Posted on 07/24/2009 3:37:21 AM PDT by nw_arizona_granny
Weekly Roundup - Living On Nothing Edition Category: Roundups | Comments(15)
Did you hear about the guy that lives on nothing? No seriously, he lives on zero dollars a day. Meet Daniel Suelo, who lives in a cave outside Moab, Utah. Suelo has no mortgage, no car payment, no debt of any kind. He also has no home, no car, no television, and absolutely no “creature comforts.” But he does have a lot of creatures, as in the mice and bugs that scurry about the cave floor he’s called home for the last three years.
To us, Suelo probably sounds a little extreme. Actually, he probably sounds very extreme. After all, I suspect most of you reading this are doing so under the protection of some sort of man-made shelter, and with some amount of money on your person, and probably a few needs for money, too. And who doesn’t need money unless they have completely unplugged from the grid? Still, it’s an amusing story about a guy who rejects all forms of consumerism as we know it.
The Frugal Roundup
How to Brew Your Own Beer and Maybe Save Some Money. A fantastic introduction to home brewing, something I’ve never done myself, but always been interested in trying. (@Generation X Finance)
Contentment: A Great Financial Principle. If I had to name one required emotion for living a frugal lifestyle it would be contentment. Once you are content with your belongings and your lot in life you can ignore forces attempting to separate you from your money. (@Personal Finance by the Book)
Use Energy Star Appliances to Save On Utility Costs. I enjoyed this post because it included actual numbers, and actual total savings, from someone who upgraded to new, energy star appliances. (@The Digerati Life)
Over-Saving for Retirement? Is it possible to “over-save” for retirement? Yes, I think so. At some point I like the idea of putting some money aside in taxable investments outside of retirement funds, to be accessed prior to traditional retirement age. (@The Simple Dollar)
40 Things to Teach My Kids Before They Leave Home. A great list of both practical and philosophical lessons to teach your kids before they reach the age where they know everything. I think that now happens around 13 years-old. (@My Supercharged Life)
Index Fund Investing Overview. If you are looking for a place to invest with high diversification and relatively low fees (for broader index funds with low turnover), index funds are a great place to start. (@Money Smart Life)
5 Reasons To Line Dry Your Laundry. My wife and I may soon be installing a clothesline in our backyard. In many neighborhoods they are frowned upon - one of the reasons I don’t like living in a neighborhood. I digress. One of our neighbors recently put up a clothesline, and we might just follow his lead. (@Simple Mom)
A Few Others I Enjoyed
* 4 Quick Tips for Getting Out of a Rut * Young and Cash Rich * Embracing Simple Style * First Trading Experience With OptionsHouse * The Exponential Power of Delayed Consumption * How Much Emergency Fund is Enough? * 50 Questions that Will Free Your Mind * Save Money On Car Insurance
Well, today the inevitable happened...
One of those things that everyone knows can happen and prays it doesn’t. Well, it did...
With my second batch of tomato sauce today (after 2 batches yesterday) in the waterbath canner, I turned to the urgent need to blanch and freeze corn as I didn’t really feel like getting into canning that late in the day.
Only picked enough corn to make about 2 blanchers full - 4 full quart bags, and after they were safely put into the ziplock freezer bags, I went to put them into the freezer...
I have been working for about a week at processing leftovers from the freezer a bit at a time, and was about a third of the way through, and as I put the newly bagged corn in, there was a drip drip from the lid. Checking closely, I determined that the unit had quit about 3-4 hours ago. No harm done to any of the food, but the following hours would be make or break.
I separated the venison roasts and some of the steaks and put them in the regular part of our second refrigerator, cleared out the top freezer and put what was there in the upright side by side in the kitchen. Then those vegetables that either don’t can well - broccoli, squash, etc. were put into the second freezer, along with the venison steaks and ground venison, and the peas, limas, string beans, etc from where there was not enough room in the canner, so I froze the leftovers.
Now the freezer is down to a few scraps that will be thrown out 1999 piece of meat that every year I think I might use for dog food or something, and about 40 GALLONS (in zip lock bags) of frozen goats milk. It has got to be 9 years old, and the only thing I use it for is to add to the chicken feed, but I still had that much left. (OK, so I am a packrat.)
Now I am down to two whole huge chickens to cook and pick and can tomorrow and at least one whole 24 qt. pot of venison that I will cook,cut from the bone and dehydrate or maybe can (but probably dehydrate as it worked so well)
So, by tomorrow night, I will have everything empty, the chickens will have a feast with the milk (and the flies that it attracts and they eat), I should have many quart jars of dehydrated venison in cubes and slices, and should have a case and a half of chicken canned, and the freezer will be EMPTY!
