The first step is to remove the labels.  Simply bring a large kettle of water to a rolling boil, turn off the stovetop, add the jars, without lids, and make sure that the labels are fully submerged.  Then let the jars sit in the water for several hours until the water is room temperature.  Some labels will just fall off.  For others, I use a nylon scrapper to scratch the label off and then baking soda to scrub the last bit of glue off.  Once the outsides are clean, I throw them in the dishwasher for a final cleaning.  It might sound like a lot of work, but I have found so many uses. 

My latest favorite use, is making dry beans in the crockpot and then freezing the beans in the jars.  Since a typical 15 oz can of beans only contains about 7 oz of actual beans (I know, isn’t that annoying?), I eyeball about 7 ounces in some bottles and then 14 or 21 ounces in others so that way I always have the amount I need and put the jars directly in the freezer.  When I’m ready to use the beans, I either put them in the fridge in the morning to thaw throughout the day, or I will use the defrost feature – without the lid – of my microwave.  Using glass jars to freeze items reduces my ziplock usage.  Just beware when freezing liquids in glass jars.  Liquids expand while freezing, so be sure to leave ample room at the top of the jar to accommodate this expansion.

I also use recycled jars for:

• Cooking Light’s Kansas City Dry Rub (old spice jar)
• Cooking Light’s Garam Masala (old spice jar)
• Cooking Light’s Asian Dry Rub (old spice jar)
• Cooking Light’s Berbere (old spice jar)
• Cooking Light’s Homemade Curry Powder (old spice jar)
• Cooking Light’s Ras el Hanout (old spice jar)
• Cooking Light’s Creole Spice Rub (old spice jar)
• Greek Seasoning Mix (old spice jar)
• Salt Free Cajun Seasoning Mix (old spice jar)
• Cooking Light’s Memphis Barbecue Sauce (Trader Joe’s Organic Grade B Maple Syrup bottle)
• Alton Brown’s Chili Powder (Dundee orange marmalade jar)
• Grainy French-Style Mustard from Joy of Cooking (pickle jar)
• Cooking Light’s Thousand Island Dressing (Trader Joe’s Salsa Authentica jar)
• Cooking Light’s Spiced Cranberry Sauce (TJ Mayo jar)
• Joy of Cooking’s Teriyaki Sauce (TJ Maple Syrup bottle)
• Homemade Asian Sesame Dressing (Sesame Oil bottle)
• Bulk combining of dry ingredients for future use (store full jars in freezer):
  • GNOWFGLINS’ Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Bar Cookies (32 oz/1 qt jar – such as mayo)
  • GNOWFGLINS’ Flatbread Mix (32 oz/1 qt jar – such as mayo)

I really enjoy making my own spice mixes rather than buying them at the store because I usually have all the ingredients and it’s easier for me to make it rather than go to the store with the kids.  Plus, it’s way less money.  You can easily spend $3-$6 for some of these spice mixes and why do that when you can just make it yourself for just pennies?

Some jars do hold onto the odor of the food they once held, such as pickles, so beware.  I suspect if you put your chocolate chip cookie mix in this jar, you might detect a slight pickle flavoring, I know, delicious, but I haven’t tested this.

There are a ton of crafts that can be made with glass jars. but, since I’m not a super-crafty mom, I haven’t gotten that far yet.  Click here to get started: Google Search: craft idea glass jars.  A really simple idea: buy craft glass paint and let your kids paint their own jar to store pencils, crayons, etc.  Or you can have your kids paint the jars that you will use to package a gift.

I don’t like watering them.  Yes, we have sprinklers but I just think it is such a waste of water to try to force a lawn to grow and stay green where it is over 90 degrees for at least three months out of the year.

I don’t like mowing them and either does my husband.  So when we did have a lawn, it always looked awful since it wasn’t mowed weekly. 

So a couple years ago, we ripped out our lawn in the backyard, put down black plastic, wood chips and finished it off with a used Barbie playhouse we bought off of eBay.  This has served us well for a couple years, but it would be so nice to look out my kitchen window and see something green growing on the lawn… is it possible to have an “ecologically responsible” lawn?

