Canning Chili Base

I enjoy canning.  My mom always did it, but my mother-in-law was my true inspiration.  She took the time to teach me and show me exactly what to do.  Last night, we picked our first true batch of tomatoes and it was a whopper when you think about the drought we have had.

Bill, my husband didn't want me to process the tomatoes, but I knew I had enough for at least one batch of chili base, which I ran out of last year.  I started out getting all of the canning equipment out and washing it thoroughly.  Then, I got all of the pots and pans I would need along with the lids for the jars.  I was ready to begin.

I use the Mrs. Wages Chili Base packages.  You can make your own base, but the packages just make everything easy.  The first thing you want to do is scald your tomatoes in boiling water for about 3 minutes, or until the tomatoes have a split on the skin.

This is an example of the skin splitting.  This makes it easier to peel the skin off of the tomato.  After you take the tomato out of the boiling water, immediately put it in cold water so the tomato can cool down and you can remove the skin and core with ease.

After you have scalded all the tomatoes, let them cool, now you need to remove all the skin. 

Once the skins are removed, you want to puree the tomatoes in a blender until you have a smooth consistency.

Next, pour the tomato puree in a pot, add the chili base mix and two tablespoons of sugar. 

Bring to a boil and then let it simmer for 25 minutes or until you get a good solid thickness.

While the tomatoes are simmering, I get my water bath ready, as it takes a few minutes for the water to heat up, put the lids for the jars in a little bit of water and heat to a boil and put my quart size jars in the oven to heat up at 170 degrees. 

By the time your tomatoes are done simmering, everything else will be ready for processing.  Ladle the chili base in the jars, wipe the outside off, attach the lids and seal the jars, just not too tightly.

Finally, put the jars in the water bath, bring to a low rolling boil and process the jars for 40 minutes.  When they are done, put the jars on a towel and let cool so they will seal.  You will hear them go "ping" when they have sealed.

Always put the year on top of the jar along with what is in it.  Example:  Chili Base 2012.

And there you have it!  Not to hard to do!  There is nothing better than having homemade food in the winter.  Go ahead and try it!

That Old Farmhouse Appeal

I love having decorations on my table.  Finding simple ways to decorate (especially our newly remodeled living room and dining room) is fun for me.  I like country, primitive, vintage type items and I am really excited about the idea of remodeling my kitchen in the future...mostly for a dishwasher, but I want it to look like a traditional farmhouse kitchen.

I feel blessed to live in a farmhouse that has character and history to it and I love the idea of decorating in ways that highlight a primitive farmhouse era, with modern updates of course!  No outhouse for me!!! lol!

The great thing about decorating is that you DON"T have to spend a lot of money to do it.  In the picture above, I took an antique 4 gallon crock that I purchased at an estate sale for $10 and filled it with silk flowers and eucalyptus I purchased from Hobby Lobby for around $25.  The result - a beautiful centerpiece on my dining room table.  The table sits in a corner, so this centerpiece is a perfect fit for the table. 

Be sure to look around your house to get ideas on incorporating old and new items for that rustic feel to your home.

Bring on the Games

I used to love to play games...Scrabble, Connect Four, Yahtzee, cards!  In our house, we have some old games that we weren't going to do anything with, so I decided to decorate with them.

In the picture above, I took a 5x7" frame, cut out scrapbook paper to insert behind it and began coming up with words for my Scrabble blocks.  I decided there were enough letters to spell out our last name: McDonnell, the word "love" and both of our names, "Bill" and "Lis."  Once I had it all laid out, I took some tacky glue and glued the letters to the outside of the glass to create this cute little frame.

This was fun, simple and easy to do.

Next, I had a Chinese Checker board and I thought that it would look great just above my crocks on the wall.  So I took some Command adhesive for wall hangings and attached it to the back of the board and mounted it on the wall.  I was pleased with the display.

Do you have things in your house that you can use for decorating.  Recycling old items can be a lot of fun:)

Cheese Potato & Smoked Sausage Casserole

Pinterest has become my new addiction.  I enjoy viewing and trying out the different crafts, recipes and home decor ideas that other people find.  If you are not familiar with the site, I highly recommend visiting it and setting up a profile.

Yesterday, I chose a recipe off of my "Foods to Eat" board and tried it out. When I make items off of Pinterest, I try to go back and make comments on them so others know what I think. 

This following recipe is a keeper! My husband actually said he would eat leftovers!  As you can see from the picture, it is extremely cheesy.  When I make it next time, I will cut the Velveeta portion in half.  It was almost to much cheese for me.  If you have children, I can see this being a favorite with them.

Jolean's Cheese Potato & Smoked Sausage Casserole

• 3 cups potatoes, peeled, boiled and cut into cubes when cool, approx. 1 lb
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 4 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 lb Velveeta cheese, diced
• 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 lb skinless smoked sausage
• 1/8 teaspoon paprika

Directions:

1. Cut skinless smoked sausage in half, lengthwise, and then chop into 1/2 inch "half moon" cuts. Cook in a frying pan for about 15 minutes, turning frequently to SLIGHTLY brown.
2. Meanwhile, put cooked & diced potatoes in 2 quart casserole. Add cooked meat and give it a gentle toss.
3. Mix all remaining ingredients (except for shredded cheddar cheese & the paprika) in a saucepan over medium heat until warm, melted and smooth. (Use a whisk and stir constantly.).
4. Pour white/cheese sauce over potatoes and meat. Sprinkle shredded sharp cheddar cheese on top, and then sprinkle paprika evenly over the top.
5. Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 35-45 minutes (watch, until golden brown on top).
 
