Okay, so try number two using my wheat... in my "I Can't Believe It's Food Storage" book, the author raves about this pancake recipe. So I decided to try it last Friday on my family and it WAS so good! And pretty healthy (before I added gallon of syrup and margarine on them). Anyways, here you go, you should definately try it.. It's a keeper and you have almost no mess! I like... :)
Blender Wheat Pancakes
1 cup of milk
1 cup of whole wheat kernels
2 eggs
2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. oil
2 Tbs. sugar or honey (I used honey)
Put wheat and milk in the blender. Blend on the highest speed for 4-5 minutes or until batter is smooth. Add all other ingredients and blend on low. Pour batter directly onto a hot griddle. Cook, flipping pancakes when bubbles pop and create holes. And wa-lah! :) Yummy pancakes!
So, I guess like I feel the need to justify why I am passionate about food storage so here goes one more reason it's not dumb and I'm not a freak.... :)
Do people not buy house/fire/car insurance every day? Of course you are always hoping that you never have to use your insurance but if you get into an accident or your house burns down, you are going to be pretty darn excited you have insurance right? Well, that's kind of what food storage is... an insurance. You may never have to use it but if it came down to circumstances where you had to, wouldn't you be glad that you had planned ahead for your family.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Thursday, January 14, 2010
just "doing" the dishes while I write :)
Dishwasher is loaded and going, laundry is being washed and dried... Oh how I love living now instead of in the 1700s, or even 100 years ago. I really take for granted how easy life is. I can't imagine how you could have time for everything you needed to do in a day when everything was not done for you. I complain about "doing the dishes" when all I do is rinse them off slightly, put them in the dishwasher and push a button. Wa-la! Clean dishes in less than an hour. Or "doing the laundry". I make it sound like I actually had to do something. I can't imagine taking my clothes and washboard down to the river and scrubbing them clean. I would have been a terrible wife back then, not that I'm so great right now. Did they ever have time to do anything fun? I doubt it... In pictures they always look dreadfully unhappy. Well atleast their hubbies had clean undies and a home cooked meal when they got done plowing the field. That's really all that matters right? :)
So, I am trying to make a list of some new things I would like to try or learn how to do this year, things to do with being a better mom and housewife. If you have any contributions or ideas, let me know... I'll add to them as I think of them I guess because right now only a couple are coming to mind.
1. I would like to learn how to sew better. USually when something gets a hole in it, I get rid of it which is wasteful. I know that I can fix somethings if I just learned how to use my sewing machine better. Oh! And I also desperately need to learn to hem jeans because somehow even a "short" is too long for me now. Either I've shrunk or girls are wayyyy taller now than they used to be.
2. I want to learn to make my own cleaning supplies and laundry soap... so much cheaper and probably healthier too. We'll see about this one. This one might go at the bottom of the list because it's just not super important to me at the time... I do want to sometime though.
3. Try out cloth diapers... I'm scared of them... and what will be in them... I know the same thing is in disposable diapers but I get to plug my nose and throw them away, never to be seen or smelled again.. Not cloth diapers, but again, cheaper and better for the environment.
4. Get into a routine of running, or even at first walking on my new treadmill... I think I will be happier if I can get myself in a routine of exercising.
5. Read my bible more... Ugh... I don't know why, even at 26 years old and being a christian forever, I have still not gotten into a solid habit of reading my bible... I suck... Thank you God for your grace, I am going to try to get better.
6. I want to start planning things to do as a family because I know if you don't plan, it's doesn't happen, especially when you have three little kids and not alot of money to work with. I want to take them to the zoo, on a hike, to the beach. We never do things like this because sometimes it seems like more work but we need to go out and start making some memories! Even bad experiences make for good memories later on...
7. Make my bed every day.. I have gone through spurts of doing this and Ryan loved it. He's the one who loves the sheets to be perfect and will turn on the light and remake the bed in the middle of the night if it doesn't feel right. I can sleep in a tangled mess of blankets so I don't care as much. But it would feel nice to lay down at night in a nice, clean, made bed.
