Sunday, August 30, 2009

It's a matter of ....making Peach Jelly


When I was little, I recall going into our "fruitroom" as I was looking for my mother. I found her in the fruitroom standing and gazing at all the bottled food she had prepared. After I called to her, she said, "aren't they pretty?" (referring to all the jars of food). I thought that was rather funny at the time, but as an adult I have come to understand what she was doing.

I have been on a "Jam" kick this summer, trying and making many different kinds. However, after making Peach Jam (which is really yummy!), I chose to make Peach Jelly. I like this recipe as it uses the skins and pits of the peaches which many of us normally discard. I got this recipe from my mother, who unfortunately cannot recall where she obtained it. I thought I would share the process and the recipe with you.


    Peach Jelly Recipe


  • 5.5 Cups Peach Juice (Peels and pits in a pan, cover with water, cook 30 minutes, strain with cheese cloth. Put i enough water to cover by 3-4")


  • 1 package of Dry Pectin (I found that you need to use new pectin that you purchase the year you make the jelly)


  • 7.5 Cups of Sugar.


  • Instructions: Combine the juice and pectin in a large sauce pan. Bring to a boil, stir in sugar and return to a rolling boil. Boil hard for 3 minutes stirring constantly. Remove from heat, let it sit for a few minutes. Skim the foam. Ladle into hot sterile jars leaving 1/4" head room. Process 10 minutes in a Hot Water Bath.

Here is the process in "photos":


Boil the pits and the skins until the water turns red.


Place a couple of layers of Cheesecloth in your strainer. Make sure the strainer is inside a larger bowl to catch the Peach juice once it is strained through the Cheesecloth.



This is the juice after it has been strained. The juice is now ready to be put into the recipe noted above. (One thing that I learned is that you need to use new Pectin. I made 2 batches. The first batch was made with Pectin I have left over from last year and the other with Pectin I just purchased recently. The first batch partially set up, but the second batch had no issues.)


Pour the jelly mixture into jars, wipe the jar rim, place a sterilized lid on and seal with a jar ring. Notice how clear the jelly is. You can see the peach jam I processed in the background. The jam is the color of peaches, but the jelly has the red hue to it that was achieved while boiling. Process the jars in your hot water bath canner.

Again, notice how translucent it is after it is processed. Jelly is wonderful on breads, rolls, and even on pork chops when you cook them in the oven. This is glorious food that is made from items that are traditionally discarded. It's easy to make, and tastes great! It is a great companion to some freshly baked bread as a gift for someone who is needs some special attention. I found myself standing and admiring my jam and jelly in the jars. I particularly enjoyed how beautiful the jelly looked visually. I found the bottles to be "beautiful" just as my mother did years ago.

This is an easy recipe...give it a try!

Friday, August 28, 2009

Announcement from the Lindon Family Cannery

I recieved this notice from the Lindon Family Cannery. The announcement reads as follows:


We have begun getting phone calls concerning Family Canning for Fall 2009.

We are currently doing our 2009 peach welfare assignments. These assignments come through your stake leaders to the wards. Peaches are not done for family canning. It is only by supporting your stake in filling their assignment—if they have one, that you might have an opportunity to purchase peaches from the Cannery.

There won’t be a 2009 Fall Family Canning schedule since they are closing down the Wet Pack side of the Welfare Services Center, after the peaches are finished, to update our electrical system and add some new equipment to the processing floor. This will be a good thing once it is done. So…we sacrifice our fall family canning for a better spring schedule in 2010 and beyond.

We don’t know what we will be canning or exactly when it will happen, especially with the remodel. Remember the welfare assignments take precedence. Welfare canning is why the Wet Pack Cannery is here.

We still don’t know if we will be able to can any meat.

Thursday, August 27, 2009

It's a matter of ......making your views known

(Image courtesy of www.space-rockets.com)

Congress will be back in session in less than 7 days. There are many very heated and emotional pieces of legislation that are being introduced and lobbied hard for. Our Country has the opportunity to be free as long as we, "the people", live worthy and elect representation that vote for policies and laws that support the eternal principals of our Father in Heaven.

