I Like a Busy Kitchen...

If you're a preserver, you know the work doesn't stop until it snows. There's always new recipes to try and old favorites to reproduce. Last year, I didn't get my act together enough to stop by the apple stand and make applesauce. This year, I was determined not to waste the wonderful opportunity of local, fresh apples! I got thirty pounds of this "bargain" apple mix for sauce and several pounds of Jonagolds for dried apples. I also stopped by EZ Orchards to see if Brussels Sprouts were in yet; they were! At $1.75 per stalk, they're a bargain! I got seven...

Here's the day's haul; brimming with potential! Last year, I was at a loss with what to make out of two pounds of mini sprouts, so I just pickled them. They were such a stupendous hit, that I promised to make more this year. Since I haven't gotten my garden established yet, I had to buy the raw materials. Going to EZ Orchards is the next best thing to growing it yourself, so I only felt slightly sad about not having a garden yet...

Here's the applesauce production line! Wash, Peel, Slice, Dump, Repeat...a lot.

This little machine is worth it's weight in gold! I think I paid $20 for it new, and I can't even tell you how much time and aggravation it saved me! It peels, cores, and spiral slices apples all in one fell swoop and is THE ONLY WAY to process thirty pounds of apples without driving yourself mad. This and my cherry pitter- gadgets WELL WORTH THE MONEY!

While the sliced apples cooked on the stove and the jars were being sanitized in the dishwasher, I plucked sprouts off their stalks; behold the carnage!

Here are all the raw sprouts that need to be trimmed...

Here are the Jonagolds on the dryer!

Ah, the finished product; seven jars of pickled Brussels sprouts and six jars of applesauce.


I also found the time (finally) to prepare some candied ginger root. I use it on top of my gingerbread cookies and I know a certain Grandfather that loves to eat it straight like candy!

I candied about two pounds worth of ginger. It's not hard to make, but if your going to do it, it's worth doing in big batches. You also end up with a by-product called "ginger sugar". It's great for spicing desserts or rolling cookies in.

All in all, it was a very productive weekend, but there's ever more to be done. There are still apples and sprouts left that need to be canned as well as a dirty kitchen to clean!

OFF and I'M AWAKE!!!

Last weekend, I jaunted off to Canby to see all my friends at Oregon Flock and Fiber! Since I look so much like Mom, I got to meet a lot of new people who kept mistaking me for her. She was down in LA this year, braving 100 degree weather while I was taking refuge from torrential downpours in the barns.
I saw Sheila and Mike, who make beautiful glass knitting needles and buttons...

And I saw the "basket people" who always come every year with fabulous project baskets...

I stopped at Jan's booth and chatted with her and Geri....

And got a ride in the Roc so Jan could take her humane trap home. Apparently, there had been a skunk invasion in her coop and she wants to try and trap it before it makes off with any of her new hens! I heartily agree since I'm the one that raised them!

Anyway, Tuesday morning comes along and I'm groggily trudging to the chicken coop for feeding time at 7:30 in the morning when lo and behold I come face to face with THIS!!!!!!!!!:

I was shocked into wakefulness right quick, I can tell you! It was just a baby, but stunk to high heaven nonetheless and I was faced with getting it out of the coop without being sprayed and still get to work on time. I was saved by a large plastic black nursery pot that I covered him with, then slowly walked him out of the coop underneath. After quickly shutting and locking the coop door, I tipped the pot over with my hay rake and scooted back into the house. I suppose this catch and release was mostly a success, but I did smell slightly of skunk the whole rest of the morning....