Audra's First Gymnastcs Class

Audra started a Tiny Tots gymnastics class 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quality time with the grand kids

Breakfast with my little honey

 

The babies get a bath

 

Nevaeh making cupcakes for Jeff's Birthday 

 

 

 

Canning Dill Pickles with cucumbers from our garden

 

We have a lot of pickling cucumbers in our garden so I'll be canning a lot of pickles in the coming weeks. The dill is also from our garden.

To start, get your canning jars sterilizing and start your pickling brine.  I use 2 quarts of water, one quart white vinegar (5% acidity), 1/2 cup kosher salt and 1/4 to 1/2 cup of sugar.  You may also omit the sugar entirely if you are diabetic or simply trying to avoid it. 

I like my pickles garlicky, so I add several cloves of garlic to each quart jar along with a bay leaf, a fresh dill head,   1/4 teaspoon of mustard seeds, 1/4 teaspoon of pickle crisp, a sprinkle of hot pepper seeds, 1/4 teaspoon turmeric, a few peppercorns, 1/4 teaspoon celery seed, and if I want a more "dilly" taste I add 1/4 teaspoon dried dill.  To add heat, include a fresh or dried jalapeno pepper to each jar.

 

I can both whole dill pickles and spears.  I sometimes do dill chips as well.

 

 

Once the cukes are in the jar with the spices and covered with the brine, process in a water bath canner for no more than ten minutes or they will get mushy.

 

Let the jars cool overnight.  I advise letting these sit at least 3-5 months before eating.  Generally, if you're canning from your garden they should be ready to eat by the holidays.

 

 

 

 

 

Canning Strawberry-Vanilla Jam

 

To make strawberry-vanilla jam, use your favorite recipe but add one large vanilla bean to the pan while you are cooking the mixture.  I do the same thing with my peach jam and the taste is phenomenal!!!  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yum-yum!

 

Peach~Jalapeno~Honey Bar-B-Q Sauce

 Peach Barbecue Sauce

Adapted from the Ball Canning Book

Makes 8 8-oz jars
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Ingredients:

6 cups finely chopped pitted peeled peaches (about 3 lb or 9 medium)
1 cup finely chopped seeded peppers (I use a mix of whatever I can pick from the garden)*
1 cup finely chopped onion (about 1 large)
3 Tbsp finely chopped garlic (about 14 cloves)
1-1/4 cups honey
3/4 cup cider vinegar
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp hot pepper flakes
2 tsp dry mustard
2 tsp salt

Prepare:
Prepare boiling water canner. Heat jars and lids in simmering water until ready for use. Set bands aside.

Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens to the consistency of a thin commercial barbeque sauce, about 25 minutes.

Ladle hot sauce into hot jars leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe rim. Center hot lid on jar. Apply band and adjust until fit is fingertip tight. Process in a boiling water canner for 15 minutes, adjusting for altitude.

*Although the original recipe calls for bell pepper, I substitute jalapenos for at least half of the bell peppers to give it a little kick. We always grow several varieties and colors of peppers so I tend to use whatever is ready to be picked.

 

This is great to use when you're grilling and makes a nice pulled pork as well!  Enjoy!

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Making and Canning Monkey Butter

 

 

 

One of my favorite You Tube contributors (Katzcradul) posted the recipe and instructions for making Monkey Butter, which is essentially a banana, pineapple and coconut spread. It's great on toast, peanut butter sandwiches, or over chocolate ice cream.

 



 

 

Having survived the Great Depression and the shortages during WW II, my mom and grandma were of a mind to can and stock items that might not be available regionally during unexpected disasters or plain old hard times.  With all of these tropical ingredients, Monkey Butter is just the sort of thing that my grandma would have canned.

 

 

MONKEY BUTTER

5 medium-size perfectly ripe bananas (no brown spots)

20 oz. can of crushed pineapple, not drained. 

1/4 cup coconut (I prefer ground coconut)

3 cups of white sugar 

3 Tbsp lemon juice (use bottled for uniform acidity)

Peel and slice bananas, then add all ingredients to a heavy saucepan.
Bring to a boil, stirring often, and then reduce to a simmer. Cook until thick.  As the mixture thickens, stir constantly until desired thickness is achieved.
When thick, spoon mixture immediately into hot sterilized jars, apply heated lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes.

The monkey butter to take on a light pink hue when processed. 

For step-by-step video instructions on making monkey butter, watch Katzcradul's video. Here's the link!


http://youtu.be/A2z5kfULzX4

June 26, 2013 Garden Tour