How many diets have we each gone on???
I am not an overweight person and I have been on at least 5.
I have found that when I try these, they are so unattractive that there is no way I could stay on them for any length of time, not to mention the toll they most likely take on my body.
The most beneficial practices I have found are the following:
1. Portion control (I use a small saucer for meals)
2. Avoid sugar
3. Eat foods I am accustomed to (in moderation)
4. Eat very small amounts many times a day (healthy snacks)
5. Eat before I get hungry (healthy snacks)
6. Eat ONLY enough so I am NOT hungry
7. Don't allow myself to ever get hungry
8. Don't ever allow myself to feel full
Saturday, September 17, 2011
BEGINNING A DIET
This is the only plan that has had a favorable, lasting effect when it comes to losing pounds and keeping them off.
This is how I must begin and continue throughout a diet, if I'm going to be successful
1. Set my mind to stick to it until the weight is off (I don't start just prior to Holidays, vacations, or having company)
2. Prepare enough food for at least a week in advance, even if I have to freeze some of it (have plenty small containers available - 1 cup and less)
When I finally make up my mind to go on a diet, the most important thing after setting my mind to it, is preparation... I find that when I launch into (whatever diet)... if I don't have enough of every food I plan to eat for at least a week, I fail... AND.. even while I am just maintaining, I must continuously keep food made up ahead, because if I get hungry, it is too late... the food MUST be ready at any time during the day or evening... no prepping no waiting... or else I'll be eating more of something easy than I had planned, and I am referring to more calories.
3. Weigh and Measure
Also, I must be diligent when it comes to measuring and weighing foods that I prepare and eat; and not just guessing and approximating...
I have a good kitchen scale (a must) that weighs Lb/Oz Kg/gr, has the "tare" feature, as well as liquid oz... the brand is Escali... I purchased it on line (not intended to be an ad for Escali)
This is how I do it --- when I do it right:
• When I cook meat, I weigh it after it is cooked and after removing fat, bone, etc.; I weigh each serving -- it is difficult to measure meat into a cup, etc..
• When I cook mixtures, i.e. stir-fry, soup, casserole, etc., I prepare all the food for the dish I am going to make... as follows:
• Weigh each ingredient - documenting the # of calories per gram (multiply gms x calories of each ingredient or go to:http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/)
• Add up (sums of calories for each ingredient found in previous procedure) all ingredients together to figure how many calories in the whole batch i.e.:
Onions 487 gr = 195
Yellow Squash 599 gr = 96
Zucinni Squash 676 gr = 108
1/3 C Olive Oil = 72
4 TBSP Smart Balance = 189
Total Calories = 660
• Then I cook up the dish
• After it is cooked I measure the whole batch out by the cup (document # of cups; this batch was 8)
• Divide the total number of calories for the whole batch by the number of cups in whole batch (or you could weigh it; I prefer to measure at this point)
660 calories divided by 8 cups = 82.5
The above procedure assists in determining how many calories per measurement (pint, cup, TBSP, etc.)
Calories per cup in this recipe = 82.5
The quota for calories I have allowed myself for the day, divided by the number of times I feel I must eat (every 2 hours), will determine how much of each item I can eat ... maybe only 1/4 cup of whatever... maybe 1/4 cup of the ingredient with 1/2 cup water added (soup)... etc...
4. I keep a log including calories, protein, carbs, fat, cholesterol, sodium, sugar, fiber of each thing I eat daily... this is very helpful in seeing where I need to make changes
After much trial and error, observation, etc... it is my opinion that I must eat at least some of the foods that I am accustomed to; otherwise I start craving my comfort foods, i.e. potatoes, bread, roast pork, rice, cereal, dairy, eggs, etc.. so I just use the above procedure and stick to the above outline... it works.
5. Weigh and document my weight weekly, trying to do it about the same time each week give or take a day/hour... (I also invested in a good quality digital scale) I keep a pen and paper next to my scale... I document the date and weight each time I weigh... then I adjust my calories either up or down which ever way I need to go. I also transfer these numbers to my daily calorie log for future reference.
I will publish other Posts with recipes, tips, etc..
RESOURSES:
http://www.nutrition.com.sg/he/herda-adt.asp
http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/
note pads x 3
spiral note book x 3 (or database program)
scale: Escali (or one comparable)
Amazon.com
New
No tax + Free shipping
$43.50
Overstock.com
New
No tax + Shipping: $2.95
$43.50
Kohl's
New
Tax: $3.00 + Shipping: $6.95
$59.94
This is how I must begin and continue throughout a diet, if I'm going to be successful
1. Set my mind to stick to it until the weight is off (I don't start just prior to Holidays, vacations, or having company)
2. Prepare enough food for at least a week in advance, even if I have to freeze some of it (have plenty small containers available - 1 cup and less)
When I finally make up my mind to go on a diet, the most important thing after setting my mind to it, is preparation... I find that when I launch into (whatever diet)... if I don't have enough of every food I plan to eat for at least a week, I fail... AND.. even while I am just maintaining, I must continuously keep food made up ahead, because if I get hungry, it is too late... the food MUST be ready at any time during the day or evening... no prepping no waiting... or else I'll be eating more of something easy than I had planned, and I am referring to more calories.
