Posted on 03/23/2008 11:36:40 PM PDT by 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."
(Excerpt) Read more at dallasnews.com ...
http://www.pinchingyourpennies.com/forums/showthread.php?t=45325
Winter Health
Extreme cold temperatures pose a substantial danger during the winter months. Prolonged exposure to the cold can cause frostbite, hypothermia, or even death. Persons most susceptible to extreme cold are infants and the elderly.
Cold Weather Health Threats
Frostbite is a severe reaction to cold exposure of the skin that can permanently damage fingers, toes, the nose and ear lobes. Symptoms are loss of feeling and a white or pale appearance to the skin. If these symptoms are apparent, seek medical help immediately. If medical help is not immediately available, slowly re-warm the affected areas. If the victim is also showing signs of hypothermia, always warm the body core before the extremities (see below).
Hypothermia (Low Body Temperature)
is a condition brought on when the body temperature drops to less than 95°F. Symptoms include slow or slurred speech, incoherence, memory loss, disorientation, uncontrollable shivering, drowsiness, repeated stumbling and apparent exhaustion. If these symptoms are detected, take the person’s temperature. If below 95°F, immediately seek medical help. If medical aid is not available, begin warming the person slowly. Always warm the body core/trunk first. If needed, use your own body heat to warm the victim. Get the person into dry clothing, and wrap them in a warm blanket, covering the head and neck. Do not give the person alcohol, drugs, coffee or any hot beverage or food; warm broth is better. Do not warm extremities (arms and legs) first. This drives the cold blood toward the heart and can lead to heart failure.
Winter Deaths
Everyone is potentially at risk, with the actual threat depending upon individual situations. Recent winter death statistics in the United States indicate the following:
Deaths related to ice and snow: About 70 percent occur in automobiles; 25 percent are people caught out in the storm; and the majority are males over 40 years old.
Deaths related to exposure to cold: 50 percent are people over 60 years old; over 75 percent are males; and about 20 percent occur in the home.
Recommended Winter Attire
Wear loose fitting, lightweight, warm clothing in several layers (the trapped air between the layers insulates). Layers can be removed to avoid perspiration and subsequent chill. Outer garments should be tightly woven, water repellent and hooded. Wear a hat (half of body heat is lost through the top of the head). Cover the mouth with scarves to protect lungs from cold air. Mittens, snug at the wrists, are better than gloves. Gloves allow your fingers to cool much faster than mittens do. Try to stay dry. Do not stay outside for extended periods!
Be Aware!
Cold weather puts a strain on your heart, even without exercise. Be careful when shoveling snow, pushing a car or performing other strenuous tasks. Regardless of your age or physical condition, avoid overexertion in the winter.
http://www.pinchingyourpennies.com/forums/showthread.php?t=45325&page=2&pp=10
Idaho State - http://www.isp.state.id.us/Winterdriving.html
(some of the links on that page do not work)
Travelers Info - http://511.idaho.gov/
Road Conditions - http://hb.511.idaho.gov/main.jsf
Your Car
Be prepared for the unexpected emergency...always carry a First Aid kit, map, ice scraper, snow brush, matches, candles, flashlight, warning triangles, flares, tow and battery jumping cables, folding shovel, a bag of sand, a blanket, winter gloves, cell phone if you have one, and an emergency HELP sign that you can put in the back window if you need help.
A blanket is a good idea—just in case. If you have any winter clothes you don’t wear anymore, especially an old pair of boots, throw them in the trunk, too.
Keep all your car’s windows, mirrors and lights clear of snow and ice.
Always keep the air intake grill free of snow and ice.
Take an extra minute to clear all the snow and ice from your car. This will help avoid sheets of ice flying off the car and hitting the car behind you. Check that headlamps, turn signals, and tail lights are unobstructed by snow and ice.
Clear off the entire car, not just a little peephole in the windshield. First of all, you need just as much, if not more, visibility in poor conditions, because you have to keep your eye peeled for every other knucklehead on the road. Make sure every glass surface is clear and transparent by using a snow brush and/or ice scraper. Your side view mirrors and all lights should be brushed and cleared as well.
Install snow tires on all four wheels. Never mix radial tires with other tire types.
Add gas line anti-freeze to the fuel-tank when refueling in extremely cold weather.
Get ready for harsh winter driving weather:
Keep gas tank always over half full.
In the winter, if you do get stuck or stranded, the engine will be your only source of heat. (And make sure you keep a window open a crack if you’re sitting there with the engine running.
The other reason for a full tank is that warm daytime temperatures will fill the empty space in the tank with moisture, which will condense during the cold night. This water will sink to the bottom and, sooner or later, rust out your tank.
Make sure your windshield wipers are in good shape.
Check windshield washer fluid level.
On a snowy or messy day, you can easily go through quite a bit of fluid trying to keep your windshield clear. For that reason, it’s also a good idea to keep some extra fluid in the trunk in case you run out. If you plan to travel in a very cold area, you also may need to supplement your windshield washer fluid with some concentrate.
Check engine oil, especially before long trips. Note that cars use more oil in the winter and as such check the oil level more often than you do in the summer. Use winter weight oil (5W-30).
Keep battery terminals clean, tight, free of corrosion and dry.
Check tire pressure, tire condition, and spare tire pressure regularly. Tires lose on the average 1 pound per month through normal leakage.
Carrying skis or snowboards? Load your roof rack according to manufacturer’s specifications.
