YYY

Hi again Everybody, First, Violet, thank you for saying my food is OK to eat. I know you are only stating the truth, but I still feel so relieved. When I decided to move here, I saved every dime to have the money to build up my pantry again, as fast as possible. I had also decided to put all that money into meat because the prices were going up so fast, and I felt I could get every thing else at on-sale prices and at a slower pace (I'm pretty satisfied with how that's progressing). The thought of losing all that money made me C-R-A-Z-Y. I should have paid more attention to the heat and the big difference in the spinning, hissing and jiggling. Before this my Mirro 22 quart would do a lot of hissing but the jiggling and spinning would be a lot less. I don't know if I need new ones or not, but I will feel better if I order and use a new weight and gasket. Thanks all y'all. I feel so much better. YYY

Hi again Everybody, Below is the thread from 2006 where I talked about being told about the difference in canning at different altitudes. It also shows my “misadventure” during the very first time I pressure canned. http://mrssurvival.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=16802&hl=canner+ace+hardware YYY

Hi Everybody, Thanks for your replies. I just got in. I've been so worried that I didn't even take my coat off before checking for responses. Even though Violet has not responded yet, can one of you tell me if the food is safe to eat even if the temperature was too high? I'm willing to deal with overcooked meat (from too high of a temperature), but the thought of losing all that meat has me dragging. Thanks, YYY

Hi Everybody Last summer I moved to my new location. Before when I canned, I always had to use 15 lbs of pressure. Now in my new home, I use 10 lbs of pressure. I do remember that when I first started canning, I was told that canning at a high elevation (old location) was different from canning at a lower elevation (new location). Here in my new location, the weight just spins, steams and hisses constantly (without stopping the whole time). Until last night, this did not bother me because as I said above, I was told that canning at different elevations was different. Then last night on another board, I read, “the weight jiggles and lets off steam only a few times a minute, not constantly.” Now I’m super worried. I’ve done quite a bit of canning meat since I’ve been here. The weight spins, steams and hisses constantly, not just jiggles and lets off steam only a few times a minute. Almost everything has sealed, and I’ve eaten some of my food with no ill effects. I’m concerned about the safety of my food. Is it OK? Should I be doing something different? YYY

To all my canning Friends, I hope you have a very happy whatever you celebrate !!! YYY

Hi Everybody I did a search on this, but I haven't found an answer. Can I preserve store bought cranberry sauce? If so, how? One can is too much for me to eat. Thanks in advance YYY

Hi Amishway Homesteaders I just saw your recipe from last July for Martha's (Amish) Hot Pepper Butter. (http://mrssurvival.c...showtopic=46157 ). In the recipe, you wrote, “Grind up peppers (without seeds)”. Are you saying to grind up dehydrated peppers or are you saying finely chop fresh peppers? A dense question, I know. But today is one of THOSE days. Thanks in advance, YYY

Hi Everybody Thanks for your replies. I'm glad that I checked here before I spent the money. Thanks again YYY

Hi Everybody I am thinking about buying Jackie Clay’s book, Growing and Cooking Your Own Food. I’m also considering her book, Pantry Cookbook. If I buy one or both of these books, I can also get a free book. Of the free choices, I’ve narrowed it down to Food Storage or Pressure Canning. http://www.backwoods...ay-special.html Do any of you have any experience with any of these books? Did you like them? Not like them? Why? Are there PDF copies of these somewhere on the net so I can look at them before I buy? Are there any that you feel are better? Lots of questions, I know, but I’d really like to know what you think. Thanks in advance YYY

Hi Everybody, I went to Big Lots today, and they had the 6 pound 12 oz cans of Ranch Style brand Beans for $2.50. There were only 2 of these left. I bought one, and the person I was with bought the other. I’d like to open the can and divide it into smaller portions. How can I do this? Freeze them or what ??? Thanks in advance YYY

Hello Friends I just wanted to say HI !!! I truly, truly missed all y'all. I was checking in 3, 4, 5, 10 times a day to see if y'all were here. I felt lost. Now I feel normal again. YYY

Hi Everybody, I went to Grocery Outlet today. They are trying to get rid of their pumpkins (Halloween is over) and have marked them as FREE !!! If you have a Grocery Outlet near you, check them out. Hope this helps someone. YYY

Hi everybody, I was given 25 - 30 small plums today. I plan to use this recipe: http://lipsmackinggoodness.blogspot.com/2008/10/canning-plums.html Is it OK? Do I need to add any lemon juice or any thing else? Thanks in advance YYY

