Since I am so looking forward to summer this year, I decided to post my Bread and Butter Sweet Pickles. And this post has been written and waiting to be posted since last summer!

I love sweet pickles and they are one of my favorite late night snacks. And I particularly like this recipe because it’s a small batch and being I am the only person in my family that enjoys sweet pickles, 4-5 pints per year is plenty for me!

Canning is a lot of fun and I can’t think of anything more satisfying then seeing all my canning jars neatly lined up and glistening. So please don’t be afraid to can. There are some canning rules that can not be broken but as long as you are careful, canning is pretty fool proof. However, there are a few common mistakes that I see repeated over and over. Boiling Water Bath (BWB) means boiling not simmering and the water must be at least 1-2″ above the lid the jar. See below diagram

Bread and Butter Pickles
Recipe adapted a friend

4 quarts or about 4 lbs medium-sized cucumbers, unpeeled and cut into 1/8-1/4″ slices. **See Note
6 medium white onions, sliced
2 green bell peppers, chopped (I used 1 red sweet pepper and 1 yellow sweet pepper to add more color)
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1/3 cup salt (to reduce salt **See Note)
5 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric
1 1/2 teaspoons celery seed
2 tablespoons mustard seed
3 cups vinegar, 5% acidity

Makes about 4-5 pints

1. In a large colander add sliced unpeeled cucumbers, onions, peppers, and whole garlic cloves.
2. Sprinkle salt and gently fold.
3. Fill the sink with ice and nestle the colander in the ice. Add more ice to cover the colander. Let stand for 3 hours.
4. After 3 hours, remove any remaining ice from the colander and drain well. Discard the garlic. If you want to reduce the salt, after the 3-hour icing period, rinse the cucumber mix and drain well.
5. Start sterilizing jars and 2-part canning lids.
6. In a large, heavy bottomed pot add vinegar, turmeric, celery seed, mustard seed, sugar and gently mix. Heat to just boiling.
7. Add drained cucumber mix and heat 5 minutes.
8. With a ladle transfer pickles to hot, sterilized 1-pint jars, filling each jar to within 1/4-1/2″ of top rim (head space). Dampen a corner of a clean paper towel and wipe it around the jar rim to remove any spilled juice.
9. Center sterilized lids on jars and screw on bands.

10. Seal and process in a boiling water bath (BWB) for 15 minutes (20 minutes for 1,000 to 6,000 feet altitude).
11. When jars have cooled, finger tighten seals and store in a cool dark place for a few weeks before using. I usually store all my home-canned pickles in our extra refrigerator in the basement and my pickles stay nice and crisp, although they will darken in color.

**NOTE: Carolyn asked the cucumbers measurement would be in cups. As far as I can figure it would be about 12 cups of sliced cucumbers.

The salt in this recipe is to leach out any bitterness in the cucumbers. If you would like to reduce the salt, follow the directions, but at the end of the 3-hour icing period, rinse the cucumber mix and drain well. Then continue on to the next step. This will not remove all the salt, but it will remove a great deal of it.

AllRightsReserved@BigBlackDog

A few years ago I was looking for a Ketchup recipe that I could can. I wanted something that I could use in Meatloaf or maybe add a TBL or so to Chili, soup and as a condiment for my Homemade Potato Chips. But unfortunately, although I found scads of Ketchup recipes none were safe for canning. But then last year, I ran across a copy of “Old Farm Journal Canning Book”, now out-of-print, and it had a recipe for Tomato Jam which sounded just like what I was looking for!! But our 2009 Tomato crop was horrible so before I could make it, we were out of tomatoes and I was done canning for the season.

But the Tomato Jam was worth the wait and I gave it a taste test on some freshly baked Quinoa Bread! The Jam is sweet and thick and perfect for what I need! Wish I could find my Great Grama’s Chili Sauce Recipe. That’s what I would really like, but Grama did not write down her recipes. My Mom said she tried to write it down as Grama worked, but Grama’s directions were a “pinch of this” and a “scoop of that” and too hard to follow.

Although my tomatoes were not that watery, but this recipe took forever to cook down. I started it in my Slow Cooker where it simmered for about four hours. Then I put it on the stove and simmered it again for three hours, but it still was not thick enough. So I let it cool down and put it in the refrigerator over night. The next day I put it in a clean, heavy-bottomed pan and started it boiling again. Three hours later it was finally thick enough to can. Geesh….I did not think it was ever going to cook down!

Tomato Jam
Recipe adapted from “Old Farm Journal Canning Book”

5 qts. of ripe tomatoes, chopped fine
3 med. onions, chopped fine
1 pint apple cider vinegar
3 c. brown sugar
2 c.white sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon (make sure it’s fresh)
1 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. allspice
1 T. salt

1. Combine the chopped tomatoes and onions and set aside. (If the tomatoes are watery, use a few more and drain some of the liquid.)

2. Combine vinegar, sugars, spices, and salt in a large saucepan and bring to a boil.

3. Add tomato mix and turn down heat. Simmer until the mixture is thick (like apple butter), OR heat in a 350 degree oven or use your Slow Cooker. Either way, stir frequently to prevent scorching and/or a crust forming on the top. Making sure that Tomato Jam is boiling before ladling into the sterilized jars.

4. When the consistency suits you, ladle the hot mixture into hot sterilized jars, pints or 1/2 pints, and process in a Boiling Water Bath (BWB) 15 minutes.

This week for HBinFive I made some Quinoa Bread Baguettes for Crostini for snacks during tonight Monday Night Football. The Quinoa Bread was wonderful, very easy dough to work with and made perfect baguettes.

