It's Fall Canning Time

This is the steam canner I use to process high-acid foods like, apples and tomatoes. My Grandma Amy Mayberry used one of these as well as my Mom Lavee. Actually, they had a few and would borrow additional from family members on canning days. There were always a few of these being used at once. Some on the kitchen stove and some on propane camping stoves set up for the day. This model is no longer being sold, but Back-to-Basics makes a similar one with handles. The cheapest I have seen the updated model is at walmart.com, or thrift stores if you can be so lucky to run across one.

The reason our family loved these canners so much, is because you only need to heat a few cups of water. The processing (cooking) time is the same as water-bath canning, just follow the recipe time. Where you save the time is heating the water to begin with. You also save on gas/propane because once the steamer reaches high, the flame on the stove is turned down to a medium/low, just enough to maintain the steam.

It's Fall, time to put away some fruits while they are in season.

So far this year I have canned; apple pie filling, peach jam, apple sauce, apple butter, strawberry jam and peaches.

The lone zucchini plant

This is my first year to can by myself. I did it all the time growing up, so much so that I hated it. Growing up, we would work from sun up to sun down canning. I have been married 13 years and it's about time I got over it. It's not so bad when you only do a few jars and not one-hundred. OK, maybe we didn't can 100 bottles, but we did a lot. All the apples I canned this year were 2 full 5 gallon buckets. Growing up it would be 10 to 20, full 5 gallon buckets. And usually, we spent the day before picking them all. It's hot and humid in an orchard, no breeze, lots of bugs and spiders. And if our own wasn't enough, my Mom taught many new mothers how to can and we were her little helpers. Do I sound like I'm whining? Actually I am grateful that I know how to can and save food for later.

The kids and the husband think the jams taste awesome, no more store bought for them. Bre is trying to have me make mint jelly. And I found a recipe for pineapple zucchini. This can help me use up the ton of zucchini I have. We only planted one plant and it's giving up more then we and everyone we know can use. Because zucchini is so bland it can basically absorb the tast of whatever you cook with it. I'm hoping the zucchini pineapple will taste like the pineapple and I can use it in baking for the taste but save a lot of money on ingredients, pineapple ain't cheep. I'm worried about the texture and water content. It can't hurt to try.

Zucchini Pineapple Recipe

4 quarts cubed or shredded zucchini

46 ounces canned unsweetened pineapple juice

1.5 cups bottled lemon juice

3 cups sugar

Yield: about 8 to 9 pints

Peel zucchini and either cut into 1/2 inch cubes or shred. Mix zucchini with the other ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer 20 minutes. Fill jars with hot mixture and cooking liquids, leaving 1/2 inch of head space. Adjust the lids and process for 20 minutes.