Can PIPA and SOPA

A little elf told me to black out my website in support of Internet freedom. I am not really tech-savvy enough to do that. Instead, I'll spend some time today urging my congressmen to stop the PIPA and SOPA bills so that I and others retain the ability to express opinions without threat of censorship. Join me?

PS. Is this little elf not the cutest? My grandmother kept a canning booklet from 1935 including illustration gems like this and an article about 'How to Preserve a Husband' that I will reprint soon.

Meyer Lemon Marmalade {Recipe}

When I finished making candied Meyer lemons, I couldn't toss the remaining syrup. Lightly lemon flavored, I tried stirring it into a cocktail but it was too thick. Jam-like already, all signs pointed to marmalade. I chopped ten Meyer lemons from my surprise windfall from Green B.E.A.N. into tiny bits, carefully removing the central membrane and seeds. I simmered them with the syrup, water, and seeds in a cheesecloth bundle until the rind softened and the jam set up. I felt like the marmalade lacked sweetness and added vanilla bean plus a bit more sugar to smooth out that side of the flavor profile.

The resulting trio of quarter pints, plus a nearly full quarter pint in the fridge, represent my first home-canned goods of 2012. It feels great to be putting up again, though I bet these jars will vanish before I complete another canning project!

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Added to Simple Lives Thursday 78.

When Life Hands You Meyer Lemons, Candy Them {Recipe}

After sipping my homemade limoncello last week, I decided I hadn't had enough of this season's Meyer lemons. I ordered another half dozen from Green B.E.A.N. delivery. When I opened my box I found not six but eighteen petite yellow lemons. I immediately contacted customer service and offered to return them. The quick response: "We can't take them back, can you use them?"

Oh can I? When life hands me Meyer lemons, I feel very lucky indeed.

I started with candied Meyer lemons. I spent 30 minutes focused with a sharp knife slicing thin strips of lemon and picking out the seeds.

Then I simmered them in sugar syrup until the rind turned translucent, enjoying the sweet summery scent as it wafted through the house. Finally, I moved the slices to a drying rack to drain the excess syrup.

Unlike the failure of a lemon meringue pie, candied lemons are a delight. I could see using them as a translucent garnish for nearly any dessert, chopping them into scones, or slipping the sweet slices in between cake layers.

But to be honest, I doubt they will make their way into any recipe at our house. We are eating a sticky slice or two with herbal tea in the afternoon and as a snack after dinner. The bright, bitter intense flavor adds moments of light to our days.

Candied Lemon (or Grapefruit)

2 cups sugar 2 cups water 3 lemons, sliced thinly and quartered, seeds removed 1 cup sugar (optional)

1. Simmer sugar and water over low heat in a wide non-reactive skillet until sugar is dissolved and a syrup forms. 2. Layer fruit slices in syrup. Cook at a low simmer until peels are translucent, 45-90 minutes. 3. Remove candy from syrup and drain on a cooling rack. Optionally, roll in more sugar before syrup dries. 4. Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Added to Hearth & Soul Blog Hop.

Really, Rugelach? {Wordless Wednesday}

Lil and I made Mrs. Wheelbarrow's rugelach for a cookie exchange last week. Lil loved rolling peach, blueberry peach, and sour cherry preserves with almonds in the rich butter and cream cheese dough. She even made her own creation, chocolate with no nuts.

The recipe is time consuming and made me break up with my food processor but the results are outstanding. This is the perfect cookie for me - not at all sweet but full of flavor from homemade jams. Mrs. Wheelbarrow's recipe also suggests a bacon jam version which a friend made and paired with scotch. Yum!

Cranberry Sauce, Fresh or For Canning {Recipe}

Cranberry sauce is the most neglected dish on the Thanksgiving table. It is over-sweetened to the point of tasting like jam, or worse, dumped and sliced from a can, ridge marks remaining. Why should these tart orbs be subjected to such a fate? Cranberries are easy to obtain fresh in November and full of flavor and vitamin C. It is impossibly easy to make them into an all-natural sauce. And once you do, you'll find new ways to appreciate the humble cranberry.

