Can You Believe Lemons?!

Have you ever ended up with some beautifully colored dirty dishes and thought, "Well, hey now, I hope that tastes good because it sure looks amazing."

No?

I guess it is just me then.

Aren't they beautiful?!

I used them to make this:

Yes I will share the recipe.  I am not that mean.  Although I am this mean...

It is just as good as it looks!  :)

Hibiscus Jelly

makes 5 half pint jars

4 oz Dried Hibiscus (2 C approx) - I bought mine at a Mexican food store, make sure it is nice and pinkish still, if it is brown, they will work still but it is not as fresh.

4 Cinnamon Sticks

1 Tbsp Whole Cloves

5 C Boiling Water

5 C Apple Pectin (or more depending on how "set" you want it - or how many apples you have kicking around*)

1/2 C Lemon Juice

61/2 C Sugar

*I was halfway through making this and realized I didn't have any liquid certo - my preferred method of thickening a jelly.  Then I remembered you could make pectin from apples.  All I had were some shriveled little offerings, but they worked amazing!  

Take your boiling water and pour over your hibiscus, cinnamon sticks, and whole cloves.  Use a heat proof bowl because you don't want it to melt!  Let steep for at least 30 min (or longer if you forgot that you have no certo!)

Pour through a fine mesh strainer into a large pan.  Add pectin, lemon juice and sugar.  Bring to a boil.  Stir occasionally.  What you are going for is a jell.  After about 15 min of boiling I took a plate, dabbed the boiling jelly onto it and stuck it in the freezer for a couple min.  If it jells, you are good to go.  If not, boil some more and repeat until it starts to set up.  I boiled mine for about half an hour.

When you have the jell you need (mine was really soft set) then remove from heat and ladle into jars.  Wipe the rim clean and place the snap and ring on finger tight.  At this point you can choose to water bath for 5 min.  Or not, your call on how fast you will use this.  (I don't because I will use all of it in a year or less)  

Let set on the counter for a full 24 hours.  Within about 15 min you will start to hear those little babies start to snap.  It is really the most beautiful sound when you are canning!

I also canned this:

Not really sure how this tastes, but I am going to try them soon (with some gingerbread).  These are almost too labor intensive though.  It took me 2 days of boiling, taking them off the heat, letting sit for 4 hours, doing again.  I will find out if it was all worth it...

Remember how thrilled I was when I got these for the first time?

I am still thrilled beyond belief...but I am swimming in eggs here!

I get 3 duck eggs a day (which I have discovered I only like in baking - LOVE in baking - but don't like to eat) and at least 4 chicken eggs a day!  That is a whole passel of eggs for a person who is used to rationing eggs.

I used to go through 5 dozen a month (because eggs were STINKIN expensive) but now find myself having a half dozen a DAY to use.

I have been baking and preserving and scrambling and you get the idea.

I am not complaining, but it is an interesting change of pace that is for sure!

Do you like my post name?  Did you realize that there is nothing in here about lemons?!

I think these random post generators are awesome.  Some of the names they come up with are so fun!  I may be doing this again.  Can you believe lemons?!  Well can you?....

Cheers

Enormous Eggs are Perfect Pickles

Ok.  That was a cheesy title, but the duck eggs really are enormous!  :)

The other day I walked into my chicken coop to give them some greens and saw this chicken sitting in a new hollow.  I knew it was a bit tall for my littler egg pickers, so I chased her off and checked inside.  

JACKPOT!!

There were over a dozen eggs in there that I could see just without reaching inside to check.  I had thought that my chickens had stopped laying for about a week.  I thought they had gone through shock from moving homes (which they are supposed to do) and thought that was why I wasn't getting eggs.

I called my friend who knows everything about birds (or so it seems!) and she told me what to watch for if that hen was broody.

Turns out she wasn't.  So I had the boys go out and steal all those eggs.

After, they brought in 17 eggs!  I checked them out.  We did the float test and all of them passed.

Holy Crap I had a lot of eggs in my fridge then.

I already had a dozen and a half in there...and add another 17, that adds up to more than I can use fast!

Enter my brilliant brother.  He mentioned to me when I first got my chickens that it would be awesome if I pickled some.  I am not a big pickle fan, but DH also seconded that nomination.

I thought of it today when I was trying to figure out what to do with all these eggs.

So, all but 2 eggs got pickled today.  Aren't they perty?!

Here is a recipe if you want to make some of your own:

Pickled Eggs

1 Large jar or 3-4 quart sized ones
30 (or so) Hard boiled eggs - peeled
3 Onions
1/2 C (or more) of Pickling Spice
2 Tbsp Crushed Chili Flakes (more or less depending on your heat tolerance)
1 Tbsp Pickling (or Kosher) Salt
1/4 C Brown Sugar
2 C Cider Vinegar
1 C White Vinegar

Boil your brine.  Pickling spice, chili flakes, salt, sugar, and vinegars.  Stir to dissolve.

