Community› The Bump Message Boards› Eco-Friendly Family
Eco-Friendly Family
New Discussion

Garden/Canning/Freezing HELP NEEDED!

BackthePackBackthePack
in Eco-Friendly Family

So a while ago I suggested that I do a small garden with my ILs b/c I really wanted to learn how to garden. They live out in the country, have plenty of space, and gardening experience (although it's been about 15 years since they last had a garden). The small garden that I was hoping for has turned into a monster. Their motto on just about everything is "go big or go home". My quick inventory yesterday showed the following:

Watermelon ? 10 vines
Sweet Bell Pepper ? 13 plants
Cucumber ? 13 plants
Squash ? 26 plants
Tomatoes ? 60+ plants (I stopped counting)
Green Beans ? around 200 plants (I lost count)

?

Not to mention that we have lettuce, carrots, onions & leeks, hot peppers, okra, cabbage, broccoli, spinach, hot peppers, & cantaloupes. ?FIL also planted some blueberry bushes, grape vines, and 5 various fruit trees. Thankfully none of those will bear anything to speak of this year.?

?

So, my question is...WHAT are we going to do with all that food? We're planning on canning/freezing a lot (although I'm not sure that MIL & I can really take care of all that by ourselves). I know we want to can the green beans & tomatoes, as well as make salsa & marinara sauce. So I'm looking for recipes, resources, suggestions, ANYTHING!

Report Reply to Post

Re: Garden/Canning/Freezing HELP NEEDED!

  • treesapplaudtreesapplaud

    What types of squash are they? 

    Last summer when we were away a month we came home and the only thing that did really well in our garden was the squash. We had LOADS. We gave away all we could and still had a lot. 

    For the summer squash that was extra I cooked it down to a puree and then froze in bags to use as a filler for soups the whole winter. 

    The winter squash had thick skins and we could keep them until December fresh. Summer squash has to be used up. 

    You can even put shredded squash in chocolate muffins, which sounded gross, but so ridiculous I tried it and served them when we had guests who all LOVED them. (I can't find the exact recipe, but this one is similar.)

    I hope you have a large freezer! (And keeping your freezer full is very EF!)

    Report Reply
  • Loading the player...
  • BlackvelvetBlackvelvet member

    I usually have a large garden last year the tomatos did amazing and I was trying to find something to do with them I was given a recipe for soup that was both freesable and cannable.

    Tomato soup (with optional noodles)

     

    ? Bushel tomatoes (about 20 lbs) peeled and quartered into sections

    Boil tomatoes for 5 min.

     

    1/3 cup sugar

    1 tsp pepper

    1/3 cup salt

    3 Chopped green peppers (I used red bell peppers)

    6 Chopped Onions

    ? lbs butter

     

    Cook peppers and onions in ? lbs butter, add salt and pepper cooking until onions are soft.

    Optional: cook separately one 10 oz package of alphabet or Asian noodles.

    Stir vegetable mixture, and noodles if using into the tomatoes.

    Cook until mixture boils, then Simmer for 15 min.  Stir constantly so soup doesn?t burn.

     

    To can fill jars to neck and can 10-15 min at 10 lbs pressure

    To freeze let cool then pour into plastic freezer bags (quart size worked well)

     

    Yield is about 7 quarts or 15 pints.

     

    DH loves this soup with grilled cheese and I also use it as a base for other soups and stews in the winter.  I liked the soup with out noodles and then added them when I used it.  I also have added rice and grilled beef when I reheated.

     

    Me DOR amh .64 ng/mL  
    DH Brain Cancer
    BFP #1 12/11/08 DS born 8/23/09
    BFP#2 10/13/11 DC 11/4/11
    BFP#3 12/6/13 Lost 12/29/13
    Told IVF is the only option and have not found a clinic that will take me.



    Report Reply
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards
"
"