New Year! Update!

I know I haven't posted for several months now.  I had just got my blog up and running, and then I needed to have a major surgery.  I thought I would be better after recovering, but we had to move, due to a severe mold infestation.  During these last few months I have still been having health issues, some mold related, and had to have a few more surgeries.  Unfortunately, I haven't been spending as much time in the kitchen as I would like to.  I am grateful that I was able to get a lot of canning done thanks to my CSA share at Farmer Dave's CSA, and the Haverhill Farmer's market.  All that work before I was sick is helping a lot now.

Farmer Dave's Apples!

 We are reaping the benefits of our canning during the Summer and Fall. We are lucky to be enjoying "fresh" vanilla peaches in January!  The recipe is found in an earlier post here,  Peaches in Vanilla,  Hot Pepper Jelly for Christmas gifts, Dilly Beans, and Pickles for snacks, and homemade canned beans, saves some money at the grocery store.  Last night Aidan and I made a "homemade" apple pie with Apples from Farmer Dave's and the Haverhill Farmer's Market, because we canned some Apple Pie Filling!  With a store bought refrigerated crust, we had the fresh taste of homemade, local apples, and Aidan and I enjoyed a bit of time in the kitchen.  Since I have been spending much of my time taking it easy, I have found more time for my other passion, reading!  The recipe that we used for the apple pie apples came from a recipe I adapted from goddesshobbies.blogspot.com  Her ingredient list are as follows. 

Sarah Jean's Apple Pie Filling

Granny Smith Apples

4 1/2 cups of sugar

2 Tbs cinnamon

1/2 tea nutmeg (I liked 1 tea)

1 tea salt

1 cup corn starch

10 cups water

Mix all ingredients, except corn starch. Mix the corn starch with a little water and then add it in. Boil all ingredients. 

Fill jar half-full with apples.  Jam them in.  Then fill the jar part way with the syrup and fill with more apples to the rim of the jar.  (Normally, I am prepared and have pictures for you, but today, I don't....Sorry ; ) !  )  

Work bubbles out with a knife.  Wipe the rim of the jar, and add lids.  Submerge in a hot water bath for 20 mins.  I believe I got 6 or 7 quarts and a pint or so.  I never made a pie with a canned filling before, but my boy and I were pleasantly surprised.  It took almost two quarts to make a 10" pie.  Some of the sauce was left and a few apples, but my boy enjoyed snacking on a bowl of the delicious apples right out of the jar, while our pie was in the oven.  Easy Peasy!  I will definitely be using this recipe for years to come! 

As a family, my lil guy, the big guy and I are all avid readers.  My parents bought me a kindle for my birthday.  I didn't think I would like it much because I love turning the pages, and the feeling and weight of holding the book while I read.  I knew I would need to find a good cover!  I searched high and low.  I wanted to find one that is made in the USA, and would stand up to being used a lot.  I found one I truly loved on Oberondesign.com.

Here is the link to my Tree of Life Kindle cover!
http://www.oberondesign.com/shop/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=1609

Oberon Designs Tree of Life Leather Kindle 4 Cover.  Made in the USA!

I love the way it feels and it is so nicely hand tooled!  Between Amazon's free reads I have found on pixelofink.com and www.netgallery.com, I have managed to find a bunch of great books to start my ebook library.  I hope to share some of my reviews on here.  I enjoy many different genres, to the cooking, canning, gardening, memoirs, Non-fiction, historical fiction, romance, inspirational, and more.  I find myself reading a lot of Amish fiction lately.  I am enjoying learning about their culture.  I love doing things the old way a lot, and if you know anything about the Amish way of life, they live without electricity, they can, bake, cook, garden.  My son calls them "the pioneers of today", and he's right.  I hope you will enjoy my new entries when I get a chance to get on here and post some updates and reviews.  I hope everyone enjoyed a safe and happy Holiday season with their families.

