Pumpkin!

The Bag Lady promised to share some of her fabulous secret recipes, and is keeping her promise. For those of you who have never done any canning, and don’t think you are able to do so because you don’t have a canner, blah, blah, blah, IT’S NOT HARD! If the Bag Lady can do it, so can you. All you really need is a very large pot with a lid, and a rack to keep the jars up off the bottom of the pot. The pot needs to be big enough to hold 6 jars, and tall enough that the water will cover the top of the jars by at least an inch. If you don’t want to try canning, send me bags and bags of money and I’ll send you some of my famous chutney!! (Or better yet, some of my absolutely out-of-this-world salsa…that recipe is going to the grave with me!!) :)


Hot & Spicy Pumpkin Chutney

4 cups prepared pumpkin
1 ½ cups dark brown sugar
1 ¼ cups malt vinegar
½ cup coarsely chopped onion
½ cup coarsely chopped dark raisins
3 hot yellow peppers, seeded and chopped
2 Tbsp minced garlic
2 Tbsp grated ginger root*
1 tsp salt

*or use powdered ginger to taste
To prepare the pumpkin, cut into large pieces, scrape out and discard seeds. Place pieces in large saucepan, bring to a boil; boil gently 20 minutes or until tender. Drain. OR bake pieces in a moderate oven until tender.
Remove rind from pulp. Mash pulp to a uniform consistency; measure 4 cups. Place pulp in large stainless steel or enamel saucepan, add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil; boil gently 45 minutes or until thick.
Ladle into hot jars, process in boiling water canner at least 10 minutes**


**Fill boiling water canner with water. Place 5 clean half-pint mason jars in canner over high heat.
Follow directions for Snap lids – usually means placing them in very hot water for 5 minutes to soften sealing compound.
Ladle chutney into hot jar, leaving ½ inch head space. Wipe jar rim to remove stickiness. Centre snap lid on jar, apply screw band until fingertip tight. Place jar in canner. Repeat for remaining chutney.
Cover canner; return water to a boil, process 10 minutes. Remove jars. Leave jars undisturbed for 24 hours. Check for seal – sealed lids curve downward.

This chutney is fabulous spooned over a block of cream cheese and served with a variety of crackers.
Now, not all of the Bag Lady's recipes are going to be this complicated - this one was a special request. The Bag Lady knows, too, that the person who wanted to see this recipe will Never Use It, but a promise is a promise!