Motivational Monday

“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

Food Storage Friday: Focaccia

Here's a recipe from Brittany!

I'm not normally a huge rosemary fan, but I adore focaccia. It's a delicious fancy but easy bread to make for company and a good way to use up that rosemary if you happen to grow it.

This recipe is taken from my old but reliable Betty Crocker cookbook.

Ingredients: white flour (I used bread but you can use all-purpose), rosemary, salt, sugar, very warm water, yeast (not pictured), olive oil.


Mix 1 c. of flour plus salt, sugar, yeast, and rosemary in bowl.


Add 3 T. olive oil plus 1 c. warm water and knead for 3 minutes. Then add more flour as needed (up to 3 cups total) to create a soft but not too sticky dough. Knead for at least 5 more minutes until the dough is smooth.


Let rise in greased bowl for 30 minutes or until almost double.

Turn out on greased cookie sheets and roll/spread into a thin rectangle/oval/whatever floats your boat.

Cover loosely with greased plastic wrap and let rise for an additional 30 minutes or so.


Place indentations 1-2 inches apart--I used the opposite end of a wooden spoon as my fingers stuck to the dough too much. Brush gently with 2 T. olive oil. If you're rotating, you can add 1/4 c. finely grated parmesan cheese.

Bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

This wasn't in the recipe, but after I take the pans out of the oven I immediately use the spatula to lift the bread off the pan because I've learned from sad experience that it is difficult to pry it off the pan if it's stayed on there awhile.


Admire your creation, let it cool, then tear it up into manageable pieces and place in a serving basket.

Sorry I don't have a beautiful final picture. Or a picture of me scarfing down five pieces immediately afterward.

Hope you think it tastes just as yummy!

Focaccia from Betty Crocker

2 1/2 - 3 c. all-purpose or bread flour
2 T. fresh or 1 T. dried rosemary, crushed
1 T. sugar
1 t. salt
2 1/4. t. yeast (1 pkg)
1 c. water
3 T. olive or vegetable oil

2 T. olive oil (for brushing on)
1/4 c. finely grated parmesan cheese

1. Mix 1 c. of flour plus salt, sugar, yeast, and rosemary in bowl.
2. Add 3 T. olive oil plus 1 c. warm water and knead for 3 minutes. Then add more flour as needed (up to 3 cups total) to create a soft but not too sticky dough. Knead for at least 5 more minutes.
3. Let rise in greased bowl for 30 minutes or until almost double.
4. Turn out on greased cookie sheets and roll/spread into a thin rectangle/oval/whatever floats your boat.
5. Cover loosely with greased plastic wrap and let rise for an additional 30 minutes or so.
6. Place indentations 1-2 inches apart. Brush with 2 T. olive oil. If you're rotating, you can add 1/4 c. finely grated parmesan cheese.
7. Bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
8. Use spatula to lift bread off of pan.
9. Serve warm or cool after tearing into pieces.

Food Storage Tuesday

Every Tuesday, we post specific items you should gather in order to supplement your emergency car kit, your three-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 car kits, add a small umbrella and a small set of scriptures or a book. I always appreciate having something to read when am in the car and have to unexpectedly wait around for something (a longer-than-usual oil change, for example).  As for the umbrella, you may have on lying around that you can add, or you could try looking for a cheap one at thrift stores or dollar stores.


How's your three month supply coming along? A few weeks ago I shared with you that I am working on eating through our supply as we prepare to move.  Then, when we get settled in our new home, I'll stock up again with money I am saving on our month grocery bill now (by eating pantry food).  It's a good system in theory... if I can really save that money!!  


It's the final week for gathering wheat for our longer-term storage.  Next month we'll be moving on to oats, which is really good because we've been eating a lot of oats lately!

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)

Food Storage Friday: Pantry Honey-Mustard Chicken

I don't know that I've ever endorsed a cookbook (or if I should) but I REALLY love the cookbook that supplied today's recipe. It's called "Keeping Up Cookbook", and it's sister cookbook, "Favorites" is where I've gotten such gems as Macaroni and Cheese and Chicken Noodle Soup. I am honestly not much of a cook (couldn't cook a darn thing when I got married), but these recipes have kept me afloat at dinner time. If I can recommend one non-food storage thing on this blog, it would be these cookbooks. Here's the link if anyone's interested in checking them out.

