Friday, March 30, 2012

Lemon Pepper

Sorry I haven’t posted in a while I have been pretty sick. I will pick up the food storage challenge next week since it is the end of the week.


I make my own lemon pepper with some of the lemons that I dry in the winter
I use a lot of lemon pepper and like being able to make my own.


Lemon Pepper


½ C. dried lemon ( I Make my own with lemons I have dried my self)
1/8 C. Salt
1/8 C. Pepper
1 Tbl. Garlic Powder
1 Tbl. Onion Powder
2 Tea. Citric Acid


Mix all together this does not have the anti caking chemicals so you my need top break it up occasionally

Monday, March 19, 2012

The Harbinger

I Just finished reading a real good book The Harbinger By elow is a description . The bible is warning us and we need to take heed.This narrative and the true, checkable facts it is built around demonstrate that even in chaos, there is order ... and that nothing happens apart from God's allowance. He is in control.
Jonathan Cahn. B


Book Description
Publication Date: January 3, 2012
Is it possible...


That there exists an ancient mystery that holds the secret of America s future?


That this mystery lies behind everything from 9/11 to the collapse of the global economy?


That ancient harbingers of judgment are now manifesting in America?


That God is sending America a prophetic message of what is yet to come?


Before its destruction as a nation, ancient Israel received nine harbingers, prophetic omens of warning. The same nine harbingers are now manifesting in America with immediate ramifications for end-time prophecy.


Hidden in an ancient biblical prophecy from Isaiah, the mysteries revealed in The Harbinger are so precise that they foretold recent American events down to the exact days. The revelations are so specific that even the most hardened skeptics will find it hard to dismiss or put down. It sounds like the plot of a Hollywood thriller with one exception... IT S REAL.


The prophetic mysteries are revealed through an intriguing and engaging narrative the reader will find hard to put down. The Harbinger opens with the appearance of a man burdened with a message he has received from a mysterious figure called The Prophet. The Prophet has given him nine seals, each containing a message about America s future. As he tells of his encounters with The Prophet, from a skyscraper in New York City, to a rural mountaintop, to Capitol Hill, to Ground Zero, the mystery behind each seal is revealed. As the story unfolds, each revelation becomes a piece in a greater puzzle the ramifications of which will even alter the course of world history.





































Thursday, March 15, 2012

Homemade Play dough

My Grandma used to make this for us kids we loved it. and I made it for my kids. The kids love playing with it and you do not have to worry if they decide to eat a little (Which has happened haha) And you can let the kids pick out what color they want . One time I used a package of Kool-aid and it smelled great and colored it.

Homemade Play dough


2 Cups Flour
1 Cup Salt
½ Cup Cornstarch
1 TBL. Salad Oil
1 TBL Powdered Alum
2 Cups Water
Food Color ( optional)


Combine in saucepan and cook over med heat
Stirring constantly until mixture thickens into a thick dough.
Remove from heat immediately, As soon as it can be handled knead
it like you would bread for about 10 minutes.
It will last a long time when stored in an airtight container.



Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Homemade Marshmallows

Theses are so good I will never buy another Marshmallow again. Although I havn’t tried to roast these yet but I think they would work fine


Homemade Marshmallows


Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup corn syrup
2 ½ TBLS (3 packets) gelatin powder
1 cup ice water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (could instead use cinnamon, raspberry, mint, peppermint , strawberry, or other flavors)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup powdered sugar + 1/4 cup corn starch, mixed
Mix 1/2 cup of the water with the gelatin powder in the bowl of your mixer. Let sit.
In a thick-bottomed pot put the corn syrup, sugar, salt, and the rest of the water. Cover and cook for 3-4 minutes over medium heat. Remove the Cook until the temperature reaches 240 degrees or soft-ball stage Fahrenheit (7-8 minutes), stirring constantly. Remove from heat as soon as the temperature is met.
Turn the mixer on low and pour the syrup mixture into the gelatin using a rubber scraper (or spatula) to get every last drop from the pan. Now turn the mixer up to high speed. Whip until the mixture looks like Cool Whip or marshmallow cream (light, fluffy, and heavenly) which takes about 12-13 minutes. Add the vanilla. (or whatever flavoring you like during the last minute of whipping) I think if you need marshmallow cream, this is when you use it but I have not tried that yet.


While that’s happening, prepare a 13″X9″ (with tall metal sides) with cooking spray. Dust with the corn starch and powdered sugar mixture until all the sides are thoroughly coated. Now spray your rubber scraper or spatula with cooking spray (I use a spray bottle with oil to save money but do your own thing), and use it to scrape the gelatin mixture into the prepared pan. Now dust the top with the rest of the corn starch and powdered sugar. Let sit overnight at room temperature. Turn out on a large piece of wax paper and use a pizza wheel dipped in the powdered sugar mixture to cut into squares. Dust the squares in corn starch and powdered sugar so that all sides are coated. Store in an airtight container for a week or so.















