Pepper Harvest and Stocking your Pantry

good morning my wonderful friends.          I hope and pray that this post finds you doing well and excited about the day ahead of us.       I was just out looking at my fall garden with lettuces and radishes and beets and carrots.        I plant the seeds and God does the rest.          I must say that He is a wonderful Gardener because He's really doing some great work with my little garden so far.        I truly believe it's all Him and nothing I am doing.         

last evening I went out and done a pepper harvest.         to be honest with ya, pepper is all I have left in my spring/summer garden.          I still have strawberry plants, but I don't know if going to go thru another season with them or not.        I'm not thrilled with having 70 or 80 plants and not harvesting any more than 10 or 12 strawberries at a time.        so, I'm seriously thinking about getting rid of all of them and having more space for stuff that produces more food.        oh, they're pretty, but pretty doesn't put food in the freezer or pantry.        so I got some thinking to do.     

about my pepper harvest, I got it all washed and cut and on my dehydrator last night.    I ended up with 3 trays of my homegrown peppers.       and I got it going for 48 hours and it may need more time, I don't know.          not only did I put my home grown peppers on the dehydrator, but I had some store bought snacking bell peppers, so I cut up a few of them and put them on a tray.         I cut up some of my grape tomatoes from the store and put them on there and I also cut up a tray of grapes to make more homemade raisins.        so with my produce from the store, I got another 3 trays of produce.         the most important thing is to try to fill your dehydrator to make maximum use of the the time and the electricity used.   

I always like to have a full dehydrator when I start, so if I have produce in the fridge, I'll put some of that on my dehydrator.        I have a bell pepper jar that I like to keep full and this is a good way to work on it getting it back to the top.        the little grape tomatoes can be dropped in soups and stews or powdered and make tomato paste or sauce.        there is always something that can be done with all of it.        

for my own homegrown peppers, I like to keep some in the split and dehydrated stage.      I'll take some of it and crush it have crushed pepper to use like bought crushed pepper.        and then I'll take some of it make ground pepper like store bought ground cayenne.        we have decided that we prefer the taste of the pepper itself over being pickled.          so I dehydrate it and we have just the pepper flavor.       I have green and ripe peppers of all my different peppers.       some of the ripe peppers are purple and red and yellow and orange.     you get the picture.        I just love colors and the colors are gorgeous.

well, I've been trying to add pictures to this post and no matter what I do, it won't let me.         I'm frustrated with it now.        hahahaha          I don't know what to do.         blogger has all but given up the ghost and it's not what it used to be.         I have no desire to go to another format, so I don't know what I'll do.         keep trying, I guess.        hahaha

so I mentioned in the title about "stocking your pantry".          you know as well as I do that this can be a hard thing to do this day and time.        in reality, it's always been hard to do.         but with prices today, it's even more difficult.         plan your list.      stick to your list.        but......be flexible.       there's things that's always on my list, not because I necessarily need it, but because I want to keep a good supply of it.      for instance, I use a lot of onions.      onions are always on my list.        I use a lot of bacon bits.        bacon bits are always on my list.       same with eggs.        same with butter.        same with our favorite lunchmeat.        ok, so you get the picture.

now, this is where being flexible comes in.        some of those items are always on my list.      but......if I get to the store and something is on a great sale, guess what, I can back off of what's on my list that I always get just to stay stocked up and I can take advantage of a sale without having to really spend money I don't necessarily have.        there's several items on my list at all times that are flexible.       so, if there isn't anything I want that's on a good sale, I can always go ahead and get my usual stock up foods.    either way, I'm stocking my pantry or freezer with each shopping trip.       

if I don't spend my allotted grocery money, I save the unspent for a meat sale.       I may get to the store and there may be a sale on chicken that I wasn't aware of and with some of the items I don't necessarily need and with a few dollars saved from other shopping trips, I may be able to get 3 or 4 months worth of chicken or ground beef or what ever the food may be.

if you just buy an extra can of rotel each week, or an extra can of chicken broth or just something extra, it will help you and give you incentive to look for ways of being able to stock up more each time you go shopping.        maybe a bag of dried beans every shopping trip for the month.        maybe a can of chicken stock every shopping trip for a month.        or coffee creamer, or a bag of sugar every shopping trip for a month.         there are lots of ways to help stock your pantry that is less painful if we make plans and then make sure we can be flexible.   

