I've kept busy this week canning after buying more produce in bulk over the weekend. Tomatoes were on for $20/40lb. box... so you can guess what I did. Yeah, I bought two boxes!
I kicked off my week with making more salsa. That first box of tomatoes provided me with 15qts and 5 pts of salsa, along with 8 qts of canned tomatoes. Not bad for one day's work. ;o)
I kicked off my week with making more salsa. That first box of tomatoes provided me with 15qts and 5 pts of salsa, along with 8 qts of canned tomatoes. Not bad for one day's work. ;o)
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| Don't these colours make your mouth water? . |
Tuesday, I was kept busy with a kitchen install, so I only managed to make a couple batches of apricot jam (5pts worth) on that day.
Wednesday was a big day for canning. I had that second box of tomatoes to deal with and 40lbs of peaches. I started my day with the peaches. I canned 20qts of peaches in honey and used the remaining peaches to make a couple of batches of jam (4pts. worth). Then I tackled the remaining 40lbs. of tomatoes and canned 13qts. of romas. Whew.
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| No sugar in my canned peaches! I make a light syrup using honey, to compliment the peaches. |
As you can imagine, with all the canning I've been doing, I haven't been spending much time in my sewing room. I'm just so happy that I've been able to take advantage of time between kitchen install work with my husband, to get some food preserved for our family.
My guys are also quite excited to see the jars filling up and to have been sampling things along the way. ;o) One jar of salsa has already disappeared (surprise, surprise...lol) and any jam that wouldn't fill a canning jar has also been eagerly consumed.
Although making jam is something I knew how to do from the beginning of our marriage, I haven't made jam in years (because I stopped using sugar in anything I make). This year I've finally gotten round to using a pectin (Pomona's Pectin - a brand that a good friend recommended) that doesn't require sugar to make jam or jelly. I have to say that I love the results! The jam set beautifully. I used a small amount of honey and Pomona's Pectin to make the fruit jams and it tastes delicious. My sons are over the moon to have home made jam, which means I will have to get another box or two of Pomona's Pectin so I can make more jam for them. lol
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| Here's how my kitchen table has been used lately... lol |
Canning season started with 63quarts of dill pickles... and now I've canned 16qts. & 33pts of salsa; 30qts of tomatoes; 34qts of peaches'n honey; 5pts. apricot jam and 4pts. peach jam.
Since I still have some empty jars... canning season hasn't ended just yet for me!
Now that I've dealt with all the fresh produce for this week, I am hoping to get in some sewing for the next blog hop (yay!) I'm participating in ... after I wash, label and pack up those filled jars from yesterday.
I've been having lots of fun being a participant in the blog hops that Madame Samm puts together (with her fabulous cheerleaders! Hello, Jane, Lesley, Carol, Corrie, Cherry and Wendy...) and want to encourage you to join in. Why join a blog hop? Well, personally I've found that I've been making new friends, finding new blogs, plus I've been enjoying all the inspiration that comes from sharing the love of sewing. Oh, and how could I forget to mention that giveaways are always a part of the fun! Anyways, there's still time for you to sign up if you're interested in being a stop on the blog hop, "Wicked".
Visit Sew We Quilt for more details....
Beautiful...just beautiful! What a woman!
ReplyDeleteYummy. I will have to have to salsa after dinner tonight as a little snack. Your canning and jam work look and sound wonderful.
ReplyDeleteOk, you beat me hands down lol. I did not make any jams, we love St D'alfour, only sweetened with grape juice. I only made 8 quarts of salsa. ( only 2 to feed here) I did make 40 jars of apple sauce and 40 jars of pear sauce ,no sugar. 8 quarts of relish, again, too bad we are so far apart, we could swap ...OHHHH I did not make any pickles...( not pregnant) ...Your canning looks divine...really it does..( called for another bushel of pears...may need some more lol)
ReplyDeleteWow you look like you've got enough to sell at a farmers market! Your family isn't going to go to hungry :-)
ReplyDeleteHope you are keeping well... My sew into solid blocks are almost finished... Not sure the quilt will be done in time for my eldest to rake to uni at the end of the month... Ooops :-)
I'm going to look for that pectin - I googled it and found that it might be carried in the local natural food store. Thanks! blessings, marlene
ReplyDeletewell those pictures of your jars are great color inspiration for a quilt! i've been inspired by the vibrant reds of the tomatoes from my mother in law's garden!
ReplyDeleteHi, where do I sign up for the purse blog hop thru sew we quilt?
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