Monday, April 29, 2013

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.

Monday, April 22, 2013

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, April 21, 2013

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


Friday, April 19, 2013

Busy day!

Sorry I didn't post at all yesterday.  I had a busy day.  I put up 7 lbs of rice, 6 lbs of flour, 2 bottles (basically equals 4 boxes) of Bisquick mix, 2 lbs of Oatmeal, 2 bottles (5 servings each) raisin cinnamon oatmeal, and rearranged the cabinet all my dry food storage goes in and then I canned 1 quart of carrots, 1 pint of carrot stock, 2 quarts of vegetable stew, and 1/2 a pint of  vegetable stock.  On top of all that I made pot roast for dinner and not in the crock pot.  I was busy.   Now I am going to rearrange/organize  my canned food cabinet. But I thought I would stop in and post really quick.  

Bisquick mix

Directions:

Mix together.
Cover tightly and store.
Use water, buttermilk or skim milk to moisten.

They were perfect last night to sop up the pot roast juice.

Just in case you are wondering how I do my bulk dry storage, I will tell you. 
I use 2 liter bottles washed and left to dry for 2-3 days upside down on a towel.  Make sure they are completely dry before use otherwise the moisture will ruin your food and make it unsafe.
I use a funnel (bought mine in the automotive section because they are cheaper than kitchen wares) to place ingredients in the bottle.  Then I place 3 100cc oxygen absorbers in or 1 Hot Hands hand warmer.Make sure you don't bust either one because you will have metal filings in you food, good for iron but bad for taste.  Screw the lid on tightly.  I lay all the bottles on their sides in a cabinet under my kitchen island.  
This picture is from a couple of weeks ago.  It is completely full now.  And the #10 can at the top has found a new home.  The white in the bottom is borax to discourage pest. 


Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Pinto Bean Pie

I know pinto bean pie sounds gross at first thought, but before you turn your nose up at it, try it!  When my friend Miss R told me about it I was very skeptical.  I made it for my family and without telling them it was pinto beans.  They loved it.  J knew that it was pinto beans and his comment was it taste just like pumpkin pie.  Yes it does. And the best part of it is that it can be made from food storage items.  I have spoken in earlier post about the need for comfort items and to keep things normal well at my house a cake or a pie every now and then is made just for the heck of it.  

Pinto Bean Pie

  • 2 cups pinto beans
  • small potato
  • 1 tbsp baking soda
  • 2 pie crust (store bought or handmade will have a blog post about that later)
  • 1  c sugar (or 1/2 c stevia)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cans evaporated milk (1 1/2 c if mixing powder evaporated milk)
  • 1 tsp vanilla
Next 3 can be adjusted but I like mine pumpkin pie every spicy if you don't then cut in half.
  • 3 tsp ground ginger
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground cloves
First you have to cook your beans:
add the 2 cups of pintos to a large sauce pan add the baking soda and potato ( I am told the baking soda and potato help lessen the gassiness) add 4 cups of water and cook your beans as normal.  Until they are soft.  When they are done drain and remove the potato ( save for stew or mashed potatoes)

Next you preheat the oven to 350
In a blender or food processor ( or by hand)  mush up the beans until they are smooth.  Then in a large mixing bowl mix the sugar, beans, milk, eggs, vanilla, and seasonings together.   Then pour into the pie shells.  Place the pie pan/s on a cookie sheet to help with clean up just in case.  Bake for 45-60 minutes.  Until you can insert a butter knife in the center and it comes back clean.

I promise it is Yummy!!! M liked it and he is picky and typically hates beans of any kind. 




Why prep?

If anybody knows you prep, the question is always the same, "Why prep?"  This question was posted to me the other day, but in a different way.  She asked, " Is all your prepping for when your husband is on lay off?" Well, the short answer is no.