I just ordered a Vitamix a few days ago, so once we receive it and get a chance to try it out, we will be having a post hopefully soon!

Our little tree at the new place! 

Me and my Little Baker!

Kellie~

Puttin em Up!

Me and My Boy!

Pickled Jalapenos

Dilly Beans

This Summer seems to have flown right by.  A lot of that is probably because I had surgery.  I was down and out a lot of the Summer.  I did take Aidan to the zoo.  We had a blast.  I also made sure I got to the farmer's market every Saturday, and my CSA pick up on Tuesdays.  This is the first year in a long time that  I began doing one of my other loves again after a long hiatus....Canning.  I didn't grow up around anyone who canned, I was just drawn to it.  I really missed it.  I have had to take it easy, but it has been like therapy...to me it is calming, and I love creating and making things for other people.  I started with watermelon rind pickles, and since I have made diced tomatoes, salsa, dill pickles, and dilly beans, strawberry jam, cherry jam, pickled jalapenos, apple sauce, peach jam, peaches in vanilla, and hot pepper jelly.  I have also canned kidney beans and chickpeas.  It feels so good knowing what it going into the food that my family will eat this year into the next growing season.  No unknown ingredients, I have become friends with many of the farmers I get my food from.  The milk I make my yogurt from comes from Kimball's, my garlic, and green and wax beans from Polly at Fletcher's Community Farms, tomatoes from Farmer Dave, and Wally's, but the majority came from Jeff at Simone Farms.  Can you say where your food comes from?  To me it is important.  By buying local, you are supporting your community and helping keep small farms and business' alive.  My peaches and pears this week came from my Aunt Lynne's trees.  I am going to share some pictures, and post the recipe for the Peaches in Vanilla!  It is worth the time spent.  Home canned goods make excellent gifts as well! 

 

Peaches in Vanilla!

Peaches in Vanilla adapted from (Canning For A New Generation by Liana Krissoff)

1 Tbsp lemon juice or vinegar (I used lemon juice)
8 pounds peaches (freestone are best)
4 cups sugar
2 vanilla beans split, and cut in half
2 quarts water

Fill a large bowl or pot with cold water and stir in the lemon juice.  Blanch and peel the peaches, putting them in the acidulated water as you peel (helps retain their color).  Halve and pit the peaches.  Slice or quarter them.  Return to the water.
Prepare for water-bath canning.  In a large saucepan, combine the sugar and 2 quarts water and bring the syrup to a boil.  Drain the peaches and pack them tightly into the jars, leaving 1 inch headspace at the top.  Ladle the hot syrup into the jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.  Slip 1 or 2 pieces of vanilla bean into each jar.  Use a butter knife to remove air bubbles around the inside of each jar.  Use a damp paper towel to wipe the rims of the jars and place a lid and ring on each jar, adjusting so it is finger tight. Return the jars to the canning pot, making sure the water covers the jars by a 1/2 inch.  Bring to a boil and boil pints for 20 minutes and quarts for 25 minutes.  Remove the jars to a folded towel and do not disturb for 12 hours.  You should hear that wonderful "ping" sound.  This is your jars sealing!  If a jar does not seal properly refrigerate and eat soon.  Otherwise label the sealed jars and store to enjoy later!  Peaches in Vanilla make fabulous gifts, just ask my friend Ellen.

With our first jar of them, I made a quick dessert of peach shortcake.  I took one can of Pillsbury buttermilk grands and baked them according to the package directions.  I used about a pint of peaches in vanilla, and heated it in a saucepan on low.  While stirring I slowly added some water combined with cornstarch to thicken the sauce.  I lowered the temp and let it cook until it was the consistency I wanted.  I cut the biscuits in half, scooped some vanilla ice cream, topped with some peaches and sauce, topped with some whipped cream and the top of the biscuit.  One little peach slice on top and a dollop of whipped cream.....delicious, quick and easy!!!!