December Can Jam.... Blueberry Maple Syrup (dried fruit)

We have arrived at our 12th Can Jam challenge... DRIED FRUIT! At first my heart lurched, what the heck would one make to can with dried fruit?? But then immediately an idea popped into my head! We've always thought it would be fun to try to add a fruit flavor (using REAL fruit of course!) to our maple syrup!! So, this is my attempt at doing just that... I added dried blueberries to maple syrup, brought it back to temp. and then re-bottled it!!  To check out our family fun of making maple syrup click here, here,  here or here! This has been a learning process over the past 6-7 years!

                 From the tree....

        ... to the bottles!!

Now, from the bottle to the canning jars!

First lesson for me today? READ!! When I bought the 'dried blueberries' I was sooo excited! I checked out Ocean Spray and saw the display... my how they've expanded. I found blueberries & pomegranate... BIG SCORE, or so I thought!! I discovered the day before Thanksgiving ,when I read a little closer, that the package I bought was CRANBERRIES INFUSED WITH THE JUICE FROM POMEGRANATES!!  RRRRGHHH...  Oh well, still used them in the stuffing, not bad at all! THEN TODAY, I discovered that these 'blueberries' that I was so proud to have found are really the same thing... cranberries INFUSED with REAL BLUEBERRY JUICE!!

Since this is a total experiment on my part...  the only recipe is the one I've just made up!

1 pint of PURE maple syrup
1/2 cup of Ocean Spray BLUEBERRY infused cranberries (any type of dried fruit would work)

Pour the maple syrup into a small saucepan and add the dried berries. You could add a bit more if you'd like, and definitely more if you are using more then a pint of syrup!

Bring the maple syrup to a slow boil. Using a thermometer, be sure that you reach 219*. This shouldn't take too long. It is at this point that sap becomes syrup, so since it is syrup already... it really boils pretty quickly.

I let the syrup & berries kinda meld & rest for a short time (15-30 minutes) and then brought it back to 219* and poured it into my jelly jars!

Water bath for 15 minutes and now I can't wait to use it on home made pancakes with fresh home made sausage!! YUMMY!

(AFTER I was all finished, I decided to look up online to see if there were any recipes posted... sure enough, there is. AND... much to my delight, I did it similarly to those recipes! The ones I read used fresh or frozen fruits and had to cook the water content out of it... so, there is one very good reason to use dried fruit!)

Pete's 89 year old aunt has had fun with the challenges too! Each month I'd share with her the topic to be canned and she'd come up with her ideas a few recipes too give me... it's been fun! Her ideas was to use dried apricots with the syrup. I plan to try that next! I will add a picture and update when I get it done!

This has been a wonderful year long challenge! It has been a project that the whole family has been involved in... from brainstorming to sampling! THANKS TIGRESS for coming up with such an awesome project and for all the hours of work you did each month reading the blogs and posting the round ups! God Bless!

November Can Jam.... Apple Cider Jelly

Apples, pears, quince oh my! These are the choices for November's can jam...  and lovely they are! Years back I would go apple picking, make up a dozen pies for the freezer (keeping the peelings & cores of course), make a bunch of applesauce and then use all the peelings & cores to make my apple jelly! This process sure did produce some amazing jellies and crab apples make even yummier jelly... if that is possible!

A few years ago a friend gave me her recipe for apple cider jelly. I tried it and I have NEVER looked back! This recipe is scrumptious! I've tried it as written and also without the cinnamon candies! Either way, this jelly is a hit! AND BELIEVE ME... this 'short cut' from peeling, boiling down, and hanging the apple peels to get the juice... before I even got started making jelly was very welcomed!! THANKS NADINE! :)

Apple Cider Jelly

1 quart Apple Cider

1/3 cup cinnamon candies (2 oz. container cake decorating candies)

1 Box Sure-Jell pectin

4 1/2 cups sugar

Bring the cider, pectin & candies to a full boil, melting the candies.

Add the sugar and stir well. Bring back to a full boil for a few minutes, stirring constantly. Carefully put into jelly jars and seal with lids & rings. Waterbath for 10 minutes.