Then I can move it out so I can get to the back and the right bottom so I can put my meter on to check the thermostat, overload switch, capacitor and comptrssor. Since the compressor is not running, I am assuming it is going to be in either the thermostat or the overload switch with possibly the capacitor as the last choice. Then I will have time to order the parts (2-4 weeks on some of them)
I am just so glad that I had already started going through and processing the food in more stable storage and only had this little bit left. Fixing it could be a $14 capacitor, a $26 overload protection relay or possibly the $92 thermostat and coil. If it is the compressor, forget it! @ $289 that is getting too close to the price I paid for it about 15 years ago when the old 25 year old one went out.
So, moral is that when you least expect it, you may have to pull that evacuation of the main freezer, so think through what you are going to do with what - makes the recovery process much easier and smoother (but just as tiring)
Losses are some old freezer burnt bread, and a half dozen small packages of leftover mystery meat which were gladly fed to the dogs after cooking.
Good fortune was to catch it so soon after it quit. Everything was still solidly frozen.
Well, now it looks like I will have to double up Saturday and Sunday to get the corn done and keep up with the tomatoes and peppers. Speaking of peppers, I will can some as there is no room for frozen ones anymore till I get the freezer fixed or replaced.
All done without having to resort to dry ice too. :^)
Well, now to fall in bed and get cracking early tomorrow.
Hope none of you suffer the same fate with your freezers! EVER!
MedWatch logo MedWatch - The FDA Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program
Audience: Diabetes healthcare professionals, hospital risk managers, patients
[Posted 08/13/2009] FDA notified healthcare professionals of the possibility of falsely elevated blood glucose results when using GDH-PQQ glucose test strips on patients who are receiving therapeutic products containing certain non-glucose sugars. These sugars can falsely elevate glucose results, which may mask significant hypoglycemia or prompt excessive insulin administration, leading to serious injury or death.
GDH-PQQ glucose monitoring measures a patient’s blood glucose value using methodology that cannot distinguish between glucose and other sugars. Certain non-glucose sugars, including maltose, xylose, and galactose, are found in certain drug and biologic formulations, or can result from the metabolism of a drug or therapeutic product. The FDA Public Health Notification provides a list of GDH-PQQ Glucose Test Strips and recommends that healthcare practitioners avoid using GDH-PQQ glucose test strips in healthcare facilities or take steps to never use them on patients receiving interfering substances.
FDA encourages the voluntary reporting of any medical device adverse events related to glucose meters or glucose test strips that do not meet the requirements for mandatory reporting. Adverse events should be reported to the FDA’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online, by phone [1-800-332-1088], or by returning the postage-paid FDA Form 3500 by mail [to MedWatch, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20852-9787] or fax [1-800-FDA-0178].
Read the complete MedWatch 2009 Safety summary, including links to the Public Health Notification and Advice for Patients, at:
You are encouraged to report all serious adverse events and product quality problems to FDA MedWatch at www.fda.gov/medwatch/report.htm
This service is provided to you at no charge by U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA).
In short, this lawsuit is sheer balderdash, as usual, another attack on the free market and our food chain.<<<
Insanity is insanity, no matter where you find it.
I like your article, for she is right and understands the game.
The nuts are causing a split in their own groups, for the left/young who preach sustainability, are not the ones yelling that the manure will ruin the soil.
There is now a liberal part of the growing world, that wants the earth to sustain itself and not have to be replanted every year.
I do not fully understand the reasons for stopping the enrichment of the soil, except for the fact that they like the ‘o’, would more than likely answer:
“We Won!!!” and “Because we CAN!!!”
I of course am listening to the Las Vegas Police Scanner and tonight they were getting calls of break ins at the towns many churches...all the different churches, even the Mormon Temple.. ........what is next on the insanes lists?
It does bother me a little to hear so many women as the instigators of violence, often against strangers, and they think nothing of a car jacking or breaking and entering.
We live in an insane world.
http://www.radioreference.com/apps/audio/?ctid=1745
Las Vegas scanner.
LOL, and if I could, I would use fertilizer on my garden, in the past I knew where to get it at the stables, for they piled it up and LOL, we hauled it.
Been there and done that, except we did not discover it until too late, for it was outside the house and not gone into each day, lost all the beef and pork we had grown, before we moved up here.
Mary would take all that milk, pour it in a shallow trough and let the Mesquite beans and leaves fall in it as it evaporated, she would have a black mess left that the hogs and chickens loved and she shared her last with me, so I know how well it worked.
If I were doing it, I would use alfalfa hay, you could put a screen over it for the flies.
I am glad that you caught it in time, it is heart breaking to loose food.
No, we won’t comment on the fact that I still have a pound or two of Mary’s dates in mine, they were frozen in 1965 and 5 years ago, were still good, for I ate them then.
I would never want to depend on a freezer today, for the jihadi know how to hack the electric system and shut it down.
I hope you can have it running in short order.
