Pear Butter

Approx. 4 lbs. ripe pears
6 cups sugar
1/2 cup orange juice, fresh or frozen concentrate, reconstituted
1 tsp grated orange peel (optional)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg

Wash, peel, core and smash pears. Measure 12 cups pulp into a large pan; stir in rest of ingredients.
Cook until thick. Pour into hot sterilized jars and seal.

Pomegranate Jelly

4 cups pomegranate juice
7 1/2 cups sugar
1 bottle commercial pectin (Certo)
(note: dissolving 2 0z. packaged pectin into 3/4 cup boiling water is equivalent to 1 bottle pectin.)

Mix sugar and juice in large saucepan and mix well. Bring to boil over hottest fire and add pectin, stirring constantly. Bring to full boil (one that cannot be stirred down.) Boil for 30 seconds. Remove from heat, skim, and pour quickly into glasses.

Add melted paraffin wax or

Pour into scalded bottles and seal with scalded lids. Secure lids and turn upside down.

(College of Ag., University of Arizona 1973)

Freezer Jam - Sure-Jell

3 cups fruit, puree
5 1/4 cup sugar
1 package (1.75 oz.) Sure-Jell Pectin
3/4 cup water

Combine fruit & sugar. Set aside.

Combine pectin and water in small sauce pan, bring to full boil and boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Stir hot pectin into fruit & sugar and stir until sugar is completely dissolved, about 3 minutes.

Pour into containers, cover with lids, and let stand at room temperature for 24 hours until set.

(adapted from Sure-Jell box 2008)

Freezer Jam - MCP

3 1/2 cups crushed fruit
1/2 cup lemon juice (optional for high acid fruits such as raspberry)
1 (2 oz.) package of MCP Pectin
1 cup light Corn Syrup
4 1/2 cups sugar

Place fruit and lemon juice in 4 quart kettle and stir well. Stir in pectin, stirring vigorously. Set aside for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add corn syrup, mix well.
Add sugar, gradually warming to 100 degrees F.
When sugar is dissolved, place jam into freezer containers.

(MCP box 1990)

Jello-O Jam

4 cups fruit, puree
4 cups sugar
1 package (3 oz) Jell-O (flavor to match the fruit)

Boil fruit and sugar for 10-12 minutes
Stir in Jell-O

Pour into scalded bottles and seal with scalded lids. Secure lids and turn upside down.

*(Original recipe didn't call for processing but I would for 10 minutes.)

Processed Peach Jam

4 cups ground peaches
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 cups sugar
4 rounded tablespoons Clear Jel
1/2 teaspoon ascorbic acid

Wash, peel, and remove pits from peaches; grind fruit. Put fruit and lemon juice in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Mix sugar, Clear Jel, and ascorbic acid in a dry bowl. Slowly stir in dry ingredients, blend well. Pour into sterilized canning jars and process 10 minutes.

Processed Strawberry Jam

5 3/4 cup ground strawberries
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 1/2 cups sugar
6 rounded tablespoons Clear Jel
1 package unsweetened strawberry Kool-Aid

Wash, stem and grind ripe berries. Add lemon juice. Put in large saucepan and bring to a boil. In a dry bowl, Mix sugar, Clear Jel, and Kool-Aid. Slowly pour dry ingredients into fruit and blend thoroghly. Pour into sterilized canning jars and process for 10 minutes.

Processed Plum Jam

6 cups plums
1 cup lemon juice
2 1/2 cups sugar
6 rounded tablespoons Clear Jel
1 package unsweetened cherry Kool-Aid

Wash, pit and grind plums. In a large saucepan put fruit and lemon juice. Bring this mixture to a boil. In a dry bowl mix sugar, Clear Jel, and Kool-Aid. Slowly add dry ingredients to fruit, blend thoroughly. Pour into sterilized canning jars and process 10 minutes.

Freezer Strawberry Jam

2 cups sugar
3 rounded tablespoons Clear Jel
1 package unsweetened strawberry Kool-Aid
5 cups diced, uncrushed fresh strawberries

Mix sugar, Clear Jel, and Kool-Aid well. Add to washed and diced berries. Put into containers and freeze.

End of Summer Soup

This recipe is meant to use all the bits of vegetables left in your garden at the end of summer. Amounts are general and you can season to taste before bottling or at the time of use. (I prefer to do it at the time of bottling.)

1. Cook up the last of your tomatoes - about 1/2 to 3/4 of a bushel; juice them and start the juice boiling in a large canner kettle. (I prefer to cook my tomatoes with skins and seeds and juice them because I think you get a much better flavor.)

2. Then I add the vegetables: (all vegetables are cut into large chunks, about 1 inch)
a. 3 or 4 large onions
b. 1 stalk of celery (this can be sliced thin if desired)
c. 8-10 cups of yellow summer squash
d. 6-8 cups zucchini squash
e. 4 cups carrots
f. 2 or 3 cups mushrooms
g. 3 cups green beans
h. 3 or 4 red and green peppers (any mild variety)

3. Simmer the vegetables until they become tender. Add about 1 tablespoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of black pepper. Again, you will want to taste and adjust. Add 1/3 cup lemon juice and 1/4 cup sugar. Taste again and adjust.

4. Bottle in clean mason jars and pressure cook for the vegetable that takes the longest length of time. (I did mine at 12 pounds for 35 minutes.)

