Showing posts with label Three-Month Supply. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Three-Month Supply. Show all posts

9.25.2013

Finding Storage Items in your Current Menu


Ed and Myrna wanted to start working on their three-month supply.  They understood the basic concepts, but it just didn't seem like the food they ate could be stored easily.  They liked fresh green salads for dinner and fruit for breakfast.  They wanted to continue to eat this way, but were concerned that they couldn't store these foods. 

A challenge?  Yes!  But I haven't met a menu yet that didn't have options for easily-stored items once you broke it down.  A common misconception is that in order to rotate through storage items, you have to eat only the meals you have planned for in your storage.  This is definitely not the case!  You should eat normally and incorporate storage items into your diet as you would typically.  Your three-month supply plan does not become your new menu. 

Here are some examples from Ed and Myrna's situation:  Ed and Myrna are elderly with grandchildren that live locally.  For breakfast, they typically eat granola with fresh fruit and yogurt.  Once a week, their grandchildren come for breakfast and they share pancakes.  Ed and Myrna can store pancake mix, syrup, and granola in their breakfast plan.  They can store several gallons of milk in their freezer.  If the need arose for them to use their three-month supply, they would just continue eating granola and pancakes, both of which are part of their regular daily diet.  Ed regularly makes a great cobbler cake that calls for canned fruit so they store a little extra of that canned fruit to be used for breakfast fruit.  Even if Ed only makes that cake infrequently, they will be able to rotate through their supply of canned fruit before the cans reach their expiration dates.  They would prefer the fresh fruit, but if it isn't available, they'll have a rotatable option.  The pancake mix, granola, canned fruit, and syrup are all part of their regular diet and will be used and rotated before expiration dates.

For lunch, they like to have sandwiches.  They mostly use store-purchased bread and wraps.  Loaves of bread, tortillas and pita bread can easily be stored in their freezer.  Lettuce and tomatoes are not storage friendly and there really isn't a good alternative.  But both Ed & Myrna would be okay with cheese and meat.  Lunch meat and pre-sliced cheese can also be frozen and rotated.  Besides the frozen deli meat, they also keep canned chicken and tuna fish, which are types of sandwiches they sometimes have.  Myrna likes to bake, so they also store flour, sugar, salt, and yeast that can be make into bread or wraps.  They also store mayo, mustard, fruit juice, bags of chips and jars of pickles (all of which they already eat). 

As I mentioned earlier, they like to eat salads for dinner.  Storing salad greens is not an option.  A garden would provide some fresh greens, but they'll have to think beyond the salads.  Sometimes Ed & Myrna have soup and bread sticks with their salads.  Other nights they'll slice several breasts of chicken onto their salads.  On Sundays they usually have something different.  They'll eat a roast and potatoes, chicken burritos, or crock-pot chicken.  Their three-month supply dinner menu could include soups, chicken breasts, as well as their Sunday-evening rotations.  That would means storing chicken (frozen or canned), roasts (frozen or canned), soup supplies including beans and broth, spices, tortillas and salsa.  They can also store canned and frozen vegetables as well as salad garnishes like croutons.  In a situation where it is necessary to eat from their three-month supply, they might not be eating salads every night, but they will have food stored that they already regularly eat.  By incorporating these meals into their normal menu occasionally (like they were anyway), they'll be able to rotate through their food before hitting expiration dates.

Of course, one of the most important and easiest-to-store items is a cookie mix or ingredients to make cookies.  Ed stores these items as well as the supplies for his often-made cobbler cake. 

Ed & Myrna are actually fictional, but represent some of the typical issues that I've encountered.  Many of your personal menus are already very storage friendly.  Items like cereal, peanut butter & jelly, taco soup, burritos, pasta dishes (spaghetti, mac & cheese, alfredo), beans and rice, and chicken salad are items from my own menu rotations that are also extraordinarily easy to store.  If you think your menu can't be adapted, you might be surprised.  Ed & Myrna were.  :o)

8.18.2011

Three-Month Supply Worksheet (image file)

I've had several requests for copies of this worksheet recently.  Some readers, unfortunately, are not able to access the google docs PDF file.  So, I've saved it as an image file.  You can click on the picture above to make it larger.  Copy the picture file and then print using photo/graphic software.

If it works for you, here is the link for the google docs PDF.


As always, this worksheet is for personal, church or community use.  I'm happy for you to use it and share it - but not to profit from it.  If you place it on any type of website or blog, please also include a link directly back to this page. 

7.26.2011

Easily Stored Meals (for a three-month supply)


I'm getting ready to teach a course on starting a three-month supply. 

