Strawberry Jam for Canning

My jam is so delicious! There is nothing better than a healthy, tasty, guilt-free snack. Jam would not usually be considered guilt-free but the way I make it drastically decreases the sugar. So, here is my coveted recipe...

5 lbs strawberries or 1 large bag of frozen strawberries
1/4 cup lemon juice
8 tbsp low or no sugar pectin
2 cups sugar
1 cup stevia in the raw (the best brand of stevia in my opinion)

Prepare your canning jars by sanitizing the jars in the dishwasher on the bottom rack using the hot water wash/rinse or sanitize cycle. Alternatively, place clean jars in the oven at 250 for 15 minutes. The jars should be warm when you are filling them so they don't crack. Prepare lids by placing in simmering (not boiling) water for 5 minutes.

Wash strawberries and cut the leafy tops off. I make jam two different ways, chunky and smooth. Chunky jam is so yummy in oatmeal or yogurt, while smooth jam is kid friendly and great for PB&Js. For chunky jam, mash the fruit to desired consistency. For smooth jam, process in food processor until smooth. Mix half a cup of sugar with the pectin (the sugar keeps the pectin from clumping when you add it to the strawberries). Heat strawberries, lemon juice, and pectin to a boil that cannot be stirred away in a large pot. Add the remaining sugar and boil HARD for 1 minute with constant stirring to prevent burning. (I usually start getting my lids ready at this step). Skim the foam if you want to (I never skim the foam b/c I don't care if my jam is pretty in the jars). Test the jam for consistency using an ice cold spoon. The jam should jell in under a minute and it should be the consistency of, well... jam. Add the jam to jars leaving 1/4 inch head space and process in a boiling water bath with at least one inch of water covering the jars for 10 minutes. Leave undisturbed for 24 hours before testing the seal. Usually the seals start popping after a few minutes but some take longer.

This recipe yields 10 half pints of delicious, natural, chemical-free jam that is good on the shelf for one year. The best part is that it is only 12 calories/tablespoon and packed with vitamins!

Salsa Roja for Canning

This is the recipe I used for the salsa I made last weekend, copied from theyummylife.com. It is knock your socks off delicious! The Husband and I scarfed it down like starving, crazed people. We got 8 pints from this recipe, canned 7 and ate one right away. It took 2 hours from start to finish and cost about $20.Ingredients:

8 lbs. (approx. 32-40) roma/plum tomatoes
2 lbs. peppers (approx. 12 Anaheims plus 4 jalapenos is a good combo of flavor & heat, weigh and adjust quantity to equal 2 lbs.)
4 medium onions
8 garlic cloves
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano (or regular oregano)
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 cup bottled lime juice (for canning safety, don't use fresh)
1 cup cider vinegar (or substitute additional bottled lime/lemon juice for vinegar)
1 cup water
crushed red pepper flakes, optional (add to taste for a hotter salsa) Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Core and cut tomatoes in half. On large baking sheets, place tomatoes cut side down, peppers, quartered onions, & garlic cloves. Roast in preheated oven 30 min., removing garlic after 15 min. Skin of tomatoes and peppers should be blistered and partially blackened. Cover pan for 10 minutes; steam will make peeling skin easier. Remove tomato skins. Wearing plastic gloves, remove skin, seeds and stems from peppers (or leave seeds if you want hotter salsa). In batches, place onions, garlic, cilantro, peppers & tomatoes in food processor and chop to desired consistency; transfer to 5 quart pan. Add lime juice, vinegar, water, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper. If any juices remain in roasting pan, add those, too. Stir together. Add crushed red pepper flakes to taste, if more heat is desired.FOR WATER PROCESS CANNING: Bring salsa to boil on stove top; reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes. Add to hot sterilized jars leaving 1/2" of headspace, and water process in water canner 15 minutes for half pints, 20 minutes for pints. Turn off heat, and leave jars in hot water for 5 minutes. Remove from canner and let rest undisturbed for 12-24 hours.
For canning safety:

--In order to ensure a safe pH level,do not alter the ratio of tomatoes to peppers, onions, lime juice, and vinegar. Seasonings may be adjusted, if desired.

--Follow jar preparation and processing recommended by the USDA; see canning safety guidelines at http://www.freshpreserving.com

 

Blueberry Jam for Canning

5 lbs blueberries or 1 large bag of frozen blueberries
1/4 cup lemon juice
6 tbsp low or no sugar pectin
2 cups sugar
1 cup stevia in the raw (the best brand of stevia in my opinion)

Prepare your canning jars by sanitizing the jars in the dishwasher on the bottom rack using the hot water wash/rinse or sanitize cycle. Alternatively, place clean jars in the oven at 250 for 15 minutes. The jars should be warm when you are filling them so they don't crack. Prepare lids by placing in simmering (not boiling) water for 5 minutes.