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm177321.htm
Barr Laboratories, Inc. issues a voluntary nationwide recall of Dextroamphetamine/Amphetamine 20mg Tablets, Lot number 311756
Contact:
Denise Bradley
215-591-8974
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - August 13, 2009 - Barr Laboratories, Inc. is initiating a voluntary recall of Dextroamphetamine Saccharate, Amphetamine Aspartate, Dextroamphetamine Sulfate and Amphetamine Sulfate (Mixed Salts of a Single Entity Amphetamine Product) 20mg Tablets, 100 count bottles, lot number 311756. The product identified is being recalled because the affected lot may contain some tablets exceeding weight requirements which may lead to super-potent tablets.
Potentially clinically significant adverse reactions to a supratherapeutic dose could include cardiovascular, neurologic, psychiatric and gastrointestinal reactions such as: palpitations, tachycardia, hypertension, headache, tremor, tic, dyskinesia, dizziness, blurred vision, sweating, insomnia, agitation, euphoria, mania, anxiety, restlessness, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, dry mouth, and decreased appetite.
This product can be uniquely identified as an oval peach colored tablet, debossed with b/973 on one side and 2/0 on the other side. Barr distributed the affected lot between 06/11/09 and 06/16/09. Only lot 311756 is affected by this recall.
Customers who have this lot in their possession are instructed to cease using the product and return it to their pharmacy/distributor. Wholesalers and retailers should cease distribution and examine their inventory immediately.
Consumers with questions may contact 888-742-5578 from 8:00am - 8:00pm EDT Monday-Friday.
Barr Laboratories has not received any adverse events for this product lot.
The FDA has been apprised of this action.
Any adverse reactions experienced with the use of this product should also be reported to the FDA’s MedWatch Program by phone at 1-800-FDA-1088; by fax at 1-800-FDA-0178; by mail at MedWatch, HF-410, FDA, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20852-9787, or on the MedWatch website at http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/default.htm.
Page Last Updated: 08/14/2009
He really did say that, you can see it in his eyes.
Thank you, what a wonderful way for me to start the day.....
If you can figure out how to get them to your place, I have a pair for you.....
T.T., who kills it if it moves.
Purr Baby, the pit bulls got one leg, leaving only a nubbin and a baby who is so very loving that even Scott was amazed at how it responded to his loving it last night.
Purr Baby is gentle and loving, but it also has a voice when it is feeding time.
T.T. is gaining weight and growing like crazy, at some 5 or 6 weeks old, LOL, but it is the Purr Baby who tells me the feed dish is empty.
T.T. was the normal scared baby, wild, feral and starving, with his mother having been dead a couple days, and humans were not going to touch him again.
So he listened to the Purr Baby purr as he sat in my lap and wanted some and came to me, now they fight over which of my feet they will sleep on, in case they head to the kitchen.
In the beginning, I put them in the big box that came last fall and that did not last long, I could have kept the Purr Baby in it, for he cannot climb out, but T.T. said “I do not live in a box, maybe under the recliner will suit me and that is how the cats sandbox, came to sit in the middle of the living room.
They are fully trained, but need a safe home that will be sure the Purr Baby does not get out doors, for the dogs to eat.
He is so very special.
MedWatch - The FDA Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program
FDA and Roche notified healthcare professionals that cases of Pure Red Cell Aplasia (PRCA) have been reported in patients treated with CellCept. The WARNINGS and ADVERSE REACTIONS sections of the CellCept Prescribing Information have been revised to reflect this new safety information.
PRCA is a type of anemia in which there is a selective reduction of red blood cell precursors on bone marrow examination. Patients with PRCA may present with fatigue, lethargy, and/or abnormal paleness of the skin (pallor). In some cases, PRCA was found to be reversible with dose reduction or cessation of CellCept therapy. In transplant patients, however, reduced immunosuppression may place the graft at risk.
Read the MedWatch safety summary, including links to the Dear Healthcare Professional Letter and revised Prescribing Information, at:
You are encouraged to report all serious adverse events and product quality problems to FDA MedWatch at www.fda.gov/medwatch/report.htm
That is wonderful. I’m so glad you saved the kitties’ lives. What a little bit of delight in your life they must be for you. Cats are just awesome.
Do they try to get outside if you open the door?
Here’s some good information you guys might like to have:
http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/08/10/freezer-and-fridge-hacks-seven-ways-to-maximize-the-value-of-your-refrigerator-and-freezer/
Freezer and Fridge Hacks: Seven Ways to Maximize the Value of Your Refrigerator and Freezer
Posted: 10 Aug 2009 01:00 PM PDT
Your refrigerator/freezer combo is the biggest energy consumer among all of your appliances - seriously. It gobbles down around $100 in energy each year. Even worse, it’s often home to lots of wasted food - leftovers forgotten and allowed to spoil and so on.
To put it simply, your refrigerator and freezer are money sinks. They’re expensive in the first place, gobble down energy like there’s no tomorrow, and sometimes ruin the food that’s inside. What’s a thrifty person to do?
Here are a few simple techniques to overcome and reduce these costs with surprisingly little effort.
Clean the coils regularly.
The coils on the bottom and the back of your refrigerator tend to gather dust over time. As that dust builds up, your refrigerator doesn’t run as well as it used to. The condenser kicks on more often, it has to work harder, it eats up more energy (costing you), and it wears out quicker (costing you).
