Sunshine ~ Coladas

I was talking to a family from my church the other day when the subject of food storage came up. In the course of the conversation, I relayed how our family was grateful that we had food storage last winter when my husband was unemployed for 3 1/2 months.

The father of the family said - something to the effect of 'oh- yes. Lots of beans and rice for your family during that time I bet.'

To which I replied, "No - We had great meals including desserts and my favorite pina-colada type drinks."

He looked surprised and then I explained to him how food storage was more to my family than just wheat, rice, beans, oil and honey. It was having a great deal of shelf stable everyday foods and a freezer full of meat, cheese and butter.

In rethinking that conversation, it occurred to me that I had not shared my favorite mixed-drink recipe with you all. So here it is. I created this concoction myself through trial and error. It is much better with the Coco-Real brand coconut cream, but the coconut powder is a good substitute if you don't have the Coco-Real, which can be difficult to find (it is only in one grocer around here that I have found) and it is a bit pricey to store a large amount in your food storage. I like to make this stuff up in little zip-lock type packets, store the packets in a Tupperware, and just add the water and ice when I'm ready for a treat.

For those of you from Utah, I found the Coco-Real at Smith's grocery store in the mixed drinks section. It is $2.80 per bottle. I believe it is a 20 oz. size. The Strawberry Tang, I found at Reams grocery store. I keep a large supply of that on hand at all times. It comes in a pouch that makes 6 liquid quarts. I stock up on it when it is put on sale @ 2 for $5.

Sunshine~Coladas
2 Tbs. strawberry powdered drink mix (Tang-type)
1 Tbs. orange powdered drink mix (Tang-type)
1 once Coco-Real or 1 Tbs. coconut syrup (recipe below)
2 Tbs. powdered milk
1 cup water
1 ¼ cups crushed ice

Mix with water in mini-blender mug (Magic Bullet brand type of blender) and then add crushed ice. Blend for 30 seconds until smooth.


Coconut syrup for Sunshine~Coladas
¼ cup coconut
2 Tbs. powdered milk
2 Tbs. powdered sugar

Blend together in a mini-blender approximately 30 seconds or until coconut is pulverized. mix with a few teaspoons of water at a time until it is thick like sweetened condensed milk.

Make this treat with caution, because it is so refreshing during the summer - you will want one everyday.

5 Minute Chocolate Cake

A recipe from my dear 'old' Dad~

Many of you who know my father will also know that he is not a particularly fabulous cook. He gets by and does a decent job considering he is all alone and has not always had to cook for himself. He has learned alot over the years since his and my mother's divorce. Much like a fine wine, he has gotten better with the passing of time. My father and I are alot alike. We both love the internet for all it's resources and we both love to learn. My father recently sent me a recipe that he got from the internet and I loved it so much that I had to share it. It's called 5 Minute Chocolate Cake - and yes - it really does only take 5 minutes from beginning to end. I love this recipe because I am often alone with the girls while my dear husband is on the road with his job. Making a big chocolate cake for dessert will only lead to me becoming fat because I have no self control around chocolate. This recipe is wonderful because it only serves 2 people and is super fast. I have made it several times since receiving my father's email last month and my college-aged duaghter has made it for late night snacks as well when she had a friend over to watch a movie. It is the perfect way to be a good hostess without all the time and mess of a traditional cake. Here's the recipe and directions:

5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE
4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg

3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
A small splash of vanilla extract

1 large coffee mug (microwave safe), a tablespoon measure & a fork to mix it all.


Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well. Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again. Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts. The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed! Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.

(This can serve 2 if you want to feel slightly more virtuous).

Frugality Cubed

~Creative ways with ice cube trays~
In a recent article from MSN, the writer said that a friend of hers pours leftover coffee into ice-cube trays. The caffeinated cubes make first-rate iced coffee because they chill the beverage without diluting it. That got me thinking about other creative ways to use ice cube trays. I have used trays for multiple purposes in the past, but had not thought of using them to freeze those ‘little bit of leftovers.’ Here are a few suggestions to help you save some money with the oft overlooked and lowly ice cube tray.