I see sometimes, some of the youtubers going out and spending hundreds of dollars on a shopping spree and to be honest with, most of us can't do that.      so that's basically why I wanted to share a tip or two with y'all to give you some realistic ways of stocking your pantry, slowly but surely.  

as I think of more, I'll share more.        of course, I do a lot of stocking my pantry with the produce I try to grow in my little deck garden.      that's fun and it gives me something to do and I feel like I am doing something.

one more thing about stocking your pantry.  don't be afraid to use it!!!!!         I think sometimes when we get stocked up we think we're not supposed to touch it.    that's not so.     we get it to be used and that's what we should do.        but just remember as we use it to put that on the list and make sure replenish as we use.     also keep the older food pulled to the front and just purchased to the back so you won't end up with a bunch of expired cans.       and a little bit about that.       unless you see a bulging lid or rusty spots on cans that say they are outdated, unless they are 10 or 15 years old, I would probably open them.      if the lid is bulging, DON'T!!!!!         if it's rusty, DON'T!!!!!!!      otherwise, give it a try.        the use by date is a suggestion.        and they want you to toss it and  buy more even though they know it's still good.    

well, I guess this is where I'll call it quits.      kinda makes me ill that I can't upload pictures today.       I'll keep trying when I think of it.

I hope y'all have a wonderful day today and just enjoy the day that God allowed you to be a part of.  blessings and love be yours today and every day.  you are loved!!!  big hugs and love, patty  

New Dehydrator

Good morning dear friends!!!         I hope your morning is going well for you.        we just got out and done our walk and it was so refreshing.       you can tell that Fall is in the air.       but, the days warm up, so that's a plus.       I got some of my fall gardening planted not quite 2 weeks ago and this morning I can actually see some of the baby sprouts from the back door.       yay!!!!   grow babies grow!!!!       I planted a lot of lettuces, beets, carrots and radishes.        I also have 4 pots of potatoes.      I don't know if they will do anything or not, as late as it is.      my hubby and I said that if they look like they will do something, we'll move the pots to the garage and set them out during the day to get heat and sun and put them up at night to protect them from the cold and frost.        it was just an experiment for fall anyway.      but this is definitely something we will do next year to have potatoes.      I hope I can keep several pots in varying stages of growth to have potatoes along all year.      anyway, we'll see.

well, I did want to share something with y'all that I got here back.        I have a dear friend and we keep in touch via facebook and text messaging.       she is always so supportive of everything I do and asks lots of questions about it and I'm more than thrilled to answer questions.        I've been dehydrating for well over 25 years.         the first dehydrator I had was round and a set temperature of 165*.      that's it.      plug it in and unplug it was the only options.          hahaha         and I used it for many years and was thankful to have it.       so a few years ago, I had enough points accumulated on our credit card that I used some of those points to get me a new dehydrator.        it's a weston, 6 tray with adjustable temps and a maximum of 48 hours.    I love that dehydrator.        I really hate to say I love "stuff", so I guess I'll say that I strongly "like" that dehydrator.          it really opened my eyes up to what dehydrated goods should look like.      

as I said, I was always thinkful for what I had earlier.       there was no facebook groups back in the day.  there was no one to ask because it was considered a waste of time by most people.     honestly.        and I think a lot people today even consider it a waste of time.        well, you don't know what you don't know.      but I know how valuable it actually is.      

once I got this new dehydrator and started playing and experimenting with it and seeing how lovely my produce was coming out of that dehydrator, I knew I could do better.        so I started playing with lowering temps.       I kept meticulous notes on what stuff looked like when it was fully dehydrated.        most people want to take produce off the dehydrator with mositure still in it and then compplain when it molds.       yes, it will mold if there is any moisture in it.       I've always been one to try to research and learn.       most people today will get  something and come to facebook and say "now what?"

well, look at the instruction manual and see what it can do as far as the mechanics of it.       what's the temp range and the max time setting?         read up about it.      when it comes to the instructions of what to do and how long to do it, I always say "IGNORE" their times and temps.       time means nothing if your produce isn't dry.      if it isn't dry, it will mold.    remember that, if you remember nothing else.       if it isn't dry, it will mold!!!!       pure and simple.      everyone wants to go as high as they can for the shortest amt of time possible and then they end up with black, wet moldy crap.       so you get what you get when that's the way you want to do it.      dehydrating is NOT instant gratification.

so, I started lowering my temps and setting my dehydrator to 48 hours and walking away.      a lot of people always say they flip everything after an hour or two on the dehydrator.       I'm happy they have time for that, I don't.        I'm not going to babysit my dehydrator and that's what I call having to babysit it. 

