going to be hit and miss

I am going to be away for a while. So there will be no new blog posts for a few weeks.. As we are in the process of looking for a new place to live and then moving. So please understand that. I will be back as soon as I can to get back on track and make new daily posts.

Frugal Living Tip July 2011

 

Frugal Living tip July 2011

 Befriend the Library: Buying books and movies gets expensive, and even renting can add up. Take a trip to your local library; and you'll find all of the latest books and movies available free of charge.  A lot of libraries' have family time and reading activities during the summer months for kids and for families. Go to your local library and see what they have to offer. It is free entertainment and it helps break up the summer days and gives kids and adults something to do.

If you have a Kindle, you can down load free books to your Kindle.

You can now have the Kindle app on your smart phones and even on your computer! There are many free books to choose from. Browse, click and download! There are many classics to choose from.

I have the kindle app on my phone and I have it on my Laptop, so I always have something fun to read. I have a lot of the classics downloaded and ready at my fingers tips at any time.

More and More people are using Hulu and Netflix. Hulu is free and you can watch TV shows and some movies for  free on your computer . Then of course you can add the Hulu plus and be  charged a monthly fee and watch them on your TV and have more things you can watch.  I just use the fee version of this and it works out great for me.

Now about Netflix, they have many TV shows for the whole family and movies to suit any taste all instantly on your computer. If you have a gaming system or a newer TV that allows you to access the Netflix server you can watch it on your TV.  Of course Netflix there is a monthly charge, but for the basic with no DVDs mailed it is under 10.00 a month, cheap entertainment! We watch Netflix almost every night. This is our entertainment and they add new things to watch all the time.

*** I do not work for nor am I promoting any of these services or companies. I do use these personally for me and my family*** it works for me, does not mean it will work for you!But of course in order to access these you have to the internet. 

Share books and movies with friends and family members. Borrow from them, and have them borrow from you. Just keep track of who has borrowed what and when and be sure to return things to the right owner and be sure to get what you have loaned out returned to you.

There are many stories and things to do online. Find coloring pages, stories and such and print them off for the kids. You can make a themed activity book. For example the "Ant and the Grasshopper" Print off the story. Find them pictures of ants, grasshoppers, corn, seeds, etc and make an activity book for the kids. At the end of the book add your pictures of food storage, or pictures of food storage to color in and a little story why we store food also. This only costs some time, and paper and ink, and an old notebook and such. Kids can have fun and learn something also at the same time.

Budget 101 Tip of the Month July 2011

 

Budget 101 Idea for July 2011

One way to save money is in the bathroom and around the Kitchen sink. Instead of having the liquid hand soap at each sink. Buy bar soap and use that. Use a soap dish.

You can buy bar soap pretty cheap and it lasts longer, than the liquid soap.  Esp when you have children in the house.

If you have to use the liquid soap, buy the refill packs instead of buying the smaller bottles of liquid soap. Re fill your old bottles.

Now in the bathroom shower use good old fashioned bar soap. You can still use your bath scrubby thingy's, or a wash cloth just the same. You do not need to buy body wash, etc for each person to suit there tastes. ie one for guys and one for girls.  Have everyone use bar soap. It is cheaper and it goes a lot longer.

You can buy the Bath scrubbies pretty cheap and give a different color to each person in the house. That way no one else uses someone else's. Same can go for wash clothes, different color for each person, and bath towels too for that matter. Either that or write with a sharpie on the corner of each towel, washcloth who's it is if you have all the same colors!

Non food Item Tip of the Month July 2011

Non food Item of the Month July 2011

Do you need a light and can not find one? Ok so the lights are out and you want to light a candle. Do you have matches? Do you have a lighter? You are hungry and need to start a fire do you have matches to start one?

So this months idea for a Non Food item is Matches and Lighters. Right now with the summer months and barbeque season in full swing. Matches and lighters are on sale and can be found almost anywhere.

Buy a few long lighters for starting fires, and BBQs. Get some water proof matches, and regular wooden matches. Pick up a pack of regular lighters.

Of course put all lighters, matches up where children can not reach or find them.  Keep all matches and lighters in a cool, dry place. Keep away from heat. You know the basics of keeping flammables away from heat sources.  (well I at least I hope you do!)

Rotate matches and lighters yearly.

People ask how many to I need for a year supply. Well that all depends on you! How many matches does it take you to start 1 fire. How many matches does it take to light a candle(s). Each adult in each family should have 2-3 lighters. Why so many for people who do not use lighters every day. Lighters are funny and they can jam up, get cracked, or just not want to work, then there is when the fuel is gone and they simply do not work. So it is always good to have a few extras.  To be honest I do not know how many times you can light a lighter, or how long they last using 15-20 times a day. If someone knows do let me know.

You can buy a pack of 4 lighters very cheap. Add at least a pack this month when you go shopping.

One way to get Food Supply in 1 year

A Complete Year’s Supply

purchased within one year

on Five Dollars a Week

( **Now as prices have gone up you may have to add it up to ten dollars; again this is only a suggestion**)

