It's Tuesday...

Every Tuesday, we post specific items you should gather in order to supplement your emergency car kit, your 3-month supply, and your longer-term storage. If you are new to our blog, don't worry! You won't be left behind. Just start up where we are and follow along. You will eventually have everything completed! Once the car kit is complete, we'll be putting together 72-hour kits again (week by week). Once those are done, we'll gather the car kits again. So don't worry, just jump on in and join us where we are today!

This week for your emergency car kits, add a roll of toilet paper and a package of wet wipes. You may want to take the cardboard cylinder out of the center of the toilet paper - that way, it stores more easily and you can better fit it into a plastic baggie so it doesn't get wet. As for the wet wipes, they are already packaged so you can just throw them right in. I always love having wet wipes around and I'm always finding ways to use them.

How is your 3 month supply coming along? We hope to soon have a complete 3 month supply shopping list available to you, as well as our printable recipes - stay tuned! Remember to check out our recipe page as you make your 3 month plan, and don't forget to also check out our Safely Gathered In "Test Kitchen", where EVERYONE is welcome to share their recipes. Want to contribute your own recipe to the test kitchen? Email us at safelygatheredin (at) gmail.com. Your recipe may even be featured in a Food Storage Friday here on the main blog.

This is the last day of March, so if you still want to gather beans for your longer term storage this month, today's the day! We'll be gathering rice in April.

Motivational Monday

“Without self-reliance one cannot exercise these innate
desires to serve. How can we give if there is nothing there?
Food for the hungry cannot come from empty shelves.
Money to assist the needy cannot come from
an empty purse. Support and understanding
cannot come from the emotionally starved.
Teaching cannot come from the unlearned.
And most important of all, spiritual guidance
cannot come from the spiritually weak.” 

~President Marion G. Romney (1897–1988)

Q & A #9

Every once in a blue moon we will post some questions that readers have asked with some (hopefully) good answers. Please be patient as we try to answer all your questions. More questions? Email us!

Previous Question and Answer Posts


Other Informative Posts:
All About Oats
All About Beans
Let's Talk About Wheat
All About Rice
All About Rice Storage


I didn't notice serving sizes on your recipes and was hoping you could let me know how many people in your family they feed.

Most of our recipes feed 4-6. The soups generally feed an army, but to be safe, I say most meals feed 4 and then you can double it when you need to. Better to be safe than sorry.


There's a "soup season"?

You know, everyone has a personal opinion and we're all entitled to it. My personal opinion is this: I live in the South. The deep South. From the beginning of June to the end of September we eat popsicles and rootbeer floats. And that's all. The end. (Which makes me begin to think I've got serious issues with our food storage)

How to you plan for the sour cream if you are truly having to cook from your storage plan? I love sour cream and this question is my biggest storage concern.

I don't have a plan. I will just cry and cry. And sob. And cry some more. We are living on a tight budget and it's tough to store the basics right now, so I can't even think about the extras. Which is what sour cream is, an extra. So my plan is basics first, luxury second.

If you have the basics then here's a solution, I did a google search and you can buy 'sour cream powder' which I'm assuming you just add water. So if you really can't live without it, go for it. Keep in mind when you store dehydrated or powdered foods, that you need to store the water that will rehydrate the food.

On a side note, Mountain Man has used powdered sour cream on backpacking trips, and he says it's delicious.

Do you guys have a cook book or can you have one made?

We don't have a cookbook and no chance of one any time soon. However, we are working on getting printable links on each one of our recipe posts, so you can print the ones off that you like and add them to your recipe collection.

We have been thinking about putting all our recipes together and making one big pdf download. If you would be interested in this, leave a comment or email and if there's a big enough response, we may get off our backsides and do it. Although doing it would require being on our backsides, so I guess that phrase doesn't work here.

Food Storage Friday: Three Bean Chili

Somebody asked for our favorite chili recipe. This isn't it. My favorite chili recipe is awesome. And is in a cookbook that was dropped in water and now all the pages are stuck together. My sister-in-law has the same cookbook and this week it was flooded in her basement. And now all the pages are stuck together. My mom has the same cookbook. But I forgot to call her. So you get my EASY crockpot chili recipe. Hang onto your hats, it's a breeze. Based on the recipe from here.



Tortilla crisps would be delicious with this recipe. Of course, any thing fried in fat is generally delicious, all the time.



Ingredients: black beans, red beans, pinto beans, diced tomatoes (I know it says crushed, but you really ought to use diced), tomato sauce, chili seasoning




Doesn't this picture look like the beans are about to roll you over. Ahh! Avalanche of beans!



