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The laundry detergent, used in conjunction with a washing machine, is an effective product for cleaning fabrics. The specially formulated substance removes stains, dirt and sometimes discolorations from your clothes. Some products even soften fabrics, making them more comfortable to wear. Beneficial as the detergent is, many of the products sold commercially are quite expensive. For the price of a little effort, you can create a cheaper yet just as effective version of the laundry detergent. Also, if you are a hunter, you may not want fabric softener odors, artificial color brightners (they enhance UV or Infra Red – not Good!), or perfumes. And, many people are allergic to house substances that they do not know they are even being exposed to!!

Making laundry detergent is simple. All you need to do is mix the right ingredients and you’ll eventually end up with a perfectly usable detergent. If you get the right quantity per component, you’ll get an item that can rival any of the market leaders, for less than half of the price. You even have the option to make your detergent environmentally-friendly. Now that’s a good deal.
3 Ways to Make Homemade Laundry Detergent

Homemade laundry detergent can be made in three different ways. Each of them has its advantages, so pick according to your washing needs.

* Soap Bar-Based Laundry Detergent
* Water Softener-Based Laundry Detergent
* Eco-Friendly Laundry Detergent

The soap bar-based laundry detergent is effective and simple to create. The water softener-based version, on the other hand, uses cheap materials and doesn’t produce suds, which can damage old and low-quality washing machines. As for the eco-friendly detergent, it can remove stains from your clothes, without sacrificing the environment in the process.
Soap Bar-Based Laundry Detergent

Soap bars are known moisturizers, which clean and soften skin. Remarkably, some of them also work well with fabrics. They, when used as a detergent, can remove stains and dirt. By boosting their formulations with sodium carbonate and borax, these items work just as well as good quality laundry detergents. Not all bath soaps can be used. The only ones qualified are Ivory, Fels Naptha or any other soap with a similar formulation. Also, beleive it or not – many people make their own soaps!! Yes – there are HUNDREDS of sites on the internet that allow you to make scented soaps, fruit scented soaps, medicinal soaps, and ecological green soaps.
Materials Used:

* laundry detergent 1 soap bar
* 1/2 cup borax
* 1/2 cup sodium carbonate
* plastic container with cover
* mixing bowl
* grater
* knife

Procedure:

1. Acquire the soap bar from any health and beauty store, preferably Ivory or Fels Naptha – or make your own.
2. Cut the soap into small pieces.
3. Run the pieces through the grater.
4. Pour borax, the washing soda and the soap shavings into the mixing bowl. Stir the bowl’s contents thoroughly.
5. Once done, pour the soap-based laundry detergent in the plastic container.
6. Store the container in a cool, dry place, when not using the detergent.

If you’re wondering what sodium carbonate is, it is known in the market as washing soda or soda ash. It can be found in the laundry products section of the supermarket, some drug stores and convenience stores.
Water Softener-Based Laundry Detergent

This type of detergent, containing water softener, holds a distinct advantage over its other counterparts, in terms of cleaning efficiency. The solution reduces water’s mineral content, paving the way for the detergent to clean fabrics thoroughly. Though, water softeners are known water pollutants, so be careful when disposing used laundry water.
Materials Used:

* 1/2 cup water softener
* 1 1/2 cups sodium carbonate (washing soda)
* 1 cup borax
* 2 drops Lavender oil
* mixing bowl
* plastic container with cover

Procedure:

1. Pour the water softener, sodium carbonate and borax in a mixing bowl. Stir the mixture until all three ingredients blend.
2. Add the lavender oil then once again, stir the mixture.
3. Place the newly formed laundry detergent in the plastic container.

A peculiar thing about the water softener-based laundry detergent is, it does not produce suds. It stays in its original form, as it cleans your clothes. This characteristic makes the detergent versatile, since some washers get damaged if constantly subjected to soap suds. In addition, it is also the easiest to create among the three homemade detergent types, making it a popular choice.
Eco-Friendly Laundry Detergent

Unlike its water softener-based counterpart, the eco-friendly detergent does not sacrifice the environment for added cleaning efficiency. It, instead, uses a collection of natural or environmentally harmless ingredients. The formulation is potent enough to rival the best items on the market, which is why this homemade detergent is gaining popularity on the market. The catch is, it is a bit trickier to prepare than the other two detergent types.
Materials Used:

* 2 oz natural soap
* 1/2 cup sodium carbonate
* 1/2 cup borax
* 3 pints tap water
* 1 bucket hot water
* grater
* saucepan
* water bucket
* oven
* containers with lids

Procedure:

1. Grate the soap and place the shavings in a saucepan.
2. Add the tap water. Mix the ingredients until the soap melts, forming a solution.
3. Toss in the sodium carbonate and borax. Stir the solution until it thickens.
4. Once done, remove the pan from the oven and let the solution cool for awhile.
5. Take one quart from the bucket of hot water and pour it in the empty water bucket.
6. Pour the saucepan’s contents in the bucket. Mix the solution well.
7. Upon mixing, fill the bucket with hot water.
8. Mix the solution thoroughly then let it settle for about 24 hours.
9. Pour the detergent in the containers. Make sure that they are covered when not using the detergent.

If you want to add a refreshing scent to the detergent, you can add and mix about 60 drops of lavender oil in step 6. The essential oil will make the laundry solution smell as fragrant as a well-scented bath soap. The problem is, lavender oil is not exactly an eco-friendly material, so you must choose between total fragrance and ease of disposal.

Judging the best among the three homemade detergent types is not easy, but the soap-based detergent appears to be the most versatile option. Most of its components are readily available and it is pretty easy to create. All of its ingredients are also cheap, since you can buy all of them using merely spare change. Of course, the other two types aren’t far when it comes to versatility, so feel free to make any of them.
Feel at Home with a Homemade Detergent

You can depend on the laundry detergent for removing the toughest stains and protecting your clothes from germs and bacteria. Purchasing one on the market is not a bad idea, but why pay, when you can create your own? Make a homemade laundry detergent and you can toss the term “laundry expenses” along with the stains and dirt that the cleaning solution removes.

How to Make Lye Soap With Lard

Making lye soap is one of the oldest home-making arts. In Colonial days, soap-making could take days. These days, thanks to the availability of both lye and lard, we can cut the process to a few hours, though the soap still needs time to cure. Here’s how to make your own lye soap with lard.

Instructions
Things You’ll Need:

* 12 oz lye
* 21 1/2 oz cold water
* 5 lbs 7 1/3 oz lard Equipment
* Plastic dish pan
* Non-reactive pot to melt lard
* wooden spoon
* soap molds or wooden box
* thermometer
Safety Equipment
* rubber gloves
* goggles
* 10% solution vinegar and water (vinegar is a mild acid – lye is a base – they cancel each other – used if lye is accidently spilled on skin)

Step 1

Prepare soap molds for use. You can use almost any non-reactive container as a mold. One easy soap mold is a cardboard shoe box lined with a plastic garbage bag.

Step 2

Put on gloves and goggles. Normally, safety advice would be in the warnings section, but this is a vital step when you are working with lye. Lye is extremely caustic. It will burn your skin and can damage your eyes permanently. Wear gloves and goggles at all times when working with lye.

Step 3

Pour ice cold water into plastic dish pan. Work in a well-ventilated area to avoid breathing in fumes from the lye.

Step 4

Slowly add lye to the cold water, stirring constantly and slowly with the wooden spoon. If any of the lye splatters on you, wash it off immediately with lots of cold water. The lye will react chemically with the water and begin to heat it. Cover and set aside till it reaches 85 F.

