Tag : canning

12 posts

T Tuesday: canning, preserving and more edition

Welcome to another installment of T Tuesday! 

Life has been busy and I just haven’t taken the time to post anything. I find sitting at a computer pretty much the least desirable thing lately mostly because when I do, it hurts my back. But I’ll take one for the team today. I’m actually sitting on the floor at my coffee table in hopes that it will help my posture. 

Lately I’ve been doing more canning and preserving. A neighbor ended up with an excess of fresh food items from an event of some sort and shared hard boiled eggs, potatoes and apples with us.

I decided to try pickling eggs again since I had a gallon sized bag to get through. I don’t have a picture but you’ll have to believe me when I tell you they turned out wonderful. I even made egg salad with the pickled eggs. So yummy!

Canning potatoes is something I’ve always wanted to try and now that I have a pressure canner I am able to can low acid foods.

My first round of canning potatoes turned out great. And more to the point…tasted great!

I have been using my new outdoor propane camp stove for my latest canning projects. I’m so pleased with it. I have an electric stovetop in the house and hadn’t realized how much I like cooking with gas!!

Over the weekend I did back to back canning projects in the garage. (Yes I had proper ventilation in case anyone was concerned).

I canned 6 quarts of turkey broth and 7 quarts of potatoes. Unfortunately one of the quarts of potatoes failed to seal so I put it in the fridge and we had it with dinner tonight…so yummy!

Getting our pantry/storage room stocked and organized has been on my mind lately. Especially the organizing part because you don’t know what you have unless its organized in some fashion.

Slowly but surely I’m getting better on the organization end of things. My brain seems to work in a creative chaos most of the time but I am learning the value in everything having a place and everything in its place. At least in some areas of life. Don’t even talk to me about my desk…or craft desk…

Rewinding a bit to November…I had the chance to go on a couple of field trips with a handful of my 6th graders. The first was an outdoor environmental learning experience…unfortunately it was a terrible rainy day. We made the best of it and I think the kids got something out of the experience. The following day we headed to the MN Science Museum.

What’s a science museum without a bunch of dinosaur fossils?!?

This piece of art intrigued me and I wish I had had more time to check it out but duty calls.

I did snap this quick photo about the piece to check out later. I found it very interesting! I love that the artist used pieces salvaged from the Mississippi River.

As far as everything else in life… I’ve done a tiny bit of crafting when inspiration hits. I’ve also been listing things on eBay again with 50/50 results.

We hosted Thanksgiving here as usual and I was very happy that Mini-me was able to come home.  J came over as well as Mr. G’s side of our immediate family. It was a nice way to spend the day!

Marvin enjoys his “only child” status immensely.

Since it wouldn’t be a proper T stands for Tuesday with a beverage…

here is one I sampled with the neighbors one Saturday afternoon while watching some college football.

T stands for Tuesday
What are you doing today?

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T Tuesday: preserving the harvest edition

Despite the lingering snow, late season canning and preserving is still happening around here.

In addition to our garden, we purchased a farm share or CSA again this season. However, it was through a different farm than we had used in the past. Unfortunately the CSA we used wasn’t the best. Even though it was disappointing, I was able to do quite a bit of canning. One of the main reasons was lack of variety. The standard family cannot eat a dozen jalapeno peppers in a week. But a large amount is good for canning as well as jams and sauces.  So thankfully it wasn’t a complete waste of money.

I’m also drying some herbs right in the kitchen. In the past I hung them in the storage room but that area is honestly a little chaotic right now. I just used some bread twist ties to attached to the hanging fruit basket…ta-da. Once the herbs are good and dry, I’ll remove them from the stems and store in jars.

I thought I’d share this book I finally purchased from my Amazon wish list. It’s been on the list for a couple years. I’m thrilled with all the recipes and ideas its gives me for items I had never even thought about. 

My mom had always canned quarts of whole tomatoes when I was a kid…so of course when I started gardening I did the same. Turns out my family doesn’t care for the recipes in which she used those canned tomatoes. So for years I’d mainly used our garden for fresh, eat it now veggies and hadn’t given much thought to preservation.  Over the past 5 or so years my thoughts and interest has changed on gardening. It’s not just a fresh veggie patch, its food and seasonings for the coming year. Back to those “old-timey” skills. 

My school life continues to consume most of my energy. The weekends are spent catching up on household chores. Perhaps as winter settles in and the outdoor chores are at a minimum, I will regain some creative momentum.

