America's Pie Pumpkin

 

I am completely fascinated with pumpkins and winter squash.  What would fall be without a pumpkin patch? Large vigorous vines spreading, reaching, and climbing up fences and corn stalks.  Beautiful flowers with squash bees getting the job of pollinating done.  And finally after patiently waiting until fall, pumpkins in all shapes, sizes, and colors pop up through the green vines.  I'm hoping my love of pumpkins encourages you to designate an area for your own pumpkin patch. 

When you visit a pumpkin patch you are on a quest to find the perfect pumpkin.  I consider myself on a quest to grow the perfect pie or sugar pumpkin.  This last season I tried a variety that made the top of the list.

Pie Pumpkins or Sugar Pumpkins

I want to introduce you to America's pie pumpkin, the Dickinson pumpkin.  Elijah Dickinson introduced Dickinson pumpkin seeds to Eureka IL in 1835.  The result was one of the most valuable heirlooms and literally a million dollar pumpkin.  

His family developed this large blocky pumpkin into the pie pumpkin we are all familiar with.  Dickinson is the pumpkin used in Libby's canned pumpkin puree.  

Making Pumpkin Puree

Sixty years after Elijah Dickinson brought his seeds to Illinois, his family acquired a canning factory.  They started producing canned pumpkin.  They sold the cannery during the depression to Libby. Libby eventual developed their own hybrid strain from the Dickinson pumpkin; it varies little from the original Dickinson.  It is now considered the most widely grown heirloom.

As most heirlooms have a story to tell, there is more intrigue with the Dickinson pumpkin.  Dickinson family legend claims the recipe on the back of the Libby pie came from Elijah's grandmother.  One day his grandfather, who remained a manager of the plant after Libby purchased it, came home and told his wife Hazel,  "We need a pie recipe for Libby's." She baked lots of different recipes some better than others and the family ate them all.  Eventually the perfect recipe was reached and the rest is "canned pumpkin history."  The Libby or maybe more appropriately the Dickinson pie recipe has been on the label of the Libby can since 1950.  I have a Libby label folded up in my recipe box.  It's my favorite pumpkin pie recipe.  (Information from The Wholesale Seed Catalog from Baker Creek)  

So with such a charming history I hope you decide to try this heirloom in your garden.  It is moshata species, a pumpkin which is not as commonly grown as other species so that's good for those saving seeds.  The flesh is a beautiful bright orange inside with a dull smooth ribbed skin outside.  It is a stunning pumpkin.  They weigh 10-30 lbs giving you lots of puree to freeze.  This pumpkin also is an excellent keeper that will store up to five months. It needs a long growing season, warm nights, and plenty of water. Dickinson is a heirloom I treasure and will continue to include in my pumpkin patch.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

 

October Garden & Yard Chores

In most zones October is the grand finale for the garden.  Whether you are seeking to extend the season or accelerate the final days of your garden, there are some important garden chores for early fall that will help ensure a better season next year.

Garden Chores & Harvesting:

• Cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, and squash are going strong.  Continue to harvest.
• Watermelon, muskmelons, pumpkins, and winter squash  will continue maturing don't neglect the watering.
• Harvests of corn and green beans are coming to a close
• Keep harvesting all root crops, broccoli side shoots, and cabbage with cooler evenings these crops sweeten up

• Beans grown for dried beans are still maturing
• Dig potatoes
• 
  
  
  
  
  
  

Growing Potatoes: Tasty Tubers 

• When onion tops fall over, harvest the bulb.  Let it cure in a dry, warm, well ventilated place in the shade.  Under a porch on a table works well
• Continue harvesting root crops of beets and carrots
• Order garlic bulbs to plant in mid October 

Good For You Garlic 

• Tomatoes are still ripening.  
• Strawberries and raspberries are still producing until a freeze.

