Early on when I  began my canning journey in the early 2000s, I had wonderful mentors here in Orchard who patiently taught me some of the basics of preserving the bounty of our gardens. One summer day one of my mentors, Marlene Hurtig of Orchard, called me up and said, “Come on over, I’m making zucchini relish.”
 
At that point in my canning career, I had no idea how I might use Zucchini Relish. I didn’t even know how to spell “zucchini.” (Having looked up numerous recipes, I have finally learned to spell it.)
 
When I got to Marlene’s house, I saw she was using a vegetable peeler to remove the skins from several very large zucchinis. My mother usually raised zucchini in her garden, and she always threw away those big zucchinis, which she said were too tough. Yet here was Marlene peeling them. She then cut the zucchini in half and scooped out and discarded the seeds and soft pulp.
 
I later learned that as long as the zucchini are not too old or hard, it’s mainly the seeds that become tough and hard. The very large zucchini are great to use if they are relatively fresh. In fact, now I use only large zucchini for relish.
 
Marlene then used a veggie chopper to cut the zucchini into small, uniform pieces. The next step was to chop up onions and bell peppers with the same chopper and add all the veggies to a large container. The veggies were then sprinkled with canning salt and set overnight.
 
After soaking, the mixture was rinsed in a colander. As the veggies drained, a mixture of sugar, spices, and vinegar was brought to a simmer in a large saucepan. The veggies were then added and simmered.
 
The mixture was then added to clean, hot jars and water-bathed.
 
The first time I tasted the relish I liked it. It had so much more flavor and zing than the rather bland relish sold commercially. According to the website Saveur, relish had its earliest beginnings in flavorful chutneys made in India. H.J. Heinze is credited with introducing relish based on the Indian products in the United States in 1889, according to Mari Uyehara, writing in Saveur. The Heinz original product “featured a sugared and vinegared mix of pickled cucumbers, green tomatoes, cauliflower, white onions, red bell peppers, celery, mustard seed, plus cinnamon and allspice,” Uyehara said.
 
Over time, Heinz and other commercial producers made relishes with fewer ingredients. While the taste is good, it’s too bland for me.
 
Even though I really liked the zucchini relish I made, I was a little unsure how and where I would use it, other than on sandwiches for my husband and the obvious use on hamburgers or hot dogs. Within a year or two, I gave a couple jars to a friend in Anchorage. I was amazed by her reaction. She absolutely loved it. Not only that, she raved about it to just about anyone who came to her home. It made me stop taking it for granted as “just relish.” (She has since returned home to South Africa. I so wish I could send some to her, but their postal rules don’t allow it.)
 
Eventually, my husband started helping me with canning, and we upped our production. Once I realized how much I liked the relish and that I shouldn’t take it for granted, my mind opened to a lot more uses for it. Some are: adding to chicken or tuna salad, adding to potato salad, using on any sandwich, especially a sandwich with cheese. Also, I add it to a homemade dressing I make for Reuben sandwiches, a mixture of mayonnaise, Zucchini Relish and a little Dorothy Lynch salad dressing. Another idea is to add it to stuffed baked potatoes or in scrambled eggs. You can also put it out with crackers and cheese. My sister-in-law makes a delicious curry meal, and she told me this year she planned to set our relish out with other condiments for her curry.
 
One thing I particularly like about making the relish is that Marlene taught me about the veggie chopper, which I had never seen before. It provides beautifully uniform small pieces. Some recipes call for shredding the zucchini. The taste is the same, but I don’t think it looks as good.
 
I started off making relish in half-pint jelly jars. These work fine if you want only small amounts. We now jar almost all of our relish in pints because once we open the jar we use it quickly. It will keep for some time in the refrigerator, probably up to several months. But we have always used ours much faster than that.
 
My recipe is based on several sources, among which are the Ball Blue Book and Ball’s The Complete Book of Home Preserving. For mine, the yield is about 6 pint jars.
 
Zucchini Relish
12 cups chopped zucchini (peeled and seeded)
4 cups chopped onion
3 cups chopped bell pepper (red is especially pretty, but a combination is fine, too)
1/3 cup pickling salt
2 ½ cups sugar
3 ¾ cups white vinegar (5% acidity)
1 tablespoon celery seed
1 tablespoon mustard seed
1 tablespoon turmeric
 
After washing the veggies, peel the zucchini and scoop out the soft pulp and seeds. Peel the onion and seed the peppers. Chop the veggies, then place in a large bowl and mix in the salt. Cover and let stand for several hours. Overnight works great. Then, rinse the veggies and drain in a colander.
 
In a large saucepan, bring the sugar, vinegar and spices to simmer. Add the veggies and simmer for at least 25 minutes. Ladle into hot clean jars, leaving ½-inch headspace. Debubble, then water-bath for 20 minutes. (The water-bath time is adjusted for our altitude in Nebraska.)
 
Once the time is up, turn off the heat, remove the cover and let the canner sit for 5 minutes. Then, remove the jars and place on a towel away from drafts. Leave undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours.
 
Feel free to try other spices. The Ball Complete book uses 1 tablespoon each of nutmeg and turmeric, 4 tablespoons of horseradish and 1 chopped chili pepper with seeds. When it comes to relish, most of all, enjoy it. . .all year!

​***Not all of our recipes are “USDA APPROVED”  We highly recommend that you follow the USDA guidelines when canning and cooking.  Our recipes are all “tried and true”….some are recipes our families have passed down for generations, some are just made up from the joy of cooking and canning, some of the recipes that we use are straight from the USDA Canning Book and some are passed along by our dear readers.  With all of that being said – can and cook at your own risk.  If you feel that a recipe is “unsafe”, simply overlook it and move on.  None of us are, “Canning Police” and we all should respect others.  Safe in your kitchen and safe in my kitchen – two different things….We won’t criticize your recipes please don’t criticize ours :).
Make these recipes at your own risk, we assume that should you desire to follow the recipes in this magazine, you are doing so “at your own risk”. We are and the writer is not liable, not responsible and do/does not assume obligation for…..

