Greetings!!
I have been very busy lately. Lots of paperwork for the new job and getting ready for it. Plus I am trying to get as many things done around here as I can so when I start training I won't have to worry about much else.
I'm trying to get some meals lined up in advance. I have made a tray of meatballs and put them in the freezer. I made up several hamburgers and froze them as well. I have chicken breasts and other quick fix meals ready to go.
Tomorrow I am going to make the blueberry pancake syrup and can it along with strawberry syrup and raspberry syrup. I also got a nice watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew melon. I'll cut those up and make a big fruit salad with the melons and some of the extra berries I bought.
I've also been working on my own genealogy some more. I added over 600 pieces of information to my family tree. About half were new names in the family and the other half was things like censuses, deeds, wills, newspaper articles etc. It sure does keep me busy but I love it!!
In the midst of all this, when I went to check on my camper I discovered some yahoo had stolen the spare tire for the camper. Needless to say I moved the camper to a more secure location which of course I am not telling anyone, LOL. It appears they also tried to get into the under-storage areas but did not succeed in that, Thank you Jesus!! That reminds me, I do need to call the storage place tomorrow to see how it is going reviewing all the surveillance camera footage. Hopefully, they will be able to catch the creep who did this!
Saturday, I am starting to make sauerkraut the old fashioned way. I have never made sauerkraut before and always wanted to try it, so now is the time. I have a couple of old crocks which should be big enough to hold all the cabbage I bought. This is going to be fun!!
One more goody before the weekend is over, I plan on making an old fashioned lemon meringue pie!! It has been a very long time since I have made one and I have been craving a good one for a while now.
Well, I need to head to the kitchen and wash my jars for tomorrow and get the crocks ready as well. I keep things stored in the basement so always wash them good before using.
I hope this finds you all well and happy!!
Until next time,,,,,,Blessings!!
Showing posts with label canning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label canning. Show all posts
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Recipes to can,,,,,,,,,
Greetings!!
One of the things I have not made in a long time is Blueberry Syrup and I plan on making some this year for sure. It is great on pancakes, ice cream or even cake. You can make a little or a lot. I plan on making a lot this year and I have even decided to splurge and buy the syrup bottles to can them in. Just for fun I want to make a cute label to put on the bottles. :-)
This is a very basic formula, for every cup of blueberries you will need 1/4 cup of water and 1/4 cup of sugar. I typically strain mine but you can leave the chunks of blueberries and skin in if you want. Place blueberries in a sauce pan with the water and boil. If you are not going to strain the berries go ahead and add your sugar. After it has boiled 3 or 4 minutes start mashing the blueberries, stirring often. You can either use an old fashioned potato masher or the back of a spoon to get the berries mashed good.
If you plan on straining them don't add the sugar until after you have strained the berries and put the juice back in your sauce pan. I push mine through a mesh sieve getting as much juice as possible then return it too the pot and add my sugar. Boil a couple of more minutes until it thickens.
Once cup of berries is just the perfect amount for pancakes of a family of 4 and can be used immediately. To can the syrup, use clean sterile jars or bottles. Use a funnel if need be and ladle the hot syrup into the jars/bottles. Secure the lids in place and put in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes.
You can make strawberry syrup in the same manner or try some peaches for something a little different!!
I found a recipe for BBQ Sauce online that I want to try this year and of course plan on making plenty to can. You can double or triple the recipe and also adjust it to your own personal taste.
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups of ketchup 2 cups of tomato sauce 1 1/4 cups of brown sugar
1 1/4 cups of red wine vinegar 1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
4 teas. hickory- flavored liquid smoke 2 tabls. butter 1/2 teas. garlic powder
1/2 teas onion powder 1 teas. paprika 1/2 teas. celery seed
1/4 teas. ground cinnamon 1 teas. salt 1/2 teas. coarsely ground pepper
DIRECTIONS:
In a large saucepan over medium heat, mix together all the ingredients. Reduce heat to low and simmer about 20 minutes until the desired thickness.
To can, add the sauce to clean sterile jars, secure lids, and process in a boiling water bath 20 minutes for pints and 25 minutes for quarts.
To use, brush sauce onto any kind of meat for the last 10 minutes of cooking. You can also use this as a dipping sauce for chicken nuggets and the like.
Just a footnote for my diabetic friends. You can substitute an equal amount of splenda for the sugar in the syrups. It might not thicken as much but it will still taste awesome!! You can also try substituting the brown sugar with splenda brown sugar to cut back on the sugar in the BBQ sauce. You can adjust the BBQ sauce to taste. Add a little chili powder or cayenne pepper if you like it spicy.
Until next time,,,,,,,,,Blessings!!
