Homemade Tomato Sauce (No Peeling Required)

Preserving tomatoes.  It's something I've been doing for a few years now.  And, although I enjoy the final project, let me be honest...prepping the tomatoes is a messy, time consuming chore that I don't enjoy.  Marking the tomatoes with an X, blanching them, plunging them into an ice bath, then peeling the skin away...it's a lot of work!  I even tried the food mill strainer/sauce maker.  Let's just say that I made a bit of a mess and move away from the subject.

The garden has been generous with tomatoes this year, but I was dreading the preserving process.  I thought, why go through that mess...there has to be an easier way.  By cooking (or oven roasting) the cut tomatoes and using an immersion blender, this homemade tomato sauce is now my go-to way of preserving the harvest - no peeling necessary!  I currently have some stored in the freezer and in jars on my pantry shelves.  

Oven Roasted Tomatoes

The garden is still producing beautiful tomatoes!

Along with eating them fresh, I have canned some and I have froze some.

One of my favorite ways to prepare garden fresh tomatoes is oven roasted.  

This summer, I did this for the first time, and I quickly asked myself, "why did you wait so long to do this?"

Pepper Jelly (Home Canning)

I have enjoyed pepper jelly for years, but this is my first year making my own.  And, wow is it good!

I used these adorable little jelly jars, and hope to give some of these cuties as gifts.

For this pepper jelly, I used one red pepper, one yellow pepper, one orange pepper, two green peppers, and one jalapeno pepper.

If you like spice, add more hot peppers.

If you don't like spice, then only use sweet peppers.

Start by getting the water set to boil in your water bath canner.

Always follow safe canning guidelines.

The Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving is a great reference to have on hand.

Now let's make some beautiful, colorful, delicious pepper jelly.

Pepper Jelly

makes 10 jelly jars

Ingredients

1 red pepper

1 yellow pepper

1 orange pepper

2 green peppers

1 jalapeno pepper

1 cup apple cider vinegar

6 tablespoons fruit pectin

1/2 teaspoon butter (to help reduce foaming)

5 cups sugar

Directions

Cut off the top of the peppers and remove the seeds.
Finely dice up all the peppers (using a knife or food processor).

Place diced peppers into a large pot.

Add vinegar.

Stir in pectin.

Add butter.

Bring mixture to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly.

Stir in sugar.

Return to a rolling boil and boil for 1 minute while stirring.  

Ladle into prepared canning jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space.

Wipe jar rims.

Cover with lid and band.

Put on rack inside canner

Continue filling other jars.

Lower rack of prepared jars into the water bath canner.

Put lid on the canner.

Process for 10 minutes.

A favorite way to enjoy this colorful pepper jelly is to pour some over a block of cream cheese and serve with crackers.

The New Pioneer Magazine Summer 2017

The New Pioneer Magazine Summer 2017 issue is now available!

This magazine is amazing, always full of great ideas.

I am honored to have 2 articles in this issue.

The first article is about home canning.  Something I've talked about here on the blog before.  My Mom used to can heavy volumes in her summer kitchen.  Generations before her canned as a life necessity.  Although I don't can like they did, I do dabble in home canning.  I involve my girls in the kitchen as much as possible, and I am thrilled to say that they are part of this article.

The second article is another DIY project that Handy Hubby made for our small farm.  It is a slow hay feeder.  Before this we just threw hay on the ground, which was a waste of money!  The cows trampled on and used the bathroom on it, wasting a lot of it.  If you have livestock that you feed hay, this DIY is for you!  

The magazine is available at most places where magazines are sold or you can order on line.

Happy Reading!

Home Canned Apple Pie Filling

Let's think ahead for a moment...

It's winter time.

The snow is gently falling outside your window.

A beef roast nestled on a bed of vegetables is simmering in the crock pot.

Your family is huddled around a crackling fire sharing stories.

The talk turns to apples...

apple pie to be exact.

Mmmm...the fresh apple pies you had in the fall...

The color...the texture...the smell...the taste...

The craving takes over...

 An apple pie is a must for the day!

But, wait a minute...you don't have any apples!

