Essential Oils ..... who knew?

Day 3 and I'm still here.

     Before I address essential oils, I'd like to respond to a post from Melissa. She posted on the blog about "Comfort Food" and indicated that people often don't understand why she'd make her own bread.

     In today's economy, with the financial downturn and so many people watching their pennies and out of work. Making your own bread is, not only, more healthy for you, but it's a great way to save money. The lowest prices I've seen on bread is $1.50 a loaf and can increase to over $4.00 a loaf, or the more, for more healthy bread. If you have a family of 4, you're probably going through 1-2 loaves of bread a week. Let's average the loaf of bread at $2.00 and assume that you're using 1 loaf a week. That's $104.00 a year that you're paying for bread. Do the math for your family, I think you'll be surprised at what your bread costs are.

     You can make a loaf of bread for about $.50 a loaf and that's if you add eggs and milk, otherwise the cost drops to about $.30 or less. Do you get the picture? If you'd like to cut back on your expenses, add a little money to your savings account or have your family eat more healthy, you might want to start making your own bread. Besides, there's nothing more satisfying than seeing a beautiful loaf of bread cooling on your kitchen counter.

     Now, let's talk about essential oils. My cutie girl niece, Alyssa, started working for a Utah based company, doTERRA, that supplies essential oils. We've probably all heard about oils, but never really known what to do with them. There is a HUGE following for essential oils. Did you know that?

     I've used oils for quite a while in my baking and cooking. You can achieve a much more intense flavor with just a drop of oil in a recipe, but I'd never considered using them for anything other than that. Mostly because I didn't know anything about it.

     My cute friend Mandi dropped by last week and I happened to have a sample box of doTERRA oils sitting on my desk, lemon oil, peppermint oil and lavendar oil. She commented that she'd started using doTERRA's oils for health reasons and had achieved amazing results. She's had asthma since she was a child and started using an oil called "Breath". Just a drop of oil, rubbed into her chest, every morning and she said that this is the first time in her life that she feels like she can take a full breath. Well.....I happen to have a cute sister-in-law, Tami, who's also suffered with asthma since childhood, and I know how she's struggled. I ordered a bottle, had it shipped directly to her, gave her the same instructions that Mandi told me and guess what? She said exactly the same thing that Mandi said, this is the first time she's ever been able to take a complete breath.

     Mandi mentioned that she uses lavendar oil to aid in her sleeping. She's been one of those sleepers that has trouble getting to sleep and staying asleep. Guess what? I have 3 of those in my family, so I gave a bottle of lavendar oil to Danny with instructions to place a drop on the tip of his finger, rub his fingers together, then rub the oil into his temples. Mandi said that she could feel her body start to relax so she could fall asleep and stay asleep.

     Of course, the next day, I jumped on Danny to see how successful the lavendar oil was and he said, it was O.K.. Not exactly what I'd been expecting. Two days later he told me that it was amazing. He puts the lavendar oil on, feels himself relax and goes to sleep. He sleeps deeply and soundly, but not drugged. He can still hear his 4 month old when he cries, can get up for potty breaks or the baby and go straight back to sleep. He said he gets a great nights sleep and never feels drugged or sluggish in the morning.

     Well, Mandi told me more about other oils, but we don't have the time or space. I'd just suggest that this is something you might want to look into. Give it a little study and see what you find out. The results I've seen are good, better than good. I love the idea of getting a good result with something natural and drug free. I would never suggest that you use oils in place of doctor prescribed medications. Mandi and Tami keep their inhalers, as they should, but there may be a place for natural oils in your life and family.

     Feeling a little sluggish? Use a drop of pepperment oil rubbed into the back of your neck. Mandi swears by it. Who couldn't use an energy boost mid day?

     Well, that's it for today. I'm going to get a couple more bottles of lavendar oil for my other 2 insomniacs. I'll let you know how it goes.......

Tomorrow's post will be about grilling and cooking with herbs. I have this "crazy good" herb marinated beef. I'm LOVING it!

Using up those bargain buys

Well, here I am at day 2 and talking about those "crazy good" buys we can get at the big discount stores. Now, don't get me wrong, they are terrific buys and who doesn't look for any excuse to visit Costco at least once a week?

The problem that we run into is the level of commitment from our families to eat, finish up, use up and cooperate in, productively dispensing with that 5 pound bag of carrots. Isn't it funny that our families just don't understand that buying 5 pounds is so much less expensive than buying 1 pound of carrots?

Well, what is one to do when you're family is so over those carrots after eating 1/2 a pound? We check the fridge every day hoping, praying that we're not going to see the slimy, mushy, science experiment that our poor carrots have become.