I’m also just tired of wood chips trailing into the house and my daughter being covered in dirt after playing outside.  This is exacerbated by our rocky, dry, dusty slope.  So, after several years of weeding and finally getting the weeds under control, and several years of planting plants that only ultimately die or grow so slowly, I decided to really research and find a good alternative or our slope and our “non-lawn.”

Ideal “Non-Lawn” Lawn

• Drought resistant/ needs little water
• Short – less than 6′
• Minimal mowing
• Handle foot traffic from kids, dog, and chickens

Ideal Slope “Ground Cover”

• Drought resistant/ needs little water
• Medium height – less than 18′
• No mowing or maintenance
• Perennial plants or plants that naturalize/reseed annually
• Handle foot traffic from kids, dog, and chickens
• Stabilize soil = minimize erosion
• Stabilize soil = kids not covered in dirt and dust after playing outside

Lawn Option 1: Peaceful Valley’s Low Maintenance Lawn

Winter-hardy, and has good seedling vigor. It is also drought tolerant once established, so it requires less water than other lawns. It is slow growing, therefore requiring less mowing and less fertilizing. You’ll have extra time to contemplate its fine texture and dark green color from your hammock. This seed is endophyte-enhanced to maximize pest resistance (endophyte-enhanced seed cannot be used for pasture as it is toxic to livestock or horses). Contains 70% Guardian 21 Tall Fescue and 30% Calypso II Perennial Ryegrass. Seed at 7—8 lb/1000 sq ft.

Per Seed Research of Oregon:

Guardian-21 Turf-Type Tall Fescue with excellent turf quality and
broad adaptation is an innovative new “semi-dwarf” tall fescue variety.
True to its heritage, Guardian-21 carries the proven Guardian name
– and tall fescue turf – to a new level with exceptional turf characteristics
and superior quality ratings in recent National Turfgrass Evaluation
Program (NTEP) trials. It exhibits a dark green color, medium density,
and medium fi ne leaf texture. Once established, it forms a very dense,
tough, durable turf. Guardian-21 also has excellent heat and drought
tolerance and is a great performer under summer stress conditions.

and…

Calypso II Turf-Type Perennial Ryegrass is ideal for low
maintenance situations and high-quality blends and mixtures.
Known for its unique combination of high turf quality and firstrate
disease resistance, Calypso II ranked first for Red Thread
resistance in recent NTEP trials by outperforming a competitive
“field” of 134 varieties.

Lawn Option 2: Peaceful Valley’s Roadway Mix

Ditchbank, Erosion Control, Beneficial Habitat Mix Excellent, long-lasting evergreen turf and clover mix was developed for use on farm roadways, ditchbanks and other areas where soil and water erosion, dust, traction, beneficial insect habitat and durability are important. Plant spring through fall in any area that can be irrigated during germination and dry months. This mix forms a dense, low-growing (8″—12″) sod which can tolerate frequent foot and equipment traffic once established, even tolerating wet soil traffic. Prevents compaction and erosion problems and requires only occasional (1—3 times per year) mowing. The clovers attract and feed many beneficial insects and the grasses form a dense, tough turf. Broadcast seed and cover shallowly (¼”) at 4—6 lb/1,000 sq ft. Contains: 30% Dwarf Turf-Type Fescue, 30% Tough Turf-Type Fescue, 17% New Zealand White Clover, 18% Strawberry Salina Clover, and 5% Kentucky Bluegrass.

And the winner for our “non-lawn” lawn

We ultimately ordered and planted the Roadway Mix (Lb) (caring for lawns) which is growing in nicely considering how hot it’s been here the last couple months (90s and 100s).

On our very steep, rocky slope we planted . . .

