Lofthouse Cookie Outlet

Once again, here I am posting about a great deal. I can't help myself! I have just learned of a Lofthouse Cookie Outlet in Ogden that sells "second" containers of cookies. What is considered a "second" you might be asking?...it is actually just a fresh cookie that is "slightly imperfect" but one that most regular customers would not notice.

They are offering amazing deals...a dozen cookies for $1. That my friends is a deal. They sell all varieties, not just the sugar cookies with thick frosting (not that that isn't a tasty treat!).

It's location is a little challenging to find they say, but way worth it. The address is 400 North 700 West, Building 5D. It is a warehouse in the old Defense Depot. Their hours are 7 am to 5 pm weekdays and 8 am to noon on Saturdays.

The best access is off I-15 northbound (exit 344) on 12th Street, then east to Depot Drive, north to 400 north and east on 400 North to the northeast corner of building 5D.

If you need more information, just go to their website, http://www.lofthousecookies.com/

Grocery Smarts

I don't know about you, but I am always looking for ways to cut down on spending. I have always been a frugal shopper, but I have been a bit more vigilant this last little while. One thing that has made a big difference in my grocery shopping is this website called "Grocery Smarts". They assign a code for every state and then provide the advertised deals for all of the grocery stores in that state. They have stars highlighting the best deals, let you know what coupons are out there (whether online or in your Sunday paper), and how much your cost will be after the savings. It is brilliant! The passport code for Utah is g84cso. Just go to http://grocerysmarts.com/ and enter the Utah code. You can then select the store or stores you like to shop at and start saving away! It is a great way to not only save money for food you need today, but a great way to stock up for food needed tomorrow!!

Needing Feedback...

I apologize for not being at all consistent with my postings. My life has kind of been in a whirlwind for the last bit and blog posting has just not made it on the list. But I intend for that to change.

As I was about to post, I wondered if anyone even looked at this blog and if there was even a purpose in posting anything anymore. So...if you read this blog and would like it to continue, would you please comment on this post and I will keep things going. If not, I will assume that no one reads it and close this blog down.

Thanks in advance!

FOOLPROOF BREAD

The title doesn't lie...this really is a foolproof bread recipe. I had watched my Mom bake bread with this recipe for years and although it took me awhile to start making it on my own, I now no longer go to the store for bread and my kids are eating 100% whole wheat bread and love it!

FOOLPROOF BREAD (Bosch Kitchen Recipes)

Small Batch (4 loaves in 4x8 pans)

4 C warm water

1 TB Salt

1/3 C Oil

1/3 C Honey

1 1/2 TB Dough Enhancer

2 T Vital Wheat Gluten

2 TB Saf Yeast

7 C Wheat Kernels

Freshly grind wheat into flour (medium setting). Add water and several cups of freshly ground whole wheat flour to mixing bowl with dough hook in place. Mix using a few short bursts of the jogging switch. Add the salt, oil, honey, dough enhancer, vital wheat gluten and instant yeast and jog briefly. While the mixer is kneading at speed one, slowly add whole wheat flour until dough pulls away from the side of the mixing bowl. This normally will take most of the whole wheat flour you have ground. It is better to add too little flour than too much flour. Allow the mixer to knead the dough until the gluten in the whole wheat flour is properly developed. This takes about 10-12 minutes. Your dough should have a slightly tacky texture. Turn oven on to preheat to 150 degrees. Shape into loaves and place in pans (previously well greased). Turn oven off. Put loaves in warm oven to rise until double in size. This will take approx. 25 minutes, but watch your loaves so you don't raise them for too long. When loaves are double in size, set oven to 350 degrees an turn it on (leave loaves in the oven). Bake for 30-35 minutes. When loaves are done, immediately remove from pans and let cool on wire rack. (Hint: so pans won't stick, wipe out while hot and don't wash them.)

Another great tip... measure the oil and put it in first and then measure and put in the honey. By doing the oil first, the honey then just slips right out!

I will be doing a video demonstration on this in the weeks to come, but give it a try...practice makes perfect!

Just a little info...