3. Weigh and Measure
Also, I must be diligent when it comes to measuring and weighing foods that I prepare and eat; and not just guessing and approximating...
I have a good kitchen scale (a must) that weighs Lb/Oz Kg/gr, has the "tare" feature, as well as liquid oz... the brand is Escali... I purchased it on line (not intended to be an ad for Escali)
This is how I do it --- when I do it right:
• When I cook meat, I weigh it after it is cooked and after removing fat, bone, etc.; I weigh each serving -- it is difficult to measure meat into a cup, etc..
• When I cook mixtures, i.e. stir-fry, soup, casserole, etc., I prepare all the food for the dish I am going to make... as follows:
- Find the tare of vessel used for ingredients
• Weigh each ingredient - documenting the # of calories per gram (multiply gms x calories of each ingredient or go to:http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/)
• Add up (sums of calories for each ingredient found in previous procedure) all ingredients together to figure how many calories in the whole batch i.e.:
Onions 487 gr = 195
Yellow Squash 599 gr = 96
Zucinni Squash 676 gr = 108
1/3 C Olive Oil = 72
4 TBSP Smart Balance = 189
Total Calories = 660
• Then I cook up the dish
• After it is cooked I measure the whole batch out by the cup (document # of cups; this batch was 8)
• Divide the total number of calories for the whole batch by the number of cups in whole batch (or you could weigh it; I prefer to measure at this point)
660 calories divided by 8 cups = 82.5
The above procedure assists in determining how many calories per measurement (pint, cup, TBSP, etc.)
Calories per cup in this recipe = 82.5
The quota for calories I have allowed myself for the day, divided by the number of times I feel I must eat (every 2 hours), will determine how much of each item I can eat ... maybe only 1/4 cup of whatever... maybe 1/4 cup of the ingredient with 1/2 cup water added (soup)... etc...
4. I keep a log including calories, protein, carbs, fat, cholesterol, sodium, sugar, fiber of each thing I eat daily... this is very helpful in seeing where I need to make changes
After much trial and error, observation, etc... it is my opinion that I must eat at least some of the foods that I am accustomed to; otherwise I start craving my comfort foods, i.e. potatoes, bread, roast pork, rice, cereal, dairy, eggs, etc.. so I just use the above procedure and stick to the above outline... it works.
5. Weigh and document my weight weekly, trying to do it about the same time each week give or take a day/hour... (I also invested in a good quality digital scale) I keep a pen and paper next to my scale... I document the date and weight each time I weigh... then I adjust my calories either up or down which ever way I need to go. I also transfer these numbers to my daily calorie log for future reference.
I will publish other Posts with recipes, tips, etc..
RESOURSES:
http://www.nutrition.com.sg/he/herda-adt.asp
http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/
note pads x 3
spiral note book x 3 (or database program)
scale: Escali (or one comparable)
Amazon.com
New
No tax + Free shipping
$43.50
Overstock.com
New
No tax + Shipping: $2.95
$43.50
Kohl's
New
Tax: $3.00 + Shipping: $6.95
$59.94
Friday, September 16, 2011
INNER PEACE
Please know, this is NOT about discrediting anyone's beliefs, religion, past, etc.. This is strictly my opinion, formed from observation and experience.
I am a very open minded person, however opinionated, to a degree.
I believe that all people are searching for the same thing ...i.e., finding: ones self, soul, heart, God, peace... whatever.
We all go about finding "IT" (I call it inner peace) in different ways, depending upon our experience, nationality, country, exposure, culture, religion, family, etc..
It is a mystery to me, why this simple peace is placed into such complicated, tight little boxes, containing illogical rules, superstitions, myths, etc., derived from our ancestor's opinions.
What a difference it would make if all the boxes were removed... nothing else would have to change... people could continue to believe whatever gives them peace.
Whatever experience gives an individual peace is right for them... peace comes to each person in it's own unique way.
Using my own experience and knowledge this is how I MAINTAIN my own peace (how I FOUND it, is another long, long story):
I DO (at least am aware and try to)
1. Face my own TRUTH as an individual
2. Take total RESPONSIBILITY for my actions, feelings, past, choices, etc..
3. Take ACTION..i.e., do what my gut knows is the right thing, right now, in all instances
I DON'T
1. EXPECT anyone or anything to make me happy
2. ASSUME someone else will take care of my responsibilities
3. BLAME others for how I feel or for what has happened to me in the past
I have NOT studied theology, ancient history, psychology, or much of anything else for that matter... :) however, the most famous quotes down through the ages, from many different authors have the same meaning as what I have come to realize, is the only way to maintain my inner peace...