I keep making lists of things I want to try, ideas for projects, etc. I just need the time and energy to align.

T stands for Tuesday
What are you doing today?

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T Tuesday: another two weeks edition

It appears that this is how things may be for a while…slow to update…such is life these days. Time keeps ticking away and I’m finding less and less time to be creative. So many fall projects to tackle before its too late.

I’m scrounging for canning lids as I keep getting more green beans. What do you think of my carrots? LOL  I had to pull them up because the squirrels were trying to do it for me.

I also have a couple other canning projects I’d like to try but I either need more regular lids or more wide mouth jars…neither of which I can find anywhere.

I did can some bloody Mary mix and somewhat appropriate sized containers.  It is a homemade, never be able to reproduce since I didn’t measure anything, type of mix. Hopefully its not the best ever. (Please excuse the poor photography and chaotic pantry.)

School is going well. We all seem to be finding a rhythm…although I really should not have said that since I’m likely jinxing myself.

One crafty thing that I actually completed during the past week was this paper garland. Our resource room is tiny…white cinder block walls with 6 doors but no windows…I can’t even make that up. It was originally a storage space of band instruments almost half a century ago.

I really want to dress it up a bit without spending money since we certainly don’t have a budget. I’m hoping that between the 4 of us that current use the space throughout the day, we can make it a like happier. Brighter. A place the kids actually want to come for extra help without being distracted or over-stimulated.

Last week, (I think…it’s a blur) we had some really interesting sunrise and sunsets. A high veil of smoke gave the sky a sort of post-apocalyptic look.

I’ve been suffering with a sore hip or sciatica this past week. Its so frustrating! Hurts to do anything for any length of time. Whether its sitting, standing, walking or laying…it all hurts. I’m sure it came about from my abrupt change in activity when I returned to work. I’d been used to walking 2-3 miles most mornings then puttering around the house and garden. Being barefoot on soft surfaces. Nothing like life now. More sitting, hard floors, shoes, standing, leaning over. When I spell it all out like that, it makes complete sense but it doesn’t make the pain any less.

I did get out for a walk Sunday morning. The trees are so beautiful. There was a slight crisp in the air. I love this time of year. Jeans and hoodies…my perfect outfit.

I’ve made a few more masks as well. I decided when this is all over I’m going to cut apart all the masks I’ve made and make a COVID quilt.

I have done a bit of art journaling as well….this is a current WIP. Of course this was what I should have been doing…but since I cleaned up my space it just had to be done.

As many of you know my art space is in the laundry/utility room. My crafty chaos tends to overflow my actual space and I end up putting things on the washer and drier.

But look…they are clean. Unfortunately there is a really lame reason for my sudden cleanup. The rubber gasket that keeps the water from leaking out the door of my front load washer ripped. Mr. G ordered a new gasket but the washing machine has to be taken half apart of replace the it. While waiting for that part Mr. G came across a video showing a potential hack to “rebuild the gasket with roofing sealant. We are giving it a go since…if it fails…we are right back where we started. I’ll update you next week as it takes a couple days of cure time.

I’m so thankful that he is able to tackle these projects. In the meantime, I had to clean and make a trip to the laundromat.

It’s certainly not perfect but trust me…much better. I tend to end up creating in a one foot square space. So dumb but I can’t seem to break myself of the habit.

This is also madness. All of the scrap papers I had laying about. Ok truth be told…half of this was in the bin to start but seriously. I have a problem.

T stands for Tuesday
What are you doing today?

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T Tuesday: two weeks edition

Today for T stands for Tuesday I’m checking in with a recap of the past two weeks.  It’s been quite an interesting ride filled with many emotions.

Starting with a big positive…I did a bit more canning since I discovered I had enough lids. Those lids are like gold this season…who knew?!?

I canned 5 pints of my usual spicy beans and 2 pints using dried ghost peppers from the neighbor. I also made 9 half-pints of jalapeno jam. Truth be told …its more of a sauce since I didn’t have pectin. I used unflavored gelatin to thicken the jam. But honestly that’s ok since we usually use this as more of a sauce anyway. I pour it over brie cheese as an appetizer served with crackers.

My late season garden is doing very well all things considered. The tomatoes have been pulled up. The second planting of beans are thriving. My second planting zucchini was destroyed by a massive midnight hail storm we had about 10 days ago.

The following morning we saw the destruction.

So many leaves stripped from the trees. Thankfully this was more of a nuisance than actual damage.

