I’ve been in a major food preserving mode lately. Partially because I’m teaching a workshop on the subject in less than 24 hours, but also because the weather here in West Michigan is just screaming “Fall” — and fresh produce is aplenty!
I’ll be the first to admit that food preserving CAN BE overwhelming. I’ve been preserving {either by myself or helping my mom} for over 15 years and I still fell a bit of anxiety when I know a big canning or freezing day is coming up.
I often ask myself if it’s worth all the extra effort. But then when I go down into my basement in the middle of winter and see this:
… my happy taste buds tell me it was definitely worth the effort!
If you are new to food preserving or just looking for a few recipes and resources here are a few of my favorites.
1. Home-grown Tomatoes: One of the easiest {and cheapest} foods to preserve.
2. The Basics of Canning Jam: Everything you need to know to get started.
3. Berry Jams: 6 different varieties of my favorite berry jams.
4. Applesauce: My husband and I go through 50 quarts of applesauce each year!!! I usually don’t can it until January — but if you can’t wait; it’s just peeled and mashed apples with a bit of sugar and water.
5. Apple Butter: One of my favorite condiments year round…but especially in the fall.
6. Peaches, Pears, and Apricots: Want to have fresh-tasting fruit all year long? Give these a try.
7. Jalapeño Jelly: I haven’t blogged about this yet, but here is a recipe that’s extremely similar to my own. Oh, and it’s NOT spicy at all!
8. Herb Reference Sheet: A list of common herbs, how to preserve them, and how to use them in your cooking.
9. Vegetable Freezing Chart: How to freeze and preserve a variety of vegetables from A to Z.
10. Recommended Processing Times: A handy list of processing times for canning fruits and veggies.
I’ve been busy preserving lots of food this Fall but I’m still hoping to find an excellent recipe for pumpkin butter and canned apple pie filling. If you have a great recipe let me know!
What are your favorite food preserving resources and recipes?
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Gina says
Oh my!!! Look at all that canned stuff!!! I just made my first batch of muscadine jelly a couple of weeks ago – and I loved doing it. I think next year I’ll try some of your suggestions, too. How do you do your salsa? My husband makes a wonderful salsa, but it always go straight to the fridge because I don’t know how to can it.
Andie @Raising {Happy} Healthy Kids says
Wow! I think you’ve inspired the canning and preserving lady in me!