I have found myself creating a few different blogs in the last few months and as a results have not been very efficient in updating any of them. In an effort to remedy the situation I have decided on specific days that I will update my different blogs. I may update more than once a week, but I will definitely post at least once. The update day for the Safely Gathered In blog will be on Mondays and I hope to have some great recipes and hopefully some videos on how to make certain things. My post tomorrow will be on making Whole Wheat Bread.

Family Home Storage Center Products

One of the challenging parts of building up your home storage is financially trying to keep up with what things cost. You get a price list from somewhere and often in only a month the prices have changed. The Provident Living website now lists the costs of their products online which is AWESOME!! It also tells you at the bottom of the page when the prices were posted. The Cannery typically has the best prices for long term storage items, especially on wheat, so they are worth checking out. Here is the link http://providentliving.org/pfw/multimedia/files/pfw/pdf/113827_HSOrderForm_US_JUL_08_pdf.pdf

The Provident Living website also has great information on the best way to store your food, to maximize its shelf life.

http://providentliving.org/content/display/0,11666,7532-1-4063-1,00.html

Looking for a Deal?

Part of being "Safely Gathered In" is being financially responsible. Because of that, I am including deals I see around town for those who live in my neck on the woods. Today I was shopping at Smith's Marketplace and happened upon a fantastic sale. It is what they call a "10 item mega sale event". You buy 10 advertised items at a discounted rate and they take $5.00 off your bill at the end. Buy 30 items, save $15.00. My grocery bill came to $60.00, my saving was $57.53. Not too bad.

If you didn't get to see the ad...here it is
http://smithsfoodanddrug.inserts2online.com/customer_Frame.jsp?divID=706&drpStoreID=00475

Home Storage Through New Eyes

I apologize for not posting on a regular basis this past month. I have been in a state of deep contemplation in regards to storing food and how what I have stored fits into the life of my family. Over the last month or so I have read many articles, looked at many websites, taken food storage cooking classes (over the last 7 months), pondered the examples of others, become overwhelmed with the rising cost of everything, felt a desire to be better nutritional provider for my family, etc.

At the end of it all I realized a few things...
One, that using your home storage is in many ways a very personal thing that varies from person to person. For one person, making almost everything from scratch is what works best, for another, it might be making certain items from scratch and not others.
Two, that cooking from scratch is in most instances a more healthy choice, especially if you can try and incorporate whole wheat.
Three, that by learning how to make things on my own, rather than purchasing everything premade from the store, I obtain skills that build my self esteem and help in my desire to be able to "provide" for my family.
Four, there is safety in following the counsel of prophets who have for over 75 years counseled us to have a storage of food. Just watching the news and reading the paper and seeing the food crisis that exists in so many areas of the world, reminds me of the wisdom of this counsel and the peace I feel in having not only food stored, but the ability to use it.
Five, that there is a terrible stigma attached to using food storage...that anything made from wheat is disgusting and nothing tasty can possibly result from using stored food. For example, I was asked to make some breadsticks for a family dinner a few weeks ago. I used a recipe I had been given in a food storage class I had attended because it was so easy. I decided to make one batch with whole wheat flour and the other with half white/half whole wheat flour. We arrived a little late to dinner and everyone had already started eating, so I just walked around handing out the breadsticks. Before I new it, all of them were gone...all 50+ of them. I was shocked. One of my uncles called out to me and asked me if I had made them out of food storage. I replied that I had and he said at the first sign of a disaster he knew where to come. I was grateful for the compliment, but also realized the shock everyone felt when learning that not only did I use my food storage, but I used whole wheat and the result was delicious. I decided at that moment that if I could change anything in the minds of others, it would be that using your food storage is no different than just making things from scratch. And if you incorporate your wheat, you are just making a healthier dish. And just as a side note, after making the breadsticks for that first family dinner, I had been asked to make them for the next two dinners that followed and I left each time with an empty basket.

So that is the revamped focus of this blog, to find ways to use our food storage in our everyday lives and perhaps become a little healthier in the process. There is much we can learn from each other, so let me know of your experiences.

For those interested...

BREADSTICKS

1/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 T. honey
4 cups flour (use whichever you wish)
1 T. instant yeast
1 t. salt
Seasoning

Place large jelly roll pan in warm oven with 1/4 c. butter and let butter melt. Place water, honey, flour, yeast and salt in mixing bowl. Blend together and let knead for 8-10 minutes. Roll out into a rectangle to fit jelly roll pan. Spread the melted butter evenly across the pan and sprinkle half of your desired seasoning all over the butter (I like to use garlic salt). Gently lay rectangular shaped dough onto buttered pan to coat underside, then turn the dough over so the top side is buttered. Sprinkle with desired seasoning (ex. garlic salt, salad supreme, dried herbs, Parmesan cheese, etc). Use a pizza cutter to make one long cut down the middle of the pan, and then cut into 1 1/4 in. slices. Cover and let rise. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.

Herbs and Other Seasonings

We had a wonderful class today on Fats and Seasonings. I will post more on that tomorrow. But in our discussion of fresh and dried herbs and seasonings a company was mentioned that is a great resource for wholesale herbs. It is called San Francisco Herb Co. and has been in business since 1973. They have discounts on bulk orders and have many hard to get spices and seasonings, so it is worth a look. Click on the link http://www.sfherb.com/

Thoughts about the Pantry...

A great article was in the Deseret News on Thursday called "Pushing for the Pantry". It had wonderful advice, regardless of where you are in your home storage efforts. One element it focuses on is the 3-month supply of food we eat everyday. This is something I hope to focus on for the next week or so in my blog writing. If anyone has any experiences in this, please let me know. If you would like to read the article... http://mormontimes.com/ME_index.php?id=1145

Chocolate Chip Cookies

For Mother's Day, my dear Mother gave me a great cookbook called

Sunday Dinner Cookbook by Betty Crocker.

As I flipped through it, I realized that many of the recipes could easily be

adapted to using food storage items.

One that particularly caught my interest was a Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe that called for "Bisquick Mix". I had made some up for the Powdered Milk class we had a couple of weeks ago and have been looking for ways to use it. So...I thought I would give it a try.

I thought the cookies turned out great. They had great form and great flavor. When I tasted one directly out of the oven, I could still taste a little of the Bisquick Mix, but within minutes it was undetectable. I used a small cookie scoop to measure out the dough (although it is completely unnessary) and had small/medium sized cookies in the end. If you prefer a bigger cookie use more than a 2 Tablespoon scoop. It is definitely a cookie I will make again and it couldn't have been quicker using the pre-made Bisquick Mix!

Bisquick Mix

10 c. flour

2 1/2 t. salt

1 2/3 c. nonfat dry milk

1 2/3 c. shortening

1/3 c. baking powder

Mix dry ingredients thoroughly in a large container (6-8 quart capacity). Cut in shortening with pastry blender or mixer until fine crumbs are obtained and shortening is evenly dispersed. Store , tightly covered, in refrigerator. Use within 3 months

Chocolate Chip Cookies

For perfectly shaped cookies, use a small ice-cream scoop

to drop cookie dough onth the cookie sheet

1/2 c. margarine or butter, softened

1 c. packed brown sugar

2 t. vanilla

1 egg

2 3/4 c. Bisquick Mix

1 c. chocolate chips

1/2 c. chopped nuts, if desired

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix butter, brown sugar, vanilla, and egg in large bowl. Stir in Bisquick mix, chocolate chips and nuts.

Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet; flatten slightly.

Bake about 10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.

Tips for Earthquake Preparedness

The following information on preparing for and responding to earthquakes is taken from the FEMA web site at www.fema.gov/hazard/earthquake/eq_before.shtm.

What to Do Before an Earthquake
Six Ways to Plan Ahead

1. Check for Hazards in the Home

• Fasten shelves securely to walls.
• Place large or heavy objects on lower shelves.
• Store breakable items such as bottled foods, glass, and china in low, closed cabinets with latches.
• Hang heavy items such as pictures and mirrors away from beds, couches, and anywhere people sit.
• Brace overhead light fixtures.
• Repair defective electrical wiring and leaky gas connections. These are potential fire risks.
• Secure a water heater by strapping it to the wall studs and bolting it to the floor.
• Repair any deep cracks in ceilings or foundations.
• Get expert advice if there are signs of structural defects.
• Store weed killers, pesticides, and flammable products securely in closed cabinets with latches and on bottom shelves.

