Category: Tasty Bites

Why Can’t Old-Time Recipes Be Used for Canning?

Jun 23, 2023 | Canning Basics, Canning Tips, Tasty Bites

The Question: People have been canning for a long time, and it appears that not too many people died from it. Why can’t the old-time recipes be used? If the recipes were passed down from...

Canning Reminders

Jun 23, 2023 | Canning Basics, Canning Tips, Tasty Bites

Remember that vegetables, meat, fish, and poultry (low-acid foods) should be pressure canned for safety. Fermented vegetables and fruits (acid foods) can be canned in a boiling water bath. Note:...

Men’s Health: How to Gain Points for Your Scorecard

Jun 22, 2023 | Tasty Bites

June is National Men’s Health Month. We all have different health needs, but when it comes to men and women, biological and social differences require specific focuses on health. Guys, let’s take a...

June Is National Dairy Month

Jun 5, 2023 | Food, Tasty Bites

June is recognized as National Dairy Month, which started in 1937 to promote drinking milk. It is a great way to start the summer with nutrient-rich dairy foods, including milk, yogurt, or cheese....

Revisiting Botulism

May 19, 2023 | Canning Basics, Canning Tips, Tasty Bites

Although botulism is most often associated with improperly home canned foods, improperly stored commercial or home-preserved products have the potential for causing botulism. Botulism is caused by a...

Strawberry Fruit Leather

May 18, 2023 | Tasty Bites

Growing up, I was one of the many kids who loved rolled-up fruit snacks. Even today, I can eat one and think fondly of playing outside as a kid. Now, I make my own tasty, chewy, dried fruit snacks...

‘Tis the Season for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

May 4, 2023 | Tasty Bites

Hopefully, the frost is behind us, and we are all anticipating warm weather, bringing outside activities and gardens! With garden season coming, people are planning what they will grow this year....

Canning Tools

Apr 14, 2023 | Canning Basics, Canning Tips, Food, Preservation, Tasty Bites

Lid Lifter/Lid Wand The canning lid lifter/lid wand is a magnet attached to a short plastic stick and is a useful tool for lifting metal lids from hot water. Lid wand brands include Back to Basics,...

Say “No” to Old Pickle Recipes

Apr 14, 2023 | Canning Basics, Canning Tips, Food, Preservation, Tasty Bites

The Question “I recently made homemade dill pickles by my grandmother’s recipe; I have made pickles by this recipe for a very long time. This year the pickles were bubbling when I opened...

Pressure Canning Revisited

Apr 14, 2023 | Canning Basics, Canning Tips, Food, Preservation, Tasty Bites

A frequent question to the Home & Garden Information Center: “I canned my green beans in a water bath canner. Are they safe?” Often this question is prefaced by “My mother and...

Why Mason-type Canning Jars

Apr 14, 2023 | Canning Basics, Canning Tips, Food, Preservation, Tasty Bites

The major reason we recommend Mason-type canning jars is our experience with them and their decreased rate of breakage compared to mayonnaise jars, salad dressing jars, spaghetti sauce jars, or...

Watch the Headspace

Apr 14, 2023 | Canning Basics, Canning Tips, Food, Preservation, Tasty Bites

Headspace is the unfilled space between the food in a jar and the lid of a jar. General canning headspace recommendations from the United States Department of Agriculture are as follows:  Leave ¼...