So, do a little bit of maintenance once a year or so. Pull out your refrigerator and dust the coils in the back and underneath the device. Use a low-power vacuum to make sure there’s no excess dust floating around in the place where the refrigerator normally sits. Doing this little thing will cause your refrigerator’s condenser to work more efficiently - it won’t kick on as often (trimming your energy bill) and it won’t wear out as quickly (saving on your repair and replacement costs).
Fill your empty milk or juice jugs with water, then stick ‘em in the freezer.
A freezer, whether it’s a deep freezer or a freezer housed in the same appliance as a refrigerator, functions best when it’s really full, as the cold items help keep other items cold and maintain the low temperature.
But how can you keep it full without stocking it with a bunch of food that you may or may not eat? If you’re not into filling your freezer with food, fill it with water.
It’s simple. Take an empty milk jug (or juice jug), rinse it out, then fill it about 75% full with tap water. Stick that jug in the freezer and just leave it there. It’ll freeze, then it will help keep the temperature of your freezer low over the long haul, causing your freezer to kick on a bit less often to keep your items cool.
Even better, you can directly use these jugs when you need a lot of ice. You can either stick the jug entirely in a cooler or smash it open and use the broken ice pieces to your desire. Works like a charm - we do it all the time!
Start a miscellaneous vegetables box.
We cook a side dish of vegetables with almost every meal we make, and we often have just a few spoonfuls of leftovers. Often, these wind up in the compost bin, but that’s not particularly efficient - I’d rather throw actual waste in the compost bin, not food.
Our solution is a clever one. We just stuck a small resealable container in the freezer. Whenever we have any sort of leftover vegetables, we just spoon those veggies into that container. When the container is full, we boil up some water, add some spices, toss in some diced chicken breasts (and some stock if we’ve got it), then add the vegetables and let it all boil together.
Boom - really inexpensive (and delicious) chicken soup that’s different every time you make it. You can thicken the water/broth with a bit of corn starch to make it more like a stew if you want. This is a killer way to not waste leftover vegetables, add volume to your freezer, and produce a very delicious and simple meal for pennies.
Pull the fridge forward an inch or two.
In many kitchens, refrigerators are pushed back as close to the wall as possible in order to eke out a few more inches of floor space. Those few inches are really expensive.
If your refrigerator is pushed back as far as possible, pulling it forward one inch can reduce the energy usage of the refrigerator by as much as 40%, and you’ll barely notice the difference in your floor usage. Subsequent inches help, but aren’t quite that effective.
Stick a thermometer in your fridge.
Ideally, the temperature in your refrigerator holds pretty steady around 37 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit (3-5 C). We keep ours at almost exactly 38, and it’s almost perfect for us.
If you keep it below 37 degrees, you’re pushing up against the freezing point of water, which can affect food quality and burns a lot of extra energy. If you keep it above 40 degrees, it can affect food quality in a different way, leading towards spoilage. The range between the two is optimal - and it’s also optimal for refrigerator efficiency, since devices are designed to run in this range.
How can you be sure you’re hitting that sweet spot? Get out a thermometer, put it in a glass of water, then put that cup in your refrigerator for 24 hours. Check the temperature afterward - that’s the true temperature of your fridge. Adjust upward and downward as needed - you might be surprised how much your temperature is off.
A freezer has a different optimum temperature - 0 to 5 F (-18 to -15 C). You can get this temperature by putting your thermometer between two frozen items for 24 hours.
Chuck your refrigerated leftovers.
Ah, the refrigerated leftover. Inevitably, some of those items wind up getting pushed to the back and forgotten, left there to slowly decompose, become a potential breeding place for yeasts and molds, and potentially contaminate other foods.
So chuck ‘em. One easy way to do this is to have a handful of washable markers near your fridge. Doodle on any new item with a color for each day - say, purple for Monday, red for Tuesday, etc. Then, when you’re glancing in the fridge on Sunday, you know you can chuck anything with a red or purple mark on it without thinking at all.
Just mark on the Saran wrap, aluminum foil - even on the rim of a plate. Once you get into the routine, it works really well, makes leftover cleanup really easy, and keeps nasty things from growing in your fridge.
Go hardcore - build your own and reduce energy consumption by 90%.
Willing to go way outside the box to trim your home energy consumption? You can build your own chest refrigerator with a few simple modifications to a chest freezer and cut your energy use by about 90% over a typical standup fridge.
With clever rack systems in the chest fridge, they can be pretty convenient. I’m tall, so I actually quite like chest freezers, as I have no problem reaching clear to the bottom, but I can see how this might not be easy for some.
I’ll admit it - I’d love to have such a fridge if I had adequate kitchen space.
Do you have any simple refrigerator or freezer hacks for saving energy or reducing food loss?
