Weekly Roundup - Living On Nothing Edition [Survival Today

To: nw_arizona_granny

amazing post.. thank you ma’am!

3,541 posted on 10/24/2009 8:42:39 PM PDT by DollyCali (Don't tell GOD how big your storm is -- Tell the storm how B-I-G your God is!you)

To: nw_arizona_granny

>>>Too late, if he stops us dead with martial laws.<<<

I don’t think he will right now... He needs there to be a groundswell (at least among his supporters) - right now he is lacking that and losing ground every day.

Healthcare - not gonna fly with public option as such - they may have to try masking it as Medicare E or something but there will be lots of opposition.

Plus, right now he stands with egg on his face over the promised 120 million doses of vaccine that he only delivered 11 million and that two weeks late. He lacks the thunder that delivering as the sole best provider would provide.

He is likely to do anything though - he just got a pie in the face over the Olympics - Now Russia and China are rubbing his face in the sand over global warming treaty - then add the 90% failure to deliver vaccine... Plus Iran is making him look like a fool... Don’t think he will try to jump right now with all that hanging over him. Oh, and did I mention that his sworn no taxes on anyone making less than $250K (even though they are saying that it will not be called a tax) is about to be exploded with the healthcare bills - 173 times tax and 230 times taxable used in the latest bill.(some numbers like that anyway) Not going to sit well with Democrats or Republicans...

Even the lapdog press is bucking him a bit over Fox, Acorn and SEIU... Plus ongoing investigations on Frank, Dodd, and the Harlem cheat extraordinaire all making Reid and Pelosi look like buffoons. Plus the troops and their families are getting peeved over his indecision on Afghanistan...

Nah, he isn’t in a very strong position to be making this kind of bold move right now - IMHO. But, he hasn’t made many smart moves since he got in office, so who knows...

3,542 posted on 10/24/2009 8:51:00 PM PDT by DelaWhere ("The systemic risk today is the Congress of the United States." --Republican Senator Judd Gregg)

http://articles.cookingcache.com/food-reviews/foods-that-help-prevent-colds-and-flu.html

Foods That Help Prevent Colds and Flu

As cold and flu season quickly approaches, it’s time to think about prevention. While frequent hand washing is often the first line of defense against germs, you can greatly enhance your body’s ability to fight off infections by choosing the right foods. Many foods come naturally equipped with immune boosting and antiviral qualities and the good news is these foods can be easily incorporated into your daily menus. Here are some suggestions:

1. Choose foods rich in Vitamin C: Since we cannot store vitamin C in our bodies, we need to consume it regularly. We should be eating 5-6 servings daily of fruits and vegetables which are rich in this vital vitamin. Such foods include bell peppers (especially red), cabbage, broccoli, leafy greens, kiwi fruit, citrus fruits, and berries. Consider making a smoothie for breakfast using banana, orange juice and organic frozen blueberries. Or just add thawed blueberries to your granola or yogurt. Peel and slice a kiwi or an orange to have with your toast. Other ideas include sautéing spinach with garlic in olive oil for dinner or make festive fajitas with chicken and brightly colored peppers. These are all easy ways to increase your consumption of vitamin C, a natural immune system enhancer.

2. Eat more garlic and onions: Garlic is a highly esteemed vegetable to many cultures around the world and for good reason. In fact, its use as a vegetable and as a medicine dates back to 5000 BC. Garlic certainly adds wonderful flavor to food, but it also has a positive effect on the immune system. It is rich in phytonutrients which are known for their antibiotic and antiviral properties. Garlic’s medicinal benefit is most potent when used raw so consider adding it to salad dressings for this use. However, garlic still offers benefits when cooked so use it generously in stir frys, soups, and casseroles. Top crusty bread with roasted garlic instead of butter. Similarly, onions enjoy a long history with their cultivation dating back to 3200 BC. Clearly onions are the most universal seasoning used today. The flavonoids in onions actually work with vitamin C to help kill harmful bacteria. It’s hard to find a savory recipe that doesn’t use onions but consider making a soothing and delicious pot of onion soup or include onions with slow roasted winter vegetables.

3. Eat brightly colored fruits and vegetables: While nutritionists tout the health benefits of beta carotene, its conversion into vitamin A in the body has immune boosting qualities as well. Fortunately foods rich in the nutrients are readily available in the fall and winter months including winter squash, carrots, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin. Additional sources include cooked spinach, apricots, and mangoes. Instead of a russet potato, substitute a delicious sweet potato. Just that simple change increases antioxidants significantly and also provides more vitamin C and trace minerals. Use that can of pumpkin puree in your pantry to make pumpkin bread. Make a pot of carrot ginger soup. Fish are also good sources of vitamin A including halibut, wild caught salmon, and cod. Evidence suggests the nutrients in these foods can prevent or lessen the severity of certain infections.

4. Drink tea: And in particular, drink green tea. Studies have shown that drinking green tea can enhance the immune system because it has a high concentration of polyphenols, known for their antioxidant properties. Green tea is also less processed than black tea. And finally, enjoying a hot cup of tea forces you to slow down and relax and this is always a benefit to your immune system.

While each of us usually get a cold or two each year, it’s important to know that our diets and habits do impact our health. Get plenty of sleep, stay away from highly processed foods and include some of the healthy foods included above and you are on your way to a healthy flu season and healthy year ahead.
Related Articles
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Olive Oil Reviews
Top Tools for Barbequing

3,543 posted on 10/24/2009 8:56:39 PM PDT by nw_arizona_granny ( http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/21813ht92/posts?page=1 [Survival,food,garden,crafts,and more)

http://www.naturalhealthscience.com/blog/natural-health-science/natural-homemade-flu-protection-preparation-red-onionanisemanuka-honey-syrup/

Natural Homemade Flu-Protection Preparation: Red Onion/Anise/Manuka Honey Syrup

Bruce Berkowsky, N.M.D., M.H., H.M.C.

This third article of a series of articles about the flu begins my discussion concerning relevant natural therapies. With public trepidation about a potential swine flu epidemic heating up again, this series is both relevant and timely.

If you missed one or both of the first two articles and would like to read them, click on the following links:

Germ Theory: The Traditional Naturopathic Perspective – Part I

Germ Theory: The Traditional Naturopathic Perspective – Part II

In this and the next few issues of Nature’s Therapies, I will present a variety of unique natural therapeutic options that may prove of good service in addressing prevention, and the symptoms, of the flu.

In this article, I will first describe the flu disease process and the conventional medical treatment of the disorder, including vaccination. Then, I begin my presentation of various alternative, natural therapeutic options with a focus upon quercetin, onions, star anise and manuka honey, and provide instructions for a unique, easy-to-prepare homemade medicine.

What is the Flu?

Influenza, or “flu,” is a contagious viral illness that often occurs in an epidemic pattern. Usually spread via small-particle aerosols projected by coughing, sneezing and even talking, it is characterized by an abrupt onset of fever, chills, weakness, sore throat, dry cough and coughing fits (which cause pain beneath the breastbone), nasal stuffiness and discharge, muscle aches (especially of the arms and legs), headache, and occasionally, abdominal pain and nausea.

The fever may last from 1 to 7 days but typically lasts 3 to 5 days. The viral infection causes swelling and inflammation of the lining of the respiratory tract, predisposing it to secondary bacterial infection. In turn, the enzymes produced by the harmful bacteria activate more flu virus.

Common complications of influenza include acute bronchitis, acute sinusitis, bacterial pneumonia (the most common complication), and middle ear infection. The elderly and chronically ill are at particular risk for developing complications. These individuals can be so weakened by flu that their defenses against disease-causing bacteria become dangerously low.

Reye’s Syndrome, a severe complication of flu and other viral illnesses (particularly in young children), is characterized by possible liver failure and brain damage, and has been associated with the use of aspirin during the course of treatment.

Conventional Medical Treatment Of The Flu

Conventional treatment for the common cold and influenza are quite similar and may include: acetaminophen or non-aspirin NSAID for fever and headache; decongestants such as pseudoephedrine for stuffy nose; warm salt water gargle and humidifier treatment for sore throat; cough suppressants such as dextromethorphan.

Antibiotics (which are ineffective in treating viral infections) are prescribed only when bacterial complications are present. The flu patient is also advised to curb activities for the 2 to 5 days of severest illness.

Flu Vaccines

As concern about the swine flu is ratcheting up again, there is a lot of discussion about a vaccine. Of course, whether or not to opt for being vaccinated is a personal choice. However, it is important in this reference that your decision be an informed one that thoroughly examines the risk-to-benefit ratio.

Vaccines are controversial drugs because whatever good they may offer is counterbalanced by a significant level of risk. In order to reassure a jittery public, the medical establishment and the media downplay the risk. But there is no denying that the injection of pathogenic microorganisms deeply into the tissues of the body in order to elicit microbe-specific immunity has no precedent in nature. Disease is most often the product of the violation of the Laws of Nature. Violation of the Laws of Nature is only one of the reasons why vaccination can potentially exert destructive action within the body.

The active ingredient in a flu vaccine is either killed viruses or weakened live ones. Additionally, vaccines can contain chemical toxins such as formaldehyde, carbolic acid, ethylene glycol (the main constituent of antifreeze) and certain antibiotics.

This time around, the risk may be even greater as the manufacturers are exploring the possibility of adding an adjuvant made of various forms of aluminum (including aluminum hydroxide) to the swine flu vaccine. Ostensibly, the adjuvant is added to increase the vaccine’s effectiveness (by stimulating immunological hyper-reaction to the organism being introduced), but it is also included to stretch the available supply of the vaccine by reducing the amount of vaccine required to treat each person.

While adjuvants increase the risk of harmful side-effects from the vaccine, this increased risk is deemed acceptable by drug companies and public health officials seeking to maximize the number of vaccine doses available for a mass vaccination campaign.

