Peaches & Grandma's Preserves

My good friend Maria brought me 3 boxes of peaches last weekend. I have been bottling and drying peaches like a mad woman! LOL Here are some of our favorite ways to use up them peaches! ;)

I blanche them (place in boiling water for about a minute then straight into cold water - it makes their skins slide right off!) and pit them and put them in a bowl full of Dole's Pineapple Strawberry Frozen juice concentrate - made up as if I was going to drink it. It helps to keep them from going brown.

I then put them on my food dehydrator and dry them until they are almost completely dry. My family loves to snack on dehydrated fruits! (and I say the less candy the better! *wink*)
This time while doing peaches, strawberries were on sale at the local market. $6.99 for a full flat! I took half peaches and half strawberries and put them in the blender. We poured the mixture on my drying trays and WALLA! Strawberry Peach fruit leather! YUM! No sugar added! ;)

Grandma's Spiced Peach Preserves

10 cups of peaches

7 1/2 cups of sugar

1 1/2 t. ground cinnamon

1 1/2 t. ground cloves

Blanche peaches, remove skins and pits and cut into quarters (I always blanche them a few minutes longer and then I can do all of the above almost in one quick movement! *grin*). In a large pot mash peaches with potato masher. (it's better chunky) Add sugar and spices. Cook on low heat until desired consistency (about 60-90 minutes).

Fill into hot sterilized jars, wipe rim and place hot lid and secure with ring. Tip upside down on kitchen towel to cool and seal (I leave them overnight).

According to extension guidelines it is good to process them in a water bath for 10 minutes - but that is to sterilize - so I just do it how Grandma said to and we have never had a problem! :)Tastes great on sandwiches, sugar cookies and warmed up over vanilla icecream! YUM!

We have made 4 batches of this stuff! LOL! We also made Peach Nectar... To use later it is YUMMY added half and half with orange juice!

Peach Nectar

Blanche, peel, pit and put in blender peaches - make a puree.

For every 2 quarts of Peach puree add:

1 T. lemon juice

1 cup boiling water

1 T. sugar

Pour into large pot and heat on low until sugar is dissolved. Laddle into hot jars, wipe rims and top with hot lids and secure with a ring. Process in a water bath for 15 minutes. Cool on a kitchen towel over night.

I am a tired girl! We also canned tomato juice, pear honey, bottled peaches & strawberry jam & strawberry kiwi jam! It has been a long week! *grin*