This is what the stove has looked like much of the past 2 weeks.
And the sink...well, this is actually pretty clean for canning.
It started with a bushel of organic Red Haven peaches...
that blanched soooo purty!!!
I saved the peels & pits and boiled them down & squeezed them through cheesecloth to make
...peach nectar! Ok, peach juice. Doesn't nectar sound nicer?
The nectar/juice becomes the prettiest peach jelly! Who knew you could make jelly from compost scraps?!
Aren't they purty? Red Haven peach goodness and yummy peach jelly.
Brad helped me put up a case of cukes. These are a partially fermented dill. The one on the left has been processed, the one on the right is waiting it's water bath. They are the BEST dills ever.
More peaches, 19 quarts of dills and a whole bunch of pepper jelly!!!
Then came the $12 bushel of organic Paula Reds mixed with the $2 box of Mac's. We're talking APPLESAUCE here, people!
Mmmmmm, apple-isciousness! Yes. That's a word, people. The applesauce has a lovely pinkish hue to it. The kids have already eaten 2 quarts. Kids! I didn't make this so you can INHALE it!
I neglected to take photos of my roasted garlic pasta sauce with tomatoes from my friend Heather. Let's just say the house smelled like pizza all.day.long and it turned out to be 16 pints of yummy-lisciousness that we'll enjoy on pizza all year. I have proof that it smelled like pizza, the 5 year old who lives next door came over and exclaimed, "Your house smells like pizza!" There's the proof. In case you needed it.
You'd think I was done with canning. Au contraire, mon frere!
Next up is salsa. Last year's 48 pints needs to be this year's 72 pints. I also will be doing more applesauce, as 26 quarts isn't enough AND we can get apples for practically nothing out near Brad's parent's cottage. I'll also be putting up 2 more cases of dill pickles and I hope to put up a bushel of pears if I can get my hands on some for a reasonable price. And more pepper jelly. The pepper jelly is a hot item. Ha! Get it? It's HOT 'cause it's peppers. I very funny lady. Anyway, the pepper jelly originally was for my BFF, Cheryl, but now my BFF, Marci, is horning in on Cher's turf. And the ladies in my handbell choir like it. The funny thing is-I don't really eat it. I grow the peppers and the jelly is super-cinchy to make and everyone likes it. So I make it. Brad has requested a batch of rasberry jam, which should be easy enough to do b/c Fall rasberries are in season right now. And with the tomatoes that are still coming out of my garden I should be able to do one more batch of roasted garlic pasta sauce.
I tip my hat to the canning women who have preceded me. I don't know how they managed to put up enough food to feed their families while also running a house, making meals, washing laundry by hand and most of all, cooking a boiling hot canner on a WOOD STOVE. I have help from my canning partner Gayle (we put up 18 quarts of tomato juice for her family) the kids & hubby assist and I don't have to rely on what I put up to feed us for a year.
What are YOU putting by for winter?
i have been canning as well. i have done 22 pints of pickled green beans, 5 quarts and 1 pint of salsa... so far. there will be more to come. and this weekend will be pears. we love canned pears. do you can pears dorothy?
ReplyDeleteOOOOO we LOVE LOVE LOVE canned pears!!!! It's just starting into pear season here, so I'm hoping to get a bushel (at least) to put up. 22 pints of pickled green beans, eh? YUM.
ReplyDeleteMy goodness you have been one busy canner!! You should try the pepper jelly on a cracker with some cheddar cheese....just yummy!
ReplyDeleteI have a great recipe for Dutch Apple Pie Jam. It is yummy! You can also find it on the Kraft Foods site.
You can like I used to when I was cooking for the family. I only put up what I can grow in my garden. Did buy a couple of small pumpkins that will give me a few pints but fruit here is very expensive to buy and the only orchards we have are apple. They think they are made of gold.
ReplyDeleteMy season is so short that I have very little left in the garden. So am about done with that but will continue to can all year.
BTW you kitchen looks neat compared to mine. I do rescue the kitchen every morning before I start anything else as I am usually too tired by the time we finish supper.
That's a ton of food! You are a busy gal! The peach jelly looks best of all!
ReplyDeleteAll I can say is WOW!
ReplyDeleteYou sure have been canning up a storm!
ReplyDeleteI only can certain items as we generally prefer
frozen better. Having said that I think I am done with the canning for this year and will be much more focussed on keeping our fresh fare coming through the dark days of winter. We rely heavily on our winter garden to provide fall and winter food and only use the canning, frozen, and stored items to supplement the fresh harvests.
kitsap-I wish I could rely on our electricity enough to freeze more! And I wish I had the ability to winter garden here, but it's too cold!!! Sooo jealous!
ReplyDelete