Canning it Up

I canned more pints of pizza sauce.  There was no voting on what to can, considering we had just made pizzas the night before.  I'm exhausted this morning.  I was sealing jars way past 7pm, and still had laundry that needed to come off the line.  On a Sunday no less. 

After getting the laundry down. . .

Home Preserving ~ Tomato Paste

Yesterday, after laundry was on the line, I decided to start with 20 lbs. of paste tomatoes, a few bay leaves and followed the instructions in Keeping the Harvest, by Nancy Chioffi and Gretchen Mead.  

Tomato Explosion ~ Goat's Drying up

Okay, so I played around all day in my home, decluttering, creating new piles to file at my computer, and just getting some overdue cleaning done, when I realized I forgot to pick the tomatoes.

With rain in the forecast (which as of this morning we still have not gotten), and well overdue, I decided to seek help from a kiddo.  My 15 year-old and I gathered tomatoes. 

Tomatos and More Tomatoes

Yesterday's to-list was all completed.  Every day now is different.  Warning:  this is a get-your-cup-of-coffee (or tea) and sit a while post.  It may be my longest yet.  I brought more tomatoes in yesterday too.

Waking up before the sunrise, the barn cat's food and water is checked on my to the kitchen, and then the house cats.  If I don't they will be under my feet when I try to make my morning coffee.  I let a few dogs to let out too.

Coffee made.  A must for my early rise......

Homesteading Tidbits ~ Canning Potatoes

Although I  took Saturday off, yesterday I was busy with preserving (again).  The tomatoes are once again back in the kitchen.  As soon as I free up table space, I fill it back up.

Yesterday, Hubby and two girls went out to pick tomatoes, while I worked on another batch of canned tomato sauce.

Once I had that reducing, I went outside, but did not have intentions of sweating through my clothes again.   I did.  I ended up helping Hubby dig up one entire row (long rows this year) of potatoes.  I think we ended up with maybe 30 pounds.  Less than expected (should have gotten 3 x that amount), but still a good amount.

They're Back. . . .

"They were all gone, and now they're back," said my 17 year-old daughter looking around the kitchen.

"Uh, yeah," I sighed. 

The "How to" on Home Canned Ketchup

This is how I make my ketchup.  

I do not peel my tomatoes because I use a sauce maker (you could also use a food mill).  Wash, trim and slice up 10 pounds of paste tomatoes.  I simply cut my paste tomatoes in 4th's and toss them in the pot.

Kitchen Madness

We finally got some rain.  It's back to humid and hot.  

I've been busy in the kitchen - freezing green peppers, jalapenos, more green beans, some tomatoes, and cauliflower.  Our popcorn is on, and looks pretty promising (although small), but my watermelon is questionable.

What else have I been up to?

Salsa Tasting

Okay, I lied about letting the zucchini salsa sit.  We popped open a jar already.  Now, I did pretty much follow the recipe, but I diced up 2 jalapenos and 2 hot banana peppers and added them (to the marinade early on). 

If you like medium to hot salsa, definitely add some hot peppers.  We loved this salsa.  It's very thick, so I think I can safely leave the corn starch out next batch (if I get enough zucchini to make it again).  I drained the veggies very well and I also drained my roma tomatoes after I chopped them up, before boiling everything.

Mullein ~ Garage Cleaning ~ Hanky Dish/Drink Cover

The mullein leaves I ordered have arrived.  I mixed up a tea with dried spearmint leaves and a bit of honey.    I downed a cup immediately after it arrived yesterday.  Not too bad either.

Once I have a few more days of the tea, I'll let you know if it worked.   Also, the tea was shipped in a clear plastic zip bag, so now I am on the hunt for tins or amber glass containers to store it in.

Windy Weekend ~ Layered Dip ~ Goat Gone Wild

Saturday the weather was so nice, but a bit windy.  In reality, the wind was a good thing - drying up the wet ground.  Sunday was windy and in the upper 70's.  Tuesday we will dip down to a high of 40°F.  Today is is raining and everything is wet again.  The weather is playing games with my allergies, but I am dealing with it.

Spinach Sausage Pizza ~ Hunting for Tomatoes

It's that time of year again, where I weed out the garden, and get it tilled for next year.  The weeds, due to neglect (I guess I was a bit depressed to even care for it after the weather flooded it out), have grown to 4-5 feet out there.  What a mess.

Interesting Books

It's a Long Road to a Tomato, by Keith Stewart

This book is full of essays, about a man who quit his job to become a farmer.  Very interesting to read.  He even kept track of the types of birds he found on his farm (and listed them in this book).

Tomatoland by Barry Estabrook

According to author Barry Estrabrook, many of our out-of- season tomatoes come from Florida.  I found this book extremely interesting.  The author points out that tomatoes are "picked green" and "artificially gassed with ethylene in warehouses until they acquire the rosy-red skin tones of a ripe tomato."  

This author writes a very important book regarding how are foods are not the same as they were back in the 1960's.  For example, he states that our commercial, store purchased tomatoes contain "fourteen times as much sodium" today as they did back in the 60's.  

If you are getting tired of those tomatoes in your garden, be sure to read this book.  You won't complain about growing them, nor stocking up on them anymore.  If you are not growing your own organic tomatoes (or any other food/meat), you will want to, after reading this book.


Here's another fun one I found at the library - 

Cooking Up a Storm,

Edited by Ken and Janice Tate

This book even has a section for Biblical baking recipes.  If you are looking for old-time recipes and fun reading, you'll really enjoy this book.

And one more to share:

I have found that Mary T. Bell's books are great for recipes and information on using my dehydrator.  This book even has pet treat recipes.  Pet treats, if you buy natural ones, are very expensive.  Guess what I'll be making soon?  Yep.  Why not, it's on the journey to self-sufficiency. 

P.S. If you are wondering when I found time to read, I read in between water bathing jars.  Tomato sauce takes 40 minutes to boil seal.  I have to steal free time where I can these days.