Q and A: Oven canning and Hopi Pale Grey recipes

Oven canning

I oven can my dry goods like rice and such, but can I oven can things like homemade jerky or sun dried tomatoes?

Crystal Misiak
Millboro, Virginia

I’d say yes to the sun dried tomatoes, provided that they are fully dry. But no to the jerky as most folks don’t dry their jerky enough for safe storage. If there’s any moisture in a product dry-sealed, such as oven “canning,” it won’t go away and will eventually cause the food to mold. — Jackie

Hopi Pale Grey recipes

I am wondering if you wouldn’t mind sharing some recipes for Hopi pale grey squash, also when do you know they’re ripe?

Vern, Kari and Peyton Wittenberg
Gonvick, Minnesota

You can harvest the Hopi Pale Greys after a light frost, as they’re usually ripe then, turning a light grey-blue. If they are green in color, they aren’t ripe yet. You can use these squash just like other winter squash –stuffing them with fried, crumbled sausage, a mix of vegetables, or just butter and brown sugar, baking on a cookie sheet until done. Or you can grate them fresh on a salad. They’re sweet and good, even raw. — Jackie