Rendering your own Lard

I know some will turn up there nose at this.  But Lard doesn't have transfats.

I always boil down bones from meats to make my own stock/broth.  I have always had fat left over.  What do you do with it.  Yesterday I had used pork stock, and the left over fat.  I used the fat instead of shortening in my biscuits.  My Goodness those were the best biscuits I have ever had.  My middle child asked if I had gone and got Popeye's biscuits for breakfast.  Well they didn't exactly taste like Popeyes but they were soft flakey and so yummy.  So I started thinking, maybe I can make my own lard because whole generations use lard.  Well, I decided to look online this morning and see what I could find.  And low and behold I found something.  How to render and can your own lard.  Yippee!  I read it and decided this needed to be shared.

http://www.howtobaker.com/techniques/insane-foodie-projects/how-to-render-and-can-your-own-lard/comment-page-1/#comment-41660

Also on the site, How to make your own sea salt and How to make Cream cheese without starter cultures.  This guy is Brilliant.  I have set this site as a favorite and I think those like minded will too.

Remember real fat from meats are okay it is transfat that is bad.  And Lard is 100% natural, pig fat and water are the ingredients.  Gee can you get more natural?

Antibacterial Everything Validation

You might remember back in May I blogged about soaps all being Antibacterial.  Well Yesterday a report came out that says that these soaps and agents are damaging.  The report says it messes with hormone levels, and is contributing to Antibiotic resistant strains of Bacteria.  An other thing the report states that I didn't even think about is that these antibacterial agents are laced with pesticides and we all know that is not a good thing for our bodies.  Gee I hate being right but I was.  

Since I still have a problem finding liquid hand soap that is not Antibacterial, Here is my recipe for homemade liquid Hand soap.

http://houkreativehomestead.blogspot.com/2013/05/antibacteral-everything-really.html

Homeschool lesson Budgeting.

I know a bunch of Public schools don't teach certain skills any longer due to teaching to the "No Child Left Behind" test and Common Core.  In my opinion not teaching these skills leave children ilequipped for the real world, and that is part of the problem with the economy.  This country has a negetive savings rate and our leaders have no clue how to do a budget and live by it.  Seriously this is a problem for our future.  So today I sat down and created a great (well I think it is great) worksheet for kids for Homeschooling.  I am sharing it below.  Now tomorrow, we are tackling Interest rates, Savings and Credit rates. I am including essay type questions with these.  And when you look at this, Yes it is a very tight budget with some hard choices for a reason.  

Monthly Budget Worksheet.

rent 450 

Car payment 
ins 150
cable/internet 50
phone 75
electric 150
Car gas 150
Savings
Food 250
Extras

Pay check



1. You are paid $8.50 an hour. You work 40 hours a week.
What is your gross pay before Taxes?___ a week. _____ a month. ___ a year.
2. Your tax rate is 10%. How much is Taken out a week ___? A month____? A Year_____?
3. You should save 10% of your take home pay every paycheck. How much should you save a month? _______
4. How much money have you saved at the end of the year? ______
5. What Percent of your paycheck goes to rent?_____
6. How much money do you have left over at the end of the month?______
7. You need to get a car. Can you afford it?_________ If yes how much of a payment can you afford a month?__________
8. The movies cost $10.25. Can you afford to go to the movies this month?_________
9. Your mom gave you $40 in grocery coupons. What are you going to use the extra money for? And Why?

If you can think of other questions to add leave me a comment.  We will be doing this lesson with different variables over and over again.

Antibacterial everything a revisit...

A while back I posted a blog about everything being antibacterial. Well I just saw this article this morning and it reinforced what my gut had told me.  I wanted to share it with you.  Please read and make your decisions for your family.

http://foods4thoughtblog.wordpress.com/2013/01/27/9-reasons-you-want-to-avoid-hand-sanitizers/

By the way, we don't use antibacterial soaps and hand sanitizers at home, And Little Miss S is getting over her 4th cold ever and she turns 5 in a month and only one ever stomach bug and no flu ever.  How many families can say that of their almost 5 year old?

Chili didn't stretch as far.

So I wanted to see if I could stretch chili like I did the pot roast.  Well, it didn't work out that well.  We had Frito Chili pie 3 times, and then I made enchiladas and that lasted for 2 meals.  But that still leaves 5 meals for less than $20 for a family of 5. I am still happy with my results.  I haven't decided whether it will be roasted Chicken or pork roast this week.

Savings Match Up

There is a new service out there for those of you that want to coupon and save as much money as you can on groceries but are short on time or know how.  Savings Match Up will search out the best prices to price match and coupons for you for a small fee.

https://www.facebook.com/SavingsMatchUp
 or email at
savingsmatchup@gmail.com

The essence of Frugality. 8 meals out of one.

If you know me I am truly a tightwad.  I refuse to pay full price for anything at the grocery store or any store.  Since moving to the big city, I have found so many more places to price match for Walmart.  This is awesome since the cost of living is more expensive here.  I am going to explain here how I got the absolute more out of a deal. 

