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Using A Food Mill
Food mills are an old fashioned kitchen tool that was used by many in the kitchen. My mother had one which we still have however, I really did not know what it was but saw her use it often especially when she was making her scratch tomato sauce and spaghetti. It was not until I decided to can tomato sauce that I discovered just how useful, simple and uncomplicated a modern day food mill can operate. Our backyard garden has given us so much produce the food mill has become a weekly (if not more) kitchen tool for meal prep. The food mill forces foods through a perforated disk which…
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A Quick And Simple Guide To Freezing Tomatoes
As the summer garden harvest is winding down the majority of my preserving was done by canning. Capturing the taste of summer though canning can not be ignored. To take advantage of the set up, work, and time of canning it is best to have a big crop. As things wind down, freezing is quicker and easier for a small crop of tomatoes. For those who are just starting their journey in food preservation, freezing is an easy way to get started. You can even dice or crush the tomatoes before freezing them. No special equipment is needed. It takes a freezing container that is airtight and you need space…
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Easy Way To Store Your Apple Harvest
I have an apple tree and I recently visited an apple orchard, so I have lots of apples to preserve. I plan to make applesauce by canning and I plan to freeze apples. If you want to freeze your apples for later use there is a super easy way to store them. Apples are usually peeled, sliced and cored before being frozen. I have this apple peeler/corer. It makes peeling and coring apples quick and easy. Steps To Storing Your Apples You can use a knife or vegetable peeler as well to peel and core apples. Wash apples under cold running water. Rub, making sure you have enough friction to…
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Simple and Easy Ways to Freeze Your Garden Harvest
Stock your freezer with your vegetables and fruits you have harvested. Freezing is a good alternative to canning if time is limited. I have done both. When I had a houseful of kids, freezing was my preferred method of preserving my harvest. HOW COLD IS FREEZING COLD Freezer temperatures vary, so they should be below 0 F to assure to inactivate bacteria. You want to retain vitamin content and quality as well. Careful attention to how frequent the freezer is opened is important. The temperature can rise and be several degrees higher therefore using the back of the freezer is best. The less the freezer is opened the better. FREEZER…
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Cleaning Your Garden Tools
Give your garden tools a seasonal scrub… By the time the gardening season is winding down, my garden tools have taken a beating. I utilize a quick and convenient storage place right in my garden to store my tools during the gardening season. I use them daily so I want them handy when I need them. I assembled a mailbox on T posts. I drive the end of the T post into the ground in my garden. T posts are stout, and can be directly driven into the ground and there is no need for digging holes and setting concrete. I keep my small hand tools, gloves, and some row…
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How To Make Quick Garden Row Markers
As I plant may garden each season I have a process which entails preparing my rows, digging the holes for the seeds and moving to the next row. I just go until all the seeds are in the ground. I have a carpenters apron and put seed packs in the pockets so I can move through the rows. The problem for me is always remembering what I planted on what row. Seems elementary to keep track of it, but I get going and think I will remember but get distracted with being outside, the birds, the insects, and just thinking. Having been snake bit about remembering, I…
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Homemade Applesauce
An “apple a day” is what my mother always told us as children therefore, each and every day growing up we all had an apple in our lunch. I believe that is why I am so fond of apples. I eat them several times a week. (I had one today for lunch.) As a nurse, by profession, I have always been about eating healthy for myself and my family. Apples are one of the top healthiest foods. They have long been known for the antioxidants, flavonoids and dietary fiber. Including them in your daily diet is highly suggested and it is not hard because they are tasty. …
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Grow and Cook Pumpkins
When the pumpkins start turning orange, we know fall is not far off and that means football. We are football fans. My husband played football and my son did as well. My daughters were on the sideline cheering on their brother and Friday night football was a fun family time. Of course not everyone loves football but pumpkin harvesting also means changing of seasons, cool weather, and fall festivities. There is a lot of good food wasted when untold numbers of nutritious pumpkins get turned into jack-o-lanterns. Pumpkins make a very good custard and put into a pie shell you have pumpkin pie. During the early years the pumpkin…
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Growing and Harvesting Butternut Squash
Butternut Squash It is considered a winter squash. Given the chance winter squash will take over a garden (this includes pumpkins). The vines are very long and will grow to all parts of the garden. I usually direct the long vines to the perimeter of the garden so they encircle my garden space. Growing butternut squash was not on the top of my list during my early gardening years but once I decided to try growing it, it has been a regular in my garden. Growing Butternut Squash Butternut squash is easy to grow. The growing season begins in the summer for harvesting in the fall. The seedlings are extremely…
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Pecan Recipes
Pecan pie Anyone? What about pecan squares? How about homemade pecan milk? Get it all here! Pecan pie usually is associated with fall and the holiday’s. We enjoy pecan recipes all year long. Fun Facts about Pecans Pecan trees can live to be 300 years old 80% of the worlds pecan crop comes from the United States April 14rh is National Pecan Day July 12th is National Pecan Pie Day It takes a pecan tree 10+ years to reach maturity and begin producing nuts. Want to learn more about growing your own pecans? Check out the post here! There is nothing like a homemade pecan pie especially when you know…
Home Grown is Best
