Case Lot Sales

Case Lot Sales are here or are coming, depending upon the store. I found an excellent resource to help you in deciding where to buy items: Prepared LDS Family. This woman has created a table of some every day priced foods and case lot priced foods so that you can tell who has the least expensive foods. It also lists brand names and packaging. It's 18 pages, but I was able to print it doubled sided, two pages to a page so there is not so much printing and paper. (I don't recommend that small if you need larger lettering).

What interested me was that it showed that one store didn't fit all needs. Here are some things to consider when purchasing your food:

LDS cannery bulk bags

• Often (not always) the cheapest on dry goods

• Need to find a way to package long term

• Need to purchase buckets and other items to store long term

• Can be heavy and hard to carry.

• Can be hard to open if stored in buckets with regular lids. (Gamma seal lids are wonderful to have on the bucket you are currently using!)

LDS cannery cans

• More expensive than bulk dry goods, but in small amounts it is often the cheapest

• No need to package when you get home for long term storage.

• No need to purchase any packaging to store them or oxygen packets, dry ice etc. to keep them from bugs

• Rodents have a hard time getting into them

• May rust, especially in humid climates or damp basements

• Easier to handle and open

Warehouse Stores

• Often the lowest prices in some items

• Need membership to shop there

• Limited selection of items or brands

• Can buy as much as you want

• May need to find a way to package long term

Sales and Caselot Sales

• On some items there is no better time or place to get the lowest price

• Variety of items and brands

• Often limited in amount bought, either by store or by stores stocking enough items for sale

• May need to find a way to package long term

Finance Websites

I'm sitting here at Education Week enjoying myself. In one of my classes this morning I was told about some good financial resources. I immediately thought they would be good to post here. So while I was taking a lunch break I happened upon a computer lab I could use and ducked right in.

The teachers here are limited on the websites they can recommend to the students. Our teacher, Brother Sudweeks, told us though, we are blessed to have a couple that are approved and are really good. Not surprisingly they come through the church. If you are familiar with provident living at all you are probably aware of the first one: providentliving.org.

The second site comes through BYU and has a lot of info on it. I haven't had a chance to really look through it yet, but I'm excited to do that when I get home. It is personalfinace.byu.edu. It helps you to create a budget, learn about investing, allows you to download information from workshops. you can even find the info from the class I am taking this week, but I'll have to link you to thatlater since I need togo eat lunch.

Have fun!

Historic Nauvoo Bread Recipe

I've been away for 2 weeks on an LDS church history tour. While in Nauvoo we were able to visit the Family Living Center. Here we saw demonstratins of weaving, learned how to make a barrel and pottery and even got to sample bread. When I tasted the bread and found out there was a recipe for it online I thought this would be my next blog post. It was yummy.

Nauvoo Bread

5 cups hot water
1 ½ Tbs salt
½ cup potato flakes
½ cup oil or shortening
½ cup sugar
2 Tbs yeast
1 cup powdered milk
5 cups whole wheat flour
5 – 9 cups white flour

Combine hot water, shortening, potato flakes, powdered milk, and sugar. Stir to dissolve shortening. When temperature is tepid, add yeast. Mix in 5 cups whole wheat flour and salt. Stir to a smooth sponge. Add white flour to make smooth and elastic dough while kneading for 15 minutes. Let rise until double (about 1 hour), punch down and let rise again. Shape into loaves and allow to rise. Bake in 375 degree over for about 35 minutes.

Milk Class

Sometimes I think when you feel calm about something like teaching a class then you ought to worry. Last night as I had 6 nine year olds jumping all around to the music of G-force for a birthday party I wasn't worried about my class. This morning as I Stood in front of everyone my mind went blank. It didn't help that I'd misplaced my notes. (Yes, found them on the floor of the car when we got home). Or that after reading my recipes now I find many typos. Luckily, that's all over with!

I'm posting the recipes here, but will have hard copies of that tomorrow at church if you prefer it. All recipes use non-instant milk powder unless noted.

Milk Tips
The best way to use your powdered milk is to add water and drink it. You can add a little bit of reconstituted milk to the milk you regularly drink to get used to it. Just use a greater ratio of it to regular milk as time goes on. It is best served cold - make it the night before. Add a little bit of vanilla or sugar to improve flavor if desired.

The easiest way to mix it is add the powder to half the water you want to use. When the powder is fairly well mixed add the rest of the water.

Use about 1 cup non-instant milk powder for every 2 c instant milk powder in recipes. That will vary, but it's a good rule of thumb.

I use an emulsion blender to mix my milk. It's quick and easy. (If you attended my class then know things don't mix up quite as quick as I did them. Rex let me know afterward that some of the stuff wasn't quite mixed up).

