Oct Meeting--Using Dehydrated and Freeze dried foods

Carrots Au Gratin
4 ½ cups Sliced Carrots (2 cups dry carrots rehydrated)
⅔ cup Crushed Buttery Round Crackers
3 tbsp. Margarine, melted
½ cup Chopped Onion (3 TBS dry)
3 tbsp. All-Purpose Flour
½ tsp. Salt
¼ tsp. Ground Black Pepper
1 ½ cups Milk
⅔ cup Shredded Processed Cheese
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Place carrots in a steamer over 1 inch of boiling water, and cover. Cook until tender but still firm, about 6-10 minutes. Drain. Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine crushed crackers with 1 tablespoon melted margarine. Mix well and set aside.
3. In a medium skillet over low heat, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of margarine and saute onions until tender. Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Cook for a few minutes, stirring to prevent browning. Gradually pour in milk, stirring constantly. Increase heat to medium and cook until bubbly and thickened. Add cheese and stir until smooth. Fold in carrots.
4. Pour mixture into a 9x12 inch baking dish and sprinkle with the crumb mixture.
Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until bubbly and golden brown


Dijon Glazed Carrots

3 cups Baby Carrots (1 2/3 cup dry)
2 tbsp. Butter
2 tbsp. Light Brown Sugar, packed
2 tbsp. Dijon Mustard
Parsley, chopped
Directions:
Rehydrate carrots (either overnight or on the stove--cover with water and cook on low until they are soft). Drain most of the water. Cook for about 7 minutes. Dump any extra water and add butter, sugar and mustard. Cook until sugar is melted ) about 2 minutes)and serve. Sprinkle with parsley.

Carrot Cake III

4 Eggs
1 ¼ cups Vegetable Oil
2 cups White Sugar
2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
2 cups All-Purpose Flour
2 tsp. Baking Soda
2 tsp. Baking Powder
½ tsp. Salt
2 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
3 cups Grated Carrots (1 1/2 cups dry then rehdyrated)
1 cup Chopped Pecans
½ cup Butter, softened
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.
2. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, white sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in carrots. Fold in pecans. Pour into prepared pan.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
To Make Frosting: In a medium bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Stir in chopped pecans. Frost the cooled cake.

Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup

1 tbsp. Melted Butter
½ medium Chopped Onion (1/4 c. dry)
¼ cup Melted Butter
¼ cup Flour
2 cups Half-And-Half Cream
3 cups Chicken Stock
½ Lb Fresh Broccoli
1 cup Carrot, julienned (1/2 c dry)
¼ tsp. Nutmeg
8 oz. Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese (opt)
hot sauce to taste (about 1/2 to 1 tsp for wimps like me)
1 TBSP dijon mustard (don’t use regular mustard)
Salt And Pepper

Description: Very good soup...serve with crusty bread.
Directions:
1. Sauté dry onions and dry carrots in butter until a little brown.
Add 3 cups chicken stock and simmer until veggies are soft (about 25 minutes).
Mix flour and butter together until smooth. Wisk into the chicken stock.
4. Add broccoli, half and half
5. Simmer until broccoli is soft
Add salt and pepper. Purée in a blender. if desired. Return to heat and add cheese. Stir in nutmeg.


Cheesy Ham and Hash Brown Casserole

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cup dehydr. potatoes
8 oz. Cooked, diced ham
2 (10.75 ounce) Cans Condensed Cream Of Potato Soup
1 (16 ounce) Container Sour Cream
2 cups Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
1 ½ cups Grated Parmesan Cheese

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2. In a large bowl, mix hash browns, ham, cream of potato soup, sour cream, and Cheddar cheese. Spread evenly into prepared dish. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Bake 1 hour in the preheated oven, or until bubbly and lightly brown. Serve immediately.

Chicken and Dumplings II

1 (4 pound) Whole Chicken
4.5 cups Water
3 Cubes Chicken Bouillon
1 pinch Poultry Seasoning
1 pinch Dried Thyme
1 dash Garlic Powder
1 pinch Dried Sage
⅛ tsp. Salt
⅛ tsp. Ground Black Pepper
1 Onion, chopped (1/3 cup dry)
1 ½ cups Chopped Celery (1/2 cup dry)
1 cup Chopped Carrots (1/3 cup dry)
1/2 cup dry potato chunks

1. In a large pot over medium high heat, combine the chicken, water, bouillon, poultry seasoning, thyme, garlic powder, sage and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and allow to simmer. Add the onion, celery, carrots, potatoes, cover pot and allow to simmer for one hour, or until vegetables are tender and chicken is done.
2. In a separate small bowl, combine the flour, buttermilk baking mix, parsley, ground black pepper and milk. Mix together well and form into little balls. Drop these balls into the simmering soup. Simmer for 5 more minutes.
Remove chicken, debone, take off skin, chop the chicken meat and return to pot. Heat through and serve.

Corned Beef Hash

Ingredients:
6 large Potatoes, peeled and diced (2.5 cups dry then rehydrate)
1 (12 ounce) Can Corned Beef, cut into chunks
1 medium Onion, chopped (1/3 cup dry rehdrated)
1 cup Beef Broth

You can rehydrate everything first, or put it all in one pot with 4 cups of water to rehydrate it with everything else)

In a large deep skillet, over medium heat, combine the potatoes, corned beef, onion, and beef broth. Cover and simmer until potatoes are of mashing consistency, and the liquid is almost gone. Mix well, and serve.

Delicious Ham and Potato Soup

3 ½ cups Peeled And Diced Potatoes
⅓ cup Diced Celery
⅓ cup Finely Chopped Onion
¾ cup Diced Cooked Ham
3 ¼ cups Water
2 tbsp. Chicken Bouillon Granules
½ tsp. Salt, or to taste
1 tsp. Ground White Or Black Pepper, or to taste
5 tbsp. Butter
5 tbsp. All-Purpose Flour

Description: This is a delicious recipe for ham and potato soup that a friend gave to me. It is very easy and the great thing about it is that you can add additional ingredients, more ham, potatoes, etc and it still turns out great.

1. Combine the potatoes, celery, onion, ham and water in a stockpot. Bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the chicken bouillon, salt and pepper.
2. In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour with a fork, and cook, stirring constantly until thick, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in milk as not to allow lumps to form until all of the milk has been added. Continue stirring over medium-low heat until thick, 4 to 5 minutes.
Stir the milk mixture into the stockpot, and cook soup until heated through. Serve immediately.

Yummy Sweet Potato Casserole

Ingredients:
4 cups Sweet Potato, cubed
½ cup White Sugar
2 Eggs, beaten
½ tsp. Salt
4 tbsp. Butter, softened
½ cup Milk
½ tsp. Vanilla Extract
½ cup Packed Brown Sugar
⅓ cup All-Purpose Flour
3 tbsp. Butter, softened
½ cup Chopped Pecans
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Put sweet potatoes in a medium saucepan with water to cover. Cook over medium high heat until tender; drain and mash.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the sweet potatoes, sugar, eggs, salt, butter, milk and vanilla. Mix until smooth. Transfer to a 9x13 inch baking dish.
3. In medium bowl, mix the sugar and flour. Cut in the butter until the mixture is coarse. Stir in the pecans. Sprinkle the mixture over the sweet potato mixture.

Bake in the preheated oven 30 minutes, or until the topping is lightly brown.