A couple of weeks ago, I found a sale on meat.  I ended up getting a beef roast for $1.49/lb.  That on its own is a really good deal but I stretched that roast out into 8 meals and not just left over pot roast.  

1. On Tuesday, I made pot roast and fresh homemade yeast rolls. 
2. Wednesday morning I packed Mr. J's lunch with Roast beef sliders using the left over yeast rolls. 
3. Wednesday night, for dinner we had Beef Stew. I used the left over broth from cooking the pot roast that I didn't use for Gravy and added red beans, split peas, frozen mixed veggies, cut the left over roast up into bit size pieces, rice, and barley, then added the left over gravy, carrots, potatoes, and peas from the pot roast served with homemade cornbread.  
4. Thursday night for dinner, I took the some of the stew from the night before and put it in a cast iron skillet topped with homemade biscuits for a rustic beef pot pie
5. Friday lunch, I had the the left over rustic pot pie, and J had a bowl of stew and left over cornbread.
6. Saturday Dinner, I made actual pie crust from scratch and made a real pot pie out of the left over stew, and 2 mini pot pies out of the left over crust and 2 ladles of the stew for J to take for lunch next week which would be meals 7 and 8.  

Price break down:

• 3.65lb Round roast             $6.89
• 4 russet potatoes                $0.40         (from a 10lb bag at 2.98)
• 1 lb carrots                        $0.50
• 1/2 package of frozen peas  $0.50
• 3 mushrooms                     $0.10          (from a package that I got for .69)
• various seasonings              $0.50 
• 1/4 bag red beans                $0.25
• 1/4 bag split peas                 $0.25
• 1 bag mixed veggies frozen   $1.00
• 1/2 c rice                             $0.25
• 1/4c pearled barley                $0.13
• Cornbread  ingredients           $0.20 ( equivalent of 2 jiffy mixes)
• Biscuit ingredients                 $0.15(equivalent of 1 bisquick mix)
• Pie crust ingredients              $0.35 
• Fresh yeast rolls ingredients   $1.75

Eight meals for $13.22.  And it is healthy with plenty of veggies.  This week I will see what I can do with Chili!  Enjoy!!!

Baked bean Casserole and Apple betty for dinner.

Good morning to you all.  Last night for dinner I made a dinner that is a favorite in my house.  Baked bean casserole, mashed potatoes, and for dessert Apple betty.  My bunch with the exception on M loves baked bean casserole.  He doesn't  like beans.  Both are easy recipes and they are below.  Mashed potato recipe isn't because just about everybody has their own recipe for that.

Baked bean Casserole
( family of 5)

• 1 lb hamburger meat
• 32 oz pork n beans (canned or fresh made) 
• 10 splashes of  worchestershire sauce
• 3 tbsp of minced onion
• 1/4 c brown sugar

Brown the hamburger meat in a large cast iron skillet,  then add the pork n beans with all the juice,  Worchestershire sauce, onions, and brown sugar stir and throw in the oven for about 20 minutes at 350.  

 Apple betty

• 1 quart of Apple pie filling (I use my canned apple pie filling if using store bought pie filling 2 cans)
• 1 cup flour
• 1/4 c sugar
• 1/4 c brown sugar
• 1 tbsp  cinnamon 
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 stick of butter softened

Pour in your pie filling  then mix the other ingredients in another bowl then pour on top and bake at 350 for 45 minutes until the filling is bubbling up and the crust is browned.

Education fun!

Our middle child E(10) is having trouble with place values in math.  We just found this to make it fun to learn. This blog has some great ideas and links to printables to help.

http://eisforexplore.blogspot.com/2013/07/place-value-battleship.html

Moving your Preps.

Unexpectedly Mr. J got an awesome job offer for a job where he could be at home more often.  This by the way would be awesome, because for the last 9 years we have been parted for the majority of the year.  Well, there was one downside to the job.  We have to move to a big city.  There are 3 things that bother me about this.  We have to rent for the first year because of timing issues and the second living in a big city, and the third worry for me, I have to move my preps, stockpiles, and container garden.  OH MY!  Well, we will make it work, we always do.  So in case you find our self in a similar situation, here are a few tips to keep your business to your self, what others call OP SEC.

1. Label your boxes so you know what is in them and which room they go in with out giving away exactly what is in there.  I labeled all my boxes either kitchen or food.  Bathroom or towels for first aid and TP.

2. Find lots sturdy boxes. A local grocery store has been so nice and gives me boxes everyday.  These are great boxes, they are giving me boxes that the 1 gallon milk and water jugs go into.

3. Pack smart, while you want to get as much in a box as you can, it doesn't do you any good if you can't carry it out to the truck. And you really don't want to hurt your back.

4. Pack the truck sensibly.  The things you need first like Kitchen and Bathroom go in the truck last to you can get them off the truck for lunch and potty needs.   If you still have things in your deep freezer and refrigerator then they are the last things on the truck.

