Happy Homemaker Monday

 Woke up Saturday to 42° (feels like 39°F).  I knew it was coming, but man I was not ready.  I do know that it's just for a short time though.  It'll warm up again.  However, we canceled the one and only last camping trip we had booked.  Way to cold to be camping in a pop up (even with a few small heaters in there).

Instead we went on 2 motorcycle rides.  I gifted a hand crocheted blanket to our friend's daughter who had a baby shower over the weekend.  

Keeping my to-do list here to stay on top of things today:

-can hot pepper jelly

-dinner in the crocky (turkey meatballs, chili sauce)

-label more canned jars and put in pantry

-write up grocery list

-laundry

-refill paprika

-vacuum

-check emails

-get a crochet set up for sale

-there's more but can't think of it until I walk by it or remember

This is probably the most boring homemaker post you'll see.  Just a lot going on here emotionally and physically.

Today I'm joining Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom.

The weather . . .

73°F/43°F

How I am feeling . . .

Tired.

On my mind . . .

My youngest daughter.

On the breakfast plate . . .

Coffee.

On my reading pile . . .

Nothing.

On my TV . . .

Heart of Dixie

On the menu this week . . .

Have no idea.

From the camera . . .

I got nothing.  Sadly.

Looking around the house . . .

I still have tomatoes in my kitchen. 

New recipe I tried last week . . .

We tried a new baked green bell pepper "fry" recipe and it was delicious.  

To relax I will . . .

Crochet

Something I want to share . . .

Nothing.

On my prayer list . . .

Our youngest daughter, for this Covid to go away so life can resume to normal.

The Start of the End ~ Garden Season

 While another batch of tomato soup reduced, I got some cherry and other tomatoes put in the dehydrator.

I yanked all of the hot pepper plants yesterday.  Such a good feeling to get them out.  We ended up getting 21.47# of jalapenos this year, making 4 batches of cowboy candy and even selling some.

I also started yanking tomato plants.  What's worth saving is being brought in before the weekend.  It's gonna be pretty chilly Saturday morning.  Woke up to 46°F this morning.

I some how got beef stew made in the crock pot as well, and I got one bite.  Hubby had 2 bowls before he accidentally dropped all of it and he said it was the best he's ever had.  Sigh.  Wish I had gotten a bowl, but he was so mad I didn't say a thing.  I will have to make it again.

 

Jalapenos and other tidbits (new recipe tried)

The morning sunrise keeps reminding me winter is coming. It's moving direction way too fast.

The jalapenos are coming to an end.  I made a 4th batch of cowboy candy and I'm selling it.  We will not eat that much, but so thankful for having it for all my canning recipes, to put up in the freezer and use for meals.  I put more in the freezer for winter chili, baking, and other recipes (I use them a lot in my homemade breakfast meals).

Sage made it's way into the dehydrator and I started a tincture for winter.

Fresh Salsa.  Yum.

I took a look at the turnips.  Not large, but not small.  I thinned them out a bit and will leave them in as long as I can to hopefully have a good harvest.

Last night's dinner.  Chicken Tetrazzini (with a twist) using Jovial pasta, and baked bell pepper oven fries with homemade dip (the best ever, and I'm not a fan of panko).  The bell peppers were from the garden.  Recipe for the bell pepper fries can be found online with Delish. You dip in flour, then egg/water, then in panko/garlic/paprika etc.

I'll say it again.  I do NOT like the new blogger.  I'm too tired to figure new things out, and today I could not "revert" to the old blogger.  I am guessing that's why I don't see many posts from anyone anymore.  Maybe I'll post in the afternoons vs. my normal morning hour?  I dunno.  I'm up at 4:37am today.  Couldn't sleep, but have to make some tomatoes disappear.

Carrots, or lack there of....

I finally took a look-see at the carrots.  I managed to grow the world's smallest carrots in 5 months of watering.  Dang drought.  Oh well.  I can't leave them in the ground either.  They will never grow to size by Nov even if I left them in.  Sheesh.  We did get a chuckle out if though.  Our one daughter's rabbit will love to munch on some of these teeny tiny nibblets.

We've harvested 95 bell peppers so far this year.  The season for them is winding down.

We've harvested 19.47# of jalapenos so far this year.  They have done amazing this year.

Canning is in full swing

Big weather change here.

Canning is going daily lately.  I have to label all of this and put it in the pantry before I start chopping more tomatoes.  I brought in more.

The weather dipped to 45°F last night, so I brought in everything I could that was above ground.  The green bell peppers are about done.  I brought in 5 more bell peppers.  I have a few small ones on, but with the weather, they may not develop.  Hot peppers are on, but it's hard to tell how much more I'll get.

My life as I know it. 

Pizza Sauce and other tidbits

I got 25# of tomatoes off my tables, but went out and picked more, bringing 22.5# more back in.

Pizza sauce is restocked now.

Somehow, in all that work of canning, I put chili in the crock pot for dinner, but did not have the time or energy to make my delicious buttermilk cornbread.

I made this spread the other day, and haven't made it since we had dairy goats I think.  The recipe is on my blog:  Easy Layered Dip.

This was at our local area Meijer the other day.  I sent it to a friend who was looking for wide mouth quart jars.  They also had other sizes, but no lids.

My indoor rosemary plant got a new pot.  My cilantro did as well, but you don't a picture of that one.  I sort of neglected it, so hopefully, it will spring back having been re-potted for winter.

I haven't had any time to do handiwork.  Hopefully soon, as the garden is starting to slow down a bit.  I brought in another dozen bell peppers, another 2# of jalapenos, a few ounces of hot banana peppers as well.

Plantain Dehydrated and other randomness

It's been on the cold side here.  We will be a high of 69°F today.

Due to some last minute business I had to do in the afternoon yesterday, I could not can with tomatoes as planned.  I instead took a slower day and tackled other jobs.  I folded neglected towels, washed bedding, made homemade laundry detergent, refilled our homemade foaming hand soap and other stuff.

I went out and picked some plantain and dried it in the dehydrator.  It wasn't as much as I wanted, but it's been slim pickings with the drought.  The recent rain brought some up, and I wanted it done before the mowing resumed and colder weather gets here.  I will be infusing a plantain oil, which I will use later this winter to make a salve.

I got all those bell peppers put up.  I'll be picking a few more to try a new recipe I found.  Hopefully, I will have time one of these days to do it.

I haven't had time (or the space, with all the tomatoes in the kitchen) to make a good breakfast.  I am only getting small eggs, so I just tossed some veggies, herbs, etc. into a small baking pan.



How is everyone doing?  Well I hope.  The Governor is now doing covid testing on sewage in nearby towns and cities.  He also signed an order for setting up Fema camps (that part is true, as I read it).  There is talk that they are pushing kids to take extra supplies (emergency) to school, so if they get sick they can ship the kids off to these camps and take them away from the parents.  Not sure if that is true or not.  The college students are back.  Cases are rising with off campus students.  They are talking about another outbreak.  Now they are randomly testing students, so the testing just keeps going and going.  Also, if you have a procedure at the hospital, they test you before that as well.  Again, more testing.  Just a very scary world right now.

I have been talking to my husband about selling the house and moving.  We decided it was not a good idea right now.  Houses are selling like hot cakes right now in our area, however the buyers are paying higher than asking price to get a house.  There is a housing shortage, and even if we found one, we'd be paying a premium for it.  We also talked about the fact we have a septic and well, and with the way things are going, it'd be safer where we are.  Not sure what project we'll start first, but I have 3 on the "first list."  

Meanwhile, we are busy with the garden, and then there is wood to cut.  Mostly trying to stay home, but I do want to go camping before the season ends.