{ Sweet Zucchini Relish ~ The Recipe }

I made more of this incredibly yummy relish today.

I mean I had to, I only had 3 pints left in our food storage. 

This relish is so stinking Go-oD!

 I've had several people tell me that they don't like relish.  

But I being the amazing food preserver that I am, persuade them to try just a teensy tiny bit and guess what? 

They...are... hooked...

Yup, it IS that good.

It's seriously easy to make here is the recipe.

Zucchini Relish

12 cups grated zucchini

4 cups grated or chopped onion

¼ cup salt

3 red peppers shredded

1 green pepper shredded

***Mix & let sit in fridge overnight***

Next day rinse and drain.

In a big pot mix the cold vegetables with:

2 ½ cups white vinegar

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp turmeric

2 tsp cornstarch

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp celery seed

4 ½ cups sugar

Cook on med high heat for 30 minutes

Water bath for 10 minutes
Makes 6 pints

BBQ tomorrow night? 

Why yes, I think we will, this is so good on Hamburgers and Hotdogs!

My thanks to Nan for the fresh zucchini & Donna for the recipe.

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{ And Then There Were Four.... }

Yes I am still alive, we have just been on a dead run since we left for our vacation which was fabulous by the way, but as soon as we got back we were knee deep in school prep.
So here was my view on Tuesday. 4 of my 5 kids are in school CRAZY.....
Jentry is in 7th, 
Parker's in 5th, 
Miss Brinley is in 3rd 
and the Corbin man is in Kindergarten.

Corbin is lucky enough to have the same teacher as my other 3 have had.

We love Miss Swanson!

This is my homework while the kids are in school all day. Hopefully now that my days are a little more less hectic I can actually sit down and tackle my craft mountain. 
But for the moment Canning is my Craft...... 
Although, I would much rather be doing an actual craft. 
Truth be told, 
I craft because I love it, 
I can out of necessity. :)

Well I better get back to the kitchen my pressure cooker is calling.....

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{ It's That Time Of Year Again! }

Yes these have taken over!
I'm sorry for my absence lately but I've been super busy getting these all canned along with 27 pints of peach jam, and lets not forget the 3 family stitchery's I have been busy with as well.

I've been trying to get everything done so that we can go and enjoy this lovely home by the lake in Idaho.

We are going on a much needed vacation and are going to have a blast! I'm sure I'll have plenty to post about when I return, but I better get back to packing the Mister will be home soon! Have a Fabulous Weekend!!

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{ Canned Stew Recipe }

Canned Stew

_______________________
In large bowls --- cut, chop or slice the following:

Potatoes
Carrots sliced
Celery sliced
Onion chopped
(A food processor works great for the carrots and celery
& don't forget to keep the potatoes covered with water so they don't brown)

1 TBSP Pearl Barley
1 TBSP Parsley
1 TBSP Bouillon (beef or chicken)
1/4 Tsp Salt (optional)
________________________
In clean Canning Jar add:
Pearl Barley
Parsley
Bouillon
Salt (optional)
Then using a LARGE handful of each, add the following:
Onion
Celery
Carrots
Potatoes
(I usually add more potatoes)

Cover all ingredients with boiling water leaving 1 inch head space
Wipe rim with clean dish cloth, top with lid & ring then process in a
Pressure Canner for 30 Minutes at 12 pounds of pressure.
This stew can be made into:
Pot Pies
Casseroles
Dumplings
A quick way I have served this is to open 2 jars of stew in a 9 x 13 pan, then add a can of Roast beef chunks, some fresh sliced zucchini and top with cheddar cheese and bake at 350 till bubbly.
My family loves this and it's great to have on hand when you need to whip up a quick meal.
Happy Canning!

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{ You Asked For It }

I have had several emails asking for my canned stew recipe,

I will be posting the recipe/how to tomorrow for those inquiring minds

I'm a tad busy tonight canning Pears & Apple pie filling if you have any other questions ask away & I'll do my best to answer them.

Thanks!

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{ Because I Can't Eat My Crafts~ Applesauce Tutorial }

It all began back in June when I was reading my friend Beth's blog aka Rambling girl she posted about her freezer and how she may not be crafty but she was crafty with the goodness of the land. I posted a comment on that post and said the following:

Rachel said... Trust me the Ability to Craft FOOD is always better then crafting! I mean when hard times hit I won't be able to eat my glue gun & covered buttons! :)

I thought a lot about her post and really it started innocently enough like most things do......
I said to my friend Carol. "We really don't have much food supply" not even 1 week later it was free green beans from our friends the Hibbert's (twice), then it was tons of free corn from my hubby's Aunt Beverly which now resides in the freezer (the corn not dear Aunt B. :) Then I moved onto Peaches which I paid 20 bucks for 120 pounds. Then the apples............ OH THE APPLES!!!!
I also made some Sweet Zucchini Relish which is DELISH & a bunch of Canned Stew which is just plain awesome! 
We also have 300 pounds (and counting) of wheat in storage and I am working on rice, flour, sugar & well everything else for that matter.

So Thank you Beth and Carol, I love knowing that when times get tough I will be able to Can our extra food because really I don't think my family will love eating my large stash of fabric and glue.

Making Apple Sauce: A Tutorial

1st remove flowers from bottom of Apples
I used a metal teaspoon to do this job.

Boil the apples until the skins crack. I boil mine whole.

Then after they boil for a few minutes let them rest and cool (the key to thick sauce)

Then quarter or half them and put them into the hopper.

Turn the crank and you have Apple Sauce!
I sprinkle a little Fruit Fresh on my sauce to help it keep from browning while it waits to be jarred.

ladle the sauce into jars and water bath them for 25 minutes

And these are what are waiting for me, more apples for pie filling and some yummy pears! These will get done next week as this week I'm knee deep in Super Saturday crafts. I'm in charge of one of the classes. Ya gotta love 4 ward stake activities.

P.S. If you made it through this long canning post you deserve a bottle of my apple sauce!

P.S.S. I'm feeling a little better, still on the mend but much better then a couple days ago. ;)

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{ Pressing Cider }

How do you make this into 88 Gallons of cider?

 You Gather your Family & Friends and a trusty Cider press

And set to work!

We ate lots of yummy food with a side of Cider no less.

posted because they are so darn cute!

Having Apple sorters are a must!

 Working into the night

The final tally: 88 Gallons

85 are pictured as we drank 3 while working.
Yes we are a bunch of lushes. :)
But it was oh soooooo good.

As of Wednesday I canned 12 gallons with 6 more in the freezer. You know what we will be drinking for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner! 
Yum!

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{ Apple Bonanza }

We went to Tri-Cities on Monday and picked a bunch of apples, we came home with 1025 lbs. of FREE Gala Apples it's amazing what you can fit in an Excursion! We picked at a commercial orchard that was hit with a small hail storm making the apple un-sellable. We gave a ton of them away to family & friends who are now making applesauce & pie filling, dried apple slices basically everything apple. And these Apples are delicious in fact the applesauce that my friends are making doesn't even need sugar. So you know these babies are yummy!! I can't wait to can mine.

Look at this tree! All of the trees in this orchard are LOADED!

 Thanks Dad for all your help we really appreciate it!

Oh and I have to Thank Bishop K for my Post Title.... It's just ever so fitting. :)

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