Monday Message

"Those families will be fortunate who, in the last days, have an adequate supply of food because of their foresight and ability to produce their own." (Ezra Taft Benson)

Try to plant something - try to learn how to garden. It is tasty and fun to watch it grow!

One thing I have done is try to plant food in my yard that will come up on its own like rhubarb, raspberries, asparagus, apples, peaches and plums... I was shocked already that the asparagus was up.

This is my first picking this year. We love asparagus - yum!

So I encourage you, if you can, to pop some things in the ground that will give you food every year.

I got the rhubarb on Freecycle. I asked if anyone had rhubarb starts. One lady wrote me back and said she had been trying to kill one, it was in her compost and still growing. And now I divided mine last year to make more. The original is on the end of the garden, the three are its offspring. This is early and already growing fast, just wait they will be much bigger!

So give that a try and see if you can get some.

I am pretty excited to share something I tried this week...

I made homemade chocolate chips!

Chocolate Chips

5 tbsp powdered sugar

2 tbsp cocoa powder

1 tbsp water

Mix well put in a baggie and snip a corner

Press them out as I did in the picture on parchment paper, let them air dry for seven hours.

At that time you can see them in a pile.

I wanted to test them so I made a batch of cookie dough and took out a bit and stirred them into it. I didn't let this fully go seven hours so I hand folded them in and it worked and then baked them - it was a win! They are not exactly the same as chocolate chips have things in them that this doesn't but the taste is definitely there. And if I want them bigger, I can just make them bigger. Now, you do the math - how much are chocolate chips? How much did this recipe cost? It speaks volumes. I also thought if you wanted to flavor them and make mint or raspberry, just put flavoring in the tablespoon of water. I thought this was a huge win!

The other thing I did was make sourdough waffles using discard from my sourdough. Go back a few weeks to find the recipe for starting your sourdough.

Crispy Sourdough Waffles

1 1/4 c. Flour

1 tbsp of cornstarch1 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp powdered milk powder

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 c. Sourdough discard

1 c. Water

2 large eggs

1/4 c. Oil

Mix this all together and make waffles.

I cook all the waffles, cool leftover ones to just toast them in the toaster - works great! You can see, I can take just a section that fits perfectly and is wonderful. The waffle iron is in the middle of fixing them tonight - yum! Wish you were here to enjoy them.

This recipe comes originally from the Sourdough Discard Cookbook for Busy Moms by Veronica Harris - this book is fantastic! I did change up a few things like the powdered milk and the water and how I have dry ingredients together and mix wet ingredients together and then just mix all together but it is because I use powdered milk.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHZpAwaPMpA - here is a clever mending idea.

The other thing I have done is rearranged my living room.

Now that the telescope is outside, I felt like moving around the living room for a change of scenery.

Missy says keep working on your storage, things look worse.

Tippy Longstockings says work on making hard copies of your things just in case.

Start putting together that binder of shelf stable food recipes.

Also, keep finding joy and being kind to others.

Monday Message

"Today, I emphasize a most basic principle: home production and storage. Have you ever paused to realize what would happen to your community or nation if transportation were paralyzed or if we had a war or depression? How would you and your neighbors obtain food? How long would the corner grocery store—or supermarket—sustain the needs of the community?" (President Ezra Taft Benson)

I don't think it is hard to imagine at this time with what is going on. We should take it seriously. I saw on the news that it said we wouldn't see this next rise in prices till the end of April (about the time you are reading this). They are so high now, I can't imagine.

I worked on the Sofie Scarf while watching general conference - https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/sophie-scarf-2 My sister gifted me the pattern and the yarn was from her as well - both from a long time ago, so this week I pushed through and finished it.

In this picture, I am blocking it. The scarf will hug the neck. It wraps around twice and ties in a knot that looks like a bow. So now that this is done, I will move on to a sweater I already started.

This was a free pattern and I have made it before, but this time I want it with long sleeves. I have a dress I made this color that it will be nice with.

That and spring cleaning still (which is about tended) is what this week's projects have been.

I am following along with this series - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Az_lRTZxY7s She is doing a series on milling grains.

And from another https://nchfp.uga.edu/ has information on preserving food. I would encourage you to check with the extension service in your area for accurate processing info for where you live.

Keep looking for used equipment for preserving food like dehydrators, pressure canners, jars, pick up lids and rings if you need them (I suggest picking up several each time you get groceries, this will help you have them on hand when you need them), vacuum sealer and a tall canister to go with, if you can find one. https://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2017/02/monday-message_27.html - this shows how I use mine.