. . . Crownvetch Seed – Raw (Lb) (which requires Crownvetch Inoculant), Oregon Annual Ryegrass (Lb) (which is a “nurse plant” to the crownvetch), Omega-3 Chicken Forage Blend (Irrigated) (for the chickens to munch on), California Mostly Annuals Mix (1/4 Lb), Reginal Southwest Wildflower Mix (1/4 Lb) and North American Butterfly Garden Wildflower Mix (1/4 Lb).  In the areas that get partial/full shade, it’s filled in very nicely, but it’s very patchy, or didn’t sprout at all, in the areas that get full sun.  In a couple months, I’ll order more crownvetch and ryegrass and plant again.  I’m thinking once it cools down, it will be easier to keep the soil moist.

One thing that is very cool about Peaceful Valley is that depending on the total cost of your order, you can select some free seed!  So I picked:

PVFS Carrot Scarlet Nantes
PVFS Gourd, Small Mixed
PVFS Melon Hearts of Gold
PVFS Onion Walla Walla
PVFS Pepper Cal Wonder
PVFS Pumpkin Small Sugar

I’ll wait until the fall when it’s cooler to plant these vegies.

I also stocked up on plant-based bug spray.  Victor^® Poison-Free Flying Insect Spray (17.5 Oz) &
Victor^® Poison-Free Wasp & Hornet Spray (17.5 Oz).  I’ve already sprayed a black widow in my garage…

That is how I feel about GNOWFGLINS™.

I’ve spent the past hour bouncing on my yoga ball trying to get my baby to sleep and, while my back was burning and my patience waning, I past the time with my new best bud Wardeh.

A brief description:

We choose to eat healthfully as a way of praising our Creator for His perfect design. As our designer, He knows best how to nourish our bodies. Those foods are God’s Natural, Organic, Whole Foods, Grown Locally, In Season.

Here are some of my favorite posts:

• Use Less Plastic Challenge
• Reheating Foods Without A Microwave
• Fruit Smoothie Formula
• Raw Nut Milk ~ Almond or Hazelnut
• Chocolate-Almond Milk
• Pumpkin Pie (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free)
• Gluten-Free Natural Tollhouse Bar Cookies
• Vanilla Coconut Ice Cream
• Dark Chocolate Ice Cream — Non-Dairy, Naturally Sweetened
• Pumpkin Ice Cream — Non-Dairy, Naturally Sweetened
• Coconut Cumin Chicken
• Whole Wheat Bread Baking — Picture Tutorial
• Raw Applesauce

Now, I’m a meat, dairy, gluten, white sugar eating woman… but I am buying more and more organic and raw items.  I love the way organic sugar just looks.  That soft brown color… how all the granules are slightly different sizes… how the color can differ bag to bag.  It’s just so darn pretty, I feel decedent stirring into my half-caf coffee! 

But just because I eat everything, doesn’t mean I would pass buy a chocolate ice cream recipe that uses coconut milk instead of dairy.  (That is pure brilliance!)  And I’m fascinated to make those Tollhouse Bar Cookies.  And the Pumpkin Pie… yum, yum, yum! 

I love cooking because I love eating, but I also enjoy working with new stuff and combining ingredients in novel ways.  Take new types of flour.  I’ve cooked with your basic everyday white, bleached flour, whole wheat and rye.  That’s it.  She has a whole list of grains that she mills and I’ve love to cook with them all.  Tonight!  But I’m pooped.  DH is getting K down and then he and I are going to enjoy some sour gummy bears… not real “raw” or “organic” of me huh?

So, I’ll see how the weekend goes.  I picked almost the last of the plums this morning and was cutting them in half, removing the pit and then freezing them in gallon freezer bags.  I still have a few pounds to process.  But I have two cans of coconut milk chilling in the fridge waiting for me to have a moment to make that Chocolate Ice Cream!

Delia Smith’s Spiced Plum Chutney was so easy to put together… diced the apples and onions in the food processor and then almost everything else was weighed at the store from the bulk bins, so I just pored all that in… and it smelled so good cooking.  I almost wished someone was going to just stop by so they could smell it!  Now we wait 3 months while it mellows… yum!

Country Plum Pie was my favorite kind of pie… simple and all about the fruit.  A couple spices, some minute tapioca, a bit of sugar (I don’t like super-sweet pies… overpowers the fruit) and, well, I had two slices.  A la mode.  Must go running tomorrow morning!