QUOTES:
• It is a great thing to know our vices (Cicero)
• The truth which makes men free is for the most part, the truth which men prefer not to hear (Herbert Agar)
• Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom (Aristotle)
• To thine own self be true (Shakespeare)
• So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead (Bible/James 2:17)
• Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry on as if nothing ever happened. (Sir Winston Churchill)
• Do not run from the truth. There be naught so hard to live with as a lie. (Kathryn L. Nelson)
• Know them by their deeds (Ye shall know them by their fruits..Bible)
• Fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities. Truth isn't. (Mark Twain)
• Where is there dignity unless there is honesty (Cicero)
• Our remedies oft in ourselves do lie (Shakespeare)
• To each his own (Cicero)
• Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling (Bible/Philippians 2:12b)
• Call a spade a spade (Menander)
• The buck stops here (Harry Truman)
• Excuses are like assholes everybody has one (?)
• There ain't no such thing as a free lunch (unknown)
• It takes courage to grow up and be who you really are. (E.E. Cummings)
• Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibiles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be. (Shel Silverstein)
• It is our choices, Harry that show us who we truly are, far more than our abilities (JK Rowling)
• If you aspire to the highest place it is no disgrace to stop at the second or even the third place. (Cicero)
• We must not say that every mistake is a foolish one (Cicero)
• I would rather have a mind opened by wonder than one closed by belief. (Gerry Spence)
• To be or not to be (Shakespeare)
• Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new. (Albert Einstein)
• We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are (Anais Nin)
• Alas, the fearful unbelief is unbelief in yourself (Carlyle)
• Nothing good or bad, but thinking makes it so (Shakespeare)
• In so far as the mind is stronger than the body, so are the ills contracted by the mind more severe than those contracted by the body. (Cicero)
• The patient must minister to himself (Shakespeare)
• The fault, dear Brutus, is not in the stars (Shakespeare)
• Infirm of Purpose (Shakespeare)
• Credulity is a man's weakness but a child's strength (Lamb)
• A strong positive mental attitude will create more miracles than any wonder drug (Patricia Neal)
• People are just as happy as they make up their minds to be (Abe Lincoln)
• When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us. (Helen Keller)
• You don't have a soul, you are a soul. You have a body (C.S. Lewis)
• Nothing is so firmly believed as what we least know (Montaigne)
• They were so strong in their beliefs that there came a time when it hardly mattered what exactly those beliefs were; they all fused into a single stubbornness. (Louise Erdrich)
I am a very open minded person, however opinionated, to a degree.
I believe that all people are searching for the same thing ...i.e., finding: ones self, soul, heart, God, peace... whatever.
We all go about finding "IT" (I call it inner peace) in different ways, depending upon our experience, nationality, country, exposure, culture, religion, family, etc..
It is a mystery to me, why this simple peace is placed into such complicated, tight little boxes, containing illogical rules, superstitions, myths, etc., derived from our ancestor's opinions.
What a difference it would make if all the boxes were removed... nothing else would have to change... people could continue to believe whatever gives them peace.
Whatever experience gives an individual peace is right for them... peace comes to each person in it's own unique way.
Using my own experience and knowledge this is how I MAINTAIN my own peace (how I FOUND it, is another long, long story):
I DO (at least am aware and try to)
1. Face my own TRUTH as an individual
2. Take total RESPONSIBILITY for my actions, feelings, past, choices, etc..
3. Take ACTION..i.e., do what my gut knows is the right thing, right now, in all instances
I DON'T
1. EXPECT anyone or anything to make me happy
2. ASSUME someone else will take care of my responsibilities
3. BLAME others for how I feel or for what has happened to me in the past
I have NOT studied theology, ancient history, psychology, or much of anything else for that matter... :) however, the most famous quotes down through the ages, from many different authors have the same meaning as what I have come to realize, is the only way to maintain my inner peace...
QUOTES:
• It is a great thing to know our vices (Cicero)
• The truth which makes men free is for the most part, the truth which men prefer not to hear (Herbert Agar)
• Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom (Aristotle)
• To thine own self be true (Shakespeare)
• So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead (Bible/James 2:17)
• Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry on as if nothing ever happened. (Sir Winston Churchill)
• Do not run from the truth. There be naught so hard to live with as a lie. (Kathryn L. Nelson)
• Know them by their deeds (Ye shall know them by their fruits..Bible)
• Fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities. Truth isn't. (Mark Twain)
• Where is there dignity unless there is honesty (Cicero)
• Our remedies oft in ourselves do lie (Shakespeare)
• To each his own (Cicero)
• Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling (Bible/Philippians 2:12b)
• Call a spade a spade (Menander)
• The buck stops here (Harry Truman)
• Excuses are like assholes everybody has one (?)
