Canning Tomato Juice

What to do with all those yummy garden tomatoes? Why not make them last all year by canning lots of tomato juice. Enjoy the winter months with that great garden fresh taste in soups, stews and much more. There is nothing better to my family than enjoying a nice big pot of homemade chili on a cold day with a great  Pittsburgh Steelers football game (GO STEELERS!!) :) 

  

Boxes of fresh garden tomatoes in my kitchen.

If you are a beginner in canning, don't worry it's easier than most people think, and so very rewarding. With so many canning resources out there, anyone can do it!

They are so beautiful in the kitchen pantry.

Here is the recipe I like to use:

Tomato Juice

3 to 3 1/2 pounds tomatoes per quart

Bottled lemon juice

Wash tomatoes: drain. Remove core and blossom ends. Cut tomatoes into quarters and simmer until soft, stirring to prevent sticking. Juice tomatoes in a food processor or food mill. Strain juice to remove peels and seeds. Heat juice 5 minutes at 190F. Do not boil. Add 1 Tablespoon of bottled lemon juice to each pint jar, 2 Tablespoons of bottled lemon juice to each quart jar. Ladle hot juice into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Adjust two piece caps. Process pints 35 minutes, quarts 40 minutes, in a boiling water canner.

For beginners, I would recommend purchasing the Ball Blue Book guide to preserving. This book is great, and has many recipes for canning.

If you have questions about canning tomato juice, please comment below. I will be happy to help!! :) 

Sunday Blessings

Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice!       1 Chronicles 16:31

Homemade Laundry Detergent

Homemade Laundry Detergent

One of the best recipes I have ever made is homemade laundry detergent. Not only does this save you lots of money, it is made with all natural products that have been around for over 100 years. This also is a very good "Green" way to go, since you are not contributing to the tons of plastics laundry bottles that get tossed out into the environment every day.  It is very easy to make, my little children even love to make it, especially since the Zote soap is a beautiful pink color.

1 1/2 cups of Borax

1 1/2 cups Super Washing Soda

1 Bar of Zote Soap

1. Grate the bar of Zote soap on a hand grater
2. In a blender or food processor, add the grated soap and mix until the soap is fine in texture.



Homemade Laundry Detergent

3. Add the Borax and Super Washing Soda. Mix well.

I only use a small scoop of this per load of laundry. Remember it doesn't have to be sudsy to get your clothes clean.

I purchase the Zote bars at K-mart.

Olivia Anne 

O

Out with the laundry, in with the veggies.

Very blessed with fresh garden vegetables. Thank God for the much needed rain.

Sunday Specials

"Hold me Jesus, 

For I'm shaking like a leaf.

You have been king of my glory,

Won't you be my prince of peace..."

    

                                                                 Rich Mullins

Make Homemade Instant Oatmeal

  Do you like the convenience of instant oatmeal, but don't like the added sugar and cost? Click below and see how easy it is to make right at home. Love the thought of making up many of these little bags with a big variety of flavors. This is also great for the little children to work on, they will love being involved in making and eating it.

Make Homemade Instant Oatmeal

Peachy Time of the Year

           

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• Peach Preserves
•       5 lbs peaches
•       3 teaspoons lemon juice
•       4 cups sugar

Directions:

1. 1
   Wash, peel, pit and chop peaches-you want 10 cups. 
2. 2
   Place all ingredients in a large glass bowl and let stand for 1 hour.
3. 3
   Transfer to a large stainless or enamel pot.
4. 4
   Bring to a full boil.
5. 5
   Boil for 30 minutes to reach the jell point-stir often and then constantly as the mixture nears the jell point.
6. 6
   Remove and skim off foam.
7. 7
   Ladle into clean hot jars leaving 1/4 inch head space.
8. 8
   Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

Makes 8 half pints

Note: To peel easy, I drop peaches in boiling water for 30 seconds. Remove from hot water and place into Ice water for 2 minutes. Peeling should just slide off.