5. If you are moving your deep freezer and Refrigerator with food in them, Fill several 2 liter bottles of water and put them in the freezer.  They make huge chunks of ice to help keep things cold in the freezer and Fridge.  If the grid goes down later you can keep things cold for a little while with this trick and then you can drink the water. (By the way, 20 oz bottles filled with water and frozen are great for bug out bags too.  And you can use them in lunch boxes and coolers)

6. Remember not to stress to much.  And try to help the kids transition easier too.

Unusual supplies for first aid.

Whether you are a prepper or just a parent the need for a well stocked first aid kit is critical.  Case in point.  My daughter just fell off a barstool and jammed her index finger and bruised her cheek up.  So first things first I pulled a frozen sponge out of the freezer, and grabbed the first aid kit.  In my first aid kit I have unusual items.  Like craft sticks the wide tongue depressor type and the Popsicle type.  I buy them at the craft store because they are cheap there. I can use them for a wide variety of uses, like splinting fingers and toes, as well as a tongue depressor.  I have duct tape and white first aid I also have steri strips but that doesn't really apply here.  For my daughter's jammed finger I broke the wide craft stick in half and cover it in white first aid tape to prevent splinters and it pads it too. Then I taped her finger to it.  

Back to the sponge.  I take a cheap kitchen sponge, soak it in water and a little rubbing alcohol and put it in a freezer bag then into the freezer. It stays pliable and it doesn't leak.  It is a cleaner than a bag of peas or ice.  The alcohol makes it stay cold and pliable.  It works great for all kinds of ouchies.

Hot days and a portable AC

How many of you live in a hot area.  Here it was 90 degrees before 10am.  I also have a daughter that when she gets too hot her Blood Glucose skyrockets.  I worry about her if the power is out and it is summer.  This may be an option for her.   I don't usually like posting others work but this is worth it because this is genius!
How to Make your own cheap portable AC unit.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Simple-Cheap-Air-Conditioner/

First Aid kit

What is in your first aid kit.  Whether or not you are prepping or not, you should have a first aid kit at your home for emergencies.  And if you have kids, you will need it.  I was recently (this morning asked what my master list is.  Well here it is.

Band-Aids Eye Drops Eye pads Eye patch

Potassium iodine

Gloves

Alcohol Wipes

baby wipes

Pads

Tampons

Alcohol

Hydrogen peroxide

Witch hazel

Epson salt

bengay

blue emu

bar soap

anti bacterial soap

super glue

lemon drops

anise candy

Horehound

Mask

preparation H wipes

preparation H ointment

Hand warmers

Heat pad

hot water bottle

cold compresses

mentolatum (Vicks vapor rub)

Camphor oil

Lice shampoo

hand sanitizer

duct tape

First aid tape

Butterflies

Skin stapler

stapler remover

Staples

Raw honey

Solocaine

Whiskey

Vodka

Candles

Ace bandages

Othro boot

knee brace

ankle brace

wrist brace

popsicle sticks

tongue depressors

Gauze

Tefla pads

gauze pads

Qtips

Calamine lotion

Neosporin

Bractrim

Iodine

meat tenderizer

Tylenol

Aspirin Ibporphin

Scissors Lotramin Monistat Hydrocortisone Anti fungal Bandana Bottled water Sharpie Clean wash rags Some pennies Crutches Glucose meter Strips Glucose tablets Peppermint candy Ginger root tablets Motion sickness bracelets Peppermint tea Yarrow tea Chamomile tea Lavender Smelling salts Benedryl Allergy meds Epipen Scalpel Sutures Tweezers Hemostats Candle Oil lamp Flashlights Batteries Cotton Balls Baster Basting syringe Prescriptions for family Snake bite kit Tobacco Baking soda Olive oil I have been asked about the  meat tenderizer. Spider bites, bug bites ect.

Dilly beans (pickled green beans)

Last weekend at the farmers market, I picked up a bushel or so of green beans.  Miss S and I sat down and snapped them.  She loves snapping and shelling beans. She is such a little country girl.  Then it comes down to what are you going to make.  Well I have put up, 13 pints and a quart of green beans the regular way by cold packing and pressure canning, had a meal of green beans and potatoes from my garden, then I turned to dilly beans.  A friend turn me on to these a few years ago.  They are delish and easy for even a beginner as they are done by water bath canning.   You can water bath these because they are done in vinegar which the acid will prevent bacterial growth.  I looked through my canning books and recipes online out of curiosity.  There are tons of recipes listed but they are all the same and none of them are the same recipe I have so I thought I would share. They are a delicious little treat to eat just like pickles.

There are 2 recipes I have 1 for regular dilly beans and one for spicy.  I am posting both.  I hope you enjoy as much as we do.

