Looking to the new year.....

Image courtesy of futuresbright.com

I have really enjoyed our Christmas break thus far.  Having a little 'down time' (which, by the way is really unusual for me), I have been thinking about the what the New Year will bring. Unless you live under a rock, there is a looming financial challenge facing the United States and despite your political leanings, it will hurt.

This is not the only challenge facing us.  I wish to quote from the USDA:

Food Price Outlook, 2012-2013

Retail food prices, despite the severe drought in the Midwest, have been flat in 2012. The food-at-home Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased a total of 0.3 percent from January to November 2012. Prices rose for beef and veal, poultry, fruit, and other foods in 2012; however, prices fell for pork, eggs, vegetables, and nonalcoholic beverages. For the remaining food categories, prices remained unchanged for the most part. The drought has affected prices for corn and soybeans as well as other field crops which should, in turn, drive up retail food prices. However, the transmission of commodity price changes into retail prices typically takes several months to occur, and most of the impact of the drought is expected to be realized in 2013.

Based on these conditions, ERS's inflation forecast for both all food and food-at-home (grocery store) prices in 2012 remains unchanged at 2.5 to 3.5 percent. Looking ahead to 2013, inflation is expected to remain strong for most animal-based food products due to higher feed prices. Furthermore, inflation should be above the historical average for food categories such as cereals and bakery products as well as other foods.

I agree that it will take several months for us to feel the impact of the drought.  I see this as a level of good news.  Purchase your animal based food products now, right now.  Plan on stocking up on meats in particular.  However, you may be surprised to know that the following items will also be impacted:

So, what is the big deal for "Gelatine?"  Well, you know that Gummy Bears you like and all the Jello your kids like....guess what, they require Gelatin.  In particular, I use this product when I make my own Gummies or Fruit Snacks. 

Image courtesy of Cornishwareresearch

Do you like that flakey crust?  How about your French Fries at the local fast food restaurant?  What about those Refried Beans? These and many other products use Lard.

Image courtesy of Purebulk.com

Vitamin D-3 is often used for better heart-health and is often prescribed by your health care provider.

Image courtesy of simplyshredded.com

Whey is also an animal based product.  You can find Whey used in foods like crackers, cookies, and bread products.  If you partake of candy bars, pastry mixes, non-fat ice cream, and fast food entrees with 'cheese', please know these contain Whey.  This product is also found in cereals, and some beverages, and in particular....if you are a fan of McDonald's thick shakes....you will pay more for your favorite.   

In regard to long-term storage, there are several brand-named milk substitutes that are made from Whey.  Some that you may be familiar with are brands like Morning Moo, Delight Milk Substitute,  and Instant Milk Alternative,   If you have been looking to stock up or if you use these products regularly, the good news is that you should stock up now.

Image courtesy of exportersindia.com

Stearic and Lactic acids are also animal based products.  Why should you be concerned?  Well, these items are used to condition dough. They help to bind oils to things that they normally do not bind to.  If one is a vegetarian, this is a product that is often avoided.  

Lactic acid is contained in carbonated drinks and dressings.  

So, take the opportunity and stock up now on the items that you store or wish to store.  Save the funds now...because we may need the additional funds to pay for the political financial folly that we all see playing out in Washington.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!  I hope you and your family enjoy your day together.

My gift to you is this blessed reminder of the birth of our Savior.

Pray for the Children....

The following video was posted by "Simply Living Smart".

Another One of My Favorite Things......

Image Courtesy of Bling Berry

Continuing in the series of my "Favorite Things", here is yet another one.  This is a collapsible bottle that can easily fit in a purse, 72 hour kit, or any bag.  I like the fact that it has a clip that can be placed on a backpack, or a belt loop if you desire.

This bottle holds 16 oz. and comes in different colors.  It also has a strip to write a person's name or to label the contents.  You can order them from Bling Berry directly.

This is is a great gift or stocking stuffer.

Consider it.

A few of my favorite things....More light on the subject!

Courtesy of Amazon.com

Continuing along with sharing some of my 'Favorite Things', here is another that I just love.

