Monthly Archives: November 2012

Bell pepper relish – end of the summer crop

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So my bell peppers are now all finished. I had about 60 bell peppers (green and purple) to use. What can I do to store bell peppers??? I found a Sweet Bell Pepper Relish recipe which sounded interesting and went to work making it.

I plan on using the relish as Christmas gifts and also for ourselves as a condiment for meatloaf, pork and sandwiches.

Ingredients (taken from southern food about.com)

  • 20 large bell peppers, red, yellow, orange, green, stems and seeds removed, about 6 pounds
  • 1 1/2 pounds sweet onions
  • 1/4 cup kosher salt or pickling salt
  • 5 cups sugar
  • 2 cups white vinegar
  • 2 cups cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
  • 1 tablespoon sweet Hungarian paprika, optional
Wash peppers and cut in large chunks; you’ll have about 6 pounds of chunks. Finely chop about 1/2 to 2/3 of the peppers. Grind or finely chop the remaining peppers using a food grinder or food processor. Coarsely chop about half of the onions and add the remaining onions to the grinder or food processor. Combine in a large bowl with the salt; toss to mix thoroughly. Cover with ice and let stand for 3 hours.Drain peppers, squeezing to get as much moisture out as possible. In a large nonreactive kettle, combine the vinegars, sugar, mustard seeds, and paprika, if using. Add the well drained pepper mixture and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer, uncovered, for 50 to 60 minutes, until thickened. Stir occasionally.Meanwhile, fill a boiling water bath canner about half full. Add clean canning jars to the water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and keep jars warm.

In a saucepan, bring water to a simmer, turn to low and add the flat lids. Keep the lids in the hot water until ready to use.

When the pepper mixture is finished cooking, ladle into the hot drained jars. With a damp clean cloth, wipe the rims of the jars. Using tongs, lift lids from the water and let excess drip off of them; place on the clean jar rims. Screw on the jar rings firmly. Lift jars into the canner. Bring to a boil, cover, and boil gently for 10 minutes.

Makes about 5 to 6 pints.

Christmas blocks – Place mats or table runner

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WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced

Needing a break from making the coffee cup sleeves, I decided to break out the Dear Mr. Claus jelly roll I had purchased.

For my current work in progress, I am thinking of making place mats or a table runner with them. I started making a rectangle block based on the “Sunspot” Design from book “The Practical Guide to Patchwork”, by Elizabeth Hartman. This is how it looks so far:

Now the decision is just how to use the blocks, if I use them for the place mats I will cut them in 1/2, the table runner I will use the block as is. Decisions, Decisions.

The craft fair stock is also coming along. This is what it looks like so far (coffee sleeves and chair bags).

Warning: Elf on the shelf

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Thanksgiving has past and we are getting ready for Christmas. Yesterday we bought our Christmas Tree from the local YMCA – its  a beautiful tree. Since the Christmas tree arrived, the elf on the shelf arrived too, this morning.

This is the first year we have done elf on the shelf. We read the Elf on the Shelf book, to prep our 5 year old son on what the elf does. He understood that the Elf is going to inform Santa if he is good or bad each day, and in the morning he will be able to find the elf in a new spot. He was so excited when going to bed.

This morning he got up and hunted for the elf. He found it, and then went and hid from him. The “elf on the shelf” idea has back fired on us somewhat. He has taken it very seriously and is now a little scared/worried/apprehensive of this elf that is watching him.

I was a little worried and asked him if we should send him away – he did say “No” then added “I want to give Santa my list”. We called him Mr. Underpants (trying to keep to light). I will post a photo of Mr. Underpants, new place in the house every day (letting Sean participate in taking the photos as well….that might make it a little better). We will keep going and I hope the acceptance of the elf improves as we go.

Week 1: Photo Journal

Week 2: Photo Journal

Week 3: Photo Journal

Other Christmas preparations; I am making these cute felt ornaments. The mittens, I am selling in the upcoming Craft fair at work, and I am still thinking about the Christmas tree one (this first one was a sample).

The Christmas tree is an idea from this link.