Blueberry Pie or Why I Love Canning

This has been a crazy crazy week.  Lots of family in town, lots of crises and crisis aversion going on.  But even in the midst of a crazy week, we still need to eat.  And that's where my canning over the summer has really helped.

We needed a quick dessert, but I also wanted something that would make us feel like home, and blueberry pie seemed like just the answer.  Partially because I like blueberry pie (my grandpa's favorite too), and partially because I have jars of blueberry pie filling that I canned last year.  Because I had that, I was able to make a quick batch of my favorite pie crust, fill it with the blueberry pie filling and bake it in less than an hour.  Homemade pie in under an hour - with almost no cleanup.  Perfect!

Blueberry Pie

Ingredients:
1 jar blueberry pie fulling

1/2 cup cold butter, cubed
1/2 cup shortening
2 cups plus 1 tablespoon flour
6 - 14 tablespoons ice cold water

Directions:


1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. Mix flour and salt in medium bowl. Cut in butter and shortening, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle with cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost leaves side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if necessary).

3. Divide in half and roll each, using floured rolling pin, into a rough circle, approximately 12 1/2-inch.

4.  Place one circle into a 9 inch pie pan.

5.  Fill the crust with the blueberry pie filling.

6.  Using a cookie cutter, cut several figures out of the other rolled circle.  This allows the pie to vent as it cooks.  {I used a duck cookie cutter - cute, isn't it?}   Carefully place the rolled circle on top of the pie.

7.  Crimp the edges to seal in the pie filling.  You can also put the cutout pieces on top of the pie for decoration.

8.  Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until crust is golden brown. After 15 to 20 minutes of baking, cover crust edge with strips of foil to prevent excessive browning.

Now you've got a delicious pie - without a lot of work.  My grandpa would have loved it.

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Beef Stew

I loved Dinty Moore Beef Stew when I was a kid.  A whole meal in a can, and great comfort food for a cold day.

Well it's cold here in San Diego this week.  Cold like we have to cover the plants to protect them from freezing cold.  This seems like the right time for some Dinty Moore Beef Stew.  Except that, since I am no longer a kid, I check the nutritional label and find that it's got a lot of calories, saturated fat and sodium.  Things that my no-longer-a-kid body cares about.

Good news, I can make beef stew myself - and put all of the things that I like in it!  And I can use my pressure canner to preserve lots of jars of it for more days when I want the convenience of a quick meal, but the wholesome goodness of a homemade meal.

Note:  If you don't want to can it, this recipe can be cut in half for a more manageable sized meal.  Just cook the stew and additional 30 - 45 minutes, or until it has thickened and the potatoes and carrots are soft.


Beef Stew

Ingredients:

• 4 to 5 lb beef stew meat, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 12 cups cubed and peeled potatoes (about 12 medium)
• 8 cups sliced carrots (about 16 small)
• 3 cups chopped onion (about 4 small)
• 1 cup diced tomatoes
• 1-1/2 Tbsp salt
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1-1/2 Tbsp pepper
• Water
• 7 (32 oz) quart or 14 (16 oz) pint glass preserving jars with lids and bands

Directions:

1.  Prepare a pressure canner. Heat jars and lids in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Set bands aside.
2.  Brown the meat in oil in a large saucepot. Add vegetables and seasonings to browned meat. Cover with boiling water. Bring stew to a boil. Remove from heat.

3.  Ladle the hot stew into hot jars leaving 1 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe rim. Center hot lid on jar. Apply band and adjust until fit is fingertip tight.

4.  Process filled jars in a pressure canner at 10 pounds pressure 1 hour and 15 minutes for pints and 1 hour and 30 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.

This was really good.  I added a can of corn to a quart of this and served it with crusty Italian bread.  Wonderful meal that brought back memories of being a kid (and my no-longer-a-kid body didn't have to pay the price)!

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Chicken Soup for the Pressure Canner

We got a pressure canner for Christmas.  I've been wanting one since I first started canning and added one to my Amazon Wish List when I was thinking how great it would be if I could can some of my French Onion soup so we could have some any time.

