moments…

Many around the blogging community take fridays to post a moment from their week, caught on a camera, that they want to savor and remember. It is a beautiful sentiment really. I have found that, for me, this practice has evolved over time to cause me to look back on my week of images, moments, and adventures. Where did we start, what did we pass through, what happened, what did we love, what did we create, what did we learn?

These images so very very clearly capture what so much of this week has been…and what faces us in the coming weeks as well!

96 bottles made it through my hands and have been tucked away for winter. But that’s counting the little itty bitty jelly jars too…so don’t think I’m too crazy!

Peaches sliced and halfed canned in a very light syrup (20% sugar)

Tomato soup using this recipe.

Tomato juice.

Stewed tomaotes.

Peach jam using this same process and recipe…but with peaches!

Ground peaches frozen and ready to be made into jam when I am ready! There is, after all, only so much control that you can give a bushel (or four!) of peaches over your life!!!

Relish

Cucumbers have arrived in all their glory and a quite a bit of relishing has been happening around here!  Relishing in the fresh crunchy goodness…relishing in the endless tasty salads and snacks…relishing in all the relish!!!  Batches have been stored away for use throughout the coming months (most likely years…there’s a lot!), and one special batch bottled up in funky little jars have been tucked away for holiday gifts.  Though the thought of mountains of snow, crisp cold air, and bare trees is hardly imaginable in the hazy heat, and abundant growth of late summer it is still oh so lovely to tuck things away in preparation.  What could be more lovely than a jar full of summers bounty to give to those we love in the depths of winters cold.  The squat little jars, a cheery bit of ribbon, and a little holiday note….and mouthwatering cucumber relish.  Ahhh…I do love Christmas!

In canning and preserving I rely heavily on the Ball Blue Book.  In fact…if I’m not reading directly from it step by step as I go…it’s just because I’ve already memorized their instructions!!!  It is so reassuring to have a resource that you know will just what you need each time you need it!  I have used their cucumber relish recipe for years and absolutely love it!  For the batch pictured I was out of sweet red peppers, but had an abundance of green bell peppers so used those.  Very very delicious!  I have included the relish recipe from the Ball Blue Book, with my own tips of course!)

 

Cucumber Relish                                                            Yield: about 6 pints

2 quarts chopped cucumbers (about 8 medium cukes!)

2 cups chopped sweet green peppers (about 4)

2 cups chopped sweet red peppers (about 4)

1 cup chopped onion (about 1 medium)

1 Tablespoon turmeric

1/2 cup salt

4 quarts cold water, divided

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1 quart vinegar

2 sticks cinnamon

1 Tablespoon mustard seed

2 teaspoons whole allspice

2 teaspoons whole cloves

*I put all the vegetables through the meat grinder which cuts down on the chopping time significantly, and makes a great texture.*

Combine vegetables in a large bowl; sprinkle with turmeric.  Dissolve salt in 2 quarts cold water and pour over vegetables; let stand 3 to 4 hours.  Drain; cover vegetables with 2 quarts cold water and let stand 1 hour.  Drain thoroughly.  Combine sugar and vinegar in a large saucepot.  Tie spices in a spice bag; add to sugar mixture.  Bring to a boil; pour over vegetables.  Cover; let stand 12 to 18 hours.  Bring vegetables to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until hot throughout.  Pack hot relish into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace.  Remove air bubbles.  Adjust two piece caps.  Process 10 minutes in a boiling water or steam canner. 

Enjoy!

How to Can Green Beans

In the summer our meals are largely dictated by what is currently flowing out of the garden.  Spring brought luscious salad after salad, and asparagus in all a never-ending variety of yumminess.  Berry season, starting with strawberries, then blueberries and raspberries and soon blackberries induced pretty much constant grazing…and seriously delicious desserts, muffins, and breakfasts.  The heat of summer is bringing cucumbers and green beans and oh-so-many zucchini and summer squash.  In fact last night at dinner the little miss held up a cucumber slice and stated simply…”it seems like we are always eating cucumbers when we are eating”…!  It is busy and lots of work….but so fantastically delicious!  And before you know it we’ll be on to the next round of produce…tomatoes, corn, peppers, eggplants…oh my!

The other night we were snapping and preparing to can an immense load of green beans at the same time as making dinner.  With the bean production filling up the kitchen island we served dinner off the side counter to be taken outside to eat.  When I told the little miss that dinner was ready she looked around the kitchen island where she was intensely focused on her bean snapping technique and her face fell in the most adorable way.  With a voice of complete sadness and worry she said “…but Mama … is there only green beans for supper?” Her concern was so absolutely endearing.  Though in fact she is happy to eat green beans in insurmountable proportions all day long she was delighted to discover that dinner (of more than just green beans) had been prepared undetected.  Poor girl!  Just wait till tomato season when it really does seem like all we will ever eat is tomatoes! 

Canning green beans is really a snap!  They are wonderful to have on hand and you will love the taste difference between what you can yourself versus grocery store canned beans.  If you don’t have a patch of your own find a local farm, farm market, or grocery store that carries local produce.  The benefit of purchasing beans is having control over the influx of produce…unlike those of us who are completely at the mercy of the timing of the garden.  When they’re ready in the garden they’re ready…and if they aren’t picked and processed they’re lost.  Which is tragic. 

How to Can Green Beans:

1.  Wash you green beans in cold water.

2.  Snap them (with your hands) into pieces removing the stem.  I like to snap them into ~2” pieces which usually means into thirds.  You can snap them any size you like…or even leave them whole.  

3.  Fill your mason jars with beans leaving 1” head space.  (Head space is the amount of space between the beans and the top edge of the jar.)  Thump the bottom of the jar on your hand a few times to settle the beans…add more if you to fill the jar higher.

4.  Pour 1 teaspoon salt over each full jar of beans.

5.  Boil ~4 quarts of water.

6.  Prepare you lids by setting them in very hot water.

7.  Pour boiling water into the mason jar covering the beans and leaving only ~1/2” headspace.  Immediately wipe the top edge of the jar with a clean cloth or napkin to ensure a good seal, place the lid on top and attach the ring. 

8.  Place the jar into the pressure canner which should be filled with 1 1/2” of water and repeat the process with the next jar. 

9.  When all jars are in the pressure canner process the beans at 10 lbs. pressure for 25 minutes.

10.  Let the jars sit in the canner for a bit before removing to allow them to cool off slowly.  Too drastic of a change in temperature too quickly will cause the jar to crack and burst.  Which is a huge tragedy and very messy.  Let the jars cool in and then out of the canner in a draft free place.

11.  Remove the rings, rinse off your jars, and  store away for those long cold green bean free months! 

*Most canning can be done in a water-bath or steam canner.  (Because most canning is done with acidic foods and products.  These methods are very simple.  Some vegetables which are low in acid, such as corn, green beans, squash, okra, etc require pressure canning at the right pressure and for the right amount of time in order to kill the bacteria that can cause botulism food poisoning.  While this is a frightening thought…if you follow directions carefully with your canning you can rest assured that your food will be safe and delicious!