Safely Gathered In

Zucchini Ideas

2010-08-26T15:26:00.001-07:00

Wondering what to do with all of those zucchinis in your garden?

The Pioneer Woman’s “Tasty Kitchen” blog has some GREAT ideas!! I am going to be busy for awhile! Go and check it out HERE!!

Picture courtesy of Tasty Kitchen

Ball Home Canning Basics Kit

2010-08-05T11:07:00.001-07:00

Thought about doing a little canning this year? This is a great deal on a canning kit! It is $39.00 on the Walmart Deal of the Day! It is typically anywhere from $60.00 to $70.00. You can even get FREE SHIPPING if you choose site to store (or there is .97 shipping to home).

Click HERE for more information.

A Tasty Summer Salad

2010-07-22T18:34:00.001-07:00

So to say that I have been less than inspired this summer would be an understatement. We had a fun vacation right when school got out and since we returned…I have been, well, lazy. But, the summer is now almost over and my garden is just BARELY starting to produce, so I thought I would share a fantastic summer pasta dish I found.

For those who are familiar with an Italian Caprese Salad…this is the pasta version of that. I found the recipe on bell’alimento and have been hooked ever since. It is easy, quick and perfect for a light evening meal, or a tasty side dish. If you have tomatoes and basil from your garden, USE THEM! There is nothing better than home grown.

3-4 large tomatoes (I used more then the original recipe called for and was glad I did.)

1 ball of fresh mozzarella

1- 16 oz. bag Campenella Pasta

Bunch of basil

Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

Freshly grated Parmesan Cheese

Cut tomatoes, put them in a large bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drizzle olive oil over tomatoes just to coat (not drench). Chop up basil and cut mozzarella into cubes and add to tomato mixture. Stir and set aside. Doing this before you cook the pasta allows the flavors time to combine.

Start boiling the water and add a good amount of salt. Cook your pasta according to package directions.

As soon as pasta is cooked, al dente, drain and pour right into tomato mixture. Add parmesan cheese. Drizzle with a little more olive oil and add salt to taste. Stir and serve.

The warm pasta slightly melts the mozzarella cheese and the whole dish is just heavenly. You will think you just stepped into an Italian Cafe. Buon Appetito!

Nesco Food Dehydrator

2010-06-04T11:08:00.001-07:00

Are you looking into drying some of your own produce this year? Or are you like me and end up drying more of OTHER’s produce! Either way, Amazon has a great deal on the

Nesco FD-75PR 700-Watt Food Dehydrator.

It got great reviews 4.7 out of 5 stars and is available today for $47.46 down from $79.99. That is a 41% savings! If your looking into getting one, this is a good one to get.

Click HERE to get more info!

Make Your Own Bread Flour

2010-05-17T10:58:00.001-07:00

When it comes to storing baking ingredents I am a minimalist. I have all-purpose flour on hand, but I don't store a lot as I prefer whole wheat flour. I do every now and again, come across recipes that call for "bread flour" and sadly disregard them as I don't have a lot of storage in my kitchen and well, I am a minimalist.

The great news is, you can make your own bread flour with just two simple ingredients...click HERE to get the Damsels tips!

How does your garden grow?

2010-04-20T14:25:00.001-07:00

I came across a great garden guide on the Martha Stewart website that I thought I would pass along.

Whether you are a seasoned gardener or just a beginner, the guide takes you from planning your garden, how to test your soil, to what is best to plant.

It is worth taking a look at.

Click HERE to get to the guide.

Peas!!

2010-04-19T10:37:00.001-07:00

If you haven’t done so already…it is not too late to plant peas. Peas love cooler weather and are very easy to grow, so plant a handful of seeds in a sunny part of your yard and see what happens.

One helpful tip when planting peas is to soak them over night. They get nice and plump and have a head start on sprouting, so they will be poking their heads through the ground in no time!

These are my sugar snap peas straight from the bag.

And this is after a soaking overnight. The difference is amazing isn’t it!

Just plant these guys about 2 inches apart and watch them grow!

I grew mine up a trellis last year and am going to try and grow them up pieces of string this year. When I get it set up, I will let you know how it works…cross your fingers!

P.S. it is also not too late to plant, lettuce, spinach, radishes, and parsley they also like the cooler temperatures!

Great Deal on Soap

2010-04-12T17:52:00.001-07:00

If you like Bath and Body Works Soap, they are having a great sale right now…4 for $15 or 6 for $20! You can also get $1 shipping if you order $25 or more by putting Aprilship1 in the promo code.

I just stocked up!!

Click HERE to shop

P.S. this is only a two day deal…so act quick!

Becoming Provident Providers

2010-03-21T10:01:00.001-07:00

I saw this video today on living providently and just loved it. The first time I heard this particular message, it touched me. Since then, I have come to know the truth of these things first hand and my life has been blessed because of it.

Enjoy!

Click HERE for video.

Printable Valentine’s Cards

2010-02-08T13:06:00.001-08:00

Just in case you are still in need of Valentine`s cards…HERE is a great link to some quick and cute handmade ones that you just print right off of your computer! That is my kind of Valentine…cheap and quick! Yahoo!

A note to Stacy…

2010-02-06T07:29:00.001-08:00

Stacy, I don`t know you… yet…but you left me a wonderful comment a few days ago and it made my day! For the past 6 months or so I have gone back and forth on whether or not to continue this blog. It can be a lot of work and at times I wonder if anyone even looks at it. But you know, it is worth it if only one person benefits from it…so I have decided to continue it…at least until I have completely run out of ideas.

I think there are a good number of great food storage blogs out there, so rather than putting my hand back in that pot, I have decided to focus this blog on my personal quest to live more providently. I suspect it will still have a lot of stuff on home storage, but it will also have sewing projects (my new mission in life!), cooking from scratch, stuff like that.

I won`t post everyday like I once did…I am not one of those amazing moms that can juggle a house full of kids, get dinner on the table, keep the house clean and still have any sanity left to blog, but I hope there will be some regularity.

So Stacy, thanks again for your kind words and taking the time to write!

Great Price on a Juicer/Steamer!

2010-01-29T08:09:00.001-08:00

My Mom bought a juicer/steamer this fall and I was the lucky storage recipient! We used this thing SO much and as a result are enjoying tasty Concord grape juice and jelly during these frigid winter days. It has been awesome! Because I am now an advocate of home food preservation (even if it is only making jam!), I wanted to let you know about a great deal on this juicer/steamer from Amazon.

It looks like it retails for $109.99, but they have it on sale for $59.99...TODAY ONLY! Click HERE for the link. You can also get it shipped for free with Amazon Prime (a free one month trial). That is a seriously good deal if you are interested in one of these beauties!

Just as a side note, my aunt made some apple juice with her juicer/steamer this last fall and it was tasty!

Tasty and Healthy Neighbor Gift

2009-12-07T09:10:00.001-08:00

Sorry I have not updated this blog in FOREVER!! I was released a while back from my Provident Living calling a while back and have been wondering what to do with this blog ever since. I would love to keep it going…there is so much to share…but at times I feel like it has run its course. We will see.

But…I had to post about this! I hosted a Holiday Gift Show in my home this last week and my aunt brought these great little neighbor gifts to sell. They are easy and inexpensive to make and HEALTHY!! What a change from the loads of candy and treats we fill up on this time of year (not that I mind it :)!!)…Whole Wheat Pancake Mix!

One side of the label had the directions…

The other side…a nice little greeting.

So simple!

Whole Wheat Pancakes

8 cups whole wheat flour

2 1/2 cups powdered milk

1/2 cup sugar

4 teaspoons salt

5 tablespoons baking powder

Mix all ingredients and store in airtight container. Keep in refrigerator or freezer.

To use mix:

1 1/2 cup mix

1 egg

3/4 cup water

2 tablespoons oil

Beat egg, water and oil until light and fluffy. Then add mix. Cook until golden brown.

(double or triple the mix for a great gift!!)

Neighbor Christmas Gift Ideas

2009-11-16T21:06:00.000-08:00

The ladies over at How Does She... are counting down 30 great neighbor gifts through the month of November.

They have some great ideas...click HERE to see the ideas that have been posted so far!

Homemade Cleaning Wipes

2009-11-05T13:18:00.000-08:00

Well, the Damsel has done it again...

Homemade Cleaning Wipes! I go through these like crazy! I love the idea of just making my own. Click HERE for instructions.

Thanksgiving Countdown

2009-11-01T06:46:00.000-08:00

I LOVE Thanksgiving! I think it is a beautiful holiday that so often gets overlooked. When I saw this cute idea of a "Thanksgiving Countdown" I decided I must share...

Blue Cricket Design came up with this great idea...go check it out!!

Homemade Carpet Spotter

2009-10-30T15:44:00.001-07:00

Oh, do I need this right now!!

Check out this recipe for Homemade Carpet Spotter. Thanks to the "Damsel" over at My New/Old School for such great How To's!!

Caramel Apple Dip

2009-10-26T09:24:00.001-07:00

Crystal over at Every Day Food Storage has a great Caramel Apple Dip recipe using…Powdered Milk. As well as a fun Pumpkin Carving Family Night! Check it out!

Pumpkins, Pumpkins, Pumpkins!!!

2009-10-25T15:23:00.001-07:00

This weekend I made a little Homemade Pumpkin Puree with some small pumpkins from my Dad’s garden. Apparently, compared to the canned version, it is well worth the effort. We shall see…I will report back.

If you are interested in making some for yourself, check out the Pioneer Woman’s tutorial HERE.

I also decided to roast the pumpkin seeds…I was feeling very non-wasteful. It had been FOREVER since I had done that and Oh, what treat!

You just pull out all of the seeds and wash the orange goopy stuff off.

Lay them out on a cookie sheet
Pour 1-2 Tablespoons Olive Oil over them
Using your hands, make sure the seeds are nice and covered
Sprinkle a little salt or seasoning of your choice
Then put them in a 325 degree oven for around 25 minutes.(check on them every 10 minutes or so to make sure they are baking nice and evenly.)

When you are done, you have some nice crispy seeds.

As you notice, my seeds are not terribly brown. That is because they were roasted at a low temperature, not toasted at a high temperature.

If you want yours nice and brown…bake them at 400 degrees for about 10-15 minutes.

Want another pumpkin idea? How about making your pumpkin into a chalkboard…

…or making it a nice metallic shade?

Hit the spray paint aisle and let your imagination go wild!

P.S. You might notice a few changes in this blog in the next little while. I will still be posting my own rantings and ravings, but I will also be posting the talents of others I see in the blogging world. Stay tuned!

Nutrition Ideas For 72 Hour Kits

2009-10-22T21:03:00.000-07:00

The following is a great article found in the Ensign about what foods are a good choice, nutritionally, for your 72 Hour Kits...

Adequate Nutrition during an Emergency

Miriam Blackham Een, Nevada, USA
Miriam Blackham Een, “Adequate Nutrition during an Emergency,” Ensign, Oct. 2009, 70–71

"If you have a three-day emergency supplies kit, does it contain nutrient-dense foods? During perilous times, your body would especially need adequate nutrition. As a registered dietitian with a master’s degree in nutrition, I have developed a simple, healthy emergency meal plan for our family. The items should be rotated regularly for best results.

My minimum calorie goal for the three daily meals is 1,200 to 1,500, with 60 to 72 grams of protein and approximately 40 grams of fat, a combination that enhances satiety. The ingredients for each meal plan are simple:

Meal replacements and supplements. Include shelf-stable protein drinks, instant powdered breakfast drinks, powdered milk, and energy bars. You may want to use more than one type.

Each should provide 250 calories or more. Look carefully at the labels; snack or cereal bars are not as high in calories and protein.

Dried fruit. Raisins and other dried fruits are good.
Peanut butter. This is a great shelf-stable source of protein. If you have peanut allergies, you could substitute it with another nut butter or small bag of nuts. Or find other shelf-stable protein foods.
Crackers. Include soda crackers or other crackers, preferably whole grain. You could also include granola if you won’t be using peanut butter to spread on crackers.
Drinking water. Ideally you should have about two quarts or almost two liters of water for each person to consume each day. Store what you can comfortably carry in your emergency bag, and add a portable water purifier so you can use available water sources.
Utensils. Include one cup with a lid (to be used as a shaker for mixing powdered meal replacements) and a butter knife.

A sample meal plan for one person for three days would include nine meal replacements plus 1½ cups or a 12-ounce bag of dried fruit, peanut butter to provide at least six two-tablespoon servings, and about 40 saltine crackers or another cracker equivalent.

Calculate the food amounts needed for your family and round to the nearest convenient product size that is commercially available, taking care not to round down too much.

These emergency kits are easy to assemble with readily available items. The meal replacements are nutrient dense and fortified with vitamins and minerals so you can reach or approach nutritional adequacy and meet special dietary needs. They don’t need to be heated, and you can easily store everything in a moderate-size duffle bag or backpack. Best of all is the peace of mind in knowing you’ve prepared for your nutritional needs should an emergency evacuation ever occur."

2009-10-18T21:03:00.001-07:00

This last week was all about apples at our house. We received about 30 lbs. from an aunt and then 10 lbs. from a neighbor, so my brain been on overload trying to figure out how to use them. I thought about canning them, but I am getting a little burnt out, so I tried to come up with other ways I could use them.

One family favorite was this...Apple Tart!

It was insanely easy and wonderfully delicious, so a win/win for me.

It has very few ingredients...

Apples
Puff Pastry (found in the freezer section by the pie crusts)
Brown Sugar
Lemon Juice
Salt
Powdered Sugar

And that is it! Here is all you have to do.

Core your 3 to 4 apples and slice as thinly as you can (unless you are me and have an apple corer/peeler, then just use the apples at the thickness the contraption does it :)!)
Put the apples in a bowl and squeeze a half of a lemon's worth of juice.
Stir in 1 cup of brown sugar and stir around.
Add 1/4 teaspoon salt to bring out all of the flavors.
Let sit for a little while until the sugar turns into a tasty liquid.
Line the apples on a thawed puffed pastry
Bake at 415 degrees from 18-20 minutes.

For detailed instructions (with pictures), click HERE to see the "Pioneer Woman" at work.

Just One More...

2009-10-14T00:00:00.000-07:00

Now that it is Fall, I find myself making many a Pumpkin dish. Pumpkin Pie, Pumpkin Cookies, Pumpkin Cake, you name it, I am making it...I LOVE pumpkin! But so often what I make calls for "Pumpkin Pie Spice" and I am often out. So it is handy to make my own when the need arises...

Pumpkin Pie Spice (1 teaspoon)

1/2 t. cinnamon, 1/4 t. ginger, and 1/8 tsp each nutmeg and ground cloves.

Making Spaghetti Sauce or Lasagna?

Italian Seasoning (1 teaspoon)

1/4 t. each oregano, basil, thyme, and rosemary plus a dash of cayenne

Pies or Cakes?

