Food Storage Friday: White Bean Dip

I've lately been on the lookout for good bean recipes and stumbled across this fabulous one from Giada de Laurentiis. Seriously, I like it much better than hummus, and I think hummus is good.


Ingredients: 1 can cannellini beans, clove garlic, lemon juice (I used fresh but you can use shelf-friendly), olive oil, parsley, salt, pepper. (Oregano is in the pic and was in the recipe but actually isn't supposed to be.)


After rinsing and draining the beans, place them with the other ingredients into your food processor. I have a very small food processor, so I mixed the ingredients (minus the oil) in a separate bowl first, added them to the food processor, gave it a few spins, then added the oil and kept processing until it was smooth. Smooth and creamy and delightful.

Try it with pitas or old bread that you've toasted or crackers or whatever. It's a great way to incorporate a can of beans that might be collecting dust on your shelf.

Enjoy!

Giada's White Bean Dip

1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 clove garlic (the recipe calls for two but it was quite garlicky)
2 T lemon juice
1/3 c. olive oil, plus 4 T. (I didn't need the extra 4 T.)
1 t. dried parsley
salt
pepper


Place ingredients in food processor and pulse until desired consistency, adding salt and pepper to desired taste. Serve with pita chips, crackers, whatteva.

Brittany

How To...Make Tin Foil Dinners

Sarah is here again with a great tutorial. Check out her bio on the columnists page.

I confess I never had a tin foil dinner until I was married. I was not a boy/girl scout nor did my family camp...ever. In fact once we rented a motor home for an over night trip only to spend the night in a hotel.

(This is sadly true. I'm not sure how Mountain Man and I ever got together.)

Alas, I married to a husband whose combined love of the outdoors and saving money has shown me the benefits of camping. Tin foil dinners, marshmallows, and dutch ovens are the reason I camp, that and air mattresses.

Tin foil dinners are easy to make in the oven or in a camp fire. They're a lot like beef stew--just throw in whatever you have or want.

I usually go with:
Ground beef
Cream of Mushroom Soup
Onions
Carrots
Cheese
Potatoes
Salt and pepper

To make:

Tear off 12-15 inches of tin foil. Start with a patty of beef, sprinkle with salt and pepper, top with onions.
Then add whatever else you have in your cupboards. Be careful with cheese, as it can melt and make a mess. I like Parmesan because it gives the flavor without a lot of melted goo.
Make sure to double wrap your dinner.
If they are personalized, label them.

To cook in a campfire, make sure you keep them in the hot coals and not in the flames. Keep turning them until they are done. Every fire is different and there is no real exact cooking time. Just keep checking until the potatoes and carrots are done and the meat is no longer pink.

Cooking in the oven more specific. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes or until the potatoes are done.
Making tin foil dinners can be a fun family activity. It's like personal pizzas, except you don't have to make the dough. Enjoy!

Food Storage 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 car kit, add some high energy snacks.  Granola bars and trail mix are good options.  Just be careful with anything that has chocolate... it will probably melt and get really messy.  I have a box of granola bars in my car kit.  You decide how much food to store - personalize it for your family and according to their likes.


Just a side note: don't feel like you must follow along with us as we gather these kits.  Someone told us a few weeks ago that once they saw the car kit list on our sidebar, they were able to gather nearly everything right away from around the house!  That's awesome!!  And that's why we post the entire list - you can go at your own pace--just try not to get too far behind.


How is your three-month supply coming along?  I also like to have three months' worth of other essentials in my home... soap, dishwasher detergent, dish soap, cleaning supplies, toothpaste, toilet paper, etc.  Having these items is helpful for me in more ways than one; first of all, I can stock up when they are on sale only.  Secondly, if I needed to stay in my house for three months, I wouldn't be lacking any of my day-to-day needs. The three month supply isn't only about food!


As for the longer-term storage, we are still gathering rice this month.  Check out our food storage recipes for some options of what to do with all that rice you have!

