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.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2038100/posts?page=15#15
Honey Bee Crisis Could Lead to Higher Food Prices
Madistan.com ^ | June 28, 2008 | Stephanie Garlow
Posted on Sunday, June 29, 2008 5:43:52 AM by Diana in Wisconsin
WASHINGTON — Food prices could rise even more unless the mysterious decline in honey bees is solved, farmers and businessmen told lawmakers Thursday.
“No bees, no crops,” North Carolina grower Robert D. Edwards told a House Agriculture subcommittee. Edwards said he had to cut his cucumber acreage in half because of the lack of bees available to rent.
About three-quarters of flowering plants rely on birds, bees and other pollinators to help them reproduce. Bee pollination is responsible for $15 billion annually in crop value.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2038261/posts?page=14#14
Maize (Corn) May Have Been Domesticated In Mexico As Early As 10,000 Years Ago
Science Daily ^ | 6-27-2008 | American Society of Plant Biologists
Posted on Sunday, June 29, 2008 2:03:58 PM by blam
Maize (Corn) May Have Been Domesticated In Mexico As Early As 10,000 Years Ago
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2035657/posts?page=2#2
Contaminated farmyard manure stunting garden growth[UK]
Telegraph ^ | 23 June 2008 | Charles Clover
Posted on Tuesday, June 24, 2008 8:04:35 AM by BGHater
Farmyard manure contaminated with residues of weedkiller is stunting the growth of vegetables in gardens all over the country, the Royal Horticultural Society has said.
Cases of manure contaminated by herbicides used on grassland to control weeds appear to be a new phenomenon, according to the Society, with more instances reported this year than ever before.
The most common crops affected are tomatoes, peas, beans, potatoes and lettuces, though ornamental plants such as delphinium, phlox and roses may be susceptible.
Thanks to Gabz for this link.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2036152/posts?page=3#3
Cocoa Mulch-Beware
http://boknowsonline.com/2008/06/24/brown-mulch-beware/ ^
Posted on Wednesday, June 25, 2008 7:53:23 AM by fings
Thanks to Gabz for the alert to this thread.
Well Goodness Gracious!
I thought you gave up and ended your thread, as I have not recieved any Pings in at least a month or so!
I did a search and see You are still hard at it! Great!
I must have fallen off your pingy thingy... so here’s a BUMP so I can find it again...
BTW Granny, it’s amazing how fortuitous this thread is since you started it! Food and fuel prices have near doubled in that time!
Thanks again for doing this!
JD
http://sanantonio.fbi.gov/dojpressrel/pressrel08/infestedproducts071008.htm
Department of Justice
The United States Attorney’s Office
Southern District of Texas
News Release
July 10, 2008
USDA EMPLOYEE PLEADS GUILTY TO PERMITTING INFESTED AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS TO ENTER US
First prosecution in the United States under federal agricultural statute
( LAREDO, Texas) - A U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) employee has pleaded guilty to illegally permitting infested agricultural products to enter the United States from Mexico, United States Attorney Don DeGabrielle announced today. He will be sentenced Sept. 3, 2008.
Jose Homero Reyes, 48, who worked as a USDA plant protection and quarantine officer, pleaded guilty to three counts of the superseding indictment. As part of the guilty plea, Reyes admitted that beginning in or about 2005, and continuing to April 15, 2008, he conspired with others to not properly perform fumigations, thereby permitting agricultural products infested with a plant pest to enter the United States.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agricultural inspectors are responsible for initially inspecting trucks carrying agricultural products into the United States via Laredo from Mexico. At or near the initial inspection, CBP agricultural inspectors send a sample of any agricultural product suspected of being infested with a plant pest to plant protection and quarantine for a final determination. If a determination is made that a truck entering the U.S. is carrying an agricultural product infested with a plant pest, the infested product must be fumigated before the truck is permitted to leave Laredo.
A plant protection and quarantine officer is required to be present during the fumigation, because the officer must make initial calculations regarding the level of gas needed to spray the agricultural product infested with a plant pest and subsequently advise the fumigation technician of the same prior to beginning the fumigation. Following this, the officer is required to submit a written report to the USDA documenting the fumigation results. The truck carrying the agricultural products is not permitted to leave Laredo until the plant protection and quarantine officer provides consent.
The fumigations normally occur after-hours, and the plant protection and quarantine officers are paid overtime for their work related to the fumigations. The overtime paid to the plant protection and quarantine officers as well as the cost for the company performing the fumigations are ultimately passed onto either the Mexican exporter or the owner of the agricultural goods.
As part of his guilty plea, Reyes admitted he provided consent to the freight forwarding company/customs broker, allowing the trucks carrying agricultural products infested with a plant pest to leave Laredo, knowing that the agricultural products were not properly fumigated. Reyes would also falsely claim overtime for hours he never worked in addition to submitting false written reports to the USDA falsely documenting the fumigation results.
Arturo Ramirez, 46, the owner of Ambush Exterminators, a pest control service located in Laredo, and Robert Perez, 35, who previously worked as a USDA plant protection and quarantine officer, are also charged in the superseding indictment. Ramirez previously pleaded guilty June 17, 2008. Perez is scheduled for trial Sept. 12, 2008. Rafael Edmundo Melo Jr., a fourth USDA plant protection and quarantine officer, was also originally charged by indictment in this case. The indictment against Melo was dismissed by the government after he committed suicide.
The guilty plea to conspiracy to permit agricultural products infested with a plant pest to enter the United States carries a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine upon conviction. Each of the guilty pleas to the substantive counts of permitting an infested agricultural product from entering the U.S. carries a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
The investigation leading to these guilty pleas was a joint investigation by the FBI’s Public Corruption Task Force and the USDA - Office of Inspector General. The Task Force includes the Laredo Police Department, Department of Homeland Security - Office of the Inspector General and CBP - Office of Internal Affairs. Special agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement also assisted in the operation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sam Sheldon and James Seaman.
LOL, I thought everyone was tired of my posting and about gave up.
Time goes so fast for me, a day is several, all short, between trips back to bed, so I have no conception of ‘a month’.
You are correct, June 15th was the last ping note, where did a month go ?
The thread has gone so many directions, that I have no idea of where to point it to next, any suggestions?
Cheap and simple appears to be what is needed, I know it is for me.
I read a hint yesterday, that I think is workable.
There is no way I have the strength to make tortillas, but a writer suggests that in the summer, instead of baking her cornbread, she makes the dough thinner and makes pancakes, which she uses in her layered casseroles/mex dishes and that the kids like them with butter and syrup.
That is what I did when we were prospecting every weekend, for several years, they are wonderful on the campfire.
But think what a couple hours in a crockpot, with lots of cheese, onions, corn and layers of beans would do........a granny mess, that is so often better tasting, than a ‘fancy proper meal’.
There is no end to what could go in the layers, between the corn meal pancakes..........
LOL......
The recipe starts:
Make a cornbread pancake as big as the bottom of your lightly greased crockpot, place something good on top, about a half inch to an inch deep and season, add another corn cake and continue, until you stop, with different goodies in the spaces between corn cakes..........until you decide to stop.
This will/should freeze well, so isn’t a one trick meal and will be made as fast as the corn cakes cook, so won’t take a lot of time.
Cook on low for 3 to 4 hours or less, unless there is raw meat, which I would not use in this one.
A good way to hide left overs, or use layers of corn, squash, beans, cooked taco meats, with lots of cheese, onion, mushrooms and olives, added to the layers, top with a pancake.
Needs stewed tomatoes and salsa in there some where or on the side and lots of raw vegs in a salad.
How is your cooking doing?
Have you mastered all your new toys?
Time for you to share some of your recipes.
Tempting Tilapia
Remarks:
Here’s one of my favorite fish dishes. This dish is adapted from a very old cookbook I have. It’s called The Encyclopedia of Creative Cooking, edited by Charlotte Turgeon. I checked in Amazon.com and you can still buy used ones. They are from 1985. The original dish was made with sole. I have adapted it to the readily available and popular tilapia. I’ve added a few of my own twists just to “Zola-fy” it.
Servings:
Serves 4
Ingredients:
4 fresh tilapia fillets
2 Tbl lemon juice
½ cup of grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup of butter, softened. Do NOT use margarine or canola-based spread. It won’t work.
3 Tbl of mayonnaise or Miracle Whip salad dressing
5 chopped green onions. White section and the tender, light green parts
¼ tsp of salt
3 dashes of Tobasco or your favorite hot sauce
Instructions:
Preheat oven broiler to 500 degrees
Put the tilapia fillets on a greased cookie sheet. Drizzle on the lemon juice and let them sit for 15 minutes while the juice soaks in. Meanwhile prep the other ingredients. In a small bowl mix the cheese, butter, mayo and the green onions. Stir. Add the salt and hot sauce and stir again. Broil the fillets about 4” under the broiling element for 6 – 8 minutes. The cook time is dependent on how thick your fillets are. You can check them with a knife or fork. You want them cooked through and flaky. Just be sure to check the thickest part. When they are done, take them out from the broiler. Pile each piece of fish with a portion of the sauce. It should be about a quarter inch thick, maybe a tad more, and mound on the fish. You can spread it toward the edges but leave a border because as it heats, it will spread.
Put the fish, with the topping, back under the broiler and cook 2 – 3 minutes more until the tops are browning; sort of like browning a meringue. Just edges and tips will be browned.
http://www.dinnerwithzola.com/recipe.php?recipeId=00000382
Homemade Cold Packs
Make a cold pack by putting two cups of water and 1/2 cup of alcohol
in a zippered freezer bag. Keep in freezer for a time when you need an
ice pack due to injury or bug bites. It has a slushy gel like texture
and molds to the area it is applied.
This can be refrozen and used many times. Children love it for scrapes
and bug bites.
Maude C.
Simple meals@yahoo groups
Fried Apples
One quarter cup butter
8 apples, peeled, cored and sliced
1 tsp. cinnamon
One half tsp. nutmeg
One quarter tsp. cloves
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
One quarter cup sugar
Melt butter in saucepan and add remainder of ingredients. Simmer until
apples are tender about 20 - 25 minutes.
The Skinny: Use your favorite sugar substitute.
Lemony Walnut Topped Broccolini-—with Radishes
Posted by: “Russie-— >^..^<”
LEMONY WALNUT TOPPED BROCCOLINI
2 bunches broccolini, trimmed
2 tbs olive oil
4 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
2 large radishes, trimmed and sliced
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 lemon, zested
1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts
In large saucepot, cook broccolini in 2 quarts salted boiling water 3 min. or until crisp tender. Drain. In skillet, cook oil 30 seconds. Add garlic and cook 1 min. or until light golden brown. Add broccolini, radishes, broth and 1 tbs lemon zest, bring mixture to boil and cook 2 more min.
Season vegetable mixture with salt and black pepper if desired. Arrange vegetables on serving platter. Top with walnuts. GARNISH WITH LEMON ZEST IF DESIRED. Makes 6 servings.*
Corn and Frankfurters
Posted by: “KS tabby”
Corn and Frankfurters
Serves 4
1 Tbsp. oil
2 Tbsp. chopped onion
16-oz. can whole kernel corn, drained
3 c. diced potatoes
6 hot dogs, sliced
1 t. chili powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Heat oil in skillet and saute potatoes slowly until golden brown and tender. Add onion and hot dogs. Cook and stir over medium heat until hot dogs are are browned on edges and onion tender. Stir in corn and chili powder; heat until hot. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
[Granny would add a bunch of cabbage to this and Bill would have loved it..........granny]
Full O’ Bologna
Posted by: “KS tabby”
Full O’ Bologna
Serves 4
1 1/2 c. cubed or sliced bologna
1 c. carrots, diced (optional)
Salt and pepper
1 med. onion, diced
2 c. potatoes, sliced
6 Tbsp. flour
2 c. milk
3 Tbsp. margarine
Arrange ingredients, except margarine and milk, in alternate layers in a greased baking dish. Dot with margarine and pour milk over all. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Sausage, Pepper and Potato Skillet
Posted by: “KS tabby”
Sausage, Pepper and Potato Skillet
Serves 4
1 lb. Italian style sausage, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 t. salt
1 medium onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut in chunks
1 red bell pepper, cut int chunks
3/4 c. water
1/8 t. pepper
1 green bell pepper, cut in chunks
Brown sausage on all sides; drain. Add remaining ingredients. Cover and cook over low heat about 20 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender.
Sausage Cheese Strata-—with Eggs-—a Layered Casserole
Posted by: “Russie-— >^..^<”
SAUSAGE CHEESE STRATA
14 slices day old rye cocktail bread
4 cups chopped raw spinach
1 1/4 cups chopped kielbasa sausage
4 hard boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
1 cup grated Swiss cheese
3 large eggs
2 cups whole milk
1 tbs Dijon mustard
2 tbs finely chopped chives
1 tbs unsalted butter, room temp
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place 10 slices bread in greased 9X13 inch baking dish. Top with next 3 ingredients and 1/2 cheese. In bowl, whisk together next 4 ingredients. Pour into baking dish. Butter remaining bread, halve. Place on top, sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 45 min. or until set. MAKES 6 SERVINGS.*
Curried Zucchini Stew-—with Eggs-—over Rice
Posted by: “Russie-— >^..^<”
CURRIED ZUCCHINI STEW
1 onion, peeled and chopped (2 cups)
2 tsp each chopped garlic and gingerroot
2 tbs vegetable oil
1 tbs curry powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tomatoes, cored, seeded and chopped
1 medium zucchini, trimmed and cubed
8 oz can tomato sauce
1 cup chicken broth
2 cups hot cooked rice
4 hard boiled eggs, peeled and quartered
In skillet, cook first 7 ingredients 3 min. or until softened. Stir in next 4 ingredients, bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cook 10 min. more until thickened. Divide rice, egg and tomato mixture among 4 plates. MAKES 4 SERVINGS.*
EASY COCONUT MOUSSE DESSERT
from_the_kitchen-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
thisnthat_again-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Simple to prepare, this dessert will make you want to eat the whole thing. A family favorite!