Spiced Plum Butter was the perfect thing tonight because I had sliced all these plums yesterday and was concerned that if I didn’t cook them up tonight, they wouldn’t be good tomorrow.  Since the recipe calls for 4 lbs of plums, I used the ones in the fridge up and then had the quarter 12 more ounces.  Extra bonus: I got to use my cool immersion blender which made quick work of those cooked plums!  I usually make homemade cranberry sauce and spoon that over plain yogurt or cottage cheese, but I’m going to be using this plum butter in its place for a bit.

Gingery Plum Jam is a not-super-sweet jam.  The first preserves we made, from the Williams Sonoma cookbook, was 4 lbs of plums to 7 cups – over 3 lbs – of sugar.  Since it was the first time I made jam, I didn’t know how much that was until I saw the Gingery Plum Jam recipe: 4lbs of plums to 3 cups of sugar.  I like it because the jam is a little tart and the ginger comes through so delicately.  It is yummy!

We will want to make the wine and liquor as well as the barbecue sauce.  I also want to mass produce the Baked Plums Madeira and then can it… I don’t know how much liquid it creates, so I might have to pack it in a simple syrup which might dilute all the baked plum goodness… I’ll keep you posted.

My criteria:

• uses loads of plums
• can be mass produced
• can be preserved via canning, freezing, or fermenting in alcohol

Below are my favorite finds.  I think tomorrow we will bust out a few Plum Pies and freeze them and then make some conserve, chutney, plum wine & liquor (yum!!), baked plums, barbecue sauce…  Well, we will see how much we are able to do with two small kids, but hey, that’s what my didymos wrap and Strawberry Shortcake DVDs are for, right?  In all honesty, what we will probably do is get all the ingredients prepped and then have our 4 year old help combine it all together and THEN put on Ms. Shortcake to entertain while we do the rest.

I also discovered a few ingredients that I’ve never heard of before which I love… so for those who are similarly fascinated, I’ve included links so that you to make walk the way of the food nerd!

• dry yeast – for making plum wine, which is different than the yeast used for baking
• ‘eau de vie’ – for making plum liquor
• demerara sugar – for making plum chutney
• dessertspoon – as in “a dessertspoon of whole cloves” for the same chutney

Which reminds me of one of the ways that I incorporate homeschooling with food.   We pull out the Food Lover’s Companion and read about whatever we are eating.  It’s a great way to learn about history, geography, and expand our vocabulary.  We usually end up reading another entry, looking things up on the Internet and permitting our natural curiosity to be the catalyst to new information rather than just learning what was on the schedule for the day.  What a fun way to learn instead of cooped up in a room with 30 kids!  But I digress… onto the recipes!

From http://www.elise.com/recipes/archives/001162plums.php:

Plum Conserve – not-too-sweet jam. Yields: 6 pints

7 cups tart plums (about 3 lbs.) unpeeled, seeded and sliced
4 cups sugar
3 1/2 cups raisins
1 lemon, thinly sliced, including rind
1 orange, thinly sliced, including rind
1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

Prepare fruit jars. In a large kettle (6-8 qt.), stir together all the ingredients except the walnuts; heat to boiling. Stirring frequently, boil gently 20 to 25 minutes or until mixture thickens slightly. Stir in walnuts. Fill jars, Seal, cool, store.

Plum Pie

20 or so plums
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 to 2 tablespoons cinnamon (yes, it sounds odd. No, it’s not strong of cinnamon! Amazing)
1 9 inch pie shell, unbaked
2 tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 425

Wash and dry plums, cut in halves and remove pits (I would skin before cutting if I were making for company or a competition of some sort). Combine sugar, flour and cinnamon. Sprinkle 1/4 of this mixture over bottom of pie crust. Overlap plums in circles over mixture (In my experience, this shrinks down so much you can put them nearly standing up, really pack them in there, the mixture that gets sprinkled on top thickens juices. Start on the outside edge, and work inward, it’s easier than the reverse, since the plums can lean against each other and the side of the pan, and you can make them look more pretty when it’s nearly full). You do want them kind of “reclining” back in the pan, you want the cut side pointing up just a wee bit. Sprinkle remaining mixture over top, dot with butter, and bake at 425 for 10 minutes, reduce to 350 and bake 30-35 minutes longer. Check crust though and put a foil collar around the edge if it gets too dark. If you’re oven temp is accurate, it shouldn’t.

