Making blueberry cherry jelly from frozen fruit

I believe in wasting no food when there are other options.  Yesterdays canning task came about because last summer I had bought a bag of wild blueberries that were really awful - and not really good for fresh eating, as well as a bag of cherries that were also just not good; very blah.  I tossed them into the freezer for use in 'something else' down the line. 

I also do this with the last apple or two that has been ignored and starting to get old looking (peel, chop and freeze) and I pick out all the peaches from our favorite frozen fresh fruit mixture, because the peaches are never, ever ripe tasting or sweet and always sour and ruin the rest of the mix (strawberries, mango, papaya and pineapple). 

Yesterday I opened the freezer and decided it would be the day to use up these bags of yucky blueberries and bland, awful cherries.  I'd make jelly.  The fruit(s) would be great with all the sugar used to make jam and jelly - it would really bring out the flavor.

Regarding the cherries.  Normally you have to clean, pit and cut them.  Because they had been frozen and were softer than fresh, I started just taking off the stems and cutting them with my paring knife, which was a lot faster than pitting them.  But then I realized since I was making JELLY and not JAM, I was going to mash them a bit and boil them and then strain them through cheesecloth anyway... so I wasn't going to bother cutting.  Instead I took off the stems and just cut them in half quick and tossed them into the pot. 

To the cherries, I added the frozen wild blueberries as well.  Looking at them, I figured I wouldn't have quite enough juice to work with according to the directions, so I added a bag of my frozen apples as well.  As it all cooked down, I mashed with a wooden spoon.

Bring to a boil and simmer 10 minutes. 

Poured everything into a cheesecloth lined bowl and tied the ends so I could hang it up to drip and drain.

When it stopped dripping I squeezed it all around to get more juice out - turning and squeezing until I had nothing but pulp left in the cheesecloth.

The juice equaled right at 5 cups.  Since I was mixing cherry and blueberry, I went with the 5 cup average.

Juice according to package directions
Sugar according to package directions
Low Sugar Sure Jel Pectin

Boil for 1 minute

Ladle into jars.
Wipe rims.
Top and add rings.
Water bath the jars 5-10 minutes.
Remove and let cool.
Remove rings.
Wipe down.
Store.

 

 

 

More photos of my canned butter

 

In my earlier post you may have caught the fact I used canned butter in one of the recipes.  I thought I would touch briefly on that because it's January 2024 - and I just used butter canned October 2020 and it was still just as perfect as the day I canned it. 

Here was an earlier taste test I did as well in June of 2022: https://www.housewifebarbie.com/2022/06/home-canned-butter-another-update-taste.html

Reposted below....

 

FROM JUNE 2022 POST:

In October 2020 I canned butter.  I did a follow-up taste and post in May 2021 and at that time I was thrilled with it.  Absolutely thrilled.  I did another taste test in February of 2022 - at the 18 month mark, it was again... absolutely wonderful.  Just perfect, sweet cream butter.  

Here we are in June 2022... this October will be 2 years.  I haven't used much of the canned butter because it was part of my 2-3 year storage for 'hard' or 'harder' times.  I knew it was coming... and it looks like it's coming up pretty fast.

So... was my home canned butter still holding up?

Oh yes!

Tonight I opened one to use at dinner and it was just as perfect as the day it was canned. 

 

 

Once opened, I use a plastic lid on the canning jar.

Emergency Storage: Opening up a 10 year old can of Red Feather Butter

  

 

Back when I first started to worry about having a bit of emergency food on hand in storage, I bought a couple cans of Red Feather canned butter.  It went into the 'long' term storage pantry. Since we don't use this butter for every day I didn't (and don't) rotate it out. 

There are a few items that are difficult to store long term because the cans they are in degrade.  This includes items such as butter, tomatoes and pineapple.  I was thinking about the butter and how it was at the 10 year limit I had heard others mention in discussing its lifespan.  I put it on my task list to go into the long term storage foods and find the cans of butter to check them.

What I found was YES the cans had started to degrade.  You can see the edges were discolored although I couldn't see, nor feel anything actually leaking.  They were completely dry, not greasy and had no discernible smell or scent. 

The outside of a can of 10 year old Red Feather Butter

 

When you buy this brand canned butter, note there is never a 'best buy' date on the can.  Typically they are simply marked with something like DW02 which I've not been able to find out what it means and it's stamped on cans from all different years, so it's most likely where it was canned (?) but it's not a date. 

10 year old Red Feather Butter

In this picture (above) you can see the only spot I was really concerned about would be the larger, more bubbled (?) rusty spot on the right hand side. The other rusty spots didn't concern me. 

