The Rule of Three

 

Rule of Three - Backwoods Home Magazine

"We have some prepared neighbors who abide by what they call the Rule of Three (see Issue #111, May/June 2008). What this means is they have one main and two backup methods of doing whatever needs to be done (in other words, a backup to their backup). Cooking, heating, lighting, and communications are all aspects that need backups of backups in case the primary method(s) are incapacitated.
These neighbors are off-grid, so having that Rule of Three for everyday necessities has allowed them to live comfortably under conditions many of us would find difficult. So in your preparations, think in terms of multiple backups in case your primary source fails."
Click HERE to read more.

Great advice!!  My biggest concern is cooking without power.  I have a Sun Oven but even here in Utah we don't have sunny days everyday.  My backup is my butane stove and Saratoga Jacks thermal cooker.  My backup to my backup is my Volcano stove.  The Volcano stove would use the most fuel in my case.  I only have a few bags of charcoal and no propane, but I could use wood.  On the other hand I have enough butane canisters to last me quite awhile with my butane stove.  This is why I try to use at least one of these cooking methods at least once a week.  Practice now will allow me to cook food for my family of 7 in an emergency.  Nothing drives me crazy more than a room full of kids who claim they are starving and they wanted dinner like 20 minutes ago. I can't imagine learning how to cook in my Sun Oven without ever using it before.  Those first few loaves of bread had a lot left to be desired. 

  Now remember The Rule of 3 when it comes to preparedness!!  Can you ever be too prepared?? 

Grocery Deals 4/25-5/1

These are the grocery deals I feel are stock up prices (better than the big box and membership stores). You should buy what YOUR family needs and buy as many as your BUDGET allows! ** Remember we are shopping for items in our 3-month supply along with longer-term items that fit into your meal plan.**   I only list Smiths, Harmons, and The Sunflower Market because they are the stores in my area but you can look at the Grocery Smarts lists to see other stores for your area.
 
{I use the Grocery Smarts lists to find all my deals. If you don't live in Utah there are grocery lists for other states too!!  Click on the box at the top of the grocery list that says "Select Your Store" and scroll down to find your state and store.  You can see the Utah lists & all the other lists HERE)

**I am going to start adding some coupon deals to the lists.  They will be in red so you know to only stock up on that item if you are using coupons.  SS=SMART SOURCE INSERT, RP=RED PLUM INSERT.  The inserts come in the Sunday paper and the weekly grocery ads. Please contact me for further info. on using coupons.**

•  DEL MONTE GOLD PINEAPPLE $1.99EA
• KROGER COTTAGE CHEESE 24OZ $1.67
• KROGER SOUR CREAM 24OZ $1.67
• MILK $2.39 (IT HAS BEEN $1.99 AT THE AVENUES SMITHS FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS)
• MINUTE MAID OJ OR SIMPLY LEMONADE $1.99
• RICE A RONI OR PASTA RONI .88

• ASPARAGUS $1.47LB 
• CLUSTER TOMATOES .88LB
• RED GRAPEFRUIT .50EA
• CUCUMBER .50EA
• SUMMER SQUASH .88LB
• CHICKEN SAUSAGE $1.97LB

BULK BIN SALES

• WHOLE ALMONDS (RAW, WHOLE, SALTED, UNSALTED, OR SPROUTED)$4.99LB
• BULK OATS .79LB
• BANANA CHIPS $1.99LB
• POPCORN .79LB
• PEARL BARLEY .99LB

Remember that Wednesdays are double ad days for the Sunflower Market.  Both last week's and this week's ads are accepted today only!!  Last weeks deals are:

•  AVOCADOS .50EA (CLICK HERE TO SEE A GREAT WAY TO FREEZE AVOCADOS)
• LARGE ARTICHOKES .88EA
• CUCUMBERS OR GREEN BELL PEPPERS .50EA
• APPLES $1.00LB
• ALL NATURAL CHICKEN SALE 40% OFF

BULK BIN SALE

• RAISINS $1.99LB
• CHIA SEEDS $4.99LB (ADD CHIA TO ALMOST ANY DISH OR YOGURT FOR A VERY HEALTHY ADDITION)
• ORGANIC OATS .99LB
• SHORT GRAIN BROWN RICE .99LB

• ASPARAGUS $1.99LB
• BROCCOLI OR CAULIFLOWER .68LB
• PEARS .98LB
• 20LB BAG AUGASON FARMS BROWN RICE $9.99

This is a very slow grocery deal week.  There aren't a lot of great sale prices.  Use this week to eat from your pantry and save your money to stock up next week. 

