Marmalade has a big "apeel"!

I know it has been a long time since my last blog, but health things took up my time. So lets get back to blogging.

Have you ever wondered why there is no Orange Jelly, Lemon Jelly or any other citrus fruit made into a jelly? It is not a mistake. They don't make jellies or jams from these delicious fruits. They do make something else.... they make Marmalade. I think everyone has seen Orange Marmalade. It is pretty much the same everywhere you go. If you have a chance to visit England, and so many did for the Olympics, they found marmalade a main condiment on British tables. They enjoy marmalade on croissants and toast points. Very rarely did you see jellies or jams. You had to ask for something other than marmalade with your meal.

According to Wikipedia Marmalade is a fruits preserve made from the juice and peel of citrus fruits, boiled with sugar and water. In languages other than English, "marmalade" can mean preserves made with fruit other than citrus. For example, in Spanish the term usually refers to what in English is called jam (and jalea is similar to the American English jelly). In Portuguese marmelada applies chiefly to quince jam (from "marmelo", the Portuguese for quince). In Italian too, marmellata means every jam and marmalade, as it does Mermelada in Italian-influenced Rioplatense Spanish. Also in Germany, where marmalade is much less popular than jam anyway, Marmalade is the traditional designation for any kind of jam and marmalade (especially smooth jam without visible pieces of fruit) regardless of fruit base, and remains so in everyday language.

I know that was confusing and a lot to swallow, so I will make the rest of this blog in simple terms (something I know best).

Easy to see the difference

For me the difference was in the way they looked. Jelly was clear because it was made from just the fruit juice. Jam was not clear at all because it was made from the crushed fruit. Marmalade was sort of a mixture. It used the juice but also used the fruit and peel. I hope this photo makes it a little easier to see the difference.

We tried to make Orange Jelly but it came out as a spread not a jelly. It never "firmed up" or looked like jelly. Mary Lynn said she thought that there was too much acid in the fruit to make real jelly. A small amount of acidity works with the pectin to make a firm, spreadable jelly, so that it is probably the reason citrus fruit is not used to make jelly. I hope that you will try one of these recipes. If nothing else try Orange Marmalade at home or your favorite breakfast place.

There are a range of ideas about Marinades, but to me they are limited to Orange, Grapefruit, and sometimes even Tangerine. Grapefruit has several varieties, the three that we used were the Marsh, Pink and Texas Red. They all looked pretty much the same on the outside but the inside was different colors for each type. When you buy in the store you just take for granted that the name is the right one. Each has a little different flavor. The marsh is the most bitter, pink a little less and the Texas was the least bitter-tasting.

Our biggest seller was made from something that a customer gave us in South Florida. They said it was an oriental fruit that tasted like a mix of lemon and lime. We could never find a name for this fruit, we called it Lymon (not very original, we know). They were larger than some of the grapefruit in her yard. They were about six inches in diameter. She also said that we should only use the ones on the tree, the ones on the ground were no good to use. We still picked up a few to try anyhow. We found that she was right, they ones that dropped off the tree seemed to change flavor and became something nasty tasting. This fruit, whatever its name was made into a delicious marmalade. I thought, as well as our customers thought that it was the best tasting of all the fruits used to make marmalade.

In our travels around the country we always had signs that said that we would love to trade you our products for any fruit that you had in your yard. We always had people wanting to trade.

Sometimes it was difficult for us due to the large trailer we used. I remember one show in West Palm Beach. We had a lady that said we could have all the grapefruit in her yard. We got her phone number and a map at the show, and told her it might be a little late when we got to her home. We showed up about 11 o'clock in the evening to do the picking. She had the best outdoor lights I have ever seen. Each tree had lights around it so picking was no problem. We did run into a space situation due to the number of fruit she had. We picked at least eight laundry baskets of grapefruit and three or four baskets of Navel Oranges. She also had Myers Lemons. We only picked two baskets of them because we had run of space to carry anymore. You might ask why laundry baskets: it was the only thing we could think of to hold what we were picking that would let air around the fruit. That and the fact that the only store open on a Sunday night was a store that sold everything for $1.

