Pickled Sweet Banana Pepper- Preserving Food - Getting Off The Grid

 

 

There are days when you just have to do what you can with what you have on hand. Getting off the grid means preserving foods for later so I home canned a couple of pints of pickled sweet banana pepper.

Back when I was a teen my dad taught me how to home can any pepper because he loved them with his beans and greens and cornbread that were staples in our household, so this is not new to me at all.

When you are heading off grid you have to rethink how to make things last, when I go solar power I want to make sure I do not waste any power for things not necessary, especially not food storage.  I am in what I call stage two with stage three getting off the power grid.

 

 

Late yesterday evening and today I picked more zucchini and more yellow squash, I am beginning to get ripe tomatoes, cucumbers and small bell peppers and a handful of sweet banana peppers.

 

 

Today I have to preserve it, sell it or give it away to prevent this food from spoiling.

I chose to do two of the three and preserve and give away. I loaded a grocery sack with eleven medium zucchini and twelve medium yellow squash and I will drop it off at my pecan friends house, she shared nuts with me in the fall of the year.

So what did I do with todays pickings at my house? Lunch! And I pickled peppers and froze squash, zucchini jam, yes I know I should not think about the freezer but remember I am in stage two.

For lunch I sliced yellow squash into circles tossed them into flour and fried them in hot grease that was left over from frying chicken, so the spice that flavored the chicken is also in the squash. Then I washed and sliced two cucumbers, two small ripe on the vine tomatoes, one small sweet bell pepper and a couple sweet banana peppers. I divided all this this between two people and that was lunch from the garden.

 

 

I then sliced yellow squash, enough for two meals, and I placed them in the vacuum seal bag and sealed those for the coming winter.

For the zucchini jam I just peeled the zucchini, cleaned the seeds out and sliced the rest into to inch pieces, I am storing those in a huge bowl till I run to the store this evening for lemons or lemon juice.

 

 

And finally I made two half pints of pickled sweet banana peppers.

I just washed and sterilized the jars, put the lids and bands into boiling water and allowed those to stay hot for five minutes. 

I chopped the sweet banana peppers into rings and near the top of the pepper I removed those seeds, a couple is fine by me but those are not needed. I filled each jar with the cut up peppers.

I added one half teaspoon of canning salt to each jar and one half teaspoon of sugar to each jar.

In a small sauce pan I used equal parts of vinegar and water, one cup each. I brought the vinegar and water to a rolling boil and I poured over the pepper rings, allowing one half inch head space.

I wiped the rims clean and I put the hot jar lid on and tightened. I boiled the two half pint jars for a couple minutes in the same water that the hot jar lids were in.

And that is two half pints of pickled sweet banana peppers. 

By Andria Perry

Photos by Andria Perry

Zucchini Dill Pickles / Orange Zucchini Jam - Getting Off The Grid - Use What You Get

I can`t be sure when I will get off the grid but I am headed that way, so I am learning as I go about getting off the grid and how to use what I get. Got zucchini? Make Zucchini dill pickles and orange zucchini jam!

When I refer to "what I get" I am meaning what I am raising for food in the huge garden. Sure I want to pack it will one hundred different plants but I did not, I planted what I knew I could make more than one thing with, for instance tomatoes. 

I know I can home can whole or chopped tomatoes, make salsa and spaghetti sauce, ketchup or just simply eat them raw in a salad ot sandwich.

Another big plus is that people ask me for tomatoes, they want to buy them.

 

 

At this moment I am being blessed by God with yellow squash and zucchini so I am home canning many different jams, pickle and relishes. Last night I make ten pints of kosher dill zucchini pickles and eight half pints of orange zucchini jam (see recipe below) . I also use coupons to buy the sugar, vinegar and canning jars and I grow many of my own herbs so that the cost is minimal.

Another big plus is that people love any squash! They want to buy it. 

Today I sold another box filled with yellow squash and zucchini squash and I still have more on the plants and more to freeze and can.

 

But the rule around here is to share food too, with those that cannot pay for fresh produce. Being that I sold to two people today I will share with two people, So I stopped by the elderly mans house that has the pear trees and asked him if he wanted any and he said " No thank you, I don`t cook much but you are welcome to come back in a month and get all the apples and pears you want." I will cook for this man! One day I will call before I do and then drop off a plate of cooked squash and more. I also left a message to see if this other lady would like a mess for her family. 

