Marti’s Corner – 98

Hi Everyone,

NOTES:

**  One of my readers (oooooh, that sounds fancy, doesn’t it?) sent me these links for an egg replacement.

It will not make scrambled eggs or angel food cake. See the description at the link below.  She has used this egg substitute to make waffles using the Krusteaz mix, and it works just fine.

113 eggs for $5.79

34 eggs for $3.79

I went to the site to see exactly what was in it.  It contains things like potato starch, tapioca flour, and cream of tartar…..  Read all their directions and exclusions.  But still, in a pinch…. 113 eggs for under $6 might be something to think about.  (I didn’t think for long.  I bought two bags.)

** Here is one of Kris’ videos from his City Prepping website.   I ran across it on another website that I frequent.  It’s really well done.  If you haven’t seen it recently,  it’s all about bug-out bags.  How to Build Bug Out Bags for a Family 2023 (Plus Critical Items To Take) – YouTube He has great suggestions.  Remember that YOUR 72-hour kit (recommended by EVERY government agency) will be unique to you, depending on location, your carrying ability, your needs, and your budget.  He has links for EVERYTHING if you are interested.  He is awesome!  I have two bags for Craig and me.  I keep them in the car.

GARDEN HAPPENINGS

Even though it’s been cold and rainy, here in sunny So. Cal. we can garden right through the winter.  It was a gorgeous 72˚ today.  I was out watering my broccoli and saw this:

Upon further inspection, I saw dozens and dozens of these:

Not quite sure, but pretty sure they are baby snails.  They were on the sides of all the pots, up under the rims, on the plants themselves, EVERYWHERE!!!!  I scraped them off the pots, moved ALL the pots to look under them, dug them out of the holes in the bottom of the pots, moved all the pots onto the grass, swept them up and dumped them in the trash.  Then set out snail bait (Sluggo Plus) in the pots and around the pots.  Really?  This picture is actually Day 2….. somehow missed these yesterday.

THIS WEEK’S PURCHASE: emergency candles

We took a short trip to see kids up in Sacramento.  As we were visiting, our son got a phone call from his significant other that their power had just gone out.  Could he please come home and get out the generator?  He lives on 5 acres in a fairly rural area with lots of trees and wild animals.  This is actually a pretty common occurrence for them.  It’s no secret that the State of California has NOT maintained its power grid very well.  Other parts of the country face loss of power from hurricanes, tornados, and storms.  

Losing electricity is something you CAN prepare for.  When it happens is NOT the time to worry about it.  If you cannot afford a generator, maybe you can start a “fund” and put a little money aside every week.  In the meantime, how about some emergency candles?  3 for $22, and each one burns for 115 hours. SDS Liquid Oil Candles Votive Candle Fuel Survival Candles Long Burning Candles for Emergency Candle 115 Hours

This site has a great chart for comparing low-range generators, which will power the barest essentials, mid-range that will take care of most of your needs, and high-range, which will run almost everything you’ll need. Portable Generator Comparison Chart.

If you are interested in going the solar or dual fuel route, check out Kris’ video-  Best Solar Generator for 2022 (The Ultimate Guide).  Even if you don’t go that route, there’s a free downloadable spreadsheet linked from that, which will allow you to calculate your electricity needs after an emergency.

MISC PURCHASE: vinegar

There are a lot of reasons why storing a bottle or two of vinegar is a good idea.  BTW, it never goes bad.

1. Relieve the itch from poison ivy or insect bites by applying vinegar with a cotton ball or directly to the affected area.
2. Soothe a jellyfish sting by dousing the area with vinegar.
3. A quick dose of vinegar on a burn will prevent blistering.
4. Apply directly to the skin as an antiseptic for cuts and abrasions.  Use a washcloth soaked in vinegar and place all over your sunburns.  It takes out the sting.
5. Mix equal parts honey and apple cider vinegar to soothe a sore throat.
6. Soak your favorite dried beans in water with apple cider vinegar added overnight then rinse completely to lessen the gas they create.
7. A little vinegar in the water will keep egg whites from running out if cracked when boiling.  
8. Clean and deodorize plastic coolers with vinegar and water.

You can put vinegar in a spray bottle and squirt, to your heart’s delight, all the weeds and destroy them naturally without harming underground water.

9. Use 1/4 – 1/2 c. in your wash.  Not only does it brighten whites, but it also attacks harmful mold and mildew.
10. Clean sticky or gummy scissors by wiping them with distilled white vinegar, then dry them.
11. Wipe or spray your car windows in winter with a mix of e parts vinegar and one part water, and it will help keep frost at bay.  
12. Bothered by fruit flies?  Set out a bowl of apple cider vinegar with three drops of dish soap in it.  The fruit flies will be attracted by the scent and sink and drown in the mix.
13. Rub some distilled white vinegar into the sweat stains of a shirt, then launder as usual.

DO NOT USE on granite or marble countertops because it can ruin the sealant.  Also, do NOT use it on hardwood floors, cell phones, or computer screens.  

Did you know you can make your own vinegar?  

MAKING VINEGAR

1. I) Sterilize the container by filling it with boiling water and letting it stand for 5 minutes. Pour the water out and add the peelings. Cover the peels with distilled water.
2. II) Cover with cloth. Secure it carefully so that insects and dirt can’t get in there.

III) The cloth allows the natural bacteria and wild yeast in the air to colonize in the vinegar, which in turn causes it to ferment. Stir once a day to make sure that the ferment is mixing with the rest of the liquid.

