My Sous Chef

My daughter is a regular helper in the kitchen now. For awhile she's been getting good at scooping and measuring and counting. She put the spices in the pickles, and in the relish we made as week or so ago, and she sets up the coffee pot every night. But when she asked me this weekend if she could help me to trim the green beans, I was skeptical. Would her three-year-old hands be steady? Would her toddler knife do the trick?

She did a GREAT job! Together we got this pot ready to steam blanch and freeze.


I'm still picking beans, but I can't imagine it's going to go on for much longer. I am about wrapping up my tomatoes. The plants are on thier way out. Much as I know it's too soon, and as guilty as I feel, I have to also admit to a little bit of relief. Whew! A breather!

For now...I expect to be doing a lot of freezing this fall, and I MAY spring for a pressure canner too....