While it is coming to a boil, cut your onions into rounds.

Place some onions in the bottom of each jar.  Place a layer of eggs and repeat until all eggs and onions are used.

Pour your brine over your eggs and onions.  Run a wooden spoon down the sides to ensure spice in all layers.

Store in refrigerator   These are ready to eat after one day, but to have super pickley (that is a word I just made up!) eggs and onions, keep for at least a week if you can handle it before dipping in.

These make amazing egg salad, super good to eat like they are (if you like that sort of thing!), awesome topping noodles, etc.  A great way to preserve eggs if you have an over abundance!

Cheers

Food Storage Friday - Finger Food That Bites You Back!

Hope your Christmas/New Years holidays are treating you well and you are enjoying your time with loved ones.

 

Today I thought I would share one of my favorite things to take with me (or have at my house) when I am supposed to bring appetizers.

 

Spicy Wraps

 

2 pkgs of Cream Cheese (8oz each)

1 C Grated Cheese (any kind, but my favorite is Jalapeno Jack)

2-4 Chipotles in Adobo sauce, chopped fine

12 Large Flour Tortillas

 

Mix all ingredients except tortillas well in your mixer. 

 

On each tortilla place several Tbsp worth of mixture.

Spread to your edges

Roll tightly and place on a baking sheet.

Bake at 350F for about 20 min till nice and piping hot and a little crispy.
Cut into bite-sized rounds and serve hot.

I love the bite to these and the spicier the better as far as I am concerned.  If you are a person who doesn't like spicy, you can leave out the hot peppers.

Enjoy!
Cheers

Food Storage Friday - Port-A-Potty (not a crappy gift!)

Ha ha ha!

The title was maybe a little crude, but sorry.  This isn't a crappy last minute gift if you are looking for one!

I have this port-a-potty that I carry with my 72 hour supplies.  It garners many a comment if people see it.  I have had a few requests to share what is inside by a few people, so here goes:

I have it all packed in a 5 gal bucket.  Many sources suggest that if you had to find an alternate place to "sit", a 5 gal bucket is a great substitute. 

I have tested it out. 

Now, don't be gross, I just sat on it!

It really works.

I also have a neighbour who lived in a trailer with her 5 kids and hubby while her house was being built (she is seriously my new hero!) and they had to use a bucket.  She said it was almost as good as a toilet.  (although I personally like my flushing toilet!)

So inside I placed a few things that I thought I most needed:

• Garbage bags.  These need to be the smaller sized ones as once a couple times it has been used, you want to tie it up and chuck it.
• Small plastic bags.
• Feminine products (I have an assortment)
• Toilet Paper
• Hand Sanitizer (I have a couple types)
• I also have this product that eliminates some of the viruses/bacteria that occur in human feces (to spray in each solid matter bag)
• Anti Bac wipes

A few things that I added (and will add as I find them in the store) that make life a little easier when you have to use something like this:

• Shampoo
• A Tarp
• Rope to hang the tarp (to make a "room" to use)
• Brush
• Chapstick
• Sunblock
• Deodorant
• Toothpaste and Toothbrushes
• Portable Shower
• Soap
• Towels
• Hand/face cloths
• etc

I gave one to my Mom one time for Christmas, and I have one.  I know it seems like it would never happen, but if I have a 72 hour kit, I also want to have something to make this job a little less nasty.  It is something we all do, and we all need to think about, but sometimes it is unpleasant. 

What do you think I am missing?  What essential items would you add to your bucket?

Cheers

Food Storage Friday - Making Wax Slugs

*UPDATE TO ADD*

This post was written before the event happened in Connecticut.  I hope that you will forgive me as I mean no disrespect to those who were so tragically affected.  Guns are a way of life in my home, so I hope you will see that I mean no harm in this post.
*****

We have moved pretty close to my baby brother and are starting a preparedness day together.  We get together once a month and make something that is related to preparedness, then we eat.  Seems pretty darn perfect to me! 

The other day, he sent me this video as a project to possibly do.

 

Of course after watching it, we really wanted to try them out.

Slugs cost a little over $15 for 5 of them.  Pretty much any kind of shot costs $20 for 40...seems like if you can make slugs for that cheap, why not right? 

(plus how clean that guys gun is...really enticing!)

Anyway, we made a few of the up, (DH made a box, my baby brother made just over 270 of them!) and are going to try them when the road is passable down to the range.

We are excited to have a new way to "make" slugs.  You can hunt with slugs you know...

Anyway, I know that not all of you use guns as a method of gathering your food storage, but I thought I would tell those of you who do, about this...as it saves some $$$.