1. IV) After a few weeks, you will start noticing a vinegary odor. Allow the vinegar to continue to ferment until you have the intensity that you want.
2. V) At this point, you can strain through a clean cheesecloth and bottle. Store in a cool, dark place. This homemade vinegar can be used as any other vinegar. Each ingredient you use will cause it to have a different flavor. For example, we all know what apple cider vinegar tastes like, but peach vinegar has a much different taste, fruitier and more mellow. Experiment with different combinations and ingredients to see which you like the best. If you are using as an antibiotic / antiseptic, then flavor doesn’t matter. Unless your stinky bum scent is trying to be camouflaged in your BOA…LOL

Fruits that can be Vinergarized:

Raspberries, apples, strawberries, blueberries, pears, unsprayed rose petals, ginger root, onion, dill, garlic, oregano, basil, thyme, hot peppers, lavender, cilantro, peppercorns, citrus peel, and pineapple.

FOOD STORAGE RECIPES

Chicken Tortellini Soup
Serves 4-6

Doesn’t this look good!  I made this two days ago and it was delicious.  I bought frozen tortellini and only used 1/2 of the bag.  I bought fresh spinach.  I used 1 chicken breast.  I was out of carrots, so I used my dehydrated carrots, dehydrated celery, and dehydrated onions.  Winner, winner, chicken dinner!  I also made Copycat Red Lobster’s cheese biscuits!  I like them because you use melted butter and don’t have to cut in shortening.  

In a soup pot
1 TB olive oil
3 large carrots peeled and sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced
1/2 onion, diced
     Sauté vegetables in the oil about 4-5 min.  (Here’s where it fell apart for me because I had no fresh vegetables.  So I just  started with the chicken broth and dumped in all the dehydrated vegetables to let them simmer.  Look at the picture again and you can’t tell those carrots were ever dry and shriveled.)

6 c. chicken broth
2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 t. minced garlic (I HAVE dehydrated garlic, but I usually use the garlic already minced in the jars)
1/4 tsp pepper
2 raw boneless, skinless chicken breasts – just put them whole into the water with the vegetables  (I actually used 1 1/2 breasts and when I was done I had lots left over.)

Let simmer 10-15 min until vegetables and chicken are cooked.
(So after 15 min, my dehydrated vegetables were still looking shriveled.  I let it simmer, covered, for about 45 min, and even added additional water 1/2 way through to replace what had boiled away.)
Remove the chicken to a bowl and shred with two forks.  Add back into the soup.  (I just eyeballed how much I wanted — I have at least 1/2 left over)
2 1/2 c. cheese tortellini (about 1/2 of the bag)
1 c. fresh spinach  (Cooked spinach is not my favorite, but you can’t taste it and I figure it adds nutrients)
Let simmer another 5 minutes or so to cook the tortellini and spinach.
This would make a great crock-pot meal.  Just add the tortellini and spinach about 20 min before serving.

Brownie Cookies
What is NOT to love about that?  The Cookie Rookie has a bunch of recipes like this:  M&M Brownie Cookies, S’more Brownie Cookies (Craig calls them Smurf Cookies hee hee) etc.

But these looked especially gooey and good.  BUT, when I went to make them, the recipe calls for 1 pound chopped semisweet chocolate.  Now I “have” chocolate chips, but I wondered if I could somehow use cocoa for this.  So I looked it up.  Better Homes & Gardens has a whole page on how to switch back and forth.  Have chocolate chips, but the recipe calls for cocoa?  Have cocoa, but need semi-sweet chocolate, or bitter chocolate?  Cocoa stores longer for sure.  I went with this one:  1 oz. semisweet chocolate = 1 TB cocoa powder + 2 tsp sugar + 2 tsp shortening. How to Substitute Chocolate Pieces for Cocoa Powder in Any Recipe.  

This recipe asks for 16 oz. chopped semisweet chocolate.  I used 1 c. cocoa, 2/3 c. sugar, 2/3 c. shortening
To this, I added
1/4 c. salted butter
I heated it in the microwave and stirred until smooth.

In a mixing bowl:
4 eggs
1 1/2 c. sugar
     Mix on medium speed.  Then add
1 tsp vanilla and mix.
Pour in melted chocolate and mix till combined.
1/2 c. flour, 1/2 tsp baking powder
Mix in.
Gently fold in 12 oz. milk chocolate chips.
Pour batter in a large bowl and cover.  Freeze for 1 hour.

Bake on parchment paper, 350˚.  Scoop about 2 TB in a ball about 2 inches apart.  Bake 10 min or until the cookies crack on top and appear dry on the edges.  Let cool 10 min.

CopyCat Cheddar Biscuits from Red Lobster
I shared this about 3 years ago.  I made these to go with the soup above.  So good!  I had all the ingredients, just needed cheese.  Okay, I had that too!

6-7 biscuits
1 c. flour
2 TB sugar
1/2 TB baking powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
     Mix
1/2 c. milk
1/4 c. melted butter
     Add and stir till just moist
1 c. cheese (I used colby jack because that’s what I had)
Drop by 1/4 c. on parchment

Bake 450˚ for 10-12 min.  When they come out, brush with 1/4 c. melted butter and 1/4 tsp garlic salt.  Brush on immediately.

For 14-15 biscuits
2 c. flour
2 TB sugar
1 TB baking powder
1 tsp garlic powder
3/4 tsp salt
     Mix
1 c. milk
1/2 c. melted butter
     Stir just until mixed
2 c. grated cheese
Brush with butter and garlic salt when done.  450˚ 10-12 min.

—

Marti