TheCG

I think the applesauce thing might attract too many bugs, but I do have cinnamon oil. I was actually planning to mix up a batch of Thieves' Oil here shortly as well.

I'm thinking of getting green felt, cutting out two Christmas trees, letting the kids decorate them with glitter glue, then sewing them together for Christmas presents for the grandparents. I'd like to put something cinnamon-y/Christmas-y scented inside them, probably with a bit of batting. I have cinnamon sticks, but I don't think they will smell that much from inside. Any suggestions?

I thought I was doing good to get 3.5 pounds of 85% for $6!

I'm using this one to start my posts. For some reason, my iPad won't type in the box unless I put an emoticon in first.

This was here over the weekend: http://www.kwes.com/story/19669089/residents-in-south-midland-face-flooding Over 3.5 inches of rain in one day. Apparently in our top 10 rain falls ever recorded.

I know I'm a bit late to the thread, but... I eat mostly Primal, which is Paleo + limited dairy and an emphasis on good fats instead of hydrogenated stuff or canola oil. Fair warning, you may end up getting hit with something that feels like the flu because your body isn't used to low carb. I don't do low carb. I do good carbs - sweet potatoes with butter, cauliflower mashed "potatoes" with garlic, cream, & butter, etc. Not everybody does well on low carb. Make sure you're eating plenty of veggies. If I don't eat enough fat, I get tired and feel crappy and start wanting to eat butter and coconut oil straight. Remember that breakfast food doesn't have to be breakfast, and breakfast doesn't have to be breakfast food. We'll eat a frittata for dinner and steak for breakfast. It took me a long time to realize that. Just eating mostly Primal, I'm still slowly losing weight (I do not want to lose it quickly) as is my husband. Even when he misbehaves, as long as he doesn't go back to drinking soda and Gatorade all day, he still loses slowly. I'm not in it to lose weight, however. I'm in it because I feel a LOT better and have more energy on it, plus I don't get sick nearly as much.

So, would the Tattler lids not be a good idea for a newbie canner?

Back on the topic of undies... I once woke up with my underwear under my pillow and my pajama pants still on. I'll never know how I managed that in a sleeping bag at Grandma's house....

Can someone explain their page numbering system to me? I know it's for making a booklet, but I can't quite figure it out.

I'd be tempted to lean over her shoulder, look at what she put down, and just say, "That's an interesting assumption."

I pinched pennies so hard that I didn't spend any. My inlaws called me to go to Sam's with them so they could add me as the other person on their account, and I didn't spend anything at Sam's. Woohoo!

Based on its reviews, I might still buy it at $1.99!

Thanks! I can add a few more to the list.

Not all the recipes in the small-batch preserving book are for canning; some are for freezing, etc. I'll check again and make sure which it was. That's too bad. You're missing out on a lot of good recipes and ideas from places like Better Homes and Gardens, and from other authors who do publish recipes tested for long-term safety. Right - hence the question, how do we know that the recipes have been tested? The Small-Batch Preserving Book doesn't say anything about it that I can find.

The cross-contamination issue might be why I've been having more health problems lately, especially when other people cook. Unfortunately, we can't afford to have everybody go GF just yet. I think I'm about to go through another kitchen crack-down - people are using my dishes for gluten-containing food, then not cleaning them all the way. That's about to end. I'm tired of scrubbing. Pacific's chicken broth is GF, as is the Central Market brand we can get at HEB (grocery store mostly in Texas). Neither has any MSG and there are low-sodium versions of both. I'm working on learning how to can. We have white rice - that tends to be what I've eaten when I'm sick (well, that and popcorn).

What should I have stored for kids? My stepkids will be 6 and 9 in November. I'm a bit late to the game, as I didn't really worry about what you can or can't give kids before marrying their dad. Is there anything in particular I should NOT use for them? I know I can adjust the dosage on some things, but have been going by the labels on everything so far. I know I should never give them aspirin, but am unsure on other things. What should I be storing specifically for them? Do I need to have stuff like Pedialyte stashed, or does something like Gatorade and Otter pops fulfill the same function? Our kitchen is gluten-free; what can we store that would be simple for them to eat when they're sick? We can keep crackers, they would just be sealed somewhere other than the kitchen. Is there any good source y'all recommend for info on kids? They are prone to respiratory crud (they're both allergic to dogs and cats, they have both at their mother's house, but she doesn't consistently give them allergy medicine). I plan to put in an email to their grandmother as well - they lived in her house for a while and she's an RN, so she'll probably have a few good ideas. Thanks for any help. This is a big hole in my knowledge right now.

Ours came with a cleaner tablet (Afresh brand, I think), but I've just been filling up the bleach cup and running the cleaning cycle when it starts to smell funky.

I like this one: http://www.amazon.com/The-Herbal-Medicine-Makers-Handbook-Manual/dp/0895949903/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1346513897&sr=8-1&keywords=herb+maker%27s+handbook It tends to go through things step-by-step-by-step, but he also talks too much at times. I actually have it in paperback and on my Kindle.

Got it!

Got it! Thanks!

Mmmm...apples. I should get a dehydrator at some point.

No Fred's here. We'll probably see if they want me to bring the kids out Saturday for a bit.

A big pot is $7 at Walmart. You're right, but she lives out of town, doesn't drive, and my scooter can't leave town, so it'll probably be at least the weekend before I can kidnap it back.

Is there any way to order So Easy to Preserve online?

I'm going to assume the USDA Guide to Canning should be safe? http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Guide-Canning-Preserving-Revision/dp/1607962810/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1346257734&sr=8-2&keywords=so+easy+to+preserve+5th+edition