Apple Crisp II (from Recipezaar.com)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup oatmeal
6 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
6 medium cooking apples (3 cups dry)
With pastry cutter or steel blade in food processor add flour,brown sugar, oatmeal, baking powder, salt and butter. process until mixture no longer looks "floury".
Arrange rehydrated church apples in a buttered 9x13 baking dish.
Spread flour, sugar mix over apples.
Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.
Serve warm with whipped cream or Ice Cream.

Onion Patties
These taste a lot like onion rings.

3/4 cup flour
1 TBSP. sugar
1 TBSP. cornmeal
2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup milk
2 1/2 cups finely chopped onions
(Rehydrate church onions)

Mix all ingredients (except onions) until smooth. Now mix in the onions. Fry in a little oil on the stove top until browned.

Make it Yourself Recipes

I like having ingredients on hand instead of pre made mixes because I have a lot more choices in what I make and I have less to store. Plus, I can make sure there are no bad ingredients. It is kind of fun to try. You also usually save money!!

Make it Yourself Recipes

Chicken or Beef Gravy
3 cups chicken broth or 3 cups Beef Broth
1 (10 ounce) cans mushroom stems and pieces, include liquid
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 tsp each thyme & sage -for chicken gravy
1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
1 teaspoon chicken or beef soup base
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
5 tablespoons instant potato flakes ( Idaho)

In a large frying pan, add broth, mushrooms and liquid and bring to boil.
Add pepper, garlic powder, chicken soup base, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce, stir to blend.
While still at boil, add potato flakes stirring constantly until gravy thickens to a desired consistency.
Use additional instant potato flakes if gravy is too thin. For darker color add a few drops of Kitchen Bouquet. (from Food.com 5 stars from 20 reviewers)

Simple Chicken Gravy
1 cup water
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. chicken Bouillon (more if you like it salty)
pinch of sage
pinch of thyme
3 TBS potato flakes
1 TBS cornstarch
2 tsp. butter
Mix all except butter while cool. Heat and let thicken. Add butter at the end.

Pancake Syrup Ingredients
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
1/3 cup molasses or 1/3 cup corn syrup
1 cup water
1 tablespoon vanilla
maple flavoring

Bring sugars, molasses and water to a boil, stirring constantly.Simmer on low for 5 minutes.Remove and add vanilla and optional maple flavoring if using.
(from www.food.com 5 stars from 6 reviews)

Pancake Mix
4 cups flour
2/3 cup powdered milk
4 TBS. baking powder
6 TBS. Sugar
2 TSP. Salt
Mix well. To make pancakes use:
2 1/3 cup mix
2 eggs well beaten
1/4 cup melted butter

Maple Brown Sugar Oatmeal Packets Mix
"We like those packets of maple brown sugar oatmeal but don't like paying the high price for them. I found this in an issue of Quick Cooking and tried it and we were thrilled with the taste.
1/2 cup non-dairy powdered coffee creamer
2/3 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
For each serving of oatmeal
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup quick oats
1 1/2 TBS. of the mix
Combine the first seven ingredients and mix well; store in an airtight container in a cool dry place for up to 6 months.


Make Your Own Bisquick Mix
4 ½ c sifted flour
2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp + 1 ½ tsp baking powder
1 c shortening
½ tsp salt
2/3 c powdered milk
Stir together flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Sift together 2-3 times in a large bowl. Cut in shortening with pastry blender or two knives until the mixture is similar to cornmeal. Add dry milk. Use in recipes that call for Bisquick or all-purpose mix.

Garlic Cheese Biscuits

2 cups Original Bisquick ® mix
2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (2
ounces)
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Heat oven to 450ºF.
Stir Bisquick mix, milk and cheese until soft dough forms. Drop dough by 9 spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Stir together butter and garlic powder; brush over warm biscuits.

Wheat Thin Crackers
1/2 c oats (blend in blender)
2 tsp honey
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 c organic flour
1/4 tsp soda
1/4 c organic unsalted butter, softened
1/4 c buttermilk, organic is best, do not use nonfat or low fat.
Don't grease the cookie sheets.
Grind 1/2 cup oatmeal at low speed in the blender until fine. Add honey, salt, flour and soda. Cut in butter until mixture forms crumbs and then add the buttermilk. Mix until it forms a ball and sticks together.
Roll thin, cut with animal shaped cookie cutters.
Bake at 400ºF until brown (10 to 12 minutes).

Italian Dressing Mix Like Good Seasons

1 tsp. dried carrots (put the Church’s in a
blender to make them smaller)
1 tsp. dried red bell pepper flakes (I use
green if don’t have red. Dry tiny pieces in
oven-chop in food processor)
3/4 tsp lemon pepper seasoning
1/8 tsp. dried parsley flakes
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
2/3 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper

I get out a lot of little zip lock bags and make a ton of little bags at one time. It works great. To make the dressing:
1 bag mix
1/2 oil
3 TBS water
1/4 Cup Vinegar

Caesar Salad Dressing
(I love this stuff)
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup oil (add mayo instead of you like Creamy Caesar)
1/4 c parmesan cheese (powdered or not)
1 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
1 tsp. mustard
1/2 tsp salt
2 - 3 TBS. Lemon juice
a dash of sugar (1/4 tsp ish)

Just Like Hellmans Mayonnaise - Copycat
"I love buying the Helmans mayonnaise and this tastes just like it. Don't even try to make this on a rainy day or even when it is threatening to rain. It just won't set and you'll end up with a runny mess. You can substitute lemon juice if you don't have white vinegar"
1 eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon dry mustard
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 dash cayenne pepper
1 cup oil (put in fridge until cold)
3 tbls white vinegar/lemon juice
Place egg, mustard, salt, cayenne pepper and 1/4 cup oil in blender and blend on low.
While the machine is blending, SLOWLY pour in another 1/2 cup oil.
You may have to stop and scrape down the mayo.
Add the lemon juice/vinegar and the remaining 1/4 cup oil SLOWLY. The vinegar or lemon juice kills any bad stuff. You can use a dehydrated then rehydrated egg instead of fresh.

Honey Mustard Dressing
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 TBS prepared mustard
1 TBS honey
1/2 TBS lemon juice
Whisk together and store in fridge.

One of my Favorite Salad Dressings

2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds (opt. or add a few drops of sesame oil)
1 tablespoon poppy seeds (optional)
1/2 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons minced onion (You can use dehydrated)
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 cup white wine vinegar (I use all cider vinegar because that is what I have on hand)
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Put it in the blender. Serve with chopped Spinach, or lettuce and toasted almonds and cranberries.



Ranch Dressing Mix
1 cup dried parsley flakes
1/2 cup finely crushed saltines
1/2 cup dried minced onion
1/2 cup garlic salt
1/2 cup onion salt
1/4 cup garlic powder
1/4 cup onion powder
2 tablespoons dill weed

In a large mixing bowl, combine first 8 ingredients; mix well. Store in airtight container in a cool dry place.
3 cups mix is enough to make 24 batches of ranch salad dressing.

For Ranch Dressing:
1/4 cup dry mix
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1 cup buttermilk (to make buttermilk, add 1 tbs. vinegar to milk and allow to curdle)

For Thousand Island Dressing
1/4 cup chili sauce
2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
1 cup prepared ranch
www.cdkitchen.com

Cocktail Sauce
2 Cups Ketchup
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 - 2 TBS. horseradish depending on hot you like it.
a dash of Worcestershire Sauce.

Mix and serve.

Sweet-n-Sour Sauce
1 c. Pineapple Juice
1/2 c brown sugar
9 T. Vinegar
10 1/2 t. cornstarch
2 T. Ketchip
1 1/2 T soy sauce

Combine all in medium saucepan. Turn on stove to medium and cook till thick and bubbly. Serve with won tons or over rice.