Also, those of you who live in Canada (and those who have a passport and are close) there is this amazing camp for women to learn skills for the outdoors.  It can be 2 to 5 days long and is put on by AHEIA.  This is a link to last years events.  Every year it is similar in the dates, classes offered, and price.  If this is something you are interested in, and want me to tell you when the new schedule comes out (they are emailing and calling me because I have quite a group so far) please let me know.  I would LOVE to meet up with any of you!  This looks like a pretty awesome camp to take part in.

Cheers

Food Storage Friday - All Natural Healing

I am prone to get strep throat once every other year or so. 

 

Just happens. 

 

I am awesome like that!

 

This past year (or two)  I have been experimenting on myself with some natural remedies.  I have some that are "tried and true" that we have been using for years with the whole family, but sometimes I just want to test something out.  Who better than myself because that is how I know it actually worked!

 

Anyway, jabber, jabber, jabber.

 

Just to tell you about this new thing I tried.

 

It is kind of a cure all for cold/strep/etc.

I think it basically scares your stuff away!

I made a mixture of:

4-8 Cloves Garlic, chopped fine
1 Tbsp Honey
1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper

Mix well and take 1 tsp every waking hour for two to three days.

Interesting tidbit, 4 cloves of garlic (raw) is equal to one dose of antibiotic.

I react to antibiotics, all of them, with a really upset stomach.  This was just the same.  I gagged it down for 3 days and all my strep symptoms were gone.

Granted I could have had something else, but this cleared it right up.  My swollen lymph nodes, my throat that felt like I was swallowing crushed glass, my crazy plugged nose.  Everything.

I felt like I was going to puke it all up, but that was no different than any other antibiotic regimen and was 7 days less!

I am not a Dr.  I have no medical training, but this worked for me.  Because there is honey (and the garlic/pepper combo is super hot) I would suggest older children, not babies for this.

Cheers

Food Storage Friday - What Were They Saying?!

OK.  I realize this has been a sporadic past month and I am sorry. 

Apparently unpacking and getting my life together in a new place takes me more time and effort than I thought.

Luckily I am mostly together (at least almost as much as I was before!) and hopefully I can be more regular here.  Fingers crossed!

Just for kicks and giggles, check out the new shelves my super talented brother made for me.  The top two are in my storage room  (and let me tell you I tested his claim to 500lbs per shelf on the canning one!) the bottom one is my new pantry in my kitchen.  I am so impressed and excited to restock my food storage.  I was using this for over 5 months to deplete it so it is pretty sad, but now I can stock it right up! 

The only thing my house is missing is a place for buckets.  Mine are all hiding in closets now.  Poor buckets.  They feel like they are not worth displaying, but they are being nice and obedient sitting in a couple closed closets.  :)

Anyway, today for Food Storage Friday I thought it would be fun to feature what the past prophets and general authorities have said about food storage.  I find it fun to see how things have changed over the years, yet remained the same.  Hope you will enjoy the journey as well.

1856 - Brigham Young and Heber Kimball - Store 7 years of wheat, pumpkin, squash, currents, apples, peaches, beans, peas and others. 
1868 - President Young - 7 years of wheat, oats, barley, corn, vegetables, and fruit
1916 - Charles Nibley - 1 year supply of food
1942 - First Presidency - 1 year of food
1959 - September Improvement Era - Wheat 300lbs, Powdered Milk 100lbs, Sugar 100lbs, Salt 5lbs, Vitamins 365, Water (all per adult)
1973 - President Benson - 1 year of food, leather and bolts of cloth to last one year
1973 - First Presidency - 300lbs Grains, 100lbs Sugar/Honey, 5lbs Salt, First Aid Items, Fuel, Sewing Stuffs
1980 - President Benson - 1 Year supply and grow a garden, be self sufficient with fuels and sewing
1995 - Elder Perry - Life Sustaining Foods (If ye are prepared ye shall not fear)
Today - LDS Provident Living site - 3 month Supply and a Long Term Food Supply

I find it interesting to see how the "requirements" may have changed in quantities, but the church has been encouraging self-sufficiency for over 200 years. 

Where are we in our quest in self-sufficiency?  What types of things are taking priority?

I was talking to a friend last week and we had a conversation that really struck me.  She mentioned that she was living in a trailer with her family and she didn't have a storage room.  BUT she has food stored up.  She may not have much, but she has some. 

I know that I can do better, and that I really don't have excuses for the things I am missing when I hear of this dear friend's devotion to something I feel so passionate about.

Just a little "food" for thought.

Cheers

Food Storage Friday - Pineapple Tamales

Dh and I had our new friends over last weekend for a tamale feast.  I told you I had made many, and we wanted to share.  (and see if others liked them too, plus their son had helped and I promised him I would feed them to him!)