Plum Wine

5 kilo’s plums (pitted)
2 liters water
5 grams dry yeast
1 kilo sugar

Heat the water and add sugar and yeast. Stir and mix with the plums. Put in a large plastic or earthenware container for about 10 – 15 days.
Strain. Return into the container for another week.
Put thru a fine sieve and bottle.

Liqueur de prunes (sweet prune liquor)

1 kg plums (no seeds)
1 kg white candy sugar
1 liter ‘eau de vie’ 40%

Put the washed plums, sugar and eau de vie in an air tight container. Place in a dry and dark place for 6 months. At the end of this period strain, and put into bottles.
Instead of this you can use the plums as a delicious condiment for your deserts. It will also do wonders with a ball of vanilla ice cream.

From http://www.deliaonline.com/messageboard/7/27673/thread.html:

Delia Smith’s Spiced Plum Chutney (from the Complete Cookery Course)

You will need a very large pan, a 12 inch (30cm) square piece of gauze, some string and six 1lb (450g) preserving jars, or jars with plastic lined screw top lids.

3 lb (1.3kg) plums
1 lb (450g) cooking apples
3 large onions
3 cloves garlic
2 heaped teaspoons ground ginger
1 lb (450g) seedless raisins
1 lb (450g) soft dark brown sugar
1 lb (450g) demerara sugar
2 pints (1.2 litres) malt vinegar
2 tablespoons salt
2 small cinnamon sticks
1 oz (25g) whole allspice berries
1 dessertspoon whole cloves

Wash & dry plums, then slit down natural line of fruit and remove the stones – putting the halved plums into the pans as you go. Next core and mince the apples (with the peel left on) and add them to the pan, then peel and mince the onions and add them as well.

Now crush the garlic and add that, followed by the ginger and raisins, the sugars and the vinegar. Sprinkle in the salt and stir everything thoroughly. The cinnamon, allspice berries and cloves should be wrapped in the gauze and tied loosely to form a little bag, which should then be tied onto the handle of the pan and suspended into the middle of the rest of the ingredients.

Bring everything to the boil, then lower the heat and let the chutney simmer very gently for 2 to 3 hours, stirring it occasionally and rather more often towards the end to prevent it sticking to the bottom. When almost all the vinegar has disappeared and the chutney has thickened to a soft consistency, it’s ready. It will thicken more when it has cooled, so be careful not to overcook it, and remember the narrower the top of the pan, the longer the chutney will take to reduce.

While it is still warm, pout it into jars (washed, dried and put into a moderate oven to warm through first). Cover with waxed discs and seal down with a screw lid. Label when cold and store in a cool, airy cupboard. Leave to mellow for at least 3 months before eating.

Note – you can use a food processor instead of a mincer.

From http://www.nikibone.com/recipe/fruit/plums.html:

Country Plum Pie
Pastry for double crust pie:
6 cups thickly sliced prune plums, unpeeled
1 teaspoon coarsely grated orange rind
2 teaspoons orange juice
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons quick cooking tapioca
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon coriander
Roll out bottom pastry and fit into 9 inch pie plate. Do not trim. In large bowl, combine plums, orange rind and juice. In a small bowl, combine sugar, tapioca, cinnamon and coriander. Add sugar mixture to plums and let stand 15 minutes. Spoon plum mixture into pie shell, mounding slightly in the center. Melt butter and drizzle over filling. Roll out pastry top and prepare lattice top if desired. Trim and flute edges. Bake in 425F oven for 15 minutes; reduce heat to 375F and continue baking for 35 minutes or until pastry is golden. Let cool on rack and serve while still warm.

