Yesterday Pitty-pat and I canned 27 pints of Carrots. Little-man washed them. Pitty-pat peeled them all. I cut and packed them for the pressure canner .(Tippy-toe wasn't left out he cored apples for apple butter.)

Spicy Pickled Carrots 
 (I found this recipe here ) I can't wait to try it so I copied it so I can't loose it. Plus it is a small batch recipe, so if we don't like it we aren't stuck with so many jars of the stuff.
Ingredients:
This recipe makes four pints of pickled carrots, and scales up easily

• 2 1/2 lbs carrots, cleaned, trimmed, and sliced 1/4" thick
• 5 1/2 cups vinegar (white or cider)
• 1 cup water
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 tbsp canning salt
• 2 Jalapeno or Serrano peppers
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• 4 bay leaves
• 20 peppercorns
• 4 tsp salt

 1. Prep the ingredients: Trim the carrots, then slice into 1/4" thick slices.  Put the canning pot on the stove and fill it with enough water to cover the jars when they are added. Cover the pot, and bring to a simmer.
2. Simmer the carrots: Meanwhile, put the carrots, vinegar, water, sugar and 2 tbsp canning salt in a large saucepan or dutch oven,
 3. Fill the jars: In each pint jar, put 1/2 a jalapeno pepper, 1 bay leaf, 5 peppercorns, and 1 tsp salt. Using a slotted spoon, fill each jar with carrots, leaving 1/2" of head space at the top of each jar. Ladle enough brine into each jar to cover the carrots, again leaving 1/2" of head space. If you are doing refrigerator pickles, you're done - cover the jars and skip to the "rest for at least a week" step. If you're canning the pickles, read on...and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer the carrots for 15 minutes.
 4. Process the jars: Wipe the rims of the jars and apply the lids. Lower the jars into the canning pot, and make sure they are covered with 1" of water. Cover the pot with its lid, bring the water to a rolling boil, then process in the hot water bath for 15 minutes. Remove the jars from the pot, and let rest for 12 to 24 hours before testing the seal on the lids.

Gonna try this recipe today

How to cook dry beans in the oven:
Heat the oven to 325°. Put 1 pound of beans in a 3-quart pot with a tight-fitting lid. Add 2 teaspoons of salt. Add enough water to cover the beans by about 1 inch. Put on the lid and bake for 75 minutes. Check the beans and stir them. If they are tender, take them out of the oven. If they aren’t done, put them back in for 15 minute intervals until they are, adding a cup of hot water if they seem to be drying out. This will take at most 2 hours, but will probably take less than 90 minutes.
You can add a bay leaf. or a few cloves of garlic. After cooking add chicken stock for bean soup. I am planing on  putting our left over sausage and burger in mine.  Or Serve with corn bread for a complete protein meatless meal.

Quote for the day

"Courage is fear that has said it's prayers" anonymous  My cousin found this scribbled on the back of a discarded church bulletin. It is so true! Hope this lifts your day today. 

I wish Lizzi liked The Little House Books as much as I did at her age. I wanted to be Laura and cross the Prairie living in a covered wagon. I still do.  But she finds reading these books supreme torture. And all the butter in jar we make together doesn't make it anymore exciting for her. So this is another curriculum option we have left on the wayside.

 

 

From "On The Banks of Plum Creek"

"After Laura and Mary had washed and wiped the dishes, swept the floor, made their bed, and dusted, they settled down with their books. But the house was so cozy and pretty that Laura kept looking up at it."

- Laura Ingalls Wilder

 

I have a few grapes that haven't got eaten up yet so I am going to make a single jar of grape juice. It can process right alongside my big batch of applesauce. It will add some more variety to my pantry.

Easy small batch grape juice

To each sterilized quart jar

2 cups washed and cleaned  grapes
1/2 cup sugar

Directions:

1. In sterilized jar place 2 cups grapes.
2. Add 1/2 cup sugar.
3. Fill to top with boiling water.
4. Seal jars at once with 2 piece lids. Process in water-bath canner for 10 minutes. Remove from canner and keep out of drafts(cover with a towel). Next day remove metal lid-bands, and label with date and contents.
5. Let juice stand 3 to 4 weeks before using.
6. Strain juice from grapes and use juice.

My mom grew her own grapes and made this but I think my leftover store bought will taste just as good.  I want to say this is the method handed down to me. Refer to a  professional guide before you can anything. This recipe  is intended  my for own records only.

Pumpkin Pie Pancakes

Pumpkin pie pancakes recipe from homegrownbliss.blogspot.com
2 eggs
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup pumkin puree
1 cup evaporated milk ( or any kind of milk)

1 tsp cinnamon


1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cloves
1 cup whole wheat flour
Mix wet ingredients and spices. Add flour. Cook on heated griddle. Cut jack o'lantern faces.