Monsoon season Sucks !!

Well this is fun,,,NOT. My so called road has washed out again.This is the fourth time this year.I now have a ditch about 12 feet wide and 5 or 6 feet deep,don't think I am going anywhere today.Let's see if the town gets the front loader stuck again.What little of a garden I have is looking bad,got the peppers and tomatoes up by the trailer this year so they are OK,the rest are flooded then covered with sand.I realy have to find a better place to live.

Netknots:Repost

Knowing the right knot for the right use can be more art than a science.

I want to share a really cool site with you that I think is great...

Netknots
There are instructions for all kinds of knots categorized very nicely under:
1.Fishing knots
2.Boating knots
3.Outdoor knots
4.Paddling knots

There are even animations of the knots being tied.Thought this one needed reposting for some of us.

Blog News and other Crap

The blog has gone from 487 posts down to 51.Blogger has realy out done themselves this time.Over the next few weeks some may show back up,that is what has happened before,we will see.I added 4 more files over on the download page.

Red Cross - DISASTER PREPAREDNESS For Seniors By Seniors

US Army - CIVIL DISTURBANCE OPERATIONS

Backyard Chicken Production

Metalworking-Handboo

Weekly Eats

Bannock Bread :

Another repost I had made some for a few guests and they wanted recipe.Think it was my first boy scout leader that showed me how to make it.You do not even realy need a pan to cook it in,just some good coals from your camp fire.LOL,but I do use the old cast iron fring pan when I am not camping.

2 cups of flour (white and/or whole wheat) I use half and half most times.
I tablespoon of baking powder
1-2 teaspoons of sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
Enough water to make it into stiff dough

Toss the everything into a bowl and mix;add water alittle at a time you want the dough to be kind of stiff just so it sticks together.Form the dough into a patty somewhere around 1 to 2 inches thick.You don't want it to thick or the outside will burn before the inside is done.When cooking on the stove I add a little oil or butter in the fring pan.Heat your pan if useing one,drop the patty in and realy cook it just like a pancake.To check it use a tooth pick(fork or knife works too)if you poke it and nothing sticks to it,you are done.Quick fast and very good to eat.
That is the basic recipe,but you can add about anything to it.I only put in dried fruit and nuts,think the one I made for you guys was pinyon nuts and raisins.I have seen one guy who puts bacon and chesse in his.

A couple of notes if you are camping and cooking without a pan

1.You can mix all the dry ingredients in a ziplock bag,just add water.
2.Good coals is the key here,hard woods work best.
2.I have cooked it on coals,on a hot rock,in a frying pan,in a dutch oven,my kids even used to wrap it on a stick like you were roasting a hot dog.

The Ferret

And for my next trick.....

Well looks like the nasty post eating gremlins have desided to make a meal again.
I am not going to even try to repost most of the stuff this time.I will try to put back what people have been using and what recipes and links I can recover.Not even going to get pissed(yea right).Digging around to see what I have saved,not that I make copies.LOL,I am always telling my users to make backups,I am a fine one to be talking when it comes to this blog.Damn,all those pics I linked Mummble,mumble stupid blog........

I was digging around over at DIY Instructables the other day,found a guy who makes slings out of para cord.Way cool,used to be hell on crows and rabbits with a sling back in the day.I might just make me one. Check it out.

Blog News and other Crap

Still looking for land so if anybody knows of a small Northern Az.plot let me know.LOL and for you people that can't read a map,north of Flagstaff ;) Also updateing my links page

Weekly Eats

Maybe more than weekly tell I get caught up ;)

Cherry Salad Sauce Base:

2 tbl flour

¼ t salt

1 c sugar

1 egg

1 c milk

Mix flour, salt in sauce pan.Beat egg in milk.Add to sauce pan, stirring constantly until thickened. Remove from heat and cool. When cool, add sugar and combine well.Pour over drained cherries.

Cherries:

Drain canned pie cherries and stir in 1 cup of sugar for each 2 cans of cherries. Let stand until sauce base is cooled. Drain and add cooled sauce base. Add nuts to taste.I usually use 1 small pkg black walnuts per 3 cans of cherries

The Ferret

Salsa and Zucchini Crisps

Don't realy want to turn this into one of those cooking blogs.But a couple of recipes people always bug me for.I am going to be lazy and post them here rather than have to write them out every time.

Fresh Salsa

The whole thing about this one is DO NOT use store bought tomatoes,use ones you have grown or got from a farmers market.The ones in the stores are just not real tomatoes IMO.

4 to 5 lbs.fresh tomatoes, diced
12-15 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 medium onion the white ones, finely chopped
1 bunch cilantro,no idea how much realy just a bunch to taste realy, chopped
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons lime juice
sea salt to taste

mix well and that is it,going to try canning some this year maybe,but it never lasts long enought to get it in the jars.

Zucchini Crisps

Start with a ripe mid size zucchini,you have been told you go useing one of those 3 foot long monsters,you will not be happy.Peel and cut into slices about 1/2 inch thick.Soak over night in a bowl of saltwater with alittle tabasco sauce in it.Drain and place on papper towels sprinkle with cajun seasoning.You can use the store bought kind,but some have to much salt.Do both sides,place on a cake cooling rack and place in a over set on warm to dry,or use a dehydrator,mine I set at,135 deg. for about 6 hours or tell they are crisppy and snap when you try to bend them.Cajun Seasoning I had a copy of the stuff I make,but it is gone in the great blog crash,,,oh well more to post later.

