The Recipe Mom

What You Need:

6 cucumbers
2 green bell peppers
2 red bell peppers
3 onions
1/4 C of pickling salt
5 qts of cold water
3 C of sugar
2 C of cider vinegar
2 1/2 tsp celery seed
2 1/2 tsp mustard seed
1/2 tsp turmeric

How to Make It:

Peel the cucumbers, cut them in half lengthwise, remove the seeds and chop very fine to measure 6 C.
Remove the stems and seeds from the bell peppers and chop very fine, measuring out 3 C.
Peel the onions and chop very fine to measure 3 C.
Place the cucumbers, peppers and onions into a 5 qt. bowl and sprinkle with the salt.
Add enough cold water to completely cover the vegetables.
Let the covered vegetables stand at room temperature for 2 hours.
Run the vegetables under cold water to rinse and allow them to thoroughly drain.
Place the sugar, vinegar, celery and mustard seeds and turmeric into a 5 qt. pot.
Place the pot over high heat and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
Place the vegetables into the pot and return to a brisk boil.
Reduce the heat to medium high and cook the vegetables for 25 minutes or until the liquid has evaporated.
Prepare the canning jars and two piece caps as directed by the manufacturer.
Lightly compact the hot relish into the jars leaving a 1/4 inch head space.
Release the air bubbles and add more relish if necessary to preserve the correct head space.
Wipe the jar rims and hand tighten the lids.
Process the relish in a water bath canner for 10 minutes from the point of boiling.
Cool in a draft free area and check the seals before storing.
Any jars that are not sealed correct should be refrigerated and used within 2 months.

Makes 7 half pints

There’s nothing like a good relish to liven up burgers, hot dogs or your favorite salads. Try adding a little of this relish to tuna salad, macaroni salad or even to salad dressing. Make your own Thousand Island dressing and add a little of this sweet delight to give it a special touch.
This relish is ready to eat as soon as it has been processed and cooled. Hold one back to try on your family that very night. You all will be happy you did.

Preparation Time: approximately 30 minutes
Standing Time: approximately 2 hours
Cooking Time: approximately 25 minutes
Processing Time: approximately 10 minutes
Total Time: approximately 2 hours 05 minutes

Nutritional Information: (approximate values per 2 tbsp serving)
Calories 51; Fat 0g; Saturated Fat 0g; Carbohydrates 13g; Fiber 0g; Protein 0g; Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 499mg

What You Need:

18 lbs. of summer squash
2 gals of water
7 tsp canning salt

How to Make It:

Prepare the jars and lids according the manufacturer’s directions keeping them hot.
Pour the water into a 12 qt pot and place over high heat to bring it to a boil.
Cut the squash into 1 in cubes and gently place the cubes into the boiling water.
Return them to a boil and cook for 5 minutes or until just softened.
Loosely pack the squash into the jars using a canning funnel.
Add enough hot cooking liquid to maintain a 1/2 in headspace.
Release any air bubbles and add more liquid if necessary to maintain the correct headspace.
Wipe the jar rims and tighten the lids by hand.
Place the jars into the pressure canner and process at 10 lbs of pressure for 40 minutes.
Let the pressure drop to 0 and leave the jars in the closed canner for 10 minutes.
Carefully remove the jars and place in a draft free area to cool.
Check the seals before storing and use any jars that must be refrigerated within 2 weeks.
Boil the squash for 10 minutes before eating or tasting.

Makes 7 quarts

There is always an over abundance of summer squash in the garden. Whether it is zucchini, crookneck or any of the other types of summer squash available there’s always more than we can use or give away. Because the skins are thin and edible there is no need to peel your squash before you can it. That makes canning summer squash one of the easiest things to can out of the garden.

Preparation Time: approximately 15 minutes
Processing Time: approximately 40 minutes
Standing Time: approximately 10 minutes
Total Time: approximately 1 hour 05 minutes

Nutritional Information: (approximate values per 1/2 C serving)
Calories 28; Fat 0g; Saturated Fat 0g; Carbohydrates 6g; Fiber 3g; Protein 2g; Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 294mg

What You Need:

12 lbs. whole tomatoes
Bottled lemon juice
Canning salt
Boiling water

How to Make It:

Follow the manufacturer’s directions for preparing your jars and two piece lids.
Wash and peal the tomatoes and cut any large ones in half or in quarters.
Fill the jars with the tomatoes then press them down to release their juices.
Add 2 tbsp of lemon juice and 1 tsp of salt to each jar.
If the tomatoes didn’t produce enough juice to maintain a 1/2 inch headspace add enough boiling water to allow for the necessary headspace.
Release any air bubbles and add more tomatoes and water to achieve the correct headspace.
Wipe the rims and seal the jars.
Process the tomatoes in a water bath canner for 45 minutes from the point of boiling.
Allow the jars to cool in a draft free area and then check the seals.

