Daelith

Daelith, if you are in a hurry or don't want to wait for the overnight, you can pressure cook them first. Just be sure to add oil to the pot before you do to prevent foaming.

 

Edited: forgot a couple of words.

I had time to soak them overnight and thought seriously about doing so, but I always try to follow the recipe to the letter the first time I try a new one. Especially on canning. Next time I will follow my instinct when it comes to dried beans. At least the dogs enjoyed them. And I have 3 and 1/2 more jars for them to enjoy.

WARNING DAELITH!

 

There is a squirrel popping up behind some gourds on Googles homepage today. Better warn Mr. Daelith before he clicks on! He's already had enough squirrely trauma . Might send him flying over the edge. He's probably a little 'delicate' right now.

I saw that too. He should be okay as long as it doesn't try to head butt him.

We didn't want to risk using the 22 in our area. Other houses too close even with several acres in between. That was why we decided on an air rifle. I was just floored at how expensive they can get. I told Mr. D that I just could not bring myself to spend over $100 on a air rifle.

Update on the squirrel situation...

Hubby has declared war on the bushy tailed critters now that he had a run in with one last week. I wish I had been home to see the confrontation myself because he had me in tears ( laughing so much) when he called me to tell me about it. That didn't help matters any either cause he was miffed.

We have a bird feeder that is attached to a post of a fake well in our front yard. Looks like this -

As he went to put seeds in, he noticed one side was loose, but didn't think anything of it as he started taking it down. Squirrel was inside and popped up at him. He threw the feeder, but squirrel jumped at him. Claims it head butted him then took off. He ran in to get the old BB gun and ended up some how bending the firing pin as he was trying to load it. Of course, by now the squirrel is long gone. He was still spitting nails when he called me so I didn't help matters laughing at him.

Anyway, we purchased a new air rifle. Once he gets the feel for it and the ammo, he'll be taking out some frustrations on the squirrels.

Been unable to get on here lately, but wanted to share that I did try to put up some BBQ beans since I last checked in. Used the following recipe -

http://www.sbcanning.com/2012/02/renees-bbq-beans-looking-for-bushs.html

I only got 4 1/2 pints out of it and one did not seal, so we at that one the following night. I was disappointed in the results. The beans were still kind of hard and the sauce was way too sweet for my taste.

If I try BBQ beans again, I will soak the beans over night.

I like both the dish pan and the cutting board. Added both to my wish list. I do some of each on Ebay too.

Thanks ladies

I've wanted to put up some pickled eggs too but have not been able to find a recipe to can them. Only the ones where you put them in the refrigerator for a week or so.

Anyone here eat squirrel? I've eaten a lot of different things but not squirrel. We are getting over run with the bushy tailed varmints and hubby is ready to start taking them out since the hawks and owls don't seem to be making a dent in the population. He says he hates to waste the meat though, but he's not said he's willing to eat them. (He's pretty finicky.)

One thing to keep in mind...instant clear gel will only take ONE cooking (adding it to hot broth for gravy or adding it to your already processed jams etc.) vs. regular clear gel will remain stable from the initial cooking and through the pressure canning process.

 

Thank you for clarifying the difference in the instant and regular Clear-Gel. I have some of both. Used the regular in some pie fillings I canned. Used the instant in a strawberry peach pie for eating right away.

MtRider....I'd be mopping the floor with the seat of my pants if I tried wearing those!

I thought the same thing when I saw them in Wal-mart.

Just found this thread today. Thought I would add something since it's been a while since anyone has posted.

Anyone ever see these - Mop Slippers

This is even worse.

Yes, they made them for dogs and cats. My dogs would shred them in a matter of seconds.

How did we end up discussing hampers in the dinner thread??

I wondered that too.

Dinner tonight will be a simple fix...tuna fish salad.

Dae-

 

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Oh neat! They need to make some rectangle shaped ones for my raised beds. *L* Next time I'm in our local dollar store, I'll look to see if they have these.

Went to $Tree today to see if they had any of the mesh tube/clothes spring loaded clothes hampers. They didn't have a single one! Will keep my eye open for them. Still think they'd be great for drying "stuff" if there's no electricity etc.

You have a picture of one of these?

Tonight is dinner out with the HOG club. Longhorn Steak House. Not one of my favorite places to eat. Litterer pricey for my taste. I'll probably just eat DH's salad since he doesn't really care for them.

Spaghetti and meatballs with garlic bread.

Looking forward to it. My neighbors have my copy of One Second After now reading it.

I've spent about $3.55 so far on seeds and starter tray stuff at Dollar General. Hit 3 of them so far. One didn't have any thing. (Or weren't willing to show me where was after I looked around.) Not sure how many packs of seeds I've gotten so far. Quite a few though.

I think you covered it all, Wormguy! Need to check if the weight and the rack(s) are included.

If I were you The CJ, I would go back and look it over carefully. Offer them $40 for it if it passes all of Wormguys points of inspection. I bet you could get it for $50. They probably didn't give more than $20-30 for it if even that much.

So very sorry to hear this. I know how hard it is.

 

I never have good luck with jelly either. I've followed Ball Blue Book and the pectin package directions carefully. It never happens for me. I've accepted it and moved on. I wasted too much time and money trying. I bought a box of assorted single servings, like you get in a restaurant, at Sam's Club. It's just me here and I don't eat a lot of it. I'm on my 2nd. year of the same box so it was cheaper for me anyway.

 

We talked it over and we're in total agreement with you...why waste the fruit, the time, the jars, the lids and the rings for something we rarely eat anyway! We figured we'd hit either $Tree or Aldi's but Sam's is a good choice for single servings!

 

I will have to look at the single servings at Sam's. I usually just make jams to give away at the holidays. DH won't eat them. Only grape for him and he's happy with Welch's. Begged me to make him some Grape Crush jelly a couple of years ago after seeing me make Orange Crush jelly. I made it and then he didn't eat any of it.

No canning last night, but I did make meatballs - 2 lbs ground venison, 1 lb ground beef & 1 lb ground pork. Got 2 cookie sheets full. Will be dividing them up into freezer bags today. Will have to do it before DH gets home and gets into them.

I love canning onions, but I don't pickle them. Also, about 3 years ago we had some lovely Okla, so I canned some "squats" of tomatoes, onions and okra. I chopped the Okra really small. It's wonderful stuff :-)

 

This is the first time I've pickled any.Have a restaurant up near the TN river called Top of the River and they served pickled onions with cornbread. That is where I got the idea to try this.

I liked the white wine brine I used on the bruschetta I made last year and thought it would be good with that.

Your stewed okra sounds good.

Forgot to report back - got 7 quarts of spaghetti sauce last weekend. Had about a pint and half left over so I used it for a dinner this week. A little watery but has a good flavor. I probably should have let it cook down more Saturday, but hubby was home and in the way so I had to get it canned.

Last night I did 4 half pints of pickled onions and 2 half pints of pickled cherry/grape tomatoes with onions. I had a Vidalia onion and a purple onion left over and didn't want them to go to waste.

I have one ( i think a Presto) that my neighbor found for me at an estate sale for $10. I mainly do potatoes in mine because it's faster then baking them in the oven. Plus I don't have to heat up the whole house in the summer. I've also done chickens and pot roasts in it. That's about it.