Homemade Marinara Sauce and How to Make It

Make your own marinara sauce for pizza and pasta. It takes a little time but it's well worth it. You can use exactly the spices that you like and fresh tomatoes make a very different sauce than canned. (But if you have a ton or tomatoes, you can bottle what you don't use fresh.)

How to Chop and Seed Tomatoes

1. Bring a pan of water to boil. Place four or five tomatoes at a time in the hot water and leave them in the bath for one minute. Remove them from the water and start another batch. Let the tomatoes cool to where you can handle them.

2. Peel the tomatoes by starting a small slit in the skin with a knife at the tip of a tomato. Grasp the edge of the skin and peel the skin from the tomato in strips. Repeat with each tomato.

3. Cut away the top of the tomato. Cut the tomato in half. With your thumb, loosen the seeds and press them into a bowl or into the sink. With Roma tomatoes, only the flesh will remain. With other tomatoes, you can remove most of the seeds. Throw the seeds away. Repeat with the remaining tomatoes.

Tools for Removing the Seeds from Tomatoes

While it's easy to peel and seed tomatoes by hand, you can do it in less time with tools. A Victorio strainer, a food mill, or potato ricer will do it if the screens are small enough. (It takes 2.2 millimeter screen or smaller to catch tomato seeds.) A Victorio strainer has a hopper on the top and a twist handle and will handle a lot of produce in a hurry. It catches both the seeds and the skins and it is available with different sized screens to make anything from raspberry jelly to applesauce to salsa. You can get the same results from a food mill but without the large hopper and screw type crank of the vireo strainer, it is not as quick. A ricer is a simple hand press used to press one tomato at a time through a screen. It also is used to rice potatoes and other produce. Choose the tool that meets your needs.

Canning Your Tomato Sauce

If you love your own tomato sauce, can it. Maybe you like the spice blend that you are using. Maybe it's the idea of doing it yourself, maybe canning your own tomatoes. Maybe it's to save money but it's great to can your own tomato sauce. Just make a bigger batch and can it according to the instructions from a reliable source such as your equipment manual or a government source.

Tomato Sauce for Pizza or Pasta

2 to 3 cups peeled and seeded Roma or other tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 large garlic clove, crushed
1 teaspoon crushed, dried oregano or a tablespoon of fresh
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves or two teaspoons fresh
2 tablespoons olive oil

Baker's note: Add garlic, oregano, and basil to suit your tastes. Fresh herbs can be substituted for the dried one but it will take more for the same flavor.

Directions

Chop the seeded tomatoes in a food processor or blender. Cook the tomatoes along with the seasonings and sugar for ten minutes or until it starts to thicken, stirring frequently. Add the olive oil. Let cool.

Home Canning is Making a Comeback

Having been raised in rural Alabama, I must confess, I'm a bit domesticated. Growing up on my Grandmother's farm, I spent many a summer shelling peas and canning them in her kitchen. As I got older, we moved away from near my Grandmother, and my canning days were ended.

About 20 years ago, I got the wild idea to try home canning again, after finding a pressure canner in a catalog. I bought two and I have been canning ever since. Every year at Christmas my husband and I can about 75 quarts of pasta sauce and give them out as gifts. All of my friends and family look forward to it. I love to can and have been collecting canning recipes for years.

Home canning is a great way to save Summer's bounty, and shopping for fruits and vegetables at local farmer's markets can save you money. Using local farmer's markets also help the environment because the food is locally grown, and therefore no shipping is involved.

For those of you who are new to canning, or those who need a refresher, get the Ball Blue Book of Home Canning, or go to the USDA website and download their Complete Guide to Home Canning. Both of these are great resources.

To a lot of people, home canning can be intimidating, but if you plan your steps well, and gather all of your equipment before starting it can be a fun job for the whole family. You will also need some good recipes to follow. Always double check your recipes and read the manufacturers directions on your canners. This will help to avoid mistakes.
Why Do Your Own Home Canning?

Disregard the value of your time, canning homegrown or locally produced food can save you half of the cost of purchased canned food. Canning favorite and special products to be enjoyed by your friends and family can be very rewarding. Home canning has changed greatly in the 170 odd years since it was first introduced.

New developments in technology have resulted in safer, higher quality products. Home canning is a great way to take advantage of a great harvest, and preserve all of those fresh vegetables and fruits.

What Kind Of Equipment Do I Need

I would invest in a good quality pressure canner. You will need this to can low acid foods like vegetables, and meats. It can also be used as a water bath canner. I would advise that you purchase a 16-17 quart canner with a good pressure gauge, and petcock.

Use only standard Mason, Kerr or Ball type home canning jars and two piece self-sealing lids. Mayonnaise jars are not recommended for canning. The jars that you get from the Classico spaghetti sauce are good because they are Mason jars. Canning jars are available in a variety of sizes including 1/2 pints, pints, and quarts. Pint and quart jars are most commonly used, but some foods like crab meat and mushrooms should only be canned in 1/2 pint jars. Wide mouth jars are more easily filled and emptied, but they cost more than standard jars.

You will also need a good timer, an open mouth funnel, to fill jars with, a jar lifter, and tongs. And of course pot holders and baking racks or towels to set the hot jars on after canning. Other items that you will need are, a ladle with a lip, a sieve, a colander, a food mill, and sharp knives. Some of these items you will only need if making jams and jellies.

Home canning can be one of the most enjoyable experiences that you will ever have. Get the whole family involved. It will make many great, lasting memories that your family will always have. You'll find pleasure in the canning process, and pride in your home canned jars of food. Remember, they also make great gifts!

Ro Pat

For some great canning recipes click on this link<a rel="nofollow" onclick="javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackPageview', '/outgoing/article_exit_link/2550408']);" href="http://www.green-living-healthy-home.com/canning-recipes-ebook2.html" Home Canning Recipes</a>

Homemade Canning - Eat Healthier And Save Money Canning Your Own Meals

Home canning is recognized as the best way of having a healthier and less priced meal. You can preserve and enjoy the vegetables and fruits grown at your own gardens throughout the year. If you adopt the right preserving methods, you can be assured that your fruits and vegetables have the same amount of nutrients as a fresh vegetable and fruit has. In fact in some cases it can be even better than the fresh or packed ones.

If you select a fruit from your garden and can it within first 24 hours then it will have a higher nutrition value than the one you get from the market. This is because most of the fruits and vegetables reach their customers several days after the harvesting. Canning food done with the right recipes is the safest way of preserving the foods. Canned fruits have equal level of Vitamins A and C compared with their fresh and frozen counterparts.

An organic or non-adulterated food is the best that everyone enjoys. Soups especially during winters are liked by all. Home canning soup is a good way for saving your money and it also saves time. Pressure canners are the best for shelving the canned soups. Also soups should be clear and any additions like thickeners, oils, noodles should not be added to it. The process of canning the soups will help you preserve your own crop along with getting the best nutritional value anytime of the year.

Tomatoes are another very popular food item and also very useful throughout the year. You can use the preserved tomato sauces when preparing meals like pastas and pizzas which is liked by kids especially. Tomato can be easily grown at your backyard garden and the excess can be canned and kept for adding taste and flavor to most of the foods. You have a choice of preserving the whole tomato or can puree it and store. Canning tomato sauce can be done by hot water bath canner method or pressure method. Home canned tomatoes are always preferred because the grocery tomato sauces are high in salt and additives, which should not be eaten if you have any health problems.

Even canned beans are a good option and can be easily added to any fresh soups, salads and many other dishes. Beans are very good for health and have a lot of valuable vitamins and minerals, which is essential for our body to function properly. All the beans like black beans, pinto beans, green been, and garbanzo beans can be canned in a very easy manner at home. Always pick crisp and mature beans for preservation.

Homemade canning saves you a lot of money when compared with the grocery market rates. Look for the in-season vegetables and cheap jars and cans. Found to be very economical and healthier than other ways, home canning is the best way to preserve foods.

How To Can Homemade Blueberry and Peach Pie Fillings

During the summer and fall months, I enjoy going to our local orchard and farmers markets here in Pennsylvania and purchasing our fresh fruits. I will bring them home and freeze or can them for use during the winter months.

One of my favorite things to can is homemade pie fillings. Canning is not hard to do and there are many books out in the marketplace that will explain how to do home canning. You can find free information on the internet that will also explain how to do home canning, along with the supplies that you will need to do the processing.

The following 2 recipes are the ones I use to make homemade blueberry and peach pie filling.

Blueberry Pie Filling
4 1/2 quarts of fresh blueberries
1/2 cup lemon juice
rind of one lemon, finely grated
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon mace
5 1/2 cups granulated sugar
6 1/2 cups water

Wash and remove stems from blueberries and then drain. Combine lemon juice, grated lemon rind, ground nutmeg, mace, granulated sugar and water in a large pan. Cook until the mixture begins to boil. Fold in the blueberries and cook for an additional minute. Ladle mixture into clean hot jars. Clean the jar rims and seal. Process quart jars in a water bath canner for 30 minutes.

Peach Pie Filling

6 lbs. fresh peaches
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 3/4 cups water
5 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Wash, peel, pit, and slice peaches. Loosen skins in boiling water for 35 seconds, then submerge in cold water. Gently peel off the skins. Place slices in a container of water until all peaches are sliced. Combine lemon juice, water, granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, ground cloves and nutmeg in a large saucepan. Stir and cook over medium heat until mixture boils. Drain peaches and add to syrup mixture. Cook for 3 minutes. Ladle the mixture into hot jars. Clean the jar rims and seal using water bath canner for 30 minutes.

