This mix makes the BEST brownies. These aren’t the cake type brownies, or the too dense and mushy brownies. Nope, these are the gooey-in-the-center and the crisp-around-the-corner brownies. Once you eat these, other brownies just won’t measure up. < Back Make-A-Mix Brownie Mix Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: N/A Serves: Endless possibilities Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients 6 cups all-purpose white flour 4 teaspoons baking powder 4 teaspoons salt 8 cups granulated white sugar 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder Preparation In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Stir with a wire whisk until evenly distributed. Put in an airtight container and label with date and contents. Store in a cool dry place. Use within 10-12 weeks (but know that it does last longer) In addition to making the best ever brownies with this mix, if you buy the Make-A-Mix cookbook, you will also find the recipes for Chewy Chocolate Cookies, Texas Sheet Cake, Brownie Alaska, and Mississippi Mud . (So GOOD!) Previous Next

Elecampane tincture is used by herbalists as a natural cough remedy, and it’s one of my favorite herbal cough remedies. The root is tinctured for respiratory support, and it’s commonly used for chest congestion, cold/flu, bronchitis and asthma. It’s also been shown to have antimicrobial benefits, and it’s used topically to treat yeast infections and athlete's foot. < Back Elecampane Tincture Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cook Time: N/A Serves: Varies Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients Elecampane, either dried or fresh Vodka* (or any other palatable alcohol that’s at least 80 proof/40 percent — there’s no need to splurge here, I always use Smirnoff because it’s inexpensive and has a neutral taste)** Preparation Elecampane is one of those herbal remedies that’s been around (and commonly used) for millennia. Supposedly, Helen of Troy was out gathering elecampane when she was taken, sparking the Trojan war. The woman whose beauty launched a thousand ships thought it important enough to gather elecampane from a hillside herself, and I can only imagine the sick friend of relative she valued waiting back in a sick bed in ancient Greece. Not just an ancient remedy, elecampane is my go to remedy for cough and congestion, and we mix elecampane tincture with raw honey to make an incredibly effective cough syrup. It’s one of the herbal remedies that is ALWAYS in my herbal medicine cabinet, and it’s used more than almost any remedy in my herbal first aid kit. Elecampane grows wild on our land, and it has fluffy airborne seeds similar to dandelions, so it sprouts up all over the place. The plants are 6 to 10 feet tall, with bright yellow daisy-like flowers that are hard to miss. The root is what’s used medicinally, and it grows a spicy, aromatic taproot with a wonderful warming flavor. If you don’t grow elecampane (or forage it in the wild) you can buy dried elecampane root online, or ready made elecampane tincture. It’s also a common ingredient in chest care tinctures and lung care tinctures. This is the basic process for making elecampane, but if you’re looking for more details, I’d recommend the Herbal Academy’s Tincture Making Course which covers everything you could ever want to know about making more than 100 different herbal tinctures, as well as half a dozen tincturing methods. (Always consult your doctor or a clinical herbalist before trying any new herbal remedy, as there’s always the possibility of unintended consequences, allergic reaction, or interactions with other medications. If you’re harvesting wild plant material, make sure you’re 100% confident in your identification and consult multiple sources for your ID. The following is based on my research and experience, but I don’t claim to have any certifications that would qualify me to advise you on your health. Please do your own research and always verify with multiple reputable sources.) BENEFITS OF ELECAMPANE TINCTURE Elecampane is a medicinal herb that is known for its ability to relieve symptoms of lung diseases such as asthma, whooping cough, and bronchitis. Elecampane offers a multi-pronged attack against these illnesses, acting as a cough preventative as well as an expectorant that helps clear the lungs of excess phlegm. Elecampane tincture is considered both warming and drying, which means it's most effective when used to combat wet coughs or mucus that has hardened in the lungs. Research on the chemical compounds found in elecampane has shown the plant has a wide variety of medicinal properties including antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, and antimicrobial benefits. Elecampane tincture can also be applied externally for its anti-candida (yeast) properties and can be used to soothe fungal infections such as athlete’s foot. HOW TO MAKE ELECAMPANE TINCTURE To make elecampane tincture, you’ll need the following ingredients and equipment: Elecampane, either dried or fresh