7.0 Utah Earthquake

Check out a great article in Sunday, January 17th's Deseret News on earthquakes in Utah. It is the cover of section A and also on page A 8,9 &10. Click HERE to read it online. There are great check lists of items to have in 72-hour kits and a description of which areas would be hit the hardest if we had a 7.0 earthquake. The valley would pretty much be split into sections and getting from one area to another would be impossible. We need to be prepared to help ourselves and our neighborhood. I do know how much more strongly it can be said. BE PREPARED!! GET WATER AND SUPPLIES TOGETHER NOW!! (the picture is of the faultline area by Little Cottonwood Canyon)

Powdered Milk As A Sugar Substitute

As we continue our powdered milk journey this month I came across an interesting idea. Powdered milk can replace the white sugar in baking. I had to try this out. I tried out my favorite chocolate chip recipe and replaced all sorts of ingredients for the naughty stuff in them. I will write the recipe as it should be and in the parenthesis I will list the replacement I used. Just a note, the cookies won't brown as much as usual because there is no butter or white sugar in them and you have to spray your cookie sheet since the fat will be removed. (I learned that the hard way :)

After the cookie recipe I came across a recipe for a sugar free frosting recipe using Splenda and powdered sugar. I am not big on using "fake" (meaning I would rather use white sugar than a replacement that is fake) food but if you have diabetes and need to eliminate sugar this may work for you.

Chocolate Chip Cookies (the healthy way)

2 C flour (substitute 2 c wheat flour)

1/2 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

3/4 C butter, melted (substitute 3/4 C applesauce)

1 C brown sugar

1/2 C white sugar (substitute 1/2 C powdered milk)

1 T vanilla

1 egg (use powdered egg 1 T powder + 2 T water just added don't need to premix)

1 egg yolk (I used 1 T egg powder and only 1 T water)

2 C chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325. Cream the butter (applesauce) and sugars (powdered milk). It won't really cream like real butter just mix well. Beat in the eggs, vanilla, and then add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Take 1/4 C dough and place on cookie sheet 3" apart. Bake for 15-17 minutes. Remember they won't brown like real cookies so don't go by color when you think they are done. Mine took about 16 minutes. Let cool on cookie sheet.

Confectioners Sugar Replacement

2 C powdered milk

2 C cornstarch

1 C Splenda (sugar substitute)

Combine all in a blender or food processor and whip until well blended and powdered. Use as a frosting, baking, etc.

January Self-Reliant Goals:
Storage Goal: Powdered Milk 16lbs PP: Powdered milk at the cannery now costs $34.80 for a $25lb bag. If you can only go down and buy the 25lb bags that is great, it is a start.
Non-Food Storage Goal: Bleach 1 gallon per person. This will be used for cleaning and water purification.
72-Hour Kit Goal: Gather a change of clothes including underwear and shoes for every family member. Include warm coats and boots or have them immediately accessible. Also put $20 in cash in small bills in your kits.

Enjoy the journey!
Enjoy the blessings!
Feel the peace!!

Powdered Milk Continued.......

Today's post comes from a friend of mine who knows everything there is to know about powdered milk. Keep an open mind as you read through the recipes and don't think that it is too difficult to make yogurt or cottage cheese. 

(information below from Jodee Packer)

There are several varieties of powdered milk (of course, there are flavored ones as well -- like chocolate!). Storage temperature is very critical in the long term keeping of powdered milks. The cooler, the longer it will keep the flavor on the palatable end (of course, using nitrogen pack/oxygen absorbers as well). Using a bucket or very large container for storage does work -- but it must be used more rapidly than that quantity in smaller containers due to exposure to oxygen upon opening. Mylar pouches or cans are ideal for most people. Keep sealed tight once opened -- moisture in the air will cause clumping. 

Regular nonfat (non-instant):

• more expensive, but you use less product
• averages about .80 cents per gallon of skim milk when reconstituted

This is the product sold by the LDS Cannery and several other companies. It is a dense dairy dehydrated milk powder that generally takes a bit of good mixing to get it to dissolve back into water without lumps -- using a blender or a whisk. It is milk that is basically spray-dried and put through one pass in the dehydration process. For the best flavor, shelf life is 3-5 years. After that, the flavor can start to definitely go down hill, although it is still usable for up to 10+ depending on storage environment. It can be used in all cooking. Do make sure it is well blended into dry ingredients when added in as a powder, or you can get powdered milk lumps. This can be sold as fortified and not fortified with vitamins A and D. Be sure and get one fortified, as these vitamins help with proper nutrient absorption.

