Marti’s Corner – 83

Hi Everyone,

NOTES:

*  Now, here’s an idea.  I have a roll of toilet paper in each of my 72-hour kits.  One roll = 1 person for 3-4 days.  But, you can get compressed wipes (for hands, face, or other needs) instead.  There are 550 wipes in this purchase.  You could toss 9-10 in your kit, and it would take up much less space!  Coin Tissues | 550 Independent Pack with 5 Carrying Cases | Compressed Towels | Camping Wipes | Toilet Paper Tablets

Three a day, and you have 180 days (1/2 year) for 1 person.  All individually wrapped.  Just a thought!

GARDEN HAPPENINGS:

**  The tomato plant I bought at Lowes and planted about 6 weeks ago has tomatoes.  Two.  Two tomatoes.  Yay!  I’m not worried.  Remember that when it is really hot, the plants don’t set fruit (put out flowers).  So, now that the temps have dropped 20 degrees, we’ll see.  I also see flowers on the beans and peppers.  Having kept most of my garden alive during the summer, I’m hoping to get a second crop.  Hoping.

*  I planted broccoli inside.  It died.  I planted it again and took it out, and it died.  Sigh.  One more try, then I think it will be too late.

*  I planted tomatoes from seed about 4 weeks ago.  They are NOT ready to transplant, but they DO have their first grown-up leaves!

*  THIS is what happens to lettuce when you don’t spray with Captain Jack’s on a regular basis as you SHOULD, and a GIANT grub comes along and eats everything down to the quick.  Argh.

THIS WEEK’S PURCHASE: Wheat

**  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has wheat for sale online.  Each case contains 6 #10 cans and is about 30 pounds for $40  Hard White Wheat or Hard Red Wheat

      On Amazon 5 lb for $15.  This is equivalent to $90 for 30 pounds.  But, you can buy it in smaller amounts.  Hard Red Winter Wheat Berries| 5 LBS

      THE BEST DEAL I can find is here:  Wholesale Wheat Berries Made From The Special Hard Red Springs.  They sell 25 pounds of wheat for $23.85.  Not sure about shipping, but per pound, this is the best deal by far.  Looks like they also sell other grains in bulk:  couscous, quinoa, cornmeal, steel-cut oats, pearled barley, rice beans, lentils, peas, etc.  Wholesale Grains Sold In A Minimum 25 Pound Containers.

Don’t like wheat?  Don’t want to mix the bread, shape the bread, or bake the bread?  Or eat the bread?  “All right,” said the Little Red Hen!  But you need grains.  Carbohydrates give you energy and are filling.  Even if you don’t bake bread, you can make brownies, biscuits, pancakes, and cookies!  If you are gluten-free (I have a grandson with Celiac’s disease), then stock up on almond flour, amaranth, buckwheat, cornmeal, chickpea flour, or millet.  Also rice and potatoes!!!

As long as I brought it up, here is a great website with diet ideas and menus:  A Guide to the Gluten-Free Diet for Kids | BeyondCeliac.org

MISC PURCHASE: Soup

The price of soup keeps rising!  I inventoried my soup last week, and I only have about 6 cans of Cream of Chicken Soup left (that’s the one I use the most).  At Winco, I bought a four-pack for about $4.50!  Individually, it can be almost $2 a can.  Yikes!  You can make a homemade-type cream soup (like a copycat recipe), but frankly, it doesn’t taste the same and I like the ease of canned soup.

FOOD STORAGE RECIPES

How to Substitute Wheat in your Favorite Recipes:

  Wheat flour is heavier than white flour and needs more leavening.

• In bread, use more yeast OR let it rise longer.
• In baking powder-leavened products, increase baking powder by 1 tsp for every 3 c. of whole wheat flour.
• In baking soda recipes, you do NOT need to adjust amounts.
• In baked products using eggs, separate the eggs and beat the whites till stiff.  Then fold in just before baking.  For extra lightness, an extra separated egg may be added.  This works well for cakes and waffles.

Blender Wheat Pancakes:
1 c. wheat
1 c. uncooked whole wheat
    Put in a blender and blend on highest speed for four or five minutes or until batter is smooth.  Add:

2 eggs
2 TB oil
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 TB honey or sugar
    Add and blend.  Bake on a hot griddle.

Graham Crackers
1 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 c. white flour
1/3 c. + 1 TB sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
    Sift together into a mixing bowl.

In a saucepan heat:
1/3 c. butter
1 TB milk

1 TB honey
     Heat until melted.

Pour into dry ingredients and stir until smooth.  Let chill 1/2 hour to 45 minutes.  Roll out dough to 1/4 inch thick between two pieces of parchment paper.  Place on a cookie sheet, still on the parchment paper.

Bake 8 minutes and rotate pan.  Bake until evenly golden-brown all over, 8-9 minutes more.  The finished graham crackers should be a shade darker than the original dough, not shiny and dry when touched in the middle.  Prick with a fork as they come out of the oven.

Wheat Muffins
2 c. whole wheat flour
1 c. brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
     Mix in a medium sized bowl.  If you are using powdered milk, add 1/3 c. powdered milk to the dry ingredients and 1 c. water to the wet ingredients.

In a large measuring cup:
1 c. milk (or 1 c. water if using powdered milk)
1/2 c. melted butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
Pour over dry ingredients and stir just until moistened.  Spoon into greased muffin tins or cupcake papers.  Bake 350˚ for 15 minutes.

—

I had an interesting conversation with a “buyer” for Whole Foods Markets up north.  I asked her how often she orders items:  Every day.  How much do you order?  A week’s worth?  No.  A day’s worth.  Sometimes 2 days at the most.  No wonder the shelves were emptied almost overnight.  Just make sure YOU are prepared.  We MUST be vigilant.

Marti