Well hello, everybody! It has been a long time since I did a post on here, other than Motivational Monday. No, I haven't forgotten about you, it's just been extremely busy! Between two trips out of town this month, flu season, and canning season, there hasn't been much time for anything else - and we're not done yet! I'll be back soon though. Love to you all!

Motivational Monday

"Service to others deepens and sweetens this life while we are preparing to live in a better world. It is by serving that we learn to serve. When we are engaged in the service of our fellowmen, not only do our deeds assist them, but we put our own problems in a fresher perspective. When we concern ourselves more with others, there is less time to be concerned with ourselves! In the midst of the miracle of serving, there is the promise of Jesus that by losing ourselves, we find ourselves!"

--Spencer W. Kimball, "Speaks Out on Service to Others", New Era, Mar. 1981, 47

Motivational Monday

"The Lord loves you for your strength and your courage. He is always there for you. You are not alone. He has promised us that when we are trying to live righteously and are serving Him, 'I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.'"

Janet Hales Beckham, D&C 84:88 quoted

Motivational Monday

“There is no infirmity, affliction, or adversity that Christ did not feel in Gethsemane. . . .President Howard W. Hunter said: ‘If our lives and our faith are centered on Jesus Christ and his restored gospel, nothing can ever go permanently wrong. On the other hand, if our lives are not centered on the Savior and his teachings, no other success can ever be permanently right.’" (The Teachings of Howard W. Hunter, ed. Clyde J. Williams [1997], 40).”

Tuesday's Cookin'

Because we are working on adding a "soup of choice" to our Sample BASIC Menu, I thought this would be awesome to share with you! Please click on the link below and visit Preparedness Brings Peace. Read the short story and enjoy the soup recipes because this is an incredible idea! And to think...people do this! They actually do it. It is their way of life. It is amazing to me, truly amazing!

365 Days of Pre-made Meals

Motivational Monday

"I have always found that when we do the little things correctly, the Lord gives us the strength to accomplish big things... You might not always understand the reasons for some rules or commandments, but if you will follow them even in the little things you will have more strength to do big things... And you will have the great blessing of knowing that you are on the Lord's side and that He is on yours."

--Donald L. Hallstrom, "Friend to Friend: On the Lord's Side," Friend, Sept. 2002, 8

Jam and Jelly Recipes

For great jam and jelly recipes, check out the Ball and Sure-Jell sites. I made jam a couple years ago, but it didn't turn out right because I didn't process it long enough. This year, I tried my luck at strawberry and cherry ('cause I couldn't find a cherry pitter). Both are EXCELLENT! You never know what you can do until you try - so try! You just might like it. Happy canning!

SURE.JELL Strawberry Jam Makes: About 8 (1-cup) jars* or 128 servings, 1 Tbsp. each 5 cups prepared fruit (about 2 quarts fully ripe strawberries) 1 box SURE.JELL Fruit Pectin 1/2 tsp. butter or margarine (optional) 7 cups sugar, measured into separate bowl BRING boiling-water canner, half full with water, to simmer. Wash jars and screw bands in hot soapy water; rinse with warm water. Pour boiling water over flat lids in saucepan off the heat. Let stand in hot water until ready to use. Drain well before filling. STEM and crush strawberries thoroughly, one layer at a time. Measure exactly 5 cups prepared fruit into 6- or 8-quart saucepot. STIR pectin into prepared fruit in saucepot. Add butter to reduce foaming, if desired. Bring mixture to full rolling boil (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in sugar. Return to full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam with metal spoon. LADLE immediately into prepared jars, filling to within 1/8 inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with 2-piece lids. Screw bands tightly. Place jars on elevated rack in canner. Lower rack into canner. (Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches. Add boiling water, if necessary.) Cover; bring water to gentle boil. Process 10 minutes. Remove jars and place upright on a towel to cool completely. After jars cool, check seals by pressing middle of lid with finger. (If lid springs back, lid is not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.)

* I used pints

SURE.JELL Cherry Jam Makes: About 6 (1-cup) jars*

4 cups prepared fruit (about 3 lb. fully ripe sweet cherries) 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 1 box SURE.JELL Fruit Pectin 5 cups sugar, measured into separate bowl 1/4 tsp. almond extract

BRING boiling-water canner, half full with water, to simmer. Wash jars and screw bands in hot soapy water; rinse with warm water. Pour boiling water over flat lids in saucepan off the heat. Let stand in hot water until ready to use. Drain jars well before filling.

STEM and pit cherries. Finely chop or grind fruit. Measure exactly 4 cups of the prepared cherries into 6- or 8-qt. saucepot. Stir in lemon juice.

STIR pectin into fruit mixture in saucepot. Bring mixture to full rolling boil (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in sugar and extract. Return to full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 min., stirring constantly. Remove from heat; skim off any foam with metal spoon.

LADLE immediately into prepared jars*, filling to within 1/8 inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with two-piece lids. Screw bands tightly. Place jars on elevated rack in canner. Lower rack into canner. (Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches. Add boiling water, if necessary.) Cover; bring water to gentle boil. Process 10 min. Remove jars and place upright on a towel to cool completely. After jars cool, check seals by pressing middles of lids with finger. (If lids spring back, lids are not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.)

*I used pints

Wednesday Prep Day

Life is crazy right now! Although, I'm positive I'm not the only one who can say this. Just keep going, no matter how difficult things may become; because eventually, they will get better. It may take a while, but the Lord loves us and never forgets us.

How is your 72 hr. kit coming? I debated having a catch-up week this week, and I think that's what we are going to do; but, I also think a small sewing kit is pretty easy to throw together, so lets do both. If there is anything, highlighted in red on the right, that you haven't been able to grab, see if you can find it. And then, grab a little bag and fill it with: a needle, some thread, a few buttons, and a small pair of scissors. You may want to have a couple of these just in case.

How is your three months of storage coming? Do you have a plan? If so, keep pluggin' along. You'll get it. If you don't have a plan for your three month supply, lets make one together. To start, make a menu: seven breakfasts, seven or fourteen dinners. Seven's easier to plan, fourteen gives you more options. (As we continue our Sample BASIC Menu on the right, you can use it for ideas. More of that to come later...).

1. Write the recipes for each breakfast and dinner down.
2. If you do seven meals, multiply the ingredients by 13 to find out exactly how much of each item you need for three months. If you do fourteen, you can multiply all of the meals by seven or half by seven and half by six. It's up to you.
   
3. Make a master shopping list.
   
4. Begin shopping always remembering to stick to your budget. Little by little you will cross all the items off. Just be persistent and patient.

This month, we are collecting Beans for our long-term storage. Beans are awesome and we all need a few, o.k. a lot, in our storage. Liesa Card suggests a food storage program that fits the way we collect long-term storage on this site; although, there are many ways to go about gathering your storage.

Another way that makes sense is gathering a one year supply for one person at a time. (When you have one year gathered, just do it again). If you have one year for one person, you will also have a six month supply for two people, a four month supply for three, and so on. Isn't that COOL?! (I thought you might like it)! Happy collecting...

