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

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."

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."

I found this cooking and recipe site interesting enough to sign up for the news letter, so I would not miss anything or forget it.........and this came today, worth a bookmark, for that dreaded day that comes too soon.
granny

http://bohemianrevolution.com/get-an-answer-from-a-lawyer-quick-and-cheap/

Get an answer from a lawyer, quick and cheap

Posted: 24 Dec 2008 06:27 AM CST

justanswer1A friend of mine recently had a legal question and was trying to avoid lawyer’s fees. Basically, she just needed to know if a particular document needed to be filed with the court to be legal, or whether it could just be notarized. She didn’t want to go to a lawyer and ask. She felt not only would this be costly, but they’d tell her, “Oh, yeah, you need all sorts of stuff only a lawyer can do for hundreds of dollars” when maybe that wasn’t necessary. She and I both had spent hours researching this on the web, but we found nothing that answered her question. Apparently it’s not a common situation.

I found a service online called JustAnswer,

http://www.justanswer.com/

where you just type your question into a box, sign up for an account, make a deposit of $15 (or more, if you feel you can afford it) and wait for a lawyer to answer. Now, the deposit is there just in case you like the answer you get well enough to pay for it. If you don’t feel the question’s been answered, you don’t have to “accept” the answer. I doubt you would get your deposit back in that case, but I guess you could use it to ask another question. In any case, I had the $15 to spare and I wanted to help her out, and I knew it would really put her at ease to know one way or the other what she needed to do.

I asked the question, and got an answer within three minutes. Since I had said up front that my friend was trying to avoid lawyer and court fees, I was impressed that the lawyer who answered said she could totally do it all without a lawyer, but did need to file the document with the court to make it legal. This struck me as an honest and straightforward answer. I wrote back to ask precisely how to file with the court, and was told (again, within about 5 minutes) that she should just call the court clerk for instructions, and it should be very simple and inexpensive. I then accepted the answer, which meant the lawyer got paid, and added a tip of $5 just because I was that happy with the response and felt my friend could’ve spent far more on a consultation and not gotten a better result.

I feel this service is worth recommending if you just need a question answered by a lawyer, as opposed to needing a whole lot of advice from one. It’s also amazing to get an answer at 11pm on a Friday night instead of having to wait until office hours on Monday morning. If you try this service out, please let me know in comments how it worked out for you.

HTTP://www.LivingOnADime.com

Today’s Tips:

* When making pecan pie, melt the butter in a saucepan until it turns golden brown. Watch it so it doesn’t burn. This adds the most wonderful caramel like flavor to your pie.

For my favorite pecan pie, check out page 254 in our cookbook Dining on A Dime. I received this recipe many years ago from my sister-in-law Mary, and have yet to taste one that comes close to it for flavor.

* When you are out doing your day after Christmas shopping don’t forget to pick up things like red and green candies, napkins, paper plates and tablecloths to use on Valentine’s and St. Patty’s Days.

* Also look out for things that you can use for your home decor on a daily basis. For example I had a red and white kitchen for a while and after Christmas was a perfect time for me to pick up things like dish towels, dish rags, place mats, tablecloths etc. If you have green accents keep your eyes peeled too.

* Don’t forget to do this for other holidays, too. If your home is done in more modern black, gray or silver, check after New Year’s for your colors. You can also look for pastels after Easter and earth tones, golds and oranges after Thanksgiving.

* Candy lasts almost forever (except, in my house, it barely lasts long enough to get it home :-) so stock up for Valentine’s Day. Also, candy canes and such will easily last until next year. Don’t forget the chocolate candies. They can be used in place of chocolate chips in a lot of recipes. Just melt or crush them for use in recipes.

* Things like Hershey’s Kisses and mini candy bars can be used to make S’mores for an after school snack on a cold winter’s day. Just lay a graham cracker with some chocolate on it on to a napkin in the microwave and nuke a few seconds. Top with mini marshmallows and another cracker and microwave until the marshmallows puff up.

