Taste Test Tuesday: I Can't Believe It's Food Storage recipes

Yesterday I shared my review of the food storage cookbook:  I Can't Believe It's Food Storage by Crystal Godfrey.  Today I want to list &/or link a couple of my favorite recipes from the book and/or her website:  www.everydayfoodstorage.net.

Easy No-bake Blender Cheesecake:  find here on her website, I also posted about it here.  This recipe uses dry milk to make sweetened condensed milk, you can also use dry milk in this recipe to make yogurt cheese to replace cream cheese.
Cheeseburger Meat Loaf:  this is one recipe I have only found in her book--not on her website, I have altered it to fit my family's tastes & to use more food storage items--maybe I'll share my altered version sometime.  This recipe uses dry milk to make evaporated milk.
Whole Wheat EZ Bread:  find here on her website, I've also posted about it before and made pull-apart breads with it--see apple cinnamon pull apart bread, or pull-apart bread in recipe index.
Cheeseburger Mac n Cheese:  find here on her website, or the post I did on it here.  This recipe uses Magic Mix and dried onion
Magic Mix, Magic Mix Fudgsicles and other things made with Magic Mix (these are also found in the New Ideas for Cooking with Basic Food Storage cookbooklet I posted about before at different times) 

These are just a few of the recipes my family has enjoyed from this cookbook and the website:  www.everydayfoodstorage.net, there are many other great recipes!!!  I highly recommend this food storage cookbook, along with the New Ideas for Cooking with Basic Food Storage cookbooklet for those just starting out with using food storage--the recipes are great and easy.  But even if you are a food storage guru, you may find some things you haven't tried and like.

Miscellaneous Monday: Food Storage Cookbook Review

Food Storage Cookbook review:  "I Can't Believe It's Food Storage" by Crystal Godfrey

Layout:  Recipes are divided by main long-term food storage ingredient.  The long-term food storage items are those sold at LDS home storage centers, plus powdered eggs.

Recipes:  She includes recipes found in the Basic Food Storage recipe cookbooklet that I posted about a little bit ago and at other times; she also includes some recipes from her blog:  www.everydayfoodstorage.net, and some recipes that aren't found on her blog.  I've personally tried many of the recipes and they were great.  Total recipes between 130 and 140.

What I like:  She uses basic ingredients, the recipes aren't including food storage items that many people may not have (like powdered sour cream or tomato powder).  The recipes are also easily adaptable to personal tastes by adjusting ingredients and amounts.  She also includes FHE plans and ideas on what to include in a 3 month food storage, 1 yr food storage.  Overall I'd give this food storage cookbook a 5/5.

First Aid Friday: Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween.  Today I am sharing a few ideas on how to have a healthy and happy Halloween.  

Have a plan--where to go, when to go, with whom to go, etc.  Teach kids your rules for trick or treating.

Costumes--be sure they aren't so long that the person wearing it will trip, or other dangling things that can cause tripping, if wearing masks, be sure can see and breath with it on.  Dress for the weather

Visibility:  use flashlights, glow sticks, reflective tape to see and be seen

Children:  give and practice instructions on what to do if separated or if there is an emergency; parents sort through goodies before allowing children access--check for unwrapped goodies, obvious tampering, choking hazards for young children, etc., remember to brush teeth after eating goodies, pay attention to child’s anxiety levels, tiredness, etc.--don’t overtax them.  

Don't go trick or treating alone.

Parents stay with children.

Courtesy:  Be courteous to other families and children trick or treating.  Don't push, shove, name call, etc.  Be patient and wait turn.  Don't be picky--be thankful for what getting--say "Thank You" often.  Also, don't trample landscaping, use sidewalks & walkways.  Be kind to those who have chosen not to participate in Halloween.

Have a fun and safe Halloween.

First Aid Friday: Heart Health

Heart disease:  our nation's number one killer.  Both men and women should to be concerned about their heart health, as it affects both men and women.

What are some possible heart disease symptoms in women in particular?  Pain, pressure, squeezing in chest--that lasts or goes away and comes back; shortness of breath with or without pain; pain or discomfort in chest, back, jaw, stomach, arm(s); nausea, lightheadedness.  Men and women may feel pain in the chest, but women may be more likely to have other symptoms.

Things we can do to help limit the chances and/or severity of heart disease:  Regular testing and checkups!--know your numbers like cholestorol, blood sugar, blood pressure, etc. so you and your doctor can be more likely to catch and work on maintaining/reaching healthy levels.  Don't smoke.  Smoking has been linked to many health issues including heart disease.  Maintain a healthy weight through proper diet and exercise.  Eat a healthy diet high in fruits, veggies, lean meats/proteins, fiber and low in fats, particularly saturated fats.  Exercise can help lower and maintain a healthy blood pressure, as well as reduce fat, and otherwise keep your body working at its optimal condition.  Another benefit of exercise and healthy diet--your body can better cope with and release stress.  Gratitude & laughter--while medical journals may not include this, I am because as the saying goes:  "laughter is the best medicine."  Stress can cause unhealthy side effects, so take time to be thankful, laugh and enjoy life with your family.

Taste Test Tuesday: Honeyville grain sale & products

Taste Test Tuesday:  Another sale at Honeyville so you can get your food storage for cheaper!  

from the email you can sign up for to be notified of sales and deals:

"Honeyville's 5 day 10% Off Sale starts Today, Monday, Oct. 21st and ends Friday, Oct. 25th, 2013

. To claim your 10% savings, shop online at store.honeyvillegrain.com before the sale ends. Just shop as usual, then simply enter the coupon code "HARVEST" during checkout and enjoy the savings."

