Author: cityprepping-author

Hi Everyone,

NOTES:

**  What to do when the power goes out.  If it’s just for a couple of hours, then no worry.  But what if it’s for days?  Your first concern is probably with the food in your refrigerator or freezer.  Have you considered a generator but are not sure what to buy?  Check out this generator comparison and review chart:  Our 10 Best Generators in The US – August 2022 | BestProductsReviews.com

Once you start talking about generators, you will need to know a little about watts.  The average refrigerator can take up to 780 watts.  So a 2000-watt generator will be enough.

But generators run on fuel:  either gasoline or propane. 

And, they are noisy.  We had a very sad incident several years ago where the power went out in San Diego.  Someone had a generator going.  A thief heard it, confronted the homeowner, and killed him over the generator.  Hard times can bring out the worst in people. 

If you want to get solar panels, remember they do NOT “store” power.  The solar panels generate electricity which is then stored in heavy-duty batteries.  You use the batteries to power your appliances.  This works great as long as the sun is shining.  And remember that solar panels generate direct current electricity, and all your appliances run on alternating current.  So, you will need a converter.  This is actually called a sine converter.  Here is a company that is great to work with and can set you up with an easy system:  Find your energy freedom, DIY off grid solar system | Renogy

So…. how do you prepare?  Answer:  the best you can.  

Me?  I try to have enough stored so that if I lose all the food in my freezer, I will not go hungry.  

** I liked this conversion chart.  I’m pretty good with cups and ounces, but when it comes to Tablespoons and grams, I need help.

** I’ve spent two days canning potatoes.  I love opening a jar of diced potatoes and frying them up for breakfast.  So, I bought 3 10-pound bags of potatoes for about $4 each, and ended up with 8 quarts and 37 pints of potatoes for under $12.

I have dehydrated potatoes (and have even dehydrated my own potatoes).  They are a lot less bulky of course, and much lighter and easier to store.  But dehydrated potatoes take some rehydrating.  If you are using them in a casserole that will be baking for some time, they are fine.  But to rehydrate and fry for a meal might involve some boiling to help the rehydration process.  Dehydrated potatoes will probably store longer than canned potatoes, but are a little more work when you want to use them.

** I noticed that the 50 cent cans of vegetables are now $.75.  That’s a 50% increase in cost.  Sheesh.  I feel like we are suffering from a very slow death as the prices rise and rise.  Who knows where this will end?

 GARDEN HAPPENINGS:
**  I finally pulled up three of the four cucumber plants.  I harvested the lettuce seeds and have them drying in paper bags.  I’m still spraying for powdery mildew and bugs.  I brought in 6 ripe tomatoes this morning.  They are small (about 2-3 inches), but they look good and will taste great on a sandwich.  The indeterminate tomatoes are about 9 feet high.  The determinate tomatoes are winding down.  I see a lot of new buds on my pepper plants, so I’m going to let them continue to grow. 

THIS WEEK’S PURCHASE: tuna – 20 cans
My grocery store is selling tuna for about $.75.  You can get 20 cans for $15.  Besides sandwiches, you can make tuna casserole that will feed a lot of people for under $5.  It’s not the most nutritious, but it’s filling and a good shelf-stable recipe.  I grew up on this.  I think I’ve made it twice in the 13 years we’ve been married.  LOL

MISC PURCHASE: batteries
Time to check and replace batteries in your flashlights.  Do you have one in your car?  By your bed?  You should.  Just get a big package of AA and/or AAA batteries.  Your flashlights probably use D batteries.  Unless you want to start getting rechargeable batteries, you just need to bite the bullet and buy them at least twice a year.

FOOD STORAGE RECIPES

Chicken Roll Ups

I made this one for dinner last week.  I like it because I have everything stored for it – totally shelf stable.
One box lasagna noodles (I only cooked nine – and that was a lot for 2 people.  Really, figure 2 per person)
Cook the noodles and then soak them in cold water until you are ready to use them.
Lay them out on a plate.  Spoon on some Alfredo sauce and spread it around.
Sprinkle cooked and shredded chicken on the length of the noodle.  (I used 1 jar of canned chicken and had some leftover)
Sprinkle basil lightly over the noodle

Start at one end and roll it up.  Place in a 13 X 9 baking dish.  Top with any remaining alfredo sauce.  Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and bake 30 min.
      When I made this last week, I never even looked at the recipe, and forgot about the alfredo sauce, and used cream of chicken soup instead.  I just thinned it out with some milk.  Worked and tasted great.  Also, I decided to use Italian seasoning instead of basil.  Also worked.  

Minestrone
1 c. macaroni
1 can corn
1 can diced tomatoes
2 TB dehydrated onions
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp thyme
2 TB parsley
1 c. water (you may need to add more as macaroni cooks)
1 pint ground beef or 2 c. freeze dried ground beef

Variations:  Want something green?  Add beans or peas.  Want to stretch it even more, add diced potatoes or carrots.

Serve with bread or rolls or biscuits.

Split Pea Soup
I asked Craig several years ago if he liked split pea soup.  He answered with an immediate NO!  Then I asked if he had ever TRIED it.  Answer:  no.  So I made some.  What do you know….. he liked it.
1 lb. dried split peas
ham dices or ham hock or bacon fried and crumbled
7 c. water
1/4 c. dry onion flakes
1/2 c. dry carrots
1/4 c. dry celery
3/4 tsp salt
1 bay leaf
1 clove garlic
       Combine everything and simmer until the peas are done.
When my kids were little I could buy Lysander brand soup.  It came with dry split peas and a flavor packet.  I don’t know what seasonings were in it, but it was delish!!!  Then for a while I could buy it on Amazon.  Now, I can’t find it at all.  But, the directions said to add diced potatoes and carrots.  It was really good with the potatoes in it, so now I always add them to my soup.

What if you don’t have fresh ham or bacon?  I tried canning ham and it didn’t turn out very well.  Something about cured meats.  But I’ve canned bacon as you know and THAT would work great.  How about Spam?  Either you like it or don’t.  But maybe cut in small dices?  I think it could work.

—

Marti

Hi Everyone,

NOTES:

It is NOT a lot of food for three days, but it’s a good place to start.  Here is a pdf 3DayFoodStorage with the contents.

 GARDEN HAPPENINGS: 

*Looking for a natural solution to kill aphids, cabbage loopers, earwigs, June bugs, leaf hoppers, squash bugs and white flies?

Mince one bulb garlic and soak it in 2 tsp mineral oil for 24 hours.  Mix 1 pint water with 1 TB liquid soap.  Add minced garlic mix to the water and soap.  Mix thoroughly.  Strain out the garlic pieces.  Place in a jar for storage.  To use:  Add 1-2 TB oil mix with an additional 2 c. water.  Spray on plants, covering all leaf surfaces.  If it rains, you need to reapply.

*  You still have time to plant.  Here in Zone 9B, you have time to plant zucchini, broccoli, and even tomatoes.