Non-Instant Milk /Instant Store Milk

(picture from Adventures in Self Reliance)

Instant nonfat:

• cheaper to buy, but you use about twice as much in the long run

There is large crystallized versus small crystallized that is more of a powder in appearance. The product sold by the grocery stores is mostly large crystallized granules (Carnation, Smiths brand, etc.) and milk purchased this way is the most expensive per pound. In large bulk bags, like Maple Island, Country Cream, Country Pride, Best Pack, and Walton (Humboldt) brands -- these are just dehydrated like the regular, but run through the process a second time in order to make a slightly larger size of the powder than the regular -- so it is lighter and airier and thus dissolves into water more readily than the regular. For the best flavor, shelf life is 3-5 years, after that, the flavor does start to change, but just as with the regular, it still can be used for years even if the flavor is off. Can be used in all cooking. Same as with regular nonfat milk, this can be sold as fortified and not fortified with vitamins A and D. Be sure and get one fortified, as these vitamins help with proper nutrient absorption. 

Whole: This is powdered milk with the milk-fats left in and usually runs around 4% milk fat when reconstituted. Because of this fat, it has a very short shelf life -- closer to 3 years nitrogen packed. Several sources recommend storing this powder refrigerated. Maple Island does make a whole milk powdered product in addition to their nonfat products (www.maple-island.com). This would be an excellent item to have on hand with younger children or children with health concerns requiring higher caloric intake.

Whey based: Morning Moo is an example of this type of product. They use the sweet dairy whey as the base and then add in vitamins A & D to fortify the product to come up with a milk alternative drink. This is dissolved into tepid hot water and then cold water can be added. Shelf life usually runs about 5 + years based on temperature stored. It can be used in recipes that call for fluid milk except puddings, ice cream and yogurt (note: Morning Moos milk contains less fat than whole milk and will not set up in products that need fat as a thickener). Although Morning Moos milk takes hot water to mix the ingredients, a very small amount of hot water is needed, only one cup to dissolve the ingredients for 8 c of milk. During freezing temps and if you don't have ready access to warm water -- you might want to consider a solar cooker set up to warm up your water to dissolve this product.

Soy and rice based: For those allergic to milk from cows, soy based and rice based products are available. Generally, they are very expensive and hard to come by in the powdered form. It is most often readily available only in the fluid fortified form -- not the powder for making up yourself. However, it is possible to get the powdered product, but it is pricey and hard to come by. You can also just make your own milk from rice or soybeans, but it will not be fortified (directions located in several cookbooks and websites). Alternate sources for calcium intake need to be evaluated. Sources for those with allergies or concerns: Dixie's Soy Milk : 1-800-233-3668 ext. 300, www.dixiediner.com; Better Than Milk : Rice or Soy 1-800-227-2320 by Fuller Life Company; Soy Quick by Ener-G 1-800-331-5222; Trophic's Best (Tofu Delight) by the Blue Chip Group 1-801-263-6667. These can be made yourself, but again, evaluate for calcium levels and supplementation. Foods made with low fat powdered milk will have fewer calories and less cholesterol than those made from whole milk. Adding additional powdered milk to the recipe will enhance the nutritive value of the recipe without increasing fat content. So, for children struggling to eat enough calories, adding extra powdered milk in with the dry ingredients is definitely a great alternative.

Reconstituting Powdered Milk

This is a table I Use for replacing powdered milk for regular milk in my recipes.
 
*1/4 cup milk = 1/4 cup water & 1 1/2 Tablespoons Powder Milk

*1/3 cup milk = 1/3 cup water & 2 Tablespoons + 1 Tsp. Powder Milk

*1/2 cup milk = 1/2 cup water & 3 Tablespoons Powder Milk

*1 cup milk = 1 cup water & 1/3 cup Powder Milk

*1 quart milk = 3 3/4 cup water & 1 1/3 cups Powder Milk

*2 quarts milk = 7 2/3 cups water & 2 2/3 cups Powder Milk

*1 gallon milk = 15 1/2 cups water & 5 1/3 cups 

Powdered Milk
The table above will help you work out the amount of powdered milk you will need to prepare a specific measurement of liquid milk. 