Aluminum build-up in tissues has been associated with a variety of chronic disorders including cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, memory loss, osteoporosis, decreased liver and kidney function, anemia, headaches and extreme nervousness.

Aluminum can cause nerve cell death and aluminum adjuvants can help facilitate aluminum’s deposition in brain tissue. Normally, the blood-brain barrier protects the brains by filtering the blood before it reaches it. While elemental aluminum does not easily pass through the blood-brain barrier, various aluminum compounds do.

Aluminum hydroxide specifically may cause vaccine allergy, anaphylaxis, and a chronic inflammation syndrome called macrophage myofascitis. Cats injected experimentally with aluminum hydroxide often develop at the site of injection malignant tumors derived from fibrous connective tissue called fibrosarcomas.

Most flu vaccines also contain about 25 micrograms of a preservative called thimerosal. By weight, mercury constitutes 49.6 percent of thimerosal, which is metabolized or degraded into ethylmercury and thiosalicylate.

Thimerosal is actually far more toxic than mercury itself and can cause long-term immune, sensory, neurological, motor, and behavioral dysfunctions. This mercury preservative (anecdotally associated with autism by many observers) may also be a factor in attention deficit disorder, speech and language deficiencies and multiple sclerosis.

Natural Therapeutic Options

Quercetin:

Fortunately, there are a wide variety of natural therapeutic options regarding the prevention and treatment of the flu. I have decided to begin my discussion of these with quercetin because it is one that is not widely discussed and provides the opportunity to present instructions for an easy-to-prepare homemade syrup.

Quercetin is a flavonoid and a building block for other flavonoids (a class of water-soluble plant pigments) which has been shown to exert anti-inflammatory action (inhibits the activity of histamine and other allergic/inflammatory mediators) and antioxidant action (combats free radicals).

Some studies have suggested that quercetin may play a role in cancer prevention. It is notable that quercetin is found only in plant-derived foods, and diets high in fruits and vegetables have been associated with reduction in cancer incidence. Quercetin is also considered to be a phytoestrogen (a plant biochemical which functions similarly to estrogen).

Quercetin may also prove useful in the prevention and treatment of: allergies, asthma, bronchitis, cataracts, chronic fatigue (by encouraging the production of mitochondria: the organelle within each cell responsible for the production of the energy compound ATP), gout (may help reduce the production of uric acid), heart disease (may help prevent the oxidation of LDL: “bad” cholesterol, hypertension, chronic prostatitis and interstitial cystitis.

Importantly, quercetin has been shown to reduce the risk of flu in experimental studies with mice. A higher consumption of quercetin has also been linked with lowered incidence of the common cold. Considering this evidence of quercetin’s protective influence regarding infectious viral diseases, University of South Carolina researcher J. Mark Davis, PhD suggests a high consumption of quercetin-rich foods. In this reference, he considers the best quercetin source to be red onions as these contain four-times as much quercetin as does most other produce.

Good sources of quercetin include: apples, broccoli, buckwheat, cabbage, capers, cauliflower, cherries, citrus fruit, green tea, red grapes, leafy green vegetables, lovage, onions (especially red onion where the highest concentrations of quercetin occur in the outermost rings), raspberries, tomatoes.

Organically grown fruits, vegetables, etc. contain more of this valuable flavonoid. One study found that organically grown tomatoes contain 79% more quercetin than non-organic tomatoes.

Based upon all the positive research, quercetin supplements are quite popular. However, isolated quercetin is poorly absorbed and utilized, with much of it metabolized into non-active phenolic acids or simply excreted.

Nutrients are always better absorbed from whole foods than they are as isolated moieties.

In whole foods, nutrients never occur in isolation, but rather, in conjunction with a host of other synergistic nutrients which enhance their absorption and utilization. Thus, it is my feeling that if one wants to load up on quercetin, the best way to do that is to ingest high-quercetin foods such as organic red onions. In addition to adding them to salads or steamed vegetables, the traditional herbal preparation presented below may prove of good service.

Medicinal Value Of Onions:

Before presenting the recipe for onion syrup, it is worthwhile to take a brief look at the medicinal value of onions.

The onion (Allium cepa), like its close relative garlic, is a member of the lily family. Both onion and garlic are rich in thiosulfinates, sulfides, sulfoxides, and other sulfur compounds. The thiosulfinates exhibit anti-microbial properties that underlie onion’s effectiveness against a wide spectrum of pathogenic bacteria, including Bacillus subtilis, salmonella, and E. coli.

Onions have been used for centuries as a medicinal agent. Early American settlers used wild onions to treat asthma, colds and coughs. Onions can be used to reduce bronchial spasms, and an onion extract has been shown to decrease allergy-induced bronchial constriction in asthma patients. In Chinese medicine, onions are used to treat coughs, bacterial infections, and respiratory problems (as well as angina).

Additionally, onions are a very rich source of a type of fructo-oligosaccharide, which not only stimulates the growth of probiotic colon bacterial species and suppresses the growth of potentially pathogenic colon bacterial species, it can also reduce the risk of colon cancer.

Onions, like garlic, contain sulfides (which help reduce blood fats and blood pressure) as well as anti-clotting agents that can inhibit platelet-clumping. The sulfides in onions have anti-tumor properties. In the area of Georgia where Vidalia onions are grown, mortality rates from stomach cancer are one-half the average rate for the United States in general. One study found that, among elderly people in the Netherlands, those with the highest onion consumption (at least one-half onion per day) had one-half the level of stomach cancer of those who did not consume any onions.

Apparently, the less pungent, milder, sweet onion varieties are less effective as medicinal agents. Stronger onions such as the Western Yellow and Northern Red varieties have the richest content of flavonoids and phenolics, and thus, exert a much higher level of antioxidant and anti-proliferative activity.

Star Anise:

Star anise (Illicium vernum) is a star-shaped, reddish brown fruit native to Southeast Asia where it is used as a traditional tasty spice. Star anise’s flavor resembles ordinary anise seed (to which it is not related), however, it is the star-shaped seedpods, rather than the seeds themselves, which provide star anise’s flavor.

Star anise is considered to be anti-bacterial, diuretic and stomachic. It aids digestion and is used to treat rheumatism. In China, star anise has traditionally been used to treat the common cold and other viral diseases.

This herb contains shikimic acid, a chemical compound used in the production of the anti- flu drug Tamiflu. While shikimic acid itself does not exert antiviral activity, it has a distinctive chemical structure that serves as the starting point in the production of Tamiflu.

Tamiflu, a neuraminidase inhibitor, does not directly destroy swine flu or other influenza viruses. Rather, it inhibits the spread of these viruses within the body by blocking a protein that facilitates the egress of replicating viral particles from body cells. Other herbal sources of shikimic acid include ginger and fennel.

Star anise also contains linalool, a chemical compound that does exert antiviral activity. The herb also exerts a strong antioxidant action that specifically helps limit the deposition of cholesterol in arterial walls via inhibition of the oxidation of fatty acids. Limonene, another phytonutrient found in star anise, exerts anti-cancer activity.

If you cannot find star anise (although it is a common herb, there may be a shortage of it during the flu season), substitute common anise seed (Pimpinella anisum). As noted, the anise seed and star anise plants are unrelated botanically. Anise seed is a member of the parsley family and native to the Eastern Mediterranean. Anethole is the biochemical that accounts for its distinctive sweet-licorice taste. Like anise seed, star anise’s flavor also derives primarily from anethole. Both anise seed and essential oil of anise seed are noted as being of value in the treatment of influenza. The essential oil is also used to treat the following relevant symptoms: general fatigue, chilliness, sluggish circulation, common cold, vertigo, asthma, bronchial spasm, cough and difficulty breathing.

Manuka Honey:

Manuka honey is a monofloral honey (nectar is derived from only one species of flower). It is produced in New Zealand by bees that feed on the flowers of the manuka plant, a close relative of the Australian tea tree.

A study by the University of Queensland, Australia indicated the presence of quercetin in honey derived from tea tree flowers. For hundreds of years, the tea tree was a source of medicinal remedies for the Australian Aborigines. For instance, they used the crushed leaves to treat cuts and skin infections. In 1923, an Australian government scientist discovered that the tea tree oil was twelve times stronger as an antiseptic bactericide than carbolic acid.

Tea tree oil is active against bacteria, fungi, parasites and viruses. It is a powerful immuno-stimulant that activates white blood cells and otherwise increases the body’s ability to respond to microbial challenges. Importantly, tea tree dissolves pus without damaging healthy tissues (when properly diluted), thus leaving the surface of an infected wound clean and allowing the oil’s germicidal action to proceed more effectively. Most pharmaceutical germicides destroy healthy tissue as well as bacteria.

Manuka honey (a dark-colored honey with a flavor reminiscent of tea tree oil) combines some of the healing actions of the tea tree with the naturally antibacterial properties of honey. Manuka honey can be used in wound-dressings to prevent infection. In general, honey is a natural antiseptic that speeds healing while helping to seal a wound from exposure to new infection. Manuka honey exerts antibacterial, antiseptic, antiviral, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antifungal properties.

Manuka honey is commonly referred to as UMF honey. Honey’s sugars give rise to the disinfectant: hydrogen peroxide. Manuka honey additionally contains an antibacterial component known as the “Unique Manuka Factor.” A UMF rating system has been developed to compare each manuka honey with standard disinfectants. The Unique Manuka Factor is unaffected by enzymes in the body that destroy hydrogen peroxide. Manuka honey also destroys bacteria by drawing water out of bacterial cells, thus making it impossible for them to survive.

Manuka honey appears to be effective against some strains of the antibiotic-resistant bacteria that occur in hospitals. Wound-dressings containing manuka honey have proven successful in treating life-threatening infections involving hard-to-kill bacteria such as MRSA (Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus—a super staph infection) and VRE (Vancomycin-resistant enterococcus—a bacteria that causes severe intestinal infections).

