Pickled Banana Peppers

I decided to try one more recipe for banana peppers!  This one is not a sweet one and I sealed this one up!  I am going to give this one a try soon and let you know the verdict on which was better or maybe both will be good!

(my garden froze last night!  good thing I picked what was there!)

Pickled Banana Peppers

(makes 1 pint jar)

(jessicasfoodspot.blogspot.com)

Ingredients

10-12 banana peppers

1 hot pepper

1 cup white vinegar

1 cup water

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp dry mustard seed

1 tsp pepper corns

2 cloves garlic, peeled

In a saucepan bring the vinegar, water, salt, peppercorns and mustard seed to a boil. Then remove from heat. In a large stock pot bring plain water to a boil.

While the brine is coming to a boil, slice the peppers into rings. Cut one of the garlic cloves into fourths and layer the peppers and garlic in a jar. Put the second garlic glove on top of the peppers.

Pour the brine over the peppers, leaving 1/2 inch space at the top of the jar. Place the lid on top of the jar making sure that seal is tight, then screw on the ring. Place the jar in the large stock pot of boiling water and boil for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the hot jar from the boiling water. After cooling for a few minutes check to make sure the jar sealed (If it is not sealed the middle of the lid will pop up and down). If it didn't seal just be sure to always keep it refrigerated.

Sweet Pickled Banana Peppers

I planted banana peppers this year in my garden.  I didn't plant much since we got our garden in so late, but the nursery had banana pepper plants and I decided why not!

My family likes peppers on their sandwiches and even in salads.  So I did a little searching on the Internet for a recipe.  Well I found one with RAVE reviews and 5 stars everywhere!  I have now officially tried it and it smells right and was super easy.  I haven't tried them yet because you have to wait 2 weeks before you can eat them.

I am sharing for any of you looking for a recipe, you might want to try this one.  It takes quite a few peppers to fill a pint jar, so you can use 1/2 pint jars too.

Sweet Pickled Banana Peppers

(http://www.food.com/)

Ingredients:

     1/2 lb banana peppers, seeded and sliced cross ways into rings (about 2 cups cut peppers)

Pickling Juice:

• 2 cups white vinegar
• 2/3 cups white sugar
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp celery seeds
• (I added a cut up clove of garlic too!  A lot of other recipes had garlic in them, so that was my addition to this recipe!)

Directions:

      Sterilize 2 1/2 pint jars, or 1 pint jar.  (I usually put them through the dishwasher right before I need them.  I had already washed my jars that way and so this time I just put my jar in boiling water on the stove for 5 minutes and then used it!)

     Bring the vinegar, sugar, mustard seed and celery seed to a rolling boil.

     Place the cut up peppers into the sterilized jars.  Pour the hot pickling juice in the jars.  Bring liquid to about 1/2" of the top and make sure the edge of the jar has no juice on it or that you wipe the top of the jar.

     Place lids and screw on the bands finger tight.  Seal jar and leave for 2 weeks.  I just did one jar and want to try it right away, so I didn't water bath it and am git in the refrigerator to try in 2 weeks.  I saw on other recipes to water bath the jars for 10 minutes to process.

     I hope someone else out there tries this and I will let you know in 2 weeks how this one turned out!

Pizza Sauce

I did a little canning on Friday and made pizza sauce with some tomatoes I had!

I am taking it on good recommendation that this is great sauce, since I haven't yet tried it!

But I trust the advice and have made 12 pints already and may do a few more later!

Peach Preserves

I found this on Allrecipes.com. It had a 5 star rating and I had a bunch of peaches that needed something done to them!

This turned out really good. I tried it warm and thought this would be really good warmed up on vanilla ice-cream and as always good on toast or waffles!

Peach Preserves

(www.allrecipes.com)

• 12 fresh peaches, pitted and chopped
• 4 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 pkg dry pectin

Crush 1 cup of the chopped peaches in the bottom of a large saucepan. Add remaining peaches, and set pan over medium-low heat. Bring to a low boil and cook for about 20 minutes or until peaches become liquid (maybe leaving a few peach chunks!)

Add sugar and bring back to a boil over medium heat. Gradually stir in dry pectin, and boil for 1 minute.

Remove from heat after 1 minute and transfer to sterilized jars. Process in hot water bath canner for 10 minutes. Let cool and store and eat!!!

Dehydrated Apples

This last Saturday I bought a case of apples from Bountiful Baskets. Our family has loved the apples! They have been sooooo good! I have been really impressed with the fruits/vegies I have gotten from them!

With all the apples (which we love to just eat too!) I have started my dehydrator again! I have come to love this thing again! We have had it for over 10 years and have used it more in the last few weeks than ever! They are super yummy!

So when you are canning, you might think about dehydrating too!

The dehydrator at work on my island! It may stay there for a while!

Dried Apples

• Peel and Core apples. Slice them uniform about 1/4-1/2 inch thick (I have a mandolin which is awesome for cutting uniformly). You can pretreat the apples, but I didn't and they didn't brown.
• With the thickness I had, it took my apples about 4 hours to dry. Start them in the morning and then go about your day and you will find a yummy treat!

Dried Pears

The Bountiful Baskets had pears in them! I am planning on canning some, but decided to try and dry a few!

They turned out really good, and what a great snack!

I always forget I had a food dehydrator and I am going to have to try this again.

I even have a tray to make fruit leather!

Dried Pears

(from Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving)

• Choose any variety of pear and allow to ripen. Wash, peel and core. (I actually got lazy and didn't peel all of them and thought they were fine!)
• Cut into 1/2 inch slices, quarters or halves. (I used my mandolin, so great!)
• You can pretreat by dipping if desired. (I didn't do this, but you dip the fruit in a lemon or lime juice. 1 cup juice to 1 quart water. soak no longer than 10 minutes, drain.)
• Dry at 130-135 degrees until leathery with no moisture pockets.

Apple Pie Filling

This is a recipe Sally Wilson gave me that she said was FABULOUS! I canned some this weekend and I am excited to try it! We did 2 batches and got 14 quart jars! Next time I do know that we will use an apple corer peeler!!

Preserved Apple Pie Filling

• 4 1/2-5 cups sugar
• 1 cup cornstarch
• 2 tbsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tbsp salt
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 5 1/2-6 lbs peeled, cored and seeded tart apples

Put first 5 ingredients in heavy kettle and stir in 10 cups of water in slowly. Cook until thick and bubbly.

Add lemon juice. Put sliced apples in clean, hot jars. Pour cooked mixture over apples (or alternate in layers). Seal and process 20 minutes in a hot water bath.

Use 1 quart jar per pie!

Salsa

I found this recipe on a blog and decided to try it this year. It was a huge success (as she described on the blog) and I am really glad to have made some (thanks Michelle for motivating to get it done!). It is Marla's recipe, so if you are knee deep in tomatoes right now and want a new recipe to try, give this one a try~

___________________________

Salsa

1 qt tomatoes, peeled and chopped

1 onion, chopped

1 can diced green chilies

1 green pepper, chopped

2 1/2 jalapeno peppers, chopped

1 tbsp garlic salt

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

Boil all ingredients together for 30 minutes--Process for 30 minutes in water bath if canning.

**the more jalapenos, the hotter it gets, this recipe is on the milder side!

(We got about 6 1/2 pints from doubling this recipe)