Simple and Healthy - Staying Healthy On The Road: How to Make Salad With A Teaspoon

There's something about travel that captures my imagination. Seeing exotic places, meeting interesting people, experiencing things you just don't get at home. And of course finding new taste sensations (chilli fried grasshoppers with lime anyone?). Even traveling for work can be fun. Takeoffs and landings. Fancy (and not so fancy) hotels. The security of a corporate credit card. Traveling to places that the average tourist wouldn't ever think to visit. But there are times when the constant eating out and room service can make you feel a little bleeah. Which is exactly what happened to me a few weeks ago when I was traveling for work. Four days into the trip, I found myself badly missing my kitchen and craving a big salad. Not those tiny mixed leaf room service options with bad dressing, floury tomatoes and exorbitant price tags - but a seriously big healthy salad - preferably made by my own hand.

And so it was that I found myself wandering though a supermarket close to the hotel, racking my brain as to what I could cook for dinner that would be: A. Healthy and involve salad and B. Able to be prepared with the cooking equipment in my hotel room - namely a teaspoon.

Lets just say thank heavens for prewashed bags of mixed salad leaves. And for things in cans - with self opening lids. And that lemons can be persuaded to give out their juice with a teaspoon. Who would have thought? Since then I've been experimenting with minimalist, low prep salads. The tuna chilli is definitely a favourite. The chickpea and parmesan comes a close second. I had it for lunch at work the other day. One of the guys from marketing commented on my lunch saying 'That looks amazing - where did you get your salad?" Do you think he would have believed me if I told him I made it with a teaspoon?

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tuna chilli salad serves 1

Tuna with chilli oil is my new favourite thing, but feel free to choose plain tuna if you aren't up for a little spice. I like to use the oil from the tuna as a bit of dressing for the salad. By all means use tuna in springwater (drained) if you have a low fat fetish.

1 bag pre washed salad leaves 1 small or medium can tuna in oil with chilli 1 lemon

Open salad and pick out few leaves to make room for the tuna. Flake tuna and chilli oil into the salad bag and shake a little. Punch lemon with the handle of a teaspoon (see image below) squeeze lemon juice over salad through the hole. Enjoy.

chickpea & parmesan salad serves 1

The tricky thing with this salad is that a whole tin of chickpeas can be quite a big eat. If you're not super hungry feel free to ditch some of the chickpeas. I was also a little worried about not being able to properly wash the chickpeas but they tasted lovely with a little canning juice left on. It's been a long time since I last used pre-shredded cheese. If you are preparing in the luxury of a kitchen - or somewhere with a cheese grater handy at least - I'd recommend going with better quality parmesan. But the pre shredded stuff was surprisingly good.

1 bag pre washed salad leaves 1 can 400g (14oz) chickpeas, drained 1 lemon 1 small handful shredded parmesan cheese, optional

Open salad and pick out few leaves to make room for the chickpeas. Add the desired amount of into the salad bag and shake a little. Punch lemon with the handle of a teaspoon (see image below) squeeze lemon juice over salad through the hole. Sprinkle over cheese if using.

Canning Homemade Salsa Recipes Requires Special Care!

When working with canned salsa recipes special care is required because there is a health risk if not done properly. Because of the bacteria which grows in improperly canned food, the central nervous system can be damaged, and even death can result in the worst case, when this bacteria is consumed in small quantities.

Since most salsa recipes contain a mixture of low-acid foods such as onions and chiles, an acid such as lemon juice or vinegar must be added to prevent the growth of this bacteria. Special care must be taken to ensure that they contain enough of this acid to be processed safely in a boiling water canner.

When following canned salsa recipe instructions, make sure to follow them exactly. Use the amounts of each vegetable listed in the recipe and add the amount of vinegar or lemon juice listed.

Do not can salsas that do not follow these or other research tested recipes. Remember that you always have the option of freezing or refrigerating the salsa.
Do not thicken salsas with flour or cornstarch before canning. After you open a jar to use, you may pour off some of the liquid or thicken with cornstarch.

Pretreat the jar lids according to the manufacturer's instructions. When canning your salsa, fill the hot clean jars with the hot salsa. Make sure you don't leave any salsa on the rims. Take a clean, damp paper towel and wipe the rims of the jar. Put on lids and screw on metal bands.

When processing in a boiling water canner, use a rack to keep jars from touching the canner bottom and to allow the heat to reach all sides of the filled jars. Put the jars into a canner that contains simmering water.

Add the boiling water if needed to bring water 1-2 inches above the top of the jars. Don't pour the water directly on the jars. Place a tight-fitting cover on canner.

Bring water back to a rolling boil and set a timer for recommended processing time. Make sure the water is boiling gently and steadily.

Remove the jars from the canner immediately after timer sounds. Don't leave the jars in the water too long or the food might spoil.

If you find that a jar is not sealed, refrigerate it and use it soon after that.

When storing, wipe the jars and label them with the date and the contents of the jar. Store the salsa jars in a cool dark place and use it within a year.

When you are ready to try your homemade salsa recipe, before opening each jar, look for any bulging lids, leaks, or any unusual appearance of the food. If you notice an odor, mold, foam, or anything that might make you suspicious, destroy the salsa food.

As you can see, you need to take great care when canning salsa to ensure that the quality of the food is maintained. But the results are worth the effort!

Lemon Juice or Pickles Give Fish Better Flavor

Thanks to modern methods of canning, refrigeration and transportation, our finny friends may be bought in markets everywhere and served in hundreds of delectable dishes to bring new food flavor to t h e daily menu. When prepared well, no apologies are necessary for serving fish. It then isn't just another inexpensive way of giving the family their protein foods, but becomes a tasty meal in its own right.

Both dill and sweet pickles, chopped, impart a new flavor to fish when used in the stuffing. Rub lemon juice over fish to be baked, broiled or fried. Again and this is a trick worth knowing - a bit of lemon juice sprinkled on canned salmon or tuna before creaming or scalloping, brings out all the flavor of the fish. When making fish casseroles with leftover fish, or with the various kinds of canned fish, add India relish or chopped sweet mustard pickle for a zestful contrast in flavors.

Codfish Steaks With Mushroom Sauce

6 small or 3 large codfish steaks
1 small onion
1/4 lb. mushrooms
6 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
Salt and pepper
Paprika

Put codfish steaks in oiled baking dish. Chop onion and mushrooms. Cook in the 6 tablespoons water and the butter 3 minutes. Add flour and stir in until well blended. Add milk, and keep stirring. When mixture boils, season with salt and pepper. Pour over fish. Dust top with paprika and bake in moderate oven (375 degrees F.) 25 minutes or until fish is tender.
If you are fond of fried fish, you will like the following dish. Inexpensive and quickly prepared, it is just the thing for those emergencies when hungry, unexpected guests arrive. Serve with lemon wedges or chill sauce, mashed potato nests filled with peas, and plenty of bread and butter for a hearty meal.

Sardine Cutlets

1 10-oz. can sardines
(Herring) packed in mustard sauce
1 egg
2 tablespoons water
Bread crumbs

Drain excess sauce from sardines. Mix together egg and water. Dip sardines in bread crumbs, then in egg mixture and then again in bread crumbs. Fry in hot fat at 375 degrees F. until golden brown. Serve with chill sauce. Serves 3.

Perch Baked With Tomato

1 lb. quick-frozen fillets of red perch
1 tablespoon minced onion
2 tablespoons butter
1.5 cups canned tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
5 drops Worcestershire sauce

Separate fillets (frozen or thawed) and arrange in shallow baking dish. Saute onion in butter, add tomatoes and seasonings, and boil 5 minutes. Sprinkle fillets with a little salt and pepper. Pour sauce over fish. Bake in hot oven (450 degrees F.) 20 minutes, or until done. Serves 2 to 3.

Tuna Vegetable Casserole

1 cup cooked carrots, sliced
1 cup cooked peas
1 teaspoon minced onion
1 cup tuna fish
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons cooking oil
4 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 cups milk

Combine carrots, peas, onion, fish and salt in a 1.5 quart oiled casserole. Blend together oil, flour, pepper and salt in saucepan. Add milk and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens. Pour over tuna and vegetable combination and top with dropped biscuit crust. Bake in hot oven (425 degrees F.) 25 minutes. Serves 6.

Dropped Biscuit Crust

1.5 cups sifted flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons shortening
3/4 cup milk (about)

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in shortening. Add enough of the milk to make a soft dough. Drop by spoonsful on top of Tuna Vegetable Casserole and bake as specified in recipe above.

Fish Croquettes, pickle sauce

Mix 1.5 cups cooked fish with 1 cup thick white sauce (3 tablespoons flour to 1 cup milk). Season to taste. Spread on platter to cool. Shape into croquettes, roll in crumbs, egg and crumbs. Fry in deep fat until golden brown. Serve with Pickle Sauce made as follos: Melt 1 tablespoon butter, stir in 1 tablespoon flour; slowly add 1 cup milk, stirring constantly. Cook until thickened, season with salt and pepper. Add 1/4 cup chopped pickle.

Vegetable Juice Fasting Diet Idea

One of your options thanks to a detox diet program is curb fasting. Other than fruits, you can also consider including vegetables in your juice fast. Contrary to what many think, there are unequal vegetable handout recipes that subjection again taste good. Vegetable juices are overmuch salutary mark subdivision your body detoxify and cleanse toxic waste material. Vegetables also contain one of the most abundant sources of vitamins also minerals. If your daily cookery lacks sufficient vegetables, then exaggerated vegetable drinks is another way of making sure that you do not forgo phytochemicals because nutrition.

Vegetable juice fasting allows your figure to absorb what you consume quickly without
activating your digestive style too much and thus improves your body's detoxification
motion. Taking vegetable drinks for a juice fast should not epitomize an upgrowth practice, but should only perform practiced money a economical period of time, spiel for about a tour.
Fasting on a vegetable check meat would not equate powerful to give you all the nutrients you need if you extend such a diet owing to further than it should. If you fancy some ideas, here are some vegetable juice vittles recipes that are yielding to make:

1. You can tie carrots, kale and wheat grass. Carrots are wonderful sources of beta-carotene and vitamin C.

2. else variety of the vegetable drink upper is to add spinach instead of wheat grass.
Spinach is very apt for your juicing diet because it is rich effect folate, unyielding also
Vitamin B.