• There ain't no such thing as a free lunch (unknown)
• It takes courage to grow up and be who you really are. (E.E. Cummings)
• Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibiles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be. (Shel Silverstein)
• It is our choices, Harry that show us who we truly are, far more than our abilities (JK Rowling)
• If you aspire to the highest place it is no disgrace to stop at the second or even the third place. (Cicero)
• We must not say that every mistake is a foolish one (Cicero)
• I would rather have a mind opened by wonder than one closed by belief. (Gerry Spence)
• To be or not to be (Shakespeare)
• Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new. (Albert Einstein)
• We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are (Anais Nin)
• Alas, the fearful unbelief is unbelief in yourself (Carlyle)
• Nothing good or bad, but thinking makes it so (Shakespeare)
• In so far as the mind is stronger than the body, so are the ills contracted by the mind more severe than those contracted by the body. (Cicero)
• The patient must minister to himself (Shakespeare)
• The fault, dear Brutus, is not in the stars (Shakespeare)
• Infirm of Purpose (Shakespeare)
• Credulity is a man's weakness but a child's strength (Lamb)
• A strong positive mental attitude will create more miracles than any wonder drug (Patricia Neal)
• People are just as happy as they make up their minds to be (Abe Lincoln)
• When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us. (Helen Keller)
• You don't have a soul, you are a soul. You have a body (C.S. Lewis)
• Nothing is so firmly believed as what we least know (Montaigne)
• They were so strong in their beliefs that there came a time when it hardly mattered what exactly those beliefs were; they all fused into a single stubbornness. (Louise Erdrich)
CANNING PICKLES
I recently moved to a new home and have been gradually getting a little landscaping, etc. done...
I wasn't ready to put in a full fledged garden, however I wanted some beans, radishes, cucumbers and tomatoes.... so I decided to plant them along the fence... I had just recently had the fence put in, so the grass had not completely invaded the dirt up to the fence and I thought this would be a good place to plant... so prepared a little strip and planted 2 hills of cucumbers, about 8 beans, and then I decided to put my tomatoes and radishes in a huge pot... (rather than dig out grass) I thought I would never find enough dirt to fill that darn thing.... big job for me... So, got all that done and things started popping right away.... cucumbers up, beans up, radishes up, tomatoes blooming.... this was in June in Florida.... everything looked good for a couple weeks and then everything except one cucumber plant did a melt down... too hot.... and I think I had some bugs working on the beans... Having said that... my one hill of cucumbers just went gangbusters and produced way more cucumbers than I could eat, so I decided to make bread and butter pickles, and take pictures of the process to share with you all. They were so pretty I could not resist....
I have done a lot of canning in my day... and I learned that you do not have to have everything perfect.... i.e. In the past somewhere along the way I discovered after running out of canning jars when I still had more peach butter or something, can't remember, to can.... that the jars you buy other things in... the ones that have the lids with the rubber on the inside... will reseal...soooo, ..
INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAKING PICKLES
See 2 recipes below for comparison... be creative...
1. Go online and find a recipe that suits you (that you have or can get ingredients for) I used the first recipe below, with variations, but have used others... all about the same... Please know, I am a creative cook... so I usually wind up mixing and matching recipes using spices I have on hand... you may use sliced onions or not ( I didn't this time)... this is a matter of choice... they make wonderful bread and butter pickles... even if your recipe doesn't call for them... just add extra brine to make up for the volume.
2. Sterilize jars - I just put a little clorox in the dishwasher and leave the heat cycle turned on... you can also put them in your oven and heat them up to (225) for 15 minutes to assure they are sterilized... this is also a handy place to store them out of the way while you have your counter tops busy with the rest of it...
3. Have all your ingredients available, i.e. vinegar (plenty), sugar, spices
Have a large cooking pot ready...size depending on how many cucumbers you have.... you can make several batches if you have a lot of cucumbers
4. Gather cucumbers
3. Clean cucumbers
4. Weigh cucumbers
5. Slice cucumbers - thick
6. Salt cucumbers slices
7. Cool cucumber slices in refrigerator a couple hours (I put mine in a colander with a bowl under to catch moisture)
8. TAKE A NAP!!
9. Make brine
10. Heat brine to boiling
11. Rinse cucumber slices thoroughly (while brine is heating)
12. Put cucumbers in hot brine following recipe (or not, depending upon which recipe you choose).. I tried just packing one jar and pouring hot brine over and storing in refrigerator... the one in the picture... pickles were very crisp and delicious
13. Pack jars with cucumber slices and brine to cover
14. Wipe tops of jars clean with damp paper towel
15. Put lids tightly on jars
16. Place on counter top to cool... I leave space between for faster cooling... you will hear the lids "pop" as they seal... If you have some that don't seal... keep them in the refrigerator... and use them up first. You can see the jar on the left that I packed the cucumbers in cold and poured hot brine over... I was surprised when it sealed just like the ones I heated in the brine
This first recipe below is the recipe I used; however the only spices I used were mustard seeds, celery seeds, and tumeric and I only used cucumbers, no onions... I included the second recipe, for you to compare.