Study the issues, and do it now. If ever there was a time that we cannot sleep or be silent, it is now. If you don't know where to learn about specific issues beyond the mainstream media....just do an Internet search. You will find a wealth of sites that can provide you with the information you are seeking.

Pray, and pray hard about the issues, particularly those that will alter the fabric of our nation. Seek the guidance from Heavenly Father and listen for the "Still Small Voice".

Then act....and act now. I am providing you with the names of Utah's legislators in Washington. (In our area, we are represented by Senator Hatch, Senator Bennett, and Representative Matheson).

Put the phone numbers in your cell phone. I think the LRH has called these gentlemen more often this year than I ever have. When I have an issue, I just take a moment (during lunch, on my way to work, after reading/viewing information about an issue, etc) and call. The individuals answering the phones are very courteous. Even though many issues are highly charged, please be courteous as well.

When you call, give your name and address so that they know that you really are their constituent. Your voice will have more weight. I have read that each call, letter, or fax represents the voice of 500 people. I wish I could get an investment to give me such a return.

Please search, ponder, and pray.....and act. Your voice is needed at this critical time.


Senator Orrin G. Hatch (R- UT)
DC Phone 202-224-5251
DC FAX 202-224-6331
Senator Bob Bennett (R- UT)
DC Phone 202-224-5444
DC FAX 202-228-1168
Representative Rob Bishop (R - 01)
DC Phone 202-225-0453
DC FAX 202-225-5857
Representative Jim Matheson (D - 02)
DC Phone 202-225-3011
DC FAX 202-225-5638
Representative Jason Chaffetz (R - 03)
DC Phone 202-225-7751
DC FAX 202-225-5629

Monday, August 24, 2009

We need not panic or fear...

We need not panic or fear, for we know we need to be prepared temporally and spiritually. Lucifer's influence has never been greater. Let us learn from Noah.


Sunday, August 23, 2009

Education Week in review...Personal Finance by Bryan Sudweeks

(Image courtesy of marriottschool.byu.edu)


As noted in the previous post, I attended Education Week at BYU Provo. I am sharing some of the wonderful things that I had the opportunity to learn. This post deals with information from Bryan Sudweek's class entitled "Provident Living: Another Perspective on Wealth". The information below is taken from: http://personalfinance.byu.edu/files/Freshman%20College%20Course%20Manual.pdf


The purpose of this section is to articulate “another” perspective on wealth, this eternal perspective. This perspective is critical for us to understand and it has a major influence on how we make choices.


Because of our eternal perspective, we understand things differently, view events differently, and, hopefully, act differently in respect to our families, our friends, and our personal finances. This perspective will make a major difference in how we live our lives.


Principle 1: Ownership: Everything we have or will have is the Lord’s.
Nothing we have is our own—it is all God’s. As such, there should be no feeling of pride for the
things we have or are. These things do not belong to us, but are on loan from a loving Heavenly Father and Son. The things we have now or ever will have are really not ours. There should be no feeling of pride for the things we have, who we are, or who we will become. Rather, these blessings should encourage us to greater obedience to God’s commandments as we realize that all we have and are are gifts from a generous Father and Son.


Principle 2: Stewardship: We are stewards over all the Lord has shared with us.
Being blessed with material things in life should not be seen just as a blessing, but as a responsibility. In the future, we will all have to give an account of our stewardship to the Father and Son. As wise stewards, it is our responsibility to learn everything we can about our stewardship so that we can manage our stewardship to the best of our abilities. The purpose of this Web site is to help you understand and manage your stewardship better as it relates to personal finance.


Principle 3: Agency: The gift of “choice” is one of the greatest gifts of God

The gift of agency was such an important subject that a war was fought in heaven because Satan sought “to destroy the agency of man” (Moses 4:3). We should do everything in our power to thank a loving Father and Son for this wonderful right to choose—and then use that agency as
wisely as we can.