Week 1: 6 lbs. salt

Week 2: 5 cans cream of chicken soup

Week 3: 20 lbs. of sugar

Week 4: 8 cans tomato soup

Week 5: 50 lbs. wheat

Week 6: 6 lbs. macaroni

Week 7: 20 lbs. sugar

Week 8: 8 cans tuna

Week 9: 6 lbs. yeast

Week 10: 50 lbs. wheat

Week 11: 8 cans tomato soup

Week 12: 20 lbs. sugar

Week 13: 10 lbs. powdered milk

Week 14: 7 boxes macaroni and cheese

Week 15: 50 lbs. wheat

Week 16: 5 cans cream of chicken soup

Week 17: 1 bottle 500 multi-vitamins

Week 18: 10 lbs. powdered milk

Week 19: 5 cans cream mushroom soup

Week 20: 50 lbs. wheat

Week 21: 8 cans tomato soup

Week 22: 20 lbs. sugar

Week 23: 8 cans tuna

Week 24: 6 lbs. shortening

Week 25: 50 lbs. wheat

Week 26: 5 lbs. honey

Week 27: 10 lbs. powdered milk

Week 28: 20 lbs. sugar

Week 29: 5 lbs. peanut butter

Week 30: 50 lbs. wheat

Week 31: 7 boxes macaroni and cheese

Week 32: 10 lbs. powdered milk

Week 33: 1 bottle 500 aspirin

Week 34: 5 cans cream of chicken soup

Week 35: 50 lbs. wheat

Week 36: 7 boxes macaroni and cheese

Week 37: 6 lbs. salt

Week 38: 20 lbs. sugar

Week 39: 8 cans tomato soup

Week 40: 50 lbs. wheat

Week 41: 5 cans cream chicken soup

Week 42: 20 lbs. sugar

Week 43: 1 bottle 500 multi-vitamins

Week 44: 8 cans tuna

Week 45: 50 lbs. wheat

Week 46: 6 lbs. macaroni

Week 47: 20 lbs. sugar

Week 48: 5 cans cream mushroom soup

Week 49: 5 lbs. honey

Week 50: 20 lbs. sugar

Week 51: 8 cans tomato soup

Week 52: 50 lbs. wheat

Some weeks you will have leftover change. Save the change each week in a kitty to be used for the weeks you may exceed $5.00 (for example, as when purchasing wheat or milk).

You will end up with:

500 pounds of wheat

180 pounds of sugar

40 pounds of powdered milk

12 pounds of salt

10 pounds of honey

5 pounds peanut butter

45 cans of tomato soup

15 cans of cream of mushroom soup

15 cans of cream of chicken soup

24 cans of tuna

21 boxes of macaroni and cheese

500 aspirin

1000 multi-vitamins

6 pounds of yeast

6 pounds of shortening

12 pounds of macaroni

This should be enough to sustain two people for one year. For every two people in your family, add $5.00 (**$10.00**) more and double or triple the amount of the item you are buying for that week.

This list was given to me many years ago. I do not know who sent it to me or exactly where I got it. It is good info. Again the Money amounts will have changed with the new costs of things and such. It is a good list and you get the idea. Just add these items to your shopping list and put away.esp if you find things on the list that are on sale, then buy them then. Do not wait to get to week 25 to buy that item. Cross things off your list as you go. Make a plan, make a list, prepare yourself and your family.  

Pet Tip July 2011

Pet topic and tip idea of the Month for July 2011

Check the collar/Harness and leash often. Your pet can easily get away if the collar or leash is weak. Inspect for tears, thread-unraveling, and broken or rusted hardware and for general wear and tear.

 Make sure the pet's collar fits well and does not slip off or is too tight.   Make sure the buckles, claps  etc are fitting well, not loose.

If you need to buy a new collar or harness for you pet here are a few tips I have found.

 Select a collar and leash that is the correct size for your dog. Smaller dogs require thinner leashes and collars with smaller clasps, while larger dogs require thicker widths. Measure you dog/cat so you know what size to buy and not guessing.

 If you have a smaller dog or a dog that pulls on its leash, consider purchasing a full-body harness instead of a standard collar. This will discourage your dog from pulling while ensuring your dog is not injured. Harnesses also work well for cats that require some freedom while being safely restrained, for example, in airports or veterinarian clinics or even going for a walk.

Garden Tip July 2011

The Garden topic and tip of the Month for July 2011

Really is a simple one that every can use. When you are going out to your garden, grab an old laundry basket. take your gloves, tools, etc and put into the basket and carry out to the garden.

Then when you are weeding, you can put the weeds in the basket to easily carry to the compost or for disposal.

You then can also use the basket to carry your harvest of vegetables to the hose to be rinsed off before going to the house; less dirt in the house sink! Take the basket of vegetables to the house to cook, prepare, or to put up.The same goes for flowers and fresh herbs.

Herbs and Spices

When it comes to Food Storage many people have all kinds of herbs and spices in their cupboards. it is recommended to have 5-10 pounds of herbs and spices per person per year. This does not include salt which really is in its own category. This post is just a general over look of herbs and spices. I will be doing posts on individual herbs and spices.

It would be hard to imagine a bland tasting food to be served at dinner time.  It would also be hard to imagine what cooking would be like with out unique flavors provided by herbs and spices.

Spices are almost as important for their delicious aromas as for their flavors. Think of the smells of warm gingerbread, pumpkin pie, or apple crisp only increases the delight of eating these desserts. Be sure to include bottles of extract ie vanilla, almond in your pantry and include these as part of your inventory.

What are Herbs and Spices:

The term spices, is often used broadly to include all seasonings. Spices come from the following bark, roots, leaves. Stems, buds, seeds, or fruit of aromatic plants and trees with usually grow only in tropical countries. Pepper, all-spice cloves, nutmeg, mace, cinnamon, ginger, saffron, and turmeric are spices.

Herbs are soft, succulent plants which usually grow in temperate zone. Some easily and readily fresh herbs are sage, parsley, thyme, basil, coriander, chervil, tarragon, rosemary, and dill. Since herbs are at there best when they are young and freshly picked, it is well worth growing your own.  

Shelf life and storage of herbs:
Herbs do not "go bad", they lose potency. Heat, light, and moisture damage the dried botanical. Proper storage for medicinal and culinary herbs requires glass containers, well-sealed, away from moisture, heat and light. Do not store herbs or spices in plastic, vinyl bags, aluminum or tin containers. Avoid keeping herbs near the stove, in the refrigerator for most, near the dishwasher or in the bathroom. (yes I said the Bathroom!)

