Peace Through Preparation

BBQ Chicken Pizza on the Grill

2012-06-04T23:55:00.000-05:00

A great way to cook during the heat of summer or in a power outage is on your BBQ grill. In addition to the traditional grilling you can do, you can also cook pizza on the grill :) Here is a recipe from Pampered Chef for pizza on the grill:

Grilled BBQ Chicken Pizza

Ingredients:

1 small red onion
2 garlic cloves, peeled
2 cups shredded
cooked rotisserie chicken
1 cup barbecue sauce, divided
2 tsp finely chopped fresh oregano leaves
1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
Cornmeal for dusting
1 lb pizza dough
6 oz Colby Jack cheese, grated
Additional fresh oregano leaves for garnish (optional)

Directions:

1. Prepare grill for indirect cooking over medium-high heat. Slice onion crosswise and separate onion slices into rings. Slice garlic. Combine chicken, 1/2 cup of the sauce, oregano and black pepper in small bowl; toss to coat.

2. Generously sprinkle a pastry mat with cornmeal; place dough onto center of mat. Roll dough into a 12-in. circle. Place dough onto BBQ Pizza Pan, gently stretching to cover bottom.

3. Spread remaining 1/2 cup sauce evenly over crust to within 1/2 in. of edge. Top with chicken mixture, garlic and onion; sprinkle with cheese.

4. Place pizza pan on grid of grill. Grill, covered, 18-22 minutes or until crust is deep golden brown, carefully rotating pan occasionally. Remove pizza pan from grill. Sprinkle pizza evenly with additional oregano, if desired. Remove pizza from pan; cut pizza into 12 slices.

Yield: 6 servings
Nutrients per serving: (2 slices): Calories 430, Total Fat 16 g, Saturated Fat 7 g, Cholesterol 65 mg, Sodium 730 mg, Carbohydrate 50 g, Fiber 1 g, Protein 24 g

Cook’s Tips: For easier rolling, let pizza dough stand at room temperature for 20 minutes before rolling it out.
© 2012 The Pampered Chef used under license.
www.pamperedchef.com

P.S. I recently bought the Pampered Chef BBQ Pizza Pan and I LOVE it!!

Spring Gardening Events

2012-02-17T14:57:00.001-06:00

The following classes and events are free unless otherwise noted. Most require advanced registration. Please leave a comment if you know of any additional gardening classes or events in the area.

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Tomatoes by Tom LeRoy

Friday, Feb. 24th from 10 am - Noon

Lone Star College - Kingwood

281-312-1749

Harris County Tomato and Pepper Sale

Saturday, Feb. 25th from 9 am - 1 pm

3033 Bear Creek Dr, Houston, TX 77084

281-855-5600

Click HERE for more information

Spring Vegetable Gardening by Tom LeRoy and Bill Adams

Saturday, Feb. 25th at 10 am

Arbor Gate Nursery

Free tomato plant for first 150 people

15635 FM 2920, Tomball TX 77377

281-351-8851

Click HERE for more information and to register

Gardening 101 - Spring into Water-wise Landscaping

Topics include: Tree Care, Pollinator Gardening, and Keeping it Green

Saturday, Feb. 25th from 9 am - Noon

The Woodlands Township Town Hall Board Chambers

2801 Technology Forest Boulevard, The Woodlands, TX

281-210-3800

Click HERE for more information

Raised Bed Gardening

Tuesday, Feb. 28th at 7:00 pm

Spring Texas Stake Center

25623 Richards Rd, Spring TX 77386

Gunter's Heirloom Vegetables by Leah and Pam Gunter

Saturday, Mar. 3rd from 9 am - Noon

Arbor Gate Nursery

15635 FM 2920, Tomball TX 77377

281-351-8851

Click HERE for more information and to register

Composting

Saturday, Mar. 3rd from 11 am - Noon

Parks, Recreation and Environmental Services Campus

8203 Millennium Forest Drive, The Woodlands, TX (next to the Woodlands High School)

281-210-3900

Click HERE for more information

Container Vegetable Gardening by Jeremy Kollaus

Thursday, Mar. 8th at 10 am

Arbor Gate Nursery

15635 FM 2920, Tomball TX 77377

281-351-8851

Click HERE for more information and to register

Where Do We Garden From Here? (due to extreme weather changes) by Linda Gay

Saturday, Mar. 10th at 10 am

Arbor Gate Nursery

15635 FM 2920, Tomball TX 77377

281-351-8851

Click HERE for more information and to register

Herbs: Old Friends and New by Ann Wheeler, Log House Herbs

Tuesday, Mar. 13th at 10 am

Arbor Gate Nursery

15635 FM 2920, Tomball TX 77377

281-351-8851

Click HERE for more information and to register

Summer Annuals and Perennials by Tom LeRoy

Friday, Mar. 16th from 11 am - 12:50 pm

Lone Star College - The Woodlands

936-273-7446 or mcall@lonestar.edu

Montgomery County Master Gardeners Plant Sale

Saturday, Mar. 24th from 9 am - 1 pm

Click HERE for more information

Texas Wildlife and Woodland Expo

Saturday, Mar. 24th from 10 am - 4 pm

Lone Star College - The Woodlands

Clinics on plants, trees, water, wildlife and wildfire

936-273-2261

Click HERE for more information

Tough Perennials for Today's Gardens by Dr. William Welch, TAMU and Chris Wiesinger, Southern Bulbs

Saturday, Mar. 24th at 10 am

Arbor Gate Nursery

15635 FM 2920, Tomball TX 77377

281-351-8851

Click HERE for more information and to register

Climate-Change Friendly Plants for Southern Landscapes by Dr. David Creech, SFA Univ.