I have an order for next Thursday already for squash and three orders for when tomatoes are red..

I have made my seed money back already and I have not saved anything from the sale of the produce, yet, but I did buy grapes and onions, bread and what I needed most was my Diabetes testing supplies.

 

 

So I can see how I can make money from this land to pay for things I do need in life.

How about you? Are you off the grid? Do you sell what you grow to make money?

 

 

Zucchini dill pickles

I used the recipe on the back of " Mrs. Wages dill pickle mix" and they turned out perfect.

 

 

Orange Zucchini jam

Use same recipe for "Pineapple zucchini jam" except exchange the pineapple Jello for orange Jello. Here is the link : http://getoffthegrid2.blogspot.com/2016/06/pineapple-zucchini-jam.html

By Andria Perry

Photo By Andria Perry

Getting Off The Grid - The Payback

 

 

I am learning a lot  while I am still on the grid but getting off the grid and payback is a must. 

You have to take care of others as well as yourself in this type of lifestyle. 

When I pray over my crops I ask God for enough for my family for a year, enough to share and enough to sell. So far I have not been disappointed.

I have worked with squash and zucchini for a week, for my own home use. Then I began to ask people if they wanted to buy fresh produce and I did get orders. But I did not forget to give as well.

 

 

Last Friday I made the deliveries, I was selling first and then I was giving.

I made up many grocery bags with five yellow squash and others with five zucchini. I sold each bag for two dollars. I made $23.00 and got another order for this week. Not a great amount but I am hoping to get the word out that I sell fresh picked vegetables at a reasonable price. After all this is my first year selling.

 

 

Now how do I chose people to give to? 

1. I do not have a tractor, yet, and I am not sure I will get one, although I probably need a small one, so I hired someone to come and plow the fields for me. But he would not take money after the fact, not even gas money.

The payback 2016 , Tony is to look at his roof and let him know if it can be fixed. PLUS, I sent him a huge grocery bag full of squash. I often send them home canned jellies and jams and relishes all through the year.

2. I don`t have a horse or cow to get natural fertilizer so one day Tony stopped and asked this man for some horse manure that we seen piled up behind his barn, he told us we can have all we want and he has this little machine that will scoop and dump it into the back of the truck, no money wanted.

As Tony become friends with this man, he found out that his wife had some medical problem and lost her walking ability and he was caring for her. I began to send okra and squash and tomatoes, for the holidays I sent home canned jellies and jams and relishes, cupcakes and cookies. She is now back up and walking. They just received a huge bag of squash and zucchini.

3. For years when I first began my landscaping business My older friend would give me work, keeping up her yard, plus I also got spin off work from her and I made money as a driver for years, she is now 89 years old.

I stop by and chat with her from time to time and when I do, I go with gifts of food, I also took her squash and zucchini a couple days ago and hers had to be special, small so that the seeds did not mess with her digestive problems, she also gets that rare jar of seedless blackberry jam that I keep for my personal use.

4. Family and elders : My sister is mentally handicap so I make sure I drop off food from time to time so that she`ll have extra. There are still a few elderly left in the old neighborhood and most of them have known either me or Tony our entire lives so I am giving them fresh produce because they can no longer raise a garden, the one elderly man is 90 years old and he just has tomatoes this year but he usually had everything.

5. The poor : I have to say that I want to judge these people but I find myself giving anyways. They can buy beer and cigarettes so why not food instead? But being me and I understand addiction I will drop off a meal every now and then to some, well I gave squash to one couple the other day and I know another I will do the same for.

So there it is, that is how the good lord works. He answers my prayer and I do as I asked in that prayer.

I don`t know if I will get this business off and running enough to make money for bills but I am sure making a go at it. 

Getting off the grid and payback goes hand in hand. Learning to live off the land is a long lesson but I am sure hard work will pay off.

 

 

By Andria Perry

Photo`s by Andria Perry

Preserving Yellow Squash 6 Ways

Locally grown yellow squash seems to be a favorite in the late Spring around Central Alabama, I know it is at this household and that is one of the reason I have included yellow squash to my vegetable garden this year. But as most people know, when squash begins to produce you really have to be on your toes to preserving yellow squash for another day, Winter use too!

There are many ways to preserve squash and I tend to use many of those ways so that I will have variety in my life.