Exciting news!
http://www.naturalnews.com/026830_resveratrol_cancer_wine.html
Resveratrol - The Miracle Nutrient for Cancer, Cholesterol and Longevity
Wednesday, August 12, 2009 by: Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Key concepts: Resveratrol, Cancer and Wine
View on NaturalPedia: Resveratrol, Cancer and Wine
(NaturalNews) You’ve all heard the good news about resveratrol, commonly known as the “red wine nutrient.” There’s more to resveratrol than red wine, though, and it’s helpful for far more than just preventing heart disease. It’s also phenomenal for maintaining a healthy cholesterol balance and even supporting increased longevity.
As you’ll see below in quotes from health experts about resveratrol, this “miracle” nutrient is also useful for preventing many types of cancer. As you read these quotes, pay special attention to any mention of phytoalexins, as this is a class of plant-based nutrients that you’ll be hearing about much more in the future (as nutritional healing becomes more widely known).
If you want to acquire some resveratrol, there are lots of natural sources such as red wine or grape leaves (the leaves actually contain far more than the grapes themselves). The Chinese medicine herb hu zhang is also loaded with resveratrol.
If you’re looking for resveratrol in a supplement form, I take the NSI brand from Vitacost.com at http://www.vitacost.com/NSI-Resvera...
Authors’ Quotes on Resveratrol
Below, you’ll find selected quotes from noted authors on the subject of Resveratrol. Feel free to quote these in your own work provided you give proper credit to both the original author quoted here and this NaturalNews page.
Resveratrol is a naturally occurring phytoalexin produced by some higher plants in response to injury or fungal infection. Phytoalexins are chemical substances produced by plants as a defense against infection by pathogenic microorganisms, such as fungi. Alexin is from the Greek, meaning to ward off or to protect. Resveratrol may also have alexin-like activity for humans.
- PDR for Nutritional Supplements by Sheldon Saul Hendler and David Rorvik
- Available on Amazon.com
Doctors Signorelli and Ghidoni single out resveratrol, a red wine molecule, for its unique ability to favorably control hundreds of genes at one time. Another biologist, referring to resveratrol’s ability to switch hundreds of genes, says resveratrol exerts “a whiff that induces a biologically specific tsunami.” Resveratrol’s ability to influence many genes was demonstrated in a gene array experiment involving kidney cancer cells.
- You Don’t Have to be Afraid of Cancer Anymore by Bill Sardi
- Available on Amazon.com
Found in many plants as a phytoalexin, resveratrol is abundant in the skins of red grapes (Vitis vinifera). It has been suggested that resveratrol underlies the phenomenon known as the “French paradox.” Wine is the most notable dietary source of this compound; a fluid ounce of red wine contains an average of 160 pg of resveratrol.
- Medical Herbalism: The Science Principles and Practices Of Herbal Medicine by David Hoffman, FNIMH, AHG
More at the site... I’d advise anyone to sign up over there. They are great!
Hurricane Preparedness ( and general “bad times” links )
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1507830/posts?page=41#41
http://oldtips.blogspot.com/2009/08/friday-recipes-basil.html
Friday Recipes: Basil
Posted: 14 Aug 2009 03:00 AM PDT
Summer is drawing to a close, and that means that our herbs either need to be used up, dried or frozen for the fall and winter. You can even attempt to keep your plants growing inside. If you are looking to use up some of your thriving basil plant, we’ve put together a collection of great recipes. We’ve also included links to some tantalizing recipes out there in blogland.
To begin, I couldn’t help but to include one of my favorite articles on Old Fashioned Living. Brenda wrote this article several years ago and it’s always popular, and I have to agree. Enjoy!
Basil: Everyone’s Favorite Herb
by Brenda Hyde
If a person loves herbs, they love basil. It seems to be everyone’s favorite herb and the recipes are endless that take advantage of this fresh and spicy leaf. I personally think if you can only grow two plants it should be a pot of tomatoes and a pot of basil. With these two plants and a few basic pantry items you can treat yourself to gourmet faire!
Growing Basil
Basil is an annual, and is easily grown from seed. There are over two dozen types of basil including lettuce-leaf which has large leaves, cinnamon basil and the purple leaved varieties. Basil is not frost tolerant at all, so be sure to plant after the soil has warmed completely. Though it needs full sun, it does need more moisture than some herbs, so be sure to keep it watered; especially in pots. You can bring basil inside as a window herb if you plant the seeds in the late summer in pots and bring inside to set in a bright and sunny window. Every year I grow my basil in a porch box outside my kitchen door. There is nothing better than walking out the door and snipping basil for a dish I’m cooking.
Using and Preserving Basil
Be sure to pinch the tops of your basil plants, and don’t let them flower. This will basically stop it’s growth. If it has started to flower pinch those off immediately. When you harvest the basil, cut off the stems, and then strip the leaves for your recipe. Be fairly gentle with them, and harvest JUST before you start your recipe. Some herb growers insist on the sweet basil for pesto, but experiment and use whichever variety you have growing.
