10 Minutes To Preparedness

Before we hit the August preparedness challenge...(It is awesome, can't wait to share it!) let's talk Honey.  It is Honey month again.  I can pick up gallon buckets of local raw honey for $35 each.  The quality and taste are excellent. If interested, text me your order by August 17 (this next Thursday). I plan to pick it up the week of Aug 20 and I will need payment before that time so keep that in mind.

And now...

There are lots of reasons that keep people from becoming better prepared or more self reliant. But one of the big reasons is time, or rather a lack of time.

We are all so busy and, it can be difficult to invest time in becoming more prepared and self reliant.

But every one of us can find 10 minutes, right? This month's challenge is to spend 10 minutes on preparedness and self-reliance.  Two ideas below. Maybe do one, then later in the month do another.  Bonus, use them as part of FHE and get your family involved. Have family preparedness night! :)

10 Minutes To Preparedness  (Both taken from simplefamilypreparedness.com)

1. Know Your Numbers. How many phone calls do you make each day?  How many of those phone numbers that you are calling do you have memorized?  Do you know your spouse’s number?  Do you know your parent’s and siblings?  How about any of your neighbor’s numbers?  What about your home, car, or health insurance company?

Now, think….what if your cell phone was dead?  What if you drop it in the pool or leave it at a restaurant?  How will you get in touch with anyone?

Make sure you can get in touch with friends and family and other important people (like your insurance companies, doctors, pharmacy etc) no matter what, even if you can’t access your phone or your computer.

Take 10 minutes and go through your phone.  Write down all those important numbers on a small piece of paper and put them in your purse or wallet and the glove compartment of your car and your kid’s backpacks.  Also important, memorize at least two family member's #'s so if you don't have access to your list you can still get help. Easy Peasy!

2. Install Red Cross First Aid App. First aid can be a tough subject.  Obviously, most of us would want to help someone else who was in trouble.  But, some thoughts might keep you from offering assistance:

 What if I can’t remember the correct procedure?

 There are probably others better trained than I am

 What if I do more harm than good?

Save

These thoughts might stop you from helping and understandably so.  

Here is a great solution:  Add the First Aid App to your phone. It is really an awesome app, and it is FREE!

If you are interested, you can find classes from the Red Cross here.  You can also find completely free online courses here.

In addition,  get printable reminder cards (like those here, here and here) in case your phone is unavailable or out of battery or you don’t use a smart phone.

In our current society, the truth is that many (most?) of us have smart phones that are almost always on our person.  Adding a first aid app makes them just a bit smarter and puts something powerful – potentially lifesaving – in our hands.  That builds confidence real quick!

First Aid App

There are a lot of first aid apps available and truth be told, most of the quality ones cost money. 

Like I said this one is great quality AND it's free. First Aid by American Red Cross App.  

• It is FREE for Android and iOS and Kindle
• It will well designed and easy to find useful information quickly.  Review it, become familiar with it.  
• You don’t need wifi to use it
• It is fully integrated with 911 so you can call EMS from the app at any time.
• The step by step first aid instructions are simple and easy to follow
• In addition to first aid info, it includes safety tips for various natural disasters
• It has a “learning” section with videos, quizzes and badges you can share on social media (which encourages others to brush up on their first aid as well)

 Getting this app on every phone in your home won’t take you more than a few minutes, but it just may be lifesaving.  Less than 10 minutes.  Do it.

Happy prepping!

Shanna :)

Do More With Less! -Also check below for Home Storage Specials-

I love the idea of being able to use one product for multiple purposes.  It makes life so much more simple especially when it comes to our home storage.  Less items to purchase, more ways to use them, and usually at a fraction of the cost, win win!  
We learned lots of ways to use vinegar last month, this month let's learn what baking soda can do.  I think you will be surprised.  
Click HERE  to read about it and for a printable version as well.

A great thing to remember when acquiring home storage items whether it is food or otherwise, (especially non-perishable items)
Is that it is OK to store more than you might need.  I read a book on preparedness quotes by leaders of the church, and one of them specifically mentioned (because they had experience with this very thing) how important it is to store a very good quality oil.  Oil gives food a really good flavor, (really important if you don't have a variety of things to choose from) and it is also an extremely good bargaining chip.  If we ever need to barter and trade what we have for what we might need, the oil becomes a tremendous value.  
Things like vinegar and baking soda in excess could be to your advantage in bartering, and great for your multiple purposes as well.