One of the things I have not made in a long time is Blueberry Syrup and I plan on making some this year for sure. It is great on pancakes, ice cream or even cake. You can make a little or a lot. I plan on making a lot this year and I have even decided to splurge and buy the syrup bottles to can them in. Just for fun I want to make a cute label to put on the bottles. :-)
This is a very basic formula, for every cup of blueberries you will need 1/4 cup of water and 1/4 cup of sugar. I typically strain mine but you can leave the chunks of blueberries and skin in if you want. Place blueberries in a sauce pan with the water and boil. If you are not going to strain the berries go ahead and add your sugar. After it has boiled 3 or 4 minutes start mashing the blueberries, stirring often. You can either use an old fashioned potato masher or the back of a spoon to get the berries mashed good.
If you plan on straining them don't add the sugar until after you have strained the berries and put the juice back in your sauce pan. I push mine through a mesh sieve getting as much juice as possible then return it too the pot and add my sugar. Boil a couple of more minutes until it thickens.
Once cup of berries is just the perfect amount for pancakes of a family of 4 and can be used immediately. To can the syrup, use clean sterile jars or bottles. Use a funnel if need be and ladle the hot syrup into the jars/bottles. Secure the lids in place and put in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes.
You can make strawberry syrup in the same manner or try some peaches for something a little different!!
I found a recipe for BBQ Sauce online that I want to try this year and of course plan on making plenty to can. You can double or triple the recipe and also adjust it to your own personal taste.
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups of ketchup 2 cups of tomato sauce 1 1/4 cups of brown sugar
1 1/4 cups of red wine vinegar 1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
4 teas. hickory- flavored liquid smoke 2 tabls. butter 1/2 teas. garlic powder
1/2 teas onion powder 1 teas. paprika 1/2 teas. celery seed
1/4 teas. ground cinnamon 1 teas. salt 1/2 teas. coarsely ground pepper
DIRECTIONS:
In a large saucepan over medium heat, mix together all the ingredients. Reduce heat to low and simmer about 20 minutes until the desired thickness.
To can, add the sauce to clean sterile jars, secure lids, and process in a boiling water bath 20 minutes for pints and 25 minutes for quarts.
To use, brush sauce onto any kind of meat for the last 10 minutes of cooking. You can also use this as a dipping sauce for chicken nuggets and the like.
Just a footnote for my diabetic friends. You can substitute an equal amount of splenda for the sugar in the syrups. It might not thicken as much but it will still taste awesome!! You can also try substituting the brown sugar with splenda brown sugar to cut back on the sugar in the BBQ sauce. You can adjust the BBQ sauce to taste. Add a little chili powder or cayenne pepper if you like it spicy.
Until next time,,,,,,,,,Blessings!!
Monday, June 3, 2013
Canning season,,,,,
Greetings!!
I can year round but of course the true canning season is when fresh produce is at it's peak. Those of us who love to can will be busiest during the first fruits harvest and again during the main or secondary harvest towards the fall.
The first fruits has begun. That is the cool weather crops that are planted very early and mature quickly or those planted last fall to be ready to harvest in the spring. Cabbage, beets, early squash, snow peas and other early season crops should be ready in most areas now.
I have never made sauerkraut in all the years I have been canning. This is going to be the year for me!! I was going to try it last year but never got to it. I am washing out some old crocks I have and getting things ready for the busy canning season ahead.
If you have never canned before it is not as hard as you think. I taught myself to can some 30+ years ago. I bought the Ball Blue Book of Canning. It was less than $10 and well worth the investment!! It is still available today. I found an ad for it at Lowe's for just about $7 and have included a picture here. This is actually their 100th Anniversary edition. The book will give you all the basics to get started. Teach you what type of foods get canned in a boiling water bath and which ones have to go in the pressure canner. It will give you step by step instructions and some recipes to get you started. It makes it so simple, if you can read, you can can just about anything!!
People ask me if canning is hard. I do not believe it is hard but it is time consuming. The preparation of the food will take quite a while depending on what you are doing. For example, making spaghetti sauce is a 2 day project for me. I take one day just to cook the sauce. I like my sauce thick so once the tomatoes and other ingredients are prepped and I start cooking, it simmers all day. I then store it in the fridge overnight and do the canning the next day. Sometimes I manage to get it cooked and canned in the same day if I get an early enough start on it. :-) If you are including meat in the sauce you have to can it in a pressure canner which takes longer than a boiling water bath. That will also add to the amount of time it takes. I often can it without the meat as that can go in the boiling water and does not take as long.
The other thing I take into consideration when canning is meal size. For example, a half pint of sauerkraut is the perfect size for just two people when eating hot dogs. Canning it in larger jars would be a waste for me, but for larger families you would probably need to use the larger jars. Conversely, I can my spaghetti sauce in quart size jars because anything less would not be enough.
