Garden Fresh Canning

Wonderful Cherry Preserves

2010-06-08T10:42:00.004-04:00

This is the best sour cherry preserves recipe that I know of. I have several sour cherry bushes here at home, and make this every year. The cherry preserves aren't overly sweet, but are a mixture of tart and sweet. Also, you don't need to use Sure-Jel or any other form of store bought pectin.

6 cups pitted sour cherries
3 cups sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Add sugar and lemon juice to pitted cherries and heat quickly to boiling. Cook rapidly until fruit is clear. Skim if necessary. (I never do.) Pour into clean hot jars and seal at once. Makes 3 pints.
Presto 7 Function Canning Kit
Back to Basics 5-Piece Home Canning Kit
Granite Ware 21-1/2-Quart Steel/Porcelain Water-Bath Canner with Rack

Grandma's Canned Sausage

2010-05-13T10:47:00.000-04:00

During the canning season I can often recall that my grandmother used to take and can sausage patties. She would take fresh made patties and stack them neatly inside a wide mouth jar and then fill the container full of hot sausage grease. She would then place the lids securely on them, turn them upside down to seal and she was done. How I remember going to the food closet and seeing dozens upon dozens of jars carefully stacked upside down. It seems that in those days it was customary to place the jars upside down to ensure a good seal.

Over the years as I grew up and investigated the art of canning on my own I discovered there are two major ways to can sausage. You can form and bake the patties until they are firm similar to the way my grandmother did it or you can fry the sausage up and let it crumble and then fill your jars up.

With the second way you would fry some of the sausage until it started to separate into small pieces and then can these pieces for use in gravies or casseroles. Here are some tips to follow when attempting this on your own.

You should omit any use of sage from your recipe if you decide to mix your own sausage. When canning your sausage the sage will tend to make it taste bitter. I generally use very little herbs and spices in my mix and that also includes the use of my favorites such as garlic or onions as they will actually become stronger tasting when your product is canned. Instead you could use a little bit of hot red pepper, salt, black pepper, some thyme or perhaps a bit of marjoram to season the sausage that you plan to can.

When selecting the meat make certain to choose 2/3 of lean meat to about 1/3 fat in order to make the best canned sausage that you can. You would can your sausage in the same manner as you would ground meat except that you will make small patties and cook it until it's very well done.

Unlike ground beef you can use the fat from cooking the sausage to actual can it in. Be certain not to fill the jar too full, 2/3 full is plenty enough for it. Pour the grease in and make sure that it covers the sausages. You may wish to melt some extra lard to use for covering the sausages in the jar. Keep the lard or grease very hot while it is waiting to be poured into the jar.

Lastly, you will want to adjust the lids onto the jars and place then into a pressure canner set for 10 pounds of pressure. For pint jars cook for 75 minutes and quarts for 90 minutes.

For more information relating to survival visit us at http://www.survival-training.info

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Canning Bananas in the Form of Banana Butter

2010-05-13T10:44:00.000-04:00

I recently read an article in the newspaper where they say the prices of bananas are on their way up similar to those of meat, dairy and wheat related products. The latest estimates say that these processes are to rise at the tune of thirty six cents per pound more then last month. The companies that import the fruit have stated that these prices will continue to increase throughout the remainder of the year due to increased transportation costs.

During the 2005 hurricane season the prices of bananas rose to an equal level that it current has escalated to and we have currently not encountered any adverse weather that would generate the rise.

To many people bananas are considered an integral part of their diet and as these prices raise less and less people will continue to consume this healthy fruit. We can not take and reduce the cost of bananas nor can we tell you how to maintain a whole banana for future use but we can tell you how to take these tasty fruits and make them into something that is just as tasty - Banana butter. So while the price is still a bit on the reasonable side you may wish to consider making some of this emergency supplies while you can. This recipe will make approximately 6 to 8 pints of banana butter for your family.

Ingredients

3 cups of mashed banana. Three cups is approximately equal to 10 to 12 bananas

1/4 of a cup of lemon juice

1/2 of a cup of minced maraschino cherry

7 cups of sugar

6 ounces of liquid pectin

Step by Step

1. Measure the three cups of freshly mashed bananas in a saucepan.

2. Mix together the lemon juice, maraschino cherries and the sugar

3. Bring the mixture to a rapid boil and continue to boil for 1 complete minute

4. Stir the mixture continuously to prevent sticking

5. Remove from pan from the heat and stir the pectin into the mixture

6. Mix all the ingredients well

7. Ladle the completed butter into sterile hot jars and immediately seal

8. Process the jars in your boiling water bath at least for ten minutes per pints.

This may be of some help with the prices of bananas on the rise. At least your family can still enjoy the flavor of this wholesome fruit.

By Joseph Parish

For more information relating to survival visit us at http://www.survival-training.info

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How to Can Homemade Southern Chow Chow Relish

2010-05-13T10:42:00.000-04:00

If you plant a garden every summer season and looking for a way to use up some of your excess garden vegetables, this is a great southern relish recipe to make.

You will want to store your jars in a cool and dry place when finished. If you like to give homemade goodies as gifts, this makes a great gift to those on your gift giving list.

Supplies Needed: Water bath canner, canning jars, seals, rings, jar lifter, funnel and a ladle.

Chow Chow Relish Recipe

2 pints carrots, cut into slices

2 pints small sweet pickles

3 pints lima beans

1 head of cabbage, cut into pieces

4 pints cauliflower, chopped into pieces

2 cups water and celery juice

3 pints celery, chopped into small pieces

3 pints red and yellow sweet peppers, diced

1 pint of onions, chopped

1 pint canned yellow corn

8 cups granulated sugar

4 cups white vinegar

4 teaspoons table salt

In a large stock pot with hot water, cook the peppers, lima beans, cabbage and cauliflower until they are fork tender. Drain water and set aside. Using the same stock pot, cook your celery in 2 cups of boiling water until it's fork tender. Drain celery juice into a bowl and set aside. Add celery to the first vegetable mixture.

Drain sweet pickles and reserve juice for later use. Add sweet pickles and drained onions to vegetables and mix well. In your stock pot, combine the granulated sugar, white vinegar, sweet pickle juice, celery juice, 2 cups of water and table salt. Bring this mixture to a boil and then stir in the mixed cooked vegetables. All this mixture to come to a boil and boil for 2 minutes. Turn off heat.

Ladle relish into clean, hot and sterilized jars. I like to use wide mouth pint-sized jars for canning relish. This recipe will make approximately 15 pint jars.

Shelly Hill has been working from home in Direct Sales since 1989 and is a Manager with Tupperware. Shelly enjoys cooking and baking for her friends and family. Shelly and her husband are avid gardeners and love to can their harvest for future meals. You can visit Shelly online at http://www.workathomebusinessoptions.com or her Shakin 'N Bakin recipe blog for additional home canning recipes at http://wahmshelly.blogspot.com

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Canning - How to Can Your Own Strawberry and Blueberry Jam

2010-05-13T10:39:00.001-04:00

During the summer months, I look forward to canning my own homemade strawberry and blueberry jams. People often tell me that they don't get into canning because they think it's too hard, however, one of the easiest things to can is homemade jam.

For the following recipes, you will need some jelly or half-pint sized canning jars, seals, rings, and a water bath canner. If you have a jar lifter, silicone spatula and a funnel, they would be useful too, but not necessary.

Easy Strawberry Jam Recipe

3 cups fresh strawberries, caps removed

3 cups granulated sugar

1 envelope of fruit pectin (Sure-Jell)

Fruit Preparation: Wash and remove the caps from your fresh strawberries, place them in a medium sized saucepan.

Stir in 1 cup of granulated sugar and bring the mixture to a rapid boil and boil for 4 minutes. Stir in the second cup of granulated sugar and bring it back to a boil and boil for an additional 3 minutes. Finally, stir in the remaining 1 cup of granulated sugar and contents of 1 envelope of fruit pectin, bring mixture back to a full boil and boil an additional 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove pan from the burner and let it cool down for 10 minutes, stirring mixture occasionally with a nonstick silicone spatula. Spoon mixture into hot clean jars and seal. Process the jars in your water bath canner for 10 minutes.

