Bountiful Week

It has been one crazy week around here. Besides being very busy with work projects and just the everyday norm, we were blessed on Tuesday evening with a bounty of food which means preserving it all before it spoiled. We were gifted small box full of potatoes, a sack full of carrots, a bag full of limes, some jalapenos and bell peppers. Much more than we could consume in a few days.

Wednesday evening I didn't get home from work until about 7 PM. Due to the lateness, I really wasn't planning on canning. To by surprise, when I walked in the door, My Knight had 7 quart jars washed up and filled with potatoes. They were just waiting for the final touches (salt and water) and to be pressured. Isn't he Mr. Wonderful????? ...well, I think so.

No canning on Thursday, just too busy with work. I took Friday off from work and focused all day long in the kitchen. I got up early started with 7 more quarts of potatoes. Then moved onto carrots. I canned 6 quarts of carrots. Then, 4 quarts of potato/carrot mix. 

My final canning adventure of the day was the limes. I have never canned just straight limes, usually I would make a jelly or dehydrate lime slices. I had plenty of both those, so I opted on canning just the limes by themselves. By noon, I was peeling limes. Boy those little things are hard to peel. I thought i was never going to get them all done. I then pulled them into segments. Jarred them up and added water. BWB for 10 minutes. Done. 5 pints of limes in juice. Awesome! Now we can have lime-aide, lime juice, or key lime pie.

Don't you just love the variety that you can have by canning your own? I do. I can make it to my families specifications and likes. I can mix things up, like canning potatoes and carrots together. The convenience of having the two in one jar makes it nice when it is just My Knight and I for dinner. I can open one jar heat it through and have 2 veggies.

Also, I washed, de-seeded and sliced up the bell peppers and jalapenos and placed them in the dehydrator. Ummmm....I was totally exhausted (mostly feet), but delighted that see all that bounty preserved in those beautiful jars.

We have been so blessed this year with venison, fruits and vegetables that my larder is full and running over. I think I am going to have to turn my upstairs linen closet into a pantry. Hummmm...Honey, I have a new project for you!!!

Happy Canning!