Vegetable Soup Recipe

I learned how to make this soup at a Relief Society function back in College. It is a favorite! I also made it for the last Progressive Dinner, for those who might have tasted it.

Minestrone Soup

28 oz. tomatoes (diced or stewed)
5 Cups Water
3 Carrots (sliced/chopped)
1 onion
2 celery stalks (optional)
16 oz Tomato Sauce
2 Cups Beef Broth
1 Tbsp Parsley
1//2 tsp Basil
1 tsp Oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp pepper

Bring all these ingredients to a boil. Cook about 10 minutes, covered so all the water doesn't evaporate.

Add:
1 can or 15 oz Green Beans
Up to 2 cans or 30 oz other beans, I have used great northern and red; sometimes just white.

Bring back to a boil and add
1 cup pasta

Cook until Pasta is done.

Notes: You may substitue different vegetables or add some potatoes instead of all the beans, if desired. You can also add cooked ground beef plus 1 cup water if you like it meaty.

February 2012 "The Things I Do"

B.E.E. Prepared

B: Building Food Storage: BEANS!

They are cheap, healthy and a food storage must!

This month's flyer gives lots of ideas on how to add beans to your diet.

E: Emergency Prep: Shovels

Did you know how valuable your shovel is? With the recent storm in Alaska, authorities were desperate to find enough shovels to cover the need. Stock Up!

E: Educating Families

Valentine's Day reminds us of love, sweets, and caring about others.

So I challenge you this month to get to know your neighbors!

If there is an emergency, we want to help more than just ourselves.

A Reminder To Be Prepared

January 2012 Theme: "Come Let Us Anew"

As I was thinking about the theme this month, my thoughts kept turning to the tragic fire in Connecticut last week that took the lives of three small children and their grandparents. Often times preparedness isn't about doing the things unfamiliar to us, but about "the basics." It is about re-thinking, re-doing, re-focusing on things that should already be a part of our lives.

B: Building Food Storage: Storing Comfort Foods!

When I was a small child, we always had pinto beans. My dad, who is Hispanic, insisted that "anyone can live on pinto beans." I can't tell you how often that played out during my childhood! As I grew older I realized though that they were a source of comfort to me during hard times. Even today, when I feel stressed I find eating Mexican food makes me feel so much better. Perhaps in your family it's Hot Cocoa or Pudding. Whatever it is, make sure it becomes part of your food storage. When a crisis hits your family, having your own "Comfort Foods" will make all the difference.

E: Emergency Preparedness: Important Documents Recovery:

If you experience a fire or flood it is highly likely you may lose your wallet. How would you get to the bank, take care of your family without bank cards, credit cards, ID's, etc? Make sure you have everything stored in a locked box or have extra copies of documents at the homes of family members.

This month's flyer has great information about this subject. 

E: Educating Families: Practice Makes Perfect!

We have this super sensitive fire alarm upstairs that goes off anytime anyone takes a hot shower. We always laugh that if there ever is a real fire, no one is going to believe it! But it really isn't funny. Fire Safety is something to practice over and over again.

This month, practice a fire drill for your family. Make sure to have two exits from every room in your house. Find all the fire extinguishers in your house. Make sure the fire alarms work. Do all family members know how to call for help?

A New Year!

So in case anyone hasn't noticed, I put the blog on hold for the holidays. I know most people don't have time to think of much more during Nov and Dec, so I waited. But it's a new year! I am excited about the new opportunities to put Preparedness back in the spotlight. It's going to be a great year!

How to Create a "3 Month Supply" Food Storage List

Step 1: Start by listing 10 meals that your family eats well enough that you could have it twice in a month. Try to include things like soups that can be changed slightly. Everything must be able to be made straight out of food storage, and some can have meat added to them if available.

For example, here is my list:

Spaghetti, Green Beans, Homemade Bread

Enchiladas, Can Fruit, Spanish Rice

 Pancakes w/Potatoes (Pumpkin & Regular)

Bean Burritos with Jello

Pasta Casserole (Tuna Noodle or Chicken) Corn, Applesauce

Chili and Rice, Fruit

Soup (Homemade Vegetable, Taco) Tortilla Chips or Bread

Hawaiian Haystacks, Biscuits

Cream Turkey over Mashed Potatoes, Corn

Mexican Haystack Casserole, Tortilla Chips

once doubled this gives me 20 days worth of dinners

Step 2: Now make a list of 10 meals your family would only eat once a month. Maybe it is because your family likes it but doesn't love it, or maybe because it is more expensive to make.

For example, here is my list:

Salmon Patties, Rice Pilaf, Applesauce

Beef and Rice Casserole, Jello

Chicken Pesto with peas

Chip Beef Gravy over Toast, Can Poatoes

Beef Stew, Corn Bread

Homemade Pizza

French Toast with Fruit, whipped Cream

Calzones with Green Beans

Tuna Salad Subs, Carrot Sticks, Cheesy Noodles

Mac and Cheese, Applesauce, Corn, Bread

This gives me 10 more days of dinners, totally 30 days of meals.