Easy Blueberry Jam Recipe

4 1/2 cup fresh blueberries, crushed

2 tablespoons lemon juice

7 cups granulated sugar

2 envelopes of fruit pectin (Sure-Jell)

Fruit Preparation: Wash and drain fresh blueberries in a colander and then measure out 6 cups and place them into a bowl. Using a potato masher, mash down the blueberries until you have 4 1/2 cups of crushed fruit.

Place fruit in a large stock pot. Stir in the lemon juice and then add in the granulated sugar, one cup at a time. Cook mixture over medium-high heat and bring it to a full rolling boil and boil hard for 2 minutes, stirring constantly with a nonstick silicone spatula or spoon. Turn off the heat and skim off any foam that has developed on the top. Stir in the liquid fruit pectin until mixture is combined.

Spoon mixture into hot clean jars and seal. Process the jars in your water bath canner for 10 minutes.

Shelly Hill has been working from home since 1989 and is a Manager with Tupperware. Shelly enjoys cooking and baking for her family and friends and trying out new recipes. You can visit Shelly online at http://www.workathomebusinessoptions.com or at http://wahmshelly.blogspot.com for additional free recipes and cooking tips.

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Canning Your Own Soups is Easy

2010-05-13T10:38:00.000-04:00

Perhaps you have a garden and have a few leftover vegetables you do not know what to do with, or perhaps you would love soups for the winter but do not want to go to the expense of buying them. For some buying soups may not be an alternative because of food allergies or intolerances, in our family that is the case, making it an attractive alternative to can my own soups for the winter.

Soup Canning Safety

There are a few safety tips to keep in mind when canning your own soups, first of all and most importantly, soups must be canned in a pressure canner. You may see recipes posted all over the Internet for soups that are canned in a water bath canner, my advice to you is not to use them, the only safe way to can a soup is in a pressure canner. This is because the majority of ingredients you will use in soup will be low acid ingredients, this includes vegetables and meats. Low acid ingredients must be canned in a pressure canner to reach the high temperatures that prevent the risk of food born bacteria.

According to the National Center for Home Food Preservation, when canning your soup you cannot add milk, thickeners (including things such as rice or barley), oils, or anything flour based such as noodles to your soups. It is only safe to can clear soups without these ingredients. You may not puree your vegetables and you should not add zucchini which has no clear canning guidelines at this time.

Easy Soup Canning Recipe

While this may seem to make canning your own soup a bit complicated really it is not. You can make your soup base with a meat or veggie stock add veggies, beans and a bit of meat then add anything else you wish to add to it when you open it such as noodles or thickeners.

According to NCHFP all soups made by these guidelines can be canned at 11 pounds pressure for 60 minutes for pints, and 75 minutes for Quarts. All ingredients should be cut up into relatively small cubes and all pieces should be close to the same size. Meats should be trimmed of all fat and lean, and should be precooked before adding to a soup to be canned. Wash your jars and lids and keep them hot till you fill them. When you fill your jars you should add your cut up foods first using a slotted spoon filling the jar to half way, then fill the jar the remainder of the way with the hot soup liquid.

Provided you follow the above instructions you may add pretty much anything to your soup. Keep in mind that seafood requires additional processing time (100 minutes) but may also be canned according to the same instructions.

Thrifty Hearts provides practical solutions for Frugal Families, Patty Getz has been helping families get more for their money since 2000. For more money saving tips and advice visit our website and forums, or stop by our blog!

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Canning - How to Make Homemade Apple Chutney Plus a Recipe

2010-05-13T10:35:00.000-04:00

During the fall season, we love to visit our local fruit orchard and pick our own apples so that we can make some homemade apple chutney.

We enjoy using this chutney as a sandwich spread or as an addition to our homemade chicken, turkey and tuna salads. If you are using it as a salad spread, cut your mayonnaise or salad dressing in half and replace the other half with the chutney.

This recipe requires the basic home canning equipment: half-pint or pint-sized mason jars, water bath canner, jar lifter, seals and rings, ladle and a funnel.

Apple Chutney Recipe

2 quarts apples

2 teaspoons lemon juice

2 lbs. seedless raisins

4 cups brown sugar, firmly packed

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 cup sweet red peppers, finely chopped

2 red peppers, finely chopped

1 clove of garlic, crushed

2 1/2 tablespoons mustard seed

2 tablespoons ginger

2 teaspoons ground allspice

1 teaspoon curry powder

2 teaspoons table salt

4 cups white vinegar

Apple Preparation: Wash, peel, core and chop your apples, sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of lemon juice to prevent darkening; set aside.

In a large stock pot, combine all of the above ingredients, one at a time and stirring in between each addition. Over medium heat, simmer the mixture for 60 to 85 minutes or until the mixture has thickened. Use a nonstick silicone spatula to stir the mixture every 10 minutes.

Once mixture is done cooking, ladle it into hot and clean mason jars, leaving a 1/2" head space. Use a soft cotton towel and wipe the rims clean before placing the seal and ring onto your jar.

Process jars in your water bath canner for 10 to 15 minutes or according to manufacturers instructions. Once they are done, carefully remove them from the water and let them cool in a non-drafty area of your kitchen. After 2 hours have passed, recheck your jars to make sure they have all sealed properly.

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Recipes For Diabetic Canning - Bright Green Pickle Sticks and Bell Pepper Relish

2010-05-13T10:32:00.002-04:00

It is not easy to find pickles and relishes for diabetics. But we can make our own. These recipes are for canning pickles and relish that is diabetic friendly. Bright Green Pickle Sticks is a perfect recipe for this time of year as the vegetable gardens and farmer's markets feature lots of cucumbers. Take advantage of the cucumbers now and enjoy your own pickles year-round. The same thing is true for the Bell Pepper Relish. Gardens, Farmer's Markets and grocery stores have beautiful bell peppers available. With this relish recipe, you will be enjoying them all year. Be sure you always use clean jars when canning and be very sure your jars seal. Always follow the instructions carefully.

BRIGHT GREEN PICKLE STICKS

Wash and cut into sticks enough cucumbers for 7 quarts.

Pour boiling water over the cucumbers and let sit overnight.

The next day, drain the cucumbers and pack into clean canning jars.

Combine the following ingredients in a large saucepan and boil for 5 minutes:

7 cups cider vinegar

5 cups Splenda granular

1 3/4 cups sugar

6 tbsp salt

3 tbsp celery seed

3 tbsp mustard seed

6 tsp tumeric

Green food coloring, optional

Pour the hot mixture over the cucumbers in the jars. Have jar lids boiling in water. Seal the jars with the hot lids. Process in boiling water bath for 5 minutes to seal well.

BELL PEPPER RELISH

18 green bell peppers

18 red bell peppers

18 medium onions

6 cups vinegar

3 tbsps salt

1 cup sugar

4 cups Splenda granular

1 tbsp whole mustard seed

8 stalks celery, finely chopped

Put the bell peppers and the onions in a food processor until fine. Cover the mixture with boiling water and let stand 10 minutes; drain. Add the vinegar, salt, sugar, Splenda, mustard seed, and celery; mix well. Put the mixture in a large pan and bring to a boil. Boil for 15 minutes and immediately seal into hot pint jars. Be sure the lids seal. If any jar doesn't seal, refrigerate and use first.

Note: These pickles and relish make great gifts for diabetics. They are perfect housewarming gifts, hostess gifts, birthday or holiday gifts.

Enjoy!

For more of Linda's recipes and diabetic information go to http://diabeticenjoyingfood.squarespace.com. For her old fashion recipe collection visit http://grandmasvintagerecipes.blogspot.com

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Grandma's Peach Canning Recipe

2010-05-13T10:30:00.000-04:00

Grandma loved to bake peach pies or top pancakes with peaches instead of syrup. During the summer months, she would buy baskets of seconds and freeze them. Freezing peaches was much easier and faster than canning them, so she rarely bothered with canned fruit. Since she didn't have a vacuum sealer, she used containers to hold her peaches. However, Nan, my mother, and I all use a vacuum sealer to prevent freezer burn. I really recommend this recipe over the more traditional peach canning recipe, because it is so simple to do and is not as dangerous as using a pressure canner. (Those things make me nervous.)