Principle 4: Accountability: We shall be held accountable for every choice we make.
On the subject of what’s really ours, Elder Neal A. Maxwell stated:

The submission of one’s will is really the only uniquely personal thing we have to place on God’s altar. The many other things we “give,” brothers and sisters, are actually the things He has already given or loaned to us. However, when you and I finally submit ourselves, by letting our individual wills be swallowed up in God’s will, then we are really giving something to Him! It is the only possession which is truly ours to give! (Neal A. Maxwell, “Swallowed Up in the Will of the Father,” Ensign, Nov. 1995, 22)



These four principles establish a spiritual foundation for understanding wealth that is based on
our dependence on God and our need for financial self-reliance to fulfill His purposes. Everything we have is God’s, and the things we receive are all blessings from Him. They are not ours, but they have been given to us as a stewardship for which we can make choices. We should choose well, as we shall be held responsible for what we do by our Father in Heaven.

There is more to learn from Brother Sudweeks in future posts. Isn't it interesting that human nature spurs many on to feel as if they have ownership, but no stewardship to the Lord. Brother Sudweeks shared his personal belief that he feels that we will have to account for every dollar we have been blessed with to the Lord....as everything is ultimately His. This gave me great pause. More to come!

Education Week at BYU in review: Leslie Probert


(Image courtesy of www.mormontimes.com)

Well, the LRH finally took time off from work etc to go to Education Week with her mother and sisters. It was fun to spend time with family and also to visit with friends and acquaintances that I had not seen for some time. For the next few posts, I will share with you some of the great information I gleaned while I was at BYU this past week. I have not had such a fun (and exhausting week) in a while. It was well worth the $50.00 admission fee that was charged. I encourage you to try to attend next year if you can make it happen.

We will first discuss some of the things that I took away from Leslie Probert's classes. Her overall title was: Food Storage A.S.A.P. (Amazingly Simple and Practical). Here are some of the highlights that I wanted to share with you all:

  • 3-month Food Storage: We all should know by now that we should have 3 months of foods that we know and like on hand. She also suggested that we include some instant meals that do not require cooking for times when we are out of power or we just don't have time to cook.
  • Grains: After we have our 3 months supply, we all should know by now that we should store some long-term food storage. In regard to Grains, she suggests that 65% of our grain storage should be in whole grains. The whole grain (not milled) can store for as much as 30 years of stored properly. Flour can store up to 10 years and Corn meal can store up to 5 years. She also stated that very young children and elderly folks need mild grains due to their dietary needs. Rice overtime can develop yellowing and be slightly rancid (smell and taste). I learned in another class that you can rinse the rancid rice and eat it.
  • HALT: She used the acronym "HALT" which guides you in storing your foods. They should not be placed in a "Humid" place, should not be exposed to Air or Light and the Temperature should be cool. She suggested that any bottles that are clear (oil etc) be placed in a paper bag to protect the contents from light. She also stated that insects at any stage are destroyed when they are without oxygen for 20 days......so use Oxygen packs!
  • Buckets: Reportedly plastic buckets can absorb Oxygen over time. The heavier the plastic, the better protection you have. She recommends that you seal your food items in a Mylar liner inside of your bucket to protect them. Some Mylar bags now come with zippers! I was excited to learn about that! It makes them reusable.
  • Canned Foods: She stated that it is safe to eat almost any caned food indefinitely if they are dented or bulging. If they are quite old, you will loose nutrients, but they can sustain life. For ideal color and texture, use caned fruits/vegetables within 2.5 years and canned meats in 5 years.
  • #10 Cans: They can old 13 cups of dry material. This is not equivalent to a gallon, which I had thought the #10 cans can hold.
  • Simply Gathering Calendar: This is a calendar that lists items when they go on sale. (I will post more specifics on this later). Use the calendar to plan your purchases during the year. When the year is over, do it again as you will have used some of your supplies. You can plan and save precious funds by using this strategy.

This information was just from her first class! I will share more later. Learn from this "very smart Chick"!