• Adverse reactions to food consumed such as food poisoning and any kind of food-borne disease
• Misinterpreted recipe
• Domestic accidents, including but not limited to cuts, bodily injuries, fires, and messy kitchens.

An Oakdale woman made an unexpected treat that she shared with her friends and family; beet jelly– and all who tasted it loved it!
 
Those who are unsure about how much they like beets may find the sound of beets for jelly to be unusual and wonder about its taste. But those who make it love it.  The Tastykitchen.com website describes it as, “ yummy delicious jelly with a raspberry flavor. . .perfect slathered onto warm homemade bread.”
 
LaVonne Kay Pitzer, who died April 3, 2022, made beet jelly for many years. Her son Wade said he was probably about 20 or 21 years old when his mother first made the jelly.
 
“When she told me what it was, my first thought was, ‘I don’t want to open  that.’ ”
 
But Wade said as a child he learned to give various foods at least a taste before deciding whether he liked any of them. So he opened the jar because his mother said it was good. On tasting it, Wade realized, it wasn’t simply good, “it’s great, it’s wonderful!”
 
LaVonne, known as Vonnie, was described in her obituary as “a spit-fire Nebraska football fan screaming at the television one moment but then quietly coloring with her granddaughters the next. She loved being outdoors, whether it was fishing for walleye on the Missouri River or mowing her immaculate lawn. The Oakdale woman was always busy doing something, and if activities included her two granddaughters, nothing made her happier.”
 
Growing up, Wade recalled his mother always did canning, and it was a shared family activity. An only child, Wade said he and his father helped out in both gardening and canning.
 
“She canned corn. . .pears, peaches, apples,” Wade recalled. He also recalls that his paternal grandmother canned beans, carrots and corn. Even to this day, his father Bruce continues the tradition, and in fact this year as only one example, he canned 62 quarts of beans in addition to a lot of carrots.
 
“He found a recipe for soup that has corn, peppers, onions and cabbage. When he opens the jar, he adds brats,” Wade said.
 
Wade feels canning is important beyond the preservation of garden bounty to use throughout the year.
 
“It strengthens family bonds, gets kids involved,” he said. “It teaches the younger generation to save money, be more self-reliant. And it helps show where food comes from.”
 
 Another bonus of canning is that it encourages teamwork.
 
Bruce Pitzer, Wade’s father who has lived in Antelope County all his life said he doesn’t recall exactly where Vonnie got the Beet Jelly recipe, but as avid gardeners, they liked the idea of using something homegrown.
 
Vonnie was particularly interested in it because it had the fruit taste from the Jello, without having to go out and pick raspberries or chokecherries and then process them, he said.
 
Bruce said they had a fairly good-sized garden every year,  about 30 feet by 100 feet. And when it came to canning, he helped Vonnie. 
 
“It’s always been a family activity. I did the gardening, and we did the canning together. Then Wade started helping us,” he said. These days, grandchildren assist, and sometimes other families help and create an assembly line for large batches.
 
With regard to making the beet jelly, Bruce said the original recipe called for cooking the beets with the skins on, then straining the juice. Over time, he said Vonnie realized it was better to peel the beets first.
 
“We found if you don’t peel them, you never get all the dirt out. It’s too much work to keep straining. We peeled them, and that made the juice much brighter,” he said. He added that the beets could be cooked briefly, then peeled, then cooked again for the juice. Or, they can be peeled, then cooked, which is the way Vonnie did it.
 
The beets he raises range in size from golf ball size to soft ball.
 
And Bruce noted that once you cook the beets and get the juice, you can then use the cooked beets in whatever way you want, such as pickling them. The resulting jelly does not taste or smell like beets, and it has a beautiful color.
 
Wade said this year he, his daughter Shelby and his father made the jelly.
 
“It was fun, and it was emotional. But it’s something we can continue to do, and it reminds us of her,” he said.
 
Today anyone who wants can try their own “Vonnie’s Beet Jelly,”  a tribute to a loving woman who wasn’t afraid to try something new and different. . .and share it.
 
 
Vonnie’s Beet Jelly
Cut each end from the beets and peel them. Cook the beets until they are tender. To make each batch of jelly:
6 cups beet water
½ cup lemon juice
2 boxes Sure Jell
Bring the above ingredients to a boil. While boiling, add 6 cups of sugar and 1 6-ounce box of Raspberry Jello. Boil hard for 6 minutes.
Transfer to clean, hot jars. Wipe the top of each jar, apply lids. Boil in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes (adjusted for Antelope County altitude). Turn off heat and remove cover from canner. Remove jars after 5 minutes and set on a counter away from drafts. Do not disturb them for 24 hours. Store in a cool, dark place.
Remembering Vonnie
 
LaVonne Kay Pitzer, age 73 of Oakdale, died Sunday, April 3, 2022, at Faith Regional Health Services in Norfolk after battling cancer.
 
Daughter of Maurice and Irma (Basel) Snodgrass, LaVonne was born November 9, 1948, at the Tilden Hospital. She had two older siblings, brother Raymond and sister Gaye. Vonnie attended District 35 School in rural Brunswick and Brunswick High School through her junior year, which was when the school closed. She graduated from Plainview High School in 1967.
 
At graduation, Vonnie was asked what she wanted from life and said, “Happiness in whatever I do.”
Vonnie married Carl Bruce Pitzer on February 7, 1970, at the Congregational Church in Brunswick. They resided south of Oakdale on an acreage. Vonnie was a strong woman. While Bruce was in the military, Vonnie handled the home place, including shooting a deer for meat and hanging it herself. After years of trying for a child, the couple gave up hope only to be surprised at the last moment. It was just before a medical procedure that they learned she was pregnant. Wade, their son and only child, was born August 5, 1977, becoming the light of Vonnie’s life. She often said her greatest gift from God was becoming a mother.
 
She was a wonderful baker and made pumpkin pie every Thanksgiving and cinnamon rolls every Easter morning. Her chocolate cake was legendary to the Pitzer family. Somehow that thick cake always fell, even in a new oven. There was never a holiday where Vonnie wouldn’t be seen shaking her head and saying, “Oh Brucer,” about something her husband was doing to “help” in the kitchen.
 
