Forever Beloved

Faith, Love & Truth

Hello. Goodbye.


Hello December, goodbye November
Hello my fav month…you’re so happy, festive, sparkly, shiny and you smell really super good
Hello Christmas tree, goodbye pumpkins
Hello family time + lots of laughs


Hello celebrating the real reason for the season, the birth of Christ
Hello Christmas ham {my fav}, goodbye Thanksgiving turkey
Hello holiday baking, goodbye self control
Hello hot chocolate, goodbye hot cider
Hello season of giving, goodbye buying for myself


Hello streaming Christmas music all.the.time., goodbye regular radio stations
Hello to every Christmas movie out there, goodbye non-holiday movies
Hello happy mail daily, goodbye boring mail


Hello crafting presents, goodbye boring evenings
Hello kids Christmas program, goodbye dry eyes
Hello Christmas caroling and Christmas wrapping, goodbye free time
Hello making lists and checking them twice
Hello the season I’ve waited for all year long
Hello the season that feels extra magical this year

Pressure Canning Leftover Turkey

canned turkey

The USDA estimates that Americans throw away about 200 million pounds of turkey meat after their Thanksgiving meal.  Y’all, I had to read that twice.  200 million pounds?  The thought of eating turkey every single day following Thanksgiving is exhausting.  Not to mention sometimes there is so much left that there isn’t any possible way to eat it all before it goes bad.  The solution?  Canning it to use throughout the year in so many different ways.  Turkey noodle soup, turkey noodle casserole, turkey and dumplings, turkey pot pie…I could go on and on.

In a past post, I’ve showed you how to can chicken by using the raw pack method.  This is where the chicken cooks during the processing.  I’ve also showed you how to can your own chicken broth.  Today I’m going to show you how to can meat that has already been cooked.

First things first, you need to make your broth.  We need broth because we will be adding it in the jars with the meat.

First gather your ingredients.  You’ll need onions, celery, garlic, carrots, salt and pepper.

I already had a container in my freezer I had been saving to make chicken broth.  On Thanksgiving, I saved the entire carcass along with the skin, neck, giblets and any other pieces I could use to make broth.  I put everything in a large stock pot, all the chicken and turkey pieces.  I figured mixing the two together would just give me a more complex, rich broth.  Don’t worry about dicing or making your veggies pretty.  I just quarter the onion, cut the celery and carrots in half and let the garlic cloves whole.  Cover everything with water.  I put enough water so everything is covered by at least 3 inches on top.

Bring the whole thing to a boil, and then turn it down to a simmer.  It takes a minimum of 3 hours to turn bones into broth but I like to let mine go a lot longer than that.  The longer it reduces, the richer your broth will be.  The last time mine cooked for about 12 hours.  I’m not going to tell you to taste it to see if it’s done.  If you’ve cooked it for longer than 3 hours, it’s done.  Although I highly recommend letting it cook for longer than that.  At this point it’s probably more of a chicken stock. A more reduced, darker, stronger, thicker version of broth.  And amazingly yummy in recipes!

canner with stock

After you’ve simmered the broth down, you’ll need to dip it out and strain it through a colander.  I use a small sauce pot to dip it out into a colander on top of a pitcher.  That allows me to easily pour the broth once it’s strained.  If you’re using a bowl, you’ll probably need a few bowls.  You don’t realize just how much broth you made until you get to this point.  You can also strain it a second time through cheesecloth to get those small bits that the colander let through.

canner with stock

turkey stock

Once you have the broth strained stick it in the fridge overnight to allow the fat to rise and solidify at the top.  I’m going to be honest here, I don’t skim the fat off of mine.  There really isn’t that much fat plus the fat gives it more flavor, at least in my mind it does.  If you do want to skim the fat off, just take it out of the fridge the next morning and remove the hardened fat with a spoon.

Now let’s get on to canning!

Start with clean, sterilized jars.  I run my jars through a cycle in the dishwasher to sterilize them.  Being that my turkey was in the fridge and is cold when I pack it in, I don’t keep the jars hot.  I don’t want to take the chance of having broken jars in the canner.  We all know what happens when you mix hot and cold.

I started by cutting the turkey into chunks.  Once I would get a handful chunked, I would pack it into my jars.  For this, I used half-pint jars.  I could fit about 3.5 – 4 ounces in each jar.  If you are using pint jars, you could fit around 7 – 8 ounces.  I fill the jars about half-way, then push it down and make sure all the nooks and crannies are filled in.  Then pack more turkey chunks in on top.

turkey

Make sure you have 1 1/4″ headspace between the turkey and the rim of your jar.  I have learned not to fill the jars exactly 1 1/4″ from the top.  I stop at maybe 1 1/2″ or so.  I noticed that some of the juices come out of the jar during processing.  If you under-pack the jar just a smidge it takes care of that problem.  In canning, headspace is the amount of space you leave between the rim of the jar and whatever you’re filling it with.  Each thing requires a different headspace.  I have a funnel that also has markings on the side to measure headspace.  Here is a little headspace chart to follow:

  • Leave 1-inch headspace for low-acid foods, vegetables and meats.
  • Leave 1/2-inch headspace for high-acid foods, fruits and tomatoes.
  • Leave 1/4-inch headspace for juicers, jams, jellies, pickles, and relishes.

canning turkey

Once the meat is packed in the jar, I added some of the broth I had just made.  I filled the jar with broth, making sure to cover the meat but leave the proper amount of headspace.  I use a Prepworks by Progressive Canning Funnel.  I absolutely love that it has headspace measurements on the side and that it fits regular and wide mouth jars.