Step 5

Melt lard in non-reactive pan or bowl. Cool lard to about 95 F.

Step 6

Carefully pour the lye water into the lard in a thin, continuous stream, stirring constantly with wooden spoon in a slow S-motion. Continue to stir until soap thickens to the consistency of pudding. The soap is ready to pour when a drop of soap dropped onto the surface of the soap does not sink into the rest of the mixture. This can take up to 45 minutes.

Step 7

Pour soap mixture into prepared molds. Treat the soap mixture just as carefully as you did the lye water, and clean up any drips with a sponge soaked in 10% vinegar solution.

Step 8

After the soap has cured for 3-5 hours, you can use a butter knife to cut it into bars or slices. Do not remove it from the box or the molds.

Step 9

Let the soap cure in the box for about a week before removing it. Wrap the bars in muslin and store in a cool place to cure for another 3-4 weeks before using it.

OK – I’m starting to sound like Ewell Gibbons – who died eating twigs and grape seeds (just kidding!!). But, the world today has lost its techniques for making common neccessities – and we pay far too much for the “middle man” to make it for us! (Now, you know why the soap box was invented)

The Solunar Theory
Sunday, January 27, 2008 Moonup~Moondown … Library of Congress #72-93383

In 1926 John Alden Knight* postulated some folk lore he picked up in Florida and proceeded to attempt a refinement, giving it the name Solunar (Sol for sun and Lunar for moon).

Knight compiled a list of 33 factors which influence or control day-to-day behavior of fresh and salt-water fish. Everything was taken into account that could possibly have any bearing on the matter.

One by one the factors were examined and rejected. Three of them, however, merited further examination. They were sun, moon and tides. Surely the sun could have no effect since its cycle was the same day after day, whereas the observed activity periods of fish were apt to be present at most any time of the day or night.

The moon had already been weighed and found wanting. Tides? Surely there could be no tidal movement in a trout stream.  But the fact remained, however, that the tides had always guided salt-water fishermen to good fishing. Could it be that the prompting stimulus lay in the influence of the sun and moon which cause the ocean tides, rather than the actual tidal stages or flow?

When the original research was being done only the approximate time of moon up – moon down were considered. Gradually, it became evident that there were also intermediate periods of activity that occurred midway between the two major periods. Thus the more evident periods were called major periods and the two intermediate periods, shorter in length, were called minor periods.

One convincing experiment was when Dr. Frank A. Brown, a biologist at Northwestern University, had some live oysters flown to his lab near Chicago. Oysters open their shells with each high tide, and Dr. Brown wanted to see if this was due to the change in ocean levels or to a force from the moon itself.
He put them in water and removed them from all sunlight. For the first week they continued to open their shells with the high tides from their ocean home. But by the second week, they had adjusted their shell-openings to when the moon was directly overhead or underfoot in Chicago.

Knight first published his tables in 1936. Then, and today, one must calculate the precise times from each table taking into account the geographic location (east or west) of a base point (Time Zone), and adjusted for Daylight Savings Time when appropriate. Knight’s tables are then rounded to the nearest 10 minutes.

An example of the deviation in time in a particular state would be Texas. The time difference from El Paso on the western border and Hemphill on the eastern border is 51 minutes (Hemphill is 51 minutes earlier than El Paso).

PROVING THE THEORY

To substantiate the theory, insofar as fish are concerned, John Alden Knight attempted a systematic inquiry to acquire complete details surrounding the capture of record catches. Both individual large fish … and large numbers. He examined approximately 200 of these catches. Over 90 percent were made during the dark of the moon (new moon) when the effects of of the periods appear to be greatest, and, more important, they were made during the actual times of the Solunar Periods.
Initially, only the behavior of fish was considered. During 1935 to 1939 Knight made extensive studies of game birds and animals. As had been suspected, these also responded to the prompting stimulus of the periods.

PEAK DAYS

It is now known that the sun and moon are the two major sources of the astral energies that daily bombard the Earth and all her life forms. The closer they are to you at any given moment, the stronger the influence. The day of a new or full moon will provide the strongest influence in each month.

PEAK MONTH

June always has more combined sun-moon influence than any other month. During a full moon, the sun and moon are nearly opposite each other and very few minutes pass without one or the other being in our sky. During a new moon, both bodies are in near-perfect rhythm traveling the skies together with their forces combined. Because of the interaction between the many lunar and solar cycles, no two days, months or years are identical.

PEAK TIMES

When a period falls within 30 minutes to an hour of sunrise or sunset you can anticipate great action! When you have a moonrise or moonset during that period the action will be even greater.  And, finally, when the above times occur during a new or full moon, you can expect the best action of the season!

LENGTH OF PERIODS

Every fisherman knows that fish do not feed all the time. He knows, also, that for some reason fish often go on the feed and take most any offering, be it live bait or artificial. This sort of thing happens, according to John Alden Knight (the originator of the theory) during a period. To be sure, fish usually feed actively at sunrise and sunset, but generally, the real fishing of the day is at the odd hour feeding periods. If the weather and feeding conditions are favorable the fish will be active for one to two hours.

WATCH THE BAROMETER

Intensity of activity also varies from day to day, according to conditions in general. If the barometer happens to be steady or rising, if the temperature is favorable (15 degrees higher than water temp) then long and active response to a period can be expected.

WATCH THE MOON

Another thing to remember in dealing with the periods is that solunar influence will vary in intensity according to the position of the moon. The times of new moon (the dark of the moon), and there is no moon in the sky, is the time of maximum intensity.

Ocean tides reflect this intensity in their magnitude. This maximum will last about three days, and wildlife respond with maximum activity. Thereafter the degree of intensity tapers off until it is at its minimum during the third quarter phase of the moon. Salt-water anglers argue that tides have a greater influence on fish feeding habits than the moon itself. It must be understood that the tides are governed by the phases and transit of the moon. Certain marine phenomena occur with precise regularity during the lunar month and solar/lunar cycle.

Research has shown that a natural day for fish and many other animal species differ from our own. Their biological clock appears to coincide with lunar time, which is the time that it takes for the moon to reappear at a given point during one complete rotation of the earth (an average of 24 hours and 53 minutes). This is called a Tidal Day and explains why the ocean tides are about an hour later each day – and why most fish, fresh water species included, will feed up to an hour later (in relation to our solar clock) each day.

CALCULATING THE TIMES

The key to accurate Solunar Times is the ability to chart the relative solar and lunar positions with respect to a particular location. The major periods coincide with the upper and lower meridian passage of the resultant gravitational (tidal) force.
The minor periods occur when these forces are rising or setting on either horizon, i.e., the right ascension of the resultant force and the local sidereal time vary by 90 or 270 degrees. The major periods occur when these forces are at 0 and 180 degrees apart.

AREA COVERED BY THE TIMES

The times produced are known as equilibrium tide times, i.e., the times of low and high tides if the Earth were completely covered by water. Our program calculates the solar and lunar positions with an accuracy of .25 degrees allowing accuracy to be within 1 minute in time. The times will change one minute for each 12 miles east or west of the base point.

There is one day each month (near the last quarter of the moon) on which there is no moonrise. This is normal and occurs because the moons average period between two rises and sets is approximately 24 hours and 50 minutes. Thus there will always be a day on which a moonrise (and a Solunar Time) will not fit. Note also that moonrise can occur at any time during the day or night.

