I grew up on my mom’s canned tomato juice. All that was in the jar were garden raised tomatoes and salt. She canned it by the dozens of quarts in late summer. There was enough for our family of eight to last us through the fall, winter, and even into early spring. Besides being a […]
Preserving
Anticipation…Making Homemade Ketchup
Who doesn’t love ketchup? This ubiquitous red sauce was the go-to condiment for burgers, hotdogs, and fries amongst my friends and family. The distinctive shaped bottle graced most tables and just about every picnic. Now fast forward about 25 years. I am in the midst of canning season with a surplus of tomatoes. Frankly, the […]
Large Batch Processing: Tales of a Home Canner
A garden’s bounty is one of the true pleasures in life. With time and effort, seeds you sow in April and May become mature plants rewarding you with produce later in the season. And later in the season it is. As we draw near the end of September, we are still blessed with a wonderful […]
My Dehydrator Died: Now What?
For folks who have edible gardens or purchase a lot of fresh produce, dehydrators are a common kitchen appliance. They don’t take up that much countertop space and can be tucked away when the preserving season is done. During the summer, our dehydrator lives on the kitchen counter until we have used the last tomato […]
A New Delight: Tomato Basil Jam
Oh August, I have a love/hate relationship with you. You still throw out incredibly hot temperatures causing me to do outdoor projects only in the early morning and late afternoon. Yet on the other hand, you provide something that causes me to do my happy dance. Why am I happy? The simple answer is, the […]
Preserving the Summer Harvest
Cool morning temperatures, yellowing Honeylocust leaves, plus plants weighted down with vegetables point towards late summer harvest season. A quick pass through my yard revealed ripe tomatoes, several cauliflower, onions, currents, and another round of green beans. Meal planning is easy this time of year given the abundance of fresh produces. Each day means more […]