Allspice (1 teaspoon)

1/2 t. cinnamon + 1/8 t. ground cloves

More Food Substitutions

2009-10-13T00:00:00.000-07:00

Here are hopefully a few more helpful substitutions...

Butter Substitution (1 cup)

7/8 cup shortening + 1/2 t salt

Milk Substitution (1 cup)

Non-Fat Milk: 1/3 cup instant non-fat dry milk + 1 cup minus 1 T. water

3 T. sifted non-instant dry milk + 1 cup minus 1 T. water

Whole Milk: 1 cup reconstituted non-fat dry milk + 2 1/2 t. butter or margarine

1/2 cup evaporated milk + 1/2 cup water

Sweetened Condensed Milk: 1 cup regular non-fat dry milk, 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup hot water

and 1/4 cube butter.

Mix in blender.

Corn Syrup Substitution (1 cup)

1 cup sugar +1/4 cup liquid (same liquid as the recipe calls for.)

Handy Food Substitutions

2009-10-12T00:00:00.000-07:00

Within the last few months I have had many opportunities to try my hand at food substitutions. Like HERE when I was making Chocolate Zucchini Cake or HERE when I was making Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls. So when I recently learned a new trick for making Baking Powder, I thought I would just post about a slew of them for the next few days.

image via bigoven.com

Buttermilk Substitution (1 cup)

1 T. vinegar or lemon juice + milk to make 1 cup.

Let stand for 5 minutes.

image via blisstree.com

Brown Sugar Substitution

1 cup white sugar

1-4 T. molasses (use 2 for light brown sugar)

Mix together with a wire whisk until well incorporated.

image via bbcgoodfood.com

Baking Powder Substitution

1/4 t. baking soda + 1/2 t. cream of tarter.

Mix just before use, cannot be stored.

Handy Food Storage Tip: Instead of storing large quantities of baking powder (which has a short shelf life), store baking soda (stored air tight) and cream of tarter (stored tightly sealed) in a dark place and they can store indefinitely. That is my kind of storage!

Sour Cream Substitution (1 cup)

For baking: 7/8 cup buttermilk or sour milk plus 3 tablespoons butter

Dips: 1 cup cottage cheese plus 1/4 cup yogurt or buttermilk, briefly whirled in a blender.

1 cup milk + 1/2 T vinegar

Choosing A Good Apple

2009-10-09T08:47:00.001-07:00

Have you ever found yourself sorting through the apples at the grocery store, hoping to get the tasty, crispy ones and not the nasty, milly apples.

Well, no more hoping…here is a sure fire way to fresh, crispy apples all of the time.

Did you know that apples grown last season are still sold right along side with apples grown this season?

How are you to know the difference…?

Look at the bottom.

This seasons apples have a tight blossom on the bottom.

Last seasons, have a dry, open blossom.

So there you have it…no more nasty apples…you are now in control :)!

THE JUICER!!!

2009-10-07T07:32:00.001-07:00

Well, another project down…75 pounds of Concord grapes. Whoa! I never thought I would see the end. My dear neighbors (the ones with the plum tree), also grow Concord grapes and those lovely vines have just snaked there way over our fence and into our lives. It is a beautiful thing.

I started picking last Saturday and just finished Tuesday. We are talking A LOT of grapes here and that is just what is on OUR side of the fence! I can’t imagine what is on theirs!

We decided to split our first batch and make half of it into just plain grape juice and the other half into grape jelly. So…to start off…RINSE!!

After that we put the grapes into this brilliant contraption called a Steamer/Juicer. My Mom bought one for our family to share and it is BRILLIANT!!

This is the middle part of the steamer/juicer where the juice collects.

Filled to the brim!

This is what it looks like all buttoned up.

Make sure and put a little something under the draining hose to catch any escaping juice.

Then you just wait. That is truly all you do. I would drain it every once in awhile, but you pretty much just let it sit and steam…for 60 minutes to be precise. Then when it is finished you can either bottle up the juice right then and there (which we did), or you can put that juice to good work and make some jelly (which we did).

To make the jelly you just start to boil 5 cups of Concord Grape Juice with a box of pectin until it is dissolved. After that, you can add 1 teaspoon of butter or margarine to help bring down the foam.

Then add the sugar all at once, 6 cups if you are using Concord Grapes. Bring it to a hard boil, stirring constantly and once you have reached that point, stir for 1 minute.

Remove from heat and quickly skim off foam.

Pour directly into hot jars.

And seal them up! Quite easy and VERY tasty!!

And when you are done your grapes look like this…very sad and thoroughly steamed. But they did a great job and we will be enjoying them all winter!!

Here is to antioxidants!!

Dry Bean Arithmetic

2009-10-01T17:21:00.001-07:00

I have stored a lot of dry beans. Not because I necessarily use them, just so I have them in case of an emergency.

I had myself a bit of an emergency yesterday when I was in desperate need of Great Northern Beans for a White Chili I wanted to make. Things were too chaotic around here for me to run to the store, so I thought, why not just cook up some dry ones?!

I did (and it took me forever…a post for another day) so decided to make the soup for tonight’s dinner.

Now I have to say that I have done this before…made my own beans for this particular soup and whenever I have done it, it has turned out to be quite tasteless and I have been very disappointed. I figured the reason for this is I was adding too many beans.

So, I was determined to not make the same mistake again. But…I did. Can you believe it! Unbelievable!!

I was so frustrated, I did what I should have done in the beginning and went to the Internet. It took me a bit but I found just in the information I was looking for and thought it would only be right to pass it on…

From WikiAnswers:

“We recognize that sometimes you want to use canned beans, sometimes dry, so here's a handy chart to remind you of the various relationships between dry, cooked and canned beans:

** Dry beans expand to about 2-1/2 times their original size when soaked.

** A one-pound package of dry beans equals about 2 cups dry, or 5-6 cups cooked.

** One 15 ounce can (drained) equals about 1-2/3 cups cooked beans.

From http://www.calbeans.com/beanbasics.html

Using the information supplied above:

1 2/3 cups of cooked beans (point 3 above) divided by 2 1/2 (the expansion factor in point 1 above ) equals:

2/3 cup of dry beans cooks up to 1 can of cooked beans.

So, there you have it.

P.S. Due to the fact that dry beans take awhile to cook and therefore are not a great “quick” meal…

Make up a large batch
Fill freezer bags with 1 2/3 cup beans
Freeze for up to 6 months

The convenience of canned beans at a fraction of the cost.

Photos courtesy of sadaf.com and greenasathistle.com

Just Dehydrate it!

2009-10-01T09:27:00.001-07:00

I had a summer long desire to try my hand at food preservation and subsequently, opportunities are coming out of my ears! You know the saying, “be careful what you wish for”!

I have so many wonderful neighbors who have offered up their lovely produce and I am very grateful to them. We have canned peaches and applesauce, frozen peach cocktail, are getting ready to bottle our own grape juice, so when my neighbor next door told me I was welcome to ALL of the Italian Plums that were hanging from their tree onto our side of the fence, I thought…”what am I going to do with those?”

Good thing I asked my neighbor…she said “dehydrate them.” Sweet! I even have a dehydrator! So I picked about 50 lbs of plums and went to work!

The great thing about dehydrating it that it is SO easy! The prep is minimal and the dehydrator does all of the work. You just get to sit back and watch!

For plums, we just washed them all well and cut them in half (make sure and remove the pit). They say you can squash them flat with your hand before putting them on the tray, but I didn’t see much advantage…just more mess.

So I just laid them out.

When they are done, they shrink up…a ton! And they are surprisingly very good, nothing like the dried plums/prunes you buy in the store.

I was so excited about dehydrated fruit that when my local grocery store had a deal on pears…I bought a box! And they are DELICIOUS! (and I don’t even like pears!) My kids think these taste like candy and they are healthy to boot. A win/win!

The dehydrator I use is a Nesco and it is easy to use and quite compact. I looked on Ebay to see how much someone could get one for and there were prices as low as $16 for a lightly used one to $24 for a brand new one. Pretty inexpensive and a very worthwhile investment.

My next dehydrating project…fruit leather!

A Little Peach Pie!

2009-09-24T13:39:00.001-07:00

I have been swimming in peaches as of late and was in need of a quick and easy dish to use up the last of my stash. Luckily for me I just happened to have an already prepared pie crust (the ones in the box in the refrigerator section).

Although I must explain…in the past I have shunned away from buying premade crusts…I always figured they would be too heavy and not flaky (I am now repenting), but I bought one for another recipe and then realized I had purchased the wrong thing…so what am I going to do with it? Make a VERY easy peach pie of course!

So,

I mixed all of my ingredients together…peaches, lemon juice, sugar, flour, and cinnamon. And put it into the prepared pie crust.
I then cubed 2 Tablespoons of butter and placed those on the top.
I then sealed the top crust with the bottom crust and with a knife cut off the excess.
Then, with a fork I made pretty designs on the crust.
Next, cut several slits in the top for venting.
Last of all I covered the edges with aluminum foil, so the crust wouldn’t burn.

I baked it for 45 minutes at 425 degrees.

And guess what the result was? A VERY tasty, VERY flaky Peach Pie. Who would have thunk!

We paired it up with a bit of vanilla ice cream and it was a hit!

Every bite!!

So, the next time you need to make a dessert and you just want something easy and delicious, or you want everyone to think you are the best baker on the planet. Make this…you will be glad you did!!

Fresh Peach Pie (9-inch)

betty crocker cookbook

5 cups sliced fresh peaches

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

2 Tablespoons butter

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare pastry. Mix peaches and lemon juice. Stir together sugar, flour, and cinnamon; mix with peaches. Turn into pastry lined pie pan; dot with butter. Cover with top crust which has slits cut in it; seal and flute. Cover edge with 2 to 3 inch strip of aluminum foil to prevent excess browning; remove foil last 15 minutes of baking.

Bake pie for 35-45 minutes or until crust is brown and juice begins to bubble through slits.

*If you want to use canned peaches:

substitute 2 cans (1 lb. 13 oz.) sliced peaches, drained for the fresh peaches and decrease the sugar to 1/2 cup.

A Low Calorie Option

2009-09-23T03:00:00.000-07:00

I was watching the Biggest Loser last night and there was a segment with celebrity chef, Curtis Stone, where he was teaching the contestants tips for eating healthy. One tip he gave was to increase the volume of pasta dishes by making half of the "noodles" zucchini. Isn't that brilliant! You make the dish the same way, you are just adding more veggies and decreasing the starchy, higher calorie pasta.

And the best part...another way to use Zucchini!! The possibilities are endless!

The following are tips from Slashfood.com on making Zucchini Spaghetti, by Marisa McClellan...

"A while back, I hit upon a way of mimicking spaghetti noodles with zucchini that has become one of my favorite ways to prepare it. I use the fine matchstick blade on my mandoline (Amazon has some for under $10 that would do the job nicely) and slice the zuke lengthwise, so that I come away with long strings of squash that look like squared off spaghetti (don't use the inner seeded area, as it just shreds).

I heat a little olive oil in a nonstick pan, mince a couple of cloves of garlic and toss it all together over medium heat until the zucchini softens but isn't mushy. I like to eat it just like that, a sort of "pasta" alio olio that's a bit healthier than the traditional one due to the use of veg instead of starch. You could also top it with pasta sauce or toss other veggies in for a primavera. Play around, anything goes as long at it tastes good."

How about...

Zucchini, Potato and Scallion Pancakes?

Molten Chocolate Cake with Zucchini?

Zucchini and Corn Quesadillas?

Whole Wheat Zucchini Walnut Muffins?

Kitchen Sink Minestrone?

Click on the above links for great recipes!

Create away!

A little more Zucchini Talk

2009-09-21T08:56:00.001-07:00

I am feeling the need to talk about zucchini for two reasons…First, because I thought my zucchini plant was done producing and I was sad about it but luckily it started up again and now I am happy. Secondly, because we hosted a neighborhood breakfast in our backyard over the weekend and while talking “gardening” with some neighbors, realized that not all people are enjoying zucchini at their finest. So, for those who may be interested I thought we could talk…optimal zucchini size. Intriguing isn’t it?!

When one thinks of zucchini it is easy to envision the 2 foot long 1 foot wide monster that well…looks like this. I have been privy to a few of these each year and while you can find ways to use them, they are not ideal.

picture via oztion.com.au

So what is ideal you might ask?…

Something more like this. About 1/2 –1 foot long and about 3-4 inches in diameter.

You can even go a little smaller if you want Italian Squash…which by the way they use ALL of the time in their cooking…even in eggs, excuse me, in frittatas. Delish!

So even though there is a temptation to let these little things grow nice and big…resist! Pick them small and enjoy them in a variety of dishes. Or if you are like me, just roast them up.

Slice it
Put it in a pan
Drizzle with Olive Oil
Sprinkle with Salt
Mix it all up
Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes (or until soft)

Enjoy!!

Another Idea...Frozen Peach Cocktail

2009-09-14T00:00:00.000-07:00

Let me just start off by saying that I love peaches, not just a little bit, a lot. I eat two or three everyday. So, if there is anyway I can preserve them and enjoy them during the months my trees lie dormant, I jump on it.

One challenge with peaches is they don't stay good forever. If left in a warm place (somewhere other than the refrigerator), peaches will continue to ripen and can become too soft and even moldy if left for too long. I found myself in this predicament last week and needed a quick and delicious way to preserve my peaches. Luckily my Mom told me about a Frozen Peach Cocktail she was making and after hearing the ingredient list...I ran straight to the store to make my own!

Frozen Peach Cocktail

First peel and cube your peaches.

Then, put in 1 cup of sugar to every 3 lbs. of peaches.

Mix 'er all up.

After letting it sit for a little while, add 1 can of crushed pineapple (per 3 lbs. of peaches), undrained.

Now here come the tasty part. Add 3 cups orange juice (not from concentrate). It sounds good already, doesn't it! (I am making a double batch).

Then go about juicing your lemons. I am sure you don't HAVE to have fresh lemon juice...I just thought it sounded good.

Squeeze, squeeze, squeeze...

Until you have 1 cup (that is for a double batch).

Put the juices into your peach/pineapple mixture.

Then just bag it up and put it in the freezer until you need it.

Very easy and Very tasty!

Frozen Peach Cocktail

3 lbs. (12 medium) fresh peaches

2 cups sugar

1 can (15-1/4 oz) crushed pineapple, undrained

1/2 cup lemon juice (2 lemons)

1 1/2 orange juice (3 oranges)

Peel peaches; cute into bite sized pieces to make 6 cups. Sprinkle with sugar; set aside. After a few minutes stir in pineapple, orange juice and lemon juice. Spoon into plastic freezer containers; freeze. To serve while still frosty (which is when it is best), allow to stand at room temperature about 3 hours. Bananas may be added at serving time.

