Fun with food storage, finances and more!

Pumpkin Dessert

2010-11-10T18:24:00.002-07:00

Yummy! This dessert is a hit at our house, especially this time of year.

I realized that I didn't take a picture. By the time I remembered, we had finished it!

Pumpkin Dessert
1 package yellow cake mix, 1 cup reserved
3 eggs, separated, beaten
1/3 cup + 3 TB butter, softened, separated
3 cups canned pumpkin
1 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cloves, ground
1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk

Mix cake mix (not reserved 1 cup) with 1 beaten egg and 1/3 cup butter. Press into bottom on 9x13 pan. Beat remaining eggs, pumpkin, sugar, spices and milk. Pour over cake mix. Mix reserved cake mix and remaining 3 TB butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over batter. Bake 350 degrees for 60 minutes. Chill. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

CERT Training

2010-10-21T12:01:00.001-06:00

This past week we finished our 7 week CERT (Community Emergency Response Team). It was fabulous! In the course they teach about first aid, search & rescue, fires, etc. In the event of a community emergency or natural disaster, CERT members will be called upon to help. Here is the link to the CERT website. I urge everyone to become certified! Make a difference in emergency preparedness in your home and in your community.... AND you get the awesome green vest and hard hat upon completion!

Mini Quiches

2010-10-09T17:38:00.000-06:00

This is one of my favorite appetizers. Each time I take them to an event, I get multiple requests for the recipe. Now that our chickens are laying, I love to make things to use them up!

Mini Quiches
Pastry:

3 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup butter

1 cup sifted flour

Combine all ingredients and chill one hour. I use a food processor with cold butter and cold cream cheese. I mix it until it forms a ball. I do not chill for the hour if I use cold ingredients in the processor- only if the butter and cream cheese are room temperature.

Filling:

1/2 pound bacon, fried and crumbled (or use precooked bacon)
1 cup grated Swiss cheese
2 eggs
1 cup whipping cream
1/4 tsp salt
Dash cayenne pepper or Tabasco

Spray mini tins with Pam. Form balls of dough and place in mini muffin tins. Use a tart shaper to form shells (or press dough into muffin pans with your fingers.

Mix together eggs, cream, salt and cayenne pepper. Sprinkle bacon then cheese in tart shells. Pour egg mixture over cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Quiche can be made ahead and frozen. If you are planning to freeze them, slightly under bake them. They will finish cooking when they are reheated. Makes about 36 quiches. Yummy!

Roll little blobs of dough and place in sprayed pan.

Use a tart press to make the shells. Or, you can just press it in with your fingers.

The tart shells ready to be filled.

Filled and ready to be baked.

The finished product!

Tips for Canning Pears

2010-10-02T08:00:00.001-06:00

My family loves, loves, loves canned pears. However, I have never loved, loved, loved canning them because pears are so much work! Well, my friend Missy gave me a trick that has revolutionized canning pears!! I really think this trick made my 41 quarts of canned pears go twice (or more) as fast.

What you will need:

A 4-6 inch piece of tuelle (fabric with little holes in it- think ballet tu-tus!) If you can find the slightly larger holes, it works better. It is sort of a stiff, nylon mesh.
Large pan to blanch the pears
Large bowl of ice water

What to do:

Choose ripe, firm pears. When they start to turn yellow, they are ready! You can also press lightly right by the stem- if it is hard, they are not yet ready. If it "gives" a little, they are done. Put pears in boiling water for 22 seconds (depending on ripeness- this amount of time was perfect for my pears). Immediatly put in ice water.

Take tuelle and wrap it around your thumb (I am right handed, so I used it on my right thumb). You don't have to wrap it around your thumb, you can just use the tuelle with all your fingers to scrub. I just found the thumb trick to work the very best. The thumbs are the strongest finger- you will use mainly the thumbs as you get rid of the skin! Hold the pear with both hands so your thumbs are free to scrub!

Under running water, use those thumbs! Press hard enough that the skin just comes off. The tuelle will get it started, and it will also remove any brown spots. Each pear takes about 5-10 seconds to scrub.

Put whole, peeled pears in bowl of water with Fruit Fresh or ascorbic acid to prevent browning.

Halve, and remove core. A melon baller or metal measuring spoon does a great job. Prepare a light or medium syrup or pack pears in apple juice, white grape juice, or water.

Process in Boiling Water Bath Canner, and ENJOY!

For processing times:

For Hot Pack:

Pints: 1-1000 ft: 20 min; 1001-3000 ft: 25 min; 3001-6000 ft: 30 min; Above 6000 ft: 35 min
Quarts: 1-1000 ft: 25 min; 1001-3000 ft: 30 min; 3001-6000 ft: 35 min; Above 6000 ft: 40min

For Raw Pack:
Pints: 1-1000 ft: 25 min; 1001-3000 ft: 30 min; 3001-6000 ft: 35 min; Above 6000 ft: 40 min
Quarts: 1-1000 ft: 30 min; 1001-3000 ft: 35 min; 3001-6000 ft: 40 min; Above 6000 ft: 45min

Canning Peaches

2010-09-28T14:00:00.001-06:00

I love friends that have mature peach trees that like to share their crop....
This past week has been fun with all the canning. For anyone new to canning, hopefully this will be a good resource as what to do. The information comes from USU Extension, as well as the USDA recommendations for canning. We do want to be safe!

1. Select firm, ripe peaches of good quality.
2. An average of 17½ pounds is needed per canner load of 7 quarts; an average of 11 pounds is needed per canner load of 9 pints. A bushel weighs 48 pounds and yields 16 to 24 quarts – an average of 2½ pounds per quart.

Procedure: Dip fruit in boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds until skins loosen. Dip quickly in cold water and slip off skins. Cut in half, remove pits and slice if desired. To prevent darkening, keep peeled fruit in ascorbic acid solution. Prepare and boil a very light, light, or medium syrup or pack peaches in water, apple juice, or white grape juice. Raw packs make poor quality peaches.

Hot pack – In a large saucepan place drained fruit in syrup, water, or juice and bring to boil. Fill jars with hot fruit and cooking liquid, leaving ½-inch headspace. Place halves in layers, cut side down.

Raw pack – Fill jars with raw fruit, cut side down, and add hot water, juice, or syrup, leaving ½-inch headspace.

Adjust lids and process in Boiling Water Bath Canner.

For Hot Pack:
Pints: 1-1000 ft: 20 min; 1001-3000 ft: 25 min; 3001-6000 ft: 30 min; Above 6000 ft: 35 min
Quarts 1-1000 ft: 25 min; 1001-3000 ft: 30 min; 3001-6000 ft: 35 min; Above 6000 ft: 40min

For Raw Pack:
Pints: 1-1000 ft: 25 min; 1001-3000 ft: 30 min; 3001-6000 ft: 35 min; Above 6000 ft: 40 min

Quarts 1-1000 ft: 30 min; 1001-3000 ft: 35 min; 3001-6000 ft: 40 min; Above 6000 ft: 45min

Peaches in boiling water for 30-60 seconds. Slip off the skins.

Slice peaches, and then simmer for 3-5 minutes (for hot pack method).

Fill Jars with fruit and hot syrup.... And Process!

The Finished Product!

Mom's Peach Pie

2010-09-09T17:12:00.001-06:00

Time for peaches! Yay! We had an unfortunate event where TWO of our laden peach branches snapped in the windstorm the other day. Luckily, the peaches were perfectly ripe. So, we got to make a couple of pies. This recipe was the one my mom used to make growing up. Yum! A perfect ending to some wonderful peaches.

Mom's Peach Pie
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 TB flour
1 TB instant tapioca
1/2 tsp cinnamon
5 cups sliced, peeled fresh peaches
2 TB butter
Additional 1 TB tapioca
Pastry for a 2-crust pie

Combine sugar, flour, 1 TB tapioca, and cinnamon. Add to peaches and mix lightly.

Fit pie crust to pie pan. Sprinkly with 1 TB tapioca. Pour in peach mixtrue and dot with butter. Place top crust on pie, flute edges, and cut slits in the top crust.

Bake at 425 degrees F for 12 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 F and bake additional 30-40 minutes until pie is golden brown. Serve with fresh whipped cream, or ice cream.

Our fresh peaches- Yum!

The dry ingredients mixed together

Pie Crust with the tapioca sprinkled in. This helps thicken the sauce.

Dot the peach mixture with butter.

Flute the edges- don't forget to slit them!

The finished product.

Delicious!

Zucchini Cake- Yum!

2010-09-01T16:19:00.000-06:00

What better way to use up your zucchini than in this rich, moise, super yummy, fantastic cake? We had some friends over this past weekend and they were in charge of the dessert. WOW!! It was sooooo good. She was nice enough to share the recipe (thanks Vanessa!!) In the past 3 days we have made it twice more.

Chocolate Zuccini Cake Recipe

1/2 cup margarine or butter
1/2 cup oil
1 1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 cups grated zuccini (if the zucchini is large, remove seeds first)
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup buttermilk
4 TBS cocoa
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp soda
1 tsp salt

Mix all wet ingredients first, then dry ingredients.
Grease a 9X13" pan (I also tried it in 2 (9 inch) pans- works perfect- keep one and give one away)

Topping
3/4 Cup Pecans-chopped
3/4 Cup Brown Sugar
3/4 Cup Chocolate chips
Mix together and sprinkle on the top. Pat it down just a little.

Bake at 350 for 40-45 min.

Serve warm with vanilla Ice Cream!

Our new favorite cake!!
Enjoy

Apple Bread

2010-08-25T08:00:00.003-06:00

There are so many yummy things to do with apples. This is a favorite recipe when you have a few apples that need to be used up.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 eggs
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups chopped peeled tart apples

TOPPING:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
1/3 cup cold butter

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, applesauce, buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in apples. Transfer to two 8-in. x 4-in. loaf pans coated with cooking spray, or about 5-6 mini loaf pans coated with spray.

For topping, combine the flour, sugar and walnuts; cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over batter. This bread is really good without the topping as well. So, if you are trying to save a few calories, leave it off :)

Bake at 350° for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

Dehydrating Apples

2010-08-20T08:00:00.000-06:00

If you are lucky enough to have an apple tree, or access to some yummy apples, you may want to try this! Dehydrating apples is fantastic. The apples will last a long time if stored properly in your food storage, or they make great snacks. I will be putting some recipes up on some great ways to use dried apples.

Directions:
1. Choose apples that are firm and ripe.
2. Wash apples.

3. Using an apple peeler/slicer/corer, remove skins and core. Although you can dehydrate apples with the skins on, they (the skins) tend to be tough when dried. If you choose to leave the skins on, you may want to use a corer tool, then a meat slicer to slice. See corer below.

4. Put a clean spray bottle top into a bottle of lemon juice. This will be used to spray the apples.

5. All apples need to be pretreated before drying. This can be done by soaking apples in a citric acid solution (Fruit Fresh), or simply spraying with lemon juice. Soaking the apples tends to make them more mushy. I prefer to just spray with bottled lemon juice. After the apple is cored, peeled, and sliced, cut in half. Fan the pieces as shown, and squirt with the lemon juice.

6. Spread apple slices in a single layer on the dehydrator tray. Spray again with lemon juice. Dehydrate for about 16 hours, at between 125-130 degrees. Any hotter than that you may get "case hardening" where the outside is dry, but the inside is still moist. This will cause quick spoilage. Note: if you are going to use these slices for snacking, you can sprinkle a bit of sugar and cinnamon on them prior to drying. However, for long term storage, don't add the sugar and cinnamon.
7. When apples are done and cool, remove and put in a ziplok bag. Wait a few hours before vacuum sealing them with an oxygen packet. If any moisture condenses on the ziplok, the apples are not fully dehydrated and will need to go back in the dehydrator for a couple of hours.

Corer tool. I bought this at Williams-Sonoma for about $10. They can also be purchased on Amazon.com.

Homemade Granola

2010-08-19T13:00:00.002-06:00

Once you try this recipe, you will be done buying granola from the store. It is that good. Really! Even my kids who have always turned their noses up at granola LOVE it. We can't keep enough of it made! The nice thing about this recipe, is that it is a "skeleton" recipe. You can add different grains, fruits, etc. You can also switch whatever nuts you prefer. Use whatever you have on hand. I will list some combo's at the end that seem to be really yummy.
Homemade Granola
3 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup ground flax seed (optional)
1 cup chopped or slivered almonds
1 cup chopped pecans
3/4 cup shredded sweet coconut
1/3 cup (heaping) packed dark brown sugar
1/3 cup plus 1 TB maple syrup
1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup raisins
Directions:

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts, coconut and brown sugar.
In a separate bowl, combine the syrup, oil, cinnamon and salt. Combine both mixtures and pour onto 2 sheet pans. Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes stirring every 15 minutes to achieve an even color.
Remove from oven and transfer to a large bowl. Add raisins and mix until evenly distributed.

Notes:

My absolute favorite combo is omit the raisins and add chopped dates. It is fabulous! I DO add the flax. You can also add wheat bran or other grains (sunflower seeds etc). Use your creativity! I have yet to make a batch that isn't heavenly.
You can substitute honey for the maple syrup for a different flavor.
I use pure maple syrup, but the bottled stuff works too. I have even used the "lite" pancake syrup. It was good, but not as good as the real stuff.
I have also added dried apricots, dried pineapple, and dried apples.
Try substituting cashews for the almonds, or mix and match all the nuts.
If you have any flavored packets of oatmeal that are close to expiring, use them! This adds a whole new dimension of flavor as well (thanks for that tip, Lori!)
This granola is not super clumpy. It is also wonderful added to yogurt.

Enjoy!

Wet Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

Spread on sheets... Bake!

Finished Product! SUPER YUMMY!

Gas, Water, and Power Shut Offs

2010-08-01T08:00:00.000-06:00

At our last emergency preparedness meeting, our hostess, Jenni, gave an assignment to a) find our shut offs and b) learn how and when to shut them off. She also showed us her emergency binder which had the instructions for each. In the event of an emergency, each of us should have the knowledge how to find and turn off our meters if necessary. Below is the assignment that I completed for my house. This will now be placed inside my emergency binder. Now, the assignment is yours.....

Re-using/Refurbishing/Remodeling things

2010-07-25T15:05:00.000-06:00

One of the best ways that we save money on furniture items is to transform something old into something new for us. I have been wanting to purchase a food server for our patio. We like to entertain, and there is never enough room for the food. We end up going in and out of the house multiple times. Recently I saw at a yard sale an old computer desk. It cost me $5.00. It was the perfect height, and the perfect width for where I wanted it to go. So, my husband and I went to work. We painted the metal to match our patio set. We then tiled the top and shelves. It turned out perfect for what we want to use it for! And, it only cost about $30 total! Can't beat that.

We painted the metal to match our existing patio set.

We then started placing the tiles. We used the fake tiles that just stick on. No hardi-backer, or grout!

The finished product

Like Grandma Mazie used to say, "Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without!"

Organizing "stuff"

2010-07-20T08:00:00.002-06:00

It seems that in my house, every inch has to be used efficiently to maximize space. One thing that I LOVE to use is shoe holders! However, I don't use them for shoes. I hang them on the backs of my doors for various things. In my front closet, the pockets hold various seasonal things. In the summer it holds hats, sunscreens and other things that the kids can come get. In the winter, the pockets hold mittens, scarves, ear warmers etc. Each kid has a whole row for themselves, so they always know where their stuff is.

In the bathroom, the organizer holds bows, barettes, hairsprays, brushes, combs, etc. I like the clear ones so I can see exactly where everything is.This is especially helpful as the kids know where each thing goes- and they can put it away where it goes.

In my kitchen pantry, the organizer holds our cell phones, chargers, sunglasses, ipods and all the little electronic gadget-y things that I use in the kitchen and with my computer in the kitchen. I know the pantry seems an odd place for this, but that is where I use it.

These wonderful shoe organizers have helped us save space, and be organized. Each one is only about $7-9.00 at Walmart or Target.

"Hard Boiled" Eggs in Solar Oven

2010-07-15T08:00:00.000-06:00

Can your solar oven do this? Wow!

Simply put eggs in black enamelware pot.

Put in preheated solar oven. Let cook for about 30 minutes (35 for extra large eggs). They are PERFECT hard boiled eggs! And even better, there is no green ring around the yolk! Have I said how much I love using my sun oven?

Sealing Mylar Bags (Food Storage)

2010-07-11T08:00:00.000-06:00

After attending a class given by the director of the LDS dry-pack canneries, I decided I would try to incorporate more mylar bags into my food storage. Why? Mylar keeps light and air out better than plain old 5 gallon buckets. Since I store much of my bulk items (oats, flour, rice, etc) in 5 gallon buckets, this will extend the shelf life considerably.

Put mylar bag inside 5 gallon bucket. I ordered my mylar bags online.

Put product in bag. Fill it a bit more than what you think will fit.

Add oxygen absorbers. You need to add 1 absorber per gallon of product. So, if you are using a 5 gallon bucket, use 5.

