Pickled Beets

I am not a huge fan of pickled beets, but this is another of my mothers recipes from when I was growing up.  And with the bountiful harvest we are having this fall I am finding myself canning things I never thought I would.  Anyone want some pickles beets?  I know my dad loves them!

 

1/3 C. Sugar

1/3 C. Vinegar

1/3 C. Water

Fresh Beets

Boil first 3 ingredients together. Fill bottles with beets, then pour boiling syrup over beets until bottles are filled to 1/4" from the top ring, put lids and rings on and process in a water bath canner or a steam canner for 40 minutes for both pints and quarts.

Lou's Freezer Jam

This is my Aunt's Recipe for Freezer Jam.

5 C. Berries (before crushing)
2 C. Sugar
3 Heaping Tbsp. Gel Stuff
1 Pkg. Kool Aid
1/2 C. White Karo

Crush Berries in a bowl, then mix sugar, Gel and Kool Aid and add to berries. Then add Karo Syrup. Pour into jars and freeze.

Salsa

Tuesday my sister and I tackled all that fresh produce we've been growing and made a double batch of salsa. We had four steam canners going at the same time (2 indside & 2 on the camp stove) we whipped out 45 pints of salsa by 3:30 that afternoon. Here's the recipe we've been using since we were kids.

8 quarts peeled tomatoes (cut 1/8-1/16)
4 large onions (chopped)
2 Green bell peppers (chopped)
3 Red bell peppers (chopped)
1/2 c. salt
1 Tbsp Chili powder
4 Jalapeno peppers (diced)
2 Anaheim peppers (diced)
2 Yellow peppers (diced)
1 can diced green chilies
1/4 c. sugar
2 c. white vinegar
1-3 large cans tomato paste to thicken

Combine all ingredients and simmer in a heavy pan for 1 1/2-2 hours.(or longer to cook down) If too juicy add tomato paste to thicken. Juiciness will depend on the type of tomatoes you use. Beefsteak will have more juice then Roma's. Add enough paste to get salsa to your desired thickness. Put lids in a pan of boiling water for 10 minutes to help soften the outside seal. Pour hot salsa into clean jars up to the neck. Rinse neck and top of jar with warm water on finger. Place hot lids and rings on jars and screw down tight. Place in steam canner, cover with lid. Bring water to a boil and leave at med-med high heat. Process 45 minutes (for pints) once steam begins to escape from the hole. Remove and cool overnight. Make sure all jars sealed.

(Yeilds 22 pints of salsa)

Raspberry Plum Jam

4-1/2 cups chopped or coarsely ground peeled pitted fresh plums (2-1/2 pounds)
2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen sweetened raspberries
10 cups sugar
1/2 cup bottled lemon juice
2 pouches (3 ounces each) liquid fruit pectin

In a large pot, combine the plums, raspberries, sugar and lemon juice. Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Quickly stir in pectin; return to a full rolling boil. Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Remove from the heat; skim off foam. Carefully ladle hot mixture into hot pint jars, leaving 1/4-in. headspace. Remove air bubbles; wipe rims and adjust lids. Process for 10 minutes in a boiling-water canner. Yield: 6 pints.

Salsa

This recipe started out with my Aunt JonnaLu who gave it to my mom, we have made this recipe for as long as I can remember when canning season rolled around, and it's definitely a family favorite. It's a great way to use all of those fresh veggies from the garden!

8 quarts of Tomatoes cut into 1/8 – 1/16 pieces

4 large onions chopped

2 green bell peppers chopped

3 red bell peppers chopped

½ C. salt

¾ C. Sugar

1 large can of tomato paste (optional for thickening)

1Tbsp. chili powder

4 Jalapeno peppers diced

2 Anaheim peppers diced

2 Hot Yellow Banana peppers (or 1 large can diced green chiles)

2 C. white vinegar

Combine all ingredients into a heavy/thick pan and simmer for 1 ½ -5 hours depending on how thick you want your salsa. Keep the heat at medium or lower to avoid scorching the bottom of the pan. You may also want to add some additional tomato paste to thicken the salsa if desired. Then pour into jars and process for 45 minutes in a steam canner or water bath canner.

Raspberry Jam

This recipe comes from my husbands Grandma, and it is nearly fail proof, if you follow the directions it's sure to set up, and it's super easy and very good! There is nothing to make you feel more domestic than canning your own jam, and it is super easy! Hope you enjoy this one as much as we do!

4 Rounded cups of Raspberries
3 Cups of sugar
Bring to a rolling boil (one which cannot be stirred down) and boil for 6 minutes, then add:
1 Cup Sugar
1/4 tsp. vegetable oil
Boil for an additional 2 minutes. Then remove from heat, and skim off any foam on the jam mixture. Then place into jars, and process the jars in a steam canner for 15 minutes to seal.