Can U Can It

Not everything goes with Peanut Butter

2013-06-06T12:53:00.000-07:00

Peanut Butter

You read right, I said not every jelly goes with peanut butter. Hard to believe that a jelly really doesn't taste that good with peanut butter, but there are some that don't. I am sure that you could come up with Pepper Jelly, but there are many more. I will try to give you a few recipes for things to use at your next party or your stay at home late night snack raid. I hope this does not upset your ideas about jellies or jams in some cases, but I think after you read this blog you will agree that the name above is true. Another thought, being from Georgia, I take my peanut butter seriously. To many in our state it is a way of life. I would not be surprised if the Governor of our state doesn't have a pack of Georgia Peanuts in his pocket, if he needs them.


Delicious pepper jelly with cram cheese and a cracker!

I think that any party without Pepper Jelly is something to avoid. Mixed with the cream cheese and a good cracker it is food for the Gods. Red, green either color was delicious. Hot or not hot both are tasty.
I have a blog telling you how to make this great item: http://canucanit.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=44&action=edit

This is the info about pepper jelly. This blog has just the recipes: http://canucanit.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=71&action=edit.

Go back and read them then come back for more things to serve at your parties, or just snack on. But after you read them come back here for more great things to serve your family and friends at your next party.

Just a note before I start. When I say use apple juice in my recipes, I mean apple juice that is not made from concentrate. You might have to look in the refrigerated section of your grocery. Juice from concentrate is made from a mixture of water and juice that has been cooked down. Using this adds more water than you want and also dilutes the flavor. If you want, you can use cider, but filter it thru coffee filters before. Someone suggested cheese cloth as a filter, but I haven't had much luck with that. I tend to make a mess. One more note before we start. These jellies in this blog do not set up hard like you are used to, they tend to be on the soft side. So if yours is that way, so is ours. One more suggestion, or recommendation if you like. The following jellies go great with milder cheese such as Brie or cream cheese.They also go best with mild crackers, such as Wheat Thins or Pita Chips. Try these combinations and I think you might have new favorites for your next party.


Horseradish

Now that we have gotten all that behind us, let's get started. How about a spicy one, Horseradish jelly. You heard me right, I said Horseradish. This root is great when made into a sauce on roast beef or prime rib. To make jelly you need to either buy the shredded in a jar or the way that I like to do, buy the root section, peel and grate to make your own. I use a vegetable/cheese grater. I am sure you know what I mean. The kind that you always scrapped your knuckles on, your grandmother had hanging on the wall of her kitchen. I am sure that most of you have used this type of grater to make all sorts of things to eat.


Grater

Here is my recipe: 2 cups white vinegar, 1/4 cup prepared horseradish, 2 cups apple juice, 5 cups sugar, 1 package fruit pectin, 1/8 teaspoon salt (canning, Kosher or sea). Blend Horseradish with vinegar in a blender (not food chopper). Mix blended vinegar horseradish, with apple juice, fruit pectin, and salt together, bring to a boil. Add sugar and bring back to a boil. Check to make sure it is setting up (using a wooden spoon stir the boiling mixture; remove the spoon and watch the liquid drip from the spoon. The jelly is setting up if you get sticky drops. That means drops that want to stay together, this is called sheeting. Don't use a metal spoon, you won't get the same effect.) If your jelly is not sheeting, add more sugar, mix and bring back to a boil. Check again with a wooden spoon. If it is setting up remove from heat and put into canning jars as soon as possible. Be careful as the hot liquid will burn you.
If you wait too long to put into canning jars you will find your jelly setting up in the pot. Use clean canning jars for any canning. Jelly jars or other jars might crack from the heat of the hot jelly. Use a damp paper towel and clean the rim of the jar. Place a sterile dome (a dome that has been rinsed in boiling water. place the ring on the top and finger tighten the ring (this means tighten , but not real tight. If you over tighten the air will not escape during processing and your jar will not seal. Under tighten and the water in the a boiling bath will fill your jars and destroy your hard work).
Using a rack or some such item carefully place your jars into a boiling water bath 15 minutes with at least 2 inches of water over the top of the jars. Start you timer when the water comes back to a rolling boil. Remove and set on a cooling rack or towel. Check the jars after they have cooled. If a jar does not seal, it has to be re- processed with a new dome. Remove the bad and clean the rim again before putting on new dome. After all have cooled and set, put on a label because many of the spicy jellies look-alike and you don't want to mix them up. Make sure that you put ingredients on the label. Someone that you give a jar to my have food allergies. Serve with cream cheese and crackers just like pepper jelly. Your guest will be surprised at the great taste and flavor of your new jelly

Garlic

The next jelly is a favorite for many of my local friends. Garlic Jelly. So many of my friends have told me that this is favorite spicy jelly. I love garlic in so many things that I eat. From sauces to breads to roasted chicken, I don't think your can get too much garlic. The recipe is very similar to other spicy jellies.

Garlic Jelly: 1 cup garlic - minced, 4 cups white vinegar, 3 cups apple juice,1 package fruit pectin, 8 cups sugar, 1 teaspoon citric acid, 1/4 teaspoon salt, kosher or canning. Combine all ingredients except sugar in large pot. Bring to boil for 1 minute, add sugar and bring back to boil for 1 minute. Check for sheeting, if the jelly does not sheet follow the directions in the jelly above. Put hot liquid into canning jars. Follow cleaning and sealing direction above. Process 10 minutes in water bath. Remove then check for unsealed jars. I like to put a photo of the garlic on my jar. You can find a photo of just about anything online. Adding this makes your jar more festive. Serve this jelly as you would other spicy jellies, but also add to sauces for bar-b-ques, just cut back on the sugar in the sauce recipe.

I'll bet you never thought of using things used in this blog to make jelly did you? You can make jelly from just about anything, and yes as I said in the title, Not Everything Goes With Peanut Butter.

Sweet Vidalia Onions

Next on our journey is Onion Jelly.

You heard right, I said onion. When I need onions for a recipe I shred onions first then place in a strainer to drip. You will be surprised how much juice will collect. I put the juice in a small zip lock bag that I keep in my freezer till I have enough to make jelly. I use Vidalia Onions in most cooking recipes so my juice is Vidalia juice. I am sure that if you use other onions, mixing the juices will not be a problem. The recipe is quite simple.
Onion Jelly: 1 cup white vinegar, 1 1/2 cups onion juice, 1 1/2 cups apple juice, 6 cups sugar, 1 package fruit pectin, 1/8 teaspoon canning salt (or Kosher, or Sea). Bring to a boil. Add sugar and bring back to a boil. Check to see if jelly is sheeting, if not add more sugar. Then follow jarring info in above recipes. This jelly is one of the mildest jellies of all the spicy jellies. It is as mild as traditional pepper jelly, maybe even milder.

Our next jelly is going to be a herb jelly. I love to serve this one to my friends and ask them if they know the herb. You will be surprised how many will get it right. I picked the herb used in most recipes in my house. Sweet Basil is used in so many sauces and great in Pesto.

Basil

Basil Jelly: Make herb infusion using 1 cups dried herb, 4 cups apple juice and 2 cups water. Bring water and juice to boil, then pour over herbs. Let sit overnight. Strain herbs from juice. This is your herb infusion. 2 cups herb infusion, 1/4 cup white vinegar, 4 1/2 cups sugar, 1 package fruit pectin, 2 drops food color if you use green coloring, don't use but a few drops, make the color a pale green. Combine all ingredients in large pot bring to boil for 1 minute. Add sugar, bring back to boil for 1 minute. Check for sheeting. Put in canning jars. Process 10 minutes in water bath.

Next herb is Rosemary, another widely used herb

Rosemary

.

Rosemary Jelly: Make herb infusion using 1 cup dried herb, 2 cups apple juice and 1 cups water. If you use fresh Rosemary, use twice as much. Bring water and juice to boil, then pour over herbs. Let sit overnight. Strain herbs from juice. This is your herb infusion. 2 cups herb infusion, 1/4 cup white vinegar, 4 1/2 cups sugar, 1 package fruit pectin. Combine all ingredients in large pot bring to boil for 1 minute. Add sugar, bring back to boil for 1 minute. Check for sheeting. Add food color to color you wish. Put in canning jars. Process 10 minutes in water bath.Just a little note. If you haven't tried growing your own herbs, you should give it a shot. Even if you don't have the space for a garden, use pots on your porch. The flavor from something that you pick fresh is so much better than the herbs from your grocery store.

Well back to jelly. I am going to finish with a jelly that is quite unusual.

It is called Rose Petal Jelly.

Mary Lynn got the idea when reading really old cook books. It looked like something she wanted to try, so the next family wedding she went around and collected roses that were used as decorations at the reception. She followed the directions and made a fragrant, mild tasting jelly. She gave the jars to the mothers of the bride and groom as well as the happy couple.

Rose Petal Jelly: Pick the petals off the blossom. Only use the outer petals, as the ones closer to the bud are thicker and really don't work as well. make a rose infusion with 2 cups water, 3 cups rose petals. Boil and let cool then strain for use in recipe.
Here is the recipe: 2 cups rose water, 3 cups sugar, 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (the bottled stuff doesn't work as well and may lead to problems), 1 box pectin. Bring to a boil all ingredients except sugar to a boil in a small to medium pot. Add sugar and bring back to a boil. Check for sheeting and process as above. For canning jars I like to use the small 4 oz size. You are not making a large amount of jelly and the smaller jars work best.

To make something really nice, try this.

Add your jelly to your jar about 1/2 way. Put a rose petal or petals (small look nicer than just a single petal) on top of your liquid. Then finish filling. Process as above. You will be surprised how it looks. Something else that will surprise you is that it has the aroma of the rose. When you serve this jelly, cream cheese is probably best. If you use any other cheese, make sure that it is very mild. You don't want the flavor to cover the jelly. The same goes for the cracker. Too strong is not as good as something mild, like Wheat Thins, or any other cracker or toast without a strong taste.

Now you see, what I said in the title, Not Every Jelly Goes With Peanut Butter. That doesn't mean some will try it just to say they did it. But I can think of so many other jellies I want on my crunchy peanut butter sandwich and glass of milk.

If you want a recipe that I have not posted. Send me a e-mail and I will send it to you. There are so many others and I have just a certain amount of space. I would like to ask you for any ideas; things you want to read about. Things you might have tasted and would like to make yourself. Maybe even something you remember from growing up that still holds a special place in your heart. Let me know what it is, I will try to come up with the best way I can find to help you with your wants or needs. I will try to help you along, just tell me what you need.

One more little item before I go, this pertains to my blog. I wish the people, company, or whatever would stop sending me SPAM telling me that I don't get any readers. For the price of $XXX.XX a month they can get me thousands. I would like thousands, anybody would, but not by paying you to trump up my numbers. Please leave me alone.

Sorry for such strong negative words, but I get so very many SPAM comments, over 4,000 in the last year. I am afraid real comments get lost. If you sent me a real comment and don't see it posted, I am sorry. We both can blame the SPAM companies for this.

Don’t forget…. let me know what you would like to make or any ideas you have for the next blog. Also if you have any questions you would like me to try to solve. Just drop me a note at jellymanga@gmail.com.

Don’t keep my blogs a secret, pass the word on to your friends, neighbors and family members. They just might make something and share with you.

Please feel free to share my blog on Facebook or Twitter or even MySpace.com. I want to get as many people exposed to the good things as possible. So share and ask your friends to share, PLEASE.

Don’t forget, if someone asks you can you can it?

Say YES I can can it.

Pickles: The Beginning of Canning!

2013-05-08T12:29:00.001-07:00

Sorry it has been since my last blog, I was in the hospital. I am home and ready to go.

So here is Pickles: The Begining of Canning!.

I don't have a way to confirm the idea about pickles being first. But if you think about it everybody has a story about pickle barrels or Crocks. Of all the home-made things people make, I do believe the most popular is Pickles. You can make pickles out of so many different things. Each one with its own special taste or bite. I am going to try to give you some of the best recipes we had for our most popular pickles. When you see them I think you will be surprised.

Some of the recipes are made up by Mary Lynn and myself. Many are old recipes that have been used for years. These old recipes are the way your mothers, grandmothers and family have been making for years. All with the basic recipe with a little room for that special touch that someone did to make theirs the best or most popular pickle.

The first rule for any type of pickle is FRESH produce to start with. It is impossible to make good pickles with produce that has sat around for a while. We went to our state farmers market and shopped for just the right things. We shopped for no more than 2 kinds of pickles at a time. Any more and the last batch might not be as good as the first. Each day we made up our mind when we started looking at what was available. Some days small cucumbers were in, so we bought and made sweet pickles and little dill pickles. If the larger ones were there we made big dill pickles, pickles and sliced pickles or Bread & Butter Pickles. The name is explained by ANSWER.com: Bread and butter pickles got their name because bread and butter together are sweet. According to egullet.com, bread and butter pickles are named such because during the Depression, they were as regular a part of a diet as bread and butter. The difference between bread and butter pickles and sweet pickles is just a few ingredients.

I never would have thought of that answer, if you have another, please send it to me. I love things like that. Everybody has a great-aunt who had this or that explanation for the name of something. Things like this make home canning so much fun.

Enough history, let's get cooking!

We have talked about Bread & Butter Pickles so much, I will start with them. I will give you a great recipe, and I will also give you a recipe that will blow your mind. Got you thinking??? Well here goes. If you think this is too much for your to make, cut all ingredients in half.

14 cups cucumbers, sliced, about 10 pounds. 7 cups onions, sliced, about 5 pounds. 8 cups cider vinegar. 5 cups sugar. 5 tablespoons mustard seeds. 3 tablespoons turmeric. 2 tablespoons celery seeds. 3 tablespoons ground ginger. 4 tablespoons black pepper corns. Place cucumbers & onions in large pan and add 2 cups canning salt and cover with ice water. Let stand 2 - 3 hours, drain and rinse. Drain and rinse again. Add all other ingredients to large pot, bring to boil, add thoroughly drained cucumbers and onions. Bring mixture back to a boil, then turn off heat. Pack cucumbers and onions in 16 ounce jars then cover with liquid. Clean rims with a wet paper towel. Place domes on and then rings. Finger-tighten the rings. Process 15 minutes in water bath. Remove and let set overnight. Next day check to make sure all jars sealed. If not reprocess the jar with a new dome after cleaning the rim. Let the jars set for at least a week for best taste. Chill and eat, or don't chill, just eat. It is up to you.

This is a tried and true recipe. Now for a idea that comes out of watching Dinners Drive-Ins and Dives for many hours. I saw a sign on the wall of one of the places Guy was doing his thing with. The sign said ask for hot Bread & Butter Pickles. I got to checking and discovered what they were. They were B&B pickles made from Jalapeno peppers and not cucumbers. When Mary Lynn was making B&B pickles I asked her to save me the left over liquid. I took my handy dandy slicer and cut a huge box of peppers. I cut them thick and sort of on the bias. If you don't know what that is, I cut them at a angle to give bigger slices. Then I took the peppers and put them thru the same salting procedure as the cucumbers. This sort of makes the skin tough and keeps the pickle shape. Then I added the liquid to my peppers and cooked the exact same way as the cucumbers. I used pretty much the same recipe for the peppers. I also added more onions, cut in bigger slices. When they were complete they had a great look about them. They were pretty because I used red and green peppers. This gave it a brighter look. These jars are quarts, but I liked to use pints. I let them sit for a few days but that was it. I could not wait any longer. I opened a jar and tasted, then Mary Lynn tasted. We were blown away. They were great! We decided that we would try them at our next show. We had made only 6 cases of pints. Thinking that would last a while. The show was The Blue Crab Festival in Palatka, Florida. If you are not sure where Paltaka is, think of St. Augustine and go West. It is located on the St. Johns River in the center part of the state. Here is a link for the show if you are interested http://bluecrabfestival.com/ . I decided that I would hand out the samples instead of letting people help themselves. I didn't want to get in trouble giving something hot to people that don't like hot. One of the first people to stop the first day was some friends that I had made thru the Gideons. They stopped by to see just what we had. I let them taste the pickles, and could not believe the response. They tasted and tasted again. They called someone on the phone to come to our booth. The person they called owned a restaurant. He loved the pickles and wanted to buy all that we had. A response I never expected. I sold 4 cases, wanting to keep some to have during the show. By the end of the second day they were all sold out. I had orders for 8 more cases. We could not believe what was happening. After that we never went anywhere without at least 10 cases.

When you are cooking pickles you never know what will happen, just who will love them and who doesn't care for pickles. So that brings us to our next pickle

Kosher Dill Pickles and Dill Pickles. Many don't have any idea what the difference is between one and the other. I was one of those people till I read the recipe. Kosher Dills have garlic in the recipe and Dills do not. I was shocked. Such a little difference to make a totally different pickle.

KOSHER-STYLE DILL PICKLES: Small firm cucumbers, about 3 pounds. 3 1/2 cups sugar, 2 cinnamon stick (not ground cinnamon). 28 peeled cloves garlic. 3 tablespoons pickling spice. 1 quart white vinegar. 3 1/2 teaspoons mustard seeds, (add 1/4 teaspoon per jar). 48 sprigs of fresh dill. Prepare cucumbers by added 1 cup canning or kosher salt to 2 quarts water. Pour over cucumbers and let set over night. Rinse with cold water, drain. Repeat the rinse and drain at least 3 times. To cook combine vinegar, sugar, cinnamon sticks and pickling spice. Bring to a boil. Pack 16 ounce canning jars with prepared cucumbers, add 2 cloves garlic and 1/4 teaspoon mustard seed and 2 sprigs fresh dill. Pour hot liquid over cucumbers leaving 1/2 inch space at the top. Use a probe and remove all air bubbles. Clean rims with damp paper towel and place domes. Finger tighten rings. Boil in water bath for 10 minutes. Remove and let set over night. Check to make sure all are sealed. If not replace domes after re cleaning rim. Reprocess. If you notice on the jars, there are no rings on them. After I finish processing and reprocessing if necessary. I remove the rings and wash them in soapy water. After they dry I put them in a plastic bag and keep with my jars of pickles. When I need a jar, I put a ring on it. This is to keep your jars looking best. The vinegar will make the rings rust and make everything look yucky. So this little step keeps everything looking at it's best.

To make Dill Pickles just leave out the garlic. If you like sliced pickles instead of whole pickles, slice at beginning before salting. That is simple enough. It is not a fast process, but these kind of pickles take a long time to do. If you take the time you will enjoy the results of your patience. There are other methods that don't take as long and you keep them in the refrigerator. I have never tried that way, if you want the quickie refridgerator method just send me an e-mail and I will send you the recipe. I know I say that a lot, but there is just so much space and so very many different recipes.

I am going to bring my first blog on Pickles to a close with a favorite thing on salad bars Pickled Beets. I don't know of many families that don't love cold pickled beets. They add more than color to your plates; they add a great taste. I am sorry to say that many salad bars have beets, but they are not pickled. They are just out of a can. What I am giving you is a recipe that has been tested many times and never fails.

Pickled Beets: 3 cups Vidalia onions, sliced. 4 quarts beets, peeled, cooked, sliced or 2 No. 10 cans (my choice). 2 cups beet juice, saved from No. 10 cans. 7 cups white vinegar. 4 cinnamon sticks. 1 tablespoon whole cloves. 1 tablespoon whole allspice. 1 tablespoon pickling spice. 1 tablespoon salt (kosher or canning). 1 tablespoon peppercorns. Combine vinegar, beet juice (if using cooked beets use 2 cups water from cooked beets), sugar, cinnamon sticks and spices in a spice bag and salt in large sauce pot. Simmer 15 minutes. Remove spice bag and cinnamon sticks. Pack beets and onion slices into 16 ounce canning jars. Pour hot liquid over beets. Be sure to leave 1/2 inch air space on top. Remove air bubbles with probe. Process in boiling water bath for 30 minutes. Check after cooling for unprocessed jars and repeat. These are another thing that I remove the rings. I love to put the jar in the fridge and get it cooled and eat with potato salad, fried chicken and corn bread. But they go with just about everything. They are so good and good for you. They have all kinds of vitamins (I won't go into those, look them up if interested).

All these pickles take time and a lot of work, but they taste so very good. I hope you will give one a try. Who knows you may start a family tradition.

