It's a matter of ....making Peach Jelly

When I was little, I recall going into our "fruitroom" as I was looking for my mother. I found her in the fruitroom standing and gazing at all the bottled food she had prepared. After I called to her, she said, "aren't they pretty?" (referring to all the jars of food). I thought that was rather funny at the time, but as an adult I have come to understand what she was doing.

I have been on a "Jam" kick this summer, trying and making many different kinds. However, after making Peach Jam (which is really yummy!), I chose to make Peach Jelly. I like this recipe as it uses the skins and pits of the peaches which many of us normally discard. I got this recipe from my mother, who unfortunately cannot recall where she obtained it. I thought I would share the process and the recipe with you.

Peach Jelly Recipe



• 5.5 Cups Peach Juice (Peels and pits in a pan, cover with water, cook 30 minutes, strain with cheese cloth. Put i enough water to cover by 3-4")



• 1 package of Dry Pectin (I found that you need to use new pectin that you purchase the year you make the jelly)



• 7.5 Cups of Sugar.



• Instructions: Combine the juice and pectin in a large sauce pan. Bring to a boil, stir in sugar and return to a rolling boil. Boil hard for 3 minutes stirring constantly. Remove from heat, let it sit for a few minutes. Skim the foam. Ladle into hot sterile jars leaving 1/4" head room. Process 10 minutes in a Hot Water Bath.

Here is the process in "photos":

Boil the pits and the skins until the water turns red.

Place a couple of layers of Cheesecloth in your strainer. Make sure the strainer is inside a larger bowl to catch the Peach juice once it is strained through the Cheesecloth.

This is the juice after it has been strained. The juice is now ready to be put into the recipe noted above. (One thing that I learned is that you need to use new Pectin. I made 2 batches. The first batch was made with Pectin I have left over from last year and the other with Pectin I just purchased recently. The first batch partially set up, but the second batch had no issues.)

Pour the jelly mixture into jars, wipe the jar rim, place a sterilized lid on and seal with a jar ring. Notice how clear the jelly is. You can see the peach jam I processed in the background. The jam is the color of peaches, but the jelly has the red hue to it that was achieved while boiling. Process the jars in your hot water bath canner.

Again, notice how translucent it is after it is processed. Jelly is wonderful on breads, rolls, and even on pork chops when you cook them in the oven. This is glorious food that is made from items that are traditionally discarded. It's easy to make, and tastes great! It is a great companion to some freshly baked bread as a gift for someone who is needs some special attention. I found myself standing and admiring my jam and jelly in the jars. I particularly enjoyed how beautiful the jelly looked visually. I found the bottles to be "beautiful" just as my mother did years ago.

This is an easy recipe...give it a try!

Announcement from the Lindon Family Cannery

I recieved this notice from the Lindon Family Cannery. The announcement reads as follows:

We have begun getting phone calls concerning Family Canning for Fall 2009.

We are currently doing our 2009 peach welfare assignments. These assignments come through your stake leaders to the wards. Peaches are not done for family canning. It is only by supporting your stake in filling their assignment—if they have one, that you might have an opportunity to purchase peaches from the Cannery.

There won’t be a 2009 Fall Family Canning schedule since they are closing down the Wet Pack side of the Welfare Services Center, after the peaches are finished, to update our electrical system and add some new equipment to the processing floor. This will be a good thing once it is done. So…we sacrifice our fall family canning for a better spring schedule in 2010 and beyond.

We don’t know what we will be canning or exactly when it will happen, especially with the remodel. Remember the welfare assignments take precedence. Welfare canning is why the Wet Pack Cannery is here.

We still don’t know if we will be able to can any meat.

It's a matter of ......making your views known

(Image courtesy of www.space-rockets.com)

Congress will be back in session in less than 7 days. There are many very heated and emotional pieces of legislation that are being introduced and lobbied hard for. Our Country has the opportunity to be free as long as we, "the people", live worthy and elect representation that vote for policies and laws that support the eternal principals of our Father in Heaven.

Study the issues, and do it now. If ever there was a time that we cannot sleep or be silent, it is now. If you don't know where to learn about specific issues beyond the mainstream media....just do an Internet search. You will find a wealth of sites that can provide you with the information you are seeking.

Pray, and pray hard about the issues, particularly those that will alter the fabric of our nation. Seek the guidance from Heavenly Father and listen for the "Still Small Voice".

Then act....and act now. I am providing you with the names of Utah's legislators in Washington. (In our area, we are represented by Senator Hatch, Senator Bennett, and Representative Matheson).

