Even though the garden is sleeping, winter is one of my favorite times to slow down, simmer something on the stove, and fill the pantry with jars that feel like comfort in a season. December canning is cozy canning~ simple, small-batch, and full of flavor! Here are a few winter-friendly options if you’re itching to pull out your jars this week: 🫙Cranberry Sauce or Cranberry Juice Cranberries are in peak season, inexpensive, and perfect for water bath canning. A few bags can turn into a year’s worth of sauce, or the prettiest ruby-red juice you’ll ever sip. 🍓 Christmas Jam A festive blend of strawberries + cranberries + cinnamon. Makes the BEST last minute neighbor gifts and tastes like a holiday candle in jam form. 🍗 Bone Broth (Pressure Canned) If you’re roasting a chicken or turkey this month, don’t toss the bones! Pressure canned broth is pure gold and makes winter cooking so much easier. 🍲 Winter Soups Vegetable soup, chicken soup, or taco soup can be safely pressure-canned (as long as everything is low-acid and broth-based). Perfect for quick meals on cold nights. 🧄 Garlic, Onion, and Herb Bases Winter is when many homemakers stock up their “cooking starters”: minced garlic, herb infused broths, mirepoix mixes. Some need freezing, but a few versions are canning-safe with the right method. Why I love winter canning… No garden pressure = no rush. Just slow, cozy homemaking with my little one underfoot, learning alongside me. Cranberries being on sale after thanksgiving is also a huge perk! Plus there’s something magical about hearing jars ping while the world outside is cold and quiet. What’s simmering in your kitchen this month? I am attaching a Christmas Jam recipe, I love this for my homemade gift baskets! Let me know if you try it!

I’m cozied up in the kitchen today getting our Thanksgiving lineup rolling~ the kind of slow, simple homemaking that just feels right this time of year. We’re switching things up with a smoked ham this time (breaking tradition in the best way 😄), plus my state fair ribbon winning sourdough discard rolls, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce + juice, gravy, and pumpkin pie. What about you, friends? What’s on your table this week? Thanksgiving Prep Checklist -Start defrosting anything frozen tomorrow -Prep sides Wednesday that hold well overnight (rolls, casseroles, pie crusts) -Clear fridge space before the chaos hits -Set the table early, it changes the whole feel -Start your simmer pot (orange slices, cinnamon, cloves) to keep the home cozy -Prep a “kid job” list to keep little hands busy and helpful -Plan your quiet moment before hosting ~ gratitude first, everything else second

Even when the beds look quiet, the soil is still alive and working. A little mulch now saves you from a lot of headaches in spring. Garlic, onions, perennials, they’ll all thank you later. 🌱🧡 Do you mulch your beds before the deep freeze? Leaves, straw, chips, compost, what’s your go-to?

When the garden hands you green tomatoes, make salsa verde! Easy, spicy, and perfect for canning or freezing, because nothing beats knowing exactly what’s in your food 🌶️🫙 This is just as good as using actual tomatillos! What are ways you like to use up your green tomatoes?? Watch me make it here👇https://www.tiktok.com/@the_sovereign_mama/video/7569282402573356319