Ingredients:

Fresh peaches

3 cups of sugar

4 cups of water

Directions:

1. Wash peaches thoroughly.

2. Cut the fruit in half and remove the pit.

3. Peel the skin from the peaches.

4. Bring water to a boil.

5. Add your sugar to the boiling water and stir it in until it is thoroughly dissolved.

6. Let the syrup cool. Grandma put hers in the fridge for an hour.

7. Put three to four peaches into your container. Add enough syrup to thoroughly cover your peaches, but be sure to leave about an inch of room if you are using traditional containers. (You should use approximately 1/2 cup of syrup for each pound of peaches.)

8. Seal and label your container and place it in the freezer. (If you use a vacuum sealer, freeze the fruit and syrup for an hour or so before sealing or the syrup may get sucked out.)

Your peaches should last for a year, but if you are anything like my family, you will run out before next spring.

Grandma always had a bit of advice, a recipe, or a quick tip to help her family get things done. Grandma’s wisdom has been passed down through several generations in my family and now you too can step into Grandma’s kitchen to find a piece of advice, a recipe, or just a quick cleaning tip.

Visit http://wisdom-from-grandma.com for more of Grandma's great recipes.

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Home Canning - How to Make Homemade Pear Marmalade

2010-02-26T16:44:00.000-05:00

Home Canning - How to Make Homemade Pear Marmalade

By Shelly Hill

When it comes to home canning, one of the easiest recipes you can make is some type of fruit marmalade and this pear marmalade recipe is no exception.

You will need your basic home canning supplies: water bath canner, half-pint or pint-sized mason jars, seals and rings, jar lifter, ladle, silicone nonstick spatula and a funnel.

If you enjoy giving homemade food gifts during the holiday season, this is a nice one to make and give as a gift. If you seal your mason jars correctly, this marmalade should last for up to 1 year.

Pear Marmalade Recipe

4 lbs. fresh pears

8 cups granulated sugar

2 cups tap water

4 fresh oranges

1 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated orange rind

Wash and remove stems and leaves from pears. Peel off the skins and chop the flesh up into small pieces. Peel the skin off the oranges and discard the seeds and membranes. Reserve one small piece of the orange rind and finely grate it until you have 1 1/2 teaspoons of finely grated orange rind. Chop the flesh of the oranges into small pieces.

In a large stock pot, combine all of the above ingredients and bring to a rapid boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for approximately 45 minutes or until the mixture thickens. You will need to stir the mixture every 8 to 10 minutes using a nonstick silicone spatula to keep it from sticking to the pot.

Wash and clean your half-pint or pint-sized mason jars. You will want to warm up your jars using your oven set at 200 degrees F. Remove jars from the oven, one at a time. Ladle the hot mixture into clean warm jars leaving a 1/2" head space. Wipe the jar rim clean with a soft cotton towel. Place ring and seal onto the jar.

Process jars in your water bath canner for 10 minutes or according to manufacturers instructions.

This recipe will make approximately 4 to 5 half-pint jars of marmalade.

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Home Canning Tomatoes

2010-02-26T16:39:00.002-05:00

Home Canning Tomatoes

By Christine Gayle

Tomatoes are probably the most popular food item grown in gardens. Usually there is an abundance of this crop once they begin to ripen. Home Canning Tomatoes is one way to ensure that the overstock of produce will not go to waste. By canning your own tomatoes you will also be able to enjoy the flavorful taste of you home grown tomatoes long after the season ends.

Ways to Preserve Tomatoes

There is an assortment of ways to preserve tomatoes. They may be canned, frozen or in some cases even dried. The most popular way of preserving tomatoes is to canning. This versatile method allows you to utilize the canned tomatoes in a variety of techniques that can be used later to make soups, chili or stews. Who wouldn't want that same great fresh tasting flavor even in the cold winter months?

Preparing Tomatoes for Canning

Only a stainless steel pot or saucepan and stainless steel utensils should be used when preparing tomatoes for canning. Because the tomatoes have such a high acidic value, using any other type of pot may result in bitter tasting canned tomatoes that have a less than desirable color about them.

Canning Tomatoes Safely

It is important to remember that in order to ensure safety tomatoes must be canned correctly. Only choose disease free, fresh firm tomatoes for canning. Tomatoes tend to be a high acidic food item. Boiling Water Bath Canning or Pressure Canning methods are the recommended processing technique to be used when home canning tomatoes. According to some sources using a pressure canner may even yield higher quality flavor with more nutritious value. Either however, is an acceptable means of preserving tomatoes.

The USDA recommends that all home canned tomatoes be acidified prior to canning to ensure safety from botulism. This is achieved by adding 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or 1/2 teaspoon of citric acid per quart. Using pints, add 1 tablespoon lemon juice or 1/4 teaspoon of citric acid.

Processing times for hot packed crushed tomatoes in water bath canning is 35 minutes for pints and 45 minutes for quarts. If using a pressure canner the processing time is 15 minutes for both pints and quarts. You must be sure to set the dial gauges on the pressure cooker to 11lbs. of pressure and the weighted gauge should be set at 10lbs. of pressure.

Following these instructions should assure the quality of taste when Home Canning Tomatoes. Just think about how happy you and your family will be this winter when you are enjoying the same great flavor you had this summer.

Want to learn more about Home Canning Tomatoes and other canning techniques? Maybe you would also like to know what Home Canning Supplies you will need to get started. Visit my blog at http://www.womenshomeactivities.com and discover for yourself how you too can learn this and other great home activities.

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Produce Your Own Tasty Homemade Pickles

2010-01-31T19:31:00.000-05:00

Homemade pickles are made from one of two methods, those made by implementing the quick process technique and those made during the brine curing method. Nearly all folks now employ the quick process approach to speed things up. By means of the quick process procedure, we simmer the fruit or vegetable in vinegar and spices in order to preserve it.

Whenever using the brine curing kind of approach, you always keep and submerge vegetables in a brine for approximately a four week period. The subsequent step is to soak them in chilly water to eliminate any surplus salt. Right after the excess salt is extracted, you add vinegar, sugar and spices in order to make pickles. This can be a long method, but people that implement this method would have it no other way. It typically makes crisper pickles than the fast canning process, despite the fact that a lot of quick processed pickles will be tasty.

It does not matter which choice of pickles you want to produce, there are some tips you have to follow for success. You should keep them in mind when producing homemade pickles.

Work with high quality fruits and vegetables as soon as possible after picking them. Store the fruits in the refrigerator if you are not able to make pickles in just an hour or so after harvesting them. Don't rinse them prior to putting them in the refrigerator.

Only use fruits and vegetables that are free of any bruises or spots. If you have to cut out blemishes, slice deeply to be sure every drop of spoiled fruit has been extracted.

Make sure you wash all fruits and vegetables to do away with all debris that can bring about spoilage. If you are working with cucumbers to make the pickles, be certain to remove the flowering end at the same time. It possesses an enzyme in it which may also induce your pickles to go bad.

Use a vinegar that is at least 5 percent acidity. Look at the label with regard to acid content. You can certainly use either white vinegar or apple cider vinegar. Home made vinegar isn't advised as one won't be able to be sure of acidity level. White vinegar tends to make clearer pickles, but apple cider vinegar will give more taste to your pickles.

Utilize canning or pickling salt when producing pickles. It is required when employing the brine curing approach. You can use table salt in quick method pickles, however don't use table salt with iodine added. It may possibly darken your pickles.

Use the freshest spices or herbs accessible for the best flavored pickles. Whole spices do the job nicely. Tie the herbs in a cloth bag so that they can be removed from the brine easily. If they are still in the brine when poured into canning jars, the spices could darken the pickles as they begin to get older.

Work with white granulated sugar. Just use dark brown sugar if the recipe you are using calls for it.

Work with fresh drinking water. In the event that you are using city water, or water that has been chemically treated, boil the water and allow it cool totally prior to using it for pickle processing.

There are all sorts of pickle directions. A person can certainly locate tried and true recipes to produce sweet pickles, dill pickles and possibly even hot pickles. There may be tested recipes in your current cookbook, however, the world wide web is a great resource for locating pickle recipes.

Anyone is able to pickle all kinds of fruits and vegetables. Pickled cucumbers and peppers are a few of the more usual types. Get a pickle recipe which you would care to use, and keeping these rules in mind, you could quickly create your own scrumptious homemade pickles to enjoy.

