Monday, October 14, 2013

The Rest of the Summer Preserving

Here are the final summer preserving projects I did.  I did not blog about them at the time (for various boring reasons), but I want them on The Record.

All summer long, I made and froze batches of pesto.  I mostly used my happy, huge purple basil plant in the front porch pot.  Today, I pulled the whole plant out in preparation for winter and the children picked all the leaves off the stems - the stems were thick and strong like twigs! I made 4 more batches of pesto.  I freeze it in ice cube trays and then we can put hot pasta on a cube of frozen pesto and presto (ha), there's a meal!  I also use pesto on pizza instead of tomato sauce.


 
And speaking of pizza, here's one of several more batches of pizza sauce I made in September.  I couldn't bear the idea of using my home-canned jars of pizza sauce when there were still tomatoes on market, so I simply made more sauce when I made baked ziti, spaghetti, and pizza.
 
 
I also made several trays of roasted tomatoes, following Jennifer's directions.  I didn't take any photos -this may have been over the time that I was struggling with a virus.  In my defense, it was an elusive virus and I would feel hale and hearty for hours at a time and then, boom, weak and achey and wishing I had not hung up 4 loads of laundry and started a vat of pizza sauce.

I chopped and froze a lot of bell peppers.  I could get them 3 or 4 for a dollar at market. 


 
Several times this summer I made fermented dill pickles, following directions in Sandor Katz's book.  They were tricky to get right.  The first batch was crisp and sour and my husband could not stop eating them.  The final batch, shown here at the beginning of its fermentation, was only fine in my opinion, but my husband still stood in front of the fridge with the jar and a fork.
 
 
I got a half bushel of Concord grapes and made grape juice - only because I borrowed Rebecca's fantastic steamer that made it easy.  This will be great with popcorn on Sunday nights.
 
 

 
And finally, here is chicken stock seen from my kitchen window as it cools.  I included it here in the preserving round up because I needed to get that chicken out of the freezer to make way for the local beef that we're getting soon.
 
 
I think I preserved more this summer than I ever have before.  Wow! That was not really my plan, but I just kept finding projects I could not resist.  How did your summer preserving go?

8 comments:

jenny_o said...

I so admire your treasures. Years ago I made the odd batch of pickles or jam, but we didn't eat enough of it to warrant the work and materials. Now I buy the little we need at local church teas and craft fairs in the fall. Have you ever sold yours? If so, do you feel you were able to make enough that it would be a worthwhile side venture?

Lisa said...

Margo, I clicked on the Rebecca's steamer
link, but it's the tomato one. (looks irresistible!) The only thing I put up was applesauce from our own apples - that was exciting.
Did you just chop the peppers and freeze them raw?

Rebecca said...

I'm deciding whether or not I should make some green tomato mincemeat. Or maybe that curry you told me about. Or maybe let the darn things rot in the garden. Now there's an idea!

AmyK said...

Popcorn and home canned grape juice?! That was a staple snack when we had company when I was a kid. I have very fond memories. You're the first non-family person I "know" to mention that combination.

Margo said...

Jenny_o, I have never once considered selling food. It's too complicated with food safety as mandated by the government. I give homemade food as gifts occasionally, but that's it. My etsy shop is the overflow of my domesticity!

Margo said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Margo said...

Lisa, sorry about the incorrect link. I fixed it now! That steamer is the bee's knees!

Sew Blessed Maw [Judy] said...

you have been a busy girl..Looks good.