Bread and Butter Pickles Recipe 1 (copied from Simply Recipes)
Start with the freshest pickling cucumbers you can find; your pickles are only going to be as good as the produce you start with. The fresher the cucumbers are, the crispier your pickles will be.
INGREDIENTS:
• 2 1/2 lbs pickling cucumbers (fresh from the market)
• 1 pound white or yellow onions, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup pickling salt (can use Kosher salt as a substitute, regular table salt has additives in it that will turn the pickles dark and muddy the color of the pickle juice)
• 1 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar (5% acidity)
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar (5% acidity)
• 2 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 Tbsp mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 3/4 teaspoon celery seeds
• 1 inch cinnamon stick
• 6 allspice berries plus a pinch of ground allspice
• 6 whole cloves plus a pinch of ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
If you are planning to store pickles outside of refrigerator, you will need the following canning equipment:
• 5 pint-sized canning jars, clean, unused lids, metal screw bands for the lids (see Canning jars and lids)
• 1 16-qt canning pot with rack Jar lifters or tongs
METHOD:
1. Carefully rinse the cucumbers, scrubbing away any dirt that may have stuck to the ribs. Slice off 1/8-inch from the ends and discard. Slice the cucumbers in 1/4-inch thick slices, place in a large bowl. Add the sliced onions and pickling salt. Stir in so that the salt is well distributed among the cucumber slices. Cover with a clean tea towel (thin towel, not terry cloth). Cover with a couple of inches of ice. Put in the refrigerator and let chill for 4 hours. Discard ice. Rinse the cucumber and onion slices thoroughly, drain. Rinse and drain again.
2. If you are planning to store your pickles outside of the refrigerator for any length of time, you will need to sterilize your jars before canning, and heat the filled jars in a hot water bath after canning. If you are planning to eat the pickles right away and store them the whole time in the refrigerator, you can skip the water bath step. It's still a good idea to sterilize the jars first, you can do that by running them through the dishwasher, or placing them in a 200°F oven for 10 minutes. To sterilize the jars for canning, place empty jars on a metal rack in a large, 16-qt canning pot. (Jars must rest on a rack in the pot, not on the bottom of the pot). Fill with warm water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to warm to keep the jars hot and ready for canning. Remove with tongs or jar lifters one by one as you can the cucumbers. Sterilize the lids by bringing a pot of water to a boil and pouring water over a bowl containing the lids.
3. In a 4 qt or 6 qt pot, place the vinegar, sugar, and all of the spices. Bring to a boil. Once the sugar has dissolved, add the sliced cucumbers and onions. Bring to a boil again. As soon as the sugar vinegar solution begins boiling again, use a slotted spoon to start packing the hot jars with the cucumbers. First pack a jar to an inch from the rim with the vegetables. Then pour hot vinegar sugar syrup over the vegetables to a half inch from the rim. Wipe the rim clean with a paper towel. Place a sterilized lid on the jar. Secure with a metal screw band.
4. If you are planning to store pickles outside of refrigerator, process the filled jars in a hot water bath for 10 minutes. Return filled jars to the same canning pot with its already hot water. Water level needs to be at least one inch above the top of the cans. Bring to a boil and let boil hard for 15 minutes, or 20 minutes for altitiudes of 1001 to 6,000 feet. Over 6,000 feet, boil for 25 minutes. Remove jars from pot. Let cool down to room temperature. Jars should make a popping sound as their lids seal. If a lid doesn't properly seal, do not store the jar outside of the refrigerator.
Makes about 5 pint jars.
Bread and Butter Pickles 2 (Recipe adapted from Recipe Girl)
INGREDIENTS:
• 5 1/2 cups (about 1 1/2 pounds) thinly sliced pickling cucumbers
• 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 cup thinly sliced sweet onion
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons mustard seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
• 1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric
METHOD:
1. Combine cucumbers and salt in a large, shallow bowl; cover and chill 11/2 hours. Move cucumbers into a colander and rinse thoroughly under cold water. Drain well, and return cucumbers to bowl. Add onion to the bowl and toss with the cucumbers.
2. Combine the granulated sugar, white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, mustard seeds, celery seeds and ground turmeric in a medium saucepan; bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Pour the hot vinegar mixture over cucumber mixture; let stand at room temperature 1 hour. Cover and refrigerate 24 hours. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 2 weeks.