The Year Round Garden:

• Prepare low tunnels or cold frames
• Plant spinach, kale, and lettuce in the cold frame.  I prefer to start lettuce indoors and transplant out side
• Put out transplants of broccoli

Clean Up:

• After harvesting is complete, clean out bed and spread a layer of compost over the bed or row.
• Or plant a cover crop or green manure.  A green manure is a crop grown early spring or late summer which is incorporated into the soil to add organic matter and fertility.  Good fall cover crops are buckwheat, which matures fast and will winter kill before it goes to seed, or Austrian peas which is a winter legume for warm climates.  Both crops would be incorporated into the soil 4 weeks before you plan on planting in early spring.
• Clean up all plant debris especially diseased plants 
• If any areas of your garden or landscape continually struggle and do poorly gather a soil sample and have it tested.  Contact the extension office to do this.

Wage War on Weeds!

While your garden beds and flowers may be looking a bit tired, weeds seem to come on strong this time of year.  Like flowers, weeds can be annuals, biennials, or perennials.  Annual weeds are the easiest to control.  They have a one year life cycle.  Summer annuals sprout in the spring and go to seed in the fall.  Crabgrass, foxtail, pigweed,spurge, and lambsquarter are summer annuals that plague the vegatable gardener the most.  Hand pulling weeds in garden beds before they go to seed is extremely important. 

"One years seeds equals seven years of weeds"

If you struggle with a specific weed problem here is a link to look up cultural practices that may with help control the weed.  Nothing beats hand pulling and hoeing.

Common Yard and Garden Weeds 

Saving Seeds:

• Pick the seedpods and heads of any open pollinated flowers
• Learn to save tomato seeds
• Seeds from lettuce, beans, and peas that are open pollinated can be saved with little cross pollination

In the flower garden:

• Set out pansies, mums, and ornamental kale for fall color
• Plant spring blooming bulbs in flower beds
• Sow seed of next year's biennial flowers that need a cold winter to break dormancy such as forget-me-nots, sweet William, and foxglove.
•  You still can plant perennials in early fall.  

Fall Orchard Care:

• Keep all fallen fruit picked up.  Pigs or chickens enjoy this fruit
• Maintain spray for codling moth until harvest
• Mow understory
• Apply compost
• When 50-60% of leaves have fallen spray with fish with and neem.  Target the ground, trunk, and branches.  This is important for leaf decomposition. 
• Remove any limb spreaders
• Install tree guards on young trees
• White wash trunk to prevent winter sun scald injury.  Use interior cheap latex paint mixed with water you can add  little neem oil.  Paint trunks and bottom of lower scaffold branches. 
• Pick apples and pears as they are ripe

 

Gala apples.  The white film is kaolin clay which is an insect deterrent.

Sungold apples

 

Enjoy the early fall season and the harvests you have been blessed with. 

New Freeze Dried Ready to Eat Meals!

 

Each garden season is unique with variations in how crops perform, when they mature, if they germinate and numerous others factors. As I harvest and plan out how I'm going preserve my harvests I always have my standard favorites and I always enjoy trying something new. 

Having a Harvest Right freeze dryer has expanded my options.  So one of the things I have wanted to do with freeze drying is prepare meals, appetizers, or side dishes for a quick and easy meal with limited prep.

So today in the freeze dryer, I have 3 different side dishes:  Swiss Green Bean Bake, Sautéed Summer Squash Medley, and a Bean and Corn Salsa called Cowboy Caviar.

Early fall is the perfect time to put these meals and sides dishes together.  As some crops slow down and harvests are more sporadic it's a great time to use a combo of end of season crops.

First I will share the recipes then the run times, rehydrating info and then a taste test.

Swiss Cheese Green Bean Bake before freeze drying.

Swiss Green Bean Bake

2lbs green beans 1" pieces

Cook the beans in a water or steam until tender around 10 minutes.

Prepare sauce:

1 Tbs butter

1 Tbs flour

1/4 c milk

Melt butter in a saucepan whisk in flour and cook until slightly bubbly.