Types of Powdered Milk

A few weeks ago I was making copies at Office Max. There was a lady there making copies for the powdered milk class she was teaching. Thanks go out to her for this information:

Regular nonfat (non-instant)
● More expensive, but you use less product.
● Sold by LDS cannery and other companies
●Takes less room to store
● Best flavor shelf life is 3-5 years. Will store 10+ years if stored right, but taste will start to go down.

Instant nonfat
● Cheaper to buy, but you use twice as much
● It is run through a second process so it is easier to mix
● Best flavor shelf life is 3-5 years. Will store 10+ years if stored right, but taste will start to go down.

Whole
● This runs around 4% milk fat
● Short shelf life - some sources recommend storing refrigerated

Whey Based
● Morning Moo is an example of this
● Made from sweet dairy whey with vitamins A & D added
● Dissolved in tepid hot water and then cold water can be added (about 1 part hot to 7 parts cold)
● Cannot be used in puddings, ice cream and yogurt (won’t set up)

Soy and Rice Based
● Available for those who have allergies
● Generally expensive and hard to find

Recipes

Whole Milk
1 Cup water
1/3 Cup powdered milk

Evaporated Milk
1 Cup water
2/3 Cup powdered milk

Buttermilk or sour milk
1 Cup water
1/3 Cup powdered milk
1 Tbsp. vinegar or lemon juice

Buttermilk
To 1 Cup milk add 1 Tbsp. vinegar Or lemon juice and let stand for five minutes.

Buttermilk
1 Cup non-instant dry milk
3 Cups slightly warm water
½ Cup commercial or previously made buttermilk

Shake or beat until blended. Cover and allow to stand at room temperature until clabbered, 6 - 12 hours. Refrigerate after clabbering. Makes 1 quart. Note: Buttermilk will keep in the refrigerator for 2 - 3 weeks. It may be frozen. It will be necessary to use a fresh start of buttermilk occasionally.

Drinkable Powdered Milk
To improve the flavor of powdered milk, mix it half and half with whole or 2% milk. Another suggestion would be to try adding a little sugar or vanilla to enhance the flavor. Let it chill several hours or overnight before drinking.

“Eagle brand” Sweetened Condensed milk
1 Cup hot water
2 Cups sugar
4 Cups powdered milk
1/4 Cup butter

Blend very well in blender. May be stored in the refrigerator or frozen.

Condensed Milk
½ Cup hot water
1 Cup sugar
1 Cup powdered milk

Blend thoroughly in blender. Can be stored in refrigerator or frozen.

Sweetened Condensed Milk (Office Max sister) - this is the recipe from class
1 c water
2 T butter
2 c sugar or splenda
2 c dry milk powder (non-instant and not an alternative) or 3 c instant

Bring water, butter, and sugar to a boil. Add milk powder and blend till smooth. Refrigerate. Will store well in fridge for up to one year. Makes 1 quart.

Whipped Evaporated Milk
1 Cup evaporated milk
2 Tbsp. lemon juice

Thoroughly chill evaporated milk. Add lemon juice and whip until stiff. Sweeten with 2-4 Tbsp. sugar, and flavor as desired. Makes 3 cups.

Patty's note: I didn't succeed in making this. I assume the milk needs to be cooler and one class member tells me that the lemon juice is quite notifiable.

Whipped Topping
3 ½ T. dry milk
1 Cup boiling water
2 tsp. unflavored gelatin
2 Tbsp. cold water
2 - 4 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Dissolve the milk in the cup of water and scald. Soak the gelatin in cold water. Combine the scalded milk, dissolved gelatin and sugar. Stir and chill in the refrigerator until it jells. Now beat the mixture until it acquires the consistency of whipped cream. Add the vanilla and whip again.

Orange Julius
2 Cups orange juice
2 Tbsp. sugar
½ Cup dry milk powder
½ tsp. vanilla
½ Cup crushed ice

Put all ingredients in blender and blend until ice is totally crushed and drink is smooth.

Patty’s note: use orange drink from cannery as a substitute to orange juice.

Tropical Shake
1 (8 oz) can crushed pineapple, with juice
1 medium banana
1 Cup skim milk
1 Cup orange juice
Crushed ice
Mint, optional

Chill all ingredients thoroughly. Blend undrained pineapple for 2 minutes. Add banana and blend until smooth. Blend in milk, then orange juice. Pour over ice. May garnish with mint.

Cocoa Mix
15 Cups instant powdered milk
1 Cup cocoa
1 ½ Cups sugar
1 ½ tsp. salt

Makes enough for 10 quarts or 40 1-cup servings.

To use the mix:, add ½ cup of mix to 1 cup hot water for a warm drink or ice cold water for chocolate milk.

