evermine | weddings | blog

Cinnamon Pear Jam

pear-jam-4

Pears aren't a fruit I normally come by during the canning season, which is why I was so excited when my husband's aunt let us have access to her pear tree this year. I immediately knew what I wanted to make with her pears: pear-cinnamon jam from Food in Jars blog. I've had my eye on this recipe for a long time, and can safely say that it exceeds expectations. So this year, for our annual Thanksgiving gathering, I thought I'd bring a gift basket with two or three jars of the pear-cinnamon … [Read more...]

Bourbon Cranberry Sauce

bourbon-cranberry-sauce-3

When the holidays come around I think of large stuffed turkeys with all the fixin's, the aroma of fresh herbs like rosemary and sage, and a tart but fresh tasting cranberry sauce. With all the fresh cranberries available around here the sweet cranberry jelly log that comes in the can just won't be found on my table. I am so lucky to live where the cranberries grow, at least where 17 million kilograms of cranberries are grown in bogs each year. A crisp fall day walking through the cranberry … [Read more...]

Pickled Golden Beets

With Ginger and Star Anise

Pickled-Golden-2

Please welcome our newest contributor to My Own Ideas, Stephanie Rose. Stephanie is a Master Gardener who lives in Vancouver, BC, Canada, where she has grown over 100 edibles, 400 perennials, and countless other plants in her small urban yard; a hobby that continues to grow with each season. Stephanie writes DIY garden projects, yummy recipes and crafty goodness on her blog, Garden Therapy where she hopes you will find something to inspire you to get outside for a little, well, garden therapy. … [Read more...]

Concord Grape Juice

grape-juice-b

It’s great to live next to friendly neighbors. Our neighbor has a beautiful and very old row of concord grapes which grow along the fence line. For several years now she has shared them with us. I learned to make grape juice from my mother-in-law many years ago. We loaded the old stovetop juicer with freshly rinsed bunches of grapes brought into the farm kitchen directly from the vines. They steamed in the top of the old juicer until their juice was released down into the bottom of the pot. As … [Read more...]

Sweet & Spicy Corn Relish

corn-relish-400a

(Used in this project: Canning Labels and Diamond Hang Tags in Waterfront Park style.) Corn relish has become a fall family favorite in recent years. It is easy and fun to prepare, colorful, delicious and versatile. Most often I serve it as a salad with diced cucumber and fresh cilantro spooned into tortilla chip cups. I also have used corn relish, drained, as a main ingredient in quiche. I use a great recipe from McCormick. You can find it on their website. The only thing I changed was … [Read more...]

Homemade Applesauce

applesauce-400c

This has been a productive year for apples, so my husband and I were given several pounds from generous family members last week. As a result, I’ve been busy peeling, coring, and chopping ever since, and although it’s true that apples can be a bit of a chore to prepare, the rewards are worth it later in the year when I look through the contents of my pantry and find an abundance of jars waiting for me to open. Aside from baked goods, like pies, cakes or crumbles, I tend to preserve most … [Read more...]

Tomatillo Salsa

Tomatillo-salsa-400

(Used in this project: Canning Labels and Small Circle Labels in Boxicle style.) Last year for Christmas, my daughter-in-law Ari and my son Kyle made this salsa for Christmas gifts. They loved both the making and giving of this wonderful recipe. Kyle says that Ari’s tomatillo salsa makes a meal. You can pour it on anything, he says, chicken, scrambled eggs, enchiladas, tacos, and it turns it into a fabulous dish. He says he can eat it every day. This, from a guy who doesn’t talk much, and … [Read more...]

Dehydrated Tomatoes

dehydrated-tomatoes-400a

After my husband and I decided to take up vegetable gardening on a regular basis, we knew we would need to get inventive with our harvest so nothing would go to waste, and so we could enjoy it throughout the year. Last year, aside from all of our usual pickles, jams, and baked goods, I used a food dehydrator for the very first time, and it was a huge success! I was able to dehydrate all sorts of things, like peppers, assorted fruits, and homegrown tomatoes, and it all turned out really … [Read more...]

Candied Jalapeños

candied-jalapenos-400a

(Used in this project: Circle Labels and Diamond Hang Tags in Swiss Dots style.) My husband and I love peppers, so we always grow several different varieties of pepper plants in our garden. This means we usually have our hands full once it’s time to harvest, so to keep our extras from going to waste, I like to find different ways to preserve them for later use. Sometimes I’ll roast them under the broiler and stick them in the freezer, sometime I’ll dry them out in our food dehydrator, … [Read more...]

Orange Creamsicle Jelly

orange-creamsicle-jelly-400d

There aren’t many foods I enjoy more than a slice of toasted bread (homemade, of course) topped with a little butter and jam, which is why I always enjoy experimenting with different recipes for jams and jellies. Not only do my homemade fruit preserves make it possible to store the flavor of summer all year long, but they keep my morning toast interesting, and that’s very important to me. I know I’ve already shared several recipes with you from Marisa’s blog, Food in Jars, but this … [Read more...]