A |Gift from Nellie

Yesterday I bought myself an angel cat as my Nellie Memorial

 

This morning, Nellie sent me a gift.

Pickled Asparagus with Balsamic Vinegar

Today I made pickled asparagus. 

I have been wanting to try something different. I love asparagus with balsamic vinegar and I thought I would try to make pickled asparagus using some balsamic vinegar. 

I used my regular recipe but I substituted 1/3rd of the regular vinegar with White Balsamic vinegar.

Alas, finding the right height canning jars has been difficult. I had to use the regular 500ml wide mouth jars. 

Lemon and Dill

 

Fresh Dill

Trimmed Asparagus

And here there are, packed into the jars along with the spices -- celery seed, all spice and mustard seed.

And here are the other 2 jars in the pot 

and after 10 minutes processing!

I won't be able to try the pickles for a week, but after tasting the brine, I believe these are going to be wonderful!

Tomorrow I am going to make regular asparagus pickles with what I have left. I have some regular quart sealers and will make them longer (for Cesars!!!)

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

• 6 pounds asparagus, trimmed to fit your pint jars
• 4.5 cups vinegar (1.5 cup white balsamic and 3 cups white)
• 4.5 cups water
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt (or pickling salt)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• Put in each jar:
• 1/8 tsp celery seed
• 1/4 tsp mustard seed
• 1/4 tsp black peppercorns
• 3 all spice berries
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 slice lemon
• fresh dill
• 7 500 ml (8 oz0 wide mouth jars (if you use the taller, 12 ounce jelly jars, you don’t have to cut your asparagus quite as short and you’ll probably fill 4-5 jars).

Instructions

1. Sterilize your jars.
2. Put the lemon slice, spices and dill in the bottom and pack the trimmed asparagus into the jars (it’s up to you to determine whether you want to go tips up or down). Tuck a garlic clove down into the asparagus spears.
3. Bring the vinegar, water, salt and sugar to a boil. Pour into jars on top of asparagus, leaving at least 1/4 inch of head space.
4. Put lids and rings on the jars and process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes (you can skip this step if you plan on just putting your pickles in the fridge).

 

Thanks Yous Dear Furrends!

Mes had the mostest marvelous time yesterday! Mes danced the whole day away with my furrends that is over the rainbow bridge and wes watched as so many of yous came to my birthday pawty that Kozmo and Jo Jo and my hairy slobbery sister had yesterday at Casa Cat From Hell!

It was MAGNIFICENT!!

 

And mes gotted some fabulishious cards!

First this lovely one from my protegee Shoko and her sisfur Kali! 

Me promised to helps Shoko with her gardening, so yous may sees me pop up on their blog 

And the next one was from my furrends Pipo, Minko and Mr Jack Freckles!

AND yous guys left some magnificent comments on my blog! Mes LOVED every single one of them!
One thing that Kozmo forgotted to say was that it was a comment-a-thon (mes almost always has a Comment-a-thon on my birthday).

Yous guys helped raise $35 dollars for the Richmond Animal Protection Society.

They are building a new facility that will include an animal hospital! Is that not a wonderful idea!!

Mes has my eye on a new furrend for Mommy at their shelter....

Now excuse mes, Me and Eric and Flynn is off on a Mouse Safari!!!

 Kisses

Your Nellie Bellie

It's Nellie's Birthday Party Time!

Hi Guys! Kozmo here!
Today we are celebrating what would be Nellie's 19th Birthday!



Jo Jo, Cinnamon and  I arrived with Daddy last week.
We  are kind of sorry that Nellie was not here to greet us with her usual hisses and meerroows!
She really did like us, but she had to keep up her Cat From Hell attitude. She tells me now that she is over the bridge, she can look the way she has always wanted...



When we got here, there was a giant box of Queen decorations that Nellie had ordered,
 Jo Jo and I spent the weekend decorating -- Mommy was not to sure about us having a party...
but when Mommy saw the bills for the cake and other stuff Nellie ordered for her birthday...
She said Let's have a
PARTY FOR ALL OF NELLIE'S FRIENDS!!!

That's YOU guys

So come one in!!!

Cinnamon and Jo Jo are handing out Party Crowns!!! Help yourself!

First, the Angel Nellie Birthday Cake!

Queen Penelope designed and ordered this cake MONTHS ago!
 It is the purrfect centerpiece for the party!

Out on the Deck there is a Seafood Buffet

Make sure you help yourself before its all gone!

Daddy also made Roast Beast!  There is another beast on the grill so we have loads for the woofies too!

Speaking of woofies, Cinnamon went shopping! She got roasted bones!

There's a ton of them (I think she wants to take any extras back to Midway) and cookies too!

I got a zillion cat treats!!

 

And a TON of Nellie's favorite -- freeze dried salmon!!!

And not to forget Nellie's best beau Speedy and his Bunny Buddies, we got 

 

Rabbit nummies!!!

So grab yourself a Niphito some food and have a great time!!!

The Band is warming up!

 Have a Great time

And the QUEEN!

Selfie Sunday

Tomorrow!!!

Come and have 

FUN!!

 

It's Selfie Sunday at the Cat on My Head! 

Click on their button to see all the other selfies!

http://thecatonmyhead.com/special-mothers-day-selfies-poem/

 

Wordless Wednesday

 

One of my favorite shots of Nellie

Kozmo and Jo Jo are visiting and want to have a Birthday Party for Nellie on Monday!
Stop by and enjoy the festivities.

Dearest Flynn

One of the first blogs I followed was written by Jackie about Eric and Flynn. I faithfully read her blog for about a year. Then I had an accident and was flat on my back in bed. I started the Cat From Hell, and thought maybe I could share Nellie the way that Jackie shared Eric and Flynn. 

For the last 8 years, I was privileged to work with Jackie on a number of crossover posts. 

Nellie LOVED to visit Eric and Flynn.

When Eric went over the bridge both of us were devastated, but that did not stop Nellie from visiting Flynn.

Both Flynn and Nellie were elderly cats and particularly this last year I noticed the changes in their pictures.

I hope our "kids" are having the mouse hunt of their dreams.

Thanks for sharing your Ginger Boy with us Jackie and Ivor. 

We have so loved Flynn, his mouse hunts and walks in the fields, his love of Eric and You and his Dad and his Pot.

Thank you for letting him be part of Nellie's blog too.

And Jackie and Ivor, I send you all my love and strength.

Barb