3. Blend tomato, celery, parsley, broccoli also cucumber. Be out-and-out that you follow through only the freshest tomato that is develop by the situation they are picked from the plant. If they are taken at this state, they contain twice the amount of Vitamin C.

4. Season your carrot vegetable restraint with some garlic, ginger and onion. This mix is something various for your taste buds but is still healthy and nutritious.

5. Add cucumber again celery reputation your carrot vegetable mix. Cucumber is another apropos source of Vitamin C that aids your body's detoxification process.

It is crowing to choose vegetables that are organic besides free of pesticides. Before
juicing, wash besides rinse the vegetables notoriety filtered wet. You rap also consider mixing vegetables and fruits together to make tasteful juice combinations.
It is important that you nutriment your vegetable juices fresh at uncondensed times. You power juice just before stinging your drink. Alternatively, you can buy canning jars with produce sealing lids for keeping juice your refrigerator. rack up not keep your juices beyond three days however. Also, always keep your lid jars tightly closed owing to air exposure onus kill the constructive enzymes in your vegetable drink.

Vegetables are very nutritious and you can take advantage of its health benefits when they are fresh and raw. Making vegetable drinks are the best road you can manage them in their nipping state. All you longing to do is be a little creative in combining vegetables and how you restraint activate them toothsome and enticing.

Canning Jars Wholesale

Canning jars wholesale are the best way of preserving your summer or winter season harvests. They are available at reasonable rates with different sizes, shapes and styles of canning jars. Since initially there were very few canning jars obtainable at an affordable price but luckily canning jars wholesale have greatly comforted the small business holders. Moreover, many of the housewives are crafty enough to preserve the various fruits and vegetables for another season by easily using the canning jars wholesale.
How to get the canning jars wholesale:

Once canning jars wholesale were only available with the stockists but now you can easily get them through online stores. Many of the online stores provide you the websites of companies selling canning jars wholesale. Therefore, you can easily buy your required canning jars from these stores. It is the pretty smart way of purchasing the canning jars wholesale with just a single click and you can get your canning jars at your home due to the delivery services of the companies. Moreover, you just need to place your payment details and within few days you can get your product at your home which is the easiest and most convenient way of getting the canning jars wholesale. Different sizes of canning jars wholesale available:

There are several sizes of canning jars wholesale available in the market as well as in the online stores. Usually quart and pint sizes are used for pickles, fruits, tomatoes, applesauce, etc. The pint size as well as the quart size canning jars is available in wide mouth or regular styles. The wide mouth style is more suitable for the larger fruit pieces like apple, peach, pear etc, as well as pickles. However, the smaller size canning jars of 8 oz are perfect for jellies, jams, relishes etc.
Advantages of canning jars wholesale:

Canning jars wholesale are not only good for storing the preserved fruits and vegetables but also a safe way preserving them from contaminants. If properly canned, the food can remain fresh for longer period of time. Furthermore, the canning jars wholesale can be obtained at a very low cost but with good quality. On the other hand, canning jars available in different materials like steel, plastic or glass are all recyclable which will not only save money but also energy and raw materials. The fruits and vegetables stored in the canning jars wholesale are not only nutritious but also fresh
Canning Jars Wholesale

Homemade Canning - The Home Canning Essential Equipment Checklist

Before beginning to can at home, it is important to have the right equipment on hand. There are two types of homemade canning: boiling water canning and high pressure canning. However, aside from the style of pans used for canning, the rest of the supplies are identical.
Essential Supplies Needed for Canning
The following are the supplies and equipment you will need to successfully can meats and produce at home:
Canning jars Boiling canner Pressure canner Or Dutch oven Large kettle to pre-boil equipment in Jar tongs Proper canning jars Canning lids Lid rims Wide mouth funnel Food mill Food sieve Colander Spoons Heat proof rubber spatulas Measuring cups Different sized bowls Towels Bakers cooling rack Knives Cutting board Filtered water (preferably also distilled) Food to can Waterproof labels and label marker
Use the Right Kind of Canner
A boiling canner is used for high-acid foods such as fruits, jams, tomatoes, pickles, relishes, preserves, and tomato based salsas and sauces. High-acid foods only need to be brought up to 212 degrees Fahrenheit, the temperature of boiling water, for the specific time specified in the recipe.
A high-pressure canner is used for low-acid foods such as vegetables, meats, grains, noodles, and low acid sauces. These low-acid foods need to be brought to a temperature of 240 to 250 degrees Fahrenheit for the time specified in the recipe.
With either type of canning, it is important to carefully follow the directions for the type of food being canned to ensure quality and food safety.
The Importance of the Right Jars and Lids
It is important to only use jars purchased for canning. Standard canning jars are tempered, and the mouth is specially threaded for canning at home. Do not reuse jars which originally housed store bought foods, these are not tempered for the canning process and may crack or explode when boiled or pressure canned or even while being handled.
Use flat lids with screw bands made specifically for the brand of canning jars purchased. Do not reuse the flat lid part or reused jar lids from store bought foods as these may not seal properly and will allow bacteria and spoilage of the food canned.
Carefully inspect the jars for chips or cracks, especially around the rim of the mouth and discard any cracked or chipped jars. Also, carefully inspect the lids for rust or damage and discard any lids with cracks in the rubber seal, a non-existent rubber seal, rust, dings or bends. These lids may not seal correctly and allow for food spoilage.
Other Canning Equipment Needed
When purchasing other canning equipment, use products that are made for home canning, especially when it comes to the pan inserts used to keep the jars upright and the tongs used to remove hot jars from the pans. Not having essential equipment can cause the jars to fall over during the canning process and get water in them. Not having the proper jar tongs can lead to burns or dropped and broken jars.
Other than purchasing replacement jars for broken or chipped jars and purchasing new flat-lids, the rest of the equipment is a one-time purchase and is really an investment. Once purchased, it can be reused multiple times.
Getting the proper equipment before beginning the homemade canning process is indeed a must to save time and money.

Ball Enamel Home Canning Kit Review

Are you looking for a home canning kit? We've studied a myriad of kits and highly recommend the Ball enamel water bath canning set. In this overview, you will learn about product features, pros and cons, care and cleaning, and warranty information for Ball canning supplies.

For more than 100 years, American homemakers have been utilizing Ball canning supplies to can and preserve heirloom fruits and vegetables for their families. Constructed to last, these inexpensive water bath canning sets endure heavy use decade after decade. This Ball enamel home canning set is a intelligent choice for anybody interested in canning, regardless of experience.

With its spacious 21-quart capacity, the enamel waterbath holds up to seven quart jars. The chrome plated rack with its sturdy handles and safety sides ensures safe transfer of hot, filled jars from boiling pot to counter. The jar lifter utensil grips jars tightly giving you peace of mind in managing your precious harvest.

Complete with a funnel, bubble-releasing spatula, and magnetic lid lifter, this all-inclusive home canning kit helps you can effectively. Use the funnel to reduce spilling and the bubble-releasing spatula to maximize jar volume. The useful magnetic lid lifter allows you to lift lids out of hot water easily. You will see why so many rely on Ball canning supplies for useful, economical home canning.

Kit Includes:
21-Quart canner: 16.4" x 14.2" x 9.4", blue enamel-coated steel construction
Matching lid
Chrome plated rack with handles and sides
Jar lifter
Magnetic lid lifter
Funnel
Spatula

Product Features and Highlights
This water bath canning set is ideal for preserving the flavors and vitamins of pickles, red beets, peaches, pears, jams, jellies, relishes, and more.
Through this kit, Ball Canning supplies you with everything you will need for home canning and preserving; simply add ingredients!
It is inexpensively priced and provides the very same durability and cooking efficiency as higher priced brands.
The canner's steel core produces quick and even heat distribution.
The chrome-plated rack features sides that prevent jars from slipping and a handle for effortless lifting. Not all jar racks include these handle and side features.
The jar lifter and lid lifter enable you to lift hot jars and lids easily.
The funnel helps you fill jars without spilling.
This high-capacity canner holds up to seven quart jars for water bath canning.

The canner's nonporous enamel surface washes easily. The manufacturer recommends handwashing for the canner, magnetic lid lifter, jar lifter, and rack. The funnel is dishwasher safe.

There is no warranty on this canning kit. For prompt service, customers should direct questions to the Jarden Home Brands Customer Affairs Help Line at 800-240-3340.

Pros: set contains all equipment necessary for home canning, inexpensively priced, durable, substantial 21.5-quart capacity, heats quickly and evenly, rack has handles and sides, jar lifter has molded grip for secure fit, traditional blue speckled appearance

Cons: nearly all pieces should be hand washed, no warranty

We are sure you will agree that the Ball enamel water bath canning kit is a tremendous value and perfect for home canning.Ball canning suppliesmake canning and preservingyour garden's bounty easy.

Old Fashion Relish Recipes: Hot Relish and Carrot & Sweet Onion Relish

Add a little touch of something extra to your meals with homemade relishes. There is something very satisfying in putting a dish of relish on your table that you made yourself. Relishes are also perfect in gift baskets, as hostess gifts, etc. These old fashion recipes for Hot Relish and Carrot & Sweet Onion Relish are easy to make and offer two very different options.


HOT RELISH
Another old Southern Indiana recipe.

12 hot peppers
12 green tomatoes
12 cups red and/or green bell peppers
12 onions
3 cups sugar
3 tsp salt 2 cups cider vinegar

Grind vegetables. (In today's modern kitchen this can be done with a food processor.) Place in a large colander and run water over the mixture for 5 minutes.