(NOTE the cans have been stored in a temperature controlled, dark environment away from excessive temperature changes, high heat, nor any sunlight this entire time.)

Looking at the outside of the can, I was pretty sure it was going to be bad inside... but I was going to open it up and have a look anyway.

Surprise!  It wasn't bad!  Here is a photo under the lid when I first opened it.

The inside lid of a 10 year old can of Red Feather Butter

 

Here is a picture I snapped upon first opening the can

An opened can of 10 year old Red Feather canned butter - a taste test

 

I scooped out the butter onto a plate.  Where the butter (and my rubber scraper) rubbed against the can it smeared with a bit of the dark rusty spots but the butter itself was still pure.  (See below).  I used a paper towel and wiped off the discoloration and decided to do the taste test.

Having home-canned my own butter I already knew that when you heat the jars or cans of butter to render them safe for canning and get a good seal, the butter is 'cooked' and in turn, the flavor changes a little, and gets stronger.  Sometimes home canned butter will turn a darker yellow depending on the heat and length of cooking time. 

This butter was a golden yellow, and stronger smelling than grocery store butter, but not like it had started to go rancid. The outside of the can was questionable, the butter inside was still clean, creamy and smooth.

My Final Thoughts:   The state of the can made me leery of course, and in 'good times' and 'times of plenty' I'd probably have been tempted to toss the degraded cans out without opening.  Butter is very expensive right now though, and I opened them to taste test, so I did.  It is stronger smelling and tasting than brand new, refrigerated butter from the store; while noticeable on things like toast, bread and rolls, when used in cooked foods or to season vegetables, it was fine. 

I'm not sure how long it would take before the oils took on a truly rancid flavor; perhaps within this year or next they would to the point of being 'yuck'?  There is no mistaking the smell and taste of oils and fats that have gone rancid so you would know immediately if your butter had turned.

I feel as the 10 year mark was probably longer than I would suggest storing them before rotating out though.  Personally I think I'm putting a self-imposed limit of 5 years on our Red Feather Butter from here on out. 

Open can testing of dry-canned potatoes with butter over a year later... and canning more potatoes in these times of food shortages and empty shelves at the grocery

First - just some regular canning of potatoes...  (water and salt)

 

 

A couple weeks ago I canned more potatoes.  Although I would love to have potatoes at every meal (they are one of my favorite foods and perhaps one of the most versatile foods you can use) we are low-carb and sugarfree most of the time, by choice, so starchy vegetables like potatoes aren't enjoyed as much as I would like.

 

UPDATE TO DRY-CANNED POTATOES:    A few years ago I opted to try dry-canning potatoes instead of the typical way of covering them with water.  Just for fun. I ended up doing some plain and others with butter.  I LOVED them.  (I also dry canned apples.)  I researched it first, and did a couple tests to be sure I felt comfortable with the process, but then I jumped in and did a few batches and ended up adding 'dry canning' them to my regular canning.

 

Now, I can potatoes in all sorts of ways because there are so many ways to use them.  Small, diced, chunks, larger chunks, french fry shape, thin wedges... and some traditional water covered, others dry.  Some with butter, some without.  I grab a certain shape or style depending on what I need them for.

I went ahead and saved one of my dry canned potatoes with butter that had been put up in September of 2021 to open at least a year later.  That was this Fall.  A couple weeks ago I grabbed one to use in dinner that night but made a point to take photos first and do a quick review for An American Housewife.   

 

The seal was incredibly tight and took a bit of work to get off (a good sign).
Inside the potatoes looked fine and smelled... like potatoes.

 

 

I dumped them out into a bowl and took a good look... and smell.
They were cold, and straight out of the glass canning jar so the butter was still a bit congealed...

 

 

Here is a close up.
They tasted good and had a great texture and didn't seem any different from the potatoes tested at the earlier marks of a few months.  We were over a year later and the butter canned dry potatoes were perfect.  They went into the crockpot with dinner that night so I don't have a picture of them after they were heated where the butter is melted and they just look like... well, potatoes.

If you have a pressure-canner (potatoes can't be canned safely by the water bath method) potatoes are one of the cheapest and easiest to put up... and in the event of hard times, they are a blessing!

Home canned butter: another update taste test at almost 2 years (canned October 2020 and updated again today, June 21, 2022)

 

In October 2020 I canned butter.  I did a follow-up taste and post in May 2021 and at that time I was thrilled with it.  Absolutely thrilled.  I did another taste test in February of 2022 - at the 18 month mark, it was again... absolutely wonderful.  Just perfect, sweet cream butter.  

