Quick! Cranberry Sauce

I went to the grocery store today - I highly advise against it. It was a madhouse- people everywhere scrambling for food, climbing over each other to get to the turkeys. Insanity.

Hopefully you didn't wait until the last minute to get your groceries. Hopefully you prepared way in advance and have everything ready. But in case you didn't here's a really simple (and tasty) side you can contribute to your Thanksgiving feast.

Quick! Cranberry Sauce
(printable recipe)

1 1/4 c apple cider
1 cinnamon stick
4 cloves
1 c sugar
1 package (12 oz) cranberries
2 small pears (or apples) diced

Bring the apple cider, cinnamon, and cloves to a boil. Boil for about 5 minutes, until fragrant. Remove the cloves and cinnamon. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved.
Add the cranberries and pears, turn the heat down and simmer about 10-15 minutes until the berries have burst and the sauce begins to come together. Turn off the heat and let it sit for a few minutes before serving. Can be made in advance, just refrigerate and rewarm the next day.

This sauce can also be processed in a water bath canner. The recipe makes about 4 half pints. Process for 15 minutes.

Sweet Potato Butter

October seems to be flying by, doesn't it? I promised myself I would share this Sweet Potato Butter with you before the month was out, and I will even if it means this post will be a bit short. So without further ado, check out the recipe below from Stephen Palmer Dowdney's Putting Up (one of my fave books for canning recipes). Sweet Potato Butter would be perfect to prep now and have on hand to make pies for the holidays, don't you think?

Sweet Potato Butter
adapted from Putting Up
(printable recipe)

4 c sweet potatoes, cooked, peeled, and mashed (3 lbs sweet potatoes)
3/4 c apple juice
1 c light brown sugar
1 c sugar
1/2 c orange juice
1/2 c lemon juice
1/4 c cider vinegar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. salt

Cook the potatoes in the oven or microwave until soft, peel them and puree them in a food processor with the apple juice until smooth. Place in a pot with remaining ingredients and bring to a low boil for 10 minutes. Process in a hot water bath for 20 minutes. (see Canning Basics) Makes 3 pints.

Sweet potato butter is great on sandwiches, (I like to add it to a peanut butter banana sandwich) and delicious slathered on grilled meats. It can also be used as a pie filling as I mentioned above. Here's how to do it: Add 1 beaten egg to a pint jar's worth of sweet potato butter and fold in thoroughly. Pour into a half baked pie crust and bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes.

Okra Pickles

My little brother Alex is a fried okra fiend, I've never seen him not order it when its available. I like okra too, but it doesn't always shout out at me from the menu. Although I'm always jealous when I see that he's ordered some and I missed out. The rest of my family (like most) don't really care for the slimy texture. For them I would recommend the Okra Pickle, it is crisp and tangy, with a mustard and garlic flavor.

Hank's sister Larue got me hooked on these at a family function. I was pretty curious about them, since there's not many pickles I don't like. I had to try one and they were an instant hit - I think we polished off all the okra pickles on the relish tray, they were so good.

Try these and see what you think.


Okra Pickles
adapted from Putting Up by Steven Palmer Dowdney

(printable recipe)

3 lbs. okra, rinsed & stems trimmed
8 cloves garlic
4 tsp. mustard seed
1 red bell pepper*
4 c white vinegar
2 c water
6 tbsp. salt
4 pint jars

Place 2 cloves garlic and 1 tsp. mustard seed in each jar. Fill each jar with okra pointing up, place a second layer of okra pointing down. Trim if necessary to keep okra from sticking above the jar line. Slice the bell pepper in thin strips and press into the sides of each jar.
Bring the vinegar, water, and salt to a boil. Pour over the okra, leaving 1/2" headspace. Secure lids and rings and process for 15 minutes in a hot water bath. (see Canning Basics)

*the original recipe called for hot peppers, somehow I didn't have any around so I used a bell pepper. Either one will do.