I had covered the floor of our trailer with baskets, and had even used the back seat of our truck to hold four more baskets. All the way home we were coming up with ideas and plans on how to use our new treasures. It was amazing how your mind just sort of shifts to the recipe mode when you have plenty of things to cook with. Well let's get back to making Marmalade. One more thing before we get cooking. Try to buy organic fruit if possible. If not scrub your fruit very well. The outside of the fruit (used in marmalade's) might have a pesticide on it, organic is free of such things.



Use fresh Oranges for best results

Let's get started cooking with Orange Marmalade: 6 cups Sugar, 1 teaspoon Kosher or Sea Salt, 4 oranges, a lemon (used for it's acidity), 2 cups water. Peel the Oranges, and Lemons and slice the outer peel very thin (tiny thin strips works best). You can also use a zester. You only want the colored part, trim off the white inner membrane. Boil the peel in water for 5 minutes, this makes the peel really soft and pliable. Add orange slices that have also been trimmed of the white membrane. Also remove any seeds. Next add the lemon that has been peeled clean of membrane. Next add the sugar and cook til mixture comes to boil. Lower the heat and cook til thickened (about 45 minutes) stirring to keep from sticking.

Carefully put in 8 ounce canning jars that have been cleaned and sterilized. After the fruit mixture has been added, take a paper towel that has been damped and clean the rim of the jar. Put on a dome then a ring, finger tighten the ring. That means not tight as you can tighten or too loose so the water can get in. Place the jars in a boiling water bath and process 10 minutes. Make sure the level of water is at least 2 inches above the tops. Carefully remove and place on a drying rack or towels to cool. After cooling, check for jars that are not sealed. They have to be reprocessed.

Marsh on left and pink on right

Grapefruit Marmalade is made the same way you do orange. The only difference is the type of grapefruit you use. The types served at most tables is the Marsh Grapefruit. Another type that is becoming popular is the Pink Grapefruit, similar in taste to the Marsh, but just a little bit sweeter in taste. A variety that people are least familiar with in our area is called Texas Red Grapefruit. They look just like other grapefruit, but when you cut it open the look tells you just what kind it is. They have a bit sweeter taste vs. the marsh types.

Grapefruit is a great type of marmalade to add another fruit. The taste is not like anything you would expect.

One of the most popular combinations was Kiwi-Grapefruit Marmalade. The other favorite was Strawberry-Grapefruit Marmalade. We had plenty of Kiwi to work with because Kiwi is really popular for Middle Georgia farmers. They are a favorite due to the low maintenance compared to other fruit. Supply of Strawberries were available most of the year. The recipe for both is the same just substitute Kiwi in place of Strawberry. We also used Blueberries with Orange Marmalade. Again just use blueberries in place of strawberries in the next recipe.

Strawberry Grapefruit Marmalade 4 cups strawberries (or kiwis) chopped. 6 cups sugar. 3 cups grapefruit that has been peeled, the membrane removed and deseeded, then chopped. 1 cup membrane free lemons, chopped. 3 cups water. Chop grapefruit, lemons, strawberries (or Kiwi). Cook to boil, then lower the heat and cook til thickened (about 45 minutes). Always stirring to keep from sticking. Put in prepared 8 ounce canning jars (or 16 ounce). Process in boiling water bath 10 minutes, make sure that there is 2 inches of water over the top of the jars. Remove from water and place on a cooling rack or counter top to set at least over night. Check for jars that didn't seal, they have to be reprocessed with new domes. The rings are reusable. This recipe will also work with oranges instead of grapefruit.

Just as I get rolling. I look at the word total at the bottom and it tells me to save what I was going to use for another blog. So check back, or even better subscribe to my blog. If you do, you will get new blogs delivered to you via e-mail. Well there is plenty of room in future blogs.

Don’t forget…. let me know what you would like to make or any ideas you have for the next blog. Also if you have any questions you would like me to try to solve. Just drop me a note at jellymanga@gmail.com.

Don’t keep my blogs a secret, pass the word on to your friends, neighbors and family members. They just might make something and share with you.

Please feel free to share my blog on Facebook or Twitter or even MySpace.com. I want to get as many people exposed to the good things as possible. So share and ask your friends to share, PLEASE.

Don’t forget, if someone asks you can you can it?

Say YES I can can it.

Can U Can It: Wrapping Gifts from Your Heart, no, not that kind ...

Can U Can It: Wrapping Gifts from Your Heart, no, not that kind ...:         I mention in every blog about giving what you make as a gift. I am not sure if any of you have tried that. This time of year ...

