Make Your Own Buttermilk Pancake Mix

Pancakes from scratch just taste better than most of the mixes in the stores but when you're in a hurry, who has time for scratch? Here's how to make a buttermilk pancake mix so that you can have great “from scratch” pancakes when you are in a hurry. It's storable and since it has everything included but eggs and butter, it's a great mix to stick in the RV or take camping. You can make this mix as large or as small as you like just keep the same ratio of ingredients to make it any size.

12 C All Purpose Flour
3/4 C Sugar
1 1/2 C Dry Buttermilk Powder
6 tsp Baking Soda
12 tsp Baking Powder
3 tsp Salt
Makes Approx 5 lbs. For easier measurement, remember that one tablespoon equals three teaspoons. I just listed it as tsp to make the division easier if you want to make a smaller batch.

Combine all the ingredients and whisk together to distribute evenly. Store your buttermilk pancake mix in a sealed container in a cool place and use it within three months. If you would like to keep the mix longer, store it in the freezer. You can buy buttermilk powder in your grocery store in the section with dry milk. To use your mix:

1. Measure the desired amount of mix into a large bowl.
2. In a smaller bowl, whisk one egg for every one to 1 1/2 cups of mix.
3. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter or oil to the egg for every one cup of mix.
4. Add 2/3 cup water to the egg mixture for every one cup of mix. Add the liquid mixture to the mix and stir until just combined. The batter will probably be too dry so add more water to reach the desired consistency.

Sunflower Wheat Bread

Over the years I have experimented with several bread recipes. Some I liked and some I did not, but until now - I had not come across one that I thought I would use as a regular staple. My girls and I are not quite as choosy about wheat bread recipes, but my husband likes a certain sunflower bread that cost almost $3 a loaf at the store. I have tried to replicate it - but still have not been able to get it quite right. However, I now have a sunflower bread recipe that even my finicky husband will eat. It may not be the same as his favorite brand at the store - but it is pretty darn good if I do say so myself. I make my dough in my bread maker and then put it into the loaf pan to rise the final time and bake in my oven. I just like the shape of an oven baked loaf better than the bread maker pan. If you chose to do this recipe without a bread maker, use the same steps - except put it in a stand mixer (like a Kitchen Aid) and let it mix for about 10 minutes. Then put it into a well oiled bowl and let rise until doubled. Punch it down, shape into loaf and then place into pan until doubled again before baking. Here's the recipe:

Put the following in your bread maker pan (or mixer) in this order:
1 1/2 C warm tap water

2 C white flour

2 C wheat flour

1/2 C unsalted sunflower nuts

2 TBS margarine or butter

2 TBS sugar

2 TBS dry milk powder

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 TBS rapid rise yeast

Set the bread maker for 'Basic Dough' setting. As soon as bread maker is done, remove dough, shape into a loaf and place in pan. Let rise until doubled. I like to rapid raise my dough in a warm oven. To do this - preheat your oven to 150* - 170* (which ever is as low as yours will go -mine only goes to 170*). Then turn it off and set your pan in there. Make sure and cover you dough with a towel or it will dry out the top. After dough has risen, remove it from oven and preheat oven again - this time to 375*. Bake bread at 375* for 20 - 25 minutes until top is a light golden brown. This bread is great for all basic sandwich making. I also like to make an herbed version for use with chicken sandwiches or serving with Italian themed dinners. Use the same recipe - except add the following after the salt:

2 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp dries oregano

Now that's a really good sunflower bread!!!!

Yogurt and herbal tea part 2 of 2

This is more awesome information from Tammy at Dehydrate2store on Youtube. She has many awesome videos on how to dehydrate and store everything under the sun.