Homemade Rice-A-Roni Mix
2 c. rice
1 c. angel hair, vermicelli or spaghettini pasta, broken into very small pieces
¼ c. parsley
6 Tbsp. chicken bullion powder
2 tsp. onion powder
½ tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. tumeric (opt)

Combine all ingredients and mix well.

To prepare: Melt 2 Tbsp. butter in a skillet. Add 1 c. of the mix and stir. Add 2 ¼ c. water. Bring to a boil. Reduce to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Shake and Bake Recipe
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons sugar
10 teaspoons vegetable oil
3 1/2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
2 tablespoons crumbled dry parsley
2 cups fine dry breadcrumbs
Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl; add oil. Mix well. Place in zipper-top plastic bag and store in freezer. Use to coat chicken, pork or veal. 
 To use: Line a baking dish with aluminum foil; grease well. Moisten each piece of meat with water. Shake off excess and shake in bag of mix to coat, one piece at a time. Sufficient for 6 pcs cut up chicken. 
 Place in baking dish and bake in 400 F oven for 30 minutes or until done, depending on size of pieces. Store unused mix in freezer.

Sloppy Joe Mix (CD Kitchen)
2 tablespoons dried minced onion
2 tablespoons dried green pepper flakes
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
Mix ingredients together until well blended; store in an airtight container. 

Instructions: Brown one pound ground beef in a skillet; drain. Add seasoning mix, 1/2 cup water and an 8 oz. can tomato sauce; bring to a boil. 

Reduce heat; simmer for 10 minutes, stirring often. Spoon onto buns to serve.

Taco Seasoning

1 TBS. Chili Powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp minced onion
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder

There are a lot of different recipes for taco seasoning on the web. I like this one because it is very simple and tastes good to me.

Lawry’s Seasoning Salt
2 TBS salt
1 tsp. Sugar
1 tsp. Paprika
1/2 tsp. Tumeric
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp celery salt

Mix and use. (A good place to buy spices is www.bulkfoods.com. Try to find people to split them up with you and buy 5 lbs at a time)

Copycat Lipton's Onion Soup Mix
This is a good clone and way cheaper
3 TBS instant minced onion (Church ones)
1 TBS beef bouillon powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon crushed celery seeds
1/4 teaspoon sugar

Combine all ingredients in bags.(equal to 1 1¼-ounce package). To make onion dip: Mix 1 bag mix, 3/4 pint sour cream, 1/2 cup mayo. You can buy 5 lbs for 14.95 at www.bulkfoods.com

K.c. Masterpiece Original BBQ Sauce
"This is an TSR recipe and tastes just like the bottled bbq sauce you buy in the store"
2 cups water
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup vinegar
3 tablespoons molasses
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon liquid smoke

Using an electric mixer or blender, blend together water, butter, sugar, and vanilla.
Add powdered milk and blend until thick.
Store in refrigerator for one week.

Heinz 57 Steak Sauce (copycat recipe)

1/2 cup white vinegar
1 6 oz can tomato paste
2/3 cup malt vinegar
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard
2 teaspoons apple juice concentrate
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 cup raisins
Blend in blender

Famous Steak Sauce
1/2 cup cold water
1/4 cup raisins
1/2 cup aged balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup Dijon mustard ( no substitutes!)
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 garlic cloves, cut in half but not crushed

Put all ingredients into a small pan and bring to a low simmer.
Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes.
Strain into a bowl by pouring through a fine mesh strainer, pushing raisins with the back of a spoon to release all juices.
Allow to cool completely before seasoning to taste with salt and pepper. It tastes different when its hot.

Steak Sauce
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup white vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon bottled grated orange rind
2 tablespoons Heinz ketchup
2 tablespoons Heinz Chili Sauce
Bring to a boil for 2 minutes stirring.
Remove from heat.
Allow to cool to lukewarm.
Put mixture in a blender till it is pureed.
Pour in bottle.
Cap tightly and refrigerate to use within 90 days.

Chili Sauce
1 cup tomato sauce
2 TBS brown sugar
2 tablespoons vinegar
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp onion powder

Stir the tomato sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, and allspice together in a mixing bowl until thoroughly blended. Pour into a covered container, and refrigerate until ready to use.

Enchilada Sauce

"Tomato sauce, water, and seasonings are thickened with browned flour. Chicken or beef stock could be substituted for the water to heighten flavor."

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 Tbs. chili powder
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp sugar
2 cups chicken broth (or 2 tsp. chicken bouillon and 2 cups water
8 oz. tomato sauce
salt to taste
garlic powder to taste

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute, then add the chili powder and cook for 1 more minute. Gradually stir in the water, mixing well with a whisk to make sure you get out all the lumps, then stir in the tomato sauce and season with salt and garlic powder to taste.

Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. (Note: If sauce thickens too much, just add a little water to thin it out a bit.)

Teriyaki Sauce
2/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup cooking sherry (optional)
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon ground ginger (optional)
1 clove garlic, minced

In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, sherry, sugar, ginger, and garlic.
Copycat Montreal Steak Seasoning Blend
4 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon dehydrated onion
1/2 tablespoon dried garlic
1/2 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tablespoon dried thyme
1/2 tablespoon dried rosemary
1/2 tablespoon dried fennel
Combine all in a Ziploc bag or shaker .

Copycat Heinz Ketchup
1 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
1/2 cup light corn syrup or sugar
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
Whisk together ingredients and simmer in a saucepan for 20 minutes. Allow mixture to cool and refrigerate until needed.

Deluxe Dark Chocolate Cake Mix
"Oh Yeah! Now I can make my own cake mixes just like the big boys!
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups sugar
3/4-1 cup cocoa
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons vegetable shortening

To make cake
1 1/3 cups water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
Combine flour, sugar,cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Now stir to combine. Add shortening, using electric mixer on medium speed to blend the shortening into the dry ingredients. Completely mix shortening until you can't see any chunks. This is the mix which may be kept in a sealed container for several months.

To make the cake:.
Preheat the oven to 350*F. Grease sides and bottoms of two 9" baking pans, or one 9x13" pan. Lightly flour the greased pans. Blend the dry cake mix(above) with water, oil, and eggs in a large bowl with the mixer at low speed until just moistened. Kick up the speed to medium and mix about 2 more minutes.

Pour batter into pans and bake 30-33 minutes for the 9" pans and 35-38 minutes for the 9x13" pan.If you wish to make cupcakes, bake for 19-22 minutes.

Copycat Duncan Hines Boxed Cake Mix
"This cake tastes like a boxed white cake mix only better, it has never failed me yet, it is a recipe that I use over and over again for the *perfect* white cake.

1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup Crisco shortening ( white only)
2 large eggs ( or extra large)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Set oven to 350 degrees.
Set oven rack to second-lowest position.
Grease a 13 x 9-inch baking pan, and line bottom of pan with parchment paper.
In a medium or large bowl, with an electric mixer, cream the sugar and shortening until no granules remain (about 4 minutes).
Add in eggs and almond extract (if using); beat very well for 5 minutes on high speed.
In a small bowl sift together flour, baking soda and salt.
Add to the creamed mixture along with the buttermilk; mix well until blended (about 2-3 minutes).
Transfer to a prepared baking pan.
Bake on second-lowest oven rack for 30-35 minutes (check for doneness after 25 minutes, this cake bakes fast!).