Night before: rinse your beans and cover them with water in a large pot.



All the way to the top, the beans will absorb a lot of water during the night.



See how they've swelled?


Drain the water and fill your pot with fresh water, just covering the beans. I had to let out some water, this was too much.



Empty your cans of tomatoes and tomato sauce into the crock pot. I only had crushed tomatoes, but diced would have been much better for the texture of the soup.



Now, you can use a seasoning packet, or just throw in some chili powder, onion powder, and some red pepper flakes.



Also, toss in about 1 tsp of salt to start with, you may want to add more salt later on.



Turn the crock pot on low and walk away for the rest of the day. Okay, not the rest of the day. Make sure you check on it every once in a while to see if it needs more water (mine didn't) and be sure to check the beans about an hour before you're ready to eat.



Test each type of bean to see if they are soft. If any of them are still a little hard, crank up the heat to high for the next 30-45 minutes to cook them all the way through.



When you are rotating through this meal, go ahead and add any of the usual chili toppings: sour cream, shredded cheese, chopped onions, whatever your heart desires.



Crockpot Three Bean Chili
adapted, or rather copied, from about.com

1 cup dried black beans
1 cup dried red beans
1 cup dried pinto beans
2 cans (14oz ea) diced tomatoes
2 cans (8oz ea) tomato sauce
1 pkt of chili seasoning
1 tsp salt (or more to taste)

The night before, rinse and soak the beans all together overnight. The next morning, drain the water from the beans and cover with fresh water. Add cans of tomatoes and sauce and the seasonings. Turn crockpot on low and cook for 6-8 hours. Check for doneness near the end of the cooking period and adjust heat to high for 30 minutes or so if need be. Keep your eye on the crockpot when it's on high.

Bean Series: Complete and incomplete proteins (Guest Post)

This is the final article of a 4-week bean series. Check out the other articles: Week 1, Week 2, Week 3.

What is protein and why do we need it?

Protein is made up of different types of amino acids. Our body can manufacture some amino acids; the rest we need to get from food. We need them all: our body uses these amino acids as the building blocks for its structures, from muscles to hair to blood cells.

What are complete and incomplete proteins?

A complete protein is a food that contains all 9 of the essential amino acids that our body cannot produce. An incomplete protein is a food that contains some, but not all, of these essential amino acids.

Animal products contain complete proteins: meat, fish, milk, and eggs. Soy and quinoa also contain complete proteins.

Other vegetable sources of food such as beans and grains contain incomplete proteins. But making complete proteins from vegetable sources is easy: the rule of thumb is bean plus grain. You don't even have to eat them both at one meal, as long as you eat them within a day or so of each other. Here is a great explanation of the different combinations you can make.

How much protein do I need?

I couldn't find a straight answer at the FDA website. However, they did say that getting enough protein is not a public health concern for Americans over the age of 4. I couldn't really find a one-size-fits-all answer anywhere else, either. Everyone's protein needs are different, depending on their age, size, and other factors.

Sources: How Much Protein Do You Need; What's a Complete Protein?; Complete and Incomplete Proteins in Grains and Vegetables.

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Mrs. Mordecai is a twenty-something homemaker and mother. She chronicles her homekeeping adventures at Be It Ever So Humble.

How To...Make Tortilla Crisps

We used these tortilla crisps in our recipe on Friday. You can use them to top any soup or salad.


You could also just buy chips, but really, where's the fun in that?




Ingredients: corn tortillas, oil and salt



Did you know that you can store unopened corn tortillas at room temperature for 3 months? It's true, I looked it up. Flour tortillas (not the refrigerator kind) can be stored unopened for 9 months! Be sure to check the date on the bag before you purchase it though.


Heat a pot with oil in over the stove top, just enough oil to cover the tortilla strips.

Frying foods is dangerous, just ask Hannah, she lit her kitchen on fire while deep fat frying egg rolls. Then ask me, she spent the rest of the week at my house while the insurance company repainted and cleaned.

So be careful, don't leave hot oil unattended. Put children outside and lock the door. Only use the minimum amount of oil that you have too. Don't pull the tortillas out with your fingers, use a fork or something. Don't turn the stove top higher than medium high heat. Use a thermometer if you have one of those fancy things.

I don't. I just wait for the oil to ripple, like Rachael Ray does. She's my hero. Right up there next to Pioneer Woman and John Wayne.