I have a pressure cooker (and I love it) but it doesn't have a pressure regulator, and it isn't quite big enough to can more than a couple of jars at a time.  So I was really excited about our Christmas present!   The first thing we made?  Chicken Soup!  Because there is nothing that warms up a cold winter day as well as a steaming bowl of chicken noodle soup.  Here's how we did it:

Chicken Soup for the Pressure Cooker


Ingredients:

• 16 cups chicken stock
• 3 cups diced chicken (about 1 3-lb chicken)
• 2-1/2 cups sliced carrots (about 4 medium)
• 1-1/2 cups diced onion (about 2 medium)
• Salt, optional
• Pepper, optional
• 4 (32 oz) quart or 8 (16 oz) pint glass preserving jars with lids and bands

Directions:

1. Prepare pressure canner. Heat jars and lids in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Set bands aside.
2. Combine chicken stock, chicken, celery, carrots and onion in a large saucepot. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, if desired. Add bouillon cubes, if desired. Cook until bouillon cubes are dissolved.
3. LADLE hot soup into hot jars leaving 1 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe rim. Center hot lid on jar. Apply band and adjust until fit is fingertip tight.
4. PROCESS filled jars in a pressure canner at 10 pounds pressure 1 hour and 15 minutes for pints and 1 hour and 30 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.

Serve this with pasta or rice (add cooked pasta or rice when heating) or additional vegetables.

We had what didn't fit in the jars for dinner last night.  Delicious!  I used homemade chicken broth for this, which I think makes all the difference.

This was actually quite easy to make.  It took quite a long time to cook as I didn't have a good gauge on how long it would take to get up to 10 pounds of pressure.  Or how long it would take to reduce the pressure such that I could remove the jars from the canner.  I think it's worth it though - I've got jars of tasty chicken soup on my shelf for a rainy day!

Have you ever used a pressure canner or a pressure cooker?

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Blueberry Pie Filling for Canning

When I was growing up, we had dinner at my grandparents' house on Sundays.  Grandma was a wonderful cook, though she would never admit it.  She made the best pot roast and absolutely divine fried chicken.  And one day I'll get the cast iron skillet she used to make those wonderful meals.  (unfortunately, it doesn't come with her recipes, her skill or her experience....)

After dinner, Grandpa would invariably ask "Would anyone like some blueberry pie?" to which we would always answer "Yes!" and he would respond "Guess you'd better go make some!"  I do love a good blueberry pie even now.

For some reason, blueberries were a screaming deal at all of the local grocery stores this week.  I couldn't pass that up, and I decided that I would can some blueberry pie filling so that we can have fresh blueberry pie at the drop of a hat.

Blueberry Pie Filling for Canning

Ingredients:

• 12 c. blueberries, washed and dried
• 2/3 c. water
• 2 c. sugar
• 6 T. quick tapioca
• 6 T. bottled lemon juice

Directions:

1. Wash and dry the blueberries and set aside. Sterilize 3 quart jars along with the lids in boiling water or in a dishwasher run without soap.

2. In a large stockpot bring the water, sugar, tapioca and lemon juice and to a boil.

3. Pour in the blueberries very carefully and bring the mixture back to a boil, stirring continuously with a long spoon. Keep stirring for about 5 minutes while the berries release their juices and the mixture thickens, becoming blue and glossy.

4. Set a funnel over a quart jar and ladle in the blueberry mixture, leaving about 1″ of room at the top. Repeat with second quart jar.

5. Placed the sterilized lids on the jar and seal them with the rims, only tightening the ring as much as you can with your own hand.  Place the jars in a pot of boiling water standing on end. Make sure the water covers the tops of the jars. Boil for 30 minutes, starting the timing when the mixture has returned to a boil after the jars have been added.

6. Remove jars and place in a cool, dry place on a kitchen towel. Allow to cool naturally for a 24 hours. Store jars for the long term in a cool, dry place until using.

Doesn't it look blueberry-licious?  These can be used like canned pie filling.  After opening, bake a covered or uncovered pie, using a 9" pie crust. For uncovered, place dabs of butter on top of the fruit. Optionally, you may mix in 1/2 cup heavy cream to the pie filling after opening and before baking.

Bake at 425° F for 1/2 hour and then reduce temperature to 350° and bake 1/2 hour longer.

You can use this same basic process for many different fruit pie fillings.  These jars make a nice hostess gift, and are great to have on the shelf for a quick dessert.

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Cranberry Sauce

I love cranberry sauce, any time of the year.  And I love making cranberry sauce.  It's easy and I can make it just to my taste.  The problem is, cranberries are not available all year long.

