Wednesday, October 28, 2026

Italian Canned Pickled Peppers

 Ingredients

9 pint Jars

2 large gallons of Vinegar

1/2 cup of Salt

1 Peck of Mild Sweet Peppers

1/2 Peck Hot Peppers

2 cups of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 cups Canola Oil

2 envelopes of Good Seasons Salad Dressing, the dry mix

1 large head of Garlic

Instructions

  1. You will need  a variety of peppers: sweet banana peppers, 1/3 of the total amount of hot Hungarian peppers, two sweet bell peppers, red or green peppers, white vinegar, garlic cloves, table salt, or sea salt, Good Seasons Italian dry salad dressing, canola oil, and extra-virgin olive oil,
  2. You will also need pint jars,  jar lids, and jar rims (bands).  
  3. Make sure that the jars,  jar lids, and jar rims are standardized in the dishwasher, and keep them as clean as possible during this process.
  4. Harvest the peppers, wash peppers in cold water, clean out the seeds, and cut off the tops. Make sure to wear gloves and do not touch your face or eyes, as the oil from the hot peppers can be very uncomfortable. 
  5. If you want your peppers to be a little spicy, leave a few of the seeds from the hot peppers.
  6. Slice peppers in a food processor to get thin slices. 
  7. Add the sliced peppers to a large pot or plastic container.
  8. Add enough white vinegar until all the peppers are covered with the white vinegar.
  9. Add 1/2 cup of canning salt and mix. 
  10. Cover the pot or container and let sit out on the counter for 24 hours at a minimum.
  11. The next day, have sterilized canning pint jars, lids, and rims ready.
  12. Drain the peppers that soaked overnight and rinse with cold water.
  13. In each jar, add the sliced peppers and pack the peppers full and tight. 
  14. Mix 2 cups of canola oil and 2 cups of virgin olive oil together in a 4-cup measuring cup. 
  15. For each pint jar:
    1. Add 1/2 teaspoon of Good Seasons dry Italian salad dressing.
    2. Add 1/2 clove of garlic.
    3. Fill the jars with the olive oil and canola oil mixture, leaving 1/4 inch at the top. 
    4. Clean the tips of the jars with a paper towel.
  16. Tap lightly on each jar to make sure that all the air bubbles are removed.
  17. Seal the jars with the lids and rims.
  18. Place the jars in a boiling water bath canner and water bath for 20 minutes.
  19. Remove the jars from the water bath 
  20. Any jar that does not seal and should be refrigerated and eaten in 2 weeks.
  21. From https://www.craftingafamily.com/italian-canned-pickled-hot-peppers/

Sunday, October 4, 2026

Banana Pepper Honey Mustard




Banana Pepper Honey Mustard
Ingredients
20 banana peppers stems removed
2 cups prepared yellow mustard
2 1/2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup honey (I used 1 cup)
2 cups apple cider vinegar
1/2 tablespoon salt
3 tablespoons Clear Gel
3/4 cup water

Directions

Using gloves, remove the seeds from the banana peppers and place in a food processor. Process until smooth.

Pour into a large pot and stir in the mustard, sugar, honey, vinegar and salt. On high, allow to boil and cook down 3-5 minutes.

Stir together the Clear Gel and water until smooth. Whisk into the boiling mixture until smooth. Continue to boil, Stirring constantly another 5 minutes. Pour into sterile pint jars and seal with new lids and rings. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Add altitude adjustment time if required

Yield: approximately 5 pints


From https://www.gooseberrygardens.ca/post/banana-pepper-honey-mustard

Sunday, September 20, 2026

Hot Honey Pineapple Jelly




 Ingredients

  • 4 cups pineapple juice (fresh or bottled unsweetened)
  • 1 to 2 tbsp finely minced habanero or jalapeño peppers (adjust for desired heat level)
  • ½ cup hot honey (or regular honey infused with chili/cayenne)
  • 3 cups granulated sugar (or use a low-sugar pectin amount if preferred)
  • 2 tbsp bottled lemon juice (to ensure safe acidity)
  • 1 box (1.75 oz) standard fruit pectin (like Sure-Jell or Certo)
  • ⅛ tsp butter (optional, to reduce foaming) 

Instructions
1. Prepare the Canner and Jars
  • Wash half-pint (8 oz) jelly jars, lids, and screw bands in hot, soapy water.
  • Keep jars hot in simmering water until you are ready to fill them. Prepare your water bath canner with enough water to cover the jars by 1 to 2 inches. 
2. Combine the Base
  • In a large, deep stainless steel saucepan, combine the 4 cups of pineapple juice, lemon juice, minced hot peppers, and hot honey.
  • Whisk in the package of powdered pectin until dissolved. Add the optional butter to prevent heavy foaming.  
3. Boil and Add Sugar
  • Place the pot over high heat and bring the mixture to a hard, rolling boil that cannot be stirred down.
  • Gradually stir in the 3 cups of sugar.
  • Return the mixture to a full rolling boil and boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
  • Remove the pan from the heat and skim off any remaining foam with a metal spoon.

