Canning disaster

Ugh. That is how I feel right now. Completely defeated. Although, even with the raging hormones baby Stiger is sending my way, I held it together.
Here is how this scenario went:
Step 1: I planted a garden and picked tomatoes out the wazoo all summer. I stored them in the fridge until I had enough to make a batch.
Step 2: I didn't have enough, so I raided my mom and stepdad's tomato plants.
Step 3: I cleaned and weighed 12 pounds of tomatoes.
Step 4: I roasted 12 pounds of tomatoes on the small grill.
Step 5: I roasted 4 bulbs of garlic in the oven
Step 6: I started the canner water.
Step 7: I washed the jars and lids and put them on the stove in warm water to simmer.
Step 8: I peeled the 12 pounds of tomatoes and attempted to deseed and cube them (nearly impossible because they were too soft). This took forever.
Step 9: Simmer tomatoes on the stove, as I added the roasted garlic.
Step 10: Discovered that the canner never boiled the water. I had been warned that a flat-top stove might not have enough to boil that beast of a pot. That person was right!
Step 11: Turned off all the burners, called my dad and we decided that I should just freeze the tomatoes.
Time of all this was 3 hours.
I am feeling defeated, yet optimistic that I tried, that is more than many people can say. No one learned any of this overnight! I will get it eventually.

Dinner inspiration out of no where

I headed back to school today for a meeting. All summer, I have been slacking on cooking dinner. Poor Nate has been living on frozen pizza, macaroni cheese and lunch meat sandwiches. I don't know if it was getting back into a routine today, but I was inspired to cook a decent dinner. I could see the joy on Nate's face as he said, "I like when you cook dinner, babe."
Before I left in the morning, I pulled two boneless skinless chicken breasts out of the freezer to thaw in the refrigerator. When I returned home, I completed the thaw in the microwave. I cut the chicken into strips and marinated them in Kraft balsamic vinegar salad dressing for a little while. Then I made baked corn. I have NEVER made that before. Before making it, I wasn't even sure that I really liked it. I am never a fan of adding butter, milk, eggs and other fattening ingredients to a vegetable, even if it is a starch. Nate mentioned that we should use the leftover corn on the cob from a few weekends ago for baked corn, a dish he only tried for the first time at my mom's house. So, I did before it spoiled. While the corn was baking, I cooked the chicken on the George Foreman grill, which went very quickly because the piecs were small. I topped off the meal with instant mashed potatoes, well because, we like them and they are easy.

Here is the recipe I used for baked corn from a church cookbook (which contained three recipes for baked corn. This one had the shortest cooking time.)

Baked Corn
2 cups cooked or canned corn
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 tablespoon flour
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 eggs, beaten

Mix all ingredients together. Pour into greased baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Serves 4.

See, quick, easy and absolutely yummy!

Roots and Tupperware!

After spending much of the summer taking classes, cleaning, organizing or working at Cracker Barrel, I knew that it was time for fun. I mean, after all, summer is almost over. So, I hooked up with some co-workers and headed to Root's Market in Lancaster for homemade ice cream, whoopie pies, Smitty's Candy, and inexpensive fruit. But surprisingly, I found the pick-a-deli Tupperware container as well. Just like Root's, Pick-A-Deli is a memory from my childhood. We always stored pickles in it so we didn't have to reach our little hands down into the depths of the pickle juice. I love it! For $9, I can store pickles. And look how cute the color is. Much better than the drab 1970s green container from my mom's fridge. Despite the horrible heat, it was a great day!

Really?

Has it really been three months since I posted? Since that post I completed a triathlon, finished three graduate classes, planted a garden, cooked a few good meals, resumed work on the T-shirt quilt and started some new sewing projects. I've tried to clean and organize, but I usually end up taking a nap. I've worked weekends at Cracker Barrel and continued writing my column for the York Daily Record. Hopefully I can take some pictures of a project or two before the whirlwind of the school year starts again. My fingers are crossed, but don't hold your breath.