Influenza is a viral illness, and although manuka honey does exert an anti-viral action, it is primarily noted for its anti-bacterial properties. However, as discussed above, common bacterial infection complications of influenza include acute bronchitis, acute sinusitis, bacterial pneumonia (the most common complication) and middle ear infection. The elderly and chronically ill are at particular risk for developing complications. These individuals can be so weakened by flu that their defenses against disease-causing bacteria become dangerously low.

Red Onion/Star Anise/Manuka Honey Syrup

Since the 1980s, I have been preparing garlic syrup (a traditional herbal medicine) using a method I developed and refined over the years. In this case, I am adapting that methodology to prepare a potent red onion/star anise/manuka honey syrup that may prove of value in enhancing one’s resistance to flu infection.

As you will see, the instructions are relatively simple.

Instructions:

1) Peel and finely mince sufficient red onion (organically grown red onion is preferable) to fill half of a quart mason jar.

2) Place 2 Tbsp. of ground star anise (if you cannot find star-anise, substitute anise seed, ground) in a stainless steel or glass cooking pot.

3) Bring to a boil: 24 oz. of unfiltered apple cider vinegar (make sure it is unfiltered, not refined, apple cider vinegar).

4) Next, pour the hot vinegar over the star anise and cover the pot. Let steep for 30 minutes.

5) Now, pour the vinegar/star anise mixture over the minced onions in the quart mason jar. The level of liquid should be above the level of onion. If not, add enough vinegar to be above onion.

6) Screw the mason jar lid on tightly and shake well. Store in a cool, dark place for 5 days, shaking the jar for about 30 seconds twice daily.

7) Next, add a sufficient amount of vegetable glycerine (glycerine will extract certain herbal components that may not diffuse into the vinegar) to raise the level of the mixture in the jar about 2 to 3 inches. Let stand for 2 more days, shaking the jar twice daily as before.

8) Now, using a fine strainer, strain the liquid from the pulp.

9) Place the onion and star anise pulp on a square of cheesecloth. Fold the edges of the cheesecloth over the pulp and squeeze out as much liquid as you can. Mix this rich liquid from pulp with the liquid that was previously strained off.

10) Measure the total amount of liquid you have recovered. Add one-third that amount of raw, unfiltered manuka honey to the strained liquid, and stir until it is thoroughly blended in. (You can substitute other types of raw honey, but Manuka honey is preferred).

11) Pour syrup into jars, seal tightly and store in the refrigerator.

Suggested Use (primarily as protection against flu):

Adults and children 12 years and older: Add 1 dessert spoonful to 6 oz. pure water, 2 to 3 times daily between meals.

Children: 2 to 11 years old: ½ of the above adult dose.

As an option, if you would like to add a little natural vitamin C, squeeze ½ tsp. of fresh lemon juice into each dose of the diluted syrup.

Important Notes:

1) Diabetics or individuals with hypoglycemia should avoid honey, and thus, this syrup.

2) Just to be cautious, I am suggesting that, as this syrup preparation contains honey, it not be used with children under 2 years old. However, the general rule is not to use honey with children under 12 months old as it may cause infant botulism.*

*Infant botulism is caused by the ingestion of Clostridium spores commonly found in honey or corn syrup. Bees, corn, and sugar cane pick up spores from soil. Due to the high sugar content of these sweeteners, the spores do not germinate and develop into bacteria. Because the environmental conditions in the adult gut are not suitable for germination, Clostridium spores remain spores and are excreted without causing any harm. But the different environmental conditions within an infant’s stomach are ideal for Clostridia to develop. Thus, the rule: Never feed an infant under 12 months of age honey, corn syrup, or other sweeteners.

Disclaimer: This publication is intended as an educational tool, and not as a prescription. I advise you to seek the advice of your health-care provider before trying any new remedy or exercise.

Written by Dr. Bruce Berkowsky, N.M.D., M.H., NCTMB
http://www.naturalhealthscience.com

3,544 posted on 10/24/2009 9:12:01 PM PDT by nw_arizona_granny ( http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/21813ht92/posts?page=1 [Survival,food,garden,crafts,and more)

http://www.naturalpathhealthcenter.com/index.php/Newsletter/Walking-Along-the-Natural-Path/13-Tips-to-Combat-Colds-and-Flu-the-Natural-Way.html

[The chart at the end went all garbled.........see link]

13 Tips to Combat Colds and Flu the “Natural” Way

With no cure in sight for the cold or the flu, current treatments can at best bring symptom relief or shorten the duration of those symptoms. Here are some natural remedies that may speed your recovery, and help you feel better along the natural path to better health.

#1 Know When Not To Treat Symptoms

Believe it or not, those annoying symptoms you’re experiencing are part of the natural healing process — evidence that the immune system is battling illness. For instance, a fever is your body’s way of trying to kill viruses in a hotter-than-normal environment. Also, a fever’s hot environment makes germ-killing proteins in your blood circulate more quickly and effectively. Thus, if you endure a moderate fever for a day or two, you may actually get well faster. Coughing is another productive symptom; it clears your breathing passages of thick mucus that can carry germs to your lungs and the rest of your body. Even that stuffy nose is best treated mildly or not at all. A decongestant, like Sudafed, restricts flow to the blood vessels in your nose and throat. But often you want the increase blood flow because it warms the infected area and helps secretions carry germs out of your body.

#2 Blow Your Nose Often (And the Right Way)

It’s important to blow your nose regularly when you have a cold rather than sniffling mucus back into your head. But when you blow hard, pressure can carry germ-carrying phlegm back into your ear passages, causing earache. The best way to blow your nose: Press a finger over one nostril while you blow gently to clear the other.

#3 Treat That Stuffy Nose with Warm Salt Water

Salt-water rinsing helps break nasal congestion, while also removing virus particles and bacteria from your nose. Here’s a popular recipe:

Mix 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon baking soda in 8 ounces of warm water. Use a bulb syringe, netti pot or Nasaline to squirt water into the nose. Using a Nasaline is often easiest and involves pushing the saline solution up one nostril, filling the sinuses and allowing the solution to drain out the other nostril. It works wonderfully well and is quick and easy. Repeat 2-3 times in each nostril. Blow your nose.

#4 Stay Warm and Rested

Staying warm and resting when you first come down with a cold or the flu helps your body direct its energy toward the immune battle. This battle taxes the body. So give it a little help by lying down under a blanket.

#5 Gargle

Gargling can moisten a sore throat and bring temporary relief. Try a teaspoon of salt dissolved in warm water, four times daily. To reduce the tickle in your throat, try an astringent gargle — such as tea that contains tannin (Black or green work well) — to tighten the membranes. Or use a thick, viscous gargle made with honey, popular in folk medicine. Steep one tablespoon of raspberry leaves or lemon juice in two cups of hot water; mix with one teaspoon of honey. Let the mixture cool to room temperature before gargling.

#6 Drink Hot Liquids

Hot liquids relieve nasal congestion, prevent dehydration, and soothe the uncomfortably inflamed membranes that line your nose and throat. If you’re so congested you can’t sleep at night, try a ‘healthy hot toddy’, an age-old remedy.

#7 Take a Steamy Shower

Steamy showers moisturize your nasal passages and relax you. If you’re dizzy from the flu, run a steamy shower while you sit on a chair nearby and take a sponge bath.

#8 Use a Salve Under Your Nose

A small dab of mentholated salve under your nose can open breathing passages and help restore the irritated skin at the base of the nose. Menthol, eucalyptus and camphor all have mild numbing ingredients that may help relieve the pain of a nose rubbed raw.

#9 Apply Hot or Cold Packs Around Your Congested Sinuses

Either temperature works. You can buy reusable hot or cold packs at a drugstore. Or make your own. Take a damp washcloth and heat it for 55 seconds in a microwave (test the temperature first to make sure it’s right for you.) Or take a small bag of frozen peas to use as a cold pack.

#10 Sleep With an Extra Pillow Under Your Head

This will help relieve congested nasal passages. If the angle is too awkward, try placing the pillows between the mattress and the box springs to create a more gradual slope.

#11 Don’t Fly Unless Necessary

There’s no point adding stress to your already stressed-out upper respiratory system, and that’s what the change in air pressure will do. Flying with cold or flu congestion can temporarily damage your eardrums as a result of pressure changes during takeoff and landing. If you must fly, use a decongestant (Natural D-Hist works well) and carry a nasal spray with you to use just before takeoff and landing. Chewing gum and swallowing frequently can also help relieve pressure.

#12 Eat Infection-Fighting Foods

Here are some good foods to eat when you’re battling a cold or flu:

* Bananas: Soothe upset stomachs.
* Bell Peppers: Loaded with vitamin C.
* Blueberries: Curbs diarrhea, high in natural aspirin. (May lower fevers and help with the aches and pains.)
* Carrots: Loaded with beta-carotene.
* Chili Peppers: Can open sinuses, and help break up mucus in the lungs.
* Cranberries: Help prevent bacteria from sticking to cells lining the bladder and urinary tract.
* Mustard & Horseradish: Helps break up mucus in air passages.
* Onion: Has phytochemicals purported to help the body clear bronchitis and other infections.
* Rice: Curbs diarrhea.
* Tea: Black and green tea (not herbals) contain catechin, a phytochemical purported to have natural antibiotic and anti-diarrhea effects.

#13 Dip into Nature’s Medicine Cabinet

Once you have a cold or flu, there are several things you can do to decrease your down time without short-circuiting your immune system. If you would like additional support, give these tried-and-true protocols a try.

Note - clear mucus is often indicative of a viral infection whereas green/yellow mucus often indicates a bacterial condition. In all cases, reduce all forms of sugar as much as possible!

Adults

Bacterial Infection

Supplement

Upon Rising

Breakfast

Mid-am

Lunch

Mid-pm

Dinner

Before Bed

Andrographis Plus - take 2 tablets every 2 hours for 12 hours with unchilled water. Then 1 tablet 3x/day between meals for 5 days.

