The Crunchiest Pickle

Instead of swigging sour, or sweet bread and butter pickle juice, or dumping it down the drain, just add some fresh chopped cucumber and make the crunchiest pickle you will ever bite into. Waste not want not -- reuse that juice!

When I buy these hot-house cucumbers, they are so huge a salad cannot contain one. If you have a jar of pickle juice left over, just slice that leftover cucumber and let it soak overnight. These fresh tasting pickles will not last as long as regular ones, but they should last a week longer than normal, and maybe even into the following week.

The taste is light and fresh.They are even good on a burger, or as just a snack or side. They will not be as sour or sweet as you are used to, but you will not make such a sour face when you take a bite.

Directions

Slice fresh cucumber about 1/4 inch thin. Add to leftover pickle juice, either sour, or sweet bread and butter. Allow to soak overnight in the refrigerator. Will last a week or two stored in the fridge. 

For other veggies they may need a minute or two of blanching (or steaming) to better absorb pickle juice. The veggies that need a little cooking include: carrots, mushrooms, peppers, broccoli, eggplant, cauliflower, corn, asparagus, green beans, onion, and garlic. Roughly chop any veggie to fit jar(s.)

Amy's Tuna Salad with Green Olives

The addition of green olives makes this Tuna Salad unique. I'm called "The Tuna Mouse" at home because of how quickly my wife's Olive Tuna Salad seems to just vanish!

The extra briny olives give color and the taste goes well with chopped sweet bread-and-butter pickles mixed into canned tuna -- and made richer with chopped eggs and mayo.

This is one delicious concoction that fits snugly into pita bread, makes a great tuna melt, fills a pitted half slice of ripe avocado, or tops a salad with a couple of scoops.

Canned tuna is one budget item I always keep stocked. Everyone has a favorite Tuna Salad recipe and this is The 99 Cent Chef's!

 Ingredients
2 tablespoons onion - fine chopped.
2 tablespoons green olives - chopped or sliced.
1/4 cup bread and butter pickles - chopped, or sweet relish.
1 6oz. can of "solid" tuna in water - may need to reduce other ingredients if you use "chunk" tuna (which is a smaller amount.)
4 tablespoons mayonnaise - okay to adjust amount to suit your taste.
2 boiled eggs - chopped.
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard - or regular Dijon mustard.
Celery salt and pepper to taste.

 

 Directions
Boil 2 eggs for about 10 minutes. Remove eggs from water and set aside to cool. 

Fine-chop onion. Roughly chop green olives and pickles. 

Peel and chop boiled eggs.

Drain tuna and add, along with chopped pickles, olives and onion, all ingredients in a large bowl. Season with celery salt and pepper, mixing well. 

Finally add one teaspoon of mayo at a time to desired creaminess. 

Serve in pita or regular bread.

Or  how about a Tuna Melt? Just slather Tuna Salad onto bread and top with a slice of cheese. Brown the sandwich with a pat of melted butter in a frying pan.