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["Lynda" <lurine AT softcom.net>]

NO EXCUSE!  Anyone can can and it doesn't take an Einstein!  If you can use 
the computer, you can do canning.  AND, once you've canned anything, you'll 
be hooked because you won't be able to go back to the store bought "stuff."

As to dehydrating, use the great outdoors!  You've got all that sun and 
heat, don't waste it.  Get a couple of screens and lay your veggies or fruit 
between them.  I wouldn't set them in direct sun but the heat alone will do 
the job.  Flip them every hour or so.  It sure works up here real well.

I finally have a canning kitchen, sorta <g>  It is way to hot here in the 
summer to use the kitchen for hours of pressure canning.  I, personally, 
much prefer a steam canner to a boiling water bath.  I already have shelves 
of jam and if you use Pomona Pectin instead of the stuff you usually find on 
the grocery shelves, then making 7 jars of jam takes exactly 30 minutes, 
start to finish!  Even with the carpel tunnel, I can make strawberry jam in 
30 minutes -- hull, whiz in the blender, toss in the jam pot, add the 
calcium water, dump in less than half the amount of sugar most recipe 
recommend which I blend with the Pomona Pectin, bring to a boil, jar, 
process for 7 minutes (5 minutes at sea level).  Take the little darlings 
out and your done.

Today I'll be making green tomato salsa verde.  Green tomato because the 
tomatoes just aren't getting to red this year due to the 60 days of no sun. 
The 7 jars of salsa verde will take an hour.  Lots more chopping to do and 
they process 20 minutes.

But the taste difference!  And the price difference!!!

Lynda
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <Bunjov AT aol.com>


> We've already picked all the tomatoes we're going to have. The plants are
> drying out now, and they're done. That's what makes me wonder about the 
> zone.
> Neither one of us does canning of any sort - she works and I don't know 
> how
> - but we've made red sauce, tuna-stuffed tomatoes and BLT's until we can't
> stand  it any more. And given them away. People at her office run and hide 
> now
> when  they see her coming in with a box or a paper bag.
> I have long wanted a dehydrator. Or I could probably use my oven. The top 
> of
> the range has to be lit with matches, but the oven does have a pilot 
> light,
> and seems to me to be just right for drying stuff.
> Also for bowl after bowl of yeast dough rising.
> I can't wait for cooler weather - so I can bake again! Store-bought 
> plastic
> bread don't get it!