Preparedness-365

Anasazi Beans

2012-01-09T10:30:00.000-08:00

If you like beans but don’t like the usual affect they have on your digestive system, this bean is for you. The Anasazi beans were new to me when I found them in December, but after trying them I am definitely going to buy more to put in my storage and we will for sure be having beans on a more regular basis. I can’t wait to try these beans in some of my favorite bean recipes.

This ancient heirloom bean has unusual red and white markings. It has a soft creamy texture, is a little sweeter than other beans, and is considered an unusually tasty baking bean.

It is said that these beans do not need to be soaked in order to cook them. I have not tried cooking without soaking but did not soak overnight. They definitely cooked much quicker than traditional beans.

My very favorite part of this bean, is that there was ABSOLUTELY NO gastric discomfort from eating these beans that is often noticeable when eating other beans. I served them for supper one night, sampling a small dish of beans several times while adjusting the recipe, eating a larger portion with my meal and eating leftovers for at least another day and a half. I could not even tell that I had eaten beans as I sometimes get indigestion and never did with these beans.

The Anasazi bean is also called the Aztec bean, Cave bean, New Mexico appaloosa and sometimes Jacob's Cattle. It is a 1,500 year old variety. The legend of this bean goes that in the 1980's a member of an archeological team from UCLA was looking for remains of Pygmy elephants that roamed the earth thousands of years ago in the area now known as New Mexico and came upon these beans. The beans were in a clay pot sealed with pine tar and were determined by radio carbon dating to be over 1,500 years old, yet some still germinated!

This attractive dark-red and white bean cooks in about 2/3 the time of an ordinary pinto bean to a creamy even pink color. It has a sweet mild full flavor and a creamy texture. It can be used in any dish but is often preferred for Chili, Mexican, or Native American dish In comparison this bean contains only 25% of the specific complex carbohydrates sometimes responsible for gastric distress associated with dry beans- so, less gas, so it is easier to digest.

I purchased these beans from the IFA store – I know; who knew you could buy beans from a farm supply store? I have since found that you can buy them from most food storage suppliers.

I’m sharing a couple of different recipes that these beans are great in. The first uses ham or bacon and the second recipe is made with ground beef. Try these recipes or experiment with some of your own favorite bean recipes. If you find that you have a favorite way to use them, please share so we can all experiment.

Anasazi Bean and Cabbage Soup
I loved the cabbage in this soup. It added texture as well as more nutrition.
2 c. Anasazi beans, sorted and washed (Soak if desired or if you are in a hurry)
1 c. diced celery
1 c. diced carrots
1 c. diced onions
2 c. very finely chopped cabbage
2 c. diced ham
8 c. water (add ham stock or ham juice as part of the liquid if you have it- ham hocks, heels of the ham and ham bouillon also add so much flavor)
2 T. dried parsley
1 T. garlic powder
2 t. onion powder
2 bay leaves
Fresh ground pepper to taste
Salt to taste
½ c. brown sugar
½ c. ketchup or tomato sauce
Vinegar for serving
In a large crock pot place all ingredients except salt, brown sugar and ketchup. Cook on low about 8 hours or on high 5 hours – depending on how hot your crock pot cooks. When beans begin to get soft, add salt – to your taste. Add sugar and ketchup and continue cooking at least 30 minutes. Serve with cider or balsamic vinegar if desired.

Western Hospitality Beans
1 ½ c. Anasazi beans
3 c. water
½ - 1 lb. ground beef, cooked and drained
½ c. chopped onion
½ c. chopped green pepper
1 c. reserved liquid
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
½ c. brown sugar
¼ c. ketchup
Salt and pepper to taste
Suggested toppings: Shredded cheese, chopped onion, sour cream, crushed corn chips, crumbled cooked bacon or salsa
Soak beans in water for 3-4 hours. In a crock pot add beans, water, cooked ground beef, pepper and onion. Cook beans for several hours – depending on how fast or slow your crock pot cooks. When beans are tender, add tomato sauce, ketchup brown sugar and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer a few more minutes.
TO Serve: Eat as is or scoop with chips and add any desired toppings to individual serving dishes.

Sprouting

2011-11-11T16:04:00.000-08:00

Are you a sprouter? I have sprouted some, experimented with different seeds and tasted various kinds of sprouts. I'm sporadic at best, but could grow sprouts as an addition to our diet as a way of supplementing our preparedness and nutrition. That is the beauty of sprouting: anyone can do it.

Sprouting is an easy project but the uses and variations are very complex. For that reason, this is just a basic tutorial on the reasons and methods of sprouting. More information on the basics of growing sprouts will be provided later on. First we have to know the answer to a very important question: Why grow sprouts?

One of the best reasons to sprout seeds is for the Nutrition. Seeds are loaded with nutrients and sprouted seeds are even better, up to 50 times better. As the sprouts grow, proteins, enzymes, vitamins and other nutrients increase while becoming more easily available for absorption in the body. At the same time toxins and enzyme inhibitors are reduced, increasing digestibility. This would be a particular advantage in the case of unavailability of fresh grown produce or vegetables.

Another big advantage is the freshness of the sprouts you grow at home. Sprouts grown at home and harvested at the dinner table are the freshest food you’ll ever eat. They won’t have lost vitamins like store bought vegetables or have traveled round the world. They will be organically grown, full of life and energy.

Sprouting is ridiculously economical! You can get pounds of greens for pennies.

Sprouting is extremely easy. It all comes down to "just add water." With few resources and very little time or effort, you can supply yourself an abundance of live food, in your home, all year round.

For a varied diet, you can grow many more young plants than you would find in a store; your salads and recipes will always have something new and flavorful!

I have listed some of the common seeds that are sprouted and nutrition benefits of each. There are other varieties that are also flavorful and delicious; these are some of the most commonly sprouted.

Alfalfa Sprouts – Antioxidant, helpful in prevention of menopausal symptoms, prostate and other cancer and heart disease. Use in sandwiches, salads and omelets. Broccoli sprouts have up to 50 times the nutritional compounds found in raw broccoli heads.

Broccoli Sprouts – Mild peppery flavor. Broccoli sprouts are one of the most nutritious sprouts you can grow. These sprouts may reduce risk of cardiovascular disease, add valuable nutrition and are a known healer. The sprouts themselves are up to 50 times more nutritious than the fresh broccoli heads themselves. Broccoli sprouts are great for use in salads or juice the sprouts and drink the juice.

Red Clover Sprouts – Considered to be a natural cancer fighter and helpful in menopause symptoms. Use on sandwiches or in salads.

Lentil Sprouts – are 26% protein. They can be cooked or eaten raw and are a nutritious addition to steamed veggies or soups.

Radish Sprouts - 29 times more vitamin c than milk and 4 times the vitamin A. These sprouts are spicy and have 10 more times calcium than a potato. These sprouts are generally used to spice up salads or sandwiches.

Sunflower Seed Sprouts - rich in lecithin and vitamin D. These are known for their crispness and nutty flavor. They break down fatty acids into an easily digestible, water soluble form. Use as a great addition to salads or juice them for a great addition to green drinks.

Mustard seed sprouts – very tiny and very spicy. They can be used in everything from eggs to sandwiches and salads.

Onion seed sprouts – These have a distinct onion flavor and are 20% protein and a good source of Vitamins A, C and D. They are great in a salad or on a sandwich.

Mung Bean Sprouts - These are a good source of protein, fiber and Vitamin C. They are great lightly cooked and used in Asian dishes or mixed with other vegetables for added fiber without the added calories.

Soy Bean Sprouts – High in protein and in Vitamin C, foliate and fiber. They are great used in casseroles or stews.

Wheat Sprouts - a very nutritious and digestible way to use wheat. Sprouted wheat contains four times the amount of niacin and nearly twice the amount of vitamin B6 and foliate as unsprouted wheat; moreover, it contains more protein and fewer starches than non-sprouted grain and as a further boon, it is lower on the glycemic index making it more suitable for those suffering from blood sugar issues.It is great used to make sprouted wheat bread, mixing the sprouts into the dough or the sprouts can be dried (use a dehydrator or spread on a baking sheet in your oven) and dry until no moisture remains. Grind and use the flour to make bread.

How to Sprout

Air - as any small plant, sprouts need air to breathe, without it they will succumb to mold and rot more easily. Don’t put them in sealed containers and make sure that they get enough air.

Water - after a good soaking, sprouts need water every 12 hours at least and more if it’s hot. Regularity is key; if they are even slightly deprived in their first few days of life they will be permanently setback. In your efforts to keep them watered don’t drown them, they must be allowed to freely drain, else they will soon rot. If you let them dry they’ll die. If you let them soak they’ll choke.

Warmth - sprouts need to be kept warm to germinate and grow. Optimum temperatures vary but 70 to 75 f is a good start. Don’t let them get too hot or they’ll wilt, lose vitality and die. Colder temperatures will slow growth and are good for storage, but don’t freeze them.

Space - for best results, give your sprouts some room. Some sprouts can increase up to 30 times their size. Cramming them in a jar or overfilling a tray or bag will force them to compete for light and air, with inevitable casualties. Spread only a thin layer of seeds in trays, keep them mobile in bags and jars and remember they get bigger!

Light - most sprouts can’t use light in the first few days of growth, and many never need it. However, any that produce leaves will eventually need light to ‘green up’. Direct sunlight should be avoided unless it’s cold, as it can overheat your crop. Most sprouts will be fine if they get indirect natural light, there is no need to keep them dark.

Nutrients - adding liquid plant nutrients to the soak water will give the sprouts an extra boost that you will later enjoy. It is not necessary, but will increase their health, longevity and nutritional value. You can also mist the sprouts with a diluted solution after rinsing. Use a few drops of liquid kelp in water, or another organic plant feed.

You can grow sprouts in Jars or Trays or specifically designed sprouting trays. Here is a fun recipe for a sprouting mix made with several varieties of seeds sprouted and mixed with nuts.

Sprouting Mix
"The mix consists of the first 6 ingredients"
Green peas
Lentils
Garbanzo Beans
Black eyed Peas
Pumpkin
Soybeans
Almonds
Raw Spanish Peanuts
Wheat
1/2 c. mix, handful of almonds & peanuts, 2-3 Tb of Wheat. Mix is equal parts of above list (except wheat, almonds & peanuts) as you try it out you can add or subtract what you like and don’t like.

Fill jar with water and put it in the fridge for 24 hours. Put it in a sprouting jar or tray & rinse well (this can also be done in a glass jar). Remember to rinse well) Put them back in fridge & sprout for 48 hours. Rinse them a couple of times a day after this they are ready to eat. Rinse and enjoy

Sauces and Gravies

2011-10-21T08:06:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite parts of any meal, food storage based or otherwise, are the sauces or condiments that accompany any meal. I love sauce or gravy with most of my food. One thing I have learned as I have worked on food storage is that you can totally raise almost any food storage item to the next level if it is accompanied by a good sauce or gravy. Not only that, but you can make a meal of good whole wheat bread covered with gravy. Or pancakes and waffles covered with jelly or syrup.

Gravy, Sauces, syrups & dressings add delicious flavors to meals made from basic food storage and food from your garden. Making sauces from scratch can also save you lots of money as you won't have to rely on prepared food or sauce mixes! Here are some basic sauce and gravy recipes. I know you all have your favorite homemade sauce too. Feel free to share it with the rest of us so we can all have a good assortment of recipes in our files.

Meat Drippings Gravy
8 T. fat or meat dripping
4 c. Milk
6 T. Flour
Salt and Pepper to taste
Fry the meat and drain off the fat. Use an ample amount of the fat and drippings. Add the flour and brown it slightly. Add the milk and stir until well blended. Season and cook to desired thickness.

Milk Gravy
1 c. Powdered Milk mixed with 3 c. Water
1 T. Margarine
3 Heaping T. Flour
½ t. salt
Mix the water and powdered milk together. Add the flour and salt. Cook over medium heat until the gravy is thickened. Add the margarine and stir until smooth.

Chicken Gravy
1½ T. Butter or Margarine
1½ T. chicken bouillon
½ t. garlic powder
1¼ c. Water
¼ c. Dried Milk (Instant)
1 t. onion powder
¼ t. turmeric
1 T. Flour

Onion Gravy
¼ c. Butter or margarine
1 T. Beef Bouillon
2 T. Cornstarch
3 c. Chopped Onions
2 c. Boiling Water
¼ c. Cold Water
Salt and Pepper to Taste

Beef Gravy
1½ T. Butter or Margarine
1 t. Minced Onion or powder
1 t. Worcestershire Sauce
1¼ c. Water
1½ T. Beef Bouillon
1 T. Flour

Herb Gravy
1 Can Regular Strength Chicken or Beef Broth
3½ - 4 T. Flour
1 T. Parsley
Pinch of Thyme
Drops of Kitchen Bouquet
½ t. salt
Pepper to taste
1 t. chives
Brown the onions if using. Add all other ingredients except cornstarch (or flour) and cold water together in a pan. Cook until dissolved. Add the cornstarch (or flour) and water together. Pour them into the gravy base. Continue cooking until thick. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Basic White Sauce
Prepare Ahead Mix:
1 c. Flour
1 c. Margarine
4 t. salt
2½ c. Nonfat Dry Milk
Blend ingredients with a fork until resembles a crumbly coarse meal. Store in the refrigerator. To prepare: Blend 1/3 c. Mix with 1 c. Cold Water or Broth. Add liquid slowly. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly until thick.

White Sauce--thin, medium, thick
Thin
1 T. butter
1 T. flour
1 c. Milk
¼ t. salt

Medium
2 T. Butter
2 T. Flour
1 c. Milk
¼ t. salt

Thick
3 T. Butter
3 T. Flour
1 c. Milk
¼ t. salt
Over low heat, melt butter in sauce pan. Add flour. Blend until smooth. Add milk at once and cook until thick. Stir constantly so it won't burn. Add salt. To make a cheese sauce, add ½ c. grated cheddar cheese.

Cheese Sauce
½ c. Cheese powder
3 T. powdered milk
1 t. dried onions
1½ t. corn starch
1¼ t. salt
1 c. Water
Prepare the above recipe, stirring until thickened.

Mayonnaise
1 whole egg
2 t. sugar
¼ t. salt
1½ T. Vinegar
dash of pepper
1 c. oil
Put all ingredients in the blender, except for ¾ c. of the oil. Blend together well. While blending slowly, add the remaining oil until the mayonnaise is thick.

Tomato Sauce
2 c. chopped onion
3 cloves garlic
3 T. oil
3 ½ c. Bottled Tomatoes
2 small cans tomato paste
2 c. water
1 bay leaf
½ t. salt
¼ t. pepper
¼ t. oregano
¼ t. basil
Sauté onion and garlic in oil. Add tomatoes, paste, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Simmer 2 hours. Add more water if necessary. Add oregano and basil. Cook another 15 minutes until thick.

Tomato Sauce (from Dried Foods)
1 c. Tomato Powder
3 c. Water
½ t. salt
1 t. sugar
1 T. oil
1 T. margarine powder
¼ c. onion flakes
¼ t. garlic powder
1 bay leaf
pepper to taste
Simmer the tomato powder, water, sugar and salt on low heat for 20 minutes. Sauté onions in oil and margarine powder until tender. Add onions and remaining ingredients to the tomatoes and simmer another 15 minutes. Stir often, until thick.

Tomato Catsup
1 c. Tomato Powder
2 t. Sugar
¼ t. vegetable oil
½ t. salt
1/8 t. pepper
Dash of onion powder
1½ c. Water
Combine all ingredients. Boil; then simmer for 10 minutes until thick.

Mustard Sauce
1/2 c. tomato soup
1/2 c. vinegar
1/2 c. prepared mustard
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. salad oil
3 egg yolks
Stir together till smooth and cook till thick. Delicious on meat loaf or ham. Keeps well for a long time in the refrigerator.

Quick and Easy Sweet and Sour Sauce
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. cider vinegar
1 T. cornstarch
1 T. Catsup
Mix in saucepan and bring to a boil. It will clear and thicken.

Sweet and Sour Sauce
2 c. pineapple juice
3 T. vinegar
1 c. Water
¼ c. Honey
¼ c Tamari
2 - 3 T. Corn Starch
1 t. ginger
1 large tomato, cut in eighths
1 pineapple, cut in chunks (3 c.)
1 large green bell pepper, sliced
Put juice and vinegar in a large sauce pan and heat. Add honey, tamari, and ginger. Remove some of the juice, add cornstarch to it. Mix to a smooth paste; add to sauce. When sauce thickens, add tomato, pineapple, and bell peppers. Cook one minute, remove from heat.* Serve with fried rice, egg rolls or vegetables. * If sauce is too sour, add a little more pineapple juice and honey. Yield: 4 c.

Quick and Easy Teriyaki Sauce
2 T. brown sugar
2 T. Soy Sauce
3 T. rice wine vinegar
Heat till sugar is dissolved and mixture boils. Cool It will thicken slightly as it cools. Double or triple recipe as desired.

Quick and Easy Enchilada Sauce
1/4 c. vegetable oil
2 T. flour
1/4 c. chili powder
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
1 1/2 c. water
1/4 t. ground cumin
1/4 t. garlic powder
1/4 t. onion salt
salt to taste
Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Stir in flour and chili powder; reduce heat to medium and cook until lightly brown, stirring constantly to prevent burning flour. Gradually stir in tomato sauce, water, cumin, garlic powder and onion salt into the flour and chili powder until smooth. Continue cooking over medium heat about 10 minutes until slightly thickened. Season to taste with salt.

Basic Dessert Sauce and Variations
Prepare ahead mix:
½ c. corn starch
1 c. Margarine
4 c. Sugar
½ t. salt
Blend until mixture is uniform and crumbly. Store this in a jar in the refrigerator. Label it. Pack the mix as you would brown sugar. Blend 1/3 c. mix with 2/3 c. cold liquid. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly.

Variations:
Cherry Sauce: Add juice from red sour cherries and water to make 2/3 c. Add ½ c. red cherries and red food coloring after mixture has thickened (optional: add ¼ t. almond extract)

Orange Sauce: Use orange juice to replace the cold liquid

Lemon Sauce: 3 T. lemon juice and water to make 2/3 C liquid

Raisin Sauce: Water and ¼ c. raisins

Chocolate Sauce: Melt ½ square of unsweetened chocolate

Pineapple Sauce: Juice from crushed pineapple and water to make 2/3 c. Add ½ c. Crushed pineapple.

Strawberry Sauce: Add ½ c. Fresh Strawberries and a few drops of red food coloring.

Barbecue Sauce
4 T. Worcestershire sauce
2 T. mustard
1 c. vinegar
1 c. water
½ c. Sugar
1 c. Catsup
4 t. chili powder
2 t. accent
4 t. minced onion
1 t. seasoned salt
Heat to dissolve all ingredients. Simmer 15 minutes.

Taco Sauce (dried foods)
2 c. Tomato Powder
4 c. Water
¼ c. Minced Onion
½ t. garlic powder
1 t. cumin
1 t. chili powder
¼ t. nutmeg
2 T. vinegar
1 T brown sugar
dash of salt
1 T. salad oil
¼ t. pepper
Combine all ingredients and simmer until done.

French Dressing
1/8 t. onion powder
1 t. dry mustard
¼ c. sugar
¼ c. vinegar
1½ t. salt
1 ½ t. paprika
¾ c. vegetable oil
Combine all ingredients and blend until smooth. Chill before serving.

Ranch Dressing
1 T. parsley flakes
1/8 t. garlic powder
1 c. buttermilk or sour cream
2 t. minced onion
½ t. salt
1 c. mayonnaise
Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Blend until smooth. This can also be used as a dip for vegetables.

Thousand Island Dressing
1 c. mayo (or Miracle Whip)
3 T. ketchup
1 boiled egg, chopped fine
1 1/2 T. finely chopped onion
1/2 t. salt
2 T. sweet pickle relish
2 T. finely chopped tomato (Optional)
Mix together well and chill to blend flavors.

Dehydrating Canned Fruit

2011-10-10T05:28:00.000-07:00

One of the interesting new concepts that is fascinating to me is to dehydrate canned fruit; specifically canned pineapple.

I’m sure one of the first things that comes to mind when you first hear about this is the question, “Why?” I know that is what I asked when I first heard this idea.

There are several reasons why dehydrating canned pineapple or other fruits might be a good option:

First is the reason of rotation. If you have pineapple that you are not using up fast enough, you can always dehydrate some of you pineapple storage to make room for fresher pineapple. One pound of canned pineapple chunks will dry to about 2 – 3 oz of dried fruit.

Second is because of space concerns. Most of us only have a limited amount of storage space for canned goods, but still want the option of having fruit in our storage. Storing dried pineapple takes up little space and enables us to use the room for other things.

Third is because dried pineapple is an awesome snack and it is expensive and time consuming to dehydrate fresh pineapple, which can take many, many hours to dry, not to mention the time it takes to cut it up and prepare it for drying. The dried canned pineapple is very sweet and makes a delicious treat which is healthy and readily available. Remember, as the fruit dries the flavor intensifies and becomes even sweeter.

Drying canned pineapple is easy to do. The only stipulation really, is that you cut your pineapple in small enough pieces that they dry evenly and don’t take quite as long to dry as larger chunks. The ideal pineapple for drying is the tidbit size as opposed to the chunks. The chunks or slices can be easily cut into uniform chunks however, which will dry quicker and more thoroughly. When cutting pineapple for drying, remember that ¼” thickness is about right. Any less and your pieces will be too small, as it does shrink quite a bit.

Just drain the pineapple well. The juice can be used immediately for drinking or frozen for later use in cooking if you wish. If you have a temperature control on your dehydrator, dry at 135º. Spread the pineapple on your drying trays and dry for between 8 and 16 hours, or even longer depending on the size of your chunks, how juicy the pineapple pieces are, how many trays you are drying at one time and how thinly the pineapple is spread. It may be a good idea to try a can or two first so you can see how your dryer will work and how much time it will take. Watch your first batch carefully and dry only until the pieces are bendable and no juice remains.

I am so grateful that I found this idea because we love pineapple and, other than canned, have never stored any. I’m drying a couple of cases for our storage which I know will become a favorite snack. I understand that fruit cocktail and mandarin oranges also dry well. Has anyone tried these?

Whole Wheat Wednesday - Zucchini Bread

2011-10-05T15:30:00.000-07:00

A good way to introduce your family to whole wheat is to use it in things they already like and then DON'T tell them. That sounds funny but the minute you mention you are serving something that is new or unusual to them, you may have already lost them.

This recipe is a great variety of Zucchini Bread from my Aunt Pearl. She was such a good cook and I loved everything she made. You can add nuts, chocolate chips or raisins depending on what your family likes. If they don't like any of those, leave them out. This bread is made more moist with the addition of crushed pineapple. People who won't eat zucchini will eat this bread. Try it with whole wheat and enjoy!

Zucchini Bread
2 c. sugar
1 c. vegetable oil
3 eggs
2 t. vanilla
2 c. grated zucchini, unpeeled
1 small can (8.5 oz.) crushed pineapple, well-drained
3 c. whole wheat flour
1 t. salt
1 ½ t. cinnamon
½ t. baking powder
2 t. baking soda
½ t. nutmeg (optional)
1 c. chopped nuts (optional)
1 c. raisins (optional)
1 c. chocolate chips (optional)
Combine sugar, eggs and oil in a large bowl; beat well to combine. Mix in vanilla. Fold in zucchini (drained if frozen), and well-drained crushed pineapple. Combine all dry ingredients together. Add to sugar and oil mixture and blend thoroughly. Fold in nuts, raisins or chocolate chips if desired and mix until well incorporated. Pour mixture into 2 greased and floured 4½” x 8½” bread pans and bake for 60 minutes at 350º or until toothpick comes out clean.

Establishing a Family Medicine Cabinet

2011-10-03T09:07:00.000-07:00

There are many “home Remedies” which can be used to prevent or assist in treating illnesses and sickness. These may be used as a preventative or for relief of symptoms from the common cold to the flu to stomach aches and other simple annoyances.

Part of being self-sufficient is learning how to treat symptoms and provide relief from aches and pains without having to rely on a doctor for every little thing. Being prepared to take care of our family in an emergency is paramount to being successfully prepared for whatever kind of emergency may arise. Do you have a medicine chest that is filled with things that help your family’s personal needs?

I’m not talking about drugs or necessarily prescription medicines I am talking about home remedies or other substances that will help you treat minor sickness or the symptoms that arise from being sick or even injured. Such things might include a good quality Vitamin C, Kelp for radiation protection, Digestive Enzymes, Emergen-C packets, Air Bourne, decongestants, melatonin as a sleep aid on occasion, peppermint oil for sinus problems and many others. Take stock and see what really helps you when you don’t feel well. It’s important to experiment and find some things that work for you.

Let me give you an example; for years our family struggled with pneumonia or other lung infections and were forced to be treated by a medical professional. Now there are some things we do to prevent sicknesses from getting to that point and treat the symptoms ourselves. I have mentioned before how rubbing oregano oil rubbed on the chest over the lungs causes the lungs to expel any mucus and reduces the chances of pneumonia. Peppermint oil dabbed on the sinuses helps to prevent excess sinus drainage and relieve sinus pressure. There are many other home remedies which we have tried; some worked and some didn’t. Regardless, we know what basic things we need to have on hand to do our best to stay healthy. Because we have family members who are allergic to penicillin and other antibiotics, we don’t rely on that as a basic treatment for illness.

This doesn’t mean you will never have to have the help of a Doctor, but it is reassuring to be able to treat the small things ourselves without having to run to the doctor for every little thing.

I want to share a story told by the Paratus Family about their experiences with onions. This was inspiring to me to read of how they were able to treat emergency situations on their own. This is good information to know and retain for similar Emergencies. Here is their story:

“We love onions. We love to sauté them, dice them and use them in onion rings. We like them fresh, we like them dried and we like them in powdered form. But, the humble onion is far more than a tasty addition to your evening meal. An onion can be the difference between a major reaction to a bee sting and a harmless little red bump. An onion can loosen congestion and be the main ingredient in a soothing balm for a hacking cough. Dried onions are the most powerful anti-histamine known.

Many years ago, when our son was a little tyke, he was toddling around the perimeter of our garden as my husband and I were pulling weeds. Suddenly, he fell to the ground, screaming, while yellow jackets, from an underground nest, stung him repeatedly. His dad sprinted, plucked up our son and kept running.

When we got our little boy into the house, he was a mess. He had been stung 17 times on his head alone. Angry red welts dotted his tummy and back and he had more than a few stings on his arms and legs. Wasting no time, we slathered his head with Benadryl cream and then started cutting onions. Over every welt, we placed an onion piece, slimy side down and taped it into place. It took almost an entire onion to place one on every sting, and he looked like something out of a horror show. We watched him very closely for signs of anaphylaxis, but his breathing remained clear. Within 10 minutes, our little boy quit crying, said it didn't hurt, and returned to playing.

After the onions had been in place for about an hour, we tenderly removed each onion piece. Where angry welts had been, there was nothing. No swelling, no redness - nothing. The onions had drawn all of the poison out of our son’s body. We were hooked.

The onion's drawing power is not limited to venom. It works for infections and slivers alike. Onion is also a particularly effective expectorant. Back in the day, onion poultices were used to treat pneumonia and Typhoid fever, with relatively good success.

Our recent illness (Whopping Cough) has caused me to further investigate the onion's medicinal attributes. Before we were aware that we had Pertussis, a friend suggested that I make "Onion Syrup" to help alleviate the cough. Already a great fan of onions, I didn't hesitate to give it a try. The syrup, while effective on the cough in the beginning, wasn't enough to keep the Whooping Cough at bay (apparently, you shouldn't use an expectorant with Pertussis). The short time that we did use, I was very impressed. The kids actually like it (mostly) and it did encourage a very productive cough.

In addition to the onion syrup, I made an onion poultice to use on our son. He was having a really hard time getting goop up with his cough, so I thought he would be a good one to experiment on. Within 15 minutes of putting a poultice on him, he was sitting up expelling large green chunks. He was immediately clearer and slept without coughing for almost 7 hours. The onion poultice was unequivocally an effective expectorant.

As we see the rise in health care costs and the very real potential for limited access to modern medicine, learning to use what we have may well one of our best preparedness assets.”

Onion Syrup (for coughs)
1 C Chopped Onion (fresh)
1/4 C Lemon Juice
1 tsp. Ginger Root (optional - fresh is best, but I used powdered)
Enough honey to cover
Place onion, lemon juice and ginger (a friend used garlic too - I think it was a wonderful addition). Cover with honey. Stir to remove the air bubbles and cover. Let sit overnight or 8 hours.
The honey will suck the juices out of the onion. After sitting overnight, strain out the onion solids (or you can munch on them if you prefer). Dosage: Child (7 - 11 years) 1 tsp. every 3-4 hours & Adult 1 T. Every 3 - 4 hours

Onion Poultice
Cut onion up in rings.
Sauté in cast iron skillet, with a little olive oil, until transparent (not caramelized)
Add enough flour or cornmeal to make a thick paste
Using a clean piece of cloth, cover your patient’s chest with two layers of cloth.
Spread moderately cooled (just cool enough not to burn) onions over the chest.
Cover with another layer of cloth.
Place warm (not hot, to burn) hot water bottle over the poultice.
Let sit until poultice cools.
Repeat if necessary.

Abundance

2011-09-30T11:36:00.001-07:00

“Abundance: A great or plentiful amount. Fullness to overflowing.”

This is one of my favorite words. I am so grateful for the abundance all around me. Much of what has led me to be so involved in preserving and preparing stems from the abundance around me. I think my grandma said the same thing in another way, “Waste not, want not!” It is true. It is so very easy to overlook the abundance around us and want more.

Let me share with you some of the abundance I’ve seen lately:

A sweet girl sharing her extra garden produce with friends and neighbors (and even a stranger).

An elderly lady picking the small, seemingly useless apples off her tree to make jelly.

A kind couple sharing their extra garden produce with friends and neighbors.

A girl freezing just a few ears of corn that would have ordinarily gone to waste, to enjoy as part of a meal later on.

We live in a world of great abundance but also in a world of much waste. It is so easy to throw out leftovers or let the last few veggies freeze on the vine rather than preserve what we can, even if it is a small amount. A little of this and a little of that adds up to something to be grateful for later on.

If you have extra garden produce this year don’t let it go to waste. Turn your green tomatoes into green tomato relish, your last few ears of corn into corn relish or maybe those last few beets into a few jars of pickled beets. Every jar you preserve adds up to something you didn’t have before. Remember that dehydrating extra produce is also a great way to preserve your abundance.

Today I want to share some of my favorite recipes; most have been handed down to me, to use things that might otherwise go to waste. Check for the abundances around you, whether it’s small amounts of produce from your garden or a neighbor, good sales of things that need to be used quickly or just something for fun. You’ll be amazed when you start looking at all the abundance around you, just how much there really is.

Green Tomato Relish – My mother-in-law
3 quarts Green tomatoes, ground or chopped fine
6 onions
3 cucumbers
3 red peppers
3 green peppers
1 t. turmeric
1 t. ginger
1 t. allspice
1 t. cloves
1 t. cinnamon
2 T. salt
5 c. sugar
4 c. vinegar
Grind tomatoes, onions, cucumbers and peppers or process in a food processor until fine chunks remain.
Combine spices, sugar, salt and vinegar. Stir over med heat until sugar is melted and syrup is hot. Pour syrup over vegetable mixture and boil until thick. Ladle mixture into hot jars and seal. Process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

Pickled Beets – My mother-in-law
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. vinegar
1 c. beet juice (water the beets were cooked in)
Beets
Top beets and scrub well with a vegetable brush until clean. (Small beets are the best but any size works well. Cook beets in a large pan until tender. The peeling will slip right off when the top is removed. Pack small beets in jars whole or cut in chunks or slices as you wish. Combine sugar, vinegar and beet juice (enough for the number of jars you are making) and bring to a boil. Fill hot jars with beets and finish filling with hot syrup. Put on new lids and add rims. Process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
*I have tried lots of pickled beets in my time and Never tried any that I like as well as these!

Chili Sauce – My sister-in-law Jan
*This makes a very large batch but recipe can easily be cut in half. This is a sweet chili sauce great mixed in meatloaf, any casserole or served with chips!
36 Tomatoes
5 green peppers
4 red peppers
12 small onions
4 ½ t. salt
4 ½ c. sugar
3 c. cider vinegar
3 t. cinnamon
2 t. celery seed
3 t. paprika
1 pkg. whole pickling spice in a spice bag or cheesecloth
Scald tomatoes and peel and chop. Peel onions, core peppers and grind in grinder or food processor. Mix together all ingredients in a large kettle. Cook 2-3 hours until thick, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Ladle into hot jars and seal. Process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes. YUM!

Corn Relish – A family favorite
10 cups corn
1 c. chopped green pepper
1 c. chopped sweet red pepper
1 c. chopped onion
1 c. chopped celery
1 T. salt
1 ½ c. sugar
2 ½ T. mustard seed
1 t. celery seed
½ t. turmeric
2 ½ c. white vinegar
2 c. water
Drop ears of corn in boiling water. Boil 5 minutes. Dip in cold water. Cut from cob; measure. Combine corn with remaining ingredients and boil 15 minutes. Pack into sterilized canning jars to within ½”of top. Put on cap, screw band tight. Process in boiling water bath for 15 minutes. Y: 5-6 pints.

Glazed Carrots – Ball Blue Book
6 ½ - 7 lbs. carrots
2 c. brown sugar
2 c. cold water
1 c. orange juice
Wash and peel carrots. Wash again. Cut carrots into 3” pieces. Slice thicker ends in half lengthwise. Combine brown sugar, water and orange juice in a saucepot. Cook over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Keep syrup hot. Pack carrots tightly into hot jars, leaving 1” headspace. Ladle hot syrup over carrots, leaving 1” headspace. Remove e air bubbles. Adjust 2 piece caps. Process in a pressure canner - pints and quarts 30 minutes at 13 lbs. pressure (dial gauge canner) or 15 lbs. pressure (weighted gauge canner).

Whole Wheat Wednesday - Cornbread

2011-09-28T13:05:00.000-07:00

It is interesting how everyone’s appetite seems to pick up when the temperatures drop a bit. It must be an instinctual thing, like your body preparing for winter. Food just seems to taste a bit better and cravings for healthier food seem to increase.

It is also interesting that when it starts to feel like fall, that desire to cook (and try new dishes) returns. I love making soups this time of the year, even though technically it is still probably too warm, but they still taste good. I always try to serve soup with some kind of bread accompaniment, and corn bread with honey or honey butter or even jelly is one of our favorites.

Using whole wheat to make corn bread is another good way to introduce your family to more whole wheat in your meals. I have only made this recipe using ground hard white wheat but it works wonderfully and I bet hard red wheat would be good too. This is definitely one of those recipes that my grandma would have referred to as “Moorish”; it leaves you wanting more; and soon.

Try this recipe with whole wheat flour and grind your own corn into meal if you have dried corn; if not use any cornmeal for this bread. You can also adapt this recipe to use powdered eggs and powdered milk if you like.

So-Good Cornbread
½ c. cornmeal (fresh ground is awesome)
1 ½ c. whole wheat flour
2/3 c. sugar
1 T. baking powder
½ t. salt
1/3 c. oil
3 T. butter, melted
2 eggs, beaten
1 ¼ c. milk
Combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Beat eggs; combine with milk, oil, and melted butter. Make a well in the center of dry ingredients. Add egg mixture in the center and using a fork, stir into dry ingredients, ONLY until mixed. Pour batter into an 8” square baking pan and bake at 350º for about 35 minutes. For a 9x13” pan, double ingredients.

First-Aid Kits

2011-09-19T13:28:00.001-07:00

Having a well stocked first-aid kit in your home is an essential part of preparedness. It is also important to have personal first-aid kits in your 72-hour kits as well as your cars, campers and etc.

Basic list of suggested first-aid kit items vary but you can put together a kit that is as simple or complex as you want. It is imperative that you are prepared to handle serious first-aid emergencies that might accompany a disaster or any emergency that might occur.

Below is a pretty comprehensive list of suggested items for assembling your kits as well as some suggestions to making your kits complete, useable and keeping them up to date. You can customize them to fit your personal situation. Be sure that you include enough items to make sure you can handle any crisis that might arise if medical help is unavailable.

1.Update your first aid kit every six months (put a note in your calendar/planner) to replenish and check all supplies. Expired or contaminated items should be replaced.
2.Check with your family doctor for any specific medicines and first aid supplies your family might require for an emergency.
3.Some items may leak or break open. Using tubes, plastic bottles, or Ziploc bags can help prevent contamination.
4.All first aid supplies should be labeled and organized for quick and easy use.
5.Supplies may be divided and organized into compartments or sections for easier access when using your first aid kit.
6.You may include any other first aid items you feel would be useful or necessary.
7.A condensed version of this first aid kit should also be included in your 72 hour kit.

Standard First Aid Kit Supplies*
•ABD Pads (large absorbent sterile pads to stop bleeding for larger wounds)
•Ace bandage
•Adhesive bandages
•Adhesive spots
•Alcohol wipes
•Allergy medication
•Ammonia inhalant
•Antibacterial wipes
•Antibiotic ointment
•Antiseptic toweletts
•Antiseptic ointment
•Any critical medical family histories
•Band-aids
•Bicarbonate of soda
•Burn bandages
•Burn ointment/spray/gel
•Butterfly bandages
•Calamine lotion (sunburn/insect bites)
•Consecrated oil
•Container (metal, wood, or plastic) with a fitted cover (Watertight)
•Cotton balls
•Cough syrup/cough drops
•Diarrhea remedy
•Disposable blanket
•Elastic bandages
•Extra large plastic bandages
•Eye drops/eye wash (Sterile)
•Eye pads
•Feminine Hygiene (Pads will double as compresses)
•Fever reducing medications such as aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen
•Fingertip bandages
•First Aid Booklet (including CPR)
•First aid cream
•Gauze
•Gauze bandages
•Gloves/ latex
•Hand sanitizer
•Hemostats – for stitching
•Hot and cold instant packs
•Hot-water bottle
•Hydrocortisone cream
•Hydrogen peroxide
•Immunization records
•Instant ice packs
•Iodine prep pads
•Ipecac syrup (induces vomiting)
•Knife
•Knuckle bandages
•Lip ointment (chap stick)
•Matches
•Measuring cup
•Medical tape (waterproof & regular)
•Medications for children (if applicable)
•Medicine dropper
•Micropore tape
•Nail clippers
•Needle and thread
•Needles
•Pain reliever
•Paper bags
•Plastic bandages
•Prescribed Medications
•Prescriptions
•Razor blades
•Rubbing alcohol
•Safety pins
•Scissors
•Snake bite kit
•Soap
•Sponge packs
•Sterile strips and pads/ Extra large too
•Sunscreen/lotion
•Surgical tape
•Thermometer
•Tourniquet kit
•Transpore tape
•Triangular bandages
•Tweezers
•Vaseline
•Water purification tablets

Case Lot Sales - A tip and A Recipe

2011-09-17T09:58:00.000-07:00

I love shopping the case lot sales for 2 reasons; the obvious is that it makes me feel like I am doing something really tangible and visible for my preparedness; it is kind of a feel-good thing. Second and more obvious it helps me to stock up on things I may be low on at a better price.

Actually shopping the case lot sales does several things. It gives you an opportunity to buy what you need at a lower price. You can probably purchase most of your canned goods at a dime or more cheaper for each can. With a box of 20 cans, you've already saved $2, just on one item you use regularly.

You are also making things easier on yourself. You have the cans of the things you use most in stock without having to run to the store. It gives you a kind of head start if you remember to keep a list of the things you used and replace them regularly so you always have at least a case of those items on sale. It is harder to catch up if you wait until you have used the whole case before replacing those items and it seems harder to spend the money for another case than it would a can or two at a time.

Peace of mind is a valuable thing. It is hard to put a price on it. With the economy in a terrible state, we all know how hard it is to shop these days and not be so discouraged at the rising prices. If you have ever known anyone –especially yourself – who has had to live off their food storage because of job loss or another setback in family income, you understand what tremendous asset food storage is. You just might be able to buy some peace of mind after all.

One thing that is the hardest for me when I am able to shop the case lot sales is that when I know I have X amount of money to spend on cases, it does go really fast. It is so important to sit down and make a list of the cases you really want to spend your money on. I used to always buy a case of cream of chicken soup and, aside from cases of meat, the soup was probably one of the biggest chunks of my case sale budget. Ouch! Now that I know I can make cream of soup substitutes for just pennies, I don’t waste my money on that any more.

I love having good quality canned meats in my storage and fruits and vegetables. Tomato sauce is also wonderful but if you are now converted to tomato powder, you are saving money there. Making my own gravy and spice mixes also saved me money. Canning jams, jellies and syrups helps too.

Before shopping the sales, if possible, obtain copies of the sale circulars, these are usually posted online. It’s a good idea to pour over these and be very selective as you make your shopping lists. If you make up a list of 15-20 of your favorite meals that you make the most often and then purchase only the case good times that you use the most it helps so much. I found that when I get in the store I am tempted by many “cheap” deals on convenience foods that promise time saving meals. It’s so much better to make them from scratch and save your money for other things. A good comprehensive list of not only your favorite meals but also canned items you use the most cross-referenced with the sale ads will save you time and money as you shop.

Watch for things that are not that much cheaper by the case. For instance a case of cooking oil may be a great deal but if you won’t use 12 bottles of oil in the next year, just buy 6 instead. A case of cake mixes may be a really good deal, but knowing that cake mixes come on sale pretty often may cause you to just buy a couple or even make your cakes from scratch.

Don’t be afraid to make a list of your most important items that you want to buy cases of. Go through the store and purchase and pay for those first then make another trip getting your second most important items next. Sometimes shopping in shifts helps you to not be tempted to purchase things you don’t really need a case of. If you have money left at the end of your shopping trip then you can go back again and pick up some things you may have passed over before.

One more thing that has helped me many times when I shop case lot sales is to make a list of all the meals I could make from the items that I have in my house without buying any other items. Survey your list and see how many meals you can make. Then make a list of meals you can make with just picking up an item or two to enable you to make a complete meal. Add those few items you are out of to your list.

I think the best advice I ever got was to make a list of 15 meals that I could make using canned or shelf stable items. Write down all the ingredients to make those meals. I did this on a spread sheet. Then I times those meals by 2 and have enough meals for a month. If I multiply by 3, I have a 3 month supply. List all of the ingredients you need to make those meals that many times. This is not necessarily your shopping list but it is your planning list. If you know that you are going to need 12 cans of black beans for instance, you can work at acquiring 12 cans of black beans. Once you get those 12 cans, make sure you always have 12 cans on hand.

I made a list like this for a 3 month supply, including just the dinner meals for 3 months. I carried the list in my purse for some time before I was able to cross everything off the list; once I did, I had enough food stored for 3 months of dinner meals. Then you can work on breakfasts and lunches. It is surprising when you make your shopping spread sheet for your 3 month supply, just how much you can actually find and cross off your list without too much trouble. It is just getting it done that is the hardest.

Don’t worry if you don’t have a lot of money to spend on cases. Every little bit helps if you are wise in your choice. Planning your shopping trip is as much work as the trip itself. Set your goals and make your list and carry it with you till you accomplish your goals.

Tip of the week
I have always struggle with hard water buildup in my dishwasher and it seemed I just couldn’t get on head of it. I’d clean it with white vinegar periodically but it was not long before that nasty buildup was there again.

I tried a new tip this week that I think is a keeper. Just fill you soap cups in your dishwasher with Tang Orange Drink Powder (I used the generic brand that I bought in bulk for just a few cents at Winco) and set your dishwasher to run through the regular cycle with an empty dishwasher. I am going to do this on a regular basis.

I am happy to have my computer up and running again with all my preparedness info and documents still intact – thank you PC’s Unlimited! I have been canning like crazy all week and am a little behind in – well, everything. I just wanted to share a recipe I tried this week and loved. It is for Peach-Raspberry jam. It was easy and I love it. If you are still doing peaches you may want to try this one. I think it’s a keeper.

Peach-Raspberry Jam
5 cups peeled and mashed peaches
5 c. sugar
1 ½ c. raspberries, fresh or frozen or use a 10 oz. pkg. frozen raspberries, thawed
1 package (3 oz.) raspberry Jell-O
Mix sugar, peaches and raspberries in a large saucepan. Stir and bring to a rolling boil. Stirring constantly, boil for 15 minutes. Thoroughly stir in raspberry Jell-O. Pour into hot, sterilized jars. Wipe rims and add new lids and screw on bands. Process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Y: 8 half-pint jars

Whole Wheat Wednesday - Wheat Meat "Beef Steak"

2011-09-14T18:05:00.000-07:00

We’ve been discussing the methods for using gluten to make wheat meat. Today I will pass on the instructions for making “beef Steak” using gluten.

The first thing to remember when attempting this is that this is wheat gluten, not beef steak. However, with a little practice you can make a satisfactory beef steak substitute.

Wheat Meat Beef Steak
Follow the methods for making wheat gluten we have already discussed. Beef steak is made by rolling and stretching the gluten as thin as you can. It is very springy and bouncy, but keep rolling and stretching as you go and eventually you will be able to stretch it thin enough.

Use a very sharp knife to cut into steak shaped pieces; drop these pieces into a pot of boiling broth made from 4 Tablespoons beef soup base and 2 quarts water. Simmer for 2-3 hours until the texture resembles that of beef.

The texture of the “beef steak” may be improved by patting the steaks dry with paper toweling and drying in a 300º oven for a few minutes. They should resemble thin beef steaks, or cube steaks.

One way to serve these “steaks” is to serve with beef gravy, or a seasoned sauce such as if you were making Swiss Steak with a tomato base. Just remember not to simmer the “meat” in the gravy or sauce, but rather to just serve the sauce over the meat.

One thing about making wheat meat is that if you have your wheat already, you don’t have a big investment to try making the wheat meat and experimenting. You can see what you come up with and how you like it or if your family likes it. Could be very interesting and definitely a good learning experience. You’ll never know what you can do with wheat until you try!

Clear Jel

2011-09-12T18:21:00.000-07:00

What is Clear Jel?
Clear Jel is a corn starch derivative, a commercial thickening product used by bakeries and for frozen food. This product is used the same as flour or corn starch. There are two types of Clear Jel available, "instant" and "regular".

"Instant" clear jel does not require heat to thicken. The product will thicken once the liquid is added. "Regular" clear jel, on the other hand, must be heated. This is generally the preferred type to use in products to be canned. To use Clear Jel in a hot dish such as gravy, first mix a small amount in cold water, then add gradually to the hot liquid, mixing constantly. Or, mix everything together while cold, and then heat and stir to thicken.

Instant clear jel is the most widely used and stored. However, if you wish to use clear jel to replace pectin in your canning recipes that are cooked, you should use the regular clear jel. It should be noted here that canning recipes that use regular cornstarch are not considered safe. This is a great alternative.

Advantages to using Clear Jel:
• It is clear in color when cooked.
• It has excellent stability.
• It remains smooth.
• It prevents liquid separation and curdling after foods have been frozen.
• Cream sauces, custard, and puddings may be frozen with excellent results
• It is less expensive than pectin.
• The amount of sugar may be adjusted without losing the jelling capacity.
• Recipes may be doubled, tripled or halved.
• The jam may be frozen or processed in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
• It stores relatively well if stored properly.

Hints for using Clear Jel:
• Any fruit jam or jelly recipe may be used as long as the product is processed for 10 minutes or frozen. Substitute 7 tbsp of Clear Jel for the pectin in cooked jams and jellies and 3-4 tbsp of Clear Jel for the pectin in freezer jam recipes. • For freezer jam follow the jam recipes on this sheet.
• Clear Jel does not dissolve easily in liquid. To help dissolve the product, mix the Clear Jel with a little sugar before adding to the fruit or juice. Here are some recipes using Clear Jel. Also included are a recipe for homemade Karo Syrup and a recipe for Homemade Cool Whip.

Homemade Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix
Substitute with this for any recipe calling for a 3.5 oz box of instant pudding.
For chocolate, add extra sugar with the cocoa: use 1/2 cup cocoa and 3/4 cup sugar. Add an extra 1/4 cup of milk or so because of the extra dry ingredients.
1/3 cup instant dry milk*
2 cups cold milk*
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup Instant Clear Jel
1/4 tsp salt, optional
Combine dry ingredients.
Add 2 cups cold milk and 1-2 t. vanilla; mix well.
*Note: A secret of using instant clear jel is to mix it with the dry ingredients first before adding liquid; it’s less likely to clump. You can just shake it, or use a mixer, blender, stick blender.

Cherry Jam
4 cups pitted chopped cherries
1/4 cup lemon juice
4 tablespoons Clear Jel
Sugar to taste (approximately 1 cup)
Add lemon juice to cherries. Combine Clear Jel with 1/4 cup of the sugar. Add to cherries. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Pour into jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Process 10 minutes in boiling water bath or freeze.

Apricot and Pineapple Jam
5 cups ground apricots
1 20-oz. can crushed pineapple, drained
1/4 cup lemon juice
7 tablespoons Clear Jel
Sugar to taste (approximately 3 cups)
Add lemon juice to apricots. Combine Clear Jel with 1/4 cup of the sugar. Add to apricots. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add rest of sugar. Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Pour into jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Process 10 minutes in boiling water bath or freeze.

Apricot Jam
3 1/2 cups apricots
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 1/2 tablespoons Clear Jel
Sugar to taste (approximately 2 cups)
Add lemon juice to apricots. Combine Clear Jel with 1/4 cup of the sugar. Add to apricots. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add rest of sugar. Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Pour into jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Process 10 minutes in boiling water bath or freeze.

Peach Jam
3 3/4 cups peaches
1/4 cup lemon juice
7 tablespoons Clear Jel
Sugar to taste (approx. 1 1/2 cups)
Add lemon juice to peaches. Combine Clear Jel with 1/4 cup of the sugar. Add to peaches. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add rest of sugar. Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Pour into jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Process 10 minutes in boiling water bath or freeze.

Berry Jam
4 cups crushed berries or juiced
1/4 cup lemon juice
7 tablespoons Clear Jel
Sugar to taste (approximately 1 1/2 cup)
Add lemon juice to berries. Combine Clear Jel with 1/4 cup of the sugar. Add to berries. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add rest of sugar. Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Pour into jars, leaving 1/4" headspace. Process 10 minutes in boiling water bath or freeze

Canned Blackberry Pie Filling
6 quarts fresh blackberries
7c sugar*
1 3/4 c. Clear jel
1 t cinnamon*
9 1/3 c water or juice
1/2 c. lemon juice
Combine Clear jel, sugar, cinnamon in large pan. Add water and juice and mix until smooth. Heat till mixture bubbles stirring constantly. Add berries and fold in. Remove from heat. Fill 7 quart jars leaving 1" headspace. Process in boiling water bath for 35 minutes.

Karo Corn Syrup Substitute
A corn syrup substitute without the high fructose!
Servings: Makes almost 2 cups
2 c. white sugar
3/4 c. water
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
Dash of salt
Combine all ingredients in a heavy, large pan. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and put cover on it for 3 minutes to get sugar crystals off the sides of the pan. Uncover and cook until it reaches soft ball stage. Stir often. Cool syrup and store in a covered container at room temperature. It will keep for about 2 months. Y: 2 cups

Homemade cool whip
1 t. gelatin
2 t. cold water
3 T. boiling water
½ c. ice water
½ c. nonfat dry milk
3 T. sugar
3 T. oil
Chill a small mixing bowl. Soften gelatin with 2 teaspoons cold water, then add boiling water, stirring until gelatin is completely dissolved. Cool until tepid. Place ice water and nonfat dry milk in the chilled bowl. Beat at high speed until the mixture forms stiff peaks. Add sugar, still beating, then oil and gelatin. Place in freezer about 15 minutes; transfer to refrigerator until ready for use. Stir before using to retain creamy texture. Y: 2 cups.

Food Storage Friendly Friday - Condiments

2011-09-09T07:01:00.000-07:00

If you are a honey connoisseur, you are familiar with not only regular honey but also creamed honey. What you may not have tried is flavored creamed honey.

This is a special treat that you can make yourself. This makes such a fun treat to serve on hot rolls or bread or a great gift to give to neighbors and friends. Here are the instructions to make it.

I’ve also included a recipe for homemade ketchup and homemade mustard. If you have never made them, you should try. It’s a fun experiment.

Raspberry or Orange Creamed Honey
Melt 2 quarts honey and cool to room temperature. Add ½ pint (1 cup) creamed honey. Stir well to combine. Let this mixture sit until it turns to creamed honey – about 2 weeks.

Take out 1 cup and set aside. (This is your starter. You will save 1 cup of the mixture – before you flavor it – to use in your next batch of creamed honey in place of the ½ cup of creamed honey you used the first time.)

Pour the honey you mixed, minus the 1 cup you set aside to save, into separate containers and flavor each according to your taste, using flavored extracts; start with a small amount of extract until you get the flavor you like. We like Raspberry and orange the best. I want to try some chocolate honey but I have not done it yet. I also think almond honey would be very good. Experiment and see what your favorite is!

Homemade Mustard
½ c. dry mustard
½ c. white vinegar
1 t. salt
½ t. pepper
2 T. white sugar
3 egg yolks, beaten
In a heavy saucepan combine mustard, vinegar, salt, pepper and sugar. Simmer over low heat for 3 hours. Beat egg yolks into mixture and stir until thickened. Pour into hot, sterilized jars and seal. Cool at room temperature and store in the refrigerator.

Homemade Ketchup
1 28-oz. can tomato puree
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and quartered
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
2 T. brown sugar
½ c. cider vinegar
1 c. water
Pinch cayenne
Pinch celery salt
Pinch dry mustard
Pinch ground allspice
Pinch ground cloves
Pinch ground ginger
Pinch ground cinnamon
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 of a fresh jalapeno, stemmed and seeded (Optional)
Yield: about 4 cups of ketchup
In a blender or food processor, blend tomato puree, garlic, onion, and brown sugar. If you like a spicier ketchup add the jalapeno pepper. Blend until smooth. When mixture is smooth, add vinegar and water. Blend again until smooth. Pour into a heavy kettle. Whisk in spices, adjusting the spices you use to your personal preferences. As the ketchup cooks, taste periodically to adjust the seasonings. Remember the ketchup will “cook down” and the spices will become stronger as it cooks. Cook over medium-high and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. When it starts to boil, lower the heat to about medium, just until it will hold a simmer. Simmer, uncovered about 1 hour stirring occasionally. You have to be the judge of when your ketchup is ready.

To test what your ketchup will be like when it’s chilled, stick a small plate in the freezer for about 15 minutes. When you think your ketchup is done, put about a teaspoon on the cold plate. Stick it back in the freezer until the ketchup is cold. Then, taste it and see if you’re happy. The consistency of the ketchup on your plate represents about how the entire pot would be once it’s chilled. If you like it, take the pot off the heat. If you want it thicker, simmer it for another 5-10 minutes, then do the cold plate test again. When you’re happy with your ketchup, take it off the stove. Season with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Cool it to room temp on the counter, then bottle and refrigerate. This can be bottled and sealed in jars if you wish.

Whole Wheat Wednesday - Wheat Meat Roast Beef

2011-09-07T17:31:00.000-07:00

The more I read and study about the possibilities of wheat meat, the more thankful I am for this amazing grain. We are so blessed to have so many wonderful and useful things in nature that are not only versatile but also healthy. Wheat in and of itself is an amazing thing.

I am also very grateful for those who have gone before me and studied and perfected some of these methods of using basic grains in so many different ways. This is not only a wonderful thing for anyone who may at some point have to live for a time off their food storage, this is also an awesome thing for those who for one reason or another cannot use or eat much meat but still like the taste and idea of eating meat and all those things which go with it.

To make roast beef from wheat meat, we use the same exact method of making wheat meat (gluten) that we have used in the past posts to make ground beef. There are three different methods for making roast beef. I will explain all of those today and you can file them away to experiment with when you have the time.

Roast beef made from gluten needs to be sliced paper thin and served with a sauce. When cut in strips it can be added in casseroles or Stroganoff, just before servings. Cubes can be cut and heated in barbecue sauce; for best results make sure they are no larger than a pair of dice. Here are the three methods:

1.Cloth Sack Method: Make sacks or tubes of clean muslin 2½” in diameter and 5” long. Pack full of washed, raw gluten and tie the ends securely. Place in a pan and cover with a broth made of 4 T. beef soup base to each 2 quarts of water. This involves a long, slow simmering process. You can do this on the stove top or use a crock-pot if you wish, or even in the oven at 350º. You will need to simmer it for 6-8 hours or overnight. When this is cooked well, it will have the chewy texture of beef. To achieve a chewier texture, it can be placed on a greased cookie sheet and dried somewhat in a 300º oven for about 30 minutes. You can experiment to see how you like it best.

2.Foil Method: Form the washed raw gluten into 2½” x 5” rolls. Roll tightly in foil. Simmer in water to cover for 2 hours. Unwrap and drop into boiling broth made from 4 Tablespoons beef soup base to 2 quarts water. Simmer 6-8 hours, or overnight.

3.Greased Tin Method: Fill a well-greased 1 lb. can half full with raw washed gluten. Make a broth of 4 tablespoons beef soup base to 2 quarts water and cover the gluten to a depth of 2”. Lift the ball of gluten to assure the broth reaches all sides. Place in a 350º oven for 3-4 hours until broth is nearly all gone. Remove from tin.

Here are my personal thoughts on these methods. The cloth sack method is the easiest. It may seem like more work to make the muslin bags but they are easy to make and can be washed and reused. Plus it is easy to make up several bags at one time for future use. They can be tied with string which makes for a simple way to wrap the beef.

To make roast beef in one of these ways, it is important to have plenty of beef soup base or beef bouillon stored as well as muslin, string, ingredients to make gravy or other sauces that you might want to serve with it. Lots of spices will make your serving possibilities more innumerable.

Experimenting with wheat meat is relatively inexpensive. Try some and see if you can make it an season it to your liking. I'd love to hear of any experiences in making wheat meat roast beef. Give it a try and see what you come up with!

Food Storage Friendly Friday

2011-09-03T11:57:00.000-07:00

I love this time of year. I love visiting the farmers markets when I can, the fruit stands and the grocers who carry local fresh produce. I only have one problem and that is that there is so much fresh goodness available that it is hard to do everything I want to do at once. I have found a few ideas that help to get everything done at once; dry some while you are canning the rest or blend some to make jam, jelly or salsa. Whatever you do, don't let the season pass without preserving some for the winter months ahead.

I'm not a great advocate of freezing fresh fruit unless you can use it up fairly rapidly because after about 3 months you loose some of that fresh goodness. I do like to freeze some peaches occasionally in small containers for lunches or to heat for ice cream toppings, smoothies or cobblers. I like having some canned peaches on the shelf as well as some of my favorite peach jam, which is quick and easy to make.

I also like canned pears but many people don't. One of my favorite things to do with canned pears (because I had children who had texture issues) was to open them and blend them to make pear sauce or chop them to make pear bread. I also loved using the canned pears in my favorite set salad, "Hidden Pear Salad". I'll post the recipes for these below.

I've been drying strawberries for snacking or to add to cereals, snack mixes and even muffins. They are even great chopped into pancake or waffle batter. I also freeze some in 1 c. portions for smoothies and my favorite fruit pie. I also freeze raspberries and some blueberries the same way, but just enough that I can use up. Many fruits can be frozen using the ICF (individual quick frozen) method if you plan to use them in jams or jellies or even some pie filling recipes. This makes it easy to wash, remove stems and spread them on wax paper and freeze, then measure and put in baggies until you are ready to can them.

Twice in the last month I've needed a quick dessert to take to a friend with a birthday, a new baby or the loss of a loved one. I have loved having frozen fruit in my freezer to throw a pie together in no time. I'll share the recipe for this delicious pie.

Tomatoes are in abundance right now. I love making the chili sauce I recently posted but even more I love slicing and drying the tomatoes. This is a quick way to preserve them. They are great in recipes or just plain. Try them with a dip served like a chip. They have so much flavor. I also love canning stewed tomatoes. They can be eaten straight from the bottle with a little salt and pepper or sugar, used to make a fresh salsa or added to any soup or stew. They are so delicious.

Corn is just starting to come on here. I freeze enough for a few meals but general use the rest in fresh corn salads, eaten off the cob or bottle some corn relish which I have posted before. I want to first share the easy pie that I love to make (AND EAT) and is a great way to share your fruit with friends and neighbors. I'm including some of my other recipes that use these fresh fruits in different ways.

Take advantage of all the harvest goodness that you can. It's a shame to let it go to waste.

Berry Cheesecake Pie
2 vanilla wafer pie crusts
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 c. powdered sugar
1 c. cool whip
1 pkg. raspberry or strawberry Danish Dessert
1¾ c. cold water
1 c. frozen sliced strawberries
1 c. frozen blueberries
1 c. frozen raspberries
Whipped cream
Blend cream cheese powdered sugar until smooth; stir in cool whip. Divide evenly and spread over the bottom of the two shells. Combine Danish Dessert and cold water. Bring to a full boil and boil 1 minute stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in frozen berries. Cool slightly; Pour over cream cheese layer. Chill. Garnish with whipped cream around the edges (looks very pretty) or on individual slices of pie.

Frozen Peaches
Put peaches in boiling water for 30 seconds then into cold water. Peel and remove pit. Slice into solution of 1 quart water, 3 c. sugar and 4 t. fruit fresh, (1 t. per cup of water). Pack fruit into bottles or Ziploc bags. Fill with syrup (juice they were sliced into), to within ½” of top of jars. Freeze. These are good frozen in baby food jars and packed in lunches, or to use as ice cream topping or for peach pie or cobbler.

Peach Jam
15 c. peaches, crushed
15 c. sugar
5 packages orange jell-o
Boil peaches and sugar 10-15 minutes. Add jell-o. Stir until completely dissolved. While mixture is boiling, bottle and seal. Water bath 10 minutes.

Hidden Pear Salad
1 can or bottle (16 oz.) pears, liquid drained and reserved
1 pkg. (3 oz.) lime jell-o
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
¼ t. lemon juice
8 oz. cool whip (or 1 envelope dream whip mix)
In a saucepan, bring reserved pear liquid to a boil. Stir in jell-o until dissolved. Remove from heat and cool at room temperature till syrupy. Puree pears in a blender. In mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and lemon juice until fluffy and smooth. Add pureed pears and mix well. Prepare whipped topping (if using Dream Whip mix) or use cool whip and fold in cooled Jell-o. Pour into a jell-o mold or a quart dish. Chill overnight. Y: 6-8 servings

Pecan Pear Bread
1 c. sugar
½ c. vegetable oil
2 eggs
¼ c. sour cream
1 t. vanilla
2 c. flour
1 t. soda
½ t. salt
¼ - ½ t. cardamom
½ - ½ t. cinnamon
1 ½ c. chopped peeled pears
2/3 c. chopped pecans
½ t. grated lemon peel
Combine sugar and oil. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add sour cream and vanilla. Combine dry ingredients; add to sour cream mixture and mix well. Stir in pears, pecans and lemon peel. Spread batter into a greased 8x4x2” loaf pan. Bake at 350º for 65-75 minutes or till toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes and remove to wire rack to cool completely. Y: 1 loaf.

Stewed Tomatoes
10 c. chopped tomatoes (about 18 medium)
1¼ c. chopped celery
1 large green pepper, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
½ c. sugar
2 cans (8 oz.) tomato sauce
1 T. salt
Scald and peel tomatoes and chop as fine as desired. Put onion, celery and peppers in small pan with a little juice from tomatoes. Boil about 10 minutes and add to tomatoes along with sugar, tomato sauce and salt. Bring to a good boil and boil about 5 minutes. Put into hot bottles and seal. Process pints and quarts in boiling water bath.

Tomato Sauce from dried tomatoes
1 c. tomato pieces
1 c. water
In a pot, combine tomato pieces and water. Let sit for about 15 minutes until dehydrated. Use in any recipe calling for tomato sauce. Y: 1 1/3 c. tomato sauce

Whole Wheat Wednesday - Wheat Meat Ground Beef

2011-08-31T15:15:00.002-07:00

Last Wednesday we talked about making the basic wheat meat recipe. We have mixed up the dough and washed it and it is now sitting in a bowl of clean water. We have now decided to use this gluten to make Ground beef, one of many different possibilities.

I want to mention here that if you plan on making wheat meat on a regular basis or having the tools and supplies to do it, there are a few things you need to include in your preparedness plan. First of all, you need a good food grinder. A wheat grinder grinds too small, but you can invest in a good non-electric food grinder, such as a hand-crank type. These can be found at places like Lehmans Non-Electric, Smithfield Implement and possibly some hardware stores. These are also useful for grinding pepper and onions and other vegetables in canning. I use mine mostly for grinding raisins to make raisin filled cookies or for grinding vegetables for relishes.

Also because you need a filler or binder to hold the ground meat together in making patties or meat loaf or meat balls, the recipes usually call for eggs. It’s a good idea to have powdered eggs in your storage or unflavored gelatin. This is a good way to use your flax seed if you are storing it.

Spices and flavorings are also important ingredients. If you have followed me for any time at all, you know I am a big supporter of beef bouillon for cooking; to my way of thinking, one of the most important flavorings you can store along with other flavors of bouillon.
Ground Beef is probably the most universally and conveniently used form of beef so it just might be the most popular way to use wheat meat.

There are two main ways to use ground beef; as an addition to casseroles as fillings and anywhere you would normally add fried, crumbled ground beef. Also it can be used in recipes where raw hamburger would be shaped and formed into meatballs, meat loaf or hamburger patties.

To make cooked, crumbled “ground beef”, take the raw, washed gluten and form it into balls the size of an orange. Place them on greased cookie sheets and bake in a 350º oven for 45 minutes until firm and leathery. The tough leathery texture helps to give the meaty texture when it is ground.

Remove from the oven and let it cool. Tear into pieces and put through a food or meat grinder. When ground, it has the appearance of ground beef. A food processor may be used, but the texture will not be quite the same. This is where your food grinder will come in handy.

Ground Beef Wheat Meat
2½ c. moderately packed ground gluten
2 T. beef soup base (depending on brand you use)
2 T. white flour
2 large eggs
2 T. vegetable oil
¼ t. garlic powder
¼ c. finely minced onion OR 2½ T. dehydrated onion flakes
Mix all ingredients together I a large bowl and press onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake in a 300º Oven for 15-20 minutes or until the eggs are set. Cool and tear into small bits to resemble cooked hamburger. Add to soups, stews, and casseroles, etc., just before serving. If you allow it to cook in a dish as you would regular beef, too much liquid is absorbed and the texture is lost.

To become proficient at making wheat meat only requires a little practice. The more you practice, the easier it will be to figure out the texture and seasonings you want to use. Pretty soon, you will be able to adapt it to most of your favorite recipes, with good success.

To begin with, choose a recipe where you can disguise the meat such as sloppy Joes, enchiladas or a casserole containing ground beef with noodles, rice or other fillers. This helps to disguise the beef a bit in case your first attempts don’t “look” like meat. The most important thing is to not tell your family or those you are feeding what the meat is. If you do, you can bet they will pick it apart and no one will like it. Here is a recipe for you to try:

Wheat Meat Sloppy Joes
2 c. wheat meat Ground Beef
¾ c. onion, chopped
¼ t. pepper
Salt to taste
1 T. vinegar
1 T. brown sugar
1 ½ c. tomato sauce or homemade ketchup
1 T. mustard
6 Homemade Hamburger buns
In a large skillet, heat together all the ingredients except the wheat meat ground beef. Simmer, uncovered for one minute. Stir in the wheat meat and serve immediately over the hamburger buns which have been split and toasted. Y: 6 servings.

Stocking Up (How to "Hunker Down" for Winter)

2011-08-29T09:32:00.000-07:00

How was your weekend? Everyone safe? It was a wild and crazy one here. Lots of strong thunder storms rolled through Saturday night and again on Sunday night wreaking havoc. We were not only without power for quite awhile on Saturday night, I also lost my computer and my recent work that I had not yet backed up. Bummer. On top of that I lost several recipes and other information I had saved for future blog posts so I have my work cut out for me.

It was a rough day on Sunday as my husband worked on Saturday, through the night Saturday night and all day on Sunday as well. I was up until 4 am trying to get my computer up and running but to no avail. So we are sleep deprived and I’m a bit grouchy…mostly at myself for not being more diligent about not saving important info on the desktop without backing it up.