Getting ready for canning season I will get out my jars and check them for any imperfections. You don't want to use a jar that is cracked or chipped. As long as they are kept in good shape canning jars can be used over and over again. I also check the rings which hold the lids in place in the canner. I throw out any rings that are rusted and replace them. Otherwise in good shape they too can be reused. The only thing that should really be replaced after each use are the lids. Used lids often do not make a good tight seal which is essential for the preservation of the food. Often times lids will get slightly bent when opening a jar for the first time, so discard them when finished.
After I am done with a jar of a canned item I wash it and the lid and dry them thoroughly. I place them in a box I store jars in so they are ready for the next use. Make sure you wash and sterilize your jars, rings and lids before using to prevent any bacteria from being in the jars during the canning process.
When I start making my sauerkraut I will take pictures along the way and have a post specifically about making sauerkraut. Tomorrow I have more to share about canning and might share one of my favorite recipes.
Until next time,,,,,,,Blessings!!
I can year round but of course the true canning season is when fresh produce is at it's peak. Those of us who love to can will be busiest during the first fruits harvest and again during the main or secondary harvest towards the fall.
The first fruits has begun. That is the cool weather crops that are planted very early and mature quickly or those planted last fall to be ready to harvest in the spring. Cabbage, beets, early squash, snow peas and other early season crops should be ready in most areas now.
I have never made sauerkraut in all the years I have been canning. This is going to be the year for me!! I was going to try it last year but never got to it. I am washing out some old crocks I have and getting things ready for the busy canning season ahead.
If you have never canned before it is not as hard as you think. I taught myself to can some 30+ years ago. I bought the Ball Blue Book of Canning. It was less than $10 and well worth the investment!! It is still available today. I found an ad for it at Lowe's for just about $7 and have included a picture here. This is actually their 100th Anniversary edition. The book will give you all the basics to get started. Teach you what type of foods get canned in a boiling water bath and which ones have to go in the pressure canner. It will give you step by step instructions and some recipes to get you started. It makes it so simple, if you can read, you can can just about anything!!
People ask me if canning is hard. I do not believe it is hard but it is time consuming. The preparation of the food will take quite a while depending on what you are doing. For example, making spaghetti sauce is a 2 day project for me. I take one day just to cook the sauce. I like my sauce thick so once the tomatoes and other ingredients are prepped and I start cooking, it simmers all day. I then store it in the fridge overnight and do the canning the next day. Sometimes I manage to get it cooked and canned in the same day if I get an early enough start on it. :-) If you are including meat in the sauce you have to can it in a pressure canner which takes longer than a boiling water bath. That will also add to the amount of time it takes. I often can it without the meat as that can go in the boiling water and does not take as long.
The other thing I take into consideration when canning is meal size. For example, a half pint of sauerkraut is the perfect size for just two people when eating hot dogs. Canning it in larger jars would be a waste for me, but for larger families you would probably need to use the larger jars. Conversely, I can my spaghetti sauce in quart size jars because anything less would not be enough.
Getting ready for canning season I will get out my jars and check them for any imperfections. You don't want to use a jar that is cracked or chipped. As long as they are kept in good shape canning jars can be used over and over again. I also check the rings which hold the lids in place in the canner. I throw out any rings that are rusted and replace them. Otherwise in good shape they too can be reused. The only thing that should really be replaced after each use are the lids. Used lids often do not make a good tight seal which is essential for the preservation of the food. Often times lids will get slightly bent when opening a jar for the first time, so discard them when finished.
After I am done with a jar of a canned item I wash it and the lid and dry them thoroughly. I place them in a box I store jars in so they are ready for the next use. Make sure you wash and sterilize your jars, rings and lids before using to prevent any bacteria from being in the jars during the canning process.
When I start making my sauerkraut I will take pictures along the way and have a post specifically about making sauerkraut. Tomorrow I have more to share about canning and might share one of my favorite recipes.
Until next time,,,,,,,Blessings!!
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Buying in bulk,,,,,part 4
Greetings!!
As you know my primary reason for buying food in bulk is to save on my grocery budget. However I do also buy to keep an emergency food supply on hand. I know FEMA says to have at least 3 days of food set back for emergencies but I have learned first hand 3 days is not even close to being enough.
Ask those who lived through Hurricane Sandy last year, Hurricane Katrina, various other hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, fires and earthquakes. It was more like weeks, several, before things started to be restored to normal. Even if you are not directly hit by a tornado you can be left stranded and without power for quite some time. The same goes for other natural disasters.
