Canning Stock

It seems like this time of year, I'm going through cans and cans of stock. I love making my own, but it takes up so much room in the freezer. So this year, I finally decided to can my own. I don't know why I've never canned it before, but I'm so glad I did this year!

My stock always varies a bit depending on what I have available, but it always starts out the same:

Onions
Carrots
Celery
Garlic
Salt and Pepper
Bay Leaves
Parsley (if I have it fresh)

From there, I can make veggie stock, or I can add chicken, turkey, or beef bones to make stock. I add enough water to cover the veggies and bones, cover and let it simmer.

I usually let the stock simmer for at least 6 hours to make sure I get all the good stuff out of the bones. Then, strain the stock and pour into hot jars, leaving 1 inch head space. Process at 10 lbs for 25 minutes for quarts or 20 minutes for pints.

If I have a jar that doesn't seal, I just pour it out into a container and toss it in the freezer.

I think I ended up doing about 50 jars in the last couple of weeks. It sounds like a lot, but with homemade noodles, soups, and couscous, we go through quite a bit of it.

Canning Week 2011

Ott, A and I are back this year with another Canning Week! Like last year, there will be a recipe contest and other prizes. This year, we'll have new prizes to announce each day so be sure to check here and over at A Latte With Ott,A daily. Each day you can check out the canning conversations we have going on in our facebook group "from garden plOTT to kitchen pOTT."  And if you are on Pinterest check out our Canning Board.  Also you can tweet along with us on twitter using #canningweek2011. If you're new to canning, or maybe you remember something about your grandma canning, but really not sure what this whole process is, here's a brief history.

National Can-It-Forward Day

 Today is National Can-It-Forward Day! Jarden Home Brands has teamed up with Canning Across America, a nationwide group of food writers, bloggers and cookbook authors united by a passion for canning, to create the National Can-It-Forward Day. 

This is a great way to get started with canning or maybe pique your interest enough to join us for Canning Week. Ott,A and I will host canning week on our blogs August 22-26.

 We'll feature tips, tricks, jams, jellies, recipes and more each day along with a linky to share all of your canning recipes! You can see all the details (and PRIZES) here. Don't forget to join our group on Facebook-From Garden PlOTT to Kitchen POTT for exclusive info and a great way to network with all of your fellow canning enthusiasts.

P.S. Made From Scratch Tuesday will take a week off during Canning Week, but don't forget to link up all your Canning recipes with Canning Week instead!

Pear Betty

Ott, A and I had so much fun during Canning Week, we just weren't ready for the fun to end! Each Tuesday, we'll be featuring recipes using items we canned. Make sure you hop on over to her page to see what she's up to!

I've never made this before, but I was trying to find a new recipe and found one for Pear Betty using diced fruit and sugar. So, it seemed like a logical leap that I could use some canned pear butter instead of fruit and sugar.
What you'll need:
6 c soft bread pieces
2 c pear butter
6 T melted butter
1 t lemon juice
2 t vanilla extract

 

Combine all ingredients in bowl and make sure all pieces are well coated. 

 

Press into 9" pie pan

 

Top with ground almonds and bake at 325 for 45-60 minutes

 

Try topping with this great vanilla sauce!

Fall Mason Jar Decorations

During Canning Week, I shared one of my Jar Lanterns we made around Christmas time. Here's one of my fall lanterns.

What you'll need:
1 jar
ribbon
embelishments
glue gun
glue sticks
flameless candle

To begin, make sure the jar is clean and dry.
I picked up some fabric leaves from the dollar store

 

I glued these all over the jar

 

Then, I added one large leaf 

Next, I tied a bow around the top using some fall ribbon 

 

Drop in a flameless candle and done!

 

Peach Crisp

Ott, A and I had so much fun during Canning Week, we didn't want it to end! Every Tuesday, we'll be sharing recipes that use foods we canned.

 

Peach Crisp

What you'll need:
2 c canned peaches
1 T honey
1/4 t cinnamon
1/4 t vanilla
1 c oats
4 t butter
1 1/2 t brown sugar
3 T flour

First, drain peaches

 

Pour into 8x8 pan

 

Then, drizzle honey over entire dish...my boss got the honey for me at a recent conservation convention in Durango, Colorado. Have you checked out Chew on Dirt? It's a great place to see modern conservation practices and ask questions about how today's farms are protecting our soil and water for future generations.

