Saturday, December 10, 2011

Green Tomatoes, Puckered purple, I'm seeing Red!

Oh the Joys and Woes of Gardening and crafting. Let's throw in the holidays for good measure. How about a special birthday and an upcoming new great grandbaby. I think my senses are overloaded, overcrowded and just in the mode for shutting down- But I shall prevail, forward, dauntlessly charging into the frenzy of life! This is just an update so you know I am still kicking up my feet with a Ho Ho Ho and away we go! I plan to take some pictures to post of semi-finished projects today. My battles with sewing machine and learning new techniques could be a novel- the heroine may survive but I am not sure at this point~
The GT Relish is done, the GT chutney done, the GT pickles in processing as I speak.....
The purple quilt is killing me but almost ready for binding...
The other unfinished projects are lined up and trying to take cuts in line for being first...
Fire harzard abatement (the dried up tomato plants) still in progress must finish today.....

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL AND MERRY CHRISTMAS because it is and should be even if you don't think so!!! So there, I shall return.....

Monday, December 5, 2011

Three Things

One the blogs I follow, (Eat, Sleep, Quilt) always impresses me (besides the fact she is a great lady and quilter) with her three things to be thankful for list. I thought this morning I should do the same with a twist.
Three Things I am Not Thankful for today:
1. We had two nights of frost and the tomato plants have passed...
2. I picked my daughter's overripe apples last week...
3. GM had a bad day yesterday and this morning...

BUT (there is always a but or butt in my musings)

Three Things that are GOOD (and I am thankful, I think) Because of of the Three Bad Things
:
1. I have lots of green tomatoes to make relish.
2. There is applesauce cooking in the Crockpot.
3. The Bathroom is clean (because I cleaned it really well!!!)

So I must now finish pulling up the tomato plants (TG the trash man comes tomorrow), make the relish,
and hopefully get to read some interesting stuff on my favorite blogs!!!

This is the recipe I am going to use- from Mother Earth News (thank you)

Green Tomato Relish Recipe
Yields about 7 pints.
Ingredients:
25 medium or 35 small green tomatoes
3 medium green bell peppers
2 medium sweet red peppers
3 medium onions
4 tbsp pickling salt
4 cups sugar
3 cups white vinegar
3 tbsp mustard seed
3 tbsp celery seed

Instructions:
1. Chop, process or grind all vegetables into a fine dice, then cover with the pickling salt and stir to coat. Let the mixture stand for 3 hours, then drain well.
2. Boil the sugar, vinegar and seeds for 5 minutes, then add the vegetables and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Seal in hot, sterile pint jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

Sunday, December 4, 2011

UFO or Fire in Lake Elsinore?


And yes, I blew them all out with one try!