But I can get around that with a little planning and a little pre-work.  I can buy cranberries when they are available (and better yet on sale) and can them for when they aren't available!

It's the perfect solution - and here's how I do it:


Cranberry Sauce for Canning

Ingredients:

• 4 cups granulated sugar
• 4 cups water
• 8 cups fresh cranberries (about 2 lb)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Grated zest of 1 large orange, optional
• 4 (16 oz) pint or 8 (8 oz) half pint glass preserving jars with lids and bands

Directions:

1.) Prepare boiling water canner. Heat jars and lids in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Set bands aside.

2.) Mix sugar and water in a large stainless steel saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Boil hard for 5 minutes. Add cranberries and return mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring occasionally, until all berries burst and liquid begins to sheet from a metal spoon, about 15 minutes. Stir in orange zest, if using, during the last few minutes of cooking.

3.) Ladle hot cranberry sauce into hot jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot cranberry sauce. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band until fit is fingertip tight.

4.) Process jars in a boiling water canner for 15 minutes, 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.

Canning is an easy way to preserve those fruits that one can only get at particular times of the year.  And a great way to have delicious foods available at the drop of a hat... or the turn of a can?

Do you eat cranberries other than at Thanksgiving?

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Creamy Red Pepper Pasta

I love being able to reap the benefits of my work.  I made this pasta sauce to take advantage of our canned peppers and tomatoes from earlier this year.  The recipe is super simple, and the pasta sauce doesn't take much longer to cook than the pasta itself!

Creamy Red Pepper Pasta

Ingredients:

• 1 jar roasted red peppers
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 24 ounces tomato sauce
• 6 ounces tomato paste
• 1 (or more!) cayenne peppers, finely chopped (optional)
• 1 cup red wine
• 6 ounces low-fat cream cheese
• 1 pound whole wheat pasta

Directions:

Add the peppers (including the olive oil from the jar) and the onion to a dutch oven and saute until the onions are soft and translucent.

Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, wine and cayenne peppers (if using).  Simmer over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes.

Stir in the cream cheese and simmer until melted and evenly distributed.

Serve over cooked pasta and enjoy!

This was wonderful.  Hearty and filling, especially with the whole wheat pasta.  I love the extra heat of added cayenne peppers, but it would taste just as good without it.  Hope you try this, and if you do, please come back and let me know what you thought!

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Apple Cinnamon Jelly

Looking for something different to do with the apple juice you have left from your apple picking expedition?

Try making some Apple Cinnamon Jelly for your breakfast toast!

Apple Cinnamon Jelly

Ingredients:

• 1 qt. apple juice
• 1 3/4 oz. pkg. powdered fruit pectin
• 5 1/2 c. sugar
• 1/3 c. red cinnamon candies

Directions:
Combine juice, food coloring and pectin in a large saucepan. Bring to a full boil. Add sugar and cinnamon candies. Stir until dissolved. Return to full boil and boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat and skim off foam.

Prepare boiling water canner. Heat jars and lids in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Set bands aside.

Pour apple cinnamon mixture into hot sterilized jars.  Remove air bubbles. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band until fit is fingertip tight.

Process jars in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes, 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.

This is an unusual jelly with a wonderful flavor... and I've got some great things in mind for it.  Stay tuned!

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Harvest Monday: September 17, 2012

Some nice things came out of the garden this week.

We had peppers.

And tomatoes.

And more peppers!

Lots of basil and hot peppers too, though I neglected to photograph them. We did eat them though!  In fact, we've been eating lots of things that we've made from our garden bounty:  tomato ketchup, habanero peach ketchup, tomato and basil sauce, and my personal favorites lemon-sage wine mustard and habanero honey.  I wonder if the mustard and honey could be combined....  hmmm...


I'm a little surprised that we got anything this week.  We had incredible, record heat.  Over 100 every day except Sunday... and 112 on Friday.  I'm surprised that anything made it through that (including me)!


Total Harvest for the Week: 6 pounds, 7.3 ounces
Total Harvest for the Year: 60 pounds, 10.9 ounces



 Linked up with Daphne's Dandelions Harvest Monday... hop on over and see what else is being picked this week.

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Summer of Canning: Lemon-Sage White Wine Mustard

With all of the tomato processing we've been doing, we wanted to change it up a little bit.  We thought we'd make mustard.  Did you know you can make your own mustard?  And it isn't difficult?