Two separate batches... one with the cinnamon candies and one without!

Approximately 8 jars per batch!

Hot Pepper Jelly Can-Jam for October!

YIKES! HOT PEPPERS!!! What are you trying to do to this VERY MILD eating family!! :)  Well, I took the challenge... and although NONE of you HOT PEPPER loving people would find this hot at all... it works for us! Actually, out of the six of us... one truly LOVES the hots and the rest of us like mild, so here's hoping we all can eat it when I'm done! :) Can you believe this is month #10 for the Can Jam?! It's been fun and challenging....  just perfect!

Using a recipe from the book; Saving The Seasons (pg118), I followed the directions to make my first ever "HOT (but NOT too HOT) PEPPER JELLY"....   this is very yummy over a block of cream cheese and then spread on a cracker... AND just in time for holiday gatherings or to put in a gift basket!

HOT PEPPER JELLY

5 Cups jalapeno peppers, finely chopped (about 2 lbs) Admittedly, I used our sweet red peppers from the garden and added SOME hot green peppers to make this work for our family. I used 4-5 large red sweet peppers and 3 jalapeno peppers. It seems to be the right amount of zip for us!

1 1/2 Cups apple cider vinegar

1 box powdered pectin

7 Cups of sugar

1/2 tsp. butter (optional)

Wash, stem, remove seeds and finely chop the peppers. (NOTE: wear rubber gloves when working with hot peppers!) Put the peppers into a cooking pot and stir in vinegar & pectin. (Add butter to reduce foaming if desired). Measure out the sugar and set aside in another bowl. Bring the pepper mixture to a rolling boil (a boil that doesn't stop when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in sugar and return to full rolling boil for 1 minute, while stirring constantly. Remove from heat and skim foam from surface. Ladle quickly into jars, leaving 1/4 inch of head space. Tighten lids and process 10 minutes in a boiling water bath. Makes 8 half pints!  

Aren't they pretty!

Audrey & I tested it. Cream cheese, crackers

and a little jelly... WONDERFUL!

We both think that this

has just the right amount of zip!

Ok, the challenge got me again!

 I will be making at least one

more batch of this jelly too!

A cookbook sidenote for use:

crackers & cream cheese

sandwich spread

serve with poultry or pork

Additional Note:

Be sure to clean the

knife & cutting surface

and wash your hands

after you're done with

the hot peppers

BEFORE

doing anything

else!

Strawberry-Mango Jam September's STONE/PITTED FRUIT Can Jam

Back in February while I was looking for something to do with carrots, I

stumbled onto this recipe. It sounded amazing so I jotted it down

on the bottom of a carrot relish recipe! Now, the long awaited chance to

use a fruit I've only eaten fresh.... but never tried to preserve!

Here's the mango ...  doesn't look too special does it?

But, with a quick slice of the knife, peeling off the skin and

releasing it from the rather large, long & skinny pit, is the

lucious, sweet tasting fruit!

Two pounds of strawberries, washed and sliced ...  after mashing them

they equal approximately 2 cups!

 Here's the recipe!!

STRAWBERRY-MANGO JAM

(I think it was from cdkitchen.com, but I'm not 100% sure!)

Makes about 6 eight ounce jars

1 Quart strawberries (washed, hulled and mashed to 2 cups)

1 1/2 Cups finely chopped, fully ripened mangos (about 1 1/2 medium)

1/3 Cup lemon juice

6 Cups sugar

1 Pouch Liquid Pectin

Combined the fruit, sugar & lemon.

Bring to a boil for one minute, boil hard.

Remove from the heat and add 1 pouch pectin.

Stir till well blended, bring to a boil again.

Skim off foam (if desired).

Ladle into jars and seal with lids & rings.

Process 10 minutes in boiling water bath.

 Here is the most incredible tasting jam I think I've made all year!

My family loves it and said if there was a country fair nearby, this recipe

would earn a blue ribbon! So, I think it is safe to say that this will become

an annual 'must make recipe' for the jams & jellies section of the pantry!

