Category: Preparedness

Tiny Spicy Chicken, and the monster under the bed

2/25/2011

Tiny Spicy Chicken is great over rice, with a little fruit to help balance out the heat. Bok choy is great on the side.

Do you have children or grandchildren who are afraid of what’s lurking under their beds? Here’s the perfect solution, found on Meridian magazine online a couple months ago:

The Monster Under the Bed
"I overheard my two young adult sons talking. One asked, “Do kids really think there are monsters under their beds?” The other one answered: 'I never did. There was always so much food storage under there that I knew there was no room for a monster.'”

So let's all chase out those monsters! For a lot of suggestions on storing food when you have little space, see the Food Storage Made Easy page.

______________________________

This recipe came from a class at the Macey’s in Logan, back when I lived there. “Tiny Spicy Chicken” was one of the entrees at Mandarin Gardens, a local Chinese restaurant. Maybe it’s a Cache Valley specialty, because I haven’t run into anyone not from there who has had this dish.

Tiny Spicy Chicken

3 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken, cut into 1 ½ “ cubes
garlic salt
2 beaten eggs
1 cup cornstarch
¼ c. oil

Sprinkle chicken with garlic salt, let sit for 1 hour in the fridge. Heat oil in a large frying pan. Dip chicken into eggs, then roll or shake in a bag with cornstarch. Brown chicken pieces in the oil, until golden brown. Put in a greased 9x13 pan.

Shortcut method: use 1- 1 ½ lbs. fully cooked chicken nuggets, frozen is OK. (Don't use 3 lbs nuggets; they have too much breading that soaks up this sauce.)

Sauce:
½ -1 tsp. chili paste*
1 c. sugar
½ c. ketchup
2 tsp. soy sauce
Dash of salt
½ c. chicken broth
¼ c. brown sugar
½ c. vinegar

Sauce will be very runny. Pour over chicken (if using chicken nuggets, mix the sauce in the 9x13 pan, then add the chicken) and stir to coat. Bake at 425 degrees for 10-15 minutes, stirring once or twice during that time. Serve over rice.

Alternate cooking methods: bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour, stirring a couple times, or put in a crockpot and cook on low for 5-8 hours.

*Sambal chili paste can be found in the Asian section at Macey's grocery store, it probably can be found at most other grocery stores. If you don't have it, or can't find it, substitute red pepper flakes. Start with 1/4 tsp., put it in the sauce, then taste to see if it's as hot/mild as you like.

Chili paste is made from whole, hot chilies, ground up, and mixed with a little vinegar. It includes the seeds, so it packs a punch.

If you use raw chicken breasts, the recipe takes about 1 1/2 hours to make. If you start with these, you can have it done in 20 minutes.

Aren't cans and oxygen packets great? I opened this can just yesterday. And yes, 6-21-93 was when it was sealed.

The chicken, coated with sauce, ready to bake.

Baking it condenses the sauce and helps it soak into the coating on the chicken. It's a little sweet, and a little zippy.

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link to "Top 10 Reasons for not starting food storage"; Curried Zucchini Bisque

10/27/2010

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How about another zucchini recipe? Any summer squash can be used in the recipe. Since I don’t have zucchini this year, (the seedlings were stepped on...) I’ve been making my lemon-zucchini bread with yellow summer squash, too. “Bisque” usually means a thick, creamy soup thickened by pureeing it, instead of by adding flour. We made some yesterday using an immature Hubbard squash (picked by an enthusiastic child…), and it was delicious. The recipe came from the Ukraine; my sister ate it- and loved it- there on her mission.   In the bisque, the curry powder is great, but you can also try other spices you like-   using basil or ground coriander to taste, or a half packet of ranch dressing mix powder (Remember dressing mix is salty, so leave out the salt in the recipe). The soup really shines when served with “Best Drop Biscuits” (archived under Quick Breads) or homemade French bread; something with some crunch to contrast with the silkiness of the soup.

