Apple Butter

Yesterday we picked a bushel of apples from the only apple tree on the homestead.  They are a green, granny smith variety.   They are much too tart to enjoy just eating plain but they make really good apple butter & applesauce. 
This year it was a family affair.  I really appreciated the help & it went much faster & we ended up with a delicious result!

I have 2 crockpots an oval traditional type and then I have an electric pressure canner that can also function as a crockpot. 

We used the apple corer, peeler, slicer and then handed that off to the next person who used a paring knife to cut off the remainder of the skin & any bad spots.  Then the next one filled up both crockpots with the slices. 

To each pot we added 2 cups of sugar, 4 tsp. of cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. nutmeg, 1/2 tsp. cloves, and 1 1/2 cups water.

Now time to wait! 

Put on the lids and cook for 8-12 hours.  Depending on your cooker.  Stir every couple of hours.  I let it cook over night.

The apples will turn to 'mush' and when they are all tender and dark it's done. 

If you like it a little chunky then leave it alone.  If not use a stick blender & smooth it out.  (I did)

You can store it in the refrigerator or freezer.  If you make a lot, like we did, you can also can it.

To can your apple butter place it in pint or half-pint jars. 

Canning time is 10 minutes in boiling water bath.

(Please look up canning procedures if you have never canned before & you do so at your own risk.)

Green Tomato Relish

My husband pulled all of the dead/dying plants out of the garden yesterday. We do still have a couple of tomato plants & peppers going strong. There were a lot of small green tomatoes on some of the plants so he filled up a bushel basket & brought them to me.
I looked up a recipe on pinterest and adjusted it a bit to suit my needs.

This recipe will not have exact measurements but here's how I did mine.

I used 2 big pots about 5 qts each.

To each pot fill up with chopped tomatoes, a half of a huge onion, 2-3 bell peppers.  1 T. ground mustard, 1 T. salt, 1 1/2 cups sugar, &1 1/2 cups vinegar.  Stir and allow to simmer for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Put into clean hot jars and process in pressure canner at 10lbs pressure for 10 minutes.

Set on towel overnight or about 24 hours. 

Wipe off jars & store.

I always write the year on my lids with a permanent marker. The only problem with this is that when I decide to give some as a gift I always wonder if people think it's old if it's from the year before.  Of course it's just as good, but I do wonder.    Some people use stickers but that's up to you!

Yield:  1 quart, 9 pints, & 4 half-pints

Home Canned Tomatoes

I wanted to show you newbie canners something.

 Look at the 2 jars.  The one on the left is crushed tomatoes and the one on the right is tomato sauce.  Both are crushed but the difference I wanted to show you is the "water" on the bottom of the left one.

  Both are just tomatoes that I've crushed.  The reason for the "water" or "juice" on the bottom is the amount of time you cook the tomatoes BEFORE processing them in the canner. 

For just crushed tomatoes you only cook them on the stove for about 30 minutes the sauce for a couple of hours.  The water cooks out of the sauce but not the crushed tomatoes.  So, your jars will look like the left. 

There is nothing wrong with this, just wanted to show an example so you won't think you did anything wrong.

Happy Canning!

Zucchini Relish

This recipe starts the night before.

12 cups shredded zucchini (peel left on)
4 cups chopped onion
3 cups chopped bell pepper (red, green, or both)
1 cup finely chopped celery
6 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups white vinegar
1/2 tsp. black pepper
3/4 tsp. nutmeg
3/4 tsp. turmeric
salt

The night before you want to make this, shred your zucchini & put in a big bowl.  Pour on salt & mix around.  Then set a plate or something a little heavy on top & place in the fridge overnight.
The next day drain your zucchini (you may rinse the salt off, but I didn't)

Then put everything into a big pot. Bring to a boil & then simmer for about 30 minutes.

Ladle into 7 pint jars.

Pressure or water bath can according to your directions.

*There are many charts online to tell you how long to can foods and at what pressures. Just look on the search engine of your choice.*

Sweet & Spicy Refrigerator Pickles

#1. Slice up 1 onion & about 6 cups cucumbers & put in a bowl.

#2.  In a pot simmer 1 1/2 c. white vinegar, 3/4 c. sugar, 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. red pepper flakes, 1/2 tsp. turmeric, 1/2 tsp. dried mustard, 1/8 tsp. black pepper. Simmer until sugar dissolved.

#3.  Pour liquid over the cucumbers & onions. Stir and allow to set on counter for about 15 minutes.

#4. Ladle "pickles" into jars & place in the refrigerator for 2 days before serving. 

This made a little over 2 pints.

(Yes I am re-using an old pickle jar)

 

Enjoy!

Homemade Ro-Tel Style Tomatoes

1 gallon chopped tomatoes
6-7 jalapeno peppers (depending on the heat you want)
1 large onion
2 T. salt
1/2 cup white vinegar

Put all except vinegar in a large stock pot. Allow to simmer about 30 minutes. Turn off fire & stir in the salt & vinegar.
Now, ladle into your clean, warm pint jars.
Wipe rims with a clean damp cloth.
Put on seals & rings.
Place in pressure canner and process as your canning manual suggests. ( I put in 2 1/2 qts water & 1/4 c. vinegar into my canner)

 

For my area and canner was 11 pounds pressure for 10 minutes.

Let cool off in the canner for a little while before removing to a dry towel.
Allow to set over night & do NOT mess with the lids!
They will "pop" naturally to get a good seal.

*Can foods at your own risk. It's nothing to be scared of, but you should follow the directions on processing time.  I've been doing this a long time so I pretty much know if something has gone "bad." When in doubt or it doesn't smell right, throw it out.*