Tuesday, Mar. 27th at 10 am

Arbor Gate Nursery

15635 FM 2920, Tomball TX 77377

281-351-8851

Click HERE for more information and to register

Installing a Water System in Your Garden

Tuesday, Mar. 27th at 7:00 pm

Spring Texas Stake Center

25623 Richards Rd, Spring TX 77386

Herbs: Old Friends and New by Ann Wheeler, Log House Herbs

Saturday, Mar. 31st at 10 am

Arbor Gate Nursery

15635 FM 2920, Tomball TX 77377

281-351-8851

Click HERE for more information and to register

Root a Rose by Gaye Hammond, Houston Rose Society

Saturday, Mar. 31st at 1 pm

Arbor Gate Nursery

15635 FM 2920, Tomball TX 77377

281-351-8851

Click HERE for more information and to register

Heirloom Shrubs and Vines for Houston Gardens by Dr. William Welch, TAMU and Greg Grant

Saturday, Apr. 14th at 10 am

Arbor Gate Nursery

15635 FM 2920, Tomball TX 77377

281-351-8851

Click HERE for more information and to register

Madalene Hill's Herbs by Henry Flowers, McAshan Gardens

Tuesday, Apr. 17th at 10 am

Arbor Gate Nursery

15635 FM 2920, Tomball TX 77377

281-351-8851

Click HERE for more information and to register

Basilmania by Ann Wheeler, Log House Herbs and Chef Chris Crowder

Thursday, Apr. 19th at 10 am

Arbor Gate Nursery

15635 FM 2920, Tomball TX 77377

281-351-8851

Click HERE for more information and to register

Rainwater Harvesting Workshop 

Saturday, Apr. 21st from 8:30 am - 4:00 pm

Thomas R. LeRoy Education Center Auditorium

9020 Airport Road, Conroe, TX 77303

Cost is $50 and includes handouts, CD, and lunch

936-539-7824

Wild About Wildflowers by Cherie Foster Colburn

Saturday, Apr. 21st at 1:00 pm

Arbor Gate Nursery

15635 FM 2920, Tomball TX 77377

281-351-8851

Click HERE for more information and to register

Attracting and Keeping Beneficial Insects in the Garden by Skip Richter, County Extension Agent

Tuesday, Apr. 24th at 10 am

Arbor Gate Nursery

15635 FM 2920, Tomball TX 77377

281-351-8851

Click HERE for more information and to register

Tropical and Citrus Fruit Tree Sale

Saturday, Apr. 28th

Seminar at 9 am

Sale Begins at 10:30 am

Arbor Gate Nursery

15635 FM 2920, Tomball TX 77377

281-351-8851

Click HERE for more information and to register

High Density Home Orchard Management Container Gardening by Angela Chandler

Saturday, Apr. 28th 1 pm

Arbor Gate Nursery

15635 FM 2920, Tomball TX 77377

281-351-8851

Click HERE for more information and to register

Summer Survival Tips for the Garden and the Gardener by Susan Wood

Thursday, May 17th at 10 am

Arbor Gate Nursery

15635 FM 2920, Tomball TX 77377

281-351-8851

Click HERE for more information and to register

Growing Tomatoes in Montgomery County, TX

2012-02-15T23:02:00.001-06:00

I am currently enrolled in the Master Gardener's course for Montgomery County. Our last class talked about vegetable gardening and specifically about growing tomatoes. It was taught by Thomas LeRoy, Montgomery County Horticulturist, TAMU.

This is his 'Guide to Successful Tomato Production in Montgomery County'

Step 1 - At planting, work in about 1/4-1/2 cup of slow release fertilizer such as cotton seed meal, osmocote or something similar. Water the plants well after planting and place a tomato cage or stake by the plant. Using cages will make step 2 easier.

[Staking versus Caging - which is best? Whichever you like. Tom likes caging better. Caging produces smaller tomatoes, but more lbs of tomatoes per plant. He uses concrete wire to form his cages - cut into 6 foot pieces.]

For a 12"-18" tall plant, remove the lower leaves, then dig a trench and lay
the plant down, turning the tip of plant up. For smaller plants, plant as
you would a regular plant.

Step 2 - Covering the cages with the tops open with some material such as "Floating Row Cover" (a light polyester material) or white or clear plastic bags will protect the young plants from the drying wind and greatly increases plant vigor and production. In the event of a late freeze, the covers will help with frost protection as well.

Leave row cover on until plants are about 1/2 up the cage.

Step 3 - A weekly application of water soluble fertilizer, sprayed on the tomato foliage will greatly increase plant vigor and fruit production. A hose-end fertilizer applicator is one easy way to foliar feed your tomato plants. Soluble fertilizers like Rapid Grow or Miracle Grow.

You can spray the foliar spray right through the row cover. Then spray directly
on the foliage of the plant after removing the row cover.

Step 4 - When the plants have set their first cluster of fruit, side dress with two to three tablespoons of ammonium sulfate [21-0-0] and water well.

[Fruit-set is affected by night temperatures. Night temperatures below 50 degrees F delays the time from pollination to fertilization causing flower drop. Bloom Set is a hormone that makes the flower hang on longer during cold nights.