Lemon-Sage Wine Mustard

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch fresh sage
• 3/4 cup dry white wine
• 3/4 cup yellow mustard seeds
• 1 cup white wine vinegar
• Grated zest and juice of 2 large lemons
• 1/2 cup liquid honey
• 1/4 tsp salt

Directions:
1) Finely chop enough sage leaves to measure 1/3 cup and set aside.

2) Coarsely chop remaining sage leaves and stems to measure 1/2 cup and place in a small stainless steel saucepan with white wine. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring and pressing sage to release flavor. Remove from heat. Cover tightly and let steep for 5 minutes.
3) Transfer sage infusion to a sieve placed over a glass or stainless steel bowl and press leaves with the back of a spoon to extract all the liquid. Discard solids and return liquid to saucepan. Add mustard seeds. Cover and let stand at room temperature until seeds have absorbed most of the moisture, about 2 hours.

4) Prepare boiling water canner. Heat jars and lids in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Set bands aside.
5) Combine marinated mustard seeds (with liquid) and vinegar in a blender or food processor fitted with a metal blade. Process until blended and most seeds are well chopped, but retaining a slightly grainy texture.
6) Transfer mixture to a stainless steel saucepan and add lemon zest, lemon juice, honey, salt and reserved finely chopped sage. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and boil gently, stirring frequently, until volume is reduced by a third, about 20 minutes.
7) Ladle hot mustard into hot jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band until fit is fingertip tight.

8) Process jars in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes, 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.

Wow - is this ever good!  Spicy, tart, sweet and a hint of wine, lemon and herb.  Easy to make, and super-tasty.  How can you go wrong with that?  I was thinking of making it to give as gifts, but I'm reconsidering.

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Summer of Canning: Basic Tomato Sauce

My Grandfather once told me that he would disown me if I ever ate any commercially-prepared spaghetti sauce.  He had a particular fixation with spaghetti-os.  I was maybe five years old.  

That was Grandfather.  He was Italian, and fancied himself a bit of a godfather.  I am quite sure he meant it.

I've eaten plenty of sauce from a jar in my life (though I have never had spaghetti-os!), but I always prefer my own.  This is a bit of a shortcut to making a great sauce for spaghetti.  But you can also use it as a base for pizza sauce, chili, enchiladas, soup... well you get the idea.  Wherever you need tomato sauce, this is what you need!

Basic Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

• 20 lb tomatoes (about 60 medium) 
• 1 cup chopped onion (about 1 large)
• 8 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup finely minced, fresh basil
• ¼ tsp Ball® Citric Acid or 1 Tbsp bottled lemon juice per jar

Directions:
1) Wash tomatoes; drain. Remove core and blossom ends. Cut an "X" onto the top of each tomato.

2) In small batches, drop into boiling water, removing after 1 minute.  Peel and then remove core and blossom end.

3) Saute onion and garlic in olive oil until transparent. Add tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4) Puree tomato mixture in a food processor or blender, working in batches. Strain puree to remove seeds and peel.

5) Combine tomato puree and basil in large saucepot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until volume is reduced by half, stirring to prevent sticking.
6) Prepare for water-bath canning:  wash the jars and keep them hot in the canning pot, and put the flat lids in a heatproof bowl.
7) Ladle the boiling water from the canning pot into the bowl with the lids.  Using a jar lifter, remove the hot jars from the canning pot, carefully pouring the water from each one back into the pot, and place them upright on a folded towel.  Drain the water off the jar lids.
7) Add ¼ tsp Ball® Citric Acid or 1 Tbsp bottled lemon juice to each hot jar. Ladle hot sauce into hot jars leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe rim. Center hot lid on jar. Apply band and adjust until fit is fingertip tight.

8) Process filled jars in a boiling water canner for 35 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove jars and cool. Check for seal after 24 hours. Lids should not flex up and down when center is pressed.

And here's a quick tip that I read about somewhere on the internet.  If you find that you have film on your water processed jars, add about 1/4 cup of vinegar to the water when you are processing the jars.

This recipe required two batches of processing, so I did one without vinegar in the water (left) and one with vinegar in the water (right).  Looks like it works!



Many jars of tomato sauce later, Grandfather would be proud.

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