The quantities required for computing the times are elliptic longitudes of the Sun and Moon, the right ascension (RA) of the moon, and the local sidereal time of the observer’s position.

BEST FISHING DAYS

For those fishermen who enjoy fishing at sunrise and sunset, here are the absolute best dates to be on the water at your favorite spot. These are the Major or Minor Periods that fall near the times of Sunrise or Sunset during a Full or New Moon.
It has been documented that when this condition exists fish will bite on anything they see or smell. Limits are almost guaranteed provided there are fish in the vicinity.
Its no secret that fish and game tend to feed during dawn and dusk (sunrise and sunset). What amplifies the activity is the effect of a moonrise or moonset plus the specific monthly periods of New (dark) and Full (light) Moons.
When the times coincide with a moon-rise or a moon-set the action can be spectacular.  Finally, a change in the local weather coinciding with the periods will further enhance the activity.

For an interesting article on this subject, visit The Real Scoop on using the theory to your advantage.

WATCH THE WEATHER

For best results the tables must be used intelligently. Every day will not show a clear-cut reaction to a period. In the case of fish, barometric fluctuations, particularly when the trend is down, often ruin fishing. All wildlife knows what to expect of the weather, and any bird, animal or fish can sense the approach of a storm. Cold fronts moving through drive all fish deeper and render them inactive.
Adverse temperature, abnormal water conditions, all sorts of things will offset the effects of periods. However, every sportsman knows that it is beyond all reason to expect good fishing or hunting every day. The theory will point the way to the best in sport that each day has to offer, but in no sense is it a guarantee.

CONCLUSION

It goes without saying that if there are no fish or game present, you will not be successful. Plan your days on the water or in the field so that you are where the game is most likely to be during the periods.

We hope that we have been able to improve your understanding of the theory – and how you can use it to improve your angling success.  But always remember … the best time to go fishin … is whenever you can and always practice catch and release.

The Real Scoop

By Joe Bucher

Full Moon or Dark Moon? Major and minor solunar periods? Which is best?

Does any of this moon mumbo jumbo make any real sense nor does it actually work? These are legitimate questions asked by thousands of anglers each year, and they deserve concrete answers backed up by some bona-fide data. Yet as much as pro anglers endorse the effectiveness of moon charts and outdoor publications of every niche’ continue to print them, rarely does either source validate these solunar claims with data.

It’s not hard to find a solunar table of some kind. Nearly every fishing publication today publishes some kind of monthly solunar table, moon chart, activity calendar, action graph, or other similar version. All of these tables, charts, and calendars claim to predict daily feeding activity of fish with accordance to moon and solar influences. Yet, I, like so many other anglers, rarely find any consistent correlation with most of these references.

Finally, back in 1976, when I got into the fishing guide business full time, I really made it a point to compare my fishing catches to a number of solunar charts. Once I started logging my catches on a daily basis I developed a good data base. This finally put me in a position to compare hundreds of muskies, and thousands of bass and walleyes on a daily, monthly, and yearly basis to any printed solar/lunar reference. One of my key entries was the time of day. I figured a daily entry of fish activity would finally give me a mound of fishing data to compare with the various solar/lunar references on a given day to day basis. What followed convinced me that certain solar/lunar criteria simply had little or no daily influence.

Basically, I became so frustrated and disappointed with the lack of any real consistent correlation to most of the popular magazine charts today that I gave up on them completely. They simply did not work. I actually caught far more fish when they weren’t supposed to bite. And when good fish and game activity did coincide, which was less than 10% of the time, it was plainly obvious that it actually had much more to do with the local weather changes than any predicted major or minor solunar period.

You would have thought that my accumulated research would have cured me from ever looking at a solunar chart again, but it did just the opposite. Why? Because I ended up discovering a certain solar/lunar influence that really did work. In fact, it worked so well that it was hard to believe at first. My daily fishing logs had surely disputed the commonly accepted correlations, but they just as surely pointed to indisputable evidence that a “certain” solar/lunar factor was really important.

Yes, I had flipped 180 degrees on the entire solar/lunar deal. I went from totally disbelieving to being totally convinced. In fact, I eventually got to the point where I myself began to predict the most probable daily, monthly and even yearly times when the biggest fish were most apt to bite. And what’s even more incredible, was that I was right almost every single time! But perhaps what was even more unbelievable to me was that everyone else had missed this simple but really absolutely true key.

The real secret, I discovered, to solar/lunar influences on a daily basis was nothing more than knowing when the sun and moon rose and set on a 24 hour basis. That’s right, it was simply a matter of knowing, to the minute, when the sun came up and went down, and when the moon came up and went down each and every day. My 21 year old fishing log revealed without question that fish were active during a 90 minute window surrounding each one of these four daily influences.

Now, I realize this sounds overly obvious, but I told you it would. Most of the solar/lunar charts, tables and graphs you see depicted in today’s publications do not reveal nor coincide with these four vital factors. 1) sun rise, 2) sun set, 3) moon rise, and 4) moon set. Yet it doesn’t take an astrologist to figure out how important the rise and set of the sun and moon has to be.

It’s certainly no secret that feeding movements of both fish and game have been traditionally accepted as key during dawn and dusk — this correlates with sun rise and sun set. Moon rise and set is a bit more tricky to key in on though since they can often occur at mid day or mid night. Overcast weather can also make it impossible to see a moon rise or set, and of course a dark/new moon is not visible to begin with.

The other “super secret” my logs revealed was the predictable frequency of big fish catches during the peak moon phases of full and new moon. Specifically, a lot more big muskies, walleyes, and bass were taken right on the scheduled calendar day of both the full or new (dark) moon peak, and continued for a three to five day stretch afterwards. In other words, if the full moon peak is on June 10th, June 10 thru 15 have great potential for trophies.

Backing up a bit, the four daily factors previously discussed (the rise and set of both the sun and moon) inside each one of these predictable monthly moon peaks (four days on the back side of the full or new moon) further nails it down. In other words, you want to plan your fishing trips to hit the peak of the full or new moon. Then you want to be on your favorite big fish spots during the daily rise and set of both the sun and the moon.

Finally, my logs revealed a third factor that really adds impact to this entire solunar secret. That unpredictable third influence is local weather. Whenever a local weather change coincides with the daily rise or set of either the sun or the moon, during a peak monthly moon period, big things happen in bunches. Big things meaning big fish. For example, give me a severe summer T-storm right at sunset, and just before moon rise during the new moon period and it’s almost a sure bet that that I’m going to bag big muskies or the year’s biggest catch of lunker walleyes.

Or just as good — put me on a steep rocky shoreline with some spawning ciscoes right at the start of a snow storm in the late fall just after sunrise and right before moon set during a full moon period. Big muskies, big pike, big walleyes and big lakers will be snappin’.

Could there be a fourth factor? Absolutely. In fact, there might even be a 5th or 6th. However, an easy-to-detect 4th factor of influence that adds even more impact to an already good situation is a change in the photoperiod, or laymen’s terms — a change in season.

Photoperiodism is actually the measured ratio of daylight to darkness. The most drastic changes in the photoperiod occur in the spring and fall, but mini-differences are detected inside all seasons which are quickly detected thru their eyes and transmitted to their pituitary gland. The responses to these changes in the photoperiod trigger sexual responses such as reproduction and the development of eggs. This, in turn, also triggers increased movement and feeding binges by normally less active trophy fish.