August Can Jam..... Dilly Tomatoes!

This recipe is one of my mom's doings when I was a kid, mom pickled almost anything, or so it seemed! :) One year she canned some of the cherry tomatoes, which ended up being a hit in our house! I always thought the tomato pickles and dilly beans and odds and ends of vegetable pickles were all her idea. Surprise... now years later, I'm finding recipes of some of these things in books!! It still could be that she made them with her own inspiration, who knows? But, one thing is for sure, the smell of vinegar throughout the house will always bring back fond childhood memories!

As much as I wanted to make tomato sauce, the Can Jam deadline is fast approaching and no matter how much I go out and encourage these plants to turn their fruits red, they are holding on tight to their own time table, so.... I have to settle second best. Not to worry.... I will make tomato sauce and can some stewed tomatoes IN SEPTEMBER!  :) 

 

Dilled Tomatoes

Green tomatoes (cherry or grape works best)

Grape leaves (1 per jar)

Head of Dill   (1 per jar) **or 2 tsp. dill seeds**

garlic clove   (OPTIONAL: 1 per jar)

1/2 tsp. of alum per pint  (1 tsp. per quart)

Brine 

(Enough for 7 Quarts)

10 Cups water

5 Cups cider vinegar (5% acidity)

1 Cup canning salt

Wash the tomatoes, dill & grape leaves then put 1 leaf & the dill head and/or feathery leaves

in the bottom of your jars. Add the garlic if you want it... I've done some with and some without!

Now, fill the jars with the tomatoes up to the neck and add the alum. Pour the HOT brine over the top covering the tomatoes but leaving head space in the jars. Remove air bubbles. Cover with jars with lids and water bath for 15 minutes.

I noticed that some of my garlic turned a funny, blue-green color. My first impression was that it is a similar color to a penny when it turns color. Kinda odd... so, I did a little bit of research and this is what I discovered  towards the bottom of the page in the comment section...  "Garlic will react with a small amount of copper and turn colour, but still safe to eat. Trace amount of copper in your water supply or from utensils is sufficient to cause this colour change."

I do not remember any of the garlic in my mom's pickles turning a funny color... my brother, cousins and I ALWAYS would argue over whose turn it was to eat the garlics!! I know I would have remembered it if was a weird color! I also know that she & I have the same 'Revere Ware' pots & pans that we both have used for years, and I use wooden spoons to stir with. SO, still not sure, unless it is a trace mineral in my water supply. This is one of life's mysteries that I may never have an answer for.... I think I can live with that!

Until next time, Happy & Safe Canning!

I made these the first week of August, before we went on vacation so that I could post this as soon as we got back and NOT miss the deadline! We got back tonight... and now I have some red tomatoes!! I am sooo excited to get started on sauce... it may still be a couple of weeks until I have enough red ones to can, but I can see the promise of it happening!!

Here's a Rather Funny Sounding Word.... "Cucurbits"

Here's a rather funny sounding word; "cucurbits"! This word refers to cucurbitaceae, which is the plant family  more widely known as melons & gourds!! (Including cucumbers, zuchinni, watermelons, pumpkins etc.) Who knew that?? I sure didn't! This month's 'Can-Jam' was chosen by 'Laudry Etc' .... thanks for the vocabulary lesson!

What a hard choice.... but, it is WAY TOO EARLY for pumpkins (that would have been fun) so that gets crossed off the list. I did find a delicious looking watermelon jelly recipe that I hope to try later in the summer, but for now I have to stick with cucumbers or zuchinni and the hard choice between 'Dill Pickles" (an annual event in our home!), zuchinni relish (also VERY yummy!) or the pickles that we have dubbed "Audrey Pickles"!! The boys' favorite are the dills but Audrey's favorite is the "Crisp Sweet Pickle"!! By default, since we don't have alot of cucumbers yet, the zuchinni wins!

In 1991, we traveled down to Charleston, SC and my mother's wise advice was; "Be sure to always buy a cookbook from the areas that you visit....." While we were checking out the area I found this delightful cookbook called, "Caterin' To Charleston"! It has lots of fun recipes but this one caught my eye and has been a family treasure ever since!