Basil can be frozen, dried, or preserved in oil. It’s delicious however you choose to preserve it. Basil is also available year round in most produce sections. Add leaves to salad or sandwiches with your lettuce, saute at the last minute with almost any vegetable and add to soups. It is also wonderful in herbal vinegars mixed with oregano and thyme.
Basil combines well with thyme, parsley, chives, garlic and oregano. Try it in pea or bean soups and or with vegetables such as eggplant. Basil is easily air dried by hanging small bundles or you can chop and add to water to create basil ice cubes! These can then be stored in resealable bags and added directly to your soups.
Whether you have room for a small plot of assorted basils or one pot, it’s an herb worth growing! The following recipes will help you become familiar with using basil.
Basil and Bread Salad
12 ounces day-old Italian or French bread
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 large ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 large green pepper, chopped
1 pound mozzarella cheese, diced 1/2-inch
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup basil leaves, cut into slivers
12 romaine lettuce leaves
Cut bread into rough 3/4-inch cubes and place in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Pour dressing over bread and toss to mix well. Add tomatoes, pepper, mozzarella cheese, garlic and basil. Mix gently. Arrange romaine leaves on a serving platter and spoon salad over leaves.
Basil Mayonnaise
This wonderful mayonnaise can be used for burgers, sandwiches, or to coat chicken before roasting.
1 cup loosely packed basil leaves
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
Blend in food processor or blender until smooth.
Basil and Tomato Bruschetta
12 pieces crusty Italian Bread, 1 inch thick
1/3 to 1/2 cup olive oil
2 large, ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
24-36 basil leaves, torn into small pieces
12 garlic cloves, peeled, and cut in half lengthwise
salt and pepper
Toast bread over a grill or a very hot oven of 425 degrees. Brown on both sides. Remove and brush with oil. In a bowl combine tomatoes, oregano and basil. Place cloves in separate bowl. Serve bread warm and rub clove on bread, top with mixture and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
I also sprinkle and with parmesan cheese and put under the broiler for just a minute to heat top.
Basil Puree
4 tablespoons olive oil
8 cups washed and dried basil leaves
Blend until pureed. Transfer to clean jar. Store in refrigerator. Each time you use it stir and then top with a thin layer of oil. It will keep one year by doing this. This is good on grilled chicken or fish, stirred into soups or mixed with sun dried tomatoes and broiled on bread.
Walnut and Basil Paste
1 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves
3 cloves garlic, peeled
3/4 cup walnut pieces
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons red wine or herb vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
Place the basil in the work bowl of a food processor. With the motor running, drop in the garlic and process until basil and garlic are finely chopped about 15 seconds. Add the nuts, cheese, vinegar and oil. Process to make a rough paste, about 20 seconds. Smear evenly onto poultry, fish or vegetables just before grilling. Makes enough for about 2 pounds of poultry or fish.
Basil Butter
1 stick butter, softened
1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. salt
pepper to taste
1 tablespoon finely chopped basil
Cream butter, beat in garlic and lemon juice. Mash in basil; season with salt and pepper. Place bowl in refrigerator to firm butter. For a nice, simple appetizer use room temperature butter on grilled pieces of baguette or French bread.
Lemon Basil Pork
1 12-ounce can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
1/2 cup basil leaves, cut into thin strips
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic
4 boneless pork chops
Mix the first four ingredients. Reserve 1/4 cup of the marinade for basting. Pour the remainder of the marinade over the pork and refrigerate them for 1-2 hours, turning once in the process. Grill them for approximately 20 minutes. Turn the meat often, brushing a small amount of the reserved marinade on each time. You can also cut the pork into cubes and make kabobs, alternating onion and green pepper on the sticks.
Pasta With Fresh Basil
12 ounces penne or other larger pasta
1 cup fresh cooked peas or frozen peas, thawed
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/3 pound lean prosciutto or leftover smoked ham, diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
3 tablespoons capers, optional
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
grated peel of 1 lemon
Cook pasta according to directions; rinse under cold water and drain. In a bowl, combine the pasta with the peas, green onions, prosciutto, basil, olive oil, vinegar, capers, pepper, salt, and lemon peel. Toss until well-combined. Adjust seasonings to taste. Refrigerate until serving. Notes: This is such an easy salad and you can substitute fresh green beans that have been cooked until just tender or asparagus. Fresh is much better if possible. Also you can substitute red onion for the green.
Baked Zucchini and Basil
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 1/2 lbs zucchini (about 5 small), thinly sliced lengthwise
3 large Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced lengthwise
1 large sweet onion, peeled, halved, and thinly sliced
5 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil
1 tsp. salt
Ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with a little olive oil. Layer in half the vegetables and basil. Season with salt and pepper. Add the remaining vegetables and basil and season again with salt and pepper. Drizzle the remaining oil on top. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 1 hour. Uncover, add the cheese if desired, and bake 10 minutes longer. Let stand at 15- 20 minutes before serving. Notes: I think this is much better using a glass or other non-metal pan.