Cut the strips thinly, really thinly. Put just a few in the oil at the same time. Stir around a little while they're cooking so they all get cooked fairly evenly.

Remove from the hot oil when they are a light brown. Let them drain on a paper towel and sprinkle with salt.




You can also make them in the oven. Brush the top of the tortilla with oil.



Stack another tortilla on top and brush it with oil. Repeat until you have a nice stack.

Cut thinly with a sharp knife, just like if you were frying them. (You can make chips this way too, just cut them into triangles instead of strips).



Lay the strips in a single layer on a parchment covered cookie sheet. Sprinkle with salt.

Bake in a 375 degree oven, stirring occasionally, until browned.


Mountain Man thinks they both taste the same. I think he's smoking something. The fried ones are definitely better.

It's Tuesday!

Every Tuesday, we post specific items you should gather in order to supplement your emergency car kit, your 3-month supply, and your longer-term storage. If you are new to our blog, don't worry! You won't be left behind. Just start up where we are and follow along. You will eventually have everything completed! Once the car kit is complete, we'll be putting together 72-hour kits again (week by week). Once those are done, we'll gather the car kits again. So don't worry, just jump on in and join us where we are today!

This week for your emergency car kits, add a flashlight and some batteries. If you really want to invest in something long-lasting, consider getting one of those wind-up flashlights - I love not having to worry about replacing batteries. We've added a few flashlight links on the right side of the blog page to give you some ideas - feel free to do your own research, of course, but these two flashlights have great Amazon reviews and you may want to consider them. The silver one is an LED crank light, and the red one below it is a Red Cross solar/crank light that also includes radio, a cell phone charger, and earphone jack. Of course, we're not telling everyone to get something this pricey or fancy (it's currently $30 on Amazon), but I will say that I myself am considering it. My family is about to embark on an 800-mile road trip next week, and this will really give me peace of mind. Also, if you live in an area that gets blizzards, or you frequently travel long distances on back roads, this is something you should probably consider.

How is your three-month supply coming along? I love having my master shopping list handy because I can really take advantage of the sales at my grocery store. Do you have a 3-month plan? Sit down and write out some recipes you like, then figure out how much of the food you will need for 3 months. For more details on how to make your plan, read our blog post about it here.

We are still gathering beans for our longer-term storage this month. If you want to buy pinto beans already canned in #10 cans, click here to purchase them from LDS Catalog. They are pricier than buying them at the store, but they are already canned up, and the price includes shipping.

Inspirational Thought

“To become self-reliant, a person must work. Work is
physical, mental, or spiritual effort. It is a basic source
of happiness, self-worth, and prosperity. Through work,
people accomplish many good things in their lives. . . .

“As people become self-reliant, they are better prepared
to endure adversities” and are “better able to care for others
in need.”

Church Handbook of Instructions

Weekend Roundup: Egg shells and Self-Reliance.

Need an inexpensive and child friendly way to start your seedlings inside? Check out Imagine Childhood for her tutorial of starting seeds inside egg shells.

One of the main reasons we store food is to become self-reliant from stores, and the economy in general. For that reason, I'm interested whenever anyone has thoughts about self-reliance. Check out The Simple Dollar's post on Self-Reliance.

Getting ready for your garden? Supply your own fertilizer and Make Your Own Compost Bin from The Happy Housewife.

Need help with your messy pantry? Shelf Reliance is having another contest! Send them pictures of your messy pantry and you could win a complete pantry makeover. For more details, click here. Entering the contest also automatically signs you up for their email newsletters.

Food Storage Friday-Chicken Tortilla Soup

We're nearing the end of 'soup season' which is a real bummer because of how easy soup is to whip up for dinner.


Today's meal, Chicken Tortilla Soup, is merely a drop in the pot and cook. Love those.



Ingredients: Tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, corn, green chilies, canned chicken, garlic salt, oregano, sugar and chili powder (and water, not pictured)


Open and dump all your canned items into the pot.



Add the water


and sugar and spices





Open the canned chicken, drain and then shred with two forks. Add to pot.

Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes or so.


Top with crispy tortilla strips (coming Wednesday) and serve. Delicious!


Chicken Tortilla Soup
adapted from Favorites

1-28oz can crushed tomatoes
2-8oz cans tomato sauce
1/2 tsp garlic salt
4 cups water
2 Tbsp sugar
3 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp oregano
1-4oz can diced green chilies
1-13oz can chicken

Combine in a large pot. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Stuff your face.