Bring the sugar, vinegar, and salt to a boil in a saucepan. Place the vegetable mixture in a large saucepan or a stockpot. Pour the boiling sugar mixture over the vegetable mixture. Cook over medium heat until very hot but not to a hard boil, stirring occasionally. Place in pint jars, attach canning lids and seals tightly. Be sure jars seal (they should make a popping sounds and/or the center of the lid will indent slightly.)

Makes 6 pints.


CARROT AND SWEET ONION RELISH

2 sweet onions, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
1 bay leaf
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1/3 cup water

In a medium-size bowl with a lid, combine all the ingredients and stir well. Place cover on the bowl. Refrigerate the relish at least overnight. Before serving, remove the bay leaf and drain the liquid.

This is a good relish to serve with poultry, fish, and pork.

Enjoy!

Old Fashion Recipes for Preserving Your Garden's Bounty: Carrot Relish and Sweet-Sour Pickles

One of the things I miss most about my life in these latter years is giving up vegetable gardening and canning and freezing the bounty gardening produces. As far back as I can remember, I did everything from washing canning jars, to breaking beans, shucking corn, picking produce and helping to preserve such. My sister and I have such wonderful memories of sitting under the big trees in our grandparent's front yard breaking beans while our mother and grandmother picked more. My grandpa was disabled with leg problems so he couldn't do the picking. He would tell us wonderful stories of his youth while we worked. We didn't realize at the time, the wonderful history lessons we were getting! And it was so much fun, we never thought of it as work. The following recipes are some of the old family recipes from my youth for some good crisp pickles and a delicious carrot relish.

CARROT RELISH
4 cups (approx 10 med) carrots
3 cups (about 7 med) finely ground onions
1/2 cup finely ground green bell peppers
1/2 cup finely ground red bell peppers
1 1/2 cups finely ground cucumbers
1/4 cup coarse pickling salt
1 1/2 cups white vinegar
2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp celery seed
1 tsp mustard seed

Combine vegetables in a large bowl. Sprinkle with salt. Let stand 30 minutes. Combine the remaining ingredients and let stand, stirring often, while vegetables are soaking in salt. Pour vegetables into a large sieve; drain well, pressing vegetables lightly with a back of a spoon to remove all excess liquid. Stir vegetables into vinegar mixture and ladle into hot, sterilized jars. Top with hot lids to seal.

I love this pickle recipe. Like so many of the old recipes in my collection, it is a recipe for an experienced cook. The quantity instructions are vague so this is a recipe only an experienced canner would know how to make.
SWEET-SOUR PICKLES
This recipe is so old I don't remember anything except is was always around. I never made these pickles myself. My family was small and did not use as many pickles as my mother and grandmother did.

cucumbers, small or sliced
2 cups vinegar
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
few mixed pickling spices tied in a bag

Put cucumbers in a large bowl or a crock; sprinkle with the salt. Cover with boiling water and let set overnight. Next day, drain the water off. Boil the vinegar, water, sugar, and pickling spices. Drop the cucumbers into the hot mixture and bring back to a boil. Fill jars and seal.

Enjoy!

Recipes For Summertime Canning: Sweet Lime Pickles, Watermelon Pickles, and Zucchini Relish

"Putting Up" your own pickles and relishes is a favorite summertime ritual for many of us. This was on of my favorite things as a child, teenager, mother and wife. All except for washing and scrubbing hundreds of canning jars as a child, that is!! It is also one of the things I miss most now that I am a senior citizen living in the city. But I do still enjoy sharing my canning recipes. If you want to try some "new" recipes for canning, let me introduce you to some "old-fashion" ones. Today's article includes recipes for canning your own Sweet Lime Pickles, Watermelon Pickles, and Zucchini Relish. These will make great additions to your pantry!

HOMEMADE SWEET LIME PICKLES
Slice 7 pounds of cucumbers and soak in 2 gallons of water. Add 2 cups of lime. leave in this for 24 hours. Wash well and soak in water for 3 more hours.

Cover with this solution:
2 qt. vinegar
9 c. sugar
1 tbsp. salt
2 tsp. whole cloves
2 tsp. celery seed
1 tsp. mixed spices

Let stand overnight in this solution. Bring to a boil and can.

Notes to beginners. The Lime is Pickling Lime found in the canning section of grocery stores, Walmart, etc. To can, put the hot cucumber solution in hot clean canning jars and seal with lids that have been brought to a boil. Listen for the jars to seal. You will hear popping noises as jars seal plus the center of the lid will slightly indent. If you have any jars that do not seal, store in the refrigerator.

WATERMELON PICKLES
This recipe was from an old homemakers magazine my mom received monthly in the mail when I was a kid. She subscribed to the magazine for the crocheting patterns but we often got good recipes, too.

rind of one large watermelon
1 tbsp powdered alum
7 cups sugar
2 cups white vinegar
1/4 tsp oil of cloves
1/2 tsp oil of cinnamon

Using a potato peeler, peel the watermelon rind leaving a trace of pink on the inside for color. Cut the rind into pieces; let stand overnight in cold water with the alum. Drain well the next morning.

Bring the sugar, vinegar, oil of cloves and oil of cinnamon to a boil. Add the watermelon rind and bring to a boil again. Set aside until the next morning.

Next morning bring the mixture to a boil again; set aside.

Third morning, bring the mixture to a boil; seal in hot sterilized jars. Makes about 7 pints of pickles.

HOMEMADE ZUCCHINI RELISH
When I lived in Indiana during the 70s, I grew lots of zucchini in my garden. This is one of the recipes for preserving them.

10 cups peeled, ground zucchini
4 cups ground onions
5 tablespoons salt
2 1/4 cups vinegar
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon each of nutmeg, dry mustard and turmeric
2 teaspoons celery seed
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 red pepper*, chopped fine
1 green pepper*, chopped fine

Combine the zucchini, onions, and salt together and let stand overnight. Next morning, drain and rinse with cold water. Combine the mixture with the remaining ingredients and cook for 30 minutes; mixture must be hot. Pour into hot clean jars and seal with hot lids. Makes 7 pints.

*These are bell peppers.

Enjoy!

Canning - How To Can Homemade Basil Tomato Sauce

Every year we plant a large garden which always includes a few rows of tomatoes. We enjoy canning our own homemade tomato sauce to use throughout the winter and spring season when tomatoes are no longer in-season here in Pennsylvania.

Canning your own sauce is not difficult and you will need your basic home canning supplies such as: a water bath canner, quart-sized canning jars with rings and seals, funnel, ladle and a jar lifter. If you don't own these supplies, you can purchase them in a complete kit at your local kitchen shop or via a reputable online kitchen store that carries home canning supplies.

In the following recipe, I used fresh basil and parsley that I grew in my garden, however...you can certainly use dried herbs if that is what you have on hand. You will want to start out with ripe to very ripe (but not blemished) red tomatoes.
To Blanch Tomatoes: Bring a large stock pot with water to a full boil. Place a few tomatoes into the water for 60 seconds. Using a pair of tongs or your ladle, remove tomatoes and place in cold water for 5 minutes. You should now be able to easily peel off the skins.

Basil Tomato Sauce Recipe

3 tablespoons olive oil
3 onions, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
25 large fresh tomatoes
2 teaspoons table salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon beef bouillon

Measure out and add your olive oil to a large nonstick stock pot. Over medium heat, stir in the minced onions and garlic and saute them in the oil for 1 minute. Stir in the chopped basil and chopped parsley. Turn heat down to low.

Blanch and remove the skins from your tomatoes and process them in a juicer or food processor to make tomato juice. Add this juice to your stock pot and then add in the rest of the ingredients, stirring after each addition with a nonstick silicone spatula.

Turn the heat up to medium and cover your pot. Simmer the mixture for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, stirring every 10 to 15 minutes.

Once sauce is done cooking, ladle it into clean and hot jars, being careful to leave a 1/2" head space from the top of the jar. Using a clean cotton towel, wipe the rim clean and add your seal and ring to the jar. Process your jars all at one time in your water bath canner for 45 minutes. Remove jars from the canner and let cool to room temperature. This sauce will keep for up to 1 year if your jars sealed properly.

Homemade Canning - Best Kinds of Soup for Home Canning

Canned soup is delicious and easy for lunches, dinners, and even snacks. Store-bought soup often contains large amounts of sodium and even hidden ingredients such as monosodium glutamate, yeast, and unknown spices and added artificial flavorings.

Soup done by homemade canning is not only healthier, it is less expensive than the store-bought versions and you can control what goes into it. Which soups are best for canning at home?

Canned Cream Soup

Tomato, mushroom, celery, pumpkin, squash, broccoli, cauliflower, and other vegetables and blends make delicious creamed soup. Creamed foods are often cooked vegetables run through a blender and then made into a delicious and creamy soup with fresh milk or cream and a variety of spices. These may take a few extra steps to prepare, but are well worth the effort.

To make them a condensed soup, simply leave off the addition of cream and extra water in the recipe you follow and note on the label how much to add for that particular recipe. When opening a jar of creamed soup, simply add the amount of milk or water just like the condensed soup you would purchase at the store, but at a fraction of the cost.

Canned Vegetable Soup

Depending on the recipe, you may or may not need to precook the vegetables. One delicious method of making homemade canned vegetable soup is to save the vegetable refuse from processing other vegetables in a bin in the freezer. These can range from clean potato skin and apple skins and cores to onion peels and lettuce cores. When you have enough to boil for stock, boil them up until soft and then cool the stock. Blend them in a blender and run through a food sieve or mesh strainer to remove the larger particles.

Take the resulting stock and use it as a base for any vegetable or meat soup base. Simply chop up the desired vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, garlic, onions, par-cooked potatoes or root vegetables, zucchini, peas, cooked beans, green beans, or raw dark leafy greens and place them in a bowl. Then add your favorite dried or fresh herbs or spice blends and mix it thoroughly.

Finally, add this mixture to the jar, leaving half to one-third head space. Add the broth, stir, and pressure can the blend for about 20 minutes, or as directed in the vegetable soup recipe you are using.