As for the specials, the Home Storage Center is offering specially priced items until the end of July.  They are as follows:
1. Hot Cocoa Mix- 2 lb pouch for $3.50 (was $4)
2. Potato Flakes- 1.75 lb can for $4.50 (was $5)

Also now being offered as a permanent item, Honey-15.5 oz for $3.25.  Infinite shelf life.
Home Storage Center Hours:
Wed 11am - 7pm
Saturday 9am-12pm
Phone: 352-7626

Happy prepping!
Shanna

Vinegar does THAT?

There are so many things we could do to be prepared that we can't possibly do it all, we just have to decide what is most important and focus our efforts there.  If we can find ways meet multiple needs in one fell swoop, all the better.  Take a look at the list below.   I always knew I needed to store vinegar so I could bottle pickles and tomato products, but who knew vinegar could to all this?  

My suggestion; begin a file for articles such as the one below and print them out for reference.  We never know if we will have access to our computers when need the information.  Keep a hard copy. 

Even better, learn it by using the ideas. I would bet that vinegar is cheaper than most if not all of the products it replaces in the suggestions given.

1. Freshen up the fridge.  Clean the shelves and walls with a solution of half water and half vinegar.

2. Make your towels fluffy again.  If your towels are starting to get dingy and are just not fluffy anymore, run a load of laundry with 1/2 cup vinegar.                                                                                                3. Eliminate odors.  Swab plastic containers with a cloth dampened with vinegar.

4. Kill bathroom germs. Spray full-strength vinegar around the sink and tub. Wipe clean with a damp cloth. 

5. Save a garment. To remove light scorch marks on fabrics, rub gently with vinegar. Wipe with a clean cloth. This technique also works on antiperspirant stains. 

6. Tidy up a toilet. Pour a cup or more of diluted white distilled vinegar into the bowl. Let sit several hours or overnight. Scrub well with a toilet brush and flush.

7. Lose the carpet stain. Make a paste of 2 tablespoons white distilled vinegar and ¼ cup salt or baking soda. Rub into the stain and let dry. Vacuum the residue the next day. (Always test an out-of-sight part of the carpet first.) 

8. Renew paint brushes. To remove old paint, place brushes in a pot with vinegar. Soak for an hour, then turn on the stove and bring the vinegar to a simmer. Drain and rinse clean. 

9. Wipe off a dirty faucet. To get rid of lime buildup, make a paste of 1 teaspoon vinegar and 2 tablespoons salt. Apply to sink fixtures and rub with a cloth. 

10. Stop static cling. Add ½ cup of white distilled vinegar to your wash cycle. The acid reduces static and keeps dryer lint from sticking to your clothes. 

11. Make old socks look new. Get the stains out of old socks and sweaty gym clothes by soaking them in a vinegar solution. Add 1 cup of white distilled vinegar to a large pot of water, bring to a boil and drop in the stained clothes. Let them soak overnight, and in the morning stained clothes are fresh and bright.

12. Restore handbags and shoes. Wipe white distilled vinegar on scuffed leather bags and shoes. It will restore their shine and help hide the marks. 

13. Banish weeds. Pour white distilled vinegar on the weeds growing in the cracks of your walkway and driveway. Saturate the plant so the vinegar reaches the roots. 

14. Liven droopy flowers. Don’t throw out cut flowers once they start to wilt. Instead, add two tablespoons of white vinegar and one teaspoon of sugar to a quart of water. Pour the solution into your vase, and the flowers will perk up. 

15. Put an end to itching. Dab a cotton ball soaked in white vinegar on mosquito bites and insect stings. It will stop them from itching and help disinfect the area so they heal faster.

16. Whiten your teeth. Brush your teeth once a week with white distilled vinegar. Dip your toothbrush into the vinegar and brush thoroughly. It will help prevent bad breath, too.

17. Make nail polish last longer. Before you apply your favorite polish, wipe your nails with a cotton ball soaked in white distilled vinegar. The clean surface will help your manicure last. 