It is that time again, I have run out of space for this edition of CanUCanIt. I would like to ask for ideas; things you want to read about. Things you might have tasted and would like to make yourself. Maybe even something you remember from growing up that still holds a special place in your heart. Let me know what it is, I will try to come up with the best way I can find to help you with your wants or needs. I will try to help you along, just tell me what you need.

This is my first post for my new araingement of blog sites, this site is now www.canucanit.net. In the past it has been a dot com address. I hope this is not going to confuse anybody, if it does, I am sorry. Just been getting too many questions about both sites.

Don’t keep my blogs a secret, pass the word on to your friends, neighbors and family members. They just might make something and share with you.

Please feel free to share my blog on Facebook or Twitter or even MySpace.com. I want to get as many people exposed to the good things as possible. So share and ask your friends to share, PLEASE.

Don’t forget, if someone asks you can you can it? Say YES I can can it.

Marmalade has a big "apeel"!

2013-02-26T14:53:00.000-08:00

I know it has been a long time since my last blog, but health things took up my time. So lets get back to blogging.

Have you ever wondered why there is no Orange Jelly, Lemon Jelly or any other citrus fruit made into a jelly? It is not a mistake. They don't make jellies or jams from these delicious fruits. They do make something else.... they make Marmalade. I think everyone has seen Orange Marmalade. It is pretty much the same everywhere you go. If you have a chance to visit England, and so many did for the Olympics, they found marmalade a main condiment on British tables. They enjoy marmalade on croissants and toast points. Very rarely did you see jellies or jams. You had to ask for something other than marmalade with your meal.

According to Wikipedia Marmalade is a fruits preserve made from the juice and peel of citrus fruits, boiled with sugar and water. In languages other than English, "marmalade" can mean preserves made with fruit other than citrus. For example, in Spanish the term usually refers to what in English is called jam (and jalea is similar to the American English jelly). In Portuguese marmelada applies chiefly to quince jam (from "marmelo", the Portuguese for quince). In Italian too, marmellata means every jam and marmalade, as it does Mermelada in Italian-influenced Rioplatense Spanish. Also in Germany, where marmalade is much less popular than jam anyway, Marmalade is the traditional designation for any kind of jam and marmalade (especially smooth jam without visible pieces of fruit) regardless of fruit base, and remains so in everyday language.

I know that was confusing and a lot to swallow, so I will make the rest of this blog in simple terms (something I know best).

Easy to see the difference

For me the difference was in the way they looked. Jelly was clear because it was made from just the fruit juice. Jam was not clear at all because it was made from the crushed fruit. Marmalade was sort of a mixture. It used the juice but also used the fruit and peel. I hope this photo makes it a little easier to see the difference.

We tried to make Orange Jelly but it came out as a spread not a jelly. It never "firmed up" or looked like jelly. Mary Lynn said she thought that there was too much acid in the fruit to make real jelly. A small amount of acidity works with the pectin to make a firm, spreadable jelly, so that it is probably the reason citrus fruit is not used to make jelly. I hope that you will try one of these recipes. If nothing else try Orange Marmalade at home or your favorite breakfast place.

There are a range of ideas about Marinades, but to me they are limited to Orange, Grapefruit, and sometimes even Tangerine. Grapefruit has several varieties, the three that we used were the Marsh, Pink and Texas Red. They all looked pretty much the same on the outside but the inside was different colors for each type. When you buy in the store you just take for granted that the name is the right one. Each has a little different flavor. The marsh is the most bitter, pink a little less and the Texas was the least bitter-tasting.

Our biggest seller was made from something that a customer gave us in South Florida. They said it was an oriental fruit that tasted like a mix of lemon and lime. We could never find a name for this fruit, we called it Lymon (not very original, we know). They were larger than some of the grapefruit in her yard. They were about six inches in diameter. She also said that we should only use the ones on the tree, the ones on the ground were no good to use. We still picked up a few to try anyhow. We found that she was right, they ones that dropped off the tree seemed to change flavor and became something nasty tasting. This fruit, whatever its name was made into a delicious marmalade. I thought, as well as our customers thought that it was the best tasting of all the fruits used to make marmalade.

In our travels around the country we always had signs that said that we would love to trade you our products for any fruit that you had in your yard. We always had people wanting to trade.

Sometimes it was difficult for us due to the large trailer we used. I remember one show in West Palm Beach. We had a lady that said we could have all the grapefruit in her yard. We got her phone number and a map at the show, and told her it might be a little late when we got to her home. We showed up about 11 o'clock in the evening to do the picking. She had the best outdoor lights I have ever seen. Each tree had lights around it so picking was no problem. We did run into a space situation due to the number of fruit she had. We picked at least eight laundry baskets of grapefruit and three or four baskets of Navel Oranges. She also had Myers Lemons. We only picked two baskets of them because we had run of space to carry anymore. You might ask why laundry baskets: it was the only thing we could think of to hold what we were picking that would let air around the fruit. That and the fact that the only store open on a Sunday night was a store that sold everything for $1.

I had covered the floor of our trailer with baskets, and had even used the back seat of our truck to hold four more baskets. All the way home we were coming up with ideas and plans on how to use our new treasures. It was amazing how your mind just sort of shifts to the recipe mode when you have plenty of things to cook with. Well let's get back to making Marmalade. One more thing before we get cooking. Try to buy organic fruit if possible. If not scrub your fruit very well. The outside of the fruit (used in marmalade's) might have a pesticide on it, organic is free of such things.

Use fresh Oranges for best results

Let's get started cooking with Orange Marmalade: 6 cups Sugar, 1 teaspoon Kosher or Sea Salt, 4 oranges, a lemon (used for it's acidity), 2 cups water. Peel the Oranges, and Lemons and slice the outer peel very thin (tiny thin strips works best). You can also use a zester. You only want the colored part, trim off the white inner membrane. Boil the peel in water for 5 minutes, this makes the peel really soft and pliable. Add orange slices that have also been trimmed of the white membrane. Also remove any seeds. Next add the lemon that has been peeled clean of membrane. Next add the sugar and cook til mixture comes to boil. Lower the heat and cook til thickened (about 45 minutes) stirring to keep from sticking.

Carefully put in 8 ounce canning jars that have been cleaned and sterilized. After the fruit mixture has been added, take a paper towel that has been damped and clean the rim of the jar. Put on a dome then a ring, finger tighten the ring. That means not tight as you can tighten or too loose so the water can get in. Place the jars in a boiling water bath and process 10 minutes. Make sure the level of water is at least 2 inches above the tops. Carefully remove and place on a drying rack or towels to cool. After cooling, check for jars that are not sealed. They have to be reprocessed.

Marsh on left and pink on right

Grapefruit Marmalade is made the same way you do orange. The only difference is the type of grapefruit you use. The types served at most tables is the Marsh Grapefruit. Another type that is becoming popular is the Pink Grapefruit, similar in taste to the Marsh, but just a little bit sweeter in taste. A variety that people are least familiar with in our area is called Texas Red Grapefruit. They look just like other grapefruit, but when you cut it open the look tells you just what kind it is. They have a bit sweeter taste vs. the marsh types.

Grapefruit is a great type of marmalade to add another fruit. The taste is not like anything you would expect.

One of the most popular combinations was Kiwi-Grapefruit Marmalade. The other favorite was Strawberry-Grapefruit Marmalade. We had plenty of Kiwi to work with because Kiwi is really popular for Middle Georgia farmers. They are a favorite due to the low maintenance compared to other fruit. Supply of Strawberries were available most of the year. The recipe for both is the same just substitute Kiwi in place of Strawberry. We also used Blueberries with Orange Marmalade. Again just use blueberries in place of strawberries in the next recipe.

Strawberry Grapefruit Marmalade 4 cups strawberries (or kiwis) chopped. 6 cups sugar. 3 cups grapefruit that has been peeled, the membrane removed and deseeded, then chopped. 1 cup membrane free lemons, chopped. 3 cups water. Chop grapefruit, lemons, strawberries (or Kiwi). Cook to boil, then lower the heat and cook til thickened (about 45 minutes). Always stirring to keep from sticking. Put in prepared 8 ounce canning jars (or 16 ounce). Process in boiling water bath 10 minutes, make sure that there is 2 inches of water over the top of the jars. Remove from water and place on a cooling rack or counter top to set at least over night. Check for jars that didn't seal, they have to be reprocessed with new domes. The rings are reusable. This recipe will also work with oranges instead of grapefruit.

Just as I get rolling. I look at the word total at the bottom and it tells me to save what I was going to use for another blog. So check back, or even better subscribe to my blog. If you do, you will get new blogs delivered to you via e-mail. Well there is plenty of room in future blogs.

Don’t forget…. let me know what you would like to make or any ideas you have for the next blog. Also if you have any questions you would like me to try to solve. Just drop me a note at jellymanga@gmail.com.

Don’t keep my blogs a secret, pass the word on to your friends, neighbors and family members. They just might make something and share with you.

Please feel free to share my blog on Facebook or Twitter or even MySpace.com. I want to get as many people exposed to the good things as possible. So share and ask your friends to share, PLEASE.

Don’t forget, if someone asks you can you can it?

Say YES I can can it.

Can U Can It: Wrapping Gifts from Your Heart, no, not that kind ...

2012-12-11T23:02:00.001-08:00

Can U Can It: Wrapping Gifts from Your Heart, no, not that kind ...: I mention in every blog about giving what you make as a gift. I am not sure if any of you have tried that. This time of year ...

Wrapping Gifts from Your Heart, no, not that kind of Rap

2012-12-11T23:01:00.000-08:00

I mention in every blog about giving what you make as a gift. I am not sure if any of you have tried that. This time of year gift giving becomes insanity. Trips to mails and stores scattered everywhere leads to many headaches and foul words. You might be able to save yourself some misery. You can give your homemade items as gifts. Something that you make in your kitchen means a lot more than an item that you picked up at your favorite super store, or outlet store. Just think about the past. They did not have stores like now. They had to give the things that were made over the year. Baskets or packages were given and enjoyed by the lucky person or family.

(Click on photos for a better look)

Think how you would feel if a family member or friend, or neighbor gave you a gift basket of delicious goodies. You would probably use the gift on that special morning when everybody is present. Breakfast or brunch would be heighten by those jams or jellies or butters. Even a relish would liven up a buffet table. Just a little time and a little effort to make a treasure.

Use Raffia or ribbon or yarn to close up your bag or to put around your jar dollie. All simple and easy to do. Raffia is found in craft stores. Use a rubber band to hold on the dollie before you tie a ribbon or raffia around it. This is easier than having four hands.

Let's get started with a simple gift. Giving a single jar is easy; just a little addition of things you probably have around the house. This makes your jar of apple butter a special thing for someone. It is even better if you give them something that you know is a favorite of that person. If they are a "Hot Head" (someone who loves HOT foods), your gift of something extra spicy would be very much appreciated.

A simple method of dressing up a jar is with an old-fashioned way. A Jar Dollie is a method our grandparents used to make a jar of something more fancy. My grandmother (yes, the lady that started me with my love of cooking) would never put a simple jar of anything on the table. She would do something to make it look not like a jar of jam but a nice jar of condiment. A jar of pickles would not look like a jar of pickles. The contents of the jars along with a nice label and a jar dollie make a very special gift.

Take a little time and do a little extra to make your gift one that stands out from all others. Make a Jar Dollie from most any cloth. Cut it 5 1/2 inches by 5 1/2 inches.

Mary Lynn uses pinking shears, the blades of which are saw-toothed instead of straight. They leave a zigzag pattern instead of a straight edge. The sawtooth pattern does not prevent the fraying but limits the length of the frayed thread and thus minimizes damage. Thin cloth works better than thick.

Another way to give single jar for a gift is a clear plastic gift bag. These are found in most craft and dollar stores. Very inexpensive and easy to use, just put you gift in and seal the top. Most come with a nice twist tie to close the top. You don't have to be a great decorator or artist to make something look nice. Just a little effort making your gift product, and a little time shopping for your gift bag. You will be surprised at how much better your gift looks than just a jar with no added touches.

Don't want to use a plastic bag, but still want a fancy gift? How about using your imagination and make a gift tag that looks out of the ordinary. A little ribbon or a nice gift tag makes a single jar look very fancy. How about cutting up old Christmas cards for your gift tags. Maybe even a fancy label that you make on your computer. Most computers have some sort of label program. You will be amazed at what you can do with just a little effort. You will find that you get more enjoyment in giving these items when you have gone that extra mile.

If you want to give more than one jar or want to use a special basket to hold your products, look around your house. You might have a basket. Take a look at the basket, does it have any special color accent. If so, buy some plastic grass (like the stuff in Easter baskets). It comes in many different colors. Pick a color that will go along with your basket and the color of your products. If you make apple butter you would want something to make the brown color of the jars stand out. If you make pepper jelly, pick a contrasting color so the jars really stand out. Another thing that looks great is look for plastic fruit in the craft stores. Use that to dress up your basket. Spend less on your basket and more on the way to make it fancy. The photo shows a simple market basket that has been dressed up and made to look extra nice. Notice the different types of plastic fruit, and flowers that can make it stand out. You don't have to fuss and sweat, just use your talents that you used to cook. I always say that you can't be a good cook if you don't have a good imagination.

What?? You mean you don't have enough time to do these simple things to dress your gift. You can always buy the plastic wrap at your local craft store and cover the whole basket in plastic. You can also buy a big bow to go on your package. It still works, and without much effort. Yes you have dressed your gift. Still not enough, just add a bow on the top and give with a smile. After all, it is all about the contents of the jar that matters.

If you are the type that loves to decorate or make every gift something dazzling, the sky is the limit. There are so many different things that you can do to make everything a work of art. You can make special bags for each jar, and different colored ribbon bows. You will find so many different things to sparkle and accent your gift.

The person that receives your gift will consider themselves lucky to have someone like you. I have seen some things that people make for jars that I would call a special craft in itself. I have seen people crochet jar covers, sort of like a bag to place the jar into. A gift from people like this is truly an event in itself. Jars that have these covers really need a label telling the lucky person receiving the gift what is in the jar.

Make sure to put a label on your jar. Because of the cover, you don't have to make a big deal about the label. Just put the name of your product and the ingredients. The ingredients need to be complete; use all the things you added. This is important because so many people have food allergies. They might react to something you used. You don't want that to happen.

After you have your gift ready to give, you have to think of the best way to ship it. Mary Lynn decided many years ago to put each jar in zip lock bag. That way if something happened, the contents of the jar would not damage the rest of the package. We used the shipping boxes from the US Post Office for our shipments. She lined the box with packing straw and then placed the jars in the box. Leave room between each jar so more straw will keep the jars from banging. You might even find other things to ship. Add a bag of potpourri or aroma candles that might match your gift. You might also send along something to remind the lucky person of the people giving the gift. Something like a picture of you making the product or your family in front of a fireplace. Don't get carried away with the extras, remember the jar and it's contents is still the main event of the package.

Make sure to double tape the bottom and top. You don't want your jars to fall through. You can even send several jars, but make sure that each is in a baggie. You can use styrofoam worms or even old newspapers. Pack the jars tightly so they don't rattle. You can also use bubble wrap to wrap each jar. The more time you take in wrapping the jars to keep them from breaking, the more certain you will feel that each of your gifts will arrive just as you wish. You can send 6 - 9 jars in these Post Office boxes.

I guess the point I am trying to make is don't pack and ship in a hurry. You don't cook that way. To get the best results take your time; do the little things that make a difference. Do it right the first time and the gifts will be just as you want them.

I know this blog was about something completely different from any of my others, but I felt that you needed to know what we did and how we sent our gifts. No one wants the gifts opened and find a mess. I am reminded of a phrase that is used in other fields, "garbage in, garbage out". This is not what you want to happen.

It is about that time again, I have run out of space for this edition of CanUCanIt. I would really like to ask for some help in doing my blogs for the next year. I would like to ask for ideas; things you want to read about. Things you might have tasted and would like to make yourself. Maybe even something you remember from growing up that still holds a special place in your heart. Let me know what it is, I will try to come up with the best way I can find to help you with your wants or needs. I am not sure if I will have another blog ready before the end of the year, so let me just say at this time that Mary Lynn and I hope that your holidays will be enjoyable and your New Year be full of cooking all sorts of "old-fashioned" things. I will try to help you along, just tell me what you need.

Don’t forget…. let me know what you would like to make or any ideas you have for the next blog. Also if you have any questions you would like me to try to solve. Just drop me a note at jellymanga@gmail.com.

Don’t keep my blogs a secret, pass the word on to your friends, neighbors and family members. They just might make something and share with you.

Please feel free to share my blog on Facebook or Twitter or even MySpace.com. I want to get as many people exposed to the good things as possible. So share and ask your friends to share, PLEASE.

Don’t forget, if someone asks you can you can it?

Say YES I can can it.

Can U Can It: It's Hot in Hot'Lanta. It's time to get into the S...

2012-10-18T15:17:00.001-07:00

Can U Can It: It's Hot in Hot'Lanta. It's time to get into the S...:
I know I said that I was going back to Grandma's kitchen this blog, but I just had this pop into my mind (there is so little in there that...Let's get cooking!

It's Hot in Hot'Lanta. It's time to get into the Sauce.

2012-10-18T15:16:00.000-07:00

I know I said that I was going back to Grandma's kitchen this blog, but I just had this pop into my mind (there is so little in there that it rattled around and wanted out).Grandma will be in the next one, I promise. Also if some of you received a blog with a similar name. It was a mistake. I hit the publish button instead of the save button. Writing in the middle of the night can cause things like that to happen. Just discard my wrong blog.
Sorry!
With that out-of-the-way, let's get busy.

Bar-B-Que spelled Pig

Summer time is the big time for Bar-B-Que. I know that in many parts of the country that means brisket or beef short ribs. But in Georgia, we spell Bar-B-Que PIG! Nothing like ribs or pulled pork or maybe tender loin. I can eat my weight in them. For those of you that know me, that would be a lot of both. Being a lifelong Southerner, I have tried brisket and found it tasty, but my taste still runs with pork. I love a big platter of ribs , or pulled pork. I don't think they make pulled brisket, I see it served in slices. Some places thick and others razor thin. I will just stick to Pig.

Another thing that is big is Hot Wings. Everybody has their own preference when it comes to wings. Some like them so hot that you can hardly stand it. Other like them milder and easier on the taste buds. Personally, I run along the line of hot, but I don't like to burn so bad that I sweat big time. I like my wings hot with a flavor. I will cover wings a little later on.

I want to tell from the start that our Sauces have won many Blue Ribbons and other awards at local, regional and national level. With all that covered, it is time to get cooking!

I will start with our basic Bar-B-Que sauce. One of the things that made our sauce so very different from others is the base. Our base to start building on is apple butter. You heard me, apple butter. It still is a Tomato Bar-B-Q sauce, but the big difference is the apple butter. Mary Lynn went thru several tries at other base flavors and the big winner was our basic apple butter. I have done a blog on the making of apple butter. As a manner of fact, it was my first blog. Very different from my blogs now. I am not nervous talking to all of you.
Here is the link my first try in the blog world: http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3943855710986618045#editor/target=post;postID=8835029455096342479 .

Check it out then come back, we have much more to do. Just one more thing to add: Mary Lynn did not want me giving out the recipe that she worked to develop. She tried for months to get it just right. So, I have had the final word because I am the writer. I also want you to know that I am in the doghouse for the next 6 months.

Apple Butter Bar-B- Que Sauce 6 cups tomato purée. One 6 ounce bottle Pickapeppa Sauce ( a flavoring sauce found on the condiment section of your grocers). 2/3 cups bell peppers, chopped. 1 quart cider vinegar. 1 tablespoon granulated garlic. 1/2 tablespoon onion powder. 1 tablespoon dry mustard. 1 tablespoons dried red pepper flakes. 1 tablespoons cumin. 1 tablespoons chili powder. 1/4 tablespoons ground allspice. 1 tablespoons ground cinnamon. 1 tablespoons lemon juice. 4 cups Apple Butter (hopefully not store-bought).

Combine all ingredients in very large pot. Bring to boil, simmer 10-15 minutes stirring constantly to keep from sticking. If you turn your back on this you will be sorry. It will stick in a heart beat. Put into 16 ounce prepared canning jars (you can use smaller jars if you don't use much sauce). Process in water bath 20 minutes. Make sure that there is 2 inches of water over the top of the jars. Store in a cool dry cabinet. After opening, store unused part in the refrigerator.