Basil Chicken Salad
1 cup leftover grilled Chicken Breast, diced
1 cup cooked rice
1/2 cup Red Grapes, halved
1/2 cup mayonnaise, light or regular
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped sweet onion
1/4 tsp. black pepper
Combine all ingredients and chill thoroughly. Recipe makes 4 servings.
Easy Pesto Pizza
One premade pizza crust
2 1/2 cups fresh basil leaves
4 cloves of fresh garlic, thinly sliced
olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup finely shredded mozzarella cheese
salt and pepper
Lay whole basil leaves over the surface of the crust, covering the entire pizza. Place the thinly sliced garlic on top of the basil leaves, spacing a couple of inches. Drizzle the olive oil over the entire pizza. Salt and pepper to season. Sprinkle the pizza with the Parmesan, then with the mozzarella. Place into a preheated 425 degree oven. Bake just until it’s bubbly and slightly browned. Watch carefully. Serve warm.
Roasted Garlic and Basil Salsa
4 ripe tomatoes, cut into sections
2 tablespoon olive oil
4 cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon honey
2 sweet green peppers
2 jalapeno peppers or other hot peppers
2 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 cup torn fresh basil leaves
1/4 of a sweet onion, chopped
Preheat the broiler or grill, Place the halved peppers and tomatoes on a baking sheet and broil until they blacken. You can do the same thing by placing them on a grill. Place the unpeeled garlic in a foil pouch (doubled) and drizzle with the olive oil. Either bake in the oven at 300 degrees for 30 minutes or cook on the grill, turning the foil pouch as it cooks. Meanwhile remove the peppers from the oven and place them in a bowl and cover with plastic or place them in a Ziploc bag and seal. Allow to cool to room temperature. Peel skin off of blackened vegetables and discard. Dice into one inch pieces. Once your garlic is cooked, slit the ends of the cloves, and smush out the garlic into the bowl with the peppers. Add the remaining ingredients. Add salt and pepper to taste. This salsa may set out for a couple hours at room temperature to join the flavors, or you can refrigerate for 2-3 days.
Basil and Gorgonzola Salsa
2 cups tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped green pepper
1/2 cup diced red onion
1/2 cup grated gorgonzola cheese
1/4 cup snipped fresh basil
1/4 cup snipped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (or regular)
Combine ingredients. Cover and refrigerate until needed. You can substitute another type of blue veined cheese.
Pasta and Basil Salad
3/4 cup uncooked spiral pasta or small shells
4 medium tomatoes, cut into thin wedges
5 green onions, thinly sliced
1 cup thin slices of seeded cucumber
1 cup fresh corn kernels
1 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves
1/3 cup plain yogurt
3 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 garlic cloves, peeled
Cook pasta according to instructions until just tender. Rinse under cold water. Drain well. Place the pasta in a large bowl. Add tomatoes, green onions, cucumber and corn. Combine basil, yogurt, mayonnaise, lime juice and garlic in processor or blender until basil is finely chopped. Mix dressing with the pasta mixture and toss to coat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve or cover and refrigerate.
If you need information on drying and storing your herbs click here.
Below you will find some wonderful recipes where basil is the main event.
Do they try to get outside if you open the door?
Here’s some good information you guys might like to have:<<<
NO, they are smart cats and know that they are far better off with a slave to give them canned cat food, when they ask for it.
Outside, was dry cat food and starving, with killers lurking and ready to eat them.
To watch them be brave and sneak down the hall is a riot, they are exploring, but it will be a long time before they want out.
Purr Baby will be easy to bribe with a good petting, T.T. may want out when he is older.
Good information and correct on the keeping refrigerators clean on the coils, time for me to get it done too.
Maybe this list could be sent to the ‘o’, for he does not have a clue to what we know or expect.
Scary list of news when seen in a row.
And the left calls us crazy, for being alarmed at what the ‘o’ has planned.
Exciting news!
http://www.naturalnews.com/026830_resveratrol_cancer_wine.html
Resveratrol - The Miracle Nutrient for Cancer, Cholesterol and Longevity<<<
They keep releasing this as news, for the past 50 years.
In the old days, good doctors and chiropractors suggested that you have one glass of wine a day.
Even Bill’s heart specialist suggested one glass each day.
Did not work for us, Bill hated wine, for he found some in Africa and drank it during WW2, LOL, seems a bunch of soldiers crawled back to the base and swore never again.
I wasn’t into drinking, so never made it on the every day plan.
After surgery about 45 years ago, a doctor put me on tranquilizers, which I did not want, but he felt I should have.
I went to work in a good Italian Restaurant and one of the perks was a good meal, and one glass of wine, which I sometimes had, brought it home and ate it safely from drinking and driving.
The one thing that I discovered was, when I had a glass of wine, late at night with my meal, the next morning when I woke up, I did not need the tranquilizer and soon gave up both of them.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1507830/posts?page=41#41
That is an excellent post and thank you for bringing the link to us.
