[stephanie]

I just finished my sweet pickled beets for now, great recipe only did 14 quarts this time but more on the way:
This makes about 6 pints 2 1/2 cups vinegar
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
10 cups beets
the variation is 10 whole coves and 2 cinnamon sticks each about 4 inches long broken for the pickling spice.the cloves and cinnamon go in a cheese cloth and put in the vinegar solution to boil. do not boil the beets in this.
pre pare your beets before hand by cooking them w/2 inches of top and an inch of the root left intact boil til the skins slip off easily.
then dice or slice them and add them to the already boiled vinegar mix turn off the burner and add beets to your prepared jars then top with the vinegar mix seal and do a water bath for 30 minutes at a boil, remove and let sit till cool. happy canning.

 

[stephanie]

here are the pics of my beets.http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/

 

[stephanie]

you don't cook the beets in the vinegar at all just bring it to a boil until the sugar is dissolved then add the already peeled and cooked beets and turn off the burner, this is where you preserve the dark red color.

 

[stephanie]

here is a recipe for white potatoesrep wash potatoes and drain,peel and wash again. Leave small potatoes whole and 1/4 the big ones or small uniform cubes,place in a stainless steel sauce pan of cold water as you chop to prevent browning.
hot pack: bring to a boil over med heat. Boil small cubes for 2 minutes and small or quartered potatoes for 10 minutes,until heated threw but not soft.Drain,discarding cooking liquid.Pack hot potatoes into hot jars as directed in step 3 Pack vegies into jars within a generous inch of jar. Add salt, if using, as specified in chart pint= 1/2 tsp, quart=1 tsp
ladle boiling water or cooking liquid into jar to cover veggies leaving 1 inch head space. Remove air bubbles and adjust head space, if necessary,by adding more hot liquid. Wipe rim.center lid on jar.screw band down finger tip tight.
4.place jars in pressure cooker. adjust water level,lock lid and bring to a boil over med heat. vent steam for 10 minutes, then close vent continue heating to achieve 10 lbsand maintain pressure to process for time indicated on recipe for veggie and jar size.
5 turn off heat. let pressure return to zero naturally.Wait 2 minuted longer,then open vent. Remove canner lid. Wait 10 minutes then remove jars, cool and store.
processing pint jars for 35 minutes and quart jars for 40 minutes
hope this helps.

 

[stephanie]

I started a page for canning the garden goods. but so far it is short. will move this one to it.

 

[stephanie]

Today I am finishing up some jars of honey spiced peaches. will post the recipe shortly and pics

 

[stephanie]

Alright here is the recipe: honey spiced peaches, 1 cup granulated sugar,4 cups water, 2 cups honey, 8 lbs small peaches,6 cinnamon sticks,1 1/2 teaspoon whole all spice,3/4 teaspoon whole cloves. in a large stainless steel sauce pan, combine sugar, water and honey. Bring to a boil over med-high heat,stirring til sugar dissolves. reduce heat to low, add peaches one layer at a time and warm until heated through, about 3 minutes per layer.
Using slotted spoon,pack hot peaches, cavity side down,into hot jars to with in a generous 1/2 inch of top of jar. add 1 cinnamon stick,1/4 tsp all spice and 1/8 tsp cloves to each jar. ladle hot syrup into jar to cover peaches, leaving 1/2 inch head space. remove air bubbles and adjust head space,if necessary,by adding hot syrup. wipe rim.center lid on jar. screw band down until resistance is met, then in crease to finger tip tight.
place jars in canner,ensuring they are completely covered with water. bring to a boil and process for 25 minutes. remove canner lid wait 5 minutes, then remove jars,cool and store.
a variation is substituting a large star anise for the cinnamon stick,cloves and all spice in each jar. use small stars when doing 8 ounce.
tip to keep peaches from turning brown is to skin then put into 4 cups water and 1/4 cup lemon juice.
for those who have never skinned a peach have a small pan of boiling water dunk peach in it for about 30 seconds then dunk in cold water and rub the skin off, cut in half and remove the seed.

https://flic.kr/p/7841836972

 

[stephanie]

Well yesterday was a big harvest, picked about 2 gallons of green beans and canned them, dug up the potatoes about 30 lbs, some carrots,3 carnival squash and picked wild black berries about a half gallon worth. I am running out of counter space!

 

[stephanie]

ya not bad for never tilling it is going to get bigger once again this fall some day it will provide all the veggies I need for a year between harvests. But not yet I am slowly adding a new veggie every year and keeping the ones I really like

 

[stephanie]

http://thehomesteadsurvival.com/making-mason-jar-shelves-wood-pallets-project/#.UTIuhleBWSp oh this is interesting

 

[stephanie]

I did a new tomato recipe it is sweet pickled cherry tomatoes I made one quart jar so far will see how they turn out. hoping they are good!

 

[stephanie]

OK I know it isn't a garden thing but it sounded wonderful and had to share it.

Banana Bread In Mason Jars
2/3 cup shortening
2 2/3 cups white sugar
4 eggs
2 cups mashed bananas
2/3 cup water
3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cloves
2/3 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
12 - 1 pint canning jars
funnel
1.If you are planning on storing these for a while, you will need to sterilize your jars. The jars will keep up to a year in your pantry if sealed properly.
2.Preheat oven to 325*. Grease insides of a dozen 1 pint canning jars. (I wiped mine down with vegetable oil.)
3.In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy.
Mash bananas in separate bowl..
4.Beat in eggs, bananas, and water.Sift together flour, baking powder, soda, salt, cinnamon, and cloves.
5.Add to banana mixture. Add nuts and stir them in with spoon.
Insert canning funnel into mouth of jar and pour mixture into greased jars, filling half full.
6.Place jars directly on rack in oven.
7.Do NOT put lids on jars for baking. Be careful to keep the rims clean, wiping off any batter that gets on the rims. Bake for 45 minutes.
Don’t worry if a few rise over the top of the jar. You can press it down with the lid.
While jars are still warm, add lids. Screw on tightly. If you sterilized your jars listen for the ping once you have added the lids; this means that the jar is sealed. If you miss the “ping”, wait until they are completely cool and press on the top of the lid. If it doesn't move at all, it’s sealed. When you want to eat they slid right out of the jar so easy.
by: Aubrey David Mann Brumfield