Canning Taster's Table

CANNING TASTER'S TABLE

On September 13th, we had a canning taster's table, with a few demonstrations of things people like to preserve and they talked us through the recipe and then we got to sample some of them!   

I was so impressed with the skilled people we have in our ward.  I have heard many people say that canning is a lost art anymore.  If you didn't learn it from your own mother,  it can be kind-of a scary undertaking!  But, there are so many resources for those who want to learn.  There are so many women in our ward who know how to preserve a lot of things who are willing to share!   The Ball Blue Book of preserving is available at the Tremonton Recreation offices (by the fair grounds) for only $5 last time I checked and is a wonderful resource.   And, once you have done it a few times, it gets easier.  

Why learn to can and preserve food?  It can be a lot of work (some things are more work than others to can) but it CAN also be very rewarding.  After canning a large batch of peaches or salsa, sometimes I leave it on the counter for a few days just so I can admire my work.  :)  Considering the time it takes, it may not always be cost effective if you have to buy all of the ingredients from the store, but if you can get free apples, peaches, tomatoes, etc (or get them dirt cheap), or grow your own, then you can save a lot of money.  (Not to mention less preservatives and a better tasting product.)  Just knowing that you can be self-reliant is a really neat feeling, too.  

Janet Misrasi showed us all of the many things she has dehydrated this year and let us sample many of them.  I was amazed!!  She didn't have any recipes because it is pretty self-explanatory, but this is the book she has been using:

Dehydrated fruits make wonderful snacks or trail mixes.  She has dehydrated a variety of vegetables, which you can use in soups or for travel/camping.  You can even dehydrate cheese and make your own spices!  If you have any questions, I'm sure Janet would be happy to share!  

In addition to this, we had a number of people share canning recipes they like to use.  I have included these in the posts below.   If anyone else has a canning or preserving recipe they would like to share with everyone, please email it to me at the address at the top right of the blog.  

Carrot-Cuke Relish

Carrot-Cuke Relish                                        Tiffany Conger

4-6 unpeeled lg cukes, coarsely ground (3 ½ C)

6 med carrots, coarsely ground (1 ½ C)

2 med onions, coarsely ground (1 C)

2 T pickiling salt                                            1 ½ tsp celery seed

2 C sugar                                                        1 ½ C vinegar

1 ½ tsp mustard seed

Combine ground vegetables and salt.  Let stand in a bowl at least 3 hours, drain.  In large saucepan, combine sugar, vinegar, celery seed and mustard seed, bring to a boil.  Add ground veggies and simmer 20 min.  Pour into hot clean jars leaving ½ in. headspace and adjust lids.  Process in boiling water bath for 5 min.   Start timing when water returns to boiling.   Makes 5 half-pints.  

Mom's Homemade Salsa

Mom’s Homemade Salsa                                          Amber Parkinson

35-40 medium tomatoes                             ½- 1 C vinegar

 3 bell peppers                                              4-5 cloves garlic, mashed

6 onions                                                       6 T salt

½  to 1 C chopped cilantro                          1 Tbsp cumin

5 sm jalapeno peppers                                 1 Tbsp oregano

3 12 oz cans tomato paste                          

(optional- 2 C black beans- ½ C softened overnight or 1 can)

Blanch the tomatoes (dip in hot water for about 30 sec.) then peel the skins off and dice.  Dice and mix in remaining ingredients.   Stir in a large pot until boiling.  I like to strain out any extra juice so it is thicker.

Process in half-pint or pint jars over 15 min. in a boiling water canner.  

Canned Salsa

                                                                                          Gerry Cowley


1/2 bushel tomatoes, diced
5 lg onions, ground
5 lg bell peppers, ground
20-27 jalpeno peppers
1 C sugar
1 C cider vinegar
1 C canning salt

Process in half-pint or pint jars over 15 min. in a boiling water canner.

Canned Apple Pie Filling

Canned Apple Pie Filling                                          Sharla Nelson

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups white sugar                                   10 cups water

1 cups cornstarch                                         3 Tbs lemon juice

2 tsp ground cinnamon                                2 drops yellow food coloring

¼ tsp ground nutmeg                                  6 pounds apples

2 tsp salt

1.     In a large saucepan, mix sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Add salt and water and mix well.  Bring to a boil and cook until thick and bubbly.  Remove from heat and add lemon juice and food coloring.

2.     Sterilize canning jars, lids and rings by boiling them in a large pot of water.

3.     Peel, core, and slice apples.  Pack the sliced apples into hot canning jars, leaving ½ inch headspace.

4.     Fill jars with hot syrup, and gently remove air bubbles with a knife.

5.     Put lids on and process in a water bath canner for 20 min.

Canned Enchilada Sauce

Enchilada Sauce                                                        Sharla Nelson

Green tomatoes- 12-13 Cups                      Cilantro- ½ large bunch      

Anaheim peppers- 4-5 cups                        Minced Garlic- ½ C

Onions- 4-5 Cups  

(could replace the Anaheim peppers with 4 oz diced jalapeno peppers and two 4-oz cans diced chilies)

Grind vegetables using fine disc- (measurements were generous)

Bring to a boil and cook until vegetables are thoroughly cooked, stirring frequently (about 15 min.) 

Add:  Johnny’s Salt ½ C                    Canning Salt ¼ C

Sugar ½ C                                          Tones taco seasoning ½ C

Apple Cider Vinegar ½ C                 Cumin 2 tsp

Chili powder 1 Tbsp

Bottle.  Makes about 7 quarts or 14 pint jars. 

Pressure at 15 lbs for 25 min. 

Pickles

DILL  PICKLES                                                           Gerry Cowley

1 C salt

4 C vinegar

12 C water

Wash jars and place in 200 degree oven to keep warm.  Scrub cucumbers.  Combine water, vinegar and salt in a pot, heat until boiling, maintain boil. 

Pull jars out of oven one at a time and prepare jar with:           

1 clove garlic                          1 small slice red pepper

1 whole clove                         1 small slice green pepper

1 small piece celery              small wedge yellow onion

8-10 dill weed

Fill  jar with 1/3 cucumbers and each of the above items.  Fill remainder of jar with cucumbers.  Pack firmly.  Pour boiling juice over top and place lids and band on.  Screw firmly.  Work quickly so jar remains hot and seals.   (Cucumbers can be done mini, sliced, or in spears.)     Makes about 10 quarts.