Q and A: Canning frozen vegetables, Pigweed and Lambs Quarters, and Dairy recipes

Canning frozen vegetables

Can you safely can (in jars) frozen vegetables (butter beans and purple hull peas that have been purchased from the grocer?

Betty Whitehead
Lumberton, Texas

Yes. First thaw them out, then warm them up to simmering and pack them as if they were fresh vegetables. They can up perfectly fine. — Jackie

Pigweed and Lambs Quarter

I have a question on the Pigweed and Lambsquarter leaves (posted on June 30, 2011). How big do you let them get? How do you can them and then how do you use them? I have an area in my garden with an abundance of both I could use.

Jerry Struthers
Otsego, Minnesota

The “weeds” can be canned at any size, but once they are going to seed, I’d only use the leaves, as the stems get tough. Ideally, they should be about 8-12 inches tall. I just clip them off with scissors into a basket. Then the stems and leaves are both tender and nice. But I’ve also canned and eaten a lot of plants that were bigger, too. — Jackie

Dairy recipes

We have fresh-from-the-cow milk and wish to make sour cream and cheese. Do you have any easy recipes that will work for that adventure?

Marianne Castrovince
Byers, Colorado

Sure, I’m doing that right now with our “wedding” cow’s abundant milk!

To make sour cream, simply mix 1 cup of heavy cream with 1/4 cup of cultured buttermilk or sour cream. Mix gently but well in a wide mouth pint jar. Cover and let set at room temperature until thick. It is ready to use or refrigerate for later use. Because it has no preservatives, it will not keep as long as “store” sour cream, but will taste great. If it tastes too sour, you’ve let it stand too long. Next time, taste and refrigerate sooner.

To make an easy cheese, why not try try lemon cheese. It’s quick and easy, making a soft cheese that can be mixed with herbs of your choice (and even fruit), to make a great spreading cheese, similar to cream cheese. Take 1/2 gallon of milk, heated gently to 175° F and mix in 1/4 cup of lemon juice. Stir well. Cover and let milk sit for 15 minutes or until the curds have separated from the whey well. The whey should be clear. Pour the curds into a colander lined with good cheesecloth or a piece of clean, white sheet. Tie up like a jelly bag and drain for 2 hours or until it quits dripping. Remove from bag and place into a bowl. Add salt and herbs to taste. You can also mix in chopped fruit or jam, if you want a great spreading cheese.

You might want to pick up a copy of Ricki Carroll’s great book, Home Cheese Making. It’s full of good cheese recipes. — Jackie