I made some simple sauces for each one and they were a hit!

Carmel nut for the chocolate ones, simple mushroom sauce for my meat and potatoes one, and a pineapple sauce for these totally yummy pineapple ones I am going to share with you.

Pineapple Tamales

Soak about 25 Corn Husks in HOT water for about 25 min as you make the ingredients.

For the dough, in a bowl combine:

4 C Masa
2 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 C Flour
2 C Brown Sugar
2 C Butter (I used Crisco because that is what I was taught traditionally)
2 C Fruit Juice (I used the juice that I drained from the Pineapple for the filling plus water to equal 2 C)

Mix all together well to form a dough similar to cookie dough.

For the filling, in a saucepan combine:

1 Can Crushed Pineapple, drained
1/2 C Water
3 Tbsp Flour
1/2 C Sugar

Bring to a boil over med heat and stir until just boiling and thickened.  Remove from heat.

Assemble tamales (small tutorial here if you need one) and steam for at least 1 hour.

Serve and enjoy!  (we sure did)
Cheers

Food Storage Friday - Chocolate Tamales

I love tamales.

I pretty much love all Mexican food though so I guess I am biased! 

So...I was thinking chocolate is yummy right?!  What about a chocolate tamale?

I found this recipe and tweaked it to my liking and voila...chocolate tamales!  (I also made pineapple ones, but that is next week.)

 

If you have been around here for a while, you may remember I made a small tutorial on how to make tamales.  These are the same basic method, so if you have never made a tamale, here is a tutorial on how to form and make them.

 

Chocolate Tamales

 

2 C Masa

1/3 C Cocoa

2 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

1/2 tsp Cayenne or Chili powder (can omit if you don't like the bite, but it is well worth that little bite in your mouth!)

1/2 tsp Salt

1 1/3 C Water

1/2 C Chocolate - melted (use the best quality dark chocolate you can find)

1/2 C Butter, softened

3/4 C Sugar

3 T Coconut Milk

 

Soak about 25 corn husks in some HOT water.  It will take about 30 min to an hour to soften them.

 

Mix the dry ingredients together.  Crumb in the butter. 

 

Make a well in the center and add all the remaining ingredients. 

 

Mix well with a mixer. 

 

This will be your masa dough.  (to spread in your corn husks)  If you need it to be a bit more moist, add in a bit more coconut milk until consistency is reached of cookie dough.

 

Spread some of your mixture in the center of your corn husk and top with chocolate.  I used dark chocolate chips.  I wanted the chocolate taste without the over sweet.  I was going for almost a bitter chocolate taste.

 

You can add some chopped nuts (pecans would be awesome) on the top of the chocolate and wrap up.

 

Repeat until all the masa is used.

 

Steam about 1 hour until they pull away from the corn husks easily.

 

Serve drizzled in chocolate or plain.  I also think that sprinkled with powdered sugar would rock!

 

Enjoy

 

 

 

Food Storage Friday - Saving Seeds

Now I know I have talked about this before, but I really hope that I can bring some new information to the party today.  :)

Saving seed to plant the next year is very important to me.

 

 

A couple of the reasons why:

• What if there were some reason you were either unable to afford, or unable to access new seed the next year?  Saving seed will open the door to perpetual seed that you never have to order again.
• Knowing how to do things (almost everything) is really important to me.  I like to know how it is done, so I try really hard to learn about it.  Seed saving is no different.
• The Lord has commanded us to grow a garden.  Sometimes that can get pricey, but to cut costs down, I can save seed.
• Shipping is free!
• I personally find that seed that is saved is so much more delicious than the kinds that you find in the store, and the seed you buy in a package.  Heritage/Heirloom plants, to me, are so yummy.

So, how do you go about saving your seed?

 

Well first you need a garden. 

 

I thought I would give you a couple fun links to planning a garden.  As always, I have a tonne of stuff pinned as well if you want to check that out.  (Garden board, OR Seeds/Plants board)

 

This link is 6 steps of planning a garden.  I especially like #5 where it gives some of my favorite places to buy seeds.  If you want my personal favorite list, here is a link to mine.

 

After you plan what to plant, having a journal or plan to record what you did is a good idea.  This link is a great little starter book.  If you want to buy a premade book, this book I reviewed is also amazing.

 

Once you have your journal, I would make some permanent seed labels.  You are saving seed so you will be planting these forever.  There are so many different kinds out there, but these are super simple and relatively inexpensive.

 

Sometime in March you will get your seeds in the mail.  (if you are a keener like me and ordered by February)  When you get them there are some things that we like to do. 

