Corn and Marmalade....not together!

I went out to the garden this morning to see how many cucumbers  there were that were still small enough for my sweet pickles, checked the corn and it seemed like some was ripe and a couple of stalks were dying after the big wind so I went along my row of 15  or so corn stalks and 13 ears were ripe (some a little overripe), found quite a few little 'gherkin' size cucumbers, a couple of monster zucchinis (AKA - courgette in the UK- isn't the internet wonderful? I have learned a new word!), a couple of crooknecks/summer squash, pulled another onion for dinner, a few grape and mini tomatoes (the big ones are orange - I am sooo looking forward to sliced tomato! Does anyone else eat slices with salt, pepper and sugar on them?), and several of hubby's cayenne and Thai hot peppers and a big bell pepper, a couple of still small carrots and the last two cabbages!  Oh and one bean!  Seems my bush beans are working on the next round and my pole beans are still making pretty flowers, silly things.  Feeling quite rich today!  Tired tonight however as I then spent the bulk of my day standing up at the counter.  Got 5 more pints of kraut, started the 11 day sweet pickles (I am taking pics, next post will start that process) think it will put up 4 pints, and used up those apparently camouflaged zucchinis (do I just need new glasses?) in zucchini marmalade (Hubby calls this ambush jam - something about sneaking in the zucchini!) and froze some shredded zucchini for bread later on.  Tonight we ate corn on the cob!  It was butter dripping down your chin good! 

Hubby was taking photos for his Facebook page and arranged them all so nicely for us!









Today's recipe then is zucchini marmalade, I have seen this in several places on the net always just a hair different,  this recipe is from my great Aunt Annie, it was handwritten by Grandma on a slip of paper stuck in the marmalade section of her 1940's Kerr canning book.  I am not yet in the habit of 'filming' my life so forgot to take pics of the process, but it is incredibly easy and I think it will be OK. 

You will need:
Zucchini - 6 cups
Sugar - 6 cups
Lemon juice - 2 Tbsp
crushed pineapple - 12 oz can
Jello - 6 oz box -  really any flavor -  I used orange for this batch

Grate the zucchini - (a dark colored jello you can leave on the peel, I peeled these for the orange jello its up to you on the visuals of it and whether or not you are hiding the veggies!) 

add the sugar
(note: I have made this with sugar free jello and 3 cups sugar, or it will work with sugar free jello and the splenda equivalent according to my diabetic friend)

In a large pot, boil zucchini and sugar for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep it from sticking to bottom, the zucchinis will be translucent and the syrup a little greenish at this point.
add 2 Tbsp. of lemon juice
and one 12 oz. can of crushed pineapple,  juice and all
boil 5 more minutes

remove from heat and stir in one 6 oz pkg jello mix (I have used raspberry and orange both are awesome), stir well,
ladle into hot jars
water bath for 5 minutes

This is just yummy on toast or biscuits!  It's a pretty good imitation of marmalade without all the work and you can tell yourself its healthy because it has veggies in it!  It even looks like the real thing!

The quart jar is not quite full so it goes in the fridge for me to start on right away.  Hubby has a zucchini phobia so it is 'Mine all Mine'!!!  (maniacal laugh here)  Of course now I'm hungry - toast and jam for my pill time snack. 

Feeling blessed this evening - all of this bounty!

Enjoy!