Canning Recipes

I was looking through one of my mother’s old cookbooks today and found some canning recipes to share.  The book is called ‘The Lily Wallace New American Cook Book’ printed in 1941.

While these recipes do not call for a boiling water bath, I would do it just the same, for at least 10 to 15 mins.
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The Boiling-Water Bath
     For processing acid foods, the water bath is the most generally saisfactory method in the home.  The water is boiled in an open vessel or in one in which the top is not clamped down.  In processing fruits and other acid food in the water bath, be sure that the jars are far enough apart and that the rack on which they are supported is so arranged that the water can circulate freely under and around them.
     Have the water in the vessel or canner boiling before putting in the jars of food.  In order to keep the glass jars from breaking they must be preheated in water or filled with hot food.
     When the jars are in the vessel or canner, see taht the water come over the tops at least 1 or 2 inches.  Add more boiling water as needed to keep this level.
     Count time as soon as the water begins to boil vigorously.  Keep the bath boiling constantly during all of the processing period.
     As soon as the processing time is up, remove the glass jars from the water one at a time and place on a towel in a draft-free place.  Do not tip or shake the jars until they have cooled and sealed.

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Chili Sauce

4 quarts chopped and peeled tomatoes
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup chopped sweet red pepper
1 cup chopped green pepper
1 small hot, red pepper
3 Tbsp. salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. white mustard seed
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. allspice
2 1/2 cups vinegar

     Combine the vegetables, salt, and sugar, and cook until the mixture begins to thicken. 
     Add vinegar and whole spices, in bag, and cook until the mixture becomes a thick sauce.
     Pour into hot jars and seal immediately. 
  NOTE: Drain juice from vegetables before adding vinegar.  This will shorten the cooking period.
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Bread and Butter Pickles

6 quarts sliced medium cucumbers
1 1/2 quarts vinegar
6 cups sugar
6 onions, medium-sized, sliced
1 cup salt
1/2 cup mustard seed
1 tablespoon celery seed
1/4 to 1/3 teaspoon cayenne pepper

     Combine cucumbers, onions, and salt and let stand 3 hours.  Drain.  Combine seasoning and vinegar and boil.
     Add cucumbers and onions.  Heat to simmering and pack hot.  Be careful to avoid boiling as that makes pickles soft.  Pack while hot in clean jars and seal immediately.
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Chutney

24 ripe tomatoes, medium-sized
6 onions, medium-sized
3 red peppers
3 green peppers
12 tart apples
1 pound seedless raisins
1 cup celery. cut fine
2 quarts vinegar
3 cups sugar
Salt

Chop vegetables first and then the apples.  Cut celery. Combine ingredients and cook chutney until it is thick and clear.  Pour immediately into clean hot jars, and seal at once.

 
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Strawberry Jamin’

This morning I was up early even though the alarm wasn’t set.  I was treated out the kitchen window with the site of a deer and her baby up in the field behind the garden.  The little deer scampered and ran all over the field.  So cute.  The mama grazed for quite awhile before moving along into the tree line.  With the lack of rain I’ve been wondering where they’ve been getting a drink.  Our spring dried up a couple of weeks ago. 

Speaking of deer, last Wednesday morning I was suprised to see two bucks up in the same field.  They were grazing and playing together.  I couldn’t help but wonder if they were the set of twins I saw two years ago.  I scanned the field for other deer and was even more suprised to see another small buck and a 6 point Stag.  He stood so majestically looking down toward the house I was in awe.  These are the times I wish for a large camera with a zoom lense.

Last Monday my friend gave me more green tomatoes (yeah.).  I mentioned in a earlier post that I’m supposed to be making, friends request, Green Tomato Relish but I didn’t have all my ingredients last week.  No excuses now.  I immediately prepped the green tomatoes, chopped up the cabbage and put them in the fridge till the next day.  On Tuesday I got off work early so as soon as I hit the door I started making the relish.  Again the recipe and pics are here

http://arkansasfarmerette.wordpress.com/2011/10/29/green-tomato-relish/.  I ended up with 4 pints and 4 half pints.  The half pints were for me and the pints went to my friend.  Thursday when I took them to her she asked, “I’ll probely be picking more green tomatoes next Tuesday do you want them?”  Ah…SURE! :O)

I made Oatmeal Hermits cookies before breakfast today.  I wanted to get them done while it was cool this morning.  These are neat drop cookies made with Karo syrup; my first time making them.  Easy to mix together and good for ya oatmeal how could you go wrong except for the brown sugar and syrup.  Ah we all need some “sweet” every once in a while. In honor of that I added chocolate chips.

