This is a versatile recipe. You can make the contents into chicken pot pies, serve over rice or add a bit more chicken broth upon heating and eat as a soup.  When you make this recipe, you'll also get some chicken broth that you can freeze or can later. I found I get 3 pints of broth for canning after recipe is complete.  Enjoy! Diane 

Chicken Stew for Pressure Canning 

Ingredients:
for STEW:
1 large stewing chicken, rendering about 4 lbs. cooked chicken 
7 Cups chicken stock, from stewing the chicken
2 Tablespoons organic "chicken better then bullion", optional
2 Quarts diced tomatoes, drained
3 large potatoes, peeled and cubed about 1/2"
2 Cups onion, chopped
3 Cups carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2" rounds
1 Cup celery, chopped
2 Cups Great Northern beans, drained
1 Pint sweet corn, drained
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
​1/2 teaspoon dried parsley 
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons dried minced garlic 

for COOKING CHICKEN: 
1 large stockpot
water to cover chicken
2 carrots, snapped in two 
1 celery rib, snapped in two
1 bay leaf
10 peppercorns
1 teaspoon each dried: thyme, parsley, rosemary, salt

Directions: 

   Place chicken in a large stock pot and add enough water to cover. To stockpot, add the ingredients listed above under COOKING CHICKEN.  Cover pot and bring to a boil.  Lower to a simmer and let the chicken cook at a low simmer for a minimum of 2 hours.  Remove chicken to a platter to cool.  Skim fat off broth, add 7 cups of the broth to large stockpot.  I use my fat separator to run the broth through, because there will be on average of 3 pints leftover broth that you can can or freeze.  Remove skin from cooked chicken and chop chicken meat into large bite sized pieces.  Add all the vegetables and seasonings from STEW section above to the stockpot with broth and bring to a boil, lowering to simmer 15 minutes.  Add in chicken and let simmer for a final 5 minutes, checking the taste for any additional salt or pepper preferred.  

   Pack clean quarts with the hot stew to 1" headspace.  I fill each quart with two giant scoops of stew then go back and top off with two giant scoops of the liquid from the stew.  Process Quarts 90minutes at 10 pounds, adjusting psi for your altitude.  

Yield: 6 Quarts 

Recipe: Adapted from "The Amish Canning Cookbook" Georgia Varozza 
 

     Do you remember those old fashioned "5 Bean Salads?" They are served cold or room temp, they have a slightly 'pickled' taste to them...Well, I was pressure canning green beans and after a full canner load, I had about 2 pounds left over of cleaned and trimmed fresh green beans.  I decided to "pickle" some along with some kidney beans (our favorite) and a few other veggies. You can chose your style of green bean, yellow beans, kidney, garbanzo and limas, they all work nicely.  Once the processed jars set in my pantry for at least a month, I'll drain and mix a little good olive oil into the contents and chill before serving.  Enjoy! Diane

Diane's Two Bean Salad 
Yield: 4-5 pints
Waterbath or Steam Can

Ingredients: 
2 Pounds Green Beans, washed and trimmed
3 stalks of celery, washed and sliced
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 large red bell pepper, washed and sliced
2 can of kidney beans, drained and rinsed 
Red pepper flake (optional) 

Brine: 
1 1/2 cups white vinegar, 5% acidity or higher
​1 1/4 cups white sugar 
2 teaspoons mustard seed 
1/2 teaspoon celery seed 
2 teaspoons pickling salt 
3/4 cup of water 

Directions: 
     Clean and cut all your vegetables, set aside.  Make your brine, bring to a boil and stir until all sugar is dissolved.  Reduce to a simmer.  In a separate pot, add all your vegetables & beans along with fresh water and bring just to a boil, reduce heat to medium and let vegetables cook about 5 minutes. You do not want to overcook the vegetable mixture or your softer beans might start breaking down.  When vegetables are done, divide vegetables up between 4-5 clean pint jars to a 1" headspcae. Top each pint with hot brine to a 1/2" headspace. 
Process in a boiling waterbath or atmospheric steam canner 15 minutes, adjusting for your altitude. 

**Kitchen Note:  I had enough vegetables for 4 full pints but, depending on what produce you choose and how large you cut your slices, your jar quantity may differ from mine.  
 

  I'll be honest, we grow our own green beans and carrots and they hardly ever make it into the canner because we love them fresh!! If we want to can them to have an extended supply, I look to my fellow Farmers! There's also nothing wrong with keeping an eye out for great produce that comes into stores. You want to can what you enjoy eating - I prefer to taste the produce first before investing time and materials in canning anything up for my pantry.  If you can tasteless carrots, they will always be tasteless carrots.  Just like making jam, you cannot take a sour or bitter fruit and expect a miracle of sweetness in the end product. 