Wrapping Gifts from Your Heart, no, not that kind of Rap

        I mention in every blog about giving what you make as a gift. I am not sure if any of you have tried that. This time of year gift giving becomes insanity. Trips to mails and stores scattered everywhere leads to many headaches and foul words. You might be able to save yourself some misery. You can give your homemade items as gifts. Something that you make in your kitchen means a lot more than an item that you picked up at your favorite super store, or outlet store. Just think about the past. They did not have stores like now. They had to give the things that were made over the year. Baskets or packages were given and enjoyed by the lucky person or family.

(Click on photos for a better look)

Think how you would feel if a family member or friend, or neighbor gave you a gift basket of delicious goodies. You would probably use the gift on that special morning when everybody is present. Breakfast or brunch would be heighten by those jams or jellies or butters. Even a relish would liven up a buffet table. Just a little time and a little effort to make a treasure.


Use Raffia or ribbon or yarn to close up your bag or to put around your jar dollie. All simple and easy to do. Raffia is found in craft stores. Use a rubber band to hold on the dollie before you tie a ribbon or raffia around it. This is easier than having four hands.

Let's get started with a simple gift. Giving a single jar is easy; just a little addition of things you probably have around the house. This makes your jar of apple butter a special thing for someone.  It is even better if you give them something that you know is a favorite of that person. If they are a "Hot Head" (someone who loves HOT foods), your gift of something extra spicy would be very much appreciated.

A simple method of dressing up a jar is with an old-fashioned way.  A Jar Dollie is a method our grandparents used to make a jar of something more fancy. My grandmother (yes, the lady that started me with my love of cooking) would never put a simple jar of anything on the table. She would do something to make it look not like a jar of jam but a nice jar of condiment. A jar of pickles would not look like a jar of pickles. The contents of the jars along with a nice label and a jar dollie make a very special gift.


 

Take a little time and do a little extra to make your gift one that stands out from all others. Make a Jar Dollie from most any cloth. Cut it 5 1/2 inches by 5 1/2 inches.

 
Mary Lynn uses pinking shears, the blades of which are saw-toothed instead of straight. They leave a zigzag pattern instead of a straight edge. The sawtooth pattern does not prevent the fraying but limits the length of the frayed thread and thus minimizes damage. Thin cloth works better than thick.

Another way to give single jar for a gift is a clear plastic gift bag. These are found in most craft and dollar stores. Very inexpensive and easy to use, just put you gift in and seal the top.  Most come with a nice twist tie to close the top. You don't have to be a great decorator or artist to make something look nice. Just a little effort making your gift product, and a little time shopping for your gift bag. You will be surprised at how much better your gift looks than just a jar with no added touches.
 

Don't want to use a plastic bag, but still want a fancy gift? How about using your imagination and make a gift tag that looks out of the ordinary.  A little ribbon or a nice gift tag makes a single jar look very fancy. How about cutting up old Christmas cards for your gift tags. Maybe even a fancy label that you make on your computer. Most computers have some sort of label program. You will be amazed at what you can do with just a little effort. You will find that you get more enjoyment in giving these items when you have gone that extra mile.

If you want to give more than one jar or want to use a special basket to hold your products, look around your house. You might have a basket. Take a look at the basket, does it have any special color accent. If so, buy some plastic grass (like the stuff in Easter baskets). It comes in many different colors. Pick a color that will go along with your basket and the color of your products. If you make apple butter you would want something to make the brown color of the jars stand out. If you make pepper jelly, pick a contrasting color so the jars really stand out. Another thing that looks great is look for plastic fruit in the craft stores. Use that to dress up your basket. Spend less on your basket and more on the way to make it fancy. The photo shows a simple market basket that has been dressed up and made to look extra nice. Notice the different types of plastic fruit, and flowers that can make it stand out. You don't have to fuss and sweat, just use your talents that you used to cook. I always say that you can't be a good cook if you don't have a good imagination.

What?? You mean you don't have enough time to do these simple things to dress your gift. You can always buy the plastic wrap at your local craft store and cover the whole basket in plastic. You can also buy a big bow to go on your package. It still works, and without much effort. Yes you have dressed your gift. Still not enough, just add a bow on the top and give with a smile. After all, it is all about the contents of the jar that matters.
 