This sauce is a tangy antidote to any roast beast, of course. But it also plays beautifully on a charcuterie platter or cheese plate. Any rich dish that could use a balance of tart clear flavor will be improved by a dollop of cranberry sauce.

My sauce recipe is high in acid content and can be canned for use year round. I use an ample amount of apple for natural sweetness and just a bit of honey. Spices are light because they concentrate in the jar. If serving fresh, feel free to increase the spice quantities.

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Cranberry Sauce Makes: six half pint jars Time: 30 minutes cooking, 20 minutes canning

1 orange 2 12-ounce bags of fresh cranberries, washed with stems removed 6 medium apples, peeled cored and chopped 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 1/4-3/4 cup honey

1. Peel orange, avoiding pith. 2. Place orange peel and remaining ingredients in a medium pot. Juice orange into pot. 3. Cook over low heat, covered, until apple texture disappear and cranberries 'pop'. Taste for spice and sweetness, adding more if necessary. 4. Remove orange peel and discard. 5. Serve sauce warm or at room temperature. Refrigerate leftovers and eat within two weeks or freeze for up to a year. 6. Alternately, ladle into sterilized jars with 1/4 inch headspace. Process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes. Remove from water, cool, and prepare for storage.

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Added to Simples Lives Thursday 70 and Punk Domestics.

Imperfections {Friday Five}

Thanks to a generous friend who gave me a huge stash of canning supplies, I have a new favorite jar. (What? You don't have favorite jars? Crazy!)

This jar is blue, which is fun, and obviously old. It nearly matches four others I have of the same size and brand. This one is special for a small but significant manufacturing flaw.

See what it says under the Ball name? P rfect Mason. The 'e' is missing, clearly a misprint.  Eagle eyes will notice the air inclusions that make the jar useless for canning. My new favorite jar is, therefore, an imperfect mason.

I love this jar because it reminds me that life is imperfect. I am imperfect.

Unlike a poorly pressed jar that can only ever hold flowers, we humans can work on our imperfections. We can never achieve perfection but we can be constantly inching towards our better selves. I am intentionally working to improve in these ways:

1) Be Fully Present - Between the pulls of social networks, animals, phone calls, the kid, neighborhood noise, and a natural tendency to wander, I default to a state of distraction. There are half-started projects all over the house. I am consciously trying to overcome distraction and stay fully focused on a single idea until completion - be it a conversation, a preserving project, or something I'm doing with Lil. It feels good to say no to the interruptions and truly be present.

2) Eat Lunch - My stupidest imperfection is that nearly every midday I think I can have a light and healthy meal. It doesn't work for me and by 4 pm I am a grouchy hungry person. When I eat a full meal with a good dose of protein, I'm not a grump in the afternoon. Solution seems simple, right?

3) Stay with the Hard Stuff - When something is difficult for me or conflict arises, I tend to drop it and run. This isn't healthy for me. I need to speak my true feelings and not just hide until difficulties pass.

4) Be OK with Mistakes - I tell Lillian constantly that "it's ok to make mistakes". But I don't actually cut myself a break when I make them. Whether I spill, can't get the perfect photograph, or lose something, I need to take a breath and forgive myself for these little screw-ups. Modeling that little mistakes are ok is as important as saying the words.

5) Be Satisfied - My tendency is to always be striving for something greater. It's a good quality to have in that I am willing to work hard, but I never relax and enjoy what I have. I have a lot to be satisfied about - a loving husband, healthy kid, warm home, etc. Every day I try to be thankful for the current moment without looking ahead. But a tiny part of me always wants more - I think I will be working on this imperfection my whole life.

What imperfections are you working on now?

PS. Though the idea of a Defense Department is rife with ethical imperfections, I remain thankful for those who serve(d) in the military. I shared Vonnegut's thoughts on Veteran's Day last year and I still think his words are fantastic.