AllRightsReserved@BigBlackDog

I’ve always enjoyed canning, even when I was single I canned Stewed Tomatoes every year. One bushel of tomatoes yields about 10 quarts and this was just enough for me for one year! Now I use about 60 pints of tomatoes a year and I am still running low when April rolls around.

I am not a big fan of Mexican cuisine but I tried a recipe for Mexican Rice last year and we loved it. And I later discovered that if I make 2 cups of rice and add 1 pint of Annie’s Salsa and pop it into the oven for about 20 minutes, it is fabulous. So a little bit of work in August canning up Annie’s Salsa makes for a very tummy-warming side dish when we are knee deep in snow! Don’t forget to serve it with a wedge of lime as it makes all the difference.

A little Canning rant….

I do have to warn you about using just any canning recipe that you find on the Internet or in published books as many are just not safe. I know that the recipe may sound good and claims of “I’ve done it this way for years” or “My Mom always did it this way” but please don’t be tempted. If you have an old family canning recipe that you want to make, you can always submit it for testing at your local County Extension Office which is your tax dollars at work so take advantage of it!

And if you are looking for safe canning recipes, keep to the County Extension and University sites or books like Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving and don’t ever substitute or vary a canning recipe..NEVER EVER!

WHEW…done with my little rant and on to Annie’s Salsa, which has been tested and is safe! In fact you need not worry about any canning recipe on my site as I am a bit paranoid ever since my Mom gave me her Botulism Lecture some 30 years ago! And I still remember it almost word for word. Mom “I know I did it that way, but it’s not safe and you had better not try it” and then “I’m sending your Dad over!”. LOL!!!

Tomato Salsa
Recipe graciously shared by my friend, Annie

8 cups tomatoes, peeled, seeded, chopped and drained
2 ½ cups chopped onion
1 ½ cups chopped green pepper
3 – 5 chopped jalapenos
6 cloves minced garlic
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp pepper
1/8 cup canning salt
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup vinegar **See note if using a BWB
16 oz. tomato sauce
16 oz tomato paste

Mix all ingredients, bring to a boil, boil 10 minutes. Pour into hot jars, process at 10 lbs of pressure for 30 minutes for pints. Makes 8 pints.

NOTE: If you are using a Boiling Water Bath: Use Pints or 1/2 Pint Jars ONLY. Increase the Vinegar to 1 Cup and process in a BWB for 15 minutes.

My goodness my blog has been orange lately! In fact I’ve posted three orange-colored recipes in the last few weeks, Carrot Cake Jam, Basil Banana Pepper Jelly and Pickled Carrots! And since I had several people ask me what I do with my Hot Pepper Jellies, I am posting another orange recipe today but this time it’s cookies!

I have to admit that I think the Savory Cheddar and Pepper Jelly Cookies are about the best cookie I have ever tasted and I remember exactly the day I tasted my first one. I was at a friend’s house for a long weekend and she loves to cook and bake. So you can imagine how much food there was plus at least six or seven different varieties of cookies. I remember looking at the platter of cookies and picking out a few to try. Well, when I bit into the Cheddar cookie with the delicious tangy, spicy filling, I immediately returned to the platter and took a few more cheddar cookies and then a few more. No one else could get near the cookie platter…LOL!

The Cheddar Cookies are very easy to make and only have four ingredients, butter, Cheddar Cheese, flour and Pepper Jelly. But don’t let the limited ingredients fool you, these cookies pack a punch, an excellent tasting punch too! Also, it is a small recipe and I always double it but still the cookies are gone within 24 hours. I use my home-canned Pepper Jellies and for this recipe I used the last of my Habanero Gold Jelly . But you can use any store brand of Pepper Jelly as long as it’s made with some variety of hot pepper. You do need the spicy, hot pepper flavor to balance the Cheddar Cheese so make sure to read the label carefully.

Savory Cheddar and Pepper Jelly Cookies
Recipe adapted from “Thanksgiving 101” by Rick Rodgers

8 oz (2 cups) Sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
6 TBL (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup flour
1/3 cup hot pepper jelly

Place cheese and butter in a food processor (could be creamed by hand or mixer); add flour and process until the mixture forms a soft dough. Gather up the dough and divide into two flat disks. Wrap in wax paper and freeze until chilled, about 45 minutes. (You really don’t need to chill the dough)

Position two racks in the center and top third of the oven and preheat to 400°. Line two baking sheets with parchment or use nonstick sheets.

Using 1 teaspoon dough for each, roll the dough into small balls and place 1 inch apart on the sheets. Bake 5 minutes. Remove from the oven. Using the handle of a wooden spoon or 1/2-inch-thick dowel, poke an indentation in each cookie. I use the handle of my dough whisk to form the indentation for the jelly. Place a dollop of the jelly into the indentations.

Return to the oven and bake, switching the positions of the sheets from top to bottom halfway through baking, until the tops are very lightly browned, about 10 minutes. (Cookies will continue to crisp as they cool.) Transfer to racks and cool completely. Recipe makes about 20 cookies.

Can be baked up to two days ahead. Store at room temperature in an airtight container and separate layers with wax paper.

AllRightsReserved@BigBlackDog

We’ve had such gorgeous weather the last few days, I’m almost ready to put my flannel-lined bluejeans away for another season! Today I was outside for the better part of the day in a long-sleeved t-shirt and I loved every minute of it! Spring is such a fun time of the year! And I am anxious to get into spring cooking which always means lots of vegetables, big salads and grilled beef!