I do realize how controversial my comments on solunar table validity may seem to some, but the facts speak for themselves. My data clearly points to sun rise, sun set, moon rise and moon set as the most important factors. The simple rise and set of both the sun and moon has far more impact than any other daily sun or moon position. That is, bar none, the single most important daily triggering factor of both fish and game.

Monthly peaks in both the full and new moon are a second factor definitely worth considering. When fish of all sizes are feeding infrequently due to a prolonged streak of bad local weather conditions, that small “window” of three to four days right after the actual moon peaks, full or new, may be the only time that the largest fish of any species is truly catchable. Fishing during the daily rise or set of the sun and moon during these key monthly moon phases is paramount.

Weather is also a legitimate third factor, and helps to elevate the impact of the daily rise and set of the sun or moon. It further elevates the entire realm of big fish possibilities when all three factors happen at relatively the same time. A changing weather pattern combined with a good monthly moon phase and rise or set of either sun or moon can activate some major movement from big fish.

If all of these things happen during a good photoperiod, look out! This is when the biggest fish of the year are generally caught. If you are serious about taking such a fish, I’d suggest you start really paying attention to the real scoop on moon phases!

Trust me — thousands of entries in my fishing logs can’t be wrong. This stuff really works!

Here is a place to calculate your Solunar times:

http://www.fieldandstream.com/weather_hunt

Now, the article says Sunset-sunrise and Moonset-soonrise, but the BEST tidal periods are based upon the highest elevation of the sun – halfway between sunrise and sunset – both at night and durung the day. And, high moon elevation night and day. Theory is – and I have found this is true – that freshwater lakes “flow” with tidal rushes just like saltwater oceans do. So, changing the water flow can activate baitfish and cause fish to bite. And, several solunar tables are based upon these theories instead of set and rise. But, garnering all into account – the sun never moves, so keeping track on the highest and lowest moon elevations will tell you the “high” and “low” tide times – high being at highest moon elevation and low being at moonset/moonrise.

I guess you will have to decide for yourself. This is all very complicated, but interesting.

Well, here I go again making some food. I really get a kick out of staying with the basics – and it usually ends up being healthy. Here goes:

All Day Apple Butter

Prep Time:

30 Min

Cook Time:

11 Hrs

Ready In:

11 Hrs 30 Min

Original Recipe Yield 4 pints

Ingredients

* 5 1/2 pounds apples – peeled, cored and finely chopped (Minnesota Fireside)

* 4 cups white sugar

* 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

* 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

* 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Place the apples in a slow cooker. In a medium bowl, mix the sugar, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Pour the mixture over the apples in the slow cooker and mix well.

2. Cover and cook on high 1 hour.

3. Reduce heat to low and cook 9 to 11 hours, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thickened and dark brown.

4. Uncover and continue cooking on low 1 hour. Stir with a whisk, if desired, to increase smoothness.

5. Spoon the mixture into sterile containers, cover and refrigerate or freeze.

Honey-ginger pickled apples

Makes about 4 quarts

If you have the patience, let these pickled apples mellow for at least two weeks in the fridge to develop the flavors.

1 quart water

1 1/2 cups honey

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Pickled Beets Recipe

Ingredients

* 1 bunch (4 or 5) beets

* 1/4 cup cider vinegar

* 1 Tbsp sugar

* 1 Tbsp olive oil

* 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

* Salt and pepper

Method

1 Remove greens from beets save for future use (for beet greens recipe). Cut beets to uniform sizes so they will cook evenly. Steam or boil around 30 minutes or until done. (Alternatively, you can roast them by wrapping them whole in foil and cooking them in a 350°F oven for about an hour.) A fork easily inserted into the beet will tell you if the beets are done or not.

2 Drain the beets, rinsing them in cold water. Use your fingers to slip the peels off of the beets. The peels should come off easily. Discard the peels. Slice the beets.

3 Make the vinaigrette by combining the cider vinegar, sugar, olive oil, and dry mustard. Whisk ingredients together with a fork. The dry mustard will help to emulsify the vinaigrette. Adjust to taste. Add salt and pepper to taste. Combine beets and vinaigrette in a bowl and allow marinating for a half hour at room temperature.

Serves four.

Deviled Eggs

Deviled eggs. Easter egg hunts and summer picnic potlucks. I have been known to devour a dozen of these in one sitting. These were quick and easy. If you want them to be a little prettier, put the egg filling into a freezer bag, make a cut off of one corner of the bag, and pipe them into the egg white halves.

What follows is a basic recipe, though there are so many wonderful variations you can make. Do you have a favorite deviled egg recipe? If so, please add yours in the comments.

Ingredients

* 1 dozen eggs

* 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

* 1/3 cup mayonnaise

* 1 Tbsp minced onion or shallot

* 1/4 teaspoon Tabasco

* Salt and pepper

* Paprika

Method

1 First hard boil the eggs. (See how to make hard boiled eggs.) Fill up a large saucepan half-way with water and gently add the eggs. Cover the eggs with at least an inch of water. Add a teaspoon of vinegar to the water (this will help contain egg whites from leaking out if any of the shells crack while cooking). Add a pinch of salt to the water. Bring the water to a boil. Cover, and remove from heat. Let sit covered for 12-15 minutes. Drain hot water from pan and run cold water over the eggs. (At this point if you crack the egg shells while the eggs are cooling, it will make it easier to peel the shells.) Let sit in the cool water a few minutes, changing the water if necessary to keep it cool.

2 Peel the eggs. Using a sharp knife, slice each egg in half, lengthwise. Gently remove the yolk halves and place in a small mixing bowl. Arrange the egg white halves on a serving platter.

3 Using a fork, mash up the yolks and add mustard, mayonnaise, onion, Tabasco, and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Spoon egg yolk mixture into the egg white halves. Sprinkle with paprika.

Makes 2 dozen deviled eggs.

Candied Apples

1 cup sherry vinegar

2-inch piece ginger, peeled, thinly sliced

3 whole star anise

1/2 cinnamon stick

Grated rind of 1/2 lemon

10 medium, sweet-tart apples, such as Gala or Jonathan, peeled, cored, cut into wedges

1. Have on hand 4 clean 1-quart mason jars.

2. In a large saucepan, combine the water, honey, sugar, salt, vinegar, ginger, anise, cinnamon, and lemon rind. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

3. Divide the apple wedges among the jars. Carefully ladle the hot liquid over them. Set aside for 15 minutes. Screw on the lids. Refrigerate for up to 3 months.

POTATO DUMPLINGS

4 medium potatoes, boiled

1/2 cup sifted flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

2 T grated onion with juice

1/2 cup dried bread crumbs

1 1/2 tsp melted butter

1 egg, slightly beaten

2 quarts boiling water

1/2 tsp salt

Rice the potatoes. Sift together flour, baking powder, salt and pepper. Combine riced potatoes, flour mixture, onion, bread crumbs, butter and egg.

Mix well. Shape into 12 small balls and dredge lightly with flour. Chill. Drop dumplings into boiling salted water.

Cover and boil 15 minutes.

Ever wonder how they make canned tuna? Preserved tuna is an ancient art, perfected by the Italians thousands of years ago. Even today, the finest canned tuna comes from Italy and Spain. Commercial canners often steam their albacore — which is the primary species used in canned tuna — but you will get a far more luxurious result if you slowly poach it in olive oil, a process the French call confit.

Some people will want to use freshwater fish – which is fine, And, I have included an old style recipe for Tuna Hotdish ( that’s Tuna casserole for the non-Midwesterners)

First start with high-quality albacore or yellow fin tuna. You can do this with other kinds of tuna, too, and mako shark, halibut, swordfish or sturgeon also work very well. Cut the fish into large chunks about an inch thick, and then salt them well.