Ultra Potent C Pwd

1 tsp

Viral Infection

Supplement

Upon Rising

Breakfast

Mid-am

Lunch

Mid-pm

Dinner

Before Bed

Viracid - 2 capsules every hour until symptoms subside, then 2 capsules 3x/day for 5 days

Ortho Biotic

Children

Supplement

Imu-Max - Children up to 6 years old take ½-1 teaspoon twice per day; Children over 6 take 1-2 teaspoons twice per day. Take with water or any other drink.

Flora Boost - Children up to 6 yrs. old - ½ tsp 2x/day; children over 6 yrs. old 1 tsp 2x/day. Take on empty stomach (upon rising and before bed).

If you have severe symptoms, feel sicker with each passing day, or become extremely weak, please contact your doctor immediately.

Please share this information with your friends and family - a great way to prevent colds and flus is to keep those around you healthy.

(If you like this information, you may be interested in 77 Ways to Beat Cold and Flu by Charles B. Inlander, president of The People’s Medical Society, a nonprofit consumer health advocacy organization.)

Yours in Health along the Natural Path,

Chad Oler, ND

© Natural Path Health Center - 2940 Chapel Valley Road Madison, WI 53711
Phone: 608.274.7044 - Toll-Free: 866.888.6721 - Fax: 608.274.6614
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3,545 posted on 10/24/2009 9:16:47 PM PDT by nw_arizona_granny ( http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/21813ht92/posts?page=1 [Survival,food,garden,crafts,and more)

To: All; Joya; TenthAmendmentChampion

http://www.naturalpathhealthcenter.com/index.php/Recipe-Book/

Gluten-Free
109 Recipes

Wheat Free
108 Recipes

Dairy Free
104 Recipes

Alergen Free
8 Subcategories 135 Recipes

Corn Free
127 Recipes

Egg Free
119 Recipes

Peanut Free
125 Recipes

Soy Free
118 Recipes

Refined Sugar Free
111 Recipes

[This is only a part of the recipes at this site...granny]

3,546 posted on 10/24/2009 9:23:37 PM PDT by nw_arizona_granny ( http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/21813ht92/posts?page=1 [Survival,food,garden,crafts,and more)

You are welcome, glad you came to read.

If you check the site, you will find other lists with links to more information, I checked only part of October and saw a couple worthy of posting.

LOL, link showed up on a onion for cures google....

3,547 posted on 10/24/2009 9:40:29 PM PDT by nw_arizona_granny ( http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/21813ht92/posts?page=1 [Survival,food,garden,crafts,and more)

He is likely to do anything though - he just got a pie in the face over the Olympics - <<<

I suspect that he will use the martial law, to show the world that he is in control and would have known how to keep them safe, during their visit to Chicago.

I doubt that any of us can even guess at what he will do next, for he is not marching with a sane crew.

MY first thought is “Those Tea Parties must stop!!!”

For with each one, a few more Americans wake up and start asking questions.

Wait till they find out what the tinfoil crowd has been expecting for a lot of years, I for one was sure clinton would bring in martial law, before he got out of office.

Darn, missed the boat again, a few years ago, one of my real estate clients made his living using and selling real crystal balls and I said “No, thanks.....”

3,548 posted on 10/24/2009 9:46:06 PM PDT by nw_arizona_granny ( http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/21813ht92/posts?page=1 [Survival,food,garden,crafts,and more)

http://hubpages.com/hub/No-COLDS-or-FLU-this-Season

No COLDS or FLU this Season
71

By topview

Stay Healthy This Winter

This winter while your out doing your Xmas shopping, and you grab that handle of the shopping cart. You are exposing yourself to some of the nastiest germs that are floating around waiting for a body to infect.

So, if you want to keep that nose from dripping and making you miserable, you need to make a garlic tincture to protect your body from all those nasty little devils that you have dreaded,that may infect you or your kids and everyone in your household.

Here is how you make a Garlic tincture that will keep those bugs out of your body this winter, so you can keep going and not be laid up for a week or more.

The bugs that are getting people sick nowdays are really tough, and it sometimes takes up to 3 months to get over them.

You can get most or all in your local health food store or in your super market, except the vodka to soak it in.

All these ingredients do not have to be used to make it protect you from Flu virus or cold virus, but use as many as you can get.

1) Garlic-Fresh only, 2)Olive leaves, 3)Echinacea, 4)Astragalus, 5) Cats Claw, 6)Onion, 7)Ginger, 8)Shiitake Mushrooms, 9)Green Tea, 10) St.Johns Wort, 11) Lemon Balm.

Now, what you do is put all the ingredients you can get into a pint jar (glass) and if you get the herbs in capsules, just take them apart and pore about 5-6 of each one with lots of garlic chopped up into the jar and mix vodka and apple cider vinegar, till the jar is full and place it in your refrigerator, for about two weeks, shake once daily .

After two weeks, get a strainer and pour it into another container and rince jar and place back into the pint jar and put back in Frig where it will stay cool and out of direct sunlight.

When you take it, be very careful when you start, as if you take to much of it at one time you can get very sick to your stomach.

If you have a virus or a fungus in your stomach, you will kill to many at one time and you will have to many dead bugs for your liver to take care of the disposal, of the garbage. So only start out with about 1/2 teaspoon, and see how your belly handles it. It could take about, 3 hours for it to kill the fungus, and then you will be very sick and want to upchuck it all, if you take a slug of it at first.

You can slowly work up to a mouthful after you see how your stomach handles it. I take about a table spoon 3 or 4 times a day if I get the feeling of a cold or flu coming on. This tincture will help build your immune system and will keep fungus at a low scale in your body. You can take it everyday if you have a problem with fungus (Candida Albicans) or Yeast infections.

Garlic is a natural cure for many problems in the body, as an anti-inflammatory and many other things that you would never think would be cured by Garlic.

I have put this on my blog also and have many health articles about many diseases and ailments and how to get yourself healthy and stay healthy

http://www.my-healthy.info/4u

If you know some one that needs to get well from many things, just send them there. After I had colon cancer and nearly died, I decided to help everyone I could to get healthy and what to do to stay healthy.Nature has provided us with everything we need to live and survive on.

Good luck, If it is natural, then eat it, if it isn’t natural, don’t eat it.

Thanks,

3,549 posted on 10/24/2009 9:52:27 PM PDT by nw_arizona_granny ( http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/21813ht92/posts?page=1 [Survival,food,garden,crafts,and more)

http://www.theepochtimes.com/news/8-7-5/72864.html

The Versatile Onion
By Johann Fleck
Epoch Times Germany
Jul 05, 2008

Onions harvested by Iranian women. (Getty images)

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- Mate Tea—South America’s Elixir of Life Thursday, July 03, 2008
- Kitchen Essentials: Consommé Sunday, June 29, 2008
- Ginger, the Warming Root, Gaining Popularity Wednesday, June 25, 2008
- Carp—A Fish With Character Tuesday, June 17, 2008
- Kale—a Traditional Winter Vegetable Monday, June 16, 2008
- Olive Oil’s Many Properties Friday, June 13, 2008
- South Indian Vindaloo: A Culinary, Linguistic Transformation Wednesday, June 11, 2008
- Kimchi, Fermented Vegetables, Are a Nutritional Korean Standby Thursday, June 05, 2008

Europeans have used onions for food as far back as the Bronze Age, but they most likely originated in Western or Central Asia. The Pentateuch, the oldest section of the Bible, even has references to onions and garlic. The name “onion” is derived from the late-era Latin “cepa,” or its diminutive, “cepolla.”

The onion can do double duty as a vegetable or a seasoning. Most cuisines around the world afford the onion a fixed place in lots of dishes. Austrians, for example, consume an average of 15 lbs. of this vegetable per person annually.

Varieties of onion vary greatly in form, color and flavor. The mild flavor of the Spanish onion is ideally suited for roasts, as a seasoning ingredient [in combination with other vegetables, to enhance flavors]. The red onion is even milder, and is primarily used in salads. Shallots with their unmistakable, intense onion flavor are a favorite to perfume dishes, with its unique aroma. And, let’s not forget scallions [green onions], leek and chives!

An onion’s characteristic sharpness comes from its sulphur-containing inherent oils, such as allicin, as well as other flavor properties. The vegetable’s high sugar content—up to 8%—accounts for its ability to impart a sweet, delicate flavor to cooked dishes. Onions served as a cooked vegetable are nearly fat-free, and also contain a high percentage of minerals and vitamins. They can enhance metabolism, as well.

Onions can be considered a plant antibiotic, due to their ability to kill germs and prevent inflammation in the mouth and digestive tract. Some sources even ascribe to it healing properties, in such cases as heart ailments, blood clots and cancer prevention. In any event, they fight high blood sugar, work to lower cholesterol and possess antioxidant properties.

The onion exerts its beneficial effects to the whole digestive system. The vegetable stimulates the appetite and fosters the production of stomach, intestinal and gall fluids. The onion is a mild diuretic, and can promote proper bladder function. They have an affinity to the skin, and can aid in wound healing, including small topical infections, insect bites, minor burns, cuts, small boils and minute eruptions. Upon the first symptoms of cold, flu or a runny nose, the onion can work as a preventative, and can minimize a cough and a mild sore throat.

The onion is a health-promoting vegetable that can also be prepared and consumed as a juice tonic, for healing effects.

Onion juice is prepared as follows: take one small, peeled and chopped onion, mix it with 2 Tbsp. honey and 1/2 cup water. Heat and cook, simmering for 5 minutes.

After 5 minutes, stir the mass, remove it from the flame and let stand for 5 hours, to cool completely.

Then press the mass through a fine strainer. Use 1 Tbsp. of the juice three times a day, as a cold preventative, or for general health benefits.

In all manner of dishes, onions can be prepared raw, fried or sautéed.

