My New Gadget - Victorio Food Strainer

It's canning season again!  Last year I taught myself how to can - I loved it but quickly realized how much work it is!  When tomato season hit, I took the time to blanch the tomatoes, skin them and run them through a small food mill.  It was very time consuming!

This year I thought I would step out and purchase a food strainer.  I found this Victorio food strainer on Amazon for about $60.

It was super easy to put together as well!

I had about 5 pounds of tomatoes.  I washed and quartered them, making sure to remove the stems as well.  After they had been quartered, I put them in the large funnel and turned the crank.  Simple, easy and fast!

The skin and seeds come out one end and the juice and pulp come out the other.  I went through 5 pounds of tomatoes in about 5 minutes!  If you are into canning then I highly recommend this gadget!

Happy canning!

Applesauce!

This past weekend my husband and I were fortunate enough to spend time with our grandchildren.  The weather was beautiful so we decided to go apple picking.  My son Jonah, who is 13, was thrilled.........SARCASM.

Uncle Jonah was really excited to ride with Jossalyn...........NOT!

 

 

 

I am embarrassed to tell you how many apples we bought!  Needless to say, I needed to do some cooking!

Jossalyn, my granddaughter, and I decided to try homemade applesauce.  It was super easy and it was a great opportunity to share my love of cooking with one of the many loves of my life!

Here are the ingredients:

8-10 apples - can use a variety
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar (depending on how sweet you want it)

The above recipe will make 1 quart jar and 1 pint jar.

To begin, we washed and peeled our apples.

Then we let the apples cook about 30 minutes.  I put a little water in the bottom of the pan to make sure the apples didn't burn or stick to the bottom.

When the apples were soft, I drained them and put them in my food processor.  I left a little of the skin on.  Once the apples were in the food processor, you couldn't tell.

After the apples were smooth, we added 1 tablespoon of cinnamon and 1/2 cup sugar.  Before you add the sugar, taste the applesauce.  Some apples are sweet and some are tart.  You will need to adjust the amount of sugar you add, depending on how you like it.

Once the applesauce is the consistency you like, add it to a hot, sterilized mason jar.

Jossalyn is putting her applesauce in the jar we are sending home with her!

 

 

Once the jars are full, wipe the rims off and slide a knife or long piece of plastic (sold with canning supplies) down the sides of the jars.  This will help eliminate air pockets that have formed.  You will need to put the jars of applesauce in a hot water bath and boil for 20 minutes.

 

After you take the jars out, the lids will seal as they cool.  You know the jars have sealed when you hear the lid "pop" down.  Also, you will not be able to press down - there will be no give and take on the lid.

 

If the lid didn't seal, simple refrigerate that jar and use it first!

 

Enjoy!

Apple Butter

I love fall!  I love the crisp air, and APPLES!  Today, I decided to conquer a favorite of mine - APPLE BUTTER!

Here are the ingredients for the apple butter:

6 lbs of Jonathan apples
3 cups sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon all spice

To begin, I used my handy dandy apple/core/slicer gadget from Pampered Chef.  I love this tool!  It makes peeling and slicing apples so easy.

When the apples are peeled and sliced, put in a sauce pan and cover with water.  Simmer on medium low heat for 1 1/2 hours.

Strain and puree the apples.  I pureed my apples in my food processor.  Put the pureed apples into an oven safe pot.  I used my dutch oven.  Add the sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, cloves and all spice. 

Stir gently.  Cover and chill for 3-4 hours, or overnight.

When you have chilled the pureed apples, put it in the oven and bake for 3 1/2-4 hours.  Bake on 300, stirring every hour.  As it cooks, it will darken.

As the apple butter is baking, you need to process your jars for canning.  Put a large stock pot on and boil water.  Put your canning jars in the dishwasher.  This will ensure that the jars are sterilized and that they will not crack when you put the apple butter in.  In a separate pot, boil some water for the lids and rims.

When the apple butter is cooked, ladle it into your canning jars.  Leave 1/2 inch head space.  Wipe the rims before putting the lids on.  Process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.

As you take the jars out of the pot, the jars will start to cool.  As the jars cool, the lids will vacuum seal, creating a popping sound.  You will know that the jar is processed correctly if when you push on the lid, it doesn't give.  If you can push the lid up and down, the jar didn't process correctly.  Simply put the jar in the refrigerator and use that one first.

This batch made 7, 1/2 pint jars.

Enjoy!

Grape Jelly

Grape jelly - it is a staple in my house.  Jonah will not eat any other kind - Grape is his favorite!  I figured since I was doing all of this canning and learning how to make jelly, I would learn how to make his favorite.

My Schmoop - Jonah!

I REALLY didn't want to get fresh grapes and run them through a sieve.............that sounded like too much work.  Instead, I did a little research and found that you can make grape jelly from grape juice!

Here are the ingredients:

Grape Juice - 2 quarts
Sugar - 3 cups(if you want your jelly sweeter, add more)
2 boxes pectin
1 teaspoon butter

Heat the grape juice and pectin until right before the boiling point.  Add the sugar and butter and boil vigorously for 1 minute.