The Ferret

Elderberries about ripe......

Now most people no longer use the berries,but I do like to make jelly and wine from them.


Elderberry Wine:

5 lbs elderberries, stripped from their stems

1 gallon boiling water
3 lbs granulated sugar
1 wine yeast packet
½ cup lemon juice
½ cup orange juice

You can get fancy and use one of those wine makeing kits,but around here we just use a  old stonewear crock,think it is about 10 gallon and has been around longer than I have.

Place elderberries into your container.Add lemon and orange juices.Pour boiling water into container and stir.When cool, squeeze mixture to release juices. Let sit for 24 hours. Add 2 lbs sugar and the wine yeast packet. Stir and cover with a tea towel or chesse cloth. Let sit for 3 to 5 days.Strain the liquid into something then back in the crock and add remaining 1 lb of sugar. Stir.Let ferment in dark, warm location for about 1 week. Strain into another glass container and let sit for another 6 weeks. Pour into wine bottles and seal. Wine will be ready to drink in about 6 months.


Elderberry Jelly:

The Hard part is striping the berries from the stems,I have found that a plastic fork is just the right size,LOL and makes for less juice all over.Note:if you have a kid do this do not let them wear their good clothing.Granny tanned my butt for ruining my shirt way back when ;)

About 2 quarts of the berries,well washed.Place in a pot and cover with cold water.Simmer for 15 or 20 min..Then strain useing a jelly bag or one of those "Flour Sack"towels.You should come out with about 3.5 or 4 cups of juice.Most time I make my own pectin,and I'll cover how to do it sometime,but where I am now I don't have a crabapple tree.so just get some SURE-JELL.

3 1/2 c. elderberry juice

1/2 c. lemon juice
1 pkg. powdered pectin
5 1/2 c. sugar

Stir elderberry juice, lemon juice and pectin together. Bring to a rolling boil. Add sugar and return to full rolling boil. Boil exactly 1 minute!!. Remove from heat, skim the off foam and pour hot jelly into hot, sterilized half-pint jars. Place hot caps on jars and screw on bands finger-tight. Process in a water bath canner for 5 minutes.You should get 5 or 6 half pint jars out of one batch.


The Ferret

Parched Rice

We were talking on another board last week about wheat and rice for your long term storage,reminded me of makeing some parched rice.

The taste reminds me of popcorn with a slightly nutty flavor.

My recipe:

1/3 cup white or brown rice
1 tsp.oil or shortening (bacon grease works too)

Heat a cast iron skillet(preferably)over medium heat and add the oil.Give the oil a minute or two to get up to temperature.

Add the rice and stir often for maybe 10 minutes. The rice will turn from white to translucent and then to varying shades of brown. This is the caramelization of the sugars in the rice. It is what adds the flavor component to your parched rice. You can make it as dark or as light as you want.

Be aware, parching rice can get VERY hot.

I added salt to the mix near the end of the parching process.If you want your parched rice to have a bit of seasoning.You could also add cayenne,chili powder,or Old Bay.

When the rice is finished,empty the skillet onto a plate and allow the rice to cool.

The Ferret

Jerky Recipe

OK Somebody wanted my jerky recipe,and me being lazy will post it here.




2 lbs. of flank steak
2/3 cup of soy sauce
2/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 teaspoons of hot sauce
2 teaspoons of seasoning salt


Slice flank steak diagonally with the grain of the meat into very thin slices.
Marinate meat overnight or 12 hours. Be sure all pieces are covered with the marinade.
Drain the meat and place on some paper towels to remove excess,you need to remove has much
of the marinade has you can.Place the meat on your rack at 140 to 160 degrees for 8 to 12 hours,
or until meat is dry throughout.Leave the oven door ajar has you are drying the meat.Store the finished jerky in an airtight container,I have been told it will keep for 2 or 3 months but it never last that long around here.


The Ferret

12/03/2009

My Sister has managed to rust and about ruin a set of cast iron pots
that have been in our family for longer than my mother has been alive.
I found them down in her basement and asked why she was not useing them,
they stick and can't keep the rust off of them,she says.UGH anybody want a sister?
I spend a few hours with steelwool and reseasoned them.So you all get a fast How-To on cast iron.


CLEANING:

1.Never put it in a dishwasher!!
2.Clean useing warm water and a nylon brush (I have one that was made to scrub veggies)
3. You can use a mild soap if you have to,but be very carefull.If the food starts to stick after
useing soap you know you over did it.You will have to reseason it.
4.Rinse and hand dry,do not store pots with lids on.That keeps the moisture in the pan and will cause rust.

Note: If I am still cooking I like to set them on top of the stove where the heat will dry them before I put them up.



SEASONING:


1.Clean with hot water and soap and useing a nylon brush (You are reseasoning or a new pan so you can use soap this time)
2.Dry with a towel or paper towel
3.On the bottom rack of you oven place a cookie sheet or line with tin foil.Pre heat the oven to 400
4.Lighly and evenly coat the cookwear with MELTED vegetable shortening (Some folks say use only lard,but I have never seen any difference)
5.Place in the oven upside down on the top rack of your oven for 1 hour
6.Turn the oven off and turn the cookwear upside right and leaveing in the oven tell it has cooled.


A well seasoned cast iron pan will not stick and unlike the non-stick stuff it will not wear out after a few years.