Here is where we need to think outside the box. There are so many things you can do with those GREAT BUY carrots. First, you want to grate them all, then you want to break them down to manageable sizes. Think of the recipes you have calling for grated carrots. How about the Swedish Carrots from our cooking class. This is one of my favorite vegetable dishes and kids really will eat them. Grated, caramelized with onions, pan sauteed till they have a little golden color, seasoned with a little S&P and cayenne pepper, just for a little bite and finished off with a minimal amount of brown sugar and cream ..... what's not to like? Determine what measure of carrots you need per recipe, place that amount in a sandwich zip lock bag and then into a gallon freezer bag. It's ready for the freezer and later use.

How about substituting carrots in place of zucchini in your favorite bread recipe? I have a great casserole recipe that was given to me by my friend Georgette that has grated carrots, zucchini, onions and a topping of dry stuffing mix. It's yummy good and a great side dish for any dinner. Then, there's always the old standby, Carrot Cake. If I have an abundance of carrots or zucchini that I know I want to bake, I make a day of it. My motto is, "if you're going to mess up your kitchen, make it worth your while and only do it once." If I'm making bread or cake, I make a bunch, allow them to cool to room temperature (make sure there is no heat left in your baked good at all). Wrap them securely with plastic wrap, then with heavy duty foil. Fold and press the foil so your baked good is tightly wrapped. Write on the foil, what's inside and place in the freezer.

This is a great way to use up fruits and vegetables, that are in danger of becoming science experiments, and having product on hand when you might need something at the last minute. Having cake layers frozen is great when you want a dessert, but don't want to take the time to bake. Cakes are always easier to frost when frozen. The crumb doesn't get into your frosting and the frosting seals in the moisture from the cake. Having frozen breads is great when you want to share with a friend. Because they're already wrapped for the freezer, your friend can place it in their freezer or allow it to thaw to room temperature in the wrapper then slice and enjoy. Frozen cakes and breads have a tendency to be more moist and as long as you wrap them securely, you'll never need to worry about freezer burn or flavor crossover.

Thinking way outside the box, have you thought of using carrots in jam? A couple years ago I made some Carrot Cake Jam (you know, to use up that 5 pounds of carrots), needless to say, it was a great hit. This jam is like eating dessert for breakfast, without the guilt. Try it, I think you'll like it.

Carrot Cake Jam

1 1/2 C. finely grated, peeled carrots

1 1/2 C. chopped, cored, peeled pears

1 3/4 C. canned pineapple, including juice

3 Tbl. lemon juice

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1 pkg. regular powdered fruit pectin

6 1/2 C. granulated sugar (I only use C&H)

Prepare canner, jars and lids.

In a large, deep stainless steel saucepan, combine carrots, pears, pineapple, juices and spices. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat, cover and boil gently for 20 min., stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and whisk in pectin till dissolved. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently and add sugar all at once, return to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil hard, stirring constantly, for 1 min., remove from heat and skim off foam.

Ladle hot jam into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot jam. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar, screw ring down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip-tight.

Place jars in canner, making sure they're completely covered with water (if using water bath canner). Bring water to a boil and process for 10 min. Turn off heat and remove canner lid. Wait 5 minutes, then remove jars, cool and store.

This recipe yields 6 pints of jam

(if you're using a steam canner, bring water to a boil before you start timing. I always process everything for 30 min. When done, remove the canner lid, place the jars on the counter and allow to cool completely. Remove the rings and gently test the seal by lifting up on the lid. If the seal is complete, wipe the jar down again, replace the ring and tighten completely. Store in a cool dry place. Please note: if the seal is not complete the lid will lift. Return the lid and ring on the jar and place in the refrigerator. NEVER tighten the ring on your jar till the content is completely cooled, it will interfere with the seal of the lid).

NOTE: When I made my jam, I did not add pear, although it's a great way to use up those "bargain buy" pears that your family won't eat either; if you're leaving something out of a recipe, make it up with something else. You could increase the pineapple and carrots by 1/2 the amount of the pears, ie; 3/4 C. more each of pineapple and carrots.

I've also used carrots in a "mock" Orange Marmalade. I love the taste of orange, but I'm not crazy about the rind from the orange. Zest, I love, rind, not so much. The carrots take the place of the orange rind and you use orange juice for the jam. Great stuff! If you're interested in that recipe, let me know, I'm happy to share.

This is Georgette's great Carrot and Zucchini casserole:

Mix - 1 small pkg. of stuffing mix w/1 cube of melted butter

Mix - 1 can of cream of mushroom soup

1 C. sour cream

1 C. grated carrots

dash of paprika

1/4 C. onions chopped

1 1/2 # of grated zucchini

Sprinkle 1/2 of the stuffing mixture in the bottom of a greased, 9x9 casserole, spoon vegetable mixture over stuffing mix and sprinkle remaining stuffing on top; bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or till golden brown and heated through.