Night temperatures above mid 70's disrupts pollen shed causing flower drop on large fruited varieties. Cherry and paste tomatoes continue to fruit during the heat after the larger varieties have stopped.

Don't remove any shoots above the last cluster of flowers.

If you pick tomatoes when 10-30% of the tomato shows a change in color, the interior of the tomato will be fully ripe and after ripening on the counter it will have full ripened taste. The benefit to doing this is you can save the tomato before the birds get to it.

Refrigeration will increase the storage of tomatoes, but it will change the taste.

Get your tomatoes out early in the season for more production. Because we've had such a mild winter, you can even put them out now.]

HERE is a printable handout of this information (without my added notes in brackets.)

Varieties Recommended for our Area (average lbs of fruit per plant):

Bush Celebrity (61)

Solar Set (53)

Dona (53)

Carnival (54)

Heatwave (50)

Early Girl (50)

Champion (73)

Celebrity

Sun Gold

Cherry Tomatoes:
Juliet (57)
Baxter's Early Bush
Sweet Chelsea
Yellow Pear (heirloom)
Jolly

Paste Tomato:
Viva Italia

Tumbling Tom - cascades and comes back in the fall

Heirloom Tomato Varieties - They don't produce very well here. They only produce 5-8 lbs per plant on average.

Some Additional Information:

TAMU Easy Gardening - Tomatoes

Tom LeRoy Tomato Trials in Montgomery County

Zaycon Foods Order - Chicken & Bacon

2012-01-04T22:25:00.001-06:00

This order is CLOSED. Click HERE to see what current orders they have going on.

Zaycon Foods is having another order in the Houston/The Woodlands/Conroe area. This month they have Chicken ($1.69/lb) and Bacon ($2.97/lb). I've purchased both of these from them before and they are extremely fresh and great quality. And they taste excellent!! I repackage mine in vacuum sealed bags before I freeze it. To order, click HERE. Orders must be received by Saturday, January 14th.

Delivery is available to many locations in the Houston area, including a location in The Woodlands and one in Conroe.

The Woodlands
Friday, January 20th
9:30-11:30 am
Legends Sports Complex
602 Pruitt Rd
The Woodlands, TX 77380

Conroe
Friday, January 20th
1:00-2:00 pm
Living Word World Outreach Church
3273 S. Loop 336E
Conroe, TX 77301

Below is more information from their website:

FRESH Premium Hickory Smoked Bacon

High quality, medium-cut hickory smoked sliced bacon (14-18 slices per pound)
Order includes two 15-lb cases with two 7.5-lb packages per case (Total order size is 30-lbs)
Premium, high-quality and consistent, this hickory-smoked bacon has a wonderful flavor and represents a great value for families
Easy to share with a friend if you do not think you can use the entire case

FRESH Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

100 % natural chicken with no added hormones, additives or artificial ingredients
Comes directly from the processor and has never been frozen
Sold by the case — 40 lbs in each case
Case dimensions—18 in wide x 12 in deep x 7 in tall
[NOTE: Our chicken is delivered in its original wholesale packaging, a water resistant cardboard case containing three or four plastic bags of fresh chicken breasts. The smaller bags are typically sealed in a larger plastic bag. The smaller bags are not uniform in weight. There will be small amounts of naturally occuring liquids (i.e.,"chicken juice") in each bag and case. Chicken breasts typically come in double-lobed pairs ("butterfly") and will have small attached amounts of fat.]

Give the Gift of Preparedness this Christmas

2011-12-13T12:02:00.367-06:00

If you are still looking for a gift for someone (or for yourself!), consider giving a preparedness gift. Here are a few ideas.

BSA First Aid Book

BSA First Aid Merit Badge Book ($4.49)

This is a great SMALL comprehensive book that will fit in your first aid kit.

It can be purchased at your local Scout Shop or online at the ScoutStuff website.

Cyalume SnapLight Industrial Grade Light Sticks (pack of 10 on Amazon for $9.35)

Light sticks are great to use when the power is out since they are safe for children. These last much longer and provide more light than the more inexpensive versions available. And they make great stocking stuffers!

Cyalume SnapLight

Industrial grade light stick for providing illumination for up to 12 hours
Measures 6" long and provides 360 degrees of illumination
Hook and gate top for hanging or attaching the light
Chemiluminescent substance is non-toxic and plastic body is phthalate free for safety
Five-year shelf life from date of manufacture for a maintenance-free alternative to other lighting

For more information, see Amazon's product description and reviews for this item HERE.

Stove in a Can (regularly $35 - on sale HERE for $17.49)

Stove In A Can is a portable, self-contained cooking platform that provides a week's worth of cooking.

Stove In A Can

Cooks for 4-6 hours (1 week's worth of cooking time)
Boils water in minutes
Holds over 300 lbs
Stores indefinitely and safely (no chemicals)
Can be lit and re-lit
Has an indefinite shelf life and works great in extreme weather conditions
Fuel cells are completely waterproof and will ignite in seconds
At up to 18,000 BTU's, Stove In A Can boils water in minutes and burns hotter than most other outdoor stoves
Is compact, lightweight, and ready for cooking in less than a minute
Comes with 4 fuel cells that burn for up to 90 minutes each

For more information, see the Quick Stove website.