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Homemade Christmas Gifts Straight From the Garden

2009-11-17T12:12:00.000-05:00

Homemade Christmas Gifts Straight From the Garden
By Ellen Bell

During the long, hot days of summer, the last thing we think about is Christmas shopping. After all, that's a task we usually relegate to the month of December, right? But the truth is, the job of shopping for Christmas gifts is something many people loathe. Parking lots are crowded, malls are jam packed, and finding just the right gift for that special someone can take hours, or even days. What if there was a way to get some of your Christmas gifts ready during the summertime and put them away in storage so they'll be ready to go when the holiday season rolls around? Before you grab your keys and jump in the car to go shopping now, stop and take a look around your own home and garden. There may be some gift possibilities lurking right under your own nose that are homemade, thoughtful, and very inexpensive.

Many of us raise vegetable gardens in the summer, and we wind up with more fresh produce than we can possibly use. Instead of letting it rot on the vine or giving it all away to neighbors, consider canning. Many vegetables like fresh green beans and tomatoes can be canned and then given away as gifts at the holidays. Fresh bell peppers can be made into relishes, and cucumbers can be pickled and canned. Cans of fresh produce also make wonderful hostess's gifts when you are invited to holiday parties. Top off the jar with a colorful square of fabric and tie with a ribbon to make the gift really attractive and special.

If you enjoy cooking, consider using your fresh produce to make other items like homemade spaghetti sauce, fresh salsa, or pickle relish that can be canned. For a really nice touch, put a couple jars of spaghetti sauce into a gift basket and then include some related items such as a pound of pasta and a loaf of fresh Italian bread. Other nice touches might include an Italian cookbook, a bottle of good red wine or gourmet olive oil, and even some fresh Parmesan cheese. The idea of themed gift baskets based on your homemade canned goods can be expanded into other areas, too. For example, if you've made some fresh salsa, include items in your gift basket like tortilla chips, margarita mix, and a bottle of good quality tequila.

Homemade gifts from the garden don't have to be limited to only vegetables. If you grow fruits such as blueberries, cherries, or raspberries, consider making homemade jams or pie fillings that can be canned for holiday gifts. Nice additions to round out a gift basket with these items could include a new pie dish, or some homemade bread for toasting. Fresh fruits can also be made into syrups that can be given as gifts along with some homemade pancake mix. Furthermore, if you grow fresh herbs such as parsley or basil, consider making fresh pesto at the end of the summer and canning it into small jars to give as gifts.

Homemade Christmas gifts that have come from your garden make nice gift items for almost anyone. After all, everyone enjoys good food, especially when it's homegrown. Even better, a gift like this is very thoughtful, and shows the recipient that you put some time and thought into what to give them. So if you've got a garden that's overflowing with fresh produce, take an afternoon and do some canning. You'll save yourself both time and money when December rolls around!

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Instructions For Canning Green Beans

2009-11-12T10:38:00.000-05:00

Learning to can your own green beans at home is a simple process. It just needs to be taken one step at a time. I have listed the entire canning process step by step. Once you open your first jar of home canned green beans, you will never want to taste another bean from a store. Home canned green beans taste so much better.

Green beans must be canned in a pressure canner. It is not safe to try canning green beans in a hot water bath. They may not be safe to eat. Only foods high in acid are safe for canning using the hot water bath method. You can use a pressure canner with a weighted gauge or a dial gauge.

Prepare the Beans- Choose fresh, young beans for canning. You will need to string the beans if you aren't using a stringless bean variety. Snap over a small portion of one end of the bean, then pull the end and string downward until the string pulls off. Turn the bean over and repeat on the other end. If you are canning a stringless variety, just snap off each end of the beans. As you are snapping or stringing the beans, remove any sections that show rust or bug bites. Break the beans in half or into pieces about 2" long.

Wash the beans thoroughly in hot water. Drain and rinse the beans with cold water. Let drain again.

Prepare the Jars- You can use pint or quart jars for canning green beans. Wash the jars in hot, soapy water and rinse well. Since you are using a pressure canner, you don't have to sterilize the jars. Be sure to check the jar rims for any chips or flaws. Only use jars with smooth rims. Keep the jars in hot water until ready to use. You can put hot water in your pressure canner and let it simmer with the jars in it.

Choosing Bands and Lids- Choose screw bands that aren't dented or rusted. Use only new lids for canning. Don't try to reuse an old lid. Simmer the lids in hot water until you are ready to place them on the jars. Be sure not to boil the lids as it can ruin the rubber gasket around the outside of the lid.

Filling the Jars- Pack each jar loosely with beans leaving 1" headspace. Add 1 teaspoon canning salt to quarts or 1/2 teaspoon canning salt to pints, if desired. It isn't necessary but does help flavor the beans. Fill the jars with boiling water to cover the beans, again leaving 1" headspace. It's easiest to pour the boiling water into the jars if you have a canning funnel. If not, set the jar in hot water before you try pouring in the boiling water. Never try to hold the jar in your hand.

Remove any Bubbles- Air can become trapped between the beans. Run a knife down the inside of the jars. This will force bubbles to come to the top.

Prepare to Put Lids and Bands in Place- Wipe the rim of each jar with a clean cloth to remove any foreign matter from the rims. Anything between the rims and lids may cause the lids not to seal. One at a time, place a hot lid on each jar and immediately screw a band in place. Tighten firmly, but do not over tighten.

Pressure Canning the Beans- Make sure your canner has 3 or 4 inches of hot water in it. It's best to follow the instruction manual for your canner if you have one. Set each jar into the pressure canner. Make sure the jars aren't touching the sides. If your canner has a rack, be sure to use it. If it doesn't have a rack, place several thicknesses of cotton towels in the bottom of the canner before adding the jars. You never want to allow the jars to touch the bottom of the canner or they will break while cooking.

Dial Gauge Process Time- Process pints for 20 minutes and quarts for 25 minutes at 11 pounds of pressure if using a dial gauge canner.

Weighted Gauge Process Time- Process pints for 20 minutes and quarts for 25 minutes at 10 pounds of pressure if using a weighted gauge canner.

Remove and Cool Jars- Allow the pressure of the canner to drop completely before opening the lid! Otherwise you could get seriously scalded. Carefully remove each jar and place on a rack or thick towel to cool. Do not twist or tighten the bands. Allow the jars to cool completely before testing the seals. Once jars are cool, press down on the center of each lid. If the center of the lid is already down, it has sealed. If it is up and you are able to push it down, the seal failed. You can re-process failed jars by using a new lid and putting it through the canning process again. It's easiest to refrigerate any jars that didn't seal and use them within a few days time.

Once the jars have cooled and the seals have proved good, you can remove the rings and use them again. A little shortening or oil wiped around the inside of the bands will help keep them from rusting during storage.

K. Hupp enjoys cooking and gardening. Visit her Cuisinart Stand Mixer website to find the best deals on a Stainless Cuisinart Mixer.

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The Best Green Beans to Grow For Canning

2009-11-09T08:18:00.000-05:00

Green Beans - The Best Green Beans to Grow For Canning
By K Hupp

I have quite a bit of experience when it comes to growing green beans. I've been gardening for more than 30 years. Over the years, I've tried growing many different varieties of green beans. Since I like canning beans to store in my cellar, I've narrowed my favorites to the ones that taste the best after being put through the canning process. You might think green beans are all the same, but they all have differences.

Tenderette Bush Beans are by far my favorite type of bean for canning. They are a stringless white seeded bean, have a great flavor and hold their form well when canned. They also produce very large crops. If the plants are kept well picked, the plants will continue to produce a large crop until frost.

Golden Wax Bush Beans are also a good bean for canning. The flavor is good, and since the beans are yellow, they have a slightly different taste than the usual green bean. They produce well, are stringless, and are easier to pick than green ones. They are easier to see on the bush since they are yellow. They also hold their yellow color when canned.

Since I'm getting older and don't like having to bend over to pick bush beans, Tenderette and Golden Wax are the only type of bush beans that I grow. All the other varieties I've tried in the past failed in comparison. I've never found any pole beans that I like as well as Tenderette bush beans when canned, but I plant them anyway. I grow them mainly because I don't have to stoop as much when picking them. Pole beans take a little longer to start producing than bush beans.