To Be Continued...
So, I am trying to make a list of some new things I would like to try or learn how to do this year, things to do with being a better mom and housewife. If you have any contributions or ideas, let me know... I'll add to them as I think of them I guess because right now only a couple are coming to mind.
1. I would like to learn how to sew better. USually when something gets a hole in it, I get rid of it which is wasteful. I know that I can fix somethings if I just learned how to use my sewing machine better. Oh! And I also desperately need to learn to hem jeans because somehow even a "short" is too long for me now. Either I've shrunk or girls are wayyyy taller now than they used to be.
2. I want to learn to make my own cleaning supplies and laundry soap... so much cheaper and probably healthier too. We'll see about this one. This one might go at the bottom of the list because it's just not super important to me at the time... I do want to sometime though.
3. Try out cloth diapers... I'm scared of them... and what will be in them... I know the same thing is in disposable diapers but I get to plug my nose and throw them away, never to be seen or smelled again.. Not cloth diapers, but again, cheaper and better for the environment.
4. Get into a routine of running, or even at first walking on my new treadmill... I think I will be happier if I can get myself in a routine of exercising.
5. Read my bible more... Ugh... I don't know why, even at 26 years old and being a christian forever, I have still not gotten into a solid habit of reading my bible... I suck... Thank you God for your grace, I am going to try to get better.
6. I want to start planning things to do as a family because I know if you don't plan, it's doesn't happen, especially when you have three little kids and not alot of money to work with. I want to take them to the zoo, on a hike, to the beach. We never do things like this because sometimes it seems like more work but we need to go out and start making some memories! Even bad experiences make for good memories later on...
7. Make my bed every day.. I have gone through spurts of doing this and Ryan loved it. He's the one who loves the sheets to be perfect and will turn on the light and remake the bed in the middle of the night if it doesn't feel right. I can sleep in a tangled mess of blankets so I don't care as much. But it would feel nice to lay down at night in a nice, clean, made bed.
To Be Continued...
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Haiti...
Praying for the country of Haiti and all of those trapped in the rubble and families of the people whos lives have already been lost. God, please show them your love and speak to their hearts as they go through this horrific tragedy. May their eyes be lifted to you in their time of need.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
I'm going on a camping trip and I'm bringing beef jerky, toilet paper and a flashlight!
Long stinking day.... one talkative preschooler, one sassy toddler and one teething baby, plus a trip to the grocery store in the pouring rain makes for a tired and slightly cranky momma. Okay so I sort of skipped a step the other day when I was telling you about my morman food storage adventure that I have embarked on... 72 hour kits. Something you hope you'll never have to use, but if you have to, you'll be very glad to have it. This is a collection of things that you keep in an easily accessible spot in your home so that in the case that you need to evacuate, such as after an earthquake or something like that, you can grab and go. I am very glad to have discovered this concept because I never thought about that kind of scenario. The most I've done is keep an extra blanket and a couple water bottles in my car in case I went off the road late at night or my car broke down. So your 72 hour kits should be carry-able (not a word) and easy to grab at a moments notice. In an emergency evacuation you may not be able to drive your car so a good choice for your kit is a backpack or a plastic container on wheels.
Good things to include in your 72 hour kit are:
-non perishable foods (you should check your kit every 6 months to take out expired food and replace it with new)
-WATER WATER WATER! Most important thing you need to survive for 72 hours. They say everyone should have atleast a gallon of water per person per day, so atleast 3 gallons of water for each person.
-blankets or sleeping bag
-extra change of clothes for each person
-small toiletries and feminine hygiene products
-a flashlight and batteries
-first aid kit
-can opener
-matches
Okay I think you get it. Think smart and pack things that you would need to survive in an emergency for three days if you were not able to stay at your house and had to live outside or in a shelter. There are tons of ideas on the internet. I actually just started on my kits this week. Everyone in the family is going to have their own "container" maybe a backpack or tub or some kind that has all of their food/supplies. Pay attention to expiration dates on foods and make sure they are shelf stable and do not require alot of cooking or water.