Here's the YUMMY, Swedish Carrots recipe:

Swedish Carrots – Serves 8 – Diet for One, Dinner for All

This is my favorite carrot recipe. It looks great, tastes amazing and is only 61 calories per serving.

8 carrots

2 Tbl. butter

2 onions, cut lengthwise into thin strips

1 Tbl. light cream

½ tsp. salt

Dash of cayenne pepper

2 tsp. brown sugar

Shred the carrots and cover with water to prevent discoloration. Drain well. Melt butter in saucepan and add carrots and onions. Toss to coat well. Cover and simmer for about 30 min., stirring occasionally. Add cream to prevent sticking and simmer another 15 min., again stirring occasionally. Add seasonings and brown sugar. Serve at once.

Spend a little time in the kitchen today. Bon Appetite!

Tomorrow's blog is going to be about essential oils - who knew?

Heritage

Well, I've decided to try a daily post, heaven only knows why - My daily post will be filled with random thoughts (that's when Fred says, oh,oh), recipes to try and, hopefully, some helpful tips.

Today - a random thought. Since the month of July is about our national heritage and, in Utah, pioneer heritage, I've been thinking about what we have to share.

I'm sure that some of you may think that your life isn't very exciting, glamorous or noteworthy, but I beg to disagree. We all have accomplished something that sets us apart from others. We are all unique individuals with varied talents and abilities. Our life experiences may be similar to others, but it's how we approach those experiences that makes us different.

I wrote a message this month for women at my church, about heritage, that I'd like to share with you, hopefully, it'll trigger some thoughts:

Heritage –

During the month of July, we celebrate two holidays, America’s Independence Day and, a holiday close to the hearts of members of the church, Pioneer Day. We celebrate with bbq’s, fireworks, family get-togethers, music, parades, a myriad of fun events.

We live in a country with great heritage. We belong to a church with amazing heritage, we all belong to families that have left us a legacy for us to build upon and/or change. We live in a land of freedom that allows us to become more, and hopefully, better than our ancestors were. We belong to a church that offers us the tools and knowledge to change our lives and become the best that we can become. We are not relegated to an existence that our parents or grandparents had because of our “place” in society, or our political or religious leanings.

Do we appreciate these things? Do we hold them dear? Are we teaching them to our children and grandchildren? Do we take the time and opportunity to share their “heritage” with them? What does heritage mean to you?

Who we are and where we go in life is often built upon the foundation of our forefathers; whether they were members of the church or not, whether they were immigrants to this great country or were born here, they have left us a legacy that we can emulate and/or learn from.

How much of your legacy do your children and grandchildren know? Do they appreciate who and where they came from? Do they find lessons learned or lives to emulate in their ancestors? Do their ancestors “live” for them?

Our ancestors have much to teach us and we have much to learn from them and teach in turn. Celebrations are good, they’re fun and great opportunities to come together as families, but memories and stories are things to learn from. They are the stuff that binds us together from generation to generation. That is the wonder of heritage.

My challenge to you is to start today to share your gift of heritage with your loved ones. Express your appreciation for this wonderful country, for the gospel and for your family. They are all intertwined in the Lord’s plan to re-establish his Gospel and link families together eternally.

Whether you're a member of my church, another church, or no church, we all have something that we believe in. Something greater than ourselves that, hopefully, lifts us and inspires us to become more; more than we think we're capable of.

Several years ago, I wrote a "program" for my daughter, Kathrine. I wanted her to "get in touch", (you can tell that I was raised in the 60's), with her inner self and find her foundation in this life. I called it, A Journey of Discovery. I had this great idea, (here comes Fred's oh, oh), that Fred, Kathrine and I could all work on it together and share our thoughts and experiences (the 60's again). Well, it didn't go over that well with Fred and Kathrine, but what I realized is that this little program, that consists of questions that need to be answered, was a perfect way to find your heritage.

I'm not a big journal writer, actually, I think I've only written about 20 things over a, huh hum ... 61 year life span. This does not bode well for my descendants. I accept that I'll never be a great journal writer, but I also realized that if I did "A Journey of Discovery", my children and grandchildren would not only know who I was, but who my parents and grandparents were.

It's never too late or too hard to share with our descendants your memories and experiences. Preserve them, share them, allow others to experience them and learn from them. I wrote a little poem several years ago:

Memories Left Unwritten

Knowing what you need to say,

Is not always an easy thing.

So how do I get from here to there

Sweet accomplishment to bring?

Your thoughts and feelings and happenings,

Written for others to see;

Imagine yourself, imagine them,

Then imagine you and me.

We think with our heads, we feel with our heats,

This is the place to start.

Where mind and heart work as one,

Sweet memories to impart.

