Monday Message - Convenience in the kitchen

Friday night is pizza night at our house! Check out this easy, quick pizza crust recipe.

Provident living: The next class will be March 11, at 9:30 a.m. at the Shook's. The class will be about convenience in the kitchen.

"Brethren, 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... I do not predict any impending disaster ... yet prudence should govern our lives ... We can begin with a one week food supply and gradually build it to a month, and then to three months. I am speaking now of food to cover basic needs. ... I fear that so many feel that a long-term supply is so far beyond their reach that they make no effort at all.  Begin in a small way... gradually build toward a reasonable objective." Gorden B. Hinkley, Priesthood Session, October 2002.

http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2009/09/oatmeal-pancake-mix.html I will be putting things in for convenience in the kitchen

Ideas we will talk about:

Cook extra hamburger! When you are fixing supper, only take some of the cooked hamburger and put back in the freezer after draining the grease off. Then when you are in a hurry, you pull one out to add to your casserole or soup - half the work is done!

Fix extra when fixing supper and freeze for a busy day or a sick friend.

I will fix the dry ingredients and have them ready for mixing in the morning to help speed up and cut the amount of time it takes to make muffins and etc.

I have taken favorite things that we have and turned them into a mix. For example - we like a certain pineapple upside down cake. Since it requires getting out and looking up more then one recipe, I measured all the dry ingredients and put them in a baggie and write on the front what it is and what to add, then how to bake. And on the back, I write what is in the bag but amounts so that I can fill the bag once it is used without having to get the recipes out.

For me it is when I have more pain then usual it is nice to use one of these and when I feel better I can easily fill the bag again for a time when again I need it.

Keep in mind these are already family favorites so no guess on what it tastes like

I make pizza dough

5c. flour
1 tbsp sugar
2 tsp salt
1 tsp yeast.....(yes, you are reading that right)
stir and add:
2 cups water
2 tbsp olive oil

You mix this together and I spray two freezer bags and I divide the dough into three. You do not knead it or anything. When I do this I leave the third in the bowl, spray and cover and that is the one we eat that night, the two bags I throw in the freezer.

Then we usually dub Friday nite as our pizza night. In the morning on a Friday, I will pull out one of the bags and throw it on the counter, it will be ready to use when we have supper... and we love the crust! I use a pastry roller and roll it out on my pans we do individual ones as Brother Shook likes onions and green peppers on his and I do not. So I pop them into my preheating oven....it is preheating to 500 degrees (yes that is correct). While the crusts just cook a tad, I chop the veggies for his pizza and drain a can of mushrooms for both. 

I pull them out, put on sauce, the toppings for his then the cheese and mushrooms last on both, then bake! It does not take long. Then I pull them out one at a time and cut them on a wooden cutting board, if you want a crispy bottom this is the key, the wooden cutting board. The pizza slides right out of the pan and I cut it and plate it....try it and see what you can make! 

I searched twenty years for a good crust recipe and this is it.....sometimes when we go to the temple and you know that is a long day, I will set out the dough to make the pizza when we get back that way when I am worn out, it is easy and a nice thing.

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/561824122235609449/  doesn't this picture make you feel all warm and safe? That is what you want your storage to make you feel like.

http://www.saveathomemommy.com/2012/08/homemade-baking-mix-recipes-chocolate-cake-brownies-and-chocolate-chip-cookies/  this is how I mix up the mixes that are not long term but what I need to have on hand... only I write on the back the amounts of what is in them so I do not need to retrieve the recipe, it is just handy

http://www.yummly.com/recipe/Homemade-Dry-Onion-Soup-Mix-Recipezaar  this is good to have on hand

http://fakeitfrugal.blogspot.com/2012/02/fake-betty-crocker-cookie-mixes.html look how cheap you can make these

http://www.meetpenny.com/2012/03/10-homemade-convenience-mixes/

http://tipnut.com/baking-mixes-seasonings/

http://shalommama.com/money-saving-tips this has some great ideas however not a member website so you would not be having the wine unless you are like me and just whine ;o) ....but still great ideas.

http://everydayfamilyliving.com/31-days-feeding-family-on-budget/ I love to read how others are working thru life on tight budgets