Chocolate Frosting
3 cups powdered sugar
2/3 cup Unsweetened Cocoa
1/2 cup melted butter
4-5 TBS boiling water
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp. Maple flavoring
1/2 tsp. almond flavoring
Beat until smooth. Adding water until it is not too runny. This frosting is a little more runny than fluffy frosting.

Hershey's Chocolate Syrup

1/2 cup Hershey's Cocoa Powder
1 cup Sugar
1 cup water
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1/2 tsp maple flavoring (opt)
2 TBS Non Dairy Creamer (opt)
dash of salt

Combine cocoa, sugar, and salt in a saucepan. Add water, and mix until smooth. Bring this mixture to a boil. Allow it to boil for one minute, be careful this does not over boil. Remove from heat, when this cools add the vanilla. It thickens in fridge

Homemade Jello
1 1/4 TBS. Gelatin (I get mine at
bulkfoods.com)
1 pkg. of unsweetened Kool Aid
1 cup sugar (I use 1 TBS. Stevia)
3 3/4 water
Mix the dry ingredients well and add cool water. Then heat until the sugar it just starts to come to a boil. This costs about 50 cents to make per recipe. Not a huge savings, but I like to have the ingredients on hand so I can make other things.

Homemade Cream-Style Soup Mix

"This easy-to-make soup mix is great to have on hand for those nights when you need to whip up supper in a hurry. It's also a great substitute for canned cream soup in a recipe."

2 cups instant nonfat dry milk powder
10 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup mashed potato flakes
1/4 cup chicken bouillon granules
2 tablespoons dried vegetable flakes (I used church carrots and some dried celery)
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves

In a food processor or blender, combine all the ingredients; cover and process until vegetable flakes are finely chopped. Store in an airtight container in a cool dry place for up to 1 year.

To substitute for 1 can of condensed soup: Combine 1/3 cup mix with 1-1/4 cups cold water in a saucepan. Sir to moisten, then heat over low medium-low heat until thickened. Add to casserole as you would canned soup. Can be used in casserole or as the base for homemade cream soups. 
Equivalent to 9 cans of soup or 18 servings


7 Mistakes of food storage

http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles/tate55.html 7 Mistakes of food storage By Vicki Tate

If you are going to store food, make sure that the food you store is adequate for the need you and your family anticipate. This may not be as easy as to achieve as many people think, because the facts are that most people make serious errors when storing food—errors that will come back to haunt them when the food they’ve stored is the only thing that stands between them and their empty, dissatisfied, bellies.

There are seven common mistakes people make when storing food. They are:

1. Variety

Most people don’t have enough variety in their storage. 95% of the people I’ve worked with have only stored four basic items: wheat, milk, honey, and salt. Statistics show most of us won’t survive on such a diet for several reasons. a) Many people are allergic to wheat and may not be aware of it until they are eating it meal after meal. b) Wheat is too harsh for young children. They can tolerate it in small amounts but not as their main staple. c) We get tired of eating the same foods over and over and many times prefer to not eat, then to sample that particular food again. This is called appetite fatigue. Young children and older people are particularly susceptible to it. Store less wheat than is generally suggested and put the difference into a variety of other grains, particularly ones your family likes to eat. Also store a variety of beans, as this will add color, texture, and flavor. Variety is the key to a successful storage program. It is essential that you store flavorings such as tomato, bouillon, cheese, and onion.

Also, include a good supply of the spices you like to cook with. These flavorings and spices allow you to do many creative things with your grains and beans. Without them you are severely limited. One of the best suggestions I can give you is buy a good food storage cookbook, go through it, and see what your family would really eat. Notice the ingredients as you do it. This will help you more than anything else to know what items to store.

2. Extended staples

Never put all your eggs in one basket. Store dehydrated and/or freeze dried foods as well as home canned and “store bought” canned goods. Make sure you add cooking oil, shortening, baking powder, soda, yeast, and powdered eggs. You can’t cook even the most basic recipes without these items.

3. Vitamins

Vitamins are important, especially if you have children, since children do not store body reserves of nutrients as adults do. A good quality multi-vitamin and vitamin C are the most vital. Others might be added as your budget permits.

4. Quick and easy and “psychological foods”

Quick and easy foods help you through times when you are psychologically or physically unable to prepare your basic storage items. “No cook” foods such as freeze-dried are wonderful since they require little preparation, MREs (Meal Ready to Eat), such as many preparedness outlets carry, canned goods, etc. are also very good. “Psychological foods” are the goodies—Jello, pudding, candy, etc.—you should add to your storage. These may sound frivolous, but through the years I've talked with many people who have lived entirely on their storage for extended periods of time. Nearly all of them say these were the most helpful items in their storage to “normalize” their situations and make it more bearable. These are especially important if you have children.

5. Balance

Time and time again I’ve seen families buy all of their wheat, then buy all of another item and so on. Don’t do that. It’s important to keep well-balanced as you build your storage. Buy several items, rather than a large quantity of one item. If something happens and you have to live on your present storage, you’ll fare much better having a one month supply of a variety of items than a year’s supply of two or three items.

6. Containers

Always store your bulk foods in food storage containers. I have seen literally tons and tons of food thrown away because they were left in sacks, where they became highly susceptible to moisture, insects, and rodents. If you are using plastic buckets make sure they are lined with a food grade plastic liner available from companies that carry packaging supplies. Never use trash can liners as these are treated with pesticides. Don’t stack them too high. In an earthquake they may topple, the lids pop open, or they may crack. A better container is the #10 tin can which most preparedness companies use when they package their foods.

7. Use your storage

In all the years I’ve worked with preparedness one of the biggest problems I’ve seen is people storing food and not knowing what to do with it. It’s vital that you and your family become familiar with the things you are storing. You need to know how to prepare these foods. This is not something you want to have to learn under stress. Your family needs to be used to eating these foods. A stressful period is not a good time to totally change your diet. Get a good food storage cookbook and learn to use these foods! It’s better to find out the mistakes you’ll make now while there’s still time to make corrections.

It’s easy to take basic food storage and add the essentials that make it tasty, and it needs to be done. As I did the research for my cookbook, Cooking with Home Storage, I wanted to include recipes that gave help to families no matter what they had stored. As I put the material together it was fascinating to discover what the pioneers ate compared to the types of things we store. If you have stored only the basics, there’s very little you can do with it. By adding even just a few things, it greatly increases your options, and the prospect of your family surviving on it. As I studied how the pioneers lived and ate, my whole feeling for food storage changed. I realized our storage is what most of the world has always lived on. If it’s put together the right way we are returning to good basic food with a few goodies thrown in.

Vicki Tate is the author of the popular book, Cooking With Home Storage, available in the BHM General Store. Vicki also lectures on preparedness subjects. You can reach her by calling (435) 835-8283.

July Provident Living Meeting -- Beans!!!

Mexican Bean Dip
5 cups water
5 cups refried beans (from the church-not dry beans)
1 cup salsa
8 ounces cream cheese
1 cup grated cheese
2 tsp. seasoned salt
hot sauce to taste

Boil water. Turn off stove, but leave the pan on the hot burner. Add dry refried beans to water and cover with a lid. They will be ready in about 15 minutes. Add everything else and mix until blended. You can eat it as it or cook for 30 minutes at 350. Serve with chips or in a burrito.