With our Bar-B-Que sauce, don't use till meat has cooked completely. For ribs cook then use a basting brush to apply sauce. For pulled pork serve that sauce as a side. Let everyone add as much as he or she likes. Mary Lynn and I hate to go to a restaurant that drowns their cooking in heavy sauces. We even ask for our salad dressing to be on the side.

Jalapeno' Peppers

To kick up the heat and flavor on this sauce we like to use Jalapeno peppers. We take fresh peppers that have been seeded and trimmed of the white membrane on the inside. I like to do that because that membrane has a bitter taste. I don't want anything messing with my pepper flavor. Put the peppers in a blender with a little vinegar. Puree' the peppers. Add 1/4 cup to the recipe above. Not enough heat, just add 1/4 cup more. Next time start with 1/2 cup. Heat the sauce just a little and add the peppers, stir and let cool. You are the Boss in your kitchen, you can make it hot or not if you want. You know your families likes and dislikes.

Habanero Peppers

If you are a "Hot Head" like me and love the flavor that Habanero Peppers bring to the dance. Prepare the peppers the same way as Jalapeno peppers. Do not purée in a closed room, when I did this at our store I ran and extension cord out side and worked outdoors. The pepper fumes did not bother me as much. The fumes will choke you, so take care. But before you start doing anything with real hot peppers, put on disposable gloves. All it takes is one try not using gloves and you will never try it again. The juice of the pepper will burn your skin big time, and if you should touch anywhere around your eyes it is so bad. Habanero peppers are many times hotter that Jalapeno and thousands of times hotter that mild peppers. Add to your sauce, simmer until the flavor of the pepper is well blended. Not sure about the level of Hot that you want? Add 1 tablespoon of your pepper puree, stir, then taste. You can always add more, but it is impossible to take the peppers out after you have added them. Use care with this pepper: it is hotter than you think. At one time the Habanero pepper was the hottest pepper in the world. Now I have heard that a pepper in China is the hottest. Not sure of that so check before quoting me. I have not tried any of those because I found my heat limit with Habanero peppers.

Chipolte Peppers

Another pepper that we liked very much was the Chipolte pepper. Many do not really know what kind of pepper that is. It is a dried, smoked Jalapeno pepper. Surprised? I was too when I first found these peppers at our state farmers market. They were in a zip lock bad to keep them dry. I opened the bag and was hooked. When you use these peppers in this recipe break off the top off the pepper. Shake the seeds out. Use hot water in place of vinegar. Just chop and put into the blender. Pulse the blender a couple of times and let it sit on the counter top for several minutes. This gives the peppers a chance hydrate (absorb some of the water). Continue to pulse til the peppers are pureed. Add just like other peppers.

We found that we liked this one best with a pork tenderloin. Mary Lynn put the tenderloin in a zip bag in the refrigerator and covered it with the Chipolte B-B-Que sauce over night. She then put it in a crock-pot along with the sauce from the bag, added more sauce to make sure that it covered the meat. She slow cooked it and the smell just about made us crazy. When it was done cooking, she took the tenderloin and put it on a plate. We stood there and ate the whole thing with nothing else but a fork. We laugh about that now, but at the time it just seemed like the right thing to do.

Next sauce on the menu is Hot Wing Sauce. This is the basic sauce that I made all the other varieties we sold from. I left out some steps because they took too long. We sold 8 kinds of Hot Wing Sauce. I even used a little of this sauce in a sauce that I called Not So Hot Wing Sauce. I called it that because it was not hot, maybe just a little warm. The only people who said it was hot can't eat ketchup because it is too hot. So here it is:

Hot Wing Sauce As my base for fast wings sauce I use Texas Pete Hot Sauce. I use Texas Pete instead of Tabasco Sauce because the later has salt as one of its ingredients Texas Pete doesn't. Salt changes the taste and you really don't need but a pinch salt in my wings sauce.

1 cup Texas Pete Hot Sauce 2 teaspoons cumin. 2 teaspoons chili powder.2 teaspoons cayenne powder. 1 teaspoon garlic powder. 1 cup sugar. A pinch of salt. 1/4 cup vinegar. Mix all ingredients (except sugar) with sauce, stirring til all until mixed. Bring to a boil, add sugar, bring back to a full rolling boil. Put in canning jars. You do not have to process this sauce, just keep in the refrigerator with the lid closed tight. You can process if you want to store your sauce. Follow your processing basic instructions.

Drip-less Hot Wings

Use this sauce anyway that you normally use your sauces. I like to fry my wings, drain them. Then pour them in a big bowl, add the sauce and mix til all wings are covered. If we are serving wings at a party with other foods, I like to have drip-less wings.
I make them by taking the wings from my mixing bowl and put them on a cookie sheet. Place them in the oven at about 250 degrees. Leave them in till the sauce starts to bubble. Take them out and keep warm to serve. No drips to spoil your friends' clothes.

Garlic, one of my favorite things

I am going to give your one more recipe for wings.

It is Garlic Hot Wing Sauce. To the sauce above add 2 teaspoons garlic paste. Also add 1/4 cup minced garlic. Simmer the sauce and you will not believe the flavor. It is awesome. I love garlic and I love wings, so this is just a combination of two of my favorite things. Don't think Mary Poppins listed them in her list, but they are on mine. Garlic taste great and it keeps Vampires away. Don't have any Vampires in your area. Well just use it for taste. We have a couple of TV shows that film in our area. One is Walking Dead, about Zombies and the other show is Vampire Diaries. Don't think garlic works for Zombies. I have a personal interest in Vampire Diaries, Mary Lynn worked as a extra on the show for the first two years. We watched to see her on TV. It was so much fun. She has worked in extra parts for 4 movies and 2 TV shows. She is quite a celebrity. Well back to cooking....

I mentioned Not So Hot Wing Sauce, I am going to give you a recipe, please taste it to make sure that whoever gets this is not going to be mad because they thought it to be hot.

Not So Hot Wing Sauce:1 tablespoon, 1/8 tablespoons cumin, 1/4 tablespoons chili powder (Make sure it is not hot, some varieties are hot), 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder,
1/2 cups sugar, 1 pinch canning salt, 1/4 cups apple juice, 1/2 cups corm syrup.
Mix all ingredients (except sugar), stirring til all mix. Bring to a boil, add sugar, bring back to a full rolling boil. Put into canning jars and process. If you are going to use soon, just pour into a large enough container to hold this. Store in refrigerator till needed.

It is time to close because the rules of how you do a successful blog says I have written enough for 2 blogs. Just as I getting on a roll. The next will probably be more along the Grandma line, you are going to have to check back and find out just what is under the big white hat.

Don’t forget…. let me know what you would like to make or any ideas you have for the next blog.

Just drop me a note at jellymanga@gmail.com. I have had several readers e-mail me and ask for recipes. I love sending them back. They try them and sometimes even send photos back with there cooking things. Makes my day when I get those kind of e-mails. Also the comments people make about the blogs really make me feel good. Want to post one, just look for the thing that says comment and click.

My last blog was suggested by a reader, Maybe my next one will be your idea.

Don’t keep my blogs a secret, pass the word on to your friends, neighbors and family members. They just might make something and share with you.

Please feel free to share my blog on Facebook or Twitter or even MySpace.com. any place you want to share it.

Don’t forget, if someone asks you if you can you can it?

Say YES I can can it.

Just like the Jellyman.

Do you know Salsa? No not the dance, the other kind of Salsa.

2012-09-13T13:46:00.002-07:00

Not this kind of Salsa!!

From the e-mails I received, Salsa is going on big time. I love Salsa, especially the ones with other ingredients than tomatoes.
What, you didn’t think it could be salsa without tomatoes?
Also I say that this blog is about cooking like Grandma did. Well this blog is one that I don’t think my Grandma ever thought about. Just one more comment and we can get cooking.
I don’t know how to Salsa dance, I just cook.

Have I got your attention?

Let’s start with a couple of more traditional and work our way to the unusual. Here is a great named Salsa that tastes great.

Quickie Salsa

This is a recipe for a Salsa that can be made for a time when you want a salsa, and you haven’t canned any yet. This uses canned ingredients, but if you have fresh use fresh. Fresh always tastes better than canned.

Burger & Dog Salsa

1 can Diced Tomatoes or 2 large Tomatoes (or 3 medium) chopped fine. 1 clove Garlic, crushed. ¼ cup Onion chopped (any kind will do, but Vidalia or Red Onions really make a better flavor). 2 tbsp. chopped canned Jalapeno Pepper, or 2 fresh peppers that have the seeds remove as well as the white membrane. ½ tsp. Cumin and ¼ tsp. Dried Pepper Flakes. 1 tsp. dried Cilantro.

In a large bowl combine all ingredients and mix completely. Let sit in a cool place for at least 30 minutes for best taste. You can use it immediately if you need it now. For those of you that don’t like any heat, you can substitute Poblano or Serrano peppers. If you want more heat, add a Habanero pepper that will take the heat level thru the roof.

How about another that is easy to prepare and tastes good.

Burger & Dog Salsa

4 cups Tomatoes, diced. 1 can diced Green Chilies (7 oz.). 2 cloves Garlic, crushed. 1/2 cup Cider Vinegar. 1/8 tsp. ground Cloves. 1 tablespoon Cumin. 1 tablespoon fresh Cilantro, chopped.

Combine all ingredients in a cooking pot. Simmer for 15 minutes. Let cool before serving. Can be kept in the refrigerator and served another time. Great on hamburgers or hot dogs. Try this in place of mustard and ketchup. You are in for a surprise. Not bad on Brats, but I am a Brat purist, only spicy mustard on my Brats. One more note, this is best on grilled burgers and dogs. That taste you get from grilling can not be had by anything in the kitchen.

Now let’s change things a little. Time for one that you probably never heard of.

Watermelon Salsa

1 ½ cup Watermelon, diced and seeded. 1 cup Jicama, peeled and diced (What is a Jicama? It is a large, edible, tuberous root of a tropical American plant, eaten as a vegetable either raw or boiled). Taste is similar to a radish or apple; rhubarb may be used in place of Jicama. 1 cup Orange, peeled and diced. 1 Jalapeno, chopped and seeded with the white membrane removed. 3 Tbsp. fresh Cilantro, chopped. 1 Tbsp. Lime Juice.

Mix all ingredients, place in refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Served Chilled. If you are going to make enough to can, multiply ingredients by 4. Heat to a boil and place in 8 ounce canning jars. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes with at least 2 inches of water covering the jars. The Jicama really thru me for a curve. I had to look it up to find out what it was.I was glad when it gave me other things to use if I could not find Jicama in my local farmers market or grocery store.
Canned Watermelon Salsa will have a different taste compared to fresh. Pick whichever one you like. I like the uncooked better. But try them both, pick for yourself and family.
I told you it was going to be different. The next one is also a little different.

Lime Salsa/ or Lemon Salsa

8 large Tomatoes, diced. 8 Tomatillos, diced (fresh or canned). 1 cup Red Onion, diced. 1 cup Bell Pepper, any color, diced. 1 tablespoon Cilantro. 8 tablespoons FRESH Lime Juice (or frozen not from a bottle). 8 teaspoons Lime Peel, grated.

Dice tomatoes, remove husk from tomatillos and dice. Mix together and add other ingredients. Cover mixture and refrigerate overnight (at least several hours). This will allow flavors to blend. If you wish to can this, then heat to a boil and put in prepared canning jars (8 ounce preferred). Process for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath with at least 2 inches of water over the jar tops.
For Lemon Salsa, just replace lime with lemon. Everything is the same except the taste. We did find a lime juice from Key West that was made from Key Limes. This bottle juice tasted great. Look at your local store for Key Lime Juice.

The next Salsa has a Mediterranean flavor. If you like olives on your pizza, you will love the taste.

Black Olive Salsa

4 large Tomatoes, chopped. 2 cups Black Olives, sliced or chopped (you decide). ¼ cup Onion, diced. ½ cup fresh Cilantro, chopped. 1 tbsp. Vinegar. ½ tsp. dried Basil

Combine all ingredients, mix and chill several hours. Mix again before serving. Great for Tacos or Taco Salads. Serve as a topping for grilled fish or chicken.

The next one is something we use plenty of. We love to grill Taqitos and served with Sour Cream and Salsa Verde. I wish you would try this combo. It is so very good.

Salsa Verde

1 can Tomatillos, drained and chopped, use a 15 ounce size. 2 Jalapenos, seeded and chopped. 1/3 cup onion. 1 teaspoon Cilantro, fresh or dried. 1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil.

Place Tomatillos, Jalapenos, onion and Cilantro in blender. Blend till you get a smooth mixture. Put into cooking pot add all other ingredients. Sauté till mixture is smooth. Store unused portion in refrigerator.

Here is another salsa that does not have to be canned, enjoy it fresh for best taste. I know this blog is about home canning. You got to give me a break, some things taste better uncooked, and uncanned (if that is a word). So pretend that you are reading a magazine and saw this recipe. You ripped it out and took it home. Don’t we all do that in the Doctor’s office?

Fresh Garden Salsa
2 large tomatoes, diced. ¼ cup onion, diced. ½ cup cucumber, diced. ½ cup zucchini, diced. ½ cup yellow squash, diced. 1 Jalapeno pepper, chopped and seeded with the white membrane removed. 1 tbsp. Lime or lemon Juice (fresh is best). ½ cup fresh Cilantro, finely diced.

Combine and serve proudly. If you don’t like squash or zucchini try a ripe Avocado. The lemon or lime juice will keep it from turning brown. Not a salsa that should be canned. Fresh salsa is the item of choice in certain occasions. But just think, here is another way to use those zucchini that your neighbors brought you.
It is that time again. Just as I get rolling. Well there is plenty of room in future blogs. The next will probably be more along the Grandma line, but you are going to have to check back and find out just what is under the big white hat.

Don’t forget…. let me know what you would like to make or any ideas you have for the next blog. Just drop me a note at jellymanga@gmail.com

Don’t keep my blogs a secret, pass the word on to your friends, neighbors and family members. They just might make something and share with you.

Please feel free to share my blog on Facebook or Twitter or even MySpace.com.

Don’t forget, if someone asks you can you can it?

Say YES I can can it.

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Can U Can It: Preserving the Past with Preserves

2012-09-02T11:29:00.001-07:00

Can U Can It: Preserving the Past with Preserves: When you here someone talking about Preserves, what is the first thing that comes to mind? For many Preserves mean Strawberry . Others...

Preserving the Past with Preserves

2012-09-02T11:22:00.000-07:00

When you here someone talking about Preserves, what is the first thing that comes to mind? For many Preserves mean Strawberry. Others think of Peaches. Still others think of something else, depending on where you grow up and the type of fruit available in your area. When I hear preserves I think of Fig Preserves.

My father's mother made the absolute best Fig Preserves in the world. That sounds like a big boast, but you need to remember that this was the lady that started my on the road to where I am today sitting here typing for you to read. The very first thing I made was Fig Preserves. Now I am going to tell you how she made them, the same way Mary Lynn and I made them, please feel free to substitute any fruit any place it says fig. I know there are people that do not like figs. Strawberry, or Raspberries or any thing you like works almost the same way. Here is a photo of what old fashioned Fig Preserves look like.

If you are going to make Fig Preserves you have to look at the type of figs available. Some Figs are large, and some are small. If you pick the large ones you may have to cut them in half. The smaller types are best whole. In the photo we made this with whole figs. If you have to cut your figs, they will still look nice, but totally different than ours. They both are the same, the only difference is the fig. As a manor of fact some say that sliced make a more attractive preserves. Compare the two types of Fig Preserves. In the first photo whole figs are used. The second photo to the left shows sliced figs. They are both Fig Preserves but they taste a little different and the look completely different. So it is your choice on the type of Preserves you make.

Before you can make Preserves of any type you need to know what real Preserves are. They don't resemble the things you get in most restaurants and fast food places.

According to Wikipedia: Fruit preserves are preparations of fruits, vegetables and sugar, often canned or sealed for long-term storage. The preparation of fruit preserves today often involves adding commercial or natural pectin as a gelling agent, although sugar or honey may be used, as well. Before World War II, fruit preserve recipes did not include pectin, and many artisan jams today are made without pectin. The ingredients used and how they are prepared determine the type of preserves; jams, jellies and marmalades are all examples of different styles of fruit preserves that vary based upon the ingredients used. Many varieties of fruit preserves are made globally, including sweet fruit preserves, such as strawberry, as well as savory preserves of culinary vegetables, such as tomatoes or squash. In North America, the plural form "preserves" is used to describe all types of jams and jellies. In British and Commonwealth English most fruit preserves are simply called jam, with the singular preserve being applied to high fruit content jam, often for marketing purposes. Additionally, the name of the type of fruit preserves will also vary depending on the regional variant of English being used.

Sounds like many different ways of describing something. When we make preserves we use the definition described by one of the oldest cook books. It states that Preserves are whole or large pieces of a fruit that has been cooked down til the juice has made a thick syrup. With our preserves you could tell the fruit just by looking at the jar.

The first thing you need to do is decide if you are going to have to cut your fruit. In the case of strawberries you will probably need to cut them. Next is wash the whole fruit and make sure you have no bad spots or fungus. Next put the fruit in a bowl that you can put in your refrigerator. With the fruit in the bowl cover completely with sugar. Gently move the fruit so that all pieces are exposed to the sugar. If the fruit soaks the sugar, add more to cover the fruit. If you use some of the more juicy fruits you probably will only need to sugar one time. If you use some of the more juicy fruits you probably will only need to sugar one time. Now place a cover over the bowl and put in your refridgerator. The next day carefully drain the juice the has accumulated in the bowl and save it. Add more sugar to cover again and put bowl back in fridge. Several hours later check to see if all the sugar has dissolved. If it has drain and repeat the process. Keep doing this till the fruit has absorbed as much sugar possible. Now take all the juice that you have collected and put in a large enough pot to hold the fruit.

Now cook your juice slowly til it reduces to half volume. Add a few slices of lemon. This will help make the fruit strong and not fall apart. Carefully add your fruit and cook gently till your fruit is soft without falling to pieces. Cook this juice till it starts to thicken, the fruit will look a little translucent. With a slotted spoon or wooden spoon carefully remove the fruit from the mix. With the fruit removed, cook the syrup til it reduces to a thick syrup.

Now carefully put your fruit in clean canning jars that have been rinsed and sterilized. Do not fill to the top, save run for the syrup. Now using a ladle and a jar funnel (if you have one) fill the jars to within 1/4 inch of the top. At this point you have to make sure there are no air bubbles trapped. It is a very important step. Air bubbles take room that is needed for the juice. Next take a wet paper towel and clean the jar tops. This is needed to insure a good seal between the domes and the jars.Now place the jar domes on the jars. Make sure your domes are clean. Then place the rings on the domes. Finger tighten the rings. Do not over tighten, this will make it difficult for air to escape. Too loose and water will leak in and ruin your work.

At this stage of cooking, if you have any juice left over, save it and in a upcoming blog I will tell you how to turn the left over juice into a delicious syrup.

Process your jars in a boiling water bath that has enough water to cover the jar tops at least 2 inches. This important for a good seal. Boil the jars 15 minutes, then remove from the water bath and place on a cooling rack or counter top. The right equipment makes boiling your jars easier than trying to rig something up.

After you have removed the jars from the boiling water and placed on a drying rack you will hear the jar domes pop as they cool. This is a great sound when you are canning. This means that your jars are sealed. After your jars have sat over-nite check to see if any have not sealed. If you have some, don't worry you did everything right. Some jars just won't seal, so you have to remove the domes, clean the rim again and place new domes on and reprocess. After the jars cool, they are ready for your labels or whatever you want to put on the jars. I do suggest putting on a label of some kind as you want to know what you are grabbing out of your pantry. If you have several types of preserves, some can look similar. Also labels are nice when you give your jars as gifts.

When you are making preserves you don't always get the best results trying to keep the fruit in whole or large pieces. Whenever we make fig preserves about 1/4 of then become fig jam. The big pieces or whole figs just fall apart, so just add pectin and make jam. Don't feel bad when this happens, even canning pros' have this happen. It still taste great, so just try again with fresh fruit.