With a small family, Vonnie made sure everyone was loved to the fullest. Her hugs were warm and encouragement overflowing. She fulfilled her wish from her high school graduation and found happiness in whatever she did. 

​***Not all of our recipes are “USDA APPROVED”  We highly recommend that you follow the USDA guidelines when canning and cooking.  Our recipes are all “tried and true”….some are recipes our families have passed down for generations, some are just made up from the joy of cooking and canning, some of the recipes that we use are straight from the USDA Canning Book and some are passed along by our dear readers.  With all of that being said – can and cook at your own risk.  If you feel that a recipe is “unsafe”, simply overlook it and move on.  None of us are, “Canning Police” and we all should respect others.  Safe in your kitchen and safe in my kitchen – two different things….We won’t criticize your recipes please don’t criticize ours :).
Make these recipes at your own risk, we assume that should you desire to follow the recipes in this magazine, you are doing so “at your own risk”. We are and the writer is not liable, not responsible and do/does not assume obligation for…..

• Adverse reactions to food consumed such as food poisoning and any kind of food-borne disease
• Misinterpreted recipe
• Domestic accidents, including but not limited to cuts, bodily injuries, fires, and messy kitchens.

When it comes to preserving food, one of the easier and more fun ways to create delicious and healthy snacks is dehydration. Many dried products are sold commercially, but most tend to be expensive and often have added ingredients. And besides that, doing it yourself means you can take pride in a snack almost everyone loves.
Depending on what you are dehydrating, the end product can also be used in cooking where it is actually rehydrated. For example, dried apples, bananas or other fruit can be added to oatmeal as it cooks, offering a lot of flavor and nutrition without having to chop up small pieces of it.
As with everything these days, there is a lot of information on the internet on dehydration. WebMD points out that dehydration is one of the oldest methods of preserving foods.
“While our ancestors relied on the sun to dry food. Today we have commercial equipment and home appliances that can remove bacteria-forming moisture. This process preserves food for much longer than its ordinary shelf life,” according to the website.
I also purchased a book, The Ultimate Dehydrator Cookbook, by Tammy Gangloff, Steven Gangloff and September Ferguson. The book is extremely detailed and contains many recipes.
“Food dehydration uses gentle temperatures (90 degrees to 125 degrees for most items) and an even airflow to slowly remove moisture from foods through a process of evaporation,” according to the book. The authors also note that dehydration compares very favorably with other preservation methods when it comes to preserving nutrients. They cite USDA research showing that freezing results in a 40 to 60 percent loss of nutrients, while canning can result in losses of 60 to 80 percent.
“Home food dehydration, however, produces only an average nutrient loss of 3 percent to 5 percent!”
While the amazingly low figure for nutrient loss is impressive, what strikes me the most with regard to dehydration is the fact that the food is flavor packed in the extreme. It’s simply such a darn good taste.
There are many dehydrators out in the marketplace, and the price ranges from very reasonable ($50 or so) all the way up to expensive commercial sized units. For most of us, a relatively inexpensive home model suits our needs perfectly. It is also possible to dehydrate using the sun or your oven, but generally speaking dehydrators make things easier and more consistent.
Because of the extremely wide variation in dehydrator models, my suggestion to you is to use trial and error. Keep checking your product as you go along.
The main food I dehydrate is apples, but I also make croutons. For croutons, I set my dehydrator on 149 degrees, and I let them go for 3 to 4 hours. I suggest checking and tasting as you go along. Your dehydrator might take 6 hours or even more.
My friends Jim and Janet Kilpatrick of rural Neligh make absolutely delicious banana chips. They set their dehydrator relatively high, maybe around 135 degrees. (The Ultimate Dehydrator Cookbook recommends 125 degrees for 10 hours.)
I have not had the best luck with banana chips, which I may ha e been slicing too thin. Jim said they slice  their bananas about ½-inch thick, compared to most recipes which recommend ¼-inch thick. The couple prefer their chips chewy, so they just keep testing as the fruit dries. But it will likely take 6 hours or more. Jim also said they remove the bananas while they are still warm because after they cool, they are more likely to stick to the tray.


Dehydrated Apples – chewy
     Having consistent-sized apple slices is the best way to dehydrate. You can use an apple corer and then slice the apples in approximately ¼-inch thick slices. But I love my apple peeler-slicer-corer. These gadgets also are not terribly expensive . They start at around $16 and go up from there. I use the Victorio Johnny Apple Peeler, which costs around $27.
     I do not peel my apples for dehydration because I think the peels add nutrients and flavor. But you can go either way.
     As I work with the slices of apples, I put them in a large bowl and use Fruit Fresh to keep them from turning brown. You could also use a soak of 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to one cup of water. It’s not that big a deal if they do darken, but I think the finished product is more attractive if some method of maintaining their color is used.
     Dehydrated apples end up naturally sweet, and they need no added sugar. I do sprinkle mine with cinnamon because I love that flavor. But it’s optional.
     Some people prefer tart apples, some prefer sweet. I use both. The main thing with regard to apples is to choose firm apples, such as Gala, Fiji, Honeycrisp, or Pink Lady that hold their shape. If you like a more tart flavor, Granny Smith are very good.
     One of your biggest decisions when making dried apples is whether you want them chewy or crisp. The longer they dehydrate, the more crispy they become. I like them chewy. Chewy apples that have been dehydrated for less time will not keep as well as those that are more crisp. We usually eat ours rather quickly, but if you are going to keep them for any length of time, I suggest freezing them. They freeze really well. For extra long-term, vacuum-sealing them and then freeing is ideal.
     For my dehydrator, I use 122 degrees for at least 4 ½ hours.
     And that’s it. Slice, dehydrate, eat. As with a lot of things, sometimes simple is the best.
     Editor’s note: We have expanded our series from canning to preserving. “Putting food by” has been practiced historically for generations, and including methods in addition to canning such as dehydrating, smoking and drying, and freezing are all useful in different circumstances. We welcome comments from readers and even recipes if they are fall within generally recognized safety guidelines.

