Small Batch Canning

Plum Pickin’ Pineapple Jam

July 18, 2012 By SunnyB 12 Comments

This time of the year our pantry and refrigerator is overloaded with all kinds of delicious produce.

Most recently, with the help of Bountiful Baskets we have received an overabundance of fruits like cherries, peaches, nectarines, plums and pineapples.

So much so that even my large family cannot keep up.

What’s a girl to do? Well preserve them of course!

Freeze them, dehydrate them, jam them, can them, whatever you do, do your best to maintain the natural goodness of these fruits.

This recipe combines the sweetness of pineapple with the tartness of fresh-picked plums. No added sugar, artificial flavor or preservatives, this is a jam you can be proud to serve your family.

The best part? It’s only two ingredients and can be whipped up in minutes, poured into your crockpot and prepared overnight while you are sleeping.

It is that easy.

I suppose it’s not really fair to call this a jam. The texture better resembles a fruit butter, but the process is very jam-like and the flavor reminds me of my great-grandmother’s plum jelly. If you desire a more jam-like preserve, simply create a slurry of arrowroot and water (1 tbs of each should do the trick), remove the reduced pineapple and plum preserves from the crock, cook them over medium heat and add just enough of the slurry to create the jam-like texture you desire.

Because this recipe only makes four half-pints, I prefer to simply keep this in the refrigerator. If you choose to keep yours in the pantry, I recommend a hot-water canning bath. Step-by-step directions can be found here.

Whatever you choose to do with your preserves, I hope they invoke memories of summertime and stories on grandmas lap, just as they do for me.

Enjoy!

Plum Pickin’ Pineapple Jam

Ingredients

3 lbs Ripe Plums
1 lb Pineapple

Instructions

Prepare plums by washing, slicing and removing pits. Leave skins intact. Place plums and pineapple into high-speed blender, ½ batch at a time.
Blend until smooth and pour into 6-quart crockpot.
Set crockpot to cook on high for 6 hours, do not use your lid! It is important to allow the mixture to reduce by at least half (mine usually reduces to about 1/3 once complete), so please leave the lid off to ensure for the best reduction.
Once reduced to the appropriate thickness, fill four half-pint jars and refrigerate or process as directed.
Serve on your favorite gluten-free/paleo bread.

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Be certain to visit the other FoodNetwork SummerFest bloggers to see what other fun dishes you can make with your plums this season!

Ingredients, Inc.: Pork, Plums and Rosemary Kabobs

Virtually Homemade: Grilled Plum Pizza With Goat Cheese

Cooking Channel: Best Plum Dessert Recipes

BGSK: Grandma Esther’s Plum and Walnut Cake

Delicious Lean: Plum Delicious Pork Chops

Daily*Dishin: Roasted Chicken With Plum Chili Salsa

Healthy Eats: 6 Ways to Cook With Plums

Napa Farmhouse 1885: Time for Plum Cobbler?

Thursday Night Dinner: Plum BBQ Chicken

From My Corner of Saratoga: Plum Upside Down Cake

Cooking With Elise: Vanilla Plum Tart

Sweet Life Bake: Plum Pineapple Margarita

FN Dish: Perfect Plum Recipes

Filed Under: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Other, Paleo, Recipes, Side Dishes, Sugar Free, Vegan, Vegetarian Tagged With: Breakfast, Casein Free, Corn Free, Dairy Free, Egg Free, Food Network, Gluten Free, Grain Free, Nut Free, Paleo, Side Dish, Small Batch Canning, Snack, Soy Free, Sugar-Free, Summer Fest, Vegan, Whole30

Fermented Spicy Garlic-Dill Cukes and Zukes

July 11, 2012 By SunnyB 7 Comments

Between the digestive issues my daughter has faced since she was a baby and my own celiac diagnosis, I have been somewhat obsessed with healing our guts for quite some time.

For many years, I thought yogurt and liquid acidophilus were our only options. It has not been until recently that I have learned the magic of fermented foods.

More specifically, fermented vegetables like cucumbers and cabbage—better known as pickles and sauerkraut. So when I was invited to join in on this year’s FoodNetwork Summerfest, I was excited to see cucumbers as the first ingredient on the produce-packed list!

If you have never made fermented vegetables, now is a great time to start! Not only are they really easy, making your own fermented vegetables is extremely affordable and delicious!

How does fermenting work?

