Weekly Roundup - Living On Nothing Edition [Survival Today

Oh boy... need to wait a couple of weeks so the trees are in FULL color... That with the wafting of wood smoke in the air gets me every time...

Sounds lovely. That will have to wait for another time. The Air Force won't be willing to change the graduation date to suit our vacation plans ;(

Are you still thinking of rural PA? I thought of you when we were there on the way to DC. It is pretty there, however where our son is now, the economy is pretty depressed compared to here. Wages are much lower in PA, at least his area.

That's too bad. No, we haven't heard from the company with an opening in PA, although the job description is still up on their website. I notice the wages at power plant jobs drop as I look east across the country (except for the metropolitan areas). Kinda depends on the cost of living, especially housing, if it is all equitable.

Hug your son and thank him for me, for standing tall and being an American.

Thank you. We already notice a difference in him over the phone. Things he never would have cared about - like rules - he is quoting us, telling us what he is and isn't allowed when we come see him. This was a kid that skirted through school, ignoring everything his teachers and parents told him.

>>>I’m still having identity issues.<<<

Hmmmmm, nothing worse than a Conservative with identity issues. LOL

Hey thanks for the ping!

http://www.backwoodshome.com/blogs/JackieClay/2009/09/28/im-just-getting-over-the-stomach-flu-and-theres-a-freeze-coming/

From Jackie at Backwoods Home Magazine:

I’m just getting over the stomach flu and there’s a freeze coming!
Posted: 28 Sep 2009 11:33 AM PDT

Ma Nature waits for no one. I’m just getting through a week long bout with the stomach flu and the weather radio is predicting temperatures in the 20s on Tuesday night. EEEKKKK! So we’ve been picking green beans and tomatoes, along with squash, Swiss chard, and everything that the freeze will hurt…even potatoes tomorrow. I’m still weak as a cat, so Will and I pick, then I go lay down on the sofa for awhile, then we go at it and can what we must and store away the rest. We’ve got all the ripe tomatoes, but there’s tons of orange ones, yellow ones, and plenty of green ones, too! Who would have thought this year’s poopy garden would give us this many great tomatoes? True, we did have some blight. But not too bad. But we had no bugs, slugs, or thugs (deer).

Mom’s bladder infection (or something else) is back again, so I took in a sample and we are waiting for culture results. Meanwhile, she wakes me up every fifteen minutes all night and can’t make sense when she talks. It’s very hard to experience. They call it “elder delirium,” caused by bladder infections and I wonder how many elderly people are in nursing homes because of that, not dementia? That’s really scary!

Tonight the wind’s howling and it sounds like winter. We have had both woodstoves burning and the heat feels good. So does that bulging pantry full of beautiful jars of every color in the world!

Readers’ Questions:
Preserving hard-boiled eggs
Can you “can” boiled eggs and if so, how? Not pickle them, just some way to preserve the boiled eggs without refrigeration.
Sandra Passman
Vidalia, Louisiana

Sorry, but there’s no way I know of to can hard-boiled eggs. — Jackie

Canning salsa
My husband and I put up salsa using the recipe in the Ball Blue Book. It was Zesty Salsa and we did the measurements by the weight given, not cup measurements. The recipe was supposed to make 6 pints and we ended up with 8 pints and a quart. I’m concerned about the acidity level. Do you think this could be a problem? I would hate to toss out so much work but don’t like to take a chance on food poisoning.
Missy Steiger
Normantown, West Virginia

I wish I could ease your worry, but because you ended up with SO much more salsa than the recipe indicated, you probably don’t have enough vinegar in this batch to acidify it safely. If you just made the salsa, you could refrigerate the batch, then use it up fairly soon. But if it has set on the shelf at room temperature for weeks, it’s safer to toss it. ALWAYS use the measurements in the recipe, not the weights. The weights are so you can buy about the right amount if you don’t grow your own. — Jackie

Incomplete ears of corn
We had difficulty with our sweet corn this year. This has never happened to me before, but most of the cobs were not completely filled out. What causes this? Some cobs didn’t even have enough kernels to bother with in the kitchen! We have had some cool night time temps, is this the cause?
Susan Foster
Lockwood, California

Two things commonly cause sweet corn cobs not to fill. The usual cause is planting one or two long rows of corn. This makes for uneven pollination and unfilled ears. Plant your corn in blocks of at least four rows of the same corn so it will pollinate at the same time. Sometimes stress, such as cool nights or drought will affect pollination and this will give you poorly filled ears. The first cause is easy to remedy; the second, not so easy! We gardeners need to learn that some years are great gardening…others less than that. This is why I can up everything I can each year…for the years that I have problems of one sort or another…Iike this summer with no summer. My own sweet corn had a high percentage of irregularly filled cobs in the second planting. Oh well… — Jackie

Starch in canned potatoes
Why is there so much starch in the jar after canning, after some time of sitting it seems to get worse. I do rinse well. I do get a few clear liquid looking ones but they are rare.
Cathy DeBey
Hastings, Nebraska

New potatoes can “cleaner” than older ones do. Pick a variety that is for boiling not for French fries; they hold together better and shed less starch in canning jars. Canning new potatoes with the skin on holds the starch in the potato much better. If you wish, the skins will easily slip after canning, when you want to use them. Can smaller, younger potatoes; when you cut up larger ones, they seem to have more starch. If you can your potatoes in pints, they will have less starch residue than in quarts as you process the pints for a shorter time and they don’t get overcooked and “mushy.” I hope these tips will help your potato canning. — Jackie

