Canned Applesauce with Koolaid

Decided to do a little experimenting today!  Turned out pretty and I don't think it will hurt us! LOL  I added a half packet of black cherry dry kool-aid mix http://www.koolaidworld.com/en/130-black-cherry.html  to the applesauce right before canning. Tasted pretty good! I was reading some things about canning applesauce at  http://extension.psu.edu/food/preservation/news/2012/secrets-for-canning-applesauce and it said some ppl add lemon juice to give it more of the ascorbic acid. Guess what ingredient is in Kool-Aid?? What can it hurt? We will see how well it preserves when we open up a jar later!

Mom's spaghetti sauce

Mom's Spaghetti Sauce Recipe

makes 10-11 quarts or 21 pints

My mom, Judy Hannah Forbes and step dad, Jeff Forbes are always canning and putting up food out of their garden!  This is their recipe (passed down from Ann Phillips) for canning spaghetti sauce! 

Of course, you tweak to your liking and always TASTE before you seal! I changed this a little because I am not a huge fan of oregano and I could wear a basil necklace and smell it all day long! Ok, maybe that wasn't funny. Seriously though, I love basil! I love the smell and the sweetness it adds. This recipe is not "sweet" but it is on the sweeter side, so if you prefer otherwise, add garlic, more salt, italian seasonings... whatever your taste buds love. You really can't go wrong if you use this as a base recipe!

We seeded our tomatoes, but mom does not. She also makes it chunky but we pureed everything. Whatever texture you like, go with it. You cook it down for an hour so the water cooks out and it will thicken up with the paste. 

Ingredients:

1/2 bushel tomatoes, peeled and cored

3 pounds onions, chopped

2 bell peppers, chopped

4 hot peppers, chopped (we used hot bananas)

1 1/2 C sugar

1/2 C plain salt

2 C vegetable oil

2 TBSP oregano

2 TBSP basil

4 (12 oz) cans tomato paste for later

Directions:

Mix all of the above (except 4 cans tomato paste) and cook 1 hour. 

Take off heat and add the tomato paste. 

Stir to a boil again. 

Fill jars, clean rims and place lids, rings.

Pressure for 20 minutes at 10 lbs

box of canning tomatoes

Ingredients:

1/2 bushel tomatoes, peeled and cored

3 pounds onions, chopped

2 bell peppers, chopped

4 hot peppers, chopped (we used hot bananas)

1 1/2 C sugar

1/2 C plain salt

2 C vegetable oil

2 TBSP oregano

2 TBSP basil

4 (12 oz) cans tomato paste for later

You can place tomatoes in boiling water and then icy water to make peelings come off, but we use a Sauce Master Food Strainer. http://www.norpro.com/store/products/sauce-master This makes it so much faster and less messy! It peels, seeds and all at one time. Not sure where all they are sold bc we got ours for Christmas, but I am sure kitchen stores would have them. Oh, and put the kid to work... they don't eat for free. LOL kidding...

Danny cored and quartered just to make it easier for her to crank.

We pureed all our veggies. Emma likes it "plain".

We used fresh basil. If you use fresh, use 3 times the amount that it calls for.

Cook 1 hour 

BIG POT... 

Get ladle and funnel with clean jars ready to fill. 

It's a little messy but worth it! Clean rims before placing lids and rings. Remember to boil the jar lids and rings about 5 minutes before placing!

We used a tall canner and stacked our pints in it to do one run. Pressure for about 20 minutes at 10 pounds

Remove jars and wait for the seal! 

Voila! This makes me feel so good!  I love seeing the end result and knowing WE made it!

Yummo! 

Cookie Monster 1st Birthday Bash!

Our second little girl celebrated turning 1 and we had so much fun! We got all kinds of ideas from Pinterest and a local gal, Ms Arty Pants provided the place and wonderful activity of painting a canvas for the littles.

Made cookie pops out of oreos and melted chocolate!

Our cookie bouquet...

Cut out construction paper and glued to outside of painted pots and buckets...

Anessa made the banner with her name and all the cute tissue flowers. I put the little memory board together with an old window (I LOVE WINDOWS) and added some special things from her first year to it...

We squeezed in to paint...

her hospital stuff, first paci, ultrasound pics, notes from big sissy, card from a family member who passed within her first year... 

Big sister...

A photo I took when she was weeks old...

A special gift from a special friend...

Some of the finished masterpieces...

Pressure canning new potatoes

I have never canned taters until this week so I am certainly no expert!  Not too bad for my first time, though! We opened up a jar to taste before canning our second run and while nothing beats fresh new taters, we will enjoy them this winter!  

So here we go...

After reading several things on the web and talking to many friends, this is the route we chose to go. 

Needed:

We gathered about half of a five gallon bucket of taters
7 wide-mouthed jars
lids and rings
1 tsp canning salt for each jar
pressure canner

magnetic lid lifter

jar lifter

Before getting started:

We wash our jars in the dishwasher and fill them while still hot. I have also pulled clean jars out of there that I washed the night before and put them in the oven just to "sanitize" before using. Not sure if it makes a difference but I never have a problem with jars sealing.

Boil lids (and rings) for about 5 minutes so ready to use when jars are filled.

Clean rag for wiping jar rims.

First, give your taters a good washing! We chose to scrape ours free of skins (although we love them when fresh) so that the water would not look "dirty" after canning. Several of our friends leave more of the skin on. We will try that next time!  (It sure would save a lot of time!) 

Wash them good and let them soak in cool water until ready to use. This just keeps them from turning brown and looking dirty.

Next, start cubing your taters up, trying to keep them all the same size. Fill your jars to the top, making sure your lids will sit flat when placed. I use a wooden spoon to kinda "push" them down and get more in there.  You do not have to cut your taters up. If you have small ones, throw them in there whole. I put all my bitties in their own jar and cut our larger taters up. Whatever you prefer...

After filling, place 1 teaspoon of canning salt in each jar and fill to top with water (tap is fine). I leave only a quarter inch or so. I read somewhere that others prefer to leave an inch or 1/2 inch. Mine came out fine.

Wipe your rims if needed to clear of any debris. Lids and rings should  have already boiled for at least 5 minutes.  Lift them out with your lid lifter and place on jars. Hand-tighten, but make sure they are snug. (Drying them off AFTER placing on jars will help you tighten)

Fill pressure canner with 2 quarts water and a little white vinegar.  Place all prepared jars in canner and turn heat on high. Place lid on canner after about 5 or 10 minutes.  Let it build up before placing the regulator (the little weight that goes over the steam vent).  Build pressure to 10-12 lbs and turn heat down (might have to even turn off). Pressure for 40 minutes. 

Turn heat off and let the pressure drop completely before trying to remove lid. Be VERY CAREFUL when removing lid bc you can get burnt with steam! Use your jar lifter and place your beautiful work on a towel to cool. As they cool, you will start to hear pops as the jars seal and you know it was a success!!  

I hope this is helpful to someone!  I have always tried to record things I do for my girls. I started in scrapbooks and made them "visual recipes" for years. Pics just make it easier to follow!  I started this blog last summer and neglected keeping up with it!  In my defense, I had a 7 year old and a 1 year old that got my attention  first! Anyways, with canning being a "dying art", I want them to know how!  It is really much easier than people think and it tastes sooooo much better than store bought!  I don't know if anyone even reads these things, but at least my girls will have something to see... maybe someone out there will find it helpful, too!