Here we are in June 2022... this October will be 2 years.  I haven't used much of the canned butter because it was part of my 2-3 year storage for 'hard' or 'harder' times.  I knew it was coming... and it looks like it's coming up pretty fast.

So... was my home canned butter still holding up?

Oh yes!

Tonight I opened one to use at dinner and it was just as perfect as the day it was canned. 

 

 

Once opened, I use a plastic lid on the canning jar.

Some notes from my original posts:

In October 2020 I finally canned butter in a pressure canner. 

I didn't know if it was going to work out or not, but I wanted to try and thanks to good sale at our local membership warehouse, my freezer food storage had some 'extra' butter I could do a trial run with and not be too upset if it didn't turn out.

I have a Presto brand, 23 quart pressure canner. This is an 'after thought' but I need to mention it because it's important... if you haven't bought a pressure canner yet and you have a GLASS TOP ELECTRIC STOVE then you need to be careful of the brand and style you buy!  Many are not recommended for glass top stoves because they will crack them.  I have a glass top stove, which I've always used for water bath canning but I had to be careful when I purchased my pressure canner.   

This also probably goes without saying if you've been doing your research on canning butter - but you never trust water bath canning for items like butter.  And even then - always use brand new, good quality lids so know you have a new seal.My butter was canned in October 2020.   I wanted to wait to do the first taste test and seal test at about 6 months.

I had to work hard to get that seal off.  That was the first good sign.
When I opened it, it smelled like... butter.   There wasn't much of a scent at all - which is good.
 
It was just... butter.  That sounds almost too simple but there you go.  It was just... spreadable, creamy, real butter.

It had good, even color.  It had a light, fresh, 'buttery' smell.  

Why did I want to can butter? 

For my readers who are thinking "Why would you can butter!?  Just buy it at the store or put some in the refrigerator or freezer!", this is why I personally wanted to. 

I do keep butter in our freezer for longer term storage.   

Butter is a food item I never want to run out of!  I use a lot of butter in our day to day meals and baking!  

I will always keep butter in the freezer as part of my well stocked kitchen/pantry, but I know first hand about storms and power outages. 

I want the ability to have butter for meals for my family in the event of an emergency of any sort or to take with when we go camping, on vacation, etc. 

Today (this June 2022 posting) I just checked and that same, exact butter at the same, exact membership warehouse is $13.28.  $6 more per pound than it was just a few months ago.  All the more reason to can and store.

Basically, I want to have the option of having and storing butter
without depending on electricity.

  _______________________

Homemade Canned Salsa and How to Quick Dry Fresh Basil

 

 

If you planted basil this spring, it's probably already 'ready' because it's one of the easiest herbs to grow and grows so well and so fast!  I have done a few posts on it already and don't need to reinvent the wheel again but the photo above is a link to one of those posts if you are interested.

Another recipe posted many times on my site since I started it in 2006 is our family favorite canned salsa.  We have 3 salsa recipes we tend to like and make often; this recipe (below) is the one I use for canning and have for over 20 years now.

Homemade Salsa

10 Cups of peeled, seeded and chopped tomatoes
5 c chopped onions
3 sweet banana peppers, diced
4 jalapenos, seeded and diced
2 t minced garlic
1 green pepper, chopped
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1 1/4 c vinegar
2 T chili powder
2 1/2 t salt
1 1/2 t cayenne pepper
1 T sugar

To peel/skin your tomatoes easily just put them in boiling water. Skins will split in 10 seconds - 2 minutes. Remove as soon as the skin splits and lay on a clean towel to cool until you can handle them comfortably - or you can dip them into a bowl of ice water if you wish. Some tomatoes won't split but they are still ready;  if it has been in the water for over a minute, lift it out and look at it and feel it. If it looks tight and ready to burst, yet it feels like a water balloon, then remove it to cool. It's ready.  The second your fingers or a knife touch the skin it will probably split on contact.  Tomatoes can be seeded and the juice canned separately or you can use the whole tomato in your salsa and skip that process.  Up to you.

Mix all the ingredients for your salsa and simmer 1-3 hours.

While simmering, be sure to either run your jars and lids and seals through an extra hot dishwasher cycle or boil them in another pot of water so they are hot and sterilized when you are ready to use them.  Ladle salsa into the jars with about 1/2 inch head space at the top.   Wipe the edges completely clean with a clean cloth and place the lid on it and then the ring.  You don't have to tighten them hard - just a quick twist to hold the seal/lid on during the process.  Simmer them in a water bath for 25 minutes for pints, 35 for quarts.   (Originally this old time recipe did not call for a water bath.  The heat from the salsa and the jar will seal the lid.  However, I always water bath can them.)

