Do you want to enjoy homemade applesauce year round?  Even better you could make homemade applesauce and use it as gifts this holiday season.  Be sure and head over to Some the Wiser for this great post on How to Can Applesauce.

I had a surplus of about $25 from my August grocery budget. 

I decided to go on a “tomato spree.”

The farmer’s market just down the road from me offers a “You Pick” price for Roma tomatoes of $.69/lb.  Not too bad.  Plus we (yes, I took the kids for “the experience”) got to have a little fun and learn about “good” and “bad” tomatoes!

All that you see above (2 habanero peppers, 4 anaheim hot peppers, 1 yellow squash, 1 “you pick” eggplant, 4 “Q balls,” and about 20 pounds of tomatoes!) only cost…

$21.41

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

Ingredients
About 12 lbs of Roma tomatoes
1/2 large eggplant (from the picture above)
1 yellow squash
5 carrot sticks, peeled
10 garlic cloves
3 yellow onions
Handful of fresh basil, parsley and rosemary (from the garden)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1. Puree all the ingredients in small parts in a food processer or VitaMix.  Pour into large saucepans.  Bring to boil, then simmer for 30 minutes.
2. Can.  Here is a set of great directions! I did not, however, peel the skins when making the spaghetti sauce.

I’ll be sharing my salsa recipe with you soon!

Here is the final result…

6 quarts of spaghetti sauce and 6 pints of salsa

Welcome to The Official “Stock the Freezer” List from $5 Dinners!!!

Because of the many events occurring in my life (mainly expanding belly bump and upcoming release of my first cookbook), I have decided to “stock the freezer” for post-baby.  Baby is due to arrive in the middle of November…and my book is slated for release just after the new year.  Life will be a little insane for a few weeks, even months.  And I’ve got to be prepared!

Baked Goods/Snacks

Chocolate Whole Wheat Zucchini Muffins (Lynn’s Kitchen Adventures)
Zucchini Pineapple Bread

Fruit and Veggie Muffins…I’ll make the below muffins using this general recipe!
Cranberry Apple Muffins
Zucchini Carrot Muffins
Blueberry Muffins
Butternut Squash Cinnamon Muffins

Breakfasts

Baked Oatmeal
Pumpkin Waffles
Blueberry Pancakes – Hubs makes these!
Homemade Bagels (Tammy’s Recipes)
Chocolate Chip Raspberry Pancakes (Once a Month Mom)
Homemade Granola Bars (Once a Month Mom)
Homemade Granola with Almonds and Cranberries – Recipe coming soon!

Main Dishes

Freezer Ground Beef Mix – Cook up ground beef with onion and spices…freeze 3/4-1 lb. in baggies!
Zucchini Soup Done x 2
Taco Soup (Once a Month Mom)
A1 Beef Stew
Mexican UnStuffed Shells (Once a Month Mom)
Chicken Parmigiana (Once a Month Mom)
Zesty Slow Cooker BBQ (Once a Month Mom)
Firecracker Salmon (Once a Month Mom)
Taco Mac (Cooking During Stolen Moments)
Sweet and Sour Chicken (Carrie’s Cooking)
Beef and Bean Chimichangas (Carrie’s Cooking)
Mini Pizza Crusts
Chicken Taco Bake Done x 2

Side Dishes

Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Corn Cobs – Freeze when on super sale
Broccoli – Blanche and freeze when on super sale
Green Beans from the Garden
Rice with Garden Greens Done x 2
Drop Biscuits from More with Less

Canning

Blueberry-Strawberry Jam
Strawberry Syrup – Blend  4 parts strawberries to 1 part honey (4 cups strawberries with 1 cup honey)
Applesauce – Recipe coming soon
Salsa
Spaghetti Sauce

I wanted to give a big thanks to Tricia at Once A Month Mom for helping me compile this great list! She’s the freezer cooking expert and I’m so thankful she helped out with this!!!

Ingredients
2 quarts of strawberries
3 pints of blueberries
4 cups of sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 package pectin

Follow the directions for canning that are found on the pectin packaging! Be sure to read the directions for your pressure canner as well! And keep jars and lids in HOT (not boiling water) water before adding jelly. All important canning instructions can be found HERE!)

1. Wash and dry blueberries and strawberries. Remove stems from strawberries and any strays on the blueberries.

2. In large saucepan, crush blueberries and strawberries with potato masher. Add pectin and lemon juice. Bring to a boil. Add sugar and return to bowl for 1 minute, stirring constantly.  

3. Using tools, transfer jelly into ball jars.

4. Add sealed jars to pressure canner and process at 5 lbs of pressure for 10 minutes.  Follow cooling instructions in your pressure canner’s manual.

5. Label jars and stash away to use later or give as gifts!

**Please be sure to consult Pick Your Own and/or the instructions on your canner and pectin packaging. These directions are just a sketch of the different steps involved in the process!

I made the “executive” decision to invest in some canning equipment…because I am the CEO in my kitchen.

I have fallen in love with my garden…and have wildly elaborate plans for next year’s expansion…which I hope to put into place this fall, so it’s all ready to go in the spring!

In order to preserve and protect my garden’s harvest, I thought it wise to start canning. I’m most looking forward to making salsa and spaghetti sauce. I’ll use the tomatoes from my garden, as well as from a nearby “you pick” market that practically gives the tomatoes away at the end of the picking season!

In the meantime, I’ve made a few jellies, as the prices on berries have been LOW!

Blueberries and strawberries with some lemon juice

A few of the jars “in the bath”

Round 1…of hopefully many!!!  Blueberry-Strawberry Jelly!