As with EVERY good cook, I make my own changes! The basic change that I've made to this recipe is that instead of slicing the cucumbers or zuchinnis, I use rinds. This way, I use the smaller cucs for dill pickles and the ones that get away from me, I use to make these pickles!! (Rind: peel the cuc or zuc then slice it in half, scoop out the seeds and cut the rest into bite sized chunks) BRAINSTORM: I'd LOVE to try this with recipe watermelon rinds.... I bet that would be amazing!!  **NOTE** The lime the recipe calls for is a pickling lime...  I've found the "Mrs.Wages" brand in the local feed & seed stores and in larger chains of dept. stores that carry canning supplies!

The second change I made is water bathing!!  This recipe doesn't call for water bathing, but from what I've been learning this year.... I now waterbath my pickles for 10 minutes!! 

The best thing about these pickles is that they don't need the curing time as dill pickles do!! They are ready to eat immediately! Delicious on your plate or cut up even smaller and added to potato salad!! :)

Berry Medley Jam "June Can Jam"

                                                   

I wanted to do more then strawberry jam and

therefore, since that is the only fruit in season,

I opted to buy frozen berries...

I KNOW, I KNOW...

BUT WAIT, ALL THESE BERRIES ARE

                                     NATIVE TO MY AREA!

Here we have the lucious whole strawberries, blueberries,

black raspberries and red raspberries!!  They

truly look (and taste) devine for having been frozen!

RECIPE:

4 cups of mixed berries (crushed, but not pureed)

7 cups sugar

Bring this to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly.

Quickly stir in 1 pouch of Certo pectin

and bring back to a boil for 1 minute.

Ladle into hot sterilized jars (approx. 8 1/2 pints).

Seal and water bath for 10 minutes.

(Recipe taken from the Certo insert.)

As keeping with my tradition, I put the last bit of

jam or jelly in a coffee mug to be used

right away! VeRy BeRrY yUmMy!

May Can-Jam "Rhubarb-Strawberry Pie Filling"

This month's Can-Jam has been alot of fun! We had the choice between rhubarb and asparagus! What a difficult decision! BOTH are amazing! I found a lot of FUN recipes ... 

But, the winner is:

"Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie Filling"

I wanted to can something on the practical side. I came up with lots of ideas, but decided on pie filling!

I asked my husband's 88 year old aunt what she thought about this idea and if she had any recipes that would make this work. She said she'd look through her cookbooks. (mind you, she has well over 200 of them!) The following day she sent over an index card with this recipe!

This recipe is excellent for cherries, raspberries, blueberries
and the likes. You may wish to can in pints rather then quarts,
as you can use your own home canned pie filling in place of
 the commercial cans called for in many recipes.

Strawberry - Rhubarb Pie Filling

9 1/2 cups water

4 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup cornstarch
Combine in a large saucepan. Cook until thickened, stirring constantly.

Stir 7 quarts of fruit (rhubarb cut into chunks & sliced
strawberries) into syrup and ladle into jars leaving 1 inch
of headspace. (If the jars are filled too full, the syrup
will spew out in processing) Seal with lids and process in
boiling water bath for 25 minutes.

I ended up with 9 pints and I can't wait to make pies or a crisp!!

And I can't wait to try this recipe with other fruits!

PS...  The next time I do this, I will lessen the water to adjust for the natural juices of the fruits!

PS again...  I learned something new!! I never knew that there was such a thing as 'green' rhubarb! Where have I been? After all these years of eating rhubarb, I just never knew?! I saw some of the Can-Jammers use green rhubarb and then Pete brought home a bunch of it from his mom's patch. It will be made up into sauce and jams, but oh, the mind game of eating GREEN rhubarb...  
Ha ha ha! I just never knew....  but now I do! (I wonder if there will be a different flavor?)