 Dilly beans

• enough fresh green beans to fill a pint jar (snapped and washed) 
• 1 1/2 c vinegar 
• 1/4 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tbsp dill weed
• 1/4 tsp dill seed
• 1/4 tsp tumerac
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes

Put your vinegar in a large sauce pan to boil.  Boil your jar/s to sterilize them.  Then pack raw fresh snapped green beans in the jar.  And in the clove of garlic and all the seasonings.  Then carefully poor the vinegar in the jars leaving 1 inch of head space.  Lid and boil for 15 minutes in a water bath canner.
Leave sitting for at least a week to let the flavor develop properly.

Spicy Dilly beans

• enough fresh green beans to fill a pint jar (snapped and washed) 
• Half of a fresh japeleno pepper ( no seeds for a milder burn seeds for good burn)
• 1 1/2 c vinegar 
• 1/4 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tbsp dill weed
• 1/4 tsp dill seed
• 1/4 tsp tumerac
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tbsp red pepper flakes

Put your vinegar in a large sauce pan to boil.  Boil your jar/s to sterilize them.  Then pack raw fresh snapped green beans in the jar.  And in the clove of garlic and all the seasonings.  Then carefully poor the vinegar in the jars leaving 1 inch of head space.  Lid and boil for 15 minutes in a water bath canner.
Leave sitting for at least a week to let the flavor develop properly.  

I hope you like these dilly beans.  They are so Yummy! 

Oh Betty is looking good today!

So after the post yesterday, I made some strawberry pie filling.  Then this morning I made some strawberry betty.  Oh betty is so good.

Isn't she lovely?  And you know what, She is YUMMY!  Wanna know how to make it?  Well I guess I will share my recipe. If you twist my arm.

Strawberry Pie filling http://www.pickyourown.org/strawberrypiefilling.htm

To make it to Betty.

1/2 c sugar

3/4 c brown sugar

tsp salt

1/2 cup (2 sticks) butter

1 tbsp cinnimon

Mix and put over the top of your favorite pie filling.  bake 350 for 25 minutes

NOM NOM NOM

Would be delish with homemade vanilla ice cream.

Enjoy!!

Warning Yummieness ahead.

I just put up a batch of Blackberry pie filling.  I put it up (canned it) instead of just making the cobbler I have  planned for it, because at our house momma's rule is, 1 dessert at a time.  I still have devils food cake with cream cheese frosting in the fridge.  Which reminds me, I want a piece of cake.  Hang on back in a few....

Okay I am back and happy.  That was good. But I digress.  I put up a quart of blackberry pie filling so I can make blackberry cobbler.  It is not necessarily my favorite cobbler, peach is my favorite.  But Hubby loves black berry and the kids love blackberries.  Well to be perfectly honest cobbler isn't exactly my favorite anyway.  I am a brown betty nut.  I may have to make this into blackberry brown betty instead.  I have taken my ex mother in-laws recipe for apple brown betty and created others like peach betty, pear betty,  and so on.  Blackberry betty might just be the ticket.

The recipe I used for my pie filling isn't mine so I don't have the recipe for you but I do have a link for you.  This is the recipe I used.

http://canningusasupplystore.com/recipes/index.php/making-and-canning-blackberry-pie-filling

And I bought my berries from a local farmer at the farmers market.  They are so juicy and yummy.  When I decide what I end up making I will post pictures and tell you how yummy it is.

Busy Busy Busy

Sorry about being absent.  I have been busy.  You know the end of school year and all.  And this morning I have been busy busy busy.  I have the canner going and the dehydrator as well as bottling up MRCs.  Now I am uber hungry for beans.  I guess beans and fried squash and cornbreadd for dinner tonight.  Yummy.  I will be back on with new recipes this week I have been working on a few new ones.

Antibacteral everything? Really!?

Watching the news recently, you may have noticed all the talk about super bugs and resistant strains of bacteria.  I don't know about you but that scares me.  There is a general agreement to the cause.  Over use of antibiotics is the cause of bacterial resistance.  Well Duh!  But in my humble opinion, over use of antibiotics are not the only cause.  Look around your house, how many products are "antibacterial"? Everything from hand sanitizer to dish soap and floor cleaner to laundry soap.   Really if you clean on a regular basis you don't need these products.  Also think about how many times one of your kids  gets a little cut or scrap and you run to the antibiotic ointment like Neosporin.  I am not saying never use Neosporin, but for a paper cut or a skinned knee soap and water are fine.  Seriously, think about what I  am saying.

I went looking at the store today for liquid hand soap.  I didn't like what I found.  Everything is antibacterial.  I don't want that, just washing hands is enough.  So I am embarking on a venture of making my own liquid hand soap.

Update:

I worked. and with 2 ingredients, and a nice low cost of about $0.50 a bottle.

Home made liquid hand soap

• 6 bars of soap of your choice
• 1 gallon of water

You will also need pump bottles and a gallon jug.

Shred the two bars of soap while the water is coming to a boil.  Then add the soap shreds to the  water.  Stir frequently and make sure it doesn't bottle over.  When all the soap has melted turn the heat down and let simmer for about 5 minutes.  Then let cool about 10 minutes before pouring in the gallon jug.  Then refill you hand soap bottles as needed.