Remove from the water, set on a towel on the counter and let them cool at room temperature.  You will hear popping noises.  That is the lids sealing.  When completely cooled, store in your pantry or cupboard. 

 

 

 

 

Ideas to Use Up Potato Peels After Cleaning Potatoes for Other Dishes or Using Up Peelings From Canning Potatoes

Potato peel crisps

Camping Potatoes - using the peelings

 

Although we don't get to eat potatoes regularly anymore because of the high carb content, we love them.  Anything you can make with them - any way, shape or form - I probably love it.  Potatoes and onions are two of my all-time favorite foods.  

Over the years of cooking them and using them in dishes, I've come up with a few ways to not only use leftovers from meals of mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, etc;  but use up the peelings as well. 

When I can potatoes I use a knife - not a potato peeler, as I personally like the feel of a paring knife better and can clean them faster.  I knew I planned to use the peels to make two side-dishes so I was also happy to slice freely with a bit more potato on each slice as I planned to use them in other dishes.

I soaked the peels in water to keep them from browning, and then drained them just before using.

Potato Peels

I've been cooking for more years than I'd like to admit (count the years in decades).  One of the first ways I ever used up potato peelings - and did so for the first 20 years of our marriage - was to make pancake syrup from them.  

I actually make pancake syrup from potatoes in two different ways;  you can either boil the potatoes whole with the skins on and use the potatoes after, however you wish; and the second is to peel and clean the potatoes first and use the peeling's starchy water after.  Either way works.  This recipe is very, very old.   

Pancake Syrup Made from Potatoes or Peelings

Approximately 6 potatoes - the starchier the better (like russet) or the peelings from 6-8 potatoes
1 c sugar
1 c brown sugar

Scrub the potatoes well and place in a pan with 2 cups of water.  I've also used just the peelings from a bunch of potatoes (anywhere from 6-8).  Boil them, reducing the liquid until about 1 cup of the water remains.  Remove the potatoes and use them for another dish.  To the water remaining in the pan add the sugar.  Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve.  When dissolved, continue boiling about 1-2 more minutes.  Remove from heat and let cool.  Pour into a mason jar or other container, like recycling a syrup bottle.  You can use it right away, but the flavor is best if you can keep it in the cupboard or pantry for a few days before using.  Tastes like maple syrup!

 

The second way to use up potato peels - Baking them into a crispy treat to snack on. (The top photo)

 

Potato Peel Crisps

Potato Peelings
Onion powder if you wish
Oil
Salt (and if you wish, pepper)

Toss your peelings with oil (I use avocado oil or olive oil).   Spread them in a foil lined baking pan or baking sheet. Sprinkle with a little onion powder if you choose, then sprinkle with salt and pepper if you like it as well.  I like them with just oil, a little onion powder and salt.   Bake at 400 degrees approximately 20 minutes or more depending on the level of crisp you like.  Flip them and stir them a bit every 8 minutes or so to cook them evenly.  Around 15-20 minutes they are 'done' but if you want them really crispy, keep baking them longer, checking every 4 minutes or so.  Serve as is or with a sour cream dip. 

The last idea on this post for using up the potato peelings is to make the old, well known 'campfire potatoes' but make them using peels from other potato dishes or home canning.  (The second photo above).   

Normally you make individual campfire potato packs wrapped in aluminum foil and cook them over the fire when you are camping or at home in the oven just because they taste so good.  You use the whole potato, sliced up, topped with a bunch of other ingredients that everyone pick and chooses based on their personal tastes - topped with a bunch of butter, wrapped up tightly in the foil and eaten out of the foil as everyone sits around the campfire.  

This is like that - but the photos you'll see I opted to use a disposable aluminum pan for these batches.  I have leftover aluminum pans on hand from holiday cookie baking AND this allows me to cover the pans with foil and pop them into the deep freezer to grab out for future meals or when/if we have guests over.

Campfire Potatoes 

Peelings from your other potato dishes or home canned potatoes
Onions
Butter
Salt and Pepper
Onion Powder
Garlic, green peppers, other bell peppers, zucchini, green onions, chives, cheese, bacon bits, etc.

*if baking in an aluminum pan in the oven, add about 1/4 c cream.  If baking in little packets, do not add liquid.  

If you are using disposable aluminum pans, grease or spray the pans, otherwise use a double layer of aluminum foil or use heavy duty aluminum foil pieces large enough to wrap a pile of potato and other additions in and wrapping up to seal tightly with space for a little expansion.

Layer leftover potato peels and bits and pieces along with onions and a bit of onion powder;  if you like and want to add things like bell peppers or other ingredients - yes, please!   In a pan in the oven, add about 1/4 cup cream poured over all.  Do not add cream to little foil packets though.  Top with a bunch of butter pieces or pats.  Cover the pan with foil or seal up your little foil packets - but not too tightly, the potatoes and veggies will expand a bit during cooking.

