BHM Newsletter
Volume 7      Number 10

October 21, 2005
 

INSIDE BHM

New Issue Online

We've posted several good artilcles online from the November/December issue, including,

10 country do’s and don’ts   By Julie Crist

Need more gas mileage?   By Jeffrey R. Yago, P.E., CEM

Make your own nut butters   By Sylvia Gist

Let prisoners get high on marijuana   By John Silveira

and eight other articles and features. To read them all, just click on Current Issue in the Navigation menu on the left side of our web pages.

Want To Be On TV?

If you're planning a move to the country in order to live a more self-reliant lifestyle, you could be chosen to appear on a new Discovery Channel program.

A British film company, Ricochet Films, is looking for you. They recently placed a banner ad on the BHM web site which links to an application form on their site.

If you'd like to check it out, or apply, just Click Here to go to their info/application web page.

And if you're selected, please be sure to let us know!

WebTV Problem

For some time, subscribers who use WebTV have been having a problem with the newsletter. The green band on the left side of the page was covering the first few characters of the text on their screens.

While we were not able to figure out why it was happening, we did find a simple workaround with the help of two subscribers. We increased the size of the page and used larger margins on the left and right, which moved the band away from the text.

If any WebTV users are still having trouble with the newsletter, please let me know at webmaster@backwoodshome.com.

Country Moments Photos Wanted

Do you have a "country moment" photo you'd like to share with our web site visitors? If so, please scan it and send it along.

Country Moments photos are featured on our home page and permanently archived on our Country Moments page. Check it out and you'll see we feature many different kinds of photos. And if you share one of yours, it might even be selected for publication in the magazine one day.

You'll find all the details about how to submit your photo on this page.

SELF-RELIANCE TIPS

WINTER HEALTH & SAFETY TIPS

Snow Shoveling

Snow shoveling can cause serious injuries or death to people who are elderly, have chronic health problems or are not used to strenuous activity.

Tips:

• Never smoke while shoveling. Tobacco smoke constricts blood vessels just as cold air does; the combination can be dangerous.
• If you become short of breath while shoveling, stop and rest. If you feel pain or tightness in your chest, stop immediately and call for help.
• Have a partner monitor your progress and share the workload. If a heart attack happens, your partner can call for help and, if trained, perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR, until help arrives.

• If you have a known health problem, use a snow blower or hire a snow removal service. Keep in mind, pushing snow blowers through heavy, packed snow can also present a health risk. Don’t assume using a snow blower alone will eliminate your risk.
• Each shovelful of dry snow weighs about four pounds, while wet snow can weigh significantly more. Warm up before shoveling by walking and stretching you arms and legs for a few minutes. Warm muscles are less likely to be injured and work more efficiently.
• Wear sturdy shoes with rugged soles to help prevent slips and falls.

Hypothermia

Each year in the United States, more than 700 people die of hypothermia (low body temperature) caused by extended exposure to cold temperatures both indoors and out. Most were male and about 70 percent of the victims were 50 or older.

Warning signs of hypothermia in adults include shivering, confusion, memory loss, slow pulse, drowsiness, exhaustion and slurred speech. Long exposure when it’s wet, windy and 30 to 50 degrees can be just as hazardous as dry, calm subzero weather. Wet clothes quickly draw heat from the body.

Tips:

• Watch for the “umbles” – stumbles, mumbles fumbles and grumbles which show change in motor coordination and levels of consciousness.
• Hypothermia can occur even inside a building. The thermostat should be set no lower than 65 to 70 degrees if the occupants are 75 or older. Infants younger than one year of age should never sleep in a cold room and should be provided with warm clothing and a blanket to prevent loss of body heat.
• People with medical conditions such as diabetes, kidney problems and arthritis are at higher risk of hypothermia than other people. Use of alcohol and certain medicines also increase the risk of accidental hypothermia. They include drugs used to treat anxiety, depression or nausea and some over-the-counter cold remedies.
• Do not participate in outdoor sports activities alone. Drink plenty of nonalcoholic beverages to stay hydrated in cold, dry air.

RECIPES

Have you been wondering what to do with all those pumpkins the kids grew? Here are some delicious ideas.

Pumpkin Soup

4 pounds fresh pumpkin, peeled, seeded, chopped
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups chopped yellow onions
3 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
2 teaspoons sugar
8 cups of chicken broth
2 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

Put the chopped pumpkin in a large saucepan, cover with water, and add 1 teaspoon of the salt. Bring to a boil and cook until fork-tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, let cool, and mash. You should have about 4 cups.

In a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions, bay leaves, the remaining 1 teaspoon salt, the white pepper and sugar. Cook, stirring, until the onions are soft and lightly golden, about 10 minutes.