18. Keep car windows frost-free. Prevent windows from frosting over in a storm by coating them with a solution of three parts white distilled vinegar to one part water. The acidity hinders ice, so you won’t have to wake up early to scrape off your car. 

21. Kill bacteria in meat. Marinating in vinegar knocks out bacteria and tenderizes the meat. Create a marinade by adding ¼ cup balsamic vinegar for every 2 pounds of meat to your own blend of herbs and spices. Let the meat sit anywhere from 20 minutes to 24 hours, depending on how strong you want the flavor, then cook it in the morning without rinsing.

22. Prevent cracked eggs. Prevent eggs from cracking as they hard-boil by adding two tablespoons of white vinegar to the water. The eggs will stay intact, and the shells will peel off more easily when you’re ready to eat them. 

23. Steam away a microwave mess. Fill a small bowl with equal parts hot water and vinegar, and place it in the microwave on high for 5 minutes. As the steam fills the microwave, it loosens the mess, making clean up a breeze.  

24. Repair DVDs. If you have a worn DVD that skips or freezes, wipe it down with white distilled vinegar applied to a soft cloth. Make sure the DVD is completely dry before reinserting it into the player. 

25. Get those last drops. If you can’t get that final bit of mayonnaise or salad dressing out of the jar, dribble in a few drops of vinegar. Put the cap on tightly and shake. The remaining condiments will slide out. 

26. Rinse fruits and vegetables. Add 2 tablespoons white distilled vinegar to one pint water. Use the mixture to wash fresh fruits and vegetables, then rinse thoroughly. The solution kills more pesticide residue than does pure water.

27. Brighter Easter eggs. Before your kids dye Easter eggs, mix 1 teaspoon of vinegar with ½ cup of hot water, then add food coloring. The vinegar keeps the dye bright and prevents the color from streaking. 

28. Loosen a rusted screw. Pour vinegar onto the screw, and it will easily unstick. 

29. Remove gum. To remove gum from fabric or hair, heat a small bowl of vinegar in the microwave. Pour the warm vinegar over the gum, saturating the area. The gum will dissolve. 

30. Keep cheese from molding. Wrap cheese in a vinegar-soaked cloth, then place in an airtight container and refrigerate. 

31. Renew a loofah. Soak your loofah in equal parts vinegar and water for 24 hours to dissolve soap residue, then rinse in cold water.

32. Remove wax. If you get melted candle wax on your wood furniture or floors, gently wipe it away with a cloth soaked in a solution of equal parts white vinegar and water. 

33. Take a relaxing bath. Add ½ cup of vinegar to warm bath water for a cheap spa session at home. The vinegar removes dead skin, leaving you feeling soft and smooth. 

34. Brighten your hair. Remove hair product buildup by rinsing a tablespoon of vinegar through your hair once a month. 

35. Freshen fabrics. Fill a spray bottle with white vinegar and spritz your home to neutralize odors in fabrics, carpets, shoes or any sprayable surface. 

36. Erase crayon. If your kids get crayon marks on the walls or floor, dip a toothbrush in white vinegar and gently scrub. The vinegar breaks down the wax, making for an inexpensive, nontoxic way to clean up after children.

37. Sticky stickers. Don’t scratch at the residue left by stickers or price tags. Instead, apply vinegar to the gunk, let it sit for a few minutes, then wipe the glue away. 

38. Clean the dishwasher. Reduce soap buildup and food residue by pouring a cup of vinegar into your empty dishwasher once a month and letting it run a full cycle. 

39. Sanitize pet accidents. You can remove the stain―and smell―of your pet’s accident by mixing ¼ cup vinegar with a quart of water and blotting the mixture onto the mess with a washcloth. Continue dabbing until the spot is gone. 

40. Prep for summer grilling. To remove charcoal buildup from your grill, spray white distilled vinegar on balled up aluminum foil and scrub the grate thoroughly. 

41. Restore showerhead pressure. If your showerhead gets clogged with mineral deposits, soak it for 15 minutes in a mixture of ½ cup vinegar and 1 quart water.

42. Clean your scissors. When your scissor blades get sticky, wipe them down with a cloth dipped in full-strength white vinegar. Unlike soap and water, vinegar won’t ruin the blades or rust the metal. 

