Crazy4Canning

A poem from my grandma's kitchen plaque: A Kitchen Prayer Bless my pretty kitchen, Lord And light it with thy love. Help me plan and cook my meals From thy heavenly home above. Bless our meals with thy Presence And warm them with thy grace; Watch over me as I do my work Washing pots and pans and plates. The service which I am trying to do Is to make my family content, So bless my eager efforts Lord And make them heaven sent.

Originally Posted By: mrszouave A Great tip i was taught...from HERE i think........if you use a electric food dehydrator....like i do......go to sewing section of ANY STORE and buy the White Plastic Needlepoint/craft mesh... each sheet is around 60 cents....and all you have to do is Cut it to fit your trays....it stops the smaller foods from going through.....is washable and works like a charm.......the only thing i've found is if you do red peppers.....the color stains....but who cares right? I just wanted to remind everyone that the plastic needlepoint mesh is NOT foodsafe, therefore it CAN leak 'nasties' into your food. My grandpa and even my mom has used these in a pinch, but it is DEFINETELY worth the extra money to buy the food grade ones from your dehydrator manufacturer or a cooking store.

I scored on two - and you CAN do this. Depending on home or work, I can be either INFJ or INTJ. However, the I and N are 48% and the J is 47%. I've taken this test MANY times over 10 years and it ALWAYS comes out the same. So many shrinks/counselors have wanted to put me in ONE category or the other, or have me PICK ONE. I always say, NOPE, you're never gonna put me in a box. These things are great for understanding how people think and how they might be wired. What I always like to remember is how these are TOOLS, not pigeonholes. NOTHING can explain or capture the uniqueness of EACH and EVERY human being. Just because I've got a similar personality to Marie Curie doesn't mean I have the same intense focus and tunnel vision and would starve myself for my work... get the point? Basically, I gain energy from being alone, can be a good leader, but let others also have a say. I can be LOUD, DEMANDING, and act immediately, but like to explore all options first. It takes all sorts to make a world.

Here in the NW, Bi-Mart has specials on jars & lids until Aug. 4.

Our Walmart's here had a good supply of lids and narrow mouth jars two months ago. Now, there are a few stray boxes of pectin, still lids, but only random narrow mouth jars.

At the conference this weekend, there was a tyke who didn't need a doorknob or a toy for amusement. He removed the elastic neckpiece from his mama's nametag, sat down in the middle of the isle, removed both socks and shoes, and strung the thin elastic under each of his big toes. He began to move his legs around, pluck the elastic with his teeth, bounce around...pick the string with his toes....if he had been given an expensive toy he wouldn't have been amused for an hour like this cheap piece of elastic. He was 3.

Thanks Momma2threeboys. Like I said, I've never had babies and didn't see the value until now. Now, I might just stock some ....just in case. Thanks for sharing the logical wisdom I was hoping to find.

I think I found this one at Ross for $4!

Okay here's another one....maybe I don't see the value in it yet because I don't have babies....but drop-in, DISPOSABLE baby bottle liners? This came to mind because I just received a sample of a new Playtex baby bottle (hey, it was free and I thought it would be good to give as a gift). I remember the old ones - the plastic bags that were supposed to collapse to decrease air in a baby's stomach... What happened to washing a bottle and filling it up? Why do you need to line a plastic cylander? Aren't the plastics bad for you? What is the sense in throwing part of it away each time?

I just remembered something I CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT - my silicone oven mit/ glove for stirring hot stuff. (Some also use an ov-glove.) I got this bad boy on sale somewhere and it fits right or left hand. I slip it over when I need to reach into something hot, use it to pull out an oven rack, and also will wear it while 'fishing' for jars....it really protects well! My favorite use though, it for jam - I wear it while stirring because that jam bubbles and splatters, and now I don't get burned!

Okay, you guys have hit just about everything, but can we name the catalog company F*ing*erh*t? If you can fill in the vowels, you know their stuff is crap. Also, D*ll*r Tr** stores - now, I've gotten some good things and good deals, but mostly, it's just junk. Okay - here's mine - frozen pot pies.... I scoffed when I was in Costco and saw these pre-made, pre-packaged, pre-cooked pot pies (with a restaurant label!). I did try one and saw lots of liquid, some veggies, a bit of chicken, lots of space. Mine are FAR better, much LOWER carb, and better for you.

Leah, I bet he isn't troubled with decent cell phone coverage or thoughts from aliens - all that metal....amazing!

Originally Posted By: Pixie I have been making gift baskets with them in. I have a pattern for some really cool oven mits as well. Pixie, Can you share your pattern for knitting oven mits? Thanks!

I've found it immensely helpful for bug bites - rub it in vigorously and let it dry. It burns, but pulls out the toxins. I was bit by a couple of spiders and did this - headed off the infection so fast, a scab-type pimple peeled off a few days later leaving new skin beneath.

