Pearsons Progress

More canning fun

After my meeting on Monday night, I came home and canned 16 jars of spaghetti meat sauce. Since I don’t go to bed until 12-1am, I just got busy! Here’s the photo of my work:

I also found some strawberries for a pretty good price (1€) a basket, so I bought 4 and made 7 jars of strawberry jam. I’m hoping for more and better sales on strawberries during the growing season.

I believe I didn’t can enough apples to last me  until the next season, but I’m learning how much I need for a 1 years supply of:

• apple pie filling ( I haven’t ever canned this but wish I had)
• apple/maple jam (that John really likes)
• spiced apples (to serve with meat)
• apple sauce (lovely to serve with breakfast for guests)

I also see now that when the potatoes were at their lowest price, I didn’t can enough of them. So next time they are sold for a good price, I’ll be canning:

• small whole or quartered peeled potatoes (they have a yummy flavor)
• mixed vegetables for stews and soups (potatoes, carrots, celery, etc)

Here’s another quote from the book I am enjoying. Written in 1832, The American Frugal Housewife, is a little treasure for sensible advice.

“We never shall be free from embarrassment until we cease to be ashamed of industry and economy. Let women do their share towards reformation—Let their fathers and husbands see them happy without finery; and if their husbands and fathers have (as is often the case) a foolish pride in seeing them decorated, let them gently and gradually check this feeling, by showing that they have better and surer means of commanding respect—Let them prove, by the exertion of ingenuity and economy, that neatness, good taste, and gentility, are attainable without great expense”.