Here’s a video on YouTube about food storage, a lady from Arizona… this segment is “top 10 reasons for not starting food storage”: here if the link didn't work. The sound doesn't work really well, but it's still worth watching!   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhGaTlwYs-s      I thought it was pretty funny, but it makes you think. Just remember that when she says ‘year’s supply’, that you don’t worry about that part until you reach Step 4 from the All Is Safely Gathered In booklet on providentliving.org. How much you store, on that step, is up to you to study and pray about. Here are the four:

1. Gradually build a small supply of food that is part of your normal, daily diet until it is sufficient for three months.

2. Store drinking water.

3. Establish a financial reserve by setting aside a little money each week, and gradually increase it to a reasonable amount.

4. Once families have achieved the first three objectives, they are counseled to expand their efforts, as circumstances allow, into a supply of long-term basic foods such as grains, legumes, and other staples.

Happy storing!
-Rhonda

Curried Zucchini Bisque
2 Tbsp. butter
2-4 tsp. curry powder- or use other spices you like
1 medium onion, chopped
¼ tsp. black pepper
3 c. chicken broth, or 3 c. water and 1 ½ tsp. chicken bouillon
1 (7-8 oz.) potato, cut in ½” cubes
1-1 ½ lbs. zucchini, trimmed and cubed
½ tsp. salt
1 ½ c. cream or evaporated milk (12 oz. can) or a 12-oz. can of coconut milk

            Combine butter, curry powder, onion, and pepper in a medium saucepan. Cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes on medium-high heat. Add broth, potato, zucchini, and salt. Simmer 20 minutes or until potato is tender. Add cream and puree the soup until smooth.         Serve garnished with croutons if you like. Cubed chicken is also good in this.

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Year's Supply quantities, Roast Chicken Dinner with rice, and apple crisp

10/26/2010

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Hi,

Remember this?

"We encourage members world-wide to prepare for adversity in life by having a basic supply of food and water and some money in savings.” “For longer-term needs….gradually build a supply of food that will last a long time and that you can use to stay alive” (from All is Safely Gathered In, First Presidency pamphlet)

Here is what a basic supply of food includes: it will provide about 2200 calories a day, which means you’ll probably get 1800 and your husband will get 2600. This is less than most people are used to, especially if you're suddenly living a 'more active' lifestyle, but it will keep you alive!

300 lbs grains- includes Wheat, Rice, Rolled Oats, Dried Corn, Popcorn, Flour, Pasta Products, Dried Potatoes. Some lists say 400 lbs per person, but the current Church site says 300. Take your pick, according to what you can handle. Storage-wise or hunger-wise; that extra 100 lbs provides an extra 435 calories per day.

16 lbs. powdered milk- this is just enough for cooking, about ¾ cup per day. You can store instant, regular powder, and canned milk. It takes about 5 (12-oz) cans to equal one pound of powdered milk

60 lbs sugar- this includes white sugar, brown sugar, powdered sugar, honey, molasses, jam/jelly, corn syrup, fruit drink mix, gelatin. If you have honey that crystallizes, set the bottle in the sun on a warm day, or put it in a pan of water on lowest heat overnight. It will become liquid again. You will want more sugar than 60 lbs. if you can your own fruit.

10 quarts cooking oil (2 ½ gallons)- yes, YOU NEED FAT. Your brain is made mostly of fat. Guess what happens if you don’t get any fat in your diet? Plus, it’s a lot of calories for very little storage space. The darker & cooler you keep it, the longer it lasts. Fats include shortening, cooking oil, butter/margarine, mayonnaise, peanut butter.

8 lbs salt per person- this is the cheapest of them all!   In addition to the round canisters, you can buy salt in 4-lb rectangular boxes; these stack together more efficiently. At Sams’ Club, these boxes are just under $1. Woo-hoo! Two bucks and you have your personal salt for the year!

60 lbs. legumes, dried- includes soybeans, pinto beans, white beans, kidney beans, lima beans, anything that ends with ‘bean’ (unless it begins with ‘jelly’), black-eyed peas, split peas, and lentils. These are a great, inexpensive source of protein. Store the same as wheat- dry, clean, dark and cool if possible. It takes 4 ½ (15 oz) cans to equal one pound of dry beans.

