Andrea

Yes, I can finally get back in as well! Who has the chocolate? We should have a party!

Sorry, no pictures, but I made this recipe last night. It's one of my husband's favorites. http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/beef-with-peppers/ My pepper plants have gone into overdrive this year, so we are eating lots and lots of peppers! I'm also cleaning out our freezer, so I made this with a markdown steak I had bought several months ago. The only changes I made was in adding a tablespoon of chili paste (dh likes it spicy) and using dried ginger because I was out of fresh.

LOL - great minds think alike! I'm putting my favas in the ground tomorrow! I was supposed to plant them today but I forgot to soak the seeds last night.

One year I canned fresh squeezed orange/citrus juice from our citrus trees. No one, including me, liked it. Here is the link: Since then, I usually freeze our excess juice. I also dehydrate a quart each of lemon and orange peels and use those in my herbal tea. The lemon is especially useful because I can grind it up and sprinkle it as a seasoning over fish and chicken. But instead of going to the trouble of canning bottled juice, why not simply buy smaller size bottles of juice and store those? Or, simply buy the cans of 100% orange juice? I know they are a bit pricey, but I buy them when we camp or go on road trips. The 12 oz aluminum cans won't break during travel and while you can't store them indefinitely, they usually have a shelf life of about a 12-18 months. There is also cranberry juice concentrate that I buy from our local health food store and it lasts for months in the fridge. Amazon sells:

I thought I would check back in today - first full day off I've had in months - and YEAH! New site with no more pesky warnings! I got in several months ago and have been blocked ever since. Glad to see the new updated home!

I use Trader Joe's salt free and jazz it up with spices and herbs, most from my garden.

How did I forget about this technique?!? Off to root some starts from the tomatoes I already have in the ground.

The only onions I have this year are the Egyptian Walking Onions and that's only because they planted themselves! I'm going out of my way to do more gardening this year. Life hasn't allowed much me time lately but I'm trying to reclaim a bit of time for myself.

Hi all! I've been blocked from the forums for I don't know how many months. I tried to get in touch with Arby/Sassenach via facebook but she never replied. I hope all is well with all of you. It's been a difficult couple of years, but all is okay. Andrea P.S. I still had to ignore the firewall block 3 separate times before it would allow me in. I use chrome. Is there a way to make this go away?

Smoothies. Figs, apricots, and raspberries are all waiting to be picked each morning - so in the blender they go!

With the drought here in California, I've switched over to Oasis biocompatible laundry soap and I use my washing machine rinse water in the garden. It's not cheap but it is highly concentrated and seems like a gallon jug will last 10-12 months. http://www.bio-pac.com/oasis-biocompatible-cleaners/

Welcome Back!

Coming off of several months of antibiotics, so the main ingredient for breakfast is yogurt. Either in a smoothie or over granola.

Hugs and prayers headed your way. (((Snowmom)))

Just rediscovered this thread. FYI - I LOVE dried persimmons. I chop them up into my fresh fruit salads. I just slice them, skin and all, lay them on the dehydrator and within 6 hours, they are ready to go. The amazing thing about dried persimmons is how sweet they are. Fresh, I can't stand them. Dried, I use until I run out. I store one bag in the fridge and when it runs out, I replace it with a bag from the freezer.

I have it too. Thanks!

Yes, unless you are familiar with her canning process, I probably wouldn't eat them. I'm a bit of a safety freak though. Welcome Back!

Glad you're sprouting sassenach! I've been sprouting for years and love it. It's a great and easy way to up the nutritional value of simple lettuce. I just picked up some microgreens seeds. I've got the sunflowers soaking now and will put them in dirt tomorrow. I'm thinking this will be a low water way to grow more greens during the summer months.

Do you want any elderberries? I can send you some starts. PM me. I'm leaving town for a few days so if I don't answer, it means I couldn't find free wifi!

Yes. You can tell immediately if frozen meat has gone "off".

!

Since going mostly vegetarian, our grocery spending has gone down dramatically. I still pick up mark-down meat deals when I find them but even dh doesn't mind so much anymore, although he complains if we go too many days in a row without a bit of meat. I actually feel better when I don't eat meat.

Welcome!

Beans are cheaper, contain plenty of protein, and aren't full of cancer causing chemicals.