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canning

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Cooking and canning your own crockpot applesauce

October is National Apple Month — but we don’t need an official title to tell us that. Apples are everywhere. Grocery stores, local shops, farmers markets. I’ve seen whole bushels for sale for just $6. They’re probably piling up in your fridge drawer by this point, and you may be wondering what to do with all of  them. Crockpot applesauce is your answer. A variety of apples works best when making applesauce. Granny Smiths are great, but mixing them with Gala, Fuji, Jonagold, Cortland, Yellow Delicious or pretty much any apple that is firm and full of flavor will make the best sauce. And what’s better still? You can make your applesauce and can it now, and be stocked for the rest of the year. You’ll eliminate loads of sugar from your diet along with whatever other scary preservatives go into store-bought applesauces. The whole process only takes an afternoon and your house will smell…

Basil Pesto with Almonds Ready in Minutes

When a recipe calls for an ingredient that requires a special trip to the store, I find it rarely gets made. That’s been the situation with me and pesto. Does anyone really have pine nuts handy? This recipe is great because the almonds easily substitute for pine nuts, and most of us have almonds stocked in the pantry. Just about any nuts will add a nice crunch, really. A medley of almonds, pine nuts, and walnuts would add great texture and flavor. Pesto is easy to jar and save all year, but enjoy it fresh, now that basil is growing abundantly in the garden. To make this recipe, simply add all ingredients to a food processor or high power blender, and pulse until ingredients are chopped finely. Pesto works well with chicken, vegetables, pasta, grilled sandwiches, Caprese salads and more. Pesto with Almonds Ingredients 3 cups packed fresh basil (or about 3 ounces)…