Monday, December 14, 2009

Week 48: 10 lbs.of powdered milk

Powdered milk can be a great substitute instead of having to run to the store!

Sweetened Condensed Milk

1/2 cup hot water
3/4 cup a sugar
3/4 cup of powdered milk

Blend ingredients together in a blender. Can be stored in a refrigerator or frozen. This will make one can of sweetened condensed milk.

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Week 47: 20 cans Vegetables

Be prepared for next few weeks we will be stocking up on powdered milk, so you made need to get in line for the ward canner. Be advised that when you plan to get cans at the cannery, they are only open on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 9-1. Call if you have any questions!

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Week 46: 20 cans of fruits/applesauce

Fruits are great for a snack or a side dish; also very important for your health. Applesauce is a great and healthy substitute for replacing oil in baking recipes.

DECEMBER

"If you are prepared, Ye shall not Fear!"

Provident Living Goal: Review your insurance coverage, life, household, vehicle. Do you have enough or too much? Could you replace your vehicle or your household with what you have?

72 Hour Kit:
Garbage bags
candles
matches
can opener
10 one dollar bills

Review emergency maps and escape plans

Week 45: 20 cans of vegetables

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Week 44: 20 Cans of Vegetables!

Stock up on your veggies, add a few fruits if you enjoy fruits! You should want to eat the food in your food storage. So make sure it is food that you like!

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Week 43: 20 cans of vegetables

http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes.aspx/ghostly-shepherds-pie/48575614-4ffc-478a-86a8-68336d575009?WT.mc_id=paid_search_200100_636117&WT.srch=1&esrc=11151

This is a great recipe to use your vegetables and your potato pearls. Instead of using frozen vegetables, use the canned. Also for those successful hunters, I used the deer meat and it worked great!

(To get the wild out of deer meat, we use it for a Sunday roast first. Slow cook it all day with lots of sliced onions. -the onions soak up the wild taste out and give it a good taste. While slow cooking with onions, add spices to it just like you would your roast.)

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Week 42: 20 cans vegetables

Vegetables are an essential part to get your vitamins and minerals. Make vegetables a side dish or an ingredient in the main course.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Week 41: 10 lbs. of Oatmeal

50 lb.s of Oatmeal available for $7.50 at the LDS Cannery

You can also purchase the cans at the cannery, pick up the canner from my house and pack the oatmeal in the comfort of your own home!

Great Healthy Oatmeal Recipes at this site:
http://www.eatbetteramerica.com/recipes/breakfast-brunch/cerealsoatmeal/baked-apple-oatmeal.aspx

NOVEMBER

"Thrifty is the person who plans for tomorrow and not just for today!"

Provident living goak: make a goal to reduce your family garbage, by recycling more.

72 Hour Kit:
Plastic bucket with tight fitting lid,
personal hygiene items(deodorant, shampoo, razor, soap, infant needs, feminine needs, tooth brush, toothpaste) disinfectant, aluminum foil

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Week 39: 10 lbs. of Oatmeal

Community Preparedness Fair was a hit!
Solar oven classes
Got certified in CPR and First Aid
Canned and stocked up!!!

Took budgeting classes....Holidays are coming, need to prepare our budgets!!!!!
I will be teaching a budgeting class, so look for future dates.

Easy 72 hour kits!


All kinds of great informaition on gardening, from getting rid of insects with spices, compost piles, pruning, preparing the ground, collecting seeds, etc. Become a part of this Gardening club for free! "Garden with Attitude!" and learn how to become a pro gardner in this area.


Get Employed, a great way to Prepare!!!!


Monday, October 5, 2009

Week 38: 10 lbs. of Rice

http://www.grouprecipes.com/s/easy-rice/recipe/1/relevancy
Don't Forget:
Community Preparedness Fair this Saturday, Oct. 10th in St. Johns 9am-2pm!

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Rotate your Year supply, It is possible!

My husband helped me get creative and built this rolling rotation device, make sure you get it right though becuase the first time I pulled a can out, all the cans came rolling out on top of me! He has perfected it since and I love it. It makes rotation easy. This can work for # 10 cans too! I found this at Shelf Reliance, great system!
It makes it to where I can rotate my year supply on a daily basis.
You can find it online at Costco too.
It was actually cheaper to buy it from that website than the actual Shelf Reliance web site.

I love it because you can store your jars too and you fit it to your own size of cans or jars.
It works great to stack items on top of too.
Call if you have any questions or need help getting it. I have a Costco membership.





Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Week 37: 10 lbs. of rice

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Coconut-Rice-with-Black-Beans/Detail.aspx

OCTOBER
"When People are able and unwilling to take care of themselves we are responsible to employ the dictum of the Lord that idler shall not eat the bread of the laborer." Elder Boyd K. Packer

Spiritual Goal: attend one more session of conference then you usually do.

Provident Living Goal: Make a goal 30 min/day to your children or grandchildren. If you have not children to read to, make a goal to read 30 min./day for pleasure.

72 Hour Kit:
4 granola bars per person
2 sticks beef jerky per person
1 package chewing gum per person
hard candies or lollipops (12 per person)
check batteries for light and radio (replace if necessary)

Week 36: 10 lbs. of Rice

Friday, September 18, 2009

Week 35: 7 cans soup/ 8 cans meat/tuna

There will be a Community Preparedness Fair coming up! ~on Saturday, October 10th in St. Johns, all are welcome to come!!

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Week 34: 6 boxes of crackers

Great for snacks, fillers for those hungry times, great to use in meals and with meals!


SALTINE CRACKER TOFFEE

Saltines (crackers)
2 sticks butter
2 c. brown sugar
12 oz. pkg. chocolate chips

Lay crackers side by side in 10"x15" jelly roll pan (cookie sheet with edge).
Bring butter and sugar to boil and continue boiling until soft ball stage.

Pour toffee over crackers. Bake in 400 degree oven for 5 to 7 minutes. Watch carefully so doesn't burn.

Sprinkle chips over toffee/crackers and return to oven for 30 seconds to melt. Cool to set and harden. Crack and enjoy.

(Sweets are an important part of year supply! We have to stay sane!)

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Week 33: 15 cans of soup

Quick & Easy Stroganoff
by Travis Morris

2 lbs hamburger
soy sauce
garlic salt
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can tomato sauce
bay leaves
1 pint sour cream

Brown hamburger with soy sauce and garlic salt to taste. Drain fat off. Add cream of mushroom soup and tomato sauce and 2 to 3 bay leaves. Simmer slowly until liquid cooks down. Take off any additional fat by laying paper towels on top. Also remove the bay leaves. Stir in sour cream. Serve over rice. Green salad and rolls or garlic bread make a meal.


***************September **************

"There is no person who knows the real purpose for which this welfare program is being instituted but hardly before sufficient preparation has been made the real purpose will be revealed and when that time comes it will challenge every resource of the church to meet it." Harold B. Lee

Spiritual Goal---Have family scripture study together every day.

Provident Living Goal---Review your will if you have one. Make any needed changes. If you do not have a will, make arrangements to get one. EVERY Adult should have a will. Plan and carry out a FHE on the importance of preparedness.

***************************
72 hour kit:

Container for holding kit. Large garbage cans with wheels OR a back pack for each family member recommended. Find a place in your home that is easily accessible for storing the kit. You need to be able to grab it at a moment's notice to leave your home. Note: Your first aid kit is also part of the 72 hour kit. Note: your 72 hour kit is also part of your general storage, but your general storage CANNOT be part of your 72 hour kit. When you need it there may not be time to gather it together for transport.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Week 32: 15 cans of soup

Chicken Enchiladas

1 can Mushroom Soup
1 can Chicken Soup
½ cup evaporated milk
1 onion chopped

1 package tortillas, corn or flour
(I made homemade wheat tortillas from my wheat supply -my husband liked it!)

4 cooked chicken breasts or 1 whole chicken
1 can black olives, sliced
1 lb mild cheese, grated

Mix soups, milk and onion. Cut tortillas in 1 inch strips. Debone and tear chicken in to bite size pieces. In a greased 9x13 pan layer half of each ingredient in the order of soup mixture, tortillas, chicken, cheese and olives. Repeat layers. Cover with foil and bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 minutes more. Serves 8 to 10.


"For the moment we live in a day of peace and prosperity, but it shall not ever be thus. Great trials lie ahead...and we must prepare ourselves temporally and spiritually..." Bruce R. McConkie

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Week 31: 15 cans soup

Soups can be used for many meals; just as a soup or it can be added to other recipes.


Beef Taco Skillet by Campbell's
Makes 4 servings.
Prep/Cook Time: 20 min

1 lb. ground beef
1 can (10 ¾ oz.) Tomato soup
1 cup Picante Sauce
½ cup water
8 flour or corn tortillas (6"), cut into 1" pieces
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
COOK beef in skillet until browned. Pour off fat.
ADD soup, salsa, water, tortillas and half the cheese. Heat to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat 5 min. or until hot.
TOP with remaining cheese.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Week 30: 10 lbs. Pasta

Macaroni Salad

7 ounces Box elbow macaroni, cooked
2 Ribs celery minced fine
1 tablespoon Dry minced onion
1/3 cup Diced sweet pickles
1 1/2 cups Miracle whip
1/2 cup Kraft mayonaise
1/4 teaspoon Black pepper
1/4 teaspoon Dry mustard
1 teaspoon Sugar
Salt to taste
Combine everything just as listed. Refrigerate salad tightly
covered several hours before serving.