A few years back we had a really bad ice storm which left many without power for as long as two weeks. For a couple of days the roads were closed. Nothing was being delivered to the grocery stores and indeed the stores were without power and closed for a short time. Luckily we did not lose power for long but I was prepared if we were.
When making purchases for your emergency supply you should take several things into consideration. How will you cook or heat the food? How will you keep your perishables cold? What can you do to minimize the loss of food if power is out for an extended period of time? What types of food should you store up for emergencies?
As for cooking or heating food, I usually use my gas BBQ grill. I always have one can of propane hooked up and another full one in reserve. I can go quite sometime before needed to replace the propane. My grill has 3 rows of burners in the grilling part plus on one side it has a stove top type burner. Only light what you really need to cook in order to save fuel. For example if you are cooking just a couple of hamburgers you only need one burner for that. If you are heating soup, just a pot on the stove top burner will do. Conserve your fuel to make it last.
I also have an old small wood burning stove in the basement. It has two burning crates for pots. I have a few cast-iron pans and kettles and keep a small emergency supply of wood. This is a pretty old burner not in the best of shape so I only use it in emergency cases. Someday I hope to replace it. But it will do in a pinch for now.
I have found a nice little trick for keeping my perishables cold at least for a few days. I keep several gallon jugs of frozen water in my freezer. When the power goes out, I move half of them into the refrigerator. The trick is to then not open the doors to the freezer or fridge until the power comes back on. Or at least not do it very often. Opening the doors will allow warmth from the room to get in and begin to warm your appliances. The longer you can keep them closed the longer your food will stay cold or even frozen in the freezer. I know that by keeping the frozen jugs of water in there my freezer food can stay frozen at least a week if it is not too hot out and depending on how much is in the freezer. I keep a pretty full freezer, which helps to keep things frozen when there is no power.
I keep a good supply of food that does not have to be refrigerated or frozen to use for our meals while there is no power so I don't have to open the freezer or fridge very often if at all. I keep a good supply of canned soup. Easy to heat and actually can be eaten cold if need be. I do a lot of my own canning so always have fruits and vegetables available to me. I have a supply of pastas and rice also. I also can meats. It is easy for me to open a jar of stewing beef, a can of potatoes, a can of carrots and throw them in a pot to heat and I have a hearty beef stew with not much fuss. If you do not can you can always buy some canned meat at the grocery store. That extra protein in your diet will help you a long way in an emergency situation.
I keep a supply of bottled water for drinking and also keep big jugs of tap water for cleaning and bathing, etc. The water, like the food is rotated out on a regular basis to keep it from going bad. I keep extra cleaning supplies, bleach and personal hygiene items as well. And let's not forget toilet paper and paper towels!!
One of the other things I do is keep extra canning supplies on hand. In the worse case scenario and power is out for a long period of time I can always start canning the food in my freezer and fridge and keep it from spoiling. Yes, I would do that on the BBQ grill. Not the best situation, but it works. I just recommend if you are doing this in the cold of winter, before removing the sealed jars from the hot canner, carefully carry the canner in doors where it is warmer to minimize the risk of the jars breaking.
One more thing, if you have pets don't forget to stock up on their food also!!
There are so many other things I could write about regarding being prepared for an emergency situation but I think this gives you a pretty good start. As I said earlier FEMA recommends at least 3 days of food, I personally recommend at least a month, more if you can do it.
I'm not sure what I will write about in my next post, I guess we will just have to wait and see, LOL.
Until next time,,,,,,,Blessings!
As you know my primary reason for buying food in bulk is to save on my grocery budget. However I do also buy to keep an emergency food supply on hand. I know FEMA says to have at least 3 days of food set back for emergencies but I have learned first hand 3 days is not even close to being enough.
Ask those who lived through Hurricane Sandy last year, Hurricane Katrina, various other hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, fires and earthquakes. It was more like weeks, several, before things started to be restored to normal. Even if you are not directly hit by a tornado you can be left stranded and without power for quite some time. The same goes for other natural disasters.
A few years back we had a really bad ice storm which left many without power for as long as two weeks. For a couple of days the roads were closed. Nothing was being delivered to the grocery stores and indeed the stores were without power and closed for a short time. Luckily we did not lose power for long but I was prepared if we were.
When making purchases for your emergency supply you should take several things into consideration. How will you cook or heat the food? How will you keep your perishables cold? What can you do to minimize the loss of food if power is out for an extended period of time? What types of food should you store up for emergencies?
As for cooking or heating food, I usually use my gas BBQ grill. I always have one can of propane hooked up and another full one in reserve. I can go quite sometime before needed to replace the propane. My grill has 3 rows of burners in the grilling part plus on one side it has a stove top type burner. Only light what you really need to cook in order to save fuel. For example if you are cooking just a couple of hamburgers you only need one burner for that. If you are heating soup, just a pot on the stove top burner will do. Conserve your fuel to make it last.