Yogurt and Herbal Tea part 1 of 2

This is an excellent video on how to make yogurt. I have made my own homemade yogurt and my kids love it. It is much cheaper than buying the 'Yoplait' as I used to do and it taste even better. I put my yogurt in jars to initially make it just as she shows here. My dehydrator is one of those round ones - not as nice as hers and I cannot put my jars in it. You can incubate your yogurt other ways though. I put mine in my large electric roasting pan (you know - the type you use to cook a turkey in) and set the temperature just as she does. You can also use a crock pot set on the 'warm' setting. You can also set your yogurt on a heating pad and invert a small box over it to hold in the heat. That is how I made it the first time, before I remembered my roaster. It worked but took a lot longer to set the yogurt. The longer the yogurt incubates, the more sour it becomes - so shorter, more precise incubation temperatures make a better yogurt. After it is done and has been refridgerated overnight, I put mine into seperate little 'Glad' brand mini-round containers. They are the perfect size (4 oz. each), reusable, and they only cost me $3 at the Walmart for an 8 pack. You may sweeten your yogurt as she describes in the video or as I do with my home-made strawberry, peach, and raspberry jams. Using jams will make your yogurt thinner - but my kids love it and it only takes 1 tsp per 4 oz container.
Homemade yogurt is great to eat alone, use plain as a sour cream substitute or to mix into your oatmeal. When I make a packet of fruit oatmeal, (you can use store bought or see my recipe at the bottom of this blog) I use 1/2 cup of yougurt instead water or milk and then I microwave it for 1 min. 30 sec. It makes the most intensely fruity oatmeal and it is a staple breakfast at our house all winter long. Making yogurt is easy and you should give it a try. I know once you do - you will be hooked on it and will never go back to store bought again!

I.O.U.S.A.: The 30 Minute Version

This non-partisan video will explain the best reason for food storage in my view. "It wasn't raining when Noah built the ark" - Well folks - we are on the verge of 'the BIGGEST flood of all time' now. You best start packing your ark.

NON-Food Storage

A year supply of food is a great start - but what about all those non-food items that pad our monthly grocery bill? How do we get along in times of financial crisis if we have not also stored the non-food things we use on a daily basis? To get started storing your non-food items, go around your home and make a list of the items you use on a daily basis. Decide if you need to store brand names or if your family is fine with generic versions. Since many non-food items are not readily available through warehouse or specialty orders, keep track of local sales and coupons. Many non-food items can be found at the dollar store. They can also be gotten for FREE after rebate at Walgreen's Rite-Aid and CVS pharmacies. Personally - I found it cheaper to get my year's supply of non-food than I thought. I actually had a year's supply of non-food before I got my year's supply of food stored. The list below is what I store for my family of four. Compute your needs according to your own family size. Some people will use different amounts of the same items because of personal usage patterns or children’s ages and sex.

The Basics:
trash bags (6 - 80 count boxes)
paper napkins (12 - 400 count packs)
toilet paper (13 - 24 roll packs)
Kleenex (48 - 200 count boxes)
paper towels (13 - 8 roll packs)
dish soap (6 - 64 oz bottles)
dishwasher soap (6 - 85 oz bottles)
toothbrushes (4 per person/year = 16)
mouthwash (12 - 48 oz. bottles)
toothpaste (12 - 6.4 oz tubes)
bath soap (75 bars)
laundry soap (12 - 90 load sized jugs)
fabric softener (24 - 55 count boxes)
spray-N-wash (6 bottles)
bleach (12 gallons)
Lysol (12 cans)
sanitary pads (12 - 32 count packs)
alcohol & peroxide (6 bottles each)
band-aids (3 boxes)
hydrocortisone cream (2 tubes)
antibiotic ointment (2 tubes)
ibuprofen (200 tablets)
aspirin (1000 tablets)
acetaminophen (500 tablets)
shampoo & conditioner (12 each - 16oz)
lotion (24 - 4 oz. tubes)
deodorant (24 sticks)
shave cream (12 cans)
disposable razors (150 total)
lip balm (36 tubes)
wet wipes (6 - 400 count refill boxes)
Ajax cleanser (6 cans)
soft scrub type cleaners (6 bottles)
toilet cleaner (12 bottles)
600 paper plates, 100 paper bowls, & 2 - 500 count boxes plastic utensils - (2 wk. supply)

EXTRAS:
Foundation make-up, mascarra, lipstick and moisturizers are nice items to have on hand. These things can get very pricey depending on your brand of choice and every woman wants to look and feel her best even when times are hard.