 

I started back to school last Tuesday. It’s so weird. So different. It feels like a dystopian novel but in real life. That being said there are things I love, as well as things that make me sad, and things that I think we could definitely learn from and adapt into regular school days when we finally return to that some day.

It makes me sad how the kids almost seem shell-shocked…they aren’t talking to each other. They are assigned to seats, have masks and little choice. This was more how I grew up but definitely not how kids these days are accustomed to living.  I don’t think this is an all bad thing. I feel that over time this will actually benefit them…they will have to learn to talk to others…people they otherwise would not have interacted with.

I love that the classes are quiet. Teachers not fighting for control and respect. The hallways are being used as actual passageways between class periods. There are not kids roaming the halls for no reason and purpose. Without lockers being used, the kids have everything with them so no need to go get the forgotten items in the locker which most often was an excuse to leave class. Longer passing times gives kids a chance to use the restroom…again not leaving class.

I feel that the change in the learning environment is a positive one and the kiddos are going to learn a ton without distraction. Hopefully the school system will learn a little something as well from this online/hybrid/in-person flip flop crazy pandemic learning environment.

All that said…it was a good week. A long week. An exhausting week…more mentally than physically. Although I had forgotten how different it is to stand and walk on the more forgiving surfaces around home than the hard school floors. “ugh..my aching back”

I stole this meme from the school secretary in our end of week email. It’s so, so true. I slept so hard but had super bizarre dreams all week. LOL

I am still creating when I can. Art is an outlet…my therapy. I’m enjoying working in my art journals. I still need to get a bit of sewing done. Little by little…I’m ticking things off my to-do and want to-do list.

T stands for Tuesday
What are you doing today?

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T Tuesday: not a food blog edition

This post may make you think twice if you’ve arrived at the right place. It’s centered around food. Growing, eating, drinking, and baking with a little artsy-crafty splash thrown in just so you remember where you are.

This is my new favorite breakfast. Blueberry Oatmeal Bake. I found the recipe on Pinterest…where else?!  I modified things slightly to fit the ingredients that I had plus I don’t like using artificial sweeteners.

Check out this kohlrabi I got in our CSA box! Crazy!! I haven’t cut it open yet…I’m thinking today. I set it next to the loaf of bread we got as well with our farm share this week. I love it when they do community partnerships.

Between the beans from the CSA and my garden I needed to can some more spicy beans. I mixed up a double batch of the brine since I had so many. Not wanting to pour it down the sink, I grabbed some random veggies to try in a jar with some extra spices since I wasn’t including a jalapeno. Time will tell if we enjoy them or not.

Speaking of the garden…the high heat and humidity have done a number on the garden. The beans and squash have quit producing and of course you know about my deer chomped tomatoes. I was watching a youtube video about harvesting potatoes and the gardener mentioned doing a second planting of some of the quick turn around crops that stop production in the heat. Hmm…sounds exactly like what’s happening here. He said to look up the first frost date and count backwards from there to see if there is enough time. Our first frost date is Oct. 2nd so I have time!! I’ll let you know next week what I decided upon.

Since we’re talking about outdoor things…look at these lovely lilies my neighbor so generously lets me pick.  She had some other colors but those must be a little tastier to the deer…they beat me to them. My tiger lilies should be blooming this week…if the deer don’t get them first. Darn deer!!

With the heat and humidity I’ve been drinking tons of water. That gets boring sometimes so need to mix it up. My new favorite is club soda with a squeeze of lime or lemon. So refreshing.

All my walking is doing something that I hadn’t really noticed until I put on a shirt I hadn’t worn since my birthday.

I’ve lost 12 lbs. Both my walking and staying away from things such as those in the birthday basket I received. I want to keep this momentum going. Wish me luck!

On Saturday our state wide mask order went into effect for all indoor public spaces…its about time if you ask me.

I started making more masks. J will need a bunch at college. Mini-me will be doing her classes at home for her college courses. We find out later this week what the fate of K-12 school will be.

Are you still with me…I think we’ve finally arrived at the artsy part.

I’m not in love with this page as a whole. But I do love some of the little details.

The textures….

The colors…

And the message.

Today has me replanting in the garden, sewing and stupid household chores.

T stands for Tuesday
What are you doing today?

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T Tuesday: full ADD happening edition

Wowsers! My ADD is in full gear. I want to try everything. So many irons in the fire but not much getting fully finished. Its a self-diagnosed condition and I am not making light of those who struggle with the medically diagnosed form. I’m with ya…I get it!

Where or where to start….