One of my favorite vegetables is carrot so I was happy to see that Carrot Bread was on the agenda for HBinFive. Besides the usual Whole Wheat Flour, Water, Salt and Yeast, the recipe calls for Coconut, Carrots, Walnuts and Dried Fruit. After much indecision, I decided to use dried apples and cherries for the fruit.

Then I took a look at my somewhat long ToDo List which is always lurking in the back of my mind and decided to make some Carrot Cake Jam which I thought would pair nicely with the Carrot Bread. But the jam recipe called for Powdered Pectin and I’ve never worked with it before. I have no problem with Liquid Pectin but the Powdered can be tricky. My fears were unfounded because my jam came out just fine but don’t you think I need more practice? One success could have been a fluke, right? Just to be on the safe side, I think I should make more jam!

See that gorgeous blue sky..spring is finally here!

Carrot Cake Jam
Recipe adapted from The Complete Book of Home Preserving

1 1/2 cups grated, peeled carrots
1 1/2 cups cored, peeled pears
1 3/4 cups canned pineapple, including juice
3 TBL lemon juice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 package of powdered pectin
6 1/2 cups sugar

In a large saucepan, combine carrots, pears, pineapple with juice, lemon juice, and spices. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat, cover and boil gently for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in pectin until dissolved. Bring back to a full boil, add sugar all at once, bring back to another boil and boil hard for 1 minute.

Remove from heat, skim off foam. Ladle into sterilized jars with 1/4 inch head space. Process jars in a BWB for 5 minutes.

Makes 6 half pints.

All Rights Reserved 2008-10 © BigBlackDog

Onion is a term used for many plants in the genus Allium. Onions, one of the oldest vegetables, are found in a large number of recipes and preparations spanning almost the totality of the world’s cultures. They are now available in fresh, frozen, canned, caramelized, pickled, powdered, chopped, and dehydrated forms. Onions can be used, usually chopped or sliced, in almost every type of food, including cooked foods and fresh salads and as a spicy garnish. They are rarely eaten on their own, but usually act as accompaniment to the main course. Depending on the variety, an onion can be sharp, spicy, tangy and pungent or mild and sweet.

I just can not cook without onions and Green Onion and Sweet Red Onion are my favs and an added bonus is to slice the Green Onion tops into thin cross sections and use in place of sprinkled parsley to add color to any dish. And what’s better on a burger then a slice of Sweet Red Onion! If you are interested in Red Onions, I make a wonderful Zesty Red Onion Jelly that is an excellent condiment for just about any kind of meat and it’s the most gorgeous color!

My pantry is generally very well stocked but due to a very poor yield from our vegetable garden last year, my pantry is in pitiful shape. I think I have about 40 lonely jars…very sad. And when I took inventory, I found I had a measly 1/4 pint of Hot Pepper Jelly left! I have not been this low on Pepper Jelly in years. But peppers are available year round at any market, so having a bad crop last year is no excuse!

So I got to work!

Basil Banana Pepper Jelly
Recipe adapted from Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving

Yield: 3-half pints

1/2 c thinly sliced, seeded mild banana peppers or any mild, sweet peppers (I used diced Red Sweet Pepper)
1/4 c fresh hot peppers, seeds removed and diced (I used 2 tsp of diced Habanero Pepper)
1/4 c red onion, finely diced
3 to 4 large fresh basil leaves, cut into thin ribbons
1/4 tsp dried basil
3/4 c white vinegar
3 c sugar
1 pouch liquid pectin

Combine peppers, red onion, fresh and dried basil in a large, deep stainless steel saucepan. Stir in vinegar and sugar.

Over high heat, bring mixture to a full, rolling boil. Stirring constantly, boil hard 1 minute. Remove from heat. Immediately stir in one pouch Liquid Pectin, mixing well.

Pour jelly into a hot jar, dividing solids equally among jars and filling each jar to within 1/4 inch of top rim (head space). Wipe jar rims. Center lids on jars & screw on bands. Process in BWB 10 minutes.

Cool for about 30 minutes, then, when lids are concave but jelly is still hot, carefully invert & twist jars to distribute solids throughout jelly. (**Do not let them remain upside down for long periods**) Repeat as needed during the cooling/setting time, until solids are evenly suspended in the jelly.

All Rights Reserved © BigBlackDog

Carrots?? Yes, carrot is the theme for this months Can Jam. Carrots can not be canned in a Boiling Water Bath and since I don’t own a Pressure Canner, my only alternative is to pickle them. So here I am faced with picking a recipe for Pickled Carrots..okay now say that three times really fast!

I looked but could not find a recipe I thought would work for us. And when I’m in a situation like this, I usually call my Mom. But she said she never canned pickled carrots and come to think of it I don’t remember my Mom pickling much of anything! Darn, I can usually count on Mom for a recipe!

But I did finally find a Pickled Carrot recipe in a pamphlet from our local County Extension Office and with some minor additions, black pepper corns and fresh Dill, it should be pretty good. But I can’t tell for sure until I taste them in a month or so. But if anything, my Pickled Carrots are pretty but of course I’m partial to anything in a canning jar!

Pickled Carrots

2¾ pounds peeled carrots
5½ cups white distilled vinegar at least 5% acidity
1 cup water
2 cups sugar or Splenda (I used Splenda)
6 tsp black pepper corns
2 teaspoons canning salt
8 teaspoons mustard seed
4 teaspoons celery seed
4 large cloves of garlic, cut in half
1 large sprig of fresh Dill per pt jar

Makes 4 Pints

1. Clean and peel the carrots. You can slice the carrots crosswise into rounds or slice them into sticks. I used the Baby Carrots which just fit a 1/2 pint jar perfectly.