Try to get as much air out as possible. Now, straighten the seams of the bag. Lay flat on surface of bar or ironing board. Using medium high heat, seal across top, leaving the corner unsealed.

Smash as much air out as you can. Now seal the corner.

Leave for 24 hours. The product should be hard now, as the oxygen has been absorbed. Put lid on, label and store.

Homemade Laundry Soap

2010-07-06T08:00:00.001-06:00

Our stake recently had an opportunity to purchase supplies to make our own laundry soap. I finally got around to doing it. I must admit, I am a laundry soap snob, and really like Tide products. However, I really don't like paying for Tide products. So, I thought I would give it a try. I told myself that as long as my clothes are clean, I would be OK. The thing that I was most excited about was the cost! It ends up costing about .70 cents per BATCH, and each batch makes 2 gallons. You only use 1/2 cup of detergent per load. The final cost is approximately .01-.02 cents per load. WOW! However, if you are unable to order the bulk quantities, it will cost more than that. Even paying retail for products at the grocery store, the homemade stuff is only a fraction of the cost. Our supplies (borax and soda) came from www.brenntag.com in Odgen, UT. A 50 pound bag of borax was $24.17, and a 50 pound bag of washing soda was $11.50. This also included shipping. I purchased the Fels Naptha bar at Macey's grocery store for $1.59.

The recipe:
1/3 bar Fels Naptha or other type of laundry bar soap
1/2 cup washing soda (It MUST be washing soda- baking soda will NOT work!)
1/2 cup borax powder
*You will also need a small bucket, about 2 gallon size*
(I tripled the recipe and did it in a 5 gallon bucket. Obviously if each batch makes 2 gallons, and I tripled it, that would be 6 gallons. I omitted 1 gallon of water, making it a little stronger concentration. Hence, I use a bit less than 1/2 cup per load).

Directions:
Grate the soap and put it in a sauce pan. Add 6 cups water and heat it until the soap melts. Add the washing soda and the borax and stir until it is dissolved. Remove from heat. Pour 4 cups hot water into the bucket. Now add your soap mixture and stir. Now add 1 gallon plus 6 cups of water and stir. Let the soap sit for about 24 hours and it will gel. You use 1/2-3/4 cup per load. You can also add some "blueing" agent for whiter whites, available at most stores on the laundry aisle. I did not do that. The verdict? After trying the soap on colors and whites- I really like it! The clothes smell nice- a good clean smell. The fresh Wendy's Frosty stain on my sons shirt is gone. Everything looks good!

A few things to not about the soap:

The finished soap will not be a solid gel. It will be more of a watery gel that has been accurately described as an "egg noodle soup" look.
The soap is a low sudsing soap. So if you don't see suds, that is ok. Suds are not what does the cleaning, it is the ingredients in the soap.
If you want your soap to have some sort of scent you can add 1/2-1 oz of essential oil or fragrance oil to your batch.
You can pour into empty milk jugs and store that way.

Grated Fels Naptha

Borax

Washing Soda (It MUST be washing soda! Baking soda will NOT work!!)

Fels Naptha Bar

The Fels Naptha and water in pot.

The finished product before putting in gallon jugs.

Earthquake Preparedness

2010-07-01T15:55:00.000-06:00

Several of my friends and I get together monthly to discuss and implement emergency preparedness ideas. This past week we discussed EARTHQUAKES! Since we live on the Wasatch Front, home to the Wasatch Fault, this is a very real threat to us. Below are the handouts we received. They are wonderful! Thanks to my friend Jenni who put them together for us.

This first one was taken from an area fireside on Earthquakes. Here are her notes:
Earthquake Fireside

This second one is filled with fabulous information taken from the North American Emergency Management team. Good Stuff!!

Home Earthquake Information
This last one is a list of resources on the web for more information. It is one thing to read about and gather information about preparedness. It is another thing to implement what we learn! Lets get to it!!
Earthquake Resources

Garden Harvest

2010-06-14T07:49:00.000-06:00

This has been a busy week! I was asked to help with an Enrichment activity on Gardening (in particular, Harvesting) to be held in my yard this past week. I have spent the several weeks putting together this spreadsheet with a lot of information on what to do with the yummy vegetables that we grow. Hopefully this will be a good reference! Note: This was made for my altitude (4000-6000 ft). If you use this as a reference, and live at a different altitude, you would need to adjust times, and pressures.
Garden Harvest 4000-6000 ft
Happy Harvesting!

Tomato Powder

2010-06-09T09:03:00.001-06:00

I recently went to Emergency Essentials to purchase tomato powder. I about died when I saw the price! It was $19.99 for a can- on sale! At Macey's it was $27.99 per can! I decided that this year, I am going to make my own. As soon as the garden is plentiful enough, I can use home grown tomatoes. For now, I used supermarket tomatoes that were on sale for a great price, so I tried it with them. It worked great! What can you use tomato powder for? Mix it with a little water and you have tomato paste! Want sauce? Add a bit more water. It can also be used for pizza sauce (mix 2 parts water, some olive oil, herbs and a pinch of sugar), and spaghetti sauce. It can also thicken soups, stews, chili, etc. Throw some in your artisan bread (with rosemary, or basil and garlic... yummmmm...). Tomato powder is a great thing for your everyday cooking, as well as an excellent food storage item. It takes much less space to store than the canned products. It tastes fantastic! Beware, it can go hard quickly if improperly stored. Keep it as airtight as possible! Just about any variety of tomato would work. Go for the ones with the most robust flavor. I can't wait to make this with my own homegrown tomatoes!

Directions:

Select ripe tomatoes. Wash and remove stem. No need to peel.
Cut in thicker slices (1/4-1/3"). If the slices are too thin, for some reason they do not blend up as well.
Dehydrate until very crisp. In my dehyrator it took about 12 hours (at 130 degrees).
Let cool. Check for crispness. They must be completely dry!
Put in blender, and blend away!! For a chunkier end product (to use with salsa, soups, spaghetti sauce), leave chunks in the powder. For a smoother product, blend until a fine powder is achieved.
If possible, seal in mason jar with the food saver attachment.

Note: To shorten the drying time, you can squeeze all the juice out of the tomatoes prior to drying.

Homemade Pizza Sauce

2010-06-01T08:00:00.001-06:00

Mmmm, Mmmmm, Mmmmmm! We love pizza! Every Friday night at our house is homemade pizza night. The kids generally make it themselves now, and it turns out delicious each time. This is a recipe for pizza sauce that we really like. Why pay $2.69 for a jar when this tastes even better at a fraction of the cost?

Pizza Sauce:
16 oz tomato paste
18 oz tomato sauce
1/2 tsp thyme
1 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Mix together. Will do (2 )13-16 inch pizzas. We like to heat it up and dip breadsticks in it too! Enjoy!

My Home Energy Audit

2010-05-25T08:00:00.000-06:00

One great way to see if you are conserving energy (and money) is to schedule a Home Energy Audit. Check with your power company to see if they offer them. If you live in Utah, here is the link. Questar Gas sent an auditor out to my home and he spent nearly 2 hours looking at everything! I was a little nervous to see what he would have to say.... Yay! It was good news! We are energy efficient on most things. He gave some great suggestions (as well as supplying some pipe insulators and a water heater blanket for free!). All in all, it was great. Questar charges $25 for the audit, and then they refund it if you take any of their suggestions. Not bad! He then spent time explaining each of the different things to look for and do to make our home more efficient. He left us with a custom printed report for our home with suggestions, and costs to implement these suggestions, and how long it would take to recoup the savings. I highly recommend this audit!

Homemade Croutons

2010-05-22T08:00:00.000-06:00

For years I've made croutons, and never really thought anything about it. It was just something I did with day-old (sometimes week-old) bread, rolls, hot dog buns, etc. The prep time is minimal and they taste delish! Much better than any packaged croutons I've ever tried. Try them on salads, soup, or eat them by the handful. I store them in a ziplock bag in the freezer. Pull them out right before you serve dinner and they're ready to go.

Croutons
8 slices "homemade" type bread - use day old for best results
4 TB vegetable oil
4 TB butter
onion powder
Garlic salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using a serrated knife, cut bread into 1- to 1 1/2-inch cubes. Put oil and butter on a large rimmed baking sheet and place in oven until butter melts. Remove baking sheet from oven and sprinkle with onion powder and garlic salt to taste. Sprinkle bread cubes over melted butter and lightly toss until most of the bread is coated in the butter. (I use a large pancake turner and just scoop the bread and flip it over.) Bake about 20-30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so, until bread is toasted and dry. Cool on baking sheet. Store in ziplock bag in the freezer.

Notes:
1) Almost any type of bread works for croutons EXCEPT bread with whole grains (like wheat berries) mixed into the dough. The grains get very hard. I also have not had good success with using the dinner rolls from Sam's Club to make the croutons - the croutons never dried out. Perhaps it's because I live in a high humidity area? No idea.

2) The baking time is approximate because all types of bread have a different moisture content. If the croutons are getting brown but aren't getting crisp, turn down the heat in your oven and prop open the oven door just a crack with a wooden spoon.

3) I've made croutons with all different seasonings and spices including season salt, parsley, sage, rosemary, etc. All are good, but for a basic crouton that will go with anything, the onion powder and garlic salt really can't be beat.

Bread Making Tips

2010-05-18T19:40:00.002-06:00

These tips came from a bread making demonstration in my sister-in-laws ward. They are great!
Bread Making Tips From Relief Society

When handling dough, put about 2-3 tsp oil in the palm of your hand and rub hands together. The dough won't stick!
Add 2 tablespoons of dough enhancer to any bread recipe for lighter bread. Dough enhancer can be purchased at most grocery stores, Walmart, Kitchen Kneads, Bosch, etc.
2 tablespoons of Lecithin liquid can be added to make lighter dough also. This can be purchased at Kitchen Kneads.
Egg whites whip better at room temperature than refrigerated.
To keep crust from getting too dark, cover bread for the last 5-10 minutes - shiny side down. You can put foil on as soon as the crust is the color you want.
Let bread cool 10 minutes before cutting. Use a serrated knife to cut.
1 package of yeast equals 2 1/4 teaspoons.
Opened yeast should be kept in the freezer to help it last longer.
White wheat makes lighter bread than red wheat. Red wheat has more protein and stores longer.
When rolling out dough for rolls, put shortening on the surface instead of oil or flour. This will keep dough from shrinking back as you roll it, and keep the dough from becoming too stiff.
The more flour you add the stiffer the dough will become. Stiffer dough makes the bread less light and fluffy. Dough should not be tough, it should be soft.
When mixing dough it should be smooth when done mixing.
To speed raising of bread or rolls, heat oven to 150 and then turn oven off. put rolls in for about 10 minutes and they will raise quickly.
For bread bowls use your favorite bread recipe, French bread would work well. Shape into dough balls. Cook in oven with a little water in a pie tin on the shelf below the bread). Bake at a higher temperature (75-100) for a shorter time. This helps to make a thick crust.
To freeze rolls, roll dough and form rolls like you're going to cook them. Place them on parchment on cookie sheet. Cover with parchment and then cover with foil. Spray with cooking spray to keep dough from sticking to parchment. Since they will not rise you can put them very close together. Freeze overnight and then put in freezer bag and label. Take out and let thaw and rise when ready to use. (Just like Rhodes)

Sun Oven Solar Cooking

2010-05-15T08:00:00.000-06:00

I have been interested in purchasing a solar oven for some time now. After much research, and talking to distributors, I finally took the plunge! Last Saturday, the president of Sun Oven came to Lindon, UT to give a seminar on these ovens. It was fantastic! He talked about the benefits of a solar oven:

Cooks with no fuel. Only uses the power of the sun. Awesome! This really cuts down the amount of fuel needed to store for emergency preparedness.
Nothing burns in the solar oven (he did say that if cookies are left in for a long time, they will burn, but that is the only food that will).
Since no moisture is lost during cooking, food is moist, tender and very flavorful. You should use 1/3 less liquid in your recipes.
It folds up like a suitcase and only weighs 21 pounds. Can be taken anywhere.
Super easy to use!
The most forgiving way to cook.
Can also pasteurize water.
Doesn't heat up your home in the Summer.
Can be used in any temperature outside, as long as there is Sun.
It has a 15 year warranty.
Totally safe — no danger of fire and does not emit any toxic fumes.
Saves you money in 2 ways — cooks with free solar energy & without heating up your kitchen (lowering your airconditioning bill)!
Safeguards against power disruptions - great for disaster relief.
Used daily in 126 countries around the world.

Needless to say, the next day I put it to work! I was astounded. Within 20 minutes the oven thermometer read 325 degrees! I put a chicken in, and left for church. He said that if you will be gone for several hours in the middle of the day, to position it due South. When we returned home, we went out the yard to check it out.... it sure smelled good! We took the chicken out and had a feast. Honestly, it was probably the best roasted chicken we have ever had. I can't wait to keep using this oven! And, it makes me excited to take it with us camping! Yippee! I love emergency preparedness things that can be used all the time!! I purchased this oven from Grant at www.getpreparedstuff.com. They were the best price.

Chicken cooked in the Solar Oven

From the Sun Oven Website:
FAQ's:

**What can I cook in a SUN OVEN^®?**

Anything you can cook in a conventional electric or gas oven and most things you can cook on a stovetop can be cooked in a SUN OVEN®. You can bake, boil and steam, so the only foods you cannot cook are fried foods.

Where are the SUN OVENS® manufactured?

The SUN OVENS® which are sold in North America are made in Elburn, Illinois. With the exception of the thermometer, all of the component parts used in the SUN OVENS® are made in the USA.

SUN OVENS® that are used outside of North America are often made in the country in which they are used.

What is the cooking temperature range?

The SUN OVEN® will reach temperatures of 360 to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Cooking temperatures will vary depending on the brightness of the sun and how often the oven is refocused to follow the sun.

Will food prepared in a SUN OVEN® taste the same as food prepared in my conventional oven?

The food tastes much better! SUN OVEN®cooking allows many of the natural flavors of food, which get baked out in conventional ovens, to remain. The slow, even rise in temperatures in a SUN OVEN® gives the complex carbohydrates time to break down into simple sugars allowing subtle natural flavors to emerge. Sun baked-foods stay moist (the natural internal juices do not bake out) resulting in a superior, moist taste and much less shrinkage.

How long does it take?

Cooking times are close to the same as those in a conventional oven. Because the sun sometimes goes behind clouds, cooking times can vary. At times it may take a little longer. The factors that affect the cooking time are: the quality of the sunlight at the time you are cooking, the types and quantities of the food being cooked, and how often the oven is refocused. A good rule of thumb is to add 10 to 15 minutes of cooking time for each time the oven door is opened.

The amazing thing about using a SUN OVEN® is that it is almost impossible to burn food; and sun-cooked food does not dry out. This enables food to be cooked for a longer time at a lower temperature or in less time at a higher temperature, without affecting the quality of the food.

There are two ways to cook in a SUN OVEN®. If you refocus the oven to follow the sun every 25 to 30 minutes, cooking times and methods will be very similar to cooking with a conventional stove or oven. Or a SUN OVEN® can be used for slow cooking, much like a crock-pot. You can prepare your dinner, put it in the SUN OVEN® and point the oven toward where the sun will be approximately halfway through the time you will be gone. Leave, and come home to a tasty, slow-cooked dinner. If you run late, there is no need to worry; the SUN OVEN® will keep your food warm, moist, and fresh for hours.

**Does a SUN OVEN® require special pots and pans?**

No, but dark, thin-walled pots with lids work best. Dark pots change the light from the sun into heat energy. Shiny aluminum pots and pans cause light to be reflected out thereby reducing the oven's temperature. Glass casserole dishes with lids also work well.

With the exception of bakery goods, everything cooked in a SUN OVEN®should be cooked in a pot with a lid. Lids hold steam in the pot. If a lid is not used, the steam will fog the inside of the glass and reduce the temperature. For baking cakes, breads, cookies and pies, dark cookie sheets and baking tins work best.

Can more than one thing be cooked at the same time?

Yes, the SUN OVEN® has been designed to accommodate baking two loaves of bread at a time. Several flat pans can be cross stacked to enable several layers when making granola or cookies. Two small stackable pots can be used on the leveling tray. The leveling tray can be removed to increase the usable area inside the SUN OVEN® and allow larger stackable pots or pans to be used. (It is important to note that if the leveling tray is removed, pots and pans should be placed on a trivet, not on the floor of the oven. To cook evenly, there must be air flow all the way around the pot. A trivet will allow enough air to pass under the pot to ensure an even heat.)

Does food need to be stirred?

No, stirring to prevent scorching is not required when cooking in a SUN OVEN® due to the fact that there are no hot spots. The temperature of the food and the pot remain the same and rise evenly. It is almost impossible to burn food in a SUN OVEN®.

