Balsamic Marinara Sauce

Balsamic Marinara Sauce (from Putting Up More)


Canning Notes

This is an acidified hot-pack recipe.
pH is critical, must be monitored, and kept below 4.3. The wine, vinegar, tomatoes, and paste are the acid forces. If pH requires lowering, add 1/4 teaspoon citric acid and mix well; continue until pH is at 4.2.
This recipe makes 6 quart jars, all jar sizes work.
This recipe can be halved, doubled, or multiplied.
Ingredients

14 pounds tomatoes, peeled and finely chopped
24 ounces tomato paste
4 cups finely chopped white onion
1 cup minced celery (tender parts of stalks only)
1 cup minced carrot
1 cup olive oil, divided
1 bell pepper, small-diced
20 cloves garlic, minced*(we added 10)
2 cups white wine (not too dry)
1 cup balsamic vinegar *(we added 1 1/2 cups)
3/4 cup butter
1/4 cup honey
2-1/2 tablespoons chopped, tightly packed fresh oregano
1 tablespoon chopped, tightly packed fresh basil leaves
2 teaspoons chopped, tightly packed fresh parsley
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons coarsely ground pepper
6 bay leaves
Directions

Put the tomatoes in a nonreactive pot with the tomato paste and stew for 20 minutes or until beginning to thicken. Sauté the onion, celery, and carrot in a little olive oil until the onion is clear before adding with the rest of the oil to the tomatoes along with the bell pepper. Simmer for an additional 15 minutes.

Add the remaining ingredients, bring to 200 degrees F, and hold, stirring often, until thick. Retrieve bay leaves and place one in each quart jar (or see alternative tip in bay leaf section of the introduction). Check pH and adjust if necessary (see canning notes above).

Notes:
*used onions celery carrot pepper and basil leaves from our garden
*roasted tomatoes in oven before running through strainer
*used stick blender to smooth out sauce
*we did not add bay leaves to jars
*This recipe calls for just inverting in hot jars we processed ours in a bwb 40 minutes for quarts 35 minutes for pints.
*PH 3.79
*We only got 4 quarts.

SWEET DILL PICKLES

SWEET DILL PICKLES (from Better Homes and Gardens Complete Canning Guide)


PREP: 30 MINUTES PROCESS: 10 MINUTES STAND: 1 WEEK MAKES: 6 PINTS

3 to 3¼ pounds 4-inch pickling cucumbers (about 36)
4 cups water
3 cups white vinegar
3 cups sugar
⅓ cup pickling salt
6 tablespoons dill seeds
(we added a pinch (1/8 teaspoon of pickle crisp "calcium chloride" to each jar) 
1. Thoroughly scrub cucumbers with a soft vegetable brush in plenty of cold running water. Remove stems and blossom ends; slice off blossom ends. Cut cucumbers lengthwise into quarters.

2. In a 4- to 5-quart stainless-steel, enamel, or nonstick heavy pot combine the water, the vinegar, sugar, and pickling salt. Bring to boiling, stirring to dissolve sugar.

3. Pack cucumber spears loosely into six hot sterilized pint canning jars, leaving a ½-inch headspace. Add 1 tablespoon dill seeds to each jar. Pour hot vinegar mixture into jars maintaining the ½-inch headspace. Discard any remaining hot vinegar mixture. Wipe jar rims; adjust lids and screw bands.

4. Process filled jars in a boiling-water canner for 10 minutes (start timing when water returns to boiling). Remove jars from canner; cool on wire racks. Let stand at room temperature for 1 week before serving.

Jamaican Jerk Pickle Chips

JAMAICAN JERK PICKLE CHIPS (form Better Homes and Gardens Complete Canning Guide)

ALL THE FLAVORS OF TRADITIONAL JAMAICAN JERK—ALLSPICE, THYME, AND FIERY CHILES—GIVE THESE PICKLE CHIPS THEIR WOW! FACTOR. LAYER ON A ROAST PORK OR CHICKEN SANDWICH—OR TOP OFF A BLOODY MARY.

PREP: 45 MINUTES PROCESS: 10 MINUTES STAND: 1 WEEK MAKES: 7 PINTS

3½ pounds 4- to 5-inch pickling cucumbers*

1 3- to 4-inch stick cinnamon

1 teaspoon whole allspice

2 cups water

2 cups white vinegar

2 cups cider vinegar or rice vinegar

1 cup honey

½ cup lime juice

¼ cup pickling salt

7 sprigs fresh thyme

7 3- to 4-inch sticks cinnamon

7 cloves garlic, sliced

1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

1 teaspoon whole allspice

2 fresh jalapeño peppers, seeded and thinly sliced
(we added a pinch (1/8 teaspoon of pickle crisp "calcium chloride" to each jar)   

1. Thoroughly scrub cucumbers. Remove stems and blossoms; slice off blossom ends. Cut cucumbers into ¼- to ½-inch slices.**

2. For spice bag, cut a 6-inch square from a double layer of 100-percent-cotton cheesecloth. Place 1 cinnamon stick and 1 teaspoon allspice in center of cheesecloth square. Bring up corners; tie closed with clean kitchen string.