Here are some tips to help the milk turn out as fresh tasting as possible: Fill your pitcher or container with half the amount of water you will be using. Measure in the appropriate amount of dry milk powder. Stir to dissolve. Fill the pitcher with the balance of the water called for above. Stir again and chill. Use cool water when possible. The powder tends to dissolve more readily in cool water. Stir the milk a lot, to dissolve the milk powder. Then let the milk sit for a little while and stir again. The protein in the milk powder blends most easily if it gets a chance to stand after mixing. Powdered milk may be used immediately after mixing if desired. For the best flavor chill the milk for at least 4 hours or overnight.


Homemade Cottage Cheese

This is the best and easiest recipe. Tastes just like the stuff you get in the store for a fraction of the cost. The best part - it only takes 5 minutes or less to make!
2 cups water
3 Tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar (vinegar is cheaper and stores better, either one is fine to use, the taste isn't affected either way)
3/4 cup dry milk powder (non-instant like from LDS cannery)
OR 1 1/2 cups instant (country pride or stuff from grocery store)
If using dry milk powder, blend water and dry milk together and heat in a saucepan until it starts to steam, stirring constantly, then remove from heat; or place in microwave and heat until it foams and rises to top of bowl. If using instant milk, bring water to a boil and remove from heat, then stir in milk with a wire whisk. DRIP juice/vinegar around the edge of the pan and gently stir, milk will immediately start to curdle, separating into curds and whey. Let rest 1 minute. Pour into a colander, rinse with HOT water, then rinse with cold water and break apart into as small of curds as you want. (do this for about 1 minute until no whey drips.) Makes about 1 1/2 cups curds. Add sour cream or yogurt to cream. Add salt to taste. Use non-instant dry milk powder for ricotta and instant for table use or when you are in a hurry.



Broccoli Soup
Serves 8 cups
3 cups broccoli, chopped
1/2 cup celery, diced
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 cups chicken broth
4 cups milk (4 C. water + 1 C Powdered milk reconstituted)
4 T cornstarch
1/2 t salt
2 pinch pepper
2 pinch thyme, ground (I skipped this and it tasted great)
1/2 cup cheese, cheddar or swiss, grated (I used about 1 cup)
Place veggies and broth in saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and cook until veggies are tender, about 8 minutes. Mix milk, cornstarch, salt, pepper and thyme; add to cooked vegetables. Cook, stirring constantly (or it will scorch pan), until soup is slightly thickened and mixture just begins to boil. Remove from heat, add cheese and stir until melted.

Powdered Milk Yogurt Recipe

There are many uses for yogurt beyond the obvious. Here are some of the ways we use it: mixed with granola, as a sour cream substitute, to make smoothies, to make fruity yogurt Popsicle, to make salad dressings, to make yogurt cheese, etc. Times do not reflect the incubation period.
10 min 10 min prep

SERVES 6 -8 , 1 quart

• 3 3/4 cups warm tap water
• 1 cup powdered milk (non-instant)
• 2-4 tablespoons Dannon plain yogurt (LIVE CULTURES REQUIRED)

1. Combine the warm water with the powdered milk and place in a medium saucepan. (I sometimes blend some of the water with the powdered milk in my electric blender to make it smooth or use an emulsion blender.)
2. (You could add 1/3 C sugar and 1 T vanilla extract at this point for vanilla yogurt. Try other flavorings too.).
3. Heat the milk mixture to 180 degrees or until small bubbles form on the side of the pan and the milk begins to rise up (about 5 minutes.).
4. Pour the scalded milk into a pitcher and allow to cool to 100 degrees (about 50 minutes). When the milk mixture has cooled to 100 degrees, stir in the yogurt starter (Dannon yogurt).
5. Pour the yogurt into a clean quart canning jar and cover with the lid. Wrap the jar in a towel or blanket and place in a Styrofoam cooler. Be sure it is wrapped tight without any room for air to circulate around the jars. Pack it snug. Let the yogurt incubate in the box for 9 hours.
6. Remove the jars from the hay box and place in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
7. Note: You can add a couple T of your favorite fruit jam in the bottom of the glass jars before pouring the unset yogurt mixture into the jars.
8. Save a bit of the yogurt from this batch (before adding any sugar or flavoring or it won't set) to use as the starter for your next batch - so you don’t have to buy the Dannon Yogurt again. Well, at least not for a while. Eventually you might want to start with a fresh starter as the taste will get stronger with each batch (about every third or fourth time).
9. You can buy a large container of Dannon Yogurt and freeze the unused portion in ice cube trays to use for later yogurt batches.
10. Chill.

Cream Cheese/Yogurt Cheese: Line a colander with a clean, damp piece of cloth. Pour prepared yogurt into the cloth. (Remember not to add sugar or vanilla if making sour cream or cream cheese.) Allow the yogurt to drain overnight. In the morning the remaining solids will be yogurt cheese. They can be used anywhere you would use cream cheese or thick sour cream.

With practice you can also make Ricotta or Cottage cheese and with more practice and a Rennet tablet you can make mozzarella.
**These recipes may seem time consuming and maybe even intimidating, but they are so useful. You don't want to wait for an emergency to have to learn these skills so please challenge yourself to try at least to make yogurt. I have a yogurt maker that the yogurt mixture goes in to incubate. I love it and the yogurt is so much better than store bought. (Check the instructions that come with your maker because my recipe is slightly different than the one above) If I can make yogurt then anyone can!! I am not a great cook but I figured it out and it is easier than making bread :)

January Self-Reliant Goals:

Storage Goal: Powdered Milk 16lbs PP

Non-Food Storage Goal: Bleach 1 gallon per person. This will be used for cleaning and water purification.

72-Hour Kit Goal:Gather a change of clothes including underwear and shoes for every family member. Include warm coats and boots or have them immediately accessible. Also put $20 in cash in small bills in your kits.

Enjoy the journey!
Enjoy the blessings!
Feel the peace!!

Caselot Sales Begin!

The cartoon picture is exactly how I feel when I hear that we are going to have a case lot sale. The grocery stores must have heard about our food storage goals and wanted us to get a head start. All kidding aside, this is a great opportunity to stock up on some canned goods and sugar before the food prices start to climb.stop in and grab a few things. 


Case Lot sales usually occur in September, January, and April in Utah.  Check your local grocery stores to see if they have them as well.  Sometimes your grocery manager will order cases for you, if you ask!


Storage Goal: Powdered Milk 16lbs PP

Non-Food Storage Goal: Bleach 1 gallon per person. This will be used for cleaning and water purification.

72-Hour Kit Goal:
Gather a change of clothes including underwear and shoes for every family member. Include warm coats and boots or have them immediately accessible. Also put $20 in cash in small bills in your kits.

Enjoy the journey!
Enjoy the blessings!
Feel the peace!!

January Goals~ Powdered Milk

We are starting a new year and a whole year of food storage fun! Month by month we are going gather our storage and become self-reliant. This is the year that we are all going to commit to have on hand the items that our families needs to survive. We are not going to count on our neighbors to be ready and prepared. No more excuses of it costing too much or that the food expires before it gets used. (The Church has done studies to show that #10 cans of oats, pasta, rice, wheat, & cornmeal in the proper environment lasts 30+ years- powdered milk lasts 20+ years) With all this in mind we are starting January off with powdered milk. I know what you are thinking, yuck, but stay with me and follow along.

* There are many things that can be done with powdered milk other than just drinking it straight.

Foods made with powdered milk will have fewer calories and less cholesterol that those made from whole milk. Adding additional milk to the recipe will enhance the nutritive value of the recipe. In any recipe calling for milk, simply add the dry milk to the other dry ingredients. Sift to blend, then add the water to the wet ingredients. 

*There are 2 kinds of powdered milk, instant, and non-instant. The cannery sells NON-Instant milk and that is the kind I use. You find instant milk at the grocery store and it may seem cheaper than non-instant but in the long run the cannery is a better deal. Instant powdered milk is lighter and fluffier because it has been puffed with air. That is what makes it easier to mix. When cooking you need to use twice as much instant milk to equal non-instant. In all the recipes I am using the amount of milk is for non-instant milk. You will need 16lbs per person per year (this quantity allows you one 8oz glass per day for a year), but as always only store what your family uses. If you have small children you may need more and remember there are so many things to make from powdered milk so at least keep 6 #10 cans on hand. 

