Chili Sauce

This recipe comes to us via an aged and very crispy bit of scratch paper, with many splotches and drips on it. That's usually a sign of a good and much loved recipe. Thing is, there's no indication who provided said recipe. (Whoever wrote this had a cursive hand that leans left, if that helps.)

Anyway, this would seem to be a helpful addition to your canning repertoire, especially when tomatoes and peppers are plentiful and cheap. HOWEVER, please read the important note after the recipe!

CHILI SAUCE
2 quarts chopped, peeled tomatoes
1 cup chopped onion
½ cup each coarsely ground sweet red and green peppers
1 T. crushed dried red pepper (optional)
1 cup sugar
1½ t. salt
1½ t. white mustard seed
½ t. cinnamon
1¼ cups white vinegar

Combine all ingredients in large kettle, bring to boil and simmer, stirring frequently, 3-4 hours or until thick. Pour into hot sterilized jars and seal. Yields about 4 pints.

Contributor: X the Unknown!

SUPER IMPORTANT NOTE:
The process described above, called "open kettle canning," is no longer considered a safe way to preserve food. Even if every item is sterilized in hot water before being filled and sealed, open kettle canned jars are extremely susceptible to growing mold, botulism and other nasties that you don't want to eat (or give to your loved ones to eat, for that matter). Instead of "Pour into hot sterilized jars and seal," I strongly recommend that you use the standard water-bath canning method to finish the recipe. You'll get a product that's tasty AND won't kill anybody! Bonus!

Swedish Pickled Cucumbers

It's that time of year again! Time to get out your cukes and make

SWEDISH PICKLED CUCUMBERS
1 lb. cucumbers (you can use English or Persian or whatever you have, really)

Pickling solution:
2 parts white vinegar
1 part granulated sugar
½ part water
white pepper and dill to taste

If the skins of your cucumbers are unpalatably thick or knobbly, peel them first. Slice thinly into coins. If you have a mandoline to make this task easier, so much the better.

In a saucepan, mix together the vinegar, sugar and water and heat, stirring, just until the sugar dissolves. Allow to cool COMPLETELY. (If you add the cucumbers to the solution before it cools, the cucumbers will shrivel.) Also, try a bit of this solution first to see if it's to your taste, and adjust accordingly. It should taste sweet, but have a significant sour kick.

Stir the cucumbers into the cooled pickling solution, along with some grinds of white pepper and as much dill (fresh or dried) as you feel like using. Cover and refrigerate, preferably overnight. Serve as a tasty side dish.

Variations: I've seen other recipes where folks add things like a sliver of ginger, thin-sliced red onions or whole yellow mustard seeds. Let me know how it goes if you use these.

Makes a nice nod to the notion of "salads" at your Julbord. Enjoy!

Contributor: Karl Eriksson and the nation of Sweden

Amish Apple Pie Filling

Some homemade apple pie filling is thickened with cornstarch, but its thickening power dies over time. Not so with tapioca!

AMISH APPLE PIE FILLING
Tapioca mix:
4½ cups sugar
1 cup quick-cooking tapioca
1 t. salt
10 cups water

Spice mix:
2 t. cinnamon
½ t. nutmeg

Apple mix:
2 T. lemon juice
2-3 drops yellow food coloring
16 cups sliced, peeled apples

In a large saucepan, add tapioca mix ingredients, stirring to blend. Add spice mix and cook over medium heat, stirring until mixture thickens. Then add apple mix and bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly, and allow to boil for 1 minute. Fill prepared canning jars with hot apple pie filling and process in a boiling-water bath for 25 minutes. Makes 6-7 quarts.

Good in pies, apple cakes, use it to top waffles or pancakes, on top of cheesecake, or just on vanilla ice cream. Mom says, "And it is GOOD!"

Stolen from the Amish. 'Cause we're like that.

Apricot Ambrosia

Mom remembers getting this jam recipe from an old Canadian cookbook, and then (as usual) tweaking it like crazy.

APRICOT AMBROSIA
5 cups fresh apricots, pitted and chopped
   (you can also rehydrate dried apricots in hot water to get 5 cups worth of fruit)
5 cups sugar
1 can crushed pineapple
juice of 1 lemon
1 medium bottle maraschino cherries, without stems, drained and chopped in small pieces
1 large package orange Jello

In a large saucepan, combine apricots, sugar, pineapple and lemon juice, bring to a boil, and boil 15 minutes (longer if at high altitude location). Add cherries and Jello, stirring until Jello is dissolved. Remove from heat, bottle and seal. Process jars in a boiling-water bath 15 minutes. Makes about 6 pints of ambrosia.

If you give some of this jam to your friends as a gift, be aware you are entering a life of Apricot Ambrosia-induced servitude. They will want it FOREVER.

Contributor: Karin Buck