Canning Bacon

I woke up this morning with new found energy.... 

The other day I went shopping for food

 (something I haven't done since payday, oops)

NO ONE has starved, even if they tell you other wise!

Okay back to my new found energy.

I went shopping and I seen a 10 pound box of Bacon 

"irregular" pieces for $14.95. I just couldn't pass that up!

Today I decided I was going to try my hand in canning strips of bacon.  

Here it goes.... (holding my breath)

 Your also going to need WIDE mouth jars. 

The bacon I used actually had more meat less fat.

add a half a strip of parchment to keep it from sticking to itself.

fold in halfRoll it up tight!

each quart jar holds about 1.25 pounds of raw bacon.

The bacon was then pressure canned at 11 lbs of pressure for 90 mins and cooled ... This is the finished product ... I'm super excited to try this. So maybe I will pop the top and make some for breakfast.


*** Update Bacon fried up nicely... was a little interesting getting the bacon out of the jar with greasy fingers. :~)

Until Next Time,

Amy

Broccoli & Cauliflower leaves.... Eatable??

YES, They are!   

I asked this question on facebook yesterday,

 wondering if any of my friends had ever eaten them.   

I had someone send me links to some sites about eating these leave.

 Well, that was enough for me... 

I told the kids what I was up to and they wanted in!

 Oh Yah! (Big smile from the mama!)

First we started with the picking. 

(Photos by my oldest daughter) 

Next, I washed the greens. (Not shown)

Then peeled them... 

The stems are called "the poor mans asparagus" 

which sounds to me that they might be a little tougher then what I want in my greens. 

But defiantly have their place in the kitchen.

 So OFF with their heads! 

I also ripped them into 3-4 inch large piece.

I also read that the greens might have a bitter taste.  So I filled a pot with cold water & leaves. I brought this to a boil. Once it came to a boil I dipped the greens out and added them to ice cold water. 

Next I drained the greens .... and gave them a good squeeze!




                                                                                          Then I gave them a chopping.

Fried some Bacon....  As my hubby said, Bacon makes everything taste better.

I then add the green to the bacon, added some garlic and sautéed them for about 3-5 mins. 

This gave them a nice crunch. Just the way I like my veggies.

Still amazes me something I once thought to be uneatable, 

something that would just find its way into the compost, could taste so good.

Until Next Time, 

Amy

Mint!!!

So the other day, I was checking out my rapidly growing spearmint plant and orange peppermint plant.  And thought what in the world am I going to do with all this!!??

 And it hit me....... I could add some of that mint to my food processor and then add sugar let it sit and infuse (I know its a big word! repeat after me in~fuse, good job!) THEN I can add it to whatever recipe I'd like to have a *hint* of mint.  So I did just that!
I know I'm not the first to come up with this idea but Hey, I came up with it this day! That must count for something..... right?


The day I made all of this I was really concerned that it wasn't going to come out like I'd hoped... the mint had a strong unpleasant smell.... But I proceeded. Today, I opened up the jar and I'm telling you I heard angles singing!  Then my mind was racing... pear jam with mint.... strawberry mint jam.... tea with mint... sweet breads with mint sugar!

So that brings me to the next step... YOU! Put your thinking caps and and tell me your ideas!  What else can I do with mint?

The Week of canning.

First let me apologize for being so quiet the last few days. My goal was to post at least every other day... ** insert quiet giggle here**  If you know me, then you also know that my intentions are always good. But the need of Prioritizing takes precedence, In other words my list of things to do MUST without exceptions have check marks! 


So you have heard about the Brown Apple Tree... Then you'd known that I have received quit a few bags of green apples. I have also picked my small but might peach tree.... And really needing to thin out my pear trees!  ** insert frantic scream here**


But first things first. To dig out all those empty jars and hoping there will be enough!  

Then washin' all those nasty jars!!  This in itself was a full days work. (next time they will go into plastic containers with plastic lids.

Prepping all that fruit!  And trust me when I say it was all hands on deck. The kids loved it and only one walked away will a little scrape. 

 ....and the finished product so far is canned apples in a light syurp and apple butter.  The kids are loving that the pantry is filling up with yummy fruit..... and so am I!
Till next time.


Amy

Oh Yea, It's Sand Plum Jam Recipe.....

Its nearly noon and the aroma of simmering sand plums are filling the air as I breath it in deeply. The anticipation of the sweet tart jam makes all those scratches, from that wild thicket fade away.

As I peer into that pot of sweet bubbling fruit, I can't help but to think..... "Now, where oh where could I plant a few bushes..."   I shake myself back to reality.

I must confess, I have never made sand plum jam, and have no recipe to follow. So I'm doing what I do.... And winging it! Crossing all my fingers and toes hoping for the best!

My first batch of sand plum jam.....  And it tastes heavenly!  A perfect combination of sweet and tart!

Ingredients:
4 lb of ripe wild plums
2 lb of white granulated sugar
1/2 pint of water

1. Wash the plums and discard any damaged fruit.
2. Slit the plums with a knife. This will allow the stones to float to the surface during cooking so that they can be easily removed.
3. Put plums sugar & water into a large heavy bottomed saucepan (or preserving pan) and heat very gently until the sugar has dissolved.
4. Bring the jam to the boil and continue to boil very rapidly for about 8-10 minutes until the jam reaches setting point. At this stage carefully remove the stones as they float up to the surface, with a slotted spoon. Or mash threw a colander.  (What is setting point? See tricks and tips below).
5. When the jam has set, carefully pour into warm, sterilised jars, using a ladle or small jug leaving 1/4 headspace. Wipe rims of jars with a dampened clean towel
6. Cover the jars with tight fitting screw-top lids, .Hot water bath for 15 mins.
7. when cooled test for seal (press the center of the lid it should NOT Pop!  and store in a cool, dark place, away from damp.

Tips and tricks:Jam “set” or “setting point”:Getting the right set can be tricky. I have tried using a jam thermometer but find it easier to use the following method. Before you start to make the jam, put a couple of plates in the fridge so that the warm jam can be drizzled onto a cold plate (when we make jam we often forget to return the plate to the fridge between tests, using two plates means that you have a spare cold plate). Return the plate to the fridge to cool for approx two minutes. It has set when you run your finger through it and leave a crinkly track mark. If after two minutes the cooled jam is too liquid, continue to boil the jam, testing it every few minutes until you have the right set.
Amy