Chicken Pot Pie!

Tonight we have several commitments so I needed an easy dinner, hmm that sounds like I need to break out some of those cans! Abigail said she wanted homemade chicken pot pie, easy enough.  In my crock pot I poured a jar of my canned shredded chicken, chicken broth, and cream of chicken.  About thirty minutes before serving I added a drained jar of mixed vegetables. 

To thicken my soup, I mixed 2 tablespoons of ARGO Corn Starch to one cup cold water until it was very smooth. Then, gradually stir the corn starch/water mixture into the soup to thicken.  I had a package of Pillsbury Pie Crust that I rolled out and cut into cute circles.  Bake according to the package instructions and serve as a topper to your soup. 

So easy and homemade! 

Better a small serving of vegetables with love

    than a fattened calf with hatred.

Proverbs 15:17

Canning Cubed Chicken

For several weeks I've had this brain child for canning cubed chicken.  We have been canning shredded chicken for years, it's one of our staples!  We use it for enchiladas, street tacos, chicken noodle soup, taco soup, chicken pot pies etc.  Basically any recipe that begins with cooking chicken breasts and shred I use our canned chicken.  That busy work is done and the meal is ready about 30 minutes sooner.

With that in mind I wanted to can chicken in cubes.  My primary goal was to have chicken I could use for copy cat Chick-fil-A nuggets AND copy cat Panda Express Sweet Asian Chicken with Rice.  

My hesitation on doing this sooner is that when I looked at canned chicken it had those white floaties that look like egg whites and generally just looked unappealing.  I'm sure they taste fine but I couldn't get over the appearance.   

In researching chicken I found that most of the white gel type substance that comes off of the chicken is the preservatives and fillers injected in chicken. Not all of it is fillers, come of it is coagulated protein that is naturally found in chicken. But it just isn't appealing.  One of the food extensions for home food preservation stated that canning fresh chicken is preferred.  Previously frozen chicken will yield more goo. 

So I began with fresh chicken breasts and cubed it into one and a half inch squares.  Next I seared the cubes in a hot skillet with some vegetable oil.  This will help the shape of the cubes hold up in the canning process.  It also allowed some of the white coagulated protein to cook out.  

Do not cook the meat all the way, only sear the edges.  The chicken will complete cooking in the canner.  When the chicken was seared and cooled slightly I ran it under warm water to rinse off any protein floaties.  

To keep the chicken warm while I seared multiple batches I placed the seared meat in my Crock Pot. Once all the meat was seared I began packing it into my sterilized Ball Wide Mouth Quart Jars.  Into each quart jar I added 2 tablespoons of Dill Pickle Juice. Because it has vinegar, salt, sugar, pepper, garlic, and other spices already infused into it, pickle juice functions as a great marinade, and its acidity goes perfectly with the buttermilk coating of fried chicken.   

Add 1 teaspoon Morton Canning and Pickling Salt per quart to the jar, if desired. I filled the jars with hot water or broth, leaving 1-1/4 inch headspace. Use a plastic tool to remove air bubbles. 

Process in a Pressure Canner, Quarts for 90 minutes and pints for 75 minutes with 10 lbs of pressure.

Now for the test, for dinner tonight I opened a jar and drained the broth.  Next roll the chicken in flour with salt and pepper and fry.  I served them with waffle fries!  It worked beautifully.  My test batch was five pounds of boneless chicken breasts yielding three quart jars.  

Now that I know this gives me the results I was wanting, I'll be watching for chicken breast to go on sale! Enjoy! 

  

Listen, my son, and be wise,

    and set your heart on the right path:

Do not join those who drink too much wine

    or gorge themselves on meat,

for drunkards and gluttons become poor,

    and drowsiness clothes them in rags.

Proverbs 23:19-21

Frozen Force

What fun! Tonight we got to watch one of our Bible Bowlers play softball! Callie is in 3rd grade and is playing ball with Frozen Force.  

This fierce #8  right fielder on her first at bat had a triple with an RBI and on her second at bat she had a single with an RBI. Frozen Force won with a score of 10 -3! 

After the game we celebrated at Braum's!  It was a blast watching the younger kids play ball and having fun.  So many great memories of watching Caleb and Abigail playing ball when they were younger.  

I love having church friends that let us crash their kids sports! Plus it's great to get to know church family better.  

The breath of God produces ice,

    and the broad waters become frozen.

He loads the clouds with moisture;

    he scatters his lightning through them.

Job 37:10-11

Passion Fruit Jelly Using the Ball Jam & Jelly Maker

Years ago my family took one of several trips to Hawaii.  This particular trip I was about twelve or thirteen and we were staying for a week so my parents rented a condo.  Having a condo allowed us to cook some meals rather than eating out for a family of four every meal.

