jt - I know - I've been reading your posts with much interest. The method of kraut making that I use, was first found right here on this forum. Darned if I can remember who the poster was. But I've used it several times now, and the reason I like it - is because it is so easy and just right for my small family (sometimes I'm the only kraut eater in this family). So if you can find anything in this here goes: I use wide-mouthed pints for easy access. Shred cabbage thin - I use a mandolin. Pack firmly into canning jars, pressing down hard with thumbs till packed. For pints add 1 tsp salt. I used plain salt, 1 tbs for quarts. Pour boiling water over packed cabbage to fill, cap tightly with a canning lid and cap. I also use a plastic baggie BEFORE I put on the lid and cap - to prevent any fermenting juice from touching the metal cap. Screw cap on TIGHTLY as it will ooze anyway. I place the jars in a plastic shoe box container to catch drips and mark the date on the lids. The whole shebang is then left at room temperature on my pantry shelf to ferment. (unheated room - lows 55s - highs 70s ?). When it begins to smell (the ooze) like sauerkraut, I sample for taste and when its to my taste - that's it. So that is the state I'm now in. Surprisingly, it fermented well in less than a month - probably because of room temp and no yeast or mold - as it is just about as tightly sealed as could be without actually processing the jars in a water bath. Very little air to contaminate. If I want to process further - Drain the kraut - then bring juice to boil. I may add some white vinegar here - to my taste. Add kraut and bring to near boil. Put kraut into sterilized jars, cover with hot juice, seal and BWB about 5 minutes or until sealed. The last part of this method - unfortunately - softens up the finished product - as would be expected, although certainly edible. We had some debates about this method in previous posts - so it probably is not for everyone that prefers their own way, but for me - it is simple and it works. So far, no spoilage. Had another thought too - if just a month is needed to finish this, it may very well be an all-year event, rather than one big to-do at end of harvest time. Just need to consider a months processing time - at anytime cabbage is available (all year here). Just my 2 c's. Bejay

SAUERKRAUT STUFFED HOT PEPPERS are a true Polish delicacy. While handling quantities of raw Hot Banana Peppers may require the use of rubber gloves, long sleeves, goggles and a bandanna for face protection (pepper burns are a serious business) the resulting stuffed hot peppers are not "HOT". The hotness of the peppers blends with the tartness of the sauerkraut, sauerkraut brine and a little garlic to create unique and unforgettable taste experience. If there is anything that brings back my fondest childhood memories of living next door to my paternal Polish grandparents, it's these stuffed peppers. My grandfather hardly ever ate a dinner without stuffed hot peppers. My grandparents had a very large garden. Nothing was wasted, they canned everything that wasn't eaten fresh. All the canned goods were stored in a large above ground root cellar that had saw dust walls over two feet thick. Inside that cellar, almost half a wall was dedicated to jars and jars of stuffed hot peppers. I have never seen a recipe for these in any canning cookbook. I have found a couple recipes on the INTERNET that were only somewhat close. They used commercial canned sauerkraut (totally unacceptable) and/or they cooked-up a boiling hot pickling brine to pour over peppers...all I can say is, yuk!!! soft and mushy is not a good thing for these peppers (let me know if you want these recipes). I think these recipes are the result of lawsuits and modern canning safety concerns. That's also why these peppers can't be found on any store shelf. Modern techniques result in mushy peppers, old techniques result in crisp peppers but with corroded jar lids (more on this later). Nether technique makes for a mass marketable product. With my grandparents method, there is no cooking, no boiling, no hot water baths used in making the stuffed peppers (glass jars and lids are sterilized in boiling water and leftover kraut can be canned). This method results in both a crisp pepper and a crisp kraut. While this method may not be the recommended way to do it nowadays, I have never had any spoilage or any other safety problems with this method. But again, even though my family has been doing it this way for over 100 years that I know of, I in no way recommend that you do it this way. Only up-to-date methods based on current research should be used in home canning. Reliable sources of up-to-date methods include the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and major manufacturers of home canning equipment. That being said...this is how my family makes