Alaska on my mind…

The weather isn’t cooperating to put the roof on the carport we’re building. That allowed us to stay home today and I used the time to prep up some of the food I cleared out of the freezer yesterday.

I used my roaster (thrift store find) to cook up 10# of chicken leg quarters and broth. While that simmered away I slow cooked our dinner, jerk seasoned moose ribs. And chopped up carrots, celery, onions and potatoes for my chicken soup.

I ended up with 4 quarts & 12 pints of chicken soup, 1 pint of chicken meat with broth plus 5 pints of broth. The canner is in there working away right now.

I enjoy canning. Aunt Arta was the one to introduce me to the old art. I used to marvel at her pantry full of home canned tomatoes, beets and pickles. They were so beautiful sitting on the shelves. I loved canning tomatoes with her. And even moreso eating her signature meatballs and tomato gravy that she made with them.

Canning was never drudgery, she made it fun. I also remember one summer canning peaches with my cousin Shirley. Her oldest, Crystal, was a baby playing with the pots and pans while we worked up the peaches. That was a lot of fun too.

Then those years I lived on Idaho I got back into canning in order to stick to my strict no refined sugar diet. Canned everything using fruit juice sweeteners. Learned a lot back then.

Now it’s primarily meat that gets canned here. Salmon, moose, some chicken. And jelly/jams. Once in a while we get a surplus of veggies or fruit to process.

I’m ever so thankful that Auntie took the time to teach me, to share that age old tradition. Pass on her knowledge for future generations to benefit from. May her memory be a blessing.

#grateful #thankful #blessed