Canned Noodle Soup

Noodle soups are not that hard to can. The easiest part is that the noodles go in dry. You will need:

A vegetable or chicken stock that has just been boiled and is still hot. Chopped cooked meat such as chicken or beef. A favorite spice blend or fresh herbs; Italian seasoning works best. Fresh, raw or par-cooked vegetables. Dried noodles such as egg noodles, stars, alphabets, ditalini, macaroni, gemelli, or mostaccioli.

Measure one-fourth of the jar for each ingredient plus the spices. Again, leave roughly a half-inch head space air pocket for a good seal. Then, layer the ingredients as you add them: noodles, half the hot broth, spices, meat, vegetables, and half the hot broth again. Make sure that the rim and lid are clean and dry when you add the lid. Pressure can for the time specified in the pressure canning directions.

Canned Bean, Chili, or Split Pea Soup

Unlike the other soups, bean soup must be cooked and completely ready to eat before canning to ensure that the finished product is actually edible. When you are done cooking the bean soup, simply jar it up while still hot, leaving roughly a half-inch to an inch of head space and then pressure can it according to the manufacturer's directions.

Detecting Spoilage in Home-canned foods

Unlike high-acid canned foods such as tomato sauces and fruits, low-acid foods like soup are more prone to spoilage due to improper canning or not achieving a good seal. Before serving up your delicious creation, inspect the jar lid for leaks, a swollen lid, rust, strange coloring, or a foamy or murky appearance.

If all looks well, open the jar and smell the foodit should smell pleasant and delicious. If you detect any of the above, discard the food immediately. Before eating, bring the food to a boil for at least 10 minutes just in case any dangerous microbes are in the food. If the food still smells pleasant, it's probably safe to eat.

Home-canned soups are not only tailored to your dietary needs, they contain less sodium, fat, and artificial ingredients. Healthy, hearty, and cheap, soup made by homemade canning cost a fraction off store-bought varieties and definitely have better flavor.

Canning - Hot Pepper, Corn and Cucumber Pickle Relish Recipes

During the summer and fall months, I like to spend time in the kitchen canning foods that we have harvested from our backyard garden. Canning is easy to do and you can preserve for your foods for up to 1 year by canning them.

One of our favorite things to make with our excess garden vegetables is homemade relishes. To make the following recipes, I suggest using a food processor to finely chop up your vegetables to get them to the consistency that is needed for the recipes.

Here are 3 of our favorite recipes that we enjoy making.

Hot Pepper Relish

1 quart hot pepper sauce
1 large onion
1 tablespoon table salt
2 cups granulated sugar
1 pint white vinegar

Mix together the first 3 ingredients in a small bowl. Cover the bowl and let stand for 4 hours. Stir in the granulated sugar and white vinegar. Cook in a medium-sized pan, stirring frequently for 45 minutes. Pour mixture into hot jars and seal in a water bath canner. Makes 1 1/2 pints. This recipe can be easily doubled.
Corn Relish

2 dozen ears of corn
3 large red peppers, finely chopped
3 large green peppers, finely chopped
3 stalks celery, finely chopped
3 cups of granulated sugar
5 tablespoons mustard
2 tablespoons salt
4 cups white vinegar

Blanch corn cobs for 3 minutes in boiling water. Remove from pan and rinse under tap water. Cut corn from cobs and place in a stock pot. Stir in the finely chopped peppers and celery. Stir in the granulated sugar, mustard, salt and vinegar. Bring mixture to a full boil and boil for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and ladle into hot jars. Seal jars in the water bath canner according to your canner's instructions.

Cucumber Pickle Relish

12 cucumber pickles
6 green peppers
6 red peppers
5 large onions
3 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons celery seeds
5 1/4 cups granulated sugar
4 1/2 cups white vinegar

In a food processor, grind up your cumber pickles, green and red peppers, and your onions. Sprinkle on the salt. Cover your container and let stand overnight. Drain the juice well. In a large pot, bring the celery seeds, granulated sugar and vinegar to a boil. Stir in the vegetables and boil for 20 to 25 minutes. Ladle mixture into hot sterilized jars and process in your water bath canner according to manufacturer's instructions.

Homemade Canning - Where's the Beef? Canning Your Meat, Poultry, and More!

Why limit your home canning to produce? Scoop up a great seasonal deal on meat, poultry, or fish and experience the ease of meal preparation with canned meat. The best part is you know what is in the jar, there are no added flavors, no undisclosed spices, and no MSG.

The Art of Mince Meat

Mincemeat is really an overlooked delicacy and method of preserving meat our ancestors came up with. Originally, it was a mix of lean beef, suet, apples, citrus fruits, raisins, brandy or hard cider, and various spices. There is no need to stick with older recipes that call for a long list of ingredients that are exotic by today's standards. Unless your family has a taste for old-fashioned mincemeat, feel free to come up with your own version.

Simply use a roast beef recipe and cook as directed. Add such spices as garlic, onions, savory, marjoram, salt and pepper or use your favorite blend. When the meat can easily be pulled apart and chopped, allow it to cool and then chop it up. It will then be ready to slip into the freshly boiled and cooled jars and slipped into a homemade canning device.

Roast carrots, whole onion, garlic cloves, and potatoes or other vegetables like cauliflower and chop them up with the meat. Drain excess broth before canning the meat and vegetable mixture. Can the broth separately. Now you have jars of ready-to-go beef broth and jars of meat that are perfect for sandwiches or one-dish meals that are perfectly seasoned.

Poultry is Easily Preserved Too

Home-canned chicken and chicken broth can put the store-bought products to shame. Not only is it more cost-efficient, it is tastier and healthier too. Make low-sodium versions or salt-free versions delicately seasoned with your blend of seasonings such as poultry seasoning, garlic, onions, or even add chopped up vegetables to the broth and strain before canning it to add a healthy and tasty twist.

Canned chicken, once drained of the broth, makes an easy addition to salads, soups, one-dish meals, and meals heated up in less than 30 minutes. Leave the aforementioned vegetables in with the chicken or can them separately. Either way, all you need to do is add the two jars, chicken or broth, to a saucepan and some noodles for a nearly instant chicken noodle soup.

Don't Overlook Fish When Canning

If you live in an area where fresh fish is in season, such as salmon in coastal areas or pike around the great lakes, don't overlook homemade canning as a method of reserving the bounty.

Store-bought canned fish can have additives such as excess salt, or a funny fish taste if the fish was off-season or previously frozen when canned. Following your favorite plain canned poultry recipe, go ahead and can the season's catch. The best part is, it's one of the foods that doesn't need to be precooked, just add it to the boiled jars and pressure can it.

When homemade canning, do not overlook the possibilities of canning your own meat, poultry, or fish and preserving the seasonal bounty or fresh game. Canned meats are quick and easy meals and unlike freezing the meat, it won't get freezer burn. Canned beef, chicken, and even some fish can be made into salads, for sandwiches, potato toppers, or side dishes and are great additions to freshly boiled noodles for delicious and quick soups.

Store Garden Produce #3-How to Dry Mushrooms & Dry Beans Storage

During my 30 + years of gardening experience, I have encountered many situations where I have had to improvise in order to adjust to the changes within our environment to accommodate my plants needs. I have adjusted and learned so much and would like to share my experience and success, as well as my "mishaps" along the way. This article is not inclusive and should be shared with Parts 1 & 2 of this series. (See Below)

Dry Beans Storage: Beans can be stored in moisture-resistant, air-tight containers. With proper preparation before storage, they can last up to 30 years. Dried beans are best stored without the presence of oxygen and light. Oxygen will cause the oil produced from the beans to become rancid. Light will quickly discolor the beans. Neither is compatible with long-term storage. Furthermore, colder storage temperatures as well as low humidity will enhance and prolong shelf life.

Beans stored in food grade, polyethylene bags have about a one-year life span. This situation is commonly found in most commercialized products and is not a suitable storage containment option over the long term.

Canning dried beans: I first make sure that the inside of the jars are washed and thoroughly dried. Remember- moisture breeds decay- quickly. Oxygen absorbent packets should be added to the jars to remove oxygen and to extend shelf life.

Fill the jars about 95% full and make sure that the gasket on the lid is in good condition. Close the jar tightly then store in a cool, dry, dark place. Note: Oxygen absorber packets should be kept in a sealed container until ready for use. Only remove as needed within a 20 to 30 minute time frame.

If you are using plastic buckets, first place one ounce of dry ice per gallon in the bottom of the bucket. Pour the beans over the dry ice to within one inch of the top. Place the lid on the bucket but do not completely seal it until the dry ice has dispersed.When the bottom of the bucket begins to feel warmer, place the lid on tightly. If it begins to bulge after a few minutes, open slightly to release the pressure. Watch to make sure the pressure has subsided-this might take several days for accuracy. As a precaution-do not stack your buckets more than three high as the weight could damage the lower containers.

How to freeze beans: Frozen dried beans will only last for about 2-3 months.As a general rule of thumb, for every pound or 2 cups of dried beans, use 6 cups of water to re-hydrate. Pour the appropriate amount of beans and water into a large cooking pot. Add 1 to 2 Tbsp of oil and 1 tsp salt. Bring to a boil then cover the pot and allow it to simmer. Always make sure that the beans are completely covered by adding additional hot water when needed. The amount of cooking time will vary with the type of bean cooked. This could be as little as 30 minutes up to 3 hours. The beans are finished when they are just about tender, but not quite. If you completely cook the beans and then freeze them, they tend to loose their shape and texture when de-thawed.Allow the beans to completely cool at room temperature before placing them in the freezer.