SAUERKRAUT STUFFED HOT PEPPERS. THE RECIPES: There are two steps to making these peppers -- making the sauerkraut and then assembling the peppers. You need real homemade sauerkraut and the brine that results. Ingredients: cabbage, pickling salt, hot banana peppers, garlic cloves. the amounts depends on how much you want to make...the only critical measurement is the salt, you need 2.5% salt to cabbage by weight (2 oz salt for each 5 pounds of cabbage). GOOD OLD HOMEMADE SAUERKRAUT Sauerkraut can be fermented in a nonmetal container like stone crocks, glass jars and bowls, and food-grade plastic containers. Non-food-grade plastic containers can be used only if they are lined with a food-grade plastic bag. Garbage bags or trash liners should never be used. 1 large crock Cabbage (enough to fill the crock) 2 oz pickling salt for each 5 pounds of cabbage The two ingredients provide the necessary brine... and bacteria (which are naturally present on cabbage leaves) will initiate the fermentation process. For making sauerkraut at home a 4 or 6 gallon stone jars are considered the best containers, a 5 gallon food-grade plastic bucket works just fine. Select only mature, sound heads of cabbage. After removing all decayed or dirty leaves, quarter the heads and slice off the core portion. For shredding, one of the hand shredding machines (mandolin) work great, although an ordinary slaw cutter or a large knife will do. In making sauerkraut, the fermentation is carried out in a brine made from the juice of the cabbage which is drawn out by the salt. One pound of salt for every 40 pounds of cabbage makes the proper strength of brine to produce the best results. The salt may be distributed as the cabbage is packed. The distribution of 2 ounces of salt with every 5 pounds of cabbage is probably the best way to get an even distribution. As each cabbage/salt level is added, the mixture must be tamped or "stomped" -with a wooden tamper - to release the cabbage's natural juices...and to mix the salt with the cabbage liquid in order to form a curing brine. When all the layers have been added and tamped, the container should be filled to within three or four inches of the top...and all the cabbage covered with brine. Then place a pressure plate (a wooden disk or dinner plate) on the mixture and weight it down with a weight heavy enough to cause the brine to come up. (Any cabbage that's not held under the brine will soon rot.) Top the crock with a clean cloth (to keep out insects and debris) and store the vessel for the fermentation period. Kraut will cure nicely on a warm back porch or in a cool basement...but the environment will influence the flavor of the finished product: A warm curing temperature will speed up the fermentation process, while a cooler area will result in a longer curing time. Short fermentation tends to produce "sweet" kraut...prolonged, cool pickling results in "tart" -really sour- sauerkraut. While your kraut's fermentation is progressing, inspect the crock every day or two and skim off any mold or scum that may form on the surface of the brine. Such layers are created by airborne, yeastlike bacteria that utilize the vital lactic acid as a source of food. While harmless in itself, the mold can lower the concentration of lactic acid below the point necessary for preservation. If the jar is kept at a temperature of about 86F., fermentation will start promptly and should be completed within 10 days. As the curing continues, bubbles will form and work in the brine. A cessation of this activity indicates that the pickling process has reached completion. At this point, you can serve up the first batch...then store the container in a much cooler place -such as a root cellar- to arrest further fermentation and keep your kraut tasty for the coming year...and/or preserve the kraut indefinitely by canning it. (Take care to fill the jars with additional brine when an insufficient amount remains from curing...then seal them, heat to boiling in a water bath, hold that temperature for 30 minutes, and re-tighten the lids.) Homemade kraut is always an adventure, because no two batches ever turn out exactly alike. In fact, if it's consistent flavor you want, you'd better stick to the store-bought variety. Moreover, there's no "best" method for preparing sauerkraut. The advice given here will get you started with your first batch, but you might want to try a little more (or less) salt in your second recipe...to get the tang that's exactly to your personal liking. Experiment with a crockful that's been warm-temperature cured, and then a cool one. SAUERKRAUT STUFFED HOT PEPPERS hot yellow banana peppers homemade sauerkraut and brine garlic cloves Sterilize jars and lids (wide mouth jars work best). Wash, cut tops off, and core out the peppers (* see note). Pack each pepper with as much sauerkraut as possible(use a wooden