Hazelnuts, AKA Filberts

Well, well, well...I beat the bears, squirrels, chipmunks, and crows to the nuts.







I've never picked hazelnuts before and information I found on the web...after I picked them...says "do not pick them green" and wait until they drop from the tree. Hah!!! As you can see there are some green ones in the mix but for the most part they are "hazel" and they were dropping from the tree, when I gave the tree a push...I hope I didn't pick them too early.



Now, I leave them to dry for about 4 weeks. I can then crack and roast the nuts to store in the freezer. Or I can just leave them and crack and eat them as we wish. The nut will stay fresh in the shell for quite some time. It's the air that spoils the nut.



I'm dreaming of a hazelnut torte!!!

Winter garden

I started some cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and broccoli seedlings back in late July for winter harvesting but in the midst of a heat wave, my seedling perished.

I tried again in mid August but this time in 4 inch pots which were a better choice for the unexpected heat we had.

This weekend the seedlings were transplanted into the greenhouse. The windows are closed, the doors are meshed to allow for air circulation but will keep the bugs out..I hope.

You will notice little tomatoes on the ground, I'm going to leave them, hopefully I will have some volunteer tomato plants next year.





Further to my winter garden plan, is to move the radicchio into the greenhouse, once the tomatoes, eggplant and pepper plants are removed. Then I will allow garden access to the chickens who will, I hope, scratch out the weeds, eat some bugs, and fertilize the soil. All while giving us eggs, they are really amazing creatures.




And of course the chickens were really good at keeping my grandson busy.

Sugo di pomodoro (tomato sauce)

I canned some tomatoes yesterday in litre jars because I used all my small jars. I processed enough tomatoes to can 3 large jars but had about 1/2 jar of tomatoes leftover. The freezer is full, I was hungry so, homemade whole wheat pasta, which I had in the freezer, with fresh tomato sauce, was on the lunch menu, so very delicious.

Sugo di pomodoro.

2 cups peeled, seeded and chopped fresh Roma tomatoes.
1 clove of garlic, chopped
olive oil
basil

Saute the garlic in the olive oil on low heat for a few minutes, do not walk away, the garlic will burn.

Add the chopped tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste and simmer without the lid for about 10 minutes, you want some of the liquid to evaporate.

When your pasta is almost ready add some basil to the sauce, I just tear it with my fingers but for my lunch I added a frozen basil cube I made a week or so ago.

Put the sauce into your drained pasta and again saute over a low heat, you want the pasta to finish cooking in the pot so it picks up some of the sauce as it finishes cooking.

Top with fresh parmigiano and there you go, a low fat, delicious fast lunch, or dinner.

Peeling a tomato

I've been busy this weekend making salsa, canning tomatoes and getting my veggie garden ready for winter.

I made zesty tomato salsa, last year which was so delicious that I decided to make it again. A huge problem for me last time was peeling tomatoes, they would just get all mushed up and I ended up with tomato sauce which I put in the freezer. Not a big deal but I wanted salsa not tomato sauce. Anyway I finally figured out the secret, which most of you will know, but for me it was a real eureka moment...do not crowd the pot, sheesh so simple but if you don't know well you just don't know.

So this is how I peeled my tomatoes which I used for my zesty tomato salsa and for the first time ever, chopped canned tomatoes.

Grab your tomato and score the bottom with an X.

Drop your tomatoes in boiling water, do not overcrowd the pot, just enough for a single layer, cover and bring to a boil for 30 seconds, no more.

Then into an icebath and then into a colander.

The peel will curl up from the X or the skin may crack, just grab it and pull. It will come off very easily.

Chop the top off and gently squeeze the tomato of it's seeds and extra water. Be careful, the seeds will squeeze out from the top, bottom or sides. I think I'll be finding tomato seeds for a long time...

And then use your tomatoes in your favorite canning recipe.

In addition to all these tomatoes, I still have 5 plants outside that I need to get to...

Zesty zucchini relish

Although I did not grow any zucchinis this year a landscaping business just down the road did. They just put excess veggies and fruit by their front gate for anyone to take. Very neighbourly indeed. I love walking by to see what they might have.

So with three large zucchini I decided to make some Zesty Zucchini Relish from my Ball Complete Book Home Preserving.



I started by chopping the zucchini, peppers and onions in my food processor. Adding salt and letting the whole thing soak for 12 hours.




Rinse well with cold water and squeeze as much water as possible out of the mixture. I put the whole thing in a colander, topped it with a large plate, and then topped the plate with several large cans. The weight of the cans drained the excess water very easily.

Then into a large pot with the vinegar, salt and spices. Simmer for about 45 minutes.




Ladel into jars and then into the water canner.




This relish is very good on hamburgers but it's also really delicious on top of cream cheese and crackers.

If you want this recipe please let me know and I'll be happy to email it to you.

Have a great weekend.

Margaret

No computer

My computer is in the shop getting an upgrade so I'll be without for a day or two. In the meantime I'm getting ready for to do some canning, zesty zucchini relish and tomato salsa, pictures to follow soon.

Margaret

In the shop...well not really

This cute kitchen towel was for my shop but the colors ran so into my linen drawer it will go.

And with a new grandchild scheduled to debut in January 2010 I best get busy on a new quilt for him/her...the shop will just have to wait.