Powerless Cooking

What do you do if the power goes out and you need it to prepare your food? This short clip gives instructions on how to make your own #10 can stove!! This can be used in emergency situations or simply one day when say a storm came through and knocked out the power for a while (something we had to get used to in Florida!). It can be very useful so don't delay making one or you may regret it when your stomach is grumbling and you have no power!

BYU Support During Emergencies

During all my time at BYU I heard many rumors regarding the support BYU offers to the students during emergencies; I now have the official stance that I think we should all be aware of as most of us are either students or married to a student.

"In the event of a major disaster, BYU Dining Services is prepared to support students in BYU Stakes and Wards by providing food for once individual resources are exhausted (note this is saying that we need to at least have some food saved on our own). Students are encouraged to have at least a one week supply of food and 3 gallons of water per person. Because of the large number of UVU students now in BYU Stakes, we have also coordinated with Church Welfare Services and they have indicated that they can provide additional food support to BYU Dining Services during disaster situations.

"Disaster situations do not necessarily allow Dining Services to provide balanced, or even 3 meals per day to such large numbers. To prevent food from spoiling, refrigerated food will have to be used first, then dry and canned food last. We may only have resources to provide 2 meals per day, but it will be adequate to sustain life for a few days beyond the student's own resources. Dining Services has the capability of preparing and cooking food in even the worst situation by using outdoor propane grills, etc.

"If sheltering resources within a BYU Stake are exhausted, the Stake President may contact the BYU Stake President on the Disaster Task Force for assistance. He will in turn coordinate with the Disaster Task Force Housing rep to arrange shelter. Shelter may be limited, and students should expect to bring their own bedding and sleep on floors."


I hope this has cleared up some things, but remember we are advised to have some food saved up for ourselves before leaning on BYU or the Church Welfare Services.

"If You Knew What I Knew"

“If you knew what I knew, you would pile it (food storage) in the middle of the floor, throw a cloth over it and walk around it.”
--President Harold B. Lee

The other day I saw the movie "Contagion" (don't bother watching it if you haven't already) and it further impressed on me the need to build our food supply. The premise of the movie is there is an unknown virus that is rapidly killing people and many are forced to stay inside until a vaccine is created. Quite honestly, we don't know how real this idea may become in our future so it is best to be prepared.

At least start with a Three Month Supply.

This is a short video on Three Month Food Storage. I think she does a great job at helping you understand how the 3-month supply works and what to do to get started.

Gourmet Baked Egg Roll

I thought I'd do something a little different than all my previous posts by including a recipe you can make using some food storage items. I haven't made it yet but it looks yummy!

6 Eggs (1/3 Cups Dry Powdered Eggs + 2/3 Cup Water)
1 cup Milk (3 Teaspoons Powdered Milk + 1 Cup Water)
1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Pepper
1 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Additional ingredients could include dehydrated vegetables if you'd like to make it like an omelet

Place eggs and milk in a blender. Add the flour, salt and pepper; cover and process until smooth. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes or until eggs are set.

Sprinkle with cheese. Roll up in pan, starting with a short side. Place with seam side down on a serving platter. Cut into 3/4 inch slices.

If your eggs puff up . . . just poke holes in the "bubbles" and it will still roll up fine.

*** Note that this recipe did not include the conversion for cheese as a powder or blend. You can purchase cheese powder or blends, even dehydrated if you want. Then simply follow the conversions on the container ***

Beans as Oil or Butter

This is something I haven't tried yet but have read a lot about - using beans as a replacement for butter and oil. Sounds funny doesn't it?

Well beans are CHEAP, from your dry beans you can make the equivalent of a can of beans (which is about a pound) for under 20 cents! A drastic difference from today's price for butter and oi. Plus, beans are virtually fat free, full of protein and fiber which means less calories and they make you feel full! Another bonus, beans make a very moist product and there is supposedly no bean taste. Compared to powdered butter or shortening, it isn’t cheaper than using fresh plus it lacks the protein and fiber of beans.