Okay okay, here's a peek at the dang tortilla crisps


Great, now what am I going to post on Wednesday?

Bean Series: Dry Bean Logistics (Guest Post)

This is the third article of a 4-week bean series. Check out the entire bean series: Week 1, Week 2, Week 4.

Dry beans are a lifestyle. You can't have them for dinner if you plan your menu an hour before the event. You have to plan ahead a day or two. Here are some tips that help me incorporate them into my menu.

· Plan a menu. Mark the meals you know you'll have to soak beans for, to help you remember ahead of time.

· Make your own convenience food. Cook up some dry beans and freeze them in 1 1/2 cup portions. Then you can pull out a "can" of beans at short notice.

· Cook all your week's beans at once. Label and refrigerate until they are needed.

· Cook different sorts of beans together. If you have a recipe that calls for three different types of beans, soak and cook them together. The smaller beans may get a little mushy and the colors may blend, but if you don't care about that, it does save a lot of time.

· Cook double the beans you need. Freeze half of them for the next time you make that recipe. Last week I cooked a double batch of beans for my favorite chili and froze half of them. The next time I want to make chili, all I have to do is thaw the beans.

Any other tips? What keeps you from using dry beans? What helps you?
---
Stay tuned next week for information on complete and incomplete proteins.
---
Mrs. Mordecai is a twenty-something homemaker and mother. She chronicles her homekeeping adventures at Be It Ever So Humble.

Introducing the Safely Gathered In TEST KITCHEN

We are pleased to announce the opening (beginning?) of the SGI: Test Kitchen. This is an extension of Safely Gathered In with the main goal of being able to share more recipes. We want you all to contribute to the test kitchen. Share your recipes, try out other contributor's recipes, comment and leave positive criticism for recipes and ideas.

If you are interested in contributing to SGI: Test Kitchen read the guidelines below and start cooking!

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SGI Test Kitchen Posting Guidelines

*Anyone can post!
Email us at Safelygatheredin[at]gmail[dot]com with your google ID and we'll add you as a contributor. After we add you, you need to go to your email and confirm the request to be a contributor.

*Rules:
1. The ingredients in your recipes must be "food storage friendly" which means only nonperishables. Anything that can be stored in a pantry before opening is free game.

2. You must post two pictures with your recipe: one of the ingredients and one of the finished product.

3. You must like John Wayne.

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Okay, okay, you don't have to like John Wayne. Check out SGI-Test Kitchen for a brand new recipe: Oatmeal Bread.

It's Tuesday!

Every Tuesday, we post specific items you should gather in order to supplement your emergency car kit, your 3-month supply, and your longer-term storage. If you are new to our blog, don't worry! You won't be left behind. Just start up where we are and follow along. You will eventually have everything completed! Once the car kit is complete, we'll be putting together 72-hour kits again (week by week). Once those are done, we'll gather the car kits again. So don't worry, just jump on in and join us where we are today!

This week for your emergency car kits, add some high energy snacks. Granola bars, nuts, are trail mix are just a few options. Remember, you probably don't want anything chocolate in there because it will melt (but, if you don't care about that sort of thing, then go for it!). If you put together your car kits the first time we did it last fall, this would be a good time to rotate your snacks (and perhaps your water, too).

How is your three month supply coming along? Back when we wrote our article about how to plan your three month supply, we talked about making a 2 week plan and rotating through that 6 times to make 3 months of meals (2 weeks x 6 = 12 weeks, or 3 months). Now that we have so many recipes available, you could easily make a 3 or even a 4 week plan. If you decide to make a 3 week plan, you'll need to buy enough food to make each meal 4 times (3 weeks x 4 = 12 weeks). If you make a 4 week plan, each meal will be eaten 3 times in the 12 weeks. I love the variety that this offers, and it makes rotating through these meals even easier (rotating: when we eat the meals as everyday food, not in an emergency. It's a good idea to rotate so that none of your food goes bad. I try to make 1-2 food storage meals per week, then just replace the food at the grocery store when I shop next. That way, I always have a full 3-month supply, and I'm always using it, too - it's not collecting dust!) Want to learn some methods for keeping your 3-month supply in order? Check out our food rotation methods listed on the how-to page.

We're still gathering beans this month for our longer-term storage. How is that coming along for you? Personally, I like to store my longer-term food in #10 cans. Many other people like to use 5 gallon buckets. Both are fine. The buckets are great because when you are rotating through the food, you can keep the food in the bucket, and just use a gamma lid. Gamma lids allow the food to remain airtight and preserved, even as you are eating through it. Gamma lids also help you remember which bucket you are eating from, and when the food is gone, you can just put the gamma lid on a new bucket of food and refill your empty one, sealing it shut with a regular lid until you are ready to eat it.