Makes 6 pints

What I Learned From My Garden...Part 3

2009-09-10T20:19:00.001-07:00

I had two goals this summer in regards to my garden. Container gardening and vertical gardening. We already know how my container gardening went...so here are the results of my vertical garden...

Sugar Snap Peas- Success

Cucumbers- Success

Zucchini- Whoa...wait until you see the pictures!

This is my Zucchini Plant. It is enormous. See that thing in the middle?

That would be a "burning bush" that we planted last spring. It is completely engulfed by the Zucchini plant. The one that is NOT growing vertically.

Hence the trellis that is propped up behind the plant...for decoration.

Lesson #3

Be vigilant if you plant a "BUSH" variety when you are wanting to grow vertically. And if possible, find a "viney" option.

Apparently I didn't pay much attention to the package of seeds I purchased, just chose one that looked good in the picture and buried it in the ground. It grew wonderfully and has produced many lovely Zucchinis, but just not vertically...Bummer.

I am not giving up, I will try again next year. But this is what I will do different...

"Install your string support or stake immediately next to the seed you have just planted. You will want the support as near to the plant as possible, so as to minimize unnecessary bending of the plant. Also, putting the support in now will help you avoid disturbing the root system by installing it later.

Tie the resulting zucchini sprouts up to the stake every few days as it grows. It will grow flat and back down to the ground, so you must tie it up every three days or so. Simply lift it gently into position and attach to the support. Continue this process until your squash is ready to eat."

If you are interested in trying your hand at growing squash vertically, click HERE to get more detailed info.

What I Learned From My Garden...Part 2

2009-09-09T00:00:00.000-07:00

One of my goals this year was to try my hand at container gardening.

I did a little research, chose some of my favorite herbs, and sat back to watch my plants flourish.

Unfortunately this is what happened...at least to my Basil anyway. Oh, so sad! No matter what I did, this poor little plant never seemed to have a chance. I fertilized and watered, but it just never seemed to be enough.

Lesson #2:

Be very mindful of growing space when planting in a container.

Containers can be deceiving. Mine seemed enormous and there seemed to be a lot of space in between my plants...but those little plants wanted to become big plants and there just wasn't enough room. If you are considering container gardening, here are a few helpful links.

As for me...next year I will only be planting three herbs in my pot and will be planting my Basil and Parsley in the garden so they can grow to their hearts content.

What I Learned From My Garden...Part 1

2009-09-08T00:00:00.000-07:00

My whole purpose for gardening each year is not just for the produce, but more importantly for the knowledge I gain. Some of it I gain from my successes, but more often than not I learn from my failures. So, this week I thought I tell you what I learned from my gardening failures...the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Lesson #1:

Do not plant anything in a Topsy Turvy.

This is what has become of my cherry tomato plant that I planted in a Topsy Turvy. I have a good handful of ripe tomatoes...but do you notice the large brown section in the middle. Yeah, that's where it is dieing...slowly.

Here is a closer shot, just so I know you believe me.

Now, I am not dissing the Topsy Turvy. I am sure there are many people who have had a successful run with one of these things, I am just not one of them. My problem is that I got tired of watering it everyday...day in and day out. I would forget and you CAN'T forget...it gets brown and dies if you forget. Not good.

So, first of all, I must apologize to my neighbor Danielle, who stood on a chair in her yard and hung over our shared fence to water this thing the whole time I was in Lake Powell. I tried to take care of it Danielle, I really did, it is just so high maintenance!

Second of all, I am going to promise Danielle that I will never again grow any produce in a hanging basket. They dry out too fast and therefore are too much work for me...or for my neighbors.

If you have had a different experience please let me know...otherwise, I am giving this growing method a thumbs down...with a cherry tomato on top.

Advice to Parents on H1N1

2009-09-03T00:00:00.000-07:00

If you have turned on your TV at all in the last few weeks, you have probably noticed an increase in reports on the H1N1 virus. Many of these reports have been alarming to say the least and can make anyone watching feel a sense of panic. Being aware and using the information to guide us in being prepared, is good. But feeling panicked never brings about desired results, so when I read the following article, I thought it was worth passing along.

The following are excerpts from an article written by Dr. Sanjay Gupta for cnn.com.

"Over this past week, I had some interesting conversations with colleagues who are also health care professionals. These conversations usually start with, "You know what I hate about the media ... ?"

People were scared, more than I had seen in a long time. And, health care professionals were blaming the media -- accusing them of being alarmist.

So, I decided to get away from the studio, away from the talking heads discussing mortality rates, and away from the hypothetical discussions about what might or might not happen. I wanted to see for myself what was happening in emergency rooms right now.

I wanted to create a parents' guide to dealing with the swine flu that is based on the best science and my interviews with experts all over the country.

First off, there is no question that pediatric emergency rooms are much busier than this time last year -- about two to three times busier at the ER I visited.

Many of the patients sitting in the waiting room were there with flu-like symptoms, worried about H1N1.

The doctor who met me started by saying he was giving the media a C+ in its overall coverage of H1N1, and blamed his busy ER, in part, on the media for stoking fears.

"Fair enough," I answered back, "but, how do I get to an A?" In order to get there, I wanted to report clear, concise answers about what a parent should do with a sick child. So, here we go.

Point 1. As things stand now, the vast majority of children who develop flu-like symptoms this fall will have a few miserable days, and nothing more. And those days are best spent at home -- not in the ER or a doctor's office.
Point 2. If you are worried, you should call your pediatrician's office first. Don't take your child in without calling. Two reasons: Your child may not have H1N1, but could become exposed by being around sick children. And, after several hours of waiting, you are still likely to be told the basics -- plenty of fluids, rest and dose-appropriate acetaminophen for a fever. After all, it is still the flu we are talking about.
Point 3. One doctor told me a way to think about things that was helpful. He said "remove the term H1N1 from the equation." If your child had regular flu, would you take him to the hospital? If the answer is no, then don't take him/her to the hospital now.
Point 4. Yes, hearing between 30,000 and 90,000 could die from H1N1 is scary, but keep in mind -- around 40,000 people die from the regular or seasonal flu every year. The numbers may not be that much different, yet there is not panic about the regular flu. As things look now, H1N1 is causing only mild to moderate illness, not the widespread deaths people are worried about.
Point 5. There are some children who should be seen by their doctor.
Call your doctor if:
• A baby younger than 12 weeks has a fever greater than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit
• A child, older than 12 weeks has a fever for three days
• A child's fever returns after a 12-24 hour time period
• A child is not passing urine or making tears for more than six hours
• A child does not smile or show interest in playing for several hours
Dial 911 if:
• A child cannot speak while trying to breathe
• Has a blue or dark purple color to the nail beds, lips or gums
• Is not responding to you because he is too tired or weak

One point that was reinforced to me over and over again by the pediatricians is the best place for a sick child is at home. And, with regard to school -- after 24 fever-free hours without the aid of medications, he or she can go back."

I hope this information is helpful, if you would like to read the article in its entirety, click HERE.

The Mystery Veggie

2009-09-02T05:00:00.000-07:00

Drum roll please...

the name of our mystery vegetable is...

A Lemon Cucumber!!

Crazy looking little things, but absolutely the BEST cucumbers in the world! Give them a try next year...you will never be the same.

Bravo to those who answered correctly...and to those who answered creatively!

Our winners are...

Jordyn Perkins
Danielle
Suzanne (because I loved your answer and I too LOVE lemon cucumbers...they are the staple of all summer produce.)

So, if you answered correctly, please email me at safelygathered@gmail.com with your mailing address and I will send these little seeds on their way.

It's Quiz Time

2009-09-01T00:00:00.000-07:00

With all of our talk of gardens and gardening, I thought it appropriate to have ourselves a little quiz. So here it is...

What is the name of this scrumptious vegetable?

(here is a hint: they are kind of small, about 5 inches in diameter, and grow on a vine)

As a reward for your intelligence, the first two people to correctly identify this veggie will receive in the mail a lovely package of seeds so that they too can grow some of these next year. They will change your life. Trust me.

P.S.- if we share the same bloodline (that means you sisters) there will be no entering for you...that would be cheating...unless of course no one else enters, then you can. Love ya!

And The Result Is...Success!

2009-08-31T00:00:00.000-07:00

Saturday has come and gone and the desired task has been completed! We bottled peaches! I was crazy uptight about it...but you know what, it was actually very easy. If I can do it...anyone can do it!! Seriously.

For anyone else who would like to try their hand at canning some peaches this summer, here is what we did.

We first washed all of our peaches...our "purchased" peaches mind you. Our two trees are just babies and our entire harvest was about 15 peaches...better luck next year!

After we had given them a nice bath in some nice cool water...

We threw them into this boiling hot inferno to loosen their skins. Brutal but necessary.

Don't worry though, after about 60 seconds they were soon cooling off in this ice cold bath. You don't want them to cook.

In the meantime, I am making a simple syrup. I chose to do a medium syrup as that seems to be the syrup of choice for many canners. The recipe is 3 1/4 cups sugar to every 5 cups of water. I did a double batch. Cook this over medium-high heat until all of the sugar is dissolved. Once dissolved, turn your stove down to low so the syrup stays nice and warm. Make sure to not let any evaporation occur (I did this by just putting a lid on the pot).

Then it was peeling time. This would probably be what took the longest. So, just put on some good tunes and peel away.

Once all of your peaches are nice and slimy...

You can put them in your jars. Make sure and put them "pit" side down and layer them. Fill your jar to almost the first rim.

When you are done, your jars will look a little something like this.

Now it is time to pour in the simple syrup you made previously. You are supposed to fill your jars up to a "generous" 1/2 inch from the top of the jar. Also, try and get rid of any air bubbles that might have formed by either sliding a non-metallic utensil down around the fruit or just do what I did...just lightly shake the bottle around.

Once you have done that, it is time to put your hot lids on. To get your lids to the correct temperature, put them into a saucepan of water. Heat the water to a simmer (do not boil) then turn the temperature down. Leave the lids in the water until you are ready to use them. Make sure and only heat the lids, not the bands, you will want the bands nice and cool so you can twist them on. And you don't need to tighten them too tight...just until "resistance is met, then increase to finger-tip tight" Ball Home Preserving.

Now it is time to stick them in the pot and fill `er up. If you are incredibly strong, you can fill up the pot then move it. But if I were doing it alone, I would probably put the pot on the burner...then fill it with water. Make sure when filling your pot that your water level is at least one inch above the top of the bottles.

Then, crank up the heat. If you have a gas stove top or an electric coil type stove top you are good to go. If you have a ceramic top stove, you will probably need to look for another heating option as the water needs to boil CONTINUOUSLY for 30 minutes (with quart jars) and ceramic stove tops tend to have heat plates that cycle on and off. I have that problem, so we just pulled out the ole Camp Chef and that did the trick. And I didn't have to heat up my kitchen to boot. Yahoo!

Just checking for that "heavy rolling" boil so we can start the timer. Once it started, we timed it for 30 minutes, then turned off the heat...took the lid off...and let the jars sit for 5 minutes.

After that, we stacked them up on a towel, in a non-drafty spot, and waited to hear the "plink" of a nicely sealed jar.

And lucky for us they all sealed. We didn't do that many peaches...about 20 lbs. or so, but that was a good start. We learned a new skill and now I can't wait to tackle something else...next time...jalapeno pepper jelly! I am swimming in those things!!

My Next Great Adventure

2009-08-28T20:36:00.000-07:00

Growing up, we always had a garden. It was one grown out of need rather than want, but it was a great blessing for my family. My Mom became a Master Gardener as well as a Master Preserver (is "preserver" a word?). Our garden produced far more than we could eat, so my Mom found ways to preserve it for use throughout the year.

One staple was bottled fruit and veggies. Too be honest, I don't remember eating them much, but our storage room was lined with bottled peaches, pears, tomatoes, etc. Stored food was a critical element to our family making ends meet. Canning was an valuable skill.

Because of this I decided to embark on a new adventure. One that would require a list of important items. So, I went out and got...

One of these.

This black beauty.

One red funnel.

A jar lifter.

A couple cases of these.

And a 20 lb. box of these.

Tomorrow is the day. The day I will tackle my goal for the summer of 2009...
bottling peaches...
without my mother.

I will let you know how it goes.

Wheat Grinder

2009-08-24T00:00:00.000-07:00

I have talked about this grinder before, the VitalMill, it is a great one if your main focus is to grind wheat or other grains for bread. The cheapest I have ever seen it is around $140 (unless of course you buy it in bulk, then I have seen it for $119.00). Anyhoo, Emergency Essentials has this beauty on sale for $129, which is a sweet deal if you are in the market for a wheat grinder.

So if you or anyone you know wants a wheat grinder...head down to Emergency Essentials and take a look!

Food Storage Shelf Life

2009-08-21T06:59:00.001-07:00

I recieved an email this morning from Emergency Essentials that I thought had some good information to pass along.

Food Storage Shelf Life
"The question is regularly asked, “What is the shelf life of my food storage?”
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. (A note from me...I do not think it is necessary to use a metalized bag in your large buckets as I don't think you can do it yourself and therefore have to pay commercial prices for your pre-packed food storage...that can be really expensive. And with most foods, unless you were planning on NEVER rotating them, can store nice and long without them.)

“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.

2. Understand food constituents. Food is composed of the following:
Calories: A unit of measurement of energy derived from fats, carbohydrates and protein.
Fats: A wide group of compounds that are generally soluble in organic solvents and largely insoluble in water.
Carbohydrates: Simple sugars as well as larger molecules including starch and dietary fiber. Proteins: Large organic compounds that are essential to living organisms.
Vitamins: A nutrient required for essential metabolic reactions in a living organism.
Minerals: The chemical elements required by living organisms, other than carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen.
*Stored in Ideal Conditions

Minerals and carbohydrates do not change much during storage. But proteins can denature and deteriorate in quality. Fats can acquire off odors and off flavors known as rancidity. Vitamins are susceptible to destruction by heat, light, and oxidation. Importantly, even if some components deteriorate, the fat, carbohydrates and proteins still contribute calories. To prevent starvation, the most important component is calories.

Examples of Dehydrated Food 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:
Wheat, White Rice, and Corn 30 years or more*
Pinto Beans, Apple Slices, and Macaroni 30 years*
Rolled Oats, and Potato Flakes 30 years*
Powdered Milk 20 years*
*Stored in Ideal Conditions

Examples of Freeze-Dried Food Shelf Life
Freeze-dried food is excellent for long-term food storage. Mountain House® has tested some of their freeze-dried foods and the results were excellent! Because of this research, they have a “best if used by” shelf life of 25 years. As an added benefit, freeze-drying fruits, vegetables and meats help maintain the foods original shape, color and taste.
Freeze Dried Blueberries, Strawberries, and Apples 25 years*
Freeze Dried Broccoli, Green Peppers, and Potatoes 25 years*
Mountain House Freeze Dried Chicken Stew, Vegetable Stew with Beef,and Chili Macaroni 25 years*
*Stored in Ideal Conditions

3. Recognize that the 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. "

Mobile Washer

2009-08-18T11:27:00.000-07:00

I went to Emergency Essentials today to pick up an item I thought was worth discussing.

