If you do stuff, stuff gets done.......

If you do stuff, stuff gets done.......

Sunday, July 4, 2010

pickled jalapeno peppers

Georgene asked how I canned the jalapenos last weekend, so here is my recipe. It is a very simple easy way to preserve jalapenos.
We eat them with Mexican food, on chips with salsa, on pizza - I grew up in Texas and have been around spicy food most all my life. I think they are delicious but they may have too much heat for mild-food fans.
My brother is here for the weekend and he brought several sacks of produce from hi garden so now I have more peppers to pickle.



first - before you start handling the peppers, put on and leave on some kind of protective gloves.


Pickled Jalapeno Peppers(1 quart jar)

I doubled this recipe and got 6 pints and 1 half pint
Jalapeno peppers (about 2 pounds)
1 cup vinegar
3/4 cup water
1 teaspoon salt - I used sea salt
2 large carrots sliced,
1 small onion, cubed
1. Wash peppers and pack into a hot jar. Add carrot slices, celery sticks and a clove of garlic if desired. Pack tightly, leaving 2-inch headspace.

2. Combine vinegar, water and salt. Heat to boiling. Pour boiling hot liquid over peppers to two inches from top of jar top. Remove air bubbles by running a plastic knife or rubber spatula down the side of the jar, rotating, releasing trapped air between the peppers. Wipe jar rims clean. Adjust prepared two piece canning lid.

3. Process jar in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Using jar lifters, remove to a draft free area, and allow to cool. Check the seal. Label the container.

I found this simple recipe from Colorado State University Cooperative Extension.
other variations I found used pickling spices, garlic, oil, even sugar, etc.

4th of July at our house

The remnants of Hurrican Alex brought rain and cooler temperatures to Oklahoma. Because the wind and the muddy conditions for parking, our city postponed the big fireworks show until Labor Day.


Dessert was white Texas sheet cake with patriotic fruit.

Elizabeth in her 4th of July dress

Gavin thought standing on the table was fun - here is what he looked like with this same flag just one year ago.

babies don't stay babies very long......

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Green and frugal tip

My friend Terri aka PennyAnn Poundwise shared this tip with me. She said she has a basket by her kitchen sink for dishcloths. Her household uses them whenever they need to wipe up a spill, dry their hands, etc.
I thought it sounded like a good idea so I found a basket I already had and filled it with dishcloths.

We are using fewer paper towels so that makes it both frugal and green.

Here you can see my whole kitchen sink. On the ledge behind the sink, you can see some of my container garden produce, either drying after being washed or ripening a little more. I have to pick our tomatoes just as they start to turn red before the birds peck them. Then they ripen safely indoors.

Thank you Terri for this tip!