A Bit of Stocking Up ~ A Good - Dirty Apron Week

(before sauce reduced to half)

It's been a canner-ganza week.  I'm thankful for that too, and we haven't checked our pears yet (no apples or plums this year again). 

Homemaking goes to a new level when you homestead as well.  It's not just cleaning, tidying up, dusting, paying bills, vacuuming, sweeping, purging, baking, cooking, washing dishes, getting kids to appointments and off to school.....it's hard work.  My kids hate me this time of year, ha ha!  Literally.  Deep down, I know they appreciate it.

I'm looking forward to a huge crock pot of delicious chili soon.  All these tomatoes are making me hungry.

Got coffee?  Tea?  Adult beverage (ha ha!) 
You may need one to sip while you read through today's post.  Sorry for the length.  Like I said - a busy kitchen week.



I used about 23 pounds of those delicious tomatoes, to can up some seasoned tomato sauce (recipe is in the Ball Blue Book).

I used pint jars this time.  Smaller meal planning.

I had those hot banana peppers that were looking so good...

First day of School ~ Ketchup/dirty apron day ~ Quinoa

First off today, it's the first day of school and this Mom didn't wake up until 9am.  I feel so awful.  I had a busy day yesterday, but Grad Daughter was up and took my traditional bus leaving the house photos.  Her bus picks up at 7:04am this year, and normally I am up.

I woke up to an almost empty coffee pot and then realized I missed her getting on the bus.  I feel terrible.  Oye.  Oh so terrible.  At least Hubby already had coffee made, and I already had breakfast made.  That should have helped ease her morning.

Yesterday, my day started with chopping up and coring 10-11 pounds of tomatoes.  Our tomato year is poor this year. they are much smaller and we have very little compared to last year.

Zucchini - Tomato Frittata

Every few days I have been making a crock pot of steel cut oats, so Hubby can take his breakfast to work (or we enjoy it after the gym, and before he leaves for work).  

 

The frittatas, and other dishes fill up the remainder days.  I made a zucchini- tomato frittata recently.  The roadside produce stand still had some

Crushed Tomatoes ~ Goodbye Tomato Plants

Saturday was pretty productive.  I boiled and ice bathed the last 11# of tomatoes I picked on Friday.  Yes, there were more, even after I let the hens at 'em.  Grand total of tomatoes has moved up to 511#!

I got 8 1/2 pints of crushed tomatoes canned.  Not bad for the last bit of tomatoes.  Ripe ones anyway. 

While the canner boiled, I started washing down the kitchen cupboards.  The fall cleaning has started.

What to do with all those tomatoes?

I faced another 8# of ripe tomatoes yesterday, and will be today.  In fact, I told Hubby dinner will be very late.  I'm on a mission to put up all of my ripe tomatoes.  Ha!  

I took time, after the tomatoes were all boiled and ice bathed, and draining, to eat breakfast on the porch.  It was nice to get some Vitamin D.  Then it was back to the sink and stove.  By the way, that was leftover sweet potato/black bean frittata (Mmmm!)

500.8 pounds of tomatoes this year!

I made one last visit to the tomatoes.  I promised myself to not even think about getting more harvested, and just pull the darn plants.  I put the last of the grape tomatoes into the dehydrator, and pulled some green tomatoes.  Even the green tomatoes are starting to look bad, so I'm ready to get them pulled.  I pulled one plant and stake today.  It's a measly start on 100-some plants, ha ha!  The grand total of our tomato harvest, as of yesterday, was 500.8#!

I told the kids I'll not do that again.  They all laughed at me.

More Tomatoes. . .

We opened a jar of Cowboy Candy.  Wow! Even I liked it, but you have to like hot peppers to enjoy it.  We tasted it with organic cream cheese and a cracker, but they would be delicious topped on a burger of sorts too.  Hubby topped his chicken with homemade BBQ sauce with them too. 

In one last trip to get a few more items for the homecoming attire, we stopped and picked up 10# of organic beef, and one (almost) 12 lb. organic turkey.  That pretty much emptied the pocket book.

Hubby and I enjoyed a picnic in the park after his second doctor appointment, and was due to return to work today, so we played hookie all weekend.

...which meant I did not go into the garden one iota.    

And this happened.

Been a bit busy....

We woke up to thick fog Monday morning.  School was delayed 2 hours, then eventually closed.  As I took the dogs out, it started to rain.  Urghhh.  Rain.  Like we need anymore. 

 Tuesday the fog was bad again - another school delay.
 

However, some lovely green peppers were stuffed and

The Recovery

While Hubby took a nap, I took a little walk out to the tomatoes and fall green beans to check on them.  And the remaining cauliflower (which looks great due to some recent rain).

I ended up coming in for a basket, and picked 21# of tomatoes.  That brings the grand tally to 365.39# this season.  

However, in all that picking, the wind was wicked, and I lost one of my favorite earrings that I don't wear that often (it was a special occasion to wear them for Hubby's ride home).  It was a wake up call to me.  I think I lost it in the tomatoes somewhere.

I should not have gone to the garden.

Tomatoes, Oh Joy Tomatoes! ~ Tidbits

Tomato-Herb Jam.  I just couldn't help myself.  I had just enough ripe tomatoes to make this, so I did.  It's a first time recipe.  Another BHG recipe.