If you have a baby or toddler that is still in diapers - I would also store 24 to 36 cloth diapers and waterproof cover pants plus extra bleach and detergent for them. You may choose to try to store disposable diapers - but I think it is best to simply keep cloth on hand in case of an economic emergency.

If you have growing children - please try to have a few things in their closets that are a size up. If you have children of the same sex, keep the hand-me downs for the younger children and then you will only have to store a size up for the oldest child. Personally - I buy all my girls clothes for the next year off the clearnace rack at the end of each season. I usually come out as cheap as and sometimes cheaper than going to a thrift store shopping clearnace racks at K-Mart and Wal-Mart.

For the men - keep extra work gloves and boots on hand. Also make sure he has his favorite brand of shaving cream, razors and aftershave lotion in storage. Our men are creatures of habit and want to be comfortable too.

Here's one that escapes many people - - Christmas presents. If you have little ones - they won't understand why Santa can't get them a toy just because daddy or mommy lost a job - so I have always tried to get inexpensive Christmas presents a little along throughout the year and have a few things tucked away in the coolers in the basement. Older children are perfectly capable of understanding financial crisis and should be 'kept in the loop' so they know what to expect - but little ones will not understand. If you have gotten a few things all along - they will be happy at Christmas or their birthday even if you are in a financial or other crisis.

Cracking Wheat in Your Blender

Using Cracked Wheat

Did you know that you can use cracked wheat to extend your ground beef, to substitute for nuts or RICE? The nice thing about using it as rice is that it is MUCH FASTER to cook than brown rice. (15-20 minutes MAX!) Watch the short video above to learn how to crack wheat in your blender. Coffee grinders are the best for cracking wheat so if you find yourself needing to crack a lot of it I would pay the $10 bucks to buy a coffee grinder. Make sure when you’re cracking wheat in the blender that your blender is completely (and when I say completely I mean COMPLETELY) dry or it won’t crack the wheat. Also, make sure to use small amounts like no more than a little over 1/4 cup at a time. Also -you can practice using cracked wheat as nuts. This Strawberry “Nut” Jell-O salad is from the Everyday Food Storage website. She writes:

This is my ULTIMATE FAVORITE Jell-O salad in the WHOLE WORLD. (Have I convinced it tastes awesome yet?) It is different from anything else you’ve seen at a potluck and the cracked wheat in the salad gives a really great texture. It almost tastes like little bits of strawberries in the salad. You’ve got to try this, you’re family will LOVE it and no one NOT NO ONE will guess there is wheat in it!!!

Strawberry Nut (Wheat) Molded Salad

1 small pkg. strawberry Jello (or use raspberry if you like)
1 C boiling water

Combine Jell-O and Water & refrigerate until syrupy, then add to the rest (word to the wise-you have to watch this like a hawk. It goes from syrupy to jelled very quickly. I would check it between 15-20 minutes after you put it in the fridge)

1 C cooked cracked wheat for mock nuts
1 C whipped cream or Cool Whip Whipped Topping
1/2 C sugar
2 C mashed fresh strawberries

Refrigerate until firm or over night. Serve on a bed of lettuce with a dollop of whipped cream/topping sprinkled with cooked cracked wheat as your mock nuts.
For more tips and tricks for using food storage in your everyday recipes, please visit http://www.everydayfoodstorage.net/

How to Shape Hamburger Buns

Perfectly Shaped Rolls

30 Minute Breadsticks or Deep Dish Pizza Crust

Making Bread: Part 2 (More Food Storage Recipes)

Making Bread: Part 1 (More Food Storage Recipes)