Freezing is by far the best way to preserve yellow squash for frying later. There are many methods and  one is blanching and then using a vacuum sealer but if you do not have a vacuum sealer simply drain and freeze in a single layer on a cookie sheet and freeze or cover with cold water and freeze.

Read more Here :  http://www.pickyourown.org/freezing_summer_squash.html

I have also canned squash with just water and salt in a pressure canner , some say its to soft but I think its good for stewed squash by just adding cooked onions in butter then adding the squash last.

 

 

Make squash Pickles! Yes pickles. I make a nice sweet pickle that will last for more than a couple years canned. 

 

 

I mix three cups of sugar with two cups of white vinegar, two teaspoons of celery seed and three teaspoons of mustard seed for the brine. Boil for five minutes.

Sterilize pint jars and heat lids with bands. Slice yellow squash in circles and add to the hot jars. Pour hot brine over the squash up to 1/2 inch of top, wipe the rim clean and put on hot jar lids, process in a boiling water bath for five minutes.

I also make squash relish and I make it exactly like I do the zucchini relish, the recipe can be found here.  http://getoffthegrid2.blogspot.com/2016/06/4-ways-to-use-zucchini.html

And lets not forget, we can dehydrate squash for chips as a snack. Just cut as thin as possible and add your favorite flavor and dehydrate in the Excalibur dehydrator till crispy! These are awesome in the woods hunting during Winter or in the boat fishing all year long.

If you are joining me in the raw eating lifestyle then you know how wonderful yellow squash taste right in your salads! I am two meals raw to one cook meal per day so far. 

 

Whatever your favorite way is to eat squash I am sure to have covered it with 6 methods for preserving squash so that your have yellow squash for month after the harvest is over.

 

 

By Andria Perry

Photo By Andria Perry

Pineapple Zucchini Jam

 

 

June is the month for the production of zucchini in the garden and at the farmers market, if you do not grow your own, in central Alabama. After putting zucchini away for the Winter for the savory dishes I am now using zucchini in a different way,for the sweet dishes. Today I made pineapple zucchini jam.

This recipe is easy and it only takes five ingredients and makes seven half pints. 

Lets get started! You`ll need :

Seven Half pint canning jars

Seven Lids and bands

Water bath canner or a pressure canner

Large cooking pot

Sterilize the jars and put the lids in hot water to help soften the rubber seal.

 

 

6 cups fresh zucchini, making sure that the zucchini is crisp and not soft and limp.

4 cups White sugar

1 large or two small cans of crushed pineapple

 

 

1/2 cup lemon juice

 

 

2 boxes of pineapple Jello

 

 

Wash and peel the zucchini, slice in half and remove the seeds, then chop into two inch pieces. In a food processor pulse till you get a grated product.

Open cans of Pineapple and drain all juice.

In a large sauce pan add the white sugar, lemon juice and drained pineapple, mix till the sugar absorbs all the liquid. 

Over Medium heat cook the sugar mixture till its becoming syrup and add the zucchini and cook till the zucchini looks clear, around 15 minutes or longer.

Add the box of pineapple Jello and mix till blended well.

Remove from heat and using a ladle fill each jar leaving 1/2 inch head space. 

With a clean wet cloth wipe off the rims of each jar making sure that its clean, carefully place the hot lids on and in the canner,  process for 7 minutes in a hot water bath.

Carefully remove hot jars of jam and onto a towel to cool. 

 

 

 This recipe makes seven half pints.

Once you taste this pineapple zucchini you will be thinking of many more ways to use Zucchini.

By Andria Perry

Photos By Andria Perry

 

5 Benefits Of Hanging Out Your Laundry

 

 

Before the machines invaded all of our homes that is how laundry was dried, by simply hanging them out on a clothes line with clothes pins. But then came the dryer and it made life easier, for the laundry be dried inside the home whether it was raining or sunshine.

There seems to come a point in everyone`s life when they rethink things and how to make a difference in world, doing their part. Although hanging out laundry is a job lets review the benefits to you for doing this job.

Number one : The first that always comes to mind, saves on the electric bill. Depending on how much laundry you do depends on the savings. For a household of two people and four loads of laundry per week the savings is around $20 per month, that is a yearly savings of $240! This is being green, using solar energy to do the job for you at no cost at all.

Number Two : You also get sunshine and vitamins that the body need from the sunshine, Vitamin D. You soak up vitamin D through your skin so its not a bad thing to hang out laundry, actually it is a good thing.

