Freezer Coleslaw

This year I had a few cabbages that made it, with out getting eaten by worms.  So I made up some freezer coleslaw.  I have made this before and it was a nice treat in the winter.  Start with one large head of cabbage. This is the biggest head that I have ever grown, just don't usually have good luck with cabbage in my garden.

Shred the cabbage and add 1 tsp. salt and let set for one hour.  After setting rinse the cabbage and squeeze out as much liquid as you can.

To the shredded cabbage add one cup grated carrots.

 

In a pan on the stove put 2 cups sugar, 1/2 cup water, 1 cup cider vinegar, 1 tsp. celery seed,                   

 1 tsp. mustard seed.  Bring to a boil and pour over cabbage and carrots.  Mix together.

Place in freezer containers.  This head made four quarts.  Kept one quart out for supper.

 

Working on getting as much canning and freezing done before school starts and it's time to go back to work.  Will miss not being home!  I am thankful for the job that the Lord opened up for me last year and that I can be home for the summer months.

Have a great evening.

~Cheryl~

Cleaning stove grates

I love Ammonia.

We brought the grates from the gas stove in our house up north home with us so I could clean them.  It looked like they hadn't been cleaned in a long time.  This is one of the better looking ones!

Not sure where I first heard about using ammonia, before using it I would use sos pads, cleaners, anything that I could think of to try and scrub them off.  Mine here at home get the worst during canning.  To use ammonia I put each grate in a zip lock back with about 1/2 cup of ammonia and let sit over night.   The next day just put them in warm soapy water and scrub off.  These grates did take a little bit of scrubbing, but most of it just washed right off.

Much better!  Some of the paint has wore off from use, but the grime is gone!  We will be going back up to the house again this weekend as soon as my DH gets home from work.  Slowly getting it back in shape.

The Amish store that my first batch of peaches came from called and they had a new order in to replace the bad peaches we got.  So thankful, now we have peaches for this winter and some fresh ones to eat.  They are very good this time.  Froze three more packages of broccoli yesterday, the plants are producing so many side shoots.  This is my first year of having good broccoli plants, last year they didn't get any heads on them.  Lots of cream of broccoli soup.

Enjoy your weekend!  

~Cheryl~ 

Tattler Lids

My lids came last week and I have been using some of them.  So far I have used about 2 dozen, they have all sealed.  Today I have been canning some peaches and used the Tattler lids on the first batch.  Forgot to tighten the lids right away when they came out of the caner so not sure if they will seal.  I am having a problem with liquid coming out of the jars when both using the pressure caner and the hot water bath.  If anyone can give me some advice, I would appreciate it.  Before ordering anymore lids I want to figure out this problem.  Other than that I am liking them.

We have been busy on the weekends doing repairs on our home up north, the renters left and we have major work and cleaning to do.  For the next month or so on the weekends we will be spending our time up north trying to get the house ready to go back on the market.  This has been our first experience with a bad renter.  It has been hard to see the house this way, it is still my home.  A lot of good memories.  

The weather has been cooler and we have had some rain.  Waiting for FALL!!

Have a wonderful evening.

~Cheryl~

Comming Soon!

Today I ordered my first set of Tattler lids.  Ordered the starter pack with 3 doz wide and narrow mouth lids.  Along with a dozen each of extra rings. Now the waiting!!  Earlier the Tattler Co. sent me a sample of 2 lids each, I have used them and love them.  Eventually I want to replace all of my lids with Tattler, will be so nice not buying lids all of the time.  It is an investment to start with, but will pay for its self very soon.

Canning some more Pickle Relish today, need to pick my beans and peppers.  Stuffed peppers for supper tonight!  

The rain passed us by this last weekend, praying we soon get rain.  Went yesterday to visit my cousins for the day, they are a little more south, some of the corn fields look so bad.  They need rain even worse than we do. 

Have a wonderful evening.

~Cheryl~

Lemonade Cake

 Lemonade Layer Cake.

Very Good!

Needed something to take to our ladies group for church tonight.  So I tried a new recipe, I did not make mine into a layer cake,  that way I can take one and leave one home for my DH.  He likes pretty much anything with lemon.  Think he will be happy with this one.  This cake is a definite keeper!

You can get the recipe from Country Pleasures.  Sue featured this recipe on Tasty Tuesday.  Go over and check it out, I have enjoyed her blog.

~Cheryl~

Cucumber Relish

Made my first batch of cucumber relish this morning for the season.

This relish is fast and easy to make.  It is the relish that my mom always made and I have been making it for years.  We like it on hamburgers and hot dogs.  I have tried a couple of others over the years but my family likes this recipe. 

You will need one dozen medium sized cucumbers.  Wash and cut off the ends.  Chop the cucumbers in a food processor.  Also chop one large celery stalk and six small onions.  Put cucumbers, celery, and onions  in a bowl and throw a handful of salt over it and let sit one hour.

After sitting the hour put in a colander, rinse and let drain.

Put cucumber mixture into a large pan on the stove and add:  one pint apple cider vinegar ~ 2 cups sugar ~ 1  teaspoon each of mustard seed and celery seed ~ 1/4 teaspoon turmeric.

Stir and bring to a boil, put into hot jars, seal and process in a hot water bath for 5 minutes.

This batch made 4 pints.  My jars have been pinging, love that sound!