You can buy Albacore Tuna in good Butcher shops. A substitute would be the meat counters at Byerly’s or Cub Foods. How about Carp? YES!! I do like Carp.

Prepping the Oil

Start the process by getting your oil ready. Basically you want to infuse it with flavor and cook it long enough to make the oil stable.

I add the following to 3 cups of olive oil:

* 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
* 2 T. kosher salt
* 2 cloves crushed garlic
* 1 sprig fresh rosemary
* Zest of a lemon, sliced into strips
* 1 whole clove

Heat the oil slowly over medium heat until you begin to see the herbs just start to simmer. The temperature should be about 160 degrees. Hold this temperature for about 15 minutes, then turn off the heat and cover the pot.

Cooking the Fish

Once the oil has cooled, about 30 minutes, turn the heat back on to medium and heat the oil to 150 degrees.

Slip in the fish and arrange it in one layer. The fish must be completely covered.

Turn off the heat and cover the pot again. Let the fish steep in the oil for another half-hour to 45 minutes.

Storing the Fish

After the fish has steeped in the hot oil for 30-45 minutes, take it out and put into a clean plastic or glass container.

Let the oil cool to room temperature, then strain it through a piece of cheesecloth and use it to cover the fish. Make sure you do not include any liquid that the fish gave off during cooking. You want only the oil covering the fish.

Covered this way (use more clean oil if there is not enough), the fish will last in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.

If you want it to last longer, you must pressure-can it in a steam canner. Follow your canner’s instructions.

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Tuna Noodle Casserole I

Ingredients

* 1 (8 ounce) package wide egg noodles
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon salt (optional)
* 1 cup milk
* 1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
* 1 (6 ounce) can tuna, drained
* 1 (15 ounce) can peas, drained

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat a 2 quart casserole dish with cooking spray.
2. In a large pot of salted water, boil noodles until al dente. Drain well.
3. In a medium saucepan, combine flour, butter, and salt. Stir until butter is melted and ingredients are combined evenly. Add milk, and whisk until the sauce thickens (usually it is at the proper consistency by the time it begins to boil). Add cheese to mixture, and whisk until cheese is melted and mixture is well blended. Stir in tuna, peas, and noodles. Spread evenly in prepared dish.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes.

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My family and I have been reminiscing lately about my mom’s tuna casserole, the one she used to make in the 60s, with cream of mushroom soup, broccoli, lots of cheese, and a crushed potato chip topping. Mom had only the vaguest recollection of a tuna casserole (“I think it had broccoli in it.”) In fact, she made it from scratch. Did she really make it? Or are my family and I remembering something instead from a school cafeteria? In any case, I attempted to reproduce it for today’s lunch, in honor of the weekend and long forgotten family traditions. Entering the pantry, I found a Minnesota basic staple – a can of Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom Soup (really must use this one, no other will do.) Also, I used Kettle potato chips – very good quality. The verdict? Yep, it’s definitely tuna casserole – filling, cheesy, crunchy topping, not too tuna-y. I haven’t had this in years, decades probably. The visiting picky eater kids (okay, not that picky, thank God) had three servings. This is a good sign.

Ingredients

* 12 ounces wide egg noodles
* 1 Tbsp salt
* 8 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms
* 1 medium onion, chopped
* 2 Tbsp butter
* 2 cups chopped broccoli (about 1/2 lb)
* 2 (6-ounce) cans tuna, drained
* 1 (10 3/4 oz) can Campbell’s cream of mushroom soup
* 2 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
* 1/3 cup milk
* 1 Tbsp cream
* Salt and pepper to taste
* 1 cup crushed potato chips

Method

1 Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large (6 qt) pot, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Add a tablespoon of salt. Return to a boil. Add noodles. Cook uncovered on high heat on a rolling boil. Just before pasta is al dente, (firm but cooked through, earliest cooking time minus 2 minutes), add the chopped broccoli to the pasta and cook for 2 more minutes. Drain in a colander and set aside.

2 While the pasta is cooking, dry sauté the mushrooms in a frying pan on medium high heat (no need to add butter or oil, mushrooms will cook in their own juice). When mushrooms have given up their moisture (about 10 minutes), remove from heat and set aside.

3 After the pasta is done and is draining in a colander, heat a large oven-proof pan on medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the onions and cook them until translucent. Add the pasta and broccoli mixture back into the pot; stir in the mushrooms. Stir in the tuna, can of cream of mushroom soup, grated cheese, milk and cream. Add salt and pepper to taste.

4 Spread crushed potato chips over the top of the mixture and cook for 20 minutes at 400°F in the oven, until the topping has browned.

Serves 6.

Recent dog food recalls make homemade dog food recipes popular. Here’s some ideas for making your own.

Many popular dog foods have recently been recalled because of food poisoning which in some cases has been fatal. North American stores have been pulling up to 48 brands off the shelves that Menu foods supplies. (Source: Animal Owners Frantic on Pet Food Recall, Matthew Verrinder, March 18th, 2007)

If you are concerned about the health and well being of your dog and wish to ensure they are getting uncontaminated foods there are ways of making your own healthy dog food. A suggested formula is 75% carbohydrates to 25% meat. A simple dog food recipe is to combine and cook brown rice, ground meat, vegetables, water and a small amount of brewers yeast. Dogs can’t digest vegetables very well, so they need to go through the food processor thoroughly before adding. Amounts of water vary depending on whether you want dry or wet food. Your dog food should be served at room temperature.
Ingredient ideas for dog food:

* Rice is a good carbohydrate for dogs. Brown rice is preferable as it has more nutrients.

* Brewers yeast which can be found in some grocers and health stores.

* Flour, such as corn flour, soy flour or whole wheat flour.

* Codliver oil or flaxseed in small amounts adds omega 3 and helps keep their coats shiny.

* Meats suggested to use are liver, beef, tuna, lamb or chicken. It’s easier to add to food if the meat is ground.

* Dogs also enjoy peanut butter and biscuits can be made with them by adding flour, bone meal and/or powdered milk, brewers yeast and even carrots. Peanuts are one of the few nuts that are safe for your dog. (Dog Biscuit Recipe)

* Some vegetables are ok such as carrots, broccoli and spinach, but they need to be put through a food processor first to aid in digestion. (Broccoli is not good in large amounts.)

* Bonemeal may need to be added to ensure they are getting calcium. Raw meaty bones are a good source of calcium. Powdered milk is also a popular ingredient in dog food.

Some foods to avoid which may be dangerous to dogs:

* Chocolate which can cause seizures in dogs.

* Coffee and tea can cause similar problems as chocolate.

* Raisins and grapes can cause kidney failure.

* Nutmeg can also cause seizures.

* Raw eggs could contain salmonella, so they’re not worth the risk.

* Onions are not advised as they can interfere with blood circulation.

* Macadamia nuts can cause dogs to have tremors and lead to paralysis.

* There’s much controversy as to how much garlic (if any) is safe for dogs to ingest.

* Other food cautions include moldy foods, yeast dough and fruit pits. Many fruit pits contain cyanide.

For more information on the dog food recall, see Pet Food Recall blog

For more dog food recipes see: Homemade dog food recipes

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Lucky and Rippy’s Favorite Dog Food

Ingredients

* 3 pounds minced chicken meat
* 2 1/2 cups frozen vegetable blend (no garlic or onions), minced
* 4 cups rice
* 6 1/2 cups water

Directions

1. Place chicken, vegetables, and rice into a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Stir in water until the mixture is smooth. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
2. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender and all of the liquid has been absorbed, about 25 minutes. Cool completely before serving; store covered in the refrigerator.