So what is it?  What is it used for?  Why is it one of my 'Favorite Things'?  Well, let's check it out:

1. What is it?  Mason Jar Oil Lamp Burner Chimney Holder

2. What is it used for?  Turn Mason Jars Into Nostalgic Oil Lamps

Courtesy of Ebay.com

3.  Why do I like it?  Because it makes so much sense!  I received 4 of these for just under $20.00.  So, in an emergency, I can change of the many jars I have into a lamp!

I ordered my from Amazon, but if you do a Google search, you will find several sites that carry these.

Consider it!

A Few of My Favorite Things....Shedding Light on the Subject

Image Courtesy of Dollar Tree

I am continuing my little series of "my favorite things" that can be used as gifts for yourself or for others.  We have all seen these little solar lights for the yard. I even picked some of them up at the Dollar Store a couple of years ago. Why would I have these for Emergency Preparedness?  Well, they recharge with sunlight....and can be a light for you if your power goes out.  They can be placed in a tall glass on the counter/table to help light up your room.  There are no oils, flames, or additional equipment required.  These happen to be small, but you can purchase larger ones.  And, an added bonus, they can charge your rechargeable batteries during the day if you need to use them for something else at night.  Such a little work-horse for a very small price.

Consider it!

A Few of My Favorite Things....Continued

Image courtesy of apartmentherapy

I recently purchased these "go towels" for my 72 hour kit.  They aren't baby wipes, but a cloth made of bamboo that expands to 20" x 15" when it gets wet.  They are sturdy as well and reportedly can be used over again.  I just haven't tried to do that yet.  They can be obtained from several sources ranging from $11.00 to $15.00 for a pack of 10. 

Just another little gift that could just as easily fit into a stocking as it can a 72 hour kit!

Consider it!

In light of recent events......

I never want to feel like do not have options.  To avoid this, educating yourself about things you can and should do in different situation becomes paramount.  Not that this video could have changed the outcome of Friday's tragic event, you can see elements of this video that did take place.  One of the heroic teachers, Vicki Soto, hid her students in closets and told the gunman that they were in Gym class.  Many of the teachers followed the drill that they had practiced in case of an emergency. They placed their students in a protected corner, turn out the lights, and locked the door.  A 6-year-old had the presence of mind to lead several students out of harms way and out of the school.   Finally, Principal Dawn Hochsprung  reportedly lunged at the gunman in an effort to protect her beloved students.

If these individuals had not taken the steps that they did, who knows how many more victims there may have been?

Take a moment and 'educate' yourself by watching this video.  Become aware, not paranoid.  Perhaps you can save a life in a time of conflict....which may be your own.

A few of my favorite things.....

Well, I have been a little AWOL lately because there have been so things that I have needed to do. Yes, my plate has been a little full.  However, I have been planning to share with you "some of my favorite things" that you might want to consider as gifts this Christmas season.  Yes, they are of the preparedness vein, but I think they are cool as well.  I will be sharing several of these with you before Christmas over the next few days.

Food Saver Jar Attachment:  These come in mouth and Regular mouth sizes.  They traditionally do not come with the Food Saver unit themselves.  These are great for 'dry canning'. Foods that have oil or have fine particles lend themselves to these well. Reportedly, things dry-packed this way can last up to 7-9 years.  Try Rice, particularly my favored Brown Rice. I also have other more 'exotic' rice that I like to store. This is a perfect way to purchase large amounts and store.  Think about your Chocolate Folks!  This is a great way to keep it from going rancid!

Also, you can use this to help Marinate meats in jars (to put in your refrigerator while Marinating) on the same day you are going to prepare your meats for a meal.  

Here is Kellene Bishop from Preparedness Pro demonstrating how to do it.  Learn from the Pro herself!

Good Tidings of Great Joy...

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has released several new videos focusing on the Bible this year.  Here is their most recent release...just in time for Christmas.  In light of the sad events of today, perhaps remembering the great gift of the Savior can remind us of the eternal opportunities that have been made available to us all.

May we all remember the families impacted by today's violence in our prayers and hug our children and grandchildren even tighter.

Cooking a Turkey....in my Grill!

Don't you ever wish you had an additional oven when you are cooking a big meal?  There are other times that you may not want to heat up your kitchen when baking a big item.  Well, look what I did today.  Yes, I really did it.

I removed the upper shelf from the Grill.

I decided to place the shelf diagonally across my grill.