​By Alexandra McClanahan

***Not all of our recipes are “USDA APPROVED”  We highly recommend that you follow the USDA guidelines when canning and cooking.  Our recipes are all “tried and true”….some are recipes our families have passed down for generations, some are just made up from the joy of cooking and canning, some of the recipes that we use are straight from the USDA Canning Book and some are passed along by our dear readers.  With all of that being said – can and cook at your own risk.  If you feel that a recipe is “unsafe”, simply overlook it and move on.  None of us are, “Canning Police” and we all should respect others.  Safe in your kitchen and safe in my kitchen – two different things….We won’t criticize your recipes please don’t criticize ours :).

Make these recipes at your own risk, we assume that should you desire to follow the recipes in this magazine, you are doing so “at your own risk”. We are and the writer is not liable, not responsible and do/does not assume obligation for…..

• Adverse reactions to food consumed such as food poisoning and any kind of food-borne disease
• Misinterpreted recipe
• Domestic accidents, including but not limited to cuts, bodily injuries, fires, and messy kitchens.

     Tomatoes. It doesn’t get any better than a homegrown tomato, straight from your garden or purchased from a local farmer’s market. As a child, I learned to eat them fresh. All I needed to add to a slice was a little salt and pepper. Lusciously red, juicy, and packed with flavor, tomatoes are worth every minute of the time it takes to plant them, weed around them, and water them.
     Two of my canning “bibles” are the Ball Blue Book and So Easy to Preserve, by the Cooperative Extension at the University of Georgia.
     Here’s how the Ball Blue Book introduces their chapter on tomatoes: “Tomatoes are the ultimate summer’s bounty and the requisite pantry staple for any home cook. Naturally, they make the perfect subject for canning. Few other fruits have the range of tomatoes – easily transitioning from savory to sweet; from simple to extravagant.”
     I agree. When I open a jar of canned tomatoes to add to a soup or make a tomato sauce, I say a prayer of thanks for the bounty of the land that has been preserved to sit in my pantry, ready to augment whatever dish I am making, whether it’s simply a flavor or the star of the particular recipe.
     As wonderful as tomatoes are, there are safety issues. Tomato acidity varies, which means that they are only borderline when it comes to whether they can be water bathed or whether they must be pressure canned. Citric acid or bottled lemon juice must be added to ensure safe canning. It’s an easy step, and it offers a lot of peace of mind. Vinegar may also be used, but because more of it is required (4 tablespoons per quart and 2 tablespoons per pint), it may affect the flavor. I prefer citric acid. I add it to the jar along with salt before I add the hot tomatoes.
     According to both Ball and the Cooperative Extension, here are the ratios:
•    Pints – 1 tablespoon of bottled lemon juice or ¼ teaspoon citric acid
•    Quarts – 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice* or ½ teaspoon citric acid.
     The other safety issue is how much time to add to the recipe for the particular altitude. In our area, our altitude is around 2,000 feet above sea level, so we need to add 5 minutes.
     My favorite way to can tomatoes is the Crushed Tomatoes recipe, which is based on the recipe at food.unl.edu. A similar version can be found at the website of the National Center for Home Food Preservation. I love this method because the only thing added to the tomatoes is citric acid and salt. That means when you open the jar to use it, you can do virtually anything you want. It’s simply delicious – flavor-packed – tomatoes.
     *Bottled lemon juice is used as opposed to fresh because the acidity of bottled lemon juice is uniform.
Crushed Tomatoes
​     The trick to this recipe is to start off heating only about a pound or about a sixth of the total tomatoes. You need to heat them quickly, but to prevent scorching not overly high. While heating them, crush them as you add them to the pot. Constant stirring at this stage will prevent burning. Once liquid is released and they are boiling, gradually add the rest of the quartered tomatoes. The reason for doing this is that it prevents separation once they are jarred. There is no safety issue with the separation, but they do look better when they don’t separate.
     Up to 22 pounds of tomatoes are needed for 7 quarts; 11 pounds for 7 pints.
     Wash your quart or pint jars and have them heated. I use my dishwasher. I know how long it takes for them to wash, so I time the tomato cooking to coincide with when the jars are clean and hot.  Also, wash the rings and the flat lids.
     Wash the tomatoes, then dip in boiling water until the skins begin to split, up to about 1 minute. Dip each into ice water, core, and remove the skins. Trim off any bruised or otherwise bad parts of the tomato. Depending on their size, cut the small tomatoes into halves or quarters, and for very large ones, even eighths.
     Quickly heat about  a sixth of the tomatoes, crushing them to release their liquid. After they begin boiling, you can start adding the rest of the tomatoes in 5 or 6 batches. The idea is to add them in small enough amounts that the tomatoes in the pot will keep boiling. You don’t need to crush the next batches as the heat will break them down.  Once you have all the tomatoes in the pot, boil gently for 5 minutes.
     At this point you can remove the hot jars from the dishwasher. If you don’t want to use a dishwasher, you could also dip the jars into a pot of simmering water to heat them after washing. If you are using quarts, add ½ teaspoon of citric acid to each jar along with 1 teaspoon of salt. If you are doing pints, the amount would be ¼ teaspoon of citric acid and ½ teaspoon of salt. (When I first started making these tomatoes, I had a hard time remembering to put the citric acid and salt in before the tomatoes. It works much better to have the citric acid and salt in the jar before you add the tomatoes.)
     Leave 1/2 inch of headspace. Debubble the jars with a knife or other utensil, then clean the rims and put on the flats and rings. I tighten them until they are just tight. It’s usually described as “fingertip tight.”
     For Northeast Nebraska with our altitude, the processing time for pints is 40 minutes and for quarts it is 50 minutes. Once the time is up, carefully remove the jars and set them on a kitchen towel on the counter. Do not disturb them for 12 to 24 hours. Once the time has passed, I remove the rings and wash the jars under running water. When they are dry, they are ready to be stored.
     You now have delicious tomatoes that can be enjoyed all winter long.