If you make your own bars of soap they will work too as long as they aren't chunky.

4 Quick fix MRCs

I have 4 new recipes for long term storage for you.  Some quicker fix MRCs (meals ready to cook) from 3 pounds of Hamburger meat( the cheap 73%) and 2 lbs frozen vegetables with a few seasonings and noodles or rice thrown in.  These are great for the budget minded prepper/homesteader.  Meals for 6 at around $1.25 each.

I got my frozen vegetables on sale at a 10 for $10 sale at the local grocery store.  I get at least 10 when they have these sales.  Then I dehydrate the frozen vegetables for soups and meal mixes.  It is easy if you have a dehydrator, you just spread them out while still frozen in a single layer.  And run it until all vegetables are dry enough to pop when you crush them in your fingers or with a spoon.

To make hamburger rocks (dehydrate hamburger meat)

http://www.endtimesreport.com/hamburger_rocks.html

To make Cream of anything soup mix:

http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/cream-of-anything-soup-mix.htm

The first one will remind you of an everyday staple of broke parents everyday.  SOS, ____ on a Shingle.  Well I made it have veggies and pasta and rice for the shingle.  I also added a bit of ranch flavor to it to help the taste.

Ranch SOS

• 1 cup Hamburger rocks (dehydrated hamburger meat)
• 3/4 c dehydrated mixed vegetables
• 1/4 c cream of anything soup mix
• 1 tbsp dried minced onion
• 1 tbsp dried parsley
• 1/3 c mini alphabet noodles (any small pasta will work)
• 1/2 c rice
• 1 tsp salt (can be omitted for diet)
• 1 tsp pepper (or to taste)
• 1/2 tsp garlic
• 1 tbsp ranch dressing mix
• 1 tsp beef boullion

Layer ingredients in a bottle, mason jar, or mylar bag. Don't forget an oxygen absorber.
To make:
Bring 4-5 cups of water to a boil and dump ingredients in stir until done.

Vegetable Beef stoup

• 3/4 c hamburger rocks
• 1 cup dehydrated mixed vegetables
• 1/4 c minced onion
• 3/4 c mini alphabet noodles
• 1 tbsp parsley
• 1 tsp tomato boullion
• 1 tbsp beef boullion
• salt and pepper to taste (about a tsp each)

Layer ingredients in a bottle, mason jar, or mylar bag. Don't forget an oxygen absorber.
To make:
Bring 4-5 cups of water to a boil and dump ingredients in stir until done.

Creamy vegetable beef stoup

• 3/4 c hamburger rocks
• 1 cup dehydrated mixed vegetables
• 1/4 c minced onion
• 3/4 c mini alphabet noodles
• 1 tbsp parsley
• 1/4 c cream of anything soup
• 1 tbsp beef boullion
• salt and pepper to taste (about a tsp each)

Layer ingredients in a bottle, mason jar, or mylar bag. Don't forget an oxygen absorber.
To make:
Bring 4-5 cups of water to a boil and dump ingredients in stir until done.



Chicken Vegetable soup

• 1 1/4 cup dehydrated mixed vegetables
• 1/4 c minced onion
• 3/4 c mini alphabet noodles
• 1/4 c  parsley
• 1 tbsp Chicken boullion
• 1 tsp poultry seasoning
• 1/2 tsp sage
• salt and pepper to taste (about a tsp each)

Layer ingredients in a bottle, mason jar, or mylar bag. Don't forget an oxygen absorber.
To make:
Bring 4-5 cups of water to a boil and dump ingredients in stir until done.

These are easy, hearty, lower carb when divided up in to 5 or more servings, and good for you.

3 MRCs (meals ready to cook) with Potato flakes

When I find real potato flakes (pearls or buds) on sale I stock up.  I know I can repackage them for Long term storage.   Potatoes are a great hearty filling meal or side dish.  My family with the exception of Miss S loves them in all shapes and forms.  Miss S who can't really do with a bunch of potatoes to begin with hates them in all form.  She doesn't even like french fries.  Yep a little odd for a 4 yr old.  She would rather have fresh carrots and ranch dressing.  I am not complaining, at least she takes a healthy substitute right?  I thought I would share 3 of my recipes for long term storage MRCs.  

First:
Hearty Ranch Potatoes 

1 1/2 cup dried mashed potatoes
2 tablespoon Ranch dressing mix

1/2 cup Dry evaporated milk

2 tbsp dried chives

In a 20 oz bottle or a mason jarl, layer above ingredients.

to make

Hearty Ranch Potato Mix
1 cup  water
2 tablespoon butter or margarine

cheese 

bacon bits

In small saucepan over medium heat, place water and butter. Bring to a low simmer and pour over ingredients in mug. Mix well, cover and let sit for 5 minutes. Fluff lightly with fork.