I would like to recommend three dishes to you, in which the onion is a major player.

Piedmont Style Stuffed Onions
[Piedmont is an area in Northern Italy]

Ingredients

* 8 large onions
* 1/2 lb bulk pork sausage
* 1 Tbsp. olive oil
* 1 Tbsp. breadcrumbs
* 1 Tbsp. pine nuts
* 2 amaretto cookies, crumbled
* 1 egg, lightly beaten
* 1/4 cup raisins
* 1 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
* nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and pepper, to taste

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. (180 Celcius)

Peel the onions and let them cook in lightly salted water for 10 minutes. Allow to drain completely, while preparing the filling:

Cook the ground pork sausage in olive oil until no longer pink; let cool. Then mix with the beaten egg, the breadcrumbs and amaretto crumbs, raisins, pine nuts, the spices and salt. Set aside.

Cut a “lid” off the drained onions and remove most of the onion “innards” with a spoon, leaving a sturdy, onion shell.

Mince the removed content and add to the filling, blending well.

Fill the hollowed out onions with the meat mixture, put the “lid” back on, and bake the filled onions in a greased pan for 1/2 hour. Serve hot or cold.

This is an ideal complement to other dishes as a side dish, or it can be served as the main entrée, with a nice green salad and a loaf of artisan Italian bread. Serve two onions per person.

Serves 4

French Onion Soup

Ingredients:

* 2 large onions, peeled, cut into rings
* 1 Tbsp. butter
* 1 clove garlic
* 1 quart good beef broth
* 1/2 cup dry sherry
* salt and pepper
* 6 slices firm white bread
* 6 slices Gruyere or Emmenthaler cheese
* chives, for garnish

Method:

Saute the onions and garlic in the butter until limp.

De-glaze with sherry, and then cook until somewhat reduced.

Add the beef broth and simmer for 10 minutes; season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, place the cheese onto the bread slices and bake on high heat until golden brown. Cut bread into strips or squares to form croutons.

Ladle the soup into bowls; add an equal amount of the cheese croutons to each bowl. Garnish with chopped chives.

Serves 6

Classic Viennese Beef Stew

Ingredients

* 2 lbs lean beef from the leg, cut into cubes
* 2 lbs. onion, thinly sliced
* 1/4 cup oil
* 1 Tbsp. tomato paste (not sauce)
* 1 pint water
* 4 Tbsp. paprika powder [not chili powder]
* 2 garlic cloves
* 1 fresh chili pepper, fairly mild
* salt, powdered caraway seeds, marjoram, finely minced lemon peel, and a bit of vinegar

Method:

Saute the onions in the oil until brown but not burned.

Add the tomato paste and paprika, blending well.

De-glaze with a few drops of vinegar and a bit of water, then add the remaining water and simmer until tender.

Now add the cubed meat and the rest of the seasonings.

Stir well, cover the pot and simmer for at least 2 hours, until the meat is tender but not falling apart.

Ideally, the finished stew should show a layer of red, fatty liquid on top.

Best served with boiled potatoes, bread dumplings or simply crusty rolls.

Serves 4

3,550 posted on 10/24/2009 10:00:09 PM PDT by nw_arizona_granny ( http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/21813ht92/posts?page=1 [Survival,food,garden,crafts,and more)

[A good year round indoor plant, give it a sunny window...]

http://www.theepochtimes.com/news/8-7-10/73219.html

Herb of the Month: Basil
A beloved year-round plant and kitchen herb
By Elisabeth Horbach
Epoch Times Germany Staff
Jul 10, 2008

Repotting a newly purchased basil plant increases the joy of harvest and eating. (© Sonja Winzer/www.pixelio.de )

Related Articles
- Thyme, the Medicinal Plant Friday, June 27, 2008
- Olive Oil’s Many Properties Friday, June 13, 2008
- Herb of the Month—Rosemary Monday, June 09, 2008
- Fennel: the ‘Reducer’ Sunday, June 08, 2008
- Parsley—More than Mere Garnish Saturday, June 07, 2008
- The Stinging Nettle—a Marvelous Springtime Food Tuesday, June 03, 2008

The annual herb basil, ocimum basilicum, has its origin in India. Basil is not merely valuable for its marvelous flavor, but aids in alleviating gas and bloating, and helps lactating women. Experience has shown that inflamed breast warts respond well to a gentle wash with basil tea.

When conditions are right, the plant will sprout from seeds, and with sufficient nutrients and moisture, it can develop stems and leaves. The plant is tender and cannot tolerate frost. White blossoms are the plant’s crowning finale. They will develop new seeds, and thus the life cycle repeats itself. In spite of nurturing and good care, the mother plant has finished its cycle and will die.

Do you know of a supermarket that does not carry this plant in the produce section all year round? What happens to all the thousands of basil plants that people buy every day and take home? Most of them don’t even survive to see the following weekend.

It’s the same disappointment each time—the stems turn dark, the leaves wilt, and there might even be mold on top of the soil in the pot. Sitting on the kitchen windowsill for the first few hours the plant looked so appetizing, green, and appealing. How can we assure that this poor fellow survives?

When I spot these poor basil plants in the supermarket, subjected to cold-water sprays from the automatic system, I get the same feelings I experience when visiting a shelter for abandoned or sick animals. I wish I could save them all, so much do I agonize for their lack of care.

When basil arrives at the supermarket it contains everything needed for fast growth—water in its roots, warmth, ideal nutrition, and most of all, the protective plastic “corset.” Then suddenly the plant is deprived of all these, and one wonders why it’s dying.

Next time you buy a potted basil plant, I highly recommend you transplant it into a larger pot, in normal potting soil. The pot does NOT need a drainage hole, just a few pebbles in the bottom will do. Keep the plastic sleeve (corset) the plant came with; the plant needs this support around the stems. Since the plant grows quickly, the stems are unable to develop a sturdy framework right away and need support for a couple of days.

Eventually, the stems will be able to transport water and nutrients to the leaves, and a few leaves may reach above the protective sleeve. They need lots of daylight and ideally, sun, but that’s sometimes impossible during the winter. Never let the surface of the soil dry out. Water regularly with lukewarm water—best gently twice a day, instead of too much all at once.

To begin with, cut off the largest leaves and later on remove all of the top sprouts down to the next leaf juncture. That enables side branches and leaves to develop. Removing the top sprouts as described also prevents the plant from blooming, which, as already mentioned, signals its demise. Perhaps your basil plant will now supply you with aromatic leaves until Easter. Good luck with the harvest!

3,551 posted on 10/24/2009 10:14:01 PM PDT by nw_arizona_granny ( http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/21813ht92/posts?page=1 [Survival,food,garden,crafts,and more)

http://www.theepochtimes.com/news/8-6-16/71815.html

Kale—a Traditional Winter Vegetable
It wouldn’t be right if it didn’t smell
By Johann Fleck
Epoch Times Germany
Jun 16, 2008

Classic combination: Braised kale and steamed or smoked pork chops with sausage (Photo: pixelio.de)
Classic combination: Braised kale and steamed or smoked pork chops with sausage (Photo: pixelio.de)

The vegetable’s history bears out these differing opinions. Once upon a time the cabbage had a reputation for possessing medicinal benefits, but over time it became known as a “poor people’s food.” Now it has become a hot item on restaurant menus.

It is widely assumed that kale originated in Greece. Historic records from 400 BC describe such a cabbage which the Romans later gave the name Sabelline Cabbage. This seems to be the forerunner of our modern kale. It was considered a culinary delicacy during Roman times, and raising this vegetable made farmers of that time very wealthy.

Nowadays, kale is mainly grown in Middle and Western Europe, North America, and East and West Africa. In 1988, Germany alone grew 2,224 acres of kale.

Certain cities in Germany fight over the title of the best specialty preparation. The city of Bremen seems to hold the longest tradition of kale feasts, having celebrated them since 1545.

Kale farming is closely connected with Italy’s farming of cavalo nero, black kale. Its leaves have a distinct color and are not as ruffled as those of other kale varieties. The flavors are similar, as is the method of preparation.

Kale Requires Exposure to the First Frost

All true kale enthusiasts wrinkle their noses at kale that has been harvested prior to the first winter frost. Its true flavor develops only after exposure to the first freezing weather. That temperature develops the characteristic flavor and loosens the plant’s cell structure, thus making it easier to digest. But the chief reason for delaying the harvest until after the first frost is the change of some of the plant’s starch into sugar.

Those who think they can replicate this process by placing the cabbage in the freezer are sorely mistaken. The process happens only when the plant is subjected to outdoor frost while still in the ground. Once the harvested cabbage leaves are blanched and have been frozen, the flavor differs from the natural exposure.

Amid the snowy splendor, kale raises its tasty, vitamin-rich fronds into the winter sun (Photo: Heinz Leppe/ETD)

Why Does Cabbage Have Such a Disagreeable Odor During Cooking?

Fresh kale smells relatively neutral and develops its characteristic odor while cooking. This deters many people from eating this vitamin C-rich vegetable. The odor of cooked cabbage comes from its inherent sulfur and mustard oil compounds in the plant. Cooking releases the enzymes that split the sulfur molecules, and thus we get the characteristic odor, absent in the raw kale. The longer the cabbage is cooked, the stronger the smell.

Today’s recipes ought to make you a bit more familiar with kale preparation. If you have questions or comments, please contact me at johann.fleck@epochtimes.de

Kale Patties

Ingredients:

* 1/2 ounce dried boletus mushrooms, soaked for 30 minutes in warm water [you can use other dried fungus]
* 1 lb potatoes
* 1 lb kale, leaves stripped off the stems, stems discarded
* salt, for the cooking water
* 2 teaspoons dried marjoram
* 1 onion, diced fine
* 3 eggs
* 1/4 cup bread crumbs
* salt and pepper, to taste
* fat/oil, for frying

Preparation:

Cook the potatoes in their jackets for 20 minutes, until soft.

