Canning Season

I'm not lucky enough to have a garden (even if I could get things to grow)...but we do have a great farmer's market & this is the time of year that apples go on sale...there are lots of great deals. I got apples for $1 a pound at the store, and a huge box of less-than-perfect tomatoes for $10 at the farmers market.

This is my first year to can...I always thought it would be complicated & time consuming, but with all the kids in school, I thought I would give it a try & it turns out it's really not that hard. But I'm sticking to water bath canning for now...until I can acquire a pressure canner.

So, I've canned 4 things so far..

11 pints of crushed tomatoes (look here)

6 pints apples

2 pints apple butter &

3 pints apple cider jelly

Apple Butter

(it's really, really good)

You need:

3 1/2 c. apple cider

8 large apples(about 4 1/2 lbs)

1 1/2 c. sugar

1/4 tsp. kosher or pickling salt

3/4 tsp. cinnamon

3-inch cinnamon stick

*pint jars (or half pints)

*water bath canner ...if you don't have one, use an extra large heavy pot with a jar rack, or layer extra rings  from your canning lids on the bottom..you just want to keep the jars off the bottom of the pot (that's what I do)

*2 part canning lids

*large funnel

*canning tongs & magnetic lid lifter (you can find a kit in the canning section)

1. Peel, core and slice your apples. Meanwhile bring the apple cider to boil in a large sauce pan. Fill your water bath canner with water (with rings already in the bottom or have rack ready) and heat of high heat-keep it boiling; add clean, empty jars to heat while the water comes to a boil.

2. Add your apples to boiling cider, reduce heat and simmer (uncovered) until tender, about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Add the sugar, cinnamon, cinnamon stick & salt to the apples. 

4. Continue to cook until apples break down, and mixture begins to thicken, about 20 minutes.

5. Remove cinnamon stick.  Carefully transfer apple mixture to a food processor or blender.  Process until smooth.  Return to pan. Cook until it thickens up a little more, about 10 minutes.

6. Carefully remove hot jars from canner, pouring any hot water back into the canner.  Place upside down on a clean towel. Add your rings to the boiling water to heat.  Keep jars hot.  Using a funnel, fill the jars with hot apple butter, leaving a 1/4 inch headspace.

7. Run a plastic knife around the inside edge of the jar and through the apple butter to release any air bubbles.  Double check the headspace again..add more apple butter if needed.  Repeat with remaining jars (mine made 2 pints).

8. Wipe the lip of the jar with a damp cloth.  Top with the two-piece lids, the rings hot, tightening rings to finger-tip tightness (you don't want to close it too tight).

9. Carefully lower your hot jars into the water bath canner, return water to boil and cover with lid. Start timer--process 20 minutes for pints and 15 minutes for 1/2 pints.  When finished remove from canner to a clean towel & allow to cool.  Check all the seals (they should be tight, no popping).  Any that have not sealed you can keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.

Apple Cider Jelly



4 c. cider

1 pkg. powdered pectin

4 1/2 c. sugar

Prepare your canner (see above).

Combine all ingredients in a heavy sauce pan, bring to a boil.  Boil hard for 1 minute.  Remove from heat and skim any foam off the top of the jelly.

Using a funnel, pour your jelly into hot jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace.  Remove any bubbles.  Wipe lip of jar with a damp cloth and top with two-piece lids, rings hot, and tighten to finger-tip tightness.

Lower your jars into the canner, return to boil, cover and process for 10 minutes (pints)....process 1/2 pints for 5 minutes.

Enjoy!

Do you plan on canning? What do you have in mind? Do you have a tips or tricks? Please share! :D

Pretzel-Coated Chicken Tenders

My 5 year old declared these "super-duper good!"...I hope they will be a hit in your family too :)

(there are no quantities...you can easily adjust to how big a batch you would like to make)

Pretzels

prepared honey mustard

chicken (breast cut into wide strips, or tenders)

Place pretzels in the bowl of a food processor & pulse until it resembles bread crumbs (you can also place them in a sealed plastic bag & crush them with something heavy).

Squeeze or spoon some honey mustard into a small bowl, just a few tablespoon (this way you don't contaminate your whole jar with chicken germs).

Brush both sides of the chicken strips with a thin coat of the mustard, then roll in the pretzel crumbs...pressing down to stick the crumbs to the chicken.

Place the chicken on a greased baking sheet & into a 350 oven for about 20 minutes (watch them...it really depends on the size of you chicken & they cook fast).  Enjoy with your favorite dip...or more honey-mustard.