Makes 4 quarts

Anyone who has a garden knows that tomatoes multiply quickly in the summer. This is a great way to savor those tomatoes during the long winter months. Use them in all your favorite soup, casserole or pasta recipes. Adding lemon juice will increase the acidity level of the tomatoes. This ensure a nice fresh tomato taste every time.

Preparation Time: approximately 15 minutes
Processing Time: approximately 45 minutes
Total Time: approximately 1 hour

Nutritional Information: (approximate values per 1/2 C serving)
Calories 44; Fat 1g; Saturated Fat 0g; Carbohydrates 10g; Fiber 2g; Protein 2g; Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 19mg

What You Need:

12 lbs of carrots, peeled and tops removed
3 tsp canning salt

How to Make It:

Prepare the canning jars according the manufacturer’s instructions and keep them hot.
Dice the cleaned carrots trying to keep all them as close to the same size as possible.
Place the carrots into a 12 qt. pot and cover them with water.
Place the pot over high heat and bring the water to a boil.
Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes or until tender on the outside but still firm in the middle.
Fill each jar with the hot carrots and with enough of cooking liquid to leave a 1 in headspace.
Add 1/2 tsp of salt to each jar and release the air bubbles.
Add more carrots and liquid if necessary to retain the recommended headspace.
Wipe the rims and seal the jars.
Place the jars in the pressure canner and bring the pressure to 10 lbs.
Process the jars for 25 minutes then allow the pressure to drop to 0.
Let the carrots stand in the unopened canner for 10 minutes.
Carefully remove and cool in a draft free area then check the seals.
Boil your carrots for 10 minutes before eating or tasting.

Makes 6 pints

Use carrots that are 1 to 1 1/2 in diameter for best results. Canned carrots will retain their sweet flavor and the texture will be perfect for any dish you use them in. To check the seals to ensure the jars have sealed correctly wait until the jars have cooled completely which can take up to 24 hours. Push the center of lid and if it doesn’t indent the jar has sealed correctly. If the lid does indent after applying pressure then the seal did not take and you need to refrigerate the jar. Most unsealed canned foods will stay fresh when chilled for up to 2 weeks. Always refer to your recipe for the period of time the food will remain safe to eat. These carrots may also be sliced in 1/4 in slices before canning if you prefer.

Preparation Time: approximately 15 minutes
Processing Time: approximately 25 minutes
Standing Time: approximately 10 minutes
Total Time: approximately 50 minutes

Nutritional Information: (approximate values per 1/2 C serving)
Calories 94; Fat 0g; Saturated Fat 0g; Carbohydrates 22g; Fiber 7g; Protein 2g; Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 424mg

What You Need:

6 lbs. zucchini, sliced thin
2 C onions, sliced thin
1/2 C of pickling salt
2 C of sugar
2 qts of ice water
2 qts of distilled white vinegar
1/4 C of whole mustard seed
1/4 C of celery seed
1 tsp turmeric

How to Make It:

Place the zucchini and onions into a 12 qt. nonreactive pot and sprinkle evenly with the salt.
Pour the ice water over the vegetables and stir once.
Cover the pan and let the veggies stand at room temperature for 3 hours.
Dump the veggies into a colander, rinse well and drain.
Roll the vegetables in a dry kitchen towel to dry them.
Prepare the jars and lids as directed by the manufacturer.
Combine the sugar, vinegar, mustard and celery seeds and the turmeric in a nonreactive pot.
Place the pot over high heat and stirring constantly bring to a brisk boil.
Add the vegetables and return the mixture to a boil.
Pack the pickles into the jars and add enough of the hot cooking liquid to maintain a 1/2 inch head space.
Release the air bubbles and add more pickles and water to retain the correct head space.
Wipe the rims, seal the jars and place in a water bath canner.
Process the pickles from the point of boiling for 10 minutes.
Remove carefully and cool in a draft free area, check the seals and refrigerate any jars that did not seal correctly for up to 2 months.

