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The difference in these compared to a refrigerated pickle, some call the half sour, is that these are fully fermented. You wind up with enough natural lactic acid to keep them safe. The ones that you only keep on the counter for about 3 days are the ones you can get listeria from. We don't recommend making those any more. The recipes have been pulled from the USDA files for them. Fully fermented pickles may be stored in the original...

I have never found a Romano variety that freezes well. Their shape/make-up just don't seem to tolerate it. We tried steam blanching them for less than a minute then into ise water and then to the freezer (per the NCHFP instructions) - still mushy. But they do can well. Perhaps it's time to invest in a pressure canner Lisa if that's the type you wish to grow. ;) As to the pop-ups - it is a chronic browser problem. Switch to...

Thanks Jim - I realized that after I'd posted it. By the way, when will he be back. After re-reading the posting, it would appear that the subject of freezing citrus juice hasn't been resolved too well. As I've mentioned, I don't do it anyway, so guess I've no business adding my 2 c's. B.

LindaLou, I always make my own sausage now, Elery and I have also smoked our own bacon, made pastrami and smoked those ducks! I like italian sausage more than I like breakfast sausage, but here's the recipe I use when making breakfast sausage. The spices can be adjusted to taste, I mix the seasonings in with the meat, cook a tiny bit and then adjust to add more of whatever seasonings I like. It's usually a bit more sage and a bit...

I am out of pickled cauliflower already! That was gobbled up as soon as I took jars anywhere. Hope I wrote down which brine I used. Naw, not a southern thing to cross off the list if you don't get a jar back. Same rule applies here in Rural PA. Those of us living in the country return, townies don't. I guess it's the principal more than the cost of the jar. But, then again my jams would cost a fortune at the store, as I have...

P S.... I'll be gone for about a week or so. We are leaving on a cruise. My poor husband has had his hands full the last couple of years tending to the farmstead, all that the house involves, all my tests and appointments and caring for me so we are taking off on a cruise to the Bahamas......We picked that one because it doesn't have a lot of ports of call and we can spend out time just relaxing on the ship.

I haven't read the Ball recipe myself, but someone said it calls for 6 cups of pumpkin to 1 cup vinegar. My recipe uses pounds instead of cups. It calls for 1 3/4 pounds pumpkin to 2 cups vinegar & 2 cups water. When I weighed a cup of the cubed pumpkin, it was 1/4 pound. So that translates to 7 cups pumpkin to 2 cups vinegar. It seems to me that the addition of water would dilute it by half, resulting in approximately the strength...

I agree with you Dave. I did find the article interesting and a launching point for my own research. Most of that stuff we don't eat anyway (harmful or not), we grow our own. However, If I run out of my own, I'll buy some things in the store. Some we just do without! Deanna

Well, I call it a City Thang that when I give a gift, it's a gift, without strings attached. ;-) If someone returns what it came in, that's a kindness on their part that I appreciate (and perhaps even reward with a little extra goody ;-p ). If anything, I like best to share my canned goods with people who don't can and didn't grow up with that tradition, as it spreads the joy even further! Some of my city friends have asked...

I'm going to have to work at some gift jars next year it sure seems like a fun way to take care of the holiday list(: Jars are no big deal though compared to spending $8-10 each on store bought gifts you get a dozen jars...