Home gardening offers ways to trim grocery costs [Survival Today, an on going thread]

Dallas News.com ^ | March 14th, 2008 | DEAN FOSDICK

[nw_arizona_granny]

Americans finding soaring food prices hard to stomach can battle back by growing their own food. [Click image for a larger version] Dean Fosdick Dean Fosdick

Home vegetable gardens appear to be booming as a result of the twin movements to eat local and pinch pennies.

At the Southeastern Flower Show in Atlanta this winter, D. Landreth Seed Co. of New Freedom, Pa., sold three to four times more seed packets than last year, says Barb Melera, president. "This is the first time I've ever heard people say, 'I can grow this more cheaply than I can buy it in the supermarket.' That's a 180-degree turn from the norm."

Roger Doiron, a gardener and fresh-food advocate from Scarborough, Maine, said he turned $85 worth of seeds into more than six months of vegetables for his family of five.

A year later, he says, the family still had "several quarts of tomato sauce, bags of mixed vegetables and ice-cube trays of pesto in the freezer; 20 heads of garlic, a five-gallon crock of sauerkraut, more homegrown hot-pepper sauce than one family could comfortably eat in a year and three sorts of squash, which we make into soups, stews and bread."

[snipped]

She compares the current period of market uncertainty with that of the early- to mid-20th century when the concept of victory gardens became popular.

"A lot of companies during the world wars and the Great Depression era encouraged vegetable gardening as a way of addressing layoffs, reduced wages and such," she says. "Some companies, like U.S. Steel, made gardens available at the workplace. Railroads provided easements they'd rent to employees and others for gardening."

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://www.recipesource.com/misc/canning/tomatoes-okra-zucchini1.html

Title: Tomatoes with Okra or Zucchini
Categories: Vegetables, Canning
Yield: 1 text

Quantity: An average of 12 pounds of tomatoes and 4 pounds of okra or
zucchini is needed per canner load of 7 quarts. An average of 7 pounds
of tomatoes and 2-1/2 pounds of okra or zucchini is needed per canner
load of 9 pints.

Procedure: Wash tomatoes and okra or zucchini. Dip tomatoes in boiling
water 30 to 60 seconds or until skins split. Then dip in cold water,
slip off skins and remove cores, and quarter. Trim stems from okra and
slice into 1-inch pieces or leave whole. Slice or cube zucchini if used.
Bring tomatoes to a boil and simmer 10 minutes. Add okra or zucchini and
boil gently 5 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon of salt for each quart to the
jars, if desired. Fill jars with mixture, leaving 1-inch headspace.
Adjust lids and process according to the recommendations in Table 1 or
Table 2, depending on the method of canning used.

Variation: You may add four or five pearl onions or two onion slices to
each jar.

Table 1. Recommended process time for Tomatoes with Okra or Zucchini in
a dial-gauge pressure canner.

Style of Pack: Hot. Jar Size: Pints, Quarts.
Process Time: 30 minutes for Pints, 35 minutes for Quarts.
Canner Gauge Pressure (PSI) at Altitudes of 0 - 2,000 ft: 11 lb.
2,001 - 4,000 ft: 12 lb.
4,001 - 6,000 ft: 13 lb.
6,001 - 8,000 ft: 14 lb.

Table 2. Recommended process time for Tomatoes with Okra or Zucchini in
a weighted-gauge pressure canner.

Style of Pack: Hot. Jar Size: Pints, Quarts.
Process Time: 30 minutes for Pints, 35 minutes for Quarts.
Canner Gauge Pressure (PSI) at Altitudes of 0 - 1,000 ft: 10 lb.
Above 1,000 ft: 15 lb.

---

* USDA Agriculture Information Bulletin No. 539 (rev. 1994)
* Meal-Master format courtesy of Karen Mintzias

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://www.recipesource.com/misc/canning/00/rec0029.html

Title: Tomato marmalade
Categories: Canning
Yield: 1 Servings

12 c Tomatoes
(measure after peeling/cutting
2 Oranges
3 Lemons
10 c Sugar
2 tb Whole cloves
2 ts Ground cinnamon

Tie spices in cotton cloth bag. Cut peeled tomatoes in small pieces.
Slice oranges and lemons very thin and quarter the slices. Remove
seeds, discard. Pour off juice from tomatoes. Add sugar. Stir until
the sugar is dissolved. Add oranges, lemons, and bag of spices. Place
mixture in large heavy pot and place on high heat. Bring to a rapid
boil, stirring often. (watch like a hawk!). Cook until clear and
thick ( 45 to 50 minutes) Pour into sterilized jars and seal at once
while hot. This Marmalade is everyone’s favorite. A word about ground
cinnamon vs sticks. Many of my old recipes call for sticks, and if
you have them they are fine to use, however ground cinnamon works
well if tied in cloth bag rather than cheese cloth. Also I use flat
lids and rings on all tomato jam and jelly. Makes 7 pints

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://www.recipesource.com/misc/canning/00/rec0040.html

Betty’s Pickled Dilled Beans

Recipe By : Key Gourmet CD Rom
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Canning Vegetables

Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
———— —————— ————————————————
4 pounds fresh green beans — up to 5
8 heads fresh dill — up to 16
8 cloves garlic
4 cups white vinegar — (5% acidity)
4 cups water
1/3 cup plus 2 tbsp. pickling salt

Wash and trim ends from beans. Cut into 4 inch lengths. In a 3 to 4 quart po
t, combine vinegar, water, and pickling salt. Bring to a boil over high heat.
In a hot pint jar, place 1 to 2 beads of dill and 1 clove garlic. Pack beans
tight in jars, leaving a 1/2 inch head space. Pour hot vinegar mixture into ja
rs. Remove air bubbles, wipe jar tops clean, place lids on jars, and screw ban
ds on tight. Process in boiling water for 10 minutes. Yields: 8 pints.

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://www.recipesource.com/misc/canning/00/rec0020.html

Aunt Mary’s Hot Pepper Mixture

Recipe By : Key Gourmet CD Rom
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Canning, Preserves, Etc

Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
———— —————— ————————————————
1 quart vinegar
1 quart water
1/4 cup salt

Add 5 to 6 peppers per jar and fill with carrots. For mixed, slice cucumbers,
carrots, celery and peppers; pack in jars. Heat brine and fill jars. Process
in hot water bath for 5 minutes. Make sure jars seal.

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://www.recipesource.com/misc/mixes/02/rec0229.html

Title: Fruit Slush Mix
Categories: Master mix
Servings: 1

4 c Sugar 4 c Water
1 cn Frozen Orange Juice * 1/2 c Lemon Juice
1 cn (46 oz) Pinapple Juice

* The can of Orange Juice should be the 6 oz size of the concentrate.

---

Combine sugar and water in a medium saucepan. Heat until sugar is
dissolved. Add orange juice concentrate, lemon juice, and pinapple juice.
Fill 6 or 7 ice cube trays with mixture. Freeze until firm. Remove cubes
from freezer trays and store in plastic bags. Use within 6 months. Makes
about 100 small cubes.

VARIATION: Add 5 to 6 mashed bananas to mixture before freezing.

FRUIT SLUSH: Fill a glass with FRUIT SLUSH MIX cubes. Add ginger ale to
cover. Let stand 15 minutes and stir and serve.

Makes 1 serving

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://www.recipesource.com/misc/mixes/02/rec0279.html

Title: SALTLESS SURPRISE
Categories: Spices
Yield: 6 servings

2 ts Garlic powder
1 ts Basil
1 ts Anise seed
1 ts Oregano
1 ts Powdered lemon rind

Put ingredients into a blender, food processor or
clean coffee grinder. Blend well. Store in a dark
glass container in a dark, cool place. To prevent
caking, add a few grains of rice.

[nw_arizona_granny]

Are you keeping up with my posts?

Am I posting what you can use?