According to Exploratarium.edu, proper fermentation helps to keep away “bad” spoilage-causing microorganisms and allows the “good” bacteria, lactic acid, to flourish.

Of all the ‘friendly flora’ in our guts, lactobacilli, are among the most important and the most fragile. Stress, poor diets and antibiotics will kill off lactobacilli, but eating foods rich in good bacteria will help them replenish. Given that our digestive system is the heart of our immune system, it is very important to take care of your gut. Very important.

Of all the vegetables you can ferment, cabbage and cucumbers produce the most lactic acid bacteria and should be included in anything you choose to ferment.

Slicing your vegetables will help accelerate the fermentation process and ensures a snackable treat once the fermentation process is through!

It is important to use purified water. Chlorine is present in most tap water and will kill off the beneficial bacteria before it has a chance to take over. If you do not have a filter, either use bottled water or boil your water for 10 minutes and allow it to cool.

Additionally, too much salt will kill the fermentation process as well! Use 100% salt. Non-iodized salts like pickling salt, pure sea salt or Himalayan salt are your best options. Make certain the only ingredient on the label is “salt.”

The best salt-to-water ratio for any fermented vegetable recipe is 1.5-2 tablespoons to 1 liter of water.

Before you begin, be sure to sterilize everything! Your jar, your lid and most especially, your rock. This can be done using the sterilization setting in the dishwasher or by boiling all of the equipment for 15-20 minutes prior to use.

As always, organic vegetables are best. Everything used in this recipe is in-season and should be readily available at your favorite store and most especially, at your local farmer’s market.

I hope this recipe for fermented cukes and zukes finds you well!

Happy summer!

Fermented Spicy Garlic-Dill Cukes and Zukes

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

1-Steralized Half Gallon Glass Jar with a Screw-on Lid (I use an old pickled okra jar)
1-Steralized Rock, small enough to fit in the lid of the jar, big enough to keep your vegetables below the brine

Ingredients

3 heads of fresh dill
2 large cloves of garlic
1 jalapeño, seeded for mild, whole for spicy
1 lb cucumbers, sliced
½ lb baby zucchini, sliced
1.5-3 Tbs Pure Salt (Non-iodized Pickling, Sea Salt or Himalayan)
Purified Water

Instructions

Place dill, garlic and jalapeño in the base of sterilized jar. Layer sliced cucumbers and zucchini’s as desired, I like to slice and layer vegetable by vegetable as I go.
Stop adding vegetables once you have filled the jar to 1.5 inches below the surface.
Place rock on top of vegetables, ensuring you have centered it well enough to keep vegetables below the surface during fermentation process.
Mix together 1 litre of room-temperature water with 1 Tbs salt, stir until dissolved. Follow this process until vegetables are covered in brine, stopping when there is ½ inch head space between the brine and the top of the jar.
Screw on lid and place jar in bowl to help capture overflow during the fermentation process.
Set jar away from windows in a cool room, with temperatures below 72 degrees for 2-2 ½ weeks. Because gasses will form and pressure will build while the fermentation process, it is important to unscrew and release pressure from your jar on a daily basis until the vegetables are ready for refrigeration. Make certain you set a calendar reminder, put the jar in a place you will not forget to do this, get in the habit of doing this first thing in the morning, before you eat breakfast, after you get home from work, whatever you need to do to remember to unscrew the lid. Too much pressure can mean danger, worst case scenario it means an exploding jar and ruined vegetables (or worse). Nobody wants that.
Keeping the lid on helps prevent harmful bacteria from forming. If a white scum forms on the top, skim it off. The liquid will cloud over time, this is a normal part of the good bacteria growth.
Once fermentation is complete and you are satisfied with the flavor, fermented vegetables can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 year.

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I hope you enjoy these fermented vegetables as much as we do! Be sure to visit the rest of the FoodNetwork Summer Fest bloggers for more idea on how to enjoy your cucumbers this season!

