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Tackling Food Preservation and Garden Projects
Becky is back with a busy schedule as she prepares to continue her food preservation efforts and wrap up her garden projects for the season. After putting the garden to bed last week, she is ready to move on to the significant tasks ahead, particularly dealing with the bountiful harvest stacked up in her basement.
With the crops needing attention, Becky dives into her planned food preservation projects, including a notable Azure haul which she received, featuring bulk organic goods sourced from a trusted company. This week's agenda includes making cowboy candy, chicken broth, biscuits, and utilizing various vegetables from her garden.
Azure Haul Highlights
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Becky begins by sharing the specifics of her Azure haul, comprised of items she has relied on for years alongside a few intriguing new products. Switching to fragrance-free soaps due to skin sensitivity is her new objective, prompting her to order some dish soap for trial. She reflects on her continued satisfaction with the dishwasher tabs she discovered after moving away from Costco, recognizing good products often come through recommendations.
Among other exciting finds, Becky bought a 10-pound box of hot jalapeños for preparing cowboy candy, highlighting her family's affection for this sweet, pickled jalapeño treat. She acknowledges her smaller home garden was not sufficient to reach her cowboy candy goals; thus, purchasing in bulk is a necessary solution.
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In addition to jalapeños, Becky stocks up on various cheeses that are hard to find elsewhere, notably organic options and seasonal favorites such as frozen tortillas needed for a future freezer cooking day. She acknowledges her intent to produce cranberry juice and sauce, along with grape jelly, leveraging the organic juices she purchased.
As she catalogs her purchases, it's apparent that this Azure haul is integral to her plans for the upcoming holiday season, with sugar and corn syrup making appearances in preparation for baking projects.
Chicken Broth and More
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Moving on, Becky describes the process of making chicken broth, which she has begun by roasting chicken backs and combining them with vegetable scraps for flavor. Her intention is to create a base for various meals throughout the season, including chicken pot pie which is a favorite of hers and her family's.
While the broth simmers, she pivots her focus toward the jalapeños, carefully washing and preparing them for candying. She demonstrates efficient kitchen practices with the use of her KitchenAid food processor, significantly speeding the dicing process for the 10 pounds of jalapeños.
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As she begins boiling sugar and vinegar for the cowboy candy, Becky shares her family's preferences for how they like their jalapeños prepared, deciding on a diced version for this batch. After a quick and easy prep with the food processor, she manages to chop all of the peppers in a matter of minutes—showcasing the benefits of having the right kitchen equipment.
Onions Take Center Stage
Next on her agenda are the Walla Walla onions from her garden, typical of the variety that has a shorter shelf life. She notes how essential it is to process these before they spoil, commenting on their size and how they have been sprouting. Highlighting her gardening endeavors, she reflects on the successful growing season and how she started onions from seed.
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She demonstrates her methodical approach to onion preservation, opting to finely chop the onions for freeze-drying or powdering, which will make a useful addition to her pantry for cooking applications later on. As she processes the onions, Becky provides insight into the challenges of preserving varieties that do not store as well as others.
After successfully handling both the jalapeño and onion tasks, Becky multitasks beautifully as she prepares her broth for canning, showcasing her deep knowledge of food preservation techniques.
Finalizing the Day's Work
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As the day progresses, Becky wraps up her various food preservation projects, relishing the efficiency brought about by her careful planning and organized kitchen space. She meticulously prepares jars for canning chicken broth and units for storing cowboy candy in the fridge, aiming for both convenience and long-term storage.
In the closing segments of her day, she highlights the importance of maintaining a clean workspace and provides glimpses of her bustling kitchen, all while packing away the onion skins into compost and delighting in the imminent arrival of holiday cooking.
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With a heavy focus on processing, canning, and effective storage solutions, Becky highlights a quintessential seasonal theme of readiness for both holiday feasts and a well-stocked pantry. The strategies and tips shared over the video reveal a strong commitment to home economics and sustainable living practices, as she translates her garden's bounty into preserved goods for the winter months.
As a self-made food preservation advocate, Becky concludes her busy day with that sense of fulfillment when projects come together seamlessly, emphasizing the satisfaction that comes from utilizing one's hard work and resources. In the days to come, she envisions diving into holiday treats and sharing her ongoing journey with her audience, reminding all of us about the beauty of food preservation.