Prepare Today Homemade- Potato Frittata

I found a recipe for frittata in the Better Homes & Garden magazine, tore it out and had it sitting on my counter for a few days.  Every time I would pass the kitchen counter I would crave this dish.  I don't think I have ever eaten a frittata, it just sounded so good!!  I finally had a chance to make it for dinner and it was delicious.  What's even better is this egg dish can be made with all shelf stable ingredients.  This would also make a great meal in a jar/bag meal too!!

Shelf stable eggs are something every house should have in their pantry.  I use powdered eggs in all of my baking, but for a dish like frittata, quiche, or an omelet you  really want a product that tastes and looks just like eggs.  I made an omelet once with powdered eggs and it had a funny flavor, not like real eggs at all.  While at Honeyville Grain I found the perfect solution for the shelf stable omelet/frittata egg dish.  Ova Eggs!!

  


"OvaEasy Egg Crystals are made with a revolutionary new technology that keeps the flavor and nutrition of fresh eggs intact. All we do is gently evaporate the water in the eggs... that's it. Egg crystals aren't cooked until you cook them! They're dried with a special low temperature process that protects the proteins, vitamins and minerals... and most importantly the flavor! Best of all, they're 100% all-natural, pure whole egg."  Click HERE to read more.

So when the craving for a fresh omelet or quiche hits (and you don't have chickens) you now have the perfect fix.  The eggs are perfect for camping too.  No messy eggs or worrying about keeping them cool.  They are easy to make too, just add cool water.


Potato Frittata (original recipe)
1lb Yukon gold or russet potatoes (2-3 medium), scrubbed and thinly sliced
2 T olive oil
2 large carrots, thinly sliced
12 eggs
1/2 C green onions, about4, chopped
1/4 t each salt and pepper
1/2 C cherry tomatoes, halved
1 clove garlic, minced
Fresh parsley or cilantro

Preheat the oven to 375.  In a 10" oven-safe nonstick skillet cook the potatoes in hot oil over medium heat for 5 min.  Add carrots.  Cook for 5 min more, until potatoes and carrots are tender and lightly browned, turning occasionally. (Note:  I don't have an oven safe skillet so I cooked my potatoes and carrots in my skillet and then transferred the mixture to a round casserole dish to finish cooking in the over.)


In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs, half of the green onions, salt , and pepper,  Pour egg mixture over potatoes. Bake, uncovered, about 18 minutes or until the top seems dry.  Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes.  With a spatula loosen the edges of frittata from pan.  Place a large serving platter over skillet.  Invert platter and skillet to release frittata onto platter. (Note:  We just scooped the meal from the casserole dish and didn't worry about inverting it)

In a small bowl toss together remaining green onions, tomaotes, garlic, and parsley.  Spoon over the top of the frittata.  Cut into wedges and serve immediately.  Makes 6 servings. 

 
Potato Frittata (shelf stable recipe)
1 1/2-2 C dehydrated potato slices (reconstituted in warm water)
2 T oil
1/2 C dehydrated carrots (reconstituted in warm water)
12 eggs (12 scoops of Ova Eggs {the scoop comes with the eggs} + 1/4 C cool water and mix)
1/8 C dehydrated or freeze dried green onion (reconstituted in warm water)
1/4 t salt and pepper
tomatoes (if you want to use tomatoes for the topping of the frittata I would drain a can of diced tomatoes and use them for the cherry tomatoes.  You'll need @ 1/2 C)
1/8 t garlic powder (1 clove=1/8t garlic powder)
Dried parsley or cilantro

Reconstituting the dried potato slices.

Preheat your oven to 375 (or preheat your Sun Oven, or Volcano Stove).  In an oven safe skillet saute the reconstituted potatoes in oil for 5 minutes, add carrots and cook 5 minutes more or until lightly browned.


Reconstitute the Ova Eggs with cool water and stir.  Mix with half of the green onions, salt, and pepper.  Pour over potato mixture.  Bake for 18 minutes or until top looks dry.  Cool 5 minutes and invert onto serving plate.


Toss together the tomatoes, remaining green onion, garlic, and dried parsley.  Top the frittata and serve immediately.  

image credit Better Homes and Gardens

Sprouting

"Sprouts provide up to 600 percent more vitamins than the full grown plant."  Researchers at the University of Ulster, UK have found. 

Let's say you have been living solely on your food storage for 3 months now and your supplies are dwindling.  If summer has come and gone there isn't time to plant a garden, and your family is going to need vegetables.  I know pirates are quite popular but many of them died of scurvy and I personally don't want to have that in common with them.  With limited options in a survival scenario, your solution is SPROUTING.  When a tiny little seed/grain, with all of its necessary vitamins and nutrients for growing packed inside, is sprouted it becomes a powerful super food!!  