 

I LOVE to plan out when I am starting each seed.  I love to see the little tiny green shoots popping out and know that soon I will be able to plant them outside.  This year I am super excited though because I get to use my very own greenhouse!!!  This new house we bought has one and can I just tell you, that was a sale clincher for sure!  This chart is a really handy reference if you don't know where to start on each type of seed.

 

My boys also love to make seed bombs.  We haven't been brave enough to bomb places that we don't own yet, but we do bomb our own stuff.  These ones are super simple and work great.

 

Of course you are going to have some wicked awesome plants come up after all that.  NOW WHAT?!

 

Here is a great reference from seed savers to tell you how to save seed off every plant you just planted.  If you prefer an interactive version, here is the same one, but with a drop down list.

 

What do you do with your seeds after you saved them?  Seeds prefer to have paper surrounding them.  Don't use a plastic bag (increases moisture), don't can them (again with the moisture, or if you dry packed them...no moisture), place them in paper.  When you buy seed they come in handy little paper packages.  This is because optimal temperature/moisture content happens in paper.  There are so many different ways to have paper packages, but if you want to make them pretty, here are a few links to printables.

 

I am so excited to have spring come to start my garden.  I know, I just finished a growing season here, but gardening is so much fun.  Eating what you have produced, working hard to make it, seeing all the little plants you planted grow and thrive...nothing like it in my book.  (well, children are topping that, but you get the idea)

 

Just for fun, this little clip is really cute. 



 

 

Cheers

Food Storage Friday - Squash/Carrot Soup

We have been busy moving into our new house, settling and all that.  My brother was a huge part of that settling, and will be as he is building shelves in pretty much every closet I own...because of that I wanted to make some dinner for him and his family. 

 

That is how I nurture. 

 

Food.

 

I had this beautiful squash sitting in my storage and some lovely carrots...I thought they would go nicely together so I decided soup...it is always forgiving!

 

Because I am so awesome, I forgot to take a "finished product" shot...but the photos kind of give you an idea...and I am not very good at remembering to measure (ha!) so all things are approximate as this was totally thrown together as I went!

 

Squash/Carrot Soup

 

1 large winter squash (I used butternut, but pretty much any would work)

5-6 large carrots, peeled and cut into coins

2 medium onions, peeled and diced

Salt and Pepper to taste

Drizzle of Olive Oil

Milk to thickness of soup (maybe 5 or 6 Cups?)

Flour for roux (about 1/2 C)

 

1.  Cut your squash in half.  With one half cut in half again and scoop out the seeds.  Place cut sides down in a glass baking dish.  Bake at 350F for about 1/2 hour until totally soft.

 

With mine it was the bottom half, the rounded part, that went into the oven. 

 

2.  The other half needs peeled.  I just cut the squash into long strips and cut the peel off, but if you have a really good peeler, you could do it that way.  Then you dice them.

 

Add the dices into a pan. 

 

3.  Dice the onions and add to the same pan.  Drizzle some Olive oil over top (or whatever oil you want...I think coconut oil would be fabulous too) and sprinkle with generous amounts of salt and pepper.

 

Stir fry until the squash is nice and cooked.  It will brown on some of the sides, you want that.  Caramelize away!

 

4.  Do the same thing with your carrots.  Stir fry with or without the salt and pepper, but make sure to add a bit of oil to them or they will burn.

Depending on how long you want to simmer this, you could leave your carrots slightly crunchy if you want to simmer for a while.

5.  Take that squash out of the oven and scoop the insides into a bowl.  Mash it all up so it is nicely pureed.  No chunks left.

6.  Make a roux.  That is a little butter (I used ghee) in a pan (about 3-4 Tbsp), melted.  Add your flour until a paste forms. 

Whisk in about 4-5 cups of milk.  Bring to almost a boil. 

Your mixture should have thickened quite a bit.

Whisk in your squash.  It will now be super thick.

7.  In a large pan, combine all your ingredients, diced squash, carrots and roux mixture.  Thin with more milk (or water) to desired consistency and serve.

We ate it with french fried onions and cheese on top.  I think it would also be super yum with cottage cheese, bacon bits, chopped green onions...and pretty much anything else you want.  It is so good.  Enjoy!

My brother, the soup hater, loved it and gulped down huge seconds!

If you make it, please let me know how you enjoyed it.

Cheers

Food Storage Friday - Hanging Onions

Hey -

Do you have tonnes of onions that you harvested?

Yah, me neither.

BUT, I do have onions I was lucky enough to obtain from family.  LOTS OF THEM!

I hung them from my Mom's fence to dry them up, then brought them home to store.  I do this every year, whether it be my own that I have grown, or some from family.  Each year I lose some to the rot.  You know, when the onions just get mushy and rot.  Gotta hate that.

So, this year I am trying something new.  It's all over pinterest right now, and some of my "old" friends do this each year.  Just on the off chance you haven't seen this, I thought I would share.