7-day challenge at "Food Storage made Easy"


The "Smart Chicks" at Food Storage made Easy are issuing a 7-day challenge that will commence in September. Here is an excerpt from their blog:

"Welcome to The Seven Day Challenge where we will find out just how prepared we really are for an emergency! Coming on a surprise day in September, each day during The Challenge you will receive an email informing you which utilities and/or food items you will have access to. So you don’t have to wait until a true to emergency to find out if you are ready!"


What a great way to find out how prepared you really are! As an added bonus, anyone who signs up is entered for a drawing for Grain Mill. Go to this link to sign up: http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/7day/

Make this fun for your entire family! Take the challenge today!

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Sunday, August 16, 2009

"I just don't get this food storage thing...can someone help me?"

I first saw this video when it first came out. I hesitated to post it for a specific reason which I shall discuss following the video. Please watch it with a prayerful heart....this is a good thing for us all to learn about and do.





As you may have noticed, the new guidelines do not state that you must have a year's supply. However, in the words of my sister (who is one smart food storage chick), she says the following. "remember that this is now a worldwide church. In many countries, not even a 3 month supply is possible. However, we live in America. There should be no reason why we cannot obtain and store a years supply".

Today, in Sacrament meeting, we heard several speakers discuss Emergency Preparedness and Provident Living. Brother Cousins related the story of the Chesley (Sully) Sullenberger, the pilot of the airliner that was forced to land in the Hudson river this past January. He didn't do this by luck. He had years of experience with Gliders before he even became a commercial Airline Pilot. So, this miracle landing was not a fluke....it was the result of years of preparation. When he needed the skill, it was available to him because he had invested his time into the training that made this possible.

The LRH has said that Food Storage and Preparedness are not the "things" that we try to obtain. It is a set of skills that are supported by the training and the other things such as food.

Finally, Brother DePaul quoted the following from Spencer W Kimball:

“The responsibility for each member’s spiritual, social, emotional, physical, or economic well-being rests first upon himself, second, upon his family, and third, upon the Church. Members of the Church are commanded by the Lord to be self-reliant and independent to the extent of their ability. (See D&C 78:13–14.)

“No true Latter-day Saint, while physically or emotionally able, will voluntarily shift the burden of his own or his family’s well-being to someone else. So long as he can, under the inspiration of the Lord and with his own labors, he will work to the extent of his ability to supply himself and his family with the spiritual and temporal necessities of life. (See Gen. 3:19; 1 Tim. 5:8; and Philip. 2:12.)

“As guided by the spirit of the Lord and through applying these principles, each member of the Church should make his own decisions as to what assistance he accepts, be it from governmental or other sources. In this way, independence, self-respect, dignity, and self-reliance will be fostered, and free agency maintained.” (Statement of the Presiding Bishopric, as quoted in Ensign, March 1978, p. 20.)

So, pray for guidance to help you become obedient. Pray for guidance to help you find the resources and training to prepare yourself and your family. As President Kimball taught us years ago “No true Latter-day Saint, while physically or emotionally able, will voluntarily shift the burden of his own or his family’s well-being to someone else." Do it now!

It's a matter of......planning

(Image courtesy of http://www.oreida-bsa.org)


Aren't young Cub scouts wonderful? They are so excited to learn and do so many things. Yesterday, the LRH had the opportunity to plan and cook breakfast and lunch for ~160 Webelo's (which included their fathers, and the staff). There were some very hungry scouts there! And as a credit to their parents, they were respectful and expressed thanks as well.

As you might expect, I did not do this alone. My thanks goes to my husband, 17 y.o. son (who cooked pancakes before he went to teach his class) and the many other volunteers who took the time to help. A father from the Alpine 5th ward stepped in to help with pancakes as he said he was really good at cooking them. No kidding......he was right! We couldn't have done it without him.

What does this have to do with Food Storage and Emergency Preparedness? Well, the answer is "Plenty"! I was given the number of individuals who had signed up (on line) to attend by Friday afternoon. That number was 160. I was also told that 2-3 individuals would be coming to assist with the meals. I needed everyone of them and then some as it turned out.