tamper). Put stuffed peppers into sterilized jars, packing tightly. Add 4-5 garlic cloves spread throughout each jar. Add sauerkraut brine over the peppers to within 1/2 half inch of the rims. Carefully wipe jar tops with a clean cloth. Put on the lids that have been kept in boiling water and put on a ring. Tighten rings but not overly tight (** see note). Place packed jars in some sort of water proof trays for storage (** see note) Let stand at least two to three weeks before eating. Unopened jars can be stored at room temp. Best when eaten cold, so refrigerate both before and after opening. *note: Cleaning hot peppers can result in injury from both direct and indirect contact with pepper juice and/or aerosols. Protect your skin, eyes and lungs. **note: Even though the fermentation process of the homemade sauerkraut may have appeared to reached completion in the crock, it almost always continues a little longer once it has been stuffed into the peppers and packed in jars. This sometimes results in a little leakage around the lids or rings. This leakage is acidic and will corrode the unprotected outside of the lids and rings. This is normal and even though it may not look very good it does no harm to the peppers inside the jars. The inside of the lids have a protective coating and do not corrode. Corroded rings can make opening the jar a little difficult. Once opened, I replace corroded lids and rings. Also, if too much fermentation occurs inside a jar and/or the ring is so tight that pressure builds up, the jars can break (that's why I store the jars in a waterproof tray). The moral of this story...don't rush your kraut. Let it ferment in the crock not the jar.

Ilene, I don't think our doctors test for vitamin D unless they have a reason to suspect a deficiency. I know vitamin D is especially important for "women of a certain age" because it helps the body absorb calcium......so, even if you take calcium to prevent bone loss, you need to have vitamin D too or your body can't use that calcium. I try to get that 15 minutes of sun every day. It is easy to do....just work outside a bit before putting on sunscreen. Well, it isn't easy to do this month..... One thing that surprises me is how many young folks will tell me they don't like tomatoes and think they taste just dreadful. Of course, in their young lives, all they've experienced generally are store-bought tomatoes. If you give them a garden-fresh tomato and can convince them to try it, suddenly they have a whole new attitude about tomatoes. I've also had people ask me when our home-grown potatoes and green beans (among other things) are so tasty....they'll make comments like "I didn't know green beans could taste like that". LOL I tell them "this is how food is supposed to taste". Maybe they'll never become gardeners, but at least now they have an idea that fresh veggies really are better, and maybe they'll search out fresh locally-grown food at farmer's markets or at least buy and cook fresh veggies from the store, instead of canned or frozen ones. And, speaking of canned veggies.....I hardly buy canned veggies at the stores during the gardening season, but needed to buy some canned beans and corn last week to throw together a quick pot of taco soup to take to a bereaved family. The prices of the canned veggies shocked me! Apparently, while we've been busy eating fresh for the last few months, food prices have been climbing. It is funny how you don't even notice that kind of thing if you aren't buying those items. It sure made me appreciate the veggies that I do have put up in the freezers and root cellar. (I'm just going to call the tornado shelter the root cellar from now on....because we might visit it once a year when a tornado threatens....but it is a root cellar every day, year-round. I store all my home-canned goods there too.) I haven't seen Dr. Oz's new show yet, although I keep meaning to find time to watch it. I've read one of his books and liked it, but some of it is a little extreme for me. Dawn

Stacy, here is the time frame that my instructions from Michigan State University, my beloved Moo U, gave me years ago. "At temperatures between 70 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit, kraut will be fully fermented in about 3 to 4 weeks; at 60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit, fermentation may take 5 to 6 weeks. At temperatures lower than 60 degrees Fahrenheit kraut may not ferment. Above 75 degrees Fahrenheit, kraut may become soft." I have kraut that was in my garage, I moved it to the basement last week when it dipped into the 50s because I was afraid it would be too cool. Now it's going to be in the 70s, go figure. My kraut has been fermenting 3 weeks now and no scum to skim, so that's good. Last year I got a moldy batch of kraut, the first time ever. Happy canning (and fermenting, LOL)! Annie