Canning & Preserving

Canning & Preserving, Food, Local Harvest

Blueberry-Ginger Jam

I love berries of all kinds, and am lucky to live where lots of them grow. Recently I bought some freshly picked blueberries at a farm stand: they were delicious! Some went into muffins, some on cereal, some were just eaten as a snack.

Canning & Preserving, Food, Local Harvest

Strawberry-Vanilla Butter

You don’t have to make huge batches of jams or pickles. Take this example: in a small batch, Strawberry-Vanilla Butter uses only 1½ quarts of berries, and yields 3 half-pint jars (plus a bit extra for toast or snacking.) You may double the recipe,

Canning & Preserving, Food

Pressure Canning Fish Stock

Let me just say this: I miss New England, especially the chowder! Local prices for ocean fish are sky-high: only to be expected in Michigan, but a problem for a frugal cook. Bottled clam juice just doesn’t have the flavor of a great fish-based stock.

Canning & Preserving, Food

Pressure Canning Vegetable Stock

If you cook for vegetarians, you will need vegetable stock on hand: so many dishes are improved by substituting stock for water. It’s hard to find the good stuff at the grocery store, so make your own at home.

Canning & Preserving, Food, Tools & Equipment

Apple Butter the Easy Way

As soon as I have made applesauce, I’m thinking about apple butter: thick, silky, and fragrant with spices.

The old-fashioned way to make it involves a big fire, a huge kettle, and a community of people willing to take turns to stir the pot all day long.

Canning & Preserving, Good Stuff to Know, Local Harvest

Host Your Own Tomato Crush

So you’ve decided to host your own tomato crush, hm? It’s a good idea to tackle a big project with many hands; you’ll get the job done and have fun along the way. This post is meant to pass on tips and tricks for holding a fabulous group canning day of your own.

Canning & Preserving, Food, Local Harvest, Tools & Equipment

Canning Tomato Sauce

Canning tomato sauce: it’s my end of summer ritual. I’ll do anything to prolong tomato season! Fortunately, I have a lot of friends who agree with me, and we get together each year for a Big Tomato Crush work party –

Canning & Preserving, Food

Ginger Pear Butter

This smooth pear preserve with a tang of ginger is excellent with toast or scones, would be perfect with gingerbread, and delightful with shards of chocolate in an autumn crostata. The only word that properly describes it is a ‘butter’

Canning & Preserving, Food

Peach Oolong Butter

This peach butter with subtle notes of oolong tea is excellent with toast or scones. I wanted to capture the taste of peach-oolong jelly with a thicker texture. This one’s a winner! The only word that properly describes it is a ‘butter’

Canning & Preserving, Good Stuff to Know, Tools & Equipment

Canning Alert: changes for lids!

I first learned it by reading Theresa Loe’s blog at livinghomegrown.com: the Jarden Company, who make lids for Ball canning jars, advise new procedures for using canning lids.

It has to do with the red gasket on the inside of the lid.

Canning & Preserving, Food

Pickles: Bread & Butter

It’s been a cool summer so far, which has been perfect weather for cucumbers. I’m taking advantage of the bumper crop to make pickles.

Today’s batch is an old-fashioned favorite: sweet & tangy bread and butter slices.

Canning & Preserving, Food

Small-batch Apricot Jam

Making jam doesn’t have to take over your kitchen and fill the day. Using 1.5 lb fruit, put up a quick few jars. Start to finish, this takes less than an hour.

Here’s how to make a small batch when you’re pressed for time or just want less.

Canning & Preserving

Blueberry-Ginger Jam

Strawberry-Vanilla Butter

Pressure Canning Fish Stock

Pressure Canning Vegetable Stock

Apple Butter the Easy Way

Host Your Own Tomato Crush

Canning Tomato Sauce

Ginger Pear Butter

Peach Oolong Butter

Canning Alert: changes for lids!

Pickles: Bread & Butter

Small-batch Apricot Jam

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