Small Potatoes

I bought these tiny potatoes at a local Farmers Market. The whole potatoes were canned with
lightly salted water. The other potatoes were cut in half and canned in a light chicken broth. (it was just brought to my attention that if I used a real chicken broth I would need to PSI 90 minutes) I used bouillon. Thanks deerie65775


I scrubbed the potatoes and then pressured canned them for 40 minutes (quarts) or 35 (pints). I left the peel on and really like them this way.
I added garlic to some jars and just a splash of lemon to other jars. These are so handy to have in the pantry.Posted byCynat7:52 PM

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An Interview With Jessica Koslow of Sqirl - Her Canning Success

Intrigued by a Daily Candy article, I purchased two jars of Sqirl confections online and tweeted the find using the tag #canvolution. Four months later, I met owner Jessica Koslow IRL (in real life) at Forage in Los Angeles to connect over good food and a love for canning.

As a trends research, creative development and marketing consultant...

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Delicious Pickled Bell Peppers Recipe

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers...


You can pickle any kind of pepper. I think jalapenos are probably the most common type to get pickled. I personally have a fondness for for . I think they make a lunch time sandwich more fun. They can be made more colorful by including some red or yellow peppers.

I usually make them with just garlic, but this time I decided to throw in some ginger too. A fun thing about pickles is that you can be creative about what spices you use.


Bell peppers happen to be just about the right height to fit 1/2 pint. They are kind of short for the pint jar I have them pictured in, so they are floating to the top.

Four peppers makes about 3 pints, so it is easy to determine how many jars you need.
Since the brine recipe here came from The Complete Book of Small-Batch Preserving:, it only makes enough for three 1/2 pint jars. It can simply be multiplied to fit the amount you are making.

Brine (for 1 1/2 pints)
1 1/2 cups vinegar
1/2 water
2 Tbs sugar
1 tsp canning salt


Cut the peppers into strips. Bring the brine to a boil. Put a garlic clove in each jar. Pack pepper strips into jar in a vertical position. Cover with brine leaving 1/2 inch inch headspace and process in a water bath. Process 1/2 pints for 15 minutes or pints for 20 minutes.

High altitude instructions
1,001 - 3,000 feet : increase processing time by 5 minutes
3,001 - 6,000 feet : increase processing time by 10 minutes
6,001 - 8,000 feet : increase processing time by 15 minutes
8,001 - 10,000 feet : increase processing time by 20 minutes




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The Art of Canning Carrots

It is interesting that I found it fun to write about, asparagus, corn, okra, beets, and green beans; yet when it comes to carrots, that topic just seems boring. Perhaps it is because I've never pickled them so they just seem plain to me. Perhaps it is because I've never liked them much to begin with.

There seem to be a lot of recipes for pickled carrots. I think this weekend I will pick one and try it. I might like it (even if it is carrots).


In the mean time here are instructions for canning plain old boiled carrots (sliced or diced). If you want to use salt, put canning salt in the jar before you add the carrots. Use 1/2 tsp for a pint jar, or 1 tsp for a quart jar.

You can boil the carrots for five minutes before you put them in the jars (that is called the hot pack method), or you can put them into the jars raw and pour boiling water over them (that is called the cold pack method). Either way leave 1 inch headspace, and process using the pressure canner method. Process pints for 25 minutes, or quarts for 30 minutes.




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Carefully Pickling Carrots

After Friday's post, I decided to look through recipes for pickled carrots. There was a huge variety of them to choose from.

One from Pickles and Relishes: From Apples to Zucchinis that had both carrots and parsnips in it caught my attention. When I looked closer, I realized that it was a recipe for refrigerator pickles. On the one hand, refrigerator pickles can be nice, because they stay crisp. On the other hand, you have to consider how much refrigerator space you are willing to take up. I decided to turn it into a recipe for canned pickles.

Another recipe from cooks.com caught my attention because it was similar to my recipe for pickled beets. I decided to also try a variation of that recipe.


Pickled Carrots and Parsnips
(makes about 8 half-pint jars)

1 pound carrots
1 pound parsnips
3 cups vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup pickling salt
1 Tbls pickling spice

Cut the carrots and parsnips into 3 inch long sticks. Combine remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Pack carrots and parsnips into hot jars and cover with brine leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Add lids and process in a water bath for 10 minutes.

High altitude instructions
1,001 - 3,000 feet : increase processing time by 5 minutes
3,001 - 6,000 feet : increase processing time by 10 minutes
6,001 - 8,000 feet : increase processing time by 15 minutes
8,001 - 10,000 feet : increase processing time by 20 minutes


Pickled Carrots
(makes about 8 half-pint jars)

2 pounds carrots
8 cinnamon sticks (about 2 inches long)
16 cloves
8 allspice berries
3 cups vinegar
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp pickling salt

Cut the carrots into 3 inch long sticks. Place two cloves, one allspice berry and one cinnamon stick in each jar. Combine remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Pack carrots into jars and cover with brine leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Add lids and process in a water bath for 10 minutes.

High altitude instructions
1,001 - 3,000 feet : increase processing time by 5 minutes
3,001 - 6,000 feet : increase processing time by 10 minutes
6,001 - 8,000 feet : increase processing time by 15 minutes
8,001 - 10,000 feet : increase processing time by 20 minutes



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Canning Chokecherry Jelly

This is where my hobby of making jams and jellies all began. I am not sure how old I was, but I know that I had never canned anything all by myself before.

As I said before, my philosophy seemed to be that if nature planted it and it wasn't poisonous, then I had to try it. I knew that chokecherries are not poisonous (even if they are too bitter to be eaten plain), but I didn't know of anybody who actually cooked with them. I figured that if they are not poisonous, then there must be a recipe somewhere that uses them. If the internet had been around at that time, then my search for a recipe would have been a lot easier.

Finally somebody heard through the grapevine that I was looking for a recipe that uses chokecherries and they gave me a recipe for chokecherry jelly. I showed the recipe to my mother and told her that I wanted to make it.


I have since changed my method of making choke cherry jelly. I like my new method because it doesn't call for a specific amount of chokecherries. I can just use whatever quantity I happen to get. The flavor may be stronger or weaker depending on how many I get.

Most recipes call for a lot of water. I have decided to use less water. This results in a very concentrated (and very bitter) juice. I then dilute this juice with apple juice.



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Spicy Jalapeno Jelly

I think a very fun use of jalapenos is . I like it on crackers and cheese, and I like to spread cream cheese on a toasted bagel and then spread on top of that. This recipe is based on a recipe from 175 Best Jams, Jellies, Marmalades and Other Soft Spreads...




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