Oil solidifying in canned peppers
I can a sweet and tangy pepper with olive oil, brown vinegar, sugar, and garlic cloves. A friend of mine cans peppers to. He noticed that the oil in my peppers doesn’t solidify, on the shelf or when opened and placed in the fridge. He says that his own canned peppers with the oil does solidify. Can you possibly give a reason for this? He said that he used white vinegar and that everything was hot when put together. To keep them crunchy he did not process. Just set them up to seal on their own. I do process mine for about 5 minutes in hot water bath.
Roberta Gould
Conneaut, Ohio

I really can’t tell you why the oil in your friend’s peppers solidifies, where yours does not. Sorry. — Jackie

Cookbook
Do you have a cookbook with all your recipes in them? I love the ‘basic’ cooking you use. I see many recipes I want to use too but it’s alot to print.
Gloria West
Sparta, Tennessee

No, I don’t have a cookbook. Yet. It is an idea, though and we’ll give it some serious thought. — Jackie

Grinding buckwheat
Jackie, first off, we will have Hopi Pale Grey seeds available this fall if anyone wants some, at postage price. Second, we generally grow buckwheat and were wondering how we could grind our own buckwheat flour. We currently grind our own cornmeal (Reids Yellow Dent) and own whole wheat flour. Sure would like to get out of the high price of buying buckwheat though.
Mike & Sue Ledbetter
Jamestown, Tennessee
(mledbetter at twlakes dot net)

Unfortunately, buckwheat is hard for homesteaders to clean and thus grind at home. What I do is to toss the whole grain in my mill, hulls and all. I use this in multi grain bread and figure a little more fiber isn’t a bad thing. (It probably wouldn’t make great pancakes, however!) If anyone has a homesteader-friendly buckwheat hulling idea, PLEASE let us know! — Jackie

Cooking down tomato sauce
I have tomato juice that I want to cook down to sauce. I don’t have the time right now to put it on the range on low and keep it there all day because of work. Could I put it in a crockpot on low with the lid off? I could put it in the freezer till I have time, but I don’t really want to load the freezer up right now…
Ruth Dixon
Gold Beach, Oregon

I’m sure you could use your crockpot, as you suggested. What I do is to pour my tomato puree into a large turkey roasting pan and put it in my oven, set at its lowest setting over night. This nicely reduces the puree, without scorching it. You could do it during the day, too, but I don’t like my stove on while I’m not home. Just in case… — Jackie

Canning peaches with honey
I can peaches in a water bath, and I prefer to use only honey when making simple syrup, not sugar or a mixture of honey and sugar. I have used 2:1 water/honey, and I have also used 3:1. What is a safe ratio of water to honey for canning peaches?
Kristina Dickinson
Montague, Massachusetts
You may use any ratio that suits your taste. But because honey has been linked to infant botulism, don’t give your peaches, canned with honey, to babies. They will be perfectly fine for you and other non-infants. Enjoy them. — Jackie

Planting near trees
…I planted a garden with all non-hybrid seeds that I ordered from a catalog. The spot was new to planting and I got nothing but a few potatoes. I just ran across something on your blog that said not to plant a garden near a black walnut tree. Would that go for a hickory nut tree too? Because I planted my garden very close to that tree, and between it and the rainless summer… I got nothing for my hard work except tears.
There were a lot of iron ore rocks there too. Should I plant some other place next year?
Sonja Neatherland
Dodson, Louisiana

No, your hickory tree wasn’t the problem. Don’t be discouraged; many new garden spots are less than terrific the first year, especially when the weather doesn’t cooperate. I’d work in as much organic material, such as rotted manure, compost, leaves, grass clippings (from a chemical free lawn), etc. that you can this fall, so it can be blending with the soil until you till again in the spring.

Think through your garden’s failure and address such problems as ease of watering sufficiently, weeding, and insect control. Then make plans to remedy them next planting season. Gardening takes a bit of time, work, and yes…sometimes tears…to get right. But the results are definitely worth the effort. Keep at it; you WILL succeed! — Jackie

I bet that would be a good soup to use against cancer. I might try it this weekend... we’ve been trying new soups lately. Now that it’s a little cooler soup has been sounding mighty good.

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/money/21139599/detail.html?treets=den&tid=2659747428813&tml=den_7am&tmi=den_7am_1_08000109292009&ts=H

FDIC Says Bank Failures To Cost Around $100B
FDIC Looking To Shore Up Diminishing Bank Insurance Fund

MARCY GORDON, AP Business Writer

POSTED: 1:00 pm MDT September 28, 2009
UPDATED: 9:35 am MDT September 29, 2009

WASHINGTON — Federal regulators expect bank failures to cost the deposit insurance fund about $100 billion in the next four years and the fund to be running at a deficit Wednesday.

That is higher than an earlier estimate of $70 billion in failure costs through 2013.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. made the projections Tuesday as its board voted to propose requiring banks to prepay an estimated $45 billion in regular insurance premiums for 2010-2012. The proposal could take effect after a 30-day public comment period.

continued.........

His wife divorced him right before she was deployed this summer. Not sure what that was all about, neither is he.<<<

The wife is brave and being far kinder than you may have guessed.

Not knowing the personal reasons, will not question new loves, etc and will only throw out a couple of ideas, for I saw it all happen before and it was almost common during the Korean war.

If the wife is going to a hard battle zone, she has escaped having him know where she is and the danger she is facing, a couple of simple notes “We have arrived some place”, and she does not give details.

This will help him to heal, give him less day to day stress.

If she is very front line, a Medic, or some kind of specialist, she may think that he will survive better with anger at the divorce, than he will with the worry about her and the sure knowledge of how small her chances of surviving are.

