Pickling. It's the most genius thing to do in the summer when faced with a produce overload.

This summer, our banana pepper plant has grown more banana peppers than my boyfriend and I can eat. So, he sliced and pickled them into jars, which are now stored in the fridge, to be enjoyed topped on salads or sandwiches all month.

What do I pickle? Fruit.

And in today's case, strawberries.

It all started when I bought waaay too many strawberries last week. I usually think, 'oh, I'll just make jam.'

But today, I want to show you another fun way to extend the life of your fresh fruit.

The great thing about this brine is that you can use it as a base for whatever fruit you want to pickle! Here, I did strawberries & rosemary. You can also try melons or peaches. And switch up the herbs - think mint, tarragon or thyme.

Pickling adds a sweet and tangy flavor to the fruit, which works great atop salads, yogurt, ice cream or all on their own.

Pickled Strawberries

1/2 cup white balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup white sugar
2 tsp. kosher salt
2 fresh rosemary sprigs
1 pound fresh, whole strawberries (enough to fill a 24 oz jar)

Directions:

Make the brine: Place vinegar, sugar and salt and 1 cup water in a saucepan on the stove. Bring to boil then take off heat and let cool completely, about an hour, stirring occasionally. (If I'm short on time, I stick it in the refrigerator for a quick cool down.)
Make pickled strawberries: Place the strawberries and Rosemary sprigs in a 24 oz glass jar. Fill it up with the brine and seal with the lid. Chill for 1 to 12 hours, or overnight, before enjoying.
Store the jar in the refrigerator for up to a week or two.

Now, get through that workday and make these this weekend! TGIF. :)