Have a mechanic check the battery, charging system and belts. If you find that you need a new battery, get the biggest, meanest, toughest battery that will fit in your car. Two things to remember about batteries: First, the battery that started your car easily in the summer may not have enough oomph to do it in winter, when the oil isn’t as “fluid” as it was last July. And secondly, batteries lose power as the temperature drops. So, not only do you need MORE power to start the car in winter, you also get LESS power from the same battery.
Check coolant level and mixture
Make certain the antifreeze will protect your car to the winter temperatures you’ll experience in your area. In the higher elevations of Idaho it often can drop to well below zero overnight. By the way, this is very important. If the stuff freezes, it expands, and it’s bye-bye engine block.
If your coolant hasn’t been changed in several years, get the cooling system flushed. The rust inhibitors in antifreeze break down over time and need to be renewed. Plus, draining out the coolant and refilling the system removes dirt and rust particles that can clog up the cooling system and cause problems in winter and summer.
Your Trip
Before beginning your trip, know the current road conditions and weather forecast.
For state-wide highway information 24-hours-a-day, check out
**********website*********
Road & Weather Reports for Idaho and the surrounding western states
You can also get information via phone at 1-888-IDA-ROAD (in the Treasure Valley call 336-6600)
Leave a few minutes early to allow extra time to get to your destination.
Do not drive when there are whiteouts, freezing rain or blizzards.
Restrain your dog. Travel harnesses are available in pet stores. Don’t forget to provide ventilation for your traveling pet.
Never drink and drive. Use a designated driver whenever possible. Call a cab or a friend if you have been drinking.
Buckle up - always use your belt. This means all passengers and children, too.
Feeling tired? Pull off the road.
Normal Winter Driving Tips
Never warm up a vehicle in an enclosed area, such as a garage.
Carbon monoxide quickly builds up in enclosed areas and it cannot be sensed by your nose.
Always wear your safety belt. In Idaho, all children under 4 years or 40 pounds must be in an approved child safety seat.
(More information on seat belts & child restraints -
check out this website: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration - Buckle Up America!
Also - What does Idaho Law say about safety restraints?
Seat Belts Laws - http://www3.state.id.us/cgi-bin/new...tid=490060073.K
Child Restraints Law - http://www3.state.id.us/cgi-bin/new...tid=490060072.K
Start out slowly in the lowest gear recommended by your vehicle’s manufacturer.
Watch for hazardous road conditions. Take extra care when driving on icy roads and watch out for hard to see patches of ice (black ice). Especially in shady spots and bridges.
Keep a safe distance of at least five seconds behind other vehicles and trucks that are plowing the road.
When there is snow on the ground and the sun is very bright - wear sunglasses to protect your eyes and prevent excessive eye fatigue.
Avoid driving when you are tired.
Always maintain a safe following distance between your car and the vehicle in front. It takes a greater distance to stop on ice and snow.
Don’t pass a snowplow or spreader unless it is absolutely necessary.
Treat these as you would emergency response vehicles.
Always maintain a safe following distance between your car and the vehicle in front. It takes a greater distance to stop on ice and snow.
Every car has different handling characteristics. You should know what your car can and cannot do in the snow. You should know if it has antilock brakes and traction control, how they work and how they help. In fact, you should practice using these features in an empty parking lot before you have to use them on the roads. See your owner’s manual for details.
When driving in the snow, do everything slowly. Even with good coolant, snow tires, traction control, all-wheel drive and the bag of pretzels in the trunk, keep in mind that driving in snow, sleet and ice is very treacherous. And even if you maintain control of your car, not everyone else will. So, don’t ever get lulled into a false sense of security. Do everything slowly and gently. Remember, in the snow, the tires are always just barely grabbing the road. Accelerate slowly and gently, turn slowly and gently and brake slowly and gently. To do this, you have to anticipate turns and stops. That means, what? Going slowly and leaving plenty of distance between you and other cars. Rapid movements lead to skids and loss of control.
If you’re nervous about driving in winter, consider spending some time practicing. Go to an empty parking lot and try sending the car into a little skid on purpose. Slam on the brakes, then practice turning into the skid and see what happens—and practice until you’re comfortable regaining control of the car. Doing this in a large, empty parking lot allows you the luxury of skidding without ending up flat on your back, looking up into the eyes of several ambulance personnel and police. The more comfortable you are maintaining control and regaining control, the better a winter driver you’ll be.
Drive economically - use a light foot on the accelerator pedal.
Driving In Extreme Low Visibility Winter Conditions
If you must go out when the conditions are poor, take a friend with you. Four eyes are better than two anytime, and if you get yourself into trouble two people are usually better to find solutions rather than one.
When encountering whiteout, blizzard conditions or freezing rain - Slow down immediately ! Try to get off the highway to a safe area until the visibility and road conditions are better.
If you are on the interstate ..and your visibility is limited because of passing trucks, blowing snow, freezing rain, etc -— get off and drive slowly on a secondary road... They are a lot less hazardous and you can drive slowly without cramping any yahoo’s style. You have no big trucks to contend with and if you do slide into a ditch...there are usually houses around where people are willing to let you use a telephone to call for help.
Turn on your four way flashers and proceed slowly with a lot of caution. Put on the window wipers and front and rear window defrosters
Watch the rear view mirror for vehicles who might rear end you. Do not use high beams as they only reflect the snow and make it worse.
Watch for cars that might just suddenly appear in front of you. Roll down your window if you need to and listen for any cars coming!
Drive as if there were eggs on the bottom of your feet—step on the gas and the brake pedals so gently that you don’t break the eggshell.