5. This can then be used for a good soup, just from the bottle, or add macaroni, browned hamburger, or left-over meat. It's also good to simmer a pot roast for a tasty and moist roast.

6. You can put basil with this soup to give it an Italian flavor, garlic is also good in it. Adding shredded cabbage and a little Parmesan cheese is good too. Blending it up will give you a home-made V-8 juice.

7. Again this soup is using all the bits and pieces from teh summer garden. On a small scale, it could be left-over soup using the bits and pieces of vegetables from a week of cooking. Enjoy!

Spaghetti Sauce

1 bushel tomatoes (juiced)
4 to 6 hot peppers (ground)
3 pounds onions (finely chopped)
4 green peppers (finely chopped)

Add to the juice and bring to a boil. Boil down for about 1 hour. Add:

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 pint vegetable oil
1 to 2 teaspoons Oregano
1/2 cup salt
2-3 tablespoons Sweet Basil (adjust to taste)
2-3 teaspoons Garlic Powder

Continue boiling until it is desired thickness. Adjust seasoning to taste. Fill sterile jars leaving 1/4 inch head room, put on sterile lid and screw on ring.

Salsa

Coarsely chop:
1/2 bushel tomatoes
6 onions
3 green peppers
10 jalapeno peppers

Add:
1/4 cup salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice

Boil down until thick. Can be put in oven at 225 degrees overnight to cook down. When thick enough, put in sterile jars and seal. (Adjust ingredients and seasoning to taste.)

Chili Sauce

Grind:
25 large tomatoes
6 large onions
4 red peppers
2 green peppers

Add:
3 tablespoons salt
4 cups white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
4 cups white vinegar

Tie in a cheesecloth bag:
2 tablespoons whole cloves
2 tablespoons allspice

Put bag with all ingredients, cook unil thick, stirring to prevent sticking. When thick, add 1 quart catsup and 1 small can tomato paste. Bring to a boil and bottle.

Spaghetti Sauce

2 quart jars tomatoes*
2 6 ounce cans tomato paste
1/2 to 1 pound ground beef, browned
1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons dried onions
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 bay leaf
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/2 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
1/2 tablespoon oregano
1/2 tablespoon basil
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Put all ingredients in a big pot. Heat and simmer for about 2 hours, or less for a fresher tomato taste. I usually double or triple the recipe then freeze it!

*Home-bottled tomatoes taste the best, buy you can also substitute 4 or 5 cans (14.5 ounce each) of diced/whole tomatoes-you will probably want to blend some or all of the tomatoes, depending on how chunky you like the sauce.

Twinkie Surprise Cupcakes

makes 36 cupcakes

1 box Yellow cake mix
1 cup pureed Summer Yellow Squash
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 Large Oakdell Eggs (or 4 tablespoons Honeyville Powdered Eggs + 1/2 cup water)
3/4 cup Meadow Gold Sour Cream
2 cup Lemon Grove Red Raspberry Jam
1 container of Vanilla Frosting (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake trays with cupcake liners.
2. In a large bowl, mix the cake mix, summer yellow squash puree, water, oil, eggs and sour cream. Beat until smooth, 1-2 minutes
3. Fill cupcake liners 1/3 of the way. Dot each with raspberry jam, then cover with batter until cups are 2/3 filled.
4. Bake until tops of the cupcakes are golden and spring back to the touch, about 20-25 minutes. Turn the cupcakes onto wire rack to cool. Once they are cooled, frost with vanilla frosting, if desired.

Thanks for considering it! It really is amazing!

Zucchini Bread

3 eggs
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/3 cup margarine, melted (plus more on top)
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
4 cups shredded zucchini
3 cups flour

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Beat eggs until fluffy. Add sugar, vanilla, margarine, cinnamon, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Mix. Add zucchini. Mix. Add flour. Mix. Pour into jelly roll pan. bake for 35 minutes. Spread margarine over the top while still hot. Cool and serve.

Basil Tomato Tart

Mandi Bagley

1 unbaked pie crust (I get one from the freezer section of the grocery store and let it thaw)
1-1/2 C. shredded mozzarella cheese
5 roma or 4 medium tomatoes
1 C. fresh basil leaves
4 cloves garlic
1/2 C. mayo
1/4 C. grated Parmesan cheese
1/8tsp. ground white pepper

Bake pie crust according to package directions, or about 7-10 minutes until light golden brown. Remove from oven and sprinkle bottom of crust w/1/2 C. of the mozzarella cheese. Cut tomatoes into wedges and drain on paper towels. Arrange wedges atop melted cheese in the crust. In a food processor or blender, combine basil and garlic and process until coarsely chopped. Sprinkle over tomatoes. In a medium mixing bowl combine remaining mozzarella cheese, mayo, and parmesan cheese and pepper. Spoon cheese mixture over basil and tomatoes, spreading evenly to cover the top. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 35-40 minutes or until top is golden and bubbly. If crust gets too brown, cover just the crust with strips of foil. Serve warm. If desired, sprinkle w/ basil leaves. Makes 8 appetizers or 4 main dish servings.

(*When I made the recipe for enrichment I didn’t have any fresh basil or white pepper. I substituted about a TBSP of dry basil for the fresh and black pepper for the white.)