3. In a heavy large stainless-steel, enamel, or nonstick saucepan combine the water, white vinegar, cider or rice vinegar, honey, lime juice, pickling salt, and the spice bag. Bring to boiling over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve honey; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 5 minutes.

4. Pack cucumber slices loosely into seven hot sterilized pint canning jars, leaving a ½-inch headspace. Divide thyme sprigs, the 7 cinnamon sticks, the garlic slices, peppercorns, the 1 teaspoon whole allspice, and the chile pepper slices among the jars. Remove spice bag from the hot vinegar mixture; discard. Pour hot vinegar mixture over cucumbers, maintaining the ½-inch headspace. Wipe jar rims; adjust lids and screw bands.

5. Process filled jars in a boiling-water canner for 10 minutes (start timing when water returns to boiling). Remove jars from canner; cool on wire racks. Let stand at room temperature for 1 week before serving.

*TIP: If pickling cucumbers are not available, use regular garden cucumbers. Do not use waxed cucumbers sold in supermarkets; these are typically used for salads and slicing.

**TIP: Use a mandoline to create perfectly even cucumber slices.

PER ¼ cup: 17 cal., 0 g fat, 0 mg chol., 204 mg sodium, 4 g carb., 0 g fiber, 0 g pro.

End of the Squash

It was another terrible year for squash. We used DI earth pulled off squash bug eggs with duck tape and killed ever squash bug we found but the squash borers and bugs destroyed every plant before we got anything of consequence..  All the plants were pulled and burned. The only thing we got were some mutant cross squash.

July update

Planting of the garden 2018

Three Swarms

As we were getting ready to start planting the garden one of our hives swarmed.

We suited up and collected it.

Just as we were getting ready to plant again our other hive swarmed.

I went to get the hive at our outyard that absconded last year to put the second swarm in but a swarm had already moved into that box!

Turkey Stock

Tried our new to us canner.  Canning turkey stock

Turkey carcass boiled for 12 hours. Processed quarts for 25 minutes at 11 lbs

PUMPKIN

CANNED PUMPKIN OR WINTER SQUASH

• 2-1/4 lbs pie pumpkin per quart jar
• Salt, optional
• Water
• Quart glass preserving jars with lids and bands

DIRECTIONS
1. PREPARE pressure canner. Heat jars in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil.  Wash lids in warm soapy water and set bands aside.
2. WASH pumpkin or squash, cut in half and remove seeds. Remove peel or rind and cut flesh into 1-inch cubes or slices.  Do not mash or puree.  Place prepared pumpkin into a saucepan and cover with water.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and boil 2 minutes, until heated through, but not soft; drain and discard cooking liquid.
3. PACK hot pumpkin into hot jars, leaving 1-inch headspace.  Add 1 tsp salt to each quart jar (1/2 tsp per pint jar), if desired.
4. LADLE boiling water over pumpkin, leaving 1 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe rim. Center hot lid on jar. Apply band and adjust until fit is fingertip tight.
5. PROCESS filled jars in a pressure canner at 10 pounds pressure for 55 minutes for pints and 90 minutes for quarts, adjusting for altitude. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed.

(from Ball)

Canned Hot peppers

Canned Hot peppers

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Wash peppers.
2. Cut into quarters, removing stems and seeds.
Put in a large pot of boiling water and when the water returns to the boil, let boil for 3 minutes.
4. Remove from pot with slotted spoon.
5. Pack into 1/2  pint) or  pint) jars.
6. Leave 1 inch headspace.
7. Add 1½ teaspoons vinegar to each q1/2  pint  jar; 1 tablespoon vinegar to each 1 pint jar.
8. Optional: a pinch of salt or non-bitter, non-clouding salt sub per jar.
9. Top up each jar with clean boiling water from a kettle  maintaining headspace.
10. Debubble; adjust headspace.
11. Wipe jar rims.
12. Put lids on.
13. Processing pressure: 10 lbs weighted gauge, 11 lbs dial gauge (adjust pressure for your altitude when over 300 metres / 1000 feet.)
14. Processing time: either size jar 35 minute

Louisiana Style Hot Sauce

Louisiana Style Hot Sauce
1 lb. of seeded and chopped Cayenne Peppers
1 1/2 cups of white vinegar
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. minced garlic (optional)

Wearing rubber gloves, and using the knife, remove the stem and cap from all the peppers. Then, cutting the peppers lengthwise, remove all the seeds. Coarsely chop the peppers (1/2" pieces) and place them into a pot with the remaining ingredients.

Heat to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and pour into the blender. (At this point, put on the face shield!)

Put the cover on the blender and hold it down. Turn on the blender at its lowest setting for awhile, before moving up to the next setting. Progress through to the highest setting.

strain it through the fine stainless steel mesh strainer (use the back of the stainless steel spoon to assist) and then thin it down using more vinegar to the consistency of your liking.