You can make all of these from powdered milk:

Whole milk

1 C water 1/3 C powdered milk

Evaporated Milk

1 C water 2/3 C powdered milk

Whipped Evaporated Milk

Makes 3 cups

1 c evaporated milk (above) 2 T lemon juice

Thoroughly chill evaporated milk. Add lemon juice and whip until stiff. Sweeten and flavor as desired.

Condensed Milk

1/2 C hot water 1 C sugar 1 C powdered milk

Blend thoroughly in blender. Can be stored in refrigerator or frozen.

"Eagle Brand" sweetened condensed milk

1 C hot water 2 C sugar

4 C powdered milk 1/4 C butter

Blend in blender very well. Can be stored in refrigerator or frozen.

Buttermilk or Sour Milk

1 C water 1/3 C powdered milk 1 T vinegar or lemon juice

Let sit couple minutes to "sour" before using in recipes.

Drinkable Powdered Milk

To improve the flavor of powdered milk, mix it half and half with store milk (I did this and my kids had no idea-they noticed when it was all powdered milk). Another suggestion would be to add a little sugar (1 t at a time) or vanilla to enhance the flavor. Let it chill a couple of hours or overnight before drinking.

Now that you know how to mix it lets get to the fun recipes.

Peanut Butter Chews

1 C powdered sugar 1 C non instant powdered milk (2 c instant)

1 C peanut butter 1 C corn syrup or honey

Mix powdered sugar and powdered milk thoroughly. Add peanut butter and syrup mixture. You may need to knead it with your hands. Press into cake pan or roll into walnut size balls. (Optional: add nuts or rice krispies & dip in chocolate).

Cocoa Mix

7 1/2 C non-instant powdered milk 1 1/2 C sugar

1 C cocoa powder 1 1/2 t salt

Mix well. To use: Mix 1/2 C mix with 1 C hot water.

Fruit Smoothies

2 C bottled fruit with juices

4 T powdered milk to 3/4 C water

1 T lemon juice

Put in blender and blend until smooth. Add 1/2 tray ice cubes and blend until smooth.

Instant Oatmeal Packets-makes 6 packets

3/4 C rolled oats

1 1/2 C quick oats

1/2 C powdered milk

1/2 C sugar (white or brown)

scant teaspoon salt

1/2 t cinnamon

Blend dry rolled oats in blender, pulsing until oats are powdery (not flour). In a mixing bowl, combine powdery oats and the remaining ingredients.

Put 1/2 C of mix into baggies.

To use: combine 1/2 c oat mix and 2/3 C water in bowl and microwave for 2 minutes.

You can add dried fruit to baggies for different flavors.

Creamy Maple Syrup (from The Essential Food Storage Cookbook)

1 C sugar

1 C brown sugar

1 C water

1/3 C powdered milk

1 t maple flavoring

1/2 t vanilla

2 T butter

Bring sugar, brown sugar, water, and powdered milk to a boil stirring constantly. Cook and stir for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and add maple flavoring, vanilla, and butter stirring to combine and to melt butter.

As you can see there are many ways to use your powdered milk. So even if you aren't going to store powdered milk to drink you will need it to make any of the recipes above. I know a lot of bread recipes call for powdered milk as well. 

January Self-Reliant Goals:

Storage Goal: Powdered Milk 16lbs PP

Non-Food Storage Goal: Bleach 1 gallon per person. This will be used for cleaning and water purification. Write the date of purchase on the container before putting it on your shelf.  It expires in about a year.

72-Hour Kit Goal:

Gather a change of clothes including underwear and shoes for every family member. Include warm coats and boots or have them immediately accessible. Also put $20 in cash in small bills in your kits. 

Enjoy the journey!

Enjoy the blessings!

Feel the peace!!

Variety is the Spice of Food Storage

Now that Christmas is over winter could be done too in my opinion. The dark, cold days of winter can get very monotonous. I wish spring with all the vibrant colors would get here a little faster than it does. While thinking of this I also thought of food storage and how it can also become monotonous and bland.

If you were to eat from your food storage for the next month with NO trips to the store for any item, could you do it? I bet we would find some gaps in our food storage. At first we may have fresh fruit or veggies, but after 2 weeks or so they would be gone and then what? If you have canned or dried substitutes your family may not even realize you had to use them as a substitute. But most of us would be eating pretty bland food.

