Swimming Upstream

This is Day 9 of the 2018 edition of the 20 Days of Chill writing challenge hosted by P. J. at A ‘lil HooHaa. Please join us this month on our writing journey. Today's prompt is Swimming Upstream.

Previously on the continuing saga of the FBI and the Scuzzy Art Dealer (SAD), Alex has arranged for Sato Yasahiro of Tranquility Imports to obtain a rare artifact as a wedding gift for his fiancée. Based on a recorded conversation in the alley between Sato and SAD, it is believed that arrangements are being made. As the story continues, however, we find that this is how that conversation in the alley really went.

"Hello, I am Sato Yasahiro. I believe we are to be doing some business together," stated Sato.

"It would appear so. I am John."

"Interesting," commented Sato, "You don't look like a John to me." 

"Some things are best not known, so today I am John."

"I understand the object in question is in Hirosaki, and will be in the States within the week," responded Sato in confirmation. "The American will pay top dollar to make his woman happy. This is a good deal."

"This is where the deal changes, my friend," explained John. "I am thinking we kill the American and take the money, then we sell the artifact and split the profit fifty-fifty."

"Okay," says Sato, "But what are my chances of getting out of this alive with half of the money."

John laughed. "Oh, about fifty-fifty. Are you willing to take that risk for the money?

"Sure, why not. If I survive I have millions, and if I die, I won't know anything anyway. Seems fair enough," agreed Sato.


"Good morning Diane. Would you please let me know when the others get in," requested Charlie. "By the way, you look nice today. I mean you always look nice, you just look particularly nice today...Oy that didn't come out right," insert foot thought Charlie. "Excuse me, I'll be in my office," and a very flustered Charlie made his departure, leaving a puzzled Diane looking on. 

"Hey Charlie, what's up?" asked Alex as he, Bobby and Kyle piled into Charlie's office.

Relieved to get back to the case, Charlie plunged in. "We got a hit off of the cigarette butt. The DNA belongs to a Japanese guy with the equivalent of a rap sheet in Tokyo. His name is Hayashi Akio. However, it seems he may not be our guy because he has an alibi for the murder currently under investigation, but he is a person of interest by virtue of being at the warehouse, but not a suspect."

"Since we have no idea who SAD is yet, I guess we are still swimming upstream," stated Bobby matter-of-factly.

"Yes and no," said Charlie, "It's true he has an alibi, but we will investigate all known associates and double check his alibi because Hayashi could still be involved. I'll assign some agents to make phone calls and conduct searches into all his business and social contacts, pull phone and credit card records."

"Alex, you and Bobby keep going around to high-end establishments, museums, and such  and keep up your cover. You never know who is going to say what to whom when they think no one's paying attention."

"Kyle, you and I will do the same on our end, and hopefully we can gather enough information to put our plan into place before the package arrives.

To be continued...

Other Adventures of Charlie and Alex:

Risky Business

Aliens, Really?
The Colombians
The Key
Stranded
The Last Laugh
The Morning After

Bears, Beans and Beer

Kidnapped

Jenna's Misfortune

Murder in the Warehouse

A Rough Week in Philly

San Francisco Connection

No Grunt, No Glory

Crush Or Be Crushed
Going Under

Let's Make a Deal

So now we wait

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Got Candy?

This is Day 8 of the 2018 edition of the 20 Days of Chill writing challenge hosted by P. J. at A ‘lil HooHaa. Please join us this month on our writing journey. Today's prompt is Candy Bars.

Photo courtesy of Photobucket by jzata

What do we think of first when we hear the word candy? Easter, Halloween, Christmas and Valentines, right? Guess what? Candy is a year-round thing from something to get you through the afternoon with that last cup of coffee or an after-school treat for the kids.

There are so many kinds of candy bars–where do you start? There are dark chocolate and milk chocolate, plain and peanut, chewy centers and gooey centers, crunchy ones and ones filled with coconut. 

How can I pick just one favorite? I can't! But I can tell you what I like and don't like.

I don't like ones the ones with chewy centers like Snickers or Milky Way. I feel like they are going to rip my teeth out. While I do like chocolate and peanuts together, I don't like Mr. Goodbars or peanut M&Ms.