Today’s Menu:

Mexican Chicken Chowder*
Tortilla Chips and Salsa*
Gingerbread Trifle*

Give the gift now that they can use
again and again!
Dining On A Dime

Dining On A Dime is great for:

* Teaching kids to cook
* College Students
* Bachelors
* Single moms or dads
* ANYONE you want to help get out of debt, or just give a “thank you” gift to this holiday season

Order with priority shipping by Friday to get it for Christmas!

Learn More here!

*Mexican Chicken Chowder

1 lb. chicken, cooked and cubed
1/2 cup onion
1-2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 Tbsp. margarine
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 cup water
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
2 cups (8 oz.) Monterey Jack or Mexican mix cheese, shredded
1 can cream style corn
1 can (4 oz.) green chilies, chopped, undrained
Hot pepper sauce to taste, 1/2 to 1 tsp.
1 tomato, chopped

Saute chicken, onion and garlic in margarine. Add water and bouillon cubes and simmer 5 minutes. Making sure bouillon cubes are dissolved then add everything else but tomato and cook until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with tomato and serve immediately. Serves 6-8.

*Check out our homemade salsa here.

*Gingerbread Trifle

6-8 cups of gingerbread, cubed
1 (3 oz) pkg. vanilla pudding, mixed according to directions
3/4 cup English toffee bits (or crushed Heath candy bars)
Whipped topping

Using 1/2 of everything, layer in a clear glass bowl starting with gingerbread. Layer it all again and top with whipped topping and a few toffee bits. Could place in individual serving dishes too.

Sugared Peanuts

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
2 cups raw shelled nuts (I have used regular peanuts in the can and they work fine too)

Dissolve sugar in water in a saucepan over medium heat. Add nuts and continue to cook, stirring frequently. Cook until nuts are coated and bottom of the pan is dry (not too dry) Spread over ungreased cookie sheet Bake at 300° about 30 minutes stirring every 5-10 minutes.

We mustn’t forget something special for breakfast on Christmas Day!

Cinnamon Roll Pizza

1 tube refrigerator cinnamon rolls
1 can apple pie filling*
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp. margarine, softened

Grease cookie sheet or pizza pan. Preheat oven to 400°. Roll each cinnamon roll into 4 inch circles and lay on pan overlapping slightly. You can make a solid circle or form into a wreath. Spread pie filling on top. Mix sugar and margarine. Then sprinkle on top of pie filling. Bake for 6-8 minutes until golden brown. Drizzle with the frosting that came with the rolls.

*You could use cherry pie filling in place of the apple.

Marshmallow Bonbons

38-40 large marshmallows
1 (12 oz.) package chocolate chips
Coconut
Sprinkles
Nuts, chopped

Place marshmallows on a pan that is covered with wax paper and place in the freezer. They will be ready by the time you need to dip them. Pour coconut, sprinkles, and nuts on squares of waxed paper. You could use a bowl but wax paper saves in clean up. Melt chips in microwave for a couple of minutes stirring every 30 seconds until melted. Place frozen marshmallows on skewer or tooth pick and dip in chocolate then in roll in coconut, sprinkles & nuts. Use a fork to slide them back on the wax paper. Chill.

The Living On A Dime newsletter is published by:
Kellam Media and Publishing, Inc.
P.O. Box 844, Andover, KS 67002

Here’s a recipe I found on the net if you need one. Have a happy
holiday! :)
Angel

Pannetone
2 packages active dry yeast

1/2 C. warm water (105 to 115°F.)

1/3 C. granulated sugar, divided

1/4 C. warm (105 to 115°F.) milk

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. ground nutmeg

2/3 C. butter or margarine, softened

2 t. grated orange zest

1 t. vanilla

3 3/4 C. flour, divided

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

1/4 C. Marsala wine

1/2 C. golden raisins

1/3 C. slivered candied cherries

1/3 C. dried mixed candied fruits

1/4 C. pine nuts or slivered almonds

Powdered sugar

Sprinkle yeast over warm water in large bowl of electric mixer. Add 1
teaspoon sugar and let stand until yeast is soft, about 5 minutes.
Add remaining sugar, warm milk, salt, nutmeg, butter, orange zest and
vanilla. Blend in 2 cups flour, then beat until smooth and elastic,
about 5 minutes. Beat in eggs and egg yolks, 1 at a time. Gradually
beat in remaining 1¾ cups flour, then beat at medium speed until
batter is elastic, about 3 minutes.