This is what was explained to me, never mind that the divorced person left at home, may be so connected to the mate, that he / she will know any way, if something happens.

I wish them both well and think we should add both of them to our long term prayer lists, for they will need it...

My thanks to both of them for serving and all it has cost them and those that love them.

We already notice a difference in him over the phone. Things he never would have cared about - like rules - he is quoting us, telling us what he is and isn’t allowed when we come see him. This was a kid that skirted through school, ignoring everything his teachers and parents told him.<<<

As I recall it, that is what you were praying for.

He is Air Force, isn’t he?

They build a fine man, LOL, if they get good stock to begin with.

You will be so proud of him and keep this thought in mind,
“at least he will sleep in a real bed most nights, not the Navy bunk or the Army tent!!!”

The messages typically have a subject line that reads, “Notice of
Underreported Income,” and they encourage victims to either install the
Trojan attachment or click on a Web link in order to view their “tax
statement.” In fact, that link takes the victim to a malicious Web site.

The IRS http://www.irs.gov/privacy/article/0,,id=179820,00.html?portlet=1
says not to open attachments or click on links included in e-mail that
claims to come from the tax-collection agency.

What makes this campaign particularly ugly is that the malware that
accompanies the fake IRS messages is a variant of the hard-to-detect Zeus
Trojan. This software hacks into bank accounts and drains them of money as
part of a widespread financial fraud scheme. Researchers estimate that the
Zeus criminals are emptying more than a million dollars per day out of
victims’ bank accounts with the software. Small businesses have been
particularly hard-hit by this fraud, because banks have sometimes held them
accountable for the losses.

Testing a recent variant of Zeus on the VirusTotal Web site, Warner found
that only five of the 41 antivirus detection systems used by VirusTotal
managed to spot it.

Although antivirus vendors have other techniques for blocking the malware —
they can stop people from visiting the malicious Web sites, for example —
the spam is giving the companies a run for their money.

“It’s difficult to stay ahead of it via antivirus because the Zeus binaries
are changing a few times a day to evade detection,” said Paul Ferguson, a
researcher with
http://blog.trendmicro.com/social-engineering-watch-another-irs-scam/

Trend Micro, via instant message. “It’s definitely a problem.”

Toyota, Lexus Recall 3.8M Cars After Firey Santee Crash
The government is warning owners of Toyota and Lexus vehicles about safety
problems linked to removable floor mats after a firey crash in Santee killed
four people. They say the mats could interfere with the vehicle’s accelerator
and cause a crash.

MORE DETAILS: http://www.10News.com/tu/5K9SdtULV.html

How to Build a PVC Hoop House – Gardening Tip

Posted By TipNut On March 4, 2008 @ 1:22 pm In DIY Projects, Garden & Plants | No Comments

Today’s feature is from Westside Gardener with instructions for How to Build A PVC Hoophouse For Your Garden [1]:

An unheated PVC hoophouse can be a useful addition to your garden. It keeps excessive rain off the plants, blocks the wind, raises daytime temperatures 5-10 degrees (and often much more), and keeps frosts and heavy dew off the leaves. This can extend your warm-season gardening a month or more at both ends, and makes it possible for year-round gardeners to grow a wider variety of plants through the winter.

PVC hoophouses are inexpensive to build, and can be put up in about an hour. Take a look, and decide for yourself!

Where I live there are plenty of things that don’t grow well because the season’s too short. My yard’s a bit small for a hoop house, but I do have good success with cold frames [2], it’s a temporary solution for holding bedding plants and seedlings. When the weather turns nice, just take them out and plant in your garden and containers.

A cold frame’s not as great as a hoop house (where you could grow large amounts of plants directly in the ground, protected), but it’s a nice perk.

For more DIY greenhouse and gardening projects, see Sherry’s Greenhouse Projects List [3], that’s where I found the hoop house plans.

Don’t Miss These Tips:

* How To Build A Cold Frame With An Old Window [2]
* How To Build A Raised Garden Bed – Cheap [4]
* Diggin It: No Dig Gardening [5]

Article printed from TipNut.com: http://tipnut.com

URL to article: http://tipnut.com/how-to-build-a-pvc-hoophouse-gardening-tip/

URLs in this post:

[1] How to Build A PVC Hoophouse For Your Garden: http://westsidegardener.com/howto/hoophouse.html

[2] cold frames: http://tipnut.com/how-to-build-a-cold-frame-with-an-old-window/

[3] Sherry’s Greenhouse Projects List: http://www.sherrysgreenhouse.com/pages/structures/greenhouses-build.html

[4] How To Build A Raised Garden Bed – Cheap: http://tipnut.com/how-to-build-a-raised-garden-bed-cheap/

[5] Diggin It: No Dig Gardening: http://tipnut.com/no-dig-garden/

Cat & Dog Hair Cleanup Tips

Posted By TipNut On December 29, 2006 @ 11:56 am In Cleaning, Pets | 3 Comments

When the lint roller just can’t get the job done while trying to remove pet hair from upholstery and carpets, here are a few tips to try (most will work well for detailing your vehicle as well):
Pet Hair Cleanup Tips

* Wrap clear packing tape (or wide masking tape, duct tape) loosely around and across your hand (sticky side out) then wipe/pat down furniture and areas where pets tend to hang out. Works well on clothes too. It aint pretty but it works.
* Mist area well with water, then briskly brush hair together into a pile and garbage–vacuum. Use a stiff bristle brush for this, the stiffer the better.
* Try a thick, dense sponge. Look in pet stores for special pet hair cleanup sponges–they need to be quite dense to work best (a couple options: Walmart’s Pet Select Magic Pet Hair Remover Sponge or Gonzo Pet Hair Lifter). They’re about $5 or $6 and can be washed and reused over and over again.
* Wear rubber gloves and wipe, pulling hair together in a pile. Regular yellow, dishwashing gloves, rubber gardening gloves or surgical rubber gloves work well for this. Wash hair off, dry the gloves, then get at it again. Vacuum up the piles of hair wads you accumulate with the process.
* Wipe down with a dryer sheet–lifts and attracts hair.
* Try a good, portable wet vac.
* Take a spray bottle, give two good squirts of Downy and fill the rest of the bottle with lukewarm water. Shake to mix well, then spray area. Let dry and vacuum. This seems to help lift the hair from carpets.
* Spray with Static Guard, dry then sweep, vacuum or sponge the area.

Dog Hair Cleaner Recipe

Bucketful of warm water and a splash of Murphy’s Oil Soap

* Wet a sponge with the water, squeeze to release excess then wipe area in a circular/rotating motion. Don’t use the sponge dripping wet. Rinse hair from sponge in a clean bucket of water, submerge again in the Murphy’s Oil Soap water and repeat process until all hair is picked up. Pretty sure this works for cat hair too .

When all else fails:

Put on your favorite, nicest pair of black slacks or your most expensive, cute black dress and walk through your house. Voila! Hair from miles around will be on them .

Did you know:

* You can save your dog’s hair (clean hair!), have it spun and then knit items from it?
* You can also save & bag both cat and dog hair, set it out in Spring for the birds to take–they’ll build their nests with it.

*edited to update image & formating

Don’t Miss These Tips:

* Tips to Fight Flyaway, Static Hair [1]
* Easy Pet Brush Cleanup [2]
* How To Make An Outdoor Cat An Indoor Cat [3]

Article printed from TipNut.com: http://tipnut.com

URL to article: http://tipnut.com/cat-dog-hair-cleanup-tips/

URLs in this post:

[1] Tips to Fight Flyaway, Static Hair: http://tipnut.com/tips-to-fight-flyaway-static-hair/

[2] Easy Pet Brush Cleanup: http://tipnut.com/easy-pet-brush-cleanup/

[3] How To Make An Outdoor Cat An Indoor Cat: http://tipnut.com/how-to-make-an-outdoor-cat-an-indoor-cat/

1. Outback Steakhouse Aussie Fries Clone
Posted by: “missvergie”

Outback Steakhouse Aussie Fries Clone

1 (32 oz) bag frozen French Fries
1 cup shredded Colby Jack cheese — (An excellent suggestion is to use the cheese that is labeled as “Taco Cheese” cheese for Tacos.)
6 pieces Bacon — cooked

Divide the fries into half, and use the other half later.
Heat oil to 350º F. (If you do not have a thermostat, make sure the oil is hot enough, so that when you set a French fry in there it will cook immediately. If the French fry sinks to the bottom, and barely bubbles, it is not hot enough.)
Fry the potatoes in small batches, they are done when they are golden brown, and float to the top of the skillet. ( I like to use a Dutch oven).

Be sure to drain the potatoes on paper towels.
You can keep them warm in the oven while the other fries are done.

When all French fries are done cooking, and drained place them onto a platter. Salt the French fries if you like, and sprinkle on cheese and cooked bacon. Pop these back into a warm oven until the cheese begins to melt.

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2. Horn and Hardart’s Macaroni and Cheese Clone
Posted by: “missvergie”

Horn and Hardart’s Macaroni and Cheese Clone

1 Cup Elbow Macaroni, (cook according to package directions)
1/8 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1 1/2 Cups Milk
2 Tablespoons Light Cream
1 1/2 Tablespoons Butter
1/4 Cup Canned Tomatoes
1 1/2 Tablespoons Flour
1/2 teaspoon Sugar
1 1/2 Cups Cheddar Cheese
Salt — to taste
White Pepper — to taste

Preheat oven to 400º F.
Combine milk and cream in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over moderate heat. While the milk warms, heat the butter in another saucepan over low heat for 1 minutes until
foaming.

Add the flour and cook, stirring for 3 minutes. Pour the hot milk into the butter / flour mixture and cook, stirring with a wire whisk or wooden spoon for a few minutes, until thickened.

Add the cheese to the white sauce, about 1/4 cup at a time. Stirring until the cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth. Add the cayenne, salt and white pepper to taste.
Stir the tomatoes and the sugar into the cheese sauce, combine the cooked macaroni and cheese sauce and pour into a buttered casserole dish. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

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________________________________________________________________________
3a. Babe Ruth Bars
Posted by: “vergie_e”

Babe Ruth Bars

Boil together:

1 cup white Karo Syrup
1 cup sugar
When it boils, turn off the heat

Add:

1 1/2 cup peanut butter and mix well. Then pour over 4-5 cups Rice Krispies in a large bowl and stir to coat evenly.

Press into a 9 X 12 greased pan (butter your fingers as it is pretty hot or use the back of a greased spoon).

Melt 8 ounces butterscotch morsels in the microwave and spread on top evenly. Cut into 2 inch squares before serving.

Tip: . I have found that it is easier to cut any kind of “krispy” dessert immediately after putting it into the pan because it is harder to cut after it cools. Run a knife through the cut lines again when completely cool and before serving.

.

My other groups: favoritefamilyrecipes@yahoogroups.com and moderator of BisquickRecipes@yahoogroups.com.

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

Delicious Peanut Butter Marshmallow Spread (kid Friendly)
Posted by: “luvmygroops”

From the Recipe Zaar website...

~~~~~

Delicious Peanut Butter Marshmallow Spread (kid Friendly)
5 min 5 min prep
6 cups (approx)

1 (18 ounce) jar peanut butter
1 (13 ounce) jar marshmallow cream
2 cups light corn syrup

In a large mixing bowl, mix all three ingredients; beat hard until well blended Store in or out of fridge Spread on bread— enjoy!

—
Rhonda G in Missouri

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

Baby Back Ribs

2 1/2 pounds pork baby back ribs, cut into serving size pieces
5 cups water
1 medium onion, sliced
2 celery ribs, cut in half
2 teaspoons minced garlic, divided
1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
1/4 cup plum sauce
1 dash hot pepper sauce

Place the ribs in a 5-qt. slow cooker. Add the water, onion, celery, 1 teaspoon garlic and peppercorns. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or until meat is tender.
In a small saucepan, combine the barbecue sauce, plum sauce, hot pepper sauce and remaining garlic. Cook and stir over medium heat for 5 minutes or until heated through. Remove ribs. Discard cooking juices and vegetables.
Coat grill rack with nonstick cooking spray before starting the grill. Brush ribs with sauce. Grill, uncovered, over medium-low heat for 8-10 minutes or until browned, turning occasionally and brushing with remaining sauce.

Dorie
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Momsmenuplan/

_Pesticides Cause Childhood Brain Cancers_
(http://www.naturalnews.com/027121_pesticides_cancer_brain_cancer.html)
By David Gutierrez, staff writer
September 29 - Children living with parents who use pesticides around the
home are significantly more likely to develop brain cancer than children
who are not exposed to such chemicals, according to a study published in
the...

Turkey MeatLoaf with Sun-Dried Tomatoes
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Turkey-Meat-Loaf-with-Sun-\Dried-Tomatoes-1560

Bon Appétit | March 1996

A crowd-pleasing standard gets a makeover with ground turkey instead of
beef; sautéed vegetables and sun-dried tomatoes add flavor. Round
out the meat loaf with the mashed potatoes, some green beans and dinner
rolls. Pour a dry white or light red wine.

Yield: Serves 6

[ingredients]

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped

1 ½ pounds ground turkey
1 ½ cups fresh breadcrumbs made from soft white bread
2/3 cup chopped drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
½ cup milk
2 eggs
1 teaspoons dried rubbed sage
1 teaspoons dried oregano
½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoons ground pepper
Ketchup

[preparation]

Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease 9x5x3-inch glass loaf pan. Heat oil in
heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion; sauté 5 minutes.
Add celery; sauté until vegetables are very tender, about 15 minutes
longer. Transfer to large bowl.

Add all remaining ingredients except ketchup to vegetables in bowl. Mix
thoroughly. Transfer to prepared pan. Bake 1 hour. Brush with ketchup
and bake until thermometer inserted into center registers 165°F,
about 15 minutes longer. Cool 5 minutes. Slice and serve.

There was a thread recently about using applesauce to extend fruit in jams when you are running short. I do this all the time. Here is a great recipe that I did three batches of tonight.

4 cups frozen/fresh berries mix (Sams Club, Blueberries, Balckberries, raspberries or any mix of the fruits)
2 cups applesauce
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 box powdered pectin

Combine ingredients, mash berries and bring to a boil.

Add 7 cups sugar and bring to a hard boil for 2 minutes. Pour into jars, wipe rims and process for 10 minutes.

I find berries to be really intensely flavored. You really don’t notice the applesauce at all. The berries hide the applesauce flavor.

I got about 6 pint jars from this recipe.

This is SO good! Berries tend to be expensive too compared to Applesauce.

chat later,

Kathy

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

Healthier desserts
Posted by: “*~Tamara~*”

I have a group called LowFat Desserts but, even though I am keeping the name because it would be too much trouble to change, it is now going to be for all healthier desserts. That will also include low sugar, no sugar, diabetic and hopefully some low carb ones. Won’t you please join me and send in your favoritees, too?

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LowFat-Desserts/

Food Facts

Researchers in Sweden have discovered that you can make yourself 2-1/2 times less likely to catch colds from now on simply by eating yogurt.

One bushel of wheat can make 90 one-pound loaves of whole wheat bread.

Tasty Tidbit...
Dice up an apple and toss in 2 teaspoons of brown sugar and a dash of apple pie spices. Top with a sprinkle of oats. Then warm it all up in the microwave. Sweet!

How To Not Suck At Everything: Frugal Dad

How To Not Suck At Everything

Posted: 29 Sep 2009 03:00 AM PDT
The following guest post is from Neal Frankle of Wealth Pilgrim. Wealth Pilgrim is on my short list of daily reads. After reading the post, head over to Neal’s site and sign up to receive his posts.

You probably don’t suck at anything….but your mind tells you that you do.

I just finished reading Adam Baker’s great post on How To Not Suck at Blogging. Besides being a great read, it inspired me.

Just as Adam laid down some rules any blogger can use to “not suck” at blogging, I believe there are certain tools you can use to have a “suck free” experience while you are here on this planet – even if you aren’t a blogger.

The first and most important rule is this:
1. You Only Suck If You Tell Yourself You Suck

Be honest. Besides your teenage kids, when is the last time anyone said to you, “You suck”? Unless you are still in high school or are a full-time Hells Angel, my guess is, it’s been a very long time.

In fact, I’ll bet the last person who told you this…was you. Am I right?

For some terrible reason we are very proficient at treating ourselves worse than our worst enemy would – if we had an enemy (which we probably don’t).

I don’t know where this comes from and I don’t give a damn anymore. I am officially declaring war on attacking anyone from here on…so Neal won’t be attacking Neal anymore.

Your Solution:

If you find yourself attacking yourself with negative crap talk, write down 5 reasons why you love yourself and then call somebody and tell them. Be brave. I know this is a hard thing to do but I will absolutely guarantee that the negative thoughts will stop if you take this action.
2. Stop Comparing Yourself to Anyone

My dad always told me that the only thing that really matters in life is trying your hardest. If you do that, you are successful.

This makes sense. If I’ve tried my hardest, what more can I do?

So why is it that I compare myself to others despite already having put in my best efforts? I’m sick of it. I’m declaring war on that too.

By any objective measurement, there is no part of my life that sucks.

* I have the family that I literally dreamed of having when I was a kid.
* I have a fine business that serves great people and provides for my family.
* I have time to write my blog and I’ve received some nice responses to what I write.
* I am healthy.
* I get to play music with some very cool people.

What sucks about that? Nothing.

Yet I’ve barraged myself with negative self-talk for years on almost all the blessings I have. And of course the easiest way to hurt myself is to compare myself to others.

Let me give you a few examples;

When I compare myself to other business owners, I ask myself why I’m not doing as well as some other friends in my industry. Rather than be grateful for still having a profitable business, I find a way to put myself down by comparing myself to others.

In terms of my body, I’m not obese but I’d like to lose about 20 pounds. Rather than be thankful for the problems I have, I compare myself to the Brad Pitts of the world and lament my bad fortune.

Music. I am not an accomplished musician but I play well and get to play with some great musicians. They keep calling me back so I must be doing something right. Yet when I listen to the radio and hear kids half my age doing things on the drums that I can’t even understand, I tell myself that I have no talent. Why? In college, I even stopped playing for 10 years because when I got there, I met players who were so much better than I was. What a shame and waste.

Am I the only person who does this? Nope.

I’ll never forget the time I spent an hour with a super rich and successful buddy of mine. Believe it or not, this cat makes over $1 million a month! Do you think he’s happy about it?

He isn’t. He told me how much money his buddies from law school make and was feeling sorry for himself.

REALLY?

Your Solution:

You’re making it all about you…and it’s not.

You’re spending too much time in your head and it’s getting boring. Here’s an idea – do something for somebody else. Don’t wait to “want “ to be of service…..just do something despite how you feel about it. This can be as involved or as simple as you want.

Here are a few quick ideas you can do right now:

* Go read a book to your kid.
* Go take a walk around your neighborhood and pick up trash.
* Ask your spouse if he’d like a back rub (are you reading this honey?)

3. Create Humility

One of my favorite people in the world explained that humility means being on the same level with everyone. Not better. Not worse. The same. If you tell yourself you suck at something that implies that someone else is better at it (which may be true) and therefore better than you (which is certainly not true).

So let someone – or everyone be better than you are at some activity. Just because someone else does something better than you, it doesn’t mean you suck. Who cares? Why let that mean anything? Understand that the only person who gives that fact any credibility at all is you. Stop it. Right now.

Your Solution

My experience tells me that the solution for lack of humility is spiritual in nature. It’s asking for help from a higher power. However, I believe there are practical things you can do to solve this as well.

When you lack humility, you lack self esteem. Do estimable acts. Things that prove to yourself that you aren’t worthless. You might have years and years of practice telling yourself what a piece of crap you are so this is going to take work.

But believe me, if you do estimable acts over a long enough time, sooner or later, the evidence is going to pile up and you’ll have more self-esteem. You won’t be looking around for evidence to support that notion that you suck because you’ll know that you don’t.
4. Get a New Currency In Your Life

We measure our success in life by how thin we are, how many readers we have for our blog, how big our house or apartment is (or isn’t), how much money we have, how much we travel etc.

It’s very “me” based and it turns “me” off.

It’s a system designed to perpetuate misery. There will always be someone who is smarter, better or faster. Always.

When I was in junior high school, I remember reading about a tribe in Africa that measured their wealth by what they gave away rather than by what they had. This story had a huge impact on me.

What if all our running around trying to have “more” is wrong? What if it doesn’t mean anything. I can tell you from working with people and money for the last 25 years, nobody has ever said that their greatest achievements in life had anything to do with money. Nobody.

What if our true wealth is derived from how much we try to help others? Close your eyes and imagine that for just a minute.

When you do…it’s really hard to have the “I suck” conversation with yourself….isn’t it?
5. Bonus Soution – Laugh at Yourself

I hate to tell you this but in less than 100 years, you and I will be dust.

Let’s enjoy the time we have. Even if we are a klutz or not great at volleyball, who cares? So what if you aren’t Angelina or Brad? Who cares if you aren’t Bill Gates or Madam Currie? It sure won’t matter in 100 years. It probably won’t matter in 100 days. Actually, it probably doesn’t matter now.

As long as you try your hardest, you can’t possibly suck at anything. You may not do something as well as others, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be proud of yourself for your best efforts. Believe me, I’d rather be around a person who tries her very hardest with modest results than a person who doesn’t put any effort in and seems to have everything flow his way. Wouldn’t you?

Post by Frugal Dad.com

This recipe is for Annie.

Fried Apple Pies

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup shortening
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold water
2 apples
1/3 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup vegetable oil

1.Peel and dice apples. Add sugar and cinnamon. Cook in a saucepan on low heat. Cook until soft, then mash with fork to form a thick applesauce.

2.Sift flour and salt together. Cut in the shortening. Add water and mix with fork.

3.Roll out to about 1/8 inch thick on a floured board. Cut with a large cookie cutter (4 inches in diameter).

4.In each round, place 1 heaping tablespoon fruit. Moisten edges with cold water, fold and press edge with a fork.

5.Heat oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Fry pies, a few at a time, 2 to 3 minutes on each side; cook until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with confectioners sugar. Serve warm.