Prickly Pear Jam

If you happen to spot some tunas, or prickly pears at the market be sure to snatch them up. I found these at Supermercado Mexico, 10 for $1. I bought 20 to make jam and a few extras to snack on, but you might want to get a few more to make this agua fresca or my tequila granita, both very tasty!

Prickly Pear Jam is sweet with just a hint of tartness from lemon, the flavor is somewhat like a papaya jam I made earlier this year. This is an interesting and tasty preserve to add to your repertoire and a great way to use a lesser known fruit!

Prickly Pear Jam
(printable recipe)

4 c prickly pear pulp (with seeds)*
3 c sugar
grated rind & juice from 2 lemons

Bring all ingredients to a boil in a stainless steel pot. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes, or until thick. Prepare canner, jars, and lids (see Canning Basics).
Pour into 4 half pint jars and process for 10 minutes in a hot water bath.

*You may wish to strain out the seeds and pulp to make jelly. I actually like the seeds, they give the finished jam a jewel-like appearance and add texture but I know others prefer to leave them out. Follow these changes if you’re not a seed fan:

Prickly Pear Jelly
(printable recipe)

1 c prickly pear juice
3 c sugar
1/3 c lemon juice
1/2 bottle liquid pectin

Prepare canner, jars, and lids. Combine juices and sugar over medium high heat, and bring to boil. Stir in the liquid pectin and boil 1 minute. Remove from heat and test for a gel. (see Canning Basics). Skim off any foam, pour into jars and process for 10 minutes in a hot water bath.

50 Ways to Use Preserves, Jams, Jellies, Marmalades & Fruit Butters

If you opened my fridge right now (please don’t!) you’d find that 1/3 is stuffed with condiments, 1/3 is filled with fruit, and the rest of the space is devoted to veggies, meats, and dairy. I am a self proclaimed condiment queen, I love to make sauces, dressings, salsas, dips, spreads, gravies, and preserves. So its no surprise they consume so much fridge (and cabinet) space. To me, these things can make or break a dish by adding the perfect complement of flavor, whether its a bit of tang, spice, or sweetness.

Many of you may have wandered how in the holy heck I was planning on using the multitude of things in my canning inventory...to tell you the truth I was starting to wonder myself!
So I racked my brain for a couple of days, got creative, went crazy, and finally made this list. I even scoured the internet and found links to provide a few examples and recipes. Enjoy!

1. preserves make a great crepe filling, raspberry crepes with nutella anyone?
2. swirl preserves, jams, and fruit butters into plain yogurt (or applesauce!) for a custom flavor
3. use jam or fruit butter as a glaze on a fresh fruit tart, how about an apricot tart glazed with apricot honey butter...
4. mix jam with cream cheese and use as a filling for stuffed french toast
5. glaze a ham with pineapple and apricot jams


6. make these jammy oatmeal crumb bars (photo via Blue Ridge Baker)
7. spoon warm preserves over ice cream, pair with a brownie or sponge cake, and top with chopped nuts and whipped cream for a decadent sundae
8. use preserves and fruit butters to top off a plain cheesecake
9. mango butter (or any fruit butter, really) makes a delicious cake filling, its a great way to liven up plain yellow cake
10. turn a pint of sweet potato butter into sweet potato pie by adding an egg to make the filling set


11. make berry lemonade
12. use a spoonful or two of your favorite preserve in a fruit smoothie to add sweetness and fruit flavor
13. use a bit of jam to fill a cupcake (cut out a round peg from the top, fill with jam, replace the cake, and frost for a sweet surprise)
14. make this baked brie appetizer
15. peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (duh)
16. spoon warm preserves over pancakes for breakfast (or dinner!)
17. fill a macaron with jam
18. if you're running low on fruit for mixed berry mojitos, add a bit of blackberry or raspberry jam and omit the sugar

