What are you canning now? - Page 645

 Howdy stranger! I have been busy with greenhouse stuff, Maybe the economy is on an up swing, we want to be ready for it.

 

I woke up this morning thinking about our garden and wondering what to do with all of my broccoli this year. Broccoli jam doesn't sound very yum.

The birds have consumed all my black berries as they have been ripening, same with blue berries, but it has been so so so dry down here that I can't hold it against them.

My potatoes never had a chance. Dehydrated potatoes.

Hey GOOD!!!

 

Well I have 4 quarts of potatoes in the canner now decompressing. Made for beautiful potatoes in those jars! I left the skins on, and I mixed the red skin with the yukon and they're just PRETTY!

 

I still can't get over those darn potatoes. I was so ready for disappointment.

 

Anyways... getting impatient as the raspberries are all blushed and I got maybe 1 yesterday... NEED MORE RASPBERRIES!!!! Heheheh

 

Well, I missed you guys, and now that canning time is back so am I. I hope people who started canning and stuff due to the economy don't quit it because they feel things are getting better. Part of the reason its getting ANY better at all is because we've all learned about self preservation and the demand for quality over quanity. Can't beat back yard goods and our hard work on the shelf to enjoy when we miss the days of the garden.

 

Well, that's my view anyways!

So Vfem, how did you actually can your potatoes?  Mine are just surfacing out of the ground and every night after work, I go beetle hunting. They won't be ready until August at the earliest.  I still have about ten left from last year, albeit with blooming eyes.  

But I was wondering whether you just cut them up and put them in with water and then into the pressure canner for 40 minutes or so.  If they were precooked, wouldn't they be totally mashed and soggy?
 

My cucumbers are just starting to make. In the morning I'll have enough to make 1 quart of dill pickles. lol I've got more dill than I know what to do with. If my cucumbers catch up to my dill, I'll be in business.

I finally got around to canning my frozen figs!! Got 12 half-pint jars. And it came out just as good as the fresh ones, only the color was a little darker and there was more liquid in them to cook down.

This year's crop of figs is about a month away, so I guess we'll have even more fig preserves.

Made Strawberry Habanero Jam on Tuesday - 

recipe here http://theflamingpotholder.com/2012/05/04/strawberry-habanero-jam/?blogsub=confirming#blog_subscription-2

 

Yesterday found blueberries on sale at Aldi's for $1.49 a pint...

So I made Blueberry Pie Filling made 7 quarts

 

and I did some experiments as well - dill pickled zucchini, dill pickled beans, and dill pickled snow peas....

 

 

I actually put the cut potatoes in a bowl of water and lemon juice so they didn't brown, then I blanched them in boiling wait for about 3-4 minutes. I drained in the sink and brought fresh water with 2 tsp of kosher salt back to a boil. I stuffed the jars with the blanched potatoes, and then covered in the hot water. Pressure canner 40 minutes at 10 lbs.

 

Hope you guys are putting these in the recipe book. 

vfem....I have never tried canning spuds, but you have encouraged me!

I am guessing you used qts?

I don't blanch mine.  I just chop them up and freeze.  They are easy to pull out of the freezer to add to dishes that way.  I need to finish mine up from last year before this years bell peppers start producing.

Yes, I did do them in quarts.... 1 Qt should be enough for mashed potatoes enough to feed my husband, daughter and self for 1 meal. Good meal ration.