THIS WEEK’S PURCHASE: spices

What spices do you use the most?  I like Italian seasoning, cumin, oregano, chili powder, and thyme.  But, I  also use nutmeg, celery salt, parsley, onion powder, garlic salt and powder, and several others.  At Winco, you can buy these in bulk.  You really only need about 1/4 c. each.  Keep them in zip lock bags, small Tupperware, or vacuum seal in small jars.  Spices can make all the difference in a pot of beans.  Every year I make an effort at growing basil, but it bolts pretty quickly in the heat.  The rosemary, on the other hand, thrives in the heat.  Thyme has also been easy for me to grow in Zone 9B.  AND, don’t forget to store some cinnamon.  LOTS of cinnamon.

MISC PURCHASE: toilet paper – one-month supply

Yep, time to stock up on more.  I’m reading a book that mentioned the plagues in Europe that killed thousands of people.  In the book, they explain that one of these “plagues” was given the name cholera.  Cholera is the result of unsafe drinking water — partly because of poor sanitation.

Then, there is typhoid fever – also a result of poor sanitation.

The invention of toilet paper did a lot to curb the effects of these two deadly conditions.  Have a plan.  Decide what you will do if there is a shut down of utilities that we take for granted.  Having soap on hand and water to use it will go a long way toward keeping you healthy.

FOOD STORAGE RECIPES
Remember the #1 rule of storing food is to store what you eat.  #2 rule is to eat what you store.  Although I have long-term stuff that is in my closet until I die, I have a rotating pantry that contains what I cook with every day.  You want to have food storage recipes that will allow you to rotate through your short-term storage, so you won’t have to end up throwing away food.  

I have a combination of recipes 1) recipes that only use storage items, 2) recipes that allow me to rotate some things and have other things that are fresh.

Chicken Pot Pie
I like this recipe because I can use fresh vegetables, canned vegetables, frozen vegetables, or dehydrated vegetables.  Here is how I did it in the ’70s when my kids were young.

Boil 1 whole chicken fryer in water with 1 quartered onion until the meat is tender enough to fall off the bone.  Debone the chicken.  Today you might want to use 2 cans of chicken, or 1-pint chicken.  You can always buy a rotisserie chicken and pull off the meat.  

To the water, add vegetables.  I like diced potatoes, chopped carrots, chopped celery, and peas.  Sometimes I add corn or beans if they are left over in the fridge.  Drain the vegetables, but reserve the water.  

Put the vegetables and chicken in a 13 X 9-inch baking dish.

In a frying pan, melt 1/4 c. butter and add 1/4 c. flour.  Heat and cook for just a few minutes.  Then add 2 c. chicken broth a little at a time to make a gravy.  Add 1/3 c. instant milk powder and 1 TB chicken bouillon.  If it seems thick, add a little more water.  Pour gravy over the chicken and vegetables and mix.  

Crust:
3 c. flour
1 c. shortening
     Cut in with a fork.

In a measuring cup mix 3/4 c. milk,
1 egg,
1 tsp salt,
1 1/2 tsp baking powder.
Add this to the flour mix.  Stir just until mixed.  Roll out on the counter and place over chicken.  Bake 350 for about 30 minutes until crust is done.

VARIATION:  Don’t roll out the dough.  Just pat it thin between your hands and place over the chicken mix.  Fit the pieces together like a giant puzzle.

VARIATION:  You can use pie crusts (homemade OR store-bought) and make this same dish in 2 pie tins.  

Pasta E Fagioli Soup
This comes from the Lazy Slow Cooker
1 1/2 lbs browned ground beef (I’ll probably use 1 pint canned ground beef)
1 can red kidney beans drained
1 can garbanzo beans drained
1 small onion chopped
2 carrots chopped
2 large celery stalks chopped
2 cans diced tomatoes with liquid
15-oz tomato sauce
2 TB minced garlic
1 TB Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
6 c. beef stock
1-2 sprigs fresh rosemary (optional)
8 oz. ditalini or other small pasta

Add everything but the rosemary and pasta to a slow cooker and mix gently.

Lay rosemary springs on top of mixture, cover with lid, and cook on low for 6-8 hours.  Thirty minutes prior to serving, remove rosemary and add pasta.  Stir to mix and re-cover until pasta is tender.

White Beans and Veggies with Couscous
Storing and using different grains adds different vitamins to your diet. Heat 1 TB olive oil
1 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced.
    Add to the oil and stir 3-5 minutes until zucchini is crisp-tender.
1 can white kidney or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp dried rosemary
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp salt
     Stir in, simmer uncovered for 3-4 minutes or until slightly thickened and the zucchini is tender.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine:
1 1/2 c. water
1 TB butter
1/4 tsp salt
    Bring to a boil, Stir in

1 c. uncooked couscous.  Remove from heat.  Let stand, covered 5 minutes or until water is absorbed.  Fluff with a fork.  Serve bean mixture with couscous.

—

Marti

The Ultimate Beer Brewing Introduction Guide

“Beer, if drank with moderation, softens the temper, cheers the spirit, and promotes health” – Thomas Jefferson.

This is a crash course in beer making. The tradition of fermentable beverages goes back thousands and thousands of years to the most ancient of historical records. The information written about the process of fermentation, the science, and the ways it can go wrong or be tweaked here and there to render differing results are too numerous to capture in a single video, book, volumes of books, or even a library. If you are looking for fine details about brewing with lots of calculations, charts, and diagrams, this is not for you. If you want to understand the basic concepts of beer brewing and fermentation with yeast, accepting that results can wildly vary, this is the video for you. Even condensing this into the most concise details as possible, this is still going to be a long video, but I will cover what you need to know, from the equipment, mash, hops, yeast, how to know it’s done, how to clear it, bottle it, and even a little about the history of beer. It’s much to cover, but it should provide anyone with a strong basis for further research. Let’s get started making this City Prepping Strong Brown Ale.

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WHAT YOU WILL NEED
You will need a few primary ingredients and equipment in your beer kit. I will explain each throughout the process, so you may determine if you need to substitute or find alternatives to these basics. You will need a container capable of holding 5 gallons for this batch. I will use a water carboy. You will need a bubbler for the top to keep air out but allow the escape of C02. You could also attach a rubber glove with a pinprick hole in one of the fingertips for the same effect. You will need at least one large pot capable of holding 5 gallons or 20 quarts. I will use two pots to reach an appropriate volume of just under 5 gallons and demonstrate the use of all grain brewing versus liquid extract brewing. Typically, you are doing one or the other and not both.

Additional equipment includes a stirrer, funnel, wire mesh strainer or nylon bag, measuring cup, a thermometer of some kind, and plastic cling wrap. Optionally, you might also want a hydrometer, which I will explain later, and here I will try a nylon grain bag, which I haven’t used before.