19. make a fruity vinaigrette (photo via Allrecipes.com)
20. try this tasty flavored margarita
21. fill a kolache, empanada, turnover, or danish or sweet roll with jam (hey, thats 5!)
22. hot jam breakfast sandwiches
23. jelly doughnuts anyone?
24. make thumbprint cookies
25. homemade pop tarts are gaining popularity
26. add a tablespoon of hot pepper jelly to stir fry just before serving


27. make sweet peach bbq sauce, combine 2 parts peach jam and 1 part bbq sauce... OR try a spicy pineapple variation: substitute pineapple jam for the peach jam and add fresh minced jalapeno pepper for a spicy sweet sauce that’s delicious on chicken wings.
28. how about some fruity, frothy punch?
29. these sound delicious...fruit preserve chocolate truffles
30. hide a layer of jam in a meringue pie, how about raspberry or strawberry with lemon meringue? (spread the jam on the prebaked crust, freeze for a few minutes to set the jam and then add filling) ooh or swirl blackberry jam into key lime pie! how gorgeous would that be?
31. try this devilish steak sauce
32. make fancy flavored butter or cream cheese (2 parts room temperature butter with 1 part preserves, beat until thoroughly combined, chill if desired)
33. how about some spicy sweet jezebel sauce?
31. make a jam cake


32. bake a bit of jam into muffins, try these or these (photo via Good Things Catered)
33. turn those yummy drippings from pork or chicken into a delicious pan sauce with a cup of preserves and a teaspoon of balsamic vinegar (try cherry or strawberry preserves, season with salt & pepper to taste)
34. fold in 1/3 - 1/2 c of preserves into your favorite brownie mix for a new twist on the traditional
35. hot pepper jelly (or any preserve really) spooned over a block of cream cheese and served with crackers is always a hit
36. make sweet & sour sauce (puree, then bring to boil, stir until thick)
¼ c peach preserves
¼ c apricot preserves
5 tsp white vinegar
1 ½ tsp cornstarch
½ tsp soy sauce
½ tsp yellow mustard
pinch of garlic powder
4 tsp water
37. spoon your favorite jam over baked apples or pears
38. make a fresh fruit pizza, use a bit of jam for the sauce, add fruit and sprinkle with ricotta or bits of cream cheese, bake!
39. lil' smokies swimming in equal parts warm grape jelly and chili sauce, strange but good
40. have a tea party, serve your favorite tea blends, crumpets, and an assortment of preserves
41. have a tasting party, put out a cheese plate with jam pairings, crackers, and wine
42. how about a grilled cheese with hot pepper jelly?
43. combine hot pepper jelly with a bit of mayo and horseradish for a unique sandwich spread
44. add preserves to a sweet noodle kugel


45. make this chicken tagine (photo from Gourmet)
46. thin jam with a little water and warm to make a syrup, poke holes in a still warm cake, pour syrup over the top to infuse the cake with flavor
47. try an orange marmalade ale
48. fold preserves into fruit fluff desserts, like this one
49. layer preserves in a trifle with fresh fruit, pudding, and whipped cream
50. oh yeah, and you can spread it on toast!

I wish I had as many uses for pickles and relishes... I’ll have to think hard on that one. Tell me, how do you like to use your home canned goods?

Mango Butter

I have to say this Mango Butter has been my favorite fruit butter yet. It makes a delicious spread, works wonders on plain cake, and will soon grace some chicken wings (tonight!). I didn't mess around with this stuff and knew I better put up full pints instead of smaller jars. Once you taste it you'll see why. The flavor is pure mango, bright, fruity, sweet but not cloying, liquid gold.

Mango Butter
(printable recipe)

4 lbs. ripe mangoes
1 1/3 c water
4 1/2 c sugar
grated rind & juice from 2 lemons

Peel and core the mangoes, puree the flesh. Bring puree and water to a boil, then simmer 15-20 minutes. Add sugar, lemon rind, and juice. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer 35-40 minutes until reduced and thick. Prepare canner, jars, and lids (see Canning Basics).
Pour into 3 pint jars and process for 15 minutes in a hot water bath.