Oatmeal Hermits

Here’s the recipe:
Oatmeal Hermits – A Karo® Vintage Recipe
Corn syrup keeps these soft cookies moist for several days.
Yield: 3 dozen cookies

2 cups quick oats (not instant)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup raisins
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp, salt
2 tsp. Argo® Baking Powder
1 tsp. Spice Islands® Ground Saigon Cinnamon
1/2 cup Karo® Dark Corn Syrup
1/2 cup Mazola® Corn Oil
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 375°F.  Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
Mix oats, brown sugar and raisins in a large bowl; add flour, salt, baking powder and cinnamon and mix well. 
Whisk together corn syrup, oil and eggs in a small bowl.  Add to dry ingredients and mix well.
Drop dough by rounded tablespoons 2-inches apart on prepared baking sheet.
Bake 12 to 15 minutes until lightly browned around edges.  Remove cookies to wire rack to cool.

Variation:  Try substituting 1 cup chocolate chips for the raisins.  Omit cinnamon and add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract to the corn syrup mixture.

Today I’m making strawberry jam. Yesterday Wal-Mart had them on sale for 98 cents a pack.  What canning nut could resist?  Not me!  I bought 5 packs and then after cleaning them up I wanted more so…my brother and sister-in-law are picking me up 5 more packs and some more No Sugar Needed Pectin later today.
(Note from later today: Sister-in-law called and the 98 cent strawberries are all gone; price up to $1.98 so I told her not to get them.)
 
In the meantime…
Simply Sweet Strawberry Jam
   Oh what a mess I made…in the kitchen.  Dad and I are cutting back on sugar so I wanted a recipe that called for Splenda.  I found just what I needed on their site.   I doubled the recipe and made 6 half-pint jars with about 1/3 c. left over.  Don’t do like me a forget the water in the recipe.  I couldn’t tell if it made a difference in the taste.  I am hoping it doesn’t make a difference in the jam “setting”. 
BTW, a pastry blender works real well to crush/chop up the strawberries.

Recipe From  http://splenda.tastebook.com/recipes/1397108-Simply-Sweet-Strawberry-Jam

3 cups  prepared strawberries (buy about 3 pt. fully ripe strawberries)
3/4 cup  water
1 box  SURE-JELL For Less or No Sugar Needed Recipes Premium Fruit Pectin
1/2 cup  SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated or 12 SPLENDA® Packets No Calorie Sweetener

1. Wash jars and lids in hot soapy water; rinse with warm water. Fill boiling-water canner half full with water; add jars and water to cover. Bring water to a boil, reduce heat and simmer. Place lids in water to cover in a small saucepan; bring water to a simmer. Simmer until ready to use. Remove and drain jars and lids, one at a time, as needed for filling.
2. Cut strawberries in half; crush using potato masher or food processor. Place exactly 3 cups of crushed strawberries in a large saucepan; stir in water. Gradually add pectin, stirring until blended.
3. Bring mixture to a full rolling boil (a boil that doesn’t stop bubbling when stirred) over medium-high heat.  Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; add SPLENDA® Granulated Sweetener, stirring until SPLENDA® Granulated Sweetener dissolves. Skim off any foam with metal spoon. Allow to stand for 5 minutes to minimize separation of fruit and liquid.
4. Ladle hot jam into prepared jars, filling to within 1/4-inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with 2-piece lids. Screw bands tightly. Place jars on rack in canner. (Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches. Add boiling water, if necessary.) Cover; bring water to gentle boil.
5. Process 10 minutes. Remove jars and place upright on towel to cool completely. After jars cool, check seals by pressing center of lid with finger. (If lid springs back, lid is not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.)  Store in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year. Once opened, store refrigerated and use within 2 weeks.
Yield: 3 half-pint jars

After making the Jam I used my canning Boiling Water Bath to dunk some tomatoes in to make them easier to peel.  I have so many on the table I needed to peel and cut them up to put in the freezer.  I was just finishing when…
I had so many plans today, but I didn’t get but a few of them done.  At noon I ended up taking my Dad to the emergency room.  His new knee replacement, 3 mos. old, was hot and swollen.  We were told that all is well with the knee, no infection he could find.  The ER Dr. consulted with Dad’s orthropedic Dr. and decided to do a fluid withdrawal of the fluid around his knee to check for infection that way.  We’re to call on Monday to set that up.   So back at it tomorrow.  Tonight I write, post and watch TV.

IT RAINED HERE AT MY HOUSE TODAY!!!  YEAH!!!

Quickie Post

~ Picked 5 cantaloupes tonight that makes 8 total so far.  I plan on putting (mashing) one up in the freezer to make cantaloupe Bread later this year.  (If you’d like the recipe, just ask.)

~ Picked 22 tomatoes.  I’ve not been counting but I’d say I’ve picked over 60 all together.

My pretty Arkansas Traveler tomato

The city of Warren, AR celebrates with a Pink Tomato Festival every year in June.  The festival is famous for its Heavenly Tomato Cake.  The tomatoes grown for the festival are Arkansas Travelers which grow really well here in AR.  I’ve not make this cake, yet. :O)

Heavenly Tomato Cake

2 cups sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup margarine
1 cup water, hot
1/2 cup tomato juice
1/2 cup shortening
1/4 cup cocoa
1 1/2 cup miniature marshmallows
1 cup pecans, chopped, toasted

Instructions
Line a 15 ½ x 10 ½ x 1-inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper. Spray the parchment paper with non-stick spray.