TIP: Apple pie filling may be used.

Patty

For Wendy:

This may not be the version Wendy is looking for, but I think it must be similar. It comes from Todd Wilbur’s site, Top Secret Recipes, and it is a copycat of Houston’s restaurant’s recipe: It is delicious!

Honey-Lime Vinaigrette Dressing

1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons Grey Poupon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
2 1/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon sesame seed oil
1 1/2 teaspoons minced red bell pepper
1 teaspoon minced onion
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
pinch salt

1. Combine all ingredients in a small glass or ceramic bowl. Stir well.

2. Heat dressing in the microwave on high for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until mixture begins to bubble. Remove dressing from microwave and whisk for 1 minute. This will emulsify the dressing and it should begin to thicken as it cools.

3. Cover and chill for 2 hours before serving. Makes 1 cup.

Pat Hartung

Home Remedy: Vicks Vapo-Rub

I wish I’d known this when my family was young during winter colds and coughs. I am going to try it myself. Share with young parents. Isn’t life strange. When we had a lecture on Essential Oils, they told us how the foot soles can absorb oils. Their example: Put garlic on your feet and within 20 minutes you can ‘taste’ it. Some of us have used Vicks Vapo-rub for years for everything from chapped lips to sore toes and many body parts in between. But I’ve never heard of this. And don’t laugh, it works 100% of the time although the scientists at the Canada Research council (who discovered it) aren’t sure why. To stop night time coughing in a child (or adult as we found out personally), put Vicks Vapo-rub generously on the bottom of the feet at bedtime, then cover with socks. Even persistent, heavy, deep coughing will stop in about 5 minutes and stay stopped for many, many hours of relief. Works 100% of the time and is more effective in children than even very strong prescription cough medicines. In addition it is extremely soothing and comforting and they will sleep soundly. I heard the head of the Canada Research Council describe these findings on the part of their scientists when they were investigating the effectiveness and usage of prescription cough medicines in children as compared to alternative therapies like acupressure. Just happened to tune in AM. Radio and picked up this guy talking about why cough medicines in kids often do more harm than good due to the chemical makeup of these strong drugs so, I listened. It was a surprise finding and found to be more effective than prescribed medicines for children at bedtime, in addition to have a soothing and calming effect on sick children who then went on to sleep soundly. My mom tried it on herself when she had a very deep constant and persistent cough a few weeks ago and it worked 100%! She said that it felt like a warm blanket had enveloped her, coughing stopped in a few minutes and believe me, this was a deep, (incredibly annoying!) every few seconds uncontrollable cough, and she slept cough-free for hours every night that she used it. If you have grandchildren, pass it on. If you end up sick, try it yourself and you will be absolutely amazed by the effect!

Not a recipe, but worth sharing!

Sherry

Hi Kaylin,

I agree with all the others who have told you how great it is to receive this ezine. I have a wonderful collection of tried and true recipes from you and the readers. I have a recipe for “thank you squares.” This recipe came from the back of the label on a can of Thank You brand cherry pie filling. With it’s almond extract flavoring and pretty red color, these are a huge hit in the sweet department, especially at Christmas time.

Thank You Squares

350 degrees 30 minutes

2 sticks margarine, softened
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract (I use almond)
1 to 1 1/2 cans (regular size pie filling - we prefer cherry) Use one lrg. can if you can find it.
walnuts optional

‘Mix all ingredients well and spread in a sprayed 9 x 13 pan, using about 3/4 of the mixture. Pour the pie filling over this. Drop the remaining dough by a teaspoon here and there over the pie filling. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes. Finish off by drizzling in a decorative pattern with confectioner’ s icing.

Hope this is what she is looking for. If not, try it anyway - it’s yummy.

Ann Taylor

Conversion Charts: http://www.realfood 4realpeople. com/convert.html

Archives: http://groups. yahoo.com/ group/RealFood4RealPeople/

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes_menus/collections/healthy_whole_grains_recipes?utm_source=EWTWNL

9 great grains to improve your health deliciously at every meal.

Whole grains provide a healthy boost of vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants and phytonutrients and are also rich in carbohydrates, the body’s main fuel supply—no wonder we need to eat more grains. In fact, the 2005 USDA Dietary Guidelines recommend that adults consume around six ounces of grains daily, and that we make half those grains whole. Brown rice just recently joined the ranks of healthful whole grains recognized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Start your day with whole-grain muffins or yogurt topped with granola; try hearty salads with wheat berries or quinoa; swap out white rice or potatoes for sides of brown rice at dinner tonight.

More good news: you’ll feel fuller longer, since whole grains and fiber take longer to digest.

This page is full of good recipes,
granny

Well,.. what a way to get my sight back in both eyes..

FDIC Discloses Deposit Insurance Fund Is Now Negative

(excerpt):

In an unprecedented disclosure, the FDIC has highlighted that it expects the DIF reserve ratio to be negative as of September 30. As there are a whopping 48 hours before that deadline, one can safely assume that the DIF is now well into negative territory: as of today depositors have no insurance courtesy of a banking system that has leeched out all the capital of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Let’s pray there is no run on the bank soon.

link to thread:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2351218/posts

And Karl Denninger’s latest take...

http://market-ticker.denninger.net/archives/1476-The-Banking-System-Is-Insolvent.html

... things looked better out of one eye

Heartburn