I remember going to the grocery store with my mom and buying Passion Fruit juice.  It was a staple on the island and was so good that we went back for several half gallons of the sweet tropical juice.

Passion fruit is cultivated commercially in tropical and subtropical areas for its sweet, seedy fruit. The passion fruit is a pepo, a type of berry, round to oval, either yellow or dark purple at maturity, with a soft to firm, juicy interior filled with numerous seeds. The fruit can be eaten or juiced.  The passion fruit's flavor can be compared to that of the guava fruit.

It would be years later before we found passion fruit juice in the states and even then it was only sold in tin cans, no very appetizing.  Over the years my mom and I have found Passion Fruit flavored teas and they are a favorite.

With the holidays in mind I wanted to make my mom a jelly for her scones and hot tea with that sweet, tropical flavor.   It's a good thing my Ball Jam and Jelly Maker is still out!

You can make jelly from almost any type of fruit juice: apple, grape, pomegranate, raspberry, blueberry, peach, apricot, mixed berry, etc; as long as it is 100% juice (without additives).  Also make sure the juice doesn't have added Calcium, calcium will prevent your pectin from jelling your product.

Passion Fruit Jelly

3 cups Welch’s Passion Fruit Juice (in the refrigerated section)

4 Tbsp. Ball RealFruitTM Classic Pectin

1/2 tsp. butter

3 1/3 cups sugar

DIRECTIONS

• Allow the juice to come to room temperature.  I sat mine out on the counter for about an hour, just so it is not refrigerator cold. Measure 3 cups juice in a 4-cup or larger bowl.  Gradually whisk pectin into juice until it’s fully incorporated.  (Pectin will not be completely dissolved at this time.) 

• Pour juice mixture into the clean Ball Jam and Jelly Maker Pot fitted with the Stirrer.  Add a small sliver of butter to help reduce foaming.

• Press jelly button – the cook time will automatically default to 25 minutes. Press Enter.

• Wait 4 minutes for appliance to sound 4 short beeps indicating that it is time to add sugar. Add sugar gradually while Stirrer continues running. Place the Glass Lid on the Pot.

• The machine will continue to automatically stir your ingredients while it cooks. Stay within earshot of the Jam and Jelly Maker, the appliance will beep again at the end of the process signaling jam cooking is complete. Press cancel, unplug the appliance and remove the glass lid.

Remove the stirrer using a pot holder.  And begin ladling into your jars!

Ladle hot jelly into hot jars, leaving ¼ headspace. Wipe rim and center lid on jar. Screw band on until fingertip-tight. Place jar in boiling water canner. Repeat until all jars are filled.

Process jars for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude.  This recipe will yield four 8oz pints of jelly!

So how does it taste?  Oh my goodness, it tastes like a sweet, fruity, almost honey flavor! 

Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for the tree is known by its fruit.  Matthew 12:33

Simple Strawberry Jam

It seems like just the other day I was making Strawberry Jam but we've either eaten it or given it away.  Plus now that I've realized how easy it is to make jam in my Ball Jam and Jelly Maker I'm not sure I'll ever make it on the stove again!

Abigail made a run up to Tom Thumb where one pound packages of strawberries were on sale, and also grabbed some more pectin and sugar!  And we're off! 

Strawberry Jam
3 cups crushed Strawberries (about three  1lb containers)
3 Tbsp. Ball RealFruitTM Classic Pectin
1/2 tsp. butter
3 1/3 cups sugar

DIRECTIONS

• Wash strawberries in cool, running water and drain.  Remove stems and hulls.  Crush the berries one layer at a time using a potato masher.  Do not run through a blender or food processor it will break down the berries natural pectin too much.  Set aside.
• Sprinkle pectin evenly over bottom of the Pot fitted with the Stirrer. Add berries evenly over pectin.  Add a small sliver of butter to help reduce foaming.
• Press jam button – the cook time will automatically default to 21 minutes. Press Enter. WAIT 4 minutes for appliance to sound 4 short beeps indicating that it is time to add sugar. Add sugar gradually while Stirrer continues running. Place the Glass Lid on the Pot.
• The machine will continue to automatically stir your ingredients while it cooks. Stay within earshot of the Jam and Jelly Maker, the appliance will beep again at the end of the process signaling jam cooking is complete. Press cancel, unplug the appliance and remove the glass lid.
• Remove the stirrer using a pot holder.  And begin ladling into your jars!
• Ladle hot jelly into hot jars, leaving ¼ headspace. Wipe rim and center lid on jar. Screw band on until fingertip-tight. Place jar in boiling water canner. Repeat until all jars are filled.

Process jars for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude.  This recipe will yield four 8oz pints of jam!

