Bilberries ~ Eye Tea, Tincture, Vinegar, and Syrup

The older I get the more research I have been doing on all sorts of fruits and vegetables, in relation to a healthy body, good eyesight, fighting off illness and diseases, and so forth.

I originally started researching bilberries due to the amount of goodness it can do for your eyes and veins (varicosities). 

A few years back, when I was looking at all sorts of herbal tea infusions, I found one for "eye health" and have a jar in my pantry all year long.  I still felt it wasn't enough of the bilberry, so I started doing more.

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:

Tidbits

Oh my gosh!

Mom found these on clearance and texted me if I wanted one.  When I said yes, I had no idea she found two.

And!!!

Can you believe these are solar?  Adorable!!

Last night Hubby and I played a joke on our 17 year-old.  Her homecoming dress arrived and she left it on the kitchen table as she went out the door for driver's ed.  She had tried it on, loved it, pranced around with it on etc.  I told her to put it away or the dogs would chew it up.  She left it sit, so Hubby and I tore up the bag, tore shreds from an old t-shirt of the same color, and left it on the floor by the table.  When she got home, I filmed her approaching the table as King looked down on the shredded mess.  She said a few words of panic, and slowly picked it up.  Oh, my gosh, funniest thing we ever did to a kid I think.  We all got a good laugh before going to bed.

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.

Slower Sunday

Today, I started the day much more relaxed. I will try not to think about tomatoes until tomorrow.

Yesterday was a madwoman shopping day.  We needed chicken feed, coffee, toilet paper....necessary items.  I got my car an oil change (saving Hubby the work).  Also, we took too long to get our 17 year-old her driver's education classes, so we had to get her a new permit.   I was whipped at the end of unloading and putting everything away.  Today, we deserved to relax.  Hubby worked overtime this weekend too.

Hubby and I took our coffee to the front porch, and watched the sunrise for the first time this fall.  In fact, I can't remember watching it this summer, we were so busy.  Today, we enjoyed it. One kiddo even joined us.

I can hear the ragweed growing out in my vegetable garden, but today I will not listen.  Today, I will relax.  I keep repeating it in hopes I'll listen to myself, ha ha!