14 gallons water per person. This is just 2 weeks’ supply, for drinking and a tiny bit for washing; the minimum our church leaders have counseled. You may also want a way to purify water for longer-term use. To purify, you can boil water for 2 minutes, or use chlorine bleach (plain only, not scented!) If the water is clear, use ½ tsp. per 5 gallons of water. If the water is cloudy, use double; 1 tsp. per 5 gallons of water.

Children do not need a full adult’s portion. For them, figure age 3 and under= 50%, ages 4-6= 70%, ages 7-10= 90%, ages 11 and up= 100%.

Obviously, kids' ages are always changing, so when I calculate what to have on hand ( I inventory every Conference), I project out six months to a year. For instance, if someone is 6 years old, I count that child as 7 years. That way I'm not always slightly behind when it's time to replenish.

* * * * *

Recipes today are for a whole meal….

Roast Chicken               From Living On a Dime, Jan 2010.
Here is a very basic but yummy recipe. You can also put this in a crock pot to slow cook all day.

1 (3 lb.) whole chicken
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Tsp. onion powder
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 stalk celery, leaves removed

Season the whole chicken inside and out with salt, pepper and onion powder. Place breast side down in pan placing margarine and celery into cavity. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until internal temperature is 180° (82° C). You can baste with juices or melted margarine once or twice. Remove from oven and cover with foil for 30 minutes and let it rest before cutting.

You can easily adapt this recipe to your own likes and dislikes. For example, you might use garlic powder instead of the onion powder, you could slide slices of lemons or garlic cloves or even onion slices under the skin. Try other seasonings, too.

The main thing that makes this recipe great is cooking it breast side down, which makes it extra juicy.

Cheesy Peas and Rice

2 1/4 cups rice, cooked
1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen peas, thawed
1 (6 oz.) can of mushrooms, drained
6 oz. Velveeta, cubed*

Combine all the ingredients in a greased 1 1/2 qt. baking dish. Cover and bake at 350° for 20 minutes.

I didn't used to buy Velveeta because it was more expensive than other cheeses, but since it is the same price or less than cheddar now, I buy it more often.

Apple Butterscotch Crisp

This recipe is good served with ice cream or, for something different, try a slice of cheese or a dollop of sour cream.

5 large (7 small) apples, sliced and peeled
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup brown sugar, depending on your apples
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup quick cooking oatmeal
1/2 cup butter or margarine, cold
1 pkg. (3.5 oz.) cook and serve
           butterscotch pudding

Place apples in a greased 9x13 pan. Mix everything else in a bowl, cutting in* the butter until it resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over apples. Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until apples are tender.

You can leave out the butterscotch pudding; it won't throw off the recipe. It will still be delicious.

*Whenever a recipe says to cut in something, that means to take a pastry cutter and mix the butter, margarine or shortening in with the dry ingredients until the mix gets crumbly looking. (I just use my fingers. It is easier for me to wash them than a pastry cutter.)

Roast Chicken Leftovers:

Chicken Spaghetti Bake- Make your favorite spaghetti, mixing noodles and sauce. Instead of adding hamburger to it or leaving it without meat, add some cubed leftover chicken. Put it in a 9x13 greased pan sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and grated Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350° until heated through and cheese is melted.

Make Chicken Soup with leftovers- see the recipe for turkey soup. Use ¼ the amount of water and spices for chicken because it’s so much smaller!

Leftover Leftovers- If you have any of this soup left, thicken it with a little cornstarch or flour mixed in water. Make a batch of biscuits or use any leftover biscuits you have and pour the thickened soup (now like gravy) over it.

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Garden Seeds, homemade orange flavoring and EASY marmalade

10/26/2010

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Make your own citrus flavoring by saving the peels, drying, and powdering them with some sugar. The marmalade recipe, below, is even faster.

From left to right: wet-canned candied orange peel, dried-first and then canned candied orange peel, orange marmalade. Baby food jars are a great size to fill and give away with a loaf of bread. I dress up the lid with a square of fabric, and secure with a ribbon or rubber band.

How is your 3-month supply coming? I know some of you are past that; another post lists quantities for a year’s supply. Once you have 3 months, remember it counts towards your full year, and long-term storage foods are the cheapest you can eat. It will cost you less to get that remaining 9 months than it did to get the 3 months’ worth.