Step 3: Make a list!

Take all the meals and start writing down all the ingredients you need to make them. DON"T FORGET TO DOUBLE ALL INGREDIENTS IN STEP ONE! This will take a while, so make sure you leave yourself time. I used a spiral notebook and did it at night before bed.

TIPS:

If you want to, you may put all this information into spreadsheet form. This will tell you what you need for a month; as you start building your storage you can increase to two moths and finally to three. I love my spreadsheet, it helps me visualize what I have and what I still need to get to my goal of 3 months.

You may use the same concept for lunches and breakfasts. I use 7 different foods for lunches and multiply the ingredients by four, and 5 different breakfast meals and multiply times 6. Most of them meals are alternate versions of what I already have listed above.

There may be other things that you want to keep on hand that might not be listed, so add them to your spreadsheet. For example, I have both flour and wheat on my spreadsheet, also I have dry and canned milk. I also store sweet type things, like marshmallow cream and pudding mixes.

Why this way works for us..

Since I know my family will eat these foods, it makes rotating my food storage a snap. When I plan out my weekly meals, I use these ideas first, then add in a couple days with other foods (like hamburgers, roasts or meatballs) when I can affford to get them at the store.

October Theme: "Once There Was A Snowman"

B: Building Food Storage

Create a "3 Month Supply of Food Checklist"!

Remember that education is they key to preparedness! We have to have a plan to be prepared. See my next blog entry for more information on how to create a list.

E: Emergency Preparedness

Be Prepared for Isolation in a winter storm!

This month, make sure you have a battery powered radios and extra  batteries; flashlights/lanterns and warm blankets.

E: Educating Families

Does your family know how to handle themselves safely in a blizzard? Use the tips from the sherrifs office to make a game (Charades, Pictionary, Scavenger Hunt) to talk about safety in snow and cold. Games can help make the topic less scary for younger ones.

Car Emergencies!!

Emergency Preparedness Fair Guest Speaker: "Car Emergencies"

Would you be prepared if you had to stay in your car overnight? With kids? In the snow? Would you know how to do if your car was overheating and you had no cell phone? Do you have a car emergency kit?

Come learn and prepare!

Aug 30th @ 7 pm

 Jennifer Hardy spent Saturday afternoon picking the carrots and beets from the garden, then canning them. What a great example!

Great Food Storage Quote

Food Storage is like laundry...
you're never really done and if you procrastinate, the task seems overwhelming!

Money Saving Tip

Want to save money on Food Storage? Here's a trick I use each month as I prepare to stock my food storage.

http://thekrazycouponlady.com/print-coupons/

This is a master list of coupons. Before I shop, I check out the weekly ads, then look at the list of coupons to see if there is a matching coupon. Save, Save!!

Also, you can check out websites for the brads you use a lot, like Betty Crocker, Kellogs or ConAgra Foods. They often allow you to print coupons right from your computer if you sign up with an email address. This is great when you are stocking up on a 3 month supply of food you eat regularly.

Links To Food Storage Calculator

Since we are focussing on canning together as a family this month, if might be helpful to know what you need, so you can know what you are lacking.
http://lds.about.com/library/bl/faq/blcalculator.htm

Here is a link to a food storage calculator that will help you know about what to store for your family for 1 year. Obviously, the foods you choose to store should be things your family will eat.

Remember, this is only an IDEA. You should carefully plan for you own family needs!

July Theme: "Families Can Be Together"

B.E.E.: Building Food Storage; Emergency Prep; Educating Families

B: This month's goal is to can food as a family. Headed to Denver? Plan ahead to stop by the cannery.  Or, utilize the stake canner we have right here at home. You can also get buckets from local a local bakery. They are great for things like pasta and flour. Lastly, you can preserve all the garden goodies by canning food in your own kitchen! Water-bath canning is a great family activity and there are many in the ward to show you how to do it!

E: Get on the new Larimer County Emergency Notification System

sign up at http://www.leta911.org/

This is a free service to let you know when an emergency is in your area. It is an extension of the original reverse 911, but this service will reach you on cell phones.

E: Where will your family go in an emergency? What if you get separated?

Plan a place to gather both close to home (i.e. fire)  and farther away (i.e. city, school evacuation). Do all family members know how to get a hold of extended family or emergency contacts if local phone lines are down?

Featured Recipe:

"Pizza Sauce"

1 can tomato sauce, 1/2 tsp sugar, 4 tsp tomato paste, 1/4 tsp each garlic powder, onion powder, 1/2 tsp basil, 1 tsp oregano. Mix together and put on pizza dough.

"Pizza Dough Breadsticks"

2/12 cups flour, 1 Tbsp yeast, 2 Tbsp. Oil, 2 Tbsp sugar,

1 tsp salt, 3/4 to 1 cup of hot water.

Mix together dry ingredients, then add liquid. Knead adding flour until elastic and smooth. Let sit 5 min then roll out and cut into breadsticks. Twist if desired. Bake 425 degrees for 10-12min. Apply butter and garlic (optional) immediatly after removing from oven.