Monday, October 20, 2008
Spices and Seasonings
Spices and seasonings are a good part of your food storage, even if they are not essential. I really try to cook out of my food storage so I like to have a wide variety of spices and seasonings available. When taco seasoning goes on sale I buy a box full (I use this all the time). I also do the same with spaghetti seasoning. Here is a link I just received with several recipes for making some of your own seasonings. I haven't actually tried any of these yet, but I think its good to have some alternate recipes so you can improvise with your food storage if you need to.
Friday, October 17, 2008
One More Whole Wheat Bread Recipe
Here is one more whole wheat bread recipe that I got from a friend. I have not personally tried to make bread using it, but she did bring us a loaf and it was delicious. I think items like wheat gluten and dough enhancer may be found at a health food store if you can't find them at your grocery store. Just one more way to use your food storage!
Whole Wheat Bread
6 cups warm water
1/3 cup oil
2/3 cup honey
2 Tblsp. Dough enhancer
3 Tblsp. Wheat gluten
3 Tblsp. Yeast
2 Tblsp. Salt
15-17 Cups whole wheat flour
Using a Bosch or KitchenAid (I have the 6 Qt) Mixer: Mix all ingredients with half of the flour. Mix well. Then add remaining flour, 1 cup at a time until it pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Knead for 6 minutes. Shape into loaves. Put into bread pans that have been greased (top edge too). Let raise. (I covered mine with saran wrap to keep it from drying out.) Cook at 350 degrees for 30-35 min. Makes 5 loaves.
Whole Wheat Bread
6 cups warm water
1/3 cup oil
2/3 cup honey
2 Tblsp. Dough enhancer
3 Tblsp. Wheat gluten
3 Tblsp. Yeast
2 Tblsp. Salt
15-17 Cups whole wheat flour
Using a Bosch or KitchenAid (I have the 6 Qt) Mixer: Mix all ingredients with half of the flour. Mix well. Then add remaining flour, 1 cup at a time until it pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Knead for 6 minutes. Shape into loaves. Put into bread pans that have been greased (top edge too). Let raise. (I covered mine with saran wrap to keep it from drying out.) Cook at 350 degrees for 30-35 min. Makes 5 loaves.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Wheat Storage
I think wheat is a really inexpensive and important start to your food storage. If you buy the big bags from the LDS Cannery and store them properly in buckets it should last for a long time (at least 30 years). Another reason wheat is great food storage is that it can be sprouted for more nutrition, so its like a grain and vegetable!
It is recommended that you store 300 lbs of wheat per person for a year supply. In addition is recommended that you store 60 lbs of dry beans and other legumes per person for a year supply, but this post is about wheat.
To get more information about how to store it go to the link for the http://www.providentliving.org/. (Remember that is .org and not .com for the right webpage.) Click here to find out more about the longer term supply. Specifically, product and packaging recommendation and storage conditions.
My favorite way to store wheat is in the #10 cans from the LDS Cannery. I like them because they are easy use and store. One problem is that they are more expensive than buying a big bag and storing it yourself in a large plastic bucket. I think the large plastic bucket also takes up less room. If you choose to store wheat in a large plastic bucket, follow the instructions listed here, because dry ice should be used instead of the oxygen packets (which is a fairly new discovery).
It is recommended that you store 300 lbs of wheat per person for a year supply. In addition is recommended that you store 60 lbs of dry beans and other legumes per person for a year supply, but this post is about wheat.
To get more information about how to store it go to the link for the http://www.providentliving.org/. (Remember that is .org and not .com for the right webpage.) Click here to find out more about the longer term supply. Specifically, product and packaging recommendation and storage conditions.
My favorite way to store wheat is in the #10 cans from the LDS Cannery. I like them because they are easy use and store. One problem is that they are more expensive than buying a big bag and storing it yourself in a large plastic bucket. I think the large plastic bucket also takes up less room. If you choose to store wheat in a large plastic bucket, follow the instructions listed here, because dry ice should be used instead of the oxygen packets (which is a fairly new discovery).
