WHATCHA DOING TODAY?

[Mt_Rider]

You are correct, Miki!  He did that shift today and likes it a lot.  There is enough slow time to actually have a lunch break too.  He needs to eat mid-shift and couldn't on the other shift.  He's noon to 8:30pm so he gets some lunch and most of the dinner.  It was slow cuz Broncos were on TV but got a goood amount in tips.     And loves having NO 4AM alarm clock!     I think this will do fine....only Mon/Tues.  God has this planned....after he survived boot camp.  LOL

 

MtRider   

[The WE2's]

What did I do today...not a whole lot.  Got some clothes washed and hung out on the line, but was a pretty "down" day.  I don't usually have those.  Seemed like everything ticked me off today...having to wash breakfast dished...meeting at city hall went decent but will be getting the culvert cleaned out by the city...friends called and have more tomatoes (should have said no but didn't) so I'm going to need to put them up...supper was a "salvage" flop.  Hubby is keeping his distance.  Guess I'm not getting enough of those female harmones, so I'll need to do something about that this evening.  Weather was sunny, warm and dry.  Not much wind so I just went ahead and took the clothes down and hung them on my back porch lines.  Now...for a nice shower and a good book.

[Mt_Rider]

Some days we feel like that, WE2...  and don't always know/have a reason.  Better tomorrow, probably. 

 

We've had a BUSY day....DH's first day off.  We did get some rest/nap.  But have to get to bed and get up and go to city and renew driver's license....

 

But do you KNOW...???  WE HAVE SNOW TONITE IN THE COLORADO HIGH COUNTRY.  Yep, right the on the Doppler.  Higher than me, fortunately.  But a severe WIND today early.  Calmed down later.  Chilly but nice.  NOT ready for the white stuff tho... 

 

MtRider   

[Jeepers]

I have those days too We2. Except I don't have any hormones left to blame. 

[Annarchy]

I saw where it’s snowing in Utah & Montana.  Cold winter coming?  It smells like fall here.  The temperature is below 100 already.   75 in the morning is almost sweater time for me.  Lol

 

I almost cried in complete disappointment with myself.  I lost the little rubber gasket on my 15 year old , off brand, pressure cooker.  DH searched the net for a replacement, but the company is no more and they don’t make replacement parts.   Thankfully, DH bought me the All American 921 canner.  It’s heavy, but, I need strength training.   

 

Tuesday I made a batch of chicken bone soup/broth, using 2 year old carrots, that are growing in the refrigerator, and volunteer celery from the garden, then, canned it.  2 quarts, 8 1/2 pints. DH enjoys anything I’ve cooked with it.  He says it tastes so much better than ‘added chemicals and preservatives’.  Possum was visiting, from Washington, while I was doing it.  She got to watch most of the process.  Even the removal of the jars from the canner, when 2 jars were spraying broth out the lids.  Ack!  Those jars sealed just fine.  I’m hoping it isn’t an issue with shelf stability.  

 

Today, I am hoping to cook MIL’s bean soup. Does anyone know, what pressure to cook them at? 5, 10, or 15 lbs.?  With my pressure cooker, I’d fire it up, reduce the temp, until it rocked consistently.   

 

 

[Annarchy]

Good days, bad days and cranky days.  Me too.    Sorry you had one, WE2.  

[Jeepers]

The pressure you go by is determined by your altitude. Just Google your town and go to Wiki. It will tell you what it is. If you can't figure it out I'll help you. I'm on the Kindle so I can't look up AZ. 

 

In other words, you can EVERYTHING by how many feet above sea level you are located. 

[Annarchy]

Thanks Jeepers.  We are around 1,500’.

 

Because I couldn’t find anything on the weight to use for just cooking them, I’ll use 15 lbs.  MIL only wants the juice, so, if they come out too mushy, I can adjust from there.  This is only the second time I am using my canner as a cooker, trial & error time.  

[Annarchy]

15 lbs for 45 min.  Yeah, it cooked them, maybe a little too much, but it made them soft enough to provide her the bean soup she wants.

 

I’m excited, I tried the canners ball gasket, and it fit on my cooker!  DH ordered me one for $4.00 & it’s supposed to be here tomorrow.

 

After all that work, removing the stuff on top of the box, pulling it out of the box, (knocking the microwave plug out of the wall, under the kitchen table & re-plugging it in, re-setting the clock), cooking, straining the beans,  cleaning & re-boxing it, putting it back, re-stacking the stuff on top.  Then, packaging 2-3 cups per ziplock bag, 10 bags, and freezing them & the bean hulls for refried beans. Whew!  I told DH, I need to strengthen myself. When we got the canner, it certainly did not feel as heavy as it did today.  I keep it in the box it came in, because it is easier to store in my tiny kitchen. And, because the instructions mentioned that keeping the lid on the pot, could cause it to warp and cause the gauge to need to be re-calibrated.  I rely on it to provide healthy food on our shelves, I don’t need it to fail on me.  Sooo, I have used it 2 times now, for cooking.  Not bad. 