**Refrigerate paprika, chili powder and red pepper for best color retention, especially in summer or hotter climates**

With proper storage, you can expect the following shelf-life:

• whole, dried - 2 years
• cut, dried - 1 year
• powdered - 6 months

Using, cooking:

Dried herbs are stronger in flavor than fresh leaf herbs. When adding dried leaf herbs to a recipe that calls for fresh ones, substitute 1/3 the amount called for in the recipe.

When using dried herbs, be sure to crush them in the palm of your hand or between your fingers. You can use a mortar and pestle to crush your herbs and spices. You can even use a rolling pin with spices in between two cloths or even by using the back end of a spoon in a cup.

When adding whole spices to a recipe that calls for ground spices, use 1 ½ times as much as the recipes calls for. When doubling recipes, do not double the herbs and spices. Increase them by 1 ½ times and then taste, adding more if necessary. Tie herbs and spices in a cheesecloth, nylon net or muslin bag, or place them in a tea ring. The bag or ring is easy to remove to stop the seasoning process. Particles that may cause difficulty in chewing or swallowing also can be removed.

Be sure to use a clean dry spoon for measuring. 1 teaspoon of dry herbs = 3 teaspoons of fresh herbs

Try growing a few of your favorite herbs. Learn the many ways to use that one herb.
The more you cook with herbs and spices, the more you will get to know the great variety of fresh herbs and the wonderful spices and spice blends available to all cooks today. 

Just a Few thoughts of my own

  Now if you use a certain spice or herb on a daily basis you may want to keep track of how much you use in a month and then store the right amount for your family for the year !

  If you only use a herb or spice one time a year then buy only the small bottles that are available, no need to waste money and product!

  Keep an extra bottle of extract or any herb on the pantry shelf at all times, helps when you are making your favorite recipe and you don’t have enough Vanilla Extract in the bottle for the cookie recipe. Go to the pantry and not he store! 

Date your bottles, boxes, containers when you open the item so you know how long it has been opened.  OR you can just make up a master list and post it inside your cupboard in the kitchen. 

This information came form all over the net years ago, and many for university extensions, spice  and herb companies and such. Credit goes to all of them! Of course then there are my thoughts.

http://www.mccormick.com/

http://www.realfood4realpeople.com/spice.html

How my Food Storage has changed

Now my life has changed and so has my Food Storage and how I do things.

All this started 2.5 years ago. My Husband was laid off form his job of over 10 years. This was unexpected and pretty much sucked for us. We immediately cut many expenses in our house. No more cable, house phone, internet and a lot of other things. We all know what we can live with out if we needed to.

We had our supply of Food Storage and we lived off it for 9 months, with only buying a few things a week, bread, milk, cheese and eggs and fresh fruit and veggies, then if only on sale and a good deal.

We lived off our savings for 3-5 months along with what little unemployment my husband received. He looked for work, no one was hiring. He was willing to do almost anything. One thing I learned is even on very little money coming in you can live, but we needed more savings. (note to self for the future)

We never went hungry, we had to cook and we had to think at times and be creative.

Now fast forward 2.5 years. We could not save the house, had to sell it. We sold everything and picked up and moved across country to find work. We gave away what food Storage items that we had left. We put the keepsakes, family history, and a few other items into storage, loaded up the RV that we bought with yard sale money and moved.

We have lived in our RV for nine months now. not much storage in an RV and you have to be creative and make due at times. I did buy a little crock pot and used that when we were parked.

Now that my husband has a job. We are still making due. We are having to rebuild our lives and what we once had. Everything is gone, but we are doing good and happy that we have gotten this far. Life will throw you a curve ball with out you looking. You can be the most prepared person and something can come and wipe it all out from under neath you. (trust me this has happened to us more than once, but this time we could not "save" our house).

We right now are living in a house with room mates and I have a small cupboard to put my food items. Very little room in the fridge for our food, and almost no room in the freezer for anything. But we still eat well.

Food Storage is always on my mine, now that we have had Tornado warnings, flood warnings, and we are now in Hurricane season.


With a little bit of luck and hard work we will be in an apt or another house in a few months. Then we can start from the beginning and re build the not only our lives but our food storage.

Our kids are grown and out on their own, so we did not have to worry about the kids.

The Mayonnaise Jar and 2 Cups of Coffee

The Mayonnaise Jar and 2 Cups of Coffee

When things in your lives seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 cups of coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls . He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with an unanimous "yes."

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

"Now," said the professor as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things--your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions--and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car.

The sand is everything else--the small stuff. "If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you.

"Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first--the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked.

"It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend."

The Ant and the Grasshopper

Retold from Aesop:


Once there lived an ant and a grasshopper in a grassy meadow.
All day long the ant would work hard, collecting grains of wheat from the farmer's field far away. She would hurry to the field every morning, as soon as it was light enough to see by, and toil back with a heavy grain of wheat balanced on her head. She would put the grain of wheat carefully away in her larder, and then hurry back to the field for another one. All day long she would work, without stop or rest, scurrying back and forth from the field, collecting the grains of wheat and storing them carefully in her larder.
The grasshopper would look at her and laugh. 'Why do you work so hard, dear ant?' he would say. 'Come, rest awhile, listen to my song. Summer is here, the days are long and bright. Why waste the sunshine in labour and toil?' 
The ant would ignore him, and head bent, would just hurry to the field a little faster. This would make the grasshopper laugh even louder. 'What a silly little ant you are!' he would call after her. 'Come, come and dance with me! Forget about work! Enjoy the summer! Live a little!' And the grasshopper would hop away across the meadow, singing and dancing merrily. Summer faded into autumn, and autumn turned into winter. The sun was hardly seen, and the days were short and grey, the nights long and dark. It became freezing cold, and snow began to fall.
The grasshopper didn't feel like singing any more. He was cold and hungry. He had nowhere to shelter from the snow, and nothing to eat. The meadow and the farmer's field were covered in snow, and there was no food to be had. 'Oh what shall I do? Where shall I go?' wailed the grasshopper. Suddenly he remembered the ant. 'Ah - I shall go to the ant and ask her for food and shelter!' declared the grasshopper, perking up. So off he went to the ant's house and knocked at her door. 'Hello ant!' he cried cheerfully. 'Here I am, to sing for you, as I warm myself by your fire, while you get me some food from that larder of yours!'
The ant looked at the grasshopper and said, 'All summer long I worked hard while you made fun of me, and sang and danced. You should have thought of winter then! Find somewhere else to sing, grasshopper! There is no warmth or food for you here!' And the ant shut the door in the grasshopper's face.
It is wise to worry about tomorrow today. 

Salt... How much to Store

Salt... How Much to Store?

Salt is a very basic need that we all need to surive in any situation. We need Sodium on a daily basis to keep our bodies working properly.

It is recommended to have for a one year Food Storage 8 pounds of Salt per person. Yes I said eight pounds. 8 pounds per person is the "new" Recommendation.

Salt was a treasured commodity in the Ancient World, not only for it flavor, but also for its preservative properties. When storing salt in you Food Storage, choose the iodized salt. We all need that mineral unless you are allergic. 

You can also choose to store, pickling salt, for making pickles, Rock Salt for making ice cream.  Salt may be used in the drying process to increase the storage time of some foods, such as fish.  Salt and water brines may
be used to prevent the growth of spoilage organisms in some foods. Excess salt may be washed away before food is used.

Storage life of salt is.... Store salt in its original container in a dry, cool, dark place and it will keep indefinitely. So long as you do not let it get contaminated with dirt, insects, or rodents.

IT WILL NEVER GO BAD!!!

Over time iodized salt may turn yellow, but this is harmless and it may still be used. Salt will absorb moisture
if not sealed in an air tight container.  If it does absorb moisture and cakes up, it can be dried in the oven and
then broken up and used with no harm done.

Honey!!!! How sweet it is!

Honey!!! How Sweet it is!!!!

It is recommended to have 60 pounds of sugar in any combination. If you choose to store more honey than sugar, then you need to store 67 pounds.   

Pure crystalline honey keeps indefinitely. Honey is much sweeter than sugar. You can buy honey in bulk and re-bottle or re-pack it for convince if desired. No special processing is needed, as harmful bacteria cannot live in pure honey. Always mix honey thoroughly with other recipe ingredients before turning mixture into baking pans. This will prevent a too moist and over sweetened layer to collect on the top. Make it a rule to combine honey with the liquid ingredients to assure complete distribution in the mixture. 

When using honey in substitution for sugar in standard recipes, Honey may be used measure for measure, in place or sugar. Store honey in containers with tight fitting lids. Always be sure to keep honey covered. When left uncovered, honey picks up other odors and loses it own aroma. Honey will also pick up any moisture if left uncovered, this would alter the texture of it. Honey will get darker as it is stored, so if you plan to store honey it may be better to start out with a light colored honey. Honey will not Freeze! Also Honey that has been diluted with water will ferment.  Pure honey becomes granulated as it ages, or if stored at cold temperatures. Granulation is a natural aging process and does NOT affect the honey except color and some flavor. 

To bring granulated honey back to liquid form simply place the container of honey in a pan of warm water until the granules disappear. Use caution do not over heat the granulated honey, since too

much heat causes the honey to change color and flavor. It’s easier to de-granulate smaller amounts of honey, and less frustrating too. Most people would advise you to store honey in smaller batches, so if

it does crystallize it would be easier to warm up say a jar of honey to use than a whole bucket. 

Remember to use and rotate your honey, just because it can be stored for many, many years, does not mean you should have it and not use it. 

Ways to Use HONEY:

Honey Orange Butter

Stir together: 1/2 cup softened butter. 1/2 cup honey and  1 Tablespoon grated orange peel. Honey Caramels Ingredients: 2 cups Honey, 2 cups sugar, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1 cup Carnation evaporated milk, 1/2 cup margarine or butter  Cook Sue Bee Honey, sugar and salt rapidly to hard-ball state (250º

F). Stir occasionally. Add Carnation milk and margarine. Cook rapidly to hardball stage again, stirring constantly so mixture doesn't scorch. (This may take 10 to 15 minutes.) Pour into well buttered 9x13 inch pan and cool completely. Once cooled, loosen caramel in pan and place on cutting board. Cut into 1-inch or smaller strips with a very sharp butchers knife. Cut strips into 1-inch squares and place in foil

candy cups or wrap in squares of waxed paper. Store in an airtight container. Makes about 100

pieces of caramel. Recipe from Sue bee honey 

Orange Julius

Ingredients:6 oz can frozen orange juice, 1 cup milk, 1 cup water,1/2 cup Honey, 1 tsp vanilla,

12 ice cubes. Blend in blender until smooth. Also good after sets and ice melts. Makes about 4 servings.

Recipe from Sue bee honey

 Honey Butter Ingredients: 1/2 cup butter, softened, 1/2 cup honey, Directions: Place butter in a small bowl. Gradually add honey, beating constantly, until desired thickness is attained. 

Sugar!!!

When it come to Food Storage Sugar is one thing everyone needs to have. You cook a lot with sugar and it adds that sweetness that most people need to have in order to eat certain foods.

 It is Suggested to have for one year 60 pounds of Sugar per person. Now that does include Honey and other forms of sweetener. Honey will be covered in another Post.