Cream together margarine, shortening and sugar. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each.

Sift together cocoa, flour and soda. Add to butter mixture, combining thoroughly.

Combine tomato juice, hot water and marshmallows; add to batter.

Add vanilla. Batter will be thin and marshmallows will come to top.

Pour the batter into the prepared jelly roll pan. Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 35 minutes.

Turn cake out onto a cutting board and start on the icing.

Combine 1/2 c. margarine, 1/4 c. tomato juice, 2 Tbsp. water, 4 Tbsp. cocoa and 1/4 tsp. salt in a sauce pan and heat until boiling. Pour this mixture over 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted and beat well. Stir in the nuts.

Spread the hot icing over the cake. The icing sets up quickly so you have to work fast.

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Sorry I forgot about posting the Historic Canning recipes; perhaps later this week.

06-05-12 and 06-08-12

Black-eyed Susan

06-05-12
It’s been a few days since I’ve had time to get up into the garden.  We’ve had lots of rain for the past few days.  Monday mornings’ storm whipped some of the potato plants to the ground.  The corn and tomatoes made it through just fine.  The corn is starting to get those seed things coming out of the top. (I don’t know what they’re called.)  The tomatoes are getting bigger and so are the plants.  I placed some more twine around the plants this morning to hold up the vines.  My roma tomato plant looks kind of green & brown; not sure if it’s gonna make it.

Crab grass is going to seed around the green beans.  I pulled up a row and a half of it this morning; 3 1/2 rows to go. I’ll be going to work late in the morning on Thursday so the plan is to pull up more then.  I sure hope Sears calls about my tiller soon.

I picked 12 more Sweet Banana Peppers this morning.  I don’t understand why the insides of the peppers are not thick like the pickled ones at the stores and resturants.  Perhaps it’s the variety?  I think next year I’ll buy my peppers from a different nursery. 

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06-09-12

In went up into the garden yesterday evening.  The green bean plants have little green beans on them.  I can’t wait to ‘can’ them, but I think I would love to forego the picking part.  No pain, no gain.

Among the 6 cantalope plants I found 5 tiny cantalopes.  The plants are full of flowers and have been for a few weeks. It’s so exciting to see your plants start producing!

The corn is starting to get tassles so I need to get busy and put some mineral oil on them. (It helps keep the worms out of the corn cobs and makes the worm eggs slide away.)  My Dad put mineral oil on our corn last year and it kept the worms at bay.

I have got to dig up the onions in the morning.  The tops have been dry for a week.  Here’s hopeing that I get some nice onions. *fingers crossed :O)

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May YOUR garden produce beyond your expectations.

It RAINED!

It Rained and it’s gonna rain again tonight!  I dug down into the dirt in the garden this evening and it was moist down over 2″.   I don’t know how much rain we got last night, but the lightning show was terrific.

I am proud to finally say that the Blue Lake Green Beans are blooming.

I am so looking forward to canning some green beans this year.  Three years ago I canned 52 pints.  The past 2 years I’ve grown Purple Hull Peas along with the Green Beans.  The Peas produced like crazy and the Green Beans hardly produced at all.  My guess is that the insects that pollinate the Beans were too busy pollinating the Purple Hull Peas;  they must be sweeter or something.  Last year the bees, bumble bees, wasps, hornets, dirt dobbers,..well anything with wings, were all over the Purple Hull Peas but not the beans.  This year there are NO peas in the garden.

Here’s a couple of fruitful plant pictures.

Beautiful Sunday

How nice it is to get out at 7 a.m. and see the beginning of the day when you don’t have to go to work.  I saw a huge red headed woodpecker in front of the house; he sure makes a loud noise.  In the garden, a ruby throated hummingbird flew within a 2 feet of me looking for flowers.  The two little birds who have been eating the dewberries were out to greet me.  I was reading a post by a fellow Blogger about his morning yesterday and was inspired to write that this morning.

This morning I was out early to place the metal fence posts between the tomato plants.  I use these because they’re sturdy; no falling over.  My Dad made a “post slammer” out of a long piece of metal pipe (about 4 feet long) and welded the end with lots iron.  You place this over the end of the post and slam it into the ground. Such fun. UGH!  Now that that is done I have to find enough baleing twine to tie up the tomato plants.

It is looking like RAIN.  Could we be so lucky?

Preparing for the dry season

In a previous post “Work and Gardening don’t mix sometimes”  I mentioned the plastic pickle bucket rings we put around our tomato plants.
“To make plastic circles you cut a plastic pickle bucket in half and  cut out the bottom; giving you 2 circles.  You place one circle around each plant pushing it into the dirt.  This plastic circle allows water to gather around the plant watering the roots instead of just draining away.  These come in handy during the summer months when you have to water your plants.  At the end of the season save the circles and use them next year. ”
  Anyway..Here’s the picture I promised to post.