Hanging onions!

First you have to take all the papery stuff off the outside of your onions.  Well, I guess you don't HAVE to, but this makes it easier.

Then, you take your super cheap nylons (I found these for $1 at the dollar store), and shove an onion in the leg. 

Tie a knot, and shove another in after it until the leg is all full.  I cut the pantie part in half and used that to tie to a nail and hang the whole shebang.

For $2.50 I hung all of my onions.  I used 5 legs of nylons with an average of 10 onions per leg. 

As you use the onions, cut below the knot and one onion will slip out.  Super easy.

I am hoping that this will reduce the number of onions that rot as they are not all packed in a box sweating together. 

How about you?  Do you have any "tried and true" methods of preserving the harvest that may be different or weird?  I would LOVE to hear them...those seem to be my favorite to try!

Cheers

Food Storage Friday - Raisin Plum Pound Cake

My Dad likes raisins. 

 

A LOT!

 

So when he requested dessert, his only specification was,   "raisins, lots of them."  I knew I needed to come up with something new and delish.

 

I love the taste and density of pound cake, and knew it would lend itself well to my leftover plums with some raisins added in for my Dad.  So here is my creation...

 

Raisin Plum Pound Cake

4 C Flour
3 1/2 C Sugar
2 tsp Cinnamon
2 tsp Cloves

Mix well in a large bowl.  Add:

2 C Oil
4 tsp Vanilla
6 Eggs
1 Quart Jars Canned Plums - pits removed and crushed
1 C Raisins

Mix just until moistened.  Pour into greased Angel Food Cake pan.  Bake 300F for 60  min or until firm and cooked through.

Serve with whipped cream.

This is a really dense cake that is not very sweet.  We all figured it was pretty much perfect! 

Cheers

Mormon Musings

For over 150 years we have been counseled to be prepared. 

 

It's not a new concept.  We have been told many times, by many prophets, and many different ways.

 

My question to you today is how do you prepare?  And what do you prepare for?

 

DH and I watched "Doomsday Preppers" so we know there are many things people are preparing for...but our preparedness can take so many different forms.

 

Do you have a pantry type place you store extra food?  Just a bit, but you have it on hand for "just in case".

How about a bunch of buckets under your stairs.  Filled with wheat and beans and other things you don't know how to use.  (or do you?  Is that part of your preparedness?  Learning how to use your food storage and make it yummy?)

How about a shelf or two or twenty full of food?

Do you think it means you acquire the skills you need to can?  Do you have the glass jars and snaps and lids, with equipment and know how to use it?

Or is it acquiring the skills to make things like soap by hand?  Or cheese or other simple things you could make?

Does it mean you have books on a wide variety of subjects, or even just a few?

Do you think you need land to be as self-sufficient as you can be?  Raising your own animals and gardens and being "off-grid"?

Is it having a bunch of guns, bows, knives and the know-how to use them?  Do you store the ammo, arrows and tools to care for each of them as well?

What does preparedness look like to you?  Do you think it is just storing the food we are counseled to store?  Or does it encompass more?  Does it become a life style and make you a different person?

I would love to hear from you about how or why you do the things you do to prepare.  How does your family make it work for you?  What types of things do you do?

Cheers

Food Storage Friday - Canning Peppers

I had this great post all written out on canning plums, because that is what I did this week...but then just before I posted it, I thought that I had written something like that before. 

Turns out I did!  Here it is if you missed it. 

So, good thing I picked tonnes of peppers at my Mom's!

 

I had given her a bunch of seeds because I wasn't able to grow a garden for the past couple years.  I didn't want them to get too old so I had her grow them and we shared.  :)

 

These were "hot" peppers.  Turns out they were just long...not hot at all!

 

So, I was at a loss for what to do with them.  I thought and I thought.

 

I had already dehydrated about 40 lbs of peppers so I didn't want to do that.  Then I remembered that DH loves the pickled banana peppers that you get.

 

So, today I am making pickled peppers.

 

Here is the recipe I am going to fake, and I will post a photo when they are done.  (because that is today's project)

A Peck of Pickled Peppers

Brine:

2 Cups Water

1 1/2 Cup Sugar

2 Cups Vinegar

4-5 Tbsp of pickling spice in a spice bag

(more on a spice bag and how to use it here on this post)

 

Bring all of it to a boil in a pan and simmer while preparing your peppers.

 

Wash your peppers well.  If they are grown in your garden all you have to do is remove the dirt.  If they are store bought you want to remove the pesticides and wax.

 

Slice starting at the bottom and make rings.  You can make them as thick or thin as you want.  This is entirely dependant on how thick you want them when you eat them.  I made mine 1/4 inch thick.