Though I don't advocate recipe sharing when developing a plan (the recipes should be ones that you already use regularly), I have seen that a list of possible shelf-stable and easily-stored meals can jog memories for those who don't think they eat anything that stores well.  I'd like to have a large list on the black board for this presentation to help people get thinking.

So, I'm asking for your help!  What meals do you store for your three-month supply?

Here are a bunch of ideas that I've compiled so far:

BREAKFAST
Granola, pancakes/waffles, french toast, cereal, oatmeal, cream of wheat, hashbrowns, bacon, eggs, muffins, smoothies.

LUNCH/DINNER
Wraps/sandwiches (PB&J, tuna, chicken salad), fish fillets, chili, Mac-N-Cheese, jambalaya, pizza, easy canned soups (Spaghettios, ravioli, chicken noodle, etc.), lasagna, enchiladas, chicken crescents, spaghetti, burritos, taco soup, beans and rice, soups, chowders, crock-pot chicken, curry chicken, chicken alfredo, shepherd's pie, pot pie, baked potatoes, quesadillas, casseroles, stroganoff.

OTHER
Various canned/dry/freeze-dried fruits and vegetables to supplement all of the above (bottled peaches, fruit leather, applesauce, canned green beans, etc.).  Grow a garden.  Fruit trees.  Sides and desserts as desired.

NOTE
All of these items can be made using shelf-stable storage items which can be stored at least three months or more.  I personally include freezer items in addition to those on my shelves.  All freezer items can be substituted with shelf items if necessary.


Obviously, these meals are all within the realm of my own recipes.  I'd love to hear your ideas!  Please, help me think outside my own kitchen.

10.02.2010

En Español

Veronica at El rincón de la preparación (The Preparation Corner) translated iPrepared's Three-Month Supply Worksheet into Spanish. Please pass this resource on to any Spanish speakers that would enjoy a copy of the worksheet or Veronica's blog (which is a wonderful preparation resource in Spanish). Thank you to Veronica for all of her work!

Here is the link:
Hoja de almacenamiento

9.09.2010

Fall Reminders


My kids have already headed back to school. My home is much more quiet and clean. You might find yourself with more time to address preparedness. Here are several suggestions for renewed efforts:


1) Keep working on your three-month supply.

You can use the iPrepared worksheet for a one-week supply or some other source. Resolve to at least make a menu this fall. It's so easy to drop a one-week supply menu into your purse or pocket to keep on hand for grocery trips.


2) Look for fall sales.

Here in Utah, the case lot sales are starting. Fellow preparedness blogger, Prepared LDS Family, has a fantastic comparison price sheet to help find the good buys. (I don't think that the Maceys sales have been added to her link yet.) Shopping sales is a great way to save a little money that you can then put towards your three-month supply.


3) Review backpack emergency kits.

My kids all have new bags, which means that their old pocket-sized emergency kits are either still in their old bags or have been thrown away. Back to school is a great time to refresh those supplies and make sure that your kids have a few necessities on hand.


4) Learn a new food preservation skill.

A lot of local produce is cheap right now as it is being harvested. It's also time to start picking fruit and vegetables from your own trees and gardens. A great self-reliance skill is to be able to provide and preserve your own fruits and vegetables year round. Local extension services often offer classes on food preservation techniques. Don't be overwhelmed by pressure cookers and canners. You can start by learning dehydrating and cold-storage techniques that can extend your harvest and don't even require special equipment, just a little knowledge.


8.11.2010

My Three-Month Supply

This is a one-week supply for our family of five (which includes two teenage boys).*

Think it takes too much space to store a three-month supply? This is the same one-week supply as above with everything stacked. It doesn't take much space at all!


Hopefully with the Three-Month Supply Worksheet that I posted a few weeks ago, you've been able to find out that gathering a three-month supply is much easier than you'd imagined - especially if you work at it one week at a time. Though you should not use my menu (and should only include what YOUR family eats), I know that sometimes seeing someone else's plan can help you to scrutinize your own eating habits and develop a successful menu for your own family. So today, I'm including an example of my own Three-Month Menu Plan.


