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Farm Kitchen:  Canning Started!  |
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Red Tractor Girl
True Blue Farmgirl
6534 Posts
Winnie
Gainesville
Fl
USA
6534 Posts |
 Posted - Jun 17 2014 : 11:20:39 AM
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This past weekend, I spent lots of time in the kitchen canning. My daughter's Wild Plum tree was full of bright red plums and this was the first year we have had some in a wile. So, I got 6 jars put up. I used Mary Jane's Chillover powder instead of pectin which also allowed me to use way less sugar. 
Then with the left over juice, I added some great peaches from Georgia and local blueberries to make a cobbler mix. I turn the left over plum juice into a medium sugar syrup, pack the jars with fresh fruit and then pour juice over fruit and can.
When you actually make up the mix, you have to thicken the juice with cornstarch and usually add more fruit for more than a 2 person serving. In the dead of winter, I usually add 1 bag of frozen peaches warmed through in the sauce before adding a cobbler topping and baking in the oven.
My daughter's family garden was also over run with cucumbers so I made our family favorite: my mom's bread and butter pickles.
It is so rewarding to see all the beautiful jars full of some family favorites to enjoy in the year ahead. Anyone else in the South getting to the canning stage yet with garden produce??
What favorites will you be canning this Summer?
Winnie #3109
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hudsonsinaf
True Blue Farmgirl
3162 Posts
Shannon
Rozet
Wyoming
USA
3162 Posts |
Posted - Jun 17 2014 : 12:05:31 PM
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Could I please get your recipe for your pickles???? We will be canning blueberries tomorrow (after going picking) and tomatoes on Friday and Saturday. Looking forward to it! Then next month is peaches :)
~ Shannon
http://hudson-everydayblessings.blogspot.com/ |
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Red Tractor Girl
True Blue Farmgirl
6534 Posts
Winnie
Gainesville
Fl
USA
6534 Posts |
Posted - Jun 18 2014 : 06:13:13 AM
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Shannon, here is my Mom's recipe card with our family pickle recipe. I hope you enjoy making them and that your family loves them too!  
Let me know if anyone else makes this recipe and if you enjoy them. It is fun to share family favorites with other Farmgirls!
Winnie #3109 |
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
Posted - Jun 18 2014 : 07:48:41 AM
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Oh! How exciting! I am definitely going to try your mother's recipe once some of our pickling cukes come in!
I'm above the Mason-Dixon line, so I'm not a Southerner, of course, by any stretch, but I sure would love to be! LOL! And our produce takes a lot longer to cultivate! :) But I've busy canning, too - all sorts of good things! Recently I made over a dozen jars of strawberry jam and almost two of raspberry jam with fruit from our local farmers! My neighbor was out there salivating the whole time! LOL! I'll have mercy - although my guys would disagree, I'm sure I've got plenty to spare and share! :)
May I ask you a question? Yesterday, I found quite a few quarts of blueberries in my freezer from last year, and decided that I'm going to can them up for blueberry pie filling. Should I make it like you, above, without the Clear Jel and just add starch later? If so, how do I do that? OR is there any other way to can blueberry pie filling without using Clear Jel? I tried to find it in a few grocery stores without any luck. I suppose I could order it online, but I'm thinking there must be another way. After all, what did grandmas do before Clear Jel was invented? Any suggestions you may have and thoughts you may share would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks so much! Especially for the recipe and inspiration!
Hugs -
Nini
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
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Edited by - Ninibini on Jun 18 2014 07:49:45 AM |
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Red Tractor Girl
True Blue Farmgirl
6534 Posts
Winnie
Gainesville
Fl
USA
6534 Posts |
Posted - Jun 18 2014 : 09:45:18 AM
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Nini, I use my old Betty Crocker cookbook for canning information. What I would do, is thaw out the blueberries and pack them in hot jars with a sugar syrup and then can according to what you do with blueberries. I am not aware of pie fillings with Clear Jel so maybe they have a recipe for pie filling to follow? When I make apple pie filling, I don't add anything but a sugar syrup. If there is too much liquid at the time I make a pie, I drain it off and cook until thick using cornstarch and add the apples back in before placing in the pie shell. Good luck!
