Black Ice Cream Vitamins

     ....that's what my grandkids call the elderberry syrup that is kept in the freezer.  It does look black! (deep purple)  When the kids are fighting a cold, the moms will go into the freezer, scoop out a spoonful of frozen elderberry, and give it to them.  My kids/kids-in-laws (the moms) swear by it.

     The elderberries are just starting here in northeastern Wisconsin.  In fact, the chickens got quite a few that were just not quite ripe.  When they are ripe, they come right off the stem when you gently squeeze, pull and twist the berries between your thumb and forefinger.  (Some people use a fork to strip them.)  It's tedious work, but so worth it.  I will be putting up enough elderberries for 3 gallons of elderberry wine, a new elderberry jam recipe I want to try, and, elderberry syrup for all the grandkids  for the winter.




Picked and ready to stem (de-stem? -- you know -- take the berries off the stem :-)



I try not to be a perfectionist.  There's plenty of berries that hang on to the stems.
These get recycled to the chickens.  A great treat for them.








4 quarts of elderberries.


    

     I will can some syrup in 1/2 pint jars -- just enough for one person for a couple of days during a cold.  A pint could easily be too much and I don't want any wasted after all the hard work.  But, this first batch will be for the freezer, just for the grandkids.  They can store it in their freezer :-)

For each quart of berries add 1 cup of water.
Bring it to a boil, then simmer 5 minutes.
Gently crush the berries with a potato masher.  Do it gently so that
the seeds don't crush too bad.  The seeds can upset some people's stomach.
Now simmer for 5 more minutes.

     Strain off the juice through a dish towel lined colander.  Let it sit for 20 minutes.  For each quart of berries you should end up with 2 cups of juice.  For each cup of juice add in 1 TBL. of lemon juice.  Now it's up to you how sweet you want it and what sweetener to use.  Don't use maple syrup if you are going to can it.  Don't use honey for children under 2.   Because this batch is "Black Ice Cream Vitamins"  and it is specifically for sick kids who may need to be enticed to eat it, I did use sugar.  3/4 cup to a cup of juice --  I know it sounds like a lot, but those berries are a bit tart.  They only will be eating 3 or 4 spoonfuls a day when sick.




16 half pints of Black Ice Cream Vitamins
ready for the freezer.  (I left a good 1 inch headspace)
Grandbabies should be covered for the winter.

      .....dr momi



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Freezing Corn

     I don't know if I ever mentioned that my husband is a chiropractor too.  In his practice there are a lot of rural farmers.  When we have a "how do you do that?" question related to putting up food, he will run it by his patients to see how they do it.  This recipe for freezing corn came from one of his patients and has become our favorite way to do it.

Cut the kernels off of 28 cobs of sweet corn.

(Every year we say, "why 28?, why not 2 dozen, or 2 1/2 dozen?" 
We laugh......and then we pick 28 cobs for the batch.)



Add 1 stick of butter and 1 cup of half n' half.
(I figured it out -- it's about 3/4 TBL. of butter /serving.  So.......don't
put more butter on when you eat it later this winter :-)



Cover with tin foil and bake it for 1 hr. at 350 degrees.
(This has got to be one of the most boring pictures I've ever taken :-)



Let it cool.






Then I freeze it flat in freezer bags, 1 1/2 cups.
Just enough for a meal for Rick and I. (5 meals all together)
  When you want to eat it, just warm it up.  No cooking involved.
It always tastes like it was just picked.

.....dr momi

Freezing Eggs

Scrambled and ready to freeze.
Make sure there is at least 1/2 in head space.

     Are your hens laying eggs faster than you can use them right now?  Maybe your favorite organic eggs in the supermarket are on sale.  Did you know that you can freeze eggs with excellent results?  It's so easy, and when you use them, you won't be able to tell the difference.  I have used them for baking, but also for scrambled eggs, and they taste just like fresh.
     Begin with Ball Freezer containers, they are by the canning supplies in your favorite store.  The little ones with the purple lids are perfect for three large eggs.  Crack 3 eggs right into the container and add 1/2 tsp. salt.  Now scramble them with a fork, just enough to break up the yolks good.  Always make sure there is at least 1/2 inch head space.  If your eggs are extra large, 3 might not fit, then put in 2  -- but the same amount of salt.  Make sure to label and date, then pop them in the freezer.  I would try to use them up within 6 months.


Make sure to label and date.

     In October when I have extra eggs I will start freezing some.  That way I have plenty of my own eggs for all the extra Christmas baking.  When you use the eggs for baking, make sure to adjust the salt in your recipe to account for the extra salt in the eggs.  If you are scrambling them, you might want to mix in with some fresh eggs so they don't end up too salty.

Baking Pumpkins

Pie pumpkins from storage in the basement.



     It's really cold here in Northeast Wisconsin.  It's going to be 10 degrees below zero tonight with a 20 degree below windchill.  This was a good day to use the oven and not get the house over heated.  So, I baked pumpkins to use in pumpkin pie.  Three of my stored pie pumpkins were cut lengthwise (from the stem down).  All the seeds and insides cleaned out --- to go to the chickens and ducks.  Then placed flesh side down on a cookie sheet.  Bake them for one hour at 350 degrees.  Let them cool, so you can handle them without burning yourself.  Now spoon out all the flesh into a bowl.  Use an immersion blender, and keep blending till it's all smooth.  I use the same amount of my prepared pumpkin as it calls for in the Libby pumpkin pie recipe, in my pies. 
     Fresh pumpkin has 2650 I.U.'s of beta-carotene (that gets converted to vitamin A) per cup!  That is a lot!  Pumpkin pie made from fresh pumpkin tastes so much better!  If you are not using it right away.  Freeze it.  You don't have to do anything more to it.  I freeze it in quart size freezer bags -- with the exact amount I need for a pie.  This pumpkin puree can of course be used for other recipes, and makes a fine baby food.  Just freeze in the sizes you'll need.  I do believe tomorrow  I will be baking pies :-)





Baked and cooling.












Frozen and labeled / and fresh puree.