What are you canning now?

[galanie]

Chickens ADORE Japanese beetles!

I grow most of my garlic in a regular garden bed. But I do plant it here and there just for the heck of it. They are great with roses since they both love the same conditions and do help keep stuff off the roses. I mainly stick them where they can stay because around here, other plants get removed and things replanted before the garlic is ready in the spring. So off to the edges of the tomato bed, etc. Never are they closer than a foot from another plant's base and pulling them doesn't seem to disturb whatever is there. I use raised beds too.

 

[PuffyChick]

That's why we have chickens now

To eat the beetles I mean.



On a side note has anyone ever canned meatloaf?
What do you all think?
I love meatloaf sandwiches and this just looks awesome to me.

#!

 

[Cryptkeeper]

Just finished 6 quarts and 2 pints of cowboy candy, and until I can afford a new food mill my 50 lbs of apples will have to wait until then...cmon Nov 8!!!

 

[galanie]

That's why we have chickens now
To eat the beetles I mean.



On a side note has anyone ever canned meatloaf?
What do you all think?
I love meatloaf sandwiches and this just looks awesome to me.

#!

I canned meatloaf a couple weeks ago. It's good but as soon as I open the can I think, "dog food." I can't help it, canned ground beef just smells like dog food. But it's still good! You can slice it off and fry the slices or whatever you like to do with it. Just be sure to use widemouth straight sided jars.

Oh, and no cracker meal or bread crumbs. Supposedly they create such a dense product that sterilization can't be guaranteed.

 

[Happy Chooks]

I wouldn't be able to get over it smelling like dog food. And meatloaf without bread crumbs?

 

[PuffyChick]

Hrm, glad I asked you guys first. I would have used rice as my filler. But if it smells like dogfood ..forget that.

I am trying to get items my meat and potato loving man would eat out of a jar..who knew it would be so hard to find something for him to like!!

Can you can ham? Does it dry it out? (like that over cooked texture dry out?)

I have the ball book for preserving but I only see very basic recipes for pressure canning.

 

[mickey328]

Puffy, have a look at pickyourown.org. If you scroll down near the bottom, they have lots and lots of recipes for canning all kinds of stuff.

I went with canning things separately rather than together. I have beef, chicken, potatoes, carrots, green beans,etc. For a quick meal, it's just open 3 jars, heat and eat. It just seemed to me that if I put it all together, it'd all come out like stew, LOL. So far, it's been easy, tasty and quick.

 

[rancher hicks]

Puffy, have a look at pickyourown.org. If you scroll down near the bottom, they have lots and lots of recipes for canning all kinds of stuff.

I went with canning things separately rather than together. I have beef, chicken, potatoes, carrots, green beans,etc. For a quick meal, it's just open 3 jars, heat and eat. It just seemed to me that if I put it all together, it'd all come out like stew, LOL. So far, it's been easy, tasty and quick.

This is a good idea. I haven't gotten a pressure cooker yet though.

Beetles. I haven't seen many JB's here. Just a few.

Chef's A Field had a great show today. The featured resturant made Sweet potato soup and did a dish with Turnips and Apples. Any one here plant sweet potatoes.

 

[vfem]

I haven't gotten to preserve in awhile (I did do 8 Quarts of Chicken Stock 2 weeks ago, I would have done more but it got late and I just froze the last 2 quarts).

I am going to pick up my preserves from the fair today though, I didn't enter anywhere near what I usually do. I usually max out my 15 jam entries and do at least 3 veggies (dried/pickles/ect). Then I do 1-2 baked goods and a recipe competition. This year I did 11 jams total and 1 thing of pickles. That's it. I was kinda 'outta sorts' the last couple of months. But just so I don't go giving up... I've already started my recipe ideas for next year so I can test phase a few before then and be prepared next time around.

But even with all my feelings of total failure lately... I did squeeze by with a 3rd place w/ Hot Pepper Jelly, 3rd place w/ blueberry jam and 2nd place with Pear butter.

Hopefully that will push me forward so I'm more motivated next time around.

 

[galanie]

To me, a win is when I actually like whatever I put up! If you like what you made, it's a winner every time.