Canning

Mango Lime Applesauce

by Allie on June 30, 2011

in Canning,Featured Stories,Recipes,Reviews,Sauces and Mixes

Mango Lime Applesauce

For about a couple months now I’ve been participating in a co-op (Bountiful Baskets) here in Texas. I’ve had the opportunity to try a bunch of fruits of vegetables that I don’t normally eat or purchase at the store and so far we’re loving our every other week picking up adventure in town.

Last week they were offering a 36 pound case of Granny Smith apples and a nearly nine pound case of mangoes. Plus we got several limes in our regular order. I decided some experimenting needed to be done so when my friend suggested mango applesauce, I went one step further and added limes. The result? A tropical twist on an old American favorite–Mango Lime Applesauce.

I found while cooking that my new Better Homes and Gardens Tri-Ply Base 18/10 Stainless-Steel 4-Piece 8-Qt Multi-Cooker (available exclusively at Walmart for under $50) did most of the hard work for me. I simply added my quartered apples to the pasta basket and steamed them until they were soft, then dumped them into my largest mixing bowl. The multi-cooker heats quickly and evenly and is surprisingly easy to clean. I used the veggie steamer included with the multi-cooker to strain my limes so I could extract all the juice from them (hint: to juice the limes quickly, quarter the limes, then place in a blender with 1/2 a cup of water and puree for 15 to 20 seconds, drain).

I’ve found a few other great uses for the Better Homes and Gardens Tri-Ply Base 18/10 Stainless-Steel 4-Piece 8-Qt Multi-Cooker besides cooking and draining pasta, and steaming fish and vegetables. Making jellies, jams, butters, salsa, and homemade spaghetti sauce is now a breeze and the steaming capabilities of the cookware now means that more nutrients stay in the food I am steaming, rather in boiling water. Tomatoes and peaches only need to be steamed for a few minutes to loosen their skins. The 4 piece 8 quart multi-cooker is sturdy with a tight fitting lid, and if you don’t have one I highly recommend purchasing it whether you are an avid cooker like me or you’re just looking for a good pot to make dinnertime go more smoothly.

BHGcookware

Now, without further adieu, here’s the recipe for my fabulously tropical Mango Lime Applesauce–enjoy!

Mango Lime Applesauce (printable recipe HERE)

  • 20-22 medium Granny Smith Apples, cored and quartered, skin on
  • 4 ripe mangoes, pits and skins removed
  • Juice of 2-4 limes, depending on taste
  • optional, 1 cup sugar or other sweetener, to taste

Steam or boil with enough water to cover apples half-way for about 20 minutes, or until apples are soft but not mushy. Drain and place in a very large mixing bowl. Mash with a potato masher a small amount (about one minute). Add mango and stir well. Add lime juice and stir once again. At this time you may add any sweeteners. Allow mixture to cool for ten minutes.

Using a blender, puree machine, Vitamix (I really wish I had one of those!), or other device puree apple mixture to your desired consistency. Refrigerate or bottle/can immediately. If canning, can in a water bath as you would regular applesauce. Makes 4 quarts or 8 pints.

Disclosure: I received the Better Homes and Gardens Tri-Ply Base 18/10 Stainless-Steel 4-Piece 8-Qt Multi-Cooker for free in exchange for a review.

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Spicy Bread and Butter Pickles

by Allie on August 18, 2010

in Canning,Recipes

bread and butter pickles with beets

When I was younger there were three things that I remember refusing to eat: pinto beans, oatmeal with raisins, and any type of sweet pickle. Of course this was all after my stint with hiding green beans down my pants at the dinner table. So, you can understand my dismay in the summertime when my mother would get her canning supplies ready and start up another batch of sweet or bread and butter pickles. Honestly, I never knew the difference between the two until I got older and decided to make my own…after all, my pantry was already full of dill pickles.

Even though I still won’t eat sweet pickles to this day, I have learned to enjoy bread and butter pickles. Yes, they’re sweet, but they are also tangy and full of spice with just the right amount of onion. My bread and butter pickles even have a slight bit of heat for extra flavor, done just the way we Texans like our food. Not overly powerful, but not flavorless like my mother’s bread and butter pickles.

Interestingly, bread and butter pickles got their name during the Great Depression when meat was scarce or too expensive and so were used in their place. If you ask some they will say bread and butter pickles are great between two slices of bread with just a little bit of butter.

Spicy Texan Bread and Butter Pickles (FREE printable recipe here)

10 cups sliced cucumbers (about 20 whole small)
6 onions, sliced
1/2 cup peeled and halved beets (optional)
2 T minced garlic
1/2 cup salt (use pickling salt if you prefer a cloudless end product)

3 cups apple cider vinegar (or 2 1/2 cups distilled white plus 1/2 cup red wine vinegars)
5 cups white sugar
1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 t coriander seed
4 cloves
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 t celery salt or celery seed
2 T mustard (I used spicy dijon)
1/8 tsp ground ginger

Toss the first five ingredients together and allow to sit and drain in a colander for at least 3 hours, but preferably five at room temperature. This step allows the cucumbers to be at their crispiest after processing.

Blend the remaining ingredients together using a whisk in a large saucepot. Add the cucumber mixture and stir gently with a wooden or plastic spoon. Turn heat to medium high and allow to boil for two minutes. Remove from heat and immediately begin filling prepared jars.

Process for 10 minutes in boiling water bath canner at less than 1000 ft above sea level leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Adjust for your altitude. Allow pickles to sit for at least 24 hours before consuming.

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Prickly Pear Jelly

18 September 2009

Prickly Pear Jelly 1 cup prickly pear juice3 cups sugar1/3 cup lemon juice1 pouch (3 oz) of LIQUID pectin Combine prickly pear juice, lemon juice and sugar in a medium size saucepan. Cook over medium high heart, stirring frequently. Once mixture begins to boil, start timer and boil for two minutes. All at once add [...]

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