Store Garden Produce #6-Storing & Freezing Green Beans Types

As the cooler months take hold, you might have an abundance of green beans left over from your summer crops. Did you know that "Green Beans" actually derived its name from the young pods of the bean plants that are picked before the pods ripen or dry? Only then are they tender enough to be called "Green Beans" meaning "green" for the unripe fruit of the bean; many in fact are not green in color at all. The pod colors of "green beans" can be green, golden, purple, red, or streaked. Many people associate "green beans" to the recipes for green bean casserole or 3 beans salads. But Green Beans have many more attributes€ This article is not inclusive and should be shared with Parts 1-10 of this series. Part 7 of this series will provide tips and techniques on Storing Cherries & Freezing Apples as well as preserving other orchard fruits. (See Link Below)

List of Legumes: There are over 7 million tons of green beans produced annually worldwide. Green beans are actually considered a legume which describes a pod, such as that of a pea or bean, that splits into two; with the seeds considered a fruit and the pod considered a vegetable. Shapes can range from the thin "filet" beans to the wide "romano" types with the more common types in between. Green, Runner, French, Broad, Yellow Wax, Sting, and Snap Green Beans€whichever you prefer-- Green bean types have been bred especially for the bright color, crisp texture, and juicy vegetable flavor of their pods. They all describe one thing in common€all are harvested and preserved in the same fashion. Click the link below for a chart on the different types of green beans.

Green Beans Types: There are basically three commonly known types of green beans: string or runner beans, string less or french beans, and snap beans. Snap green beans are the ones usually grown when green bean gardening at home. They are named for the sound they make at the perfect ripening stage. They have a thin flat pod that requires less cooking time. Sting less or french beans are generally named due to whether the pod has a tough, fibrous "string" running along its length. And string or runner beans have long, flat pods that have a coarse textured skin. More mature beans display a pronounced fibrous string running down both sides. All green beans used to be called string beans because older varieties had fibrous side strings. Just before use, remove the strings and trim the ends. Generally purple beans and yellow wax beans are identical in taste and texture compared to true colored green beans.

Pole Beans Vs Bush Beans: To make matters even more confusing, when green bean gardening, beans are then split into two sub-categories: bush beans and pole or running beans. Bush beans are short plants, growing to approximately two feet in height, without requiring supports. They generally reach maturity and produce all of their fruit in a relatively short period of time, then stop production. Growing pole beans or runners requires a bean trellis in which to climb as they grow. There really is no difference between pole beans and bush beans, other than how they are grown. One may fit into your garden architecture better than the other or you may prefer the look of one to another. Some of the most popular bush beans are Blue Lake 274, Kentucky Wonder, Festiva and Burpee's Tenderpod. Some popular pole beans are Kentucky Blue, Kentucky Wonder and Blue Lake. Check out the link at the bottom for a better distinction amongst the different green beans types.

Winter Dinners in a Jar

The reason I mention heritage fruits and vegetable is that with items such as tomatoes, you will not need to add another acid to your mix. However if you choose to buy your fruits in the grocery, you will need to add some lemon juice to your mix. The rule of thumb here is two tablespoons lemon juice or teaspoon citric acid into each quart of tomatoes, added before you fill your jars.With spring around the corner, farm markets and road side stands are getting ready to offer you a wide variety of organically grown heritage food stuff. Now is the time to start thinking about your foods for the summer and next winter. And canned dinners is a good place as any to begin.Planning dinners so far in advance can seem not only time consuming, but a daunting prospect. The simplest thing to do is to go into your cabinets and see what store-bought goods you already have there. Most of us havespaghetti sauce,pizza sauce,baked beans and BBQ sauce -great for sweet and saucy ribs. And if you have children, canned pastas seems to be the mainstay.

There is very little information on canning your own pasta dinners out there. Yet the major companies as well as homesteaders have been doing this for years. The problems occur with what types of pasta you want to can and how much of it you stuff into a jar. You will need only enough to loosely fit into the can/jar, never jam pack it in, or fill it to the brim. As with any home canning you need to leave at least inch of head space. Elbow macaroni, shells or spaghetti noodles are the easiest. It is not recommended that you can pasta because dense foods are harder to heat all the way through during processing.Homemade pastas are simple, and something that everyone should try their hand at. And you can add your own twist, or flavoring, to the noodles, like beet, spinach or Parmesan. Once you have your noodles, forming them into shapes is simple, pack them into the jar, loosely and then add your sauce. Kids love meat ravioli, spaghetti and meatballs, and beef and macaroni. Processing takes the same amount of time as your meats do, 75 minutes for pints and 90 minutes for quarts at 10 pounds pressure, unless you live at an altitude more than 1,000 feet; consult your canning manual for directions for increasing your pressure.

Soups, like chicken noodle soup, are a wonderful item to always have on hand. Any of the soups you buy at the store can be modified to your taste, removing or adding certain vegetables, seasoning, and salt . If you have meats in your stock, processing time will take longer then a plain, chicken, meat or vegetable stock. Stews, like roast beef, are the same.And speaking of meats, canning your own meats, poultry, fish and seafood is very rewarding. These items are cooked and stewed in their own juices creating an extra tender meal in a natural stock. Canned Beef strips make an excellent stroganoff. Canned chicken works wonders as a quick chicken with almond rice, while canned salmon makes an irresistible salmon and raisin pie.Which ever dinner tempts your the most, remember that healthy eating requires that you know what is in your food, that you follow all the canning instructions carefully, never eat anything that isn't sealed properly, and throughly cook all your foods. And most importantly, enjoy.

Grow Your Own Green Beans

There's nothing quite like the pleasure of growing, harvesting and eating your own vegetables. Absolutely nothing can be fresher than vegetables that you grow yourself. My family always had a small garden and we grew tomatoes and peppers, some lettuce and eggplant. This year we added green beans to our list of vegetables. My husband and I love them and I found them a "snap" to grow, freeze and cook.

We decided on a pole variety of green beans for our garden. Pole green bean varieties produce for a longer season than do bush varieties. We grew the variety of pole beans called Kentucky Wonder. It was our first year and we were pleased with the amount of harvest that we had from this particular bean. I think that next year we'll try a colored bean, but I wanted to grow Kentucky Wonder this year as they remind me of fresh green beans we had as kids. All colored green beans, ones that are gold or yellow or purple, have the same taste as green beans.

When we harvested the beans I froze what I couldn't cook within a few days. I found that freezing worked well for me. It was easy as all it required was a pot to boil water, a bowl of ice water and freezer bags. We have quite a few string beans in the freezer now, more than enough to last us through for several months. Perhaps next year I'll consider canning them. Where frozen green beans are good up to 18 months some experts say that properly canned green beans last up to five years (due to the fact that they are low-acid) although I don't think I'd want to eat them if they're that old. Canning is relatively simple but requires a lot more equipment than freezing does.

Of course the best thing about growing your own green beans is eating them. My husband's favorite green bean recipe is very simple, they're boiled in chicken stock. Boiled, boiled and boiled. Most "gourmets" will tell you not to overcook green beans. This recipe simmers the beans for at least 45 minutes. I drain them add butter, salt and pepper to taste. I don't think that I'll be using any of my frozen green beans in the Thanksgiving green bean casserole though. Store bought canned or frozen string beans work just fine in that recipe. I'll save my home grown green beans for recipes where they'll really shine through.

How To Make Herbal Mustards, Pickles And Sauces

Mustards

Mustards are delicious and give a lift to all sorts of savory foods. We all know the English, French and German varieties, but these recipes give them an extra lift and would make marvelous gifts for a mustard lover.

Minty Mustards

1 8oz jar wholegrain coarse mustard
4 tsp dry mint leaves, finely crumbled

Mix these two ingredients well and either return the mixture to the original jar or put it in smaller jars to give as part of a set of small mustards.

Tarragon Mustard with Vermouth

large handful fresh tarragon leaves
4 oz chopped spring onions
2 8 oz jars Dijon mustard
1 tbsp dry vermouth

Chop the tarragon leaves well and add the spring onions, mustard and vermouth. Mix together very thoroughly. Pour into a clean jar and seal with a tight-fitting lid. This mustard can be stored in the refrigerator for about one month.

Pickles

Pickles can add their own special zing to a meal and are particularly good with cold cuts of meat or poultry. Most vegetables will pickle, so here are some recipes that are especially good.

Dilly Cucumbers

24 small ridge cucumbers
5 pints water
1/2 pint vinegar
4 oz sea salt
1 large handful fresh dill heads
1 large or several small chili peppers

Soak the cucumbers overnight in a solution of salt and water, using 8 oz of sea salt to every pint of water. Then boil together the water, vinegar and sea salt and allow to cool. Drain the cucumbers and arrange in clean canning jars interspersed with layers of dill heads. The cucumbers can be left whole or cut into slices. Add a small chili pepper or pieces of a larger one to each jar. Cover with the vinegar solution and secure the lids.

Sweet Pickled Onions

2 lb pickling onions
1 bunch tarragon
1 bunch mint
1 bunch sweet chervil
4 oz sea salt
1 pint cider vinegar
6 oz granulated sugar

Peel the onions then arrange them on a tray, sprinkle with the sea salt and leave overnight. Carefully wipe all the salt and moisture off the onions and place in clean jars. Put a couple of sprigs of each herb in every jar. Heat the vinegar and sugar until the sugar is completely dissolved, then leave to cool. Pour the vinegar over the onions, leaving a very small amount of room in the top of each jar. Secure the lids of the jars. The onions will be ready in about two to three weeks but are a lot tastier after about six to eight weeks, if you can wait that long!

Mint and Tomato Chow Chow

6 average tomatoes
1 onion
1 green pepper, chopped
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp salt
1/2 pint cider vinegar
2 tbsp finely chopped mint

Peel the tomatoes by placing them in boiling water for a few seconds and then carefully removing the skins. Peel the onion and chop the tomatoes and onion finely. Put all the ingredients in a lidded casserole dish and cook at 300F until the onion is quite tender (about one to two hours). Remove from the oven and leave to cool. Pour into wide-mouthed jars and cover each jar with a circle of waxed paper, then cover with cellophane and add a label.

