You can use any recipe that calls for pints and just do it in the smaller jars. You just process them for the same amount of time as the pints recipe calls for. So use any of the many recipes here that appeals to you.

You can always go to smaller jars with a recipe, you just cannot move up to larger jars then it calls for. ;)

Check out the 'Leesa' thread for lots of great recipes if you haven't already and NCHFP has some good ones too and pick up a copy of the Ball Blue Book for even more.

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: Greatest Hits for Leesa

I use them for gifts all the time - my DS & fiance, SIL and I just made 74-4oz jars of Annie's Salsa, for their wedding next spring. I also use them when I make jam and give them to neighbors and coworkers.

Here's annie1992's Salsa recipe.

ANNIEÂS SALSA
8 cups tomatoes, peeled, chopped and drained
2 ½ cups chopped onion
1 ½ cups chopped green pepper
3 Â 5 chopped jalapenos (for milder salsa, clean the seeds and ribs out)
6 cloves minced garlic
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp pepper
1/8 cup canning salt (Kosher)
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup cider vinegar (1 cup for BWB canning) can be part lemon or lime juice
16 oz. tomato sauce (either homemade or store bought)
8 Â 16 oz tomato paste (store bought is fine)
Mix all ingredients, bring to a boil, and boil 10 minutes.

Canning: Pour into hot, sterilized jars. For hot water bath (BWB) canning  15 minutes for pints, 20 minutes
for quarts For pressure canning, process at 10 lbs of pressure for 30 minutes for pints.
Makes 6 pints
Enjoy this, and happy canning.
Annie

Annie has made a couple changes to her original recipe.
1/4 cup sugar(1/3 in original recipe)
8 oz tomato paste instead of 16 oz.

When I make it for giving, I usually don't leave the seeds and ribs in the hot peppers, it's my "mild" salsa. I also don't use green peppers anymore - I've gotten some bitter ones lately, so now we use red, yellow and orange sweet peppers. I imagine we've all made some adjustments for taste and preferences, it's quite a popular recipe on this forum.

I make strawberry and peach jam and I use the recipe that comes with the liquid pectin.

Good luck and happy canning

Here is a link that might be useful: Salsa threads

I know Zabby also used 4 oz. jars of that salsa for wedding favors, and I put Habanero Gold in them because I don't use a lot of it, but I love it.

Relish, plum sauce, roasted red pepper spread, Shirley's harry and David knockoff relish, chutney, any kind of jam and jelly, apple butter, those would all be good gifts in small jars.

Annie

Thank you for your quick responses. I am planning to make Annie's Salsa today with the BWB method and Roasted Tomato Garlic soup in the pressure canner. I have cut and copied many recipes from the Leeza link. I just wasn't sure how to adjust the recipe for the smaller jars. I also slipped over to Walmart for a couple of small things and checked out their canning supplies. I found and purchased a few items I have seen mentioned on this site in recipes. I don't have any immideate plans for these items yet, but you folks have spoken of them, so I must have them...lol.

Thanks again,
Teri

Habenero Gold Jelly.

Teri,

As Annie says, I made a whole bunch of little jars of preserves for a friend's wedding favours a few years back. I made several different kinds of things, spread out over the harvest season; all the jams and jellies went into those little 4-ounce jars. I did some salsa and some red onion relish in 8-ounce jars.

In fact, I can most jams and jellies in those 4-ounce jars, whether for me or to give away. (We don't eat a lot of jam so we don't through them very quickly, and that way they don't go bad in the fridge once they're opened.)

You can always put a recipe into smaller jars than it calls for. So if the recipe says it makes 4 pint jars or 8 half-pints, you can make 16 wee 4-oz jars instead! Just process for the same time for half-pints. (Jams and jellies you usually only need to process for 10 minutes, or for only 5 minutes if you start with sterilized jars.)

The down side to the tiny jars is that it takes more batches to can a lot of them. If you have a rack you can put between them you can do them in two layers at once --- I use a dollar-store cake-cooling rack that is about the same size as my canner.

Good luck! I hope you have TONNES of fun canning.

Zabby

I second the Habernero Gold Jam. Also the Blueberry Lime Jam. I am also getting ready to do Strawberry Balsmic Black Pepper Jam and the Raseberry Chocolate Jam. These kind of speciality jams are kinda expensive in gourmet food shoppes and I think they would make nice gifts. This is my first year making jams other than strawberry and I am on a roll. Easy for us beginners.

Zabby, I thought that I had read somewhere on this site, that there needs to be 1" of space between layers. Does the cake cooling rack have that much space, or do I/should I use multiple racks for additonal space. Oh I am so excited to try these great ideas and for once be ahead of the holiday rush...yippppeeeee!!!!!
Thanks,
Teri

Katie's Plum Sauce is one I always do in 4 oz. jars. Just the right amount for 2 of us to dip egg rolls.

I also use 4 oz. for sugar-free jams. I'm the only one eating them and they don't keep as long as the full sugar version, so this allows me to finish a jar quickly.

Dill relish, zucchini relish, pickled garlic, all are in 4 oz. jars.

If you make several different colors of jam in the small jars, you can stack up 4 or 5 and wrap in clear cellophane in a tube shape with ribbon hanging down. Cute stocking stuffers for adult kids, co-workers, hostess gifts, etc.
Or nestle them in a pretty or rustic basket with a couple of mini loaves of homemade bread!

Deanna

I've been doing a few 4oz jars in each of my canning endeavors this year.

Because alot of the people I gift things to are either single or have only their spouse left at home. I do "gift packs" of 4 different flavors.

I've got Chocolate Raspberry Jam, Plum Jam, Nectarine Meyer Lemon Preserves, Tayberry, Peach Melba, Cherry Almond and working on Chunky Peach Preserves right now. (I added in minced candied ginger today.)

I need to buy another case of 4oz..last one is in the hot water....lol

This is from The Complete Book of Small Batch Preserving by
Ellie Topp. Is it safe for canning? I think I've seen this somewhere I think on this site, but for the life of me I can't find it.

Caramalized Red Onion Relish
The recipe yields 2 cups of finished relish (makes 1 pint or 2 half pints).
2 large red onions, peeled
1/4 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1 c. dry red wine
3 T. balsamic vinegar
1/8 t. each salt and freshly ground black pepper
Slice onions into very thin slices. Combine onions and sugar in a heavy skillet. Cook, uncovered, over medium-high heat for about 25 minutes or until onions turn golden and start to caramelize, stirring frequently.
Stir in wine and vinegar. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to low and cook for about 15 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated, stirring frequently.
Season to taste with salt and pepper. If canning, ladle into sterilized jars, leaving 1/2-inch head space. Add lids and rings, then place in boiling bath.
Process 10 minutes for half pint jars in boiling water bath.

I want to put it in 4 oz. jars for Xmas gifts.
Thanks, June Lynn

Yes, Ellie Topp's recipes are safe for canning if she says they are (some in that book say to freeze). That's a very reputable book. I have canned that recipe in half-pints and 4-oz jars and it's great. I think I doubled it (ok to do with most recipes except jam/jelly). It also was delicious as a turnover filling.

Melissa

1) Hab Gold
2) Mustard's
3) pickled hot pepper rings

would be my votes.

I use those size jars exclusively for:

Habenero Gold
Amaretto Peach Butter
Roasted Red Pepper Spread