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Week 29: 10 lbs. Pasta

Fettucine Alfredo

8 ounces Cream cheese −− cut in bits
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese −− grated
1/2 cup Butter or margarine
1/2 cup Milk
8 ounces Fettuccine; cook −− drain

In large saucepan combine cream cheese, Parmesan, butter and
milk, stirring constantly until smooth. Toss pasta lightly with
sauce, coating well. Leftovers freeze well.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Week 28: 10 lbs. of Beans or More!

Last Week to stock up on beans!

*August*

"For the moment we live in a day of peace and prosperity, but it shall not ever be thus. Great trials lie ahead...and we must prepare ourselves temporally and spiritually..." Bruce R. McConkie

Spiritual Goal---Have Family Home Evenings with family every Monday.
Make sure at least one Monday is set aside for doing something really fun for the whole family.

Provident Living Goal---Learn to preserve food in a way you haven't tried before.

72 hour kit:
battery powered radio
battery powered light
batteries

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Week 27: 10 lbs. of Beans or more!

There are so many different kinds of beans to store. Mix it up, so you have a nice variety. Kidney beans are the easiest and quickest to cook when you are in a hurry. Beans are an important part of the diet to build iron, fiber and protien.


Spicy Black Bean Soup With Cajun Sausage

Ingredients:
•1 tablespoon olive oil
•12 to 16 ounces Andouille or spicy sausage, thinly sliced
•1 large onion, diced
•2 ribs celery, diced
•2 cloves garlic, minced
•1 small red bell pepper, diced, about 1/2 cup
•2 tablespoons diced jalapeno peppers
•4 cups beef broth
•1/2 lb. dried black beans, (prepare in crockpot and add rest of ingredients)
•1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes with juice
•2 tablespoons lemon juice
•1/4 teaspoon dried leaf thyme
•1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
•Salt, to taste
•1/4 teaspoon pepper
Preparation:
Heat olive oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Add sausage and cook over medium heat until browned. Add onion, celery, red bell pepper, and jalapeno peppers; sauté for about 3 minutes, until tender. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute longer. Add all to crock pot, along with the beef broth,tomatoes, lemon juice, and remaining seasonings. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for a few hours.
Serve with cornbread or crusty rolls.

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Week 26:10 lbs. of Beans or More!

Campbell's® Slow Cooker Hearty Beef & Bean Chili
From: Campbell's Kitchen
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 8 hours

Serves: 6

INGREDIANTS:
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Tomato Soup (Regular or 25% Less Sodium)
1 can (about 14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
1/2 cup water
1 lb precooked red kidney beans,rinsed and drained (cook in crockpot in a few hours)
1/4 cup chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin

Directions:
Cook the beef in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until it's well browned, stirring often. Pour off any fat.

Stir the beef, onion, garlic, soup, tomatoes, water, beans, chili powder and cumin in a 3 1/2-quart slow cooker.

Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 9 hours.*
*Or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours.

SUMMER IS HERE!
> THE SUN IS SHINING!
> UTAH FRUIT IS RIPENING!
>
> SWEET BING CHERRIES............Amazingly, I WILL have cherries this year. The farmer called me, all excited! No freeze...... and a good crop.
> THEY WILL ARRIVE ON JULY 10th. (one shipment only)
> A 20 POUND BOX IS $27.00 (that works out to $1.35 a pound)
> .
>
> APRICOTS............................There is a good crop. Depending on when they ripen, I will either have them the same time as the cherries, or the following week, July 17th.
> (one shipment only)
> A 24 pound box is $25.00. (that is $1.05 a pound) These are big, bright orange, sweet apricots.
> ...............................................................................................................................
> Please check your calendar to make sure you will be in town, or arrange with someone to pick up the fruit for you. The fruit comes perfectly ripe and needs to be in your home. I so appreciate it.
> ORDERING................. THE CHERRIES AND APRICOTS MUST BE PRE-ORDERED. I ORDER EXACTLY WHAT YOU ORDER.
>
> TO ORDER.........Please call or email. 480 844-9953 azfruitlady@yahoo.com
>
> ................................................................................................................................
>I WILL HAVE
>
> PEACHES, TOMATOES, BLACKBERRIES, AND RASPBERRIES................................
> They will begin August 19th
>
> PEARS AND NECTARINES.......................................................................................
> Will begin in September
>
> APPLES.................................................................................................................
> (one shipment) Fall apples will arrive a few days before Halloween.
>
> ******************* (All prices will remain the same as last year)
>
> *******************
> I will send an email out soon on the peaches, tomatoes, berries, pears, nectarines, and apples with dates and prices.
> ....................................................................................................................................
> I WILL BE COLLECTING CLOTHES AGAIN THIS YEAR. The Mesa School District children are in need of gently used clothing and shoes. Due to budget cuts this year the the school nurses, who act as liaisons for the children and their families, are unable to help provide clothing and shoes for those in need. IF YOU ARE CLEANING OUT YOUR CLOSETS............ANY DONATED CLOTHING AND SHOES WOULD BE APPRECIATED. All sizes accepted. The children attend elementary, junior high and high schools in the District. I am working with Barbara Hientz who is helping me coordinate the program. Please bring any donated items to my doorstep any time.
> The clothing donated last year blessed so many on the Navaho Indian reservation. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.
>
>
> Barbie VanCott - Utah fruit
> 2248 East Leonora St.
> Mesa, AZ, 85213
> North of McKellips Rd., between Lindsey and Gilbert Rd.
> 480-844-9953
>

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Week 25: 10 lbs. of Beans or More!

Marie's Mexican Pinto Beans
Pinto beans recipe, Mexican-style, for the slow cooker or crockpot.

Ingredients:
1 small bag of dry pinto beans (1 pound)
bacon
onion
cilantro
small jar of salsa, or to taste

Preparation:
Rinse bag of beans and soak overnight. Next day put in crockpot or slow cooker covered with water, almost to the top; cover and cook on LOW heat 5 to 7 hours, until beans are tender. After about 5 hours, when beans are tender, fry up desired amount of bacon, onion and cilantro until bacon is cooked through and onion is clear; drain well. Add to beans, along with some of the drippings from bacon. Add salsa to taste. Cover and cook about 1 to 2 more hours. This could be a main meal with Spanish rice.

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Week 24: 10 lbs. beans or more!

Sort and place the beans in a colander and wash under running water under the faucet in the kitchen sink for a minute or so. It’s best to hold with one hand and move the beans around with the other to make sure that they are clean. Washing them under running water will assure that all dirt has been rinsed from them.

Once beans are sorted and washed, it’s time to begin the cooking process. It is very important to note that beans expand at least double when cooked with liquid. Make sure that you use a pan that has plenty of room for this expansion. There is a fast method and a slower method for cooking pinto beans. The fast method takes about four hours. The slower method takes overnight for soaking and about four hours for cooking.

The fast method is to put the pinto beans in a pan. Cover with water at least three inches above the beans. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover with lid, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the beans sit for one hour with the lid on. The beans will then be plump and ready to cook. Remove the lid after the hour and pour out water. You can put the beans in a colander again if you prefer. Refill beans in pan with clean tap water, covering beans at least one inch above the beans. Bring beans to boil. Reduce heat to simmer. Simmer beans with lid on for about four hours, checking every hour to make sure beans continue to have enough water.

The slower method involves covering the pan of beans with water at least three inches above the beans. Soak overnight. The next morning the beans will be plump and ready to cook. Pour out the water and fill with clean tap water, covering beans at least one inch above the beans. Bring beans to boil. Reduce heat and simmer with lid on for about four hours, checking every hour to make sure beans continue to have enough water.

If you have a slow cooker (commonly called a crock-pot), you can cook the pinto beans all day on low. Just make sure that the water level is filled as high as it can be so it won’t go dry.

Some beans cook faster depending on how old they are. Beans are done when tender when poked with a fork or by tasting. If the beans run out of water while cooking, they will be dry and have a burnt taste. It is important for them to always have plenty of water.

Seasoning beans vary with personal preference. Do not add salt until after the beans are cooked. Adding salt before cooking will make the beans less tender. Adding chopped onion or fresh garlic while cooking makes very flavorful beans. Salt and seasonings to taste can be added after a few hours of cooking. Simmer for a short time after adding seasonings.

Pinto beans need to be used within a few days in the refrigerator. They can be frozen to use at a later date. Freeze the juice too as they will dry out. Pinto beans can also be mashed easily with a potato masher or an electric mixer. Start by using little juice and then add juice as desired. Fresh water can be used if you don’t end up with enough juice. Frying hamburger and using chili-seasoning mix make great chili beans. Get creative. Once cooked, pinto beans have many uses in casseroles, dips and Mexican style food. Easy and affordable, not to mention easy to cook, pinto beans are a delight.