The Sensitive Epicure: Chinese Style Cucumbers

What’s Gaby Cooking: Cucumber, Herb and Pita Salad

Ingredients, Inc.: Easiest Cucumber Salad

Virtually Homemade: Cucumber Strawberry Cooler

From My Corner of Saratoga: Marinated Cucumber Salad

The Cultural Dish: Pasta With Roasted Shrimp and Cucumbers

Daily*Dishin: Southern Benedictine – Creamy Cucumber Spread

Delicious Lean: Cucumber Jicama Salad

Napa Farmhouse 1885: Cucumber and Avocado Open-Face Sandwiches

FN Dish: No-Cook Cucumber Recipes

Cooking With Elise: Wedge Salad With Cucumber-Ranch Dressing

Filed Under: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Other, Paleo, Raw, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetarian Tagged With: Casein Free, Corn Free, Dairy Free, Egg Free, Farmer's Market, Food Network, Gluten Free, Grain Free, Nut Free, Paleo, Raw, Side Dish, Small Batch Canning, Snack, Soy Free, Sugar-Free, Summer Fest, Vegan, Whole30

In My Gluten-Free Kitchen

July 8, 2012 By SunnyB Leave a Comment

This post was originally written for the Celiacs in the House, In My Gluten-Free Kitchen event. Wendy has done a lovely job of compiling a tremendous list of gluten-free bloggers who have been kind enough to let us in their kitchen. Many live in a completely gluten-free home like mine, and many live in a shared kitchen where the struggle to keep cross contamination to a minimum is a daily reality.

When you have a chance, be sure to stop by Celiacs in the House to see some amazing kitchens from gluten-free bloggers all over the globe.

For now, I hope you enjoy this “peek” into the heart of my home…In My Gluten-Free Kitchen.

________________________________________________________________________

In my home there are five children, one husband and a busy busy wife/mommy/teacher/taxi driver who does her best to feed her family safe foods that are delicious and healthy, too.

I wish I could say I had the perfect kitchen.

I don’t.

But what I do have is a kitchen that is constantly in motion, big enough to fit my entire family without stepping on each other’s toes, but small enough not to feel overwhelming.

Now that school is out, this is what an average lunch time view of my kitchen is:

The charming 1950’s cabinets, stove and yellow tile are all original to the house. The stove works perfectly and I simply adore the classic features this frigidare model offers. In the front right-half of the photo, you may notice several jars, which is typical as I usually have some sort of canning project going on this time of the year; and in front of that is my water bottle and lunch. While I insist that my family and I eat dinner together, especially during the summer, lunch is a time where we are usually all scattered about and I am lucky to get in a nibble of anything. But I do eat.

Behind all of that you probably noticed a big white box hooked up to our sink.

Yes, this is our dishwasher. No, we do not have one installed. No, this is not a full-sized portable model…it is half-sized at best, but we make due. What doesn’t go in there gets hand-washed by my children. For us, it works.

On the counters you will find items I use several times a week, if not daily. My vita-mix, George Foreman grill and dehydrator are in constant use and fit nicely over in this back corner.

My larger counter holds my utensil canisters, a sunflower box filled with jars of various seeds and nuts, vegetables, mixer and microwave. This is my prep area, storage area and often acts as our family serving area as well. Truly, this is the most used counter in the home.

Behind this large counter is our newest appliance, a very well needed 31-cubic foot French-door refrigerator. While my home is 100% gluten-free, we do live with dairy and non-dairy eaters and always have milk on hand for both. As you will see, there are lots of fruits and vegetables, pre-made meals and planned-overs, homemade butters, ketchup, mayonnaise and more…most of them stored in mason jars, many stored in recycled canisters which once held more traditional store-bought versions of the same item (like the ketchup over to the right).

Facing back towards the main part of my kitchen, off to the left is the entry way into my dining room. Yes, those are jello molds on the wall behind my stove. No, I am not 90. Heck, I’m barely one-third of that. I have a 1950’s kitchen, what do you expect? My jello molds fit in fine where they are.

In our dining room, along with our table, china cabinet and built-in hutch, we have what I call our fruit counter. Here you can usually find apples, pears and bananas. Seasonal fruit like watermelons are on hand throughout the summer, and before this picture was taken I had that bottom bowl filled with big, beautiful grapes. It looks like little hands got a hold of them before I could take the picture, but that’s okay…we make these items accessible for our kids and they know they can snack on these without any complaint from mom. It sure beats cookies and candy, doesn’t it?

Outside we have one of the more important areas of my gluten-free kitchen…my garden. Being early June, many of my plants are just now starting to grow. While some of them look a little frumpy in this 100+ degree heat, they perk up in the evening when the air is moist and the weather is cool.

Most importantly, several of these plants are already producing. This little garden will provide enough fully organic fruits and vegetables to save my family hundreds throughout the year. I can’t imagine feeding my family any other way.

Back inside and downstairs in my basement; we are blessed to have a ginormous pantry which holds our precious food storage, full-sized freezer, canning, decorating, food storage equipment and more.