Buttermilk Vanillla Syrup
1 C sugar
1/2 C butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 C buttermilk
1/2 tsp baking soda

Heat sugar, milk and butter; bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat; add vanilla and soda. Stir well. Mixture will become very foamy. Syrup can be served immediately over pancakes or waffles. Can also be served over strawberries or other fresh fruit. Leftovers can be refrigerated and heated for later use.

I meant to share this in class. I made this with powdered buttermilk and without. I like the regular buttermilk better as it is thicker, but the powdered version does still taste good.

Homemade Cottage Cheese (Office Max sister)
2 c water
3 T lemon juice or vinegar
3/4 c dry milk powder

Blend water and milk powder in a saucepan until it starts to steam, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. (Or place in microwave until it foams and rises to top of bowl.)

If using instant milk bring water to a boil, remove from heat and then stir in milk with a whisk.

Drip juice/vinegar around the edge of the pan and gently stir. Milk will immediately start to curdle separating into curds and whey. Let rest 1 minute.

Pour into colander. Rinse with HOT water, then rinse with cold water and break apart into as small of curds as you want (about 1 minute until no whey drips). Makes a bout 1 ½ cups curds.

Add sour cream or yogurt to make it creamier. Add salt to taste.

If you didn't like this in class please try it again on your own. After tasting the class version I thought it was pretty nasty. Rex said he liked it. Remember to add just a little salt to start with. Also add just a touch of yogurt and built up. I don't like it near so creamy as I made it in class.

Homemade Pudding Allrecipes.com
Pudding Mix:
2 3/4 c milk powder
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon salt

Pudding:
2 1/4 cups milk or water
1 egg, beaten
1 T butter or margarine
1 1/2 t vanilla extract

Combine pudding mix ingredients; store in an airtight container. For pudding, combine 1-1/4 cups mix and milk in a 2-qt. saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally; boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Stir a small amount into egg; return to pan. Cook and stir over medium heat for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; add butter and vanilla. Mix well. Pour into dishes; cover and chill 2-3 hours.

For chocolate pudding: Add 3 T baking cocoa to 1-1/4 cups pudding mix before mixing with milk.

Patty’s Alteration of Homemade Pudding
Pudding Mix:
2 3/4 c milk powder
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon salt
4 T butter powder
4 T egg powder
1 ½ T vanilla extract powder

Combine pudding mix ingredients; store in an airtight container.

Pudding: 2 1/4 cups milk or water
1 1/4 c + 2 ½ T pudding mix
Flavorings as desired

Combine mix and milk in a 2-qt. saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally; boil for 1 min. Turn heat to low. Cook for 2 more min. stirring constantly Remove from the heat; add flavoring. Mix well. Pour into dish; cover and chill.

The first version of the pudding is flufflier. The powdered version is more dense.

Yogurt (Office Max sister)
3 3/4 c warm tap water
1 cup dry milk powder
2-4 T plain yogurt (LIVE CULTURES REQUIRED)

1. Combine the warm water with the powder and place in a medium saucepan.

2. If desired add 1/3 c sugar and 1 T vanilla extract for vanilla yogurt. Also try other flavorings.

3. Heat the milk mixture to 180 degrees or until small bubbles form on the side of the pan and the milk begins to rise up -about 5 minutes. (Patty’s note: I’ve also done this in the microwave for about 4 minutes).

4. Pour the scalded milk into a pitcher and allow to cool to 100 degrees - about 50 minutes. (Patty’s note: I usually wait till it drops below 120 degrees - where the heat will kill the cultures). Remove the yogurt start about halfway through the wait or it will shock the starter. When the milk has cooled mix the yogurt into the milk.

5. Pour into a clean quart canning jar and cover with lid. Wrap the jar in a towel or blanket and place in a cooler. Be sure it is wrapped tight without any room for air to circulate around the jar. Pack it snug. Let the yogurt sit for 9 hours.

6. Remove the jar. Refrigerate for up to 3 weeks.

7. Note: you can place a couple of T of your favorite jam in the bottom of the glass jar before pouring in the un-set yogurt.

8. Save a bit from this batch to use as a starter for your next batch - then you don’t have to buy the yogurt again. At least not for a little while. Eventually you might want to use a fresh starter as the taste will get stronger with each batch (about every 3-4th time).

9. You can buy a large container of yogurt and freeze the unused portion in ice cube trays to use for later yogurt.

10. Chill

Sour Cream
Set strainer in a large bowl and line strainer with thick paper towel or cheesecloth. Pour in plain yogurt, cover with paper towel. Let sit in fridge for 6 hours.

Cream Cheese
Follow directions for sour cream except let set overnight.