Pinto Bean Bread Recipe
Delicious, light, different high protein bread. A great use for leftover beans, if you ever have any. You can leave out the middle rising but the bread will be more dense.
2 cups lukewarm milk
2 packages yeast
2 cups pinto beans, mashed
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons shortening, melted
5-6 cups flour
Combine the milk, beans, sugar, salt, shortening, and 1 tablespoon of the flour.
Stir in the yeast and wait for it to bubble.
If it has not bubbled in 5 minutes, get new yeast.
Stir in 5-6 cups flour, to make a kneadable dough.
Knead 5-10 minutes, until satiny.
Place in a greased bowl, turning to grease dough.
Cover loosely with a clean damp cloth and let rise till double.
Punch down; let rise again.
Punch down; shape into 2 loaves.
Place in greased loaf pans.
Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes, or until thumps hollow on bottom.
© 2009 Recipezaar. All Rights Reserved.
Creamy White Beans with Tomatoes
This sounds kind of weird, but it is really good. (I am going to use 2 quarts of my canned beans and 1/2 the recipe.)

2 cups dry white beans, washed
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 pint whipping cream
3/4 cup mini diced canned tomatoes
1 1/2 Tbs. sugar
3/4 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp pepper
1 Tbs. butter
1 Tbs. sugar

Soak beans overnight. Drain liquid. Place a large saucepan, cover with water. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered on low heat for 2 -3 hours. Drain most of the liquid reserving it for later. Transfer beans to casserole dish with a lid (or use aluminum foil). Stir in whipping cream, tomatoes, sugar, mustard and pepper. Dot top of beans with butter and sprinkle with the additional TBS of sugar. Put beans in oven at 350. When you see the beans bubbling, turn down to 250 (about 45 min). Cook for two more hours. Check after an hour and add more water if it is getting dry.

Hummus
1/3 c. tahini
1/4 c. lemon juice
1 TBS. lemon juice
2 TBS. water
2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp. cayenne
20 oz. can garbanzo beans (drained)
Few drops of sesame oil

Mix in a food processor until smooth.

Black Bean Hummus
"This hummus comes with raves attached to it. Everything goes into the food processor and is swooshed into a fabulous consistency. Try it with some toasted pita bread."

INGREDIENTS:
1 clove garlic
1 (15 ounce) can black beans; drain and
reserve liquid
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons tahini
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika
10 Greek olives

DIRECTIONS:
Mince garlic in the bowl of a food processor. Add black beans, 2 tablespoons reserved liquid, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, tahini, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper; process until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Add additional seasoning and liquid to taste. Garnish with paprika and Greek olives.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2010 Allrecipes.com


White Chili (Football Soup
Yield: serves 12 -14
Imported From: RecipeZaar.com
Ingredients:
● 1 tbsp. olive oil
● 2 medium onions, chopped
● 4 garlic cloves, minced
● 2 (4 ounce) cans chopped mild green chilies
● 2 tsp. ground cumin
● 1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano, crumbled
● 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
● 3 (16 ounce) cans great northern beans, undrained
● 6 cups chicken stock or canned chicken broth
● 4 cups chopped cooked chicken, to taste
● 3 cups grated monterey jack cheese (about 12 oz.)
Description:
This recipe comes from The Blue Owl Restaurant and Bakery in historic Kimmswick, MO. My
daughter named it "Football Soup" because we always make it when we have a crowd over
watching the game after church! Incredibly easy, freezes beautifully, and my bean hating
husband even loves it. I add an extra can of green chilies for more flavor. You can make it
without the chicken for a cheaper meatless meal, and you can make it without the monterey jack
cheese for a low-fat, less thickened soup (but the cheese adds a lot of flavor!)
Directions:
1. Heat oil in large pot over medium high heat.
2. Add onions and saute until translucent, about 10 minutes.
3. Stir in garlic, then chilies, cumin, oregano, and cayenne and saute 2 minutes.
4. Add undrained beans and stock and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce heat and add chicken and cheese to chili and stir until cheese melts.
6. Season to taste with salt and pepper and ladle into bowls.
7. FOR FREEZING: Pour soup into a rigid container (or freezer bag), label and freeze. To reheat, thaw in
refridgerator overnight or soften, till heated through.Really Good Vegetarian Meatloaf (really!)


Tgi Friday's Black Bean Soup
From: RecipeZaar.com
Ingredients:
● 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
● 3/4 cup diced white onion
● 3/4 cup diced celery
● 1/2 cup diced carrot
● 1/4 cup diced green bell pepper
● 2 tbsp. minced garlic
● 4 (15 ounce) cans black beans
● 4 cups chicken stock
● 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
● 2 tsp. chili powder
● 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
● 1/2 tsp. cumin
● 1/2 tsp. salt
● 1/4 tsp. hickory liquid smoke
Garnish:
● shredded monterey jack and cheddar cheese blend, blend
● chopped green onion, sour cream
Description:
I got this off of Top Secret Recipe's.I love Friday's Black bean soup because of its spiciness and I
was so happy to find this! This is so easy to prepare! You can make this soup on the stovetop or
in the crockpot.I brought this soup to a boil on the stove and then put it in the crockpost and let
it simmer on low for 2-3 hours. If you like Black Bean Soup your gonna love this!
Directions:
1. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large saucepan over medium/low heat.
2. Add onion, celery, carrot, bell pepper, and garlic to the oil and simmer slowly (or"sweat" as it's called),
for 15 minutes or until the onions are practically clear.
3. Keep the heat low enough that the veggies don't brown and be careful not to burn the garlic or it will
be bitter.
4. While you cook the veggies, pour the canned beans into a strainer and rinse them under cold water.
5. Measure 3 cups of the drained and strained beans into a food processor with 1 cup of chicken stock.
6. Puree on high speed until smooth.
7. When the veggies are ready, pour the pureed beans, the whole beans, the rest of the chicken stock,
and every other ingredient in the list (down to liquid smoke), to the pot.

- 1 -
Wet Burritos
Yield: serves 4
Imported From: RecipeZaar.com

Ingredients:
● 1 lb lean ground beef
● 2 cloves garlic, pressed
● 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
● 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
● 1 tsp. paprika
● 1 tsp. Mexican oregano
● 1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
● 3/4 tsp. cumin
● 1/2 tsp. black pepper
● 1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes, in sauce divided
● 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded (or you can use mexican blend)
● 4 large flour tortillas
● 2 cups refried beans, with
● 1/4 tsp. cumin, added
● 1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce
● 1 (18 ounce) jar homestyle beef gravy
for serving:
● sour cream
● chopped onion
● salsa
● jalapenos
● chopped lettuce
● chopped tomato
Description:
Having grown up with these, I didn't realize that most folks have never heard of a wet burrito. It
is a meat and bean (or all meat or all bean) burrito with a spicy gravy and cheese on top. They
are available here in many restaurants, and no self respecting bar would be without one on the
menu, lol! Once you try them, you'll never go back to "dry" burritos again! Don't let the long list
of directions scare you, these are easy!
Directions:
1. Brown ground beef, onion, and garlic, making sure to chop ground beef into very fine pieces while
cooking.
2. Drain off any fat from browning.
3. Add Worcestershire sauce, paprika, oregano, chili powder, cumin, pepper, and half of the can of
tomatoes with sauce, and simmer for 5 minutes.
4. While meat is simmering, heat beans with 1/4 tsp.
- 2 -
5. cumin, and make gravy.
6. For gravy, combine enchilada sauce, beef gravy, and the other half of tomatoes, and heat until almost
boiling.
7. Soften tortillas according to package directions.
8. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
9. Assemble burritos.
10. On each tortilla, layer 1/4 of the meat mixture, 1/4 of the bean mixture, and 1/4 cup of cheese.
11. Fold sides of burrito in, then roll from the other sides until you have a"package".
12. Place seam side down in a 13x9 baking dish.
13. When all burritos are assembled and in the baking dish, pour sauce mixture over all and sprinkle with
remaining cheese.
14. Bake 15-20 minutes until cheese is melted and burritos are heated through.
15. Serve each burrito with extra sauce from pan spooned over the top.
16. Have sour cream, chopped onions, salsa, jalapenos, chopped lettuce and chopped tomatoes available
to sprinkle on as desired.