Meanwhile, cook the kale in a reasonable amount of salted water for 10 minutes. Place into a strainer, run under cold water to stop the cooking process and drain well.

Chop the cabbage finely and set aside.

Peel the potatoes and grate them, not too finely, and set them aside.

Squeeze mushrooms and dice them finely.

Mix all the ingredients together, adding the seasonings.

Form into patties and fry them in hot oil until golden on both sides. Serve with a creative yogurt sauce.

Classic Kale Preparation

Ingredients:

4 lbs of kale
* 1/4 lb lard
* 1/2 cup pearl barley
* 3 large onions, 1 clove garlic
* 4 slices bacon
* 4 small mild sausages
* Salt and pepper, sugar, nutmeg and lemon juice

Preparation:

Wash the kale, strip the leaves off the stems, drain them and chop finely.

Place enough water into a large pot to cover the bottom, add the chopped cabbage and steam only long enough for the leaves to wilt. Place into a large strainer, drain well and let cool for a while. Then use your hands to squeeze all the extra moisture out of the vegetable.

Melt the lard in a heavy-bottomed pot and let the onions sauté until soft.

Add the finely minced clove of garlic and let simmer a few moments. Then add the kale in stages, stirring between each addition.

Add a good sprinkle of nutmeg, according to personal taste, as well as sugar, salt, pepper and a few drops of lemon juice.

Blend everything well and simmer for 5 minutes. Now add 1 cup hot water, stir and cover the pot, simmering for about 30 minutes.

Remove the cover and add the bacon in with the vegetables and cook for another 30 minutes. Then add the sausages and cook yet another 15 minutes.

At this stage the cabbage should still be wet but not soupy. Last, add the pearl barley, stir, cover the pot and let everything cook for another 25 minutes, without adding additional water.

Add a small amount of water ONLY if the mixture is obviously too dry.

Taste and add additional salt and pepper if needed.

Serve with potatoes cooked in their jackets and peeled.

3,552 posted on 10/24/2009 10:31:33 PM PDT by nw_arizona_granny ( http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/21813ht92/posts?page=1 [Survival,food,garden,crafts,and more)

http://www.theepochtimes.com/news/8-6-27/72463.html

Thyme, the Medicinal Plant
Honoring the Ancient Healing Herb

By Sonja Reiss
Epoch Times Germany Staff
Jun 27, 2008

Thyme (Photo: pixelquelle.de)
Thyme (Photo: pixelquelle.de)

The Wuerzburg/Germany scientific forum “Development of Medicinal Plant Lore,” named the original thyme, thymus vulgaris, its medicinal plant for 2006.

The plant has a long history of being used both for it’s healing properties and as a culinary herb. It is now considered one of the most valued herbs in the fight against cold-related illnesses.

Thyme is favored for its anti-microbial properties and primarily used to fight coughs, but is used to loosen phlegm and relieve coughing spasms too. The herb is highly valued in the form of an herbal extract to help ease asthma and pertussis. Besides these properties, thyme is an invaluable aid to improve blood flow and as an antibacterial medium. When infections or inflammations of the throat and mouth are present, it is used as a pleasant mouthwash for gargling. It fights mouth odor. Crèmes and lotions containing thyme are used as skin cleansers, and adding thyme to the bath water is pleasant, mildly astringent and cleansing.

The ancient Greek physicians Hippocrates and Dioskurides praised the herb highly. They prescribed this fragrant herb for all manner of illnesses of the respiratory tract and as a medium to loosen phlegm. An entry in the German physician/botanist Leonhart Fuchs’s 1543 diary stated, “Thyme and honey boiled together and then consumed is hugely beneficial to those having trouble breathing.”

Long ago, thyme served as a digestive aid and was used externally against insect bites and for easing headaches or joint aches. Several of the “bitters” or herbal liqueurs on the market contain thyme extract. But people who suffer from thyroid or liver problems might want to check with their physician prior to consuming or using a thyme-based product.

Thyme’s primary beneficial constituents are etheric oils, flavenoids and tannins. The plant’s many varieties are indigenous to Middle-and-Southern Europe as well as to the Caucasus region. Thyme is presently grown as a crop in Middle Europe, East Africa, India, Israel, Morocco, North America and Turkey. Small quantities are grown in Germany, Spain and Eastern Europe.

The name thyme itself alludes to its ancient beneficial uses. Thymiamia, the Greek spelling, means “something for burning/incense/smoking.” The ancients burned thyme in their temples as an incense offering to their gods, hinting of the intense fragrance the etheric oils in the plants impart when thyme is dried and set alight. Europeans have learnt to know the plant by its latinized name, “herba thymiania,” now simply “thyme.” Monks brought the herb from the Mediterranean across the Alps.

Depending on the type grown, the strength of the etheric oil differs. French cooking without the use of thyme is virtually unheard of. And in ancient times, damsels would present their brave knights with a bouquet of thyme, to sustain them during a jousting match. The symbolism derives from the translation of the Greek word “thymos”, meaning courage and strength.

More than 300 different types of thyme are grown worldwide. The original thymus vulgaris is a low-growing shrub; the 1/4 inch leaves have woolly undersides and are curled under at the edges. In contrast to other, creeping varieties, this thyme has upright branches that extend about 1 1/2 feet. The blossoms are colored delicate lavender, pink or white.

Though the original thyme does not grow wild in Germany, it lives well in home-gardens. It is not frost hardy. Four of its cousins are more prolific: thymus pulegiodes, t.praecox, t.alpinus and t.serpyllum. All types of the plant prefer dry and sun-drenched soil that drains well and has a high percentage of lime. As early as March, thyme can be sown in containers and then in April transplanted into open ground. The perennial thyme needs to be severely pruned back to encourage new growth; one could even train the plant into a decorative herbal spiral.

3,553 posted on 10/24/2009 10:34:31 PM PDT by nw_arizona_granny ( http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/21813ht92/posts?page=1 [Survival,food,garden,crafts,and more)

http://www.theepochtimes.com/news/8-5-3/70028.html

Thai Fragrant Rice Pudding

By Caroline Yates
Epoch Times U.K. Staff
May 03, 2008

Rice pudding is a tasty, healthy dessert that is simple to make. (Caroline Yates/The Epoch Times)
Rice pudding is a tasty, healthy dessert that is simple to make. (Caroline Yates/The Epoch Times)

This delicious dessert recipe has a strong, delightful aroma and a very gentle, lovely flavour. Try it with coconut milk for a richer pudding.

Serves: 4 Preparation time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

175 ml (3/4 cups) Thai fragrant or jasmine rice
625 ml (2 1/2 cups) whole milk (or coconut milk)
10 cardamom pods, crushed open
2 bay leaves
125 ml (1/2 cup) icing sugar
1 ml (1/4 tsp) vanilla
Sprigs of mint
Whipped cream

Directions:

Put a heavy saucepan on medium-high heat.

Put the rice, milk, cardamom, bay leaves, and sugar into the saucepan and stir to mix. After bringing the mixture to a boil, turn the heat down to a simmer, stirring frequently.

Add the vanilla and cook for 15–20 minutes. When the rice is done, the pudding is ready to be served. You may wish to remove the cardamom pods, but leave the seeds.

To add a finishing touch, decorate with whipped cream or sprigs of mint.

Serve with tropical fruit such as mango, pineapple, cantaloupe, banana, papaya, or longan.

3,554 posted on 10/24/2009 10:36:07 PM PDT by nw_arizona_granny ( http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/21813ht92/posts?page=1 [Survival,food,garden,crafts,and more)

http://www.theepochtimes.com/news/8-4-21/69350.html

Honey or Maple Ricotta Cakes
Pure and naturally delicious dessert
By Caroline Yates
Epoch Times U.K. Staff
Apr 21, 2008

Honey Almond Ricotta Cake (Caroline Yates/The Epoch Times)
Honey Almond Ricotta Cake (Caroline Yates/The Epoch Times)

Related Articles
- Delicious Leek, Potato, and Onion Soup Saturday, April 12, 2008
- Dreamy Cream Puffs Wednesday, February 20, 2008
- Chocolate Fondue for Two Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Ricotta is a favourite ingredient often used in Italian lasagne and dessert recipes. It has a mildly sweet taste and is low in fat. Try the following ricotta cake recipe sweetened with honey or maple syrup. It’s pure and natural and easy to make.

Preparation time: 30 minutes Serves 4

Ingredients for Honey Ricotta Cakes:

* 250 g (9 oz) ricotta cheese
* 4 egg whites
* 60 ml (4 tbsp) honey
* 30 ml (2 tbsp) almonds, sliced
* 4 strawberries, sliced

Ingredients for Maple Ricotta Cakes:

* 250 g (9 oz) ricotta cheese
* 4 egg whites
* 60 ml (4 tbsp) maple syrup
* 30 ml (2 tbsp) pecans, sliced
* 2 bananas, sliced

Directions:

Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F).

All ingredients should ideally be at room temperature. Butter four ramekins and dust them evenly with sugar.

Put the ricotta and honey (or maple syrup) in a bowl and mix until smooth and creamy.

Put the egg whites in another bowl and beat with a whisk until nearly stiff.

Fold the egg whites into the ricotta mixture until well blended. Pour the mixture into the ramekins and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden.

Remove from oven and let stand for a few minutes before putting the ricotta cakes onto plates.

For the honey ricotta cakes, top with almonds, strawberries, and a drizzle of honey.

For the maple ricotta cakes, serve with pecans and banana slices and drizzle some maple syrup on top.

http://www.theepochtimes.com/news/8-4-12/68974.html

Delicious Leek, Potato, and Onion Soup
By Bridget Harris
Epoch Times Ireland Staff
Apr 12, 2008

FLAVOURFUL SOUP: A warm, tasty soup is a good start to any meal and also makes a satisfying snack when served with bread or rolls. (Photos.Com)
FLAVOURFUL SOUP: A warm, tasty soup is a good start to any meal and also makes a satisfying snack when served with bread or rolls. (Photos.Com)

Take advantage of the variety of fresh vegetables available all year round and make some delicious soup. A tasty soup with a lovely aroma will whet your appetite and serve as a good start to any meal, or you can serve soup with whole-grain bread or rolls to make a satisfying snack.