Unlike tomato-basil jam, it uses zero pectin, and simply sugar.  It's more of a sauce than a jam.  They call it "adult ketchup" because you use a bit of pinot grigio to make it.  Now I have this opened bottle of pinot that is chilling for dinner.

De-Program? Ha!

I brought in another 21.11# of tomatoes on Thursday.  Our whopping tomato tally reached 304.33# (so far this season).

I didn't have enough to can a 1/2 batch of tomato sauce, so I decided to use a portion of them to try that new BBQ sauce I wanted to try. The recipe is from Better Homes and Garden's and they have the recipe online.  

The trick I have been using to check the reduction amount, is to first measure with the handle of a wooden spoon.  I tie on a twist tie, and wipe it clean.  Each time I measure I can quickly see where I am in the process.  By the way, this recipe tastes so much better than Ball's recipe I canned two years ago.  We love it.  Next batch will be a double batch.
 
In between all that, I got greens in the freezer, but I'm falling behind.  The yellow straight neck squash is piling up.  The cauliflower is just now producing as well.  The swiss chard is going bananas, and I cannot squeeze more time into my day.  The fall prep list is growing.  It's growing so fast, it's burying the big "to-do" list. 

Tomato Paste ~ Canned

A few have asked for me to share the recipe I use for canning tomato paste.  Here you are:

Barbecue Sauce ~ Gutting the Garden

The first year I canned BBQ sauce was 2 years ago when we had a bumper tomato crop.  It was the ball canning recipe.

We did not like the taste.  Just something about it.

Then, I came across Grit magazines homemade BBQ sauce, made from ketchup (we used home canned), pure maple syrup, dry mustard, black pepper, and cider vinegar.  It's not canned, but I was so excited to find it, because I wouldn't have to can it (just the ketchup).

So, while ketchup was reducing to can, I put a pot on another burner and whipped up a batch.

Monday Crazy is Back

I started out Monday with Hubby waking me up, "Hun, did you thaw tortillas?"

"Oh poo, I forgot."

I got up anyway, and charged slowly scooted my feet to the kitchen.  I weighed out tomatoes for delicious taco sauce.  I've been canning this for a few years and we love the taste of it.  One year we canned BBQ sauce (Ball recipe) and did not like the taste.  I still have one jar of it left.

Anyway, it was a maddening Monday for sure.  While the taco sauce reduced, I had to get pork chops in the crock pot for dinner.  In between those two jobs, I did my usual exercise (reluctantly).

(before the chili powder, dandelions and eggs were added)

Then it was breakfast time - Sweet Potato Breakfast Burritos.  I had to run out to pick bell peppers to make it, so I went ahead and grabbed my tomato baskets and went to the garden.  The recipe is online with Clean Eating - absolutely delicious!  I ate it without cheese and loved it.  I used dandelions vs. spinach as well.  It was just what I had more of in the freezer.

More Tomatoes ~ Oh my!

Ketchup requires 10 pounds of tomatoes - 3 batches made.  More to make later I hope.

I've been successful at getting the tomatoes cut and cooked down before the sun rises, but not through the sauce maker.  Early is best when canning with sauce anything.  This was a double batch of tomato paste (20 pounds).  That is one of my smaller sauce pans - 8 inches tall, and 10 inches in diameter.  That is what it looks like before it becomes.....

Garlic, Fresh Tomatoes and Green onions

Easy Layered Dip
1 - 8 oz. cream cheese
2 cloves of garlic minced
1-2 Roma tomatoes (or your choice) chopped
Green onions, snipped
Mozzarella cheese, finely shredded

Set cream cheese out to soften.  Once soft, cream it with the minced garlic.  Spread it onto a serving plate (I use a regular dinner plate).  Top it with chopped tomatoes, and green onions.  Add shredded cheese to cover, to your taste.

Refrigerate for several hours for the garlic and cream cheese to infuse flavors.  Serve with crackers of your choice, and set the dip out for a few minutes to soften again (or it will be difficult to "dip" your crackers).

Ketchup, Pizza Sauce ~ Tomato Explosion

Every day the tomatoes are being brought in now.  I am canning daily, and exhausted (but have zero problems with falling asleep).  The sauce maker is in full swing.

Ketchup takes 10 pounds of paste tomatoes.  One batch made so far.  Pizza sauce requires 25 pounds.  One batch made so far.  The table is covered with more tomatoes.  I am thrilled for such a good harvest, but my posts will be short this week, ha ha!  As of yesterday, we have brought in 120 pounds of tomatoes.  Some canned, some frozen, and some eaten.  There are more to can yet today, but dishes must be tackled first.  The "guts" from all the sauce making is being fed to my chickens.  The goats will eat a few bites, but they are still young.

He Provides

This week has been super productive, and I got another batch of sweet pickle relish canned.  I actually froze beets (first time to get any in my freezer). I'm in the kitchen again today.

You would not believe this.

Preparing for Flu Season and other Tidbits

Two weeks ago, I placed dried elderberries and raw honey in a canning jar.  I let it sit in a warm location to infuse.  

 The result?  

Random Tidbits

(tomatoes heating for freezing tomato juice)

(ketchup reducing)

Yesterday while more ketchup was reducing on the stove, and in another pot I was heating tomatoes for tomato juice, I took my lunch to the porch.  It was kind of my "five minutes" to myself part of the day.
 
I picked more green and red bell peppers, and wandered around checking the tomatoes.  There are more green ones on the larger tomato plants yet.