Motivational Monday

Joseph, the son of Jacob, was a model of integrity. No doubt many of you have been reminded of him recently in a Sunday School class. Joseph’s integrity placed him among the greatest of our Heavenly Father’s sons. He did what was right and good; he was trustworthy and incorruptible, self-disciplined never to violate a trust. Because of his integrity and righteousness, Joseph was favored and blessed of the Lord in every circumstance. His life is evidence that “all things work together for good to [those who] love God.” (Rom. 8:28.) His example is especially pertinent to us because most members of the Church have descended from his loins. His father, Jacob, loved Joseph even from his youth. The Lord revealed future events to Joseph in dreams. However, his brothers hated him, plotted to take his life, and then sold him as a slave. When he was carried captive to Egypt, the Lord was with him there. Joseph became overseer of the house of Potiphar, captain of Pharaoh’s guard. When approached by Potiphar’s wife, Joseph refused and fled from her improper advances because of his personal righteousness and because he would not violate Potiphar’s trust. This refusal and the accusations it prompted caused Joseph to be imprisoned. Again the Lord was with him. Joseph became overseer of the prison. The Lord enabled him to interpret the dreams of Pharaoh’s butler and baker, and later, Pharaoh’s dreams of seven fat and lean cows and of seven full and thin ears of corn. Subsequently, Joseph became ruler over all Egypt, second in rank only to Pharaoh. He directed the storage of food during the years of plenty and the dispensing of it during the years of famine. During the famine, Joseph’s brothers, who had sold him as a slave twenty-two years earlier, came to Egypt to obtain food. Not recognizing him, they bowed down to him because of his high office. In a tender, touching scene, Joseph identified himself to his brothers and forgave them. I suppose he could have retaliated for their mistreatment of him by making them slaves, having them imprisoned, or even having them put to death. But he did what was right and good. He said: “I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. “Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither. … “And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity … and to save your lives by a great deliverance. “So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God.” (Gen. 45:4–5, 7–8.) Through Joseph, the Lord preserved the children of Israel and provided a place in Egypt for them to flourish and increase.


Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles "Personal Integrity", Ensign, May 1990

Food Storage Friday: Mexican Chicken and Rice Soup

Another food storage recipe from Sarah!

This is one of my favorite recipes I have tried this year. I love soup, rice and Mexican food so on title alone it was a clear win.

When made with raw chicken it is a crock pot meal but since we are using canned chicken it can take as long or as short as we choose.

In a large saucepan add 2 cans cream of chicken soup, 2 cans chicken broth (or two cans water and the appropriate amount of bullion), 1/2 cup minced onion, 1 can Rotel Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies and 1 can Cheddar cheese (this is found in the soup aisle).

Bring to a boil. Simmer. I like to let it simmer for 15-20 minutes to allow the flavors to mix.

Add 2 cups cooked rice and 1-2 cans chicken (depending on your preference). Simmer another 5-10 minutes and you're done.

Serve hot with tortilla chips or bread.

Mexican Chicken and Rice Soup

2 cans cream of chicken soup
2 cans water or chicken broth
1/2 cup minced onion (3/4 cup fresh)
1-2 cans canned chicken
1 can Rotel Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies
1 can cheddar cheese
2 cups cook rice

Combine cream of chicken soup, broth, onion, diced tomatoes and green chilies, and cheddar cheese. Bring to a boil. Simmer 15-20 minutes. Add rice and chicken. Heat through. Serve hot.

Snow Day in the South, part two

Yesterday, Abbie shared a post about her experience with the snow that rolled in last weekend.  My experience was pretty similar.


Abbie mentioned that she avoided the grocery store last Friday, but I had to pick up some ice cream for a get-together we had that night.  On the way, I stopped at the library to drop off some books and pick up a few new ones.  I was leisurely browsing through the books (my husband had come home early that day, so it was quite nice to be child-less for this trip!) when suddenly the librarian yelled, "We will be closing in 5 minutes!!  Bring your books to the front and check out!!"


