Even a little bit self sufficient feels good.

[heatherv]

Thanks for the link to the cheese making! I can't wait to try it out! I never realized it was so easy.

We've been discussing getting goats for quite a few years..a nd now we finally have the property for it. I think next Spring we'll get some. I need to learn more about them first.. and that I'll do this winter. I can't wait to make goat cheese! yummmmmm!

can't wait to try some fresh mozarella w/ homemade bruschetta on a some warm fresh bread! That sounds terrific! I've always just made a batch of bruschetta fresh, never canned it. I think I'll try that next!

I envy those of you with, or getting honey bees! One of my kids is deathly allergic... so we avoid bees like the plague! (and peanut stuff) But I did luck out at a wedding we did a couple weeks ago! We D.J. weddings, and DH is ordained to perform ceremonies. We had one on the 4th of July.. and the guests got a little too drunk... well they were getting wasted... so the bride's parents were trying get everything cleaned up quickly before things got too out of hand (already had been a fight in the parking lot) so I helped them clean up... well they gave me 15 small jars of fresh honey as we were leaving. They were gifts for the guests... and most people didn't take them. So I have a cupboard full of honey now! It's been excellent in my bread and sweet tea! Yummmm!

I am excited about this new forum too! Though I've been spending too much time here! I can see myself getting addicted! We have too much work to do around here this summer for me to get addicted, but it's fun here! Love being around like minded people!

 

[the simple life]

I posted the Bruschetta recipe in the canning forum if you want to check that out.
Nice, getting all of that honey, you are so lucky, that stuff is expensive. I can't wait to get some honey bees. Sorry about your son being allergic, thats definitely tough.

Me&thegals, it is the same cheesemaking company. Thats so funny that we ordered from the same place. Her company is here in Mass and I was going to see about taking a course they offer but holy @#$% are they expensive. One course is $350.00 and its only for the afternoon. So for now I will teach myself and get as far as I can. Then when I hit the lottery I will take the courses.

 

[me&thegals]

I am excited about this new forum too! Though I've been spending too much time here! I can see myself getting addicted! We have too much work to do around here this summer for me to get addicted, but it's fun here! Love being around like minded people!

No kidding, hey? This is so much fun! How wonderful for you to get all that honey!

 

[reinbeau]

Natalie, any chance you could post your blueberry preserve recipe? I like to try out new tricks each year with the blueberries, I've got two gallons in the fridge I need to do something with!

 

[the simple life]

SPICED BLUEBERRY PRESERVE

This is a mildly spiced jam, great for breakfast, and marvelous, too, served with wild or domestic fowl or with game. Do not make it with wild huckleberries if it has been a dry summer as the little berries will become like hard pellets that no amount of cooking or aging will soften. Wild berries, if juicy, make a particularly delicious preserve. But you can never go wrong as to texture with cultivated ones.
You will need:
1 quart washed, stemmed and picked-over blueberries
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
Combine ingredients and simmer until the skins are tender and the preserve has reached the desired thickness. Test for thickness by putting a small bit of the boiling jam onto a refrigerated plate and popping it right back into the refrigerator to cool fast. If it's still running all over the plate, simmer the jam awhile longer, then test again. When its thick enough, take it off the stove at once. Pour it into jars and seal them with 2 thin layers of paraffin and a lid. This should give you 4-5 eight-ounce glasses.

I copied it exactly from the recipe that was given.
I used a water bath canner to can the jars though not wax.


SPICED BLUEBERRY HONEY JAM

2 1/2 c fresh or frozen coarsely chopped blueberries
2 1/2 c granulated sugar
1 c liquid honey
1 Tb lemon J
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 pouch liquid fruit pectin

place blueberries, sugar, honey, lem j and nutmeg in a large stainless or enamel saucepan. Bring to full boil over hi and boil hard for 2 min, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in pectin. Ladle into hot jars and process for 10 minutes in water bath.

makes 4 cups

Both of these are delicious. I have been using them over ice cream, pancakes, waffles etc.






BUMBLEBERRY JAM

1 cup crushed blueberries
1 cup crushed raspberries
1 cup crushed hulled strawberries
6 cups granulated sugar
1 pouch liquid pectic (3 oz size)
I have mixed in blackberries if I have them too.

In a large stainless steel saucepan, combine the fruit and sugar. Over high heat, stir constantly, bring to a full boil that cannot be stirred down.
Stir in pectin.
Boil hard,stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
Remove from heat and skim off foam.

ladle hot jam into the prepared canning jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace.
Wipe rim of jar, center the lid and screw on the band until finger tip tight.
Process in hot water bath for 10 minutes.
Remove canner lid, wait 5 minutes and


CHOOSE A BERRY PRESERVES
Makes 4 - 8 ounce jars.
Use blackberries, red raspberries,loganberries or a combination of all three.

8 cups berries
4 cups sugar
In a large stainless steel saucepan, combine berries and sugar. Stir well. Set aside until berries release their juice, approx. 10 minutes.

Prepare canner, lids and jars.

Bring berry mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar.
Boil hard, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens 10-15 minutes.

Remove from heat and test gel , if gel stage has been
reached, remove from heat and skim off foam.

To test for gel stage, put a plate/saucer in the freezer before you start. When you think you have reached the gel stage take a teaspoonful of the mixture and put it onto the plate and chill it in the freezer for 1 minute.
Remove the plate/saucer from the freezer and push the edge of the spread with your finger.
A mixture that has reached the gel stage will be set, and the surface will wrinkle when the edge is pushed.

Ladle hot preserves into prepared jars leaving a 1/4 inch headspace.
Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace if necessary by adding more of the preserves.
Process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.

ANY BERRY JAM (no pectin)
Makes 8-8 ounce jars.
9 cups
Crushed blackberries,blueberries,boysenberries,dewberries,
gooseberries, loganberries,raspberries,youngberries
or a combination of any of these berries.
6 cups granulated sugar.
In a large stainless steel saucepan, combine berries and sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly to dissolve sugar.
Boil, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens.
Remove from heat and test gel.
If gel stage has been reached, skim off foam.
Ladle hot jam into prepared jars leaving a 1/4 inch headspace.
Process in a hotwater bath for 10 minutes.

 

[reinbeau]

Thanx so much, Natalie, there's a couple there I will try!

 

[the simple life]

I realized after that one of them didn't even have blueberries in them. The others will use up those blueberries though. I just had some blueberry jam on my waffles this morning and I had some bumbleberry(my favorite) in some yogurt. Its so nice to have some homemade jams on hand.

 

[ticks]

Today I recycled the cans. (just sharing)

 

[me&thegals]

Today I got completely beat up by a bunch of blackberry and black raspberry canes in the woods behind my in-laws I picked what is probably my 5th gallon of berries so far this year. MMM!! I've been freezing them whole and making sauce and jam.

Working towards self sufficiency and getting pure lovely fruit free feels great!

Simple life--thanks for the wonderful recipes!

 

[the simple life]

No problem, happy to share.
You sure are lucky to have access to all those free black berries, I love blackberries/raspberries, we planted 8 canes this year.
We are going blueberry picking this afternoon, the lady there will trade me blueberries for some eggs.
I have some other berries so when I get back I am going to make some more bumbleberry jam, its my favorite so far.
We are taking a little road trip tomorrow so I am going to make up a batch of granola too, so I will probably dehydrate some of the blueberries tonight to mix in.