Monday Message

Have recipes/techniques that you use on a daily basis? Create a "go-to" binder to refer back to them easily!

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"Too often we bask in comfortable complacency and rationalize that the ravages of war, economic disaster, famine and earthquake cannot happen here. Those who believe this are either not acquainted with the revelations of the Lord or they do not believe them.  Those who smugly think these calamities will not happen, that they will somehow be set aside because of the righteousness of the Saints, are deceived and will rue the day they harbored such a delusion.  The Lord has warned and forewarned us against a day of great tribulation and given us counsel, through His Servants, on how we can be prepared for these difficult times.  Have you (we) heeded His counsel?" Ezra Taft Benson, Jun. 

http://www.gettystewart.com/how-to-make-red-heart-french-toast/ I think this is a simple idea to make breakfast special and great way to use up bread!

http://www.foodstoragemoms.com/baking-soda/ - good info, I would add that I use it too for drain cleaner when drains slow due to clogs. Pour baking soda follow with vinegar, it foams and pushes the clog down. I then follow with some boiling water, no chemicals needed!

http://glutenfreeonashoestring.com/category/breakfast-brunch/ for those who are gluten free.

http://glutenfreeonashoestring.com/sandwich-bread/ - gluten free

http://www.foodstoragemoms.com/budget-meals/ this is a great list of budget meals.

http://everydayfoodstorage.net/food-storage-recipes are you afraid to cook with food storage?

http://everydayfoodstorage.net/2015/03/16/food-storage-life-hacks-homemade-brown-sugar/food-storage-recipes - this is good to have in your binder, then put sugar and molasses on your storage list.

Think about getting back to basics… "Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without" is what we need to put up on the frig to help you to remember to be frugal, to live with in our means and be happy and content with what we have.

We try to improve ourselves and surroundings.

Just a little change here and there... remember the go-to binder I am working on that I said was white? Well it had the clear pockets all around so I found a couple of pieces of scrapbooking paper and cut them and slid them in to spruce up the binder. So I had all on hand, it cost me nothing to help create something that will save me time. There are things I use more frequently that would save me time going and looking in my two binders of recipes.  

One is my food storage recipes which I went through my file and looked at the recipes and found the ones that if I did not have eggs or cheese I could still make if I had those things stored. I found that most of our favorite family recipes fell into that category and that I already stored what these called for. I think if you look closely you might find the same in your recipe box.

The other binder is recipes we liked or I want to try, it is called my working recipe binder.

But the now pretty binder pictured at the top has things I use more often... as seen in the picture I use it for enchilada sauce, white sauce, my milk conversion chart, my yogurt recipe, the diner pancakes, my popovers, the bread recipe from the blog, the recipe for tapioca pudding, my taco seasoning recipe. I continue to add as I go, this is for my convenience so I can find the info fast. 

Yes, I could go look them up on the internet but for me this is faster as I am in the kitchen and though there are tons of recipes on the internet these are my tried and true nothing else will do, plus I believe in hard copies too.

It might sound like busy work but already it has proven a vast time saving tool.

When I worked in a stake calling there were so many wonderful sisters all over the area. One I was so impressed with lined her drawers with pictures from her old “Ensign” magazines for the beauty and to be inspired while she was working.

I have been teaching myself to tat… it has been a stretch for me but I was reading an article that called tatting “poor man’s lace” it went on to talk about pioneer women who took tatting supplies with them as they went to Utah as it does not take up space and can easily be carried in one's pocket. Why did they do this? To beautify their surroundings.

I remember well the day I went to purchase a 25 lb bag of flour, it had been 3.49 and jumped a dollar. I was not very happy and went to ask a stock person why. He said, well it always goes up this time of year, it will come down again. My budget was tight and I seriously thought about not getting it but I did and it has never come back down, just continues to climb in price... I leave that with you to remind you to be working actively on your storage. 

We are at the mercy of droughts, price increases and unemployment and failing health, among others. These are not suddenly new things, our grandmothers time was that way too on back from there. There is wisdom in food storage or else we would not be warned over and over again. It is important, even if you glaze over when I talk about it. I am just saying, please don't put it on the back burner, you know that one marked some day... be working, doing your best. President Hinckley said do the best you can….and so we shall right sisters??

With very little you could get baking soda or salt. If you are struggling and think I don’t understand you would be surprised to know I do understand. Pray for opportunities to gather your storage, you will be blessed and those of you who are blessed with incomes put food storage as a priority before a want and you will be blessed, don’t wait.

Love,
Sister Shook