I like both dark and milk chocolate, depending on the candy bar. So, in no particular order, here are some of my favorites, and yeah they're not all technically candy bars. 

Mounds
Nestlé Crunch
Hershey Krackel
Hershey Kisses (dark chocolate)
Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
Kit Kat
York Peppermint Patties
Plain M&Ms

Other chocolate confections I like are brandied cherries (I don't like cherries otherwise), Whitman chocolates (soft centers only) and Lindt Chili dark chocolate bars.

What's your favorite candy bar, or other candy?


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Hot and Healthy Beverages

This is Day 7 of the 2018 edition of the 20 Days of Chill writing challenge hosted by P. J. at A ‘lil HooHaa. Please join us this month on our writing journey. Today's prompt is Hot Beverages.

With much of the country being a deep freeze lately, many of us have turned to hot beverages to warm us up and chase away the winter blues.

• We Southerners like our iced tea, but there is a greater health benefit in drinking hot tea because the steeping process draws all of the flavor, nutrients and antioxidants into the water.
  
• Hot cocoa is higher in antioxidants than red wine, 2-3 times higher than green tea and 4-5 times higher than black tea. So, if you don't like tea--drink cocoa. However, commercial preparations may negate any benefits, so check the labels and consider making your own.
  
• An infusion of hot water, lemon, and turmeric with pinches of cayenne, sea salt and raw cane sugar is filled with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. The hot water and lemon serves to flush the liver and kidneys.
  
• A cup of hot apple cider with a cinnamon stick does more than warm you up. It is a good source of Vitamin C, and the cinnamon promotes good digestion and can moderate blood sugar levels for diabetics.
  
• If you're feeling a bit under the weather, a cup of hot ginger tea can help with digestive issues as well as relieve coughing. Make a soothing cup with boiling water and fresh ginger slices, strain and add honey to taste.
  
• Coffee drinkers, you are less likely to develop Type 2 diabetes, Parkinson's or dementia. Coffee may also reduce risk factors for heart attack and stroke. The caffeine, however, can raise blood pressure and increase adrenaline levels.
  
• Herbal tea isn't really tea, but the steeping process and health benefits are the same. Chamomile is a popular one often used to help you relax. Most herbal teas contain antioxidants, but do not contain caffeine, and are therefore good for bedtime drinks.
  
• Mulled wine is a seasonal beverage of red wine blended with various spices such as
  nutmeg and cinnamon, and we already know red wine and spices contain antioxidants. So enjoy a mug of hot, mulled wine during the holidays, but as with all alcoholic beverages, enjoy in moderation.
  
• Last but not least is the hot toddy. An age-old remedy to chase away those winter time nasties that just drag you down. There are alcoholic and non-alcoholic versions. Just put some honey in a mug, add boiling water and a bit of lemon juice and let the warmth soothe what ails you. To make the alcoholic version, just add a splash of your favorite, rum, brandy, bourbon or other similar liquor.

What is your favorite hot beverage?

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Embarrassment on the 16th Floor

This is Day 6 of the 2018 edition of the 20 Days of Chill writing challenge hosted by P. J. at A ‘lil HooHaa. Please join us this month on our writing journey. Today's prompt is Well, that was embarrassing... Check out the other participants for more embarrassing stories.

Picture it, a mid-1990s office setting. An office gal, dressed in a casual skirt and loafers, is carrying papers, folders, etc. to her supervisor, who was standing near the back door of the department; the door which opened onto a hallway lined with VP offices.

At that very moment in walked a VP who rarely had business in her department. She thought he always looked serious, perhaps even stern.

So what did the office gal do? She tripped on one of those invisible things that love to tangle up the feet of unsuspecting people, and went sprawling headlong onto the floor practically at his feet. 

Totally mortified, she scrambled to her feet, handed off the papers and made a hasty exit to her cube to lick her wounds. 

The most embarrassing thing is that this is a true story...that office gal was me. 😧



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#20daysofchill

This is Day 5 of the 2018 edition of the 20 Days of Chill writing challenge hosted by P. J. at A ‘lil HooHaa. Please join us this month on our writing journey. Today's prompt is #Hashtag.