Our Three-Month Supply Menu
Multiply these one-week amounts by 13 for a Three-Month Supply

Breakfast
Monday - Cereal/Milk
Tuesday - Oatmeal/Juice
Wednesday - Pancakes/Milk
Thursday - Cereal/Milk
Friday - Oatmeal/Juice
Saturday - Pancakes/Milk
Sunday - Cereal/Milk

Lunch
Monday - Mac-n-Cheese/Juice
Tuesday - PB & Honey Sandwiches/Milk
Wednesday - Jambalaya/Milk
Thursday - PB&J Sandwiches/Milk
Friday - Pizza/Juice
Saturday - Chicken Salad Sandwiches/Pickles/Juice
Sunday - Easy Soups (Spaghettios, Soup, Raviolis, Chili)/Milk

Dinner
Monday - Taco Soup/Mandarin Oranges/Milk
Tuesday - Pasta with Meat and Marinara Sauce/Peas/Peaches/Milk
Wednesday - Burritos/Apple Sauce/Milk
Thursday - Black Beans and Rice/Mandarin Oranges/Corn/Milk
Friday - Wild Rice Soup (includes carrots), Peaches, Juice
Saturday - Chicken Alfredo and Pasta/Peaches/Corn/Juice
Sunday - Curry Chicken/Peas/Apple Sauce/Milk


Note: These are selections from our family menu that are a part of our normal, daily diet. That doesn't mean that we eat all of these items every week. I've picked these particular meals because they store well and we eat them often enough that they are familiar and can be easily rotated. For example, I probably serve Taco Soup about once every-other month - or 6 times a year. I've stored 13 meals-worth of Taco Soup for our three-month supply. We eat it regularly enough that I would be able rotate through all 13 servings in about two years -- well within expiration dates. My family likes it enough that they would be happy to eat it more often if needed.

Also: Our day-to-day menu includes a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables. This menu does not reflect that fresh produce, but instead only includes preserved produce or canned items which we also use. We grow a garden, berries and fruit trees and I count on these to be part of my three-month supply. I plan to add more fresh fruits and vegetables to these menus as it is available.


*Picture is missing a small bottle of mayo, one can of cream of chicken soup, one can of chicken broth, and an additional box of cereal.

6.22.2010

Many Ways to Approach a Three-Month Supply



“The first step is to begin.
The second is to continue.
It doesn’t matter how fast we get there so much as that we begin and continue according to our abilities.”



Obviously there isn't just one way to plan a three-month supply. Here are several different methods. Choose the method that works best for you (or make up your own) and begin!

Use a three-month calendar. Plan three months at one time.
Use a one-month calendar. Repeat three times.
Use the one-week worksheet, but use it to create two different menus. Alternate.
Purchase one extra meal or one day's menu each week when you go shopping.
Buy double of everything when you go shopping.


Here are some planning forms that might help you:
*Gathering Your Three-Month Supply (one week at a time worksheet) - by iPrepared
*3 Month Food Supply Excel Worksheet - by Food Storage Made Easy
*3 month food supply plan with printable forms - also by Food Storage Made Easy



How have you planned for a three-month supply?

6.18.2010

We Can Begin With a One Week's Food Supply



We can begin ever so modestly.
We can begin with a one week's food supply and gradually build it to a month, and then to three months.


There was some confusion as we introduced the Three-Month Supply worksheet at a Relief Society Meeting this week. Some thought we were teaching the need for a one-week supply and abandoning the idea of a three-month supply. We had to clarify that this worksheet is just the first step to gathering a three-month supply. This quote by President Gordon B. Hinckley has been the inspiration for the development of our plan.

6.14.2010

Three-Month Supply Worksheet

[If the link above doesn't work, go here and click on the worksheet graphic which will give you a picture file.]

This worksheet will help you make a plan for gathering one week's worth of food for your family. A step-by-step list of instructions is included on the worksheet. In a nutshell, make a menu plan for one week and determine which products you need to have on hand for those meals. Purchase a few extra items each time you go shopping. Pretty soon you'll have a one-week supply!
Once you've gathered one week's worth of meals, continue purchasing extra food. Repeat the worksheet four times for a one-month supply. Repeat 13 times for a full three-month supply. It's easier than you think!


[FAQs] Frequently Asked Questions:

How do I know which meals to include?
As you plan your menu, it is important that include meals that are a part of YOUR "normal, daily diet"1 (including canned and commercially packaged foods).2 This isn't the time to include someone else's recipes or plans. These don't have to be "food-storage foods." Store what YOU eat.

What if I have more meals that I want to include in my three-month plan?
Make several copies of the worksheet. Label each week as Menu A, Menu B, etc as desired. You can repeat your one-week plan thirteen times to achieve a three-month supply or you can create a variety of menus and repeat in order to have 13 weeks total.

What types of meals are easier to store?
It's almost easier to talk about which foods don't store easily. Most fresh fruits and vegetables perish quickly. Maybe you often have grapefruit for breakfast. Because grapefruit only lasts for a month or so in ideal conditions (and can't really be frozen, dehydrated, or bottled), this meal might not be a good candidate for three-month supply storage. (Regularly planting a garden is a good way to plan for fresh fruits and vegetables in your menu.) On the other hand, if you enjoy eating oatmeal for breakfast, the supplies necessary for preparing this meal can be stored for at least three months.