Second:

Fiesta Ranch Potatoes

1 1/2 cup dried mashed potatoes
1 package of Fiesta Ranch mix 

1/2 cup Dry evaporated milk

In a 20 oz bottle or a mason jarl, layer above ingredients.

to make

Fiesta Potato Mix
1 cup  water
2 tablespoon butter or margarine

Cheddar cheese 

In small saucepan over medium heat, place water and butter. Bring to a low simmer and pour over ingredients in mug. Mix well, cover and let sit for 5 minutes. Fluff lightly with fork.

Third:

Hearty Potato Soup

1-3/4 cups instant potato flakes
1-1/2 cups dry milk powder
2 tablespoons chicken broth powder
2 teaspoons dried minced onion
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon turmeric
1-1/2 teaspoons seasoning salt (like Lawry’s)

Combine all ingredients, mixing well to make sure everything is combined.  A quart canning jar with a screw top lid makes a good storage container.

To use:  Put a 1/2 cup of the mix in a soup bowl.  Add 1 cup boiling water and stir to mix.

All 3 are simple and all 3 are yummy.

Sick days-MRCs

I went to Kroger Grocery store yesterday (not my normal store).  I found little bags of mini pastas for $0.39 and they weren't on sale.  Hey that is a great price no matter how you do the math. I got 3 bags of Mini alphabet noodles and 3 bags of mini wheels. So this morning while I was packing them up for longer storage, I had a stroke of genius. Soup for the kids when they are sick.  These noodles would be perfect for that.  And when Miss S is sick her restrictions on diet are pretty much gone.  So this would be a really fun treat for her to have. I kept it simple for her though.

Chicken noodle soup MRC

• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp minced onion
• 1 tsp poultry seasoning
• 1 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 tbsp garlic
• 2 tbsp parsley
• 1/2 cup dehydrated or Freeze Dried carrots
• 1 1/2 c noodles ( I used alphabets)
• 2 cubes of chicken boullion 

Layer in a bottle in the order from above and seal with an oxygen absorber.

To make 8 cups of water to a boil and add MRC, Makes 8-10 servings at 8 servings the carbs are 21g.

Beef noodle soup

• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp minced onion
• 1 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 tbsp garlic
• 2 tbsp parsley
• 1 tsp tomato boullion
• 1/2 cup dehydrated or Freeze Dried carrots
• 1 1/2 c noodles ( I used wheels)
• 2 cubes of beef boullion 

Layer in a bottle in the order from above and seal with an oxygen absorber.

To make 8 cups of water to a boil and add MRC, Makes 8-10 servings at 8 servings the carbs are 32g.

Enjoy!

MRCs Meals ready to cook.

I have been today.  1/2 pound of cheddar and 1/2 of mozerella cheeses waxed for storage. Then I put up 6 breakfast MRCs (meals ready to cook).  In this case they were more Oatmeals.  I figure oatmeal is a healthy and very hearty breakfast.  Today I did 3 sugar free cinnamon raisin oatmeal MRCs and 3 sugar free spiced oatmeal MRCs.  Add water and cook.  Awesome for camping trips and SHTF situations.  When without power you can easily start a fire and use a cast iron dutch oven to cook.  Awesome right?! I think so.  I bottle mine up in serving sizes for 5 people which is the size of my family.  You can adjust to your family size.

Many people ask why I use plastic PET bottles (soda bottles).  Well they are cheap, reusable, and they store really easily.

This is from a couple of months ago.  Now it is all 16 and 20 oz bottles all my 2 liters are in another cabinet.

sugar free Spiced Oatmeal MRC 

1 1/2 c oatmeal

1/4 c evaporated milk

3 tbsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

3 packets of stevia

oxygen absorber

Layer and seal.

5 servings

17 carbs per serving

Sunday morning breakfast

As I have shared before, we typically have a special breakfast for Sunday.  This morning it was homemade oatmeal raisin muffins.  They were yummy, although to me they tasted a little too much of baking powder so I will post the fixed recipe below. The kids loved them and so did J.  I double the recipe because 12 muffins isn't quite enough for a little girl, a preteen boy going through a growth spurt, and a manlet going through puberty   I swear at about 10 years old you can't keep boys fed.  They will eat you out of house and home, not to mention the garden. But all is good.  I am also posting how to make the mix up for storage.

Quick and Homey Oatmeal Raisin Muffins
Makes 24 muffins

2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 cup old-fashioned oats
1 1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup olive oil
2 egg, beaten
2 cup milk

Cinnamon Topping
3 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 tablespoon olive oil

Heat the oven to 425°F. Grease a muffin pan, or line the wells with paper muffin cups.

Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon together in a large bowl. Stir in the oats and raisins.

In a large measuring cup, whisk the olive oil with the egg and milk. Stir the liquid into the dry ingredients just until combined. Fill the prepared muffin cups 2/3 full with the batter.

Mix all the ingredients for the cinnamon topping together in a small bowl until crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over the muffin batter.

Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan on a rack until they are cool enough to be handled. Remove from the pan and eat while warm, or let cool completely and then store in an airtight container.

