Practicing Good Pantry Skills...

[Cindylouwho]

My first ever Victory Garden is coming in strong and I'm really struggling with what I'm going to do with the Zucchini (huge) squashes (Acorn, Spaghetti & Butternut), and gobs of tomatoes (just learned DD has a food sensitivity to them....so that is rough timing),....

I do not have a "cool" basement to store everything in but that's probably where it all needs to go. And I don't trust a mouse to not get in down there so I'm already trying to figure out homemade screened cabinets. Our basement won't be cool til later in the season but stuff is coming in now here in the Pacific NW.. Have never done any canning but did replace my Food Saver and got a basic Dehydrator. Finding jars is a different story. I'll have to go back and read through this entire thread. How do we feel about dry canning with a Food Saver and do I need this special pressure canning equipment you speak of to do regular canning? Can't I just stick a jar in a pot of boiling water and melt that lid on there? I'm reading up and watching YouTube videos. Advice seems to vary. Any advice or suggestions on reputable YouTubers I should follow on this? I'm terrified I'm going to walk out into that smoke and see a red tomato! Also terrified of poisoning my family!

 

[AuntJamelle]

Awwww...take a deep breath! You are doing the right thing by doing your research! There is a LOT of conflicting info out there about canning. I go by the Ball Blue Book or other official canning cookbook recipes. I like "Canning for Dummies" They got me started and I branched out from there.

You can use water bath canning for a lot of things but NOT low acid foods. Meats, squash, mushrooms, green beans, etc. Somethings aren't safe to home can at all, like pureed squash - you just can't get the amount of pressure needed in a home canner to prevent botulism.

You can, however, pickle low acid things. You could use some of your zucchini that way. There are so many recipes! You can also combine shredded zucchini and pineapple juice to make a faux pineapple that you can use in desserts, cobblers, etc. Both of those are examples of being able to use water bath canning on low acid foods because you are combining them with something high acid, like vinegar, or pineapple juice. The bad germs can't live in the high acid environment you are creating within the jar.

If you just cut up the squash and sealed in Food Saver bags you would want to freeze them. Same for shredded zuchinni.

Or you can can it in chunks but that would need to be done with a pressure canner. I prefer the kind that has a weight (looks a little round hockey puck) that you place on the canner over a port the steam comes out of. There are specific instructions for what lbs of pressure you can at for how long, depending on the item. The hockey puck has different holes on it - each equals a different amount of pressure. Any canner you buy new would come with instructions. I got mine from a relative and had to Google the manual.

Water bath canning is BASICALLY sticking a jar in water and melting the lid on but there is a little more to it to keep it safe. Every recipe calls for bringing the pot to a full roiling boil with jars in the water - ONCE it is at a boil - then you start your timer. Timer goes off - you turn off heat, take off lid and wait 5 minutes before taking out the jars. They usually seal right away (you hear a PING) or shortly thereafter but can take longer. Failed seals happen when jars aren't filled in right amounts, if you didn't wipe the jar rim well before putting on lid, tightening the ring on top of the lid TOO much, and so on...

If your recipe only calls you to boil the filled jars less than 10 minutes then you have to sterilize the jars first.

When you first approach canning it seems overwhelming. The safest route is to really read up on it, understand the basics of why things are done a certain way to keep the food safe, and then to religiously follow the directions. After a while it will become second nature,

I can share more tips and tricks of my general process if you like. If I haven't scared you off!!!

Another option would be to dehydrate the squash and seal in Food Saver bags and then keep them as cool as possible. Some people say that you should really freeze dehydrated foods - which kind of defeats the purpose in my mind!!! I'd have to do more research on that. I mostly dry herbs and I did pop my dried tomatoes in freezer to be safe. BUT I've seen recipes where you use oil and salt in a jar with the dried tomatoes and they are ok on the shelf.

So many options! Getting a good yield from your garden is an awesome accomplishment - but then the stress on not letting it go to waste kicks in! I have SO been there - EVERY YEAR I've ever gardened! LOL

 

[Lori K]

I'm really struggling with what I'm going to do with the Zucchini (huge) squashes (Acorn, Spaghetti & Butternut), and gobs of tomatoes (just learned DD has a food sensitivity to them....so that is rough timing),....