most people will blanch everything!!!   or they dip everything in lemon juice!!!         the only thing I blanch is potatoes and I soak them 3 times in cold water to remove as much starch as possible.     then I'll blanch and then put in an ice water bath to stop the cooking process and on to the dehydrator till they are completely "cracker crisp, rock hard and bone dry".      that ain't gonna mold or turn black.      I also set my temperature at 110*.       yes, I said 110*.         that is what my years of experiment showed me was the sweet number for my dehdyrating process.      everything stays its natural lovely colors.        I keep everything on there till it's completely "cracker crisp, rock hard and bone dry".        with the humidity that everyone has had this year, this has turned out to be the best possible scenerio for me, because I'm used to doing that as it is.       as far as dipping anything in lemon juice or lime juice, that's fine if you want everything to taste like lemon or lime.        for me, I rpefer my food to taste like it's supposed to taste.        something is wrong if you think you have to dip everything to preserve natural color.        try lowering the temperature before you start sousing everything in some kind of juice thinking it will preserve the color.      this is a couple of pics of why I dehydrate "low and slow".      low temps at 110* for as long as it takes.         both batches of peppers were green.        you can see that the 130* batch turned brown while the 110* batch picked at the same time and dehydrated a day later stayed beautiful and green.

this pic of grape tomatoes.         some dehydrated in 2021 at a higher temp and then some dehydrated this year at 110*.    there is a significant difference between the two.

one more thing before I move on.       a lot of people are telling others to dehydrate outside on the deck or patio or in the garage.        that is a bunch of GARBAGE!!!!!!!!!         have you ever tried to dehydrate the great outdoors?          have you ever tried to remove the humidity form the great outdoors?         that's impossible.       some of those people are the very ones concerned about electricity usage.       let me tell you something, if you're concerned about power usage, keep that dehydrator in the house where it should be.     in the lowest possible humidity in the middle of the summer.     if you're concerned about power usage, when will the light bulb go off that dehydrating outside in a humid area is impossible?      that one thing alone will cause a huge increase in your utility bill!!!!        so think about it before you do it.      if you live in a dry climate, then absolutley, yes, dehdyrate outside if you wish to do so.      but, don't tell everyone that's what they have to do.     because everyone can't do that and the newbies don't know that!!!!     also, outside, you have flies blowing your dehydraator, ants checking it out and all other kinds of insects.       if that's what you want, then go for it.     but as for me and my dehydrators, we'll be staying inside the house where they belong.         nothing I've ever dehydrated has stunk up my house as bad as others say this stinks up their house.      I say they have an underlying stink going on if they think garlic or onions is gonna stink the house for years at a time.      that's the way they make it sound.      and the newbies coming on don't know any better.       that's where my frustration comes from.

so that's a little background on my dehydrating history and why I do the things I do.       I know, "my kitchen, my rules", and I'm good with that.      because that's certainly my rule of thumb.       get some good healthy practices going in your kitchen and then say "my kitchen, my rules".   

back to my dear friend.        she decided she wanted a dehydrator.        I told her what I have.        she went to amazon and started looking.       she texted me and said she one ordered.       she sent me the pic of it and I loved the looks of it.        my weston is a 6 tray stackable with the heat source from the bottom.       the dehdyrator my friend got was a small 4 tray cabinet style.      I loved it!!!!      she got it and we was conversing back and forth and she was dehydrating stuff and was so thrilled to have it and I was tickled pink for her that she was dehydrating and building confidence in what she could do and how to do things.   

I kept looking at her dehydrator on amazon and I said something to my husband about it.      he asked me to send him the link to it and I did.      he ordered it for me.      hahaha        yay me!!!       I had always wanted a cabinet style, I just didn't want one of those big heavy ones, so I never even looked at anything else.         but my friend found exactly what I had been wanting.      so when my husband ordered it for me, I also knew I wanted something to be able to do liquids and semi-liquids so I got to looking and found some silicone cake pans and I got 4 of them.    upon arrival of my goodies I seen how much I'd have to cut off the silicone cake pans in order to use them in the dehydrator.     they cut really easily so it was a quick task.       I ended up with them between 1/2 and 3/4 inch tall.       some of my cuts got a little wonky, but that's ok.   they work perfectly!!!!

now for some pictures.       the brand of dehydrator is Septree.       I think they make 3 sizes and this is the smallest size.        it's really nice.        so easy to operate.