Here's an important note:

Never spend what you do not have. If you do, your things will own you, and that's just not the way preparedness, or anything else, should be done. Always be persistent, never running faster than needed; because, as you "Do the best you can, the Lord will provide the rest." (President Dieter F. Uchtdorf)

Tuesday's Cookin'

For today's recipe, I made a link from the Sample BASIC Menu on the right, to the Burritos-a-Go-Go from I Dare You to Eat it. They are excellent! Try 'em!

Motivational Monday, One Day Late

"You are a child of God with great strength. You have the ability to choose righteousness and happiness, no matter what your circumstances."

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day saints, For the Strength of Youth, Copyright 2001, P. 5

Canning Butter

I recently taught how to can butter at Enrichment Night. Even though our current focus is the Sample Basic Menu, I wanted to include it. I realize butter is not a BASIC, but oil is necessary for cooking, and is recommended as storage. If you are going to can butter, I recommend saving it for spreading. You can use it to cook with; but personally, I'd rather use oil, shortening, and apple sauce, and save the butter to put on hot home made rolls and toast. This recipe is from End Times Report, and is the same method Windy DeWitt uses and has published on page four of this booklet.

CANNING BUTTER

Now you can purchase canned butter from The Internet Grocer http://www.internet-grocer.net/butter.htm or make it yourself using the directions below.

1. Use any butter that is on sale. Lesser quality butter requires more shaking (see #5 below), but the results are the same as with the expensive brands.

2. Heat pint jars in a 250 degree oven for 20 minutes, without rings or seals. One pound of butter slightly more than fills one pint jar, so if you melt 11 pounds of butter, heat 12 pint jars. A roasting pan works well for holding the pint jars while in the oven.

3. While the jars are heating, melt butter slowly until it comes to a slow boil. Using a large spatula, stir the bottom of the pot often to keep the butter from scorching. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes at least: a good simmer time will lessen the amount of shaking required (see #5 below). Place the lids in a small pot and bring to a boil, leaving the lids in simmering water until needed.

4. Stirring the melted butter from the bottom to the top with a soup ladle or small pot with a handle, pour the melted butter carefully into heated jars through a canning jar funnel. Leave 3/4" of head space in the jar, which allows room for the shaking process.

5. Carefully wipe off the top of the jars, then get a hot lid from the simmering water, add the lid and ring and tighten securely. Lids will seal as they cool. Once a few lids "ping," shake while the jars are still warm, but cool enough to handle easily, because the butter will separate and become foamy on top and white on the bottom. In a few minutes, shake again, and repeat until the butter retains the same consistency throughout the jar.

6. At this point, while still slightly warm, put the jars into a refrigerator. While cooling and hardening, shake again, and the melted butter will then look like butter and become firm. This final shaking is very important! Check every 5 minutes and give the jars a little shake until they are hardened in the jar! Leave in the refrigerator for an hour.

7. Canned butter should store for 3 years or longer on a cool, dark shelf. [It does last a long time. We have just used up the last of the butter we canned in 1999, and it was fine after 5 years.] Canned butter does not "melt*" again when opened, so it does not need to be refrigerated upon opening, provided it is used within a reasonable length of time.

*It melts. It just doesn't melt and separate like butter sometimes does when left out for long periods of time.

Sample Basic Menu: Day One - Breakfast

Old Fashioned Oatmeal

2 c. water
1/4 t. salt (optional, more if desired)
1 c. oats
Milk (optional)
Butter (optional)

Bring water and salt to a boil. Add oats and stir. Cook two minutes, stirring occasionally. Add sugar, honey, milk, and butter to taste, if desired.

Wednesday Prep Day

Good Morning! Today for our 72 hr. kits, we will be collecting a battery powered radio. Radio's are important because, in an emergency, they can provide information about what may be happening. Keep your eye's open at yard sales and thrift stores. You may be able to snatch one up for a fraction of the original price. Happy Hunting!

Now, how is your three months of storage coming? Do you have a plan? If so, keep pluggin' along. You'll get it. If you don't have a plan for your three month supply, lets make one together. To start, make a menu: seven breakfasts, seven or fourteen dinners. Seven's easier to plan, fourteen gives you more options. (As we continue our "Sample BASIC Menu" on the right, you can use it for ideas. More of that to come later).

1. Write the recipes for each breakfast and dinner down.
2. If you do seven meals, multiply the ingredients by 13 to find out exactly how much of each item you need for three months. If you do fourteen, you can multiply all of the meals by seven or half by seven and half by six. It's up to you.
   
3. Make a master shopping list.
   
4. Begin shopping always remembering to stick to your budget. Little by little you will cross all the items off. Just be persistent and patient.

This month, we are collecting Rice for our long-term storage. Liesa Card suggests a food storage program that fits the way we collect long-term storage on this site; although, there are many ways to go about gathering your storage.

Another way that makes sense is gathering a one year supply for one person at a time. (When you have one year gathered, just do it again). If you have one year for one person, you will also have a six month supply for two people, a four month supply for three, and so on. Isn't that COOL?! (I thought you might like it)! Happy collecting...

Here's an important note:

Never spend what you do not have. If you do, your things will own you, and that's just not the way preparedness, or anything else, should be done. Always be persistent, never running faster than needed; because, as you "Do the best you can, the Lord will provide the rest." (President Dieter F. Uchtdorf)

Food Storage Use and Management: Sample Basic Menu

Are you guys ready for today? Of course! We are going to plan and cook using our food storage! Hooray!!! "This Menu is given to show that you can maintain a semblance of traditional meals even if all you have are the BASIC foods." (Once Upon the Ark) When this is complete, you will each have access to one week of meals that focus on food storage. And, you will have the recipes to accompany them. Cooking with food storage - I love it! And if you don't already, you will!

Food Storage Use and management
Sample BASIC Menu

Day One
Breakfast

• Old Fashioned Oatmeal
• Sugar or Honey
• Whole Wheat Toast
• Jam of Choice

Lunch

• Bean Burrito
• Sprouts
• Cookies

Dinner

• Soup of Choice
• Whole Wheat Roll

Day Two
Breakfast

• Hot Whole Wheat Biscuits
• Country Gravy
• Jam or Honey

Lunch

• Peanut Butter Sandwich
• Jam or Honey

Dinner

• Pasta of Choice
• Butter Horn Rolls

Day Three
Breakfast

• Cracked Wheat Cereal
• Sugar or Honey
• Whole Wheat Toast

Lunch

• Chicken Sandwich*
• Whole Wheat Roll

Dinner

• Chicken Enchiladas
• Spanish Rice
• Chocolate Pudding

Day Four
Breakfast

• Perfect Whole Wheat Pancakes
• Hot Maple Syrup
• Sausage Pattie*

Lunch

• Soup of Choice

Dinner

• Chicken Fried Steak*
• Seasoned Rice
• Gravy
• Baked Beans

Day Five
Breakfast

• Oatmeal Croquettes
• Sausage Patty*

Lunch

• Soup of Choice
• Whole Wheat Roll
  

Dinner

• Chicken Fried Steak*
• Seasoned Rice
• Gravy
• Baked Beans

Day Six
Breakfast

• Waffles
• Maple Syrup
• Sausage Patty*

Lunch

• Navajo Tacos

Dinner

• Soup of Choice
• Whole Wheat Roll
• Cake of Choice

Day Seven
Breakfast

• Sausage Patty Biscuit*

Lunch

• Soup of Choice
• Whole Wheat Roll

Dinner

• Fettuccine Alfredo
• Butter Horn Rolls
• Vanilla Pudding

*Wheat Meat. I'll explain these, and teach you what to do, once we get into this a little more. I will also teach you what to do if you have some type of wheat or bran allergy - like me.