PLEASE BE CAREFUL!!!!
http://www.byub.org/livingessentials/episodes/files/139AdditionalResources.pdf
Creative Uses of Dried Food
“Dried food can be a great staple in food storage and an inexpensive way to prepare good convenience mixes for fast cooking. Knowing how to dry foods and use them can give you additional variety for your cooking and food storage.” - Peggy Layton
Why Dehydrate?
Dried foods are used to create convenience mixes which can add quality and convenience to your cooking. Dehydrated foods add variety to home storage as well as everyday cooking. They are easy to store and take much less space than canned or fresh foods.
Downloadable pdf, 11 pages. Found at:
http://www.byub.org/livingessentials
Web Resources
National Center for Home Food Preservation http://www.uga.edu/nchfp
FiasCoFarm.com http://fiascofarm.com
CheeseMaking.com http://CheeseMaking.com
DairyConnection.com http://DairyConnection.com
SurvivalistSkills.com http://SurvivalistSkills.com
Emergency Essentials http://www.byub.org/livingessentials
GrandmasCountry.com http://grandmascountry.com
Home Canning in Utah
http://extension.usu.edu/htm/public...ry/category=319
Apple Butter
Yield: 8-9 pints
8 lbs apples
2 cups cider
2 cups vinegar
2 1/4 cups white sugar
2 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
2 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp ground cloves
Wash, remove stems, quarter and core fruit. Cook slowly in cider and vinegar until soft.
Press fruit through a colander, food mill or strainer. Cook fruit pulp with sugar and spices, stirring frequently. To test for doneness, remove a spoonful and hold it away from steam for 2 minutes. It is done if the butter remains mounded on the spoon. Another way to determine when the butter is cooked adequately is to spoon a small quantity onto a plate. When a film of liquid does not separate around the edges of the butter, it is ready for canning. Fill hot into jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Adjust lids and process in a boiling water canner.
Altitude: 1000 – 6000 ft
Boiling Water Bath:
Pints: 15 min
Half Pints: 10 min
Apples, Sliced
Approximately 19 pounds of apples yields 7 quarts. An average of 12-1/4 pounds yields 9 pints.
Wash, peel, and core apples. To prevent discoloration, pre-treat with ascorbic acid (see previous section). Raw pack canning yields poor quality product; therefore instructions are for hot pack only. Place drained slices in large saucepan and add 1 pint water or light to medium syrup per 5 pounds of sliced apples. Boil 5 minutes stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Fill jars with hot slices and hot syrup or water, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process in a boiling water-bath canner.
Altitude: 3000 – 6000 ft
Boiling Water Bath:
Pints: 30 min
Quarts: 30 min
Apple Pie Filling
Makes 7 quarts
6 quarts blanched, sliced apples
5 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups Clear Jel®
5 cups apple juice
7 drops yellow food coloring (optional)
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg (optional)
3/4 cup bottled lemon juice
Yield: 7 quarts
Use firm, crisp apples. If apples lack tartness, use an additional 1/4 cup bottled lemon juice for each 6 quarts of sliced apples.
Wash, peel, and core apples. Cut apples into slices, 1/2 inch wide. Pre-treat to prevent browning of fruit. Drain well. To blanch the fruit, place 6 cups at a time in 1 gallon of boiling water. Boil each batch for 1 minute after the water returns to a boil. Remove fruit from blanch water, but keep the hot fruit in a covered bowl or pot while the Clear Jel® mixture is prepared. Combine sugar, Clear Jel®, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large saucepot with water, apple juice and food coloring. Stir and cook on medium high heat until mixture thickens and begins to
bubble. Add lemon juice to the boiling mixture and boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Immediately fold in drained apple slices and fill hot jars with hot mixture. Leave 1-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rims. Adjust lids and process immediately for 25 minutes (pints or quarts) in a boiling water-bath canner.
Altitude: 3000 – 6000 ft
Boiling Water Bath:
Pints: 35 min
Quarts: 35 min
Pickled Corn Relish
Yield: About 9 pints
10 cups fresh whole kernel corn (16 to 20
medium-size ears), or six 10-ounce
packages of frozen corn
2 1/2 cups diced sweet red peppers
2 1/2 cups diced sweet green peppers
2 1/2 cups chopped celery
1 1/4 cups diced onions
1 3/4 cups sugar
5 cups vinegar (5%)
2 1/2 tbsp canning or pickling salt
2 1/2 tsp celery seed
2 1/2 tbsp dry mustard
1 1/4 tsp turmeric
Procedure: Boil ears of corn 5 minutes. Dip in cold water. Cut whole kernels from cob or use six 10-ounce frozen packages of corn. Combine peppers, celery, onions, sugar, vinegar, salt, and celery seed in a saucepan. Bring to boil and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Mix mustard and turmeric in 1/2 cup of the simmered mixture. Add this mixture and corn to the hot mixture. Simmer another 5 minutes. If desired, thicken mixture with flour paste (1/4 cup flour blended in 1/4 cup water) and stir frequently. Fill jars with hot mixture, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process.
Altitude: 1000 – 6000 ft
Boiling Water Bath:
Pints: 20 min
Half Pints: 20 min
Grape Jam
Yield: about 3 pints.
2 quarts grapes (Concord, Muscadine, Scuppernog)
6 cups sugar
To prepare pulp: Separate pulp from skins of grapes. Chop skins, if desired. Cook skins gently 15 to 20 minutes, adding only enough water to prevent sticking (about 1/2 cup). Cook pulp until soft. Press through sieve or food mill to remove seeds.
