What are you canning now?

[Firefyter-Emt]

Well, I finished a batch on Friday:

4.5 pints of strawberry-rhubarb jam
4.5 pints of blueberry jam
(The pints are for us, the half pints can be gifted I like to make a couple per batch. This way the big pints do not hurt as much!)

And a first for me, 5 quarts of chicken stock out of my pressure canner. This is my first year with the pressure canner and I love it! You can do so much more with it. I need to build a new "canned goods" storage cabinet in out cellar. I am taking over our kitchen cabintes and its not really the best place to store it. We have had a mild summer so I am not really worried, but I need the space!
I have 8.5 pints of the strawberry-rhubarb and 12 pints of blueberry (and one pint of rhubarb) 6 quarts of beans, 2 quarts of pickles and 5 quarts of stock! Not mind blowing, but it's taking up half a cabinet now!

PS, for my jam, I have been making these cool labels and it was published by one of my favorite web blogs for southern cooking. Check this out! (I have started making them for the half pints only now for my "gifting jam")

http://www.southernplate.com/2009/08/simply-brilliant-canning-labels.html

 

[tampitt]

Quote:
Well right now it sloshes about like water with strawberry slices in it. We'll wait and see how it goes, there's something on the www.freshpreserving.com website that says how to remake jams and jellies after 2 weeks. The ice cream topping idea sounds really yummy though.

 

[ozark hen]

Quote:
Well right now it sloshes about like water with strawberry slices in it. We'll wait and see how it goes, there's something on the www.freshpreserving.com website that says how to remake jams and jellies after 2 weeks. The ice cream topping idea sounds really yummy though.

My strawberry/blueberry jam was too loose for me so I diced up a Granny Smith apple into tiny pieces and redid my jam and it turned out perfect. It did take a week or so to set in the jars but the green apple's natural pectin made it set up beautifully. Now I prefer using the apple instead of Surejel when making strawberry jam, for some reason, it just seems more liquidy than other jams. You don't even realize there is apple in it. Well I couldn't sleep so I just finished putting up eleven half pints of grape jelly from grape juice. SureJel works great with the grape jelly.

 

[Firefyter-Emt]

I have had problems making my strawberry-rhubarb as well. Out of three batches, I had to re-make two of them. It was pretty easy to do by adding sugar, lemon juice, and pectin. The info that comes with the pectin (liquid boxes) has a short section on how to re-make the jam. I can get the exact portions per cup of jam if you would like. If they have not set in a week, I re-make them myself.

 

[Dragonfly Ranch]

I'm so jealous reading all the posts from the weekend. We went to visit my mother this weekend so no canning.

Made fig bread when we got home and its OK. Didn't have the sherry to soak figs in so used rum - didn't have any nutmeg so used the usual pumpkin pie spices -but still not much flavor. But really nice and moist. Will have to try another recipe. Sometimes its a bummer living 20 minutes from the closest store - so you just make due and hope for the best.

My husband leaves for his annual 3 month job in the Napa Valley this weekend so will have to can more to keep my mind off missing him so much.

Saw a recipe for making your own Vanilla Extract - so will post tomorrow.

Every one's pictures are great we should all take pictures and post for inspiration - like we need it!

Sandee

 

[Kim_NC]

Sandee - I'd like to know how the Vanilla Extract turns out. I have some extract recipes but haven't tried them. Really curious....they use vodka.

You're so right...others' photos are inspiring. Just when I think I might be getting tired of canning season, I come here and see photos. Then my batteries are recharged. LOL

I finally managed to get a few photos done this time.

Over the weekend I did...

10 qts Low Carb Vegetable Soup

Here is the soup in progress...tomatoes, cabbage, snap beans, onion, celery, garlic, zucchini/squash, chicken broth. It would normally be a bit more red. But I had heirloom Mr Stripey tomatoes, mostly yellow, to work with. Also I used some yellow Patty Pan squash instead of all Zucchini.

And the finished canned soup, plus I did....

7 half pints Blueberry Jam
10 half pints Blueberry Peach Jam
3 pints Peaches (leftover from the jam and a Peach Cobbler, so I canned them up LOL)

There's also a small jar of Black Bean & Corn Salsa in there from last week. Just thought it added nice color to the photo.

, Silly Me

The Peach Cobbler....not bad for an afterthought

And another dehydrator full of Sun Dried Tomatoes....yellow this time. Husky Gold and more Mr Stripey

Here's a sampling of them finished - both yellow and some of the red with sea salt and basil from last week. I'm working on bagging and labeling the red for sale.

And DH handled freezing...all on his own! He finished...

14 pints frozen Cream Corn
4 gallons frozen Bell Peppers - 2 Green, 1 Yellow, 1 Chocolate

Gotta love a man who's good on the farm and in the kitchen. So sorry, I do not have a photo of his hard work.

edited: oopsss...messed up a photo tag

 

[Kim_NC]

Jen4, it takes about 7 hrs for 5 trays to dry in my Nesco dehydrator. It has a fan but is a low grade model compared to something like the Excaliber.

I slice them about 1/4" thick, sprinkle with salt and any desired herbs. On a rainy or humid day it takes a couple hours longer to dry. I like them pliable and kinda 'leathery', not brittle.

I'm also thinking of putting some in small decorative jars with extra virgin olive oil. That would give us a very nice looking and pricey (value added) product at the farmers markets. Those are the kind of things DH & I use to keep customers coming back at the markets....they like the products with ingenuity.

 

[chicken stalker]

Quote:
What would you use them for in oil? I'm not a tomato lover but I like interested things.

 

[insiderart]

I forgot to tell you. I made vanilla extract once. It was great. I ordered the vanilla beans from san francisco herb farm as it was cheaper than what I could find locally.

You can also make vanilla sugar by putting a vanilla bean in some sugar. Shake it up every few days or so and then voila vanilla sugar.

 

[Kim_NC]

Quote:
What would you use them for in oil? I'm not a tomato lover but I like interested things.

Many pasta or sauce recipes call for them. Here's an example:

http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1925,153190-245199,00.html

Quote:
Did your recipe use vodka?

And come on over...there's cobbler left for tonight's dessert.