I was happy to have an oil lamp ready to go when the power went out that night. I was home alone and a little spooked but thoroughly enjoyed having an oil lamp to keep me company.

I’ve mentioned before how a power outage gets my mind working about preparedness. In hearing about the power outages in the wake of “Irene” and the damage she left behind, I feel so bad for those who will be without power for possibly several weeks. Yikes! If that doesn’t make you think about preparedness, nothing will.

I am constantly amazed at how quickly we forget about preparedness when things are running smoothly. Every time something goes wrong with the electricity or water, I mentally make a list of the things I need to do to be better prepared and as soon as things are back to normal, I forget all about it.

I was visiting with one of the readers here about food storage and getting it done. We both agree that the hardest part about it is often just the commitment to do it. Sometimes I think we look at the whole big picture and let it overwhelm us instead of breaking it down into manageable segments.

I do have a little ritual that I do every fall though that I’d like to share with you. I always do canning every summer/fall and though I often put it off or think it is going to be worse than it is, by the time I finish I find myself wishing I had done more. I have something inside me that makes me want to “gather the harvest’, “stock up” and “hunker down” for the winter. Here are some things that I do in the area where I live that help me feel more prepared for the long winter ahead. Maybe you can share what things you do in the areas where you live to “gather & prepare”.

1.Stock up on potatoes or other fresh vegetables when possible. I live in an area where potatoes are harvested in the fall and sold in 50 lb. bags. I gather enough bags to get me through the winter…hopefully to last until at least April or May. This year I hope to get extra and dehydrate some again. I loved doing that last year.

2.Onions are sold in many grocery stores in the fall for under $5 for 25 lbs. Two bags are just about right for me. They last me through the winter and are great to have on hand.

3.Squash and carrots are often harvested and stored for several months to be used in the winter months. Carrots can be stored in boxes or buckets of sand to keep them fresh for a long time. Sweet fresh carrots are wonderful to have on hand in the winter.

4.Toilet Paper is a must. I know how much I need to store per month. I make sure that I have at least 6 months worth going into winter. This is on top of additional years supply toilet paper. It’s great to know you won’t run out if you happen to be snow bound and stuck at home.

5.Flour and Sugar are other items I like to buy in the fall because they are usually cheaper. I can grind wheat for wheat flour but I like having 100 pounds of white flour in my basement, as well as 50 pounds of sugar, more if I’m canning.

6.Matches and lamp oil are a must. I also make sure we have fresh flashlight batteries on hand.

7.Plastic or extra blankets make a great room divider if you are without power in the cold and need to close of part of the rooms in your house to keep a smaller area warm. Do you have a way to heat your home and cook your food if you are without power for a week?

8.Soups or non-refrigerated convenience foods are a great way to be prepared if you lose power and need a minimal preparation meal. So much easier to heat up a can of soup than try to make a meal from scratch in a tough situation. I stock up on bouillon for broths and simple soups too.

9.I try to take inventory of any cold or flu remedies that we might need in the months ahead. Vitamin C and essential oils are usually our go-to home remedies.

10.I can’t always do it, but If possible I like to shop the case lot sales and try and stock up on things I might be short on. I always feel better knowing I have a little extra on hand.

11.Water is something we don’t think about as much when it’s cold as we do in the summer, but it is just as important to have a few cases stored for a winter emergency as it is in the summer time.

12.When the weather starts getting cold I like to really concentrate on dehydrating anything that I can find. I don’t have to worry about it heating up the house and I don’t feel the pressure to do it when there is gardening and canning to get done. If I have extra meat in the freezer that I want to can, this is a great time to do it. It is my favorite time to can homemade soups and other non-seasonal foods.

I know everyone probably has their own rituals that they do to get ready for winter. I think as the economy worsens and money gets tighter it is even more important to take inventory and see what essentials we need to have on hand. I read a statement the other day that said, “I don’t look at my short term food storage as an expense, I think of it as my family savings account.” I loved that!

I want to re-post the recipe for the canned cheese sauce that I have canned a few times since I first posted it. I LOVE this cheese sauce. It is so convenient and is absolutely delicious. If you are looking for something fun to can this could be an option for you. I’m doing another batch next week.

Also, each fall I try to find at least 3 or 4 new canning recipes to try to add some variety to what I usually do. Last year I canned a peach marmalade with almonds, coconuts and cherries that I love. I also did a rhubarb jam with cherry pie filling that we have really enjoyed. I believe I posted the recipes last fall. If not I can send them to anyone who is interested.

This year I got a couple of recipes from a friend that I am going to try; blueberry butter made with blueberries and apples, as well as a canned peach salsa. I’m also going to try making homemade taco sauce and canning a praline syrup just for fun. I’ll post these recipes here just for fun. I’ve never made these before. Looking forward to trying them.

What are you canning this year? Anyone care to share?

Homemade Canned “Cheese Whiz”
2 lbs. Velveeta cheese (or any other brand)
10 ounces of evaporated milk
2 T. vinegar
1 t. salt
1 t. dry mustard
Melt milk and cheese in double boiler. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Fill hot jars about 1” from top of jar and add hot lids and rims. Process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes. So good as a dip or on pasta or served over vegetables or baked potatoes.Y: about 5 half pint jars

Blueberry Butter
4 c. Blueberries
4 c. Granny Smith Apples, (6 Large). Peeled And Chopped.
2 c. White Sugar
1 c. Firmly Packed Light Brown Sugar
1 t. Ground Cinnamon
¼ t. Ground Allspice
¼ t. Ground Mace
¼ t. Ground Nutmeg
Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan and cook over low heat until sugar dissolves, stirring as needed. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 45 minutes, until the mixture thickens. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Pour the butter into sterilized canning jars, filling to within ¼”of the rims. Wipe the rims clean with a clean damp cloth and seal the jars with the lids. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. cool completely, store in a cool, dark, dry place. Serve on pancakes or waffles too.

Canned Peach Salsa – 8 pints
3 ½ lbs chopped Roma tomatoes
2 ½ lbs. peeled and chopped hard, unripe peaches
4 c. diced yellow onion
2 ½ c. chopped peppers, red, green or yellow
1 ½ T. canning salt
1 ½ T. crushed red pepper flakes or 1-2 chopped jalapeños if desired
Zest and juice of 1 lime
1 ½ T. cumin
½ T. black pepper
1¼ c. sugar
3 c. cider vinegar (5%)
Place all of the ingredients into one large pot. Bring to boiling, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the peaches have softened. With a slotted spoon, fill salsa solids into hot, sanitized jars, leaving 1¼” headspace. Cover with cooking liquid, which then should leave ½” headspace. Wipe rim and screw threads with a clean damp cloth. Add lid, screw band and tighten firmly and evenly. Process the jars in a boiling water bath, 25 minutes for quart jars and 15 minutes for pint jars. Y: 4 quarts or 8 pints (Can be doubled)

Taco Sauce—Ball Blue Book
3 c. tomato paste
2 T. chili powder
1 T. salt
1 t. cayenne pepper
½ t. hot pepper sauce (like Tabasco)
5 c. water
1 c. cider vinegar
½ c. corn syrup
Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until thick. As mixture thickens, stir frequently to prevent sticking and scorching. Ladle hot sauce into jars, leaving ¼ inch head-space. Wipe rims of jars clean. Process 40 minutes in boiling water bath.

Praline Syrup – Ball Blue Book
2 c. dark corn syrup
1/3 c. dark brown sugar
½ c. water
1 c. pecan pieces
½ t. vanilla
Combine syrup, sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil; boil 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in pecans and vanilla. Pour hot into hot jars, leaving ½” headspace. Adjust caps. Process 10 minutes in boiling water bath. Y: about 4 half pints.

Food Storage Friendly - Friday Meal Idea and Tip of the Week

2011-08-26T08:58:00.000-07:00

I just want to take a minute and thank those of you who have emailed me about the blog. I have received awesome emails from some of you and it really helps give me inspiration for the posts I do here.

Preparedness isn’t an easy thing. It really complicates our lives sometimes. I find myself looking at friends and others who don’t do food storage or preparedness and at how uncomplicated their lives seem. Then I come back to reality and think about how sad they will be someday when the availability of food isn’t there or the price becomes restrictive to them. I am so grateful for the knowledge I have not only of how to do a few things with food storage items but also knowing that someday I am going to be really glad to have it and thankful to use it now and in the future.

My tip this week is to can or preserve everything you are able to. Sometimes cost or availability is restrictive, but if these aren’t a problem, look at the abundance around you and make every effort to preserve it. I even dehydrated a watermelon yesterday just because I didn’t want to waste it and I wanted to see how it works. I’ll keep you posted on that one. Gather what you can and find a way to preserve it, even if it is not something you usually can or dry. You’ll find things that you have never preserved before sometimes turn out to be some of your favorites. I make it a goal to try at least 2 or 3 new things each year. I’ll share some of my new favorites next week.

Every summer I go through a time when I just don’t want to cook. Nothing sounds good, it heats up the house and I just plain have a hard time remembering how to actually make anything nutritious. I might note here that I don’t seem to forget how to make desserts and treats, hmmm. Fresh veggies and fruit are the only things that really sound good; well something wet and cold to drink always sounds good.
Thank goodness some of you are still sending in your food storage friendly recipes. It gives me something new to try and a reason to cook. I’d like to share a recipe for Turkey (or chicken) Cottage pie sent to me by a reader. This is a fun variation on a basic pot pie – very food storage friendly. Thanks, Jeri.

Turkey (or chicken) Cottage Pie
Jeri B. - Arizona
1 C. finely chopped celery
1 C. finely chopped carrot
1 C. finely chopped onion
2 teaspoons minced garlic
3 T. unsalted butter
3 T. flour
1 C. turkey gravy
1 C. chicken stock or broth
2 1/2 C. bite-sized cooked turkey pieces or chicken
1/2 C. cooked peas
1/2 C. cooked carrots
1/2 C. cooked pearl onions
salt and pepper
2 C. turkey stuffing
Melted unsalted butter, as needed
In a saucepan sweat the celery, carrot, onion and garlic in the butter, covered with a buttered round of waxed paper and the lid, over moderately low heat for 5 minutes. Add the flour and cook the mixture over moderate heat, stirring for 3 minutes. Add the gravy, stock or broth and cook over moderate heat, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the turkey, peas, carrots, pearl onions, salt and pepper to taste, and bring the mixture to a simmer. Transfer the mixture to a flameproof 1 1/2-quart baking dish, and with a spatula spread the stuffing over it. Drizzle the stuffing with some melted butter. Bake the pie in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 30 minutes, or until bubbling, and put it under a preheated boiler until the top is golden brown.

I may or may not have mentioned that for Christmas last year my husband bought me an Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven. I have loved it. It has been so fun to make genuine Dutch oven potatoes in my house. I have cooked so many different things in it and the results have been wonderful every time – no fault of my own. It’s a lot like cooking in the crock-pot only quicker; the results are much the same.

Just for fun, I want to share a couple of my favorite summertime recipes today. The recipe for Layered Potatoes is originally a crock-pot recipe that I adapted to cook in the Dutch oven. It is wonderful either way. So if you are looking for a great easy no-heat-up-the-house crock-pot recipe or you have a Dutch oven you want to use, this is a great one.

I’m also including a favorite recipe for Green Beans. We love this and have made it many times. You don’t need a crock-pot or a Dutch oven for this one, just your stove top. It’s great for summertime so you don’t heat up your kitchen and especially if you have an excess of fresh Green Beans.

Layered potatoes (Crock-Pot or Dutch Oven)
2-4 T. butter (depending on the amount of potatoes you are using
Thinly sliced (1/8”) red potatoes – peeled or unpeeled (russets work too)
Thin sliced packaged ham (Land-of-frost honey ham is great)
I onion sliced fairly thin
Salt and pepper
Shredded cheese
1 can Sprite OR 1 can cream of chicken soup
Melt butter in bottom of Dutch oven. (If using crock pot spray bottom and sides of pot with cooking spray. Add a little butter to the bottom of your pot (optional).) Spread a layer of sliced potatoes in the bottom of your pot (2 or 3 slices deep). Sprinkle with salt and pepper. *Note: when using ham the potatoes don’t need as much salt. If adding cream of chicken soup, it is quite salty as well; salt the potatoes accordingly. Add a single layer of the sliced ham. Top with a layer of separated onion rings. Sprinkle lightly with grated cheese. Repeat layers, using as many potatoes as you wish. The original recipe called for spreading the cream of chicken soup over the top and spreading it like frosting, then topping with a final layer of cheese. When I made these in the Dutch oven I made as many layers as I wanted and then poured a can of sprite over the whole pot, and topped with a final layer of cheese. They were so good. I have also since used this method in the crock-pot and it worked well. You choose which kind of topping you want. Both are great. For Dutch oven – Bake at 350º for about an hour – they cook quickly. For Crock-Pot – Cook on high about 4 hours and turn to low to keep warm. This is a half-full crock-pot. If you are filling your crock-pot with potatoes, adjust time accordingly. These can also be cooked on low for a longer time. To check for doneness, test potatoes in the center of the pot.

The following recipe for Green Beans originally came from Our Best Bites. I altered it a bit by adding a few sliced almonds and using thick sliced peppered bacon; I also adapted a couple other ingredients and upped the cooking time a bit – we don’t care for our beans to be crunchy. These are now one of our favorite summertime veggies.

Caramelized Green Beans – Original recipe from Our Best Bites
1 1/8 lb. fresh green beans, washed and ends snipped off & snapped in half
½ lb. thick sliced peppered bacon
½ red onion, sliced
1-3 cloves garlic, minced
Olive oil or bacon grease
2 T. sugar
2 T. soy sauce
½ t. kosher salt
Lots of freshly-ground pepper
Slivered almonds for garnish
Fry the bacon in a large skillet. Start boiling a large pot of water. Prepare the sauce by mixing sugar, soy sauce, and salt in a small bowl. Halve and slice onions, mince garlic. Remove bacon from pan; drain on a paper towel; crumble. Save a couple T. bacon drippings unless you prefer to use olive oil. Place beans in boiling water. Boil 7-8 minutes or until they reach your desired tenderness. If you like them crispy, remove after a couple of minutes and drain in a colander.

Add onions and garlic to heated bacon grease or olive oil. Stir a minute or so. Add drained beans to pan with onions and garlic. Stir fry 2-3 minutes. Stir sauce and pour on top of beans. Keep stir-frying until the beans get kind of glazed. Stir fry for another 2 minutes. –Add crumbled bacon and lots of freshly-ground pepper to the beans. Keep stir frying until the sauce sticks to the beans and the bacon. Transfer to a serving dish and let stand a few minutes so the beans cool down a bit and the glaze thickens up a little. Top with sliced Almonds if desired. *Note: My husband who claims he has never liked green beans can’t get enough of these.

Whole Wheat Wednesday - Wheat Meat

2011-08-24T07:20:00.000-07:00

This post is definitely the one that I have put off doing the longest. Not because I don’t think it is important and a wonderful option, but because I have worried about how to present the concept and do it justice. In a class I helped teach on making wheat meat years ago, so many of the people turned up their noses and weren’t even interested in trying it. I was disappointed but not surprised. I firmly believe that even though you may not make wheat meat and eat it as a main staple in your diet, someday, if you learn how to do it, you will be glad you can make it.

I’m a firm believer in storing meat. I have always cooked with meat and nearly all my main dish recipes call for some kind of meat. However, being the realist that I am, I know that no matter how much meat you store, you will someday run out. Then what? I’m not sure I’d go out and shoot something and prepare it and eat it. I’d rather be able to prepare wheat meat and make it taste good; and you can!

I hope that those of you who have not made it or eaten it, will at least copy these instructions or other instructions for making wheat meat and file it away, just in case. I just don’t believe you can be too prepared. I can also tell you that those who do this regularly and have practiced and perfected the methods they use, say it is very good. Many have eaten wheat meat not knowing that is what they were eating.

Wheat meat is also called wheat gluten. It is made through a process using simple flour and water which extracts the gluten from the flour. There are many benefits to having the know-how to make wheat meat. Some of these benefits are as follows:
1) Money – I just paid $2.99 a pound for ground beef this last weekend – on sale. We know it’s only going to get worse. Considering the price of 50 lbs of wheat, it’s pretty obvious how much you can save.
2) Storage life – As mentioned before, meat will only last so long but wheat has a very long shelf life.
3) Nutrition – I know as well as anyone that the meat I buy at the grocery store is probably full of pesticides, fertilizer, antibiotics, steroids, dyes and a certain amount of bacteria. I still buy it and eat it but it is a no-brainer that the wheat is going to be better for me. It contains essential vitamins and minerals is more easily absorbed and digested by the body.
4) Preparation time – In an emergency, time will be of the essence and it is much quicker and easier to prepare wheat meat than real meat.
5) Digestion – The human body has to use 80% of its energy to digest meat. Wheat meat requires much less energy, giving you more energy reserves for use in an actual emergency.
6) Versatility – There are so many ways to use wheat meat that it becomes as versatile as regular meat; the only difference is that from one batch of wheat meat, you can make many different kinds of “meat”.
7) Peace of mind – There is a certain sense of security and peace of mind that comes from knowing that because I can make wheat meat or gluten I have endless possibilities with that wheat on my shelf aside from just baking bread. I don’t need to worry about keeping it refrigerated or having it spoil if it isn’t used up quickly.
8) Bran – An awesome byproduct of making wheat meat is Bran. You should end up with about 1 cup of bran for every pound of wheat meat you make. You can use the bran to make bran muffins or cereal. How cool is that?!
9) Nutritious water – the water left over from the process of making wheat meat is packed with nutrition and can be used in several ways which will be listed later.

There are many resources out there that teach you how to make wheat meat but I’m going to tell you about just a couple and try to simplify it as much as possible. There is a book called “Feed a Family of Four for as Low as $10 Per Week and enjoy a nibble of independence” by Marlynn, Jenny and Venecia Phipps and Jan Woollery.

A whole chapter in this book is dedicated to making wheat meat and they do such a good job. There are different recipes depending on what kind of meat you want to make; ground beef, hamburgers, hot dogs, roast chicken, roast beef, meatballs, chicken nuggets or even shrimp.

Whole wheat flour varies a bit from one type to the next, depending on the quality of your wheat and its protein content. Hard red wheat produces the most gluten but hard white wheat is also great for making chicken and other lighter color meats. The equivalents vary a bit but here are the basics.

Today I’ll post the recipe for basic wheat meat then share some variations in later posts. The basic recipe will yield about 3-4 cups of raw gluten. This can then be baked into about 8-9 cups of ground gluten and will be equal to about 2 ½ to 3 lbs. of ground meat. This can also be used to make about 12 dozen meatballs, “beef” roasts, chicken nuggets, beef steak, roast chicken, shrimp or tuna, hamburger patties, or sausage. The possibilities are endless.

WHEAT MEAT
12 c Flour
6 c Cold water (about)
Use wheat flour for beef and other red meats; white flour for chicken, shrimp, or other light meats.

Mixing (Mixer Method)
Combine flour and water in mixer. Using dough hook, knead for 5 minutes. It should be the consistency of bread dough; add more flour or water as needed. Cover bowl with plastic wrap or a towel to keep the dough from drying out and let rest in the fridge for a minimum of 20 minutes. If desired it can be covered with cool water and left in the fridge overnight. Proceed with the washing instructions.

Mixing (Hand Mixing Method)
Start with 7 c. flour and 3 ½ c. Cold water
Mix together in a large mixing bowl adding more water, if needed to achieve a bread dough consistency. The consistency you want to end up with is flexible. It should look a lot like your bread dough does before being completely kneaded. You don’t want dry, or watery. You want it to look a bit rubbery. You can adjust the amounts of flour or water after your initial mixing in order to get the consistency you need. It will not require kneading if it is covered with plastic or a cloth and allowed to rest for at least 30 minutes. If desired it can be covered with cool water and left in the fridge overnight. Proceed with the instructions for washing.

Washing
After the dough has rested, divide into 1/4ths and work with one portion at a time, keeping the remainder covered as you work. Place a piece of the dough in a strainer which is placed in a large bowl of cold water. While keeping the dough immersed at all times, stretch and compress the dough to wash out the bran and starch. The volume of the dough will diminish considerably during this process but keep your dough in one lump. In a few minutes of working your dough, it will begin to resemble over chewed bubblegum in texture. Kind of like pulling apart a well chewed piece of bubble gum.
Rinse the now rubbery glob of gluten in a fresh bowl of clean water and leave it under water while you repeat the process with the remaining 3 pieces of dough.

DO NOT throw out the water you used to wash your dough. Instead, pour it into a gallon jug or pitcher and place in the fridge overnight. If it is allowed to sit it will divide into 3 distinct layers. The top layer of clear water can then be poured off and used to water houseplants, pets, or used to mix your powdered milk, or make bread with it, etc. It has much nutrition in it.

The second layer is starch. It can be used to thicken gravies, stews, sauces, etc. Just use 4-7 T. of raw starch for every 2 c. of liquid in your recipe. Warning: the starch will only stay good for about 2 days in your fridge. To store it longer, place in the freezer.

The final layer is bran. Rinse the bran using a strainer and cheese cloth. It will stay good, when well rinsed, 4-6 days in the fridge. To keep it longer you need to freeze it or powder it. You can use it to make bran muffins, or to make bran flakes for cold cereal.

In your bowl with clean water, you now have your raw wheat meat, or gluten, which can be used to make ground beef, roasts, chicken chunks, shrimp, etc. depending on how you prepare it.

Next time we will talk about making Ground Beef from your gluten or wheat meat.

Canning Taco Meat

2011-08-22T18:10:00.000-07:00

One of the fun things about canning is canning convenience foods. I love having meat canned and ready to use. Canning taco meat is a great convenience. When jars are opened all you have to do is heat the meat and assemble tacos or taco salad. It doesn’t get any easier than that. These also make great burritos or any favorite Mexican casserole. Not only that, it just makes for good food storage!

The leaner the ground beef, the better. Plan on one pound of ground beef for each pint of taco meat. (It helps to know how many pints your canner holds and use enough meat to fill your canner if possible. Mine holds 10 pints so I do 10 pounds of hamburger at a time.)

When meat is cooked, drained and spices added, you may be tempted to put less meat in each jar than one pound, but fill it pretty good as the meat will shrink a little when processed. Prepare ground beef, by browning it, draining fat and adding spices. This recipe uses dried spices. Feel free to add fresh onions or garlic if you wish; the dried spices make it super quick and easy to do. Use the following spices, or any spices of your choice. These spice amounts are for each pound of beef. Multiply them by the number of pounds you are canning. This is not a real spicy meat mixture, adjust amounts of any of the spices to your liking. DO NOT add cornstarch or any other thickening agent. Wash and sterilize jars and heat in oven or hot water. Put lids (bands and flats) in a saucepan and bring them to a simmer. Here are the suggested spices and amounts for each pound of beef you are canning:

2 t. dried instant minced onion
1 T. onion powder
½ t. instant minced garlic
1 t. chili powder
½ t. crushed dried red pepper
½ tsp. dried oregano
½ t. dried cumin
1 tsp. salt

Mix well...Now it's time to fill the hot jars with the beef mixture! Fill the jars, leaving an inch of headspace (I usually stop about where the threading on the jar starts). Next wipe the rim of the jar with a damp cloth to remove any and all residue (Tip: dampening the cloth with a little vinegar helps to remove grease). Next, put the lids on the jars and tighten. When all the jars are filled it's time to process them. Put jars in pressure canner and process according to your pressure canner instructions.

Process the pint jars, (again use the directions in your brand of pressure canner's instruction booklet), at 13 pounds of pressure (for a dial gauge canner – 15 lbs. for a weighted gauge canner) for 75 minutes (this is for 4000-6000 feet above sea level) Quarts would be processed for 90 minutes.

After processing, allow the pressure to drop completely on canner (don't force it down by cooling it, let it cool on its own or you could cause the glass jars inside to break), then removed the canner lid carefully, it was still very hot and steam is released when the lid is removed. Remove the jars with a jar lifter and place them on a folded dish towel on the counter to cool. Wait for the beautiful sound of jar lids “pinging” to make sure they are sealed.

I leave the jars sitting undisturbed for about 12-24 hours, and then recheck the seals... if they're still sealed, I label and date the jars, then store them in a cool dark place.

Food Storage Friendly Friday - Pickling

2011-08-19T18:07:00.001-07:00

Are you all canning your fool heads off? I know that sometimes at this time of year, that is what it seems like. It seems to me that the hotter the weather, the more canning going on in my house. Not exactly sure why that it but it sure seems that way.

Speaking of canning, I want to post a couple of links that I’ve been hanging on to for awhile now. One is for the re-useable canning lids – I’ve posted it before but someone asked for a repost so here it is. http://www.reusablecanninglids.com/

The other link is for a home canning system, using actual cans. This is the same principle as the canners that do #10 cans, if you have used those before. This link however, is for the machine to can small cans. If you are so inclined you can actually buy a canner and can your fruits and vegetables in tin cans instead of bottles - at home. I have talked to several people who are putting some of their home canned food storage in cans, so that in the event of an earthquake, not all their preserved foods would be in glass jars. If you are interested in checking this out, here is the link for that. https://www.wellscan.ca/home.php

The way I see it, the problem with canning is that, unfortunately, so many things ripen at the same time of year that it seems impossible to get everything canned and preserved that we’d like to. I know that every year I always look back and wish I’d done more or maybe tried a new variety of this or that but somehow it always seems like a race against time to get everything done. I always promise that I’ll do it next year.

Jams and jellies are easy to can and quick to do. Many vegetables ripen at the same time and need to be taken care of. I love canned beans, fruits and tomatoes and all the rest but occasionally I want to try something different.

Pickling is a big thing. You either love to pickle things and do all kinds of varieties or maybe you stay away from it all together. I especially love sweet pickles and sweet pickle relish and try to keep these on my shelves when I can but I also like pickling other things. Most pickled vegetables are great and if you have extra beans that you don’t want to can, it’s fun to make dilly beans. If you make these, you probably have your own special recipe. These can be made as mild or as spicy as you wish. For spicier beans, just up the amount of garlic and cayenne in each jar or you may wish to throw in some jalapeño to really spice it up. If you really like hot and spice, try the Thunder and Lightening Pickles.

I’m posting some of my favorite pickling and relish recipes. Some are spicy, some sweet. Some you can and preserve for another time of year and some you just refrigerate and eat now. Some use vegetables as well as cucumbers and all are just a little different. These recipes are all fun but different. I love them all and like the fact that they use different vegetables and spices and each has its own unique flavor and texture.

Dilly Beans
2 lbs. trimmed green beans (leave whole) (yellow wax beans are wonderful too)
¼ c. salt (non-iodized)
4 heads dill
4 garlic cloves or less (optional)
1 t. cayenne pepper (optional)
2 ½ c. vinegar
2 ½ c. water
Pack beans lengthwise into hot jars, leaving ¼” headspace. To each pint add ¼ t. cayenne pepper and 1 clove garlic or less and 1 head dill. Combine salt, vinegar and water and bring to a boil. Pour boiling hot over beans, leaving ¼” head space. Remove air bubbles and adjust caps. Process pints and quarts 10 minutes in boiling water bath.

Thunder and Lightning Pickles
In each quart jar put:
1 t. dill seed
1 t. crushed red pepper
1 clove garlic, minced (use canned if desired)
1 t. powdered alum
1 t. horseradish
Use large fat cucumbers. Peel and slice lengthwise (about ½” thick slices) and remove seeds. Place standing in bottles and fill with as many as you can get in. Bring to a boil:
1 ½ quart vinegar
2 ½ qt. water
1 c. salt
Pour over cucumbers and seal. Cold pack for 5 minutes. (Boiling water bath)

Sweet Bread and Butter Pickles
2 quarts pickling onions (2-3 lbs.)
2 quarts cauliflower florets (2 heads)
4 quarts medium size cucumbers, unpeeled and cut in pieces (about 7-9 large cucumbers)
Prepare above vegetables. Soak overnight in this mixture:
4 quarts water
1 c. salt (Not iodized)
Drain.
Boil 15 minutes in:
1 pint of vinegar
2 t. turmeric
2 quarts water
Drain and rinse good in cold water. Pack vegetables into pint jars and make the syrup below and boil for 5 minutes:
10 c. sugar
5 c. vinegar
4 c. water
2 handfuls of pickling spices
After syrup has boiled, pour over pickles in jars. Add a pinch of alum in each bottle and seal.

Chow-chow pickles
4 c. cabbage, chopped (1 small head)
3 c. cauliflower, chopped (1 medium head)
2 c. onions, chopped
2 c. green tomatoes, chopped (about 4)
2 c. sweet green peppers, chopped (2)
3 T. salt
2 ½ c. vinegar
1 ½ c. sugar
2 t. dry mustard
2 t. celery seed
1 t. turmeric
1 t. mustard seed
½ t. ginger
Combine vegetables. Sprinkle with salt. Let stand 4-6 hours. Drain well. Combine vinegar, sugar and spices in a 6-8 quart pan. Simmer 10 minutes. Bring to a boil and ladle hot relish into hot jars leaving ½” headspace. Adjust caps and lids. Process 10 minutes in a boiling water bath. Y: 4 pint jars.

Yellow Squash Pickles – (a delicious refrigerated instead of canned pickle)
3 small yellow summer squash, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, chopped or sliced thin
1 large sweet red or green pepper cut into ¼” strips
1 T. salt
1 c. sugar
¾ c. white vinegar
¾ t. mustard seed
¾ t. celery seed
¼ t. ground mustard
In large bowl, combine squash, onion, peppers and salt. Cover and chill 1 hour; drain. In a large saucepan, combine remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Add squash mixture; return to a boil. Remove from heat. Cool. Store in airtight container in fridge for at least 4 days before eating. May be stored in fridge up to 1 month.

Cucumber Relish
12 large cucumbers
4 green peppers
1 red pepper
4 large onions
3 c. vinegar
5 c. sugar
2 T. salt
4 t. celery seed
4 t. mustard seed
3 t. turmeric
¼ t. cloves
Grind cucumbers, peppers and onions; sprinkle 2 T. salt over mixture and let set overnight. Add 1 qt. water. Boil 15 minutes. Drain and wash. Add vinegar, sugar, seeds and turmeric. Cook 20 minutes. Seal in jars. Y: about 8 pints.

Whole Wheat Wednesday - Cinnamon Swirl Wheat Bread

2011-08-17T12:18:00.000-07:00

One of my most favorite things ever is hot bread or cinnamon rolls. This cinnamon swirl bread is great straight from the oven with butter or cooled slightly and glazed for a more dessert like treat. It is also great toasted and makes wonderful French toast. You can adjust the amount of whole wheat you use, and this recipe doubles easily to make an extra loaf. This is a great way to implement using more whole wheat in your baking!

Cinnamon Swirl Wheat Bread
1 c. whole wheat flour, sifted
2-2 ½ c. bread flour, sifted
1 T. granulated sugar
¾ t. salt
½ T. (rounded) yeast
2 T. honey (can use 2 T. brown sugar)
1 c. + 2 T. water
1/3 cup milk
2 T. butter
In a large mixer bowl, whisk together flours, sugar, salt and yeast (If using brown sugar, add in now). In another bowl, combine honey, milk, water and butter, and heat to 105º in the on stove top or in the microwave. Stir liquids to melt the butter and add, all at once, to the dry ingredients in the mixer bowl. Using the dough hook, mix dough. Add more flour by the Tablespoon, as needed, until the dough comes together and cleans the bowl. Mix for 8-10 minutes with the dough hook until no longer sticky, adding flour as necessary. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes. Remove from bowl and roll into about a 9x13” rectangle. Using a pastry brush dipped in water, brush the top surface of the dough or you can use your hands just to make sure the dough is wet. You don’t want it wet, just damp. (We don’t use butter because it will keep the loaf from sticking together). Sprinkle the surface of the dough with sugar and cinnamon. You’ll want more cinnamon than sugar so that you have the cinnamon taste. Too much sugar will also keep the roll form sticking together. Beginning at the short end of the dough, roll up dough to form a loaf. Place in greased loaf pan, with seam side down and ends tucked under. Cover loaf with plastic wrap sprayed with non-stick cooking spray and let rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes or until dough is at least 1” above the top of the pan. (Don’t be afraid to let it rise longer if it needs to so that your bread is lighter and fluffier. Bake in a preheated 375° oven for 25 minutes or till golden brown and loaf sounds hollow when thumped. Remove from pans and cool on rack. For special occasions, you can glaze the cooled bread and sprinkle with sliced almonds if desired.

Whole Wheat Wednesday - Honey Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

2011-08-10T07:54:00.000-07:00

If you are new to using whole wheat in your baking or if your family is skeptical, what better way to incorporate whole wheat flour, than making a pizza? This honey whole wheat pizza crust is awesome and I’ve also included the recipe for my new favorite Chicken Barbecue pizza to top it off. This recipe makes 1 crust but can easily be double to make an extra crust, or for bread sticks to accompany your pizza.

For a stuffed crust pizza, roll the crust a little larger than it needs to be. Cut string cheese sticks in half lengthwise. Lay them around the edge of your pizza and fold the dough over the cheese sticks towards the inside of the pizza, sealing the dough as you go. If desired, brush crust with butter during the last few minutes of baking and sprinkle with garlic bread seasoning (OUR BEST BITES has an awesome garlic bread sprinkle recipe.) It’s just like having bread sticks and pizza all-in-one!

If you have a favorite way to top your pizza that is a little different please share. We all need a little variety in our lives.

Honey Whole Wheat Pizza Crust
1 c. warm water
1 T. active dry yeast
Pinch sugar
1½ c. white flour
1½ c. wheat flour (plus more if needed)
3 T. Olive Oil
3T. Honey
Put yeast into bowl of a mixer (kitchen aide or you can do it by hand) Sprinkle with sugar and mix together. Add 1 c. warm water and whisk together with yeast. Let yeast proof 10 minutes.

Add ½ of the flour, salt, honey and olive oil. Turn mixer on low, combine well. Add the rest of the flour, once combined, turn mixer up 1 speed and let dough knead for 5 minutes, the dough should be soft. Because of the extra oil and honey, this recipe needs extra flour. Add it slowly, you can always add more, but you can't take it away. Dough should be soft and almost sticky (you should just barely be able to place it in the bowl without it sticking to your hands)

Place dough in lightly oiled bowl and cover. Let rise until tripled in bulk- at least 1½ - 2 hours. Don’t rush it here. Give yourself plenty of time for the dough to do its thing. Start early and just leave your dough alone! Punch dough down and knead in hands, making sure to get all the air out. Take your time a do a good job. If it's a little sticky, add a tad of flour to your hands or the dough.

Shape pizza into a round ball and begin to flatten out by hand. Form into a disk, place dough on floured board and roll into desired size. Remember to start with a floured board. Dough turns out best when placed on a slightly heated pizza stone (use what you have). Put dough on whatever you are going to bake it on first, then add pizza toppings. Bake at 400º for 12 to 15 minutes.

Looking for a new pizza to top the dough with? Here is my favorite:

Barbecue Chicken Pizza
Sauce 2/3 part your favorite BBQ sauce 1/3 part pizza sauce (This sauce is awesome)
2 c. cooked, shredded chicken, mixed with ½ c. BBQ sauce.
1 c. (heaping) Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 c. (heaping) Mozzarella cheese, shredded
½ c. - ¾ c. red onion, silvered and caramelized (try adding a dash a balsamic vinegar)
1 c. corn (Fresh or frozen)
1 c. pineapple tidbits, well drained (more if you want)
Cilantro, chopped (optional)
Spoon BBQ sauce mixture onto prepared crust. Sprinkle pizza with most of the cheese (saving a little of each for the end) Evenly cover the pizza with the BBQ chicken. Sprinkle with red onion and corn. Finish with the rest of the cheese and top with cilantro, if using. (I left cilantro off)
Bake at 400º for 12 to 15 minutes.

Canning Sloppy Joe Meat Filling

2011-08-08T17:17:00.001-07:00

One thing that I had not really considered canning was the meat sauce for sloppy Joes. I love Sloppy Joes (we call them Bar-B-Q’s) and we have them quite often but since our numbers here are so small anymore, I usually just make a batch and freeze the leftovers in small containers to send in my husband’s lunch.

As I was reading about some of the things that people are canning these days, I read the success stories of several who had canned Sloppy Joe meat mix and I knew I had to do it. I like to serve it on buns or on Frito corn chips, topped with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, sliced green onions, grated cheese and Ranch Dressing.

There is really no difference between canning this and canning chili which people have been doing for years. If you have a favorite Sloppy Joe recipe you can successfully can it as long as you don’t add any thickening. If you don’t have a favorite recipe I’ll share mine with you and tell you how I canned it.

My pressure canner holds 10 regular pint jars or 9 wide mouth pint jars. I quadrupled my recipe to make 4 times as much as I usually do and got 12 pints. One that we had for dinner tonight and another that I’ll freeze for later use, and the other 10 to go on my shelves. The only thing I did different was to add the thickening after opening the jar and heating it up instead of adding it when I was making it.

I’m including the regular recipe if you just want to make it and eat it, as well as the quadrupled recipe for canning. When canning, leave out the sugar and flour and add it as thickening when you heat up the canned sauce (just label the jars with the date and the amount of sugar and flour (stirred together) to add when heating up to serve.

Bar-B-Q (Sloppy Joe Filling) – Single Recipe
1 ½ lb. ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 stick celery, chopped
2 ½ c. tomato juice
2 T. soy sauce
2 T. Worcestershire sauce
1/3 c. vinegar
1/3 c. sugar
2 T. flour
Brown meat, onion & celery together. Drain. Add tomato juice, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce and vinegar. Bring to a boil and let simmer a few minutes. Stir together flour and sugar and stir into simmering meat mixture. Cook till thick.

Bar-B-Q (Sloppy Joe Filling) – 4 times the original recipe.
6 lbs. ground beef
4 medium onions, diced
4 sticks celery, chopped
10 c. tomato juice
8 T. soy sauce
8 T. Worcestershire Sauce
1 1/3 c. cider vinegar
(Sugar and flour to be added to individual jars when opened)
Brown meat, onion and celery together. Drain any fat. Add tomato juice, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce and vinegar. Bring to a boil and simmer a few minutes. Ladle into hot pint jars; wipe jars and add new flats and rims. Pressure at 15 lbs. pressure for 75 minutes (altitude 4000 ft and above. *To use: Empty contents of one pint jar into a saucepan; heat until mixture simmers and starts to boil. Combine 5 ½ t. sugar and 2 t. flour; stir into simmering meat mixture and stir until it starts to thicken. Serve hot on buns or over chips with salad toppings

Food Storage Friendly Friday – Meal Idea and Tip of the Week

2011-08-05T07:11:00.001-07:00

Yesterday while waiting in line to buy a few things at a small variety store, I was visiting with a woman who noticed I had a few packets of clearance garden seeds in my basket. She commented that she always keeps a garden journal. She keeps track of all the varieties of seeds she plants and how much of each, as well as where she got them and how much she paid. Then as soon as her garden starts to produce each year, she starts keeping track of the yield and then compares it with her previous journals. She said she has found her favorite seeds and most generally can find them on end-of-the-year clearance each year, thus saving lots of money. I asked her if she worries about dates and she told me that she has never had a problem with seeds being too old.

I did the square foot gardening this year, for the first time and loved it. I have grown quite a bit in not much space. I also planted taters in a barrel, actually 2 barrels and they seem to be doing well. I’ve been intrigued by how much you can grow without actually having a garden spot. I started with good soil, lots of water and sunshine and had a lot of fun without too much weeding. I love the not too much weeding part.

I have learned a bit this year that will help me to make some changes next year and so I’m going to write everything down so I won’t forget by the time next year’s planting time comes. I even got my husband excited about building me some more gardening boxes. He builds them and I paint them. Love it. I was glad to visit with the lady who told me about the gardening journal. What a great tip. I’m going to do it too!

This recipe for Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns should have been posted on Whole Wheat Wednesday, but I was too excited to tell you about my canning bacon project so I’m posting it today. This uses vital wheat gluten. If you don’t have any yet, you can buy it in bulk from Winco or canned from any preparedness place. It is a great idea to get some and experiment with it until you get your whole wheat bread recipe perfected. Grab some to have on hand while we are experimenting with whole wheat flour.

Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns
1 ¼ c. warm milk (try powdered milk)
1 beaten egg (try reconstituted powdered eggs)
2 T. melted butter
¼ c. sugar
¾ t. salt
3 ¾ c. whole wheat flour (Hard red or hard white wheat)
4 t. vital wheat gluten
1 ¼ t. active dry yeast
2 T. more melted butter
Optional: sesame seeds, poppy seeds, finely minced onion –sautéed and drained on paper towels
*Note: This recipe uses a bread machine or mixer but can easily be mixed by hand also.
Put 1st 8 ingredients in order in your bread pan set your machine to the dough setting. When complete, dump the dough out onto a floured surface. Cut the dough in half, and roll each piece out into a 1″ thick circle. Using a large drinking glass, biscuit cutter or wide-mouth canning jar ring, cut each half into 6 rounds, re-kneading and re-rolling the dough as needed to make your pieces. Place on greased baking sheet about 2″ apart; brush tops with melted butter. If you want to sprinkle sesame seeds, poppy seeds or cooked minced onion on top, do it now. Cover and let rise about 1 hour, or until doubled. Bake at 350* for about 12 min, or until tops are browned. Allow to cool completely before slicing buns in half.

Canning Bacon

2011-08-03T09:45:00.001-07:00

I’ve had a few things on my list of “things I want to can” for quite some time. Several are different kinds of meats. I’ve canned chicken chunks, beef chunks and ground beef; I’ve done several different soups with meat in them, but I really wanted to do some more meat. I’ve wanted to do ham chunks which I’m getting ready to do and also some ready to use taco meat since my husband loves tacos. One thing I really wanted to try was canning bacon.

I was excited to find out that it is possible to can bacon. You can buy it already canned if you want but if you find a large quantity of bacon at a good price it is a great idea to can it. I guess I put it off thinking it would be hard to do, or that it would be weird when I finished. All I can say is that it was easy, turned out great and I’d like to do more when I can afford it.

The process is pretty simple. There are a couple of options. First, thick sliced bacon is the best. You can do regular bacon but it doesn’t hold up as well, but will work if you don’t mind some pieces instead of bacon strips.

Second, it is recommended that you can bacon in wide mouth quarts – each quart holds about a pound of bacon or a little more. You can however, can bacon in pint jars if you want to have smaller batches when you open the bottles. You’ll have to experiment to see how many slices you can get into your jars depending on whether you use wide mouth or regular.

Third, the processing time differs for each size of jar. Quarts and pints are both canned at 10 lbs. pressure, but Quarts are processed for 90 minutes and pints for 75 minutes.

Fourth, these instructions call for using masking paper –it comes in a roll 12” wide to use for masking when you are painting and can be purchased in a hardware or paint supply store. It is very inexpensive. You can also use parchment paper if you wish – it is more expensive but will work just fine.

Fifth and finally, this is one of those things that you will read on the internet that says you can’t can bacon at home. The reason they say this is because THEY don’t do it and therefore don’t recommend you doing it at home. It has been done for years and people who do it regularly, love it and have never had problems. One woman said she has kept the bacon on her shelves for more than 3 years but has also store in a darker cooler place for longer and would consider almost indefinite storage time if canned and stored properly. Just for the record I will say, I am doing this but if you decide to do it, it is your choice and you do it at your own risk. (THEY told me to say that!)

But what is the bacon like when it's opened? Doesn't the brown paper turn into paper mush? Is the bacon cooked or raw, crumbly or greasy? Once the jar cools, of course the bacon fat will turn white and solid instead of clear and liquid. Slide the bacon out of the jar and spread open. The paper will be creased and greasy, but not disintegrated or crumbly. It's kind of messy to peel the paper off the bacon, but it will peel. Once the bacon is free of the paper, simply fry it like ordinary bacon. It cooks up great! *Note: this bacon grease can also be part of your oil or fat storage.

Canning Bacon
-Thick sliced bacon (You can use regular bacon instead but it has a tendency to fall apart when cooking)
-Masking Paper 2 pieces - 12”x18” (can use parchment paper but masking paper is cheaper)
*When you are first starting out, do enough for one jar so you can see how many slices you can fit in your jars. If you are using wide mouth pint jars you will be able to fit more bacon in than if you are using regular pints. Using quarts makes a difference also. Also, if you are using thick sliced bacon, that will make a difference. If you can’t get it into your jars, just remove a slice or two of bacon and re-roll.

Cut an 18” piece of masking paper. Lay raw bacon slices on the paper, side by side, leaving about a 1½” overhang of paper on the starting side. Put between 12 and 14 pieces of bacon on the paper (1.2-1.4 lbs. bacon) side by side on the paper. Cut another piece of masking paper 18” long and lay on top of the bacon. When you have all your slices on the paper, fold the bacon in half (so that each piece is folded in half), bringing the top side of the 2 paper layers with the bacon in-between, (the side that is away from you) down to meet the side closest to you. Roll it tightly into a large roll, starting at the right side and tucking as you go. Using hot sterilized jars, lids and rims, slide the bacon into a canning jar, tucking in any extra paper. DO NOT ADD WATER! Wipe off the rim of the jar and top with new lid and ring. Using a pressure canner, process for 90 minutes (quarts) 75 minutes (pints) at 10 lbs. pressure in your pressure canner. Remove, cool, label and store on shelves.

Rhubarb

2011-08-01T19:14:00.000-07:00

I am amazed at the number of people who tell me they don’t like rhubarb. Usually upon further questioning, many have only ever tried it raw. I was further surprised to find out several people I talked to grow rhubarb in their yard, but only as a background for other flowers and shrubbery, but don’t use it to make yummy foods. Really? How could you? Well I don’t like it raw either, but I love Rhubarb pie, Rhubarb Muffins, Rhubarb cobbler, Rhubarb jelly, Rhubarb syrup, Rhubarb jam, Rhubarb Crisp, and Rhubarb fruit leather.

One thing that I really like about Rhubarb is how easy it is to use. Just pull the stalks, wash and cut into pieces and freeze for later use. If you have never tried Rhubarb, I want you to do something with it. I bet you’ll love it too.

I can't believe how easy it is to dry Rhubarb, thus freeing up more space in your freezer – can you tell that is an issue with me? Last year I made rhubarb fruit leather for the first time and I loved it. A lot. It is so easy and so good. I hesitated at first because there are so many other things I’d rather use it for and if you don’t have access to a lot of rhubarb, you become choosy about how you use it. I’m going to share the instructions on how to dry rhubarb as well as some of my favorite Rhubarb recipes. Here goes:

How to Dehydrate Rhubarb Using a Dehydrator
Remove (cut off), and safely discard the rhubarb leaves, (rhubarb leaves are poisonous).
Cut off the "pulp" end of the rhubarb stalks.
Rinse the rhubarb stalks with water.
Chop the rhubarb stalks into 1/2" - 1" pieces. Remove blemished areas of the stalks. (I like ½” for drying and all the pieces should be uniform in size)
Steam the rhubarb until it is slightly tender.
Transfer the rhubarb pieces to the dehydrator trays, and set the temperature to 130°, or as per the dehydrator manufacturer's instructions.
Rotate the dehydrator trays for "even" drying.
Drying time will vary with Dehydrator Model. Approximate drying time is between 6 - 14 hours, or as per the dehydrator manufacturer's instructions. Rhubarb pieces will feel leathery/crispy when dried.
I like to measure out the amount of rhubarb that my recipes call for before drying, (usually 4 c.) then I don’t have to worry about measuring when rehydrating.
Store the dried rhubarb pieces in airtight containers or bags.
Remember to label the containers or bags with the date, and use the "oldest" dehydrated rhubarb first. The rhubarb may appear brittle when dried, but it will reconstitute well when you include it in your rhubarb recipe.

Rhubarb Fruit Leather
4 c. chopped (1” pieces) fresh rhubarb
4 c. boiling water
½ c. brown sugar
1 t. ground cinnamon
In heatproof bowl combine rhubarb and the 4 c. boiling water. Let stand for 10 minutes. This softens the rhubarb and removes some of the acidity. In blender puree the softened rhubarb in batches. Add sugar and cinnamon. Taste and adjust flavorings as needed. Puree until smooth. Pour on trays and dry until sheet can be turned over. Dry to desired consistency – chewy to slightly crispy. Optional: add a can of cherry pie filling to blender and puree with rhubarb for a sweet and wonderful flavor.

My favorite Rhubarb Recipes:
Rhubarb Jelly
Cook rhubarb until it is mushy. Cover with just enough water to cover, the less water the stronger the flavor will be. Strain rhubarb extracting as much juice as possible.
3 c. rhubarb juice
1/3 c. liquid pectin (1 pouch or ½ bottle)
4 ½ c. sugar
Bring juice and pectin to a boil. Add sugar and bring to a boil for 1 minute. Pour into sterilized jars and put lids on. Water bath 15 minutes. This is a delicate, tangy jelly, especially good on thumbprint cookies or waffle or pancakes.

Rhubarb Pie
4 c. sliced rhubarb (1” slices)
1 2/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. flour
Dash salt
Combine flour, sugar and salt. Stir in rhubarb and let stand 15 minutes. Prepare pastry for 2 crust 9” pie and line pie plate with pastry. Fill with rhubarb mixture. Dot with 2 T. butter. Adjust top crust and seal edges and flute. Cut slits in top crust to vent steam Brush crust with milk or egg white and sprinkle with sugar on top. Cover edges of crust for the first while of baking to prevent over-browning. Bake on a baking sheet lined with foil at 400º for 50 minutes.

Cherry Rhubarb Jam
4 c. diced Rhubarb, Fresh, Frozen or Rehydrated
1 ½ c. sugar
3 oz. package cherry Jell-O
1 can (21 oz.) Cherry pie filling
In a large sauce pan, combine rhubarb and sugar. Le stand for 1 ½ hours, stirring occasionally. Bring to a boil, cook uncovered for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in gelatin until dissolved. Stir in pie filling. Seal in hot jars.

Rhubarb Crisp
5 c. chopped rhubarb
1 c. brown sugar, firmly packed
2/3 c. all-purpose flour
2/3 c. quick-cooking oats
½ t. cinnamon
3 T. butter or margarine
Place the chopped rhubarb in an 8" x 8" greased baking dish. In a bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour, oats and cinnamon. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or two knives until mixture resemble coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the above mixture over the rhubarb, and pat down lightly. Bake at 350° F for about 30 minutes or until the topping is lightly browned. Serve hot or cold with ice cream or whipped cream.

Rhubarb Cobbler
4 c. Chopped Rhubarb, fresh, frozen or rehydrated
1½ c. Sugar
¼ t. Salt
2 T. Lemon Juice
1/2 t. Almond Extract (optional) may substitute vanilla
2 c. Flour
2 T. Sugar
1/4 t. Salt
1 T. Baking Powder
¼ c. Shortening
¼ c. Butter
½ c. Whole Milk
1 whole Egg
Preheat oven to 400º. Combine rhubarb, sugar, ¼ t. salt, lemon juice, and almond extract. Stir and set aside. In a separate bowl, mix flour, 2 T. sugar, ¼ t. salt, and baking powder. Stir together. Add shortening and butter; then cut together with a pastry cutter. Beat egg and milk together. Pour into flour mixture and stir with a fork until just combined. Pour rhubarb into a buttered 9x9” baking dish. Tear off pinches of dough and drop it onto the surface of the fruit. If you wish for a thinner crust, don’t use all of the batter. Sprinkle additional sugar over the top. Bake 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream.

Rhubarb Upside-down Cake
2/3 c. packed brown sugar
3 T. butter, melted
2 ¼ c. diced fresh or frozen rhubarb
4 ½ t. sugar
6 T butter, softened
¾ c. sugar
2 eggs, separated
1 t. vanilla
1 c. plus 2 T. flour
1 ½ t. baking powder
½ t. salt
¼ c. milk
¼ t. cream of tartar
Whipped cream or ice cream
Combine brown sugar and 3 T. butter. Spread into greased 9” round baking pan. Layer with rhubarb; sprinkle with sugar and set aside. Cream butter and ¾ c. sugar. Beat in egg yolks and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder & salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. In small bowl, beat eggs whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until stiff peaks form. Gradually fold into creamed mixture, about ½ c. at a time. Gently spoon over rhubarb (pan will be full, about ¼” from top of pan.)Bake 325º 50-60 minutes or till cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool 10 minutes before inverting onto serving platter. Serve warm with whipped cream of ice cream. Note: if using frozen rhubarb measure rhubarb while still frozen, then thaw completely. Drain in colander, but do not press liquid out.

Rhubarb Muffins
1 ½ c. brown sugar
1 c. buttermilk, or sour milk
¼ c. vegetable oil
2 ½ c. flour
1 t. baking powder
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
3 c. rhubarb, chopped
1 t. baking soda
½ t. salt
½ c. chopped nuts, optional
Topping
1/3 c. brown sugar
1 ½ t. cinnamon
1 T. melted butter
Preheat oven to 400º. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl combine 1½ c. brown sugar, oil, milk, egg and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and mix thoroughly until dry ingredients are moistened. Fold in rhubarb. Spoon evenly into 12 muffin cups. In a small bowl, stir together the melted butter, sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of this mixture on top of each muffin. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until tooth pick inserted in center of muffins comes out clean.

Food Storage Friendly Friday – Recipe Idea and Tip of the Week

2011-07-29T11:00:00.000-07:00

One of the first posts I ever did when I started doing this blog was on how much I love my dehydrator(s). I use them all the time to preserve extras and to save fresh food for later use.

I have a great tip for you today that uses your dehydrator to save time in your food preparation. The tip is to dry cooked rice. It is great, especially if you use a rice cooker, to cook a big batch of rice then dry what you don’t use for other meals. When you are ready to use it all you have to do is add hot water and allow to sit for about 10 minutes to rehydrate it and it is ready to go. You can keep it stored in vacuum seal bags so that you can take it on camping trips, include it with a take-in meal to a friend, or just pull it out for a last minute meal. If you make your vacuum sealing bags a little larger than needed you can wash them out after use to be reused/sealed again (and again.) I know that when I cook a big batch of rice I am scrambling to find ways to use the extras, now you can dry them and use them later instead.

This is a great time of year when gardens start producing and you can make meals out of what you have grown. One thing that is really great is being able to preserve the “extra” and save it for later. I’ve always been an avid canner but now I love dehydrating vegetables just as much. The number one reason for this is the ease of storing in MUCH less space.

One of my favorite ways to dehydrate is shredding. I’ve talked before about the versatility of shredded vegetables. So far I have posted info on dried shredded, carrots and potatoes but today I want to discuss shredding and drying squash, specifically zucchini. In the past I’ve always shredded zucchini and measured it out in 2 cup bags for our favorite zucchini recipes. Sometimes it’s gotten neglected in the back of the freezer or I forget it’s there until I want to make zucchini bread then I have to hunt for it.

By shredding the zucchini I not only free up freezer space, I can store it in a very small area and have it ready to go in no time. Not only that, I have found so many different recipes calling for shredded zucchini that I love making. It is also a quick addition to minestrone soup, Alfredo sauce, tomato based sauces, muffins, quick bread or any other recipe that calls for zucchini. My favorite part of all is that it is so quick and easy to dry and preserve your zucchini for later use, takes hardly any time at all!

Today I am sharing the way I dry shredded zucchini as well as my favorite recipes to use it. If you have leftover zucchini, don’t give it all away, dehydrate it and see how many ways you can find to use it in the coming months.

Simply wash the zucchini, cut off the ends, and grate. I use a salad shooter to shred and it takes just minutes. No need to peel or remove seeds unless you are using larger zucchini, then you can cut out the center where the seeds are and peel it if the peel is too tough. Spread the zucchini shreds on your dehydrator trays and dry at a low temperature if you have a thermostat or regulator. The zucchini is dry when it is brittle. Dry pack in Mylar bags with oxygen absorbers or vacuum seal.

When you are ready to use the shreds in a recipe, just use 1/3 cup of shredded zucchini for each cup of zucchini called for in your recipe. You can add it directly to the batter or if you prefer, soak in it hot water and drain before adding to your bread or whatever. Such a convenient way to store ready-to-use zucchini. If you wish to increase your family’s nutrition add zucchini to pancakes (grind it into powder if you wish, use in spaghetti sauce or other tomato based sauces or add to any soup, stew or casserole and your family will never know the difference.

I am including my favorite zucchini brownie recipe. No one who has tasted this knows there is zucchini in it. A great disguise. Also including my favorite zucchini bread recipes as well as a favorite casserole dish too. No more frozen zucchini hiding in the back of your freezer!

Chocolaty Zucchini Brownies
½ c. oil
1 ½ c. sugar
2 t. vanilla
2 c. flour
1/3 c. cocoa (less or more if you wish)
1 ½ t. soda
½ t. salt
2 c. shredded zucchini (substitute 2/3 c. dried shredded zucchini soaked for 10 minutes in hot water and drained well)
½ c. chopped nuts (optional)
Frosting:
6 T. cocoa (or less)
¼ c. butter
2 c. powdered sugar
¼ c. milk
½ t. vanilla
Combine oil, sugar and vanilla. Mix dry ingredients together and stir. Add to sugar mixture. Stir in zucchini and nuts, if used. Combine well. Spread into a sprayed 9x13” pan. Bake at 350º for 25-30 minutes. For frosting: Stir and melt together cocoa and butter; cool slightly. Blend in 2 c. powdered sugar, milk and vanilla. Beat well. Frost brownies and top with shredded coconut or nuts if desired

Pineapple Zucchini Bread
3 eggs
1 c. oil
2 c. sugar
2 t. vanilla
2 c. grated zucchini
1 (8 oz.) can crushed pineapple drained well
3 c. flour
1 t. salt
1 ½ t. cinnamon
2 t. soda
½ t. baking powder
¾ c. nutmeg
1 c. nuts
1 c. raisins (optional)
Mix well and bake in 2 small loaf pans at 350º for 1 hour

Chocolate Zucchini Bread
3 eggs
1 c. oil
2 c. sugar
1 T. vanilla
2c. shredded zucchini, packed (substitute 2/3 c. dried shredded zucchini soaked in hot water for 10 minutes and drained well)
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
Mix together eggs, oil, sugar and vanilla. Add zucchini. Stir in flour, cocoa, salt, cinnamon, baking soda and baking powder. Mix well. Bake in 2 greased loaf pans at 350º for one hour or until done.
Then give a loaf to the kind soul who gave you the zucchini!

SPICY SQUASH BAKE
4 eggs, beaten
½ c vegetable oil
1 c. biscuit mix
1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chilies, undrained
1 medium onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 c. (8 oz.) shredded cheese, divided
4 c. coarsely chopped summer squash or zucchini or a combination of both, diced fine (replace with 2/3 c. dried shredded zucchini or summer squash, soaked in hot water for 10 minutes.
Combine eggs, oil and biscuit mix. Stir in chilies, onion and garlic and half the cheese. Stir in squash. Pour into greased 13x9” pan. Bake at 350º for 40 minutes. Sprinkle with reserved cheese and bake 5 minutes more. Y: 8-10 servings.

Whole Wheat Wednesday and One-Ingredient Ice Cream

2011-07-27T07:53:00.001-07:00

It has been an interesting week. I’ve had a chance to visit with a friend I have not really visited with for years. I have also done some reading; considering all the yard work, painting projects and other things I have had going on, that is amazing in and of itself.

One thing that I learned this weekend is that there seems to be a sense of awareness (I almost used the word panic) about preparedness. More than one person has stated they have had strong premonitions or promptings – I have heard both words used – about the coming winter and the financial “condition” this nation is in. More than one person told me, just this weekend alone, that they are gearing up for what they believe is going to be a long, cold and difficult winter. Interesting. Another said she feels there is a “time limit” for her to get prepared, with food on her shelves and enough fuel to get her through the winter. I also read that at a family reunion this past month, one father told his children and grandchildren that he was insisting that each of them have a 6 month (minimum) food storage on their shelves before October. That is quite a request.

This has made me think a lot about the coming winter. With such a tough growing season throughout the whole country, it is not surprising that there is more of an awareness now about food shortages and cold weather trauma. One lady mentioned a dream she had about an early hard freeze that left crops still in the fields. Scary! I don’t even like to think about that but with all the strange weather we’ve had this year it could happen. If something like this did happen, it would affect everyone, not just those who live in farming areas, but anyone who eats.

I’m struggling with using more food storage lately. Maybe it is the heat and my lack of desire to cook, but it’s been a tough summer for trying to incorporate more food storage. Nothing sounds good and it seems like a lot of extra work. One good way to use food storage without really trying though is in pancakes or waffles. Bonus: it doesn’t heat up your kitchen much.

One of the first ways I ever used whole wheat was in waffles and pancakes. I love the blender whole wheat pancakes and they are an old standby when I don’t have any whole wheat ground and am in a hurry. I love them. I also love mixes. Homemade mixes taste so much fresher than the mixes you buy and it’s great to be able to whip up a batch of waffles in a hurry.

This is a great recipe that uses several whole grains. The whole wheat flour to white flour ratio is 2 to 1 in this recipe. Adjust it as you wish but I love this ratio. Toasting the wheat germ and oat bran enhances the flavors or you can purchase them already toasted. You can buy these in bulk for just pennies without having to buy a large quantity if you wish.

I also love that this recipe uses buttermilk powder as well. My mom always used buttermilk powder in her pancakes and waffles when I was a child and I still love pancakes or waffles made with it. You can purchase it in large quantities or smaller containers in almost any grocery store. There are several different brands as well.

This recipe makes a large quantity of mix. If you have limited space in your fridge you can easily cut the recipe in half. These waffles are great served with fresh fruit and there are so many fruits available right now. Give this one a try; I think you’ll like it.

Whole-Wheat Waffle Mix Recipe
Y: 40 Servings
8 c. whole wheat flour
4 c. all-purpose flour
2 c. toasted wheat germ *to toast: toast on a baking sheet at 375°F for 5- 7 minutes until lightly brown
2 c. toasted oat bran *to toast: toast on a baking sheet at 375°F for 5- 7 minutes until lightly brown
2 c. buttermilk powder
6 T. baking powder
4 t. baking soda
2 t. salt

For Waffles:
2 c. waffle mix
2 eggs
1 c. water
2 T. canola oil
2 T. honey
In a large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients. You can buy toasted wheat germ and toasted oat bran or you can quickly toast your own. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 6 months. Yield: 17 c. mix (about 8 batches). Recipe can be halved.
To make waffles: Place 2 c. waffle mix in a bowl. Combine eggs, water, oil and honey; stir into waffle mix just until moistened. Bake in a preheated waffle iron according to manufacturer's directions until golden brown. Yield: 5 waffles (about 6”) per batch. *Note: Look for buttermilk blend powder next to the powdered milk in your grocery store.

I’m also including a fun ice cream recipe that has only 1 ingredient. Bananas. If you have not tried this, you must. I’ve had this recipe in my file for a long time but didn’t think I’d really ever make it. It was a great alternative to making banana bread and heating up the house. I was a skeptic when I heard of this and I’m not a banana lover in the first place, so I had to try it and see if it worked. It did and it was good. There are so many things you could add to this. Try it for yourself.

Banana Soft Serve “Ice Cream”
You can freeze this “ice cream” if you want but it’s best eaten immediately.
2 large very ripe bananas
¼ t. vanilla Optional
Peel bananas and slice into ½”discs. Arrange banana slices in a single layer on a parchment or wax paper covered baking sheet. Cover with wax paper or parchment. Freeze 9-10 hours until solidly frozen.
Puree banana slices in food processor until chunky, scraping down the bowl as needed. Continue to puree, scraping sides and bottom of processor until the mixture reaches a smooth, soft serve-like consistency. Add vanilla, if desired. Serve immediately. For a variation: blend in a few Tablespoons of Nutella, peanut butter or chocolate sauce if desired. I plan to slice a couple of strawberries into the mix next time.

Stocking Up - A Book Review

2011-07-22T12:57:00.000-07:00

Several years ago we got to know an elderly couple who lived in our community that we had not met before. They had very little money and were very self sufficient. The wife was suffering from all kinds of ailments, had been through countless surgeries and had lots and lots of medical bills; they spent most of their discretionary money on medications for her. Of course, they got social security checks each month and had Medicare, but it was never enough.

We developed a close relationship with this couple and grew to love them very much. They were such down-to-earth folks and just good people. Many people in the community looked down on them because they were “poor”, kept to themselves because of her health problems, they didn’t belong to the local church which almost everyone else in the community belonged to, and he had what I once overheard described as, “a nasty tobacco chewing habit”. Those who didn’t get to know them missed out big-time.

This man grew a humongous garden every year even though he was past 80 years old and they had chickens and a cow. They didn’t need much from the grocery store. They lived in a little bitty trailer house and the man who was very ingenious, had built a make-shift air conditioner to keep them cool and make a cool area to store their fresh produce and eggs.

These two were such an inspiration to me because of their ingenuity but even more so because of their desire to share whatever they had. They have both passed away now but I’ll never forget the time spent with them, their generosity, and ingenuity and to this day I still have several things that she made for me.

She was always telling me how they did things or how things were done when they lived in Kansas. One day she showed me an old book that she had that she claimed helped her to know how to do all these things that are now lost arts. She said this book helped her know how to prepare and preserve the things they grew and produced. I ordered my own copy of this book and it has been a great help in my preparation.

“Stocking Up: The Third Edition of The Classic Preserving Guide” by Carol Hupping and the Staff of the Rodale Food Center.

This book is about 630 pages and is a great guide to help you do almost anything. It contains comprehensive information on preserving Vegetable and fruit, including growing, harvesting, freezing, canning, drying and storing. There is a section on pickles and relishes, containing instructions for pickling almost anything you can imagine.

There is a section of James, jellies and fruit butters and also making, and preserving juices and ciders. There are lots of recipes as well as illustrations.

The section on Dairy Foods tells about freezing milk and cream, preserving eggs in several different methods and making homemade butter, cheeses and yogurts as well as ice creams.

One of the most interesting sections to me was the Meat, poultry and fish section. So many different instructions for everything from growing your own live food storage to butchering, preparing wild game and making pressed meats. You can learn how to preserve all your meat using different canning and drying methods. Lots of information on different kinds of fish is also included.

There is also a section on nuts, seeds, grains and sprouts with many recipes and suggestions for using your grains in cooking, grinding and sprouting. I love the fact that I can’t think of a question I have ever had about any kind of preserving that I didn’t find an answer to in this book.

If you are new to canning, or preserving, or just want a good reference book to help you in any of your self sufficiency needs, this is a great book to check out. If you’d like to check it out, here is a link on Amazon.com where you can take a peek inside this book. At around $15 it’s a great deal. http://www.amazon.com/Stocking-Up-Americas-Classic-Preserving/dp/0671693956/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1311010084&sr=1-1

Note: I don't know if Borders Bookstore carries this, but as they are having their going out of business sale now, you may want to check there for a good deal!

Whole Wheat Wednesday - Dinner Rolls

2011-07-20T13:06:00.000-07:00

In our quest to use more whole wheat in our cooking and baking, I can’t think of a better way to start than with dinner rolls. Who doesn’t love hot rolls with butter and jam or honey? Think fresh strawberry jam here. They are great with a meal, leftover as a snack or for a quick sandwich. And who doesn’t love a quick and easy recipe? I sure do. This recipe is easy and can be adapted to as much whole wheat flour as you want. Start with half whole wheat flour/half white flour and give them a try. I also like to use honey in place of the sugar (about 1/3 c. honey), but they are good either way.

These rolls work up quickly, rise fast and have a great texture. This recipe is made for use in a Kitchen Aid and makes 1 baking sheet of rolls. It can easily be doubled to make 2 pans and give you enough for sandwiches the next day. If you wish, you can double the recipe, use half the dough for rolls and make cinnamon or orange rolls with the rest. This dough also makes great sandwich pocket bread not to mention great scones.