Sunday, March 11, 2012

A Must Read Book

I just finished reading One Second After by William R. Forstchen I think everyone should read this book ( the library has it ), It is a real eye opener. With the forward written by Newt Gingrich and the afterword written by Capt. Bill Sanders, USN, It definitely makes you think.


Here is a review by Gil T. Wilson
Are you prepared for a natural disaster? What about a natural disaster that wipes out the fundamental way of life for the entire United States of America? We all like to say that we have learned something from the disasters created by hurricane Katrina or even the attacks of 9/11. But those disasters had something in common in that we could turn on the television or radio and find out information about the situation. We also knew that eventually help would arrive on the scene.
One Second After explores a form of attack on the U.S. that hits us in our soft underbelly -- our lives in the modern age of electronics. Most of the world, and perhaps especially the U.S., have come to rely on electronics for both our creature comforts and basic survival. The list of electronic devices, such as cars, computers, television, diabetic monitors, and pacemakers only begin a list that can go on forever. In this sobering scenario, these "amenities" are completely wiped out by an Electro-Magnetic Pulse (EMP) bomb.
It is not comforting to know that there is a weapon in existence today that can do this to electronic equipment. Electro-magnetic pulses were discovered in the early days of nuclear testing. The pulse was actually a side effect of a nuclear blast and early tests of nuclear weapons found that electronics were severely affected by these pulses, rendering electronic equipment useless. Today, the electronic circuitry in every-day devices is more complex and more susceptible to this type of attack.
In this cautionary tale, three nuclear missiles are detonated in the atmosphere above the United States and the county is rendered helpless. Every electronic device quits working. Basically, anything with a chip in it ceases to function.
This story follows the citizens of Black Mountain, North Carolina as they fight for survival in a situation that has turned the clocks back to medieval times. Once the power is out, the community must reform its thinking to a survival mode. No supplies will ever come in, no one knows what is going on outside of the city limits and only a small handful of cars will run. The town begins rationing food and medical supplies as the population dies off from disease and starvation. They then start to rebuild and try to survive with makeshift soup lines from the area's cattle farms and what little food can be hunted in the mountains.
Just when the town starts to level out from the deaths of those that would normally be treated at modern facilities, a horde of what used to be "gang-bangers" threaten the town. This gang is made up of the more violent dregs of society and they are cutting a swath of death and destruction as they loot towns to survive. The most vicious of crimes this group perpetrates is that of cannibalism.
Most of the issues explored in this book are told through the experiences of one family trying to survive. This creates a personal feel to the story and I was completely swallowed up by their exploits. The story even had me wondering, "What would I do?" and "How can I prepare myself?"
Joe Barrett delivers this audiobook with a great voice that easily makes you feel comfortable with its hometown storyteller quality. He also delivers the entire gamut of emotions that this story requires.
With the forward written by Newt Gingrich and the afterword written by Capt. Bill Sanders, USN, the reality of this situation really hits home. Not a matter of "if" but "when" it will happen. While this may seem like a science fiction tale of a post apocalypse world, it does have its basis in reality. Be careful listening to this audiobook -- you'll find yourself fully absorbed by the story and planning your survival at the same time.
Copyright © 2009 Gil T. Wilson
Gil T. has spent a quarter of a century working in radio and has lots of spare time on his hands and reading or listening to books takes up all that time. Check out his blog to find out what he's up to at any given moment.


Letter Re: "One Second After" -- A Book Review with Some Advice go to this link



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Friday, March 9, 2012

Easy Homemade BBQ Sauce

This is the best recipe for homemade Barbeque Sauce that I’ve tried by far. One of my daughters eats barbeque sauce on everything. I made this sauce and she couldn’t tell it was homemade. I rinsed out the old bottle of store bought sauce and put this in it, she never knew.

Makes 4 cups
3 c. ketchup
2 c. brown sugar
3 Tbsp liquid smoke
1 tsp salt

Simply mix all ingredients together over low heat until thoroughly combined and heated through. It is that easy!
You can freeze the leftovers or keep in the fridge.



Thursday, March 8, 2012

Whole Wheat Flour tortillas

In my quest to be come as self sufficient as I can I am having to make some of the things that I just automatically bought at the store, tortillas is on of these things. It has taken me a while to find a recipe that I like, I found one and as always I have to tweak it a little, so here is how I make my whole wheat tortillas. It is nice to know I don’t have to depend on the store for these and that they are so much better for you.






Whole Wheat Flour tortillas

2 Cups Whole-wheat flour
2 Cups White flour
2 Tsp Salt
1 ½ tsp Baking powder
¾ Tsp yeast
2 Tbl. Wheat Gluten (You can get wheat gluten at wal-mart in the baking aisle it is invaluable when cooking with wheat flour)
6 Tbl. Lard (or Shortening
1 1/3 very warm water (not to hot to touch)


Mix the flours salt baking soda wheat Gluten and yeast add the lard Use a fork to mix in the lard ( I use my Kitchen aid to mix ) after well worked in add the warm water and knead lightly to a soft dough. Cover with a cloth and let rest 15 minute. Heat a heavy based frying pan or griddle. Pull out a fist sized ball and roll out on a lightly floured surface, not to thin. Cook for 11/2 to 2 minutes, turning as soon as the surface starts to bubble. It should stay flexible Remove from the pan and wrap in a dishtowel to keep warm while cooking the remaining tortillas.