Memories have great value,

To others and ourselves.

But memories left unwritten,

Are like old pictures left on a shelf.

The years go by, the pictures fade,

The ones that knew are gone.

And the memories left unwritten,

Are like the fading notes of a song.

By: Christie Thomas

Don't miss opportunities to share. Memories left unwritten, are just that. When you're gone, who will remember? There are many things that as a young mother, I said, "I'll never forget that.", or "I'll always remember this." I hate to say it, but it doesn't happen. I don't remember. I forgot.

Today, take the time to make some notes about your sweet children or grandchildren. Share your "random" thoughts with a piece of paper, or a computer document. Start your own "Journey of Discovery" and glory in what you remember and learn.

I'm happy to share Kathrine's program with you, just let me know you're interested and I'll e-mail it over. Good luck and happy remembering.

Tomorrow's post will be about using up those bulk products that often get wasted. Can you say..... Carrot Jam? Yummmmm!

Mock ? - Berry Jam - Canning #3

Mock - as in pretend, not mocking, as in laughing at. I know that you, sometimes, think that I come up with some pretty crazy things, but this wasn't my idea, I just embellished on it.

In St. George, there are many people that have fig trees, however, I don't know that many people that really like figs. This creates a perfect opportunity for you to pick up some FREE fruit. Now, you may say, "why do I want free figs? I'm not so crazy about them myself." Well, that's where the MOCK, as in pretend, comes in.

You can make some crazy good jam with figs and alter the taste by adding jello and/or some dry Kool Aid powder.

I think that I'm finally finishing up my jams and jellies, ohhh boy! I had taken some figs out of the freezer and decided to make mock jam. In one batch I used blackberry and raspberry jello and in the second I used strawberry.

The reason you use the "berry" flavor jello is because of all those pesky little seeds in the figs. I don't think it's worth your time to try to strain the seeds out, but you could use a different flavor, like grape, just pretend the seeds aren't there - yeah.

As I was making the strawberry jello, I decided that the flavor wasn't intense enough, thus the dry strawberry Kool Aid powder. I often "kick up" the flavor of fruit by using some dry drink powder. Make sure it's not sweetened drink mix, just the dry powder. Use the same flavor your jam will be and whala, you have some really intense flavor. You can also increase the flavor of fruit jam, like apricot or peach by adding dry flavored jello to match as well. Try it next time you have some fruit that's not quite flavorful enough for you. You'll like it.

I'm including the recipe for the Mock (fig) Strawberry Jam (just change the jello to change the flavor) and another one for Mock (with green tomatoes) Raspberry Jam. Give them a try, the green tomato jam is great for those tomatoes that don't quite ripen at the end of your growing season.

Fig Strawberry Jam - Printed from COOKS.COM

3 C. fresh, peeled figs (mashed slightly)

2 C. sugar

2 - 3oz. pkgs. of Strawberry Jello (or 1-6 oz.)

1/2 C. water

1/2 slice lemon

5 - 8oz. jars

Mix all ingredients in a large pot. Cook on high heat until mixture comes to a rolling boil. Cook on medium heat 20 minutes or till thick, stirring occasionally. Pour into sterilized jars and process.

Note: I steamed my figs, with the skins on, because I froze them. I mostly pureed the fruit, because I don't like chunky jam. I added 2-4 Tbl. of lemon juice instead of the slice and increased the water to 1 - 1 1/2 C., to reduce the chance of scorching. You don't need to stir this jam constantly, but you do want to keep an eye on it so it doesn't scorch. If you increase the water, you may need to cook the jam longer in order to "cook off" some of the liquid.

Mock Raspberry Jam – by Miss Annie

“Another use for those unripe or end of season green tomatoes. It really does taste line raspberry jam! I got this recipe from Southern Living.”

Ingredients:

2 ½ C. green tomatoes, chopped

1 ½ C. sugar

1 – 3 oz. pkg. of raspberry Jell-o gelatin

Directions:

Combine tomatoes and sugar in a large saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Add jello, and stir till dissolved. Pour mixture into airtight containers. Store in refrigerator for up to 1 week, or freeze up to 6 month.

Note: you may can and process this jam, just as you would for any jam or jelly. I would add a couple of tablespoons of lemon juice, which is common for jams and jellies and helps with long term preservation. I don't have enough room in my freezers for jam and jelly, I'd rather freeze fruit, so everything gets canned that's possible.

Well, there you go, I hope you give one or both of these a try. I'm thinking you'll like them.

s.

Comfort Food, Why's it so hard to duplicate?

Comfort foods are those that generate good memories of our Mother's and Grandmother's cooking. It doesn't matter if your Matriarchs were amazing cooks of just fair, there was always something in their repertoire that reminds you of home.