It is called the Breathing Mobile Washer and it is non-electric option to washing your clothes. It looks a lot like a plunger and can easily disassemble for easy storage.

" This washer uses a technique of pushing and pulling the water through the clothes. This reduces much of the wear that would come from the friction method (using a washboard). Due to the agitation motion, much like a mechanical washing machine, less soap is required to do an effective cleaning job.
Minimal water is required to have this washer work effectively. In fact four inches in a five-gallon bucket in ample water (one and a half gallons). Several garments could be washed in this water, depending on the amount of dirt. The rinsing could be used by the same amount of fresh water."

Until August 25th, this washer is on sale at Emergency Essentials for $10.99, down from their previous sale price of $17.95. I think the MSRP is $19.99.

The next time I have to wash something by hand, I am going to try this little puppy. I will let you know how it goes.

If you want more information of this product...click HERE

(Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with this company, or with any company...other than the company I keep here at home :). So my reviews of things are unbiased and meant only to provide info. I will now go about my work! And sorry this paragraph is so big...I cannot get the font to shrink!)

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

2009-08-13T00:00:00.000-07:00

In an effort to use up the zucchini I grated the other day, I decided to make another "zuke" recipe...this time a sweet one!

Chocolate Zucchini Cake!

I started by creaming together the white and brown sugar, butter and oil.

I then started to add the rest of my wet ingredients and realized that it called for buttermilk...which I didn't have...so I just made some :)!

1/2 cup milk to 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon (or vinegar). Let it sit for 5 minutes. There you have it...

Homemade Buttermilk!

After mixing all of my wet ingredients up, I started to combine my dry ingredients...flour, cinnamon, salt, baking soda,unsweetened cocoa powder and allspice...aagghh, allspice! What is that! I don't have any allspice! So, once again, I just made my own :)! Love Google!

Homemade Allspice- equal parts cinnamon, nutmeg, ground clover and black pepper. I used 1 teaspoon of each.

Mix all of your dry ingredients together and slowly add to your wet ingredients.

Already looking good isn't it!

Once it is nice and combined and has a neat looking swirl like this one...

Add your grated zucchini.

And mix it up smooth.

Put it in a 9x13 inch pan and sprinkle it with 1 cup chocolate chips...mine are looking a little old, but they melted up nicely...luckily! Then, put it in a 325 degree oven for 45 minutes.

When its done, you get something that looks like this. I am telling you, those chocolate chips are a wonderful addition to this cake! After it has cooled, frost with your favorite frosting. Mine is chocolate...plain and simple.

And for all of your hard work, you get this. I am telling you, this is one tasty, tasty cake. It is beyond just your average chocolate cake. Wonderfully rich, wonderfully moist, wonderfully tasty. Pair it up with a little ice cream and you won't even know what hit you. Make some today, you will be glad you did!

Mom's Chocolate Zucchini Cake

by tessabella76

1 cup Brown Sugar, firmly packed

1/2 cup Granulated White Sugar

1/2 cup Butter

1/2 cup Vegetable Oil

3 whole Eggs

1 teaspoon Vanilla

1/2 cup Buttermilk

2 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour

1/2 teaspoon Allspice

1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon Salt

2 teaspoon Baking Soda

4 Tablespoons Cocoa

2 cups Grated Zucchini

1 cup Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, cream the sugars, butter, and oil. Add eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk. Mix well. Mix dry ingredients and add to wet ingredients. Stir in zucchini. Pour into greased 9x13 pan. Sprinkle top with chocolate chips. Bake for 45 minutes or until knife or toothpick comes out clean. Let cool, then frost with your favorite frosting.

Chocolate Frosting

6 Tablespoons Butter

2 2/3 Cup Powdered Sugar

1/2 Cup Unsweetened Baking Cocoa

1/3 Cup Milk

1 teaspoon Vanilla

Cream butter. Add powdered sugar and cocoa and slowly mix together while adding the milk. Finish off with the vanilla. Easy, Peasy.

Zucchini Casserole

2009-08-10T20:30:00.000-07:00

My garden is now in heavy production mode. I love it! I love to watch things grow...but what am I to do with all of this produce? That is question I asked myself yesterday. Hence the creation of this post and a slew of posts to follow...what to do with zucchini and other tasty garden produce.

My zucchini plant is on overdrive...as most are. My challenge with this is that I am the only one in my family that LOVES zucchini, so I spent some time yesterday finding different recipes that will help me use my produce in creative ways. Here is the first...Zucchini Casserole

Here are a few fruits of my labors that will be going into this particular recipe.

You start off my sauteing your onion. Mine made me cry...terribly...but fresh onion is worth every tear!

Next grate your zucchini. If you have a food processor, use it...it will make for quick and easy work.

Now that you have that, you can start adding all of your ingredients into a large mixing bowl.

Make sure and beat your eggs a little bit before you add them.

And try making your own Bisquick rather than using the store bought variety (which is totally fine if that is what you have on hand.) This particular recipe uses half whole wheat flour and oil rather than shortening...give it a try.

Now your recipe is almost complete...

...but don't forget those onions...tasty little things.

And mix it all up.

Put it all into a greased 9 inch pie plate and stick it in a 350 degree oven.

When it is done you will have this! It is one tasty treat. And the best part is...even "non-zucchini lovers" will devour this...my husband went back for seconds. The heavens were singing! I made mine for dinner, but it would be a tasty breakfast and an even tastier brunch. So, give it try!

Zucchini Casserole

by KarenPie

1 whole onion (finely chopped)

1/3 cups oil

1/2 cups Parmesan cheese, grated

4 whole eggs, slightly beaten

1 teaspoon parsley

3 cups zucchini, grated

1 cup cheddar cheese, grated

1 cup Bisquick (I use homemade, the recipe is below)

Lightly saute the onion in some of the oil. While the onion is cooking, combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl. Don't forget the rest of the oil. Add the cooked onion and pour the mixture into a greased 9-inch pie plate. Bake 35-40 minutes at 350 degrees, until golden brown across the top.

Homemade Bisquick

by KarenPie

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

4 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 cup baking powder

1 tablespoon salt

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1-1/2 cups instant dry milk powder

1/4 cups sugar

1-3/4 cup canola oil

Mix all dry ingredients together in the bowl of your mixer. With the mixer running, pour oil in a steady, thin stream over the dry ingredients. Mix well. Store in a large, air-tight container in the freezer. Makes 13 cups.

Manual Grain Mill

2009-08-10T07:53:00.001-07:00

Having a Grain Mill is a great way to rotate whole grains. I am a big proponent of electric grain mills as they are great for grinding large quantities of grain and an important element of any personal food storage program. The only drawbacks of the electric grain mills are cost and the necessity of electricity. For this reason I wanted to let you know about a great deal on the Back to Basics Hand Grain Mill. We are getting this mill for $50.00 from Emergency Essentials through their "Group Program". If you are interested in getting one of these, just let me know. You can also form your own group as you only need to purchase 4+ to get the discount.

Stressed Plants

2009-08-04T00:00:00.000-07:00

Have you ever looked out your window and seen your plants look like this? This is bad. Unfortunately my poor Pumpkin plant looks like this a lot. It is nothing a little water can't fix though!

In no time the leaves will look like this. Even though this is my zucchini plant...my pumpkin plant did look like this...just not in time for me to take a picture of it.

Thanks for listening.

The Vertical Cuke!

2009-08-03T00:00:00.000-07:00

You may be wondering why I blog so much about my own garden. It isn't because I think you really care that much about MY garden but because I think gardening is a very valuable skill that takes time to perfect.

My Dad is a master gardener...I am not. But I am like a sponge when it comes to gardening, whether it comes from him or through books or from the internet. There are so many things to consider...

What grows well in my yard?
What will my family eat?
How to I fortify my soil so it is nutrient rich?
If my soil is lacking, what do I amend it with?

Because these answers only come with time, it is critical to start today, when we have time.

OK, I am off my soap box now...let's talk about growing cucumbers vertically.

This is what my cukes looked like before I started...a nice, viney bush sitting at the base of my trellis. As long as you don't get a "bush" variety, getting them to grow up a trellis is a very easy task.

All you need is a trellis...whatever kind suits you.

Some sort of twine or yarn to tie up your vines.

And a trusty pair of scissors. Not much to it.

Now, when you go to buy your cucumber seeds, look on the back of the package to see if they can be grown vertically. If they can, they will grow these wonderful tendrils that will grab onto anything...lovely little things!

After about 10 minutes I had this...vines tied up and trained to grow to the sky. This picture was taken right after I tied them, but after a few days my plant is bushy, thick and vertical...can't get much better than that!!

Your 3-Month Supply

2009-07-31T00:00:00.000-07:00

Here are a few things on sale this week...either use them to build your three month supply, or just enjoy a great deal!

DANS FOODS

ShurSaving Gallon Milk Skim, 1% or 2%- $1.59 (and save .75 of a gallon by printing off THIS Group A coupon! Print it twice.) Price after coupon- .84

Western Family Block Cheese 8 oz.- .93 ( save $1 if you buy 2lbs of cheese by printing off THIS Group A coupon...you need to buy 4!) Price after coupon- 4 for $2.72

Western Family Cottage Cheese- .93

Oven Roasts- $1.69 lb. (great to freeze for later use!)

Western Family Large Eggs 18 count- $1.48

Western Family Frozen Orange or Apple Juice (from concentrate)-. 93

SMITHS

Mountain Dairy Gallon Milk Skim, 1%, 0r 2%- $1.50 (use previously mentioned milk coupon for .75 off a gallon, print twice) Price after coupon- .75

Mountain Dairy Gallon Whole Milk- $1.67 (use .75 off coupon) Price after coupon- .92

Smiths Large Dozen Eggs- .99

Kroger Orange Juice Gallon- $1.99

To check out all of the deals and your favorite stores, click on THIS link to access the Grocery Smarts Link.

Pruning a Tomato Plant

2009-07-29T00:00:00.000-07:00

Julia...this is for you!

I have spent countless hours on the internet trying to learn how to prune my tomato plants and have not found any great tutorials. This will probably be another bad one to add to the list, but I thought I would give it a try. I must say though, you don't not NEED to prune tomato plants. You can just plant them and let them grow, but to optimize growth and get bigger and better fruit...pruning can help. Also, remember that tomato plants LOVE our dry, hot weather! So don't overwater.

This is a small section of my cherry tomato plant.

See this little stem? He is bright and green and beautiful, but in the name of pruning...he can go. He does not posses any "buds", so I can remove him and subsequently give more energy to the rest of the plant.

Now if you look closely at your tomato plants you will notice these little "suckers" growing in between in the main branchy thing and a "non-budding" off shoot. If allowed to grow, it will get nice and big and produce lots of little blossoms that will result in lots of cherry tomatoes. Depending on how big you want your plant to get and how many tomatoes you want your plant to produce, you can snap these little guys off. I personally don't snap them all off...but I do remove a bunch as I want my plant to produce fewer but better fruit, and not a million little guys.

These are the little buds that will soon become nice, juicy tomatoes...you don't want to prune them!

This is post pruning...they look a little bare don't they. No need to fear, they will be big and bushy again in no time.

Sad isn't it!

But I left a good amount of these guys, so not all is lost.

And just in case you were wondering...this is how I make my bush into a tree back into a bush. Scary!

The ULTOMATO!!!

2009-07-28T00:00:00.000-07:00

I was recently asked in a comment what tomato cage I would suggest...oh, have I found a spectacular one!!!

THE ULTOMATO

tomato cage!!!

I am telling you...this truly is the ultimate tomato cage and I will tell you why it has worked so well for me.

They are long lasting. The posts are made from a poly plastic material that will not rust and will last season after season.
The side supports are adjustable. So if you are like me and your tomatoes tend to get away from you, you can just trim the plant, open up the tomato cage, and put it all back into the support without breaking a thing.
They do not fall over. My tomato plants are HUGE this year and the cages are holding strong!

They are sold in containers that look like this. I bought mine at Home Depot for around $9.00. I wonder if they might be cheaper now considering most of the planting season is behind us.

This is what they look like all set up.

And this is one of mine. I pruned my plant down to nearly nothing, stuffed the limbs back in the cage and wondered what I had done. My tomato plant looked more like a tree than than a bush. But...tomatoes like a little pruning, it allows the fruit to grow bigger and as you can tell, it doesn't take long to fill right back out!

Family Home Storage: A New Message

2009-07-26T20:30:00.001-07:00

I went on the Church's Provident Living website the other day and saw a link for an article entitled " Family Home Storage: A New Message". I remember reading it in the Ensign a few months back and I thought it was worth passing along.

http://www.lds.org/Static%20Files/PDF/Magazines/Liahona/English/2009/LI_2009_03_04___04283_000_005.pdf

If you have a few minutes, take a look at it.

The Topsy Turvy

2009-07-21T07:13:00.001-07:00

For years I have watched those "Topsy Turvy" infomercials and wondered if they were really as great as they advertised. When I spotted one early this season, I thought I would try it out for myself...and so it begins, my journey with a Topsy Turvy...

It all began with a small cherry tomato plant that was very confused which way was up.

With nourishment and great care (and a lot of water) my confused plant turned into a small bush.

A real beauty isn't she! What she lacks in size she more than makes up in quality. :)! OK, not really, she actually has been a slow bloomer and compared with her sister that was planted in my grow box...she is a real runt.

The plant on the far right is her container mate...there is a bit of a size difference. OK, a HUGE size difference!

But after all is said and done, she is producing these...and that is why she was planted...good job my little confused tomato plant who resides in a Topsy Turvy!

All joking aside, if you have ever considered using a Topsy Turvy for garden production...here is what I have learned.

Make sure the plant you put in it has a base stem that is at least as thick as a pencil. Mine wasn't and although it figured it out, it was a bit behind the curve.
Use a good potting soil and good plant food when you start out. This is the only nourishment, other than sun and water of course, your plant will get. And I think your results will be MUCH better if you use good, high nourishing stuff.
Make sure your plant gets plenty of water. They dry out much faster than anything planted in the ground.
Hang your basket in a VERY sturdy place. When you fill that bag up with soil and water, it is VERY heavy.
Although your plant may (and probably will) do much better than mine, don't expect a huge harvest. My plant is clearly not huge and will not produce an endless supply of cherry tomatoes. But...that is just what I wanted ( as you can tell by the size of my other tomato plants). I will love having a tomato plant right outside my kitchen
where I can grab a handful of tomatoes to toss on my salad.