Whisk in milk.  Remove from heat and stir in:

1/2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 c sour cream

1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

Drain beans and combine sauce and beans in a shallow casserole dish.

Bake 15-20 minutes at 400.

Allow to cool and spoon into a  tray lined with silicone freeze dryer mats.  This recipe fit perfectly in one medium tray. Adjust recipe according to how many trays you want to do.

Place in the freezer if you are pre-freezing

Sautéed Summer Squash Medley before freeze drying.

Summer Squash Medley

In a large non stick skillet melt a small amount of butter.  For freeze drying use as little fat and oil as possible. Add the following vegetables and spice and sauté til tender.

1 medium yellow squash sliced.  If it's large cut slices into 1/4's.

1 medium zucchini, sliced

3/4 lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and julienned (optional)

1 medium onion, sliced

1 medium red pepper, julienned

1 medium green pepper, julienned

3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced

Mix seasoning:

1 tsp dried thyme or 1 Tbs fresh thyme

1/4 tsp garlic salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Cook until tender.  Cool and spread in silicone lined trays.  This filled one medium tray. This can be used in fajitas, soups, or stand alone.

Cowboy Caviar before freeze drying.  Hard to not eat this all fresh!

Cowboy Caviar 

(Brian Witmer published in the Harvest Right Freeze Drying book)

Add all ingredients into a bowl with seasonings and mix.

1 can black beans drained and rinsed

1 can black eyed peas drained and rinsed

1 can diced Mexican tomatoes or plain dice tomatoes will work (I use my own canned  Mexican tomatoes)

1 can corn drained and rinsed or fresh corn cut off the cob

1 or 2 diced avocado

1 chopped onion

1 red or orange diced pepper

1-3 jalapeños depending on how much heat you want

Fresh cilantro

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp cumin

salt and pepper

1/4 cup lime juice

Mix and taste with a tortilla chip.  Increase spices as desired.

This fills 2 medium trays 

So I have 4 full trays of 3 different sides or appetizers ready to freeze dry. 

Freeze dry time: It took 24hrs in the freeze dryer without refreezing.

Results:

Swiss Cheese Green Beans:  So they were pretty good just as a snack! I rehydrated a few bites to see if I liked the texture of the green beans.  They were good!  I rehydrated with hot water but used a bit too much the sauce was too thin but it was delicious! Almost as good as fresh! 

Freeze dried Swiss Cheese Green Beans!

I used fresh green beans from my garden but you could use canned or frozen green beans.  Also you could rehydrate and put the beans in a casserole dish and top with corn flake crumbs mixed with butter.  Pop it in the oven just to warm it up.  Definitely will do this one again.

Swiss Cheese Green Beans rehydrated.  I added too much water. Thicker sauce would have been better.

Freeze dried Sautéed Summer Squash

Sauted Summer Squash:  Honestly this was amazing just eating freeze dried!  The combo of spices, squash, peppers, and onions was perfect! I had to seal the jar so I wouldn't eat it all.  Great healthy non sweet snack!  Planning on doing more with the rest of my zucchini and summer squash this season.  I have other recipes of sautéed squash I will also try.

Freeze Dried Cowboy Caviar

Cowboy Caviar or Bean and Corn salsa:  This was not something I would eat without reconstituting except the avocados. But it was so delicious reconstituted just like I made it fresh. I would add more avocados next time.  I used hot water to reconstitute and just drizzled it on and gently stirred. Wait before added too much water. You don't want liquid in the bottom of the bowl just enough water to rehydrate everything.

Cowboy Caviar rehydrated.

So yummy on chips!

All 3 turned out fantastic! Love my Harvest Right Freeze Dryer! So with freeze drying you can alter or change the recipe to suit your taste.  Canning is a science and recipes shouldn't be adjusted for safety reasons.  But freeze drying is an art so be creative!