I heated the grill to 350 degrees. This took a little fiddling to get it.  I finally had to use just 2 of 3 dials that come with my grill. Then, when the temperature was steady (this took a few minutes), I got ready to put in the Turkey.  Yes, I really mean a Turkey.

I prepared the Turkey and placed it in a Cooking Bag.  I love these Cooking bags.  They help keep the meat moist and contain the drippings.   Now, notice the grey wire.  I placed the probe into the turkey (not touching the bone).

The other end of the wore is attached to this Device.   It is an Onieda Digital Probe that I bought at Bed-Bath-and Beyond. It allows you to program the temperature that you are seeking and will 'beep' to let you know when it have been achieved.  This is how you can cook your Turkey and know when it is done without opening the lid of the grill.  This is important because each time you open the lid, you loose a significant amount of heat.

I placed the monitor on the counter next to the grill.  You can see that when I put the turkey into the grill....it was late afternoon.  By the time it was finished, it was early evening.

Here is the turkey just after the lid to the grill was opened.  Just in case you wanted to know, the little plastic device that 'pops' to show that the Turkey is done had actually popped.

I brought the Turkey inside and opened the bag.  The meat actually fell off the bones.  This bird was cooked beautifully.

I had Rooster Senior carve the Turkey and place it on a platter.

With a little more carving, the Turkey will be ready for the "Break the Fast" dinner with the Young Single Adults tomorrow.  I will reheat it in the oven along with the Spiral Ham.  If you remember from a previous post...there is no meat at these meals.  This time, the Bishop asked that we bring some!  I don't think it will be around long!

Take away points:

• You can bake in your Grill.  I have actually baked bread in my grill and it came out just great.
• It was important to raise the Turkey off the grill surface so that it was centered in the Grill/Oven.  That way the heat could circulate around the Turkey better.  The meat was not charred on the bottom.
• I put soap on the bottom of the Pan to avoid darkening my pan.
• The backyard smelled great!
• This could really be a great consideration if you do not have power and the contents of your freezer are thawing.  

You can bake in the Grill.  You have to watch the temperature initially to make sure you have your settings working correctly.  It is a great option and will free up your oven(s) in the kitchen.  I think I will do this again.  It was so simple and the probe made all the difference.

Try it!

Happy Thanksgiving! I am practicing what I preach!

Well, they great Thanksgiving Holiday is behind us.  The love for my family only increases as we remember the goodness of our Heavenly Father.   We had many wonderful foods to partake of.  I am sure you did as well.

I chose to 'practice what I preach'.  I used the Perfect Pie Crust recipe to make my pie crusts. I did make one modification...I actually followed all the directions and rolled the dough between 2 pieces of waxed paper.  It really does make a difference.  

I found that my Ulu Knife proved to be invaluable, particularly when dicing vegetables for the stuffing.  It made quick work of the task.

Speaking of Stuffing, I used my grain mill and made cornmeal from my "Dent Corn" that I have in my storage.  I made cornbread from my food storage staples and let it sit out over night.

Because I had lined the pans with foil, I pulled the bread out of the pan and diced it right in the foil.

I cooked the sausage and added the spices (also from my food storage).

Meanwhile I sautéed the onions and celery in butter.   (I have a supply of butter in the freezer and also canned butter.  I keep the onions in my small portable 'root cellar')

I made chicken stock from Bouillon I have in my food storage.  I poured it over all the ingredients for the stuffing.

I placed the contents into my crockpot to make "Crockpot Stuffing" .

I also made Cranberry Sauce, that was very simple to do.

So.....I am not trying to tell you how great I am.  On the contrary, I am trying to show that I had many things already in my storage.  In fact, when I was in line at the grocery store, I had relatively few things in my cart as compared to many of the other shoppers.  I saw carts overflowing with basic cooking and baking supplies.

I am also showing that having items and skills gives you so many options.  I think I only spent about $25.00 on my entire Thanksgiving dinner that fed 8 people.  You can eat very well as well as eat in a very healthy manner by having food storage staples and the skill set to prepare them.

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Archeology finding at the site of the Provo City Center Temple

I drive by this site every once in a while and try to get a few fleeting pictures of the Temple in Provo that is being built on the site of the Provo Tabernacle. It's pretty hard to do when you husband won't slow down a little for you to get the shot!  That's why you get to see the glare of his truck window. (My apologies...really)

These were taken a few weeks ago.  However, there is some exciting news about an Archeology find at the site.  I love that the early Pioneers found this to be so important.  How fortunate are we to discover it again at this time.

