Drool....

Linda

Linda, those are just beautiful. I especially like that front "Atlas" jar full of dills.

Now, just leave 'em there to admire, that's what I do!

Annie

OK, stupid question time...........
Are Sharon's Dills supposed to be processed or are they open kettle like the recipe sounds????????? At least the one I found in the GW search sounded that way.

Deanna (praying really hard I didn't waste 17 qts. of cukes).

Yes, she told me that because you heat the jars in oven after sterilizing them and use the hot brine you do not have to process them. If the lids don't seal just keep those jars in the fridge. Mine all sealed and I opted to make spears instead of whole pickles. I couldn't find dill tops so I used the fluffy stuff. LOL

Linda

Lynda! Your pickles and jam looks fabulous! I always feel like a really accomplished something after canning. I like to stand back and take a long look at all the beautiful jars!

I made these last week.

Michelle

I bought more jars yesterday. :o)

Everything looks lovely!

I am amazed....you all clean up and arrange the jars before you take a picture?
My kitchen is semi trashed....and I am leaving it that way....a friend called and said...lets go out for a bite....so I am going and will make more jam tomorrow...or pesto....or something!
My jars until a moment ago were sitting on a stickey layer of paper towel with spent certo packsa nd a sticky spoon and now I am boiling the kettle with the burned on peaches.....so I can make more jam!
Linda C

No, I just set the finished jars somewhere pretty. Clean up later.
:+)

Thank you Linda for telling me I don't have to toss my pickles. I'm a "Chase's Dills" virgin.

My hubby had to hold the flashlight for me so I could cut my dill heads for the pickles.......it was about 10pm, we're standing in the garden, him with the light, me with the scissors and a box, one, two, three four.......

Yeah. Seventeen quarts = 34 heads of dill........only I miscounted and STILL had to run back out there.......by myself (DH gave up and went to bed) 'cuz I was 2 short!!

Whew. 11:30 felt pretty good when I finally fell into bed!

Deanna

No, I just set the finished jars somewhere pretty. Clean up later.

Yep that's what I do too!

Linda, you are only seeing what is in the camera lens not the sink full of messy pans to my left or the sticky mess on the counter behind me. LOL!

Deanna, where's the pictures?

Michelle

Lynda and Michelle - Your precious jars look wonderful.

I haven't canned anything yet this year but I'm gearing up . . . last spring a friend talked me into buying a smaller canning rack that was on sale for $1.50 at a going-out-of-business sale . . .

Today, I just happened across a 1/2 off sale of "soup pots" that look exactly like canning pots. Out came my trusty measuring tape, and the pot just exceeded the 10" wide x 7" deep dimensions that I needed. Voila, for less than $10, I'll be making Annie's Salsa in a smaller more manageable pot on a rack that actually FITS the pint jars.

(Last year, when I geared up to make salsa, I bought what was available way across town at the only place I could find a complete selection of canning supplies.)

Now, I need to decide if I wait patiently for my tomatoes to ripen or make a trip to the farmer's market . . . and my big pot and big rack may be just perfect for spaghetti sauce while I'm at it.

It's so exciting, isn't it?

Kari

Looking good ladies!!!

It is true I don't hot water bath my dills, I'm up front about that...no lectures please. However you must make sure the jars and brine are really , really hot. I wash the jars in the dishwasher and then set them in a 150-200 oven. Ony fill two jars, maybe three at a time so they stay very hot.

Refrigerate any that don't seal.

Sorry to tell you all this but I did clean up before I took the picture.

I hate a messy kitchen, and friends were coming over to take us to "HOT AUGUST NIGHTS" here in Reno. That the week when all the old cars come to town and there are loads of fun things to do and see. People put a lot of sweat and money in those cars. They are a site to see.
Linda

Well it looks like I'm in good company, except I didn't take any photos. I canned 6 quarts of carrots last night (pressure canner). DH and I picked hundreds of the little suckers. The worst part about growing carrots is the cleaning, cleaning, cleaning, trimming, trimming, trimming, and then prepping, prepping, prepping...can you tell I'm a tad tired? This past week I put up 4 qts. of raspberry jam (in pints), bread and butter zucchini pickles, and hubbard squash (for pies). Whew! I'm still in amazement and awe at the amount of stuff Annie cans each year. And she works outside the home! Whew!

LOL, mrsmarv, don't be in awe, I LIKE to can. It's kind of a hobby, something I enjoy doing when I'm not at the office. Other people quilt or sew or are hookers (grin). Some watch American Idol or take dance classes. I can.

In fact, this week I've done 7 pints of sweet relish, 7 pints of dilled beans (one broke in the canner, I'm sad), 10 pints of bread and butter pickles and 11 quarts of green beans. Oh, and I put ten 2 cup bags of grated zucchini in the freezer for zucchini bread this winter, did 4 quart bags of corn cut from the cob last night, also in the freezer and picked 7 pounds of blueberries. I like to keep busy. :-) I also made a batch of no-bake cookies for Ashley and did a pan full of Ann T's blueberry squares. I couldn't sleep, it was too hot.....