Mason Jar Vacuum Sealer is perfect to store freeze dried and dehydrated items.

Seasoned Tomatoes: Italian, Mexican, & Cajun Spice Blends

I love having these canned tomatoes on my shelf!  Italian, Mexican, and Cajun seasoned tomatoes are one of the tomato product I use the most in cooking. They always have a place in my pantry.  Any recipe that calls for diced, crushed, or whole tomatoes I choose one of these seasoned tomatoes whose herbs will enhance the recipe.  The Italian seasoned tomatoes are a must in pasta dishes.  The Mexican seasoned tomatoes in taco mixes, Mexican soups. beans, or rice dishes.

I love the blend of herbs in each of these recipes.  All these recipes come from Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving.

Preparing the Tomatoes

Wash the tomatoes.  I submerge the tomatoes in water. I wash all the tomatoes then get a saucepan with water boil. You can use either slicing or plum tomatoes.  Some heirloom varieties may be too juicy but some are fine for canning.

 

Skin the tomatoes.  

The easiest way to skin tomatoes is to submerge them in boiling water for 30-60 second. Then submerge them in ice water This causes the skins split and the tomato slips easily out all ready to slice.  I don't not leave them in the boiling water longer than this or it cooks them.  The skins will peel easily even if the skin is not split.  Have a tray ready to put all the tomatoes on. Finish all the tomatoes then go on to prepare the jars and herbs.

Use a tray with sides so you don't have juice everywhere.

Prepare the jars, water bath canner, and herbs

Sterilize your jars.  I do this in the dishwasher and leave them there until I need them.  Prepare the lids and rings.  Fill the canner with water and have it on the stove.  Add a little vinegar if you have hard water.

Choose the spice blend and quantity desired.  Mix in a small bowl.

Italian Spice Blend

Dried herbs                      2 Jars                 6 Jars
Basil                                1 tsp                  4 tsp
Thyme                             1 tsp                  2 tsp
Oregano                          1 tsp                  2 1/2 tsp    
Rosemary                        1/2 tsp               1 1/2 tsp
Sage                               1/2 tsp               1 1/2 tsp
Garlic powder                   1/4 tsp               1 tsp
 
For each pint jar, and only use pint jars for this recipe, use 2 1/4 tsp of the blended spices. You also need to add 1 Tbs of lemon juice to each pint jar.

 Mexican Spice Blend

Dried Herbs                    2 Jars                   6 jars
Chili Powder                      2 tsp                    6 tsp
Ground Cumin                  1 tsp                    2 tsp
Oregano                          1 tsp                    2 tsp
Garlic powder                   1 tsp                    2 tsp
Ground coriander              1 tsp                   2 tsp
Seasoned Salt                  1/2 tsp                 1 1/2 tsp

For each pint jar use 2 1/2 tsp of the spice blend.  Add 1 Tbs of lemon juice to each pint also.

With the spice blend and lemon juice in the jars you are ready to fill the jar.

 

Add desired spice blend and 1 Tbs of lemon juice to each jar. 

 

 A helpful tip is to place your cutting board in a tray.  The tray will trap the juices of the tomatoes so you don't have such a mess.

 

Fill the Jars

Dice the tomatoes and fill the jars leaving 1/2 inch of headspace.  You will be using the tomatoes own juice as your liquid so as you add the tomatoes, press down with a spatula to release the juices.  Release air bubbles as you go.

Wipe the rims and adjust lids.  Process for 40 minutes in a water bath canner.  I add 10 minutes because of my altitude.  When the time is up remove the lid and leave jars for 10 minutes in the canner.  Remove from the canner and let them cool.

When the jars are cool check your seals, remove the rings, and wipe the jars clean.  

Enjoy having these beautiful, delicious tomatoes in your pantry!

The jar on the right is Old Ivory Egg, an heirloom variety which is fun to have on hand to cook with.  It's nice mixed with the red tomatoes.