If you are the type that loves to decorate or make every gift something dazzling, the sky is the limit. There are so many different things that you can do to make everything a work of art. You can make special bags for each jar, and different colored ribbon bows. You will find so many different things to sparkle and accent your gift. 

 

The person that receives your gift will consider themselves lucky to have someone like you. I have seen some things that people make for jars that I would call a special craft in itself. I have seen people crochet jar covers, sort of like a bag to place the jar into. A gift from people like this is truly an event in itself. Jars that have these covers really need a label telling the lucky person receiving the gift what is in the jar.



Make sure to put a label on your jar. Because of the cover, you don't have to make a big deal about the label. Just put the name of your product  and the ingredients. The ingredients need to be complete; use all the things you added. This is important because so many people have food allergies. They might react to something you used. You don't want that to happen.

After you have your gift ready to give, you have to think of the best way to ship it. Mary Lynn decided many years ago to put each jar in zip lock bag. That way if something happened, the contents of the jar would not damage the rest of the package. We used the shipping boxes from the US Post Office for our shipments. She lined the box with packing straw and then placed the jars in the box. Leave room between each jar so more straw will keep the jars from banging. You might even find other things to ship. Add a bag of potpourri or aroma candles that might match your gift. You might also send along something to remind the lucky person of the people giving the gift. Something like a picture of you making the product or your family in front of a fireplace. Don't get carried away with the extras, remember the jar and it's contents is still the main event of the package.

Make sure to double tape the bottom and top. You don't want your jars to fall through. You can even send several jars, but make sure that each is in a baggie. You can use styrofoam worms or even old newspapers. Pack the jars tightly so they don't rattle. You can also use bubble wrap to wrap each jar.  The more time you take in wrapping the jars to keep them from breaking, the more certain you will feel that each of your gifts will arrive just as you wish. You can send 6 - 9 jars in these Post Office boxes.

I guess the point I am trying to make is don't pack and ship in a hurry. You don't cook that way. To get the best results take your time; do the little things that make a difference. Do it right the first time and the gifts will be just as you want them.

I know this blog was about something completely different from any of my others, but I felt that you needed to know what we did and how we sent our gifts. No one wants the gifts opened and find a mess. I am reminded of a phrase that is used in other fields, "garbage in, garbage out". This is not what you want to happen.

It is about that time again, I have run out of space for this edition of CanUCanIt. I would really like to ask for some help in doing my blogs for the next year. I would like to ask for ideas; things you want to read about. Things you might have tasted and would like to make yourself. Maybe even something you remember from growing up that still holds a special place in your heart. Let me know what it is, I will try to come up with the best way I can find to help you with your wants or needs. I am not sure if I will have another blog ready before the end of the year, so let me just say at this time that Mary Lynn and I hope that your holidays will be enjoyable and your New Year be full of cooking all sorts of "old-fashioned" things. I will try to help you along, just tell me what you need.

Don’t forget…. let me know what you would like to make or any ideas you have for the next blog. Also if you have any questions you would like me to try to solve. Just drop me a note at jellymanga@gmail.com.

Don’t keep my blogs a secret, pass the word on to your friends, neighbors and family members. They just might make something and share with you. 

Please feel free to share my blog on Facebook or Twitter or even MySpace.com. I want to get as many people exposed to the good things as possible. So share and ask your friends to share, PLEASE.

Don’t forget, if someone asks you can you can it?




Say YES I can can it.

Can U Can It: It's Hot in Hot'Lanta. It's time to get into the S...

Can U Can It: It's Hot in Hot'Lanta. It's time to get into the S...:
I know I said that I was going back to Grandma's kitchen this blog, but I just had this pop into my mind (there is so little in there that...Let's get cooking!

It's Hot in Hot'Lanta. It's time to get into the Sauce.

I know I said that I was going back to Grandma's kitchen this blog, but I just had this pop into my mind (there is so little in there that it rattled around and wanted out).Grandma will be in the next one, I promise. Also if some of you received a blog with a similar name. It was a mistake. I hit the publish button instead of the save button. Writing in the middle of the night can cause things like that to happen. Just discard my wrong blog.
Sorry!
With that out-of-the-way, let's get busy.

