Take time on the Sabbath to discuss the importance of emergency preparedness with family & neighbors. Establish a 3 month supply of water and food and rotate it. Actively participate in all emergency response drills. Maintain a "red file" for your most important documents. Live righteously, practice the welfare principle of self-reliance and build a three to six month financial reserve.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Week # 21: 25 lbs White Beans

Week # 21: 25 lbs White Beans
(If you can’t accomplish this in 1 week, don’t worry, just take your time and do it in baby steps.)

Don't forget you can purchase white beans at the new Home Storage Center in Murrieta. Best price around! See attachment for price list.

Home Storage Center
Hours: 
Tues. & Weds. 9am - 3pm.  
Thursdays 12 noon - 8pm

Phone # 951- 698-3287 - call before going to make sure they are open & what they have in stock
 
Address: 25855 Jefferson, Murrieta, CA
white_beans-7
White Beans:
Similar to other beans, the common bean is high in starch, protein and dietary fiber and is an excellent source of iron, potassium, selenium, molybdenum, thiamine, vitamin B6, and folic acid. The small, white navy bean, also called pea bean or haricot, is particularly popular in Britain and the US, featured in such dishes as baked beans and even pies, as well as in various soups
Kinds of White Beans: (Navy bean varieties include)
* Great northern beans
* Rainy River
* Robust
* Michelite
* Sanilac
Other white beans are Cannellini (a quite popular variety in Central and Southern Italy) and Great Northern.
white_beans-1Storage:
Dry beans will keep indefinitely if stored in a cool, dry place, but as time passes, their nutritive value and flavor degrade and cooking times lengthen.
  • Store in cool, dry area.
  • After opening, store the dried beans in an airtight container or place original package in a resealable plastic bag.
  • Storage time shown is for best quality only — after that, the beans’ texture, color or flavor may change, but in most cases, they will still be safe to consume if they have been stored properly.
  • If beans develop an off odor, flavor or appearance, they should be discarded.
  • “Best By,” “Best if Used By,” and “Use By” dates on commercially packaged foods sold in the United States represent the manufacturer’s estimate of how long the product will remain at peak quality — in most cases, the beans will still be safe to consume after that date, as long they have been stored properly and the package is not damaged.
Plate of BeansCooking:
Dried beans are almost always cooked by boiling, often after having been soaked for several hours. While the soaking is not strictly necessary, it shortens cooking time and results in more evenly textured beans. In addition, discarding one or more batches of soaking water leaches out hard-to-digest complex sugars that can cause flatulence, though those who eat beans regularly rarely have difficulties with flatulence as intestinal microbes adjust. There are several methods including overnight soaking, and the power soak method, which is to boil beans for three minutes, then set them aside for 2-4 hours, then drain and discard the water and proceed with cooking. Common beans take longer to cook than most pulses: cooking times vary from one to four hours but are substantially reduced with pressure cooking.
Recipes:
white_beans-2 white_beans-3 white_beans-6 white_beans-8 white_beans-5
FREE! All about Bean Booklet PDF
by: Kim Henke from http://www.allaboutfoodstorage.com
bean-booklet
Click on the image above to download the PDF.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Click on the images below to view all 52 weeks at once or the recipes to go with it, in a .jpg or download the 52 Week Food Purchasing Plan (PDF) or the Custom 52 Week Food Purchasing Plan (Excel file) and calculate exactly how much you’ll need for the size of your family.
weeklypurchasingplan-new using-your-52-weeks

Possible Disaster shelter locations



1 attachment (17.4 KB)
Download MVUSD_Schools_09.pdf (17.4 KB)
MVUSD_Sch...pdf
Download(17.4 KB)
Please forward to ward members, family and friends.
Vicky Frizzell
Stake Food Storage Specialist




FYI

MVUSD Schools
 listpossible disaster shelter locationsAdd to your ward plan/ Emerg binder

Cocoa Nibs


mredepot.com 
 FIRST AID  |   FREEZE DRIED FOODS  |&nbs! p;BULK  | YODERS  |  NEW PRODUCTS |  MREs  | DEFENSE / SAFETY

