Homestead How-To Series

This is a GREAT series that might be of interest to those of you who home school or who want to learn more about any of these particular topics - and through this week only the 10 CD set is only $99.

I just received an email about this through my home school group - this list of CDs was on my wishlist for my anniversary and I just ordered them!

Thought I'd share the sale info for anyone else who might be interested.

Link:

http://franklinsprings.com/allfilms/...st-ladies.html

Series includes:

The Art of Bread Making
The Art of Candle Making
The Art of Soap Making
The Art of Canning
The Art of Gardening
The Art of Herbs
The Art of Cooking
The Art of Dairy
The Art of Sewing
The Art of Quilting

You can also buy the series in individual CDs or in smaller sets.

For more info about the series, you can see a YouTube video here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPMl2jyMM5E


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Cast Iron Cookware Care

I really love to cook with my cast iron cookware. My favorite skillet is one that belonged to my grandmother - it is so seasoned that it cooks like you wouldn't believe and nothing sticks to it! Here is some information that I've learned along the way about caring for cast iron.

• Cast iron is very cost effective. It is so durable that it will last a lifetime or longer with proper care. It is an excellent heat conductor - can go from stove top to oven - it is very versatile. It isn't used by as many people today mainly because it is heavy and a lot of people don't know how to properly season it.


• Seasoning cast iron is done so the pan will become non-stick and to seal the pores so there will be no odor retention. Here's how you do it:

1. Lightly oil the pan with vegetable oil. If it has a lid, oil it as well.
2. Place the pan (and lid) in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour.
3. Make sure the pan is placed in upside down - this is essential or the oil will bake in the pan and leave a sticky residue.
4. It might take 2-3 times of doing this before it is seasoned well for the first use.

• If you store your cast iron with paper towels between the pans, the towels will absorb any moisture and prevent rusting.
• If the pan has been seasoned improperly and is already sticky, you can remove this residue with LOTS of elbow grease using steel wool with no detergent and hot water. After it is clean, re-season it.
• If there is rust, you must scrub it and then re-season it. For severe rust, you can put the pan in your oven on the self-cleaning setting, then wash the pan and re-season it.
• I rarely wash my cast iron skillets with detergent, just a rinse and wipe dry seems to keep them clean and rust free.
• If you cook anything with a tomato or very acid sauce in your cast iron, you might need to re-season it.

If you've never cooked with cast iron, I really encourage you to give it a try! We haven't used non-stick cookware in our house for years - I rely solely on my cast iron and my stainless steel cookware that has copper bottoms.

Making Jam with Less Sugar

Thought I'd share this info about a pectin product that is available that will allow you to make your jams and jellies with far less sugar than usual; you can even use sugar substitutes or no sugar at all.

It's called Pomona's Universal Pectin and you can get it at Canning Pantry. A 1 ounce package will allow you to make 2-4 recipes using 4-6 cups of fruit per recipe.

It uses the peel and pulp of lemons, limes and grapefruits as the pectin source in combination with monocalcium phosphate to help your jams/jellies set. You can read more at the links above.

I'll be making some strawberry jam using some the first of next week - the strawberry jam a friend of mine made using this pectin was absolutely delicious - you could taste the strawberries without being overwhelmed by sugar!

Thought this might be helpful since the prices of sugar are supposed to increase; also because it will help you perhaps not have to store quite as much sugar. The Pomona's Pectin is supposed to have an indefinite shelf life.

Home Canning Basics

We've been home canning on an annual basis for well over ten years now - I usually put up about a dozen cases of jars each summer. I remember learning how to can with my grandmother when I was a little girl.

If you are working hard this year on your first garden, you have probably at some point thought about ways to preserve your delicious fruits and veggies so you can enjoy them all year long.

Don't worry, home canning is really not very difficult and it is very rewarding to open that delicious jar of peach preserves or corn relish during the winter months to savor a taste of the summer garden again.

To get started, I recommend that you get a copy of the Ball Blue Book of Preserving - I have several different editions - and have never had a recipe fail.

The book goes through the basics of home canning equipment and terminology, discusses high and low acid food preserving, freezing and dehydrating. If you can only purchase one book to learn how to can, this is the one I'd recommend.

Most of the equipment you need for home canning can be picked up at fairly reasonable prices, but don't wait until the last minute or you might not get everything you need.

The search for canning jars is to a home canner what searching for fabric is to a quilter! I search garage sales, thrift stores, Freecycle and Craigslist for canning jars. They are getting difficult to find at these places in my area though.

When I have to buy new jars, I first check Big Lots or Fred's, as they have the best prices I've found in my area on new jars. I leave the big box stores and grocery stores for last, as they tend to be the most expensive places to purchase jars.

If you want a hands-on class in home canning, check with your local extension office to see if they offer one.

Whatever you do, don't let the fear of the unknown keep you from trying your hand a preserving your harvest - you'll be glad you took the step!