"Come what may and love it" I have a friend who says this and that is true, make the best of any situation or you will spend your whole life miserable.

http://acultivatednest.com/2008/08/how-we-manage-on-less-money-part-1/

http://acultivatednest.com/2008/08/pantry-basics-how-we-manage-on-less/

http://acultivatednest.com/2013/11/my-new-pantry-how-i-organized-it/

http://www.cheaprecipeblog.com/2013/06/a-peek-inside-my-grocery-bag-getting-cheap-groceries-at-aldi/   personally I love shopping there, it really stretches what one has to spend for groceries.

http://www.sixfiguresunder.com/get-fabric-free-or-cheap/ there are some good ideas here

http://www.thecentsiblelife.com/2012/12/50-stocking-stuffers-1-dollar/ not too early to be thinking on this

http://gracefullittlehoneybee.blogspot.com/2013/11/filling-freezer-on-budget.html

So enjoy your monday message :) Hopefully you will find something interesting that will help you on your journey!

We are all finding our way and learning as we go. You all are so amazing to me! You are doing so great and so wonderful hearing how you share with all :)

Keep working on your storage as you can make it a priority and if you run onto a sale share it with other sisters in the ward!

Monday Message

Granny Square class will be Tuesday, Feb. 18 at 9:30 a.m. at the Shook's. Bring a crochet hook you have as close to a G as possible and two colors of cheap yarn.

"Brethren, 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... I do not predict any impending disaster ... yet prudence should govern our lives ... We can begin with a one week food supply and gradually build it to a month, and then to three months. I am speaking now of food to cover basic needs. ... I fear that so many feel that a long-term supply is so far beyond their reach that they make no effort at all.  Begin in a small way... gradually build toward a reasonable objective." Gorden B. Hinkley, Priesthood Session, October 2002.

http://murrayandmathews.blogspot.com/2010/03/food-storage-organization.html nice little site

this is a blog with many helps on it http://be-it-ever-so-humble.blogspot.com/

“As we live providently and increase our gifts and talents, we become more self-reliant. 

Self-reliance is taking responsibility for our own spiritual and temporal welfare 

and for those whom Heavenly Father has entrusted to our care. 

Only when we are self-reliant can we truly emulate the Savior in serving and blessing others.

“It is important to understand that self-reliance is a means to an end. Our ultimate goal is to become like the Savior,

 and that goal is enhanced by our unselfish service to others. 

Our ability to serve is increased or diminished by the level of our self-reliance.” 

-Elder Robert D. Hales of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
"Becoming Self-Reliant", Ensign, Jan. 2010, 9

“‘Self-reliance means using all of our blessings from Heavenly Father

to care for ourselves and our families and to find solutions for our own problems.’

Each of us has a responsibility to try to avoid problems before they happen 

and to learn to overcome challenges when they occur. …

“How do we become self-reliant? 

We become self-reliant through obtaining sufficient knowledge, education, and literacy; 

by managing money and resources wisely,

being spiritually strong, preparing for emergencies and eventualities; 

and by having physical health and social and emotional well-being.” 

-Julie B. Beck, Relief Society general president.

"Becoming Self-Reliant", Ensign, Jan. 2010, 9

Okay, for that dirty topic it is time to start thinking what am I going to plant in my garden... Time to draw up a plan, research what plants are compatible, find out what is good for your area, when do we plant (hint after mother's day). Learn to read the back of your seed packet, how far apart does it say to plant tomatoes, beans? Have the family all work together on a plan for planting on a family home evening. Have each child draw favorite veggies and cut them out and build the garden plan that way.

http://everydayfoodstorage.net/2008/06/10/blender-no-bake-cheesecake/food-storage-recipes  in case I have not said it before, I love this gal :)

We tried a new taco soup recipe, very basic, all stored food. This one is the best and will be our favorite one!

