Everyone on my Christmas list is getting a jar this December… this recipe is that fabulous. Before we get to the recipe, I should explain a few things. First, I am a big believer in letting my lawn grow au naturel. Rain from the sky and an occasional mow pretty much sum up my approach to lawn care, to the chagrin of a few of my neighbors. This means, of course, that I am blessed with a brilliant display of yellow dandelions this time a year. Weeds, did you say? No Way!
Dandelions were imported into the US hundreds of years ago as a nutritious food source. Dandelions are wildly good for you, rivaling carrots and spinach in their Vitamin A, Vitamin B12, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, and Phosphorus. The entire plant is edible, but today we are focusing on the pretty yellow flower heads. A quick web search will reveal how dandelion flowers are valued for their antioxidants, their diuretic and antibacterial properties, and their use by herbalists in treating everything from headaches and depression to stomach and menstrual cramps. Dandelions aren’t weeds… they’re nature’s own grocery store and pharmacy!
Today we are making dandelion “honey.” The taste is spot-on identical to wild honey, without the hefty price tag. At about 50 cents a pint (for the sugar and pectin), this “honey” is a real bargain. It’s vegan, has practically the same glycemic index as honey, and contains pollen (which is where many of the purported health benefits of bee honey originate). Make sure you pick dandelions from an unsprayed location! Allow yourself about an hour in the sunshine to harvest enough flower heads for this recipe.
Ingredients (makes 9 half-pint jars)
8 cups dandelion flower heads (cut just above the base of the flower head, to get all of the yellow and almost none of the green)
8 cups boiling water
6 cups white sugar
Juice from 1/2 large lemon OR Juice from 1 whole, large orange
4 tablespoons pectin powder
Directions
Step 1) Cover dandelion flower heads with boiling water. Cover and set aside for at least three hours or overnight.
Step 2) Carefully pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve, saving the “tea” and discarding the flower petals.
Step 3) Bring 6 cups of dandelion tea to a boil in a large pot (if you have more than 6 cups of tea, you can freeze the excess).
Step 4) Stir pectin into sugar (the pectin will dissolve more readily this way). Add pectin/sugar mixture all at once to pot of boiling tea. Add lemon juice or orange juice as well.
Step 5) Stir thoroughly until sugar is completely dissolved.
Step 6) Bring mixture to a full rolling boil. Boil for 3 minutes with stirring, then turn off heat.
Step 7) Follow canning instructions to preserve your dandelion “honey.” Leave 1/2 inch headspace, and process jars in boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
Enjoy!
Elevate your PB&J with the lush combination of sweet cherries and tangy rhubarb in this easy-to-make jam. While this recipe is perfectly suitable for canning, you could store it in the freezer just as well. Of course, that assumes you’ll have any left after a few days… Let’s get started! 
This recipe is a twofer, as both the Sangria brine and the marinated plums are delicious on their own. Enjoy these tangy plums baked into a simple 
Ivan, a Crowded Earth Kitchen apprentice, is excited to share this recipe with you today. His low-sugar mango jam recipe is simple to prepare and so delicious you’ll wonder why you haven’t been making mango jam for years. Let’s get started!
In my Midwest US community, pineapple is selling for $1.29 this week at Aldi. I have a sister-in-law who lives in Hawaii (I’m not irrationally jealous, really. Mostly.). Do you know what she told me pineapple is selling for in Hawaii – you know, where pineapple is grown?
Whether you favor hot dogs, bratwurst, or a classic American cheeseburger on the backyard grill, this Hot Pepper Relish is the perfect accompaniment. It has just enough ZING! to catch your attention, and is chock full of garden fresh flavor. To save time, you could prepare half the recipe below and simply store it in the refrigerator instead of canning. I’ve included canning directions as well, because Hot Pepper Relish makes a lovely and simple gift!
Ingredients (Makes 8 half-pint jars)