SPRING SPEARS ... May's Challenge

I'm excited about May's Can Jam Challenge! Sarah from Toronto Tasting Notes... is offering us a choice! For this month's challenge we get to choose between two "spring spears"! The choice will not be easy... and most likely, I will be driven to make and can more then one recipe! The hard part will be choosing only one to post!

Here it is, the "spring spear" choice is between ASPARAGUS or RHUBARB! Yippee... it's gonna be fun! I've already started my recipe search... but I'm not gonna tell you 'till I'm all finished and it is posted!!

Look for the outcome to be posted between Sunday, May 16 and Friday, May 21!!

(No doubt my new 'Texas' apron will be a wonderful help this month....  THANKS AGAIN KRISTY!)

2nd Attempt.... "Rosemary Mint Wine Jelly"

Ok, here's my second attempt at the 'herb' thing for April! I found this recipe at Epicurious.com purely by accident and I was very excited to find that I had already bought the rosemary & mint for other recipes that I had opted NOT to try!

 

Rosemary Mint Wine Jelly                        
(yield: four 1/2 pints)

2 1/2 cups firmly packed fresh mint leaves

1/4 cup fresh rosemary leaves

2 cups dry white wine

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (plus additional if needed)

3 1/2 cups sugar

3 ounce pouch liquid pectin.        

                     

In a food processor or blender blend together the mint, rosemary and 1 cup of wine until the herbs are chopped fine and transfer the mixture to a bowl. In a small saucepan bring the remaining 1 cup wine to a boil, add it to the herb mixture. Let it stand, covered, for 45 minutes. (I put all the wine in a small saucepan and used a knife to cut up the herbs. I was looking for a mild flavor so I didnt' wait the 45 minutes.) Over a large measuring cup strain through a sieve lined with several layers of rinsed & squeezed cheesecloth. Press the solids to get all the liquid and add 1/4 cup lemon juice. (I used a reusable coffee filter with wonderful resuts.) There should be exactly 2 cups of liquids... if there is less, add additional lemon juice to measure 2 cups.

 Transfer the liquid to a kettle, stir in the sugar, stirrring until the mixture is combined well. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in the pectin quickly, bring the mixture again to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Remove from heat, skim off any foam with a large spoon and ladle the mixture immediately into 4 sterilized 1/2 pint Mason-type jars. Fill to within 1/8 inch from top. Wipe the rims and seal the jars with lids. Process in a boiling water bath for 5 minutes. Store jars in a cool, dark place.  ENJOY!

Not being a wine drinker, I had NO idea how this would work out. I had everyone taste this, and we all agree, it has a wonderful flavor! Again, thanks Tigress for the reminder to post even though I missed the deadline!

Better Late Then Never.... "Dandelion Herbal Jelly"

After much thought and a little research I opted NOT to go with my brainstorm idea or my tried & true recipe and to go back to my original first choice!! DANDELION HERBAL JELLY! I had tabled this recipe because it was way too early for dandelions around here and I wasn't sure how dandelions were classified....  weeds, flowers, herbs?! Friday afternoon my husband came in and told me that the lower yard area had a bunch of them growing! Yippee!! I thought now, maybe I can try my hand at making this jelly! BUT then immediately I wondered again if they were considered 'herbs'. (Wow, not only a procrastinator, but a waffler too! I have been waffling between this recipe and my tried & true one, still concerned about classification.)  I finally took the bull by the horns (so to speak) and checked online at http://nccam.nih.gov/health/herbsataglance.htm  and I discovered they are listed as an herb! TA DA! Happy dance! Now for my recipe:

Dandelion Herbal Jelly         (herbgardens.about.com)

1) Pick at least 10 cups of dandelion blossoms. Remove the milky stems to avoid a bitter taste.

2) Snip of the base of each dandelion flower until you have just the yellow petals.

3) Pour boiling water over petals. Steep until room temperature or overnight if possible.

4) Strain through a coffee filter to remove spent petals.

5) Add additional water until tea measures 3 cups. 

6) Combine tea, lemon juice, box of pectin, sugar in a larger saucepan.

7) Boil until jelly sheets on the back of a spoon.

8) Pour into hot jelly jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space.

9) Secure lid & ring to seal.