Excuse me??  This was my mini-vacation, a trip to the library all by myself!  And now it was being cut short... and it wasn't even snowing yet!  ::sigh::  Okay.  I barely even made it to the desk when they were already turning off the lights.  The librarians were practically making a beeline for the door - they couldn't get out of there fast enough.


"Is this because of the.... snow??" I asked hesitantly, because I didn't want to sound lame.  Like I mentioned, it wasn't even snowing yet.  But, the librarian answered in the affirmative.


So I made my way out to the car and drove about half a mile up the road to the grocery store for the ice cream.  Snow flurries began as I was driving, and although I grew up in New England and consider myself a good snow driver, I was pretty nervous because the drivers here are not used to snow and I could tell that other people were nervous by the way they were driving.  The traffic was also horrible because it was Friday afternoon, AND people had left work especially early in anticipation of the snow.


The grocery store was just as I expected it to be.... FULL of people who were stocking up on water bottles, canned goods, and flashlights.  I was shocked for two reasons: one, I didn't understand the hype because let's face it, this is the SOUTH... any snow we get is NOT going to last more than 24 hours.  And two: are these people really without these items on a normal basis?  Do people really not have flashlights and canned goods?  After doing a food storage blog for almost two years, it's almost like second nature to me to have at least SOME canned goods in my home at all times.  But I guess that's not the case for everyone.


I will admit: sometimes, when I hear about a storm coming my way and I assess my food storage, part of me still feels like going to the grocery store and stocking up on emergency supplies, even though I already have them in my home!  Is this normal, does anyone do this?!?  A part of me wants the excitement of running to the store and filling my cart with new flashlights, more canned goods, more bottled water.... even though I have plenty of all of these things in my home already.  Is that weird??


Anyway, I resisted all urges to get a cart and join the chaos, and I grabbed my ice cream, paid, and left (thank goodness for self-checkout!).


By the time I got home, the snow was coming down at a steady pace.  It was very exciting and fun.  My three-year-old has never experienced anything like this so it was great to see her reaction.  She and my husband built a snowman, had snowball fights, and just had an all-around great time.


One funny thing that happened: when I got home from the store, I was telling my husband about the chaos I encountered at the store.  He laughed too, but then a couple minutes later he said, "So... we DO have food, right? Like, some canned goods?"  !?!?  Umm... honey, have you looked in our food storage closet lately? Did you know that I write a food storage blog??  Hellooo!  (not to sound mean.. it was really funny though.  I assured him that yes, we do have "some food" and that we would be fine.  He grew up in Wisconsin, he knows what a "real" snowstorm is like... I was pretty surprised that he was even asking me that.


The lights flickered a few times on Friday evening, and our Olympic viewing was pretty hindered by the poor cable feed (because of the snow), but other than that the snow didn't affect us much on Friday.


On Saturday, however, long after the last snowflake had fallen, our power went out.  I called the power company (I have their # saved in my cell phone!) and reported the outage, and they told me that the power should be back on around 6pm (which was 8 hours from then!).  I was pretty bummed out because I had just put some dinner in the crockpot.  I put it in the fridge and hoped that the electricity would come back sooner than they said.


Unsurprisingly, I became quite bored soon after the lights went out.  I mean, it's not as if I rely on electricity for everything I do, but it seems like the only things I could think of to do needed electricity.  I felt like playing the piano, but it's electric.  I thought about watching movies, but... yeah.  We read some books, played some games.  It got kind of cold in the house but we just bundled up and it wasn't too bad.


Thankfully, the power came back on just a few hours later - long before 6pm.  


As I reflected on this experience, I am surprised at how disappointed I was with the power outage.  I know that I rely on electricity a lot, like most people do, but I really don't deal with outages very well.  It makes me feel like I don't have any control over my surroundings... I am constantly flipping on a light switch and then remembering, "oh yeah, the power's out!" and I don't like that.