Vanilla or cinnamon may be added for a change of flavor, but I prefer this mango butter as is.

Blueberry Butter

Sorry to post this so late in the season but it could not wait until next year. I'm loving this butter and wanted to share in case anyone happens upon some end-of-season blueberries, I know I am still seeing some around..

A couple weeks back I happened upon a pretty good deal at the Dallas Farmer's Market, 12 pints of blueberries for $10. That's 24 cups, folks. A LOT of blueberries, more than you need for most small batch recipes. So I turned to fruit butter. Fruit butters are a bit different than jam or jelly, they require less sugar and cook over a longer period of time and yield less. Perfect if you have a ton of fruit or want to lower your sugar intake a bit.

Oddly enough I had seen Marisa's Slow Cooker Blueberry Butter just a few weeks prior, not knowing at the time that I'd soon have more blueberries than I knew what to do with. Here's the simple recipe.


Blueberry Butter
(printable recipe)
from Food in Jars

makes approximately 3 1/2 pints of butter

8 cups of pureed blueberries
2 cups sugar
1 lemon, zested
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg

Put the pureed blueberries in a slow cooker. Place a lid on the pot and turn it on low. After about an hour, give it a stir. At this point, you want to use something to prop the lid a bit. I found that laying a wooden spoon across the rim of the cooker and then placing the lid on gave it just enough room to let the steam evaporate.

After 5 hours add spices and sugar. Remove the lid and increase heat setting to high.

Once it’s cooked down sufficiently*, pour into jars (leave a good 1/2 inch of head space), wipe rims, apply lids and screw on bands. Process in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes.

*When the cooking process is done, you can puree with an immersion blender or (carefully) in a regular blender, for a smoother product. It depends on whether you like your butters a bit chunky or very smooth.

The slow cooker makes this a snap to prepare, it was the perfect side project to have going during my weekend canning marathon, as it required little attention and gave me lots of time to do other things.

Blueberry Butter is great on breakfast breads, spooned over ice cream, or swirled into yogurt. I may even try to use it as a pastry filling, possibilities abound!

Pickled Jalapeños

I doubt many of us have Christmas on the brain, what with the 100+ degree weather we're having. I usually don't start thinking about Christmas until after Thanksgiving, but this past weekend I decided to plan ahead and put up some festive jalapeños in preparation for the holidays.


Pickled Jalapeños
(printable recipe)
adapted from Ball, Complete Book of Home Preserving

2 1/2 lbs. mixed red & green jalapeño peppers*
6 c vinegar
2 c water
3 cloves crushed garlic
1/2 tsp. canning salt per pint
1 bay leaf per pint

Rinse the jalapeños, remove the stems and slice 1/4" thick rounds. Prepare canner, jars, and lids. (see Canning Basics)
Bring vinegar, water and garlic to a boil. Add salt to each jar and fill with peppers, cover with vinegar solution and stick a bay leaf into each jar. Wipe rims and apply lids. Process 10 minutes in a hot water bath.

Wait 4 weeks before using in your favorite dishes.

*I highly recommend wearing a glove if you are slicing by hand, or if you happen to have a mandolin slicer now is the time to use it! You may certainly use all red or green jalapeños if you like.

Canning Inventory 2010

The summer canning season is quickly drawing to a close (can you believe its mid-August?!), it seems like just yesterday I was making a big batch of strawberry preserves, but that was actually back in April, so it must just be my perception of time. Since then I've made salsas, jams, pickles, and fruit butters and continue to fill my cabinets and squirrel it all away in various spots (and pawn off samples on friends and family).

