Marti’s Corner – 50

Hi Everyone,

NOTES:

*   Get a free copy of a 1930 Relief Society Cookbook, from the Nauvoo Mercantile.  75 pages of recipes. It is a collection of recipes donated by women living in Rexburg, Idaho.   1930 The Relief Society Cookbook – FREE Download

*  My tomatoes have sprouted.  I take them out in the sun and wind every day for a few hours.  This helps them get strong and not “leggy”.  If you live where there is very cold weather, you can keep them under a grow light, but put a fan on them for about an hour a day.

So WHY would you even want to do this?  Isn’t it much easier just to buy them at Home Depot?  Well, of course, it’s easier.  But then you are limited to what Home Depot has to offer.  You can see I’m growing several types of “canning” tomatoes, a few salad tomatoes, and even some “Candyland” tomatoes which are so small that you just stand at the bush and pop them into your mouth.  They never even make it into the house.  Plus, I LOVE fussing over those little babies.  It is exciting to see them grow.

LONG TERM FOCUS: Oats

Oats are just one choice for storing “whole grains”.  Other choices include: amaranth, barley, rice, corn (cornmeal, popcorn, etc), quinoa, rye, spelt, and wheat.  Whole grains contain fiber and other nutrients.  A good goal is to have 1/2 of the grains you eat should be whole grains.  

“The protein in oats is higher than that in wheat or rice.  The protein in oats is nearly equal to meat, milk, and egg protein.” (Food Storage Powerhouse, Orgill, p34)  Oats also provide vitamin B1, phosphorus, manganese, biotin, and other vitamins and minerals.  This is one reason it’s a good storage choice.

Oats, in general, include:  rolled oats, steel-cut oats, whole oats (they look a lot like wheat and can be sprouted, or cooked as is), and ground oats (like flour) can be used to make pancakes or other bread type items. 

Oats are cooked 2:1 – two parts water and 1 part oats.  (I like a shake or two of salt) and they are perfect for using a thermal cooker.  This includes something like this: 

Sunpentown Thermal Cooker – ST-60B: Rice Cookers: Home & Kitchen   (6 quarts) or a thermos, or a wonder box (Wonderbox Oven Pattern) .  There are a lot of YouTube videos on making a wonder box.  Basically, it’s just a big bag that nestles the cooking pot and keeps the heat in.  I made oatmeal in a thermos once, and just let it sit overnight.  It was perfect in the morning, just messy to clean up.  LOL.

SHORT TERM FOCUS: Breakfast Cereal

Have you tried buying Rice Krispies lately?  The stores were out of them for months, so I finally looked it up.  Evidently, Kelloggs was having difficulty getting product and then there was a labor strike.  BUT, happy news, I found them at Winco last week!!!  Can’t wait to make some Rice Krispy treats.  I try to keep 5-6 different boxes of cereal on hand. If you do, you MUST rotate them!!!  Cereal only lasts about a year.  It gets stale.  I DO tape up the ends so that the pantry moths can’t get it.  It has worked for me.

72-HOUR KIT FOCUS

*  I found this link on making a 72-hour kit that fits into a milk jug:  How to Make a 72 Hour Kit

It really doesn’t matter how big your 72-hour kit is, what matters is that you are prepared for what YOU think will matter most – even if it’s just some extra water, a pair of walking shoes, and some granola bars.  Next time you buy a new pair of tennis shoes, stick your old ones in the trunk.  If you have to walk home in high heels, your feet will thank you!!!

MISC FOCUS:

Everyone should have a Silcock key.  A Silcock key will help you find water in an urban situation.  HAUTMEC 4 Way Silcock Key PL0028

Here’s a great video about using one.  Sillcock Key: Counting Water Spigots In The City – YouTube

FOOD STORAGE RECIPES

Oatmeal Bread

This recipe is from the 1930 Recipe Book attached below.

1 c. milk – Scald milk and pour over
1 c. rolled oats

Add:
2 TB sugar
1 TB shortening
3/4 tsp salt

   Let cool to lukewarm and add

1 packet yeast (about 2 1/4 tsp) previously dissolved in 1/2 c. lukewarm water.
Add flour to knead
2 1/2 c. flour
      Let rise.  Knead and shape.  Let rise again and bake.  (No temperature or time is given.  LOL  I guess everyone at that time already knew what to do!)

Chewy No-Bake Grain and Oat Bars

This one comes from epicurious.com  

4 TB unsalted butter, cut into pieces
4 c. mixed unsweetened puffed grain cereal, such as corn, rice, kamut and/or millet
1 c. old fashioned oats
1 1/2 c. dried fruit, nuts, seeds, unsweetened shredded coconut and/or chocolate chips

   Toss everything in a large bowl (except chocolate chips) in a large bowl with your hands to evenly distribute.

Bring

1/3 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. honey 1/2 tsp salt
4 TB butter to a boil in a small saucepan and let cook 1 minute.  Remove from heat and whisk in
1/3 c. creamy nut butter and
1 tsp vanilla

     Stir until smooth.  Drizzle over puffed rice and stir with a large rubber spatula until everything is evenly coated.  If using chocolate chips, let the mixture cool about 5 minutes before mixing in.

     Scrape mixture into prepared dish and press and compact down into an even layer with buttered hands.  Let cool at least 1 hour before cutting into bars.

Here is a note from someone in the Southeast expecting a big storm:  

 “We are at an elevation calling for almost 2 ft of snow. Fortunately, our prepping lifestyle has us ahead of the game. I cleaned all the oil lamps and made sure they were filled and ready to go today. All of them are antiques. This one is my favorite little lamp.  It can sit on a table or the base can be flipped to the side to hang on the wall. Not just functional but pretty. You don’t see that in things made today. And I think I paid $6 for it at an antique shop.

We also have a battery-run shower head, Our camp lantern, generator, fans that run on batteries, a wood stove, grill, gas stove. And of course a ton of food. We ran out today to pick up a few luxury items from the store and there were SOOOOO many people out trying to find heat sources, food, lights, etc. Half of them looked totally lost. Our grocery store still had plenty of food but in the next town over the shelves were bare and there were no generators left. No propane or kerosene heaters, very few lamps or lanterns or candles to be had. I just pray that everyone gets through this snowstorm safely.”

Being prepared is simply looking ahead to the next storm, or power outage, or truck strike, or earthquake, or flood, or volcano, or zombie attack.  It’s getting ready today for what may happen tomorrow.

Marti