So there you have it...my take on the Topsy Turvy. Do with it what you wish. If anyone has had a different experience with one, I would love to hear it!

Food For Thought

2009-07-13T06:29:00.000-07:00

Spencer W. Kimball

April Conference, 1981

"Where you have a plot of land, however small, plant a garden. Staying close to the soil is good for the soul. Purchase your essentials wisely and carefully. Strive to save a portion of that which you earn. Do not mistake many wants for basic needs."

Spencer W. Kimball

October 1976 Regional Representatives

Seminar Address

"Preparedness, when properly pursued, is a way of life, not a sudden, spectacular program."

Glenn L. Pace

Quoting Marion G. Romney

April Conference, 1986

"He made the process sound so simple. "Brother Pace, don't make things so complicated! All we have been trying to do is make our people self-reliant, because the more self-reliant one is, the more able to serve he becomes, and the more he serves, the greater his sanctification."

Your 3-Month Supply

2009-07-10T00:00:00.000-07:00

If you live around here, I thought I would let you know of a great sale going on at Dan's Foods this Saturday from 6 am-10 am.

MORNING MADNESS

Breakfast Sale

1 dozen large eggs- .79 (limit 6)

Minute Maid Orange Juice (half gallon)- 2 for $4 (limit 2)

16 oz Strawberries- .99

1 pint Blueberries- .99

1/2 pint Raspberries and Blackberries- .99

Reser's Hashbrowns 20 oz.- 10 for $10 (no limit)

Farmland Sausage Links or Patties (12oz links or 16 oz rolls)- 5 for $5 (no limit)

All of these items can be frozen and are great for your 3-month supply or to eat right away!

Dan's is also offering a FREE Continental Breakfast.

P.S. How is your garden coming? :)

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

2009-07-09T00:00:00.000-07:00

So, we have talked about Whole Wheat Bread and Cinnamon Rolls. Why not add another to the mix...Whole Wheat Pizza Dough! The best thing about this dough is it is just 1/6 of the Foolproof Bread Dough. So in one fell swoop you can whip out 2 loaves of bread, 1 batch of cinnamon rolls and a pizza! I did this last night and it was great! I had the main dish and dessert whipped out, just added a salad and Voila! I full and healthy meal with minimal effort.
To get the bread recipe, click HERE.

To make...

Prepare your dough according to the bread recipe
Roll out to desired shape
Cover with toppings
Bake in a 475 degree oven for 10 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

The other great thing about making your own pizza is that it is easy to store all ingredients. The crust has food storage written all over it, as does commercially bottled pizza sauce (although I am sure you could make your own and can it), cheese, meat, and veggies such as peppers and onions can easily be frozen, and you can store and use canned mushrooms and olives. The possiblities are endless. Who knew eating food storage could be so tasty!

Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls

2009-07-02T07:41:00.001-07:00

These cinnamon rolls are to die for...seriously...OK, they may not be worth death, but they are seriously good, seriously addicting, you should seriously make them!

Start by making the Foolproof Bread Recipe. If you would like the step by step instructions, click HERE.

Once your dough is made, divide it into three equal parts.

Then, roll out the dough into a nice, even rectangle.

It doesn't have to be perfect, as you can see, you just want your large "roll" to be as even as possible.

Then sprinkle with your toppings. I use cinnamon and brown sugar. The great thing about these cinnamon rolls is you don't need to lather the dough with butter. Nice and healthy...well, mostly. I actually like to make my own brown sugar, it is AWESOME!! If you would like the recipe...

Brown Sugar

1 Cup sugar

1-4 Tablespoons molasses (depending on desired flavor.) I use 2

Stir together with a wire whisk.

Top generously.

Then roll it up, nice and even.

Now it is time to slice it up. I have a sharp knife I use, but you can also use yarn, string or even dental floss (unflavored).

Lay them out on a jelly roll pan...if you have parchment paper, use it! It makes prep and clean-up SO easy. Then let them raise on your counter until they are double in size.

When they come out of the oven they should be nicely golden brown in color.

I like to frost them right when they get out of the oven, that way the icing just melts all over the rolls...I am telling you, crazy delicious!

At the end you get this. Whoa!

Make some today...you will be glad you did!!

Cinnamon Rolls (makes 1 dozen)

1/3 FOOLPROOF BREAD RECIPE (I usually make two/three loaves of bread and one pan cinnamon rolls.)

Roll into rectangle 3/4 inch thick. Sprinkle brown sugar, cinnamon, and any other topping you would like (I just do brown sugar and a generous sprinkling of cinnamon). Roll as a jelly roll. Cut 3/4 thick. Place in 1/2 size bun pan covered in parchment paper (I use a jelly roll pan). Let rise until almost double in bulk. When raised bake in 375 degree oven for 15 minutes. Ice and remove from pan while still warm.

FROSTING:

2 C powdered sugar

1/4 C soft butter

2 TB water

1tsp vanilla

Homemade Whole Wheat Bread...Step by Step

2009-07-02T07:21:00.001-07:00

Oh goodness...it has taken far too long to get this post finished! I did spend a little time away on a small family vaca in the mountains...in a tent trailer...without even an outhouse! AAGGHH! But that is a story for another day, so for now, let's talk about whole wheat bread making...step by step!

This recipe is the one I use, I have posted about it before, so it is probably not new, but I thought it might be helpful to do a step by step tutorial for anyone who has tried to make it and it didn't work out, or just hasn't made it in awhile. Now, if you have a KitchenAid and don't think your machine can handle such a big recipe, give it another try by cutting the recipe in half. I have had others try this and have success.

Here we go...

Combine your warm water and a few cups of freshly ground whole wheat flour.

Does your machine have a "jog" switch? If so, use it a few times to just incorporate the water and flour a bit. If it doesn't, just turn your mixer on for 10 seconds or so, the two ingredients don't have be well mixed.

Now start to add the rest of your ingredients...oil, honey (do it in this order and your honey will just slide out of the measuring cup), salt, vital wheat gluten, dough enhancer, and SAF instant yeast.

What is Vital wheat gluten and Dough enhancer you might ask? Vital wheat gluten improves the elasticity in your bread while Dough enhancer makes it softer and improves the shelf life. Do you HAVE to use these things? No, but they will improve your final product over the long term.

OK, now turn your mixer to the lowest setting and start adding the remainder of your flour.

I usually add about a cup at a time for a few cups, then I add 1/2 cup at a time.

Keep adding...

Notice how my dough is sticking to the side of my bowl? I slowly add flour until the sides of the bowl start to become clean. If you are using a KitchenAid and you don't see this happening, just stop your mixer now and then to check the texture of the dough...you want it to be tacky, but not sticky, you need to be able to work with it. But as a general rule, it is better to add TOO LITTLE flour that TOO MUCH, so if you dough is a bit sticky...don't worry, you will still have great bread.

Just let the dough knead in the mixer for about 10 minutes.

By this time, you can see that the sides of my mixing bowl are completely clean. That is what you want.

You want a nice glob of dough...is that an appetizing word, glob? Sorry.

Next, move your dough to an oil sprayed surface (like PAM) not a floured one. At this point you have achieved your desired dough consistency, you don't want to be adding more flour.

Divide the dough into three equal parts (the recipe below says it makes 4 loaves, I make 3 because I use 4x10 bread pans). I rarely accomplish this on the first try, I am usually weighing the dough in my hands, cutting off a piece from one and adding it to another until I get fairly equal loaves.

Then either roll or flatten with your hand each dough segment (one at a time of course). This helps work out any air bubbles in your dough.

Next, roll the dough into a nicely shaped loaf. Sorry about the gimpy hand picture...I was trying to do two things at once...apparently not very well!

Your loaf should look something like this.

Now, put it into a greased loaf pan.

Then it is time to rise. You can do this two ways. #1...on your counter. #2...in a slightly warm oven. You can decide what works for you. The oven method is very fast, but my oven is acting weird, so I raise mine on my counter. Which ever way you choose, just wait to bake until your loaves are double in size.

Here are my loaves...ready to go in the oven.

If you choose to raise your loaves on the counter and you let them get as big as mine, you will want to preheat your oven and stick the loaves in when the oven is about 200-250 degrees (oven thermometer necessary) and cook for about 25-27 minutes (depending on your oven), but if you don't raise them as much, put them in a cold oven and bake for 30 min. at 350 degrees.

And after 25-30 minutes this is what you get...warm and tasty whole wheat bread! Nothing better!

To test your bread for doneness, tap the top and bottom of the loaf and listen for a "hollow" sound. If you hear that, you are good to go. If not, stick the loaves back in for 3-5 minutes.

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
1-2 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.)

Tomorrow I will be showing you how to use this same dough to make cinnamon rolls! I am telling you...you will be hooked!

Top of the Mornin'

2009-06-24T00:00:00.000-07:00

Wheat generally gets a bad rap. For many, wheat represents "too healthy", "too heavy", "not tasty". I get these kind of comments when I try to serve whole wheat pasta, whole wheat tortillas, etc. There are few times I never get comments though...whole wheat bread, whole wheat cinnamon rolls and whole wheat pancakes. My husband thinks these WW pancakes are far tastier than their white counterpart. That is his opinion, judge for yourself.

Whole Wheat Pancakes

This recipe is great because you make a big batch of mix, then just stick it in your freezer and use as needed.

You start by combining WW flour, sugar, powdered milk, salt and baking powder.

Mix them all together until all ingredients are well incorporated. This is your base mixture. Use what you need, then store the rest in the freezer or refrigerator.

In a separate bowl, add an egg, water and oil.

Whip it up until it is nice and frothy. By doing this, you add lightness to your pancakes...tricky isn't it :)!

Now mix a portion of your dry ingredients with your wet ingredients.

Blend until just mixed.

Throw them on the griddle and wait for the magic!

Watch for the bubbles to appear...then flip!

Nice golden color...you are wanting to take a bite right now aren't you!

AAhh, the finished product. So tasty, so good for you, so easy! Whip some up this week!

Whole Wheat Pancake Mix

8 cups whole wheat flour

2 1/2 cups powdered milk

1/2 cup sugar

4 teaspoons salt

5 tablespoons baking powder

Mix all dry ingredients. Store in refrigerator or freezer.

To use mix:

1 1/2 cup mix

1 egg

2 tablespoons oil

3/4 cup water

Beat egg, water and oil, then add mix.

Makes approx. 8 medium sized pancakes

Martha Stewart Cookie Jar

2009-06-23T00:00:00.000-07:00

I saw these cookies in the latest Martha Stewart Food Magazine and just had to make them. I mean, they had whole wheat flour in them! If you can't make it up the canyon but are craving some S'Mores...this is for you!!

S'MORES COOKIES

1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1 cup whole wheat flour (spooned and leveled)

1 cup all-purpose flour( spooned and leveled)

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (a great addition to this cookie!)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup light-brown sugar

1 large egg

8 oz. bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, cut into 30 squares

15 large marshmallows, halved horizontally

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, pulse oats until finely ground. Add flours, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt; pulse to combine. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, scraping down side of bowl. With mixer on low, beat in flour mixture just until combined.

Drop dough by tablespoons, 1 inch apart, onto two baking sheets. Top each with a chocolate square. Bake until just lightly golden, 11 to 13 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Remove sheets from oven ; heat broiler. Top each cookie with a marshmallow. One sheet at a time, broil until marshmallows are lightly browned, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool.

Makes 30

My cookies were a bit too big...the cookie should only end being a little bigger than the marshmallow, but they still tasted good and it was fun for my kids to "roast" marshmallows in the oven! When forming your dough balls, keep in mind that these are "bite sized" cookies.

Enjoy!!

Wheat Week

2009-06-22T08:08:00.000-07:00

I love using freshly ground wheat flour. I started using it slowly, mostly just in bread making, but over the last few years I have started to use it in almost everything...almost :). This week I thought I would post a few of my favorite recipes using whole wheat flour.

30-Day Bran Muffins

This is a favorite year round. You mix up the batter of these tasty muffins and let it sit in your fridge for up to 30 days. So when I want a muffin or two, or twelve, I just pull out the bowl, fill up a few muffins tins and 20 minutes later...viola! Wonderfully, healthy bran muffins!

Here is a little play by play.

Here is the muffin batter...I would have taken pictures of each step of preparation, but you would have gotten a little bored...it is SO easy!

I scoop a bit of batter into each baking cup and then fill them up with blueberries (you don't have to but in berries if you just want a nice, plain muffin). Summer is high season for berries, so watch for them to go on sale at the grocery store, unless of course you grow your own. This batch of blueberries only cost me 99 cents for 6 oz. (if you are worried about stocking up because you can't eat them fast enough, just stick them in the freezer...they will stay good for months, at least for use in baking!)

Look at those berries...Beautiful!!

I scoop a little more batter on top so the berries are nice and nestled.

Then smooth it out on top and stick it in the oven.

At the end of it all, I am rewarded with this! Look at how those blueberries exploded! Aagghh...I can't wait to have a bite! Make some today...you will be glad you did!!

30-Day Bran Muffins (Favorites Cookbook)

4 cups All-Bran cereal

2 cups boiling water

1 cup butter

2 1/2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 quart buttermilk

5 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

5 cups whole wheat flour

2 cups Bran Flakes cereal

Pour boiling water over All-Bran cereal and let sit. Cream butter and sugar; add eggs then dry ingredients alternating with buttermilk. Mix in All-Bran and water mixture. Last of all, stir in Bran Flakes. This batter stores in the fridge for 30 days and makes dozens of muffins! Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes in greased or paper-lined muffin tins.

A Few Deals

2009-06-17T08:42:00.000-07:00

I am not lost...it is just summer and we are just going with the flow a bit. I am actually terrible at "going with the flow", so I am practicing! My posts may be a bit inconsistent during the summer months, but then again, I might get on a roll, who knows, but don't forget me...I am still here and will be continuing to post.

I thought I would let you know about a few good deals going on this week...

Smith's
10lb. bag Russet Potatoes- $1.79 (quick and easy dinner!)
Fresh Wild Caught Alaskan Keta Salmon (whole or half)- $2.49 lb (great for now or freeze for later!!
Kroger Cottage Cheese 16 oz.- $1.00
Kroger Veggie Dips 16 oz.- $1.00
Dasani Water Bottles 24 pk. (limit 8)- $2.99
A&W or Sunkist- 4 for $5 and when you buy four you get a FREE 1.75 qt. of Private Selections Ice Cream when you use your FV card. (Have Rootbeers Floats this weekend, then reuse the bottles for water storage!)

Dan's

WF Medium Cheddar Cheese 2lb Loaf- $3.99 (can freeze for later use)
WF Sour Cream 24 oz.- $1.19
Saturday, June 20th Only...Marinated In-Store Petite Steaks-$1.99 lb.

