Tomato Soup

This recipe came from our good friend, Ronda Bodily. We love this recipe. I use this  recipe when I make porcupine meat balls, sloppy joes, or stuffed green bell peppers

14 qts. tomatoes
14 stalks celery
14 sprigs parsley
4 Bay leaves
21 cloves
8 med. onions-cut fine
Boil and strain

1 lb. butter
1/2c. salt
1 c. sugar
3/4 tsp. paprika

Mix with a little juice. Then pour into hot juice and cook til thick.

Pressure cook 20 minutes.

Makes 14 qts.

Sweet and Sour Jam

Steve's Mom has a cherry, apricot and two apple trees.  We were able to get cherries and apricots and have to see what comes of the apples.  I was looking for different ways to use apricots and stumbled upon this recipe.  I love sweet and sour chicken!  I keep saying that I love this or I love that but I really should say I love food!!!  I did make a couple of changes by not using habaneros, shallots, cherry tomatoes and cilantro.  I didn't have any of those so I used jalapenos, green onions and a tomato minus the seeds.  There wasn't any heat when I used the jam on the chicken so next time I think I will leave a few jalapeno seeds in.

2 jalapenos, minus seeds unless you like heat
3 cups fresh apricots, pitted and chopped
1 cup green onions, sliced into thin slivers
1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup fresh pineapple, chopped
1/4 cup tomatoes, minus seeds, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh cilantro (optional)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1 (1.75 ounce) package powdered fruit pectin
6 cups white sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon butter

9 sterilized half-pint canning jars with lids and rings

Wearing rubber gloves and avoiding touching your eyes or face, seed and mince the jalapeno peppers. Place the jalapenos, apricots, green onions, green and red bell pepper, pineapple, tomatoes, garlic, cilantro, cumin, and lime juice into a large pot over medium heat, and stir in the pectin until dissolved. Bring the mixture to a boil, and mix in the white and brown sugars, stirring until completely dissolved. Return the jam to a full rolling boil, add the butter to reduce foaming, and boil hard for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly.

Turn off heat, and skim and discard any foam that forms on the jam. Pack the jam into the sterilized jars up to 1/8 of the rim and top each with a sterilized lid and ring.
 
Simmer the filled jars in a boiling water bath for 25* minutes, then remove the jars and listen for the popping sound. Let jars cool completely.

*25 minutes is for my elevation 5800 ft.  I consulted the packaging with the pectin which told me how to adjust my time.

I opted out of breading my chicken, you could use pork, to cut down on the calories but you can bread if you like using this recipe.  I cut up my chicken into bite-size pieces and then spooned jam over chicken.  Toss chicken to coat and bake at 325 for 1 hour. 

Jalapeno Pepper Jelly

When I saw this picture I knew that I had to make this recipe because it was so pretty.  It tastes as pretty as the picture.  I found this recipe on Tasty Kitchen and I hope that the owner forgives me because I borrowed her picture so you could see how pretty it really was.  Below you will find her exact recipe.  Sleepycathollow your recipe and picture are awesome!

1 cup Jalapeno, Seeds And Membranes Removed, Finely Diced

2 cups Apple Cider Vinegar

½ cups Red Or Orange Bell Pepper, Seeds & Membranes Removed, Finely Diced

6 cups Sugar

2 envelopes Liquid Pectin, 3 Oz Each

½ teaspoons Unsalted Butter

Prepare canning jars and lids as directed by manufacturer’s directions. This recipe makes 6 8-oz 1/2 pint jars…so have at least 8 jars ready, just in case.

Do not use seeds in your jelly (if you’d like it hotter then put seeds into a piece of cheesecloth or muslin packet and put into the sugar mixture…BUT TAKE IT OUT BEFORE you put the pectin in!). You can mix up the peppers if you’d like…habanero, jalapenos, bell peppers.

In a large stainless-steel pan combine the vinegar, peppers and sugar. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved. (add the unsalted butter here if you want to use it…it helps to keep the foam down to a minimum)

Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a full boil, at this point stir constantly. Once a rolling boil has been reached, pour in the pectin. Return to a full boil and stir constantly for 1 full minute. Remove from heat.

Immediately ladle the jelly into your jars leaving about 1/4″ head space. Wipe rims off and screw on bands.

4 to 8 oz jars need to be processed for 10 minutes. 1 pint jars for 15 minutes. ADJUST FOR ELEVATION!

I live in Northern Nevada at 4400+ feet so I need to add an extra 10 minutes to the bath process.
Remove from canner and place on paper or cloth towel.

Wait about 15-30 minutes and then carefully twist or tilt jars to distribute the pepper pieces throughout the jelly while cooling.

Melody's Apple Butter

We had Enrichment the other night and this is another recipe, original at the bottom of this post, that was shared. I have to admit that I made one recipe last night and there was so much cinnamon, 1/2 cup, in it that I couldn't taste anything else so I made a second batch and mixed the cinnamon batch in and now I can taste the apples. If I make it again I will start with a lot less spices and add to taste.

The good thing about having to make a second batch was that it let me try placing the apples and most of the juice in my crockpot last night and this morning when I got up they were ready to be blended and strained.