Cocoa Nibs
Cocoa Can
Hi All;
I have a new product to roll out to you – and I owe thanks to quite a few of you who suggested that we find a way to carry it and package it for long term storage; Cocoa Nibs...
Long term storage chocolate is high on everyone’s list I have been learning, but the shelf life is difficult to nail down for truly long term storage. However, like the Green Coffee Beans we carry, we have discovered that in a form that is as close to raw as you can get, you wind up having an extremely long shelf life AND you get something that is useable and nutritious (AND highly coveted as a trading item).
So, what are Cocoa Nibs? Simply put, they are the real deal - 100% pure chocolate (no sugar or milk added), which is what gives them their extremely long shelf life. They are the fully dried, and in this case the slightly roasted seed that comes from the cocoa pod off the cocoa tree (Theobroma Cacao). Cacao is a seasonal crop, grown largely in the Ivory Coast, Ghana and Nigeria and still is harvested by hand because there isn’t a machine made that can choose the right pod.
The Nibs are lightly crushed, yielding a lightly crunchy, bitter (unsweetened) highly intense Chocolate flavor.
Nibs can be used as substitute for nuts in baking goods, or even as a flavor kick in a cup of espresso. Sprinkle them on yogurt, in cereal and on top of ice cream for a flavorful treat. For an intense Chocolate taste put some Nibs on top of your cakes, brownies, or inside your cookies.
Turn a boring breakfast into something spectacular by mixing a few in your oatmeal. You can also grind them with your coffee beans, put them in smoothies and add them to trail mixes. They can even jazz up a peanut butter sandwich.
Cocoa is naturally high in potassium and magnesium as well as an excellent source of antioxidants, with a pleasant semi-bitter flavor. In fact, chocolate contains more health-promoting catechins and more phenolic phytochemicals (a type of antioxidant) than green tea or red wine. Cocoa also contains the amino acid tryptophan along with small amounts of phenylethylamine and theobromine which is said to elevate your mood. It is no wonder that raw Cocoa is considered to be an all-natural super food!
Why do these Cocoa Nibs have such a long (20+ Year) shelf life?
The very low moisture content is the major reason why the shelf life is so long. Low moisture content inhibits decomposition and the development of molds. Our cocoa nibs have a moisture content of about 2.0% or less. Also, the fat in the cocoa nibs is highly saturated, and therefore chemically stable. Stable fats (like cocoa butter) are solid at room temperature. Stable fats are not prone to rancidity, nor are they damaged by exposure to high (cooking) temperatures. Cocoa nibs are approximately 55% fat. Of this fat, about 60% is saturated fat.
Rancidity in fat is caused by oxidation. Oxidation is inhibited by antioxidants. Cocoa is an amazingly rich source of antioxidants – and these nibs are Kosher and Allergen Free (gluten, dairy, and nut).
This product is Kosher and Allergen Free (gluten, dairy, nut).
FE Cocoa Nibs

Thank you for the continued patronage - we appreciate your business very much!

   

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Chef Tess' Grain-Mixology Class Notes


Posted: 02 May 2012 10:13 AM PDT
Hi all! Did you know that the Retail Stores have some NEW flour blends! I have heard they are wonderful and can't wait to try them! Chef Tess has some insight to these new blends below as well as some of our current cereal mixes. We love having Chef Tess and all her knowledge! She recently taught a class at the Chandler Store and in case you couldn't make it, here are her class notes! YEA, thank you Chef Tess! Please remember to give credit to her when using the following info. Please Enjoy!


CLASS NOTES:
Welcome to the Honeyville Kitchen! Today we’re going to be exploring some of the mixed whole grain blends that Honeyville produces so that you can find greater joy and nutrition in your whole grain baking, cooking and eating without having to mix the grains yourself. We have taken the guess work out of it for you and made these grain blends and whole grain flours easily accessible and usable in your diet.  In this workshop we’ll be covering some of our core whole grain blends:

·         4 grain mix
·         6 grain rolled cereal
·         6 grain whole grain mix
·         6 grain flour
·         9 grain cracked cereal
·         9 grain flour
Honeyville 4 grain mix
Oat, Barley, Rye, Wheat, rolled similar to quick oats.
How Do I Use It?
Pastries-Use anywhere you would use quick oats (muffins, cookies, and cakes)
Bread-Add to the wet ingredients at the beginning of the dough. Soften 10-15 minutes. Increase water in bread recipes ½ cup per cup of 4 grain mix. Use 5 part bread flour to 1 part rolled cereal.
Recipes-Use in place of quick oats in meatloaf, breakfast cereal, granola and granola bars
Nutritionally-It is a Good Source of dietary fiber. It has No Cholesterol and is free of sodium and saturated fat.  Allergens: This product contains Wheat. It is processed in a facility that does NOT process nuts.


Honeyville 6 Grain Rolled Cereal
Red wheat, white wheat, barley, oat, rye, triticale rolled thicker like old fashioned oatmeal.
How Do I Use It?
Pastries-Anywhere you would use rolled oats. Cookies, cakes, muffins, crackers
Bread-Soften in warm water but do not cook before putting in bread unless you are using a small portion.
Recipes-Meatloaf, meatballs, soups, stews, casseroles, and desserts.
Nutritionally-It is a Good Source of dietary fiber. It has No Cholesterol and is free of sodium and saturated fat.  Allergens: This product contains Wheat. It is processed in a facility that does NOT process nuts.


Honeyville 6 grain whole grain blend
All of our grain blends are whole grain, don’t let this confuse you. This particular blend however has the advantage of having the grains complete and un-rolled, or milled into flour. This will extend the shelf life substantially for these grains. Compared to a rolled cereal that is usually 10-20 years, the whole grain are good  20+ years if kept in an oxygen free environment.
This blend contains: Barley, White Wheat, Red Wheat, Rye, Oats, and Triticale.
How Do I Use It?
Pastries-Milled to flour it will work like pastry flour* (see 6 grain flour below)
Bread-Milled to flour or rolled.
Recipes-Cooked 1:4 45 minutes low simmer.
Nutritionally-It is a Good Source of dietary fiber. It has No Cholesterol and is free of sodium and saturated fat.  Allergens: This product contains Wheat. It is processed in a facility that does NOT process nuts.

