MelangeByLisette

            I love my new cookware! I always read the recommendations that come with things, and I read that you should never use high heat with these pans,( after I was heating water on high heat! ) Thank goodness my smooth top range is smarter than me, and my pan is just fine. I made my own dill pickles, and I can't believe how easy and fun they were to make! I always thought that it took a while to make pickles, and perhaps some do take a lot of time, but I used a pickle mix, (Mrs. Wages) and after 24 hours, I opened a jar, and they were crispy and wonderful! I can't wait to make more. The next batch will be bread and butter pickles, and I also found canning mixes for katsup, and chili base, what fun! You can actually use canned tomatoes for your home canned chili base, that caught my eye! I have looked high and low, and there are not as many recipes as you would imagine for pickled veggies, but I am going to try carrot pickles, and pickled green beans, and whatever else I can think of... I went horseback riding with my friend and neighbor today. It was really nice, slow and peaceful, with a little trotting thrown in. It is scary dry around here right now. I have never seen the ground this dry before around here. I water my garden, and some of the grass in the front yard gets water as a result, but right in the middle of the yard, it is nothing but sand and rocks. The same is true everywhere around here without irrigation. Oh, but the apples this year are amazing! Absolutely amazing. Sweet, crisp, and so fragrant! The golden delicious are the sweetest I have ever tasted this year, and I am hoping to get some local red delicious apples.Did you know, apples are in the rose family? Apples are just big old rose hips! Well, my poor sister and my 11 month old nephew have the swine flu. They live in extreme southern Alabama, and for whatever reason, the flu is there right now. The good news is so far, they are getting through the illness. My nephew is on antibiotics, but my sister doesn't need them(thank goodness), and now they will start building more antibodies to fight future flu viruses. Did you know, it is actually good for you to catch a cold now and then? It stirs up our antibodies and we need them to fight viruses and bacteria. I have started harvesting my carrots and freezing as well as drying them, and I am exploring ways to can them as well. Pickles for sure, but I adore canned carrots, so I am going to try canning my own:)  When my sister and nephew are better, we will focus on starting up LowTek on ETSY. Goodnight to all from up the Chiliwist, Lisette