July
"Ye Latter-day Saints, learn to sustain yourselves, produce everything you need to eat, drink or wear,..." Pres. Brigham Young

Spiritual Goal---Take the family names you prepared last month to the Temple.

Provident Living Goal---Make a goal to eat healthier. For example: less sweets, more fresh fruits and veggies, less meat, more fiber etc.

72 hour kit:
4 granola bars per person
2 sticks beef jerky per person
1 package chewing gum per person hard candies or lollipops--at least 12 per person
(note these items will be rotated every 6 months)

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Week 23: 50 lbs of Wheat or more!

I will be out of town so I am adding this week early. So hopefully it doesn't confuse anyone. Tuna and meat is for this week; week 22.

Whole Wheat Tortillas by Linda FitzSimons
4 cups whole wheat flour
¼ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
¼ cup oil
Mix all ingredients together and knead for 5 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes. Divide into balls (10 to 20 balls depending on the size of tortillas you want.) Let stand for 10 minutes and then roll out flat. Fry about 15 seconds per side on a hot griddle.

Week 22: 11 cans of Tuna/Meat

72 hour kit: For June
1 pound dried fruit or trail mix per person (can use fruit leather) 1 package soda crackers per person (4 per box) 1 package graham crackers per person (4 per box) 2 liters tomato or orange juice per person (Note: these items will be rotated every 6 months-see Sept) ALSO make a goal to always have the fuel tanks on ALL vehicles at least half full.

June "We will see the day when we live on what we produce." Pres. Marion G. Romney

Spiritual Goal---Prepare at least one family name for Temple work.

Provident Living Goal---Make a goal to have 6 months wages in savings for emergencies. Write out a realistic plan to make it happen.

Storage Goal: First aid kit--should include scissors, knife, thermometer, measuring cup, medicine dropper, hot water bottle, triangular bandages, soap, matches, razor blades, needles, safety pins, adhesive tape, elastic bandages, paper bags, gauze bandages, bicarbonate of soda, Ipecac syrup (induces vomiting), ammonia, hydrogen peroxide, calamine lotion (insect bites and sunburn), rubbing alcohol, diarrhea remedy, antibiotic ointment, first aid instruction book, prescription medication, waterproof matches.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Week 21: 11 cans meat/tuna

You can use the meat for sandwiches, gravies, soups etc..... Remember to use the meat juice or save it for later. Lots of vitamins and minerals are in the juice of the meat and in canned vegetables. For babies take the vegetable juice and mix it with the rice baby cereal to make baby food.

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Week 20: 11 cans tuna/meat

Tokyo Tuna by Kay Hamlten 4 Servings

1 can cream of mushroom soup
¼ cup milk
1 5oz can chow mein noodles
dash pepper
1 7oz can tuna
1 cup sliced celery
¼ cup chopped onion
½ cup salted cashews
Reserve 1/3 cup of noddles for topping. Combine soup and milk. Add remaining ingredients. Toss slightly and place in an ungreased casserole dish. Sprinkle with remaining noodles. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Note: You may use canned chicken chunks instead of tuna and call the recipe Chinese Chicken.

72 hour kit: For June
1 pound dried fruit or trail mix per person (can use fruit leather)
1 package soda crackers per person (4 per box)
1 package graham crackers per person (4 per box)
2 liters tomato or orange juice per person
(Note: these items will be rotated every 6 months-see Sept)
ALSO make a goal to always have the fuel tanks on ALL vehicles at least half full.
********************
June
"We will see the day when we live on what we produce." Pres. Marion G. Romney

Spiritual Goal---Prepare at least one family name for Temple work.

Provident Living Goal---Make a goal to have 6 months wages in savings for emergencies. Write out a realistic plan to make it happen.

Storage Goal: First aid kit--should include scissors, knife, thermometer, measuring cup, medicine dropper, hot water bottle, triangular bandages, soap, matches, razor blades, needles, safety pins, adhesive tape, elastic bandages, paper bags, gauze bandages, bicarbonate of soda, Ipecac syrup (induces vomiting), ammonia, hydrogen peroxide, calamine lotion (insect bites and sunburn), rubbing alcohol, diarrhea remedy, antibiotic ointment, first aid instruction book, prescription medication, waterproof matches.

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Week 19: 11 cans tuna/meat

Tuna Salad by Anne Gardner 8 Servings
1 large can tuna
1 cup mayonnaise
salt and pepper
2 TBSP pickle relish
4 TBSP sliced or chopped olives
4 TBSP green pepper, chopped
6 hard boiled eggs, chopped
½ lb grated cheese
4 TBSP chopped onion
Mix all together. Can be served hot or cold but is delicious hot on a croissant.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Week 18: 6 lbs. Honey or more.....

STORAGE
Store honey at room temperature, never in the refrigerator. If honey crystallizes, simply place the honey container in warm water and stir until crystals dissolve. Or, microwave 1 cup of honey in microwave-safe container, stirring every 30 seconds, until crystals dissolve. Be careful not to boil or scorch the honey.

HEALTH BENEFITS
Research has shown that unlike most other sweeteners, honey contains small amounts of a wide array of vitamins, minerals and trace minerals as well as antioxidants. Honey's composition also makes it an effective antimicrobial agent, useful for treating minor burns and scrapes, and for aiding the treatment of sore throats and other bacterial infections.
Note: Honey should not be fed to infants under one year of age. Honey is a safe and wholesome food for older children and adults.

Honey and Exercise
Don't forget when planning your training that honey is a source of carbohydrates, providing energy, sweet flavor, as well as vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. This brochures provides three recipes for a honey inspired sports beverage that will quench your thirst during exercise. http://www.honey.com/recipes/broch/index.html

Help for Hay Fever Allergies
Honey contains grains of pollen that, over time, may have a desensitizing effect, making it useful for the relief of allergies. Hay fever sufferers are advised to eat honey that has been harvested locally.

Relaxing Honey Bath
Put 2 ounces of honey in a glass with 5 drops of lavender oil. If the honey is too thick, heat it by placing the glass in warm water. Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of the honey-lavender mixture to your bath water to help you relax and combat insomnia.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Week 17: 6 lbs. Honey or more.....

How To Substitute Honey for Cooking
You can substitute honey for equal amounts of sugar in many recipes. In baked goods, substitute honey for up to half the sugar and make the following adjustments.
Reduce the amount of liquid in the recipe by ¼ cup for each cup of honey used.
Add ½ teaspoon baking soda for each cup of honey used.
To prevent over- browning, reduce oven temperature by 25 degrees Fahrenheit.

VARIETIES AND FORMS The flavor and color of honey depends on its floral source. More than 300 such sources have been identified in the United States. The color of honey can range from nearly colorless (fireweed) to dark brown (blueberry). Flavors range from delicately mild (alfalfa) to bold and robust (buckwheat). The most common forms of honey are the familiar liquid honey (often blended from two or more honeys to create a consistent color and flavor); creamed (or spun) honey and comb honey.
Remember when you were in school and they had a fire drill? They did that for a reason. If there was a fire or other emergency everyone would know exactly what to do and how to do it. For that same reason you should have an emergency drill at least 3 or 4 times a year with your family.

Tana Eggleston says, “My sister (Benda) has access to honey from a guy in their bishopric. It is a pretty good price and is a great food storage item (honey never spoils). They are coming from Utah on Mother's Day weekend and also again the end of June. They are willing to bring some down if anyone is interested. I will need the money upfront. Here are the prices:
Size Weight Price Case
5 gal. bucket 60 lbs. $107.00 Savings of $18.00
about 1/2 gal container 5 lbs $12.50
6 containers for $70.00 Savings of $5.00
Tana Eggleston – 536-3304

May
"The revelation to produce and store food may be as essential to our temporal welfare today as boarding the ark was to the people in the days of Noah." Pres. Ezra Taft Bensen

Spiritual Goal---Share a Book of Mormon with a non-member

Provident Living Goal---Make a goal and plan to exercise regularly.

72 hour kit: for May
1 gallon water per person
scriptures personal documents--genealogical records, wills, passports, insurance, contracts, birth certificates, patriarchal blessings, etc.
$25.00 cash

June 4th @ 6pm -Learn to Garden without a Garden and other techniques for gardening!

Emergency Preparedness:
Each time you should not just talk about what to do in an emergency, but you should pretend there is a real emergency and carry out your plans. Have everyone go to their rooms and then turn on the fire alarm and tell everyone to get out without using the doors. See if everyone shows up at the designated meeting place.Pretend there is an emergency and you have to leave your home. Set up tents in your yard or other location and live for a day without the luxuries you are used to. Do not go in your house for at least 24 hours. This exercise will help you to understand the challenges you will face in an emergency, and help you to think of ways to be better prepared.Another time you may want to practice what to do if everyone in the family is away from home when a disaster takes place. See if everyone can remember the communications plan and put it into effect. Use the communications plan to tell everyone where to go so that you can all meet up together. The important part is that you will learn much more about being prepared by actually having a dry run than by just sitting around the kitchen table talking about it.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Week 16: 25 lbs. flour and Wheat

Sister Kathy Rogers has flour available: $36 for 100 lbs. Cannery has wheat for the best price in bulk. Make sure you have wheat in your diet now, so your body is used to it or it could make you sick.