Add the chicken broth, pumpkin puree, and peanut butter. Stir to mix well and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to medium and cook, uncovered, until it thickens and coats a spoon, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Remove and discard the bay leaves. Stir in the cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.

Serve hot.

Spicy Pumpkin Raisin Bread

1-1/2 cups cooked & puréed fresh pumpkin
1/2 cup honey, maple syrup, or sugar
1/2 cup melted butter or corn oil
2 eggs, beaten slightly
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup raisins or currants
1/2 cup black walnuts or butternuts, chopped
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup fine yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350°F degrees.

Place the pumpkin purée in a medium-sized bowl and add the honey, honey, maple syrup, or sugar, the melted butter, and the beaten eggs, stirring well with each addition. Stir in the milk, then add the raisins or currants, and chopped nuts. Measure dry ingredients into a large bowl and make a big well in the center. Carefully pour in the blended wet ingredients, stirring carefully and blending well without over-working the batter.

Pour the batter into a well-greased 6 x 9-inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Remove to cooling rack for 10 minutes, then slide a clean table knife blade around the edges of the loaf to loosen it. Turn the steaming loaf onto a board or wire rack to cool completely. Serve hot, with out without butter, or wrap it up and serve days later for great flavor and fragrance.

Beet Salad with Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

Salad:

4 large beets
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1 bunch beet greens
2-3 cups arugula leaves, washed and torn into bite-sized pieces
2 scallions, finely chopped
1/4 pound feta cheese (optional)

Dressing:

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil

Wash beets and remove tops. Place beets in a large pot filled with water and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer until beets are tender (about an hour). Set aside to cool.

Toast pumpkin seeds by placing in a dry skillet over medium heat. Move the skillet back and forth over the heat with one hand; stir the seeds using a wooden spoon with the other hand to toast the seeds evenly and prevent burning. When seeds begin to pop and give off a nutty aroma, they are ready. Remove seeds from skillet and set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Wash beet greens by submerging the bunch in a sink full of cold water. Shake off water and chop the bunch into bite-sized pieces. Drop greens into boiling water and let cook for about 30 seconds, just enough to make the stems tender. Place greens in a colander and run cold water over them to halt cooking.

Place all dressing ingredients in a jar and shake well.

Peel beets and cut into small cubes. Squeeze excess water out of the cooked beet greens. Put cubed beets, beet greens, pumpkin seeds, arugula and scallions in a salad bowl. Pour dressing over salad and toss gently. Crumble feta cheese on top.

Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Pumpkin and Spinach Ravioli with Sage Butter

For Ravioli:

One 2-3 lb. pumpkin
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
12 ounces fresh spinach, stems removed, leaves steamed until just wilted and finely chopped
1 cup Ricotta cheese
1 egg
1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
1 teaspoon. sage, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon. nutmeg
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 eggs

For Butter:

1/4 cup butter
5 large sage leaves

Place whole pumpkin on a foil lined baking sheet. Bake at 350° F for about 90 minutes or until tender, turning sheet occasionally. Remove from oven. When cool enough to handle, peel pumpkin. The peel and stem should come away easily, sort of like a roasted pepper. Remove the seeds and stringy pulp with a large spoon. Place flesh into a food processor and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, celery and carrot. Sauté until onion just begins to turn golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add spinach and sauté for 10 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Mix flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt in large bowl; make well in center. Beat oil and eggs until well blended; pour into well. Stir with fork, gradually bringing flour mixture into center, until dough forms a ball. If dough is too dry, mix in up to 2 tablespoons water. Knead on lightly floured surface, adding flour if dough is sticky, until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Cover, and let rest 5 minutes. Divide dough into 4 equal parts. Roll dough, one part at a time, into rectangle, about 12 x 10 inches (keep remaining dough covered).

Mix pumpkin puree, vegetable mixture, ricotta, egg, sage and parsley in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Drop mixture by 2 level teaspoonfuls onto half of the rectangle about 1-1/2 inches apart in 2 rows of 4 mounds each. Moisten edges of dough and dough between rows of pumpkin mixture with water. Fold other half of dough up over pumpkin mixture, pressing dough down gently around mixture to seal. Trim edges with a sharp knife. Cut between rows of filling to make ravioli; press edges with fork to seal. Repeat with remaining dough and pumpkin mixture. Place ravioli on towel; let stand, turning once, until dry, about 30 minutes. Cook ravioli in a large pot of boiling, salted water until tender, 10 to 15 minutes; drain.

While ravioli is cooking, melt butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add sage leaves. Cook, swirling butter in pan until butter is a golden brown. Be careful, as butter can burn quickly.

Toss ravioli with sage butter. Serve immediately and pass with extra grated cheese.