Many people feel that storing 60 pounds of Sugar is way too much. You do have to look at it this way, once you divide the sugar group into sub-categories, you may find that you really do need that much. Say you are
eating more “basic” food storage, you may use more sugar than you do now.  There are times you will need just some basic calories from the sugar. A teaspoon of sugar has just 15 calories. You also need to remember that if you do canning you may go through more sugar than someone who does not.  

As with anything you must chose what you need for your food storage for you and your family. 
White granulated Sugar: if stored in a cool dry place sealed in a container, it will maintain the food value indefinitely. Though over time the sugar may harden and become lumpy it will return to its granulated form if you beat it or crumble it in your hands. White Sugar will last forever. White Sugar may discolor over time, it is still fine to consume.

Brown Sugar: Should be kept in containers with tight fitting lids. Brown sugar should be kept moist, or it will harden and once it gets hard it is difficult to returned to a granulated state.  You can add an apple slice to help soften it up once it is hard. Or you can dissolve it and use it in syrups, etc. Brown sugar will store for 4-18 months.

Powdered Sugar: Should be kept dry and stored in containers with tight fitting lids. It generally will not harden.

Confectioners sugar will store about 18-48 months.

Corn Syrup: & Maple, Pancake, waffle syrups: Will crystallize after long periods of storage. Just put jar in warm to hot , not boiling water to melt the crystals.  Will store 1-2 yrs.

Flavored Gelatin (Jell-o): needs to be stored in rodent, insect proof containers with tight fitting lids. Most gelatin of all types will last 1-4 yrs.

Jams and Jellies: You can store either homemade or store bought jams and jellies. These should be rotated with in 12-18 months. Store in cool dry, dark area. Watch lids for becoming unsealed. Check often.

As with any Food Storage you need to rotate and use what you have. Mark all items with a date before storing and always use the first in first out method.

As the school year approaches watch for sales for Jams, jelly, and the like to add to your food storage.

As always store what you use and you decide on what your family needs.

Got Milk, powdered milk that is...

Got Milk... powdered milk That is...

For food Storage of any kind Everyone should have powdered milk in their pantry or on their shelves. Yes you can use powered milk in many many different ways.  

 It is recommended to have Non Fat Dry milk 16 lbs per adult, 75 lbs per child per year. This is the new data as of  6-2006. Nonfat powdered dry milk is convenient to store, easy to measure, inexpensive, and easy to use.  You will get all the nutrients you need, except fat that found in fresh milk. Inthe past, large amount of powdered milk has been recommended. However this has led to spoilage and waste. Most recent studies show that smaller quantities of milk are adequate IF people store and eat LARGER quantities of grains (Wheat). 

How to Store Nonfat Dry Milk Store your powdered milk in a cool, dry place, in and air tight, low oxygen cans or plastic containers. Storing milk in boxes or plastic bags my cause the taste and shelf life diminish. How can it be determined if milk is past its prime shelf life?? Milk develops flavor as it ages. However, it still retains some nutritional value, and unless spoilage has occurred

from moisture, insects, rodents or contamination, it is still safe to use.   

Mixing the Milk : Use tap water to mix your nonfat dry milk. Use the proportions of Water to powdered mix given in the package directions. Once you have prepared the milk, store it in the refrigerator to keep it fresh and cold. Storage of milk of Reconstituted milk from dry milk powder will keep for 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator.

Recipes call for many types of milk. All of the following can be made from powdered milk 

Whole milk: 1 cup water, 1/3c powdered milk OR 2/3 c powdered milk and 1 quart water

Evaporated milk: 1 c water and  2/3 c powdered milk

Butter milk or sour milk: 1 c water 1/3 c powdered milk, 1 T vinegar or lemon juice

Condensed Milk: ½ c hot water, 1 c sugar, 1 T butter, 1c Powdered milk. Blend thoroughly in blender. Can be stored in refrigerator or frozen 

Storage Guidelines: Milk, powdered instant non fat 6-15 months..

Milk, powdered nonfat dry 3 yrs.. Milk, powdered non instant 24-48 months..

Milk, canned evaporated 12-36 months (invert cans every 2 months)..

Milk, canned sweetened condensed 24-36 months (invert cans every 2 months)..

Milk, canned, condensed 12 months (invert cans every 2 months)

INSTANT CREAM SOUP MIX

3 cups powdered milk, 1/3 cup cornstarch, 1/3 cup bouillon, 1 TBSP dried onion flakes, 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon white pepper, In a large mixing bowl combine all ingredients.  Mix well.  

Place mixture into a one quart jar, label and store up to six months.  To make soup: Using a small mixing bowl, mix 1/3 cup Instant Cream Soup Mix with 1 1/4 cups water or broth.  Simmer over low heat until thickened.  This makes just enough to use in place of a 10 ½ ounce can of cream soup when making casseroles etc.  (Add mushroom pieces, diced chicken, etc. to further flavor your soup.)

Peanut Butter Fudge

1 cup peanut butter, 1 cup honey, 1 cup non-instant powdered milk , 1 teaspoon vanilla Mix all ingredients together.

Press into an 8- or 9-inch square pan; cut in squares. Chill to make a firmer candy.  Unknown author.

Peanut Butter Balls

1 cup non-instant powdered milk, 1 cup quick oats, 1 cup creamy peanut butter , 2/3 cup honey , 1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut, Mix ingredients thoroughly.

Roll into 1-inch balls. Chill for a firmer candy.

Cocoa Mix

15 cups instant dry milk, 1 1/2 cups sugar, 1 cup cocoa, 1 1/2 tsp. salt, Mix well. To use:  Mix 1/2 cup mix with 1 cup hot water Makes enough for 10 quarts or 40 one-cup servings.