Thankfully it was daytime, and no flashlights were needed at all.  I am very thankful that we were prepared in that aspect, however... although I should re-check all the batteries because my three-year-old loves to play with flashlights. :)  Thanks also to everyone who left great comments and suggestions in yesterday's post about flashlight options!


All in all, this was a great experience and I'm happy we could have a "mini" emergency to help us get prepared and think about what we need to do if something truly awful came our way.

Snow Day in the South

The snowstorm that went through Texas last week was predicted to hit Georgia on Friday afternoon. I have to admit that I was a bit skeptical. In the (almost) six years we've lived here, we've seen snow two times, and only for a few minutes in small flurries. Having grown up in Utah, I'm not easily impressed when it comes to snowfall.

I talked to Aleasha Friday morning as she was heading out to the store. The last thing I wanted to do was join the crowds in the grocery stores buying up supplies.

Even though I was skeptical of the storm, I did a quick inventory in my mind. I had done my weekly grocery shopping on Wednesday and we had plenty of perishables (milk, eggs, etc) and I wasn't worried about the non-perishables. Although my 3-month supply isn't complete, it is more than enough to last us through a weekend of snow.

It started to snow early afternoon. My girls ran out to catch snowflakes on their tongues, but I still didn't believe it would stick.


At this point I decided, we might get a decent storm. Still, I wasn't worried about being snowed in. I knew we had plenty of bottled water and food.


At this point, Mountain Man made a comment about the possibility of losing power. I scoffed at this, but he said that trees in the south were not made to withstand snow. He pointed out that the boughs of our trees were already bending with the weight of the snow. If a tree fell onto a power line, it could knock out the power.

Then I started to do a power outage inventory. I still wasn't nervous (Utah girl here, remember?) but knew I needed to be prepared. I plugged in both our cell phones and the lap top (for movies of course!) so they would have a full charge. I double checked that the matches were near the candles, and set some candles out for the dinner table for fun. Power outages can be fun for kids if you play them right. I did a mental check for blankets, we have lots, and we could all sleep in one room for warmth if need be. I knew we had plenty of fuel and Mountain Man's backpacking stove in the garage if we needed to heat up meals.

After I'd run over these things in my head, I knew we'd be okay for an extended period of time. So I just settled down and enjoyed the novelty of snow in the South.



It turned out that, although the power flickered, we never actually lost it. And the roads were clear by the next morning, in fact most of the snow melted the next day. But I was able to enjoy the storm by knowing I had covered all my bases.

The neat thing is that because I was already physically prepared (by having blankets, fuel, food, and water). When the actual storm hit, all my preparation was mental. Then when my check was complete, I could help make the situation be fun for my kids. Even though we had power, we ate dinner by candle light and roasted marshmallows over the open flame.

Honestly, I wished the snow had lasted. How fun would it have been to be snowed in for a weekend! But I can say that knowing that we were prepared to enjoy it comfortably.

Besides the basics, what is something you personally want to have in the event of being snowed in? I admit, I checked how much cocoa powder and chocolate syrup we had.

Food Storage 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 car kits, add a bottle of water per seat in your car.  That way, if your car is full of people, each person will still get water if they want/need it.  In the past, we've gotten comments and questions about the safety of keeping plastic water bottles in the car, especially in the heat.  People are concerned about toxins from the plastic getting into the water.  For me personally, if there was an emergency and I needed water, I would rather have some water with the possibility of a few toxins, rather than no water at all.  However, does someone have a suggestion for another way to store water in your car, outside of the plastic water bottles?  I'm sure many of our readers (and I) would be interested in a safer alternative.  One thing you can do is rotate your water regularly (once every couple of weeks or so), especially during the summer or if you live in a warmer climate.


How is your three-month supply coming along?  Don't forget to rotate, and keep your master list updated.  Many people like to keep a physical pen-and-paper list in their pantry; others keep a spreadsheet on their computers with all their food listed there.  Do whatever works for you, and whatever is easiest for you to update regularly.


