What is a Three Month Supply?

Posted by Crystal-Everyday Food Storage on June 7, 2009 · View Comments

So what exactly is a three month supply? What should be in it? Where should you store it? How do you know what should be in it? … These are all questions I’m commonly asked so I did a video to explain everything for you!

The pantry list I mention in the video can be downloaded by clicking HERE.

To check out Food Storage Made Easy’s VERY AWESOME Excel spreadsheet to keep track of what you should have click HERE. (Remember to watch their tutorial video!)

And if you haven’t already checked the Fun with Food Storage Network site, we’ve just added TEN new lesson plans to help you teach food storage to your kids and family (click HERE to view them). Keep checking the network site since we’ll soon be adding community lesson helps as well!

Filed under Check out my latest food storage posts!, General Food Storage Information, Hand Outs, How To Video, Instructional/How-To/Tips, Organization & Planning, Three Month Supply · Tagged with beans, cooking from scratch, delicious, food storage information, food storage recipes, food storage videos, General Food Storage Information, powdered milk, recipes, Wheat

NEW! Bread Handout!

Posted by Crystal-Everyday Food Storage on April 26, 2009 · View Comments

I hope you all had as much fun as I did learning more about “The Wonderful World of Bread” Next we’ll be talking about homemade noodles and crackers. (YUM!) And remember, we’ll re-visit bread when we talk more about sourdough and it’s role in everyday baking along with emergency baking (i.e. if you don’t have yeast or can’t get to a store to buy yeast)

Now on to the fun stuff, Yes, that is correct! You’ve asked for it and you’re getting it…a FREE bread handout. It includes the Bread FAQ’s, how to make your own dough enhancers, and some of my favorite bread recipes along with links to the how-to videos on how to make them! (Yes, every recipe included on this handout also has a how-to video on my blog that you can watch.) Download the handout and feel free to pass it along to friends, family, or people you don’t want knocking on your door in an emergency. Let’s get everyone using their food storage!

p.s. I’ve had a lot of requests to get more conversion chart magnets available….which I have also done. Click HERE for more information on them and how you can order yours. Last time they went really fast, so if you’re interested I wouldn’t procrastinate.

Filed under Hand Outs, Instructional/How-To/Tips · Tagged with beans, cooking from scratch, delicious, food storage information, food storage recipes, food storage videos, General Food Storage Information, powdered milk, recipes, Wheat

The All American BBQ Food: In-n-out Burger Recipe, Baked Beans, and Milk Shake-Food Storage Recipes

Posted by Crystal-Everyday Food Storage on June 3, 2008 · View Comments

Okay, here we go kicking off the spectacular with a classic! If you missed the milk conversion chart, make sure you click HERE to get it. Remember that there are 4 to a page so you’ll need pass along the other 3 to people you love!

Well if this isn’t a plate of classic bbq food. I don’t know what is!! We’ve got a hamburger, milk shake, baked beans, chips, and some corn on the cob. Perfect for a hot summer day…and perfect for using your food storage. If you have a big day planned, get as much done in the morning so all you have to do when you get home is finish a couple of things. If you leave the prep work until you get home, you’ll never do it and you’ll spend a lot of money eating out to re-create this meal. Get your baked beans ready to just re-heat, cut up all your hamburger fixings and put in the fridge, lay out everything you’ll need to make your milk shake, schuck your corn, and so on. When I made this meal we had the whole family over and went swimming. When I got home it took 15 minutes to have dinner on the table, much faster then getting take out!

THE BURGER

I love In-n-Out burgers (animal style of course) with the sauteed onions. Although, when I think of sauteeing onions I get tired…all that chopping, crying from the onions, extra pan to clean, etc. HA HA! This is where your food storage comes in to play (see, it really does save you time AND money!!). Remember those dehydrated onions you have? They make PERFECT sauteed onions with no cutting. So now that we already have our onions cut with out lifting a finger and in no time we need to saute them. So are you ready to wow people with little effort? Here we go…

1. Re-hydrate your onions in water that equals double the amount of onions you are using. Remember that 1/4 dehydrated onions will equal one cup chopped onion once hydrated.

2. After letting your onions sit in water for about 10 minutes, drain off any excess water.

3. Wrap in aluminum foil with a little butter and put on your grill for 5-7 minutes.

4. VOILA! Sauteed onions with no mess, no chopping, and in no time…thanks to food storage!

If you want to solidify a In-n-out animal style burger then make sure you stack your burger correctly:

Bottom Bun, thousand island dressing, tomato, lettuce, beef patty with cheese, brown mustard (put on lightly), sauteed onions, pickles, top bun.

Baked Beans

Okay, here you have two options: 1) you can use a can of beans from your 3 month supply (a great way to store and eat beans) I had a roommate in college that taught me you can always dress up a can of bbaked beans by adding 1-2 T of bbq sauce to them Try it, it makes a world of a difference. 2) if you have a large group coming, it becomes cheaper and easier to make your own. Plus a great way to use those dry beans you’re storing! I’ll be sharing a couple of baked bean recipes but this is the one I used for the picture above.

1 lb. dried white beans

1 quart water

1/2 t. salt

1 medium onion, chopped (You know I’m going to say used your dehydrated onions!)

2 T. yellow mustard

2 T. brown sugar

2 T. molasses

1 C. bbq sauce

Follow the instructions on your can of white beans to get them cooked in just a couple of hours. Save 2 cups of the water you used to cook your beans.

Once they are cooked place in a 9×13 pan and combine the beans, onion, mustard, brown sugar, molasses, bbq sauce, bacon, and 1 C. cooking liquid. Cover and bake at 400 for 45 minutes or until the beans have reached the desired thickness, stirring occasionally. You may need to add some more of the water you saved if you think it is too thick.

(I baked mine in the morning and re-heated when we got home.)

Milk Shake

Okay, if you’re still gun shy about drinking your powdered milk or you really think your kids won’t eat it…put it in a milk shake! Who is going to turn down a nice cold and creamy milkshake? Another great way that using food storage saves you money! For the amount of money it takes to buy ONE novelty milk shake you could make your whole family milk shakes of their own! We really like Oreos so we made our oreo milk shakes but you could add anything in. I’ll show you some other shake ideas in future posts.

12 OREO Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
1-1/2 cups milk (4-1/2 T. dry powdered milk +1-1/2 C. Water)
1 pt. (2 cups) vanilla ice cream, softened
2 Tbsp. chocolate syrup (I used the hot fudge sauce cold…if you missed that post click HERE)

CHOP or coarsely break cookies.

PLACE milk, ice cream and chocolate syrup in blender container. Add chopped cookies; cover. Blend on high speed until smooth.

POUR into 4 glasses. Serve immediately.

For more tips and tricks for using food storage in your everyday recipes, please visit www.everydayfoodstorage.NET

Filed under Beans that Magical Fruit, Dessert, Dinner, Easy, General Food Storage Information, Grilling, Hand Outs, Long Term Food Storage, Powdered Milk · Tagged with beans, cooking from scratch, delicious, food storage information, food storage recipes, food storage videos, General Food Storage Information, powdered milk, recipes, Wheat

Whipped Topping from Powdered Milk-Powdered Milk Food Storage Recipes

Posted by Crystal-Everyday Food Storage on June 1, 2008 · View Comments

Sorry for the late post. We had some unexpected things come up this weekend. As you can see we’re going to have a BBQ Spectacular for the month of June. I hope you’re all as excited as I am to learn about making some great summer meals with food storage along with some great family activity ideas! We’ll be covering more on milk later…things like making your own yogurt, fat-free frosting (thanks Julie!!), plus more to do with white sauces and cream soups using your magic mix (although, feel free to try it on your own and let me know how it goes!).

Here are a couple of desserts I topped with the whipped topping made from powdered milk. It was very delicious. You would like it if you like the flavor of tapioca pudding. I was glad to have any left once I realized how great it tasted with strawberries dipped in it!

Whipped Topping
3 1/2 T. Dry Powdered Milk
1 C. Boiling Water
2 T. Cold Water
2 t. Unflavored Gelatin
4 T. Sugar
1 t. Vanilla

Dissolve dry milk in boiling water (I just stick my Pyrex in the microwave with the water for a couple of minutes until it boils). Soak the gelatin in cold water. Combine the dissolved gelatin and sugar with your hot milk and stir. Chill in fridge until it jells. Beat the mixture until it acquires the consistency you would like. You may need to add a little water as you are beating for the right consistency (I know I did.) Add the vanilla and whip again.

Also, because I love you all so much I’ve created a quick milk hand out for you to keep on your fridge to help you use your powdered milk in everyday ways. It has a conversion chart for using powdered milk along with the recipes for Sweetened Condensed Milk, Evaporated Milk, and as a bonus…Buttermilk in your recipes. There are 4 to a page so hand the other three out to people you love and let’s all get prepared!!