I think that one of the most common comfort foods is Meatloaf. Sunday meatloaf covered in perfect gravy, mashed potatoes swimming in butter and a side vegetable, usually canned (I grew up ten thousand years ago and frozen vegetables weren't readily available).

For some reason there seems to be a disconnect with our matriarchs meatloaf and what we produce today. I find the thought of a yummy meatloaf dinner enticing, but the end result is often disappointing. The meatloaf seems tough and sits in your stomach like a rock.

I truly believe that our predecessors used methods of cooking that they found natural; methods that were passed down from their predecessors. The unfortunate thing is that they never wrote anything down. They didn't see cooking as an art form, but as a necessity. You learned to cook in the kitchen with your mother or you didn't and if you didn't, you're sorely out of luck.

I've been thinking a lot about meatloaf - who knows why? I've found an interesting "technique" that I think will help with that HEAVY meatloaf. I've started with a great Pampered Chef recipe and added a technique often used in Italian cooking. Pampered Chef's recipe is for Swedish Meat Loaf Supper (the leftovers can be used for sandwiches another day). The technique is to soak soft bread in milk, gently "ring" it out and add the milk softened bread to your meat mixture. I hope you'll try this out and let me know what you think.

Swedish Meat Loaf Supper

1 - 4 oz. can mushrooms (pieces and stems), drained and finely chopped

1/2 C. onion, finely chopped

1/4 C. fresh parsley, snipped

1 C. fresh white bread crumbs (about 2 slices)*

2/3 C. milk

1 egg

1 1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground allspice or nutmeg (very common in Swedish cooking)

1 lb. lean (90%) ground beef

1 lb. lean ground pork (not sausage)

Noodles and Creamy Gravy

1 - 12 oz. pkg. uncooked egg noodles

1 - 12 oz. jar of mushroom or beef gravy

2 Tbl. milk

1/4 C. sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 for meat loaf.

Mix together, mushrooms, onions, parsley, bread crumbs, milk, egg and seasoning; mix well. Crumble meat into bowl and mix lightly, but thoroughly, with your hands till everything is fully incorporated. Shape meat mixture into a loaf and place in a loaf pan.

Bake 1 hour and 15 min. - 1 hour and 20 min., or until meat's no longer pink in the center, or internal temperature reaches 160 degrees (use pocket thermometer). Remove from oven to serving platter and let stand 10 minutes, covered with foil.

Cook noodles according to directions and drain. For creamy gravy, heat gravy with milk over med. heat, stirring occasionally with a whisk. Just before serving, whisk in sour cream (do not allow to boil); remove from heat.

Cut meatloaf across in half. Cut one half into 8 slices and serve with noodles and creamy gravy. Tightly wrap remaining meatloaf and refrigerate up to 4 days for use in meat loaf sandwiches.

Yields - 4 servings.

* You can crumble the bread, and add the milk to the meat mixture, as indicated, or you can break the bread into pieces, soak in the milk, then add the bread and milk to the meat mixture (make sure the bread is broken up before adding, you don't want clumps of bread in your meatloaf).

I could not possibly have meatloaf without sage. I'm sure it's not Swedish, but it's surely American. You can add anywhere from 1 tsp. - 2 tsp. of sage to your meat mixture, it depends on your affinity for sage. Give it a try. Start small and see where you go from there.

You'll notice that PC uses some pre-prepared foods, like the jar of gravy. You can make your own, if you like, starting with a white sauce, use beef stock instead of chicken and some milk or half and half and finish off with the sour cream. You can also use fresh mushrooms instead of canned, just saute them in a little butter before adding them to the meat mixture and/or the gravy.

Here's an extra recipe for you -

Millennium Meat Loaf Sandwiches - Serves 4

1/2 loaf of reserved Swedish Meatloaf

1/4 C. mayonnaise

1/4 C. sour cream

1 Tbl. Dijon mustard

1 tsp. All-Purpose Dill Mix (from the Pampered Chef)

1/2 medium cucumber, sliced

2-3 slices red onions, separate into rings

4 slices of rye bread

Cut meat loaf across into 8 thin slices. Mix the mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard and dill mix - set aside.

Slice cucumber and onion; separate onion slices into rings.

To assemble sandwiches, spread half of the mayonnaise mixture on one side of the bread slices. Top with meat loaf, onion, cucumber and a spoonful of remaining mayonnaise mixture.

There's nothing greater than cooking once and eating twice. Remember, you can always change things for your personal taste. I'd probably eliminate the onion, I love the idea of the cucumbers and, knowing how good the dill mix is, I'd definitely leave that in. This sounds like a great sandwich. Served open face, you're eliminating an extra slice of bread. Really, "what's not to like"?

Thanks to the Pampered Chef for their AMAZING recipes - just YUMMY!

