So this past week I ordered two boneless half hams and a bunch of fresh vegetables. The plan was to can up several kinds of soup. I love having soups in my pantry for a quick lunch or with a sandwich or cornbread for supper.
This morning I canned 16 pints of ham, potato and cabbage soup and this afternoon it was 16 pints of ham and potato soup.
At which point I ran out of ham.
I had prepped all the vegetables earlier - potatoes, carrots, onions, celery, peas and cabbage - so tomorrow morning I will mix them all together, stir in some granulated garlic and powdered chicken bouillon and can that up to use as a soup or casserole base.
I don't care what anybody says - you can never have too much food put by.
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What a wonderful accomplishment and very comforting too. You are absolutely right. We cannot have enough food put by for these crazy and unpredictable times. CWfromIowa
ReplyDeleteCW...About the time I think I have enough set back, I think about how I would feed just my immediate family if there were a life changing event. There are 15 of us - just with kids, spouses and grands.
DeleteAnd what you can is such comforting food! Glad you are feeling well.
ReplyDeleteAmish Heart from New Mexico
Amish Heart... I have learned to can the foods my family likes. In a bad situation, comfort food is important. It wouldn't be good trying to live on just rice and beans. :)
DeleteI would love to know how you can the soups. I would love to add canned soups to my pantry (other than my home canned tomato basil soup.
ReplyDeleteKristina...Canning soups is easy. Any soup with vegetables and meat: just layer the ingredients in each jar. Fill with liquid - water or broth. Sometimes if I am low on broth I will add 1/4 tsp. of powdered bouillon for flavor. If not, just season when you heat the soup for a meal. Process in the pressure canner for longest time required for the ingredients used.
DeleteWith soups like split pea and ham, I cook up the soup, ladel into the jars and process, again using the longest time for ingredients used.
When canning soup with dry beans in it, some will put 1/3 cup of beans in the jar (for pints) and then add the rest of the ingredients, leaving room for the beans to expand during processing. Some will cook the soup before canning. I like to soak the beans overnight and then proceed with layering the rest of the ingredients. The beans will fully cook during processing.
Hope this helps. Any questions, just let me know.
I agree with your philosophy. How can a person have too much of a good thing, and food is always going to be used.
ReplyDeleteThose soups sure do sound good.
Harry...Whenever I think I can slow down on prepping, I think about my family. There are a lot of us with just kids, spouses and grands. Should a life changing event occur, I want to be sure nobody goes hungry. And I am constantly using what I have stored, so I need to add to my pantry all the time.
ReplyDeleteThe soups I canned yesterday are good. I can several kinds of soup. Some are eaten as soup, some are thickened for stew and others are used in casseroles. Can't have too much. :)
I tried to give a young woman some cans of food. She said she had too much food I had given her and more from food banks. I asked her what she called "too much food." She said if she had two cans of anything, that was enough of that item. I was astounded. She said she had boxes of food and could not store it. She had not put food under the bed or in closets. "I don't want food under the bed!" I just made her take it. I am hoping she is not a lost cause. She has lived with not enough to eat, and she refuses to work. You would think she would welcome free anything. I told her that there was no such thing as "too much food."
ReplyDeleteLinda...That woman would likely believe I was completely crazy if she saw my stockpile of food. I just don't understand that mindset. How do those people think they are going to eat or feed their families should something bad happen. I know someone who honestly believes that someone from the government is going to show up with food and water should there be a crisis situation. I think those folks are going to be awfully hungry and thirsty if they wait for that to happen.
DeleteShe thinks I am crazy! She and bf just spent last 12 months mooching off my neighbor, no rent, nothing but trouble. They were enjoying a beautiful house and all the amenities. He had to kick them out. They know how to steal better than work. plus, she knows how to trade herself for what she needs. She thinks everything will be okay because God has promised to take care of his own. She goes to church to feel better and not do better.
Delete13 months
DeleteLinda...That's just sad. I believe God takes care of us, too, but that doesn't mean I can just sit here and wait for that to happen. I figure that it is my responsibility to do everything I can to take care of myself and then God will take care of the rest.
DeleteI'm so happy that you're able to do some canning! Way to go. Totally agree with you that you can't have too deep a pantry.
ReplyDeleteThx too for the reminder about corn bread. It's something I love and forget to make.
Cheers, SJ
SJ...I really didn't need much for my last grocery order, so I decided to replenish my soups. In addition to the soup I got 12 quarts and 24 pints of vegetable soup base. It is taking me longer than I would like to get it done, but what the heck. I have the time. :)
DeleteI started mixing up cornbread, baking it in muffin tins and then freezing them. Seems like if I make cornbread in a pan it goes to waste, but with the muffins I can just thaw out one or two at a time.
I love my deep pantry. I don't think I could go back to living without it.
Slow and steady is my motto. I've come to accept that that is my new normal. And the up side is -I read a lot more. Reading is a great joy and what I do when I'm taking breaks. Although I just bought some more yarn to make some crochet dish clothes. So now I've got two projects sitting by my recliner.
DeleteCheers, SJ
SJ...This new normal takes some getting used to, doesn't it. This last canning session cost me a couple days of recovery, so I doubt I will be trying to do so much at one time any more. But I think I can still manage canning small batches now and then.
DeleteBeing a life long reader helps. Like you, I always have a book handy, whether in printed form or on my Kindle.
Let me know how the dishcloths work out. That is something I would like to try making over the winter.
Don't over do it.
ReplyDeleteRob...Too late. I think I already did. But I will take the next couple of days to rest. It is nice to know I have friends who worry bout me.
DeleteGood job! Soup is such a perfect quick meal.
ReplyDeleteJenn...Home canned soup is something I really like to have on hand, especially when I don't feel like cooking. Heat it up with a sandwich or thicken it for a stew with dumplings or biscuits. It's all good. :)
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