Honoring Green Beans, Garlic, and Dill and a Keeper from the Recipe Box

It is now time for the green beans to explode in the garden. With garlic left over from the salsa and dill just waiting to be harvested, it was time to can some Dilly Beans. After the time intensive salsa day, Dilly Beans are very simple. It took the water in the canner longer to boil then it did to get the beans ready. If you have a bumper crop of green beans, try this recipe. It is from the book Summer in a Jar: Making Pickles, Jams, and More by Andrea Chesman and contains easy single jar recipes . If you don't have enough to make a batch or don't want to feel overwhelmed, the recipes in this book work well for one jar at a time.

Dilly Beans
2 cups green beans, trimmed
1 cup white vinegar
( I used cider vinegar when I ran out of white)
1/2 cup boiling water
1 garlic clove
1 dill head or sprig of dill
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon pickling salt

By the pint

Trim the beans to fit the jar. Pack each clean jar with beans, garlic, dill, bay leaf, and salt. Leave 1/2 inch head space. Pour the vinegar in the jar. Add the boiling water. I just add the water until the jar is full. It may be more or less than 1/2 cup. Seal. Process 10 minutes in boiling water bath or steam canner. Cool undisturbed for 12 hours. Store in a cool, dry place. Do not open the jars for six weeks to allow the flavors to develop.