Simple Pickled Peppers

This is the first year I've tried to pickle peppers and it is totally from happenstance. The peppers we've received have all been donated and have been graciously welcomed. However, we really don't eat hot peppers unless they are in a stew we eat with rice or with pizza. I didn't want them all to go to waste so I went to my trusty Country Wisdom & Know How book and came across a very simple pickled pepper recipe. I've often hear of pickling cucumbers this way, so I thought I'd give it a try.

The peppers to use are of your choice; I used hot banana peppers. The banana peppers come out tasting like the pepperocinis you buy at the store or that are commonly found on pizza. You can mix hot and sweet peppers or hot and hotter, if you dare! :) What is great is that you can easily adjust the recipe depending on how many peppers you have. The simple recipe follows:

Ingredients

Peppers

Brine: ratio* of 1:1: 1/8th for water, white vinegar, canning salt**

Bowl or crock with lid

* for example: 2 cups water, 2 cups vinegar, 1/4 cup canning salt or 4 cups water, 4 cups vinegar, 1/2 cup canning salt.

**Canning salt is more pure than other salts, so the taste is more true to the peppers; less impurities.

Instructions

1. Cut peppers in 1/2" slices so that you have round slices and place in an adequately sized bowl or crock.

2. Make enough brine to cover the peppers so the peppers have room to move when stirred.

3. Cover and let set for at least 2 weeks, undisturbed in a dark, cool room (e.g. garage, basement, cellar).

Now you'll have yummy use for all those hot peppers that no one knows what to do with. Store in a bowl or jar with a lid in the refrigerator; the peppers keep relatively for a long time. The heat from the peppers is neutralized from the vinegar and water, depending on the intensity. These taste so good I can eat them all by themselves!

p.s. don't forget to wash your hands and under your fingernails as best as you can! there have been many times i've rubbed my eye hours later and felt the sting of a hot pepper seed!

Tour of Route 1

Greenup County is one of Kentucky's largest counties. Daniel and I have lived here most of our lives and are still not familiar with the forgotten western, most rural, part. On our mission to better understand where we live, and the history of where came from we looked to the Greenup County tourism website (http://www.tourgreenupcounty.com/Attractions.htm).

Leaving at 1pm we had our lunch packed and our two little ones strapped in. We decided that we'd have a picnic at the Oldtown Covered Bridge, one of the last two remaining covered bridges in Greenup County. The Oldtown Covered Bridge is about 9 miles south (towards Grayson) from Greenbo Lake State Resort Park; turn left on Frazer Branch, the bridge is on the left. After we ate, we crossed the bridge and found a small little path that led to the Little Sandy River. This was Aiden and Imagin's favorite part; getting their feet wet in the water. Surprisingly this part of the river was quite clear, with a good flow; you could see muscle shells and fish swimming.

After spending a good 45 minutes at the Bridge, we headed towards the Hopewell Bridge (an Eastern Kentucky [EK] Railroad bridge). Yes, Hopewell is a small town in Greenup County! Continuing south on Rt. 1 drive until you meet 3306; before crossing a small bridge, make a sharp left. The Hopewell Bridge crosses the Little Sandy River and has only one lane.


Going back north on Rt.1, turn left on Laurel Road (we couldn't find the marker and that's how we ended on at Hopewell first!). Here is Lucy Virgin Downs grave site (1,000 feet west of the marker). Lucy was the first white child born of American parents, west of the Allegheny Mountains. Mrs. Lucy Virgin Downs was a resident of Oldtown, Greenup County, from 1807 until her death in 1847.

To a surprise Laurel Road is also the site of Laurel Furnace (one of the many iron furnaces in our area). We were surprise, because this was NOT on the Greenup Conty Tourism website. The Laurel Furnace has a market near that of Lucy Virgin Downs. To get to the furnace, the first split bear left, second split bear left. The furnace is on the right. The furnace was carved from one block of stone cliff! If you continue down the road, you will see an amazing sight of cliffs! Whoever lives there truly has a unique and beautiful landscape!

By this time the kids were worn out and were ready to get out of the car, so we headed to the babysitters (Daniel's parents) so that we could get ready for a round of Sunday kickball.