Canning Like Crazy! The End

I have been trying out a lot of recipes from Tasty Kitchen lately. Tasty Kitchen is an offshoot of Pioneer Woman, also created by Ree. It is a place where you can sign up and share recipes. I think I currently have 153 recipes in my box. That's a lot of testing to do! One of the more interesting ones I have tried is Corn Cob Jelly. I have tried it and it is pretty good.

Warning: Removing corn from 12 cobs is messy.

Corn Cob Jelly (posted by kristenofchaos on Tasty Kitchen)

• 4 cups water
• 1 box pectin crystals (I used Certo)
• 4 cups sugar
• 12 cobs of corn, raw and corn removed

Using 12 corn cobs from which sweet corn has been cut (raw) add 4 cups of water to a large pot.

Bring to a boil. Boil 10 minutes then strain through a cloth for 3 cups of liquid. (I used cheesecloth. You can buy jelly bags.)

Add more water if needed to make the total. (I had to add water, so I think next time, I would add more from the get go)

In a fruit pan, add 1 box of pectin and bring to a rolling boil.Add 4 cups of sugar (all at once) and bring to a boil once again. (I removed the cobs from the pot and added it back and used the same pot. I skimmed the foam off too.)

Food coloring may be added at this time. (I added 3-4 drops of yellow colouring)

Strain and put into jars and seal. (I didn't strain it a second time.)

Quite tasty. Doesn't taste like corn. Has a light, delicate honey like flavor.

Canning Like Crazy! Part III

It's been a busy week! Lee and I ventured to CrossIron Mills yesterday. It is the new super mall just north of Calgary. To say it was busy would be an understatement. It is an OK mall I guess. It has Bass Pro Shop so you can drop your hubby there and do your thing. Bass Pro Shop has a food section though that I recommend checking out. I bought some hot teriyaki sauce there and it is quite good. I also got some cornbread mix and spicy fish breading which I haven't yet tried.

In addition to dill pickles I also made bread and butter pickles. I reviewed many recipes for bread and butter, but decided to go with one I found on the Taste of Home website, simply because it seemed easiest. Being a beginner at this, easy recipes was high on the priority list.

Bread and Butter Pickles (from Karen Owen on Taste of Home website)

• 4 lbs pickling cucumbers, sliced
• 8 small onions, sliced (I used 3 medium onions, got them fresh from the Mennonites)
• 1/2 cup pickling salt
• 5 cups sugar
• 4 cups vinegar
• 2 tbs mustard seed
• 2 tsp celery seed
• 1 1/2 tsp ground tumeric
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves

In a large container, combine the cucumbers, onions and salt. Cover with crushed ice and mix well. Let stand for 3 hours. drain; rinse and drain again. (My ice maker only makes ice cubes, and I couldn't be bothered to run it in the blender. Worked OK I think)

In a Dutch oven, combine the sugar, vinegar and seasonings; bring to a boil. Add cucumber mixture; return to a boil. Remove from the heat.

Carefully ladle hot mixture into hot pint jars, leaving 1/2-in. headspace. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims and adjust lids. Process for 15 minutes in a boiling-water canner.

Word to the wise, wear old clothes, use an old ladle. This stuff will stain.

Yield: 7 pints.