Make your own Jello

It is fun to try to make things from scratch that you usually don't think you can. I started making jello from scratch because I wanted to make sugar free jello with stevia and Xylitol. Those are natural sugar free sweeteners. You can also use fruit juice and/or sugar. I'll give two recipes, one sugar free, one with sugar.

Sugar Free Jello with Stevia

1 1/4 TBSP. Unflavored gelatin (I buy mine in bulk from the link below)

1 package kool aid any flavor you like (I don't like super sweet jello. I usually add a tiny bit of lime jello to my strawberry or cherry just to give it a sweet tart flavor)

1/2 cup xylitol (if you don't care about sugar free, you can add 1 cup of sugar instead of the xylitol and stevia)

1/2 tsp. Stevia

2 cups water
1 3/4 cups ice water

Mix all dry ingredients together. Add dry mix to 2 cups of the water. Mix it well and bring just to a very light boil or until the sugar and gelatin are dissolved. Add the ice water, mixing well. I like to add fruit and maybe whipped cream on top.

5 lbs. of unflavored gelatin = $34.09 (June 12, 2010) (That makes a ton of jello since you only use 1 1/4 tbsp. for a large jello recipe)

http://www.bulkfoods.com/search_results.asp?txtsearchParamCat=1&txtsearchParamType=ALL&txtsearchParamMan=ALL&txtsearchParamVen=ALL&txtFromSearch=fromSearch&txtsearchParamTxt=4005

Tomato Powder

(This is a post from http://positivelyprepared.blogspot.com/2010/06/tomato-powder.html)

Tomato Powder

I recently went to Emergency Essentials to purchase tomato powder. I about died when I saw the price! It was $19.99 for a can- on sale! At Macey's it was $27.99 per can! I decided that this year, I am going to make my own. As soon as the garden is plentiful enough, I can use home grown tomatoes. For now, I used supermarket tomatoes that were on sale for a great price, so I tried it with them. It worked great! What can you use tomato powder for? Mix it with a little water and you have tomato paste! Want sauce? Add a bit more water. It can also be used for pizza sauce (mix 2 parts water, some olive oil, herbs and a pinch of sugar), and spaghetti sauce. It can also thicken soups, stews, chili, etc. Throw some in your artisan bread (with rosemary, or basil and garlic... yummmmm...). Tomato powder is a great thing for your everyday cooking, as well as an excellent food storage item. It takes much less space to store than the canned products. It tastes fantastic! Beware, it can go hard quickly if improperly stored. Keep it as airtight as possible! Just about any variety of tomato would work. Go for the ones with the most robust flavor. I can't wait to make this with my own homegrown tomatoes!

Directions:

1. Select ripe tomatoes. Wash and remove stem. No need to peel.
2. Cut in thicker slices (1/4-1/3"). If the slices are too thin, for some reason they do not blend up as well.
3. Dehydrate until very crisp. In my dehyrator it took about 12 hours (at 130 degrees).
4. Let cool. Check for crispness. They must be completely dry!
5. Put in blender, and blend away!! For a chunkier end product (to use with salsa, soups, spaghetti sauce), leave chunks in the powder. For a smoother product, blend until a fine powder is achieved.
6. If possible, seal in mason jar with the food saver attachment.

Note: To shorten the drying time, you can squeeze all the juice out of the tomatoes prior to drying.

This is from: http://positivelyprepared.blogspot.com/2010/06/tomato-powder.html

This is a link to my sister's awesome blog. It is not usually about food storage, but she posted some great info:

Here is the link to the post: http://www.remodelaholic.com/2009/10/be-prepared.html

(Can't you just see the Hyena's on The Lion King marching when you read/sing that title,

or I guess, a bunch of crazy 11 year old scouts at a matchbox car race...)

I feel like continuing the conversation on food storage, since I had such a plethora of comments.

Many of you had great ideas, and I feel like it is important to be thinking about these things. I like how each of you had different thoughts as to what needed to be prepared. You are all working in different ways, it just shows that there is not one way to do it.

Also, it illustrates how we are guided with the needs of our own family. If saving a little bit of cash is weighing on your mind, that is exactly what you should do. Or, if you are worrying about not having enough food set aside, that is where you should dive in.

Also, I wanted to point out that if you are a member of the LDS church, that the guidelines have changed. They no longer specify a set time for long term food storage, or in other words there is not longer a "year supply" rule. Check out the new guidelines on the link above.

I am not an expert in all thing food storage I have SO much to learn. But I have learned some things, so here is my top ten:

1. Start TODAY!
If you can't afford to buy anything for food storage, save money or even store water, then start inventorying. Watch your cooking habits and see what items you need and use most often. The next time you set a budget for your shopping, buy one extra can of those items most used.

If you feel you are stuck and can't do anything. Say you have some issues with debt and paying that off, I would sit back and reevaluate your habits. This is a topic all in itself. But let me say this. If you are in debt, and can't afford to do more then you are doing, make a commitment to yourself and your future that you will NOT spend more than you have today.

Again, reevaluate the habits of your spending and see if you can cut out a few convenience items (that cost more money) and save a few dollars here and there it can make the difference that you need. I took a class in college called Family Finance taught by Alena Johnson. Her are her thoughts on how to save money when you don't think you can:

• The “step-down principle”—a financial management technique developed by Alena Johnson of Utah State University. Although we all should have budgets, too many budgets fail because people try to totally cut out the things they enjoy and end up feeling deprived and resentful. The step-down principle is a way to make do, not do without. Let’s say you want to see a movie. In stepwise order you can:

1. Go to the theater
2. Rent from the video store
3. Rent on a mid-week bargain night from the grocery store
4. Borrow from the library or swap movies with friends

• You don’t have to cut out movies. You can still have them but at less cost. Keep on doing this and you’ll have money to put toward credit card debt or a three-month emergency savings fund
• When it comes to meals using the same step down principle she said:

1. You can go out to eat pancakes at Ihop.
2. You can buy frozen pancakes from the freezer section at the store.
3. Buy Bisquick to make pancakes.
4. Make them from scratch.

She explained that in order to succeed with your budget you shouldn't skip steps. If you are used to eating out every night, you are not going to be cooking from scratch the next day. Do it in steps. This example can be used throughout your spending habits.

2. Start gardening
(in the appropriate season!) You will be surprised at the learning curve in gardening. And, each state you live in has new challenges, bugs and seasonal changes that will help or hinder you. Leaning now, will help you later.

You should keep in mind what your family eats. As you plant think 1.what will be eaten fresh, 2.what will be canned.

3. Store what you use!
I have been setting up my 3 month supply menu. This is harder than it seems. I have found in the past if I store what my mom buys, food will go bad and be wasted. If I buy what my friends think is important to store, food will go bad and be thrown away. This is where inventorying and watching what you cook makes the biggest difference.

4. Keep track of what you store.
This is harder with the day to day things but absolutely essential for long term. I have created a document in WordPerfect that I update all the time. I write the date of updates I make in the top corner too, so I know if it is up to date. This is my long term check list(below) I would recommend making one of your own. (I deleted my numbers, but as you can see there is room to grow if I purchase something not listed)

When you are ready to work on long term food storage, you should make a specific goal for yourself. If you want that to be a year great. If you want 9 months (plus your other 3 month equals a year) that works too. Or you could do it a month at a time. Whatever works for you is good. But it is important to have a goal to work toward. Smaller steps help you to feel accomplished, not overwhelmed. Remember to keep track of what you have.