How does this compare to strawberry jelly made on the stove?  Well, because the ingredients are exactly the same the end product tastes exactly the same.  The presentation is better because there is no foaming and the work involved is minimal with the Jam and Jelly Maker.  Clean up is about the same.

Honor the LORD from your wealth And from the first of all your produce.

Proverbs 3:9

Simple Blackberry Jam - So Good!

Last year I bought a Ball Jam and Jelly Maker it is this wonderful machine that you place all of your carefully measured ingredient in and press start, basically.  In about 22-25 minutes you have jelly!  No kidding it really is that easy.  No scorching, no stirring, no hot steam fogging up your glasses!

My favorite part is that the pectin always sets up correctly because the jelly is cooked at the proper temperature and constantly stirred by the machine!  It does mean you work in smaller batches but the work is minimal, and the final product is delicious.  Sometimes when I make jelly on the stove I have trouble with a little foam at the top of the jar.  I did not have that with any of the multiple batches of jelly and jam I made in this little machine.

The girls and I went berry picking this summer, we washed and froze all the berries to work with another day.  I really don't like canning in the hot summer but in the cooler fall weather the canner won't heat up my kitchen as much!

Blackberry Jam

3 cups crushed blackberries (about four 6-oz containers)

3 Tbsp. Ball RealFruitTM Classic Pectin

1/2 tsp. butter

3 1/3 cups sugar

DIRECTIONS

Wash and crush your blackberries with a potato masher.  Don't use a blender or mixer because it will break down the fruits natural pectin too much.

Sprinkle pectin evenly over bottom of the Pot fitted with the Stirrer. Ball does powdered pectin better than any out on the market.  Don’t be cheap and try a store brand that may or may not set up, use Ball RealFruitTM Classic Pectin! Add blackberries evenly over pectin.  Add a small sliver of butter to help reduce foaming.

Press jam button – the cook time will automatically default to 21 minutes. Press enter. WAIT 4 minutes for appliance to sound 4 short beeps indicating that it is time to add sugar. Add sugar gradually while Stirrer continues running. Place the glass lid on the Pot.

The machine will continue to automatically stir your ingredients while it cooks. Stay within earshot of the Jam and Jelly Maker, the appliance will beep again at the end of the process signaling jam cooking is complete. Press cancel, unplug the appliance and remove the glass lid.

Remove the stirrer using a pot holder.  And begin ladling into your jars!

Ladle hot jelly into hot jars, leaving ¼ headspace. Wipe rim and center lid on jar. Screw band on until fingertip-tight. Place jar in boiling water canner. Repeat until all jars are filled.

Process jars for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude.  This recipe will yield four 8oz pints of jam!

Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.

John 15:4-5

Back to School

Today was take your mom to work day, or something like that.  Abigail has been working in at the church preschool subbing for teachers when they are out.  

Today they needed a substitute for the two year old class and I got to fill in!  I was super excited about getting to hang out with the little kids so after I packed my lunch Abigail took my First Day of School picture! 

Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” Luke 18:16-17

Dress Up and Get Candy Day

Be ware of things that go knocking in the night! Oh wait, nothing to be scared of here it's just a few of our homeschool friends celebrating Reilly's birthday. 

Frankie and Abigail went and hung out with the kids.  Frankie had a blast collecting copious amounts of candy.  The girl love her sugar and this is probably her favorite day of the year.  

After the group went trick or treating they came back to Reilly's house for games and a 10th birthday celebration! We are truly blessed with friends who continue to include Frankie in childhood fun! 

Gracious words are a honeycomb,

    sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

Proverbs 16:24

Taco Tuesday

It's Taco Tuesday!  That means a lunch date with the Baileys! 

This morning I took care of making copies and laminating items for Bible Bowl while Abigail had her college classes.  When she finished up her classes we headed over to Rusty Taco to meet up with our favorite lunch buddies.  

Rusty's has wonderful authentic Mexican street-style tacos and warm chips with queso! Yum!  When combined with great friends it's the perfect way to spend the afternoon! 

Is tasteless food eaten without salt?

Job 6:6

Fall Fun with Friends

Our adventures today took us to The Plaza in Richardson.  The Plaza offers seniors a respite care and a skilled nursing facility. The facility held their fall festival today so one of our home school moms from church made arrangements for our group to help out.  

The kids interacted with the residence in various games like bean bag toss, bowling, ring toss and Velcro darts.  The kids all dressed up in their Halloween costumes, Frankie wore her Bat Girl costume and Abigail was Super Girl.  The activities director brought out the ice crusher and Theresa and I made snow cones for the residence. There were mini corn dogs, candy and prizes for all the residence who participated! It was a really good time!  

Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need.  I Timothy 5:3