Marti’s Corner – 180

Hi Everyone,

NOTES:

** I have an entire drawer of old rusty garden tools.  I just finally googled how to clean them!!!

Here’s another one about sharpening the tools.

Every year, I just don’t bother and buy new ones.  But my husband seems to think we have enough.  

**  NINE food storage cookbooks you can download now and they are free!!!   9 PRINTABLE Food Storage Cookbooks PDF – Survival Prepper     I already have some of these, but others are new to me.  When we actually have to live off of what we’ve stored, there is going to be a giant and very steep learning curve!  

GARDEN HAPPENINGS:

A few weeks ago, I bought a bag of small baby potatoes.  Well, I didn’t use them all, and when I opened them last night to use them I found they had all started to sprout.  This is actually called “chitting” and it is recommended that you do it “on purpose” before you plant them.  

So this week they’ll be going into the planting bags and into the garden.  Potatoes right out of the garden are full of natural sugars, which turn to starch as the potatoes “cure”.  They are really delicious.

Also this week it’s time to plant carrots outside.  I wish I could say that I’m an expert at carrots, but sadly no.  I keep trying every year, though.  It’s also time to plant cucumbers inside.  We are about 4 weeks from our last frost date.

Last fall, I noticed three bunches of “volunteer” plants.  I didn’t remember planting anything there.  But they kind of looked like onions so I let them grow even though they were VERY tightly bunched.  Well, today I pulled them out, mostly because I wanted to reuse the grow bag.  At first, I just wanted to separate them and let them get a little bigger, but they were SO tightly interwoven, I had to cut the roots to separate them.  Here’s what I ended up with:

They smell soooo good!!!  Not quite sure how to replicate this harvest since I don’t remember what I did to plant them.  LOL

LONG TERM STORAGE:  onions and garlic

You can get dehydrated onions at the Home Storage Center.  They come in #10 cans and have a 30 year shelf life,  They are $10 per can.  You can get them cheaper in the bulk section at Winco.  Any supermarket will have large containers of dehydrated onions near the spices.  I use anywhere from 1 heaping TB to 1/4 c. when I’m cooking.  After letting them soak in warm water, they will rehydrate to about 3 times their size.  They are so easy to cook with and no tears!

Winco also has granulated garlic in the bulk section.  I like the smell and taste of fresh garlic, but I have dehydrated just the same.  Check your local store to see if they carry it.

SHORT TERM STORAGE:  Spices for Cooking Beans

Remember that both heat and light affect spice and herb flavors.   If you are like me, and keep your cooking spices near your stove, then they will lose flavor after a year or so.  I also keep vacuum sealed spices in a dark closet, away from the kitchen.  They will last for several years if stored this way.  You can also freeze spices.

Some ideas:  cumin, bay leaves, salt, pepper, chili powder, oregano, dehydrated onions and garlic, dry mustard, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, cinnamon, brown sugar, ginger, allspice, parsley flakes, ginger, and taco seasoning.

72 HOUR KIT: mini packets of sugar and spices

When we are eating out, I often snag a packet or two of whatever is on the table or offered on the condiments table.

These are great for putting in your 72 hour kits with whatever meal you store.  Adding a napkin and a set of plastic silverware to each meal will make things easier of you have to actually use them!

FOOD STORAGE RECIPES:

Potato Scallop 

• ½  pound lean ground beef  

• 1  medium onion, diced   

• Salt and pepper   

• 3 medium potatoes  

• 2  cups or 1 can (15½-ounce) drained, cooked kidney beans ½ cup Casserole Sauce Mix (recipe below)

• 1½ cups water or skim milk 

In a heavy frying pan, brown the beef. Add onion to beef. Cook until onion is tender and clear. Drain grease. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Peel and slice potatoes. Grease a 3-quart casserole; layer half of hamburger, beans and potatoes; repeat. 

Add ½ cup casserole sauce mix to 1½ cups water in a small bowl and mix with a whip. Pour sauce over the layers (substitution: 1 can condensed soup and 1 can milk). 

Bake uncovered at 350° until potato slices are tender and brown on top, about 1 hour. This casserole may be increased to 8 servings by doubling all ingredients except the mix and water. Use ¾ cup mix with enough water to make 2 cups liquid. Bake 1½ to 2 hours.

(((Don’t you just think there should be cheese on top???)))

Casserole Sauce Mix

This is a recipe developed by a food and nutrition specialists at Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa. Using it cuts the cost in half, reduces calories, fat and sodium, and because of the dry skim milk, the protein content is increased. A no-salt-added bouillon can reduce the sodium even further. This sauce mix can be substituted for creamed, condensed soups, (mushroom, chicken, etc.) and meets the requirements of the cardiac and other fat-restricted diets that many people are asked to eat today. 

• 2  cups nonfat dry milk  

• ¾  cup cornstarch    

• ¼ cup instant chicken bouillon   

• 2  tablespoons dried onion, flakes or chopped 

• ½ teaspoon ground pepper 

Put the ingredients into a quart-size glass jar with a tight-sealing lid. Shake to mix. An herb sauce mix may be made by adding 1 teaspoon ground dry thyme and 1 teaspoon ground dry basil to the recipe. 

ROUGH RIDER CHILI 

Dave Prosser, Fargo, ND, Grand Prize Chili Recipe Winner

Note: This recipe makes 12 servings.

• 1 cup chopped onion   

• 1 cup chopped celery   

• 1 cup chopped green bell pepper   

• 3 cloves garlic, sliced   

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil   

• 3 pounds lean ground beef   

Chili Spice Mixture (recipe follows)   

• 2   cans (15.5-ounce) kidney beans

• 1 can (28-ounce) diced tomatoes  

• 1 can (8-ounce) tomato sauce  

• 1 can (6-ounce) tomato paste  

• 1 can (4-ounce) chopped green chilies  

• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce  

• 3-4  drops hot pepper sauce  (I’ll probably be leaving this one out)

• 1-1½  teaspoons salt  

Assorted garnishes: shredded cheese, sliced green onions, sour cream

Sauté onion, celery, green pepper and garlic in oil in a large Dutch oven until tender, about 5 minutes.

Stir in beef. Cook over medium heat until browned; about 10 minutes; drain fat.

Stir in Chili Spice Mixture and remaining ingredients, except garnishes.

Heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 2½ to 3 hours. Stir occasionally.

Ladle chili into bowls. Serve with assorted garnishes.

Note:  I made this and it was so delicious!  I decided to preserve the leftovers by freeze drying them.

Chili Spice Mixture

• 3  tablespoons chili powder  

• 1  tablespoon ground cumin  

• 1 tablespoon dried oregano leaves  

• 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder

• 1 teaspoon cayenne powder

• ½-1 teaspoon sugar

Combine all ingredients in a cup or small bowl. 

​Marti Shelley