New Honeyville 6 grain flour
This flour is made from Honeyville Farms 6 Whole Grain Mix and has been carefully blended using premium quality grains, selected and milled to the highest standards prior to packaging. It contains Barley, White Wheat, Red Wheat,Rye, Oats, and Triticale. It has a very light, slightly nutty flavor with excellent results in most baking applications.
 How Do I Use It?
Pastries-This flour is ideal for cakes, cookie, muffins,crackers, tortillas and pie crusts. It will give you a light fluffy product if used alone and is a little stronger than a cake flour in it's gluten content. It will give you flaky pie crust but must be kneaded a little longer than you normally would expect for a pie crust. That is an advantage for someone who normally ends up with a very tough crust, as it will help it be a little more fool-proof. You can actually use less fat in your pastry and it will still be tender because of this lower gluten content. That is always a perk! Use 1/3 part 6 grain flour and 2/3 part all purpose flour to add a nutty whole grain subtle taste to baked goods.
Bread-In breads, as a general rule use 1/3 part 6 grain flour and 2/3 hard red,white wheat flour or Kamut flour. You can also use it in conjunction with any of our Honeyville Bleached or unbleached high gluten bread flours in this ratio.
Recipes-Because it is whole grain, you will need to increase your liquid a bit when converting recipes. Allow for about ¼ more liquid in the recipe than what it is called for by the original recipe. For instance, if a recipe called for 1 cup water, use 1 ¼ cup water. If it called for 2 cups water, use 2 ½ cups water. The only exception so far, has been pie crust. Use the same amount of liquid as called for in the original recipe
Nutritionally-It is a Good Source of dietary fiber. It has No Cholesterol and is free of sodium and saturated fat.  Allergens: This product contains Wheat. It is processed in a facility that does NOT process nuts.


Honeyville Nine Grain Cracked Cereal
This cracked cereal mix contains hard red wheat, soft white wheat, barley, rye, oats, corn, millet, buckwheat and flax seeds. All of the grains have been milled to a nice, course consistency, that is very similar to most commercially cracked wheat. The texture is even and consistent.
How Do I Use It?
Pastries-Toasted and cooked it can be used to replace part of the nuts in pastry fillings.
Bread-(see class recipe for 9 grain Ciabatta). Soak grain or partially cook.
Recipes-Excellent breakfast cereal. Nice pilafs, and stuffing. Can be used as a “meat extender” or in veggie burgers and meatless applications. Toasted then cooked it will retain a great texture.
Nutritionally-It is a Good Source of dietary fiber. It has No Cholesterol and is free of sodium and saturated fat.  Allergens: This product contains Wheat. It is processed in a facility that does NOT process nuts.


New Honeyville 9 Grain Flour
This is a fine mild flour that contains hard red wheat, soft white wheat, barley, rye, oats, corn, millet, buckwheat and flax seeds. It’s high in protein, and is a light delicious substitution for wheat flour when you want the addition of whole grain but not the heavy flavor of wheat.
How do I use it?
Pastries-This flour works very similar to cake flour in its composition and application. Use it for delicate items like lacey sugar cookies, cakes, and muffins. Use it in conjunction with a stronger flour for pie crusts and puff pastry. Usually 50% 9 grain and 50%  wheat flour.
Bread-In breads, as a general rule use 1/4 part 9 grain flour and 3/4 hard red, white wheat flour or Kamut flour. You can also use it in conjunction with any of our Honeyville Bleached or unbleached high gluten bread flours in this ratio
Recipes-This can be used to thicken dark gravies and hearty soups. It’s great in dumplings and as a nice flavor for hearty pot pies.
Nutritionally-It is a Good Source of dietary fiber. It has No Cholesterol and is free of sodium and saturated fat.  Allergens: This product contains Wheat. It is processed in a facility that does NOT process nuts.


Grain-Mixology Class Recipes

Chef Tess 6 Grain Crispy Blueberry Muffin Breakfast Wafer Bars
Ingredients:
2 cups 6 grain flour
2 T Honeyville whole egg powder
¼ cup butter
½ cup sugar or sugar free use erythritol
½ tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
½ cup freeze dried blueberries
¼ cup cold water
Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a quart size bowl combine the 6 grain flour, egg powder, sugar, and salt. With a pastry blender, work the butter into the flour until it resemble course sand. Put the blueberries in a sandwich zipper bag and lightly crush the berries with a rolling pin. You want them fine enough to make a short cookie that can be cut like a cracker, so don't be shy on crushing them. Add the crushed berries to the flour mixture and stir well. In a small bowl combine the vanilla and cold water. Add the water to the flour mixture. Dough will be very thick. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop all the dough onto the sheet and lightly sprinkle more 6 grain flour on top of the dough. Roll out the dough into a rectangle 14 inches by 12 inches, using a gently hand. With a pizza cutter, cut into 16 bars. Bake 350 degrees 17-20 minutes, until crispy but not burned. Allow to cool on the pan. Enjoy. Yield 16 bars


Homemade 4 grain Instant Cereal Packets
ONE PLAIN PACKET:
1/3 Honeyville 4 grain cereal mix
1 T Honeyville oat bran or ground flax seed
To prepare: Add 1/2 c boiling water and allow to sit for 3-4 minutes. Use more or less water depending on how thick or thin you like you cereal.