By Alexandra McClanahan

If you want to can safely, these women can help
So many reasons to can, but one of the best is capturing food at its peak quality

     Home canning food in jars can be a joyous activity, but it is not without dangers.
The techniques in use today date back to the glass jars developed by John Landis Mason who in 1858 patented threaded screw-top jars. According to Smithsonian Magazine, the New Jersey-born tinsmith in the 1850s was searching for “a way to improve the relatively recent process of home canning.”
     In the decades since the creation of the beloved Mason jar, there have been many innovations. And while some of us may want to continue to use the recipes our forebears swore by, there are reasons to go with recipes and techniques developed since 2009.
     Two women serving a large geographic area of eight Nebraska counties for the Nebraska Extension Office are Brittany Spieker, based in Neligh, and Ann Fenton, based in Pierce. Spieker’s official region includes Antelope, Knox, Boone and Nance counties; Fenton’s includes Pierce, Madison, Wayne and Cedar counties. Both say, however, that they are happy to assist anyone with canning inquiries.
     Spieker, originally from Pierce, is a registered dietician who has attained Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. She said  preserving food at home is one of the best ways to ensure quality ingredients.
     “When you’re canning, you’re preserving the food at peak quality,” she said. And she added there is no way to put a value on the feeling of pride in accomplishment, knowing you did it yourself.
     Fenton, who is originally from Howells, agrees. She became interested in an Extension career growing up in Stanton County. Her inspiration was her local Extension agent Betty Walters. After studying under Walters, Fenton knew from her teen years on that she wanted to pursue an Extension career. She also attained both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. She has been in her current position for 27 years.
      Spieker said one of the concerns about canning safety is that over time, pathogens have evolved and changed. That means that an older recipe or technique may no longer be safe.
     “Bacteria – especially – evolve very quickly,” she said. “You always want to update to the most recent methods.”
Spieker admitted that people may want to use a traditional recipe that has been passed from previous generations. But she explained that in many cases there are updated recipes that are similar, but safer.
     The most dangerous pathogen is the neurotoxin Clostridium botulinum or its close relatives. It thrives in a low-oxygen environment, such as in a sealed jar. It cannot be detected by taste, smell or appearance. Because the bacterium is pretty much everywhere, the key to safe canning is prevention.
     One of the best resources for safety-tested recipes is Food.unl.edu. Recipes are specifically tailored to Nebraska. Nationally, one of the best resources is the National Center for Home Food Preservation. (nchfp.uga.edu). But there are also recipes available at Extension offices, Ball Canning, and many other sites.
     Among techniques now considered unsafe in a number of circumstances is “open-kettle canning,” in which food is cooked and placed into jars. Because it is not water-bathed or pressure canned, this method is no longer considered safe. Also not recommended is turning jars upside down after they are removed from a water bath.
     “You want to make sure you use a jar lifter and keep the jars straight up and down as you remove them from the canner. Then let them sit. Don’t disturb them for 12 to 24 hours,” Spieker said.
     Spieker also noted that tomatoes have changed in recent decades and many have been hybridized to be less acidic.  These days, because of lower acidity, they are considered borderline. Water-bathed tomatoes need some type of acid added to the jar such as citric acid, lemon juice or vinegar.
     Following new guidelines may require changing some traditional recipes but the peace of mind is worth it, Spieker said.
     Fenton said she has seen increased interest in canning in recent years. She said more people these days are concerned about where their food comes from.
     “If they grow it themselves or buy it at a farmer’s market, they know what they are getting,” she said.
     Fenton said if someone is interested in getting started in canning, she suggests they start with jams and jellies.
     She said most people want to use accepted techniques and recipes once they are made aware of them.
     “People want to keep their families safe,” she said. “Most people are smart, but they don’t always know where to look for the latest information.”
     If you are new to canning, feel free to contact either of these women: Spieker, 402-887-5414; Fenton, 402-329-4821. Or, check out the Nebraska website Food.unl.edu or the National Center for Home Food Preservation. Your techniques may be newer than those your grandmother used but know that you are carrying on a tradition that dates all the way back to John Landis Mason.

Sour Cherry and Aronia Syrups
     Canners usually end up with fruit syrup when their jelly doesn’t set correctly. But having homemade syrup on hand for ice cream topping or add to yogurt or oatmeal, beats anything store bought. Another great way to use syrup is to add a tablespoon or more to some sparkling water for a healthy “soda.”
     Since we have sour cherry trees and aronia bushes, this year I made syrup from both fruits. My family loves them. These syrups have a lot of sugar, so they could simply be refrigerated for at least a couple weeks. For canning, my recipe is based on several sources, including the Berry Syrup recipe from the National Center for Home Food Preservation, Fruit Syrups from So Easy to Preserve by the Cooperative Extension of the University of Georgia and the Washington State University Extension “Preserving Berry Syrups at Home.” There is also a wonderful recipe for Aunt Jennie’s Blackberry Syrup in the book The Berry Bible by Jane Hibler.
Sour Cherry or Aronia Syrup
Ingredients
7 to 8 cups of sour cherries* or aronias
6 to 7 cups of sugar
¼ cup lemon juice (optional for both; for cherries use a couple tablespoons)
1 tablespoon vanilla (optional for cherries)
      Cook fruit with a small amount of water, a cup or less, added to prevent scorching. Crush the fruit as you bring it to a boil, then reduce heat and cook gently for about 7 minutes. When cool slightly, put fruit into a strainer or a jelly bag or use a food mill to extract about 5 cups of juice.
Return the juice to a pan and add the sugar and the lemon juice. Boil the mixture 1 minute. Skim the foam, then pour into quarter pint, half-pint or pint jars. (You should have about 4 to 5 pints.) Water bath the jarred syrup for 15 minutes. (This time is adjusted for our altitude in Nebraska.)
      *Depending on how you extract the juice, you don’t need to pit the cherries first. Mine are usually pitted because that is how I freeze them. If you want to add some whole fruit to your syrup, reserve some of the pitted cherries and add in when heating the syrup.

​By Alexandra McClanahan

***Not all of our recipes are “USDA APPROVED”  We highly recommend that you follow the USDA guidelines when canning and cooking.  Our recipes are all “tried and true”….some are recipes our families have passed down for generations, some are just made up from the joy of cooking and canning, some of the recipes that we use are straight from the USDA Canning Book and some are passed along by our dear readers.  With all of that being said – can and cook at your own risk.  If you feel that a recipe is “unsafe”, simply overlook it and move on.  None of us are, “Canning Police” and we all should respect others.  Safe in your kitchen and safe in my kitchen – two different things….We won’t criticize your recipes please don’t criticize ours :).

