maybe on the commute to and from work I could get started again.<<<
If that means you are on public transportation, be sure it is a good strong steel needle, to also serve as a weapon.
Remember the Victorian Lady and her hat pin?
Now that was a weapon.
It is actually a carpool with my husband. LOL I hope I don’t need a knitting needle to fend him off! But it takes an hour to get down to Fresno from the foothills.
http://www.knowthelies.com/?q=node/3665
[May be a repost, still worth thinking about...granny]
100 Items You’ll Need That Will Disappear First...
Submitted by SadInAmerica on 2009, February 14 - 6:38pm.
This deserves some serious thought and consideration... If there are any items on this list that you do not currently have put away, you might want to think about getting them before you can’t...
1. Generators (Good ones cost dearly. Gas storage, risky. Noisy...target of thieves; maintenance etc.)
2. Water Filters/Purifiers
3. Portable Toilets
4. Seasoned Firewood. Wood takes about 6 - 12 months to become dried, for home uses.
5. Lamp Oil, Wicks, Lamps (First Choice: Buy CLEAR oil. If scarce, stockpile ANY!)
6. Coleman Fuel. Impossible to stockpile too much.
7. Guns, Ammunition, Pepper Spray, Knives, Clubs, Bats & Slingshots.
8. Hand-can openers, & hand egg beaters, whisks.
9. Honey/Syrups/white, brown sugar
10. Rice - Beans - Wheat
11. Vegetable Oil (for cooking) Without it food burns/must be boiled etc.,)
12. Charcoal, Lighter Fluid (Will become scarce suddenly)
13. Water Containers (Urgent Item to obtain.) Any size. Small: HARD CLEAR PLASTIC ONLY - note - food grade if for drinking.