Kentucky Wonder is a pole type bean that cans well and holds its form fairly well. It does seem to lose some of its flavor during the canning process. It is a brown seeded bean, and are stringless when picked when young. Keep them well picked and they will produce until frost kills them.

Blue Lake Pole Beans are a white seeded variety that cans quite well. It holds its flavor and shape when canned. They are stringless when picked young, and will produce until frost when kept well picked. Blue Lake pole beans are my favorite type of pole bean for canning.

White Half Runner Pole Beans are my least favorite of all due to the fact that they have heavy strings. Even when picked very young, they tend to have some strings. The only reason I plant them at all is because of their unique bean flavor. They are a white seeded variety. The vines don't grow as high as most pole beans, so they can be grown along a waist high fence instead of on poles. They hold their flavor well when canned. The seeds from mature beans also dry well for winter use. If you have only had canned beans from the grocery store, you don't know what you're missing. Home canned green beans out shine store bought beans. There really is no comparison in quality and flavor.

K. Hupp enjoys cooking and gardening. Visit Big Bear Cabins to find a great deal on a Spring Big Bear Cabins for your next vacation rental.

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Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

2009-11-05T17:28:00.001-05:00

How to Make Your Own Homemade Spaghetti Sauce For Canning
By Shelly Hill

During the summer months, I like to make my own homemade spaghetti sauce. Once I have it made, I will freeze or can it for future use. This particular sauce is great for spaghetti, lasagna, rigatoni, ravioli and manicotti.

Italian Spaghetti Sauce Recipe

6 lbs. lean ground beef
2 (8 ounce) packages of pepperoni
2 (12 ounce) cans tomato paste
2 (15 ounce) cans Italian tomato sauce
5 (29 ounce) cans tomato puree
2 1/2 teaspoons seasoning salt
1 teaspoon onion salt
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons table salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
2 tablespoons oregano leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons red pepper
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 tablespoons dried onion
1/2 teaspoon rosemary
1/2 teaspoon thyme

Brown the lean ground beef in a large frying pan, drain off burger grease. In a large stock pot, combine cooked beef, pepperoni, tomato paste, tomato sauce and tomato puree. Cook for 10 minutes on medium heat. Turn heat down to simmer and stir in all of the spices. Simmer the sauce for 45 to 60 minutes to allow all of the spices to infuse into the sauce mixture.

How to can your spaghetti sauce:

Sterilize and clean your canning jars. (I prefer using quart-sized wide mouth jars). Ladle hot mixture into hot jars. Clean the rims of jars with a clean cotton towel. Seal jars and then process in a water bath canner for 30 minutes. Remove jars from canner and allow them to cool down in a non-drafty area of your kitchen.

Note: You can also freeze the spaghetti sauce in freezer safe airtight container for up to 1 year.

Shelly Hill has been working from home in Direct Sales since 1989. Shelly is a Manager with Tupperware.

Shelly enjoys cooking and baking for her friends and family. You can visit Shelly online at http://www.workathomebusinessoptions.com or her Shakin 'N Bakin recipe blog at http://wahmshelly.blogspot.com

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Canning Equipment - 7 Canning Supplies You Need For Home Canning

2009-11-05T17:21:00.001-05:00

Canning Equipment - 7 Canning Supplies You Need For Home Canning
By Rhonda Percell

Many people may be wondering what canning supplies they will need to begin canning at home. Here are the most important canning supplies.

1. Canning jars - Make sure you get jars that are specially designed for canning. This will ensure the bands and lids fit properly to give you a proper seal and that they will not break under the heat and pressure of a pressure canner.

2. Boiling water canner - If you are canning acid foods such as jams, jellies, fruit and pickled foods you will want a boiling water canner. Make sure it has a canning rack inside along with a lid.

3. Pressure canner - All low acid foods like meats and most vegetables need to be canned in a pressure canner to ensure safe canning. If you plan on canning these types of foods a pressure canner is a must.

4. New lids and bands - Before you start canning always make sure you have enough brand new lids on hand. You do not want to reuse old lids because they will not seal properly. However, you can use bands from year to year. Just inspect the bands to make sure they screw on the jars properly and are not bent or corroded.

5. Jar lifter - A jar lifter is almost the most important piece of canning equipment. It is hard to replace a jar lifter for getting the canning jars out of the hot water.

6. Magnetic lid lifter - A magnetic lid lifter makes it easy to remove lids and bands from hot water when canning.

7. Wide mouth funnel - You may have a regular funnel already at home but a wide mouth funnel is irreplaceable. It sits down in the top of the jar and makes it easy to pour foods and hot liquids into the jar. It also helps keep food off the rim of the jar.

So, as you can see, these seven canning supplies are very important to have before you start your home canning. They will ensure safe and easy canning.

And if you would like more information about canning and canning supplies please visit our website at http://www.jrkfamilyoutdoors.com/canning You can receive 18 free videos that answer many questions about home canning just by signing up for our newsletter.

By: Rhonda Percell - Wife, Mother of 3, and owner of JRK Family Outdoors

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Make Your Own Homemade Yogurt

2009-11-02T10:19:00.003-05:00

This isn't a canning recipe, but it is a very useful and economic way of making your own homemade yogurt:

Make Your Own Homemade Yogurt

By K Hupp

The only yogurt bargain is the homemade variety. You can easily make your own. It should only cost 10 to 12 cents per container.

Homemade Yogurt

Equipment:

2-quart double boiler
Candy thermometer
Commercial yogurt maker (most food dehydrators will work) or large Styrofoam picnic cooler with lid
Seven 8 ounce plastic or glass containers with lids

Ingredients:

1 quart milk (whole or low fat)
2 level tablespoons of plain low fat yogurt containing live bacteria, at room temperature
1/3 cup instant nonfat dry milk

Preparation:

Wash all equipment in hot, soapy water. Rinse well with hot water.

Dissolve the nonfat dry milk in the whole or low fat milk in top of double boiler. Stir until the mixture reaches 180 degrees F. Hold at that temperature for 1 minute, then reduce temperature to 115 to 120 degrees F.

Remove 1/3 cup of milk from double boiler and add 2 level teaspoons of live yogurt to it. Blend well.

Return the milk and starter combination to the double boiler and mix well.

Now you need to incubate the mixture. You can use a commercial yogurt maker or food dehydrator, which comes with its own containers. Or, for more even textured results, you can make your own yogurt factory using a large Styrofoam cooler, and seven 8 ounce plastic or glass containers with lids.

To make yogurt in a Styrofoam cooler, pour the yogurt into 6 of the 8 ounce containers and cover with lids. Fill the 7th container with boiling water. Place all the containers in the cooler, with the boiling water container being placed in the center. Place the lid on the cooler and set aside for four to five hours. After incubation, you can add any flavoring you like. 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla makes the yogurt have a milder flavor. Small pieces of dried or fresh fruit can also be added as desired.

Keep finished yogurt stored in the refrigerator.

K. Hupp enjoys cooking and gardening. Visit a Sub Zero Refrigerators to see the quality Stainless Steel Refrigerators

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Recipes For Canning Hot and Mild Salsa

2009-10-26T12:41:00.000-04:00

Recipes For Canning Hot and Mild Salsa By Ann Richter

Most all salsa canning recipes are a mixture of low acid (peppers, onions, garlic) and high acid foods (tomatoes, vinegar, lime juice). It is important to have an overall high acid salsa mixture when using the water bath canning method. Otherwise the salsa could be susceptible to Clostridium botulinum bacteria, which can result in a deadly salsa.

Selecting tomatoes

The ripeness and type of tomato affects the quality of the salsa. Starting with tomato paste made from Roma tomatoes will result in a thicker salsa. If your salsa is

Overly ripe tomatoes do not make for good canning and salsa. Using poor quality tomatoes can result in premature spoilage of the canned salsa. The salsa will not taste as well.

Selecting peppers

Only use high quality peppers or chilies in your salsa. Don't use over ripe or near spoiled peppers. The resulting salsa will be bad and may spoil in the canning jar.

Substituting of peppers is perfectly ok. You can replace hot peppers such as jalapeno with mild peppers like the Anaheim, Ancho, College, Colorado or Hungarian Yellow Wax peppers or any other mild peppers for a mild salsa. The hotter the pepper the hotter the salsa will be.