Now for this week’s information, the recipe is for something simple to do with all those wonderful oranges that are in season right now.

President Benson said, “There are blessings in being close to the soil, in raising your own food even if it is only a garden in your yard and a fruit tree or two. 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.” –October 1980 General Conference

Between fall harvest and early spring is a perfect time to plan your garden. A lot of stores already have their seeds in stock by February, and many seed companies have discount coupons to their sites online.

I suggest starting small. If you’ve never grown anything, start with just 1-4 types of vegetables your first year. Some easy ones include lettuce, peas, radishes, beets, green beans, tomatoes, and pumpkins.   If you don’t have a garden spot, try growing them in a flower bed. Or just tear out some grass.   You’ll water the same amount, but get food out of the deal.

The best resource around for Utah is the USU Extension office. Their website is http://extension.usu.edu/

For which varieties are known to produce well here, look at "Recommended Vegetable Varieties", http://extension.usu.edu/files/publications/factsheet/pub__5657148.pdf

For more gardening info, go to the Horticulture Fact Sheets (shortcut is http://extension.usu.edu/htm/publications/by=category/category=43 )There is all the other info you'd want on growing any particular vegetable- when to plant, how much to fertilize, how much food you can expect from each plant, etc.

For when to put your seeds in the ground, here's "Suggested Vegetable Planting Dates for the Wasatch Front", http://extension.usu.edu/files/publications/publication/Horticulture_Garden_2009-01pr.pdf   Nothing goes in the ground yet, unless you have a greenhouse.

I highly recommend testing your soil. Last I checked, it was $15 per sample, going through the Extension Office. The linked article was from 1990, that's why it says the test is $10. They suggest testing yearly, but one year’s test will at least tell you what your soil needs to start with. This will save you headaches, using the wrong fertilizer, or too much/not enough fertilizer. Definitely worth it. You'll earn the cost of the test back in fertilizer! The article on this link is Testing Your Soil: http://extension.usu.edu/files/publications/factsheet/HG_H_05.pdf   Typically I do 3-4 samples in my yard- front, back, side, and garden location. Yes, there have ALWAYS been significant differences.

One more good article to read before you start; "Preparing and Improving Garden Soil" http://extension.usu.edu/files/publications/factsheet/pub__8066784.pdf

For when to put your seeds in the ground, here's "Suggested Vegetable Planting Dates for the Wasatch Front", http://extension.usu.edu/files/publications/publication/Horticulture_Garden_2009-01pr.pdf

Hopefully this wasn't too big of a load to dump on you- just read what you can get to. The above is good, basic, start-from-scratch information.   Do you have more specific questions? The USU extension site will probably have an answer...

Good seed sources: http://miniag.com/?page_id=316 (family business in Colorado, most seeds are $1 per packet, which is very good) http://www.seedstrust.com (specializing in non-hybrid, high-elevation- short season-, and heirloom seeds- with the best selection of tomatoes I’ve ever seen!), http://gurneys.com (they also have a coupon for $25 off a $50 order. Most of my fruit trees have come from there), most grocery stores, Walmart, Lowe’s, Home Depot, local nurseries. IFA in Riverton (1926 W 12600 S) has bulk seeds- peas, corn, green beans. I got a half pound of peas for the same price as a less-than-one-ounce packet.

It turns out that orange (or any citrus) peel is full of nutrition. According to Answers.com, “One may be surprised to find that there is 2,000% of the daily recommended value of vitamin C, 100% of the daily recommended value of Calcium, and 90% of the daily recommended value of vitamin A in any type of orange peel.”     I certainly was surprised! The pith (white part, bitter) is also very high in pectin, which is why marmalade thickens so well. Pectin is a great fiber for your body and is a prebiotic. Prebiotics help the probiotics live happily inside you. Compounds in citrus peel has shown in studies to be as effective as statin drugs for lowering LDL cholesterol. Who knew? All this means that if you’ve been saving and storing your orange peel (dried and ground up, or otherwise), you’ve been stashing away a multivitamin!

Homemade Orange Flavoring- preserving orange zest; this works for any citrus as well.

