Plum Paste Recipe Added

I got an email from ToolChick asking me for the recipe for the plum paste I made last year.  I've gone back and added it to the paste post.

Wheat Recipes

I've posted a new page to the blog with recipes for the wheat class and a few extra.  Check them out, you might find one you like!

Week 50

I think I mentioned that the class went well on Saturday.  We had about 50-60 people in attendance, all interested in learning how to use their wheat.  I heard good things mentioned about it.  I got a text on Saturday night with a pic showing that a friend had actually made wheat bread from her own supply.  I talked to the Bishop about something else today, and he mentioned that he and his wife cooked up some wheat and ate it yesterday.  The idea is to get people familiar with it and how they can use it.  I'm glad it was so well received.  The above pic shows a pilaf I am making for dinner tonight.  It's yummy.  Here's the recipe:

Wheat Berry Pilaf

Ingredients:
• 2 c. wheat berries
• 5 c. water or chicken broth
• 3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ tsp. thyme
• 2 tbsp. chopped parsley
• ½ c. chopped onion
• ¼ c. chopped mushrooms
• ¼ c. chopped red pepper
• ¼ c. chopped celery
• ¼ c. diced carrots
Directions:

Bring water or broth to a boil. Add wheat berries and cook for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. Sauté onion, celery, mushrooms, pepper and carrots in olive oil. Mix vegetables and wheat berries. Add bay leaf, thyme and parsley. Salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 30 minutes or until berries are tender.

Cook's Notes: This cooked in a much shorter amount of time, since I used wheat I had precooked in the fridge.  I played around with the amounts and added a cube of bouillon. I can't find my bay leaves, ran out of parsley and don't like thyme. So all I did was salt a pepper it.  It's still good.

Week 49 (what's left of it)

Man, have I been busy.  With what I don't know, but I have been going, going, going.  You see, I was asked by DH to help teach a class today on using wheat.  Sounds simple, right?  Until I discovered my apron that I made a few months ago, already looks trashed.  So I decided to get some apron inspiration. This valentine apron I love. But I also wanted to do something a bit different.  I liked the idea of using a pillowcase like Jocelyn did for her apron.  So why not combine the two...I did and it came out very cute.
I taught the class this morning and now I want to take a nap.

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno - Leprechaun Guinness World Record (3/17/11) - Video - NBC.com

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno - Leprechaun Guinness World Record (3/17/11) - Video - NBC.com

I'm #84 & DH is #85.

Got Some Face Time...

I'm #84, in the front. If you want to see me.  Watch (or tape) Jay Leno tonight.  I am next to the door as the remaining leprechauns are being counted by the Guinness Gal.  DH is behind me.  They had us all wearing beards and we had to have our hair sprayed orange.  The also costumed over 200 of us for this stunt.  I got to shake Jay's hand and Rain Wilson was on from the Office.  I told him I took his bobble head with me to Egypt and took a pic in front of the pyramids. He said he thought that was 'cool'.

.

DH & I are doing something fun today. Jay Leno is going to break the Guiness Book of World Record for most leprechans in

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Make Your Own Canned Pork & Beans

Lane over at A Food Journey To Go has come up with a cook in the can recipe for making your own pork and beans. Head over to her blog for the details on the prep and pix. Lane uses pint sized jars and adds the ingredients below to each jar. Here is the recipe as I'm going to use it.

1/3 cup dry white beans (She uses navy beans, but great northerns would work)
1 tablespoon dried onions
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon molasses
1 tablespoon Sugar
1 teaspoon bacon bits
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon Clear Jel (canning-approved cornstarch)
1/2 inch cube Pork fat
a light grating of nutmeg
warmed tomato juice up to the half-way mark
boiling water to 1-inch headspace
Pressure-can for 75 minutes @ 10 psi, or adjust for your altitude.

You probably already have many if not all of the ingredients in your food storage or pantry.  I could not find Clear Jel locally.  I picked up a bag when I was in Utah last summer.  The great thing is, you don't have to pre-cook the beans. How great is that!

More information on Pomona's Pectin

If you are interested in using Pomona's Pectin in bulk, check out the information I just posted on my Canning Information page.

Week 48

With what is happening in Japan, have we learned anything?  If your saying to yourself, "What good is food storage for those people whose houses were swept away?"  Unfortunately, it probably won't do much good for them.  But what about all the people that are left. People are standing in lines to get food and water.  How much easier would it be to go to your pantry and get what you need.  I imagine lots of relatives will have to say with other family members.  If this happened to you, would you be able to take care of your immediate family plus relatives?

Suppose you have nothing. Where do you start?  How about extra canned food that your family normally eats?  If you were going to buy three cans of peas because they were on sale, buy four instead.  Or, what about cases of water bottles that go on sale? Start shopping the grocery ads, look for coupons, let your friends know what you are trying to do. If they find a great deal, they can let you know.  I may not matter exactly what you are getting at first, because you need it to become a habit.  Involve your kids in checking ads and clipping coupons. The point is you will be doing something.

Japan

8.9, need I say more?

New Recipes

I added some new recipes in the Maybe Canning Recipes page.  Our friend Richard's trees are loaded with Oranges, Grapefruit and Tangerines and he said we can come and pick all we wanted.  How about canning Mandarian orange segments? or Orange Jalapeno Jelly?

Week 47

What do you do when looking through your cupboards and come across an outdated can of fruit? Chances are if it is not bulging or leaking, it is still good. When opened however, the fruit may have turned dark and is not that appealing to eat.  Before tossing it out, here are a couple of options; make fruit leathers or this cake recipe.

FRUIT SPICE CAKE
4 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1-1/4 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cloves
4 teaspoons baking soda
1 quart jar of old, dark fruit such as peaches, pears, plums, cherries
1 cup oil
1/2 cup chopped walnuts


Stir together flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and baking soda. Pour fruit and its liquid into a blender and blend until smooth. Add water to equal 4 cups. Pour pureed fruit and oil into the flour mixture and stir until smooth. Pour into a greased and floured 9 x 13 baking pan. Sprinkle walnuts over the top. Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes.

I also wanted to link up to a post on making your own almond milk.  I have several friends who are lactose intolerant or just plain allergic to dairy products.  This is a simple method for making your own fresh almond milk. You might want to check out Old School Self Reliance 101 for more great tips and ideas on becoming ...self-reliant.

Frost Damage

 I received the following from a newsletter I receive from my local Sprouts and Henry's markets. If you were wondering whether to plant a garden this year or not, maybe this will help you decide.

Just how much damage did the freezing temperatures in early February cause? Well, a report from the growers we use at this time of year was pretty, um, chilling:


Tomatoes: The open-field beefsteaks, vine-ripes and romas were a complete loss. (About 60% of the beefsteaks and vine-ripes are grown in open fields, and about 85% of the romas.) Grape tomatoes and cherry tomatoes were also a total loss. Only vine-on tomatoes seem to have fared well and remain in strong supply.


Beans: Nearly 95% of the crops were lost.


Vegetables: Among the hardest-hit were green bell peppers (70-80% lost), cucumbers (80-90% lost in shade houses, 100% in open fields), eggplant (a major loss, and it is too late to replant for this season) and squash (85-90% lost). Alone among the vegetables, colored bell peppers seem to have done pretty well, although there will still probably be a little spottiness in their availability.

Great Local Deal

Wholesome Choice Market has a 24-pack of water for $1.99.  That is a fantastic price!!!