Wind 'N Go Lantern/Radio (on Amazon for $30.84)

Wind 'N Go Lantern/Radio

Self-powered lantern with built-in AM/FM radio; ideal for the campsite or your emergency kit
Three minutes of winding the handle provides up to 75 minutes of use
Offers low setting (three LEDs), high setting (six LEDs), and emergency setting (six red blinking LEDs)
Has emergency siren, DC charger, nightlight, compass, audio input cord, and Nokia cell-phone adapter
Weighs 1.75 pounds; covered by one-year manufacturer warranty

For more information, see Amazon's product description and reviews for this item HERE.

IronKey Secure Flash Drive ($59 and up)

This is a great way to store your important documents since it is both durable and waterproof. (This does not take the place of having printed documents available for an emergency since you may not have access to a computer or printer.)

IronKey Flash Drive

Military-grade encryption and easy-to-use identity management
World's most secure flash drive
Comes loaded with a secure private browser that lets you surf anonymously and protects your passwords whenever you go online
Rugged metal casing protects against physical damage, and the internal components are sealed to protect against tampering
Passed and exceeded military waterproof testing requirement

For more information, see the IronKey website.

Lodge Logic 8-Quart Pre-Seasoned Cast-Iron Camp Dutch Oven (on Amazon for $60.09)

Cast Iron Dutch Oven

Dutch ovens aren't cheap, but they are fun to use whether it's an emergency or not! And if you take care of it, it will last forever. Buy one with legs so you can put coals underneath it, and make sure the lid has a lip so you can also put coals on the lid for quicker and more even cooking.

8-quart camping Dutch oven made of preseasoned cast iron
Large wire loop handle for easy lifting and carrying
Self-basting cast-iron lid inverts for use as griddle
Integral legs for campfire and fireplace cooking

For more information see Amazon's product description and reviews for this item HERE.

Homemade Household Cleaners

2011-11-30T10:35:00.000-06:00

This is some great information from The Family Homestead.

There are a lot of reasons why making your own household cleaners is a good idea. I have read a lot of information on the dangers of common store bought cleaners. The list of dangers seems to encompass everything from breathing toxic fumes, the harmful effects of the cleaners on your skin to some cleaners being carcinogenic. Aside from the health concerns there is also a financial consideration. Cleaners can be quite an expense on the budget. If you purchase a separate cleaner for everything from wiping down counters to cleaning floors, polishing and dusting, tub cleaners, toilet bowl cleaners, and the list goes on, this is a fairly large slice of the family’s budget.

You can make many of your own household cleaners utilizing some very basic and common ingredients. This does not have to take a lot of your time with mixing and making. Sometimes it is just a matter of a change in habit. A friend of mine once recommended using baking soda and Dawn detergent to cleaning the bath tub. No pre-mixing, simply sprinkle the baking soda on your tub and squirt some Dawn detergent and start scrubbing! I tried and it worked so well! Much better than many of the products I have used in the past and it does not scratch surfaces. Change of habits and a few extra minutes will usually be all that is required to make your cleaners.

There are some household cleaners that are basic simple recipes. Most you make up right in the spray bottle. If your cleaning shelves become stocked with the basic ingredients than putting them in the spray bottle takes close to the same amount of time as pouring the chemical laden store-bought cleaners right into the bottle.

If you are wondering what this list of “basic ingredients” are, I will show you:

Baking Soda
Vinegar
Rubbing Alcohol
Washing Soda (can be found near laundry detergent in most stores)
Borax (also near the laundry section)
Mild Dish Detergent

How do you use these ingredient to clean you house, you may be wondering? Let’s go through a breakdown of “types” of cleaners that you can create with the above ingredients.

Homemade Floor Cleaner

1 cup white vinegar
1 gallon warm water

Mix in your cleaning bucket and use this to clean vinyl type floors.

Wood Floor Cleaner

½ cup vinegar
1 gallon water

The most important thing to keep in mind while cleaning wood floors is that they can not get overly wet. When you use the above mixture, dip your sponge mop into the solution and squeeze until almost dry. Then mop. Never put the cleaner directly on the floor. Dry any streaked or wet area with a clean towel as you go along the floor.

My Homemade All Purpose Cleaner
Crystal Miller

I like to make a large batch of my favorite household cleaner. I make this in a gallon size container and fill spray bottles as I need it.

In a clean, empty gallon milk jug put:

2 Tablespoons ammonia
1 teaspoon dish detergent
1 pint (2 cups) rubbing alcohol
4 drops food coloring – optional
a few drops of your favorite essential oil for a nice fresh scent, I use Orange

Fill the rest of the gallon jug with hot water. Pour into spray container to use.

All-Purpose Cleaner

Here is a cleaner you make right in your spray bottle:

2T vinegar
1 t Borax
Hot water
a few drops of a mild dish detergent
10 drops of essential oil, optional

In a 16 spray bottle put vinegar, borax and hot water. Swish around until borax has dissolved. Add the drops of dish detergent and fill the rest of the bottle with water. Add the essential oil (I like using orange or lavender).

All Purpose Cleaner in a Bucket (for big jobs like walls)

½ cup ammonia
¼ cup vinegar
¼ cup baking soda

Mix the above ingredients with 1 gallon of warm water and use for basic cleaning jobs around the home. Double the above ingredients for cleaning shower walls or other extra heavy duty areas.

Homemade “soft scrub” Type Cleaner

Here is one of my favorites for cleaning counter tops, sinks or any area that needs some scrubbing without the worry of scratching the surface.

