Monday Message

"A cardinal principle of the gospel is to prepare for the day of scarcity. Work, industry, frugality are part of the royal order of life." (Bishop Keith B. McMullin)

I think it is no longer “if” something happens because 2020 has shown us it most certainly can happen.

With the virus numbers on the rise here in Iowa, I feel like we need to stick with our safety plans, review them if needed. Make more masks. Continue to teach your children good practices.

This sure has been a difficult time for so many...we need to continue to build on our skills.

No doubt you are doing things a bit differently than before the pandemic…you proved you can do it.

https://www.thriftyfrugalmom.com/frugal-pantry-staples-to-help-you-cook-from-scratch/ - this site has some great ideas.

Be sure to stock up on basics, as we need the basics to build on.

Just recently I watched a podcast where this lady said not to store flour as it goes bad - this just isn't so. You can easily store flour for three years and if you have a basement five years is what I am finding.

I store twenty-five pounds in a food grade five gallon bucket that I have washed and dried and I leave the bucket to air dry overnight, the lid too. Once dry I fill the bucket with flour that I dump out of the bag. I then put two bay leaves on top, put on the lid then label and date it and put it into rotation.

Yeast is starting to get back on the shelves so when you see it, get it and store it in the freezer. The way I’ve done it for years is that I buy yeast in the one pound bags (two usually sold together at Sam's Club). This is the more frugal way for me. Then I freeze one and the other goes in a quart jar that I keep in my refrigerator - this is my using jar.

Salt, baking powder and baking soda, some sugar and oil…you saw how fast all these items flew off the shelf. Waiting till the last minute to get them is not such a good idea.

If you have a bread machine, dig it out!!!

I do not like how bread turns out baked in the bread machine but I love making dough in it.

Check out the post we did on our good friend Liza's bread recipes to see all the yummy things you can make - http://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2019/08/monday-message.html

If you do not have a bread machine, no problem! I can get the same results by doing it by hand as well.

https://butterwithasideofbread.com/homemade-bread/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySOj0fFWo1U - how to knead by hand.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCZBQ25zfa8 - she doesn't knead.

So there you have different ways to make bread.

https://www.pbs.org/video/sewing-nancy-solving-pattern-fitting-puzzle-part-one/ - one of the best sewing videos and most helpful I have ever seen were on making fitting patterns easy.

Part 2 - https://www.pbs.org/video/sewing-nancy-solving-pattern-fitting-puzzle-part-two/

Gus and Missy say not to forget to practice self-care, their version is curling up for a nap!