Last week I had a bit of ambition and decided that it was time to do an inventory of everything put up thus far. I cleared my counters and started pulling jars out... I should also mention that nothing was very organized (I just stashed this stuff where ever I had space!). Over 125 jars, 2 breaks for chocolate, a new organizational system, and a couple of ipod playlists later I had everything sorted and accounted for.

Here's what I came up with:

Creole Sauce - 7 pints
Cinnamon Red Hot Apples - 4 pints
Pickled Banana Peppers - 2 pints, 2 half pints
Okra Pickles - 2 pints
Garlic Pickles - 1 pint
Sweet Potato Butter - 2 pints
Spiced Apples - 4 pints
Carrot Jam - 2 pints
Peach Pie Filling - 5 pints
Mango Butter - 3 pints
Sweet Pickled Jalapenos - 1 pint
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Filling - 4 pints
Hawaiian Conserve - 4 half pints
Praline Syrup - 2 half pints
Apricot Honey Butter - 2 half pints
3 Citrus Marmalade - 1 half pint
Pineapple Marmalade - 1 half pint, 2 quarter pints
Strawberry Preserves - 4 pints, 2 half pints
Peach Jam - 8 half pints, 3 quarter pints
Blueberry Butter - 9 half pints, 4 quarter pints
Strawberry Jam - 5 half pints
Strawberry Lemon Marmalade - 5 half pints
Clementine Marmalade - 2 half pints
Papaya Lime Jam - 4 half pints
Maple Walnut Syrup - 3 half pints
Cactus Salsa - 3 half pints
Blackberry Jam - 4 half pints, 2 quarter pints
Raspberry Jam - 4 half pints
Prickly Pear Jam - 2 half pints, 2 quarter pints
Black Bean Dip - 4 quarts, 2 pints
Stewed Tomatoes - 3 quarts
Pickled Jalapenos - 1 pint, 8 half pints

And yes, in the event of zombie-apocalypse you are all invited over to my place. Just bring toast. Lots and lots of toast.

Now all I have to do is keep this list going, adding and subtracting as we work our forks through each jar. Or I may just schedule a bi-annual inventory, I'm not sure how to handle that yet. Either way this was a great opportunity to organize, evaluate, and clean up my pantry. It also gave me the chance to check seals and labels and rediscover some of my favorite projects from earlier this year.


If you decide to tackle a canning inventory for yourself here are a few useful tips:

• take time to sort everything by type, batch, and jar size if applicable
• check your labels to be sure they are still clear, legible, and properly marked
• check seals. look for any signs of mold or improper seal. Test seals by tapping the lid with a spoon (you are looking for a high *ping*, compare to a jar filled with water and a new lid screwed on) or remove the ring and lift the jar by the lid (using just your fingertips) the seal should be able to support the weight of the jar.
• you may choose to rearrange / relocate your preserves. I now store all like items together, such as all jams,jellies, butters, and conserves go in one cabinet. I have another spot for pie fillings and whole fruit preserves, and another for savory sauces, salsas, and pickles.

For further information on storing home canned foods check out the National Center for Home Food Preservation site, How Do I? ...Store page

And one more thing, I created these fun inventory sheets! Download 'em, print them, use them to your heart's content. (click to download printable .pdfs)

Peach Pie Filling & Jam

I don't know about you, but I've been eagerly awaiting peach season all year. Its finally here and nothing compares to a ripe summer peach, sweet, juicy, and bursting with flavor. Sadly, they aren't around all year. So let's cheat, shall we? Peach pie in January? Heck yes!

Oh and while we're at it, Peach Jam. I made both jam and pie filling on my birthday weekend canning marathon, and let me tell you 40+ peaches is plenty to tackle in one day. Add to that a whole slew of blueberries and various pickles and you've got 1 exhausted (and extremely) Hungry Texan.