What about infants?
If your infant drinks formula, you'll want to include that in your plan.

Should my meals be easy to cook without electricity?
I have based this worksheet on The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' directions for a three-month supply. They have not indicated a need to store foods that can be cooked without electricity. You have to decide what is best for your family. Just remember that the meals you store should already be a part of your "normal, daily diet."1

Can I plan to store things in my freezer?
There are foods that can be easily stored in your freezer and rotated into your three month supply. If you are concerned about not having electricity, see the question and answer above.

Should I include water?

Water is essential to survival. Water storage is one of the four major components found in the new recommendations for family home storage from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.1 Though it is not specifically included in this worksheet, it is important that your family also store water. Water can easily be stored in soda bottles that have been washed out and sanitized with a combination of a little bleach and water.

What about toiletries?
The main purpose of this worksheet is to help you store food that is a part of your normal, daily diet. If you feel like you would like to also store things such as toilet paper, toothpaste and shampoo for your family, that would be fantastic - but again, it is not the focus of this worksheet.

What if my diet is only fresh fruits and vegetables?

This question is the most difficult that I've had so far. If your normal, daily diet only includes fresh fruits and vegetables, then I would strongly suggest that you plant a garden. A garden would enable you to supplement those fruits and vegetables for much of the year (maybe even year round depending upon the climate). If you are open to dehydrated or home canned produce, you can store your own fresh fruits and vegetables year round.

In order to store a three-month supply, you may have to highly scrutinize your menu and look for any items that can be stored and rotated. It might be more difficult, but it isn't impossible. You might choose to store foods/meals that would be acceptable in tight circumstances. Then, plan to donate any stored items that you haven't used to the food banks in your area prior to expiration dates.

Sources:1 - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Safely Gathered In, Three-Month Supply. (Text; PDF; Multiple Languages)
2 - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Provident Living,
FAQs

Copyright - 2010. You may make copies of the "Gathering Your Three-Month Supply" worksheet for your own personal use or for church use. If you link to this worksheet on your website or blog, please also include the link for this post on iPrepared and give appropriate credit. Link: http://iprepared.blogspot.com/2010/06/three-month-supply-worksheet.html

5.17.2010

Fat Pantry

I don't know who coined the term, fat pantry, but I'm a believer in this concept. Don't know what a fat pantry is? Let me explain:

A fat pantry is a pantry (or shelves, cupboards or whatever) where you keep a large stock of foods that you regularly eat. I've heard some call a fat pantry their own personal store. The idea is that you stock up when items are on sale (or regularly if it's something that never goes on sale) so that you always have several of an item on hand. Then you can shop out of your own pantry.

This is the way my mother shopped. She could make hundreds of recipes on the spot without having to go to the store because she had shelves full of things that she regularly used. In fact, I only remember a handful of times that she had to purposefully pick up something at the store for a recipe. She just always had one of everything on hand.

Now, I use the same method in my own home. It's taken some time to get a well-stocked or fat pantry. But I try to have some of everything on hand.

There are so many great things about using this method. First, I am able to always save money on my groceries -- I rarely have to run to the store (and use gas) to get an item that is likely not on sale. I buy a lot of my foods on sale -- and when it is discounted I stock up. The second great thing about this method is that I am never locked into a menu. Planned for enchiladas, but really in the mood for wild-rice soup? No problem - ingredients for both are usually on hand. I can make the majority of my favorite recipes right now because I have all of the ingredients in my "fat" pantry.

Finally, if you think about it, a fat pantry can also be a three-month supply in disguise. A three-month supply is an important part of a good family home storage plan. I recommend following the family home storage plan outlined by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In their plan, a three-month supply is just one of four important steps in gathering a complete home storage. By having a full fat pantry (three-month's worth) you can complete this part of the storage plan. You also gain some of the promised blessings of peace by knowing that your family is better prepared.


Do you have a fat pantry? How do you make it work for your family?

2.22.2010

Cautions About Buying in Bulk

There are several great things about buying home storage in bulk. Usually the cost is lower and it is often more convenient to grab and store one bucket, bag, box or case. However, there is also a downside. When bulk items spoil, you usually lose a lot of product. It is also often more difficult to inspect bulk items adequately.

Last night I opened a case of mandarin oranges. I purchased them just a year ago at a case-lot sale. As I have organized and rotated my storage, it has been extremely convenient to deal with a box of mandarin orange cans rather than manage each can individually. The box, however, was sealed closed and I had not inspected the cans. I opened the box and fed each can into a rotating shelf. I was dismayed to find many dented cans and at least one that was leaking. The cans were all dusty and several were rusty at the bottom. I threw away multiple cans and was left with many questions about the others.