But keep haunting those thrift stores and marketplace areas and any other thrifty place, don't rule out Freecycle, where you can ask for what you are looking for.

https://www.ldspreparedness.com/id129.htm - this has a wealth of information. You can click on the dates to the left. I printed them off when I was a Provident Living leader and put them in a binder. There is food storage information, gardening tips, recipes, etc. Very useful information, including tips like how to sharpen sewing machine needles, how to more easily reuse a zipper, and the many uses of cattails.

This will keep you reading and learning for years and years. And it's for free! You can print them and put them in a binder so you have a hard copy - like I mentioned before, hard copies are a storage item too.

This is a site I have shared before. it is one that has lots of storage recipes - https://preparednessnibblesandbits.blogspot.com/2009/02/basic-food-storage-cookbook.html This takes you to the contents of the book, just click on whatever you want and it comes up.

But you can also click on topics in the right-hand column.

This is where the dried apple crisp recipe comes from. I like to have dried apples in my storage (this is where a dehydrator and an apple peeler come in handy)

Apple Crisp

2 cups dried apples reconstituted in 1 cup boiling water

1/3 cup flour

2/3 cup brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 cup oatmeal

1/3 cup melted butter

Put apples and any remaining liquid in an 8x8-inch greased pan. Mix other ingredients in a separate bowl. Sprinkle over apples. Bake 20 minutes at 375 degrees.

You cannot tell I made it from dehydrated apples -  my favorite recipe, yum!

So jump around reading these sites as a homework assignment.

Missy says keep building your storage, she is proud of you!

Tippy Longstockings says learn your skills - make a list of the ones you want to learn and then break them down into steps to achieve the goal.

Monday Message

"I wish to urge again the importance of self-reliance on the part of every individual Church member and family. None of us knows when a catastrophe might strike. Sickness, injury, unemployment may affect any of us. We have a great welfare program with facilities for such things as grain storage in various areas. It is important that we do this. But the best place to have some food set aside is within our homes, together with a little money in savings. The best welfare program is our own welfare program. Five or six cans of wheat in the home are better than a bushel in the welfare granary." (President Gordon B. Hinckley)

This week I did more spring cleaning.

Prices no doubt on EVERYTHING will be going up.

Tippy Longstockings is shocked at the prices.

I encourage you to make do with what you have right now till things get better. Continue to put in your storage and really learn your skills. I don't think things are going to improve for a while.

I make sourdough pancakes...yummy for sure!

Sourdough Pancakes

1/2 c. Sourdough

1 c. Flour

1 c milk

1 tsp baking soda

1 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg

1 1/2 tbsp oil

Mix together and make pancakes.

I made the recipe for sourdough starter using the recipe I already shared here on the blog.

I love the green grass, I love spring. Leaves are starting to come out on the peach tree.

https://cozylittlehouse.com/frugal-living-tips/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k63OUxMqVH4

https://www.everydaycheapskate.com/frugal-food-and-grocery-shopping-101/

https://balancethroughsimplicity.com/frugal-living-tips/

https://www.thepennyhoarder.com/save-money/frugal-living-rich-life/

https://www.rd.com/list/being-frugal/

Make your cookies from scratch.

Try harder to be more frugal, learn all you can on how to make do.

https://www.myjoyfilledlife.com/40-ways-use-wear-make-without/

https://learnincolor.com/frugality-how-to-from-the-greatest-generation.html

https://www.takeitfromnicole.com/use-it-up-wear-it-out-make-it-do-or-do

As you saw the pictures of the sewing room, I used what I had. You would be surprised how many things you already have on hand that take a minute to think about what you have that could be used in a different way instead of running out to buy something.

Tippy Longstockings say she encourages you not to buy new toys, play with the ones you already have.

Just try to do the best you can.

Remember to make finding joy an everyday thing, especially now with things going on at this time.

Remember to be kind in all we do, it is so needed right now.

Missy says keep looking out for family and friends. Who is having a hard time? Be there for them, help to build them up and encourage others.

Tippy Longstockings says keep getting a little extra when you get groceries.

Monday Message

"I wish to urge again the importance of self-reliance on the part of every individual Church member and family. None of us knows when a catastrophe might strike. Sickness, injury, unemployment may affect any of us. We have a great welfare program with facilities for such things as grain storage in various areas. It is important that we do this. But the best place to have some food set aside is within our homes, together with a little money in savings. The best welfare program is our own welfare program. Five or six cans of wheat in the home are better than a bushel in the welfare granary." (President Gordon B. Hinckley)

Our weather is turning nice now. The tomato starts I planted are doing good.

As I'm writing this, tomorrow will be April 1, so I need to plant more seeds to have them ready for planting in the middle of May.