2. In a large pot combine the vinegar, salt, sugar or Splenda and water in a large pot. Bring to a boil and boil for about 3-4 minutes.

3. Add carrots and bring to a boil.

4. Prepare the jars. Put 2 tsp mustard seed, 1 tsp celery seed, 8-10 Black Pepper Corns in the bottom of each clean, hot pint jar.

5. Pack the hot jars with the hot carrots, leaving 1/2″ head space. Pack the jars fairly tightly. I packed my carrots standing on end which was not easy with a hot jar and hot carrots but it can be done!

6. Don’t forget to add your slices of garlic and sprig of fresh Dill per jar.

7. I used my pyrex measuring cup to pour the hot pickling liquid into each jar. Still making sure to leave at least 1/2″ of head space. The carrots should be totally covered with the pickling liquid.

8. Remove air bubbles by sliding a knife inside the jar or gently shaking the jar. Adjust head space if needed.

9. Wipe rims of jars with a dampened, clean paper towel and put the lids on each jar. Make sure that you screw the lid on to just finger tighten.

10. Process jars in a Boiling Water Bath for 10 minutes. Remove and place on a flat surface covered with a thick kitchen towel. Let cool.

11. Anything pickled should be left unopened for at least a week, to let the flavors develop.

Can Jam, a monthly canning event, is hosted by Tigress of Tigress in a Jam. Canning is so much fun, you really should try it! The February Theme, Carrots, was chosen by fellow CanJammer, Doris and Jilly Cook.

Into my 7th week of the Ten in 10 Challenge. I’m still doing my weight exercises every day while I watch the news. And I’ve started repeating the exercises while watching the Olympics. I find that if I have something interesting to watch on TV I will exercise longer! However, last week I was sick for the entire week so did not work out at the gym at all. Oh well, you win some, you lose some. By the way, even though I am not dieting, I’ve lost 6 lbs.

All Rights Reserved 2008-10 © BigBlackDog

Well, I did it again! I made more mini pies for HBinFive’s Chocolate Espresso Whole Wheat Bread. The Pocket Apple Pies that I made two weeks ago were such a big hit, I had a request to make more. And I never need to be asked more then once!

But the Chocolate Espresso Whole Wheat Bread was not as easy to work and I did have to fuss a bit more but the Pies were very good. I made the Pocket Pies with my 5″ Dough Press and again using about 2 TBL of Filling per pie.

For the Cherry Filling I used my home canned Brandied Cherries and boy was the cherry filling good. I canned the Brandied Cherries several years ago but they were pushed to the back of the pantry and I had totally forgotten about them! Well, I won’t be forgetting about them any time soon. And plan on making more Brandied Cherries as soon as they come into season. Sorry but I do not remember where I found the recipe for the Brandied Cherries but I’ve had it for some time now.

Brandied Cherries
Recipe adapted from “not a clue”

6 lbs dark, sweet cherries
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 1/4 cups brandy

Wash and pit cherries. Combine sugar, water and lemon juice in a large sauce pot. Bring mixture to a simmer. Add cherries and simmer until hot throughout. Remove from heat; stir in brandy. Pack hot cherries into hot jars, leaving 1/2″ head space. Remove air bubbles. Adjust two-piece caps. Process 10 minutes in a Boiling Water Bath.

Cherry Filling
Recipe developed by Big Black Dog

1 Pt of Brandied Cherries, abt 2 cups including juice (You can also used canned, frozen or fresh cherries, cleaned and pitted)
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
2 TBL Sugar

Chop the cherries into 1/4″ pieces. Put Cherries including juice, cinnamon and sugar in a saute pan. Over low heat, simmer until all liquid has evaporated. Watch it closely because it can burn easily.

With the remaining dough I made mini loaves of bread. Aren’t they cute! I just cut the loaves into slices, garnished with fresh Kiwi Fruit and drizzled with Ganache.

Chocolate Ganache
Recipe adapted from my Mom

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch salt

Put the cream in the microwave and heat until just hot. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit until chocolate is melted. Stir until completely smooth and free of any unmelted chocolate. Add remaining ingredients. Allow to cool slightly before using.

All Rights Reserved 2008-10 © BigBlackDog

I love to can late at night when everyone is asleep and I’m all alone in my kitchen. I count out the lids and get the water bath ready. I prep the vegetables or fruit and sneak a little taste here and there. I sterilize my jars and line them up, squeaky clean and gleaming, on my kitchen counter. The smell of the fresh tomatoes or peaches fills the air as it comes to a boil! I carefully fill the jars with the recipe du jour, screw on the lid and then and only then is it ready for the finale…. the Boiling Water Bath (BWB). After twenty minutes, I remove the jar and wait in anticipation to hear the most wonderful sound in the world and that’s the PING of a sealing lid! I swear I can hear the PING three rooms away!

When I get up in the morning and wander into the kitchen for my first cup of coffee, and see all my jars lined up, I feel so accomplished. Is there anything more gorgeous then freshly canned goodness?

Light Citrus Strawberry Spread
Recipe adapted from “The Complete Book of Small-Batch Preserving” by Ellie Topp

Makes 8 – 4oz jars

1 large orange
4 c strawberries, washed and hulled
1 TBL lemon juice
2 TBL granulated sugar
1 box light (low-sugar) fruit pectin
1 c granular low-calorie sweetener (I used Natur, All Natural Sweetener)

1. Grate 2 tsp zest from orange; place in a large stainless-steel or enamel saucepan. Remove and discard remaining white rind from orange. Chop pulp and place in a 4 cup measuring cup.