There is a lesson here for me. Obviously I'll need to be more aware in the future. My mandarin oranges are the most "unseeable" cans in cases. So, I'll likely open each box in the future and inspect the cans before I purchase them. My cases of canned vegetables are stacked and sealed with plastic, but I can see through the plastic. I definitely will look more closely. I will also look more closely for dings in cans, breaks in buckets and cracks in jars. Hopefully, in doing so, I'll have a more reliable storage and be able keep all the savings of buying in bulk.

12.16.2009

bland home storage


Sorry about the multiple posts teasing this topic. We've continued to be sick and busy.


Recently I read stories from several individuals who lived off their food storage either out of necessity or as experiments. The surprise? They all felt like their food storage was very bland. They missed things like ketchup and spices. They also missed fresh fruits and vegetables, eggs, and butter.

It's worth a little time to consider how you can add these items to your home storage. Eggs and butter are difficult and expensive to store. They also require fairly regular rotation. But ketchup, sauces and spices are all easy to store with some-what lengthy shelf lives. A garden can help you supply your home storage with those fresh fruits and veggies.


Here are two links with personal experiences:


Has anyone had to live off their preparedness supplies? (Pinching Your Pennies, various authors, February 2009)

7.10.2009

rotation and donation

Peanut butter and oil are two products on my shelves that don't store well for very long. These are important products for my three-month supply, but sometimes we don't consume all that I've stored before the foods hit their expiration dates. For many foods, expiration dates are just a rough guideline to ensure the highest quality of the food product. But foods with high oil content, like peanut butter, turn rancid fairly quickly and the expiration date is worth paying attention to.

I find that, depending upon the storage conditions, oil products can often exceed the storage date by a year or more (but go rancid quickly once opened). Peanut butter tastes terrible if we go much beyond the actual expiration date. For these products, and others like canned meat, I pay extra attention to the expiration date. When the expiration dates nears, I donate these food items to our local food bank. I really think this is a win-win situation. I am able to keep a nice supply of these items in my three-month supply, but am not wasteful if we don't use them as quickly as I thought.

Think "rotation and donation," especially if you dislike storing any food item beyond the expiration date. You'll be blessing lives in the process.

6.30.2009

to eat or not to eat

Foods that are part of your three-month supply should be foods that you regularly eat. As I have collected foods, I've acknowledged that there are some foods that I need for my three-month supply that just don't store well (especially if there is no electricity or refrigeration). In an effort to have easily-storable foods on hand, I often purchase items for my three-month supply in a form that I don't necessarily use regularly. For example, I use frozen or fresh onions in my cooking, but I've stored freeze-dried and dehydrated onions for my three-month food supply.

Because foods packaged for optimum storage sometimes carry a price premium, I am usually hesitant to open and use some of these storage items. I debate about whether to eat or not to eat those storage foods. "Sure," I think to myself, "I'll use it eventually -- before it goes bad." And then these products sit on my shelves unused and untried. I'd really rather use my cheaper, familiar onions than open a huge #10 can that I'm not really sure I'll like or know how to use. "Plus, it's supposed to be for storage," I rationalize. "If I use it, I'll have to buy more."

I have decided that it is important to try and use ALL of the items that I've stored for my three-month supply. I already use most of my storage items in my regular cooking. But there are a handful of products that I've ignored. I still haven't tried my canned cheese, freeze-dried onions, freeze-dried fruits, fruit drink mix, dried refried beans, or my butter powder (just to name a few). My canned butter also fell into this category until just a few weeks ago (see previous post on canned butter). But I've tried the butter and now I can be confident about the canned butter's use as a substitution if needed.

I'm going to do better! I'm resolved to try more of these ignored products, even if it is just one at a time, over the next year. There will probably be a small extra expense for doing so, but I'll chalk it up to the importance of becoming familiar with my stored foods. I keep reminding myself that this is actually an essential step in storing foods. If I hadn't tried the LDS home-storage dry milk, I wouldn't know how much I hate it. Can you imagine getting into a situation where you need to use your three-month supply, and only then discovering that you hate (or can't use) what you stored?

Are you with me? Will you resolve to try some of your ignored storage foods in the next year? I would love to have you share what you learn. In fact, I'll include your information and experiences if you're willing to share. Look for some future posts discussing my own experiences eating and cooking with my "ignored" storage foods.

