What do You Need for Pickling?

Pickling is a great way to preserve foods. Most people associate pickling with cucumbers, but as many are starting to see it can be used for nearly any type of produce. Just to give you an idea of foods that you can pickle, here are a few that have recipes in The Complete Book of Pickling:

• Artichokes
• Asparagus
• Green Beans
• Beets
• Radishes
• Cantaloupe
• Cherries
• Figs
• Grapes
• Crabapples
• Strawberries
• Plums
• and much more...

And of course the book has the more traditional pickle recipes as well. So that brings us to... What do you need for pickling? What tools will you need to get started? Well, I personally recommend having a book with instructions, many canning books have some pickling recipes in them, including the Ball Blue Book of Canning. And, of course, some of the tools you need may vary depending on the food that you are pickling.

But here are the basics:

• A Large Pot
• A Canner
• Pint Canning Jars
• Spoons & Ladles
• Jar Lifter
• Canning Lids (be sure they are the correct size for your jars)
• Canning Rings (be sure they are the correct size for your jars)
• Canning Funnel
• Lid Wand or Lid Lifter to pick the lids up out of the boiling water after sanitizing them.

And of course you will need your ingredients (which will vary depending on the recipe that you use) and typical kitchen items such as kitchen towels, etc.

We would love to hear about your pickling adventures, what have you tried and liked or didn't like? Please share in the comments.

Coleslaw Recipes and Ideas from Pinterest

Coleslaw can be found at most meals in the summer time. It is a side item that goes with nearly any meal, at barbeques, cookouts, fish fries, and just with a typical home cooked meal. One of my favorite tools for making coleslaw is the Presto Salad Shooter, for a coarser coleslaw (my favorite) I use the super shred cone attachment.

One would be surprised at how many different types of coleslaw there is. Here are just 5 different ones that we found while perusing Pinterest.

Not Your Mama's Coleslaw

Classic Creamy Coleslaw

The Lady's Coleslaw

Healthy Coleslaw

Lexington Style Barbecue Slaw

Have you tried any of these different slaws? What methods do you use to chop, slice, etc. your cabbage? What is your favorite type of cabbage to use? We want to hear YOUR great coleslaw recipes, tips, and tricks!

Tips and Recipes for Your Cookie Press

Cookie presses are great for creating elaborate looking treats with minimal effort. they can take awhile to get adjusted to using, but once you find your rhythm you are set to create cookies galore. These treats are great for holidays, birthday parties, receptions, as dessert at a dinner party, well, the list goes on.

So what are some tips for using a cookie press?

• Allow yourself plenty of time during the learning process.
• Read your instruction manual thoroughly.
• Use only recipes appropriate for a cookie press, anything with nuts, raisins, and other chunky ingredients will NOT press.
• Do NOT grease your baking sheet. 
• Press on your cookie press a little before starting with your cookies to release any air in front of the dough.
• Be sure to hold the cookie press flat to the baking sheet so that the dough will adhere to the sheet.
• Do not overload the fills or you will lose the shape of your cookie as it expands during baking.
• Keep in mind that practice makes perfect, your first few batches may not turn out exactly how you want. Just keep trying.
• Do not immediately lift the cookie press after pressing out your cookie. Give it time to stick or you'll take the cookie dough with you.
• Allow about 1 to 1 1/2 inches between the cookies.
• To keep from breaking your cookies be sure to allow them to cool before using a thin cookie spatula to remove them from the baking sheet.

The most common recipe for a cookie press is the Spritz Butter Cookie:

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups confectioners sugar
• 2 egg  yolks
• 1/2 tsp. almond extract
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Sift the flour and salt together and set aside. 
2. In a medium sized bowl, cream the butter and sugar together. Stir in the egg yolks, and almond and vanilla extract. Gradually blend in the sifted flour and salt. Fill your cookie press with the dough and form the cookies about 1 1/2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
3. If you desire, decorate with sprinkles or sugar now.
4. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes in your preheated oven.

For more Cooke Press recipes visit: http://www.catalogs.com/info/kitchen/cookie-press-recipes.html

Using a Salad Shooter to Make Pizza

Did you know that you can use the Presto Salad Shooter to help make a pizza? This is especially great for those who like lots of veggies on their pizzas.

Just choose your pizza dough of choice and prepare it so that it is ready to add the toppings (method of preparation will depend on dough chosen, etc). Apply sauce of choice, then get your salad shooter ready to shred your mozzarella or other cheese over the sauce. Then get out your aresenal of favorite veggies to slice or shred onto the top of the pizza (peppers, onions, yum). Then add any other toppings you so desire and bake for the amount of time recommended in your recipe.