Plum Barbecue Sauce
1/4 cup onion; chopped
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup chile sauce
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
16 1/2 ounce can purple plums, drained, pitted and finely chopped
6 ounces frozen lemonade; thawed
Cook onion in margarine in 2 quart saucepan stirring occasionally, until tender, about 2 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Makes about 2 cups of sauce.

Swiss Plum Kuchen
Sweet Pastry Dough:
3 cups flour
2/3 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup butter
3 eggs
Almond Filling:
2 cups blanched almonds
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
3/4 cup butter
3 large eggs
1/2 cup flour
2 pounds prune plums
2/3 cup sliced almonds
Butter a 12 by 18 inch pan. Set a rack in the lowest level of the oven and preheat to 350F. For the dough, combine dry ingredients in bowl of food processor and pulse several times to mix. Cut butter into 12 pieces and add to work bowl. Pulse 8 or 10 times, until mixture is a fine powder. Add eggs and pulse until dough forms a ball that revolves on blade. Remove, wrap and chill dough. For almond filling, place almonds in food processor with sugar and pulse until finely ground. Add almond extract and butter and pulse until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, pulsing between each addition. Scrape bowl and blade and add flour; pulse until evenly mixed. Roll dough on a floured surface and line prepared pan. Trim and flute edge of dough. Spread evenly with filling. Rinse, pit and quarter plums and arrange on filling, cut side up. Strew evenly with the sliced almonds. Bake at 350F about 45 minutes, until dough is baked through and filling is set. Cool in pan on a rack. Cut in 3 inch squares to serve.

From Cooking Light:

Baked Plums Madeira


6 ripe plums (any variety), pitted and quartered
Cooking spray
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon grated orange rind
3 tablespoons Madeira or fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 cups vanilla low-fat frozen yogurt
1 1/2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
Preheat oven to 450°.

Place plum quarters in an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Combine sugar, orange rind, Madeira, orange juice, and cinnamon. Drizzle orange juice mixture over plums. Bake at 450° for 20 minutes. Serve plums over yogurt; top with pine nuts.
Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 4 plum quarters, 1/2 cup yogurt, and about 1/2 teaspoon pine nuts)
CALORIES 178 (21% from fat); FAT 4.2g (sat 1.7g,mono 0.9g,poly 1.4g); IRON 0.5mg; CHOLESTEROL 10mg; CALCIUM 103mg; CARBOHYDRATE 33.7g; SODIUM 34mg; PROTEIN 4.3g; FIBER 1.5g
Cooking Light, JULY 1998

Roasted Spiced Plums

These go well over low-fat ice cream or pound cake.

4 plums, halved
Cooking spray
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 tablespoon slivered almonds, toasted
Preheat oven to 450°.

Place plum halves, cut sides up, in an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Combine orange juice, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cumin, and cardamom, and stir well. Drizzle orange juice mixture over plums. Bake at 450° for 20 minutes. Top with toasted almonds.
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 plum halves and 3/4 teaspoon almonds)
CALORIES 96 (13% from fat); FAT 1.4g (sat 0.1g,mono 0.8g,poly 0.3g); IRON 0.5mg; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 22mg; CARBOHYDRATE 21.4g; SODIUM 4mg; PROTEIN 1.1g; FIBER 1.7g
Cooking Light, SEPTEMBER 1997

Spiced Plum Butter

This recipe goes with Pork Roast With Plum Glaze, Moroccan-Spiced Leg of Lamb

3/4 cup orange juice
4 pounds plums, quartered
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
Combine juice and plums in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes or until tender. Place plum mixture in a blender or food processor; process until smooth. Press pureed mixture through a fine sieve over a bowl; discard solids.

