Mom's Emergency Preparedness Notes: Feb 4, 2009

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

2 Sites you've just gotta see!

1) www.pinchingyourpennies.com keeps track of what's on sale where - right here in our valley, and often has lots of coupons you can actually print out from the site, getting double savings on those sale items. There's lots of good information - check it out!

2) www.everythingunderthesunblog.blogspot.com is just that: EVERYTHING under the sun. You will recognize the "Top 10 Reasons Why I Don't Have My Food Storage". There's lots of ideas on preserving, storing, rotating, and cooking. Best of all, it includes a well thought out "System" of coming up with what you need in your storage and rotating it. There are lots of good recipes and menu ideas for planning your 3 month menu!

Welcome to Prep101

Hi! I recently was ask to head an effort in my neighborhood to be better prepared for small and large emergencies. We're all learning as we go, so I decided to set up this blog as a central gathering place for ideas and things we learn.

An emergency can be as simple as a bread-winner being out of work for a month or more, a lengthy illness, the economy down-shift, or as big as an earthquake, tornado, or war, or somewhere in between with layoffs, chemical spills, fires, or epidemic of some sort. All of these can be more survivable if we are minimally prepared. Let's break it down and start at the beginning....

Can you go 2 weeks without a visit to a store? What would you have to purchase to keep your family happy and healthy for 2 weeks, without leaving your home? That's a good place to start.

Make a menu for 2 weeks of foods your family members enjoy, adjust it where necessary to include storable items (if electricity was an issue-no refrigeration), then make up your shopping list.Once you can go 2 weeks, extend it to a month, then 2 months, then 3 months. The peace of mind it will give you will be reward enough, but also imagine how much money you'll save by purchasing in bulk, rather than shopping every few days! (just the reduced "impulse-spending" would save me a bundle!)Remember to include foods from all the food groups.

Please let me know any specific areas of preparation you'd like us to work together on. Don't get overwhelmed...one step at a time. Our big goal right now is 3 month food supply. Get started on those menus! Involve your family - make it fun!

Apple Crisp (using dehydrated apples)

The Apple Crisp recipe, using dehydrated apple slices from the church cannery, came from this cookbook. You can order a copy of the book if you’d like at "Cookin' With Home Storage", P.O. Box 44, Manti, UT 84642. It is full of wonderful things… Call Vicki Tate 801-835-8283 or Peggy Layton 801-835-0311 before sending money to make sure the book is still available - I've had it for awhile. the price is (was) $9.95 + .60 tax + 1.75 shipping = $12.30. (if ordering 2 or more books, deduct $1. for each additional book).

OR - just use your own favorite Apple Crisp recipe, but just replace the canned apple pie filling with the dehydrated apple slice mixed with cinnamon +/or other spices called for and 2 parts water to 1 part apple slices – bring to boil, cover, then simmer for about 25-30 minutes.
You’ll have to experiment with your recipe to know how many apples to use, but it’s probably around 4-5 cups dried apple slices and 8-10 cups water.

Crock Pot Wheat Chili

This is the Chili recipe I used, only I substituted Steamed Wheat for the soaked beans
Better Idea: If you use half beans & half wheat… together, they make a complete protein.
To make “Steamed Wheat” (same as “Wheat Bulgar”), just put wheat into a smaller stock pot, cover with water (about 1 c. wheat, 1 c. water, ¼ tsp salt).
Put this stockpot, uncovered into a larger stock pot with a rack on the bottom, and water up to the rack. Put a lid over large pot, bring to a boil, boil for about 12-15 minutes, then turn heat down & simmer for about 3 hours – until the wheat has absorbed all the water in the smaller pot, is tender, and is about 2-3 times it’s size. Now just add to the other Chili ingredients, put in crock pot, or pan on stove, and let the flavors simmer into the wheat for an hour or so.
(you can also us this “Wheat Bulgar” in Wheat Pilaf, Boston Baked Wheat, Salads, Soups, and many other wonderful recipes….and you didn’t even need a grinder!

Crock Pot Chili
(great for making ahead & freezing)
2 cup dry pinto beans (may substitute 2 16-oz cans pinto beans)
1 quart stewed tomatoes, 1 pd ground beef,
2 onions, chopped, 1 green bell pepper, chopped,
2 stalks celery, chopped, 2 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp chili powder (or more depending on your taste), 1 tsp pepper, 1 tsp cumin, 2 Tblsp sugar, 1 ½ tsp salt
Cover beans with water & soak over night. Discard water.
Cover with water again and boil for 10 minutes. Discard water. Place beans in crock pot.
Brown ground beef with onions. Add to crock pot. Add remaining ingredients to crock pot and mix well. Cover and cook on Low 10-12 hours or on High 5-6 hours. Remove from crock pot and allow to cool. Place in freezer bag. Label and freeze.

To serve: Thaw, heat until hot & bubbly.
Serve with corn bread or crackers.
Delicious topped with sour cream or grated cheese.

Mom's Emergency Preparedness Notes

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

2 Sites you've just gotta see!

Welcome to Prep101

Menu Planning Worksheet

Blog Archive

Links to Gardening Info, Tips

Links to Gardening - Seeds

Links for "how to..." and other Resources

Links for Purchasing Food / Supplies

Using Food Storage - Instructions & Recipes

Earthquake & Volcano Preparedness

Emergency Organizations

Followers

Apple Crisp (using dehydrated apples)

Crock Pot Wheat Chili