Hi Everyone
NOTES:
**Whether you are worried about civil unrest, another round of some mysterious deadly disease, earthquakes, or fires – please have at LEAST 3-4 weeks of food for your family. More is better.
**We are rotating our small supply of gas: pouring gas from 5 gallon containers into the car, and refiling the containers. We try to do this about every 6 months.
GARDEN HAPPENINGS:
I replanted my lettuce in a small container to sprout indoors. As soon as it started to come up, I took it outside for sun. It’s actually under a tree, so it gets sun/shade. I will wait a while longer to transplant.
I keep them covered with a “row cover”. It’s a gauzy, light net that keeps out the bugs.
Also battling leaf miner. You cannot spray for them. They live between the layers of the leaves. You just have to cut that part out, or take off the whole leaf. If you let it go, they just get worse!
And there is the ever present powdery mildew. THAT is a constant battle for me. Cut it off, and spray with fungicide. There are homemade recipes with milk? baking soda? stuff like that, but I have an organic solution already mixed up, so that’s what I’m using. Did you notice that both the powdery mildew and leaf miner are on the squash leaves. Ugh. I have the hardest time growing zucchini or squash. Full sun, partial sun, side of the house, back yard…..doesn’t matter. ALWAYS a problem for me.
The beans look great! There are flowers, so I should have beans soon. The leaf miner and mildew do not bother the beans. Weird, huh.
The beets and carrots are up and growing. The peppers and celery are still producing. The tomatoes are pretty much done. I need to get them cleaned out.
THIS WEEK’S PURCHASE: vegetables, 20 cans
If you didn’t grow enough vegetables to can them and have them last all winter – then be glad you were not a pioneer!!!
Winco vegetables are $.80 per can for corn and beans. Dehydrated carrots are available at the Home Storage Center. BUT, having purchased a can, keep in mind they are carrot dices, not nice sliced carrots. If you want those, you can EASILY do it yourself with a dehydrator. OR you can purchase them online. This one was one of the only ones I could find where the carrots were not diced or shredded. They look sliced to me. Dried Carrots 2 Pounds Bulk-Heat Sealed in a Poly Bag-Dehydrated Dried Vegetables $20, and frankly, that’s A LOT of carrots.
Disclaimer: I have NOT tried them, I do my own.
I also have some freeze dried celery (AND dehydrated celery), some freeze dried broccoli, and some freeze dried corn. I made a list of recipes we wanted to eat, then bought the vegetables to go with those recipes.
I happened to find the following information about carrots in Simple Recipes Using Food Storage from Cedar Fort, Inc.
** Carrots will at least double in size when reconstituted. So, if in doubt, reconstitute before adding them into recipes. To reconstitute, just cover the carrots with a little over twice the amount of boiling water. it doesn’t matter if you use too much water because you are going to drain them anyway. Let stand for 20-25 minutes. Drain and measure what you want. You can also just toss them dry into all kinds of soups. Use just a handful or so.”
MISC. PURCHASE: winter gear
All you Southern CA people – Next time you are at Costco, root through all the Halloween decorations and Christmas decorations, and head for the winter coats. We don’t often have to “bundle up”. But if you have to evacuate somewhere and end up outside at night, you will need to stay warm.
Check to see if your kids’ coats still fit from last year. I remember waking up to snow in Utah, and not having enough gloves and boots for all the kids. They would not be deterred and went out with socks on their hands. Of course, they were cold and wet in 10 minutes!
We were able to gather A LOT of good winter clothes and boots during our year in Indiana. We finally put most of it, and all the long johns and wool socks, in a storage tub.
When my son was called to New Zealand on his mission, he needed a long top coat. We didn’t have any money (this has been the story of my life!), but we went to DI or Goodwill, or someplace and found a beautiful knee length coat, with a full zip out liner, for only about $15. It was a tender mercy for sure!!! When your kids finally grow out of their winter things, ask around to see if you can find someone who can use them. They may be looking for just such a blessing.
FOOD STORAGE RECIPES:
Also from Simple Recipes Using Food Storage from Cedar Fort, Inc.
Scrumptious Carrot Cake
3-4 c. boiling water
1 1/2 c. dried carrots
Pour boiling water over carrots. Let stand about 20-25 minutes to reconstitute. Drain and measure 3 cups of carrots.
Grease and flour 2 9-inch round cake pans or 1 13X9 pan.
2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 c. sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
Combine all dry ingredients into a large bowl.
In a small bowl mix:
4 beaten eggs
1 1/2 c. vegetable oil
Add to dry mixture. Mix well until well blended.
1 c. chopped nuts – fold in
Fold in carrots
Pour into prepared pans.
Bake 25-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Then turn out onto a rack to cool completely. Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
1 8-oz package of cream cheese
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 c. softened butter
1 lb. powdered sugar
1 c. chopped nuts optional
Carrot Cookies
1/2 c. dried carrots
Pour boiling water over carrots and let stand for 20-25 minutes. Drain carrots and put into a blender. Add:
1 egg. Beat until nearly smooth
In a bowl, mix:
2 c. flour
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. shortening
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
Mix well. Then add the carrot-egg mixture
1/2 – 1 c. chopped nuts optional – add in
Mix well
Spoon dough by teaspoons onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350˚ for 15 minutes.
(I’m not sure about you, but I think these could use some cream cheese frosting as well!)
Pecan Pie Bars
Makes about 12 servings
From Soups and Stews magazine we bought as we were checking out with our groceries.
Line a 9-inch square baking pan with foil, letting excess extend over the sides of the pan. Spray foil with baking spray and dust with flour.
Crust:
1 1/2 c. flour
6 TB sugar
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 c. cold unsalted butter, cubed
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar and salt. Using a pastry blender or 2 forks, cut in cold butter until mixture is crumbly. Press into the bottom of the pan.
Filing
2/3 c. sugar
2 TB flour
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 c. light corn syrup
2 TB unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs
1 c. chopped pecans
In a medium bowl, combine sugar, flour, and salt. Whisk in corn syrup, melted butter, vanilla, and eggs. Sprinkle pecans onto the prepared crust. Pour corn syrup mixture over the pecans.
Bake 350˚ for 25-30 minutes. Let cool completely. Remove from pan and cut into bars. Drizzle with melted chocolate if desired.
Marti Shelley