"Note: This Menu has no fruit, vegetables, or meat. 'Got seeds?' you're going to love your Spring garden! Be sure your jars and canning equipment are in good shape. This Menu is given to show you that you can maintain a semblance of traditional meals even if all you have are the BASIC foods...Well!...I assume that you do have a few spices, herbs, and seasonings" (Once Upon the Ark).

Motivational Monday

For the Righteous the gospel provides a warning before a calamity, a program for the crises, a refuge for each disaster.

Ezra Taft Benson, “Prepare Ye,” Ensign, Jan 1974, 68

An interesting side note: When this talk was given, President Benson hadn't become the President of the Church yet. To read the full text please click on the link above.

Food Storage Use and Management: Sample Basic Menu

Good morning, everybody! Today I am going to give you a sampling of what and how you can eat if all you had were the BASICS. My grandma wrote a book titled Once Upon the Ark a couple years ago and included this menu. My plan is to get you excited about this, and then I'll show you how to do it over the next couple weeks. To wet your whistle, I'll begin with four days, and we can continue the last three on Tuesday. Shall we get started?

Food Storage Use and management
Sample BASIC Menu

Day One
Breakfast

• Old Fashioned Oatmeal
• Sugar or Honey
• Whole Wheat Toast
• Jam of Choice

Lunch

• Bean Burrito
• Sprouts
• Cookies

Dinner

• Soup of Choice
• Whole Wheat Roll

Day Two
Breakfast

• Hot Whole Wheat Biscuits
• Country Gravy
• Jam or Honey

Lunch

• Peanut Butter Sandwich
• Jam or Honey

Dinner

• Pasta of Choice
• Butter Horn Rolls

Day Three
Breakfast

• Cracked Wheat Cereal
• Sugar or Honey
• Whole Wheat Toast

Lunch

• Chicken Sandwich*
• Whole Wheat Roll

Dinner

• Chicken Enchiladas
• Spanish Rice
• Chocolate Pudding

Day Four
Breakfast

• Perfect Whole Wheat Pancakes
• Hot Maple Syrup
• Sausage Pattie*

Lunch

• Soup of Choice

Dinner

• Chicken Fried Steak*
• Seasoned Rice
• Gravy
• Baked Beans

*I'll explain these, and teach you what to do, once we get into this a little more.

I'm so EXCITED and I hope you are too!

Wednesday Prep Day - One Day Late

First of all, I hope you are all having a WONDERFUL day! I know mine has been good. This week, for our 72 hr. kits, we are going to add a utility knife and a bucket. Knifes are handy tools and buckets are good for carrying items in. Infact, you can place the items you've collected so far in the bucket if you'd like.

Now, how is your three months of storage coming? Do you have a plan? If so, keep pluggin' along. You'll get it. If you don't have a plan for your three month supply, lets make one together. To start, make a menu: seven breakfasts, seven or fourteen dinners. Seven's easier to plan, fourteen gives you more options.

1. Write the recipes for each breakfast and dinner down.
2. If you do seven meals, multiply the ingredients by 13 to find out exactly how much of each item you need for three months. If you do fourteen, you can multiply all of the meals by seven or half by seven and half by six. It's up to you.
   
3. Make a master shopping list.
   
4. Begin shopping always remembering to stick to your budget. Little by little you will cross all the items off. Just be persistent and patient.

This month, we are collecting Rice for our long-term storage. Liesa Card suggests a food storage program that fits the way we collect long-term storage on this site; although, there are many ways to go about gathering your storage.

Another way that makes sense is gathering a one year supply for one person at a time. (When you have one year gathered, just do it again). If you have one year for one person, you will also have a six month supply for two people, a four month supply for three, and so on. Isn't that COOL?! (I thought you might like it)! Happy collecting...

Here's an important note:

Never spend what you do not have. If you do, your things will own you, and that's just not the way preparedness, or anything else, should be done. Always be persistent, never running faster than needed; because, as you "Do the best you can, the Lord will provide the rest." (President Dieter F. Uchtdorf)

Tuesday's Cookin'

For today's recipe, I thought I'd add a link to my family's recipe blog. Now, before you get all excited, no one else in my family has ever posted anything on the recipe blog, even though they were all invited. (I guess they're pretty busy, so I can cut them some slack). I've included a couple of the recipes on Good News Minutes, so you may see duplicates; but, feel free to take a look around and try some. I have made all of them and they are wonderful!

Happy cookin'!

simmondsfamilycooking.blogspot.com

Motivational Monday

“If you live up to your privileges, the angels cannot be restrained from being your associates.”

“Chapter 39: Relief Society: Divine Organization of Women,” Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, (2007),448–57

Tuesday's Cookin'

No-bake Oatmeal Fudge Cookies

2 c. sugar
1/2 c. cocoa
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. butter
1 t. vanilla
1/2 c. peanut butter
3 c. oats

Bring sugar, cocoa, milk, and butter to a boil. Remove from heat and add vanilla and peanut butter. Mix until peanut butter is dissolved. Add oats and stir until evenly coated. Scoop by spoonfuls onto waxed paper or a cookie sheet. Eat when cooled.

Motivational Monday

“Be virtuous and pure; be men of integrity and truth; keep the commandments of God; and then you will be able more perfectly to understand the difference between right and wrong—between the things of God and the things of men; and your path will be like that of the just, which shineth brighter and brighter unto the perfect day [see Proverbs 4:18].”8

Chapter 13: Obedience: “When the Lord Commands, Do It”, Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, (2007),158–70

John Taylor, while serving as President of the Quorum of the Twelve, reported: “I well remember a remark that Joseph Smith made to me upwards of forty years ago. Said he, ‘Elder Taylor, you have been baptized, you have had hands laid upon your head for the reception of the Holy Ghost, and you have been ordained to the holy priesthood. Now, if you will continue to follow the leadings of that spirit, it will always lead you right. Sometimes it might be contrary to your judgment; never mind that, follow its dictates; and if you be true to its whisperings it will in time become in you a principle of revelation so that you will know all things.’ ”19

“Chapter 10: Prayer and Personal Revelation,” Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, (2007),125–34

Story Time

The Three Little Pigs
Adapted by Milt Banta and Al Dempster
from the Walt Disney Motion Picture "The Three Little Pigs"
Illustrations by the Walt Disney Studio

Once upon a time there were three little pigs who went out into the big world to build their homes and seek their fortunes.

The first little pig did not like to work at all. He quickly built himself a house of straw. Then off he danced down the road, to see how his brothers were getting along. And as he danced he sang:

"I built my house of straw,
I built my house of hay.
I toot my flute -
I don't give a hoot -
And play around all day."