Vodka* (or any other palatable alcohol that’s at least 80 proof/40 percent — there’s no need to splurge here, I always use Smirnoff because it’s inexpensive and has a neutral taste)** One-pint mason jar with lid (amber glass is ideal, but as long as you keep the tincture away from light at all times, it won’t make a difference) Funnel Cheesecloth Fine mesh sieve Amber glass tincture bottles (with dropper) *The Herbal Academy’s tincture making course specifically recommends using 40% alcohol when working with elecampane (though they recommend as low as 25% for mucilaginous herbs, and up to 95% when working with plant resins. Elecampane just happens to fall right in the middle, since it has both alcohol soluble and water soluble constituents). **Never use isopropyl/rubbing alcohol for tinctures (or any other remedy you plan on ingesting). Even in small amounts, this type of alcohol is toxic and meant for external applications only. If you’re avoiding alcohol for any reason, consider making a herbal glycerite instead. Herbal vinegars are also a good choice, and work well with elecampane. To make the tincture, fill a jar about 3/4 of the way full with fresh elecampane (or about halfway full with dried elecampane). Cover the elecampane with vodka, or whichever alcohol you’ve chosen, and seal the jar with its lid. Keep the developing tincture in a cool, dark place and give the jar a gentle shake every few days. (If you remember, every day is better, but at least once a week will do.) After about 4 to 6 weeks, it’s time to decant the tincture. To do this, you’ll need to line a funnel with a few layers of cheesecloth. Carefully strain the tincture into small amber glass tincture bottles, squeezing the elecampane to make sure all the liquid is expelled. Once the tincture has been decanted, label the tincture bottles with the date and suggested dosages (I use a small piece of masking tape and a marker, it peels off easily when I’m ready to use the bottle for something else). I know 4-6 weeks can be a long time to wait if you’re desperately needing relief now. There’s nothing wrong with buying a bottle of ready made elecampane tincture to use while your homemade tincture infuses. Purchased tinctures are a lot more expensive than DIY homemade ones, but they have the benefit of being ready when you need them, like now. ELECAMPANE TINCTURE DOSAGE For an exact dosage specific to your body and needs, I’d suggest consulting a clinical herbalist. Generally, the dosage for elecampane tincture is 1 to 2 droppers full, taken 2 to 3 times per day, or as needed. This herb is generally considered safe for use, even at higher doses, and we tend to mix elecampane tincture with raw honey in a 1:1 ratio, making an effective herbal cough syrup that I take every few hours as needed when I’m suffering from a particularly bad cough. It’s even more effective, I find, when you make it with thyme tincture and elecampane tincture together. ELECAMPANE FORMULATIONS Elecampane is commonly paired with other herbs for respiratory support, such as Usnea, Licorice and Thyme. This chest care tincture uses elecampane mixed with ginger, horehound, licorice, marshmallow and mullein. Similarly, this lung care tincture combines elecampane with many of the same herbs. If you’re interested in the science behind combining herbs to enhance their effectiveness, I’d recommend taking this online course in Mastering Herbal Formulations from the Herbal Academy. It covers the science of blending herbs into homemade formulations in detail. INSTRUCTIONS Fill a clean, empty mason jar 3/4 full of fresh elecampane, or 1/2 full of dried elecampane. (Dried elecampane is often available from herbal supply shops.) Cover the fresh or dried elecampane with alcohol, making sure the contents of the jar are completely covered. Screw the lid on tightly and gently shake the contents of the jar. Place in a cool, dry location away from light, allowing the extraction to occur over the next 6 to 8 weeks. Give the contents of the jar a gentle shake every couple of days. Keep an eye on the alcohol level, adding more alcohol to cover the plant material if needed. Once the tincture is ready to be decanted, line a funnel with cheesecloth and place the tip of the funnel into the neck of a dark amber glass bottle. Pour the solvent and the **name into the cheesecloth-lined funnel, pressing to make sure all of the liquid makes it into the bottle. Label the tincture with its contents, date of production, recommended dosages, and suggested usages. Store in a cool, dry area away from light. NOTES *Tinctures are usually made with vodka as a neutral spirit, but you can also use brandy, whisky or any other high-proof alcohol. Finished tinctures need to be at least 25% alcohol for preservation, and fresh herbs contribute some moisture to the mix. Be sure you use something that's 60-proof or higher. Never use denatured alcohol or isopropyl alcohol to make tinctures, as it's unsafe for consumption. To make an alcohol-free glycerite tincture (glycerite): cover dried