Home Canned Cupboard and Personal Peach Crisp Recipe

Well, I suppose I have to admit that there are other things in this cupboard, but this side is completely MY canned food. It goes back 5 jars, and all double stacked. Ahhh...what a beautiful sight!




From left to right, top: blackberry jam from gleaned berries we picked on public property, more blackberry jam, Squash Dill Relish, Squash Dill Relish.

From left to right, bottom: pineapple from $1 pineapples, Squash Dill Relish, Peach Pie Filling, Squash Dill Relish.

I had about 1/2 Cup of the Preach Pie Filling that wouldn't fit into a jar, so I made a tiny personal Peach Crisp with it in a ramekin. It was beautiful and delicious!!  Next year I will definitely go and pick a box of peaches just to make more of this recipe.

What's filling up YOUR home-canned cupboard these days?

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Personal Peach Crisp Recipe

1/2 Cup Peach Pie Filling

1 1/2 TBS Flour

1 1/2  Old Fashioned Oats

2 TBS Brown Sugar
1 TBS Butter
Pinch salt
Pinch Cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400o.

In a small bowl, combine dry ingredients.  Using a pastry cutter or fork, cut in butter until the mixture forms large crumbs and butter is incorporated throughout.

Pour peach pie filling into oven-safe ramekin.  Pour the topping mixture on top, perhaps needing to pack it down slightly.

Place ramekin on a small baking sheet in case of spilling.  Bake about 20-25 minutes, until topping is slightly browned, and pie filling is bubbling a little.  Let cool as long as you have patience for, then dig in!

Preserving the Bounty

I have been in awe of those who have lived without modern conveniences for some time, but my little garden has made me much more so.

As I harvest yet another squash, or a handful of green beans, a few tomatoes, or some basil, I feel pride in my hard work, and I'm happy to be the steward of such plants.

However, as certain plants discontinue thriving, or are outright failing, I feel frustration. The first plant that keeled over had me thinking--AFTER I was finished with being upset. My thoughts were these: "This is not my livelihood, I can go to the store and replace much of what I grow, and I'm grateful I don't have to be too concerned about starvation if my crops fail."

I am, however, on a mission to enjoy and preserve as much of our bounty as I can. I want to save money for our family, and feed my children more nutritious foods.

My day started out with a counter full of squash and 10 large, ripe peaches (we had some and my dad gave some to me and this is what we had left after we ate a lot fresh).




I peeled/sliced the peaches, and turned those into peach pie filling...




I got 1 quart, plus 4.5 pints of the pie filling. Yum!! It smelled good. I used the recipe from The Marvelous Misadventures of a Foodie.




After that I started working with the scallop and crookneck squash I'd harvested. I cubed, blanched (in a pot of boiling water for 1 minute, then drained and placed into a bowl of ice water), drained, dried on a towel, froze on a cookie sheet, then tossed the squash into a gallon bag. I have more squash coming on, and I'll do the same with it and fill the bag. I'll use it in fajitas and soup this winter.

And then I made Squash Dill Relish...




Lots of it!! I got 11 half pints, and would have gotten another, but I ran out of jars.  Oh well!  I slightly adapted this Tangy Dill Pickle Relish.  Instead of cucumbers, I used crookneck squash, I used 1.5 tsp ground mustard, and I upped the vinegar quite a bit.  I believe that cucumbers take up less space per pound than squash. I canned this same recipe a few weeks ago and it was delicious with the squash.  Texture was very close.

It was a LOT of work, but it was fun, and I'm excited for the jars to cool so I can stack them nicely into my cupboards, and benefit from them throughout the fall and winter!