The second little pig was building himself a house, too. He did not like to work any better than his brothers, so he had decided to build a quick and easy house of sticks. Soon it was finished, too. It was not a very strong little house, but at least the work was done. Now the second little pig was free to do what he liked.

What he liked to do was to play his fiddle and dance. So while the first little pig tooted his flute, the second little pig sawed away on his fiddle, dancing as he played. And as he danced he sang:

"I built my house of sticks,
I built my house of twigs.
With a hey diddle-diddle
I play on my fiddle,
And dance all kinds of jigs."

Then off danced the two little pigs down the road together to see how their brother was getting along.

The third little pig was a sober little pig. He was building a house, too, but he was building his of bricks. He did not mind hard work. He wanted a stout little, strong little house, for he knew that in the woods nearby there lived a wolf who liked nothing better than to catch little pigs and eat them up! So slap, slosh, slap! Away he worked, laying bricks and smoothing mortar between them.

"Ha-ha-ha!" laughed the first little pig, when he saw his brother hard at work. "Ho-ho-ho!" laughed the second little pig. "Come down and play with us!" he called. But the busy little pig did not pause. Slap, slosh, slap! went the bricks on mortar as he called down to them:

"I build my house of stones.
I build my house of bricks.
I have no chance
To sing an dance,
For work and play don't mix."

"Ho-ho-ho! Ha-ha-ha!" laughed the two lazy little pigs, dancing along to the tune of the fiddle and the flute.

"You can laugh and dance and sing," their busy brother called after them, "but I'll be safe, and you'll be sorry when the wolf comes to the door!"

"Ha-ha-ha! Ho-ho-ho!" laughed the two little pigs again, and they disappeared into the woods singing a merry tune:

"Who's afraid of the big bad wolf,
The big bad wolf, the big bad wolf:
Who's afraid of the big bad wolf?
Tra-la-la-la-la-a-a-a!"

Just as the first pig reached his door, out of the woods popped the big bad wolf! The little pig squealed with fright and slammed the door. "Little Pig, little pig, let me come in!" cried the wolf. "Not by the hair of my chinny-chin-chin!" said the little pig. "Then I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll blow your house in!" roared the wolf. And he did. He blew the little straw house all to pieces!

Away raced the little pig to his brother's house of sticks. No sooner was he in the door, when knock, knock ,knock! There was the big bad wolf! But of course, the little pigs would not let him come in.

I'll fool those little pigs, " chuckled the big bad wolf to himself. then he said out loud, "Those little pigs are too smart for me. I'm going home." He started off toward the deep woods, but he did not go far. He hid behind a big tree.

Soon the door opened and the two little pigs peeked out. there was no wolf in sight. "Ha-ha-ha! Ho-ho-ho! laughed the two little pigs. "We fooled him." Then they danced around the room, singing gaily:

"Who's afraid of the big bad wolf,
the big bad wolf, the big bad wolf?
Who's afraid of the big bad wolf?
Tra-la-la-la-la-a-a-a!"

Soon there came another knock at the door. It was the big bad wolf again, but he had covered himself with a sheepskin, and was curled up in a big basket, looking like a little lamb. "Who's there?" called the second little pig. "I'm a poor little sheep, with no place to sleep. Please open the door and let me in," said the big bad wolf in a sweet little voice.

The little pig peeked through a crack of the door, and he could see the wolf's big black paws and large sharp fangs. "Not by the hair of my chinny-chin-chin!" "You can't fool us with that sheepskin!" said the second little pig.

"Then I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll blow your house in!" cried the angry old wolf.

So he huffed,
and he PUFFED,
and he puffed,
and he HUFFED,

and he blew the little twig house all to pieces!

Away raced the two little pigs, straight to the third little pig's house of bricks. "Don't worry," said the third little pig to his two frightened little brothers. "You are safe here." soon they were all singing gaily.

This made the big bad wolf perfectly furious! "Now by the hair of my chinny-chin-chin," he roared, "I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll blow you house in!" So the big bad wolf huffed and he PUFFED, and he puffed and he HUFFED, but he could not blow down that little house of bricks!

How could he get in? At last he thought of the chimney! So up he climbed, quietly. then with a snarl, down he jumped - right into a kettle of boiling water! With a yelp of pain he sprang straight up the chimney again, and raced away from that little house as fast as he could go!

The three little pigs spent their time in the strong little brick house singing and dancing merrily. and the big bad wolf never came back again.

Helaman 5:12
"And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the ^arock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your ^bfoundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty ^cstorm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall."

Sample Basic Menu: Day One - Lunch

This recipe is from I Dare You to Eat It. I altered it and we had it for dinner last night. It was very good! One of the best ways to be prepared with food storage is to know how to use it. And what better way to learn than to do, especially before an emergency. This will cut down stress and worry - at least in the food department. Who needs more stress and worry in an emergency, anyway?

Burritos-a-Go-Go
3 c. cooked *pinto beans (I used 2 cans, which is a little more)
2 c. leftover rice (Liesa Card uses 1 c. rice and 1 c. wheat berries)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can (7 oz.) diced green chilies
1 t. salt
1 t. chili powder
1 t. cumin
1/2 t. paprika
1 bunch cilantro (I didn't use this)
15 8" tortillas

Mix all ingredients and spoon 1/3 c. filling into each tortilla and enjoy. For a quick meal, try wrapping every other one in waxed paper to prevent a "burrito block" and freeze. Microwave 2-3 minutes when ready to eat.

*If cooking your own pinto beans, try adding 1 clove garlic and 1 c. combination celery and onion.

Wednesday Prep Day - One Day Late

I was thinking, "Maybe I should just make Thursday 'Prep Day,' 'cause I am continually doing 'Prep Day' a day late." Hmmm...I don't know...we'll see. So how is every one? I hope all is well. I've been thinking about life and how it's not always perfect. Sometimes we go through crazy times and it doesn't make sense. But, the Lord loves each of us and wants us to be better. Realizing this gives me strength. Joseph Smith made a comment about this. "Never be discouraged. If I were sunk in the deepest pit of Nova Scotia with the Rocky Mountains piled upon me, I would exercise faith, keep good courage and eventually come out on top."

Now, for our 72 hr. kits, we are going to gather an ax and shovel this week. Keep these in a place where they can be accessed easily in an emergency - or maybe just a camping trip, or lawn project. There have been times where an ax would have been so handy! And a shovel, well, they work lots better than sticks and rocks. (I know this from experience). We must arm ourselves!

How is your three months of storage coming? Do you have a plan? If so, keep pluggin' along. You'll get it. If you don't have a plan for your three month supply, lets make one together. To start, make a menu: seven breakfasts, seven or fourteen dinners. Seven's easier to plan, fourteen gives you more options.

1. Write the recipes for each breakfast and dinner down.
2. If you do seven meals, multiply the ingredients by 13 to find out exactly how much of each item you need for three months. If you do fourteen, you can multiply all of the meals by seven or half by seven and half by six. It's up to you.
   
3. Make a master shopping list.
   
4. Begin shopping always remembering to stick to your budget. Little by little you will cross all the items off. Just be persistent and patient.

