Thursday, July 22, 2010

Carrot Cake Jam


This is so good and you don't have to have a garden or go to a farmer's market for the ingredients. If you are a beginning canner, this just may get you hooked!
Carrot Cake Jam

Makes about six 7 - 8 ounce jars

1 ½ cups finely grated peeled carrots
1 ½ chopped, cored and peeled pears
1 ¾ canned pineapple, including juice
3 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp ground cloves
1 package (1.75 oz) powdered fruit pectin
6 ½ cups granulated sugar
  • Prepare canner, jars, and lids. (See a canning manual for more info if you are new to canning.)
  • In a large, deep stainless steel saucepan, combine carrots, pears, pineapple with juice, lemon juice, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat, cover and boil gently for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and whisk in pectin, until dissolved. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently. Add sugar all at once and return to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Remove from heat and skim off foam.
  • Ladle hot jam into hot jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot jam. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Screw band down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip-tight.
  • Place jars in a canner, ensuring they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil and process for 10 minutes. Remove canner lid. Wait 5 minutes, then remove jars, cool and store. Remember to label the jars.

Friday, July 9, 2010

Homemade Pancake Syrup and Pancake Mix

 
 Baskets by Rose
 
Pancake Syrup
12 cups berries (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, etc)  Use one kind or mix them up.
5 to 7 cups sugar
Wash all fruit, place in a pan, mash well (potato masher works well).
On low heat start to cook down, when the juices start to flow start adding the sugar. After you add the 5 cups check to see how sweet it is, if you use the full 7 cups it will also be a little more thicker.
Cook to it starts to boil, and the sugar dissolves.
Remove from heat and let cool.
Place in a blender, or run though a food mill.  A food mill will leave you with juice, the blender will give you some pieces of fruit.  I like a little fruit in mine, but this is up to you.
While the syrup is cooling down, get your jars and lids ready.
Return the blended juice to your pot and heat to boiling again.
Fill each jar to about a 1/2" from the top.
Water bath 1/2 pints 10 minutes, pints 15 minutes.  Remove from canner, and listen to your lids pop.
There are great web site with basic canning directions if this is new to you.


Pancake Mix

12 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
4 cups powder milk
2 tablespoons salt
3/4 cup baking powder
Mix together, and place in a tightly sealed container.

To make pancakes use
1 1/2 cups of the above mix
1 egg beaten
1 cup water
2 tablespoon salad oil

Mix well, cook on a hot grill, serve hot with butter, and your homemade syrup.