I also have an old small wood burning stove in the basement. It has two burning crates for pots. I have a few cast-iron pans and kettles and keep a small emergency supply of wood. This is a pretty old burner not in the best of shape so I only use it in emergency cases. Someday I hope to replace it. But it will do in a pinch for now.
I have found a nice little trick for keeping my perishables cold at least for a few days. I keep several gallon jugs of frozen water in my freezer. When the power goes out, I move half of them into the refrigerator. The trick is to then not open the doors to the freezer or fridge until the power comes back on. Or at least not do it very often. Opening the doors will allow warmth from the room to get in and begin to warm your appliances. The longer you can keep them closed the longer your food will stay cold or even frozen in the freezer. I know that by keeping the frozen jugs of water in there my freezer food can stay frozen at least a week if it is not too hot out and depending on how much is in the freezer. I keep a pretty full freezer, which helps to keep things frozen when there is no power.
I keep a good supply of food that does not have to be refrigerated or frozen to use for our meals while there is no power so I don't have to open the freezer or fridge very often if at all. I keep a good supply of canned soup. Easy to heat and actually can be eaten cold if need be. I do a lot of my own canning so always have fruits and vegetables available to me. I have a supply of pastas and rice also. I also can meats. It is easy for me to open a jar of stewing beef, a can of potatoes, a can of carrots and throw them in a pot to heat and I have a hearty beef stew with not much fuss. If you do not can you can always buy some canned meat at the grocery store. That extra protein in your diet will help you a long way in an emergency situation.
I keep a supply of bottled water for drinking and also keep big jugs of tap water for cleaning and bathing, etc. The water, like the food is rotated out on a regular basis to keep it from going bad. I keep extra cleaning supplies, bleach and personal hygiene items as well. And let's not forget toilet paper and paper towels!!
One of the other things I do is keep extra canning supplies on hand. In the worse case scenario and power is out for a long period of time I can always start canning the food in my freezer and fridge and keep it from spoiling. Yes, I would do that on the BBQ grill. Not the best situation, but it works. I just recommend if you are doing this in the cold of winter, before removing the sealed jars from the hot canner, carefully carry the canner in doors where it is warmer to minimize the risk of the jars breaking.
One more thing, if you have pets don't forget to stock up on their food also!!
There are so many other things I could write about regarding being prepared for an emergency situation but I think this gives you a pretty good start. As I said earlier FEMA recommends at least 3 days of food, I personally recommend at least a month, more if you can do it.
I'm not sure what I will write about in my next post, I guess we will just have to wait and see, LOL.
Until next time,,,,,,,Blessings!
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Canning chicken,,,,,,,
Greetings!!
As promised I have some pictures from canning chicken this past week. As you know my big deep freezer decided to die on me leaving with a mess of food to deal with. I stuffed the refrigerator freezer full, an electric cooler full and a back up small fridge/freezer in effort to save everything until I could get to canning. Alas, the electric cooler stopped running and eventually so did the old back up fridge/freezer. I did lose some food but not much and not any meat which is so darned expensive!!
Before I post the pictures I want to talk to you a little bit about forgiveness. We all have times in our lives when we need to forgive someone for something hurtful they said or did. Carrying a grudge does you no good. The bible tells us that we must forgive others if we expect God to forgive us. I hold true to this and can forgive anyone. However, I do not believe we are expected to put ourselves back in harms way if we feel the offense would happen again.
Recently I was the receiver of some very hurtful words. It was not the first time. The offender said, "it was just a joke". That is a poor excuse to me. Those kinds of jokes hurt! They cut deep and not easily forgotten, especially by someone who has been the victim of verbal and mental abuse. I did forgive this person in my heart but have chosen to cut the ties, at least for now. I do not want the added stress in my life. There is a lot on my plate that no one knows about but me and God. Had it been a one time thing I probably would have chalked it up to the person having a bad day. After all, we all have them. (In fact that is what I did the first couple of times it happened and never said a word to this person. Perhaps that was my mistake and I should have said something sooner?) However, this was becoming a recurring habit that I have no desire to subject myself to again. Is it OK to choose not to have ties with a person that hurt you even after you have forgiven them in your heart? I believe it is. Take the person who has been brutally beaten, they still need to forgive but should they then continue a relationship with that person? I don't think so!! Hurtful words can often be much worse than bruises from a beating. Those words never fade away like bruises do. Don't be a bully then excuse it off!!
OK, enough said, I'll get off my soap box now and get to the real subject at hand, canning, LOL.