Bar-B-Que spelled Pig

Summer time is the big time for Bar-B-Que. I know that in many parts of the country that means brisket or beef short ribs. But in Georgia, we spell Bar-B-Que PIG! Nothing like ribs or pulled pork or maybe tender loin. I can eat my weight in them. For those of you that know me, that would be a lot of both. Being a lifelong Southerner, I have tried brisket and found it tasty, but my taste still runs with pork. I love a big platter of ribs , or pulled pork. I don't think they make pulled brisket, I see it served in slices. Some places thick and others razor thin. I will just stick to Pig.

Another thing that is big is Hot Wings. Everybody has their own preference when it comes to wings. Some like them so hot that you can hardly stand it. Other like them milder and easier on the taste buds. Personally, I run along the line of hot, but I don't like to burn so bad that I sweat big time. I like my wings hot with a flavor. I will cover wings a little later on.
 
I want to tell from the start that our Sauces have won many Blue Ribbons and other awards at local, regional and national level. With all that covered, it is time to get cooking!

I will start with our basic Bar-B-Que sauce. One of the things that made our sauce so very different from others is the base. Our base to start building on is apple butter. You heard me, apple butter. It still is a Tomato Bar-B-Q sauce, but the big difference is the apple butter. Mary Lynn went thru several tries at other base flavors and the big winner was our basic apple butter. I have done a blog on the making of apple butter. As a manner of fact, it was my first blog. Very different from my blogs now. I am not nervous talking to all of you.
Here is the link my first try in the blog world: http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3943855710986618045#editor/target=post;postID=8835029455096342479 .

Check it out then come back, we have much more to do. Just one more thing to add: Mary Lynn did not want me giving out the recipe that she worked to develop. She tried for months to get it just right. So, I have had the final word because I am the writer. I also want you to know that I am in the doghouse for the next 6 months.

Apple Butter Bar-B- Que Sauce  6 cups tomato purée. One  6 ounce bottle Pickapeppa Sauce ( a flavoring sauce found on the condiment section of your grocers).  2/3 cups bell peppers, chopped. 1 quart cider vinegar. 1 tablespoon granulated garlic. 1/2 tablespoon onion powder.  1 tablespoon dry mustard. 1 tablespoons dried red pepper flakes. 1 tablespoons cumin. 1 tablespoons chili powder. 1/4 tablespoons ground allspice. 1 tablespoons ground cinnamon. 1 tablespoons lemon juice. 4 cups Apple Butter (hopefully not store-bought).

Combine all ingredients in very large pot. Bring to boil, simmer 10-15 minutes stirring constantly to keep from sticking. If you turn your back on this you will be sorry. It will stick in a heart beat. Put into 16 ounce prepared canning jars (you can use smaller jars if you don't use much sauce). Process in water bath 20 minutes. Make sure that there is 2 inches of water over the top of the jars. Store in a cool dry cabinet. After opening, store unused part in the refrigerator.

With our Bar-B-Que sauce, don't use till meat has cooked completely. For ribs cook then use a basting brush to apply sauce. For pulled pork serve that sauce as a side. Let everyone add as much as he or she likes. Mary Lynn and I hate to go to a restaurant that drowns their cooking in heavy sauces. We even ask for our salad dressing to be on the side.

Jalapeno' Peppers

To kick up the heat and flavor on this sauce we like to use Jalapeno peppers. We take fresh peppers that have been seeded and trimmed of the white membrane on the inside. I like to do that because that membrane has a bitter taste. I don't want anything messing with my pepper flavor. Put the peppers in a blender with a little vinegar. Puree' the peppers. Add 1/4 cup to the recipe above. Not enough heat, just add 1/4 cup more. Next time start with 1/2 cup. Heat the sauce just a little and add the peppers, stir and let cool. You are the Boss in your kitchen, you can make it hot or not if you want. You know your families likes and dislikes.

Habanero Peppers

If you are a "Hot Head" like me and love the flavor that Habanero Peppers bring to the dance. Prepare the peppers the same way as Jalapeno peppers. Do not purée in a closed room, when I did this at our store I ran and extension cord out side and worked outdoors. The pepper fumes did not bother me as much. The fumes will choke you, so take care. But before you start doing anything with real hot peppers, put on disposable gloves. All it takes is one try not using gloves and you will never try it again. The juice of the pepper will burn your skin big time, and if you should touch anywhere around your eyes it is so bad. Habanero peppers are many times hotter that Jalapeno and thousands of times hotter that mild peppers. Add to your sauce, simmer until the flavor of the pepper is well blended. Not sure about the level of Hot that you want? Add 1 tablespoon of your pepper puree, stir, then taste. You can always add more, but it is impossible to take the peppers out after you have added them. Use care with this pepper: it is hotter than you think. At one time the Habanero pepper was the hottest pepper in the world. Now I have heard that a pepper in China is the hottest. Not sure of that so check before quoting me. I have not tried any of those because I found my heat limit with Habanero peppers.