Taco Soup

Brown a lb of hamburger and drain it (I usually take part of the cooked hamburger and put in the freezer for another meal)

-Tall can of tomato sauce....(16 oz or as close as you can)
-1 can kidney beans washed and drained....(I do this to all canned kidney beans, it is healthier for you)
-1 can of diced tomatoes
-pkg of taco seasoning
-a generous pinch of dried garlic
-1/2 tbsp dried onion flakes
-1/2 c. salsa

I added a bit of water maybe a cup or less

put in small crock pot and on low all day

Oh this is great! And you can serve with Tostito type chips, sour cream and shredded cheese.

Try one new recipe a week and you sure will have a batch everyone loves.

If you have troubles finding recipes here is a good place to start someone else's food storage recipes then you can study them and see if you want to try them yourself.

http://myfoodstoragecookbook.com/recipe-index/

this is fantastic http://www.pinterest.com/pin/60446819972843861/

I love this gal and she shows you how to use the magic mix, it is similar to the sos mix which I really love having on hand.

http://extension.usu.edu/files/publications/publication/FN_Cooking&Baking_2011-02pr.pdf

http://www.livingwellspendingless.com/31-days/livingwellspendingzero/ this is very interesting, helps you to spend less. I like the eating out at home idea as she has recipes, copycat like recipes kind of looks fun.

http://picklebums.com/2012/01/19/what-to-do-with-a-big-box-make-a-town/  cabin fever this could work well for that

http://icandy-handmade.com/2011/08/tutorial-extender-slip.html  this is a sewing thing that is most helpful. Along this line I will give you a tip given to me by the Herkers. They told me if your slip starts to ride up that you should wear it inside out that will prevent that..

http://homemakerschallenge.com/20-tips-for-grocery-shopping-every-two-weeks/ helpful ideas here

http://www.notimeforflashcards.com/2012/08/playing-card-holders-for-kids.html  great idea and lots for littleones here

I tried to put in some family fun things into this one along with still the provident living....things that could help with family nites.

I am sure that with the weather so bad for parts of the country that do not get it that bad and are not used to it. The saddest I saw was a woman say she had no power and no food and then showed the kids eating a little cup of potato chips, could that be you? Could you be someone's neighbor and help them? Do you have neighbors you check on when weather turns bad or just because? You do not know when you will be the one that has the weather or other problems, would it not be well to turn to your pantry and say we can make it thru this and no matter how bad things are we can have chocolate cake....that is my motto!

Keep working on your storage, learn new things! I am still using Sister Gardunia's yogurt recipe and loving it :) Easy to make and is wonderful each time. So once you have mastered it go on to other things you want to master. On my list is to find the perfect english muffin bread, yep I have one recipe but have several I would like to try to find the best but the one I have is from the yeast company. My sis and I made it up into kits and I loved having it ahead... so when I try and I have three recipes to try then the best will be as kits and I will move on to something else. I know life is busy with kids, let me be the first to tell you it only gets busier from then. So embrace life and find time for yourself....nothing has to be done instantly, you have a lifetime of learning every day of your life you have learned and it will serve you well the rest of your journey.

Advice from Gus: Take a cat nap and have some time for yourself! 

Happy Valentine's Day!

I found these potatoes in the last bag that I bought and decided to save them to eat with my husband Valentine's Day. They were super yummy! Hope your heart day was great!

Monday Message - Frugal Meals

My favorite chili.

Provident living: The crochet granny square class was moved to Feb. 18 at 9:30 a.m. at the Shook's. Bring a hook size G or something close to it and two colors of cheap yarn you might have.

 

Be prepared in all things against the day when tribulations and desolations are sent forth upon the wicked" (Doctrine and Covenants 29:8 ) 

"We encourage you to follow this counsel with the assurance that a people prepared through obedience to the commandments of God need not fear" (First Presidency letter, 24 June 1988). 

 

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1980/10/prepare-for-the-days-of-tribulation?lang=eng this is a good one to reread.

 

I have been pondering different things one needs to know how to do and what I myself can do and learn more to assist my family. Think about your family, what would you do if your income stopped this week? What would you do? What would you feel like? You have to crash learn things, that adds to the stress of the moments. What if you cannot find work? What if your storage had to carry you along, what would you eat? What is in your storage if you stored what you normally eat? No problem for a time and what if you did not? Will you look at things that you owe money on with disdain and that you had not gotten it. Things like this will run through your mind.