Honey Mints

1 cup warm honey, 4 drops oil of peppermint, Green food coloring, 2  3/4 cups powdered milk (non-instant), Mix ingredients and knead until all milk is absorbed.

Unknown Author of recipes

Yes we need to talk about beans

Beans... Beans... Beans... Yes we need to talk about beans. 

The suggested amount of Legumes to have in Food Storage for one year is 60 LBS per person. 
There are many types Legumes or dry beans here are a few to think about storing, Pinto,
Kidney, Pink, Red, Navy, Great Northern, Lima, Black Eye, Refried Beans, Lentils, and Split Pea.  How to store
Dried Beans: Dry Beans should be stores at room Temperature in covered containers. They will keep almost indefinitely.

DO NOT KEEP DRY BEANS IN THE REFRIGERATOR. If stored incorrectly, the beans may
absorb water and spoil before you have a chance to use them.  The plastic bags beans are packaged in are good for storage if they are air tight and can be kept pest and bug, rodent,
free. Once opened, the bag may be re closed with a twist tie.  For the longest storage life, keep beans in a glass or plastic container with a tight fitting lid.   Sorting: Sorting beans means picking over the beans before cooking them. Remove small rocks, pieces of dirt, beans with holes or cavities, badly misshapen or wrinkled beans and those greatly undersized or discolored.
Rinsing: Washing is not part of the packing process because water would re-hydrate the beans. Do not rinse beans until you are ready to soak or cook them. Even then you do not have to rinse beans if you are going to soak them. Any field dust will be removed and discarded with the soaking water.
If you cook beans without soaking, rinse them after sorting. Beans: Soaking and cooking beans before mixing them with other recipe ingredients results in tender beans and can minimize final cooking time.

Over night soaking: For each pound of beans dissolve 2 teaspoons salt in 6 cups of water. Wash the beans and add them to the salted water, and soak them overnight. Quick Soaking: For each pound of beans bring 8 cups of water to boiling. Wash the beans add them to the boiling water and boil for 1 minute. Remove the
beans from the heat cover and soak for 1 hour. Cooking soaked beans: For each pound of beans dissolve 2 teaspoons salt in 6 cups of hot water, bring to a boil. Add the soaked beans, boil gently uncovered adding BOILING water if needed to keep the beans covered with water. Cook until the beans are tender. You can expect 6-7 cups of cooked beans per pound of dry beans.

Bean Arithmetic

A pound of beans measures about 2 cups.

Beans triple in volume when soaked and cooked.

A cup of dry beans yields 3 cups cooked.

A pound of dry beans yields 6 cups cooked.

Use 3 cups of water per cup of dry beans for soaking.

Simmer each pound of beans 2 hours after soaking.

A pound of dry beans makes about 9 servings of baked beans.

A pound of dry beans makes about 12 servings of bean soup.

A one-pound can of cooked beans measures about 2 cups.

Info from http://www.centralbean.com/cooking.html

RECIPES USING BEANS

Black Bean Patties

2 cups cooked black beans

1 cup cooked brown rice

1 cup cornmeal

1 cup soymilk

1 tablespoon cumin

   Cool the beans and rice, if you have just cooked them. Combine all the ingredients well. Add more cornmeal as needed to form a stiff dough.

Form into patties. Add corn oil to a frying pan and fry, or grill over charcoal.

 Cooking black beans:

Put 1 cup dry black beans in 3 cups water and store overnight (a quart canning jar works well for this). Bring to a boil in fresh water and simmer around 40 minutes.

 Cooking brown rice:

Put 1 cup brown rice in 2 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer until water is gone, about 35 minutes. Let sit with cover on an additional 10 minutes.

 - From Black Bean Recipes http://www.interlog.com/~dmercer/recipes/black_be.htm

 Great Northern Burritos

2 cups cooked great northern beans

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 bell pepper, chopped

1/4 cup slivered almonds

2 cups cooked Spanish style rice

1/2 tsp. dried basil

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

olive oil

salt and pepper

1 pkg. tortillas

Saute onion, garlic and bell pepper until softened. Stir in beans, basil and organo, almonds, salt and pepper. Over medium-high heat, warm tortillas one at a time, flipping once. Once tortilla is hot(working fairly quickly), spoon rice, then bean mixture into the center of the tortilla. Fold in the left and right sides, and roll burrito closed from the bottom to the top (that doesn't sound very clear, but I imagine you know the routine).

(Serves 6)  - From VegWeb  http://www.vegweb.com/cgi/recipebox.cgi?food/burritos/3796

 

Chili Beans (Crock Pot)

1 lb. ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped

1 C tomato sauce

1 T chicken broth powder

1 1/2 C dried kidney beans

5 C water

3 T chili powder

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. minced garlic

1 tsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. Tabasco

Brown beef and onion in skillet. Place beef mixture and remaining ingredients in crockpot. Mix well. Cover. Cook on high 10-12 hours.