14. Mini Heater head (Propane) (Without this item, propane won’t heat a room.)
15. Grain Grinder (Non-electric)
16. Propane Cylinders (Urgent: Definite shortages will occur.
17. Survival Guide Book.
18. Mantles: Aladdin, Coleman, etc. (Without this item, longer-term lighting is difficult.)
19. Baby Supplies: Diapers/formula. ointments/aspirin, etc.
20. Washboards, Mop Bucket w/wringer (for Laundry)
21. Cookstoves (Propane, Coleman & Kerosene)
22. Vitamins
23. Propane Cylinder Handle-Holder (Urgent: Small canister use is dangerous without this item)
24. Feminine Hygiene/Haircare/Skin products.
25. Thermal underwear (Tops & Bottoms)
26. Bow saws, axes and hatchets, Wedges (also, honing oil)
27. Aluminum Foil Reg. & Heavy Duty (Great Cooking and Barter Item)
28. Gasoline Containers (Plastic & Metal)
29. Garbage Bags (Impossible To Have Too Many).
30. Toilet Paper, Kleenex, Paper Towels
31. Milk - Powdered & Condensed (Shake Liquid every 3 to 4 months)
32. Garden Seeds (Non-Hybrid) (A MUST)
33. Clothes pins/line/hangers (A MUST)
34. Coleman’s Pump Repair Kit
35. Tuna Fish (in oil)
36. Fire Extinguishers (or..large box of Baking Soda in every room)
37. First aid kits
38. Batteries (all sizes...buy furthest-out for Expiration Dates)
39. Garlic, spices & vinegar, baking supplies
40. Big Dogs (and plenty of dog food)
41. Flour, yeast & salt
42. Matches. {”Strike Anywhere” preferred.) Boxed, wooden matches will go first
43. Writing paper/pads/pencils, solar calculators
44. Insulated ice chests (good for keeping items from freezing in Wintertime.)
45. Workboots, belts, Levis & durable shirts
46. Flashlights/LIGHTSTICKS & torches, “No. 76 Dietz” Lanterns
47. Journals, Diaries & Scrapbooks (jot down ideas, feelings, experience; Historic Times)
48. Garbage cans Plastic (great for storage, water, transporting - if with wheels)
49. Men’s Hygiene: Shampoo, Toothbrush/paste, Mouthwash/floss, nail clippers, etc
50. Cast iron cookware (sturdy, efficient)
51. Fishing supplies/tools
52. Mosquito coils/repellent, sprays/creams
53. Duct Tape
54. Tarps/stakes/twine/nails/rope/spikes
55. Candles
56. Laundry Detergent (liquid)
57. Backpacks, Duffel Bags
58. Garden tools & supplies
59. Scissors, fabrics & sewing supplies
60. Canned Fruits, Veggies, Soups, stews, etc.
61. Bleach (plain, NOT scented: 4 to 6% sodium hypochlorite)
62. Canning supplies, (Jars/lids/wax)
63. Knives & Sharpening tools: files, stones, steel
64. Bicycles...Tires/tubes/pumps/chains, etc
65. Sleeping Bags & blankets/pillows/mats
66. Carbon Monoxide Alarm (battery powered)
67. Board Games, Cards, Dice
68. d-con Rat poison, MOUSE PRUFE II, Roach Killer
69. Mousetraps, Ant traps & cockroach magnets
70. Paper plates/cups/utensils (stock up, folks)
71. Baby wipes, oils, waterless & Antibacterial soap (saves a lot of water)
72. Rain gear, rubberized boots, etc.
73. Shaving supplies (razors & creams, talc, after shave)
74. Hand pumps & siphons (for water and for fuels)
75. Soysauce, vinegar, bullions/gravy/soupbase
76. Reading glasses
77. Chocolate/Cocoa/Tang/Punch (water enhancers)
78. “Survival-in-a-Can”
79. Woolen clothing, scarves/ear-muffs/mittens
80. Boy Scout Handbook, / also Leaders Catalog
81. Roll-on Window Insulation Kit (MANCO)
82. Graham crackers, saltines, pretzels, Trail mix/Jerky
83. Popcorn, Peanut Butter, Nuts
84. Socks, Underwear, T-shirts, etc. (extras)
85. Lumber (all types)
86. Wagons & carts (for transport to and from)
87. Cots & Inflatable mattress’s
88. Gloves: Work/warming/gardening, etc.
89. Lantern Hangers
90. Screen Patches, glue, nails, screws,, nuts & bolts
91. Teas
92. Coffee
93. Cigarettes
94. Wine/Liquors (for bribes, medicinal, etc,)
95. Paraffin wax
96. Glue, nails, nuts, bolts, screws, etc.
97. Chewing gum/candies
98. Atomizers (for cooling/bathing)
99. Hats & cotton neckerchiefs
100. Goats/chickens
From a Sarajevo War Survivor:
Experiencing horrible things that can happen in a war - death of parents and
friends, hunger and malnutrition, endless freezing cold, fear, sniper attacks.
1. Stockpiling helps. but you never no how long trouble will last, so locate
near renewable food sources.
2. Living near a well with a manual pump is like being in Eden.
3. After awhile, even gold can lose its luster. But there is no luxury in war
quite like toilet paper. Its surplus value is greater than gold’s.
4. If you had to go without one utility, lose electricity - it’s the easiest to
do without (unless you’re in a very nice climate with no need for heat.)
5. Canned foods are awesome, especially if their contents are tasty without
heating. One of the best things to stockpile is canned gravy - it makes a lot of
the dry unappetizing things you find to eat in war somewhat edible. Only needs
enough heat to “warm”, not to cook. It’s cheap too, especially if you buy it in
bulk.
6. Bring some books - escapist ones like romance or mysteries become more
valuable as the war continues. Sure, it’s great to have a lot of survival
guides, but you’ll figure most of that out on your own anyway - trust me, you’ll
have a lot of time on your hands.
7. The feeling that you’re human can fade pretty fast. I can’t tell you how many
people I knew who would have traded a much needed meal for just a little bit of
toothpaste, rouge, soap or cologne. Not much point in fighting if you have to
lose your humanity. These things are morale-builders like nothing else.
8. Slow burning candles and matches, matches, matches
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=12309
Genetically Modfied Seeds: Monsanto is Putting Normal Seeds Out of Reach
by Linn Cohen-Cole
Global Research, February 14, 2009
People say if farmers don’t want problems from Monsanto, just don’t buy their
GMO seeds.
Not so simple. Where are farmers supposed to get normal seed these days? How
are they supposed to avoid contamination of their fields from GM-crops? How
are they supposed to stop Monsanto detectives from trespassing or Monsanto
from using helicopters to fly over spying on them?
continued.
http://affectioknit.blogspot.com/search/label/Crochet
Other uses for that cheap nylon net.
She cuts in one inch strips, crochets a circle to the size she wants and has a dish scrubber....cost she said 10 cents.
Exact instructions and photos at link.
I cut my net in about 14 inch strips and double them so they are 8 inches wide, then gather and tie in the middle and you have a pouf.
Either would work for scrubbing the body and getting rid of dead skin.
I like them for dishwashing, scrubs and cleans and does not mould or go sour.
I laughed, when they came out with a commercial version of the same bath pouf that I was making 30 years ago, and sell them for $2. and up.
granny
http://affectioknit.blogspot.com/search/label/Recipes
Almost Girl Scout Cookies - the Peanut Butter Kind
INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup Earth Balance, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 EnerG Egg Replacer Egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup quick cooking oats
FILLING
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
2 1/2 tablespoons coconut cream (just open a can of coconut milk without shaking it and dip off the cream on top),
DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, cream together 1/2 cup Earth Balance, 1/2 cup peanut butter, white sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla. Add egg replacer and beat well.
In another bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add these dry ingredients to the creamed mixture. Stir. Add oatmeal and stir.
Drop by teaspoons onto greased baking sheet, and press each mound down the bottom of a glass to form 1/4 inch thick cookies - we also took a skewer and made a little hole in the middle of each one. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 10 minutes, or until cookies are a light brown.
To Make Filling: Cream 3 tablespoons Earth Balance with the confectioners’ sugar, 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter, and the coconut cream. Spread filling onto half of the cooled cookies, then top with the other half to form sandwiches.
Warm Potato Salad
about 3 medium red potatoes - boiled with skins on
a handful of grape tomatoes
1/2 cup ranch dressing
I make one without tofu that we like a lot:
1 cup vegan mayonnaise - I make BRYANNA’S DELICIOUS LOW-FAT VEGGIENNAISE
2 T. soy milk
1 T. cider vinegar
1/4 t. salt
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. onion powder
A few twists of freshly ground black pepper
1/4 t. dried dill
2 t. dried chives
Just put everything in the blender and mix it up and pour that over the potatoes and tomatoes
Posted by affectioknit
.so we veganized it and I think it’s gluten free as well...