4. Jar and Process
  • Ladle the hot jelly into your hot 8 oz jars, leaving ¼ inch of headspace.
  • Wipe the jar rims clean with a damp paper towel dipped in vinegar.
  • Place the flat lids on top and screw the bands down fingertip tight.
  • Lower the jars into the boiling water bath canner. Process the half-pint jars for 10 minutes (adjusting for your local altitude if above 1,000 feet).
  • Turn off the heat, remove the lid, and let the jars rest in the water for 5 minutes before transferring them to a towel-lined counter to cool completely for 24 hours. 

Sweet and Sour Pineapple Jam






Sweet and Sour Pineapple Jam
INGREDIENTS

4 cups chopped fresh pineapple, from 1 large (2 lb / 1kg) pineapple

½ cup (120 mL) orange juice

½ cup (120 mL) water

½ cup (120 mL) apple cider vinegar

½ tsp (2 mL) salt

½ tsp (2 mL) chili powder or a pinch of cayenne (optional)

3 tbsp (45 mL) Ball® Low or No Sugar Needed Pectin (I used regular pectin)

1 cup (250 mL) sugar substitute (erythritol & stevia blend) ( used 1 cup honey and 2 cups sugar)




DIRECTIONS


FIRST, LET'S PREP!




Prepare boiling water canner. Heat jars in simmering water until ready to use, do not boil. Wash lids in warm soapy water and set aside with bands.


NEXT, TIME TO COOK!




Combine pineapple, orange juice, water and vinegar in a medium saucepan. Blend, using an immersion blender, until pineapple is crushed (you can also do this step in the bowl of a food processor). Add salt, chili powder and pectin; bring mixture to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down, stirring constantly.



Add sugar substitute all at once, stirring to dissolve. Return mixture to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down. Boil hard 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.


NEXT, LET'S CAN IT!




Ladle hot jam into a hot jar leaving a ¼ inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rim. Center lid on jar and apply band, adjust to fingertip tight. Place jar in boiling water canner. Repeat until all jars are filled.



Process jars 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Turn off heat, remove lid, let jars stand 5 minutes. Remove jars and cool 12-24 hours. Check lids for seal, they should not flex when center is pressed.

From https://www.ballmasonjars.com/blog?cid=sweet-sour-pineapple-jam



Tomato Sauce

 


Standard Tomato Sauce


Quantity: For thin sauce – An average of 35 pounds is needed per canner load of 7 quarts; an average of 21 pounds is needed per canner load of 9 pints. A bushel weighs 53 pounds and yields 10 to 12 quarts of sauce-an average of 5 pounds per quart.
For thick sauce – An average of 46 pounds is needed per canner load of 7 quarts; an average of 28 pounds is needed per canner load of 9 pints. A bushel weighs 53 pounds and yields 7 to 9 quarts of sauce-an average of 6½ pounds per quart.

Please read Using Pressure Canners and Using Boiling Water Canners before beginning. If this is your first time canning, it is recommended that you read Principles of Home Canning.

Procedure: Prepare and press as for making tomato juice. Simmer in large-diameter saucepan until sauce reaches desired consistency Boil until volume is reduced by about one-third for thin sauce, or by one-half for thick sauce. Add bottled lemon juice or citric acid to jars (See acidification directions). Add 1 teaspoon of salt per quart to the jars, if desired. Fill jars, leaving ¼-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process. Recommended process times are given in Table 1, Table 2, and Table 3. (Acidification is still required for the pressure canning options; follow all steps in the Procedures above for any of the processing options.)
Table 1. Recommended process time for Standard Tomato Sauce in a boiling-water canner.
 Process Time at Elevations of
Style of PackJar Size0 - 1,000 ft1,001 - 3,000 ft3,001 - 6,000 ftAbove 6,000 ft
HotPints35 min404550
Quarts40455055

 

Table 2. Recommended process time for Standard Tomato Sauce in a dial-gauge pressure canner
 Canner Gauge Pressure (PSI) at Elevations of
Style of PackJar SizeProcess Time0 - 2,000 ft2,001 - 4,000 ft4,001 - 6,000 ft6,001 - 8,000 ft
HotPints
or
Quarts
20 min6 lb7 lb8 lb9 lb
1511121314

 

Table 3. Recommended process time for Standard Tomato Sauce in a weighted-gauge pressure canner.
 Canner Gauge Pressure (PSI) at Elevations
Style of PackJar SizeProcess Time0 - 1,000 ftAbove 1,000 ft
HotPints
or
Quarts
20 min5 lb10 lb
151015
1015Not Recommended
This document was adapted from the "Complete Guide to Home Canning," Agriculture Information