Cooking under pressure ... with a pressure cooker, of course
Thank you so much for helping save my sanity.

The last time I wrote to everyone, I lived in the Sierra Nevada "high country" on a 130 acre ranch and was homesteading big time. My daughters were small and enjoying all sorts of extra fun as the "high line," as my late husband called the power line, was three miles away. We raised almost everything we used and probably averaged canning 300 to 500 jars of produce every year, including apple cider from our trees that the deer kept pruned for us.

Since then both daughters are grown, married and have their own families. I am sharing a lively seven acre place with an acupuncture veterinarian who specializes in horses. She started using acupuncture as she was not pleased with conventional medicine and its many limitations.

This evening as I was enjoying the fruits of our labors I found myself thinking of the many times I found so much useful information in COUNTRYSIDE and I figured that it is about time for me to get off my duff and take a turn at it.

Part of the reason that I could take this time to pass these things on is that a couple of years ago at the California State Fair I was fortunate enough to run across some folks who were selling an absolutely marvelous pressure cooker. To begin with, it has no aluminum in it at all. It is a fact that, when heated, aluminum will pass through even stainless steel. I stopped cooking with anything containing aluminum years ago. I kept looking for a stainless steel cooker but never had the money when I found them. Thank God, as this one has all sorts of new features that really put "The Magic Pot" way ahead of any other one on the market. It is fast and safe and has a lifetime guarantee. It comes with its own instruction/recipe book and the recipes are actually good.

Having cooked at a board and care home for the last five years that specializes in Alzheimer clientele, I can assure you that I want absolutely nothing to do with aluminum. I know that the connection between the problems that can occur with the absorption of aluminum has been kept pretty quiet but let's face it, with all the big bucks that are tied up in anti-perspirants, soda cans and cookware, there is no way that the "big boys" are going to let anyone tell the public that aluminum could be a real contributor to mental incapacities. As for me, after watching folks that have lead productive lives reduced to not even recognizing their own families, it's no thanks...

The company I purchased my cooker from is Powell Products, 17144 Pahata Ct., Apple Valley CA 92307.

Another discovery I recently made is using more of the products available from the health food store. The best for me is proving to be wild yam extract. Getting a little older, I had started to listen to some of the gals I worked with tell the tales of all the "help" they were getting from some of these doctors who think that the only way to deal with some of the normal aging process is with drugs. Besides not being able to afford it financially, I figure that I can't afford some of the side effects that go with the drugs that have become standard.

Folks, I am here to tell you that the stuff actually works and all the women I know who have tried it are pleased also.

I must admit I have found one side-effect: I don't seem to have as much trouble remembering things as I did before.

My other major discovery is a little store called Trader Joes. These people have the right idea as to what a store should have available for those of us who can't always grow what we want. The closest one to where I live is in Modesto, but I'm willing to go a little further to get organically grown meat and produce. TJs has a lot of imported items and they carry many items that have no additives or sugar. They have just recently expanded their vitamin supplement line, much to my delight, as their prices are incredibly reasonable. It really gets to me when I think what others charge and all the people who can't afford it. If you would like to know where the closest TJs is, just dial 1-800-SHOP-TJS. If one is too far away, let the company know that you want them to expand into your area.

Everything I have tried from TJs has been quality that is usually only found in specialty stores. I can assure you that I don't drive for a half hour because there are no other stores closer.

Anyone that has questions that I might be able to help with is welcome to write and I will attempt to answer as soon as I can work in the time. In the meantime, it is nice to know that you are all out there homesteading in your own way.