Heh, after I did this topic I found the perfect candles and now have them sitting on the mantel burning. I was sooo tired of having candles that I couldn't light because of the mess they'd make, except for Yankee Candles, and now the hurricane's are perfect! Now my living room has a little touch of Christmas since it's the Christmas design. :) Thankfully it's not that noticeable unless you get up close to it.

I see what you mean. I glanced at a few veg stock recipes doing a search. Much too complicated and not necessary. Simplify as others have suggested above. I keep it simple and basic. Saute on very low heat, cut chunky, 2-3 large onions, 2-3 heads garlic, 6-8 carrots, 4-6 ribs celery, parsnips are good but i rarely have them. Saute on low just to give some heat and soften, not browning. Takes 20-30 min. Add water 2 inches below veg level, (veggies will sweat liquid soon), add a large fresh or fresh frozen tomato, chopped, or 2 med, or a dozen cherry toms. Bring to a simmer, don't boil. Keep it low and slow for about an hour and add course chopped parsley with stems, simmer another 1/2-1hr. Boiling for a long time can cause some bitterness. I don't add any dried spices or salt/blk pepper. I like to add any spices and other veggies when my stock becomes a final dish later on. (I add a fresh hot pepper early on but that is optional.) If your veggies are not soft and under water level after an hour, add a bit more water. Strain, chill quickly, and freeze. It makes a nice rich broth/stock about the color of ac vinegar. I freeze in pint containers. 1 pint i usually need right away and may fridge another, but no longer than 24 hrs. It thaws so quickly it is best fresh or frozen. I just run the container under warm water until it releases and add the frozen stock right into lightly sauteed veggies for that meal choice. Last night i used a pint in a sweet potato coconut curry. Added lots of veggies. Last week a corn chowder, and a mixed dark greens, mushroom and lentil soup. Once you get a basic broth that you like, less garlic, more onion or tomato, etc., it can become a hundred different soups or stews very quickly. Expensive ingredients like leeks, lemongrass, snap peas, kale, i like fresh cooked flavor anyway. (expensive in the winter with the garden under snow).

Yes, apple sauce or yogurt Applesauce Applesauce is an accessible and affordable substitute for oil in quick breads. If your recipe calls for a solid fat, like butter or vegetable shortening, use half as much applesauce. Replace liquid oil with three-fourths the amount of applesauce. Opt for an unsweetened, all-natural applesauce as a fat substitute. Applesauce works well in fairly dense, strongly flavored quick breads or muffins, as well as in chocolate baked goods. Yogurt Nonfat yogurt can replace vegetable shortening, butter, oil, or sour cream in quick bread recipes. Yogurt adds moistness and an appealing tang to the finished bread. If you're replacing sour cream, use yogurt to replace all of the sour cream. Try replacing half of the butter with half as much yogurt or half of the oil with three-quarters as much yogurt for low-fat banana, cranberry or zucchini bread that doesn't sacrifice flavor or texture.

Neem Oil is extracted from the fruits and seeds of the Azadirachta indica, a tree native to India. The people of India have been using Neem Oil extracts in many ways, including tooth paste products, for centuries with no harm to them. While not stated on these products the usual admonition for many of these products is to not spray them on o plants 24 hours before harvest, so do not spray the plants with Neem Oil 24 hours before you reap the harvest. kimmq is kimmsr