Category: D I Y

Starting My Pressure Canning Journey

2/24/2023

Recently I bought the Instant Pot Max - I have been saving for it for quite some time. I am over-the-moon excited about it! About a week or so ago I decided to give it it's maiden-voyage and can some pinto beans. You can only can 4 pints at a time. But you know what? That's ok with me! Especially since I am just starting out on this pressure canning journey. 1/4 cup of rinsed (but dry) pinto beans, 1/2 tsp garlic salt, and water. 75 mins of pressure canning, and then natural release which takes about an hour. All in all I was ecstatic with the results! So right before bed I decided "Hey, I can put in 4 more pints!" And that's exactly what I did. Then a couple of days later I tried navy beans - which I did 3/4 cup of rinsed (but dry) beans, 1/2 tsp garlic salt, and water. 75 mins of pressure canning and Voila! 4 more pints of beans for the pantry shelves.

To say I am hooked is an understatement. Yesterday I decided I was going to take the leap and do 'raw pack pork'. That was a little more labor intensive since it was a bone-in pork shoulder that I got on sale and there was a lot of fat to remove. I stuffed those little pint jars as much as I could (leaving an inch head space), wiped the rims with vinegar and put on the lids. Set the timer and away they went. About an hour later I came up from the basement (I was working at the time) and noticed my IP Max flashing ALT at me - I was devastated! Did it get to temp? When did it error out? Aaagghh!!

I gathered my wits and researched what to do. Once I reset the canner I found that you can can cooked meat at the same temp & time. So that's what I did. I double checked everything and started over with the pint jars I had in their already. This time I came upstairs every half hour to check it's progress to make sure I didn't ALT again. And thankfully it went through it's entire process and natural released at the end. All four pints sealed and were ready for their resting time.

To say pressure canning is stressful is truthful. Yeah, I know I am "cheating" but that's what I can handle at this moment in life and I am ok with that. I will just keep pluggin along 4 pints at a time. :)

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Uses for Salt

7/26/2022

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Recently we bought a large bags of iodized salt, Epsom salt, and kosher salt to keep in our pantry. So for my reference, and now yours, here are some great uses for salt. Oh, and make sure to use the correct type of salt for each use. The majority of the uses are using regular salt (which is iodized salt), some point out that Epsom salt are used instead. This is very important especially in the garden & yard area.

KITCHEN

Put out a grease fire - A bucket of water is not necessarily the first thing you should grab in a fire; if you are dealing with a grease fire, water can actually cause the flames to spread. Instead, douse them in salt or baking soda, or quickly cover with a metal lid instead, per Food Network.
Test for rotten eggs - Not sure about that weeks-old egg carton sitting in the back of the fridge? Place an egg in a bowl of saltwater. If it sinks, your batch is fresh. An egg that is rotten, on the other hand, will float.
Clean up a dropped egg - You may not cry over spilled milk, but a sticky, broken egg on the floor might be worthy of a few tears. Shake some salt over the mess and leave it alone for 20 minutes. When you come back to it, you’ll be able to clean the egg right up—no scrubbing required.
Lift food scraps from pots and pans - If your pots and pans are dotted with stubborn food stains, leave them to soak in salt water overnight. The salt will soften and lift almost any kind of residue, making those dishes much easier to clean in the morning.
Clean up grease stains - To say goodbye to grungy grease stains on your carpets and couches mix one part salt to four parts rubbing alcohol and vigorously rub it into the area. In the case of carpets, rub in the direction of its natural nap. The stain should fade away easily.
Remove rust - Rusty knives make kitchen prep scary. Fear not: you can clean rust stains from knives with just 6 tablespoons of salt and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Combine the two ingredients to create a paste and carefully rub it onto the rusted area using a soft, dry cloth. Rinse well then dry, and your knives will look good as new.