This month, we are collecting Rice for our long-term storage. Liesa Card suggests a food storage program that fits the way we collect long-term storage on this site; although, there are many ways to go about gathering your storage.

Another way that makes sense is gathering a one year supply for one person at a time. (When you have one year gathered, just do it again). If you have one year for one person, you will also have a six month supply for two people, a four month supply for three, and so on. Isn't that COOL?! (I thought you might like it)! Happy collecting...

Tuesday's Cookin'

Emergency Survival Bar
This recipe will make 2 bars - each containing approximately 1000 calories - enough food for one person for one day. These store for a long time, are excellent for emergency packs, etc..., and taste really good!

3 c. cereal (oatmeal, cornmeal, or wheat flakes)
2 1/2 c. powdered milk
1 c. sugar
1/4 t. salt
3 T. honey
3 T. water
1/2 c. jello (I used one small box of red jello and it was nummy)!


Place all dry ingredients, except jello, in a bowl. Bring water, honey, and jello to a boil. Add to dry ingredients. Mix well. Add water a little at a time until mixture is just moist enough to mold. Place in a 9x9 square dish and dry in the oven under very low heat. (It doesn't take very long). Wrap and store. Eat dry or cook in about 3/4 c. water.

Disorganized

I'm messing around with my layout, so if it seems a little crazy here, it is. But, look around anyway and leave a comment if you need help. Thanks!

Motivational Monday

Zucchini Casserole

This recipe had rave reviews from my family! For a slightly different flavor, try sauteing the zucchini, carrots, and onion together. Then mix and bake as directed.

3-4 medium zucchini, sliced 1/2 inch thick or cubed
3/4 c. carrots, pared and sliced
water, salted
1/2 c. onion, chopped
6 T. butter, divided
1 package (or 2 1/4 c.) stuffing mix, divided
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 c. sour cream (I used milk)

Set 3/4 c. stuffing mix aside. Bring salted water to a boil. Add zucchini and carrots and simmer 15 minutes. Meanwhile, saute onion in 4 T. butter. Add cream of chicken soup and sour cream to onions. Stir remaining 1 1/2 c. stuffing mix into onions. Drain vegetables and add to onion mixture. Place in 9x13 pan. Melt 2 T. butter and add to reserved stuffing mix. Sprinkle over casserole and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Cloth Diapers

This may sound totally crazy to a lot of people, but I wanted to do a post about it anyway. Back in February, I made my family switch from using disposable diapers to cloth diapers. (Am I crazy or what?!) I had a couple reasons for this. The first had to do with preparedness. In order for my family to have a year supply of diapers, we would have needed to purchase 42 cases. Where in the world do we find room to store 42 cases of diapers?! Not to mention the price: 42 x $20.00, not really possible. And then there's the whole size issue: what sizes and how many do we purchase of each one? Disposable diapers were not an option for storage so I said to myself "Well, we can store cloth diapers; but, if I'm going to store them, I'm going to use them." And that was that.

After much research and debate, the one I finally decided to use was the Bum Genius because of convenience. The wash tabs (where the Velcro tabs attach for washing) have worn out and it's only been six months, but the rest of the diaper still works fine. (A few of the reviews I read mentioned this issue, and because of their price tag, I wish they would last longer; but, that piece would be easy to replace).

It took six months of using them to break even, but I think they're worth it. (And after using these, I'd even start using prefolds 'cause the whole diapering issue is so easy)! Here's a diagram of the diapers I bought.


Here's a couple links I checked out for cloth diapers. Seriously though, for a plethora of information, instructions, free patterns, and supplies, just Google cloth diapers. You will find a ton!!!

Diaper Pin
Cotton Babies (Where I ordered Bum Genius. I also bought some from a shop in Riverton).
Tallulah Baby
Very Baby (Tallulah Baby diaper pattern - similar to Bum Genius - $10.95)
Very Baby Blog (Diaper making tutorials)
Celtic Cloths (One of many free patterns on line, but don't actually know how it works).

Wednesday Prep Day - One Day Late

The sun is shining, the birds are chirping! What a lovely morning! Now it's time to work on our 72 hr. kits. This week, we're going to continue collecting $100.00. (I just want you to have an amount you're comfortable with. Some people only keep $20.00 in their kit. That's o.k. too). One of my friends just adds a dollar here or five dollars there. If you do this, it will be less stress on your budget all at once. What ever amount you decide to save, make sure you keep it in small bills and change. You'll be glad you did!

Now, how is your three months of storage coming? Do you have a plan? If so, keep pluggin' along. You'll get it. If you don't have a plan for your three month supply, lets make one together. To start, make a menu: seven breakfasts, seven or fourteen dinners. Seven's easier to plan, fourteen gives you more options.

1. Write the recipes for each breakfast and dinner down.
2. If you do seven meals, multiply the ingredients by 13 to find out exactly how much of each item you need for three months. If you do fourteen, you can multiply all of the meals by seven or half by seven and half by six. It's up to you.
   
3. Make a master shopping list.
   
4. Begin shopping always remembering to stick to your budget. Little by little you will cross all the items off. Just be persistent and patient.

This month, we are collecting Oats for our long-term storage. Liesa Card suggests a food storage program that fits the way we collect long-term storage on this site; although, there are many ways to go about gathering your storage.

Another way that makes sense is gathering a one year supply for one person at a time. (When you have one year gathered, just do it again). If you have one year for one person, you will also have a six month supply for two people, a four month supply for three, and so on. Isn't that COOL?! (I thought you might like it)! Happy collecting...

Tuesday's Cookin'

Even though it's not Tuesday, here's my Vegetable Soup recipe. I know it's hot outside, but I like soup. When I made this, I added dumplings 'cause I love 'em, so that recipe is at the end of the soup. And...I had a request for Apricot recipes, so I've also included a few of those! If you would like to see a couple more, please click here. Have a great day and happy cooking!

Vegetable Soup

5 small potatoes
2 celery stalks
13 baby carrots
1 can corn, undrained
3 T. dried onion
1 t. onion powder
beef bouillon to taste
salt to taste
pepper to taste
water

Chop vegetables and put in a pot. Add corn. Cover with water and add dry onion and seasonings. Bring to a boil and simmer until crisp tender.


Dumplings

1 c. flour
1/2 t. salt
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 c. milk
2 T. butter, melted

Mix dry ingredients together. Add milk and butter to form spongy dough. Drop by spoonfuls into boiling soup. Cook 15 minutes or until dumplings float to the top. (These seem to like hanging out around the top anyway, so just watch them. They poof up while cooking, so if the balls are a little bigger to start out with, they'll take longer to cook. Mine are usually done at about 8 min.).

All of these recipes are from the Ball Home Canning link on the right side of the page. (It's a new link). These processing times are for sea level, so remember your altitude conversion!

Silky Apricot Butter

Makes about 6 (8 oz) half pints

You will need:
2 lb apricots, peeled, halved and pitted (about 24 medium)
1/2 cup water
3 cups granulated sugar
2 Tbsp lemon juice
6 (8 oz) half pint glass preserving jars with lids and bands

Directions:
1.) COMBINE apricots and water in a large stainless steel saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring occasionally, until apricots are soft, about 20 minutes.