WHEAT GRINDERS
Grain grinders come in many shapes and sizes. Some are large and bulky and some can be picked up with one finger. Some take a lot of work and others require only the flick of a switch. There is such a big difference between the different grinders the kind of grinder that is best for you depends greatly on how you plan on using it.

Cost VS Use: You may wish to temper your decision on the quality of grinder you will be spending your hard earned cash on by how much you think you will be using it. There's got to be tons of people out there who have a manual grinder, have never used it, and depending on circumstances, never will use it. Contrast this with the families who use a grinder every week to make bread, pancakes, rolls and other things with freshly ground flour. Do you want a manual grinder that will only be used to get you through the tough scrapes or will you be using it all the time? Some people want the very best grinder made whether they are going to use it a lot or not. Other people will purchase the least expensive grinder they can find then learn it won't meet their needs after they begin to frequently use it. Perhaps some real thought should be put into getting a grinder that will nicely serve the expected needs of your family whatever they may be.
The Three Most Important Things About A Grinder:
Flour Fineness:
The most important thing about a grinder is how finely it grinds. If it doesn't grind at least a little bit fine, you are never going to get a good loaf of bread out of it.
Grinding Speed: There is also a huge difference in how fast the different grinders process wheat into flour. Of course, the shorter the time, the better.
Pressure Required To Crank The Grinder: There is also a huge difference between the grinders in how hard they turn. Logic would seem to say that it takes a given amount of energy to grind a cup of wheat to a certain fineness. The easier a grinder turns the slower one would think it grinds and vice versa. Because of the different stone and burr designs, this is not the case. There is a huge difference between the different grinders in how much work must be expended to create the same fineness of flour.
This information was taken from the Walton Feed web site. For more detailed information and grinder comparisons go to their Wheat Grinder page.

Now--Indoor Activities for Children-The Swine flu reported is spreading quickly. We counsel parents to listen to the CDC news and be prepared with activities for their children, should the schools and day care centers in the US close during the Pandemic. Here at SimplyLivingSmart we are praying for the safety of all of you and hoping that this flu will be controlled quickly and soon dissipate. It is important to stay calm, to explain to children what is going on and how to protect themselves, but not to scare them, at the same time. However, it is important to let them know that this is one of those times that strict obedience to the instructions of parents will need to be carried out. Below, I am giving some ideas for indoor activities to keep your children, at least partly occupied and entertained during this time. Please be advised that the CDC has issued and advice for parents that if schools close, children should stay indoors. This mens that children who are off school should not be going to stores, nor to the movies, nor to playgrounds, nor to the Malls. Avoid large crowds as much as possible. And if advised to do so, wear a mask. Adults and children should wear masks when going out in public where the flu has been confirmed or where there is high potential for it to occur. Please read the newsletter that was sent out Tuesday. It contains very important information for your safety, and where to get an infection control kit. If you didn't receive it, please contact us requesting it, and we will make sure you are sent a copy again. Here is a site with some good ideas:On this site here—make sure to click on “Skip the Ad” when you enter the section you want to visit. Here is another cool place to visit:And here below are 106 ideas for your children to use as entertainment, in case they need to stay home from school: Since we don't know how long this problem will continue, nor how severe it will get, I recommend not using these ideas all at once, so you will have something new to entertain the children with everyday.
Indoor Games for In Home-Shelter during the Pandemic:
1. Walk your dog in the garage or play games with the dog in the garage or around the house.
2. Make paper kites or paper airplanes to fly indoors. Color your kites, to add more time to the activity.
3. Make cookies—with the help of an adult.
4. Learn about an interesting place. com/nature_walks-cascia-rita-roccaporena. html
5. Ride your bike in the basement—if mom lets you!
6. Skate in the basement –if mom allows!
7. Watch clouds shapes through the windows –draw them and name them, and make a chart, to see how many new ones you see each day, and how many of the same shape you see again, in what days of the week?
8. Visit Discovery Education and make a goal to learn at least two new things from there each day, make a note of what you learned so you can tell your teacher what you learned while at home, during the Pandemic
9. Draw a story picture of your Day, every day, and color it. When the Pandemic is over, you will have a great picture story book with the history of each day.
10. Write in your journal, each day, about the experiences you are having during the Pandemic, how you felt, how others felt about it, what you heard about it, what you learned about it, you may want to draw a map, showing where the flu out bread was at each day.
11. Play tag indoors.
12. Recycle used boxes and old magazines and make new toys to play with.
13. If you have a big box, make a fort out of it, use crayons to draw on it and color it. Ask and adult to make windows on it for you.
14. Play charades.
15. Write, rehearse and perform a play for your family. Involve your siblings in the writing of the plot, help them rehearse and learn their part, build the stage together, choose the costumes together, and perform it together.
16. Learn to sing or play a new song each day.
17. Play Secret Friend, and write each other notes—but, make it fun, choose a theme for this and write your notes around that theme. A mystery theme would be very fun. Don't do scary themes.
18. Do a hula hoop contest.
19. Call your fiends and find out what they are doing for fun, and share one of your activities and do one of their activities, then call back to find out how they liked it? --But, please don't keep calling your friends all the time. One or two calls a week should be plenty.
20. Learn to juggle—be careful not to hurt smaller siblings when juggling.
21. Jump rope in the garage, if you have a garage.
22. Wash dishes for your parents.
23. Clean the house for your parents.
24. Offer to clean and organize their drawers.
25. Clean your room.
26. Rearrange the furniture in your room.
27. Wear a pedometer, and find out how many steps you took in the house during the day. Share the pedometer if you have siblings, and make a chart to see how many steps each sibling took during the week.
28. If you have a dart game—shoot some darts.
29. Play board games.
30. Have a balloon tennis games in your living room, if mom lets you.
31. Make a lemonade, put on your swimming suit, then place an umbrella on the floor over a beach towel, and a pillow and pretend you are at the beach in Hawaii, catching some rays!
32. Give the dog a bath in the bathtub, if mom lets you!
33. Pop popcorn and watch a movie at the end of the day.
34. Do some push-ups or tune in to an Aerobics channel or video and do some work out
35. Go for a ride on your treadmill, If you have one.
36. Put on some exciting music and dance, or have a dance contest with your siblings.
37. Play dress up—pretend you are a glamorous movie star for a day.
38. Put on make up.
39. Do your nails!
40. Do your siblings nails (if they are girls).
41. Play Sheriff and arrest someone! --Make sure that person agreed to play it with you!
42. Play knock-knock, who is there game.
43. Learn new dance steps, or practice the ones you already know.
If you have siblings do a dance choreography, practice it for a couple of days, then put on a show for your family!
44. Do an indoor golf tournament—improvise--use anything in the house as tools for this.
45. Practice some gymnastics.
46. Play cowboys and Indians—dress up for this.
47. Surprise your parents by picking up the toys and cleaning the house for them.
48. Play hide and seek.
49. Go to a room. Find everything that is not put away. Put it in the center of the room. Divide it into equal piles with your siblings and then race to put all of it away (correctly, with Mom or Dad being the judge). Our family loves it.
50. Vacuum the house.
51. Go through your old school stuff to see how much your writing has improved. Then organize them in order of date.
52. Wash your bedroom windows—why not all the windows in the house?!
53. Learn some new yoga exercise or Pilates.
54. Have a contest for who can race in place the longest.
55. Practice ballroom dancing with your siblings of with your Mom or Dad.
56. If you have enough space in your home and if noise is allowed, practice cartwheels.
57. Go through old magazines and collect some favorite recipes, and put them in a folder.
58. Go through old magazines and make a picture book to send to your children's shelter--when the Pandemic is over.
59. Draw and staple together a picture book to give to your children's shelter—when the Pandemic is over.
60. Set up an maze with chairs in your family room, practice going through it really fast.
61. Draw and paint or color a large castle.
62. Do spider walks.
63. Ask your parents or an adult to help do a science experiment. Ask the adult in charge or your parents to take the idea from one of Bill Nye the Science Guy in YouTube.
64. Call your grandmother every day (if she doesn't mind) and talk to her for 5 minutes!
65. Organize your collections, if you have them. If you don't have them, make a list of things you want to start collecting when the Pandemic is over.
66. Learn how to do the wash your own clothes. Then do a load of wash when your clothes are dirty.
67. If you are old enough ask and adult to teach you how to thread a needle and to sew a button. 68. Ask your parents questions about their life, then secretly write their life story for each of them, and present it to them, as a gift.
69. You are now very creative. . . create some of your own games to help pass the time.
70. Ty not to watch too much TV, and when you do choose the Discovery channel and the history channel to learn something while you are being entertained. Draw a picture or write what you learned in a notebook or journal.
71. Practice being really kind to your parents and to your siblings for one day.
72. Write Thank You notes to your mom and Dad.
73. Make a list of things you are thankful for—Think hard and write everything down. Then, go back and count how many things you are thankful for.
74. Practice braiding your sister's hair.
75. Shine your shoes and your Dad's shoes.
76. Clean the fridge for your mom.
77. Sweep the floor when it is dirty.
78. Make get well cards to friends of family who may be sick and give to your parents to put in the mail.
79. Make a list of things you want to do when the Pandemic is over.
80. Practice learning how to type fast for 10 minutes everyday.
81. Play pin the tail on the donkey
82. Play Hot and Cold
83. Hide a few things and have a treasure hunt. Those who find the most, get a prize. Those who lost get a treat.
84. Build a menu for the week for Mom. Consult with your siblings to include what they would like to eat in the menu also.
85. If you have an indoor trampoline, jump on it a few minutes.
86. If you are a teenager, play spa and give each other facials or do make up.
87. Look at family picture albums
88. Organize your family pictures.
89. If you do scrap booking, do some scrap booking. Make your own designs out of old magazines pictures and construction paper.
90. Play pretend with your stuffed animals.
91. Play Duck Duck Goose.
92. Play Freeze Tag.
93. Play with swords, or life savers or toy guns.
94. Play Pictionary.
95. Play Still – who can lie still the longest.
96. Play Pose or Statues—take a person and have them act what you tell them.
97. Play Simon Says.
98. Play Man on Mars
99. Play Pick up Sticks –if you don't have sticks, use forks or other things.
100. If you have a pet, play with your pet.
101. Play Guess what I am thinking.
102. Tell riddles or jokes to each other.
103. Have a contest of who can build the tallest tower using their toys and things around the house.
104. Build something fun, like a ship, or a building with your toy blocks.
105. Play Guess What is Under the Towel—put several items on a table, let everyone look at them for 5 minutes, then cover it with a towel, and have them write down what they remember. 106. Play What is Missing—like Guess What is Under the Towel. Put several items on a table. Let everyone look for 1 minute. Then take one item away. Have everyone write down what was removed. Then compare the list. Keep removing one item at a time.
107. Help Mom make a cake and decorate it.

