September Garden Planner Giveaway

My family has had a lot of fun preserving food by drying fruits and veggies on small trays on the dashboard and back window of our car.It is amazing how hot it can get in a closed car even in the fall and spring.They continue to process even when we are driving around and leave them in the car while we are in a store shopping.Most of the winter will be too cold but the rest of the year has worked out very well.Dried apples and making raisins from grapes have been our favorites.We have also had great success with pears,apricots,zucchini slices, and kale chips.We simply wash the produce, chop to the desired size and lay it out in a single layer.If you use a metal tray be sure to cover it with parchment paper first.Good luck and be sure to leave them on the tray long enough to fully finish drying.Depending on the weather,it can take a little longer than when dried in an electric food drier.This method is very practical,simple and fun ....

Last year I did a bit of a harvest special on my blog. http://kingsbraegarden.com/blog/?p=2692 http://kingsbraegarden.com/blog/?p=2673 http://kingsbraegarden.com/blog/?p=2736 http://kingsbraegarden.com/blog/?p=2716 http://kingsbraegarden.com/blog/?p=2720 http://kingsbraegarden.com/blog/?p=2678 http://kingsbraegarden.com/blog/?p=2729 http://kingsbraegarden.com/blog/?p=2686 http://kingsbraegarden.com/blog/?p=2771 Here is the links to all the post there is something for everyone! Please check them all out there are some great recipes and ideas!

From blogger Mark Hubbard at kitchenfoodgarden.com. Homemade salsa is always better than the store-bought kind. And it is so easy to make in the summertime – but what about the rest of the year? Well, with this easy canning recipe you can preserve your fresh homemade salsa well into the winter. This recipe uses Anaheim chili peppers for some medium heat. You can add jalapenos to adjust the heat upwards if you desire. Anaheim Salsa Makes 6 pints Equipment: Canning utensils (see note below) and 6 pint-size canning jars. Ingredients 10 cups peeled, cored and chopped Roma tomatoes, (about 8 lbs of whole tomatoes before processing) (see note) 4-5 cups seeded, chopped green, red and yellow Anaheim chili peppers (adjust amount for heat, to taste) 1/4 cup seeded, chopped jalapeno peppers (optional, or adjust for heat to taste) 5 cups chopped onions 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1.5 cups cider vinegar 2 or 3 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro 1 1/2 teaspoons salt Preparation Clean canning jars in dishwasher and sanitize lids and bands by boiling in water for 5 minutes. In a large stainless steel sauce pan, combine tomatoes, chili peppers, onions, garlic, vinegar, cilantro and salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and gently boil for 20 minutes. Ladle hot salsa into warm jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust head space, if necessary, by adding hot salsa. Wipe rim with paper towel. Center lid on jar. Screw band down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip-tight. Place jars in canner or large stock pot, ensuring they are completely covered with an inch of water. Cover and bring to a boil for 15 minutes. Remove lid. Wait 5 minutes, then remove jars. Cool and store. Note: You will need canning jars, a large stock pot and a few canning utensils for this recipe. Canning starter kits are all the rage these days and you can buy them at most kitchen and hardware stores. Note. To easily peel and core tomatoes: First hull the tomatoes, then place them in boiling water for 20 seconds. Immediately remove them to a bowl of ice water to cool for 2 minutes. Drain, peel off the skins, cut the tomatoes in half and scoop out the core. Drain again and chop to desired size.

My current way to preserve basil is to make my favorite pesto recipe -- plenty of garlic, pine nutes, basil, kale, etc. Then smear it on dehydrator sheets and dehydrate it for at least 24 hours or until dry. It makes a fantastic cracker!

I like to buy organic mushrooms when they're on sale ($2 a pound compared to $4-5 a pound regularly). I then cook the mushrooms with pepper, garlic, and onion, put in storage bags and freeze. It's great for a quick meal because you've already chopped up the mushrooms and onions.