Wheat Recipies
It is important to get yourself used to eating wheat products; otherwise, if the time came to live off of your food storage all the wheat would be a shock to your digestive system.
Here are some great recipes I have tried to use my wheat for. I like the pancake recipe because I don't need an expensive wheat grinder to grind my wheat, my blender does it for me. (Even my cheap Wal-Mart blender worked great for this pancake recipe.)
Whole Wheat Blender Pancakes
1 1/2 cups milk (I like to use my powdered milk for this)
1 cup wheat
Blend together in the blender for 3 minutes
After blending add:
3 eggs (I like to use powdered eggs here as well)
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup oil
Mix in blender.
Cook.
They don't puff up like regular pancakes, but my whole family loves them anyway!
I've had many failed attempts at breadmaker bread. I found this recipe and it has worked great for me! I love using the breadmaker because that is what I have (I didn't want to have to buy an expensive Bosch mixer). Its also just so easy. I throw all the ingredients in (which takes me about 10 minutes) and in 3 hours I have bread.
Whole Wheat Bread in a Breadmaker
Dump in breadmaker:
1 1/8 cups very warm water
1/3 cup honey
1 1/2 TBsp butter, oil or shortening
1 1/2 tsp salt
In a separate bowl mix:
3 cups flour
3 TBsp wheat gluten
1 TBsp dry milk powder
1 1/2 tsp dry active yeast
Once all the dry ingredients have been mixed, dump them into the breadmaker. Set the setting to basic bread (not whole wheat) with a light crust.
Here are some great recipes I have tried to use my wheat for. I like the pancake recipe because I don't need an expensive wheat grinder to grind my wheat, my blender does it for me. (Even my cheap Wal-Mart blender worked great for this pancake recipe.)
Whole Wheat Blender Pancakes
1 1/2 cups milk (I like to use my powdered milk for this)
1 cup wheat
Blend together in the blender for 3 minutes
After blending add:
3 eggs (I like to use powdered eggs here as well)
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup oil
Mix in blender.
Cook.
They don't puff up like regular pancakes, but my whole family loves them anyway!
I've had many failed attempts at breadmaker bread. I found this recipe and it has worked great for me! I love using the breadmaker because that is what I have (I didn't want to have to buy an expensive Bosch mixer). Its also just so easy. I throw all the ingredients in (which takes me about 10 minutes) and in 3 hours I have bread.
Whole Wheat Bread in a Breadmaker
Dump in breadmaker:
1 1/8 cups very warm water
1/3 cup honey
1 1/2 TBsp butter, oil or shortening
1 1/2 tsp salt
In a separate bowl mix:
3 cups flour
3 TBsp wheat gluten
1 TBsp dry milk powder
1 1/2 tsp dry active yeast
Once all the dry ingredients have been mixed, dump them into the breadmaker. Set the setting to basic bread (not whole wheat) with a light crust.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
72 Hour Kits
A few years ago one of my wards did 72 hour kits--the food part. Attached is the menu we used and how we did it.
We got those silver pouches you can buy from the LDS Cannery and also bought oxygen absorbers there too (you will need one silver pouch and one oxygen absorber per person.)
The following is one person's food for 72 hours, it should all fit in a silver pouch (remember to put oxygen absorber inside) and then seal the pouch.
We used juice boxes, oatmeal packets, hot cocoa packets, hot cider packets, little bags of fruit snacks, and other items listed below in the blue menu. There were also little plastic bags to mix the cider, cocoa and oatmeal packets in. The crackers listed are like the two packs that you get at a restaurant, so the packets were individually sealed, I think ours were from Wendy's. Make sure the candies you use are hard candies, stuff that will last a long time (not chocolates!). We printed off the blue information below as a large label and stuck it on the silver pouch, so you know what the menu is and what is inside. It should last 5 years with the oxygen absorber it--be sure to put in the oxygen absorber and then label the expiration date accordingly.
Be sure to include the extras like the spoons, napkins, matches, etc. listed below.
