What I Am Canning This Weekend / Pear-Apple Butter

[Mimi]

I am making pear-apple butter. Had to make room in the freezer for
the two turkeys I purchased today and I plan on buying one more. The
pears/apples are in my BIG crockpot right now. They will cook tonight
on low and if they are soft, I will turn them off after I get back
from picking my niece up from work--around midnight. I will give 'em
a whirl in the food processor in the morning and cook the butter down
tomorrow--can it in pint jars and then...likely have to take my niece
back to work again!!!

I do have a question for the group--has anyone ever used date sugar as
a sweetener??? I might try it in the pear-apple butter. It is kind
of grainy and a friend of mine suggested making it finer (in texture)
by running in my spice grinder--which is really a coffee grinder but I
only use it for spices. I do know that date sugar will not dissolve
like white or brown sugar will and that it is very sweet--the ratio
I've read I should use is 2/3 cup subbed for one cup of sugar.

Another issue is the keeping quality--will it have a shorter shelf-
life??? Is it safe to can this (pear-apple butter) without the use of
white or brown sugar???

TIA

: - )

[Mimi]

<snip> I even gave a jar to my boss as a suck-up move.  He got it on
Friday, I got the empty jar back Monday! <snip>

Excellent move indeed!!!

: - )

I mail stuff to one of my superiors (we've been friends for years
anyway) in addition to my Dad (that's love) and others.

[jimnginger]

Date sugar is just dried and ground dates. You can also buy the
nuggets. As far a lasting ability, I just used the last of my mom's in
a loaf of sweet-bread from 20 years ago. It doesn't deteriorate, it
just gets solid as a rock. The natural sugar preserves it.
Jim in So. Calif.