To make for storage:

Quick and Homey Oatmeal Raisin Muffins
Makes 24 muffins

2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 cup old-fashioned oats
1 1/2 cup raisins

Store in an Airtight bottle or jar with an oxygen absorber

To make:

1/2 cup olive oil

2 egg, beaten

2 cup milk

Heat the oven to 425°F. Grease a muffin pan, or line the wells with paper muffin cups.

Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon together in a large bowl. Stir in the oats and raisins.

In a large measuring cup, whisk the olive oil with the egg and milk. Stir the liquid into the dry ingredients just until combined. Fill the prepared muffin cups 2/3 full with the batter.

Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan on a rack until they are cool enough to be handled. Remove from the pan and eat while warm, or let cool completely and then store in an airtight container

Happy, Happy, Happy

Recycle, reuse, and Pea soup.

I read an article yesterday about the Amish.  It is not uncommon to find an Amish millionaire.  Well, I am impressed.  In the article it talks about they buy things with multiple purposes, and they reuse things that most of us throw away.

I got to thinking about it.  I do this quite a bit, I use soda and food bottles for food storage.  I have read some articles and blogs that say things like, "soda bottles are okay if you are on a budget, but.."  I don't see it that way.  They are made to be water tight, air tight, and to hold food and drink.  Gee in my book that makes them more than okay for food storage.  And the big plus for me, they are free.  I mean I am reusing what I would have thrown away.  So I get my soda, I get a place to store food, and I am saving it out of the landfill.  I think that is a win, win, win situation.

This morning I got to work bottling up some meals in a bottle.  These are cheap and easy.  I made french onion pea soup.  When you get ready to prepare it, boil water and dump.  That is easy in a stressful situation, like a storm and no power, or worse.  Anyways, here is the recipe to feed 5:

French onion pea soup:
1 1/4 c split peas (you can use whole peas if you want)
1 package of onion soup (not brand specific)
1 packet of ham flavoring
1 oxygen absorber

Combine in a bottle (I used a 12 oz bottle)

To make bring 5 c water to a boil and dump the bottle and cook until peas are the desired softness (personal taste)

There are 24g carbs per serving in this.  So it is fairly low carb.  If you have a diabetic this is a great meal.

Enjoy!

Great advice for every parent to read.

J posted this on his Facebook page and I read it.  I think every parent should read this so I am posting it here.  It is awesome!
http://www.stevewiens.com/2013/03/12/to-parents-of-small-children-let-me-be-the-one-who-says-it-out-loud/

Busy bee, and then it got cold.

I have been a busy little bee for a few weeks, then today in May in Texas, it is cold.  Like turn the heater on cold.  Seriously there are parts of Texas getting Freeze warnings tonight.  Luckily I am not in those areas but seriously, we are a little over a month away from the official start of Summer.  And I do remember the summer I had M, from April 15- October 1 that year there were only 5 days that weren't 100 degrees or more.

Now mind you, I don't believe in Climate change ( at least not due to global warming).  Seriously I believe that like an Inconvienant Truth is the same kind of truth as Al Gore  invented the Internet. And remember his wife forced the music industry to start putting stickers on music to prevent perverted or violent music out of peoples hands.  Anybody remember the outcome of that?

What do I believe in, well, I believe weather comes in cycles.  If you look back at recorded weather and read the farmers alamenacs.  It all goes in cycles, just like earthquakes, hurricanes, ice ages, and eclipses.  It all goes in cycles, that is the way God created it.

So for dinner tonight I am making speghetti with meat sauce, and homemade garlic bread.  Doesn't that sound yummy.  Yes it does, well until after dinner when the acid reflux kicks in.  But it is worth it.  Pain is good.  Pain is just fear leaving the body.    And as my typical behavior I will be canning my leftovers.  Well just the sauce.  Noodle don't can well.  They become some nasty starchy brick in the bottom of the jar.

Special Speghetti sauce

• 6 pints of tomato sauce
• 1 pint of diced stewed tomatos
• 1 pound of browned hamburger meat
• 1 cup of lemon juice
• 1 1/2 red wine (make sure you would drink it otherwise it will taint your sauce)(if you don't want to use wine use sparkling red cider it works too)
• seasonings to taste: minced onion, garlic powder, orgeno, italian seasonings, parsley, pepper, 
• 6 packets of stevia (you could use sugar but I have to cut carbs somewhere)

Cook for about 20 medium heat, jar up hot and can, I am using 10# pressure for 20 minutes with quart jars and 1 in head space.

My house smells like Strawberries!

This morning I got up before everybody and started making Strawberry Jam.  The Strawberries aren't from my garden, but I did get to harvest 7 strawberries out of my garden this morning.  Miss S ate them with breakfast this morning, leaves and all.  She said, "Ymmm I like the leaves."  She is a strawberry junkie.  I have decided, I will only make strawberry jam in the 10 gallon stock pot.  Because no matter how many jars I am putting up or what size pot I use my strawberry jam always boils over.  Seriously every time.  You would think a 6 quart dutch oven would be enough to make 5 1/2 pints worth of strawberry Jam.  No not in my experience.  I have done other jellies and jams and not boiled over from the same pot but strawberry boils over every time.  Does anybody else have this problem?  Or is the canning powers that be trying to tell me not to put up strawberries jam?  Miss S's answer would be not to put it up because she wants to eat every strawberry that comes in the house.  And she gets quite mad that I limit her.

