Grapefruit & Orange Cups

Grapefruit & Orange Sections in water

• 6 grapefruits
• 2 sweet oranges 
• 2 cups boiling water

Peel and segment removing as much of the white part or pith as possible from the grapefruit and oranges. Sterilize two pint jars (eight 4-oz jars) and layer the grapefruit and oranges till you reach 1" headspace. Fill the jars with the boiling water, remove air bubbles, and continue to fill the jars until there is 1/2" headspace. Add sterilized lids and rings and process in a water bath at a full boil for 15 minutes. 

You can also make these with a light syrup by mixing 2 cups water and 1 cup sugar, bring to boil and pour over fruit.

SOURCE:  Canning Homemade

Vegetable Beef Soup

• 1 1/2 pounds stew beef, cubed (or round steak)
• 4 cups beef broth (two pints home made beef stock)
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1 cup celery, sliced - optional
• 2 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 28 ounces canned tomatoes (two pints of home canned tomatoes)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
• 1 ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning mix (Renee’s blend) or
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon ground thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon ground marjoram
• 1 cup frozen peas - optional

Preparation: Prepare 6 - 7 pint jars, lids, and rings. Sterilize the jars and keep them in the hot water till its time for processing. Make sure to fill your pressure canner up to the “fill” line and get the water to a simmer.

Cooking: In a stainless steel or enameled dutch oven brown meat quickly using a tiny bit of olive oil just so the meat won’t stick to the bottom of the pot. Add to the pot the rest of the ingredients and cook on medium hight for 10 minutes only just to combine the broth and spices! Turn off the heat. Ladle. 

Filling the jars: On a dishtowel place your hot jars in a semi circle leaving room for your pot that has your recipe.  Using your slotted spoon ladle the meat and veggies into the jar filling only half way then add the soup liquid into the jars leaving 1” headspace. Start from the top of the semi circle and work your way to the end. Remove air bubbles and refill to the proper headspace if necessary. Remove your recipe and taking a clean papertowel and wipe the rims of the jars with white vinegar removing any food particles that would interfere with a good seal. Using your magic wand extract the lids from the hot water and place them on the now cleaned rims. Add your rings to the tops of each of the jars and turn to seal just "finger tight".

Processing: Make sure your rack is on the bottom of the canner and place the jars in the pressure canner.  Lock the lid and turn up the heat bring the canner to a boil. Vent steam for 10 minutes, then close the vent by adding the weighted gauge or pressure regulator (for dial gauge canner).  Process pints for 75 minutes at 10 lbs of pressure (11 lbs for dial gauge canner) and quarts at 90 minutes.  When complete turn off the heat and let pressure return to zero naturally. Wait two minutes longer and open vent. Remove canner lid. Wait 10 minutes then remove jars and place on dishtowel in a place that they will sit overnight to cool. Do not touch or move them till the next morning.

Sealing: Some time in the next hour your jars will be making a "pinging" or "popping" noise. That is the glass cooling and the reaction of the lids being sucked into the jar for proper sealing. Some recipes may take overnight to seal. Check your lids and reprocess any jars that did not seal. Remove rings for storage.

SOURCE:  Canning Homemade

16 Bean Soup

• 2 – 16 oz packets of bean soup
• 4 medium onions, chopped
• 1 ½ stalk celery, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, diced
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 large carrots diced
• 2 - 6oz can diced green chilies
• 2 – 8oz can diced tomatoes
• 4 cups of ham
• 1 large ham bone
• 3 T. of Kosher salt
• 3 T. of pepper
• 14 cups of water

Process the beans first. This is the short cut method. Rinse the packets of beans in a colander. Pick out any rocks or bad beans and toss.  Combine beans with 6 cups of water and cook till only boiling. Turn off heat and let beans soak in cooking water for two hours.

Cook and Serve: In a large stock pot combine all prepped ingredients and 15 cups of water. Drain beans of their cooking liquid and add beans to stock pot. Continue to cook soup for 2 ½ hours never getting to a boil, so as to not split the beans. Remove ham bone.  Serve hot.

For canning:  Cook soup for 1¾ hours also not boiling the mix and prepare jars, lids and rings.  Remove ham bone and ladle soup into 8-10 pint size jars leaving 1 inch of headspace. Remove air, clean rims, place on lids and rings and pressure can at 10 pounds for 60 minutes. If you are going to use quart size jars process for 75 minutes in pressure canner.

After canning the expansion of the beans will make the soup thick. When serving the soup add either chicken stock or water to thin.

SOURCE:  Canning Homemade

Curried Chicken & Grape Salad

Pea and Peanut Salad

1 package (10 oz) frozen peas, thawed
1 cup dry roasted peanuts
1 cup chopped celery
6 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup Italian salad dressing

In large bowl, combine the peas, peanuts, celery, bacon and onion. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise and Italian dressing. Pour over salad and toss to coat. Chill until serving.

Found in: "Taste of Home: Simple and Delicious Cookbook"

Macaroni Coleslaw

1 package ditalini (ring macaroni)
1 package coleslaw mix
1 onion, finely chopped
2 celery ribs, finely chopped
1 medium cucumber, finely chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 small can of sliced olives
1 package (6 ounce or so) precooked chicken

Dressing:
1 1/2 cups Miracle Whip
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water. Drain again well. Place pasta into large bowl and add the rest of the non-dressing ingredients. In small ball, whisk the dressing ingredients together and then toss into salad. Cover and refrigerate before serving.

Optional: add chicken

(Adapted from a Taste of Home magazine)

Chicken Summer Salad

1 can chunk chicken (12.5 oz)
1 can corn
1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
3/4 cup bell pepper, chopped
3/4 cup Miracle Whip
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

Mix all ingredients together. Serve as sandwiches (tastes really good on sun dried tomato bread).

Pigs-in-a-Blanket

1 container croissant roles
1 package hot dogs
cheese slices

Slice the hot dogs lengthwise so that each may have a slice of cheese slid inside it. Roll each stuffed hot dog inside a croissant role. Position them on an ungreased pan and cook at the normal croissant role temperature and length. Serve with ketchup.

Macaroni Salad

1 16 ounce box macaroni or salad noodles
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup onions, chopped
1/4 cup black olives, chopped
1/4 cup dill pickles, chopped
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise or Miracle Whip (more or less to taste is okay)
1/2 t finely ground dry mustard
1/2 t celery seed (optional)
1 t apple cider vinegar

Prepare noodles according to package directions. Rinse with cold water and let drain. Mix well with the rest of the ingredients.

Cabbage Crunch Salad

2 T sesame seeds, toasted
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1/2 head green cabbage, shredded
1/2 bunch green onions, chopped

Mix together with 1 package Ramen noodles (chicken flavored), uncooked and broken into tiny pieces. Add just before serving.

Dressing:
2 T sugar
4 T rice vinegar
1/4 t salt and pepper
1/3 cup vegetable oil (NEVER use olive oil)
1/2 package chicken flavor from Ramen noodles

Combine all ingredients. Pour over salad just before serving and toss.

(We have tried other flavors of Ramen noodles and chicken really is the best)