2. Mash strawberries; add to orange. You should have 3 cups of fruit.

3. Combine fruit, lemon juice, sugar, and pectin in saucepan; mix well. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in sweetener, return to a boil, and boil hard for one minute, stirring constantly.

4. Ladle into sterilized jars and process in a BWB. Once opened, keep in the refrigerator and use within 3 weeks.

Tasting Notes: This spread which is actually more like a butter, is very tart. I did add an additional 2 TBL granular low-calorie sweetener which was perfect. Mr. Tastebuds loved it and it was very good on Rice Pudding!

I’ve joined another monthly event! You’re probably thinking “Michelle don’t you have enough to do?”. I know but I hate to miss out on anything and I like being busy! Can Jam, a monthly canning event, is hosted by Tigress of Tigress in a Jam. Canning is so much fun, you should really try it!

I’m now starting my third week of the Ten in 10 Challenge and so far I’ve worked out 7 times in 10 days…WOOT! And I bought some 2 lb weights to start some weight training at home. I’m going to be following “8 Minutes in the Morning for a Perfect Body” by Jorge Cruise.

All Rights Reserved 2008-10 © BigBlackDog

The first time I made Apple Maple Butter I could not believe such a gorgeous taste developed from such a simple, no thrills recipe. I now make it several times a year and it’s always a welcome addition to our table! I especially like to make my Apple Butter when we’re having a winter snow storm and the wonderful smell of apple, cinnamon and maple just fill up the entire house. It just makes me feel so warm when the house smells so good.

I do have to confess that the reason I make butters is because I can not make jelly. For the life of me I can not hit the jell point no matter what thermometer I use and I’ve tried and tried and tried. But failure leads to other things and in this case my discovery of butters! I dearly love making butters because you can adjust the sugar content somewhat and since we’d rather taste the natural flavors rather then sugar, butters work out very well for us. So when making my butters, apple, peach, rose hip, plum or pear I do cut the sugar a bit and it’s perfectly delicious.

When making my Apple Maple Butter I use at least 3-4 different varieties of apples: Granny Smith, Gala, Pink Lady, Honey Crisp, Macintosh, Fuji, Rome, Cortland or Jonathon but any good cooking apple is just fine. However, I think the addition of Honey Crisp and Cortland made my best batch ever, but these varieties are not easy to find!

And I never peel my apples, yes even for apple pie I use the peel. So much wasted time in peeling each apple and it’s so unnecessary. I would never eliminate flavor from a recipe and the apple peel contains so much good flavor, why waste it? So I just take the whole apple and slice off pieces down to the core, chop up to about 1/2″ pieces. So simple and no wasting time peeling or coring apples.

To make this recipe even more time saving, I use my crock pot ie: slow cooker. I just dump everything in the slow cooker for about 4-5 hours, on high for the first hour and then I turn it down to low, and let it cook down until it’s very thick and then can it up. However, you do not need to use a slow cooker, you can make the Apple Maple Butter on the stove in a heavy-bottomed pan with exactly the same results. However, if using the stove top you will need to stir it often to avoid scorching.  Whether you are using a Crock Pot or Stove Method the Apple Butter must be at a rolling boil for at least 5 minutes before canning. 

Apple Maple Butter
Recipe adapted from my friend Nancy

12 cups finely chopped apples (about 6 lbs)
6 cups sugar
1 cup maple syrup (Grade “B” if possible but I usually use Log Cabin Syrup)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice (I use 1/4 tsp allspice)
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (I use 1/4 tsp nutmeg)
1/4 teaspoon cloves (I skip)

1. Combine all ingredients in a large deep pan or slow cooker. (See Note if using a slow cooker.) Slowly bring to a boil. Cook until very thick. Stir frequently, so it doesn’t stick.

I like my apple butter with small pieces of apple still intact but if you’d like a consistent spread you can use an immersion stick blender or food processor to blend thoroughly. If the butter has cooled, make sure to bring it to a slow boil for 15 minutes before canning.

REMEMBER this is a butter not jelly. So the consistency should be like a VERY thick apple sauce. If you take a spoonful the butter should stay mounded and not flatten out at all. If the butter does not mound it is not thick enough and needs to be simmered for another hour or so.

2. Sterilize 5 pint jars, then place upside down in a 325 F oven for about 15 minutes. Boil 2-piece lids for 20 minutes and then leave submerged in hot water until you need them.
3. Ladle hot apple butter into hot jars to within 1/4 inch of top for head space.  NOTE:  Before ladling the Apple Butter into the sterilized jar, the Apple Butter must be at a rolling boil for at least 5 minutes.  Some crock pots are not hot enough to bring contents to a boil.  Just transfer to a heavy-bottomed sauce pan and when Apple Butter is boiling then it’s ready to can.
4. Remove air bubbles by sliding a rubber spatula between the glass and butter.
5. Re-adjust the head space to 1/4 inch.
6. Wipe jar rim to remove any stickiness.
7. Center lid on top of jar; apply screw band just until finger tight.
8. Place jars in a hot bath in a canner and process for 10 minutes. Make sure that the jars are completely submerged in water with at least 1″ of water above the jar tops.
9. Remove jars and place on a towel.
10. Jars are sealed when the lids pop and are curved down, (concave).
11. Label jars and store in a cool, dark place.