Pumpkin Toffee Cheesecake Recipe

For the crust:

1-3/4 cups crushed shortbread cookies
1 tablespoon butter, melted

For the cheesecake:

24 ounces cream cheese, softened
1-1/4 cups packed brown sugar
2 cups cooked pumpkin, drained
2/3 cup evaporated milk
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cups chopped or crushed toffee candies

For the topping:

2 cups sour cream, at room temperature
4 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Caramel ice cream topping (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F.

To make the crust:

Combine cookie crumbs and butter in small bowl. Press into bottom and 1-inch up side of ungreased 9-inch springform pan. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes (do not allow to brown). Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes.

To make the cheesecake:

Beat cream cheese and brown sugar in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, cornstarch, and cinnamon; beat well. Pour into crust. Bake for 60 to 65 minutes or until edge is set but center still moves slightly. Remove from oven; top with toffee candies.

To make the topping:

Combine sour cream, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract in small bowl; mix well. Spread over warm cheesecake.

Bake for 8 minutes. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Drizzle with caramel topping before serving.

HUMOR

A young boy goes off to college, but about 1/3 way through the semester, he has foolishly squandered what money his parents gave him.

Then he gets an idea. He calls his Redneck father. "Dad," he says, "you won't believe the wonders that modern education are coming up with! Why, they actually have a program here that will teach Fido how to talk!"

"That's absolutely amazing!" his father says. "How do I get him in that program?"

"Just send him down here with $1000," the boy says, "I'll get him into the course."

So, his father sends the dog and the $1000. About 2/3 way through the semester, the money runs out The boy calls his father again.

"So how's Fido doing, son?" his father asks.

"Awesome, dad, he's talking up a storm," he says, "but you just won't believe this - they've had such good results with this program, that they've implemented a new one to teach the animals how to READ!"

"READ!?" says his father, "No kidding! What do I have to do to get him in that program?"

"Just send $2,500, I'll get him in the class." His father sends the money.

The boy has a problem. At the end of the year, his father will find out that the dog can neither talk nor read, so he shoots the dog.

When he gets home, his father is all excited. "Where's Fido? I just can't wait to see him talk and read something!"

"Dad," the boy says, "I have some grim news. This morning, when I got out of the shower, Fido was in the living room kicking back in the recliner, reading the morning paper, like he usually does. Then he turned to me and asked, 'So, is your daddy still messin' around with that little redhead who lives on Oak Street?'

The father says, "I hope you SHOT that lyin' son of a bitch!"

"I sure did, Dad!"

"That's my boy."

A man was in his front yard mowing grass when his attractive blond female neighbor came out of the house and went straight to the mailbox. She opened it then slammed it shut and stormed back in the house.

A little later she came out of her house again went to the mail box and again, opened it, slammed it shut again. Angrily, back into the house she went.

As the man was getting ready to edge the lawn, here she came out again, marched to the mail box, opened it and then slammed it closed harder than ever.

Puzzled by her actions the man asked her, "Is something wrong?"

To which she replied, "There certainly is! My stupid computer keeps saying, 'YOU'VE GOT MAIL!'"

Seems the neighbor lady is going through menopause. I was talking to her this morning and she told me, "My husband hasn't been happy with my mood swings lately. He bought me a mood ring the other day so he'd be able to monitor my moods.

"When I'm in a good mood it turns green. And when I'm in a bad mood, it leaves a big freakin' red mark on his forehead.

"Maybe next time he'll buy me a diamond!"

A cattle rancher needed a bull to service his cows but also needed to borrow the breeding fee from the bank. The banker lent him the money and stopped by a week later to see how his investment was doing.

The farmer complained that the bull just ate the grass and wouldn't even look at the cows.

So the banker told the farmer that he knows a great veterinarian and that he'll send him by the next day to check out the bull.

The next week the banker returned to see if the vet helped.

The farmer looked very pleased and told the banker, "It's amazing! That bull has serviced all my cows, broke through the fence, and has even serviced all my neighbor's cows."

"Wow," said the banker. "What did the vet do to the bull?"

"Just gave him some pills," replieed the farmer.

"What kind of pills?" asked the banker.

"I don't know," said the smiling farmer, "but they sort of taste like peppermint."

BONUS ARTICLE

Boys, bulls, and catfish
By H. Elton Harris

“One, two, three. How many more?” My cousin Raymond was as excited as he almost ever got.

“Well, a dozen at least,” I said, “but if the catfish are there, we’ll need a lot more.”

“Let’s go now. This is enough for right now!” He began grabbing worms, manure, and mud with one hand and stuffing the mixture into his clinched fist. The worms weren’t doing very well. Some seemed to have gotten runny.

