How to Survive the Winter

I am deeply into canning season now.  Saturday I did half a bushel of peaches, including Spiced Fruit Compote with cinnamon and cloves.  I think this will be great in the middle of winter served warm, maybe thickened a little and with a few dried cherries added.

Spiced Fruit Compote

5 lb Peaches, peeled an coarsely chopped 
2 fresh Pineapples peeled cored, an coarsely chopped
2 t cinnamon
1t ground cloves
2 c sugar
3 c water

Make the syrup then add fruit and cook until warm throughout.  Process in pints 15 min.

I also tried bread and butter pickles and made some more soup.  I just used a mix for the bread and butter pickles, because I'm not entirely sure they will get eaten.  We will see.

Sunday I tried to continue my canning Bacchanalia, but I got busy and all I got done was some pineapple, which was new, but why not?  Oh and I also made some Refrigerator Dill Pickles.  These are the second batch that I have made this year, and the first one was great.  About a month ago I found myself in an emergency pickle making situation (don't ask) and found that I was out of pickling spices.  However, I had some mulling spices and I substituted them.  The result was awesome!  Here is the recipe I used:

Refrigerator Dill Pickles

12 3 to 4 inch long pickling cucumbers
2 cups water
1 3/4 cups white vinegar
1 1/2 cups chopped fresh dill weed
1/2 cup white sugar
8 cloves garlic, chopped
3 tablespoons coarse salt
1 tablespoon pickling spice or mulling spice or a mixture of both
4 sprigs fresh dill weed


In a large bowl, combine the cucumbers, water, vinegar, chopped dill, sugar, garlic, salt, and spices. Stir, and let stand at room temperature for 2 hours, until the sugar and salt dissolve.  Remove the cucumbers to three 1 1/2 pint wide mouth jars, placing 4 cucumbers into each jar. Ladle in the liquid from the bowl to cover. Place a sprig of fresh dill into each jar, and seal with lids. Refrigerate for 10 days before eating.  

So otherwise I have just been making more and more soup, and keeping up with the second bushel of peaches I bought.  Tonight I may try again to make jelly, which is another story....maybe tomorrow I will post on that one.