There are no measurements necessary for this one. Simply put a small amount of baking soda in a bowl and add liquid dish detergent until you have smooth paste or frosting like substance. This very well on sinks and counters and won’t scratch the surface.

Homemade Window Cleaner

This one can be made right in your spray bottle.

½ t mild dish detergent
3T vinegar
2 cups water

Put all these ingredients into a spray bottle. Shake this up some and use it just like the commercial variety.

Homemade Window Cleaner #2

3T Ammonia
1T vinegar

Put in spray bottle and fill the rest of the way up with water.

Comet Type Scrub Powders

This is an easy one. You can use baking soda! Sprinkle on sinks, counters or anywhere you need to get rid of build up or stains. Dampen slightly and scrub with a soft cloth to prevent scratching.

****A word of caution on making homemade cleaners: never mix bleach with ammonia or vinegar. It will cause toxic fumes that are very dangerous.

Chicken - Freezing and Canning

2011-10-25T20:11:00.003-05:00

Since there is currently a Chicken Order through Zaycon Foods in our area, I thought it might be helpful to discuss how you can store chicken.

Freezing

Select only high quality, fresh poultry to freeze. Package poultry in freezer paper, wrap using butcher wrap, or place in freezer bags. Store bought poultry needs to be over-wrapped before freezing because its clear wrap is not moisture-vapor resistant. When packaging pieces, arrange them to form a compact, square, flat package so they will stack better in the freezer. After packaging, seal and freeze immediately. Personally, I usually freeze my chicken using a vacuum sealer. It does a great job keeping meat from getting freezer burn.

You can also cook your chicken and then freeze it. I like to do this and either cube or shred the chicken to use in enchiladas, quesadillas, casseroles, soups, etc. Package and freeze using one of the methods discussed in the previous paragraph.

Canning

The following information was taken from the National Center for Home Food Preservation.

Please read their section on Using Pressure Canners before beginning. If this is your first time canning, it is recommended that you also read Principles of Home Canning.

Procedure: Remove excess fat. Cut the chicken into suitable sizes for canning. Can with or without bones. One pint jar holds approximately 1 lb of chicken.

Hot pack – Boil, steam or bake meat until about two-thirds done. Add 1 teaspoon salt per quart to the jar, if desired. Fill jars with pieces and hot broth, leaving 1-1/4 inch headspace.

Raw pack – Add 1 teaspoon salt per quart, if desired. Fill jars loosely with raw meat pieces, leaving 1-1/4 inch headspace. Do not add liquid.

Adjust lids and process following the recommendations in Table 1 or Table 2 according to the canning method used.

This document was adapted from the "Complete Guide to Home Canning," Agriculture Information Bulletin No. 539, USDA, revised 2009.

Water Storage Containers

2011-08-23T16:43:00.003-05:00

Water storage is a big part of preparedness. One method of water storage to consider is using 275 gallon containers. Each tote weighs 130 lbs. Dimensions of the totes are 48"x40"x46". These totes are the same capacity as five 55 gallon blue barrels, but in the footprint of 4 barrels. They can be stacked two high. These totes are transparent to sunlight so they will need to be darkened to prevent the growth of algae.

Many people are using them for the collection of rain water that could be used for gardens, washing, or filtered drinking at a time of drought or emergency. If you plan to use the totes for rain water using down spouts please view the videos below.

Video 1: Introduction

Video 2: Cleaning Totes

Video 3: Covering the Totes

Video 4: Connecting and Testing the Totes

Video 5: Venting

Video 6: Rain Gutters

Video 7: First Flush System

Cooking with Grains

2011-07-31T17:16:00.002-05:00

There is a new television series on called Fusion Grain Cooking with Chef Brad. Chef Brad dedicates each episode to a single type of grain and shows multiple ways to use each grain. I love it! So far he has episodes on wheat, popcorn, rice, buckwheat, spelt, quinoa, farro, millet, barley, amaranth, teff, and kamut. He is also making a couple of holiday cooking shows using whole grains which will air this fall. The show airs on BYU TV and can also be seen in entirety on BYU TV's website HERE.

Chef Brad's website is an excellent resource as well. He tells all about individual grain types as well as listing recipes, including those from his show. I've made a few of his recipes and enjoyed them. You can access his grain education section HERE, and his many recipes HERE. The recipes specifically from his cooking shows can be found HERE.

Local Honey

2011-06-25T23:57:00.003-05:00

Local honey is touted as being helpful in reducing seasonal allergies. Raw honey, honey that has not been exposed to extreme heat during processing, retains more vitamins and minerals than honey typically found in stores like SAMs and Costco.

Sugar, in general, is a good thing to focus on at this time. The church recommendations for sugar storage (back when there were guidelines) used to be about 65 pounds per person per year. This was to include all sugars. It is certainly a good reference point, though I think we would probably want more than that if it came down to solely eating food storage. Just using 1 Tablespoon of brown sugar a day on cereal for one year would require storing about 20 lbs.! Multiply that by the number in your family....and you get the idea. And that is just using it one way. If you use honey for bread baking, and want to store enough for a typical recipe (one loaf a day for one year) you would need approximately 55 lbs. of honey. You would need slightly more than that if you use sugar in the place of honey. People like storing honey because it stores indefinitely.