Here is a good brew supply store. For your ingredients, you will need water, yeast, grain or liquid malts, hops, and any extra sugars you plan on adding to your beer. I will leave the amounts, boil length, and additions to you. If you want to follow this recipe, I will include a comprehensive ingredient list on the website at cityprepping.com/beer. I will leave up to you what’s in your beer, but some other possible additions are additional sugars, spices, and clarifiers. I am going to use some date sugar and a clarifier in mine.

DO THE MASH
Mash is the grains used in beer when treated with the water used for the beer. It may look like simple oats, barley, sorghum, wheat, millet, maize, or even cassava root, but your grain bill, as it is called, is alive with starches, saccharified sugars, and enzymes ready to break down those starches to simple sugars that yeast will thrive upon. If you are using the grain you harvested, you will need to sprout it slightly first. This starts the breakdown of the starches and releases the nutrients. If you are buying malted grain, this step has been done for you. An all-grain recipe will require 8-15 pounds of grain.

For an all-liquid malt extract beer, the process of malting and extraction from the grain has already been done for you. The result is either a dark honey-like liquid with a grain biscuit taste, or it is dried into a powder. You will need at least a pound of liquid malt per gallon of beer. If you are using all liquid malt, you can add it and start your boil. If you are using any grain, you must follow a mash schedule, essentially slowly raising the temperature of the soaking grains, holding the temperature stable for some time, then washing them clean with hot water at the end. This mash schedule, as it is called, allows the main enzymes the time to break apart the long stands of starch into simple sugars that the yeast can eat to make your beer. Failure to follow a mashing schedule for grains will still give you a beer, but it won’t be very complex, and the yeast will not be able to feast like they need to. I should let you know here, too, that failing to boil for a full 60 minutes will result in specific components of your beer not breaking down. The result will be a bitter beer that isn’t very tasty or even drinkable.

For these grains, I will follow a simple mash schedule. I have to break the hull of the grain first by gently pulsing it in my food processor. This will provide access to the nutrients locked inside. I will first raise the water temperature on the soaking grains to 104 to 113 degrees for 20 minutes. This allows the phytase enzyme present in the grain to break down an organic phosphate to yield a mild acid. The 20 minutes ensures that enzymes are well distributed within the mash and that the grain is wetted, providing access to the enzyme to the starch. In addition, this is a suitable temperature for breaking down beta-glucans, which can gum up the mash, leading to a stuck run-off or hazing up your beer. In this batch, I am using a pound of rice hulls. You could use chaff from the grain you grow for the same result, but this prevents the mash from sticking together like a big ball of oatmeal or something. This allows for the water to circulate around the grain. I am also using some homegrown oats, chaff and all, for the same reason of circulation. With grain, you are basically making a long and slow tea.

After 20 minutes, I raise the temperature to 120 to 130 and hold it there for another 20 minutes. The rest in this temperature range allows the protease and peptidase enzymes the time to cut larger starch chains into smaller bits and to break down proteins and peptides. After this 20-minute phase, I raise the temperature again to between 148 and 155 degrees for another 20 minutes to allow the beta and alpha-amylase enzymes a chance to work on breaking the grain water all down into digestible sugars for the yeast. Periodically, because I am using a nylon bag, I continually dip it in and out of the water like a tea bag. If I were to allow the grains to float freely in the water, I only need a method for filtering them out of my final liquid and a means to stir it all. After this final temperature, I want to raise the temperature to 168 to 170 for ten minutes, stirring or dipping like a tea bag to denature the enzymes and shake off any remaining sugars or starches from the grain. If I were to pour boiling water over the grains for this part, it would be called sparging the grains. The spent grain can be cooked into bread, biscuits for dogs, or added to your composter.

WORTS AND ALL
At the end of the mashing phase, you are left with what is called wort. This will become your beer. You must boil it for at least 60 minutes to thermally decompose it further. If you don’t, you will have high levels of S-methyl methionine. Without getting too technical here, suffice it to say that failing to boil for at least 60 minutes will result in a bitter beer that may taste bad and have a strong sulfur smell. I know because I have made that beer. Don’t skip the boil. Don’t shorten the boil. It’s an essential part of brewing. If you are using all liquid malt, you can skip the mashing schedule and simply bring water to a boil, turn the flame off and add your liquid or powdered malt extract. Then, boil for at least 60 minutes.

To this wort, you will add any hops, herbs, or additional ingredients throughout the boil.

HOP TO IT
So, you have to understand that the use of hops in beer is relatively new in beer’s history. Hops likely originated in China, but the first documented use was in the 8th century when Benedictine monks used them for brewing in a Bavarian abbey outside Munich, Germany. Before hops, beer was flavored and preserved with gruit, a combination of heather, mugwort, and other locally grown herbs and spices. Over hopping like many IPAs on the market today, started with good intentions– trying to make beer that would transport over long distances, but it has become a little too crazy, in my opinion. There are many beers on the market today that are undrinkably hoppy. In my opinion, the over-hopping trend is a method used by beginning brewers to try and make bad-tasting batches of beer drinkable. Still, hops are essential to modern beer. I will assume that you like a slight hoppiness in your beer. For my batch, I will be using just 3 ounces of hops.

Here, like the mash schedule, you need a hop schedule. As you boil the hops, bittering agents are released, but the floral components and lighter flavor notes are reduced. Hops are listed by their bittering capability. If you add them at the beginning of your boil, you will extract all the potential bittering components but lose all lighter smells and tastes. This is why, just like the mash, you want a hop schedule. I add an ounce at 30 to 45 minutes into the boil. I add another ounce in the last 15 minutes of the boil, and I add the final ounce when I turn the heat off and I put the lid on the pot to allow it to cool. Just like a cook layers flavors in their cooking by adding spices and herbs at different points, the same is true for the addition of hops. By varying the types of hops and the amount of time you boil them, you are adding different levels of bitterness and flavors to your finished beer.

For my hop schedule, you can take a look at the complete recipe at cityprepping.com/beer, but I will leave your hop schedule up to you. Remember, the longer the boil, the more bittering acid in the beer. The shorter you boil them, the more floral and nuanced flavors. For the best-tasting finished beer, you need a little of both.

CHILL OUT
Different yeasts like to work at different and specific temperature ranges. Too hot, and the yeast will die or give off flavors that you won’t want in your beer. Too cold, and it will go dormant and stop working altogether or work too slowly. So, the addition of the yeast is best done at room temperature, in my opinion. I also like to make sure the yeast is working by proofing it. To do this, I pull off a couple of cups of wort from the boil about 30 minutes into the boil. I cover that with cling wrap and let that come all the way down to room temperature before adding the yeast packet or liquid yeast. You will be able to see, after an hour or more, the anaerobic activity of the yeast, maybe even some movement.

The other reason to do this, beyond just proving that your yeast is alive, is that it gives those yeast cells a chance to wake up, feast, and multiply. This provides you with millions more hungry yeast cells to devour the sugars in your cooled wort when that time comes. This will allow them to work faster on eating up the sugars and will also then protect your beer from other contaminants that will also enjoy feasting on those sugars. While that proof is setting up and my boil is complete, I can turn the fire off, put the lid on and let the wort sit in its pasteurized environment while it comes down to room temperature. I could also set it in a bath of ice or cool stream to bring it down in temperature more quickly and to let any solids settle to the bottom of the pot.

