Other People's Pantries #110

From Mickey, in Wabasha, Minnesota:

I just discovered your great blog through reading The Garden Buzz [Other People's Pantries #106]. I live in a small town on the Mississippi river. Just this year I completed my master gardener certificate and am actively starting up a garden club for our community. The purpose of my gardening, of course, is to strive for sustainable living, eat organic foods and preserve them. I always grow extra to share with my community. Which leads me to my pantry... often lovingly called my root cellar. 

 

It is, of course, the area beneath the steps that lead to my walkout downstairs living area. Two sides of this pantry are cement block which keeps it nice and cool. I store the canned goods I canned from the vegetables from my garden.

Last year, it seemed as if I just couldn't stop canning, so my pantry is still chock full of home-canned goods. Yes, I share with friends, and folks in need. That gives me a lot of joy.

I also have a thing for staying stocked up on the basics I buy from the grocery store. Seems I couldn't manage without a case of chicken broth or tomato soup. Which leads me to a great and easy recipe for tomato basil soup...
 
1 can Campbells tomato soup
1 can milk
1 pint home-canned stewed tomatoes
1 tsp basil or fresh basil, if available
 
Cook the first two ingredients until hot, then, add the last two. Warm a bit more and serve. Yup, it's good.

Of course, my pantry holds the two bags of puppy chow for my aging lab, and our new little one. 

Finally, alongside my canned goods are the rhizomes and bulbs I dig up each fall. For me, to dig them up is like finding a treasure! In the spring, it's just more joy to haul them out and plant them for enjoyment all summer long.

On Saturdays, we peek into Other People's Pantries.

Come on -- show us your pantry.

*There are seven more pantries to share. If you'd like this feature to continue -- if you've been meaning to send your photos but haven't gotten around to it -- please send in your pantry photos. I'll keep featuring them every Saturday as long as you keep sending them. Watch for a new Saturday feature (one you'll all want to participate in) when we close the doors on Other People's Pantries.

Here's how.

Comments

thanks for sharing pics of your pantry. your garden looks amazing

You are one organized gardener and cook. I love how neat and stocked your pantry looks and your lovely garden. Good luck on starting your garden club.

Very beautiful home grown and canned food, thanks so much for sharing.

What do you do with all that cream of mushroom soup?

Wow, I am blown away by the garden and land!

Your garden picture is like dessert after a very nutritious and delicious meal! And what do all those rhizomes and bulbs grow into?

Don't you love Mickey's pantry and...the garden. She's a frequent visitor to my blog, The Garden Buzz; you meet the nicest people when reading about food and gardens!

Thanks for all the nice comments. It has been my good fortune to learn to garden and share it with my community. I am thrilled folks have taken the time to comment on my pantry. I often go in there and just "putter".
Our garden club is thriving. We just chose our name: "The Dig-It Garden Club". We will have a plot in our local community garden. The produce will go to our local food shelf.
BTW, it does seem like I will have mushroom soup...forever! :-)
And, I get a lot of exercise truckin' up from my garden to the house. It takes me a bit to get back in shape for that in the spring. I can all ready feel it!
My rhizomes, tubers and bulbs grow into gladiolas, cannas, dahlias, and my favorite, my calla lillies, and, of course there must be something I've forgotten...until I plant.

OOOO!! shiny, I could just cuddle in your pantry.
I too always have a case or a bit more of chicken broth when it goes on sale in the winter. Actually I keep all my staples stocked when they go on sale.
And your canning ....beautiful

A pantry after my own heart. I love seeing all those homecanned tomatoes and goodies. I spend some time each summer filling my pantry with garden fresh goodies.

"Canned tomatoes are like summer saved, all that deep sunkissed flavor ready to be enjoyed." Better Homes & Gardens

great pantry and the phrase "root cellar" immediately evokes memories of my grandmother and her root cellar - thanks for that I had forgotten!