Hi Everyone,
NOTES:
** Can you dehydrate food in the oven? Short answer is yes, although it’s not ideal. Check out this article. How To Dehydrate In The Oven: Complete Guide
** The City of Seattle sent information to all residents about being prepared. Here is what they sent concerning water storage.
**Most counties should have a website with preparedness ideas and information. Where I live It’s Home | County of Riverside Emergency Management Department. You can sign up for alerts, access information about disaster preparedness, and get updates on active events. Check your own county website for information.
At my local Winco, they had 8 oz. tomato sauce for $.28. I bought a flat of 24 cans = $6.72. I only buy the small cans because all my recipes are modified for only 2 people. Keep your eyes open for “deals” then buy a case or two.
GARDEN HAPPENINGS:
** Lemon balm is another herb that I’m growing this year. After battling with roly pollies and slugs, I finally started getting some pretty leaves. I harvested today for the first time, and the leaves are in the dehydrator.
Now, what to do with it?? Benefits and History of Lemon Balm + Tea Recipes
In a nutshell, lemon balm is a nervine, meaning it acts on the nervous system to reduce stress. It’s called a “sunshine herb”. It is also beneficial for digestion, occasional stomach upset, menstrual cramps, headaches, and restless sleep. It is one of the most “precious” essential oils on the market.
So??? What can you do with it? You can use it to make a tea, and combine it with peppermint leaf, or spearmint leaf, or a host of other herbs. Check out this video: (1078) Why You Should Grow Lemon Balm in Your Garden
** I have some really nice tomatoes ready to ripen. Ripen…ripen….ripen. It takes a lot of patience.
** I have bell peppers that are small (3 inches??). HOPEFULLY they will get bigger.
** Each day I get a small harvest: beans, blackberries, herbs, lettuce. Waiting on everything else.
THIS WEEK’S PURCHASE: vegetables
I don’t see the price of canned vegetables going down. In fact, it seems to get higher every week. Even the frozen vegetables have gone from $.99 per bag to $1.79 per bag. Almost a 100% increase!!!
You can get freeze dried green beans and freeze dried broccoli from beprepared.com for $20 a can. The beans have 19 servings, which is just a little more than $1 per serving.
A 1-lb bag of frozen beans says it has 5 servings. So you would need 4 bags of beans ($1.79 each) = $7.16. Just dump the frozen beans onto the dehydrator trays and dry away. They will shrivel up as they dry and not be very appetizing, but they will rehydrate fine in soup, or in some chicken broth.
The same with corn, it dehydrates wonderfully.
Most carrots that you buy are dehydrated dices. (And sometimes those dices are REALLY small). But you can dehydrate your own (that’s what I do). Simply peel and slice (I use a mandolin) and blanch (it makes them stay bright orange) and spread out on the trays. I’ve been doing this for so long, I almost never use fresh carrots anymore.
Of course, you can also just be flats of vegetables. You can probably get 3-4 servings out of a can, especially with children, so you’d need 5 cans @$.85 = $4.25
Whether you dehydrate or buy canned, you will save a lot of money. But if you like convenience, you can always order online.
MISC. PURCHASE: 2 bottles of peroxide and 2 bottles of alcohol
Health Uses for Hydrogen Peroxide This is from WebMD
14 Household Uses for Hydrogen Peroxide | HGTV
26 Rubbing Alcohol Uses: Home Health, Household Cleaning, and More
FOOD STORAGE RECIPES:
10 Easy Meals You Can Make From Your Pantry – Saving Talents
Soup or Sauce Mix
This is from Utah State University Extension
Attached is a pdf with fifteen pages of recipes and information.
This is a make-ahead mix. It can be used in a variety of recipes including soups, gravies, creamed vegetables, skillet meals, and casseroles. You can use it to substitute for a can of cream soup in any recipe. It is fat free. It is great for people with Celiac Disease because it contains no wheat.
Mix:
2 c. powdered non-fat dry milk
3/4 c. cornstarch
1/4 c. instant chicken bouillon
2 TB dried onion flakes
2 tsp Italian seasoning
Combine ingredients in a reclosable plastic bag, and mix well. Does NOT to be refrigerated.
To use: Mix 1/3 c. dry mix with 1 1/4 c. cold water. Whisk until well blended. Cook and stir on stovetop until thickened.
Broccoli Cheese Soup
1/3 c. SOS (soup or sauce) mix
1 1/4 c. cold water
Whisk to blend. Cook and stir to thicken.
1/3 c. fresh or frozen broccoli
1 c. grated cheese
Add broccoli and cheese, stir and heat through
Alfredo Sauce
1/3 c. SOS mix
1 1/4 c. water
1/2 c. sour cream
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese grated
1/4 tsp pepper
Mix and cook until thick. Serve over noodles.
Pizza Sauce
1/3 c. SOS mix
1/4 c. water
1 c. tomato sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
Combine, mix well, cook until thick.
Marti