Congrats on your garden! I can only do patio pots, as I'm now in a townhome community. But, I still get out to the farmland and can lots of produce. I just read somewhere (and don't ask me where) about a gardener who sliced her zucchini thinly in lengthwise strips and dehydrated them for use as a noodle replacement in her lasagna. I know people have used eggplant that way, but had never thought of zucchini. I might try that with some of the large ones I ultimately wind up with. For butternut, I like to make a big pot of soup and freeze the leftovers. Tomatoes are good for sauces (marinara, plain tomato, puttanesca, salsa, ketchup, and BBQ sauce, as well as plain crushed, diced, or whole, for use in chili and other dishes -- all of which can be canned using a water bath.

 

[Myron's Mom]

Cindylou, how exciting! I use the ball blue book too! And there is misinformation out there. I watched not too long ago someone making tomato sauce that frightened me. Another good source is your county extension. Most offer hands on classes on canning. ( atleast they did, not sure how they are operating virus wise). Have fun with your garden!

 

[Cindylouwho]

Awwww...take a deep breath! You are doing the right thing by doing your research! There is a LOT of conflicting info out there about canning. .........
When you first approach canning it seems overwhelming. The safest route is to really read up on it, understand the basics of why things are done a certain way to keep the food safe, and then to religiously follow the directions. After a while it will become second nature, .....

So many options! Getting a good yield from your garden is an awesome accomplishment - but then the stress on not letting it go to waste kicks in! I have SO been there - EVERY YEAR I've ever gardened! LOL

Ohmygosh! You are SUCH a wealth of information! THANK YOU!! I'm going to print all that you just wrote and work from it. SUPER helpful! I had indeed hoped to freeze some of this but we ordered a second freezer back in the Spring and it is still not in (an upright because the chest freezer is making me crazy). We had to place our annual beef order early since our regular time slot in the Fall sold out in a heartbeat with this whole Covid thing. Now my current storage freezer is packed, I'm using another at a friend's house and NOW my garden is coming in. I remember a few years ago you were talking about canning (butter and such) and I thought that would make so much more sense for me. Just haven't gotten there yet. Looked for jars again yesterday and still none. Not sure if those would arrive unbroken if I ordered online.

 

[Cindylouwho]

Congrats on your garden! I can only do patio pots, as I'm now in a townhome community. But, I still get out to the farmland and can lots of produce. I just read somewhere (and don't ask me where) about a gardener who sliced her zucchini thinly in lengthwise strips and dehydrated them for use as a noodle replacement in her lasagna. ....

Actually I have a really good recipe for a Pesto Chicken Lasagne. I am already planning to make it in the coming days with one version with Pasta and one with Zucchini. Bought the cheeses yesterday. I love Zucchini noodles but I didn't spot the Zucchini's under their big leaves (cue the Jaws soundtrack) and was shocked to find out how big they were. Much too big to spiral which was such a bummer. Today I'm going to slice one and sprinkle with parmesan and see how that is. I LOVE butternut squash so am glad to hear that freezes. Wasn't sure it would. One of the teens made a Sweet Potato Soup the other night that was fantastic so am looking forward to those coming in.

Myron's Mom, -- Good tip on the County Extension! Will check that!

 

[Lori K]

... I love Zucchini noodles but I didn't spot the Zucchini's under their big leaves (cue the Jaws soundtrack) and was shocked to find out how big they were. Much too big to spiral which was such a bummer. ...

Maybe halve them and then halve them lengthwise and use a mandolin to slice them into flat lasagna-like noodles to use in layering?

 

[AuntJamelle]

I remember a few years ago you were talking about canning (butter and such) and I thought that would make so much more sense for me. Just haven't gotten there yet. Looked for jars again yesterday and still none. Not sure if those would arrive unbroken if I ordered online.

I may have been talking about canning butter BUT after more research I backed way away from trying that. There is a lot of debate out there about whether it is safe or not. Some people do it and are fine. No judging here! But I personally decided to take a pass on that one!

