50 Degree Drop-
We had some record-setting heat last week, about 103! Luckily things moderated. Monday night we had a cold front blowing in from Canada and the temperature dropped. We had really high gusting winds, some power outages, and downed trees. Part of the highway was closed due to severe blowing dust. Luckily we didn't have any damage here. We woke up and it was 45 degrees Tuesday morning! The winds also pushed some small fires into larger grass fires and forest fires. I was listening to a climatologist interview this morning and he said we just had real extremes. He are having severe heat and fires in the West, and in the Mountain West severe cold and snow. Terrible fires now in Oregon too, very sad. Glad I bought the heater for my home office, never thought I'd use it this early. It's warming into the 80's this week, but fall is in the air...
I thought I'd mention this since in this post- there's a canning supplies shortage in Boise. It's the first time I've ever seen this. I can't find canning jars anywhere, as well as lids and rings. Luckily I had about lots of extra lids last year that I didn't use. Now I'm down to my last 13 Quart jars! I used just about everything else up. Hopefully that will be enough for my pears to can this weekend, if not I will do something else with the excess. It's funny, in March, after Covid hit, I thought I should probably buy some extra jars, and I didn't. Now I'm kicking myself, live and learn! Anyway here's some of what I did on my long Labor Day weekend!....
I decided to use some of my peaches to make some peach chutney. After trying Jamie Oliver's flatbread with chutney, yogurt and eggs why buy some over-priced/processed chutney? I had seen several "authentic versions". I used the basic Ball Peach Chutney recipe as a base since I'd be canning it. In addition to what they had listed I also added 1 Tsp Turmeric, 1/2 Tsp Cardamom, 50% more Mustard seeds and 2 cloves diced fresh garlic. Ball had the garlic as "optional". I cut the recipe in 1/2 since I didn't want quite that much! This does take a while to cook down and thicken, as I found out! Over two hours! No pectin is used and it thickens on cooling. Good description here as well as another recipe BBC.Co.UK How To Make Chutney
Cooking away
All done!
Next I did two batched of peach jams. The Pomona Pectin worked great! Sets up FAST. I did all the peaches in one day. Size-wise, to clarify of you're new to canning, a 1/2 pint is a standard "Jelly Jar". See the smaller ones above.
At the end of the day I canned, all low sugar-
Peach Jam, 11 X 1/2 pints and four X Pints. I tossed in about 1 cup of our fresh Blackberries and mashed them in. Nice color/flavor bonus, and it looks like jars of sunshine!
Spiced Peach jam, four X 1/2 Pints and three X Pints. I add cinnamon, cloves and a pinch of Allspice. Tastes like peach pie filling!
Peach Chutney, I canned six X half Pints and two Pints. You can use jam, along with onions and ginger on top of pork chops beside the traditional use. Just heat thru and put on top!
Next Corn Relish-
Next Rhubarb sauce! I thawed out some rhubarb from last year and made about two Quarts of rhubarb sauce. Dave loves the stuff! Basically I thawed the rhubarb, drained off most of the juice, cooked that down, added sugar to taste. It wasn't enough to bother with canning (and I'm getting low on jars) so it will be in the refrigerator. Should keep for months.
My pantry rack looked like this before canning, last 3 jars of last year's jam, with last year's peaches and apples-
Corn relish added-
I have room below for the pears, then I'll be done! I'l be freezing some tomatoes and peppers. Will dehydrate some squash for soups. And maybe a few other things. I'm thinking about plums?
After seeing this the other night I decided to try it! Rick Bayless, famous American chef, called it Mexican comfort food. I followed the recipe, roasting a chicken with Mexican seasonings, and using a store-bought Tomatillo salsa. Basically you heat up salsa, add chicken broth and onions, simmer, toss in tortilla chips, toss, toss, add shredded chicken, toss, toss, cover for 2-3 minutes. That's it! Top with sliced onions, Cilantro Mexican cheeses. Recipe video (with link for printed version) Ming.com Rick Bayless It was spicy and unique. You could also probably use other meats. I think it's a keeper. I cut the recipe in half and it was still a LOT! He also advises soaking white onion slices to "de-flame" them, as done in Mexico. Get rids of some of the heat, but keeps the nice crunch! I'd never heard of that! You learn something new every day...
10 comments:
Haha....they always say "a cold front from Canada"...I live in Vancouver Canada and it's been in the 80's all week...a far cry from a cold front!
Yes I hear you! I think it actually came over from the Arctic haha. I personally love this kind of weather when it's cool at night in the 40s, and low 70s during the day perfect weather. We actually need some rain so I'm hoping for a nice Autumn storm coming in soon, time will tell
That is crazy weather! I've given up keeping track of the weather forecast. I think we are due for more fall-like weather, which is just fine with me. I'm sure we'll now get plenty of rain, since my garden is finished. You have been busy - that chutney looks so good! How do you use it? We are having a shortage of canning supplies here, as well. I'm glad I have lots of jars, but lids are another story.
Yes crazy indeed! Chubby is basically used like a Savory topping. Slightly spicy sweet great on top of meats or breads and some people serve on top of cheese with crackers. Lots of uses!
Sorry I meant Chutney not chubby!
I'm wondering if you in Idaho are getting our smoke from California and the west coast? I desperately want it to cool down - I NEED the Fall rainy months to come.
I love Mexican food so I am going to have to try that recipe. Looks delish.
Debby, yes California for sure. We need rain here, and the West, in general! Fires in Oregon, Washington and California, some in Idaho too! Sad times...
I think the canning supplies shortage is just about nationwide this year. I've had enough for my needs (I'm not a hoarder, I just like to be prepared!) but have had some lids on back order for over a month now. Hoping they still come through because I'll need them for next year.
Loved seeing the pictures of all your canned goods. Isn't home canning just the most satisfying endeavor? You know what's gone into your food, how it's been processed and stored. So good in the winter months.
Praying all these horrible fires can be contained soon. Such a scary thing.
Yes it's sounding like some of those supplies are nationwide. I think I'll try to find some things this winter hopefully the stocks will normalize. Yes county is great so she know exactly what's in there. We eat a fair amount of jam especially in the colder weather, mostly on toast and I will give some to our kids probably. Yes those fires are just really awful I'm praying for some fall rainstorms to come through. I was hearing the other day on the radio that some insurance companies may start pulling out of some of these states. That would be really bad
I think there is a canning supply shortage everywhere - last week I went to SEVEN different stores trying to find lids. Thankfully I finally called my mom and she had some! Thanks for sharing on Homestead Blog Hop!
Post a Comment