I can pour it into my brewing container when it is completely at room temperature. Often, the brewing container is a 5-gallon bucket with a spigot and lid affixed with a bubbler. I use that to transfer my wort into the carboy. I could also use a funnel to get the wort in the container. Once it is all in the container, some people top it up with water to the amount they want. I don’t recommend that because I don’t think the flavors come together that way, and you end up with a watery-tasting beer. Plus, you risk introducing contaminants to your beer. If you believe you are under the desired amount after you boil off your initial amount, add water into the last few minutes of the boil cycle before your final hops, and bring it to a boil again.

If I do top up at all, I typically use spring water to get as natural as possible, so I don’t have to worry about the city adding any unwanted chemicals into my brew. You don’t have to, and that’s one of the reasons you boil it all, so here I am, starting with a base of city tap water and then adding in spring water. There are volumes of literature on pH and how that will affect your brewing, and I’m not going to cover any of that here. Suffice it to say, chill out, let it all cool down until you add your yeast– also called pitching your yeast. Then affix your airlock bubbler or rubber glove and wait.

WHEN IS IT DONE?
You will know it is fermenting because the yeast eats the sugar and expels carbon dioxide. That’s the bubbles in your beer. You will also see a layer of heady bubbles on the top of your brew if you can see it. That is termed the krausen or barm. This krausen is the reason you want to leave some headspace in your brew container. Some yeasts are top feeders, and some are bottom feeders, which will be a significant factor in the amount of krausen on your beer. When the yeast is really active, you will see carbonation and material moving through your beer. After this very active period, when most of the fermentation is completed, you will have to determine when your fermentation is complete enough for bottling.

There are a couple of ways to determine when your beer is done and ready to bottle. I have found over time that a good rule to follow is to wait at least two weeks after the most visible fermentation has stopped. That’s two weeks after your bubbler has almost entirely stopped. After two weeks, you may see a layer of sediment forming at the bottom of your brew container. This is called the lees. Essentially, the yeast completes its consumption of all the sugars that it can, then falls to the bottom of the container in exhaustion. It isn’t necessarily dead at this point. It has attenuated or eaten all that it can, and then the alcohol level became too high, or the nutrient or oxygen level became too low, and it went to sleep. Many people find out that the yeast is dormant and not dead by bottling at this point. This will result in little bombs.

Some say you should pour it off the lees to a secondary fermenter, and that’s an excellent practice for quality beer brewing, but it isn’t entirely necessary. The thing about the lees is that as the yeast eventually does die, they impart off-flavors and stringent, bitter qualities to the beer. If you are waiting the two weeks, as I suggest, you are between the yeast dying off and the yeast mainly having finished converting the sugars to alcohol. You could, at this point, as they do in winemaking, chemically kill all the yeast. You could pasteurize the bottles to kill off the yeast, but you will end up with a flat beer.

The only accurate way you can calculate when your beer is indeed done fermenting is to take what is called a gravity reading at the beginning of the process, right before you add the yeast, and a few measurements each day after you think it is done. This is done by pouring off a small amount, usually a cup or two, and using a hydrometer. Do not pour this sample back into your brewpot. This instrument is used to determine specific gravity. It operates based on the Archimedes’ principle that a solid body displaces its weight within a liquid in which it floats. For our purposes, it’s measuring the elements heavier than water in relation to the alcohols, which are lighter than water. This is also the only accurate method for determining alcohol by volume. The approximate alcohol by volume (ABV) of the beer by subtracting the original gravity (OG) from the final gravity (FG) and multiplying it by 131. Most 5% beers have an original gravity of 1.050. Because I used grain, liquid malt extract, and the added date sugar, my batch is pretty strong and will be a challenge for the yeast.

In my case, my first reading was a very high 1.090. After a week, the gravity reading was 1.013. Doing the calculations, this beer is a little over 10%. It’s going to be strong. Over the next week, it will tick down a little more to make this batch around 11%.

CRASH IT
Your beer may still have a haziness, especially if you use fruit. There are several methods to remove the haze and get a clearer beer. Some of those methods start with additions to the boil. I have gone that route before. For this batch, I am going to use what is called sparkolloid powder, which is composed of basically chalk and seaweed. It’s a little more complex than that, but I am trying to keep this simple. You could also use gelatin. The goal is to change the ionization and encourage clumping, so the heavier clumps fall to the bottom of the brewing vessel. In my case, I simply need to dissolve one tablespoon of sparkalloid in one cup of boiling water for 5 minutes. When it cools a bit, I add it to the brewing container. After a few days, my beer will clear right up.

You can encourage this process or attempt to get the same results without additives by crashing it. That’s a term that means to chill your finished brew as much as possible. Either surround it with ice, drop it in an icy stream, put it out in the snow, or make room in your freezer. You want to lower the temperature as much as possible without freezing it. The result will be the heavier components falling and collecting at the bottom. You can then bottle the top clear liquid.

BOTTLE & CARBONATE IT
To carbonate your beer, you will want to slightly reawake the yeast by adding sugar to your beer. This is often done with what is referred to as priming sugar. Priming sugar is typically corn sugar or dextrose. The remaining few yeasts in the beer eat it and produce CO2, which has nowhere to go in the bottle, so it dissolves into the beer. Typically, you will use no more than 3/4 of a cup for 5 gallons. You can use other sugars, which is where science comes into play. Yeast will consume the sugars differently. If you used 3/4 of a cup of brown sugar, you would have bottle bombs. That’s probably true for white sugar too. If you were to use white sugar, it’s just 2/3 of a cup you need. A few grams of too much sugar could result in too much carbonation, so always err on the side of less. There are several online calculators to help you get this right.

Dissolve the sugar in 1 cup of boiling water and add it directly to your brew at least 30 minutes before bottling to combine. Then bottle and wait another two weeks. After a week, you could check your carbonation levels by opening a chilled bottle. Eventually, the yeast will stop because the dissolved C02 level is too high or the sugars and other nutrients are too low. This is your shelf-stable sweet spot. Chill the beer you plan on drinking in the short term. Store the rest in a cool and dark temperature stable location for a later date.

UNDERSTANDING BEER
Beer is any fermented beverage made from malted grains, water, yeast, and herbal additions ranging from the modernly popular hop to spruce, pine needles, mugwort, and a host of other roots and herbs. Beer is one of the oldest and most consumed beverages on the planet. It was likely discovered by accident when an agrarian society first began. Our ancestors settled, farmed, and drank beer. Possibly grain storage was allowed to get too wet, perhaps by soaking the grains to make them more edible in sprout form. That excess water likely spontaneously started to ferment from any one of the more than 500 species of yeasts floating around in the air. The result was alcohol. Consuming the grains or the liquids would have had a spirited effect, perhaps strong enough to lead to intoxication.

