Friday, May 31, 2013

Cool Canning labels & BBQ sauce

A couple of years ago, we found a recipe for homemade BBQ sauce.  We made it one weekend, loved it, and since then, I've made all our BBQ sauce.  Sometimes, I even add finely chopped jalepenos to spice it up.  (Kev's favorite.)  We have a very good friend who always makes his sauce every time he grills or barbecues.  While I love his sauce, it's never the same twice, and I like the convenience of having a jar of it in the pantry when I need it.  

So, one day last week, I canned up a batch of sauce.  I made 6 pints and a "short" pint which I put in one of my Weck jars.  (It's the tall juice jar in the back.)
  
Recently, while I was browsing on the web, I found some shrink-wrap canning labels.  From Modern Harvest, they make 4 designs and I couldn't decide which one I liked the most.  Fortunately they have a "sampler" pack.

Now that I didn't have to try to pick out a design, I placed an order for labels for pint jars, quart jars and 1/2 pint jars (or jelly jars.)  Very reasonably priced.  (Each package of 36 labels is $6.99.)

I liked the premise that these were shrink wrap labels, I liked the large writing area and I liked the back side which lets you mark the month and year you canned the item.  Since I hate writing on lids, and hate the little Ball labels that were never big enough, didn't fit nicely on the jars, and were a pain to scrub off empty jars, this seemed to be a perfect answer for me.

They're incredibly easy to use, just write on the label with a Sharpie pen, slide the label up on the jar (they go clear around the jar...as in shrink wrap!)  Then dip the jars in hot water for a couple of seconds.  I had my pot boiling, and I held them in for a few seconds.  I probably kept them in the water longer than I needed to, but I wanted to be sure they shrank up!  Then, I just set them on the towel to dry.  I was really pleased to see the pint labels also worked on my Weck jar, because of their shape, labels are a challenge, but no more!  I'm going to get out my Weck jars of honey and maple syrup and label them too!  And when my jars are empty, I can simply cut the labels off with a pair of scissors.

I'm actually now looking forward to canning season so I can play with my labels!  I'm also eyeballing that multi-pack of Sharpie pens so I can get really creative and colorful with my labels.

Friday, May 10, 2013

I'm a bad bad girl...or maybe just a busy busy girl

I am so sorry for not blogging any better than I have the past few months.  It's not that I don't have anything to say, it's that I've just been so darn busy!  We've had something going on every weekend since the first of April, and I'm sad to say that I just seem to be able to keep my head above water and have dropped anything that hasn't been a priority.

My house is proof of this.  I went into the bathroom the other day and really looked at the toilet.  It was filthy.  And I was ashamed of myself for letting it get in this state!  Needless to say, it got cleaned right then and there.  I haven't looked as closely at the tub...yet.  We've kept the carpet swept...somewhat...but my house does show a lack of care.

In our (my) defense, we've had two proms to get someone ready for.  Why she can't get herself ready, and why it takes her all.damn.day to get ready is beyond my comprehension, but I was roped into 'helping."  We also had one After Prom to work and build an obstacle course for.  (I'm using the Royal "WE" here.  Kev did the building.  I just helped him carry the darn thing in to the gym, set it up, and run the kids through it.)  I haven't willingly stayed up so late at night in years.  Getting to bed at 4 a.m. and waking up at 7:30 at the age of 49 is not as easy to do as it was when I was in my teens and 20's!

We've been to two auctions this spring.  We'd like to go to more, as several have come up with butchering equipment, but we've had other commitments and just haven't been able to go to them.  One we went to was a 2 day event.  The first day was the farm/workshop equipment.  The second day was the household stuff.  Kev had to work part of both days, but left me with instructions on what to bid on.  I bought him the back blade for the tractor he wanted.  I paid $30 more than what he wanted me to pay, but dang it...I felt that $30 was worth it!  He wasn't real happy with me when I told him I bought a 5' x 5' pile of cinder blocks for $2.50.  But, before we had them loaded, he had ideas of how to use them.  The $25 he spent of a huge pile of lumber was a steal.  In his pile were some 2 x 10 boards that were 20 foot long!  One of those boards usually runs $25!  And we are still kicking ourselves for not bidding on the pickup that sold for $1400.  We could have used it, and it was the steal of the day.  (Kev was gone and I didn't know if I should bid or not, so I didn't.  I should have, but I didn't.)

My only prize on the household items day was a pile of linens in which were hidden some nice big tea towels.  I wanted two table clothes, and the auctioneer bundled them all together with other...stuff.  I got what I wanted, and a whole lot more!  Some I tossed because it was junk, worn out and really stained.  The rest I washed up.  I've ironed some of it and the rest is still waiting for attention.  Anyone need aprons?  I have 6 or more now.  I also got some nice canning jars.  Not as many as I'd hoped for, but some.  And my Dad nicely bid on some bread pans for me.  They came with some pyrex baking pans.  I gave the baking dishes  to a friend and have found time to use the bread pans!

We've been busy attending track meets.  It's been an awful track season this year.  The cold days have out weighed the nice ones.  Poor Kat has struggled this year with pulled muscles and sore legs.  There are only nine girls out for track, so getting a good relay team together has been difficult.  Kat has done real well in 200 dash.  She's been running it in 27 seconds. Fast enough to place 4-6th.  She'd like to be able to qualify in it for State.  She could--if we'd have some decent weather!  She's also trying to qualify in the 400 m run.  I think she's a better 400 runner than a 200 runner, but we'll see!   Her 4 x 100 relay has struggled.  They've switched runners in and out all season.  I think the current group of girls is the fastest of the season but I'm not sure they are fast enough to qualify for State.  I really hope she makes it to State... We've been to State Volleyball, and Basketball this year, it would be nice to go in Track as well.

Mr. Andy has been working hard to finish up his Fire Science/EMT degree.  He graduated last weekend.  He's passed all of his Fire qualifications and is a Fireman II.  He's passed his EMT practical exam and is scheduled to take his written National EMT test next week.  Best news for Mom and Dad is that he's applied for two jobs!  Maybe we'll be empty-nesters someday after all!

Besides Andy graduating, we've got a niece graduating this weekend, and next year Miss Kat will.  The following year, my nephews will.  Gosh, I'm in the middle of buying Graduation gift season which will be followed by buying wedding gift season!

The downside of all this busyness is that we haven't had time to work outside on the garden...we've planted our spring veggies, but with the Topsy-turvy weather, who knows if anything will come up.  Top that off with no one being home to water the garden...who knows what my garden holds.  I'm hoping to be able to plant the rest of it next weekend...if we stay home long enough.

I did buy three new baby chicks!  I need to post about the girls again.  I need to clean out the chicken pen. It's on the list right after the house cleaning!

I've been working on my cross stitch some in the evenings.  I'm on the third page!  But I really haven't put much time in it since the first of April.  I don't know how much I will work on it this summer either.  I've made a commitment to get Miss Kat's album/scrapbook caught up.  I havent' touched it since we moved.  Since she'll be a very active Senior next year, I've got to get crackin on it.  And, I'm making another committment--to blog more often... stay tuned.