Darlene, Thanks so much for the bump. The pictures were phenomenal. They reminded me, "this is why we prepare!" Thanks so much for the tangible reminder. When my hubby and I were at United Grocers/Cash & Carry, they had spices that were so old they had turned grey....the chives had been on the shelf so long. the ones in the front of the bottle weren't green anymore. STILL families were buying small things...unless someone had a business. I felt conspicuous buying sugar, butter, and some dairy.

Originally Posted By: MommyofSeven In our present home, we have only store bought water, and limited storage space at that. This is one of my primary concerns. Mo7 We too, are trying to lay in more water: bottled for drinking and water for bathing/other stuff. Last summer I saw the need for this first hand when we had to have our entire sewer re-dug and reconnected. I didn't have running water for almost 4 days. I felt like I was living in the sticks, NOT just outside of a downtown area. Not only did I beg showers from friends, the gym, etc, I was AMAZED at how much water we went through, drinking, washing, FLUSHING! I felt like my grandmother did when she got indoor plumbing in high school - like doing a dance!

Logcabinmama, I can't tell you what spurned my creation, but my DH thinks it's fabulous. I cut up an egg carton into pieces. Save my dryer lint and used dryer sheets. Wrap a handful or so of lint into a sheet and twist it closed or tie it with some old, ratty thread and place in the egg sections of the torn carton. Place on tin foil. I heat nibs of candles, remnants of wax, etc, and pour over the stuffed egg cartons. I let this dry and add more if I need to. These work REALLY WELL! They aren't all that bulky and the wax can seep down into the cracks of wood to help it burn. P.S. Wax releases very easy from tin foil and protects your counter or cookie sheets.

Remember that container wax is different from taper or pillar candle wax basically because they melt at different temps. Remember to use the low melting wax in containers because the higher temp wax can actually crack some glass containers. You can also re-scent mild smelling wax with essential oils. Have fun.

Should anyone want to know, I was homeschooled for four years and as an educator (canning is only a part-time gig, you see) I do have many resources, stories, and opinions regarding HS and eduction. Send me a PM and we can chat.

OMGosh....you have the king of all wheat grinders!!!!! I'm so jealous! I am so sure your bread turned out better than mine with my Kitchen Aid grinder attachment.

HSMom - You good daughter - God should bless you for this. Definitely!

Oh my, I was laughing as I read this - confirmation that I'm not a nut! Thanks so much for resurrecting this post! Here are my CONFESSIONS OF A TRUE CAN-A-HOLIC Yes, I do case thrift stores, garage sales, and any other place for jars. My dad gave me his extra jars so YES I have 20 gallon rubbermaid totes FULL of standard quart jars... jam jars... juice jars, jelly jars... and oh... Does anyone else have a stash of antique jars, just HOPING that you'll come across some zinc caps or clips in an estate sale just for the PLEASURE of using them one last time? Does anyone take photos of their canning? Do you slow down, waaaay down in the canning isle, struggling to remember the dimensions of your pressure gaskets, if you need any new item? Have you ever rescued canning jars from municipal recycling on a walk, cradling them in a sweatshirt, running home like a jar-pregnant maniac praying you won't drop or chip one??? I actually cried when my friend RECYCLED jars I gave her full of jam - with the municipal recycling... I thought that since her mama canned and she was a military wife, she would know the value of the jars...ummm. No. Value of old computer memory yes, JARS, NOOOO - they are only weight when moving... I literally did cry because the trash man took them and put them in the cab.. YES I happily took my husband's grandma's quilted jelly jars (the kind with the embossing on the bottom) and discovered they didn't have screw bands but were for paraffin or zinc caps. YES I kept them anyway because they could be used for SOOOO many other things, pretty servings of jello at the very least... OH..was anyone else upset when Ball/Kerr (now Jarden Home Brands) changed their packaging to reflect the 'crafters' market (cheap cheap manufacturers!) instead of CANNERS? The fold-top boxes vanished to these nasty cardboard trays wrapped in plastic...which regularly dent, damage, and ding the rings resulting in a lower quality product. After losing 18 wide-mouth pints of beans to these new DENTED rings, this marked my LAST foray into the NEW purchase of jars plastic wrapped. <Ahem, now if I absolutely have to buy them new, I OPEN the boxes and inspect EVERY single jar...I'm not a maniac or anything...> YES, I scrimp, pinch, and USE coupons, sales, etc. for canning supplies. Thank you, thank you, dear sisters for allowing me to unburden my soul, confess my obsessions, clear my conscience. Now, where did that Blue Book get to???

Darlene, My gramma had a goose that chased me around as a child and pecked me on the head numerous times. Little did I know that my cousin (a mere year older) tormented the life out of the goose and she just saw a small person and thought it was her. No matter what we did, that goose was nasty. Until I was an adult, I never connected WHY we had this 'weird tasting turkey' that holiday season.... Good for you and your mama instincts kicking in. That duck needed at the VERY LEASST to be RELOCATED, even if she is one of God's more stupid creatures and has a brain the size of a freakin' walnut.... I'm with you though. I think I would have bought some BB's and gone after the duck the next time it came around. Also, air pellets are VERY effective and VERY legal.