"I have effectively stored sugar in plastic buckets for over 20 years in Houston with no problems. I just pour the sugar into a food grade container, snap on the lid so it stays airtight and it lasts. No major clumping. No need for oxygen absorbers. No sugar ant problems. A 44 quart container from ACE Restaurant supply holds 75 lbs. of white sugar and the container costs about $21. I have been told that 5 gallon buckets will hold about 35 lbs. and 6 gallon buckets of course will hold more." Leila

Sugar is currently cheaper to purchase at SAMs or Costco than at the church cannery. But, you will have to package it for long term storage. Put it in buckets, jars, mylar pouches or cans.

Some measurement calculations offered by Wendy DeWitt (google her amazing videos):

SUGAR (white)................. 12 c in a # 10 can, 2 c=1#, 1#= 32 Tbsp = 96 tsp
SUGAR (brown)...................... 1 1/3 c=1#
HONEY................................... 20 Tbsp = 1 c, 13 oz=1 c, 6 c=5#

One gallon of honey is about 12 lbs.

Solar Ovens

2011-06-25T23:55:00.005-05:00

Solar ovens are a great alternative cooking source as well as being used for cooking outdoors during the summer heat. There is a comparison sheet of the SOS Sport Sun Oven and the Global Sun Oven HERE. For information about each oven, view the following links and decide which oven fits your needs and budget. Both are great ovens.

SOS Sport Oven

This is the oven that was displayed at the local Houston North Stake's Preparedness Fair on May 30th. The temperatures don't get as high as in the Sun Oven - it's more like a slow cooker so it will not burn food. It is a great oven and doesn't cost as much. Some families who bought this oven last year have been cooking in it off and on all year. It does a great job and is very easy to use. You can check out this oven HERE. Click all the buttons, read the reviews and watch the videos.

User video from YouTube

Using the SOS Sport Oven

Recipes for the SOS Sport Oven

Review of Solar Ovens

Review of SOS Sport Oven

Another Review of SOS Sport Oven

Global Sun Oven

This oven can get up to 350 degrees. It is a great oven and it will give you many years of service. Because of it's greater temperatures, on a bright sunny day it can cook almost as fast as a regular oven. It is possible to burn sugary food, like cookies, if not watched. Check it out HERE.

How the Sun Oven Works

Sun Oven Recipes

Solar Cooking for a Year Blog

Wendy DeWitt on YouTube

Cooking off the Grid

Solar Oven Put to the Test

Everything Under the Sun Solar Cooking

User Video from YouTube

First Things First - 72 Hour Kits

2011-06-03T22:01:00.007-05:00

“Preparing Every Needful Thing” is not possible overnight . . . but putting a basic 72 hour kit together is. Hurricane Season is here! It runs from June 1st to November 30th. In light of all the natural disasters occurring across our nation, the time for procrastination is over! Every household should have, at the very minimum, a few basic emergency supplies to help sustain the family during an emergency or natural disaster.

The City of Houston recently unveiled a video series that addresses the need for a 72 hour kit. History within our own city has shown that households with disaster kits were able to endure and recover from disasters more easily than those that did not. People who had kits felt they were better prepared physically and emotionally to handle upsets with power, water and other basic services. There is a link to the Texas video series HERE.

Some Californians who belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints recently posted a video series on YouTube called, “Prepare Every Needful Thing.” There is a link HERE. I found it to be even more motivating than the Houston area video because it also addressed the effects of disaster from a spiritual perspective. If you are having trouble becoming motivated once again to undertake the task of 72 hour kit preparation, please watch the video. It is insightful and motivating.

Sometimes when approaching the task of assembling a disaster kit we find ourselves drawn to fancy “complete and expanded” lists. Or, we find ourselves wanting to buy a fancy version of a kit online . . . the most expensive one, of course. I want to encourage you instead, to focus on the most minimal and basic list first. Put this together quickly and do it now! You will unleash a momentum within your family that will propel you to the next level quicker than you think. More importantly, you will be doing something right away to better prepare your family.

Whether you are a family of one or a family of five or more, you need to think about the ages of each individual within your family unit and plan accordingly. Remember your pets too. Preparation now leads to future success and immediately leads to a lot of peace.

Following is a Basic List for a 72 hour kit. (More expanded versions are available under the “This Month’s Focus” section.)

Basic List - 72 Hour Kit
(assuming you will shelter in place)

-Container to hold items. (large plastic bin, box or bucket with lid)
-At least 3 water bottles per person per day (more if you use dehydrated meals)
-3 days worth of easily prepared food (like soup, crackers, peanut butter, trail mix, etc.)
Emergency food could be MREs or Dehydrated Meals
-Manual can opener if your food required one
-Paper cups, plates, napkins, utensils
-Wet wipes, hand sanitizer, paper towels
-Clean change of clothes per person
-Blankets
-Copies of personal identification and insurance information
-Flashlights with batteries
-AM/FM radio (write local station numbers on it)
-Baby and/or pet items
-Car cell phone charger and list of contact numbers
-Cash in small bills
-Basic first aid items
-Medications
-Trash bags

Water Storage and Purification

2011-05-16T12:44:00.003-05:00

Storing water is essential for both 72 hour kits and long term food storage. Here are some informative handouts that cover some of the basics of water storage.

Water Storage Information
Emergency Water Storage, Filtration, and Purification
Emergency Water Storage and Purification Guidelines

Pressure Cookers - Your Grandmother's Microwave

2010-11-21T00:33:00.005-06:00

Pressure cookers are NOT the scary things they once were, but they ARE just as quick and easy. We had a class earlier this month to learn the basics of using a pressure cooker and I had a lot of fun trying some new recipes! I originally bought my pressure cooker to cook dried beans and until recently, that's all I've used it for. Now I've realized how easy it is to cook all kinds of things - even frozen chicken breasts and meatballs. And it makes wonderful, easy risotto.