Do not increase or decrease the amount of peppers in the recipe. This will adversely affect the overall pH of the salsa and could allow the bad clostridium botulinum bacteria to grow in the canning jar.

Salsa Canning Recipe

Ingredients

8 Finely chopped jalapenos, remove the seeds and inner membrane for a mild salsa
1 Finely chopped habanero that has been deseeded and the membrane removed
4 1/2 pounds, by weight, of tomatoes
2 cups coarsely chopped onions
1 cup coarsely chopped bell pepper (green or any other color)
3 cloves minced garlic
1-2 5 ounce cans of tomato paste (depending on how thick you want your salsa to be)
3/4 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup loosely packed chopped cilantro
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp pickling salt
1 tsp cayenne pepper (for mild flavor, leave this out)
1/4 cup lime juice

Finely chop the jalapenos. For mild salsa, slice the jalapeno length wise and scoop out the seeds and the inner membrane using a spoon.

Prepare the fresh tomatoes by removing the skin. Remove the skin by dipping the tomato into boiling water and waiting until the skin splits. This usually takes between 30 and 60 seconds. Move the tomato into cold water and remove the skin.

In a large sauce pan combine all of the ingredients, except for the lime juice. Bring to a vigorous boil and then back the heat off until a gentle boil is reached. Cook for 30 minutes until the desired consistency is reached.

While the salsa is cooking sterilize the canning jars, lids, canning funnel and non metallic spatula. Keep the jars hot since they will be hot packed in a water bath at 140 degrees F.

Remove from the heat and add the lime juice.

Ladle the hot salsa into the canning jars leaving 1/2 inch head space per jar. Remove air pockets with the spatula. Using a paper towel dipped in hot water wipe the rim of each jar clean.

Put a lid on each jar and tighten the ring finger tight.

Process the jars for 20 minutes in a hot water bath. I use a hot water bath canner to process the canning jars since it has a wire basket that keeps the jars off of the bottom of the water canner and makes it easy to lift the jars out of the water bath after the processing time is over. Don't let the jars sit in the hot water longer than the recommended processing time as the salsa could spoil.

Place a towel on the counter top and set the jars on it to cool. Don't use a fan to cool the jars, the jars may break. Once cool, test the seal by pressing down on the lid. The lid should suck down and not pop back up. Move the jar of any lid that pops back up into the refrigerator and use up in the next two weeks.

Is it safe to reuse canning jar lid after it has been used once to seal a canning jar? Many home canners reuse the lids because they look ok and it saves them money on lids. How safe is this practice? What are the risks in reusing used canning lids?

Learn more on how to preserve your garden's bounty with my free canning and preserving mini course.

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Applesauce Canning Recipe

2009-10-26T12:38:00.000-04:00

Applesauce Canning Recipe By Ann Richter

Got a great deal on a bushel of apples from the farmer's market but you don't want them to go bad before you eat them? Make a batch of applesauce and preserve it for year around goodness.

Canning you say? That is too hard.

No, it isn't that hard to do. And later on in the year when the apples are out of season, you can crack open a jar and enjoy the delicious applesauce that you made. All natural and wholesome!

Wash each apple removing the wax, pesticides and dirt. I like to use white vinegar sprayed on and then rinsed off. Set on a towel to dry.

Slice the apples and remove the core. Don't remove the peel! The peel contains a significant amount of nutritional value.

Boil the apples for about 10 to 20 minutes or until tender. Add some lemon or lime juice into the water to prevent the enzymes from browning the apples.

Drain the apples. Keep the boiling water. You will add some of it back in when blending / food processing the apples. Add the water slowly until the applesauce reaches the desired consistency and thickness.

Do you like cinnamon flavored applesauce? If so, add it to the blender and blend in. Pour the applesauce back into the pot and keep it on low heat.

Now it is time to sterilize the canning jars, lids and canning tools. Boil them for ten minutes.

I like to use a canning funnel when loading the jars because it makes it much easier to load the jars without making a mess. Remember to leave 1/2 inch of head space in the jar. Put on a lid and screw down the ring clamp.

In a water bath canner process the jars for ten minutes. There needs to be at least one inch of water over the top of the jars. Add boiling water if there isn't enough water.

The processing time will vary depending on your altitude. Add 10 minutes of processing time for every two thousand feet above sea level. For example, if you live in Denver, Colorado, which is 5,000 feet above sea level then the processing time will be 30 minutes. This is because at higher altitudes the air pressure is lower and thus water will boil at a lower temperature than 212 degrees F. So you will need a longer processing time to ensure that you have good seal and that any harmful bacteria have been killed off.

Once the jars are done processing remove them from the water bath and rest them on a kitchen towel. Don't subject them to cold because the glass jar may crack and break. Let the jars rest overnight.

The next morning, check to see if the jars sealed correctly. The lid should be sucked down into the jar and not flex when you press on it. Store it in a cool, dark, dry pantry shelf. The applesauce will last for up to a year.

Looking for easy to make and delicious preserve recipes? Try my favorite canning pepper jelly recipe.

Preserve your garden's bounty with my free canning and preserving free 12 day mini course that will have you canning and preserving away like pro.

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How to Can Venison

2009-10-24T09:37:00.000-04:00

The frost has wiped out the last of my garden. I had hoped to be able to put up some crab apple jelly, but due to a poor summer and spring season, the crab apple trees didn't produce. I don't have anything left that needs canning.

I will be busy soon though. Where I live, deer hunting is very popular and the season is nearly upon us. I like to can a few quarts of venison each year. When canned, venison is so tender it just falls apart. It's great to use as a substitute when making roast beef or open faced sandwiches.

The best part is that it's easy to do. If you have never canned beef, pork or deer before, here is how to do it:

How to Can Venison

First wash your quart jars in hot soapy water. Rinse and sterilize them. I like to add a little bleach in my rinse water.

You can use any cut of deer meat for canning. I usually use the parts that aren't suitable for steak and roast. Cut the meat from the bone and trim any excess fat. Since deer is so lean, there won't be much fat to trim.

Fill each quart jar with pieces of deer meat, but do not pack tightly. Add 1 teaspoon of salt to each quart jar, if you desire.

Don't add any liquid to the jars. Wipe the mouth of the jars clean, place hot lids on the jars and screw on the bands firmly. Don't over tighten.

Never try canning meat in a hot water bath. The meat will be unsafe to eat. Only use a pressure canner.

Process quarts in a pressure canner at 10 pounds of pressure for 90 minutes. If your altitude is above 1000 feet, process at 15 pounds of pressure for 90 minutes.

Be sure to check the seals after cooling. Place any unsealed jars in the refrigerator and use the meat in a day or two. Store sealed jars in a cool dry place.

Hot Zucchini Pickle Relish

2009-09-19T12:01:00.000-04:00

If you like hot relish, you will love this recipe.

Hot Zucchini Relish

9 medium or 6 large zucchini, shredded
4 large onions. chopped
5 tablespoons salt

Mix all the above together and let sit for a few hours. Rinse with water and drain.
To drained zucchini add:

1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons celery seed
1 sweet bell pepper, chopped
6 hot peppers, chopped (adjust hotness by type of hot peppers used)
3 cups sugar
2-1/2 cups vinegar
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Place all ingredients in a pot and bring to medium heat. Reduce heat and let simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Pour into hot pint or half-pint jars and seal. Process in hot water bath for 10 minutes.

Zucchini Pickle Relish

2009-09-19T11:51:00.000-04:00

So sorry for taking so long to get this posted. Here is the recipe I promised.

Zucchini Relish

9 medium or 6 large zucchini, shredded
4 large onions. chopped
5 tablespoons salt

Mix all the above together and let sit for a few hours. Rinse with water and drain.
To drained zucchini add:

1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons celery seed
1 sweet red bell pepper, chopped
1 sweet green bell pepper, chopped
5 cups sugar
2-1/2 cups vinegar
1 teaspoon black pepper

Place all ingredients in a pot and bring to medium heat. Reduce heat and let simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Pour into hot pint or half-pint jars and seal. Process in hot water bath for 10 minutes.

Busy canning and freezing

2009-07-29T12:39:00.000-04:00

My garden has been keeping me busy this July. I have more cucumbers than I know what to do with. I've made both dill pickles and sweet pickles and given away sacks of cucumbers. I'm canning more pickles today. I also have small cucumber plants coming up, so I'll have a steady supply until fall. I may have made a mistake when I decided to plant that last crop!