To prepare jam: Combine pulp, skins and sugar in a large saucepot. Bring slowly to boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cook rapidly almost to gelling point, about 10 minutes. As mixture thickens; stir frequently to prevent sticking. Remove from heat. Skim foam if necessary. Ladle hot jam into hot jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Adjust two-piece caps. Process in a boiling water canner.
Altitude: 1000 – 6000 ft
Boiling Water Bath:
Pints: 10 min
Half Pints: 10 min
Pear Butter
2 quarts pear pulp (about 20 medium, fully ripe pears)
4 cups sugar
1/3 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon grated orange rind
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg or 1/2 ground ginger
Quarter and core pears. Cook until soft, adding only enough water to prevent sticking.
Press through a sieve or food mill. Measure pulp.
Add remaining ingredients; cook until thick, about 15 minutes. As mixture thickens, stir frequently to prevent sticking. Pour hot butter into jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space. Wipe jar rims and adjust lids. Process as shown in the processing time table below.
Altitude: 1000 – 6000 ft
Boiling Water Bath:
Pints: 10 min
Half Pints: 10 min
Stewed Tomatoes
4 quarts chopped, peeled, cored tomatoes (about 24 large)
1 cup chopped celery (about 1 stalk)
1/2 cup chopped onion (about 1/2 medium)
1/4 cup chopped green pepper (about 1/4 medium)
1 Tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
Combine all ingredients in a large saucepot. Cover; cook 10 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking. Ladle hot vegetables into jars, leaving 1-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process in pressure canner according to chart below.
Altitude: 4000 – 6000 ft
Pressure: 10 lbs
Pints: 10 min
Quarts: 10 min
Spaghetti Sauce without Meat
Yield: About 9 pints
30 lbs tomatoes
1 cup chopped onions
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chopped celery or green peppers
1 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced (optional)
4-1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. oregano
4 Tbsp. minced parsley
2 tsp. black pepper
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
6
Procedure: Caution – Do not increase the proportion of onions, peppers, or mushrooms. Wash tomatoes and dip in boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds or until skins split.
Dip in cold water and slip off skins. Remove cores and quarter tomatoes. Boil 20 minutes, uncovered, in large saucepan. Put through food mill or sieve. Sauté onions, garlic, celery or peppers, and mushrooms (if desired) in vegetable oil until tender. Combine sautéed vegetables and tomatoes and add remainder of spices, salt, and sugar. Bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered until thick enough for serving. At this time the initial volume will have been reduced by nearly one-half. Stir frequently to avoid burning. Fill jars, leaving 1-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process in pressure canner according to chart below.
Altitude: 4000 – 6000 ft
Pressure: 13 lbs
Pints: 20 min
Quarts: 25 min
SPAGHETTI SAUCE WITH MEAT
Yield: About 9 pints
30 lbs tomatoes
2-1/2 lbs ground beef or sausage
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery or green peppers
1 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced (optional)
4-1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp oregano
4 tbsp minced parsley
2 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup brown sugar
Procedure: To prepare tomatoes, follow directions for Spaghetti Sauce Without Meat, page 3-11. Saute beef or sausage until brown. Add garlic, onion, celery or green pepper, and mushrooms, if desired. Cook until vegetables are tender. Combine with tomato pulp in large saucepan. Add spices, salt, and sugar. Bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, until thick enough for serving. At this time initial volume will have been reduced by nearly one-half. Stir frequently to avoid burning. Fill jars, leaving 1-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process.
Altitude: 4000 – 6000 ft
Pressure: 12 lbs
Pints: 60 min
Quarts: 70 min
MEXICAN TOMATO SAUCE
Yield: About 7 quarts
2-1/2 to 3 lbs chile peppers
18 lbs tomatoes
3 cups chopped onions
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp oregano
1/2 cup vinegar
Procedure: Caution: Wear rubber gloves while handling chiles or wash hands thoroughly with soap and water before touching your face. Wash and dry chiles. Slit each pepper on its side to allow steam to escape. Peel peppers using one of the following methods:
Oven or broiler method: Place chiles in oven (400E F) or broiler for 6-8 minutes until skins blister.
Range-top method: Cover hot burner, either gas or electric, with heavy wire mesh. Place chilies on burner for several minutes until skins blister.
Allow peppers to cool. Place in a pan and cover with a damp cloth. This will make peeling the peppers easier. After several minutes, peel each pepper. Cool and slip off skins. Discard seeds and chop peppers. Wash tomatoes and dip in boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds or until skins split. Dip in cold water, slip off skins, and remove cores. Coarsely chop tomatoes and combine chopped peppers and remaining ingredients in large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cover. Simmer 10 minutes. Fill jars, leaving 1-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process.
Altitude: 4000 – 6000 ft
Pressure: 13 lbs
Pints: 20 min
Quarts: 25 min
CHILE SALSA (Hot Tomato-Pepper Sauce)
Yield: 6 to 8 pints
5 lbs tomatoes
2 lbs chile peppers
1 lb onions
1 cup vinegar (5%)
3 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Procedure: Caution: Wear rubber gloves while handling chiles or wash hands thoroughly with soap and water before touching your face. Peel and prepare chile peppers as described in making Mexican Tomato Sauce on page 3-13. Wash tomatoes and dip in boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds or until skins split. Dip in cold water, slip off skins, and remove cores. Coarsely chop tomatoes and combine chopped peppers, onions, and remaining ingredients in a large saucepan. Heat to boil, and simmer 10 minutes. Fill jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process.