Why I would cook a Turkey 2 weeks early....

Courtesy of of sodahead.com

Ahhhh, the imagery of a Thanksgiving Turkey perfectly baked and served to perfection.  I always strive for that like many of you do.  However, I also see Turkey as a great item for long term food storage as well.  Especially this time of year when you can find some good pricing on this product.  

Many folks are intimidated with cooking a Turkey.  I certainly was the first time I attempted it. After I was done, I remember thinking....'what was I afraid of?"  

I cooked a Turkey yesterday.  Why you may ask?  For several reasons.  I will list them at the end of the post.  Here is the method I use and find that it works well.  Read on!

Yes, I am using my Roaster Oven again.  So, I laid out the rack on the counter. See the little blue box.  In my world, this is a 'must'.  Get the Oven Cooking Bags for Turkeys.  They are totally worth it.

Take your thawed Turkey out of the wrapping.  If you are buying a frozen Turkey, let it thaw in your refrigerator for several days.  This is a very safe method to thaw your bird.   Rinse the bird.

Remove the neck and giblet packets from the neck and little 'butt' opening. Rinse the cavities.  After rinsing, I often salt the cavities.

I cut up onion, apples, and always add citrus.  These help keep the meat moist and flavorful.  

Fill the cavities with these.  You can also add herbs such as Rosemary as well.

Follow the directions on the box of the Oven bags by putting in flour and shaking it in the bag.

Tie the legs closed to keep your content inside the cavity.  You can also use toothpicks to keep the other cavity closed.

Place your Turkey in the bag.  I placed the bagged Turkey on the rack and then carefully loaded it into the Roaster Oven. You can place you Turkey in your Standard Oven at this point as well.  

Put water into your oven as well, set the temperature gauge, put the lid on, and wait until it is cooked.  You hopefully can see the little red 'dot' on the Turkey.  I am a big proponent of using these little gauges.  Why?  they not only ensure the Turkey is cooked, but you may also be surprised at how fast your Turkey can cook not only in the bag, but also in the Roaster.  The combination can cut some time off the process.

Now....as to why I cooked this Turkey.  It was for these wonderful Sisters.  They had a Relief Society Activity where they were doing a recipe exchange.

They also were learning how to make Cranberry Sauce from Scratch.  The plan was to have some Turkey Sandwiches to enjoy the homemade Cranberry sauce on.  Well, unfortunately, 'somebody' walked by the Roaster Oven and unplugged it.  I had left my house to run some errands while the Turkey was cooking.  I returned home ready to grab the Roaster Oven and it's contents.....and....well the Turkey wasn't done cooking.  I was surprised and also scrambling to think of what I could at the time.  So what did I do?  I ran to the local Deli and got sliced Turkey.  I apologized to everyone, and they all laughed.  After plugging it back in, it did cook up beautifully and was enjoyed a couple of hours later.

However, cooking a Turkey ahead of time reduces the stress on the Holiday.  I will write a post soon on how to package and save your excess Turkey later.  However, by cooking your Turkey ahead of time, you only have to heat it up on for your Holiday Dinner.   

Finally, canning or freezing Turkey now will give you many options in the months to come.

Consider it!

America does have a voice...

(Image courtesy of 101.7 KSAM)

The results are in, the choices have been made.  Some in our country are celebrating and others are greatly concerned about staying the course.  I am grateful to all who voted....no matter the outcome.  We know one thing for sure, the make-up of our 3 branches of government essentially remains the same.  We have lived it and should know what is coming down the pike for the next few years.  

As it stands now, in less than 2 months we will all experience a significant tax increase, and in 2014 we will all experience a significant change in health care, which we all will be financially supporting.  We know that there has been a significant drought as of late and that meat and most likely grain prices will soar.  With these realities and many others.....the bottom line essentially requires us all to tighten our belts even more than we have before. 

I see the need for "self-reliance and preparedness" to be the important relevant topics not only now, but in the coming years.  As such, I commit to trying to bring information and skill sets to you (and our family as well) that will assist us all in the path we face.  

If you wish to make suggestions, I would really welcome them.  