Great Grandma's Apple Butter {Recipe}

My Great Grandma Davis, mother of my father's mother Joyce, was an old school home cook. She grew a large garden and Grandpa fished to feed themselves fresh and cheap food. Grandma later used her kitchen experience to serve as a school cook for many years in the decades where everything was prepared from scratch on site. Because Grandma lived into her nineties, I grew up knowing her. I remember eating a breakfast of biscuits and jams at her house in Missouri as a very young child. Sadly, she died before I was interested in food and could learn from her depth of home cooking knowledge.

I do know that Grandma put up everything she could, including apple butter. For years, I hesitated to remake her recipe because I was afraid I could live up to her version. But for you, dear blog readers, I sifted through recipe cards at my parents' house and pulled out Great Grandma's Apple Butter.

Just reading Grandma's handwriting stirs up sentimental feelings of opening birthday cards and Christmas gifts lovingly addressed by her hand. Click on the card image to see it larger. I love that she simply wrote 'seal in jars' as if every woman of her day would know exactly how to do that. I consulted the National Center for Home Food Preservation to find the proper canning time.

I suspect I will never alter this recipe because there is a certain nostalgia in making apple butter exactly as my great grandmother did. Not knowing Leona, however, you might want to substitute some brown sugar for the white and change the spices. Ground ginger would play nicely with the other flavors, as would nutmeg. I did reduce quantities and update the recipe to make it slow cooker friendly.

My father made this recipe a few years ago and noted that he would prefer less vinegar. I think the iteration I made with Liberty Pink applesauce and homemade cider vinegar had a perfect balance. We suspect that the variety of apple makes all the difference and you may wish to taste before adding all the vinegar.

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Great Grandma's Apple Butter Recipe

makes 6 half pints

4 pints applesauce, or 8 cups stewed and pureed apples

3 cups granulated white sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup cider vinegar

1. Stir all ingredients in a slow cooker or oven safe pan.

2. Cook on high uncovered, or 200 degrees F, for 4-6 hours, or until reduced by half.

3. Fill jars leaving 1/4 inch head space. As the apple butter is very thick, jiggle the jars or stir with a chopstick to release any air pockets.

4. Wipe rims and place two part lids on jars. Place in water bath canner and process for 5 minutes.

5. Remove jars from water and allow to cool for 12 to 24 hours. Prepare and store for up to one year.

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More Davis/Tayse family recipes:

Rhubarb Crunch

Gingersnaps

After the Pop - How to Manage Home Canned Goods

You've heard the most delightful sound in the kitchen - the popping of lids fresh from the canner - and your jars are completely cooled. Now what? Prepare Jars for Storage

Remove the rings and wipe down the outside of the jar with a warm wet cloth or sponge. Often a bit of juice, brine or jam escapes during the vacuum process. Being outside the seal, this can spoil and rust the lids.

Wash the rings by hand or in the dishwasher and store them in a dry place for later (see below).

Label each lid with the contents and date. You can do this with a sharpie marker or label maker. I love how neat jars look when labeled with my Brother p-touch label maker. Lil gets a kick out of making the labels too.

Where to Store

Home canned goods last longest when they are stored in a dark, dry place with cool and consistent temperature. My basement is great for this. A cool closet, root cellar, or cupboard will also work.

If you have them, I find jar boxes to be excellent for storage of filled or empty jars. The high sides prevent light from discoloring food and the cardboard dividers keep the jars from clanking during transport.

Empty Jars and Rings

In the fall, the larder is full of filled colorful jars. But as winter progresses and the contents are used, what do you do with the rings and empties?

You may reuse the rings for canning so long as they aren't dented or rusted. You also will need one per jar to keep home canned goods in the fridge after opening.

I store rings in a kitchen drawer with my dish towels. You'll note some lids in there too; I keep them around for when I want to store leftovers or dry goods. Lids cannot be reused for canning but they are fine for non-sealed storage.

I stash a small selection of empty jars in a kitchen drawer (with some other miscellany like our cider press bag) for storing leftovers. When this drawer overflows, I take the excess down to the basement and sort by size on a shelf. When I have a dozen of a given size, I load them into a box and stack these for use during the next canning season.

I'm sure that my system is not the only one that works. How do you manage canning jars?

Added to Simple Lives Thursday 58.