Put the phone numbers in your cell phone. I think the LRH has called these gentlemen more often this year than I ever have. When I have an issue, I just take a moment (during lunch, on my way to work, after reading/viewing information about an issue, etc) and call. The individuals answering the phones are very courteous. Even though many issues are highly charged, please be courteous as well.

When you call, give your name and address so that they know that you really are their constituent. Your voice will have more weight. I have read that each call, letter, or fax represents the voice of 500 people. I wish I could get an investment to give me such a return.

Please search, ponder, and pray.....and act. Your voice is needed at this critical time.

Senator Orrin G. Hatch (R- UT)
DC Phone 202-224-5251
DC FAX 202-224-6331
Senator Bob Bennett (R- UT)
DC Phone 202-224-5444
DC FAX 202-228-1168
Representative Rob Bishop (R - 01)
DC Phone 202-225-0453
DC FAX 202-225-5857
Representative Jim Matheson (D - 02)
DC Phone 202-225-3011
DC FAX 202-225-5638
Representative Jason Chaffetz (R - 03)
DC Phone 202-225-7751
DC FAX 202-225-5629

We need not panic or fear...

We need not panic or fear, for we know we need to be prepared temporally and spiritually. Lucifer's influence has never been greater. Let us learn from Noah.

Education Week in review...Personal Finance by Bryan Sudweeks

(Image courtesy of marriottschool.byu.edu)

As noted in the previous post, I attended Education Week at BYU Provo. I am sharing some of the wonderful things that I had the opportunity to learn. This post deals with information from Bryan Sudweek's class entitled "Provident Living: Another Perspective on Wealth". The information below is taken from: http://personalfinance.byu.edu/files/Freshman%20College%20Course%20Manual.pdf


The purpose of this section is to articulate “another” perspective on wealth, this eternal perspective. This perspective is critical for us to understand and it has a major influence on how we make choices.


Because of our eternal perspective, we understand things differently, view events differently, and, hopefully, act differently in respect to our families, our friends, and our personal finances. This perspective will make a major difference in how we live our lives.


Principle 1: Ownership: Everything we have or will have is the Lord’s.
Nothing we have is our own—it is all God’s. As such, there should be no feeling of pride for the
things we have or are. These things do not belong to us, but are on loan from a loving Heavenly Father and Son. The things we have now or ever will have are really not ours. There should be no feeling of pride for the things we have, who we are, or who we will become. Rather, these blessings should encourage us to greater obedience to God’s commandments as we realize that all we have and are are gifts from a generous Father and Son.


Principle 2: Stewardship: We are stewards over all the Lord has shared with us.
Being blessed with material things in life should not be seen just as a blessing, but as a responsibility. In the future, we will all have to give an account of our stewardship to the Father and Son. As wise stewards, it is our responsibility to learn everything we can about our stewardship so that we can manage our stewardship to the best of our abilities. The purpose of this Web site is to help you understand and manage your stewardship better as it relates to personal finance.


Principle 3: Agency: The gift of “choice” is one of the greatest gifts of God

The gift of agency was such an important subject that a war was fought in heaven because Satan sought “to destroy the agency of man” (Moses 4:3). We should do everything in our power to thank a loving Father and Son for this wonderful right to choose—and then use that agency as
wisely as we can.


Principle 4: Accountability: We shall be held accountable for every choice we make.
On the subject of what’s really ours, Elder Neal A. Maxwell stated:

The submission of one’s will is really the only uniquely personal thing we have to place on God’s altar. The many other things we “give,” brothers and sisters, are actually the things He has already given or loaned to us. However, when you and I finally submit ourselves, by letting our individual wills be swallowed up in God’s will, then we are really giving something to Him! It is the only possession which is truly ours to give! (Neal A. Maxwell, “Swallowed Up in the Will of the Father,” Ensign, Nov. 1995, 22)

These four principles establish a spiritual foundation for understanding wealth that is based on
our dependence on God and our need for financial self-reliance to fulfill His purposes. Everything we have is God’s, and the things we receive are all blessings from Him. They are not ours, but they have been given to us as a stewardship for which we can make choices. We should choose well, as we shall be held responsible for what we do by our Father in Heaven.

There is more to learn from Brother Sudweeks in future posts. Isn't it interesting that human nature spurs many on to feel as if they have ownership, but no stewardship to the Lord. Brother Sudweeks shared his personal belief that he feels that we will have to account for every dollar we have been blessed with to the Lord....as everything is ultimately His. This gave me great pause. More to come!