Transfer batter to greased bowl. Cover and let rise in warm place
until bubbly, about 1 hour.

While batter is rising, pour Marsala over raisins in small bowl and
set aside.

Stir batter down, then stir in raisin mixture, cherries, candied
fruits and pine nuts until well distributed. Spread batter in well-
greased, lightly floured, 9½-to 10-cup charlotte mold (about 7½
inches in diameter and 4 inches deep). Let rise until doubled, 30 to
45 minutes.

Bake at 325°F. until bread is well browned and tester inserted in
center comes out clean, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Let stand in pan on wire
rack about 15 minutes, then remove from pan. Transfer bread to rack
to cool, rounded side up. Dust with powered sugar while warm.

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2a. I would like to make a Pannetone.. any suggestions?
Posted by: “Brooke

Finally, a question that I can answer (I’m a relatively new member). The
following is a recipe from The Bread Machine Book by Marie Lambert that I
adapted so that it bakes entirely in my Zo machine. I don’t really care what
shape it ends up as. However, I have added the info for baking in the oven.

Panettone

1 lb. loaf Ingredients 1 1/2 lb.

1/4 cup milk 6 tbsp.
2 eggs 3
3 tbsp. butter 4 1/2 tbsp.
3 tbsp. sugar 4 1/2 tbsp.
1/2 tsp. salt 3/4 tsp.
1 tsp. grated lemon peel 1 1/2 tsp.
1 tsp. vanilla 1 1/2 tsp.
1/2 tsp. anise seed 3/4 tsp.
or
ground cardamom
2 cups bread flour 3 cups
2 tsp. yeast 1 tbsp.

3 tbsp. pine nuts 4 1/2 tbsp.
2 tbsp. golden raisins 3 tbsp.
1/4 cup chopped candied 1/3 cup
fruit
1 tbsp. flour 1 tbsp.

Note (to bake entirely in Zo): I added chopped candied ginger instead of
fruit, and cut the yeast to 2 1/2 tsp. I added the pine nuts, raisins and
chopped fruit at the beep. I then baked it in the Zo on White, Light crust.
It seemed to need more kneading, so I stopped after the first knead & set it
to knead again. It turned out moist & great tasting.

Method (to bake in oven):

Put all ingredients except pine nuts, raisins, fruit & the last tablespoon
of flour in the order suggested by your machine. Set for White bread, dough.

The high sugar content interferes with the rising action of the yeast, so it
is kneaded after the first rising. Remove the dough and punch down. Toss
candied fruit with the 1 tablespoon of flour, then gently knead the fruit,
raisins & pine nuts into the dough. Put the dough in a buttered pan and turn
so all sides are greased. Panettone is traditionally baked in a tall,
cylindrical pan. Use a 1 pound coffee can or a 5 cup soufflé dish for the 1
lb. loaf or an 8 cup round casserole dish for the larger loaf. Set in a warm
place, cover loosely and let rise until doubled in volume.

Bake in preheated 350F oven until golden and skewer inserted comes out
clean, about 30 minutes.

Wishing everyone a joyous holiday season and a prosperous New Year,

Brooke in Calgary

________________________________________________________________________
2b. I would like to make a Pannetone.. any suggestions?
Posted by: “DHayney

I baked mine in a greased large coffee can and put a piece of aluminum foil very loosely over the top.

It looked just like the one you buy in the store.?

I mixed it in the bread machine on dough? and then transferred to the coffee can.??

Make sure your recipe doesn’t call for a lot of cups of flour.? I got my recipe from a bread machine cook book.?

