Crazy Canning Lady

My boss recently dubbed me the "Crazy Canning Lady" because every weekend and even during the week if asked what did you do this weekend? last night? my answer is always canning this or that! I have stayed up until 2 am canning green beans which I swear I will never do again; too hard to go to work the next day.

My husband has helped a great deal and I think takes great joy (in a - "haha you have to can all this") in bringing in buckets full of beans, tomatoes and potatoes. He helped me "put up" a lot of our vegetables this year.

Tomato Fence in Raised Bed

Cucumber Fence in Raised Bed

I have been blessed this year with a beautiful garden! I am so pleased with the fences that we put up for the tomatoes and cucumbers to grow on. I still have squash which is unusual this late in the summer. the squash bugs usually have destroyed the plants by now.



I took a day off this week just to do canning. I am still getting tomatoes, banana peppers and cucumbers. I have probably about 100 jars on my dining room table.

Canning 2016

My canning list - summer 2016 (125 jars to be exact!)

6/30 - Bread & Butter Pickles - 9 pints
7/02 - Bread & Butter Pickles - 8 Pints
        - Banana Peppers (Cowboy Candy) - 5 1/2 pints
7/04 - Vegetable Soup - 14 quarts
7/05 - Green Beans  - 11 quarts
7/10 - Tomatoes - 11 quarts
7/11 - Tomatoes - 6 quarts
7/16 - Spaghetti Sauce - 14 quarts
        - 14 day pickles  - 2 gallons
7/17 - Chili Base - 5 pints
        - Banana Peppers (Cowboy Candy) - 6 pints
        - Dill Pickles - 4 quarts
7/23 - BBQ Sauce - 7 - 12 oz jars
7/24 - Salsa - 9 pints
7/26 - Cucumber Relish - 13-1/2 pints
   
Most of the recipes from this list came from my Home Preserving Book and several of the recipes came from family members.  One of the best way to  keep the tradition of canning going is to pass it on to the younger generations. If anyone is ready to learn how to can just leave me a comment and I will be happy to show you.  I will be canning more Salsa and some potatoes in the next few days.   Its a lot of hard work but come winter when you open a jar of Salsa or green beans it will take you right back to summer! 

4th of July - Canning

Instead of celebrating America this weekend I spent most of my time canning. Saturday I made bread and butter pickles along with some "cowboy candy" which is made with jalapeño or banana peppers.  Sunday we went to the Steadman family reunion. ,Monday the 4th my husband and I canned vegetable soup.

We have been so blessed this year with an abundance of vegetables. Canning to me is a very satisfying chore. It's hard work and I love hearing the lids "pop" when they seal.

Garden Bounty

The thing that makes gardening so worth the effort is the bounty. It brings to mind the old adage "you reap what you sew" and in this instance you really do!

Zucchini, Squash, Cucumbers

Squash is one of my favorite vegetables. Growing up we only ate it fried. I have several recipes that me and my family really enjoy. One of my husbands favorite recipe is Squash Casserole. We also like a creamed version cooked in a skillet.

I am getting so much squash and zucchini that I have already been sharing the bounty!

These are a few of my favorite squash recipes! I hope you enjoy them as much as we do!

Creamed Squash

by Shirley Loveless

YIELD 4 or 5 servings  

ACTIVE TIME 10 min 

TOTAL TIME

 30 min

---

INGREDIENTS

• • 4 or 5 squash, sliced
  • 1 can Pet milk
  • 1 stick butter
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1/4 cup sugar

---

INSTRUCTIONS

• 1. Stew squash then drain.
  2. Put in frying pan
  3. Add 1 can Pet milk, butter, sugar, salt and pepper
  4. Bring to a boil then cut down to low and simmer till it thickens.

---

NOTES

My mother in law gave me this recipe but there were not actual measurements. So basically the sugar, salt and pepper are to taste.

This is one of those recipes that you really do not measure and is just thrown together and it is delicious!

Yellow Squash Casserole 
allrecipes.com

YIELD

 1 - 9x13 inch pan

ACTIVE TIME

 20 mins

TOTAL TIME

 50 mins

INGREDIENTS

• • 4 cups sliced yellow squash
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 35 buttery round crackers, crushed
  • 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup butter, melted
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ground black pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons butter

---

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. Place squash and onion in a large skillet over medium heat. Pour in a small amount of water. Cover, and cook until squash is tender, about 5 minutes. Drain well, and place in a large bowl.
3. In a medium bowl, mix together cracker crumbs and cheese. Stir half of the cracker mixture into the cooked squash and onions. In a small bowl, mix together eggs and milk, then add to squash mixture. Stir in 1/4 cup melted butter, and season with salt and pepper. Spread into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cracker mixture, and dot with 2 tablespoons butter.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until lightly browned.

• 
  

• Chicken and Vegetables Medley

  by Shirley Loveless

  YIELD

   4 to 6 Servings

  ACTIVE TIME

   15

  TOTAL TIME

   115
  INGREDIENTS

  • • Chicken Thighs (boneless, skinless)
    • 3 cups potatoes sliced round and thin
    • 3 cups squash sliced round and thin
    • 1 sweet onion, sliced thin
    • 1 or 2 green sweet peppers sliced
    • Seasoning Salt
    • McCormick Kickin Chicken Seasoning
    • Butter
    • Aluminum Foil

  ---

  INSTRUCTIONS

  • 1. Preheat Oven 350°
    2. You will need a big sheet of aluminum foil and spray one side with Pam non-stick spray
    3. Slice potatoes, squash, onions and peppers
    4. Spread on the foil in layers in middle leaving enough room on sides and ends to fold and make a pocket
    5. Season the vegetables with the seasoning salt to your liking
    6. Season the chicken with the McCormick Kicken Chicken Seasoning
    7. Add chicken to the top of the vegetables
    8. Add pats of butter to your veggies
    9. Form pocket with the aluminum foils and seal tightly
    10. Place in 9x13 Glass or aluminum pan and bake for 1 hour
• 
  

Strawberry Freezer Jam

This is what I have left to do!

My dad went to Crossroads this past weekend to buy strawberries from Merlin Blackwoods farm.  I asked him to get me four gallons of strawberries for $9.00 each. They are yummy but what was I thinking! I have been busy yesterday evening and today making strawberry freezer jam. I made 8 pints, 17 half-pints and 3-4 oz jars. I still have two gallons and 1 quart of strawberries left.

This is my Mother-In-Law's recipe:

Strawberry Freezer Jam

  

1 quart strawberries (2 cups crushed)
4 cups sugar
Mix berries and sugar well
Separately combine 3/4 cup water, 1 box Surejel and bring to boil, boil 1 min stirring constantly
Stir the Surejel/water mixture into the strawberries and stir for 3 min.
Ladle into jars
Leave at room temperature for 24 hours. Put in freezer.