Chipolte Peppers

Another pepper that we liked very much was the Chipolte pepper. Many do not really know what kind of pepper that is. It is a dried, smoked Jalapeno pepper. Surprised? I was too when I first found these peppers at our state farmers market. They were in a zip lock bad to keep them dry. I opened the bag and was hooked. When you use these peppers in this recipe break off the top off the pepper. Shake the seeds out. Use hot water in place of vinegar.  Just chop and put into the blender. Pulse the blender a couple of times and let it sit on the counter top for several minutes. This gives the peppers a chance hydrate (absorb some of the water). Continue to pulse til the peppers are pureed. Add just like other peppers.

We found that we liked this one best with a pork tenderloin. Mary Lynn put the tenderloin in a zip bag in the refrigerator and covered it with the Chipolte B-B-Que sauce over night. She then put it in a crock-pot along with the sauce from the bag, added more sauce to make sure that it covered the meat. She slow cooked it and the smell just about made us crazy. When it was done cooking, she took the tenderloin and put it on a plate. We stood there and ate the whole thing with nothing else but a fork. We laugh about that now, but at the time it just seemed like the right thing to do.

Next sauce on the menu is Hot Wing Sauce. This is the basic sauce that I made all the other varieties we sold from. I left out some steps because they took too long. We sold 8 kinds of Hot Wing Sauce. I even used a little of this sauce in a sauce that I called Not So Hot Wing Sauce. I called it that because it was not hot, maybe just a little warm. The only people who said it was hot can't eat ketchup because it is too hot. So here it is:

Hot Wing Sauce   As my base for fast wings sauce I use Texas Pete Hot Sauce. I use Texas Pete instead of Tabasco Sauce because the later has salt as one of its ingredients Texas Pete doesn't. Salt changes the taste and you really don't need but a pinch salt in my wings sauce.

1 cup Texas Pete Hot Sauce  2 teaspoons cumin. 2 teaspoons chili powder.2 teaspoons cayenne powder. 1 teaspoon garlic powder. 1 cup sugar. A pinch of salt. 1/4 cup vinegar. Mix all ingredients (except sugar) with sauce, stirring til all until mixed. Bring to a boil, add sugar, bring back to a full rolling boil. Put in canning jars. You do not have to process this sauce, just keep in the refrigerator with the lid closed tight. You can process if you want to store your sauce. Follow your processing basic instructions.

Drip-less Hot Wings

Use this sauce anyway that you normally use your sauces. I like to fry my wings, drain them. Then pour them in a big bowl, add the sauce and mix til all wings are covered. If we are serving wings at a party with other foods, I like to have drip-less wings.
I make them by taking the wings from my mixing bowl and put them on a cookie sheet. Place them in the oven at about 250 degrees. Leave them in till the sauce starts to bubble. Take them out and keep warm to serve. No drips to spoil your friends' clothes.

Garlic, one of my favorite things

I am going to give your one more recipe for wings.


It is Garlic Hot Wing Sauce. To the sauce above add 2 teaspoons garlic paste. Also add 1/4 cup minced garlic. Simmer the sauce and you will not believe the flavor. It is awesome. I love garlic and I love wings, so this is just a combination of two of my favorite things. Don't think Mary Poppins listed them in her list, but they are on mine. Garlic taste great and it keeps Vampires away. Don't have any Vampires in your area. Well just use it for taste. We have a couple of TV shows that film in our area. One is Walking Dead, about Zombies and the other show is Vampire Diaries. Don't think garlic works for Zombies. I have a personal interest in Vampire Diaries, Mary Lynn worked as a extra on the show for the first two years. We watched to see her on TV. It was so much fun. She has worked in extra parts for 4 movies and 2 TV shows. She is quite a celebrity. Well back to cooking....

I mentioned Not So Hot Wing Sauce, I am going to give you a recipe, please taste it to make sure that whoever gets this is not going to be mad because they thought it to be hot.