 

I have been pondering, though I plan to put together a more helpful cookbook so I do not have to look in three locations for a recipe. I will make it a back to basics cookbook, put my favorite yogurt recipe in it and then behind the yogurt, things I normally make with it. Sourdough recipe and what I normally do with it behind it so that the basics are in one place that I use all the time sort of thing. It is something I am pondering.......how to do better.

 

We should always try to do better, learn more and push on no matter what.

 

We must always stay obedient.

 

Recently I have been reading on how to be more frugal....

 

 

This is a good place to start to read on to get ideas www.budget101.com search around on there. I love the selection of mixes you can make at home. Look at the convenience foods you bought, how much would you have saved making your own? She said also it is good to know how to substitute things, saves you from going to the store. She mentioned a trip to the store takes thirty minutes and in that time you could make up some mixes, like seven to be exact.

 

For me I thought I might look at my menu for the week and see what mixes would enhance my meals and make them up. She mentioned you can reuse the bags. She made labels with directions on them and recipe to make the mix up again. I know I find myself very tired from pain so this would help me. I know that lots of times I will mix dry ingredients to a recipe we like and have it ready in the morning to add the wet ingredients. You could take this one step further and package it so that you can use it in a week, a month, whatever would help you.

 

http://www.budget101.com/breakfast-mixes-recipes/myo-instant-oatmeal-various-flavors-1297.html this is a great example of mixes that could help you on those busy "need to hurry the kids to school" mornings.

 

http://www.budget101.com/frugal/cake-mix-recipes-178/ having a cake mix in the cupboard could help in a pinch.

 

http://www.budget101.com/frugal/convenience-mixes-181/  I bet you will find something you purchase on a regular basis here. This will be more helpful, just do a mix and try it to be sure all like it...then you can start making several at a time to have on hand.

 

Also I found a few more sites for you this week....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSZsQu0ZtVQ  This is my favorite site for reusing yarn. Someone asked me, is this worth it and I say yes as the yarn prices have gone up so much.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAomYjHzUQk&feature=youtu.be  this will show you how easy it is to make your own pillowcases and how you could use scraps you have. Also you might get an idea how to personalize them for your children but this is way less expensive then purchasing them.

 

http://www.wikihow.com/Grocery-Shop-and-Cook-Frugally these are pretty basic but a reminder is good

 

http://refashionista.net/ just to show you that you could redo some of your old things or someone else's things. I think you get the idea here, good to be able to sew - work on that skill.

 

Shop used first before you make your purchases.

 

At this point with winter bills, I want you to know I have a friend who her heat, just heat bill, now will be $700 a month, no natural gas only oil. So you see you have it pretty good as that is hard to come up with in the winter time.

 

http://ladyott.com/2012/04/18/how-to-mend-holes-in-woolens/ how to fix your clothes is a skill all can have.

 

http://www.instructables.com/id/Grow-Onions-from-Discarded-Onion-Bottoms/?ALLSTEPS I know I planted celery bottoms in the garden at planting time and they grew till something ate them before I could. This year I will plant in the center and not on the edge, I will be victorious I say!

 

http://tipnut.com/vintage-baking-tips/ back to basic goodness and homemade yum

 

Some ideas that are so helpful when making cookies, double the batch it is just as much work to mix, then put half of the dough in rolls, wrap with plastic wrap and then tinfoil and write on it what it is and then some cold and stormy day when the kids are home from school, pull it out and slice and bake....everyone will be happy, I promise!

 

Also when you are making things you normally eat, lets say lasagna, make two one for the freezer.... then you can do this with soups and lots of things and down the road you will have a meal, especially if you are not feeling well.

 

Best tip - buying the rolls of cookie dough are expensive so make your own and that is how it is with lots of foods. So check the sites I sent, I am searching on them as well to find ways to stretch things, One thing is, I will make mixes of what we already like to have on hand (out of what I have in storage anyway) and this will help me. Of course when I fix things we have to eat a while or freeze till we use it up with just two of us........like one lb of hamburger made into homemade sloppy joes which I must tell you are our favorite....and one package of buns is three meals for us.