Process pints for 15 minutes

Thai Sweet Chili Sauce

Serves: about 4cup

Ingredients

12 large garlic cloves, peeled

8 red Jalapeno or Serrano peppers, deseeded

2 cups white distilled vinegar

2 cups sugar

1 cups water

2 tablespoons salt

4 tablespoons  Clearjel 

8 tablespoons water

Instructions

In the blender, puree together all the ingredients, except for the last two.

Transfer the mixture to a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat to medium and simmer until the mixture thickens up a bit and the garlic-pepper bits begin to soften, about 3 minutes.

Combine the Clearjel and water to make a slurry. Whisk in the mixture and continue to simmer one more minute. The Clearjel will help the sauce to thicken slightly thereby causing nice suspension of the garlic-pepper bits; otherwise, you get a thin sauce with all the little pieces floating on the surface.

Process 15 min water bath

4 half pints

Sweet Corn

Our neighbors had corn that they were going to cut down and they asked if we wanted some so we picked two bags to can. We have awesome neighbors 

Sweet Corn

3 to 6 lb corn in husks (about 10 to 19 ears) per quart jar
Water
Salt, optional
jars with lids and bands


DIRECTIONS

PREPARE pressure canner.
Wash lids in warm soapy water and set bands aside.

HUSK corn and remove silk. Wash corn cobs. Cut corn from cob and measure.
PACK corn into hot jars according to raw pack or hot pack recipe below.

Add 1 tsp salt to each quart jar, 1/2 tsp to each pint jar, if desired.
REMOVE air bubbles.
Wipe rim.
Center hot lid on jar. Apply band and adjust until fit is fingertip tight.

PROCESS filled jars in a pressure canner at 10 pounds pressure 55 minutes for pints and 1 hour and 25 minutes for quarts, adjusting for altitude, according to your pressure canner instructions. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed.

Raw Pack
PACK corn loosely into hot jars leaving 1 inch headspace.
LADLE boiling water over corn leaving 1 inch headspace.

Hot Pack
PLACE corn in a large saucepan. For each 4 cups corn, add 2 cups water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.
PACK corn and liquid into hot jars leaving 1 inch headspace.

Spotted lanternfly

Saw (and killed) our first lanternfly today. 

Ketchup

Pepper rings

We made these last year and they were pretty good so we made them again.

BANANA PEPPERS (LIKE VLASSIC OR SUBWAY)
4 pints



1.) Slice your banana peppers into rings (2 pounds)

2.) Put them into your sanitized jars. (To sanitize the jars, boil them for 5 minutes)

3.) Mix your brine:

5 c. white vinegar

1 c. water

4 tsp. of Pickling Salt

2 T. Sugar

2 garlic cloves

Put all of this into a pot and bring to a boil. Once it has boiled for 2 minutes remove the garlic cloves.

4.) Pour the brine over your pepper rings, leaving 1/2 inch headspace

5.) Add 1/4 tsp. of pickle crisp  to each pint jar

6.) Put your sanitized lids and rims on

7.) hot water bath for 10 minutes.

  Allow 1 week before eating!

Picking the peppers

The last things in the garden are the peppers.  We picked them today. The 2017 garden season is officially over.  

Pizza Sauce

30 tomatoes
1 large onions, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
 lemon juice
1 teaspoon cracked pepper
2 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon basil
1 teaspoon rosemary
1 teaspoon celery seed
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon summer savory



Directions:
Cut tomatoes and run through fruit and vegetable strainer

Put liquid in small amounts in a thick bottomed pot and or a turkey roster pan in the oven at 400 degrees until it thickens then  use a stick blender to homogenize it.

Saute the minced onions and garlic in Put olive oil until transparent.

Add the tomato puree and the rest of the ingredients; stir well to blend.

Add 1 TBS lemon juice  (or 1/4 tsp citric acid)  to pints and 2 TBS  (or 1/2 tsp citric acid) to quarts 

ladle sauce into jars, clean the rims of the jars leaving 1/2 inch head space.

Lid and seal.

Bring to a boil and process pint jars for 35 minutes and quart jars for 40 minutes

Adapted from here  using ball processing times 

SWEET PICKLED BEETS

We picked all the beets from the garden this weekend and most went to pickled beets.

YIELD: 4 pints
UNITS: US

INGREDIENTS
1 bunch fresh beets
1cup sugar
1cup water
1cup vinegar
1tablespoon allspice, heaping

DIRECTIONS

Boil beets till tender
Peel under cool water.
Cut beets into 1/2” pieces, leaving very small beets whole.
Combine brine ingredients pot
Bring brine to a boil.
Simmer 10 minutes.

Wash pint jars and covers.
Fill jars within 1/2” from the top with beets.
Fill jar with boiling brine to 1/2” from top.
Place lids, adjust rings fingertip-tight

Process in a boiling water bath for 30 minutes
Any leftover brine can be stored in the refrigerator till the next time you can

Adapted from here