Orange Spice

Well, lest I devolve into "My-husband-is-a-monster", I feel I should say that today he did 2 good things for me:  He took me to Walmart, a nice long trip.  He also bought me a pressure canner.  I'll be paying him back on payday, unless he says "Keep it" (pretty good odds). 

Got up early, since my new modified depression schedule I DO NOT do God Time in the morning.  Not exactly prime time for me, these days. 

We went to Sam's Club on vital and important business: Ron wanted some 1 ounce peanuts, for personal use (we paid with our money).  We did that. 

Then we went to Walmart.  My garden's pretty full, so I skipped the garden department.  I didn't have much cash, or I'd have bought the canner myself.  Once I had the canner onboard, I got some 8 ounce jars, strawberries, lemon, and sugar. 

Everyone in my family needs a real sugar jam; the fake stuff triggers violent migraines.  [shrug]  For my own stuff?  I plan to do half sugar, half splenda, maybe.  Splenda ain't cheap, and sadly, has been implicated in at least 3 migraines.  I am OK with that; because the total carbs even in a full blown sugar jam are not extreme.  Half sugar is entirely acceptable. 

The Bad Things I was eating during my "Ron's a Drunk!" pity party, ran about 28 grams, EACH.  They came 12 to a package.  Frankly, at the rate I consumed them I'm surprised I only went up ONE size. 

Anyway, I got that.  The jam stuff/jars ate up most of my budget.  What will I put the jam onto?  How about a one-minute muffin.  Essentially a single egg, some baking powder, a little butter, and some ground flax.  I can take a lithium if I eat one; I love them. 

Well, I go through phases of loving them.  I tend to be that way with food; I will love something for a while, eat it constantly, get sick of it, onto something else. 

I forgot to mention, the "vegetable masher".  I got that for mashing fruit as I jam it. 

We looked around a lot, Ron got some of his new favorite: Ranch Chicken, from the deli.  He happily gnawed away as I pushed him around in the cart (look for photo with Ron in a blue plastic seat, on the back of a shopping cart - that's what we use). 

I saw the manager; said "Thanks for the great carts!  Look at all the stuff I bought because you got them!"  He looked, a lot of stuff in the cart.  Oh, and birdseed.  I got birdseed.  He grinned. 

We had a good pickup and came home.  I was pretty beat, and took my nap.  Got up, checked on the garden.  Still need to mow, maybe tomorrow. 

I started making the marmalade.  It took me about an hour to cut up 3 citrus fruits.  I guess I'm slow.  I think I need a better knife, too. 

Thus began the complaints.  I forgot Ron HATES it if I cook anything when the temperature is above 70 degrees.  AGH. 

I actually got a propane camp stove, for the disaster kit, in case he pulled this "You're running up the electric bill" stuff when I did my canning.  It is 80 degrees.  We don't even RUN the air conditioner until 85 or so.  I had the windows open. 

UGH.  Anyway, I will use the propane stove out back when I do my canning; I'll see if he'll pitch in on purchasing cylinders. 

So, did that.  Still simmering.  I put some cloves, ginger, and cinnamon in a teaball and added it to the liquid.  I don't know about you, but I love Orange Spice tea; which is basically tea, oranges, and cloves. 

Orange Spice marmalade sounds delicious.  If it works out (I finish cooking tomorrow), I'll put up the recipe. 

I also heated up a can of "Roast Beef Hash" - when I cleaned out the pantry I saw it expires in a few months.  Might as well eat it; if I like it I can get a couple more cans for the disaster kit.