Paula Dean’s Vegan Monster Cookies
Ingredients
3 equivalent EnerG Eggs
2 1/4 cups turbinado sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 12-ounce jar creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup Earth Balance, softened
1/2 cup multi-colored chocolate candies - Koppers
1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips - we make our own Homemade Vegan Chocolate Chips
1/4 cup raisins, optional
2 teaspoons baking soda
4 1/2 cups quick-cooking oatmeal (not instant)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats.
In a very large mixing bowl, combine the EnerG eggs and sugar. Mix well. Add the salt, vanilla, peanut butter, and Earth Balance. Mix well. Stir in the chocolate candies, chocolate chips, raisins, if using, baking soda, and oatmeal. Drop by tablespoons 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Do not overbake. Let stand for about 3 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool. When cool, store in large resealable plastic bags.
Posted by affectioknit
The Best Bread Machine Bread Recipe Ever
1 1/4 cup warm water in the pan of your bread machine
1 t. vinegar - I use apple cider vinegar but I’m sure white would work too
1 1/2 t. ground flax seed
1/2 t. salt
3 T. Sugar - I use turbinado but other sweetners should work as well
2 T. oil
3 Cups Bread Flour
1 t. active dry yeast
Place in the order called for by your machine - listed in the order I add them...
You can just see a few flecks of flaxseed...
After the final rise...
Fresh from the machine - the crust is so crispy and delicate...
And the best piece of the entire loaf is this first one cut from the top...
This bread is so soft - the texture is just perfect...
But probably the most important thing is that it’s still good the next day and the day after that...
Posted by affectioknit2
Best Ever Banana Bread
3/4 cup sugar
2 T canola oil
Egg Replacer to replace 2 eggs - I used Red Mill Egg Replacer 2 T in 1/3 cup of water.
1 1/2 cup mashed ripe bananas - mine were frozen - whenever we have one that’s gone too ripe I just stick it in the freezer to use for bread.
1/3 cup water
1 2/3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
Heat oven to 350º. Grease bottom only of loaf pan. Sift together flour, soda, salt and baking powder. Mix sugar, egg replacer and oil until creamy. Add water and bananas and mix well. Stir in remaining ingredients until just blended. Pour into pan. Bake about 1 hour.
Posted by affectioknit2
Vegan Kielbasa
I’ve been fooling around with seitan again...
This is a try at vegan kielbasa - I looked at a couple of sausage recipes online and the only ingredients (besides the meat) were really just garlic and black pepper...
...so I whipped up a small batch of seitan - recipe below...
...wrapped each serving tightly in foil...
...and put them in my makeshift steamer - then I left for Tae Kwon Do and when I came back a little over an hour later...
...and pulled these steamy little goodies out of the oven - they smelled so good...
...and here after a short stint on the grill - served with a little ‘Bubble and Squeak’...
...So Good...
VEGAN KIELBASA
Dry ingredients:
1 cup vital wheat gluten
1/4 cup soy flour
1 tbsp vegan bouillion
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp ground paprika
Wet ingredients:
1/2 tsp liquid smoke
1 cup cool water
about 6 cloves of minced garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
Mix the dry ingredients together in one bowl and the wet ingredients together in another bowl and then mix them together - just until everything is incorporated.
Then I used a 1/4 cup measure to portion out the sausages - roughly shaped it into a log and then rolled it up tightly in a piece of foil.
I filled a pan with water and set the rack over it - put the sausages on the rack and covered the whole thing with foil - I baked mine in the toaster oven for a little over one hour at 350 F - but I’m sure you could use a proper steamer for this as well...
Posted by affectioknit2
Crockpot Apple Butter
I still have a couple of bags of dried apples to use up before the new apples begin to arrive - I remember a long time ago someone talking about making apple butter in their crockpot and I did a quick search for a recipe. I didn’t find any that specifically mentioned using dried apples - but once they’re reconstituted into applesauce - there’s really no difference. I’d post a link - but I didn’t really use any of the recipes - here’s what I did.
Crockpot Apple Butter
2 quart containers of dried apples
3 quarts water
4 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 cup sugar - more or less to taste
Cook on low about 12-14 hours.
The crockpot was almost full so you can see that it cooks down considerably...
I ran this through the blender - I wanted it to be just like the ‘White House’ apple butter I grew up with (which by the way is not available up here - there’s only one kind of apple butter up here and it costs about $3.65 for a little bitty jar)...
I got two pints for later and about a pint that I didn’t seal up for immediate use.
It was thick and rich and just a little bit tangy - the Man-Cub wanted it a little bit sweeter - but I didn’t add any more sugar...
Posted by affectioknit2
I borrowed the title from ‘Cooking Light’ - it’s the title for their quick and easy recipes at the back of the magazine.