6.19.2009

taste test: canned butter

As I've mentioned before, my three-month supply menus are largely based on foods that I can store without refrigeration. This is my own choice and is NOT one of the recommendations of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. For the most part, I've been able to find shelf-stable products based on the meals that we regularly eat. One chink in my plan is the difficulty of storing butter.

Butter is available for non-refrigerated storage in two forms: powdered butter and canned butter. [There have also been some instructions circulating on the internet on how to bottle your own butter, but I do not recommend this because of warnings about botulism from our local extension services. Click here to read more.] I've stored several cans of commercially canned butter as part of our three-month storage. So, today I figured it was time to taste-test this product and see if it is worth the money.

I opened a 12 oz. can of Red Feather Brand butter, which I purchased at a local grocery story for about $5. There are only two ingredients in these cans: cream and salt. My first impression was that it didn't really look like butter because of the grainy texture that was created as I released the lid. However, as I continued to work with the butter, the texture became smooth and looked more like real butter.

I tasted the butter right out of the can. The canned butter didn't seem to have much flavor, but I primarily use salted butter in my cooking. This is probably more similar to an unsalted butter.

Our first test was to make toast. My 11 and 13-year old boys were the guinea pigs. The canned butter spread on and melted similarly to regular butter. There might have be a slight increase in greasiness and I did miss that little bit of saltiness. But I would not hesitate to use the canned butter for toast. My boys liked it as well, even though they were not sure they wanted to try it.

My second test was to make our favorite chocolate-chip cookies using the canned butter. There are many foods that can use oil or butter interchangeably, but chocolate-chip cookies really need butter. I'll include the recipe at the bottom (because I know you'll ask).

First I creamed the butter and sugar. My dough was just slightly lighter in color and fluffier in texture than my normal dough.

I mixed in the rest of the ingredients and was already having to fight off my boys from snitching the cookie dough. The completed dough tasted great. It needed just a little extra salt to compensate for the "unsalted" canned butter.

The cookies turned out great. They seemed to brown faster on the edges and puffed a little extra at the end of the baking cycle. But after sitting for a few minutes, they looked like the cookies we all love. They did taste and look a little more greasy to me. And because I didn't add any salt to the dough, I was still wishing for more saltiness.

Summary: The canned butter performed like regular butter in pretty much every way. It didn't have much flavor and seemed a little greasier. I would probably decrease the butter in the recipe to compensate for this. I would recommend that you treat it like unsalted butter instead of regular salted butter.




Hershey's Great American Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 t. vanilla
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups unsifted all-purpose flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
2 cups chocolate-chips
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Cream butter, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla in large mixer bowl until light and fluffy Add eggs; beat well. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Beat well. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool slightly. Remove from cookie sheet; cool completely on wire rack. About 2 dozen cookies. [from Hershey's Chocolate Cookbook]


[Photos are the property of blog owner. Please do not use without permission.]

6.16.2009

gamma lids

Gamma lids are specialized lids intended to be used with 5 and 6 gallon buckets. They are heavy-duty, food-safe lids with a sealing-gasket which is both air and water-tight. They come in several colors, including black, white, red, yellow, orange and blue. They do tend to be expensive. The best price I've ever found was $4.99 at Wal-Mart. They can also be ordered online for around $6.50 to $8 (Amazon).

The great part about these lids is that you spin them open, instead of having to pry open your bucket lid every time you use the contents. My kids can open these gamma lids easily. Unfortunately, even my three-year old can open them easily, which leads to many "cooking" messes at our house.

I have a gamma lid of every color and a color-coding system to indicate their contents. I keep four buckets with gamma lids on the floor of my pantry. White contains rice; blue is bread flour; black holds my sugar; and red contains wheat. When my pantry buckets are running low, I transfer the food stored in my longer-term storage buckets into my pantry-buckets that have the gamma lids (you can also remove the gamma lid and place it on the new bucket).

I also keep two buckets with gamma lids in my longer-term home storage. The bucket with the orange lid is full of two-pound packages of brown sugar (which keeps them more fresh than if I just left stored them out on the shelf). The bucket with the yellow lid is full of smaller packages of powdered sugar.

These are just the ways that I personally utilize these great lids. Some families replace all of their longer-term storage bucket lids with gamma lids (which would be too expensive for me). I'm planning to store my charcoal in plastic buckets with gamma lids. Gamma lids would also be great for storing pet food, fertilizer, or anything else that you want to keep dry and easily accessible.

Gamma lids are not necessary for a three-month supply or even a longer-term supply. But if you utilize buckets for either, they can be a great tool!

How do you use gamma lids?

