From Mid July until late October my steam canner, pressure canner and boxes of canning jars become permanent fixtures sitting in their boxes on the floor in my kitchen. It seems they are in uses a number of days away during that time. But I can and freeze year round not just while the garden is going. I love to cook and still do everything in big batches as I did when my family was growing up even though there is now only me and my brother that I am the caregiver for.
Hear are a few of the times that made their way into jars this week.
I am still canning tomatoes. Did a couple of batches this week.
My lonely 2 pints of cannelloni beans. Hope to do better next year but did get enough dried for my seed for next year.
One of my favorite tools. The Squeezo. At the end of the tomato season I use the scrubs to make tomato juice. The gadget makes it so easy. No peeling, coring, just cut them up and cook them down.
This pot was full before cooking.
This is after my buddy the squeezo
Total waste from the pot of tomatoes
Final product
Finally braved the task and got 2 pints of pickled Hungarian Wax Peppers. Since I am allergic to the oils in hot peppers it takes me a while to get my courage up to do them. Took a benedryl then dropped the peppers into boiling water for just a minute and came through the process without the throat swelling shut.
Also had a chicken to stew up for dinner the other night so made stock from it at the same time. Canned two quarts of the stock for later use and made creamy chicken soup with one quart.
Creamy Chicken Soup
1 quart of Chicken stock
1 Carrot diced
1 Potato diced
2 Stalks of Celery Diced
1 Small Onion Diced
1 Pint Canned Tomatoes
1/2 Cup Condensed Cream Soup Mix Cream of Condensed Soup Mix
Cook soup until vegetables are tender. In a bowl add enough water to Soup Mix to make a slurry then slowly stir into the soup. Allow it to come to a boil and thicken.
(Note I do not add the Chicken Bouillon to the mix when I make it)
Happy cooking.
Boy, your Squeezo does a great job! I wish that I had one of those or one like Laura has at Our Modern Victory Garden. Maybe Santa will bring me one!
ReplyDeleteI'd be afraid to do those peppers too! I hope that you wore gloves!
The Creamy Chicken Soup sounds good. I have never made a creamy style only Chicken Noodle. This recipe will come in handy during the cold winter months!
Belle would love that Squeezo. It has that nice and big trough. I bet the mess isn't bad.
ReplyDeleteRobin both gadgets are about the same but I see the roma strainer has a much friendlier price tag. My was old when it was given to me about 25-30 years ago.
ReplyDeleteI don't even know why I grow hot peppers since they bother me so. DH used to take care of them and I would just leave the house.
Jody check out the Roma strainer also. There is no mess at all and quick. Only problem I have is I a height challenged and have to stand on the first step of a step stool to use it comfortably.
Great post Wilderness. One question: there's no chicken in your chicken soup?
ReplyDeleteMarcia, I guess I should put that under my frugal category. I call it chicken since it is made with homemade chicken stock. You could definitely put cooked chicken in it. Many of the soup I make for lunches don't have meat in them just done with the stock I make from left over bones. It is a rich stock and you get the chicken flavor in it.
ReplyDeleteI also make supper soups that are filled with meat.
That's a lot of canning, I like the idea of wood block on top of kitchen counter for the strainer clamp.
ReplyDeleteMac that is the butcher block off an old dishwasher. My DH was a pack rat and kept everything. Glad he did this time. When we built this house it fit on the counter perfectly and my stove is just to the right of it so I us it almost daily for cutting. Also the counter tops are granite and wouldn't want to clamp anything to them.
ReplyDeleteNext week I will give a complete tally of what I have canned so far this season.
Love your Squeezo as it is like my Roma Strainer but is made all from metal which I think would be much more durable in the long run.
ReplyDeleteGood work on the preserving this week.
oooooo--I have Squeezo envy! I think I need one of those! It would make tomato juice so easy! Nice work!
ReplyDeleteDorothy, I wouldn't own one if it hadn't been given to me second had many years ago. The price is unbelievable. The Roma Strainer is not made of metal but is much less expensive and does the same job.
ReplyDeleteKeep a close watch on that pepper allergy. Mine morphed into a truly dangerous allergy to every member of the nightshade family. No mote tomatoes! The sadness!!!!
ReplyDelete