Grape Juice

We have LOTS of grapes this year in our garden. I made 7 pints of jelly on Friday, and today we made grape juice. It is more of a grape juice concentrate. We thought of it as we were straining juice from the grapes to make jelly. The juice was so thick and delicious! So instead of putting grapes into a jar with hot sugar water, we simmered the grapes on the stove for about 5 minutes, then strained the juice out. Put back in a pot, add sugar to taste, and pout into quart jars. Hot water bath for 15 minutes.

The sisters hard at work picking out the bad grapes (yes, worms do like grapes. It is very gross when you come across them:-P ) .

Andrea hard at work, washing up the dirty dishes (this is a typical afternoon at our house. Everyone doing their chores and being goofy!):

Joel making faces as he strains the grapes...

Simmering the juice just to heat it back up and melt the sugar.

Pretty grape juice next to the mums dad bought for my "mum":-)

We had 5 quarts survive. I lost 1 1/2 quarts due to the jars breaking as I was ladling in the juice.

I don't know why it happened, as I had the jars hot from the oven.

But it is not easy to clean up that much grape juice from the counters, stove, cupboards, and floor!

Watermelon

The other day I was out in the garden, leaning on a large rock that was buried in the bean plants, picking beans. Then it occurred to me that we don't have any big rocks in the veggie garden. Pulling back the leaves, I discovered this giant watermelon, growing from seeds we had put in the compost pile!! What a delicious surprise!:-)

Our Garden - July 2011

Our garden is doing great this year! I was worried because I had to replant allot, but God has blessed us. I am getting tons of beans even though we have half the plants we had last year! And we have had so many cucumbers. I also rotated crops this year, and I like the new lay out of the garden:-) Enjoy...

You can't tell, but these zinnias are about 2 feet tall, and covered in flowers. They are so beautiful!

We have lots of green beans and wax beans. I pick a big bowl full every couple of days.

The peppers are still small, but they are coming along.

So far we have had ONE hot pepper:-)

Cucumbers are growing like mad! I've made lots of pickles, and we have been eating

allot of raw cucumbers.

Today for lunch we spread cream cheese on Triscut crackers, topped with a cucumber slice, and sprinkled on lemon pepper. DELICIOUS:-)

My sister grated and froze zucchini, and there is more on the way.

I love the Summer! I love the heat (though this 102° is getting to me a bit...),

and I love harvesting from our garden and putting up food for the winter. It's so

satisfying!

In Our Backyard: God's Lovely Artwork

This sweet little mushroom was growing alone by the tree.

They always make me think of playing with fuzzy animals.

Look at how intricate a mushroom is!

I've planted lots of strawberry plants, and look forward to enjoying their fruit!

Some of my favorite flowers in the garden:

This is my little flower garden in May (It has filled out quite a bit since then!):

How beautiful are your works, O Lord!

God's marvelous creation

"In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous." ~Aristotle

Our chickens - for eggs and for eating

This photo (my sister took) reminds me of the scripture:
"...His compassions never fail.
They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."
Lamentations 33:22-23

"Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;
let the sea resound and all that is in it;
let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them.
Then all of the trees of the forest will sing for joy;
they will sing before the Lord..."
Psalm 96:11-13

So many tomatoes, so little time...

Our garden has been producing tomatoes at a rapid pace, and I am having a hard time keeping up with them!
In the last week and a half we have made:

salsa (blue ribbon winning at our county fair, too!)

Stewed tomatoes (great for chili)
- recipe can be found in "The Ball Blue Book of Canning and Preserving"

And tomato soup...

This turned out really yummy! I found the instructions over at http://heavenlyhomemakers.com
I just made it today. Would you like the recipe?

The Best Tomato Soup
(and it's sooo easy, too!)
5 lbs chopped tomatoes
1 cup chopped onion
3 T butter
1 1/2 tsp. sea salt

Here's what I used:
1 big stock pot full of chopped tomatoes
1 BIG onion, chopped
5 T butter
1 T salt
3 T sugar
a sprinkle of basil
a sprinkle of garlic powder

Put everything into a big pot and cook for about 3 hours.
Then put into your blender and blend until smooth.
Ladle into sterilized quart or pint canning jars. Wipe rims of jars with a damp paper towel to remove residue. Place lid and secure ring. Hot water bath 30 minutes for quarts and 25 minutes for pints.
I got 6 quarts, 1 pint, and a small bowl full I ate for lunch out of this!
My siblings declared it way better than store bought tomato soup. It's allot healthier too!

My Omama's Blackberry Pie!

Beauty of blackberries growing in our backyard:

Our home grown blackberries...delicious! We managed to not eat *ALL* of them, and saved some for pies! We also found some growing down the road, so we picked them as well.
Here is my Omama's amazingly good ~Blackberry Pie~ recipe!