Another thought when you are doing preserves is making more than one fruit in a batch. Combinations of fruit make some "killer" preserves.

Combinations that we have made are: Strawberry/Fig, Blueberry/Blackberry, Blueberry/Peach, Peach/Mango. As you can see, the combinations are limitless. Try combining two of your favorites and see how they come out. Don't worry how the contents of the jars look, you are going for taste.

We first made Blueberry/Blackberry from a accident we had. We put our fruit in the freezer in measured amounts in each bag. If it was 8 ounces or any other amount, we wrote that at the top of the bag. Doing this makes it much easier to work with more than one fruit. By writing at the top you can still read the amount and contents easier. The accident we had was when we took a bag of blueberries and a bag of blackberries out of the freezer. I placed them in a bowl and put it into our refridgerator to thaw. The next day they had thawed, but when I went to take out the bags, they had leaked due to a hole. So we had a large bowl of Blueberries and Blackberries mixed together.We never threw anything out that might work, so we tried the combination. We called it Black & Blue Preserves.

It sold great and when it was all gone, we had many customers asking us to make it again. So a star was born by accident.

Combinations make labels important. Look at the Black & Blue, can you tell the difference looking at it. Is it Blueberry? Blackberry? or both?
Look at this jar. Is it Strawberry, or Strawberry/Fig? It is Strawberry/Fig. So you can see while it is hard based on just looks.

Figs that broke apart while cooking turned into a Blue Ribbon Fig Jam at the Georgia National Fair. In a latter blog I will give you some awesome recipes for things made with preserves. They make a lot more than you might think.

So it is getting to be that time again, just as I was getting going. Oh Well! Can't fight the blog wars with a blog to long. So I want you to try to make something with the ideas listed above. As you can see the possibilities are limitless. So get out there and find you some beautiful fruit that is saying "Yes make us into Preserves".

Don't forget.... let me know what you would like to make or any ideas you have for the next blog. Just drop me a note at jellymanga@gmail.com

Don’t keep my blogs a secret, and pass the word on to your friends, neighbors and family members. They just might make something and share with you.
Please share my blog on FaceBook or Twitter or even MySpace.com. The people that see your share might even make something and give you some. So don't be shy, pass me along.

Don’t forget, if someone asks you can you can it.Say Yes! I can can it.

Can U Can It: Revisiting Apple Butter

2012-07-20T19:07:00.003-07:00

Can U Can It: Revisiting Apple Butter: I realize that Apple Butter has been covered in past blogs, but after Mary Lynn and my experience this past week I thought I would go th...

Revisiting Apple Butter

2012-07-20T19:07:00.001-07:00

I realize that Apple Butter has been covered in past blogs, but after Mary Lynn and my experience this past week I thought I would go thru the whole process with pictures to help describe what we are doing.

Another reason for doing Apple Butter again is a talk we had at a dinner with some cousins. We got to talking about what is your "Comfort Food". To me comfort foods are one thing, and everybody else had a different comfort food. I come up with this description of comfort foods, it is something you eat that takes you back to a good time in your memory when you enjoyed the food and the company. So just about any kind of food could be classified "Comfort Food". So I am going to nominate apple butter made from fresh apples as a real honest to goodness Comfort Food. I will bet that there are many of you that will agree with me. Maybe a time with your mother or grandmother as you were growing up. There is not many things that can bring memories back like the smell of apple butter cooking. Not even the taste brings back more that the smell. So it is time to treat yourself to a trip thru your memories. Here is a photo of Mary Lynn cooking apple butter, maybe our grandkids will remember and cook like this in the future.

Well now that I got that little job out of the way lets get busy with the real reason for my blog, making apple butter from "scratch". I have almost got to the point were I think everything is made from that ingredient, scratch. So here is the scratch apple butter blog.

We started our quest to get real apples from real farmers by driving out to the State Farmer's market in Forrest Park, Georgia to get some real Georgia Apples. (Check your phone book or call your state department of agriculture if you don't know of a Farmer's Market in your area).

Boy did we luck out!!!! Our state market has rows setup for Georgia growers to sell their fruits & produce. Other rows are for people who buy wholesale fruits & produce for resale. We found these three types of apples at the first farmers stall we stopped at:
Rome Apples              Granny Smith Apples
Arkansas Black Apples

He had other varieties, but we wanted to purchase bushels and 1/2 bushels, we save money that way. Smaller quantities cost more than larger amounts. Buying in larger quantities means you have to dedicate yourself to preparing the fruit within 3 or 4 days unless you have a really big fridge (or an extra fridge in your garage) to store the fruit. If you put off working with what you have bought, you will get spoilage. This drives up the cost, because you are throwing away your fruit to goes bad.

First job: washing each apple and drying them. This is needed because fresh fruit from local growers may have been sprayed with something or picked up something else that you don't want in your apple butter.

Next comes slicing and coring the apples. Mary Lynn fixed up a cutting board in front of the TV so I wouldn't miss football.Mary Lynn made for me I could sit and work with no problems. She used a large plastic container and a cutting board.

This was necessary because I can't stand and work in the kitchen due to a problem with my spine and legs that won't allow me to stand for more than 4 or 5 minutes without problems.  So with the setup Mary Lynn then cooked the slices in fresh apple cider (also local) and 1/4 water. She put the cores in a mesh bag and cooked them with the slices. A lot of pectin is in the core and seeds. We also leave the peel on the apple slices for added flavor, color and pectin. this way when we make apple jelly from the juice we process later it sets up really well. We cook only one type of apple in a pot, this way the juice resembles the apple (Arkansas Black apples have a really dark red color and the juice has a red color. Really pretty jelly is made from the juices and the jellies all have a different look to them. Granny Smith has a greenish color, the Arkansas Black has a reddish color, etc...

The slices we cooked for about 1 1/2 hours. You want the peel to be really soft so it will go thru the food ricer/press or food mill easily. Allow the apples to cool and then pour or dip off the juice. Put the apples thru a food press or mill to make it to apple sauce. We still us an antique food mill we have had over 20 years. It works fine.

: Food Mill

You can purchase one at a store that carries kitchen supplies. again, check your phone book or the internet for a store near you.

The apple sauce is now put into quart jars and processed for 30 minutes in a boiling water bath with water at least 2 inches over the top. Do not start the timer til the water comes back to a boil.

The juice we removed from the cooking pot is strained one more time thru muslin to get extra pulp out. You will then need to put into quart jars and do the processing just like the apple sauce. You can also save some of the juice to drink. It is awesome!!!!

Putting the pulp and juice in jars and processing them will let you decided when and how much apple butter or apple jelly you want to make. The processed jars keep really well in a cool, dark place.

After the cooking of all our varieties we are now ready to make apple butter. You have put in a lot of work so far, so we make our first batch a few days after the slicing, cooking and processing of the apples. If you have used more than one type of apple, check out the jars. They have a different color and juice content. Don't plan a particular variety of apples from your supply and knowing it by its color. Use a felt tip marker and write the name on the top of the jar before you water bath the jars. You might think you will remember, but you won't.
When we cook, we mix pulp from all the different apple types to give us a better flavor. Apple Butter from one flavor is good, but if you mix at least 3 varieties together, the flavor is better. This is how we come up with the name Georgia Apple Butter, it is made from varieties from our state, bought in our state from the farmers that grow them. We don't always use the same three varieties, and even if we did, some years the Granny Smith apples come from a different farm, some times they are a little more sweeter some times more tart. It all depends on the weather and the farm and even the farmer. It still is Georgia Apple Butter, just different Georgia apples. Something we noticed, apple butter made from sweet apples turns a darker color than apple butte made from les sweet. This is because the sugar caramelizes, not just the added sugar, the sugar from the apples also.
Any time you make something from scratch it is not going to taste exactly like the last time or next time. So many things going into the variable. The weather, the temperature, the pots you use, the stove or cooking pots you use. All these things have a reason in the taste.
We have noticed a slight difference with certain crock pots from others. Some may cook just a degree or two hotter or cooler than the other. So remember when you cook, all things change just a little, so don't add more changes than necessary.
This is the recipe for apple butter using real pulp in place of apple sauce. I gave you both recipes in earlier blogs, but I am going to give you the pulp one again.

12 cups apple pulp, 9 cups cane sugar, 1/3 cup cider vinegar, 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon, 1 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice, 3/4 teaspoon ground cloves.

Mix together in cook in a crock pot 8 to 10 hours. Stir the butter often to prevent sticking. After about 6 hours check the thickness of your butter. If it is still to runny, remove the crock pot lid and let cook a couple of more hours. Make sure you put a screen or mesh tent or food umbrella over your pots to keep unwanted things from landing in you apple butter. We bought food umbrella's at a local store called Dollar Tree. Check you area for a store like this.

When you are putting in the spices, if you don't like so much cinnamon, don't use it. If you use less use more allspice. At a family reunion recently I was asked by one of my favorite cousins if they could leave out cinnamon all together. Any time you leave something out of a recipe it is going to change the taste, so think long and hard about what you change or leave out. If you drop something, something else is going to have to take over in the taste.

In one of the photos you can see Mary Lynn using something to remove the air bubbles from the pulp before putting on the domes and rings and processing.

We one batch she forgot to do this and when she set the hot jars from the boiling water bath on the counter..... Holy Toledo!!!! What a mess!!!!!!!!!!!! The apple pulp started coming out of every jar. Now she will have to remove the rings and domes, wash the rings, replace the domes with new ones. You cannot reuse a dome once it is processed. Rings can be reused, but be carefull using older ones they may have some rust. Don't use any ring with rust!! Mary Lynn was so very angry with herself for forgetting to use something to get out the air pockets. Most home-made products need to be "de-bubbled".

As you can see, there is plenty of work in making apple butter from real apples and not store-bought apple sauce.

Here is an idea how much pulp we got from our apple purchase;

Arkansas Black Apples (medium to small apples) 1/2 bushel (about 70-75 apples) produced 8 quarts pulp.

Rome Apples (medium+) 1/2 bushel (about 50 apples) produced 7 quarts pulp.

Granny Smith Apples (mixed, small to large) 1 bushel (80-85 apples) produced 14 quarts pulp. We always use Granny Smith no matter what other varieties w use. They seems to really give the Georgia Apple Butter its best taste. We tried not using GS in a batch and the taste was very different. So we have never left it out again. as a way of fact, the batch we made with out was added back and recooked with the Granny Smith.

In response to so many requests, Mary Lynn and I are starting back with our production and sales of a limited number of our most popular items. In other words, "We Are Putting the Jam Back Together". We are selling thru a website that is working as you read this. now. The name of the web site is www.austinhouse.biz . Check us out, look around try something.

This will give you the chance to compare our products with the things you are making at home. Keep watching and reading, and now tasting is added to the menu.

Please subscribe to my blogs. I enjoy getting ideas for future blogs from you. Also be sure and check out my other blogs, you might have missed one. If you have an idea or a suggestion, contact me at jellymanga@gmail.com .

Don’t keep my blogs a secret. Pass the word on to your friends, neighbors and family members. They just might make something and share with you.
Don’t forget, if someone asks you if you can can it. Say Yes I Can Can It!

Relish the Idea of Relish Again.

2012-06-22T14:42:00.000-07:00

After I finished my blog on relish, "I relish the time making Relish" I look back and I saw that I had not even covered half of my favorite relishes. Earlier I talked about Pepper Relishes, both Sweet and Hot. I think it is now time to cover some fruit relishes. And maybe a couple that are not fruit.

While you are at the top of the page, PLEASE do my question box on the right. It is just for fun, I will let you know the results in a upcoming blog.

Now on to relishes!

How about starting off with Pear Relish. I am not sure what parts of the country have the "Old Fashioned" hard Pears, but here in Georgia it is a fruit used for many purposes. The most famous use of the hard pear is Pear Preserves. I will cover that in a soon to be blog about Grandmothers and their Preserves. What I am going to use the hard pear for is relish.

Hard Pears

Hard Pears are called that because well, they are hard. Seems to easy, but they are rock hard and if you get hit by one either by accident or someone throws one at you. You will know what I mean when I say hard. The peel is usually a dirty brown color. The pears you see in the grocery, the Bartlett probably being the most popular, are generally soft pears. They are very, very juicy and easy you eat. Hard pears are much harder than a Granny Smith Apple. I have heard of people who have lost teeth trying to eat a hard pear. Well enough talking and photos, on to Pear Relish.

To make Pear Relish start with 14 cups pears, peeled, cored and chopped small, 3 cups green bell peppers and 3 cups red bell peppers seeded, and chopped small, 4 cups sugar, 1 tablespoon pickling spice, 1 tablespoon salt (Kosher, Sea or canning), 5 cups cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon turmeric. Combine all ingredients in large cooking pot. Heat to a boil while mixing very well. Cook for 30 minutes. Hot Pack into prepared 8 ounce canning jars to within 1/4 inch of jar top. Prepared canning jars are jars that have been washed and dried. Hot Pack means to load the jars with hot product. The domes and rings that come with the jars need prep also. The domes should be placed in boiling water before putting on jars. Rings need to be rinsed off. Before putting on domes, clean the rims of the jar with a damp paper towel. Do not over tighten the rings or tighten just a little. If you over tighten air will not be able to escape, under and water leaks in. So "Finger Tighten". Process in a boiling water bath with at least two inches of water over the tops of the jars for 20 minutes. Let set undisturbed over night. In the morning check for unsealed jars, they have to be reprocessed with new domes. let set in a cool dry place for at least a week to cure.

To make Hot Pear Relish just substitute 1 cup green Jalapeno' Peppers and 1 cup red Jalapeno' Peppers and just use 2 cups each red & green bell peppers. If you want more heat make it 2 cups each Jalapeno' and 1 cup each bell peppers. I have never made it with just Jalapeno or anything hotter. Pear Relish is supposed to be a sweet relish. There are plenty of burn-you-out relishes out there. I love Hot Pear Relish on Brats from the grill, that and brown mustard. A beer would not be bad, but iced tea will also do, whatever is your pleasure. Also on burgers with sliced tomato. I have to stop this, I am getting hungry.

Next is a major favorite. This is our most used relish in our house. Mary Lynn makes all sorts of things with this relish. my favorite is tartar sauce for fish. She uses this in place of sweet pickle relish.

The relish I am talking about is Green Tomato Relish.

You start with 4 quarts peeled, cored and chopped green tomatoes, 2 quarts chopped cabbage, 2 cups chopped green bell peppers, 1 finely chopped onion, 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, 1/2 cup Kosher or canning salt, 2 tablespoons mustard seeds, 1 tablespoon celery seeds, 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish, 4 1/2 cups cider vinegar. Sprinkle salt over vegetables and mix thoroughly; let stand covered 3 to 4 hours. Drain the liquid thoroughly, press to make sure all liquid is out. Add sugar, spices and horseradish to vinegar, simmer for 15 minutes. Add vegetables and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and hot pack into prepared 8 ounce canning jars. Place domes and rings. Process in boiling water bath for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let set overnight. In the morning check for unsealed jars. Let cure for about 1 week, but longer is better. Two weeks should be long enough.

Hot Green Tomato Relish use half Jalapeno and bell. You could just use all Jalapeno. Again this is not a "Hot" relish.

Next will be Red Tomato Relish. This relish is completely different from green tomato relish, not just because it is red.....duh! It is different in the way you use it. Growing up my grandmother would make this (minus the bell peppers, they didn't agree with her) and heat it. We would eat it on all sorts of things light cooked cabbage or dried beans, or just all kinds of things that people down on farms ate. Come to think of it, my grandmother never had ketchup on the table, we used this relish in its place. Well let's not make me go down memory lane, let get cooking.

Red Tomato Relish starts with 12 cups large ripe tomatoes that need to be chopped large, 3 cups fine chopped celery, 8 cups finely chopped sweet onions (Vidalia's are the best), 6 tablespoons kosher or canning salt, 4 cups small chopped bell peppers (optional if they don't agree with you) 1 1/2 cups sugar. In a large cooking pot combine everything except the sugar, bring to a boil and simmer 2 hours. Add sugar, boil for 2 minutes.Hot pack into prepared 8 ounce canning jars. Process 30 minutes in a boiling water bath. If you have a pressure cooker, process jars 10 minutes in a pressure cooker. If you use the pressure cooker let cool completely before removing jars. Don't try to speed up the process, this will only lead to disaster.

Hot Red Tomato Relish is made the same way, just substitute Jalapeno' peppers for bell. Try this relish is you don't try anything else. it is just fantastic.

I think I like our products a little too much. Well I wouldn't have made them if I didn't like them. That is something that surprised people at every show we did. They would ask for something we did not make. I would say that I did not like that, so we didn't make it. They would always say that people would buy things even if I didn't like them. I would always come back with "I don't make it because I don't like it. If you ask me how was XYZ I would have to tell you I didn't like it" Now haw many people would buy it then. I never lied to my customers. If they ask about something, I would tell them about it and how i used it and how my families have used it in the past. I also told them that if they didn't like what they bought to bring it back and I would trade for something else or refund their money. In all the years we did our business I never gave a refund or traded. So I guess that means being honest with your customers is the best way. They could also look at me and tell I had eaten plenty of something.

Something else I would tell people, Never buy food from a skinny chef. Two possibilities; #1. They did not eat their products, and #2 they did. I always said that number 2 was the worst answer if they didn't get it. IF you don't get it, they were skinny because they made BAD food. Well enough of my story, on to the last recipe, just about everybody's favorite no matter where you grew up.

Our next project is Corn Relish.

We use 3 pounds thawed corn from the grocery (usually 2 large packages), 3 cups chopped finely red & green bell peppers, 1 teaspoon chopped parsley, 7 cups chopped onions (milder variety), 2 cups brown sugar, 2 cups corn syrup, 2 tablespoons kosher or canning salt, 7 cups cider vinegar, 1 cup water, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, 1 tablespoon mustard seeds, 1 tablespoon celery seeds, 1/2 cup chopped celery, 1 tablespoon citric acid. Mix all ingredients completely in a large cooking pot, bring to boil. Cook covered for 15 minutes. Hot pack into 8 ounce prepared canning jars. Process 15 minutes in a boiling water bath. Let set for 1 week, relish should be ready to enjoy

Sweet Pickle Relish, 1 quart chopped cucumbers (towards the small size), 2 finely chopped sweet onions, 1 cup chopped green and 1 cup red bell peppers, 1 tablespoon Kosher or canning salt, 3 1/2 cups sugar, 2 cups cider vinegar, 1 tablespoons celery seeds, 1 tablespoon mustard seeds. Combine cucumbers, onions and peppers in large bowl; sprinkle with salt and cover in cold water. Let stand 2 hours then drain, press to make sure all liquid is out. Combine sugar, vinegar and spices in large pot, bring to boil. While boiling add vegetables and simmer for 10 minutes. Hot Pack in 8 ounce canning jars. Process 15 minutes in boiling water bath. Let sit for 1 week before opening.

If you want Hot Pickle Relish just add some Jalapeno' Pepper with the seeds left in. Put raw slices on the bottom of you pickles uncooked. While the pickle are sitting for at least a week, go over and mix the jars unopened.Just shake them around a little bit so the flavor of the peppers will go all threw the jar. You will be surprised how much the pickles will change. From a sweet pickle taste to a sweet hot taste.

When you are measuring spices to use, be careful. To much can change the taste. To much celery seed will bland down whatever you are cooking so much that you might as well throw it away and start over.

I still have a few relishes that I wanted to cover. But I guess my talking got away from me again. Seems like that happens all the time. We all enjoy talking about things we love and canning and the jelly business was something I loved more than just about everything (people not included). When we did shows I would talk so much that we would have a crowd around the front of our booth. People saw the crowd and wondered what was gong on. They stopped and before they realized, they were part of my crowd. I had favorite jokes and stories to tell all the time. Our good friend Mark Thomas, wild life photographer, had a booth next to us at the Yellow Daisy Festival in Stone Mountain, Ga. After the first year he said that he could almost tell my stories and jokes by heart. He said that some of them never change and some just get better. That was just about the nicest thing he could have said.

It is that time again. You know that part about sending me suggestions for future blogs and stuff like that. Well here goes....