We are still gathering rice this month for the longer-term storage.


We have a great week ahead on the blog.  We recently has some crazy snow here in the South, so Abbie and I will be sharing our experiences with that.  Also, we have a really awesome review and giveaway coming up in the next week or two.  CSN Stores contacted us and we are very excited to be working with them!  We'll be doing a product review, and then giving something away to one lucky reader.... so stay tuned for that!  CSN Stores sells all kinds of great things, including cookware, barstools, and neat modern furniture.  We are really looking forward trying out some of their products, and sharing them with you.


Hope you all have a good week... don't forget to add those water bottles to your car kits!

Food Storage Friday: Surprise Muffins, revisited

A year ago this month, I shared this recipe for Surprise Muffins.  This month, I decided to make them again and try some different jams on the inside.  These make a great Valentines treat, or you can make them on any other day to make it special.  My daughter loves them, just as I loved them growing up.  You can see the full food storage muffins post from last year here.


Surprise Muffins
(makes 12 muffins)


2c flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c sugar
1/4 c shortening
1/3 c powdered milk (with 1 cup water)
Jam (any kind - rasp, strawberry, orange marmalade... the possibilities are endless, really)

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

Sift your flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. In a separate bowl, cream together the sugar and shortening. Also, use your powdered milk and water to create 1 cup of milk.

Stir in your sugar/shortening mixture and milk alternately into your dry ingredients. Stir until they are all combined.

Drop 1-2 tablespoons of batter into your muffin tin (or paper muffin cup). Next, drop a dollop of jam into the center of each (1/2 to 1 tsp of jam). Use the remaining batter to cover the jam in each of the muffins.

Bake at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

What's your favorite kind of jam?

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, we are starting to gather emergency kits for the car.  You should make one for each car in your household, but if you can only do one at a time that's fine too.


Find something to put your items in this week.  It can be a small tupperware box, a cardboard box (diaper boxes work great), etc.  To find the best deal, shop around or visit your local secondhand store.  It should have a top to keep everything from spilling over at every turn, but it's not necessary.


How is your three-month supply coming along?  We recommend that you also have three months' worth of toothpaste, soap, feminine products, diapers, etc.  It's hard to plan ahead for diapers since babies grow out of their sizes so quickly.  I recommend always stocking up on the next size up.  That way, when they start wearing that bigger size, they can wear the ones you've stored, and you can start buying the next size up.


We are gathering rice this month for our longer term storage.  I love rice - it goes with pretty much anything!  I also like to store lots of bouillon cubes (chicken, beef) because it gives white rice nice flavor if it's eaten plain.

Inspirational Thought

"We live in a most exciting and challenging period in human history. As technology sweeps through every facet of our lives, changes are occurring so rapidly that it can be difficult for us to keep our lives in balance. To maintain some semblance of stability in our lives, it is essential that we plan for our future. I believe it is time, and perhaps with some urgency, to review the counsel we have received in dealing with our personal and family preparedness. We want to be found with oil in our lamps sufficient to endure to the end."

Elder L. Tom Perry, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles "If Ye Are Prepared Ye Shall Not Fear"

Thanks for helping

Thanks to everyone who has bought our e-book over the last two weeks (some people even bought multiple copies!).  100% of the proceeds will be sent to help in Haiti relief (via LDS Humanitarian Services).  We were able to raise more than $100, so THANK YOU!   I know that in the large scheme of things that may not seem like much money, but every little bit helps.


We hope that you will find the e-book helpful as you plan and utilize your food storage daily.  If you are still interested in purchasing our food storage e-book, click on the link.


If you would like to donate to Haiti relief via LDS Humanitarian Services, click on that link.  100% of your donation goes to the relief fund.  If you do not have the resources to donate money, I encourage you to click on the link and look around the website, and read about what is being done to serve the people in Haiti.  It's so inspiring! 