Make crust for a 9" pie top and bottom.
Here is the recipe we always make at my house:
Oil Pastry Crust
2 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup oil (we use olive oil)
4-5 Tbsp. cold water

Measure flour and salt into a bowl. Add oil; mix until resembles small peas.
Sprinkle in water 1 Tablespoon at a time. If dough is dry, add oil. Never add water.
Gather dough together and press firmly into 2 balls.
Roll out bottom crust between to sheets of waxed paper. Press into a greased pie dish.

Filling for Blackberry Pie
4 cups fresh or thawed from frozen blackberries
4 Tbsp. cornstarch (be generous with the cornstarch)
1/2 cup (or a bit more) sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
dash salt
1/3 cup orange marmalade (I used blackberry jam and it was great -Anna)
2 Tbsp. butter
Optional: add orange or lemon zest

Combine cornstarch, sugars, and salt (and zest if using) in a large bowl. Add blackberries (or any berries) and any juices, stirring until blended. (Actually I put some of the dry mixture on bottom of crust first, because that is where the juices run to, isn't it? -Omama)
Pour into 9" crust. Dot with the preserves and then with the butter.
Lay top crust or weave lattice crust on top.
Bake in oven preheated to 425° F. Bake 15 minutes. Then lower oven temp to 350° F and bake 35-45 minutes more, until bubbling slows and filling appears thickened. You can test with a knife too; just done stab bottom crust!

Delicious served with home made vanilla ice cream!!

(See photo at top of this post)

"If it doesn't turn out and family won't eat it, I will!" -Omama

May I dish you up a slice??

(and we have enough blackberries in the freezer for 2 more pies! How about some pie and home made vanilla ice cream this Fall?!:-))

Preserving the harvest

All the hours of planting, weeding, watering, and picking -- well, it is all worth it!

I arranged these on the hutch because they are so pretty and satisfying. I just want to look at them!:o)

This is my first year to do the canning process myself. I have always helped mom with the preparations, but the actual filling of the jars and hot water bathing I had never done before. I love to listen for the *pop*  as the jars seal! So exciting to know 'it worked':o)

So far I have made hot pepper butter (tastes like a mixture of mustard and pickle relish... so tasty!), and bread and butter pickles.

I have plans to make lots'a salsa and tomato sauce and dill pickles and apple sauce...

Bread and Butter Pickles

Bread and Butter Pickles

Step 1:

4 quarts sliced medium cucumbers

8 medium white onions, sliced (about 2 1/2 pounds)

1/3 cup pickling salt

3 cloves of garlic

cracked ice

In a large bowl combine first 4 ingredients. Add 2 inches cracked ice and let set for 3 hours. Drain well and remove garlic.

Step 2:

In an 8 quart kettle combine:

4 cups sugar

3 cups sider vinegar

2 Tablespoons mustard seeds

1 1/2 teaspoons tumeric

1 1/2 teaspoons celery seed

Add cucumber mixture - bring to a boil. Turn off. Pack mixture and liquid into hot, sterilized pint jars with 1/2 inch head space. Remove air bubbles by dipping a plastic knife (never metal) into the jar and pull from edge to center. Wipe jar rims and place sterilized lids and rings. Process in boiling water bath 10 minutes (after water comes to a boil). Remove and cool on rack. Wait for the wonderful *pop* as the jars seal:-) Makes about 8 or 9 pints. 

This is my favorite recipe for bread and butter pickles! 

Serve in a fancy dish along side hamburgers, or as part of a veggie tray. Or just snack on them:-) These pickles are GOOD!

Hot Pepper Butter

Hot Pepper Butter

You Will need:

1 quart (4 cups) yellow mustard

1 quart cider vinegar

4 cups sugar

1 1/4 cups flour*

1 1/2 cups water*

1 teaspoon salt*

*Place the starred ingredients in a quart jar with lid, shake vigorously until well blended.

Banana peppers: 36 large, 40 medium, or 50 small

Seed and chop peppers (I used a food processor, or you can use a Kitchen Aid grinder attachment). Mix together all ingredients (note the * items and make as directed. This helps get rid of lumps from the flour). Boil for 5 minutes stirring constantly (thickens as it boils).  Ladle into hot, sterilized jars. Wipe rims, cap with lids and rings. Process in hot water bath 15 minutes. Wait for the wonderful *pop* sound of the lids sealing!:-)

Makes 8 pints 

This is delicious on hamburgers or hot dogs, or on crackers. It goes fast!

Growing things

~Morning Glory~

I just love these flowers! Each day there are new flowers and the old ones have shriveled up.

They are so beautiful!

~Cilantro~

This will be the perfecting touch when we make salsa!

Also yummy to put in hummus and other recipes. I have more

growing in my flower garden.

~Oregano~

This was a free plant when we bought some flowers. It's doing great in this little pot!

~Potatoes~

This idea came from heavenlyhomemakers.com/blog

I planted 3 red potatoes with "eyes" in this pot. They have grown and now look like pretty greenery. Soon there will be flower blossoms. When the blossoms die, you wait a couple of weeks, then dig up your potatoes! I am so looking forward to eating our OWN potatoes! 

If this works, we will plant potatoes in the Vegetable garden next year.