Butter me up...

I love canning. I inherited that love honestly - my mom, at 81, still cans. She taught me everything I know about canning. Our family enjoyed the fruits of her labor all year long - and the vegetables, and clams, and tuna, and ... the list is long.
I hear people say, they can't be bothered, it's a waste of time, you can buy it cheaper by the case. But you can't get that fresh spark of flavor, that connection with what you put in your body from "store bought". And somehow handing over a wad of cash just doesn't give me the same satisfaction as working with fresh produce, mostly from my garden, of seeing jars lined up like colorful soldiers on the pantry shelves. I know them intimately. They nourish me, body and soul.


Beyond the basic peaches, green beans, tomatoes, and applesauce, there is another whole category of canning - of comfort foods. Jams, jellies, relishes and such. They give us that extra bit of pazazz, that little bit of "over the top" yumminess.
Probably my favorite sweet spread, are fruit butters. I remember wondering why it was called apple butter when it obviously wasn't "butter." But you spread it, like butter, on hot biscuits or pancakes, and whoa nelly! This week I made pumpkin butter. It is so outrageous! If you like pumpkin pie, you would surely enjoy this. And, it's EASY!!

The fruits and veggies in the photo are all destined for little jars of sweetness. Yep, even the jalapenos and green peppers. Jalapeno jelly - over cream cheese on whole wheat crackers - unbelievable flavor! The jar is full of scrumptious pumpkin butter, which is going to be a little "thinking of you" gift for a friend. You should smell this stuff cooking, it's spicy, pumpkiny, and totally mouth watering.

In fact, why don't you make some? Here you go:

PUMPKIN BUTTER

Ingredients: 2 c. pumpkin puree (or a 15 oz can of solid pack pumpkin - not pie filling)

1/2 c apple cider

1 c. sugar

2 T. pure maple syrup (optional if you don't have any on hand)

1/4 tsp. each of ground ginger, cloves, nutmeg

1 tsp. cinnamon.

Mix altogether in pan; bring to boil over medium heat, stirring. Reduce heat, cook about 10-15 minutes more or until thickened, stirring frequently.

You can put the butter in jars and refrigerate. Or ladle into hot sterilized 1/2 pt. jars, leaving 1/4-in. headspace; put on hot lid and screw on ring. Invert on countertop until cool. The jars will seal. Yields almost 3 half-pints.

OK, OK, here's the greatest: hot crispy waffle - fill the holes with butter (real butter), then smear with warm pumpkin butter. I'm making myself drool. And for ultimate indulgence - top with whip cream. I'm all about gratification, here.

BAKED APPLE BUTTER (unsweetened) this takes less tending than stovetop, no scorching

Ingredients: 5 lbs. apples (McIntosh are great)

2 c. water

1 c. orange juice

2 c. unsweetened apple cider

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. each cloves, allspice

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

Peel, core, slice apples (an apple peeler is super for this). Put in pan with water, juice, and cider; cook 20-25 min. Puree in blender or whatever you have, to make a smooth puree. Pour into a large baking pan, bake uncovered at 325 for about an hour. Stir occasionally. Add spices. Lower oven to 250, bake about 3 hours until dark and thick. Stir frequently. Ladle into hot sterilized jars, leaving 1/4-in. headspace; top with hot lids and screw on rings. Invert and cool. OR cool and store in fridge, OR freeze in freezer containers.

PEAR BUTTER
2 qts pear pulp (quarter, core pears; cook with small amt. water until soft; press through sieve or food mill; measure out amount needed)

4 c. sugar

1 tsp. grated orange rind

1/3 c. orange juice

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

Cook until thick, about 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Pour, hot, into hot jars, leaving 1/4-in. headspace. Put on hot lids, and screw rings. Process pints (or 1/2 pts.) 10 min. in boiling-water bath. Yields about 2 pints.

JALAPENO JELLY (you're just going to have to trust me on this one) yield: 8 jars (1/2 pts.)

A tidy way to finely chop the peppers is to put them all together in a food processor. ( If you do it by hand, be aware that the jalapeno fumes are potent - you want to be fast)

8 jalapenos, seeded (don't get juice in eyes, or on skin if sensitive - use rubber gloves)

1 bell pepper (red or green or combination - about 3/4 to 1 c. when finely chopped)

Bring to boil: peppers, 6 c. sugar, 2 1/2 c. apple cider vinegar

Simmer 5 min. Stir in 6 oz (2 pouches) liquid pectin. Boil 1 min. Skim any foam. Stir in 2-5 drops green food coloring, if desired (red or green coloring makes this a super holiday appetizer, by pouring a jar over a brick of room-temp cream cheese on serving tray, with variety of crackers)

Fill hot jars, 1/4-in. headspace. Lid, invert 5 min. then let cool right side up.

Now don't freak out on me here, but I have it on good authority that Jalapeno Jelly makes a wicked good P-B-J sammich. As with creamcheese, I think the secret is that the fat molecules of the peanut butter absorb the capsaisin (the hot stuff in peppers) and tones down the heat. The flavor of this jelly is awesome. Don't let it scare you.