**Will food brown when cooked in a SUN OVEN^®?**

In full sun, bread baked in a SUN OVEN®will brown. To insure a brown crust every time bread is baked, a light mist of water can be sprayed on the dough just before it is placed in SUN OVEN®. A dark lustrous finish on breads can be achieved by using an egg-or milk-wash on the dough before baking.

When poultry is baked in a SUN OVEN®in a covered pot it does not brown. A golden brown surface can be attained on meats and poultry by sprinkling a small amount of sugar over them. Paprika is also useful for creating an appetizing appearance.

**How difficult is it to focus a SUN OVEN®?**

Focusing a SUN OVEN® is very easy. All that is required is to watch the shadows created by the oven. When the shadows are even on all sides, the cooker is directly focused. The built-in leveling leg on the back of the oven allows for easy tracking.

**How often must a SUN OVEN® be refocused?**

The need to refocus depends a great deal on what you are cooking, the time of day, and the temperature you wish to maintain. A good rule of thumb is to plan to readjust every 30 minutes to maintain maximum heat. At noon the sun is high in the sky and moves quickly past the maximum focus point, creating the need to refocus more often. Later in the day you will not need to refocus as often. The SUN OVEN® is equipped with a built in Levelator, which keeps food level and avoids spills while being refocused.

Many meals can be cooked without refocusing. SUN OVEN® users often will put their ovens outside, focused for the mid-day sun, with their dinner in it when they leave for work in the morning. As the sun moves overhead, the temperature in the SUN OVEN® chamber slowly rises to a cooking level. As the sun passes, the food is kept warm and when they return from work they have a warm, sun-cooked dinner. (Keep in mind food will not burn in a SUN OVEN® and that the chamber is extremely well insulated, allowing food to stay warm for hours.)

**Will I need to be concerned about getting burned when using a SUN OVEN®?**

The only parts that get hot are the oven chamber, the cooking pan and the glass door. Proper care must be taken to use hot pads when opening the door and removing food. The entire exterior of the oven, including the reflectors, does not get hot and remains safe to touch.

**How long will a SUN OVEN® last?**

The estimated life of a SUN OVEN® is 15 + years. With proper care it should last a lifetime.

**Do I need special recipes to cook in a SUN OVEN®?**

The SUN OVEN® reaches temperatures comparable to that of conventional ovens; therefore no special recipes are required.

**What are the dimensions of the SUN OVEN®?**

The size of the SUN OVEN® is 19'' x 19'' with an average depth of 11''. The total weight is only 21 pounds. The back of the outside outer box is 14" high and the front of the outer box is 9" high. The back of the oven chamber is 11" high and the front is 7" high, with an average depth of 9". The door opening for the oven chamber is 14" in diameter. When opened the reflectors are 32" in diameter.

**What materials are used in the construction of a SUN OVEN®?**

The following materials used to make a SUN OVEN®:

Reflectors Anodized aluminum (which will never oxidize, rust or corrode)

Outer shell ABS plastic

Bezel Poplar wood (kiln dried)

Inner shell Anodized aluminum

Door Tempered glass

Between the aluminum inner shell and the plastic outer shell there is a thick batt of food grade fiberglass insulation.

**Can I use a SUN OVEN® in the winter?**

Yes, a SUN OVEN® can be used on a clear winter day. The most important factor in using a SUN OVEN® is the brightness of the sun, not the outside air temperature. Often, a 40-degree, clear, low-humidity day will allow food to cook faster than a 100-degree day with high humidity. The SUN OVEN® has been used very successfully at the base camp of a Mt. Everest expedition where the temperatures are often well below zero. There are, however, more cooking hours available in the summer than in the winter. In the summer, it is not unusual to cook from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM, whereas during the early winter, effective cooking is limited to 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM.

Can aSUN OVEN®be used to dry or dehydrate foods?

Yes, a SUN OVEN®makes an excellent solar dryer. When the latch (which holds the door shut for cooking) is turned inward and the glass door is set on top of the latch, moist air can escape and the temperature inside the oven will remain low enough to keep the items being dried from starting to cook.

Are SUN OVEN® used in countries outside of the United States?

Yes, SUN OVENS International, Inc. is involved in solar cooking projects in deforested countries on 5 continents. We have been innovative in developing methods of placement, training, and marketing to assist in the positioning of over 34,000 family sized GLOBAL SUN OVENS® in the U.S. and more than 100 developing countries, and 250 large VILLAGER SUN OVENS®in deforested developing countries. We are striving to develop and implement comprehensive solar cooking programs which will radically decrease the developing world's dependence on fuel wood and dung as the primary cooking fuels, while benefiting the environment, raising the standard of living, and improving the health of the poor worldwide. Domestic SUN OVEN®saleshelp finance these endeavors.

No Fail French Bread

2010-05-12T08:00:00.001-06:00

This recipe came from a bread demonstration that my sister-in-law attended, given by JoAnn Koller. The recipe is super easy, and our family LOVED it. It is a keeper!!

No Fail French Bread
2 pkg yeast (4.5 tsp)
1/2 cup warm water
3 TB sugar
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup oil
6 c. flour
2 c. hot water
(*optional for Italian French Bread: 1 tsp thyme, 1 tsp rosemary, 1/2 tsp garlic powder: add when you add last 3 cups of flour)

Instructions: Dissolve yeast in warm water in small bowl. Combine remaining ingredients using only 3 cups of flour. Beat well. Add yeast and beat well. Add remaining flour and make soft dough that can still be mixed with a spoon. Then leave spoon in batter and allow dough to rest 10 minutes. Stir dough and let rest again for another 5 minutes. Put dough onto floured surface. Knead only enough to coat dough with flour so it can be handled. Divide into two. Roll each part into a rectangle 9x12". Roll like a jellyroll. Arrange on a greased cookie sheet, brush with beaten egg whites. Let dough raise 20-30 minutes and then cook. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes. Let cool before slicing. Use a serrated knife.

Some fresh rosemary and thyme to add in with the last 3 cups of flour

Soft dough- ready to sit for 10 minutes

Rolled out- ready to be rolled up!

Rolled up, slit, and brushed with egg whites

The finished product- delicious!

Financial Peace University Week 13: The Great Misunderstanding

2010-05-09T07:58:00.000-06:00

This last week was our last Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University Class! It was such a great class. If anyone has the opportunity to take it, I highly recommend it. We loved being the moderators. We learned so much! The staggering thing to me was how much debt our class paid off. On the last night of class, we calculated the totals. Averaged out, each couple paid off $6974.47 and saved $6,323.33!! And that was in only 91 days!!! Fabulous!

This week – "The Great Misunderstanding"- being a good steward over what we have been given, and GIVING!!

Key points:

The Great Misunderstanding, the paradox, is that we believe that the way to have more is to hold on to what we have more tightly.
A steward is a manager, not an owner.
Give the first 10% of your income to your church or favorite charity.

This was one of my favorite lessons. Some people think that holding on tightly (clenched fists) to everything we have is the way to get more. Wrong! Here’s a passage from the Dave Ramsey website on avoiding “stuffitis” and finding true contentment.

In 1913 a cartoonist named Arthur R. Momand coined the phrase “Keeping Up with the Joneses” when he created a daily comic strip by the same name. The strip was Momand’s satirical take on his experiences living in an affluent society. It struck such a cord with Americans that it ran for 28 years.

We’re not that much different today. We still strive to keep up with friends, neighbors and even strangers – partly because we inherently crave prestige and partly because we’re bombarded with ads for all the things that will allegedly make us happy.

Dave says that the most important key to financial peace is not budgeting, debt snowballing or investing. The key is contentment. You have to know how to be content with less before you’re able to dig in and do the practical things that lead to financial freedom. Ironically, the people who are most content with their finances and their possessions are those who actually have less.

Marty Nemko of Bankrate.com says, “Most wealthy people know that additional money beyond a fairly modest income yields little additional happiness.”

In her book You Don’t Have to be Rich, Jean Chatzky goes a bit further and says, “The financial habits of people who believe money equals happiness stand in the way of achieving that happiness.” This type of person is less likely to do the things that lead to true contentment and control.

So what’s the answer? How do we go against the grain of a greedy, possession-driven society? One thing we can do is not allow our possessions to possess us. Working just to buy the best clothes, the newest car, the latest technology or the biggest house is futile. Our aim should be a life of peace and freedom where our family, health, and wholeness are the priorities.’

He spent some time talking about how we are merely managers of our money, and that God is the owner. He said it is much easier to give when it is someone else's money! If we remember this principle that we are the stewards, it will be easier to give.

He then talked about the importance of giving your first 10% to your church or charity. He explained that even while in debt, we should be giving. He explains:

Nearly every day callers to “The Dave Ramsey Show” ask Dave, “If I’m still in debt, should I stop giving to my church or charitable organizations?”

For Christians and practicing Jews, this is a slightly more complicated situation because the Bible and the Torah instruct believers to give at least 10% of their income to the church. There are many people who simply want to be able to give whether they attend church or not, but they don’t feel they can afford it while they’re working the debt snowball.

In this situation, Dave offers some very sound and simple advice: give.

While it may be tough during the rice-and-beans, debt-dumping days of Baby Step 2, Dave says that even if it’s not much, don’t worry. It’s not about the amount or what it does for the organization to which you give. It’s about what it does to you, deep down inside.
You’ll be happier, healthier, and you’ll get so much more out of life when you intentionally and regularly give. Plus, continuing to give during the financially dry spells will solidify in you a spirit of generosity that will carry over when you’re cup is overflowing!

Whether you give to your church, your synagogue, or a charitable organization, just give. And even if you’re working the debt snowball, just stick to your budget and you’ll be in good shape.

There are three things to do with money: spend, save and give. You have to spend in order to have the things you need to live and should save in order to secure your family’s future. But there’s something special about giving, something about the way it refreshes your heart and helps you see what is most important. No matter the amount or the recipient, just give.

Tips For Better Pressure Cooking

2010-05-08T08:00:00.001-06:00

Whenever you get a new piece of equipment, a bit of trial and error are required to see how it works. Here are some tips that will help make the most of your pressure cooking:

Since no liquid is lost when using a pressure cooker, it's a good idea to reduce the amount of liquid a conventional recipe calls for by about 20%. In no time, you will be able to convert many of your recipes to pressure cooked recipes.
The cooking time for most foods in a pressure cooker is one-quarter to one-third of the time it would take by conventional methods. When trying a new food or recipe, consult the manual for a recommended cooking time for the longest cooking item in your dish, or compare your recipe to a similar one.
Choose recipes that combine most of the ingredients at the start of cooking or else at the end. Although you can bring the pressure down, add more foods, and bring up to pressure again, when first using a pressure cooker, try things that all cook together.
In a pressure cooker, liquid doesn't evaporate as food cooks, and that trapped steam can dilute flavor. To correct this, release the pressure a bit early and let the dish simmer uncovered over low heat. This will also thicken up your food. You can also stir in fresh herbs, cheeses, or other seasonings at this point to boost flavor.
Depending on the type and amount of food, it can take from 30 seconds up to 20 minutes to reach full pressure. To speed things up, heat liquids before adding them to the pot. The amount of food in the pot has no bearing on the cooking time; ten potatoes cook as quickly as one. However, a full cooker takes longer to come up to pressure.
High pressure is fine for most foods, but use low pressure for tender food, such as chicken breasts or tender vegetables, so they're less likely to overcook. Start timing the cooking from the moment pressure is reached. Automatic pressure cookers do the work for you.
Once the pot reaches full pressure, reduce the heat to maintain a constant pressure. For electric stoves, it's helpful to set one burner to high and a second one to a lower heat. Bring the cooker up to pressure on the high-heat burner and then move it to the second burner for the rest of cooking. For gas stoves, turn the flame down to medium-low.
For foods that overcook easily, like rice, use the quick-release feature or move the cooker to a sink, tilt the pot slightly, and let cold water wash down one side, away from the vents or regulator.
When cooking beans, potatoes, or other foods with skins you want to keep intact, use the natural-release method (take the pot off the heat so the pressure drops gradually). Use it also for beef, which toughens when pressure is released too quickly, and for cheesecakes- Yes, you can cook cheesecake!

Pressure Cookers: Why Use Them?

2010-05-04T08:00:00.000-06:00

Thinking of cooking week after week without the use of a pressure cooker makes me sad! I am sure those who use a pressure cooker remember the exact time when they realized the potential of these gems. For years I have used a Fagor Duo 8 qt stovetop pressure cooker (which I have LOVED). Recently I purchased an electric pressure cooker (Cuisinart) from Costco. It is a 6 qt beauty!! After reading many reviews, I took the plunge. OK, all I can say, is EVERYONE NEEDS ONE!!! I love it!!!

The pressure cooker lid, which is fitted with a rubber gasket, forms an airtight seal once it's locked into position. As the contents inside the pot heat up, steam gets trapped and pressure builds. At 15 pounds of pressure (the typical "high pressure" setting on a cooker), water boils at 250°F, almost 40°F higher than in conventional pots. The high pressure and temperature break down food fibers more quickly, shortening cooking time dramatically- in fact, up to 70%!

Many people are scared of using pressure cookers, because they have heard horror stories of their grandmother's lid exploding and food ending up all over the ceiling. Today's pressure cookers are a far cry from their predecessors. Today's pressure cookers have many safety mechanisms that work together to provide a very fast, safe, easy, quiet way to cook.

In the years of using my pressure cooker, I've never had a lid fly off or felt unsafe in any way. I have however given one away (a Mirro brand) that scortched everything because it was made of thin metal.

Pressure cookers are best for things that generally take a long time to cook. Things that cook quickly (like zuchinni, fish, and some pastas) are better cooked with other methods. However, using a pressure cooker for many things, saves a ton of time! My favorites for pressure cooking:

Grains, such as whole grain wheat and brown rice, which cook in just 20 minutes compared to the usual 45. White rice cooks in less than 10 minutes.
Unsoaked dried beans, which get plump and tender in less than 30 minutes. There is no need to presoak them. However, if they are presoaked, they cook even faster (about 18 minutes).
Soups, stews, chili's, and long-cooking sauces like marinara, which develop deep flavor in 20 minutes or less.
Broths: The pressure cooker is very good at extracting the flavor from bones. No need to throw the bones away. Pressure cook them for a wonderful, flavorful broth.
Tough, flavorful cuts of meats, such as short ribs, pork shoulder, beef pot roast, which require long cooking to get tender. A pressure cooker can have fall apart meat in about 60-90 minutes (depending on the size of the roast.
Sturdy vegetables, such as potatoes, winter squash and beets. In 13-15 minutes, you will have perfect "baked" potatoes. Simply put 1 cup of water in the bottom, use a trivet, and fill the cooker with whole potatoes. Yum!

If you are wanting to save time in the kitchen, have flavorful healthy food, or just want to try something new, then a pressure cooker is the way to go.

Substitutions List

2010-05-01T08:00:00.002-06:00

Once again, here is a reference sheet. This list is modified from USU extension. I have typed it up and taped it inside my cupboard for easy reference. There is nothing I hate worse than not having something I need. Oftentimes when this happens, you can substitute something else that will work equally as well. This is an equivalent/substitution list. Hope it helps someone! I have referred to it several times.

Substitutions

Equivalent Measures

2010-04-28T08:00:00.000-06:00

I put this little list together for reference. I have mine taped inside my cabinet for when I need it.
Equivalent Measures

Dry Steak Rub Recipe

2010-04-25T08:00:00.000-06:00

This is a yummy rub for any steak. We love it! It is simple to make, and keep ready for when you are going to BBQ.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper

1 tablespoon paprika

1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes

1 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Canola oil

Directions:

Combine all ingredients except canola oil and mix well.

Baste top and bottom of steak with canola oil.

Rub in dry rub liberally.

Let steaks sit for 20-30 minutes at room temperature, then grill steaks on both sides until desired doneness.

Enjoy!

This would make a nice Father's Day gift (packaged in a cute jar) with a pair of grilling tools.

Canning Breads and Cakes: NOT!

2010-04-22T08:00:00.000-06:00

Recently I went to a food storage class offered by a “pro” at our local grocery store. One of the things that she was teaching was that you could “can” sweet breads or cakes and use them in your food storage. Hmmm. Sounds good, right? WRONG. I went to the food experts at USU extension (my favorite resource), and this is what they said:

Food Safety Bulletin No 008 (2007)

Scary! I like the dry mix alternative! A lot of crazy ideas are floating around that simply aren’t safe: Canning butter, waxing cheese, storing eggs smothered with mineral oil, etc. Lets remember, we are trying to prepare for disasters, not make them.

Sun Oven Seminar... UTAH

2010-04-19T08:00:00.001-06:00

For those who live in Utah.....

