Making your own Pumpkin Puree...Easy

 

    https://mygardnerguy.blogspot.com/2021/09/what-pumpkins-are-best-for-eating

Keeping true to my word, pantry time...

See linkhttps://mygardnerguy.blogspot.com/2012/03/rosemary-garlic-parmesan-biscuits.html

Shopping from my Pantry...

Elliott Pantry

 

Going to the grocerie store these days is crazy!!! I really dislike seeing bacon prices and the butter my, my... I have always been a believer of a stocked pantry (not my husband). I dislike the going out to eat prices even more. It is just my husband and I so I let it slide when he wants to go get his hamburger.

We could save a lot if we ate from our pantry. With these prices I think I shall get back to my old ways. So Thanksgiving dinner I am shopping in the pantry. My pantry is not a beautiful designed space...but it has bottles of garden goods and other stuff I can use.

Tip for savings....Shop Your Kitchen First

"Before [buying] more food, look through your refrigerator, freezer, and pantry and try to come up with a dish with what you have. Let the contents of your kitchen dictate what you'll cook next.

Even if you're unable to create a full meal out of existing ingredients, browsing your kitchen allows you to establish a jumping-off point for the next dish. This way, you can fill in the blanks at the grocery store and only buy what you need to complete a meal, effectively shortening your shopping list. Need a center piece, use natural stuff you can find outside. Lucky me I have paper plates from a year ago. Looks like I am ahead of the game. I love Thanksgiving...Those pumpkins sitting on the porch, pumpkin pies coming up!!!

We are at the very end of our garden this year. I am always surprised of the amount food we can get from growing a garden. I always have more than I can put up. This year I have about used up all of the Jalapeno peppers. I think these will keep my husband supplied for the coming year. 

 

Marinated Cherry Tomatoes

This is a quick and easy thing to do with those garden cherry tomatoes...Enjoy as a bruschetta style on crostini, on top of leafy green salads...my favorite is on a piece of grilled chicken!

 

Ingredients:

    

    1/2 pound cherry tomatoes quartered

    1/4 red onion sliced thin

    1/2 - 1 clove garlic

    sea salt to taste

    1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil

    1 TBSP red wine vinegar

    1 lemon juiced

    Ground pepper to taste

    fresh basil this amount is up to you...and optional of course

 

 

Chili Sauce, we use it like ketchup

I fill my large 12 quart pot up allowing the tomatoes to heap over. Once it has cooked down about 3/4 from the top I add the following. 

2 3/4 cup of sugar

1 large onion chopped

2 green peppers chopped 

1/4 cup salt

2 1/2 cups of white vinegar

Put the following items in a spice bag...

3 tsp ground cloves

3 tsp ground cinnamon 

2 tsp ground nutmeg

2 tsp ground ginger

Allow the mixture to simmer until it is the thickness you desire for ketchup. Fill your warm pint jars and water bath or steam can for 20 minutes.

I like a smooth chili sauce so I do run my batch through a Victorian Strainer prior to filling the jars. You can find these plastic bottles at a lot of places to use once you open a jar.

 

Easy Ketchup

We have grown so many tomatoes over the years that my goal was to never waste them. I make ketchup and chili sauce, most people use chili sauce as a ketchup.

I fill my large 12 quart pot up allowing the tomatoes to heap over. Once it has cooked down about 3/4 from the top I add the following. 

2 3/4 cup of sugar

1 large onion chopped

2 green peppers chopped 

1/4 cup salt

2 1/2 cups of white vinegar

3 tbsp tajin seasoning

Allow the mixture to simmer until it is the thickness you desire for ketchup. Fill your warm pint jars and water bath or steam can for 20 minutes.

I like a smooth ketchup so I do run my batch through a Victorian Strainer prior to filling the jars. You can find these plastic ketchup bottles at a lot of places. 

 

My Pasta Sauce

 

Start with about 25-30 lbs of garden tomatoes

I start with a 12 quart pot and I fill it up to the top allowing the tomatoes to heap a lot. I always wash and cup the tomatoes in half or quarters if they are huge. I then cook down the tomatoes until it is reduced  between 3/4's way and 1/2 way. I use any tomato we grow in the garden. Even the tiny cherry tomato. As things cook down I add the additional left tomatoes. 

I then add the following ingredients:

2 medium large onions diced for easier cooking

2 medium large green peppers diced for easier cooking (can use red or yellow)

1/4 cup of parsley 

1/4 cup of oregano (if fresh I use more)

1/4 cup of basil (if fresh I use more, but most of the time to taste) 

1/4 cup of salt

1 1/2 tsp of garlic ( because I grow garlic and love fresh I will add 4-6 cloves )

1 cup of red wine vinegar

I will cook this down until things are done. I then run the batch through a Victorian Strainer for a smooth texture by removing the outer skins of the tomatoes and peppers. Heat again, and allow the sauce to simmer to the desired thickness you want.  Fill warmed pint jars, add lids and process for 35 minutes, water bath or steam canner.

Marinated Red or Yellow peppers...

 

Marinated Peppers, you can use red, yellow, orange or purple...

4 lbs firm peppers

1 cup bottled lemon juice

2 cups white vinegar

1 tbsp oregano leaves

1 cup olive or salad oil

1/2 chopped onions

2 cloves of garlic, quartered

Yield : about 9 half pints

Peppers may be left whole. Large peppers may be quartered. Was, slash two to four slits in each pepper, and blanch in boiling water. Or blister skins of tough skinned peppers using the oven method. 

Oven method, place peppers in a hot oven (400 degrees) until skins blister.

After skins blister place peppers in a pan and cover with a damp cloth, or brown paper bag. This helps make the peppers easier to peel. Cool for 10 minutes then peel off the skin. 

Flatten whole peppers, Mix all the remaining ingredients in a saucepan, heat to boiling. Place 1/4 garlic clove or small clove and 1/4 teaspoon salt in each warmed 1/2 pint jar. Fill hot jars with peppers. If using 1 pint use 1/2 teaspoon salt per jar. Remove air bubbles, leave 1/2 inch head space. Wipe rims of jars, add lids and process for 15 minutes. Water bath or steam canner...

Cheese balls...office treats...

Every year around the Holidays one is always going to be invited to a party of some kind...or have to bring a goodie  for a party.

I love cheese balls, the taste, the presentation and you can make them up fast and ahead of time...

The many uses of the tomato...

I think people have it a wrong. Man's best friend should be the tomato, because there are so many things to make from this fruit/vegetable...yea it acts like both and it is use like both.