Flavor-Add-In Variations for each plain packet
BERRIES AND BAVARIAN-LEMON CREAM 4 GRAIN CEREAL PACKETS
3 T freeze dried berries of your choice (I crush them up a bit before I measure them)
 2 T Honeyville Wild Berry Smoothie Mix
1 tsp Honeyville lemonade powder
To prepare the berries and cream cereal: add 2/3 c boiling water and allow to sit for 3-4 min.


SPICED PEACHES AND CREAM COBBLER 4 GRAIN CEREAL PACKETS
3 T Honeyville freeze dried peaches
 2 T  Peaches and Cream Smoothie Mix
1/4 tsp Chef Tess Wise Woman of the East Spice Blend.
To Prepare the Spiced Peaches and Cream Cobbler Cereal: add 2/3 c boiling water and let it sit for 3-4 minutes


MAPLE-CRANBERRY PECAN 4 GRAIN CEREAL PACKET
2 T Honeyville dehydrated honey
¼ tsp Mix-a-Meal powdered maple
flavor 3 T chopped toasted pecans
2 T Honeyville dried cranberries
To Prepare: Add 1/2 c boiling water and allow to sit 3-4 minutes.

SPICED VANILLA-ORANGE ROLL OATMEAL PACKET
¼ tsp Chef Tess WiseWoman of the East S
2 T Honeyville vanilla Pudding powder
1 T Honeyville dehydrated honey
1/2 tsp dry orange zest (or 1/4 Mix-a- Meal powdered orange flavor)
To Prepare: Add 1/2 c boiling water and allow to sit 3-4 minute.

BANANA-NUT BREAD 4 GRAIN CEREAL PACKET
To Plain Packet above, add:
3 T Honeyville dehydrated honey
1 tsp Mix-a-Meal butterscotch powder
3 T Honeyville Freeze Dried Banana
1 T toasted chopped walnuts (optional)
To Prepare: Add 2/3 c boiling water to contents and let sit 3-4 minutes.

TROPICAL WHITE CHOCOLATE MACADAMIA NUT 4 GRAIN CEREAL PACKET
To Plain Packet above, add:
2 T Honeyville Tropical Monsoon Smoothie Mix
1 T white chocolate chips
1 T chopped Macadamia nuts
To prepare: Add ½ cup boiling water to contents and let sit 3-4 minutes. 


Chef Tess 7 grain and  Jam Crumble Bar Mix 
4 cups Chef Tess Homemade whole grain Cake Mix or 1 box organic White cake mix, 
1 cups sugar or Xylitol low calorie natural sweetener,
1 cup Honeyville 6 grain rolled cereal blend (or 4 grain mix)
1/4 cup whole chia seed
½ cup brown sugar or Honeyville dehydrated  honey, 
1 tsp Chef Tess Wise Woman of the East spice blend OR 3/4 tsp cinnamon and 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice. 
To prepare you will need:  1 egg, 1 cup olive oil and 2 cups unsweetened jam (any flavor)
 1 9 by 13 inch baking pan.
Directions: Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Place the crumble bar mix in a large bowl and combine with egg and olive oil just until combined (about a minute). The mixture will be thick. Reserve 11/2 cup for the topping. Using fingertips, press the remaining mixture into the bottom of the pan so it reaches all sides. Spread the jam over the the mixture in a layer with a spatula. Pinch off pieces of the reserved crust mixture and scatter over the jam. Bake until light brown and bubbling, 35-40 minutes. Allow to cool 30 minutes before cutting. Yield 24 bars.

Chef Tess 9 grain Banana-Raspberry Chocolate Chip Bread
Yield 1 large loaf or 4 mini loaves
Ingredients:
3 cups Honeyville Freeze dried bananas, hydrated in warm water 10 minutes, drain well and mash (1 ½ cup mashed 9.7 oz by weight)
½ cup Honeyville Freeze Dried Raspberries, hydrate 10 minutes and drain well (OR ¾ cup frozen berries)
¼ cup Honeyville whole egg powder
1 ¾ cup  Honeyville  9 grain flour
3/4 c Honeyville dehydrated honey
¾ cup Honeyville dehydrated butter
¼ cup Honeyville banana pudding mix
¼ cup Honeyville sour cream powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla (Rum flavor is really good here)
1/2 c dark chocolate chips or chocolate chunks
Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour the mashed bananas into a bowl with the 1 cup water, egg powder and vanilla. Stir well. In a separate bowl, measure the flour, dehydrated honey, dehydrated butter, banana pudding mix, sour cream powder, salt, soda,  and cinnamon. Combine the dry ingredient mixture with the wet ingredient mixture, just until moistened. Do not over-mix. Very gently fold in the chocolate chips and raspberries (if used). Grease a 9inch by 5 inch loaf pan. Coat grease with a thin layer of flour. Put batter in pan and evenly distribute then place bread in the preheated oven for 50-60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the loaf comes out fairly clean.  Remove from the pan to a rack. Serve still warm. Wrap tightly with plastic when still slightly warm to preserve the moist texture of the whole grain.