Wash blueberries. I make jam two different ways, chunky and smooth. Chunky jam is so yummy in oatmeal or yogurt, while smooth jam is kid friendly and great for PB&Js. For chunky jam, mash the fruit to desired consistency. For smooth jam, process in food processor until smooth. Mix half a cup of sugar with the pectin (the sugar keeps the pectin from clumping when you add it to the blueberries). Heat blueberries, lemon juice, and pectin to a boil that cannot be stirred away in a large pot. Add the remaining sugar and boil HARD for 1 minute with constant stirring to prevent burning. (I usually start getting my lids ready at this step). Skim the foam if you want to (I never skim the foam b/c I don't care if my jam is pretty in the jars). Test the jam for consistency using an ice cold spoon. The jam should jell in under a minute and it should be the consistency of, well... jam. Add the jam to jars leaving 1/4 inch head space and process in a boiling water bath with at least one inch of water covering the jars for 10 minutes. Leave undisturbed for 24 hours before testing the seal. Usually the seals start popping after a few minutes but some take longer.

This recipe yields 8 half pints of delicious, natural, chemical-free jam that is good on the shelf for one year. The best part is that it is only 12 calories/tablespoon and packed with vitamins!

Bread and Butter Pickles

We had a lot of cucumbers from the garden this week so I decided to make some yummy bread and butter pickles.

8-10 cucumbers (10 cups sliced)
4 medium onions
1 red bell pepper
1/2 cup pickling salt
2 cups sugar (I use 1 cup sugar and 1 cup stevia)
4 cups vinegar (5%)
1 tbsp mustard seed
1 tsp tumeric
1 tsp celery seed
pickle crisp (optional)

Yield is 6 pints (I used 3 pints and 6 half pints so I could give some as gifts)

Wash and slice cucumbers, bell pepper, and onions (slice onions thin). Cover in water, add pickling salt and let sit at room temperature for 2 hours.

Rinse thoroughly and drain. Heat vinegar, sugar, and spices to boiling, add vegetables and bring back to a boil. Loosely pack hot vegetables into hot, sanitized jars. Add pickle crisp if you want crisp pickles (sold in the canning section). Pour boiling brine mixture into jars, leaving 1/2 inch head space. Wipe rim and seal. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 min. Leave for 4-6 weeks for pickling. Chill before serving for best flavor.

Sweet Banana Pepper Rings

Our banana peppers are going strong so I made some pickled banana pepper rings.

14 Banana Peppers
1 medium heat salsa pepper
2 cups vinegar (5%)
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. celery seed
1 tsp. mustard seed

Yield 2 half pints

Wash and slice peppers and remove seeds. Heat vinegar, sugar, and spices to a boil. Loosely pack peppers into hot, sanitized jars. Pour boiling brine over peppers leaving 1/2 inch head space. Wipe rim and seal. Process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Leave for 2 weeks before eating for pickling.

Variation: You can make these "Sweet and Spicy" by adding a cayenne pepper or jalapeno to the jar.

Hamburger Dill Pickles

I bought a wavy knife just to cut wavy pickles. Yep.

10-15 cucumbers sliced
1/2 cup pickling salt for soaking
6 tablespoons pickling salt for brine
4.5 cups water
4 cups vinegar
mustard seed
dill seed
black peppercorns

Slice cucumbers and soak in water and 1/2 cup pickling salt at room temp for 2 hours. Rinse cucumbers thoroughly. Heat water, vinegar, and salt to boiling. Pack cucumbers into hot, sanitized jars. Add 1/2 teaspoon mustard seed, 1.5 teaspoons dill seed, and 2 peppercorns to each pint. Pour boiling brine mixture over cucumbers. Remove air bubbles and adjust head space to 1/2 inch. Seal jars and process in boiling water bath canner for 15 minutes. Allow 2 weeks for spices to infuse pickles before eating.