The End
(But I have 5 more pints!)

All Rights Reserved 2008-9 © Big Black Dog

Several years ago a friend mentioned they would like to make a Cherry Peach Salsa from American Spoon that they had purchased. I asked them to send me a jar and I’d see what I could do. I love nothing better then trying to copy excellent recipes.

I waited to try my hand at experimenting with the recipe until the Michigan Peaches were in season because in my opinion there is no better peach then the peaches grown in Michigan! Well after a few tries and adding a little of this and little more of that, I think I nailed it if not made it better!

It’s now three years later I am still making my Cherry Whiz Salsa and it’s one of our favorites! Now I am not much for hot, spicy food but the Cherry Whiz Salsa has such a nice blend of sweet and spicy that I can’t seem to get enough of it. And in the winter when we have two foot of snow on the ground, it tastes especially good.

The Michigan peaches were late this year so I was unable to find fresh cherries and had to use fresh frozen. If I had known frozen cherries would have given me such a beautiful rosey color I would have used them in the first place.

Would you look at that gorgeous color!







Cherry Whiz Salsa
Recipe developed in the kitchen of Big-Black-Dog

6 c chopped peaches (about 5 pounds)
1 large fresh tomato (I used a German Pink Heirloom Tomato)
2 c chopped sweet black cherries
1 1/2 c chopped red onions
3 medium jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped
1 large sweet red pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 c finely chopped cilantro
1/2 c white vinegar
2 TBL liquid honey
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1. Sterilize 8, 1/2 pint jars, then place upside down in a 325 F oven for about 15 minutes.
2. Blanch peaches, cool in cold water, peel, pit and chop to about 1/2″ pieces to measure 6 cups.
3. Blanch tomato and cool with cold water, peel, remove seeds and cut into chunks.
4. In a large stainless or enamel cooking pot, combine peaches, cherries, tomato, onion, Jalapeno peppers, sweet red pepper, cilantro, vinegar, honey and garlic.
5. Bring to a boil, and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

6. Adjust seasonings to taste.
7. Add some cayenne pepper if you desire a spicier taste.
8. Ladle salsa into hot jars to within 1/4 inch of top for head space.
9. Remove air bubbles by sliding a rubber spatula between the glass and salsa.
10. Re-adjust the head space to 1/4 inch.
11. Wipe jar rim to remove any stickiness.
12. Center lid on top of jar; apply screw band just until finger tight.
13. Place jars in a hot bath in a canner and process for 10 minutes. Make sure that the jars are completely submerged in water with at least 1″ of water above the jar tops.
14. Remove jars and place on a towel.
15. Jars are sealed when the lids pop and are curved down, (concave).
16. Label jars and store in a cool, dark place.







Click!, a photography event, is always hosted by Bee and Jai of Jugalbandi but this month Jugalbandi is also hosting Monthly Mingle. Meeta of What’s for Lunch, Honey, is the originator of Monthly Mingle, a themed event for food bloggers.








AllRightsReserved©BigBlackDog

This week for Whisk Wednesdays are weekly recipe is Biscuit de Savoie or Sponge Cake. As soon as I read the recipe it reminded me of a long ago Home Economics class. When I was in 8th grade we had to take Home Economics, not my favorite subject. But during the cooking section I remember making a Jelly Roll and it was pretty good by 8th grade standards! So in place of just a regular cake I made a Jelly Roll and used some of my home canned Nectarine Raspberry Jam with Drambuie and Cointeau!

The Jelly Roll was fun and very good, but it was a tad on the sweet side. Next time I make a jelly roll I will use fresh fruit and no additional sugar! So after taking my pictures, I packed it up and this baby graced the table at our local firehall! The firemen love me!

Biscuit de Savoie
Recipe adapted from Le Cordon Bleu at Home

7 eggs, separated
1 1/4 c. sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 c. flour
3/4 c. potato flour

Garnish:
Confectioner’s sugar for dusting
Whipped cream
Fresh fruit, raspberries, strawberries or peaches

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Prepare 10″by15″ jelly roll pan by greasing pan and cutting a sheet of parchment paper to fit in the bottom.

Combine the egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla in a bowl. Beat with whisk, or an electric mixer, until pale yellow and creamy. Combine the flours and fold into egg mixture.

Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks. Stir 1/3 of the beaten whites into the batter until thoroughly blended. Then gently fold in the remaining whites.

Pour the batter into the prepared jelly roll pan.

Bake at 400F for 8 to 10 minutes, until the cake is golden and springs back when lightly touched.

Dust a large dishtowel with powdered sugar.

When cake comes out of the oven, loosen edges of cake, then place the sugared towel on top of the cake (yes, some will come off), then invert the pan so the cake comes out onto the towel (which should be lying on a table or counter). Trim off the firm edges.

Beginning with the short side, roll cake and towel up together. Place towel wrapped cake on a wire rack and let cool.

When cake is cool, gently unroll and spread with jam (or jelly) and re-roll. Place on a serving plate.

Before serving, sprinkle with powdered sugar and/or top each slice with a dollop of whipped cream. Garnish with fresh fruit and sprig of fresh mint.