 - From Food Storage Recipes - Latter-day Saints

 Navy Bean Bundt Cake  

1-2 cups cooked navy beans

1 cup butter (softened)

1 cup sugar b cup brown sugar (firmly packed)

1 tbsp. vanilla

2 eggs

2 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tsp. nutmeg

2 tsp. cinnamon

a cup evaporated milk

a cup water

1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

1-2  cups flaked coconut

Puree beans in blender or mash with fork.  Set aside.  In large bowl combine butter, sugars and vanilla, beat until creamy.  At high speed, add eggs. Stir in beans.  In medium bowl, combine flour baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg and cinnamon.  Stir one half of dry ingredients until blended.  Add nuts and coconut, blend.  Pour into greased bundt pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes, pour into 13 x 9 x 2 greased pan and bake for 25-30 minutes.   - From "New Ideas for Cooking with Basic Food Storage" (LDS Cannery Cookbook)

German Bean Soup

1 c. beans (black or pinto)

1 c. finely diced potatoes

1/2 c. finely sliced or chopped onion

2 qts. Water

1 slice well buttered toast

1 c. diced salt pork or ham

1 c. finely diced celery

2 c. cream or evaporated milk

Cook beans in plenty of water. Run through sieve when tender, discard hulls. Add all other ingredients except cream and toast. Cook 4 – 5 hours. Just before serving add cream and garnish with toast triangles or croutons. - From “A Century of Mormon Cookery” by Hermine B. Horman & Connie Fairbanks

 Grandma Raven's Pinto Bean Pie

3 cups Pinto beans, cooked unseasoned and mashed fine

4 Eggs

1-1/2 cups Sugar

1/2 cup Milk

2 tbs. Butter

1/4 tsp. Salt

1/2 tsp. Nutmeg

1/2 tsp. Cinnamon

1/2 tsp. Allspice

Pecan halves

Mix all the ingredients well. Place in an unbaked pie shell, top with pecan halves, and bake in a moderate oven (350 degrees F) until done. - From http://www.texascooking.com/features/aug98ravenbeansrus.htm

Soy Meat

1 pound (545 grams) mashed soybeans

1 cup (137 grams) whole wheat flour

2 eggs or egg substitute

1 Tablespoon (18 grams) salt

1 teaspoon (1.5 grams) garlic

1 teaspoon (0.6 grams) oregano

1 teaspoon (0.6 grams) basil

Mix all ingredients together. Spoon into hot oil in fry pan. Cook on medium heat for a few hours, turning occasionally until brown and crusty. Use in place of ground meat.

 - From Essentials of Home Production and Storage http://www.nursehealer.com/FSEssentials.htm

 

Baked Beans (White Beans)

2 cups white beans 1 tsp. salt

1 onion chopped 1/8 lb. bacon diced

3/4 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup catsup

1 tsp. dry mustard 1 tbsp. soy sauce

1 cup reserved liquid

Cover beans with cold water and add salt.  Simmer until tender.  Keep liquid.  Add remaining ingredients.  Place in greased casserole or bean pot.  Top with 1/8 bacon strips.  Bake at 275 degrees for 6-8 hours.  - From "New Ideas for Cooking with Basic Food Storage" (LDS Cannery Cookbook) http://www.nursehealer.com/Cookbook.rtf

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies (Made with white beans)

1/2 cup cooked white beans

1 cup brown sugar

4 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

2 1/4 cups flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 cups chocolate chips

1 cup pecans (or walnuts) chopped

   Beat beans and sugar together.  Add eggs, vanilla.  In separate bowl sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  Add flour moisture to bean/sugar mixture.  Stir until well blended.  Stir in chocolate chips, and nuts.  Cover and refrigerate dough for 1 hour.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Drop by tablespoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet.  Bake 10-15 minutes depending on size of cookies.  Makes 4 dozen.

  - From "New Ideas for Cooking with Basic Food Storage" (LDS Cannery Cookbook) http://www.nursehealer.com/Cookbook.rtf

White Bean Gravy

2 c. hot water

2 t. chicken or vegetable bouillon

3-4 T. white bean flour

salt and/or pepper to taste

 Bring water and bouillon (or soup base) to a boil. Whisk bean flour into seasoned water. Stir until mixture thickens. Reduce heat and cook an additional 2 minutes.

From “Country Beans” by Rita Bingham http://www.naturalmeals.com/cb.html

 

Meatless Lentil Chili

5 Cups water

1 teaspoon salt

1 lb. dry lentils

Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Do not drain.

Add: 1 lb. can tomatoes or tomato sauce (or 2 cups water and 1 cup tomato powder)

1 package dry onion soup

1 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin

 Simmer 30 minutes more. Serve over rice, pasta, or corn chips.

 - From Your Food Storage Recipes http://waltonfeed.com/grain/y-rec/ Recipe by Brendy

 Blackeye Pea Soup

4 cups chicken or beef bouillon

1 can (15 1/2 ounces) blackeye peas (or 2 cups cooked blackeye peas)

1 can (15 ounces) whole new potatoes, drained and diced

1/3 cup macaroni rings

Bacon flavored bits, to taste

Salt, to taste

Combine ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cook until macaroni is tender. Serves 4 to 6. From "Pantry Cooking: Unlocking Your Pantry's Potential" by Cheryl F. Driggs Simply Prepared http://www.simplyprepared.com/

Ruth’s Bean Spread

In a large pan, in ½ c. water, sauté a finely chopped onion, a green pepper, 3 ribs celery, and about ½ c. coarsely shredded carrots for about 10 minutes. Then add about 3 c. cooked beans (garbanzos, navy beans, or any leftover beans), some crushed garlic, 1 Tbs. Curry powder (maybe a pinch of hot pepper), and a slug of tamari. Also add about 1-1 ½ c. water or vegetable-cooking water. Mix well. Then put the pan into the oven and bake the spread until the liquid is absorbed (about 1 hour at 350 degrees F.) Cool. Then mash with a potato masher. Chill before using. Good sandwich material.

from "The Encyclopedia of Country Living: An Old Fashioned Recipe Book" by Carla Emery 

-           

Indian Bean Bread

(Early Settlers)

4 c. corn meal               2 c. hot water

2 c. cooked beans       ½ tsp. Soda

   Put cornmeal in a bowl. Mix in drained beans. Make a hole in middle and add soda and water. Mix. Form into balls and drop into a pot of boiling water. Cook about 45 minutes or till done.

