X- rated tv........... or nearly-naked canning hits the air???

Don't worry ......... I'm keeping my clothes on!!!

For those of you that don't know --- my 1892 farmhouse has no air conditioning. And in August, when it is 90 + degrees outside, canning tomatoes inside can be pretty miserable. Boiling water to peel the tomatoes, cooking hot tomatoes, tea kettle on to sterilize the lids and the hot water bath boiling away --- it can get pretty hot. I have had my kitchen up to 106 degrees. So my attire is pretty skimpy --- a pair of shorts not meant for the viewing public and a tank top so shredded, it would be useless as a dust rag!

That is why there is an alarm on my driveway!!!!

Today -- I am doing a demonstration on live tv, making dilly beans. I am teaching a class on canning on Saturday for the local chapter of Buy Fresh, Buy Local and a local farmers market. So today -- I need to squeeze pickling knowledge plus promote the seminar .......... all in 4 minutes.

Should be a trick!!! We will see how many stupid mistakes I can make in 4 minutes!! Honey will remind me of all of them -- he will have it taped for posterity!

Yesterday, I could not face canning. The thought of looking at a jar made me nauseous. But then ........... I caught a glimpse of Sheepie Neighbor's post on apples. That is absolutely mouth-watering!! And I realized, I tossed away a day I could have been working on such wonderful things. Except ......... I really think a better plan would be to hang out at her house!!!

I did cook ........... a new soup creation. Sort of......... kind of. OK -- I stole the recipe from a couple of others and put them together! Everything for this soup came with-in a 10 mile radius. Local Local!!!

So here is my recipe for Cabbage - Bacon Soup.

1) Fry 1 pound of bacon and set aside. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of bacon drippings.

2) Chop 1 onion, 4 stalks of celery in the bacon drippings. Lightly saute 2 crushed cloves of garlic. Add 1 pound of Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced and sauted slightly in the drippings.

3) De-glaze the pan with 1/4 cup of Balsamic vinegar.

4) I peeled and chopped 5 large fresh tomatoes but in the winter, I would use a pint jar of crushed tomatoes.

5) Then I added 1-1/2 qts of chicken broth (I used homemade but canned broth would be fine) and I simmered on the stove. I added 2 tablespoons of dried parsley and 1/2 tsp celery seed and seasoned with salt and pepper. I simmered it for over an hour.

6) About 15 minutes before serving, stir in 4 cups of chopped cabbage and the crumble the bacon into the soup.

It was so good and warm on a cold, cloudy September day. And yes -- this soup makes enough for an army. But that's how I make soup!!!

Comments

~*Sarah*~ said…
hah...that's how I clean my house. I'm always terrified that someone will come to the door on cleaning day. ...and it wouldn't be pretty.

and that soup sounds awfully darn good. I expecially like how many times it uses the phrase 'bacon drippings'

I know, its disgusting, its terrible for you, but bacon is one of my vices....
Crosswinds Farm said…
If you will notice, pretty much all that "sheepie neighbor" has put up so far are dessert type items...I suspect that we will have to go up the road for real food and come back down for dessert.

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