As promised I have some pictures from canning chicken this past week. As you know my big deep freezer decided to die on me leaving with a mess of food to deal with. I stuffed the refrigerator freezer full, an electric cooler full and a back up small fridge/freezer in effort to save everything until I could get to canning. Alas, the electric cooler stopped running and eventually so did the old back up fridge/freezer. I did lose some food but not much and not any meat which is so darned expensive!!
Before I post the pictures I want to talk to you a little bit about forgiveness. We all have times in our lives when we need to forgive someone for something hurtful they said or did. Carrying a grudge does you no good. The bible tells us that we must forgive others if we expect God to forgive us. I hold true to this and can forgive anyone. However, I do not believe we are expected to put ourselves back in harms way if we feel the offense would happen again.
Recently I was the receiver of some very hurtful words. It was not the first time. The offender said, "it was just a joke". That is a poor excuse to me. Those kinds of jokes hurt! They cut deep and not easily forgotten, especially by someone who has been the victim of verbal and mental abuse. I did forgive this person in my heart but have chosen to cut the ties, at least for now. I do not want the added stress in my life. There is a lot on my plate that no one knows about but me and God. Had it been a one time thing I probably would have chalked it up to the person having a bad day. After all, we all have them. (In fact that is what I did the first couple of times it happened and never said a word to this person. Perhaps that was my mistake and I should have said something sooner?) However, this was becoming a recurring habit that I have no desire to subject myself to again. Is it OK to choose not to have ties with a person that hurt you even after you have forgiven them in your heart? I believe it is. Take the person who has been brutally beaten, they still need to forgive but should they then continue a relationship with that person? I don't think so!! Hurtful words can often be much worse than bruises from a beating. Those words never fade away like bruises do. Don't be a bully then excuse it off!!
OK, enough said, I'll get off my soap box now and get to the real subject at hand, canning, LOL.
Put about 2 inches of water in your pressure canner.
Get your meat and other supplies ready. My meat was pre-cooked and needs to be heated as I plan on putting it in hot broth and a pre-heated canner.
This was from the drippings when I roasted the chickens. The fat rose to the the top and will be scooped out and thrown away as I do not want all that fat in my canned product. The remaining broth will be drizzled over the chicken when I put it in the pans to heat in the oven. I will also cover the pans with foil so it holds the moisture in and the chicken won't dry out.
I have two pans of meat ready to heat in the oven. On low about 300F. It will be heating while I heat chicken broth and the canner water.
Heating up my chicken broth. This will be used to ladle over the chicken in the jars.
All my jars were washed thoroughly and kept in scalding water until ready to fill. I use a rubber spatula to work out any air pockets that might form while filling the jars. I pack the jars tight with meat then slowly ladle in the broth. Leave about 1/2 inch of head-space in the jars. Work out the air bubbles then wipe the rim to get any food or moisture removed. Then put on the lid and band and place in the canner.
When loading the canner make sure you leave space between the jars so the water can move freely when boiling. Don't over load the canner so the jars touch!!
Secure the lid to the canner. Once steam starts to come out of the top where the pressure gauge goes you can then place the gauge for the amount of pressure recommended in the recipe. This was at 10lbs pressure.
Once the gauge starts to rattle that it has reached the 10lbs of pressure turn down the heat so it rattles slow but steady. Once you have the pressure regulated start timing. Pints need about 1 hour and 15 minutes in the canner. Once the time is done, turn off the heat. It will take and hour or two to cool down enough to safely remove the gauge and open the canner. If there is still pressure in the canner when you open it, it could blow up in your face so take caution and do not rush it!! Before opening the canner, jiggle the regulator gauge, if no steam comes out you are safe to open but still open slowly, lifting the lid away from you as you do. It will still be very hot.
The jars will still be very hot. Handle with caution!! I always set my jars on a towel away from drafts. A cold counter or a cold draft can cause your jars to crack. Let them cool completely. Then remove the bands and check the seals to make sure they are tight. Wash the jars and bands off, label with date they were canned. No need to put the rings back on. Store in a cool dark place until ready to use.
Canned foods can last a lifetime but will start to lose their flavor after 3 years. By dating the label you will know when you need to rotate out your inventory if you still have some left.
This chicken will be used in stews, soups, chicken and noodles, chicken and dumplings or drained and made into a chicken salad, just to name a few things. I canned two big batches of chicken that day and am very happy the meat did not go to waste.
The wonderful thing about having canned goods in the pantry is you do not need electricity to store them!! Tomorrow I am going to can some left over ham. I got a great bargain on a whole ham but it is way too much meat for two people to eat at one time. If you have never canned before but want to try, I recommend "The Ball Blue Book of Canning". It costs about $10 and can be found most places canning supplies are sold. It is filled with recipes and "how to's" for the beginning canner. I actually used this book to learn how to can and still have it today.