The president of Global Sun Oven is coming to Utah for a seminar!! I have been researching these ovens for the past year, and this is a great opportunity for purchasing a solar oven kit at a great price. Also, this is a great opportunity to LEARN!! Here is the information:

Global Sun Oven Solar Cooking Seminar

(also see special sun oven pricing below)

Saturday May 8th at 3:00 PM

Lindon City's Hollow Park

308 E 400 N Lindon Utah

(click on address link above for map)

SUN OVEN Cooking Essentials SeminarAn increasing number of families have obtained a SUN OVEN to have on hand in the event of an emergency and have been pleasantly surprised by the improved taste of sun-cooked foods and the lifestyle advantages of cooking with the sun. Paul Munsen, of SUN OVENS International, will teach on how to harness the power of the sun to bake, boil and steam foods. He will show how practical and easy it is to cook in a SUN OVEN and discuss the many economic, health and environmental benefits of cooking with the sun.

Learn how to never have to worry about burning dinner again. Discover how to use a SUN OVEN to naturally dehydrate fruits and vegetables, and enhance winter sprouting. Find out how to reduce your utility bills and the amount of fuel you need to store for emergency preparedness while helping families in deforested developing counties around the world.

For the seminar I'm offering special pricing on the Sun ovens and options. Included is an extra 3 Qt cooking pot (total of 2), a WAPI (water pasteurization indicator) and set of cookie sheets or loaf pans for about $5 extra than normal the normal price.

However, I do need your order by noon on Tuesday (April 20th) to secure the special pricing.

Feel free to pass this info to others.

Cash, check or money order is needed too. The credit card fees are too high at this price.

Discounted price offered for seminar:

$285

Sun Oven Seminar Package includes:

1 - Sun Oven w/thermometer

2 - 3 Qt pots

1 - Set of two cookie sheets OR a set of two loaf pans (choose one set or the other)

1 - WAPI (water pasteurization indicator)

* - I pay the sales tax

* - I pay shipping here to Utah

The purchased Sun Ovens can be picked up at the seminar on May 8th or at my home that same week.

Bring a friend and tell a neighbor and join us on

Saturday May 8th 3PM

at the pavilion at the Hollow park in Lindon

Contact: Grant Johnson 801-999-0709

Pantry Mixes

2010-04-18T08:00:00.005-06:00

Pantry Mixes are a fabulous way to utilize your food storage, while cutting down on time in the kitchen. Before starting on mixes, make sure you have some great storage containers to store your mixes in. I like the square ones that stack neatly, because my pantry is not very big. You can even store the mixes in large Ziplok bags if needed.

This booklet was compiled by the USU Extension.. They recently offered a class on Master/Pantry Mixes, and all of the recipies are in the booklet. Give them a try! Enjoy!

Master Mixes Booklet - 1pg

Financial Peace University: Week 9: Of Mice and Mutual Funds

2010-04-15T10:11:00.000-06:00

This week was about the basics of investing.

Yay! By this point in the Financial Peace University program, we are learning about Baby Step #4, INVESTING! Dave advocates investing 15% of your household income in mutual funds. By this baby step, you have paid off all consumer debt (except the mortgage), and have a 3-6 month emergency fund saved. Now it is time to start building some wealth. Dave Ramsey teaches that mutual funds are a great way to invest. Of course, in an hour long lesson, we will not know all of the in's and out's of investing, but he points us in the right direction.

His first rule of investing is to never buy something you don’t understand. Only invest in companies and products that you can explain to a seventh grader. Stick to things that are easy to understand, or in other words, use the "KISS" principle: KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID! Often times, financial planners or investment counselors use such complex terms that we don't know what we are getting into. Keep it simple, and understand everything you buy. Investing is methodical, week by week, month by month.

Dave begins by covering the basics of risk versus return. In other words, the safer and more liquid (accessible) that you want your money to be (low risk), the lower the potential return will be. Safe investments are typically CD’s and money market mutual funds. However, they tend to often time not even come close to the rate of inflation. Riskier investments (with generally higher rates of return) include single stocks (Dave says DON'T DO THAT), bonds, mutual funds, and real estate. Real estate is one of Dave's favorites, but only when he can pay cash for it. Real estate takes a lot of money to get into, and also to maintain. It should not be used for short term investments, but has a great return for the long term.

He spent quite a bit of time talking about diversification, or not "putting all of your eggs in one basket". This protects your investment more than about anything. Diversification is investing your money in many different products, companies, and levels of aggressiveness. You don’t want to have all of your money in one company’s stock (even if it’s the company you work for), or one mutual fund. If for some reason that company crashes, you will lose all of your money. Investing in multiple funds, stocks, and industries makes sure that even if one company or product tanks, your others will take up the slack. This makes it much less risky. Dave’s standard mutual fund diversification is as follows:

25% in Growth (mid cap): These are mid-sized companies that still have a lot of room for growth.
25% in Growth and Income (large cap): These are big, well established companies that grow a little but mostly stay stable.
25% in International: These are overseas and foreign companies.
25% in Aggressive Growth (small cap): These are small companies and emerging markets that have a lot of potential to grow, but alo have a lot of potential to crash.

Dave then tells us that your money will need to earn at least a 6% return in order to compensate for inflation and taxes. With that you simply break even. Dave shoots for an average of 12% return with his mutual funds. With the down markets we have had over the last several years, that would be hard to come by. He also recommends funds that have a strong track record for the past 10 years.

All in all, this class was an eye opener for me (and the class). When we looked at how debt has robbed us from earning real wealth, it was sickening.

Click here for a visual representation of what saving 15% of your income can look like. This is from Doughroller.net, and it puts it all in perspective.

Knowing Your Grains

2010-04-11T08:00:00.005-06:00

Whenever I come across a grain that I not really familiar with, I always say to myself, "Hmm, I wonder what that is like...". So, here is some information that may be helpful to someone besides me :)

Amaranth

Ancient Aztec grain with superior nutrition
Rich in lysine & high quality protein
60 mg calcium per ½ cup
Gluten-free
Pop like popcorn
Add to cookies or stews
Goes well with buckwheat, millet, & brown rice

Buckwheat

Not a grain, but a fruit seed of a rhubarb relative
Gluten-free
High in 8 essential amino acids
High in calcium, vitamin E, & B vitamins
Great substitute flour for things like pancakes
Roasted Buckwheat known as Kasha

Bulgur Wheat

Made by cracking parboiled whole wheat berries & drying them
Star of the Middle Eastern dish Tabouli
Dates back to 2800 B.C.
Can be prepared very quickly
Great substitute for converted rice
Excellent as meat extender for substitute vegetarian dishes

Farro

Has been a mainstay of Tuscany, in Northeastern Italy
Looks like brown rice
Has a nutty taste
Unlike wheat, farro husk adheres to grain
Fiber content is high
High in vitamin A, B, C, E, magnesium, & protein
About 90% of people allergic to hybridized wheat can tolerate farro
In Italy used as a pasta wheat
Needs to be special ordered

Hard White Wheat

High in protein
A cross between Hard Red Wheat & Soft White Wheat
Retains good qualities of both: easily digestible, alkaline grain that makes great light bread

Hard Red Wheat

High in protein
Can be sprouted
Great for bread
A heavy, acid based grain
Causes many people digestion problems

Kamut

An Egyptian wheat from 4000 B.C.
Buttery flavor, great texture, no cholesterol, & easily digestible
Compared to wheat: 30% higher in protein, higher in eight of nine minerals, including magnesium & zinc
Considered a “high energy grain”
Many wheat sensititive people eat it without reaction
Can be used in salads, soups, cereals, or ground into flour

Millet

Gluten-free
Alkaline & easy to digest
Rich in lysine & a high quality protein & B vitamins
2/3 of worlds population depend on Millet
Highly recommended for babies & small children
Great rice substitute
Excellent as meat extender for substitute vegetarian dish
Considered to be a very versatile grain

Oat Groats

Hulled, whole oat kernels with bran & germ intact
High in seven B vitamins, high quality protein, & minerals
Lowers cholesterol
4x the fat of wheat & a natural antioxidant
Great for breakfast
Combines well with rice

Pearled Barley

Pearled means lightly milled, or refined
Less nutritious than whole barley
Mild flavor & chewy
Ranges in size-the finer it is the more it has been milled and less nutritious
Cook as a breakfast cereal or in stews & pilafs

Quinoa (Keen’wa)

An ancient Incan grain
High in lysine
Contains 50% more protein than wheat
Higher in iron, vitamins A, E, B, & phosphorus than wheat
More calcium & fat than any other grain
Kernels have waxy protective coating that leaves bitter taste unless thoroughly washed
Quadruples in size upon cooking
Use in cereals & breads

Rye

Not very flavorful
Caraway seeds give “Rye Bread” it’s distinctive flavor
Low in gluten
High in lysine, fiber, protein, phosphorus, iron, & potassium
Has a special long chain of 5-carbon sugars which digest slowly & provide long burning energy & fullness
Use rye in breads, pastries, cookies, pancakes, & waffles

Spelt

Nutty Flavor
30% more protein than wheat
Considerable amount of B vitamins, magnesium, & fiber
Tolerated by many wheat sensitive people
Easily substituted in wheatrecipes
Use around the world for at least 5,000 years

Soft White Wheat

Low in protein
Low in gluten
Used in making pastries
Easier to digest than Hard Red Wheat

Sweet Brown Rice

A short grained brown or white rice
High in carbohydrates
Cooks up very sticky
Also called glutinous rice, but it contains no gluten
Delicious in puddings & Asian type desserts

Teff

Smallest grain in world
Name literally means: “lost”
Gluten-free
Rich source of minerals: Calcium, boron, copper, magnesium, phosphorus, & zinc
The “rice & wheat” of Ethiopia for years
Can be used alone hidden in salads or added to any dough

Triticale

First human-engineered grain in history
A cross between rye & wheat
High in protein, lysine, & some B vitamins
Low in gluten
Use the same as soft white wheat
Use in soups, cakes, breads, pancakes, & waffles

Whole Barley

Contains germ, bran, & endosperm
Higher in protein, potassium & calcium than pearled barley
Expands 4x its dry size
Very satisfying comfort food
One of the richest sources of soluble & insoluble fiber
Was the staple of Roman gladiators

Must Have Fridge/Pantry Items

2010-04-08T08:00:00.001-06:00

Must Store Pantry/Fridge Items:

Soy Sauce

This is a must have. It can be purchased at any grocery store, oriental store, or Wal-Mart. It costs less than $2.00. It supplies flavor in so many recipes. It lasts forever in the refrigerator. Oriental stores also carry a mushroom flavor that is fabulous in meat and vegetable dishes. Most stores also carry the “light” version with reduced sodium.

Minced garlic

This is a staple in my fridge. A huge 48 oz container only costs $4.00 at Costco or Sam's Club! Of course, smaller quantities can be purchased at the grocery store in the fresh food section (for about the same cost). It must be refrigerated after opening but will store for a very long time- once opened, it will store for a whole year! It is an excellent substitute for fresh minced garlic. I grow fresh garlic in my garden, but when I am in a hurry, or it is Winter, this is the answer. A huge “must have”!

Worcestershire Sauce

This is a must have in any pantry! This is especially good in beef and pork dishes, as well as most bean dishes. A couple of teaspoons goes a long way in meatloafs, beef casseroles, etc. It deepens the flavor of what you are cooking. It lasts at least a year in the refrigerator regardless of the expiration date.

Lemon Juice

This is an invaluable ingredient in food storage cooking. I use a ton of lemon juice- mainly, for making bread, homemade buttermilk, and of course for lemon flavoring! Once again, at Costco or Sams Club, you can get a two-pack of large bottles for about $5.00. This is one thing that I store a LOT of. It lasts a long time in the refrigerator so don’t worry about it going bad.

Bottled Ginger

How many times have you gone to make a recipe that calls for ginger, only to remember that you don't have any? This is one of those items that I don't use a lot of, but love having it for when I do need it. This product can be found in the fresh food area of your store along with the vegetables and fruits although it is a bottled item. It usually costs about $2-3.00 for a 4 oz container. This is much easier than fresh, because you don't have to peel and grate it! Ginger gives many Asian dishes a wonderful flavor, as well as enhancing the other ingredients. It stores in your refrigerator for long periods of time. I probably only use about 1 jar per year but couldn’t live without it.

Re-hydrating Dried Fruits

2010-04-05T08:00:00.006-06:00

The following information came from Sunset magazine, 1986. This is a great reference:
To soften or rehydrate dried fruit

1. When fruit needs a little added moistness, place it in a zip-lock plastic bag or glass jar; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon water for each 1 cup fruit. Mix or shake well, seal container, refrigerate overnight.

2. For soft, pliable fruit, rinse pieces with cold water; drain well. Put fruit in a zip-lock plastic bag or glass jar. Seal container and refrigerate overnight.

3. To soften fruit quickly, use steam. Rinse pieces with water and place no more than 2 layers on a steaming rack over about 1 inch of boiling water. Cover pan and steam fruit until soft (suggested times for each fruit follow).

4. For evenly moist rehydrated fruit without much extra liquid, put fruit in a bowl or jar and add 1/2 cup cool water for each 1 cup dried fruit. Mix well, cover, and refrigerate overnight, mixing well several times.

5. To rehydrate some fruits that absorb more liquid or to make fruit sauces, put fruit in a bowl or jar; for each 1 cup of dried fruit, add 1 to 1 1/2 cups water or other liquid (as specified, following, for each fruit). Refrigerate, covered, overnight. To prepare more quickly--usually in 1 to 2 hours--use boiling liquid and let stand at room temperature.

APPLES
Dried apples make tasty snacks. If you prefer them softer, use method 1. For adding to baked foods (like muffins), soften by method 2 or 3 (steam 3 to 5 minutes); snip with scissors. To use like fresh apples (to top a coffee cake, for example), rehydrate by method 4; to prepare more quickly, use method 5 with 1 1/4 cups boiling water to 1 cup dried apples.
Quick uncooked applesauce. In a blender, mix 1 cup dried apples with 1 cup apple juice or water; whirl until smooth, adding more juice or water if desired, and honey or sugar and ground cinnamon to taste.

APRICOTS
If they're soft, snip the dried slices with scissors into baked goods (such as muffins); if hard, soften by method 1. Soften the dried halves by method 2 or 3 (steam about 3 minutes).
To use like fresh apricots, rehydrate the slices or halves by method 4; to prepare more quickly, use method 5 with equal amounts boiling water and fruit.
Apricot sauce. Rehydrate the slices or halves by method 5, using 1 1/4 cups water and 1 cup dried apricots. Add about 1 tablespoon cherry-flavored liqueur (such as kirsch) or almond-flavored liqueur (amaretto) to taste, optional. Before serving, add sugar or honey to taste and more water, if desired. Serve cold.
Apricot spread. In a blender, combine 1 cup dried apricot slices or 1 cup softened halves (use method 2 or 3; steam about 3 minutes) with 1 cup water; whirl until smooth. Add sugar to taste and more water if needed for spreading. Mix in to taste about 2 teaspoons almond-flavored liqueur or 1/4 teaspoon almond extract, optional.

BLUEBERRIES
They need softening to eat as snacks; use method 2 or 3 (steam about 2 minutes). For blueberry muffins or pancakes, rehydrate dried berries by method 4; to prepare more quickly, use method 5 with 1 1/4 cups boiling water to each 1 cup berries.
Blueberry topping. In a blender, combine 1 cup dried blueberries, 1 1/4 cups water, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and about 1/4 cup sugar (to taste). Whirl until smooth, adding more water if desired.

SWEET CHERRIES
Softened dried cherries are best for snacks and to add like raisins to baked goods; use method 2 or 3 (steam about 3 minutes).
To use like fresh cherries, rehydrate by method 5, using 1 1/2 cups water to 1 cup dried cherries; refrigerate overnight.
Cherry sauce. Rehydrate by method 5, using 1 1/2 cups water and 1 cup dried cherries. Add about 1 tablespoon cherry-flavored liqueur or orange-flavored liqueur to taste, optional. Refrigerate overnight. Before serving, add sugar or honey to taste and more water if desired.

FIGS
Eat dried fig slices as sweet snacks, or snip them with scissors into baked goods (such as muffins). Soften larger pieces and too-dry slices by method 3 (steam slices 2 to 3 minutes, larger pieces 6 to 8 minutes). To serve like fresh figs, rehydrate the slices (slice larger pieces) by method 4.
Fig spread or filling. Soften 1 cup dried figs by method 3 (steam slices 2 to 3 minutes, halves 6 to 8 minutes). In a blender, combine figs, 1 cup water, 1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel, 1/4 cup orange juice, and about 2 tablespoons honey or sugar (to taste). Whirl until smooth, adding more water if desired.

GRAPES
Home-dried grapes make extra-flavorful raisins. If too dry, soften by method 1. To use like fresh grapes, rehydrate using method 4.

MELONS
Enjoy the chewy strips as sweet confections. If hard to chew, soften slightly by method 1. To use like fresh melon, rehydrate by method 4, but refrigerate only 1 to 2 hours.

PEACHES AND NECTARINES
For nibbling or for baking (such as snipped pieces to add to muffins), use fruits dry, or softened by method 1. To use like fresh fruit (with cream and sugar, for example), rehydrate by method 4.