"Sprouts are cheap, easily accessible and an unpolluted source of vitamin C, some protein, traces elements, and B Group vitamins. They are also a true organic food, if they are grown on your very own windowsill, without chemicals."


Sprouting could literally be a life saver.  I grow sprouts because they are so nutritious and also because my children eat them and don't know they are eating veggies.  

I buy sprouting seeds from Honeyville Grain, but the container above I bought at the Self Reliance Expo last year.  

They also come in smaller bags.  You don't need to buy a special bag of sprouting seeds.  There are many seeds and grains that can be sprouted.  Wheat, garbanzo, alfalfa, mung beans, barley, lentils, whole peas, and many more are all able to be sprouted.  Experiment with different seeds and grains and find which ones you prefer.  I really like the salad mix (above) because it tastes like those yummy garden fresh peas.  They just taste fresh and healthy. 

These are the two contraptions that I use to sprout.  The mason jar on the left is quite easy to use and the least expensive (under $5 for the lid).  Put in a tablespoon of sprouts, soak over night (the seeds are soaking in the picture), and just rinse twice a day until sprouts form, about 3-5 days. It can also be done without the plastic straining lid.  I started sprouting with a canning jar, cheese cloth and the canning lid ring.  The other option is a sprouter.  I really love the Victorio Seed Sprouter, on the right, because it pretty much does all the work for you.  You pour the sprouts on each layer (about 1/2-1 T), add 2 C of water twice a day, and it soaks, drains, and grows the sprouts.  There is no need for soaking and rinsing and draining.  With 3 different levels you can stagger your growing or grow different kinds of seed in each one. Remember that sprouts don't like the sunlight.  You can put them in the sun once sprouted to turn them green but they need a warm dark spot to grow.  It really is just that simple!!


We eat our sprouts fresh out of the sprouters, but they need to go in the fridge once they are big enough to eat. (when the sprout is the length of the seed you can eat it).  They should stay good for about 1 week in the fridge.  Mine never last that long because they get eaten.  Sprouts are great for salads, sandwiches, soups, muffins, breads, dinner casseroles, etc, etc.  They can be added to anything.  


If you and your family needed quick nutrition in an emergency, having sprouting seeds is the answer.  Gardening has its place but it can take months.  Sprouting takes only days and allows you to grow your own food storage.  Storing sprouting seeds takes up little space and they last for many years, in the right conditions (dark, cool environment), and are relatively inexpensive.  I don't think I will ever have enough storage space to store the recommended amount of wheat for 7 people, but I can store a years worth of sprouting seeds.  Think of how many sprouts you'll get out of 1lb of wheat, a lot!!  One tablespoon of wheat will create one full layer sprouts in the Victorio Sprouter.  That's quite the bang for your buck!!  This is one area of preparedness that everyone can do and should do today.  The health benefits alone are why everyone should be sprouting.

Grocery Deals 4/18-4/24

These are the grocery deals I feel are stock up prices (better than the big box and membership stores). You should buy what YOUR family needs and buy as many as your BUDGET allows! ** Remember we are shopping for items in our 3-month supply along with longer-term items that fit into your meal plan.**   I only list Smiths, Harmons, and The Sunflower Market because they are the stores in my area but you can look at the Grocery Smarts lists to see other stores for your area.
 
{I use the Grocery Smarts lists to find all my deals. If you don't live in Utah there are grocery lists for other states too!!  Click on the box at the top of the grocery list that says "Select Your Store" and scroll down to find your state and store.  You can see the Utah lists & all the other lists HERE)

**I am going to start adding some coupon deals to the lists.  They will be in red so you know to only stock up on that item if you are using coupons.  SS=SMART SOURCE INSERT, RP=RED PLUM INSERT.  The inserts come in the Sunday paper and the weekly grocery ads. Please contact me for further info. on using coupons.**

Smiths case lot sales are over but Maceys grocery store is starting their sales today!!  It may seem like quite the drive to Macey's (7800 S. 1300 E) but it is worth the drive twice a year for the food storage deals.  (WF= Western Family brand)   I love Macey's because you don't have to buy the whole case to get the case lot price.  You can buy as little or as much as you need!!