Altitude: 1000 – 6000 ft
Boiling Water Bath:
Pints: 20 min
Tomato Taco Sauce
Yield: 11 pints
8 quarts peeled, cored, finely chopped paste tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, crushed
5 cups chopped onions
4 jalapeno peppers, seeded, chopped
4 long green chiles, seeded, chopped
2 ½ cups vinegar
2 tablespoons salt
1 ½ tablespoons blackpepper
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons oregano leaves*
1 teaspoon ground cumin*
Combine ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently until thick (about 1 hour). Ladle hot mixture into pint jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process in boiling water canner:
Altitude: 1000 – 6000 ft
Boiling Water Bath:
Pints: 20 min
Pickled Bread-and-Butter Zucchini
16 cups fresh zucchini, sliced
4 cups onions, thinly sliced
½ cup canning or pickling salt
4 cups white vinegar (5%)
2 cups sugar
4 tbsp mustard seed
2 tbsp celery seed
2 tsp ground turmeric
Yield: About 8 to 9 pints
Procedure: Cover zucchini and onion slices with 1 inch of water and salt. Let stand 2 hours and drain thoroughly. Combine vinegar, sugar, and spices. Bring to a boil and add zucchini and onions. Simmer 5 minutes and fill jars with mixture and pickling solution, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process according to the recommendations in table below:
Altitude: 1000 – 6000 ft
Boiling Water Bath:
Pints: 15 min
Quarts: 15 min
Just got in from work and considering I have a cold, I got through my day ok! So that’s a bonus, I think I have got my ‘get up and go’ back today, as its’ Nigella’s Express again tonight at 8.30 on BBC 2. I have got the telly booked with hubby, I have informed him, strictly no football or boys stuff tonight, its Nigella and the soaps, from 7.30 onwards!!! yay!!!
I have been having a peek at some of the recipes that she will be making tonight. She is doing breakfasts and brunches. The recipe that caught my eye was home made pancakes with blueberry syrup, it sounds devine. I am gonna watch tonight then give it a try at the weekend! Here is the recipe:-
Ingredients
For the dry pancake mix
600g/1lb 5oz plain flour
3 tbsp baking powder
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp salt
40g/2½oz caster sugar
To make the pancakes (amounts per 150g/5¼oz dry mixture)
1 free-range egg, lightly beaten
250ml/9fl oz milk
1 tbsp melted butter
For the blueberry syrup
125ml/4½fl oz maple syrup
200g/7oz blueberries ( i am going to use frozen)
Method
1. For the dry pancake mix, place all the dry ingredients into a bowl and mix well. Transfer to an airtight container, seal and store until needed.
2. To make the pancakes, add the appropriate quantity of egg, milk and melted butter per 150g/5¼oz of the dry mixture (a filled American cup measure will give you the requisite amount per batch, so you may like to use one and dispense with any weighing). Mix well to form a smooth batter.
3. Heat a flat griddle or non-stick frying pan without adding oil.
4. Spoon drops of 1½-2 tablespoons of the batter onto the hot griddle and when bubbles appear on the surface of the little pancakes, flip them over and cook until golden-brown on both sides. It should take about a minute per side.
5. Meanwhile, for the blueberry syrup, place the maple syrup and blueberries into a pan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes, until the blueberries have broken down slightly.
6. To serve, pour the blueberry syrup into a jug and take to the breakfast table with the pancakes. If you have any of the syrup left over, you will notice that it sets into a kind of glossy jam. This will keep for a few days decanted into a jar and put in the fridge, and is glorious dolloped into yoghurt or spread on bread.
oh, isn’t time for breakie yet???
The Pancake Recipe Has Arrived
blueberry-stack.jpg
I wrote about blueberry pancakes a while back but didn’t post my recipe because I thought it needed a little work. Well this morning I felt like working on it (actually, I felt like eating blueberry pancakes), so I now have a delicious whole grain sour cream blueberry pancake recipe for you, complete with nutrition info! I really think these are the best whole grain pancakes I’ve ever eaten!
These pancakes are good for you in the sense that they offer a good amount of fiber and protein compared to a traditional pancake. But like many of my recipes they are not low in fat. Perhaps you noticed the word “sour cream” in the recipe title? I used full fat sour cream because that’s what I like. But feel free to experiment with lowfat sour cream if you prefer. Just please don’t use any of those strange fat free concoctions that they try to pass off as sour cream…they scare me ;-)
This recipe uses oat bran and if you don’t normally keep it on hand, go ahead and buy some. I know what it’s like to buy an ingredient for one recipe and then never use it again. But I’ve already posted two muffin recipes featuring oat bran and now these pancakes. So you don’t really have an excuse not to try it! And since I like using it so much lately, I’m sure you’ll see a few more “oat bran” recipes popping up soon.
The suggested serving for this recipe is three pancakes, so when you look at the nutrition data, keep that in mind. They are much more filling than traditional pancakes and I actually found myself pretty full after eating only two of them. I’m pretty sure my husband could polish off quite a few more than that though! But now that I’ve made the full recipe and I’m currently the only one in the house, I’m going to be eating these pancakes for over a week! I hope they freeze well :-)
blueberry-pancakes-on-griddle.jpg
Whole Grain Sour Cream Blueberry Pancakes
1 1/2 C. whole wheat flour
1/4 C. wheat germ
1/2 C. oat bran
2 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
2 T. brown sugar
1 1/2 C. lowfat milk
1/2 C. sour cream
2 eggs
2 T. melted butter
1 C. blueberries
1. In a large bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients.
2. In a separate bowl whisk together, milk, sour cream and eggs.
3. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon until just combined. Stir in melted butter and blueberries.