This was certainly quick and easy - it’s just slightly adapted from the Joy of Cooking - (in that it has no chicken in it - we used ‘chick’ peas instead - oh fer funny!):
Joy of Cooking ‘Chick pea’ Cacciatore 4 servings
Cacciatore means “hunter’s style” in Italian - so a vegan version is needed...
Heat 3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil in a large heavy skillet over medium high heat until shimmery and fragrant:
Add:
1 cup chopped onions
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary or 1/2 teaspoon dried, crumbled
1 teaspoon minced fresh sage leaves, or 1/2 teaspoon dried, crumbled
Cook stirring until the onions are golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add:
1 large clove minced garlic
Cook about 30 seconds more being careful not to brown the garlic. Pour in:
1/2 cup dry red or white wine
Cook over medium-high heat until all the wine is evaporated. Add:
1 can whole tomatoes with juice, crushed with your hands
1 can chick peas drained and rinsed
3/4 cup water or vegetable broth
Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer gently for 25 minutes. Add:
1/2 cup oil cured black olives
8 ounces of mushrooms sliced
Cook, covered, for 10 minutes. Uncover the pan and boil the pan juices over high heat until slightly thickened. Taste and adjust the seasonings.
Posted by affectioknit2
Dilly Bread
I mentionned in a previous post (also over at http://www.vegancookalong.blogspot.com/) that I made a homemade dill bread for a tea...
This is really good - and I let the bread machine do the kneading and first rising - then I put it into a small loaf pan for the final rise and baking...
3/4 cup warm soymilk
2 cups bread flour
1 1/2 Tablespoons turbinado sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons dill weed
1 Tablespoon vegan margarine
1 1/2 teaspoons dry yeast
1 Tablespoon vital wheat gluten
Put all ingredients into your bread machine in the order called for. Select the dough setting - or if you want the bread machine to bake it just use whatever setting you normally use for a basic bread.
This bread is perfect for springtime sandwiches of Tofutti cream cheese and cucumber...
so good...
Posted by affectioknit2
Soooo, I needed some cookies and I thought ‘What would go with my “Constant Comment”® tea???’ “Constant Comment Cookies” of course...
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Combine and stir with a whisk.
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup Earth Balance - or vegan margarine of your choice
Beat until light and fluffy.
Then add egg replacer equivalent to 1 egg - I used Red Mill.
Add 1 & 1/2 teaspoons of orange extract and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla.
Then gradually add your flour mixture beating it in about 1/3 at a time.
Beat just until a soft dough forms - then form it into a log and wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (you could probably do this a day ahead - and maybe even freeze it but I don’t know as I didn’t try it).
Preheat oven to 350°. Cut log into 4 equal portions - then working with one portion at a time (and keeping the others refrigerated - this is a soft dough) divide dough into 10 equal portions - roll into little balls and place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
Mix together on a small plate:
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup powdered sugar
Then dip the bottom of a flat glass first in water and then in the sugar mixture and flatten each little ball. Repeat with the other 3 portions of dough - Yield 40 cookies.
These were so good with tea - not too sweet and delicately flavored.
I updated the Recipes Link as well:
http://affectioknit.blogspot.com/2006/12/recipes-apple-jelly-blackberry-cobbler.html
Posted by affectioknit2
http://www.urbanchickens.net/2009/02/urban-chickens-and-sustainability.html
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Urban Chickens and sustainability
I caught a nice article on urban chickens and sustainability in the Sustainable Life section of the Lake Oswego Review (among other places).
Among the points made:
* chickens are a lot less expensive to feed than cats and dogs (I can attest to this, too)
* chickens are easier to take care of than cats and dogs (yup, I agree)
* chicken poop is a great fertilizer while dog poop can’t be used as fertilizer because it contains organisms capable of causing disease in people
* dogs generally need store-bought food whereas chickens will consume vegetable scraps and bugs.
Not surprised to see that Portland, Oregon has the highest urban chicken population in the country per capita:
“I think Portland is the perfect incubator for this sort of thing,” says Glenn Nardelli, who works at Pistils Nursery in North Portland and keeps three chickens behind his house in the nearby Overlook neighborhood. Pistils sells supplies for chicken farmers and holds workshops for people considering raising chickens. The workshops have been steadily growing in popularity.
“People are really sustainability-minded here,” Nardelli says.
But are urban chickens really sustainable?
They definitely are as producers of food, say West and others, because local production is a critical component of sustainability.
“In terms of egg harvesting, it doesn’t get any closer than walking out your back door,” Nardelli says. Not only do home-produced eggs mean Nardelli doesn’t have to expend gasoline on a trip to the supermarket, but the eggs don’t need to be trucked to the supermarket from a factory farm, where they likely would have been raised with hormones, antibiotics and pesticides.
Portland code allows city residents to keep up to three chickens without needing a permit. No roosters – with their morning wake-up calls – are allowed. But hens produce eggs without roosters.
So why is it a city like Portland can have so many urban chickens with so little uproar while smaller cities are struggling at the mere thought allowing a clucking hen in their city limits?
Food for thought on a rainy Sunday afternoon...