Not So Hot Wing Sauce:1 tablespoon, 1/8 tablespoons cumin, 1/4 tablespoons chili powder (Make sure it is not hot, some varieties are hot), 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder,
1/2 cups sugar, 1 pinch canning salt, 1/4 cups apple juice, 1/2 cups corm syrup.
Mix all ingredients (except sugar), stirring til all mix. Bring to a boil, add sugar, bring back to a full rolling boil. Put into canning jars and process. If you are going to use soon, just pour into a large enough container to hold this. Store in refrigerator till needed.

It is time to close because the rules of how you do a successful blog says I have written enough for 2 blogs.  Just as I getting on a roll. The next will probably be more along the Grandma line, you are going to have to check back and find out just what is under the big white hat.

Don’t forget…. let me know what you would like to make or any ideas you have for the next blog.  

Just drop me a note at   jellymanga@gmail.com.    I have had several readers e-mail me and ask for recipes. I love sending them back. They try them and sometimes even send photos back with there cooking things. Makes my day when I get those kind of e-mails. Also the comments people make about the blogs really make me feel good. Want to post one, just look for the thing that says comment and click.

My last blog was suggested by a reader, Maybe my next one will be your idea.

Don’t keep my blogs a secret, pass the word on to your friends, neighbors and family members. They just might make something and share with you.

Please feel free to share my blog on Facebook or Twitter or even MySpace.com. any place you want to share it.


Don’t forget, if someone asks you if you can you can it?  

Say YES I can can it.

Just like the Jellyman.

Do you know Salsa? No not the dance, the other kind of Salsa.

Not this kind of Salsa!!

From the e-mails I received, Salsa is going on big time. I love Salsa, especially the ones with other ingredients than tomatoes.
What, you didn’t think it could be salsa without tomatoes?
Also I say that this blog is about cooking like Grandma did. Well this blog is one that I don’t think my Grandma ever thought about. Just one more comment and we can get cooking.
I don’t know how to Salsa  dance, I just cook.

Have I got your attention?

 Let’s start with a couple of more traditional and work our way to the unusual. Here is a great named Salsa that tastes great.

Quickie Salsa

This is a recipe for a Salsa that can be made for a time when you want a salsa, and you haven’t canned any yet. This uses canned ingredients, but if you have fresh use fresh. Fresh always tastes better than canned.

Burger & Dog Salsa     

1 can Diced Tomatoes or 2 large Tomatoes (or 3 medium) chopped fine. 1 clove Garlic, crushed. ¼ cup Onion chopped (any kind will do, but Vidalia or Red Onions really make a better flavor). 2 tbsp. chopped canned Jalapeno Pepper, or 2 fresh peppers that have the seeds remove as well as the white membrane. ½ tsp. Cumin and ¼ tsp. Dried Pepper Flakes. 1 tsp. dried Cilantro.


 In a large bowl combine all ingredients and mix completely. Let sit in a cool place for at least 30 minutes for best taste. You can use it immediately if you need it now. For those of you that don’t like any heat, you can substitute Poblano or Serrano peppers. If you want more heat, add a Habanero pepper that will take the heat level thru the roof.

How about another that is easy to prepare and tastes good.
 

                                                   Burger & Dog Salsa

4 cups Tomatoes, diced. 1 can diced Green Chilies (7 oz.). 2 cloves Garlic, crushed. 1/2 cup Cider Vinegar. 1/8 tsp. ground Cloves. 1 tablespoon Cumin. 1 tablespoon fresh Cilantro, chopped.



Combine all ingredients in a cooking pot. Simmer for 15 minutes. Let cool before serving. Can be kept in the refrigerator and served another time. Great on hamburgers or hot dogs. Try this in place of mustard and ketchup. You are in for a surprise. Not bad on Brats, but I am a Brat purist, only spicy mustard on my Brats. One more note, this is best on grilled burgers and dogs. That taste you get from grilling can not be had by anything in the kitchen.

Now let’s change things a little. Time for one that you probably never heard of.

                                                     Watermelon Salsa   

1 ½ cup Watermelon, diced and seeded.   1 cup Jicama, peeled and diced (What is a Jicama? It is a large, edible, tuberous root of a tropical American plant, eaten as a vegetable either raw or boiled). Taste is similar to a radish or apple; rhubarb may be used in place of Jicama. 1 cup Orange, peeled and diced. 1 Jalapeno, chopped and seeded with the white membrane removed. 3 Tbsp. fresh Cilantro, chopped. 1 Tbsp. Lime Juice.