Chef Tess Bakeresse™ 9 grain Ciabatta Whole Grain Bread
Sponge:
1 cup Honeyville Nine Grain Mix (uncooked)
1 1/2 cup Honeyville Kamut® flour
1 1/4 cup water (no hotter than 95 degrees)
1T active dry yeast (.3 oz)
Dough:
3 cups Honeyville Kamut® flour
1 cup water
1T salt
2T olive oil
To make the sponge: Combine the sponge ingredients until it is a batter-like consistency in a 3 1/2 gallon food storage bucket with a lid. It will be pretty loose. Cover. After 4 hours remove the lid and check the consistency. When you reach in the bucket you will find some very strong gluten strands developed. It's remarkable! In with the gluten development, there will be soft pieces of whole grain.
To Make The Dough:Add the ingredients for the dough by first adding the 3 cups of water and "breaking up" the sponge. Add the oil, salt, and 3 cups of flour. You will not need much more flour. I keep the dough very moist. Again, this helps you have a nice tender whole grain bread. Knead by hand 5 minutes. Fold it over until the rounded part is up. It won't touch the sides of the bucket. After 1 1/2 to 2 hours, it reaches the edges and is very spongy .Now, get some Kamut® flour...Spread a generous amount on a counter-top or table. Emergency situation, just lay your bucket on it's side and cover the inside with flour. Lay out the dough in an 8 inch by 12 inch square, but DO NOT expel air. Now, that's totally opposite of any other bread I make so that might through you for a loop. Don't be thrown. Just follow what I say and you will be happy. Ahh. Trust is good. Trust Chef Tess...{mind control complete...} Top the dough with a good sprinkle of flour. Take out a sharp serrated knife and slice the dough into 4 strips, long wise. Lightly oil 2 sheet pans and lay 2 loaves on each pan. OH have mercy! Are you happy now?!Allow to raise, uncovered for 1 hour. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. When the loaf is fluffy enough to pass the edge of the pan...Bake it! 20-25 minutes. It will get all golden and awe inspiring.



Chef Tess Bakeresse™ 9 Grain All Purpose Baking mix for Muffins, Pancakes and Cornbread
9 cup Honeyville 9 grain flour (9 grain mix milled into flour in my grain mill Honeyville 6 grain flour
1 cup Honeyville instant non-fat dry milk
1 cup Honeyville whole egg powder
1 cup Honeyville granulated erythritol (zero calorie natural sweetener)
1/3 cup baking powder
2T salt
Basic 9 Grain Muffins: One dozen large muffins: pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees. Combine 4 cups 9 grain baking mix with 1 ¾ cup water. Mix until a smooth batter is created. Line a standard size muffin pan with 12 muffin liners and lightly mist the pan with a non-stick spray. Scoop muffin batter into muffin pan divided evenly between twelve muffins. Bake 20-25 minutes until golden brown and muffins spring slightly when touched.
Basic 10 grain 
Pancakes:Combine 1 cup 9 grain mix, 1 Tablespoon whole grain Teff and ¾ cups water. Cook on a hot griddle that has been lightly oiled.
Basic 9 Grain Cornbread Muffins and bread:
Combine 1 ½ cup 9 grain baking mix, ½ cup yellow cornmeal and ½ cup granulated erythritol in a quart size bowl.  
Filling (optional): Make a small well in the top of the muffin and add a tsp of homemade Peach Mango Jalapeno jam or jam of your choice. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Divide between 12 well greased muffin cups. Bake 18-22 minutes until golden brown.


Chef Tess Blue Cheese Asparagus 9 Grain Pilaf with Lemon and Rosemary
2T extra virgin olive oil ,
1 cup Honeyville 9 grain cracked cereal (or Steel cut oats) ,
1/2 cup Honeyville Freeze Dried Asparagus
3 cups chicken or ham broth (or bullion and water to equal 3 cups seasoned broth),
1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese (or any cheese of your choice),
 juice of one lemon,
 Salt and pepper to taste
Directions: In a 12 inch deep skillet with a tight fitting lid, heat the olive oil over medium heat about a minute. Add the 9 grain cereal mix. Stir with a wooden spoon 4-5 minutes on medium heat. This will help the grains to stay separated when cooked. Stir constantly so it doesn't burn. Add the Asparagus, chicken stock, and rosemary. Cover tightly with a lid and reduce heat to very low. Simmer 10-12 minutes until water is absorbed. Remove lid. Sprinkle with crumbled blue cheese and drizzle with lemon juice. Season well. 


Chef Tess'Bakeresse™  Quick and Comforting 4 Grain soup
3 T butter or olive oil
1 onion, minced fine (about 3/4 cup)
1 carrot, minced
1 stock celery, minced
1 clove garlic minced
1 1/2 cup Honeyville 4 grain cereal mix
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 tsp Chef Tess all purpose seasoning
1/2 tsp dry tarragon
3 T chopped fresh parsley
1 cup chopped fresh spinach
Combine the butter, onion, carrot, celery, garlic and oats in a one gallon pot. Cook until grains are toasted and vegetables sweat, about 5 minutes. Add stock, seasoning, parsley and spinach. Simmer 3-4 minutes until grains are tender.Serves four generous portions. The grains take on a nice nutty flavor and texture. I love it.