GARDEN & YARD

Give your lawn a boost - Perhaps the grass on your lawn has seen better (read: greener) days. For an inexpensive fertilizer, mix two tablespoons of Epsom salt and a gallon of water in a spray bottle, and apply it to the grass. Epsom salt contains magnesium, which boosts a plant’s production of chlorophyll—the pigment responsible for their green hue.
Protect your garden from pests - While chemical-filled pesticides can protect your garden from snails and slugs, they also pose a danger to animals and young children. For an all-natural repellent, roll the seeds in table salt before covering them with dirt. The pests will steer clear long enough to give your seedlings a fighting chance.
Ward off fleas - Like snails and slugs, fleas are not fans of salt. If your pup is scratching up a storm, bathe them in a salty solution instead of water and soap. And it can’t hurt to wash the doghouse or pet bedding with saltwater, too. Salt will dehydrate the pests, protecting your four-legged friend from itchy bites.
Kill weeds in cement cracks - Cracks in cement allow just enough space for pesky, unattractive grass or weeds to grow—and they are tough to treat with an average weed-whacker. Try sprinkling salt and pouring hot water over the area, instead. The weeds will shrivel, leaving behind a spotless sidewalk or driveway.

HEALTH & BEAUTY

Relieve bee stings - If you get stung by a bee, salt is a natural salve. Immediately wet the sting and cover with salt to lessen the pain and reduce swelling.
Disinfect piercings - To speed up the healing process and prevent infections, soak new body piercing jewelry in salt water. Just be sure to use the correct ratio: The Piercing Bible recommends ¼ teaspoon of non-iodized salt for each cup of warm water. You can get too much of a good thing; water with high salt content can irritate your skin, according to the site.
Use as a natural mouthwash - Store-bought mouthwash can contain toxic chemicals and other artificial ingredients. The all-natural alternative? Salt. Stir 1 teaspoon of cooking salt with 1 teaspoon of baking soda into half a cup of water, then gargle the mixture. The salt behaves like a disinfectant, killing off bacteria that causes bad breath.
Treat puffy eyes - Eating too much salt can make you puffy, so it may seem counterintuitive that applying salt can be a remedy to swollen eyelids. Pour ½ teaspoon of salt into a cup of hot water and stir well, then soak a few cotton balls in the mixture and press them gently against your eyes. Voila!—puffiness problem solved.
Relieve a sore throat - The next time you wake up that telltale tickle, mix some table salt in a glass of warm water and gargle for 30 seconds to ease the pain. It’s not just an old wives’ tale—salt can actually flush out mucus and other irritants that cause a sore throat.
Soothe poison ivy rashes - When poison ivy erupts, salt to the rescue! Relieve the itch caused by poison ivy by soaking in a hot salt water bath.
Make a DIY face scrub - This homemade face mask requires just two pantry staples: salt and olive oil. Make a paste using 1/4 cup of salt and ½ cup of olive oil, and gently apply it to your skin in a circular motion. Leave the mask in place for five minutes before washing it off. The moisturizing olive oil and exfoliating salt will leave your face, hands, and even lips feeling soft and refreshed.
Soothe sunburns - Relieve a painful sunburn by spraying an Epsom salt and water mixture to the burnt area. The salt won’t heal the burn, but it will ease irritation and redness.
Strengthen your nails - No time to hit the nail salon? No problem. At home, mix one teaspoon each of salt, baking soda, and lemon juice in 1/2 cup of hot water, and soak your fingertips in the mixture for 10 minutes. Then, scrub your nails to rinse them off. The treatment will soften your cuticles and strengthen your nails. Bonus: Dig your nails into the rind of the lemon, and your nails will look brighter and healthier too.
Whiten your teeth - There are foods that whiten your teeth, and those that stain them. But brushing your teeth with salt once a week can brighten up your smile. Yes, really! Salt is a gentle and all-natural abrasive, helping to remove stains on your teeth.
Extend the life of your toothbrush - The bristles on your toothbrush can last a lot longer with one simple trick. Place a new brush inside a small bowl or cup of hot water and salt—making sure the bristles are fully submerged—and allow it to soak for 10 to 15 minutes. Rinse well with clean water, and your toothbrush is good for another few months. Experts advise replacing your toothbrush every six months.
Scrub away dandruff - When salt can be an effective treatment for dandruff, why bust your budget on expensive shampoo? Simply sprinkle some salt into your scalp, massage your head for five minutes, rinse, then shampoo as usual. The salt will exfoliate the dry skin on your scalp, and your hair will be squeaky clean after you shampoo.
Relieve bug bites - For relief from the itching of mosquito and chigger bites, soak the area in salt water, then apply a coating of lard or vegetable oil.