Well, I've been dealing with clutter for a while now and it's a true dichotomy. As it gets better, it also seems to be getting worse. I've reflected on the fact that when I was single, the problem was different - a more organized approach and one I only had myself to blame for. When I got married, I could appreciate a mess because we were both working and there just wasn't enough hours in the day to do things. Now that I've been home for a while, I seem to be the sole clutter cleaner. I came to the realization that most of the clutter wasn't even mine. True, I had my pockets here and there, but a lot of it wasn't mine....the cats or chickens don't leave boxes lying about, so that left my husband. For some reason, our front room became the dropping ground for boxes of computer parts, magazines, wiring, cables, odd electrical connectors as well as construction debris, camping supplies; anything and everything imaginable. Daylight was being compromised in the front room because boxes on an end table were in front of the window. We had lost 2 sitting chairs due to totes and boxes sitting in them rather than people. Dealing with the clutter has led me down quite the goose chase. I was "venting" to my sister-in-law one day and for some reason she wasn't surprised. Her dry response, "Well, I'm surprised you've not lost your mind before now" gave me pause. I had to stop and ask why - I needed some history behind the behavior of clutter and as she shared with me, suddenly things began to make sense. She told me about my husband's upbringing and how after divorcing his dad, his mom immediately remarried a guy who was an alcoholic who abused both he, his older brother, and his mom. His mom did the cooking and cleaning for the house and the boys, for if there was a flaw or imperfection, she wanted the boys to be spared and the blows to fall on her. Well, in abusive relationships, that doesn't happen - beatings fall on everyone. So, inspite of her compulsive cleaning of the house and the boys' rooms and constantly picking up after them, abuse was still there. Not only did the boys not learn how to pick up after themselves and function as part of a working household, they were receiving mixed signals as to what was expected of them on a regular basis. Faced with these odds, who wouldn't say "forget it" and quit trying? Who wouldn't care about a mess because there was always someone to clean it up and take care of it? If you never have parents who are solid, caring, loving, and consistent, how are you to know love, boundaries, expectations, and how to function together? I realized with startling clarity that my husband never learned to pick up after himself or what role he played in doing daily chores as part of a family unit for that dynamic changed, sometimes on an hourly basis. I was assuming that he knew that in my growing up, it was deemed irritating and irresponsible to let stuff pile up and not deal with it. For the past few years, I thought that taking the passive approach would make him see things differently - make him see that I wasn't a maid and that chores didn't get done on their own....yeah, that worked well. I offered to help him clean, sort, etc. and we would get into fights over where things would live...there was no way to get him to see it wasn't a battle to win or land to be conquered, but a process to take one step at a time. After two years of being passive and my living room literally turning into a storage unit, I finally snapped. We had a snow day a couple of weeks ago and I was at home. My husband was pulling a VERY long day at work (like he does whenever it snows) and I finally said, ENOUGH! I pushed, shoved, sorted, cleaned, consolidated, filled up trash bags and recycling bags...I went full tilt for a few hours. Through it all, though, I was respectful. I kept the good, the personal, the valuable, and weeded away the bad. When he came home and saw the clean, he sat down and said, "Really? I know you warned me, but really? So much? So how badly did you upset my apple cart? Where did my things go? Where did you put it all?" As he asked me these questions with wide eyes, in a fleeting moment in my mind's eye, I saw a small boy looking very confused and scared and small wondering what he had done to deserve such a thing as his possessions being moved and rifled through. I realized with startling clarity that he was still very much a small boy who didn't know how to clean up his toys, make his bed, or pick up his room. He was a small boy who would come home to find his world torn apart....he was a young man who came home three days before his wedding to find his possessions in the parking lot and his fiance nowhere to be found. I could have wept at this point. It hit me - I didn't think about the boy inside the man. All I knew is that I was tired of tripping over stuff in the living room for two years and I was being forced to deal with his mess. Calmly and with love, I told him I put most of the things in the basement on shelves and that there was some trash but I consolidated his stuff, and the remaining boxes were those he had to deal with for they dealt with his work. Then, after going into the basement to make sure, he calmed down. Looking at the empty chairs and clear end table, and his things sorted in boxes for more work, he was in awe and said something that made those frustrating hours worthwhile; "Thanks. I never know where to start and it's always so overwhelming." I realized that it's only been now, that we've been married for over five years, that my husband has felt secure enough - in himself, his job, life, his psyche - that he would let me help him. So. I've learned a valuable lesson here. My husband wasn't trying to be difficult by not putting things away. He honestly didn't know how. Maybe I had to be married for 5 years and get to know my sister-in-law, the holder of many family secrets. Perhaps I had to separate myself from my own upbringing .... I learned that part of marriage is making things work for you and your spouse....in different ways, different dimensions....It is also about healing the past. I can't re-do his childhood, but I can make Now a better place to be in.