This sale started yesterday, I meant to post but as always some well meant things get put aside.  This sale goes till Friday so there is still time to take advantage of it.

As far as taste test Tuesday:  of the products I have bought from Honeyville grain, I have thought they all were good quality and tasty--well as tasty as dried or freeze dried/powdered foods can be compared to fresh, as fresh is almost always better tasting.  But when it comes to having shelf stable foods, I have really liked the ones I have tried from Honeyville, especially the dried green onion--so nice to have on hand!!!

Here are some of the foods I have tried and liked and how I have used them:
green onion:  mixed in with eggs, on/in enchiladas, cheese & egg casseroles
diced potatoes:  in soups and pot pies--perfect size for these as they are small cubes--about the size of a pinkie nail--but in the shape of a cube
hashbrown potatoes:  as hashbrowns, or potato casseroles where shredded potatoes are nice to have
egg powder:  for baking--cakes, brownies, rolls, etc.  Remember egg powder was designed for baking not for eating like scrambled eggs--they do have a different taste, but in baked goods that difference in taste isn't noticeable.
freeze dried fruits (blueberries and strawberries):  great for snacking, in oatmeal or other cereals, in yogurt, rehydrated to make a fruit sauce for desserts or yogurt.

Notes:  Once you open a can of freeze dried or dried food, you should use it within 6-12 months.  I found this particularly true with freeze dried--as they do absorb moisture over time.  Also, I recommend reading the comments that customers have made, as they often have great ideas on how to use the food or insight on why or why not the person liked the product.

Taste Test Tuesday: Replacing oil with beans in box mixes

Yesterday I shared my review on the cookbooklet:  New Ideas for Cooking with Basic Food Storage.  Today I am sharing one of the tips from that booklet:  to replace fats in baked goods with beans.  To help make it not as scary to use beans instead of fats like oil, start with box mixes for brownies and cakes then try from-scratch recipes.

Replacing oils:  puree cooked beans in the blender--add a little water as necessary to puree.
Replacing butter/shortening/margarine:  mash cooked beans, adding more liquid if necessary to recipe.

Enjoy!

Miscellaneous Monday: Food Storage Cookbook Review

There are many sources available for recipes that use food storage items, specifically long-term food storage items.  One of these sources is a recipe booklet:  New Ideas for Cooking with Basic Food Storage.  I've posted about this booklet before like on the post found here; it is also available online in a couple places, here is one such place.  Well today, I am going to share my review on this recipe booklet.

First off, the layout.  The recipes are categorized by the long-term food storage item main ingredient.  Recipes that use wheat are together, recipes that use oats are together, etc.  I like this layout for when I want to use a specific long-term food storage item, as I can easily find a bunch of recipes all together.

The recipes & tips:  Most of the recipes are easy to make and tasty.  They don't require a lot of food items that most people don't have on hand, nor do they require food storage items beyond basics that some/many people may not have like powdered butter, freeze dried foods, or tomato powder.  They do indeed help someone use their food storage items.  Some of the recipes I have shared on this blog come from this recipe booklet.  I've also seen other food storage blogs that have used these recipes.

Overall: If I was to give a score I'd say A+ or 5/5.  It is a very handy recipe booklet to have for those who want to know how to use basic long-term food storage items (sold at a LDS Home Storage Center, aka cannery)--wheat, oats, beans, rice, dry milk, flour, dried apples, etc.  I like that it uses basic ingredients for the recipes.  I've not tried all of the recipes, but those I have tried I liked.

Wednesday Why: Vacuum Sealing Bread Products

Have you ever tried to vacuum seal bread or bread products?  Is it possible to do so without squishing the bread?  As you can see in the picture below, there is a way to seal bread and a way not too--unless you don't mind really compact bread.  On the left are hotdog buns that were simply put into the vacuum sealing bag and then vacuum sealed--a big mess of mashed buns that don't go back to bun shape once taken out.  On the right are hamburger buns that were first put into a ziploc bag, and as much air removed as possible, then put into a vacuum sealing bag and vacuum sealed.  The buns stayed in their original shape.  If you don't think you will be using bread products within a short time, you may want to vacuum seal them, but I would suggest using ziploc (or generic) bags first so that your bread doesn't get all mashed.

Other vacuum sealing hints and tips:  slightly freeze meats first--otherwise the vacuum sealer will be sucking a lot of juices (blood) out of them, also they keep better shape--like bread--if slightly frozen first.  Make sure the bag you are using is the proper size--too small and it won't be able to vacuum seal properly, too big and well you are wasting bag--unless you are going to be cutting it open, using some of the contents and then resealing it then you aren't wasting bag--but actually saving since you are reusing.  LABEL!  Always label what you store in your freezer, on the shelf, etc.--it really is amazing how you can forget or can't identify things if they aren't labeled correctly.  ROTATE!  Just because something is frozen does not mean it will last forever--frozen food has a freezer life just like canned food has a shelf life--freezing only slows down microorganisms it doesn't kill them, also taste, texture and nutrition does change over time.

Taste Test Tuesday: Greek Yogurt Pancakes

Mmm...pancakes.  We like our pancakes, particularly when they can be made a little healthier.  These greek yogurt pancakes replace the usual oil used in pancakes with greek yogurt, they also use whole wheat flour, so I like to think they are healthier than your run of the mill pancake mix pancakes.  This recipe works great to use dry milk both for making the greek yogurt as well as the milk needed.

Enjoy!