Variation:

using the same technique, substitute:

toasted panko bread crumbs for the pretzels

dijon mustard for the honey mustard

boneless pork chops for the chicken

Thai Chicken Pizza

This one was a new one to me...I'm glad I tried it, because it was great! It's Rachel Ray's Thai Chicken Pizza (photo from foodnetwork.com)...if you use regular chicken breast, start them first....that way your crust is still hot when you top it with all the goodness.  I left off the peanuts (I didn't have any on hand) & cilantro (just because I don't like cilantro...tastes like dirt to me)...& If you think the "pickled" cucumbers are weird--don't worry, they are fantastic :)  So give it a try & let me know what you think....

Glad To Be Back...

 Sorry about my blogging absence....the kids & I spent the entire summer (6 weeks) at my parent's farm outside Worland, WY.  We all had so much fun.  The kids were able to help in the garden, they thought picking peas was the best...read on to see more on that; pulling potatoes made a close second...while weeding wasn't so much fun.

We also canned beets (a first attempt for both my mom and me) which turned out well (even though I'm not the biggest fan of beets).

There were lots of little chocolate lab puppies...soooo cute. A couple of dogs, cats And 12 free range chickens to feed every night.  They LOVED helping take care of the animals each night...especially the chickens & we were so happy to find the first little (tiny, really) brown egg just days before we left.

We can't wait until next year...but until then, I'm back to blogging..

The peas...

The kids loved helping with every step (and I think we did this 3 times)...I know it's a little late in the season for peas...but keep it on hand for next year :)

 

 1. shell the peas (kids, at least my kids & my nieces LOVED this part...probably because they like to eat them)

 2. Add peas into lightly salted, boiling water, boil 90 seconds.  Remove promptly to an ice bath to shock the peas & stop the cooking.

3. Pat the peas dry on a clean towel, and transfer into a freezer bag, or if your lucky enough, vacuum seal them.

4. Then into the freezer to enjoy later, as needed.  My kids prefer to eat peas frozen (or cold)...also they great for teething babies (older babies that can chew up their food...and, of course, watch them while the eat)

Caramel Corn

...I'd just like to note...this isn't my picture...ours was gobbled up too fast :)

I LOVE this caramel corn recipe...as a teenager I made it at least 100 times...now not so often, it's more of a special treat.  I think it's best eaten warm an gooey....

2 sticks butter

2 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup corn syrup or honey

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. baking soda

6 quarts popped popcorn

(that's about two batches on a standard air popper) 

nuts (peanuts, cashews, pecans...whatever you like)

Melt butter in a large sauce pan.  Stir in sugar, corn syrup and salt.  Bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring constantly.  Boil 5 minutes without stirring.  Remove from heat, stir in soda and vanilla.  Pour over popcorn and nuts.  Mix well until all is coated. Will  harden as it cools.

I love shopping (or just window shopping) on Etsy. There are so many great shops run by super talented people...here are just a few of my favorite kitchen picks...

Be sure to visit all the shops...you won't be disappointed...

(left to right...top to bottom)

1.The Artful Yarn

2.Magia Mia

3.Girls Can Tell

4.Vessels and Wares

5.Studio 44 Eighty

6.Forshee Designs

7.The Classic Farmhouse

8.Little Oven

9.Utile Mud

10.One Canoe Two

11.Fahrenheit

12.Old New Again

You can visit this treasury here (be sure to click & comment) :D

Hot Fudge Sundae Cake

This is my family's all-time favorite cake (growing up & in my family now)...it is one of my clearest food memories (as a little girl I thought for the longest time it was "Sunday" cake because (it seemed) we always had it on Sunday.

My daughter H. opted to have it for her birthday...since May is loaded with birthday cakes this is a good option for us.

We serve this over vanilla ice cream (sometimes mint chocolate chip) & I love to add sliced bananas...YUM

in a 9 x 9 x 2 inch square pan combine:

1 cup flour

3/4 cup sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

2 T. cocoa powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup milk

2 T. vegetable oil

1 tsp vanilla

Mix well and spread evenly to the edges of the pan.

In a small bowl combine:

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup cocoa

Sprinkle sugar mixture evenly over batter.

Pour 1 3/4 cups hot water over all.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes; the cake will "float" above the hot fudge sauce..serve warm.

Try it...it's easy...and soooo good :)