Chase, if it helps I know the USDA says to HWB pickles. I still open kettle yours in spite of my government's disapproval, I figure I'm taking informed chances. They stay nice and crunchy your way and Dad loves 'em. And there's all that vinegar for acidity.....

Annie

I posted pics on the harvest Forum, but here they are:
17 quarts of Chase's Dills
7 pints of Sweet Pickle Spears (BBB recipe, new for me this year)
5 pints of Linda Lou's Sweet Chunks
Double batch of Linda Lou's started in the stock pot.

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Then thereÂs the corn:
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HereÂs part of my produce "haul" from last weekend.
Cukes on ice:
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Other Stuff:
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IÂll be doing it all again tonightÂÂ..but with my mom!
WeÂre canning peaches, beans, apricots (maybe) and freezing corn and blackberries.
IÂm like AnnieÂÂÂitÂs a hobby! I do some of those other things tooÂÂÂ..in the winterÂÂ..read, quilt, etc.
I donÂt "just sit" very well at all.
Deanna

I like to can, too ;o) But heavens! I guess I don't like it quite as much as you do LOL.
Question for you, Annie: Do you freeze the shredded zucchini raw for breads? I read about freezing it shredded, but it wasn't clear whether or not it was raw. I've got a few large bad boys waiting to be turned into zucchini bread and I would feel very relieved if I didn't have to make and bake them this week. TIA.
Nora

Well I am way behind you Annie...and always will be. Don't think I'll ever graduate to pressure canning, heck it's a battle to get me to HWB!

Been at the cottage for three weeks but came down to make 24 jars of dills. Hope I can find more dill sized cukes 'cause that won't do it. Also did a bunch of Carol's, without an e, (Readinglady) Bread and Butters, excellent recipe and a bunch of Linda Lou's Sweet pickles.

My 10 year old nieces helped me can Linda's pickles and took some home as a reward for their efforts. Both girls loved them but Sara really, really loved them. She was pulling an "Ashley" and eating them out of the container as they brined, even hot!!! LOL She says she wants to make them herself next year...that would make me smile.

Nora,
Yes, freeze the zucchini raw. Just wash well, grate, pack into ziplocs and freeze. Too easy! Bake in the fall when you WANT to heat up the house! I usually measure out the 2 or 3 cups that my bread recipe calls for plus a little extra since you lose some mass when it's thawed. I let it thaw in a colander.
Deanna

Muchos gracias! Sounds great to me.

chase, I just love Linda Lou's sweet pickles, they are sweet and spicy and perfect on a fish sandwich. Yum. I don't blame Sara for snitching out of the container, I do that myself....um.....I mean Ashley does. Yeah, that's it. (grin)

Nora, like Deanna, I grate the zucchini raw, package it in two cup portions (one recipe's worth) and freeze. I don't drain it before I use it, just thaw it and toss it in!

Annie

Yummmmmmmmmmmmm....Deanna your pickles and corn looks so good.

Thanks Deanna I was going to ask about the frozen zucchini too! Since I now have an extra freezer, I've been freezing too and boy does it feel good to open the freezer door and see all the stuff that I can use this winter! And knowing how good it will taste.

I can't wait to start canning my tomatoes. I guess because I know how much I will appreciate each and every jar! I would like to do some more green beans too. Also looking forward to making some of Chase's Beef Stock and I've almost have enough bones now.

MsMarv, how did you can the hubbard squash?

Personally, I like using my 12-qt stock pot for the BWB. I seems to fit the jars better with minimal bubble spit.

Michelle

Lyndaluu
Are your pickles in 24oz. recycled Atlas jars? I have several which are a perfect size for some things. Mine originally contained Spaghetti sauce.

Michelle - I use a pressure canner to do the hubbard squash. Peel and cut into 1-inch cubes. Cook until tender and then pack hot. Use 5 lbs. pressure/65 minutes for pint jars/80 minutes for quart jars. Either that or I puree it and freeze it. I halve it, scoop out the seeds, bake it pulp-side down on a baking sheet/375 degrees until it's tender. Scoop out the pulp, puree in a food processor (or put through a food mill), cool, and pack in freezer containers (I use plastic). For serving as a side dish I use the canned squash, and for use in pies I use the frozen squash. Just my preference.
Nora

Thanks Nora! I thought you probably used a pressure canner and I don't have one. My Mom used to freeze squash and I think I may just freeze some. It's just so convenient to have things on hand when you feel like baking rather then another trip to the store.

Michelle

shirleywny5, yes the Atlas jars are from Spaghetti sauce. They are still mason jars and are a great size. I always try to reuse jars, my part for the green house....

Linda