Over twenty years ago when my husband and I lived in rural Ohio on the Indiana border with a huge vegetable garden, I tried a lot of recipes to deal with the surplus produce.  In 1985, I found this recipe for Fresh Corn Zucchini (or Yellow Summer Squash) Relish in a cookbook called, “Seasoned with Sunshine”.  I made it on July 21 and the next week entered it in our Hamilton County Fair (Cincinnati).  It won a blue ribbon and became a family favorite.

Since I’m by myself now in a small bungalow with no garden, I pick up produce at the farmer’s market and make one quart of the relish.

FRESH CORN-ZUCCHINI (SQUASH) RELISH

• 2 cups fresh corn, cut from cob
• 3/4 cup onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup green bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp. pickling salt
• 1/2 tsp. celery salt
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seed
• 1/4 tsp. dry mustard
• 2 cups zucchini or yellow summer squash, unpeeled, sliced 1/4″ thick (cut larger diameter slices in half)

In a large pot, combine all ingredients EXCEPT ZUCCHINI/YELLOW SQUASH.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add zucchini/squash slices and simmer uncovered on low heat for 20 minutes longer, stirring occasionally.

Spoon relish into sterilized jars – one quart or two pint jars.  Relish can be kept in the refrigerator for use within a month or so, or processed in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes for longer storage.

I could refrigerate the two pint jars for my own use, or even more fun, keep one jar and make up the second one for a neighbor.  It’s easy to dress up the giveaway jar with a circle of fabric placed between the jar cap and lid.  Yes, I think I like that idea best.  Now, which of my neighbors would enjoy some relish today?

I like to cook and my daughters don’t, so I’m the one who fixes dinner for every holiday, including Mother’s Day.  Our traditional meal is Chicken Parmesan with bowtie pasta, homemade garlic bread and Strawberry Rhubarb Pie (with apple pie for my son-in-law and grandson).

STRAWBERRY RHUBARB PIE

• Pastry for 9″ two-crust pie (see my Sure-Fire crust recipe)
• 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 Tblsp. quick cooking tapioca
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• One pound of rhubarb cut into 1/2″ pieces (3 cups)
• 1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
• 1 Tblsp. butter
• 1 Tblsp. milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

Line a 9″ pie plate with half of the pastry dough.

In a large bowl combine the sugar, tapioca, salt, nutmeg, rhubarb and strawberries.  Mix gently and let rest for about 20 minutes.

Turn the fruit into the pastry-lined pan.

Dot with butter.  Roll out remaining pastry dough for top crust.  Place top crust on fruit, crimp edges and brush with milk.  Place pie pan on a larger sheet to catch spills and bake @ 375 degrees F for 45-50 minutes until crust is nicely browned.  Cool on a wire rack.

In 2004, I made an apron to enter in the Warren County Fair (Lebanon, Ohio) and it won a blue ribbon.  It’s a simple cobbler style apron with snowball blocks and vintage fabric showing mothers hard at work.

On the pocket is the old adage … “A mother’s work is never done”.

Every year, I wear the apron to serve Mother’s Day dinner and thank heaven that it’s true a mother’s work is never done, even when all of the children have grown and left home.

I made this shopping bag-size tote several years ago for the Warren County (Lebanon, Ohio) Fair.  It won a blue ribbon and I enjoyed doing the harness horse design.  I used a coloring book sketch transferred to white fabric, then embroidered the design with black floss.   I used crayons to color the picture and heat set it by placing a piece of white paper over the coloring and pressing it with a hot iron.

I used the same patchwork blocks to make the back of the bag, machine quilted it with low loft batting and made a lining and handle.

I found the large size of the bag to be extremely useful.  My oldest daughter recently mentioned that she would like to have one the same size and I started looking through my orphan blocks and scraps to see what I could put together.

The center block is a Morning Star block  I posted last year and the center with vintage-type fabric was appropriate for my daughter because she is interested and talented in any type of hand sewing.  I looked for scraps with shades of yellow and blue and cut 2-1/2 inch blocks to accentuate the focus block.

On the back, I put together 2-1/2 inch blocks with 2-1/2 inch strips to continue the color theme.  The front and back were machine quilted using low loft batting.  The sides  were left unquilted to cut down on bulk.  I made another bag of plain fabric for a lining and made the handle extra-long so my daughter can swing the bag over her shoulder if she wants.

The bag is large – 22 inches wide x 25 inches long and should accommodate a lot of stuff when my daughter comes for her weekend visits.