43. Unclog drains. For a natural, nontoxic way to clean clogged pipes, pour one cup of baking soda, followed by one cup of white vinegar, down the drain. Let the products bubble and foam, then flush the pipes with a pot of boiling water. 

44. Eliminate dandruff. If your scalp is feeling dry or flaky, vinegar can be a simple at-home remedy. Once a week, pour one cup of apple cider vinegar over your scalp, and let it sit for 15 minutes. Rinse thoroughly with cool water. 

45. Soften your feet. Summer sandals leaving you with cracked heals and calluses? Soak your feet for 20 minutes a day in one part vinegar to two parts warm water. The vinegar removes dead skin, leaving your feet soft and smooth.

Happy prepping!

Shanna

Are You Ready If The Lights Go Out?

Hope you all took a minute to evaluate your family preparedness should an emergency occur.  If not, the month of May is a great time to do that because we are hitting all kinds of emergency topics at the Preparedness Fair.
We are going to have lots of displays and tons of awesome information on:

Emergency kits
Cooking without power
Family safety
Water purification and storage
Emergency preparedness binders
Food storage recipes and ideas

We are working very hard to make this evening worthwhile and  helpful.  Please save time in your schedule to join us on:
May 9, 2017 (Tuesday) from 7-9 pm at the Birch St. building.  This is an open house, so come when you can and come prepared to learn.  We can't wait for you to see what we have planned for you!

To help you get motivated, take a moment to listen to a 1 minute clip from President Hinckley about temporal preparation.  It is inspiring.  Click HERE to listen

Happy Prepping!

Shanna 

Creative Ways To Get Prepared

Many times we only think of preparedness as gathering food storage.  While food storage is of primary importance, we need to look around and discover other ways to up our preparedness game so we can have that piece of mind that comes with it.  We are so blessed to live in this area where we feel protected from a lot of the concerns that a large metropolis might experience, yet it is wise to think about ways to protect our families should something unexpected occur.  For instance:

* In event of an emergency, do you know how to shut off the gas 
and power to your home?

* Do you have an emergency evacuation plan for your family in   
 event of a fire?  Do your children (or other adults)  know where 
 to meet you outside? That way if everyone does not show up, 
 you know they are still inside and may need help.

* Do your children know what to do if there is an emergency evacuation of the school, or do you have family passwords 
that help them know who they can safely go with to find you?  There is a great article (Click HERE) that explains the many great reasons to have and applications for family passwords.  The article is a bit long but read it to the end as there is so much great and useful information there.  

These are good ways to help us be better prepared, and less stressed should something happen. Hold an FHE on preparedness and practice them. :)

The Home Storage Center item we are focusing on this month is dried apple slices.  They are great straight from the can for a healthy snack, and once rehydrated, you can use them in any recipe that calls for sliced apples or applesauce.  

Click HERE to try a recipe for apple crisp and HERE for a recipe for apple cake. 

Happy prepping! :)

Who Doesn't Love Rice?

February Preparedness Challenge:

"Our Heavenly Father created this beautiful earth, with all its abundance, for our benefit and use. His purpose is to provide for our needs as we walk in faith and obedience. He has lovingly commanded us to ‘prepare every needful thing’ (see D&C 109:8) so that, should adversity come, we may care for ourselves and our neighbors..."  (See All Is Safely Gathered In)

One of the items offered at the Home Storage Center is rice.  The following recipe is one of my favorite ways to use rice, and it is so versatile.  :)  Click HERE for a printable recipe.

Easy Mexican Rice

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

1 cup white rice

Approximately 1 cup chicken broth or stock        

  Approximately 1 cup tomato sauce

  1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

  1. In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, melt together olive oil and butter. Add rice and stir to coat with oil/butter. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 2 to 3 minutes, until rice is toasted.

 2. Stir in chicken broth, tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, garlic salt, and oregano.  Increase heat to high and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Stir well, reduce heat to low, place lid on pot, and cook at a gentle simmer for 20 minutes. If rice is not quite tender or liquid is not absorbed after 20 minutes, replace lid and cook for 2 to 4 minutes longer. Remove from heat, leave covered, and allow to rest for a few minutes. Fluff rice with a fork and serve.

