Posted on 03/23/2008 11:36:40 PM PDT by nw_arizona_granny
Americans finding soaring food prices hard to stomach can battle back by growing their own food. [Click image for a larger version] Dean Fosdick Dean Fosdick
Home vegetable gardens appear to be booming as a result of the twin movements to eat local and pinch pennies.
At the Southeastern Flower Show in Atlanta this winter, D. Landreth Seed Co. of New Freedom, Pa., sold three to four times more seed packets than last year, says Barb Melera, president. "This is the first time I've ever heard people say, 'I can grow this more cheaply than I can buy it in the supermarket.' That's a 180-degree turn from the norm."
Roger Doiron, a gardener and fresh-food advocate from Scarborough, Maine, said he turned $85 worth of seeds into more than six months of vegetables for his family of five.
A year later, he says, the family still had "several quarts of tomato sauce, bags of mixed vegetables and ice-cube trays of pesto in the freezer; 20 heads of garlic, a five-gallon crock of sauerkraut, more homegrown hot-pepper sauce than one family could comfortably eat in a year and three sorts of squash, which we make into soups, stews and bread."
[snipped]
She compares the current period of market uncertainty with that of the early- to mid-20th century when the concept of victory gardens became popular.
"A lot of companies during the world wars and the Great Depression era encouraged vegetable gardening as a way of addressing layoffs, reduced wages and such," she says. "Some companies, like U.S. Steel, made gardens available at the workplace. Railroads provided easements they'd rent to employees and others for gardening."
(Excerpt) Read more at dallasnews.com ...
Jell-O Play Dough
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup salt
2 tablespoons cream of tartar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup warm water
1 (3 ounce) package Jell-O (any flavor)
Combine ingredients and cook over medium-low to medium heat until it thickens and pulls away from the sides of pot and becomes dull.
Knead until cool enough to touch. Store in a closed plastic bag.
Jell-O Finger Paint
Children love the feel and scent of this paint.
Any kind of flavored Jell-O
Boiling water
Add enough boiling water to Jell-O to make it a good consistency for finger paint. Finger paint on regular finger painting material or glossy paper.
Jell-O Bubbles
1 part dish washing detergent
1 part gelatin powder, any flavor/color
8 to 10 parts warm water
Mix all gently as making suds will weaken the mixture.
Cherry Rhubarb Jam
5 cups rhubarb, finely cut
1 cup water
5 cups granulated sugar
1 (21 ounce) can cherry pie filling
1 (6 ounce) box cherry Jell-O (can use sugar free Jell-O)
Cook rhubarb in water until tender. Add sugar, stirring constantly. Cook a few minutes. Add pie filling and cook 10 minutes, breaking up the cherries a bit. Remove from heat. Add Jell-O; stir until dissolved. Pour into jars and seal or store in refrigerator or freezer.
Rhubarb-Pineapple Jam
5 cups rhubarb, finely cut
1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple
3 cups granulated sugar
1 small box strawberry or raspberry gelatin
Combine rhubarb, pineapple and sugar. Let stand for 3 hours or overnight.
Cook slowly for 15 to 20 minutes, then add gelatin. When gelatin is dissolved, pack in clean jars and freeze or refrigerate.
Strawberry Fig Preserves
3 cups mashed fresh figs
3 cups granulated sugar
1 (6 ounce) box strawberry gelatin
Cut stems from figs, wash thoroughly, and mash to a pulp with a potato masher. Place figs and sugar into a large pot then add the gelatin. Mix well. Cook over medium heat until mixture starts to bubble. Reduce heat to low and cook about 15 minutes. Stir often to prevent sticking. Pour into jars and seal. Process for 10 minutes in a hot water bath.
Sugarless Orange Marmalade
2 cans mandarin orange segments
2 cups unsweetened white grape or orange juice
1 (4-servings) box sugar-free orange gelatin
1/4 cup Minute tapioca
1/4 cup Sugar Twin
Grated peel of 1 thick-skinned orange
Put all ingredients into a heavy pot; bring to a boil until tapioca is clear. Sterilize jar by filling it with water, then bringing water to a heavy boil (approximately 4 to 5 minutes) in a microwave oven.
When jam is ready, pour water from jar over lid to sterilize; add jam to jar while jar is hot, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Screw the lid on tightly and allow to cool.