The production of hydrochloric acid for the digestion of food is about a quart of the acid every day on average in a normal human being. The protective mucus lining or the intestinal mucosa effectively shields the stomach from the corrosive effects of the acid and it has no effect whatsoever on the stomach. However the esophagus or the food tube is not lined with intestinal mucosa and is very likely to be damaged by any acid that runs up its length, for example when vomiting, the highly acidic semi digestive food can corrode the esophagus, this is why vomiting time and again is not good. Whenever for any reason, the acid reaches the tissues or the lining of the esophagus, burning sensation is produced because of the corrosive effects of the acid on the tissues, this sensation is what is commonly known as heartburn, medically it is defined as gastroesophageal reflux.

Because of the actions of the lower esophageal sphincter or LES, the acid produced in the stomach rarely enters the esophagus, and it is effectively restricted to the stomach itself. During normal digestive processes, this sphincter relaxes to let in the masticated food and liquids and immediately constricts again, leaving the stomach to carry out the processes of digesting the food with the help of the acid and other enzymes. The problem begins when some of the content of the stomach somehow escapes into the esophagus, because of improper constriction of the LES; this can lead to heartburn.

Heartburn can be brought about by several underlying internal and external factors. Smoking as a habit can contribute to the weakening of the LES and bring about heartburn, obesity or being overweight are also causes for heartburn, and pregnant are susceptible to it compared to other women. The reason that smoking is a contributory factor is that it leads to the drying out of saliva, one of the functions of saliva is that when swallowed it leads to the neutralization of any acid that may have entered the esophagus, that is saliva washes acid away or back into the stomach, a dry mouth such as induced by smoking reduces salivary output and affects the esophageal acid content. The relaxation of the LES can also be induced by the actions of certain types of food items, these include fatty foods such as chocolate, drinks containing alcohol, and herbs like garlic and onions, several drugs and prescription medications can also bring about this state of affairs. Excessive acid levels can come about in the stomach because of the ingestion of certain acidic food items including citrus fruits, vegetables like tomatoes and even coffee. The contents of the stomach including acid can be forced upwards because of wearing certain tight clothing, especially those that pinch around the abdomen or waist. Prolonged output of acid can result because of overeating which also increases the pressure in the stomach and can lead to the oozing out of excess acid into the esophagus. The position of the body can also play a role, and one should not lie down too soon after a meal as this can increase the chances of acid entering the esophagus, because of the tilt.
Supplements and herbs

The supplements provided here will give relief from heartburn, and can be used for the effective treatment of the disorder, those underlined provide immediate relief and are for use during sudden attacks. Each supplement or combination of supplements may work differently in different people; you will have to try out different combinations of supplements to see what can be effective to your particular body type. These supplements have no side effects whatsoever and can be combined and used along with prescription drugs and medications suggested by a doctor to treat the symptoms of heartburn.

For occasional refluxes and heartburn, the commonly used mineral in antacids, calcium carbonate is effective, and is utilized in tablets like Tums. Relief form heartburn can also be obtained through the use of deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL); this substance helps in the restoration of the mucus lining of the inner stomach and will prove useful in combating heartburn and related symptoms. The irritation in the esophagus can be soothed and relieved through the use of the juice of the aloe vera, this juice is very soothing and its mucilage can provide healing.

All the supplements and herbs suggested above are for use against an attack of heartburn, and are effective in combating it as a therapeutic measure. However it is beneficial to strengthen the digestive process in the body, for long term prevention of heartburn from occurring, this preventive approach is an excellent way to go about dealing with heartburn, and can help many people avoid getting chronic heartburn. With regard to this, a long-term use can be made of gamma-oryzanol, which is an extract of the rice bran. This compound may affect the digestive process in the body by an indirect action through the central nervous system and will prove useful in the long term against heartburn. Additionally other treatment options in the long term include the use of a combination of the B vitamins and related compounds like choline, thiamin and pantothenic acid, these should bring preventive relief in about a months time and the symptoms of heartburn should recede. Approach your physician if this has not happened and heartburn still surfaces from time to time even after long term supplementation.
What else you can do

To bring down the excessive production of acid in the stomach, change your dietary habits to include frequent but small meals and avoid overeating. It is advisable to limit or reduce your consumption of alcohol and to stop drinking coffee altogether, this include decaf, also reduce or avoid your intake of oily and fatty foods. Eating just before sleeping is not a good idea, and make sure that an interval of at least three hours exist between your last snack or meal and the time of sleep. For better protection against accidental reflux, let gravity help you by using a large and comfortable pillow or by adjusting the head of the bed about six inches higher than the rest of the bed.
Usual dosage

* Aloe vera juice, two cups of aloe vera juice, containing 98% aloe vera and no aloin or aloe-emodin, three times daily between meals.
* Licorice (DGL), two wafers (380mg) of deglycyrrhizinated licorice, three or four times daily between meals.
* Vitamin B1(thiamin), 500 mg daily, should be taken in the morning on empty stomach. Combine with vitamin B5 and choline for chronic heartburn.
* Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid), 1,000 mg two times daily. Use in combination with choline and vitamin B1 for chronic heartburn.
* Calcium carbonate, 250-500 mg thrice daily.
* Choline, 500 mg thrice daily. Use in combination with vitamin B5 and vitamin B1 for chronic heartburn.
* Gamma-oryzanol (rice bran oil), 150 mg thrice daily (on an empty stomach).

More useful herbs

* Anise
* Barberry
* Cinnamon
* Devil’s Claw
* Fennel
* Horsetail
* Meadowsweet
* Peppermint
* Slippery Elm
* White Willow

http://www.herbs2000.com/disorders/heartburn.htm