Choose selections that complement each other. My choice of vegetables for the recipe below is leeks, potatoes, and onions. You can substitute the leeks with celery if you prefer; however, it is important to have both a strongly flavoured vegetable and a mild one—hence I include the potatoes.

This soup is made using a time-honoured method known as “sweating.” “Sweating” seals in all the flavour and makes it unnecessary to add stock cubes or herbs; only a little salt and pepper is required, if desired.

Ingredients

* 1 large or 2 small leeks
* 2 medium-size potatoes
* 1 medium onion
* 60 ml (1/4 cup) butter
* 500 ml (2 cups) water
* 250 ml (1 cup) milk
* Salt and pepper if required

Method

Peel off the outer leaves of the leeks and wash the stems well, ensuring that any soil between the leaves is washed away. Cut into 5-cm (2-inch) lengths.

Wash and peel the potatoes and onion and dice into small pieces.

Have a fairly large saucepan ready. Put in the butter and melt over low heat. Add the potatoes, leeks, and onion. Replace the lid. Maintain a low heat setting and stir regularly. It is important not to allow the vegetables to cook, as that would remove the flavour. Instead, keep the heat low to seal in the flavour. This is the above-mentioned process of “sweating.” Stir regularly and add a little salt and pepper. Continue for about 15 minutes.

Now add the water and raise the temperature to a simmering point for the next 15 minutes. Add the milk and once more bring to a simmering point. The vegetables should now be soft through. If not, simmer a little longer.

Next, put the mixture through a sieve or blender. Return to the saucepan and reheat. Put the soup into bowls, and add a dash of thick cream and perhaps sprinkle on some chopped chives.

You will find the flavour and texture of this soup delicious and appetizing. It is an excellent starter to any meal.

3,555 posted on 10/24/2009 10:38:53 PM PDT by nw_arizona_granny ( http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/21813ht92/posts?page=1 [Survival,food,garden,crafts,and more)

http://www.theepochtimes.com/news/8-3-2/66902.html

Falafel
By Yaira Yasmin
Epoch Times Israel Staff
Mar 02, 2008

FALAFEL MIXTURE: A blend of cooked chickpeas and spices ready for making falafel balls or patties. (Yaira Yasmin/The Epoch Times)
FALAFEL MIXTURE: A blend of cooked chickpeas and spices ready for making falafel balls or patties. (Yaira Yasmin/The Epoch Times)

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Falafel, a staple food in Israel, is a fried ball or patty made from chickpeas or fava beans, or a combination of the two, mixed with spices.

Falafel is typically served wrapped in pita bread, like a sandwich, and topped with tahini sauce, lettuce, and tomato. In the Middle East it can be eaten as an opening appetizer or a main course, and is popular as a fast food, much like the hamburger in North America.

Falafel is quite a fattening food. One sandwich that comprises three to four deep-fried falafel balls, pita bread, and tahini sauce—a tasty sauce made with ground sesame seed paste—can amount to as much as 515 calories.

However, it is a food that also has good nutritional qualities, such as dietary fibre, whole protein, calcium, magnesium, iron, and potassium. The tahini sauce has vitamins C and B, and the added garlic in the sauce has many health benefits as well.

MIDDLE EASTERN STREET FOOD: Vendors in the old city of Jerusalem preparing falafel for customers. (Yaira Yasmin/The Epoch Times)
MIDDLE EASTERN STREET FOOD: Vendors in the old city of Jerusalem preparing falafel for customers. (Yaira Yasmin/The Epoch Times)

Falafel ingredients

1 3/4 cups dried chickpeas
1 tsp baking soda
1 chopped medium onion
1/3 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, minced
1–3 crushed garlic cloves
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, minced
1 slice white bread, soaked in water
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
3 tbsp water
Pure olive oil or canola oil

Preparation

Soak the chickpeas overnight in a pot of water. Then cook for 2–4 hours with the baking soda.

Drain and peel the chickpeas and put in a food processor. Add the onion, parsley, garlic, and cilantro. Squeeze out the bread and add it to the blend. Add the baking powder, salt, cumin, and red pepper. Mix until you get a paste. Add the water and continue mixing until the mixture is stable. Put the mixture in a bowl and let it rest for an hour.

Fill a deep frying pan or wok generously with oil. Heat the oil to a medium-high to high temperature. Form the falafel mixture into small balls or patties and place each gently in the oil. If the oil is hot enough, it takes 2–4 minutes and the falafel will turn light golden brown and will be ready.

Sometimes the inside of a falafel is green while the outside is golden brown and it is perfectly done. However, sometimes the inside is green but the falafel may still need to be fried longer. Only experience will teach you to know the difference.

Drain the falafel balls or patties on paper towels. Then move them to a bowl. Serve with pita bread, tahini sauce, and a finely chopped vegetable salad.

You can make a sandwich by cutting pita bread in half to form a pocket. Put in the cooled falafel. Then add chopped tomatoes, lettuce, red onion, parsley, and tahini sauce.

Tahini sauce ingredients

1 cup tahini (ground sesame paste) 1/2–1 cup water or more Lemon juice from half a lemon 6–7 parsley leaves, chopped 1–2 minced garlic cloves Salt

Preparation

Put the tahini in a bowl. Add some water and begin mixing. The blend will get firmer as you blend. Then add more water. I prefer the tahini sauce to be more solid, but some prefer it thinner, like a liquid. Add the lemon, parsley, garlic, and salt, and mix together to make the sauce. (Be careful not to put in the lemon juice first. Otherwise the sauce will not form a solid blend.)

3,556 posted on 10/24/2009 10:48:29 PM PDT by nw_arizona_granny ( http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/21813ht92/posts?page=1 [Survival,food,garden,crafts,and more)

http://www.theepochtimes.com/news/8-2-15/65915.html

Comfort Food for Those Cold Winter Days
By Sandra Shields
Epoch Times Victoria Staff
Feb 15, 2008

Easy and delicious beef stew (Sandra Shields/The Epoch Times)
Easy and delicious beef stew (Sandra Shields/The Epoch Times)

Coming inside from a cold, wet, wintry day and smelling a pot of simmering stew, flaky pastry on chicken pie, or a hearty macaroni and cheese casserole will bring a smile to almost everyone.

One-dish meals are especially handy if you are short of time and still want a well-balanced meal for the family. Most of the ingredients are cooked together, so serving and cleanup are at a minimum.

When making these recipes, think ahead and make extra for the next day, or freeze leftovers that can be used at a later date.

The following recipes are easy to make and absolutely delicious. If you’re not a fan of dumplings in your beef stew, make a batch of baking powder biscuits or have thick slices of multigrain bread as an alternative.

If you’re wanting something other than pastry on the chicken pot pie, put a layer of creamy mashed potatoes on top and brown in the oven. Pair the mac and cheese recipe with a coleslaw salad.

Finish off the meal with a dessert that can be baked in the hot oven along with the pie or casserole, such as a fruit crisp or bread pudding. Your family will be lining up at the table waiting for dinner to arrive.

Potluck Beef Stew and Dumplings

* 5 cups water

* 1 tsp salt

* 6 cups vegetables (potatoes, turnips, carrots, and parsnips peeled and diced into 1–1 1/2” pieces)

* 2 stalks celery, sliced

* 2 cups mushrooms, sliced

* 1 medium onion, chopped

* 1/2 cup frozen peas

* 2 cups beef stew meat, diced into l” pieces

* 1/3 cup flour

* 2 tbsp Bisto gravy powder

* 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

* 1/4 cup olive oil

* 1 garlic clove, minced (optional)

* Salt and pepper to taste

Boil water, salt, and vegetables in a medium-size pot for 10 minutes until the vegetables are slightly undercooked. Add frozen peas.

Mix together flour, Bisto powder, salt, pepper, and parsley.

Coat the stewing meat pieces with the flour mixture and cover the meat completely.

In a large pot, heat the olive oil and garlic and add the floured meat and brown. Add the mushrooms, onions, and celery and sauté. Add the leftover flour mixture to the pot. This will thicken the vegetable water and make a flavourful gravy.

Add the cooked vegetables and cooking water.

Simmer on low heat. Salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 4

Dumplings

* 1 cup flour

* 2 tsp baking powder

* 1/2 tsp salt

* 3 tbsp vegetable shortening

* 1/2 cup milk

Mix together flour, baking powder, and salt.

Cut in vegetable shortening with pastry blender and stir in milk to make a thick dough.

Drop large spoonfuls on simmering stew.

Cover pan tightly and cook 15 minutes.

Do not lift cover during cooking.
Wholesome and filling chicken pot pie (Sandra Shields/The Epoch Times)
Wholesome and filling chicken pot pie (Sandra Shields/The Epoch Times)

Chicken Pot Pie

# 5 tbsp butter

# 2 cups mushrooms, sliced

# 1 large onion, diced

# 5 tbsp flour

# 3 medium carrots, cut into 1” pieces

# 3 medium potatoes, cut into 1” pieces

# 2 cups chicken stock

# 3 cups cooked chicken, diced

# 2 tbsp parsley

# 2 tsp thyme

# 1 cup peas

# 1 egg

# 1 pkg frozen puff pastry

In a medium to large oven-proof casserole dish, sauté mushrooms in butter until dark brown. Add onions and cook until translucent.

Sprinkle flour over the mushrooms and onions and stir in. Add carrots and potatoes. Add the chicken stock and boil until thickened, and then add the chicken pieces, parsley, thyme, and peas.

Roll out puff pastry and cover mixture. Brush top with an egg wash (one egg mixed with 1 tbsp water).