TIPS FOR USING BEANS FOR OIL AND BUTTER

1. If your recipe calls for oil, you are going to use a bean puree. It’s simply cooked beans with enough water to whirl in your blender. If you want a simple way to try this, take a can of beans (the entire can) and dump it in the blender and blend it. Done.
2. If your recipe calls for butter, you are going to use cooked, drained beans.
3. For substituting beans for both butter and/or oil you are going to use a 1:1 ration. That means if your recipe calls for 3/4 C. oil, you are going to use 3/4 C. bean puree. If your recipe calls for 1 C. butter you are going to use 1 C. beans. You’ll use the same measurements for beans as your original recipe says to use for either the oil and/or butter.
4. When wondering which beans to use-you are going to match color for color. If it is a chocolate cake, use black beans. If it is a spice cake, use pinto beans. If it is a white cake, use white beans. Now, here is the tricky part…you can also use white beans in chocolate cake but you can’t use black beans in your white cake. Your family will wonder what all of those black specks are. To be safe, you can use white beans in almost anything.
5. Now, you’re going to add the beans however your recipe says to use the butter and/or oil. So, if your recipe says to cream the butter with the sugar-you’re going to cream the beans with the sugar. If your recipe says to add the oil to the dry ingredients, you’re going to add the bean puree to the dry ingredients.
6. If you are using beans in something like brownies or cookies that are supposed to be chewy, the beans will not make it chewy-it will be cake like. So if you’re family is big on chewy that doesn’t mean you have an excuse not to use beans. It just means you need to use half oil/butter and half beans. It will still be chewy and you’ll still be saving money and adding fiber and protein!

Powdered Milk

First thing is first... what is powdered milk? It is made from fresh, pasteurized skim milk. It is concentrated in an evaporator until 50% of the solids remain. Then the concentrated milk is sprayed into a heated chamber where the water evaporates and leaves behind tiny dry milk particles - powdered milk!

REAL V. ALTERNATIVE

It is important to know though that not all powdered milk is REAL milk. Some companies sell milk alternatives - this is very different. REAL powdered milk is made up of: nonfat dry milk, vitamin A Palmitate, and Vitamin D3, while Milk Alternative is made from sweet dairy whey, non-fat dry milk solids, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, corn syrup solids, and other chemistry turns that are difficult to pronounce (rule of thumb for food in general - if you can't pronounce the ingredients, don't buy it!). So you can see how much better the real powdered milk will not only taste but how much better it is for your body comparatively.

INSTANT V. NON-INSTANT

Another thing to keep in mind, there is instant powdered milk and non-instant powdered milk (I know, why do companies have to make so many different kinds of one thing!) Essentially, instant milk is non-instant milk that has been puffed with air so it will mix easier with water - it practically just dissolves instantly when added to water. Non-instant does require more stirring and chilling before serving, but when you look at it financially, you get more for your money with non-instant because you can use less when cooking and fit more of it in a can when storing.

You can easily buy this at most stores in Utah, as well as the LDS Cannery (why not TUESDAY?) If you'd like, the beprepared.com website includes powdered milk (which is on sale right now!) as well as several other food storage and emergency preparedness options.

Lay Up In Store

The following was taken from the May 2007 issue of the Liahona, written (spoken at Conference) by Bishop Keith B McMullin:

"A cardinal principle of the gospel is to prepare for the day of scarcity. Work, industry, frugality are part of the royal order of life. Remember these words from Paul: “If any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.”

Seated before us are the three presiding high priests who constitute the First Presidency of the Church.

From President James E. Faust, Second Counselor, we hear: “Every father and mother are the family’s storekeepers. They should store whatever their own family would like to have in the case of an emergency … [and] God will sustain us through our trials.”

From President Thomas S. Monson, First Counselor, we hear: “Many more people could ride out the storm-tossed waves in their economic lives if they had their year’s supply of food … and were debt-free. Today we find that many have followed this counsel in reverse: they have at least a year’s supply of debt and are food-free.”

From President Gordon B. Hinckley, the Lord’s prophet, we hear:“The best place to have some food set aside is within our homes. …“We can begin ever so modestly. We can begin with a one week’s food supply and gradually build it to a month, and then to three months. … I fear that so many feel that a long-term food supply is so far beyond their reach that they make no effort at all.“Begin in a small way, … and gradually build toward a reasonable objective.”

Inspired preparation rests on the foundation of faith in Jesus Christ, obedience, and a provident lifestyle. Members should not go to extremes, but they should begin...

Encourage our members to regularly put into their home storage a few wholesome, basic food items and some water that is safe to drink. They should save some money, if only a few coins each week. This modest approach will soon enable them to have several months’ reserve. Over time they can expand these modest efforts into a longer-term supply by adding such essentials as grains, legumes, and other staples that will keep them alive in case they do not have anything else to eat.

As we do our very best, we can be confident that “the barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail.”We shall enjoy greater wisdom, security, peace of mind, and personal well-being. We shall be prepared, and because we are prepared, we “shall not fear.”

…“The feeling of peace and the desire to be faithful to the commandment given by the Lord through the modern prophet helps us feel the Holy Spirit, … to not be afraid, and to see that the signs of the time for the Second Coming of the Lord is a blessing and not something to fear. We rejoice in it. … It gives us the motivation to be faithful and endure to the end and to be saved and obtain eternal life.”

[close quote]


Sisters, do not put off building your food storage and preparing your families for the trials that lie ahead.