Nutritional Information open nutritional information

Amount Per Serving Calories: 372 | Total Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 66mg

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Homemade Dog Food

Ingredients

* 6 cups water
* 1 pound ground turkey
* 2 cups brown rice
* 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
* 1/2 (16 ounce) package frozen broccoli, carrots and cauliflower combination

Directions

1. Place the water, ground turkey, rice, and rosemary into a large Dutch oven. Stir until the ground turkey is broken up and evenly distributed throughout the mixture; bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the frozen vegetables, and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. Refrigerate until using.

Nutritional Information open nutritional information

Amount Per Serving Calories: 459 | Total Fat: 10.9g | Cholesterol: 67mg

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Poochie Meat Cakes

Ingredients

* 1 1/2 cups brown rice
* 3 cups water
* 2 large potatoes, grated
* 4 large carrots, grated
* 2 large celery stalks, chopped
* 6 pounds ground beef
* 8 eggs
* 1 dash salt
* 1/4 cup olive oil
* 1 1/2 cups regular rolled oats

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Grease 36 cups of 3 large muffin tins.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine the rice with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, uncovered, and cook 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes. Remove from heat, let cool several minutes, then fluff with a fork and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, carrots, celery, ground beef, and eggs. Mix ingredients together using your hands or a sturdy spoon. Add salt, olive oil, rolled oats, and rice; mix well.
4. Fill each muffin cup with some of the meat mixture, and pat down the to make it firm. Bake 45 minutes, or until surface feels set. Cool on a rack 10 minutes or longer.
5. Remove the meat cakes by turning the muffin tin upside down over a sheet of aluminum foil. Tap each muffin cup to release the cake. Refrigerate or freeze in sealed plastic bags. NOTE: Do not feed to dogs while still hot.

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving Calories: 326 | Total Fat: 23.1g | Cholesterol: 112mg

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Dog Biscuits II

Ingredients

* 2 1/2 cups sifted whole wheat flour
* 1/2 cup dry milk powder
* 1 cube beef bouillon, crumbled
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 cup cooked ground pork
* 1 cup grated carrot
* 6 tablespoons shortening
* 1 egg
* 1/2 cup cold water

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly oil two cookie sheets.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the whole wheat flour, milk powder, beef bouillon, and salt. Add the ground pork, carrot, shortening and egg; mix in to the flour mixture while gradually adding water to form a stiff ball of dough.
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes using cookie cutters, and reroll scraps until no dough is left. Place cookies 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.
4. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the bottoms of the cookies are browned. Allow cookies to set for a few minutes on the cookie sheet before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

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Homemade Dog Shampoo

Is your dog squeaky clean? Is your puppy fluffy? Does he/she smell fresh? If the answer to these questions is a resounding, “NO!” then you need to read on and find out what the world’s best dog shampoo is.

What do you use on your dog? People shampoo? Baby shampoo? Do you go to the pet supply store and try to decide between the numerous dog shampoos available? There’s dry skin shampoo, shampoo with highlights, shampoo for black dogs, white dogs, curly-haired dogs. It’s enough to make you want to run screaming out of the store.

Been there, done that, and scared some children in the parking lot on my way out. Let me tell you about the dog shampoo I use, and have used since the very first time I was told about it, approximately 9 years ago.

It doesn’t come from France and it doesn’t cost $147.00 an ounce. You can’t get it in a Hollywood Purse Puppy boutique. Matter of fact, you don’t buy it at all. You make it yourself using just TWO ingredients found in any grocery store.

I was first told about this recipe when my golden retriever was just a puppy. A respected friend who is a responsible golden breeder, trainer and veterinary student swore by it so I gave it a shot.

I have NEVER purchased regular dog shampoo again. I was wary at first but as soon as I saw the suds, smelled that wonderful clean smell and realized how efficiently the shampoo rinsed off, I was a believer. Those of us who use this recipe like to say our dogs smell like a salad, and it’s true!

It is simple, clean, easy to make and inexpensive. You can store it in an old shampoo bottle and just shake thoroughly before shampooing your dog.

You only need four things and about three minutes.

* A container such as a shampoo bottle or other squeeze bottle.
* CLEAR liquid antibacterial soap. Dial is recommended but I have also used generic.
* WHITE vinegar.

Mix equal parts vinegar and soap in your container. Shake well. You’re done.

Use the shampoo the same way you would any dog shampoo. Be careful not to get it into your dog’s eyes or ears. Start with a small amount because it lathers well and work the suds deep into the coat. Rinse well and dry. There is no wet dog smell and should be no residue on your dog’s coat, due to the vinegar. The antibacterial aspect helps with parasites, dirt, and even minor skin abrasions and itchy or flaky skin.

What I love the most about this shampoo is the fresh smell stays for days! It’s quite long lasting, your dog’s coat will be soft and ultra-clean. And when someone comes in and says, “What is that good smell?” you can actually point to your dog.

Get going, now. I think your dog is running the bath.

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So, it’s time to stop feeding your dog the garbage and residue the pet food makers try to get you to buy. They LAUGH all the way to the bank!! And, your dog IS worth more than table scraps and people food. Besides, some old refrigerator servings ARE just a little too old for human consumption.

Yor Dog will love you for this – and your wallet will too.

Hello. As usual, I don’t like paying extra money for things I can make. And, I can make barbecue sauce.

I have told everyone in prior posts how to make butter, miracle whip, Pasta, marshmallows, ketchup, mustard, and Peanut Butter. So, I continue with how to make Barbecue sauce:

Rib Sauce

If you like a rich, thick barbecue sauce on your ribs, then this is the perfect one for you. By using tomato sauce and tomato paste instead of ketchup you get a richer flavor in your barbecue sauce.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

* 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce

* 1 6-ounce can tomato paste

* 2 tablespoons brown sugar

* 2 tablespoons vinegar

* 2 tablespoons olive oil

* 3 cloves garlic crushed

* 4 tablespoons minced onion

* 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

* 1 teaspoon dry mustard

* 1 teaspoon cayenne

* Fresh ground pepper to taste

Preparation:

Cook minced onion and garlic in olive oil until onions turns opaque. Add remaining ingredients, mix thoroughly and allow to simmer for about 20 minutes. Makes about 1 1/2 cups of barbecue sauce.

Jack Daniels Rib Glaze

Use this barbecue sauce toward the end of cooking. You want the sauce to cook on to the surface of the ribs, but you don’t want it to burn.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

* 1 cup Jack Daniel’s Whiskey

* 1 cup ketchup

* 1/2 cup dark brown sugar

* 1/4 cup vinegar

* 1 tablespoon lemon juice

* 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

* 3 cloves garlic, minced

* 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

* Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Combine ingredients in a saucepan and mix well. Simmer for 20 minutes then allow to cool. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If you make it a few days in advance the flavors will have more time to blend together.

Sheila’s Backyard Barbecue Sauce

This barbecue sauce has it all from orange juice to mustard. I suggest you make this one in large batches so can you have it on hand. You can omit the liquid smoke if you want to. Don’t put in the Kitchen Sink!@!

