Okra is one vegetable that we never seem to have any problems growing. Okra plants are so hearty…and plentiful! In fact, once the okra start coming you had better watch out because if you skip a few days of picking it can get out of hand! You also need to stay on top of okra … Continue reading
Out of all of the different types of tomato plants we planted this year, it seems that our heirloom tomato varieties have out-shown their competitors. I am not complaining though, because I love the different color and shaped summer delicacies! We seemed to have quite a few today so I decided to make a summer … Continue reading
The canning has begun! I processed my first batch of salsa today in the canner. I unfortunately haven’t been able to make any salsa before today because I have been waiting for enough of the tomatoes to ripen up at the same time to make a batch…so today was the day! Salsa is a staple … Continue reading
I wasn’t planning on making this preserves today, but the decision was sort of made for me when I walked down to the basement to discover that one of my daughters had left the deep freezer door WIDE open yesterday in the attempt to search out a popsicle. Hence, EVERYTHING was defrosted. So, I have … Continue reading
With all of the jalapeño peppers that this summer heat is producing in our garden I thought it would be an ideal time to make some jalapeño jelly. I have never made this before, but have eaten it a number of times at holiday parties served with cream cheese and crackers. I found the basic … Continue reading
This recipe for sweet pickle relish is a great one to use for large, overgrown cucumbers that might be past their prime for pickle making. I know we always have cucumbers that grow HUGE because they have been hiding under the vines, or simply because we have neglected picking. For an even zestier or spicier … Continue reading
With cherries ripening and brightening up orchard trees now is the time to be looking for a good pie recipe to use those fresh cherries in! My family and I picked the red cherries off of the trees last night, so today has been spent pitting the cherries and putting them away in the freezer … Continue reading
We started the planting of our garden a bit later than we normally do this year. Even so, it is amazing to watch everyday as the plants grow a bit bigger and buds and flowers start forming. It gets me excited for when we will be able to start harvesting the big things like tomatoes, … Continue reading
I tried my hand tonight at canning carrots. I have canned salsa, spaghetti sauce, cucumbers and okra in the past…but never carrots! I suppose I have canned all of the others because you can get by canning those items with a water bath. When canning carrots though, a pressure canner is needed. Fortunately for me, … Continue reading
With summer sneaking up on us, there are bound to be many corn on the cob eating sessions to ensue. I love eating corn on the cob. I love the taste and the crispness of fresh sweet corn. There’s nothing quite like it. You see, I grew up in central Illinois. I don’t know if … Continue reading
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