If you are in my neck of the woods, you will be wanting to get seeds in pots. You will still have time by the time you read this.

Our gas just went up again. It now is $3.59 a gallon. We have been conserving trips.

This being said, the gas prices will soon hit the grocery prices so those prices will continue to rise. I encourage you to keep working on your storage. This means all around the world will be having higher prices too so no matter where you live, check into putting in storage and growing food.

I know I sound like a broken record but prices continue to rise. I know you are seeing it but we need to be actively working on storage

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIFXwB5PVc0 - I don't drink coffee but I found this interesting. I watched a bit of another in this series and they talked about potatoes and Florida's crop being small because of weather and that reminded me of something i wanted to bring up...

In my storage I have instant potatoes that are complete, meaning I only have to add water - perfect when you don't have the milk and butter to add as it is already in it. I like to store potato flakes to use in my bread items, canned potato slices, dehydrated slices and dices and shreds. Kind of like not putting your eggs all in one basket.

I like angel food cake mix where you only need water as well, to me these are perfect storage items.

Same with pancake mix complete. You only need to add water, but I can make pancakes from scratch and from sourdough - yum! and blender pancakes.

https://lifemadesimplebakes.com/blender-pancakes/ - these are so good. If you have wheat berries, give this a try - yum! I store wheat berries because they last 25+ years. Once you grind wheat into flour, it needs to be used or frozen. So I grind what I need when I need it.

So all this to say, store things that you have different versions of when you get your basics in.

Also, remember to store water.

So much is going on that it just makes sense to be working on storage. No need to panic buy or go into debt, just pick up a few extras when you get groceries.

When my husband was in the Air Force (service members aren't paid enough I say) we lived in an old rickety building, in one of three upstairs apartments. The other two were also military people but by the end of the month these neighbors were out of food and would come ask for any we might have. So when I got groceries, I picked up an extra can of tuna, mac and cheese, etc. in anticipation of their need. We were all poor. This started me on my journey to have a storage.

Keep working on your skill building, even if it is just to be able to mend - that will be a huge blessing.

Fabric is so costly so I wanted to include finding fabric by thrifting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=746pXlmu-Cc - thrifting fabric.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zH-ujL4kUgs - I included this to give you ideas on thrifted fabrics and her yardage for different sheet sizes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgrB_EEG2NE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlNKIgB1q1M

https://sewcanshe.com/category/sewing-projects-for-organizing-your-home/page/2/

https://sewcanshe.com/category/crafty-little-things-to-sew/page/2/

I stuck a few free patterns in with these last two sites so you could think about Christmas gifting.

https://dontwastethecrumbs.com/best-foods-make-from-scratch/ - remember scratch cooking saves money.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKgUf3LJ-Ks - she shows both regular and gluten free.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPW9dpmZZFA

So a couple things I wanted to talk about...

Remember, I mentioned about having hard copies of your recipes - I encourage you to put them in a binder. I just wanted to remind you again.

The other thing is this week I overheard someone talking and this person was talking about poor people being richer than they were. This was a harsh thing, no one knows how hard another has it. They might have a nice car but are in hard times so to judge another by outward appearances is very unkind and unfair. There are people going to pantries that have nice cars. They could have been laid off, they could have medical bills, we don't know and it is very wrong. This has bothered me for days. So I say people are needing kindness more than ever right now. Let us be kind.

Missy says do the best that you can. Know we can't do everything. Give yourself some grace.

Tippy Longstockings says take time to rest things are hard right now and you need to take care of yourself too.

Monday Message

"Our Heavenly Father created this beautiful earth, with all its abundance, for our benefit and use. His purpose is to provide for our needs as we walk in faith and obedience. He has lovingly commanded us to ‘prepare every needful thing’ (see D&C 109:8) so that, should adversity come, we may care for ourselves and our neighbors, and support bishops as they care for others." (All is Safely Gathered In pamphlet)

Keep trying to learn those skills - I can't stress this enough. We have a mindset that we can't do certain things because that is why we have professionals. But we need to retrain ourselves into the "I think I can" mindset. While it is true we won't be able to do some things, there is so much we can do ourselves.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpzKCNothHA - I think she does an excellent job helping you start a sourdough starter.

https://budgetgirl.com/10-shelf-stable-easy-meals-you-can-make-almost-entirely-from-cans/ - I like this gal.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1N_J1usgyu1ZWdH-9c9P0AV7JU-6xfONv/view

https://budgetgirl.com/diy-shelf-stable-cake-dessert-kits-bake-anytime-without-a-grocery-run/ - I think having some of these in your pantry for sick days or when you drop off a meal for a new mom, take one of these along as well... she can use them when she needs.