Rapid Rise Wheat Rolls
5 ¼ c. flour (part white and part whole wheat flour)
3 T. SAF INSTANT yeast
¼ c. sugar
1 ½ t. salt
1 ¾ c. warm water
½ c. oil
2 eggs
Combine thoroughly, 2 c. flour, dry yeast, sugar and salt. Mix warm water, oil and slightly beaten eggs. Add egg mixture to dry ingredients. Beat thoroughly and let the dough “sponge” for about 5-10 minutes. Then add about 3 ¼ cups remaining flour. Dough should be slightly sticky. Knead on floured board about 5 times. Melt ¼ c. butter and spread on 15x10” baking sheet. Pinch off dough balls for the rolls; dip dough top-side-down in melted butter; turn over and place on the baking sheet leaving ½” space between rolls and sides of the baking sheet. This will fill one pan with rolls. Put pan of rolls in pre-heated 170º oven for 10 minutes. Remove rolls from oven. Preheat oven to 425º. The rolls should have risen enough to fill all the spaces and be above the rim of the baking sheet by about 1-2”. Bake the rolls for 10 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Yummy Ice Cream without an Ice Cream Maker

2011-07-18T11:06:00.000-07:00

I'm not talking about food storage today. Except for the kind that you eat and it is stored on your waistline. Today is our 36th wedding anniversary and we had big plans. Well maybe just little plans for the anniversary and the whole weekend in fact. Then my husband had to work. Bummer I know but he ended up working 3 of his 4 days off. So, I'm making ice cream and cleaning house.

He is an awesome man and I love him so much. He has always been such a hard worker and a great example. I'm so glad that I married him. Best decision I ever made!

So, since it's my anniversary and I can do what I want because I'm home alone, I want to share a recipe that has nothing to do with food storage. I’ve been having so much fun this summer making different kinds of ice creams and I’d like to share a quick and easy recipe that doesn’t require an ice cream maker. I used to make these easy ice cream recipes years ago but I was pretty boring in my recipes; usually just chocolate or vanilla. There are so many fun add-ins these days and you can get wild and crazy with what you put in your ice cream if you want. You can tweak the basic recipe to add whatever you want or have on hand. The only thing I would say is that it really needs to freeze overnight. Mine doesn’t get as hard as other ice creams I make but when I told my husband that, he said he thought it was a lot like soft ice cream that you get when you buy cones in different places. Anyway, he said it’s one of his favorites. So here goes:

Quick and Easy Ice Cream
2 c. heavy cream
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 T. butter (makes it very creamy)
½ c. Nutella
1 c. mini (½“) peanut butter cups or chop larger cups
Roasted sliced or slivered almonds (didn’t add these but will next time)
Whip cream till stiff. Whisk together sweetened condensed milk, melted butter and Nutella. Fold in desired add-ins and fold in whipped cream gradually. Put in a sealed container and freeze 8 hours or overnight. The basic recipe is just the cream, sweetened condensed milk and butter. From there you can add anything you like.

Suggested variations: start with sweetened condensed milk and add in your favorite fruits, syrups, topping or whatever you like. Stir in your choice of chopped fruit, nuts, chip, chopped candy bars, brownies or whatever you like. A fun idea is to let the ice cream freeze for a few hours, then stir in a little of the magic shell topping in kind of a marbled way and you’ll have crunchy chocolate mixed in with your ice cream.

This recipe called for Nutella and peanut butter chips but I used the teeny tiny peanut butter cups instead and they are so good.

Cinnamon Vanilla: To the sweetened condensed milk add 3 T. melted butter, ½ t. cinnamon and ½ t. vanilla extract for a cinnamon vanilla ice cream. Note: I have to admit I was skeptical about the melted butter but you never know it’s there and it makes the ice cream so rich and smooth.

Cherry-chocolate: Stir some cherry pie filling into your milk, 2 T. melted butter, add ¼ t. almond extract (optional) and chocolate chips a delicious cherry chocolate ice cream.

S’mores: Add crushed graham cracker crumbs, chocolate syrup, mini marshmallows (or marshmallow cream stirred in only slightly so you have a marbled effect). Try some chocolate magic shell after a few hours of freezing.

Cookies and cream: Stir in 3 T. butter, crushed Oreos and ½ t. – 1 t. vanilla extract to your sweetened condensed milk.

If you have made this or do make it, I’d love to hear of any variations you try. Can’t wait to make this again!

Food Storage Friendly Friday - Meal Idea and Tip of the Week

2011-07-15T08:03:00.001-07:00

I am curious as to how many people take vitamins. It used to be that a One-A-Day vitamin was on everyone’s breakfast plate; I think that was back when we ate healthier, foods contained less preservatives and more nutrition. So now that we live such a rushed and hurried life with the availability of fast foods and less time for healthy cooking I wonder if we are really getting the nutrition we need.

One of the things we are advised to do is to store vitamins. Not just any vitamins, but ones that actually dissolve and are absorbed into your system and help to make you healthier. You will pay a little more for really good vitamins but your health may benefit from it, especially if you live a stressful busy life, and who doesn’t.

My tip today is to store vitamins for your family BUT ONLY if you are taking them daily and rotating them. If you stick vitamins in your storage and forget about them, you are wasting your money. They need to be rotated regularly. Old vitamins aren’t much better than no vitamins.

One option that we have found in our diets is a healthy “green drink”. It is absolutely filled with nutrition and every vitamin and mineral you can imagine. It isn’t the best tasting but the health benefits are abundant. I can’t recommend this enough if you want to get more nutrition without eating a lot of extra food. The biggest plus is that because it is in powder form, it goes immediately into your system. It is called Green Vibrance and if you are interested in this nutrition supplement, here is a link so you can check it out and see all the fabulous things that are in it. http://www.healthyprism.com/green-vibrance-economy-60.html

I’m still trying new recipes using food storage. This one is a “bean” recipe. I thought it was interesting. This recipe uses canned or cooked white beans. It makes for a moist bread and you can’t taste the beans at all. If you are looking for a way to incorporate more beans or fiber in your diet this may be it. The older I get the more interested I am in incorporating more nutrition into my diet without having to actually eat more food. This is a good way to start.

White Bean Banana Nut Bread
1 ¾ c. sifted all-purpose flour
2 t. baking powder
¼ t. baking soda
½ t. salt
1/3 c. shortening
2/3 c. granulated sugar
2 eggs, well-beaten
1 c. mashed, ripe bananas, peeled
1 t. vanilla extract
1 c. canned or cooked white beans, pureed (great northern)
½ c. chopped pecans or walnuts
Preheat oven to 350º. Puree beans and mash bananas. Sift together dry ingredients; cream shortening and sugar together. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition add vanilla and mix well. Add flour mixture alternating with bananas and beans, beating well after each addition. Stir in nuts. Pour into a greased mini loaf pans. Bake about 20-25 minutes (depending on the size of your pans) or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean and the bread is golden brown. Let cool in pans for 5 minutes then remove to a baking rack to cool completely. If using a single loaf pan bake for about 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Y: 4 small mini loafs or one large loaf
Note: To puree the beans add them to a blender with a tablespoon or two of water. Blend until smooth. Store unused beans in a zip lock freezer bag and store in the freezer.

Whole Wheat Wednesday

2011-07-13T08:58:00.001-07:00

Wednesday is our day to focus on using whole wheat. If you have any favorite uses or recipes for using whole wheat, please email them to me at preparedness365@gmail.com. I have already gotten some fun recipes and ideas.

One of the first things to know when you begin using more whole wheat in your recipes and meal planning is that you don’t have to start with 100% whole wheat in your recipes. If you have a favorite recipe that you love to make and are a bit afraid of how whole wheat will change it, start with substituting just ¼ of the amount of flour called for with whole wheat flour. This will make such a small difference that people who aren’t looking may not even notice. The best place to start using more whole wheat flour is in cookies or cakes. It really doesn’t show up much.

We talked about making your own whole wheat pasta but another fun way to use whole wheat is in homemade tortillas. Fresh homemade tortillas are such a treat and so different than tortillas you buy that you will love the taste and adding some whole wheat flour will be a great way to learn to love cooking with whole wheat. Try adding whole wheat flour to the recipe below. Start with 1 c. whole wheat flour and 3 cups white flour if you are hesitant then add more whole wheat until you find your favorite ratio.

Flour Tortillas
4 cups white or whole wheat flour or half each
1 ½ t. salt
1 ½ t. powder (optional)
1/3 c. shortening
1 to 1 ¼ c. water
Combine flour, salt and baking powder. Baking powder makes tortillas lighter, even if you roll them a little thick. Cut in the shortening with a pastry cutter or 2 knives. When flour is crumbly, add water. Stir the dough with your fork until dough forms a ball. Add extra water (start with just a bit) if the dough is too dry. When the dough forms a ball, knead it about 20 times. Let dough rest in the bowl for about 10 minutes. Form it into 10 or 12 equal size balls. On a well floured surface, roll each ball into a thin disc to a 6-7” circle; no need to be perfectly round, but the thinner the better. Loosen the tortilla from the rolling surface. Flop it onto a dry, hot skillet. Cook about 30 seconds, until the bottom side is dry, with a few brown spots. Flip it and cook the other side the same way. Transfer the cooked tortilla to a plate, and repeat until all tortillas are cooked. Use them the same way you would store-bought tortillas: burritos, soft tacos, etc. Use immediately or reheat a few seconds in the microwave to soften tortillas for easier rolling.*Notes: The first few times you make these, you will need 30 to 40 minutes for the whole procedure. With practice the time will be cut in half soon. Homemade tortillas are not as flexible as store-bought tortillas. To make them more flexible, place them in a plastic bag while still warm, and let them cool right there in the bag. The steam will make them more pliable, and easier to roll up into fancy burrito shapes. Use them this way immediately. This recipe makes about a dozen tortillas

Whole Wheat Tortilla Fruit Nachos
Here is a fun way to use tortillas in the summer with the abundance of fresh berries or any fresh fruit. Simply cut cooked tortillas into wedges. Dip each wedge into water and place in a single layer on a wire rack that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray and placed on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar. Turn tortilla triangles over and sprinkle other side generously. Place coated tortilla triangles in a 400º oven and bake 5 minutes, then turn triangles over. Cook another 5 to 8 minutes, until lightly browned and crispy, watching closely the last few minutes so as not to burn. Remove from oven and cool.

Top the sweet tortilla chips with your choice of berries, top with your favorite raspberry, boysenberry, lemon or strawberry sauce (any ice cream topping will work great), melted white chocolate or milk chocolate or sprinkle with any of your favorite toppings, such as a light dusting of powdered sugar, sliced almonds, more cinnamon and sugar or fresh coconut or canned whipped cream. You can use anything you like in any combination for fun appetizers at a barbecue or family get together. Even just plain berries, slightly sweetened to taste, will be great all by themselves.

Fruit for food storage – Fruit Leather

2011-07-11T07:22:00.000-07:00

Making your own fruit leather or fruit roll-ups is easy to do. There are no rules and anything will work. There are just a couple of things to remember.

First of all, the flavor intensifies when it is dried. So, if you want to add a little sweetener to your fruits you can but know that it will taste sweeter dried than it does when you put it on the trays. Remember the sweeter the fruit is the longer it will take to dry.

Second, you can do anything you want to with your fruit leathers. Add cinnamon or other spices or flavorings if you want. Vanilla and almond or other extracts can also be added. Experiment until you find your own preferences and then write down what you do so you have your own recipes for future use.

Third, when preparing the puree’s to dry, you can add juice or water to make the fruit easier to blend or puree’ but remember the more water you add the less strong the flavor will be and the longer it will take to dry. Taste the fruit after you puree to see if you need to sweeten or flavor at all.

Fourth, before spreading leather on your drying trays, spray them with cooking spray and then wipe off any extra so that the leather can be easily removed from the sheet without tearing. I like to turn the fruit leather over once during the drying process (just my personal opinion) but this makes it easier.

Here are some fun options for drying:

Apples: Process in a food processor or blender, adding liquid if necessary until you reach a smooth consistency. Add spices or flavorings as desired. Spread ¼” thick on lightly oiled drying trays and dry 8 -12 hours or until leather will peel easily off the sheet. Drying time depends on the thickness of the sheet of fruit and the sugar content of the puree.

Applesauce: the applesauce that is flavored works great. You can make applesauce for drying using 1 lb. apples, cored and chopped, 1 c. water or apple cider or juice and cinnamon to taste. Simmer until apples are tender and then puree.

Berries: Puree berries using a little water, orange juice concentrate or other fruit juice. You can also add applesauce to your berries to puree. If desired simmer fruit a bit in the liquid to soften before pureeing and placing on drying trays. Any combination of berries is great. Taste before drying and add sweetener if needed or fruit flavored syrups, extracts or cinnamon, if desired.

Bananas: I have never made banana leather but you certainly can if you love bananas. Just puree with some fruit juice, apple or pineapple – this helps prevent darkening and spread on drying trays. Know that this leather will be very sticky and thicker than others and will take longer to dry, but kids love it.

Rhubarb: (My personal Favorite) 4 c. chopped (1” pieces) fresh rhubarb, 4 c. boiling water, ½ c. brown sugar and 1 t. ground cinnamon. In heatproof bowl combine rhubarb and the 4 c. boiling water. Let stand for 10 minutes. This softens the rhubarb and removes some of the acidity. In blender puree the softened rhubarb in batches. Add sugar and cinnamon. Taste and adjust flavorings as needed. Puree until smooth. Pour on trays and dry until sheet can be turned over. Dry to desired consistency – chewy to slightly crispy. If desired, add a can of cherry pie filling to blender and puree with rhubarb for a sweet and wonderful flavor.

Apricot, peach or pear leather: These are family favorites. I like to peel the fruits but peeling is optional. Puree diced fruit with a little water or pineapple juice (the pineapple juice helps prevent discoloration). When a smooth consistency is reached, taste for flavor, and pour on trays and dry.

Melon leather: Some people love melon leather, others don’t. If you have an overripe melon that you don’t want to eat, give this a try. Just remove seeds and puree. Remember because of the water content of the melon, it takes longer to dry.

Canned or frozen fruit leather: Canned fruit makes wonderful leather. Canned fruit has already been sweetened so it is ready to go. Drain the juice from the fruit, puree and spread on trays. It is so easy to do. If you have frozen fruit in your freezer that you need to use, consider making it into fruit leather; just blend or process in food processor and puree till smooth. Sweetening as needed; just remember it will taste sweeter dry than it tastes in puree form.

Fruit Leather from Juice: You can also make fruit leather from juice. Frozen juice concentrates can be spread on drying trays and dried. If you have a juicer in your kitchen, juice different fruits and vegetables and make them into leather. Any combination will work. Try carrot juice with apples, grapes (a great way to use grapes that are too soft to eat) or cucumbers. (The carrot juice is so sweet when dried). Add some spinach or any berries you wish. This is a great way to use fruit that is a little too ripe and vegetables that your kids would not ordinarily eat. The great thing about this is that when you dry the juiced fruits and veggies, the flavors intensify and become wonderful as a healthy snack.

Have fun making leather. Experiment with different combinations of juice and fruit. Mix with fruit pie fillings for different flavors and consistencies. Dry Jell-O powder also adds flavor and color in place of sugar and is fun to experiment with. Have a favorite fruit leather combo that you make? Tell us about it.

Food Storage Friendly Friday - Good Water

2011-07-08T06:38:00.001-07:00

I am always trying to find beverages that are adaptable to food storage. I’m not very good at drinking water and I think if water was all I had it would be hard for me. Okay, I know I should and I could drink more water than what I do but it is a hard thing for me.

I recently found a beverage that could be easily adapted to combine both the benefits of water and also provide a break from the “ho hum nothing to drink but water” syndrome. This is such a great summertime beverage regardless of why you drink it. It is simple and refreshing and I love this drink.

I’ve seen several versions of this drink on the internet lately. Some call it citrus water, some call it good water, it’s been called lemon water and some even call it water citrus punch. I think the name “good water” fits because it is and I really like it. In fact, I crave it. The heat this past week has caused me to drink a LOT of it.

The first batch I made was way too sweet and I made an orange flavor instead of the traditional lemon. I tried it with oranges, lemons and limes. I’ve used lemon or orange extract and lemon and orange oil. It’s good anyway you make it. I started drinking water with lemon essential oil in it at the suggestion of a health care professional a few years ago to strengthen my kidneys (it cleans the kidneys and is good for them).

I have decided that as much as I like this drink I will keep the ingredients on hand so I can have it any time. It calls for sliced lemons, limes or oranges and while they greatly enhance the flavor it can be made without the fresh fruit, but wouldn’t taste quite as fresh and good.

The citric acid can be purchased from a pharmacy, health food store or online. It was drastically cheaper at the health food store than anywhere else I looked. This was always a staple in punch when I was younger. Many foods contain citric acid. It is used to reduce spoilage in sprouting. It is used in canning, drying or freezing foods. It is also used to making some cheeses.

I will share the basic recipe as well as some variations for you to try. I hope you like it as much as I do. I usually make just half of a batch and keep a pitcher of it in the fridge.

Good Water
5 quarts water
2 c. sugar (Less if you like)
1 T. lemon extract (can substitute orange extract or lemon or orange oil – to use oil in place of extract, use about ¼ the amount of oil as you would extracts. Adjust to suit your taste. (I used about 25-30 drops of lemon oil for a half batch when I made it with oils)
1 T. citric acid
3 sliced lemons
Ice (if serving at a party, reunion or reception)
Store together, add sliced fruit and chill or add to a punchbowl with ice and sliced lemons, oranges or limes or any combo you wish.

72-Hour Kit Wednesday - A Comprehensive List

2011-06-29T11:03:00.001-07:00

I’m so glad to have my 72-hour kit updated. It really isn’t hard to do but it nags at you until it gets done. Today I am posting a comprehensive list of all the things we have put in our kits over the last 6 months. This is mostly because I want to be able to look at the list, see if there is anything I need to rotate in or out of the kits, any batteries I need to check and anything else I need to add.

I will keep this list with my kits and put a date on it every time I make changes or do rotation. I think this will help remind me to keep it updated, use the food and add new as well as rotating medicines every 3 months.

If you are just starting your kits, you can use this list to check to make sure you have all the basics that we have covered on Wednesdays since January. Please leave a comment if you have any additions or other ideas.

72-Hour Kit Checklist
1. Backpack, duffle bag, rolling suitcase, 5 gallon bucket with lid, large garbage can with wheels or any combo of the above.
2. Flashlight – one for each person and light sticks
3. A change of clothes for each person – consider the seasons
4. Supplies for babies and infants
5. Medications – Ziploc bags for your kit – Start saving Cash for your kits
6. Sleeping Bags – one for each person
7. Individual first-aid kits for each person; a larger kit for one of the adult kits
8. Hand Crank Radio
9. Tools - Camping axe, shovel, pocket knife
10. Breakfast foods
11. Camping stove or no cook foods
12. Lunches and dinners
13. Drinking water
14. Snacks
15. Toilet paper & feminine products
16. Ponchos & Emergency blankets or sleeping bags
17. Hygiene supplies – Soap, Toothpaste & Brushes, Hair bands, Deodorant, Tand towel or wash cloth, anti-bacterial wipes, Kleenex or handkerchiefs, Hand Sanitizer, Nail clippers or file, Tweezers, shampoo, chapstick, razor, sunscreen
18. Important documents
19. Matches (Waterproof in a waterproof container)
20. Toilet Facilities
21. Gloves and hand warmers
22. Ground cover and garbage containment supplies
23. Supplies for children – games & treats, etc.
24. Cash – Small bills and some coin

Cooking With Charcoal - Using a Dutch Oven

2011-06-27T13:05:00.001-07:00

We have talked about cooking with charcoal before, using a foil-lined box oven. Here is another method, probably the most popular method of all, cooking with a Dutch Oven.

Anything you can cook in your oven or crock pot, you can cook in a Dutch oven. Whether you want a meal of chicken and potatoes, pot roast and potatoes, chili, or even pizza, a Dutch oven does a great job! It is great for baking biscuits and rolls, desserts and pies and even breakfast. I’ve even baked cookies and made French Fries and doughnuts. And to repeat my favorite saying, “If I can do it, anyone can do it.”

All you need to do is practice and have confidence. Lots of the Dutch oven cooking that goes on is done using charcoal briquettes. This makes it easier to estimate temperatures which results in better meals.

Here is a hint that has helped me know how many briquettes to use when adapting recipes from my oven to a Dutch Oven: Take the size of your oven such as 12” then double that number to 24. This is the number of coals to start with to reach 350º. Put 10 under the oven and the rest on top. Each additional coal placed on the oven adds about 20º. For baking put most of the heat on the lid. For frying, put most of the heat on the bottom.

I am not a great Dutch Oven Cook but I do have some Charcoal stored so I have another option in the event of a power outage. I also have some favorite recipes that I cook in the Dutch Oven. Any food storage recipe that you have for your oven or stove top can be adapted to a Dutch oven.

Here are a few of my favorite recipes to make in the Dutch Oven. I’d love to hear about some of your favorite things to make in a Dutch Oven and how often you use your ovens.

Dutch Oven Barbecue Meatloaf
2 eggs, beaten
2/3 c. milk
1 ½ t. salt
1/8 t. pepper
2/3 c. chopped onion
½ c. finely chopped green pepper
3 slices bread, crumbled
2/3 c. grated raw carrot
2 lbs. Hamburger, lean is best
1 can Coke or Pepsi, caffeine free or regular
1 small bottle ketchup
Mix eggs, milk, salt, pepper & bread until mushy. Add onion, carrots, peppers & hamburger. Mix well and form into a loaf. Place in a hot Dutch oven. Mix 1 can coke and 1 bottle ketchup. Pour over meatloaf and cook about 1 hour or till done. Baste occasionally and serve with extra sauce if desired. This sauce also works on ribs, pork chops, steak or chicken.

Mountain Dew Dutch Oven Chicken
½ lb. bacon
1 gallon zip-loc bag with 1 cup flour
2 chicken breasts
2 potatoes
2 carrots
1 large onion
1 can Mountain Dew soda (Used caffeine free)
½ c. shredded cheddar cheese
Preheat Dutch oven by setting on bed of coals.
Chop bacon into 1” pieces.
Dice vegetables.
Cut chicken breasts in half lengthwise.
Fry bacon in Dutch oven until crispy.
Remove bacon from Dutch oven but leave grease.
Shake chicken breasts in baggie of flour to coat.
Cook in bacon grease to brown, about 5 minutes, turning a couple times. Pour vegetables, bacon, and Mountain Dew on top of chicken. Cover with lid and cook at 350° for 45 minutes with ¾ of coals on lid. Using tongs or a fork, lift chicken breasts so they are resting on top of vegetables. Sprinkle cheese over the chicken. Cook an additional 10 to 15 minutes. Serves 6 to 8.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake
1 can (20 oz.) Pineapple Slices
1 c. brown sugar
1 cube butter
1 cake mix (yellow, pineapple, butter or white)
The ingredients listed on the box to make the cake batter
Line Dutch Oven with foil. Melt butter in the Dutch oven. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over melted butter. Arrange pineapple slices over brown sugar. Mix cake mix as directed and pour over pineapple. *Note: use pineapple juice as part of the liquid in the cake mix. Cook using about 8 briquettes on bottom and the rest on top. Bake 10-20 minutes depending on the size of your oven. (For a very large oven use more pineapple or double all ingredients.

Sloppy Joes
1 ½ lb. ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 stick celery, chopped
2 ½ c. tomato juice
2 T. soy sauce
2 T. Worcestershire sauce
1/3 c. vinegar
1/3 c. sugar
2 T. flour
Hamburger Buns
Brown meat, onion & celery together in Dutch oven using 20 coals on bottom. Drain grease. Add tomato juice, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce and vinegar. Remove enough coals from bottom to achieve a simmer; let simmer a few minutes. Stir together flour and sugar and stir into simmering meat mixture. Cover and simmer until thick, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Serve on buns. Y: about 6-8 servings. *Recipe can easily be doubled.

Taco Soup
2 lb hamburger
1 onion
2 t. garlic, chopped
6 t. dry chicken bouillon
6 c. water
1 can Ro-Tel tomatoes and green chilies
1 can diced tomatoes
1 pkg. dry taco seasoning mix
1 pkg. dry ranch dressing mix
1 can corn
1 can black beans
1 can pinto beans
8 oz mild cheddar cheese
12 oz. bag Fritos or Doritos
Brown hamburger, onion and garlic in Dutch oven. Drain grease from hamburger if it was not lean. Add bouillon, water, tomatoes, dry mixes, corn, and beans. Bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Simmer for 20 minutes. Serve into bowls lined with chips and sprinkle cheese on top with extra chips on the side. Y: 8 servings.

WAKE UP CASSEROLE
8 frozen hash brown patties (or enough to line the bottom of your Dutch Oven)
4 c. shredded cheese
1 lb. cubed ham (2 c.)Or cooked sausage or bacon - your choice
7 eggs (Add more if using a larger oven)
1 c. milk
½ t. salt
½ t. dry mustard
I like to line the Dutch Oven with Foil and Spray the foil with Non-Stick Cooking Spray. Put hash brown patties in bottom of Dutch Oven. You can also use diced (loose) hash browns, sprinkled in the bottom of the oven about 1/2 - 3/4" thick. Sprinkle with cheese & ham. In a bowl, beat eggs, milk, salt & mustard and pour over patties. Cover & bake 350º for 30-40 minutes depending on the size and temperature of your oven. Uncover, bake 15 minutes longer. *If using a larger oven, adjust all ingredients.

Food Storage Friendly Friday - Meal Idea and Tip of the Week

2011-06-24T10:38:00.001-07:00

Since I said that I was going to be posting more recipes and uses for Whole Wheat, I’ve received several recipes using Whole Wheat. Thank you to those who have sent them in. I hope we get a lot more so we can all increase the amount of whole wheat we are using in our recipes. Send any recipes or ideas to preparedness365@gmail.com. I’ll still be posting any food storage recipes that you send in also as well as the ones I’ve already received. I know we can all use more recipes that are food storage friendly.

One thing I have learned in the last year or so is that the more you incorporate food storage into your cooking, the healthier it is. I believe that many people who are very health conscience in their cooking are already using food storage and don’t know it. As I have mentioned in the past, food storage has and does get a bad rap. You can almost see some people turn up their noses when you mention food storage to them. I know that there are some really bad food storage recipes and ideas but there are also some good ones too, so if you have some of those good ones, email them to me.

The tip this week is one I got from a friend. She said she never buys baking powder anymore because it all contains aluminum. She makes her own and I think this is a great idea. I changed the kind of salt I use for the very same reason so why not eliminate aluminum from baking powder as well. Here are her instructions.

Aluminum-Free Baking Powder
This recipe makes 1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
2 t. cream of tartar
1 t. corn starch (if your are storing the baking powder – omit if you are just adding to a recipe)
Mix baking soda and cream of tartar together until well combined and use immediately, or, add cornstarch to make a batch to have on hand.

This week’s Food Storage Friendly Friday recipe is from my friend Jeri B. in Arizona. She says with this basic salad recipe you can tweak it to fit your family’s tastes. It would also be fun served with homemade tortilla chips. Thanks for the recipe, Jeri.

Corn And Bean Salad
1 can corn, drained
1 can black beans, drained
1 small shallot, diced finely or some rehydrated diced onion
1 can petite diced tomatoes (optional) drained or undrained, your choice
1 T. balsamic vinegar
½ T. olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
Just a little Sugar to taste
If you have lime juice or fresh limes you can switch out the limes for the vinegar. Stir all together. Drain tomatoes if you wish. You can also add some cooked pasta if you like. Spice up with dried or fresh herbs to your liking.

Grandma's Million Dollar Pickles

2011-06-23T14:24:00.000-07:00

I have been painting my living room this morning and the only good thing I have to say about painting, is that when I paint I have lots of time to think. This morning I thought a lot about my Grandma. She was born 132 years ago tomorrow. That is crazy to think of. I loved her so much and spent a lot of time with her when I was growing up. Thankfully we always lived close to her and in her later years she came to live with us for awhile. But the thing I remember most about her is going to her house as a child. When I stayed with her she would fix us a “little lunch” as she called it. Sometimes it wasn’t even lunchtime but it didn’t matter to me. She could make a meal out of almost nothing and it seemed like a feast to me.

One of the most valuable recipes I have of hers is her sweet pickle recipe. I love these pickles so much that to this day I cannot eat one without thinking about her. These pickles take a long time to make but they are oh so worth the effort. They are made in an old fashioned crock, I have used wide mouth gallon jars and they work fine. These pickles involved quite a process but are worth every second that it takes to make them.

I would like to share her recipe with you today because she is on my mind. I have to make these pickles this summer if I don’t do anything else. I hope you’ll try them too.

MILLION DOLLAR PICKLES - Grandma Hill
About 50 small sized cucumbers, washed good. (No bigger than about 1-1 ½” in diameter –leave the tiny cucumbers about the size of my index finger whole)
Make a brine of water and salt that is strong enough to float an egg. Just keep stirring the salt until an egg will float in the mixture.
Pour over cucumbers in large non metal container. Let stand 2 weeks with a cloth over top and a weight holding cloth cover in place. Check periodically to make sure cloth isn’t getting musty. Change the cloth if needed. After 2 weeks, wash cucumbers well and cut into 1” slices. Make a solution of 1 T. powdered alum and water to cover. Let cucumbers remain in this for 2 days. Wash again, and let drain till dry. Make syrup of:
1 quart vinegar
2 qt. sugar
2 blades of mace or ½ t. ground mace
2 sticks cinnamon
1 T. whole cloves
Bring to a boil and pour over cucumbers 3 mornings in succession. On the 4th morning put in sterilized jars and pour hot liquid over and seal. Note: Use the same syrup each day; just bring to a boil each day.

72-Hour Kit Wednesday - Ideas for Kids

2011-06-22T10:43:00.000-07:00

If you have children you know that they are the ones who will be the most affected by a disaster. They will have the hardest time if things become unsettled or unfamiliar to them. When you are planning your kits keep in mind that children’s kits need some extra thought as to the things they might need or that will make things easier for them.

If they need a binky, bottles, a blanket that they sleep with, etc. make a note that attaches to your kits to remind you to grab a diaper bag or special blanket in the event you have to evacuate!

Here are some fun ideas for things you can include to keep them entertained if you happen to have an emergency. You know what your kids special interests and favorite things are, so be sure to include some in their kits. Here are some ideas.

CHILDREN'S SURVIVAL KIT
Store these items in water proof containers. A plastic bucket is ideal for this. Make it accessible to your emergency kits. Add any other items you think would make things easier for children during an emergency.

Suggested Items:
1.Books & Magazines
2.Paper, Coloring Books, and Activity Books
3.Felt Tip Markers, Colored Pencils, Scissors
4.Notebook and pencils
5.Small Games
6.Children’s card games
7.Small toys
8.Any Hard Candy
9. A soft ball or tennis ball
10. A small soft doll or stuffed animal
11.Children's Vitamins, Pain-Reliever, Cold Remedies, Band Aids, & First-Aid Cream
12.Creative Game List (Below)
13.String
14.Clothespins
15.Feather
16.Straws
17.Wooden Blocks
18.Marbles
19.Metal Washers

CREATIVE GAME LIST IDEAS
This is a list of games that children can play out of everyday items.

Clothespins -
1.Drop in a bottle
2.Pitch at a target
3.Clothesline relay

Wooden Blocks -
1.Print letters on cubes. Roll cubes to spell words. First one to complete 10 words wins.

Marbles -
1.Roll them at a target
2.Toss them in a box
3.Old Fashioned Marble Game

Metal Washers -
1. Toss them into numbered cups.

Paper Cups -
1.Tossing Games
2.Blowing Relay
3.Telephone (made with cups and string)

Paper Plates -
1. Toss through a wire coat hanger

Straws -
1.Marble Blow Relay
2.Bean Relay

Spoons -
1.Carry Ball
2.Flip Beans at target
3.Carry Cotton Balls

Feathers -
1.Feather Volleyball: blow feather over string or net
2.Toss them at a target
3.Blow them over the line relay

Top Ten List

2011-06-21T12:47:00.000-07:00

There are a lot of important things to keep in your food storage. What is the most important is a bit subjective for each person and each family. So here is a top 10 list, compiled by Cynthia Grayson. Decide which of these are important and make your own top 10 list so that you will always have those items on hand. Evaluate what you already have on hand and add to it.

1. Water- Having enough water in your long term food storage is very important. Water is not only for drinking but cooking and personal hygiene as well. Make sure you have plenty of water for everyone in your family and your animals as well. Bleach bottles are a great place to store water, just a little bit of bleach will keep your water safe for use much longer than storing water alone. The best, most leak proof bottles for storing water, are those specifically intended for that purpose. The square, heavy duty water storage jugs (5 gallon) are great. Do not store water in empty milk jugs – they will disintegrate over time.

2. Grains- Items such as wheat, flour, rice, and pasta are great items to store. Some of these items, if stored properly, can last up to 30 years! These are staples in most daily diets so it only makes sense to have them in your food storage as well. Make sure you store the same types of food you eat on a regular basis; this will assist you in not getting sick from eating things you aren’t used to eating.

3. Fats- Don’t let the name fool you; these are an important part of your diet and are necessary for your long term food storage. What you choose to store from this list may vary but here are some ideas, peanut butter, salad dressing (great for adding flavor to anything you are cooking not just salads), shortening, vegetable oil, and mayonnaise. All these items on the list are great for cooking and changing up your everyday recipes. Try using them in some of your meals now so you will know how to use them in your food storage.

4. Drink mixes- I am not the biggest fan of water so having drink mixes is a must for me. Get a variety of mixes so that you can have a variety of drinks. Mixing up what you have to drink will allow you to not get bored of plain old water. If you are a cocoa drinker store some instant cocoa that you can mix with some hot water.

5. Spices and seasonings- Don’t forget your spices! Adding different spices to your meals will give you the ability to change things up. No one wants to eat plain oatmeal for breakfast EVERY day, add brown sugar one day and cinnamon the next. Having a variety of items to “spice” up the mundane will keep everyone happy, even the kids!

6. Candy- Just because you are storing food in case of emergency doesn’t mean you should forget the comfort foods. Children will love you if you keep some sweets around and you know that it’s a must for you too. Hard candy is a great item to store but look into canning some of your extra Halloween candy. My sister did it and it lasted 8 months and tasted great! Remember that most hard candy will soften and melt – as in become gooey- if any moisture gets into it. Make sure it is packed air tight.