I was told to soak the yellow currants (raisins) in liquid first so that they didn’t absorb a lot of the liquid from the batter.?

I haven’t made my second one yet but will incorporate all the things the people told me on this group.? Go back to December messages and there are a lot of Panettone recipes and tips.?

Dolores

To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bread-machine/

There is allot of recipes and how to’s in the files you can browse. Any
dried fruits I am sure your kids will like.:-)
Alos most like beef jerky too. LOL here are a few recipesa from the files...

Cherry Pineapples

Drain canned sliced pineapples and maraschino cherries on paper towels. Place
pineapples on trays with cherry in center of each. Dry 8-10 hours at 135° (off
brand slices with smalled center hole work best).

Candied Strawberries

Slice into 3/8 inch slices. Optional: sprinkle lightly with dry strawberry
jello, powdered sugar, or dip in honey/lemon juice mix (1/4 cup honey mixed with
1/4 cup lemon juice). Place on tray and dry 4-10 hours at 135° until crisp.

Orange Crisps

Slice unpeeled oranges into 1/8 to 1/4 inch slices. Dry 6-15 hours at 135° until
crisp. Rind easily separates from orange meat for snacking or powder rind or
meat for natural sugar or spice flavoring.

Honey & Banana Chips

Simply slice bananas 1/8 to 1/4 thick. Place on trays and dry 8-20 hours at 135°
until chewy. The greener the banana the crisper the chip: the riper the sweeter.
They’re delicious plain and natural. (Option: Dip slices into 1/4 cup honey
mixed with 1/4 cup lemon juice. Pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle lightly with
nutmeg. This option will double the drying time).

Cinnamon Apple Rings & Sugar

Slice apples into rings 3/16 to 1/4 inch thick. (Optional: sprinkle to taste
with cinnamon and/or sugar). Dry 4-10 hours at 135° until leathery to crisp.
(Option: for whiter apple rings, drop slices into 1 cup water and 2 tablespoons
lemon juice. Pat dry before drying).

Natural sugar: Powder dried apples in blender. Sprinkle on cereal, toast, ice
cream, etc.

Leathers made from Canned or Frozen Fruit

Home preserved or store bought canned or frozen fruit can be used. Drain fruit
and save liquid.

Use 1 pint of fruit for each 13” X 15” leather.
Puree fruit until smooth. If thick, add liquid.
Add 2 tsp of lemon juice or 1/8 tsp ascorbic acid for each 2 cups of light
colored fruit to prevent darkening.

Applesauce can be dried alone or added to any fresh fruit puree as an extender.
It decreases tartness and makes the leather smoother and more pliable.

Preparing the trays:

For drying in the oven a 13” X 15” cookie pan with edges works well. Line pan
with plastic wrap being careful to smooth out wrinkles. Do not use waxed paper
or aluminum foil.

To dry in a dehydrator, specially designed plastic sheets can be purchased or
plastic trays can be lined with plastic wrap.

Pouring the leather:

Fruit leathers can be poured into a single large sheet (13 “ X 15 “) or into
several smaller sizes. Spread puree evenly about 1/8 inch thick, onto drying
tray. Avoid pouring purse too close to the edge of the cookie sheet. The larger
fruit leathers take longer to dry. Approximate drying times are 6 to 8 hours in
a dehydrator, up to 18 hours in an oven and 1 to 2 days in the sun.

Drying the leather:

Dry fruit leathers at l40 degrees F. Leather dries from the outside edge toward
the center. Test for dryness by touching center of leather; no indention should
be evident. While warm, peel from plastic and roll, allow to cool and rewrap the
roll in plastic. Chances are the fruit leather won’t last long enough for
storage. If it does, it will keep up to 1 month at room temperature. For storage
up to 1 year, place tightly wrapped rolls in the freezer.

Spices, Flavors and Garnishes:

To add interest to your fruit leathers; spices, flavorings or garnishes can be
added.