4.17.2009

strawberry syrup

I made 9 pints of strawberry syrup last night. I still have 8 pounds of strawberries on my fridge waiting for a second batch. My 11-year old son was heard saying, "this is the most fun I've had in a long time!" as he dropped the strawberries into our juicer. The whole family helped with the process.

Actually, this is the first time that I've ever done water-bath canning. I regularly bottle peaches using a steam* canner. I also do grape juice with a juicer. My family gave me a large water-bath pot for Christmas, but I was hesitant to use it on my flat-top stove. Someone recommended that I check my stove manual for any canning restrictions. So, I located the manual online. I was pleased to find that canning was allowed on my stove top.

I bought 8 pounds of strawberries for $6.99. Those strawberries made 12 cups of juice and 9 pints of syrup. I used this berry syrup recipe from the USDA Canning Guide. I reduced the sugar a bit and added some lemon juice to the recipe. Usually you shouldn't modify canning recipes, but this is fine because I was actually adding acid rather than reducing it.

The whole process was a bit chaotic as the bottle-sterilizing water came to a boil way faster than I anticipated. It took longer to cut and juice the strawberries than I had planned. I know from past experience that next time I'll have a better sense of how to time everything.


*The USDA does not recommend the use of steam canners due to inadequate research and testing. However, Utah State University has tested the steam canners and has found them to be safe and adequate for processing certain foods if used according to instructions and safe canning procedures. Due to botulism poisoning potential, we do not recommend that you use the steam canner for meats, tomatoes, and vegetables. If you choose to use a steam canner for fruits, jams, jellies, and salsa, only USDA approved and tested recipes and canning times should be used. Processing times for boiling-water bath canners may be used for the steam canners. It is very important to make sure that an eight inch plume of steam is present during the entire processing and water must not run out before the end of processing. [source]

[photo copyright owned by blog author]

2.13.2009

family home storage: a new message

When the new program for Home Storage was introduced in 2007, I was pleased to have some new specific direction. However, it was an adjustment to change some of my thinking about food storage. It took me a while to change gears and update and adjust my storage habits. I really enjoyed this new article from my March Ensign. It addresses the changes and need to change our thinking specifically. And notice that once again, it specifies that we should achieve the first three steps before moving onto the fourth. Here is a snippet:


Family Home Storage: A New Message

Check the expiration date on your ideas about home storage. You may need to throw some of them out.

A New Approach
. . . In the spirit of President Hinckley's ("We can begin ever so modestly. We can begin with a one week's food supply and gradually build it to a month, and then to three months." General Conference, October 2002) remarks, Church leaders decided to closely reexamine their approach to self reliance, looking for ways to reinforce the concepts of home storage and financial preparedness. As a result, the Church published the pamphlet All Is Safely Gathered In: Family Home Storage, outlining new guidelines for home preparedness that give Church members a simplified, four-step approach to building their home storage.

They are as follows:
1. Gradually build a small supply of food that is part of your normal, daily diet until it is sufficient for three months.
2. Store drinking water.
3. Establish a financial reserve by setting aside a little money each week, and gradually increase it to a reasonable amount.
4. Once families have achieved the first three objectives, they are counseled to expand their efforts, as circumstances allow, into a supply of long-term basic foods such as grains, legumes, and other staples.

Of the new guidelines, Presiding Bishop H. David Burton says, "Our objective was to establish a simple, inexpensive, and achievable program that would help people become self-reliant. We are confident that by introducing these few, simple steps we can, over time, have more success." . . .

The Time to Begin Is Now
"Perhaps in the past accumulating a year's supply of food may have been a little intimidating and even illegal in some places," says Dennis Lifferth, managing director of Church Welfare Services, "But this new approach asks us to do the best we can, even if all we can do is to set aside a can or two each week. If the prophet asks us to do something, we can find a way to fulfill the commandment and receive the blessings."'

"This new program is within everyone's grasp," explains Bishop Burton. "The first step is to begin. The second is to continue. It doesn't matter how fast we get there so much as that we begin and continue according to our abilities."

2.05.2009

waxing cheese


IMPORTANT NOTE - Since writing this post, USU Extension has released this statement:

"IS IT SAFE TO WAX CHEESE AND KEEP IT IN STORAGE?
Brian Nummer, Utah State University Extension food safety specialist

From time to time, dubious methods arise for preparing and storing various food items. Current information being circulated about the merits of dipping cheese in wax and placing it in storage for many years can be placed in this category. Consider the science.

• Waxing cheese is a method to minimize mold growth on the surface of cheese. It cannot prevent growth or survival of many illness-causing bacteria. In fact, it may promote anaerobic (absence of oxygen) bacteria growth, such as botulism. The practice of waxing cheese for storage is considered extremely unsafe.