I had already made a simple menu (as LRH had family here, and had had a very busy week!). We were having pancakes, bacon, fruits (strawberries and grapes were reasonably priced), and a choice of drink (hot chocolate, milk, or orange drink). For lunch the plan was for hamburgers, chips, baby carrots, brownies and a drink.

Sounds pretty straight-forward doesn't it? Initially it was. However, overnight, the number of individuals attending had risen...but LRH did not know that. (Remember that registration was taking place on line). The following is a lesson on being creative, not getting overwhelmed, and enjoying the journey.

When we arrived at the pavilion, we found that someone else had their equipment inside. Also, someone had left trash in the trashcan and had not emptied it the night before. As you can imagine, the animals had tipped the can over and had strewn trash about the pavilion. By now, you know that LRH is a bit on the OCD side. I pulled out my disposable gloves and went about picking up the trash as my son and husband began unloading the truck with supplies. After the trash was gathered, a gentleman approached us and informed us that they had been assigned us of the pavilion that morning. We thought we had it. My husband went to talk with the caretaker and the gentleman was correct. We had been assigned this particular pavilion for lunch and a different one for breakfast.

We had already lost about 20 minutes at this point. We loaded the supplies back into the truck & went to another pavilion that was without serving tables, or a sink...but it did have running water...(be grateful for all blessings!) It had traditional picnic tables. We moved things to make room for our camp stoves and began setting up. We had lost nearly 30 minutes at this point. Good people jumped in and we had the bacon going and were setting up the drink coolers, turning picnic tables into serving tables, and mixing the pancake mix. I took an electric hand mixed and a wire whisk. We did have power and we mixed the pancake mix and began cooking.

Those of you who have cooked outside know that you have to "mess with" the flame when using a griddle. So, more precious time was fleeting away. However, individuals jumped in (including the brother from Alpine ward who was there with his son), and the assembly line was going. As it was cold, there were few in numbers initially, so we were a bit more generous thinking that we might be low on attendees. Listen....never do this! We were hit hard at the end of breakfast and were out of fruit. The LRH had also forgotten the last carton of eggs (they were in the refrigerator in the garage). This mean the last pancake mix box wouldn't have eggs. So we experimented and found that you can make pancakes out of Bisquick mix and milk....as long as you mix it with the other batter that you already had. I considered this another lesson in the "Loaves and Fishes" as we were all surprised that it was successful.

After breakfast, you can imagine that we had a bit of a mess from the pancake mix and bacon grease. It was cleaned up quickly, but some of the volunteers who came to help with the meal only thought their assignment was to serve food and left before the clean up was done.

I didn't want to move the "kitchen", so we got permission to stay where we were for lunch. Now, I told you we were having Hamburgers for lunch. We had purchased precooked hamburger patties from Sysco. They were wonderful. The LRH had previously attended a cookout at a large company party and really liked the hamburgers. I was informed that they were precooked. The leader of our Webelo's woods was able to get them for us. Here is why they are so great. First, they are flavorful. They are fully cooked and you just fry them quickly. There is no worry about offering undercooked food. There is no shrinkage of the patty, and no grease splattering about.

I had purchased a case of traditional frozen patties as a "just in case" item. We needed them, and were very surprised at how messy they were to cook and how long it took to cook them after we had been spoiled by the Sysco patties. If you are wondering how the Sysco burgers were received, we had many requests for seconds.

So you remember that I mentioned brownies? I had purchased "Little Debbie" brownies (I had a budget to keep) and the box says 12 to a box. Lesson to be learned here...open the box and see what they mean by "12". We had to cut the brownies in half to get the "12". You really need 2 of these to get a good sized brownie. So, we would purchase twice as many if we were going to get them again. Surprisingly, this was the most requested item if there were seconds available!

Again, after the meal was done, the volunteers who had been assigned to help with the meal left before clean-up was completed. It seems they were not aware that their help would be needed to clean and pack up.

So, what does this have to do with Food Storage? Well, you need a menu!, you need to know how many you are planning for (and have a little extra for surprises!), you need to make sure you have the provisions you planned for (remember the eggs I left in the refrigerator?), you need to make sure that you have experience with the foods you are choosing (remember the brownies?), try new things (the beef patties), and inform others what their responsibilities are and what you expect from them.

