Food Storage Helps

Tracking our food storage inventory has seemed, at times, to be an unsurmountable task. I have tried several methods which were difficult to update without making an entirely new spreadsheet. Now that my school schedule is not quite as busy time wise, I have decided to do some searching for various inventory suggestions. While searching this afternoon I found these four websites which when combined, offer a plethora of useful information:


If you are interested in the whole enchilada (storage methods, amounts to store, inventory suggestions, and menu planning) this has a lot to offer. It is a 124 page booklet published by Utah State University's Extension program.
http://extension.usu.edu/files/publications/publication/fn_503.pdf


This website offers inventory suggestions, a small collection of recipes, 72-hour kit suggestions, and spending plans.
http://www.dealstomeals.com/free_downloads.cfm

For those of you that would like to plan everything this website offers an excellent step-by-step tutorial of how to organize a "complete grocery and food storage planner." You could definetly spend a few hours browsing through all the information available on this site.
http://preparedldsfamily.blogspot.com/2008/12/simple-food-storage-notebook.html

I really liked the 3-month and long term food storage spreadsheets available on this website. They offer a tutorial to help clarify how to impute your information into the spreasheet. I have found that there are a few portions I will be tweaking a bit, but overall, this is what I have been looking for.
http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net

I found another website that offered an excellent collection of recipes. I saved the cookbook, but forgot to write down the web address. I will post the link when I find it again.

Happy reading!!

Bear Claw (apple dessert) or Cinnamon Rolls

This is a delicious recipe using cannery dried apples. It can be halfed for more of a single family size.

Bear Claw
-Rehydrate 5 cups of dehydrated apples by soaking them overnight.

Mix together the following ingredients and let rest for 15 minutes:
2 1/3 c. warm water (hot to the touch but not burning. ~120 degrees F)
1/2 c. sugar
2 Tbsp. + 2 tsp. yeast

Then:
Preheat oven to 425
Grease Pans
Melt 1 cube margarine or butter (1/2 cup)
Make cinnamon/sugar mix: 2 Tbsp. cinnamon to 1 c. sugar

To yeast mixture add:
2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
2/3 c. oil
6 2/3 c. flour

Mix well:
Roll dough into an oblong shape on floured surface, transfer to baking sheet. Spread 1/2 with melted butter. Place 1/3 of apples over butter and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar mixture to taste. Fold dough in half lengthwise and lightly seal edges with fingers. With kitchen shears cut 2 inch "fingers" 3/4 of the way through dough, leaving at least 2 inches along back uncut. Twist each finger twice and then lay back down on baking sheet. Repeat until all fingers are completed. Let rise about 10 minutes. Bake at 425 for 15-20 minutes.

Yield:
Each recipe yields 2-3 bear claws, depending on size. (They are about the size of a loaf of french bread each).

Frosting:
In a small sauce pan place:

1/2 cube of margarine or butter (1/4 c.)
1/3 c. milk

Heat until hot but not burning, remove from heat and add:

1/2 tsp. vanilla
Pinch of salt
3 1/3 c. powdered sugar.

Note:

Same dough can be used to make delicious cinnamon rolls. Instead of forming bear claw, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and raisins if desired, roll dough from the long side and cut in one inch wide rolls. Place in greased pans with sides of rolls just touching. Follow same cooking instructions.

Whole Wheat Pancakes (No grinder, no problem!)

Whole Wheat Pancakes

1 cup whole wheat kernels
1 cup milk
Blend 1 minute in blender then add:
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup oil
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
Blend additional 4 minutes.

Notes from the girl in my ward who shared the recipe: If you have a VitaMix is needs way less time in the blender. Just for those who like to substitute items I have learned that applesauce instead of oil is not a good idea and if you are making the milk from dry powder you need to add more water or the batter ends up too thick. They are delicious and easy to freeze and reheat for a quick breakfast (I, Kalia, always like to just put the extra batter in the fridge and only cook what we'll eat, that way it's still fast the next time you make them, but they are perfectly fresh and not reheated, and even more flavorful actually!).

Whipped Topping from Powdered Milk

I've been using my food storage powdered milk for everything except for drinking. Bryninn and I made this to go with our strawberries the other night, and it's pretty good!

Mix 1/2 cup powdered milk with 1/2 cup cold water. Beat to soft peak stage (4 minutes at medium-high). Add 1/2 teaspoon lemon or vanilla extract, and beat 6-7 minutes at the same speed. Add 2 tablespoons sugar and beat for one minute at medium-high and enjoy!

Perfect Brown Rice

Here is the promised recipe I mentioned a while ago. It really does make perfect brown rice. It works to use in other recipes, or just alone (you can add spices if you want also)

3 cups brown rice (not instant)
2 eggs
4 cups of water
1 can (about 2 cups) chicken broth (or you can just use 6 cups water, but the chicken broth adds more flavor)
1 tablespoon olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Saute brown rice with 2 eggs, stirring constantly over medium heat until mixture is dry. Pour into 9 X 13 baking dish. Add water, chicken broth, and oil. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Do not stir! Do not poke! Do not disturb! Just look at rice after 45 minutes and cover with foil at that time. Cook for about another 30 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed.