cooksnsews, although Canada has guidelines for canning and they are different in some instances than ours here in the states, they just don't seem to have the "oh my G*d, you're going to die if you do that" reaction to some old canning methods that we do here in the United States. For instance, I didn't water bath Chase's dill pickles when I made them for Dad Pickles get soft and mushy if they are BWB. I told Dad it wasn't recommended by the government agencies and he told me he was over 70 and would eat the blasted pickles the way he liked them, LOL. The reaction I got from my Canadian family members when Dad brought out homecanned dill pickles was something like "eh, you know they say you shouldn't do that any more". Here, even if I tell people how I canned them and what the ramifications could be, I will be chastised about poisoning my family and ebe told how those pickles should only be disposed of while wearing a haz-mat suit for fear of contamination. I think everyone should know the risks they are taking and then decide whether they want to take them. Being poisoned by jam is pretty low on the risk factor scale. As for water bathing jam, I've done it for years, Grandma even did it because she hated paraffin and found that lids were just so much more consistent. LindaC is the only person I know that still uses the stuff but I would eat her jam without a second thought, it's just not that big a danger. As I mentioned, I wouldn't conjecture about the chili sauce, because I don't know what's in it. Annie

First mulberries of 2011! Here in CA just got our first berries today! I went to the neighbors who are novices and they taught ME something. After growing up every year collecting berries on old sheets, they showed me an easier way! They had some sheet plastic that comes in a roll. Like the kind painters use, that unfolds to be about 10 feet wide. Just roll out several sheets of plastic on the ground below your tree (cutting the roll to size as you lay it out.) Then use rakes or other long handled tools to shake the branches. If you have an 8 year old handy, you can get them to climb up and shake the branches too! So lucky to have white mulberries today as I have not had them since I was a kid. I agree, they are very sweet, and do not have the flavor of the purple ones, but then they don't stain your skin or ruin your clothes either! I was so excited to see all these recipes here! My neighbor and I collected about 10 gallons of berries tonight, we didn't even get all the way around either tree, and the harvest has just started! Guess what we will be doing all week! Just glad there is freezer space! Can't wait to try all these recipes! Thanks again!

Here are three, Tried and True recipes. Ann Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table Pumpkin Loaf ============ 3 Cups sugar 1 Cup vegetable oil 4 eggs 3-1/3 Cups flour 2 Teaspoons salt 2 Teaspoons cinnamon (or to taste) 1 Teaspoon nutmeg 2 Teaspoons baking soda 2 Cups pumpkin 2/3 Cup water 3 Teaspoons Vanilla 2 bags chocolate chips. . Mix sugar, oil and eggs together, add pumpkin and vanilla. Set aside. Combine flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking soda. Blend into sugar mixture alternately with water. Bake at 350 for 1 hour if using large loaf pans, or for 50 minutes if using smaller loaf pans. Spray pans with Butter flavoured Pam. NOTE: The original recipe called for nuts (pecans or walnuts) which I used. Then I tried it with both nuts and chocolate chips, before settling on just chocolate chips. I use two bags of good quality chocolate chips. Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table Pumpkin Roll ============ 3 Eggs 1 Cup sugar 2/3 Cup pumpkin 1 Teaspoon lemon juice ¾ c flour 2 Teaspoons cinnamom 1 Teaspoon ginger 1 Teaspoon baking powder 1 Teaspoon baking soda ½ tsp nutmeg 1 Cup chopped nuts Filling 1 Cup powdered sugar 8 Ounces cream cheese 4 Tablespoons Butter 1 Teaspoon vanilla . Beat eggs 5 minutes at high speed, adding the sugar, until foamy. Fold in pumpkin and lemon juice. Sift together flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg. Fold into egg mixture. Spread onto well greased and floured 15 X 10 X 1 inch jellyroll pan. Top with nuts. Bake at 375 degree for 15 minutes. While hot , turn cake onto a pastry cloth sprinkled with powdered sugar. Roll in pastry cloth and let cool. Beat together filling ingredients. Unroll cake, remove cloth and spread filling on cake. Roll filling inside cake. Let stand until cold. Slices better when frozen, freeze, then remove for several minutes before cutting. Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table ================== Pumpkins! They are everywhere now! I once heard that the white ones make the best pumpkin pie, but have never heard it confirmed. Can anyone comment on this and the merits of one variety of pumpkin over another for assorted uses? While I like the idea of cooking and pureeing my own pumpkin for pies, I wonder how much difference it really makes. Any comments? Posted by Eileen, (Browntoestoo) My favorite pumpkin pie recipe is one I found in Bon Appetit: Favourite Pie crust recipe or 1 Buttermilk Pie Crust Dough disk 1 16-ounce can solid pack pumpkin 1 cup whipping cream 3/4 cup pure maple syrup 3 large eggs 1 tablespoon all purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon natural maple flavor 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg Pinch of salt For Maple Whipped Cream: 1 cup chilled whipping cream 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup . Position rack in lowest third of oven and preheat to 400°F. Roll pie crust disk out on lightly floured surface to 13-inch-diameter round (about 1/8 inch thick). Roll up dough on rolling pin and transfer to 9-inch-diameter glass pie plate. Gently press into place. Trim edges of crust, leaving 1/2-inch overhang. Fold excess under. Crimp edges. Freeze until crust is firm, about 15 minutes. Line pie crust with foil, leaving 3-inch overhang. Fill foil with beans or pie weights. Fold extra foil gently over crust edges. Bake until crust is set, about 15 minutes. Remove foil and beans. Cool pie crust slightly. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Whisk all remaining ingredients (except Maple Whipped Cream) to blend in bowl. Pour filling into crust. Bake until filling is set, covering crust edges with foil if browning too quickly, about 55 minutes. Cool completely. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Chill.) Cut pie into wedges and serve with Maple Whipped Cream. To make Maple Whipped Cream: Whip cream with syrup in large bowl until soft peaks form. Makes about 2 cups. Serves 8.

Thanks, Llene! I'll be sure to try this. Everyone knows I love bananas, and I do like pineapple as well. I know my little brother (almost 2) loves fruit as well. He would like this a lot. I bet it would be good on some of my grandpa's banana ice cream. I'll post the results when I make it.