Yea!!!!! Mount Pea-ly was finally conquered yesterday after 3 days of climbing it ( I mean shelling it). Final results, 10 sore fingers, aching neck and 16 quarts safely tucked away in the freezer. I wonder if I will recover in time before the next 2 bushels of Colossal are ready? I should have known they would be ready just when Lon was pulling a 48 hour shift. So he missed all of the fun! Though I was really thought they would wind up being ready this weekend in the middle of my granddaughter's visit. SO GLAD they came early.
Lon and I have been trying to stay on top of the produce coming out of our garden. We have been blessed with a good crop this year and have put away several things for our Winter pantry thus far. Yesterday's efforts took the form of 13 pints of chopped tomatoes, 1 quart of tomato juice, 8 quarts and 5 pints of Dill pickles. Then from Mt Pea-ly and additional 11 quarts of Pink-eye Peas. Found strawberries and blueberries at the grocery store at a reduced price still in great shape. So I froze 2 quarts of blue and 4 1/2 quarts of straw and 2 quarts of peaches from my neighbor down the road. Plus I set some Ginger Gold apples I bought at a farmer's market to dry in the dehydrator for some yummy snacking.
I had started some goat cheese the day before and set it out to drain in the midst of our busy, cluttered kitchen. Mid afternoon I took it out of the cheesecloth and mixed in a little sea salt. It was quite tasty on some seasoned crackers. Though a little drier than I had hoped, not sure if it was the heat in the kitchen or the extended time of draining that caused this or both. Had been extremely busy morning, but it has a great flavor. Often I will add herbal blends to make a flavored cheese. Yesterday was just too busy and I was pass the point of being creative. So plain Chevre it is. We decided it would work great on a salad or pasta dish. Which is good as I have a menu planned for both of those items next week.
I am keeping a running total on the sidebar for my own records. Not that I am trying to boast or anything like that. My intent is to encourage all the gardener's or want-a-be ones to try to increase your healthy eating with fresh home grown goodness. You can't find it in a can or processed package. It will take time and effort on your part. It doesn't have to be a large garden, ours is about . But the benefits out weigh any excuses you can come up with.
As the commercials say -"What have you put in your wallet (freezer/pantry)?
Deborah
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