As with most people this time of year, I've had plenty of zucchini. I just found out about canning zucchini relish and decided to try my hand at it. I first made sweet zucchini relish which turned out very well. I then decided to experiment and made a hot zucchini relish. I love it! I'll be sure to post both zucchini relish recipes for you.

Now that the tomatoes are in full swing we're having bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwiches every day. I can't think of anything much better. I decided to plant Better Boy hybrid tomatoes this year, along with 4 varieties of heirlooms. I planted a total of 41 tomato plants. At first I was worried about the heirlooms, but they are coming on strong. I haven't had enough to make salsa or spaghetti sauce with yet, but it won't be long now.

This year we planted 3 corn patches. The first one has just started producing. We're also having corn on the cob with cucumbers on a daily basis. Yummy! I managed to freeze 10 pints of corn yesterday. There will be many more pints to follow. Corn is one of the few things I always freeze instead of canning. I've also put a few quarts of broccoli in the freezer. Not much broccoli makes it's way to our freezer because we love it fresh and lightly cooked along with cheese sauce.

The green beans are producing like mad. I've been happily canning them all month long, and will be able to do so until frost. My youngest grandson simply loves my green beans and will sit and snap them with me while we watch a movie.

I still have hot and bell peppers to harvest. The pumpkins, butternut, and banana squash will follow later in the summer. I have some very large Connecticut Field pumpkins growing and loads of butternut squash. We tried growing something different this year and planted a pumpkin called Red Warty Thing from Jung Seeds. I'm anxious to try them this fall. It's supposed to rival Hubbard winter squash, which we've never had any luck growing. If it's similar in taste, I will be extremely pleased.

The highlight of my garden is my pole lima beans. Frost always ruins them before they are all ready and I'm able to get them all harvested, but those few pints I do manage to get canned make them worth the effort. I've tried all kinds of varieties of lima beans, including both bush and pole types. To me, the Christmas or Calico lima beans are far better in taste and canning abilities than any other type. If I manage to can a dozen pints this year I'll be happy. I'll let you know how it works out later this fall.

I hope your garden is doing well, or if you aren't able to grow your own, that your Farmer's Market has a good supply of fresh produce. Happy Canning!

Red Pickled Eggs

2009-07-02T10:58:00.000-04:00

These are the best Pickled Eggs I've ever tried! If you made pickled beets, use the excess beet cooking water or syrup to make these.

1 dozen Hard Boiled Eggs
2 Cups Sugar
2 Cups Beet Water (saved from cooking of beets)
2 Cups Vinegar
1 Tbsp. Cinnamon
1 tsp. Cloves
1 tsp. Allspice
1 tsp. Salt

Bring all ingredients other than eggs to a boil and pour over eggs packed in pint or quart jars. Refrigerate and let sit for at least 5 days for best flavor. Yummy!

Pickled Beets Recipe

2009-07-02T10:17:00.000-04:00

My garden just produced it's first bounty of beets this year. I'll be planting a fall crop of beets so I can put up even more of these delicious treats.

Pickled Beets

2-3 lbs Beets (young ones work best)
2 Cups Sugar
2 Cups Beet Water (save after first cooking of beets)
2 Cups Vinegar
1 Tbsp. Cinnamon
1 tsp. Cloves
1 tsp. Allspice
1 tsp. Salt

Wash beets, remove roots and leave 1" of stems. 
Cover with water and cook until just tender, 
approximately 15 minutes.
Drain, reserving the beets water. Cool the beets,
slip off skins and stems.

Pack pint jars with cooked beets. If very large, 
quarter or slice them.

In a large pot, combine sugar, beet water, vinegar,
spices and salt. Bring to a boil and pour over beets,
leaving 1" head space.
Hand tighten lids and process in hot water bath 
15 minutes. Makes 3-4 pints.

Be sure to save excess beet water to make Pickled Eggs!

Elderberry Jelly

2009-06-11T13:46:00.000-04:00

Elderberry Jelly (or Apple/Elderberry)

3-1/2 cups elderberry juice - approximately 3-1/2 lbs. ripe fruit
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
6-1/2 cups sugar
1 box powdered pectin
Apple juice (optional)

Begin preparing elderberries by washing berries and removing large stems. Place in large kettle and crush. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Strain through several layers of cheesecloth or jelly bag.

Measure elderberry juice. If you do not have enough juice to make 3-1/2, add apple juice or water to make up the difference. Add lemon juice and return to kettle.

Bring to a boil and add sugar, stirring constantly.

Add pectin and bring to a full rolling boil. Boil hard for 1 minute.

Remove from heat and skim off any foam. Pour into hot canning jars and hand tighten lids. Process in hot water bath for 5 minutes. Makes about 5 half pints.

For Apple/Elderberry Jelly, substitute 1/2 of the elderberry juice with apple juice. I actually prefer Apple/Elderberry over plain Elderberry Jelly. My husband likes Elderberry Jelly best. Try it both ways and see which one you like best.

Wild Grapes - Butter and Jelly

2009-06-11T12:37:00.000-04:00

If you're lucky enough to locate a large quantity of wild grapes, you simply have to try these recipes. They are delicious! The first recipe is for Wild Grape Butter, the second recipe is Wild Grape Jelly.

Wild Grape Butter

6 quarts wild grapes, stemmed
Water
4 quarts apples, quartered but not peeled
4 cups sugar

Cover grapes with water, bring to a boil and simmer 20 minutes. Drain through cheesecloth and save juice for jelly.

Place grape pulp in a few layers of cheesecloth and close top to form a loose bag. Return to the kettle. (This will keep seeds from getting into the apples.) Add apples and just cover with water. Bring to a boil and simmer 20 minutes. Drain and once again save juice for jelly.

Discard what's left of the grape pulp. Put the apple pulp through a sieve to remove skins and seeds. It should measure about 5 cups.

Place apple pulp into a kettle, add the sugar and bring to boiling, stirring constantly. Cook until desired consistency is achieved.

Pout into hot jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Process 5 minutes in hot water bath. Makes 4 half pints.

Wild Grape Jelly

6 cups wild grape juice
Juice of 1 lemon
1 box powdered fruit pectin
7-1/2 cups sugar

Add strained lemon juice to wild grape juice. Heat to boiling.

Add the pectin and again bring to a boil. Stir in the sugar.

Bring to a rolling boil and boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and skim if desired.

Pour into hot jars and process for 5 minutes in hot water bath. Makes 6 half pints.

Pizza Sauce

2009-05-11T19:18:00.000-04:00

This is a good basic pizza sauce recipe for canning. Be sure to stir the sauce often as it thickens to prevent sticking. This recipe doubles well.

10 pounds tomatoes
4 cloves garlic, mashed
2 tsp. rubbed oregano
1 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. basil
3 cups chopped onions
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. salt
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. ground red pepper

Peel and chop tomatoes. In a large pot, add tomatoes and all other ingredients; simmer for 20 minutes. Run the sauce through a sieve or food mill. Return to the pot and simmer,
stirring frequently to avoid scorching the bottom and cook down till about half the volume.

Pour into hot pint jars, leaving 1/2 inch of head space. Wipe the rims of the jars clean
with a damp cloth. Place hot, previously boiled lids on the jars and screw down the rings.
Process pints 35 minutes in boiling water bath.

Yield: About 3 pints.

Hush Puppy Recipe with Summer Squash

2009-05-11T17:13:00.001-04:00

If you run out of things to do with summer squash, this recipe is a treat. You can make these hush puppies using fresh squash, or from squash you have canned for winter use. I found this recipe on the internet and now keep canned squash to have yummy hush puppies year round.

Squash Puppies

1 cup mashed squash
1/2 cup self-rising flour
1/2 cup self-rising cornmeal
1 egg
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt

Mix together and drop by teaspoonfuls into hot oil. Cook until golden. Eat while warm.

If you've never canned squash before, it's easy to do. Cut squash into slices and put into jars. Add a teaspoon of salt to each quart and fill with boiling water, leaving an inch of head room. Process in a pressure canner at 10 lbs. of pressure for 30 minutes.