Hi again Everybody I have been canning for approximately 6 - 7 years. But with this move, I feel like a newbie. My new location has lots of water all around (Pacific Northwest). I googled the elevation and read that it varies from 450 - 800 feet. When canning, do I now use 5 lbs of pressure or 10 lbs of pressure? I used to use 15. If any of you have a Mirro canner, can you tell me how to take apart the ball jiggler thing to lower the amount of pressure? I still can not find a lot of things - like the manual for the canner. Thanks in advance. YYY

Thank you Violet YYY

Hi Mt_Rider and Violet Thank you for your replies Violet, how much lemon juice should I add to each 8 oz jar? Mt_Rider, I should have been more clear. I'm meant to say "What can I use "any" fruit skins for? Juice - How? Jam/Jelly - How? Thanks in advance YYY

Hi Everybody During my travels through the internet today, I found a site with hotline phone numbers to different food, preserving and food safety companies. I thought some of you might be interested. http://clark.wsu.edu/family/hotlines.html Hope this helps someone YYY

Hi Everybody As I said in my other post, I am having way too many senior moments. I think that my pulling up roots and moving 2000 miles may have a lot to do with it. I still haven't received all of my stuff which includes canning notebooks, etc. I'm too afraid to not be doing something for what may be coming so I am still trying to prepare. I am canning beef chuck. I always brown it in a tiny bit of cooking oil - without seasoning - and because I wash the meat before I brown it, there is usually some fluid in the frying pan. Should I add some of this liquid to each jar. I know I always fill the hot jars with meat, add boiling water and beef broth granuals. I just can't remember if I add a spoon of the pan liquid or not to the jars. I'm putting the browned meat in the frig for tonight and will finish canning it tomorrow. I don't want my hard word to go for not. I will also put the pan liquid in a separate container. Thanks in advance again, YYY

Hi Everybody, I seem to be having a year long senior moment. Two weeks ago at a yard sale, the woman giving the yard sale had just been given 20 or so Asian pears by her father (he had just picked them off his tree). When he left, she asked me if I wanted them. Of course I said yes. I came home and put them in the crisper of the refrigerator and promptly forgot about them until about an hour ago. I googled a canning recipe for them on Simply Canning. I know I've read here on Mrs S that I can use the skins for something but I can't remember what it is. HELP !!! Please tell me what I can do and give please me a recipe also. Thanks in advance YYY

Hi Everybody, I hope this is the right place to put this. I have an HE washing machine. Sometimes, it gets an odor. It was suggested that I leave the door open, but that doesn't always work. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance YYY

Hi ScrubbieLady, The 12 oz size is my favorite size. The pint size (16 oz) holds one pound of meat. I wanted to s-t-r-e-t-c-h my meat budget a “little” further, so I decided to try using a jar that holds 4 oz less. No one seems to notice the slightly smaller amount of meat. I can only get the 12 oz size at Walmart in the spring. Otherwise I go to Ace hardware to get the jars. They cost approx. $11/dozen. Since everything else is going up, that price may have risen also. My favorite place to get the 12 oz jars is thrift stores or yard sales. This is the 4th time that I have tried to reply to you. I hope it takes this time. YYY

Hi HomeSchoolShe I am sorry that I took so long answering this. Things are so busy here that I just saw it. I do like ground beef better when boiled, rinsed off, put in a hot jar and add 1/2 teaspoon of beef boullion "crumbles" stirred in, and then fill with boiling water to within 1/2 inch of the top. Wipe off the rim. Add the 2 piece cap and pressure can for your altitude. I do like this method better, but it is still not like the real thing. If anyone has a better way, I'd love to hear it. Hope this helps YYY

Hi Everybody, Today I ran across a Mirro 12 Quart Pressure Cooker and Canner. Since it says "cooker" and "canner", will it do a good job of canning. Do any of you with experience with one of these have an opinion about it? (Positive or Negative) I have a Mirro pressure canner that I love, but I will be moving soon. My current canner is too tall to fit between the top of the store and the bottom of the wall mounted microwave. So-o-o I need advice. Do any of you know the height of the 12 quart cooker/canner? Please comment on anything I mentioned above. Thanks, YYY

Hi again Darlene, Sorry. I guess I'm losing it. I know at about the same time, I made the marinara sauce and the spaghetti sauce. They were both very good, and I thought they were both from you. Thanks a lot for the marinara sauce recipe. Yum !!! YYY

Hi Darlene Thank You, Thank You, Thank You for the Marinara Sauce recipe. I do remember it as being VERY good. Could you also either repost the spaghetti sauce recipe or give the link for the spaghetti sauce recipe? Again Thank You YYY