I also had quite a bit of broth leftover after filling the jars, so I went ahead and got it ready to can as well.

canning turkey

Wipe the rim of the jar off.  Never forget this step!  Even when you’re using a funnel, you are bound to get something on the rim.  And if the rim isn’t clean, it won’t seal properly.

Put your lids and rings on the jars.

Since my jars were “cold packed”, I didn’t prep my pressure canner ahead of time.  Being that my jars were still cold from putting the turkey and broth in them, I wanted to prevent my jars from breaking once the canning process started.  I put 3 quarts of hot tap-water in the pressure canner and sat my jars down in.  I gave them enough time to warm up a bit from the water before I even turned the burner on.  Make sure to read your directions for your specific canner to see how much water they advise.  Also, a little tip, to keep your jars from being “spotty” you’ll want to add 2 tablespoons of white vinegar to the water.

pressure canner with jars

The first thing you need to do is vent your canner.  Venting means getting rid of the steam inside the canner so you can build up pressure.  To vent, you put your lid on and make sure it’s sealed  (follow the manufacturers instructions for this as well) and turn the heat up to medium or medium/high.  You DO NOT want your weight on yet.  When steam is steadily coming out of the vent, set your timer for 10 minutes.  Once the timer goes off, you’re ready for the next step.

pressure canner

Put your weight on the canner, being careful of the steam that’s coming out, and wait for it to come to pressure.  Once it’s up to pressure, set your timer for the appropriate time below.  Remember to only start the timer once your canner is up to pressure.  Waiting for the canner to get up to pressure sometimes takes several minutes, and it will feel like time stands still.  Just be patient, it will get there.

75 minutes at 15 lbs for pint jars (if you are under 1,000 ft. altitude, use 10 lbs)
90 minutes at 15 lbs for quart jars (if you are under 1,000 ft. altitude, use 10 lbs)

pressure canner

You may need to adjust the heat up or down during this time.  If you see your pressure rising above what it should be, reduce the heat.  If you see it falling below what it should be, raise your heat.  I normally don’t leave my kitchen while I’m pressure canning, just so I can keep a close watchful eye on the pressure.

When your timer goes off, turn the stove off.  Actually, turn the stove off and walk away.  Go take a much deserved seat for a while.  You HAVE to leave the lid on and allow the pressure canner to return to normal pressure.  I just let mine sit for quite a while.  Once the pressure is down to normal you can remove the lid and take your jars out.   Always remove the lid facing away from you so you don’t get burned with steam.  I then use the jar lifter to remove them from the canner.  And I always set them on a kitchen towel then cover them with another towel.  I don’t want them to cool down too quickly.

If you are new to pressure canning, I highly suggest purchasing a book on it.  The Ball Blue Book is a fabulous resource!  There are some variables to consider, like altitude, and a book would be a great resource to get you familiar with pressure canning.

And nothing is quite as satisfying after a long, exhausting day of canning than seeing all those jars full of food you prepared with love for your family.  Give yourself a high-five!

Canning supplies I use, with links to purchase:

Ignite Intimacy | Intimacy After Unfaithfulness

ignite intimacy couple sex

The silent burden you’re carrying seems too heavy to lift some days.  The hurt, the extreme hurt, seems to reach directly down to your bones.  The knife stabbing pains of a broken heart.  There are days where the pain literally takes away your ability to breathe.

Things that once looked so familiar to you now look like things you don’t even recognize.  The coffee pot he made coffee in each morning while he was lying to you.  The couch you snuggled on while watching tv while he was lying to you.  The stairs you both walked up to your bedroom while he was lying to you.  The socks he put on each morning while he was lying to you.  Literally every single item in your house is filled with lies.  And as you glance around each day, that is what you see.

Some might tell you to take comfort in knowing you aren’t suffering alone, that there are so many other women across the world walking this same path.  You find no comfort in that.  None.  Truth is the valley you are walking through is dark, cold, lonely and so very scary.  Along the path is hurt, anger and bitterness.

Let me speak directly to your heart sweet girl.  God wants to hold your broken heart in His hands.  That is the only way.  Listen to my words and let me say it again…that is the ONLY way.  He can heal your broken heart and He will heal it.  But first, you must give Him all the pieces.  The challenge is first finding all of the pieces.  Like shards of broken glass, the pieces weave themselves so very deep into our hearts.  And Satan is right there, breaking the pieces smaller and hiding them better.