At the same time, you need to start preparing the jars for canning.  Place the jars in your dishwasher and run the cycle.  This will sterilize the jars and heat them so that the grape jelly mixture will not crack the glass.

Put the lids and rims in a pot of boiling water. 

You will need a large stock pot of boiling water to process the grape jelly.

When the grape jelly mixture has boiled, use a funnel and put the mixture in the jars, leaving 1/2 inch head space.  Wipe the rim of the jars and then put the rims and lids on.

Process the jars in a water bath (boiling water) for 15 minutes.  Remove the jars and let them cool.  As the jars cool, the jelly will set and the lids will seal.  You will know that the jars have sealed because you will hear "pop,"  "pop," "pop!"

If you are able to press on the lid and it gives, the jar did not seal properly.  Put that jar in the refrigerator and use it first.

This is very economical!  I made 7 little jelly jars and 6 1/2 pint jars.  Considering the average jar of jelly will cost over 2 dollars a piece - I'd say this is a bargain!

Smuckers has nothing on me!

Strawberry Jam

Costco had the biggest container of strawberries ever!  I love Costco - time for some strawberry jam.

To begin, I washed the strawberries and cut the top off.  I cut the strawberries into smaller chunks and put them in a sauce pan.

I ended up with about 6 cups of strawberries.  To this I added 3 cups of sugar.  If you read a jelly or jam recipe, it will usually call for more sugar.  I always find that I need to cut the sugar almost in half otherwise it is too sweet.

I added 10 tablespoons of pectin and 2 teaspoons of butter to counteract any foam that might form.

As that cooked, I took my potato masher and helped break the strawberries apart.  I like chunky jam, but I don't want HUGE hunks.

To help avoid a big mess, I use a canning funnel to get the jelly into hot, sterilized jars.  An easy way to sterilize your canning jars is to stick them in the dishwasher and run it.  Make sure your jars are hot when you put the jelly in.  Otherwise, the jars might break.

Leave about 1/4 inch head space from the top of the jar.  Wipe off the rim of the jar to make sure that the lid will seal.  Put the lids in boiling water and put them on top of the jars.

The jelly needs to be processed in a hot water bath for 15 minutes.  After that time, remove the jars and let them cool.  As they cool, the jars will seal.  You will know that they are sealing because you will hear a popping sound.

After the jars are cooled, press your finger on the lid.  If you can press the lid up and down, the lid didn't seal.  Refrigerate that jar and use it first.

Canning is easy and a lost art!  I taught myself how to do this and if I can, you can too!  Enjoy!

Rasberry Jam

Today was shopping heaven:  Costco!  As I strolled through the aisle, I found two huge containers of strawberries and raspberries.  Time for some more jelly!

The first thing I did was wash the raspberries really good.  I put them in a saucepan and got them cooking.  As the raspberries heated up, I took my potato masher and mashed the berries a little.  I like chunky jam but not huge hunks!

I had about a quart of raspberries.  To this I added 2 cups of sugar and 6 tablespoons of pectin.  I also added 1 teaspoon of butter - this helps cut down on the foam.  If foam does appear, simply skim it off the top before putting in jars.

Some people don't like the seeds.  They strain the mixture through a sieve.  For me, I am more annoyed at the time it takes to strain the seeds out.  Seeds are fine with me!

While the raspberries were cooking I put my canning jars and lids in boiling water.  I do this to sterilize the jars and to heat them up so they don't break when I add the hot jelly.

I used a funnel to get the jelly into the jars.  This helps cut down on a big mess!

The jars need to be processed in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, I took the jars out of the canner.  As the jars cool, they will seal themselves shut.  You know when they have sealed because you will hear a popping sound.  When the jars are cooled, press on the lid to make sure they don't give.  If you are able to pop the lid up and down, refrigerate that jar and use it first.



Enjoy!

Can Corn

OK, my obsession with canning continues..................today's adventure was corn!  Canning corn is super easy and much cheaper than buying cans.  One of the best tools that I bought was a corn shucker.  It cost about $10 at Target.

All you have to do is shuck the corn and scrape this tool along the cob.  The kernels fall off very easily but it is a little messy.

Corn is a low acid food so it needs to be processed in a canner.  To do this add 3 quarts of boiling water to your canner.  Have a separate pot of boiling water going as well.  To sterilize my canning jars, I put them in the dishwasher.  This does two things: sterilizes them and heats them so that the hot water will not crack the jars.

When the jars are hot, add your corn, 1/4 teaspoon canning salt, and boiling water.  Leave 1 inch head space before putting on your lid.  Heat your rim and lids in the boiling water.  Wipe the jar lids off and place the lids on. 

Place the jars in the canner and secure the lid.  Processing time starts when the weight starts rocking back and forth.  I used 1/2 pint jars and processed them for 40 minutes.