Spices to try:

Allspice, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, ginger, mace, mint, nutmeg or pumpkin pie
spice. Use sparingly, start with 1/8 tsp for each 2 cups of puree.

Flavorings to Try:

Almond extract, lemon juice, lemon peel, lime juice, lime peel, orange extract,
orange juice, orange peel or vanilla extract. Use sparingly, try 1/8 to 1/4
teaspoon for each 2 cups of purse.

Delicious Additions to Try:

Shredded coconut, chopped dates, other dried chopped fruits, granola, miniature
marshmallows, chopped nuts, chopped raisins, poppy seeds, sesame seeds or
sunflower seeds.

Darlene

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FoodPreservationDryingCanningAndMore/

Posted by: “KittyHawk”

Sweet and Hot Curried Squash Pickles

3 lb (about 3 medium) summer squash and / or zucchini, cut into very thin rounds
2 medium red onions, peeled and cut into thin rounds
3 small colorful chili peppers, seeds removed and cut into thin rounds
1/4 cup sea salt
2 3/4 cups distilled white vinegar
3/4 cup sherry cooking wine
1 1/2 cups orange juice
2 cups sugar
2 Tbsp prepared curry powder
1 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp whole allspice berries
1 tsp whole cloves
4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 inch of ginger, peeled and sliced into thin rounds

In a large plastic or ceramic mixing bowl, combine the zucchini, onions, chilies, and salt, and let stand for an hour. Stir the bowl’s contents once or twice during the hour. Drain and rinse thoroughly to remove the salt and set aside.

In a large non reactive saucepan (generally any pan with a nonstick coating will work; be sure to avoid aluminum pots), bring all the remaining ingredients except the ginger to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat and simmer for 3 minutes, stirring once or twice to be sure the sugar is dissolved. Pour the hot liquid over the squash mixture, amply covering all the vegetables. Add the ginger to the bowl and stir.

Allow to cool to room temperature, then place in air tight containers or jars. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours before serving. Pickles will keep covered in refrigerator for up to a month.

Makes 2 quarts

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
10. Peach Ginger Liqueur
Posted by: “KittyHawk”

Peach Ginger Liqueur

You can drizzle the liqueur and fruit over ice cream, cake, or sliced fruit.

4 cups vodka
4 cups sugar
1 pound (3 cups) dried peaches, chopped
1/2 cup chopped crystallized ginger

1. In a 3 to 4 quart pan, combine vodka and sugar. Stir often over
medium heat until mixture reaches 125 to 130 degrees F. (hot to touch),
about 5 minutes. Watch carefully; if overheated, fumes may ignite.

2. peaches and ginger in a wide mouth glass jar (at least 2 quart). Pour
in hot vodka mixture. Seal airtight. (If seal is rubber or synthetic
rubber, cover glass top with plastic wrap to protect seal; alcohol can
soften it.) Let stand at least 1 week or up to 2 months.

3. Line a strainer with 4 layers of damp cheesecloth and set over an 8
cup glass measure or bowl with a pour spout. Pour liqueur and fruit, a
portion at a time, through cloth. When fruit is no longer dripping, save
for other uses; wrap airtight and refrigerate up to 3 months.

4. Pour liqueur into small bottles and seal airtight (if seals are
rubber or synthetic rubber, see step 2). Serve liqueur, or store in a
cool, dark place up to I year.

MAKES: About 5 cups liqueur, 4 cups fruit

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
11. Millions Of Meatballs
Posted by: “KittyHawk”

Millions Of Meatballs

12 oz tomato sauce
1 tsp salt (optional)
1 1/2 cups dry bread crumbs
1/8 tsp dried thyme crushed
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1/8 tsp dried marjoram crushed
1/2 cup onion finely chopped
4 lb ground beef
1/4 cup green pepper finely chopped

In a large mixing bowl, combine first eight ingredients. Add ground beef
and mix well. Shape into meatballs (use a small cookie scoop if
available) and place on boiler pan so grease can drain while cooking.
Bake uncovered in 350 degree F. oven for 30 minutes. Divide into meal
sized portions. To prevent from freezing into a solid meatball mass,
freeze individually on cookie sheets and then place in freezer bags.
Label and freeze.

