You may have noticed that I haven’t posted in a while!  I have been working hard on my calling as the Food Storage and Preparedness Specialist for my ward.  It’s been a lot of fun and a lot of work!  I created a blog – www.preparednotscared.blogspot.com and have prepared a new post for each day of the week.

Each day of the week will focus on a different area of preparedness.  Our goal is to be prepared as a family both physically and spiritually.

Here’s a rundown of what you can expect:

Sunday: Vital Records Pages and Journal Pages

Monday: Family Home Evening Lessons

     Week 1: Primary Theme & Scripture

     Week 2:  Safety & Preparedness

     Week 3:  For the Strength of Youth/Mormonads

     Week 4:  Family History

     Week 5:  Family Service Project or Family Activity

Tuesday: Ark Prep 101 – Preparedness Topics

Wednesday:  Preparedness Project

Thursday:  Family Activities

Friday:  Preserve It . . . Canning Corner

Saturday:  Food Storage Meals & Menu Planning

By the end of the year, you should be well on your way to becoming more prepared!

We have added a link on the left side of the page.  Hope you enjoy! 

Trish

I don’t mind cooking – really I don’t!   What I do mind is planning the menu.  Ughh!  I don’t know why it seems like such a chore but it does.  Trying to plan something that all my kids will eat gets more and more challenging with each child that I have!  I am also into quick and easy these days -  who knew that little league football would be so intense?  We wanted to share some of our favorite recipes to help you break up the monotony of meal planning.  This week I have a great breakfast recipe that I wanted to share.  We came across this recipe when the kids stayed overnight with grandma.  She made them ginger pancakes.  They are delicious and healthy too!  My three year old will even eat them and she doesn’t like anything.

Ginger Pancakes

• 1 cup wheat flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp. ginger
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp. ground cloves
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 large egg
• 3 Tbsp. oil

Mix dry ingredients first and then add the milk, egg, and oil.   You can make pancakes or waffles with this mix.

I usually double the recipe to make enough for my family.   We even have them for dinner sometimes.  We top them with syrup (you can try our recipe for plum syrup if you want to!)  or yogurt and they are delicious!  I have also made them with my food storage.  I used powdered milk and powdered eggs and they tasted great.  To use the powdered eggs you just put in 1 Tbsp. of powder for each egg.  You don’t have to reconstitute them with water but you may need to add a little water to the batter if it seems dry.  You can mix them up according to the directions on the can (1 Tbsp. powder to 2 Tbsp. water) and that works as well.  For 3/4 cup of milk you need 2 1/4 Tbsp. of powder and 3/4 c. water.   So rotate some of that food storage and give them a try!

We live in a busy world where not much is homemade anymore.  Who has time for that???  You do!  You can cook from scratch in no time if you have your mixes prepared ahead of time.

Making your own mixes can save you money at the grocery store, save you time (when you have them pre-made), and help you rotate your food storage all at the same time!   It’s simple and only takes a few minutes of prep time. 

Start by making a list of the mixes you use (i.e., pancakes, waffles, muffins, cookies, salad dressings, etc.).  Next, gather the recipes for those that you want to make ahead of time and add any items that you don’t have on hand to your grocery list so you can pick them up next time you are at the store.  (This is also a great way to see what you need to have in your food storage!)  Then schedule some time – it really doesn’t take much – to put your mixes together.  You can store them in a Ziploc or in a Tupperware container.  Add all your dry ingredients and then make a label for the front of the bag with the name of the item and the instructions to complete it (all the wet ingredients, how to cook it, mix it, etc.).  Voila!  You are done and anyone in your house can help you cook because all they have to do is follow the simple instructions on the front of the baggie!

Here is a simple recipe for ranch dressing to get you started:

Ranch Dressing Dry Mix

INGREDIENTS

7 Saltine Crackers

2 Tbsp. Garlic Salt

2 Tbsp. Onion Powder

3.4 cup Dry Minced Parsley Flakes

1/4 cup Minced Dry Onion

1 Tbsp. Dry Dill Weed

2 Tbsp. Garlic Powder

Note:  If you would like to use powdered milk instead of fresh buttermilk (Conversion Listed Below) Add 1/4 cup non-instant powdered milk into the mix.

DIRECTIONS

Blend crackers in blender on high speed until it’s a powder.  Add parsley, minced onion, and dill weed.  Blend again until it’s powdered.  Pour mixture into a bowl.  Stir in onion powder, garlic salt, and garlic powder.

Store in a container with a tight fitting lid at room temperature for up to one year. 

TO MAKE DRESSING

Add 1 cup mayonnaise, 1 cup buttermilk, (1 cup water, 1/4 cup non-instant powdered milk, 1 tbsp. vinegar or lemon juice) and 1 Tbsp. Dry Ranch Dressing Mix. 

Note:  Buttermilk can also be made by adding 1 Tbsp. Cider Vinegar or 1 Tbsp. Lemon Juice to a 1 cup  size measuring cup and filling the rest of the cup with milk.  Wisk together and chill for 10-15 minutes before serving.

You can use this recipe over salads, on chicken and anywhere that you use ranch dressing.  It’s delicious! 

It’s easy! We hope that you won’t feel overwhelmed or scared to take any recipe that your family loves and convert it into a “shelf-stable” recipe. By that, we mean that you can take any recipe you have and store ingredients that won’t spoil, can store without refrigeration, and will be long-term. If you really want to use your food storage and store food that you know you will eat, start converting your family favorites so that you can make them at anytime. Whether you have fresh ingredients or more long-term ingredients on your shelf, you’ll know you will be able to make a dinner that your family will love to eat.

Tricia has given you an example! She has created a table that converts her recipe into 3 areas: fresh ingredients, 3 month supply and long term. We’ve included a blank one for you! Use it to help you organize any recipe that you would like to convert to long-term! Most of all, we hope you’ll be excited to work on your food storage and see how easy it can be!

3 Month Shopping List & Menu Planner

This month we will be teaching you how to turn your everyday recipes into shelf-stable food storage recipes.  It’s easier than you think and you already know your family will eat it.  Today’s recipe is a breakfast recipe.  I got this family favorite from one of the recipe books I use all the time.  It’s easy and delicious.

Applesauce Pancakes:

1 cup flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/8 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. toasted wheat germ

1 cup nonfat buttermilk or  4 Tbsp. powdered buttermilk plus  1 cup water – add water with the wet ingredients.  Another substitution that works well is:  1 Tbsp. vinegar poured into a 1 cup sized measuring cup then filled to the top with milk.

(Powdered Buttermilk can be found in the baking section of most grocery stores.)

1 egg or  2 Tbsp.  egg powder plus  1/4 cup  water – add water with the wet ingredients.

1/4 cup applesauce

2 tsp. vegetable oil

Syrup & Fruit to garnish!

Mix dry ingredients and set aside.  I like to use this as one of my breakfast mixes, so I usually have 5 ziploc containers out at the same time and just measure the dry ingredients into each one.  It’s like making the recipe 5 times but only having to clean the mess once!

Add:  Remaining wet ingredients and cook on a greased skillet.  For each pancake, pour 1/4 cup batter onto hot griddle, spreading to a 5-inch circle.  Cook pancakes until tops are covered with bubbles and edges look cooked; turn pancakes and cook other side.  If desired, serve with maple syrup and fresh fruit slices.  (Bottled apples are amazing with this pancake!)  Makes 10 (5-inch) pancakes.

ENJOY!

Download our recipe converter to convert your own recipes today!

Food Storage Handout