 Mix all ingredients, place in refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Served Chilled. If you are going to make enough to can, multiply ingredients by 4. Heat to a boil and place in 8 ounce canning jars. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes with at least 2 inches of water covering the jars.  The Jicama really thru me for a curve. I had to look it up to find out what it was.I was glad when it gave me other things to use if I could not find Jicama in my local farmers market or grocery store.
Canned Watermelon Salsa will have a different taste compared to fresh. Pick whichever one you like. I like the uncooked better. But try them both, pick for yourself and family.
I told you it was going to be different. The next one is also a little different.

                      Lime Salsa/ or Lemon Salsa

8 large Tomatoes, diced. 8 Tomatillos, diced (fresh or canned). 1 cup Red Onion, diced. 1 cup Bell Pepper, any color, diced.                      1 tablespoon Cilantro. 8 tablespoons FRESH Lime Juice (or frozen not from a bottle). 8 teaspoons Lime Peel, grated.

Dice tomatoes, remove husk from tomatillos and dice. Mix together and add other ingredients. Cover mixture and refrigerate overnight (at least several hours). This will allow flavors to blend. If you wish to can this, then heat to a boil and put in prepared canning jars (8 ounce preferred). Process for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath with at least 2 inches of water over the jar tops.
For Lemon Salsa, just replace lime with lemon. Everything is the same except the taste. We did find a lime juice from Key West that was made from Key Limes. This bottle juice tasted great. Look at your local store for Key Lime Juice.
 

The next Salsa has a Mediterranean flavor. If you like olives on your pizza, you will love the taste.

                                              Black Olive Salsa                                                    

 4 large Tomatoes, chopped. 2 cups Black Olives, sliced or chopped (you decide). ¼ cup Onion, diced. ½ cup fresh Cilantro, chopped. 1 tbsp. Vinegar. ½ tsp. dried Basil

Combine all ingredients, mix and chill several hours. Mix again before serving. Great for Tacos or Taco Salads. Serve as a topping for grilled fish or chicken.

The next one is something we use plenty of. We love to grill Taqitos and served with Sour Cream and Salsa Verde. I wish you would try this combo. It is so very good.

Salsa Verde                                  

1 can Tomatillos, drained and chopped, use a 15 ounce size. 2 Jalapenos, seeded and chopped. 1/3 cup onion. 1 teaspoon Cilantro, fresh or dried. 1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil.

Place Tomatillos, Jalapenos, onion and Cilantro in blender. Blend till you get a smooth mixture. Put into cooking pot add all other ingredients. Sauté till mixture is smooth. Store unused portion in refrigerator.

Here is another salsa that does not have to be canned, enjoy it fresh for best taste. I know this blog is about home canning. You got to give me a break, some things taste better uncooked, and uncanned (if that is a word). So pretend that you are reading a magazine and saw this recipe. You ripped it out and took it home. Don’t we all do that in the Doctor’s office?

                                                                         Fresh Garden Salsa
2 large tomatoes, diced. ¼ cup onion, diced. ½ cup cucumber, diced. ½ cup zucchini, diced. ½ cup yellow squash, diced. 1 Jalapeno pepper, chopped and seeded with the white membrane removed. 1 tbsp. Lime or lemon Juice (fresh is best). ½ cup fresh Cilantro, finely diced.

Combine and serve proudly. If you don’t like squash or zucchini try a ripe Avocado. The lemon or lime juice will keep it from turning brown. Not a salsa that should be canned. Fresh salsa is the item of choice in certain occasions. But just think, here is another way to use those zucchini that your neighbors brought you.
It is that time again. Just as I get rolling. Well there is plenty of room in future blogs.  The next will probably be more along the Grandma line, but you are going to have to check back and find out just what is under the big white hat.

Don’t forget…. let me know what you would like to make or any ideas you have for the next blog. Just drop me a note at jellymanga@gmail.com

Don’t keep my blogs a secret, pass the word on to your friends, neighbors and family members. They just might make something and share with you. 

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Don’t forget, if someone asks you can you can it? 

Say YES I can can it.

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