Combine plum mixture, sugar, and remaining ingredients in pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 1 hour or until thick, stirring frequently. Cool. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 2 months.
Yield: 2 1/2 cups (serving size: 1 tablespoon)
CALORIES 45 (6% from fat); FAT 0.3g (sat 0.0g,mono 0.2g,poly 0.1g); IRON 0.1mg; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 3mg; CARBOHYDRATE 11.1g; SODIUM 0.0mg; PROTEIN 0.4g; FIBER 0.9g
Cooking Light, OCTOBER 1997

Gingery Plum Jam

4 pounds ripe purple-skinned plums, pitted and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 24 plums)
1 cup water
3 cups sugar
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
2 (3-inch) strips julienne-cut lemon rind
Combine plums and water in a Dutch oven, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes or until tender. Stir in sugar, juice, ginger, and rind. Cook over medium heat 40 minutes, until thick or a candy thermometer reaches 210°. Stir mixture occasionally. (Do not overcook or mixture will scorch.) Cool. Discard lemon rind. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks.
Yield: 4 cups (serving size: 1 tablespoon)
CALORIES 51 (4% from fat); FAT 0.2g (sat 0.0g,mono 0.1g,poly 0.0g); IRON 0.0mg; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 12.9g; SODIUM 0.0mg; PROTEIN 0.2g; FIBER 0.6g
Cooking Light, JULY 1998

Plum Chutney

This recipe goes with Cumin-Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Plum Chutney

1 jalapeño pepper
1 poblano chile
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup thinly sliced red onion
2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
5 cups chopped plums (about 2 1/2 pounds)
1 cup chopped seeded tomato
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 teaspoons mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Preheat broiler.

Place jalapeño and poblano on a foil-lined baking sheet; broil 10 minutes or until blackened, turning occasionally. Place in a zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand 15 minutes. Peel jalapeño and poblano; cut in half lengthwise. Discard seeds and membranes; coarsely chop.

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, ginger, and garlic; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Add jalapeño, poblano, plums, and next 6 ingredients (plums through black pepper); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and simmer an additional 15 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates, stirring occasionally. Cool completely. Stir in cilantro.
Yield: 16 servings (serving size: about 1/4 cup)
CALORIES 51 (23% from fat); FAT 1.3g (sat 0.2g,mono 0.8g,poly 0.2g); IRON 0.3mg; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 11mg; CARBOHYDRATE 10.4g; SODIUM 78mg; PROTEIN 0.7g; FIBER 1.1g
Cooking Light, JUNE 2003

Plum Barbecue Sauce

Drape this zesty sauce over food after it’s cooked, or brush it on during the last minute or two of cook time. Serve with grilled chicken, pork tenderloin, or burgers. Or add to a slow cooker with pork or beef roast. Smoky chipotle chile powder is a fine substitute for smoked paprika.

1 3/4 cups chopped plums (about 6)
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
Bring plums, ketchup, shallots, and remaining ingredients to a boil in a medium saucepan. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Uncover and cook 15 minutes or until thick, stirring occasionally. Cool 10 minutes. Place mixture in a food processor; process until smooth. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Yield: 2 cups (serving size: 2 tablespoons)
CALORIES 41 (4% from fat); FAT 0.2g (sat 0.0g,mono 0.1g,poly 0.1g); IRON 0.3mg; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 9mg; CARBOHYDRATE 10.2g; SODIUM 176mg; PROTEIN 0.5g; FIBER 0.5g
Cooking Light, MAY 2007

It is really amazing how much stuff she has and yet, she only has a fraction of her friends’ possessions.  I know it’s considered horrid manners, but every year, I include in her birthday invitation something to the affect of, "In lieu of a gift, please consider a contribution to K’s college fund."  While I don’t expect the grandparents to abide by this request, most of our friends have been understanding. 

I know it’s a foreign concept in the USA where most people equate expressing affection with material goods, but I’m really trying to teach our children that the time people spend with us, and their friendship, is far more valuable than a new toy.  I really don’t want her birthday to be about the ’stuff.’  I don’t want her to grow up thinking that success is defined, or happiness obtained, by how much ’stuff’ you have.  I want her to think smart and rather than do the ‘home upgrade’ every few years, put that extra money away for retirement, so she can semi-, or completely, retire early and reap the flexibility and freedom that brings.  (Yes, we are huge Millionaire Next Door fans.)  And since my daughter rarely plays with any of the toys she has, it’s really just a waste to spend money on some plastic, made in China do-dad.  She spends almost every afternoon playing in our backyard, climbing fruit trees, chasing the chickens, exploring under the deck, singing as she sits on the roof of her playhouse, picking flowers, making up stories, trying to ride the dog like a horse, building sand castles… she really doesn’t need, or want, a ton of toys.  I think that afternoon routine is developing her mind and body better than any My Little Pony action figure ever could.