Cook either over your coals or in the oven at 400 degrees for about 30-35 minutes until thick and dark golden brown.  Uncover the foil pan half way through cooking.   If you use potato slices you'd have to cook about 10-15 minutes longer but peelings are thin and cook faster.

 

 _____________________________________

Photo:  layering leftover potato peelings from canning potatoes in a disposable pan with onions and seasonings.  I baked them, then served one and froze the rest for future meals - as they just have to be reheated in the oven. 

 

Layered to the top and then lots of yummy salt and fresh cracked black pepper

 

 

I went a little heavy on the butter this time - oops!  I was busy and just quickly cut up butter and threw it on.  I wasn't really thinking about it.

 

These were some of the peelings tossed with oil and sprinkled with salt and a bit of onion powder

 

Crispy potato peelings... yum!

 

Home Canned Butter - a taste test after almost 18 months (2020 canned - testing 2022)

 

In May of 2021, I posted a "6 month taste test" of my home canned butter.  At the time, I was thrilled it was so wonderful yet at six months but now, in 2022, how is it?

Last night I grabbed one of the 2020 jars of home canned butter and opened it for a taste test and... it was perfect!  A beautiful 'butter yellow' color and the taste?  As perfect as the day I canned it.

I'm extremely happy with it!  

Here is a copy of part of my original "six month" taste test of my home canned butter - but I can attest that after almost 18 or so months out, it's still as perfectly delicious as the day it was canned.

It had good, even color.  It had a light, fresh, 'buttery' smell.  

Basically, I want to have the option of having and storing butter without depending on electricity.

  _______________________

(Tiny update the next day...  I made another 18 jars yesterday.  Finished the 'shaking' during solidifying process last night around 9:15 pm.  What a great feeling to see the fruits of your labor!)

2022 PHOTOS

Thrilled!  That's how I felt about this can of 2020 canned butter last night.  It was just as perfect as the day it was canned in the Fall of 2020.  

 

________________________________________-

 

Home Canned Pickled Beets - an old Amish recipe

Originally posted in August, 2008 - yes, over 13 years ago!  

I was looking over some old canning recipes and when I read this one, I noted I had said (in 2008) a can of beets at the grocery store was about $.50.  Just for the heck of it, I checked Walmart to see how much a can of beets is today and surprise!  Their Great Value brand was... $.50!  That was funny... and I decided what the heck - it's been over 13 years, let's post this old recipe again for 2022!

 

My recipe is out of an old Amish recipe book that my FIL gave me and it used to be my MIL's years ago (she passed away in 1982). I love the recipes in this book because the Amish women assume that you know just what they mean and use as little words as necessary.

(typos are as typed in the Amish recipe book and are not mine);

How to Can Beets

To every quart vinegar add 1 tablespoon salt, 1 heaping cup sugar. If your beets are dark red use part white sugar. Spice whatever you like. Heat to boiling point and pour over beets. Can while hot.

That's it. The whole recipe.

So... here is my version - with just a few more details as I made them.

 

Home Canned Beets - Pickled

1 quart vinegar - cider/white (I used a mixture because I didn't have enough cider vinegar)
1 c water
1 heaping cup sugar 
1 1/2 T salt (I checked 3 recipes and there was a disagreement on how much so I did 1 1/2 T.)
1/4 t cinnamon more or less to taste
1/8 - 1/4 t cloves more or less to taste
10 lb. beets

Combine the vinegar, water, sugar, salt and optional cinnamon and cloves. Bring to a boil and simmer until ready.

Scrub fresh beets and cut off the roots and tops. Roast in a roasting pan in the oven, covered for an hour and then immediately fill the roasting pan with ice water or dump the beets into ice water so the skins will slip right off.

Dice or cut beets to size, or if they are very small, under 2 inches, leave whole if you prefer.

You can also boil them if you prefer although this will leak more of the red color out and they won't be quite as vibrant. Continue with the cutting and packing as above.

Pack into hot, sterilized jars. Cover the beets with the hot brine leaving 1/2 - 3/4 inch head space. Tighten lids and caps and water bath process for 35 minutes for quarts and 30 minutes for pints.

Let cool on the counter, making sure they 'pop' and store to use. I got about 3 quarts out of this.

Cutting off the roots and stems In the roasting pan (I removed the cover for the photo) Plunged into cold water Sliced or diced and packed into hot, sterilized jars After a 35 minute water bath let them set to cool and 'pop' and then store in a cool dry place like a cupboard.