Herb Oatmeal Potato Bread
1/2 c mashed potato
1 extra-large egg
4 tb butter or vegetable oil
3/4 c water
3/4 ts each: dried thyme, rosemary, oregano, basil
2 1/2 c unbleached white flour
1/2 c quick-cooking oats
1 ts salt
1 tb sugar
1 tb active dry yeast
2 tb sunflower seeds
Add all ingredients except sunflower seeds to the bread pan of your ABM
in the order suggested by the manufacturer. Set to Basic cycle. Add
sunflower seeds at the beep.
PASTA DOUGH FLAVORED WITH HERBS
Posted by: “KittyHawk”
PASTA DOUGH FLAVORED WITH HERBS
Basil Flavored Pasta Dough
Add 1/4 cup dried basil to the flour and proceed as directed for Basic
Egg Pasta Dough.
Garlic Flavored Pasta Dough
Follow the recipe for Basic Egg Pasta Dough.
Peel 6 garlic cloves and mince well in a blender.
Add the 3 eggs and 3/4 teaspoon salt and blend well.
Add remaining ingredients and proceed as directed for Egg Pasta Dough.
Saffron Flavored Pasta Dough
Follow the recipe for Basic Egg Pasta Dough, but omit the oil.
Put 1/2 teaspoon crushed saffron threads in a cup.
Add 1-1/2 tablespoons hot water and let stand 20-30 minutes.
Put in a food processor with the 3 eggs and puree.
Add remaining ingredients and proceed as directed for Basic Egg Pasta Dough
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
5. Homemade Pasta using your Mixer or Food Processor
Posted by: “KittyHawk”
Homemade Pasta using your Mixer or Food Processor
Serves: 4 - 8 people (depending on how hungry you all are)
3 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
4 - 6 eggs (the more eggs you add, the richer the dough)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp olive oil
1 Tbsp warm water
Preparing Dough Using a Mixer with a Dough Hook
1. Place the flour into your mixing bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, salt and olive oil.
3. Turn the mixer on low and then slowly pour the egg mixture into the
bowl, incorporating the egg into the flour.
4. Add the warm water slowly if you need to moisten the dough (I almost
always do this). Sometimes you may need it all, sometimes you will only
need a bit.
5. When the egg is added into the flour and you have a rough dough, take
everything out of the bowl and set it on a marble or wooden counter or
board.
6. Collect the mixture into a ball on a marble or wooden counter or board.
Preparing Dough by Using a Food Processor
1. Place the flour into your processor’s bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, salt and olive oil.
3. Pulse the processor while slowly pouring the egg mixture into the
bowl and incorporating it into the flour.
4. Add the warm water slowly if you need to moisten the dough (I almost
always do this). Sometimes you may need it all, sometimes you will only
need a bit.
5. When the egg is added into the flour and you have a rough dough, take
everything out of the bowl and set it on a marble or wooden counter or
board.
Kneading the Dough
1. Knead the dough for 10-15 minutes. When you’re done, it should be
smooth with everything fully incorporated. Be sure not to stop too soon
(even if your arms are tired) as your dough won’t stretch well later and
you’ll regret it.
2. Let the dough rest in a bowl covered with plastic wrap for at least
an hour on the counter or up to a day in the refrigerator.
Making the Pasta
A. Rolling out the Dough by Hand
1. Line a cookie sheet with paper towels that have been sprinkled with
flour.
2. Spread some flour onto your counter or board and set the dough on top
of it.
3. Cut a 1/2 inch slice off your dough ball, and keep the rest covered
with the plastic wrap.
4. Using your rolling pin, roll your dough to your desired thickness (I
like it on the thin side) and then cut into whatever shape you’d like. I
think pappardelle, tagliatelle, and fettuccini are the easiest to cut.
5. Set the cut noodles onto the cookie sheet, being sure not to clump
them too much. Sprinkle on more flour if needed.
6. Continue until you are out of dough.
Making Individual Shapes by Hand
1. Line a cookie sheet with paper towels that have been sprinkled with
flour.
2. Spread some flour onto your counter or board and set the dough on top
of it.
3. Cut a 1/2 inch slice off your dough ball, and keep the rest covered
with the plastic wrap.
4. Make whatever shapes you’d like (I think orecchiette is the easiest
as you just make little balls and then press your knuckle into them),
being sure not to make your shapes too thick or too big as they won’t
cook well.
5. Set the cut noodles onto the cookie sheet, being sure not to clump
them too much an sprinkling on more flour if needed.
6. Continue until you are out of dough.
Note: I won’t provide pasta maker instructions as each machine comes
with a helpful manual.
Cooking the Pasta
1. Add the pasta to salted boiling water. Be sure to have a nice full
pot so there’s enough room for the pasta to move around and cook in
separate batches if your pot isn’t big enough.
2. Boil for 3-5 minutes, or until the pasta seems cooked through.
3. The pasta should be firm, but cooked through, when you take it out.
Just be sure not to let it get mushy.
4. Serve with your favorite sauce.
Freezing the Pasta
1. Take your fresh (uncooked) noodles still lying on the cookie sheet
and cover them with a layer of paper towels.
2. Stick the cookie sheet in the freezer for about an hour.
3. When the noodles are frozen, place them in a freezer bag or container
and freeze until ready for use.
mailto:FoodPreservationDryingCanningAndMore-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com
I love a good pot roast. Especially one made with cola! We ate a small bit for dinner, for three people, and have plenty to take in sandwiches for work. The juice left over I will freeze and make soup later. This very well could be the most unsustainable recipe post ever!