you can see the trays in the dehydrator.         I make sure the silicone cake pans are at the front of the trays and not pushed all the way back.        depending on what I'm dehydrating, I will check on it more frequently than I do my weston.        this one has a 24 hour timer, so I definitely keep an eye on time and make sure I check it before bedtime.         I don't want it going off in the middle of the night. 

my first project was dehdyrating some canned salsa and pasta sauce.        if I remember correctly, I put between a 1/4 and 1/2 cup on each tray.        popped them in the dehydrator and let it do it's "thang". 

this is my first batch of salsa done.

this was some pizza sauce.     it all turned out wonderful.       I powdered it all and can use it in soups and stews and in meatloaf or make dips and sauces with it.

this was really good.    again, it all powdered up nicely.    

so, if you're in the market for a new, small cabinet style dehydrator, I would definitely recommend  the Septree.       I really enjoy it and my dear friend enjoys her too.     we are each others enabler.       hahahaha         my husband said that it wouldn't do for us to live next door to each other, because we would always be in trouble.        hahahahaha           I think everyone needs a wonderful friend to get in "good" trouble with.    thank you Sylvia!!!!!!         love you my friend!!!!

well, this post turned out to be much longer than I had planned but I hope it's useful to anyone looking for a dehydrator.      I can definitely recommend this Septree and the 6 tray stackable Weston that I have.        they both are good little work horses.       they are small enough to handle easily and pack from one place to another.      

that's about it,  other than to tell you  God has provided a way for us to be in right relationship with Him thru the shed blood of His Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.       I hope that if you haven't already accepted Christ as your Savior that today will be the day you do so.       Admit and confess that you're a sinner, believe that Christ is your Lord and Savior  and accept the greatest gift, the gift of Salvation from Christ.        He is the only way to the  Father.       just know that you are loved.      have a blessed and wonderful day.      who know's, I may be back again real soon, I hope so.     hugs and love, patty 

It's Fall Y'all!!!!!

Happy Fall Y'all!!! it's a good day for a quick "2 minutes in the kitchen with me", so let's do this. I have been wanting to do this project for a while and finally got "a round tuit". hahaha just had to throw that in.     Please don't be shocked with 2 posts in one day.  hahahaha

 
I had been looking for a replacement for the chicken bouillon that I've used for a few years that has msg and other stuff in it that I don't care for. so I found some thing similar to what I was looking for. and I set out to make. the pictures have the recipe on the side of my jar so I always have when I go to make more. to make this, you put all the ingredients in a blender and blend away for a couple of minutes. and if you do put a lot of black pepper in the mix, let it settle before you take the lid from the blender. it will get you all choked up if you don't take care with it. take my word on this. hahaha (cough hack sneeze tears) hahaha

the recipe is on the side of the jar. make it your own. I did. put more or less of any of the seasonings. use your own dehydrated herbs and onions or garlic. if there's an herb you don't like, swap it something that you do like. this isn't science, like baking bread. this is just making an instant mix to use for seasoning a special dish or making a cup of hot broth. having said all that, the next paragraph will tell you what I will do different next time.

the next batch I make won't have any salt in it. so if you think you want salt in it, start with much less than what's in the recipe. also, there won't be as much black pepper. I'll cut way down on the black pepper and use some of my own dehydrated red and green sweet peppers to make the equivalent of 2 tablespoons. those are the 2 main swaps and omissions that I'll do on the next batch. but, even as is, this is sooooo good. so if you're trying to eleminate junk from your cooking, this is a start. this also makes a good cuppa to just sip on. can't wait for some of these upcoming cool days, this will be good.

also I've been working on filling some of my pepper jars and starting more jars. when the pepper season is over, I'll be crushing a lot, grinding a lot and keeping some as is. the peppers are, fresnos, cayennes, shishitos, mini sweet bells, and purple peppers.

also I've just about filled my jar with homemade raisins. oh my word, they are so much better than anything I've ever bought!!! there is green, red and black grapes in that jar. I cut them in half and dehydrate them till they are as dry as I can get them. they are no longer sticky and they don't stick to the sides of the jar. if they stick to jar, they're not dry enough. but these are wonderful. great in a salad or just as a snack.