Please let me know what you would like to make or any ideas you have for the next blog. Just drop me a note at jellymanga@gmail.com

Also don't forget that our web page is up and running! It is www.austinhouse.biz Don't be shy, order something and try it. Make something and order ours and compare. Send a gift to anyone! The ideas and ways to use our site is limitless! Don't be the last to try us, what we don't have is operators standing by, but we do have a website standing by......

Don’t keep my blogs a secret, and pass the word on to your friends, neighbors and family members. They just might make something and share with you.

Don’t forget, if someone asks you can you can it.

Say Yes I Can, Can It!

I Relish the Time Making Relish

2012-03-27T11:01:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite uses of relish

Before we start, I want to say that relish is one of my very favorite groups of products.

The way people use relishes vary from coast to coast. Some use relish as a condiment: some use it as an ingredient for making something else. A couple of my favorite ways to use various relishes is as a topping for burgers and hot dogs. I also like the way Mary Lynn makes homemade tartar sauce for fish using relish. My outer family (the ones that don’t live in my house) use some as a topping for meats and vegetables at the dinner table. So you see just in my family group, we have many different ways of using a relish. Even in the title I used relish to describe my joy in making relish. The blog that I did early in my blog career about Pepper Relish is the most popular by far of all the blogs I have written. If you have missed it here is a link to go back to it http://canucanit.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=234&action=edit. If you use this link, you have to promise to return and try some of the new relishes listed below.

I think that more relish is made in the late summer and early fall. I think that is because more summer veggies have their final harvest and some of the fall plants are starting to show early rewards. Well, enough of my going on, let’s get busy making some relish! I will give you the recipe and let you make your own shopping list. Also these recipes make a large amount. If you cut the size be sure and cut everything the same way. If you don’t I am not sure what the end results will be. When Mary Lynn was reading this, she burst out laughing because she has done that. All Relishes after processing need to sit at least a week to taste best. They should be kept in a dry area away from direct sunlight.

A huge seller in our business was Black Bean Relish. It uses a fair amount of time and ingredients, but well worth the effort. A hint about this relish, it is one that is better the longer you let it set, allow at least a month. You can enjoy the taste when you are making it, but that is nothing like the taste after a month has passed.

Black Bean Relish

5 cups cooked and rinsed black beans (you can use canned beans, but fresh cooked is best by far), 4 cups frozen cut or niblets corn, 3 cups chopped small red & green bell peppers, 1 cup chopped small sweet banana peppers, 4 cups white vinegar, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 cup chopped celery, 1 cup water, 3 tablespoons mustard seeds, 1/2 teaspoon celery seeds, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, 1 1/2 cups finely chopped onions, 1 teaspoon dried mustard, 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice, 1 tablespoon salt (Kosher, Sea or Canning).Combine all ingredients in a large cooking pot. Mix completely. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat off. Put into canning jars that have been washed and dried. Leave 1/2 inch space at the top of the jar, this is very important becuase the beans expand. Using a damp paper towel, clean the rims of the jars. Place sterile domes (boiled in water) and rings on jars. Finger tighten the rings (also very important. Too loose and water will leak in, too tight and air will not escape from the jars and they will not seal). Process in a boiling water bath (with at least 2 inches of water above the top of the jars) 20 minutes, start time after the water comes back to a boil. Make sure that the jars do not touch the bottom of the water bath, they will burst. Use a rack, preferably a canning pot to boil with. Carefully remove the jars and let sit over night to completely seal. In the morning check for jars that have not sealed. They have to have new domes and be reprocessed.

Canning Pot with Jar Rack

This is a canning pot. Notice the rack for setting jars
into a boiling bath and for safely removing them.
Cost is $20.00 or less in some places. It is worth the
cost if you are going to do more than one project.
With the dangers of jars busting, it is almost worth
it for one project. The right equipment really does make a difference!

Looks like a big job. After you have made a relish or two, it will not look so bad. Don’t be afraid to tackle it. The taste rewards are worth the effort. making relish is not as bad as making some jellies. At least you can buy what you need from the grocers. You don’t have to climb a tree to get what you need.

Next up Chow Chow. I did not studder, the name really is Chow Chow. How it got this name and what it means, I haven’t a clue. I have asked many people who I thought might be able to help me, they all said that was the name they have always known. According to Wikipedia, it is a Nova Scotian and American pickle relish made from a combination of vegetables. They still don’t say why the name. They do say that the word chow refers to a French word Chou which means cabbage. They also say that is refers to a Chinese word and a reference to an Indianan word chayote. That is India not American Indian, but maybe both. Like I said no single thing can describe the name of the next relish.

Chow Chow. 10 quarts chopped green tomatoes, 5 quarts finely chopped cabbage, 8 cups chopped onions, 8 cups chopped green bell pepper, 4 cups chopped red bell pepper, 1 gallon white vinegar, 8 cups sugar, 4 tablespoons pickling spice (we used 1/2 Sauer’s and 1/2 Kroger Brand), 1 teaspoon celery seeds or more to taste, 1 teaspoon mustard seed, 1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric.

Combine cabbage, tomatoes, onion and peppers in a large non-metal container. Cover with 1 quart water and 1/2 cup salt (Kosher, Sea or Canning). Cover mixture and refrigerate over night. Next day, drain and rinse a couple of times, draining very well the last time. Mix vinegar, sugar, celery seed, ground mustard and turmeric. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Carefully add your drained vegetables and bring back to a boil, mixing as well as possible. Simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and hot pack 8 ounce canning jars. Use the same precautions and instructions as above. Process the jars in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes. Remove and let sit over night. Check for unsealed jars that need reprocessing.

I was told that the Pennsylvania Dutch make this, but they use purple cabbage and purple onions. Adds color, but tastes just about the same. Don’t know what they call it, maybe Purple Cabbage Chow Chow. The person that relayed the info was just passing on something she had seen at a craft show in Pennsylvania. If anybody has that info, don’t be shy, send it to me in an e-mail. I promise I won’t use your name if you don’t want me to. Seems like Chow Chow in one form or another could almost be called “The All-American Relish”. It has been made in one form or another all over the USA and probably the world.

Wow, all this and only two recipes. Well it looks like I am going to have to do a couple of more blogs on relish to give you just some of our recipes for the favorites. I am not going to do them back to back, I will post them every few blogs Don’t want my jelly people to forget me. Next on the menu is Garlic Relish. Now don’t tune out when you hear the word Garlic. This is a great relish to make dip with for parties. Great rub for roasted chicken. I love it on Brats from the grill. But that is just me. I am a Garlic lover, you can never have too much garlic. Something most don’t realize is that when garlic is pickled, it developes a sweet taste. Not like jelly sweet, but a milder taste that taste sweet. It is hard to describe, so you are just going to have to trust me on this one. Well without any more delay:

Garlic Relsih

Garlic Relish - 1/2 cup white vinegar, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup minced garlic, 1/3 cup finely chopped red & green bell peppers, 1/3 cup finely chopped cubanelle peppers (a medium/mild heat pepper), 1/3 cup finely chopped red onion, 1/3 finely chopped yellow bell peppers, 1/2 teaspoon dried pepper flakes, 1/4 teaspoon salt (Kosher, Sea or Canning).

Bring vinegar and sugar to boil. Add garlic and simmer 25-30 minutes. Add peppers, onion and remaining ingredients and spices. Simmer 15 minutes, stirring completely during this time. Same directions for jarring relish. Process 15 minutes in water bath.

For Hot Garlic Relish add one heaping tablespoon Red Pepper Flakes and 3 tablespoons diced Jalapeno’ Peppers.

To close out this blog I am going to give you a recipe that we made up using whatever we had on hand at the time. It was an experiment that worked out better than we could have ever hoped. So good that we made it all the year-long from that point. Looking for a name to go with this, we came up with Christmas Relish. How original can we be. If you only try one relish on this entire page, please try this one. I think it will become your families favorite.

Christmas Relish – 6 cups chopped red bell peppers, 6 cups chopped green bell peppers, 6 cups chopped Granny Smith apples, 6 cups chopped Rome apples, 2 cups cider vinegar, 3 tablespoons salt (Kosher, Sea or Caning), 3 tablespoons mustard seeds, 2 cups chopped Vidalia (or any Sweet) Onions, 2 cups chopped purple onions.

Christmas Relish

See how pretty all the Red and Green looks.

Combine all ingredients in large pot, heat gently, while mixing completely, simmer for 15 minutes. Using instructions above jar relish. Process in boiling water bath for 15 minutes.
If you did not notice, all the ingredients were sort of Christmas colors. It is a bright and sweet tasting relish to go with almost anything you would use relish or sweet pickle relish for. It is great on just about anything we tried. It seemed that we reached for this relish every time till the jar was empty.
I think this is about as many recipes as I can get in a single blog. If you pay attention to what the people who make the rules say all blogs should be under 1000 words. So far the closest has been around 1300. Just like every thing else in the world. I don’t listen to the rules makers. I just make my own as I go along. Not that I confuse myself with the people who explored and settled our country. But they didn’t listen to rules either. The world was not flat, you get to India by sailing West from Spain. They didn’t listen and I don’t either. I am not sure how good they were at making jellies or relish, but I am not good at discovering new countries.

On this note, I close in my usual way. I ask for you to pass on my blog to friends and neighbors and to subscribe at the bottom of the page. Looks like you are coming back to read, but no body subscribes. That is the way the rules makers come up with how successful a blog is. If you look down you will see 1 person has subscribed. That makes me a not very successful writer. I will keep on writing even if you don’t click. But it would be more fun if you did.

Also don't forget…. Mary Lynn and I are going to start selling some of our most requested items from a website. The site www.austinhouse.biz is not ready yet. I will let you know when we are up. If you like you can purchase something from us and compare it to what you have made. See how things match up against us.

Please let me know what you would like to make or any ideas you have for the next blog. Just drop me a note at jellymanga@gmail.com

Don’t keep my blogs a secret, and pass the word on to your friends, neighbors and family members. They just might make something and share with you.

Don’t forget, if someone asks you can you can it.

Say Yes I Can, Can It!

Can U Can It: Time to Catch Up with Catsup or is it Ketchup

2012-02-25T21:58:00.000-08:00

Can U Can It: Time to Catch Up with Catsup or is it Ketchup: I'll bet that most of you think of catsup or ketchup, according to a site called Differencebetween.net there is no difference. The original ...

Time to Catch Up with Catsup or is it Ketchup

2012-02-25T21:56:00.000-08:00

I'll bet that most of you think of catsup or ketchup, according to a site called Differencebetween.net there is no difference. The original according to them was not made with tomatoes or anything like that, "People must be surprised to note that this original ‘kechap’ had no tomatoes ‘“ in fact it was a condiment made of brine fish and other spices. The Malay version of the ‘kechap’ had some sweet soy sauce added to it to make it tangier.

Read more: Difference Between Ketchup and Catsup | Difference Between | Ketchup vs Catsup http://www.differencebetween.net/object/difference-between-ketchup-and-catsup/#ixzz1Vz0Gzjzs . So today when you use the red stuff in the squeeze packet at the drive-thru remember it could really taste different, it could be made of fish. The next french fries I dunk will make me give thanks to the people who started using tomatoes.

Bet you didn't think we were going to teach something other than jam & jelly did you?

We are going to visit a whole different world of the popular condiment than you might have expected. I know I usually just talk about making fruit this and that. I am not going to change, I will cover Fruit

Catsup and Tomato Ketchup mild and spicy.
You never heard of fruit catsup, well neither have I. Mary Lynn surprised me with some recipes using some of the most popular fruits and peppers. So let's get started, enough of the history for now.
We are going to start this off with a catsup made with blackberries. This time of year most people think of blackberries because they are ripe and ready for the picking. Also the are sweet, juicy and ready for eating. Don't think that this is something you would ever use except for the novelty of it. Got to looking and found several recipes for ribs and roast as well as chops that all called for blackberry catsup. So let's get cooking! I have a order of Fries ready!!!!

Blackberry Catsup
2 pounds blackberries (4 cups), 2 cups chopped fine sweet onions (here in Georgia no one would use anything other than our very own Vidalia Onions), 2 cups malt vinegar (the stuff you put on fish and chips), 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, 1 1/3 cups brown sugar (you can use 1 teaspoon molasses and 1 cup of sugar here if you don't have brown sugar).

: Freshly picked Blackberries.

Boil the onions in the vinegar, cook for 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and cook for 30 minutes over low heat. Stir occasionally. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Put cooled mixture in a blender, 2 cups at a time, and puree'. Put the mixture thru a sieve to remove the seeds, you want this to be smooth. Pour into your canning jars, clean rims and put on sterile domes and rings. Process in boiling water bath for 15 minutes. This recipe makes 4 8 ounce jars. Use this on pork chops, duck, chicken, turkey or polish sausage.

Like most items home-made and canned, this last for about a year on your shelf. Don't double this recipe, you can make more anytime you need more. Use frozen blackberries from your grocer if fresh are out of season. How was that for something unusual and tasty?

We are going to follow that up with Blueberry Catsup. Not to be outdone by blackberries, blueberries have a fan club of their own. I belong to this fan club. I grew up in Florida and we did not have much of a blackberry season in Daytona Beach. In fact I can't ever remember anyone growing blackberries there. We did have blueberry plants that produce huge amounts of the sweet juicy fruit. We used to go over in the Ocala area just south of Gainesville and pick blueberries. There was several U-Pick-Em farms that had only blueberries. I remember driving home after picking with purple stained hands and mouth. I bet I ate at least a quart of berries while I picked. Unlike strawberries, blueberries grow on bushes the are tall enough sos that you don't even have to bend more than just a little. Well enough about picking, let's get back to cooking. A word of note before we start, do not use an aluminum pot or pan to cook with, the vinegars and other items react with the pots. A medium size teflon pot will do nicely. If you don't have a teflon pot, use something else that is not aluminum.

Blueberry Catsup
5 cups crushed blueberries, 3 cups cane sugar, 2 tablespoons fresh or frozen lemon juice (Do Not Use the plastic squeeze thing), 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves, 1 teaspoon salt (canning, kosher or sea salt), 1 teaspoon finely ground black pepper (put black pepper in a sieve and shake in a bowl, the large pieces will not fall into bowl), and 1 cup blueberry vinegar.
Bring all ingredients to a boil and then simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. let mixture cool and put thru a food mill to make smooth. Use a blender if you don't have a mill. Pour into sterile jars, ad dome and ring. Process in boiling bath for 10 minutes. After they sit over night check for unsealed jars. Reprocess if needed.Just think if your next order of fries looked like this!

Blueberry Vinegar is made by mixing 2 cups white wine vinegar with 2 cups crushed blueberries. Put into a glass container. Let sit in a cool dark spot in your kitchen for 2-3 weeks. Shake the mixture occasionally.Mix the mixture, after the shelf time, strain thru as fine a strainer as you have. In a non aluminum pan add 3 tablespoons sugar, add a long strip of orange peel or lemon peel (no white membrane on the strip, just the very top part of the peel). Bring to a boil and stir until sugar is completely dissolved, usually 3 -5 minutes. Remove the citrus peel and pour into sterile jars or bottles. Seal and store in a cool dry place.This vinegar last about 1 year, like most home-made products. Again don't over make, it is not hard to remake.

You can make Blackberry Vinegar by using blackberries in place of blueberries.

Well how is that, 4 recipes of things you would not have thought of. Let's see what I can come up with next.

How about Sour Apple Catsup (not a Sour Apple Martini).

Clean, peel, quarter and core the apples. Bring to a boil, reduce heat
to simmer and cook till apples are soft. When most of the water has evaporated remove from heat and let cool a little. Force apple pulp thru a sieve or food mil. Put 1 quart pulp in cooking pot, add 1 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon finely ground pepper, 1 teaspoon ground cloves, 1 teaspoon mustard powder, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1 tablespoon slat, 2 onions very finely chopped and 2 cups cider vinegar.

Bring back to as boil. Prepare your bottle by pouring in boiling water and let drain. If you are using canning jars, prepare to jars. Pour or ladle in containers. Boil the jars 10 minutes. If you use bottles, seal while bottle is still hot. You now have Apple Catsup.

How about homemade Tomato Catsup to close. This more the type of Catsup we are used to, but the others might work in some recipes. Experiment, maybe you might come up with a award winning recipe that will make you famous using a fruit vs tomato catsup. Well here is tomato:

8 quarts ripe tomatoes, 1/4 cup salt, 2 cups sugar, 1 tablespoon mace, 1 teaspoon celery salt, 2 tablespoons cinnamon, 2 quarts vinegar and 1 tablespoon cayenne powder.

Cut tomatoes into small pieces in a large cooking pot. Add other ingredients. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer. Cook 2 hours, while stirring. Remove from heat. When cooled somewhat, force thru a sieve or put thru a food mill. If you have a very good quality blender you can puree' small amounts the put thru a sieve to remove any pieces or seeds. Sterilize bottles and drain, if you are going to use canning jars prepared the jars, and domes. Pour or ladle your catsup into their containers. obviously your are not going to use this amount in any big hurry, so I suggest putting most into jars to be poured into bottles in the future. Keep bottles in the refrigerator when not in use. This is more like what we expect when we hear the word ketchup. Our fries look like this

For a couple of variations on the same recipe try: Make Garlic Tomato Catsup adding 6 cloves of peeled and finely minced garlic. Would be great on a burger!

For Hot Catsup add at the start of cooking about 6 Jalapeno' peppers that have been finely chopped with out seeds , stems or membrane. Lots of ideas for this one.

For Killer Hot Catsup add finely chopped Habanero Peppers as well as the Jalapeno. If you want to make all the different types just divide the tomato mixture into smaller batches. Use smaller amounts of peppers and garlic. Make 4 different types of catsup with just one recipe. You have to be a "Hot Head" to love this one. We all know there are thousands of us "Hot Heads".

One last thought about all the different types we have here, make a couple and put them in traditional ketchup containers and serve them.

See what type of reaction you get. Might be fun, might be..... interesting.
I think the list above should keep you busy for at least a few days....... right. Well I hope that you do try some of the recipes, you will be amazed at the taste and the compliments will come your way. Let's face it. You cook like you do to please your family and please yourself. Thank God Mary Lynn and I grew up around people who took the extra steps to make the regular into something special. Think how proud you will be someday when your son or daughter ask for your recipes so they can do the same think in their homes. That is the greatest compliment you can ever get. All the ribbons and medals pale when your family tries to do things the way you have done. Stand up and be PROUD of what you do. They may not say much now, but later you will see what you did was right.

Our web site is now up and ready to take your orders. Please try one of our top sellers from years past. Or try one of your favorites that you made with recipes and ideas from my blogs. Anyway you want to do it, try something. Our original design web site is standing by for you at www.austinhouse.biz

Please let me know what you would like to make or any ideas you
have for the next blog. Just drop me a note at jellymanga@gmail.com

Don’t keep my blogs a secret, and pass the word on to your friends, neighbors and family members. They just might make something and share with you.

Don’t forget, if someone asks you if you can can it.

Say Yes I Can Can It!

Can U Can It: Our Business Is Ready for Your Business!!!!

2012-02-08T09:28:00.000-08:00

Can U Can It: Our Business Is Ready for Your Business!!!!: I am proud to say that our web business is open. With a tremendous amount of work from Mary Lynn’s daughter we are now ready for business ...

Our Business Is Ready for Your Business!!!!

2012-02-08T09:27:00.000-08:00

I am proud to say that our web business is open. With a tremendous amount of work from Mary Lynn’s daughter we are now ready for business at www.austinhouse.biz .

We are Austin House – Homemade Goodness

Our new label will look like this:

What we are going to be selling will be slightly different than what we sold thru our old business, The Austin House Jams & Jellies. We will no longer have over 700 items to pick from. We had to close the business after many years of success. During that time we made an uncountable amount of friends and customers.

We’rrrrrrrrreee back!

We traveled from Miami to Washington D.C. and from Jacksonville all the way to New Orléans. We set up at craft shows and events like that. We did outdoor shows and indoor shows. We set up in large fields, surrounded by other tents. We also setup in large arenas like the South Florida Fairgrounds, in West Palm Beach Florida with over 1,000 other vendors.

