And we're loving it. Exhausted as this body is when it finally finds its way between the linens each night, the full can cellar shelves and deep freeze will be a source of extreme elation during the deep, deep cold of winter.
Tonight was all about the pie. Apple pie. We picked bags of apples from the apple trees on my grandparents' old farm. And I had the pleasure of peeling and slicing them today. Painstaking. But I kept pressing on 'cause I could taste the cinnamon and sugar goodness.
Let me introduce my beautiful bundle of sugar herself, Lily, my devoted little helper...
This is how the girls play when the boys all leave us and go for soccer and ice cream.
And all our kitchen playin' ends in some yumminess...
(Those two darlings up there are for the deep freeze, to be enjoyed during the blistery winter. The one that we will be enjoying tomorrow was nice and cozy in the oven during this photo shoot.)
(Yummy little cinnamon & sugar pinwheels made from the extra pie crust dough.)
We're thinking about sharing with the boys. ;)
So here's the harvest tally so far... 96 quarts of spaghetti sauce, 8 quarts canned green beans; 18 pints of salsa; a bazillion bags of frozen corn and frozen green beans; 15 bags frozen brocolli; 8 half-pints of blueberry jam; 16 half-pints of peach jam; 3 apple pies (2 for the freezer and 1 to enjoy tonight!); and soon to have several roasters full of hollabchu (my grandma's yummy Ukrainian cabbage rolls that my mom and I make every year.) And I'm still contemplating canning some applesauce - the apple trees on the farm are producing in full abundance this year!
So here's the harvest tally so far... 96 quarts of spaghetti sauce, 8 quarts canned green beans; 18 pints of salsa; a bazillion bags of frozen corn and frozen green beans; 15 bags frozen brocolli; 8 half-pints of blueberry jam; 16 half-pints of peach jam; 3 apple pies (2 for the freezer and 1 to enjoy tonight!); and soon to have several roasters full of hollabchu (my grandma's yummy Ukrainian cabbage rolls that my mom and I make every year.) And I'm still contemplating canning some applesauce - the apple trees on the farm are producing in full abundance this year!
Is it vain to say that I'm quite proud of myself? All that done in the past 5 weeks since we've been home. When we got home from Ukraine I told myself that I wasn't going to fret if I didn't get around to doing any canning or preserving, but it's worked out that I've been able to.
And the kids have been helping so that makes me ten times happier. It's been a wonderful learning experience for all three of them. A child can learn so much by being a helper. That's when we can most effectively take our children by our side and tenderly teach them. I love those moments, and it's my goal to have many of those moments this school year.
Be blessed as you abide in Him!
7 comments:
I know it feels wonderful to have accomplished all that and have the kids learn so much in the process!
Great job, and those apple dishes are making me hungry!
Lots of hard work, but so worth it when the snow is blowing! Glad that the kids have been having fun helping.
The pies look yummy! You should be proud of your self having put away all that food for your fanily this winter. Way to go congrats! Having our kids by our side and teaching them has almost become a thing of the past. Great you are continuing this.
You should be proud of yourself - what a lot of work - well done - those apple pies look superb.
HOW did you get 96 quarts of spaghetti sauce?!? I've done 15 so far (and about 35 of canned tomatoes), and that's a ton of tomatoes! Plus paste from the store added in...
Sounds like you've been having a lot of fun. :) I love having little girls to help! :)
Miriam
All the canning looks exquisite! So many wonderful things that you loaded up the shelves with! I am very inspired! And the apple pies are gorgeous. Your little Lily is an angel cooking and helping you with her sweet little apron!
So nice to catch up on your blog :)
Much love!
~ Elizabeth
I just got a pot full of apples from my neighbor - your pies look amazing, do you have a good recipe for apple pie?
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