What are you canning now?

[1mommahen]

Great minds think alike!!!

 

[PuffyChick]

For those wanting my apple pie filling I got it here::

(ment to add here that if you try this apple pie filling dont over pack the apples. The sauce is super thick and needs space to seep to the bottom.)

http://arianeshomemadecravings.blogspot.com/2012/03/canned-apple-pie-filling.html

A few things I found totally worth it or very helpful. I bought an apple peeler/slicer/corer.
The kind that sticks to the counter ..I went through about 30 lbs of apples in less than 30 odd minutes?

I was laughing all the way. Then once I got the peels and cores ..I tossed those to one bowl I had made
up of 2 teaspoons white vinegar and 2 teaspoons salt to roughly 1 gallon of water. (depends how big your bowl is)
I found this mixture in an older canning book my mom gave me and it works 100 times better than lemon juice.

I tossed the nice sliced pieces in their own seperate clean mix after I cut them in half.

None...NONE of my apples even tried to turn bown ..heheh.

Enjoy.

 

[rancher hicks]

Your shelving unit looks just like mine!

And all I've done is applesauce, tomatoes jellies and jams. Quite honestly I don't know where we're going to put stuff. I put the jams and jellies in the bedroom closet since it stays cooler, but I don't know where to put the other stuff.

Now I have to ask do they sell pressure cookers that are small enough to just do pints? I really don't want to spend money on a big one since it's just the two of us. We don't know quarts of to many things.

 

[CarolJ]

And last, thanks for the basil jelly recipe, I followed it and used the liquid pectin, only it has not set yet. I did leave it in the canner about 5 extra minutes, got a work call, any ideas what is wrong or does it just take a couple of weeks to set up?

I always leave mine in the canner longer than recommended - just to have a measure of extra security as far as killing any possible bacteria. So I don't think leaving it in longer would cause it not to set.

I've only used liquid pectin twice - and it didn't set either time. Each time I've used the powdered pectin, it has set. So I tossed out any liquid pectin I had left - and plan to use only powdered from now on. I've got a batch of pear jelly I've got to re-do because of the liquid pectin not setting.

I sold 7 jars of my basil jelly at our church's fall festival last night. People were intrigued because most of them had never heard of it. I had to explain how to use it.

 

[PuffyChick]

My Ginger Vanilla Apple Jelly ...made from the juice of peelings and cores even ...has NOT set yet ..and I used liquid pectin as well.

I am so so so disgusted with liquid pectin.

Anyone want to trade for something? I have 4 or so pouchs left ..LOL

 

[mickey328]

Grandma always used the liquid Certo from the bottle but I too have never had much luck with it. I'll stick to the powdered, thank you hehe

I wonder if all the natural pectin in the apple peels/cores had something to do with it? It could be that, with the natural and the added, it was too much. You might try recooking it...or be lazy like me and just use it "soupy" LOL

First thing this morning, I went and picked our plums...got enough to make a nice batch of plum jam...one of our super favorites.

Ran out at 11am to our local farmers' market. Scored 3 boxes of Romas that were just picked this morning. Also picked up a bag of various veggies. Came home, put the 'maters in a cooler and hosed 'em down cuz they were a bit dirty and set DH up using the food mill. We strained all the pulp and ended up with tons of juice and thicker pulp. Then, we hauled out the Champion and ran all the peels through that along with some parsley, lettuce, carrots, basil, beets, celery, onion, sweet red pepper, zucchini and garlic. The chickens got the dried pulp and leavings. They weren't very excited though, so the bulk of it went on the compost pile.

Now, we're exhausted, LOL. It's all in the fridge so tomorrow I just have to can it. I'll do the plain stewed tomatoes first and while those are processing ( figure probably about 9 quarts, so 2 batches), I'll mix all the juice and season it and then can it as well. I'm thinking about 8 or 9 quarts of that as well. Whoohoo!

Lots of work but I'm just anticipating all that fresh tasting stuff over the winter...yum!

 

[PuffyChick]

This is the next thing I want to try but I want to spice it up more.

http://www.foodiewithfamily.com/200...ce-blend-wallops-the-dang-out-of-storebought/

I love the tomato juice you get on airplanes ..Mr & Mrs T's So I want to spice up some of my own yummyness.

Plus tomato juice straight out of a glass pint would be ice ice cold and so good!

 

[sonew123]

My Ginger Vanilla Apple Jelly ...made from the juice of peelings and cores even ...has NOT set yet ..and I used liquid pectin as well.

I am so so so disgusted with liquid pectin.

Anyone want to trade for something? I have 4 or so pouchs left ..LOL

I have 20 BOXES,! ;( they are going on ebay!

 

[chicken stalker]

I have 20 BOXES,! ;( they are going on ebay!

I hate using liquid. I think it tastes funny too!

 

[Pozees]

I decided this is the year I'm going to try canning. Really wish I had done a few years ago when I had a stellar harvest, but maybe getting my feet wet when I don't have much is the way to go, and I can always visit local farmers' stands if I decide I need to do more. Ordered a water bath canner and a few accessories. Seriously considering a pressure canner, but I wanted to consult the experts with my reasoning before I invest.

I am not big on dinner, but DH is pretty fond of it, and this time of year we are so busy I have found myself falling into the habit of serving those frozen "dinner for two" - he can finish one by himself because it's his only actual meal all day, he has an apple and banana in the morning, maybe some toast, and skips lunch, so he's pretty hungry for dinner

Anyway - I am wondering if there are recipes for similar meals that I could can and just reheat. They are usually based on starch - mainly pasta, sometimes potatoes or rice, which I can cook fresh easily, but the meat, veggies and sauce are what I'm interested in preserving. Seems like I should be able to do it, but I'm afraid there's something important I am not thinking of.