Gardening, Canning, Dehydrating, Quality Time

This summer our garden has been a blessing. It is the first year we didn't produce squash, which is sad but peppers and tomatoes did well. I am so thankful for a dear friend who helped pick all the produce while my husband was in the hospital, then took it to church and sold it all, well really took donations. It helped us with food when we first got home. I was out of money between gas, hotel costs etc. 

I will admit at first it was a bit overwhelming trying to keep up with all the work. Right now it really needs a good tilling and some peppers desperately need to be staked. I had to give so much away while I cared for him the first couple months, I just didn't have time to can, process or even cook with much of what we were producing. 

At this point, we still have quite a few peppers growing and okra is crazy. My husband seems to really love the pickled okra recipe we came across. The tomatoes are done. We are hoping to get out into the garden this weekend, till the land and get some new plants in.

My daughter has decided she LOVES bellpeppers. We had bought a variety of peppers. I was so thankful she gave them a try. She doesn't care for them cooked, she likes them raw and she likes just them not ranch etc. Couldn't be a better addition to her lunch or for a homework snack.

We have learned to dehydrate the chilis and red  peppers. I did learn when you grind them the dust they produce makes it hard to breathe. Lots and lots of coughing occurs. We have canned a couple batches of the okra now. Its pretty easy really.

We have made a variety of pepper jellys and candied jalapenos. I can't wait to try them. One more week.

Dehydration is probably the easiest method but I enjoy the quality time gained from the canning sessions. Its nice to just be in the kitchen together. He doesn't last terribly long though. It makes his back hurt and he becomes super stiff. 

We recently canned three days straight and that was probably too much. He had swelling start back up in his leg. I am betting we do more okra this coming weekend. He gets a pretty good crop about every 2 days. Lately he has been blanching and freezing them. Much quicker than pickling them.

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Summer Eats

This summer we had such a successful garden, minus our squash. I am not sure what really happened with those. They just seemed to always start in the middle of so much rain we were having. Now peppers we did really well with.

We had so many pounds we were giving them away, then we got smart and found time to can some of it. We made jalapeno peppers that were candied, pickled and even dehydrated some too. 

We made a version of our own with some banana and jalapenos because it will be great with meat and beans. The jalapenos were very hot this year, while the banana peppers were mild. It will be a perfect combination. 

This is my favorite recipe  for candied jalapenos. We pour it over cream cheese and eat with fritos or wheat thins. I love to add it to my cornbread too. 

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Canning and Gardening

Another picking of our garden this summer. I love the amount of produce we have been able to pick this year.

Jalapenos I sliced and ready to go in a pot for them to be candied and jarred.

All ready to go just needing the hot liquid then sealed and canned for 15 minutes. They sure are yummy!

All in a weekends work

9 Tshirts and Patchwork 52 by 72 Childhood Memories Quilt

Father's Day Quilt with Blue paisley fabric

These yellow squares were on a white shirt that was super worn. I cut them out and appliqued them onto a back of another shirt so that it could become its own square

What became of this weeks pick- frozen veggies.

This weekends pick from the garden!

The cucumbers that I picked became 12 jars of pickles