Old South Cucumber Lime Pickles

Sweet Pickles

10-15 cucumbers sliced into spears
1 cup pickling lime
2 gallons water
8 cups distilled white vinegar, 5% acidity
8 cups sugar
1 tablespoon salt (optional)
1 teaspoon mustard seed

1 teaspoon celery seed

1. Soak clean cucumbers in water and lime mixture in crockery or enamel ware for 2 hours or overnight.  Do not use aluminum ware.
2. Remove sliced cucumbers from lime water.  Discard lime water.  Rinse 3 times in fresh cold water.  Soak 3 hours in fresh ice water.
3. Combine vinegar, sugar, salt and mixed pickling spices in a large pot.  Bring to a low boil, stirring until sugar dissolves.  Remove syrup from heat and add sliced cucumbers.  Soak 5-6 hours or overnight.
4. Boil slices in the syrup 35 minutes.  Fill sterilized jars with hot slices.  Pour hot syrup over the slices, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.  Cap each jar when filled.
5. Process pints 10 minutes, quarts 15 minutes in a boiling water bath canner.
6. Test jars for airtight seals.
7. Ready to eat in 24 hours. Best if chilled before serving.

This makes 7 pints.

These pickles are really sweet. Honestly, when I first tried them I didn't like them at all. I thought they were way too sweet. I put them in egg salad b/c they were the only pickles that were ready and I was shocked at how delicious they made the egg salad. I have also added them to tuna salad and they are so good! I would make them again, but just for salads.

Sweet and Snappy Zucchini Relish

Where has this been all my life?? When I came across this recipe while searching something along the lines of "What the heck should I do with all this zucchini", I thought hey, that sounds like a weird thing to give someone. So, I made it, canned it, tried it, and immediately asked myself how I had gone so many years without this delicious relish. It has a peppery, oniony, sweet, and tangy flavor that is so yummy!

8 cups zucchini, finely chopped
2 onions, finely chopped
1 sweet red pepper, finely chopped
1 green pepper, finely chopped
1.5 cups sugar
1.5 cups cider vinegar
1.5 teaspoon dry mustard
1.5 teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
1 teaspoon tumeric
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons cornstarch

Yield: about 9 half pints

Combine zucchini, onion, and pepper in large nonreactive bowl and sprinkle with 3 tablespoons pickling salt. Mix well and let sit at room temperature for 2 hours. Drain through a sieve, pressing out excess water. Combine drained veggies, sugar, vinegar, mustard, celery seed, pepper flakes, and tumeric in a large pan. Boil for 15 minutes. Blend cornstarch and water, then add to the relish. Cook an additional 5 minutes. Ladle into hot jars, wipe rim, and seal. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

I will make this year after year. I admit that I ate a ton of this, just scooping it on crackers. It is very low calorie though (~11 calories/tablespoon), so enjoy!

Tangy Spaghetti Sauce for Canning

Do you have so many tomatoes you don't know what to do with them? Make spaghetti sauce!

3 medium onions, chopped 
2 cups green bell peppers, chopped 
3/4 cup hungarian wax chile, chopped (banana peppers) 
1 (8 ounce) can mushrooms, sliced, chopped, and drained 
3 teaspoons minced garlic 
16 cups tomatoes, peeled, cored, and chopped 
3 (12 ounce) cans tomato paste 
3 tablespoons brown sugar 
1 tablespoon dried oregano
 4 teaspoons salt (canning) 
2 teaspoons dried basil 
1 teaspoon black pepper 
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 
2 tablespoons italian seasoning 
1/2 teaspoon cumin 
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup lemon juice

Yield: 7-8 quarts

Directions: 1) Add all ingredients to stock pot. 2) Heat to boiling. 3) Reduce heat. 4) Simmer, partially covered for 2 hours. 5) Stir occasionally. 6) After it has simmered, fill clean sterilized jars to within 1/2 inch of top of jar. Put on cap, screw the band finger tight. 7) Process for 35 minutes for quart jars in a water bath. 8) ** You can also freeze in quart size freezer bags.

Fruit Cocktail

My Mom has a Bartlett pear tree and she gave me a huge bag of pears. I love Bartlett pears. They are so sweet and have a little twang to them. Of course, canning season is in full swing so I said "I can can that!". I bought a pineapple, peaches, grapes, and cherries to add to the pears for yummy fruit cocktail. Peel, core, and dice the fruit. Heat the fruit in either a syrup or fruit juice (I used white grape juice). Pack the hot fruit into hot jars. Fill with hot juice to 1/2 inch head space, wipe rim and seal. Process in boiling water bath for 20 min.

The kids loved the fruit cocktail and I think the tartness from the grape juice adds a little extra! Big Boy and Little Girl loved that there were bowls of fruit out and they kept walking by, swiping fruit.