One of our biggest and best shows was always the Stone Mountain Yellow Daisy Festival, just outside Atlanta, Georgia. It was our Superbowl of shows. At this four-day event we had well over 250,000 people pass by our booth that had a chance to sample our products. I sat out front surrounded by over 100 different varieties of Jams, Jellies, Sauces, Mustards, Salsa, Vinegars and Butters. And we changed many of our samples from day-to-day. Our friends stopped everyday to see just what was out there to try. We had our biggest following from that show because people always showed up to see who and what was displayed. The show was limited to 425 vendors and that made a space valuable. We had to qualify every year to compete for our space.

Our booth at Yellow Daisy looked like this with the canopy’s set up to protect us and to offer shade from the heat and sun. The section in the front was covered with samples and people talking and eating. Mary Lynn held down the fort in the back area of the booth, answering questions, talking about recipes, and helping people pick the items that best fit their needs.

Our indoor customers will reccognize our booth looking like this. Indoors we did not have to worry about rain or trees or birds! You can see the samples set up on the tables.

As you can see, we like flags.

We were doing great everywhere we set up.

What happened?

About 7 years ago we ran into some difficulties. Mary Lynn, a breast cancer survivor, developed problems and had to have seven chest surgeries in 8 months. We had to close our business, because she and I were the whole business. We made everything we sold. With one of us down the choice was hard but had to be made. We had a huge going out of business sale that was covered by the local newspapers and even some TV and Radio stations. Ever since we have been asked when we were going to start back. My back took a bad turn almost 4 years ago so writing a blog was the closest I could get to having our store back. I started writing about the things we made and why some of them were made as well as how to make them; even little tips to make things easier.

Now you see why having a web-based business again is so very important to us. It is a chance to meet new friends and hopefully renew old friendships. We are going to be making our products the same way your are, on the kitchen stove. No big commercial stoves or coolers or anything. When you purchase something from us, it will be made the very same way as I have written about in my blogs.

What I hope some of you will do is make something, or a few things, and purchase a jar from us to compare. Maybe yours will be as good, or even better than ours. But if you don’t want to make all the different things I write about, just buy ours. Our product list is a limited menu to pick from. Just the main things we sold over the years. Please go to our site and look around.

So are you ready to check us out???? How about just hungry for something I wrote about that sounded good.

I am adding something to my blog for this month. I have added a Poll on the upper right side. I am interested in what you think. If you like something not listed just drop me a note at jellymanga@gmail.com . I will post the results in a upcoming blog.

I have to tell some of our older customers that some things will never be available. They took too much time and space and energy to produce; so I hope our list will satisfy your needs. As time goes by, things will be added and somethings removed.

The main reason for dropping something will be availability of fruit. As things come into season we will expand our list. If you don’t see your favorite, please ask for availability.

Here is the list of products available:

Apple Butter, Apple Jelly, Candied Apple Jelly, Blueberry Jelly & Jam, Blackberry Jelly & Jam, Muscadine Jelly, Mixed Fruit Jelly, Peach Preserves, Jelly, Jam & Butter, Pumpkin Butter, Sweet Pepper Relish, Hot Pepper Relish, Raspberry-Habanero Jam & Jelly, Pepper Jelly (Red or Green), Jalapeno Pepper Jelly (Red or Green), Habanero Pepper Jelly. NSA Apple Butter (NSA means no added sugar. It is sweetened with fruit juice and a small amount of Splenda).

Your orders will be shipped as fast as we can, some things will be made specially just for you so those orders might take a week longer.
www.austinhouse.biz

I will have a new blog in a few days, but this could not wait. But don’t forget….Please let me know what you would like to make or any ideas you have for the next blog. Just drop me a note at jellymanga@gmail.com

Don’t keep my blogs a secret, and pass the word on to your friends, neighbors and family members. They just might make something and share with you. Please feel free to share my blog on FaceBook or Twitter or even MySpace.com.

Don’t forget, if someone asks you can you can it.

Say Yes I Can, Can It!

Mixed up World of Mixed Fruit Jelly

2011-12-20T10:52:00.000-08:00

Most people have no idea what Mixed Fruit Jelly is made from. All they know is it tastes good.

You have to read the ingredients
to know for sure what kind of jelly you have

You get it at a drive thru or they bring it to you with your meal at the Waffle House. If you don't live in the South, the Waffle House is a place that we all know and visit frequently. They serve mostly breakfast type meals. They also have other things, according to the signs on the wall they a sell more T-Bone steaks than any other restaurant. They are on just about every corner around Atlanta. Not a big place, usually 4 to 6 booths and maybe 8 - 10 seats at the counter. They have some of the best food around. I guess the two biggest things in the South are Waffle Houses and Krispy Kreme doughnuts. That is a slanted opinion.

When I go to the Waffle House and get my eggs, grits and toast they always bring little packages of jelly. I always look for mixed fruit. Away from home it is my favorite. When I visit other places for a biscuit or mcmuffin I also get jelly, usually mixed fruit. I read the ingredients on both packages and they are not the same. One has mixed fruit made from apple and grape juice and the other has apple and plum juice. The only thing they have in common is apple juice (and all the other things they put in it). I have no idea when this started or who started it. I guess someone who makes way too much money said one day to use apple grape and someone else making just as much money decided that it should be apple plum. I often wondered why someone else at another factory didn't decided on plum-grape jelly. It would be mixed fruit. Oh well things like that only happen in my kitchen.

The taste out of the little package is just about the same, so I guess that the main juice is apple. The grape or plum are there to give a color and a hint of flavor.

I will give you a recipe so that you can go to the grocers and buy the things you need to make either or both. Might be fun to make both and let your family decide which one they really like best. We are going to use equal parts of the juices so our jellies will taste better than the packages.
Your shopping list should include enough to make what ever combination you like. Maybe buy another juice to really mix things up.
All the juice that we are going to use should be with no added water. That would be the ones that are not made from concentrate. If you look you can find it. Your list should include:

Apple Juice - a couple of quarts will do.

Grape Juice - a quart will work. You can use purple grapes or white grapes. So many things to pick.

Plum Juice - again a quart. This may be a little harder to find. It is usually in the specialty foods section of your grocery store. This will also cost more than apple or grape. Again, buy enough to make one batch or a couple of mixed up batches. You are the boss.

Cane Sugar - maybe two or three 5 pound bags, just in case. I really mean Cane sugar.

Look and make sure. The other sugar will work, but your jelly may not set firm. We call it weepy jelly.

Powdered Pectin - buy 4 or 5 boxes. You never know when you might want to make the next combination. You want to be ready.

Canning jars - maybe a couple of cases. That will give you more jars to work with.

At home remove the jars from the box.Wash & rinse completely. We ran our jars thru the dish washer on a rinse and sanitize cycle. This is what I mean when I say prepared jars. They have been washed, rinsed and dried completely. The domes need to be boiled in water before use. We use a small plastic stick with a magnet on the end to remove the domes for use on jars.

Lemons - While you are at the store look around in the frozen foods section. In most stores you will find packages of frozen Lemon Juice. This is the way we buy it. It is real juice with no additives, just squeezed and frozen.

Once you thaw it, keep it in the refrigerator. If you don't want this then get a bag of lemons. You can squeeze and strain the seeds out. Each batch of jelly will use a couple of teaspoons of lemon juice.
Over in the Specialty Foods section take a look at all the different juices available. The list has grown and grown the more people want something other than orange or apple. Another place to look for fruit juice is the baby food section. They have some of the best pear juice I have ever tested. You might ask how I know, well when we took care of our grandkids we always bought different juices to give them. They all liked the pear juice best, so I tasted (not from the baby bottle, I tasted it from the bottle I bought at the store) and I really liked it.
Now I hope you are ready to cook. You have picked exactly the combination you want first. While we are getting ready, why don't you have the next pick ready. It really doesn't take that much longer to make two batches.

Apple/Plum Mixed Fruit Jelly
3 1/2 cups apple juice
3 1/2 cups plum juice
9 cups sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 box pectin

This is the instructions for cooking all the different type of Mixed Fruit jellies.
Combine all juices with pectin in a cooking pot. Bring to a boil, boil for 1 minute. Add sugar. Continue stirring and bring back to boil. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Let set for a couple of minutes. Skim the foam off the top. Carefully ladle into prepared jars. Clean the rims with a wet paper towel. Place sterile domes then rings on top. Finger tighten (not too tight, but tight enough so they don't leak in the water bath). Put all jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Remove and let sit over night. Next morning check for unsealed jars. They have to be reprocessed with a new dome. The other jars are ready to eat, display or give as gifts.

Use your other juices and make what ever type of mixed fruit jelly you want. The choice is yours. Make White Grape/Apple or Purple Grape/Apple. Why not something else like Peach/Mango Mixed Fruit jelly? Mary Lynn made Strawberry/Apple jelly and it was a huge favorite. Everybody likes Strawberry Jam and who doesn't like Apple Jelly.

To get strawberry juice bring to a boil 2 cups water and 6 cups crushed fruit. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Let cool then strain thru muslin. You now have strawberry juice to make jelly with.
While we have brought up strawberry juice, why not mix strawberry/ mango as a mixed fruit.

You see all the different ways to go. You can do anything you want or your family wants. The first thing I want you to do is taste your jelly and then taste one of the little packages that you got from the Waffle House or the drive thru at your mcfavorite restaurant.
The tastes are nothing alike. That is why you should make the jelly that you and your family want to eat.

There are so many things to pick from to make your favorite.

In response to so many requests, Mary Lynn and I are starting back with our production and sales of a limited number of our most popular items. We are going to be selling thru a website that is in production now. Hopefully we will have everything ready to open for business in a couple of weeks. I will keep you posted on our progress. I already have my site name set and the coding goes on. If you have ever done that, you know how time-consuming it is. I tried and was lost, but thankfully I was saved by a very special person. So I will keep you posted, it should not be long. The name of the web site will be austinhouse.biz .

This will give you the chance to compare our products with the things you are making at home. Keep watching and reading.

Please subscribe to my blogs. I enjoy getting ideas for future blogs from you. Also be sure and check out my other blogs, you might have missed one. If you have an idea or a suggestion, contact me at jellymanga@gmail.com .

Don’t keep my blogs a secret. Pass the word on to your friends, neighbors and family members. They just might make something and share with you.

Don’t forget, if someone asks you if you can can it.
Say Yes I Can Can It!

Thinking about giving Thanks.

2011-11-09T14:21:00.000-08:00

It is that time of year when everybody starts thinking about holidays.

If you live in the United States, Thanksgiving followed by Christmas or Hanukkah then New Years celebrations are in the immediate future. I know that I have plenty of things to be thankful for. This blog is one of them. It has allowed me to visit with each reader and tell them about what my family has taught me thru the years. I learned a lot from my Grandmother Austin. She started me on the trail of home canning that has brought me to this point. I wonder how many of you readers have a similar story, someone in your past that got you interested in canning. I would love to do a survey and find out just what the numbers would look like. I don't have a way to do that, but I would really be interested in reading your story or just what brought you to my page. If you don't mind, take a minute and send me a note and tell me your story. My e-mail is jellyman@gmail.com . Just click on the link and this will let you send me a message.

Well getting back to my subjects for this blog, holidays. I don't know about your house but in my house all the holidays coming up mean eating, big time. With eating I want my products to play a big part in the good times. Mary Lynn and I made several special items this time of the year and I want to share them with you.

First off we will start with a couple of Butters especially for fall season. Pumpkin Butter is the number one butter followed closely by Sweet Potato Butter. What you never heard of these? Maybe one but not the other? Both are best this time of year because of the pumpkins coming into season and the best sweet potatoes in the market. Mary Lynn would go to the State Farmers Market and look at all the pumpkins for sale. She looked for a certain type of pumpkin, not the ones you might think. She looked for cooking pumpkins. This is best for baking. Why this type? This pumpkin is usually smaller, more meatier than the type that you carve faces in. You take this pumpkin and cut from stem end to blossom end around, dividing it into two halves. Take a cookie sheet and spray it with not stick non-flavored spray then place the inside of the pumpkin face down on the sheet. The outside of the pumpkin facing up. Bake at 325 ° for about 25 to 35 minutes, depending on the pumpkin size. After this, let cool, then carefully flip over to expose the cooked insides. Remove the seeds and other parts leaving only the walls of the fruit. Take a large spoon and scrape to remove the meat. Do this carefully so as not to get the outside skin of the roasted pumpkin. Place all the cooked meat in a food processor and blend til it is smooth. This is what we will use to make our butter. If this is too much, purchase canned pumpkin in the grocery. The canned will taste OK, but fresh is by far the best.

12 cups pumpkin, 4 1/2 cups apple juice, 1 1/2 cups cider vinegar, 7 1/2 cups sugar, 3 cups brown sugar, 3 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1 1/2 teaspoons allspice and 1/2 teaspoon ginger. Mix all ingredients completely and put into crock pots, or cook on top of the stove in a large heavy cooking pot. Cook around 2 hours, mixing while cooking. Carefully ladle into 8 ounce prepared canning jars (washed and rinsed). Leave at least 1/4 inch room from the rim. Take a damp paper towel and clean rim. Place sterilized domes (rinse in boiling water) on top and screw rings on. Screw on finger tight, not loose or too tight. Place inside a pressure cooker to process the jars. Process in a boiling water bath with at least two inches water over the tops of the jars for 10 minutes.

This is one of the best tasting things you could ever eat on a toasted muffin or even toast. Mary Lynn had a thought while making pumpkin butter; what if you served it after dinner as a snack. Serve it with whipped cream cheese and ginger snap cookies, vanilla wafers and graham crackers. This might also work with sweet potato butter as well, but especially with pumpkin butter. Just take your snap or cracker or wafer and spread the soft cream cheese then add a dollop of pumpkin butter. If you don't know what a dollop is, well it is less than a whole bunch and more than not enough.... do you get the idea? It has to be great. So there are always other methods of enjoying seasonal favorites.

Next we will make Sweet Potato Butter, another holiday treat for late breakfast or even desert, or as a snack. We use canned yams, half solid pack and half packed in syrup.

12 1/2 cups yams in syrup, 12 1/2 cups solid pack, 4 cups apple juice, 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground allspice, 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 14 cups sugar, 1 cup lite corn syrup. (You can cut the recipe in half to make less, but keep proportions same all the way thru.). Mix all ingredients, place in blender or food processor to completely mix (do small batches at a time). Use the syrup and apple juice to cut the thickness. Place in crock pots and cook 8 hours, mixing occasionally. Ladle into 8 ounces jars using the same instructions as above. Let cool and set over night. Open jar should always be refridgerated.

Now we will move on to some more familiar holiday treats.

Holiday relishes are different from ordinary relish; they don't have to be jarred. They can be put into large bowls and refriderated til served. You can put them into jars if you plan on making enough to share or eat at another time. Remember carefully ladle the relish into 8 ounce canning jars that have been washed and rinsed then dried. Fill to within 1/4 inch from the top. Place a sterile dome (boiled in water) on and finger-tighten the ring. Process your jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Remove and let sit overnight. Check for unsealed jars, they must have new domes and be boiled again for 10 minutes.

How about different variations of a holiday standard Cranberries?

Whole Cranberry Relish

1 pound cranberries, 1 1/2 cups water, 2 1/2 cups sugar, 1 cup seedless chopped raisins, 1 apple, peeled, cored, and chopped (Granny Smith really works nice here), rind from a orange and lemon, finely grated, and 1 cup walnuts - chopped.

Cook cranberries in water till all skins pop open. Add the sugar, raisins, apple and orange and lemon peel. Boil fifteen minutes. Remove from heat and add walnut meats. Place in a bowl that will go in your refrigerator. Let cool to set . Serve like you would cranberry sauce, but the taste is better. Another thought, why not use it in place of mayonaise on turkey of ham sandwiches. It is great!!!!!!!

Cranberry-Orange Relish

1 pound cranberries, 1 1/2 cups water, 2 1/2 cups sugar, 1 orange rind grated, 1 cup orange juice. You can add walnuts to this, or almonds or pecans. A true Southern version of this would have to have pecans.

Cook cranberries in water till all skins pop open. Add the sugar and orange peel and juice. If you want to add nuts, add them now. Place in a bowl and chill over night to set up. Serve on a nice dish with Mandarin Orange segments scattered over the top. Really nice to look at as well as delicious to eat.

What Southern holiday feast would be served without Ambrosia? I know that when you read the recipe, many will say that their grandmothers didn't have this or it had something else added. That is the fun of being the chef, you can make it any way you want. As long as it looks good and tastes better that it looks, the recipe will work. I have even had Ambrosia with peach slices.

Austin House Ambrosia:

5 cups drained, crushed pineapple, 1 1/2 cups orange juice, 1/3 cup orange peel, grated, 1 orange, peeled with membrane removed, chopped (be sure to remove seeds), 3 cups shredded coconut, 1 cup maraschino cherries, drained, chopped and blotted til no juice, 1 cup chopped walnuts, 1 cup chopped apple with peel (mix a red and green apple for best effects and taste).

Combine juice, pineapple and orange, simmer for 15 minutes. Add sugar, cook til almost jelly stage. Remove from heat and stir in coconut and blotted cherries. (Cherries that are not completely blotted will turn the mixture red, so blot as many times as needed to get dry cherries), add chopped apple and nuts. Remove from heat and let cool over night.

This will not setup so it has to be served in small bowls. In my grandmother's house we always put it over the top of a slice of home-made coconut cake with 7 minute frosting. I think the only holiday we didn't eat coconut cake was 4th of July. I guess that is why my favorite cake has always been coconut. Try it on some of your favorite holiday treats and let me know which one you like best. Or better still, just eat it with nothing else. Hard to beat the flavor of this Southern Holiday tradition.

In response to so many requests, Mary Lynn and I are starting back with our production and sales of a limited number of our most popular items. We are going to be selling thru a website that is in production now. Hopefully we will have everything ready to open for business in a couple of weeks. I will keep you posted on our progress. I already have my site name set and the coding goes on. If you have ever done that, you know how time-consuming it is. I tried and was lost, but thankfully I was saved by a very special person. So I will keep you posted, it should not be long. The name of the web site will be www.austinhouse.biz .

This will give you the chance to compare our products with the things you are making at home. Keep watching and reading.

Please subscribe to my blogs. I enjoy getting ideas for future blogs from you. Also be sure and check out my other blogs, you might have missed one. If you have an idea or a suggestion, contact me at jellymanga@gmail.com .

Don’t keep my blogs a secret. Pass the word on to your friends, neighbors and family members. They just might make something and share with you.
Don’t forget, if someone asks you if you can can it. Say Yes I Can Can It!

It's Salsa Time in the Kitchen - - - Fruit Salsa that is.

2011-10-20T13:28:00.000-07:00

Many people have the wrong idea about salsa. They think that if it has peppers and a Spanish name, it has to be hot. Boy, are they wrong. I love the taste of all the different kinds we are going to make. I also can think of at least 10 different ways to use each one of them, other than chips & salsa.

I have already published my recipe for Strawberry Salsa. Judging from the number of people looking at that recipe every day, it is time to do more Salsa recipes. When I did the blogs about Peaches, I did not include Peach Salsa because I wanted to include it in this blog. If you missed the Strawberry Salsa blog, here is the link to it http://canucanit.wordpress.com/2011/06/09/strawberry-salsa-and-recipe/ now if you go there you have to promise to come back.

While you are looking at the Strawberry Salsa recipe think of the same recipe, just using Raspberries. Making Raspberry Salsa is very much like strawberry. The only difference is use 1/2 whole raspberries and 1/2 pureed.Salsas is canned in 16 oz. canning jars, unless stated differently. After cleaning the rims of the jars and placing a sterile dome and ring on, you have to put in a boiling water bath. The time will vary. I will let you know on each recipe.

Let's get cooking with Peach Salsa. Peaches used in this recipe are going to have to be cut into bite size pieces or smaller. That goes for Mango Salsa as well. You never want someone to get a big chunk of Peach when they are dipping into the salsa bowl. Peach pulp (any left over peach pieces ) ground up in the blender or Cuisinart and added to the salsa gives it more of a "peach flavor" in every bite. You need 8 cups of peaches (7 cups pieces + 1 cup puree'). You can use canned peaches, but fresh or frozen peaches work so much better. Here is the rest of the recipe.