Good ideas for 72 hour kit menus are:
-canned soups that do not need water added (either get pop-top lids or include the can opener in your kit for sure)
-protein bars
-canned meats
-beef jerky
-small cups or cans of applesauce or fruit
-pudding
-instant oatmeal
-hot chocolate/apple cider mixes
-cup of noodle
Like I said, tons of different opinions and ideas out there on the internet. Do some research and find out what fits your family needs and preferences. If you have infants or toddlers make sure that their kit fits their needs as well. Include diapers, wipes, baby food, coloring crayons and a color book, a small reading book or stuffed animal. During a stressful time, you will want things that will make life feel sort of normal for them and things to keep them busy.
I am still in the beginning stages of the 72 hour kit for my family but this is sort of a sample of what I am including in the kids portion of the kit for food.
Breakfast: instant breakfast drink mix and powdered milk, a granola bar and a small applesauce cup
Lunch: Easy Mac, fruit/jello cup and a juice box
Dinner: Canned Raviolis, canned mandarin oranges and hot chocolate
Snacks: box of raisins, peanut butter crackers, and fruit snacks
I am actually seperating everyone's food into meals in ziploc bags so that we won't have to think as much if we ever use them, they will already be rationed out. Also, I can make sure that we all have the right amount of calories that we need.
Oh man, this can get so involved but after doing some research I think it's such a smart thing for everyone to have a kit like this. It doesn't have to take a ton of time, money or thought but it would be a real lifesaver or just a huge comfort if you were to face an emergency. I feel so much better even knowing that I have started ours and I am actually really excited to finish them. So, ready, set, go! You probably have alot of the stuff you would need at your own house, you just need to get it all together.
P.S. If you have a family, even just a spouse you should also make a plan about where to meet or how to contact eachother in the case of an earthquake or other disaster. Seriously, if you are a worry wart like me, this information and 72 hour kit will give you such a peace of mind :) The end... for now....
Good things to include in your 72 hour kit are:
-non perishable foods (you should check your kit every 6 months to take out expired food and replace it with new)
-WATER WATER WATER! Most important thing you need to survive for 72 hours. They say everyone should have atleast a gallon of water per person per day, so atleast 3 gallons of water for each person.
-blankets or sleeping bag
-extra change of clothes for each person
-small toiletries and feminine hygiene products
-a flashlight and batteries
-first aid kit
-can opener
-matches
Okay I think you get it. Think smart and pack things that you would need to survive in an emergency for three days if you were not able to stay at your house and had to live outside or in a shelter. There are tons of ideas on the internet. I actually just started on my kits this week. Everyone in the family is going to have their own "container" maybe a backpack or tub or some kind that has all of their food/supplies. Pay attention to expiration dates on foods and make sure they are shelf stable and do not require alot of cooking or water.
Good ideas for 72 hour kit menus are:
-canned soups that do not need water added (either get pop-top lids or include the can opener in your kit for sure)
-protein bars
-canned meats
-beef jerky
-small cups or cans of applesauce or fruit
-pudding
-instant oatmeal
-hot chocolate/apple cider mixes
-cup of noodle
Like I said, tons of different opinions and ideas out there on the internet. Do some research and find out what fits your family needs and preferences. If you have infants or toddlers make sure that their kit fits their needs as well. Include diapers, wipes, baby food, coloring crayons and a color book, a small reading book or stuffed animal. During a stressful time, you will want things that will make life feel sort of normal for them and things to keep them busy.
I am still in the beginning stages of the 72 hour kit for my family but this is sort of a sample of what I am including in the kids portion of the kit for food.
Breakfast: instant breakfast drink mix and powdered milk, a granola bar and a small applesauce cup
Lunch: Easy Mac, fruit/jello cup and a juice box
Dinner: Canned Raviolis, canned mandarin oranges and hot chocolate
Snacks: box of raisins, peanut butter crackers, and fruit snacks
I am actually seperating everyone's food into meals in ziploc bags so that we won't have to think as much if we ever use them, they will already be rationed out. Also, I can make sure that we all have the right amount of calories that we need.
