Cherry Season

I have been away for a bit -- away to spend a few days with my mom while my youngest daughter attended volleyball camp in the same city where my mom lives.  My daughter had fun at her camp, and I had fun with my mom.  We went out to lunch, shopped at antique stores, and stopped by my brother's house with an agenda in mind -- that agenda being to pick cherries.  He has a number of cherry trees, all of which are absolutely loaded with cherries this year.  While my mom supervised from a nice shady seat on their outdoor swing, my brother, sister-in-law, daughter, and myself all grabbed a bucket and headed over to his orchard.  Within probably an hour's time, we had picked a plastic tote box filled with bing cherries.  My brother estimated that we had picked between 50-60 pounds of cherries!  So needless to say, I have been spending my morning going through my big canning book choosing a variety of recipes to give a try today, tomorrow, and most likely the next.  Besides the bounty of bing cherries, we also picked a bucket full of Rainier cherries.  What are your favorite ways to fix fresh cherries?

Apple Butter

Apple season has been going on for a while around here; however, I seem to be running a bit late with making all of my apple goodies.  Nonetheless, the time has begun, and I have started this year with apple butter.  I particularly like this recipe because it is all done in the crockpot.  The recipe calls for not peeling the apples first, which I have read gives you a much better flavor in your final product.  All of the ingredients make for a perfect blend.  And the aroma in your kitchen while it is cooking is delightful.  In fact when my kids were younger, they would tell me that "it smelled like Christmas". 

Cider Apple Butter

5 lbs. cooking apples
1 1/2 cups apple cider
about 3 cups of brown sugar
juice and grated peel of 1 each lemon and orange
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. allspice
1/4 tsp. each cloves and nutmeg

Core and quarter apples, but do not peel.  Place in crockpot with apple cider.  Cook on high until very soft, about 1-1/2 hours.  (Note:  It takes about 2-1/2 hrs. in my crockpot).  Press cooked apples through a food mill or sieve.  (I don't have a food mill, so I just very patiently remove all of the apple peel).  Measure.  There should be about 6 cups.  For every 1 cup fruit pulp, allow 1/2 cup brown sugar.  Return to crockpot.  Stir in lemon and orange peel and juice, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and nutmeg.  Cover and cook on high until thick and dark, about 4 hours.  Immediately pour into hot, sterilized glass jars and seal according to proper boiling/water bath canning requirements.  Makes about 8 cups.

Busy with Berries

This time of year is just perfect in every way.  The garden is growing, the sun is shining, the days are long, and it's time to begin making jam.  I find such a feeling of accomplishment each summer as I put away jam for the upcoming year.  I always begin with strawberries.  And don't these strawberries look like they will be the perfect candidates for my first batch?

They were perfect indeed!!