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-   -   Do quilters also preserve fruit and veggies? (https://www.quiltingboard.com/general-chit-chat-non-quilting-talk-f7/do-quilters-also-preserve-fruit-veggies-t66713.html)

jolo 09-29-2010 05:12 PM

muscadines are wild grapes. Many grow on the trees in the Ok,tx areas. They are delicious and make the beeeeest juice and jellies and jams. we havent had many in our area this year.

raedar63 09-29-2010 05:16 PM

Yes I too have a large garden, This year I put up green beans, an assortment of peppers,jams,tomatoes, spagetti sauce,pizza sauce and chili sauce, and zucchnnni and mustard relish.I enjoy it ,but need to cut back some I have come to realize.
Rae

alageeps 09-29-2010 07:11 PM

I just started this year and the apple jelly did not set completely, will it gel the longer it sits?? We took about 7 1/2 pints and followed the recipe to re set and it looks about the same as it did before we reset.? We did the jam and it worked out well. Has anyone made a sugar free jelly? or one with Splenda?

greaterexp 09-29-2010 07:17 PM

I'm trying to grow some muscadines here, mostly for wine making. This was the first year, but we don't know if they'll make it. I wish they were as plentiful here as they are there! Hope you enjoy that jam!

greaterexp 09-29-2010 07:25 PM

I keep my dehydrated fruits and veggies in zip-type freezer bags. If they've been dehydrated correctly, they should keep indefinitely. I've had my failures with under-drying things, too, and have probably over-dried things now for years to be on the safe side. I usually put those tightly closed freezer bags into quart or 1/2 gallon canning jars to keep bugs out, especially if I'm planning to keep it very long. I try to rotate my stock of stuff, but something always gets forgotten.

VernaL 09-29-2010 11:57 PM

I've made jam with Splenda. Most of it came out very well, but one batch tasted burnt. I couldn't get it to gel and cooked it too long. I put the Splenda in after all the boiling so it wouldn't be overcooked. The best thing about the Splenda is that the jam is not too sweet and the berry flavor is like eating fresh berries. Wonderful. I used Olallieberries and Blackberries when I used Splenda. MMMMMM good.
Verna in So Cal.

mayday 09-30-2010 09:48 AM


Originally Posted by SaraSewing
It seems like a hand-in-hand hobby; taking odd bits, doing a little magic, and creating a lasting feel-good project. I have been busy with canning, but I think I'm about done. I did lots of unusual combos of jams (like mango-blueberry), and then started in on the garden stuff. I had a great crop of huge pimentos that I pickled into a garden mix. The dill's are made from a recipe my grandmother used in the 40's. And peaches! After we eat all we can, I preserve some for cottage cheese snacks. I still have some empty bottles, but the garden is finished, and my sewing time has suffered!



These look SO good, never canned ,but do freezer jam ,chutney and lots soup to freeze for winter-------runner bean/celery-stilto/tomato and calabese , then in winter do cabbage/cauilflower and minestrone

SaraSewing 09-30-2010 10:03 AM


Originally Posted by Alice Woodhull
If things mold, they haven't been dried long enough. I store my dehydrated onions on the cabinet shelf. They keep for a year that way. That's the only thing I dehydrate, as onions don't keep very long. I can use them in soups, casseroles, etc. this way.

We never have the drying problem here in the desert - everything ends up TOO dry - including our skin :(

Jshep 10-01-2010 06:02 AM

Muscadines are similar to grapes. They grow wild in some areas, but the ones I picked were planted. They have vines like grapes and these were planted on a fence row. In some of the jars I used regular sugar in some of the jars and I also mixed sugar and splenda (half and half) in other jars. Seems to be working out well.

SaraSewing 10-01-2010 04:22 PM

Well, I thought that my canning for the season was over. Then a friend who supervises the community garden called me that she had two big tubs of tomatoes that were over ripe. She couldn't stand seeing them go to waste and she just didn't have time. Sure, I say, I'll come over. I just finished 15 quarts of spagetti sauce. Best batch of the season!! Plus to finish out the day I put up 4 jars of apple pie filling. I'd sure rather have full jars than empties!


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