Yield: About 4 cups of pickles
I wasn't ready to put in a full fledged garden, however I wanted some beans, radishes, cucumbers and tomatoes.... so I decided to plant them along the fence... I had just recently had the fence put in, so the grass had not completely invaded the dirt up to the fence and I thought this would be a good place to plant... so prepared a little strip and planted 2 hills of cucumbers, about 8 beans, and then I decided to put my tomatoes and radishes in a huge pot... (rather than dig out grass) I thought I would never find enough dirt to fill that darn thing.... big job for me... So, got all that done and things started popping right away.... cucumbers up, beans up, radishes up, tomatoes blooming.... this was in June in Florida.... everything looked good for a couple weeks and then everything except one cucumber plant did a melt down... too hot.... and I think I had some bugs working on the beans... Having said that... my one hill of cucumbers just went gangbusters and produced way more cucumbers than I could eat, so I decided to make bread and butter pickles, and take pictures of the process to share with you all. They were so pretty I could not resist....
I have done a lot of canning in my day... and I learned that you do not have to have everything perfect.... i.e. In the past somewhere along the way I discovered after running out of canning jars when I still had more peach butter or something, can't remember, to can.... that the jars you buy other things in... the ones that have the lids with the rubber on the inside... will reseal...soooo, ..
Here are my designer jars
INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAKING PICKLES
See 2 recipes below for comparison... be creative...
1. Go online and find a recipe that suits you (that you have or can get ingredients for) I used the first recipe below, with variations, but have used others... all about the same... Please know, I am a creative cook... so I usually wind up mixing and matching recipes using spices I have on hand... you may use sliced onions or not ( I didn't this time)... this is a matter of choice... they make wonderful bread and butter pickles... even if your recipe doesn't call for them... just add extra brine to make up for the volume.
2. Sterilize jars - I just put a little clorox in the dishwasher and leave the heat cycle turned on... you can also put them in your oven and heat them up to (225) for 15 minutes to assure they are sterilized... this is also a handy place to store them out of the way while you have your counter tops busy with the rest of it...
3. Have all your ingredients available, i.e. vinegar (plenty), sugar, spices
Have a large cooking pot ready...size depending on how many cucumbers you have.... you can make several batches if you have a lot of cucumbers
4. Weigh cucumbers
8. TAKE A NAP!!
9. Make brine
11. Rinse cucumber slices thoroughly (while brine is heating)
12. Put cucumbers in hot brine following recipe (or not, depending upon which recipe you choose).. I tried just packing one jar and pouring hot brine over and storing in refrigerator... the one in the picture... pickles were very crisp and delicious
14. Wipe tops of jars clean with damp paper towel
15. Put lids tightly on jars
This first recipe below is the recipe I used; however the only spices I used were mustard seeds, celery seeds, and tumeric and I only used cucumbers, no onions... I included the second recipe, for you to compare.
Bread and Butter Pickles Recipe 1 (copied from Simply Recipes)
Start with the freshest pickling cucumbers you can find; your pickles are only going to be as good as the produce you start with. The fresher the cucumbers are, the crispier your pickles will be.
INGREDIENTS:
• 2 1/2 lbs pickling cucumbers (fresh from the market)
• 1 pound white or yellow onions, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup pickling salt (can use Kosher salt as a substitute, regular table salt has additives in it that will turn the pickles dark and muddy the color of the pickle juice)
• 1 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar (5% acidity)
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar (5% acidity)
• 2 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 Tbsp mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 3/4 teaspoon celery seeds
• 1 inch cinnamon stick
• 6 allspice berries plus a pinch of ground allspice
• 6 whole cloves plus a pinch of ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
If you are planning to store pickles outside of refrigerator, you will need the following canning equipment:
• 5 pint-sized canning jars, clean, unused lids, metal screw bands for the lids (see Canning jars and lids)
• 1 16-qt canning pot with rack Jar lifters or tongs
METHOD:
1. Carefully rinse the cucumbers, scrubbing away any dirt that may have stuck to the ribs. Slice off 1/8-inch from the ends and discard. Slice the cucumbers in 1/4-inch thick slices, place in a large bowl. Add the sliced onions and pickling salt. Stir in so that the salt is well distributed among the cucumber slices. Cover with a clean tea towel (thin towel, not terry cloth). Cover with a couple of inches of ice. Put in the refrigerator and let chill for 4 hours. Discard ice. Rinse the cucumber and onion slices thoroughly, drain. Rinse and drain again.