Serving suggestions:

1.  Serve as a side dish

2.  Serve inside a burrito with hamburger and refried beans

     and cheese, topped with sour cream and or salsa. 

3.  Serve in a burrito bowl with black beans, lettuce, cheese,   

     tomatoes, corn,  and ground beef or chicken over rice.   

     (So good, and top it off with ranch dressing, salsa ranch,   

     or even, creamy tomatillo ranch. (Cafe Rio style!)

To see what is available at the Home Storage Center and an order form, click HERE

Let's Make Bread! :)

There are lots of things you can do with your wheat from the Home Storage Center, but bread is by far my most favorite. Nothing is more satisfying to than pulling hot homemade bread from the oven. 

I have been working on this recipe for a long time and finally came up with this version that really truly is so light and delicious you won't believe it is 100% whole wheat and best of all, it is easy to make.

If you want to make great lasagna, you learn to keep all the ingredients to make it on hand.  The same applies to bread.  Mashed potato flakes are easy to find, (any grocery store or the Home Storage Center) and vital wheat gluten is in the bulk section of Winco.  

 

 Fluffy 100% Whole Wheat Bread

6 c liquid.  Begin with 1 can evaporated milk and add enough warm water to make 6 cups.

1/3 c coconut oil 

3/4 c honey 

¼ c white vinegar

½ c instant mashed potato flakes (cheap brand works)

3/4 c vital wheat gluten

4 T instant yeast

2 T salt

14 C whole wheat flour

Combine 13 cups of the flour and the remaining ingredients.  Mix just enough to combine and moisten all ingredients.  Let sit 20-25 minutes.  After resting mixture, begin kneading and add the last cup of flour if needed.  Knead 15 minutes.  Cover and let rise until fluffy, about 10 minutes.  Divide dough into 6 well-greased bread pans.  (My pans measure 4.5x8x3.  They are for 1.5 lb loaves  you will need to adjust cooking times according to the size of your loaves)

Let raise 25-30 minutes until ready for baking. (A colder kitchen will require a longer rise time) Dough will have risen above pan as shown in picture below.

While bread is rising, preheat oven to 400 degrees.  When ready, place bread in oven, turning down temperature to 350 degrees and bake 25-35 minutes (each oven varies).  I like to check bread with a thermometer and cook it to 200 degrees, but you can tell doneness if it sounds hollow when you tap it on top (after removing from the pan).   

Remove bread from pans placing on cooling racks.  Brush with melted butter.  Cool, then wrap in plastic bags to freeze.

Recently I found this honey buttermilk white bread recipe that really is so good,  if you prefer a white bread you won't be disappointed with this one.  It is an easy recipe as well. I did not add pictures, just refer to the ones above. 

Honey Buttermilk White Bread

1 ½ T yeast

a pinch of powdered ginger (helps with the rise and crumb)

1 t sugar

¼ c lukewarm water

2 c lukewarm buttermilk (or 2 T vinegar or lemon juice and enough milk to make 2 cups, let sit for at least 15 minutes)

1/3 c honey

1 ½ t salt

3/4 t baking powder

6 c white bread flour

¼ c butter melted and cooled

In a medium sized bowl or bread mixer, combine all ingredients minus 1 cup flour, and mix just until everything is moist.  Let sit and sponge for 20 minutes. 

After sponging, knead bread and add last cup of flour if needed.   Dough will pull from the sides of the bowl.

Knead until elastic and smooth, about 10 minutes.

Form into two large or 3 small loaves. Place in greased loaf pans and grease tops.

Cover, and allow to rise for 45 minutes, or until it rises about an inch above  the tops of the bread pans.

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Place in oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until internal temperatur reaches 199 degrees. You can cover the tops with foil if they brown too fast.

Remove loaves from oven and brush with melted butter.

Jolin Shaw made this bread one day, and something unexpected came up while she was making it, so she left her 12 year old in charge to finish up.  He finished mixing, put it in the pans and baked it.....it turned out great!  

You have to try this. :)

I can almost guarantee you will be extremely pleased with the results of these recipes.  Try them and see!  Send me pictures and comments via email, or post your thoughts below. I would LOVE to hear how it goes for you!  If you have questions, please call.

Happy baking!

Shanna