A little mini mochi and lots of canning...

Here is a Tam I knit in Mini Mochi.  This was a free pattern with purchase of a skein of mini mochi from Only Ewe and Cotton Too.  I actually hope to make it by their shop today.I am on a roll knitting and sewing all kinds of little gifts for my friends and family...

For years I have been canning my own salsa, pickles, applesauce and dilly beans.  So it made sense to me that I could can my over abundance of homemade vegetable soup.  When I was looking up on the internet how long to process the jars for, everywhere I turned it said NO WATER BATH CANNING - PRESSURE CANNING ONLY.  Gee, what to do.  I read and researched and read again.  I decided not to be afraid of a pressure canner/cooker and give it a whirl.  So off I went and found just the canner/cooker for me.  A Presto 1745 weighted canner.  This is one without the gauge and strictly uses weights.  Much cheaper than a gauged dial and from all the reviews I have read, much simpler to use.  They weren't kidding.  I LOVE IT.

So after assembling my veg soup, I canned it.  I put up 4 qts and I am now unstoppable.  Fresh green beans were on sale at the market and I bought 2-1/2 lbs.  I put up 5 pints of those (pressure canned) and enough left for my soup.  Next up... peppers.  I am out of control.  I have checked several books out of my library and gotten great tips and recipes. 

So this week brought a mission for finding Black Mission Figs.  Yep, sounds easy?  Nope.  It wasn't.  I needed 3 lbs and finally found just 3 lbs.  I made Fig Jam on Tuesday night.  Yes, it looks like strawberry jam and tastes a little like it too.  The Black Mission Figs are a deep purple/black when ripe.  This jam has a distinct earthy taste and I like it.  Next time I might try Brown Turkey Figs.  We'll see.  I put up 15 1/4 pts (4 oz jars) and 2 - 1/2pts.  That is a lottttttt of Fig Jam!  Great for gifts.

So that is what I have been up too.  Trying to finish one more quilt (which I am quilting the top myself).

I leave with Happy Thanksgiving wishes to you and yours!  Try canning sometime too.  It is liberating...