plant material completely with a preparation of 3 parts glycerin to 1 part distilled water (instead of alcohol). Dried elecampane is available from herbal supply stores, and is often used in place of fresh. If using fresh elecampane, use all glycerine and skip the water. As the glycerite tincture develops, it will need to be shaken every day. Proceed following the same directions as if making an alcohol-based tincture. Yield The yield varies, but if you're using fresh plant material, you should expect to pull out ever so slightly more tincture than the vodka you add. If using dried plant material, the dried herbs will absorb some and you'll get slightly less than the alcohol added. The amount of vodka will vary based on how tightly you pack the jar, but you should need about 2-3 cups of vodka for a quart jar, or about 1 to 1 1/2 cups vodka per pint. Be sure the plant material remains submerged during infusion. TOOLS Pint mason jar (or any other jar with a tight-fitting lid) Funnel Cheesecloth (or fine mesh strainer) Dark amber dropper bottles Adhesive label or masking tape (for labelling tincture) MATERIALS Dried Elecampane Root Neutral Spirit (such as vodka)* Previous Next

Yukon Golds are great here because they get crispy on the outside but completely creamy on the inside. A brush stroke or two of balsamic glaze provides a rich color and a sweet finish to the roasted salmon. < Back Rosemary Roasted Salmon with Asparagus & Potatoes Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cook Time: Minutes Serves: 4 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Yukon Golds are great here because they get crispy on the outside but completely creamy on the inside. A brush stroke or two of balsamic glaze provides a rich color and a sweet finish to the roasted salmon. Ingredients 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary 2 teaspoons minced garlic 1 ¼ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces 1 teaspoon salt, divided ¾ teaspoon ground pepper, divided 1 pound asparagus, trimmed 4 (5 ounce) skinless salmon filets, preferably wild 1 medium lemon 2 tablespoons balsamic glaze ½ teaspoon whole-grain mustard Preparation Step 1 Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Step 2 Stir together oil, rosemary and garlic in a small bowl. Place potatoes in a large bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of the oil mixture and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Arrange the potatoes in an even layer on a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast until lightly browned and tender, about 20 minutes. Push the potatoes to one end of the pan. Step 3 Place asparagus in the large bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of the oil mixture, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Arrange the asparagus on the other end of the baking sheet. Roast until the asparagus is bright green, about 3 minutes. Push the vegetables to either end of the pan, leaving space in the center. Step 4 Brush salmon with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil mixture and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Place the salmon in the center of the pan. Thinly slice half the lemon and tuck the slices around the salmon and vegetables. Roast for 5 minutes more. Cut the remaining lemon half into wedges. Step 5 Whisk balsamic glaze and mustard in a small bowl. Brush 1 tablespoon of the mixture on the salmon. Continue roasting until the salmon is just cooked through and the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Drizzle the vegetables with the remaining sauce. Serve with the lemon wedges. Previous Next

Quick and easy alternative to cornbread. So easy to take on the go too! < Back Cornmeal Popovers Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 25-30 minutes Serves: 12 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour ½ cup fine white cornmeal 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt 1 ¾ cups whole milk 4 large eggs ¼ cup butter, melted Preparation Preheat muffin tin to 450°. Wisk eggs and milk together. Mix dry ingredients in separate bowl and then add the mixed milk and eggs. Put about a teaspoon of the melted butter in the bottom of each muffin hole and then fill each about ½ to a 1/3 full. Bake at 450° for 25-30 minutes. So good as a side for a steaming bowl of chili or soup. YUMMY! Previous Next

