September 5, 2010

Using Apples

Many people use apples to make apple pie filling and throw out their apple cores and peelings.  Those "left overs" can be used to make great tasting apple jelly.  And the best part is . . . no pectin needed!  Apple seeds and skins contain natural pectin.  The more sour an apple, the stronger the pectin.  Here is a great apple jelly recipe:
You need 4 pounds of apple peelings, including cores with seeds.  (Or you can coarsely chop up whole fruit, or a combination of whole fruit and peels.)  Cut off and throw away the blossom end with small black hair-like pieces and the stems. 
Place 2 lids in a shallow pot of water on medium low heat on the stove.  Also place two pint jars upside down in a cake pan into your oven which has been preheated to 200 degrees.
Put the four pounds of apples into a pot, add  4 cups of water and cover, simmering fruit until soft.  
Next, strain entire contents of the pot through a damp jelly bag or several layers of cheesecloth to extract the juice. Throw away any leftover chunks of apple.
Measure 4 cups of juice and add 3 cups of sugar and 2 Tbsp lemon juice in a large pot.  Stir in sugar until  dissolved.
Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly.  Bring to gelling point or until jelly sheets from spoon.  Remove from heat.  Skim foam if necessary.  Ladle hot jelly into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space.
Put lids and rings on jars and process jars in a water bath for 10 minutes.
Makes 2 pints
 * Sheeting refers to the jelly falling off the spoon as a whole instead of dripping or running off.

For those of you who like to dry your apples here are some tasty alternatives:
* A dehydrator is not necessary.  You can dry apples in your own oven by leaving it on warm for 5-6 hours.
* After coring, peeling and slicing your apples dip them into sugar free jello before drying. Or, try this recipe to dip apple slices into before drying:
1 - 6oz can of lemonade
1 can water
6 Tbsp of corn syrup, we use Karo
Soak the cut fruit in the lemonade mix for 15-20 min.  Dehydrate fruit in the dehydrator as usual. 

~Submitted by Liz Fuller

September 3, 2010

The Wonders of Vinegar (I Love This Stuff !!!)

Vinegar is awesome!!! We use white distilled vinegar almost everyday in one application or another.
*It can be used to clear up fungal infections as a topical anti-fungal solution. Simply put it directly on the affected area, soak affected parts in vinegar or apply to a rag and wipe down.
*It can be used to alleviate pain and speed healing of a sunburn by balancing the body's pH. After a shower apply cold vinegar lightly with a spray bottle. Both of the above applications may burn slightly, but they work great.
*For bug bites/stings (scorpion, ant, spider, bee, etc...) soak the affected area with vinegar for 10 minutes then rinse for 30-40 minutes. The Vinegar breaks down the venom and helps prevent anaphylaxis. If this treatment causes significantly greater pain stop and seek medical help immediately. To help stop the itching and burning you can also make a paste of baking soda and apply it to the area.
*Vinegar can be mixed with ammonia 1:1 to make a fabulous hard surface cleaner but don't use it on paint or carpet, its powerful stuff. Works great on glass! When in doubt, test a small area first.
*We use warm vinegar to remove hard water stains and calcium buildup, if you soak the item for a while it works better.
*Also we mix vinegar with essential oils and water to make a fantastic cleaning product. You can mix vinegar with any essential oil (whatever fragrance you like) and use it as an air freshener in your home.
*In order to keep our dishwasher fresh we put 1C of vinegar in it every month.
*We mix 1 cup with our laundry's rinse cycle and it dissolves all the soap solids in our clothes left over by the laundry detergent. This is especially useful when washing baby clothes because it removes harsh chemicals and makes the clothing less irritating. Vinegar also removes the body oils that cause workout clothes to stink and helps get rid of pit stains.
*When used in your washer it also keeps your blue jeans blue by helping to "set" the indigo dye.
* To set dyes in hand spun threads and fabrics add 1C to the last rinse.
*We add a cup to our mop water to help dissolve the grease and grottyness left on the floor by two small children.
*It can also be used as an herbicide for your garden because it doesn't get absorbed by plant roots it will kill top growth but won't harm perennials.
*To inhibit frost formation on your windshield mix one part water with three parts vinegar and apply the night before an expected frost.
Best of all, it has a four year shelf life and is dirt cheap.

~  Submitted by Casey