Apple Pie Filling

6 qt sliced fresh apples
5 1/2 C sugar
1 1/2 C clear gel
1 TB cinnamon
2 1/2 C cold water
5 C Apple juice
3/4 C bottled lemon juice
7 drops of food coloring (optional)

Use firm, crisp apples. If apples lack tartness use an additional 1/4 c of lemon juice for each 6 quarts of slices.

Procedure:
Wash, peel and core apples. Prepare slices 1/2 inc wide and place in water containing ascorbic acid to prevent browning.

For fresh fruit, place 6 cups at a time in 1 gallon of boiling water.

Boil each batch 1 minute after the water returns to a boil. drain, but keep heated fruit in a covered bowl or pot. Combine sugar, clear gel and cinnamon in a large kettle with water and apple juice. (if you put the liquids in first and whisk in the sugar and clear gel already combined it doesn't lump as much). If desired, food coloring may be added. Stir and cook on medium high heat until mixture thickens and begins to bubble. Add lemon juice an boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Fold in drained apples slices immediately and fill jars with mixture without delay, leaving 1 inch head space. Adjust lids and process immediately for 35 minutes in a water bath.

Freezer Corn

Best freezer corn ever!

For one batch of corn you use the following amounts:

8 C. corn
1/2 C. butter or margarine (one stick, cube, w/e you call it:)
1 C. Water
1 T. sugar
1 tsp. salt

On stove top add butter, water, sugar and salt. When the butter melts add corn. Bring to a boil and boil for five minutes. After five minutes put it in a container where it can cool. Once it is cool enough, put it in freezer baggies. (double bag them)

This is my parents recipe that they use and I have not found a better one. It freezes really well and tastes really good even after being in the freezer for a year. When we do this we usually quadruple the recipe.

Choke Cherry Syrup

5 Cups Choke Cherry juice
3/8 cup Lemon juice
2 Tbls of powdered pectin
7.5 Cups of sugar

Put Choke Cherry juice in pan with a tsp of butter(to help with foaming). Add the pectin, lemon juice and sugar and heat until boiling. Boil hard for 90 seconds. Poor into jars. Invert jars for 5 minutes to help seal lids. Return to normal side up after 5 minutes.

Enjoy on pancakes, waffles or french toast!

Canned Mandarin Sauce

8 C. tomatoes, chopped and peeled
6 C. sugar
4 C. onions
8 T soy sauce
4 C. green pepper
3 C vinegar
2 (20 oz.) cans chunk pineapple (do not drian)
1 C water
1- 1 1/2 C cornstarch

Cut onions and green pepper into chunks the size of quarters. Drain pineapple juice , reserving juice. Combine tomatos with pineapple juice, onions and pepper in an 8 10 qt. pan. Add sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, and water and bring to a boil. Gradually add cornstarch, stirring constantly, until thickened. Spoon into pint jars, leaving 1/2 inch head and process immediately in water bath canner for 35 minutes (sea level) Add 5 minutes time for elevations of 1,000 to 3,000 feet, and 10 minutes for 3,000 to 5,000 feet.

Canned Pizza Sauce

Since I noticed a lot of pizza recipes I thought it would be good to add some homemade sauce to it. It is so nice to have some canned and use it whenever, I can mine in half pint jars and that is plenty for a couple of pizzas but I guess it depends upon how much you like. I will list two recipes below, one a really simple easy one and the other a little more homemade.

Very simple pizza sauce:
- 6lbs of fresh tomatoes
- 1 pouce MRS WAGES pizza sauce
- 5 T sugar

Wash tomatoes. Scald 3 minutes in boiling water. Dip into cold water. Cut out cores. Remove skins. Cut into halves or quarters and blend in blender or food processor to smooth consistency (puree).

Measure 5 pints of puree into a large saucepan, add pouch of MRS. WAGES Pizza Sauce Mix and granulated sugar. Mix well.

Bring sauce to a boil. Reduce heat to medium for 25 minutes. Stir frequently. Sauce is now ready to eat, or to can or freeze for future use. To freeze, pour into freezer containers, and store

Process 35 minutes in boiling water bath. Boiling water should cover jars by one inch.
(you can get this sauce in Wal-Mart)

Homemade pizza sauce:
- 5 lbs tomatoes
-2 cloves garlic mashed
-1 tsp rubbed oregano
-1/2 tsp black pepper
-1 tsp basil
-1 1/2 C. chopped onions
- 1 1/2 T olive oil
- 2 tsp salt
-2 tsp brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp chili paste or ground red pepper

Wash tomatoes. Scald 3 minutes in boiling water. Dip into cold water. Cut out cores. Remove skins. Cut into halves or quarters and blend in blender or food processor to smooth consistency (puree).

Run chopped onions through food proccessor

Simmer all ingredients together for 20-30 minutes

Pour into jars and process pints for 35 min.

Another good idea I read about was to make a ton of tomatoe paste to use for whatever and if you wanted to make pizza sauce add the ingredients to the canned tomato paste. Whatever works!

Salsa

• 1/2 bushel tomatoes (blanched and skinned)
• 2-4 garlic cloves
• 10 large Anaheim peppers (seeded)
• 3 green peppers (seeded)
• 3 large onions
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp dry crushed red pepper
• 1/2 cup vinegar
• 7-10 jalapenos (seeded) or 4-5 if you like a more mild salsa
• 1 tsp pepper

Chop all ingredients in a food processor. Simmer on stove for 2-3 hours, stirring frequently. Pour into pint jars and to each pint add 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp sugar, 2 Tbsp vinegar. Process in hot water bath 55 minutes.

Makes 14-18 pints

Honey-Spiced Peaches

Honey-Spiced Peaches
Makes about 3 (32 oz) quarts
You will need:
 8 lb peaches (about 24 small)
 1 cup sugar
 4 cups water
 2 cups honey
 1-1/2 tsp whole allspice
 3/4 tsp whole cloves
 3 sticks cinnamon
 3 (32 oz) quart glass preserving jars
Directions:
1.) PREPARE boiling water canner. Heat jars and lids in simmering water until ready to use. Do not boil. Set bands aside.
2.) WASH, peel and pit peaches. Leave peaches in halves or cut into slices, if desired. Treat fruit to prevent browning.
3.) COMBINE sugar, water and honey. Cook until sugar dissolves. Add peaches in syrup one layer at a time and cook for 3 minutes.
4.) PACK hot peaches into hot jars leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Add 1/2 tsp allspice, 1/4 tsp cloves and 1 stick cinnamon to each jar.
5.) LADLE hot syrup over peaches leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe rim. Center hot lid on jar. Apply band and adjust until fit is fingertip tight.
6.) PROCESS filled jars in a boiling water canner for 25 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed.

Dill Pickles

Tis the season, I thought since its canning season we could share our best recipes.

Wash 4 inch cucumbers and pack into jars. Add to each jar 2 cloves of garlic, 1/4 teaspoon of Alum, and 2 teaspoons of Dill Seed or 2 heads of Dill. In a pot bring to a boil 2 1/2 quarts Water, 1 1/2 quarts Vinegar, and 1 cup Pickling Salt (which is salt without iodine). Fill jars to 1/2 in from the top.

Pressure Cooker - 2 quarts of water and place your jars inside.
Steam for 7 minutes. Then put weighted topper on until 5 lbs. pressure. Immediately turn off heat. Then let the pressure cool down to zero and take out jars immediately.