Using the pressure cooker uses less energy since the actual time the stove is on is less. This is great for everyday use, but it would be even more helpful is you were trying to conserve energy during an emergency situation. It is also a very nutritious method of cooking since the food is cooked quickly, maintaining more nutrients.

There is a printable handout HERE that covers the background of pressure cookers, what to look for if you're planning on buying one, resources for information and recipes, and some recipes that I've tried and liked. My favorite cookbook for pressure cooker recipes is Pressure Perfect by Lorna Sass. It gives wonderful background information on how to use a pressure cooker and great recipes with lots of variations. There aren't any photos in the cookbook, but I still highly recommend it and I've included a few of her recipes in my handout so that you can get a glimpse of how well I think it is written.

Grab & Go Lists

2010-10-11T19:47:00.001-05:00

I was talking to someone recently about evacuating your home in case of fire and what you would grab first if you had some time. They told me an idea that I think would be very helpful in many different evacuation situations - to make a three level grab and go list.

Level 1 - 5 Minute List

Level 2 - 15 Minute List

Level 3 - 30 Minute List

Within these three lists, list all items in order of priority, with highest priority first and number the items. Then depending on the time available in an emergency, you would be able to grab the most important things first. If you make a few copies of the list to hand to someone else, you could ask them to grab items by item number.

September/October Preparedness Newsletter

2010-10-11T18:00:00.006-05:00

I realize it's already halfway through October, but I'm finally getting around to posting the September/October Preparedness Newsletter. You can access a printable copy HERE. This newsletter includes articles on

"Rotate" is not a Swear Word!
Food Storage - You're Already Doing It
72 Hour Kits
Homemade Non-Toxic Cleaners
Tips for the Fall Garden
Recipe for "Microwave Caramel Popcorn" - only 3 ingredients plus the popcorn!
Essential Non-Food Items
Water Storage
and more!

July/August Preparedness Newsletter

2010-07-04T09:40:00.004-05:00

If you didn't get a copy of the July/August Relief Society preparedness newsletter, you can access a printable copy HERE. This newsletter includes articles on

getting your food supply organized
hurricane preparedness
community gardening classes coming up
recipes
and more!

May/June Preparedness Newsletters

2010-05-23T01:11:00.007-05:00

If you didn't get a copy of the May/June preparedness newsletters, you can access a printable copy of the Relief Society newsletter HERE. This newsletter includes articles on

gardening in Texas in June
places you can pick fruit locally
helpful ideas for increasing both your food supply and 72 hour kits for families with young children
yummy recipes
and more!

A copy of the newsletter geared more towards "The Man of the House" can be accessed HERE. It includes articles on

Self-Reliance: It's not just about Food Supply
generators
hurricane preparedness
and more!

We hope these newsletters will be one more resource of ideas for self-reliance and that they might be a spark that will prompt you to action in one way or another.

Summer Recipes & Pick Your Own Fruit

2010-05-23T01:10:00.004-05:00

We had planned on including a recipe for basil pesto in the preparedness newsletter, but it didn't fit. You can access a printable copy of the pesto recipe along with the other recipes in the Relief Society newsletter HERE.

Now that summer is here, it's time for fresh fruit and even homemade jam! HERE is a list of places where you can pick your own fruit in our area.

Yogurt Making after the Class

2010-05-05T11:33:00.015-05:00

I just got some feedback after the first yogurt making class. YOU actually went home and tried to make yogurt. YEAH! A few things ... it may take more than 6 hours to fully incubate especially if not using dry milk. Some yogurt recipes say up to 8 hours. Don't worry! This is why I start yogurt in the morning. Also, if you can stop the incubation process as soon as the yogurt is thick, it is less "tangy." If you want tangy yogurt for use as sour cream, let it incubate longer.

As I was making yogurt this morning for my family, I realized that I use way less than 1/3 cup of sugar. I was estimating when I made my recipe. I use less than 1/4 cup of sugar when I am making it for myself. No wonder the yogurt from class was so tasty! Just know that you can vary sugar or add no sugar to the yogurt. I have also used Agave Nectar, but it does tint the yogurt slightly. To me, the vanilla is essential. One suggestion from class was to try a vanilla/almond flavoring mixture which sounded good to me.

I have another great plan for yogurt - how about mixing it with Ranch Dressing flavor and making a dip? Yum. And HERE are some more ideas of ways to use yogurt.

Yogurt with Church powdered milk: I have been experimenting with using the cannery milk for yogurt to this result - It works great if you use 2 cups dry milk with the 3 3/4 cups water, BUT you CANNOT add vanilla or sugar. Adding vanilla and sugar stops the yogurt process and you will just get yogurt milk!

Also, I have had some feedback that you can incubate the yogurt in your oven with the light turned on. That sounds super easy to me.

Keep me posted on your successes and failures so I can let everyone know.

Paula

Yogurt Making

2010-05-03T14:53:00.035-05:00

Paula taught a great yogurt making class in her home this morning! She uses the Provident Pantry nonfat dry milk to make it with although you can use other milk as well. But what a great way to rotate your milk supply! And the ingredients are all shelf stable items you can store, including yogurt starter. You can access a handout on her method HERE.

