We be jammin - Peach

We don't know what to call ourselves yet:
Ninja goat wranglers?
the kitchen bee?
Girl power in the kitchen?

Our group got together yesterday to make peach jam.  The peaches from the Palisades are in perfection and we wanted to make jam.

Eloise

LuLu had to stay home but she really tried to convince her to take me with her to Caramel Apple Farm by balancing on the edge of her food bowl

peach jam and canned peaches

We started with 36 pounds of peaches, 18 pounds of sugar, a dozen lemons, 3 boxes of pectin and  lots of pint size jars

mise en place

Recipe:

Ingredients:

3 pounds of peaches

3 cups of sugar

1 lemon

1 packet of liquid fruit pectin

Method:

Peel peaches by dropping them in boiling water 1 minute and then into ice water  to release the skins

Chop up into the size you want in your jam

Place in pot and add sugar.

Mix to mingle

Bring to boil and cook for 15-20 minutes

Add the zest and juice of one lemon

Add one packet of liquid fruit pectin

Cook on close to boil another 5 minutes

Fill jars leaving 1/4" headspace.

Place lids and rims and process in water bath for 15 minutes ( an extra 10 minutes in Colorado)

OR

refrigerate and eat fresh without processing

I got to be queen

me 

First we gathered for lunch - yummy tacos

Autumn and Beka

Then we had yummy brownies to give us energy to can ( or put up with the queen)

Liz and brownies

The girls made tags for the jars

peach art

Ingredients:

peaches

sugar

lemon

fruit pectin

real stuff

Then we got to work

Kate, Kaitlin, Denise, Autumn, my subjects for the day

We blanched, peeled, chopped, stirred, eyeballed, boiled and let cool:

Cory was planning on coming but that old job got in the way.  Next time Cory.  We missed you

Kate

Its always so good to spend a day with my granddaughters.  Only Kate could come this time.  Next time Ella.

What do you think? Ninja goat wranglers?

Merry Christmas from me to you

Who doesn't love this time of year?  It's crazy, it's glorious, it's exciting, it's expensive, it's fun but it is filled with love and joy.  I hope all of you have had a wonderful Christmas season:

Everyone is asked to find their inner organizer and we all do the best we can BUT there are always surprises: There was a goat emergency so off my friend Kim and I went to Caramel Apple Farms for some Match.goat

Kim at Caramel Apple Farm at sunset Christmas Eve

Then home for a yummy dinner.  Ryan and Ella helped me in the kitchen.  Ryan made mashed potatoes.  Ella waxed the cheese (don't do that every day)

Ryan and Ella

This year's Christmas theme was Fa la la la llama.  Wrapping, ornaments, cake and crafting all with the llamas in mind.  Well I couldn't find any goats:

Flourless dairy free chocolate hazelnut cake

Kim and Ella crafting llamas


Dinner was delish: Prime rib, roasted and mashed potatoes, steamed asparagus, watermelon radishes and the dessert:  your choice caramel or berry sauce.

or both

Amaryllis wrapped in satin ribbon


Christmas morning Kate and I were working on the legos

Engineers in training with Charlotte the pig