Not every prompt is going to stir your imagination or bring forth a humorous recollection. This is one of those days and one of those prompts.

Today's Top Ten Instagram Hashtags

  1.  #love - 143,817,139 photos

  2.  #instagood - 97,570,915 photos

  3.  #me - 80,693,198 photos

  4.  #tbt - 75,411,509 photos

  5.  #cute - 75,047,873 photos

  6.  #photooftheday - 70,995,806 photos

  7.  #instamood - 64,925,462 photos

  8.  #beautiful - 54,570,181 photos

  9.  #picoftheday - 53,776,027 photos

10.  #igers - 52,997,258 photos

And my own as it relates to today's topic:  #igotnothing

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Playing The Game

This is Day 4 of the 2018 edition of the 20 Days of Chill writing challenge hosted by P. J. at A ‘lil HooHaa. Please join us this month on our writing journey. Today's prompt is Win or Lose.

We have all heard the phrase It's not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game.  What does that really mean? Does winning make you superior? Does losing somehow make you a better person, or just make you look like a loser?

This topic is a complicated one with lots of gray areas. It seems many now think that everyone should be a winner and get a trophy just for having participated–so that no one's feelings are hurt. What does that teach us?

There will always be shining stars whose talent and hard work should be recognized, and to give out awards for just showing up diminishes their efforts.

That said, winning makes you feel good about yourself and builds confidence. So, should we strive to win all the time? In a manner of speaking, but how you play the game will reflect either positively or negatively on you and upon your success. You should strive to win by playing fairly and winning on your own merits. Bottom line, whether you win or lose, you should do either with grace and dignity.

Successful people are admired and respected when their achievements come from their own hard work as well as for their benevolence to others.


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A Mess at Mass

This is Day 3 of the 2018 edition of the 20 Days of Chill writing challenge hosted by P. J. at A ‘lil HooHaa. Please join us this month on our writing journey. Today's prompt is Toilet paper on your shoe.

Jill was running late and scrambling to get out the door. She could not be late for mass again. That would make three times this month, which would not gain her favor with Sister Agnes, and she was supposed to help Jill head up the food drive next week. It wasn't her fault this time, she told herself. Oscar and Pixie had been playing with the toilet paper again...what a mess.

Jill wheeled into the closest parking space available (why there are 15 handicap spaces when the average age of the congregation was 40 she would never understand). She practically ran down the sidewalk and up the stairs, barely catching her breath as the pulled open the large wooden doors of the 19th century cathedral. With just minutes to spare, she slid into the only open spot, near the front, directly in front of the priest. She gave a sigh of relief and uttered a silent prayer of thanks, only to feel her face flame when she glanced down to see about three feet of toilet paper solidly attached to her heel. 








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The Cheese Man

This is Day 2 of the 2018 edition of the 20 Days of Chill writing challenge hosted by P. J. at A ‘lil HooHaa. Please join us this month on our writing journey. Today's prompt is Mac and Cheese. 

Today we are talking with Mac, the Cheese Man (no, not the mobster from The Golden Girls).

R2R: So, Mac, how did you get into the cheese business?

Mac: My high school sweetheart was Swiss and so beautiful I just melted. 

R2R: How does that relate to cheese?

Mac: Have you ever heard of Gorgonzola? 

R2R: Yes, of course.

Mac: She comes from the Swiss Family Gorgonsen.

R2R: Did you ever study abroad?

Mac: No, I just told you I had a girlfriend. But I did go to Switzerland for a while to apprentice with her grandpa. While I was there studying my butt off, she ran off with the milkman. Now I hear they're making cheddar together.

R2R: I bet that left you bitter. I'm surprised you stuck with cheese after being treated like that.

Mac: You win some, you lose some. I was dumped like moldy Feta, but I'll always have Brie.

R2R: So that's your cheese of choice?

Mac: No, Brie is my dog. I'm partial to aged cheeses myself.

R2R: What are your plans for the future?

Mac: I wanna open my own cheese joint. I plan to call it CHOMPS ELSIE

R2R: May I ask why "CHOMPS ELSIE"?

Mac: It stands for Cheddar, Havarti, Oma, Muenster, Provolone, Swiss, Emmenthaler, Limburger, Saga, Inverness and Edam. You know like that fancy French place.