Nectarine Raspberry Jam with Drambuie and Cointeau
Recipe graciously shared by RobinKate at the Harvest Forum

1-1/2 cups sugar
1 1.59-oz pkg Ball® Simple Creations® Freezer Jam Fruit Pectin
2 cups peeled and chopped nectarines
2 Tbsp Drambuie
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp Cointreau
2 cups raspberries
5 Plastic Ball® (8 oz) Freezer Jars

1. STIR sugar and contents of pectin package in a bowl until well blended.
2. COMBINE nectarines, Drambuie, lemon juice and Cointreau in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-high and simmer, stirring constantly, until nectarines become soft and transparent, approximately 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool 15 minutes.
3. ADD raspberries to nectarines and mix well. Crush raspberries and nectarines with a potato masher. Add fruit mixture to pectin mixture. Stir 3 minutes.
4. LADLE jam into clean jars to fill line. Twist on lids. Let stand until thickened, about 30 minutes. Refrigerate up to 3 weeks or freeze up to 1 year.

Sugar High Friday is graciously hosted this month by Candice of Mmm, Tasty. Please visit Mmm, Tasty for some more “local” treats.

AllRightsReserved©BigBlackDog

I just won my first blogging event, Art You Can Eat, “Go Local”! I am thrilled and it was with one of my very favorite recipes too, my Pink Popper Jelly!

Thank you ever so much Holly for hosting this wonderful event. I will wear the badge with pride.

All Rights Reserved 2008 © Big Black Dog

Rosie, Rosie Bakes a Piece of Cake, and Pixie, You Say Tomahto, I Say Tomayto, are hosting “Putting Up”, a Canning Event and my entry is the Zesty Red Onion Jelly. I am so excited finally a blog event involving Canning…one of my favorite kitchen adventures.

I dearly love to can and it is so easy. Really, canning is no big deal, although many people think that it’s so time consuming, but truly it’s not. Just to show you how easy canning is here is a picture of the total ingredients for Zesty Red Onion Jelly! And this prep probably took me less then 10 minutes to prepare. The most time consuming thing was waiting for the Boiling Water Bath (BWB) to boil!

I did cheat a bit when prepping this recipe. It’s best to make Red Onion Jelly when the onions are freshly picked and not wintered. The gorgeous color of the red onion would be stronger. In the back of my mind my natural dyeing experience kicked in and I knew exactly how I could save some of the color. But I’m sure using freshly harvested onions would insure even a deeper hue to the jelly. But I did pretty darn good with the color even with last years onions!

Onion skin, any onion skin, contains dye. So I just immersed the red onion skin in the required 3/4 c. white vinegar and popped it in the microwave for 30 seconds, just enough the to heat the vinegar. It worked beautifully, and more natural dye was infused into the vinegar! YES!!! I left the vinegar to cool to room temperature and then poured it through a strainer. The results were exactly what I had anticipated and saved quite a bit of color.

The Zesty Red Onion Jelly was posted by dear, sweet Zabby on the Harvest Forum at Garden Web. She clipped the recipe from an Ottawa newspaper long since lost to never, never land.

Zesty Red Onion Jelly
Recipe adapted and generously shared by Zabby

1 cup diced red onion
2 tsp lemon zest
3/4 cup white vinegar
3 cups granulated sugar
1 pouch (85 ml [3 fl oz]) liquid pectin

Cut red onion into 1/8 inch slices; cut slices into 1/4 inch dice. Measure 1 cup into a large, deep stainless steel saucepan. With a sharp knife, cut a wide strip of paper-thin yellow peel from lemon; cut into thin strips and measure 2 tsp into saucepan. Stir in vinegar and sugar.

***Over high heat, bring mixture to a full, roiling boil. Stirring constantly, boil hard 1 minute. Remove from heat. Immediately stir in one pouch Liquid Pectin, mixing well.

Pour jelly into a hot jar, dividing solids equally among jars and filling each jar to within 1/4 inch of top rim (head space). Wipe jar rims. Centre lids on jars & screw on bands. Process in BWB 10 minutes.

Cool for about 30 minutes, then, when lids are concave but jelly is still hot, carefully invert & twist jars to distribute solids throughout jelly. (**Do not let them remain upside down for long periods**) Repeat as needed during the cooling/setting time, until solids are nicely suspended.

All Rights Reserved 2008 © Big Black Dog

As long as I am posting the Hot Pepper Jelly varieties, I’m going to tell you about a savory cookie that is absolutely one of our favorites. The recipe makes a small batch, thank goodness because they rarely last long and mostly eaten by me!

And you do not have to can your own jelly to make the cookies. Any hot pepper jelly would be fine or you can substitute Apple Butter or Apple Chutney.

Savory Cheddar and Pink Popper Jelly Cookies
Recipe adapted from “Thanksgiving 101″ by Rick Rodgers

8 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup hot pepper jelly or sub apple butter or chutney

1. Place cheese and butter in a food processor (could be creamed by hand or mixer) and pulse a few times until thoroughly blended.
2. Add flour and process until the mixture forms a soft dough.
3. Gather up the dough and divide into two flat disks. Wrap in wax paper and refrigerate until chilled, 30-45 minutes.
4. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
5. Using 1 teaspoon dough for each, roll the dough into small balls and place 2″ apart on the sheet. Bake 5 minutes at 350 degrees.
6. Remove from the oven. Using the handle of a wooden spoon or 1/2-inch-thick dowel, poke an indentation in each cookie. I use the back of the 1 tsp cookie scoop to make the indentation. Place a dollop of the jelly into the indentations.

7. Return to the oven and bake until the tops are very lightly browned, about 10 minutes. (Cookies will continue to crisp as they cool.)
8. Transfer to racks and cool completely. Cookies will be soft when removed from the oven so I just slide the parchment paper with the cookies onto the cooling rack.