Your 3-Month Supply

2009-06-12T07:01:00.000-07:00

Like Organic foods? Click HERE to get coupons for Stoneyfield Farms Products.

Enjoy!!

Tips From the Moon

2009-06-11T00:00:00.000-07:00

I haven't had the chance to try out these recipes yet, but they are definitely on my to-do list! I'm not one to make a totally separate meal for my toddler, so I love the recipes that I can make for everyone. Here's a few that I thought sounded good! These recipes are all from

Annabel Karmel's The Fussy Eaters' Recipe Book.

Annabel's Secret Tomato Sauce
1 T. olive oil
1 small red onion, chopped
1/2 leek, carefully washed and finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/4 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 medium carrot, chopped
1/2 medium zucchini, chopped
one 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
2/3 cup vegetable broth
3 T. tomato paste
1 t. superfine sugar
1 T. torn fresh basil leaves (optional)
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season

Heat the oil in a pan and saute the onion and leek for approximately 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add the bell pepper, carrot, and zucchini, and cook for another 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the tomatoes, broth, tomato paste, and sugar, and stir for approximately 1 minute. Simmer uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Stir in the basil leaves, if using. Transfer to a blender and blitz the sauce to a puree. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Orzo Salad
1/3 cup orzo
2 T. peas, cooked from frozen
1/4 cup drained canned corn
1/2 cup cubed cooked chicken
Dressing
1 T. mayonnaise
1 T. sour cream or Greek-style yogurt
1 t. water
1/2 t. white wine vinegar
1 1/2 t. snipped fresh chives

Cook the orzo according to the package directions. Drain and mix with the peas, corn, and cooked chicken.
Whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing and toss with the salad.

Mummy's Ramen Noodles
2 1/2 ounces Chinese-style dried thin egg noodles (lo mein) or use bean thread (cellophane) noodles
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 t. soy sauce
1/3 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup drained canned corn or frozen corn
1/2 cup shredded cooked chicken
1/2 t. cornstarch
1 scallion, thinly sliced

Cook the noodles according to the package directions. Drain and set aside. Put the broth, soy sauce, peas, corn, and chicken in a pan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes.
In a small cup, mix the cornstarch with 1 teaspoon cold water and add to the contents of the pan, then cook, stirring, for another minute or until the liquid thickens slightly. Add the noodles and scallion and reheat briefly, stirring. Transfer to a bowl or small cup to serve.

A Few Tips and Recipes (age 6-9 Months)

2009-06-10T00:00:00.000-07:00

Introducing your baby to solid food can be a frustrating experience. With each bite, more food seems to come out of their mouth than stays in it. One good thing about homemade baby food is the flavor, babies actually like to eat it, so eating time is a bit more enjoyable.

This introductory time, 6-9 months, is also a great time to introduce lots of new flavors as babies tend to be more open to change (everything for them is new). The more flavors they are introduced to, the better chance you have of them not being picky eaters in the future.

I started basic...First Purees

Carrots

Apples

Squash

Sweet potatoes

Peas

After a couple of weeks I introduced more fruits and vegetables...

Potatoes

Broccoli

Cauliflower

Berries

Bananas (not suitable for freezing)

Mango

Avocado (not suitable for freezing)

I steam all of the fruits and veggies that require cooking. Here is a general cooking guide.

Apples-8 min.

Pears- 3-4 min.

Carrots, Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Butternut Squash,

and Pumpkin- 15-20 min.

Tip: Add some leftover cooking water to the steamed fruits and veggies

to thin them out while blending.

Just add it slowly until you have reached your desired consistency.

And don't blend potatoes in a blender or food processor as the mixture will become

starchy, use a food mill instead.

I usually spend one morning, once a month making baby food. Once I start, it is easy to whip up a nice array of food. Even though my baby is now 9 months old, I still like to freeze simple, first purees and then mix them when I warm them up. Carrots are a great combo with Peas because the sweetness of the Carrots balances out the strong flavor of the Peas. Apples and Pears go great together as do Green Beans, Corn and Carrots, and Broccoli and Potatoes. When babies get older, you can also make up and freeze a great cheese sauce which goes GREAT with veggies!

Here are some of my baby's favorites...

Apple and Pear Puree

Ingredients

2 eating apples (I use Gala)

2 ripe pears

4 tbsp pure unsweetened apple juice or water

Generous pinch of ground cinnamon (optional)

Put the fruit into a saucepan together with apple juice or water and pinch of cinnamon (if using), cover and cook over a low heat until tender (about 6 to 8 minutes). Blend the fruit to a smooth puree.

Suitable for freezing

Vegetables and Lentils

Ingredients

2 T butter

1 1/2 cups leeks, finely sliced

1/4 cup celery, chopped

1/3 cup red lentils ( or any color you have)

1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped

2 cups sweet potato, peeled and chopped

1 bay leaf

2 cups vegetable stock or water

Melt the butter in a saucepan and saute the leeks for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the celery and carrot and saute for 5 minutes. Add the lentils, saute for one minute, then add the sweet potato and bay leaf and pour over the stock. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the vegetables and lentils are tender. Remove the bay leaf and blend to a puree.

Suitable for freezing
MAKES 6 PORTIONS

The BEST Oatmeal!!

Ingredients

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup quick oats

6 ready to eat dried apricots, chopped

1 large ripe pear, peeled, cored and cut into pieces

Put the milk, quick oats and chopped apricots in a small saucepan, bring to the boil and then simmer, stirring occasionally for 3 minutes. Puree together with the chopped pear in a hand blender. (You can also add the pear to the oatmeal mixture during the last few minutes of cooking if you want a thinner texture).

Suitable for freezing

MAKES 4 PORTIONS

all pictures and recipes courtesy of annabelkarmel.com

Tips From the Moon

2009-06-09T00:00:00.000-07:00

While we are waiting for "Tips from the Coop" to return...I thought perhaps we would like to hear a few "Tips from the Moon"...Moon being my sister Marianne...funny nickname, long story!

FUSSY EATERS

I have two fussy eaters...one is three years old, the other is eight months old. They are obviously fussy in different ways, but both often make eating time a bit difficult! I really tried to feed my three year-old a variety of things so she wouldn't be a fussy eater...either I didn't do a good enough job, or it just didn't work. She will not eat any fruit unless it's in the form of a fruit snack. She will eat some vegetables but is very picky. I continue to try to introduce/hide new foods to make her diet a bit more well-balanced, but it is not easy! My eight month-old has major texture aversion. I know that she is young and can grow out of it, but add to it that she has a very sensitive gag reflex, and I am dealing with a lot of throw up when I try to introduce chunkier foods. Hence, eating time is a bit difficult.

I just picked up a book from the library by Annabel Karmel called The Fussy Eaters' Recipe Book. I've only had it for a couple of days, but I like the information I've read thus far. Some of her tips that I think might work for me...

Make healthy junk food. I've got a hot dog, corn dog, chicken nugget lovin' kid. This book has some great recipes for homemade pizzas, chicken nuggets, and even ramen noodles.
"Disguise vegetables by blending them into a tomato sauce and serve with pasta. You can double-bluff by leaving a few chunky vegetables in the sauce for your child to pick out, then he'll never suspect that ther are still some in there." Brilliant!
She says that the key to getting your child to like eating salad is to have a good dressing. There are some great dressing recipes that even sound good to me!
"Children like eating with their fingers, so serve vegetables such as corn on the cob with melted butter, or baked potato wedges." That is so true about my child!
Tying right in with the "being prepared" theme of this blog, she also recommends getting your kids involved in growing a garden as they may be more interested in eating foods that they watched grow. I've seen first-hand how Jac's kids are interested in the food from their garden!

As for my baby, I did have a small success the other day. Thanks to Jac's inspiration, I also make my own baby food. The purees are always a hit, so I ground up some cooked chicken and mixed it in with carrots and sweet potatoes and she had no idea that it was even there! I may get her to chew food without gagging yet!!

P.S. Annabel Karmel has some great baby food recipe books too, and I just saw a recipe for pureed lentils and vegetables that actually looked good. Yahoo for food storage and homemade baby food! I've never felt so resourceful!

Homemade Baby Food

2009-06-08T00:00:00.000-07:00

I know this post does not apply to everyone...but I just think it is a very "provident" thing to do, so if you have far surpassed needing baby food, pass the info onto a friend.

I personally started to make my own baby food this past year. My motivation was a financial one and I knew I would save TONS of money making my own rather than purchasing it....so I went to the library, checked out a few books on the topic and was well on my way.

I started simple, just copied the "Gerber 1st" Foods and the results were amazing. Not only did I save a lot of money, but my baby LOVED to eat it! This food actually had flavor! I have been just kicking myself that I didn't make my own baby food for my other children.

Here are the basics of what I do...

Steam the fruits and veggies until they are cooked through, puree them up in my blender, and fill up ice cube trays full of food to freeze until a later date.

Once frozen, I label and date a freezer bag and fill 'er up.

I then put my nicely labeled bag into a plastic container that is already full of other labeled bags and stick it back in my freezer.

When I am ready to serve it up, I take one serving (2 food cubes, this is potatoes and carrots) and warm it up in the microwave until it is nice and steamy. Then I just let it cool on the counter for awhile until it is just slightly warm. (Although this picture does not show them slightly warm...more like totally frozen, but you get the idea :)!)

Voila! Lickity split! Yummy, tasty baby food.

This week we will be talking tips, recipes, fussy eaters, etc. So come on back now ya hear!

P.S. Joey, if you are out there...we are missing Tips From The Coop! Come back soon!

A Little Freebie

2009-06-05T00:00:00.000-07:00

So this may not be exactly everyone's idea of a 3-Month Supply item, but for my husband it is!

Every Friday through September, Mars is giving away coupons for free chocolate bars (I just had a couple delivered this week!). They offer 250,000 each Friday with a limit of 1 coupon per email address and 4 coupons per household. You must also be 13 years or older to enter.

Click HERE to get your coupon!!

Here's to filling up our food storage and our stomach with rich chocolate!!

What to write...

2009-06-03T00:00:00.000-07:00

I am sitting here staring at the computer screen, wondering what to write about. My brain is somewhere else...I need to adjust my focus. In the meantime, when you have 9 minutes and 18 seconds, check out this YouTube video on Gathering your 3-Month Supply.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqUSUx_mZyA

Your 3-Month Supply

2009-05-29T00:00:00.000-07:00

Well, I am breathing again. I made my last call to the automated jury duty lady and was told I was not yet needed, so we will wait until my next summons...until then, let's talk about the ultimate 3-Month Supply...gardens!!

Remember this picture...

I was so excited because my sugar snap peas were finally holding onto the trellis! Unfortunately it was short lived because I think the next day the wind blew it off.

I ended up having to take matters into my own hands and tied a few of the vines to the trellis. After that they took off and they are growing like crazy! Here is the proof...

A future pea...the heavens are singing!!!

Beautiful aren't they. A mother's love.

Although it is too late to plant these beauties, why not consider these...(I am speaking directly to my sisters who need to get cracking on their gardens!)

A lovely yellow squash perhaps...grown vertically of course.

What about a cherry tomato plant in a "Topsy Turvy". I have always been curious about these things, so when I saw one at Home Depot I had to give it a try. As you can see my tomato plant is very confused and is desperately looking for the sun. I think it might have been too small of a plant, but we are going to give it a go. That is if it can ever straighten itself out.
To be continued...

A Brief Hiatus

2009-05-27T00:00:00.000-07:00

I am taking a brief hiatus from blogging...I think. The reason for my indecision is...I have been confirmed for JURY DUTY this week! AAGGHH!! I am SO STRESSED! It is like my worst nightmare...my own Friday the 13th, Halloween 4, you name it, I am experiencing it! I have to call each night and listen to a lovely computerized voice tell me she "did not understand" me and could I repeat my juror number and then wait...wait for the dreaded words that I have been called up and I am supposed to meet someone named Eddie on the 2nd floor of the Justice Courts or something. I seriously cannot concentrate on anything. Not dinner, not cleaning, nothing! Am I a freak? Yes! But I have seriously been dreading this since I was 18 and a registered voter!

So, Provident Living is taking a bit of a back seat, just until I can pull myself together. That might be tomorrow, it might be Friday, it might be Monday (which is when my breathing will hopefully return to normal).

Until then...bake some bread...it is the Provident thing to do.

Your 3-Month Supply

2009-05-22T00:00:00.000-07:00

Container Gardening

Introducing my new baby...my container herb garden! It sits right outside my kitchen on my very ugly patio. My trellis' have taken a bit of a back seat while I am waiting for things to grow, so in the meantime I am giving most of my time and attention to this beauty. I have always wanted to plant some sort of produce in a container, I just haven't gotten around to it. But this was my year! I chose herbs because 1. I like herbs and 2. I have heard that if you grow your herbs close to your kitchen you are more likely to actually use them in your cooking.

I have planted herbs every year, down in my grow box, and they just grow and grow all summer...that is it. Just grow. I never seem to use them, I guess I am just too lazy to walk down my back steps to get them. So, I thought I would try something new.

What I needed...

1 big container (I got a great wood one from Home Depot for under $25)

1 bag of potting soil ( I used one, 2 cubic foot, bag)

Plants (this year I planted basil, thyme, rosemary, Italian parsley, and a green pepper plant in the middle)

That's it!

If you are interested in a container herb garden I found some great information on the USU extension site. They talk about what herbs grow well in containers, what size of containers you will need, and the best way to plant and care for your herb garden. Click HERE to get to their site.

And I came across the most fantastic bread recipe the other day that uses herbs. Just wait until you see it! It is seriously the coolest looking loaf of bread I have ever seen! My rosemary will be spectacular in this thing! When you click the link, scroll down a bit to get to the bread.

Here is the link...http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/05/the-bread-in-his-words/

Enjoy!!

Baby Steps Part 3

2009-05-21T00:00:00.000-07:00

Tip #3

You are not doing this alone.

Not only are you one of MANY who are trying diligently to build up their home storage, but there is One who not only wants you to succeed, but will help you succeed.

Big thanks to Julia who left a comment yesterday and included this verse of "How Firm A Foundation"

"Fear not, I am with thee

oh be not dismayed

for I am thy God

and will still give thee aid

I'll strengthen thee,

help thee,

and cause thee to stand,

Upheld by my righteous omnipotent hand."

There is nothing that brings more peace than the knowledge that the Lord is with us and will help us. There is nothing that cannot be accomplished.

Amen :)!

Baby Steps Part 2

2009-05-20T00:00:00.000-07:00

Tip #2
Set Realistic Goals and Continue To Build On Those Goals

I have been reading a book entitled "Food Storage 101, Where Do I Begin?" by Peggy Layton. In it she discusses taking particular steps in a particular order when obtaining your food supply. It starts with just simply finding a place to store, then it moves on to creating shelving, then obtaining alternate cooking equipment...finally leading to a home grocery store. It is not done all at once, it is done step by step.