I think these would be great to have a few on hand in your short-term storage for bad days. That said, I want to emphasize that you really need to have things in storage to be able to cook from scratch.

Think if you had a bucket of flour (you need more than a bucket, this is just an example) From this bucket, what could you make from scratch? Bread, cinnamon rolls, cookies of all kinds, hamburger buns, biscuits, noodles, pizza, quick breads, pancakes, waffles, crepes, popovers, pie, cake... you get the drift. It just doesn't make pizza, it makes many more things. This can be done because you stored the basic ingredients to be able to make anything that calls for flour.

This is why I emphasize getting in the basics. If you buy a one box of a mix then it isn't as versatile and won't last as long.

So get those basic ingredients in your storage.

https://www.loveandoliveoil.com/2018/02/pantry-essentials.html

https://maritimegardening.substack.com/p/what-are-basic-ingredients

https://www.livingafrugallife.com/how-to-cook-from-scratch/

These are just some lists that may help. Not everything listed would be what your family likes and you need to store what you eat and eat what you store. If you don't, you will waste your money and now is not the time to do that.

The first weekend in April is our general conference and we have a standing tradition of cinnamon rolls and chili - yum! You can watch it here as they replay it lds.org. By the time this comes out it will have happened.

Make yourself some cinnamon rolls and chili while you watch - yum! You can use recipes HERE for the dough. Remember, how I tell you we always have ingredients on hand for chocolate cake? Same thing for cinnamon rolls and chili.

Now is the time to really look at your storage with a critical eye. Are there areas you need to build up? Now is the time.

Here where I am, which is smack dab in the middle of the US, it is time for us to start our seeds. Last week, I told how I followed someone's method to start seeds in wet paper towels. These were those seeds and they are doing great. Well I plan to try this with other seeds but need to wait just a bit first.

So be studying up on growing food. Now is the time to learn and grow what you can.

Prices are going to go up a lot more so we must do what we can to make do. 

And you all know how I hate gardening so bad but I continue to garden to help with these tight hard times. When it comes to putting seeds in the ground, May 15 is the day for us so I need to have my seedlings ready by then.

During these hard times all of us are having around the world, we have to work harder and learn skills we did not think we would learn.

This is not a short-lived thing. We are in it for the long haul. We need to make-do and to buckle up - it might be a very hard trip. Our ancestors made things work, we can too.

Missy says keep building your storage, you bless your family by doing it.

Tippy Longstockings says build your skills, they are free to learn on YouTube - take time to learn every day.

Monday Message

"Those families will be fortunate who, in the last days, have an adequate supply of food because of their foresight and ability to produce their own." (Ezra Taft Benson)

We need to continue as we can, a little at a time, to be working on our storage. We are living in uncertain times for sure. The problem is it just doesn't effect the United States but all other countries too.

Well, we did end up having another blizzard Sunday and Monday this last week (two weeks ago from when you read this) and I am really ready for winter to end.

This week, I made the bow and bowl cover out of scraps I had.

This is a great beginner sewing project and would make a nice gift as well. This is from this video she takes you through every detail... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLxfGLZqFOU

This week, I also made cornflake no-bake cookies.

Cornflake cookies

Melt one cup of peanut butter (I use crunchy) with one bag of butterscotch chips (regular size bag) on low heat, then stir in six cups of cornflakes. Then drop on parchment paper or wax paper - you can use those cereal liners that are in your box of cereal, so save those for things like this.

This is what they look like and how many you get from this recipe.

You won't be able to eat just one - yum!

https://www.littlehouseliving.com/cooking-tips-from-the-great-depression.html - great ideas here.

Keep working to build those skills. 

Start a sourdough starter. This is the starter I like to start with, there are many you can choose from but this is the one I use to start with.

Modern starter

1 1/4 tsp active dry yeast

2 cups unsifted flour

2 tbsp sugar

2 1/2 cups water

Combine ingredients in a nonmetal bowl, beat well, cover with cheese cloth or a dish towel and let set for two days in a warm spot.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xV3hvnKYPM - this is my favorite gal for sourdough. You could do her way as well. I just need it to start sooner but she has a whole playlist for sourdough - what to make with, discard, etc.

In the link below she uses discard to dehydrate it without a dehydrator.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6uU8rMdkT0 - this is fantastic. I like that it takes no special equipment to make.

Be thinking about Christmas gifts as you go along this spring. That said, shipping prices will be horrendous with gas prices so high.

