Well it's on to a new adventure, calling and responsibility.
This will be my last post for this ward blog. From here on out I will use it as a reference on how, where and when. Hope you do too.

Enjoy this well put together article on Food Storage, then give it some thought and plan accordingly...PLEASE

Do You Have Enough Food Storage?

 

By Kellene Bishop

“How much food storage do I need?”

For the record, I absolutely loathe the term "food storage." It's no longer used in our household because I'm not a squirrel. As such I don't purchase items which serve no other purpose than to be stuffed away into a corner, only to promise unpleasant eating later.  If I don't eat it or know how to use it, it doesn't come into our home. And if it comes into our home, we use it and are very familiar with it.
Now, have said that, the question posed above is a common question in my line of work because others don't necessarily share my point of view. That's okey dokey. Regarding having "enough" there are certainly plenty of numbers thrown out there. I do have an opinion to add to that list of suggested amounts, of course, though I confess that my answers aren’t always well received—I have this nasty habit of sharing facts that may contradict what a person has relied upon for a long time. *wink* So, how much food do you really need in order to have a year’s supply for your family at any given time?

15 min Lasagna

Found this 15 min lasagna recipe that is done in ONE pan.
Could be so easily converted from your food storage.
For instance...Bottled hamburger that you already processed when you found it on sale.
The .49 cent lasagna noodles you purchased when they were on sale.
Use jarred spaghetti sauce that you paid .50 cents for on sale in place of the tomatoes or tomato sauce (or use the canned tomatoes that you bottled from your garden).
Get real crazy and use your dehydrated cheese you have put away for emergency.
And, in an electricity crisis...use your sun oven.

Who said food storage had to taste yucky?!

Recipe and picture courtesy of:
http://www.kevinandamanda.com/recipes/dinner/15-minute-lasagna.html#0qv0HhWcgGyWv7LY.32

15 Minute Lasagna

1/2 lb. lean ground beef
2 cups diced onion
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (9.6 oz) bag Jimmy Dean pre-cooked turkey sausage crumbles OR 1/2 lb cooked pork breakfast sausage
8 oz (about 10) lasagna noodles, broken into 1/4ths
1 (10 oz) can Ro-tel diced tomatoes (or regular diced tomatoes)
1 cup tomato sauce
2 cups water
salt and pepper to taste, about 1/2 teaspoon each
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
4 oz fresh mozzarella pearls
Directions

1. In a large skillet, cook the ground beef and onion over medium-high heat stirring occasionally until browned. Drain excess grease if necessary. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for one minute until fragrant.
2. Evenly add the pre-cooked sausage, lasagna pieces, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and water over the skillet. Sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper. Stir gently to combine.
3. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes over medium to medium-low heat. Shake the skillet occasionally to evenly distribute the noodles as they soften. Remove from heat and stir in cheese. Top with mozzarella pearls and broil for 3-4 minutes until golden and bubbly.
Makes 4-5 servings.

Jalepeno Jelly

Something new to try from your garden this year.

Jalapeno Pepper Jelly


3 Green bell peppers
2 (4 oz.) cans diced jalapeno peppers or
1 cup fresh jalapeno peppers
1 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
6 1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 t. cayenne pepper
1 box liquid pectin

Chop pepper ( blend in a food processor works best )
Combine with vinegar, sugar and cayenne in pot.
Stir until boiling.
Stir in pectin, boil 5 min. longer. Skim off foam.
Ladle into prepared jars. Process in boiling water
canner for 5 min.

Definitely worth a try. Bring it to a gathering along with a block of cream cheese and some of your favorite crackers. Guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser!

Digsby

IM, Email, and Social Networks in one easy to use application!

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Read more at http://www.ifood.tv/recipe/mormon_jalapeno_jelly#JmkJEZ8FLff7BJrc.99

Ways to Waste Less Food

Some thing's to consider...

 

                        

 

                         

1. Only buy what you need.

                         

 

“I’m just here to pick up some scallions… OOOOH! Look at those tomatoes!!!”

Stop.
They’ll still be selling tomatoes next week, and the week after that.

2. Shop more often.

                         

 

Smaller, more frequent shopping trips will yield less waste than bigger, weekly ones.

3. Make a grocery list.

                         

 

Using a list means you’re less likely to make impulse purchases, which means you’re less likely to buy food you’ll end up throwing away. (For maximum effect, be sure to actually bring your grocery list with you to the store.)