Just Peachy Jam
1 ground orange
4 cups granulated sugar
1 small box orange Jell-O
4 cups mashed peaches
1 (4 to 6 ounce) bottle maraschino
cherries, chopped (with juice)
Combine all together except Jell-O. Boil rapidly for 10 minutes.
Remove from heat and add Jell-O; stir thoroughly. Pour into sterilized jars and seal.
Makes 3 1/2 pints.
Apricot-Zucchini Jell-O Jam
6 cups zucchini, peeled and cubed
4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
2 small boxes apricot Jell-O
Boil zucchini with some water for 10 minutes. Drain. Add sugar, lemon juice, pineapple, and boil 10 minutes. Add Jell-O. Stir until dissolved. Pour into sterilized, warm jars and seal. Process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
Green Tomato Jam
2 cups ground green tomatoes
1 small package sugar-free gelatin
Liquid sugar to equal 1 1/2 cups sugar
Bring tomatoes to a boil and cook for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and add sugar substitute and sugar-free gelatin. Pour into 3 or 4 jars and refrigerate.
NOTE: Raspberry or strawberry flavor gelatin is good.
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Crockpot Beef and Beer
Source: Jan Taylor
2 pounds cubed beef
3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1 bay leaf
1 package dry onion soup mix
12 ounces beer
Combine flour, sugar, thyme and soup mix. Toss cubed beef in to coat. Dump into crockpot. Add bay leaf, pour beer over beef mixture. Stir. Put lid on and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours.
Remove bay leaf.
Serve over noodles, rice or mashed potatoes.
Slow Cooked Chicken Cacciatore
Source: Jan Taylor
4 bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed
4 chicken drumsticks, skin removed
1 (15 ounce) can Italian-style tomato sauce
1 jar of whole mushrooms
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1 small onion, sliced
1 small green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
In slow cooker, combine all ingredients except water and flour; stir gently to mix.
Cover; cook on LOW setting for 6 to 8 hours.
About 15 minutes before serving, with slotted spoon, remove chicken and vegetables from slow cooker; place in serving bowl. Cover to keep warm.
In small bowl, blend water and flour until smooth. Stir into liquid in slow cooker. Increase heat setting to high; cover and cook an additional 5 to 10 minutes or until thickened. Stir well; spoon mixture over chicken and vegetables. If desired, serve with hot cooked pasta or rice.
Makes 4 servings.
Crockpot Apple Pie
Source: Jan Taylor
8 tart apples, peeled and sliced
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup Bisquick
1 cup Bisquick
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons cold butter
Toss apples in large bowl with cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg. Place in lightly greased crockpot.
Combine milk, softened butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract and the 1/2 cup Bisquick. Spoon over apples.
Combine the 1 cup Bisquick and brown sugar. Cut the cold butter into mixture until crumbly. Sprinkle this mixture over top of apple mixture.
Cover and cook on LOW 6-7 hours or until apples are soft.
Tender Every Time Pot Roast
Source: Jan Taylor
1 roast (any kind)
1 envelope onion soup mix
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 to 3/4 cup water or wine
Cook in crockpot on LOW for at least 8 hours. The roast will be tender and moist.
Slow Cooked Pork Stew
Source: Jan Taylor
1 tablespoon oil
1 (1 1/2 pound) boneless pork shoulder roast, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
8 small red potatoes, unpeeled, quartered
2 cups fresh baby carrots, cut in half lengthwise
1 (12 ounce) jar home-style pork gravy
1/4 cup ketchup
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground sage
1 1/2 cups frozen cut green beans, thawed
Heat oil in large skillet over high heat until hot. Add pork to skillet; sprinkle with salt and 1/8 tsp. pepper. Cook 3 to 5 minutes or until browned, stirring frequently.
In 4 to 6-quart slow cooker, combine pork and all remaining ingredients except green beans.
Cover; cook on LOW setting for 6 to 8 hours.
About 20 minutes before serving, stir in green beans. Increase heat setting to high; cover and cook an additional 15 to 20 minutes or until tender.
Makes 6 servings.
Crockpot Meatloaf
Source: Jan Taylor
2 pounds lean ground beef
2 eggs bread crumbs to taste
Milk
Ketchup
Salt and pepper
1 small onion, chopped
Beat eggs, add bread crumbs. Add enough milk to moisten all. Add ground beef...squish all together with your hands. Season to taste. Place in crockpot, shape to fit, flatten. Pour catsup on top (enough to cover completely). Cook on LOW all day, 8-12 hours.