FOOD & DRINK

Make coffee taste less bitter - Move over, sugary lattes. If you drink your coffee unsweetened but prefer a less bitter brew, try tossing a pinch of salt into your mug. The seasoning contains sodium ions that neutralize or cancel out coffee’s bitter taste, research has found.
Keep cheese from molding - Salt’s dehydrating powers can actually help slow the growth of mold on cheese. To reduce food waste (and save money on groceries), dip a paper towel in a mixture of 2 Tbsp. salt and 3 cups of water, and then wrap it loosely around your cheese before refrigerating.
Chill beverages fast - Warm soda, beer, and wine can spell disaster for any party host. But if you have salt on hand, chilling those beverages won’t take long. Place the bottles and cans in a bucket of ice water and mix in a handful of salt. Once the salt works its magic, the beverages will be cold in no time.
Test for rotten eggs - Not sure about that weeks-old egg carton sitting in the back of the fridge? Place an egg in a bowl of saltwater. If it sinks, your batch is fresh. An egg that is rotten, on the other hand, will float.
Prevent sliced fruit from turning brown - Keep slices of fresh fruit looking, well, fresh by dipping them in a salt solution—1/8 teaspoon of salt and one cup of water—for a few minutes. Don’t forget to give them a quick rinse in fresh water, or you will be chomping down on salty fruit. The same trick works for potatoes and pears too, according to TODAY.

