So what on my to-do list actually got done? I woke up at 4:00 a.m. and went out in the living room. I turned on our new heater. This isn't exactly the wood stove of my dreams but we had to have a new heater anyway and decided it might as well be one that we liked so Phil and I got an early Christmas present for ourselves.
It is really quite nice in the dark (That is Stumpy in front of it and yes, that is his tongue sticking out, though that part of the picture wasn't planned).
I started on the pumpkins. I hoped to at least get the pie pumpkins done.
It takes a long time to cut up pumpkins and take all the seeds out to save them for roasting. I managed to cut myself only slightly twice until I was on the last pieces and the knife slipped and cut my thumb right at a vein so I had to stop a while and get that taken care of.
The four pie pumpkins barely fit in the pot.
While they were cooking I worked on roasting the seeds.
I washed them and then split them into two bowls. I always put garlic powder and salt on one but I usually like to try something new as well. I am not sure what I tried last time but this time I had an envelope of Hidden Valley Ranch so I tried that on one of the bowls before roasting. They turned out really good and tasty
and I liked them even better than the garlic powder ones.
So after the pumpkin was cooked it was mashed
and put in jars and canned (I believe there is a post on canning pumpkin on here somewhere).
Eight pints was what I canned but there was quite a bit left so I decided to try that pumpkin soup. Mine turned out a bit thick but it was pretty good and Michelle and I each ate two bowls of it. I will put the rest away for lunches, I think.
Turns out the pumpkin was not the only thing that needed canning. Somehow during the two shopping trips I did this weekend (I did some on Friday and the rest Saturday), I ended up with 30 lbs of potatoes (they were on sale in several stores this week and somehow I had forgotten that I had already bought a bag...twice). I only did one canner full of-7 quarts and that only got rid of one bag but with it being colder in the house now, the rest will last until I can get to them next weekend.
The house got cleaned...some..it's a work in progress still. The garden got the leaves and pine needles cleaned out of the beds. I decided not to replant anything yet, I'll wait until more leaves are off the trees and I am sure that bed is getting better light.
I planted the pansies in the cement planters and the kittens have done everything in their power to kill them ever since then. It is like I planted a new toy just for them.
Phil has been busy too. Yesterday he put new locks on his toolbox to his truck because the others were broken and wouldn't lock any more. Then today he had to put new front brakes on my car and then vacuumed it out (apparently he thought my car was dirty). After that he raked some of the front yard while the cats tried to destroy his piles before he could get them picked up.
I am about to cook supper and then I'm just going to relax for a while. Anything that didn't get done will just have to wait until...next time.
Becky, I'm exhausted just reading your post! That's a lot! Hope your hand is OK.
ReplyDeleteI have never made pumpkin or butternut squash soup. I seems to be the thing to do but neither of us can get past the pumpkin pie taste. So I just assume that the soup will taste too sweet to us. I may have to give it a try one day when I'm bored. Dean has never liked soup that much until the last year or so. I've found a couple of soups that he really likes.
ReplyDeleteI've done little or nothing this weekend, except finish off my sweet potato fries for the freezer. I have been suffering some dizzy spells or vertigo so I went to the Dr on Thursday. He thinks(or hopes) that it's my inner ear so he prescribed a cocktail of things to take, one of which is Valium. It's supposed to help with vertigo. Not so much. I've been way to laid back but also very crabby all weekend so that will have to go. LOL He says if I'm not better by tomorrow I will need to see a ear Dr. or look into possible obstructions in my neck arteries. Yikes. Doesn't sound good but I can't be tipping over either. So will have to see what happens next. I'm getting old, I tell ya.
The soup was not sweet at all and didn't taste anything like pumpkin pie. You use one onion, a clove of garlic, a little thyme, a little parsley, salt and pepper and it called for heavy cream but I didn't have any so used evaporated milk.
DeleteGee Paula, I hope your vertigo doesn't turn out to be from something that is hard to fix. Not sure I would want to take Valium either. Get well soon!
Hi, I get vertigo sometimes too, in fact I'm on steroids for a week because it was a sinus infection that went to my ears. Hopefully yours will be that simple. If not, I get Antivert (Meclazine OTC as Bonine) that can help but may make you tired. Good luck.
DeleteI'm curious as to why you can potatoes. Do you not have a cool place to store them?
ReplyDeleteNo not usually although during the winter we could probably store them in the spare room because it is unheated but mainly we like to can them for the convenience and Phil makes some great fried potatoes with them.
DeleteVery productive! I keep meaning to roast pumpkin seeds - this year i really will have to do it as yours look great.
ReplyDeleteI love them. I'll be taking some to work as a snack. Our favorite has always been the garlic powder ones. I can't believe the Hidden Valley Ranch ones beat that this year. Now I'll have to be looking for a way to make my own Hidden Valley Ranch.
DeleteThe fire looks very warm. I wish I had a stove/heater like that.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I keep having to catch myself as I tend to worry about the "fire" being too hot, lol,then I remember there isn't one and open the front and turn the knob down.
DeleteIt was $99 at Tractor Supply.
I just did a post on making fresh pumpkin pie on my blog.
ReplyDeleteWhen I can pumpkin, I scrape the seeds, quarter it, and bake it. Then scrape the flesh from the skin. I've never tried the stove top.
Do you boil your seeds before baking or just bake them? I love how everyone has a different method for doing things. I like to try them all to see which is easiest, most flavorful, ect.
Looks good! - I searched your site and could not find directions on canning pumpkin I've seen it doens as chunks but not as puree or mash... I have a bunch of pumpkins and it would be great to can them!
ReplyDeleteThe reason is that it is not recommended that you home can them as a puree or mash anymore, but I always have and still do.
Deleteyeah the experts that be say to not can mashed pumpkin or mashed squash cause they think it does not get to the right temperature required for canning...hah! what do they know...i still mash and can it myself. and i like canning my taters too..both white and sweet potatoes..do it for convenience and part of my prepping as well. i am not fond of instant taters and canned taters are already cooked and ready to eat just in case. i still need to get my garden beds cleaned up and ready for winter...still too wet and chilly from our latest bit of weather.
ReplyDeleteYeah, that is the way I look at it. I think some of the "experts" are way too careful these days, here anyway. We should be able to grow the things I have in the garden through the winter here.
DeleteI saw you cooked your pumpkin in a pot. This is the first year I cooked pumpkins and I wasn't sure how to do it. I cut mine in half, removed seeds/pulp and set them upside down (hole side down) in a roasting pan with a little water in it, cooking it for about 45 minutes at 400 or 450 degrees. I can do two or three trays. The inside fell right out and I could throw away the peels. It was soft and tender without all the cutting. It worked for my acorn squash too. Is there a reason it's good in a pot instead, depending on what you are making maybe?
ReplyDelete