You may have noticed the large grey buckets in the kitchen as well. Given the size of my family, I buy most everything in bulk. Lined with BPA free food safe storage liners, these grey buckets hold things like almond flour, coconut flakes, etc. I can’t imagine trying to store enough food for my family without them.

The shelves in my pantry are filled with all kinds of canned goods. Dozens of jars filled with homemade broth, fruit sweetened jams and preserves, pickles and still room for more. I love this space!

There you have it. My perfectly imperfect kitchen. Filled with love, laughter, delicious food and the center of all things good…everything I could ever hope for.

Maybe not so imperfect after all.

Filed Under: Other Tagged With: Gluten Free, Small Batch Canning

Down at the Farmer’s Market

November 3, 2011 By SunnyB 9 Comments

If I have been quiet lately, it’s with good reason. My family and I are in the process of relocating.

We are staying in the same town, mind you, just moving to a larger home that is more appropriate for a family of our size.

In the meantime, while I will not be sharing any new recipes with you tonight, I do want to share with you some of my favorite people.

I have mentioned several times how important it is to grow your own food as you are able, buy locally as often as possible, support your local CSA and shop at your community Farmer’s Market.

Interesting enough…it took me nearly three years to finally make it out to our West Texas Farmer’s Market.

Part of this has to do with the fact that I have been blessed with the ability to grow much of our own food over the last couple of years. Part of this has to do with the fact that the closest farmer’s market is nearly 30 minutes away and only open from 9am to 1pm on Saturdays…my one day to sleep in and get everything from laundry to baking done.

Still, I finally found my way over to Midland for some locally grown goodness.

And you know what? 30 minutes didn’t seem so far for all that I found.

First there is my favorite squash lady….

Sure, the Flying Y Farms sells more than squash, but I seem to buy a lot of squash from her…Hubbard, pumpkin, yellow, spaghetti, butternut, acorn, etc. etc. I visit with her every time I make it to the market and always walk away happy that I did.

Then there is my favorite meat supplier…imagine my surprise when (after months and months of looking), I found a grass-fed beef supplier right here at the market. Then imagine how excited I was to find that the meat here is not just higher quality, it is also less expensive than even the ‘cheap stuff’ found in the grocery store. Yay!

I have learned that many markets have locally grown honey stands, and ours is no exception. I grab some of these raw honey sticks every time I visit the market…my kids love them as a treat in their lunches. They’re happy, I’m happy. Win!

Oh…and guess what? Even here in our somewhat isolated area of West Texas, I found that we have a Gluten-Free baker on site! Yay!

While many of their items are not dairy-free, the goodies that are have pleased us every time.

We have singers and florists…

Bow makers and self-published authors…

Canned goods….

Homemade soaps…

Beautiful peppers and heirloom vegetables…

Jolly farmer’s….

And treats for your pup.

Last but not least, there is an unofficial mascot with the sweetest face and the kindest demeanor.

While the growing season is coming to an end, I was happy to learn that our local market will be open the 2^nd Saturday of every month through March, until it opens every weekend in April.

So even though the days are turning cold and it may seem local growers are running out of goods, do not forget the plethora of winter goodness that is right around the corner. It is worth checking with your local market to see if they offer the same opportunity.

This is the perfect way to fill your holiday table with natural goodness, help your neighbor and make new friends.

After all, isn’t that what this season is truly about?

What is your favorite thing to pick up at your market?

Before you go, can I ask you a favor? The Circle of Mom’s is seeking out the top 25 Food Allergy Blogs of 2011. I would be honored to have you vote for me. Please click on the image below for more information. xoxo

Happy harvesting! xoxo

Filed Under: Gluten Free Tagged With: Casein Free, Celiac Awareness, Corn Free, Dairy Free, Dessert, Egg Free, Farmer's Market, Gluten Free, Grain Free, Healthy Lunchbox, Leftovers, Main Dish, Nut Free, Pie, Raw, Small Batch Canning, Snack, Soy Free, Vegan

Organic Bread and Butter Pickles (Grain-Free, Refined Sugar-Free, Vegan), Ingredient Challenge Monday

July 4, 2011 By SunnyB 2 Comments

Summertime is a time filled with happy memories of childhood. Family reunions out on the lake. Working with grandpa in the garden.

It was in the making of these memories that I learned to love home-grown fruits and vegetables. To favor small batch canning; and to know that with a little time and a lot of love, you can easily provide deliciously healthy concoctions to your family for a fraction of the price.