Making cottage cheese from sour milk is a great way to reduce waste, save money, and get some extra protein in your diet. Are you tired of dumping sour milk down the drain? < Back How to Make Cottage Cheese From Sour Milk Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cook Time: 30 Minutes Serves: 6 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Making cottage cheese from sour milk is a great way to reduce waste, save money, and get some extra protein in your diet. Are you tired of dumping sour milk down the drain? Ingredients half gallon sour milk (whole is best) or fresh milk 3 Tbsp vinegar 1 tsp salt a small amount of cream or whole milk ( not sour) Preparation My grandma always used sour milk in baked goods for light and fluffy cakes, muffins, and even pancakes. I’ve used sour milk in place of buttermilk or regular milk in recipes, but it’s nice to have another option. When I find marked down milk at the grocery store, I use it for frugal yogurt, cheese, and baking. Sometimes I don’t use it fast enough and I have sour milk for cottage cheese. Learning to Make Cottage Cheese I have found several sites online that give instructions for making cottage cheese from sour milk. The only problem is that each site gave different instructions and they didn’t say how sour your milk can be and still be usable for cottage cheese. I’ve found that it can be curdled, but if it smells really horrible… I dump it to be on the safe side. If you are concerned about using sour milk to make cottage cheese, I understand and you can use this recipe to make cottage cheese from fresh milk instead. Keep in mind that heating the sour milk to 195F and holding it there for 10 minutes should kill harmful bacteria. Here’s how I make cottage cheese from sour milk… Old Fashioned Cottage Cheese Instructions: Pour sour milk into a saucepan . Turn heat on to medium and use a candy thermometer to measure temperature. Heat milk to 195 F. Remove from heat and add vinegar. Stir gently until curds and whey separate. Pour through a colander lined with cheesecloth . Rinse the curds and squeeze the water out through the cheesecloth . Pour curds into a bowl. Tip: If your milk doesn’t curdle, add more vinegar or lemon juice to increase the acid. Experimenting: Cottage Cheese Made From Sour Milk Here are my thoughts on this process: The instructions that I read said to heat sour milk until curds and whey separated (without vinegar). My pan of sour milk never separated, so I used the vinegar. I think I could reduce the amount of vinegar to 1 tablespoon and it should work just fine. You could try it without the vinegar and see if your sour milk separates on its own. On the other hand, a number of people have commented that their milk never separated. Ultra-pasteurized milk may not work in this recipe. This product is becoming more prevalent, so just be aware that it may not be the best milk for making cottage cheese. One of the recipes called for rinsing the curds until all the whey was removed. I did this and then wondered why you would need to rinse the curds? Upon further reflection, it is probably to remove all traces of vinegar. However, in the future, I won’t spend much time rinsing the curds. This recipe is basically the same as the queso fresco I posted previously. In this case, you crumble the curds up and add the milk or cream to it. I used cream, but in the future, I will switch to milk. The cream was a little too rich for my taste. Homemade Cottage Cheese is Best! I liked this cottage cheese much better than the store-bought version. The curds are denser and the flavor had more tang to it. That may have been from using sour milk. I will definitely be making my own cottage cheese from now on instead of buying it. I never have a problem with cottage cheese going bad in our fridge, but this pretty much disappeared pronto! Previous Next

< Back Hydrogen Peroxide Uses 18 Hydrogen Peroxide Uses for Every Room in Your House! Hydrogen Peroixde is my go to cleaner for everthing! It is odorless and you can seriously use for everything. It is cheap, easy to use and I love not have a ton of bottles taking up space! To disinfect, first clean any visible dirt or grime off the area with plain soap and water. Then spray surfaces with a 50/50 mix of peroxide and water. Let it sit for five minutes or longer. Rinse surfaces that touch food, like cutting boards, but let other surfaces air dry 1. Aftershave Hydrogen peroxide can be used as an aftershave to clean your skin and leave it soft and healthy. 2. Acne-Fighting Face Wash Instead of using expensive, harsh face cleansers, soak a cloth in peroxide and massage your face with it. Your skin will thank you for it. 3. Whiten Your Teeth This is actually fairly well known—rinsing for about 60 seconds with hydrogen peroxide is effective at disinfecting your mouth and whitening your teeth. No more expensive whitening strips or laser treatments! Check out what the American Dental Association has to say about using hydrogen peroxide to whiten your teeth. 4. Toothpaste Mix 3% solution with baking soda until the mixture becomes a paste. Viola—cheap, simple toothpaste. As stated above, this is an effective whitener for your teeth as well. 5. Relieve Toothaches Rinsing with peroxide every night for a week will get rid of any bacteria, viruses, and infections that may be causing toothaches. 6. Fight Foot Fungus Just as peroxide can be used to get rid of foot odor, foot fungus is just as susceptible. Just soak your feet every night for 10–15 minutes before bed. 7. Rid Feet of Odor Soak your feet in a tub with water and H2O2 for 10–15 minutes to get rid of foot odor! This also works with alcohol and vinegar. 