Until next time,,,,,,,,,,Blessings!!
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Things to come,,,,,,,,
Greetings!!
This will be a short post today, I have so much to get done. As I told you last week my freezer died with a large amount of food in it. I managed to get get most of the food into the freezer in the refrigerator, a back up small refrigerator and my electric cooler. I did give away a few things to some folks who could really use the help. Yesterday I roasted 6 whole chickens and picked the meat off the bones. I saved the broth and refrigerated both it and the meat. Today I am washing canning jars and my pressure canner to get it ready for canning tomorrow. I hope to remember to take some pictures of the process for posting next week.
Once the chicken is done I will be working on the tomatoes. I had several bags of Roma tomatoes from my garden last year that I had frozen. I did not have time to can them last year as I was in the process of moving. Now I have no choice. They are thawing and need something done with them. I plan on making spaghetti sauce and perhaps some stewed tomatoes to can. Again I will try to take some pictures of the process and post them.
I was going to start canning the chicken today and then remembered I need to make a trip to the grocery store as it is discount day and I can use that extra 10%. I did not want to have a mess in the kitchen and have to go out so decided to wait until tomorrow to can. Besides, it is a hot humid day today and tomorrow is predicted to be much cooler.
So, the things to come are pictures and descriptions of canning meat and tomatoes, LOL.
About a half hour ago the monthly emergency siren test was sounded. It reminded me of how many emergencies can come up in our lives each day. And how important it is to always be prepared. I have a basic first aid kit in the car and one in the house for minor injuries. There is always extra food stocked up in the pantry that is rotated out so it does not go out of date. I also have water stored in large jugs to use for cooking, cleaning and drinking. The water is also rotated out so it does not get stale or go rancid. I feel blessed to have a good sized pantry room in my basement to stock up for emergencies. I have extra soaps, detergents, paper products, bleach, shampoo, etc. Every need can be met for several months if need be. Including supplies for my pets.
The area that I live in in Illinois is subject to tornadoes, ice storms and sometimes large amounts of snow, also flooding, so being prepared is surely a necessary. A few years back an ice storm left some of my neighbors without utilities for 2 weeks. Because of the ice it was difficult to get around for a few days and to go shopping for food and supplies. I did not have to worry because I had a full pantry and a back up plan!! I hope everyone is prepared when need be.
Until next time,,,,,,,Blessings!!
This will be a short post today, I have so much to get done. As I told you last week my freezer died with a large amount of food in it. I managed to get get most of the food into the freezer in the refrigerator, a back up small refrigerator and my electric cooler. I did give away a few things to some folks who could really use the help. Yesterday I roasted 6 whole chickens and picked the meat off the bones. I saved the broth and refrigerated both it and the meat. Today I am washing canning jars and my pressure canner to get it ready for canning tomorrow. I hope to remember to take some pictures of the process for posting next week.
Once the chicken is done I will be working on the tomatoes. I had several bags of Roma tomatoes from my garden last year that I had frozen. I did not have time to can them last year as I was in the process of moving. Now I have no choice. They are thawing and need something done with them. I plan on making spaghetti sauce and perhaps some stewed tomatoes to can. Again I will try to take some pictures of the process and post them.
I was going to start canning the chicken today and then remembered I need to make a trip to the grocery store as it is discount day and I can use that extra 10%. I did not want to have a mess in the kitchen and have to go out so decided to wait until tomorrow to can. Besides, it is a hot humid day today and tomorrow is predicted to be much cooler.
So, the things to come are pictures and descriptions of canning meat and tomatoes, LOL.
About a half hour ago the monthly emergency siren test was sounded. It reminded me of how many emergencies can come up in our lives each day. And how important it is to always be prepared. I have a basic first aid kit in the car and one in the house for minor injuries. There is always extra food stocked up in the pantry that is rotated out so it does not go out of date. I also have water stored in large jugs to use for cooking, cleaning and drinking. The water is also rotated out so it does not get stale or go rancid. I feel blessed to have a good sized pantry room in my basement to stock up for emergencies. I have extra soaps, detergents, paper products, bleach, shampoo, etc. Every need can be met for several months if need be. Including supplies for my pets.
The area that I live in in Illinois is subject to tornadoes, ice storms and sometimes large amounts of snow, also flooding, so being prepared is surely a necessary. A few years back an ice storm left some of my neighbors without utilities for 2 weeks. Because of the ice it was difficult to get around for a few days and to go shopping for food and supplies. I did not have to worry because I had a full pantry and a back up plan!! I hope everyone is prepared when need be.
Until next time,,,,,,,Blessings!!
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Being prepared,,,,,,
Greetings!!