2. Identify Safe Places Indoors and Outdoors

• Under sturdy furniture such as a heavy desk or table.
• Against an inside wall.
• Away from where glass could shatter around windows, mirrors, pictures, or where heavy bookcases or other heavy furniture could fall over.
• In the open, away from buildings, trees, telephone and electrical lines, overpasses, or elevated expressways.

3. Educate Yourself and Family Members

• Contact your local emergency management office or American Red Cross chapter for more information on earthquakes.
• Also read the "How-To Series" for information on how to protect your property from earthquakes.
• Teach children how and when to call 9-1-1, police, or fire department and which radio station to tune to for emergency information.
• Teach all family members how and when to turn off gas, electricity, and water.

4. Have Disaster Supplies on Hand

• Flashlight and extra batteries
• Portable, battery-operated radio with extra batteries
• First aid kit and manual.
• Emergency food and water.
• Nonelectric can opener
• Essential medicines.
• Cash and credit cards.
• Sturdy shoes.

5. Develop an Emergency Communication Plan

• In case family members are separated from one another during an earthquake (a real possibility during the day when adults are at work and children are at school), develop a plan for reuniting after the disaster.
• Ask an out-of-state relative or friend to serve as the "family contact." After a disaster, it's often easier to call long distance. Make sure everyone in the family knows the name, address, and phone number of the contact person.

6. Help Your Community Get Ready

• Publish a special section in your local newspaper with emergency information on earthquakes.
• Localize the information by printing the phone numbers of local emergency services offices, the American Red Cross, and hospitals.
• Conduct a week-long series on locating hazards in the home.
• Work with local emergency services and American Red Cross officials to prepare special reports for people with mobility impairments on what to do during an earthquake.
• Provide tips on conducting earthquake drills in the home.
• Interview representatives of the gas, electric, and water companies about shutting off utilities.
• Work together in your community to apply your knowledge to building codes, retrofitting programs, hazard hunts, and neighborhood and family emergency plans.

What to Do During an Earthquake

• Stay as safe as possible during an earthquake.
• Be aware that some earthquakes are actually foreshocks and a larger earthquake might occur.
• Minimize your movements to a few steps to a nearby safe place and stay indoors until the shaking has stopped and you are sure exiting is safe.
  

If indoors

• DROP to the ground; take COVER by getting under a sturdy table or other piece of furniture; and HOLD ON on until the shaking stops. If there isn’t a table or desk near you, cover your face and head with your arms and crouch in an inside corner of the building. Stay away from glass, windows, outside doors and walls, and anything that could fall, such as lighting fixtures or furniture.
• Stay in bed if you are there when the earthquake strikes. Hold on and protect your head with a pillow, unless you are under a heavy light fixture that could fall. In that case, move to the nearest safe place.
• Stay inside until shaking stops and it is safe to go outside. Research has shown that most injuries occur when people inside buildings attempt to move to a different location inside the building or try to leave. Be aware that the electricity may go out or the sprinkler systems or fire alarms may turn on. DO NOT use the elevators.
  

If outdoors

• Stay there.
• Move away from buildings, streetlights, and utility wires. Once in the open, stay there until the shaking stops. The greatest danger exists directly outside buildings, at exits, and alongside exterior walls. Many of the 120 fatalities from the 1933 Long Beach earthquake occurred when people ran outside of buildings only to be killed by falling debris from collapsing walls. Ground movement during an earthquake is seldom the direct cause of death or injury.
• Most earthquake-related casualties result from collapsing walls, flying glass, and falling objects.

If in a moving vehicle

• Stop as quickly as safety permits and stay in the vehicle.
• Avoid stopping near or under buildings, trees, overpasses, and utility wires. Proceed cautiously once the earthquake has stopped.
• Avoid roads, bridges, or ramps that might have been damaged by the earthquake.
  