Wash and dry 3-4 oranges. (or as many as you like)

Use a vegetable peeler to peel all the orange off the outside. (eat the oranges!) Spread the peels on a plate, and let dry out for a couple days, until they’re thoroughly dry. Drop them in a blender or food processor, add 1 Tbsp sugar for each orange you had, and run on high until peel is very finely chopped. Store in an old spice jar, baby food jar, or a small jelly jar. Label it. 2 Tablespoons gives you the zest of one orange, enough to flavor a batch of about anything; muffins, cakes, cookies, pancakes, whatever. Use it in place of part of the recipe’s sugar. Also good as part of a spice rub for meats.

You don’t really need to add sugar, but it seems to help the zest hold its flavor longer, and makes it easier to have enough in the blender for it to chop well. If you’re not using sugar, 1 Tbsp. is the zest of one orange.

Another way to preserve oranges is

Easy Orange Marmalade

1 orange, washed well
Sugar or honey

Cut the orange into quarters, and put it, peel and all, in a blender or food processor. Turn on and let it chop as fine or coarse as you like your marmalade. Look at how much puree you have, and use that same amount of sugar or honey. Put the puree and sugar in a saucepan and heat on high until it boils. Simmer for 5 minutes, until everything is translucent. You’re done. Makes 1- 1 ½ cups, depending on your orange. Or make a big batch, this will take more like 10 minutes of simmering. Pour into jars, seal if you want to store it for a year or more. I’ve kept it in unsealed jars in the refrigerator for 9-10 months before. They might have lasted longer, but we ate them first.

Do you ever have oranges start to shrivel and dry out? Turn them into marmalade, even if the peels are hard as leather. It’s also delicious to make lemon or lime marmalade, or a mixture. The lemon is my favorite, especially using just a bit of salt and vanilla – 1/8 tsp. salt, ¼ tsp. vanilla per cup of puree.

You can use marmalade as the sweetener in recipes; a cup of it has about ¾ c. sugar. I love it in muffins.

Candied Orange Peels (short version instructions): save peels from 5-8 oranges, boil them in 3 changes of water, drain, cut in strips with scissors, simmer til translucent in 2 c. sugar and ½ water. Roll in extra sugar while still warm.

I usually keep these in a container in the fridge, but I've sealed them in jars (10 minutes in a boiling-water bath) when still hot, and also dry-sealed them after letting them thoroughly dry out on top of the cupboards for a week or two.

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'extras' in your home storage, Zucchini PIzza and Zucchini Cream Pie

9/25/2010

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This week has been an exciting one for our end of the Salt Lake valley, with the large fire in Herriman and the evacuations there.   It really makes us stop and think about what we would do if a catastrophe occurred in our own homes.   (Nice timing, September is National Preparedness Month.)

Could you grab all your important documents if you only had five minutes? Could you list, at the drop of a hat, what physical things are most important to you?   I recommend spending some time making a list of what to grab if you only have a few minutes. What would you get if you had an hour or two? It’s better to figure it out ahead of time and never actually have that emergency, than to forget something in your rush.

I dropped in at the Red Cross evacuation center (an LDS stake center), and learned a couple things. When I was there on Tuesday, one family had been there since Sunday. They’d gone three days without a shower or a change of clothes, and the children were expected to be back in school. I rounded up clothes for the family (thanks to those who donated!), which they appreciated. The thing that really surprised me, though, was what I brought that they got EXCITED about….    The 8-yr-old was ecstatic about having pajamas to wear at bedtime, but the mom and 11-yr-old were happiest about Chapstick, fingernail clippers, and hair elastics.   Those are such simple, inexpensive things.

Do you have extras of these in your home storage? Would you be ‘up a creek’ if you couldn’t get to a store? Think about what little things would make a difference to you, and store some. A great inventory list to help you expand your storage, if you’re at the year’s supply stage, is found in the back of the Church booklet, “Essentials of Home Production and Storage”. If you’re not that far yet, that’s okay, keep moving toward it.