And voila' your salad shooter has just helped you make a delcious pizza. But while your pizza is baking, leave your salad shooter out and fix a salad to go with it as a healthy, yummy side dish.

Things You Need for Canning

While canning season is not quite here yet, it is sometimes advisable to take stock of your canning tools and supplies to see if something needs to be replaced. If so you may want to invest in it early so that you won't have to worry about stores running out of what you need once the canning rush begins in the fall. Here are a few of the tools that we recommend to have on hand when canning:

1. A Pressure Canner or a Waterbath Canner (depending upon what type of canning you are going to be doing.)
2. Canning Funnel: This is great for pouring your food into the jars without as much of a mess or spills as trying to do it funnel-less. 
3. Jar Lifter: This handy tool helps you to lift jars out of the canner when they are done. It helps to keep you from getting burned on hot jars.
4. New Canning Lids, while you can reuse canning jars (provided they have no cracks or imperfections) you will need new canning lids every time you can, unless you are using resealable lids such as Tattler lids.
5. Canning Jars: look over your jars each year and be sure that they are not getting worn out, check for signs of cracks or chips in the glass. Also carefully inspect the mouth of the jar to be sure there are no nicks or imperfections where the canning lid will set as this could cause an improper seal, resulting in spoiled food. Any jars that have flaws should be discarded (or just not used for food preservation) and replaced with new jars.
6. Most of the other canning supplies you will need tend to be kitchen staples, things such as dish towels, measuring cups and spoons, ladles, spatulas, stock pots, etc.

Books to Can By

There are many foods that are able to be canned, whether by water bath method or pressure canning. We have several books that can help you in your canning endeavors, here are those canning books with a little info as to what can be found in each one:

In the pages of the Ball Blue book you will find great info for a beginner canner, including methods on how to preserve foods other than canning, such as dehydrating. Several of the instructions have great visual aids, particularly the green beans on pg. 70. A wonderful little guide to preserving that will be a great addition to any canner's collection.

The Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving has over 400 different preserving recipes. Most of which are canning recipes (waterbath and/or pressure).  This book even includes a produce purchase guide to help ensure that you are purchasing the freshest food possible for your preserving. Recipes included are for a variety of skill levels from beginner to pro. This book is a great addition to those wanting more recipes for their preserving endeavors.

The Complete Book of Small-Batch Preserving contains over 300 different preserving recipes as well as a chapter on preserving by freezing. The recipes are smaller batches too so that if you aren't wanting to can a lot, you can preserve just the amount of food that you will need.

Caring for a Mirro Pressure Cooker

Caring for your Mirro pressure cooker does not have to be hard and caring for it properly can help extend the lifetime of your cooker.

If you have just purchased your Mirro Cooker then you will want to wash it with hot soapy water and dry it before your first use.

When using your cooker never beat a spoon, potato masher, etc against the rim. This could cause a mar or dent that could potentially prevent  your cooker from sealing properly. 

You will want to clean inside your cooker after every use. To make cleaning the inside of your cooker easier run warm water into it as soon as you remove the food from it. Then when you are ready to wash it, use warm, soapy water.

If your cooker has hard water stains to remove them you will need:

• soap filled steel-wool pad
• cream of tartar

To clean: boil 1 quart water and 2 teaspoons of the cream of tartar. Allow this solution to boil in the cooker, with the cover OFF, for a few minutes. Allow to cool, clean with steel-wool pad, and allow to dry. (You can also substitute a the cream of tartar solution with a solution made of equal parts water and vinegar).

To clean the exterior, occasionally clean with silver polish. To keep your exterior from dulling never soak or cover the pan in water and do not wash in the dishwasher. 

After each use of your pressure cooker you will want to remove the gasket from the cover. Wash it in warm soapy water, rinse and dry thoroughly. Then put the gasket back into the cover so that your cooker is ready for its next use.

You will want to be sure to always wash the cover thoroughly after each use. Run hot water around all of the openings in the handle to keep the lift pin assembly free from grease or food particles that could keep your cooker from operating correctly. -Keep in mind that if moisture stays inside of the handle, the steam may not appear around the handle during the next use. Mirro's User Manual states that this is normal.

After washing and rinsing the cooker's cover, and before using, hold the cover up to the light so you can see through the vent tube. If you cannot see light through the vent tube then it may be blocked. To unblock your cooker's vent tube, carefully run a wire in and out of the vent tube to be sure that the tube is clear and unobstructed. Rinse again in hot water.

Your pressure control will typically stay clean as the steam that comes out of the cleaner serves as almost a self cleaning for the pressure control. However, it will not harm the control if you choose to wash it in warm, soapy water. Be sure to rinse thoroughly after washing.

 To store your Mirro cooker you should store it with the cover off, or upside down on the cooker. Do not store with cover and gasket tightened on.