Oh man, this can get so involved but after doing some research I think it's such a smart thing for everyone to have a kit like this. It doesn't have to take a ton of time, money or thought but it would be a real lifesaver or just a huge comfort if you were to face an emergency. I feel so much better even knowing that I have started ours and I am actually really excited to finish them. So, ready, set, go! You probably have alot of the stuff you would need at your own house, you just need to get it all together.
P.S. If you have a family, even just a spouse you should also make a plan about where to meet or how to contact eachother in the case of an earthquake or other disaster. Seriously, if you are a worry wart like me, this information and 72 hour kit will give you such a peace of mind :) The end... for now....
Monday, January 11, 2010
Rubber and sugar... mmmm :)
Finally, it is naptime at my house.... ahhhh :) Peace and quiet.... Sipping on my apple cider by the woodstove, listening to it storm outside and not feeling motivated to do much else but this. I am trying to be a better time manager. I thought earlier that while the kids were napping that I should do all of the dishes and start some laundry, get out everyone's clothes for tomorrow so I could actually get to bed at a decent hour but when it actually comes down to naptime, all I want to do is relax.
The good news is that I got my wheat! :) ha ha... Went into Sunny Farms on Saturday, paid $35 for my huge 50 lb. bag and off I went. And of course that night when I got home, after I unloaded my van from our shopping trip, I got out my handy cooking with food storage cookbook and looked up how to cook whole wheat berries. 1 cup of wheat kernels, 2 cups of water, 1 tsp. of salt, bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 1 hour or more until tender. Well I was so excited for Ryan and I to try my wheat berries (we tried it similar to how you would eat oatmeal) that I overlooked the "or more until tender" part. I drained my wheat berries when the timer went off, put our wheat berries, some brown sugar, a little cinnamon and some milk in 2 bowls and... it tasted like eating little chunks of rubber. I mean the taste of the wheat was actually really good, better than rice or oatmeal but I obviously did not cook it until tender. Oh well, it was my first experience. Now atleast I know that I could eat it if I needed to. It's not totally gross. And I'm really excited to use it in some recipes. You can use it in taco meat, meat loaf, pancakes.. tons of things and people say it really enhances the flavor of food and gives you more hidden nutrition. So yah for that... I'm all about hidden nutrition because most things I know are really nutritious, I don't eat.
Also, another leap for me this week.... I tried powdered milk. I bought a small box. I have never tried it before but milk is something that is really important to have in your food storage so I thought I should try that out now too so I don't throw up if I ever had to drink it. I mixed it up, refrigerated it for a day because apparently you don't want to drink it unless it's really cold and then made Ryan try it first :) He's such a doll for putting up with my food storage craziness and trying potentially gross things for me. He took a drink and told me it tasted like powdered milk. Thanks, I've never had it before. I want to know does it taste like real milk? Should I prepare for something really disgusting? Anyways, so I try a drink. It isn't too bad. I mean, I would definately choose fresh but I did not spit it out. And I'm sure if I needed to, I could drink powdered milk. For now, I am going to use it when I bake so I can save our fresh to drink and save some money.
So, I am on a roll this week. A couple new goals I have are to get a hand wheat grinder and learn to grind my own wheat flour and purchase and try some powdered eggs when we get our tax return. Oh and I am wanting to go to an LDS cannery because they sell stuff really cheap.. now to find a morman friend... hmm...
Sometimes I wonder if all of this is a waste of my time but I think I am getting alot out of the experience.
-I am cooking and we are eating healthier. I am learning to incorporate things that I never would have thought to eat, into our meals.
-I am saving money, stockpiling things when they are on sale, and using things I already have here instead of running to the store all the time.
-I feel prepared that if we were to be unemployed for a while or if an emergency situation were to happen. I can feed my kids :) woo hoo!