Some food that we use all the time is cheese, but do we have it stored for long term use. Some of the big blocks of cheese at the grocery store are vacuum sealed cheese (Tillamook is a great example) and will last months in the fridge if unopened. You can also vacuum seal your cheese after opening with a Food Saver and it will last a lot longer. Freezing shredded cheese is also a great option and cheese powder in a #10 can would work for some baking recipes. I've also read that if you wrap your cheese in aluminum foil, with no air gaps, it will last a lot longer too.

I thought of other food items that would add spice to an otherwise bland storage. We can have wheat, pasta, rice, flour, but without some added flavor we would be sick of eating it after awhile. 

Items to spice up your bland food storage: (only buy what your family uses)

-Ketchup
-Salsa 
-Spices of all kinds
-Cocoa powder (stores indefinitely)
-Chocolate chips (vacuum seal in mason jars for maximum shelf life)
-Brownie and cake mixes
-Cheese
-Eggs (powdered eggs are amazingly simple to use)
-Butter (butter powder is available)
-Drink mixes to add some variety to water
-Shortening/oil (not much baking can be done without it)
-Soy Sauce
-Candy/Chocolate (store candy in #10 cans marked as pinto beans and no one but you will know they are there, that way it will stay part of the food storage and not some late night candy raid :)

We also need to have variety in our everyday storage. Think of all the pastas that are out there. My kids will think I have made a new dinner just because there is a new pasta in the pan. Store more than just spaghetti. Sugar also has more than one form, white, brown, powdered, honey and molasses. There are many dinners that you can make starting with bullion or soup base. Don't forget to store beef, chicken, and even pork varieties. (Winco has soup base in their bulk bin area for a great price). Having just a little variety will make your storage last a lot longer with-out your family getting bored. 

A great non-food item to store would be cheesecloth. You can use it to make cheese from powdered milk and also need it to make cottage cheese. (Rennet tablets also come in handy for cottage cheese making)

One of the most important items I think to store are canned FRUITS AND VEGGIES. Your family needs to store 185lbs of EACH (on average) to have a year supply. That's a lot of produce. This summer and fall I bought fresh fruit and veggies when they were at their cheapest and we ate what we could and I dehydrated the rest. I then vacuumed sealed the dried food into mason jars and they should keep for a couple years on the shelf. I recently dried celery after having a bunch left over from Thanksgiving time and it shrunk down to nothing and I used it in soup (after reconstituting it) and it was wonderful. A dehydrator is a great investment to make and I can't believe all the things I have dried: green onions, celery, apples, white onion, cilantro, carrots, bananas, grapes (that was fun to see turn to raisins) etc. This also saves a ton of money by buying the food when they are in season and then we able to use them all winter and not having to pay high prices.

During fruit tree season ask neighbors and friends to let you have fruit that is not getting picked or is on the ground. You can cook with them, freeze them or dehydrate and save lots of money too. Canned or dried vegetables are also a must. I love to look at my canned food storage and see all the different colored labels, it means I have variety, think spring and how colorful it is. Our food storage needs to look like that as well. Here is a list of fruits and veggies to store (of course only store what you will use):

Applesauce (also great for an oil substitute in baking)
Dry fruit (raisins, coconut, apples)
Fruit cocktail
Mandarin oranges
Peaches
Pears
Pineapple 
Beets
Carrots  (dried)
Corn 
Green beans  
Green Chilies
Instant potatoes
Mixed vegetables
Mushrooms
Onions- dried minced
Peas
Pickles 
Pumpkin 
Salsa 
Spaghetti sauce
Tomato paste 
Tomato sauce 
Tomato soup 
Tomatoes 
Yams

As you can see there are many ways to store fruits and veggies. Pick a few to focus on in the next couple of weeks and add some variety to your food storage.

Here is an easy recipe using canned items.

Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken
1 can black beans drained an rinsed
1 can corn drained
1 large bottle salsa
2-3 chicken breasts
Add all to a slow cooker and cook on high 2-3 hours. Shred chicken when cooked all the way through.
We eat this on tortillas with some rice.

Self-Reliant Goals for December:

Long Term Goals:
Flour 75lbs PP
Sugar 60lbs PP

3-Month Supply Goals:
Substitute a canned version
of a fresh ingredients in one of your recipes sometime this month. Even if you love to use fresh ingredients, you will need a canned version if there was no electricity or major disaster.