I look at the world now days and wonder why isn't everybody prepping. There are many people out there that view prepping in a negative light. Our grandparents and great grandparents did it.  But to them it was a way of life, they never knew when the crops would fail, if sickness would happen, or simply how they would feed their family during winter so they prepped.  The way I see it, you are either the Grasshopper or the ant. Have you ever heard the parable of the grasshopper and the ant?


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 labor 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.

If you stop and think nursery rhymes, fables, and parables, all had a lesson to be learned in them.  What lesson does the Grasshopper and the Ant teach?    Do you want to teach your kids to be a grasshopper or an ant.  I for one, want to be an ant and I strive to teach my children to be ants too.

Are you a grasshopper or an ant?  If you are an ant, why do you prep and what are you prepping for?

Monday, April 15, 2013

Toilet Paper Tube Firestarters

Firestarters from items you have in your house right now.  So they are basically free and you are saving it all from the landfill.




You need:

  • Toilet paper/paper towel tubes 
  • Lint from the dryer
  • Wadded up paper (junk mailings work great)
  • Left over wood pieces or saw dust (if you have it)
  • Paraffin (optional)
  • Wax paper or aluminium foil To protect your surface and make clean up easier.
Stuff the toilet paper tubes with the lint, paper, and wood.  If you have it melt some paraffin (doesn't take much) drop a couple of drops in each end.  It is really that easy.

Sunday, April 14, 2013

Happy Yummy Sunday!

My son, E, is always giving me a hard time about looking at what my family calls "food porn".  Well after last night I might have put a stop to it.  Yesterday before my walk with the family, I found a recipe on Facebook that looked and sounded so yummy.  It was Bacon Cheesy Pull Apart Bread.  It is so good!!! I mean really really good.  The recipe calls for Sourdough bread, well I didn't have any and I was not going to run to the store for that.  I made mine with home made bread. I can not explain how good it is.  The best part is can be a meal and I have all the stuff put up in my food storage so if something did happen I would still be able to make this yummy treat.  Well I guess I should share the recipe for both the bread and the yumminess.  

Cheesy bacon pull apart bread

Ingredients

1 lg
unsliced round sourdough bread (I used homemade bread)
8 oz
block of cheddar cheese, sliced into thin slices
1/4 lb
bacon, cooked and crumbled, more or less
1 stk
butter, melted
I substituted my ranch dressing mix 1 tsp instead of the following.
1/4 tsp
each of dried chives, parsley, dill weed, and garlic powder
1/8 tsp
each of onion powder,salt and pepper

Directions
1
 Using a sharp knife cut a cross-hatch pattern into the bread. 
To do this slice the bread into 1/2 inch slices, making sure not to cut into the bottom crust. After you make the cuts in one direction, it is easiest to get an extra set of hands to squeeze the loaf together to cut it in the other direction.
2
 Place the bread onto a large piece of foil and curve up the edges to form a packet.Melt the butter. Then all the dried herbs and spices. Mix all together and let it sit for a minute. Pour the butter herb mixture all over the bread. Then place the thin slices of cheddar cheese in between the cut slices. Then sprinkle the top with the crumbled bacon.
4
 Wrap the foil all the way around the round of bread and place on a baking sheet.
Place in preheated 350^ oven and bake for 15 minutes.

5
 Unwrap the bread and bake for another 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and begins to brown.


My homemade bread and roll recipe

Ingredients
1 cup warm water
1 pkg active dry yeast or 1 tsp
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp softened butter
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( I continue to stir with a wooden spoon). 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 with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place approx. 45 minutes. Punch down and turn out onto floured board. Shape into 12 rolls and place in greased Cookie sheet. If making bread shape into a loose round shape or place in a greased loaf pan.  Let rise again about 30 minutes. Bake 350 for 20 minutes. Brush tops of rolls/bread with butter. Recipe is easily doubled.


I guess you are going to need the recipe for the ranch dressing mix.