So much one needs to know, if one intends to survive.
I’m 64. My ftaher’s doctor reccommended he have aglass of red wine each evening more than twenty years ago. Dad had blockages in carotid arteries which were cleared. The glass of wine was one of the doctor’s reccommendations after the surgery. My grandfather on my mother’s side was told by his doctor—fifty years ago—to have a little alcohol each evening. My grandfather lived into his mid eightoes and could recite loooong narrative poems learned in his childhood right up to the last month of his life! I can remember sleeping in front of the fireplace when PawPaw would get up, go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, stop by the frige and eat a raw hotdog, then take slug of Old Grandad before returning to bed. I asked him one time why he ate raw hotdogs, that it wasn’t good to eat raw hotdogs. He told me he cooked it in his tummy, hench the swing of Bourbon on top of the raw dog!
hench = hence [ ... now where’s that beer that’s supposed to help build strong bones?]
http://17andbaking.com/2009/08/02/my-favorite-ice-cream/
My Favorite Ice Cream
August 2, 2009
Everyone knows the phrase “random acts of kindness” – and yet, I hardly ever see people do anything without reason or credit for someone else. It’s not that people are unkind or hypocritical, it’s just not something you see every day. And yet, two people in my life went out of their way to make my world even better.
The first is E-, a boy who I went to middle school with. We only had a few classes together and we haven’t kept in touch. However, I post food photos on facebook, so most of my friends know about 17 and Baking. The other day, I received a random email from him. When I saw his name in my inbox I wondered if he’d sent it to me by mistake.
But the email, only a few sentences long, was clearly for me: he’d seen my blog and bought me my own domain. You might notice that I’m 17andbaking.com now instead of 17 andbaking.wordpress.com (no worries, the wordpress link will still work.) An hour later I’d made business card with my new address.
D-, is one of my mother’s co-workers. I had never met her before this summer, and I’d never spoken to her except maybe once or twice. Everyone at my mother’s office knows about my baking because a lot of leftovers and excess batches are sent straight to their kitchen.
Imagine my surprise when D- approached me and showed me some emails she’d printed. D- had emailed my blog to a prominent food writer, who had written back that I was a “darling” girl. She couldn’t believe I’m only 17, and that she was very impressed. What a compliment to see it written right in front of me! D- didn’t know this writer at all, but she just felt compelled to pass my blog along. D-, that email made my week, and I can’t tell you how sweet it was.
It’s hard to describe how I’m feeling this summer, but if I had to pick a word, I’d say nostalgic. I’m not sure why, but all this alone time is making me think a lot about old memories. The entire time I made this ice cream – and I’m not going to further the suspense any longer, it’s basil – I thought about the first time I made it last summer.
One of my closest friends came to my house on a whim, and we made this ice cream together. We took a long walk around the neighborhood while we waited for it to freeze, and that twilit walk is one of my favorite memories with him. When we got home, we ate it in cheap sugar cones and stayed up the rest of the night talking, drinking tea, and giggling.
Basil is my favorite herb in savory dishes too. I get funny looks when I say it’s my favorite ice cream flavor, but you’re missing out if you’ve never had it… Mellow, warm, sweet, and utterly summerly. People still look skeptical even after I rave about its beautiful pale green color, its creamy texture, and the surprising way the flavor rounds out in your mouth.
I just shrug and say, “Hey, mint is an herb too, but nobody raises an eyebrow at that.” And even if they can’t wrap their minds around an ice cream flavor you can’t buy at Baskin Robbin’s, I’m sure a foodie like you can!
(PS I shot these ice cream photos in 100 degree weather! :) I’m proud!)
Basil and chocolate are actually fantastic together. I didn’t add chocolate chunks to this ice cream because I didn’t want to distract from the basil, but feel free to add that. Lemon zest might also brighten it up. I used sweet basil but other varieties like refreshing Lemon basil, spicy Thai basil, or sweet Cinnamon basil would make interesting ice creams. I like this ice cream so much I eat it with a baby spoon straight from the freezer, but it would be very good with an almond or lemon dessert.
Basil Ice Cream
Adapted from Gourmet magazine
Makes 3 cups
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup sugar, divided
1/4 cup fresh chopped basil
Pinch of salt
4 large egg yolks
1/2 cup chilled whipping cream
In a small saucepan over moderate heat, bring the milk, 1/4 cup sugar, salt, and the basil to a boil. Remove from heat and let steep 30 minutes, half covered with a lid. Transfer to a blender, keeping the saucepan, and blend until the basil is ground, about a minute.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat egg yolks on medium speed. Add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat until thick and pale, about one minute. Pour the milk mixture in a slow, steady stream and beat until well combined. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan. Stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, heat over moderate heat until custard coats the back of the spoon and reaches 175 degrees F. Strain into a metal bowl and chill until cold, stirring often.
Stir in cream and churn in an ice cream maker. Freeze in an airtight container at least two hours.
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