I found that the easiest way to go about peeling/pitting/slicing them is to:

1. Boil a big pot of water. Cut an x in the bottom of each peach. Working in batches, boil 6-8 peaches at a time for about 5 minutes. The skin will slip off easily.
2. Prepare a sink full of cool water to hold the peaches after boiling. Peel and treat to prevent browning. I have a double sink and used one side to peel and the other side to receive the peeled peaches. Fill with water and a splash of lemon juice to treat the peaches and prevent browning.
3. Once all the peaches are peeled, remove the pits by making 1 continuous cut around and gently twisting. Slice and return to treatment water. At this point they can be put up as is (in syrup) or used in jam, chutneys, or pie filling.


Now that that's done, lets get to the recipes:


Peach Pie Filling
(printable recipe)
from Ball, Complete Book of Home Preserving

1 cinnamon stick (about 3" long, broken into pieces)
2 tsp whole cloves
12 c sliced, pitted, peeled peaches (treated to prevent browning and drained)
2 c finely chopped cored peeled apples (treated to prevent browning and drained)
2 2/3 c sugar
1 c golden raisins
2 tbsp lemon zest
1/2 c lemon juice
1/4 c white vinegar
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1. Tie up the cinnamon and cloves in a square of cheesecloth to create a spice bag.
2. In a large stainless steel saucepan combine all ingredients. Bring to boil over medium high heat, stirring frequently.
3. Reduce heat, cover and boil gently, stirring occasionally, until thickened (about 10 minutes).
4. Meanwhile prepare canner, jars, and lids. See Canning Basics.
5. Ladle hot filling into jars, leaving 1" headspace. Wipe rims and secure lids.
Process for 15 minutes in hot water bath canner.

Makes 4 pints (I scaled the recipe up to make 6 pints). Each pint will fill 1 double crust pie.



Peach Jam
(printable recipe)
from Ball, Complete Book of Home Preserving

5 tart apples, stems removed. Chopped coarsely (peel, core, and all)
2 lemons (unpeeled), finely chopped
6 c sliced, pitted, peeled peaches (treated to prevent browning and drained)
5 1/2 c sugar

1. In a large, deep stainless steel saucepan combine apples, lemon and enough water to prevent sticking. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat, partially cover and boil gently, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes, until soft. Working in batches transfer mixture to a fine sieve to remove cores and skins. Should yield 2 cups of applesauce.
2. Prepare canner, jars, & lids.
3. Back to the pot with the applesauce, add peaches and sugar. Bring to boil stirring constantly to dissolve sugar. Boil about 20 minutes (keep stirring!) until it thickens and mounds on a spoon. Remove from heat and skim off foam.*
4. Ladle into six half-pint (8oz) jars, leaving 1/4" headspace. Remove any air bubbles, wipe rims and secure lids and rings.
5. Process 10 minutes in a hot water bath canner.

*I used an immersion blender after the sugar had dissolved to get a smooth overall consistency although I did leave a few chunks throughout. This is optional and does not indicate to do so in the original recipe.

Cactus Salsa

On our recent trip to New Mexico I saw some tiny cactus on the trip to Santa Fe, along the Rio Grande. This sparked my recipe for Cactus Salsa. I know the small nopales (cactus pads) are usually the most tender, and seeing them roadside reminded me that they are in season. As soon as we got back to Dallas I snatched up all the ingredients to make this including tomatillos, limes, poblanos, jalapenos, serranos, onion, garlic, and of course a few cactus pads.


This is a somewhat involved salsa recipe because it involves prepping several different things and cooking the final product for a few minutes, but the results are worth the effort. And if you like, you can even process this in a hot water bath canner and save for future use.

Cactus Salsa
(printable recipe)

2-4 cactus pads (about 2 cups diced)
8 tomatillos (plum sized)
2 poblanos
2 jalapenos*
1-2 serranos
1/2 white onion
2 garlic cloves
1 tbsp. white vinegar
1/4 c lime juice
1 tsp. comino
1 tsp. garlic salt
1/4 tsp. salt (or to taste)
handful chopped cilantro, if serving fresh (do not add cilantro if you choose to can the salsa)

Lets start with the tomatillos. Bring a pot of water to boil, meanwhile remove the husks from the tomatillos and rinse them to remove the sticky residue. Toss them in the boiling water and cook for about 5 minutes, until they change color and begin to soften. Be sure to remove them before they burst and save the pot of water, you'll use it to cook the cactus.