Family Home Evening Lesson: Ready to Go!

We will be featuring a Family Home Evening (FHE) lesson the 3rd Monday of each month in place of the motivational thought. FHE's are brought to us by guest poster Tiffany. This is a great way to teach your families about the importance of being prepared.

Tiffany again, with another Family Home Evening Lesson!

Ready to Go!

Purpose: To see if our family is ready and knows what we need for our 72-hour kits.

Preparation: Read the lesson to adapt it to you family. Decide if you want to do as the story says and have this activity for your family before you read the story or after. Print clip art of the family color and laminate if desired. (Notice there are two of the same girl, there are two sisters in the story. You will need to print two) Prepare treat.

Opening Song: ♪ The Prophet said to Plant a Garden. ♫ (CSB pg # 237)

Opening Prayer:

Scripture: D&C 38:30

"....but if ye are prepared ye shall not fear."

Quote: "Always we are cautioned that we cannot know the day or the hour of His coming. A 72-hour kit of temporal supplies may prove valuable for earthly challenges, but, as the foolish virgins learned to their sorrow, a 24-hour kit of spiritual preparation is of greater and more enduring value." ~Dallin H. Oaks, "Preparation for the Second Coming", Liahona, May 2004


Let your family know that we are going to be talking today of the temporal supplies that are needed to be prepared for the earthly challenges that we might face. That our Heavenly Father wants us to be prepared both spiritually and temporally! Explain that there is a difference to the spiritual and temporal aspects of our Fathers plan. Let them know that each is of value!

Tell the following story from the Friend.

.Meghan Decker, “Ready to Go!,” Friend, Jul 2007, 8–11

(Based on a true story)

“Come on downstairs, everyone!” Mom called. “It’s time for family home evening!”

Sarah reluctantly closed her book and joined her sister and brother as they went into the family room. Family home evening was fun, but she didn’t think it was as exciting as the adventure story she was reading.

After Dad welcomed everyone, Audrey led the family in a song and Tyler gave the opening prayer. Sarah waited for Dad to announce who was giving the lesson. Instead, he said, “We’re going to practice what we would do in an emergency. You have two minutes to get ready and be in the car. Get whatever you would need if you were going to be gone for three days. Go!”

Dad, Mom, Audrey, Tyler, and Sarah jumped up. Sarah dashed to her room, and then stood in the middle of it looking around. What would she need? Clothes! She pulled clothes out of her drawer and put them in a small bag. There wasn’t room for much more, but she stuffed her pajama pants in too, and then remembered her glasses case and the elastic bands for her braces. Would she need a blanket? Or a pillow? She grabbed both.

Two minutes isn’t very long, and Sarah didn’t feel ready when Dad said, “Get in the car, everybody! Bring whatever you have and let’s go!”

Sarah, Audrey, and Tyler ran out to the car, threw in their stuff, and piled into the seats.

Audrey called back into the house, “Mom, I forgot my tennis shoes—will you grab them on your way out?”

Tyler spilled sunflower seeds into his seat-belt buckle, and Dad had to help him dig them out so the seat belt could fasten. “Why did you bring an open bag of sunflower seeds?” Dad asked.

“That’s my food,” Tyler said.

The family van pulled out of the driveway a moment later. “How did we do?” Dad asked. “We got out in good time, but are we prepared for three days away from home?”

“Mom, you got me two different shoes,” Audrey complained. “I can’t wear these.”

“Sorry,” Mom said. “I was trying to pull all the coats out of the closet, and I couldn’t see the shoes very well. At least there’s a right and a left shoe, even if they don’t match.”

“I got some clothes and a blanket, but I forgot my contact lens case and a brush,” Audrey said. “I did remember my toothbrush, though.”

“Oops,” Tyler said. “I guess I’ll have to borrow yours. But I got clothes and a Book of Mormon—except it’s in French. I picked up the wrong one off the bookshelf.”

“I brought my coat too, because I didn’t know where we were going,” Sarah said. “I saw a flashlight in my room, so I brought that, but I didn’t get anything to eat.”

“We have food in the 72-hour (3-day) kits I put in the car,” Dad said. “Do you remember we put those together last year? And there are tents in the duffle bag. Those are always by the back door.”

