Home canning can be quite additive. You never seem to run out of things to preserve.

It is addictive, a good addiction though ;-)
It started out as a means for me to preserve what grew in the garden but I've branched out since then. I've been canning every weekend since the end of July this year. Prior to that I was making apple pie jam monthly. Today, its grape jam and pommegranate raspberry jelly. I've been canning for 7 or eight years now.

pomegranate raspberry jelly? Mmmmm! Isn't there an unspoken rule in this forum that you don't mention delicious-sounding foods unless you give the recipe too?

Recipe, please!

Shame on me! I should know better. This is off of Ball's Homecanning site. I bought pomegranate - raspberry juice (100% juice) to use.

Pomegranate Jelly
Makes about 6 (8 oz) half pints

You will need:
 3-1/2 cups prepared or bottled pomegranate juice (about 5 large or 2 16-oz bottles)
 1 (1.75 oz) pkg Ball® Original Fruit Pectin
 1/2 tsp butter or margarine, optional
 5 cups sugar
 6 (8 oz) half pint glass preserving jars with lids and bands

Directions:
1.) PREPARE boiling water canner. Heat jars and lids in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Set bands aside.
2.) PLACE pomegranate juice in a 6- or 8-quart saucepan. Gradually stir in pectin. Add up to 1/2 tsp butter or margarine to reduce foaming, if desired. Bring mixture to a full rolling boil that can not be stirred down, over high heat, stirring constantly.
3.) ADD entire measure of sugar, stirring to dissolve. Return mixture to a full rolling boil. Boil hard 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim foam if necessary.
4.) LADLE hot jam into hot jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band until fit is fingertip tight.
5.) 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.

Quick Tip
To juice pomegranates, roll room-temperature fruit on a counter top, pressing it firmly to soften without breaking the skin. Holding the pomegranate over a fine sieve set over a bowl, use a sharp knife to cut out blossom end (crown), including the pith. Juice will begin to spurt out as soon as you puncture the skin. Using your hands, squeeze juice and seeds into sieve. Open the fruit the fruit and, using a small spoon, scrape remaining seeds into sieve. Use the back of a large spoon to press out any remaining juice from seeds. Measure 3-1/2 cups juice.

Note: Wear rubber gloves to keep your hands from being stained.

I took a couple of days off but I'm making grape jelly tonight. Tomorrow I hope to make apple pie jam, applesauce, and I'm not sure what else.

I've been canning for about 12 years now but only this year have I branched out from doing tomatoes, tomato sauce, and apple sauce. It's a nice change!

Astrid

Every year about this time I tell my DH I'm going to cut back on my canning next year. I finished the applesauce, apple pie filling, apple pie jam & dried apples and swear I'm done for the year. My tomatoes did lousy and I've already started pulling the plants so I'll be buying canned tomatoes this year. Then I opened the freezer and found 2 qal bags of tomatoes I froze for later sauce making. I guess I'm not finished as I thought...will it ever be the end of the harvest season? My DH asked what would I do if I didn't can every weekend and a couple of weeknights after work (he really hates when I can on weeknights because it gets really late). I said I'd probably do more gardening (which I already do alot of anyway) or read and relax more...not!

I have been canning my butt off this year and loving every minute too!

I've got to pick the rest of the Rose hips today, puree and freeze for making rose hip butter this winter. Also need to freeze some nectarines for Nectarine Raspberry and Booze Jam.

Do you peel nectarines like peaches or does the skin just blend up like plums?

Also need to get more apples for Apple Maple Butter and this time I'm doing pints. The half pints last about 10 minutes at my house!

This past weekend I went to MI for a MI Run with several Cooking Forum friends. I tasted Vanilla Fig Preserves and OMG....these I've got to make!!

Michelle

Vanilla Fig Preserves? Oh, do tell!

:) So many recipes to try!
Astrid

I'm a little disappointed that I only got three half pints of grape jelly (sans pectin). It tastes great but I wonder, did I do something wrong?
Astrid

What amount did you start with, as to juices? Recipes printed on the boxes of regular pectins usually make about five 8 ounce jars. If you attempt to double the recipes, you risk the setting up of the finished product.

No- I used four cups of grape juice with- I think- 4 cups of sugar (or was it 3 cups?). I used the recipe in the Blue Ball Book (the one without pectin). It was my first attempt at making jelly without pectin. I wonder if I cooked it too long as it was tricky to figure out when it was ready (the spoon test didn't do anything for me).

I just put zucchini pie filling for four pies in the freezer. I got to use up the rest of my giant zucchini stash (couldn't bring myself to toss them on the compost pile). I still have the apples to deal with!
Astrid

Think about the total amount. 4 cups of juice is four 8 ounce jars. The added sugar adds a little to the total volume, but as you mentioned, you boiled out some of the water/liquid. The end result was exactly the amount you would end up with.

I expected four half pints- not three. I must have cooked it too long.
Astrid

SSSSHHHHHH Michelle don't tell them where you got the Fig preserves from.

Fig preserves  Mes Confitures

INGREDIENTS
2 1/4 lbs (1 kg) fresh black figs
3 3/4 cups (800 g) granulated white sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
2 vanilla beans
TO DO
1. Rinse figs in cold water and wipe dry with a clean towel. Remove the stems and quarter the figs. If they're particularly large, cut them into eighths. Split the vanilla beans lengthwise
2. Combine the figs, sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla beans in a non-reactive bowl. Cover, ideally with a piece of crumpled, damp parchment paper. Set aside to macerate for an hour.
3. Pour the contents of the bowl into your preserving pan and bring them to a simmer. Return them to the bowl and cover again. Put this into the refrigerator for at least eight hours, or overnight.
4. Prepare your jars for canning.
5. Again return the fruit mixture to the pan. Bring it to a full boil. Skim off the foam if you care about that sort of thing. Continue cooking until the mixture comes up to 221° F (105° C) -- about 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the vanilla beans near the end of the process. Stir gently as it cooks.
6. Pour the jam into jars and seal.

Note: I don't let the mixture come up to 221° or it turns to concrete. I just go by feel.

I just finished making Linda Lou's Apple Pie Jam- OMG is it YUMMY!!! Thanks for the recipe!

I'm making applesauce and I think for the first time ever I might have to add sugar. The applesauce tastes really bland. I used Cortland apples. I've used them before and made excellent sauce without any sugar. I wonder if I should leave out the sugar and just add some while serving the sauce. (I like to put cinnamon sugar on top anyway). I'm just not sure.
Astrid

I can't stop either. I should be studying for the GRE, housecleaning or catching up on office work. But if I see some type of produce going to waste, that could be put up . . . ! I just HAVE to do it. Especially this time of year with frost looming, it's a primeval urge.

Good luck with the GRE! What are you planning on studying in graduate school?

I just made grape pie filling for one pie for my dh (I'll freeze it). He's half way around the world (sniff sniff) and will be gone for two weeks.
Astrid

I don't know yet, I'm looking at getting into a doctoral program--biology, environmental science, water resource management, something like that at this point is what I'm exploring. But I have a lot if interests.

I have never had grape pie. Sounds intriguing!