No matter the circumstance, there is always a brightness of hope.  Here is a quote from President Howard W. Hunter in 1993:

"So I hope you won't believe all the word's difficulties have been wedged into your decade, or that things have never been worse than they are for you personally, or that they will never get better.  I reassure you that things have been worse and they will always get better.  They always do--especially when we live and love the gospel of Jesus Christ and give it a chance to flourish in our lives"

We have always needed to be a prayerful people.  Our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ always have their arms open for us all.  Perhaps this is a reminder for some and a continued pattern for others.

President Hunter also stressed the following:  "Disciples of Christ in every generation are invited, indeed commanded, to be filled with a perfect brightness of hope." in association with the scripture below.  

Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope and a love of God and of all men.  Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father:  Ye shall have eternal life.  (2 Nephi 31:20)

 So let us press forward....we can do this!

Today is the day...

Today is the day.....please make your sacred voice heard....VOTE!

There Is A Lot At Stake.....

There is a lot of stake. I would strongly, strongly encourage you to please prayerfully make a decision...and certainly VOTE! This is such a critical time...there is no room for anyone to be a spectator. If you don't know about the candidates.....you are in luck! By viewing this post, you show that you know how to use the internet and can search to find all the information you may need. 

Be a patriot....use your sacred voice...and VOTE! 

This is The "Little Red Hen"  and I approved this message!

  

Also, for those who live in HIghland Utah, you will find a discussion and information on Proposition 6 that you may want to take into consideration here.  I particularly found this video of interest from someone who is not of the "majority faith" in this area regarding the Sunday Closure proposition.  See what you think.  

Called to Serve....Lindon Cannery Missionary Request‏

A Request from the Lindon Cannery.  If you are in a position to help, please contact them as soon as possible.  What an opportunity!:

We are way behind in finding missionaries for 2013. If you are possibly interested in serving at the Cannery next year, please send an email to wel-ca-lindon-wetpack@ldschurch.org . Please include your stake name.

We are needing around 10 new missionaries. Lindon Cannery missionaries serve for 1 year (Jan-Dec) for 2 assigned, 4.5 hour shifts a week (between 8-10 hours/week). We will only be working on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays in 2013 and do not schedule production for the month of July. When needing to be gone on an assigned day, there are several other missionaries who do the same job you do so you can get substitutes and will be asked to substitute if needed.

This is an immediate request. First day of training is December 10, 2012. (No other responsibilities in December.)  First day of production is January 8, 2013. We are down to the wire!!!

Looking forward to hearing from you! Remember to send to the email above.

Goblins abound.....at Halloween!

Scary?  Not necessarily.  What is it?  Let's look!

This little "guy" comes from a pattern called "Goblin Greetings" by Gayle Lambert.  (Her website has great stuff....you can find it here!)  I happened to be perusing a quaint local quilt store when I saw this pattern.  I had to buy it.  It wasn't until I got home that I realized that my friend and neighbor is the creator of this adorable quilt pattern.  

I didn't want to cut the original, so I made a copy and cut out all of the pieces.

My daughter and I chose some very fun fabrics.   

I then cut out each pattern piece.

I followed the instructions until all the pieces were in place.  

I also sewed buttons on for the eyes.  Isn't he cute!

Because this is a "Trick-or-Treat" bag, I only used Nylon Thread to do the applique work around the edges.  That way, I only had to use one thread, it's durable, and it doesn't show.

Decide the size of the bag you wish and cut sturdy fabric to size (or sew the design on to a purchased bag).   I sandwiched the 'monster' between both  squares and sewed the sides and bottom.  When I turn it inside out, I had a bag with a rough edge on top.  I cut a lining that of the same size.  I then sewed the side seams together only.  I cut handles out of ribbon and sewed them in place.  I sewed the top edge of the bag and the lining together.  Put the lining inside the bag to make sure it fits.  Then pull the lining out and sew the bottom edge together (I used my serger to make it quick!).

Top Stitch the upper edge...and you are done!  Aren't they adorable?

For more quilting ideas, go see what Gayle has put together.

Happy Halloween!!!!  

(I have condensed this post to protect the designers specific instructions.  I can, however, tell you that this is an adorable pattern that any beginning or intermediate sewer can do.  Visit Gayle's site for more cute patterns),