adjust seasonings as needed. This makes 5-6 pints (I got 6), depending on the size of your vegetables. For canning tips, here's a website with lots of info. It was way easier to can than I expected, so count on me to do more of that in the future!

Shirley