Once everything is sealed in, tape two 16 oz bottles of water the pouch. This is NOT drinking water. This is water to reconstitute the cocoa, noodles, oatmeal, etc. You will need additional drinking water in a 72 hour kit.
MENU FOR 72 HOUR KIT
DAY 1
Breakfast: 1 packet hot cereal, 1 box raisins, 1 box juice
Lunch: 1 packet soup, 1 packet crackers
Dinner: 1 pkg Ramen noodles, 1 packet hot cider
Snacks: 2 pieces gum, 5 pieces candy
DAY 2
Breakfast: 1 packet hot cereal, 1 packet hot cocoa
Lunch: 1 pkg Ramen noodles, 1 packet cider, 1 packet crackers
Dinner: 3 pieces jerky, 1 fruit snack
Snacks: 2 pieces gum, 5 pieces candy
DAY 3
Breakfast: 2 granola bars, 1 packet hot cocoa
Lunch: 1 packet soup, 1 packet crackers
Dinner: 1 pkg Ramen noodles, 1 fruit snack
Snacks: 2 pieces gum, 5 pieces candy
SEALED POUCH ALSO INCLUDES: matches, paper napkins, plastic spoons, plastic bag, oxygen absorber
PLEASE NOTE: You will need approximately 32 oz. of water to reconstitute pouch contents.
EXPIRATION DATE: 5 years later
We got those silver pouches you can buy from the LDS Cannery and also bought oxygen absorbers there too (you will need one silver pouch and one oxygen absorber per person.)
The following is one person's food for 72 hours, it should all fit in a silver pouch (remember to put oxygen absorber inside) and then seal the pouch.
We used juice boxes, oatmeal packets, hot cocoa packets, hot cider packets, little bags of fruit snacks, and other items listed below in the blue menu. There were also little plastic bags to mix the cider, cocoa and oatmeal packets in. The crackers listed are like the two packs that you get at a restaurant, so the packets were individually sealed, I think ours were from Wendy's. Make sure the candies you use are hard candies, stuff that will last a long time (not chocolates!). We printed off the blue information below as a large label and stuck it on the silver pouch, so you know what the menu is and what is inside. It should last 5 years with the oxygen absorber it--be sure to put in the oxygen absorber and then label the expiration date accordingly.
Be sure to include the extras like the spoons, napkins, matches, etc. listed below.
Once everything is sealed in, tape two 16 oz bottles of water the pouch. This is NOT drinking water. This is water to reconstitute the cocoa, noodles, oatmeal, etc. You will need additional drinking water in a 72 hour kit.
MENU FOR 72 HOUR KIT
DAY 1
Breakfast: 1 packet hot cereal, 1 box raisins, 1 box juice
Lunch: 1 packet soup, 1 packet crackers
Dinner: 1 pkg Ramen noodles, 1 packet hot cider
Snacks: 2 pieces gum, 5 pieces candy
DAY 2
Breakfast: 1 packet hot cereal, 1 packet hot cocoa
Lunch: 1 pkg Ramen noodles, 1 packet cider, 1 packet crackers
Dinner: 3 pieces jerky, 1 fruit snack
Snacks: 2 pieces gum, 5 pieces candy
DAY 3
Breakfast: 2 granola bars, 1 packet hot cocoa
Lunch: 1 packet soup, 1 packet crackers
Dinner: 1 pkg Ramen noodles, 1 fruit snack
Snacks: 2 pieces gum, 5 pieces candy
SEALED POUCH ALSO INCLUDES: matches, paper napkins, plastic spoons, plastic bag, oxygen absorber
PLEASE NOTE: You will need approximately 32 oz. of water to reconstitute pouch contents.
EXPIRATION DATE: 5 years later
Food Storage Is Fun
I've been learning alot about food storage these last few years and in an effort to share some of that knowledge (and remember it!) I am going to try and publish it in a blog. I've been amazed at how much I've done since making small consistent efforts these last few years. That has been the key for me, to do a few projects every year and it really adds up.
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