Preparation time: 20 min Chilling time: 4 hrs
Yield: 8 servings
Crust Ingredients:
1 (7-ounce) package (2 2/3 cups) sweetened flaked coconut, toasted
1/4 cup LAND O LAKES® Butter, melted
Filling Ingredients:
1 (3.4-ounce) package instant coconut cream pudding and pie filling mix
1 1/2 cup milk
1 cup LAND O LAKES™ Heavy Whipping Cream, whipped
1 tablespoon sugar
Reserve 2 tablespoons toasted coconut. Combine remaining coconut and melted butter in medium bowl. Press onto bottom and 1 inch up sides of ungreased 9-inch springform pan. Refrigerate 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine pudding mix and milk in large bowl. Prepare according to package directions. Gently stir whipped cream and sugar into pudding. Pour into coconut crust. Sprinkle top with remaining coconut. Refrigerate until set (at least 4 hours).
Recipe Tip
To toast coconut, place coconut onto ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350°F., stirring occasionally, until light golden brown (8 to 10 minutes). Remove from baking sheet.
Cool completely.
Recipe Tip
If you don’t have a springform pan, use a 9-inch pie pan instead.
Nutrition Facts (1 serving): Calories: 300, Fat: 21g, Cholesterol: 40 mg, Sodium: 200 mg, Carbohydrates: 26g, Dietary Fiber: 2g, Protein: 3g
Skinny version: Use low fat products
Posted by: “Russie-— >^..^<”
COCONUT TROPICAL BARS
15 Melba toast boards, ground
1 1/2 cups organic rice cereal with strawberries and raspberries
1/2 cup butter replacement spread
2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
14 oz can reduced fat condensed milk
1/2 cup each assorted dried fruit and chopped walnuts
Heat oven to 350 degrees. In bowl, combine Melba toast, cereal and spread. Pat mixture into bottom of greased 13X9 inch baking pan. Top with coconut. Drizzle with milk.
Bake 20 min. or until light brown. Let cool 5 min. Sprinkle fruit and nuts evenly over coconut, press down. Let cool completely. Drizzle with melted bittersweet chocolate if desired. Cut into 36 pieces. MAKES 36 SERVINGS.*
[Another ‘play with me recipe’]
Cheesecake Thursday-— Layered vegetable cheesecake
Posted by: “Roger
Layered vegetable cheesecake Makes 6 to 8 servings
1-1/3 cups dry breadcrumbs
1/3 cup butter, melted
16 ozs. Neufchatel cheese, softened
2 large eggs
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
8 oz sour cream
1/4 cup minced onion
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground white pepper
3/4 cup shredded carrot
3/4 cup diced green pepper
3/4 cup diced sweet red pepper
Cucumber dill sauce
Cucumber Dill Sauce:
8 oz plain yogurt
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup chopped, unpeeled cucumber
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dried whole dillweed
Combine breadcrumbs and butter; press on bottom and 1 inch up sides of a
9-inch springform pan. Set aside. Beat cheese at high speed of an electric
mixer until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each
addition. Add flour and next four ingredients; beat until blended. Pour
about 1/4 of cream cheese mixture into prepared pan; sprinkle with carrot.
Top with 1/3 remaining cream cheese mixture; sprinkle with green pepper. Top
with 1/2 of remaining cream cheese mixture; top with red pepper. Top with
remaining cream cheese mixture. Bake at 300 degrees F. for 1 hour or until
set. Turn oven off, and partially open oven door; leave cheesecake in oven 1
hour. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Cover and chill. Combine all
ingredients of Cucumber dill sauce, stirring well. Cover and chill. Serve
this luncheon cheesecake with Cucumber dill sauce.
above several recipes from:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SimpleMeals/
Cheesecake Valerie Bertinelli’s Way
Posted by: “Roger
Cheesecake Valerie Bertinelli’s Way Yield: 12 Servings
FOR THE CRUST
1 c All-purpose flour
1 Egg; beaten
4 tb Sugar
1/4 c Butter; melted
FOR THE FILLING
1 pk Cream cheese (8 oz)
1/2 c Sugar
1 Lemon; juice of
1 ts Vanilla extract
1 tb Flour
4 Eggs; beaten
2 c Milk
Cinnamon
Crust: Mix together all ingredients in a 9x9-inch baking pan. Pat bottom
and sides to make an even layer. Refrigerate while preparing filling.
Cream together cream cheese and sugar until fluffy. Add remaining
ingredients except cinnamon, beating well until ingredients are completely
blended. Pour over crust in pan. Sprinkle top with cinnamon.
Bake in preheated 350°F oven 1 hour. Turn oven off, leaving door open
halfway. Let cheesecake remain in oven 1/2 to 1 hour longer.
If desired, make cherry cheesecake version by adding contents of 1 small
can cherry pie filling in crust before adding filling. Bake as directed.
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