7. Legumes- That’s right, you may not love beans and peas but having them in your food storage will allow you to have a well balanced diet. These can give you protein when you don’t have enough meat and also provide fiber for your diet.

8. Cooking essentials- Don’t forget some of the items you may take for granted like sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda and yeast and canned milk. These are all items you will need to have on hand for turning that flour you are storing into something your family will eat. While you are at it don’t forget powdered milk! It’s a must for food storage! Think about that oatmeal with just water on it! Even in emergencies you don’t have to live without your comforts, just plan ahead!

9. Multi-Vitamins- Even if you make sure to store the best foods and you make sure you are eating a balanced diet having multi- vitamins around will allow you to make sure your body is getting the nutrients you need. One excellent way to store nutrients is with a “green drink” or nutrition supplement. There are so many to choose from but some really great ones offer tons of nutrition that would help maintain optimal health despite undesirable conditions

10. Cooking supplies- Let’s say you are in an emergency and you lose power, how are you going to cook all this amazing food you have in storage? Make sure you have cooking supplies like a camp stove with extra fuel and some matches. Also think about pots and pans, even if you grab them from your kitchen make sure you have some available to you for cooking. Think about silverware and the other utensils you use every day when you are cooking and keep some of those with your food storage.

These 10 items are only an over view of the things I keep in my long term food storage. Do some research and see what else you should store but make sure that whatever you store is items you and your family will eat and enjoy. As far as how much of everything to store you can read my last food storage post about how much food to have in your long term food storage.

Canning Dry Beans

2011-06-20T10:30:00.000-07:00

It is a common misconception that food storage cooking is not convenience cooking. Many people feel they don’t have the time to use food storage because it takes longer. There are several shortcuts to using food storage in your cooking and this is one of my favorites. This is a money saver as well as a time saver.

I always tell myself that I am going to use more beans because I really love them and also because the more you eat the more your body adjusts to any adverse affects beans may have on your digestive system. People who eat beans on a regular basis claim that the affect that beans have on their system is really minimal.

However, I sometimes forget to soak them or don’t have any cooked beans in the freezer or excuses, excuses…excuses. Canning beans is easy to do and eliminates many of the excuses we can come up with. I have canned baked beans with ham, baked beans with sausage, ham and bean soup with ham and plain navy beans to use in recipes. I really wanted to can some beans that I could use in chili, Navajo tacos, or any other recipe that I might find.

Canning the beans is easy to do if you have a pressure cooker. I’m including the recipe for canned beans along with a recipe for a spice mix that can be used in chili, tacos, rice, refried beans or salsa. It’s a fun and versatile mix that is great to have on hand. I bet all of us have recipes that we could use this mix in. I have a great burrito recipe I’m going to try it in and see how it works.

You can use any variety of dried beans in canning beans. It’s your choice. If you like pinto beans, can some of those. Maybe kidney beans are your favorite. I might even try a mixture of kidney, pinto and black beans just for fun to use in a fun chili recipe I have. Here is the seasoning mix recipe and instructions for canning your beans:

Chili Seasoning Mix
Use to season chili, refried beans, taco meat, or Spanish rice. Multiply by 4 and store in gallon container. This is a great recipe and you can use it for so many things. It is very good. For the tomato powder, use canned tomato powder or make your own by using dehydrated tomatoes and blending into powder.
1 c. tomato powder
1½ c. dried veggies (dehydrated onion, celery, and peppers, in equal portions, mixed and chopped in the blender and then add some garlic powder or dried garlic to your taste)
½ c. chili powder
3 T. cumin
1 T. salt
Chili Beans: Add ½ c. mix to a quart jar of cooked beans topped up with water and add ¼ cup beef TVP or taco TVP or cooked hamburger
Taco Meat: Add ¼ c mix to burger and sauté until brown (add a little water if needed).
Rice: Add ¼ c. mix to cooked rice with ½ c water
Refried Beans: add ¼ c. mix to 3 c. mashed beans
Salsa: Add ¼ c. mix to 2 c. homemade salsa

Canning Dry Beans at home
Select mature, dry seeds. Sort out and discard discolored beans and any rocks. An average of 5 pounds is needed per canner load of 7 quarts; an average of 3¼ pounds is needed per canner load of 9 pints--an average of ¾ pounds per quart.

Place dried beans in a large pot and cover with water. Soak 12 to 18hours in a cool place. Drain water. Cover soaked beans with fresh water and boil 30 minutes. Add ½ teaspoon salt per pint or 1 teaspoon salt per quart to the jar, if desired. Fill jars with beans and cooking water, leaving 1” headspace. Adjust lids and process as listed below.

For Dial Gauge Pressure Canner:
Pints: Process 75 minutes
Quarts: Process 90 Minutes
If your altitude is:
0-2000’ - process at 11 lbs. pressure
2000-4000’ – process at12 lbs. pressure
4000-6000’ – Process at 13 lbs. pressure
6000-8000’ – Process at 14 lbs. pressure

Weighted Gauge Pressure Canner:
Pints: Process 75 minutes
Quarts: Process 90 Minutes
If your altitude is:
0-1000’ – Process at 10 lbs. pressure
Above 1000’ – Process at 15 lbs. pressure

Food Storage Friendly Friday - Meal Idea and Tip of the Week

2011-06-17T12:46:00.000-07:00

The recipe suggestion this week is from make-a-mix.com and was sent in by one of our readers. This is a fun recipe to take camping and easy to prepare, but it can be served anytime. Check it out!

Fractured Tacos
Homemade chili or canned chili, heated
Tortilla chips or Fritos
Optional toppings for tacos:
Shredded cheese
Shredded lettuce
Diced tomatoes
Chopped onions
Sliced green onions
Pickled jalapeños
Sliced black or green olives
Sour cream
Salsa
Put a bed of chips in the bottom of a bowl and top with chili. Then top with the topping ingredients of choice. *A good way to use up all of the broken chips that no one will eat.

It seems like lots of different fresh fruits and vegetables become available at the same time. Although it is fun to have such a variety of different fresh fruits and veggies available at the same time, it can be a little bit of a struggle knowing how to store them, especially if you do your shopping for a week or more at a time. Once you get home and try to find a place for all that goodness, it can be a little frustrating knowing where to store what. The best tip I ever received was to store things like the grocer does. If it is in a cooler at the store, store it in your refrigerator. If it’s on the shelf it may not need refrigeration if you have a cooler area. A root cellar works great for many fresh fruits and veggies if you have one. Here is a more comprehensive breakdown of where to store what!

In the refrigerator, keep . . .
Apples away from strong-smelling foods, so they won't absorb odors. If the fridge is jammed, you can also store apples in a cool, dark place.
Beets in the crisper; lop off greens before refrigerating and use them in a salad or cook like spinach and other greens.
Berries in a warmer zone of the fridge, unwashed, in a dry, covered container.
Broccoli in the crisper.
Celery in the crisper.
Cherries unwashed, in a plastic bag, in a warmer zone of the fridge.
Corn with husks on, in a warmer zone of the fridge.
Grapes unwashed in a plastic bag or their plastic clamshell, in a cool zone; remove spoiled grapes, a bad one can spoil the bunch.
Green beans in an airtight container in a moderate zone; don't snap off ends until they're ready to be used.
Leafy greens in the crisper. Keep washed greens in a plastic bag lined with a clean cloth or paper towels; loosely tie top of bag to maintain moisture.
Melons, when ripe, in a warmer zone of the fridge. Wash the outside of a melon before cutting to avoid the spread of bacteria.
Mushrooms unwashed, in a paper bag, in a warmer zone of the fridge. Never store in plastic, which traps moisture and leads to slime.
Peppers in a plastic bag in a warmer zone of the fridge. Leave whole, and unwashed.
Yellow squash/zucchini in a plastic bag in a warmer zone of the fridge. Leave unwashed, and use within 2-3 days of purchase.

Outside of the refrigerator, keep . . .
Avocados in a brown-paper bag; add an apple or banana to the bag to accelerate ripening.
Bananas in a fruit bowl on the counter.
Citrus fruits, lemons, limes, oranges and grapefruit in a cool dark place. If it is too warm, store in the fridge if they start getting soft.
Onions in a dark, dry, well-ventilated place. Store them away from potatoes, since they can absorb the potatoes moisture and spoilage-inducing ethylene gas.
Stone fruits, including nectarines, peaches, apricots, and plums, in a brown-paper bag at room temperature to speed ripening. Refrigerate once ripe.
Potatoes in a cool place, away from light. Don't refrigerate, since the moisture will encourage sprouting.
Tomatoes always at room temperature but not in direct sunlight.

Vegetables for Food Storage

2011-06-16T09:29:00.001-07:00

When I first started working on food storage, I was mostly concerned about wheat, powdered milk, honey, beans, salt and water. I was pretty focused on the basics and not really concerned with anything else.

Over the years I have started to think more about vegetables and fruits in my storage. Imagine what it would be like to live off your food storage and only be able to have vegetables or fruits a few times throughout the year. Pretty nasty I’d say.

There is a lot of talk about how healthy wheat, beans and the other basics are but still, I can’t imagine being deprived of veggies, especially fresh veggies. Now I know that ideally, we have stored garden seed and will grow our vegetables, and we have canning supplies to can our vegetables but seriously, if I have to survive on what I can grow, I’m in big trouble.

As I have pondered this over the years, I’ve read tons of information on storing vegetables. One article that I read recently suggested buying a can of vegetables per person for every other day, or for every third day, for children. That’s a good idea – in theory - but in reality, that is 183 cans per person per year or 1100 cans for a family of 6. This same article also suggested buying 1 can of fruit per person per year to store. Nice thought right? That is another 2200 cans of fruit. Is that crazy or what?

Maybe the person who wrote that was thinking that was only for 6 months or less, I’m not sure, but still I can’t even imagine it. I don’t know about you but, I’d need a much bigger house. I can’t even fathom trying to store that much fruit and vegetables. There is a way that makes more sense to me.

I love the idea of drying fruits and vegetables for food storage. If you have not tried this, you seriously should. Not only is it more practical but the amount of space dried food takes up is minimal compared to canned food. I know many people have stored dried vegetables in #10 cans and that is great. Anything to incorporate vegetables into storage is a winner with me.

I have experimented with many different variations of drying. I have probably spent as much time reading about how to successfully dehydrate as I have actually doing it. I know there are other methods that may work as well or even better than what I post here. I want to have the different methods and processes that I have used cataloged here for reference in the future. If you have recipes or ideas you have used, feel free to share. Here are some basic instructions for different vegetables and how to dry and store them and some different ways to use them.

One important thing to remember: Almost any dried vegetable can be ground to powder and used to add extra flavor and nutrition to almost any sauce or soup. *Important: Dry pack or vacuum seal any dried product for long term storage or it will lose it's color and texture.

Asparagus – Wash, cut off woody stems and remove tough skin. Cut stalks into 1” pieces. Dry tips separately. Blanch in boiling water 3-5 minutes or steam blanch for 5 minutes. To use, rehydrate and serve as usual or pulverize dried asparagus into powder for use in sauces or soups.

Beans (Green) – Wash, snip off ends, remove string if necessary and cut into ½ to 1” pieces. Steam blanch beans for 3-5minutes. Dry until brittle and no moisture remains. Green beans will toughen when placed directly in boiling liquid. When adding to soup or stew, turn off heat, add beans and let stand at least 5 minutes (maybe more). Beans will swell and lighten in color. Resume cooking Beans will fully rehydrate as the cooking completes. Use as a vegetable in casseroles or add to soup or stews.

Broccoli – Trim broccoli head, remove yellow bud clusters, cut florets from stems. Peel tough outer skin from stems; cut stems crosswise into ½“ pieces. Water-blanch stems 2-3 minutes or steam-blanch stems for 3-5 minutes. Dry florets and stems separately. Interesting note: Broccoli leaves can be washed and dried then ground into powder and used for flavoring like celery powder. Use broccoli (rehydrated) in cream soups or as a vegetable side dish with cheese sauce or lemon juice or butter and salt and pepper. To rehydrate: Add broccoli to water or chicken broth and let sit for at least 1 hour. Bring to a boil and cook until tender. Prepare soup.

Cabbage - Remove outside leaves and core. Shred cabbage; steam blanch 2 minutes. (Cabbage can be dipped in lemon juice for 5-10 minutes to help retain color, if desired. Spread on trays and dry until crispy. Rehydrate in hot water; use in soups, stir-fry or egg rolls.

Cauliflower - Wash and trim well; cut into florets. Steam blanch 4-5 minutes. Spread on trays and dry. Pulverize or rehydrate for use in soups or stews. Pour hot water over cauliflower and soak 5-10 minutes. Cook as desired. Great in Cheesy Cauliflower soup

Celery – Slice or dice celery. Spread on mesh lined trays and dry several hours until no moisture remains. Use in soups or stews in place of fresh celery. Dry celery can also be blended to make celery powder. Combine equal parts celery powder and your favorite salt to make flavorful celery salt.

Carrots – Shredded – Peel and shred carrots. Immerse in boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Immediately immerse in ice cold water. Drain well; spread on mesh lined trays, dry 4-6 hours until brittle. Use in soups, carrot cake or as an addition to casseroles. Carrots can be blended to make carrot powder to add extra nutrition to any dish. To rehydrate, pour boiling water over carrot shreds, let stand a few minutes. They will lighten in color; use as desired. Carrots can also be sliced or diced and dried in the same manner. Carrots toughen when added directly in boiling liquid. When adding carrots to a soup or stew, turn off heat, add carrots and let stand at least 5 minutes. They will swell and lighten in color. Resume cooking. They will fully rehydrate as the dish finishes cooking.

Corn – Using frozen corn, spread on trays and dry until brittle, about 6-8 hours. To rehydrate: In a saucepan, combine ¼ c. dried corn with 1 .c. hot. Let sit 10 minutes for corn that has been blanched during the drying process or frozen corn, or 30 minutes longer for corn that has not been blanched. Bring corn to a boil and cook 3-5 minutes. Cover and let sit 5 minutes. Drain; add salt and pepper and butter to what is now ¾ c. cooked corn. Prepared as desired or add to soups or stews. Corn toughens when added directly in boiling liquid. When adding corn to a soup or stew, turn off heat, add corn and let stand at least 5 minutes. It will swell and lighten in color. Resume cooking. It will fully rehydrate as the dish finishes cooking

Cucumbers – Peel and slice cucumbers. Dip into lemon juice to prevent darkening. Spread on trays; sprinkle lightly with salt or seasoning salt or any favorite seasoning and dry until crisp. Eat like chips or serve with dip.

Mushrooms – Clean well, slice, place on trays and dry. Dry the stems and caps separately as they will dry at a different rate. These store well and rehydrate quickly.

Onions – Onions can be dried if you have an abundance. Peel, slice or dice; spread or lay on trays and dry until brittle. Place dryer in an out of the way place to avoid the strong smell.

Peas – Using frozen peas, spread on trays and dry until they will shatter, about 4-6 hours. To rehydrate, cover with boiling water, let sit 15 minutes, use as desired.

Peppers – Wash and dice. Spread on trays and dry until brittle. To rehydrate, soak in hot water until soft or add directly to stews and soups.

Potatoes – Slices – Peel and slice potatoes ¼” thick. Separate slices and rinse thoroughly to remove all the starch. Immerse in boiling water for 4 minutes. Immediately put into very cold water. Drain well and lay slices on dryer trays and dry until brittle when broken. About 1½ cup slices (loosely packed) will equal 1 large potato.

Potatoes-Shredded – Peel potatoes and shred or grate. Flush potatoes with cold water until all the starch is gone and the water runs clear. (This is the most important step, if starch remains in the potato, they will go dark when you dry them.) Immerse in boiling water for 4 minutes. Remove from heat and immediately immerse in icy cold water; repeat in more cold water until potatoes are completely cool. Cover with cold water and add 1 c. lemon juice. Let potatoes sit in the lemon juice mixture for 45 minutes. Drain well. Spread on drying trays (with mesh liner or lined with nylon netting) and dry until brittle and no soft potatoes remain. Rotate trays if desired.

Spinach – Wash spinach leaves well. Remove any tough stems or damaged leaves. Spread on trays and dry till brittle. To use: grind into powder to add to soups or sauces or pour boiling water over leaves and let sit about 5 minutes. Cook as usual.

Tomatoes – Wash and remove core. Slice thin onto paper and let some of the liquid drain from slices. Lay slices on dehydrator tray and dry until slices are brittle, turning once during the process. To use, crumble into soups or stews, pulverize and use as tomato powder or use to make homemade sundried tomatoes in olive oil. Crumble dried tomatoes into softened cream cheese to make a great spread. Add onions or peppers if desired. To add tomatoes to a salad, put small pieces in the salad dressing to rehydrate.

Zucchini – Wash and slice (for larger zucchini, halve, remove seeds and peel if skin is tough). Dip slices in lemon juice to retain color or for Soy chips, dip slices into a mixture of 1 part soy sauce and 2 parts water and soak for3-5 minutes. (Try substituting Braggs Liquid Aminos for the soy sauce for a healthier version without all the salt. Arrange slices on drying trays and dry 4-8 hours until crisp. Store in airtight container.

72-Hour Kit Wednesday - Tips

2011-06-15T06:49:00.001-07:00

We have been working on our kits for 5 months now and should have them all ready to grab quick in an emergency. Depending on where you live, what your biggest disaster threats are (even though no one really knows for sure) and your climate factors, your kits have to be personalized to meet your needs.
I am posting a tip list this week so we can each evaluate our kits and see if we have forgotten anything that we might wish we had remembered. One of the greatest tips I ever received about a 72-hour kit was given to me by a friend who used to be a Civil Defense Specialist. He brought his 72-hour kit to show us and it was in an old Army Duffle Bag. As he starting pulling stuff out I know my mouth must have dropped open because I was astonished at all the things he pulled out of that bag. I remember asking if we needed all those things in our kits and his reply was, “You are the only one who can answer that.”

He then went on to explain that the best way to find out if your kit is really ready to go is to try it out. We need to rotate our kits every 6 months anyway, so his suggestion was to choose a weekend and a scenario and use nothing but what is in our kits. Whether it’s a camping trip or just and outdoor adventure in the backyard with the kids, live out of that kit for three days and make a list of what you needed that you didn’t have and then add it. He added that one family he knew planned a fake emergency and learned a lot about what they would need in the event that emergency really happened.

After our kits are complete, one of the hardest things to do for me is to remember to rotate the food, medicine and anything else that might need to be checked. I chose a date in the spring and in the fall, 6 months later, to do the rotating. Choose any days that will be easy for you to remember. Don’t be afraid to add extra items to your kits if you want. If there is something your family really likes or needs, make sure to pack it in.

Here is a list of good tips for your kits. If you have any other thoughts, experiences or ideas please feel free to share.

72-Hour Kit Tips:
1.Pack soap and smelly foods like jerky, or gum separately.
2.When you get new glasses put a set of old ones in your kit.
3.Duct tape is very handy for many things
4.Can opener in ever kit
5.Purification kit
6.Unscented soap is good
7.No pop-top cans
8.Old shower curtain liner make great ground cover for bedrolls
9.Remember things like candles, gas lighter extra butane can, flashlight with spare bulb and batteries, a sharp locking pocket knife, gel hand warmers, water purification tablets (or non-scented bleach/chlorine -which can be used as 2 teaspoons to around 10 Liters of water and mixed, then left to stand minimum 30 minutes), new boot socks and Army/Outdoor mess kit. I also pack tinned baked beans, canned tuna, meat paste sealed in small jars, sealed crackers, boiled sweets (candy) and biscuits (cookies), as well as instant soup portions. Don’t forget water – remember we CAN survive on just ONLY water for 2 weeks, without it, we could die in 3 days.
10.Money
11.Undergarments (several)
12.Rain Coat/Poncho
13.Blankets and Emergency Heat Blankets (that keep in warmth)
14.Cloth Sheet
15.Plastic Sheet
16.Fuel
17.Flares
18.Candles
19.Lighter
20.Water-Proof Matches
21.Dishes/Utensils
22.Shovel
23.Pen and Paper
24.Axe
25.Pocket Knife
26.Rope
27.Personal Supplies
28.Toiletries (roll of toilet paper- remove the center tube to easily flatten into a zip-lock bag, feminine hygiene, folding brush, etc.)
29.Cleaning Supplies (mini hand sanitizer, soap, shampoo, dish soap, etc. Warning: Scented soap might "flavor" food items.)
30.Personal Documents, Legal Documents (Birth/Marriage Certificates, Wills, Passports, Contracts, etc)
31.Insurance Policies
32.Cash
33.Infant Needs (if applicable)
34.Update your 72 Hour Kit every six months (put a note in your calendar/planner) to make sure that: all food, water, and medication is fresh and has not expired; clothing fits; personal documents and credit cards are up to date; and batteries are charged.
35.Small toys/games are important too as they will provide some comfort and entertainment during a stressful time.
36.Older children can be responsible for their own pack of items/clothes too.
37.You can include any other items in your 72 Hour Kit that you feel are necessary for your family's survival.
38.Some items and/or flavors might leak, melt, "flavor" other items, or break open. Dividing groups of items into individual Ziploc bags might help prevent this. Use a bag sealer/vacuum packer if you have one.
39.Winter clothes for extreme temps, gloves, hats, masks, extra socks etc.

Emergency Checklist

2011-06-14T13:13:00.001-07:00

Here is a quick survey you can take to see how prepared you are for an emergency. Can you answer YES to each of these questions or do you need to work on them for your home? If you are like me, chances are you may have skipped over some of the harder ones. If you find ones that you have to answer no to, then make a goal to change the no to a yes before the month of June is over!

Emergency Preparedness: Preparedness Survey
1. Has your family rehearsed fire escape routes from your home?
2. Does your family know what to do before, during and after an earthquake or other emergency situation?
3. Do you have heavy objects hanging over beds that can fall during an earthquake?
4. Do you have access to an operational flashlight in every occupied bedroom? (use of candles is not recommended unless you can guarantee there is no leaking gas- flashlights are safer and quicker!)
5. Do you keep shoes near your bed to protect your feet against broken glass?
6. If a water line was ruptures during an earthquake, do you know how to shut off the main water line to your house?
7. Can this water valve be turned off by hand without the use of a tool? Do you have a tool if one is needed? Is it where it should be?
8. Do you and everyone in your family know where the main gas shut-off valve to your house is located?
9. It you smell gas, do you know how and would you be able to shut off this valve?
10. Gas valves usually cannot be turned off by hand. Is there a tool near your valve?
11. Would you be able to safely restart your furnace when gas is safely available?
12. Do you have working smoke alarms in the proper places to warn you of fire?
13. Do you have Carbon Monoxide alarms?
14. In case of a minor fire, do you have a fire extinguisher that you know how to operate? Would family members or babysitters know how to use it?(The fire department will test yours for free)
15. Do you have duplicate keys and copies of important insurance and other papers stored outside your home?
16. Do you have a functional emergency radio to receive emergency information?
17. If you and your family had to evacuate your home, have you identified an outside meeting place?
18. If an emergency lasted for 3 days (72 hours) before help was available to you and your family would you have sufficient food?
19. If an emergency lasted for 3 days (72 hours) before help was available to you and your family would you have the means to cook food without gas and electricity?
20. If an emergency lasted for 3 days (72 hours) before help was available to you and your family would you have sufficient water for drinking, cooking, and sanitary needs?
21. Do you have access to a 72-hour evacuation kit for every family member?
22. Are your kits easily accessible?
23. Would you and your family members be able to carry or transport these kits?
24. Have you established an out-of-state contact?
25. Do you have a first aid kit in your home?
26. Do you have a first aid kit in each car?
27. Do you have work gloves for every family member and some tools for minor rescue and cleanup?
28. Do you have emergency cash on hand? (During emergencies banks and ATM machines are closed- remember small bills.)
29. Without electricity and gas do you have means to heat at least part of your house? (Think of how to cover broken windows)
30. If you need medications, do you have a month's supply on hand?
31. Do you have a plan for toilet facilities if there is an extended water shortage?
32. Do you have a supply of food, clothing, and fuel where appropriate: For 6 months? For a Year?

Preparing for an Earthquake

2011-06-13T08:13:00.000-07:00

I am a worrier by nature. I was born that way and I don’t suppose it will ever change. I have learned over the years, however, that even if there is nothing you can do to fix or prevent something you are worrying about, it does help to do everything you can do to prepare for it.

One of the things that we can do nothing about is an earthquake. With most storms and many disasters there is at least a little warning but with an earthquake, the only warning is another earthquake. There is no area where you are safe from an earthquake. An earthquake can happen anywhere at any time. There are a few things you can do to prepare the best you can for an earthquake.

The following ideas were put together by a preparedness specialist. As I have read through this several times, the thought has come to mind that there are a few little things that will help you worry less and be more prepared if and when that earthquake comes, and maybe be safer at the same time.

This is a checklist of sorts. As you read it, make note of any changes that you need to make in your home to be more prepare. My friend’s mother in was a California quake a few years that happened during the night. I heard tell how she had to crawl over broken glass on her hands and knees in the dark to find shoes and her glasses, and how the large picture frame above their bed resulted in shattered glass all over them. That experience has helped me reevaluate a few things in my home.

EARTHQUAKE CHECKLIST:

BEFORE A QUAKE
1.Store water and food supply
2.Organize a 72 hour portable emergency kit.
3.Bolt down or provide strong support for water heaters and other appliances.
4.Consider earthquake insurance
5.Make sure your important papers are in order and easily accessible

DURING A QUAKE
1.Stay calm.
2.If you are indoors, stay inside and find protection in a doorway, or crouch under a desk or table, away from windows or glass dividers; avoid masonry wall (brick) and chimneys (fireplaces.)
3.Outside: stand away from buildings, trees, telephone and electric lines.
4.On the road: Drive away from underpasses/overpasses; stop in a safe area; stay in the vehicle.
5.In an Office Building: Stay next to a pillar or support column or under a heavy table or desk.

AFTER A QUAKE
1.Check for injuries. Provide first aid.
2.Check for safety - gas, water, sewage breaks; check for building damage and turn off interrupted utilities as necessary; check for building damage and potential safety problems during aftershocks, such as cracks around chimney & foundation; check for fires.
3.Clean up dangerous spills.
4.Wear shoes.
5.Tune radio to an emergency station and listen for instructions from public safety agencies.
6.Use the telephone only for emergencies.
7.As soon as possible, notify your family that you are okay.
8.Do not use matches or open flames in the home until you are sure there are no gas leaks.
9.Don't turn light switches off and on. Sparks created by the switch contacts can ignite gas fumes.
10.In public buildings, follow evacuation procedures immediately and return only after the building has been declared safe by the appropriate authorities.

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
1.How, where and when to turn off electricity, gas and water.
2.First aid.
3.Plan for reuniting your family.
4.Plan and practice a family drill at least once a year.

Food Storage Friendly Friday - Meal Idea and Tip of the Week

2011-06-10T13:15:00.000-07:00

This spring has been a very hard one for most everyone everywhere. If you have not been affected by an earthquake, tornado, severe rain storms, high winds and twisters, wild fires, mudslides or flooding you are in the minority and probably know people who have. It is far from over.

The fires are still raging in Arizona and threatening many homes and businesses as well as power lines. Flood waters are still raging and forcing many from their homes as well as leaving lots of destruction in the water's paths. Life will never be the same for many people. What a sad state of affairs. I just heard yesterday that much of the potato seed planted in Washington state has rotted in the ground. Many farmers in the Midwest are just now able to plant crops, much later then usual. Many, many acres of farmland are in terrible shape with some still under water. I don't need to tell anyone how bad things are in places.

I've had conversations with a several people from various locations who tell of not only the destruction that has taken place recently but of the bleak outlook for the future. Crops in many areas will be smaller or nonexistent this year, meaning shortages of many food stuffs. Higher gas prices, both in the fields and for the trucking industry, will drive all prices up in the food that is available.

One report I heard this past week stated that the availability of food, both fresh and canned or frozen, will sharply diminish by fall. This statement was made with a postscript which stated that "we don't want people to panic, but..." I don't know about you, but that really scares me.

The tip for this week is just to take a look at your shelves. Make an estimate of how long you could live on what you have in your home, this very minute. Decide on what you really need, not the frills, to make your situation better and stock up as best you can now. If you are growing a garden, plan to take advantage and can everything you are able to get from your garden. Watch sales and stock up on things you need. If you are not working on your food storage yet, it's time to start.

I decided to choose one area where I need to improve and work on that until I feel better about it. I am trying to use more whole wheat. I'm making bread, something I have not done as much of since becoming an empty nester. I'm making more rolls and my hamburger and hot dog buns. I figure that anything I can do to become more self-sufficient is a good thing.

I have just about printed all of the Food Storage Friendly Recipes sent in by readers. If you have more, please feel free to email them to me at preparedness365@gmail.com. I would now like to focus for awhile on Whole wheat recipes, either breads and rolls or any recipe using whole wheat. If you have favorites or a good way that you use whole wheat in your cooking, send your idea or recipe to me and I'll print it. Thanks to all who have sent recipes.

Today's recipe comes from one of my faithful friends in Arizona. Jeri has sent me so many good recipes and ideas for using food storage. She loves learning to use it in all of her recipes and has even sent me recipes from her friends. I have enjoyed getting to know her better as we have chatted through emails and I appreciate the input and ideas she has sent. Thanks, Jeri.

Shepherd's Pie – Jeri B. Arizona
1 can of green beans
1 pint of hamburger
1 can of beef gravy
Minced dried onions
Garlic salt to taste
mashed potatoes made with water and/or dried or canned milk and from potato flakes for topping
Cheese (optional)
Layer green beans, hamburger, onions and gravy in casserole. Put mashed potatoes that have been made out of milk, potato flakes and water (and butter or use some olive oil) on top. Bake at 350 until hot and starting to brown on top. If I didn't have butter I would use a little olive oil on top. And if I had dried cheese stored, I would use some cheese on top. Canned French's fried onions make a good topping also, but I would put them on the last 3-5 minutes of baking only.

Using MORE Whole Wheat – Whole Wheat Pasta

2011-06-09T13:01:00.000-07:00

I’m a creature of habit. I do things the same way over and over. Then, when they are done I ask myself why didn’t I use whole wheat in this bread or why didn’t I make Whole Wheat Waffles this time? The answer is simple I need to make it a habit to use more whole wheat in my cooking. I hope everyone else is doing better than I am. Some of my posts in the near future will feature recipes that use more whole wheat. I need to actively search for ways to use more Whole Wheat. Maybe if I have to post about it, I will do it.

What are your favorite ways to use whole wheat? Do you always make whole wheat bread or half and half bread? Do you grind your whole wheat fresh every time you make it? Do you freeze your ground whole wheat flour after you grind it so that it is ready to use? I’d love to hear how you motivate yourself to use more whole wheat in your cooking. Hopefully someone will inspire me to “get with the program” and use some of that wheat on a regular basis!

I’m a pasta lover. I love it in salads, soups or just with sauces on it. I love to throw in some veggies anytime I make pasta and use various sauces.

Have you ever eaten homemade pasta? It is to die for . . . so much better than the kind you buy at the store. I have a pasta machine that makes it so much easier to make pasta but you definitely don't need one. It is easy to make and you will love the results. Here is a recipe for whole wheat pasta using your fresh ground whole wheat flour.

Leave a message and tell me if you make your own pasta. Do you use whole wheat flour as part of the flour? What are your favorite ways to eat pasta? Do you have a favorite sauce recipe?

Homemade Pasta
1 ½ c. all-purpose flour
1 ½ c. whole wheat flour
½ t. sea salt
4 eggs
2 t. olive oil
Stir together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour and salt in a medium bowl, or on a clean board. Make a hollow in the center, and pour in the olive oil. Break eggs into it one at a time, while mixing quickly with a fork until the dough is wet enough to come together. Knead on a lightly floured surface until the dough is stiff and elastic. Cover, and let stand for 30 minutes to relax.

Roll out dough by hand with a rolling pin, or use a pasta machine to achieve the desired thickness of noodles. Cut into desired width and shapes. Allow the pasta to air dry for at least 15 minutes to avoid having it clump together. To cook fresh pasta, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the pasta, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until desired doneness. Fresh pasta cooks very quickly. It will float to the surface when fully cooked. Drain, and use as desired. *This makes a big batch of pasta.

Food Storage Friendly Friday - Meal Idea and Tip of the Week

2011-06-03T07:56:00.000-07:00

The tip this week is a picture. I was so inspired when I saw this picture of a water storage rack built by John Stock, that I had to share it. These are 55 gallon drums of water stored 3 high in his garage. He built the stacking shelf, notice how much space that saves. He attached a spout to them for easy use. They water their lawn with the water once a year then, refill the containers with fresh water.

What a great idea! I think this would be a great project for anyone who wants a better idea for storing water. Notice how convenient the barrels are to use as well as how little space they actually take up stored this way. This second picture shows how easily they could be constructed to hold your water storage.

Now I just need to talk my husband into building one of these. They really don't look too complicated and I think the amount of space this would save would be well worth the time to build it.

The recipe of the week is another great dessert recipe. It was sent to me by Megan M. from Utah. She said that the idea of using beans in brownies is not a new idea. Her mom did this year’s ago. Megan said that her Mom would always wait to tell people that the brownies had black beans in them until they had tried them and commented on how good they were. Everyone was always surprised to find out what the secret ingredient was. She said her Mom would always “brag” about the fact that one of these brownies has the same amount of fiber as a slice of whole wheat bread. Thanks for sending the recipe, Megan.

Mom’s Dark Fudge Brownies
1 (15-ounce) can unseasoned black beans (If using dried beans, a 15-ounce can is about 1 2/3 cups of beans. Just soak beans overnight, cook 1 cup of dried and measure out 1 2/3 cups. You will have a little extra.)
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate
1 tablespoon light butter
6 egg whites
2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons rich cocoa powder
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Preheat the oven to 350º. Spray a 9x13” pan with nonstick vegetable spray. Place the beans in a colander and rinse thoroughly under running water to remove "slime"; set aside and drain. Place the chocolate and light butter in a small microwavable bowl. Microwave for 60 to 90 seconds, stirring every 30 seconds until smooth. In a food processor or blender add the drained beans and 2 egg whites. Blend or process until smooth. Make sure beans are smooth (like frosting) or you will taste them in the brownies. In a large bowl combine the bean puree, sugar, flour, cocoa powder, and the remaining egg whites. With an electric mixer, beat until well combined. Mix in the melted chocolate. Pour the brownie mixture into a prepared pan. Sprinkle the walnuts on top of the brownie batter. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the brownie pulls away from the sides of the pan. Cool completely in the pan before cutting into bars

Growing Herbs Indoors

2011-06-02T11:02:00.000-07:00

Being able to supplement your food storage items with fresh herbs that enhance and give variety to foods is a bonus. I think of eating beans and wheat every day or a few times a week and it does not seem that appetizing. However, being able to change it up and add different herbs and spices, sauces or gravies makes it seem much more appealing.