Mint Relish

1 pint mint leaves
1 lb onions, peeled and chopped
1 lb apples, peeled and chopped
1/2 lb green tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 lb sultanas (gold raisins)
2 tsp salt
2 tsp French mustard
1 pint white wine vinegar
1 lb granulated sugar

Heat 1/4 pint of vinegar with the sugar until the sugar has completely dissolved. Leave to cool. Place the remaining vinegar in a saucepan with the salt and mustard. Put the green tomatoes in a food processor for a few seconds until they are mushy, then add to the saucepan. Repeat the process with the mint leaves, apples, onions and sultanas, adding them all to the saucepan. Then simmer all the ingredients until soft. Pour in the vinegar and sugar mixture. Boil the mixture for a couple of minutes and then leave to cool a little. Pour the relish into warm clean jars and cover with waxed paper circles. When completely cool, add cellophane lids and labels.

7 Homemade Spa Treatment options from Vacation Leftovers

From turkey enchiladas, to mashed potato fritters, we're constantly seeking for methods to place our holiday leftovers to excellent use. But what if we stopped shoveling it in and started off shoveling it on? Why not nurture your dry, winter skin with seasonal eats? And don't be concerned, we're not speaking a gravy mask or mashed potato soak, these spa treatment options are so indulgent you'll neglect their former glory fully.

If you want to glow even when it's gray outdoors, antioxidant-laden meals are a need to. Clear away on your own from the rush of the holiday season and program a DIY spa day with foods leftover from a holiday of indulgent eats. You'll really feel refreshed and prepared to get on the New Year.

1. Pumpkin Enzyme Masque
You built way too a lot pumpkin pur??e for that joyous pumpkin pie, homemade pumpkin pasta, or creamy pumpkin bisque but don't fret due to the fact it's the major ingredient to this soothing Pumpkin Enzyme Masque. Also, pumpkin helps battle the dry winter air with Nutritional vitamins A and C, as nicely as zinc and helpful alpha-hydroxy acids. I would go with homemade pumpkin pur??e so that you know that your pur??e didn't shed any important enzymes for the duration of the canning course of action.

Pumpkin Enzyme Masque
? cup pumpkin pur??e
1 tbsp plain yogurt
1 tsp grated fresh new ginger
3 tsp honey
Juice of 1/2 a lemon

System
Combine all the elements collectively in a blender or with a wooden spoon. Use a thick layer all more than your encounter, getting mindful to stay clear of the eyes and mouth. Keep it on your deal with for about 10 minutes and then gently eliminate with a wash cloth and warm soapy h2o.

2. Homemade Cranberry Lip Gloss

How to Organize Your Favorite Recipes

Recipes: Most of us have a collection of family recipes we like to use and some we would like to try. Getting those recipes organized can be a challenge. Try creating your own family recipe book. Take an ordinary binder and add page protectors for full page ones and photo album inserts that will fit other sizes. These will help protect them from splattered ingredients and is a great way to hold them in place.

Another way to add recipes to your binder is to use ordinary loose leaf paper so you can tape each one to the papers inside the binder. Use whatever works to keep them in place. You can also insert dividers to separate each one into categories. Some category suggestions are... Appetizers & Snacks, Beverages, Breads, Cakes & Frostings, Candy & Ice Creams, Cookies, Desserts, Eggs, Cheese, Legumes/Casseroles, Fish & Shell Fish, Freezing & Canning, Meat & Lasagnas, Pasta, Rice & Grains, Pies & Pizza, Poultry & Chicken Entrees, Salads & Dressings, Sauces, Relishes, Salsas & Dips, Soups, Stews & Stir Fry, Vegetables, Special Helps and Miscellaneous. Binders can be very useful because they can easily be updated by adding or removing recipes at any time.

It also helps to write comments on or next to the recipes that you have tried (who liked them and how good it was on a scale of 1 - 10). Toss out the ones that no one liked; why keep them? Try to set aside one night each week to try a new recipe and see how fast you go through all those recipes you've always wanted to try. After you have tried each new recipe, immediately choose another recipe to try, that way you will have time to shop for the ingredients before you try out the next one the following week.

Water-bath Canning Vs. Pressure Canning

When choosing how to pickle or what pickle recipe's you would like to try, there are a number of things you want to keep in mind. One of those things is which canning method you would like to use. Home canning is a very simple process that can be done in two ways: pressure canning, or water-bath canning. Pressure canning is a process that requires a pressure canner, which can be often times, be expensive. You may however be able to find a cheap one with a little bit of hunting through garage sales or flea markets. Water-bath canning, on the other hand, can be done using only a couple of simple tools. We will assume that you will be using a water-bath canning method. The following article will explain this particular method.

Firstly, of course you will need a water-bath canner. You must make sure it is deep enough to hold enough water to submerge your canning jars by at least 1 inch. You will also need your canning jars, screw-on bands, and canning lids. It is the much-less-expensive, tried-and-true way of canning. It is a way of preserving hundreds of foods, including salsa, jam, jelly, pickled fruits and vegetables, as well as relish for hundreds of years. It is a great canning method for beginners, or avid canners.

A water-bath canner is basically a large pot with a rack that will hold up to seven mason quart jars or up to sixteen pint jars. By using a large stock pot and being creative with wire, one could improvise a rack to create their own water bath canner. As long as the jars avoid direct heat from the burner and are completely submersed in the water, a number of crafty setups could be used. If you would like to save the trouble of rigging your own, they can be readily purchased at many locations or online.

Canning Homemade Salsa Recipes Requires Special Care!

When working with canned salsa recipes special care is required because there is a health risk if not done properly. Because of the bacteria which grows in improperly canned food, the central nervous system can be damaged, and even death can result in the worst case, when this bacteria is consumed in small quantities.

Since most salsa recipes contain a mixture of low-acid foods such as onions and chiles, an acid such as lemon juice or vinegar must be added to prevent the growth of this bacteria. Special care must be taken to ensure that they contain enough of this acid to be processed safely in a boiling water canner.

When following canned salsa recipe instructions, make sure to follow them exactly. Use the amounts of each vegetable listed in the recipe and add the amount of vinegar or lemon juice listed.

Do not can salsas that do not follow these or other research tested recipes. Remember that you always have the option of freezing or refrigerating the salsa.

Canning - How To Can Homemade Basil Tomato Sauce

Every year we plant a large garden which always includes a few rows of tomatoes. We enjoy canning our own homemade tomato sauce to use throughout the winter and spring season when tomatoes are no longer in-season here in Pennsylvania.

Canning your own sauce is not difficult and you will need your basic home canning supplies such as: a water bath canner, quart-sized canning jars with rings and seals, funnel, ladle and a jar lifter. If you don't own these supplies, you can purchase them in a complete kit at your local kitchen shop or via a reputable online kitchen store that carries home canning supplies.

In the following recipe, I used fresh basil and parsley that I grew in my garden, however...you can certainly use dried herbs if that is what you have on hand. You will want to start out with ripe to very ripe (but not blemished) red tomatoes.

To Blanch Tomatoes: Bring a large stock pot with water to a full boil. Place a few tomatoes into the water for 60 seconds. Using a pair of tongs or your ladle, remove tomatoes and place in cold water for 5 minutes. You should now be able to easily peel off the skins.

Basil Tomato Sauce Recipe

3 tablespoons olive oil
3 onions, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
25 large fresh tomatoes
2 teaspoons table salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon beef bouillon

Measure out and add your olive oil to a large nonstick stock pot. Over medium heat, stir in the minced onions and garlic and saute them in the oil for 1 minute. Stir in the chopped basil and chopped parsley. Turn heat down to low.

Blanch and remove the skins from your tomatoes and process them in a juicer or food processor to make tomato juice. Add this juice to your stock pot and then add in the rest of the ingredients, stirring after each addition with a nonstick silicone spatula.

Turn the heat up to medium and cover your pot. Simmer the mixture for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, stirring every 10 to 15 minutes.

Once sauce is done cooking, ladle it into clean and hot jars, being careful to leave a 1/2" head space from the top of the jar. Using a clean cotton towel, wipe the rim clean and add your seal and ring to the jar. Process your jars all at one time in your water bath canner for 45 minutes. Remove jars from the canner and let cool to room temperature. This sauce will keep for up to 1 year if your jars sealed properly.

Homemade Canning - Know What Foods You're Preserving - Because Knowing Is Half The Battle!

Food preservation is an art that allows you to store food without any loss to its quality, edibility and nutritional value. There are a number of food preservation methods, which prevent the growth of any bacteria, yeasts or fungi on the foods. Other than maintaining nutritional value, food preservation keeps the texture and flavor of the item being preserved intact. In history there have been some old methods of food preservation, which drastically altered the character of items being preserved. Common ways for preserving food at home are dehydrating, canning, freezing and pickling.

Home canning is a way of preserving food in an easy and cheap way. With prices of canned food increasing, many people are considering canning food at home. By following a home canning recipe you can enjoy so many things from canned apple butter to zucchini. There are different home canning methods that you can adopt like pressure, water bath and open kettle methods. Without having to invest on any expensive equipment, you can easily do the canning at home. There are many home canning cookbooks as well to help you prepare a mouth-watering dish that everybody in the family is going to enjoy.

The Process of Dry Aging Steaks

BySteve D White

When it comes to steak, there are two types of aging. You can opt for dry aging or wet aging. Unlike dry aging where you need to let the meat dry for over 20 days, the process of wet aging lasts for 7 days and all you need to do it put the steak into a sealed plastic bag and let it age in its very own juice. The benefits of dry aging steaks are connected to the meat's texture. The moisture within the muscle needs time to evaporate in order to provide the meat a smoother taste. People like this type of meat because it tastes better when it's cooked on the grill or added into certain food recipes.