Smile and have a special day.

granny

[nw_arizona_granny]

[Wild and Wilder, this one will require some thought..granny]

http://www.justbreadmakerrecipes.com/printer/print-0044996.html

Celery-Celery-Celery Bread

2 ts Yeast
1/4 ts Ginger
1/4 ts Sugar
3 c Bread flour
1/2 c Quick cooking oats
2 tb Gluten
2 ts Celery seeds
1 1/2 ts Celery, garlic or onion salt
3/4 c Celery;fresh/slice thin
1 tb Celery leaves;fresh/chopped
1 Egg
10 3/4 oz Cream of celery soup
1 tb Vegetable oil
3 tb Low fat milk; heated

Place all ingredients in machine and push START!

Just Breadmaker Recipes is located at www.justbreadmakerrecipes.com

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://www.justbreadmakerrecipes.com/printer/print-0040644.html

Bell Pepper Bread

1 1/3 c water
2 tb Oil, olive
1 ts salt
1 ts Sugar
1 ts Pepper, red dried; crushed
1/2 ts Pepper, white
2 c Flour, whole wheat bread
2 c Flour, bread
2 ts Yeast
1 c Peppers, green/red; diced

Add first nine ingredients in order listed. Begin appropriate cycle. After first kneading, add bell peppers. Complete cycle.

Just Breadmaker Recipes is located at www.justbreadmakerrecipes.com

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://www.justbreadmakerrecipes.com/printer/print-0091298.html

Buttered Popcorn Bread

1 pk Yeast
1/4 ts Ginger
1/4 ts Sugar
2 1/2 c Better for Bread flour
2 ts Gluten
1 tb Butter Buds salt
5 c Popcorn;popped/battered/ salted and crushed, crushed by hand or in a food processor until reduced to 2 1/2 cups
1 tb Popcorn oil;or veg. oil
1 1/2 c Very warm water

Add all the ingredients into the pan in the order listed, set darkness control at 11 o’clock Select white bread and push “Start” Try toasted slices spread with Kaplan’s Better Than Butterwhile watching movies on your own TV screen.

Just Breadmaker Recipes is located at www.justbreadmakerrecipes.com

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://www.justbreadmakerrecipes.com/printer/print-0091276.html

Bread Mix Packages

1 pk Yeast; * or 1 tblsp
1 ts Salt
2 tb Sugar
3 1/4 c Flour; sifted

* Yeast goes first, so it’ll remain on the top of the ingredient when the bag is dumped into the bread machine.

When you need to make the bread, simply put 2 tablespoons of oil with 1-1/8 cup water into the machine, then dump your mix on top. Bake according to machine instructions.

Just Breadmaker Recipes is located at www.justbreadmakerrecipes.com

[nw_arizona_granny]

Autumn Harvest Bread

1 1/2 lb loaf:
1/2 c Carrots; diced, cooked, pureed
1/2 c Canned pumpkin; or diced banana squash, cooked, pureed
1/2 c Unsweetened applesauce
1/4 c Carrot water; the water from which you cooked the carrots
1 1/2 c Whole wheat flour
1 1/2 c Bread flour
1 1/2 ts Salt
1 1/2 tb Butter; or margarine
2 tb Honey
1/4 ts Allspice; ground
2 ts Red Star yeast

Place all ingredients in bread pan, press light crust setting, and press start. After baking cycle ends, remove bread from pan, place on cake rack, and allow to cool 1 hour before slicing.

Just Breadmaker Recipes is located at www.justbreadmakerrecipes.com

[nw_arizona_granny]

Austrian Bread

2 1/2 ts Active dry yeast
1 1/3 c Bread flour
2/3 c Rye flour
1/3 c Wheat germ
2 tb Gluten flour, 100%
1 ts Salt
1/4 ts Ground allspice
1/4 ts Rosemary
1/2 tb Oil
3 tb Fruit concentrate; or honey
1 c Water; + 1 t if at high altitude

use white bread setting, light

Just Breadmaker Recipes is located at www.justbreadmakerrecipes.com

[nw_arizona_granny]

Orange Cinnamon Bread

1 c Juice, orange
2 tb Margarine
2 ts Cinnamon
1 ts Oragne peel; grated
3/4 ts salt
2 ts Sugar
3 c Flour, bread
2 1/2 ts Yeast

Add ingredients in order listed to ABM. Select cycle and bake.