PEARS
Pear slices, dry or softened by method 1, are delicious for snacks; snip them in pieces with scissors for baking (as in muffins). To use like fresh pears, soften by method 2 or 3 (steam 1 to 2 minutes).
Pear sauce. Rehydrate pears by method 5, using 1 cup cold water and 1 cup dried pears; refrigerate only 30 minutes to 1 hour, and add about 1 tablespoon orange-flavored liqueur or cherry-flavored liqueur to taste, optional. Before serving, add sugar or honey to taste, and more water, if desired.

PLUMS AND PRUNES
For snacks or to snip in small pieces for baking (as in muffins), soften the dried slices by method 1; soften thicker pieces by method 2 or 3 (steam about 3 minutes). To use like fresh plums, rehydrate slices by method 4; rehydrate thicker pieces by method 5, using 1 cup water to each 1 cup dried fruit.
Plum spread. Soften 1 cup dried plum slices or larger pieces by method 2 or 3 (steam 2 to 4 minutes). In a blender, combine plums, 2/3 cup water, about 1/4 cup sugar (to taste), and 1 tablespoon tawny port or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Whirl until smooth, adding more water if needed for spreading.

RASPBERRIES, BLACKBERRIES
These berries (including Boysens, Logans, and Olallies) are too seedy to eat dry, but they make delicious sauces and syrups. Or make berry granules to flavor whipped cream (directions follow) or to sprinkle on ice cream or pudding.
Berry cream. Whirl dried raspberries or blackberries (they must be dried until crisp) in a blender until finely ground granules. Add about 3 tablespoons of the granules (to taste) to each 1/2 cup whipping cream. Whip until stiff peaks form, adding sugar to taste. Serve on angel food cake, to fill a meringue shell or cream puffs, or to top fruit desserts.
Berry syrup or topping. In a blender, combine 1 cup each dried raspberries or black-berries and water. Whirl until pureed, then press through a fine strainer; discard seeds. Add sugar to taste and more water if desired. Mix in about 2 teaspoons raspberry-flavored liqueur or 1 teaspoon lemon juice to taste, optional.

STRAWBERRIES
For nibbling, enjoy the slices dry or softened by method 1. To serve like fresh berries (on cereal, for example), soften by method 2.
Strawberry sauce (best for shortcake). Rehydrate dried strawberries by method 4, except let stand only 30 minutes to 1 hour. Add sugar to taste and let stand 10 to 20 minutes longer.
Strawberry syrup or spread. Combine in blender 1 cup each water and dried strawberries. Whirl until smooth; add sugar to taste and more water, if desired.

Simmered Dried Fruit
Cooking dried fruits gives a delightfully different dimension to their flavor.
In a 2- to 3-quart pan, bring 2 cups water or other liquid to boiling. Add 1 cup dried fruit (apricots, apples, plums, figs, cherries, or a mixture of fruits); cover and simmer until tender when pierced, 6 to 10 minutes. Add sugar or honey to taste and simmer 2 to 3 minutes longer. With a slotted spoon, transfer fruit to a bowl. If desired, boil remaining liquid to reduce and concentrate the flavor; pour over fruit. Chill.

Sugarless apples. Prepare simmered dried fruit (above) with dried apples. Use apple juice for liquid, omit sugar, and add ground cinnamon to taste, optional. For smooth applesauce, whirl mixture in a blender.
Figs in pineapple sauce. Prepare simmered dried fruit (above) with dried figs; use unsweetened pineapple juice (refrigerated or canned) for liquid.

Dehydrating Strawberries

2010-04-01T08:00:00.003-06:00

Strawberries were on sale this week for $6.99 a case- Yay! We are approaching the time of year when strawberries will be in abundance. When they are at a great price, I love to stock up and do some fun things. One way to enjoy the fruit for long after you purchase it is to dehydrate it. Strawberries are easy to dehydrate, and they taste delicious as a snack, or can be packaged for your long term food storage.

Directions:

1. Choose ripe, firm strawberries. If you are lucky enough to grow your own, pick before they are over-ripe. Wash, and remove stems.

2. Slice about 1/4 inch thick. I use a meat slicer to get them all the same thickness. Lay in a single layer on your dehydrator. Note: If you are just going to be snacking on them, you can add a sprinkle of sugar at this point. For long term storage, do not add sugar.

3. Load dehydrator. If your dehydrator has a temperature control, set it between 125-130 degrees F. Let dry for approximately 10-12 hours until strawberries are dry and pliable.

4.When Strawberries are done, let cool for about 10-20 minutes before bagging them.

For long term storage, vacuum seal with an oxygen packet. For shorter term storage, dried strawberries do well in a ziplok bag, or in a mason jar.

The finished product. What can dehydrated strawberries be used for? Many things! To name a few:

Snacking (we love them just like this)
Pies (rehydrate berries first)
Granolas
Add to instant oatmeal
Syrup over ice cream (rehydrate, blend with sugar)
Smoothies (rehydrate)
Quick jam (rehydrate)

Artisan Bread

2010-03-26T08:00:00.000-06:00

Artisan Breads are my favorite types of bread. There is nothing better than the hard, crisp crust, with the moist, melt in your mouth inside. Yum! Recently, my friend brought over a loaf of this succulent stuff. My family quickly devoured it. I immediately called her asking for the recipe. She said she got it from the book "Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day". I quickly went and got the book. Needless to say, this is my new favorite book!! The bread is AMAZING, super easy, and really does only take minutes a day to make. Seriously! The bread tastes as good as the artisan loaves from the bakery, and costs about .40 cents per loaf (even less if you use fresh ground whole wheat flour). The premise behind the bread is that you mix up a batch of dough (each batch makes four 1-pound loaves), let it sit on the counter for 2 hours, and then refrigerate overnight. Then you can just cut off the amount of dough you want to bake, and put the rest of the dough back in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. As the dough sits in the fridge, it gets this amazing taste..... WOW! I highly recommend getting this book!!! It is well worth the $19 on Amazon.com!!! Here is the basic recipe. Try it out! You can do so much with this dough! I have been making double batches of dough, keeping in the fridge, and making fresh, delicious Artisan bread almost daily. YUM!!

The Master Recipe: Boule (Artisan Free-Form Loaf)
Makes four 1-pound loaves. The recipe is easily doubled or halved.
3 cups lukewarm water
1 1/2 TBS granulated yeast
1 1/2 TBS kosher or other coarse salt
6 1/2 cups unsifted, unbleached, all purpose white flour
Cornmeal for pizza peel

Directions:

Put warm water in a large bowl. Add yeast and salt.
Add flour all at once. Mix with wooden spoon. You can also mix this in your KitchenAid with the dough hook.
Do not knead. Just make sure all of the flour is incorporated and that there are no dry spots.
Cover with a lid (not airtight) and let rise for 2 hours on your counter.
Put in refrigerator for at least 3 hours, or overnight.

To Bake:

Cut off the amount of dough you wish to use. Use a generously floured pizza peel (I use a flexible cutting board), to put the formed ball on. Do not incorporate the flour into the dough. Just use it so the dough won't stick to your hands.
Put the blob of round dough on the floured or cornmeal covered peel. Let rest for 40 minutes.
20 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 450 degrees, with a baking stone placed on the middle rack. Place an empty pan for holding water on any other shelf that won't interfere with the rising bread.
Dust the top of the dough with flour, and slash the top with a tic-tac-toe shape, or with an "x".
Slide the blob onto the heated stone. Immediately pour a cup of water on the second pan and quickly shut the oven door.
Bake for about 30 minutes until the crust is nicely browned and firm to the touch.
Cool completely on wire rack.
Don't store in plastic. This will cause moisture to soften the crust.

Happy Baking!

Ingredients in a big bowl, ready for mixing. Use a wooden spoon.

Dough is mixed, and covered. Let sit on counter for 2 hours, then put in fridge.

Dough formed into a ball, resting on cornmeal or flour (or both) pizza peel or cutting board. You may want to put a piece of parchment under the dough so it slides easy. Cornmeal works wonderful. Let rest for about 40 minutes.

20 minutes before baking time, preheat oven to 450 degrees. Put pizza stone in oven to preheat, as well as a pan. When oven is preheated, slide blobs of dough onto the stone. Immediately put water in the pan, and quickly close the door. Bake.

The finished product. Yummy!!!!

Financial Peace University Week 6: Buyer Beware

2010-03-23T08:00:00.000-06:00

This week – Buyer Beware!

This week we talked about common traps to avoid when buying things. Some of the important points from the lesson:

Learn the marketing method companies use to market products and services to you. You can be in control!
Wait 24 hours before making a major purchase larger than $200 (or whatever amount you and your spouse decide on).
Always talk to your spouse before making a major purchase.

Know the marketing techniques businesses are using to get you to SPEND:

Almost all businesses use highly trained individuals to get you to buy their product. Most companies use the same tactics and marketing ploys. Why? Because they work! If we know what the tactic is, we can spot it, and hopefully not fall into the trap.

For example, one tactic a lot of companies are using is the 0% financing offer. They lure you into buying a product (dryer, a car, a big screen TV, etc), with the 0% offer. What they don’t tell you (except for in the fine print) is that if you don’t pay the balance of that loan in full by the time the initial term is over, your finance rates will shoot up considerably (often to 30% or more) , and you’ll often be liable for the finance charges for the 0% term as well. Or, if that isn't bad enough, the cost of the 0% financing is already added in to the product you are buying.

Wait 24 hours before making a major purchase:
This one step is crucial. This often eliminates the impulse purchases we all make. If after the 24 hours you really need it, and you have the cash to pay for it, great. Often times when we wait for the 24 hours, we realize that we really didn't need or want the item. It was just a spur of the moment impulse.
Always talk to your spouse before making a major purchase:
Only after discussing and counseling with your spouse should you make a major purchase. This keeps the lines of communication open, and the trust there. Often times your spouse can help us decide if we really should get the item.

Look at the opportunity cost of the item:
This means, look at what you are giving up to buy that item. Is it worth it??

Understand about the item before you buy anything:
Dave Ramsey talks about how we should never purchase anything that we don't understand. This could be for insurance, mutual funds, or even a new camera.

Next week
Next week is a lesson entitled “Clause and Effect” which deals with common traps to avoid when buying insurance of all kinds. See you next week!

Blender Wheat Pancakes with Buttermilk Syrup

2010-03-21T08:00:00.000-06:00

This recipe is a keeper. It is a great way to use your wheat without the use of a wheat grinder. It also uses powdered milk, and powdered eggs (although fresh works great too).

Blender Wheat Pancakes
1 cup Milk (or 3 TBS powdered milk and 1 cup water)
1 cup Wheat Kernels, whole and uncooked
2 Eggs (or 2 TBS powdered eggs & 1/4 cup water)
2 tsp Baking Powder
1 1/2 tsp Salt
2 TBS Oil
2 TBS Honey or Sugar
Put milk and wheat kernels in blender. Blend on highest speed for 4-5 minutes or until batter is smooth. Add eggs, oil, baking powder, salt and honey or sugar to batter. Blend on low. Pour out batter onto preheated griddle (sprayed with Pam). Cook; flipping pancakes when bubbles pop and create holes. Serve with any syrup, although we love the Buttermilk Syrup.

For Waffles: Add an additional 1 TBS wheat. Increase oil to 4 TBS.

Buttermilk Syrup

1 cube Butter or Margarine (I like butter better)
1 cup Sugar
1 TBS Corn Syrup
1/2 cup Buttermilk (can also use 1/2 cup milk with 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice added; or powdered)

Melt and boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add:

1 tsp Vanilla
1/2 tsp Baking Soda

Combine and pour over pancakes. YUMMY!!!

2010 Square Foot Garden Plan

2010-03-17T20:50:00.000-06:00

Here is my 2010 garden plan. Last year I was able to harvest enough onions to last the winter, can some beans, and dehydrate lots of peppers. We simply couldn't keep up with the amount that was ripening. There is absolutely nothing better than fresh vegetables all summer. If I would have realized how much I would love square foot gardening, I would have started it 15 years ago!
Garden Plan 2010

Dehydrating Celery

2010-03-15T08:00:00.000-06:00

I found a great deal on celery last week. It was only .50 cents per head! So, I thought I would dehydrate it for my food storage. This would be great in soups, casseroles, chicken salad, or anything else you use fresh celery in. Remember, when constituted, the celery will not have the same crispness as fresh.

Steps:

Keeping the celery in a head, wash the stalks.
Cut 1/2 inch off the leaf end.
Using a meat slicer, or mandolin, cut whole celery head into about 1/4 inch slices. Use leaves as well as stalks. Keeping it together in a head is easier. If you do each stalk individually, it would take forever. Slices should be the same thickness to ensure even drying.
When you have about 3 inches left on the head, rewash, getting all the dirt out of each stalk.
Continue slicing until the bottom of the head is reached.
Blanch celery in boiling water for 1 minute. This step is optional, but will result in a brighter color and better texture end product.
Rinse under cold water, to stop cooking process.
Spread out on dehydrator trays in a single layer.
Dehydrate for 10-12 hours or until pieces are crisp. If your dehydrator has a temperature control, it should be set for 120-125 degrees.
Best stored in a vacuum packed bag with an oxygen absorber.

When I looked at how much it cost to buy dehydrated celery, it made me very glad to do my own.

Celery is washed, and sliced.

Blanch for 1 minute in boiling water.

Spread out on tray, in a single layer.

Finished product.

Packaged in vacuum bag with oxygen absorber. Ready to be stored!

Cream Cheese Potato Soup

2010-03-12T08:00:00.004-07:00

This soup is FABULOUS. It is super fast, super easy, and a great way to use dehydrated potatoes (or frozen).

Cream Cheese Potato Soup:

6 cups water
7 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules, or 2-3 TB chicken Base
2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, cubed (can use reduced fat)
1 package (30 oz) frozen cubed or shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed OR 2 cups dehydrated hashbrowns
1 1/2-2 cups cubed fully cooked ham
1/2 cup chopped onion (or 1/3 cup dehydrated onion)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dill weed

In a large pot, combine the water and bouillon. Add cream cheese. Cook and stir until cheese is melted. Stir in remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; and simmer, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. This is one of my family's absolute favorite.

Square Foot Gardening: Companion Planting

2010-03-10T08:00:00.008-07:00

For those of us who are getting really excited to plant our gardens, I found a great tool to use. One of my favorite websites, www.mysquarefootgarden.net, just posted a great guide on companion planting. As I am in the process of designing my 2010 garden plan, I am finding it very useful. Click here to get the guide! Happy garden designing.....

Even if you don't use a square foot garden, this info would be great in a traditional garden as well!

Dehydrating Potatoes

2010-03-08T08:00:00.006-07:00

This is a great time of year to pull out the dehydrator! In a couple of months, the time will be filled with canning fruits and vegetables. So, why not build your food storage with dehydrated food NOW, while some things are going on sale really cheap. For instance, several weeks ago, a 10 pound bag of potatoes went on sale for .99 cents. This week, frozen shredded hashbrowns went on sale for $1.25 for a 28 oz bag. Potatoes are excellent for dehydrating.

To dehydrate fresh potatoes:

Wash potatoes.
Boil potatoes until done. You don't want them so done that they fall apart, but they do need to be cooked all the way through. If not, they will turn black when they are dehydrated. Gross.
Put cooked potatoes in fridge overnight, so they are very cold, and solid.
If you want, you can peel them. I don't.
Using either a meat slicer or a cheese grater, either slice the potatoes or grate them. The slices need to be pretty uniform so they will dry evenly.
Put slices or shreds on trays, in a single layer.
Dehydrate slices for 10-12 hours or until they are crispy and translucent. If your dehydrator has a temperature control, it should be between 120-125 degrees. This will prevent case hardening (where the outside is dry, but there is still moisture on the inside).
Dehydrated shreds for 7-9 hours or until they are crispy.
Best to store in a vacuum packed bag with an oxygen absorber. I like to leave them in a open ziplok bag, then in a vacuum bag. They are pretty sharp, and I don't want them to poke through the vacuum bag.
These are EXCELLENT for AuGratin Potatoes, casseroles, etc.

To dehydrate frozen shredded potatoes (hashbrowns):

Choose potatoes that do not have added fat to them.
Put frozen shreds on a single layer on dehydrator trays.
Dehydrate for 7-9 hours or until crispy. If your dehydrator has a temp. control, set it between 120-125 degrees.
Best to store in a vacuum packed bag with an oxygen absorber. I like to leave them in a open ziplok bag, then in a vacuum bag. They are pretty sharp, and I don't want them to poke through the vacuum bag.
These are wonderful rehydrated and fried, or in soups, casseroles, "funeral potatoes" etc.

Frozen potatoes, on sale, for a great price. I love to dehydrate this type because all the work is done for you! It sure makes it easy.

Spread out in a single layer. I like to rotate my trays about 1/2 way through.

All the trays are full and ready to go.

Great for food storage!!