-I feel like I am contributing to my family in a different way, not just the mundane, everyday things like laundry/dishes/etc.
Well, now I am off to do my everyday mundane things, laundry/dishes/etc.... Maybe next time I'll talk about long term storage?
The good news is that I got my wheat! :) ha ha... Went into Sunny Farms on Saturday, paid $35 for my huge 50 lb. bag and off I went. And of course that night when I got home, after I unloaded my van from our shopping trip, I got out my handy cooking with food storage cookbook and looked up how to cook whole wheat berries. 1 cup of wheat kernels, 2 cups of water, 1 tsp. of salt, bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 1 hour or more until tender. Well I was so excited for Ryan and I to try my wheat berries (we tried it similar to how you would eat oatmeal) that I overlooked the "or more until tender" part. I drained my wheat berries when the timer went off, put our wheat berries, some brown sugar, a little cinnamon and some milk in 2 bowls and... it tasted like eating little chunks of rubber. I mean the taste of the wheat was actually really good, better than rice or oatmeal but I obviously did not cook it until tender. Oh well, it was my first experience. Now atleast I know that I could eat it if I needed to. It's not totally gross. And I'm really excited to use it in some recipes. You can use it in taco meat, meat loaf, pancakes.. tons of things and people say it really enhances the flavor of food and gives you more hidden nutrition. So yah for that... I'm all about hidden nutrition because most things I know are really nutritious, I don't eat.
Also, another leap for me this week.... I tried powdered milk. I bought a small box. I have never tried it before but milk is something that is really important to have in your food storage so I thought I should try that out now too so I don't throw up if I ever had to drink it. I mixed it up, refrigerated it for a day because apparently you don't want to drink it unless it's really cold and then made Ryan try it first :) He's such a doll for putting up with my food storage craziness and trying potentially gross things for me. He took a drink and told me it tasted like powdered milk. Thanks, I've never had it before. I want to know does it taste like real milk? Should I prepare for something really disgusting? Anyways, so I try a drink. It isn't too bad. I mean, I would definately choose fresh but I did not spit it out. And I'm sure if I needed to, I could drink powdered milk. For now, I am going to use it when I bake so I can save our fresh to drink and save some money.
So, I am on a roll this week. A couple new goals I have are to get a hand wheat grinder and learn to grind my own wheat flour and purchase and try some powdered eggs when we get our tax return. Oh and I am wanting to go to an LDS cannery because they sell stuff really cheap.. now to find a morman friend... hmm...
Sometimes I wonder if all of this is a waste of my time but I think I am getting alot out of the experience.
-I am cooking and we are eating healthier. I am learning to incorporate things that I never would have thought to eat, into our meals.
-I am saving money, stockpiling things when they are on sale, and using things I already have here instead of running to the store all the time.
-I feel prepared that if we were to be unemployed for a while or if an emergency situation were to happen. I can feed my kids :) woo hoo!
-I feel like I am contributing to my family in a different way, not just the mundane, everyday things like laundry/dishes/etc.
Well, now I am off to do my everyday mundane things, laundry/dishes/etc.... Maybe next time I'll talk about long term storage?
Friday, January 8, 2010
My new exciting obsession.... food storage!
First of all, I just want to say, no I am not LDS. Second of all, my newest obsession/life goal/hobby, as weird as it may sound, is food storage! Exciting, right? It all started with a couple articles I saw in our home town newspaper that a local LDS woman wrote, tips about food storage. I had never heard of such a thing. I began browsing food storage on the internet at night, finding out everything I could. Yes, this is what I did for fun after my kids went to bed. :) Anyways, I decided that while I do not believe the same on paper as the Latter day Saints do, they make alot of sense when they teach about food storage. They instruct/encourage their members to have a years supply of food stored up for the every day emergencies (job loss, sickness, etc.) but also for the chance that someday we experience a bigger crisis (such as a Depression, natural disaster and so forth). So smart right? Well I began to think so, and so I decided that after alot of research I would like to start slowly building up my own food storage. My main reason was that I have three kids now. Thinking about job loss or something worse such as an earthquake or some other kind of crisis in which we weren't able to buy food, I would be heartbroken to not be able to feed/take care of my children. My secondary reason after doing some poking around was that it really made sense to have extras of things you use everyday. You never run out of common ingredients that you use (which is, I am sure very convenient) and also you aren't having to go to the store to grab one thing and coming out with two full grocery bags, having spent $30. I am notorious for doing this and have really been looking to cut down on my food budget and I think that this will be a great way to do it.