1. You can save a lot of money by making your own baby food. Steam and puree vegetables (which you can mix with meat and/or rice or other grains if you like), or puree soft fresh fruits. Frankly – I just used to put the leftovers from the dinner table into a bullet blender and make Ashley’s baby food. As your baby gets older you can chop things a little more coarsely with just a fork. If necessary, thin these foods with a little of the cooking water from vegetables. That way there are even move vitamins being utilized instead of being tossed down the drain. Freeze this mashed goodness in ice cube trays and store in Ziploc style freezer bags. To save more money – you can re-use your zip-loc style bags. Unless the bags are greasy with meat residue, they're easy to wash and reuse.
2. Speaking of that veggie cooking water: Even people without babies should save those nutrients. Freeze the liquid for use in homemade soups. If you have younger kids, freeze some of the cubes extra-small and add one or two to a toddler's soup to cool the soup without diluting it.
3. Freeze herbal teas, lemonade or fruit juices for use in summertime drinks. Then, when you need an ice cube for a drink – it doesn’t get that watered down taste.
4. When a recipe calls for just a partial can of tomato paste, or sauce or juice don't leave the rest of the can in the fridge to grow fuzz. Freeze it for future meals.
5. If you can’t finish the milk or yogurt before it goes bad, freeze it. Then thaw a couple of cubes at a time for cooling morning oatmeal or coffee. It also makes great smoothies. My own version of a Strawberry Colada smoothie is made by tossing the following into a blender: 6 oz. milk, 1 ½ TBS. strawberry flavored Tang and a splash of Coco-Real. I then fill the magic bullet blender mug the rest of the way with crushed ice and give it a whirl. It’s VERY GOOD STUFF!!!
6. Bananas, strawberries or other fresh fruit getting too ripe? Puree and freeze them. Then add the cubes to your smoothies (or thaw them for baby's dessert).
7. Freeze homemade pesto: It's easy to pull out just a couple of cubes for appetizers or to brighten up a jar of store-bought spaghetti sauce.
8. Freeze white vinegar in ice cubes and put them in a large zip lock bag in freezer. Once a week, grab 2-3 vinegar cubes and put down garbage disposal to clean and freshen it.
9. Freeze leftover chicken stock. Each cube is about a tablespoon. When sautéing meats or veggies, throw a couple of cubes in the pan. You can then use less oil and it adds a little flavor.
10. Soda that has gone flat can be frozen into cubes and then used either as a mini-popsicle or to cool down other soda drinks. Ginger ale frozen into cubes is good added to iced tea.
11. The ice cube trick also works for fresh herbs. Cut them up into water and freeze in the ice cube trays. Use for soups etc.
12. Another great idea to use those little bits of leftover dinner (like the last of the gravy, a few bits of roast, a few peas or a little corn) is to put one of those large empty ice cream containers in your freezer. When your meal is over, put the leftovers into the container. When it's full, get out the crock pot, add a can of tomatoes and get yourself the best soup you've had in a long time.
13. It's more efficient to keep one's freezer full than it is to keep it half-empty anyway, so those bags of frozen cubes may help save on the electric bill, as long as you allow space for proper circulation. The more your freezer is filled with frozen goods (such as ice), the less energy it takes to keep cool.
14. Don't rule out non-food uses. Crafters have always known that ice cube trays are good for organizing beads and small hardware. You can use them to hold small amounts of paint for crafts and even mix some of the colors in an empty compartment. Use in the bedroom to sort small pieces of jewelry: pins, rings, earrings.

Store what you Use & Use what you store. Never throw away useable food or other non-food products! If you have something usable but don’t think you personally are going to use it – give it away or donate it to a local charity. Someone will be thankful to have what you don’t want. One man’s trash really is another man’s treasure.

Emergency Preparedness Tips

10 Tips on Preparing for Emergency Situations
These are just my own suggestions. I am sure there are plenty of other good suggestions out there, but these are a good place to start.

1. Go through your 72 hour kits every 6 months on a specific weekend. Since I write to a mostly LDS audience and I myself am LDS, I choosse to do this task each General Conference weekend (in April and October). I put my kits in the floor as I am watching the Saturday sessions and go through them. Anything that is out of date is replaced. If I do not have stock on hand to do this – I go to the store that very evening after conference and get whatever is needed.

2. These weekends are also a great time to go through all the flashlights and check the batteries. Make sure you have extra batteries on hand for them just in case they die before the next conference. ALWAYS – replace the batteries (at conference time or every 6 months on your own schedule) in your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors. If the battery is still good – replace it anyway with a new one and use the old one for a less important purpose.

3. Candles – Use decorative candle sconces in your home. That way – in the event of a power outage – you can have hands-free light in every room that you need. NEVER – leave a candle burning in an unattended room. Store matches in a place where every adult has access and knows where to find them. I choose to put them on the top shelf of the medicine cabinet in each bathroom as well as on top of the fridge.

4. Put a small flashlight in the nightstand of each bedroom. The self-generating kind are great – then you don’t have to worry about battery life.

5. Generators – having a small portable one on hand can save your freezer and refrigerator in a summertime prolonged power outage. A good small generator can be purchased for as little as $300 – $400. (I know I have a lot more food than that in my freezer!) Make sure that you have at least 5 gallons of fuel stored and designated especially for the generator. Check with city officials about ordinances regarding fuel storage in residential neighborhoods if you want to store more than that. A 2000 watt portable generator will provide enough juice to power you fridge, freezer and the blower for your furnace. (You must have your furnace blower wired with an accessory plug in order to connect to a generator in the event of a power outage.)