5. Recipes!

Start collecting food storage recipes. So you can learn to use what you have. You will not be saving money if things go to waste.

6. Preparedness Binder
Many of us are google junkies, am I right? If we have a question, we google. This is great if the power is not out! OR the phone and cable lines aren't down, but what if there is an emergency and one or both of these problems exists? My solution is, my preparedness binder. This is a relatively free project too (meaning something you can do today!)! Get a 3 ring binder and start collecting info, from relief society meetings, classes, from the Internet, friends and family.

For example I have a booklet that explains how to store and cool food without a fridge. Or how to build a solar oven out of tin foil and a card board box. I also keep my recipes and tracking sheets in this binder.

7. Shop Around!
From what I have found, the LDS cannery is your best and cheapest resource by far! Always go there first! I would recommend buying all basic items through them. And really if you start with those basic items you can buy the other stuff later. The stuff that they carry mostly lasts up to and sometimes beyond 30 years! (if stored properly)

Personally I like to store my foods in #10 cans. I do this for several reasons. They are all a uniform size and shape which makes it easier to store. Also, because I can open one can and use that up in a reasonable amount of time 6 lbs of wheat is easier to use quickly than 30lbs.


There are other good resources out there. I am totally jealous of the Utahans with food storage in Walmart? (wanna hear something funny, I just brought home 5 cans of food storage items in my luggage from Utah because the price was so cheap! yes I am that strange.)

8. Think of all your needs.
Not just food but soap, laundry detergent, toilet paper, shampoo and conditioner. There are homemade recipes for these items, it is good to google now and print for your binder!!

9. Make ahead meals.
This is a great idea that I have totally latched on to lately. It is not fun to cook everyday! More than that, I don't have time everyday. When I make a casserole like lasagna, I will double the recipe and freeze the other half of it, or make two small casserole dishes. I bake pizza roll-ups and freeze individually for quick lunches etc. (collect these recipes that freeze well)

This is also a good way to save yourself from extra calories by eating out- and money!

10. Ask your friends.
There are lots of people with different skills, ask them to help you and teach you. Get their recipes, go over to their house and can with them anything to broaden your knowledge.

Good luck!
11. BONUS- have fun.
It feels so good to check off some stresses in our lives! Any more ideas you all have let me know!

--
Cassity @ Remodelaholic
www.remodelaholic.com

How to Make Wheat More Nutritious

Baking Bread

(This information comes from Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon. It is an EXCELLENT book)

Wheat (the way it is normally prepared these days) is really hard on your digestion. Some people say, “You have to get used to it.” No!! You will not get used to it. You have to prepare it properly. Especially in an emergency situation, where you are eating lots of wheat, PLEASE make sure you are preparing it properly (it is easy, but just takes a little more advanced planning.) People that are wheat intolerant can sometimes eat wheat that is sprouted or soaked.

Wheat used to be prepared by soaking in buttermilk or using a sourdough starter. These methods were probably used to soften the wheat. The flour was more coarse then. Soaking overnight (and the long sourdough method) softened the grain. Unknown to our ancestors, it not only softened the grain, but soaking in an acid medium such as buttermilk or vinegar (or using a sourdough starter) freed the vitamins and minerals that were bound up in the bran of the wheat.

Those old ways of preparing grain have mostly been abandoned. Most of us don’t know about the old ways or why they worked better. Our grain grinders are amazing and grind the wheat up very fine so we may not see the need to soak our grains. But unfortunately, the way we prepare wheat now days does not free the vitamins and minerals that are in the wheat. We make quick breads and use fast rise yeast that does not allow enough time for the vitamins and minerals to “unbind” from the bran.

In order to digest wheat, your body needs (for example) Calcium, zinc, and vitamin B (etc). God prepared the wheat to include these nutrients. But when the grains are not properly prepared, those nutrients are not available to your body to use in digestion. So, to digest the grain, your body goes on a search and pulls the calcium and vitamin B from minerals already in your body. Eventually, this can strip your body of minerals.

Wheat contains Phytates and Enzyme inhibitors. These are important because they keep the wheat from sprouting too soon and discourage bugs (most bugs get sick eating wheat). But, phytates are not good for bugs OR people. Wheat contains lots of vitamins and minerals, but they are not available unless you get rid of the phytates and enzyme inhibitors.

Don’t worry!!!! It is easy to fix these problems, but it does take a little advanced planning.

Sue Gregg is a great resource on how to prepare your grains. She has great recipe books a few recipes on line that you can start with. Here are a few things she had to say:

Maximizing the Nutritional Value of Whole Grains

Just because you’ve switched from white flour to whole grains does not mean that you are getting all the nutritional value. In fact you may also experience new problems with digestion. That is because whole grains contain phytic acid in the bran of the grain. Phytic acid combines with key minerals, especially calcium, magnesium, copper, iron, and zinc and prevents their absorption in the intestinal tract. Soaking, fermenting, or sprouting the grain before cooking or baking will neutralize the phytic acid, releasing these nutrients for absorption. This process allows enzymes, lactobacilli and other helpful organisms to not only neutralize the phytic acid, but also to break down complex starches, irritating tannins and difficult-to-digest proteins including gluten. For many, this may lessen their sensitivity or allergic reactions to particular grains. Everyone will benefit, nevertheless, from the release of nutrients and greater ease of digestion.
The first stage of preparation in making whole grain porridges or baked recipes, is to soak the whole grain flour in an acid medium (buttermilk, yogurt, or other cultured milk, or in water with whey, lemon juice or vinegar added—1 tablespoon per cup water). As little as 7 hours soaking will neutralize a large portion of the phytic acid in grains. Twelve to 24 hours is even better with 24 hours yielding the best results. (Sue Gregg)

Whole Wheat Rolls or Bread

(I always use White Wheat because that is what I like best!)

2 1/2 Cups warm water

6 cups Whole Wheat Flour 3 TBSP. vinegar
1/2 cup warm water

1/2 Cup honey

1/2 Cup dry powdered milk

2 TBS yeast
2 eggs
1/2 cup potato flakes

2 1/2 tsp. salt 

1/2 Cup oil

1/3 Cup vital gluten

2 TB dough enhancer (optional)
1-2 cups of white flour (or sprouted wheat flour)
This is to add if the dough is too sticky 



Combine warm water, whole wheat flour and vinegar (I put it in my Bosch bowl). Cover it and leave in on the counter for at least 7 hours or overnight. In the morning, add the yeast to the 1/2 cup warm water and let it set for 5 minutes. Now add the yeast and water mixture along with the rest of the ingredients to your flour, water, and vinegar mixture. You can add white flour, wheat flour or sprouted wheat flour it is too sticky. It should be tacky but not sticky (meaning it will stick to your fingers but not come off on your fingers). It is better for the dough to be a little too wet than too dry. Knead for 6-10 minutes or until gluten is developed or dough is soft and pliable. Grease baking sheets. Pinch off 2-inch round portions or shape into bread. Place in rows on baking sheets, cover, and let rise until double. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly browned. (Cook bread for 35 - 40 minutes). Brush with melted butter if desired, and remove to a cooling rack. Makes 2-3 dozen or a two loaves of bread.