Found a tutorial for a cute lunch bag that looks pretty easy to make so am off to give it a try.  Think they might make some good Christmas gifts!

Enjoy your day!

~ Cheryl~  

Garden Pictures

The garden hasn't been doing to bad with the lack of rain.  We have been watering so that has helped.

This little wren has been getting worms off of my cabbage and broccoli for the babies.  I like having her around.

This little baby was the last to leave the nest.  It took him a day longer than the rest to get brave enough to leave.  You wouldn't believe how much noise one little bird can make when left alone.

This little bunny also lives in our yard.  As long as he can't get into the garden I enjoy watching him.  Comes up to the bird feeder just outside the patio door and eats.  I am sure I won't be to happy this winter when he is eating on my bushes!

Enjoying a little cooler weather today only expected in the 80's.  Waiting for it to rain, some of the farmers corn is starting to show signs of stress from the heat and lack of rain.  Although this area is not as bad as other parts of Wisconsin.

Have a great day!

~Cheryl

Thoughts On How We Dress For Church

My daughter put a post on face book on the way some people dress for church and why people don't bring their Bibles to church anymore.  I know she thinks it's sad to see people be more concerned on how they look for work than when going to church.  Also that people rely on the big screen in church for the Bible verses and not take their own Bible if they have one.  She got some interesting comments back.  She asked me to look at here post and see what I thought.  This was my response;

I have wondered why people can dress better for work than church also. It seems like so many give God there left overs. I completely understand when someone doesn't have much and are wearing their best. You also see a change in the way people dress when they are growing spiritually. It seems that so many people say it's whats in your heart that matters, to a point I think that is true, but I also think people use that statement so they can walk as close to the world as possible. I am from the old school that you give of your best to God. I know that what you wear has nothing to do with getting to heaven, or make you a better person, but I do believe it is a sign of Christian growth.

I also wonder why people don't seem to want to take their Bibles to church. Isn't that why we go to church to study Gods word. In our church if a person doesn't have a Bible and wants one they will be given one. I want to look up what the Pastor is staying, mark things in my Bible for study later. Our church just changed translations a while ago, we don't put the verses up on a screen, I could still follow along with the old translation. It took a while before I was able to get a new Bible. I don't care if a church puts the verses that the pastor is using up on a screen, but don't think it should replace our own Bibles. There is just something about opening Gods word and following along. It keeps me more focused. The more people use their own Bible the easier it is to find things. I think the devil is happy to see that Christians don't see a need to take their Bibles to church. Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith: and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. This topic could be debated for ever. What is our reason for the way we dress,or anything we do, to please God or draw attention to ourselves. For me it comes down to the following verses. First John 2:15,16,17 (NKJV)  Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life - is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it: but he who does the will of God abides forever.

I would love to hear if you have any thoughts on the way some people are dressing for church now.

Have a wonderful day and try to stay cool!  We're suppose to reach near 100F. today.

~Cheryl~

Some Rain

Last night and early this morning we finally got some much needed rain.  I have been watering my garden ,but it just does so much better when God takes care of the watering.

Had a very disappointing peach canning experience this year.  I ordered two bushel of peaches they looked so nice when they came in.  Started to can them the other day and got two quarts from a half bushel.  They were so bad, some where very mushy and others had no taste to them.  When I called where we got them from they said it was a bad batch.  We took the rest back and are waiting to see if he can get another shipment from the grower.  At the price of peaches this year it was a very expensive two quarts.  They were hoping to have some by this weekend, haven't heard anything so a little afraid we are going to be out the money and no peaches to can.  Hoping next year will be better, although I am going to really miss not having peaches this winter.

The grandsons have been here since Wednesday, helping with some yard projects, they even helped me with the house cleaning this morning.  Very sweet boys!  Grandpa had them mowing the yard with the rider, they enjoyed that. 

We had hot and humid weather again today, next week is suppose to be hot to start with and hopefully some rain.  Trying to stay cool tonight with the fans going.

Have a wonderful evening and a Great Lords Day!

~Cheryl~

Posting Again

It has been a LONG time since my last post!  

When I last posted was telling how cold it was, now it's how hot it has been, one day last week was 109F.  To hot for Wisconsin!

It seems with work and just all that has been going on there just wasn't any time for blogging.  I have missed posting, but have been keeping up on the blogs that I follow.  

 I am enjoying my summer off from school!!!!!!!   Some of my plans for the summer are: sewing, painting my sewing room, gardening, having the grandsons over and just enjoying the time home until school starts again.  

The garden is growing, have already froze a couple heads of broccoli and some kohlrabi.   We have been eating lettuce, radishes, red potatoes, and onions.  Just saw today that I have tiny green beans starting.   It will soon be getting busy, but a good kind of busy!

Have a wonderful evening.

~Cheryl~    

Apron Swap Partner

Doing the Valentines Apron Swap at Country Pleasures and yesterday we received our apron swap partner.  My new partner is Shug...My Steps of Faith, I am so excited.  We have already emailed each other and am sure she will be a great new friend.   Have already started the apron.

Winter has returned to Wisconsin.... with wind chills of 20 to 30 below tonight.... high of 4 tomorrow.... and a low of 15 below tomorrow night.  Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Hot chocolate and wrapping up in a quilt weather tonight.

Stay Warm!