So the first thing you are instructed to do is start thinking about a 3 month supply of foods that you eat on a normal basis. You could include spaghetti, chili, chicken noodle soup, casseroles. Determine how much your family would eat in 3 months time. Next step is to slowly, staying in your budget and using coupons and sales, start purchasing extra items for your three month supply when you go to the store. It really adds up. The motto for this step is "Store what you eat and eat what you store". This food supply is going to be used, replenished and rotated so that you always have them on hand and nothing ever expires without being used. Even though as this point I do not have my three month supply completed, I love this step! It has made my life to much easier. I am going to the grocery store less often which means I am saving money. I have all of the ingredients on hand to make dinner or cookies or most other things I would want to bake. I think this is awesome because before I started doing this, some nights (okay alot of nights) we would end up eating grilled cheese sandwiches or something else convenient but not very healthy, because I didn't have the ingredients to make dinner or hadn't thought to take something out of the freezer. I am so much more organized now and have way more options of meals to make now that I have lots of things on hand. Plus, we are eating healthier too. Food storage does not mean eating beans and rice every night or storing things for 10 years just in case. It's about storing things that you can use now also!
So next time I will talk about long term food storage. Right now I am reading a pretty amazing book called "I Can't Believe It's Food Storage". I would totally recommend it if you are interested in started a food storage and also learning how to use long term food storage in your every day life. There are tons of recipes and ideas on how to use beans, rice, wheat, powdered milk and eggs in meals. I am pretty stoked to start applying some of the ideas to my own meals. I get to pick up my first 50lb. bag wheat at Sunny Farms tomorrow! Woo! You see the things I get excited about these days? :) Happy Friday!
So the first thing you are instructed to do is start thinking about a 3 month supply of foods that you eat on a normal basis. You could include spaghetti, chili, chicken noodle soup, casseroles. Determine how much your family would eat in 3 months time. Next step is to slowly, staying in your budget and using coupons and sales, start purchasing extra items for your three month supply when you go to the store. It really adds up. The motto for this step is "Store what you eat and eat what you store". This food supply is going to be used, replenished and rotated so that you always have them on hand and nothing ever expires without being used. Even though as this point I do not have my three month supply completed, I love this step! It has made my life to much easier. I am going to the grocery store less often which means I am saving money. I have all of the ingredients on hand to make dinner or cookies or most other things I would want to bake. I think this is awesome because before I started doing this, some nights (okay alot of nights) we would end up eating grilled cheese sandwiches or something else convenient but not very healthy, because I didn't have the ingredients to make dinner or hadn't thought to take something out of the freezer. I am so much more organized now and have way more options of meals to make now that I have lots of things on hand. Plus, we are eating healthier too. Food storage does not mean eating beans and rice every night or storing things for 10 years just in case. It's about storing things that you can use now also!
So next time I will talk about long term food storage. Right now I am reading a pretty amazing book called "I Can't Believe It's Food Storage". I would totally recommend it if you are interested in started a food storage and also learning how to use long term food storage in your every day life. There are tons of recipes and ideas on how to use beans, rice, wheat, powdered milk and eggs in meals. I am pretty stoked to start applying some of the ideas to my own meals. I get to pick up my first 50lb. bag wheat at Sunny Farms tomorrow! Woo! You see the things I get excited about these days? :) Happy Friday!
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Yes, I know... they are cute!
How in the world did I forget to add a picture of my babies? Here they are...
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