Enjoy!

Canning still?... You bet!

Canning, much like candy making, requires attention and time without distractions, so make sure to schedule your canning when you won’t be interrupted by kids and other commitments. Once you get started, you need to finish, so this is not an activity that gives you the option to stop in the middle.

Canning like your Mothers or Grandmothers is certainly possible. Pectin was first isolated and described in 1825, but wasn’t available for home canning, till the late 1920’s and 1930’s. It was first extracted from dried apples and later from citrus fruits. Because many fruits have natural pectin, it’s possible for you to can jams and jellies without the addition of powdered pectin, as your mothers and grandmothers did. You may need to cook your jam or jelly slightly longer to give the natural fruit pectin time to start thickening, but it’s a great thing to know when you’re in the middle of canning and realize that you don’t have pectin for your jams and jellies and it’s also kind of fun. I made this recipe today for Apricot Jam:

Old-Fashioned Apricot Jam – makes about 9 – 8oz. jars

8C. chopped pitted peeled apricots

4 Tbl. lemon juice

6 C. granulated sugar

Prepare your canner, jars and lids.

Combine the apricots, lemon juice and sugar in a non-reactive pan (this means not aluminum). Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly to dissolve sugar. Boil, stirring frequently, till mixture thickens. Remove from heat and test “gel”. If gel stage has been reached, skim off foam and ladle into jars, leaving ¼ inch head space. Place on lids and rings, process for 10 minutes in a water bath canner.

You’ll notice there’s no pectin in this recipe, just the natural pectin from the fruit. This is really good. Try making some jam with out store bought pectin, it’s easy and fun. This is a great recipe if you like apricots.

I’d like to recommend the Ball Blue Book. It’s a great book for overall canning. It gives you instructions for the use of your water bath canner and your pressure cooker canner. It’s full of recipes, that are really good and also has recipes for using your canned goods. You can find this book in WalMart and most grocery stores. You can also check out Ball’s site online at www.FreshPreserving.com.

It’s also possible to can without sugar and/or using honey. If you have dietary needs that require a reduction of sugar in your diet, I suggest that you purchase Canning and Preserving Without Sugar, by Norma M. MacRea, R.D. – my book is the 3^rd edition, there is a 4^th edition available through Amazon and received 4 ½ stars from readers. I’d recommend it as a good addition to your recipe collection.

I have a great book, Putting it up With Honey, by Susan Geiskopf, this book is also available through Amazon and received 4 ½ stars. I like this book very much and have used it extensively for jams and jellies. I thought I’d share one of my favorite recipes with you:

Sun-Cooked Peach or Nectarine Preserves

3 lbs. peeled peaches or nectarines (about 6 C.)

2 C. honey

½ C. lemon juice

I cut up the fruit, added the honey and lemon juice, let it set for about an hour so the juices will start drawing. Cook on medium heat stirring occasionally till the mixture starts to thicken (I give it a good mash, so the fruit isn’t so chunky). Once the mixture starts to thicken, you may need to stir more often to keep it from scorching. There is no added pectin in this preserve, so cook it till it reaches your desired consistency. This, preserve like jam, has a great, somewhat nutty flavor. It’s hard to describe, but the honey gives it a great taste. I like to use a rather mild honey, so it doesn’t detract from the flavor of the fruit. Prepare your jars and lids. You will get about 5 half-pint jars. Process in a water bath for 10 minutes (be sure to follow canning directions). Yummy!

Try some canning with honey; I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

I’ve talked to you before about trying something new. I made some jam with Mango and Strawberries. This is so good! It’s a great way to use up extra mangos in a really fun way.

Mango Raspberry Jam – makes about 7 – 8oz jars.

3 C. finely chopped, pitted, peeled mangos

1 ½ C. crushed red raspberries

2 Tbl. lemon juice

1 pkg. powdered pectin

5 ½ C. granulated sugar

Mix the fruit, lemon juice and pectin in a large non-reactive pan. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently to keep it from scorching. Add sugar all at once and stir well to dissolve sugar. Bring Canning, much like candy making, requires attention and time without distractions, so make sure to schedule your canning when you won’t be interrupted by kids and other commitments. Once you get started, you need to finish, so this is not an activity that gives you the option to stop in the middle.

Fresh melons will give you the taste of summer during those winter months if you make a melon jelly or jam. These are so amazing and wonderfully different. I’ve made cantaloupe, honeydew and watermelon. I’m not sure I can choose a favorite, they’re all so good. Here’s a watermelon jelly you can give a try.

Zesty Watermelon Jelly – make about 5 – 8oz. jars

6 C. chopped watermelon, rind removed

½ C. white balsamic, white wine or apple cider vinegar

4 Tbl. lemon juice

5 C. granulated sugar

1 stem lemongrass, chopped (optional)

2 pouches – 3oz. ea. liquid pectin

Prepare canner, jars and lids.