Ranch Dressing Mix

2 cups dry parsley flakes, minced
1/2 cup instant minced onion
2 tablespoons dry dill weed
1/4 cup onion salt
1/4 cup garlic salt
1/4 cup onion powder
1/4 cup garlic powder 


Dump all ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend until completely powdered. 


To make dressing: combine 1
 Tbsp. dry mix, 1 cup of may & 1 cup of buttermilk.


Now go try it because it is Yummy!  J wants me to make it again today.

Saturday, April 13, 2013

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  We have all heard it, but do we practice it?  I try to most days, I get up and fix a breakfast meal not just cereal.  Well this oatmeal recipe will get you a nice hearty start in the mornings fairly easily.  This recipe also has about 15 g carbs per serving and oatmeal is heart smart.

Apple Cinnamon  Oatmeal
serves 5          15 carbs per serving

2 cups oatmeal
1/2 c evaporated dry milk
3 packets of Stevia
2 tbsp cinnamon
1/4 c dehydrated or freeze dried apples

Combine in a bottle and add an oxygen absorber

To mix add 1 1/2 c water.


I hope you enjoy this.


Leave some feed back!

Friday, April 12, 2013

Black Eyed peas ready to make.

Ready to make black eyed peas.
These are easy to make up and store for later.  We all know that we are supposed to eat black eyed peas for New Years.  Make these up in summer when your peas come in and for later.

Black eyed peas
2 c black eyed peas
1 ham  seasoning packet
tsp salt
tbsp pepper
2 tsp pepper flakes ( adjust to your taste)

Layer in a clean dry bottle add an oxygen absorber and seal. 

To cook add 4 c water and enjoy.

This has 5 servings about 18 grams carbs per serving.  So it is Diabetic friendly. You can adjust the seasonings to what your needs and taste.  When I cook black eyed peas fresh, I add a whole jalapeno, so I substituted it with Red pepper flakes.

Sinus infections...YUCK

Sorry I didn't blog yesterday, but I am battling a sinus infection.  I am currently boiling salt water on the stove waiting for the steam to get up so I can breathe it in.  I have treated sinus infections for 9 years this way and only had to resort to the Doctors office 3 times.  I am not a medical professional, but I am telling you what works for me.  I also gargle with salt water to help the sore throat that comes with it.  If I am coughing tonight I will have a hot toddy before bed.

Hot Toddy

  • 2 jiggers (shots) of  Whiskey 
  • Tbsp local honey
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
Mix it up and heat it on the stove for about 3-5 minutes. Sit back and drink it.  It will help clear the frogs out of your throat, disinfect your throat and help you sleep. NO OPERATING HEAVY MACHINERY, OR DRIVING AFTER DRINKING THIS!  Don't mix with cold medicine either.

Works for colds, flu, sinus infections, and bad days.

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Cranapple Jelly.

Got up this morning and made some Cranapple Jelly.  It is yummy on biscuits or toast.
 Cranapple Jelly

  • 3 cups of Cranapple juice (tried to get one with lower sugar content)
  • 1 package of powdered pectin
  • 4 1/2 cups of  sugar.
Makes 5 1/2 pints of jelly
Sterilize your jars and lids
Start your water in your water canner boiling
In a Large sauce pan pour in all your juice and turn to high.  I like to get my juice hot first.  Then add pectin and stir until fully dissolved.  Let boil for a minute, then add the sugar and stir until it is all dissolved. Bring to a rolling boil for 1 1/2 minutes stirring and being careful not to let it boil over.  Pour into your jars leaving 1/4 inch of head space.  Put the lids and rings on the jars and carefully place in the water bath canner.  Make sure there is at least an inch of water over the top of jars.  Once the water is at a boil set your timer for 10 minutes.  Then let it cool and listen to the music of the Ping.  When the Jars are completely cool check the seals, label them, and up them way.  If a seal isn't secure put in the fridge and use immediately.