Because most of the enzymes within the meat are breaking down, the steak will be naturally tenderized. The process of dry aging steak is as follows. Take a piece of beef and rinse it with a lot of cold water. Afterwards, you'll need to take some dish towels to dry the meat and let it drain for a couple of minutes. In the meantime, you can prepare the fridge. Make sure you place the wire rack and pan on the bottom self. Thus you'll know for sure that the meat will be positioned on the coldest part of your refrigerator.

After you've prepared everything you'll have to take the steak and wrap it into a large dish towel. Take a thermometer and make sure you measure the overall temperature. It's recommended to keep the temperature warmer than 36

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Fried Chili Chicken: Recipes to Die For!

When it comes to delicious meals, you can have healthy too! Today more than ever, delicious foods are geared at providing healthy benefits in a scrumptious dish that will be a favorite for years to come. Fried chili chicken is a delicious blend of healthy chicken spiced to perfect without the unnecessary additions of added fat or sugar.

Instead of depending on additives that enhance the flavor of the meal, this is one meal that takes simple ingredients and makes them into one dish easy to fix and enjoyed by everyone. Take a closer look at why this is a favorite in my house!

Fried Chili Chicken

Ingredients:

2 tbsp flour
¼ tsp cayenne
1 tsp chili powder
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp salt
4 chicken breasts, cubed
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cups chicken broth
¼ cup chili powder
1 tbsp hot New Mexico chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin

Homemade Canning - Where's the Beef? Canning Your Meat, Poultry, and More!

Why limit your home canning to produce? Scoop up a great seasonal deal on meat, poultry, or fish and experience the ease of meal preparation with canned meat. The best part is you know what is in the jar, there are no added flavors, no undisclosed spices, and no MSG.

The Art of Mince Meat

Mincemeat is really an overlooked delicacy and method of preserving meat our ancestors came up with. Originally, it was a mix of lean beef, suet, apples, citrus fruits, raisins, brandy or hard cider, and various spices. There is no need to stick with older recipes that call for a long list of ingredients that are exotic by today's standards. Unless your family has a taste for old-fashioned mincemeat, feel free to come up with your own version.

Simply use a roast beef recipe and cook as directed. Add such spices as garlic, onions, savory, marjoram, salt and pepper or use your favorite blend. When the meat can easily be pulled apart and chopped, allow it to cool and then chop it up. It will then be ready to slip into the freshly boiled and cooled jars and slipped into a homemade canning device.

Roast carrots, whole onion, garlic cloves, and potatoes or other vegetables like cauliflower and chop them up with the meat. Drain excess broth before canning the meat and vegetable mixture. Can the broth separately. Now you have jars of ready-to-go beef broth and jars of meat that are perfect for sandwiches or one-dish meals that are perfectly seasoned.

Unintended Consequences And The Standard American Diet

In India, the government offered a bounty on rats. The intention was to eradicate a noxious pest. One unanticipated result was the establishment of rat farms, where rats were bred and harvested for the bounty. In Florida, a worker at a dog kennel noticed lots of snakes on the premises. He systematically killed them all. Then the rat population increased dramatically.

These are examples of the Law of Unintended Consequences, which states that any human action—whether or not it produces the desired result—is likely to produce an entirely different result (possibly in conflict with the original intention.) Typically, such results are completely unexpected. Often, they are just as completely undesired.

Let's review some of the changes which the Standard American Diet has pioneered: American food has been stripped of virtually all of its essential nutrients. Sugar and fat seem to be the major ingredients in virtually every American food. (About 45 percent of the caloric value of our diet comes from fat, and we use about 100 pounds of sugar per person per year.) Our consumption of hydrogenated fat is the highest in the world. We have virtually eliminated vegetables from our diet. We have drastically reduced the variety of foodstuffs we eat. We no longer rotate our diet with the change of the seasons. We consume about six pounds of synthetic food additives per person per year. Our widespread use of denatured flours, refined sugars, devitalized fats and oils, and synthetic food additives has been in effect for about one hundred years. Speaking in individual terms, this is a long time. In terms of the human race, it is a very short time. These dietary changes are quite radical when compared to human dietary tradition. And they don't seem to be good for you, either. As the American diet has changed, so has our health. Americans now lead the world in obesity, diabetes and heart disease. In fact, consumption of the Standard American Diet constitutes a chronic metabolic insult. Ours is the only civilization in history which has single-handedly managed to break its food.

How did this come to pass? We did it ourselves. There doesn't seem to have been any kind of evil conspiracy, or divine intervention. It just kind of happened, as the result of many un-coordinated, short-sighted decisions—made with the very best of intentions by people who were only trying to improve the lot of suffering humanity.

Here is a timeline of this nutritional revolution:

1755: William Cullen produces ice by causing water to evaporate in a vacuum container.
1765: Spallanzani suggests preserving by means of hermetic sealing.
1795: Francois Appert designs preserving jar for food.
1802: Thomas Moore invents the refrigerator.
1802: World's first successful beet sugar factory begins operation.
1805: First important shipment of ice from New England is made by Frederick Tudor.
1810: Francois Appert wins prize for developing practical canning process.
1810: First tin can is patented.
1811: Work started on the National Road.
1812: British sailors eating canned soups and meat.
1818: Peter Durand introduces the tin can in America.
1819: Canning firms operating in New York City.
1820: William Underwood opens a canning factory in Boston.
1820: More than 9000 miles of surfaced roads in the United States.
1825: Thomas Kensett patents tin-plated cans.
Before 1830: Flour sieved through bolting cloth.
1834: Jacob Perkins invents first mechanical refrigerator.
1839: Glass bottles yield to tin cans.
1840: 4,500 miles of canals carry U.S. goods.
1843: Norman Rillieux patents his multiple-effect evaporator for sugar cane.
1853: National Road turned over to the states.
1855: Patent issued in England for dried milk.
1856: Gail Borden receives patent for condensed milk process.
1858: John L. Mason perfects the mason jar.
1860: More than 88,000 miles of surfaced roads in the United States.
1861: T.S. Mort builds first machine-chilled cold storage unit.
1861: 3,500 steamboats operating on western rivers.
Civil War: Both armies use canning to supply troops.
Civil War: northern plains begin using hard spring wheat.
1862: Beginning of transition from subsistence to commercial farming.
1864: First salmon cannery in the United States.
1864: Louis Pasteur invents pasteurization (for wine).
1865: Thaddeus Lowe invents ice machine.
1865: Patent for dried eggs issued.
1866: America's first refrigerated railroad car is built in Detroit.
1869: Hippolyte Mege-Mouries develops oleomargarine.
1870: Karl von Linde uses ammonia as refrigerant, begins its manufacture.
1870's: Introduction of roller milling for wheat.
1874: H. Solomon introduces pressure-cooking methods for canning foods.
1874: Refrigerator cars are used regularly to ship meat from Midwest stockyards to the east.
1874: Margarine introduced to the United States.
1877: Joel Tiffany patents a successful refrigerator car.
1877: Frozen mutton shipped from Argentina to France.
1878: Gustav de Laval invents the centrifugal cream separator.
1878: Full-scale egg dehydrating plant in operation.
1879: 40 tons of frozen mutton shipped from Australia to London.
1880: Canned fruits and meats first appear in stores.
Late 1880's: Mechanically refrigerated cars running on railroads.
1890: The Babcock test makes dairymen honest.
1892: First cans of pineapples.
1895: Lewis B. Halsey begins commercial production of pasteurized milk.
1897: American Sugar Company is formed.
1900: Dairy products a full-fledged industry.
1903: The great corporation is the basic unit of American industry.
1910: Steel-roller flour milling is commonplace.
1915: Ford produces his millionth car.
1919: 265,000 miles of railroad lines in America.
About 1920: Mechanical refrigerators for homes appear.
1920's: Solvent extraction replaces expeller-pressed process for oils.
1927: Airplanes first used to dust crops with insecticides.
1930: Thomas Midgley invents Freon.
1930's-now: Small farms yield to giant food companies.
1930's: The first packages of frozen food, developed by Clarence Birdseye, appear on the shelves of 10 grocery stores in Springfield, Mass.
Post-WWII: Restructured foods.
1990's: Recombinant DNA biologically engineered foods.

In June, 2002 the Journal of the American Medical Association recommended that every American use a daily multi-nutrient supplement to address the issue of deficient diets. What makes this unusual is the fact that mainstream medicine has fought tooth and nail with the forces of vitamin and mineral supplementation for decades. Previously, supplementation had been characterized by them as a mostly harmless waste of money.

Perhaps there may be some hope, after all.

When Eating Try Choosing Healthy

Vegetables, fruits, and grains are normally low in fat and have no cholesterol. Most are great sources of dietary fiber, complex carbs, and vitamins. The American Heart Association recommends that you eat foods that are high in complex carbs and fiber.

Below are some tips for making healthy food choices:

- Coconut is high in saturated fat, while olives are high in monounsaturated fats and calories. You should use these items sparingly to avoid getting too many calories from fat.

- When vegetable grains are cooked, saturated fat or cholesterol is often added. For example, egg yolks may be added to bread or even pasta.

- Processed, canned, or preserved vegetables may also contain added sodium. With some people, too much sodium (salt) may lead to high blood pressure. There are some food companies that are actually canning vegetables with less salt. You can look for these in the market area or choose fresh and even frozen vegetables.

- Nuts and seeds tend to be high in calories and fat, although a majority of the fat is polyunsaturated or monounsaturated. There are some varieties, macadamie nuts for example, that are also high in saturated fat.

Foods that are high in soluble fiber are a great choice as well. Examples include oat bran, oatmeal, beans, peas, rice bran, barley, and even apple pulp.

Whenever you are looking for healthy food choices, always make sure you read the nutrition label or information about the food. You can then determine what the food contains and how healthy it truly is for your body. By taking your time and making your healthy food choices wisely, you'll have a lifetime to enjoy the foods that will take care of you.