WHAT ARE YOU CANNING TODAY?

[freemotion]

OK, I am always puzzled by canning 'taters....they keep so well, why can them? I lived 17 years in Maine and often gleaned a couple hundred pounds of potatoes and stored them in the cellar. Clue me in!

I have 40 pints of turkey catfood cooling, and a few more pints in a pot in the fridge to can tomorrow. My fussy fuzzy cat had better not turn his nose up at turkey, at .47 per pound! Bought another 40 lbs today!

 

[Ldychef2k]

Well, I am prepping for a time when food will be too expensive to buy, so there's that. But as well, I am a single person, cooking for one every day. If I bought even five pounds of potatoes, unless I ate one every day or two, they would go bad. Remember, this is California, so root cellars are few and far between.

As well, I am diabetic, so eating that one potato a day is not advisable.

That, and the convenience that is true of all canned goods, I guess covers it.

I do find that I am eating more veggies such as carrots and green beans since I have been canning them. The one that stumps me is canning greens, like collards. I have never eaten them, so maybe that explains my puzzlement.

 

[freemotion]

Oh, I didn't think about the heat in CA. I was thinking....canned veggies, esp taters....blech! It makes sense now. As for collards, they hold up really well to pressure canning, as do all foods that need long cooking times. Throw in a few bits of salt pork, and yum! I haven't canned them by themselves since I haven't been able to grow them, but I use them as the greens in soups and stews because they don't cook into mush.

 

[Ldychef2k]

Ah, yes...the mush issue ! Actually, mush works for me! LOL I had weight loss surgery back when it was in its infancy, and for about 23 years I have only been able to eat mushy veggies. So, to me it's a bonus ! LOL

 

[HannaLee]

In addition to the Caramel Apple Jam, I got 7 quarts of applesauce done.

 

[me&thegals]

Mmmmmm. Caramel apple jam! Would you please post the recipe, HannaLee?

 

[HannaLee]

I posted it this morning, just a few entries back on this thread.

 

[GardenWeasel]

Not canning today but wanted to thank all of you for this very cool thread. Thanks to your generosity, I have canned my first dried beans and my own chicken broth. Want to make some of the cream of soups if I ever find a bargain on mushrooms. Bones for stock making are rare here too. Most stores have boneless everthing shipped in. Any other recipies for cream of anything soups out there? My DH is a big fan of celery and potatoes. First season with my pressure canner so need precise amounts. Again thanks.

 

[ducks4you]

In addition to the Caramel Apple Jam, I got 7 quarts of applesauce done.

What's your recipe?

 

[HannaLee]

GardenWeasel, here is my stand-by recipe for Cream of....

I don't can it (the USDA frowns upon canning dairy, and since it's so easy to whip up, I just make a batch when needed.




Cream of Chicken Soup

This recipe yields about the same as 2 cans cream of chicken soup whisked with one can of milk which is what I used BEFORE finding this great recipe! I usually '5x' this for saucy meals.

2 Tbsp melted butter (or red palm oil...it's even better!)

3 Tbsp. freshly ground whole wheat pastry flour (white will work, if you have to!)

1/2 cup chicken broth (I use 1/2 cup water and 2 tsp. Frontier Naturals chicken-flavored broth powder if I'm out of stock)

1/2 cup milk

1/4 tsp. salt and pepper (a little more if you use kosher salt)

Whisk flour into melted butter slowly until smooth. Remove from heat and gradually add liquids, stirring with whisk until smooth. Return to medium heat. Add salt, cook and stir till smooth and thick (about 10 minutes).


Easy and NO chemical additives, preservatives, etc, though the quality of your chicken bouillon is important. Find and use Frontier Naturals!! This is a multi-purpose gravy that substitutes for all the "Cream of" soups:


For celery, omit chicken broth, use one cup milk and add 1 cup sauteed celery.

For beef dishes, use beef broth powder instead.

We don't eat mushroom, but you could experiment and figure out how many mushrooms are right!