One of the many things I love about our new location here in Colorado is the ability to have a garden.
Gardening in Houston was always a challenge. Not because things didn’t grow in the tropical atmosphere. Quite the opposite. Things grew well, especially weeds.
The problem was it got too hot too quickly to be out tending the garden. Here, we can go out whenever we want and pleasant weather greets.
And not too many bugs here, either. Houston mosquitoes loved me. Colorado mosquitoes haven’t found me…yet.
This year between the fire and all the construction underway, our efforts were limited.
Our evacuation killed most of our hanging baskets and planted flowers. We couldn’t water any of them. The mountains of dirt from the excavation buried the new peonies we planted.
Not complaining, just stating facts.
We did put out two tomato plants early in the spring, which survived.
What I failed to realize was that, since we live on the shady mountainside, I’d need a greenhouse to get the tomatoes to turn red!
Both plants are loaded with buds and tomatoes that are never going to turn red. This seemed such a waste.
We fried a few and then Jerry remembered we’d dilled green tomatoes at the end of the growing season when we lived in West Virginia.
I dug around in my cookbooks and found the recipe in my 1965 edition of Better Homes and Gardens new CookBook. That was easy.Finding the necessary ingredients wasn’t. Local farmers’ markets didn’t have fresh dill, and our local market didn’t either. We finally found fresh dill in the supermarket forty-seven miles away.
Once the ingredients were on hand, I was ready to start the canning process.
I washed the tomatoes. The dishwasher washed the canning jars.
Ironic that after years of collecting jars, I had to buy new ones. I’d given all my jars to Chicken Wrangler Sara when we downsized.
With the jars clean and heated, I prepared the liquid.
When it boiled, I stuffed the jars with green tomatoes, fresh dill, fresh garlic, and a stalk of celery.
I left out the hot pepper. I don’t like HOT peppered stuff.
Minutes later, I had three beautiful quart jars which will be ready to eat in a month to enjoy with our meals.
Whole process took less than an hour and reminded me how much I love to can and make jams and preserves. I’m thinking I’ll start doing more.
That is, when I’m not writing!
YOUR TURN: What about you ever done in home canning?
I loooooooove fried green tomatoes. Not sure about canning. I’d probably poison my family. Don’t you have to boil the Mason jars for like 24 hours or something?
So far, I haven’t killed anyone and I only heat/clean the jars in the dishwasher. But then, that dishwasher scalds the dishes. Steam when you open the door blinds.
I used to make yogurt often. I think my yogurt maker gave up the goast. I do know you can make yogurt w/out a maker. Becky has two fresh goats and another that should be p.g. When that one has her babies and the babies don’t need her anymore I think I may start making yogurt again.
That’s sounds like a great idea. I love yogurt, Jerry doesn’t. Maybe if he tried “fresh” he’d change his mind.
Chicken Wrangler Sara has put those jars to good use – I canned 16 pints of green beans and 7 pints of pineapple left over from the food pantry. I also made strawberry, blueberry and blackberry jam. I even put homemade yogurt in the quart jars. Rest assured, your jars are being put to good use :-)
That’s the reason you inherited them! ;)
I first started canning in Scottsdale when my mom was living with me. After I canned the first jam I as my mom why she didn’t tell me it was so much fun. She replied that she always thought it was a lot of work. I so enjoy canning. It makes me feel like the Virtuous Woman of Prov. 31. This summer I have canned peach jam, dill pickles (both the cooked kind and the refridgerated kind) salsa, strawberry and jam. Now, I must get on with my day. I have a great pile of yellow crooked neck and patty pan squash that I need to do something with.
I loved canning. I even have ribbons from the various county fairs where I entered my stuff in Tennessee, Texas and Connecticut. I’m getting back into it again. Not for ribbons but for the healthy stuff!