10) Water bath 5 minutes.

TIPS:

1) you can keep petals in freezer to store until you have proper amount.

2) Some recipes add food coloring, if desired add 2 drops annatto coloring. (A natural coloring found in cheese making supply stores.

3) If your jelly does not set up properly open & reboil to thicken. REMINDER: You MUST use new lids to reseal & process.

4) ONLY pick flowers from a fresh, UN SPRAYED area!

WHAT YOU NEED:

* 4 cups dandelion petals

* 4 1/2 cups sugar

* 2 TBsp. lemon juice

* water

* Large saucepan or soup pot

* Long spoon for stirring

* jars, lids & rings

* saucepan or water bath pan

Dandelions are so pretty in the fields! Around these parts, it is usually the first flower that children pick for you! :) Here's a walk down memory lane... 22 years ago, May 1988, "Dandelion Sunday"! (All we need is to add Louis Armstrong singing "It's A Wonderful World" for background music!) Ok, I know there REALLY isn't such a day, but my mother-in-law created that day when her kids were young! It's the peak day for dandelions blossoming in the fields! GOTTA LOVE IT!

NOTE: Thank you Tigress for the reminder to post anyways!! I'd really hate to have forfeited the rest of the year of jamcans! I am also in process of making a "Herbal Wine Jelly" hopefully it will be posted by tomorrow at the latest, just in case there is a question on the dandelions...

Red Onion-Rosemary Jam ... "March Can Jam"

Red Onion-Rosemary Jam

7 Cups red onions, sliced thin

3/4 Cup red wine vinegar

1 TBsp. olive oil

3 1/2 Cups sugar

1 pkg. Sure-Jell Light

1/4 tsp. dried thyme

1/4 tsp. ground white pepper

1/2 tsp. dried rosemary, crumbled

Saute onions in olive oil and vinegar 10-15 minutes or until tender. Place onions in food processor or blender. Add rosemary, thyme and white pepper. Blend 1 minute. (4 good sized onions made 7 cups)

Place onion mixture in saucepan or dutch oven. Add Sure-Jell and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add sugar and boil one minute more. Remove from heat, stir well and pour into sterile jars. (about 6 pints) and seal quickly. Process in boiling bath for 5 minutes.

It was a challenge to decide what to do with

this veggie! We like small doses of sweet, mild onions in salads or on hamburgers or hotdogs but not for much more then a garnish... 

When I saw that this recipe was suggested to be used as a marinade for chicken or beef, I decided to

try it!! (It was also recommended for biscuits & bagels.... one of my sons said he'd try that!)

It was really easy to make, after the odor of all the chopped onions wafted out the window! The red onions pinked up alot after I put them through the food processor! It looked really pretty, sort of looked like a pink lemonade slushy!! (Quoted from of the boys!)

Flavor....  definately onion! :) The sweetness from the sugar & sour from the vinegar work together! I am looking forward trying this with a roast....  

Interesting choice for the March Can Jam!! What will April hold? It will be a fun challenge for sure!

March Can-Jam Challenge.....

I fully understand that the word 'challenge' means....  
"A call or summons to engage in any contest, as of skill, strength, special effort, etc."
"Difficulty in a job or undertaking that is stimulating to the one engaged in it."   (Definitions taken from Dictionary.com)

As those of you who read my blog know, I have accepted a challenge to can something every month with the Tigress Can-Jam !! The fruit or veggie is given to us at the end of the month for the following month and we have about 3 weeks to complete the challenge! It has been fun! As you may remember January was citrus and February was Carrots.

Here's the new challenge for March:  ALLIUMS! Now, I don't know about you, but I didn't even know this word. Thankfully, Ashley, the one who made the choice and author of  Small Measures  explained it to us; ONIONS, SCALLIONS, CHIVES, LEEKS, SHALLOTS, GARLIC etc. Remember our rules...  must be canned using the water bath method! I've already begun my search...  :) 

Check back mid-March to see what I've come up with! This challenge will be intersting for sure!  (I wonder what they will come up with for the rest of the months?!)