WHAT ARE YOU CANNING TODAY?

[punkin]

Yes, we have been really blessed with free fruit this year.

Count every one of those blessings my dear. We had a late freeze and ther is NO fruit, not even apples. I am so glad canned fruit lasts more than one year so we can have some carry over but I sure miss having the fruit we had when I was a kid in CA.

We also have been blessed with free fruit this year. Back in Feb. a man stopped in here one afternoon because he saw my truck & chipper ( I have a tree care business ) sitting in the field. He asked if I would sell him 10-12 truckloads of wood chips. It turns out he only lives about 1/2 mi. away so I told him, no I wouldn't sell them but I would give him as much as he could use. After 10-15 minutes of turning down his money he left with many thanks and the location where he wanted the chips.
In June I was out in the pasture putting a metal roof on the chicken coop. When I came in, setting on the porch, was 8 qts of the biggest black rasberries I had ever seen!! They were almost as big as the small chicken eggs. But that wasn't the end. They just kept coming to the tune of 37 qts over the next 3 weeks!!! We were drowning in berries. But that's still not the end. Next came the peaches. 4 bushel of peaches. I went out and bought a second dehydrator. Next came the pears. That was it!! We couldn't possibly process this much fruit. We loaded up about half of each into the truck and started visiting friends. We gave out 4 bushels of fruit that afternoon and made a lot of people happy. But that's still not the end!!!
Bob, the man with the fruit, told us to get ready for apples.
We probably have 35-40 lbs. of dried fruit as well as canned and frozen.
Now whenever Bob comes over with fresh, we give him dried to take home. All of this for giving him a by product of my business.

How did I miss this story? That is terrific!! I'd like to have a friend like Bob.

 

[unclejoe]

Wow--Unclejoe--you are sure set for winter! What a neat story Don't you just love how things come back around sometimes

I'm not nearly as ready as I would like to be. I can still picture my grandmother's winter stores. She had literally hundreds of jars on racks in the cellar. This is my first year of " putting up" stuff. Next year I hope to be able to avoid going to the store except for things like flour and sugar and things like that.

 

[pioneergirl]

Awsome story! I'm like you, UncleJoe...this is my first year putting stuff up, and I don't have near what I should. But....

I have been putting up apples this past 2 weeks....cinnamon apples, applebutter, and apple sauce. I am up to my ears in apples! (I get them from my BIL who has a tree that is probably 80 years old, lol)

Yesterday and today is meat. Yep, I canned sirloin yesterday, and pork will be today. Depending on how it goes, I may do chicken this afternoon. I also plan on putting chicken in the crockpot with veggies in order to make potpie later.

 

[Acre of Blessings]

Finially, here are some pics of the canning that has been done here.....

These pics contain ~~ Apples, Apple Butter, Peaches, Peach Butter, Peach Preserves, Diced Tomatoes, Whole Tomatoes, Spaghetti, Salsa, Green Beans, Green Peas, Corn, Mixed Vegetables, Pinto Beans, Northern Beans, Blackeye Peas, Cannilini Beans, Whole Okra, Grape Jam, Grape jam Sauce (for waffles & biscuits), Potatoes, Chicken, Beef, Hamburger. Ganna can some Pears and Veal soon.

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm289/thechickcrew/friends2008001-11.jpg

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm289/thechickcrew/friends2008002-10.jpg

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm289/thechickcrew/friends2008003-10.jpg

So can I ask about all the beans? Do you cook dry beans and can them so they are cooked and ready to go? Or do you actually grow the beans? Sorry if that sounds dumb. gina

Yes and Since the beans are so cheap in the stores, I buy them there. But I have grown them before. I like the fact that I can pop a top on some beans and heat them up and dinners done w/ a pan of cornbread and milk. I don't have to lug out the big crock pot for some beans.

 

[pioneergirl]

I just looked at the pics....good idea putting the finished jars back in the box and labeling....I like that!

 

[keljonma]

We've got 2 bushels of green tomatoes picked when we had freeze earlier this week....