I process my fruit in a blender. Measure 2 C. of juice into a large non-reactive pan. Add vinegar, lemon juice, sugar and lemongrass. Cook over high heat, stirring constantly; bring to a full rolling boil (this is a boil that cannot be stirred down). Stir in pectin, making sure that all the pectin is dissolved. You may need to use a whip. Boil hard, stirring constantly for 1 min. Remove from heat, skim foam and ladle into prepared jars, leaving ¼ inch head space. Place lids and rings on jars and process for 10 minutes in a water bath canner.

Give it a try and let me know what you think.

You need to know, that I don’t buy fruit to make jam or jelly. I make jam or jelly to use up fruit that’s going to go to waste. If I don’t have enough, I prepare the fruit, place it in a zip lock bag and toss it in the freezer till I have enough “little leftovers” to make a batch. Think in terms of cutting down on your waste. You’ll be surprised what you’ll come up with.

Remember my mystery jam? The one I hadn’t labeled? Some of you thought that it was pear. Well, it was a combination of lemon, lime and oranges that I’d acquired before the holidays. They didn’t hold well and in order to keep from loosing the whole lot, I zested, squeezed and processed into a citrus jam. You seemed to like it. Think citrus.

When you’re finished with your canning, it’s important to prepare everything so it’ll be ready for your next canning marathon. Keep your equipment clean. If you keep the boxes, place them back in their containers. This makes them easy to store and stack, as well as giving you instructions for use. All your kitchen equipment and tools are an investment, make sure you take care of them and they’ll last you forever. I still use my mother’s canning equipment. It must be, at least, 60 years old. to a roiling boil and start checking for the “gel”. If gel has been reached, skim off foam (put this into a container and store in refrigerator. It’s great on your morning toast). Ladle into jars, leaving ¼ inch head space, place on lids and rings, process for 10 minutes in a water bath canner.

2

Canning, a lost art revived.....

As we're winding down and only have one more cooking class, I'd like to share some personal thoughts with you; I hope that if I have accomplished anything from these cooking classes, it's that I've encouraged you to try new things, work a little outside your comfort zone and NEVER give up.

I have a habit of using certain terminology repeatedly, like;

"It's CRAZY good"

"Everything is subjective, especially taste"

"Taste it"

"Season it as you go along"

"Recipes aren't always necessary"

"This is NOT brain surgery"

"Have FUN"

I'm sure there's more that you've taken note of over the months, just know that whatever terminology I use, you are all AMAZING! Thanks for hanging in there with me and going the distance. Thanks for trying the recipes and sharing your achievements with me, it's what's kept me committed, over the long haul.

Well, let's talk about canning ....... I learned canning from my mother, who learned it from her mother, and so on....., but it wasn't until some years later that I started experimenting with combinations of flavors and stretching my boundaries, as far as canning is concerned.

I think that if you want to do anything well, you need to study it. Canning is a whole different world from cooking and baking. It's a technique and discipline all it's own. If you're interested in becoming a GREAT canner, doing more than jams and jellies, then spend some time studying the art of canning. You'll find it very rewarding.

I love the sound of jar lids popping as they seal, I love the look of those jars, cleaned, labeled and lined up on my shelves, ready for use or for longer term storage. It's gratifying to see the results of my hard labor before my eyes, knowing that I've achieved something that few people participate in any longer. Canning is truly one of the lost homemaking arts and fewer people are canning every year.

There are certain basics that you should to be aware of:

1. If you want to be safe, be clean. Sterilize your jars in a dishwasher, sterilize the lids according the manufacturer's directions and always, always, always, follow directions.

2. If you're using a pressure cooker canner (this is not a pressure cooker. You can can

and cook in a pressure cooker canner, but only cook in a pressure cooker), be sure to have the seal tested once a year. Check with your community offices to see if they offer testing once a year, most do, but if yours doesn't, check with a local kitchen store to see if they'll test your canner or inform you who might offer that service. I know that many of you are nervous about using a pressure cooker canner, just be sure to FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS.

When your canning time is over, turn your stove off and don't touch the canner till the pressure gage is down to zero. When it reads zero, remove the "toggle" at the top, allow any remaining steam to escape, carefully remove the lid, and ALWAYS tip it away from you. Carefully remove the jars from the canner and place them on the counter to cool for 12-24 hours, making sure that the jars are spaced 1-2 inches apart. After they've cooled sufficiently, clean the jars, remove the rings, washing them and wash around the top of the jar. Gently lift up on the lid, if it doesn't come off, return the ring to the jar, label and store. If the lid comes off, put it back on the jar, return the ring and store in the refrigerator, or clean of the rim of the jar, place a new lid on the jar and re-can, following the initial process.