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

* 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

* 1 medium onion, peeled and slivered

* 4 whole cloves of garlic, peeled and halved

* 1 can (28 ounces) peeled plum tomatoes

* 1 1/2 cups ketchup

* 1 cup fresh orange juice

* 6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

* 6 tablespoons red wine vinegar

* 1/2 cup water

* 2 tablespoons all natural liquid smoke

* 1/4 cup (packed) dark brown sugar

* 3 tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger

* 2 tablespoons dark molasses

* 1 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

* 1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce, or more to taste

* 2 tablespoons chili powder

* 1 tablespoons ground coriander

* 1 tablespoons dry mustard

* 1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste

Preparation:

Place the oil in a medium-size heavy pot. Add the onion and cook 5 to 7 minutes over medium heat until golden brown. Stir in the garlic during the last minute. Add all of the remaining ingredients to the pot and combine well. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to very low and cook, stirring often for 45 minutes to an hour or until the sauce thickens and has a smooth texture. Remove the onion and garlic with a slotted spoon, discard. Adjust seasonings to taste. If the sauce is too thick, add a small amount of water. Cool to room temperature and refrigerate in covered containers for up to two weeks.

So, be creative and try adding your own ingredients. You do not – ever – have to pay high bucks for common foods you can make yourself!!

So, I tried last week to turn up local radio broadcasts and turn down TV sound, but there was a 4 second delay on television, so it was silly to watch it.

I began thinking – Obviously this Joe Buck idiot has to have some knowledge about football. But, as usual with highly paid, network announcers – they went with the Cowboys. Who are a great team. And, of course, an ex-Dallas Quarterback sitting next to Buck would never say anything good about the Vikings.

So, I listened to the radio only and finally thoroughly enjoyed a game for once. I guess I still do not know why no one can say anything good about the Vikings. I noticed Dallas had a few Pro Bowl Selections – and EVERY ONE of these was interviewed. None of the Vikings selections were interviewed – and they had more Pro Bowl selections THAN ANY OTHER TEAM!! Maybe the television directors should consider making local announcers broadcast the sound so Minnesotans will watch the One Million Dollar commercials.

Quietly, Minnesotans are laughing at the people who can not see the Vikings as a good team. One good thing – I did not have to listen to Deon Sanders – who was ill.

So, if they lose this week – I know they will have played their best. And, we got even for PRESTON PEARSON!! (Nyaa Dallas!!)

New Orleans is a good team and, like the Vikings, can win this game. It would not be embarrassing for them to lose, since they lost every playoff game that the Vikings ever played against them – even though Howard Cosell and Deirdorff and many others did not like Bud Grant – or the Vikings (what else is new?).

So, when the Vikings are heavily favored – I worry. And, they are not now. So, they will have their best chance to win (mathematically) that they ever had in the playoffs, since they were usually favored to win (and did not).

Anyway, the Vikings are a super bunch of socially conscious guys that take their job seriously – just as the Saints are. It will be a very good game.

Some of the best snacks for the upcoming football games is pickled fish. Now, freswater fish has one problem; they are filled with parasites. So be SURE to cook the fish well before starting.

Here is the recipes. There are two flavors – Dill and Sweet:

Fish fillets
Salt brine, enough to float an egg
White vinegar
Sliced onions
4 c. white vinegar
3 c. sugar
1 c. white sweet silver satin wine
1/4 c. pickling spice

Cut fillets into herring size pieces and put in salt brine for 48 hours. Drain and rinse with cold water. Cover fish with white vinegar for 24 hours. Drain and throw vinegar away. Put layer of fish then a layer of sliced onion in containers until full. Heat together 4 cups white vinegar and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Cool. Add wine and pickling spice. Pour over fish and cover jars. Fish must be covered at all times and kept refrigerated. Yields 3 quarts.

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Dill Pickling Spice Recipe
Pickling spice is a mixture of spices used for pickling meats such as corned beef and sauerbraten; vegetables such as cabbage, onion, and mushrooms; and fish such as salmon and herring. Pickling spices are best left whole so the flavor cooks in without leaving any powdery residues that would make the liquid cloudy and unappealing. Tie pickling spices in a cheesecloth bag for easy removal. Use about 1 tablespoon pickling spice for each quart of liquid.
INGREDIENTS

* 1/4 cup broken cassia bark
* 2 tablespoons yellow mustard seeds
* 2 tablespoons black mustard seeds
* 2 tablespoons coriander seeds
* 2 tablespoons allspice berries
* 2 tablespoons black peppercorns
* 1 tablespoon dill seeds
* 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
* 2 teaspoons whole cloves
* 2 teaspoons celery seeds
* 2 teaspoons crushed mace blades
* 8 crushed bay leaves
* 1 (1-inch) section dried ginger
* 1 small dried hot red pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine cassia bark, yellow mustard seeds, black mustard seeds, coriander seeds, allspice berries, black peppercorns, dill seeds, fennel seeds, cloves, celery seeds, mace blades, bay leaves, ginger, and hot red pepper.

Sweet Pickling Spice Recipe

Ingredients same as above except:
* Cider Vinegar instead of White Vinegar
* No Dill Seed
* Add 3/4 cup Sugar
* Add a little Tequila or Rum if desired

Sweet Pickle Instructions – let fish sit for two extra days.

Now, a real outdoors person knows that all things can be pickled, including venison, duck, boiled eggs, and Turkey gizzards.

Just substitute the ingredients used in place of the fish. And, you can substitute the pickling spices for premade and bought spices. Here is a link to pickling supplies with spices:

http://www.pickyourown.org/canningsuppliespickling.htm

Ok – once and a while I like to go over the basics because, like my young nephew says, “what’s basic and common sense to you may not be so basic and common sense to me!”

So, here goes:

Hooking the Minnow

A lot of people like to hook minnows in the head. But, they never say how to do it without killing the bait. So, I like to start the hook in the V of the gills – the tab of meat there – and up through the eye. OK, sounds gruesome, and I’m sure it hurts. But, hooking into the middle of the head could kill the bait right away.

Some people hook into the lips – which is fine if the lips are strong.

Another good way is to hook into the gills and out the mouth – then go back to the tail and hook through the end of the minnow.

A new system is called “Pinching the minnow” – or using half a minnow – usually the head, on a jig. It’s also preferable in this method to let a few minnow insides hang out the back by pulling the tail half off slowly.

Some minnows are stronger than others – so test several ways. Always check bait every so often for action.

Hooking in the dorsal area or just under the Dorsal fin is great for ice fishing and bobber fishing. Don’t go too deep and hook into the stomach or bloodline. Another variation is to move the hook towards the tail but not all the way back. The theory is the minnow tries to upright itself, creating more action. Some people use small pieces of rubber band to “hold” the minnow upside down.

The last method is tail hooked minnows – which usually keeps the bait alive the longest.

Bobber Setting

I like to use the slip bobber technique – setting the depth with a heavy clip on weight. I set to be 6″ to 1 foot off the bottom.

Hooks

I like to use a short salmon style plain hook for walleyes. A jig hook with a Kahle style hook is also used. Fluorescent colors are the best – and I can never predict what color will work. Don’t forget to charge the fluorescent color every time you set the jig down. A portable camera flash attachment or a strong flashlight does the trick.

Keep the hole Clear of Ice

There are no secrets here that work. I used to (years ago) put antifreeze in the hole, but that’s now illegal. There are battery powered heaters that keep the hole clear.

Jig that rod like Mad!!

I like to jig 3-5 inches up and down, side to side, or in a circle. I jig for nearly 2 minutes – timing with my watch. Then, I let the bobber sit still for about a minute. I vary these times as I want.

