Hi! I am Karen, mother of two hungry kids and full time high school science teacher. I believe that even busy families can find time for fresh, homemade foods. Despite my full life, I strive to feed my family of four delicious, nutritious, and economical meals. As a family, we strive to grow as much food as we can from our small semi-urban lot in Sonoma County, California. We have multiple fruit trees, a vegetable garden, and 4 loud chickens.
The bounty of each season is worth celebrating! Many of our meals are based on whatever is fresh and bountiful in our yard or what we can glean from the yards of our friends and neighbors. What seasonal food we have in surplus goes into the canning jars. Visit Home Canning Basics for a primer on canning and a list of my food preservation recipes. I hope you will read along with me and find some inspiration to fill your belly, pantry, and life with fresh and tasty foods.
Thank you for visiting my site. You can also find My Pantry Shelf on Facebook and food52.I love to hear from my readers, feel free to comment or ask questions about the recipes and posts! Feel free to email me at mypantryshelf@yahoo.com
Karen Juul Wilkinson
Just so you know…
All recipes and commentary on My Pantry Shelf are protected under copyright- My Pantry Shelf 2010-2012. If there is an element (picture, recipe, story, etc.) found on this site that you would like to use, please contact me for permission. Any reference or use of content should include a link back to this site. Thank you!
My Pantry Shelf 
September 17, 2011 at 8:41 pm
hi Karen,
Had some down time and checked out yr site… You are an inspiration! I can’t wait to try some of these recipes!
— Natalie (from spin clas)
September 18, 2011 at 7:08 pm
Thank you, Natalie! So glad you stopped by. The inspiration is mutual.
Karen
September 27, 2011 at 5:25 pm
Can’t wait to try some of your recipes! Love your blog!
March 6, 2012 at 7:39 am
Hi Karen,
I stopped by to say thank you for the like and for the follow. I’m so glad I came back and looked around! I love your blog and have found numerous recipes I can’t wait to try. Thank you :-) Have a great week!
April 22, 2012 at 2:44 pm
I love your blog – I just nominated you for the Sunshine Blog Award!
July 3, 2012 at 3:01 pm
Hi Karen,
Did anyone from Craftzine blog contact you? I wrote to the editor and told her she should check out your blog for local food craft!
Making cherry rhubarb jam tomorrow!
Amy
July 3, 2012 at 7:44 pm
Amy,
Thanks so much for spreading the word about My Pantry Shelf. I have not heard from Craftzine, but I’ll let you know if I do. Glad to hear you are giving the Cherry Rhubarb a try. My kids have taken to chanting, “CHERRY RHUBARB” every time I serve them a piece of toast or a pancake. It is really a hit around here. Welcome back to the states!
Karen
September 1, 2012 at 4:21 pm
Hi Karen, I’m so so glad I found your blog!! Earlier this year I inherited my great grandmothers diaries from 1914- 1924 and she talks so much about her veggie garden and fruit trees and her hens, ducks etc!! She also talked about canning and preserving which I have been wanting to try and make it a part of our lifestyle. Your recipes give me inspiration to just do it!! I’m almost 40 and have a 16 yr old son and I’m just now jumping on the fresh, nutritious, home grown lifestyle by putting in a Square Foot Garden. Keep up the great blog!!
Lorie
September 16, 2012 at 9:49 pm
What a treasure to have you grandmother’s diaries! I inherited my grandmother’s recipe books with her canning notes. I love feeling close to her through the kitchen. I hope you do find inspiration here. It is never to late to start!
January 15, 2013 at 11:05 am
You and your blog are inspiring, so I nominated you for an award! http://wp.me/p18CG9-FU
March 26, 2013 at 10:08 am
Karen, great blog!! I can’t wait to try the bacon burger with homemade buns recipe. Always love reading about food and it seems that we have some things in common (full-time work, two children, and a love of cooking!) Cheers!
March 26, 2013 at 11:12 am
Thanks Erin! Yes, we should compare strategies for our busy lives:).
March 28, 2013 at 6:15 am
Hi Karen,
Just stopping by to say I really enjoyed following your blog and I have nominated you for Kreativ Blogger Award. If you’re interested in, pop by this link http://matchamochimoo.wordpress.com/2013/03/28/thanks-awards-on-march-2013/ for more details and follow the rules. Keep your good work.
June 17, 2013 at 12:16 pm
So glad I came across your blog today. Very tasteful and well done. Look forward to checking in on a regular basis! :)
June 17, 2013 at 12:46 pm
Thank you!
July 16, 2015 at 9:17 am
Hi Karen, I found your blog when I was looking for ideas on What to make with my plums.
I couldn’t help but just be intented I’m drawn to kee on reading lots of your Great recipes and I love your narratives.
I also noticed you have been absent for about 2 years and I just wanted to give you some kudos and a little pixie dust with my best wishes hoping that you are doing well and come back to this, that you do so well.
Grisel
November 17, 2017 at 4:20 pm
Hi… I’m hopng you can answer my question. We pickled alot of jars of asparagus last year. We had the jars in our house and had to have a heat treatment done in our home, where they had to heat our home to over 135+ degrees Fareinheight. I didn’t think to remove my canned goods, after the heat treatment when we were able to come back in our home I could see the jars of asparagus boiling and heard the lids popping… would these still be good to eat… they are all still clear and look fine but I’m nervous about food poisoning? Thanks Jackie
December 16, 2018 at 8:11 pm
It sounds like the high heat caused the seal on the jars to fail. These should be tossed. Sad, but not worth the risk.