*I'm not being paid to brag about this cookbook, I bought it with my own money and just love it with every fiber of my being.*

Now with that out of the way, we can talk about today's meal. It's called Pantry Honey-Mustard Chicken and it's fast and delish, my two best friends.

Ingredients: canned chicken, cream of chicken soup (not mushroom!), honey, mustard (I used dijon), mayo, pepper and peanuts.

And rice. Start your rice first, because your chicken dish will be done before the rice is. This is how I cook my rice.

Now put everything else (besides rice and peanuts) in a large skillet. Note to self: this is not a large skillet. Don't forget to drain your chicken.

Stir it all together

Using your spoon to break up the large chicken clumps. Or you could pre-shred the chicken like we do for chicken salad.

Bring the mixture to a simmer to make sure it's heated all the way through.

Now that your chicken dish is done, and you are still waiting on your rice to finish cooking (seriously, it's that fast!) chop up some peanuts. If you have a peanut allergy in your family, just leave the peanuts out, it'll still be good. In fact, cashews or toasted almonds would probably be delicious instead.

When your rice is finally done, layer rice, then chicken mixture and top with peanuts.

Amazing! Seriously, this dish was super fast and really really yummy. Just looking at the pictures makes me want to make it again.

Pantry Honey-Mustard Chicken

Keeping Up Cookbook

1 can of cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup mayo

2 (13oz) cans canned chicken, drained

1 Tbsp honey

1 Tbsp spicy brown mustard

1/4 tsp pepper

cooked rice

peanuts

Start your rice cooking. Drain chicken. To a large skillet add all ingredients. Stir together, breaking up large chicken clumps with your wooden spoon. Bring to a simmer. Cook until warm through and serve over rice with peanuts on top.

Eat, moan, enjoy.

A couple more pictures...

I promised you all some more pictures of the Mountain House food that we reviewed a few weeks ago... unfortunately I still can't find my SD card, so I made up a few more items they sent me and took new pictures! (I was kinda saving them for our 72-hour kits, but I guess I'll just have to replace them, which I plan to do because they were delicious!)


I made the freeze-dried vegetable lasagna:

The package describes this dish as "Zucchini, pasta, carrots, and spinach in a classic italian-style tomato sauce."  Yum.  This thing was packed with veggies and tasted great. 


And buffalo style chicken (served in a tortilla):

Described on the package as "A plentiful blend of chicken in a zesty cream cheese sauce."  This one was definitely my favorite.  You can see above just how much chicken there is (tons!) and it was pretty spicy, too... it would definitely warm you up if you were out in cold weather!  This would be my choice to take camping too, I think. 


Both were very good and I would be more than happy to eat these in an emergency (and by "emergency", I mean, whether we are using our 72-hour kits for some real emergency, or the emergency is that I am feeling lazy and only want to boil some water but still have a great lunch).


Go on over to Mountain House to see what other food options they have!

Food Storage Tuesday

Every Tuesday, we post specific items you should gather in order to supplement your emergency car kit, your three-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 car kits, add a change of clothes (for everyone in your family), and some diapers & feminine products (as needed).  Since spring is upon us (crossing my fingers, here!) plan your changes of clothes accordingly (we usually switch out our changes of clothes in April and October, during the same weekend that we check up on our 72-hour kits (updating food, batteries, etc).


How's your three-month supply coming along?  When you plan your three-month supply, don't forget to plan for desserts and other goodies!  Keep an eye out for cheap cake mixes, cookie mixes, etc. on sale, and stock up if it's something your family would enjoy!  If you are ever living off of your food storage for any reason (any sort of hardship), a little bit of dessert here and there can lighten the mood and help things feel "normal", especially if you have kids.  It may sound trite, but it's true!


We're gathering wheat for our longer-term storage this month.  Check out our wheat recipes here.  You can also read up on how to grind wheat into flour using an electric grinder.

Happy Valentines Day!

She walks in beauty, like the night

by Lord Byron

She walks in beauty, like the night

Of cloudless climes and starry skies;

And all that's best of dark and bright

Meet in her aspect and her eyes:

Thus mellowed to that tender light

Which heaven to gaudy day denies.

One shade the more, one ray the less,

Had half impaired the nameless grace

Which waves in every raven tress,

Or softly lightens o'er her face;

Where thoughts serenely sweet express

How pure, how dear their dwelling place.