6. If you have an alternative heat source (wood burning stove – fireplace – propane or kerosene heaters) make sure that all the adults in your house know how to properly and safely use it. Make sure that you have plenty of ‘fuel’ or wood stored for these sources.

7. Alternative cooking sources should be stored for an emergency as well. A solar oven is great, but expensive. A good, portable and cheap alternative for those just getting started is a butane stove (about $25 – canisters of fuel are about $2). A folding stove with fuel cell cans for a 72 hour kit is good as well and will only run you about $15 with 2 cans of fuel. Propane stoves that fit the small propane canisters are also relatively cheap and easy to use for a beginner. Again – whatever you chose – practice cooking with it and learn how to use it ahead of time!

8. Keep a pair of comfortable shoes in the same location as your 72 hour kit, in case you have to evacuate in a hurry and do not have time to go hunting for your good hikers or tennis shoes.

9. Place a laminated photo of each family member on a lanyard and attach it to their 72-hour kit. Write all pertinent information on the back of the photo including the name of the person, cell numbers for the parents or spouse, allergies to drugs, ect. In the event of an emergency – each family member should remove the lanyard from the pack and wear it around their neck. That way- if you are separated from your children – they can be identified and you can be more easily located. You and your medical issues can also be identified with this information if you are found unconscious.

10. Put a small set of scriptures in your 72 hour kits. This will be a great source of comfort in any emergency. (For a small child – have a favorite story book and/or a stuffed toy or card game like old maid, Uno, ect)

Just get prepared! You never know when an emergency will strike.

Word-of-Mouth Cures That Really Work!

I found this article on MSN today and thought it was worth reprinting in it's entirity here. This is some good information on home remedies. Enjoy.....

Word-of-Mouth Cures That Really Work!
Seven homespun remedies that have solid research behind them.
By Quick & Simple Staff

It's amazing how many traditional cures actually have evidence to support them, says Francesca J. Fusco, M.D., of Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. Here are seven that have solid research—not just someone's grandma!—behind them.

Zap nail fungus with bleach
Why: "We're not sure why, but there is something in bleach that slows down the growth of nail fungi," says Dr. Fusco.
How: Combine one teaspoon of bleach with one cup of water.
(Note: Always dilute the mixture—applying pure bleach will burn skin.) Then, use a dropper to place this mixture under the affected nail. Repeat twice a day until the infection disappears; this could take up to three weeks.

Prevent blisters on your feet with deodorant
Why: Blisters are caused by skin rubbing against your shoes, and are made worse by sweating. "Deodorant works on your feet just like it does under your arms: It stops sweat glands from producing sweat," says Ranella J. Hirsch, M.D., president of the American Society for Cosmetic Dermatology and Aesthetic Surgery.
How: Before heading out, roll deodorant—any kind will do—on your soles.

Soothe burns with tomato
Why: "The tomato contains lycopene, which is a natural anti-inflammatory, so it calms inflamed skin. And the wetness of the tomato juice helps draw some of the liquid out of the burn, reducing swelling," says Dr. Fusco.
How: Slice a large tomato and apply pieces to damaged skin. Leave on for five minutes, then remove, letting the remaining juices fully dry on skin. Once dry, rinse skin with cool water. Repeat twice daily until discomfort ends.

Calm insect bites with aspirin
Why: "Aspirin is made of salicylic acid, a potent anti-inflammatory that can reduce pain and itching," says Dr. Hirsch.
How: Crush three aspirin and add a few drops of water—enough to make a paste, Dr. Hirsch says. Apply mixture to the bite. Leave on for two minutes, then rinse with cool water. Repeat twice daily until pain and itching stop.

Stop small cuts from bleeding with used tea bags
Why: "The tannic acid in tea has an astringent effect, prompting blood vessels to constrict more quickly, which slows the flow of blood," explains Dr. Fusco.
How: Using light pressure, hold a cool (not warm) tea bag against the cut for one minute. Rinse, then cover with a bandage.

Remove warts with duct tape
Why: Experts at Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma, Wash., found this remedy could clear warts in two months. There are a few theories about how it works. One is that duct tape irritates warts, causing an immune system reaction that attacks them. "Another is that the tape removes the virus-laden skin cells," says Anthony Mancini, M.D., professor of dermatology at Northwestern University.
How: Apply a piece of tape that's the same size as the wart and leave on for six days. (If tape falls off, replace ASAP.) Remove tape after the six days and clean area with soap and water; leave tape off overnight. In the morning, reapply tape, keep on for five days and repeat until wart disappears. It may take up to two months, says Dr. Mancini, but it's less painful and less expensive than repeated doctor visits.

Nix dandruff with apple cider vinegar
Why: "The vinegar's acidity reduces the natural pH of the scalp," explains Dr. Fusco. "And this creates an unfriendly environment for yeast that tend to overpopulate the head and cause dandruff."
How: Mix 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar with one quart of water and use as a final rinse after shampooing, twice weekly.