Makes 12 pints

These sweet yet slightly tart pickles will be a hit when you serve them. It’s a great way to use up the over abundance of zucchini we all seem to have in our gardens. Use zucchini that is about the size of cucumbers and try to use them on the day they are picked for best results.

Preparation Time: approximately 30 minutes
Standing Time: approximately 3 hours
Cooking Time: approximately 5 minutes
Processing Time: approximately 10 minutes
Total Time: approximately 3 hours 45 minutes

Nutritional Information: (approximate values per 2 oz. serving)
Calories 22; Fat 0g; Saturated Fat 0g; Carbohydrates 6g; Fiber 1g; Protein 0g; Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 116mg

What You Need:

20 lbs. fresh onions
10 tsp canning salt

How to Make It:

Prepare the jars and caps according to the manufacturer’s specifications and keep them hot.
Peel and wash the onions and slice them into 1/2 in slices or chop them up.
Place the onions in a large pan and cover them completely with water.
Bring them to a boil over medium high heat and boil for 5 minutes or until translucent.
Remove the onions from the liquid and pack them tightly into the jars.
Add 1/2 tsp of salt to each jar and add the cooking liquid to reach a 1 in headspace.
Remove any air bubbles and add more liquid if necessary to retain the correct headspace.
Wipe the jar rims and tighten the lids by hand.
Process the onions in a pressure canner at 10 lbs of pressure for 40 minutes.
Let the pressure drop to 0 and wait 10 minutes before opening the canner.
Remove the jars and allow them to cool completely in a draft free area.
Check the seals before storing.

Makes 20 pints

Onions are a staple in almost every home. They sure can be expensive to purchase over the long winter months. Canning your onions gives that fresh onion taste anytime of the year. These onions will be soft but will still retain their great flavor. When canning always be sure to wipe the rims of the jars with a clean damp cloth before tightening on the lids. This will ensure that the jars seal tightly during the processing and cooling period.

Preparation Time: approximately 20 minutes
Processing Time: approximately 40 minutes
Standing Time: approximately 10 minutes
Total Time: approximately 1 hour 10 minutes

Nutritional Information: (approximate values per 1/2 C serving)
Calories 42; Fat 0g; Saturated Fat 0g; Carbohydrates 10g; Fiber 1g; Protein 1g; Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 294mg

What You Need:

8 lbs. of lean ground beef
2 qts of beef broth
2 tsp canning salt

How to Make It:

Crumble the beef into a large skillet and place the skillet over medium heat.
Stirring occasionally for even browning cook the meat for 20 minutes or until browned through.
Pour the beef broth into a saucepan and place over medium heat.
Bring the broth to a boil.
Spoon the ground beef into the prepared jars and add enough of the boiling broth to achieve a 1 inch headspace.
Sprinkle 1/2 tsp of salt into each jar and release any air bubbles.
Add more liquid if necessary to maintain the 1 inch headspace.
Wipe the rims of the jars and tighten down the lids.
Process the filled jars in a pressure canner at 10 lbs of pressure for 1 hour 30 minutes.
Release the pressure and let it fall to 0.
Leave the jars in the closed canner after the pressure hits 0 for 10 minutes.
Remove the jars and let them cool in a draft free area.
Check the seals and jars that did not seal correctly refrigerate and use within 1 week.

Makes 4 quarts

There’s always a need for cooked ground beef and that’s what makes canning your beef so important. You’ll always have some on hand to use in any of your favorite recipes. Add a little zing to your ground beef. Use tomato juice instead of beef broth and add a beef bouillon cube to give that extra beef flavor. Check the taste of your beef if you use bouillon to see how salty it tastes. If it’s too salty do not add the canning salt before processing.

Preparation Time: approximately 20 minutes
Processing Time: approximately 1 hour 30 minutes
Standing Time: approximately 10 minutes
Total Time: approximately 2 hours

Nutritional Information: (approximate values per 4 oz. serving)
Calories 261 ; Fat 14g; Saturated Fat 10g; Carbohydrates 0g; Fiber 0g; Protein 32g; Cholesterol 101mg; Sodium 99mg