Pickled Vegetables

A great gift idea! Jars of colorful pickled vegetables are so pretty, there's no need to wrap them. To decorate, just cover the lid with a square of fabric or decorative paper and tie with a lovely ribbon or strands of raffia.

Recipe Ingredients:

1 large head cauliflower
2 quarts water
1 quart white vinegar
3/4 cup honey
3 tablespoons mustard seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons celery seeds
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 pound baby carrots, scraped
6 celery stalks, cut into thin 2-inch strips
1 medium green bell pepper, cut into thin 1 1/2-inch strips
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into thin 1 1/2-inch strips
1 (16-ounce) can whole green beans, drained
8 small cloves garlic
8 small hot peppers
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Cooking Directions:

1. Remove large outer leaves of cauliflower; break into florets. Set aside.
2. Combine water and next 5 ingredients in a non-aluminum Dutch oven. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes.
3. Remove foam from surface. Add carrots. Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes. Add cauliflower and celery. Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.
4. Add pepper strips and green beans and simmer 3 minutes.
5. Spoon vegetable into 8 (2-cup) jars. Pour hot vinegar mixture over vegetables, evenly distributing spices.
6. Add 1 clove garlic, 1 hot pepper and 1/8 teaspoon salt to each jar. Let cool.
7. Seal jars and refrigerate 1 week.

Makes 8 (2-cup) jars.

DIRECTIONS FOR GIFT CARD: Store Pickled Vegetables in refrigerator up to 3 weeks.

Adapted from a recipe from Southern Living.