Fruit Smoothies
2 Cups bottled fruit with juice
1 - 2 drops almond flavoring Or 1 T lemon juice
4 T dry milk
3/4 c water
Sugar to taste

Put ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. Add ½ tray of ice cubes and blend until smooth. (Use almond flavoring with cherries and large stone fruits, lemon juice with berries.)

Variations:

To use fresh fruit, use one cup of fruit and 1 cup of water and sweeten to taste.

In place of the 3/4 cup water and 4 Tbsp. nonfat dry milk, use 3/4 cup water and 2 Tbsp. dry vanilla pudding.

To add a bit of zing, add the juice of 1 grapefruit to any of the above recipe flavors.

Try using several different fruits together, such as bananas and strawberries, strawberries and pineapple, peaches and apricots, etc.

When using bananas, you may use the ones which have turned dark brown, then use less sugar, as the bananas sweeten the drink well.

One other thing.

I shared some recipes for Magic Mix in class. I have not tried using it, but because it had to do with milk I shared the recipes for it. It comes from USU Extension. Do It Yourself with Mixes

Mesa Cannery Cookbook

I have to apologize for not updating lately. I let life get in the way.

My kitchen has been a disaster area for the last couple of weeks as I have been trying various powdered milk recipes for my class on Saturday. I may post some of the recipes from the class some time later.

For now I am going to post the link to the Mesa Cannery Cookbook. I came across it some time ago. When I was looking for powdered milk recipes I did a search for it again. I thought I would let you all see it. You are welcome to print it for personal use, but not for money (you can charge for the cost of printing only). I called down there to make sure that was OK last year some time. They asked that the name of the cannery NOT be printed with it. I know, that seemed kind of odd to me too.

Anyway, here is the link http://www.jl4c.org/provliv/mesa_cannery.zip When you click on it a box will come up asking about opening it. You can either click on looking at it or saving it. If you want to keep it on your computer make sure you click on that save option.

Powdered Milk Class

I just wanted to announce, in case you haven't heard it yet, that I will be teaching a powdered milk class on July 10th at 9am at the church. (Those not in our ward are welcome to attend, but I'm not comfortable posting the address here - you'll have to email me. We are in the south end of the Salt Lake Valley).

I've been learning to use my milk and practicing. Last night I made yogurt. Today I am making sour cream. We'll also have some taste tests of different milks so you can see what you like without buying it all first.

Top 10 Things I Learned Living on Food Storage For a Month

I just wanted to share some of my thoughts after living on food storage for the month. I apologize for not updating sooner (can it really be that long?).


Top 10 Things I Learned Living on Food Storage For a Month

10) It's wise to try long term storage foods before you need to use them because you may use a lot less or a lot more than the recommended storage amounts. Our family went through a lot more oats and a less wheat than I would have guessed. Every time I went looking for recipes it was the oat ones I ended up choosing and the oat ones that didn't last long in our house. Since none of us like regular oatmeal I never would have guessed that.

9) Homemade granola, granola bars and peanut butter bars do not last long!

8) Sometimes when thinking about living on food storage people get thoughts of people hiding in bunkers and never being able to come out for months. Yes, that may happen, but I suspect that in most cases our food storage will be used as staples. For example if you are using it because you've lost a job then there may be occasions when you pick up a temporary job. This might give you just a little extra money to buy a donut you've been craving at that bake shop. Or perhaps there is a trucking strike - neighbors may trade you some zucchini for some toilet paper. Don't get so worried about being prepared in the worst case. Just do what you can, little by little as the Lord directs you personally.

7) You don't have to be in misery when you eat food storage. You can store chocolate, popsicles, frozen fruits, powdered sugar, marhmallows and other things to make treats.

6) Fruit punch and chocolate milk are not a waste like we formerly thought. We had some stored, but found it is a lot easier to live without fresh milk and orange juice when we had the chocolate milk and orange punch.

5) Spices are a good thing to have on hand. And condiments.

4) A good attitude is the best sauce. If you are positive about living on what you store the food tastes that much better. Even more important, good attitudes help you find the best, easiest and tastiest ways to prepare your food.

3) Store a variety of things. You may like peaches, but if you have nothing but peaches they get old real fast.

2) Living on food storage helps you clear out things in your freezer that you've forgotten about. It's a good way to rotate it.

1) If living on food storage for a month puts you into shock then you are either eating out all the time or you are storing the wrong things. What are the wrong things? They are the things you wouldn't normally eat.

If you don't like pears, but think they would be a good item for your food storage because you found them cheap, then pears are the wrong thing. If you eat a frozen pizza for lunch every day, but you store frozen carrots and salmon because it is more healthy, then carrots and salmon may be the wrong thing.

In your 3 month storage you should be storing what you normally eat. When it comes time to live on your storage you may miss fresh fruits and veggies, fresh milk or a Big Mac, but if you store what you eat then life really doesn't change that much.