As to jars - where have you been looking? In the "old days" Craig's List or garage sales were a great resource for jars. Not sure if that is true anymore. There are places on sites like Craig's List to post what you are looking FOR too. My other sources have traditionally been Big Lots, Menards, Rural King, ACE Hardware, places like that. And my older relatives that are sick of doing it and don't want their jars anymore. LOL

I checked prices on jars on Amazon a week or so ago and it was HIGH. Like crazy town high.

 

[Lori K]

Our Menards has been getting jar inventory in fairly regularly in recent weeks. No lids, but plenty of jars of all sizes. Ace Hardward HAD good inventory, but they were empty again last week (except for a couple of cases of 4 oz. jars.). Meijer has had some, but not a lot -- and it seems they are placing them in several different locations, rather than in all one place. I won't pay Amazon prices.

 

[AuntJamelle]

Tidied up the pantry AGAIN last night! Tied up a new batch of onions and hung them in place. I continue to shake my vanilla and lemon extracts every day

 

[Minta]

I have been picking up a canned cranberry sauce and canned pumpkin when I find them at a good price. Will get a few more of each this weekend.

 

[AuntJamelle]

Went to the apple orchard this weekend! Turned 15 lbs of apples into 12 pints of Cinnamon Applesauce - it turned out so yummy!!!

https://flic.kr/p/2jSYEHE https://flic.kr/p/2jT3gU3

 

[Minta]

Went to the apple orchard this weekend! Turned 15 lbs of apples into 12 pints of Cinnamon Applesauce - it turned out so yummy!!!

https://flic.kr/p/2jSYEHE https://flic.kr/p/2jT3gU3

Love making homemade applesauce. I made and canned apple butter yesterday. Some for us and some for Christmas gifts.

 

[Minta]

It's about time to clean out the pantry, check dates and make a list of items I need to stock up on for school lunches, holidays and the winter. We are going shopping this weekend to start stocking up.

 

[Lori K]

Just received an order for some bottom wipes. We have been using cheap washcloths instead of toilet paper. They seem a lot nicer than toilet paper. Toilet paper really isn't soft in that area and they are usually bleached so filled with chemicals. I'm now ordering the soft baby/personal wipes on Amazon to build up a stock. I'll continue this even after we can find toilet paper on the shelves. Between DD and I we use to use a roll a day. So that will be a nice savings.

Do NOT flush these. Trust me! They will clog your sewer line (if you're on city sewer) and destroy any lift pump. They will also not dissolve in a septic, either. DD just had their sewer main dug up -- loaded with baby wipes from previous owner; MIL burned up her lift pump and had 3" of sewage backed up in her basement, due to the personal "flushable" wipes. Believe me when I say they are NOT flushable or dissolvable.

 

[Lori K]

I have a container of cottage cheese that I bought by mistake, any idea of what I can use it in?

I have a lasagna recipe from an Aunt and it calls for 1 c. cottage cheese, 1 egg, and 1/4 c. parmesan cheese as a substitute for the ricotta.

You can also stir cottage cheese into jello and add some fruit or diced vegetables for a nice salad.

 

[Lori K]

Love this thread!!!! Here's a few, just off the top of my head:

I keep a running list of items I'm starting to run low on, and then watch the grocery ads for sales. I also include on this list, the baking items I'm going to need for the holidays. You KNOW they'll go on sale sometime between now and Thanksgiving! I've also got other household items on the list, for the back-to-school sales that start next week. The list currently includes brown sugar, flour, white sugar, walnuts, pecans, scotch tape, and #10 envelopes. At some point, I'll find each of these on sale and can cross them off the list.

I'm also a household of one (widowed 7 years ago), so I'll take a regular recipe that typically serves 4 and cut it in half. I'll have part of it for dinner, and the rest will get reheated or "reimagined" into something else for lunch the next day.

At the deli, you don't have to buy by the pound. 1/4# of this, 1/4# of that, and a single scoop of the new kind of mac salad or potato salad that I've not tried before. I do this a lot, post-COVID, since they're now reluctant to offer samples.