One thing I have done is take a good look at what I have and decide what areas make me feel vulnerable. I have a great space, I have some good shelving (although I need a few more shelves), I have a decent supply of food but I haven't stored "meals". That is something I need to work on. I also need to purchase some canning equipment that will help me convert my summer harvest into winter eats. I also need to store garden seeds.

This is what I am going to focus on for the next few months. There is A LOT more I need to do, but this is a good start and gives me the satisfaction of "moving forward." I believe these are realistic goals and when I have accomplished these ones, I will move on to the next.

Like I always say...two steps forward and one step back is still progress.

Such is life!!!

Baby Steps

2009-05-18T00:00:00.000-07:00

I have been feeling a bit overwhelmed lately. Nothing specific...just a lot of little things that have left me emotionally tired. So it didn't help when I was watching "NIGHTLINE" the other night and watched a story on a "Doomsday Lady". This particular woman, by her own admission, believes that we are at the beginning of the end. She no longer drives a car because she doesn't want to be dependant on gas, she heats her home with one small wood burning stove, and she tries her best to live off her land so she is in control of her own food supply. She is an extremist. She knows it. I know it...but it got me all worked up and nervous.

Then, I went to the grocery store on Saturday and as I filled up my cart...thought of my own dependency on the grocery store and felt those twinges of panic. Unfortunately, I let those feelings fester through the night..."Can we truly store ALL we will need?", "I don't have an endless supply of money, I am limited in what I can purchase each month...what if I run out of time?", "When it really comes down to it...do I really know WHAT we need?", "THIS IS SO OVERWHELMING!!" Have any of you had these thoughts? Does "getting prepared" seem so overwhelming and impossible at times that you just do nothing? You are not alone...I feel that way at times. And it is at those times I have to take a step back and breathe...and come back to reality and remember that I can only do what I can do...and that is enough. Truly.

Due to the fact I am currently refocusing myself...I thought I would devote a few posts on how to get back on track when you become overwhelmed.

Tip#1
Keep reminding yourself of the goal. It is so easy to lose our focus. Our lives are busy and with all we have going on it is easy to get focused on other things and lose sight of the goals we have set for ourselves. If you set reasonable goals and keep those goals in the forefront of your mind (and maybe a post it note on your fridge) you will not only slowly be able to build up a supply, but will be filled with a sense of satisfaction each month as you accomplish what you set out to do.

Giveaway Winners!!!

2009-05-15T00:00:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all that entered!! Let's get right to it!

Giveaway #1 Winner (the bread making products) is...

Comment #2

"Marianne said...
I am going to try and expand my garden this year!"

Giveaway #2 Winner (the all-in-one bung wrench)

Comment #10

"Suzanne said...
My goal is to try and become a regular bread maker! And I'm trying to build up the basics of my long-term food storage."

Giveaway #3 Winner (the garden trellis)

Comment #5
"Blue said...
oh, ps: i am already a MAJOR follower your blog. as you are aware. i'm also a MAJOR fan of that emma. as it turns out. ♥"

Oh goodness! I can't stand the thought of anyone not winning something, so...Superhey, Andrea and Danielle...you have all won a homemade batch of tasty whole wheat cinnamon rolls. Made with love by ME! They will be hot and ready Saturday morning! Email me with your Saturday schedule so we can coordinate! Except for Danielle of course, who will be dining on fine hospital food and looking at her new baby! I will bring yours over next week!

Seed Sale

2009-05-14T00:00:00.000-07:00

With the weather warming, the window for planting lettuce, spinach, arugula, radishes, etc. is closing (until late summer), but there are still so many things you can plant...

Squash, Tomatoes, Beans, Peppers, Cucumbers, Pumpkins, Onions, etc. And whereas I like to transplant Tomatoes and Peppers already in their "plant" form, I have just within the last few days, planted the rest of my produce from seed.

The good news is, Smith's has ALL of their seeds on sale for 50% off until Saturday. I went and stocked up on a few last minute seeds today...namely, cucumbers and grabbed a few packs of lettuce, spinach and arugula that I will plant again come September. You also might want to consider getting some seed packs to store for a rainy day. Seeds stored in your freezer can last anywhere from 10-15 years.

That is peace of mind.

The Rocket Has Landed!!

2009-05-13T00:00:00.000-07:00

I am not the type of person that tries something new and succeeds the first time around. My life seems to be a lot of trial and error...is your life like that sometimes?

It is for that reason I am singing at the tops of my lungs today because MY SNAP PEAS HAVE GRABBED ON TO THE TRELLIS!!! My maiden voyage with vertical gardening has seen a glimmer of success. Oh the possibilities!!

I thought you might want to see what is making me sing...

Beautiful isn't it!? I have sat there and stared all day at this amazing feat!

So the moral of this story is...if I can do it, you can do it!

GO VERTICAL GARDENING!!

Don't forget to enter the giveaway...we are giving away a Garden Trellis! Just think of all the singing you will be doing!

Tips From The Coop

2009-05-12T00:00:00.000-07:00

How to Store 8 Tons of Water in a Little Box

Water Filters!!!

Many of you may have a water filter in your camping box that will filter up to 300 gallons of water. All you need is a creek or a rain storm and you have 2500 pounds of water in an 8 oz box.

Now some perspective… we store food and water primarily to protect our family against things like job loss, or short term food shortages. If I was out of a job for 6 months, I may be using my food storage, but probably not heading down to the Mill creek every morning for water to filter.

Water filters would come into play during a much more serious disaster. A few years ago we ran into a deal on the internet to by a used British Berkefeld high capacity water filter. These filters are used by the Red Cross in ventures around the world and use gravity to filter over 2000 gallons or water…that is over 8 tons of water.

Though I don’t recommend every family having such a filter, it is something to think about as a group. Organizing water solutions at a neighborhood level is wisdom.

Finishing Up Our Giveaway...

2009-05-11T00:00:00.000-07:00

I thought I would stretch this out over a few weeks, but in hopes that more people would enter...I figured I would just do it all at once!

So in an effort to promote bread making...
Giveaway #1

A 1 lb. container of SAF Yeast

One can of Dough Enhancer

One can of Vital Wheat Gluten

Now if you are telling yourself, "I don't make the same kind of bread you do and don't need Vital Wheat Gluten and Dough Enhancer." Don't worry, Dough Enhancer is a great addition to cookies and other baked goods and is a great shelf life extender. Dough Enhancer and Vital Wheat Gluten are not necessary bread making items, but add quality. All bread is great while hot, but often becomes crumbly the next day. Adding Dough Enhancer to your bread will allow you to make great sandwiches and even wrap bread around a hot dog for days after it is baked.

To help with water storage...
Giveaway #2

All-in-one Bung Wrench

A bung wrench is not big in size, but it has many uses...namely, opening those big blue water barrels and opening 5 and 6 gallon storage buckets. If you have purchased wheat commercially packaged in a bucket...you will need one of these.

To help with gardening...

Giveaway #3

A Ladder Trellis

This will be a great help if you are interested in growing vertically. It is made from treated wood, so it should last you a nice long time and is a great for growing produce in a small space.

You can enter in three different ways...

Leave a post with your first and last name
Leave a post with one goal you have set to live more providently.
Become a public follower of this blog...if you are already a follower, still put your first and last name and then "follower".

Now I am counting on more entries than last time...so don't be shy...seriously!!

All winners will be posted on Friday, May 15th

Your 3-Month Supply

2009-05-08T00:00:00.000-07:00

Vertical Gardening You are probably saying to yourself, "Why does she keep talking about gardening? Will she stop already!" The answer is probably not, but not to be disrespectful, just because I am currently obsessed with it myself. I suspect I have always felt a pull to dig my hands in the earth and miraculously watch something grow, but it is more than that for me now...I am dealing with a less than perfect gardening space and I WANT TO WIN!!! I want to figure it out, against all odds and be the MASTER of my yard! (I am trying to psyche myself up here).

No really, I have a strip of space by my back fence which has great sunlight, but TERRIBLE soil. I am trying to improve it, but it is a slow process. I am determined though to get maximum production out of a small space and one way of doing this is by growing things vertically on a trellis.

I currently have two trellis' up, one for snap peas and the other for cucumbers. I am hoping to put three more up and grow zucchini, yellow squash, and hopefully butternut squash. These are typically vegetables that require a great deal of space as they spread their viney arms, but I am just going to channel them a bit and make them grow my way :)!

The other nice thing about growing vertical, is you get great landscape design. My nice brown fence will be covered in green this season!

Trellis' can cost anywhere from $7- $25 depending on what you are looking for. Mine are rectangular in shape and are made from treated wood (and cost $9.99), but they have all sorts of fancy shapes and trellis' made from vinyl, metal, etc.

Learning to garden takes time, it takes time to get your soil just right, it takes time to learn what grows well in your yard, it takes time to acquire all of the tools you need to be able to cultivate and grow your own produce. If you have a little space...why not try your hand at vertical gardening...you just might get hooked.

Guest Post

2009-05-07T06:28:00.000-07:00

Not all of us are motivated to get "prepared" for the same reason. What motivates one, may not motivate another. I think there is so much we can learn from each other which is why I asked my aunt and friend, Kay, to write a post about her recent preparation experience.

"Let me start out by saying I am a “Worrier.” Some people might think of me as “Paranoid,” but I prefer “cautious.”

Yes, I have had my fair share of sleepless nights. I stay up worrying about things that I shouldn’t. Like, worrying about what I am going to do when my 2 year old gets drafted in a war. When someone like me hears the words, “If you are prepared, ye shall not fear.” One can only imagine what that creates in my mind.

I have probably thought of every disaster in my mind multiple times. What will happen? Where will my family be when it does happen? Will my children be afraid? Will we be cold? Will I be prepared enough to have the means to provide for my family?

But amazingly I hadn’t thought about the disaster that we have been faced with the past two weeks. A pandemic. All the things I have thought about for years, heat, gas, electricity and water, are not even an issue with a pandemic. You will have all of those things. But still you must be prepared.

You must be prepared enough to not feel the urgency to run to the store the second they announce a pandemic. You need to have all the things that everyone wants, already on your shelves. Because as I learned from personal experience, after it is announced, you can drive to every store within a 30 mile radius and they will not have hand sanitizer.

You must stock pile your shelves enough to have everything you need for at least 3 weeks (in my opinion). So after my 24 hour “freak out” about the swine flu, I finally calmed down and decided to make the most of this pandemic. I have been making lists, of all the things that I wish I had stocked up on, when they announced that the Swine Flu was in Utah.

I personally feel that this Swine Flu scare was a test. A test that I failed, and I don’t intend on failing it again. Next time I will be ready. I know I will still feel anxious about my family’s safety and well being, but I will feel confident that we can stay home until the threat is gone.

Every list for each family is different, but I will just share the things that made mine. This is not a complete list, these are just the first things that came to my mind, but take some time to make your own list."

Hand Sanitizer (of course)

Masks

Latex gloves

Duct Tape

Plastic Sheeting

Comet

Dish Washer Detergent

Dish Soap

Laundry Detergent

Bleach

Disinfecting Wipes

Bars of Soap

Shampoo

Toothpaste

Toothbrushes

Medicine

Chicken (using 1 bag, have 2 more stocked up)

Chicken Nuggets (for my kids)

Peanut Butter

Fruit Snacks

Saltines

Graham Crackers

Cereal (Lots and lots)

Granola Bars

Canned Chicken/Tuna

Cases of Bottled Water

Trash Bags

Ziploc Bags

Milk (currently have 12 gallons)

Butter/Margarine

Bread and bread making ingredients

Vitamins

Giveaway Winner!!

2009-05-06T00:00:00.000-07:00

And the winner is...

Comment #11

"Heather Fairbanks :)

(Looks like a GREAT book!!)"

Send me an email with your mailing address and I will get the book sent off to you asap.

Thank you to those who entered.

I have decided to just do one final giveaway...all of the rest of the items in one, so make sure and check out Monday's post to enter.

(I am not promising anything spectacular here, but hopefully useful).

Tips From The Coop

2009-05-05T00:00:00.000-07:00

Water, Water Everywhere

Now that you have your 14 gallons or water per person stored, here are some tips about how to get to the water in the plumbing system of your home as a source of addition water storage.

Nearly every home has a hot water heater that stores between 40 and 80 gallon of water. Here is what you need to know…

The process of heating water forces out sediments that are naturally carried in water. As a result your water heater is gradually filling up with sediment. To flush out this sediment simply attach a hose to the faucet-looking valve located at the bottom of the water heater and open the valve using the hose to direct the water to a nearby drain or bucket. At first the water may be cloudy or even ‘muddy’ (these sediment are completely safe). Continue flushing until the water is clear…once a year ought to do.

Why? A clean water heater is more efficient (saves you money), stores more water (not sediment) and when you need to use the water as an emergency supply you will have clean, not muddy water.

Note… City water systems in the past have become contaminated for various reasons, usually for short periods of time (a few days), so storing water in separate containers is still crucial.

Second Note…You may have hear those advocating using water from the toilet tank in an emergency. First, there is a very large different between the tank and the bowl of the toilet. This water is potable, but do not use if you have ever put in your tank those “make my toilet smell better” chemicals. Last resort on this one!!!

Pandemic Prep

2009-05-04T00:00:00.000-07:00

Talk of the "Swine Flu" is everywhere. There is a lot of uncertainty and with uncertainty can come panic. Thankfully, this particular flu outbreak seems to be fairly mild, but I think with this scare is a great opportunity to take inventory of what you would want to have on hand if a more severe pandemic were to strike our community.
So what things would you want to have on hand during a pandemic?

disposable gloves
lots of detergent (as you will probably be doing a lot of laundry)
bleach
garbage bags
toilet paper
Kleenex
paper towel
liquid hand soap
hand sanitizer
medicines for fever
fluids with electrolytes
N95 grade face masks

For a more detailed list of items to have on hand click HERE.

You would also want to have at least a 2 week supply of food on hand as grocery store shelves could easily be emptied in a panic. For example...one item that is flying off store shelves these days is hand sanitizer. It is nearly impossible to find. When I heard this I went to a store outside my area and all I could find was 5 bottles of Germ X ...in the whole store. All trial size were gone, all bottles of every other brand were gone. I say this not to cause alarm, just to illustrate that when there is panic...shelves can be emptied in no time. Preparing before hand will give you peace of mind during a time of stress.

Make a list today of things you would want to have on hand if you were largely confined to your home, specifically keep in mind items you would need if your family members were sick.

No need to panic today...just prepare for tomorrow.

Update: I was on CNN this morning and read a great article regarding keeping your hands free of the influenza virus. Click HERE if you are interested in reading it.

Time For A Giveaway!!!

