WHAT ARE YOU CANNING TODAY?

[tortoise]

I inventoried my little chest freezer with dry erase marker on the lid. Works fabulously and wipes right off. Sometimes needs rubbing alcohol to wipe it off and the color will stay in any scratches. That doesn't bother me.

We upgraded to an upright, which is awesome. I need to inventory it too because I worry about the cold air "falling" out when I open the door and being inefficient to have the door open long enough to find things.

 

[lcertuche]

Dry erase marker is a great idea. I used to keep a inventory list by the freezer with a pencil but no one would mark off or write anything but me.

 

[Mini Horses]

Try hanging clear plastic so when you open, you have to move it to get food? I'm thinking this is like the heavy strips they hang on commercial walk-ins....maybe a tension type rod found for window or bath....won't prevent 100% loss but may help.

I like the dry erase marker tip!! I would make myself a chart of "where" to find things on there, too

Reminds me, I have to cure some bacon pretty soon...

 

[NH Homesteader]

The "where" is my issue too!
I also need to cure some bacon. Almost butcher time for another pig so we need to eat what's in there now!

 

[ducks4you]

DH has to eliminate most to all salt in his diet and I found some bread and butter pickles that he loves so much that I had to make a third batch last week! The first batch was a way to use up 16 pickles that I had harvested. Here is the recipe and you DON'T NEED salt to can them:
Bread and Butter Pickles Recipe (canned)

• Prep time: 4 hours, 20 minutes
• Cook time: 15 minutes
• Yield: Makes about 5 pint jars

Start with the freshest pickling cucumbers you can find; your pickles are only going to be as good as the produce you start with. The fresher the cucumbers are, the crispier your pickles will be.

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 lbs pickling cucumbers (fresh from the market)
• 1 pound white or yellow onions, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup pickling salt (can use Kosher salt as a substitute, regular table salt has additives in it that will turn the pickles dark and muddy the color of the pickle juice)
• 1 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar (5% acidity)
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar (5% acidity)
• 2 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 Tbsp mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 3/4 teaspoon celery seeds
• 1 inch cinnamon stick
• 6 allspice berries plus a pinch of ground allspice
• 6 whole cloves plus a pinch of ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric

Cut vegetables in very large bowl. Cover with plastic and add ice cubes, hill for 3-4 hours. (I left my last batch on the cold porch overnight) THIS eliminates a need for pickle crisp. Cook vinegar--I prefer ACV myself--and all other ingredients as you pack your jars. To keep bubbles from your jars you will end up with an inch-1-1/2inches of liquid below the contents of the finished pickles, but packing tight this is best you can get, since the vinegar keeps the ingredients preserved.
Process in boiling water (hot bath canner) for 35-40 minutes so that the ingredients can cook.

I have seen these sold in the grocery store labelled "Salad Pickles". I happen to love the way the onions turn out better than the cucumbers. Last week I processed 7 quarts and I will probably have to make some more end of next month, so growing cucumbers will have to happen this year.

 

[lcertuche]

My church gave us a flats of cucumbers, green bell peppers, and bags of tomatoes. So far I've canned 17 quarts and 5 pints of Dill and Bread and Butter pickles. I cut up a crockpot of tomatoes to cook down, and dehydrated and freeze the peppers. They are always blessing us with fresh food. Last week we got 12 watermelons, we gave half away and the Wildbunch ate watermelon until they were ready to turn into a watermelon.

Well, I was going to post a picture but for some reason I always have a tough time doing that.

 

[sumi]

Blessing is the right word

 

[lcertuche]

What do you know it decided to upload after all.

 

[sumi]

That looks yum and pretty!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Looks great and what a gift!