Strawberry Jam

2 quarts of strawberries sliced and left over night in the ice box to juice a little
1 pack of regular pectin
4 c sugar

Place strawberries in a large (very large) stock pot and bring the hit up, then add the pectin and stir until it is all dissolved.  Then bring to a boil then turn the heat down a little and add the sugar 1 cup at a time stirring it in between each added cup.  After all the sugar is added, bring to a boil stirring so it doesn't stick to the bottom. Let it boil for about 2 minutes or if you have a jelly thermometer to 220 ( soft ball).  Jar in 1/2 pint jars leaving 1/4 head space.  Process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes at a full boil.  I got 5 1/2 pint jars.

It makes the yummiest jam.

Gun Shows more than guns?!?

Yesterday we went to a Gun Show in a neighboring city.  There is more than guns there.  Beef jerky, Thrive, Wise company are just a few goodies I found that weren't weapons and S's favorite the kitty clocks.  S was obsessed with the Kitty clocks their tails wagged. J and I got a few toys for us to hunt and defend with.  I am so happy happy happy.  Yes I like Duck Dynasty.  Any way we had a fun family day at the gun show.  Awesome.   BTW when trying out a trigger glove for a bow make sure the trigger is tight so you don't have a miss fire and punch yourself in the mouth.

Sunday Morning tradition!

At our house we have a tradition on Sunday mornings and special days, Moma, me, makes a special breakfast.  It is different every week and holiday.  This morning it is homemade cinnamon rolls.  (recipe below)  Past ideas are reindeer pancakes for Christmas, Bunny butt pancakes for Easter, Texas for Texas Independence day.  Miss S loves pancakes and ask for them nearly everyday, and she can have them with Sugar Free syrup. My family has gotten so used to sugar free syrup that when I got some lite because it was free, the boys asked to have S's instead.  To us it taste better, I know most of you are turning up your noses at the thought, but you get used to it.

I have to brag on my pageant girls.  I guess I need to back up I have a pageant system that is non profit.  Yesterday we had a pageant and despite less than 10 contestants we still collected 170 items and 3 trash bags of clothes for the families in West, Texas where the fertilizer plant exploded.  If you really start to think about it.  The Oklahoma City Bombing did that much damage with only a Ryder truck full of fertilizer, this was an entire plant of fertilizer and a very small town.  But I am so proud of these girls, they didn't get anything in return.  So next time somebody talks down about pageants or you see Drama on Toddlers and Tiaras, remember what I just said these pageant girls did for strangers.

Today is also a very special day in history.  I don't get political on this blog and I am not starting now but many will take it that way.  Today is the 152nd anniversary of the beginning of what Southerns call "The War of Northern Aggression", although the rest of the country knows it as the Civil War.  I personally call it the War of Northern Aggression, being the good southern girl I am.  That was not a war over slavery as they teach now, the South did not like the Northerns "Yankees" and DC taking some of their rights away and imposing their beliefs on the south.  Sound familiar?  Just food for thought.

Back on topic:

Here are some pictures of other "special" Breakfasts.

Bunny butts for Easter.  The kids thought these were so funny.  Even the 14 year old loved them.

Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer pancakes.  

Not to bad free hand if I do say so myself.

Today's Cinnamon rolls are proofing now then into the oven and make some icing.

Cinnamon Roll recipe
Ingredients:
1 cup warm water
1 pkg active dry yeast
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
3 tbls softend butter I used Texas Road cinnamon butter (recipe below)
1 egg, beaten
3 1/2-4 cups flour

Method
Put water and yeast in large mixing bowl and add next 4 ingredients. Beat with dough hook until well blended. Add 3 1/2 to 4 cups flour and mix until soft dough forms (should not be sticky). Put out onto floured board and knead a few times until smooth. Place in greased bowl, cover until dough doubles, Then roll out on a floured surface until about 1/3 inch thick and rectangular.  Brush on more of the Texas Roadhouse cinnamon butter across the entire top of the dough, sprinkle lightly with brown sugar.  Then roll from on end longways to the other side.  Then with a dough cutter (or pizza cutter) cut about an inch thick rolls off.  Place on a WELL GREASED cookie sheet.  Then let it rest and raise again for about 15 minutes.  Then bake for 20 minutes at 350.  

Icing: 
 1 stick of butter
1/2 cup of shortening
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 milk
1-3 cups of powdered sugar To your desired thickness.

Mix until creamy.


Texas Roadhouse Cinnamon Honey Butter

·         ½ cup butter

·         ½ cup powdered sugar

·         ½ cup honey

·         1 tsp. cinnamon

melt the butter and mix well.

Rolls are in the oven.  And I am starving