If trapped under debris

• Do not light a match.
• Do not move about or kick up dust.
• Cover your mouth with a handkerchief or clothing.
• Tap on a pipe or wall so rescuers can locate you.
• Use a whistle if one is available. Shout only as a last resort. Shouting can cause you to inhale dangerous amounts of dust.

What to Do After an Earthquake

• Expect aftershocks. These secondary shockwaves are usually less violent than the main quake but can be strong enough to do additional damage to weakened structures and can occur in the first hours, days, weeks, or even months after the quake.
• Listen to a battery-operated radio or television. Listen for the latest emergency information. Use the telephone only for emergency calls.
• Open cabinets cautiously. Beware of objects that can fall off shelves.
• Stay away from damaged areas. Stay away unless your assistance has been specifically requested by police, fire, or relief organizations.
• Return home only when authorities say it is safe.
• Be aware of possible tsunamis if you live in coastal areas. These are also known as seismic sea waves (mistakenly called "tidal waves"). When local authorities issue a tsunami warning, assume that a series of dangerous waves is on the way.
• Stay away from the beach.
• Help injured or trapped persons.
• Remember to help your neighbors who may require special assistance such as infants, the elderly, and people with disabilities.
• Give first aid where appropriate.
• Do not move seriously injured persons unless they are in immediate danger of further injury.
• Call for help.
• Clean up spilled medicines, bleaches, gasoline or other flammable liquids immediately.
• Leave the area if you smell gas or fumes from other chemicals.
• Inspect the entire length of chimneys for damage. Unnoticed damage could lead to a fire.
• Inspect utilities.
• Check for gas leaks. If you smell gas or hear blowing or hissing noise, open a window and quickly leave the building.
• Turn off the gas at the outside main valve if you can and call the gas company from a neighbor's home. If you turn off the gas for any reason, it must be turned back on by a professional.
• Look for electrical system damage. If you see sparks or broken or frayed wires, or if you smell hot insulation, turn off the electricity at the main fuse box or circuit breaker. If you have to step in water to get to the fuse box or circuit breaker, call an electrician first for advice.
• Check for sewage and water lines damage. If you suspect sewage lines are damaged, avoid using the toilets and call a plumber. If water pipes are damaged, contact the water company and avoid using water from the tap. You can obtain safe water by melting ice cubes.
  

Food Storage Calculator

This handy little food calculator used to be on the Provident Living site, but was removed a little over a year ago. It may not work for everyone and certainly can be adjusted for each families specific needs, but I think it is a great tool.

http://lds.about.com/library/bl/faq/blcalculator.htm

Powdered Milk

We had a great class this last weekend on Powdered Milk. Here are a few things we talked about...

• Make a point to test out the flavors of different powdered milks. Not everyone has the same tastes. And if you think you might have to drink it someday, it might be worthwhile to see if you like the milk you have stored.
• Don't over-buy or over-store, have a plan of how you plan on using and rotating your storage.
• Find out if you have stored instant or non-instant powdered milk. There is a difference. We will address that later.
• Storage is critical for powdered milk. The colder it is, the better it will store.

50 degrees-48 months

70 degrees- 24 months

90 degrees- 3 months

Hints for using Powdered Milk

• Mix the milk the night before you use it.
• Try adding 1 1/2 t. sugar or 1 t. vanilla to enhance the flavor.
• Be sure the milk is well chilled.

Difference between instant and non-instant milk

• non-instant is more dense, therefore it takes up less space. (the cannery sells non-instant)
• instant milk can be mixed with cold water, non-instant requires warm/hot water to dissolve the powder.
• instant milk dissolves instantly, the non-instant takes a little more time but nothing incredibly significant.

Crunchy Potato Bake

1/3 c. water 1 t. salt

1/2 c. instant nonfat dry milk Dash of pepper

2 c. mashed potatoes 1/2 c. Parmesan cheese

1 egg, well beaten 3 T. butter, melted

1/4 c. finely chopped onion 1 c. crushed corn flakes

Whip nonfat dry milk with water until smooth. Mix in potatoes, egg onion, salt and pepper. Beat until fluffy. Place mixture in greased 1 quart baking dish. Mix cheese, butter, and corn flakes. Spread over top of potatoes. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 20-25 min.