While you are watching your tomatillos you can prepare all the remaining veggies on a comal (or cast iron skillet). Place them on a hot dry comal and turn occasionally, making sure all sides are blackened.


Once they are done place the poblanos in a paper bag for a few minutes, then remove the skin (leave the skin on the other peppers). Remove the stems and seeds from all the peppers (leave in the seeds to add more heat if you like) and place them all in a food processor with the tomatillos.


To prepare the nopales, take each pad and run it across an open flame to burn off the needles.
Then remove the nubs with a vegetable peeler or sharp knife. Chop and place in boiling water for 2 minutes. Rinse in cold water and put in food processor with other ingredients.
Run the food processor to achieve desired consistency. Pour off into a pan and add lime juice, vinegar, and seasonings. Stir and bring to a gentle boil for 5 minutes.
At this point you can ladle the salsa into 4 half pint jars (see Canning Basics) and process for 10 minutes. Or if you'd like enjoy the salsa now, top with a handful of chopped cilantro and serve with warm tortilla chips.

*I used one green and one red jalapeno for color. I actually saved the red jalapeno and put it in the food processor at the last minute to get bigger chunks throughout.

Spicy Garlic Refrigerator Pickles

Sometimes its just to dang hot to can. Case in point, the day I made these. It was creeping to 100 degrees and the hot sun flooding into my kitchen was not welcoming. I did have some cucumbers, however, that had to be put up. So I devised a plan... quick to prep, minimal stove time, and the fridge does the rest, yes please! Refrigerator pickles were the answer. This recipe uses 8 small pickling cucumbers, a simple brine, a few spices, and fits neatly into 1 quart jar.


Spicy Garlic Refrigerator Pickles
(printable recipe)

8 small pickling cucumbers
1 c vinegar
1 c water
3 tbsp pickling salt
1/8 c sugar
2 bay leaves
2 tsp. mustard seeds
1/2 tsp peppercorns
3 tsp chopped dill
4 garlic cloves

Slice cucumbers 1/4" thick and set aside in a glass bowl. Combine vinegar, water, salt, sugar and bay leaves. Boil 10 minutes. Pour over cucumbers, cover and cool, 30 minutes.
Add mustard seeds, peppercorns, dill and garlic to the jar. Ladle the cucumbers in and cover with brine. Seal and store in the refrigerator.


Wait two weeks and enjoy on burgers, BBQ, and sandwiches.

Canning Basics

If you are just starting out or need to brush up on the basics, this post's for you.

Hot Water Bath canning is fairly simple and requires just a few supplies. You will need...
jars with new lids & rings (pints and half pints can be used for most recipes)
a jar lifter
canning funnel
meat thermometer
large stock pot with a rack to keep jars off the base of the pot
I use a cheap-o tamale steamer, I think it was $15 at Fiesta. If you'd rather not invest in a pot just for canning you can purchase a rack for the jars or improvise. I have even heard of folks using a dishtowel in a pinch. The goal here is to keep your jars at least 1/2" from the bottom to keep them heated evenly.
Other items used should be pretty common in most kitchens, measuring cups, dishcloths, non-reactive cookware, knives, food processor or blender, etc.