Winnie #3109 |
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
Posted - Jun 18 2014 : 11:35:29 AM
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Awesome, Winnie! Thank you!!! I will try to get to this tomorrow! :) You're the best! Hugs - Nini
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
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hudsonsinaf
True Blue Farmgirl
3162 Posts
Shannon
Rozet
Wyoming
USA
3162 Posts |
Posted - Jun 18 2014 : 2:08:06 PM
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Winnie - Thank you so much! How long do you process them? Hot water bath?
Nini - I have a recipe that uses cornstarch instead of Clear Jel as well, if you are interested.
Working on blueberry syrup, jam, pie filling, and blueberry-basil vinegar to be used for a salad dressing right now :) LOVE canning season!!!
~ Shannon
http://hudson-everydayblessings.blogspot.com/ |
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
Posted - Jun 18 2014 : 3:21:58 PM
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Yes! Shannon! PLEASE do share!!! I would really, really appreciate it! Thank you!
Bet YOUR kitchen smells delicious! Will you please share your other recipes, too? :)
Hugs -
Nini
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
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hudsonsinaf
True Blue Farmgirl
3162 Posts
Shannon
Rozet
Wyoming
USA
3162 Posts |
Posted - Jun 18 2014 : 5:08:22 PM
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Blueberry Pie Filling
(makes 4 quarts)
20 C blueberries
3 C sugar
1C water
3/4 C cornstarch
2/3 C lemon juice
Bring all ingredients, except blueberries to a boil. Dissolve sugar. Add blueberries. Bring back to a boil. Continuously stir for 5 minutes. Pour into sterile quart jars, leaving 1" headspace. Process for 30 minutes.
~ Shannon
http://hudson-everydayblessings.blogspot.com/ |
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hudsonsinaf
True Blue Farmgirl
3162 Posts
Shannon
Rozet
Wyoming
USA
3162 Posts |
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
Posted - Jun 18 2014 : 7:05:07 PM
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Oh, Shannon! Thank you SO much!!! I can't wait to try your recipe! I may do half the blueberries using your recipe, and the other half at Winnie's suggestion. Both will be perfect for our needs! YAY!
No rush on the others - I know you've had a long, busy day! Take care of those tootsies and get some rest! Whenever you have time, that'd be great! I'm sure I'll be trying those, too! :)
Thanks again - you ROCK, farmgirl!
Hugs -
Nini
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
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hudsonsinaf
True Blue Farmgirl
3162 Posts
Shannon
Rozet
Wyoming
USA
3162 Posts |
Posted - Jun 18 2014 : 7:40:04 PM
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Alright then - my last batch (pie filling) is in the canner, so I have time to write the other ones out.... 5 gallons of blueberries almost processed :)
Blueberry Jam - makes 12 half-pints
24 C blueberries
3/4 C water
6C sugar
3/4C lemon juice
Put blueberries and water in pan. Bring to boil, stirring and smushing (hmmm is that a word?) berries some. Add sugar, stirring until dissolved. Add lemon juice. Cook until at preferred gelled consistency (blueberries have natural pectin, so you don't need any). Turn off the burner and let mixture rest for about 5 minutes (hehehe or long enough to get flats sterilized and everything set up). Pour into sterile jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace and process for 10 minutes. (If I put them in pints, I usually do about 20 minutes)
~ Shannon
http://hudson-everydayblessings.blogspot.com/ |
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hudsonsinaf
True Blue Farmgirl
3162 Posts
Shannon
Rozet
Wyoming
USA
3162 Posts |
Posted - Jun 18 2014 : 7:46:27 PM
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Blueberry Syrup - makes 12 half pints
16 C smooshed blueberries
4 C water
6 C sugar
8 C water
1/4 C lemon juice
Bring smooched blueberries and the 4 C water to a boil, boiling for 5 minutes. Puree the mixture (I use my vitamix, but an immersion blender, food processor or regular blender would work lovely too) and put back in pan. In a different pan, dissolve sugar in the 8C water. Heat until temperature reaches 230 degrees or until the syrup forms a thread when dropped in cold water (basically right before you hit the soft-ball stage). Add this mixture to your pureed blueberries. Heat back to a boil, boiling for 5 minutes. Turn off the burner and add the lemon juice. Pour into jars, leaving 1/4 inch head-space and process for 10 minutes.