Thus, beer was born. Since then, different styles have emerged as a result of different methods, strains of yeast, water quality, grain variation, and hop or herbal additions. Even the addition of fruit or some honey changes the resulting beer. The same basic wort can be inoculated with different yeast strains in separate containers, and the result will be wildly different tasting beers with varying amounts of alcohol by volume. Divide the same batch with the same yeast strain and expose it to different temperatures, and you will get similar beers in color, but the taste will be far different. Beer is any fermented beverage made from malted grains, water, yeast, and herbal additions. That’s a broad range of drinks, though it sounds so simple. This is why there are so many recipes and so many styles around the world.

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There is so much to brewing. There are so many nuances and lessons learned over the years. You have to make a few mistakes along the way to understand what you can and cannot do. For instance, much attention is given to sanitation, but I prefer clean over sanitized. Very old breweries in Germany have open fermented their vats in rooms with open windows for years. There’s no guarantee of sanitary with that. Some beers are made by simply placing the wort in a clay pot with a loose lid and putting it in a cool cave. Again, that’s not a sterile process. The main thing is keeping everything clean and then creating an environment that encourages yeast to thrive at the expense of everything else that would seek to destroy your great-tasting beer.

Hopefully, this crash course in brewing gives you the basics of how to brew a batch of beer. There’s so much that I didn’t cover, but that should be enough to get even a novice brewing. I would encourage you to try it, even if that’s a kit beer and kit equipment. You would be amazed at how flavorful homebrewed beer is compared to store-bought versions. At the very least, you can still have a cold glass of beer should the breweries ever stop producing this age-old drink. Cheers.

And, as always, stay safe out there.

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City Prepping Strong Brown Ale

Ingredients
Pilsen Liquid Malt Extract (LME) 7.5 lbs
Pilsner Malt Grain 3 lbs
1 lb. Flaked Rice
1 lb. Rice Hulls
American West Coast Ale Yeast

German Hallertau Hop Pellets 1 ounce
Czech Saaz Hop Pellets 1 ounce
Additional 1 ounce of hops of your choice

Grain Mash Schedule
104 to 113 degrees for 20 minutes
120 to 130 and hold it there for another 20 minutes
148 and 155 degrees for another 20 minutes
168 to 170 for ten minutes

Hop Schedule
1 ounce at 30 minutes into boil (Any hop of your choice)
1 ounce 15 minutes before end of boil (Hallertau)
1 ounce at flame out (Czech Saaz)

Boil all ingredients for a minimum of 60 minutes.
Cool while covered until room temperature or cold crash it to room temperature.
Pour to brewing vessel.
Add yeast starter.

Hi Everyone,

NOTES:

*  Well, my email from last week was censored by Facebook.  Hahahaha.  THAT’S what happens when you talk about gardening and buying food!  Sheesh.

*  (Can I just say that doing dishes is one of my least favorite things to do!)  (Complaining done) (For now)

*  Saw this on FB today:

Sooooo…… you can learn to can beef and then do so soon.  OR you can buy freeze-dried beef from a dealer, OR you can buy some canned goods with meat in them like chili and stew, OR you can just eat chicken.  But I think even chicken prices will go up.  Start learning to cook some vegetarian meals:  split pea soup, macaroni and cheese, etc.

GARDEN HAPPENINGS: 

My garden is really struggling with the heat and bugs and powdery mildew!  This is what my zucchini and squash look like:

Zucchini is supposed to be so easy to grow.  I have NEVER had good luck with it.  I really think it’s the heat.

I have eight pumpkin plants, 4 each in ten-gallon containers.  No pumpkins.  Only dead leaves.  LOL, I DID have three baby pumpkins, and they died a premature death.  I have kept them shaded with shade cloth, and today I uncovered them.  Let’s see how they do in the sun.  They are full of powdery mildew.  So I sprayed, and now they can be in the wind for a few days.  

I dusted the spider mites with DE, left it for 2 days, and came back to this:

Really?  They just made their webs right on top of the DE!!!  I’m going with DE does NOT kill spider mites!

My beans were covered with white dust, then webs on top of that.  It looked like a spooky Halloween plant.  The web is huge!

I got out there today with scissors and cut out a bunch of stuff.  The beans that are still hanging in there are NOT growing and some are dying.  But I’m not giving up.  I sprayed with Neem oil today.  

BUT…. it’s not too late.  I replanted beets, carrots and tomatoes this week.  From seed.  The tomatoes are 72 days to harvest.  That means I’ll be harvesting tomatoes the middle of October.  Perfect. 

THIS WEEK’S PURCHASE: meat 10 pounds

At Winco, you can still get 85% lean ground beef for under $4 if you buy the 10-pound chubs.
OR chicken that you can freeze, or canned chicken.
OR cans of tuna

MISC PURCHASE: Tylenol – or pain reliever of your choice

I can’t take Ibuprofen.  So acetamini…. blah blah it is for me.  If you see me on FB, you’ll know I went to take some Tylenol the other day for dental pain and realized I was going to need a MUCH bigger bottle to get me through what’s coming!  No time like the present to stock up.

FOOD STORAGE RECIPES
Look what I found!!  Home | free frugal food storage help

Chicken
I made this recipe just two days ago.  It calls for bacon and I thought I had some but then couldn’t find it in the fridge.  THEN, I remembered that I had some canned bacon.  Yep, I canned some bacon back in 2015.  If I could only remember where it was.  So, I started searching under beds and in closets.  (It would have been faster to just go to the store and buy more bacon.)  But I found a jar someplace.  When the bacon has been canned, it is fully cooked, but not crunchy and kind of a weird texture.  So I took out 4-5 pieces and put them in a frying pan to continue frying.  I added the rest of the ingredients.  I like this recipe because you can use any type of chicken:  thighs, legs, whatever.  I used skin on, bone in thighs (they seem to be less expensive).  Not only did Craig like it, but he ate the rest of the chicken the next day.  Heh, heh, heh.  

1/2 lb. bacon (I used 4-5 pieces) – brown in frying pan
1-2 TB dehydrated onion (rehydrated) OR 1/2 fresh onion chopped
Add to the bacon and sauté
Drain bacon grease
4 scallions, snip in
1 lb. chicken (can use boneless, skinless chicken cut in chunks, breasts with bone and skin, or thighs, or whatever you can get on sale)   I used 3 thighs.
1/2 tsp celery salt
1/2 c. white wine (yes, I cook with wine, but if it makes you uncomfortable, use chicken broth)
1 can chopped tomatoes undrained
1/2 tsp sugar (is this really necessary?  who knows, just put it in)
2 bay leaves (didn’t have any and left it out)
1 tsp fresh rosemary (1/4 tsp dry)
    Bring to boil.   Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.
1 can cantaloni beans (I just use any type of small white beans) – rinsed

Heat through 5-10 more minutes.