“Dad, I know we have things ready, but I don’t know where everything is kept,” Audrey said. “Maybe you should show us where to find stuff in case you aren’t at home and the rest of us have to leave.”

“That’s a very good idea, Audrey,” Mom replied. “I’m not sure that I could find everything in a hurry myself. I knew I wanted to get important papers and my scriptures, but I wasn’t very organized. I grabbed bread and peanut butter and apples, but I didn’t have time to fill the cooler with water, so I just pulled jugs of apple cider and milk out of the fridge.”

“Ugh, warm milk?” Tyler asked.

“We’d have to drink it up fast,” Mom said. “Maybe we ought to put some sealed water containers in the garage, in case we need to leave quickly. I’d never thought of that before.”

“Why don’t we go get an ice-cream cone and talk about what we learned tonight?” Dad said.

“I know one thing I want to do,” Sarah said. “It took me a while to decide what to get. Even though I knew it wasn’t for real, I was still scared, and I had a hard time thinking of what I needed. I want to plan what I would gather up ahead of time.”

“I would definitely want a brush,” Audrey said.

“And I would want something more than sunflower seeds,” Tyler said.

Dad nodded. “Let’s all make a list this week of the things we would need if we had to leave suddenly and be gone for three days. Next Monday night we can go over our lists and decide how to get organized so we are prepared to grab items and go. We will probably never need to do that—but if we do, we’ll be ready.”

While she was eating her ice-cream cone, Sarah decided she had been wrong about something. She didn’t miss her exciting book at all tonight; family home evening could definitely be an adventure!

Activity:

(Click here to go to LDS.org for image)

Your family can be prepared by storing basic emergency supplies in one convenient place. You can gather your own emergency items, such as:

· An extra change of clothing

· A sweater or coat, hat, and gloves

· Your scriptures

· Your journal

· Toothpaste, a toothbrush, a hairbrush, soap, and a washcloth

· A flashlight

· A whistle

· Emergency contact information

· 72 hours’ worth of food and water for each person and pet

· Blankets and sheets (for warmth or carrying someone who is hurt)

· Puzzles, games, and books

Also see here for 72-hour kits

OR if your 72-hour kits are done....

Get them out, talk about the items and why you have them. Let the children ask questions, and learn about what is to go into the kits. This is a good time to get each family member to pack up his or her backpacks.(for ideas on packing the packs click here)

At this time, with the weather getting warmer, you might want to plan a camp-out with your family using only your 72-hour kits! Find out if you can really live on your 72-hour kits. This will help you know if you want to add anything or leave anything out. Plan this together as a family and set the date on the calendar. Moreover, what a great way to spend time together as a family.

Closing Song: ♪ Go the Second Mile ♫ (CSB pg # 167)

Closing Prayer:

Treat: Chocolate Cereal Snack Mix (see Safely Gathered in Recipes)

Enjoy another night of family fun and learning!!

FHE: Ready To Go! Printable

Weekend Roundup: The 'I Forgot to Post Last Week' Edition

Not a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and wondering why we Mormons make such a big deal about food storage? Explore the Provident Living home page here and Humanitarian Aid and Welfare here.

Also, everyone ought to check out the March 2009 edition of the Ensign, a Church published magazine. In it are three articles dedicated to food storage and self-reliance: The Parable of the Ten Virgins, Becoming Self-Reliant Spiritually and Physically, and Family Home Storage: A New Message pretty darn awesome. You can download the March issue as a pdf file in it's entirety here.

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I Dare You To Eat It has a great idea about using your dish washing soap containers for storage here, I will definitely be adopting this idea, she also has several water storage links for those who are interested.

Have you ever needed cake flour but didn't have it in your pantry? Preparedness Brings Peace has a recipe here and also a common substitution list here.

For those of you who are confused about the difference between white wheat and red white, What's With All The Food? has a great comparison post up here.

A new website has popped up, dedicated solely to exploring the different types of flashlights. So if you have any burning questions about flashlights and which kind is right for your family, head on over to Emergency Flashlight Now. You don't have to respond now, that's the actual name of the blog.

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We have finally set up a feed burner on this here blog, to deliver posts via email. I have transferred everyone who was on our blogger email list, as well as those who emailed but didn't make the cut...because blogger only accommodates 10 emails. So, if you are interested in getting our posts via email, add your email to the feed burner on the right hand column. You will have to confirm this decision by going to your email and clicking on a link provided by feed burner.

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Wow. That's a lot of links. I hope I didn't mess any up.