 

Sprinkle cinnamon over peaches and add vanilla evenly over dish

 

In separate bowl, combine brown sugar, flour and butter (cut into pieces)

 

Add oats and mix well until a fine, crumbly mixture forms

 

Sprinkle evenly on top of peaches and bake at 325 for 45 minutes

 

Please visit these other blogs who "canned a lOTT, now we're baking in our bistro"!

A Latte With Ott,A

From the Hive

Did you participate in Canning Week and want to show off your recipes next week? Contact Ott,A and we'll give you instructions for next week's blog hop!

Elderberry Pie

Ott, A and I had so much fun during Canning Week, we just didn't want it to end! Every Tuesday, we'll be featuring recipes that use items we canned.

Some of our fellow canners are sharing some recipes as well this week. Be sure to check out what they are making with their canning creations!

a Latte' with Ott, A   

Gourmet Meals for Less 

From the Hive  

Frog Belly Soup  

I was able to pick some elderberries this year that were growing in my aunt's backyard. I didn't know a lot about them, but did some research. Here's what I found:

• Elderberry extract has been found to be effective against the H5N1 strain of Avian Flu  (Zakay-Rones et al 1995)
• Elderberry extract contains a unique compound called Antivirin® that can help protect healthy cells and inactivate  infectious viruses
• When given to patients, scientists have found the elderberry extract, has the ability to ward off flu infections quickly  (Zakay-Rones 2004)
• Elderberries are rich in anthocyanins which are a type of flavonoid –  anthocyanins are antioxidants that may protect cells from free radicals and support your body’s immune system.
• Elderberries have almost 5 times as many anthocyanins as Blueberries and twice the overall antioxidant capability of cranberries 
• Elderberry has a more potent antiviral effect than Echinacea

I also found that making a simple extract with elderberries has been shown to stop a cold, if taken within the first two days of symptoms. So, I decided to can some to keep around for this winter so I can make extract when Cold Season hits. Worst case scenario, it doesn't work. Then I go back to DayQuil. Can't hurt, right?

Anyway, I have so many jars of elderberries I knew I would never make this much "cold/flu medicine". I decided to make pie. I'm not a big fruit pie person, but I thought I'd give it a shot.

What you'll need:

2 9-inch pie crusts
4 c elderberries
3 cups sugar
3 T cornstarch
1 T lemon juice

butter

To begin, rinse and drain elderberries

 

In a medium size pan, combine berries, sugar and cornstarch. Simmer until berries are tender.

 

When berries are tender and sauce is thick, remove from heat and add lemon juice. Stir well. 

Pour into pie crust and add a few pats of butter

 

Top with other pie crust and bake at 375 for 40-50 minutes. Cool and serve

 

As this was the first time I tried elderberries, I have to say I'm not overly impressed. It received a mixed reaction overall. It certainly was not overly sweet. Personally, I didn't think the berry had much taste. But, I do like trying new things, and my goal this year has been to try one new food a week. Since I've historically been a picky eater, it wasn't that hard to continuously find "new to me" foods. 

Be sure to come back next Tuesday for more of our series "I Canned A LOTT, Now I'm Baking In My Bistro"!

Apple Pie Pork Loin?

Ott, A and I had so much fun during Canning Week, we didn't want the fun to stop! Every Tuesday, we'll be showing off recipes using great things we canned. Make sure to stop by Ott,A's blog to see what she's been up to!

Two things you should know about me, and have probably picked up on by now. We love pork...and apples! I started to make a pork loin the other day and cook it in some apples. To the pantry to I go! I grabbed a jar of what I thought was just canned apples and popped it open. That's when I realized my mistake. I had grabbed a jar of apple pie filling!!! Well, it IS apple, and I already had it open, so why not? 

I also added some Mrs. Dash in the red cap. I'm not really sure which variety that is. We go by color. As I normally do with a pork loin, I baked it at 250 for about 7 hours. 