8. Dish Cleaning Soak a sponge in a peroxide solution and start scrubbing—the dishes will be disinfected, clean, and clear of harsh chemicals found in many dish soaps. 9. Clean Fruits & Vegetables for Cooking Spray your vegetables with a 3–6% solution and let them sit for about 3 minutes. Rinse them off with water really well and get cooking! 10. Clean Kitchen Sponges Sponges in the kitchen are often very dirty, smelly, and full of bacteria. Soak your sponges in a hydrogen peroxide solution to clean them and make them last much longer. 11. Household Cleaner Hydrogen peroxide can be used to disinfect household surfaces and works just as well as, if not better than, most name-brand cleaners. Note: If you want to use a spray bottle, either fill up the bottle right before use or use a darkened spray bottle because the hydrogen peroxide will change to water and oxygen when exposed to sunlight (that's why it comes in dark plastic containers at your local pharmacy). 12. Glass Cleaner Using peroxide to clean your windows and mirrors won't leave any streaks and is just as effective as brand-name glass cleaners. 13. Bleach for Clothes Although you can buy bleach from many retail stores, hydrogen peroxide is a cheap alternative that works just as well. Just soak the clothes in a diluted solution, or for small stains, just dab a small amount on the clothing item and let it sit for a minute or two. 14. Plant Fertilizer Spray on the plants or in the soil to help fertilize the plants. It works by oxidizing the roots and leaves as well as the nutrients in the soil. 15. Clean Toilet Bowls Spray or pour peroxide into the toilet and let it sit for 15-20 minutes, then scrub clean. This will whiten the toilet as well as disinfect it and clean off any grime. 16. Disinfect Kids' Toys Hydrogen peroxide is much safer to use around babies and kids—use it to disinfect their toys and play areas to keep them and yourself healthy and virus free. 17. Clean Tile Grout Tile grout often turns brown from the collection of dirt. Spray or pour some peroxide on the grout and let it sit for a few minutes, then scrub it off to reveal whitened and cleaned tile grout. 18. Wash Your Floor Wash and disenfect your floor! Especially great with left over animal smell, people will never know that you have animals. Put 1/4 HP to 2 gallons of hot water and get cleaning. Previous Next

I hope you and your little ones enjoy this homemade chicken nugget recipe!. < Back Homemade Chicken Nuggets (dinosaur Shapes) Prep Time: 45 Minutes Cook Time: 35 Minutes Serves: 10 (depending on shape/thickness) Level: Beginner About the Recipe I hope you and your little ones enjoy this homemade chicken nugget recipe!. Ingredients 1/2 pound ground chicken 1 cup Italian breadcrumbs 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese 2 tablespoons butter (melted) 1 egg salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder (season to taste) Preparation In a large mixing bowl, combine ground chicken, egg, parmesan cheese, seasonings, and 1/2 cup of Italian breadcrumbs. In a separate bowl, mix remaining breadcrumbs with melted butter, coating breadcrumbs evenly with butter. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Take small portions of ground chicken mixture and flatten to approximately 1/4-inch thickness (if using cookie cutters for shapes). Place flattened ground chicken on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Use a cookie cutter on the mixture but do not remove it. Repeat steps 4-6 until all mixture/cookie cutters have been used. Place a baking sheet lined with nuggets and cookie cutters in the freezer for 30 minutes or until slightly firm. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Remove excess mixture from around cookie cutters. Save for later or discard. Remove cookie cutters from nuggets. They should now be firm enough to handle and hold shape. Coat each nugget in buttered breadcrumbs and place on a nonstick, oven-safe wire rack and rimmed baking sheet. Bake nuggets for 30-35 minutes or—depending on thickness—until chicken is thoroughly cooked. Let cool and serve with dipping sauce. Previous Next

Have you ever been left wondering what they meant for you to do after reading a recipe? Now you know. < Back Explanation of Cooking Terms Have you ever been left wondering what they meant for you to do after reading a recipe? Now you know. A Baking Sheet is a thin oblong sheet of metal approximately 12” by 15”. A Pour Batter contains 1 part flour to 1 part liquid. A Soft Drop Batter contains approximately 1 1/3 to 2 parts flour to 1 part liquid. A Medium Batter contains 3 parts flour to 1 part liquid. A Stiff Drop Batter contains approximately 4 parts flour to 1 part liquid. A Soft or Roll Dough is one which is just stiff enough to be rolled on a lightly floured board. Thoroughly chilling a soft dough makes it possible to handle it with a minimum use of flour on the board. A Stiff Dough is one which is just stiff enough to be kneaded without sticking to a lightly floured board. Grating is finely dividing food