2. If you are planning to store your pickles outside of the refrigerator for any length of time, you will need to sterilize your jars before canning, and heat the filled jars in a hot water bath after canning. If you are planning to eat the pickles right away and store them the whole time in the refrigerator, you can skip the water bath step. It's still a good idea to sterilize the jars first, you can do that by running them through the dishwasher, or placing them in a 200°F oven for 10 minutes. To sterilize the jars for canning, place empty jars on a metal rack in a large, 16-qt canning pot. (Jars must rest on a rack in the pot, not on the bottom of the pot). Fill with warm water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to warm to keep the jars hot and ready for canning. Remove with tongs or jar lifters one by one as you can the cucumbers. Sterilize the lids by bringing a pot of water to a boil and pouring water over a bowl containing the lids.
3. In a 4 qt or 6 qt pot, place the vinegar, sugar, and all of the spices. Bring to a boil. Once the sugar has dissolved, add the sliced cucumbers and onions. Bring to a boil again. As soon as the sugar vinegar solution begins boiling again, use a slotted spoon to start packing the hot jars with the cucumbers. First pack a jar to an inch from the rim with the vegetables. Then pour hot vinegar sugar syrup over the vegetables to a half inch from the rim. Wipe the rim clean with a paper towel. Place a sterilized lid on the jar. Secure with a metal screw band.
4. If you are planning to store pickles outside of refrigerator, process the filled jars in a hot water bath for 10 minutes. Return filled jars to the same canning pot with its already hot water. Water level needs to be at least one inch above the top of the cans. Bring to a boil and let boil hard for 15 minutes, or 20 minutes for altitiudes of 1001 to 6,000 feet. Over 6,000 feet, boil for 25 minutes. Remove jars from pot. Let cool down to room temperature. Jars should make a popping sound as their lids seal. If a lid doesn't properly seal, do not store the jar outside of the refrigerator.
Makes about 5 pint jars.
Bread and Butter Pickles 2 (Recipe adapted from Recipe Girl)
INGREDIENTS:
• 5 1/2 cups (about 1 1/2 pounds) thinly sliced pickling cucumbers
• 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 cup thinly sliced sweet onion
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons mustard seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
• 1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric
METHOD:
1. Combine cucumbers and salt in a large, shallow bowl; cover and chill 11/2 hours. Move cucumbers into a colander and rinse thoroughly under cold water. Drain well, and return cucumbers to bowl. Add onion to the bowl and toss with the cucumbers.
2. Combine the granulated sugar, white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, mustard seeds, celery seeds and ground turmeric in a medium saucepan; bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Pour the hot vinegar mixture over cucumber mixture; let stand at room temperature 1 hour. Cover and refrigerate 24 hours. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 2 weeks.
Yield: About 4 cups of pickles
Sunday, September 11, 2011
LEARNING
For many years it has been my opinion, after my school experience and that of my children, that from the very earliest age, children should be allowed to learn what they are interested in, at their own pace and have everything imaginable available to them...
The evolution of virtual education is very inspiring to me; it is the beginning of a solution to a totally dysfunctional system.
This would bring to an end, the brain washing of, and forcing of other people's opinions onto our school children.
Kids who are bullied, dyslexic, shy, discriminated against, extremely creative, disabled, etc. could take classes online from home and be liberated from the torture of attending class.
School buildings in existence could continue be used for children who want/need structure for learning. The existing buildings could also be used as community centers, to provide social outlet to all children who do not attend school, for learning social skills; that, too, to the extent which each child personally desires... whatever type social activities kids are interested in could be provided, i.e. roller skating, bowling, football, basketball, card playing, chess, etc... whatever they are interested in.
And now I will rant.....
When kids start to school their personality starts to change, sometimes for the better, sometimes not.. I chalked it up to "growing up"...
Not all kids are cut out for academics required in schools today... however all normal children have creative interests that are, more often than not, squelched during their school years.
...I hated school... from beginning to end... always got good grades, socially accepted, etc., but hated every minute of it... it felt like a prison to me.
My daughter loved school, got good grades, never brought a book home, was a social butterfly, cheerleader, star volleyball player, etc.etc... when she graduated, she attended two different colleges but never envisaged a career she wanted to pursue... even though she has excelled in every job she has ever had... a profession that would be her choice still eludes her.
When my son was little he was so creative and intent on learning that he taught himself to read watching Sesame Street, and was drawing with totally perfect perspective when he first picked up a crayon...
THEN he started school... did well; the schools at that time were in the bilingual mode and he was speaking Spanish like a little Hispanic kid... the school disbanded the Spanish lessons after about a year...
He continued to get excellent grades and was always very social and popular...
I went to visit my son's class as Room Mother (early 70's, second or third grade) and the teacher told me that they had him putting model airplanes together, because he was so far ahead of the other kids... and I was so dumb and blind in those days (whole other segment) that I just smiled and agreed like all good "Stepford Wives" and went along like everything was coming up daisies...