These seem like the perfect way to begin to explain how my ADD is working these days.

I pulled out my sewing box looking for a needle and button thread to reattach a button on J’s shorts. Yes, this would have been the optimal time to teach him this skill but I didn’t think of that until I was done. Perhaps I’ll have to snip a few threads on another one. *insert evil laugh*

Anyway…I noticed a few completed yoyos and several circles ready to sew. Of course, I dive full in and begin sorting through my scraps for pieces big enough to cut circles, then sit down and sew all these. I decided to exhibit a bit of self-control and actually began to tackle my to-do list.

I canned my spicy beans…although 2 jars never properly sealed so those are in the fridge for immediate consumption.

I also made Kimchi for the first time. You can see that I sampled quite a bit from one jar before thinking to document. It is so good! I sort of cobbled together a few recipes since I didn’t have the exact ingredients for any of them. I wasn’t sure if it would taste as good as the local brands I picked up at the co-op but it did! Now I have my fingers crossed that we get another Napa cabbage in our farm share box this week.

Sticking with the food theme…

The summer squash is beginning to ripen, We really enjoy these grilled. I use the grill as much as possible to cook with during the summer. No use heating up the house if at all possible not to.

I came home from my walk yesterday to find this…looks ok since you didn’t see it before. The deer ate a good 1/4 of the plant leaves and stems in addition to EVERY SINGLE tomato on the vine. There had to have been at least 15 maybe closer to 20 tomatoes in various stages of ripening. UGH!!!!!!!

Moving on…no use crying about what is already done.

My walk yesterday morning took me to the lake where I would take the kids swimming when they were little.

The water was so calm. Even the boat launch made for a pretty scene.

The rental craft are always a pretty picture but I was honestly very surprised that they are renting them during the pandemic. HMM…

This week after much deliberation, I decided to reopen my Etsy store. Mini-me said that she’d help me in exchange for a sales commission. I think that is fair and savvy on her part.

I have only gotten a few cards listed so far but its a work in progress.

More works in progress are masks for the family. J will need a bunch for school. They are required to wear them on campus while outside of their rooms. The dining center and any classrooms that require other protective gear are the exceptions. Mini-me will also need more if she will be attending community college as part of the PSEO (post-secondary enrollment option) program. She’s been accepted but her counselor quit two weeks ago. We’re kind of stuck at the moment. She may be starting her senior year at high school then transition to the college classes…who knows?!?!

Too soon? LOL I indulged in a cold beer over the weekend in my Corona glass.

Today I’m attempting to get some of the chores I really don’t like doing so that I can do a few fun crafty things I’ve been wanting to try. I’m dangling the carrot for myself…we’ll see if it works or not.

T stands for Tuesday
What are you doing today?

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T Tuesday: homework edition

Once again I missed last Tuesday linkup with T stands for Tuesday. Typically I write then post immediately on Monday evening since we have so many folk are at least 6 hrs ahead of me. Last Monday I spent canning and baking since it was slightly cooler in temp.

yummy goodness from the garden and CSA

Check out these super long beans from the CSA

I borrowed the tall jars from my neighbor and gave her one of the finished as payment. These beans will be awesome garnish for Bloody Mary’s.

By the time the evening came about I wasn’t feeling particularly motivated to write. Fast forward to Tuesday morning I realized since Mini-me had to be to work early I could stop by and see my old knitting group. The group is very small now, in fact there were only two gals there that day. It was nice to get caught up on all the news anyway.

When I returned home I tackled a project that has been on the todo list for well over a year. We had a new front door installed by a friend and we told him we’d take care of the painting and trimming of said door. I stained all the wood of the jams of the door and when it was finished it looked really weird without trim covering it.

So I tackled the job that Mr. G had been dreading. I learned a few things from working with my dad as a kid so I was up to the task. While I was still working, I heard a car door slam outside . Mr. G had come home for lunch. I had wanted to surprise him with my handiwork complete. I’m pretty proud of my work. Mr. G was so glad it was done. He joked with me that if he’d know I could do that he’d have encouraged me to do it long ago.

Later that afternoon on the way home from picking up Mini-me we noticed the license plate in front of us. 

It was from Honduras! Over 3100 miles from home. Crazy!!!

I’ve been busy with many other things such as finishing an art journal, collecting and packing stuff for J to take to college in two weeks, eco dye papers and completely smashing my phone. Yep that was an expensive day. Thankfully I’ve got a new one and seem to have everything restored to my liking.

T stands for Tuesday

What are you doing today?

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