I used the 1/2 pint jars because only 2-3 of us eat at a time.  Most people use pints or even quart jars.
I paid .33 cents per ear of corn and it made 10 jars.  This means that each jar cost me .39 cents per jar.  This is cheaper than the grocery store and just think how cheap it would be if you grew your own corn!

Salsa!

One of my favorite things to eat with tacos is fresh salsa!  It is so easy to make. 

List of ingredients:

1 jalepeno
1/4 green pepper
1 small onion
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro
1 large can tomatoes
Juice of 1 lime
Dash of salt

Put it in your food processor and wha-la (is that a word?)! 

Now, if you know anything about me, you know that I have been a canning fool.  I had some leftover salsa that I didn't want to go bad so I simply heated it to boiling point and put in a hot canning jar.  Put the jar lid in hot water (near boiling).  Wipe off the jar rim and put the lid on.  Process the salsa in a hot water bath (boiling water) for 20 minutes.  Remove and let cool.

As the jar cools, the lid should seal.  This means that when you press on the center of the lid it will not "give."  If you are able to move the lid up and down the lid didn't seal.  At this point you can reprocess or refrigerate.

Enjoy!

Spicy Pickles!

The best pickles I ever ate were homemade pickles.  My brother in law's dad makes them.  He inspired me to make these spicy pickles.

The first thing I did was assemble my pickling spices.  In a small bowl I added dill seed, mustard seed, crumbled bay leaf, peppercorns, mace, fennel seed,  pepper flakes, and celery seed.

While I was assembling the spices, I had the pickling cucumbers in an ice bath, in the refrigerator.  When ready, I took them out and sliced them with my Pampered Chef cutting tool - like a mandolin.

I sliced them long so that they cover the whole sandwich and not just a little portion!

In a sauce pan, bring 3 quarts water, 1 quart vinegar and 3/4 cup pickling salt to a boil.  While you are waiting for that to boil, start assembling your other ingredients:  garlic, fresh dill, peppers, and your pickling spices.

In a large pot, boil some water.  This will be what you put the pickles in to seal the jars.  Also, put your canning jars in the dishwasher to sterilize them and get them hot.

When you are ready, start assembling your jars.  Put one garlic head, 2-3 pieces of fresh dill, pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon pickling spice in the jar.  Place the sliced cucumbers in the jar.

Add the brine to the jars, leaving a 1/4 inch head space.  Make sure to dry off the tops of the jars so that when you put the lids on, they are able to seal.

Put the jars in the hot water bath, making sure that the jars are completely submerged.  Boil the jars for 20 minutes and then remove to cool.

When you can the jars should seal as they cool.  To make sure they seal, press on the lid.  If it "gives," the jar didn't seal.  That jar should go into the refrigerator to use first!  These pickles will be ready to eat in about 2 weeks.

Canning anything is super easy!  If I can learn it, you can to!

I'm In a Pickle

My husband and I leave for Hawaii tomorrow morning.  Have I packed anything yet?  NO!  Instead of packing, I decided to make some pickles!

Last month I went to my niece's First Communion and I tried some homemade pickles.  Maria's grandfather made some spicy dills and they were FANTASTIC!  I decided right then and there that I was going to make some of those.

First thing I did was go to the nearest produce stand.  I purchased 15 pickling cucumbers.  When I got home I washed them and put them on ice, in the refrigerator.

While that was chilling, I started a large pot of boiling water.  In another sauce pan, I started my brine:  4 cups water, 4 cups vinegar, 3/4 cups pickling salt, and 3 Tablespoons of sugar.  I brought that up to a boil.

While this was going on (yes, you need about 8 hands) I placed the jars in the dishwasher to get them sterilized.  The lids and jars will go into another small saucepan so that they get hot right before the jars need to be sealed.

My next step was to prepare a pickling spice.  Yes, you can buy it already made at the store but I love experimenting.

My pickling spice included:  crushed cinnamon stick, mustard seed, celery seed, dill seed, peppercorns, mace, crushed bay leaves, and red pepper.

I then peeled 6 cloves of garlic for each jar and washed several stems of fresh dill.

At this point it is time to cut the cucumbers.  I took each end of the cucumber off and quartered them.

By the time all of this is done, the jars are ready for stuffing.  In each jar I put a little of the pickling spice, several stems of fresh dill and one garlic clove.  Then I put the cucumber pieces in the jars, tight enough so that when the brine is poured in the pieces don't float.  If that happens, they won't pickle and could spoil.

Ladle the brine into the jars, wipe the rims and seal them with the lids.  Make sure you put the lids and rims in the hot water.

Pickles need to be processed in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.  After 10 minutes you can take the jars out of the boiling water and let them cool.  As the jar cools, the lid will vacuum seal.  To make sure of this, press on the center of the lid.  If it gives, the jar did not seal.  Simply put that jar in the refrigerator and use first.

As with any canning project, store the jars in a cool, dry place, away from sunlight.  If, after you open any jar, there is mold or some other funky substance, do not eat!

Hope you enjoy!  I have to go pack now!