Well, in middle school he did a shut down, his grades plummeted... started getting in trouble, not going to school, etc., etc...
In spite of it all, he graduated from college, turned out fine (another segment) and went on to be very successful... however his story of success is one out of a million others that end negatively...
I find the following articles very interesting:
http://www.babygooroo.com/index.php/2009/05/03/oh-yeah-school-about-that%E2%80%A6/
http://www.khanacademy.org/
The evolution of virtual education is very inspiring to me; it is the beginning of a solution to a totally dysfunctional system.
This would bring to an end, the brain washing of, and forcing of other people's opinions onto our school children.
Kids who are bullied, dyslexic, shy, discriminated against, extremely creative, disabled, etc. could take classes online from home and be liberated from the torture of attending class.
School buildings in existence could continue be used for children who want/need structure for learning. The existing buildings could also be used as community centers, to provide social outlet to all children who do not attend school, for learning social skills; that, too, to the extent which each child personally desires... whatever type social activities kids are interested in could be provided, i.e. roller skating, bowling, football, basketball, card playing, chess, etc... whatever they are interested in.
And now I will rant.....
When kids start to school their personality starts to change, sometimes for the better, sometimes not.. I chalked it up to "growing up"...
Not all kids are cut out for academics required in schools today... however all normal children have creative interests that are, more often than not, squelched during their school years.
...I hated school... from beginning to end... always got good grades, socially accepted, etc., but hated every minute of it... it felt like a prison to me.
My daughter loved school, got good grades, never brought a book home, was a social butterfly, cheerleader, star volleyball player, etc.etc... when she graduated, she attended two different colleges but never envisaged a career she wanted to pursue... even though she has excelled in every job she has ever had... a profession that would be her choice still eludes her.
When my son was little he was so creative and intent on learning that he taught himself to read watching Sesame Street, and was drawing with totally perfect perspective when he first picked up a crayon...
THEN he started school... did well; the schools at that time were in the bilingual mode and he was speaking Spanish like a little Hispanic kid... the school disbanded the Spanish lessons after about a year...
He continued to get excellent grades and was always very social and popular...
I went to visit my son's class as Room Mother (early 70's, second or third grade) and the teacher told me that they had him putting model airplanes together, because he was so far ahead of the other kids... and I was so dumb and blind in those days (whole other segment) that I just smiled and agreed like all good "Stepford Wives" and went along like everything was coming up daisies...
Well, in middle school he did a shut down, his grades plummeted... started getting in trouble, not going to school, etc., etc...
In spite of it all, he graduated from college, turned out fine (another segment) and went on to be very successful... however his story of success is one out of a million others that end negatively...
I find the following articles very interesting:
http://www.babygooroo.com/index.php/2009/05/03/oh-yeah-school-about-that%E2%80%A6/
http://www.khanacademy.org/
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
BSers and BROWN-NOSERS
It has always amazed me, how unperceptive, and possibly naive CEOs and bosses in general are, on the subject of interpreting people... they seem totally misled when it comes to understanding people's souls, intent, facade, BS in general.
When a person has a powerful presence, bosses seem to overlook everything else... I cannot understand why that is... I have observed this time and again.
The amount of weight put on presence, body language, etc.. is very misleading... you cannot "cookbook" soul types...
In my experience whenever a stocky, broad shouldered, big faced, self assured person was in the midst, they were the one bosses assumed knew what they were talking about... and this usually, was not the case..
More often than not, these "Of Presence", or sometimes "Charismatic" persons are full of BS, have a great "Gift of Gab" and are obsequious (brown-nosers)... all of which sways those in power, and is very difficult to compete with if you are an honest hardworking person.
In my experience these people are elbowing their way through life and have no conscience about who they step on in the process.
Ethics, principles, scruples, morals and the truth mean nothing to them.
I have, and continue to see bosses who overlook incredible employees for these deadbeats... they usually don't last long, but leave a large swath in their passing.
When a person has a powerful presence, bosses seem to overlook everything else... I cannot understand why that is... I have observed this time and again.
The amount of weight put on presence, body language, etc.. is very misleading... you cannot "cookbook" soul types...
In my experience whenever a stocky, broad shouldered, big faced, self assured person was in the midst, they were the one bosses assumed knew what they were talking about... and this usually, was not the case..
More often than not, these "Of Presence", or sometimes "Charismatic" persons are full of BS, have a great "Gift of Gab" and are obsequious (brown-nosers)... all of which sways those in power, and is very difficult to compete with if you are an honest hardworking person.
In my experience these people are elbowing their way through life and have no conscience about who they step on in the process.
Ethics, principles, scruples, morals and the truth mean nothing to them.
I have, and continue to see bosses who overlook incredible employees for these deadbeats... they usually don't last long, but leave a large swath in their passing.
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