'Tis the Season for Canning - Green Beans

Green beans are known by a variety of names - the string bean, squeaky beans, French beans or snap beans. They are pretty healthy for you too weighing in (haha! pun intended!) at only 34 calories per cup. They have about 30% of the recommended Vitamin C, 15% of Vitamin A and 4 grams of fiber per cup. That's pretty good!

When picking green (or yellow) beans look for beans that are firm and green (not yellow unless you are getting yellow beans). They should be smooth (not wrinkly or lumpy).

For each 1/2 pound of raw green beans = 1 quart jar

'Tis the Season for Canning - Peaches in Syrup

This is the "traditional" way to can peaches. It takes a syrup (light or medium) instead of white grape juice or water. You can also use honey instead of sugar.

Peaches in Syrup

Prepare light or medium syrup. Heat water and sugar in a sauce pan until the sugar dissolves.

~Light - 2 cups sugar to 1 quart water
~Medium - 3 cups sugar to 1 quart water

~Light (with honey) - 1-1/2 cups honey to 4 cups water
~Medium (with honey) - 2 cups honey to 4 cups water

De-skin peaches by dipping peaches in boiling water for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Immediately remove the peaches to a sink or bowl with cold water to stop the cooking. Slice the peaches in half or in slices and throw away the pit. The skin should come off right in your hands. If it needs a little bit of help, use a paring knife.

Pack the peaches, cut side down, into the jar. Pour syrup over them until the jar is full.

Process in a hot water bath for 25 minutes (Pint) and 30 minutes (Quart). (Add 1 additional minute of water bath for every 1000 feet above sea level.)

Picture from DessertStalking.com

'Tis the Season for Canning - Peaches in White Grape Juice

There is a method for canning peaches that involves keeping them in a syrup. There is nothing wrong with this method, it's just not my preferred choice. When my friend, Jen, told me about canning peaches in white grape juice, I was sold! Let me tell you.... Elianna loves them! As in, eats a whole jar herself loves them! It makes me feel so much better knowing she isn't eating a whole bunch of sugar and nonsense. You can put them in just plain water too but the white grape juice gives it just a little bit something more. However, in the act of being fair, tomorrow's post will be the syrup canning method.

Peaches in White Grape Juice

De-skin peaches by dipping peaches in boiling water for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Immediately remove the peaches to a sink or bowl with cold water to stop the cooking. Slice the peaches in half or in slices and throw away the pit. The skin should come off right in your hands. If it needs a little bit of help, use a paring knife.

Pack the peaches, cut side down, into the jar. Pour white grape juice over them until the jar is full.

Process in a hot water bath for 25 minutes (Pint) and 30 minutes (Quart). (Add 1 additional minute of water bath time for every 1000 feet above sea level.)

Picture from NewHotTopics.com

'Tis the Season for Canning - Peaches

Peaches are in already here in Colorado! Wahoo! Chris has always raved about the Palisades peaches, and now we get to try them! But how do you know if a peach is good to eat? What variety is best? Today we are going to look at peaches - facts and picking tips.

Peaches

Yellow - most popular

White - personal favorite.  They are sweeter and taste more like a dessert.

Donut peaches (yellow or white) - the white donut peach is my very most absolute all time favorite!


Types of peaches

Freestone peaches - Flesh slips away from the pit easily

Cling peaches - The flesh does not separate from the pit

*Both freestone and cling are great for canning, it's simply that freestone peaches are easier to work with since the pit removes itself from the fruit saving you from having to dig it out of the flesh.


Varieties of peaches (good for canning)

Red Haven
Loring
Sun High
Fairhaven

*There are many other varieties, but these are the most popular varieties for canning.


Picking out peaches

Most of the time, peaches will smell good and if they smell good, then majority of the time, they taste good.

Pick out a peach that is heavy. This means the fruit has not begun to loose their moisture.

Avoid soft or mushy fruits unless you are specifically looking for peaches to use in jam.

Oftentimes, peaches will have dents due to squash bugs or stink bugs. There is nothing wrong with these peaches. They taste the same and better yet, they don't have pesticides all over them!


Measurements (raw)

About 2 medium peaches = 1 cup sliced peaches

About 3 medium peaches = 1 pound


Peachy fun! How to plant a peach pit

Clean the pit and store it in the refrigerator in a plastic bag until September or October

Place the pit about 5 inches beneath the soil

In the spring, the tree will start to grow and be visible by July

Keep the tree watered and fertilized and in 2 - 3 years, there will be fruit

'Tis the Season for Canning

There is so much still to share in the area of canning so I am going to continue canning recipes and tips during the month of July. There are still peaches and tomatoes and green beans and so much more!

Here is a look ahead at the coming months:

     July - canning
          August - BBQ / Picnic
                September - lunch box ideas

Exciting times!