What do You Need for Pickling?

Pickling is a great way to preserve foods. Most people associate pickling with cucumbers, but as many are starting to see it can be used for nearly any type of produce. Just to give you an idea of foods that you can pickle, here are a few that have recipes in The Complete Book of Pickling:

• Artichokes
• Asparagus
• Green Beans
• Beets
• Radishes
• Cantaloupe
• Cherries
• Figs
• Grapes
• Crabapples
• Strawberries
• Plums
• and much more...

And of course the book has the more traditional pickle recipes as well. So that brings us to... What do you need for pickling? What tools will you need to get started? Well, I personally recommend having a book with instructions, many canning books have some pickling recipes in them, including the Ball Blue Book of Canning. And, of course, some of the tools you need may vary depending on the food that you are pickling.

But here are the basics:

• A Large Pot
• A Canner
• Pint Pickling Jars
• Spoons & Ladles
• Jar Lifter
• Canning Lids (be sure they are the correct size for your jars)
• Canning Rings (be sure they are the correct size for your jars)
• Canning Funnel
• Lid Wand or Lid Lifter to pick the lids up out of the boiling water after sanitizing them.

And of course you will need your ingredients (which will vary depending on the recipe that you use) and typical kitchen items such as kitchen towels, etc.

We would love to hear about your pickling adventures, what have you tried and liked or didn't like? Please share in the comments.

Tips and Recipes for Your Cookie Press

Cookie presses are great for creating elaborate looking treats with minimal effort. they can take awhile to get adjusted to using, but once you find your rhythm you are set to create cookies galore. These treats are great for holidays, birthday parties, receptions, as dessert at a dinner party, well, the list goes on.

So what are some tips for using a cookie press?

• Allow yourself plenty of time during the learning process.
• Read your instruction manual thoroughly.
• Use only recipes appropriate for a cookie press, anything with nuts, raisins, and other chunky ingredients will NOT press.
• Do NOT grease your baking sheet. 
• Press on your cookie press a little before starting with your cookies to release any air in front of the dough.
• Be sure to hold the cookie press flat to the baking sheet so that the dough will adhere to the sheet.
• Do not overload the fills or you will lose the shape of your cookie as it expands during baking.
• Keep in mind that practice makes perfect, your first few batches may not turn out exactly how you want. Just keep trying.
• Do not immediately lift the cookie press after pressing out your cookie. Give it time to stick or you'll take the cookie dough with you.
• Allow about 1 to 1 1/2 inches between the cookies.
• To keep from breaking your cookies be sure to allow them to cool before using a thin cookie spatula to remove them from the baking sheet.

The most common recipe for a cookie press is the Butter Cookie:

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 c. softened butter
• 1 1/4 c. confectioners sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/2 tsp. almond extract
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Sift flour & salt together; set aside. 
2. In a medium bowl, cream butter & sugar together. Stir in egg yolks, almond extract, and vanilla extract. Gradually blend in sifted flour and salt. Fill cookie press with dough and form cookies about 1 1/2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
3. If you desire, decorate with sprinkles or sugar now.
4. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven.

Using a Salad Shooter to Make Pizza

Did you know that you can use the Presto Salad Shooter to help make a pizza? This is especially great for those who like lots of veggies on their pizzas.

Just choose your pizza dough of choice and prepare it so that it is ready to add the toppings (method of preparation will depend on dough chosen, etc). Apply sauce of choice, then get your salad shooter ready to shred your mozzarella or other cheese over the sauce. Then get out your aresenal of favorite veggies to slice or shred onto the top of the pizza (peppers, onions, yum). Then add any other toppings you so desire and bake for the amount of time recommended in your recipe.

And voila' your salad shooter has just helped you make a delcious pizza. But while your pizza is baking, leave your salad shooter out and fix a salad to go with it as a healthy, yummy side dish.

Need parts for your Presto salad shooter? We carry salad shooter parts in our online store.