What did you make from your garden today?

[Mrs J]

Great thread!
I have made a few Jars of homemade mint sauce and roasted tomato soup.

 

[Sally PB]

I'll find out if my $10 Goodwill pressure cooker works.

But I'm guessing that salsa is acidic enough that a water bath would work.

Yes, tomato-based salsa is ok to waterbath can. I add bottled lemon juice for the acidifier.

The only thing I have concerns with is the pressure gauge and whether it's accurate.

As someone said, your county extension office probably will check it. Go to their website to find out if they offer that service.

I'll be canning tomatoes soon...

 

[Smokerbill]

Yes, tomato-based salsa is ok to waterbath can. I add bottled lemon juice for the acidifier.

As someone said, your county extension office probably will check it. Go to their website to find out if they offer that service.

I'll be canning tomatoes soon...

Seems like the local extension office doesn't test canner gauges. So, I just ordered this Schrader valve from Amazon.



I'll screw it into the vent pipe port, carefully pressurize the canner to 10 or 11 pounds on the gauge with my compressor, then verify the pressure using my low pressure automotive tire pressure gauge. Seems pretty straighforward to me.

And I read somewhere that the tilted gauges can't or won't be tested anyway for some reason. A new replacement gauge would be $20.

 

[Sequel]

I know my old canner is a heavy, well made thing. The new seal/overpressure valve replacements cost only about ten bucks, too. The only thing I have concerns with is the pressure gauge and whether it's accurate.

I guess I could mount a Schraeder tire valve in place of the little overpressure relief valve and pressurize the canner with my air compressor to 10 or 15 pounds and see if it matches the mounted pressure gauge.

Maybe pickle some green beans??? Or just let them keep growing until they've matured into dry beans when you have enough green preserved.

I will end up with shelled dry beans for sure. We’ve had them for several years and they are so good! I forgot to ask at the hardware store about getting the gauge checked. They used to know a lot about that stuff.

 

[Smokerbill]

I will end up with shelled dry beans for sure. We’ve had them for several years and they are so good! I forgot to ask at the hardware store about getting the gauge checked. They used to know a lot about that stuff.

Some of those older local hardware stores are great resources for a lot of things that mega stores don't offer.

 

[Sammster]

Great thread!
I have made a few Jars of homemade mint sauce and roasted tomato soup.

Ooo... roasted tomato soup. That sounds so good

 

[Mrs J]

Ooo... roasted tomato soup. That sounds so good

It is delicious even if I do say so myself the key is to roast the tomatoes in the Aga/oven so they go all mushy, remove skin and put in a blender with other ingredients, then throw back in the oven on a low heat, make a basil paste to top and hey presto! We do the same with vegetable soup, any vegetables that are about to go off are thrown in, so nothing gets wasted. We also use a thick uncut loaf, cut it into little cubes, dress with bit of olive oil, rosemary and thyme and roast in the oven to make croutons.

 

[Acre4Me]

Ooo... roasted tomato soup. That sounds so good

When I roast tomatoes for soup, I use canned tomatoes, remove any seeds, lay them on a lined pan and sprinkle with a little brown sugar. Roast at a higher temp, until browned and sugar is caramelized, then blend! Add a few seasonings, then finally a bit of cream. But, the roasting increases flavor!

 

[karenerwin]

Zucchini cake from golden zucchini. Making the frosting now.

Care to share your recipe ?

 

[karenerwin]

Great thread!
I have made a few Jars of homemade mint sauce and roasted tomato soup

I would like your roasted tomato soup recipe if you’d care to share it.