2.) TRANSFER apricot mixture to a food mill or a food processor fitted with a metal blade, working in batches, and purée just until a uniform texture is achieved. Do not liquefy. Measure 6 cups of apricot purée.

3.) COMBINE apricot purée and sugar in a clean large stainless steel saucepan. Stir until sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens and holds its shape on a spoon. Stir in lemon juice.

4.) PREPARE boiling water canner. Heat jars and lids in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Set bands aside.

5.) LADLE hot butter into hot jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band until fit is fingertip tight.

6.) PROCESS jars in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed.

Fresh Apricot Jam

Makes about 6 (8 oz) half pints

You will need:
3-1/2 cups finely chopped apricots (about 30 medium)
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 3-oz pouch Ball® Liquid Fruit Pectin
1/2 tsp butter or margarine, optional
5-3/4 cups sugar
6 (8 oz) half pint glass preserving jars with lids and bands


Directions:
1.) PREPARE boiling water canner. Heat jars and lids in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Set bands aside.

2.) COMBINE prepared apricots with lemon juice and sugar in a 6- or 8-quart saucepan. Add up to 1/2 tsp butter or margarine to reduce foaming, if desired. Bring mixture to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down, over high heat, stirring frequently.

3.) ADD pectin, immediately squeezing entire contents from pouch. Continue hard boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim foam if necessary

4.) LADLE hot jam into hot jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band until fit is fingertip tight.

5.) PROCESS jars in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed.

Apricot Freezer Jam (with Original Pectin)

Makes about 6 (8 oz) half pints

View half-serving recipe >

You will need:
2-1/2 cups chopped pitted apricots (about 21 medium)
2 Tbsp lemon juice
3/4 cup water
1 1.75-oz pkg Ball® Original Fruit Pectin
5-1/2 cups sugar
6 (8 oz) half pint glass preserving jars with lids and bands

Directions:
1.) COMBINE prepared apricots with lemon juice in a large bowl. Add sugar, mixing thoroughly. Let stand 10 minutes.

2.) COMBINE 3/4 cup water and pectin in a small saucepan. Bring to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down, stirring constantly. Boil hard for 1 minute, continuing to stir.

3.) ADD cooked pectin mixture to fruit mixture. Stir for 3 minutes.

4.) LADLE freezer jam into clean freezer jars leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Apply caps and let jam stand in refrigerator until set, but no longer than 24 hours. Serve immediately, refrigerate up to 3 weeks, or freeze up to 1 year.

Apricot Freezer Jam (with No Sugar Needed Pectin)

Makes about 4 to 5 (8 oz) half pints

You will need:
3 cups finely chopped apricots (about 27 medium)
1-3/4 cups unsweetened white grape or apple juice
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 1.75-oz pkg Ball® No Sugar Needed Fruit Pectin
Up to 3 cups sugar, 1-1/2 cups SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener, Granular, 3/4 to 1 cup honey, or desired amount of other artificial sweeteners (optional)
4 to 5 (8 oz) half pint glass preserving jars with lids and bands

Directions:
1.) GRADUALLY ADD pectin into white grape or apple juice until dissolved. Bring to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down, over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Boil hard 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

2.) IMMEDIATELY ADD prepared apricots into hot pectin mixture. Stir vigorously for 1 minute. Stir in sugar, SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener, Granular, other artificial sweetener, or honey according to the directions above.

3.) LADLE freezer jam into clean freezer jars leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Apply caps and let jam stand in refrigerator until set, but no longer than 24 hours. Serve immediately, refrigerate up to 3 weeks, or freeze up to 1 year.

Motivational Monday

"Because of Christ there is hope smiling brightly before you, and you need not worry too much about sickness, death, poverty, or other afflictions. The Lord will take care of you. Your responsibility is to keep the commandments, feast upon the words of Christ, and stay in the path to your heavenly home."

--Julie B. Beck, "There Is Hope Smiling Brightly before Us", Ensign, May 2003, 103

Wednesday Prep Day

I just wanted to let you all know that I'm taking a break from blog-land for the rest of the week. You see, we have a family reunion, so I'll be a little occupied. For our 72 hr. kits, we're working on collecting $100.00 in small bills. This will be handy. Just work at it - a little here, a little there - but be persistent. Have a wonderful week!

Tuesday's Cookin'

Today, I thought we'd do something fun with our food storage. I like mixes and think they're very convenient. I'd also prefer to make my own because: one, I typically have everything I need in my pantry; and two, it's cheaper to make my own then buy pre-made mixes. I have a lot of mixes - everything from pancakes and muffins to breads, cookies, meat, and beans. They are wonderful. The book I like to use, which I borrowed from my in-laws, is Make-a-Mix by Karine Eliason, Nevada Harward, and Madeline Westover. (I included the link just so you could get an idea of what's in it. Click on the book to see).

Pancake and Waffle Mix

2 c. powdered milk (can use buttermilk powder if desired)
8 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. sugar
2 Tbsp. plus 2 tsp. baking powder
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. salt

Combine all ingredients with wire whisk until evenly distributed. Pour into airtight 12 cup container. Label with date and contents. Store in a cool dry place. Makes about 10 1/2 cups Pancake and Waffle Mix.

Pancakes

1 egg, beaten
2 tbsp. oil
1 c water
1 1/2 c. Pancake and Waffle Mix

Mix all ingredients in medium bowl and cook on hot greased griddle. Add fruit or nuts to batter, if desired; and, enjoy with your favorite syrup.

Waffles

2 1/2 c. Pancake and Waffle Mix
2 c. water
3 eggs
1/4 c. oil

Preheat waffle iron. Mix all ingredients and bake according to waffle iron directions. Before cooking, and if desired, add fruit or nuts to batter.

For fluffier waffles, and if you have the patience, whip your egg whites until stiff, and fold gently into batter.

I have two more recipes to add, but we'll get to that later.

Motivational Monday

"We can never go wrong when we choose to follow the Savior."

President Thomas S. Monson, "Choose You This Day," Ensign, Nov. 2004, 68

Homemade Washing Machine

A few months ago, I ran across a really nifty idea on Preparedness Brings Peace! You will all want one of these! Now, I know you are all asking yourselves, "What is this really cool, amazingly nifty thing that I have to show you?!" Well, everybody, it's your very own personal homemade washing machine! It's all man-powered, but I can just imagine kids standing around in long lines waiting to try it out! (It reminds me of white-washing in Tom Sawyer, or was that Huck Fin? I just can't remember, it's been too long...) Not only can you use this in an emergency, but you can even take it camping! What a cool idea?!

Clothes Washing Kit

Yet another idea from a Preparedness class I attended...a way to do your laundry in an emergency. You can easily put this together yourself.

CLOTHES WASHING KIT
5-gallon bucket with lid (cut hole in middle of lid for plunger handle to fit through)
Toilet plunger (brand-new, clean)
Store in bucket:
Liquid laundry detergent
Stain remover/stain stick
Vinegar (add 1/2 cup to rinse water) helps remove soap
Rope (for clothes line)
Clothes pins

To Use:
Empty contents of bucket.
Place water, small amount of detergent, and clothes in bucket.
Move plunger up and down for a few minutes or until clothes are clean.
Remove soapy clothes and ring them out.
Dump out soapy water (on your garden or lawn.)
Place soapy clothes in bucket and fill with clear, clean water.
Add 1/2 cup vinegar to rinse water.
Move plunger up and down to rinse clothing.
Wring out clothes and hang to dry.
Conserve water - use rinse water for next load of laundry.