Pork Chops with Crockpot
Source: Jan Taylor
4-6 pork chops with fat trimmed
1 can tomato soup
1/4 cup water
1 green pepper, sliced into rings
1 onion, sliced into rings
Brown both sides of pork chops in 1 tablespoon oil; season with salt, pepper and garlic powder while cooking. Place pork chops in crockpot.
Pour any excess oil out of the skillet. Add tomato soup to pan drippings and dilute with 1/4 cup water. Heat and stir to smooth. Pour soup over pork chops. Place slices of onion and green pepper on top of pork chops.
Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours.
Makes 4 servings.
All Day Long Crockpot Beef
Source: Jan Taylor
1 (1 1/2 pound) beef roast - use any cut of beef roast desired
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 package onion soup mix
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon steak sauce
3 carrots, sliced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 yellow onion
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup tomato juice
Cut beef roast into serving size portions. Use more beef if you need more than 6 servings. Brown beef in a bit of vegetable oil, although you can skip this step if rushed for time.
Slice onion and separate into rings. Dice the peeled carrots, dice the celery and slice the peppers into thin strips or circles. Place these into bottom of crockpot. Sprinkle the beef pieces with fresh ground black pepper, minced garlic and the onion soup mix. Place on top of the vegetables.
Mix the steak sauce and Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl with about 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup tomato juice. Pour this over the meat.
Turn the crockpot to HIGH for 30 minutes or if you’re in a hurry, skip this step. Turn to LOW, cover and cook for 9 hours.
Keep the crockpot covered as much as possible throughout cooking time. A crockpot can be used to cook this type of meal for a varied amount of time, depending on your schedule. It is not important that you take the meat and vegetables out at a specific amount of time. One or two hours either way usually makes no difference.
When ready to serve, dip meat and vegetables out of pot with a slotted spoon Use the liquid as is or turn crockpot to high and thicken liquid with a little flour or cornstarch.
ENJOY!
Busy Day Pork Roast
Source: Jan Taylor
1 (4 to 5 pound) pork roast
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 clove garlic
Place roast in a slow cooker. Combine remaining ingredients. Pour over roast. Cook on LOW for 10 hours. Turn meat every 3 hours.
Crockpot BBQ Chicken
Source: Jan Taylor
1 large whole chicken (uncooked)
1 large bottle BBQ sauce
1 medium onion
1 lemon
1 (10 ounce) coke
Place chicken in crockpot. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Slice the onion and lemon and put into crockpot; pour the coke into the crockpot. Set on LOW and cook overnight. This can be done with spare ribs too!
Crockpot Beef Tips
Source: Jan Taylor
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
4 pounds beef or sirloin tips
1/2 cup chopped green onions
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 can condensed beef broth
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons tomato paste or ketchup
1/4 cup red wine or water
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Buttered noodles
Combine 1/2 cup flour with the salt and pepper and toss with beef cubes to coat thoroughly. Place in crockpot. Add green onions and drained mushrooms. Combine beef broth, Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste or ketchup. Pour over beef and vegetables; stir well. Cover and cook on LOW setting for 7 to 12 hours.
One hour before serving, turn to HIGH setting.
Make a smooth paste of red wine and 3 tablespoons flour; stir into crockpot, mixing well.
Tender Crockpot Style Pork Roast
Source: Jan Taylor
2-3 pound boneless pork loin roast
1 tablespoon bacon grease
Seasoned salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
Garlic powder
Dried thyme
1/2 cup apple juice
Melt bacon fat in skillet, and brown the pork roast well on both sides on medium-high heat. Remove from skillet. Sprinkle fat side with seasoned salt, pepper, garlic powder and crushed dried thyme. Place fat side down in a crockpot-style slow cooker. Sprinkle top with seasonings as before. Pour the apple juice around the edge of the roast and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours.
[post 2736 has onion soup recipe, granny]]
Crockpot Roast Beef
Source: Jan Taylor
Roast beef
4 potatoes, quartered
2 carrots, cut into strips
1 can French onion soup
Put potatoes and carrots in crockpot. Add roast beef (brown it if you like) and pour on a can of French onion soup. Cook for 8 hours.
