Why? Because you can! And pickle, and jam, or otherwise celebrate the resurgence of the domestic arts our forebears held so dear. Put on your best apron and step into our kitchen, won't you?
This lightly spiced peach jelly tastes like peach cobbler in a jar. Use your peaches in your favorite recipes and then make this jelly with the peels. It is a great way to make something tasty out of something you were going to discard.
Sweet pickled cherries are a versatile treat. Enjoy them just out of the jar, on salads, or in savory sauces. They would also make a nice gift or condiment for the holidays.
Homemade butter is so easy and quick to make using a stand mixer or food processor. It is also superior to store-bought butter. Spread on toast or use for cooking and baking. One quart of cream results in 3/4 pound butter and 2 cups buttermilk.
Using the method for canning whole grapes, you can create a juice concentrate that simply needs to be strained and mixed with water. Easier than making traditional grape juice and just as tasty.
Roasted Tomato Pesto is easy to make and can be used on pastas, sandwiches, in soups, or as a spread. Best of all, it can be made with tomatoes you have roasted yourself, making it a great way to use leftover tomatoes from the garden.
Lard, a fat that has been misunderstood is making a comeback, and it turns out that it is easy to make using high-quality leaf lard. The rendered lard is easily rendered in a slow cooker and can be used in pie crusts as well as savory foods.
Homemade chicken stock preserved in the pressure canner is an economical and time-saving item to have on hand. Far superior to store-bought stock, one batch will leave you with as many as 8-10 pints of stock ready to use at a moment's notice.
Homemade preserved lemons are easy to make, far better than any you can buy in a store, and go well with anything from soups and stews to salads and seafood.
This conserve is similar to one I have been making for years, but a few tweaks make it safe for canning. Delicious with the traditional meal, it is also fantastic on sandwiches and heated and spooned over ice cream.