Read the handout for specific instructions, but here are the basic directions:

First, heat the milk to 180 degrees F.

Remove it from the heat and let it cool to 115 degrees F.
Whisk in the starter. You can use the Yogourmet starter

or some yogurt you've saved from your last batch of yogurt.

Optional: At this point you can add up to 1/3 cup sugar and 1-2 tsp vanilla if desired.

Pour into jar(s) and incubate in a yogurt maker

or a cooler for 4-6 hours.

There are many additional methods of incubating as well which are mentioned in the handout.

Enjoy! Yogurt is great plain, mixed with jam, topped with honey or syrup, used in smoothies, and even made into yogurt cheese.

To make yogurt cheese, line a small strainer with a double layer of cheesecloth or a flour sack towel. Place this in a bowl or dish to catch the whey that will drain off. Place the yogurt in the lined strainer and place in the refrigerator (covered lightly with cloth) overnight. The yogurt will thicken and can be used plain like sour cream or seasoned for use as a dip. Bread seasonings make great seasoning options.

A Great Resource for Dehydrating Food

2010-04-28T00:23:00.004-05:00

A friend of mine sent me a link to this wonderful website that gives video tutorials and recipes on how to dehydrate almost any type of food. The web site is Dehydrate2Store. I've only spent a short time looking through the resources available on the site, but it sure looks like they have a lot of worthwhile information.

Recipe Handout from Other Breads & Milk Class

2010-04-28T00:11:00.010-05:00

You can get a printable copy of the remainder of the handout from our class last week HERE. It includes the recipes for

tortillas
other bread recipes
English muffins
pita bread
corn bread
a few dairy related recipes
and more!

Hope you enjoy them :)

Milk Taste Testing

2010-04-22T18:12:00.027-05:00

In a previous post, Paula briefly mentioned how great the milk taste testing went that we did in our class earlier this week. I wanted to give some more details and also include a link to another milk taste test that was done last month by Utah Preppers. You can get a printable copy of the "Ways to Incorporate Powdered Milk" handout HERE.

We tested the following powdered milk brands:

Fluid Skim Milk (used as a comparison)
Provident Pantry Instant Nonfat Dry Milk
Country Cream Instant Nonfat Dry Milk
Maple Island Instant Nonfat Dry Milk
Hill Country Fare Nonfat Dry Milk (Instant)
LDS Church Cannery Nonfat Dry Milk
Nestle NIDO Instant Dry Whole Milk
Morning Moo Regular Low fat Dry Milk Alternative
Morning Moo Chocolate Low fat Dry Milk Alternative
LDS Church Cannery Hot Chocolate Milk (tested cold)

We made up each milk the day before so each milk could be refrigerated for 24 hours before tasting for best taste.

We did not go into much detail. We rated each milk on taste on a scale of 1 - 5 with 1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest. I was quite surprised to find that there were a couple of milk brands that tasted very similar to the fluid skim milk and the rest had a very strong powdered milk taste. Most people in our group (about 45 people) rated each brand either low or high with not much in between - they either liked it or they didn't. We did not total ratings on individual brands; just asked for a show of hands on which brand people liked the best. After eliminating the choice of the unexpected fluid skim milk, the large majority of people chose Provident Pantry as their favorite. A few people chose Country Cream as their favorite, putting it in second place. A few others chose Nestle NIDO as their favorite, putting it in third place. Personally, I could tell very little difference between the Provident Pantry and the Country Cream, and even the fluid skim milk. I did vote for Provident Pantry, but it was extremely close. I asked my 15 year old son to come as well to get his opinion but he wouldn't taste all of the choices. I did get him to taste a few of them, including the Provident Pantry brand. I asked him if he thought the Provident Pantry milk would be something he would drink if we purchased it and he thought it tasted like regular milk and that it was fine.
We tasted the Morning Moo Milk Alternatives and the LDS Church Cannery Hot Chocolate Milk separately since they are all whey based products and do not have enough protein to store as a main milk substitute. I had heard rave reviews on the Morning Moo milks, but I didn't like either one of them. Since they were tasted separately, not everyone tried them. The cans were only a few months old and they were opened for the taste testing, but very few people liked them as well as the Provident Pantry. That was quite surprising to me. The other thing that really surprised me was how much I liked the LDS Church Cannery Hot Chocolate. I didn't expect to like it cold. My 15 year old son liked it so much that he drank multiple glasses of it and then came home and made up 2 qts of it to keep in the refrigerator so he could have more later!
Utah Preppers did a very detailed taste test of powdered milk brands that can be found HERE. Below is a summary of their results:

(click on the table to view larger)

Online Sources for Milk & Grains

2010-04-22T16:36:00.023-05:00

Here are just a few online sources for powdered milk, corn for grinding into cornmeal, and spelt (a grain similar to wheat).

Milk:

Provident Pantry Instant Nonfat Dry Milk
Emergency Essentials

Country Cream Instant Nonfat Dry Milk
Grandmas Country Foods

Maple Island Instant Nonfat Dry Milk
Alpine Food Storage

LDS Church Cannery Nonfat Dry Milk
Provident Living

Nestle NIDO Instant Dry Whole Milk
My Brands

Morning Moo Low fat Dry Milk Alternative
Augason Farms

Corn:

Whole Corn for Grinding (not Sweet Corn)
USA Emergency Supply
Walton Feed

Spelt:
Wheat Grass Kits
Emergency Essentials
Purity Foods