Makes 4-6 servings

Choose to be Ready

When we talk about Home Storage and Provident Living, I think it is appropriate to also consider "readiness" in all its forms. There are many things we can do to try and ready ourselves, getting a home storage and knowing how to use it is important, so are things like 72 hour kits, financial savings, knowledge of what to do in an emergency, etc. The U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security has created a website that talks about some of these things and I think it is worth taking a look at...this is their link http://www.ready.gov . Check it out if you have a minute, it is a great way to assist in some emergency organization.

Just a tip...

When using food stored in #10 cans and buckets, a food scale is very helpful in getting precise measurements. Many recipes call for ounces or pounds of this or that...a food scale takes the guess work out of things and makes it very easy to use your home storage.

101 Ways to Stretch Your Food Dollars

If you don't get or read the Deseret News, there is a great article on maximizing our food budget. Check it out http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695270386,00.html

Oil on sale!

Smiths is selling 48 oz. Crisco Canola or Vegetable Oil for $2.50.

That is one of the best deals I have seen around for Crisco!

Seven Major Mistakes in Food Storage

1. Not enough variety
2. Extend your staples
3. Vitamins
4. Quick and Easy "Psychological Foods"
5. Balance
6. Proper containers
7. Use your storage
   

For more detailed information on these items and others (including getting started and water storage) click http://www.ldslivingmagazine.com/articles/show/681%20

Legumes

For those who missed our class last Saturday or anyone wanting info on Legumes...here is a little something.

Legumes are an inexpensive and nutritious protein food which are high in fiber, low in fat, a good source of protein, carbohydrates, folate, and many trace minerals. Beans store well, cost little, and provide a punch for the nutrition dollar.

The Mayo Clinic has some great information on different types of beans and how to use them.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/legumes/NU00260

Cooking Beans:

• Rinse all beans and legumes in cold water.
• Soak the beans in 3 times as much water as beans. Lentils and peas do not need to be soaked. Make sure and discard soaking water.
• Quick soaking method- For each pound of beans, bring 8 cups of water to boiling. Wash the beans, add them to boiling water, and boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat, cover, and soak for 1 hour. Discard soaking water.
• Add 1/8 tsp. baking soda and 1 T. cooking oil to each cup of beans while soaking. This will shorten the cooking time and decrease foaming.
• The slower the beans are cooked, the easier they are to digest.
• Beans will increase double to triple during soaking and cooking. (1 cup dry beans will produce 2-3 cooked).
• One pound of dry beans equals 6-7 cups cooked beans.
• Cooked beans freeze well and will keep up to 6 months in the freezer.

One major concern with bean consumption is digestive distress. A few things to try...

• Soak beans a minimum of 3 hours (8-12 hours better); disgard soaking water.
• Sprout beans before cooking-soak beans 2-3 days, changing water 3-4 times, until beans begin to sprout.
• Use Beano
• Continue to wash and soak beans until water is clear.

Bean flour is a great thickener and is finished and ready to eat in just 3 minutes.

A great and award winning legume recipe...

from Brooke Stucki

Chicken Chili Blanco

6 cans white beans

6 cups chicken broth

1 tsp chicken stock base (1 boulion cube)

2 onions chopped

1 tbsp. oil

6 cloves garlic, minced

4 oz. green chilies, drained

2 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional, but I put it in)

4 cups cooked and diced chicken

1 cup sour cream

3 cups co-jack cheese

Optional garnishes: sour cream, chopped fresh cilantro chopped tomatoes and tortilla chips

Saute onions in oil until golden. Combine beans, broth, chicken stock base, onions, garlic, green chilies, cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper, and chicken in large pot. Simmer for 30 minutes. Add sour cream and cheese. Heat until cheese melts. Garnish as desired. I also use the crockpot and combine all the ingredients except the sour cream and cheese (no need to saute onions) and cook on low for 5 hours. Add the sour cream and cheese 15 minutes before serving to let it melt.

WELCOME!

I am excited about this new blog devoted to everything related to Home Storage. I hope it will be a great resource for recipes, food info, deals on home storage items, tips, etc. If you want to contribute, please let me know!