CLEANING

Remove wine stains from carpet - When it comes to red wine spills, it pays to act fast. First, while the stain is still wet, pour some white wine on it to dilute the color of the stain. Then dab the spot with a sponge and cold water. Next, sprinkle the area with salt, wait about 10 minutes, and vacuum up the whole mess.
Remove coffee and tea stains from mugs - A bit of salt can make mugs and china cups sparkle like new again; just give each piece a quick scrub with salt and then rinse them in hot water.
Clean your fridge - You should clean your fridge every three to six months to keep it looking (and smelling) good, but elbow grease alone doesn’t always do the trick. To lift stubborn food stains and smells, scrub the shelves with 1/2 cup of salt mixed with two liters of warm water.
Freshen up a dirty broom - An old-fashioned broom can still be a homeowner’s best friend—But a broom’s bristles can be magnets for dirt and dust. Soaking them in a bucket of hot salty water for 30 minutes will loosen up the grime. Then just wipe them off with an old cloth and leave to dry.
Sanitize wood cutting boards - Wood boards can be sanitized using salt, rubbed in with a lemon wedge, then rinsed clean.
Revive faded linens - Did your favorite shirt fade in the wash? Try this: Dip a washcloth in a strong saltwater solution, wring it out, and rub the garment. Doing so should brighten its colors. This works for faded rugs and curtains, too. If your clothes are consistently fading, it could be a sign you’re using too much laundry detergent.
Stop soap spillage - No need to panic over an overflowing washing machine or dishwasher. Stop the suds from spreading by sprinkling salt over the mess until you can grab some extra towels.
Remove watermarks from wood - Glasses or bottles can leave watermarks on wood that really stand out. Make them disappear by mixing 1 teaspoon salt with a few drops of water to form a paste. Gently rub the paste onto the ring with a soft cloth or sponge and work it over the spot until it’s gone. Then, restore the luster of your wood with furniture polish.
Restore a sponge - Hand and mop sponges usually get grungy long before they are actually worn out. To revive your sponges to a pristine state, soak them overnight in a solution of about 1/4 cup salt per liter of water. Try these 95 household uses for vinegar you never knew about, too.
Deodorize your sneakers - Sneakers and other canvas shoes can get pretty smelly, especially if you wear them without socks in the summertime. Knock out the odor and soak up the moisture by occasionally sprinkling a little salt in your canvas shoes.
Brighten sweat-stained clothes - Believe it or not, that white undershirt with yellow persperation stains might not be a lost cause. Sweat-stained garments can be revived by soaking them in a pot of boiling water that’s been seasoned with a few tablespoons of salt and baking soda.
Prevent dye from bleeding - A new item of clothing won’t run in the wash if you soak it in salt water first. Combine ½ gallon of water with 1/3 cup vinegar and ½ cup salt, and then leave your garment in the solution for one hour. Rinse it off until the water runs clear.
Make a cloudy vase sparkle again - Uh, oh—your once-beautiful bouquet has wilted, leaving cloudy deposits of minerals on the vase interior. Reach inside the vase, rub the offending ring of deposits with salt, then wash with soapy water. If your hand won’t fit inside, fill the vase with a strong solution of salt and water, shake it or brush gently with a bottle brush. then wash. This should clear away the residue.
Erase blood stains - Blood stains are notoriously tough to remove from linens. Lifehacker recommends soaking the garment in salt water, followed by a wash in hot, soapy water, but we recommend a cold saltwater soak.
Keep wicker looking new - Wicker furniture tends to yellow with age and exposure to the sun and elements. To keep your wicker natural-looking, scrub it with a stiff brush dipped in warm salt water. Let the piece dry in the sun. Repeat this process every year or every other year for best results.
Remove grass stains - Some laundry products are a waste of money. Before you splurge on pricey stain-lifters, try treating stubborn grass stains with lemon and salt first. Squeeze lemon juice over the stain, sprinkling on a thick layer of salt, and then rub the stain with a lemon rind and watch it fade away.
Ease fireplace cleanup - How do you safely put a fire out? Douse the flames with salt. The fire will burn out more quickly, so you’ll wind up with less soot than if you let it smolder. Cleanup the next day will be easier, too, because the salt helps the ashes and residue gather into easy sweepings.
Clean up a dropped egg - You may not cry over spilled milk, but a sticky, broken egg on the floor might be worthy of a few tears. Shake some salt over the mess and leave it alone for 20 minutes. When you come back to it, you’ll be able to clean the egg right up—no scrubbing required.
Wipe away oven spills - Chefs prize salt as an ingredient that can amp up the taste of almost any dish. Well, it can also be used to fix a home cook’s worst nightmare—oven spills. Covering a spill immediately with salt will not only stop smoke and odors from building, but the mess will also be easier to wipe up after the oven cools. For grime that has already been baked on, using a few dishwashing tabs will do the trick.
Remove lipstick marks from glassware - Glassware with leftover lipstick stains can be a major turn-off for houseguests. To get rid of the marks fast, rub the rims with salt and toss the glasses into the dishwasher. They will shine like new in no time, guaranteed.
Make your own brass and copper polish - When cleaning household items that are silver, take care; there are tricks to polishing silver. To shine your candlesticks or remove green tarnish from copper items, make a paste by mixing equal parts salt, flour, and vinegar. Use a soft cloth to rub this over the item, then rinse with warm, soapy water and buff back to its original shine.
Clean gunk off your iron - Minerals from hard water can accumulate on your iron’s metal plate, and that can translate into stains on your freshly laundered and ironed clothes. To get your iron sparkling clean, turn it on its highest setting, then toss a pinch of table salt onto your ironing board and press the iron over it. This trick should remove any gunk.