4. Drop pancake batter by 1/4 cupfuls (I just use a 1/4 dry measuring cup) onto a hot, greased griddle.
5. Pancakes are ready to flip when the edges stary to dry out and darken.
6. Enjoy!
Yield: 18 pancakes, 6 servings.
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Posted by Nicole on September 11, 2006 at 11:59 pm
Excellent canning recipes, a couple that I had not read before.
Thanks....
LOL, I read your posts and kept thinking “Golly she is good, how long will it be, before we wind up at the same place and post the same post back to back....LOL
Then folks will know it is an important post.
I love to just keep clicking and see what I can find.
Big smile....
You can find inexpensive teacups for the candles here:
http://www.directfloral.com/mugs_teacups.asp
<<<
I don’t dare go to that site, I am no longer a collector of pretty things.
And I have old cups that would do the job.
When it says floral, I am forced to remember that i once trained to be a florist.
Very few flowers to be seen here.
That is a fantastic photo, and kitty is attempting to figure out how to get that Daisy..........LOL, I would bet that it is moving just a little.
Thank you, I am so glad you posted it.
Good series on car safety.
Dr. Bill, keeps sleeping bags, warm walking shoes and of course food and water in all his cars, for more than one person, he says he has been stranded too many times.
Spam, peanut butter and those energy bars of oats and nuts, serve him well.
He suggests the same be kept in your office desk.
To him, one of the most important items is the shoes, so many people wear shoes, that they could not walk 20 miles to home in, when/should the world erupt .
Many do not know that the modern car will not run, if a certain weapon is used, nor will any of the electronics, phones, the list is large.
[Lots of photos]
I have the original recipe somewhere around here, along with the other recipes I learned from Alberto and Liliana. But I just didn’t feel like digging through my (still unpacked) boxes in the office. So you’re getting my improvised and Americanized version of Zucca Gialla in Agrodolce. I do remember hearing that the old Sicilian way to serve this dish is with thinly sliced raw garlic and chopped fresh mint adorning each slice of pumpkin. I didn’t do that, but feel free to try it!
For those of you who don’t live in San Diego, land of year-round grilling, you may revert to the original recipe and brown the pumpkin slices in olive oil rather than cooking them on the grill. You could even throw a smashed clove of garlic into the oil to flavor it while it’s heating. Just remove the garlic before adding the pumpkin so it doesn’t burn. Brown the pumpkin slices in batches over medium heat, adding olive oil as needed, then remove them to a serving platter. Drizzle with the sweet and sour sauce before serving.
Zucca Gialla in Agrodolce (Sweet and Sour Grilled Pumpkin)
1 - 1 1/2 pounds sugar pumpkin*
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, pressed or minced
kosher salt
3 tablespoons wine vinegar (red or white)
3 tablespoons white sugar
chopped fresh mint or parsley (optional)
thinly sliced garlic (optional)
1. Prepare coals or preheat your gas grill. Cut Pumpkin in half, scrape out seeds and membrane. Peel each half and cut into 1/4-1/2 inch slices.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, one clove of minced garlic, and a generous pinch of kosher salt. Add pumpkin slices and toss well to coat.
3. Grill pumpkin slices over medium to medium-heat for a few minutes on each side or until just tender. Watch closely and don’t let them burn. Remove grilled pumpkin to a serving platter.
4. In a small saucepan, mix vinegar, sugar, and any garlic oil left in the bowl. Cook until sugar is dissolved and mixture thickens just slightly. Drizzle sweet and sour sauce over the pumpkin on the serving platter. Garnish with fresh chopped mint or parsley and thin slices of raw garlic if desired.
Recipe Notes: *If you can’t find sugar pumpkins, try substituting butternut squash or acorn squash. If you decide to saute the pumpkin slices rather than grill them, start with two tablespoons of oil in the pan, and add more as needed. When all the slices have been cooked, add the vinegar and sugar to the remaining olive oil in the pan and heat until sugar is dissolved and sauce thickens just a bit. Serving the pumpkin with thinly sliced fresh garlic and fresh chopped mint is traditional. I prefer to skip the raw garlic and serve it with either fresh chopped mint or parsley.
Yield: four servings.
This sugar pumpkin was intended for a pie, but we’re happy he ended up on the grill instead!
This sugar pumpkin was intended for a pie, but we’re happy he ended up on the grill instead!
Cut the pumpkin in half and scrape out the insides. Save the seeds for roasting if you’re into that kind of thing!
Cut the pumpkin in half and scrape out the insides. Save the seeds for roasting if you’re into that kind of thing!
I find that a vegetable peeler works very well for peeling pumpkins (and butternut squash).
I find that a vegetable peeler works very well for peeling pumpkins (and butternut squash).
Cut the pumpkin into slices that are between 1/4 and 1/2 inch thick. They don’t have to be perfectly uniform.
Cut the pumpkin into slices that are between 1/4 and 1/2 inch thick. They don’t have to be perfectly uniform.
The whole process only takes a few minutes!
The whole process only takes a few minutes!
Toss the pumpkin with olive oil, garlic, and salt until well coated.
Toss the pumpkin with olive oil, garlic, and salt until well coated.
Grill pumpkin over direct medium heat for a few minutes on each side.
Grill pumpkin over direct medium heat for a few minutes on each side.