by rubbing it over a metal surface having sharp projections. Grinding is finely dividing food by running it through a food chopper. Select the knife best adapted to the food and the purpose for which it is to be used. Blanching is cooking in boiling water from 3 to 5 minutes to whiten, to loosen skins, or to cause food to shrink in volume. Chilling is reducing rapidly the temperature of a food or beverage. Chopping is finely dividing food into small, irregular pieces. Cubing or Dicing is cutting food by means of scissors or a sharp knife into small pieces of approximately the same width, length, and thickness. Lightly Flouring is covering a bread board, or other surface, with a thin coating of flour. Mashing is crushing food until its original form is entirely lost. Mincing is finely dividing food with a sharp knife or scissors. Searing is exposing food to a very high temperature until the outer surface is cooked. Shredding is cutting food into long thin strips, with the scissors, sharp knife, or other equipment especially designed for the purpose Slicing is cutting food into broad, thin pieces. Slightly Oiling is covering a baking sheet, or other surface, with a thin film of any melted cooking fat or oil. Well Oiling is thoroughly covering a surface with any melted cooking fat or oil. Beating is a rapid over and over motion with a spoon, or other like equipment, through a mixture for the purpose of removing lumps and incorporating air. Folding is introducing one ingredient into another ingredient or mixture by a slow motion with a spoon or spatula. The movement is made down through the mixture, then up and over for the purpose of preventing air, which has been incorporated into one of the ingredients, from escaping. Whipping is rapid beating with a utensil such as an eggbeater or wire whisk, for the purpose of incorporating a large volume of air into the food whipped. Marinating is allowing food to stand in French dressing (or other favorite mixture) until well-seasoned. Stirring or Blending is a circular motion used to combine ingredients to prevent formation of lumps, and to keep food from sticking while cooking. Egging and Crumbing is dipping molded food into beaten egg, then rolling in fine crumbs and again dipping in egg. This forms a coating which hardens immediately when the food is immersed in deep, hot, fat thus aiding in preventing absorption of the cooking fat. Power in Numbers Programs Locations Volunteers Project Gallery Previous Next

Canning ham is NOT difficult in any way and when done correctly, it is completely safe. It absolutely requires you to use a pressure canner. Read that again. You must use a pressure canner. If this is your first time using a pressure canner, you may want to check out my detailed instructions here. < Back Canning leftover ham and broth Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cook Time: 75 Minutes - 90 Minutes Serves: 6 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Canning ham is NOT difficult in any way and when done correctly, it is completely safe. It absolutely requires you to use a pressure canner. Read that again. You must use a pressure canner. If this is your first time using a pressure canner, you may want to check out my detailed instructions here. Ingredients Ham broth Preparation The first thing we want to do is cut all the ham off the bone. I cut mine into fairly larger chunks, so it didn’t fall apart during the canning process. You can also freeze the bone for some ham and bean soup in your future. Set your ham aside while you get everything else ready. Once I had all the ham chunked up it was time to start filling the jars. Fill your hot sterilized jars with the cut meat. I packed it in really well, getting as much as I could in there while still leaving 1″ headroom. If you aren’t sure how to keep your jars hot, you can always run them through a cycle in the dishwasher. That’s normally what I do when I know I’m going to be canning that day. Next you need to add liquid in with your ham. You can either pour boiling water over the meat or, if you’re as lucky as I was, your Mama saved you all the ham broth! I brought the broth to a boil on my stove and ladeled it over top of the ham, again leaving a 1 inch head space. I had enough of that precious broth left to do a quart of it as well. That broth will be a nice addition to my ham and beans that I make with that fabulous ham bone! Make sure you wipe the rims of your jars before putting your hot lids and rings on them. I wiped the jar rims with a cloth with a little vinegar to help remove any of the greasy residue. Now it’s time to process! Place the jars into the canner base making sure that there is space between them. Make sure you remember to add your hot water in your canner. Check your manual to see what your canner calls for, my canner requires 3 quarts of water. Put your lid in place. I highly suggest setting a timer so you know when the specified time is up. Processing times are: 75 minutes at 11 lbs for pint jars 90 minutes at 11 lbs