To serve meatballs, thaw completely and reheat with your choice of
sauces (six sample sauce recipes follow).

Sweet-n-Sour Meatballs

1 - 14 oz can pineapple tidbits or chunks, undrained
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 tsp soy sauce (or more to taste)
1 family meal sized portion of freezer meatballs
1 - 5 oz can water chestnuts, drained and thinly sliced
1 green pepper, cut in strips

Drain pineapple tidbits, reserving syrup. In medium saucepan, combine
brown sugar and cornstarch. Blend in reserved syrup, water, cider
vinegar and soy sauce. Cook and stir over low heat until thick and
bubbly. Carefully stir in meatballs, water chestnuts, green pepper
strips and pineapple. Heat to a boiling. Serve over hot cooked rice.

Makes: 5 servings

Chili Day Meatballs

1 - 12 oz jar chili sauce
11 oz jar grape jelly
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 cube beef bouillon dissolved in 1/2 cup water
1 family meal sized portion of freezer meatballs

Whisk together chili sauce, grape jelly, lemon juice and bouillon,
breaking up all clumps. Simmer on low heat until sauce starts to
thicken. Add freezer meatballs; cook in sauce until meatballs are fully
thawed and heated through. Serve over hot cooked noodles or rice.

Makes: 5 servings

Meatball Sandwiches

1 family meal sized portion of freezer meatballs (approximately 4 to 5
meatballs per person)
6 hot dog buns (or hoagie rolls)
6 thin slices mozzarella cheese
2 cups prepared spaghetti sauce

Thaw meatballs and spaghetti sauce (if using frozen). Place both in
medium saucepan. Heat until hot. Place meatballs into warmed buns. Ladle
small amount of spaghetti sauce onto each sandwich; place mozzarella
slice onto each sandwich.

Makes: 6 servings

Tomato Sauced Meatballs

1 - 10 3/4 oz can condensed tomato soup
1/2 cup water
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 family meal sized portion of freezer meatballs

Mix together soup, water and Worcestershire sauce. Place meatballs in a
medium sized saucepan; pour soup mixture over meatballs. Simmer until
meatballs are heated through. Serve over hot cooked rice.

Makes: 5 servings

Meatball Stroganoff

1 - 10 3/4 oz can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
1 cup mushrooms, sliced and cooked in butter until soft
1 family meal sized portion of freezer meatballs

In medium saucepan, mix together mushroom soup and sour cream. Gently
stir in mushrooms and meatballs. Simmer until meatballs are heated
through. Serve over hot cooked rice or over egg noodles tossed with
melted butter and chopped parsley.

Makes: 5 servings

Catalina Meatballs

1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 tsp olive oil
1 bottle Catalina salad dressing
1 family meal sized portion of freezer meatballs

Sauté onion slices in olive oil until softened. Place frozen meatballs
in medium skillet. Pour dressing over meatballs. Cover skillet and cook
over low heat until dressing caramelizes on meatballs and onion, and the
meatballs are fully thawed and heated through. Serve over rice.

Makes: 5 servings

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
12. Homemade Egg Substitute
Posted by: “KittyHawk”

Homemade Egg Substitute

Eggs are among the most nutritious foods on earth and can be part of a
healthy diet. However, they are perishable just like raw meat, poultry,
and fish. Today some unbroken, clean, fresh shell eggs may contain
Salmonella enteritidis bacteria that can cause food borne illness. While
the number of eggs affected is quite small, there have been cases of
food borne illness in the last few years. To be safe, eggs must be
properly handled, refrigerated, and cooked.

No one should eat foods containing raw eggs. This includes “health food”
milk shakes made with raw eggs, Caesar salad, Hollandaise sauce, and any
other foods like homemade mayonnaise, ice cream, or eggnog made from
recipes in which the egg ingredients are not cooked.