Thursday, April 30, 2009

Week 15: 25 lbs. flour and wheat

Sister Kathy Rogers has flour available: $36 for 100 lbs. Cannery has wheat for the best price in bulk. Make sure you have wheat in your diet now, so your body is used to it or it could make you sick.

Wheat Thins by Sue Karger
1½ cups wheat flour
1 cup white flour
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup sugar
½ cup margarine
¾ water
1 teaspoon vanilla
Combine flours, salt, and sugar. Melt margarine and add to dry ingredients. Add water and vanilla. Roll out on lightly floured surface until 1/8" thin or thinner (the thinner the better), Put on cookie sheet and score. Shake on salt for taste. Bake at 400° for 10 to 20 minutes or until light brown and crisp.

72 hour kit: for May
1 gallon water per person
scriptures
personal documents--genealogical records, wills, passports, insurance, contracts, birth certificates, patriarchal blessings, etc.
$25.00 cash

In about two weeks, honey will be the weekly food storage goal: So be prepared!
Tana Eggleston says, “My sister (Benda) has access to honey from a guy in their bishopric. It is a pretty good price and is a great food storage item (honey never spoils). They are coming from Utah on Mother's Day weekend and also again the end of June. They are willing to bring some down if anyone is interested. I will need the money upfront. Here are the prices:
Size Weight Price Case
5 gal. bucket 60 lbs. $107.00 Savings of $18.00
about 1/2 gal container 5 lbs $12.50
6 containers for $70.00 Savings of $5.00
Tana Eggleston – 536-3304

May
"The revelation to produce and store food may be as essential to our temporal welfare today as boarding the ark was to the people in the days of Noah." Pres. Ezra Taft Bensen

Spiritual Goal---Share a Book of Mormon with a non-member

Provident Living Goal---Make a goal and plan to exercise it regularly.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Week 14: 25 lbs. of flour and wheat

Sister Kathy Rogers has flour available: $36 for 100 lbs. Cannery has wheat for the best price in bulk. Make sure you have wheat in your diet now, so your body is used to it or it could make you sick.

Popped Wheat
¼ cup shortening
2 cups cooked wheat
Heat shortening in a cast iron skillet. Add wheat and cook. Wheat pops inside but not out like corn.

Canned Food Study One
A Food and Drug Administration Article about a shelf life test that was conducted on 100-year old canned foods that were retrieved from the Steamboat Bertrand can be read at the following link:http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/CONSUMER/CON00043.htmlFollowing is a brief summary of a very small portion of the above article:"Among the canned food items retrieved from the Bertrand in 1968 were brandied peaches, oysters, plum tomatoes, honey, and mixed vegetables. In 1974, chemists at the National Food Processors Association (NFPA) analyzed the products for bacterial contamination and nutrient value. Although the food had lost its fresh smell and appearance, the NFPA chemists detected no microbial growth and determined that the foods were as safe to eat as they had been when canned more than 100 years earlier. The nutrient values varied depending upon the product and nutrient. NFPA chemists Janet Dudek and Edgar Elkins report that significant amounts of vitamins C and A were lost. But protein levels remained high, and all calcium values 'were comparable to today's products.'""NFPA chemists also analyzed a 40-year-old can of corn found in the basement of a home in California. Again, the canning process had kept the corn safe from contaminants and from much nutrient loss. In addition, Dudek says, the kernels looked and smelled like recently canned corn.""According to a recent study cosponsored by the U..S. Department of Agriculture and NFPA, canned foods provide the same nutritional value as fresh grocery produce and their frozen counterparts when prepared for the table. NFPA researchers compared six vegetables in three forms: home-cooked fresh, warmed canned, and prepared frozen. 'Levels of 13 minerals, eight vitamins, and fiber in the foods were similar,' says Dudek. In fact, in some cases the canned product contained high levels of some vitamins that in fresh produce are destroyed by light or exposure to air."
Canned Food Study Two
A canned food shelf life study conducted by the U.S. Army revealed that canned meats, vegetables, and jam were in an excellent state of preservation after 46 years.The Washington State University summary article can be read at:http://www.whatcom.wsu.edu/family/facts/shelflif.htm
Dry Food Study One
A scientific study conducted at Brigham Young University on the shelf life of a variety of different dry foods can be read at both of the following links:http://ce.byu.edu/cw/womensconference/archive/2005/sharing_stations/pdf/52a.pdfhttp://www.providentliving.org/content/display/0,11666,7797-1-4222-1,00.htmlA brief summary of the above web site information shows the following estimated shelf life per dry food item:Over 30 years for wheat and white rice.30 years for pinto beans, macaroni, rolled oats, and potato flakes.20 years for powdered milk.All dry food items should be stored in airtight moisture proof containers at a temperature between 40ºF to 70°F.Salt, baking soda, and granulated sugar still in their original containers have no known shelf life limit if properly stored.
Dry Food Study Two
http://www.sciencedaily.com/videos/2007/0208-keeping_food_for_years.htmFollowing are some direct quotes taken from the above web site:Food scientists now know that, when properly sealed, some dried food that's been sitting on shelves for years, could still be OK to eat."It lasts a lot longer than we thought," Oscar Pike a food scientist at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, tells DBIS.Scientists have known certain foods like sugar and salt can be stored indefinitely, but wanted to learn the shelf life of other food like dried apples -- stored since 1973 -- tried by taste testers."I like to call it the emergency shelf life of the food, food that you'd still be willing to eat in an emergency," Pike says. "It's not as though it were freshly canned, but it's certainly edible."He says the best foods to store are low in moisture, like wheat and powered milk. But keep all foods away from heat and light to stop it from going stale and losing nutritional value. "All the foods that we've tested have been stored at room temperature or below, so you want to avoid attic and garage storage."In the study, researchers taste-tested rolled oats that had been stored in sealed containers for 28 years. Three-fourths of tasters considered the oats acceptable to eat in an emergency.
Dry Food Study Three
http://beprepared.com/article.asp?ai=579&sid=INEM327&EID=ALL0608d&lm=emer&bhcd2=1213479534Following are some quotes taken from the above web site:It is important to first identify what is meant by "food storage" and "shelf life." "Food storage" that is intended to be held long-term is generally considered to be low moisture food packed in either #10 cans or in metalized bags placed within large buckets. "Shelf life" can be defined in the following two ways:"Best if used by" shelf life - Length of time food retains most of its original taste and nutrition."Life sustaining" shelf life - Length of time food preserves life, without becoming inedible.There can be a wide time gap between these two definitions. For example, most foods available in the grocery store that are dated have a "Best if used by" date that ranges from a few weeks to a few years. On the other hand, scientific studies have determined that when properly stored, powdered milk has a "Life sustaining" shelf life of 20 years. That is, the stored powdered milk may not taste as good as fresh powdered milk, but it is still edible.Shelf life is extremely dependent on the following storage conditions:Temperature: Excessive temperature is damaging to food storage. With increased temperature, proteins breakdown and some vitamins will be destroyed. The color, flavor and odor of some products may also be affected. To enhance shelf life, store food at room temperature or below; never store food in an attic or garage.Moisture: Excessive moisture can result in product deterioration and spoilage by creating an environment in which microorganisms may grow and chemical reactions can take place.Oxygen: The oxygen in air can have deteriorative effects on fats, food colors, vitamins, flavors, and other food constituents. It can cause conditions that will enhance the growth of microorganisms.Light: The exposure of foods to light can result in the deterioration of specific food constituents, such as fats, proteins, and vitamins, resulting in discoloration, off-flavors, and vitamin loss.
EXAMPLES OF SHELF LIFE:Recent scientific studies on dehydrated food have shown that food stored properly can last for a much longer period of time than previously thought. This research determined the "life sustaining" shelf life to be the following:
Dry Food Item Shelf Life
Wheat, White Rice, and Corn ~30 years or more
Pinto Beans, Apple Slices, Macaroni ~30 years
Rolled Oats, and Potato Flakes ~30 years
Powdered Milk ~20 years
Revised June 16, 2008 - Added a Third Dry Food Shelf Life Article.Revised June 12, 2008 - Added a Second Dry Food Shelf Life Article.Revised December 4, 2007 - Added a New Link to a U.S. Army Canned Food Shelf Life Article.Revised December 4, 2007 - Added a New Link to a Brigham Young University Dry Food Shelf Life Article.Click on www.grandpappy.info/indexhar.htm for more Hard Times Survival Tips.
____Join us on the web at:http://www.survivalistssite.com/

