Hi Everyone,
NOTES:
I like charts like this:
If we ever have to totally survive on powdered milk, then this will help you to adjust your recipes.
I opened a can of 16-oz tomato sauce that was 3 years old. It was brown and I tossed it. BUT, my 8-oz. cans that are 3 years old are perfectly fine. Go figure.
GARDEN HAPPENINGS:
Bugs, bugs, bugs
They come with warm weather, and the heat wave we’ve had here in So. Cal. has brought them in droves.
I sprayed the lettuce a few times for aphids, and they were doing fine until they were decimated by cabbage worms.
You know those little white butterflies that flutter in the garden? They are the culprit! The problem is that they lay their eggs on the underside of the plants AND the larvae are green and blend in and are hard to see. I just squish them. You can pick them off, but you have to make sure you throw them away or take them to an outside trash barrel. If you spray with BT, that works, but maybe not immediately, AND you have to get the underside of every leaf! I just threw away all the lettuce plants. They were getting ready to bolt anyway.
The leaf on the right is normal, but the leaf on the left has been totally eaten away. Ugh. Those little devils are voracious!
If you see this:
This is probably earwigs or roly polies. You can use Sluggo Plus but I’ve been re-applying every few days and they are STILL getting eaten. So tonight, I headed outside with a flashlight and didn’t see a single one!! Maybe I’ll check again before I go to bed, just to be sure.
Meanwhile, all my plants are now outside. A few still need hardening off, but they are all finally out of the house.
Also, I covered up my plants with shade cloth. AND…. now that the weather is cooling off to what’s normal, I’m going to take it off. Sheesh.
THIS WEEK’S PURCHASE: milk
If your memories of powdered milk are 20 years old, you’ll be surprised at how the taste has improved. When you get ready to store it, keep in mind that there are two types of dehydrated milk:
Instant powdered milk (what you buy at the grocery store) and regular powdered milk, (what you buy from the Home Storage Center).
3/4 c. regular powdered milk OR 1 c. instant powdered milk plus water makes 1 quart.
3 TB regular powdered milk OR 1/4 c. instant powdered milk plus water makes 1 c.
Instant powdered milk mixes with a spoon.
Regular powdered milk needs a blender, or vigorous stirring with a whisk. The blender will create a frothy mix that should sit for a while to let the bubbles subside. Keeping milk in the refrigerator overnight also improves the taste.
Recommended amount is 4 lbs. per person per month. If you buy milk at the Home Storage Center, that works out to 2 1/2 pouches per person per month.
IF you already have milk stored (and it’s been there for 10+ years, it wouldn’t hurt to open a can and see if it’s still good. Then use it to dilute the store-bought milk you are drinking. Your family will never know.
MISC. PURCHASE: tuna
Tuna has been at a reduced price at Winco (our local store) for several weeks now. I find that 1 can makes enough for 2 sandwiches. Add some sprouts and a slice of tomato and it’s nutritious and filling. You can get 20 can for just over $15. Date them and store them. They will last for several years.
FOOD STORAGE RECIPES:
Chicken Bean Wraps
from The Prepper’s Cookbook by Tess Pennington
1 can refried beans (use can use canned refried beans, or mix beans from dehydrated refried beans, OR make yourself with cooked pinto beans
dash chili powder
Heat the beans with the chili powder
4-5 flour tortillas – heat in a dry skillet until warm
1 can chunk chicken drained – warm if desired.
Slather the tortillas with beans, top with chicken.
salsa
shredded lettuce or sprouts
cheese if available
Top tortillas with salsa, sprouts, tomatoes if you have them. You can also use diced tomatoes drained.
Shepherd’s Pie
My mom was not a creative cook. We ate a lot of macaroni and cheese, goulash, tuna casserole, and shepherd’s pie. Here is my mom’s version of shepherd’s pie.
1 lb. canned hamburger, or fresh ground beef browned and drained, OR 4 c. dehydrated beef crumbles
2 cans tomato sauce and spices as desired. We just had plain tomato sauce. Mix with the meat and put it in the bottom of a casserole dish.
1 can green beans, drained. Spread on top.
2-3 c. mashed potatoes, prepared according to the directions. Spread over the meat and beans (layered not stirred).
Top with cheese. Bake 350 for 30 min to heat everything through.
Pretty simple but it’s filling and easy.
Shepherd’s Pie #2
From The Prepper’s Cookbook, by Tess Pennington
1 lb. canned hamburger, or fresh ground beef browned and drained, OR 4 c. dehydrated beef crumbles
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 can creamed corn
1 can peas and carrots drained
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 TB dried minced onion
1 TB dried garlic (I like to rehydrate my onions and garlic before adding, but it’s optional)
salt and pepper
2/3 c. instant potato flakes, reconstituted according to the package directions. (I’m assuming the 2/3 c. flakes refers to dry flakes BEFORE they are reconstituted)
2 TB melted butter optional
Combine everything except for the potato mixture and butter.
Then top with the potatoes and brush with butter.
Add to a lightly greased 1.8 liter casserole or baking dish. Google says that’s equivalent to 9X9. Bake uncovered for 40 minutes until heated through.
Marti Shelley