R2R: I see... Yes, well that is creative.

Mac: Too cheesy?

R2R: It is exactly what I would expect from Mac, the Cheese Man. It has been a pleasure talking with you today. Good luck and may the cheese be with you.



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Frame of Mind

This is Day 1 of the 2018 edition of the 20 Days of Chill writing challenge hosted by P. J. at A ‘lil HooHaa. Please join us this month on our writing journey. Today's prompt is Frame of Mind. 

Somehow even with a month or more of advance notice I have once again been taken by surprise when the first day of Chill rolls around, and I wake up to discover I must now scramble more than eggs. Suffice it to say that since the topics were announced, life has been very busy, and I haven't really been in a writing frame of mind.

Now please excuse me while I run to my local big box home improvement store to pick up some wood, nails, and a hammer to build a frame for my mind. It looks like I'm going to need it!



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Christmas Wishes 2017

Wishing all my friends around the world a very Merry Christmas. 

Peace be with you!

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Christmas Memories

After more than a half century of Christmases, many of the individual memories have blurred. Time has a way of marching on leaving us to ponder where it has gone. I don't remember my first several Christmases, but mom wrote in my baby book that at "10 months, she didn't pay much attention to gifts, played with wrapping." I guess that is typical of toddlers.

Similar to ours

Christmas was always a beautiful time, a time of anticipation and wonder. It was Daddy's job to put up our, now vintage, silver Christmas tree and decorate it, and there was one special white ornament with colored flecks that I always wanted on the front where I could see it. 

Instead of lights on the tree, we had a light with a rotating plastic wheel with red, green, blue and gold sections that would shine on the tree, changing it colors. We had this for my first 12 years, and for a long time I didn't know anyone had anything different. We purchased our first fresh-cut tree  in 1972 for a cost of about $6, and I think it was a pine. Now most of the trees around here are Frasier Firs for about $30 and up (mostly up).

To this day my childhood stocking hangs on my mantle every year. As a kid, I could open the stocking gifts first thing Christmas morning, but everything else had to wait until after breakfast. Now the stockings are the last thing to open.

My most memorable Christmas was when I was 5 years old. That was the year that I had three Christmases, two of which were white. First, we packed up and drove to Maine where my mom was from and where her mother and two of her brothers still lived. The house was near the river and Daddy and I went sledding down the River Road, as we called it, coming to rest near the partially frozen river. Instead of over the river and through the woods, it was through the woods and down to the river. At least that is the way I remember it. 

Next we went to my other uncle's house in New Hampshire. There was more snow and sledding there too, and another Christmas celebration with more presents. When we returned home, I found still more presents that Santa had left while we were gone. I was a lucky girl that year.

One of my favorite adult memories was back in the mid 90s when I took hubby's pickup and my mom and I went Christmas tree shopping. We came back with two trees, and about $80 worth of new ornaments and decorations, and I have used those ever since (the ornaments, not the trees) 😉.

If you celebrate Christmas, what are some of your favorite memories or traditions? 





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I Hit A Milestone!

When I started Roses to Rainbows, I had no idea where it would go or how long I would blog, and here I am 8 years and 1,000 posts later. So what have I done for the last 8 years? Well, I have come to the computer 1,000 times, wrote for my audience (real or imagined) and pushed that orange "Publish" button. 

I have shared pictures of my family (mainly our cats), my vacations, yummy food and gorgeous sunsets. I have, in my humble opinion, created interesting characters in my fictional stories, many of whom show up regularly in blogging challenges. I have waxed poetic ranging from light banter to the dark reaches of tortured souls. Fortunately, I do not fall into the latter category.

When I first started blogging, I began a quote of the week series, giving my interpretation of each quote. They are not exactly weekly now, but I still post quotes and put in my two cents worth.

Did I plan on writing fiction? Nope! It wasn't until I found a site called Magpie Tales, and wrote that first post. I went on to write a number of stories and poems based on a picture prompt posted by the hostess. Unfortunately that site hasn't been active for the last year and a half.

