Preserving · Recipes

Strawberry Balsamic Preserves

It had been years since I had used Sure Jell pectin, and I found something disturbing. The packs no longer have the folded-up paper directions for making jam. Instead, the box tells you to go to the website for directions; that URL just takes you to a landing page on Kraft's website. I had to… Continue reading Strawberry Balsamic Preserves

Preserving · Recipes

Carrot Cake Jam

Moving is hard for cooking. A new kitchen, and it's nowhere near where it was. Even the stove is different. I spent 7 years on a propane stove, able to do nearly anything I wanted. Until we have it plumbed, this house is electric—and worse, it came with a glass top stove. If you can,… Continue reading Carrot Cake Jam

Clean Living · Prepping · Preserving

Why We Freeze-Dry: The Insane Egg Prices

Egg prices were terrible enough a couple of years back when the last "scare" occurred, but nowhere as bad as this January in the PNW.We already have higher prices for eggs in Washington, Oregon, and California due to state laws on chicken eggs, which mostly went into action in January of 2023, that require all… Continue reading Why We Freeze-Dry: The Insane Egg Prices

Preserving · Recipes

Dill Pickled Carrots

I've been considering adding more easily preserved pickled vegetables to our meals. I decided to do carrots first. The hands-on time is very short, and I was done within an hour and had all my water bath canning gear packed back up. And that is how canning should be - quick and easy. Dill Pickled… Continue reading Dill Pickled Carrots

Preserving · Recipes

Dehydrating Berry and Apple Fruit Leather

With a predicted windstorm looming, I cleaned out the freezers and consolidated them so we wouldn't lose anything if the power went out, which was a good thing, as we lost power Monday morning. We had bags of frozen berries that we had grown and picked. They were mixes of Black, Marion, and Red Raspberries.… Continue reading Dehydrating Berry and Apple Fruit Leather