I have not been very good at using a lot of fresh herbs in my cooking. Not having a place to have a garden limits what I can do, and makes it easier to make excuses. However I still love buying fresh herbs and experimenting with flavors and sauces in different dishes I make. I realize that having an indoor herb garden is a possibility and can add lots of variety to any meal. My goal is to use more fresh herbs. This year I’ve started an indoor herb garden in little pots. Not a big deal yet but still a way to learn to grow and use more fresh herbs in cooking. I can guarantee a few fresh herbs will make any food storage meal tastier.

I’m probably the only one who doesn’t do this. I’ve studied to find out which ones grow best indoors and I came up with this list put together by Kendra from newlifeonahomestead.com. I am using this as a guide to help me get started. I copied this list to keep handy as I try to become an expert herb grower. Good luck to me! Let me know of any successes you’ve had or things you have learned in the process.

Here’s a list of common herbs that do well growing indoors. Keep in mind that a south facing window is best, but if that’s not an option for you you’ll need to put your plants in a widow that gets at least SIX hours of good sunlight for most plants.

1. Parsley - Parsley is a slow grower. It takes anywhere from 2-5 weeks for seedlings to emerge. To help seeds germinate more quickly, soak the seeds in warm water for up to 24 hours before planting. Parsley grows well in any good soilless potting mix. Plant it in a pot at least 8” deep as parsley has a long taproot. Make sure the pot has a hole in the bottom of it for proper drainage; you may want to add some small pebbles or something into the bottom of the pot to help with this. Parsley likes bright morning light, and needs at least 6 hours of sunlight daily. It does not like the cold, so keep it back away from chilly windows in the winter. Make sure to water evenly, as this plant does not tolerate irregular watering well. Do not let the potting mix dry out. Parsley will last for up to two years, and then you’ll need to plant more seeds.

2. Chives - Chives are easy to grow from seed, and do well in any good potting mix. Simply press them into the potting soil and water. Once the seedlings emerge, keep them evenly watered. If the tips of the plant begin to yellow, it needs more water. Chives need full sun for at least 6 hours a day. Rotate the pots every few days if the plant begins to lean toward the light. Divide the clump every 2-3 years and re-pot in fresh potting mix. To harvest, snip leaves with a pair of scissors two inches from the base of the plant.

3. Oregano - Oregano can be unpredictable when grown from seed. It’s best to buy a plant to start. Pot oregano in sandy, well drained soil. It is recommended to mix equal parts good potting mix and sharp sand (or use a cactus potting mix). Once established, it is easily killed by over- watering; be sure to have adequate drainage and keep in mind that this plant is drought tolerant. Oregano needs at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. Divide the plants every 2-3 years, and re-pot separately. Harvest the leaves once the plant has reached 6 inches tall. Be sure to leave stems at least 2 in. above the soil when cutting. Dries well for storage.

4. Thyme - Sow seeds shallowly, keep soil moist until seedlings emerge. Germination within 1-2 weeks. It’s recommended to plant thyme in sandy, well drained soil. Mix 2 parts good potting mix with one part sharp sand or perlite (or you can use a cactus potting mix). Water well, then allow the top 1 in. of potting mix to dry out before watering again; approx. twice a week. Thyme needs at least 6 hours a day of good sunlight. Turn the plant for even growth when you notice it leaning toward the light. Harvest sparingly the first year. Snip bunches as needed, leaving 3 in. of stem above the soil. Thyme dries well and freezes well in freezer bags.

5. Rosemary - Plant in good draining potting mix; same as for Thyme. Be sure the pot has adequate drainage. Do not overwater! Only water when the top 2” of the soil’s surface feels dry, but be careful not to allow it to dry out completely. Rosemary needs at least 6 hours of direct light per day. Turn the plant as needed when you notice it leaning toward the sun. Rosemary plants are susceptible to powdery mildew. You may need to take it out of the kitchen (a high humidity room) if this becomes a problem. You can also treat the plant with an organic fungicide. Harvest above a stem joint, never cutting more than a third of the plant at a time.

6. Basil - Grows easily from seed. Cover seeds with 1/4″ soil, water well. You should see seedlings emerge in about a week. When the seedlings are about 6″ tall, pinch off the tops to promote more leaf growth. Plant in same potting mix recommended for Rosemary and Thyme. Water thoroughly, then allow the top 1”of the soil to dry out before watering again. Basil enjoys an occasional mist of room-temp water for humidity. Requires 6 hours of good light per day. Turn as needed for even growth. Harvest leaves from established plants once a week. Cut a leaf as needed, or a stem above a pair of leaves. Pinch off blooms as they appear. Basil dries or freezes well for longer storage.

Okay, that’s a good start, right? Here are a few other herbs to consider planting indoors as well:
Winter Savory
Lemon Balm
Tarragon
Mint
Bay
Marjoram
Dill
Lemongrass
Coriander
In general, fertilize herbs with a low dose of water-soluble fertilizer which promotes leaf growth (not blooms) about every two weeks. You can also feed your herbs by adding one tablespoon of fish emulsion to a gallon of water and using this every time you water. Rosemary, thyme, and basil benefit from a spoonful of crushed eggshells added to the soil. If whiteflies, aphids or other pests become a problem, you can spray the plants once a week with a soapy solution made from 1-2 tablespoons of a mild soap dishwashing soap to one gallon of warm water. If the plants begin to discolor, decrease the amount of soap used in the solution, or discontinue use. Make sure to wash the leaves off before using them.

72 Hour Kit Wednesday – Staying Dry & Garbage containment

2011-06-01T10:37:00.000-07:00

All the rainy and wet weather we have had in the past few MONTHS reminds us how unpredictable the weather can be. We have a tendency to think that it can’t snow in June or be hot in April. This reminds us that the weather can do anything it wants. Now to prepare for the unpredictability is the trickiest part.

For any of those of you who are campers you know how important it is to stay dry. No one likes to be wet and cold and even being wet and hot is a sticky situation that can lead to not only irritability but illness as well.

One thing that we really need to include in our kits is a ground cover to keep us, our clothes, bedding and everything else dry. Ground cover is not tricky. Almost anything works. Large heavy duty garbage bags, cut to form a flat piece of plastic are suitable for putting under sleeping bags to protect from the damp. One of my favorite ground cover ideas is to use your old shower curtain liners for ground cover. They are relatively inexpensive to begin with but after you have used them in the shower and replaced them with new ones, they are virtually free. Never throw away a used shower curtain liner. They make not only good plastic sheets for ground cover to put in your kits but great drop cloths for painting, crafting, or hundreds of other things.

So, it doesn’t matter what you use, but get some plastic sheeting, garbage bags, shower curtain liners (used) or whatever and put them in your kits for ground cover, a makeshift shelter from the rain or whatever. It isn’t a bad idea to include some string or twine in case you have to make shelters or improvise to keep yourselves from the wind and rain or even just from the morning dew. Who knows what uses you’ll find for your plastic?

Another thing you need to remember as you pack your kits is that wherever you end up in the event of an emergency, whether you are at a camping spot or just in an evacuation area, you will need to have a way to contain your garbage and a place to put all of your waste. Throw in some extra large garbage bags so that you can keep your messes contained and removed when the time comes.

How are you coming on gathering cash for your kits? Remember the amount you want to have depends on the number in your family. The suggested amount of $100 in small bills is just a suggested amount. You may not need it at all and then again you may need cash to buy gas, food or emergency supplies. We’ll be wrapping our kits up soon so keep working on your cash stash.

Cooking with Charcoal - Making a Cardboard Box Oven

2011-05-31T10:26:00.000-07:00

One of the most important storage items you need to consider is fuel. Today we are talking about one type of fuel used for cooking. Charcoal briquettes are a great storage item. You can store them in airtight containers or bucket with a lid in a shed or garage so that they stay dry and are easily accessible.

There are many different ways to cook with briquettes. Today we are discussing just one of these methods – a Homemade Cardboard Box Oven.

This oven is easy to make and can be used to bake in the event of a power outage. It is a good idea to learn how to make an oven and especially how to use it BEFORE the need arises. It isn’t complicated or difficult and if you involve your family it can be a fun activity. Here are the instructions for making a Cardboard Box Oven:

What you need:
1 cardboard box with a slide-on top (like a box that holds reams of paper

Charcoal Briquettes
Matches (or a lighter)
Aluminum foil
1 round aluminum pie or cake pan (to place your charcoals in)
3 wire hangers
Scissors or a knife
Pliers
Tongs
The food you want to bake

Line the inside of your box and the inside of your lid with aluminum foil. If you'd like, dab some Elmer's glue around the inside and cover to hold the foil in place (this is a good idea if you want to keep your box oven, and not just make a new one in an emergency).

With scissors or a knife, poke three holes in a straight line on each end of the box, about halfway down from the top. Try to make the holes on one end of the box line up with the holes on the other end of the box. You'll see what these are for in just a minute.

Straighten out your three hangers. Put the three straightened hangers through the holes. These will act as a shelf to place your food on.

Next, bend your wires so that they will remain tight inside the oven. You don't want heavy food bending the wires and sitting directly on the charcoals. This step might be kind of difficult, so you may want an extra pair of hands and some pliers. It doesn't have to look pretty, it just has to work!

Next, poke some other small random holes in your box so that oxygen can get in and gases can get out. If your holes on the side remain small, use your knife or scissors and poke a few holes on the top of the box, and maybe one or two on each side. If the three holes you poked in each side are larger than just big enough for the wire to fit through you probably won’t need extra holes. If they have become fairly large, they are probably all you need.

Now you are ready to cook. Place some charcoal briquettes in your round aluminum plate. Each charcoal briquette supplies 40º of heat, so 9 briquettes will give you a 360º oven.

Light your briquettes with the matches or a lighter (it will probably take a few matches. Be sure that each briquette burns). Let the briquettes burn for a while... Until they look like this! Then you're ready to go.

With your tongs, pick up the hot plate of charcoal and slide it carefully between your wire shelf onto the bottom of your box.

Use the tongs to straighten out the charcoals and spread them out a bit. Have your food prepared when the charcoals are ready to go. Try baking a cake first if you want an easy experiment.

Place your food on the wire racks and cover with your oven top with the foil lined box lid. Time your food as you would in an oven. *Note: If your recipe calls for a longer baking time (more than 45 minutes to an hour), you will probably have to switch out your charcoals with new charcoals around the 45-minute mark.

Do not use your oven on a wooden deck or on grass, or anything flammable. It needs to be placed on concrete or blocks. Never use this oven indoors.

Carefully life the pan out of your oven (use hot pads!) and enjoy! You can eat well with no electricity. Cooking with charcoal in your homemade oven can allow you to bake as you would in your home oven. Try several different items and become proficient at baking in your cardboard box oven. Some people have even cooked a turkey in their ovens! This would be a great family activity to do during the summer to learn more preparedness skills and have fun at the same time. *Note: when learning to use your cardboard oven, try baking with disposable foil baking pans. Experiment with cakes, cookies, quick breads for a fun learning experience.

If you want to save your oven for an emergency, keep it inside a heavy duty garbage bag and place on a shelf or in a storage tote to keep it from getting moisture damage or becoming smashed or damaged.

Food Storage Friendly Friday – Meal Idea and Tip of the Week

2011-05-27T09:38:00.000-07:00

Here is a fun tip that I recently started doing. It has always been so easy to buy bread crumbs already seasoned that I never really bothered making them. Now I have found that not only do I save money making my own but I have a new use for that bread that we don’t eat up before it goes bad. I like that! And I like the flavor of the homemade crumbs better. I use seasoned bread crumbs for many recipes that I make. One of my favorite uses is for breading fresh vegetables to bake or fry. I love how easy it is to make your own. Here is how I do it:

Bread Crumbs
Preheat oven to 250º. Using stale bread, arrange bread in a single layer in a shallow baking pan. Bake for 20 minutes until crisp. Cool. Break into small pieces and feed, slowly, into a blender or food processor. Store crumbs in an airtight container. They will keep for several weeks on the shelf and for a very long time in the freezer.

Italian Bread Crumbs
2 c. bread crumbs
¼ c. parmesan cheese, grated or powdered
2 T. parsley
1 t. oregano
1 t. basil
1 tsp. garlic powder
Combine all ingredients and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 months. *Note: If using grated parmesan, crumbs must be refrigerated. With powdered parmesan, they can be stored in your pantry.

This week I’m posting another dessert recipe (my favorite kind) that was sent to me by Marie C. of New Mexico. This looks so good and as I was posting this I had the thought that I bet the Raisin filling for these bars could also be made with dried apples. If anyone tries it let us know how it is. I will be making these bars for dessert very soon. They look so good. Thanks for sending the recipe Marie.

Cinnamon-Raisin Bars
½ c. butter
1 c. brown sugar
½ t. salt
½ t. soda
1½ c. flour
1½ c. quick oats
Raisin Filling
Cinnamon Icing
Cream Butter and sugar. Sift together dry ingredients; stir into creamed mixture. Add oats and 1 Tbsp water. Mix until crumbly. Firmly pat half the mixture in greased 9 x 13 pan. Spread with Raisin Filling. Mix remaining crumbs and 1 T. water; spoon over filling; pat smooth. Bake about 35 min at 350º. Cool. Drizzle with Cinnamon Icing. Makes 2 ½ dozen.
Raisin Filling:
Combine ¼ c. granulated sugar and 1 T. cornstarch in saucepan. Stir in 1 c. water and 2 c. raisins. Cook over medium heat till thickened and bubbly. Cool.
Cinnamon Icing:
Mix 1 c. sifted powdered sugar with ¼ t. ground cinnamon. Stir in enough milk, about 1 T. for drizzling.

Dehydrating Hash Browns

2011-05-26T10:21:00.000-07:00

I have a good friend who I talk to on a regular basis. One of the first things she asks whenever we talk is, “What are you canning today?” or “What project have you got going on now?” She and I share ideas and discuss new things we have tried.

I was telling her last week about our potato abundance this year. We live in “potato country” where we can buy fresh potatoes from the farmers in 50 pound bags during harvest every fall. We buy several bags for family or friends and for ourselves which we store in our basement where it is cool. This year we ended up with a couple of large bags left. It has been a cooler spring than normal so they have not started to sprout as much as usual.

For those of you who are not familiar with fresh potatoes, the potatoes we buy are very large, beautiful russets that stay firm and fresh until the weather starts to warm up and then they start to sprout. When the sprouts start to grow, the potatoes start to become soft and are not as easy to use.

I was telling my friend that when the sprouting starts, I have to either use the potatoes quickly or spread them out on newspaper or in boxes and keep the sprouts broken off until I can use the potatoes up. I mentioned that it was going to be hard for my husband and me to eat over 100 pounds of potatoes before they go bad.

Her reply was, “You need to dry those potatoes! With all the flooding and disasters around the country this year, who knows what kind of a harvest of potatoes or any food for that matter, there will be next fall? I realized that she was right. I don’t know why I hadn’t thought of this before. So I started the process of making homemade dried hash brown potatoes.

These potatoes are easy to dry and store well in a small amount of space. I am so excited to get the rest of these potatoes dried and stored as part of my food storage. I can’t believe I didn’t even consider drying these potatoes before. I’m grateful to my friend for the suggestion and also to have the potatoes available to do this. Things don’t look very good weather-wise and so many people are in such a sad situation with the tornados, devastation and with many entire farms being underwater without much hope for a crop of any kind. Take advantage of any abundance you may have now and prepare for the time when you or someone you know is in need.

Here are the easy directions for making homemade dehydrated hash brown potatoes.

1. Peel the potatoes and put them in a large pot of cold water. 2. Grate them using a grater, the grater attachment on a food processor, salad shooter or other appliance you use for grating.
3. Using a colander or large strainer, rinse the grated potatoes well until the water runs clear and no starch remains.
4. Immerse grated potatoes into boiling water for 3-4 minutes.
5. Immediately drain water from potatoes and put potatoes in a pan and cover with cold water.
6. Add 1 c. lemon juice; stir the lemon juice into the potatoes and water.
7. Let potatoes sit in lemon water for 45 minutes. The lemon juice with not affect the taste of the potatoes.
8. Drain off the potatoes.
9. Spread grated potatoes on dehydrator sheets. Dry several hours or until crispy.
10. Store potatoes in sealed containers. For long term storage, seal with oxygen absorbers in Mylar bags or #10 dry pack cans.
11. To rehydrate: Use 2 c. dried hash browns; cover with boiling water and let set 15-20 minutes. (Optional: add dried onion flakes in with your potatoes to rehydrate and make “taters and onion” hash browns.
12. Cook for hash browns, add to soups or casseroles of your choice.

Dessert – A fun food storage idea

2011-05-22T15:55:00.000-07:00

Photo by Peggy Clyde

As you know I have loved doing dry pack at home with Mylar Bags and my iron. It has been so fun to be able to store little bits or big bunches and seal them with oxygen absorbers for when I want to use them. While looking at some of my favorite blogs, I found a new fun idea for dry packing food in quart canning jars. This opens up a whole new world of possibilities. I can’t wait to see what I can do with this new information. This information is from Peggy Clyde. Here is what she says:

“I have been storing comfort food for times of need. Use a clean canning jar with new lids and rings. Put the food into the jars to within ½” to ¼” from the top. Add an oxygen absorber to the top of the food, put on a new lid and screw the band down tightly. Within several hours, the jar will be sealed and will last many years. The food inside will be like new when opened.”

“I have stored M&M's, chocolate chips, brownie mix and cake mixes. With the brownie mixes and cake mixes, I added one unflavored gelatin pack per egg required with the mix. Water plus the gelatin is equal to an egg when baking. I write the directions and what the mix is on the lid. Oxygen absorbers can be purchased from Amazon for a little around 10 cents each. Or, if you live near a Home Storage Center, you can also purchase them there.” – Peggy Clyde (http://peggyspantry.blogspot.com/)

This idea really intrigued me. I have not tried it yet but I will. I think the possibilities are endless. The only thing I think you would have to remember is that the jars would have to be very full so that the new lid would seal. Too much oxygen and it wouldn’t seal. All the more reason to store lots of extra new canning lids!

One idea that I want to try is to store a chocolate cake mix, (just take it out of the box but leave it in the bag it comes in, and stuff it in a quart jar; add 2 envelopes of Knox gelatin (you could also use powdered eggs or fresh eggs if you have them). For each chocolate cake mix I bottled I would also store a can of cherry pie filling. Here is one of my favorite recipes. Other variations you could store include; chocolate cake with raspberry pie filling, spice cake with peach pie filling, spice cake with apple pie filling and yellow cake mix with lemon pie filling, or strawberry cake with strawberry pie filling. White cake mix works but you come up with funny colors.

This is, hands down, one of my very favorite desserts. This would be awesome to have on your shelves for whenever you want a little pick-me-up! If you have not tried this recipe, you must. It is so quick and easy and tastes heavenly. I just mix with a wooden spoon so that you can taste the cherries too. I promise you will love this delicious desert. You don’t even need to wait for an emergency to make this.

CHOCOLATE CHERRY BARS
1 chocolate or fudge cake mix
1 can (21 oz.) cherry pie filling
2 eggs, beaten
Combine all ingredients together and stir by hand until mixed well. Pour into greased and floured baking sheet. Bake at 350º for 20-30 minutes or until done. For frosting combine:
1 c. sugar
5 T. butter
1/3 c. milk
Bring to a boil and boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add 1 c. chocolate chips. Stir until smooth. Pour over chocolate bars. *Can also be baked in a 9x13 pan or used for cupcakes.

Food Storage Friendly Friday – Meal Idea and Tip of the Week

2011-05-20T10:32:00.001-07:00

I know that everyone is trying to make their money go further these days. I’m more careful when shopping to make sure I really need the products I put in my cart. I also try to be careful when cooking that I don’t cook more than what we can eat. Sometimes this means cutting the recipe in half and other times it means using less meat and more of the other ingredients and still trying to achieve the same taste and quality.

Here is an idea that one reader suggested when submitting one of her recipes to me. She said she stored “tons” of rice because they love it and she uses it often in her cooking. Here is her tip for making her ground beef go further with her young family. Thanks for the great suggestion, Megan.

Stretching Ground Beef
When I am browning ground beef for anything, Taco’s, Chili, Sloppy Jo’s I add one cup of cooked rice for every pound or pound and a half of meat just after draining the grease off. This works really well and my family never knows. The rice (brown or white) takes the seasoning very well. I try to freeze left over rice from meals that way there is no waste. If I am having a meal with rice then I try making a little more and then plan a meal with ground beef for the same week.

This week’s recipe for French Bread is from Laura P. in Arizona. Thanks Laura for sharing this recipe.

French Bread - Laura P.
2 ½ c. warm water
2 T. yeast
2 t. sugar
Soften in Bosch Mixer bowl (or any bowl if kneading by hand) for 1 for 2 minutes
Add
1 T. Crisco
6-7 C. flour
1 T. salt
Put on level 2 and knead and set timer. This dough will be stiffer than you regular wheat bread recipe. After it turns off, let rest 10 min. Place in greased bowl and rise till doubled. Punch down. Form into 2 logs; slice 3 slashes across tops of loaves with a very sharp knife. Let rise till doubled. Bake at 425º about 15 min. or till lightly browned on top. *I slice it when warm, add butter and garlic salt and put back in the oven for 5 min.

One of my husband’s favorite things is homemade garlic bread. I use this recipe from Our Best Bites for their Garlic Bread Sprinkle. We love it! After trying it, I was determined to make sure I have plenty of these spices on hand so I can always make it. *I love buying the cheese and most of the spices in bulk from Winco!

Garlic Bread Seasoning“Our Best Bites”
½ c. powdered Parmesan cheese
2 t. Kosher salt
2 T. garlic powder
2 t. oregano
2 t. basil
2 t. marjoram
2 t. parsley
Combine ingredients in a jar (preferably one with a sprinkle top) and shake.

Making a Buddy Burner

2011-05-19T11:08:00.000-07:00

These are fun little “stoves, ovens or heaters” for camping or an emergency. It could save the lives of your family in a winter no-heat emergency. Make them and store them until needed. These can be made with mostly materials you have on hand. It is a good idea to make up several of the wax filled cans and have them on hand for an emergency.

If you have not used these before, then you should try them. They are fun for kids to cook their own meals on. You can improvise and use empty tin cans to cook in but it is much easier if you have small sauce pans for fry pans to cook with. Check to see what you have that you could use in an emergency so that when you need something you don’t have to search for it. Just like with everything else in preparedness, planning ahead will be much easier than trying to figure things out in the middle of an emergency.

Materials needed to make a buddy burner:
Plain corrugated cardboard (not printed with bright inks or coated with wax or plastic)
Flat tuna cans, flat pet food cans, and/or flat pineapple cans with their lids (Pineapple cans work best because they are a little taller)
#10 cans (the large institutional size)
Candle wax or paraffin

Tools needed to make a buddy burner:
Rotary can opener
Punch type can opener
Tin Snips

Materials needed to use a buddy burner:
Concrete block or bricks
Matches
Small clean cans or pans for cooking or baking on top of the #10 can
An additional #10 can if you wish to turn your stove into an oven
Pliers, aluminum foil (optional), pot holders

Procedure:
Step 1)
Cut the cardboard in strips whose width is the height of the tuna or pineapple can you are using -- across the corrugations, so that the holes in the corrugated cardboard show. Roll the strips until the cardboard roll fits snugly into the can. You want a very tight fit.

Step 2)
Melt the wax. It is great if you have an old pan you can use just for melting wax. It is best to use a double boiler, as if the wax gets too hot, it can burst into flame. You can improvise a double boiler by putting water in a large pan, and then setting a smaller pan (or even a large clean empty tin can (vegetable size) with the wax, into the water. Each tuna can will take about 4 ounces of wax.

Step 3)
When the wax is melted, slowly pour it into the buddy burner so that it runs down into the holes and saturates the corrugated cardboard and fill the can to the rim. You can put a small piece of cardboard sticking up or a candle wick in the middle to help start it, but this isn't required. Let it cool and harden. Your burner is ready to go.

Step 4)
Cut out one end of the #10 can. Use the tin snips to cut a 3" high and 4" wide "door" on one side of the can at the open end. Cut across the top of the door. Bend this flap of metal so the door is "open". Take the punch-type can opener, and make 3 or 4 holes on the other side of the can at the top (this is your chimney). Gather the rest of you supplies for cooking and you are all set.

Safety Precautions:
This is very important: Make sure to set the burner on a brick or concrete block. It produces a lot of heat and the flame can be 6-8” high. It isn’t unsafe if you use it carefully. Do not set it on the floor where it can be kicked or where it can catch carpeting on fire. Set it on a concrete block or bricks and set it on a table or stand. If using indoors make sure you have adequate ventilation – keep a door open to the rest of the house and if cooking, open a window just a bit because of the smoke. Don’t let kids play with it; however it will be fun for toasting marshmallows.

To light your buddy burner:
To light it, set it on a brick or concrete block. Put a lighted match in the middle of the can or light the wick. The flame will spread across the top of the can; that's OK, that's what it's supposed do.

To use for cooking:
Place the #10 can over the Buddy Burner and place a pan with whatever you want to cook on top of the #10 can.

To use for baking:
Using tuna cans as little pans, anything you would bake in a regular oven can be baked on top of the #10 can stove. Simply place another #10 can over your baking pan and it’s an oven!

To regulate the flame:
For heating or cooking, use the can lid as a damper but be very careful. Place the lid over all of the flame to extinguish the fire, or cover it partially to regulate the amount of flame. You can also use a piece of aluminum foil (several thicknesses folded), that is larger than the tuna can. Handle the damper with a pair of pliers (ideal), or a pot holder, or punch a couple of holes in the edges of the lid and use some wire to make a handle.

To refill the buddy burner:
Place small amounts of wax on the cardboard while the burner is operating. As long as it has wax, it will function.

To use for Emergency Heat:
Don't put the #10 can over the buddy burner, as it makes more smoke with the #10 can than without. Light the buddy burner; let it warm up a room and remember that it is easier to heat a room than a house, and it is easier to heat a room if you are bundled up warmly. This means a winter no-heat emergency is not a time to expect that you can walk around the house barefoot and in shorts. As soon as the room is warm, extinguish the buddy burner.

72-Hour Kit Wednesday - Protect your hands & 200th Post

2011-05-18T10:05:00.000-07:00

A Personal Note - Today is a milestone for me; a big milestone. This is my 200th post. I’ve been doing this blog for over a year now. I guess I never really thought I would actually do 200 posts, or last even close to a year. Oh my how time flies, especially in the blogging world. I have to say that sometimes knowing you have a blog post to do is like knowing you have a sink full of dirty dishes to wash! It’s always there staring you in the face. However, I have learned so much over the course of the last year and I hope some of you have learned a thing or two also. I have also accomplished so many things towards my preparedness that I have put off doing for years. It has made me scramble to get things completed, learn more about things I was totally unfamiliar with and experiment with recipes and processes that I didn’t even know existed.

I don’t necessarily have much more food storage than I had a year ago; remember it isn’t about the quantity of food storage that you have as much as it is learning how to use what you do have. However, I look at the variety of things I have canned, the new rotating can racks in my storage room, and the different things I have learned to make with my food storage and it really does make me happy that I’m at post #200. I’m not sure how many more posts I will do, but there are things I still want to learn and hopefully more successes I’ll have that I want to share.

I always love hearing from each of you; finding out what you are doing – what you like or what you hate about preparedness. Please send a message or email and let me know what you are up to. If there are any questions you have or things you want to learn about, I may not know but I’ll do my best to find out. Have you made progress this year? Are your 72-hour kits ready to go? What is the biggest difference in your preparedness right now from this time a year ago? Are you cooking with your food storage? Have you met all your goals and set new ones? Let me know what you think.

One of my big goals this year was to redo my 72 hour kits. It has been fun sharing my weekly posts as I upgrade and revamp my kits. Hopefully I never have to use them, but if I do, they’ll be ready.

We have talked in a previous post about a change of clothing, including gloves. We even talked about having an extra pair of gloves for each person to sleep in if extreme conditions exist. I don’t know about you but I hate having cold hands. If my hands are cold the rest of me is cold too.

Another thing to consider is gloves for working. Considering that we do not know what the conditions in an emergency might be, I think it is safe to assume that a good sturdy pair of work gloves for each person might come in handy. Whether we need to use them to gather firewood or kindling, help clear a camping spot, carrying rocks for a fire pit or just plain doing stuff that gets our hands filthy, we might just be glad to have something to protect our hands.

Another thing that we might want to consider for our kits, are hand warmers. They are quite inexpensive and given the climate you live in, you might be glad to have them. I can’t even imagine being forced from my home in some of the extremely cold winters we have here but it could happen. In a case like that we would certainly welcome hand warmers. I would secure plenty for each person for a three-day period.

Make sure that your kits also contain a good pair of fingernail clippers, tweezers for slivers and plenty of Band-Aids and first aid ointment in your first aid kits.

If you live in extreme cold areas like idea, it may be worth looking into glove liners which add extra warmth when needed. Better to be well prepared and able to protect all those valuable hands in your family.

Recycling – Leftovers

2011-05-17T08:20:00.000-07:00

Do you love leftovers? I do, sometimes, if it was good the first time around it will probably be good the second time around too. Besides, one less meal to cook; who can complain about that. However, after the second time around those reruns – as my kids used to affectionately call leftovers – may not be so appealing.

The problem at our house now that there are only two of us here for mealtimes, is that we have a lot of leftovers. I really try to cut down the amount I prepare or freeze part of it, but sometimes that is just hard to do. Enter my phobia about wasting perfectly good food and we have a situation.

Last fall when I was dehydrating everything I could find I had some leftover homemade spaghetti sauce I needed to get rid of. The problem was, it was still very tasty and not that old and because I had my dehydrator running anyway, I poured it onto one of my fruit leather sheets and dried it.

I will admit at the time I was thinking what will I do with it. Turns out I have almost used it all up. When I pulled the sheet of dry spaghetti sauce out of my dehydrator, I tore it in pieces and stored it in an airtight storage container. Whenever I made homemade soup during the winter, I threw some on. It was so good. I added some to some pizza sauce I was making and it added wonderful flavor. It tastes great added to vegetable soup too. I even crumbled some into a meatloaf I was making. I love the idea of adding the flavor of peppers and onions and great spices to any dish without actually cutting and chopping.

The point of this whole post is that it is a good practice to learn to recycle as well as to not waste food. My grandma, who didn’t have much as she was growing up in a large family used to say when we threw something out that was still good, “Someday you’ll wish you had that.” Yes, occasionally I hear voices in my head.

I have a recipe for Spaghetti Sauce that I love. It is originally a spaghetti casserole recipe. I make it several different ways. This time I made it and added meatballs and served it over spaghetti. The next day I plucked out the meatballs and made Meatball Sub Sandwiches, leaving most the sauce. Today, I’m drying the sauce, spread thin on my drying trays for use in many different recipes later on. Remember, when you dehydrate something, you are just removing the water. So to reuse it all you have to do is add it to water. Just a note: I have not yet tried drying the meat with the sauce though I know you can, I have not tried it yet.

Just for fun I’ll include the recipe today for the Spaghetti Casserole/Spaghetti & Meatballs/Spaghetti Sauce/Dried Spaghetti Sauce. Maybe you have a favorite recipe of your own. I hope this will inspire you to find different ways to recycle and maybe add to your food storage repertoire in the process.

Spaghetti Casserole
1 lb. hamburger
2-4 T. green pepper, diced fine
½ c. chopped onions
2 t. dried parsley flakes
4 c. tomato juice
1 t. salt
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
1 ½ t. oregano
1 package spaghetti seasoning mix (or homemade sauce mix)
2 T. brown sugar
2 T. ketchup
1 t. mustard
1-2 c. grated cheddar cheese
1 package spaghetti cooked and drained and rinsed in cold water.
Brown beef with onion and peppers. Stir in next 9 ingredients and simmer. Mix in spaghetti and put in casserole dish and cover with grated cheese, heat in oven till heated through.
*Variation #1: Omit hamburger and cheese and add precooked homemade meatballs. Use leftover meatballs in sub sandwiches adding fresh vegetables & cheese.
#2: Make up the sauce, without the cheese, and serve it over cooked spaghetti noodles, enabling you to freeze the leftover sauce without the noodles.
#3: To dry leftover sauce, remove meatballs. Spread sauce very thin on slightly oiled drying trays. Dry until sauce can be peeled from the trays and turned over. Continue drying until no moisture remains. Store in airtight container with sheets of sauce separated by wax paper or plastic wrap. Use as a flavoring in soups, stews sauces or crumbled in meatloaf for extra flavor.

Homemade Cleaning Products

2011-05-16T08:58:00.001-07:00

I don’t know about you but every time I buy a bottle of spray cleaner, I am a little disappointed at how much cleaner you actually get for your money. We do pay quite a bit for those fancy spray bottles that they come in. Some of the best advice I ever received was to buy some good quality empty spray bottles and make my own cleaning solution.

There is just something about making it yourself, that is satisfying; especially if it works good and you are saving money. One thing that really makes me feel good is when I am able to use regular household products that I already have and don’t need to run out and buy.

I also like, being the preparedness geek that I am, being able to have all the ingredients on hand. I’m sure I’ll just be itching to clean in the event of an emergency. However, I do know that with the rising cost of everything, there are so many things I’d rather spend my money on than cleaners.

When I was growing up, Saturday was cleaning day. My mother always said that if you have the right cleaning products, and they work well, cleaning is much less stressful. I know that each of us have cleaning jobs that we hate or maybe detest is a better word. Maybe it’s cleaning the toilet, the oven, washing walls or doing dishes. I have said for years that I would rather do any of those than dust. However, a good duster or even furniture polish changes my thinking on that.