I wrote flash fiction for the G-Man's weekly "Friday 55" series off and on for several years. He had a great site where everyone was invited to write whatever they wanted in exactly 55 words. That was fun and definitely challenging. Sadly, he passed away a few years ago. Not too long ago I lost another blogging buddy, Nicky, from We Work For Cheese. She hosted several of the blogging challenges, and we all had a blast reading each others posts during the "30 minus 2 days of writing" in February.

What is next for Roses to Rainbows? I don't know, but I still like putting a post together and tweaking it until I feel like it's the best I have to offer. Obviously some are better than others, and out of the 1,000 published posts, I would say there more than a few that have not yet been discovered, so feel free to dig into the archives (located on my sidebar). The virtual doors are always open, the coffee is hot and the wine is chilled.

I hope everyone has a peaceful and blessed Christmas season!


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Crab Cakes...Who Knew?

Would you believe it? Out of all my years of blogging and all the stories I've told and words of wisdom I have imparted, my review of the simple crab cake would take the prize as the most popular post ever on Roses to Rainbows. Who would have thunk it?

Phillips Crab Cakes are tasty and a still good value for the money. I am glad you all have enjoyed this review. It was not compensated and written just because we like the product. 

Seven years after posting the initial review, this post has had 35 views this November alone. Is everyone looking for crab cakes for the Holidays? If you are, you can read about those wonderful crab cakes here: Crab Cake Review.

If you have tried them, please let me know what you think.

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Christmas Bells

I share with you some Christmas cheer today from the snowy South!

I heard the bells on Christmas Day

Their old, familiar carols play,

And wild and sweet

The words repeat

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

― Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was an American poet, born in Maine on February 27, 1807 (he and I share a birthday). This is a quote from Longfellow's poem, Christmas Bells, which was the inspiration for the Christmas carol, I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day. You may click the link to read the entire poem.

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A Thankful Heart

Some thoughts for the season when emotions may be a little more intense. Take time to slow down and let go of the negative and embrace the positive. 

I wrote this as a Facebook post, and decided to expand it into a blog post. 

It seems that our holiday season is hurried and harried and oftentimes we find ourselves frustrated, short-tempered and on edge when we should be happy, relaxed and thankful. It is our culture of having and getting, giving and receiving the biggest and best of gifts, when it really should be about giving from the heart and being thankful for what we have. This goes back to what we learned earlier in the week from The Wisdom of the Doughnut.

Let us reflect on this a moment and then go forward with a different mindset and an open heart.

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The Wisdom of the Doughnut

Did you know that you can find wisdom in the oddest of places? Well you can, and this has been around for over 100 years. It was written back in 1904 as this poem which first appeared in a New York newspaper.

Twixt optimist and pessimist

The difference is droll;

The optimist the doughnut sees -

The pessimist the hole

In 1929 a restaurant in Charleston, West Virginia rewrote it in a more contemporary style with a target audience of coffee drinkers...who often ate doughnuts (also called sinkers).

As you ramble through Life, Brother,

Whatever be your goal.

Keep your eye upon the doughnut,

And not upon the hole

This though-provoking poem is often known as the optimist's creed. It is a wonderful life motto which even inspired two presidential candidates who worked it into their campaign speeches. It was also adopted by the Mayflower Doughnut shop chain and appeared on their doughnut boxes. It had a picture depicting two court jesters, one staring contentedly at a fat doughnut with a small hole, and the other looking dejectedly at a skinny doughnut with a large hole.

This was presented during the "time for children" segment at church one Sunday like this:

As you go through life make this your goal.

Keep your eye on the doughnut and not the hole.

It was explained that the doughnut represents the things we have (our blessings), and the hole is what we don't have. The verse instructs us to focus on what we have and not what we don't have or wish we had. 

During this holiday season and throughout the year, let's be thankful for the doughnut and not worry about the hole.

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Each Moment Counts

These words from Corita Kent reminds us that life is more than just the big events, but the moments that lead us there. Each one is necessary for us to successfully navigate the journey of life.



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Simply Complicated

"You actually make it seem so easy with your presentation but I find this topic to be actually something that I think I would never understand. It seems too complicated and extremely broad for me. I'm looking forward for your next post, I'll try to get the hang of it!" 