Here is the recipe for those who care:
Coca Cola Roast
1 2 1/2 - 3 lb roast- you can go with a cheaper cut of meat like chuck roast
1 can of Cola- not diet as the sugar in the cola is part of the process that tenderizes the roast
1 can of French onion Soup (I used Campbell’s)
whatever veggies you want to add
Put roast into crock pot, dump in the soup, dump in the cola add vegetables. Cook on low setting for about 6 hours.
Posted by Robj98168
http://robj98168.blogspot.com/
This weeks Cooked something new recipes:
DANDELION FRITTERS
1 cup of dandelion flowers
1 egg
1 cup of milk
1 ½ cups of flour
½ cup of Corn Meal
2 teaspoons baking powder
To make the fritter batter; beat 1 egg, then blend in 1 cup milk. Mix 1-1/2 cups flour and 1/2 cup cornmeal with 2 tsp. baking powder in a separate bowl before blending with the egg mixture. Rinse and dry flowers. Dip the flower buds into the fritter batter. Carefully drop breaded flowers in hot oil until golden brown. These can be used as croutons in a green garden salad.
NOTW: It would probably work better if you used the flowers fresh rather than putting them in the fridge and waiting until 11:30 at night Like I did the first time. They tend to close up a bit.
Borage and cucumber salad
3 large cucumbers
1/2 pint sour cream
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1 tablespoon of dried dill seeds or 2 or 3 sprigs of fresh dill
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1 teaspoon sugar
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup fresh, young borage leaves (chopped finely)
Slice the cucumbers thinly. Salt lightly and set aside in a colander for 30 minutes, then rinse and pat dry with paper towels. Mix the remaining ingredients, add the cucumbers to the mixture, and toss lightly. Garnish with borage blossoms. Chill for one hour before serving.
CRUNCHY DOMESTIC GODDESS’ 5 MINUTE SHOWER CHALLENGE Still doing it at 5 minute or less showerd, still catching shower warm-up water, still clean and not smelly! Got the water bill and we used about half the water we normally do for August.
http://robj98168.blogspot.com/search/label/garden
Since my new founded interest in sprouting, I would dearly love to try one of those fancy sprouting systems sold online, But instead I madesome new sprouting jars.
The easy answer is to use a meshy fabric like cheesecloth or some nylons and wrap around the top like in the second video. But, being a guy, I don’t have nylons lying around and not about to go out and buy some Big Mama nylons. These are easy to make- don’t buy sprouting jars or lids.
Here is how I make mine. Take an ordinary mason jar. You need to buy some type or mesh or netting to use in place of the cap. I use plastic canvass, which is available at JoAnn’s and I would imagine Michael’s has them as well. Take a mason jar and put it on the plastic canvass lid side down-
Take a mason jar and put it on the plastic canvass lid side down- and a sharpie to mark the circle.
Then simply cut the circle out of the canvass. Now place it ontop of the mason jar and screw on the lid. There you have a sprouting jar in whatever size you need! For instructions on using your sprouting jar, go to sproutpeople or sprouting.com or best yet the cityfarmer.org.
http://robj98168.blogspot.com/search/label/garden
Excellent idea to use the plastic cross stitch foundation, would be better than the cheese cloth and screens.
Interesting blog, lots of hidden tips.
granny
http://robj98168.blogspot.com/search/label/Making%20Bread
How to make 3 kinds of bread, with 3 videos.
[An excellent gardeners blog....granny]
http://www.cheapvegetablegardener.com/2009/01/cheap-vegetable-seeds.html
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Cheap Vegetable Seeds - UPDATE
Looking at my web logs I have seen the query for “cheap vegetable seeds” a few times so figured would be good to help people find what they are looking for. Being The Cheap Vegetable Gardener, I can do better than “Cheap vegetable seeds” how about some “free vegetable seeds” as well.
Free Vegetable Seeds (pretty much)
* Ask your neighbors – Notice your neighbor is a gardener, check if they want to go in on a seed order and share unless you really need 200 carrots this year.
* Harvest your own seeds – If your plants bolt to seed early this year, don’t pull them out let them create some seeds for next season. Notice your neighbor has some seeding plants, ask if you can get some (important part is to ask though)
* Get seeds from the grocery store – Before putting those vegetables in the compost bin, set the seeds aside to let them dry and you got some free seeds. Though a word of warning many vegetables are hybrids and may be infertile or not produce the same quality of product but hey its free.
* Check your spice rack – Many cases you can plant seeds from your spice rack. Some ideas, mustard seed, dill seed, coriander, poppy seed, celery seed. If your spice rack is lacking you can pay a few cents buy a teaspoon of organic spices in bulk, last time I bought dill seeds got about 100 seeds for $0.05.
* Seed swap web sites – Below I have listed a few links where you can share seeds with others. This is a great way to find some heirloom seeds you might not be able to find in stores/seed catalogs. In many cases people will offer seeds for free by just sending a SASE (Self Addressed Stamped Envelope) Just remember to pay it forward when you come into a plethora of seeds yourself.
o http://www.almanac.com/swap/index.php
o http://www.thriftyfun.com/board_seeds.html
o http://www.garden.org/seedswap/
o http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/exseed/
Cheap Vegetable Seeds
* Local seed swaps – Many groups will have annual seed swaps where you enter for a small fee and/or a packet or two of seeds and you leave with much more than you came with.