To get decent grill marks on a gas grill, make sure you preheat it while you’re preparing the pumpkin.
To get decent grill marks when using a gas grill, make sure you preheat the grill while you are preparing the pumpkin.
So instead I’m giving you the very last recipe that I made for my Middle Eastern themed birthday party: Walnut cookies with cinnamon and orange. The cookies are very easy to make, naturally gluten-free and delicious :) It’s another recipe from Claudia Roden, this time from The Book of Jewish Food. According to Claudia the cookies are made by Turkish Jews, I presume for Passover as they don’t have any flour in them.
Mustacudos de muez - Walnut cookies flavoured with cinnamon and orange (from the Dutch version of The book of Jewish food by Claudia Roden)
makes about 16
250 g (9 oz) walnuts
90 g (3 ¼ oz) sugar
1 egg
zest of ¾ orange
1 ts cinnamon
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a baking sheet with baking paper or grease the baking sheet.
Process all ingredients in the food processor until a medium coarse paste. Roll into walnut sized balls with wetted of greased hands.
Bake the balls for about 25 minutes.
Posted by Linda in Cookies (sweet)
http://linda.kovacevic.nl/archives/216-Eurodollarpound-cinnamon-chocolate-cookies.html
Chocolate cinnamon cookies (adapted from Bake It by Murdoch Books)
makes about 10 big cookies
225 g (8 oz) flour
30 g (1 oz) cocoa powder
½ ts baking powder
2 ts cinnamon
150 g (5 ¼ oz) butter, softened
115 g (4 oz) caster sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
some melted white chocolate
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line 2 baking sheets with baking paper.
Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and cinnamon.
Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and mix until combined. Stir in the flour mixture, making sure not to overmix.
Form the dough into a ball and cover in plastic wrap. Chill for 30 minutes.
Roll out the dough between two sheets of baking paper until about ½ cm (¼ in) thickness. Chill the rolled out dough for about 15 minutes. Cut out circles with a cookie cutter (mine were about 10 cm / 4 in) and transfer them to the prepared baking sheets.
Bake for about 10 minutes. Let them cool on the baking sheets for 2 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Decorate the cookies with the chocolate. Allow the chocolate to set.
Posted by Linda in Cookies (sweet)
Halawa tamr or date and walnut balls (from the Dutch edition of A New Book of Middle Eastern Food by Claudia Roden)
250 g (9 oz) walnuts
250 g (9 oz) dates, stoned
icing sugar (optional)
Process the walnuts and dates in a food processor until they are a paste. Roll into small balls and roll through icing sugar if desired.
btw ever seen such a short recipe?
Posted by Linda in Candy
http://linda.kovacevic.nl/archives/225-Halawa-tamr-date-and-walnut-balls.html
The pudding you see in the picture above is a Dutch classic: Almond semolina pudding with red currant sauce. I made it for the 38th edition of SHF that is hosted by Kochtopf’s Zorra. For this pudding you just cook the semolina in milk, add some ground almonds, sugar and vanilla. To serve with the pudding I made the classic sauce to accompany it: red currant sauce. You can find small bottles of red currant juice in every supermarket in the Netherlands but I’m not sure how the situation is in other countries. Of course you could use fresh red currant juice (probably even better!). And a good substitute would be cranberry juice which is very red and very tart too.
The semolina that’s available in the Netherlands is a pretty fine one btw.
I used a pudding mould that isn’t really a pudding mould but a brioche pan. I bought it a while back but haven’t made brioche yet. It works very well for this pudding and I was very happy with the shiny appearence of the pudding. That’s probably because the mould is non-stick. The pudding didn’t come out by itself, I had to give it a hand by pulling the sides away from the mould. As soon as some air went up to the top it came out beautifully.
Almond semolina pudding
serves 6
½ vanilla bean
1 l (4 ¼ cup) milk
100 g (3 ½ oz) semolina
50 g (¾ oz) ground almonds
75 g (2 oz) sugar + extra
Cut the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the vanilla seeds. Add the seeds to the milk.Let the vanilla steep in the milk on low heat for 15 minutes.
Mix the semolina, almonds and sugar. Add the mixture to the hot milk. Bring to a boil and allow to cook. Cook and stir for 5 minutes. Rinse a pudding mould with cold water and add the pudding.
Sprinkle with sugar to prevent the forming of a crust.
Allow to cool to room temperature. Chill in the fridge for a few hours.
Place a big plate ovet the pudding mould and invert it to get out the pudding. Serve with the red currant sauce.
Red currant sauce
rind of ¼ lemon (only the yellow part)
100 ml (scant ½ cup) water
300 ml (1 ¼ cup) red currant juice
1 tbs potato starch
60 g (2 oz) sugar
Allow the lemon rind to steep in the water for 5 minutes.
Mix the potato starch with a little bit of water until lump free.
Add the red currant juice and bring to a boil. Add the potato starch water mix whilst stirring. Add the sugar and allow to cook for 1 minute. Allow the sauce to cool down completely.
http://linda.kovacevic.nl/archives/2007/12.html
Smoked Tuna Dip Recipe
Want to wow your guests during this year’s round of holiday parties? Serve them this Smoked Tuna Dip and watch the compliments flood in. They’ll never know that you whipped it up ten minutes before they arrived!
I first tasted this Smoked Tuna Dip at a restaurant in Ft. Walton Beach, Florida. We were there for a military function of some sort and this dip was set out on the appetizer table. We could not stop eating it and by the end of the night, my friend and I had pestered the owner enough that he finally gave up the recipe.