Here's the recipe for the bread in the videos above:
EZ Wheat Bread recipe (she doubled this recipe in the video you watched)
1 1/4 cup warm water
1 Tblsp active dry yeast
1/4 cup honey or 1/3 cup sugar
2 3/4 cups whole wheat flour (or whatever combination white/wheat you like..I use 100% hard white wheat)
1/4 cup wheat gluten1 tsp salt
2 Tblsp nonfat non instant dry milk
1 Tblsp butter/margarine/oil
1 Tblsp vinegar
1/4 cup potato flakes (NOT potato pearls)

Mix ingredients in order listed in mixing bowl of mixer with dough hook attachment (like kitchen-aid) for 12-15 minutes. Let rise until double, 1- 1 1/2 hours. Punch down, and shape into loaf or rolls. Let rise again until double and bake 375 degrees for 20-30 minutes until golden brown and sounds hollow when lightly tapped.If you are making this recipe in a bread machine, follow your bread machine’s directions for wheat or whole grain selection and add the ingredients in the order listed for their recommendations. (only one loaf will fit in a bread maker)

EZ White Bread
1 1/8 cups warm water
1 3/4 - 2 tsp active dry yeast
2 Tblsp sugar (you can use a little more sugar if you like your dough a little sweeter)
3 cups flour
1 Tblsp vital wheat gluten (remember you don’t need as much gluten if you’re not using whole wheat flour)
1 tsp salt
2 Tblsp nonfat dry milk
1 1/2 Tblsp butter/margarine or oil
1/4 cup potato flakes(you don’t really need vinegar for white bread, remember the dough enhancers are primarily needed for whole wheat bread)

Add the ingredients in the order listed into a mixer bowl (like a kitchen-aid) with a dough hook attachment and mix on low for 10-12 minutes. Or mix it on the dough cycle in your bread machine.After all the mixing is complete, if the dough still seems too gooey and you are unable to handle it, add 1 Tblsp flour at a time, and mix after each addition until the dough is manageable with your hands.Let rise 45 mins -1 hour, punch down and use to make bread, cinnamon rolls, cookie sheet pizza, rolls, or anything else you can think of! Let rise after you have made your creation and bake according to the direction of the recipe you are making.If you are making it into bread, form into a loaf at this time, place in a loaf pan, let rise in a warm place 45 min -1 hour and bake 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and sounds hollow when lightly tapped.If you are making this recipe in a bread machine. Follow your bread machine’s directions and add the ingredients in the order listed in their recommendations. (only one loaf will fit in a bread maker)

Dough Enhancer for making Homemade Bread

This is very informative.

How-to Make French Bread part 2

How-to Make French Bread Part 1

Here's the recipe for the French Bread straight from her site http://www.everydayfoodstorage.net/ :

French Bread (3-4 Loaves)
2 T. yeast
2 1/2 c. warm water
7 c. flour
2 T. sugar
1 T. salt (remember this is for 3-4 loaves…so it’s not really alot)

Dissolve yeast in water. Then add sugar, salt and 2 c. flour. Beat. Add rest of flour and knead on floured board (or in standing kitchen mixer) for about 5 minutes. Let rise about 30-45 minutes. Grease 1-2 cookie sheets and sprinkle lightly with corn meal. Punch down bread and knead one minute. Divide into thirds or fourths. Let rest 10 minutes. Roll each piece into ropes as long as the cookie sheet. Place on cookie sheet being sure there is ample space between each rope or loaf. make several evenly spaced shallow cuts diagonally in the top of each loaf; brush with water or egg wash, then brush again and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Let raise until double (about 30 minutes). Place pan of hot water on lower shelf of oven. Bake at 450 for 10 minutes and then reduce heat to 350 for 20-30 minutes or until bread gives a hollow sound when tapped. Remove from pans and cool and wrap in plastic bags.
NOTE: This is EXTREMELY delicious warm and the next day but after that it starts to dry out and isn’t very tasty. However - it will freeze for later use.