* Buy online – If you want to save some time and just buy them check online. You can get great selection and some great prices. For example Park Seed right now is having a $1 seed sale, if you click on the image on the left side you will see many are on sale for $0.75.
Park Seed Seeds
UPDATE: If you order by end of Feburary and enter the promo code “SPRINGSEEDS” you can save an additional 10% on your order at Park Seed.
Posted by The Cheap Vegetable Gardener at 11:30 AM
Labels: cheap, free, seed saving, seeds
5 comments:
Kared said...
Huh, I never thought of planting dill from the spice rack. Does it really work?! That’s awesome!
January 8, 2009 11:12 PM
Patrice Farmer said...
OMG, I never thought to plant the dry seeds in the cupboard. Thanks.
January 9, 2009 5:10 AM
Daphne said...
Just a warning if you try to grow your seeds from your spice rack. Test the germination rate first. Dill seed can live a decade, but it can die in just a few years too. Just purchased seed is probably fine (though it could have been sitting there for years). If you take the seed from your shelf and haven’t been replacing your spices every couple of years, those old ones might have issues. It is safer to test them in a moist paper towel inside.
January 9, 2009 5:49 AM
shibaguyz.com said...
Great ideas...
Our FAV place right now for inexpensive seeds is Tomatobob.com. They have twenty-five cent seeds on some of their supply. Other than that, there are GREAT prices right now at West Seattle Nursery (for you local Seattle folks). Our other online source is heirloom seeds dot com.
Thanks for the info post... going to go get some more seeds now!! LOL
You Gotta See This!!!
http://sweetpotatopromethus.blogspot.com/
Aeroponic Sweet Potato Prototype
Aeroponic, Sweet Potato, hydroponic, NASA, Sweet Potato slip, Fogger, Fogponics, Fog, This is a homemade Aeroponic system which I am trying to grow sweet potatoes in with no soil
Seed Bombs for Guerilla Gardening
I recently became interested in Guerilla Gardening, which is using dilapidated or unused land to garden on. Seed balls can be used to inconspicuously beautify an area.
Heavy Petal has a great guide on making them.
Here’s the recipe:
5 parts dry red clay*
3 parts dry organic compost
1 part seed**
1 - 2 parts water
They are rolled into balls and are dried in a place with good ventilation. To use them, toss a handful on bare ground. The clay will protect them from birds or being stepped on and will fertilize them once they germinate.
Heavy Petal also recommends using edible, medicinal, and drought tolerant plants.
This was written by Red Icculus.
5 Comments
Make Your Own Seed Starter Pots
The startup costs for starting seeds can be dauting with trays and flats. You probably have the best seed starting pots sitting in your garage- newspapers.
To make one, simply tear a 9 x 9 inch square out. Fold it over the outside of a drinking glass. Pull it off, and fold the top lip in or staple.
They can go right into the ground outside and are biodegradable!
Regrowing Scallions
I had seen a couple people were regrowing scallions, so I had to try my hand at it. I put just the growing tip of a scallion in the coconut blooming my amaryllis:
And it just grew back!
see photos
Another good blog for gardners.
http://tim-gamble.blogspot.com/2009/02/resource-miser-010.html
I have not read the article, this writer is a left leaning green, who does have a few ideas for all of us, on saving energy.
granny
The New Materials Economy
I also want to recommend a two-part essay by Lester Brown of the Earth Policy Institute:
Raising Energy Efficiency in a New Materials Economy, part one
Raising Energy Efficiency in a New Materials Economy, part two
Project of the Week
Most likely, there are holes in your house. Holes that let in cold air during the winter and let out cool air during the summer, wasting lots of electricity and your money. Those holes may also let in rats, mice and insects. The holes were put there on purpose when your home was built, to make room for pipes.
Look for holes in your kitchen, your bathrooms, your utility room or laundry room, and even your basement. Look under and beside sinks, toilets and laundry hook-ups. A surprising amount of air can pass through those holes.
If you find any holes, they can easily be filled with a can of spray foam insulation for $5 or less. Cans of spray foam insulation can be found at Wal-mart, Target, Home Depot, Lowe’s and just about any local hardware store. Be sure to read the instructions on the can, but it is really easy to do.
When I checked my Mother’s house for holes, I was surprised to find the one under the kitchen sink was so large. Even with the pipes running through it, there was still room enough to put my fist in the hole. I also found a smaller hole under the sink in one of the two bathrooms.
More tips on sealing your home’s envelope can be found by clicking here.
Posted by Tim Gamble at 10:26 PM
http://tim-gamble.blogspot.com/2008/12/index-to-resource-miser-series.html
[live links on site and many other articles]
Index to The Resource Miser Series
Here is an index to The Resource Miser series. It will be updated on a regular basis.
