POP! Canned Cherries

That is one of the greatest sounds to me.  When a jar seals:  POP!

I canned for the first time since college in Sept 2011 when my friend Sandy and I canned spicy pickles.  I have been hooked ever since!

So when it's cherry season in your world, you can some.

Here is the recipe I got from my mom - who got it from my Grandma Lena.

Right.

Better than some I have, I must say.  But, I used my Google skills and researched "canning cherries" before tackling.  I found some of the greatest resources and combined my new found knowledge, my learned canning knowledge from Sandy and VOILA!  

Canned Cherries

3 pounds* cherries, washed, stems removed and pitted**
2 c sugar
4 c water
10 1/2 pint jars, lids and rings
Canning supplies (large stock pot, oven mits, Canning Tongs, Canning Funnel, Canning Lid Lifter - or whatever gadgets you like.  I got mine from Williams Sonoma.)

Three ingredients and supplies.  Can you believe it?

1. Put a large stock pot onto boil (for the water bath is step #7).
2. Wash and pit** your cherries. You can use a cherry pitter (I used the one from Pampered Chef) or simply cut the cherries in half to remove the pit. Do this over a large bowl to capture any juices. 
3. In another large pot, boil the lids and rings. Keep in pot until ready to seal jars.
4. Combine the water and sugar in a large saucepan. Stir constantly and bring to a boil to dissolve the sugar. Keep hot (but not boiling) while you prep your jars.
5. Ensure your jars are clean, sterilized, and warm. (Adding hot syrup to a cold jar may cause the jar to shatter!) With clean hands, stuff as many cherries as you can into each jar. How many you get in each jar will depend on the size of the jar and cherry. I put 15 Flathead cherries in each 1/2 pint jar. Fill to 2 cm below the rim.
6. Using a funnel, fill each jar with the hot syrup, stopping 1 cm from the rim of the jar. With a clean, hot, wet cloth, wipe the rims of the jars and then place the sealers and lids on top. Tighten with your hands...just until they are sealed...not too tight.  [Side note:  From the tragic hand burn of 2000 - lesson learned from making suckers - PLEASE be careful with the hot syrup.  I used a huge ladle, the funnel is a must, and worked focused and patiently but swiftly to ensure I don't burn myself again and the syrup didn't become suckers!  LOL] 
7. Process in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes.
8. Remove from the water bath, let cool, and listen for the pops. To let the full flavors develop let the jars rest a few weeks before digging in. If they all don't seal (when you press on the middle of the jar lid, it won't give) then refrigerate any jars that do not seal and enjoy immediately.  

I grew up on these little gems being a constant on the pantry shelf.   I only did a small batch to try them out, but since they look and smell exactly how I remember, I see a larger batch in my future.

And even though it's a little time consuming, it's SUPER easy.

Best, Laura

*After stems removed and pitted, this will yield 2 pounds.  If you don't pit them, just get 2 pounds.

** My grandma didn't pit the cherries.  I thought it would be a nice touch and I had the pitter.  But you don't have to if you don't want to.

Welcome!

We are Nicole Corey and Laura Jones, sisters and best friends, and we have been cooking together for the last 6 years.  It all started when Nicole wanted to fix breakfast for our dad.  He wanted to go out, but she insisted.  She was so excited to cook one of his favorites - biscuits and gravy.  Long story short, the gravy was a disaster and they ended up at IHOP anyway.

For the next couple of years, Nicole received cook books in the mail (Dad was trying to help, LOL) and tried other recipes.  In the holiday season of 2007, she decided to make our family holiday cookie recipe. The cookies turned out great (after she discovered using old Crisco makes them taste like soap), but the frosting was another story.  Like many recipes handed down, there are only ingredients (butter, milk, powdered sugar, vanilla) but no measurements.  She tried that frosting several times before getting it right.

Then in 2008, we decided it was time to learn the traditional turkey dinner that our mother had always prepared.  It's mostly the recipes our mom learned as a child, with a few from our dad's family mixed in.  Mom didn't really have recipes (again) so Nicole spent two days following her around the kitchen writing down the ingredients, the steps, and all of the details.

In 2009, it was the first holiday dinner we prepared by ourselves, for just us and our hubbies - in case it didn't turn out we had a pizza in the fridge, ready to be cooked.   We learned about the necessity of the "big ass bowl" (story and recipes to follow) and the threat from Laura's husband not to "eff up his pumpkin pie" - which we did.

New traditions started that year.  To keep the holiday dinner in tact, but to add one new recipe to try each year.

Then we got brave and invited more people to holiday dinner.  And then decided it was time to have a place for all of the family recipes to come together.  And the cookbook idea was born.  Along the way, we have learned so many lessons that will benefit many.  It's a good thing we have our humor due to the many recipes that have been epic mishaps.  We are just amateurs who LOVE to cook and want to share that with all of you.

This blog will have stories, recipes (of course), inspiration and other yummy goodness.  To tide you all over until our cookbook is ready.

Thanks for joining us and please...share with all of your friends.  The more the merrier - but not in our kitchen.

Best, Laura & Nicole