Category Archives: DIY Projects

A Day of Canning with my Mom

15 Wednesday Aug 2012

Posted by in DIY Projects, Family

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My Mom called me last weekend and asked me if I wanted some crabapples to make jelly with. She also asked me if I remember making it using crabapples from her friend Jane’s tree when I was younger…of course!! But the answer to the first question was no…unless I can come to your house and make it so you can show me how to do it! We decided it was a date. Here are some pictures…

My brother, Isaac, picking crabapples from the tree in Mom’s backyard:

Me, pureeing green peppers for old fashioned green pepper jelly:

A bucket of crabapples:

We stemmed them and halved them and then boiled them for 20-30 minutes. When they are soft you strain them through a cloth to get the juice to use to make jelly:

Focusing on our work:

 

The green pepper jelly looks weird but tastes funky-good. It’s supposed to be good on a cracker with cream cheese but I haven’t tasted that yet:

This is taken from the last page of the Ball canning booklet dated 1972. I thought things like this stopped being printed after the 1920′s!!

Some jars of red crabapple jelly that I got to take home:

From top left; tomatoes, green beans, crabapple jelly and green pepper jelly. My Mom had canned the tomatoes and green beans last weekend and gave me a jar each to try. One bushel of green beans produced 20 quart jars for her pantry! I was impressed! Maybe I’ll try this at home one day :)

Lemon Thyme and Lemon Rosemary Homemade Salt Scrub

12 Saturday May 2012

Posted by in DIY Projects

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I’m so excited about this because it easy, homemade, organic and WAY cheaper than buying a similar prepared product in the store. Also it’s perfect for gift giving. I love this so much that after making this first batch I want to make it known that this is only my first of many flavor concoctions! I decided to make it yesterday as a mother’s day gift. I knew that I would be meeting my mom this morning at a farmer’s market near her house and this is one of the things I wanted to share with her.

This recipe was inspired from a recipe I found on Pinterest a month or so ago from Jaclyn at Food Plus Words.

Lemon Thyme and Lemon Rosemary Salt Scrub

(Adapted from Food Plus Words)

Ingredients

  • Organic Grapeseed Oil
  • Organic Lemon essential oil (4-8 drops)
  • Kosher Salt
  • Fresh sprigs of thyme and rosemary

Preparation

  • The recipes I reviewed said the salt and oil should be measured 2 parts salt to 1 part oil. I found that you needed just slightly more oil than that. Measure it exactly first then add oil by teaspoon fulls until it is slightly covering the salt once everything settles.
  • So start by measuring the salt and pour into a prepared jar of your choice. Add oil, essential oil drops and fresh herbs. For the thyme I picked and stemmed it and added the tiny leaves whole. For the rosemary I stemmed it and chopped it until it was about the size of the thyme leaves.
  • In the larger jar I mixed 3/4 salt, 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of grapeseed oil, 6-7 drops of essential oil and about 2 tablespoons of thyme.
  • In the two slightly smaller jars I mixed (in each jar) 1/2 salt, 1/4 cup grapeseed oil, 4 drops of essential oil and in one jar little over a tablespoon of thyme in the other jar a little over a tablespoon of rosemary.
  • To use: stir around with a small spoon or small wooden scoop to mix. Take about a 1/2 teaspoon if washing your hands with it and scrub…when done rinse and pat dry. Can also be used on feet, knees or elbows.
  • I printed tags and put ribbons on the jars for gift giving!
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