• Before the days of refrigeration, cheese was dryer and fermented to a lower pH (higher acid). These types of cheeses were traditionally stored at room temperature with wax covers. The very low pH and fermentation byproducts could inhibit foodborne illness bacteria. An example is parmesan-style cheese. Acid, dryness and fermentation byproducts make this cheese storable at room temperature.

• Today, many cheeses are made strictly for storage under refrigeration. These cheeses may not have a low pH and other factors created in the manufacturing process to prevent illness-causing bacteria growth because the manufacturer knows the cheeses will be kept refrigerated. If someone waxes this cheese and places it in food storage, there is no science indicating any level of safety. In fact, there is evidence to the opposite ? placing cheese meant for refrigeration at room temperature is a significant risk and hazard for foodborne illness.

Contact your local USU Extension office for further information on safe home food preservation and for storage advice."


I NO LONGER RECOMMEND WAXING CHEESE AS A GOOD STORAGE METHOD!

Last night I attended a local food storage class. They taught us how to bottle chicken, use wheat berries as a meat filler/extender, and how to preserve cheese by dipping it in wax. I was particularly interested in the cheese. Thus far, I have stored cheese for my three-month supply in several forms: a block of cheese in my fridge, grated cheese portioned into bags in my freezer, powdered cheese, and canned cheese. Without refrigeration, I would only have powdered cheese, (which is great for macaroni and cheese but not much else) and my canned cheese (which is very expensive). We love cheese and use it in many of our meals. This could be a great way to make cheese available for a three-month supply.

The Process:

1) Purchase "cheese wax." Our instructor said that 3 - 1 lb. bricks (around $6.50 each) will coat 10 lbs of cheese. My initial response was that the cost of the wax made it too expensive. But our instructor went on to explain that this wax is reusable. Just peel it off as you use it, wash it with warm soapy water, and set it aside in a Ziploc bag.
2) Use a double boiler to melt the wax. The wax will ruin any pan that you use. She actually set a stainless steel bowl into her top double boiler pan so that she didn't ruin the pan. Be slow and cautious as you melt the wax since it is flammable.
3) Cut your cheese into meal-sized portions. Cheese surfaces must be dry. Dip half into the wax, and set it to dry on a paper towel. Dip the other half once it has dried (only a few minutes). She does a total of three coats.
4) Store blocks in a food-grade bucket or bin layered with wax or parchment paper. This protects the cheese from gashes and bumps that could compromise the wax.

Cheese preserved this way tastes sharper the longer it is stored. So choose a mild cheese to start with. We sampled some of her cheddar and mozzarella. The cheddar after only three months was already significantly sharper. The mozzarella, on the other hand, didn't seem any different.

If you like the idea of storing waxed cheese, but don't really want to dip your own, you can purchase already dipped blocks of cheese at Costco or at your local market. They are more expensive and you would want to be aware of the size of the block and how fast you would use that amount.

I cannot find a firm estimate of shelf life. Some have indicated that the wax can start to crack after about 6 months. Our instructor said you can redip the wax if it starts to crack. She recommends using the cheese within 18 months. You can also extend the life of unwaxed cheese by coating it with olive oil.



[Photo Source:
Amazon]

1.23.2009

three-month supply summary

We've now completed the steps for gathering a three-month supply. Shopping for the items on your three-month supply menu can take as little or as long as you can afford.

"Build a small supply of food that is part of your normal, daily diet. One way to do this is to purchase a few extra items each week to build a one-week supply of food. Then you can gradually increase your supply until it is sufficient for three months. These items should be rotated regularly to avoid spoilage." (All Is Safely Gathered In: Home Storage)

There are many ways to gather a three-month supply. You have to figure out which method is best for you. Though it may be tempting to copy someone else's menu or shopping list, it is important that your menu choices be based on your family's "normal, daily diet" not someone else's. You do not need to store wheat or beans for your three-month supply, though you can if this is the type of food that you normally eat.

Most of the supplies that you need for your three-month supply should be available at your neighborhood grocery store. There are some local and/or online retailers including but not limited to local recreation/camping stores, Wal-Mart, Amazon, Walton Feed, Shelf Reliance, and Emergency Essentials that sell dehydrated or freeze-dried products that you may choose to store in place of fresh products.

Here is a summary of our three-month supply goals:

Breakfast:
Create a breakfast menu.
Make a shopping list.
Go shopping.

Lunch:
Create a lunch menu.
Make a shopping list.
Go shopping.

Dinner:
Create a dinner menu.
Make a shopping list.
Make copies of your menus and shopping lists and keep shopping.

Let me know how you are progressing by checking in using the poll to the right.