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Week 13: 25 lbs.of flour and wheat

Sister Kathy Rogers has flour available: $36 for 100 lbs.Cannery has wheat for the best price in bulk.Make sure you have wheat in your diet now, so your body is used to it or it could make you sick.

Mexican Wheat Chili

1 lb ground beef
2 TBSPS oil
1 large onion, chopped
¼ teaspoon garlic salt
4 TBSPS Flour
2 cups cooked wheat
5 cups beef bouillon or stock
1 teaspoon to 1 TBSP chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon oregano
1 cup tomato sauce
pinch cayen pepper (opt.)

Brown meat and saute onion with garlic salt. Drain of excess fat. Add and stir in flour. Add rest of ingredients, cover and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Makes 6-8 servings. (For thicker chili add 1 to 2 TBSPS more flour, stir often.)

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Week 12: 25 lbs. of flour and wheat

(Scroll down to check Week 11 too, 2 weeks done at once because of General Conference. Enjoy Conference!)

Sister Kathy Rogers has flour available: $36 for 100 lbs.
Cannery has wheat for the best price in bulk.
Make sure you have wheat in your diet now, so your body is used to it or it could make you sick.

Wheat Seafood Salad
1 ½ cups Cooked Wheat
1 cup tuna or other seafood
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup finely chopped celery
½ cup finely chopped green onions
½ cup chopped pickles
¼ cup chopped green pepper
tomato wedges
lettuce
olives
Mix everything together except last three ingredients. Refrigerate several hours before serving. Serve on lettuce leaves surrounded by tomato wedges and top with olives. This recipe is also good as a dip or in sandwiches.

Week 11: Vitamins

It's important to have enough vitamins to keep your family happy and healthy, especially through a crisis. Also, some of us depend on them to feel our best! So remember to have enough on hand to get you through a year!

You can also get a lot of your vitamins from herbs, plus, you can use herbs for medicinal purposes. For Bulk Herbs, contact Anna Merrill for info.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Week 10: Pain Reliever

April

"If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear." D & C 38:30

Spiritual Goal---Attend the Temple one more session than you normally do this month.

Provident Living Goal---If you normally do not grow a garden, plan to grow at least one vegetable this year. if you already have a garden either 1)grow a vegetable you haven't tried before OR 2) try a new method or technique this year.

72 Hour kit for the month of April
72 hour kit:
Gather a change of clothing including underwear and shoes for each family member-
-include warm coats and boots, or have them immediately accessible.
ax, shovel and bucket
utility knife
$20.00 cash
$5.00 in change for phone

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Week 9: 8 lbs of Potato Pearls

Cannery has it available

Food Storage Recipe: You can still have fun foods!

Hamburger and Hot Dog Bun Recipe
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups warm water
5 teaspoons Saft Yeast
1/3 cup oil
1/2 cup sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tbsp. molasses
6 cups all purpose flour, preferably bread or cake flour.
Milk for brushing to turn a golden brown at the last baking minute.
Optional: Sesame seeds for topping, or finely chopped fresh onions, sauted in cooking oil.

Directions
Place water, yeast, ½ cup of sugar in mixer, and 2 cups of the flour and mix for 3 minutes.Next, add the remaining ingredients, adding the salt for last.Let it mix on high speed for 10 minutes.For hamburger buns: Divide the dough in 8 to10 portions, cover kitchen towel and let rest 5 minutes.Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.Pre-heat the oven to 150 degrees.Shape each dough portion into a ball, then flatten them into a thick pancake shape, and place onto the parchment paper.For Hot Dog buns: Shape then to the size of a hot dog.Spray the dough generously with cooking oil spray.Place the baking sheet in the oven and TURN OFF the oven.Let rise for 20 to 30 minutes, or till puffy.Brush with milk and sprinkle with sesame seeds—or the sauteed onion mixture.Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.To bake the hamburger buns: Bake until golden, about 15 to 20 minutes.To bake Hot Dog buns: Bake for 17 minutes or till golden brown—slice it half way with a serrated knife.Freeze leftovers in plastic bags.If you don't have a bread mixer, just knead the dough with your hands till smooth.

week 8: Gallon of oil/ 4 lbs. Potato Pearls

Best place to get Potato Pearls is the cannery.

Don't forget amongst all the Food Storage to have an Emergency Plan:

If and when an emergency comes that requires you and your family to evacuate your home, there will be little or no time to make your plans. If you have an evacuation plan in place, and make sure that all family members know and practice what to do, you will have a tremendous advantage in the event you ever need to implement that plan.Evacuation plans can be useful for many different types of disasters: hurricanes, tsunamis, and statistically more common, house fires. House fires are one of the most common disasters people face in this country so it is important that everyone has an evacuation or fire escape plan, and practice it regularly. Everyone in your family should know the plan, even the little ones, so set aside an evening when the whole family can get together to make your emergency escape plan. Follow these simple steps and you will be ready for evacuation.

1. Make a map of your home with escape routes marked:Label every exit, including doors, windows, and hallways, which may become a potential fire escape. In every room, label the primary exit (usually a door or hallway) and a secondary exit (usually a window) in case the primary exit is blocked by smoke or flames. Label every room where a family member sleeps. Label the main shutoff valves of the gas, electricity, and water lines. Establish a safe meeting place outside the home so everyone can be accounted for.

2. Practice your emergency evacuation planIt does little good to have a plan on paper. Practice will help you to learn how to improve your plan and will insure that all family members know exactly what to do.It is important for everyone in the family to learn how to escape, including how to get out the windows. A good fire escape ladder is essential if your exit is through a window on an upper floor. You may want to arrange the furniture so a dresser or nightstand is under the window to make it easier to escape, especially through basement windows. Place your emergency preparedness kits strategically near an exit so they are easy to grab in a hurry. Be sure to have a flashlight or light stick by each persons bed to make it easier to find your way out at night.Practice turning off utilities, but only pretend to do it. You do not want to actually turn off the gas during a drill. A gas wrench or other tool is needed for this. You should have an emergency evacuation drill four times a year, and vary the conditions so that you practice in different situations such as night, day, good weather, and bad weather.

3. Communication:Each family member must know where to meet after getting out of the house in an emergency. Make sure everyone knows that their number one priority is to get out quickly and go to the designated meeting place without delay and to wait there.Be sure that each family member memorizes the phone number of an out-of-town, or even better and out-of-state person to call in case they are separated from your family. Have everyone memorize the phone numbers of other important contacts. Evacuation plans can be life-saving for you and the ones you love. Disasters don't just happen to other people. They are very real and can happen to anyone at anytime. Take the time to plan and prepare and you will be very grateful you did.

A confidential family code word or phrase would be a very important signal of communication in the presence of immediate danger. Use words and phrases easy to remember that mean a certain action to be taken, but does not give away your intention, nor gives away what is to be done. You might practice these code words and phrases until everyone in the family is well familiar with them, and know exactly what is to be done and the action to take. Make sure small children are trained not to give away the meaning of this code under any circumstance and train older children not to share this information with anyone, not even the closest friends.

We need 72 hour kits, but those aren't enough:

The Federal Emergency Management Agency in cooperation with the American Red Cross and the U.S. Department of Agriculture state that if an earthquake, hurricane, winter storm or other disaster strikes your community, you might not have access to food, water and electricity for days, or even weeks.

By taking some time now to store emergency food and water supplies, you can provide for your entire family. Having an ample supply of clean water is a top priority in an emergency.

A normally active person needs to drink at least two quarts of water each day. Hot environments can double that amount. Children, nursing mothers and ill people will need even more. You will also need water for food preparation and hygiene. Store a total of at least one gallon per person, per day. You should store at least a two-week supply of water for each member of your family, according to FEMA.

If supplies run low, never ration water. Drink the amount you need today, and try to find more for tomorrow. You can minimize the amount of water your body needs by reducing activity and staying cool.When Food Supplies Are LowIf activity is reduced, healthy people can survive on half their usual food intake for an extended period and without any food for many days. Food, unlike water, may be rationed safely, except for children and pregnant women.