~ Shannon
http://hudson-everydayblessings.blogspot.com/ |
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hudsonsinaf
True Blue Farmgirl
3162 Posts
Shannon
Rozet
Wyoming
USA
3162 Posts |
Posted - Jun 18 2014 : 7:56:00 PM
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Blueberry-Basil Vinegar - makes 5 half pints
4 C blueberries
4 C white wine vinegar
1 C basil
zest of 1 lemon
In a food processor, smoosh blueberries. Pour into large glass bowl. Add the white wine vinegar and lemon zest. Grind up the basil (I use a mortar and pestle). Add to the bowl and mix. Cover. You are going to leave it for up to 4 weeks (I usually take mine out around 3.5 weeks), stirring it everyday. After you've let it sit (it gets stronger in flavor over time), strain it through cheesecloth into a pan. Heat it to 180 degrees. Pour into jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Process for 10 minutes.
For salad dressing, use a food processor and blend 4 cloves garlic, 1/4C chopped basil (fresh), 1 jar of the vinegar mixture, 1 C extra-virgin olive oil, 1.5T mustard (we use spicy brown), 1.5T sugar, and the zest of two lemons.
~ Shannon
http://hudson-everydayblessings.blogspot.com/ |
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hudsonsinaf
True Blue Farmgirl
3162 Posts
Shannon
Rozet
Wyoming
USA
3162 Posts |
Posted - Jun 18 2014 : 8:12:48 PM
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YAY!!!!!!! 25 half-pints and 2 pints of blueberry syrup - done, 12 half-pints and 3 pints blueberry jam - done, 4 quarts blueberry pie filling - done, and my blueberry basil vinegar is doing its magic. Plus there are a couple cups of blueberries in the fridge for tomorrow. So glad to be done. Now I have to can 50 pounds of tomatoes tomorrow (will probably just do diced tomatoes), and dehydrate the skins for tomato paste. Thankfully I get to sleep in between ;) Night everyone :)
~ Shannon
http://hudson-everydayblessings.blogspot.com/ |
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
Posted - Jun 19 2014 : 02:05:54 AM
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WOW! Shannon! You are AMAZING! Thank you!!! I love blueberries - if you only knew! (And strawberries... And raspberries... And... well... you get the idea!) I'm going to have to visit my friend's farm this weekend... My frozen blueberries are just not going to be enough to try all these yummy recipes!!!! I'm so excited! Just... Thank you so much! Hugs - Nini
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
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Daizy
True Blue Farmgirl
992 Posts
Daizy
Talladega
Alabama
USA
992 Posts |
Posted - Jun 19 2014 : 04:19:38 AM
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Hay ya'll,
Lots of veggies are about to get canned around here also. But first off is the blackberries.....after picking them. I have let several pastures go wild due to not having a tractor to bushhog and not having fences to allow the cows into them.....therefore, blackberries galore. No way I can pick all of them and no way I can find time to pick enough. But I will pick what I can and this year I want to can them, not freeze them. I am looking for a great preserve or jam recipe so if you know of one please let me know. I already have 36 jelly size jars waiting. Lots to this weekend..
Hugs and prayers, Daizy
Daizy #1093
Poor House Farmgirl Chapter {A virtual chapter open to everyone.}
A good day is when you find ALL your ear tags! I wonder how my cows would like my Farmgirl apron??
www.poorhouseparadise.blogspot.com |
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Red Tractor Girl
True Blue Farmgirl
6534 Posts
Winnie
Gainesville
Fl
USA
6534 Posts |
Posted - Jun 19 2014 : 05:27:55 AM
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WOW,Shannon! You are got gang busters up there in South Carolina! All of your canning projects sound so delicious!
Daizy, your blackberries sound wonderful and whatever recipe you come up with will be yummy. After all, you can't mess up blackberries!
So fun to hear about everyone's recipes and projects!