This recipe works for Grape, any of the Cran juices, and pomagranite juice. I have even made green tea jelly, but you have to add 1 tbsp to it.  J loved it but I thought it tasted like liquid Pez.
Happy Canning!

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

New workout while improving your skills.

Lately when cooking I look around at all the gadgets and wonder what if there is no power.  So for a month or so, I have been doing things by hand.  I make fresh bread without a mixer or bread machine, just all by hand and wooden spoon.  I made pizza tonight with homemade crust, no mixer or food processor just by hand and wooden spoon.  Why am I calling it a work out?  Well have you ever mixed or kneaded dough by hand it is a workout, but more than that I have been watching what I lovingly call my "bat wing" arms tighten up.  Do you know how hard that is to get to tighten and tone?  Almost impossible, unless you do push ups and lift weights from dawn to dusk.  I haven't got time for that.  The other advantage is I am building my skills at cooking without powered gadgets, I mean what if a storm took out the power for a few days, or worse.  Could you, would you know how to do this without all the gadgets?  Start practicing now and get a workout.



Pizza dough
Ingredients
  • 1 3/4 cup warm water
  • 1 (1/4-ounce) package or 1/2 tbsp active dry yeast 
  • 1 teaspoons salt
  • 4 1/2 to 5 cups flour
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for bowl
  • Cornmeal, for pan
Directions
Preheat oven at 450 degrees F.
Measure out 1 3/4 cups warm water (it should be pleasantly warm on your wrist). Sprinkle the yeast on top of the water and allow it to activate, about 10 minutes.
Put the salt and 2 cups of the flour into a food processor. Pulse 5 times to blend. Pour in the yeast and water and pulse 5 times. Add the olive oil. Add the remaining flour 1 cup at a time, pulsing and scraping the sides of the bowl until well blended. As soon as the mixture is combined, dump it out onto a well-floured board and knead for 15 turns, until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Place the dough in a greased bowl and turn to coat all sides. Cover with plastic wrap or a tea towel. Allow the dough to rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes, until doubled in size, then punch it down. Divide it in half; each half will make 1 (12-inch) pizza.
Place on a cornmeal-dusted pizza stone, pizza pan, or cookie sheet. Roll up edge slightly to create a ridge around the pizza. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, or until crust is light brown.
Cook's Note: If using only half dough, freeze the other half. Place the dough in a resealable freezer bag. To thaw, remove the bag from the freezer and place in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Roll the dough out while cold then allow it to come to room temperature before adding toppings.

Pizza sauce recipe
2 1/2 cups of tomato sauce
1/2 c red wine ( I used Lion's Courage from the OZ Winery)
2 tbsp Italian seasoning
1 tbsp oregano
simmer simmer while cooking the pizza dough (55 minutes)
It made enough sauce for the pizza and 2 1/2 pints to can for later 

In case you are wondering about the OZ Winery, it is in Wamego, Kansas a block down from the OZ Museum.  It is totally worth going if you are driving through Kansas.  You can call the OZ Winery and they ship!  I recommend  Witch in a Ditch, Bad Witch Gone Good, and Lion's Courage. 

Its Chili Baby

Who doesn't like Chili on a cold day?  I am no stranger to Frito Chili pie on a cold day.  I made it last week well, except I didn't have Fritos I made do with Doritos.  They had been on sale.  Those of you that don't know me will learn I am a couponer and I am cheap.  

Back to the Chili...This is easy to make with a little prep work.  First things first, you will have to make some dehydrated hamburger meat or buy some FD hamburger meat.  Here are some great directions to make your own.  This is how I do mine too.

Chili recipe for storage.

1/2 c red beans
3/4 c hamburger rocks (dehydrated hamburger meat)
1/4 c freeze dried tomatos
2 cubes of tomato boullion
1/4 dried minced onions
1 cube of beef boullion
1 tsp of garlic
2 tbsp of chili powder
1-3 tbsp of chili flakes (depending on your taste)
1 tsp of cayenne pepper
salt and pepper.

