Store It Foods

Delicate garden salads and other light cuisine are well-suited for the dog days of summer, but now that the November chill is well on its way in many parts of America, diners are clamoring for something a bit more substantial. I like to wait for an especially cold night to make the following pot roast recipe. It’s a rib-sticking meal that will satisfy even the hungriest members of the family.

Ingredients:
2 pounds sirloin tip roast
3 Tsp. Worcestershire sauce
4 large potatoes
carrots, chopped into manageable pieces
½ yellow onion, diced
3 cups water
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Season roast with salt and pepper. Put oil in Presto pressure cookers and warm it over medium heat. Brown roast on both sides and remove from heat.
2. Pour Worcestershire sauce over the top, put onions on top and add other veggies. Cover roast with water.
3. Heat pressure cooker on high with lid on. Don’t be alarmed if rocker jiggles slightly. Bring heat down to low and cook for about 50 minutes. Check periodically and serve.

When fall comes around, I’m the first to venture into the nearby woods in search of a local delicacy. As the leaves take on a faint hint of yellow and orange hue, I know it’s time for the blackberry harvest. The plants flourish in the unique Pacific Northwest climate, and my friends from out of state are always calling me on the phone asking about receiving their annual batch of blackberry jam.

I prefer to make the jam with a couple of quarts of berries – about a quarter of which are unripe, adding a desirable tartness to the condiment. After I’ve washed, milled and preserved the berries, I add a touch of sugar and cook them for approximately one half-hour. Then it’s as simple as setting aside some of the jam for a pie and placing the rest in frozen food storage. If I ration the jam correctly, I’ll end up with an entire year’s worth of tasty bread spread.