The Resource Miser #001 - Radical Resource Efficiency; Home Energy Efficiency
The Resource Miser #002 - Twenty Free Ways to Save Energy
The Resource Miser #003 - Tips for Saving Energy in Winter
The Resource Miser #004 - Saving Gasoline; Saving Water
The Resource Miser #005 - How attitudes & behaviors effect resource use
The Resource Miser #006 - Sealing Your Home’s Envelope
The Resource Miser #007 - Household Tips for Saving Energy & Other Resources
The Resource Miser #008 - Resource Efficiency links; Project: Electricity Vampires
The Resource Miser #009 - General Tips; Project: Check Out Your Trash
The Resource Miser #010 - Articles of Interest; Project: Holes in Your House
The Resource Miser SE-01 - Insulation Explained
The Resource Miser SE-02 - Index to The Resource Miser Series
continued....
http://tim-gamble.blogspot.com/2008/12/index-to-engineering-future-series.html
Index to the Engineering the Future Series
Here is an index to the Engineering the Future series. It will be updated on a regular basis.
Engineering the Future #001 - The Resurgence of Nuclear Energy
Engineering the Future #002 - Space Solar Energy
Engineering the Future #003 - Biofuels
Engineering the Future #004 - In the News
Engineering the Future #005 - The New Space Race
Engineering the Future SE-01 - Index to Engineering the Future Series
continued, and live links..
http://tim-gamble.blogspot.com/2009/02/life-forests-003-getting-started-part-1.html
Life Forests #003 - Getting Started, Part 1
Life Forests is a newsletter focused on a type of permaculture called forest or woodland gardening, sometimes referred to as food gardens. It is published every Wednesday on the Sustainable Future website. Please feel free to forward Life Forests to your family and friends.
Getting Started (Part 1)
Once started, a forest garden can be relatively low-maintenance, but it does take some planning to get there. Your approach to the design of your particular forest garden will be affected by the current state of the land you are using:
1- A bare plot of land, with no trees or shrubs.
2- A plot of land that has some scattered trees and shrubs.
3- A plot of land that is already heavily wooded.
All three offer a different set of challenges and opportunities.
continued......
[Interesting site to seeds for sprouting and info on same...]
http://www.sproutpeople.com/index.html
Our site contains over 400 pages of sprout information:
Sprouting Instructions for over 80 seeds
Recipes for Sprouts, Greens and even Grasses
Detailed Sprouting Device information
and every recipe and set of instructions has
a printable (plain-text) version too!
http://www.herbsarespecial.com.au/free-herb-information/loofahs.html
LOOFAHS
Description
Loofahs are said to have origins in Asia, with about 8 species belonging to the Cucurbitaceae family. Below is information on three useful species.
1. Smooth Loofah (Luffa cylindrical) also called Dishcloth Gourd; a hardy annual (to perennial in sub-tropical climates), creeping or climbing tendril vine, with large, hairy, deeply lobed leaves. Yellow trumpet-shaped male and female flowers. Round, green fruit 20-60cm long with scallops running lengthways. Skin turns brown at full maturity. When dry the skin can be peeled off, revealing a thick mass of light brown fibre that looks like a tightly spun cocoon, with the widest end open to allow easy exit for the flat, oval, black seed.
Loofahs
Loofahs
2. Angled Loofah (Luffa acutangula) also called Chinese Okra, Ridged Gourd, Thai Vegetable; annual with growth like the smooth loofah. Oval fruit 15-30cm long forms thin at the vine end expanding to 8cm diameter at the terminal end. Ten very defined ridges form around the full length of the fruit, which give a very appealing appearance. Oval, flat, dark brown seed form within cavities of the fruit’s interior mesh-like fibre.
3. Little Loofah (Luffa purgens) also called Mini Loofah; an annual with a smaller leaf than the above species. Oval fruit the size of a bantam egg with oval, tiny, soft spines which form along 10 ridges that run from end to end. When the skin turns from green to brown, the skin is easy to peel off. If little loofahs are not picked when mature a little top-knot at the terminal end drops off and the black, oval, flat, 7mm long seeds fall out, part of nature’s plan of seed dispersal for the next season’s plants.
... ... see How can I use HERBS in my daily life? for full text.
Medicinal Uses
A traditional Chinese food plant (species 1 and 2) to benefit the liver, lungs, heart and stomach; having a cooling effect on the body; also used for migraines, lumbago, bronchitis and uterine bleeding. Little loofah has been found to have quite unique therapeutic uses. Many years ago Hildegard rang for seeds of the little loofah, and she lent me the book ‘Healing without pills and injections’ by Anita Backhaus, who mentions the research of Dr. Fliess, a professor at the Berlin University Hospital, Germany, in researching natural remedies and reflexes of the body. He found that the trigeminus nerve in the nose was a remarkable trigger point for healing all manner of illnesses. Dr. Fliess had heard of little loofah from a herbalist who found the plant had brought a return to health for a patient who was suffering from a brain tumor. Dr. Fliess experimented with little loofah on himself, and found the procedure most successful. Half a Loofah purgens is soaked
... ... see How can I use HERBS in my daily life? for full text.
[You have to order the book for the rest of the story...granny]
This information on herbs is provided free from Isabel Shipard’s book “How can I use HERBS in my daily life?”
“... ...” have been used to indicate omitted text.