Since I was doing the digging, I sort of felt bad about the way he was going about things.

“Hey!” I said. “You’re supposed to put them into the can.”

He gave me a half sullen look, not liking to be told anything. Then his eyes went kind of funny.

“These are mine,” he said. “You dig your own. I’m going now.”

He crammed the messy handful into his overalls pocket, grabbed one of the tamarisk limbs we used for fishing poles, and trotted off toward the pasture. He had about a third of a mile to go before he got to the river, and by that time I would have enough in the can for us both. As for the ones in his pocket, well, what with the way they looked before he jammed then in there, and the action of those loose bib overalls, there wouldn’t be anything big enough to put on a hook.

I wasn’t really worried about him taking off with the worms, that was just his way. When we were going fishing, he wanted to go now.

The thing about Ray was once he got that wild, crazy look, and his jaw set, there was nothing anyone could do with him. When he did something wrong, even if Grandma whacked him with a wooden spoon, he still wouldn’t say he was sorry, and finally she just gave up. There were times we wrestled until we were so tired we couldn’t move, but he never would give up. So let him have his pocketful of worms. There would be enough for both of us in my can.

I knew he wouldn’t be far ahead of me ‘cause he had to cross the pasture, and he was scared to death of Grandma’s old roan bull. The only way he would cross that pasture by himself was to go clear to the end and run along the inside of the fence. That way he could duck under if the bull saw him. Even then he would only cross it alone to go fishing.

I had learned not to run, and that if you just walked and carried a stick, all the bull would do is make that moaning noise and paw dirt. He was afraid of sticks. It was scary, but it worked.

The worms were fat and about three inches long. Big enough to pinch in half and get two baits out of each one, and before long I had enough.

When I got to the pasture, the bull was way over in the comer, staring nearsightedly at the fence where Ray had gone through, still pawing and blowing snot all over himself. So I put my pole and the worm can in one hand and carried the stick in the other.

With the bull all excited like that, well, that pasture looked a lot bigger than it ever had before!

I took a deep breath and started walking.

When I got about two thirds of the way across, he saw me and started walking toward me, still making that sing-song moaning noise. I shook the stick at him, but I guess he was too far away to see it, or maybe he thought I was waving at him. Anyway he broke into a trot, something he had never done before.

I still had a ways to go, and I kept thinking that this time he wasn’t going to stop. By then I was walking sideways so I could see him, and, oh boy, he was just beautiful. His head was hanging down and swinging side to side, and that neck was as wide as I was. He had been rubbing his head in the dirt and his face and shoulders were caked with dust and mud where the slobber had mixed with it, and his shoulder was higher than my head. That fence seemed like it was a lot farther away than before!

When he was about a hundred feet away, I knew he wasn’t going to stop! So I let out a terrified yelp, threw the stick at him, and turned to run, knowing I couldn’t make it. And almost ran into the fence! All I had to do was drop down and roll under it. I stood up on the other side and got the worms and fishing pole straightened out.

The bull was standing there stupid-like, watching me.

So I stuck out my chest and yelled over the fence. Then I threw a dried cow pie at him and went on to the river.

When I walked out of the tamarisk trees by the river, the first thing I saw was Ray’s fishing pole laying beside the ditch that drained the swamp. Around it was the mess he had shoved into his pocket. Problem was, you couldn’t tell which was mud and which was worms. He was down on his knees in the mud where the ditch joined the river, sloshing something back and forth in the water, like he was washing something.

I pretended like I didn’t see him and went ahead and unrolled the heavy cotton cord that was wrapped around the fishing pole. One end was tied to the pole, the other had a hook and a cork on it. The cord was heavy enough to lead a horse with, but the catfish didn't care. When yuou caught a fish, you just picked him out of the water and swung him over to the bank.

About the time I got baited up and put my line in the water, Ray walked over with a big grin, like nothing had happened. He stuck out his hand with a piece of molasses candy in it. That’s what he had been washing. I guess it was in his pocket, and he had put the worms in on top of it. He already had a piece in his mouth.

“I forgot it,” he said around it. “It’s good!”

The piece he handed me didn't look dirty, just had kind of greenish brown blotches on it.

Soon as I put it in my mouth, Ray reached for the worm can and baited up. We caught a couple of dozen catfish, and then quit because Grandma didn’t have an icebox. We weren't allowed to catch more than we could eat in one meal with some left over to eat cold. The catfish were only about eight or ten inches long so that was about the right amount.

When we got back to the pasture, the bull was way up at the other end, laying down. Even still, Ray wanted to go along the fence since he was so afraid of the bull, Like a good cousin, I went that way too.

The bull didn't even look at us.

And boy were those catfish good!
 

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