Make these recipes at your own risk, we assume that should you desire to follow the recipes in this magazine, you are doing so “at your own risk”. We are and the writer is not liable, not responsible and do/does not assume obligation for…..

• Adverse reactions to food consumed such as food poisoning and any kind of food-borne disease
• Misinterpreted recipe
• Domestic accidents, including but not limited to cuts, bodily injuries, fires, and messy kitchens.

​
‘I love it. There’s nothing like that you can buy in a store,’

     Bruce Ofe knows venison jerky. He has been making it for more than a decade, and during that time he has perfected his methods and his equipment.
     He also knows Antelope County. Having served as the county’s Weed Control Authority superintendent for 43 years, he has been over virtually every road, including some very challenging minimum maintenance “roads.” In fact, he knows the county so well that over the years he has been contacted by real estate agents with  questions about particular pieces of property.
     And over the years he learned a lot about human nature, realizing that some of the weed complaints had less to do about weed issues and more to do with neighbors who didn’t get along. Ofe eventually adopted a policy of not accepting anonymous weed complaints.
“I would always look at the complainer,” he said. “I always asked who it was. If they wouldn’t give their name, I didn’t follow up.”
The 68-year-old has spent his life in Oakdale. He graduated from Neligh-Oakdale High School in 1971. After graduation he worked for Carhart Lumber, driving a cement truck. He then worked in Norfolk, building metal buildings, such as grain bins. While working the construction job, the weed control position opened up. He remained superintendent for the next 43 years.
     Ofe retired on the last day of 2020.
     “It was hard,” he said because he was so used to going to work to do his job. “But you never know about your health. My wife Connie wanted to retire, so we just decided to quit.”
     These days, besides spending a lot of time working on the property the couple owns in Oakdale, he drives weekly to Stanton County to deliver newspapers. The Ofes enjoy time with their family, including five grandsons and one great-grandson. Also, they bought a camper and hope to do more camping as time goes on.
     Ofe also enjoys fishing and hunting. Every year, he hunts for deer and turkeys. And now he has more time for jerky, processing an average of about 40 pounds of deer meat into jerky every year. He loves making jerky for the grandchildren, and he also keeps other friends and relatives well supplied. One grandson, Kaden Cameron, said he eats the jerky regularly. His favorite is the whole muscle jerky.
Cameron, half-owner of C&N Firewood and Tree Removal based in Plainview, said his grandfather’s product is different from commercial jerky, which he thinks is too dry.
     “There’s nothing you can buy like that in a store,” he said. He explained that his grandfather’s jerky is tender and mild with just enough spice. “It’s just great. I have it all the time. I love it.”
Ofe said he got started making jerky after obtaining beef hamburger jerky “sticks” made by a cousin’s husband. Ofe liked them and wondered if he could make his own.
     “I tried some myself, and then I started using ground deer. I liked it even better.” Since he always had deer meat from annual deer hunts, he figured it was a good use of the meat, especially since it is leaner than beef.
As soon as he got started, however, he realized he had a problem: the jerky cooked on his wife’s oven racks made a big mess in the bottom of the oven. And the smell permeated the entire house. He jokingly said that in order to preserve his marriage he knew he needed to come up with different methods.
     Ofe’s two major changes were to get an oven in the garage and to have special grates made for the oven. He turned to Quality Iron and Metal in Neligh and was able to get exactly the type and size grates he needed.
For those interested in his methods, Ofe said it’s best to use meat that is as lean as possible. Ofe noted he makes whole muscle jerky as well as ground venison jerky. He recommends making sure all the skin and fat are removed for either. “If you don’t take out the tendons and fat, it’s not as good.”
     Once the meat has been trimmed and prepared, Ofe grinds it for the ground venison version. He then freezes the meat. For each batch, he uses about 5 pound of deer meat.
After freezing, he puts it in a pan. As it thaws some, he puts his packet of cure and seasoning mix – he uses the meat cure and flavor packages sold by Cabela’s – in a separate plastic bowl with warm water. The Cabela’s packet calls for a half cup of warm water, but Ofe has learned that it works better with about 3 cups of warm water. He also adds ¼ teaspoon of cayenne. After thoroughly mixing the cure, seasoning mix, cayenne and water, he gradually adds the liquid to the meat. The liquid is not added all at once, but rather a little at a time for a total of 4 to 5 additions.
     Once everything is thoroughly mixed, Ofe puts the meat mixture into a gallon-size plastic bag and refrigerates it overnight.
     The next morning, Ofe puts the meat mixture into his jerky gun and shoots it onto his specially made oven racks. He starts off with the oven set at 200 degrees, but he keeps a spoon in the oven door to allow moisture to escape during the drying process. After an hour, Ofe removes the spoon and cooks the jerky another half hour to an hour.
     Ofe said the same process could be used for ground beef, but he noted that it’s difficult to find reasonably priced very lean beef. And more fat means more mess in the oven, he said.
     For the whole muscle jerky, Ofe said he uses 5 pounds per batch, cutting it in strips, cross grain, not with the grain. He then cuts the strips about ½-inch thick. The strips are then marinated in the mix, but in this case he uses even more water. He covers the marinating meat with foil and sets it in the refrigerator for 6 hours. He then stirs it thoroughly and refrigerates it overnight. The next morning, the strips are put into a colander so that the liquid runs off. Once they have drained, the strips are put on the oven racks and dried in the same way the ground venison is.
     Ofe said if the finished jerky is kept for any length of time in the refrigerator, it will become tougher. That’s never been an issue with his product, he said, because friends and family devour it quickly.
     Ofe’s annual hunting usually yields 2 deer, so he has plenty of meat for the jerky. Ofe also makes bologna. That recipe, which is one he obtained years ago from a friend, calls for 40 pounds of meat. Ofe uses 20 pounds of venison and 20 pounds of pork. The meat is put through a cider press.
     “I went to a lot of auctions before I finally found a press at an affordable price,” he said.
     The meat for the bologna is cold-smoked with either apple or hickory wood, and the finished product needs to be cooked before eating.
Besides the enjoyment Ofe gets from creating a product people love, he likes the idea that he is participating in something Antelope County residents have done for more than a century. Preserving fruits, berries, vegetables and meat for the coming cold months has been done for generations.
     Says Ofe: “The oldtimers did everything at home.” And so does he, at least when it comes to creating a healthy, flavorful, chewy snack.
​
By Alexandra McClanahan

