What did you do in the garden today?

[jerryse]

Did not sleep well . Feeling rough . On growing mushrooms the kits work but not worth the money for the yield . Morels are near impossible . Oysters like willow and cottonwood here . Easy enough . Winecap outdoor kit yield nothing for me . Hen of the woods can be grown on oak stumps . I started mine from a gifted past prime chunk . Took a couple of years . Will return every year until stump looses it nutrients . Mine did not return last year . Hoping a new stump starts . I had been throwing chunks around oak stumps .

 

[WthrLady]

He's free. I've hardly seen him move for days. 5 minutes in the sun and he was chomping away.

Just brought in 15 pound of tomatoes in various stages of orange and red. They'll all be ready to can by Sunday.
The plants are just LOADED. I have to keep reminding myself we're 3 weeks behind schedule.
When these all go.....woosh, it's going to be busy.

 

[igorsMistress]

Speaking of jams...we tried the low/no sugar jalapeno strawberry jam I made a month or so ago & boy is it fantastic! Perfect amount of spice. It makes a great PB&J, but we're weird & like spicy. Next time I will use a tad bit more pectin, it's a bit thin.

Got a recipe for that? I like some kick too

 

[WthrLady]

I'm still waiting to be taste again. Sigh.
Still hoping the ketchup I turned into the state fair isn't kerosene.

 

[BullChick]

The directions for preserving are at the end.

COWBOY CANDY

You will need the following ingredients to make Cowboy Candy (Candied Jalapenos):

• 1/2 pound Jalapeno peppers (about 10-12 average sized jalapenos)
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon chili powder (optional, for a bit of heat)
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• Other seasonings, as desired. See the discussion below.

Once you’ve gathered up your ingredients, let’s talk about how we make them, shall we?

HOW TO MAKE COWBOY CANDY (CANDIED JALAPENOS) – THE RECIPE METHOD





First, slice the jalapenos into ¼-inch round slices. You can remove the seeds if you’d like, but I make them without coring. You should wear gloves if handling hot peppers bothers your skin.

Stir together the sugar, vinegar and seasonings in a pan.



Bring to a quick boil, then reduce the heat to a low simmer until the sugar dissolves into a gooey syrup.

Add the jalapeno pepper slices and mix to evenly coat them with the syrup.

Simmer them about 4 minutes. They will darken a bit as they slightly cook and absorb some of the sugars.

Transfer the candied jalapeno peppers to cleaned jars, then fill the jars with the remaining syrup. Just pour the boiling syrup right in. You can cool it slightly first if you’d like.

Wipe the rim of the jar then cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.

Boom! That’s it! I love my cowboy candy. Great stuff!



LEFTOVER SYRUP

If you have any leftover syrup, save it. Use it to make yourself a cocktail or a spicy mocktail. It’s quite delicious! Pour it over cupcakes. Get creative!

Nice and spicy and sweet.



FOR PRESERVING/JARRING

1. First, clean your jars and lids using a steamer rack in a 16-quart pot. Place the jars on the rack and fill the pot with water, enough to cover the jars. Do not let the jars touch the bottom of the pot, as the heat can cause the glass to crack.
2. Bring the water to a boil and boil the jars for 10 minutes. Remove the jars with tongs when you’re ready to use them.
3. Prepare the candied jalapenos per the instructions above.
4. When the candied jalapenos are ready, scoop them into the jars, leaving ¼ inch head space.
5. Clean the lids with soap and hot water, then place them onto the jars. Secure them with cleaned canning rings. Wipe the rims clean.
6. Place the filled jars back into the hot water bath, onto the steamer rack. Ensure the jars are covered with 3 inches of water.
7. Return the water to a boil and process them for 10 minutes for half pints, or 15 minutes for pints. For higher altitudes, process them for additional time (at least an extra 10 minutes). Remove the jars with tongs and tighten the screw caps.
8. The jar lids should make a popping sound as they seal. If a lid doesn’t seal for some reason, you can reprocess it, or store the jar in the refrigerator.
9. Invert the jars to test for leaks. Flip them upright after 10 minutes and allow to cool.
10. Store the jars in a cool, dry place. They will last a year or longer this way. Once you open them, however, keep the jars in the refrigerator.

Makes about 3.5 cups.

Packed into three ½ pint jars.

SERVING UP YOUR COWBOY CANDY

I like to simply snack on my Cowboy Candy straight out of the jar as a quick sweet snack. They are also ideal for garnishing. Pop them on top of your favorite Corn Bread Recipe, on top of a cupcake or a slice of pie.



It’s super awesome over cream cheese. Smear some cream cheese over crackers and top them with candied jalapenos. Amazingly delicious. You can even mix them into a serving bowl with cream cheese for a candied jalapeno cream cheese dip.

Garnish a cocktail with them. Margaritas, anyone? Chop and swirl some into your favorite guacamole recipe for a touch of sweetness.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

they use a lot of chemicals. I would not use that dirt for anything. a cousin of mine grows mushrooms commercially on a small scale. you cannot breathe if you pass by when they spray for disinfection. and they do it often.

