And since I was already busy, I decided to start laundry and wash up all the jars I canned yesterday that were ready. I still have 8 that I can't wash for a couple of hours. I only got up at 4:15, had planned to go back to sleep, but...
As I was washing the jars filled with yummy meals for us to simply heat and enjoy I was thinking about the things you can learn when you have time to experiment and research other's successes and failures. Historically, I canned jellies. As someone that doesn't eat much jelly that was kind of a waste of time and they didn't get used up, so I simply quit when time became far too precious to waste.
Now that I have time, I am experimenting. Small batches of course, because no one wants 8 jars of failure. I absolutely love jalapeno jelly, the spicy and sweet together are heavenly. The problem, I don't eat sugar any longer, this creates a challenge, especially since the recipe needs a LOT of sugar. So I gave it a go with one of the sugar substitutes, suffice it to say, not the right substitute. It is more like a sweet jalapeno crystallized jelly, is the only way I can think to describe it. It's delicious, but I am not really sure how I will make it work. I assure you I will find a way, but it definitely isn't jelly. Good thing I made a couple for my kiddo with regular sugar, she would not be impressed with that mess.
The thing is, I have the time to try and fail. I will use a different sweetener next time, maybe stevia (although it is not my favorite by a long shot), but I have read of people having success with it.
Another thing I am learning is that there was so much wasted. I started saving my scraps from my veggies, there are tubs in the freezer, when they are full, I use them to make broths. Right now my kitchen smells heavenly, I have two large crock-pots simmering, full of the carcasses of the chickens I bought after I put all of the meat into jars and canned them. Basically, when they are done I will probably end up with about 5 to 7 quarts of delicious chicken broth that was made entirely of items that I would have thrown away in the past. I usually pay at least $4 a carton for broth. Not a bad return on the investment of a little time.
I grew up being told that all of the nutrients were in the peels, yet like most folks I peeled my carrots, cucumbers, potatoes, etc and tossed those in the trash bin. I wasn't even smart enough to keep a compost bin going so that I had rich soil for my gardens. I will admit that I have not been doing things very smart or efficient.
I also started a new jar of vanilla extract. I've been making my own for a few years now. When the prices started getting crazy high. That seems to be my motivation to learn most things. Have they gotten too expensive (or at least too expensive for my cheap self). In the past Hubs has bought me beautiful grade A beans to make my vanilla extract from. They ultimately turned that golden brown color, but took what seemed like years (okay, it was years), before I started my current batch I did a lot of research, those darn beans aren't inexpensive and I'd been hearing I needed even more in a jar. Ends up I did, but what I really needed were the grade B beans. The grade A are more for fancy cooking and such. The grade B are ugly, they are softer and full of the seeds that create that rich, deep brown extract. Just like with many other things, you aren't looking for beauty if you want richness.
The batch that is sitting on the counter is less than 18 hours old, it's already a deep, dark brown and smells like pure vanilla heaven. I didn't even use a high quality vodka, just good old Trader Joe's. I followed a recipe that came with the beans, I figures what did I have to lose. Besides the beans I purchased are specifically to make extracts, they should know right?
Each time I make something I am always thinking what else can I use this for, before I toss it out is there anything else that can be made? I chopped up a beautiful watermelon the other day for dessert when we had company, as I was chopping I kept looking at the rind, ya know the light green part? My parents always warned us to never eat that part, it wasn't good for you, it would give you an upset tummy, etc. So I'd never really given it much consideration. I remembered that I'd seen several recipes using it in the older canning books I have so decided why not. I mean I was only going to throw it away anyhow.
Yeah, that will never happen again. Just like with the peels of other fruits and veggies, it ends up that the amount of vitamins and minerals in those little pale green bits is incredible. Not to mention it is very tasty. At least as a preserve. I can't wait to use the next batch of rind in something else. Mom and Dad weren't quite right on that one, but the odds are they were taught it by their parents.
I also started my first batch of sauerkraut. It is by far one of my favorite foods. So I am fairly excited to see how it turns out. I will admit that my hands and arms are a wee bit sore today from the first steps of that. I can see why they sometimes use a wooden mallet to pound it, as opposed to using your hands. It's got to be checked daily, as that is a new addition to my daily routine I definitely had to add it to the calendar. It will be a greater concern when I move it to the basement next week. Remembering to go down and check it will take a bit of doing. Luckily the vanilla needs to be shaken each day also, so the two of them need to stay close together so I don't forget.
I am having so much fun exploring my newest hobby. I'm still very mournful that I hadn't been raised doing this, mainly because if I had been doing this all along for meal prepping instead of all the other crazy ways I tried, life would have actually been a lot easier when I worked full time. We would have been able to have a healthy home cooked meal every night, and the amount of money we would have saved. I can't make myself think about it, because I will probably get angry and a bit sick to my stomach.
Yeah, it takes a bit of planning and thought. But the reality is that if it was a normal way of life for me since childhood, it wouldn't have taken much more time than all the wasted hours going out to dinner.
Why do we not teach our children these lessons? I have forgotten most of the useless drivel crammed into my brain in school. The classes whose lessons I have carried with me and used throughout the years were the very ones that most schools no longer offer. Home Ec, shop, woodworking and art classes. I'm not referring to the basics - reading, writing and arithmetic those are foundational. No I'm talking about things that were actually able to be used for something other than getting obscure answers right at Trivia Night.
I also remember planting beans in grade school. I still have every recipe I made in high school although I long since stopped pulling them out when I cook. I learned basic budgeting for a home in home ec, I learned to use my mind and my hands in the other classes. Those are the classes I treasure. The rest of them... I can honestly say, I never used again. I doubt I am in the minority on that one.
Oh, no... felt myself getting off on a tangent. Felt myself getting ready to go down a path I don't have time for. Yesterday an article popped up in my Facebook feed, it was about how the housewives in the 40's made their dollars stretch and took care of their families. Why? What is the book trying to foreshadow now? It seems whenever things pop up like that there is often something coming. Who knows. Luckily, I utilize those skills on the regular, so... no worries on my part.
Well, speaking of skills... time to get busy. I have a BUNCH of jalapeno's that must be harvested and used up today. I'm thinking Cowboy Candy to share with friends. Darn sugar. I'm also going to simply pickle up a few batches also... but for now the puppies are waiting impatiently for a walk. Despite having a fenced in yard to romp in they still love to stretch their legs and take in all the sniffs.
love and peace...
p.s. sorry for the lack of pictures... if you could see my messes you would completely understand! And that little glass... bore the fruits of my first official barter Cherry Pie Moonshine anyone?
Good one. 381+
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