Green Tomato Chutney
4.5 lbs (2 kg) green tomatoes
1 lb (500 g) apples
1 lb (500 g) onions
9 oz (250 g) raisins
1 oz (25g) salt
1 lb (500 g) sugar
1 pint (600 ml) vinegar
Spices of your choice: ginger, pepper, chillies

Finely chop the tomatoes, apples and onions and place all the ingredients into a large pan. Heat gently, stir and simmer until a pulpy consistency is achieved. Place into sterile jars and water bath can. 10 minutes for pints or 20 minutes for quarts.


Green Tomato Relish
24 large green tomatoes
3 red bell peppers, halved and seeded
3 green bell peppers, halved and seeded
12 large onions
3 Tablespoons celery seed
3 Tablespoons mustard seed
1 Tablespoon salt
5 cups white sugar
2 cups cider vinegar

In a grinder or food processor, coarsely grind tomatoes, red bell peppers, green bell peppers, and onions. (You may need to do this in batches.) Line a large colander with cheesecloth, place in sink or in a large bowl, and pour in tomato mixture to drain for 1 hour.

In a large, non-aluminum stockpot, combine tomato mixture, celery seed, mustard seed, salt, sugar, and vinegar. Bring to a boil and simmer over low heat 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Sterilize enough jars and lids to hold relish (12 one-pint jars, or 6 one-quart jars). Pack relish into sterilized jars, making sure there are no spaces or air pockets. Fill jars all the way to top. Screw on lids.

Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with boiling water. Carefully lower jars into pot using a holder. Leave a 2 inch space between jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary, until tops of jars are covered by 2 inches of water. Bring water to a full boil, then cover and process for 30 minutes.

Remove jars from pot and place on cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart, until cool. Once cool, press top of each lid with finger, ensuring that seal is tight (lid does not move up or down at all). Relish can be stored for up to a year.

And not really canning, but if I have any left, I'm going to try this recipe I got from a friend..


Green Tomato Cake
4 cups chopped green tomatoes
1 Tablespoon salt
1/2 cup butter
2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Place chopped tomatoes in a bowl and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon salt. Let stand 10 minutes. Place in a colander, rinse with cold water and drain.

Preheat oven to 350F (175C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan.

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and beat until creamy.

Sift together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, soda and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add raisins and nuts to dry mixture; add dry ingredients to creamed mixture. Dough will be very stiff. Mix well.

Add drained tomatoes and mix well. Pour into the prepared 9 x 13 inch pan.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes in the preheated oven, or until toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean.

 

[Zenbirder]

We've got 2 bushels of green tomatoes picked when we had freeze earlier this week....

Thanks for the recipe keljonma, I made the green tomato relish yesterday. We froze Sunday night, and I have a lot of green tomatoes, pretty peppers and red onions. I have never made anything like this before. It wasn't so hard with a food processor. I had to scrounge every colander and put them all in the bathtub to drain. I got 13 pints, and put in a bit more vinegar and salt than called for. Now I will have to find what foods it goes well with!

 

[keljonma]

We've got 2 bushels of green tomatoes picked when we had freeze earlier this week....

Thanks for the recipe keljonma, I made the green tomato relish yesterday. We froze Sunday night, and I have a lot of green tomatoes, pretty peppers and red onions. I have never made anything like this before. It wasn't so hard with a food processor. I had to scrounge every colander and put them all in the bathtub to drain. I got 13 pints, and put in a bit more vinegar and salt than called for. Now I will have to find what foods it goes well with!

We use it instead of pickle relish.

 

[mrs.puff]

We will be canning deer and turkey meat soon. It's SO tasty, and very easy to use. No bones, and no fat. We trim the meat very carefully. Canned deer is just like shredded beef in texture, so it makes really good bbq sandwiches, tacos, open-faced gravy sandwiches, spaghetti, etc.

 

[miss_thenorth]

We will be canning deer and turkey meat soon. It's SO tasty, and very easy to use. No bones, and no fat. We trim the meat very carefully. Canned deer is just like shredded beef in texture, so it makes really good bbq sandwiches, tacos, open-faced gravy sandwiches, spaghetti, etc.

I have had canned elk and moose before, and it is good. Hubby wanted me to can some , and I think that if I had a fulltime, outside job, I probably would-since it is quicker and easier to open a can and heat it up. But since I am home and enjoy cooking, I have never had the desire to can meat. and wild turkey?? It woud never last long enough to can it, Yummmmm!