Winnie #3109 |
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Doreenlee
Farmgirl in Training
22 Posts
Doreen
Harmony
North CArolina
USA
22 Posts |
Posted - Jun 23 2014 : 07:26:29 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by hudsonsinaf
Blueberry Pie Filling
(makes 4 quarts)
20 C blueberries
3 C sugar
1C water
3/4 C cornstarch
2/3 C lemon juice
Bring all ingredients, except blueberries to a boil. Dissolve sugar. Add blueberries. Bring back to a boil. Continuously stir for 5 minutes. Pour into sterile quart jars, leaving 1" headspace. Process for 30 minutes.
~ Shannon
http://hudson-everydayblessings.blogspot.com/
Doreen Lee |
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Doreenlee
Farmgirl in Training
22 Posts
Doreen
Harmony
North CArolina
USA
22 Posts |
Posted - Jun 23 2014 : 07:29:24 AM
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Shannon, Thank you so much for the blueberry pie filling recipe. When the blueberries come in this year I am going to do this. It would be great to have a blueberry pie in the middle of winter! Thanks girl.
Doreen Lee |
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hudsonsinaf
True Blue Farmgirl
3162 Posts
Shannon
Rozet
Wyoming
USA
3162 Posts |
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nndairy
True Blue Farmgirl
3004 Posts
Heather
Wapakoneta
Ohio
USA
3004 Posts |
Posted - Jun 24 2014 : 08:44:52 AM
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Winnie - I just noticed we have a couple cucumbers getting close to being ready and was thinking I need to find a good pickle recipe. I can't wait to try yours!! Thanks so much for sharing.
All the blueberry recipes sounds wonderful as well!
Here's what I do for my berry jams (found in a homesteading book)
Weigh the berries before smashing them - add an equal weight of sugar. Boil until desired consistency.I think you're supposed to add a tsp of lemon juice to the blackberries. My first attempt at this was boiled too much and I bent many forks trying to get it out of the jar!! Now I know to leave it a little runnier than I think I should :) I have used this for strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries. I had a little bit of leftover fruit one time and made a "triple berry" jam of strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries. It was yummy!
Heather
Farmgirl Sister #4701
http://nndairy.blogspot.com/
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hudsonsinaf
True Blue Farmgirl
3162 Posts
Shannon
Rozet
Wyoming
USA
3162 Posts |
Posted - Jun 24 2014 : 08:56:02 AM
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Heather - LOVE the "works for all types" recipe! MUST memorize it!!! I have to remind myself every time I make jam that it thickens as it sits, lol.
~ Shannon
http://hudson-everydayblessings.blogspot.com/ |
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aCraftersDaughter
Farmgirl at Heart
6 Posts
Anna Mary
Salem
IN
USA
6 Posts |
Posted - Jul 01 2014 : 5:58:16 PM
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Hey all! I'm still pretty new to canning and the whole farmgirl thing, in practice anyway. And I had a question... I keep finding great recipes for pressure canners, but right now all I have is the water bath kind. Is there a way to convert those recipes over into water bath or am I just outta luck for now?
And Sweet Tea and Daisies to all... |
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thebyrdhaus
True Blue Farmgirl
520 Posts
Patty
Columbus
Oh
USA
520 Posts |
Posted - Jul 01 2014 : 6:07:56 PM
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AnnaMary. Water bath is for fruits and pickles, but can’t be used for low-acid foods such as red meat and some vegetables.Pressure canning prevents botulinum bacteria in low acid foods.
Shannon- How do you use dehydrated skins for tomatoes paste. I always want to make tomato paste but don't want to use a bushel to cook down to a 1/2 pint of paste.
Patty #1840
http://ladygonegreen.blogspot.com/
A rind is a terrible thing to waste. Compost.
When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.”
-Jesus in John 6:12 NIV Bible |
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hudsonsinaf
True Blue Farmgirl
3162 Posts
Shannon
Rozet
Wyoming
USA
3162 Posts |
Posted - Jul 01 2014 : 8:09:16 PM
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All I do is dehydrate the tomato skins and then crumble them up and put them in a jar. When I need tomato paste, I mix equal amounts of tomato skins with water. Works brilliantly!
~ Shannon
http://hudson-everydayblessings.blogspot.com/ |
Edited by - hudsonsinaf on Jul 01 2014 8:10:11 PM |
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Farm Kitchen: Canning Started! |
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Canning Started!
