Friday, August 1, 2008

Food Storage Fridays

The Wonders of Wheat!




First things first, make sure the wheat you buy is clean hard winter wheat with less than 10% moisture and a protein content above 11.5%...if you do, you'll have no problem with storage. Just make sure the container you store it in is dry and has a tight lid. Rotate cans every six months.

There are lots of fancy equipment to buy to help with wheat storage...but there are also just as many homeade ways! Whatever saves dollars makes sense to me!

You shouldnt just store wheat (or any other items) and never use them in your daily life. That was my main concern about having wheat in my food storage--what the heck will I do with it when the day comes that I might REALLY need what I have stored!!? I am learning while posting, so I dont claim to be an expert on the matter...but here are some tidbits I learned from some recent reading:

1. Steam Wheat. Here are some directions from "A Family Raised On Sunshine"
Use a common pan as a steamer. Put water in the bottom of your pan and then set a container of wheat in the pan on a rack so the steam rises around it. Put 1/2 cup wheat in 2 cups water with 1/2 tsp. salt in wheat container, then enough water in the bottom of the steamer so it doesnt cook dry, put a lid on, and steam the wheat slowly overnight (12 hours)....Then in the morning, you'll be able to enjoy some hot cereal (great with honey, brown sugar, milk or cream) Whatever's left over, cover the container in the refrigerator...it makes the best, most nutritious, most economical meat extender! Use it in chili, spaghetti sauce, meat loaf, etc. Just mix it in with your ground meat.

2. Grinding wheat. Stone grinders are the best. (Here's where I am clueless, i've never seen one before!) A stone grinder is better than a steel bladed one because of the amount of heat generated from the steel-bladed. The more heat used, the more vitamins are destroyed in the wheat germ.

In the Essentials of Home Production and Storage Manual put out by the Church, It says you need 300 LBS of grain per adult for ONE YEAR. Of course, wheat is not the only grain they recommend. Rice and Corn are other common grains we use in our daily lives.




Here's a food storage recipe for Whole Wheat Bread:

1 cup of hot water
1 cup of brown sugar
6 T shortening
1 cup warm water
2 T honey
1/2 oz dry yeast
3 cups warm water
4 t salt
6 cups of white flour
6 cups of whole wheat flour
1 cup of cracked wheat (optional)

Combine first three ingredients; stir until dissolved. Let stand
Combine next three ingredients; let rise
Combine the above 2 mixtures. Add warm water, salt and white flour. Beat vigorously to make a sponge. Mix in whole wheat flour and cracked wheat (if used)
Knead, adding more white flour if needed. Let rise until double in bulk. Punch down. Form into loaves, and let rise until double in bulk.
Bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes. Makes 6 loaves.

Sunday, July 27, 2008

92

As a 1930s wife, I am
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Family Home Evening 7/28

The Power (and fun) of Scriptures!



Song: Scripture Power
Activity/Lesson: Start a scripture journal! make sure that its a size that can fit in your scripture tote. you can use this notebook for jotting down favorite scriptures or feelings you have while reading. They're also really handy for taking notes in your classes. I made them with my CTR 6/7 class a few years ago....we had so much fun making them...all my kiddo's thought they were so cool with these!
Im about due for a new one!

While pasting and stickering your notebook, talk about special scriptures, favorite heroes of the scriptures...etc. why not make a cool decorated pen/pencil to match your notebook!?
Snack: Scripture Cookies! (its also an a fun activity because you have to search the scriptures to find what each ingredient is!)

Exodus 23:10 (Fruit) Cookies
1/2 cup D&C 35:8 (shortening)
1/2 cup Psalms 55:21 (margarine)
1 cup Isaiah 43:24 (sugar)
1 tablespoon 2 Chronicles 34:7 (powder)
1/2 teaspoon 2 Kgs. 2:20 (salt)
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 Isaiah 10:14 (eggs)
3 1/2 cups I Kings 4:22 (flour)
1 cup crushed Isaiah 60:13 (pine) + Solomon 2:3 (apple), or diced Exodus 23:10 (fruit)

Cream the shortening and margarine for about 30 seconds. Add the sugar, baking powder, salt, vanilla, and eggs. Mix. Add the flour (a cup at a time). Mix. Add fruit. Mix. Drop a leveled off tablespoon of cookie dough onto a ungreased baking pan about 2 inches apart. Bake at 375 degrees F. for about minutes 10 to 15 minutes or until the bottoms are slightly brown. Cool on wire racks. Makes about 60.

Soft D&C 89:17 (Oatmeal) Cookies
1/2 cup D&C 35: 8 (shortening)
1/4 cup Psalms 55:21 (margarine)
2 cups I Kings 4:22 (flour)
1/2 cup packed Jeremiah 6:20 (brown sugar)
1/2 cup Isaiah 43:24 (sugar)
2 Isaiah 10:14 (eggs)
1 teaspoon 2 Chronicles 34:7 (powder)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup Genesis 24:17 (water)
1/2 teaspoon Song of Solomon 4:14 (cinnamon)
1 3/4 cups D&C 89:17 (oats)
1/2 cup I Samuel 30:12 (raisins) or chocolate chips (optional)

Cream the shortening and margarine for about 30 seconds. Add the sugars, eggs, baking powder, baking soda, vanilla, water, and cinnamon. Mix. Add 1 cup of flour. Mix. Add the remaining cup of flour. Add the oats and raisins (if desired). Mix. Drop about a tablespoon of cookie dough onto a ungreased baking pan about 2 inches apart. Bake at 375 degrees F. for about minutes 10 to 12 minutes or until the bottoms are slightly brown. Cool on wire racks. Makes about 48 or more.