72-Hour Kit Goal:
Try to find the little Hotties body warmers. The packs of body warmers will definitely be needed if we encounter a disaster in the dead of winter. They even have an adhesive product to stay where you want it. Make sure that everyone in your family has gloves or mittens. Trying to find a matching pair in the dark and in a hurry could potentially be impossible :) The body warmers should also be kept in your car kits as well. Mylar blankets are a great thing to have in a car kit and 72-hour kit. Make sure to have 1 per person

When The Lights Go Out & You Have No Heat

On Sunday morning, a few years ago, the power went out. I lay in bed with my electric blanket that slowly got cooler and wondered how long this was going to last. It was cold outside and I knew we didn't have long before we were going to be cold too. We all put socks and sweatshirts on and thought of ways to keep busy. I knew we had warm sleeping bags (that I could pull out, but are for Christmas) if we got really cold, but we really had no other heat source. This really got me thinking of what it would be like if this had been an earthquake and we didn't have power for days or weeks. I do have a wood fireplace, but we don't have any wood stocked for it. Plus if the chimney had collapsed during an earthquake then what would we do? I do have a Sun Oven so we have a way to cook, so my focus is going to be a way to heat my home and keep my family warm.

What to do when your power goes out: (from preparednesspantry.blogspot.com)

1. First, check to see if your neighbors have power. If you are the only home without electricity, check the main fuse in your electric service panel or fuse box to see if the main circuit breaker has been tripped or if a fuse has blown. If you don’t know how to check, consult a qualified electrician. If your neighbors do not have electricity either, then you know there has been a power outage in your area.
2. Report your power outage to your local utility company so they know which area has lost power, especially in a storm. Only call once to report your outage.
3. Turn off all major non-essential appliances such as your electric range and washer/dryer. Turn off the majority of your light switches, but leave a few on so you know when the power has been restored. This reduces the electrical demand once the power has been restored.
4. Unplug sensitive electronic equipment such as your TV, personal computer, VCR and microwave. This will reduce chance of damage caused by electric surges.
5. Try to keep your refrigerator and freezer doors closed to conserve the cold inside. You never know how long the power will be out, and you don’t want your food to spoil.
6. Open the window shades to allow more light to come in.

Take the time to prepare for a power outage and to gain the knowledge needed to respond safely and effectively during the emergency. A few simple preparations can greatly reduce the inconveniences caused by a power outage.


I also strongly suggest printing out this handout HERE and keep it as a reference to living without light. I will quickly list the ideas Debbie Kent suggests if the lights go out.


-List what your family's needs


-What will you cook and how?


-How will you heat your home?


-What lighting will you use? (all main rooms of your house should have some form of emergency lighting, like a flashlight or crank flashlight)


Debbie then lists in detail; lighting sources, kinds of flashlights, cooking, heating, power sources, batteries, and fire starters.

If you need some last minute Christmas presents, crank flashlights, or headlamps would make a great gift. Even for children, they would love having a headlamp to play with or light sticks for their 72-hour kits.


I found a store called Recreation Outlet on 3160 S. State St. in Salt Lake City, Utah (801-484-4800) that has a lot of emergency preparedness items for a lot less. They have hand warmer packs, headlamps, portable stoves , crank flashlight/radios , full 72-hour kits in a backpack , mylar emergency blankets , coats, boots, clothing, sleeping bags, snow shoes,etc. I could spend all day in that store. :)




I want you to think of your family and what would be an essential to have if we had no power for 1 week. I would be miserable without heat and if my children were suffering because of the cold I would be really stressed. I think a propane heater may be on my birthday list and finding a way to store cut wood for our fireplace is another idea. What are your goals for warmth this winter?

Self-Reliant Goals for December:
Long Term Goals:
Flour 75lbs PP-Sams club has 25lb bags for $10
Sugar 60lbs PP

3-Month Supply Goals:
Substitute a canned version of a fresh ingredients in one of your recipes sometime this month. Even if you love to use fresh ingredients, you will need a canned version if there was no electricity or major disaster.

72-Hour Kit goal:Search out little Hotties body warmers. The packs of body warmers will definitely be needed if we encounter a disaster in the dead of winter. They even have an adhesive product to stay where you want it. Make sure that everyone in your family has gloves or mittens. Trying to find a matching pair in the dark and in a hurry could potentially be impossible :) The body warmers should also be kept in your car kits as well.  Mylar blankets are a great thing to have in a car kit and 72-hour kit. Make sure to have 1 per person.