I know I have written about this subject before but being prepared for any type of emergency is essential and it is also being a good steward of the things God gives you. This past Sunday on John Hagee Ministries Pastor Hagee gave a sermon on this very subject. I found it most interesting but I do believe he left out some important details.
Pastor Hagee was discussing the need to be prepared in case of a national disaster or heaven forbid a war. He talked about having a good supply of food on hand, an alternative way to heat and cook your meals, a good supply of water, etc. He mentioned you should know how to garden and have a place to do so to raise food for yourself. He missed on how to save seed from one year to the next or you might not have anything to grow and he only lightly touched on how to store that food.
Granted I realize his time is limited on each program and getting into such details might be difficult or might need to be done in other episodes, but these are really important things to think about.
I am reminded of this all too well this morning as my deep freezer died last night and it is filled with food!! I am not panicking yet, LOL. I will get as much in the refrigerator freezer as possible. I also have an electric cooler that I plugged in that will keep it frozen for a while giving me time to take care of the food. My plan? I am going to can as much of it as possible. It will be a process that will take several days to complete. I was planning on doing this anyway but had other projects in the works first. So, my plans are changed a bit.
This was totally unexpected. I was going along just fine with my other projects and at the bat of an eye, I have a little emergency. Isn't life that way? Emergencies tend to happen rather suddenly and unexpectedly. I guess that is why they call them "emergencies". Being prepared for emergencies can save you a lot of heartache. Luckily I am a firm believer in being prepared!! I have plenty of canning supplies to get the job done without having to run to the store to pick some up. What if it were a war or natural disaster instead? I might not be able to go to the store to buy the supplies I need. Always good to have supplies on hand!! Being prepared saves time, effort and lots of worry.
Pastor Hagee was also talking about Biblical Prophesy and what we can expect in the coming months and years as we rush towards the "end of the ages". Things are going to get really rough folks. We are already in an economic crisis which is only going to get worse. The weather is changing drastically as predicted in the bible. There are more natural disasters and more frequently as well. Maybe you have not been directly effected by one yet, but you have been indirectly with the rising costs of food, fuel, shipping etc. When things really come crashing down will you be prepared?
Over the coming weeks I will be posting ideas to help you prepare for any emergency. There are things that can be done to help you through the rough times, even if you live in an apartment. So please watch for those posts and in the meantime, start making your own preparedness plan.
Until next time,,,,,,,,Blessings!!
I know I have written about this subject before but being prepared for any type of emergency is essential and it is also being a good steward of the things God gives you. This past Sunday on John Hagee Ministries Pastor Hagee gave a sermon on this very subject. I found it most interesting but I do believe he left out some important details.
Pastor Hagee was discussing the need to be prepared in case of a national disaster or heaven forbid a war. He talked about having a good supply of food on hand, an alternative way to heat and cook your meals, a good supply of water, etc. He mentioned you should know how to garden and have a place to do so to raise food for yourself. He missed on how to save seed from one year to the next or you might not have anything to grow and he only lightly touched on how to store that food.
Granted I realize his time is limited on each program and getting into such details might be difficult or might need to be done in other episodes, but these are really important things to think about.
I am reminded of this all too well this morning as my deep freezer died last night and it is filled with food!! I am not panicking yet, LOL. I will get as much in the refrigerator freezer as possible. I also have an electric cooler that I plugged in that will keep it frozen for a while giving me time to take care of the food. My plan? I am going to can as much of it as possible. It will be a process that will take several days to complete. I was planning on doing this anyway but had other projects in the works first. So, my plans are changed a bit.
This was totally unexpected. I was going along just fine with my other projects and at the bat of an eye, I have a little emergency. Isn't life that way? Emergencies tend to happen rather suddenly and unexpectedly. I guess that is why they call them "emergencies". Being prepared for emergencies can save you a lot of heartache. Luckily I am a firm believer in being prepared!! I have plenty of canning supplies to get the job done without having to run to the store to pick some up. What if it were a war or natural disaster instead? I might not be able to go to the store to buy the supplies I need. Always good to have supplies on hand!! Being prepared saves time, effort and lots of worry.
Pastor Hagee was also talking about Biblical Prophesy and what we can expect in the coming months and years as we rush towards the "end of the ages". Things are going to get really rough folks. We are already in an economic crisis which is only going to get worse. The weather is changing drastically as predicted in the bible. There are more natural disasters and more frequently as well. Maybe you have not been directly effected by one yet, but you have been indirectly with the rising costs of food, fuel, shipping etc. When things really come crashing down will you be prepared?
Over the coming weeks I will be posting ideas to help you prepare for any emergency. There are things that can be done to help you through the rough times, even if you live in an apartment. So please watch for those posts and in the meantime, start making your own preparedness plan.
Until next time,,,,,,,,Blessings!!
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