Tackle one of the skills you want to learn at a time - just like building storage one thing at a time.

https://www.littlehouseliving.com/homemaking-skills.html

https://www.artfulhomemaking.com/pinafore-apron-pattern/ - this is a good beginner sewing project as well, don't rule out old tablecloths or sheets for the fabric. I have an old tablecloth that I am planning to make dish towels from.

https://www.artfulhomemaking.com/how-to-sew-cloth-napkins/ - here she shows how to make cloth napkins.

https://www.artfulhomemaking.com/old-fashioned-homemaking-skills/ - she has many things listed, I only pulled two as an example.

There are many skills out there to learn. Do some research on what would be the most helpful to your family and start with that one first.

Do the best you can at these things, they will bless you and your family in good times as well as bad times.

Missy says you can do these things - she knows you can!

Tippy Longstockings says try to find that joy in all you do.

Monday Message

"Preparedness, when properly pursued, is a way of life, not a sudden, spectacular program. We could refer to all the components of personal and family preparedness, not in relation to holocaust or disaster, but in cultivating a life-style that is on a day-to-day basis its own reward." (President Spencer W. Kimball)

This is two weeks ago at the time you are reading this and we are at war and this is sad. War is always sad.

Our gas price went up twenty cents overnight. They are saying more of that to come. When gas goes up in price, everything goes up in price as well. So we should prepare for that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntjFBs9lHG0 - here she talks about that.

Having just come off a no-grocery February, I can say you should ask yourself those questions, like how long can you go without a grocery run?? Look for areas you need to beef up.

Today, I cleaned the refrigerator. You know I do this before grocery day. I do have a little celery to dry but I made up a lasagna and four pizzas - three for freezer and one for tonight's supper. This helps when I am busy to have meals made using up what we had in the refrigerator. Use things or lose things, right?! We need to be very frugal because I feel there will be less before there is more.

https://www.google.com/search?q=ways+to+be+frugal&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS960US960&oq=ways+to+be+frugal&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyCQgAEEUYORiABDIHCAEQABiABDIHCAIQABiABDIICAMQABgWGB4yCAgEEAAYFhgeMggIBRAAGBYYHjIICAYQABgWGB4yCAgHEAAYFhgeMggICBAAGBYYHjIICAkQABgWGB7SAQg3MDgzajBqN6gCCLACAfEFFY4gjPrFlKg&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:4443a268,vid:ZKZgQClyFSs,st:0

https://www.google.com/search?q=ways+to+be+frugal&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS960US960&oq=ways+to+be+frugal&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyCQgAEEUYORiABDIHCAEQABiABDIHCAIQABiABDIICAMQABgWGB4yCAgEEAAYFhgeMggIBRAAGBYYHjIICAYQABgWGB4yCAgHEAAYFhgeMggICBAAGBYYHjIICAkQABgWGB7SAQg3MDgzajBqN6gCCLACAfEFFY4gjPrFlKg&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:f021d856,vid:Bnah2FTdYMs,st:0

https://www.countryliving.com/food-drinks/g4064/how-to-save-grocery-money/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=mgu_ga_clv_md_pmx_prog_org_us_18605172856&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=18608362460&gbraid=0AAAAACq-IrtvfYgYM96ResWQ6bwAACHIr&gclid=CjwKCAiAqprNBhB6EiwAMe3yhnFNc2GDkT7LE-415VJrID6WmH2TMhrAdtQhGnvyB4JDiA8A8iApmhoCqQUQAvD_BwE

https://www.littlehouseliving.com/frugal-living-tips/frugally-fit

https://www.thefrugalgirl.com/teach-me-how-to-be-frugal-in-10-steps/ - as you scroll through, notice the books on the shelf. The big blue book, Tightwad Gazette, I just found a copy of at Salvation Army awhile back for $1.49 - worth it to me as it has the back section I do not have. So keep looking at those thrift stores when you can! Getting free or used for little helps in so many ways and it keeps stuff out of the landfill, plus saves on your budget.

Be content with what you have, don't let not having something make you miserable.

I want you to work on not being stressed. It is hard when what is happening affects everyone on the planet. Keep up a healthy lifestyle, like sleeping....

...eat balanced meals, look for joy, exercise, read, etc. There are many things you CAN do so concentrate on the things you can do. Turn over things you can't to Heavenly Father.

There are always ways to help others who might badly need a lift, so find ways to help and lift others. In doing this you will find joy.

https://www.randomactsofkindness.org/kindness-ideas - here are some ideas.

https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/fun-things-to-do-at-home-35003444 - here are some things to do for free - fun ideas! We need fun too.

I know this is just a bit different for the blog but I really think we need to not be stressing, it isn't good for anyone. We are all in this, no one is in it alone.

Missy says find time for yourself and others - we will get through this!

Tippy Longstockings says find time to rest and find joy.