Canning

We picked 125 pounds of apples.  So I have made apple sauce, dehydrated slices and chips of apples, and made pie filling.  Tomatoes canned every way possible, beans, beets, jams, jelly, juice, peaches.... You get the idea I can a lot.

I have read about these reusable Tattler lids before.   Then I found this blog on how easy they really are to use.

I buy lids at E & S Sales 1265 N State Road 5, Shipshewana  IN 46565-9163 (260) 768-4736.  This summer I bought Ball wide mouth for $1.89  and Ball small mouth for $1.35.  Still really cheap compared to what you can find them for in the Holland area.  Or an even more expensive option buying them right here in the metropolis of Hamilton.

So the dilemma since lids are cheap at E and S and Tattlers are about .80 a lid but reusable for life...what to do?  Has anyone ever tried Tattlers?  What do you think of them?

I made some FABULOUS juice today.  It has tomatoes, beans, beets, garlic, celery, pumpkin, onion, carrots, tomatillos, green pepper, radishes, kohlrabi, cucumbers, potatoes, thyme, rosemary, chives.  Salt and pepper to taste.  I boiled it till tender and let it cool.  Then ran it through the salsa screen of my Sauce Master, ran the pulp through again.  Then switched to the screen that comes with it, heated it up and pressure canned it  it is so good.  Give it a try.

I LOVE Fall.

I like the fact that the days are shorter.  The boys are back in school.  I like warm sweaters and fuzzy slippers;  chili;  homemade soups; sleeping with a window cracked and having the electric blanket on (not that I can do this with Dan in the room); hot butt burning showers, oh wait that is what I like about winter.  More on that in a few months.  I love Summer fresh foods but I also love the comfort foods and smells of Fall and Winter.
Today I took Benjamin, armed with umbrellas, to the Farmer's Market and got some wonderful squash.  So that along with some of the pumpkins and carrots from our garden are roasting in the oven.  The beef stock is on the stove ready to be turned into soup and for dinner I made this WONDERFUL recipe (a great way to get veggies and whole wheat into your children's diets).....I LOVE FALL!

Pumpkin Pancakes with homemade Cinnamon Syrup

1 C white flour
1 C whole wheat flour
3 T brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 C milk
1 C canned pumpkin (JUST pumpkin)
1 egg
2 T oil
2 T vinegar

Mix dry ingredients together.  Mix wet together.  Then mix them together.  This is THICK and that is good.  Use the back of a spoon to spread it.  YUMMY  (I didn't have allspice so I added a little bit of cloves and a little nutmeg.)

Syrup

Bring to a boil

1 C Butter (BUTTER)
2 C raw sugar
1 15 ounce can evaporated milk
1 ounce of water
2 T honey
2 T vanilla or Butter Shots (I used the Butter Shots)
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

(This is a double batch of syrup by the way.  I am going to mix the extra with powdered sugar and see how it tastes on cinnamon rolls.)

This gets thicker as it cools.

 If you try these PLEASE let me know what you think.

MOMMY I AM STUCK!!!!!

What happens when you have Asperger's Syndrome and Sensory Dysfunction,

and forget that your not two anymore?

He had GIANT tears.

You patiently wait....

for Daddy to take the chair apart.

Powerful

For I am the LORD your God, who churns up the sea so that its waves roar— the LORD Almighty is his name.  Isaiah 51:15