A trip to the grocery store is out of  question, since the snow has picked up speed and is quickly covering the ground.

Without even putting on your super hero costume...

You smoothly walk into the pantry...

A second later...

You appear with a can of home made apple pie filling...

 that you canned yourself!

Your family starts cheering and applauding!

The talk quickly turns to how great you are great the pie is going to taste.

You pop open that jar, spread the deliciousness into a pie shell, and bake.

As the spice infused apple pie smell wafts from the oven, you get to spend quality time with your family, instead of laboring away in the kitchen.

Do I have you convinced?

Ready to can some apple pie filling for one of those days lurking in your future?

Or any day really.

If you're new to canning, or need a re-fresher, click HERE to read my post titled

Home Canning (How To Get Started).

Home Canned Apple Pie Filling

(This recipe makes 3 quarts.)

3 pounds firm apples

2 1/4 cups sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

couple dashes of nutmeg 

couple dashes of ginger

1/2 cup cornstarch

5 cups water

Combine sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cornstarch in a large pot.

Add water, and cook on medium-high heat.

Stir frequently until it boils.

Boil for one minute, or until thickened.

Peel, core, and slice enough apples to fill each quart jar, leaving adequate head space.

Fill jar with thickened liquid, again leaving some head space.

Remove air bubbles.

Put lids and bands on.

Process jars in hot water bath for 20 minutes.

Enjoy as a pie, dumplings, ice cream topper, or anything your heart desires!

You may also like:

Apple Crisp With Almonds

Baked Apples (made in the microwave)

Rhubarb Apple Crisp

Sharing at:
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Foodie Friday

Home Made Applesauce

Do you like applesauce?

Have you looked at the ingredients on applesauce that you purchase at the grocery store?

If you answered yes to one or both of those questions, then this post is for you.

Home made applesauce is easy to make using only 3 ingredients:

Apples

Water

Sugar

You could actually make it without sugar if you want.

Circleville Pumpkin Show

Today I thought we would take a walk through the Circleville Pumpkin Show, 'the greatest free show on earth'.

A community coming together to celebrate agriculture, homemade, handmade, and of course all things pumpkins.

Bread and Butter Pickles (Home Canning)

I have been swimming this year...
swimming in CUCUMBERS!

They are still producing strong in September.  This is today's harvest!

From Vine To Freezer Tomato Sauce

From vine to freezer tomato sauce is my newest way to 'put up' some of  the tomatoes that I have been harvesting from our garden.

Let me just start by saying, I have such admiration and respect for my Mom and the generations before her that canned so much produce.  It is a lot of work!  

Although I have done some canning this year, for this round I did some freezing.  

Green Beans (To Can or Freeze)

It is amazing to watch green beans grow from a simple little seed that was planted in the Spring.

The green leaves...

Pears (Home Canning)

My parents recently gave me a whole 'lotta pears.

I had no idea what I was going to do with them.

Knowing I didn't want them to go to waste, I got out my handy dandy Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving  to see how to can them.

If you missed my post on Home Canning (How To Get Started) click HERE.

This was my first time canning pears, and I must say it was fairly easy.

Zucchini Pickles (Home Canning)

Just when you thought I was done sharing zucchini recipes...

Back when our zucchini plants were on overdrive, I truly did enjoy coming up with all kinds of ways to use them.  Making zucchini pickles is another way to enjoy zucchini throughout the year, just like the zucchini bread that I made and froze to eat later.

If you like the taste of a bread and butter pickle, I hope you try this...

Zucchini Pickles

(they taste like bread and butter pickles)

Garden Fresh Salsa (Home Canning)

Is there anything better than Garden Fresh Salsa?

I do love it fresh from the garden, but...

I also want to enjoy it long after the garden season.

So what do I do year after year?

I can salsa!

Home Canning (How To Get Started)

Home canning is making a strong come back from what was once thought of as a dying art!

People, like you and me, are wanting to know where our food comes from.  

Many are gathering produce from their own garden, a family or friend's garden, a farmer's market, or a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture).

We want to know what goes into our food.

We don't want harmful additives and preservatives in our food.

For this weeks blog posts, I am going to be talking about home canning.