Bean N’ Bacon Soup
I saw this and thought, “Hey, I have leftover bacon from the recipe above!”   So, here goes:

Soak 1 c. dry white beans overnight.  (IF you forget – and I do all the time – just boil the beans in some water in the morning, turn the stove off, and let the beans sit till afternoon.  1 c. dry beans = 3 c. cooked beans.  So, this will serve 3-4 easily.

Drain off that water.  Add fresh water to cover beans plus 1 inch.

To the soaked/watery beans, add:
1-2 tsp dried parsley
small bay leaf (optional)
4 TB dried chopped onion – if you don’t have dried, use fresh.
2 TB dried carrots (or 1-2 diced fresh carrots)
1 TB dried celery (this is the ONLY way to use celery, but if you don’t have dried, use fresh)
1-2 TB butter (optional — who doesn’t want butter in their soup???)
bacon bits to taste (about 1/4 c.)  Doesn’t REAL bacon sound good here???
More water as needed or chicken broth.

Bring to a rolling boil, turn heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 min.  Salt and pepper to taste.  You can take out part of the soup, mash, then add it back in to thicken the broth.

Hush Puppies
I had a very good friend and neighbor from Georgia when my kids were young.  That was the first time I had ever had hush puppies.  IF you have never tried them, you are missing a wonderful treat.  They would go really well with the soup.

If you google the recipe, you will find lots of variations.  Want spicy?  Want extra sweet?  There are a lot to try.
3/4 c. flour
3/4 c. cornmeal
1 TB sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder (I seem to recall that we just used real onions chopped fine.  Whatever)
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp pepper
    Mix dry ingredients
1 egg
1 c. buttermilk
    Add these and stir till combined.
4 TB (1/2 stick) butter cut in small cubes

    Add butter.  Drop the batter by rounded teaspoons in hot oil.  I use a saucepan.  If the oil is too hot, they will darken on the outside but still be uncooked on the inside.  365˚ works well.  After one side browns, you have to turn them over.  Remove with a metal strainer on a paper towel-lined plate.

This recipe uses fresh onion and no butter:

Hush Puppies (With Crispy Edges and Soft Centers)

—

Please be vigilant.  I think we are in for some hard times.  I know food prices are high.  Look for things that are on sale.  If you don’t make this a priority, you will never have enough money.

Marti

Hi Everyone,

NOTES:

*  Someone on FB said she had 1 gallon of milk starting to taste sour.  Someone else shared this:  Our Favorite 11 Recipes That Use Sour Milk – The Kitchen Community  Evidently sour milk is good for baking.  So much so, that you can make your own sour milk:  1 TB apple cider vinegar or lemon juice and fill it up to the 1 cup line.  Stir and let sit for 5 min.  Recipes include soda bread, pancakes, muffins, spice cake, oatmeal cookies and more.

*  I made Lentil Barley Stew for dinner on Tuesday (see last week’s recipes).  It was good!!!  And I got to thinking that it would be easy to seal in jars.  I think it would fit in a pint jar, but not sure.

1/2 c. barley
3/4 c. lentils
     Put in the bottom of the clean jar.
1/4 c. dehydrated, diced carrots
1/4 c. dehydrated diced potatoes (most of my potatoes are in slices, so I’d probably break them up a bit)
2 TB dehydrated minced onion
2 tsp dried parsley
1/4 tsp pepper
2 tsp vegetable or chicken bouillon

Seal the jar.

To cook, add 4 c. water.  Bring to boil, reduce to simmer for 25 min until done.

We don’t eat a lot of vegetarian dishes, but this one was good, and we didn’t even notice the missing meat.

GARDEN HAPPENINGS: 

*  I had some comments on applying DE.  Annie says her mom would make a pouch with a few layers of cheesecloth and fasten it with a rubber band.  Then she would shake it and it would fall out between the cracks.  Sherri says she used a metal strainer and gently tapped it against her hand.  She says she got rid of her Japanese beetles and Squash bugs completely with the DE.

*  Here is another seed-saving chart I found:

*  I’ve really been battling spider mites in the beans and aphids in the lettuce.  Ugh.  I spray one day and two days later they seem just as bad as before.  I just read that spider mites thrive in hot, dry climates.  Before I complain too much, I think there are worse bugs that thrive in hot, humid climates.  LOL

Spider mite damage looks like this from the top.

And this is where leaves and stems meet:

According to the different products I have, Neem oil and Captain Jack’s should work.  But, I have not been able to get them under control.  I have a ton of beans that are still too small to pick.  I just want to hang on until I get them picked, then, I just may rip out all the bean plants.  Luckily, I have not seen them on anything else in the garden.  

THIS WEEK’S PURCHASE: oats

Oats are available in both regular and quick varieties from the Church Distribution Center in Salt Lake.  

Regular Oats | United States Store $36.50

Each case is six #10 cans at about 2.5 lbs each for about $6.10 each (must buy a whole case).  

Now, if you buy a large container of oats from the store, it is about $3.50 (last I looked), and it is 3 pounds.  So, much cheaper.  This is what I do.  I do NOT like the taste of the oats after they have been in the cans.  In fact, I can’t get past the taste.  I just store oats in cardboard cylinders.  BUT….. cardboard is not waterproof, nor is it rodent proof.  I have not had any problems with pantry moths, nor any other tiny thing.  But if you get mice, you would be better off with the cans – or food-grade buckets.  The recommended amount is 1/2 large cylinder per person per month.  

The bran and germ are still intact in old-fashioned and quick-cooking oats.  So both are considered a whole grain.  Steel-cut oats are chewier and nuttier.  The fiber in oats is especially healthy because it may help lower cholesterol.

MISC PURCHASE: duct tape

Time to buy an extra roll of duct tape.  My new favorite quote comes from a movie starring Dwayne Johnson.  “If you can’t fix it with duct tape, you haven’t used enough duct tape.”  We bought some Gorilla Tape (It’s black).  That stuff is SUPER sticky and tough!!!!

FOOD STORAGE RECIPES

One of the comments for this FaceBook post concerned the 1/2 c. of flour, wondering if it was enough.  Other comments assured us that it is correct.

Oatmeal Pancakes
From Whole Grains, by Betty Crocker

(I made these for breakfast last week and they were really good.  This recipe made six 4-inch pancakes.  My husband ate 3 of them, and I ate about 1 ½.  They were so filling.  According to the recipe, it is supposed to make 6 servings, but that is only if they are really small and you only eat 2.  So……. make more if you’re serving a family.)

1/2 c. old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats
1/4 c. flour
1/4 c. whole wheat flour
3/4 c. buttermilk
1/4 c. milk
1 TB sugar
2 TB vegetable oil
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
     Mix everything together with mixer or wire whisk until smooth.  For thinner pancakes stir in additional 2-4 TB milk.  

For a special syrup, heat maple syrup and cranberry sauce 2:1 ratio.  Yeah, I’m not going to open a whole can of cranberry sauce just for this.  But it sounds cool.  In fact, I may try this for breakfast tomorrow.  I think I even have whole wheat flour hanging around somewhere.