Financial Peace University Week 4: Dumping Debt

2010-03-06T15:16:00.000-07:00

This was one of the most intense weeks ever in class! The DVD was very inspiring and motivating. At the end of the class, each of us were ready to go and conquer any and all debt!
This week's lesson: Dumping Debt!

Last week our class added up the total amount of debt (not including the home mortgage) that we had. I was FLOORED. The total came in at just under $460,000!! Wow. This lesson really hits home for a lot of people.

Imagine being DEBT FREE. Dave teaches about how to do this, which is Baby Step #2 – Paying off all debt using the debt snowball.

Key points from this lesson:

Being Gazelle Intense is the only way to conquer debt. A lax attitude will not get you very far!! As Dave Ramsey says, "YOU HAVE GOT TO KICK IT BABY!"
Debt has only become accepted as normal in America in our generation. Our great grandparents abhorred debt. Our grandparents didn't like debt. Our parents used debt for the big stuff (house and car), and we use debt for EVERYTHING.
Make a commitment to never use credit cards again. This is the first and most important step to dumping debt. In class, we had people come up and cut up their cards. It was very emotional, and liberating.
Do not become slave to the FICO score. It seems that we will do anything to have a good credit score. It really is an "I love debt score". Some people claim that credit is the only way to: rent a car, get a mortgage, etc. Dave says that there are other ways to accomplish these things. A debit card has the same protection as a credit card. And yes, you CAN get a mortgage without a FICO score. Debt should never be the first way to accomplish anything.
The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender. Proverbs 22:7

Baby Step 2 – The Debt Snowball I previously posted on this topic in detail, so click here to get the info. Here is the short version of Baby Step #2, The Debt Snowball.
Here’s how the debt snowball works:
Step 1 – Make a list of all your debts, ranked in order from the highest balance to the smallest balance.
Step 2 – Beginning with the card with the smallest balance, pay as much as you can on that card while paying the minimums on the other cards.
Step 3 – Once the card with the smallest balance is paid off, take the amount you were paying towards that card and apply to the card with the next lowest balance.
Step 4 – Keep on paying them off until ALL the debts are paid off.

Steps to getting out of debt:

Quit borrowing more money!! Commit right now to NEVER take out any more debt.
Cut up your credit cards. This was hard for me! Although I haven't used credit cards for several years, I have kept them for an emergency. No more!
Get an extra job. Even if it is temporary, the extra income can really accelerate the debt snowball.
Sell stuff. Plan a yard sale or put stuff on ebay. Use the cash to pay toward your debt.
Get the debt snowball rolling! Pay off the lowest debt first, then add the amount you were paying for that debt and roll it over to the next debt.
The average person who applies these principles is DEBT FREE except for the house in 18-24 months!!!

Here is the Dave Ramsey Debt Snowball Form:

Debt Snowball Form

Negotiating the Phone Bill

2010-03-04T12:20:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago in our Financial Peace University class, Dave Ramsey talked about how he negotiates many things with finances. I decided to give it a try. The very next day I called Vonage, our phone service provider, and asked them if I was getting the best price. I told them I might switch to a different phone service that was cheaper. I had been paying $24.99 per month plus taxes. At the end of the call, I now have a BETTER plan with Vonage than I had previously, and my cost is $12.99 per month plus tax. Fabulous!! I guess negotiating really does work....

Why Dehydrate Food?

2010-03-02T08:00:00.004-07:00

Lately I have got into the food dehydration craze! As I have been reading everything I can about dehydrating food (and dehydrating everything I can get my hands on), this is what I have found:

dehydrated food takes up much less space than canning or freezing
dehydrating food can compliment your food storage, adding lots more flavors, textures, and ingredients
it is really easy to do
it is really inexpensive to do
dehydrated food can last a long, long time (as long as it is stored properly)

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

College of Agriculture

Cooperative Extension Service

Circular 1227

Drying is the oldest method of preserving food. The early American settlers dried foods such as corn, apple slices, currants, grapes, and meat. Compared with other methods, drying is quite simple. In fact, you may already have most of the equipment on hand. Dried foods keep well because the moisture content is so low that spoilage organisms cannot grow.

Drying will never replace canning and freezing because these methods do a better job of retaining the taste, appearance, and nutritive value of fresh food. But drying is an excellent way to preserve foods that can add variety to meals and provide delicious, nutritious snacks. One of the biggest advantages of dried foods is that they take much less storage space than canned or frozen foods.

Recommended methods for canning and freezing have been determined by research and widespread experience. Home drying, however, does not have firmly established procedures. Food can be dried several ways, for example, by the sun if the air is hot and dry enough, or in an oven or dryer if the climate is humid. With the renewed interest in gardening and natural foods and because of the high cost of commercially dried products, drying foods at home is becoming popular again. Drying is not difficult, but it does take time and a lot of attention. Although there are different drying methods, the guidelines remain the same.

Although solar drying is a popular and very inexpensive method, Illinois does not have a suitable climate for it. Dependable solar dehydration of foods requires 3 to 5 consecutive days when the temperature is 95 degrees F. and the humidity is very low. The average relative humidity in central Illinois on days with 95 degrees F. temperatures is usually 86 percent. Solar drying is thus not feasible.

Drying food in the oven of a kitchen range, on the other hand, can be very expensive. In an electric oven, drying food has been found to be nine to twelve times as costly as canning it. Food dehydrators are less expensive to operate but are only useful for a few months of the year. A convection oven can be the most economical investment if the proper model is chosen. A convection oven that has a controllable temperature starting at 120 degrees F. and a continuous operation feature rather than a timer-controlled one will function quite well as a dehydrator during the gardening months. For the rest of the year it can be used as a tabletop oven.

GUIDELINES

Speed

For a good-quality product, vegetables and fruits must be prepared for drying as soon as possible after harvesting. They should be blanched, cooled, and laid out to dry without delay. Foods should be dried rapidly, but not so fast that the outside becomes hard before the moisture inside has a chance to evaporate.
Drying must not be interrupted. Once you start drying the food, don't let it cool down in order to start drying again later. Mold and other spoilage organisms can grow on partly dried food.

Temperature

During the first part of the drying process, the air temperature can be relatively high, that is, 150 degrees to 160 degrees F. (65 degrees to 70 degrees C.), so that moisture can evaporate quickly from the food. Because food loses heat during rapid evaporation, the air temperature can be high without increasing the temperature of the food. But as soon as surface moisture is lost (the outside begins to feel dry) and the rate of evaporation slows down, the food warms up. The air temperature must then be reduced to about 140 degrees F. (60 degrees C.).

Toward the end of the drying process the food can scorch easily, so you must watch it carefully. Each fruit and vegetable has a critical temperature above which a scorched taste develops. The temperature should be high enough to evaporate moisture from the food, but not high enough to cook the food. Carefully follow directions for regulating temperatures.

Humidity and Ventilation

Rapid dehydration is desirable. The higher the temperature and the lower the humidity, the more rapid the rate of dehydration will be. Humid air slows down evaporation. Keep this in mind if you plan to dry food on hot, muggy summer days. If drying takes place too fast, however, "case hardening" will occur. This means that the cells on the outside of the pieces of food give up moisture faster than the cells on the inside. The surface becomes hard, preventing the escape of moisture from the inside.

Moisture in the food escapes by evaporating into the air. Trapped air soon takes on as much moisture as it can hold, and then drying can no longer take place. For this reason, be sure the ventilation around your oven or in your food dryer is adequate.

Uniform Drying

Drying the food evenly takes a little extra effort and attention. Stirring the pieces of food frequently and shifting the racks in the oven or dryer are essential because heat is not the same in all parts of the dryer. For the best results, spread thin layers of uniformly-sized pieces of food on the drying racks.

NUTRITIVE VALUE

Dried fruits are a good source of energy because they contain concentrated fruit sugars. Fruits also contain a rather large amount of vitamins and minerals. The drying process, however, destroys some of the vitamins, especially A and C. Exposing fruit to sulfur before drying helps retain vitamins A and C. Sulfur destroys thiamine, one of the B vitamins, but fruit is not an important source of thiamine anyway. Many dried fruits are rich in riboflavin and iron.

Vegetables are a good source of minerals and the B vitamins thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin. Both fruits and vegetables provide useful amounts of the fiber (bulk) we need. Save the water used for soaking or cooking dried foods because this nutrient-rich water can be used in recipes to make soups, sauces, and gravy.

TYPES OF FOOD TO DRY

Many kinds of fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, meat, and fish can be dried. If you have never tried drying food before, though, it's a good idea to experiment first by drying a small quantity in the oven. This way you can see if you like the taste and texture of dried food. At the same time, you can become familiar with the drying process.

Fruits are easier to dry than vegetables because moisture evaporates wore easily, and not as much moisture must be removed for the product to keep. Ripe apples, berries, cherries, peaches, apricots, and pears are practical to dry.

Vegetables that are also practical to dry include peas, corn, peppers, zucchini, okra, onions, and green beans. Produce from the supermarket is usually more expensive and not as fresh as it should be for drying. It is a waste of time and energy to dry vegetables such as carrots that can be kept for several months in a cool, dry basement or cellar.

Fresh herbs of all types are suitable for drying. The parts of the plant to dry vary, but leaves, seeds, or blossoms usually give the best results.

Lean meats such as beef, lamb, and venison can be dried for jerky. Fish also is excellent when dried. Certain foods are not suitable for drying because of their high moisture content. Lettuce, melons, and cucumbers are a few foods that do not dry well.

SUCCESSFUL DRYING

Don't be surprised to find a variety of suggestions for drying methods, temperatures, and lengths of time. The drying process is simply not as precise as canning and freezing because it involves so many different factors. You may need to use a trial-and-error approach to find what suits you best. Whatever method you use, be sure to remove enough moisture from the final product so that spoilage organisms cannot grow.
When you dry foods, remember the following:

Cleanliness and sanitation are essential.
The flavor of dried fruits and vegetables will be somewhat different from that of their fresh, canned, or frozen counterparts.

Instant Oatmeal Packets

2010-02-28T08:00:00.000-07:00

Our household is super busy (like most) in the mornings. These quick little packets are super inexpensive, really fast, and the kids love them. They are a great way to get out of the house in a hurry, with a yummy breakfast. They are a fraction of the cost of store bought.
Instant Oatmeal Packets
Makes 10 packets of instant Oatmeal

To make individual instant packets:
Blend 1 1/4 cups oats until powdery.

Into each of the 10 packets (we use ziplok sandwich bags), combine the following ingredients:

1/4 cup unpowdered oats
2 TB powdered oats
1/3 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar (optional)

Close the top and store in a dry place.

Microwave directions for cooking:
Empty packet into microwavable bowl. Add 2/3 cup water or milk. Microwave at HIGH about 1 1/2 minutes; stir.

Conventional directions for cooking:
Empty packet into pan. Add 1/2 cup boiling water; cook and stir over heat until thickened.

Variations: Also delicious with dried apple chunks and cinnamon; nuts and raisins; brown sugar..... Use your imagination!

Financial Peace University: Week 3: Cash Flow Planning

2010-02-26T09:25:00.001-07:00

This week in our Financial Peace University class, we learned about "Cash Flow Planning", or in other words, the big B word..... BUDGET!! It is so true, if we don't tell our money where to go, and what to do, it disappears. Money that has a name, and a purpose, on paper, goes farther. I was surprised how many of our class have never kept a budget. The problem with not keeping a budget, is that debt slowly creeps in. Money is not accounted for, and problems begin. With a budget, every dollar is accounted for, assigned a category, and planned how it will be spent before it ever even comes in.

Some key points from this week’s lesson:

Spend all money on paper before the month begins. You don’t want money not being allocated, and then “disappearing”.
Use the Envelope System for successful cash management for food, clothing, entertainment and other categories that are easily overspent.
Give your budget 90 days to really start working.
Plan on a fight as you do your first budget. However, if married, each partner has a vote!!

Budget Committee Meetings:
Last week we talked about "budget committee meetings" and how each partner is responsible for the budget. Nothing is spent that is not in the budget without an emergency budget committee meeting. Dave said the first month you will have a whole lot of emergency budget committee meetings, but as the months progress, and we get better at our budgets, those meetings will be fewer and farther between.

Zero Based Budget
The type of budget that Dave recommends is called a zero based budget. If you are new to zero based budgeting, click here for a detailed post how to do this. Basically, you spend EVERY dollar on paper before the month begins.

The envelope system:
After setting up your zero based budget, the next step is to setup your envelope system of budgeting for certain spending categories. If you have never used an envelope system before, basically it boils down to this: At the first of the month, you put the budgeted amount of CASH into envelopes marked with certain categories that are easy to overspend. For us, the envelopes we use are food, clothing, entertainment and blow money. Simply get an envelope, take a sharpie marker, mark what category it is, and fund it with cash. When the money is gone, it is GONE. Overspending is virtually eliminated. If you do need more money for that category, the money must be taken from another envelope, or another spending category. There is no free money, it has to come from somewhere!

Here is an excel spreadsheet to walk you through the zero based budget. The fields highlighted yellow are good ones for cash envelopes. My husband and I have done zero based budgeting for years. I love it!! It seems that money is found, and can be applied to whatever baby step in the plan you are on. I can't imagine not living on a budget.
Click here to download excel version.

Financial Peace University: Week 2: Relating with Money

2010-02-23T09:40:00.004-07:00

Last week I reviewed week 1 of Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University. In review, week 1 talked about the importance of:

Savings must become a priority.
You must save for an emergency fund, major purchases, and wealth building.
Decide and agree with your spouse on what qualifies as an emergency.

We have quite a large group attending, so I decided to split the class into 2 groups for discussions. That seemed to be more manageable.

Week 2: Relating with Money
This week the topic of discussion in class was the importance of working together in relationships and how we as individuals handle money differently. While the number 1 cause of divorce is money matters, this lesson I thought was particularly useful. How we manage our money can affect our personal relationships, especially with those who we are closest with. One spouse may be more of a "nerd", one who has a natural tendency for budgeting, enjoys it, and likes to work numbers. The other spouse may be what Dave Ramsey calls "a free spirit", who does not like to think about budgeting, does not enjoy it, and likes to pass it off to the "nerd". When two opposites in money matters are together, there are bound to be problems. This is why it is important to learn to work together, and find common ground.
Some key points from this week’s lesson:

Men and women think very differently about money. For men it is often more of a tool, something to be used. Men like to negotiate. Women like to hunt for the deals. For women it often means security.
The nerd and free spirit must learn how to work together.
If you are single, find an accountability partner with whom to discuss your finances.
Teach your children how to manage money so they avoid our mistakes.

Budget committee meetings
Dave Ramsey talks about the need for family “budget committee meetings” where both partners in the relationship talk about the monthly budget, and have a stake in it. More than once in the presentation, Dave asks, "Who is responsible for the budget?" You both are!!

Dave Ramsey states: "The challenge in a marriage is to work through the different identities, ideals and values you each bring to the relationship. You win at marriage by losing your need to get your way in every battle. You get a happy marriage by giving up selfish desires in order to win together—you create shared visions and goals out of your own individual goals! That’s why it’s important that both spouses be involved with creating the monthly budget. The partner with the natural gift can prepare the budget, but the decision-making must be done by both of you. When you sit down with your spouse to have a budget committee meeting, there are three rules that each of you must follow.

Rules for the nerd:

Listen.
Take input.
Keep it brief.

Rules for the free spirit:

Show up.
Give input.
Be realistic.

Remember that opposites tend to attract in marriage, so work together for maximum wisdom. When you have a budget that reflects both of your goals and ideals, you will experience fabulous unity in your marriage."

White Bean Chicken Chili

2010-02-21T08:00:00.002-07:00

This is soooo good! It is a great way to use those dry beans, canned corn, canned chicken, etc! And, it tastes wonderful. It also freezes well.

White Bean Chicken Chili
Ingredients:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 pound diced, cooked chicken meat (or 1 pint canned)

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth

1 (16 oz) jar Salsa Verde

1 (16 ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 (7 ounce) can diced green chiles

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seed (opt)

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

2 (15 ounce) can white beans, drained

2 ears fresh corn, or 1 can corn

salt to taste

ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat oil, and cook onion and garlic until soft.
Stir in broth, salsa verde, tomatoes, chilies, and spices. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes.
Add corn, chicken, and beans; simmer 5 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with these toppings for people to choose from: limes, cilantro, cheese, avocado, sour cream, and either corn chips or broken up tortilla chips.

Note: If you want to use dry beans, soak overnight, drain, and in a crock-pot, put in the broth, onions, tomatoes, salsa verde, beans and spices. Let cook during the day. Just before ready to serve, add chicken, and corn. Heat through.

Multi Grain Rolls

2010-02-19T08:00:00.002-07:00

This was a recipe generously shared by Chef Adalberto Diaz Labrada, UVU Culinary Arts Instructor. Yummy!!
*This recipe uses weights, instead of measurements. Make sure you have a kitchen scale handy!