Thank you again!

Food Storage Friday: Breakfast Quinoa

Here we go, embarking on another journey with quinoa, a high protein seed. The first time we tried it was for dinner, now let's try it for breakfast!

Ingredients: quinoa, dry milk, water, cinnamon, and brown sugar (and any toppings you like with your hot breakfast cereal)

Obviously, you can make this with regular milk, but using powdered milk is really only one step more. Add the water to the pot and add the powdered milk.

Stir it and then crank the heat up so it can boil.

While the milk is coming to a boil, rinse the quinoa. Now I'm not talking about a quick rinse---this deserves a serious, hands on wash! Rinse through all the quinoa seeds using your fingers and running water. Believe me, you'll regret it if you don't give these babies a good wash. Quinoa is VERY bitter before it is rinsed. The first time I made something with quinoa, Mountain Man said "is it supposed to taste like this?" Yeah, it was bad.

When the milk is boiling, add the rinsed quinoa.

Bring the mixture to boiling again, and then reduce heat to low and cover for 15 minutes.

I recommend using a larger pan.

After the fifteen minutes are up, most of the milk should be absorbed and the quinoa should be looking more translucent.

Stir in the brown sugar and the cinnamon now.

Like I said before, I recommend using a larger pan.

Cook another 8 minutes on low until all the milk is absorbed.

  

Top with whatever oatmeal toppings you like and eat up!

Breakfast Quinoa

adapted from Martha Stewart

• 2 cups water



• enough powdered milk to make 2 cups milk



• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed



• 3 tablespoons light-brown sugar, plus more for serving



• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more for serving



• Bring milk to a boil in a small saucepan. Add quinoa, and return to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer, covered, until three-quarters of the milk has been absorbed, about 15 minutes



• Stir in sugar and cinnamon. Cook, covered, until almost all the milk has been absorbed, about 8 minutes. Serve with additional milk, sugar, cinnamon, and blueberries, any toppings you'd like.

Tuesday

**For two more days (until midnight on Thursday) we will be donating 100% of the profits from our food storage e-book sales to help the victims of Haiti.  Buy yours today and help those in need.**

Every Tuesday, we post specific items you should gather in order to supplement your 72-hour 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 72-hour kit is complete, we'll be putting together emergency car kits again (week by week). Once those are done, we'll gather the 72-hour kits again. So don't worry, just jump on in and join us where we are today!


Last Tuesday, we "assigned" the last item of our 72-hour kits!!  If you have followed along with us, congratulations!  If you didn't complete your kits or jumped on halfway through, that's ok.  We'll start gathering 72-hour kits again in a few months.


This week, gather the items that you may have missed and make sure your packs are complete.  Also, assess what you have and add anything extra that you want.  And if you do add anything extra, tell us about it - we are always open for ideas of what we should add/take away from our 72-hour kit list.


How is your three-month supply coming along?  Last week we mentioned the importance of storing water.  You should also be sure to have three months' worth of medications and medicine, if possible.


We are gathering rice this month for our longer-term storage.  Of course, you don't have to gather rice - this is just a recommendation (we rotate through different items each month).  For more information about rice, click on the link.  You can also read about how to store longer-term food items.


What additional items do you add to your 72-hour kits (besides the things on our recommended list [see sidebar])?

Motivational Monday

photo by gmayster01

It is right to work. Every man and woman and child should work. Even little children should learn how to share, to help do the housework and the yardwork, to plant gardens, to plant trees, to pick fruit, and to do everything that needs to be done, because that makes strong characters out of them and builds their faith and character. We want you parents to create work for your children. Insist on them learning their lessons in school. Do not let them play all the time. There is a time for play, there is a time to work, and there is a time to study. Be sure your children grow up like you know they ought to grow.

“Chapter 11: Provident Living: Applying Principles of Self-Reliance and Preparedness,” Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball, (2006),114–23