I prefer to pressure can three vegetables every year: Jade Green Beans, Sweet Carrots and Olathe Sweet Corn. Corn has its own blog post here for those interested in canning corn too. 

NCHFP Green Beans Process 
NCHFP Carrot Process 

     Who doesn't love a soup?!  What's even better - this soup is easy to make.  I do pressure can my ham stock so that its readily available.  If you don't have the time to can homemade ham stock then cook your ham bone and continue on with this recipe.  IF you taste your soup and it's lacking 'depth of flavor', add chili powder!! It's not an 'in your face' taste - it deepens the ham flavor and soup.  I do add chili powder and lemon juice to my homemade ham stock as its being made, if you don't follow my recipe for ham stock then, you will probably want to add some chili powder directly to this soup...add a small amount, it will make a difference.
​Enjoy! Diane 
     
INGREDIENTS

• 1/3 cup unsalted butter 
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 cup carrots,  peeled and diced
• 1/2 cup celery, sliced
• 3 cups potatoes, peeled and diced into bite sized pieces
• 4 cloves garlic minced or finely chopped
• 2 cups cooked ham, diced 
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 
• 2 cups homemade ham stock
• up to 2 teaspoons chili powder, or to taste
• 3 cups milk
• kosher salt, to taste  
• black pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

• Heat the butter in a pot over medium heat. Saute the onion, carrots, celery until softened. (about 5 minutes).
• Add the ham and potatoes, cook for 2 minutes, then add in the garlic. 
•  Saute the garlic for about 30 seconds or until fragrant, (do not scorch).
• Mix the flour in and cook for 2 minutes.
• Stir in ham stock and milk. 
• Increase the heat and bring to a boil until potatoes are fork tender, about 10-12 minutes. *If you have time and want the soup to sit and simmer longer, bring the pot up to a boil, then lower to low and let cook on low, covered for 2 hours. Make sure to check potatoes often for doneness and stir soup so it doesn't scorch.  Once the potatoes are where you like them, set the heat to warm.  
• Taste test and season with more chili powder, salt and pepper, if desired.
• Serve hot.

NOTE:  HOMEMADE HAM STOCK

• You can make your own ham stock for this soup using a leftover ham bone.
• Don't throw away your ham bone!!  I always vac seal and freeze our leftover ham-bones until I have time to make a soup. I have a favorite process for making my ham stock - see my recipe here:    Diane's Homemade Ham Stock 

SOUP THICKNESS TIP:

• If your soup is too thick once it's finished, simply add more milk or ham stock in 1/4 cup increments until reaching your desired consistency.
• If your soup is not thick enough to your liking, mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch together with 2 tablespoons of extra milk or ham stock. Pour the mixture into the soup and allow to boil for a few minutes to thicken, while stirring. Repeat for an even thicker soup!  

     Do you want to make a savory and healthy dinner using fresh Spring asparagus?  Give my lo mein a try!  This is definitely a must try dish (and its also ready in under 30 minutes.) You don't have to add spice to your final plated dish but, we happen to love ''Hot Chili Oil' as it gives off a heat but, it isn't a lasting, burning heat like a jalapeno. I'll add a photo and the name of the Hot Chili Oil we use ((we always swore by "Heavenly Chef" Hot Chili Oil but, it's harder and harder to find!  We now use, "Sun Luck: La Yu Chili Oil" photo below in photo gallery.  Enjoy! Diane 

*Spicy Chicken & Asparagus Lo Mein

INGREDIENTS
SAUCE:

1. 3/4 cup chicken broth
2. 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
3. 1 tablespoon soy sauce
4. 2 teaspoons sesame oil
5. 1 tablespoon cornstarch

MAIN DISH:

1.  1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2.  1 tablespoon butter
3.  1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces.
4.  salt and pepper to taste
5.  1 lb asparagus stalks washed, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces.
6.  2 teaspoons minced garlic
7.  1 can of sliced water chestnuts
8.  1/4 cup hoisin sauce
9.  Lo Mein Noodles, cook and keep warm until needed.

Sprinkle on *Hot Chili Oil, to taste,  upon serving.
I add about 3-4 drops, my husband adds about 1/2 tablespoon.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a small bowl, whisk together chicken broth, sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil and cornstarch. Set Aside for now... 
2. Heat the vegetable oil & butter in a pan over medium high heat.
3. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
4. Add the chicken to the pan in a single layer. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side or until browned.
5. Add the asparagus to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes or until tender.
6. Add the water chestnuts and garlic, stirring for one minute, you do not want to scorch the garlic.
7. Pour the sauce you made earlier over the chicken and asparagus and bring to a simmer. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until sauce has thickened, stir in the hoisin sauce until warmed through. 
8. Serve over lo mein noodles with Hot Chili oil.