 

Place 2 tsp Pickling Salt into each jar and pack your peppers into your jars to 1/2 inch below rim.  Pour your HOT brine over top of them and place your snap and ring on finger tight.  Process in your boiling water bath.  15 min for pints, 20 for quarts.

 

 

These will keep for up to 2 years.  (according to health standards)

 

Enjoy.

 

Do you have any canning questions?  Are there certain tutorials you want me to do?  How about basics that you want to learn?  I would love to do a post just for you...

 

Cheers 

Food Storage Friday - Soapy Experiments

You might remember when I mentioned waaaaay back in March that I wanted to learn how to make soap.  No?  Well I did.  I wanted to learn, and a dear friend of mine called me up and we made some together. 

 

I thought today I would share the recipes I had the most success at so if you wanted to learn, you could to!

 

 

We each made 3 kinds.

We had scoured the Internet for various tutorials and recipes.  (you can see more of each on my pinterest board if you would like)  If you haven't found one that you like, my favorite was this one here. 

Then I actually bought the app for my iPad that The Soap Queen told me to...and plugged in my numbers. 

This is what I came up with, and what my friend and I found to work the best:

 

Milk Soap (with Cornmeal and Poppy seed)

 

Yield: about 71 oz

 

18oz Coconut Oil

18 oz Olive Oil

12 oz Palm Oil

 

6.71 oz Lye

15.8 oz Frozen Coconut Milk

 

2 C Cornmeal

3/4 C Poppy seed

(or any desired amount - more or less to your taste in scrubby power)

 

Take your coconut milk and freeze it a couple hours in ice cube trays.  When frozen, remove and place in your glass container that you will mix the lye in.  Slowly add the lye, mix until no lumps remain and measure the temperature.  Cool to 100 degrees if it is above that level.

 

While it is cooling, melt your oils in a pot over low heat.  Bring temperature down to 100 degrees as well.

 

In your pot, slowly add the lye and blend until trace (takes very little time). 

 

Add your cornmeal and poppy seed.  Use a spatula to mix them in.

 

Pour into your chosen mold.  Let sit 24 hours, remove and cut.  Let cure at least 4 weeks.  (I did 6 because I am a nerd and really wanted the lye to be properly cured)

 

 



Sea Clay Avocado

 

Yield: about 94 oz

 

24 oz Olive Oil

16 oz Coconut Oil

12 oz Avocado Oil

8 oz Cocoa Butter

4 oz Castor Oil

 

8.47 oz Lye

21 oz Water

 

1 tsp Sea Clay (reconstituted)

1 oz Essential Oil (I didn't use)

 

Make Lye solution.

 

Weigh out solid oils and melt.

Add liquid oils to solids.  Add clay water to oils.  It will not want to mix in, but with stick blending it will.  Add scent if desired.

 

When oils and lye are at 120 to 140 degrees, add lye to the oils.  Stick blend to trace.  (it will not take long)

 

Pour into molds.  (I used some PVC molds and it said in the original recipe that it would get full gel without insulation.  It seemed to work, but it was wicked hard to get out of the PVC!)

Cure 4 to 6 weeks. 

 

Have fun! 

 

I am seriously in love with my soap.  I hated making it, I honestly thought I ruined it a couple times, but it worked out and we love these two the best.  I love the scrubby one, and DH loves the clay one.  

 

They both lather so well and clean you so nothing is left behind.  One of my pet peeves is the feeling of something on my skin...so this is a great thing for me!

 

I am running low on the one kind, so I am making more right away!

 

And price....let's talk about the price.

 

A handmade bar of soap generally runs you about $5 per bar (the big size).  If you are lucky to not have to pay shipping, then lets say it only costs you the $5.

 

My bars were about $1.50 to $2.25 per bar.  If I were to sell it, I would charge that $5 as well.  Although you can buy something like Irish Spring for quite cheap (about $0.30 per bar), I think, personally, that this is much nicer, lasts longer and is much better for you.  I am in love. 

 

I was willing before to buy handmade, and so this price is acceptable to me.  Just be aware of the fact that it is more pricey than the stuff you buy in the store. 

 

Cheers 



Food Storage Friday - "Instant Breakfast"

My boys are getting older and way more independent.  With that independence comes opinions.  Seriously!  Who knew that you could have an opinion on EVERYTHING?!

Their opinions have left me at a loss for breakfast.  My oldest prefers Oatmeal of some sort, my second son likes Pancakes and my baby likes cereal and pancakes.  This makes it tricky when I don't want to make seventeen different things for breakfast! 

Enter my solution.

"Instant" packs of breakfast.

I made some packs of pancake mix, oatmeal breakfast cookies, and granola...placed them in baggies in a large air tight container and wrote instructions to tape to the front.  This way they can make them on their own and specialize it according to their tastes.  I also have a bunch of ziploc containers in my freezer with various mix-ins so that it makes it super simple. 