3. If you're not sure what process to use to can something, whether you should water bath, steam can or need to pressure cooker can, look it up. There are so many sites on the web. You can access The National Center For Home Food Preservation by going to:

http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/publications/publications_usda.html . Their latest revision is 2009. You have links and a volume of pertinent information on your cd, but it's always a good thing to look something up, or give me a call, if you're not sure. You'll notice that these sites don't

recommend "steam canning", mostly because they've never studied it to see what the

long term results are. Use whatever method you're comfortable with. I've used a "steam canner" for over 30 years and have never had any trouble, but I'm always very conservative in my

processing method. I never start timing my jars till I see steam coming from the vent holes. I never process anything less than 35 minutes; most recipes indicate 10, 15 or 20. I would much rather ere on the side of caution.

Make sure you understand that processing time, whether using water bath, steam or pressure cooker canning, is given for "sea level". If you live above sea level, you'll need to adjust your #'s of pressure, for your pressure cooker, and your processing time as well. You need to add 1/2 # of pressure for every 1,000 feet above sea level. The normal boiling point of water at sea level is 212°. At higher altitudes, water boils at lower temperatures. When processing jars of jams, jellies or pickles, and other preserves in a boiling water bath at higher altitudes, use the following chart to adjust times.

1,001 feet to 3,000 feet, add 5 minutes to processing times.
3,001 feet to 6,000 feet, add 10 minutes to processing times.
6,001 feet to 8,000 feet, add 15 minutes to processing times.
8,001 feet to 10,000 feet, add 20 minutes to processing times.

If you're not sure what your altitude is, Google it. I type in "altitude for saint george, utah" in my Google search and find it in Wikipedia. Check out your altitude, you'll want to know for making candy also - it's important.

I'd suggest that you save the e-mail I sent you on Thursday with canning information, I haven't included that information here.

I know that this sounds, somewhat, overwhelming. Take a deep breath and think about what the worse case scenario is: If you're jars don't seal, place them in the refrigerator, to use later or pour the contents out of the jars, and freeze. Not to worry! If your jam or jelly doesn't set - You have some "crazy good" pancake syrup. Not to worry! Nothing is wasted, not even your time, because everything you've made can be used for your family.

Practice makes perfect. There's a great deal of truth to that. If you give up after one, less than perfect attempt, you'll never reach your goal.

Remember - Everything is possible - even canning.

Here are the recipes I promised. Give them a try and let me know how you do.

Carrot Cake Jam - yields 6-8 oz. jars

1 1/2 C Finely grated peeled carrots

1 1/2 C. chopped, cored, peeled pears (you could also use apple)

1 3/4 C. canned pineapple, including juice

3 Tbl. lemon juice

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1 pkg. powdered fruit pectin

6 1/2 C. granulated sugar

Prepare canner, jars and lids.

In a large, deep stainless steel saucepan, combine carrots, pears, pineapple with juice, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat, cover and boil gently for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and whisk in pectin until dissolved. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently. Add sugar all at once and return to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil hard, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Remove from heat and skim off foam.

Ladle hot jam into hot jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot jam. Wipe rim; Center lid on jar. Screw band down until resistance is met, then increase to finger-tip tight.

Place jars in canner, ensuring they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil and process for 10 minutes. Remove canner lid. Wait 5 minutes, then remove jars, cool and store.

Zucchini Relish – yields 10-12 pints

10 C. ground zucchini

4 C. chopped onions

4 ground bell peppers

Grind all (I use my food processor, you can use whatever works best for you) and place in a very large bowl and stir to blend. Sprinkle 5 Tbl. of salt over the mixture and let it rest for 5 hours, or overnight. Drain off liquid & cover with water. Rinse twice and drain well, then pour into a large pot. Add:

2 ½ C. apple cider vinegar

5 C. sugar

1 tsp. turmeric

1 tsp. nutmeg

2 tsp. celery seeds

1 heaping tsp. cornstarch

Bring to a boil and boil 30 minutes. Pack into jars, leaving ½ inch head space and process.

Note: As I said, I process everything 35 minutes by “steam canning”, if you’re water bath canning, I’d use the same time required for pickles. As with pickles, this relish is good fresh, but much better after it ages 6-12 months.

This is a GREAT recipe for those zucchini that got away from you. Those big giant ones that have the really hard skin – perfect!

I often grate my zucchini and other vegetables as I go through the summer and freeze them till I have enough for a batch of relish. Just measure your ingredients and make a note of the volume on your zip lock bag.

The only problem with sharing this recipe with your family and friends is that they no longer give you their truckload of extra zucchini.

ENJOY!