the next 2 jars are my purple basil and stevia. I'm really hoping that they'll grow enough that I can get another good cutting from all of them. there is nothing like growing your own herbs and having them fresh or dehydrated. better than anything in the store. and that stevia is something else!! I've to make sure I have more of that next season. it's really difficult to start, but I did manage to eek out 1 little plant for the year from the 6 seeds I tried to start. I hope I can get 3 or 4 started next year.

well, I hope you got some pretty good information today on how to make some imitation bouillon and also on dehydration. I love to save produce with dehydrating. a lot of it makes good snacks and all of it will cook up good in favorite dishes. I'm so thankful to God for all the many ways of preservation and dehydrating being one of my favorites!!

blessings to all and remember that God made a way for all of to be in right relationship with Him thru the shed blood of His Son, Jesus Christ!! hugs and love to all, patty

2 Timothy 3:1-17

Good morning friends!!!!     I pray that you are having a most lovely day so far.     Yesterday was the first day of Fall.      It's hard to believe that the year is alost over.     Let's finish this year strong.    Strong in the Lord!!!     So, as I was having my bible reading and study this morning, it hit home so hard that I had to stop right in the miiddle of it and make this post.     There's only so much that we as individuals can do, but staying in the Word of God is the BEST thing we can do in these perilous times. I hope if you're not studying the Word that you will start today.

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when stuff hits home, it really hits hard. this is the days we are living in. I was doing my bible study this morning and this is what I was reading. we are living in a time where the blind is leading the blind and a lot of people that should know the truth are still following the blind.

 if we know the truth, our lives should be showing it. we will be persecuted for Christ. make no mistake, we will. we see all kinds of evil and heinous things being done today. wicked people in all levels of government. from the highest in the land to the most local form of government, it's all filled with self serving individuals that are more interested in stuffing their pockets than they are about doing what's right for the people. and scripture says they will continue to get worse and worse.

 oh it's not just about politics, it's about everything. but most of the turmoil actually starts in the political arena. just watch. abortion is about politics, not womens health. how is having abortions healthy for women????? do some real studies on the affects on a womans body from having an abortion. I know, it would all be flawed and biased from the point of view of politician and females who want to act like animals. even animals have more feeling than these evil and wicked females. and the same it is, for every hot button issue in the country. another good one, redefining marriage. who gets to do that???? God already defined it and that settles that. what about homosexuality and gender questions? God already dealt with that at Sodom and Gommorah, so that's pretty clear how He feels about that. I could go on, but you get the picture. scripture has the answers, even in the political arenas, we just have to believe those answers.

 verses 16 and 17 is where we find hope. scripture is where we will find honest answers. you'll not find honest answers in politics. you'll not find honest answers from people not interested in the knowing or having a relationship with Christ.

 the word "reproof" simply means exposing or pointing out sin. as Christians, followers of Christ, we are to use the words of God found in scripture to help us "judge", ohhhh....yes I said that word "judge", whether something is morally right or morally wrong, whether it goes against the word of God, or whether it leads us to righteousness or whether it can correct us in our way of living.

 every decision we make as human beings is judging "for" something and "against" something. if you want a glass of water and you get a glass of tea, you made a judgement call. a simple one, but a judgement call none the less. see how easy that was to make a judgement call. if you decide you're gay, you've made a judgement call on what God has already called reprobate minds. if you kill a baby, you've made the judgement call to take the life of a human being that God values. read Jeremiah 29:11. so, every decision we make is based on judging for or against something. if you are a political leader and you do something that furthers your agenda, you made the judgement call that the people that elected you don't matter and that's what we're seeing a lot of.

 what are you living for, looking for? scripture has the answers. this chapter showed me quite a few answers for some of the things we're dealing with, in higher levels of govt and right here in the local areas too. lots going on that could be corrected with proper instruction, correction and reproof from this one chapter in the word of God. 

2 Timothy 3:1-17
1This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 6For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 7ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. 9But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was. 10But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, 11persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. 12Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 13But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. 14But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; 15and that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

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this is what I wrote and shared on a social media platform and I felt the need to put it on my blog. if you're not in the habit of reading God's word, why? it is the only place where you will find honest and truthful answers on how to live in the evil and wicked days in which we are living. if you haven't accepted Christ as your Savior, there's no time like the present. just recognize that you're a sinner and that you want better for yourself. confess and repent of your sins and ask Jesus to forgive you of those sins and to be Lord of your life. Believe in Him with all your heart and He'll clean you up one day at a time and He'll help you make better judgement calls for your life. just know that God loves you all and has wonderful plans for those of us who know Him. hugs and love to all, patty