Friday, September 24, 2010

This Week in Driving

So I was driving to work at about 6:30 on Tuesday morning and just as I got to the tree line past Pipestem SP there in the road appeared a whole procession of deer. They were just so calm walking along thinking about whatever it is deer think about when they cross open space like that.
I was not so calm at that moment.
I slowed down and was about to stop way to quickly when the does kept walking and the bucks stopped moving. They left just enough space for me to slide between them so I did - all the time hoping they didn't decide to run into the side of me.
Then I went to the office and drew the picture on the board so I could get it out of my head and share it with you. 
Here's wishing safe driving experiences on all of you.

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Potatoes Anyone?

Due to the over abundance of potatoes in the family patch this year we decided that canning some of them would be better then letting them go to waste when they aren't eaten by next summer.
Last weekend I sliced them up in french fry form and got 20 quarts and dinner out of a 5 gallon bucket.
This weekend I sliced them like thick chips and got 14 quarts out of about 3 gallons. I ran out of time or there would be another 7 sitting there by the end of the night.
I think that is all I need to do though. Next spring and summer we should be able to eat these instead of peeling soft potatoes.
How did I do it? 
Wash, peel, put in lemon water until all 7 quarts worth are ready. 
Boil a bBIG pot of water and then blanch them for about two minutes. I use my stock pot with the pasta basket in it. That way I can drain the potatoes by just lifting out the basket.
Then put the potatoes in hot jars.
Fill with clean hot water from another boiling pot. Don't use the potato water it has too much starch in it.
Put the lids and rings on and put them in the pressure canner.
I vent the PC for 10 minutes once it starts steaming and then put the jiggler on and wait for the jiggle.
40 minutes later (for quarts) they are done.
That is all there is to it.
The finished potatoes can be used exactly like you would other potatoes. They are just partially cooked.
I used some of the french fry cut as just that.
I coated them with seasoning and olive oil and put on a cookie sheet and baked for about 20 minutes.
I will used the flat slices for fried potatoes.
I have used them as mashed potatoes - FabHub didn't know, just a bit lumpy so they were real was his comment. That is all that matters. Homemade and happy.

Friday, September 10, 2010

Empty Cupboard

Ever empty out your cupboard to see what was in there?
At 6am?

Some surprises, but nothing that was moving on its own.
Well, there are those mandarin oranges from 2006, but they are in a can.
I am thinking the pigs will like them.
Now to figure out how to use some of this stuff. 
AllRecipes.com has an Ingredient feature.
I can type in what I have and see what recipes in their database uses them.
Should be interesting.
See you later.

Saturday, September 04, 2010

Saturday Fun on the Farm

Isn't it just incredible how this  -

Can become this -


Without having to work hard like this -

Yay! Now seriously, anybody want to help clean up? I will share, slices of Apple Upside Down Cake, not FabHub. :)