Marti’s Corner – 57

Hi Everyone,

NOTES:

*  Don’t know where to start with accumulating a supply of food?  Haven’t started yet? Here is a list of basic food supplies for one adult: MINIMUM YEAR SUPPLY REQUIREMENTS PER ADULT It’s a good place to start.

Just remember, it’s a good START!  Although it seems like a lot of food, it has to be stretched out over the course of a year.  And it’s for ONE adult. (Or you can think of it as a 3 month supply for a family of 4)

*  Found this too for those of you with a child in diapers: Mother-ease Cloth Diapers and Diapering Accessories.  There are actually several companies that make cloth diapers and accessories.  Just google it.

*  About this time of year, everyone is getting the gardening “itch”.  Just remember, it’s not time to set out “warm weather” plants just yet.  Check your local zone for your average last frost date.  https://www.almanac.com/gardening/frostdates   Cool-weather plants can go in the ground as soon as the garden soil can be worked. Lettuce, spinach, carrots, beets, radishes, peas, cabbage, cauliflower, turnips, Swiss Chard, green onions.

Warm weather plants.  Frost will damage or kill them.  Wait until nighttime temps are consistently in the 50s.  Plant them in the sunniest part of your garden:  beans, tomatoes, melons, potatoes, summer squash, cucumbers, pumpkins, peppers, sweet potatoes.

LONG TERM FOCUS: Rice

* Rice is a rich source of carbohydrates.  This is the main source of your body’s energy.  Even white rice has nutrients!  It is the staple crop that feeds 1/2 of the world’s population.  It is true that white rice loses nutrients when the bran and germ are removed.  However, white rice is also enriched with added nutrients such as iron and B vitamins. * Brown rice has fiber, manganese, selenium, magnesium, and B vitamins.  But the shelf life is considerably less (6 months). * Rice is gluten-free!!! *  You can use rice water to cool off skin that is inflamed.

Types of Rice

*  Jasmine rice.  It is originally from Thailand.  It has a soft, sticky texture.  It is usually steamed. *  Basmati rice.  This rice originated in the Himalayan hills.  It is flakier and drier than Jasmine rice.  It is typically boiled.  It is good for pilaf and fried rice. *  Arborio rice.  This has a soft texture and is popular for making risotto.  The starch creates a creamy finish.

You can store rice in Mylar bags, buckets, #10 cans (no longer available to do yourself), or even 2-liter bottles.  It will last for a LONG time if you can keep out the critters and moisture.

Recommended Amount: 5 pounds per person per month.

SHORT TERM FOCUS: Canned Meat

How can you store meat on the shelf?  One choice is canned meat that you can buy at the grocery store.  Another choice is to purchase freeze-dried meats from beprepared.com, Honeyville, or Thrive.  Freeze-dried is much more expensive.  The best option is to “can” the meat yourself.  You’ll need a pressure canner.  They can be pricey, but you don’t need the Cadillac model, the Chevy model will do fine.  You will need to invest in some sort of meat, or you will become a vegetarian real quick.  Which is not such a bad thing, I guess.  You can also make a “meat substitute” from wheat.  I did this once and used it to make enchiladas.  My family did not know.  It was just a small victory, but a victory none-the-less.  I will post directions on how to do that next week.  Meanwhile, THIS week, get a few cans of something:  tuna, roast beef, chicken, Spam.  Sorry, I can’t help myself.  Monty Python SPAM – YouTube

72-HOUR FOCUS: Band-Aids & Antibiotic Cream

Band-aids don’t last forever.  They get “unsticky”.  It helps to have 1 box with varying sizes and 1 box of knuckle and fingertip bandaids.  I keep the Neosporin or whatever cream is on sale right in the bandaid box.  I bought a box of little individual packets of antibacterial cream once and put them in our 72-hour kits.  I think it was a box of 100 packets, so I had plenty left over to make first aid kits for Christmas.  (Wouldn’t your kids be excited to get THAT???) LOL.

MISC FOCUS: First Aid Kits

You can buy one or put one together for yourself.  You can fit a lot into a sandwich baggie.  Stick in some bandaids

and first aid cream Antibiotic Ointment; wrap some Tylenol in tin foil; rummage around in your drawers for an extra set of tweezers (for splinters); see what else you have that would be handy.  At Girl’s Camp, the most needed items were bandaids, tweezers, Tylenol, chapstick, and moleskin for blisters Precut Moleskin for Blisters, 30 Packs Adhesive Tape Patches for Friction.  You can get all these at the grocery store.

FOOD STORAGE RECIPES

You can make your own Taco Soup in a Jar

This recipe is from Make-Ahead Meal Mom

2 c. quick-cook black beans (Something like this: Instant Black Beans 1 c. freeze-dried ground beef 2 TB dehydrated minced onion 2 TB taco seasoning 1 TB beef bouillon 1 tsp salt 1/3 c. tomato powder 1/3 c. dehydrated diced bell peppers 3/4 c. freeze-dried corn

Place in layers into a mason jar in this order:  beans, beef, onion, seasonings, tomato powder, bell peppers, corn.  Shake to settle contents.  Seal.

To cook Empty the contents of the jar into a large stockpot.  Add 8 cups of water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Reduce and simmer for 30 min until vegetables are tender.

Don’t need to feed 8 people?  Try this one

Taco Soup for Two in a Jar

1/2 c. quick-cook red beans (Instant Red Beans – currently out of stock) 1/2 c. freeze-dried hamburger or sausage 1/2 c. freeze-dried chicken 2 TB dehydrated onion 2 TB freeze-dried bell peppers 1/2 c. freeze-dried corn 2 TB tomato powder 1 1/2 tsp taco seasoning

To Prepare:  Place contents of jar in a 2-quart sized pot on the stove.  Add 5 c. water and simmer for 15 min until veggies are tender.  Serve with nacho chips, sour cream, and salsa.

Cheddar Biscuits Have you ever had the cheddar biscuits at Red Lobster?  These are just as good and very easy to do.

This is the recipe I make for just the two of us.  It makes 6-7 biscuits:

1 c. flour 1 TB sugar 1/2 TB baking powder 1/2 tsp garlic powder scant 1/2 tsp salt Mix dry ingredients.  Make a well in the center

In a small saucepan 1/4 c. melted butter 1/2 c. whole milk

Then add all at once and stir until just moist. Add 1 c. grated cheddar cheese. Drop by 1/4 c. on a baking sheet covered with parchment. Bake 10-12 minutes While the biscuits are baking, in a small dish melt 1/4 c. butter and 1/4 tsp garlic salt Brush over biscuits immediately after they come out of the oven.

Marti