Peaches!

We have a 'Contender' peach tree in our yard.  This is it's third year to bear fruit and it's only 4 years old.  This year it was loaded, this picture shows only one branch.  I think we picked about 80-90 lbs of fruit!

I truly believe the best way to eat a peach is fresh, however we weren't going to be eating 80 lbs worth so I gave some away and we ate a many as we could possibly stand to eat and bake with and I preserved the rest. 

My counter looked like this for about a week, each time I'd get it almost emptied off I'd go pick again! 

This was the first time I'd used a canner alone and I felt like such a grown up doing almost everything solo! :)  First I tackled basic canned peaches.  And to be honest I must have read 15 different blog post on doing so and really can't remember whose I used. I think I just took information from all of them and went to work! I used a lighter syrup and between 3 different sessions ended up with 18 quarts and 9 pints.  We've eaten one so far and it was fantastic! 

I also made peach butter, raspberry peach jam, peach preserves all in half pints.  The peach butter is great on pancakes and waffles, the raspberry peach jam doesn't use pectin so it is a bit runnier but awesome mixed into vanilla yogurt (I like Chobani), and the peach preserves take awhile to cook down but they're great too!  It was fun to experiment and to have such great success canning made the week even better! I also froze quite a few slices on cookie sheet and then transferred to freezer bags, these I can bake with or perhaps just eat? 

I will say I didn't do much cooking during that last week in August and I had to recover for a few days afterwards but now that we are starting to open a few jars it was well worth the work!  As most things in life are.  Thanks for stopping in!

Buttermilk Pancakes

I know it is summertime and it is hot, but last weekend I was craving pancakes!  While you can certainly whip them up with Bisquick or your favorite recipe, these might be a nice chance of pace.  It makes a flatter and less fluffy pancake than Bisquick pancakes and they're more moist too!

Do you want to try?  They look pretty good right? :)

Buttermilk Pancakes

3 C. buttermilk

1 1/2 tsp. soda

1 tsp. salt

1 (1/2 cup) stick margarine- melted

4 eggs beaten

2 C. flour (this is a rough amount, it can be a bit more or less depending on the consistence of the batter.)

Bake on Hot griddle around 350-375 degrees  To reheat the leftovers I put them in the toaster and they warm back up nicely without getting soggy.

I am pretty sure everyone can make pancakes but I thought I'd mention a few things that I feel help with the recipe.  

As I mentioned the consistency is pretty thin. It should pour easily.

It is kind of hard to see here but they don't raise much.  I can tell when it is time to flip them by the bubbles.

YUM!

I like them with syrup but my daughter and husband prefer strawberry sauce.  The sauce we like is homemade using this great recipe I mentioned in this post.  Enjoy!

Strawberries

It is strawberry season here in Iowa and my in-laws have plenty!  I have processed plenty of strawberries since coming into the family.  I've frozen them plain on cookie sheets to cook with later andI've done them in syrup for ice cream or my favorite use margaritas!  Recently though I've most made freeze jam with them since my husband eats peanut butter and jelly everyday for work, and my daughter eats the same most days at lunch too.    I thought I'd walk you through the process.  I like to use the packets for freezer jam like the one pictured below, mostly because it is EASY.  The directions say you need 4 cups crushed and I find that is about 6 cups pre-crushed!  I do measure after they are crushed but it helps me know how many to cut up for each batch.

   

Here is the crushing process, yes, it is that messy.  

I am missing a picture but it is pretty basic.  In the bowl before you add the crushed strawberries you add the contents of the packet and 1 and a half cups sugar and mix together.  Then add your strawberries and stir for 3 minutes.  

 Then you ladle it into jars.  I like the Ball freezer jars.  But I've used glad plastic containers too.  

I always have help around to make sure things are going well!

And here are fruits of my labor, 10 pint jars of fabulous tasting strawberry for all those sandwiches I make!

I also wanted to mention that last year I discovered a recipe for strawberry sauce that is AMAZING too!  We use it on waffles, pancakes and ice cream. It is so easy, just 2 cups of strawberry, 1/3 c. sugar and 1 tsp. of almond extract. (do use almond extract, I tried it with vanilla and it is much better with almond).  Here is the blog where I found it, Our Best Bites, they have lots of great recipes so check it out!