Say what? Corn Cob Jelly?!?!

I think I have finally figured out the trick to making jelly after some flops.  You need to use a deep pot, a thermometer and gloves and/or long sleeves are helpful too.  The temperature needs to brought up to 220°  I'm not exactly sure if it got up to that, I didn't have gloves or long sleeves, I was using to pot lid as a shield from the bubbling,  splattering jelly. Any way it jelled just great.

Corn Cob Jelly, no it doesn't taste like corn. It kinda has a honey taste.

This was my first time growing corn. It did ok, the ears were small, too small to eat on the cob. 
So I blanched the corn for about 4-5 minutes, removed the corn from the cobs and froze it.

12 ears of corn
3 1/2 cups sugar
1 box of pectin
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
5 half pint jelly jars

Put the cobs back in the water and simmer them for at least 1/2 hour. The longer you simmer the more flavor you'll get from the cobs. You will need 3 1/2 cups of liquid. Add more water & simmer again if you don't have enough.

You can strain the liquid or leave the bits of corn in.
Bring corn liquid and lemon juice to a boil, add sugar return to boil for 5 minutes, add pectin & boil hard for 1 minute.

Variations I made to the recipe.
I did add 2 more tablespoons of pectin
I used apple cider vinegar instead of lemon juice, I was in a pinch, the kids used the lemon juice to make lemonade :)
I pureed the little bits of corn and added it to the corn liquid

Peach Butter

I've never had Peach Butter before, I've had Apple Butter and I love it so I thought I try makig Peach Butter.

4 1/2 pounds of peaches
4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

I blanched the peaches for 40 to 60 seconds.
Gave them an ice water bath for 1 minute, then peeled the skins
I then quarters the peaches, put them in a pot with about 1/2 cup water and simmered them until soft. Into the food processor next,  processed until mushy but not liquid.
Back into the pot with the sugar & cinnamon,  boil HARD until desired consistency.

Filled my prepared jars leaving 1/2 inch head space and processed for 10 minutes in the water bath canner.

It is Delicious.  I may use less cinnamon next time or none at all.

Right after taking taking this pic I dropped my phone into the pot! Completely submerged!  Guess what? It still works!

Jalapeños part 2

My love for jalapeños continues.  The actual recipe is called Jalapeño Jelly but I call it jam, there are pieces jalapeños in it because I do not strain it. 

I will be making a pepper jam next.  I have sweet heat, jalapeños & green peppers that are ripe.  Mom has some banana peppers that I'll put in too.  

Stay tuned for my next jelly, you won't believe what the main ingredient is!

Jalapeño Jam

Here's the Ball Canning recipe I used.

I highly recommend you wear gloves when handling the peppers.

12 oz jalapeño peppers (about 12 med)
2 cups cider vinegar, divided
6 cups sugar
2 3-oz pouches of Ball® RealFruit™ Liquid Pectin 

Green food coloring, optional

5 (8 oz) half pint glass preserving jars with lids and bands

DIRECTIONS:PREPARE boiling water canner. Heat jars in simmering water until ready to use. Do not boil. Set bands & lids aside.
PURÉE peppers in food processor or blender with 1 cup cider vinegar until smooth. Do not strain purée.
COMBINE purée with remaining 1 cup cider vinegar and sugar. Bring to a boil over high heat. Boil 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
ADD Ball® RealFruit® Liquid Pectin, immediately squeezing entire contents from pouches. Continue to boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add food coloring, if using, and skim foam if necessary.
LADLE hot jalapeno jelly into hot jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band until fit is fingertip tight.
PROCESS in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed.

Jalapeño Smoothie anyone???

Cowboy Candy on left, Jalapeño Jam on right

Jalapeños!

I love hot peppers, they really don't love me though.  I will usually keep eatin' em even though my nose is running, my eyes are running & my mouth is on fire.

I made two different Jalapeño "snacks"  first was Cowboy Candy 

3 pounds fresh jalapenos

2 cups apple cider vinegar

6 cups granulated sugar

½ teaspoon turmeric

½ teaspoon celery seed

3 garlic cloves, chopped

2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1. I highly recommended you wear gloves!   Remove stems from all of the jalapenos and slice 1/8 inch thich or so. I used my mandoline slicer.  Love that thing.  Set aside.

2. In a large pot, bring the cider vinegar, sugar, turmeric, celery seed, garlic and crushed red pepper flakes to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

3. Add the pepper slices and simmer for 5 minutes.

4. Use a slotted spoon, transfer the peppers into clean sterile canning jars leaving ¼ inch at the top of the jar.

5. Turn up the heat and bring the syrup to a full rolling boil. Boil for 6 minutes. Pour the syrup over the jalapeno peppers in the jars but still leaving ¼ inch from the top. Make sure there are no air pockets by sliding a plastic utensil down the inside of the jars. Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean, dampened with vinegar cloth and place lids & rings on the jars.

6. You are now ready to process in a water bath for 10 minutes for pints.  Or you can just refrigerate them. 

7. The hardest step of all....let them sit for 2 weeks to let the flavors blend.

3 pounds of Jalapeños

Apple Cider vinegar, crushed red pepper, minced garlic, turmeric, celery seed and sugar, lots of sugar

Simmering. Diffinalty cleared out the sinuses

Jalapeño Jam coming soon.....

Cowboy Candy on left, Jalapeño Jam on right

Best Ever Bread & Butter Pickles

4 qts. Thinly sliced pickling cucumbers
8 thinly sliced onions about 3-4 cups
1/3 cup salt
2 1/2 cups vinegar
4 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon celery seed
2 tablespoons mustard seed

Make sure cukes are well washed and scrubbed. Sprinkle cukes & onions with salt, add ice cubes, cover weighte5 down for 3-6 hours. Drain, mix sugar, spices & vinegar. Boil for 30 seconds. Fill jars and seal. Process 10 per pint.

Of course I never follow a recipe, I just can't do it lol

I salted the cukes & onions at night, added enough ice to cover, put a pie plate on top & put them in the fridge over night. The sat for 10-12 hours.
I did have a little bit of mustard seed left after adding the 2 T so of course I added it :)

I can't believe no one ever told me to get a mandoline slicer! I hate cutting veggies & I zipped through these cukes & onions in no time

Water Bath

Yay! All seals popped