The recipe for the Cajun spice blend is in the book.

 

Pear Preserves & Pear Butter

I've been canning pears this week.  I always prepare ahead by looking through my canning books, which I love to collect, and write down favorites and look for something new to try.  I thought I would share some of the new and old favorites recipes for pears.

Ginger Pear Preserves

This is a gorgeous looking preserve!  The pears, ginger root, and touch of lime make it a delicate, delicious preserve.  This is one of my favorites.  

If you are not familiar with preserves they are similar to jams but with chucks of fruit suspended in a soft jelly.  No pectin is used and they are cooked until a gel stage is reached.  Preserves are delicious on breads and muffins but also make ice cream and cake so much better!  Try them with crepes, on pancakes or mixed in your breakfast oatmeal.

5 1/2 cups  finely chopped cored peeled pears
Grated zest and juice of 3 limes
2 1/3 cups granulated sugar
1 tbsp of peeled and grated ginger root

1.  Prepare your canner, jars, and lids.
2.  In a large stainless steel saucepan, combine pears, lime zest and juice, sugar, and ginger root.
3.  Bring to a boil over medium heat stirring to dissolve sugar
4.  Boil gently stirring until mixture thickens about 15 minutes.
5.  Remove from heat and test.
6.  If gel stage has been reached skim off foam.  If not continue cooking for 5 more minutes and repeat gel test.
7.  Remove from heat and stir for 5 minutes to help fruit stay suspended
8.  Ladle hot preserves into hot jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace, adjust lids and rings
9.  Place jars in canner and process for 10 minutes.  Adjust for altitude.  I have to process for 20 minutes.
10.  Remove canner lid and wait 5-10 minutes then remove jars to cool.

Gel Test

Dip a cool metal spoon, I keep it in the refrigerator, into the boiling soft spread. Lift the spoon and hold it horizontally with edge down so the syrup runs off the edge.  As the mixture cooks the drops will become heavier and will drop off the spoon separately but two at a time.  When the drops join together and "sheet" off the spoon the gel stage has been reached.

Refrigerator Gel Test

Chill a small saucer in the freezer.  Place a teaspoonful of soft spread on the saucer and in the freezer for 1 minute.  Be sure to turn off stove and remove the spread from heat so it does not burn while you do this test.  Remove the saucer from the freezer and push the edge of the spread with your finger.  If it has reached gel stage the surface will wrinkle when the edge is pushed inward.

Pear Butter

Butters are smooth creamy spreads.  They are made by slowly cooking pulp and sugar.  Spices are added.  You must have patience.  The long cooking time evaporates the moisture thickening the spread.

To Test for Doneness
Butters are cooked until they hold their shape on a spoon.  To test for doneness chill a saucer and place a spoonful of spread on the plate. When liquid does not separate and forms a rim around the spread it is done.

7 lbs of pears peeled, cored and coarsely chopped
Grated zest and juice 1 lemon
1/2 cup of water.

Combine above ingredients.  Bring to a boil and gently boil for 15 minutes.
Working in batches press mixture through a food mill.  

Measure 8 cups of pear puree.
4 cups sugar
Grated zest and juice of one orange
 1 tsp cinnamon

Stir in sugar, orange juice and zest and cinnamon..
Bring to boil reduce heat and simmer until it thickens and holds its shape on spoon.

Ladle into hot jars with 1/4 inch headspace.  Process 10 minutes adjust for altitude.  I process 20 minutes.

Remove canner lid and let it set 5- 10 minutes.  Remove jars to cool.

Butters make an excellent filler for layer cakes.  For another delicious dessert slice a pound cake spread with butter, top with fresh fruit, vanilla pudding and whip cream.  My favorite way to use butters is to spread them on grilled cheese or ham and cheese sandwiches. 

Cranberry Pear Conserve 

Dehydrated Pears: A Sweet Snack