I thought that might be the case because I couldn't figure out why he would be paying to have it disposed of otherwise. That's such a bummer.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

It has been pouring and the rain was horizontal for a bit. We’ve lost power and I hear sirens in the distance. Winds are still pretty gusty.

Wow! Be careful when you ask for rain I guess, lol. I hope all is well there this morning!

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Hey all, so I am not a very experienced canner, only have done sauce, salsa & some fruit.

From the garden, what else can I safely water-bath can? I don’t have a pressure canner so I know I am limited but would like to save what I can with it.

Thanks!

Jams, jellies, pickled everything, fruit butters. Lots of stuff!

 

[CluckNDoodle]

The directions for preserving are at the end.

COWBOY CANDY

You will need the following ingredients to make Cowboy Candy (Candied Jalapenos):

• 1/2 pound Jalapeno peppers (about 10-12 average sized jalapenos)
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon chili powder (optional, for a bit of heat)
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• Other seasonings, as desired. See the discussion below.

Once you’ve gathered up your ingredients, let’s talk about how we make them, shall we?

HOW TO MAKE COWBOY CANDY (CANDIED JALAPENOS) – THE RECIPE METHOD





First, slice the jalapenos into ¼-inch round slices. You can remove the seeds if you’d like, but I make them without coring. You should wear gloves if handling hot peppers bothers your skin.



View attachment 3228513



Stir together the sugar, vinegar and seasonings in a pan.



Bring to a quick boil, then reduce the heat to a low simmer until the sugar dissolves into a gooey syrup.

View attachment 3228511



Add the jalapeno pepper slices and mix to evenly coat them with the syrup.

View attachment 3228509



Simmer them about 4 minutes. They will darken a bit as they slightly cook and absorb some of the sugars.



View attachment 3228512



Transfer the candied jalapeno peppers to cleaned jars, then fill the jars with the remaining syrup. Just pour the boiling syrup right in. You can cool it slightly first if you’d like.



View attachment 3228508



Wipe the rim of the jar then cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.

View attachment 3228514



Boom! That’s it! I love my cowboy candy. Great stuff!



LEFTOVER SYRUP

If you have any leftover syrup, save it. Use it to make yourself a cocktail or a spicy mocktail. It’s quite delicious! Pour it over cupcakes. Get creative!

Nice and spicy and sweet.



FOR PRESERVING/JARRING

1. First, clean your jars and lids using a steamer rack in a 16-quart pot. Place the jars on the rack and fill the pot with water, enough to cover the jars. Do not let the jars touch the bottom of the pot, as the heat can cause the glass to crack.
2. Bring the water to a boil and boil the jars for 10 minutes. Remove the jars with tongs when you’re ready to use them.
3. Prepare the candied jalapenos per the instructions above.
4. When the candied jalapenos are ready, scoop them into the jars, leaving ¼ inch head space.
5. Clean the lids with soap and hot water, then place them onto the jars. Secure them with cleaned canning rings. Wipe the rims clean.
6. Place the filled jars back into the hot water bath, onto the steamer rack. Ensure the jars are covered with 3 inches of water.
7. Return the water to a boil and process them for 10 minutes for half pints, or 15 minutes for pints. For higher altitudes, process them for additional time (at least an extra 10 minutes). Remove the jars with tongs and tighten the screw caps.
8. The jar lids should make a popping sound as they seal. If a lid doesn’t seal for some reason, you can reprocess it, or store the jar in the refrigerator.
9. Invert the jars to test for leaks. Flip them upright after 10 minutes and allow to cool.
10. Store the jars in a cool, dry place. They will last a year or longer this way. Once you open them, however, keep the jars in the refrigerator.

Makes about 3.5 cups.

Packed into three ½ pint jars.

SERVING UP YOUR COWBOY CANDY

I like to simply snack on my Cowboy Candy straight out of the jar as a quick sweet snack. They are also ideal for garnishing. Pop them on top of your favorite Corn Bread Recipe, on top of a cupcake or a slice of pie.



It’s super awesome over cream cheese. Smear some cream cheese over crackers and top them with candied jalapenos. Amazingly delicious. You can even mix them into a serving bowl with cream cheese for a candied jalapeno cream cheese dip.

Garnish a cocktail with them. Margaritas, anyone? Chop and swirl some into your favorite guacamole recipe for a touch of sweetness.

View attachment 3228508View attachment 3228509View attachment 3228511View attachment 3228512View attachment 3228513View attachment 3228514

I have yet to try this but I'm definitely going to make some cowboy candy this year!

 

[esturtz27]

Jams, jellies, pickled everything, fruit butters. Lots of stuff!

Ah this just reminded me it's almost apple butter season.... best time of the year! The local orchard does apple cider slushies... and we tend to buy enough apple cider to float home