***Not all of our recipes are “USDA APPROVED”  We highly recommend that you follow the USDA guidelines when canning and cooking.  Our recipes are all “tried and true”….some are recipes our families have passed down for generations, some are just made up from the joy of cooking and canning, some of the recipes that we use are straight from the USDA Canning Book and some are passed along by our dear readers.  With all of that being said – can and cook at your own risk.  If you feel that a recipe is “unsafe”, simply overlook it and move on.  None of us are, “Canning Police” and we all should respect others.  Safe in your kitchen and safe in my kitchen – two different things….We won’t criticize your recipes please don’t criticize ours :).

Make these recipes at your own risk, we assume that should you desire to follow the recipes in this magazine, you are doing so “at your own risk”. We are and the writer is not liable, not responsible and do/does not assume obligation for…..

• Adverse reactions to food consumed such as food poisoning and any kind of food-borne disease
• Misinterpreted recipe
• Domestic accidents, including but not limited to cuts, bodily injuries, fires, and messy kitchens.

Rosalee’s rhubarb preserves are a hit with her grandchildren
“Where’s my jelly, Grandma?”
“Listen, Mister, if you want the jelly you need to return my jars.”

     One of the first things you notice when you talk to Rosalee Nordhues of Randolph is her beautifully infectious laughter. She has faced her own set of hardships in life, including the loss of her beloved husband Joseph in 2018. The couple were married 59 years. But she focuses on the positive side of life and is sustained by her faith and her family.
     The 81-year-old has lived in the Randolph area throughout her life. She grew up a dairy farm northeast of Randolph. She has worked with cows since she was 6 years old.
     “We are dairy people. We milked cows all our life,” she said, noting she always worked on the farm right along with her husband, in addition to keeping house, cooking, canning and caring for their family, which over time grew to eight children.
     Canning has always played a big role in Nordhues’ life. She started canning with her mother when she was a child. Canning was an economical way to feed the family with what was available. Nordhues preserved rhubarb, mulberries, tomatoes, cucumbers and beef.
     “In those days you used what you could find,” she said.
     But besides the value of canning as a way to feed her family, Nordhues has always found joy in doing it. “We’re just farm people. That’s what we do,” she said. She likes carrying on the traditions of her family and she thinks that people today could take a lesson from those who lived before. “Those older people worked hard. They were thrifty.”
     Nordhues still cans to this day, sharing a lot of her jams and jellies with her grandchildren. A grandson recently said he was out of rhubarb jam.
     “Grandma, where’s my jelly?” he asked.
     Nordues’ reply was: “Listen, Mister, if you want more, you’ve got to return my jars.”
     Nordhues does not spend a lot of time sitting around. She regularly bakes treats to take to the Randolph elevator. One of the men there told her he would gladly supply her with coconut if she ever ran out of it for her coconut bars.
     “Whenever you can’t afford it, I’ll buy it,” he told her. “You just keep bringing the bars.”
Nordhues misses working on the family farm, now operated by two of her son, Doug and Marvin Nordhues. The farm has been in the family for more than 100 years. But since moving to town in 1998, she has kept busy with volunteer work. She hosts two days each week Randolph Senior Center, which entails wiping tables, helping to serve food, clearing plates and making sure salt and pepper shakers are full. One day a week she helps cook at the Senior Center. She also helps the priest of St. Jane Frances de Chantal Catholic church of Randolph when he makes visitations and offers Mass at the nursing home.
Nordhues’ rhubarb recipe goes back to her mother Mary Gubbels. She said her whole family loves rhubarb in jelly, desserts, pies, and bars.


Rhubarb Jam
4 cups rhubarb cut in small pieces
4 cups sugar
Mix well and bring to a boiling point; cook 15 minutes.
Remove from heat, add 1 small can of pineapple, drained,
Add one box of cherry flavored Jello. Seal in jars.
(For added preservation, put jars in boiling water canner for 15 minutes.
Remove the lid, turn off the burner and let the jars sit for 5 minutes.
Then use a jar lifter to remove the hot jars and place on a towel or rack on a counter
that is away from drafts. Do not disturb the jar for 12 to 24 hours. At the end
of the time, check the lids for seals. Refrigerate any jars that are not sealed. Store the
rest in a cool, dark place.)

​By Alexandra McClanahan


***Not all of our recipes are “USDA APPROVED”  We highly recommend that you follow the USDA guidelines when canning and cooking.  Our recipes are all “tried and true”….some are recipes our families have passed down for generations, some are just made up from the joy of cooking and canning, some of the recipes that we use are straight from the USDA Canning Book and some are passed along by our dear readers.  With all of that being said – can and cook at your own risk.  If you feel that a recipe is “unsafe”, simply overlook it and move on.  None of us are, “Canning Police” and we all should respect others.  Safe in your kitchen and safe in my kitchen – two different things….We won’t criticize your recipes please don’t criticize ours :).


Make these recipes at your own risk, we assume that should you desire to follow the recipes in this magazine, you are doing so “at your own risk”. We are and the writer is not liable, not responsible and do/does not assume obligation for…..

• Adverse reactions to food consumed such as food poisoning and any kind of food-borne disease
• Misinterpreted recipe
• Domestic accidents, including but not limited to cuts, bodily injuries, fires, and messy kitchens.