Number Three : This one may throw you off a bit but I will explain, its good exercise! That is right you get a good work out with each load of laundry that you hang out on the clothesline. With each article of you bend down to get out of the laundry basket you are exercising your abs. With each reach up to pin the item you are working out your arms. With each basket full you lift to take out to the clothesline you are do a squat and using your back muscles. Last but not least, you are walking more to that clothesline.

Number Four : You get that few minutes alone time, to talk to God, or to just listen to the birds singing or maybe for you to sing or hum. As busy as we are today these few minutes can help relax our minds.

Number Five : The smell! there is noting more pleasant to smell that freshly sun dried laundry. I use the "free" products due to sensitive skin so to have that allergy free smell is the icing on the cake for me.

So when you hear about someone hanging their laundry outside on the clothesline don`t forget about all the benefits of doing that rewarding job.

 

By Andria Perry

Photo By Andria Perry

4 Ways To Use Zucchini

 

 

It is that time of the year here in central Alabama, Zucchini is in full production, so what can you do with a lot of zucchini? Today I will share 4 ways to use zucchini and its simple as can be.

Zucchini is one of the vegetables that can be used in savory dishes as well as sweet dishes. The zucchini takes on the flavor of what you add to it.

 Lets get started.

 

 

Number one was the fun and best tasting of all, Zucchini jam. Yes you read that right jam and this one is so easy I know I will for sure be making cases of zucchini jam to have all winter and to share as homemade gifts.

I actually got the recipe Here http://allrecipes.com/recipe/146995/zucchini-jelly/ , but then I changed it a little to suit my personal taste.

I used :

Six cups of grated Zucchini that was peeled and seeds removed.

Four cups of sugar.

Two small cans of crushed pineapple that was drained.

One half cup of "fresh" squeezed lemon juice.

One box of Strawberry Jello.

I mixed the first four ingredients in a large saucepan and cooked this over medium heat till the zucchini was clear,I removed it from the heat. Next I added the strawberry Jello and mixed till it was dissolved completely.

I ladled into hot sterilized half pint jars, put the hot lids on and I processed this for 7 minutes in a hot water bath.

Removed onto a clean towel and allowed to cool.

This recipe made seven half pint jars.

 

 

Number two is an old time favorite and I usually use yellow squash for this recipe but why not use zucchini?! Zucchini relish.

This recipe has been passed down for three generations:

Eight cups of chopped zucchini 

Two cups of green and red bell pepper, chopped

Two cups of onion, chopped

Three cups of white sugar

Two cups of vinegar

Two teaspoons of mustard seed 

Two teaspoon of celery seed.

One Half cup of canning salt

Add all the chopped vegetables to enough water to cover them, add salt and allow to sit for two hours.

Drain Vegetables.

In a large saucepan add the sugar, vinegar, mustard and celery seed and bring to a boil.

Add drained vegetables and cook for five minutes.

Pour into hot sterilized pint jars and seal with lids, process in a hot water bath for five minutes.

Makes five pints.

 

 

Number Three is widely used but I still want to let people know how easy it is to just freeze the zucchini to fry later.

Take a large cookie sheet and slice zucchini in circles about one eighth to one quarter inch thick, put the cookie sheet in the freeze and allow the zucchini to freeze solid. Remove and using a spatula remove the zucchini and put into a freezer bag and date. That is it. 

When you remove the zucchini to use , just thaw slightly, roll into flour seasoned with salt and black pepper, drop into hot grease and fry. Very simple. Serve with a vegetable plate or as an appetizer with Marinara sauce.

I used three medium size zucchini for each cookie sheet, making two flat quart freezer bags full.

 

 

Number Four is what cooking is about ! Changing things up, Zucchini noodles. Since so many people can no longer eat flour based noodles so they are going to the zucchini noodle, especially for spaghetti and its so easy you`ll love them too! 

For two people I use two medium zucchini for dinner. I wash and snip the ends off. I then use my spiral cutter to make the noodle.

I drop them into boiling salted water for only a minute and then I drain, as they cook extremely fast.

I serve a good tomato base sauce over them zucchini noodles, garlic bread and you spaghetti.

 

 

That is how you do Zucchini four ways in one day.

 

 

By Andria Perry

All Photographs by Andria Perry