Chef Tess 9 Grain Tortilla Mix
Mix ingredients:
3 cups Honeyville Mountain Mills Whole Wheat Flour
2 cups Honeyville 9 grain or 6 grain flour (it can be made by running 9 grain mix through a grain mill on the finest flour setting)
1 cup Honeyville  powdered shortening
1 T baking powder
1T real salt 
To make the mix: Combine dry ingredients. If you use the organic shortening, you need to cut it into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender or a stiff wire whisk until it's in small pea-like sized pieces. 
Yields 2 mixes, 3 cups each. Each mix will make 8, 10 inch tortillas. 
To Prepare: Bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Put tortilla mix in a heat-proof bowl and pour boiling water into dry mix. Stir with a spoon until well combined. Let dough sit 5 minutes and then knead by hand until supple (about 1 minute). You will not need flour on your counter top. Boiling the water will partially cook the starches and cause the dough to be more workable and is the most traditional method for making flour tortillas. Preheat a griddle while you are rolling out the tortillas, about 3 minutes. Cook the tortillas on one side and then turn over. Place in a covered pot or tortilla warmer to keep them moist an pliable.


©2012Chef Stephanie Petersen. All Rights reserved. Copies permitted only by Honeyville retail and online stores for classes and customer use. Stephanie Petersen is Chef Tess Bakeresse. Cheftessbakeresse.com



10 Homemade Kitchen Cleaners



Hello again! Our desire here at Keeper of the Home is to be an encouraging, inspiring and Christ-centered resource for those who aspire to healthy living and natural homemaking.

Recipe for a Toxin-Free Kitchen: 10 Homemade Kitchen Cleaners

Written by Erin Odom, Contributing Writer
As we near the end of our "Spring Clean the Toxins" theme this month, let's develop a recipe for a toxin-free kitchen. After all, the kitchen is often the center of the home, and it's where we homemakers spend much of our time.
We know that making ingredients from scratch and getting rid of hidden food/food prep toxins is a great start. And by using simple, natural homemade cleaners, we can eliminate many other toxins that could otherwise leach their way into our systems.
From the endocrine-disrupting phthalates that hide away in conventional dish soaps to triclosan-laden hand soaps which can promote the growth of drug resistant bacteria (source), toxins may be lurking in our kitchens under the guise of cleaning products.
Without further ado, here are 10 recipes for homemade kitchen cleaners that are sure to keep the toxins at bay.

1. Homemade Liquid Dish Soap

Conventional dish soaps can contain phthalates, which can lead to reduced sperm count in men and possibly even liver cancer (source). It's really quite easy to make your own. I make mine using liquid castile soap, all-purpose citrus cleaner, and essential oils.

2. Homemade Dishwasher Detergent

I will admit that one of my favorite things about homemade cleaning supplies is that I don't have to go to the store as often if I keep a good supply of key ingredients to make my own. Stacy's recipe for homemade dishwasher detergent just requires salt, borax, baking or washing soda and lemi-shine! Four natural ingredients that leave no toxins, like triclosan, on your dishes!

3. Homemade Liquid Hand Soap

I don't know about you, but when I'm dealing with raw meat or even eggs, I wash my hands incessantly! When I started reading about the dangers of antibacterial hand soap, I couldn't wait to find an alternative.
This homemade foaming hand soap couldn't be easier to make. My husband and I re-use old mason jars to store the soap, and we gave a peppermint version as Christmas gifts to female friends and family this year! This recipe is so mild that we even use it as a homemade body wash/shampoo for our toddler and preschooler!

4. Homemade All-Purpose Cleaner

I have previously used a simple vinegar-water solution for cleaning my countertops, but I recently discovered Lexie: Natural's all-purpose citrus cleaner and fell in love!
This cleaner is SO easy to make. All you need is orange peels, salt, vinegar, and water! The best part is that the citrus scent helps masks the strong vinegar smell, which makes my hubby one happy man! I use this cleaner on my countertops, stove, sink, and even on my floors!

5. Homemade Disinfectant Wipes

When I was a newlywed, I used Clorox disinfecting wipes meticulously! I loved the ease of the cleaner already made into the wipe. Boy, how things have changed!
But I still enjoy using homemade disinfectant wipes on occasion. They really aren't hard to make yourself, and you can use old T-shirts to cut down on waste. Emily has an excellent recipe, and here's the version I use.
I'll be honest--I rarely clean my oven. I guess it's part laziness and partly the fact that I just hate exposing my home to chemicals like the eye/skin-burning Sodium Hydroxide--which is a part of most conventional oven cleaners.
But Anne of Quick and Easy, Cheap and Healthy has several great ideas for non-toxic oven cleaners using supplies that most homemakers keep on hand anyway!
Image by  LuMag00

7. Homemade Natural Ant Killer

Thankfully, I've never had to deal with ants in my kitchen. But growing up on six acres in the country, I watched my mom battle the tiny insects almost daily. It seems that it only took one crumb on the floor for a whole army of ants to invade her kitchen.
Instead of using harsh insect repellents/killers, I'm suggesting my mom use Stacy's recipe for a homemade natural ant killer. It uses white sugar, but, hey, it's the ants eating it, not your kids...right?