6 pounds tart Apples
96 oz. Unsweetened Apple Juice
3/4 cup Lemon Juice
3 cups Brown Sugar

6 cups Sugar
2 - 4 Tablespoons Cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons Cloves
1 1/2 teapoons Allspice
1 teaspoon Nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon Salt

Wash apples and then quarter them only removing any bad spots. That means that you thrown the cores and seeds into the pot as well. Cover with juice. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 2 hours. Place your apples in a blender and then through mesh sieve. Now place apples and juices back into the pot. Add lemon juice and all sugar and spices. Bring to a slow boil then reduce heat to low. Let it cook on the stove for up to 3 hours, stirring occasionally to reduce and get a wonderful thick butter. Can pour into sterile jars and process for 25 minutes. Makes 8 pint jars.

MELODY BARRIE’S APPLE BUTTER 2 WAYS
~In the crock pot:
5 1/2 pounds apples - peeled, cored and finely chopped
4 C sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ Teaspoons Nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt

Place apples in a slow cooker. Combine sugar, cinnamon, cloves and salt; pour over apples and mix well. Cover and cook on high for 1 hour. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook for 9-11 hours or until thickened and dark brown, stirring occasionally (stir more frequently as it thickens to prevent sticking). Uncover and cook on low 1 hour longer. If desired, stir with a wire whisk until smooth or use a stick blender on low. Spoon into freezer containers, leaving 1/2-in. headspace. Cover and refrigerate or freeze.

~On the stove, my favorite!
Enough tart apples to fill a 20 quart Heavy stock pot at least half full
Enough apple cider or apple juice to cover the apples
1 ½ C. Lemon Juice
10 – 12 C Sugar, depending how sweet you like it. Up to 1/3 can be brown sugar
½ -3/4 C Cinnamon
1 Tablespoon Cloves
1 Tablespoon Allspice
1 Tablespoon Nutmeg
1 tsp. Salt

Wash apples and then quarter them. Cover with juice. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 2 hours. Strain and force apples through a strainer (like one used for pasta) then force through mesh sieve. Now place apples and juices back into the pot. Add lemon juice and all sugar and spices. Bring to a slow boil then reduce heat to low. Let it cook on the stove for up to 3 hours, stirring occasionally to reduce and get a wonderful thick butter. Can pour into sterile jars and process for 25 minutes.

Carolyn's Homemade Tomato Soup

I found another tomato soup that I love! At the end of this post you will see the orginal recipe but I just don't have a pot large enough to make this whole batch so I cut it down to one quarter and it worked out fantastic. Of course there won't be enough to bottle after we eat it for dinner but I can make another batch now that I know what I am doing and buy myself a bigger pot. Below is my version -

6 pounds tomatoes
4 stalks celery with leaves
1 1/2 onion
1 green pepper
1/2 red pepper
6 tablespoons of butter

1/4 cup flour

1 tablespoon salt

1 heaping teaspoon pepper

6 tablespoons sugar

Cut vegetables up into large chunks and put into a large pot. Cook over medium heat for 1 hour. Then blend it in a blender and strain thoroughly. Next combine butter and flour over low heat until the mixture is smooth. Then add the strained tomato mixture to the butter/flour mixture. Stir in the salt, pepper and sugar.

CAROLYN’S HOMEMADE TOMATO SOUP

½ bushel tomatoes (approximately 26 pounds)

One bunch of celery

4 – 6 onions

4 green peppers

2 red peppers

Cut all vegetable up and put into a large pot. Cook over medium heat for 1 hour. Then blend it in a blender and strain thoroughly. Next combine ¾ pound butter and 1 cup flour over low heat until the mixture is smooth. Then add the strained tomato mixture to the butter/flour mixture.

¼ cup salt

1 ½ tablespoons pepper

1 ½ cup sugar

Pour into quart jars and process for thirty minutes. Makes approximately 7 quarts

Salsa

Mom has always had the best tasting salsa and when I was visiting a couple of weeks ago I had her teach me how to make it. It was so easy tomatoes, vinegar and Mrs. Wages Salsa Mix. I just couldn't leave it as simple as that and I know that Steve likes food that he can chew so I added a few extra items and he loves it!

6 lbs. fresh tomatoes - I pureed mine because my family hates tomato chunks

2 large onions, chopped coarsely - approximately 5 cups

2 cans whole kernel corn

3 (15 oz.) cans of black beans, drained and rinsed

1 (4 oz.) package Mrs. Wages Medium Salsa Mix - I found this at Wal-Mart

1/2 cup white or cider vinegar

Wash fresh tomatoes. Scald 3 minutes in boiling water. Dip into cold water. Cut out cores, remove skins and chop coarsely.

Combine tomatoes, vinegar, onions, corn, beans and salsa mix in a large pot and bring to a boil. Stir occasionally. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Pour hot salsa into clean, sterilized pint jars, leaving 1/2-inch head space. Cap each jar when filled. Process 40 minutes* in boiling water bath. This recipe made 10 pint jars.

* Processing time listed is for altitudes less than 1000 feet. At altitudes of 1000 feet or more increase processing time 1 minute for each 1000 feet of altitude.