CANNING WEEK: PUMPKIN BUTTER, PEACH BUTTER, PEAR BUTTER, APPLE BUTTER, HEAVENLY JAM, GARFIELD JAM, RHUBARB JAM DELUXE & EGGPLANT MARMALADE!

APPLE BUTTER

Apple butter is like a thicker and spicier version of applesauce. It is great on toast, crackers, cornbread, pancakes or over ice cream. This is much better that what you can find in the stores!

INGREDIENTS:

8 pounds apples -- see * Note
2 cups cider
2 cups vinegar, 5% acidity
2 1/4 cups white sugar
2 1/4 cups brown sugar - (packed)
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground cloves

* Note: Use Jonathan, Winesap, Stayman, Golden Delicious, Macintosh or
other tasty apple varieties for best results.

DIRECTIONS:

Wash, remove stems, quarter and core fruit. Cook slowly in cider and
vinegar until soft. Press fruit through a colander, food mill or
strainer. Cook fruit pulp with sugar and spices, stirring frequently.
To test for doneness, remove a spoonful and hold it away from steam for 2
minutes. It is done if the butter remains mounded on the spoon. Another
way to determine when the butter is cooked adequately is to spoon a small
quantity onto a plate. When a rim of liquid does not separate around the
edge of the butter, it is ready for canning.
Fill hot into hot sterile half-pint or pint jars, leaving 1/4-inch
headspace. Quart jars need not be pre-sterilized, but jars should be hot
prior to filling. Adjust lids and process for 10 minutes in a
boiling-water bath.
To sterilize empty jars, place them right-side up on the rack in a
boiling-water canner. Fill the canner and jars with hot (not boiling)
water to 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Boil 10 minutes at altitudes
of less than 1,000 feet. At higher elevations, boil 1 additional minute
for each additional 1,000 feet elevation. Remove and drain hot sterilized
jars one at a time as filled.
This recipe yields 8 to 9 pints.

CROCKPOT APPLE BUTTER

This recipe for Apple Butter is slap you in your face easy there is really no excuse not to make it. The crock pot does all the work for you + while you sleep it doesn't get much better than that. When morning rolls around you will smell all that wonderful goodness as soon as you walk in the kitchen.

INGREDIENTS:

4 pounds cooking apples
2 cups cider
3 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

DIRECTIONS:

Stem and quarter apples; do not peel. Cook apples and cider, covered, in
crock pot on LOW for 10 hours. Add sugar and spices and continue cooking
for 1 hour or more uncovered, until some of the liquid is gone and the apple butter has cooked down a bit. Rule of thumb a wooden spoon should be able to stand upright when you place it in the apple butter.
Pour into hot sterilized jars.Process in a hot water bath. Store in a cool dry place or pour into freezer containers and freeze.
This recipe yields 10 six-ounce jars.

PEACH BUTTER

This easy peach butter recipe calls for just three ingredients -- fresh peaches, water and sugar. My mother never used spices in her peach butter,saying they "took away" from the fresh-fruit flavor and I have to agree.

INGREDIENTS:

3 1/2 pounds peaches, washed & pitted (no need to peel)
1 3/4 cups granulated white sugar
1/2 cup water

DIRECTIONS:

In a large saucepan, place peaches and water. Bring to a boil. Return to a simmer and cook until peaches are soft, about 20 minutes. Run the peaches through a food mill or a sieve and discard the skins. Add sugar to pulp and mix well. Now reduce the pulp by one of the following methods.

SLOW COOKER
Place sweetened pulp in a slow cooker with lid partially off to let steam escape. Set at low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6-12 hours or overnight, or until thick enough so the butter doesn't run off a spoon when turned upside down.

STOVETOP
Place sweetened pulp in a medium saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, for 1-2 hours or until thick enough so the butter doesn't run off a spoon when turned upside down.

Place hot butter in hot sterilized jars, leaving 1/4" headspace. Cover with hot sterilized lids and rings. Process in a water bath for 10 minutes. Remove to counter and allow to cool before storing in a cool, dry, dark place.
This recipe yields 2 half-pints and one smaller jar

PEAR BUTTER

Pear butter is lightly scented with orange and nutmeg. This is an old recipe from the 2001 Ball Blue Book Guide to Home Canning Freezing & Dehydration.. Its taste is so good on toast or even on top of steak or chicken

INGREDIENTS:

7 pounds medium pears -- quartered, cored
4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/3 cup orange juice

DIRECTIONS:

Prepare Ball brand or Kerr brand jars and closures according to
manufacturer's instructions.
Cook pears until soft, adding only enough water to prevent sticking (about
1/2 cup). Press through sieve or food mill. Measure 2 quarts pulp;
combine with sugar in a large saucepot, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add
remaining ingredients, cook until thick enough to round up on a spoon. As
mixture thickens, stir frequently to prevent sticking.
Carefully ladle hot butter into hot jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace.
Remove air bubbles with a nonmetallic spatula. Wipe jar rim clean. Place
lid on jar with sealing compound next to glass. Screw band down evenly
and firmly just until a point of resistance is met -- fingertip tight.
Process 10 minutes in a boiling-water canner. At elevations higher than
1,000 feet, boil 2 additional minutes for each additional 1,000 feet
elevation.
This recipe yields about 4 pints

PUMPKIN BUTTER

This pumpkin butter is an excellent hostess present, and is a wonderful spread for toast and muffins. It can also be used to make a spectacular holiday desert. "Pumpkin Pie in a Jar".

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups mashed cooked or canned pumpkin
2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan; stir well. Bring to a boil;
reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered for 30 minutes until mixture is smooth
and thickened.
Quickly pour pumpkin butter mixture into hot jars, filling to 1/4-inch
from top. Wipe jar rims clean. Place lids with bands on and process in a
boiling water bath 15 minutes.
This recipe yields 4 half pints.

HEAVENLY JAM

I use to do a lot of canning and tried to put up plenty of jams and jellies for winter. This mixture of fruits makes it really unique. This is great on biscuits or any homemade bread. Nice way to use up those leftover fruits.

INGREDIENTS:

2 medium oranges
1 lemon
1 pinch baking soda
6 medium pears
6 medium peaches
6 medium apples
Sugar equal to amount of fruit.

Note: This recipe does not require pectin.

DIRECTIONS:

Grind unpeeled oranges and lemons in a food processor or grinder; transfer
to a large kettle. Add baking soda; simmer for 10 minutes.
Peel remaining fruit; grind then crush it. Add to orange mixture; measure
and return to kettle.
Add sugar equal to the amount of fruit. Boil until thick, about 30
minutes. Pour it into hot jars, leaving 1/4-inch head space. Adjust
caps.
Process for 20 minutes in a boiling hot water bath.
This recipe yields about 7 pints.

GARFIELD JAM

This is an incredible jam that is so pretty, tasty and great to give as gifts. I usually can 30 jars of this at the end of summer and have them on hand for Christmas gifts. Everyone loves this one and I know that you will too.

INGREDIENTS:

4 pounds plums -- pitted
4 pounds peaches -- pitted, peeled
4 pounds light brown sugar
1 pint vinegar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cloves

DIRECTIONS:

Boil plums, peaches until tender very slow. Add brown sugar, vinegar,
cinnamon, and cloves. Boil until thick.
Remove from heat, ladle into hot sterile jars, leaving about 1/4-inch
headspace. Cap and give a 5 minute hot water bath.
This recipe yields about 5 pints.

EGGPLANT MARMALADE

This is a nice Vegan recipe. Creamy, buttery Brie Cheese is a choice foil for this piquant eggplant marmalade. Serve it on multi-grain toast! I used all the eggplants my son kept bringing me...Now I wonder if I can use the zucchini?

INGREDIENTS:

2 pounds eggplant
4 cups sugar - (2 lbs)
4 cups water
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Juice of 2 large lemons
Grated rind of 1/2 lemon

DIRECTIONS:

Wash, peel and dice the eggplant. Barely cover with water in a preserving
kettle and boil for about 10 minutes; drain and set aside. Make a syrup
by combining the sugar, water, nutmeg and cinnamon and bringing them to a
boil. Add the eggplant. Remove from heat, cover and allow to stand
overnight.

The next day, remove the eggplant with a slotted spoon and boil the syrup
for 20 minutes to thicken it. Return the eggplant to the kettle and boil
for 30 to 40 minutes until the syrup sheets when dropped from a spoon (2
drops forming on the edge of the spoon, coming together and falling as 1
drop), or until a jelly thermometer reads 220 to 222 degrees. Stir in the
lemon juice and grated rind. Ladle into hot, sterilized jars and seal.

To seal: Fill to within 1/2-inch head room, being sure to first wipe the
rim and threads of the jars with a hot damp cloth to remove all particles
of food, seeds or spices. While contents are hot, cover with a cap and screw band on tight & give a 5 minute hot water bath.
This recipe yields about 8 half-pints.