When You Give a Canning Addict a bunch of Grapes..........

If you have never read the book If You Give  A Mouse A Cookie,

then you are blessed.

Source credit

No seriously, I am laughing here. 

My twins are stuck on this book, and it is all about how if you give a mouse one thing, 

he will immediately think of something to go with it,

thereby turning your entire house into a wreck,

demanding everything he wants,

and end up needing a glass of milk, 

which brings cookies right back to his mind

400 items later.

This book is pretty much like my life with twins.

We run in circles all day long, 

I have given up trying to clean while they are awake,

and somedays I just think there is simply not enough coffee in the house to make things any better.

But, the OTHER reason this book with very adorable illustrations kept running through my mind, is because of what I learned happens when a very sweet someone gives you

60 lbs of concord Grapes.

You read that right.

60 lbs.

Those itty bitty bags you buy in the grocery store are one pounders. 

Now imagine 60 of them, filling up your kitchen table,

 and you will have a good grasp of what my table looked like after church yesterday.

Here is a shot for you...........

 

only two of the three big bags.....

So I am going to share with you what I decided to do with the grapes

 (which of course only used up about half a bag--remember to pray for me when you are done! :) )

HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE CONCORD GRAPE JUICE

Take a large amount of grapes.

Take Quart jars and fill each jar with one and one half cups of grapes. Good to use the measuring marks on the side if your jars have it. Less mess to clean.

Add one teaspoon of lemon juice, and one Tablespoon of sugar to each jar

Fill each jar with boiling water, all the way up to the bottom thread on the jar.

Place clean lids and rings on the jars, and put into a hot water bath.

Process for 25 minutes for Quarts, 20 for pints (use less grapes too for smaller jars).

This is what they look like when they come out:

And THIS is what they look like a couple hours later.

I can use this just as straight juice after straining, 

or strain the juice and make jelly from it later on this year. 

 You can use any type of grapes that can be found on the market, but in my personal opinion, free grapes are best, especially if they are given in love. Seems to add to the flavor of the juice.

Since I have 14 Quarts of Grape Juice, and still have 50 lbs of grapes, 

I will probably be doing jelly as well.

And fruit roll ups.

And Raisins.

And more juice.

More Jelly.

And more fruit roll ups and raisins.

I think you get the point.

Many Blessings to you and yours,

Heather