Multi Grain Rolls
Dough:
2.5 lbs bread flour
1.25 lbs whole wheat flour
2.5 lbs 68 degree F water
1 oz instant yeast (or 2 oz fresh yeast)
8 oz brown sugar
1 oz salt
2 oz rolled oats
2 oz wheat bran
2 oz sunflower seeds

Directions: Put water in mixer, and add flours, yeast, sugar & salt. Mix for 4 minutes on low with dough hook (level 2 on KitchenAid). Turn up 1 speed. Mix for 4 more minutes. Add oats, bran and sunflower seeds. Mix on low for 2 more minutes (level 2 on KitchenAid). Cover with Saran sprayed with Pam, and let rest for 30 minutes. Without working the dough any more than necessary, form into 2 oz rolls. You can dip the roll in water and then dip in a mixture of oats, bran and more sunflower seeds if you wish. Let raise until fingerprint remains in dough when indented. If you want, you can use a very sharp knife to score the rolls in a #. Bake at 425 degrees F. for 10-12 minutes, steam first 5 minutes*. Remove from pan to cool.

*To steam: When you turn on the oven to preheat, put an empty pan on the bottom shelf. Leave there to preheat. Right before putting rolls in, throw some crushed ice on the pan to create steam. Hurry and close the oven door. You can also spray water on the oven walls to create steam.

Chocolate Cake in a Mug

2010-02-17T08:00:00.000-07:00

This fun idea came from my sister. She is always so clever! My kids LOVED them!

CAKE MIX:

1 package (18.25 ounces) chocolate cake mix
1 package (4 servings) instant chocolate pudding mix

GLAZE MIX:

2-2/3 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup powdered cocoa mix

In a large bowl, combine the dry cake and pudding mixes; blend well with a whisk.
In a medium bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar and cocoa mix.
Divide the cake mix evenly into 8 small plastic bags, about 1/2 cup each; seal and label "Cake Mix." Do the same with the glaze mix, packing about 1/3 cup mix in each bag; seal and label as "Glaze Mix."
Set aside to make individual microwave Fudgy "Cup" Cakes (below) any time you want, or pack the mixes to give as gifts (below).

Making a Fudgy "Cup" Cake: Spray the inside of a microwave-safe mug generously with nonstick cooking spray. Pour prepared bag of cake mix into the mug. Add 1 egg, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, and 1 tablespoon water. Mix until all the ingredients are combined. Microwave at 100% power for 2 minutes. Meanwhile, place prepared bag of glaze mix in a small bowl and add 1-1/2 teaspoons milk; mix well then pour glaze over the mug cake immediately after removing it from the microwave. Serve cake warm in the mug.

Giving Fudgy "Cup" Cake Mix as a Gift: Place 1 sealed cake mix bag and 1 sealed glaze mix bag into a microwave-safe mug, and attach the recipe for making a Fudgy "Cup" Cake (above).

Why We Must Prepare

2010-02-15T15:28:00.002-07:00

This is something that I found on a nearby LDS Stake Emergency Preparedness Website www.pgward.org. I thought it was very educational and definately worth sharing:

Soup Mix in a Jar

2010-02-13T14:06:00.000-07:00

Soup Mix in a Jar

1/3 cup beef bouillon granules
1/4 cup dried minced onion
1/2 cup dried split peas
1/2 cup uncooked twist macaroni
1 cup uncooked tri-color spiral pasta
1/4 cup barley
1/2 cup dried lentils
1/3 cup white rice

Directions:
Layer ingredients (except pasta) in a quart jar. Put tri-color spiral pasta in a separate plastic bag and that will fill the rest of the jar.

To prepare soup:
In a large kettle, brown 1 pound ground beef or stew meat cut into bite-size pieces in a little olive oil. Remove tri-color pasta from top of jar and set aside. Add the rest of the contents of the jar to the kettle with 12 cups water. Bring to a boil and simmer 45 minutes. Add pasta and simmer an additional 15 minutes. Serves 12.

Financial Peace University: Week 1: Super Saving

2010-02-10T09:42:00.004-07:00

Beginning the Class
My husband and I started the Dave Ramsey “Financial Peace University” class last night, hosted through our church. I am the "moderator" or discussion leader. We had about 25 people come! Most were really enthusiastic and signed up for the full 13 week course. We are repeating lesson 1 tonight for those who were not able to come last night. The cost for the course is $99, so it definately isn't cheap, but everyone who has been through the course that I have talked to said they would have paid much more for it! Dave Ramsey is an engaging speaker (he had our attention the whole time- and time went really quickly), and the video series we’re watching for the class is very professional.
Week 1
The format of this particular class we’re taking is:

Watch the class video for the first hour
Class discussion topics
Assigned homework

So what was the topic for week 1? Super Saving!

Super Saving
We watched the video, and learned that the first step is SAVING MONEY. Several points were emphasized:

Savings must become a priority.
You must save for an emergency fund, major purchases, and wealth building.
Decide and agree with your spouse on what qualifies as an emergency.

It amazed me that so many people do not save at all. Alex and I have become savers, and we agree on what is an "emergency" in our household. Dave talked about what is NOT an emergency: Christmas, new clothes, etc. Emergencies could include car trouble, losing a job, medical problems, death in the family and many other things. Needing a vacation is not reason to dip into our emergency fund.
The Baby Steps
To teach how to remove debt, save, and build wealth, Dave Ramsey uses his tried and true 7 Baby Steps . This week focused on baby steps 1 and 3, which both have to do with saving.

We will get to baby step 2 in another lesson.

Baby Step 1
The first step in the plan is to have a beginner emergency fund of $1000. Dave says this step needs to be done FAST. Most people can have this step done in 1-2 months. The beginner emergency fund helps to repel emergencies! By having this, when something does go wrong, say the car needing to be fixed, it does not become a crisis.

Baby Step 3
In Baby Step 3 Dave Ramsey talks about how once we’ve got our debts paid off (baby step 2- in another lesson), we need to save 3 to 6 months of expenses and put it in a money market account somewhere. Keep the money accessible. but not too accessible. He stated you can even keep it in your drawer, but then it seems to disappear on non emergencies- like pizza. He talks how this step when completed brings a sense of security to the marriage. Women especially feel more secure knowing it is there, and men have a greater marriage because of the women feeling more secure financially. Dave also gave an analogy of a brick. By itself, the brick is amoral. It is not good, it is not bad. However, if you get a real jerk with the brick, he could throw it through a window and vandalize something. If you give a brick to a good person, he may use it to build a home for charity. Money is the same way, in an of itself it is neither good nor bad. It is how the person uses it that is good or bad.
Homework for next week
Our group discussed the DVD and the principles that we were taught. This discussion included why we don't save, why we use credit cards for emergencies, and reiterating why the emergency fund is so important. After the discussion, the homework was given to read several chapters out of Financial Peace Revisted, as well as to complete the "Quickie Budget" for next weeks class.

Fpu Quickie Budget

Containers for Storing Food

2010-02-06T18:56:00.002-07:00

While planning and implementing your food storage, there are various types of food containers to consider. Which is best will be determined by your resources, storage needs, storage environment and the length of time you need to preserve the food source for.

Any of these containers will allow you to safely store food. Click on a container type to find specific instructions on how to use it safely. I use all of these types of containers in my food storage.

#10 Cans: These are great for rice, flour, powdered milk, pasta, wheat.... just about anything. Pro's: Can put 6 in a box, and can stack the boxes; rodent proof, light proof. Cons: Price.
I use these primarily for powdered milk, onions, and some flour.

Foil Pouches: Much cheaper than #10 cans, great for preventing light from entering food. These work great in conjunction with Plastic buckets (5-6 gallon bags). Cons: Harder to stack (unless in boxes). Rodents can penetrate these.
I use these to line my 5 gallon buckets.

Plastic Buckets: Pro's: Can get for free at many bakeries (ask for their icing buckets); Stack well; works great in conjunction with mylar bags; rodent proof; size is desireable for many items. Con's: Can let light through. Air can also permeate the plastic. *Make sure bucket is Food Grade.
I use these for wheat, rice, flour, oats, and dehydtrated foods (packaged in vacuum sealed bag first).

Glass Jars: Pro's: found in most supermarkets; inexpensive; rodent proof; airtight. Con's: Breakable; lets light in.
I use these for canned fruits, vegetables, jellies, jams, syrups, brown sugar, marshmallows, candies, etc.

Original Containers: Pro's: You don't have to do anything to these containers! Con's: depending on what is being stored, can let rodents in. I will leave some items in their original container, THEN put it in a different container. Example: I keep boxes of jello and pudding in a large Rubbermaid container.

PETE Plastic Containers: Make sure not to use these if they previously stored non-food items. Pro's: cost; airtight. Con's: Can let light in.

Vacuum Sealer Bags: Pro's: Convenient and easy to use; can use for wet or dry foods, airtight; lightweight. Con's: Must purchase a vacuum sealer; cost.
I use these for dehydrated foods, and foods that will be going in the freezer for a while.

Creamy Potato Soup Mix

2010-02-04T08:00:00.001-07:00

Creamy Potato Soup Mix
2 cups instant mashed potatoes (potato flakes)
1 1/2 cups nonfat dry milk
2 TB instant chicken bouillon
2 tsp dried minced onion
1 1/2 tsp seasoned salt
1 tsp dried parsley
1/4 tsp dried whole thyme
1/4 tsp ground white pepper
1/8 tsp turmeric*

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, mixing until completely blended. Store in airtight container.
*Note: if you don't have turmeric, omit it. It gives a little flavor and color to the soup but it is not necessary.

To prepare soup:
Place 1/2 cup soup mix in a soup bowl or mug. Add 1 cup boiling water slowly while mixing with a whisk or fork and stir until smooth. Let soup sit 1-2 minutes to thicken slightly. Salt and pepper to taste. Add shredded cheddar cheese or parmesan cheese if desired.

Makes approximately 6 bowls of soup.

Free TurboTax Business Download

2010-02-02T17:54:00.000-07:00

Here is a great way to do your taxes- for free! This is for the BUSINESS TurboTax download. It does NOT include the year to year transfer option however. So, check it out- I did it last year and it worked flawlessly. This year I want to import all of last years information, so I will have to buy it- Darn. Click Here for the download.

My Grocery Cash Experiment

2010-01-31T19:26:00.001-07:00

I don't use credit cards. However, I do use my debit card all the time. I decided that last month, January, I would try to only use cash for groceries, since this is the area we have the most control over. I slashed my food budget by 35% (just to see if I could do it), got that amount of cash, and put it in an envelope. Every purchase I made at the store for food, laundry, household goods, etc, I used this cash. Here is what I found out:

I really had to plan out what we were going to eat for each week.
I tried to only go to the store once each week.
I tried to only buy what was on my list (that didn't work too well)
I "ad-matched" all of our produce, making it really inexpensive.
I was able to buy about $100 of food storage.
Not only did we eat fabulously, I had money left over!

From now on, I am only using cash for groceries. When it is gone, it is gone.

Chicken Rice Soup Mix

2010-01-29T14:02:00.003-07:00

Chicken Rice Soup Mix
2 cups uncooked long grain white rice*
1/4-1/3 cup chicken bouillon granules
4 tsp dried tarragon
4 tsp dried parsley flakes
1/2-1 tsp pepper, to taste

Directions:
Combine above ingredients. Cover, label and date. Store in a cool dry place for up to 6 months.
*can use long grain brown rice; store up to 3 months

To prepare soup:
In a saucepan, bring 3 cups water, 1 TB butter or margarine and 2/3 cup soup mix to a boil. redulce heat; cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the rie is tender. Add more water as needed for desired amount of broth. Serves 12.
*If using brown rice, simmer 45-50 minutes or until rice is tender.

Chicken Noodle Soup Mix

2010-01-27T08:00:00.001-07:00

Chicken Noodle Soup Mix

1/4 cup dried red lentils OR 1/4 cup dried carrots
3 TB dried minced onion
3-4 TB chicken bouillon granules
1/2 tsp dried dill weed
1/8 tsp celery seed
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1 bay leaf
1 cup uncooked egg noodles

Directions:
In a clear pint jar, layer from bottom to top, lentils, minced onion, bouillon, dill, celery seed, garlic powder, bay leaf and enough noodles to fill jar. Close tightly.

To prepare soup:
Bring 8 cups water to a boil in large saucepan over high heat. Stir in jar of soup mix. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.

Remove and discard bay leaf. Stir in 1 (10 oz) package frozen mixed vegetables and 2 cups cooked, diced chicken or turkey. Cook 5 minutes more, or until vegetables and chicken are heated through and tender.

Serves 8-10.

Minestrone Soup Mix

2010-01-25T08:00:00.000-07:00

Makes enough mix for 2-2 1/2 quarts of soup (8-10 generous servings). This is a cute gift packed in glass canning jar.

Minestrone Soup Mix

2 TB plus 1 tsp good-quality beef bouillon granules (may substitue vegetable bouillon granules)
3 TB minced dried onions
3 TB coarsely chopped dry-packed (not oil packed) sun-dried tomatoes (or dried vegetable flakes)
2 tsp dried oregano leaves
1 tsp dried marjoram or thyme leaves
1/2 tsp dried minced garlic (may substitute garlic powder; do not use garlic salt)
Scant 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (may substitute 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper)
1/4 cup uncooked pearl barley
2-3 TB dried celery
1/4 cup dried red or brown lentils
1/4 cup dried green or yellow split peas
1/4 cup dried kidney beans
1/4 cup dried light colored beans
1/2 cup dried medium-size pasta

Ingredients to add to prepared soup:
1 lb. browned hamburger or sausage (can use bottled)
1 (15 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1-2 cups vegetables, frozen or canned

Directions:
Combine the dry spices, barley, lentils and split peas and put in plastic bag. Then layer the beans into clean, glass jar: kidney beans and white beans.

Pack the pasta spearately in a small, sturdy plastic bag and tuck it into the top of the jar along with the spice mixture bag. Close tightly. The soup mix can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 months.

For a .pdf of the tag to attach to the jar, click here.
To prepare soup:
Remove the pasta & spice packet from the jar and set aside. Soak kidney beans and white beans over night or do a quick soak by boiling them in water for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and soak 1 hour. Drain water after either method.

Combine the soaked beans and spice mixture with 9 cups of hot water in a large pot over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to medium. Cover and cook for 50-55 minutes, until the beans are tender. Adjust the heat as needed so the soup is barely bubbling. Add 1 can (15 oz) whole or crushed tomatoes (do not add before beans are tender or it may make the beans tougher and take longer to cook). If the soup is too thick, add more water or tomato juice to achieve the desired consistency, then increase the temperature to medium-high to bring it to a boil.

Add 1 lb. of browned hamburger or sausage and any combination of vegetables (suggestions: 1 cup green beans, 1/2-1 cup cooked carrots, etc). Add the pasta from the packet. Cover and cook, stirring ocasionally, for 10-15 minutes, until the pasta is al dente. Add salt and pepper or other seasonings to taste.

Ladle portions into individual soup bowls and garnish with grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Cover and refrigerate the cooked soup for 3-4 days. The soup usually thickens upon refrigeration; thin it with water before re-heating. The cooked soup can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 2 months.

Crock Pot Directions: To adjust recipe for the slow cooker, estimate 3-4 hours on low for every hour of conventional cooking. Estimate about 2-2 1/2 hours on high for each hour.

Enjoy!

Adapted from: http://projects.washingtonpost.com/recipes/2008/12/03/minestrone-soup-mix/printer/

Basic Cream Soup Mix

2010-01-23T08:00:00.004-07:00

This past week I attended a class on "Soups & Artisan Breads". When we (The Advisory Board for USU Extension Classes) were planning the upcoming classes for 2010, each of us on the board were really excited for this class. A guest chef, Chef Adalberto Diaz Labrada, from the UVU Culinary Institute came and taught us. It was phenomonal!! I have never done true "artisan" breads, so this was quite a treat. As much of a treat for me, however, was getting the recipes for each of the soups. Each soup is made from food storage ingredients that can be made up ahead of time and packaged in a canning jar, airtight container, or a ziplok bag.

Basic Cream Soup Mix
2 cups powdered non-instant, non-fat dry milk (the kind that the LDS cannery sells works GREAT)
3/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup instant chicken bouillon
2 TB dehydrated onion or vegetable flakes
2 tsp Italian Seasonings (or a combination of your favorite seasonings)
Optional: 1/2 cup mashed potato flakes

Directions:
Combine all ingredients and store in closed plastic bag or air tight container until ready to use. It does not need to be refrigerated.

Yield: Equal to 9 cans of cream soup

To substitute for 1 can of cream soup:
Combine 1/3 cup of dry mix with 1 1/4 cups cold water. Cook and stir on stove top or in microwave until thickened. Add thickened mixture to casseroles as you would a can of soup.

Creamed Soup Adaptations:
Add any of the following ingredients for a delicious soup:

Potato: to cooked soup, add 1 cup cooked potato cubes
Mushroom: to cooked soup, add 1 (4 oz) can mushrooms
Tomato: Heat 2 cups tomato sauce; do not boil. Slowly add warmed tomato sauce to cooked soup with a whisk. This will help control curdling.
Broccoli Cheese: Combine dried soup mix with 1/3 cup fresh or frozen broccoli and water. Cook and stir until thickened. Add 1 cup grated cheese and mix until well blended.