Finally, it rained really hard and I only had planned on Hot Chocolate for breakfast. Have some comfort foods (and probably more than you think you need) for times of stress.

We had a great time, had a "Loaves and fishes" experience, & in the end learned to roll with the punches. I hope the scouts and their fathers had a great day. I appreciated the experience, working with nice people, and learned some very important lessons.


Now, an assignment for you.....go out and try a new product that you haven't tried before. Find out how to use it. Experiment with it when you don't need it so that when you do, you will have the comfort and experience to provide for your family.

Sunday, August 9, 2009

"The Women in our lives"

Good Morning everyone. I hope you are well and ready for a new day. Today, let's listen to the wonderful words of President Gordon B Hinckley as he speaks reverently about the role of women. May the Lord bless you and yours today and always.


Wednesday, August 5, 2009

It's a matter of ......Shortening Powder

(Image courtesy of www.foodsubs.com/Fatsoils.html)

I am continuing our discussion on Food Storage "Powders". In previous posts, we have looked at Cheese Powders and Butter or Margarine Powder. Today's lucky winner is Shortening Powder.

You may wonder what it is made of. Well, here is a list: Partially hydrogenated soybean oil, nonfat dry milk, mono and diglycerides, whey, sodium caseinate, BHT. Now, can you really tell me that you know what all of these ingredients are? Unless you have a significant background in their field, I would venture to say that you don't.

How do these ingredients differ from the traditional ingredients of Shortening you can purchase every day at your local grocers? Well, the national Brand "Crisco" offers the following list: Partially Hydrogenated Soybean and Cottonseed Oil, Mono-and Diglycerides. As we can see, several of the ingredients are similar

So, the next question that may come to mind is.....How do I use it? Well, if you choose to reconstitute it, following the directions on the package. Here are the directions for from "Preparedness Pantry":
To obtain optimum texture: Add 1/3 cup water to 1/2 cup Shortening Powder. Mix well. For moistness, add small amounts of water until desired texture is reached. For added flavor and texture, add about 1 tsp of vegetable oil. Walton Feed suggests the following: Add 1/2 cup water to 1/2 cup powder. For moistness add small amounts of water until desired texture. Add small amount of vegetable oil for added flavor and texture. May be used for baking.

Once it is open, it reportedly will not go rancid and lasts up to 5 years according to sources. Wow....5 years!
The LRH's sister reports the following: "Powdered shortening and powdered butter work very well for batter items like brownies and bar cookies. But when using this item for dough (i.e. drop cookies), the results were not satisfactory. There was not substance to them and they cookies came out thin and lacy".
Here is a recipe from http://www.beprepared.com/ that calls for Shortening Powder:

Ingredients :

1 1/2 Cup Peanut Butter or Dehydrated Peanut Butter Powder*

1/2 Cup Sugar

1/3 Cup Dehydrated Shortening Powder*

1 1/4 Cup Flour

1/2 Tsp Baking Powder

1/2 Tsp Salt

1/2 Cup Brown Sugar

3 Tbsp Dehydrated Whole Eggs*

2 1/2 Tsp Baking Soda

1 Tsp Ginger

1/2 Cup Water

(*Reconstitute before using.Follow directions on #10 can to reconstitute).

Preparation
Preparation1. Mix peanut butter, shortening, sugars, egg, and water in bowl until creamed.2. Sift dry ingredients and add to creamed mixture.3. Mix well.4. Roll into 1 1/2" balls and flatten with a fork in a criss-cross pattern.5. Bake at 375°F for 10-12 minutes.-Cookin' with Home Storage pg. 228


Get some today!

It's a matter of .....the availability of Sugar.


(Image courtesy of beaut.ie/blog/?tag=sugar-cravings


Wow, that photo looks a bit on the yummy side. Americans have a fascination with sugar and some die-hard souls try very hard to avoid it. In my experience....it is really hard to avoid sugar as it is present in many forms. It is even present in many convenience foods.