To make a recipe safe that specifies using eggs that aren’t cooked, heat
the eggs in a liquid from the recipe over low heat, stirring constantly,
until the mixture reaches 160 degrees F. Then combine it with the other
ingredients and complete the recipe.

What is a good substitute for eggs?

Ener-G Egg Replacer - follow directions on box.
2 tbsp cornstarch = 1 egg
2 tbsp arrowroot flour = 1 egg
2 tbsp potato starch = 1 egg
1 heaping tbsp soy powder + 2 tbsp water = 1 egg
1 tbsp soy milk powder + 1 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp water = 1 egg.
1 banana = 1 egg in cakes.
1 tbsp milled flax seed and 3 tbsp water = 1 egg. Light, fluffy cakes!

Homemade egg substitute recipe

Homemade egg substitutes are less expensive and just as satisfactory.
They also have few calories. Here’s a low cholesterol egg substitute recipe:

1 tablespoon of nonfat dry milk powder
2 egg whites from large eggs
4 drops of yellow food color

Sprinkle powdered milk over egg whites, then beat them with fork until
smooth. Add food color, and beat until blended. This makes 1/4 cup,
which is equal to 1 large egg. If you use this homemade substitute for
scrambled eggs, cook it in vegetable oil or margarine so the eggs won’t
be too dry.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FoodPreservationDryingCanningAndMore/

Posted by: “KittyHawk”

Best Ever Italian Dressing Mix

1/4 cup powdered lemonade mix
3 Tbsp dehydrated minced onion
3 Tbsp dehydrated minced garlic
3 Tbsp pectin
1 Tbsp dried oregano
2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp salt

Whisk all ingredients in bowl until well combined. Store in airtight
container for up to 3 months.

Makes 1 cup of mix, or 10 batches of dressing

To make salad dressing:

Whisk 1 1/2 tablespoons mix, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, and 1
tablespoon water in a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave until
garlic and onion are just softened, about 15 seconds. Cool to room
temperature, then slowly whisk in 6 tablespoons olive oil.

Each batch of dressing makes about 1/2 cup, enough to dress 16 cups of
greens

Serves 6 to 8

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
16. Pumpkin Pie Spice
Posted by: “KittyHawk”

Pumpkin Pie Spice

1/4 cup ground cinnamon
2 Tbsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground nutmeg *
1/2 tsp ground cardamom (optional)

Combine all ingredients for desired mix and blend well. Store in a
small, airtight container. Feel free to experiment with amounts to get a
blend that works for you.

* If using freshly ground nutmeg, you might want to cut back a little
bit because the flavor can be quite strong. Since you’re going to be
storing the mix anyway, it is not crucial to use freshly ground here. I
personally find it to be a bit overwhelming if there is a ton of nutmeg
in something.

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
17. Apple Pie Spice
Posted by: “KittyHawk”

Apple Pie Spice

1/4 cup ground cinnamon
1 Tbsp ground allspice
2 tsp ground nutmeg *
2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cardamom (optional)

Combine all ingredients for desired mix and blend well. Store in a
small, airtight container. Feel free to experiment with amounts to get a
blend that works for you.

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
18. Sour Cream and Green Onion Biscuits
Posted by: “KittyHawk”

Sour Cream and Green Onion Biscuits

2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 cup butter, chilled and cut into pieces
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup chopped green onion

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt
and sugar. Add butter to bowl and rub into flour mixture with your
fingertips until mixture resembles very coarse sand. The average piece
should be about the size of a pea.

Stir in sour cream until dough is moistened, then turn out on to a
lightly floured surface and lightly knead until the ball comes together
smoothly. Press dough out until it is 1/2 inch thick.

Use a 2 1/2 to 3 inch round cookie / biscuit cutter to cut rounds, then
place on baking sheet. Dough can be gathered and rerolled once. You
should get about 10 biscuits, depending on size of the biscuit cutter.