4. Oh, don’t worry, there’s an app for that.

                         

 

5. Make frozen fruit and vegetables your new best friend.

                         

 

Frozen produce lasts basically forever and is just as nutritious as the fresh versions. Bonus: Freezing means the fruits and veggies don’t need other preservatives. (Check ingredients lists and look for the ones with just the fruit or vegetable itself.)

6. Watch out for the Bulk Trap.

                         

 

Some things (toilet paper, socks, beer) should always be bought in massive quantities when sold at a discount. But when it comes to fresh produce: Beware. Ask yourself, “Will I really eat that entire box of peaches before they go bad?”
               

 7. Don’t mix fruits and vegetables.

 

8. Remember: One bad apple can ruin the whole bunch.

 

Apples, berries, potatoes, onions — all of them can be jeopardized by just one rotten spoiler. Check the bag before you put it away.

9. Break your bananas apart and increase their counter life.

 

Alas, if you MUST keep them bunched, wrap the stems in aluminum foil.

10. Make your scallions last longer by keeping them in a jar of water in the fridge.

 

 

Simply remove the rubber band they came in, add about an inch or two of water to a jar, stand the scallions up in it, cover with a plastic bag and stick it in the fridge. Now they’ll stay crisp for a week.

11. Hang onions in pantyhose and they will last for up to eight months!

 

12. Extend your bread’s life with a celery stalk.

 

The moisture in the celery helps keep the bread soft.

13. Wrap cheese in wax paper or cheese paper.

 

First wrap in wax or cheese paper, then stick in a plastic baggie. Gently place the precious cheese in the warmest part of the fridge (vegetable or cheese drawer).

14. Freeze your fresh herbs in olive oil or butter.

 

A new use for those ice trays. Rosemary, sage, thyme and oregano will all freeze well. Dill, basil, and mint, however, should only be used fresh.

15. Tupperware: Not just an excuse for parties.

 

You’re more likely to store your food properly if you have the right equipment. Invest in reusable, glass tupperware (stores better than the plastic disposable kind), as well as chip clips, and cookie tins. (Mason jars work too!)

16. Cook with every part of the food.

 

Turn your corn cob into broth, your broccoli stems into pesto, or your carrot greens into a salad.

17. Use your kitchen scraps to make homemade vegetable stock.

 

Instead of tossing the pieces of vegetables you’re not using, keep them in a bag in the freezer. When the collection gets big enough, turn it into stock.

18. Make frittatas with your leftover vegetables

 

Don’t worry about what the recipe calls for: Just throw in last night’s spinach and call it a win.

19. Turn day-old rice into fried rice.

 

Last night’s leftover takeout is tonight’s trip to Beijing.

20. Save your dried-out mushrooms!

 

Don’t be fooled by their shriveling exterior: Dried-up mushrooms can reconstitute and cook up just fine. (To be clear: Dried up is fine. Slimy is not.)

21. Pickle (or preserve) whatever you’ve got.

 

You can pickle pretty much anything, so if you’re wondering what to do with all that kohlrabi  or even your watermelon rinds, this might just be the answer. (Pro-tip: Save your pickle brine and use it again.)

22. Turn leftover bread into croutons.

 

23. Use brown bananas to make banana bread.

 

In a recipe, “very ripe” is code for “almost rotten.”

24. Add cheese rinds to soups and sauces for extra flavor.

 

Cheese: Is there anything it can’t do? Store old rinds in the freezer and then break them out when you want to add extra flavor to your soup or sauce.

                         

25. Don’t confuse “sell-by,” “best-by,” or “use-by” with “toss-by.”

 

Not all expiration dates were created equally and very few of them will actually tell you if a food has gone bad. “Sell-by” means it has to be sold, not eaten, by a given date. “Best-by” means it will be at its peak of freshness, not safety, by a certain date. And “Use-By” indicates when the quality will start to go down.

26. Donate what you don’t want.

 

No longer interested in all those pinto beans you bought on sale two months ago? Donate them to an organization that is. Find a local food bank here.

27. Always take the doggie bag.

 

As if you needed to be told…

28. If you can’t clean your plate, pass it to someone who can.

 

Not all human foods are fit for canine consumption, but many are. Check out these do’s and don’ts to find out if sharing is advised.

 

29.                         

Food scraps are the NUMBER ONE material sent to landfills. There they become greenhouse gases, which as we all know by now, are slowly leading us to mass extinction. So stop making excuses and start composting.

 

OK, so I deleted a few...But 29 out of 34 isn't bad.

Hope you found a few good ones to consider.