So, why am I discussing this delectable white powdery substance? Well, because of the conditions present in other countries, our ease at finding and purchasing Sugar may be challenged.



Here is a quote from Financial Times (dated July 30, 2009): "Traders and industry executives say, in rare agreement, that prices could hit a 28-year high – above 19.73 cents per pound (in the raw form) – this year because of poor weather, steady consumption and low global inventories".


What are the reasons stated for the proposed increase? Events outside of our state, and country. The article continues: "The latest wave of buying has come after a poor start to the monsoon in India, with districts in the critical Uttar Pradesh state already suffering from drought. As a result, India’s sugar cane output is likely to drop in 2009-10. As the world’s largest consumer and second-largest producer, India’s output swings, which move the country back and forth from exporter to importer, are a key factor in prices".

Also, in Brazil...."The wet weather is delaying the harvest and lowering the cane’s sucrose yield, which, in turn, will reduce potential raw sugar production".

So, what does this all mean to you? If you don't have enough sugar for your long-term storage.....you should probably stock up now. Save money and have the peace of mind that you are prepared. Knowing that you have staples readily available to you is a form of comfort that you cannot shake. Do it today!!

Monday, August 3, 2009

It's a matter of ....The Farmer's Market


It's that time of year......when folks begin to harvest wonderful fruits and vegetables from their gardens and orchards. It is also time to put food aside either in canned, frozen, or dehydrated forms.

As such, I wanted to list local Farmer's Markets that you may want to support to get those needed items that you may not have in your own garden. Besides the wonderful produce, many Farmer's markets also have wonderful baked goods, and crafts by talented artisan's. Make a plan to go very soon!


Here are several markets in our area:

Lehi
Thanksgiving Point and Farmers Market
Sandy Shupe (801) 407-8157 sshupe@thanksgivingpoint.com
3003 N Thanksgiving Way The Village Lehi, Utah 84043
2008 Season - Beginning in August each Friday from 3pm - 7pm through the first Saturday in October
Come and browse the weekly Friday Farmers Market at Thanksgiving Point.
Shop a great selection of fruits and vegetables, as well as fresh breads and
other fresh foods, crafts, jewelry, gifts and more!

LINDON
Lindon Farmers Market
Grant Lund (801) 785-7981
60 N State Street Across from the City Center Lindon
Mid-July through October
Saturdays 8-10 a.m.

Pleasant Grove
The Pleasant Grove Promenade
Jennifer Wright (801) 380-3179 info@pgbaut.com
Historic Downtown Park (200 North Main)
Thursdays 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
July - September 2009
http://www.pgpromenade.com/
Map

PROVO
Provo Farmers Market
Raquel Callis (801) 542-9382
500 West 100 South Provo UT 84601
Through October
Saturdays 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Produce, arts & crafts, live music, food and special events.

SALT LAKE CITY
People's Market (International Peace Gardens)
Kyle LaMalfa slcpeoplesmarket@gmail.com
1000 South 900 West Salt Lake City
(801) 359-8559
Mid June through Mid-October 2009
Sundays 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Outdoor market in public park
We accept credit cards using token exchange program
http://www.slcpeoplesmarket.org

Salt lake city farmers market
Kim Angeli kim@downtownslc.org
379 South 300 West Pioneer Park Salt Lake City
Saturdays 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. June through October
Tuesdays 4:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. August through October

Tuesday Farmers Market
Tim Williams (801) 412-3218
3271 South 500 East (Pioneer Craft House) Salt Lake City Utah
July to October
First Tuesday of every month 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. (and July 4)

University of Utah
Marie Martin marie.martin@sustainability.utah.edu
Webster's Lawn (East of Pioneer Theatre)
Thursday's August 20th to October 8th 2009
9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

South Jordan
South Jordan Farmers Market
Aurline Boyack aboyack@fbfs.com
10610 South Redwood Road (1700 West)
(801) 233-3010
August 1, 2009 through October 31, 2009
Saturdays 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Sponsored by the Utah Farm Bureau

West Jordan
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Sunday, August 2, 2009

It's a matter of....Powdered Butter or Margarine

(Image courtesy of www.usaemergencysupply.com)

In my last post, we briefly discussed Powdered Cheese and suggested uses. Today, let us focus on Butter Powder (and Margarine Powder). In a recent class that I taught on Making Mixes from your Food Storage Staples, this was an important ingredient in several mixes that I found.