 

Anyone know where I can find a stainless steel pressure cooker?  Mine is aluminum and it tarnishes in our water.  I have to scrub it with all my might, to get the black water build up out.  I only use bottled water when I cook in it, but cleaning it still turns it grey/black.

 

I’m tired.  Made fried rice to go with the beans and barbecued Andoulli sausages for dinner.  

[The WE2's]

18 hours ago, Mt_Rider said:

SNOW

 

Reports that Utah has had their first snow.

[The WE2's]

12 hours ago, Jeepers said:

don't have any hormones left

 

That's my problem...my body and pituitary glad needs a little.  Took some care of that last night...rubba dub dub! TMI?  Today felt more weepy than angry, but by 3 or so I was feeling more like myself.  Just needed some worship music and The Word! 

[The WE2's]

12 hours ago, Annarchy said:

Does anyone know, what pressure to cook them at

 

Depends on your elevation. and it IS IMPORTANT that you know that.

[Annarchy]

1 minute ago, The WE2's said:

 

Depends on your elevation. and it IS IMPORTANT that you know that.

 

1,500’.  But, if the gasket works, DH ordered, it’s all good. Either way, I did figure, an  1/2 hr. should be plenty, at 15 lbs.  They did get a little well done.  Lol. 

[The WE2's]

40 minutes ago, Annarchy said:

stainless steel pressure cooker

 

Amazon has them...just be aware that they are "cookers" and not "canners"...that is an important difference.

[Annarchy]

After I lost my hormones, I quit taking any.  It made such a drastic difference after my bod decided to get normal.  

[Annarchy]

4 minutes ago, The WE2's said:

 

Amazon has them...just be aware that they are "cookers" and not "canners"...that is an important difference.

 

I’ll see if DH can find one.  I’m a little hinky about aluminum, after some reports said aluminum is a cause of dementia and Alzheimer’s.  

 

I have the All American 921 canner, but for just 2 of us, I’d like a smaller cooker for quick meals. 

[Annarchy]

Hope you are feeling better WE2.  

[The WE2's]

2 minutes ago, Annarchy said:

After I lost my hormones, I quit taking any.  It made such a drastic difference after my bod decided to get normal.  

 

My skin just gets to dry and itchy...well over 70 makes a difference?  I don't use anything oral, just an ointment that I'm able to buy OTC at our local health store.

[The WE2's]

2 minutes ago, Annarchy said:

aluminum

 

I avoid it like the plague!  Stainless steel, cast iron or glass...that's it around this house.

[Jeepers]

Sounds like you had the correct pressure.  I can't cut and paste but:

 

Altitude in feet  0-1,000 is 10 pounds of pressure on the weighted guage.

Everything else is 15 pounds on the weighted guage. 

 

[The WE2's]

Guess we're in for thunder storm later this evening...so I hung hubby's work shirts to dry on my porch lines.  Another night of ignoring our Abby-girl but she is getting much better!  This may sound really weird, but hubby piles his shoes on his side of the bed, away from windows etc., and she goes to sleep on them during storms.  Figure!?  

[The WE2's]

The city issued a boil order for this particular area of town.  Our water looks terrible!  They've been laying new water lines for several months and somebody goofed!  Anyway...we have a Berkey and plenty of bottled water.  I am not willing to shower tonight though!  Used bottled water to brush my teeth and put a little in my bathroom sink with some Dr. Wood's liquid lavender soap and called it done!  I did run the bathtub for quite awhile and flushed the toilet several times as well as washing my dishes with the water running.  Hopefully will help flush out the dirt etc.  We were to call the city and report "cloudy" water so I did.  A good example of how quickly things can go south!  

[Annarchy]

We are trying to get Gunny from cowering from the dove season shotguns.  

 

Thanks Jeepers, but if the replacement comes in, I’ll be ok for now. 

 

Yeah, since I read that report, we avoid aluminum too.

 

Have you tried olive oil on your skin, WE2?  My grandmother swore by it and it works for me. I can’t use it in a hot bath, unless I scrub the tub after, cause DH doesn’t like to skid in the tub.  Lol

[Annarchy]

Oh my, WE2, we had that 2 weeks ago.  Got the call they were going to do water pressure tests... our water was brown for several days!  And, it smelled nasty for a week.  I used Dial anti bacterial hand soap with dish soap to wash the dishes. Yuck! 

[Jeepers]

I haven't seen any stainless steel pressure canners that I know of. I'm pretty sure they would be really expensive though. I wouldn't be too concerned about an aluminum canner because the food you eat doesn't come in contact with the canner. 

 

I think most canners get discolored inside. Mine has a blackish ring, where the water line is, after only a couple of uses. Nature of the beast. I do put a glug or two of vinegar in the canner every time before I load it up. It works wonders on keeping the lime scum off of the jars and canner. That deposit is hard to scrub off of the jars. Especially around the raised letters.