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds
Psalm 147:3

The pain touches a deep, vulnerable place often known only to God.  When hurting is the only thing you can feel, it is such a lonely place to be.  So many times when we are going through pain, we are told to get over it, move on and let it go.  They don’t understand how slow this hurt heals.  The world offers so many ways to numb the pain, but they are only temporary fixes.  Please oh please don’t fall for that trap.  If we turn to them, then we aren’t allowing God to heal our hurt.  Allowing Him to search and heal our hearts is the only true way to have them healed.  Only He knows the deepness and complexity of our pain.

Psalm 56:8 says You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.  Our tears are not in vain.  God knows each of His children intimately, and every tear we shed has meaning to Him.  He remembers our sorrow.  And in the end, He will share His joy with us.  Revelation 21:4 says He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.  Sweet girl, find comfort in that.  Not only does he know your sorrow, but He will wipe every tear from our eyes.  Don’t suffer through your grief alone.  Don’t be unwilling to be vulnerable with God.  Give Him your heart, hand it over to Him to search and find all those little pieces of hurt and allow His hands to heal it as only He can.

Search me O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way
Psalm 139:23-24

In Scripture, unfaithfulness is the only “acceptable” reason for dissolving a marriage.  But I want to tell you today that even this betrayal, the ultimate betrayal, doesn’t have to result in divorce.

When it feels like all hope is lost, hand that relationship over to God.  It’s so easy to make rash decisions while our heart is broken.  Many days, divorce sounds like the best and sometimes easiest option.  Hand it over to Him, pray about it and search out biblical council.  Cling to God like never before and allow Him to carry you through it.

God has a beautiful reconciliation full of grace planned for you.  Often times the relationship, once it has endured the storm, will come out of it stronger and new.  Through all the conversations, all the deepness, you now know each other differently.  This is the blessing of true healing from the hands of God.  At times, taking it day by day seems like such a big task.  Just take it minute by minute, and allow His grace to carry you through each one.

If you’ve experienced betrayal in your marriage, you may have a few reservations about bringing sex back into the relationship.  I think that is understandable and a normal fear.

How do you even begin to entertain the thought of sexual intimacy with him when he’s been unfaithful?  How do you move on?  How do you move back into the intimacy that was unfairly taken from you?

Forgiveness

The hurt just seems too big to ever get past.  The pressure to forgive quickly is strong in this high-speed world we live in.

Forgiveness isn’t a feeling—it’s a choice we make.  Depending on the size of the break in trust, forgiveness may be a process and can’t be rushed.  If you’ve accepted God’s forgiveness, you have the power to forgive your spouse.

Allow yourself to feel whatever you feel, without judgment.  Don’t put unnecessary pressure on yourself to forgive quickly.  Emotion is a teacher, allow yourself room to feel and learn from those feelings.  Forgiveness accesses the spiritual part of a person, allowing you to regain a sense of personal meaning.  This is a great time to nurture your relationship with God.

Rebuild Trust

You have to rebuild trust before you can bring sexual intimacy back into the relationship.  This trust will take time, the same as forgiveness does.  Forgiveness opens our heart to be able to plant seeds of trust again.

But remember: There must be more than apologies.  To earn your trust, your spouse needs to make some real changes.  Your spouse should recognize it was his sin that caused you to not trust him.  His goal is to restore trust by removing doubts.  Maybe they need to join a support group, talk to a mentor or be open and willing to prove his whereabouts as a form of accountability.

Prayer

Being intimate after infidelity is definitely something you have to pray about.  It’s something you need to submit to the Lord.  He will let you know when it is time, and He will help you follow through when you decide you’re ready to give yourself to your husband sexually again.  It’s not something you should rush into but it may happen quicker than you realize.  You may feel you need the assurance that your husband still wants you.  Or you may feel if he still wants you, then he needs to respect your timing of being intimate again.

Intentional Love Making

Be prepared the first time you’re intimate for raw emotions to make their way to the surface.  Heartache and pure love all together, pouring from your shattered heart.  Beforehand, ask your spouse to be patient, tender and understanding.

You may be craving that reassurance that they are still sexually attracted to you.  You may be feeling inadequate and unwanted, and need to know that they choose you over their infidelity. Bringing love-making back into your marriage can help with the healing process and allow you to focus on forgiveness instead of your own rejection.

There is no intimacy without an open heart.  When it is open, it has the capacity to generate love, warmth, affection and last but certainly not least…intimacy!

I know even reading this post made your heart ache and the tears flow.  I wish so very much I could reach through this screen and give you a big hug and just cry with you.  One day the hurt will be a little less, I promise.  And that will feel like the first “good day” you’ve ever had.  And each week, there will be more glimpses of sunshine.  Eventually your good days will run together, and smiles and laughter will abound.  One day, you will look back on this horrible time and be thankful for it.  Thankful for the love that grows deeper with each passing day, tested by fire and found strong enough to stand again.  Trust me, you will get there if you allow God to heal your heart and your marriage.  He brings beauty from the ashes.

You will move on past this.  You will hold your head high, knowing the storm may have knocked you down but it didn’t win.