My great-grandmother made the best plum jelly. I scarcely pass by a tree loaded down with these perfectly purple gems where I do not think of her.

My grandpa made the best pickled okra and chowchow I’ve ever had.

My dear aunt Teena…her specialty was bread and butter pickles. Well, having been honored to have her in my home for a period of time before her passing, I can tell you that she had many specialties. She was a darn good cook. But for whatever reason, bread and butter pickles stand out as one of the most memorable things she ever made me.

Tonight, I would like to round out this holiday weekend by honoring her memory while I share with you my version of bread and butter pickles.

Inspired by classic bread and butter recipes, but made with organic ingredients, palm sugar instead of the traditional white fluff; organic raw apple cider, and cucumbers fresh from the garden.

I understand that not everyone has the patience, ability or space to grow their own garden. Fortunately, cucumbers are affordable and typically available this time of the year at your local farmer’s market or through your local CSA.

Varieties like bush pickle, salad bush and spacemaker are great for container gardens. Because these varieties naturally grow smaller cucumbers, they also make ideal cucumbers for pickling.

Traditional picklers include A&C Picking, Parisian, Little Leaf and Parigno Cornichon varieties. Pickling cucumbers grow with tiny spikes and spines which can easily be removed during the cleaning process.

If you do need to purchase these through your local grocery store, make sure you take the time to scrub off any wax that may be present on the peel. Meant to help preserve the cucumber and increase shelf time, this wax can trap dangerous chemicals onto the peel, will cloud the preserving liquid and will turn your pickles brown.

Additionally, be sure to cut off each end and discard before slicing the remainder of the vegetable. The stem end is great for eating, but seems to be a thicker texture, not ideal for the pickling process. The flower end contains enzymes that can soften your batch and cause your pickles to turn brown. Nobody wants soft, brown pickles.

Without further adieu, I present you with my recipe for bread and butter pickles and wish you the most joyous of memories this beautiful season.

Organic Bread and Butter Pickles (Grain-Free, Refined Sugar-Free)

3lbs Sliced and Trimmed Pickling Cucumbers

4 medium Yellow Onions, sliced thin

½ c Pickling Salt

3 cups Organic Apple Cider Vinegar (5% acidity)

2 c Palm Sugar

2 Tbs Mustard Seeds

1 tsp Celery Seeds

1 tsp Ground Tumeric

5 Pint (16 oz) Glass Preserving Jars with Lids and Bands

I also recommend this 5-piece canning set.

In large bowl, combine sliced cucumbers, onions and salt. Cover in cold water and allow to stand at room temperature for 2 hours. Drain and rinse with cold running water until drained through.

Prepare boiling water canner (a large stockpot…one large enough to fry a turkey in…works well, too). Heat jars and lids in simmering, not boiling water, until ready to use. I repeat, do not boil jars and lids. This is because boiling runs the risk of melting (not just softening) the bands needed to seal the lids to the jars. Watch your water, you will be fine.

In large saucepan, combine vinegar, palm sugar, mustard seeds, celery seeds and turmeric. Bring to boil, dissolve sugar and then stir in vegetables. Return mixture to boil, cook for approximately 5 minutes, or until cucumbers are slightly tender.

Remove jars from simmering water, 1 at a time, packing each with hot vegetables as you go (leave liquid). Use headspace tool to ensure ½ inch headspace.

Once all jars are filled with hot vegetables, ladle in hot pickling liquid over vegetables, making sure to leave ½ inch headspace.

Wipe each rim clean.

Removing hot lids from simmering water, center each on respective jar. Apply metal band until it is fingertip tight.

Bring water to boil, adding more if needed to ensure enough height to cover the jars while in upright standing position.

Process jars in boiling water for 10 minutes, adjusting as needed for altitude.

Remove jars and cool.

Check lids after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed.

If lid is not securely sealed, immediately move the jar to the refrigerator and enjoy pickles within 14 days.

If lid is secure, for ideal flavor, allow pickles to stand for 4 to 6 weeks. Store in temperature controlled room for up to 6 months.

Now that you have my version of the classic bread and butter pickles, be sure to visit Ingredient Challenge Monday to see what amazing recipe Shea has created for this month’s challenge, and do not forget to link up your own cucumber creation!

Have a great week!

xo,

SunnyB

This post is also linked to: Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Friday Foodie Fix