8. Homemade Green Drain Cleaner

Nothing seems worse than a clogged drain--especially when you are trying to get dinner in the oven! Jen at This Gal's Journey has an easy-peasy, green drainer cleaner recipe that sure beats Drain-O (and is much cheaper as well!).

9. Homemade Produce Wash

Despite any debates about how to wash produce, I err on the side of caution and wash my produce well--especially if it's not organic. TipNut's recipe just requires water, baking soda, vinegar, and lemon juice!

Image courtesy Lexie: Naturals

10. Homemade Soft Scrub

A little over a year ago, Sharon shared this homemade soft scrub recipe with Keeper of the Home readers. Using just baking soda, laundry soap and grapefruit seed extract, Sharon says this is a "better, safer, cheaper alternative" to scrubbing your sink with conventional cleaners!

Bonus: Norwex Cloths

Now, I do NOT want to purchase expensive cleaners or cleaning supplies--not when I know I can make my own! But a few months back, Gloria asked if I'd like to review her Norwex cleaning clothsShe claimed the colloidal-silver-laced microfiber could actually clean up raw chicken with nothing else than water and the cloth!  I can say that, in the long run, using these or a similar product would cut down on toxins without burdening your budget on pricey "green" cleaners.
Now, do I personally ALWAYS use homemade or even green cleaners? I want to be transparent with you. Yes, 99% of the time I do. However, a few weeks ago I actually broke down and purchased some bleach and lysol.What? Am I actually admitting that in this post?! Yes, I am. My family suffered for three weeks from the norovirus, and it finally took a bleach solution to kill it. However, I think those times should be very few and far between!

What is your recipe for a toxin-free kitchen? What are some homemade kitchen cleaners you use?

Top Image by nannetteturner

Week # 20: 50 lbs of Wheat (white or red)

Week # 20: 50 lbs of Wheat (white or red)

(If you can’t accomplish this in 1 week, don’t worry, just take your time and do it in baby steps.)
Baby Steps: 
  1. Choose location for storage
  2. Purchase containers (#10 Cans, Buckets, Jars, Bottles…) for wheat or purchase pre-packaged wheat.
  3. Purchase your wheat for containers.
  4. Fill and date your wheat containers. (Leave some extra wheat out in order to test it some recipes.)
10 Reasons to love Whole Wheat:
  1. It’s more nutritious, providing several more minerals, vitamins (18 more to be exact!), and natural photochemicals than white flour.
  2. Relax! It has More B Vitamins which are known to help with nerves & stress.
  3. Get cleaned out. Whole wheat provides more fiber, preventing constipation & diverticulosis. The American Dietetic Association recommends 20-35 grams daily, the average American consumes only 12 grams.
  4. Lose weight and keep it off! Whole wheat has a lot of fiber which has almost no calories, keeps you fuller for longer, absorbs 3x it’s weight in water, cuts absorption of calories, cleans out impurities, requires more chewing, and takes 1/2 as much to fill you up and takes longer to digest.
  5. Reduces your risk of colon cancer & other diseases.
  6. Lowers blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and risk of adult on set Diabetes.
  7. Cheaper! It will lower your food costs by at 30% to 50%!
  8. Lowers doctor visits, bills, & medications.
  9. Lowers Dentist Bills by cutting down on tooth decay.
  10. Eating Whole Wheat keeps your body both emotionally and physically used to wheat.
Differences between White & Red Wheat:
“The main difference between hard red wheat and hard white wheat is color genes. Both have similar fiber and protein levels. But whole-grain bread from hard white wheat is less bitter–some say sweeter–than whole-grain bread from hard red wheat. That’s because white wheat’s outer kernel contains fewer tannins and phenolic compounds.” (Scientists redesign white wheat Agricultural Research, June, 1994 by Linda Cooke)
They also taste different. Red wheat has a more “nutty” flavor while white wheat’s mild flavor makes it easier hidden in bakery items.
Hard Red Wheat