AllRightsReserved©BigBlackDog

I love to can and I love to stand back and look at all my freshly canned jars all lined up and gleaming. And the ping of the lids sealing is just the sweetest sound. And when I open the door to my pantry and see all the goodness just waiting to be opened…gawd there is just nothing more beautiful. My Habanero Jelly is my entry to the Art You Can Eat #3 Go Local blogging event.

Habanero Gold Jelly is our all time favorite and we go through jars of it. We are not jelly fans nor hot pepper fans….who’d a thought!! But it’s sweet/tangy taste is absolutely addictive and once you taste it, you can not stop eating it. This addiction problem is why I only can Habanero Gold in half pints!

My friend Carol used her vast canning experience to develop the “Big Batch” version “to increase the small yield…because liquid pectin is expensive”. And she did just that, doubling the yield yet not interfering with the taste, and it is fabulous!

The Habanero Gold Jelly Recipe is reprinted in the new “Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving”, but they do not credit Mr. Rouleau for developing the original recipe which is a shame.







Carol Clark’s “Big Batch” Habanero Gold Jelly or Hot ‘N Sweet Confetti Jelly
Recipe inspired by “Bernardin Guide to Home Preserving” by Bob Rouleau

1 cup minced dried apricots (1/8″ dice) *See Carol’s Notes
1-1/4 total cup minced red sweet pepper and minced red onion (1/8″ dice), approximately half-and-half.
1/4 cup Habanero peppers **See Carol’s Notes
1-1/2 cups white vinegar
6 cups sugar
1 3-ounce pouch liquid pectin

*Note: Can use dried peaches or pears instead.
**Note: For extra-hot, increase Habaneros to 1/2 cup and reduce red sweet pepper/red onion combination to 1 cup total.

Clean and seed peppers and cut into 1/8″ dice. Dice 1/8″ apricots and onion. Place in a large, stainless or other non-reactive pot. Add sugar and vinegar. Bring to the boil and cook 5 minutes.

Pull off the burner; allow to cool, cover and let sit overnight. Stir occasionally if convenient.

Note: 4-6 hours would be plenty, so the time doesn’t need to be any greater than the soaking time for apricots in the original recipe.

Next day, bring the mixture back to the boil and stir in liquid pectin.

Boil hard 1 minute. Pull off the heat. If necessary, skim foam. (I did need to skim a bit.) Let cool 2 minutes, stirring to distribute solids.

Pour into jars. Stir to distribute and remove air bubbles. Do the usual with the jars and lids, Boiling Water Bath 10 minutes. When jars are sealed, “agitate” to distribute solids throughout the jelly.

Reprinted with Carol Clark’s written permission.







Pink Popper Jelly
Developed in the Kitchen of Big-Black-Dog and inspired by my friend Carol

Same as Carol’s Big Batch Habanero Gold Jelly with the following changes:

3/4 c. minced dried apricots
1/4 c. minced dried cherries
1 1/2 medium-sized Habneraro peppers, diced and seeded (I’m soft when it comes to hot pepper!)

The Pink Popper Jelly is a rosy orange and the taste is just different enough to justify the name change. We love the Pink Popper Jelly and I only use Michigan Dried Cherries because they’re the best and I was born in Michigan!

In the picture below my Pink Popper Jelly is the bottom jar and the Habanero Gold Jelly is the top. You can plainly see the difference in color but you’ll have to imagine the taste!







Check out my Savory Cheddar and Jalapeno Jelly Cookies!




AllRightsReserved©BigBlackDogs

I am a canner, wholeheartedly and with every breath I take and jar I have!!

But in the winter there are no home grown tomatoes or peaches or apples. So I am not above mail ordering citrus and I found a wonderful Kumquat Grower in Florida that has absolutely gorgeous fruit.

Kumquats have a very thin skin and do not travel well so the Kumquats we have in our stores here in IL are ridiculously expensive and half are rotten or moldy…yuck!! The Kumquat season is December through March so when we’re neck deep in snow and sub zero temps, sunshine can be had in a box of Kumquats. Oh how I love Kumquats and eat them whole, seeds and all….pure heaven and I don’t even have to bake!

Last year I ordered 10 lbs of Kumquats and when they arrived, it was so fun opening the box of Orange Goodness! We were in construction at the time and we were living in the basement and I had a temporary kitchen with a hot plate, microwave and no oven!! It was desperate times but I managed. And the tangy sweet goodness of the Kumquats was just the pick-me-up I needed!

So about a month ago I ordered another 10 lbs of Kumquats. But this time I was ready for canning, more specifically Kumquat Marmalade. Now, we’re not fans of jelly, jam or marmalade but since I’m a canner I still make it in small batches. And jellies and marmalades make wonderful gifts too and there is nothing more beautiful then a full pantry!!!

Kumquat Marmalade

3 qt Kumquats (about 5 1/2 pounds)
2 c Water
3 1/4 c Sugar
3 oz Liquid pectin

Wash Kumquats and crosscut in half. The pits should be on the wider half and just pick them out and discard. Place kumquats in a FP and pulse until chopped and you can still recognize pieces of rind.

Combine kumquats, peeled lemons, and 2 cups water in a heavy pot; bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer uncovered, 45 minutes.

Add sugar and bring to a rolling boil. Boil 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add pectin.

Pour marmalade into hot sterilized jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace; wipe jar rims. Cover with metal lids; screw on bands. Process marmalade in boiling-water bath 10 minutes.

Yield: 12 half pints.

I had to put another picture of my pantry. I never tire of opening the door and looking at all the goodness!

All Rights Reserved 2008 © Big Black Dog