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I write about what matters...to you---
women, wives and moms---
about your family, faith and future.
I write about what's hard, what helps and what heals.
I show you how it's done. And not done.
I hold your hand as you find what matters to the Savior.
And let go of those things that mattered to you, but not to Him.
I write about what matters...to Him.
               Sonya Contreras

Elderberries to the Rescue!


Feel a cold coming on? Have a sore throat? 
We have elderberry trees where we live. I tried this syrup for the first time this year.
It does help. (Now we don't, but can purchase them dried from a mail-order herb store.)
Here's how to make it:
Gather berries. (Can use dried elderberries, purchased through mail.)
In the past when I tried to make jam, I pulled off the berries individually. Not recommended.
Just rub the stems and allow the berries to drop into a pan (but this only works when they are really ripe, not almost ripe). Remove the bigger stems in the pot.

To four cups of fresh elderberries (Some recipes used dried elderberries. In either case, cook them prior to adding the other ingredients.), add 2 cups of water. 
Heat to almost boiling, allow to simmer until water turns dark—20 minutes.
Strain through cheesecloth, pressing down to extract as much of the liquid as possible.
Return to pan with 1 T cinnamon, 1 T ginger, 1 T whole cloves.
Heat but do not boil for 10-20 minutes to incorporate spices.
Remove from heat and cool.
Add 3-5 T honey (raw is best). Heat can kill the enzymes in the honey.

Store in Mason jars. 
Refrigerate or freeze.
TO USE: 1-2 T daily when you feel a cold or flu coming on. 
Can be taken several times a day.
My boys actually like this.
I do think it helps thwart a cold. and it does soothe the throat.

(Although in these days, everyone attributes a cough to a certain virus, but colds are still around and treatable.)

 


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Author of Biblical fiction, married to my best friend, and challenged by eight sons’ growing pains as I write about what matters.

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