(928) 775-0400

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Spring is the time of year our family becomes excited about planning our vegetable garden.  Although the official “safe day” to plant most items is May 15th, it is important to plan ahead to select items that can be used past the growing season.   This is key to a successful garden:  Stretching the use of the vegetables that you garden so that they can be enjoyed past the end of the growing season.  Here are some of our favorite ways that we benefit from our garden, which helps us save money on our grocery bill as well.
One of our favorite vegetables to plant is green beans because of the large quantity that a few plants produce.  Green beans also grow continuously for several months, and can be canned, frozen, or eaten fresh.  Freezing is simple; it does not require any special equipment and can be done in small amounts.  To freeze the beans, wash them in cold water, trim the ends, and snap into 2” – 3” lengths.    Blanch in boiling water for 3 minutes.  Cool and drain.  Pack the beans into freezer bags or plastic freezer containers.  Our family freezes several containers of beans each year to use later in our canned beef stew.
We personally prefer to pressure-can our beans.  In a year’s time, we can expect to preserve over 75 pints of beans.  To can the beans, a pressure canner, jars, rings, and lids are required.  Wash and snap the beans into 2” – 3” lengths and pack in clean jars, leaving 1- inch head space between the beans and the top of the jar.   Add ½ teaspoon of salt to each pint, and 1 teaspoon if you are using quarts.  Fill the jars with water, leaving 1-inch headspace and add a two-piece cap.  Process the pints for 20 minutes (quarts for 25 minutes) at 10 pounds of pressure in a steam-pressure canner.
Tomatoes are another plant that can provide a large quantity of produce that can be preserved for later use.  We have two favorite ways to preserve the tomatoes to be used for months to come:  tomato juice and tomato sauce.  When we have a large quantity of tomatoes, tomato juice is a great option.  Tomato sauce is useful when you have a smaller amount, but have too many tomatoes for immediate use.  Even a small quantity is worth the time and effort to freeze tomato sauce.
Frozen Tomato Sauce
Wash the tomatoes, cut off any blemishes, and remove the stems.  Cut the tomatoes into quarters and place them in a blender.  Blend until chunks are removed and pour into a pot.  Cook on medium heat for approximately 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  The sauce will become slightly thick.  Let the sauce cool and place into freezer bags, or into freezer containers with about ½ inch headspace.  The sauce is a tasty, cost-effective base for chili, goulash, and spaghetti sauce.
Tomato Juice
Using 8 pounds of ripe but firm tomatoes, wash and remove stems and cores.  Cut tomatoes into pieces.  In a 8 – 10 quart kettle, bring tomatoes slowly to boiling, stirring frequently.  Cover and simmer about 15 minutes or until soft; stir often to prevent sticking.  Press tomatoes through a food mill or sieve to extract the juice.  Return tomato juice to kettle and bring to boiling; boil 5 minutes, stirring often.
To can the juice, pour juice into clean jars leaving a ½-inch headspace. To each jar of tomato juice, add ½ teaspoon salt for quarts or ¼ teaspoon for pints.  Wipe jar rims, place on the canning flat and tighten the rings.  Process jars in a boiling water bath for 35 minutes for quarts and pints (start timing when water boils).  This makes 5 to 6 pints.
The USA Real Estate Team in Prescott Valley is a trusted resource for information on Real Estate in the Prescott Quad City area, the resources available in our growing town, and the perks of living in such a beautiful area!  Give the team a call at 928-775-0400 for more information on real estate in the Prescott area.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]