Volcano 2013

My special designated Volcano Glass

I thought I would share my current recipe for the "Volcano" the anti viral concoction that actually works.  The current recipe maintains the 1 part ACV to 1 part "flavor covering" liquid with baking soda.  However, sometimes I just do approximately 1 TBS each vs 2 TBS each.  Baking soda stays at 1/2 tsp for my needs.  This change is due to some personal experiences with it reacting so fast, I couldn't swallow any of it. WASTED.  I hate waste.

1 tsp pomegranate concentrate
(found in the back of the cupboard, must have gotten it on sale at some point.)
1 TBS aloe vera juice
1 TBS ACV

1/2 tsp baking soda

Mix liquids first. 

Brace yourself and add 1/2 tsp baking soda, plopped on top and try to shoot it before it reacts.  The first time or even first few times you will FEEL it in your stomach.  Make sure to take it away from meals.  I usually wait a half hour or so.  Make sure it can exit in a timely manner after it's done it's job too.  Not going to go into any details there. ;)

I will be taking this at least every day during flu season....more if needed.

The Volcano (New and Improved Cold Cocktail...tastier)

The Volcano (antiviral)
1-2 TBS Aloe Vera
1-2 TBS Peach Nectar (I use Hero brand)
2 TBS ACV
1/4-1 tsp baking soda (I use 1/2 tsp)

Mix the liquid together, add the baking soda and guzzle.   I have been taking it first thing in the AM on an empty stomach lately.  Yes, I still feel it going down, but the flavor is no longer prohibitive.  It almost tastes "good" as the peach blends very well with the ACV... better than anything else I have found.  Apple Cider comes in at a close second.  The peach nectar cost more than other juices, but it lasts a while at just 2 TBS per dose.  I get it through my food coop, but I've seen it at Price Cutter...or was it Dillon's?

Raw apple cider vinegar is good, but the cheaper, grocery store stuff works just fine.  Be careful that it's actually made from apples vs. flavored/colored distilled vinegar.

For an explanation of WHY to take it, see this older post: Cold Cocktail

In addition to cold sores and sniffles, I was glad to take it when a stomach flu hit me.  I took it as often as possible away from meals or right before.

Alimentary Tuesday Blog Carnival
Patchwork Living Blogging Bee

Homegrown Pork Shoulder with Fresh Roasted Peaches

Pork Shoulder with Fresh Peaches

Ingredients:

2 TBS Cane Sugar
(Brown or White)
2 TBS Cream of Tartar
10 TBS Unflavored Beef Gelatin
1 TBS Sea Salt
Dash of Allspice

1  cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1 cup Ceres brand Guava Juice
(blends well with ACV)

2.34 lb pork shoulder (milk fed)
5 peaches, skinned and halved.



Defrost in water and/or bring meat to room temperature. Mix the dry ingredients together until there are no clumps.  Add liquid while stirring and let set.  Line the bottom of a roasting pan or deep dish with peach halves.  Place roast on top.  Cover peaches and roast with gelatin  mixture.  Bake at 300* for at least 90 minutes. Let rest.  (90 minutes is the upper limit on my toaster oven.  We set it cooking, went for a stroll, came back in about 3 hours.)   Serve with rice or mashed potatoes.

This is a tangy dish with a touch of sweet...catered to an adult palate.  Young ones might appreciate some additional sugar to cut the tart.  Ketchup Boy  managed to voluntarily put away multiple servings over the course of the weekend without adding extra sugar (something he's not shy about).... yet never would admit he liked it. Go figure...

Simply Delish

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Barn Hop
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Weekend Gourmet Blog Carnival
Totally Tasty Tuesdays
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Fruit Juice Gelatin (before there was Jello)

Ingredients per serving:
1 TBS Unflavored Gelatin (preferably beef)
1 cup juice (choose your favorite)
1 pinch of salt or liquid minerals
1 tsp-1 TBS sugar/cream of tartar mix (optional)

Mix gelatin, salt and sugar/COT mix together, if using.  Sprinkle over juice and wait until dissolved. (A minute or two.)  Heat in a pan on medium/low while stirring occasionally, until clear.  Chill until firm.  If making a large batch, you can dissolve gelatin into a smaller amount of juice, then add the remainder of the juice after heating to help cool it down faster.  Reduce liquid if you wish a firmer end product.  Real Orange Juice has a lot of minerals and solids  in it and will make a slightly different texture gelatin.

Orange "Julius", "Creamsicle" and Summer Eggnog

Some times it's too hot to cook and almost too hot to eat......on those days,  I like to make Orange "Julius"...a rich, nourishing, COLD meal in a glass.

Gummy Candy-NO CORN SYRUP!

Last fall, I started trying to add more gelatin to my diet, so did a search for corn syrup free gummy worms. I found something I liked at The Frugal Kiwi

I have since played with and modified the original recipe to my needs. Here is it's current incarnation....

Gummy Candy

3-4 cups fruit juice
1/2-1 cup cane sugar
2-4 tsp cream of tartar
1 cup gelatin (1 cup = 16 TBS)
Dab of coconut oil
Pinch of salt
Fruit Juice concentrate (optional, but intensifies the fruit flavor)

Mix sugar and gelatin together, then add to cool juice. Less liquid will give a chewier "bite" but will also make it harder for the gelatin to dissolve...it's a fine balance. Give it time to absorb, about 1-2 minutes at least....more if using less liquid. Heat on low or medium and stir frequently. When the liquid is clear, not cloudy, then you can pour into greased molds. I used coconut oil....or you can just melt the oil into the gelatin. When I used ice cube trays, the recipe overflowed the trays a little, meaning the cubes ended up being all connected. That was good though, because it helped to get them out when they were cool. I now use a lasagna or boiler pan and slice into 16 strips or cubes so I know how many TBS of gelatin I am getting. Thin strips seems to have a better "bite" than thicker cubes, but it tastes good either way. : )

I have used OJ, Pomegranate & Lime, Cherry, Cranberry etc. for juices and they are all yummy. Some are naturally sweeter or thicker than others, hence the variation in sugar and liquid. Play with it, there are no rules....except to make sure there are no clumps BEFORE you heat the juice...or you will spend FOREVER trying to get them out later.

Someday......you know, when I'm rolling in extra funds......I'd like to get some molds for gummy candy making. I made one, ONCE, out of foil on my wire cooling rack. It made wonderful, thin, long "worms." It took longer to make the mold than to make the gummies and the foil was too delicate and tore in a few spots while I was taking them out, so NOT reusable.  Bummer.      

Edited to add:  The cream of tartar adds extra "tart" which my taste buds like and extra potassium, which my body likes.  You can ramp it up or down, as needed.