Started early this morning. Today the goal is canned squash for casseroles, frozen squash for smothering with bacon and onions, and some refrigerator pickles. If time permits maybe some more zucchini bread. Life is busy this warm summer day.
Blessing from Hickery Holler
The Canned Quilter
A very blessed day I would say. Wonderful crop. I like when crop come in manageable amounts daily.
ReplyDeleteWhat's the secret to freezing and canning squash? Mine turns to mush.
ReplyDeleteFreezing I simply blanch, cool and bag. The canned I heat add boiling water and salt to cover and process quarts for 40 minutes. they will be soft but I use them for casseroles that require cooked squash anyway so it doesn't matter.
DeleteHi CQ,
DeleteDo you pressure can or water bath those quarts of squash for 40 minutes? Thanks in advance!
Pressure can. Per My Ball Blue Book from 1995 it recommends 40 minutes at 10 pounds pressure. I noticed however that squash was not recommended to be canned in my 2009 blue book. Just to make you aware.
DeleteCQ,
ReplyDeleteA beautiful harvest, nice for canning and freezing. My squash is just now taking off, with all of our rain I've had to replant many of our vegetables. Speaking of rain, more today.
Yesterday and today have been warm (90's) and sunny. Such a nice break from the rainy days of late. The summer vegetables needed some sunshine for a change.
DeleteWhat do you do with canned squash? I have quarts and quarts of it still left from last year and would love some new ideas!
ReplyDeletecasseroles that call for cooked squash I substitute drained canned squash. Or simply drain add sauteed onions and green peppers salt pepper and butter and prepare like mashed potatoes.
DeleteHhmmm.....I knew we had a few things in common, but your jars of squash are quite interesting. We canned 20 pints of yellow squash today, along with a few pints of plums, green beans and cowpeas. But our newest experiment is 16 pints of minced garlic that are just about ready to come out of the canner. Take care, CQ.
ReplyDeleteFern
You have caught my interest. How will you use your garlic?
DeleteInstead of using dried minced garlic to cook with, I plan to use the canned instead. I don't know though, it came out brown. I know the canning process cooked it, but it looks a little strange. I got the recipe from Patrice at Rural Revolution, she had a tutorial on it. I emailed her to ask her what she thinks about the brown color. I'll write about it sometime soon and let you know how it works out. There's always something new to learn, isn't there? Blessings.
DeleteFern
wonder if fruit fresh or citric acid would not have eliminated the browning. Interesting and I'll wait for your post: )
DeleteI put a quarter teaspoon of citric acid powder in each jar. I read in my canning books today that canning onions will usually leave them darkened and soft. I'm guessing that is the case with the garlic. We kept the last bit in the frig and will use it up first before we open one of the sealed jars. I'll wait until then to write about it so I can let you know about the flavor and texture.
DeleteBy the way, we picked up four bushels of peaches from a local orchard today. Canning peaches and more Cushaw squash will be next on the agenda. But first I need to go fight another battle with the squash bugs. (-:
Fern
First, I would like to mention, that I buy minced garlic in a 32 o. jar, and it's a light tan when I purchase it, and does get a bit darker as I use it. It tastes fantastic too! It gets a deeper flavor, not stronger, as it turns darker. It's just delicious. I had hoped to find someone that has canned it, because I want to do the same. It keeps very well in the refrigerator, and it makes cooking a lot easier too.
ReplyDeleteSquash is one of my favorite veggies, however I have never canned it. I hope to be able to do that this year. I plan on dehydrating some this year too. Mostly for soups and any new concoction I can think of. Although I love a great casserole, I like my squash boiled, drained, smashed, and smothered in butter, with a dash of salt and pepper. Now I'm hungry!! I love those cucumbers, can you tell me which ones they are? Those are like the ones I have been looking for. Just the right size.
Sheila, thank you for describing the garlic you bought. I hope ours tastes as good. Thanks again.
DeleteFern
Your welcome, and I'm curious about what Patrice at Rural Revolution has to say about it too. We use a lot of garlic here, and canning it would be a super plus for my family. Sheila
Deletethe cucumbers are the heirloom open pollinated variety straight eight.
ReplyDeletePerfect! I just purchased some only a couple weeks ago, and I'm thrilled to see them here, before I plant them next year. Thank you so much for the quick reply. Sheila
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