2009-04-29T00:00:00.000-07:00

We have reached a milestone here at Safely Gathered In...100 posts! To help us celebrate we are having ourselves a little giveaway ("little" being the key word here). During the next few weeks, we will be spotlighting different items and then giving them away in a random drawing. Now don't be shy...we want ALL interested to enter! The more people we have, the more fun it will be to win!

There is a great blog out there called Everyday Food Storage. I have been checking it fairly regularly for about a year now and have learned some great tricks for using food storage items in everyday life. The girl who does the site has just written a cookbook called I Can't Believe It's Food Storage. Here is the product description...

"Do you have a three-month supply of food for your family? Are you building up and using your long-term food storage? In I Can't Believe It's Food Storage , author Crystal Godfrey explains how to transition common food-storage items (such as powdered milk, whole wheat, and dried beans) into your own recipes. Godfrey also provides over 100 kitchen-tested recipes for you to try. In addition, you'll learn how to put together a personalized three-month supply and how to involve your entire family in planning and preparing meals. And as for that vitally important long-term food supply, you'll learn what to store, and you'll be using it every day to make meals your family will love. All you have to do is follow the easy step-by-step program outlined in the book. When you taste the wonderful meals you'll effortlessly create once you follow the program, you'll be saying, "I can't believe it's food storage!"

So, there you have it! We will be giving away a book to one lucky winner. You can enter in three different ways (for a total of three entries).

First Entry- leave a comment with your first and last name.

Second Entry- leave a comment with one way you use food storage in your everyday life.

Third Entry- become a follower of this blog and then leave a comment stating you are a follower.

We will draw the winner on Wednesday, May 6th so make sure to check back to see if you have won!

Tips From The Coop

2009-04-28T00:00:00.000-07:00

Water…the Most Precious

Water is an absolutely crucial part of your family’s preparedness. It is generally recommended to store 14 gallons per person.

How is this number calculated? Can I store more or less?

One gallon of water a day is enough water to supply basic needs; half for hygiene, the other half for drinking and food prep. Storing a year’s supply of water using these guidelines, a family of 4 would have to store 1500 gallons, or 6 tons of water. It is very impractical, especially considering the fact that this would only supply basic needs.

Many organizations, including the Church, recommend a two week supply of water resulting in 14 gallons of water per person in your household.

If you have the space I would recommend storing more. It is an unusual paradigm, water is the cheapest item to store, the most vital item for life, but may be the most forgotten storage item.

The next few posts on “Tips From the Coop” will be geared toward understanding other ways to store water without having a swimming pool in the basement.

Learn from the Experience of Others

2009-04-27T00:00:00.000-07:00

When deciding what to store it is important to think of food your family already eats. That way, you are eating what you store and storing what you eat. While this is good advice, I also think there is value is learning the stories of those who have lived in a time of hardship...

what things did they wish they had?
what was valuable?
what do they personally store now?

Experience is a wonderful teacher...what a blessing to learn from others experiences.

I read a talk years ago given by F. Enzio Busche. In it he discussed his experiences living in post-war Europe. He talked about the challenges as well as what was valued. One of the items at the top of the list...oil. He said this single item could be bartered for anything, it was worth its weight in gold.

After hearing of this man's experiences, we store extra oil/fat.

There is a dear lady in our ward that also lived Europe during and after World War 2. Her family went through many trials. They went for long periods of time on limited food. I asked her if her past experiences influenced what she currently stored. She told me "absolutely" and one thing at the top of her list was Kool Aid, because it would mask the taste of stored, stale water.

I will be storing fruit drink mix. Not because my family uses it now, but because we may need it in the future.

Food for thought at least.

Your 3-Month Supply

2009-04-24T00:00:00.000-07:00

I spend a good deal of time staring at my garden...hoping my labors have not been in vain and something good will come out of my less than perfect soil. It is comforting to know there are many out there that are trying their hand at gardening...realizing the benefits it can offer. It is even more comforting and even a bit exciting that the Provident Living site of the Church now has a section on growing a garden!

With plenty of planting time left, I thought it might be worth taking a look at.

Click HERE to get to the site.

image courtesy of allposters.com

Have A Plan

2009-04-23T00:00:00.000-07:00

When buying items for your food storage, it is important to have a plan before you hit the stores. I have often walked through aisles of food storage items and thought, "this would be a good thing to get, oh, but what about this? And I am sure I will need this...sometime!" Our minds can go crazy trying to sufficiently plan for EVERY situation! One thing to remember is that we most likely will not be able to get everything we might need for every situation, we just need to do the best we can. But making a plan can be very helpful, not only for our minds, but for our pocketbooks!

You can create a plan in a variety of ways.

One way is by setting a budget, plan to only spend a certain amount of money each week or each month on food storage. When the money is gone, it is gone. This will help with impulse buying.
Focus on a particular area of food storage each month. For example, one month just focus on Wheat, another on Powdered Milk, another on Water, etc. Don't forget about your 3-month supply and just stock up on a few extra things each time you go to the grocery store.
Save your money and take advantage of semi-annual case lot sales (particularly at Macey's where they sell a lot of great food storage items). Shopping this way allows you to get a variety of items at once. It will require some discipline though as there are SO many things at such a great price. Deciding what you need before hand will make a big difference.

Taking some time to establish a plan and then really following through with it will help you not only achieve your goals, but will allow you to keep your sanity in the process :)!!

The Thirst Quencher

2009-04-22T00:00:00.000-07:00

It doesn't take me long to feel slightly panicked when I think about not having access to water. I drink A LOT of water! I carry around a mug I was given at the hospital after having my children and just refill it all day long. I usually know it is time to have another kid when my mug breaks...but that is a story for another day.

I usually buy a flat of water every time I go to Costco and every year or so will buy or seriously consider buying a new water container (sometimes big, sometimes small). It gives me peace of mind.

The one great thing about storing water is that it is CHEAP, CHEAP, CHEAP! Bottled water doesn't cost much, and storage containers don't really cost that much either...especially when you just recycle your soda pop or juice containers. Click HERE for tips on how to clean your bottles.

The other nice thing about water storage is that it can handle severe temperature fluctuations...it doesn't always have to be in a cool place. So you can store some of your water in the garage or other areas of your home that may be subject to heat. It is actually a good idea to store water in various places in your home so that if one area was inaccessible for any reason, you would always have access to water.

Want additional info?

LDS Church-Provident Living

FEMA

image courtesy of Kidipede

Tips From The Coop

2009-04-21T00:00:00.000-07:00

Peanut Butter Balls…YUM

One of my favorite memories as a kid was making Peanut Butter Balls with my family. With a short ingredient list, and no cooking required, these are perfect for the whole family to make together. AND this tasty treat is made up completely of things in the storage room!!!

PEANUT BUTTER BALLS

1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup chocolate chips
½ cup instant milk
3 T. water

Mix and shape into balls by hand…FUN. Refrigerate and eat.

Make It Personal

2009-04-20T00:00:00.000-07:00

I was talking with my husband yesterday about an Elders Quorum activity he was trying to put together that centered around Family History. He said the purpose of the activity was to provide a way for those that attend to come to know just one of their ancestors...to learn a bit more about them...to make Family History personal.

When he said that, something clicked. I realized the effect "personalizing" has on things that are hard. I think it gives us motivation.

For me, storing food has always been personal. Food Storage played a very significant role in my family after my father passed away. It is still personal. I think that is what motivates me to keep going.

What personalizes food storage for me may be very different than what personalizes it for you. Most of the time I think it starts with just a desire...a desire to be obedient, a desire to be self sufficient. Take some time today to just think of ways to make storing food personal...it may just make all of the difference. :)!

Your 3-Month Supply

2009-04-17T00:00:00.000-07:00

I recently finished a large container of Taco Seasoning (that I bought at Costco) that I have had in my cupboard for years...well, at least two. My family loves tacos, but even with fairly regular use, it has taken us awhile to get through it. As time has gone on, I have found it necessary to add a bit more seasoning than suggested to get a decent taco flavor.

Last week I opened up a fresh new container for a tasty batch of taco salads. I took my first bite...I think fire shot out of my mouth and my nose ran like a faucet. The seasoning seemed SO intense! Clearly the seasoning is the same...my taste buds are just different. I had gotten used to the "past its prime" seasoning bottle.

Why would I bring up this story? Seasonings and Spices are a critical part to your 3-month supply. They can turn something ordinary and bland into something very palatable. One thing to consider though, is shelf life.

Most ground seasonings can last 3 to 5 years unopened (whole spices will last longer). But once you open it, the quality starts to degrade. Within a year, you no longer have the flavor you started with. So, do you throw away your spices after a year? No, but just make sure and store seasonings in bottles small enough that your family can go through them in a relatively short amount of time. If you use a lot of certain seasonings...i.e. I use cinnamon like it is going out of style... store it in big containers. Otherwise, buy it in the smaller containers at the grocery store so they can stay sealed up longer and be ready for you when you need them. Stores like Walmart, Smiths and Dans all have lower priced spices that can be purchased for as low as $1 for a decent size bottle.

Using Powdered Milk

2009-04-16T00:00:00.000-07:00

I sat down to post about Water Storage, but thanks to a great question by Julia...I am switching gears.

How do you rotate Powdered Milk if you do not plan to drink it?

Here are a few options to consider...

1. Make your own Hot Chocolate Mix!

Fudge-Flavored Hot Chocolate

6 cups powdered milk

3 cups powdered sugar

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 cups dry nondairy coffee creamer

1 1/2 large packages chocolate fudge pudding mix

Mix all ingredients together and keep in an airtight container. To use, mix 1 cup hot water to 1/3 cup hot chocolate mix. Makes 40 servings

(recipe from Carla Jean Meaders)

2. Use Powdered Milk in your regular cooking and baking.

Use powdered milk in any recipe that calls for regular milk. Mix up a batch and store it in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Powdered Milk adds tenderness and flavor to meat by holding and absorbing the meat juices. Add to meatloaf or hamburgers to enrich flavor. Add 1/4 cup of milk to each pound of hamburger and mix well.
I have heard that powdered milk is TASTY in mashed potatoes! Add 1/4 cup of powdered milk to 1 cup of potatoes and use the potato water to get the right consistency.

3. Use it in most bread recipes (except for mine :)!)

Natalie's Speedy Rolls

from "Favorites"

2 T dry yeast

2 cups warm water, divided

1 cup instant powdered milk

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 t salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

6 cups flour

Combine 1 cup of the warm water with the yeast; set aside (I use SAF instant yeast, so I don't have to "soak" the yeast before hand). In mixing bowl, mix together the other cup of water with the powdered milk, sugar, eggs, salt, butter and 1 cup of the flour. Add the softened yeast and blend. Pour in remaining flour slowly while mixing and knead for 10to 15 minutes (I have always had to add more than 6 cups of flour...after adding the 6 cups, I slowly add flour to the dough mixture until I get a nice, tacky consistency with the dough. You need to be able to work with it.) Place dough in oiled bowl and let rise until double in size (about an hour). Punch down dough and divide in half. Roll out each half into a large circle on a floured surface and cut with a pizza cutter or knife into 12 segments. Roll up "croissant-style" and place on greased cookie sheets. Let rise 15 minutes, then bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes, or until golden.

Hope this is helpful. If anyone has any great recipes using powdered milk...please share!

Rotating Can Racks

2009-04-15T00:00:00.000-07:00

For YEARS I have wanted a Shelf Reliance Food Rotation System! They are an organizers DREAM! The problem...they are VERY expensive and I can't talk my husband into it! So what is a girl to do? Make her own (or get her husband to make them if she is blueprint challenged...like me)!

Months ago, I came across a food storage blog that talked all about making your own rotating can racks out of cardboard boxes. I have seriously searched hours for it since then...and lo and behold, I found it this morning while looking for blog images! Click HERE to see their post.

Then I noticed at the end of the post, one of the ladies at Food Storage Made Easy had made a few and provided a detailed description of how they did it...including pictures. Click HERE for easy instructions.

If anyone decides to make one of these...let us know...and include pictures! I would love to get a handful of these in my food storage room!

Tips From The Coop

2009-04-14T00:00:00.000-07:00

The Powdered Milk Dilemma

Ideally, everything in your storage room would be rotated before expiring because it was used up in the kitchen. This creates a MILK DILEMMA for most families, including ours.

The recommended 90 quarts of stored milk per person is a lot of milk, powdered or otherwise. Adding to the problem, powdered milk has always carried with it a very short shelf life; as little as two years. The dilemma is only compounded by the fact that powdered milk has a nemesis…a gallon of real milk.

LUCKILY, BYU (boooo) recently finished a study that helps fix the dilemma. In the last few months the Ensign noted that in the study, powdered milk (among other stored foods) was found to have a much longer shelf life than previously expected; as much as 10 years. That is plenty of time for my family to cycle through powdered milk.

Here is the catch… Packaging is critical. “Number ten cans” (a coffee can) are the most approachable way to store milk for such long periods. Many powdered milk products come pre-packaged in #10 cans.

Difference Between Instant And Non-Instant Milk

2009-04-13T00:00:00.000-07:00

Have you noticed there are two varieties of powdered milk...instant and non-instant? The differences may not seem too significant, but they can be. Here are a few things to be aware of.

Non-instant is more dense, therefore it takes up less space to store as you get more milk per container. (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

If you are making a recipe that calls for instant powdered milk, you would use about half as much of the non-instant, because of the density difference. The opposite would also be true, if a recipe called for non-instant milk, you would have to double the instant milk to get the same result.

Using powdered milk in everyday cooking can be challenging here is a recipe for starters. Notice it calls for instant powdered milk...

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

image courtesy of amazon.com

Your 3-Month Supply

2009-04-10T00:00:00.000-07:00

Have you ever looked at the grocery store ads that come in the mail or the newspaper and wondered if the "BIG SALES" advertised were really a good deal? I have, and I am so excited about the Price Point List I found on Pinching Your Pennies. The list they have created shows a variety of goods you would purchase at the grocery store and shows you at what price an item would be considered a "3 star, 4 star, or 5 star" item. 5 star items are the ones you want to stock up on...so this give you a little heads up when doing planning your shopping list.

Click HERE to see the Price Point list.

Hints for using Powdered Milk

2009-04-09T00:00:00.000-07:00

Growing up my Mom would try and trick me by putting powdered milk in the store bought milk carton. Did anyone else have that experience? I was unfortunately a milk snob...still am, and I ALWAYS called my Mom out on her trickery. Since then, I have had to pull the same tricks on my own kids. Luckily for me, I have learned a few tricks which have saved me lots of grief.

To make powdered milk that is truly consumable (even my husband will drink this) try this..

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.

Even if you don't want to go cold turkey, try adding a little powdered milk to your store bought milk...it will just make last longer!

image courtesy of hillbillyhousewife.com