Now for the method. First things first, read your recipe from start to finish, read it again if you have any doubts! This will eliminate last minute steps while your jam is bubbling (or burning!) away. Most recipes will give you a yield so you know how many and what size jars to prep (always grab an extra as yields can vary). They will also list the processing time, or the number of minutes the jars should sit submerged in boiling water. Here is a breakdown of basic steps from start to finish:
1. Read recipe, locate and gather all ingredients.
2. Prep ingredients, peel, pit or chop
3. Inspect and prep jars, be sure they are free of cracks and chips. Lids should be new although rings may be reused.
4. Sterilize jars in boiling water canner or in hot water & capful of bleach in your sink
5. Prepare recipe, following instructions for cook times
6. Ladle into hot jars to recommended headspace, wipe rims clean and screw lids on fingertip tight (basically turn with your fingertips until you meet resistance) this may take a while to get a feel for it. You will want to make sure the lids are not on too tight as this will prevent them from venting.
7. Lower jars into boiling water bath, you may need to add water to ensure they are covered by at least 2".
8. Cover and bring to boil. Start your timer and process them for the recommended amount of time on the recipe.
9. Carefully remove jars from water and place onto a dishtowel. You may hear some pops, thats good! Give them enough space between each other for air to circulate but do not place them in a draft.
10. Allow to sit undisturbed 24 hrs. then test for a seal. Fill a new jar with water and screw on a lid. Tap the top with a spoon and observe the sound, this is what you don't want. Tap your jars, they should have a metallic sound a bit more high pitched than the water jar. You can also remove the rings and lift the jar with your fingertips, holding it by the lid alone. If properly sealed it will support the weight of the product.
If you encounter any that have not sealed, stick them in the fridge and use immediately or process again with a new lid.
10. Label and store in a cool, dark pantry or cabinet.

So thats it, not too difficult right? If you'd like to learn more check your local library or Amazon for the following titles:

Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving - by Judi Kingry and Lauren Devine. Methods for how to preserve just about anything, also covers pressure canning.
Preserving - by Oded Schwartz. I stumbled upon this book at my local library, I love the international recipes and techniques in this book.
The Big Book of Preserving the Harvest: 150 Recipes for Freezing, Canning, Drying and Pickling Fruits and Vegetables - by Carol Costenbader. Provides a wide variety of recipes for different types of preserving, I especially like some of the freezer recipes in this book.
The Complete Book of Small-Batch Preserving: Over 300 Recipes to Use Year Round - by Ellie Topp and Margaret Howard. Another great resourse with a ton of recipes.
Putting Up - by Steve Dowdney. Great resource, book has monthly recipes for canning year round. Focus is on southern recipes.

Raspberry Jam

Today is the last day of June, can you believe it? The summer seems to be flying by, and if you haven't taken advantage of all the in season fruits and veggies, now is the time to start! The grocery stores and farmer's markets seem to be flooded with cheap, ripe, sweet berries. I got a bargain on these very ripe raspberries at the downtown Farmer's Market, they were begging to be made into jam.


Raspberry Jam
(printable recipe)
from Ball, Complete Book of Home Preserving

5 tart apples, stems removed. Chopped coarsely (peel, core, and all)
1 lemon (unpeeled), finely chopped
4 c raspberries
5 c sugar

1. In a large, deep stainless steel saucepan combine apples, lemon and enough water to prevent sticking. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat, partially cover and boil gently, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes, until soft. Working in batches transfer mixture to a fine sieve to remove cores and skins. Should yield 2 cups of applesauce.
2. Prepare canner, jars, & lids.
3. Back to the pot with the applesauce, add raspberries and sugar. Bring to boil stirring constantly to dissolve sugar. Boil about 20 minutes (keep stirring!) until it thickens and mounds on a spoon. Remove from heat and skim off foam.
4. Ladle into six half-pint (8oz) jars, leaving 1/4" headspace. Remove any air bubbles, wipe rims and secure lids and rings.
5. Process 10 minutes in a hot water bath canner.

You may also substitute other fruit for the raspberries, use the following measurements:
8 c halved hulled strawberries
4 c blueberries (reduce sugar to 3 c)
6 c peaches, plums, or nectarines (chopped, pitted, peeled)