NOTE: You could store two 5-gallon buckets, stack one inside of the other. Use one bucket for the soapy water and the other for the rinse water. You may be able to wash and rinse a couple of batches of clothes without changing the soapy water depending on how dirty the clothes are.

Helping Our Home's Be More Energy Efficient

I know we can't always run out and buy new appliances; but, here's a list of things we can do to help lower our monthly utility bills. For more ideas, visit Therm - the Energy Wise Guy at thermwise.com. (If you live outside of Utah or Wyoming, check your local gas provider's website to see if they offer information).

Energy-smart consumers buy natural gas appliances. And the best way to get the most out of every energy dollar is to have a qualified professional periodically make sure your appliances work at peak performance. Saving energy means saving money. Here are some tips that will help you do both:

FURNACE TIPS – The single largest user of natural gas in the home is the furnace. A well-maintained furnace will work more efficiently and last longer. And when it’s time to buy a new furnace, an expert can advise you on the best solution for your home-heating needs.

• Choose an ENERGY STAR furnace – If it's time to replace your existing furnace, consider buying a furnace that's earned the ENERGY STAR label. ENERGY STAR furnaces have an annual fuel efficiency rating (AFUE) of 90% or higher, making them up to 15% more energy efficient than standard models.
• Professional tune-up – A periodic furnace inspection by a heating professional will ensure safe, efficient operation. Change the filter – changing the furnace filter regularly will help keep clean air flowing throughout your home. If the filter becomes dirty or clogged, it will restrict airflow and cause the furnace to stay on longer – using more fuel. Note: If you have a central air conditioner, your filter may need to be changed more frequently because it’s working during the summer too.
• Keep vents and registers unobstructed – Move drapes, rugs and furniture away from heat registers and return-air vents. Free-flowing air through the furnace provides quick comfort for less money.
• Install a programmable thermostat – You won’t have to remember to turn the furnace down when you go to sleep or leave for work. Consistent temperature control will help reduce your fuel usage and lower your energy costs.

WATER HEATER TIPS – This is the second-largest energy user in the home. Even though natural gas water heating is economical, there are ways to stretch your energy dollar.

• Lower the temperature – Reduce the temperature setting on your water heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit or turn the dial from high to medium. Turn the dial to low if you are going to be gone for a few days or more.
• Reduce hot water usage – Take showers instead of baths to reduce hot water use. Fix leaky faucets and run clothes- and dishwashers with a full load. Install water-flow restrictors in showerheads and faucets. Restrictors can cut hot-water use without affecting comfort.
• Insulate the water heater and hot-water pipes – Install a water-heater blanket and hot-water-pipe insulation. Follow the manufacturer’s installation instructions.
• Choose an energy efficient water heater – When replacing a water heater, the best way to assure performance is to purchase a model with a high energy factor (EF) rating. The higher the EF, the better. Natural gas water heaters with an EF rating of 0.63 qualify for ThermWise Appliance Rebates.

CLOTHS DRYER TIPS – Dry clothes faster and for less money with natural gas. These natural gas dryer tips can help save you money and leave "nothing out to dry."

• Choose a dryer with a moisture sensor – Many new clothes dryers have moisture sensors available. When your clothes are dry, the dryer shuts off, which will save you money.
• Dry full loads – You’ll use less energy per clothing item. And when one load is done, follow up with another load to benefit from the residual heat.
• Clean the lint screen between each load – A clean screen allows for quick drying cycle.

GENERAL TIPS – There are a number of ways to cut your energy costs by making your home more energy efficient.

• Choose products that have earned the ENERGY STAR label. Products in more than 50 categories are eligible for the ENERGY STAR. ENERGY STAR is the trusted national symbol for energy efficiency, backed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy. ENERGY STAR products use less energy, save money and help protect the environment.
• Windows are a major source of heat loss. Consider installing storm or thermal windows. ENERGY STAR windows save you energy and money, increase the comfort of your home and protect your valuable possessions from sun damage. A less expensive alternative is plastic sheeting, which can be fastened over windows to retain heat.
• Set the thermostat between 65 and 70 degrees during the winter, and 58 degrees when away from the house for more than a few hours. Before sleeping, lower the thermostat and add an extra blanket for warmth. Bear in mind that warmer temperatures are recommended for homes with ill or elderly people or infants.
• Keep heat registers and air-return vents unobstructed. Your furnace must be able to circulate air freely to work efficiently. Arrange your furniture with heating economy in mind.
• Heat rises so use registers to direct warm air–flow across the floor. Ceiling fans can also help circulate warm air into the living area.
• Use drapes, shutters, awnings, shade trees, glass with reflective film and/or solar screens to keep your house cooler in the summer. Let sunlight in during the winter to help warm your house.
• When buying new appliances, compare energy-efficiency ratings and annual operating costs. A slightly higher initial cost for a high-efficiency appliance could be paid back quickly through energy savings and lower utility bills.
• Eliminate air leaks in your home with caulking, sealants or weather stripping. Look for leaks around windows, doors, plumbing, ducts, and electrical outlets.
• Close vents and doors in unused rooms and close dampers on unused fireplaces.
• Check to see if the attic and walls have the recommended levels of insulation.

Wednesday Prep Day

Good morning everybody! And what a lovely morning it is....ahhh. Today is a good day for 72 hr. kits because we're going to begin collecting water. Hooray! (We all know how important water is). Each person needs a minimum of two gallons, three is better. You can store water in five gallon jugs or cleaned Pete bottles. Milk jugs can be used too, but they may begin leaking after a year, so rotate them. Because this water will be with the 72 hr. kits, it's best to have something that can be carried - don't buy a 55 gallon drum for this. Another thing to remember about water storage...keep it off the floor as much as possible. And, always remember, water absorbs the smells of the place it's stored. If you keep it in the garage, it could taste like gas. Leave it on the cement, it may taste like dirt. Sweetened Tang, Kool-aid, or other drink flavoring can help mask unwanted flavor if you're worried.

For more information on water storage and purification, visit ProvidentLiving.com.

Now, how is your three months of storage coming? Do you have a plan? If so, keep pluggin' along. You'll get it. If you don't have a plan for your three month supply, lets make one together. To start, make a menu: seven breakfasts, seven or fourteen dinners. Seven's easier to plan, fourteen gives you more options.

1. Write the recipes for each breakfast and dinner down.
2. If you do seven meals, multiply the ingredients by 13 to find out exactly how much of each item you need for three months. If you do fourteen, you can multiply all of the meals by seven or half by seven and half by six. It's up to you.
   
3. Make a master shopping list.
   
4. Begin shopping always remembering to stick to your budget. Little by little you will cross all the items off. Just be persistent and patient.

This month, we are collecting Oats for our long-term storage. Liesa Card suggests a food storage program that fits the way we collect long-term storage on this site; although, there are many ways to go about gathering your storage.