Slash top of pastry to let heat escape.

Bake at 220 C (425 F) for 30–35 minues until pastry is golden brown.

Serves 4
A Classic—Mac and cheese casserole (Sandra Shields/The Epoch Times)
A Classic—Mac and cheese casserole (Sandra Shields/The Epoch Times)

Mac & Cheese Casserole

* 3 Cups Macaroni

* 3 cups medium cheddar cheese, shredded

* 20 soda crackers

Cook macaroni in a large pot of boiling, lightly salted water for 10–15 minutes until tender, stirring occasionally.

Drain, and stir in cheddar cheese until melted and mixed well.

Butter 10 soda crackers and top each one with another cracker. Crush crackers and sprinkle over casserole. Bake at 200 C (400 F) for 10–15 minutes until golden brown.

Serves 4

3,557 posted on 10/24/2009 10:51:26 PM PDT by nw_arizona_granny ( http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/21813ht92/posts?page=1 [Survival,food,garden,crafts,and more)

http://www.theepochtimes.com/news/8-1-25/64543.html

Chicken Soup to Promote Wellness
Ginger, garlic, and lime help prevent illness
By Dana Churchill
Epoch Times Los Angeles Staff
Jan 25, 2008

Add your favourite vegetables and seasonings to chicken broth to make your own tasty, healthy chicken soup for the winter or anytime. (Photos.com)
Add your favourite vegetables and seasonings to chicken broth to make your own tasty, healthy chicken soup for the winter or anytime. (Photos.com)

My wife is Chinese, and watching her cook is remarkable. The foods she makes are so full of natural medicines. I was eating a bowl of her chicken soup today and found a large chunk of ginger at the bottom of the bowl. Even with the ginger, it didn’t taste much different than my Jewish Mom’s soup.

Ginger is both anti-bacterial and anti-fungal. The ginger needs to stay in large chunks with only a couple of sides sliced so it does not make the soup too strong. The ginger will aid in settling an upset stomach. It can also alleviate nausea.

Another great adaptation of the age-old medicinal chicken soup is to add fresh, chopped garlic to the pot of hot soup when it’s done, and then let the soup simmer for another 30 minutes.

Garlic, one of the strongest anti-microbials, can kill bacteria, viruses, and fungus, but it is only effective if eaten raw. I like to add it at the end of cooking. That way, it is semi-raw and able to kill off microbes, but it still tastes good.

If you don’t mind altering the taste of your Mom’s chicken soup somewhat, then for a more potent medicinal brew, add the juice from one lime at the end. Lime added to garlic and ginger has been shown to inhibit many more potent kinds of microbes and pathogens.

Eating chicken soup is a really good idea for those cold, overcast, rainy days of fall and winter when viral, bacterial, and fungal infections start to become more prevalent.

Chicken Soup Recipe

2 cups egg noodles

2 cups cubed, cooked chicken

5 cups chicken broth or 3 (14 1/2 ounce) cans low-sodium chicken broth

3 medium carrots, sliced

2 ribs (1 cup) celery, sliced

1 medium onion, chopped

3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

3 quarter-size slices fresh ginger

4 garlic cloves, chopped

1 small, fresh lime

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients except egg noodles, parsley, salt, and pepper in 4-quart saucepan or Dutch oven. Cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture just comes to a boil (5 to 8 minutes). Reduce heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, until carrots are tender (10 to 15 minutes). Add parsley and garlic and simmer for an additional 30 minutes. Add noodles. Squeeze lime juice before serving.

3,558 posted on 10/24/2009 10:55:15 PM PDT by nw_arizona_granny ( http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/21813ht92/posts?page=1 [Survival,food,garden,crafts,and more)

http://www.theepochtimes.com/news/7-12-23/63820.html

Cookies for the Holidays
By Sandra Shields
Epoch Times Victoria Staff
Dec 23, 2007

An assortment of decorated cookies to add to the holiday spirit, including classic shortbread, raspberry jam and icing sugar linzer, shortbread tart shells with lemon curd and whipped cream, and chocolate-dipped shortbread with candied ginger. (Sandra Shields/The Epoch Times)
An assortment of decorated cookies to add to the holiday spirit, including classic shortbread, raspberry jam and icing sugar linzer, shortbread tart shells with lemon curd and whipped cream, and chocolate-dipped shortbread with candied ginger. (Sandra Shields/The Epoch Times)

Your guests will feel the holiday spirit when they are served these easy-to-make cookies.

The traditional shortbread recipe, with colourful bits of fruit, nuts, and chocolate, lends itself to a variety of options. The sweet, flaky, buttery taste will delight the most discerning cookie expert.

The great thing about holiday baking is that it can be done ahead of time. These cookies can all be frozen and a few taken out to decorate a plate as you need them, or given as a gift for a special friend.

Classic Shortbread

1 lb butter, room temperature

1 cup icing sugar, sifted

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tbsp cornstarch

Preheat oven to 150 C (300 F). In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together with a wooden spoon until smooth. Knead dough with your hands on a clean surface, turning and folding it approximately a dozen times.

Roll dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out with desired cookie cutters and place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Using a fork, lightly prick dough every inch. Bake cookies in lower third of preheated oven until lightly golden on edges, rotating pan half way through cooking if uneven browning occurs. Bake for 20 to 25 min.

Remove from oven. Let stand 10 min. Transfer to a rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container in a cool place or in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks.

Variations

Following the recipe above, try these:

Cranberry and Pistachio

When kneading the shortbread, add 1/2 cup dried cranberries and 1/2 cup finely chopped pistachio.

Chocolate-dipped and Candied Ginger

Add 1/2 cup finely chopped candied ginger during the kneading. Use a rectangular-shaped cookie cutter. To coat with chocolate after baking, dip half of each cookie into melted chocolate and place on a rack to cool.

Raspberry Jam and Icing Sugar Liner

Roll out dough to approximately 1/8 inch and cut into 2-inch circles, one for the top and one for the bottom. Cut a hole out of the centre of the top circle with a small cutter. After baking and cooling, spread 1/4 tsp of raspberry jam or jelly in the centre of the bottom circle. Dust icing sugar on the top circles and layer on top of the jam.

Shortbread Tart Shells

Cut rolled-out shortbread with a fluted 2-inch cutter and place in mini tart tins. After baking, remove from tins and cool on a rack. Fill with fresh fruit or lemon curd and whipped cream.

********************

Molasses-clove Cookies

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup brown sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp cloves

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup melted shortening, cooled

1 large egg, beaten with a fork

1/4 cup unsulphured molasses

3/4 cup rolled oats

Preheat oven to 190 C (375 F). In a large bowl sift all the dry ingredients together. Mix in the shortening and egg with a wooden spoon. Add the molasses and rolled oats and mix in well. Form into 1-inch mounds and press down with the back of a glass dipped in sugar to flatten. Place on a parchment-papered pan and bake for 12 minutes. Transfer to racks. Cool.

********************

Chocolate Chunk, Orange, and Hazelnut Cookies

1 1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/8 tsp salt

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

4 tsp grated orange peel

1 tsp vanilla

1 large egg

6 oz Bakers semi sweet choc, cut into 1/4” chunks

1 1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted and chopped

Preheat oven to 190 C (375 F). Sift flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Beat brown sugar, butter, orange peel, and vanilla in a large bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in egg. Add flour mixture and mix just until combined. Add in chocolate and hazelnuts.

Drop batter by heaping tablespoonfuls onto parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake until firm to the touch and starting to brown, approximately 13 to 15 minutes. Transfer to racks to cool. Makes about 24 cookies.

3,559 posted on 10/24/2009 10:57:52 PM PDT by nw_arizona_granny ( http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/21813ht92/posts?page=1 [Survival,food,garden,crafts,and more)

http://www.theepochtimes.com/news/7-12-15/62994.html

Christmas Mincemeat
By Bridget Harris
Epoch Times Ireland Staff
Dec 15, 2007

Mincemeat is a traditional homey food frequently used in pies, tarts, and turnovers during the Christmas holiday season. (Photos.com)
Mincemeat is a traditional homey food frequently used in pies, tarts, and turnovers during the Christmas holiday season. (Photos.com)

As Christmas is approaching, it is the season to focus on the season’s festive desserts such as puddings, cakes, and pies. Here is a recipe for homemade traditional mincemeat to use in your pies, tarts, and turnovers.

Mincemeat tastes good and is easy to make. When you make your own, you know what it contains and you are free to put in your own flair. Add fruit and spices to suit your own and your family’s likes and dislikes.

Here is the recipe:

450 g (1 lb) apples (cooking apples will do, or you can include 8 ozs desert apples

225 g (1 cup) shredded suet

225 g (1 cup) currants

225 g (1 cup) sultanas

225 g (1 cup) raisins

225 g (1 cup) mixed peel or candied fruit

350 g (1 1/2 cup) soft dark brown sugar

50 g (1/4 cup) whole almonds sliced thinly or diced up small

Grated rind and juice of 1 small orange and 1 lemon

10 ml (2 tsp) mixed spice: cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice combination

5 ml (1tsp) nutmeg

2 ml (1/2 tsp) cinnamon

1 medium measure of brandy

Peel and dice the apples. Put all the dry ingredients into a large bowl and mix well. Cover and leave for up to six hours or overnight.

If the mixture appears dry, add some fresh orange juice or lemon juice. Now cover with foil and place in a cool oven not more than 120 C (225 F) for three hours. This is not to cook but to melt the suet which will moisten the fruit.

Allow to cool completely and then transfer it into clean dry jars, cover, and seal.

This mincemeat will last quite some time, and if later on it appears dry, just add some more fresh orange juice.

3,560 posted on 10/24/2009 11:01:19 PM PDT by nw_arizona_granny ( http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/21813ht92/posts?page=1 [Survival,food,garden,crafts,and more)

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