Marti’s Corner – 134

Hi Everyone,

NOTES:

** One of the things I have seldom had to deal with is mice.  But I was reading comments this morning on a FaceBook post as people were telling their mice stories.  One person suggested that everyone should have some kind of defense against mice stored away.  I thought this was a good idea.  Most people were averse to using poison.  I have used spring traps before, but have a horrible memory of hearing the trap spring only to find it had caught the mouse by the back leg and the mouse was limping across the living room floor, dragging the trap behind it!  A LOT of people use sticky traps and are happy with the results, but how many of these can you store?  The option that appealed to me was to mix equal parts of baking soda and cornmeal.  Evidently, they cannot digest this and will die quickly.  Also, it was suggested to seal every opening to the house with steel wool.  They cannot chew through it.  If you have an empty #10 can, this would be a good use for it: large baggie of cornmeal and baking soda, AND some steel wool.

** Then there was the year I put the frozen turkey in the refrigerator three days before Thanksgiving, and on that special Thursday morning, it was still frozen!!!

THIS WEEK’S PURCHASE: stew, chili 10 cans

Cans of chili and stew will include some meat as protein.  Making your own chili and stew is preferable, but as a quick meal, canned will keep the hunger away.  In addition, both these items can be stretched to feed more people.  Most canned stew has meat, potatoes and carrots.  Add a can of corn and a can of beans and you can stretch it out to feed a few more.  Add biscuits and you’ve got a whole meal.

Chili over a baked potato, or over hot dogs, or added to a pot of macaroni and cheese can stretch one can to feed many.

MISC. PURCHASE: bathroom tissue

Time to check your supplies.  Try to have at least a 3 months supply of bath tissue on hand. Also, check your supplies for any feminine supplies you might need.  Three months for those should be a minimum.  

In an emergency, you will NOT want to run out of either one!

FOOD STORAGE RECIPES:

Last week I made scalloped potatoes from my dehydrated potato slices.  They were good!

    Place 3 cups of dried potato slices in a casserole dish

1/4 c. powdered milk

2 TB flour

2 TB cornstarch

2 tsp onion flakes   (I rehydrated first, but you don’t need to)

2 TB dried chives (I didn’t have these, so I left them out)

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

      Mix together

Add 2 3/4 c. water, whisking as you go so there are no lumps.  Pour over potatoes

2 TB butter, cut in small pieces and place on top of sauce.

Bake 350˚ for 40-45 min.

Split Pea Soup

This is such a warm, comforting meal.  I like to use a ham bone left over from dinner.  OR ham hocks.  But, in a pinch, maybe Spam will be an alternative.

16 oz. dried peas

1 pint canned ham, or left over ham

7 c. water

1/4 c. dry onion flakes

1/2 c. dried carrots

1/2 c. dried celery

3/4 tsp salt

1 bay leaf

1 clove garlic

       Simmer until peas are done.

I like recipes like this because you can tweak them to suit your likes and whatever leftovers you have.  In fact, one of my favorite things to put in split pea soup is diced potatoes.  It’s really good!

Bourbon Chicken.  No, there isn’t any bourbon so I have no idea why it is called this.

Prepare rice 

2 c. water + 1 c. rice + 1 tsp salt = 3 c. cooked rice

Sauce:

1/4 c. apple juice

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/3 c. brown sugar

2 TB catsup

1 TB apple cider vinegar

1/2 c. water

1 TB cornstarch

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper optional

Mix, heat until thickened

Add 1 pint chicken or 1-2 cans chicken

Heat through and serve over rice

Tuna Casserole

I’m not sure how YOUR mother used to make this but I just cook up some macaroni

1 can Cream of Mushroom soup

2 cans of tuna drained

That’s it.  I usually heat it in the oven for 30 min.

Add peas, or not.

Add onions or not.

This is such an easy meal to prep for