And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,

So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,

The smiles that win, the tints that glow,

But tell of days in goodness spent,

A mind at peace with all below,

A heart whose love is innocent!

Food Storage Friday: Spicy Crackers

Today, Aleasha's here to share a recipe to make plain old crackers into a spicy treat!


Ingredients: crackers, ranch dressing packet, cayenne pepper and oil


Mix oil, pepper and ranch packet together

Pour over crackers

Mix well

Store in an airtight container, EAT!

Spicy Crackers

1 full box of crackers (4 sleeves)
1 cup oil
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 packet ranch

Pour crackers into large bowl. Combine oil, ranch packet and cayenne.
Pour over crackers and mix well. Store in air tight container. You can
play with the spices here. I have added garlic powder, dried parsley,
dried rosemary, and paprika before. Enjoy!

Aleasha

Food Storage Tuesday

Every Tuesday, we post specific items you should gather in order to supplement your emergency car kit, your three-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 car kits, add a blanket or a few towels.  These can come in handy for a variety of reasons - warmth (obviously), or something to lay on if you have to get under your car to check on or fix anything, etc. We've even used our blanket for impromptu picnics and for wiping off that puddle of water that always seems to stay on the playground slide, even a day after it has rained.


How's your three-month supply coming along?  It's not always easy to rotate food storage - trust me, I know!  Like many people, I prefer to eat fresh fruits and vegetables, even in the winter.  However, I try to serve my family 1 or 2 meals from food storage each week, and then I replace those foods on my next trip to the store.  This way, that can of corn doesn't expire before we finally get around to eating it!  Some weeks we don't eat from our food storage, but I try to make it a goal to have at least one meal per week from it.  The other benefit is that I can determine if my family actually likes the food storage recipe.  If they don't, it's back to the drawing board and I can tweak my food storage plan.


We're gathering wheat for our longer-term storage this month.  How do you store your wheat?  Do you prefer 5 gallon buckets, #10 cans, or foil pouches?  I prefer to keep mine in #10 cans.

Motivational Monday

“Set your houses in order. If you have paid your debts, if you have a reserve, even though it be small, then should storms howl about your head, you will have shelter for your wives and children and peace in your hearts”

President Gordon B. Hinckley "To the Boys and to the Men," Ensign, Nov. 1998, 54

Food Storage Friday: Another black bean soup

(image via here)


So, this is the third black bean soup recipe that we've posted on the blog but I really love this one, so I'm adding it on!  Plus, this is a vegetarian option.  It's very similar to another one we have up but I wanted to post this one too to just give more options.  Plus, I think it's good to go vegetarian sometimes.  The ingredients for this soup are pretty basic, so the chances of you having all these items in your pantry right now are pretty high!


I got this recipe on Allrecipes.com - probably my favorite recipe resource. 


Black Bean & Salsa Soup
(serves 4)


2 cans black beans
1.5 cups vegetable broth
1 cup chunky salsa
1 tsp ground cumin
sour cream (optional)
green onions (optional)


In a blender or food processor, combine and mix the black beans, veggie broth, salsa, and cumin.  Blend until smooth.


(note: I like to leave out about 1/4 of the beans and salsa, then add them in later so that the soup has some "bite" to it and is not just smooth)


Heat bean mixture in saucepan until warm.  Serve and add sour cream and some green onions for garnish, if desired. (you could even add cheese and chips for more heartiness) 

Food Storage Tuesday

Every Tuesday, we post specific items you should gather in order to supplement your emergency car kit, your three-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 car kits, add a basic first aid kit.  Something small is ideal since it's going in your box!  This from Amazon looks good, but shop around to find the best kit for your family.  I like the ones in the soft pouch since it seems to fit in my box much more easily.


How's that three-month supply coming along?  One thing that many of you mentioned in your comments last week is that rotating can be a big pain, and that it's hard to stay on top of everything.  Thanks again for all the great comments we got last week, and we'll be planning some of our future posts around your questions!


This month for our longer term storage, we're gathering WHEAT.  I'll admit, wheat is tough for me.  I don't cook much with wheat so I'll be honest... I don't store a ton of it!  But I do store a bit because it is healthy and it just seems like the right thing to do :).  I need to be better about using it now and rotating it, so if the time ever came when I actually needed to use it, I would know what I was doing.


Does anyone have any favorite wheat recipes they want to share??  Do share, please!  Doesn't have to be "food storage friendly"... any kind of recipe will do!