You may wonder how it is made. Both Butter and Cheese powder are made from the real item. They are melted or made into a slurry which is then Freeze-Dried. This removes the moisture. The milk products still remain. Something I have learned since researching this subject. Some of these dairy based powders are made from Whey and not from cheese or butter. Just check the ingredient list to see. Many of the articles I have read state that there is a flavor difference between the true dairy product and the Whey products.

Some may be thinking that they have never tried or seen Butter Powder. I'll bet you have, but it has been in the form of "Butter Buds". Many of my friends who have been fighting the battle of the bulge have used this product a great deal. If you have, you are already familiar with the powder.

I have purchased and used "Provident Pantry-Traditional Butter Powder". Here are the directions listed on the can: "To reconstitute: Add 1 Tbsp of water to 1 Tbsp. Butter Powder. Mix well. Add a small amount of vegetable oil for a smoother texture and to enhance flavor. When used in baking, it is not necessary to reconstitute. Simply add to dry ingredients and increase liquid." (Similar reconstitution directions are given for Thrive Brand Butter Powder.)

The ratio is very simple, one part powder to one part water. Therefore, if the recipe calls for 2 Tbsp of butter, use two Tbsp of Powdered Butter and just increase your liquid. I have found that I don't add all the liquid (in the case of the phantom recipe...the 2 Tbsp) at first. Initially the batter might appear to be very thick and dry. Keep stirring and it often will "loosen-up" after a while. Add the additional liquid if needed to make the batter the consistency that you are seeking.

Use it on baked potatoes, or on cooked vegetables in the form of a sprinkle. It's pretty good.

Here are 2 recipes from http://www.beprepared.com/ (Emergency Essentials website) using Butter Powder:

Blueberry Drop Muffins

Ingredients

1 Cup Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 Cup Dehydrated Fat-Free Milk
*1/2 Cup Freeze Dried Blueberries (**Reconstitute before using. Follow directions on #10 can to reconstitute.)


Preparation

1. Combine flour, salt, and baking powder.2. Work in butter with fork or pastry blender.3. Add milk, stirring just to moisten. Carefully fold in blueberries.4. Drop by tablespoon on greased baking sheet.5. Bake at 375°F for 12-14 minutes or until lightly browned.

Three-Grain Sunflower Muffins

Ingredients

1 Cup Dehydrated Fat-Free Milk
*1/2 Cup Dehydrated Butter Powder
*1 Egg
1 1/2 Flour
1/2 Cup Cornmeal
1/2 Cup Uncooked Old-Fashioned Oats
1/2 Cup Firmly Packed Brown Sugar
1/4 Cup Shelled Sunflower Seeds
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Roasted Shelled Sunflower Seeds
(*Reconstitute before using.Follow directions on #10 can to reconstitute.)


Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 400°F.2. Combine milk, butter, and egg in large bowl with wire whisk.3. Combine flour, cornmeal, oats, brown sugar, 1/4 cup sunflower seeds, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl.4. Stir flour mixture into milk mixture until moistened.5. Spoon batter evenly into 12 greased or paper-lined muffin cups.6. Sprinkle tops evenly with 2 tablespoon sunflower seeds.7. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown.


Let's say you purchased a #10 can and tried a Tablespoon's worth. How long does it last? Most sites state a year if in the opened can. However, if you were to repackage the majority of the powder into canning jars and seal it with the jar attachment to a Food Saver, you could prolong the life and have the powder in manageable sized containers. You could also preserve it in Mylar bags with Oxygen Absorbers. Remember, you can re-size Mylar bags by cutting them into smaller sizes and sealing the edges with a Food Saver, Flat Iron, or your iron that you use to press your clothes.

Make a commitment to try some this week!
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