Additionally, I make use of that food-saver on the closet shelf. I buy family packs of meat when they're on sale and re-portion into single-serve or 2-serving packages and freeze. My ground beef gets put into 1/2 lb. packages, rather than 1 lb. If I'm cooking for more than just me, it's easy to take out two packages. If it were a 1 lb. pack and I'm cooking for one, it's not advisable to re-freeze meat, once thawed. And I'm not the kind of person who can eat the same thing for 3 days straight.

Bananas that start getting soft get turned into banana bread (easy family recipe that can be spiced up with seasonings, nuts, chocolate chips, or pineapple), banana muffins, sliced into pudding, or put in the freezer for smoothies.

I also can, whenever I can. But I tend to preserve traditional favorites that I know will get used, rather than going fancy. I do a basic marinara and can add to it when I reheat; plain stewed tomatoes that can be made into sauce, chili, added to marinara, added to a casserole, etc. Things that are more versatile. And, because I'm a single-person household, I most often can in pints or smaller (the 4 oz. jars are perfect for single-serve fruit cups for lunch and for pickle relish). And, I can from farm stand produce, not from the grocery store -- it's fresher and cheaper. Get to know your local farmers and they'll make sure you get the best bag or basket and may throw in a couple of extras or something new to try, once they start to recognize you. Last year, I mentioned to a farmer's wife at the stand that a high school friend had recommended them. We got to talking about apples for applesauce, which were best. She said "I'll make a bag up for you and you won't need to add any sugar -- just the apples and maybe some lemon to keep it looking good, or some cinnamon if you want. I just use the apples." And she made up a custom (and over-stuffed, 7# in a 5#) bag for me, and charged me the rate for the least expensive of their varieties.

Pasta gets housed together, as does rice ... like with like. Whenever possible, I store my dry goods in sealed containers, rather than the boxes or bags they come in. Should there be any "cooties" in either the cardboard or dried beans (for example), the situation can be quickly remedied. Just cut out the instructions and put it in the sealed container. And, if it's an item that hasn't been opened in 2 years and has not passed expiration, I likely won't use it and it goes in the donation bag for the community pantry. Think bean mixes or jams/jellies/spreads that come in a gift basket ... someone will enjoy it, just not me.

Candy canes after the holidays? Crush them up and fill a half-pint jar, top with vodka or whiskey and shake every day for a week or two until it's dissolved. When you get that sore throat or cough in the middle of winter, a teaspoon or two will work -- just don't give it to the kiddos.

Hope this helps!

 

[sweetpumkinpye]

Lori, some wonderful ideas here, I love the candy cane throat remedy

 

[ejagno]

When my home was destroyed I gave away over 500 canning jars and lids. They were not visibly cracked. I just strongly felt that they had been compromised with 150+ mile per hour winds and the pressure from the tornadoes popped the lids on every single jar I did have food in or vacuumed the liquid completely out. I wasn't taking any chances. I cannot wait to get my new home built to rebuild my pantry. I had ready made meals that were so easy to just heat and eat. I especially loved the fall and winter when I could just dump a quart of soup or gumbo in a bowl, warm it up and be eating dinner in 5 minutes.

Right now I'm just in survival mode with this tiny RV pantry, which is larger than most fortunately. However, with hurricane season upon us we have to be very mindful of keeping the weight down as much as possible in the event of an evacuation. We are keeping everything minimal from food to clothing. We are both also following the Optivia weight management low carb plan which provides snacks in the form of powdered pouches (shakes, muffins, brownies, veggies, meals and even protein bars. This has created somewhat of a challenge with our limited space so I hope to find a solution to this over the weekend.

 

[Ahorsesoul]

Do NOT flush these. Trust me! They will clog your sewer line (if you're on city sewer) and destroy any lift pump. They will also not dissolve in a septic, either. DD just had their sewer main dug up -- loaded with baby wipes from previous owner; MIL burned up her lift pump and had 3" of sewage backed up in her basement, due to the personal "flushable" wipes. Believe me when I say they are NOT flushable or dissolvable.

Not flushing them both are cloth so not a paper product. My younger half sister (many years ago) was flushing her baby’s pampers. They had to dig up my mothers whole yard to get it cleaned out. They lived in the city so I'm sure even the sewer lines had diapers in it.