Just Breadmaker Recipes is located at www.justbreadmakerrecipes.com

[nw_arizona_granny]

Sweet Orange Bread

2 Water
1 Egg white
2 Orange juice
3/4 Salt
1 Applesauce or margarine
2 Bread flour
1 1/2 Instant dry milk powder
3 Sugar
1/4 Orange peel
1 1/2 Rapid rise yeast

Combine all ingredients according to manufacturer’s directions. Process in regular, delayed, or rapid bake cycle.

Just Breadmaker Recipes is located at www.justbreadmakerrecipes.com

[nw_arizona_granny]

Sage Cornmeal Bread

1 1/2 lb loaf:
1 1/2 ts Active Dry Yeast
2 c Bread Flour, (10. 6 Oz)
1/2 c Yellow Cornmeal
1 tb Fresh Sage, Minced Fine
1/2 ts Salt
2 tb Honey
2 ts Butter
1 c Water

Put all the ingredients into the baking pan and set for light crust and push start.

The loaf came out very light. . . and had a great taste.

Just Breadmaker Recipes is located at www.justbreadmakerrecipes.com

[nw_arizona_granny]

Corn Meal Herb Bread

1 pk (5/16-oz) yeast
1 c Unbleached flour
3/4 c Bread flour
1/2 c White or yellow cornmeal
4 tb Fresh, chopped herbs*
1 tb Vegetable oil
1 ts Salt
1 tb Sugar
7/8 c Water

Chives, cilentro, Italian parsley, or basil, OR 4 teaspoons dry herbs. SERVE WARM WITH SWEET BUTTER Put all ingredients, in the order given, into the bread machine, select WHITE bread, and push Start. NOTE: You’ll like the crunchy texture of the corn meal in the top crust. The herbs create a wonderful fragrance while it’s baking and a spectacular taste once it’s done. Serve warm with sweet butter. Makes 1 loaf, 8 slices.

Just Breadmaker Recipes is located at www.justbreadmakerrecipes.com

[nw_arizona_granny]

Third Bread

1 pk Yeast
3/4 c Flour, rye
3 c Flour, bread
3/4 c Cornmeal, yellow
1 1/2 ts Salt
1/2 c Honey
1 1/2 c Water, very warm

Put ingredients into the pan in the order listed, select white bread and push start.

Just Breadmaker Recipes is located at www.justbreadmakerrecipes.com

[nw_arizona_granny]

Zesty Orange Bread

1 c Water; lukewarm
3 c White bread flour
1 1/2 tb Dry milk
3 tb Sugar
1 ts Salt
3 tb Butter
2 1/2 tb Orange zest; fresh
1 ts Cinnamon
2 1/2 ts Orange extract
1/2 c Pecan bits
2 1/4 ts Active dry yeast

Add ingredients according to bread machine manufacturer’s instructions.

Makes a 1.5 pound loaf.

Just Breadmaker Recipes is located at www.justbreadmakerrecipes.com

[nw_arizona_granny]

Thai Rice Black Bread

6 tb Rice; Black
1 c Water
1/2 c Rye; oat or whole wheat Flour
2 c Bread Flour; Or All Purpose Flou
1 tb Malt; Or Molasses
1 ts Salt
1 1/2 ts Fennel; or anise seeds
1 ts Caraway seed
1 1/2 ts Cumin seed
1 tb Oil
1 1/2 ts Dry yeast

Simmer rice in water until just tender. Cool and pour into transparent measure. Add water to bring the total measure up to 11 ounces. Add to mixing bowl with the remaining ingredients except the yeast. Place yeast in proper place according to the directions for your machine.

Just Breadmaker Recipes is located at www.justbreadmakerrecipes.com