MISCELLANEOUS

Create non-drip candles - Nothing distracts from a gorgeous candle display like messy wax drips. To keep them from dripping, create a “shell” around the wax and trap the drips inside by using this saltwater trick. Place your candles in a large, flat dish and soak them in a saltwater solution (2 cups water and 2 Tbsp. salt) for 24 hours, then dry them well. Now when you light the candles, they won’t make such a mess.
Hold artificial flowers in place - Salt is a great medium for keeping artificial flowers in the arrangement you want. Fill a vase or other container with salt, add a little cold water, and arrange your artificial flowers. The salt will solidify, helping the flowers stay put. Not a fan of fake flowers?
Keep clothes from freezing on the line - When it comes to laundry, some things should never go in the dryer. When line-drying the old-fashioned way, try tossing a bit of salt in your next load. The extra blast of sodium will keep your clothes from freezing on the clothesline in cold weather. You can also prevent clothes from sticking to the line by soaking the rope itself in salt.
End the ant parade - Strange, but true: If ants are beating a path to your home, you can intercept them by sprinkling salt across the door frame or directly on their paths. Ants will be discouraged from crossing this barrier.
Refresh artificial flowers - Artificial flowers—whether they are authentic silk ones or the more common nylon variety—can get dusty and fade over time. But you can refresh them by placing them in a paper bag with 1/4 cup salt. Give the bag a few gentle shakes, and your flowers will emerge as clean as the day you bought them.
Unclog a drain - Fixing a clogged drain doesn’t necessarily require a plumber. Try this quick DIY fix: Combine 1 cup of salt with 1 cup of baking soda and 1/2 cup of white vinegar, and then pour it down the drain. Let it sit for 10 minutes before pouring about two liters of boiling water down the drain. Finally, turn on the hot water tap and let it flow; after a few seconds, water should be running freely down the drain.
Keep windows frost-free - You probably know that salt will decrease the temperature at which ice freezes. This doesn’t just come in handy for icy roads and sidewalks, though; it can also keep your home’s windows free of frost. Simply wipe them with a sponge dipped in salt water, and then let them dry.
Clear away chimney soot - When soot builds up in your chimney, shake a generous amount of salt onto the coals after your next fire to boost air circulation, prevent chimney fires, and give flames a yellow glow.
De-fog your windshield - Rub a bag of salt on the windshield and windows of your car each winter. The salt will decrease the temperature at which water freezes, keeping the car windows clear of ice or snow.

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Cheap, Homemade Cream Cheese

6/7/2022

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Lately we've been making our own cream cheese from the shelf stable whole milk we have in the pantry (in case of emergency). This helps us rotate our supply to make sure we always have non-expired cartons. We buy ours at Dollar Tree for $1.25 a quart.

Cost wise (roughly) its $2.50 for 20 ounces of cream cheese.

Now if you are looking for a cream cheese that you would use for cheesecake - I don't know if this would work - I haven't tried using it for that. We use ours for bagels, crackers, dips, spreads, etc.

INGREDIENTS
2 containers of Shelf Stable Whole Milk (1 quart each)
1 Tbsp Buttermilk Powder
Salt to taste
Clean pint jar with lid

DIRECTIONS

Pour milk in a medium size soup pot.
Bring to a low boil on medium to low heat - stirring frequently. You don't want it to burn.
Once it gets to a low boil, reduce heat to simmer and add 3 tablespoons of distilled vinegar (not ACV) - 1 tbsp at a time, stirring for about a minute in between.
Take off heat and let it sit for about 15 minutes. You will notice the milk will start to separate from the whey.
Drain into a very fine mesh cheese cloth or muslin lined colander and let sit for another 15-20 minutes.
Once drained, place in food processor and blend with a little salt (per taste) and a tbsp of buttermilk powder. It will look very runny at this point, don't worry it will set up.
Pour it into a clean pint jar and stick it in the fridge over night. Next day it's set up and ready to use.

P.S. In the picture I used a looser mesh cheesecloth, and I really don't recommend it. It was kind of a pain to get the cheese out, and I ended up losing a little bit. I should have used a finer mesh cheesecloth or better yet unbleached muslin.

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This is a great resource page for gardeners that are just beginning and those that have been doing it a long time.

On the go a lot? Don't have time to always make a wholesome dinner for your family? Check out these recipes to get you ahead of the game.

How to's, ideas, inspiration, books, and so much more for learning how to can and preserve your food.

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