-          from "Cookin’ with Home Storage" by Peggy Layton and Vicki Tate 

-           http://www.ut-biz.com/homestoragecookin/

Oil-Free Refried Beans

5 c. Pinto beans                   3-4 Tbs. Green and red salsa

2 Tbs. Onion powder          1 tsp. Garlic powder

1 Tbs. Sea Salt

   Soak the pinto beans for 12 hours, then sprout them in a sprout bag for 2 days maximum. Cook the beans on a low flame, approximately 40 – 60 minutes or until soft. Scoop off any foam that builds up during cooking. When soft, pour off half to 2/3 of the cooking water. Mash up the softened beans with a mashing tool or a food processor. Add the salsa sauce and spices. Traditionally, bean dips are used with corn chips, tostadas and burritos. As an alternative, serve this dip on the side with cooked quinoa (a grain) and salad.

from "Sproutman's Kitchen Garden Cookbook" by Steve Meyerowitz Michael Parman

Bean Chowder

¾ c. dry beans                 3 c. water

1 ½ tsp. Salt                     ¾ c. diced potatoes

½ c. chopped onions      1 ½ c. water mixed with 3/8 c. powdered milk

1 ½ tsp. Flour                   1 Tbs. Margarine

¾ c. bottled tomatoes     1/3 c. green bell pepper

   Soak the beans overnight. Add salt and boil (add 1 cup of water, if needed). Cover with a lid until almost done. About 1 hour. Add potato and onion. Cook 30 minutes more. Mix flour and margarine and stir into the beans. Add the tomatoes and green pepper. Cook over low heat about 10 more minutes until thickened. Stir in the milk and serve. (Serves 6). from “Cookin’ with Powdered Milk” by Peggy

U.S. Senate Bean Soup

1 lb. White beans

1 ham hock or ham bone w/meat

3 qts. Water

1 c. mashed potatoes

3 onions

1 small bunch celery, including tops

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

½ c. chopped parsley

   Soak beans overnight, drain and put in soup pan with ham bone. Bring to boil and simmer for 2 hrs. Stir in potatoes and add onions, celery, garlic cloves and parsley. Simmer soup for 1 hr. longer until beans are thoroughly cooked. Remove ham bone, dice meat and return meat.  from “A Century of Mormon Cookery” by Hermine B. Horman & Connie Fairbanks

 

Mormon Baked Beans

2 c. small white beans

6 c. water

2 Tbs. Dehydrated onion

¼ c. oil

¼ c. brown sugar

3 Tbs. Honey

¼ tsp. Dry mustard

1 ½ tsp. Salt

1/8 tsp. Pepper

½ c. bacon or bacon bits (optional)

   Soak beans overnight. Simmer over low heat 1 – 2 hours until tender. Drain, reserving liquid. Add onions to beans and put into a 2 quart casserole dish. Stir together oil, sugar, honey, mustard, salt, pepper and 1 cup of reserved liquid. Pour over beans and stir gently. Add enough of remaining liquid to almost cover beans. Bake at 300 3 – 4 hours. Stir in bacon or bacon bits last 30 minutes.  from "Cookin' With Home Storage" by Peggy Layton and Vicki Tate

Boston Baked Beans

2 cups (1/2 L) navy beans, small white beans, or Great Northern beans

About 1 tsp. Salt

¼ pound (115 g) salt pork

2 teaspoons dry mustard

5 tablespoons dark-brown sugar

4 tablespoons molasses

   Wash the beans. Soak overnight  or use the short method (below). Add salt, stir and drain, reserving the liquid. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Cut off a third of the salt pork and place the piece on the bottom of a bean pot. Add the beans to the pot. Blend the mustard, brown sugar, and molasses with the reserved bean liquid and pour over the beans. Cut several gashes in the remaining piece of salt pork and place on top of the beans. Cover and bake for about 6 hours, adding water as needed. Uncover for the final hour of cooking so the pork will become brown and crisp. Taste and correct seasoning. (Serves eight)  from “The Fannie Farmer Cookbook” by Marion Cunningham

Short Method for Soaking Beans

Put 2 cups of beans in a pot, cover with 6 cups water, bring to a boil, and cook for 2 minutes; remove from the heat, cover the pot, and let stand for 1 hour before cooking.

- from “The Fannie Farmer Cookbook” by Marion Cunningham

Baked Bean Soup

3 cups (3/4 L) Baked Beans (recipe above)

1 onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 ½ c. (3 ½ dL) canned tomatoes

1 ½ tsp. Chili powder

Salt Freshly ground pepper

   Put the baked beans, onion, celery, tomatoes, and chili powder in a large pot with 6 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes. Mash and beat until smooth or puree in a blender or food processor. Reduce, adding salt and pepper to taste.(Yield: 8 cups) - from “The Fannie Farmer Cookbook” by Marion Cunningham

Navy Bean or Lima Bean Soup

Wash 2 c. beans and let stand in 4 qts. Water overnight or for 6 – 7 hours. Then add:

4 finely chopped onions

3 – 4 carrots, cut fine

4 bay leaves

2 Tbs. Salt

1 stalk celery

few sprigs of parsley

¼ tsp. Pepper

2 Tbs. Cider vinegar

   It is a good idea to cook a ham bone, beef bones, or soup meat, then cook altogether 2 ½ to 3 hours. Taste for salt before serving. Great on a cold day!

- from “A Century of Mormon Cookery” by Hermine B. Horman & Connie Fairbanks

Beans Cooked in the Ground (Pioneer Recipe)

Dig a hole about 18” square. Make a fire in the hole and let it burn down to hot coals. Place a pot of beans in the hole with plenty of water, in the pot, salt, pepper and 1 – 2 pieces of bacon. Cover tightly. Place coals and ashes around pot and cover with dirt. Cook 6 – 8 hours.  from "Cookin' With Home Storage" by Peggy Layton and Vicki Tate