Bake for 20 to 24 minutes, until tops of biscuits are golden and sides
are puffed and firm.
Cool on a wire rack before serving.

Makes about 10 biscuits

NOTE: The dough being gently kneaded before being rolled out allows
gluten to develop, giving the biscuits a higher rise, and it also
distributes the butter so you get a flakier finished biscuit.

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19. Coconut Banana Bread
Posted by: “KittyHawk”

Coconut Banana Bread

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup mashed banana (2 medium / large)
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup shredded coconut

Preheat oven 350 degrees F. and lightly grease a 9 x 5” loaf pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.

In a large bowl, whisk together sugar and eggs until well combined, then
whisk in the mashed banana, coconut milk, butter and vanilla extract.
Pour dry ingredients into wet ingredients and stir until just combined,
making sure no streaks of flour remain. Stir in shredded coconut and
pour batter out into prepared baking pan.

Bake for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes
out clean, or with only a few moist crumbs attached.

Turn loaf out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

Makes: 1 loaf

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20. Cuban Shortbread Cookies
Posted by: “KittyHawk”

Cuban Shortbread Cookies

3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1 Tbsp orange zest
1 large egg
1 Tbsp orange juice
2 Tbsp light rum
Guava paste (NOTE)
powdered sugar, for serving

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.

In a large bowl cream together butter and sugar until light. Beat in
orange zest and egg, followed by orange juice and rum. Gradually beat in
the flour mixture, scraping down the sides of the bowl as you work,
until dough comes together.

Divide dough into three portions and work with each one individually. If
your kitchen is very warm, you should refrigerate the pieces you are not
working with while you wait.

Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll out to be 1/3 inch
thick. Add more sprinkles of flour as you work to keep the dough from
sticking. Use a lightly floured 2 inch round cutter to cut out circles
of dough. Place on prepared baking sheet.
Cut pieces of guava paste into dime sized circles or squares, (depending
if your paste comes in a block or roll) making each approx 1/4 inch
thick. Lightly press one piece into the top of each cookie. Repeat with
remaining cookie dough.

Bake for 13 to 16 minutes, until cookies are light gold at the edges.
Cool on baking sheet for 4 to 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to
cool. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Makes about 3 dozen

NOTE: If you don’t have guava paste, you can use jam. Simply make a
depression in the cookie before you bake it, then fill with a spoonful
of jam before serving.

To visit group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FoodPreservationDryingCanningAndMore/

http://crafts.kaboose.com/time-capsule-can.html

Time Capsule Can
By: Amanda Formaro
Difficulty: Very Easy
Age: 5 and up
Parental supervision is recommended

Make this a tradition with your family each New Year! Place one item from each family member inside a decorated can marked with the year on the front. Wait until all the kids are grown to open all the time capsules for a wonderful family memory!

For more great Christmas ideas, be sure to check out our Christmas crafts, homemade Christmas ornaments, Christmas printables, and our main Christmas area.

What you’ll need:
Empty can with plastic lid (mixed nuts, peanuts, potato chips, etc)
Yellow construction paper
Tape
Red glitter glue
Gold chenille stem
Scissors
Red acrylic paint
White craft glue
Piece of paper
Pen or marker

How to make it:
Be sure that can is clean and dry. Wrap can with yellow construction paper, glue or tape in place.
Glue a piece of gold chenille around the bottom of the can. You will need to hold the chenille in place until the glue adheres.

Dip one finger from each family member in red paint and dab off excess on paper towel. Place a red fingerprint on the side of the can.

Use red glitter glue to write the year on the front of the can. Let it dry completely.

When dry, have each family member place a small item inside the can. Use a pen to write an “inventory” list on a piece of paper stating what each member added to the time capsule.

Place the list inside with the other items and seal the can with its lid. Don’t open until all children are grown (or at least not until next year)!

Tips:
For very small children, make sure they don’t place something inside the can that they will miss too much.

Talk about how fun it will be to open the can next year and look inside. Use a different container each year to have a fun variety to open.

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