Hard White Wheat 

Recipes with wheat: 
If You ONLY Have: Water, Wheat, Salt, Shortening or Oil You Can Make:
  • Sprouted wheat
  • Cooked cracked wheat
  • Cooked whole wheat
  • Wheat grass
  • Gluten (a strange bread-type food that has a very high protein content)
  • Tortillas
Just Add: Powdered Milk, Powdered Eggs, Honey or Sugar, Flour And You Can Make the Items Above PLUS:
  • Wheat pudding
  • German pancakes
  • Crepes
  • Pasta
Just Add: Yeast, Baking Powder, Baking Soda And You Can Make the Items Above PLUS:
  • Puddings/custards
  • Pancakes
  • Some varieties of cookies
  • Waffles
  • Muffins/English muffins
  • Breads
  • Biscuits
  • Some varieties of crackers
Just Add: Tomatoes, Powdered Butter and Cheese, Unflavored Gelatin, Canned Milk, Canned Fruits And You Can Make the Items Above PLUS:
  • Meatless dinners
  • Meatless casseroles
  • Cream sauces
  • Jello salads
  • Whipped cream desserts
  • Baby formula
Just Add: Rice, Legumes, Beef/Chicken Broth, Canned Meats, Dried Potatoes, Dehydrated VegetablesAnd You Can Make the Items Above PLUS:
  • Lots of great chunky soups
  • Chili
  • Refried beans
  • Rice dinners
  • Rice puddings
  • Sandwiches
  • Many different dinners and casseroles
Just Add: Extras such as Oats, Raisins, Nuts, Spices, Juice, Peanut Butter, Cream of Tarter, etc.And You Can Make the Items Above PLUS:
  • A wide variety of almost any type of food you would want to cook
As you can see, with a bit of planning (and a fabulous food storage recipe book on hand - Marlene’s Magic with Food Storage), you can be confident that you will be able to create healthy, filling, comforting meals for your family should a true emergency occur. It will also be helpful to start using and rotating through these foods in your every day cooking so that you can find the recipes your family likes, get them used to eating these foods, and ensure that all of your storage retains its maximum freshness.
Wheat Berries Recipe: (as found on SafelyGatheredIn.blogspot.com)wheatberries
1 cup wheat kernels
4 cups water
1/2 tsp salt
Rinse wheat kernels. Combine ingredients and boil for 1 - 1.5 hours. Be sure to keep checking on them to make sure your water doesn’t boil out. Some people soak them overnight first but that is not necessary.
Things you can do with wheat berries:
* eat them freshly hot and cooked (great breakfast food). Many people add honey to sweeten it up, or you can add a little brown sugar and milk. Be as creative as you want! I know people also like to add dried fruit (like raisins or craisins). I’ve even heard of people adding a little bit of peanut butter for added protein and flavor.
* if you’ve tried wheat berries and you (or your kids) don’t love them, try mixing them in with oatmeal to disguise the flavor. That way, you can still get the nutrition benefits.
* you can add wheat berries to soups and stew for extra nutrition and heartiness
* wheat berries are great in bread! Just add them to your dough for added nutrition
* add them cold to salads
* try using wheat berries in a recipe that calls for rice.
Shelf life of wheat?
30+ years if low-moisture foods are properly packaged and stored at room temperature or cooler (75°F/24°C or lower) remain nutritious and edible.
How can I store Wheat?
Recommended containers for longer-term storage include the following
  • # 10 cans (available at Church home storage centers)
  • Foil pouches (available through Church Distribution Services)
  • PETE bottles (for dry products such as wheat, corn, and beans)
These containers, used with oxygen absorber packets, eliminate food-borne insects and help preserve nutritional quality and taste. Oxygen absorber packets are available at Church home storage centers or through Church Distribution Services.
Under certain conditions, you can also use plastic buckets for longer-term storage of wheat, dry beans, and other dry products.
Types of Wheat Grinders:kitchenmill
Manual Wheat Grinders
Pros
  • Inexpensive
  • Can be used with no power source
  • Small to store
  • Cons
  • SLOW to grind (mine took 6 minutes to grind one cup of flour)
  • Except for the very high-end models, you cannot grind a fine flour
  • Inconvenient (messy and hard to fit a large bowl underneath)
  • KitchenAid Attachments
    Pros
  • Less expensive than an electric grinder
  • Small to store
  • Convenient to use and then mix bread in the same machine
  • Cons
  • I have heard from multiple sources that these units will BREAK your KitchenAid mixer(usually smaller units). 
  • Not as fast at grinding as electric grinders
  • Electric Wheat Grinders
    Pros
  • Grinds very fast
  • Useful for many types of grains, beans, nuts, etc.
  • Easy to select how coarse or fine to grind, and has a large range
  • Cons
  • Fairly expensive, even for the lower-end models
  • Must have a generator or battery pack to use with no electricity (unless you buy a high end model that comes with a manual crank)
  • A large appliance to store in your kitchen
  • Prices of Wheat Grinders
    Manual Wheat Grinders
  • Low: $20-30 models will not grind flour, only coarse corn meal, etc. Not very useful.
  • Medium: $75-$175 is a good price range. Back to Basics Grain Mill is $75. It can grind fine enough for bread flour but not for very fine cake flour. Wonder Junior is higher-priced at $169 but it can grind into cake flour.
  • High: Up to $400 for the Country Living Grain Mill. It is quicker than other manual grinders and is able to grind a fine cake flour.
  • KitchenAid Attachments
  • $100-120, some may be used on any stand mixer.Electric Wheat Grinders
  • Low: Under $200 for grinders such as the Blendtec Grain Mill. Its drawbacks are it is very noisy and cannot do very coarse grinds.
  • Medium: $200-$300 can get you a great grinder. The two most popular electric grinders are the WonderMill and the NutriMill. In my tests I found the WonderMill to be faster, quieter, cleaner, and easier to store. And priced at $239 it is even cheaper than the NutriMill which is $269.
  • High: Over $300 is an unnecessary amount to spend in my opinion. There are heavy duty models out there but you can get the job done with the mid-range models.

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    Click on the images below to view all 52 weeks at once or the recipes to go with it, in a .jpg or download the 52 Week Food Purchasing Plan (PDF) or the Custom 52 Week Food Purchasing Plan (Excel file) and calculate exactly how much you’ll need for the size of your family.
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