Always follow your gut!

Some days I get that "must yard sale" feeling. Today was that day. Dropped the babes off with the lady I child sit swap with and I saw a sign, gut said GO! So I did.

Boy am I glad I did as I found 27 wide mouth quart, 2 regular quart, 20 wide mouth pint and 3 regular mouth pint jars. 52 jars for $25.

I also got a 5 or 6 cup Pyrex measuring pitcher, a really nice rolling pin which I needed, 2 nice larger metal bread loaf pans and a few books.

What I have spent the last couple months working on... other than the garden

This is what I currently still have as we have been using some of it along the way as well as sharing with a couple neighbors. The babes love the applesauce, apple butter, apricot jam and we have used several pints of tomato "sauce" from the garden.

I still have several recipes that I want to try making, one of which I think I can still do as we are coming up on the time of year that garlic and those cutie oranges coming on sale. NOT to use together mind you but still each is a main ingredient.

I would really LOVE to have more fruit trees & berry vines in my backyard. I thought that this would be the year but it didn't happen. Until then I will have to be satisfied with Sunflower Market specials, and people sharing their trees produce.

I managed to rearrange some of my sewing room so that I could fit a new shelf unit. This will be used to hold all my canning as well as kitchen items that aren't used as often so I can de-clutter my lack-of-storage kitchen.

Current list of items shown... top to bottom

Peach Slices - 18 Quarts

Peach Salsa - 4 Pints, 5 - 12oz, 11 Half Pints

Apple Butter - 16 Pints

Applesauce - 20 Pints

Pearsauce - 7 Pints

Plum - 12 - 12oz

Strawberry/Raspberry - 6 - 10 oz, 3 - 12 oz

Huckleberry/Cherry - 7 - 10 oz

Peach/Applesauce - 8 Pints

Ginger/Plum - 5 Pints, 4 Half Pints

Dilly Beans - 6 Quarts

Zucchini Relish - 6 Pints

Corn Relish - 6 Pints

Zesty Zucchini Relish - 5 Pints

GARDEN Tomato sauce - 22 Pints

Chunky Tomato sauce - 7 Quarts

Tomato Puree - 6 Quarts

What a way to welcome Autumn! Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins!

Ok, so I have been putting off taking care of the last 2 cooking pumpkins from my garden. I finally got them cut in half and roasted before bed a couple days ago. Today seems like a good day to send them for a whirl in the food processor and get them bagged up for the freezer.

This is what I made with the last cup of puree!

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

Makes approximately 36

2 Cups All Purpose Flour

2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour

1 Cup Sugar

2 Tbsp Baking Powder

1 tsp salt (Ooops! I think I put 2 in)

1 tsp Cinnamon or more to taste

2 eggs

1&1/2 Cups Milk

1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil

2 Tbsp Yogurt

1&1/2 Cups Pumpkin puree

4 oz Cream Cheese in 1/4-1/2 inch cubes room temperature

Mix pumpkin puree and cream cheese in small bowl allowing them to half cream together and set aside. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl leaving a well in the center. Combine wet ingredients in bowl mixing together well. Add wet to dry and quick mix, lumps are ok in muffin mixtures. Add in the pumpkin and cream cheese and stir together.

Portion into muffin pans cooking 18-20 minutes at 400*.

The teens walked in the door a few minutes after the first batch came out. They loved these though they both agreed with me that a bit more pumpkin, cinnamon and maybe some clove as well.

Breakfast Burritos for the Freezer

When I do this I buy most of my ingredients from Costco because store prices here are crazy on tortillas. For less than $30 I have enough materials to make at least 28 burritos (or more) with plenty left overs of cheese, potato & eggs for other things.

-About 12 potatoes cubed and fried (8-10 cups) and seasoned with Johnny's Seasoning Salt ($1.99 at the grocery store)
-1 Costco (3lb) sized log of Jimmy Dean sausage cooked OR a couple packages of bacon baked in the oven ($6.39)
-28 eggs scrambled with milk (I buy the 5 doz pack for less than $5)
-tortillas ($3.99 for 30)
-shredded cheese (LARGE package $10)

Combine in a very large bowl to help evenly distribute ingredients. Warm tortillas to make pliable in a lidded pan with water and a cooling rack on top one at a time. Warm one while wrapping one. Scoop of filling and add some cheese, wrap, put in a sandwich bag.

Cool in fridge then freeze.

Remove plastic wrapper and microwave 1-1/2 minutes on one side, flip and do another 30-60 seconds.

Homemade Laundry Soap

This is the recipe I have been using for a couple years now. Cleans well, inexpensive and VERY easy to make!

This makes a double batch. Just over 3 gallons.

1 Bar of grated "laundry" soap like Fels Naptha or Zote

2 Cups Arm & Hammer Washing Soda

2 Cups Borax

Heat 1-1/2 Gallons of water on the stove. Melt grated soap. Lower temperature and add Washing Soda & Borax. Stir to dissolve.

In a large bucket add another 2-1/2 Gallons of hot/warm water. Add soap mixture and stir well. Let cook, stirring occasionally and it will gel.

Stir and break up gel when cool and funnel into jugs. Leave a bit of room to shake before use.