I was looking through some old CS magazines last night and in the Sept./Oct. '97 issue was an interesting article on Harvest time recipes for the country kitchen. There was a recipe for canning meat balls. I thought this was a good idea to have on hand for quick meals to go with the pasta sauce I'm going to can this summer!!! I think I will change my recipe a little from theirs however but I had never thought of canning meatballs. They made meatballs and boiled in water for five minutes. Then put in jars, covering with the cooking liquid and pocessing at 10# 75 minutes for pints and 90 minutes for quarts. I have canned vegetable and chicken soups as well as dried beans which I know Cindy has done also! What convenience foods have you canned and will you share your recipe?

-- Barb in Ky. (bjconthefarm@yahoo.com), January 22, 2002

Answers

Sweet potatoes: cook...skin...jar...add boiling water...process...10# of pressure... well, last week I knew where the Ball bluebook was, I'll have to sort through more boxes, I'll post the time if I find it.

-- Cindy (SE. IN) (atilrthehony@hotmail.com), January 22, 2002.

I have canned meatballs, stew meat and plain ground beef. These are all good convenience foods since there is a variety of meals that can be made using them. The ground beef that is used for the meatballs and the canned ground beef needs to be lean though. I had several lids not seal once due to too much grease near the top. I want to try canning potatoes - that could be real time saver too.

-- Terry - NW Ohio (aunt_tm@hotmail.com), January 22, 2002.

Terry, thanks for the ideas. How do you can your ground beef? Do you put it in a liquid? Do you brown it first or just boil it in water like the recipe in CS? How about the stew meat? I have canned potatoes before and so has Cindy. They are very convenient. I can some sliced and some diced. I didn't can any in 2001 but this year I will. It really is nice to have these ready to eat convenience foods on hand and I would love to hear of some other ideas people have, please?????

-- Barb in Ky. (bjconthefarm@yahoo.com), January 22, 2002.

Barb, I can spaghetti sauce, chunks of venison, chicken, ham, green tomatoes (just roll in flour, salt and pepper and fry.)

I have done sweet potatoes and white potatoes also. If you have a Blue Book, I think it has a lot of recipes in it. My Amish friends can sausage pattties. She pre-cooks them and adds water to them. Then you can use the water for gravy and flavoring also.

-- Melissa (me@home.net), January 22, 2002.

I have done ground beef- I did use the ball blue book for that and thats a great time saver- its also thrifty if you buy big econo packs on sale. Also I have done spegetti sauce and "soup mix" -which is just a collection of vegtables, and I add meat (or not!) later. My sister in law does chili with beans-I don't know what recipie she uses. Something my Grandmother used to do, and I'm going to try s dehydrating stuff-she did peppers and kept them in glass jars and it was so nice to toss them in soup, the flavor was so good.

-- Kelly(KY) (homearts2002@yahoo.com), January 22, 2002.

The list is endless--if you check in the archives, you will find some great recipies and ideas others have used and posted. Got me to canning all kinds of things. I can potatoes (chunks and sticks for french fries}sausage patties ( I didn't add any extra liquid, just formed the patties, cooked them slightly to brown on each side, and stacked 1/2 dozen in a widemouth jar) pumpkin puree, banana puree for baking banana bread, cooked dried beans, soups, cooked ground meat for tacos, turkey, chicken, ham, sliced turkey and ham for sandwiches (again, slice the meat, and no extra liquid) milk, spaghetti/pasta sauce, all types of fruits, veggies, cakes in jars,pet food from scraps, you name it. Sure is nice to be able to pop open a few jars and have a meal on the table in 20 minutes or so. Jan

-- Jan in CO (Janice12@aol.com), January 22, 2002.

Meatballs are wonderful canned. I brown mine a little and can them in tomato juice. They make good sandwiches, in spagetti sauce and with noodles. A few times when I've needed ground meat for a casserole I've dumped a jar of meatballs and squished them up. I can venison, beef, chicken, turkey and pork roast. Its tastier to can turkey and pork after its roasted. I roast it and remove most of the meat and put the bones, pandrippins, skin and stuff in a big pot, cover it with water and simmer it all day. I strain it and put it in the fridge over night to get as much of the fat off as possible. The next day heat the meat and the broth to boiling and put in jars to pressure can. Although its not recommended but I raw pack beef and chicken breast. I dont cover it with broth. Its good for making fajitas or casseroles that call for cooked chicken. I can sausage for gravy and pizza topping. I'm glad to know there are other people that can so much. Sometimes I feel like I might be a little over the edge because nobody around here cans so much. Its good hearing how ya'll do it. Blessings Peggy

-- peggy (peggyan2@msn.com), January 23, 2002.