 

Sloppy Joes (this I like to put in small crockpot in the morning of a going to be busy day)

 

Brown 1 lb of hamburger, drain and put in your small crockpot

To this add: 

1/4 c. ketchup

2 tbsp water

1 tbsp sugar

1 tsp worchestershire sauce

1 tsp mustard

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp salt

 

Combine well and let it cook through the day, of course you can do this on stove top I just know that this way, when I am tired at the end of the day it will be ready and waiting for me.

 

Also this is in my storage notebook as I can hamburger and have all these things in my storage, this is something I could make, however I would have to make the buns, no problem there have all it takes to make them too.

 

So this is a good storage recipe.

 

Granted it might be easier to open a can and dump in your meat however this tastes better it also is way cheaper and no artificial anything in it.

 

So for larger families you will need to double or more depending on the amount you are feeding.

 

We get three meals from this, 8 sandwiches.....works well for 8 buns I say.

 

So keep working on your storage and learning how to use it better, how to save time since our lives are busy. Keep learning skills teach each other help each other.

Monday Message

Provident Living:  Feb. 11 at 9:30 a.m. at the Shook's will be a class showing how to crochet a granny square. Bring two colors of yarn you have laying around and a size G or something close to it.

For the moment we live in a day of peace, but it shall not ever be thus. Great trials lie ahead... and we must prepare ourselves temporally and spiritually.
~ Bruce R. McConkie

prov·i·dent 
adjective
1. having or showing foresight; providing carefully for the future.
2. characterized by or proceeding from foresight: provident care.
3. mindful in making provision (usually followed by of  ).
4. economical; frugal; thrifty.

I thought it would help us to see what provident means and how we can work at it.

http://letusprepare.blogspot.com/2009/01/wendy-dewitt-food-storage-seminar.html - I would love if everyone watched her clips. If you are a beginner or a pro you can learn vital info from this woman. If you have not watched these in a while time to do so again, if you have never watched them NOW is the time to do so...all the way through! Even if she says something you don't agree with, watch through all of them anyway and her ideas are soooooo helpful! If you do nothing else this is a MUST!

http://www.eatwhatyoustore.com/2013/02/21/free-printable-food-storage-inventory/ - to help you keep an inventory

http://refashionista.wordpress.com/2012/05/21/diy-hillbilly-washing-machine/ - we have talked of having these on hand, just get a plastic bucket and lid and a new toilet plunger....cut a hole in the top of a bucket to put the handle up through. This can help you thru power outages or a broken washer.

http://pgward.org/ep/archives/338 this shows you a kit you could make including a clothes line which I call a solar dryer hee hee.

http://www.rnsmith.com/?p=1438 food for thought

http://baconinmypocket.blogspot.com/2011/08/no-we-dont-eat-dog-food-around-here.html?showComment=1314119489048 this is just one story about how a family is frugal. I suggest reading things such as this to gain helpful ideas and knowledge to help you

http://smallnotebook.org/2010/07/01/the-no-spend-month/ this is so interesting could you do it???

http://oneincomefamilyliving.blogspot.com/2012_01_01_archive.html  I know we all eat differently but it might help to look at our grocery budget with a different eye

http://preparedldsfamily.blogspot.com/p/start-here.html since it is still January when I am putting this message together....this is a good thing to follow along with

http://www.gigharborstakeep.org/providentliving/ I find it interesting what other wards or stakes are doing and we can gain knowledge, they have some great info and recipes here

http://make-handmade.com/2013/10/30/crochet-colorful-phone-bag-granny-squares-tutorial/ since I will be teaching granny squares on Feb. 11 and many cannot come, this will be a good tutorial for you to do on your own. If you cannot do it or get stuck, ask me for help I will be happy to help.

I know this was a lot to go through but it is information we do need to know and to teach our kids. A trip to the grocery store will show anyone that they need to give this serious thought on how to budget better.

I add to this to keep working on your storage. Keep working at building skills like sewing and knitting and crochet and anything that your family will benefit from. How to make homemade bread is a wonderful skill your family will benefit from. Learning to mend same thing.

You all are doing a wonderful job keep it up and remember do the best you can, follow the Prophet and you will be blessed.