Wow, it sounds like my writing must be so profound and so complex that it will take some period of time for them to "get the hang of it". I know you are wondering what masterpiece spawned such feelings of self-doubt. Am I next in line for a coveted Pulitzer Prize? I think not, but you be the judge. Here are the words that were "too complicated" for my commenter.

Puffy white clouds bring

Peaceful daydreams and lazy

days then drift away

Twas but a simple Haiku, paired with the above photo. So I won't be taking home the prize, and I sure could have used that 15 grand for a nice vacation somewhere under big, puffy white clouds.


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Perfection or Good Enough?

How often does your quest for perfection get in the way of finishing your tasks? How much more time would you have for other things if good enough was exactly that...good enough? 

Wouldn't you rather mark five things off your to-do list and spend time with your family or read a book that's been collecting dust rather than dwell for hours on one task trying to get the last details perfect?

What is stopping you? Who are you trying most to please most, yourself or someone else? Does it matter to them or are they quite happy with good enough, especially if it means they get to spend more time with you?

For the record, there is a difference between doing a perfectly adequate job and doing it poorly; just as there is a difference between striving for perfection and being satisfied with having done a perfectly adequate job. More completed tasks equals more progress which, in turn, provides a greater sense of accomplishment and satisfaction than that one task which took hours.

From another perspective, there are those people who take immense pleasure in the intricate details of a project, and their satisfaction comes as much from the journey as from the completion itself. This is an entirely different thing.

Are you a perfectionist or a "good enough" kind of person?

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Vacuum Sealing: The Basics

During the month of October, I will be participating in the Write 31 Days hosted by Crystal Stine. My category is Food, Health & Wellness and my theme is "Into The Kitchen". 

Today is the final day of the Write 31 Days blogging challenge. In previous posts we talked about ways to save money and time by stocking our pantries, using coupons, buying in bulk, and stocking up during sales (especially meats), so we are wrapping up the series with a look at vacuum sealing.

One of the best ways to preserve your valuable meat is to freeze it. However, one enemy of food is air, and food that is exposed to air can suffer freezer burn, mold, staleness and rancidity. When you freeze your meat the way it is packaged for sale, you could lose some of it to freezer burn. Now this food is still safe to eat, but the taste and texture may be compromised. 

How can you avoid freezer burn?

A quick and easy way to reduce freezer burn in the short term (a couple weeks) is to rewrap it in several layers of plastic wrap or foil and place in a zip top freezer bag. 

However for longer storage or larger quantities of meat, chicken, pork, etc. you should consider vacuum sealing. There are a number of different types of vacuum sealers on the market, the most well-known is probably the Food Saver brand. I have the Game Saver Deluxe model which comes with the vacuum tubing to seal food in mason jars (with the jar sealer attachment).

When you package your meat for sealing, you should freeze any wet/juicy foods first, then place them into vacuum seal bags, allowing for 3 inches beyond the food level for proper sealing.

What can you seal?

Many foods can be sealed and frozen, but remember that vacuum sealing is not a substitute for refrigeration or freezing and all perishable foods must be refrigerated or frozen after sealing.

Vacuum sealing is excellent for foods such as steaks, seafood, chicken, pork, breads, sausages, casseroles, and hard cheeses. Freeze soft foods like casseroles and soups before sealing. They may not seal properly or you may get liquids into your sealer.

Foods you do not want to seal:

Soft cheeses

Raw bananas

Mushrooms

Raw onions

Whole apples

Garlic

Cabbage

Lettuce

Cruciferous vegetables

Freshly cooked or steamed vegetables

Benefits:

Saves time because you make fewer trips to the store to purchase fresh meats.

Saves money because you can buy larger amounts of meat on sale.

Your meat lasts longer in your freezer.

There is less waste from spoiled meat.

Savings not limited to just meats; seal other foods as well.

What else can I seal?

Vacuuming sealing is not just for food. You can seal things like extra clothes, keys, phone, wallet, books, first aid kits, etc. for outdoor activities, beach or camping trips. You can also seal your silver to keep it shiny and reduce or eliminate the need to polish. Make sure you wrap your silver in cloth or a thick paper to prevent punctures to your bag.

Discussion Questions:

If you have a vacuum sealer, what do you seal most often?

Do you find it saves money?

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