the temps here in Minnesota have dropped to a reasonable level. The canning has begun.
My grocery order arrived yesterday and in it were 1 cabbage, 4 lbs. of carrots, 2 bunches of celery, 3 lbs. of onions, 2 lbs. of frozen corn and 2 lbs. of frozen peas, along with 12 lbs. of frozen chicken breast.
Yesterday afternoon and evening were spent chopping, slicing and dicing. The meat was cut into about one inch pieces.
This morning I filled pint jars with a heaping quarter cup of chicken and topped that off with the veggies, adding water, leaving an inch of headspace and dropping one chicken bouillon cube into each jar for flavor. The jars were pressure canned for 75 minutes.
So far I have 32 pints of chicken/veg mix and there is at least enough left for another canner load of 16 pints – maybe more.
I have canned this mix before. It makes good soup, stew and pot pie filling. I have used it in casseroles and served it over rice. It is my main 'go to' canned food. I have also canned a version using beef, adding a beef bouillon cube and some tomato powder to each jar. Both varieties are good for quick, easy meals.
As long as Mother Nature has decided to turn down the heat a bit, I will be clearing out the freezer and canning up most of the meat. We were lucky this time in that we didn't lose power during the heat wave, but I have seen where some parts of the country had those problems. Meat is getting more expensive by the day and I am not willing to risk losing what I have. By canning it, I will have shelf stable meat.
With the direction our country seems to be headed these days, the more I can put on the shelves now, the better.
I don't want to be a prophet of doom. I would rather look at the positive side of things. But lately that seems to be a stretch. If the current power grabbers have their way, we will be dependent upon them for our very existence. I know that most who stop by this silly little blog agree that we are not hard wired to tow the mark. We would much rather do for ourselves than stand in line for a handout.
So we prepare. We do everything we can to remain independent. Because at the end of the day, we can live no other way.
So glad you were able to tackle the canning project. You are right. It appears things are going down hill rapidly. Time to prepare is now! Once again, thank you for the inspiration. CW
ReplyDeleteThanks, CW...I'm just thankful for the cooler weather! Many others are saying now is the time to prepare while we still can. Good advice!
DeleteWell done...pom poms waving like mad.
ReplyDeleteMy internet seems to be going at a turtle's pace today.
Take care of yourself. Cheers,
SJ in Vancouver BC Canada
Love the pom poms, SJ...We all need someone cheering us on! It helps that others are on the same path. Take good care.
DeleteThought of you yesterday while I was canning BBQ pork. Actually Vicki,you and your family, are frequently in my thoughts and in my prayers. We just passed the anniversary of my son's death and although we can now get through that day, mostly without meltdowns, it is still very difficult. My heart goes out to you💔.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I am glad to hear it's cooled off enough that you are able to can! And I absolutely agree about stacking it high!
Thank you so much, sbrgirl...It just is not easy, is it, navigating this path we never wanted to be on. I have good days and I have days that are less than stellar. Mostly I concentrate on the good memories. I am so very sorry that both of us are in this club we would give anything not to have joined. But prayers help.
DeleteI was happy to see our temps drop some. I got 44 pints of chicken/veg mix and 4 pints of chicken. Now to dig into the freezer for round two! Every day it becomes more urgent to fill the pantry. I believe we will need it all.