I really resent how almost all toys found in your typical Target or Toys R Us are really just advertisements for TV shows and vice versa.  (Consuming Kids is an excellent commentary on toddler-targeted marketing.)  And the times that I have purchased these mentally vacant toys and ‘twaddle’ books, K played with the toy in question once or twice and then promptly forgot about it.  It’s amazing how a Disney Princess sticker book that she wants "so bad" is forgotten within a week.  With the help of TiVo, we are able to really control how much, and what shows, K watches as well as fast forward through the commercials, but she is still a fan of Horseland and Strawberry Shortcake.  (That’s one thing I really like about HBO Family – no advertisements and, to my knowledge, the shows that they have do not have corresponding merchandise.  Which means I can walk through the toy section with less exclamations of "I want that!")  Don’t get me wrong, we have our fair share of Princess crap, err merchandise, but I’m trying to control the tsunami of commercialism.  Everywhere you look, there is a Princess bike helmet, clock radio, or TV.  Disney has done a great job of marketing virtually everything under the sun with the Princess brand.  I just don’t want it all in my house!  And while it’s fun to think of yourself as a Princess, I try to counter this fantasy with books like The Princess and the Woodcutter’s Daughter, which is more in line with the values we are teaching our children.

Most toys are cheaply made, in foreign countries where people are treated and paid poorly, and then shipped over here, using/wasting fuel, where the price is considerably marked-up, and then we walk in the store and lap it up as if it’s something truly special.   DH and I recently watched the movie Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price which made a compelling argument against shopping at Wal-Mart.  I highly recommend watching this movie and questioning whose economy you are actually supporting when you shop at Wal-Mart and buy things primarily made in China.  (Here’s a hint – It’s not ours.)  I’ve never been a big Wal-Mart shopper, but we do get our oil changed there and I plan to do that elsewhere in the future.

And then you just have the physical space in our house available to store more ’stuff.’  To reclaim space, I conduct a ‘crap reduction’ a couple times a year, scheduling a pick-up via the Salvation Army’s website and donating books to our local library.  Our house simply does not have a lot of storage space and, while I would love to spend a few hundred dollars at The Container Store, revamping all closets in the house and streamlining our storage processes, I simply don’t have the time or money.  So, in order to live in a non-cluttered house where every square inch is not occupied by an object, I’m trying to reduce the amount of stuff that we buy that we would have to store. 

I’m a huge fan of the ‘no/low space’ gift and these are the kind of things I enjoy buying K and others.  Things like tickets to a local zoo.  A CD of music.  (K loves our Signing Time CDs.)  A gift certificate to the local ice cream shop (food doesn’t take up space for long,) Netflix (they have an extensive library of ‘twaddle-free’ movies,) Lakeshore Learning (so many fun activities,) Michael’s (K loves crafts!) or, since K loves the outdoors and camping, REI.  And when I do buy toys, I try to support toy companies that sell well-made, high-quality, non-branded wooden toys, that aren’t full of lead, and contain some intellectual component such as Rosie Hippos or Magic Cabin.  I love to buy Charlotte Mason-esque books.  Or, the best gift of all, a simple check to the college fund.  A $10 check, invested over 15 years, will bring more value to K’s future than something that will simply be donated to good-will in a couple years in almost-new condition.  This year, we are having her party at the local gymnasium, so we will get her a small gift and make our donation to her college fund.  I know she won’t get excited over this now, but when the time comes, she will appreciate it.

And I walk the walk.  Almost always, I write a check, in lieu of a gift, for birthdays.  And as I watch the child open the 20th gift, without a gift receipt, I’m glad that I have given that mommy one less thing to return or store in the over-crowded closet.  If she wants her child to have a particular toy, she can use the money for that, but given the pile of gifts left on the living room floor, I suspect that she, and her child, are not missing that one gift.