Blue Berries and Potatoes

[YYY]

Hi Everybody,

 

I was given 2 - 16 oz packages of blue berries (frozen - from the store) and 10 pounds of raw white potatoes. Do any of you know of good canning recipes for the blue berries and/or the potatoes? (Please, no jelly or jam recipes) I have a boiling water canner (for now). I HOPE to get a pressure canner within the next month.

 

Thank you,

 

YYY

[HSmom]

You cannot can potatoes by boiling water bath; they must be pressure-canned. They don't freeze well either, but potatoes do have a reasonalbe shelf life.

 

I'm afraid I don't have any ideas for you on the blue berries. I would probably keep them frozen and toss them in yogurt and on cereal, or just eat them.

[Darlene]

The only other thing I use them for besides jam is a blueberry syrup or pie filling...and no to waterbath canning potatoes...they're one of those veggies that require pressure canning.

[Phatkat1956]

You can't can them without a pressure cooker, but you can dry them if you have to, but I would just use them up, there are so many great potato recipes out there.

 

If you make up say a double batch of shepherd's pie and use half real potatoes and half instant potatoes...it will freeze fine.

 

With the cooler weather whip up a pot of creamy potato soup and serve with home made croutons...really warms you up. A great vegetarian meal. Next time add some cheddar cheese and make cheesy potato soup. You can even add some finely chopped veges if you want to.

[Violet]

If you want, you can make your own french fries for the freezer. I know of one gal who says it is the only fries her girls will eat. Also, making mashed potatoes and freezing them has worked well for me. My husband never knows the difference when I have served them to him. They are good for topping Shepherds Pie, too.

Freezing

New Irish Potatoes

Preparation – Select smooth new potatoes directly from the garden. Peel or scrape and wash. Water blanch for 3 to 5 minutes, depending on the size.

 

Cool, drain and package whole or sectioned, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Seal and freeze.

 

French Fried Potatoes – Select mature potatoes which have been stored 30 days. Wash, peel and cut into 1/3-inch sticks lengthwise, then crosswise into 3/8-inch strips. Rinse in cold water. Dry thoroughly. Fry small amounts in deep, hot fat (360ºF) about 5 minutes until tender but not brown. Drain on paper towel. Cool. Package, seal and freeze.

 

At serving time, finish browning in a hot oven (475ºF).

[Ferretma]

Here is a recipe for the blueberries that is to die for! I made one batch and then a double batch. Yummm!

 

Blueberry Relish

From Fancy Pantry

 

3 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups water

3 pint baskets (about 9 cups) form-ripe cultivated blueberries, picked over and rinsed

1 1/2 cups vinegar

zest (outer peel only) of 2 oranges, cut into 3/4 inch strips

3 sticks cinnamon coarsely broken

1 1/2 tsp. allspice

1 tsp. coriander seed

1/2 tsp. whole cloves

 

1. Combine the sugar and 1 1/2 cups water in a preserving pan. Heat over medium heat to boiling; boil one minute. Add the blueberries and return the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook the mixture uncovered, at a hard simmer just until the berries have broken, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

 

2. Pour the berries into a sieve set over a bowl and drain off the syrup. Set the berries aside; return the syrup to the reserving pan.

 

3. Add the vinegar, orange zest, and spices to the syrup and heat it to boiling over medium-high heat. Boil the mixture, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the syrup registers 220 degrees on a candy-jelly thermometer or passes the jelly test; this will take about 50-55 minutes.

 

4. Strain the spices from the syrup and discard them; return the syrup to the pan. Add the berries and any collected juices and heat the mix over medium-high heat to boiling. Reduce the heat to medium and boil the relish gently until the berries are hot throughout and the syrup registers 220 degrees; three to five minutes.

 

5. Ladle into clean half-pint jars, add lids and process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes.

[Pixie]

mmm! that sounds good!

 

when i next have blueberries, i want to try this!

 

how would you serve it? what with?