for quart jars Make sure to read your manual as additional pressure is needed for high altitude, over 2000 feet. When your timer goes off, turn the stove off. Actually, turn the stove off and walk away. Go take a much deserved seat for a while. You HAVE to leave the lid on and allow the pressure canner to return to normal pressure. I just let mine sit for quite a while. Once the pressure is down to normal you can remove the lid and take your jars out. I use the jar lifter to remove them. And I always set them on a kitchen towel then cover them with another towel. I don’t want them to cool down too quickly. Besides the benefit of stocking up on ham when it is very cheap, having canned ham and stock on the shelf is a HUGE convenience. I can grab a can and have my ham pot pie halfway done, all I need to add is some potatoes and pot pie dough. Previous Next

< Back The BEST Lemonade Recipe In The World Really delicious! If you are really nice, when you take the lemonade over, your neighbor might share some strawberries or raspberries to crush up and put in the lemonade – YUM Previous Next

Tinctures are a convenient way to take your herbal medicines. They’re ready to use, just pop a few drops into your mouth or a glass of water and you’re done. The problem is…tinctures are expensive. < Back Echinacea Tincture Prep Time: Cook Time: N/A Serves: Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients “May vary” Goldenseal Yarrow Linden Chamomile Elderflower Elderberry Rose Hips Oregon Grape Ginger Cayenne Preparation BENEFITS OF ECHINACEA TINCTURE Echinacea Angustifolia tincture is widely known for promoting a healthy immune response. There are dozens if not hundreds of studies to back this up, bosting some pretty impressive stats. Researchers are the University of Connecticut found that taking echinacea cuts the chances of catching a cold by 58%, and if you do get sick, echinacea can reduce the average duration of sickness by almost a day and a half. Its general purpose infection-fighting powers are showing promise in the treatment of a number of infectious diseases, including herpes, malaria, syphilis and urinary tract infections. Echinacea was used by Native Americans as a natural all-purpose pain reliever, to treat everything from headaches to snake bites. Other studies show that echinacea is a potent anti-inflammatory, which may contribute to the treatment of numerous conditions. ECHINACEA TINCTURE DOSAGE How much echinacea tincture do you take? Recommendations vary widely. Most herbalists recommend taking a dropper full, which is 25 to 30 drops of tincture, three times per day. Herbalist Susan Weed, the Author of the best-selling Wise Woman Herbal , recommends a more specific dosage based on weight. She prescribes 1 drop for every 2 pounds of body weight. For most children, that amounts to no more than a dropper full, and she admits that she often rounds to a full dropper full for children 25 to 50 pounds. For adults and older children, she suggests an echinacea tincture dosage as follows: 50 to 100 pounds: 2 droppers full 100 to 150 pounds: 3 droppers full 150 to 200 pounds: 4 droppers full 200 to 250 pounds: 5 droppers full When sick or experiencing acute symptoms, the full dosage can be administered every 1 to 2 hours. If you catch it before you’re really sick, every 3 to 4 hours should be sufficient. Nonetheless, for an average 150-pound adult, that’s a lot of echinacea tincture over the course of 2 to 3 days. After that, she suggests tapering off to more occasional doses for a week or two to strengthen your immune system and prevent a relapse. With those tincture dosage recommendations, how much echinacea tincture do you need to fight off a cold? A dropper full is roughly 25 to 30 drops, and there are just under 100 drops to a teaspoon or around 600 drops to an ounce. If you’re taking 3 to 4 droppers full, or roughly a teaspoon, every one to two hours, that’s a full one-ounce bottle in 6 to 12 hours. ECHINACEA TINCTURE BLENDS One of the benefits of making your own echinacea tincture is that you can create your own custom blend. We tend to make an echinacea and elderberry tincture blend, because they have complementary effects, but also because elderberries help mask the harsh flavor of echinacea. That means the medicine goes down easier, so we’re more likely to actually take it. Other common echinacea tincture blends include: Goldenseal Yarrow Linden Chamomile Elderflower Elderberry Rose Hips Oregon Grape Ginger Cayenne ECHINACEA TINCTURE SIDE EFFECTS WebMD rates echinacea as “likely safe” for most applications. With any medicine, there’s always the potential for an allergic reaction, but such reactions are rare. The main caution is for persons with autoimmune issues. Since echinacea interacts with the immune system and can stimulate a response, it could cause issues if you already have an abnormally functioning immune system. Specifically, if you have an overactive immune system this could make things worse. HOW TO MAKE AN ECHINACEA TINCTURE The most simple way