“Maintain a year's supply. The Lord has urged that his people save for the rainy days, prepare for the difficult times, and put away for emergencies, a year's supply or more of bare necessities so that when comes the flood, the earthquake, the famine, the hurricane, the storms of life, our families can be sustained through the dark days. How many of us have complied with this? We strive with the Lord, finding many excuses: We do not have room for storage. The food spoils. We do not have the funds to do it. We do not like these common foods. It is not needed -- there will always be someone to help in trouble. The government will come to the rescue. And some intend to obey but procrastinate.” -The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, p.375

Now the recipes- dinner and dessert, all using zucchini. One of the beauties of zucchini is that it doesn’t really taste like anything. This means you can put it in recipes and taste the OTHER ingredients instead of the squash. The zucchini pizza may sound strange, but my mom (who invented this recipe) fed it to 150 college students recently, and all but one liked it a lot. Pretty good odds. My kids and husband liked it, too. The photos above show the finished pizza and the just-cooked crust before adding toppings. I used yellow squash in mine.

Zucchini Pizza

3 eggs
3 cups shredded zucchini or yellow squash
1 cup biscuit mix (or pancake mix or flour with 1 1/2 tsp baking powder mixed in)
1/4 cup of chopped onion (or more if you like onion a lot)
salt and pepper to taste-few sprinkles of each

Mix the biscuit mix into the shredded zucchini and chopped onion. Beat the eggs in a separate bowl with the salt and pepper, then mix into the zucchini. Spread batter onto a 12 inch pizza pan that has been sprayed with vegetable oil spray. Bake at 375 until edges are slightly brown and center is firm and springs back nicely. Spread about 8 ounces of pizza sauce on top, then top with favorite cheese and meat, just like any pizza. For pizza sauce, I use a can of tomato sauce and add a little each of: garlic, pepper, oregano, basil, and thyme.
It does still stick a bit to the pizza pan,unless you use a pizza stone or parchment, but it's allright if you use a pancake turner and are careful.

ZUCCHINI CREAM PIE

1 ½ cups peeled, seeded and grated zucchini (yellow squash works too)
1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
¾ cup – 1 cup sugar (adjust to taste)
2 eggs
3 T. flour
1t. vanilla extract
1/8 t. salt
2-4 Tbsp. butter, optional.
1 unbaked 9 – 10" pie crust
½ t. ground cinnamon
½ t. ground nutmeg

Steam or microwave grated zucchini on a microwave safe dish until very soft,
about 2-3 minutes. Drain off any excess liquid and cool. Preheat the oven to 425
F. Place the evaporated milk, sugar, eggs, flour, vanilla and salt in a
blender and blend, adding the butter if you’re using it. Add the cooled zucchini and blend again until smooth. Pour custard into unbaked pie crust and sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg. Place on
a baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to 325 F. and bake for
another 30 minutes or until a sharp knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

Makes 8 servings.

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Forward>>

Tiny Spicy Chicken, and the monster under the bed

link to "Top 10 Reasons for not starting food storage"; Curried Zucchini Bisque

Year's Supply quantities, Roast Chicken Dinner with rice, and apple crisp

Garden Seeds, homemade orange flavoring and EASY marmalade

'extras' in your home storage, Zucchini PIzza and Zucchini Cream Pie

Need a Search bar?
One day I may upgrade my website-- but until then, use your web browser search bar. Type in my web address and what you're looking for, like this--
www.theprovidenthomemaker.com pumpkin -- and you should get results.

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Tiny Spicy Chicken, and the monster under the bed

link to "Top 10 Reasons for not starting food storage"; Curried Zucchini Bisque

Year's Supply quantities, Roast Chicken Dinner with rice, and apple crisp

Garden Seeds, homemade orange flavoring and EASY marmalade

'extras' in your home storage, Zucchini PIzza and Zucchini Cream Pie

Need a Search bar?One day I may upgrade my website-- but until then, use your web browser search bar. Type in my web address and what you're looking for, like this-- www.theprovidenthomemaker.com pumpkin -- and you should get results.Author

Archives

Categories

Need a Search bar?
One day I may upgrade my website-- but until then, use your web browser search bar. Type in my web address and what you're looking for, like this--
www.theprovidenthomemaker.com pumpkin -- and you should get results.

Author