8 cups peaches, 2 cups diced tomatoes, 1 cup tomato puree', 1/2 cup diced red bell peppers no seeds or membrane, 1/2 cup diced green bell peppers, no seeds or membrane, add 1 cup light corn syrup, 1/4 cup chopped cilantro or 2 tablespoons dried, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 1 1/2 tablespoons cummin powder, 1/2 tablespoons chili powder, 1/2 tablespoon salt (canning, kosher or sea), and 3/4 cup vinegar or lemon juice or lime juice. The choice is yours, but I like lime juice.

Combine all ingredients in a large heavy-duty cooking pot. Mix well, stirring completely. Bring just to a good boil for 1 minute. Make sure you stir while cooking. Salsa sticks very easily. Scorched salsa tastes bad. Also by stirring deeply you will allow everything to "marry". That means the flavors blend together. Ladle into prepared canning jars. After cleaning the rim on the jar place sterile domes then rings. Finger tighten and process jars in boiling water bath for 15 minutes. Remove from water and let cool on racks or towels overnight. Check for unsealed jars. Do not reprocess these jars, this will make your salsa soggy. Get out the chips or put into the refrigerator and use first. Cooking such a short time will let your salsa keep a crisp taste.

Mango Salsa is very much like Peach Salsa, So much alike that you can use the same recipe for both. Just put in mangoes every time I wrote peach. If you take a spoon and scrape the pit you will get more mango. Just add this to the mango that is going to be pureed. Process the same way.

Pineapple Salsa You don't have to use fresh pineapple (but it does taste better). A good brand of canned pineapple will work just fine. Drain the juice and save for the next time you are making punch. You will need 6 cups diced pineapple and 2 cups crushed (canned is fine also).

Pineapple Salsa is great to eat with chips, but better to cook with.

8 cups pineapple (6 +2), 2 cups diced tomatoes, 1 cup diced and seeded bell peppers (mix red and green), 1/2 cup seeded and diced jalapeno' peppers, 1 cup corn syrup (or use the drained juice and boil with 1 cup sugar), 1 tablespoon fresh chopped cilantro, 1/4 cup lime juice, 1/2 cup diced red onions
Combine all ingredients in a large cooking pot. Mix ingredients well. Bring to a good boil for 1 minute. Make sure you stir all the salsa not just the top part. Salsa sticks very easy and scorched salsa tastes bad. Ladle into prepared canning jars (16 oz. works best). After cleaning the rim on the jar place sterile domes then rings. Finger tighten and process jars in boiling water bath for 15 minutes. Remove from water and let cool on racks or towels overnight. Check for unsealed jars. Don't recook the unsealed jars.

Next is one that I bet you have never heard of. Cranberry/Orange Salsa. You need all fresh fruit for this one, no canned or bottled. Fresh is needed to make this the best possible. You will be glad you did not substitute when you taste the flavor.

2 pounds fresh cranberries, wash well, 2 apples cut into pieces with no seeds, 2 oranges, (cut whole oranges into pieces, yes you use the rind and peel),, 4 cups sugar and 4 jalapeno' peppers seeded and minced. Using a food processor or cuisinart chop together the cranberries, apples and oranges. Combine your chopped mix with the peppers in a large cooking pot. Bring to a boil, then cut the heat and simmer for 5 minutes more. Stirring all the time. Put into canning jars (8 ounce or 16 ounce) clean rims and put on sterile domes and rings. Process 10 minutes. Check for unsealed jars. This salsa may be reprocessed.

When you are ready to eat this, it goes great as a side dish for ham, chicken or turkey. Mixed with sour cream it becomes a killer dip. Use on crackers with small bites of chicken, ham or turkey. I am sure that you will love this one. Our customers went crazy when we sampled it.

Mixed Fruit Salsa is our last recipe but not the least. Mix 1/2 cup mild peppers, Serrano or canned green chilies or any other mild pepper you might like, 1 cup chopped orange segments (no seeds, peel or membrane), add 1/2 cup lime juice, 1 1/2 cups pineapple chopped into small bits (fresh or canned, no juice), 1 cup diced cantaloupe, 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, or 1 tablespoon dried cilantro, add 1 tablespoon fresh ginger (chopped real fine), and finally 1 cup corn syrup. Mix all ingredients in large cooking pot. Bring to a boil for about 1 minute.Then ladle into prepared canning jars and process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Remove and let cool over night. Check for unsealed jars, they can be reprocessed. This salsa is great on many foods and great on pound cake as a dessert.

I have run out of space for this blog, but still have more recipes. If you are interested in recipes for: Lemon Garlic Salsa, Lemon Salsa (killer on fish), Lime Salsa, Watermelon Salsa or Wine/Mint Salsa (for lamb) just e-mail me for a copy.

A note about Salsa. Just this weekend I had another person's Pineapple Salsa at a party. It was all blended smooth, with no chunks of tomato or pineapple, no pieces of pepper. It was a good tasting salsa, but I missed the taste this recipe gives you. If you prefer a smooth salsa, puree or blend til smooth before cooking. The difference is huge. But you decide according to your families' tastes. You should try to make a different type of salsa occasionally. There are so many things to pick from and so many ways to cook them.

My blog about traditional tomato types of salsa will be following soon.

Please subscribe to my blogs. I enjoy getting ideas for future blogs from you. Also be sure and check out my other blogs, you might have missed one.

Don’t keep my blogs a secret. Pass the word on to your friends, neighbors and family members. They just might make something and share with you.
Don’t forget, if someone asks you if you can can it. Say Yes I Can Can It!

Blackberry Time, at last

2011-10-02T11:08:00.000-07:00

Blackberry Jam, Jelly and Preserves maybe the number one jelly or jam flavor that we sold in our business. So let’s head over to the nearest blackberry patch and pick as many as we can carry. We will also eat about the same amount while picking. Be careful of the briars, they hurt. Don't be afraid of anything you think you might see while picking. The story about snakes being there is just a story, maybe just a story.....maybe.

Something of a personal note. I won the Best of Show and a Gold Medal for Excellence at the Georgia National Fair with my Blackberry Jam. I was quite proud of myself. It is something not many people win.

Everywhere we went people would always ask if we had Blackberry products. Most wanted jam, jelly and preserves. I have never figured out the lure of this fruit. It is great tasting, but I have trouble with the seeds. I bet I am not the only one that has seed problems with both blackberries and raspberries. There is a solution for this, either stick to jelly or make seedless jam. Seedless jam from blackberries or raspberries takes plenty of berries and plenty of time, along with a couple of kitchen gadgets to remove the seeds. I will cover the process for you later in this blog. I will also cover freezer jam; that is jam you make and store in your freezer. This jam doesn't have to be processed, but does need time to thaw.

Let's get started with Blackberry Jam made without pectin

You need 9 cups berries that have been washed and crushed. 6 cups cane sugar (make sure you use cane sugar, look on the bag it will say cane sugar).

Bring the mixture slowly to a boil stirring constantly til it reaches a jelling point. Dip a metal spoon into the boiling mixture. When the liquid breaks from the spoon in a sheet instead of drops, you have reached the jelling point. If you use a candy thermometer the temperature will be 8º above the boiling point of water, 212° at sea level. It will be higher in higher elevations. I have seen that even the barometric pressure has an effect on the boiling point of water. Low pressure makes water boil at a lower temperature and vice versa.

Check out the foam from cooking

That is why we say 8º above your boiling point; it varies with all the above reasons. To find out your water temperature before cooking your blackberries, put your thermometer in boiling water and write down the temperature. That is the point you start from with your blackberries. I had to look all this up to make sure you had the correct information. Mary Lynn wrote it down for me in a note. she knew all this about altitude and pressure making a difference in cooking. Someday I will do a blog and introduce Mary Lynn to you. She is a special person, and I am glad I married her. She always seems to have a surprise up her sleeve, even when she doesn't have sleeves. After all that is done, skim and ladle into clean jars. Clean the rims, place sterile domes and rings on. Process in boiling water bath 15 minutes.

If you want Seedless Blackberry Jam, you will need to heat your berries in a microwave for 90 seconds until they are soft. Press the fruit thru a food mill or sieve. This seems like extra work, but as far as I know there is no other way to get the seeds out.

Push thru a sieve to get out seeds.

I never really thought about removing seeds from a berry when making jam. The first time I tasted the seedless and then the regular jam I knew why the extra work was needed for me to really enjoy blackberry jam. It will take at least 10 cups of berries because you will end up with at least 1 cup of seeds. Cook and process in the same way as above.

Blackberry Jam, using pectin

5 cups washed and crushed berries, 7 cups cane sugar, and 1 package of pectin.

Bring your berries and pectin to a boil, add your sugar and bring back to a boil for 1 minute. All this while stirring constantly. Skim and ladle into jars, add sterile domes and rings. Process in boiling water bath 15 minutes.

Blackberry Jelly takes a little longer to get ready to cook, but I think it is time well spent. I do love jelly on so many things. One of the places I like blackberry jelly is a good toasted English muffin. I think the jelly made from blackberries has a stronger fruit taste than all the other fruits we make jelly from.

To make the juice for your jelly start with washing and draining your fruit. Crush the berries and measure your volume. For each quart (4 cups) of berries add 1/2 cup water. Add your mixture to a pot and heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes or until your berries have gotten real soft.
Strain thru damp muslin or a damp jelly bag to extract the juice. Do not push the mixture thru the strainer. Just leave it until there are no more drops failing. This can take a while, probably at least 2 hours depending on how much you are working with. If you have a large amount, consider splitting it into more than one strainer. When you have you juice it is now time to start cooking jelly.

3 1/2 cups blackberry juice, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 5 cups cane sugar, 1 package of powdered pectin. (I say powdered because someone asks me if it was OK to use the liquid kind). We never had good results with liquid pectin.

Combine juice, lemon juice and pectin in a large heavy-duty cooking pot. Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat, add your sugar and continue cooking til it comes back to a rolling boil (a boil the you can't stop by stirring). All the time stirring your jelly mixture. Boil the sugar liquid mixture for 1 minute then remove from heat or turn off the gas. Skim any foam and ladle into processed jars, clean the rim and add domes and rings. Then in a boiling bath for 5 minutes. This makes five 8 ounce jars. That is why you really need to consider doing large batches of fruit to get enough liquid. You can double your batch and make 10 jars at a time with no problem.

Blackberry Jelly without pectin

Use 4 cups juice (as above) and 3 cups cane sugar. Boil the mixture until a metal spoon "sheets", just like it did if you made the jam.

Don't forget to make corrections based on altitude where you live and the weather. (All explained above also) After the sheeting appears skim and ladle into prepared jars, process 5 minutes.

Next on the menu Freezer Blackberry Jam

For this you have to use special jars or containers made for your
freezer. Do not use your regular canning jars!!!!!

Combine 3 cups crushed berries with 5 1/4 cups cane sugar. Mix and let stand for at least 15 minutes, a little longer might be better. Meanwhile bring 3/4 cup water and 1 package of pectin to a boil. Boil for 1 minute stirring constantly. Add the water/pectin to the fruit/sugar mixture. Stir for at least 3 minutes.

Ladle into freezer jars or freezer containers leaving 1/2 inch head space. Apply domes and rings on cleaned rims of jars. Let the jam set in the fridge until it sets up (6 to 24 hours). Store in fridge for up to 3 weeks or freezer for up to 1 year. Many people like this method as opposed to the other more traditional method. I have never had any type of freezer jam, so I can't tell you which one is better. I suppose that the traditional people will tell you their method tastes best and the freezer people will say the same. I will leave it up to you to decide. Let me know which one you pick as best.

Not many things better on a hot bisquit

Blackberry Preserves this is the godfather of all the blackberry recipes. When you ask someone about their favorite blackberry memory, I'll bet it was at their grandmother's house. They will say that they were eating fresh hot biscuits with real butter and blackberry preserves that their grandmother had made. Well I don't know about the biscuit part but you can make preserves that will taste very similar to yourgrandmother's. I say similar because no one can cook like your grandmother. The love that she always added is the big difference in the flavor.

Take 2 pounds blackberries and add 4 cups sugar then let stand for 1 hour or covered overnight in your fridge. It is OK to double this recipe and make double the number of jars at the same time. After the mixture has set for the needed time pour into a cooking pot and bring the mixture slowly to a boil; stirring gently.After it comes to a boil watch the mixture carefully, stirring often. When the liquid reaches jelling stage (check with metal spoon), remove from heat, skim and ladle into jars. Process 15 minutes in a boiling water bath.

Bringing our cook fest to a close will be Blackberry Syrup.

Blackberry Syrup pretty to look at, better to taste!

Great on pancakes or waffles. Even better on ice cream with a slice of pound cake under the ice cream. This soaks up the melting ice cream and the syrup,making his the most fun way of eating cooked blackberries.

In a large saucepan add 2 quarts crushed blackberries and add 2 cups water; bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Do not forget to stir all the time. When the liquid has cooled strain thru a jelly sack or damp muslin. This will take at least 2 hours or more. Do not try to hurry the process you want the best. Best is not fast. Now you are ready to make syrup from the liquid. Combine 3 cups sugar and 4 cups water; boil for 5 minutes, until the simple syrup (that is what you call sugar and water mixture) starts to thicken. You can use 2 cups corn syrup and 2 cups sugar instead of all cane sugar. Add the blackberry juice to the sugar syrup and boil for 1 minute.

Skim, ladle into jars or use syrup bottles that have been sterilized. If you use jars process 5 minutes in boiling water bath. If you don't want to process, store in your refrigerator til needed.This recipe makes about 3 pints of beautiful blackberry syrup.

This wraps up our trip to the briar patch to pick blackberries. Take them home and make all different types of goodies. I hope you try to make something we covered. If you can't get fresh berries, you can always use frozen ones. The frozen ones doesn’t work well for preserves, but will work for all other recipes. Just remember always use fresh any time you can. The flavor is worth it!

Something I thought about while working on the above recipes. I have never heard of Blackberry Ice Cream. If any of you have a recipe, please let me know. I will give you full credit for the recipe in a future blog.

Please subscribe to my blogs. I enjoy getting ideas for future blogs from you. Also be sure and check out my other blogs, you might have missed one.

Don’t keep my blogs a secret. Pass the word on to your friends, neighbors and family members. They just might make something and share with you.

Don’t forget, if someone asks you if you can can it.

Say Yes I Can Can It!

Don't Delay. Get Your Kids into the Kitchen

2011-09-20T21:58:00.000-07:00

It is never to early to get your kids involved in the kitchen.
Start them off on a journey that can last them a life time. I give thanks for a grandmother that took the time to teach me how to cook and do canning. I learned things that have played out pretty well in my life. Mary Lynn's mother and grandmother taught her all about putting veggies up so that her family would have good food during the winter. It wasn't that long ago when people did not have the things available to us today. They could not run down and pick up dinner from a deli or a drive thru. They had to cook what was available in their home. If someone had hunted and came home with a turkey, or a deer, or even fished and brought home a big stringer full. That was what you ate, they did not make special things just because you didn't like something.
I remember watching and asking all kinds of questions. I always got answers, no matter what I ask.
Don't you think it is time for you to start cooking with your family. You don't have to teach everything you do, just pick something they like and make it with them then next time. Let them watch you make it. maybe start with simple things and work your way up. Mary Lynn and I used to let our grandsons set on a counter while we cooked something. We talked about what we were doing and explained what was happening. We let them smell spices and taste things so that they would get kitchen experience. After a couple of times, we let them help out with recipe. They would hold the recipe card and tell us what was next. Then they did small jobs, such as stirring a pot. Don't get excited if a little mess is made. It will always clean up. More than one time we had a spill or something poured out on the counter. Don't make a them feel bad because of what happened. Remember, you spill things also. The only people who don't spill and make a mess are the people who don't cook. I laugh at those kind of people the only thing they make is reservations. Don't let you kids grow up to be one of those kind of people.
I remember when Christopher made apple butter all by his self for the first time. He started coring and cleaning the apples.
Then he cooked them down to a pulp that he put thru a food mill.Next he measured out the right amount to make the batch.

He measured and added the spices and sugar to the pulp. Stirring to make sure that everything mixes before the crock pots.
After pouring into jars, our next step is making labels for the jars.
Our labels had to pass the Department of Agriculture specifications. We had to have everything used in cooking on the labels and they had to be a certain size. Chris did not make a special label for his apple butter, he just used our label. It was easier, and did not have to sent off for approval. This job looks easy, but that was not the case. Anybody that has printed labels of any type on a computer knows what I am talking about.
After printing, the labels have to be carefully centered on the jars. The jars had to look nice to sell. People don't buy jars that look odd or different from the others.
Now the jars are ready for shows. They are ready for customers to buy. It was a great experience for us to see our grandson making and selling something that he had made the hard way. The only thing he did not do was climb the tree and pick the fruit. Luckily we had a big supply of apples to use from our banker. He has been a good friend for many years. Every year he brought over baskets and baskets of apples from his yard. After this type of work Mary Lynn took a box of apple butter that Chris had made and set it aside. She took one of the jars and without Chris knowing, entered it in the canning contest at the Georgia National Fair. We both have won many awards and ribbons at the fair, but we will never forget the first. We went down to Perry, Georgia to the fair and told Chris that we wanted to see how we did. He was excited because of getting a trip to the fair and the fair food that goes with the trip. He was looking forward to Corn dogs and Onion Rings. He had no clue what we made the special trip for. We got to the canning display and started looking at who won awards and what we had won. They do a real nice job of setting things up with a sticker on the jars stating the awards. I found his jar and called him over. I told him to look and help me read the name on the jar that was a prize winner. Chris looked and read his name and saw it was First Place in Junior Canning. I thought he was going to faint. He started to yell for Mary Lynn. At the same time great big tears started to flow. Mary Lynn told him what she had done. He grabbed her in a monster hug. I think we all had tears about this time. The lady that was in charge of the canning division came over and ask if she could take a photo of Chris holding the jar. He was so excited he could hardly stand still. She reached in her pocket and pulled out a large award and told Chris that not only did he get a first place, he also got the Best in The Show Award. We did eat fair food for dinner, but the corn dog and onion rings were not the big thing on the evenings agenda.
You may not ever have something like this. But you will get as much pride from watching your kids or grandkids learning to cook as we did.
Chris is a man now, but I'll bet he would tell you all about that night just like it was last night. I was a special moment for his life as well as ours.
So don't delay. Get in the kitchen and start cooking with your kids or grandkids. You never know when you might be starting a life changing experience. My grandmother started me. Mary Lynn's mother and grandmother started her. We started our grand kids. and Mary Lynn's daughter has start our 4-year-old grandson in the kitchen.
This past Christmas we receive a gift of Banana Bread that our grandson had made. It tasted awesome (how could it not). He wants to be on the Cooking Channel or on the Top Chefs show. He loves watching cooking shows on TV. 4 years old and he has a miniature kitchen than he play cooks on all the time. I just hope I live to see what he does with his goals. I should mention that when he is no cooking, he is playing with Thomas the Train toys. Last night he called and had a train with 41 cars. He counted them for us on the phone.
I guess we are looking at an Engineer that has his own cooking show at the same time. Anything is possible.
Here is the recipe for Apple Butter that Chris used. This is the same recipe that we used for all our apple butters for The Austin House. It is a prize winner many times over.

Shopping and picking list: Approximately 10 lbs. of Apples***, 1 Gal of Apple Cider or Water (to cook apples in), 1/4 Cup Cider Vinegar, 2 Tbls ground Cinnamon, 1 Tsp ground Allspice, 1/2 Tsp ground cloves, 6 Cups Cane Sugar.