Crockpot Hawaiian Chicken
Source: Jan Taylor
6 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, halved
2 cans pineapple slices, drained
2 cans mandarin oranges, drained
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 envelope stir-fry chicken seasoning blend
Combine all ingredients, except the chicken in the crockpot. Stir well. Add the chicken and stir well to coat. Cover and cook on preferred setting: LOW - 6 to 8 hours; HIGH - 3 hours
For more Jan Taylor recipes:
http://www.recipestogo.com/jancrock/jancrock.html
Peanut Butter and Jelly Burritos
Flour tortillas
Peanut butter
Jelly
Heat a skillet to medium. Lay a flour tortilla in the skillet and spread with peanut butter and jelly. Heat just to warm, then roll up and eat!
Apple-Peanut Butter Wraps
1 soft flour tortilla
1 tablespoon peanut butter
2 tablespoons raisins
1 small chopped sweet apple
Spread peanut butter on shell. Sprinkle with raisins and apples. Roll and enjoy!
Variations: sprinkle with cinnamon or add chopped nuts.
Chocolate-Peanut Butter Wraps
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
4 (8-inch) flour tortillas
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
Spread 2 tablespoons of peanut butter on each tortilla. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of marshmallows and 2 tablespoons of chocolate chips on half of each tortilla. Roll up, beginning with the topping side. Wrap each tortilla in heavy-duty foil; seal tightly. Grill, covered, over low heat for 5 to 10 minutes or until heated through. Unwrap and eat.
Turkey Strollers
Source: Disney’s Family Cookbook - Deanna F. Cook (Hyperion, 1996)
Pita pocket bread or tortillas
Mayonnaise
Sliced turkey
Sliced fresh tomato
Shredded lettuce
If using pita, cut open into single layers. Spread pita or tortilla with mayonnaise. Top with sliced turkey, tomato and shredded lettuce. Roll up into a tube and fasten with wooden pick. (Remove wooden pick before serving.)
Fiesta Wraps
1 (11 1/4 ounce) can Campbell’s Condensed
Fiesta Chili Beef Soup
6 (8-inch) flour tortillas
Shredded Cheddar cheese
Spoon 2 tablespoons soup (straight from the can) down center of each tortilla. Top with cheese. Fold tortilla around filling. Place seam-side down on microwave-safe plate and microwave on HIGH for 2 minutes or until hot.
[granny would use canned chili or left over chili , not soup]
Pepperoni Pizza Wraps
1/2 cup pizza sauce
4 (7- or 8-inch) flour tortillas
4 ounces (1 cup) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 (3.5 ounce) package pepperoni slices
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Spread pizza sauce evenly over tortillas to within 1 inch of edges. Sprinkle each evenly with cheese. Arrange 1/4 of pepperoni slices down center of each tortilla. Roll up each tortilla; wrap each in foil. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until thoroughly heated and cheese is melted.
Reuben Roll-Ups
1 (8 ounce) can refrigerated crescent rolls
3/4 cup sauerkraut
4 ounces Swiss cheese, grated
12 ounces corned beef, shredded
2 tablespoons thousand island dressing (optional)
Cook corned beef according to package directions. Cool and shred with two forks.
Grate cheese. Unroll crescent rolls and separate. Spread each triangle of dough with about 1 teaspoon Thousand Island dressing (if desired). Top with shredded corned beef, grated cheese, and sauerkraut. Roll from large to small end. Place on cookie sheet with point end down. Bake at 425 degrees F for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.
Amount Per Serving (2 rolls) Calories 540 Calories from Fat; 326 Percent Total Calories From: Fat 60%; Protein 21%; Carb. 19%
Nutrient Amount per % Daily Serving Value Total Fat 36 g 56% Saturated Fat 12 g 62% Cholesterol 110 mg 37% Sodium 1799 mg 75% Total Carbohydrate 26 g 9% Dietary Fiber 0 g 2% Protein 28 g Vitamin A 5% Vitamin C 34% Iron 17%
Hot Ham, Cheese and Tomato Wraps
Posted by FootsieBear at recipegoldmine.com April 2001
6 flour tortillas - about 8-inch size
1 pound shaved cooked ham
6 slices American cheese
12 thin slices tomato
Warm tortillas as directed on package. Top each warm tortilla evenly with ham, 1 cheese slice and 2 tomato slices. Roll up each tortilla; wrap each in microwave-safe plastic wrap. Microwave each roll on HIGH for 30-40 seconds or until warm.
http://www.recipestogo.com/wraps/wraps.html
Actually, distilled water (about 75 cents a gallon) is excellent for storage, no minerals,bacteria,etc. Leave sealed until needed. Water is the most critical for hard days, then food .
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