Want some recipes?  Here they are:

Single Serve Pancakes (makes 2 or 1 large one from each baggie)

3 Cups Flour
1/4 Cup Sugar
3 Tbsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Salt
3 Tbsp Powdered Eggs

Mix well and place about 1/3 Cup in each baggie.  Makes about 10 baggies.

On the instructions taped to the front I write:

Add 1 Tbsp Oil of your choice (I have olive, canola and coconut for them)
Add enough water to make pancake batter.

Close baggie and squish until it is mixed well.  Clip off corner and cook in hot pan until cooked both sides.

If you want to change it up, add some of the mix-ins.  Hemp Hearts, Wheat Germ, Flax Seed, Sunflower Seeds, Pumpkin Seeds, Dehydrated Fruit, Raisins, Chocolate Chips, etc.

Single Serve Breakfast Cookie (makes one large "cookie" each baggie)
(adapted from here)

3 Cups Oats
1/2 Cup Flour
1 Tbsp Baking Powder
2 Tbsp Cinnamon
1/2 Cup Chocolate Chips
1/2 Cup Raisins
1/4 Cup Peanut Butter Powder (optional)

Mix well and put about 1/3 Cup into each baggie.  Makes about 14 baggies.

On the instructions taped to the front I write:

Pour into a bowl and add 1 Tbsp Syrup and 3 Tbsp Yogurt.  Mix well and microwave for about 70 seconds.  Eat.

You can add some mix-ins if you want a little different cookie.  Try: Sesame seeds, flax seed, sunflower seeds, hemp hearts, wheat germ, bran, dry fruit, etc

My boys love the independence this gives them.  I realize it is probably easier to just place a box of cereal on the table...but we don't really eat that so this is my solution.  I also have on hand at all times a big batch of homemade granola.  The mix-ins change every time I make it, but this is my basic recipe. 

I love how it helps my boys make breakfast all on their own, and they learn about making healthy food choices, but still keeps it fun.

What is your favorite breakfast food?  Maybe I can make a single serving instant pack out of it....  :)

Cheers

Food Storage Friday - Pickling Beets

Have you ever seen pickling spice?

I think it might be one of the most visually appealing spices that you can buy.  It is so beautiful.

That was a total side track to get here.

 

I picked a bunch of beets from a friend the other day.  (friends rock...seriously!)  DH is in love with beet pickles.  He and I differ in opinions about the necessity of pickles in our lives.  I am of the camp that we don't need them...he is in the wrong camp!

BUT, because I love him, and because he adores my Mom because she makes him beet pickles, I thought I would make him some pickles this year. 

See how nice I am?!

So because I am on a roll with niceness...I thought I would share a wee tutorial with you.  Then you can make your pickle lover some as well.  (unless you are in the RIGHT camp and don't like pickles...)  :)

Beet Pickles

First you need to cut your beet stems.  Remember that beets bleed so keep your stem about an inch long.  If you are keeping your water to make beet jelly with, wash your beets well.  If you are not keeping it, rinse the big clumps off and pop them in the water.

Boil until they are fork tender.  (that is not cooked, but not hard anymore)

Dump the whole lot into a sink and let sit for a while.  They are stinkin hot and need to cool a bit.

When they are no longer super hot, but still pretty warm, you need to peel the skins off.  I must still be a child because this is seriously my favorite part of canning.  I used to do this job as a child with my Mom and I STILL love it!

The whole thing, roots and top, will peel off super easy.  Drop into your sterilized jars till they are about a half inch from the top.  If you are lucky and you picked all smallish beets, you can drop them in whole.  If you are like my Mom and grow them HUGE...cut into big bite size pieces.

While your beets are cooling, make your brine.  This smells so totally Divine!  I love this step.

Brine:

2 Cups Water

1 1/2 Cup Sugar

2 Cups Vinegar

4-5 Tbsp of pickling spice in a spice bag.

What's a spice bag?

Well, I took a spare sheet and ripped it up.  You can use any porous material though.  Place your spice in the center...

...and tie with some kitchen twine.  (or thread or whatever you have on hand...just make sure it is clean)

Place in your liquid ingredients and bring to a boil.

With your jars loaded, add a Tbsp pickling salt and pour your brine to 1/4 inch from the top. 

Add your new snap and twist the tops on to finger tight.



If you are going to eat in the next year or so, these will probably all seal.  They need to sit for at least a month to soak up the taste of the brine.

If you are going to store for longer time, or if they didn't seal, place in a hot oven (350F) for about 15 min.  Or you can hot water bath for 20 min once it boils. 

Enjoy your hard work.

Cheers