If your water supply is limited, try to avoid foods that are high in fat and protein, and don't stock salty foods, since they will make you thirsty. Try to eat salt-free crackers, whole grain cereals and canned foods with high liquid content.

You don't need to go out and buy unfamiliar foods to prepare an emergency food supply. You can use the canned foods, dry mixes and other staples on your cupboard shelves. In fact, familiar foods are important. They can lift morale and give a feeling of security in time of stress. Also, canned foods won't require cooking, water or special preparation.

Following are recommended short-term food storage plans.
Special Considerations As you stock food, take into account your family's unique needs and tastes. Try to include foods that they will enjoy and that are also high in calories and nutrition. Foods that require no refrigeration, preparation or cooking are best.

Individuals with special diets and allergies will need particular attention, as will babies, toddlers and elderly people. Nursing mothers may need liquid formula, in case they are unable to nurse. Canned dietetic foods, juices and soups may be helpful for ill or elderly people.

Make sure you have a manual can opener and disposable utensils. And don't forget nonperishable foods for your pets.

Food Storage Tips
Keep food in a dry, cool spot - a dark area if possible.
Keep food covered at all times. Open food boxes or cans care-fully so that you can close them tightly after each use. Wrap cookies and crackers in plastic bags, and keep them in tight containers. Empty opened packages of sugar, dried fruits and nuts into screw-top jars or air-tight cans to protect them from pests. Inspect all food for signs of spoilage before use. Use foods before they go bad, and replace them with fresh supplies, dated with ink or marker. Place new items at the back of the storage area and older ones in front.
Nutrition Tips
During and right after a disaster, it will be vital that you maintain your strength. So remember: Eat at least one well-balanced meal each day. Drink enough liquid to enable your body to function properly (two quarts a day). Take in enough calories to enable you to do any necessary work. Include vitamin, mineral and protein supplements in your stockpile to assure adequate nutrition. Shelf-life of Foods for Storage
Blue Chip Group, Inc.

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Week 7: Gallon of oil and 6 lbs. salt

SALT WATER TAFFY
Makes 1 pound.

1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons margarine
1/2 teaspoon salt

Mix sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan, then stir in remaining ingredients. Cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Continue cooking, without stirring, to 260 degrees F. After boiling ceases, stir in 1 teaspoon flavoring (pure oil) and food coloring. Pour onto a greased sheet. When cool enough to handle, grease hands and pull until satiny and light in color. Cut into 1-inch pieces. Wrap in wax paper.

Sixty Uses Of Salt Although
you may not realize it, simple table salt has a great number of uses other than simply seasoning your food. The following list will give you sixty uses of salt, many of which you probably didn't realize:

1. Soak stained hankies in salt water before washing.
2. Sprinkle salt on your shelves to keep ants away.
3. Soak fish in salt water before descaling; the scales will come off easier.
4. Put a few grains of rice in your salt shaker for easier pouring.
5. Add salt to green salads to prevent wilting.
6. Test the freshness of eggs in a cup of salt water; fresh eggs sink; bad ones float.
7. Add a little salt to your boiling water when cooking eggs; a cracked egg will stay in its shell this way.
8. A tiny pinch of salt with egg whites makes them beat up fluffier.
9. Soak wrinkled apples in a mildly salted water solution to perk them up.
10. Rub salt on your pancake griddle and your flapjacks won't stick.
11. Soak toothbrushes in salt water before you first use them; they will last longer.
12. Use salt to clean your discolored coffee pot.
13. Mix salt with turpentine to whiten you bathtub and toilet bowl.
14. Soak your nuts in salt brine overnight and they will crack out of their shells whole. Just tap the end of the shell with a hammer to break it open easily.
15. Boil clothespins in salt water before using them and they will last longer.
16. Clean brass, copper and pewter with paste made of salt and vinegar, thickened with flour
17. Add a little salt to the water your cut flowers will stand in for a longer life.
18. Pour a mound of salt on an ink spot on your carpet; let the salt soak up the stain.
19. Clean you iron by rubbing some salt on the damp cloth on the ironing surface.
20. Adding a little salt to the water when cooking foods in a double boiler will make the food cook faster.
21. Use a mixture of salt and lemon juice to clean piano keys.
22. To fill plaster holes in your walls, use equal parts of salt and starch, with just enough water to make a stiff putty.
23. Rinse a sore eye with a little salt water.
24. Mildly salted water makes an effective mouthwash. Use it hot for a sore throat gargle.
25. Dry salt sprinkled on your toothbrush makes a good tooth polisher.
26. Use salt for killing weeds in your lawn.
27. Eliminate excess suds with a sprinkle of salt.
28. A dash of salt in warm milk makes a more relaxing beverage.
29. Before using new glasses, soak them in warm salty water for awhile.
30. A dash of salt enhances the taste of tea.
31. Salt improves the taste of cooking apples.
32. Soak your clothes line in salt water to prevent your clothes from freezing to the line; likewise, use salt in your final rinse to prevent the clothes from freezing.
33. Rub any wicker furniture you may have with salt water to prevent yellowing.
34. Freshen sponges by soaking them in salt water.
35. Add raw potatoes to stews and soups that are too salty.
36. Soak enamel pans in salt water overnight and boil salt water in them next day to remove burned-on stains.
37. Clean your greens in salt water for easier removal of dirt.
38. Gelatin sets more quickly when a dash of salt is added.
39. Fruits put in mildly salted water after peeling will not discolor.
40. Fabric colors hold fast in salty water wash.
41. Milk stays fresh longer when a little salt is added.
42. Use equal parts of salt and soda for brushing your teeth.
43. Sprinkle salt in your oven before scrubbing clean.
44. Soaked discolored glass in a salt and vinegar solution to remove stains.
45. Clean greasy pans with a paper towel and salt.
46. Salty water boils faster when cooking eggs.
47. Add a pinch of salt to whipping cream to make it whip more quickly.
48. Sprinkle salt in milk-scorched pans to remove odor.
49. A dash of salt improves the taste of coffee.
50. Boil mismatched hose in salty water and they will come out matched.
51. Salt and soda will sweeten the odor of your refrigerator.
52. Cover wine-stained fabric with salt; rinse in cool water later.
53. Remove offensive odors from stove with salt and cinnamon.
54. A pinch of salt improves the flavor of cocoa.
55. To remove grease stains in clothing, mix one part salt to four parts alcohol.
56. Salt and lemon juice removes mildew.
57. Sprinkle salt between sidewalk bricks where you don't want grass growing.
58. Polish your old kerosene lamp with salt for a brighter look.
59. Remove odors from sink drainpipes with a strong, hot solution of salt water.
60. If a pie bubbles over in your oven, put a handful of salt on top of the spilled juice. The mess won't smell and will bake into a dry, light crust which will wipe off easily when the oven has cooled.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Week 6: Spices

Don't forget the spices and herbs for your Food Sorage!
Those beans aren't going to taste very yummy just soaked in water!
Plus a lot of your vitamins and minerals are found in your spices and herbs.
They can also be used for medicianal purposes!
Contact Anna Merrill for Bulk Spices (928) 536-3222
(scroll down to food storage connections and favorites to find price lists)

Spicing Up Your Food Storage
Josephine Newton, "Spicing Up Your Food Storage," Ensign, June 1990, 72

"Spicing it up" is important, especially when you’’re cooking with basic food storage items. So once you acquire grains, legumes, nonfat dry milk, sugar, oil, and salt, start gathering a year’’s supply of spices and flavorings.
Beef, chicken, or ham bouillon granules or cubes are excellent secondary storage items. Rice takes on wonderful new flavors when cooked in bouillon, as does barley and even some wheat dishes. Bouillon is also a base for many soups, sauces, and casseroles.
Soy sauce is another excellent flavoring to store. It adds saltiness to stir-fry vegetables and fried rice, as well as to some stews, chicken, and fish. Other flavor enhancers for main dishes include red and black pepper, paprika, turmeric, vinegar, dry or prepared mustard, Tabasco sauce and Worcestershire sauce.
Aromatic herbs like marjoram, thyme, oregano, dill, basil, and sage can lift soups, casseroles, salads, and sauces out of the ordinary. Seasoning salts and spice blends like chili powder, curry powder, poultry seasoning, and celery, garlic, and onion salts make legumes tastier.
The aromatic seeds——anise, caraway, celery, coriander, cumin, dill, fennel, poppy, and sesame seeds——are especially good sprinkled over home-baked breads and rolls and stirred into salad dressings.
While you probably have some "sweet" spices on hand——cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, allspice, and mace——you may want to store a wider variety. Although "sweet" spices are not actually sweet, because of their flavor association with sweet dishes, they give a sweetening effect to breads, puddings, and cereals, even when no sugar is added. Simple rice pudding, for example, is dependent on such spices for its flavor. And you can enhance the simplest cookies and cakes with these favorite flavors. Vanilla, almond, lemon, and maple extracts are also good for storing.
To supplement nonfat dry milk, store cocoa, sweet cocoa mix, or a cereal drink. Punch powder flavors not only water, but also puddings and pie fillings.
Note: For long-term storage, keep unopened boxes, cans, or jars of spices and herbs in a closed plastic container or bag and store in a cool, dry, dark place. Once spices are opened, keep them sealed in a second container to maintain their flavor and aroma.——Josephine Newton, West Jordan, Utah
David B. Haight said:
They wrapped Jesus’ body in fine linen, together with spices, according to the Jewish custom of preparing a body for burial. Later, women carrying spices for the final preparation of the body for burial looked in the tomb and witnessed angels, who said, "Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified.
"All Wholesome Herbs"
"And again, verily I say unto you, all wholesome herbs God hath ordained for the constitution, nature, and use of man--"Every herb in the season thereof, and every fruit in the season thereof; all these to be used with prudence and thanksgiving." D&C 89:10––11. What are herbs? A definition current in Joseph Smith’s day was "plants of which the leaves or stem and leaves, are used for food or medicine, or in some way for their scent or flavor."Yea, all things which come of the earth, in the season thereof, are made for the benefit and the use of man, both to please the eye and to gladden the heart; "Yea, for food and for raiment, for taste and for smell, to strengthen the body and to enliven the soul." D&C 59:18-19