     One of the joys of canning is putting summer’s garden bounty into a jar, to be enjoyed, even savored, all year. It’s a way to get absolutely flavor-packed food you make yourself. Before I get into one of my new favorite recipes – using homegrown jalapeños for pickled sweetened peppers called Cowboy Candy, I want to address a few canning issues.
     There are dangers associated with canning, and some of them are as serious as they are rare. Today’s canners are advised to use only recent tested and approved recipes from reputable sources. I actually break a few rules with regard to “tweaking” a recipe when I make Cowboy Candy. The point is, each canner needs to decide for herself or himself what is right.
     Even so, it helps to remember there is a responsibility that comes with canning. It is joyful, but it is also hard work and requires focus. Some people prefer to use family recipes. Others like to do some research. I use a number of references. One of the best books is the Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving, generally available as low as $10. I use this book so much that I took it to a printer and had it spiral bound for easier use. There is also the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving. A great classic is Putting Food By, by Janet Greene, Ruth Hertzberg, and Beatrice Vaughan. And I also like So Easy to Preserve, published by the Cooperative Extension University of Georgia.
     My online sources are the https://www.healthycanning.com, the National Center for Home Food Preservation, and https://www.freshpreserving.com. But there are literally hundreds of websites and blogs.
     So far, I have focused my canning repertoire on water bath canning. What that means is, prepared food is put into clean jars, sealed and then boiled in a canner for a specific amount of time, adjusted for the altitude of your location. All of the references I have mentioned provide basic tutorials for water-bath canning. The next level of canning is using a pressure canner, a must for meat and low-acid foods. Peppers are low-acid, but they are preserved in a vinegar brine, so the water bath is acceptable.
     Cherylyn Hurtig of Royal is an expert canner who taught me how to use a pressure canner for meat. I may rely on her skills for a future meat canning article.
     My Cowboy Candy recipe is based on recipes at Fresh Preserving, and the websites Chili Pepper Madness, Foodie With Family, and The Chunky Chef. In my first article, I am doing something that is NOT recommended, altering a recipe. But my alterations are simply more sugar than the sanctioned Ball recipe, which is not generally considered dangerous. Oh, well. But here is an idea if you don’t want to can. You could make this recipe and store the jars in the refrigerator for up to three months.
     So let’s get started with Cowboy Candy. First, make sure you wear gloves. It’s imperative with jalapeños. Before slicing, decide whether you want to use the seeds. I use all of them since the point of this recipe is a spicy hot condiment. And depending on your particular jalapeños, they do tone down in the cooking process.

Makes 3 to 4 pint jars
3 pounds jalapeños, washed and sliced
1 ½ teas salt
2 ½  cups cider vinegar
6 cups white sugar
1 teas turmeric
½ teas celery seed
½ teas ginger

     You can slice the peppers about ¼-inch thick with a knife or whatever slicer you prefer. (I recently bought an inexpensive mandolin. After looking at it, I chickened out and decided to get rid of it.) I have a hand-crank slicer, but a food processor would work well if you have one.
     Add all the ingredients except the jalapeños to a large saucepan and bring the mixture to boiling. Stir. When the sugar is dissolved, add the jalapeños. Turn the heat down and simmer for 15 minutes. The jalapeños will look somewhat shriveled, but they will plump up as they sit in the jars after canning.
     After you ladle peppers into the hot jars, add hot brine and leave ½-inch headspace. Run a knife or chopstick around the inside to remove bubbles, then make sure to carefully clean the top of the jar. Screw the lids on fingertip tight. Put the jars into the canner, cover, and process for 20 minutes. The Ball recipe says 15 minutes, but we add 5 minutes to that because of Nebraska’s elevation.
     After the 20 minutes, remove the lid, turn off the burner and let the jars stand for 5 minutes. Then use a jar lifter to remove the hot jars and place on a towel or rack on a counter that is away from drafts. Do not disturb the jars for 12 to 24 hours. At the end of the time, check the lids for seals. Refrigerate any jars that are not sealed. Store the rest in a cool, dark place.
     Several sources suggest that these jars not be opened for several weeks to give the peppers time to cure in the jar. It might be hard to wait that long.
     Cowboy Candy can be canned in pint jars, but I usually go with half and quarter pints since most of us don’t use a huge amount of a hot condiment on a serving of food.
     If you want another idea for jalapeños, the Sure-Jell packet insert has a recipe for Hot Pepper Relish. It’s a good recipe that calls for bell peppers and jalapeños. When I make it, I use at least half jalapeños, but I do remove the seeds.
     Summer’s coming! Let’s hope in the coming months we can raise or purchase good, local produce. . .and that we can preserve it for all year long.
​By Alexandra McClanahan

***Not all of our recipes are “USDA APPROVED”  We highly recommend that you follow the USDA guidelines when canning and cooking.  Our recipes are all “tried and true”….some are recipes our families have passed down for generations, some are just made up from the joy of cooking and canning, some of the recipes that we use are straight from the USDA Canning Book and some are passed along by our dear readers.  With all of that being said – can and cook at your own risk.  If you feel that a recipe is “unsafe”, simply overlook it and move on.  None of us are, “Canning Police” and we all should respect others.  Safe in your kitchen and safe in my kitchen – two different things….We won’t criticize your recipes please don’t criticize ours :).

Make these recipes at your own risk, we assume that should you desire to follow the recipes in this magazine, you are doing so “at your own risk”. We are and the writer is not liable, not responsible and do/does not assume obligation for…..

• Adverse reactions to food consumed such as food poisoning and any kind of food-borne disease
• Misinterpreted recipe
• Domestic accidents, including but not limited to cuts, bodily injuries, fires, and messy kitchens.

     This winter’s cold snap was not only cold, it was long. As Nebraskans we get it. We have been here before.  We may not like it, but we can handle it, even as our concerns and sympathies are drawn to all the farmers and ranchers we know who do not have a choice about whether to be out in the bitter cold.
     For those of us who do not have livestock, this year’s cold came as a double whammy because the COVID-19 virus has severely limited our social contacts. So except for shoveling and a few other chores outside, many of us were trapped inside.
     So how did I handle my cabin fever? I did what I do a lot in winter, I dreamed of the coming spring and summer. I dreamed of all the tomatoes my husband will plant and that I will mulch and weed. And I dreamed of canning.
Read the entire story in the latest edition of Living Here magazine. 
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This in an intro only and we will have recipes on this page in the future.