Baked Apple Oatmeal
From Whole Grains, by Betty Crocker

This recipe calls for fresh apples.  But, if you have dehydrated apples, I’ll bet you could rehydrate them by soaking them in water for 20 min or so.  Because they are going to be baked, you shouldn’t notice a difference.  

Also, because the recipe is sweet, this could be a dessert OR a breakfast.

2 2/3 c. oats
1/2 c. raisins
1/3 c. packed brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
4 c. milk
2 medium apples, or pears, chopped to equal 2 cups

    Put everything in a 2 quart casserole dish.  Mix and bake at 350˚ uncovered 40-45 minutes or until most liquid is absorbed.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with

1/2 c. chopped walnuts.

Just one serving of this oatmeal provides fiber, iron, calcium, folic acid and omega-3 fat.

Oatmeal-Blueberry Muffins
From Whole Grains, by Betty Crocker

In a small bowl, pour 1 c. buttermilk (or sour milk)  over
1 c. old fashioned oats.  Let sit.

In a large bowl, mix

1/3 c. oil
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1 egg
    Mix with a spoon.  Stir in…
1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
    Stir just until moistened.  Stir in oat mixture.  Fold in…
1 c. fresh or frozen (thawed and drained) blueberries.  Divide batter into greased muffin cups or paper baking muffin cups.  Bake 15-20 minutes at 400˚ or until golden brown.  Cool 5 minutes before removing it from the pan.  Serve warm.

—

Marti

Hi Everyone,

NOTES:

*  I bought one of those electric bug zappers that you hold and wield like a tennis racket.  Well……….I took it out in the garden today and killed three of those white butterflies (that are truly evil).  Oh!!!  It was rewarding!  I felt powerful.

*  I also bought some ladybugs.  They love aphids.  

The beneficial species of ladybugs eat aphids, chinch bugs, asparagus beetle larvae, alfalfa weevils, bean thrips, grape root worm, Colorado potato beetles larvae, spider mites, whiteflies, mealybugs, among other insects. For example, two species – Harmonia axyridis and Hippodamia convergens – prey on aphids.  planetnatural.com

Pretty sure I have some of these bugs. 

GARDEN HAPPENINGS: 

***  What is DE?  Diatomaceous Earth.  Does it really kill insects in the garden?  This is a great article, and I learned a lot. What Does Diatomaceous Earth Kill?(Fact Checker & Myth Buster!) I have DE.  I have A LOT of DE.  I got it at a feed store, 50 pounds for like $7-8.  That was a LONG time ago, so it’s still hanging around.  I pulled it out to use in the garden a few months ago.  Since then, I have found ant trails, so maybe I’ll get it out and use it again.

It’s super powdery and soft, and I’ve always wondered at the best way to “sprinkle” it around.  Someone online suggested an empty baby powder container.  This is a GREAT idea, but I don’t have an empty one at the moment.  So I was thinking of poking holes in the top of a water bottle.  Maybe use a nail?  Then fill the bottle 1/2 way with the powder?  What do you think?

***  Did I tell you I planted pole beans?  Well, they are up and about 5 inches tall by now.  Yay!  Meanwhile, the pole beans I planted in early spring are working on a second crop.  I’m just waiting for them to all fatten up a bit.

*** I’ve canned 14 pints of tomatoes from the garden and have another batch sitting on the counter ripening.

THIS WEEK’S PURCHASE: sugar

Sugar provides calories and energy.  It can be stored in dry form (like the sugar we usually buy) or syrup, like maple syrup or corn syrup.  Honey and jam are also good sources of sugar and sweetening.

Storage containers for sugar should be opaque, airtight, and moisture-proof.  The typical paper package you buy sugar in is unsuitable for long-term storage.  Canning jars, Food-grade plastic buckets, mylar bags, and #10 cans are better.  Honey is slightly acidic.  It will cause rust in metal containers or on metal lids.  Always use lined, food-grade metal containers or lids when storing any food, including honey.

Moisture makes granulated sugar hard and lumpy.  Once this happens, it creates problems in usage, and there is no easy method to restore lumpy sugar.  Sugar can also absorb strong odors – even through plastic packaging.  Syrups should not be allowed to get too hot or freeze.  This will cause crystallization.

Good news – Commercial sugars have an indefinite shelf life.  Storing Sugars | USU

MISC PURCHASE: lantern wicks (or any kind of oil light)

5 Rolls Oil Lamp Wicks Flat Oil Lanterns Wicks with Stitch for Oil Lamps and Candle Burners, 30 Feet (Red, 1/2 Inch)  Here is an example.  This video shows how to use it in a kerosene lantern.  Lanterns are about $8 at Walmart.  You can also use this with oil.  You can use rancid oil.  Here is an article explaining that you can use kitchen oil.  What Kind of Oil Do You Put in Lamps & Lanterns?

FOOD STORAGE RECIPES

I actually ate the following food storage recipe for dinner tonight.  I rotated the soup (which was dated 6/13 – that’s June 2013).  Pretty sure Craig doesn’t read this, so don’t tell.

It was perfectly fine, which just tells you how many preservatives are in the soup!!!

Stuffing Casserole
In a pan, heat
1 can Cream of Chicken soup
1 can Cream of Celery soup
1 TB dried onion (I soaked mine in water for about 10 min first)
1 c. milk (I just eyeball this and use the empty soup can)
1 c. peas – also eyeballed.  And feel free to skip.  But I don’t mind peas and then I don’t have to cook another vegetable to go with dinner.  LOL
3 c. chicken (I used a pint jar which is only 2 cups)

In a mixing bowl
4 c. stuffing
1 c. melted butter (yeah, it’s a lot of butter – but YUM!)
Put 1/2 of the stuffing in a 9X13.  Pour all the chicken soup mix over.  Then top with remaining stuffing.
Bake 350˚ until heated through (30 min)
So, because it’s just two of us, I make the soup mix, but only pour 1/2 of it in the casserole.
I only use 3 c. stuffing, and 3/4 c. butter

And tonight I used a 9 X 7 pan.  It’s still more than we can eat at one meal.  I freeze the other 1/2 of the soup mix and vacuum seal it.  The next time I want to make this, I only need the stuffing and butter.

Lentil Barley Stew
I’ve made this a couple of times and I really like it.

1 medium carrot sliced.  I like carrots so I usually use more.  I also have dehydrated carrots, and since this is going to simmer for a while, I sometimes use those.
1 medium onion diced – I use dehydrated onion.  I measure 1-2 TB in a bowl of hot water and let it sit for a while, then drain.
1 medium parsnip, peeled and sliced.  I had never bought or eaten a parsnip before this recipe.  I wasn’t even sure where to find them in the store.  But I did and they are good.  You could always substitute potatoes or just leave it out.
3/4 c. lentils rinsed
1/2 c. barley
28 oz. vegetable broth (I think I used chicken broth)
2 tsp dried parsley
1/4 tsp pepper

Bring to boil.  Cover and reduce to simmer.  Cook 25 minutes until done.   This is a perfect recipe for the sun oven.  Just let it cook out there an hour or more.  

