Friday, August 8, 2014

It's Canning Time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Our 10 Most Popular and Requested Canning Recipes

This time of the year, we seem to end up in the kitchen every day canning something from the garden.  The tomato harvest is at it’s peak, bringing in around a bushel a day – and the ripening peppers seem to beg us to take them home as we make our morning stroll down each row.
Tomatoes ripening on our back porch
We use our drying rack on our back deck to ripen the tomatoes completely before placing them in the holding bin of our refrigerator until they can be canned.
So with the sheer volume of veggies ripening, we make it a priority to can at least one thing every evening – and sometimes a double batch if the holding rack and refrigerator begin to overflow.
In honor of canning season – we thought we would share our 10 most popular  and viewed canning recipes of all time on the website.
Canning your own food is a great way to become more responsible for what you consume
Canning your own food is a great way to become more responsible for what you consume
For those who haven’t attempted canning yet – it is much easier than you think – and so worth the effort! However, all of the recipes below can be frozen for storage instead if you still want to preserve.
And last – even though its requested often – I still haven’t shared the family recipe for hot pepper mustard (even with Jim – although I seem him trying to take notes when I make it :) )   Maybe someday….

Most Popular and Requested Canning Recipes:

Strawberry Honey Jam - just 4 natural ingredients and oh so good!
Strawberry Honey Jam – just 4 natural ingredients and oh so good!
1. Strawberry Honey Jam – uses 4 natural ingredients.  This by far has been our most popular canning post over the last 2 years. With the massive amounts of sugar added to traditional jams, this is a great alternative to those who prefer more natural ingredients.
Relish - ready to be eaten!
Relish – ready to be eaten!
2. Sweet Pickle Relish – a standard condiment that can be used for so much more than just a topping on a hot dog or hamburger. Use in potato salad, deviled eggs, or whatever dish you like that needs that extra sweet tang.
Cowboy Candy - what a delicious and surprisingly sweet treat!
Cowboy Candy – what a delicious and surprisingly sweet treat!
3. Cowboy Candy – Candied Jalapenos – what a sweet treat, and what a terrific way to use all those jalapenos that come on at the end of the summer. This by far is my favorite addition to almost any sandwich!
4. Garlic Dill Pickle Recipe – who doesn’t love the crunch of a dill pickle! Use all those cucumbers to create your own version of the dill pickle. With a few hints, you can make your own crunchy dill pickles to enjoy throughout the year!
Apple butter from the crock pot - ready to be canned.
Apple butter from the crock pot – ready to be canned.
5.  Crockpot Apple Butter – No Sugar Added! – If you have every been to Amish country, the chances are that you have had a piece of fresh bread with a layer of apple butter.  Now you can make your own – without all the added white, refined sugar.  Plus, your house will smell wonderful at the day’s end!
Using seconds of the apple crop is an economical way to make your own applesauce
Using seconds of the apple crop is an economical way to make your own applesauce
6. How to Make and Can the Perfect Applesauce – I think this one is so popular because almost every kid in America loves applesauce.  And what better feeling is there than knowing what is exactly it is made of.  Fresh apples are typically easy to find, and using ‘seconds’ is an economical way to preserve that fresh flavor.
Fresh picked in the morning - a bowl of pasta sauce waiting to be made!
Fresh picked in the morning – a bowl of pasta sauce waiting to be made!
7. Pasta Sauce (aka Spaghetti Sauce) – one of the staples in our canning pantry.  We make about 30 quarts of pasta sauce each summer to help with those last minute, or late night dinners after a long work day or a quick meal after attending a ball game.  We always make a few extra to give away to family and friends, as it is a huge hit!
Fresh from the garden - a large stockpot cooks down tomatoes, onion and green peppers for a batch of salsa.
Fresh from the garden – a large stockpot cooks down tomatoes, onion and green peppers for a batch of salsa.
8. Picante Salsa – this recipe is our scaled down version to allow for a smaller quantity, but can easily be made in larger batches. You can also check out our larger quantity recipe in this article: Picante Salsa – larger batches.
Tomato Juice - after being put through the strainer to remove the seeds and pulp
Tomato Juice – after being put through the strainer to remove the seeds and pulp
9. Summertime Salsa Recipe – This recipe is similar to the picante recipe, however, like traditional salsa, it contains larger diced tomatoes, onions, and peppers as compared to picante salsa. We sometimes combine this salsa with our canned picante sauce to make everyone in the house happy (can you really do that?).
10. V-8 Tomato Juice Recipe – A step up from the traditional tomato juice recipe – see how to make your own Tomato Juice here.  We prefer the spicer version of the “V-8″ tomato juice as a daily drink to get a jump start in the morning, or for a refreshing drink after a long afternoon at the farm.
So, there you have it, our top 10 most requested and researched recipes.  Don’t forget to check out our Must-Haves for Canning article to help get you started!   We will continue to post recipes every Friday, and of course, over the next several weeks, they will most likely be related to preserving the summer garden (aka: canning and freezing). You can look for how to can hot pepper rings, basic ketchup, and barbecue sauce, just to mention a few.
Happy Canning!
**If you would like to receive our Recipe Of The Week – be sure to sign up to follow the blog via email in the right hand column, “like” us on  the Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.
Mary and Jim

No comments:

Post a Comment