Well, he didn’t give us the actual recipe, but I did the leave the party with a list of ingredients scribbled on a piece of paper. He wouldn’t give exact amounts, and for all I know, he left out some magical secret ingredient. But this version that I put together this morning tastes amazing and I really think you should give it a try.
This dip is as easy to put together as a ranch dip or spinach dip, but I think it’s a great option when you want to change things up a bit. Serve it with your favorite crackers, or even pita chips and your guests will love you for it!
Feel free to adjust the ingredients to suit your own taste.
Smoked Tuna Dip
1 small can albacore tuna, drained well
1 8 oz. package of cream cheese, softened slightly
1 1/2 teaspoons liquid smoke
1 teaspoon worcestershire
scant 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
scant 1/2 teaspoon salt
dash or two of pepper sauce (like Tabasco)
paprika or smoked paprika (optional)
Blend all ingredients together well using a stand mixer or hand mixer. Taste, and adjust seasonings to your liking. Be careful adding more liquid smoke, a little goes a long way! When ready to serve, try adding a light sprinkling of paprika over the top for decoration.
yield: about 1 1/2 cups of dip.
http://pinchmysalt.com/2008/11/19/smoked-tuna-dip-recipe/#more-1446
http://pinchmysalt.com/2006/08/10/sun-dried-tomato-hummus/
Sun-dried Tomato Hummus
6-8 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
1 T. tahini
juice of 1 lemon
4 T. extra virgin olive oil
salt — to taste
fresh ground pepper — to taste
cayenne pepper or crushed red chilies (optional)
Combine everything in a food processor and process until smooth, adjusting the oil to create consistency that you like. The hummus can also be thinned with water. Add salt and pepper to taste and hot pepper if you like things a little spicy.
Good served with toasted pita bread or as a dip with corn chips. This is also really good as a sandwich spread.
http://pinchmysalt.com/2006/08/23/spinach-and-feta-turnovers/
Spinach and Feta Turnovers
# Aug 23rd, 2006 Appetizers Vegetarian
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My favorite thing about traveling is the food. And of all the places I’ve traveled, I love the food in Greece the best. I really don’t know much about Greek food except that I have loved everything I’ve ever tasted. I don’t even have any Greek cookbooks (I really need to do something about that!). But I do occasionally create “Greek-inspired” dishes and snacks.
This “Greek-inspired” snack came about because I’ve never baked with phyllo (filo) sheets before and I decided it was about time I try! I bought the phyllo last week and it has been sitting in my freezer since. What finally spurred me on was a recipe over at La Tartine Gourmande. The recipe Bea used was pretty different than the one I ultimately used but as soon as I get my hands on some goat cheese and fresh mint, I plan to try the Feta and Mint Cigarettes. What I had on hand was frozen spinach and feta cheese so that became the base of my filling and I’ve found that you really can’t go wrong with spinach and feta!
It will probably be a while before I attempt some baklava but these Spinach-Feta Turnovers were pretty easy to put together, even for a phyllo virgin. The worst thing that happened was I tried to unroll the sheets before they had completely defrosted and accidentally broke about three inches of the end of the stacked sheets. To keep the sheets from drying out, I covered them with a paper towel and then spritzed it with water occasionally to keep it damp. It worked pretty well and that way I didn’t have to dampen one of my big kitchen towels.
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Well here’s the recipe I used for these yummy, flaky, spinach-feta treats:
Spinach and Feta Turnovers
1/2 onion, chopped
1 T. butter
2 small cloves of garlic, chopped
1 package frozen chopped spinach, drained and squeezed dry
4 oz. crumbled feta cheese
1 egg, slightly beaten
dash of fresh-grated nutmeg
freshly ground black pepper
pinch of salt
20 sheets store-bought phyllo dough
1/2 C. butter, melted
1. In a small skillet, saute onion in butter over medium heat until soft. Add garlic, cook for 30 seconds and then remove from heat.
2. In a medium bowl, combine spinach, feta, egg, onion and garlic, nutmeg, pepper and salt. Stir until well combined. Set aside.
3. Remove one sheet of phyllo from stack (cover the remaining sheets with a damp cloth to keep from drying out) and lay it on a work surface. Brush entire sheet with a thin layer of melted butter. Place another sheet on top, brush with butter and repeat two more times (you will have four sheets stacked with a layer of butter on the top sheet). Cut this stack in half lenghwise with a knife.
4. You now have two long rectangles of phyllo in front of you. Place about 2 Tablespoonfuls of filling on the bottom right side of one of the rectangles. Fold the bottom left corner up and over the filling so that the bottom edge is now even with the right side. Continue folding up and over until you end up with a triangle. Brush triangle with melted butter and place on a baking sheet.
5. Repeat this procedure with the other phyllo rectangle.
6. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until you have 10 triangles on your baking sheet.
7. Place baking sheet in preheated 375 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.
8. Cool on wire rack and eat either warm or at room temperature.
9. Enjoy!
Yield: 10 turnovers
Note: These can also be made as bite-size appetizers. Proceed with the recipe as directed except instead of cutting the stacks of phyllo in half lengthwise, cut them crosswise into 4 equal pieces. Use only one spoonful of filling for each strip and roll up just as directed for the larger ones. You will end up with 20 small turnovers, perfect for a party!
[Why not a nice herbed pie crust dough for these? granny]
Now those are some worthwhile pancakes!! I am going to make those soon, and top them with real maple syrup which I am allowed to have. Yum!!
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