Layer in a bottle, add an oxygen absorber, and seal.
To make 3-4 cups of water and cook.

This is the Tomato Boullion I buy.  

A little hint,  I use a funnel I bought from automotive department for $0.99 as opposed to $5.99 in the kitchen department.  I take a wooden spoon to help get the ingredients in the bottle.  Sometimes it takes a lot of force.

Serves 5 and has about 10 g carbs

Monday, April 8, 2013

Baked beans for storage

Depending on what part of the country you are from these can be called Pork n Beans or Baked Beans.  Well, whatever you call them, they are yummy.  Seriously you can make many things with this.  It can be a side dish or a main dish, cut up some wienies and you will have beanie wienies or Franks and beans.  Again it is a cultural thing.  Where ever you are and whatever you call them, they are yummy and even your kids will ask for seconds.  

2 cups small navy beans 
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

3/4 cup chopped onion (dried)
1 garlic clove, minced (dried)

1/4 c brown sugar

1 package of Ham seasoning

Store in an air tight bottle (soda bottle) with an oxygen absorber.  

To make add 4 3/4 c water, 
2 tablespoons of mustard.

In case you are wondering, what the ham seasoning looks like:


That ham seasoning is a great thing to have on hand.  You can add it in with any type of beans or greens you would add salt pork or fat back too.  I have sneaked this in on my family several times and they couldn't tell the difference.

What to do with left over holiday candy.

If you are anything like me, you ration out holiday candy and then end up with tons left over.  What to do with it?  Well here is your answer.  Old spaghetti sauce jars washed out and dried.  Place the can in them and save the candy for later.
The Smarties will get used fastest since we use them when S is having blood glucose lows.  But the rest will last a while and this takes up far less room than gallon baggies in the cabinet.  

Why store candy in your food storage?  Well there are 3 reasons:
  1. Comfort and normalcy is important in rough or stressful times.  Remember if we as adults find it stressful, the kids will too.  A little piece of candy every once and a while will go a long way to soothe a stressed out child.
  2. Sugar is a quick energy boost although short term.
  3. If there is widespread problems, SHTF situations, you can use candy and especially chocolate for bartering.  Think about it.  Sometimes couldn't you just kill for some chocolate?
There you go recycle jars and store some candy in them.

Sunday, April 7, 2013

Tomato Barley Soup

Yesterday I was packing meal bottles.  When I was done I had just a little bit of barley left, I hate that.  I want to have all done and neat.  So I started searching the internet for a barley recipe that could be converted for food storage.  I wasn't thinking I would find anything low carb, it is barley.  I found a recipe for Tomato Barley Soup, and when I got it made for food storage, I crunched the numbers so I could write the carbs on the bottle.  WOW, 6 carbs per serving Seriously only 6 carbs.  For those of you that are diabetic that isn't even enough to give S a shot being her scale is 1/20.  That would cut down on the amount of insulin use in hard times.

Tomato Barley Soup

1 c pearled barley
1 c chopped dried onion
1 cup tomato boulion (4 cubes) 
salt and pepper to taste
2 cubes of chicken boullion
I added a 1/4 c of lentils but you can do dried carrots

To cook 4 c water, and it serves 6 with 6 carbs each.


Saturday, April 6, 2013

Strawberry Oatmeal for long term storage

As with many of my storage recipes I have to keep them on the low carb end for my daughter S.
 This is  a simple little recipe to provide a yummy breakfast for 5.

Strawberry Oatmeal1 1/4 c of oatmeal, 1/3 c evaporated milk, tsp cinnamon, 3 packets of Stevia, 1/4 tsp salt  about 1/4 c dehydrated strawberries. Layer in the bottles and add an oxygen absorber and seal

To Cook:
2 c water and cook

This recipe has 5 servings and 35g carbs each.  I know that is a little higher but it is healthy and a great hearty way to start your day.