I didn't tell the husband about the mistake. I just let him eat it. And much to my surprise, the cinnamon, nutmeg and other spices married quite well with the pork and Mrs. Dash! Even the husband commented on how much better it was this time than the last time I baked a pork loin in apples. I don't know that I will make it like this every time, but it certainly was good for a mistake!

Check out the great blogs below who also enjoy being creative with food they can!

a Latte' with Ott, A 

From the Hive

Jalapeno Chicken

Ott, A and I had so much fun during Canning Week, we decided to share some recipes using items we canned! Make sure to stop by her blog and check out what she's been cooking!

If you grow jalapenos, you know that you can quickly find yourself with an abundance. What did you do with all of those? I chose to pickle several jars. I use them throughout the year in various dishes such as chili and taco casserole. In each case, I find that I'm only using a small amount, so I canned most of my pickled jalapenos in small jelly jars. For this recipe, it's the perfect amount!

What you'll need:
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (for this recipe, I used 3)
small jar of pickled jalapenos

Place chicken breasts in dish, along with entire contents of jar.

Cover and marinate 4-6 hours. 

When you're ready to start cooking, preheat oven to 350. Take all of the jalapenos and juices and put those into a large skillet. 

Saute lightly. Sear each side of the chicken breasts in the same pan, then place chicken back in baking dish. 

Cover chicken with foil tightly and bake 35-45 minutes, depending on how many chicken breasts you are fixing.
To go with the chicken, I fixed Spanish Rice. I cheated...I used Zataran's box mix. But, I saved some of those jalapenos that I sauteed and mixed those in with the rice.

When the chicken is done, top with a thin slice of cheese and a spoonful of salsa....and don't forget one of the sauteed jalapenos!

Angel Food Surprise

Ott, A and I had such a great time during Canning Week, we just didn't want the fun to end! Every Tuesday, we'll be showcasing a recipe using things we canned this year. Make sure to check back each week for lots of great recipes from us and our fellow canners!

I've made this a few times, but until now, I never realized it didn't have a name. So I apologize for the lack of imagination here, but I'm tired; it's been a long day!!

Any time I make a dessert to take to work or somewhere else, the husband always gets this really sad look in his eyes because i won't let him touch it. This is one of the few desserts that I can make him his own little bowl  and avoid the puppy dog eyes. To start, I drain and rinse a jar of berries I canned earlier this summer. I canned them in some simple syrup and lemon juice. But there's plenty of sweetness in this dessert, so I rinse the syrup off and pour them in a bowl

If I'm in a hurry, or just being lazy, I'll buy an angel food cake. If I have the time, I make a cake. To make the process go a little faster, I split the batter up between a couple of loaf pans and a couple ramekins. Then bake until done. The ramekins are great because the husband gets his own little bowl and that's one less dish to wash! 

To make the individual desserts, run a knife around the edge of the ramekin and pull the cake out. 

Put a few berries in the bottom and set the cake back in the dish and poke a few holes in the top of the cake.

For the main dessert, tear up the big cakes into bite size pieces and put a layer of cake in the bottom of a 2 qt glass bowl. Then add a layer of berries. Repeat.

Prepare a large box of jello as directed on the box. Let it set in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. 

When it starts to thicken, remove from refrigerator. Spoon about a ladle full into each small ramekin.

Pour the remaining jello into the large bowl

Let it set up in the refrigerator for about 2 hours. Top with whipped cream to serve!

The canned berries have so many uses. They're great as an ice cream topping or in pancakes. Of course you can always just eat them straight out of the jar! 

To make a great smoothie, combine the following ingredients in a blender:

(the amounts can be varied depending on how thick or thin you want it)

Canned berries

Plain Yogurt

1 or 2 large marshmallows

Milk

Do you have a great recipe you'd like to share? Link it up on my blog! No rules, just a fun way to share recipes.

This post was linked to some of the parties listed here.
Make sure you take a peek. I don't just do this to satisfy the hostesses; blog hopping is how you meet all kinds of wonderful bloggers and make new friends!

Speaking of wonderful bloggers, make sure to visit these blogs for other great recipes using things we canned over the summer!

a Latte with Ott, A  

Gourmet Meals for Less 

From the Hive

Adriennes Food Adventures