Show Homemakers Homemaker's hints Uy fly Colleen T Long Extension Home Economist Now that canning time is upon us you ou may need to consider some alternatives to the usual methods of filling up the f family amily pantry No doubt you are aware that sugar is very expensive and the prices are expected to go even higher The following may be some ways to stretch the sugar during the canning season CAN WITHOUT sugar Fruit will keep without sugar if processed in a hot water bath canner to insure a safe product If you plan to can without sugar try a small batch first If the product isn't liked by your family you can n sweeten the product as it is eaten and then use some sugar in the next ba batch Use less sugar suga r. r Use honey or corn syrup Both Doth honey and dark corn syrup will darken the color slightly Honey Honeywill Honeywill honeywill will affect the flavor You can use half syrup or honey with sugar ARTIFICIAL may maybe maybe maybe be used instead of sugar Be sure and check recommendations recommendations recommendations before using and follow directions by the manufacturer Always use sugar when making jam or jelly Honey or corn syrup can be substituted for 2 cups sugar in a recipe but no more For canning in July take note of the following fruits and vegetables Summer Red and Yellow Transparent apples cherries raspberries rhubarb and green beans towards the end of July Fruit leathers are a good way to preserve fruit using minimum amounts of sugar 1 Prepare the fruit Wash well Peal apples core and slice Stone cherries and apricots Add sugar about 1 to 1 tablespoons per cup 2 HEAT fruit and sugar Add Adda a little water to start juice flowing Crush fruit as it softens You want a thick concentrate so if fruit is watery boil until it appears syrupy Long boiling will affect af af- affect flavor 3 Puree fruit in blender or put through a food mill Taste and adjust sweetening if desired Keep it on the tart side 4 Pour puree onto plastic film lining a shallow baking sheet to toa toa toa a thickness of about i 4 inch a 5 pint batch covers two 12 x 15 inch jelly roll pans Spread evenly 5 Dry in the oven two racks at a time with oven door open slightly at degree F F. F Or in inthe inthe inthe the sun covered with cheese cloth Drying takes about 24 hours depending on suns sun's heat 6 When firm not hard to the touch try peeling fruit from plastic If it is dry enough you youcan youcan youcan can peel off the entire sheet without the puree sticking to it it 7 ROLL HOLL sheets of puree still on film then wrap in more film Color and flavor keep well about a month at room temperature several months in refrigerator a year in freezer Instead of home canning try home freezing Freezing is one of the safest and least time consuming ways to preserve preserve food at home It keeps the natural color fresh flavor arid and nutritive value of most foods especially fruits and vegetables What to freeze and arid how much depends on family preference freezer space and other storage methods used Some things to remember in freezing are to lo 1 f 1 Select the proper foods atthe at atthe t the right stage of maturity 2 Proper packing of frozen foods Never fill containers too top too full because it may result t kh n breaking seal spillage and 10 loss of moisture and flavor 3 TEMPERATURE of of freezer 4 Length of storage i Remember to freeze foods as as soon as they are packed a few packages at a time Put no nomore nomore nomore more food into a home freezer than will freeze within 24 hours c Usually as a rule of thumb n no nomore no nomore more than 2 or 3 pounds per pel cubic foot of freezer capacity Remember overloading a freezer slows down the rate of freezing and foods may loose loos quality or spoil Label each package with the name of the contents and the date then use a rotation system to get the most use out of your work and food For further iI information on food storage contact your local Extension Home Economist |