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Whole-Grain Strawberry Breakfast Bars Recipe

The girls were wanting breakfast bars the other day but I can’t see paying that price not to mention all the additives and preservatives in them so I found a recipe and tweaked it and this is what I got. The girls liked them and I thought they were very similar to the store bought kind.




Whole-Grain Strawberry Breakfast Bars Recipe
Ingredients:
3 c old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats
11/2 c whole-wheat flour
½ c white flour
11/3 c packed brown sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2/3 c canola or vegetable oil
2 large eggs
Strawberry Jelly ( or whatever kind you would like to use )

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Combine oats, flours, sugars, and cinnamon in a food processor. Process until oats are finely ground. Add oil and eggs; pulse to evenly combine, scraping sides of work bowl.
Press half of the crumb mixture evenly on bottom of a well-oiled or greased 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Spread Jelly evenly over crumbs. Top with remaining crumbs and pat down gently. Make sure they are packed down good so the bars will stay together when cut.
Bake 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely in pan. Cut into bars.





Monday, March 5, 2012

Homemade Vicks (Congestion Rub)

I have been trying to use more natural products, and get away from all the store bought that I can. This is a congestion rub recipe that I really like to use and it’s pretty easy to make.




Home made Vicks (Congestion Rub)


¼ C Dried Peppermint Leaves (cooling, pain relieving)
¼ Fresh grated ginger root (breaks up congestion)
½ C Dried Lavender (pain relieving, antiseptic healing, topically healing)
½ C Dried Mullein Leaves (Breaks up congestion)
¾ C Olive Oil
¾ c Coconut oil
2 ounces bees wax


Put the oils in a small crock-pot. Get warm then add the herbs cook on warm for three days turn off at night. On the forth day, drain the oils in a mesh colander or cheese cloth. Put oils in a small pan add the beeswax and cook on low until the wax is melted. Let cool as it is cooling whip it with a whip (I use a electric hand whip) but a hand whip will work when cool and in cream form pour into small jars ( I used old baby food jars ) and label.
To use: Rub on chest , feet ( with socks) or under nose.

Saturday, March 3, 2012

Preserving eggs: Part 3 Storing on the shelf

You can preserve your eggs long-term. All you have to is get warm some mineral oil (Mineral oil is found in the pharmaceutical sections along with Pepto Bismal, laxatives, etc. ) about 10 seconds for a quarter cup. Take your eggs out of the carton rub the warmed mineral oil over the eggs ( make sure the egg is completely covered don’t worry how thick or thin as long as the whole egg is covered and place back in the carton small end pointed down. A quarter cup of mineral oil should cover 4 to 6 dozen eggs.

Store your eggs in a cool dry place, you want the temperature to be about 68 degrees for long term storage. This method will allow your eggs to stay good for 9 months and sometimes as much as 12. You need to flip your eggs once a month, just flip the carton upside down gently so as not to break any of the eggs this helps maintain the integrity of the yolk. You can store them like this at room temperature for a few weeks.

Don’t worry about the eggs going bad and you not knowing, rotten eggs smell horrible. An other way to see if they are bad is to put them in cold water ( at least double the depth as the length of the egg) anything not floating is a good egg

Don’t be put off by the other things that you might see in your egg. Some things may look odd to you, but don’t worry, there is nothing wrong with your egg when you see the little red spots in the yolk. Those spots (usually referred to as meat spots) just mean that a blood vessel ruptured during the formation of the egg. They are diluted as the egg gets older, which means that if you actually see them, your eggs are still quite fresh. Another misinterpreted egg issue is when you see a white strand (chalazae) in the egg white, usually right next to the yolk. It reminds me of a white umbilical cord. They are only there to keep the egg yolk centered and are sometimes more obvious in some eggs than others. Even if you see an egg white that is cloudy or has a yellow or green hue to it, it doesn’t mean that it’s bad. In fact, quite the opposite because it indicates that the carbon dioxide just hasn’t had enough time to escape the egg. Even if you end up with a fertilized egg, it’s still safe to eat.
This way of egg preservation is only for eggs you intend to cook before eating.

Yes, you can do this method on grocery store eggs. The grocery store egg distributors make sure to wash off the bloom and then refrigerate them. Your mineral oil essentially reapplies the bloom. Of course always look at the dates on the egg cartons and get them as “new” as possible. Obviously, rotating through your eggs is standard, If store bought or from your own chickens You can number or alphabetize the eggs so that you can keep the egg cartons together in batches if you purchased them from the store. That way if there ever is a problem with a group of eggs, you know where they came from and can look at all of the eggs that you bought in that particular batch.