Keep a good quality Ice Reel that doesn’t bind with Ice

Many a fish is lost with the old style Norway fish pole. Also, when you catch fish in deep water and do not intend to keep them – or if they don’t fit the slot size – pull that fish up slowly and respectfully. And, try to release it and be sure it swims away and doesn’t float up under the ice.

Tip Ups and Wind Jiggers

These work fine, but they are for the lazy fishermen – not me. A lot of Gimmicks and new techniques are for the fisherman to be caught – not the fish.

Artificial?

Well, I am not a fan of JUST an artificial. I have tried Gulp with jigs and Swedish Pimples – no luck! But, tipping a Swedish Pimple with a minnow and jigging really works. usually, I continuously jig the pimple – and a walleye will either strike it or just “hang” on the end of the line with the minnow in its mouth. When this happens – I use a spring either from a ballpoint pen or a commercial sunfish spring sensor. Watching the spring – sometimes adding a bead or a piece of tape onto the spring – will signal when the fish have mouthed it.

Scents

My old standby is always Anise oil. It smells great to me even, and mixing in ground dead minnows in the oil – or grubs, corn meal, or flour (I get pretty desperate and have really tried all this) – the Scent works a lot better and is a mite cheaper than any commercially availible scents.

I certainly lost any hope I have of an affiliate scent company wanting to buy an ad spot. But, I do this for fun – not money. (shhhh)

So, when the guns are cleaned and the temperature is running below the zero line – I think its time to make Deer sausage!

OK, so you can buy it, but a typical sausage stuffer is about $30-$100 dollars. The casings, spices, and freezer bags are easy to come by.

Here are some recipes:

Breakfast Sausage

* 7.5 pounds ground pork
* 7.5 pounds ground venison
* 8 tablespoons kosher salt
* 5 teaspoons ground white pepper
* 3 tablespoons of rubbed sage
* 1½ teaspoons ginger
* 5 teaspoons nutmeg
* 5 teaspoons thyme
* 4 teaspoons cayenne pepper
* 3 cups ice water

See uncooked meat sausage packing instructions

Garlic Kielbasa/Polish sausage

Also called kielbasy or Polish sausage , this smoked sausage is usually made of pork and venison. It comes in about 2 inches in diameter links and is usually precooked, though you can freeze it fresh and cook it. Kielbasa can be served separately or cut into pieces as part of a dish. Even the precooked kielbasa tastes better when heated.

* 4 teaspoon coarse (kosher) salt
* 1 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 3 tablespoon sweet Hungarian paprika
* 1 teaspoon dried marjoram, crumbled
* 1/2 teaspoon dried savory, crumbled
* 2 teaspoon finely minced garlic
* 10 oz trimmed beef shin, cut into /2″ dice and chilled
* 16 oz fresh pork fat, cut into 1/2″ dice and chilled
* 1/3 c ice water
* 1 1/4 lb. lean, trimmed pork, cut into 1″ dice and chilled

See uncooked meat sausage packing instructions

HOMEMADE BEEF STICKS /VENISON STICKS

* 3 lbs. ground chuck beef or Venison or Pork or Mix
* 3 tbsp. Kosher Salt
* 2 tsp. garlic powder
* 3/4 tsp. crushed red pepper

Mix all ingredients well. Form into 4 sticks. Pack firmly. Refrigerate uncovered for 24 hours on cookie sheet over rack to catch drippings. Bake at 300 degrees for 60 minutes. Slice.

Venison Summer Sausage

* 15 pounds coarse ground venison
* 10 pounds 50/50 coarse ground pork trimmings
* 2 cups water
* 1 cup salt/tenderizer
* 1/4 cup whole mustard seed
* 1/4 cup coarse ground black pepper
* 1/4 cup sugar
* 3 tablespoons garlic powder
* 1 tablespoon marjoram
* 1 tablespoon monosodium glutamate (optional)

Combine the ground venison and pork. Mix the salt into the water…t won’t completely dissolve. Add this slurry to the ground meat, mixing in one-quarter of it at a time. Continue mixing the meat for five minutes. Place the meat in a shallow pan and refrigerate for three to five days. Mix the meat twice each day.

Mix the spice ingredients into the meat throroughly, and regrind the meat before packing it into 3 inch fibrous casings.

Uncooked Sausage Stuffing Process

Combine the ground venison and pork thoroughly. Mix the salt into the water…it may not completely dissolve. Add this slurry to the ground meat, mixing in one-quarter of it at a time. Continue mixing the meat for five minutes. Place the meat in a shallow pan and refrigerate for three to five days. Mix the meat twice each day. Place your fermentor (if you want it) in as the mixture sits. Fermetor is usually a dry yeast, but lemon juice is a good substitute. Also, if you cut down on pork, or eliminate it entirely, mix in some non-fat dry milk to hold the meat together.

Mix the spice ingredients into the meat throroughly, and regrind the meat before packing it into 3 inch fibrous casings. Let the meat sit with the seasonings in the refrigerator to “cure” it also.

Stuff the meat into pork casings, twisting if you want to the desired size. Twisting the casings is tough, and breaking the casing skin can result in a real mess. Take care here.

Casings can be bought at most meat markets or Butcher shops. If not, you can order them here: http://www.sausagemaker.com/casingsandaccessories.aspx You can buy any size or kind, natural or inedible.

Some other things can be added, such as curing salts, Cheeze (I am partial to sharp cheddar), Hot sauces (Tabasco, Worchestshire, Mexican Habanaro), Peppers, Wine, Beer, or Brandy.

You can also add Peppercorns, Anise seeds (licorice flavored), Poppy seeds, Dill seeds, and others. You can add Liquid smoke, or actually smoke the sausage yourself. Caution: Don’t put everything into one group of sausage – it might take just like a Big Mac.

Oh, Barbeque sauce also.

The ice water serves as a moisturizer, as wild game can be very dry. If the sausage turns out dry, you’ll have to cook it in boiling water or a water/cooking oil Mixture.

Remember to cook all meat thouroughly, as wild game can be full of parasites. But, so can purchased meats, and they use things such as Carbon Monoxide Gas to make the meat stay red. Wild game is very Healty.

The Hard Part – Stuffing the Casings

The first thing to do is to lubricate the casings. Natural Casings need to be soaked in water or Salt Water. The Summer Sausage non-edible casings should be lubricated with butter, margarine, cooking oil, or another food grade lubricant (Pam?).

I like to use a sausage stuffer, since the motorized grinders work way too fast for a once and a while stuffee. Also, try to get two people, since pushing the handle or cranking the crank is one job, and holding the casings on the stuffer with you fingers and hands is another. Yes. the casings need to be held so that they fill with meat, and they must be held tightly, but not firm enough to bust the casing. Twisting is difficult, and needs to be done slowly until you get the hang of it.

Make sure you freeze enough just for a few servings, as sausage is very filling. Most important – CLEAN everything very thoroughly, and the outside casing of the sausage should be washed as well, since you never know where your hands have been.

Casings can be bought in many sizes – from about a half inch diameter to four inches. Remember to remove inedible casings befor you sit down to eat. Also, Lunch meat sausage must be cooked until the middle of the meat until a temperature of 160 degrees F to 175 degrees F is reached. Sometimes, cooking the meat before stuffing is done, but then you will have to add cooking oil and more ice water to the mixture.

Really, though – there is nothing finer than to sit down to a breakfast of venison sausage, eggs, and Pancakes!!