Blueberry Pie Filling

2009-05-11T15:57:00.000-04:00

7 quarts fresh blueberries
4 1/2 cups white sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon salt
10 cups water, divided
1 cup cornstarch

Place the blueberries, sugar, lemon juice, salt, and 8 cups of water into a large pot, and bring to a boil over high heat. Dissolve the cornstarch in the remaining 2 cups of water, and stir into the boiling blueberries until thickened. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more.

Ladle into 7 quart jars. Process in a pressure canner for 5 minutes at 5 pounds of pressure.

Apple Pie Filling

2009-05-11T15:43:00.000-04:00

Cut apples into eights

Mix together, in a large pot:
4-1/2 cups Sugar
1 cup Cornstarch
2 teaspoons Cinnamon

Add 10 Cups Water

Boil until thick, stirring often.
Remove from heat and add 2 tablespoons lemon juice.
Fill jars with apple slices, leaving 1" at the top.
Cover with hot juice mixture just prepared.
Process in hot water bath 20 minutes.

Yield: About 7 quarts.

Bananna Pepper Mustard

2009-05-11T13:59:00.000-04:00

25-30 banana peppers
1 quart mustard
1 quart vinegar
4 cups sugar
1 cup flour

Puree peppers
Add to other ingredients
Cook until mixture thickens
Pour into 8 pint size jars
Process in hot water bath 30 minutes

Homemade Catsup Recipe

2009-05-11T13:38:00.000-04:00

48 ripe tomatoes
2 ripe (red) sweet peppers, seeded
2 green sweet peppers, seeded
4 onions
3 cups white vinegar
3 cups sugar or honey
3 tablespoons salt
3 tablespoons dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
Tie the following ingredients in cheesecloth or place in a tea ball:
1-1/2 teaspoons whole allspice
1-1/2 teaspoons whole cloves
1-1/2 teaspoons broken stick cinnamon

Yield: about 5-6 pints

Chop and begin stewing tomatoes over medium high heat.

Chop the onions and bell pepper and add them to the tomatoes. Stew for 15 minutes.

Add the spices, herbs, vinegar and sugar. Cook for 15 minutes then remove the spice bag. Cook another 15 minutes.

Run cooked mixture through a food mill, removing seeds and skins. The sauce should be about the consistency of thick tomato sauce. If not, return to the pot over medium heat until thickened, stirring often to prevent sticking.

Pour into hot pint jars and process pints for 30 minutes in hot water bath.

Spicy Chili Sauce

2009-05-11T13:23:00.000-04:00

2 cups sweet green peppers, chopped
2 cups chopped onions
24 large tomatoes(4 quarts peeled, cored, chopped)
1 tsp. ground allspice
1 tbls. salt
1 1/4 cup vinegar
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 tbls. celery seed
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cloves

Combine and add all ingredients to a heavy sauce pan. Bring to a boil and simmer 1 to 2 hours or till desired thickness has been reached. Stir often to prevent sticking.

Pack hot pint jars with hot prepared tomato mixture leaving 1/2-inch head space. Remove air bubbles. Wipe rim and screw threads and adjust lids and screw bands.

Process pints in boiling water bath canner for 15 minutes.

Yield: About 6 pints

Chili Sauce

2009-05-11T13:16:00.000-04:00

10 pounds tomatoes, peeled, cored and chopped
3 tablespoons vegetable or Olive oil
3 medium onions, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons oregano
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper, optional

In a large preserving kettle or saucepan, heat the oil. Add onion
and garlic and cook over medium heat until tender but not brown,
stirring frequently.

Add all remaining ingredients and simmer about 2 hours, stirring
occasionally.

Press tomato mixture through food mill, discard seeds and bay
leaves. Return tomato mixture to kettle and simmer over medium high
heat until it reaches the thickness you prefer. Stir frequently.

Ladle or pour hot sauce into hot jars to within 1/2 inch of tops.

Wipe tops and threads of jars with damp clean cloth.

Put on lids and screw bands as manufacturer directs.

Process in a boiling water bath 30 minutes.

Spaghetti Sauce II

2009-05-11T13:00:00.000-04:00

30 pounds whole tomatoes, peeled and chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup green bell pepper, chopped
2 Tbsp. oregano
4 Tbsp. fresh parsley, minced
2 tsp. black pepper
4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil

In a heavy sauce pan, saute garlic, peppers, and onions in oil until tender. In a large pot, combine with tomatoes and remaining spices and bring to a boil. Simmer uncovered until thick enough for serving. Volume will be reduced by almost one-half. Stir often to prevent sticking.

Pack hot pint jars with hot tomato mixture leaving 1-inch head space.

Process in a pressure canner at 10 pounds pressure pints 20 minutes, quarts 25 minutes.

Yield: approximately 9 pints

Tomato Soup

2009-05-11T12:47:00.000-04:00

1/2 bushel tomatoes (4 gallons)
6 onions
1/2 bunch celery
sprig of fresh basil (or 1 tsp. dried basil)
1 pound margarine
5 Tbsp. salt
1 cup sugar
10 Tbsp. cornstarch

Lemon juice for each quart made (do not add to mixture)

Cook tomatoes, onions, celery, and basil in a large pot until vegetables are soft. Put through a foodmill to remove seeds and skins. Return to pot, bring to a boil.

Mix together margarine, salt, sugar, cornstarch and enough water to make a paste. Mix together with tomato mixture slowly, making sure it does not lump. After adding above ingredients, continue cooking 1/2 hour, stirring often.

Pour hot soup into hot jars. Add 2 tsp. lemon juice for each quart jar. Process in boiling water bath 45 minutes for qts. In pressure canner, process 15 minutes at 10 pounds pressure for
pints, and 20 minutes at 10 pounds pressure for quarts.

Yield: approximately 6-8 quarts

Spaghetti Sauce

2009-05-11T12:29:00.000-04:00

1/2 bushel tomatoes, peeled & chopped
2 green sweet peppers, chopped
3 hot peppers, chopped
3 lb. onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
4 (12 oz.) cans tomato paste
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup salt
2 cups olive oil
2 Tbsp. basil
2 Tbsp. oregano

Combine ingredients and cook slowly until desired consistency is reached, stirring often. (This may take several hours.) Fill hot sterilized jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace and process in hot water bath canner for 25 minutes.

Yield: Approximately 6 quarts

Tomato Taco Salsa

2009-05-11T11:58:00.000-04:00

8 quarts peeled, cored, and chopped tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, crushed
5 cups chopped onions
4 jalapeno peppers, seeded, chopped
4 long green chiles, seeded, chopped
2 1/2 cups vinegar
2 tablespoons salt
1 1/2 tablespoons black pepper
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons oregano leaves (optional)
1 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)

Combine ingredients in a large saucepan.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently until thick (about 1 hour).
Ladle hot mixture into pint jars, leaving one-half inch headspace.
Process in hot water bath canner 15 minutes.

Yield: approximately 11 pints

Tomato Salsa

2009-05-11T11:37:00.000-04:00

3 quarts tomatoes, peeled and chopped
4 cups bell peppers, chopped
1 cup jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
1 cup long green chilies, peeled, seeded, and chopped
3 cups onions, chopped
3 cups celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 12-ounce cans tomato paste
2 cups bottled lemon juice
1 Tbsp. salt
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp. ground cumin (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a large
saucepan and heat, stirring frequently,
until mixture boils. Reduce heat and
simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasion-
ally. Ladle hot salsa into clean, hot pint
jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Process pints in hot water bath for 15 minutes.

Yield: 9 to 12 pints

Welcome

2009-05-11T11:27:00.000-04:00

Canning and preserving fresh produce from my garden gives me the greatest satisfaction. I love to admire the rows of canned food lined up on the shelves in my cellar. When I open a jar of food to use in the kitchen, the taste can't be compared to a store bought product. It's so much better!

After years of storing my canned foods in closets and under beds, my husband built a cellar for me. It's wonderful. I have it filled with canned green beans, pickled beans, tomato juice, whole tomatoes, salsa, spaghetti sauce, pizza sauce, squash, pickled beets, dill and sweet pickles, navy beans, lima beans, vegetable and tomato soups, chili sauce, and jellies.

Here are some of my most favorite recipes for you to use when harvesting your vegetable garden.