(Adapted from: SOS Soups or Sauces, Proctor, D. & Serfustini, E., online publication: http://extension.usu.edu/fsne/files/uploads/recipes/soup%20or%20Sauce%20Book.pdf)

Basic Cream Soup with Potato (cheese and bacon too!) It was really, really good.

Lemon Pies....

2010-01-21T14:15:00.000-07:00

Yum, Yum! For my mother in law's birthday celebration, I was asked to bring Lemon Meringue Pie. Since there was more people than 1 pie would feed, I made a variation of the Lemon Meringue- a Cream Cheese Lemon Meringue, as well as the traditional Lemon Meringue. Here are the recipes for both:

Lemon Meringue Pie
1 baked pie shell
1 1/2 cup sugar
6 TB cornstarch
2 cups water
1/3 cup lemon juice
3 eggs, separated
3 TB butter
1 1/2 tsp lemon extract
2 tsp vinegar

Meringue:
1 TB cornstarch
2 TB cold water
1/2 cup boiling water
3 egg whites
6 TB sugar
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt

Mix together sugar and cornstarch in a heavy pan. Add the two cups of water. Combine egg yolks with lemon juice and beat. Add eggs to rest of mixture. Cook until thick (this takes about 20 minutes). Add lemon extract, butter, and vinegar, and stir thoroughly. Pour into a deep 9 inch pie shell and let cool. Cover with meringue and brown in oven.

Blend cornstarch and cold water in a saucepan. Add boiling water and cook, stirring, until clear and thickened. Let stand until completely cold. With electric beater at high speed, beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually add sugar and beat until STIFF, but not dry. Turn mixer to low speed, add salt and vanilla. Gradually beat in cold cornstarch mixture. Turn mixer again to high speed and beat well. Spread meringue over cooled pie filling. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes until brown. This meringue cuts beautifully and never gets sticky.

Lemon Cream Cheese Pie
1 baked pie crust (or 1 graham cracker crust)

Cream Cheese Filling:
8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg

Lemon Filling:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 TB cornstarch
dash salt
1 cup water
2 egg yolks (save the whites if you want merengue)
2 TB fresh lemon juice
1 TB butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare the cream cheese filling by mixing cream cheese with 1/4 cup sugar, vanillan and an egg using an electric mixer. Mix well untl smooth. Pour cream cheese filling into crust and bake for 30-35 minutes or until center is cooked. A knife stuck int he middle of the filling should come out mostly clean. As the pie cools, make the lemon filling by combining 1/2 cup sugar with cornstarch, salt and water in a small saucepan. Set mixture over low heat and bring to a simmer, stirring often. Wisk in egg yolks, then add lemon juice and butter. When mixture simmers again remove it immediately from the heat. Pour the lemon filling over the cream cheese filling, and let the pie cool. When cool, chill pie in the refrigerator for several hours before serving. If desired, top with merengue and brown in oven. See recipe for merengue above.

Delicious Food Storage Muffins- Cranberry, Blueberry, Chocolate etc.

2010-01-18T08:00:00.000-07:00

This versatile recipe can be used to make all sorts of muffins. Our favorites are cranberry, blueberry, chocolate chip and blackberry (not all together- although that might be good :).

The secret to this recipe is to NOT OVERMIX. Only stir barely enough to incorporate the ingredients. It will be lumpy.

Topping:
4 TB quick cooking oats
2 TB flour
4 TB packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
4 tsp vegetable oil
2 tsp water

Muffins:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 TB brown sugar
1/2 cup milk (can use powdered)
1/4 cup vegetable oil (can use white bean puree)
1 large egg (can use powdered)
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup coarsely chopped cranberries (or blueberries, or chocolate chip, or whatever you want....)
1 1/3 cup flour (can use 1/2 whole wheat pastry flour)
2 tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 12 muffin cups with cooking spray.
Make topping: In small bowl, combine all ingredients. Sir until crumbly. Set aside.
In a large bowl, using a whisk, combine sugar, milk, oil, egg and vanilla. If you are using powdered milk and powdered eggs, only add the water (remember to add 2 TB extra water for egg), and add the dry milk and dry egg in with step 4. With a wooden spoon stir in cranberries (or what you choose).
In separate bowl combine flour and baking powder. With a wooden spoon, stir the mixture into the cranberry mixture just until everything is combined. Divide the mixture among the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle topping evenly over top.
Bake for 18-20 minutes or until toothpick comes out dry.

Note: Try 1/2 cup cranberries, 1/2 cup white chocolate chips, and 1/4 cup chopped pecans, Use your imagination for the mix-ins! Also, try substituting the cinnamon chips for the fruit. Yum!

Enjoy!

50 Ways to Cut Your Grocery Bill

2010-01-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

Use an envelope system for grocery money. Only use the cash from the envelope. When its gone its gone. This makes me really think and plan for my purchases.
Use both manufacturer and store coupons together. This can often make the item free.
Plan your meals in advance.
If you use a rebate, fill it out and send it in as soon as you get home from the store.
Cook from scratch.
Use your food storage.
Keep a running list of items on your fridge (I use my grocery list)
Shop at the Farmer's Market (in season)
Buy multiple copies of the Sunday paper for the coupons.
Use what is in your freezer.
Use your store loyalty card.
Buy a deep freeze.
Plant a garden.
Learn your store's sale cycle (usually it rotates every 3 months)
Check the store's website for printable coupons.
When making a meal, make double, and freeze the rest for another meal.
Quickly check your fridge, freezer, cupboards and pantry before heading out the door.
Never shop hungry.
Go alone if possible. When my kids and/or husband come, we end up getting more than planned.
Stock up when things are on sale. If it is deeply discounted, buy a year supply.
Plan your trip through the store. Do not go back to the section once you have left.
Shop the perimeter.
Buy non-grocery items at different store (Wal-mart, Target, Dollar-Tree etc)
Don't forget your list!!!
Watch for instant coupons that are on the product.
Watch for the coupons that the store has by the product. Often times they are flashing/blinking.
Buy in bulk when you will use that amount. However, some sale prices are much better than the bulk price at the warehouse stores.
Get rain checks if the store is out of the advertised product.
Price match if your store allows.
Don't waste leftovers. Have a leftover night once a week.
Shop from the weekly ads.
Have a budget. Stick to it.
Watch for pricing errors on your receipt. One time at Wal-mart, I bought 20 cans of Mandarin oranges because they were supposed to be .33 cents per can. They rang up at 5.00 per can!!!
Check unit pricing between brands.
Bring a calculator.
Eat produce that is in season.
Visit multiple stores if they are close, to get the best deals.
Watch for any "double coupon" days or promotions.
Use store brands. I have found many store brand items that I prefer to the expensive name brand.
Drink more water, and less soda.
Don't be afraid of the "reduced for quick sale" stickers. One local grocery store puts out all fresh meat daily. If any meat is not sold that day, it gets a sticker. I recently got 93% lean ground beef for $1.29 per pound that way. I bought them out, and froze it all.
Check for any internet coupons for the name brand items on your list. You can find an alphabetized list of all coupons online (www.grocerysmarts.com and other coupon sites).
Don't dismiss stores like Walgreens and Rite-Aid for groceries. They often have sales combined with "register rewards" etc. My favorite cereal that is normally $4 per box was just on sale at Walgreens for $1.33 per box (plus I got register rewards used like cash), so they were almost free.
Be familiar with regular prices so you will know when you see a good deal.
Be disciplined. As with any part of saving money, it is 20% knowledge and 80% doing.
Break your list down by store, and plan your outing accordingly.
Make fewer, larger trips.
Avoid prepared entrees.
Watch for shrinking packaging. Many brands keep the same price, but the package is smaller. Be aware.
Remember, grocery shopping is one of the few budget categories that is flexible and is often the most gone over.

Free Loreal Make-up!

2010-01-14T08:00:00.002-07:00

Right now at Fresh Market (who bought out Albertsons in my area) ALL their Revlon and Loreal makeup is 75% off! To make the deal even sweeter, there are GREAT coupons you can use with them (for Loreal)! The best ones are in the Loreal RedPlum insert from Jan. 3rd. With the coupons, I got $70.00 worth of make-up for just over $2.00. Woo-hoo!!!! Isn't it great that you can combine clearance items with coupons?

Using a Grocery List

2010-01-13T08:00:00.001-07:00

How many times have you wandered into the grocery store to buy some milk and bread, and end up spending $100 that was not planned? Using a grocery list is a great way to minimize this! I laminate mine, keep it on the fridge and when I need something, use a wet erase marker to circle the item. Also, when I go through the sales and coupons, I will write a "c" by the item, alerting me that I have a coupon for that item. Right before heading to the store, I paper clip all the coupons on the back of my list. To download the list (.pdf), click here. For the list (.doc) that you can change, click here.

Freezer Inventory Sheet

2010-01-11T08:00:00.005-07:00

When cleaning out my freezers, all items were taken out, organized, and then put away. Before putting away, I wrote each item down (what it was, how many pounds it was, and the date I froze it- if I had that info). Today, I put all the info onto a Freezer Inventory list that I made. This is now on my freezer door with a wet erase marker attached to it. Each time something is added or taken from the freezer, I update the list. I use a wet erase marker- the dry erase comes off too easily. This sheet is a tally sheet, so I can know what I have just by looking on it. I will use this list before I buy more- Do I have room for it? Do I need it? I will also use this list as I plan my menus. I want to use up everything that I have stored first, before using something I just bought, to make sure everything in my freezer is rotated. For the freezer inventory list (.pdf) click here. For the freezer inventory list (.doc) that you can make changes to, click here. Make sure to print on cardstock and then laminate. This way the wet erase marker will work!
Happy organizing!
Freezer Inventory

Time to Clean the FREEZER!!

2010-01-08T14:28:00.000-07:00

We all know it. Food costs a lot of money! I think most of us are very conscious about our food budget. We try to save money by shopping sales, using coupons, etc. Think for a minute- how much food has your family thrown away over the past month? Year? I hate to say it, but I have thrown away quite a lot (leftovers that didn't get eaten, vegetables that went bad... etc). Just this week, I sent my daughter to the freezer to get some pork chops. She came back in with frostbitten hands (well, almost), and no pork chops. I knew we had pork chops somewhere buried in the freezer..... Well, I found them, buried, and much to my dismay, they were old & freezer burned. I try to be so frugal- and when I calculate how much money that I waste from discarded food, it made me think- What can I do to make sure this doesn't continue? I came up with a couple of ideas that I hope will help me:
1. Clean the Freezer
2. Inventory the Freezer
3. Continue to use a shopping list
4. Plan and stick to a menu
5. Have a "leftover night" once a week

So, lets get started.

1. Cleaning the Freezer:
I should have taken a before picture (honestly, I was too embarrassed). Over the past several months, our garage freezer (we have three freezers: Garage, Kitchen side by side, and downstairs side by side) has had to be locked because it was so full that it wouldn't close tight. The overwhelming task to clean the freezer was managable with the following steps.

Wear gloves.
Get 7-8 bins or laundry baskets to put the food into: 1 bin for chicken, 1 bin for pork, 1 bin for beef, etc.
Start at the top shelf and separate each item into the bins, continue for the rest of the shelves, and the door. Now, all like items should be together in the bins.
Using hot soapy water and a scrubbing sponge, start with the door, top to bottom. As soon as each shelf is clean, quickly wipe it dry with a dry towel. Any moisture left will quickly turn to ice.
Continue with each shelf, and the walls of the freezer.
Lastly, do the bottom. This is a bit tricky since it is so cold. I put my hot soapy water down, scrubbed, and quickly dried again. If it turns to ice before the scrubbing is finished, use a spatula to remove all ice. Once again, make sure everything is completely dry.
Assess your food- What do you have the most of? What space would it fit in the freezer best? I had the most chicken and beef- so those went into my two big drawers.
Put like items together: I put the pepperoni and pizza sauce in its own bin, since the kids make pizza every Friday night.
As you put your food back, write down what you have. This will go onto your freezer inventory that remains on the outside of the freezer.
I labeled each shelf. When my kids help with things, everything goes a lot smoother when they know where to put (and to find) things. To get a copy of the labels, click here.

Now, as I plan my menu shopping list, I can quickly look at my freezer inventory and use first what I have. If you have a deep freeze as well as a side by side with your fridge, you may want to consider this. Why not use your kitchen freezer only for the items you will be using for the next 2 weeks-1 month? Every two weeks when you do your menu, bring in the items from the freezer you will use next. Then, everything gets rotated, you know exactly what you have, and where, and things are a bit more organized.

Watch for the next post: Freezer Inventory

Making your own Cake Flour

2010-01-06T08:00:00.001-07:00

I have several recipes that call for cake flour. What is it? When do you need it? How do you make your own? If you have ever purchased cake flour, it is about $2.00 per pound, so it is much more than regular flour. Almost all cake flour is bleached. Bleaching toughens the molecules allowing the flour to carry more sugar and fat, as well as breaking down the protein in the flour. Cake flour is made from the endosperm of SOFT wheat. The endosperm is the softest part of the kernel, making cake flour the finest available. Cake flour typically has about 7% protein, about 1/2 that of regular bread flour. Note: Cake flour is great for pastries (cookies, cakes, etc). It is HORRIBLE for breads!

Recipe for Cake Flour:
1 cup all-purpose flour, removing 2 tablespoons of the flour and replacing it with 2 tablespoons of corn starch.
For Self-Raising, add a pinch of salt and 1 ½ teaspoons of baking powder to the mix.

Write these measurements down and tape to the back of your flour canister so they are handy when you need them..

New Year... Financial Peace University!!

2010-01-03T20:19:00.000-07:00

Happy New Year! I cannot believe that 2009 is now a thing of the past. I loved Christmas, and New Year's, but I am sure glad to be starting a new year. I am ready to start saving money again. It seems like Christmas always costs a lot, even when budgeted for.

My ward is hosting Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University! I can hardly wait! My bishop asked me to be the moderator of the class. We passed around a signup sheet today, and it seems like there is a lot of interest. We are starting the 9th of February, and I will post what is taught each week. I can hardly wait! I love Dave Ramsey, and we have been following his plan for several years. What a difference he has made in our lives!! Those who complete the 13 week course on average pay off $5300.00 of debt and save $2700.00 in the 90 days. Amazing!!

Dipping Chocolates

2009-12-22T14:46:00.000-07:00

Today was the day to dip all that yummy creamed fondant. I am getting ready for our Christmas Eve party and wanted to give each person a little piece of heaven on their plate. Start with a high quality chocolate (Alpine- which is a milk chocolate); Peters Burgundy (which is semi-sweet); or others that are good quality. I use 2/3 burgundy and 1/3 milk, which I think is perfect. If you put the chocolate in a metal or glass bowl, and set in your oven overnight with only the light on (the oven itself is NOT on), the chocolate will be ready to go in the morning. That tip came from my friend Kristen, who is the chocolate goddess. Once I stir the chocolate from the oven, I put it in a cold electric skillet. When the chocolate gets too thick, turn on the skillet for about 5-8 seconds, while stirring, then turn off. The chocolate will be perfect again.

1. Roll Fondant into small balls. You want them to be at room temperature, or just slightly chilled. If they are too cold, they will make your chocolate harden too quickly.

2. Using fingers, dip each fondant ball into chocolate, shaking your hand as to get rid of the extra chocolate. Open your fingers and place dipped ball onto pan with Silpat or waxed paper. It is really messy on this step.

3. Let chocolates sit at room temperature until chocolate is no longer glossy. If desired, you can put white chocolate on top, dark chocolate on top, etc.

4. Put in individual boxes- and WOW your guests! Delicious!!

English Toffee

2009-12-18T08:00:00.004-07:00

This is definately the time of year that I love making candies. This will be a gift for the music teachers, and for my dad, who loves nuts, and this type of thing. This recipe can be doubled, or tripled depending on the amount you need. This recipe can either use a candy thermometer, or it will turn out well without (by following directions).

English Toffee
1/4 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/2 pound salted butter (no substitutions)
1 cup nuts (pecans, almonds, hazelnuts)

In large frying pan over high heat (you will keep it at high the whole time), melt together butter, water and sugar. Stir constantly. If using a candy thermometer, boil until mixture reaches 300 degrees F.

If you are not using a candy thermometer, do the following: When mixture starts to turn brownish, add nuts.

Continue to cook and stir until mixture is the color of a brown paper bag.

Pour mixture onto UNGREASED jelly roll pan. Let the mixture take its own shape.

When mixture starts to cool, you can sprinkle chocolate chips on top if desired. Let sit until melted, and then spread.

Can add more chopped nuts on top if desired.

Package in cute jar and Wa-Lah! Another great, fabulously delicious, inexpensive gift.