Corn Dogs

You can make your own corn dogs!  I know, hot dogs are not really a food storage item.  But I bought hot dogs the other day to eat with baked beans and had some left over.  

Batter:
1/2 c. cornmeal
1 1/2 c. flour
1/4 c. + 1 tsp sugar
1 egg
1 c. milk
3 tsp baking powder

Pat the hot dogs dry.  Then dip in batter and fry.  When my kids were little, I would cut the hot dogs into 4ths, and stab them with a toothpick.  Then I would drop the hot dogs (toothpick and all) into the hot oil.  Like little mini corndogs.

—

I feel like this week’s message is shorter than usual.  I just put things out there as they come along, and it was a quiet week.  Keep preparing.  Keep working on storage.  Keep rotating.

Marti

Hi Everyone,

NOTES:

I’ve been working with an organization called VOAD.  It is a County Group.  VOAD stands for Volunteer Organizations Active During Disasters.  In our group, we have Methodist Ministries, Ham Radio Operators, Catholic Charities, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, City and County Offices of Emergency Management, Electric Company Representatives, Police and Fire Departments, etc.  In case of a disaster, VOAD might be called upon by the responding government agencies to provide volunteers, supplies, or expertise.  https://www.nvoad.org/  Here is the link to the National VOAD.  Check to see where your nearest group is and get involved.

GARDEN HAPPENINGS: 

** I’m already thinking about what to do in the fall.  After spring, most stores destroy their remaining seeds.  If you want to plant anything, you need to order seeds from an online company.  If you have saved your leftover seeds from your spring planting, you should be okay.  Seeds will actually keep for several years in a cool, dark place.  The germination rate will decline over time, but you should be able to get some to grow.  Here are my favorite seed companies to order from:  Johnny’s Selected Seeds and True Leaf Market Seed Company.

True Leaf is cheaper, but you get fewer seeds.  Of course, I don’t need 500 bean seeds when 30 will do.

** I found this great resource:  2022 Planting Calendar: When to Start Vegetable Seeds | The Old Farmer’s Almanac.  I like it because you can put in your zip code, and it will be specific to your area.

**  I sprayed something on my lettuce and ended up burning it.  Ugh.  Not sure what I did wrong.  I think I sprayed too late in the morning, and it was too hot.  I emptied all my squirt bottles and refilled them, and labeled them CAREFULLY.  Note to self:  Only spray early in the morning or in the evening when it cools off.

This is what my lettuce looks like when I’m ready to harvest it:

But I have a few lettuce plants that I’m letting go to seed.  Here is what one of them looks like:

It’s HUGE!!  The flowers on the top are just getting ready to open.  Yay!!!

** Finally, here are my pumpkins. They are sprawling all over the ground, and no baby pumpkins in sight.  In fact, as you can see, no flowers at all.  This is my third year attempting to grow pumpkins.  Oh well, there is always hope as long as the plants are alive.  Right?

THIS WEEK’S PURCHASE: rice

So, I looked at Winco, and they do NOT have large 25-pound bags of wheat.  But they DO have rice, and lots of it, and lots of different kinds.  Just like wheat, you’ll have to repackage it for long-term storage.  Pantry moths love rice.  I vacuum seal my rice, and that seems to work well, although if you have an infestation, I think the moths will eat through the plastic.  Rice is available here:  White Rice.

A case of six #10 cans is $50.  That works out to about $1.50 per pound for comparison purposes.

MISC PURCHASE: toilet paper

Time to check and make sure you have plenty on hand.  There is just NO WAY you can store enough to last forever.  So, store what you can (at least 3 months –   is better) and then plan for what to do next.  You could install a bidet.  OR you can cut up an old sheet or old towels into squares.  I cut my sheet into 6 in X 6 in squares.  To use them, get them wet, use as needed, then put them into a bucket with water and a little bleach.  Let them soak until you get enough to wash.  (This is how we did diapers back in the OLD days!!)  Toilet paper as we know it today wasn’t introduced until 1890 and was not perfected until 1930.  Before that, people died from diseases related to poor hygiene.  For thousands of years, people survived without toilet paper.  But it has been the cause of longer lives and healthier living conditions.

FOOD STORAGE RECIPES

Pasta E Fagioli (Fancy way to say pasta with beans)
This is written for a slow cooker, but I’m going to try it in my sun oven.

In a slow cooker add….
1 1/2 lbs browned ground beef (I’ll probably use 1 jar canned ground beef)
1 can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 small onion, minced fine (OR 2 TB dehydrated onions)
2 carrots diced
2 large celery stalks diced (OR 2 TB dehydrated celery)
2 cans diced tomatoes with liquid
1 15-oz can tomato sauce
2 TB minced garlic
1 TB Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
Pour in 6 c. beef stock and stir gently to mix.
Lay 1-2 sprigs of rosemary on top and cover with lid.  Simmer for 6-8 hours.
30 minutes before serving, remove rosemary springs and add
8 oz. ditalini or other small pasta

Sprinkle with parmesan cheese before serving.

EASTERN CORN CHOWDER

Corn Chowder – From Utah State University Cooperative Extension – “Food Storage – Use it or Lose It”

5 slices bacon
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 medium potatoes, pared and diced
Water
2 cups milk
1 cup  white sauce mix (see below)
17 oz. can cream-style corn
1 teaspoon salt, dash of pepper
1 tablespoon butter or margarine

In a large frying pan, cook bacon until crisp. Crumble and set aside. Reserve 3 tablespoons of bacon drippings in pan. Add onion and cook until light brown. Add potatoes and enough water to cover. Cook over medium heat 10-15 minutes, until potatoes are cooked. Combine milk and white sauce mix in a small saucepan. Cook over low heat until thick and smooth. Stir in corn, salt and pepper. Add to potato mixture and heat for about 10 minutes. Top with crumbled bacon and 1 TB butter before serving.

White Sauce Mix
2 c. instant nonfat dry milk OR 1 1/2 c. regular nonfat dry milk
1 c. flour
2 tsp salt
1 c. butter or margarine

Mix dry ingredients and cut in butter until the mixture resembles fine crumbs.  Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.  Use within 2 months.  Makes 4 cups.

Rice Pilaf (Makes 8 servings)
2 c. rice – Brown rice with 2/3 stick of butter in a skillet.  Place in a casserole and cover with
4 c. chicken broth

Cover and bake for 1/2 hour at 375˚.  I’m thinking of putting it in the sun oven for about an hour  I’m still not sure of the times when using my sun oven compared to a conventional oven.  My sun oven is usually about 300-325 degrees, so I’d have to cook a little longer.

Take out of the oven and add:
3/4 c. chopped celery
3/4 c. chopped carrots
3/4 c. chopped green onions
1 c. slivered almonds
1 can chunk turkey, chicken or beef (optional)

Stir well with a fork, and return to the oven for 1/2 hour.  Season with salt and pepper before serving.

—

Marti