• WF MUSHROOMS 24CT CASE $12.00=.50EA
• WF REFRIED BEANS 24CT CASE $12.00=.50EA
• WF SOLID ALBACORE TUNA 24CT CASE $23.76=.99EA
• WF BEANS 24CT CASE $12.00=.50EA
• WF 24 PACK WATER $2.50
• WF TOMATO SAUCE 8OZ 48CT CASE $15.84=.33EA
• WF CANNED VEGGIES 24CT CASE $12.00=.50EA
• WF WATER CHESTNUTS 24CT CASE $10.56=.44EA
• AUGASON FARMS BROWN RICE 20LB BAG $9.99
• AUGASON FARMS 50LB BAG OATS REGULAR OR QUICK $22.99
• 5 GALLON BUCKET WITH LID $3.50
• 5 GALLON WATER JUG $.50
• WF 25LB BAG FLOUR $9.99
• WF TOILET PAPER 36 SINGLE OR 18 DOUBLE ROLL $6.49
• WF PAPER TOWEL 15 ROLLS $6.49
• DINTY MOORE BEEF STEW 12CT CASE $15.00=$1.25EA
• HUNTS PASTA SAUCE 12CT CASE $10.56=.88EA
• SHURSAVING PEACHES OR PEARS 29OZ 12CT CASE $11.88=.99EA
• WF APPLESAUCE 15OZ 24CT CASE $14.16=.59EA
• WF CANNED FRUIT 15OZ 24CT CASE $18.96=.77
• WF CHOCOLATE CHIPS 24CT CASE $40.00=$1.67EA 
• WF DICED TOMATOES 24CT CASE $12.00=.50EA
• WF KETCHUP 24OZ 12CT CASE $10.56=.88EA
• WF MAC N CHEESE 24CT CASE $7.92=.33EA
• WF MANDARIN ORANGES 24CT CASE $12.00=.50EA

**Fresh Market grocery store also has the same prices on these case lot items.  If you have a Fresh Market closer to you than a Maceys that may help you get the good deals without the drive.

•  APPLES .99LG
• AVOCADOS .69EA
• SMITHS SPLIT CHICKEN BREASTS .99LB
• MT. DAIRY MILK $2.39 (USE .75/1 FROM COUPONS.COM=$1.64 GOOD ONLY IN UT & ID/PRINT 2 PER COMPUTER PER MONTH)
• MINUTE MAID OJ OR SIMPLY LEMONADE $1.99
• HEINZ KETCHUP 32-40OZ $1.88

•  AVOCADOS .50EA (CLICK HERE TO SEE A GREAT WAY TO FREEZE AVOCADOS)
• LARGE ARTICHOKES .88EA
• CUCUMBERS OR GREEN BELL PEPPERS .50EA
• APPLES $1.00LB
• ALL NATURAL CHICKEN SALE 40% OFF

BULK BIN SALE

• RAISINS $1.99LB
• CHIA SEEDS $4.99LB (ADD CHIA TO ALMOST ANY DISH OR YOGURT FOR A VERY HEALTHY ADDITION)
• ORGANIC OATS .99LB
• SHORT GRAIN BROWN RICE .99LB

• HARMONS SOUR CREAM 16OZ $1.00
• GREAT GRAINS BREAD $1.25

Homemade Crackers

When I come across a recipe that works and allows me to make a homemade version of a processed food, I get really excited!!   I have been trying to make snack food for my children to save money and for health reasons, but when it came to crackers I could never quite get it right.  BUT I have a recipe that works and I believe it is because of my pasta roller!!  I could never get the dough thin enough to make a cracker, it always seemed to come out like a pita bread kind of consistency.   The pasta roller allows the dough to get really thin without the work of rolling it out with a rolling pin.  

I credit myfoodstoragecookbook.com again for her great post on making crackers.  I will link you to her post because I would just be reiterating the same thing if I did a post too.  Follow her recipe exactly for great results. I added cheese powder to one batch and made plain crackers with the other half.  You can add anything you would like to make your crackers your own.  My kids loved the cheese flavored crackers the best because they tasted just like Cheese-its!! 

 {If you don't have a pasta roller you can still try a rolling pin, but you will have to roll the dough pretty thin, 1/8" or less.  I recommend rolling your dough out onto your cookie sheet so you can just cut the dough and cook it.  That way you won't have to transfer the super-thin dough from a counter to the cookie sheet.}

Click HERE to see how to make your own homemade crackers!!

Facebook Page!

Changes mean I'm learning, right??!! I'm keeping up with the times and started a facebook page for my blog.  There are so many links, videos, blogs, websites, etc, that I can't possibly get it all here on the blog.  Facebook can reach so many people and having a page for my blog allows you to post too with your great ideas!!  If you have questions or find a great blog or video you can post it on the Prepare Today facebook page.  Hopefully I can get all the techie stuff figured out :)  I really want everyone to be prepared and this may help?!

You can "like" the page from my blog (see the box on the right) and you'll be updated on facebook!!


OR:

Find the Prepare Today facebook page HERE!!  And hit the LIKE button :)