Hi Everyone,
NOTES:
My solar panels have been sitting in my dining room for almost a year now. When we tried to set them up, we couldn’t get them to generate any power. I’ve been meaning to give it another go and then to take them back to the company we bought them from and find out what I’m doing wrong. But….. they are still sitting there. Ugh.
This might be a good time to think about cooking without power. Consider the pros and cons of everything. Maybe consider getting something at the end of summer when things go on sale. And since Halloween is already in the stores, that could be any day now.
We have a thermal cooker. (not this one but similar)
Tayama TXM-50CF Energy-Saving Thermal Cooker, 5 L, Black: Home & Kitchen This one is $85. They use no electricity. You have to boil the food for 4-5 minutes, then it will continue to cook in the thermal cooker using no power for several hours. It’s like a crock pot, but totally power free.
GARDEN HAPPENINGS:
* You can still plant.Late Summer & Fall Garden Planting – YouTube Here in So Cal, we are zone 9b. Our first frost date is Dec. 15. That’s still over 100 days. Even though you have the time, you will need to have a place that gets good sun. As the temperatures decrease, you will need sun, especially if you want to plant another crop of zucchini, cucumbers, beans, or tomatoes. Cauliflower, carrots, turnips, beets, peas and broccoli are “cold weather” vegetables. Go ahead and plant them. If we DO by chance have a frost in December (we usually get them in Feb & Mar), the frost will NOT kill the plants. But, the shortened days tend to extend the growing time…. so…. lots of sun is the key! Especially after we pass the Autumn Equinox, I have to move my garden out by the pool and into the sun.
I planted 4 tubs of green beans last week, and in one of the tubs the beans have all sprouted. THAT tub is in direct sunlight. Hopefully, the other tubs will follow soon.
LONG TERM STORAGE: – potatoes and potato flakes
Check out this video: Storing Instant Potato Flakes in Long Term Food Storage – YouTube Basically, she vacuum seals them, but she puts them in paper lunch bags first.
I also have dehydrated hash browns. You can actually buy them in the bulk section at Winco. If you want to dry your own, just get frozen hash browns and spread them out frozen on the trays. Dry overnight. To use, you have to soak them in boiling water for about 20-30 min. They are great to take camping.
I bought something like this at Costco, but you can get them online as well.
SHORT TERM STORAGE: freeze dried vegetables
You might consider some other vegetables that you use all the time. I have a few cans of freeze dried celery and a few cans of FD broccoli. I have tried to freeze dry both those things, and they didn’t turn out very well, so I just bought some. I have freeze dried a ton of corn, peas, and mushrooms. They work well. I dehydrate bell peppers, carrots, and celery as well. I just buy dehydrated onions and garlic. I can potatoes and tomatoes.
I’ve never been able to dehydrate or freeze tomatoes so they don’t turn black, even with oxygen absorbers.
72 HOUR KITS:
This website, 11 First Aid Supplies you Cannot have Too Much of.
11 First Aid Supplies You Can’t Have Too Much Of
It gives you a good idea of things you can have in your kit, and in your house in general.
FOOD STORAGE RECIPES:
Today’s recipes are from I Can’t Believe It’s Food Storage by Crystal Godfrey.
Spaghetti Sauce
This is pretty similar to the recipe I use, but I add 1 jar ground beef, and cooked sausage if I have it.
1 TB olive oil
1 onion chopped (or 1/4 c. dried onion flakes)
2 small green bell pepper, chopped (or 2 TB dehydrated peppers)
1 c. fresh carrots, chopped (or 1/2 c. dried diced carrots)
1 can 4.5 oz mushrooms, drained
2 large cloves of garlic minced
2 14-oz cans diced tomatoes undrained
3-4 cans tomato sauce
2 TB chopped fresh or 2 tsp dried basil
1 TB chopped fresh or 1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
** In my recipe I use a large can of crushed tomatoes, 8 oz can of tomato sauce, and 6 oz can of tomato paste. I also add 1 TB brown sugar.**
Heat oil and cook onion, bell pepper, and garlic for 2 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients. Heat to boil, reduce heat and cover. Simmer 45 minutes. You can refrigerate for 2 weeks or freeze up to a year. You can also make it in a slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
Carrot Cake
2 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. vegetable oil
4 eggs (or 1/2 c. dry powdered eggs and 1 c. water)
Mix together. In a separate bowl:
2 c. flour (can use 1/2 wheat and white flour)
2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
Mix, and stir dry ingredients into the wet.
2-4 c. finely grated carrots (if using dried carrots, pulse them a few times in the blender before rehydrating them)
3/4 c. coarsely chopped nuts – optional
Fold in carrots and nuts
Bake 350˚ for 40-50 minutes until the cake starts to pull away from the sides of the pan.
Best Ever Cream Cheese Frosting:
1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Hamburger Pie
1 lb ground beef
1/2 c. chopped onion
Brown meat and onions together.
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 can tomato soup
1/2 c. ketchup
Pour in a 2 quart casserole dish (I just use my dutch oven pot).
1 16-oz can green beans drained – sprinkle over the top.
1 c. mashed potatoes** – spoon over top
Sprinkle with grated cheddar cheese.
Bake 350 for 30 min.
To make 1 cup mashed potatoes:
1 c. potato flakes
1 c. boiling water
1 1/2 TB butter
1/3 c. milk
Marti Shelley
