So the whole hairdo for Victorian week did not work out so well. I have too much hair for it to hold together. The good news is that I still got to drink a lot of tea and didn't have to put on makeup which resulted in cleared skin. That led me to believe there is a makeup conspiracy that they all make your skin look worse so you have to use more makeup, so on and so forth.
Anyway, this week is canning week. I have, however, already done most of my canning- about nine hours worth. I actually got a jump on the week. On Saturday I went to my mom's and she taught me how to can. It was extra special to me because her mom taught her to can and she taught me. I just wish that Nana could have been there to show me herself. She was truly an expert. She and her sisters would raise gardens and then at the appropriate time they would all take a week off work and help each other can the garden.
On Saturday my mom and I canned 12 jars of peach preserves. It still has not set up properly, but the recipe says it can take up to two weeks to go from syrup to jam. Either way, it is delicious. The real chore was to peel and cut up all the peaches. I used a trick that Ben's mom showed me- you boil them for two minutes and the skin peels right off.
Sunday I canned another eight jars of peaches using a different recipe. This one had crystallized ginger and a ton of sugar. So much sugar it made me a little uncomfortable. But the recipe was featured in Southern Living so it has to be good, right? Southern Living hasn't let me down yet. I also canned two pints and three half pints of salsa. Yum! It is a simple recipe, but how cool is it to be like, "I make my own salsa with veggies from the farmer's market, thanks." I just don't know that I have it in me to can too many other things.
If anyone is interested I will share my recipes. I might also take this time to work on the paintings I was so unhappy with last week.
CHALLENGE: Here is a new contest for you to win. I have been trying to be creative and positive. Send me a pic or copy of something that you made in the last year. Poems, paintings, really good dinner- it is all fair game. The winner will get a jar of homemade preserves. I will run this contest for two weeks. Good luck!
Anyway, this week is canning week. I have, however, already done most of my canning- about nine hours worth. I actually got a jump on the week. On Saturday I went to my mom's and she taught me how to can. It was extra special to me because her mom taught her to can and she taught me. I just wish that Nana could have been there to show me herself. She was truly an expert. She and her sisters would raise gardens and then at the appropriate time they would all take a week off work and help each other can the garden.
On Saturday my mom and I canned 12 jars of peach preserves. It still has not set up properly, but the recipe says it can take up to two weeks to go from syrup to jam. Either way, it is delicious. The real chore was to peel and cut up all the peaches. I used a trick that Ben's mom showed me- you boil them for two minutes and the skin peels right off.
Sunday I canned another eight jars of peaches using a different recipe. This one had crystallized ginger and a ton of sugar. So much sugar it made me a little uncomfortable. But the recipe was featured in Southern Living so it has to be good, right? Southern Living hasn't let me down yet. I also canned two pints and three half pints of salsa. Yum! It is a simple recipe, but how cool is it to be like, "I make my own salsa with veggies from the farmer's market, thanks." I just don't know that I have it in me to can too many other things.
If anyone is interested I will share my recipes. I might also take this time to work on the paintings I was so unhappy with last week.
CHALLENGE: Here is a new contest for you to win. I have been trying to be creative and positive. Send me a pic or copy of something that you made in the last year. Poems, paintings, really good dinner- it is all fair game. The winner will get a jar of homemade preserves. I will run this contest for two weeks. Good luck!