There is so much emphasis today on the environment. If you can use a cleaning product that is good to the environment, as well good to your health, that’s even better. Besides, think how much less garbage we’d have without all those empty cleaning product bottles.

I’ve found so many versions of homemade cleaning products and I am sure some of you have some of your own. We’ve talked about the homemade laundry detergents which I love as well as some other things that work but today here are a few other recipes you can try to save a little money. If you have a favorite, tell us about it.

I love using spray cleaner in the kitchen, especially on my stove. It makes cleaning so much easier. Here is a good one that cuts grease or spaghetti sauce easily. You can also use it in the bath on counters and mirrors.

Homemade Cleaning Spray
16 oz spray bottle (better yet use a 32 oz bottle and doubled the ingredients)
1 T. rubbing alcohol
½ c. of vinegar
1 t. dish soap
Add enough water to fill spray bottle. Spray on anything that you wish to clean and wipe with a soft cloth.

Homemade Dish Soap Recipe
This takes a little longer to make, but is even very frugal
¼ c. soap flakes or Ivory or Fels Naptha soap shavings (any bar soap will do)
2 c. water
1 t. lemon juice or white vinegar
Get out a sturdy sauce pan. Pour the water and soap flakes in and slowly heat it over medium heat. Stir the mixture and keep heating it until all the soap flakes melt into the water. DO NOT let the mixture come to a boil. Turn down the heat if needed. Allow the soap mixture to cool a bit, and then stir in the lemon juice or vinegar. Let it sit in the pot until it is completely cooled, then pour it into an old dish soap bottle. If you like, you can add a few drops of your favorite essential oil to make it smell better. If you use the lemon juice, you probably don’t need the essential oil. Bottled lemon juice works just fine.

Homemade Furniture Polish
Mix the ingredients well, apply to the wood and let sit a few minutes, and then buff smooth.
The juice from 1 lemon
1 t. olive oil
1 t. water

A while ago we made homemade fabric softener sheets for your dryer. Here is a recipe for liquid fabric softener if you prefer.

Liquid Fabric Softener
6 c. water
3 c. vinegar
2 c. hair conditioner (a regular bottle is 15 oz, just use that)
Either use an old fabric softener bottle or a big clear plastic juice jugs and mix all ingredients in one of those, and store. Use the same amount as you normally would. Experiment with different scents of conditioner till you find one you love. Also, you can almost always find VO5 or Suave conditioners for around $1.00 a bottle so this is very economical. Vinegar is a great rinsing agent so don't be afraid of the smell. Your clothes won't smell like vinegar.

Fake Febreze
Take one part of that handy dandy fabric softener that you just made and mix it with two parts tap water, shake, and put in a cute colored spray bottle, and spritz on fabric for a fresh scent. It's that easy and it saves a lot of money.

Oven Cleaner
Simply mix a couple tablespoons of cream of tartar with a small amount of white vinegar. There are no exact amounts; you want to end up with a thin paste. Start with about half a capful of vinegar and adjust accordingly. After doing it once you’ll discover the right consistency.
Apply it to the glass with a paper towel, a sponge or your fingers, close the door and wait two to three hours. Remove it — and the gunk — with a damp sponge and dry with a towel. If some stubborn spots remain, just do it again. This costs mere pennies per application and cream of tartar is one of the few things in the baking aisle with an indefinite shelf life. It will still be good five years from now.

Window Cleaner
2 c. water
¼ c. of white distilled vinegar
Up to ½ t. Dawn in a spray bottle
It cleans windows beautifully!

Floor Cleaner
1 c. white vinegar
1 gallon hot water
Mix together and mop!

Bathroom Cleaner
To a spray bottle add:
½ c. Dawn
Finish filling bottle with as much vinegar as the bottle holds. It works as good as any commercial tub cleaner!

Toilet Cleaner
¼ c. baking soda
¼ c. Dawn
¼ c. water
Mix above ingredients. Let sit on the toilet bowl for a couple of hours, swish with a toilet brush, and flush.

Food Storage Friendly Friday - Meal Ideas and Tip of the Week

2011-05-13T17:39:00.000-07:00

Many years ago, when I first started working on preparedness, I had a friend who shared some shopping tips with me that I have never forgotten. She said, “If you want to have more money to spend on food storage, go shopping less often.” What she meant by this was that if you can shop for 2 weeks or even a month at a time, you’ll spend less on groceries than if you go every week or even more often.

My first question to her was, “What about milk? I have to go buy milk every week.” She then asked if I had a freezer and told me to buy as much milk as I needed for a month and freeze the extra until I needed it. She told me that I wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between the frozen milk and the unfrozen milk.

I was skeptical at first but I bought a gallon and tried it. She was right. I found that I could buy most of my milk for the month at one time and avoid returning to the store for milk and picking up other things. You still may have to pick up produce or an occasional item you forgot, but for the most part you’ll save money by avoiding the store as much as possible.

This is a great tip if you have room in your freezer. If you don’t buy gallons of milk, or if you have milk go bad because you don’t use it fast enough, this will also work for you, enabling you to have milk on hand at all times without spoilage.

For anyone who hasn’t tried this, here is the way she explained how to do it to me. Buy as much milk as you need for a month or 2 weeks, whichever you feel is better for you. You’ll need to take a little milk out of the gallon jugs so that they don’t freeze and break in the freezer; just enough so there is room for expansion. Then you date the lid with the date you put it in the freezer – the date on the milk will be invalid after you have frozen it. When you are out of milk in your fridge, take a jug out of the freezer and set it in your kitchen sink to thaw. As it starts to thaw, shake it occasionally when you walk by the sink. Let it stay in your sink until the majority of the milk is unfrozen. Shaking the milk helps to return it to the consistency it was when you bought it. After it is mostly unthawed and liquid, put it in the fridge and use as normal.

I’m hoping that some of you have found new food storage recipes that you would like to share with us. Send them in if you have. I’d love some more quinoa recipes as well as some salad recipes that can be made from shelf stable items. Once spring comes I’m always looking for new salad recipes. Any recipe that you have that uses food storage would be fun for the rest of us to try. Email it to me at preparedness365@gmail.com and I’ll print it here.

This week’s recipe was sent to me by Gayle P. from Utah who said she was looking for a recipe for a chocolate cake that she could make with whole wheat flour from her new wheat grinder. She wanted to see if her family would notice the whole wheat as well as find a good recipe that she would want to make again. She searched the internet and found a recipe that she loves and has made several times now. She included her favorite buttercream icing recipe also. Thanks for sharing Gayle. (The comments are Gayle's)

Whole Wheat Chocolate Cake
1 ¼ c. finely ground soft white wheat, sifted
1 t. soda
¼ t. kosher salt
1 T. shortening
8 T. cocoa powder
¼ c. butter, softened at room temp
1 ¼ c. brown sugar, lightly packed
2 eggs (I use powdered eggs, reconstituted)
1 ½ t. vanilla
½ cup sour cream (One day I substituted mayonnaise when I had no sour cream)
½ c. boiling water
Sift flour, soda, and salt together in a bowl. Melt the shortening in a small saucepan over low heat, stir in the cocoa powder and mix well. Allow to cool slightly. In another bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar for 2 minutes. Add eggs and beat until smooth. Beat in the vanilla and cooled cocoa mixture. Add about a third of the flour mixture to the bowl, along with ¼ c. sour cream, and stir. Add another third of the flour mixture along with the remaining ¼ c. sour cream, and stir again. Finish up by adding the rest of the flour mixture, and stirring until well combined. Stir in the boiling water. Pour the batter into a greased and floured 8×8 pan. Bake at 375º about 35 min., or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center.

Yummy Buttercream Frosting
I’ve used this recipe for years; I could eat it with a spoon.
1/3 c. butter, very soft
4 ½ c. sifted powdered sugar
¼ c. milk; more if needed
1 ½ t. vanilla
Beat the butter till fluffy. Gradually add 2 c. powdered sugar, beating well. Slowly beat in 1/4 c. milk and vanilla. Beat in the rest of the sugar, a little at a time. Add more milk a tablespoon at a time, if needed, to desired consistency.

Potato Pearls

2011-05-13T10:30:00.000-07:00

I POSTED THIS YESTERDAY BUT FOR SOME REASON IT DIDN'T SAVE. I'M REPOSTING IT AGAIN TODAY!
How many of you have Potato Pearls in #10 cans in your food storage? Are you using them? I love the idea that Mashed potatoes are just a couple of minutes away. These are a great storage item and can be purchased at most food storage providers. These continue to be a cannery item if you dry pack at the cannery however, they can only be purchased in boxes now (then you can dry pack if you wish). Here are some recipes for using your potato pearls.

I think these are a great food storage item and are very versatile in other recipes as well. If you don’t have any pearls, think about getting some. They are economical and a fun addition to your storage.

Potato Pearls
Basic Recipe for making Mashed Potatoes from Potato Pearls
Bring 2 to 2 ¼ c. water to a boil Remove from heat. Stir in 1 c. potato pearls with a fork just until potatoes are wet. Allow to stand until water is absorbed. Stir once more just before serving. Y: 4 servings

Shepherd’s Pie
Quick and Easy! It's all out of a can, and especially when you use potato pearls for the top!
Heat in a skillet:
1 Can Ground Hamburger (Or cook & drain your fresh ground beef)
1 C Cooked Rice
1 Pint of tomatoes, tomato soup, or tomato sauce – thin with milk
1 can drained Green Beans
1 can drained corn
Salt and pepper to taste
pour hot mixture into 9x9” baking dish
Top with thick mashed potatoes and shredded cheddar.
Microwave for 4 or 5 minutes to melt the cheese or heat in the oven or under the broiler until warm and cheese is melted and bubbly.

This recipe for Tater-Dogs came from a friend. These tater dogs are her boys’ favorite after school snack. Using potato pearls instead of regular mashed potatoes, makes them quick and much healthier than other sugary snacks. A great idea!

After School Tater-Dogs
Potato Pearls
1 wiener per person
Grated Cheese
Ketchup & Mustard
Prepare 1 serving of potato pearls per person
Cook 1 wiener and split in half lengthwise. Top with 2 scoops potato pearls on split wiener (use an ice cream or cookie scoop) and sprinkle with cheese. Heat in oven or microwave to melt the cheese. Serve with ketchup and mustard.

Baked Mashed Potato Omelet
Serves 4
1 green or red peppers chopped fine
1 c. finely chopped onion
1 ½ c. sliced mushrooms
4 T. oil
8 eggs
3 c. mashed potatoes
½ c. Parmesan cheese, grated
Heat oven to 325. In a 12" non-stick skillet cook peppers, onion and mushrooms in 2 T. oil over medium heat, stirring, for 5-10 minutes, or until vegetables are tender (and all liquid is evaporated.) In a large bowl whisk eggs, potatoes and Parmesan cheese until mixture is combined. Stir in vegetable mixture. In skillet heat 2 Tbs. oil over moderate heat until hot, pour in egg mixture and bake 20 to 30 minutes, or until it is set. (If skillet handle is plastic, wrap it in a double thickness of foil.) Cut in wedges. Serve with Salsa.

Mashed-Potato Potato Pancakes
2 cups prepared potatoes pearls
1 Egg (lightly beaten)
6 T. All-purpose flour
1 ½ T. Onion (fine chopped)
2 T. Green Onions (chopped)
Salt and pepper to taste
In a bowl, combine potatoes and the egg. Stir in the flour thoroughly, and stir in the onion, green onions, and salt and pepper to taste. In a large heavy skillet, heat 1/8” oil over moderately high heat until it is hot but not smoking. Fry heaping tablespoons of the potato mixture, flattening them slightly with the back of the spoon, for 1 minute on each side, or until they are golden brown. Transfer the pancakes as they are cooked to paper towels to drain and if desired, keep them warm on a rack set on a baking sheet in a preheated 250º.

Potato Pearl Bread
5 c. milk
½ c. shortening
½ c. sugar
½ c. potato pearls
2 T. salt
2 T. yeast
9-11 c. flour
Microwave milk until hot. Place shortening, sugar, salt and potato pearls in a large bowl. Pour hot milk over shortening mixture and stir until potato pearls are dissolved. Cool. Add yeast. Mix in enough flour to form a soft dough, then knead 6 minutes. Cover and let rise. Form into loaves and place in four loaf pans. Let them rise. Bake at 350º for 35 minutes.

Potato Rolls
Dissolve:
2 pkg. yeast (5 t.)
¼ c. warm water
2 c. milk
¾ c. sugar
½ c. shortening
1/3 c. potato pearls
2 eggs
2 t. salt
8 c. flour (approximately)
Dissolve yeast in warm water. Scald milk, sugar and shortening and set aside. Mix potato pearls with hot water to equal one cup. When milk mixture has cooled to lukewarm, mix with potato water, yeast, eggs and salt. Add about 8 cups flour. Knead until smooth and elastic. Raise until double. Punch down, roll out ½” thick. Cut in 3 to 3 ½” circles. Fold in half, pinch edges together. Place on greased cookie sheet. Raise until double (approx. 45 minutes). Bake at 375º for 10-15 minutes. Y: 3 ½ dozen.

Potato Cinnamon Rolls
Roll out Potato Roll dough (above) into a rectangle. Spread with butter. Sprinkle with brown sugar, cinnamon, raisins, nuts. Roll dough up into a roll and pinch the seam closed. Cut in 1 1/2 inch slices. Place in greased 9x13” pan and bake at 375º for 10-15 minutes.

Potato Candy
½ c. mashed potatoes
Powdered (confectioners’ sugar)
Peanut butter
Combine ½ c. mashed potatoes and powdered sugar till it is firm enough to roll. Mixture will become very wet; keep adding powdered sugar. Roll out on powdered sugared surface like noodles. Cover with peanut butter. Roll into jelly roll and cut into small pieces. Very rich!

Other Ideas for Potato Pearls:
-Use as a side dish of mashed potatoes.
-Use to thicken soup, stew or gravy; simply add a handful to your dish and stirring until dissolved.
-Use as the crust for shepherd's pie or other main dishes or casseroles calling for mashed potatoes.
-Use in recipes for doughnuts (spud nuts) or breads or candies calling for mashed potatoes

72-Hour Kit Wednesday - Toilet Facilities

2011-05-11T09:42:00.000-07:00

This is the most distasteful part of the 72-hour kit preparation but definitely a necessity. There are several different theories on the best way to prepare toilet facilities if you are forced from your home during an emergency. You can buy porta-potties with disposable bags or you can make your own. Either way, this is something you MUST plan for as part of your kit.

We have already included a roll of toilet paper for each family member’s kit, so that is one less thing you have to worry about now. We have also discussed a small pointed shovel for digging and trenching and this too you should already have in your kit. It is definitely a necessity. If you don’t have a portable toilet (and if you do, be advised they don’t support a lot of weight), you can use a 5 gallon sturdy bucket with a lid as your toilet.

It is very hard to consider the possibility of having to leave your home and then rough it even to the point of having to be responsible for the disposal of your wastes; however, the possibility exists and this information will help you to take care of this unpleasant task in the proper and safest manner.

You will need:

12 to 18 large brown paper bags for each person for each day. This allows the use of 4 to 6 bags each time for 3 times per day. You will place the bags 4 to 6 thick (one inside the other).

Spray Disinfectant (Lysol)

Newspapers and Toilet Tissue

Insecticide

Pointed Shovel

The bags are called soil bags. Paper is preferable to plastic because of their biodegradable properties. You will place these bags one inside the other and spray with a disinfectant. Then
fold up 2 sheets of newspaper and place in the bottom of the bag. Place this bag in the hole that you will use.

After use pour 1/4 cup bleach into bag or douse with Lysol then tie the bag shut with a piece of twine and spray the bag with insecticide. If you are moving on, dig a hole 30 to 36” deep and bury the bag. Make sure that you cover it well with dirt and then stomp on the dirt to make sure that there aren’t any air-gaps in the hole.

If you have made camp and will be staying you can place all the soil bags in a large plastic bag with a tie on it and place it in a large trash can that is not being used for garbage. Then at the end of the day, all the paper bags can be buried at one time.

You can also perform this same function using a 5 gallon bucket to hold your bags if it is lined with a plastic bag. Then, when you are ready to remove the waste, empty the paper bags and bury them as instructed above.

If you decide to use a 5 gallon bucket, all your supplies can be carried inside the bucket and stored with your kits until needed.

Pudding

2011-05-10T10:27:00.000-07:00

One of the things that is awesome to make from your food storage is pudding. There are several variations and you can for sure come up with some of your own.

You can buy pudding mix in #10 cans and put them in your storage or you can make your own pudding mix from your powdered milk. Or you can do both. Here are some recipes for you to try. Experiment a little and see what you like and what works for your family and what doesn’t. There are some recipes for homemade pudding mix as well as several puddings made from scratch (no mix). Give them a try. It may change your mind about the amount of powdered milk you want to store. Not to mention the cocoa!

Pudding Mix (for Vanilla or Chocolate Pudding)
1 ½ c. sugar
2 ½ c. non-fat dry milk powder (non-instant)
1 ¼ c. flour
1 t. salt
Stir ingredients together until well mixed. Store in a tightly covered container in a cool place. Makes enough mix for 24 servings.

To make vanilla pudding:
1 ¼ c. pudding mix (above)
2 ½ c. warm water
¾ t. vanilla
1 T. margarine or butter (substitute powdered butter or margarine, reconstituted)
1 egg, beaten (substitute powdered eggs, reconstituted)
Combine mix with water in top of double boiler. Place over boiling water and cook till thickened, stirring constantly. Cover and cook 5 minutes longer. Add the butter or margarine. Remove from heat and beat half of the hot mixture into the egg. Blend slowly into the remaining hot mixture. Cook over hot water for 1 minute. Stir in vanilla and chill. *Note: for extra creamy pudding, substitute milk for the warm water in the recipe.

To make chocolate pudding:
1 ¼ c. pudding mix (above)
¼ c. sugar
¾ c. cocoa
2 ½ c. warm water
¾ t. vanilla
1 T. margarine or butter (substitute powdered butter or margarine, reconstituted)
1 egg, beaten (substitute powdered eggs, reconstituted)
Combine mix with sugar and cocoa. Add water in top of double boiler. Place over boiling water and cook till thickened, stirring constantly. Cover and cook 5 minutes longer. Add the butter or margarine. Remove from heat and beat half of the hot mixture into the egg. Blend slowly into the remaining hot mixture. Cook over hot water for 1 minute. Stir in vanilla and chill. *Note: for extra creamy pudding, substitute milk for the warm water in the recipe.

Caramel Pudding Mix
1 ½ c. brown sugar, firmly packed
2 ½ c. non-fat dry milk powder (non-instant)
1 ¼ c. flour
1 t. salt
Stir ingredients together until well mixed. Store in a tightly covered container in a cool place. Makes enough mix for 24 servings.

To make Caramel Pudding:
1 ¼ c. pudding mix (above)
2 ½ c. warm water
¾ t. vanilla
1 T. margarine or butter (substitute powdered butter or margarine, reconstituted)
1 egg, beaten (substitute powdered eggs, reconstituted)
Combine mix with water in top of double boiler. Place over boiling water and cook till thickened, stirring constantly. Cover and cook 5 minutes longer. Add the butter or margarine. Remove from heat and beat half of the hot mixture into the egg. Blend slowly into the remaining hot mixture. Cook over hot water for 1 minute. Stir in vanilla and chill. *Note: for extra creamy pudding, substitute milk for the warm water in the recipe.

Lemon Pudding
1 c water
Dash of salt
½ c. water
1/3 c. flour (white or wheat)
1/3 c. dry milk powder
2/3 c. sugar
½ c. water
1 t. knox gelatin (1/3 of an envelope)
2 T. cold water
1 pkg. lemonade Kool-aid (unsweetened)
Bring 1 c. water and salt to a boil. Using a jar with a lid or a shaker bottle, add ½ c. water and flour to the jar and shake till creamy and smooth (no lumps). Slowly pour mixture into boiling water, stirring constantly. Let cook on low heat for 7-8 minutes, stirring conastantly. Remove from heat. In a small mixing bowl combine dry milk powder, sugar and ½ c. cold water. Set aside. Soften gelatin in 2 T. cold water, put on low heat and stir till dissolved. Add gelatin to milk mixture and stir until thoroughly mixed. To this mixture add Koolaid. Mix until dissolved. Combine with cooked flour mixture and mix well. Using a blender or wire whisk, whisk in ¼ c. milk until smooth and creamy. Serve warm or chill slightly.*Note: For Lemon Pie,omit the last 1/4 c. milk that you whisk in and pour into prepared crust as soon as you finish the cooking process.

Coconut Cream Pudding
1 c water
Dash of salt
1 T. small cracked wheat (or flaked coconut)
½ c. water
1/3 c. flour (white or wheat)
1/3 c. dry milk powder
2/3 c. sugar
½ c. water
1 t. knox gelatin (1/3 of an envelope)
2 T. cold water
½ t. coconut flavoring (or to taste)
Bring 1 c. water and salt to a boil. Using a jar with a lid or a shaker bottle, add ½ c. water and flour to the jar and shake till creamy and smooth (no lumps). Add cracked wheat to water with salt and slowly pour flour-water mixture into boiling water, stirring constantly; let cook on low heat for 7-8 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. In a small mixing bowl combine dry milk powder, sugar and ½ c. cold water. Set aside. Soften gelatin in 2 T. cold water, put on low heat and stir till dissolved. Add gelatin to milk mixture and stir until thoroughly mixed. To this mixture add coconut flavoring. Mix until dissolved. Combine with cooked flour mixture and mix well. Using a blender or wire whisk, whisk in ¼ c. milk until smooth and creamy. Serve warm or chill slightly. *Note: Cracked wheat will taste like coconut when pudding is finished. *Note: For Coconut Cream Pie,omit the last 1/4 c. milk that you whisk in and pour into prepared crust as soon as you finish the cooking process.

Homemade Chocolate Pudding (not from a mix)
4 c. nonfat dry milk
2 2/3 c. sugar
1 1/3 c. cornstarch
2 c. unsweetened cocoa
½ t. salt
2 c. water
1 T. butter
½ t. vanilla
Combine dry milk, sugar, cornstarch, cocoa and salt in a bowl and mix. Transfer to a medium size sauce pan. Pour in water and bring to a boil for 1 minute; making sure to stir constantly. Then remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Place in refrigerator to chill. If you substitute milk for the water, it makes the pudding extra rich and creamy.

The pudding recipe below is for anyone who may have gone a little overboard in storing hot cocoa mix (this is not necessarily a confession!)from the cannery or any hot cocoa mix you buy. A fun way to use some of that hot coca mix any time of the year.

Pudding from Hot Cocoa Mix
¼ c. corn starch
¼ c. sugar
Dash of salt
¾ c. hot cocoa mix
1 c. cold water
1 c. hot water
½ t. vanilla
In saucepan, mix together cornstarch, sugar, salt and cocoa mix. Add cold water and stir till dissolved. Add hot water. Stir constantly over medium heat until mixture thickens and comes to a boil. Stir in vanilla. Chill and serve. May be poured into individual dishes after cooking if desired. Y: 4 servings

Hydrogen Peroxide

2011-05-09T10:13:00.001-07:00

With everything so expensive these days, it’s nice to find something that costs less money and has many varied uses. Do you have hydrogen peroxide (3% solution) in your home? If you do are you using it often or are you like me, it sits on the shelf and I hardly ever open it. Here are some great ideas that might make you grab an extra bottle or two for storage next time you shop. I’ve tried several of these and they worked great.

The many benefits and uses of Hydrogen Peroxide
Ideas from Becky Ransey and Linda Cobb
1. Take one capful (the little white cap that comes with the bottle) and hold in your mouth for 10 minutes daily, then spit it out. No more canker sores and your teeth will be whiter without expensive pastes. Use it instead of mouthwash. (Small print says mouth wash and gargle right on the bottle).
2. Let your toothbrushes soak in a cup of "Peroxide" to keep them free of germs.
3. Clean your counters with peroxide to kill germs and leave a fresh smell. Simply put a little on your dishrag when you wipe, or spray it on the counters.
4. After rinsing off your wooden cutting board, pour peroxide on it to kill salmonella and other bacteria.
5. One man reports, “I had a fungus on my feet for years - until I sprayed a 50/50 mixture of peroxide and water on them (especially the toes) every night and let dry. All gone.”
6. Soak any infections or cuts in 3% peroxide for five to ten minutes several times a day. A nurse reports that she has seen gangrene that would not heal with any medicine, but was healed by soaking in peroxide.
8. Fill a spray bottle with a 50/50 mixture of peroxide and water and keep it in every bathroom to disinfect without harming your septic system like bleach or most other disinfectants will.
9. Tilt your head back and spray into nostrils with your 50/50 mixture whenever you have a cold, or plugged sinuses. It will bubble and help to kill the bacteria. Hold for a few minutes then blow your nose into a tissue.
10. If you have a terrible toothache and cannot get to a dentist right away, put a capful of 3% peroxide into your mouth and hold it for ten minutes several times a day. The pain will lessen greatly.
11. If you like a natural look to your hair, spray the 50/50 solution on your wet hair after a shower and comb it through. You will not have the peroxide burnt blonde hair like the hair dye packages, but more natural highlights if your hair is a light brown, reddish, or dirty blonde. It also lightens gradually so it's not a drastic change.
12. Put half of a bottle of peroxide in your bath to help rid boils, fungus, or other skin infections.
13. You can also add a cup of peroxide instead of bleach to a load of whites in your laundry to whiten them. If there are protein stains on clothing, pour it directly on the spot, let it sit for a minute, then rub it and rinse with water. Repeat if necessary.
14. I use peroxide to clean my mirrors with, and there is no smearing which is why I love it so much for this. I could go on and on. It is a little brown bottle no home should be without! With prices of most necessities rising, I'm glad there's a way to save tons of money in such a simple, healthy manner.
15. Use 3% Hydrogen peroxide for removing blood stains – especially if they are fairly fresh. Pour directly on the soiled spot, let it sit for a minute, then rub it and rinse with cold water. Repeat if necessary. It is a great bleaching agent for stubborn stains on white clothes. Combine ½ c. hydrogen peroxide and 1 t. ammonia for a great stain removal combination.
16. Use hydrogen peroxide to bleach delicate items such as wool or wool blends. Soak them overnight in a solution of one part 3% hydrogen peroxide to eight parts cold water. Launder according to care instructions.
17. Always use 3% hydrogen peroxide for cleaning. The other one – that you use to bleach your hair – will remove the color from carpets or clothing.

Making an Emergency Heater!

2011-05-05T05:43:00.000-07:00

Here is a fun and easy project for you to try. Homemade emergency heaters are an awesome idea and they are easy to make. They can be used as a heater in your home, a heater in your car during the winter months, a heater for camping or a heater for your 72-Hour kits. You only need three things and just a few minutes to make them.

Something else you might consider is that these heaters would make an awesome gift for friends or family who are working on preparedness. Gift giving instructions are included below.

Here is what you need:
1 empty quart can with lid (purchase at any paint store – Under $3 at Home Depot)
1 pint bottle rubbing alcohol - 70% isopropyl alcohol (store with an extra bottle of alcohol to refill; the alcohol burns, not the toilet paper)
1 roll toilet paper – cardboard removed
Paint can opener (optional, or use screwdriver)

How to make your emergency heater:
1. Remove core of toilet paper
2. Fold the roll of toilet paper in half and stuff into the empty quart can.
3. Slowly pour 1 pint alcohol into can. (Pour alcohol in just before lighting)
4. Light with a lighter or match.
5. To extinguish, replace the lid.
6. Put the following instructions in with the rest of the items.

Instructions for using Emergency Car Heater:Use 70% isopropyl alcohol-any higher percent the flames could be too high. Do not use scented alcohol, it will smell awful in your car. 4 pints of isopropyl will keep a car 60 to 70º for 24 hours. They are extremely safe and don’t produce carbon monoxide.

Warnings: Be careful! The can rim will be hot to touch during and for a while after burning, although the can could be held from the bottom even while the heater is burning. It is suggested that you carry a metal pan or cookie sheet or fold a square of tin foil into fourths to set the heater on. Do not pour more alcohol on the heater while burning. Wait for it to burn out or smother with metal lid. **It is recommended that you keep a window cracked open while burning the heater. Burning anything in an enclosed space depletes oxygen. ** This heater is NOT recommended for cooking!

To make as a gift: Remove core of toilet paper. Fold the roll of toilet paper in half and stuff into the empty quart can. Put the can, the alcohol, paint can opener and a box of matches or a lighter in a Ziploc bag separately so the recipient may pour the alcohol in the can when heat is needed. Copy the information above and include it with the kit.*Optional: Include a small ceramic tile or folded aluminum foil to set the heater on when lit.

72-Hour Kit Wednesday - Matches

2011-05-04T09:59:00.000-07:00

Whenever I think of camping I think of matches. The ability to build a fire is one of the most important survival skills. Campfires are great for cooking food but they are also important for keeping warm. Depending on the nature of an emergency, the season of the year, the area or situation you are in, Matches may be essential not only to boil water or cook food, but also to keep warm, especially during a long cold, dark night.

Many people recommend waterproof matches and that is not a bad idea. You can, however, use regular matches if they are stored in a waterproof container, but you always run the risk of the matches getting wet. There would be nothing worse than having matches but being unable to use them because they wouldn’t work. You never know when they’ll get something spilled on them, or something in your pack might leak or they might just get dropped.

Because making fire is so important to survival it is recommend your survival kit contain at least three ways of starting a fire. For example matches, lighter, and a magnesium firestarter or steel match. Should one or two of these fail, the third could very well save your life or at least make the time you spend outdoors more livable.

Maybe the best thing you can do, however, is to make your own waterproof matches. This is cheaper and insures you won’t be in trouble when you need a dry match. Here is how you do it:

First of all, buy GOOD matches. No matchbooks! I prefer wooden strike anywhere matches, so you do not need to rely upon a special striker surface to light the matches with. In survival situations the fewer working parts that can fail the better. You can find wooden strike anywhere matches at your local hardware store or wood burning stove dealer.

Use a double boiler for the melting of wax; you can also use an old pan or even a pie plate set over boiling water. Be very careful. Hot wax can cause serious burns.

Once the wax has melted dump in your matches and stir, making sure that the wax has completely coated the matches. Use a pair of needle-nose pliers to remove the waterproofed matches one by one and set them aside to cool so that they are not touching one another.

That’s it! The thin layer of wax all around the match ensures the match will catch fire even if it has been immersed in water. As an added bonus the wax will help the match burn longer and hotter. Store your homemade waterproof matches in a waterproof match case and you have gone far toward ensuring you can start a fire when you need to even if your matches get wet.

Rita's Natural Meals In Minutes – A Book Review

2011-05-03T10:49:00.000-07:00

Many years ago I bought three paperback books from Rita Bingham entitled Natural Foods, Sprouting Book, and Milk Cheeses. She has now combined her books into this one; Rita’s Natural Meals in Minutes. The individual books are hard to find now, but her new book is easy to buy here; http://www.internet-grocer.net/ritanatl.htm.

Here is some info on what each of the original books contained; now all combined into one easy resource:

Rita's Introduction to Natural Foods:
An introduction to basic foods and recipes for every meal of the day. Learn how to make delicious Quick Wheat Patties, Pita Pockets, Whole Wheat Flour Tortillas, Pineapple-Orange Fruit Cubes, Vanilla Yogurt, Honey Maple Nuts, Seafood Salad, Fresh Graham Crackers, and much more.

From Rita's Sprouting Book:
Fast Sprout Recipes for every meal of the day. Prepare nutritious meals from natural foods in 30 minutes or less! How to sprout in a variety of containers, valuable sprouting information and nearly 70 fast recipes: Eggs Ole', Sprout-filled Won Tons, Enchilada Casserole, Hearty Sprout Stir-Fry Salad, Pita Pockets and Whole Wheat Flour Tortillas, Frozen Banana Haystacks, No-Bake Cream Cheese Bars, and much more.

Rita's Powdered Milk Cheeses with Yogurt and Other Milk Recipes:
Nutritious meals from natural foods in 30 minutes or less. All you ever wanted to know and more about making non-fat cheeses from powdered milk; cheeses in only 8-15 minutes! Learn to make Cottage Cheese, Firm White and Pressed Cheeses, and an all new, original " cheese-burger" (a non-fat meat substitute made from powdered milk, used to make hamburger), Breaded Chicken Tenders, Fish Stakes, and much, much more.

Today, since we have been talking about making cheese, I want to talk a bit about the cheese making book (book 3 of the original series) entitled; Rita’s Powdered Milk Cheeses – with Yogurt and Other Milk Recipes.

In her original book Rita wrote: “Cheese making Made Easy might be a better title for this booklet, because the cheeses are so fast, easy, versatile and most often fail-proof. The tastes and sometimes the textures of powdered milk cheeses are slightly different than commercial cheeses, which makes them infinitely more versatile and definitely worth the small amount of time necessary to make them.”

I’ve been fascinated by this concept for 2 reasons: First, to be honest I never plan to drink the powdered milk I have stored. I will cook with it and use it to make Yogurt, soups and gravies, but I won’t drink it. So obviously, I am thrilled at the prospect of making cheese with it.
Second, I love the basic idea of being to have cheese available to me at any time just by using this book as a resource to make it.

I also love that Rita referred to the cheese-making process as not only easy, but also fail-proof and inexpensive. What a great resource to have at our fingertips.

In her book she talks about the different kinds of cheeses that can be made from powdered milk. These include cream cheese, cottage cheese, parmesan cheese, sour cream, evaporated milk substitute, and cream soup substitute; not to mention the basic cheeses such as cheddar and mozzarella. These are just the beginning of what you will learn from this book.

Not only does she teach how to make cheeses, she teaches how to use them. The book includes over 139 recipes for different meal and cheese ideas. This book contains such a great variety of recipes and I can guarantee you will learn to make something you never even considered before.

She also tells you about the tools you will need to have on hand to make the cheeses as well as other items in this book. She talks about the importance of cheese cloth, strainers and colanders, pots, pans and other cooking essentials. She suggests a thermometer, food grinder and many other items you probably have on hand. She also tells you which seasonings you might want to have on hand to try different varieties of cheese.

If you want to learn how to use the powdered milk in your storage as well as enrich your meals and save money on buying expensive cheese, this is the book for you. Check it out!