There is something about a heirloom recipe that brings back nostalgia and warm remembrances of the people whom those recipes are attributed to. Whether those people are still with us or have gone on to glory, whenever we make these delicious recipes, we are reminded of holidays, get togethers, summer picnics, and church potlucks.

Most of the recipes I will post on this blog with be of this sort… Nanny’s hashbrown casserole that she made every family get-together, my mom’s Crabbies that she made as an appetizer every Christmas and I have carried on that tradition to my family, my best friend Amy’s macaroni salad that we love and both our daughters had to have at their weddings, George’s mom’s buffalo chicken dip which is a staple here, or Ted’s peanut butter cookies he makes for most church functions. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Today was one of those days…making Mrs. Jo’s Refrigerator Pickles. I make them a lot in the summer and whenever I do I think back to the summer George and I spent in Missouri ,as he was called to be the interim Pastor there for 5 months. That was an awesome summer of learning about parish ministry, growing in our faith, exploring a new state we had never been to before, and making long-lasting friendships with Jo and her husband David. They are turkey and cattle farmers and own a very large farm. We learned a lot about farming, gardening, quilting, preserving the garden harvest, and our oldest daughter Kimberly learned a lot about life with the cows and turkeys. She was on their farm a lot that summer and even got to help the veterinarian preg check the cows! We are still in contact with them to this day and love them very much. This recipe has such happy memories for our family. Do you have any recipes that mean the world to you? If so, and you would like to have me share it here on the blog, shoot me an email with a copy of it and the story that goes with it. Sharing recipes and the heartfelt stories behind them are blessings to everyone. Enjoy!

Mrs. Jo’s Refrigerator Pickles

• 8 cups of cucumbers and onions sliced
• 1 cup of granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp. white vinegar
• 1 tsp.salt

Slice up the cucumbers and onions just how you like them and put them in a gallon sized Ziplock bag or a large glass bowl with lid. In a glass measuring cup, mix together the rest of the ingredients with a whisk and pour overtop of the cucumbers & onions. Let marinade overnight in the fridge. Eat & enjoy!

*Note…you can use half apple cider vinegar for a sweeter taste or all if you like them really sweet. You can also substitute the cucumbers for zucchini. I have done it all the ways and it is yummy no matter how I do them!