 
 

How to Freeze Sweet Corn

As I've said before, there is nothing better than sweet corn in the summer...except maybe eating it in the winter too.  Although it's not been the best growing season, we were still able to purchase several dozen ears and put them up for this winter.

The first thing you want to do is not to let the sweet corn lay around.  Once you purchase it, start processing it that same day if at all possible.  This will help to ensure that you get the best flavor and quality out of the corn.  I usually enlist my husband to shuck the ears and remove the silks, but today, it was all me. 

If you have never frozen sweet corn before, Purdue University Extension offers an excellent publication called, "Let's Preserve Sweet Corn" with step by step instructions.

After all the corn had been shucked and washed, I was ready to begin the process...and it can be a messy one!  I began with a pot of boiling water and inserted several ears of corn at a time.  I cooked them for approximately 4 minutes and then inserted the ears into cold ice water.  This process is known as blanching.

After the corn had cooled off, I placed the corn in my (sterile - I clean it thoroughly before I use it in this manner) dish drainer.

 

By doing this, it allows any excess water to run back down into the sink and doesn't delay my cooking process.  The dish drainer also works well because it will hold several dozen ears of corn at once.

Once you're done blanching the corn, it is time to cut it off of the cob.  This is where you will get messy, but oh is it worth it!  I used a knife today, but Pampered Chef makes a kernel cutter that does wonders as well.  I usually find that cutting the cob upside down is easier for me.  After the cob is clean of corn, take your knife and run it back over the empty cob being sure to get all the little extra flavorful portions out of the cob.

Next, it is time to fill your quart size freezer bags.  My mother-in-law, who I miss dearly when I am doing stuff like this, had this wonderful little gadget that I use to hold my freezer bags open.  If you don't have one, simply fill your bag the old fashioned way.

Once the bag is full, squeeze all of the air out of it and seal it.  Be sure to label the bags with at least the month and year of freezing the corn so it doesn't stay in your freezer for several years.

There you have it!  Simple, easy steps to freezing sweet corn!  The work is worth it in the winter time:)

What is a Drought?

As I’ve mentioned before, most of the state of Indiana is in a drought.  Henry County, Indiana was just added to over 1,300 other counties that has been declared part of the "Drought Disaster List" and our crops certainly show it.  With that information in mind I was thinking to myself, what really defines a drought?

According to the National Weather Forecast, “a drought is a period of unusually persistent dry weather that persists long enough to cause serious problems such as crop damage and/or water supply shortages. The severity of the drought depends upon the degree of moisture deficiency, the duration, and the size of the affected area.”  In Henry County, IN during the month of June, we had .56 of an inch of rain all month according to our local weather source.

I know that the current drought situation has severely had an effect on our crops.  With hardly any moisture, the corn stalks have produced tassels prematurely and the ears that are developing are miniature compared to what they should be.  The soybean crop has also been hit, as the plant itself is half the normal size it should be and the pods more than likely will not amount to much.  The orchard down the road from us is hauling water to their pumpkins so they will sprout and grow in the fall.  The local creek beds have dried up and critters and varmints are beginning to inch closer to civilization just for a drink of water. 

What should you do during a drought? 

Obviously, conserve water!  The American Red Cross encourages consumers to never pour water down the drain because you can probably use it somewhere else.  A good example of this would be when we had sweet corn and I let the water in the cooking pot cool down, and then watered some of my outdoor plants with it.  Other ways to conserve water are:

·         Turning the water off while you brush your teeth or shave.

·         Don’t flush your toilet unless you have to (like flushing a bug down it).

·         Wash only full loads in your dishwasher and washer. 

For the outdoors:

·         Stop watering your yards!  If water needs to be conserved, your lawn sure doesn’t need it.   

·         Pick the plants you want to keep and put mulch around them.  This will help keep moisture in the soil.

·         Supply away from your house, a gallon or two (depending on the severity of the drought) of water a day for the birds, squirrels, etc to have a drink.  They are thirsty too!

This year, Bill and I have given up on our normal beautiful garden because we are trying to conserve water.  I no longer have beautiful plants outside on my porch...but on the plus side, I don't have to mow the yard!

Rupert from Survivor

I haven't been on here for the last two weeks blogging.  So much can happen in just a short amount of time.  Where I have been?  Well, each year in July, our office hosts the local 4-H fair for the county and it is a wonderful (yet hot and humid) time for all.  Since Bill and I can't have children, it's such a blessing to us to be able to help these young 4-H members grow and develop in the program and then go on to be successful young adults. 

This year, we had a celebrity, so to speak, visit the fair.  Rupert Boneham from the television show "Survivor" is running for governor, yes I said governor for the state of Indiana.  He stopped by our fair to judge our first ever "Ice Cream Crank Off" in memory of long time ice cream enthusiasts Leona Mae Clark.  Then he stuck around to meet and greet 4-H members and families. 


While he was signing autographs and visiting with 4-H members, I was able to get to know Rupert a little bit better.  He is a unique individual.  With him, what you see is what you get.  He was excellent with everyone that stopped by to visit with him.  He loved telling the kids that he won a million dollars just by being nice to others and having respect for himself and others.  He encouraged the youth to be kind to each other and strive to be their best.  He never once said that he was running for governor and to vote for him.  He promoted the golden rule over politics.  I was impressed.

Afterwards, Bill and I were invited to go out to dinner with some of our 4-H friends and Rupert was going to be attending as well...I'm thinking to myself, how cool is this?  At dinner, he was funny and intelligent in his speaking.  He made sure to thank the servers at the restaurant before he left for allowing all of us to eat in a private room uninterrupted.  He even signed autographs for all the employees at the restaurant.

Rupert, thank you for being you.  You were the highlight of the 4-H fair for me. 

When was the last time you've been to the fair?