***Some of the best varieties we have used: Granny Smith, Detroit Red, Arkansas
Black, and Rome.

Wash apples. Cut off blossom and stem end. Peel if desired (it is better with the peel left on). Bring apples to boil in water or cider to cover. Cook on medium to low heat until apples are soft (30 minutes to an hour depending on apples). Stir often to prevent sticking. Draw off liquid and save. Press apples thru a ricer or food sieve to remove seed and peel that did not cook soft. If you have a food mill, use that in place of ricer or sieve. Measure 8 cups of apple pulp into a crock pot or heavy cooking pot. Add listed spices, sugar and vinegar. Add 1 cup of cooking liquid. Strain the remaining reserved liquid thru a jelly bag or muslin (this will be used to make apple cider jelly or liquid to cook more apples). If you use a crook pot cook on low setting overnight, or cook for 7-8 hours. Check consistency before last two hours. If too watery remove the lid for the last 2 hours. If you are going to cook on stove top, cook on low heat for 2-3 hours, stirring very often. When butter has finished cooking carefully pour into cleaned canning jars. Fill to within ¼ inch of top. Using a damp paper towel, clean jar tops. Place a sterile dome on top of jars (place in pan with boiling water, and then carefully remove). With dome in place screw on ring. Tighten finger tight, if you tighten
too much it will not seal. Too loose and water will seep in. Place jars in boiling water bath (use a rack or something else to keep jars from touching the bottom. Boil for 10 minutes for pint jars, 15 minutes for quarts jars with water at least 2 inches of top of jars. Carefully remove and let set undisturbed overnight. Check jars to see if they are sealed. If they are not, replace the dome and reprocess. Now you have wonderful apple butter for your family or for gifts.

In response to so many requests, Mary Lynn and I are starting back with our production and sales of a limited number of our most popular items. We are going to be selling thru a website that is in production now. Hopefully we will have everything ready to open for business in a couple of weeks. I will keep you posted on our progress.

This will give you the chance to compare our products with the things you are making at home. Keep watching and reading.

Please subscribe to my blogs. I enjoy getting ideas for future blogs from you. Also be sure and check out my other blogs, you might have missed one.

Don’t keep my blogs a secret. Pass the word on to your friends, neighbors and family members. They just might make something and share with you.

Don’t forget, if someone asks you if you can can it.
Say Yes I Can Can It!

"Wild and Crazy Ideas" Peaches Part 3

2011-09-12T22:17:00.000-07:00

In part 1 we covered the main list of peach favorites. Part 2 covered using your peach products and making other things. In this part we will cook some lesser or unknown items.

We will will use our famous Georgia Peaches.

First up is Peach Butter

It is like apple butter, but made with peaches. So it's not the same, but as I said at the start, different. Something else about peach butter is that we use the whole peach minus the pit. But we use the peach pit when boiling the peaches. This gives you more natural pectin. We leave the skin on; this gives more flavor than you would expect. It is a simple recipe that can be easily done. Believe me when I tell you that once you make peach butter, you will make it every peach season. Another side benefit when you make peach butter is you get more peach juice for your jellies and syrups. Just wait till you taste it!

Start with 1/2 bushel peaches which is about 24 cups. You can do a smaller batch with 12 cups of peaches. Cut the peaches up with the skin still on, but cut off any bad spots. Do not peel the peaches.

The peel gives the butter a great taste. It is more peachier (if that is a word). Cook peaches in water up to about half the volume of peaches. Put the peach pits in a cooking bag or make your own with a piece of muslin tied. Cook for about 30 minutes on low heat, stirring to keep mixed and not sticking. Cook till the pieces are very soft. Strain to remove as much liquid as possible. Save the liquid for other recipes.Put drained peach pulp through a food mill. If you don't have a food mill you can purée the pulp in small batches in your blender. If you use a blender, wait til the peaches cool off, so you won't get burned.

Mix 8 cups purée with 4 1/2 cups sugar and 2 tablespoons cider vinegar (Yes I said vinegar). Pour mixture into crock-pot and cook 8 to 10 hours or until desired consistency After 6 hours check and if it is too watery, cook the next 2 hours with lid off.

Carefully ladle into 8 ounce prepared canning jars (you can use 16 ounce if you wish). Fill jars to within 1/2 inch of top, clean the rims with a damp paper towel, place sterile drained domes on followed by rings. Process in boiling water bath 15 minutes. A little different from our other recipes. Remove from heat and let set overnight. Check for unsealed jars to be reprocessed.

You now have Peach Butter to use on anything you would use Apple Butter on. Great on an English muffin, awesome on ice cream, or even a spoon. Just let your imagination go wild.

If you want another peach butter idea; substitute 8 ounces of honey in place of sugar and 2 teaspoons lemon juice in place of vinegar. This will be a thinner spread, but the honey and peaches taste just great. This is obviously called Honey Peach Butter. Two ideas for the price of one. Not a bad start.

Now we will use some of the peach juice you got from the strained peaches to make a wild and crazy item called Fuzzy Navel Jelly.

Imagine a jelly that taste like this!

Yes you read right; it is made with rum. This also uses orange juice concentrate.
You need 12 cups peach juice, 1 can OJ concentrate, pectin, rum as well as rum flavoring, and sugar. Mix the juice and concentrate and the pectin. Bring to a boil and add 1/4 cup rum and 1/8 cup rum flavoring and 14 cups sugar. Mary Lynn used the Rum Flavoring because she didn't want to add that much alcohol. The flavoring more than made up for the lower volume of rum.

Stir while mixture comes back to a roiling boil. Remove from heat and let set a couple on minutes. Skim and ladle into prepared jars, then clean tops with damp paper towel. Seal with sterilized, drained domes and rings finger tight. Process in water bath 10 minutes. Remove from heat let set over night. Check for unsealed jars to be reprocessed. You now have Fuzzy Navel Jelly. This can be used anywhere you use jelly, but remember the rum. All of the alcohol may not boil off. You may not want children to have any. You can use 1/2 cup of the rum flavoring in place of the rum if you have any doubts.

Peach Rum Raisin Jam is up next. Mary Lynn made this just for me.

As I was growing up (I have never grown up, no fun). When I went to the ice cream shop I got two scoops. The first scoop would be peach and the second scoop would be rum raisin. When I ate them together I got Peach Rum Raisin. I walked into our shop one day and an awesome aroma just about floored me. I ask what Mary Lynn was cooking and she told me she was making my favorite ice cream. Well I knew right away she was not making ice cream because she was standing at the stove (sometimes my mind works real fast). I questioned her more only to find out she had made a recipe just for me. She was making jam and not ice cream. She used fresh peaches, beautiful raisins and rum. Three things that have always been close to the top of my list of favorites.

Rum Raisin on top and Peach on bottom, equals Peach Rum Raisin.

On that day Peach Rum Raisin Jam was born. When people saw it at shows they always said the stock line that was heard many times in our booth: "I never heard of this. What is it? How do you eat it?" If I had a dollar for every time I heard that phrase or just part of it I would be a rich man today.The recipe she came up with proved to be a winner.

Start with 4 cups crushed peaches and 2 cups (1 cup dark raisins, 1 cup golden raisins), 6 1/2 cups sugar, 1 box pectin, 1/4 cup rum and 1 teaspoon lemon juice.

Mix all the ingredients except the sugar together, bring to a boil and then add the sugar. Bring back to a boil and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and let sit a couple of minutes. Ladle into canning jars up to 1/2 inch of top. Clean tops and place domes and rings on. Water bath 15 minutes, remove from heat, set over night. Check for unsealed jars.

You now have an unusual item for those people who are never satisfied with regular things. Also it is a great gift for the person who has everything. After the jars set for a few days the raisins will swell and it is now as great looking as it is great tasting. We use Captain Morgan Spiced Rum for all our cooking, but you may use which ever brand you like. A darker rum does work better than a light one.

I told you we were going to make some different things.

Next up Peach Melba Jam.

I had to look it up because I did not know what Peach Melba was. I found it is Peaches and Raspberries. Who would know with a name like Melba? That sounds like the little wafers my grandkids ate when they were cutting teeth.

Well anyhow, Peach Melba Jam is simple. 4 cups crushed peaches, 1 cup raspberries (fresh or frozen), 1/4 cup lemon juice, 6 cups sugar and 1 box pectin.

Peach Melba is a sweet taste that is addicting

Mix peaches, raspberries, lemon juice and pectin. Bring to a boil and add sugar. While stirring bring back to a full rolling boil. Cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat.

Ladle into prepared canning jars. Wipe with damp paper towel to clean rims, dome and then ring. Water bath for 15 minutes. Let sit overnight, Shazzam! You have made Peach Melba Jam. Tell your friends what you did and see how impressed they are. I'll bet that some have to look up what it means just like I did. The flavor is unbelievable. Raspberries and peaches together on a toasted buttered English muffin or hot biscuit. They have to eat like this in Heaven. Something else, it is full of Vitamin C.

That makes it healthy and good tasting and pretty. What else do you want? So make some.

OK, so far I have stuck to traditional items mostly. The next item is going to be from the dark side of the moon.

Peach-Basil White Wine Vinegar

I told you, you would not expect this.

We started making vinegars because of a conversation with our friend that owns Fox Winery in Social Circle, Georgia. We made wine jellies from the different wines he produced. (I will tell you how to make wine jelly later on, I promise). We mentioned a herb vinegar we made. He heard the word vinegar and was adamant that he didn't want it anywhere near his shop. I was sort of shocked by this, and asked why. He said that if any vinegar came in contact with his wines while they were fermenting, they would turn to vinegar. I asked if all I had to do was mix a little vinegar with wine would it turn to vinegar? He said yes it would.
On the way home we talked about this fact. We stopped at a package store and bought some wine by the cardboard box. You know the kind I am talking about. Mary Lynn poured a couple of quarts mostly full of wine and to them she added about a 1/4 cup white vinegar. Sealed the jars and mixed them up. It took about 5 days for the mixture to really smell like vinegar. We let several of our customers taste this and they all said it was wine vinegar. Also they said it tasted pretty good. Mary Lynn figured that better wine would give us the results we wanted. The next trip to the package store was for better wine. The result was great.

To make Peach-Basil White Wine Vinegar. First the wine vinegar. This time we made gallons, but kept the same proportion as in the small batch. After a week we were ready to make our vinegar combos.

2 cups fresh peeled peaches cut into thin slices (you can not use canned because of the syrup). 1 quart white wine vinegar, 3 or 4 sprigs of fresh basil (depending on their size). Heat vinegar almost to a boil, carefully pour over the peaches and the basil. When cooled, put in quart jars and let set for about 3 weeks. After 3 weeks we strained the vinegar thru muslin cloth. This gave us a clear Peach-Basil White Wine Vinegar.

For your containers you don't want a mason jar. Look for pretty decorated bottles to use. Clean the bottles well, pour in boiling water, empty and let dry completely. Into each bottle place a sprig of fresh basil and a couple of fresh peach slices. Pour the cooled wine vinegar into the bottles. The fresh basil and peaches are for decoration. You now have a great tasting vinegar to use on your salads or any other way you would like a lite fresh vinegar. Remember to keep your vinegars in a cool dry dark place.

I thought I was finished, but one more recipe is needed. It is the time of the year when kids are out of school, families plan reunions, families go away for vacations and all sorts of other summer times activities. A popular thing to do in the heat of the summer days is make homemade ice cream. There are several really good ice cream makers on the marker. They all work pretty good. In an earlier blog I talked about making peach ice cream. I now have another ice cream idea: Peach Custard Ice Cream. It is not difficult, in fact I could even make it. So that must tell you something. The ingredients are not expensive, so let's make it tonight. Give me a call and let me know what time, I will be there ready and willing to partake.

Shopping list: 1 quart whole milk, 1 cup heavy cream, 3 eggs, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, 1/8 teaspoon salt, 6 cups peach jam, 1 tablespoon vanilla.

In a heavy sauce pan heat milk and cream to just below boiling(watch this is a little tricky). In a medium size bowl beat the eggs with the sugar. Add egg mixture, flour and salt to hot milk. Cook until thick. Turn off heat. Add peach jam and vanilla and stir well. Chill before freezing in ice cream maker. This will make 1 gallon of Peach Ice Cream the old fashioned way. I promise it will taste better than anything you can bring home in that funny bad from your grocers. You family will notice the difference. That recipe is enough for me, so you better make 2 times that amount. I told you it is that good.
I tried to keep this short, but there is too much to talk about and cook. Well maybe next time I will talk less.......NOT.

I bet you never expected the variety in this blog. We covered a big range of things to make.

I would put Peach Salsa here, but I am saving it for the Salsa blog. You have to keep watching for it. Salsa will be along in a few blogs. Same goes for all you Chutney fans. I will dedicate a whole blog and maybe 2 to both Salsa and Chutney.

Special note!!!!!!!!!!!! Coming very soon, The Austin House jams & Jellies web site. You will be able to order from some of our biggest selling items. We willnot have our list like before with over 700 items available online. This will be 10 or less of the best.

Please let me know what you would like to make or any ideas you have for the next blog. Just drop me a note at jellymanga@gmail.com

Don’t keep my blogs a secret, and pass the word on to your friends, neighbors and family members. They just might make something and share with you.

Don’t forget, if someone asks you can you can it. Say Yes I Can, Can It!

Peaches Part 2, Using Your Peach Products

2011-08-31T13:19:00.000-07:00

Peach ready to be picked

Once you have made the delightful peach products, you might think that you are finished. But you are wrong. There are many things that you can make using the jams, jellies, preserves and syrups you made. I am not going to be able to list all the different ways to use your products. I will give you a few and hopefully your imagination will take hold and you will think of more ways. But if you only use the ones I give you, that is OK.

Lets get started with things to make:

PEACH ICE CREAM
This is a short recipe because there are many ways to make home-made ice cream. Some use 2% milk, others use skim, some use half/half. So I will let you decide whatever base recipe you want to use for your ice cream. After you have your ingredients mixed and just about ready for your freezer or ice cream maker; add 1 jar of peach jam or peach preserves to your ice cream mix. Some people make a custard, like my grandmother did, but if you do add the peaches to the custard while it is cooking. This will make the peach flavor all thru the mix. Mix completely and then add to your container for freezing.

Old Fashioned Hand Crank Ice Cream Maker

I love the old-fashioned way of making ice cream. You have the large container that holds the ice around the container of liquid that will become ice cream. Inside this container is a large paddle that goes around in a circle keeping every thing mixed. You turn the crank on the top to move the paddle. Now they have electric motors that do the job. All you have to do is keep the ice full and add ice cream salt to the ice. I never could figure out how adding salt would make the milk freeze. During the churning process someone had to sit on top of the whole thing to keep everything inside the bucket of ice. We sat on a burlap bag with some newspapers inside. We took turns turning the handle and sitting on the bag. I am not sure we needed to set on the freezer while someone cranked it, or if it was just a way to keep us from saying "Is it done yet?" The ones that turned first had the easiest job; the milk mixture had not started to freeze, so it turned easy. As the milk mixture became colder and froze, turning got harder. When you could hardly turn the handle one of our fathers checked to see if it was done. I will never forget that the last two that sat and turned the handle got to lick off the paddle. It was covered in ice cream. I do remember that it was always hot outside and the paddle dripped a lot. We always wound up with ice cream down the front of our shirts and sometimes down our legs to to our feet. My grandmother would not let us inside till we had been cleaned up. Once inside we had big bowls of awesome peach ice cream. Memories like that are hard to beat. Makes growing up worth while. I feel sad for people who didn't get a chance to experience some of the old family things like I did. My family got together this past weekend and my cousin made peach ice cream and vanilla cheeses cake ice cream using a pudding mix for the cheese cake flavor. It was great, but I still miss turning the crank (his was all electric).

PEACH PRESERVES CAKE
1 cup butter
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
4 eggs
3 cups non self-rising flour
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup sour milk (made by adding 1 tsp vinegar to regular milk)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup peach preserves (a jar is 8 ounces if you use the small jars)

Looks too good to cut.

Cream butter and sugar; beat in eggs. Sift flour with cinnamon and cloves. Dissolve soda in milk; add spice flour mixture to the cream mixture. Stir in pecans and peach preserves. Pour final mixture into greased sheet cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour (time may vary for your oven). Remove from oven and set on a cooling rack. Sift powdered sugar over cake after it cools. Photo shows a PPCake with wiped cream icing and sliced peaches with wiped cream topping. Wipped cream is real made from real cream not canned of plastic tube. If you take this much trouble to bake a cake at least top it with real topping.

PEACH FRITTERS
These are the things that your doctor will tell you that they are bad for you. They are deep-fried dough sort of like a doughnut. Bad or not, they are great with a cup of coffee or a glass of milk.
1 1/3 cup sifted non self-rising flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
1 cup milk
1 jar peach jam or preserves (8 ounces)
2 tablespoons sugar

Don't count cholesterol or anything else but taste!

Sift flour, salt and baking powder and sugar together. Beat egg and milk then add to flour mixture. Add peaches. Stir till completely mixed.Using a small scoop drop batter into hot peanut oil. Keep turning to make sure it is done on all sides. Remove from oil and put on paper towels to drain. When drained and still warm dust on confectioners sugar. They are ready to eat.

PBJ COOKIES

Jelly in the middle makes a difference

Everybody likes cookies and these will be a big hit on the desert menu. I don't even have a big recipe for you to follow. I guess I am too lazy to make peanut butter cookies from scratch, so I use the cookies in the frozen foods department for my cookies. After I have cut the tube and placed my cookie dough on the sheet for cooking, I take a spoon and spray it with No-Stick spray. Then I use the spoon and make an small indentation in the middle of the cookies. Place the sheet in the oven, set your timer. I want you to set the time for 4 or 5 minutes less than what it says to cook. When the timer goes off, take your spoon and spray it again. Make the indentation in the cookies again, this time you are going to take another spoon and put jelly in the pocket. Don't over fill, you want just a small pocket of jelly. Return to the oven for the time left on the recipe. The jelly will melt into the cookie. When your timer rings remove the cookies from the sheet and let cool on a rack. You now have Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies.

PEACH BAR-B-QUE SAUCE

This is another easy one. All you have to do is add 2 or 3 tablespoons peach jam or chopped preserves to your favorite sauce. Simmer on the stove, then use the sauce as you would before the peaches. This is great on pork. I am not sure about beef, I never tried it. Fresh pork roast cooked with this BBQ sauce is fantastic. You can cook this in the oven or on the grill. If you are cooking on the grill, be sure the sauce does not burn. It has sugar from the peaches and will burn easier. BBQ Pork served with fresh corn on the cob and any other side you choose makes a great meal. Because you are using Georgia peaches, you should serve Georgia Table Wine. In case you don't know what I am talking about, Georgia Table Wine is nothing but sweet ice tea. Ice tea is the non-alcoholic beverage of choice in my home state. I have noticed on TV that even people in other parts of the country are drinking iced tea. I see bottles of tea on the shelves when I stop at QT for something to drink and/or gas. Even McDonald's is catching up with us Sotherners. They now have Sweet Tea, wonder where they got the idea

PEACH TEAS

Add 1 - 2 tablespoons peach syrup to your unsweetened iced tea, then add your ice. You now have peach iced tea. Use as much as you need to make your tea sweet and great tasting.

HOT TEAS ARE GREAT WITH PEACH SYRUP

It is also good for hot tea. In the winter Mary Lynn and I like to have a cup or two of hot tea while relaxing in the evening. We have several types of tea infusers and many different types of teas to brew. Mary Lynn is partial to the Russian Tea, dark flavor and color. I prefer Earl Grey. Another favorite is Black Currant Tea, because of its fruity flavor without the sweeter. You can use a large tea ball infuser to make you iced tea in place of tea bags. You should try tea that does not come in a tea.Live it up, buy a tea ball or infuser and try something different for a change. Once you make tea without a bag, you will be hooked. I like to use our tea and infuser when we travel. We just ask for a pot of hot water and make our tea. It is nice not have something the restaurant has had sitting in the back for a couple of years.

A little secret I saw in a book; they said keep your tea and tea bags in a sealed air tight container. That way the tea does not absorb any strange taste or aromas from your counter or cabinet.

Well I told you that I was only going to give you a few recipes. I am sure that you will come up with plenty more ways to eat and use your s serving sweet tea. It has only taken 50 or 60 years for the rest of the country to catch up with us Southerners with our love for iced tea.

preach products.

My next blog will have more recipes for mixing peaches and other fruit to make jams and jellies.

Maybe in the future I will do more ideas for peaches. Please let me know some of your ideas for using peaches. If I use the recipe or idea I will give you credit for your suggestion. Sorry to say this is a free blog, you just get credit.

Please subscribe to my blogs. I enjoy getting ideas for future blogs from you. Also be sure and check out my other blogs, you might have missed one.

Don’t keep my blogs a secret. Pass the word on to your friends, neighbors and family members. They just might make something and share with you.

Don’t forget, if someone asks you if you can can it. Say Yes I Can Can It!