Another way that makes sense is gathering a one year supply for one person at a time. (When you have one year gathered, just do it again). If you have one year for one person, you will also have a six month supply for two people, a four month supply for three, and so on. Isn't that COOL?! (I thought you might like it)! Happy collecting...

Tuesday's Cookin'

Mmm, today's recipe is a special treat from a little Chinese lady who used to be my next-door-neighbor. They just moved, so we wish them the best of luck!

Honeyed Chicken Teriyaki

2 lb. chicken breasts, skinned and boned
1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 c. honey
1/3 c. soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. ginger
2 Tbsp. sesame seeds (optional)
Oil (for frying)

These are the instructions I was given...
Cut chicken in 2 inch squares; combine flour, salt, and pepper. Dip chicken in eggs, then coat with seasoned flour. Pour 1/2 inch oil in a wide frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook chicken until golden grown. Meanwhile, heat soy, honey, garlic, and ginger in a small pan. Dip chicken in honey mixture, then place on a rack set in a baking pan. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if used. Bake at 250 for 20 minutes. Brush with glaze after 10 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Beause I'm all about simplifying, this is what I do...
Mix flour, salt, and pepper. Cube chicken and place in bowl. Break one egg into chicken and mix well. (If it needs more liquid, add the other egg). Add flour mixture and stir to coat evenly. Fry over medium-high heat in pan with enough oil - what ever you think that is -I don't use very much. While cooking chicken, heat honey, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger in pan. When chicken is cooked, add honey mixture. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. (I don't worry about the 20 minute baking 'cause it tastes yummy either way)!

Enjoy with rice and vegetables.

Motivational Monday

Aprons and Apples, Sew Odd...

This might sound a little strange, but I have been in a sewing mood lately! It's weird...all I want to do is get out the sewing machine and whip something up! And, I really want apple pie! I don't even like apple pie, but I like this. So here goes...

What about an apron? Just a little snip snip here and a stitch there and we should be able to complete one before getting too board! Here's a couple links to check out if you'd like to sew one! (No, there isn't a link for the one above. It's from Anthropologie. But I think we could come up with our own pattern, if we try).

http://tipnut.com/56-free-apron-patterns-you-can-make/

http://tipnut.com/free-apron-patterns-tutorials/

Then, to coin a phrase from my mother-in-law, "We're being domestic." On to the apple pie!

Brown Bag Apple Pie

Crust

1 1/2 c. flour
1 1/2 t. sugar
1 t. salt
1/2 c. vegetable oil
2 T. milk

Combine and press into bottom of pie plate.

Filling

6-8 apples, peeled and sliced
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. nutmeg
2 T. flour

Toss apples with dry ingredients. Pour into crust.

Topping

1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. sugar
1 stick butter, softened

Combine until crumbly. Sprinkle over pie. Put pie in paper bag and fold up end. Spray bag with water. Bake at 350 for 45 min.. (I didn't cook mine in a bag, but it sounds like fun. I guess I'm just easily amused, hehehe).

Food Storage...on the Path to Preparedness

I ran across Food Storage...on the Path to Preparedness the other day, and thought I'd put a link on here. This is a 14 page handout, compiled by Debbie Kent, that addresses many topics, like:

• Why Should You be Prepared?
• Warnings and Where they can be Found
• The NEW Food Storage Plan
• 90 Days the Easy Way -- Think SOS
• WATER
• Filling 55-Gallon Barrels
• Rotating
• Water Ideas and Rotating Systems
• Financial Reserve
• Long Term Food Storage/One Person/One Year (in addition to your 90 day supply)
• Why Store These?
• I Have a Year Supply...That's All I Need
• What Will This Provide Per Day?
• MENU Using Basic Year Supply
• Survival Mode
• Menu Planning
• Using Your Year Supply
• Storing Your Food Storage
• Inventorying
• How Can I Afford Food Storage?
• How Do I Find all the Food I Need?
• What Are You Going to do With This Info.?
• 6 Steps to Success
• Going the Extra Mile
• Why Do We Prepare
• The Path to Preparedness
• Will You Be Ready?
• Top 10 Reasons Why I Don't Have My Food Storage
• A Year's Supply for $58.81?
• OTHER BASICS and "Fun Stuff"
• Menu Suggestions

Flip through the pages and see if something catches your eye.

Wednesday Prep Day - One Day Late

Wow, everybody! It's Thursday...where did Wednesday go?! This week, for our 72 hr. kits, we're going to gather personal documents. After reviewing two sites, Safely Gathered In and Food Storage Made Easy, I've compiled a small list of items you may want to have.

• Birth Certificates
• Marriage Certificates
  
• Will
• Passport
• Vaccination Records
• Credit Card Information - front and back
• Automobile Insurance Policy
• Homeowners Insurance Policy
• Life Insurance Policy
  
• Social Security Cards
• Bank Statements
• Retirement Statements
• Internet Passwords
• Utility Statements
• Work/Tax Documents that would be difficult to replace
• etc...
  

Whether you choose to keep these items in your 72 hr. kit, file cabinet, fire/water proof box, or ziplock bags in the freezer - yes, people do this too - it's up to you. Just make sure you have a way to remind yourself to grab them when it's time to go.

Now, how is your three months of storage coming? Do you have a plan? If so, keep pluggin' along. You'll get it. If you don't have a plan for your three month supply, lets make one together. To start, make a menu: seven breakfasts, seven or fourteen dinners. Seven's easier to plan, fourteen gives you more options.

1. Write the recipes for each breakfast and dinner down.
2. If you do seven meals, multiply the ingredients by 13 to find out exactly how much of each item you need for three months. If you do fourteen, you can multiply all of the meals by seven or half by seven and half by six. It's up to you.
   
3. Make a master shopping list.
   
4. Begin shopping always remembering to stick to your budget. Little by little you will cross all the items off. Just be persistent and patient.

This month, we are collecting Oats for our long-term storage. Liesa Card suggests a food storage program that fits the way we collect long-term storage on this site; although, there are many ways to go about gathering your storage.

Another way that makes sense is gathering a one year supply for one person at a time. (When you have one year gathered, just do it again). If you have one year for one person, you will also have a six month supply for two people, a four month supply for three, and so on. Isn't that COOL?! (I thought you might like it)! Happy collecting...

Tuesday's Cookin'

We had this wonderful delight at our neighbor's home on July 4th! It was yummy!

Cobbler

1/4 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. sugar
1 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. milk
Lg. can fruit, drained (save juice)
1/4 to 1/2 c. sugar
1 c. fruit juice

Heat oven to 375. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Stir sifted dry ingredients in alternately with milk. Beat until smooth. Pour into 9 x 13 baking dish. Spoon fruit over batter. Sprinkle with 1/4 -1/2 c. sugar. Pour 1 c. reserved fruit juice over top. Bake 45 - 50 min. During the baking, the fruit and juice go to the bottom and a cake-like layer forms on top. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream. Enjoy!!!

(Rae said she doesn't have much luck with peaches because the crust doesn't come up through them easily, but I tried it with smaller peach pieces, and it was perfect)!