Using Flax Seed:
This recipe is every bit as good as real eggs in your favorite baked good recipes. For each egg, place in blender:
1 Heaping tablespoon of whole organic Flax Seed, blend it until it becomes a fine meal. Add a 1/4 cup of cold water blend 2-3 minutes until thickened and has the consistency of eggs.
Each 1/4 cup of flax seed mixture equals one egg.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Week 5: 6 boxes of Crackers and Wheat

week 5: Feb. 22- March 1

Store as many boxes of crackers as you feel needed for your family.

Cannery has the best price on Wheat

Hard Red Wheat is 25 lbs. for $6.05
Hard White Wheat is 25 lbs. for $7.40

Affordable Wheat grinders available at Granny's Attic, just as you are coming into Payson.

Cooking Whole Wheat
1 cup clean whole wheat
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups water
DIRECT HEAT METHOD:
(1)Bring water to a boil; add wheat gradually. Turn heat down and simmer 3-6 hours.
(2)Boil 5 minutes, turn off heat and let stand overnight.
(3)Boil 5 minutes and then simmer 1 ½ to 2 hours.
HINT: To cut down on cooking time soak wheat 3 to 12 hours before cooking.
CROCKPOT METHOD:
Place ingredients in crockpot and cook on low overnight.
HINT: Cook a crockpot full of wheat on Sunday night and use it in your cooking all week. Will keep up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

Crackers
Great for a snack, add to meals!

Another way to store grains for a quick snack.

Store any extras such as: cereal, chips, cookies (find sales and stock up!)~rotate!

Sales~Sales~Sales
-Stock up

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Week 4: 4 lbs. of Shortening

Rotate and Inventory your food storage. Here's some copys to help you get started:
(click on image to make larger and print it off)





2/15-2/22
I found the most affordable place to buy shortening was the GV brand at Walmart. It's better to buy them in the 2 lb. tubs or smaller because once opened it tends to go rancid quickly.

Buy the amount of shortening you think your family will need, at least 4 lbs. will do it.

Pie Crust (Yields 2 crust)
3 cups flour
1½ tsp. salt
1 cup vegetable shortening
8 tbsp. water
- Combine flour and salt in mixing bowl. Cut in shortening with pastry blender or two knives until mixture is the consistency of coarse cornmeal or tiny peas. - Sprinkle on cold water, a little at a time, tossing mixture lightly and stirring with a fork. The dough should be just moist enough to hold together when pressed gently with a fork. It should not be sticky - Shape dough in smooth ball with hands, and roll. Cut evenly in half. Roll out flat.
*If you only need one crust you can freeze the other by rolling it flat in a circle on plastic wrap, place another sheet of plastic wrap on top and freeze on a cookie sheet. After frozen remove from cookie sheet and wrap in foil. Freeze for about 3 to 6 months.

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Week 3: 4 lbs. Yeast

Most affordable places to get yeast: MTE @ 3.99 a pound/contact numbers:536-7363/536-7199
Amazon.com and Bulkfoods.com

(Some weeks you will have leftover change. Save the change each week to be used for the weeks you may exceed $10.00)

Storage
Yeast is a live plant and very perishable when exposed to air, moisture, and/or warmth. To ensure the freshness, proper storage is imperative. Store airtight in a refrigerator or freezer. Use within a three month period. It may keep longer depending upon how airtight the container is and how cold it is kept. Allow amount being used to warm to room temperature before using.


Activation and Use
When yeast is dried, the life enzymes are still present but in the dormant state. To bring them to the active state, requires moisture and warmth. Traditional bread bakers have been taught correctly that warm liquid will activate the yeast very quickly, much like the process that seeds undergo when planted in soil. The warm moist ground provides an environment for the seeds to move from the dormant dry state to active growing plants. If the liquid is too cold, the yeast will either not activate, or it will do so very slowly. If the liquid is too hot, it will cook the yeast and kill the life enzymes.

Sugar - Yeast ferments sugar and starch in flour producing carbon dioxide and ethyl alcohol gases. Too much sugar will slow the yeast activity. Therefore, sweet breads are usually dense and not as large as sandwich breads. White sugar, brown sugar, honey, and molasses may all be interchanged equally. Most artificial sweeteners may not be substituted in bread making as they are proteins and cannot be fermented.
Salt - Salt affects the activity of yeast. Without salt, the yeast acts very rapidly and peters out too quickly. Too much salt will stunt yeast activity. Salt adds flavor and strengthens the dough structure.
Flour - Dough structure is formed from the protein in wheat flour. Other grains can be ground into flour, but wheat and spelt are the only grains that contains a sufficient amount of the type of protein that forms gluten. When the flour is mixed with other ingredients, the protein comes in contact with the liquids and becomes gluten. Kneading the dough develops an interlocking network of elastic gluten strands which hold the dough together. As the yeast ferments the sugars and starches, gases form stretching the strands and making the dough rise.
Liquid - Liquid ingredients play three important roles in bread making:
1. They hydrate and dissolve the yeast granules.
2. They help to blend and bind the ingredients together.
3. They allow the gluten to develop so the dough will be elastic.
Liquids include milk, buttermilk, sour cream, eggs, cottage cheese, fruit juices, and fruit and vegetable purees. Fats and liquid sweeteners also add moisture but are considered in their own categories. It is important to have the liquid at the correct temperature. Appropriate Liquid Temperatures:Automatic Bread Machine: 75-85 FTraditional, dissolving yeast in liquid: 110-115 FMixer Method, blend yeast with dry ingredients: 120-130 FFood Processor: Room TemperatureIf the liquid is too cold, the yeast will either not activate or it will do so very slowly. If the liquid is too hot, it will cook the yeast and kill the life enzymes. Using a thermometer will take the guesswork out of determining the correct liquid temperature. Any thermometer will work as long as it measures temperatures between 75 and 130 degrees F.
Baker's Note: Do not heat eggs with other liquids, since they may begin to cook. Bring them to room temperature by placing uncracked eggs in a small bowl of warm water for a few minutes.
Fat - Most bread contains a small quantity of fat. If a fat is liquid at room temperature, it is called oil; if solid at room temperature, shortening. Fat gives the dough richness and moisture, but more importantly, it makes the bread tender. Fat coats the flour particles so the elastic formation slows down; it makes the gluten strands slippery so the gas bubbles can move easily; and it gives the final product a finer grain.

February Goals:
"There is a wise old saying 'Eat it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without'. Thrift is a practice of not wasting anything. Some people are able to get by because of the absence of expense. They have their shoes resoled, they patch, they mend, they sew, and they save money. They avoid installment buying, and make purchases only after saving enough to pay cash, thus avoiding interest charges. Frugality means to practice careful economy." James E. Faust

Spiritual Goal---Schedule time each day to read with your family from the Book of Mormon.

Provident Living Goal---plan and carry out a FHE on home fires. Include planning an escape route and practicing it.

Basic Garden Planting Schedule
January:
Plan the Garden. Decide what to order. Order Seeds.
February -
-First Half -Start broccoli, early cabbage, lettuce in house in 6 packs.
- Second Half-Layout your garden on paper. Decide where to plant each variety. Consider crop rotation from last year, companion planting, and decide spacing and watering needs.Here are some other resources that might interest you. These are garden related topics.

Dwarf Fruit Trees:Consider planting dwarf fruit trees. They produce less fruit per tree, but they produce sooner than regular trees, and you can have more varieties or more trees in a less space. Their plants are not as strong as a regular size fruit tree, therefore they are more susceptible to diseases. If you are planting them, learn as much as possible about fruit tree disease prevention. However, many professional growers are turning to dwarf trees to grow more fruit in less space.

Pruning and Shaping Trees:The dormant season (when plants are frozen and the sap is not moving within the tree) is the time for pruning. If you are starting trees from root stock or when they are small, pruning and shaping trees can be provide function as well as making a foliage attraction.