No-Knead Whole Wheat Bread (makes one loaf of bread)

3 cups (430 grams) whole wheat flour, plus 1/4-1/2 cup more for dusting (you can also do 1 cup of white and 2 cups of wheat flour)

¼ teaspoon (1 gram) instant yeast (or 1/4 plus 1/16 teaspoon active dry yeast*)

1¼ teaspoons (8 grams) salt

1 1/2 tablespoons vital wheat gluten

1 3/4 cup Flour
2 TBS. Vinegar
Cornmeal or wheat bran as needed

1. In a large bowl combine flour, instant yeast, salt and vital wheat gluten. Add water and vinegar and stir until blended. Keep adding water until the dough is shaggy and sticky, like a stiff muffin batter. It should not be so wet that it’s pourable. You will probably use all of the water, but different brands of flour are more absorbent. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.

2. Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Liberally flour a work surface and place dough on it. Fold your dough into itself once or twice. Clean out your bowl and spray with non stick spray. Sprinkle lots of corn meal all over the bowl. Put the dough back into the bowl, sprinkle with and cover with a cotton towel or saran wrap. Let it rise for 2 hours.

At least a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450 degrees and put a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. (I have used almost any pan and covered it the bread loosely with aluminum foil. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Dump the dough into your pan as carefully as possible.It may look like a mess, but that is O.K. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Cool on a rack. Yield: One 1½-pound loaf.

Sprouting Grain for Bread Making

According to research undertaken at the University of Minnesota, sprouting increases the total nutrient density of wheat berries. Here is an example of what happens to the wheat berry once it sprouts. It’s absolutely amazing!

Vitamin B1 (thiamin) increase of 28%
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) increase of 315%
Vitamin B3 (niacin) increase of 66%
Vitamin B5 (pantathenic) increase of 65%
Biotin increase of 111%
Folic acid increase of 278%
Vitamin C increase of 300%

I like to sprout lots of wheat at one time and dehydrate it. Then I can grind up whatever I need a little at a time. You can keep the sprouted dried wheat in the freezer. Sprouting and drying the wheat makes it taste more mild than regular wheat and the grain is softer so it also tastes more like white bread (soaking in vinegar without sprouting it does the same thing--see recipe above).

This is how I sprout a large amount of wheat. I get two large bowls and fill them a little over half full of wheat. (Probably about 8-9 cups per bowl). I fill the bowls with water and let them sit overnight. Then I put the soaked wheat in colanders and rinse the wheat well. I put the colanders on a plate and cover them with a towel. In the AZ summer, it only takes a day for the wheat to sprout. I usually wait until the little tail is about 1/2 as long as the wheat or even until it is just starting to poke through. You can rinse the wheat in the colanders about 2 times a day or I just shake the wheat to have the moist bottom wheat come up to the top.

After it is sprouted, I put lots in my dehydrator. I put it about 3/4 inch thick on each sheet or however much I can fit on there. It doesn’t need to be in a single layer. You can use it like regular wheat flour.

Interesting tips for bread making:

Cool RISE: A cool rise, also known as a refrigerator rise, is when yeasted dough, whether shaped or unshaped, is placed in the refrigerator to rise slowly. The cold slows the yeast's activity, allowing for more flavor and an interesting texture to develop.

When bakers use a sourdough or sponge starter culture, where the yeast is allowed to ferment over a long period of time or chill a dough and slow down its rise, the cold dramatically reduces yeast activity. The bacteria, on the other hand, function well even in cold temperatures, so they now have an opportunity to thrive, producing many more marvelously flavorful acids. However, there are a number of chemicals naturally present in dough that promote the breakdown of gluten. This is one of the reasons you cannot hold the dough infinitely long in a fermentation to improve its flavor.

A long rise improves the bread's texture and flavor from its long, slow fermentation. In cookbooks, it is said that all yeasted dough can be refrigerated, but I have found that it doesn't work well all the time. In my opinion, starter or high sugar dough works the best.

A cool rise can be done when you don't have the time to finish the bread recipe or if you are interrupted.

Dough can be kept to rise for three days in the refrigerator, however it is best to use it within 24 hours. So it won't "over-proof" and spill over its container or collapse, it is necessary to punch the dough down once every 18 - 24 hours after it has been placed in the refrigerator. If it still over-proofs, it will look like it's fallen - with flat, wrinkled tops. There is a way to fix the dough; see solution.
There are two ways to do it:

Place dough in the coldest part of the refrigerator, which is the middle and towards the back.

1. Sometimes I make bread dough in the evening, place it in the refrigerator and let it rise overnight. Take it out when it has almost doubled in bulk and let dough warm slightly at room temperature, where it will complete its rise albeit slowly until the dough has warmed to room temperature. Check for doneness after the dough doubles in bulk: gently stick two fingers in the risen dough up to the first knuckle and take them out. If the indentations remain, the dough is ready to be punched down and shaped. Let the bread go through its second rise and bake it; or,

2. The other way is to shape the bread after its first rise and punch down. Let the second rise take place in the refrigerator overnight.

QUESTION: I want to make cinnamon rolls and bake them in the morning. Is it possible?
ANSWER: Yes. Shape the rolls, place in the baking pan and cover loosely with plastic wrap -- make sure you grease the side that will touch the bread. Then place them in the coldest part of your fridge overnight. In the morning, take them out of the refrigerator and keep them covered while the oven preheats. If they need to rise a little more, let them do so before baking. Remove the plastic wrap and bake!!


Slashing: The scoring of some breads before baking is done for a couple of reasons. First, for a beautiful visual appearance and second, this scoring allows the dough to expand quickly during baking so it reaches its maximum volume. It also prevents a "blow out" from happening if bubbles appear under the crust and then burst. S

For brown and serve rolls: Bake rolls as usual, but do not let them brown; they will be slightly tacky on top. Take out of pan let cool completely on a rack. Wrap in foil or plastic wrap and then place in an airtight bag. They will keep up to 7 days in the fridge and 3 months in the freezer. They can be baked right from the fridge, until golden brown. If frozen, let thaw covered at room temperature and then bake.
When a loaf is first placed in the oven to bake, it goes through a quick rise what is known as "oven spring". It is caused by the yeast becoming more active when first subjected to the oven's hot temperatures creating a burst of carbon dioxide that is responsible for the bread's rise. You want your oven to be up to temperature before you put your bread in.

The most common reason for dense breads is the addition of too much flour. You must learn to work with a slacker (wetter) dough. It's also the moisture content in the dough that turns to steam in the oven that helps to give it the oven rise, creating an open, light and airy texture and crumb.

The amount of flour (water) used in a bread recipe is always variable; that's because flour absorbs different amounts of water depending on where and when it was grown, its protein content and lastly, the weather. I have found that most baker's have trouble knowing how much flour or water to add or not add in advance? You don't because it's hard to predict. (Only the flour knows for sure!).

Learning how to mix the dough so you get its "right consistency" is the most important aspect of bread baking that can mean success or failure. For example, the objective in mixing MODERATELY STIFF DOUGH is to end up with dough that is tacky, not sticky or wet. It should also be pliable, soft and moist. By sticky, dough will stick to your finger as you pull it from the dough and some may stick to your finger. If that happens, the dough is too wet. By tacky, I mean when you touch the dough, it feels like the glue on the back of a "Post-it-Note" - your finger will stick to the dough when you pull it away, but it will come off easily and not take dough with it. When the dough is kneaded, it should remain the "right consistency". Sometimes additional flour is added to correct the dough; even though you may have mixed it correctly, as you knead it and incorporate more of the flour, and the flour hydrates more from the water or liquid in the recipe.