to make an echinacea tincture is to use the folk herbalist method. Start with a clean mason jar, and fill it about halfway with dried echinacea. If you have fresh plant material, fill the jar 2/3 of the way full. Echinacea is easy to grow from seed, but it shouldn’t be harvested for the first 3 years as it establishes. We often buy bulk echinacea online. A pound of dried herb sells for about $20 and is enough to make about a gallon of tincture. We tend to make part of it into a tincture and save the rest for tea. Once you’ve added the herb to a mason jar, simply cover it with alcohol. Add a neutral spirit with around 40% alcohol (80 proof). Vodka is a good choice, but really any alcohol will work. Some people suggest using straight grain alcohol that’s near 100%, but that’s actually not a good idea. The super high alcohol content isn’t actually the best way to extract herbal medicines unless you’re dealing with a particularly resilient resin. For simple herbal leaves, flowers and roots stick to around 40% alcohol for best results. I like to use a mid-shelf vodka because it makes the resulting tincture more palatable. If you choose the cheapest liquor money can buy, remember that you’re going to have to drink it. A better suggestion is to choose the cheapest liquor you’d actually voluntarily drink. Fill the jar to within a half-inch of the top, making sure that you completely submerge all the herbal material. Put a lid on the jar and give it a quick shake. Store the jar in a cool dark place for at least a month, shaking anytime you remember. After 1 to 3 months of infusing, it’s time to filter the echinacea tincture. Use a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth to filter the herbal material from the alcohol. You should be left with a dark, amber-colored liquid with a strong earthy smell. Echinacea tincture has a bit of harshness to it, so it’s best to take it mixed with water or juice. Store your echinacea tincture out of direct sunlight, preferably in amber-colored glass bottles. Amber-colored tincture bottles are reusable and convenient for dosing. You can buy a dozen 2-ounce amber bottles for less than the cost of a single 1 ounce prepared echinacea tincture. They’re also small enough that they can be taken on a trip and even in carry-on plane baggage. I tend to get sick most when I’m traveling, so having a portable immune booster is a big plus. What do you think? Are you ready to try making your own echinacea tincture? Previous Next

Blackberry jam was a pioneer woman's go-to when it came to curing diarrhrea problems for her family. So instead of running to the cupboard for an OTC fix, grab the blackberry jam and slather it on some toast - or just eat it by the spoonful! Problem solved! < Back Blackberry Jam (with or w/o Pectin) Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 25-30 minutes Serves: 2+ pints Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients 5 cups freshly washed blackberries (or parts by weight) 1 cup white granulated sugar* (or parts by weight) 1 tablespoon lemon juice Pectin (optional, but gels faster – follow directions on package) Preparation Crush blackberries in a large pot. A potato masher works well. Add sugar and lemon juice, turn heat to medium low, and simmer until jam starts to gel.** Make sure to stir consistently to keep the foaming and bubbles down.*** Pour into pint jars and refrigerate or water bath for longer storage.**** Blackberries are naturally high in pectin, but it takes longer to cook it down enough that it gels correctly. If it doesn’t gel, it wasn’t cooked long enough, then you have syrup. Blackberry syrup? Not a bad thing! *This is a very berry tasting jam, not high in sugar and takes longer to cook for a good gel. A standard full sugar blackberry jam is equal parts blackberries to equal part sugar (5:5). The more the sugar, the higher the yield and faster it will gel (try 5:4, 5:3, 5:2 - find your preference). **You can test the gel by putting a small amount on a pre-cooled saucer and cooling it in the fridge to test the consistency (remove from heat while testing). If after a few minutes it is the consistency you prefer, it is done. If it is still liquid, you need to cook it longer. Undercooking will make syrup. Although still yummy and useful, it isn’t jam. ***Some people like to use butter to help reduce the foaming but remember, anything with oil can eventually go rancid. National Center for Food Preservation notes, “Adding 1/2 teaspoon of butter or margarine with the juice and pectin will reduce foaming. However, these may cause off-flavor in long-term storage of jellies and jam." ****To water bath, fill pint jars with1/2 inch headspace, wipe the rims and put on lid seals, and water bath for 10 minutes. Don’t disturb jars for at least 48 hours to help with the gelling process. Makes 2+ pints of jam (depending on how much sugar you use). Note: If any of your bottled jam goes to “sugar,” you can always warm it up in a pan on the stove and make it delicious and useable again. Previous Next