#5 In the Kitchen with Judy

One of the things I have always admired, was the hidden talent of canners.  First it is their bountiful gardens that I admire.  What can not be eaten fresh, must be preserved for later on.  So how is that done??? Well for a girl who grew up in a grocery store ( my parents and Aunt & Uncle were owners of Teel Grocery ), gardening was in the produce aisle.  

     My canning skills are nil.  But I have have friends whose green thumbs produce wonderful gardens and they are terrific canners!  Every year Jeff and Emily Upright inspire me.. So, I have decided to become a gardener.... Of sorts..   I have 6 tomato plants, generously donated to me by my friend, Michelle Miller..  Little did she know, they would go through many trials to be able to produce 3 tomatoes... You read right... 6 plants, 3 tomatoes! 

      So off on my "canning" adventure... First... I discovered a refrigerator pickle recipe on Pinterest ... Isn't that where you discover everything?   Second, I put out the word that I needed cucumbers. And John Long came to my rescue! So now I have these cucumbers laying on the counter.. I've got to do something and not let them go to waste.  I gathered up everything I needed.. And I had everything, everything but rings for the jars.  I knew I had some... Somewhere ..from  the pickles Jeff and Emily had made me last year...  And of course they were right where they should be.... In the toy box!  My granddaughters like to wear them as bracelets!

     Now after cucumbers are washed, sliced and packed in jars, it's time to pour the pickling juice over the 7 quart jars.   Lids and rings are on and jars are now in the fridge!  A small prayer that they turn out!   Stay tuned!  I'll let you know whether it was a success or it's back to the drawing board aka the grocery aisle......

In the kitchen with Judy...#4

Another evening in the kitchen... This time spaghetti and meatballs!  Anyone who knows me, knows that it is very unusual for me to make meatballs for my spaghetti.  I thought I'd just do it for tonight.... And they were delicious! But I'm going back to making my meat sauce ... Same amount of meat and same seasonings... We just like it better that way!