Recipes from SRS Meeting - May 7, 2009

Apple Crisp

4 cups dehydrated apples
8 cups hot water
½ C. Sugar
½ C. Brown Sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon

In a large sauce pan combine water, apple slices, sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes. Drain off liquid reserving about 1 cup to Add back to the apple mixture.

Ingredients for Topping:

3/4 cup of old-fashioned oats
2/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Dash of salt
1/2 cup of butter
1/2 cup of chopped walnuts (Optional)

Instructions:
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F Butter an 8 X 11 inch baking dish Place prepared apple mixture in baking dish. Mix old-fashioned oats, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl Add butter and rub into mixture until coarse crumbs form Mix in walnuts Spread topping onto apple mixture Place in oven and bake until topping is golden brown .(about 35-40 minutes)
Variations using different flavors of Ramen combined with different canned ingredients are easy.

Sprouting Mix

Green peas
Lentils
Garbanzo Beans
Black eyed Peas
Pumpkin
Soybeans
Almonds
Raw Spanish Peanuts
Wheat

1/2 cup mix, handful of almonds & peanuts, 2-3 Tb of Wheat. Mix is equal parts of above list (except wheat, almonds & peanuts) as you try it out you can add or subtract what you like and don’t like.

Fill jar with water and put it in the fridge for 24 hours. Thane put it in a sprouted & rinse well (this can also be done in a glass jar.. Remember to rinse well) Put them back in fridge & sprout for 48 hours. Rinse them a couple of times a day after this they are ready to eat. Rinse and enjoy

Sprouting - (SRS Meeting - May 7, 2009)

Why Sprouting?

Nutritious - seeds are packed with nutrients, sprouted seeds are even better. As each grows, proteins, enzymes, vitamins and other nutrients increase whilst becoming more bioavailable. At the same time toxins and enzyme inhibitors are reduced, increasing digestibility.

Fresh - sprouts grown at home and harvested at the dinner table are the freshest food you’ll ever eat. They won’t have lost vitamins like shop bought vegetables or have travelled round the world. They will be organically grown, full of life and energy.

Cheap - sprouting is ridiculously cheap! You can get pounds of greens for pennies.

Easy - it all boils down to "just add water." With few resources and very little time or effort, you can supply yourself an abundance of live food, in your home, all year round. If you travel, they can too.

Varied -you can grow many more young plants than you would find in a shop, your salads and recipes will always have something new, diversity is the spice of life!

How to Sprout

Air - as any small plant, sprouts need air to breathe, without it they will succumb to mould and rot more easily. Don’t put them in sealed containers and make sure that they get enough.

Water - after a good soaking, sprouts need water every 12 hours at least and more if its hot. Regularity is key, if they are even slightly deprived in their first few days of life they will be permanently setback. In your efforts to keep them watered don’t drown them, they must be allowed to freely drain, else they will soon rot. If you let them dry they’ll die. If you let them soak they’ll choke.

Warmth - sprouts need to be kept warm to germinate and grow. Optimum temperatures vary but 70 to 75 f is a good start. Don’t let them get too hot or they’ll wilt, lose vitality and die. Colder temperatures will slow growth and are good for storage, but don’t freeze them.
Space - for best results, give your sprouts some room. Some sprouts can increase up to 30 times their size. Cramming them in a jar or overfilling a tray or bag will force them to compete for light and air, with inevitable casualties. Spread only a thin layer of seeds in trays, keep them mobile in bags and jars and remember they get bigger!

Light - most sprouts can’t use light in the first few days of growth, and many never need it. However, any that produce leaves will eventually need light to ‘green up’. Direct sunlight should be avoided unless it’s cold, as it can overheat your crop. Most sprouts will be fine if they get indirect natural light, there is no need to keep them dark.

Nutrients - adding liquid plant nutrients to the soak water will give the sprouts an extra boost that you will later enjoy. It is not necessary, but will increase their health, longevity and nutritional value. You can also mist the sprouts with a dilute solution after rinsing. Use a few drops of liquid kelp in water, or another organic plant feed.

You can grow sprouts in Jars, Trays, breathable bags (allow water & air out but not sprouts)

www.primalseeds.org/sprouting.htm

Sprouting Mix

Green peas
Lentils
Garbanzo Beans
Black eyed Peas
Pumpkin
Soybeans
Almonds
Raw Spanish Peanuts
Wheat

1/2 cup mix, handful of almonds & peanuts, 2-3 Tb of Wheat. Mix is equal parts of above list (except wheat, almonds & peanuts) as you try it out you can add or subtract what you like and don’t like.

Fill jar with water and put it in the fridge for 24 hours. Thane put it in a sprouted & rinse well (this can also be done in a glass jar.. Remember to rinse well) Put them back in fridge & sprout for 48 hours. Rinse them a couple of times a day after this they are ready to eat. Rinse and enjoy

Dehydrated & Freeze Dried Foods (SRS Meeting - May 7, 2009)

Which Method of Storing is the Best?

Many people want to know which method is the best for storing their food, and depending on whom you ask, you will probably get a different answer. Each method has different advantages and disadvantages, depending on what your priorities are when it comes to food storage. We have outlined the basic methods, and how they affect your food storage. So you be the judge of the best method for you and your family, and start getting prepared!

Dehydrated Foods

When food is dehydrated, the water is slowly cooked out of the fruit or vegetable, without actually cooking it. There are three different methods: air-dried, sun-dried, or kiln-dried. Food can be easily sun-dried from your home, whereas the air or kiln method requires more equipment. All methods are very cost-efficient for storing food. Once fruits and vegetables are dried, they are then stored in airtight containers. Usually they are packed with an oxygen absorber, which effectively removes the oxygen, leaving only nitrogen behind.

Advantages

• Lower Price than Freeze-dried
• Food is compact-more can be stored in a container
• Food can be dried at home (sun dried)
• Easy to reconstitute with water

Disadvantages

• Freeze Dried Foods
• Food loses some texture when dried
• Some loss of taste compared to freeze dried
• Need a machine to create air tight seal and add oxygen absorber

Freeze Dried Foods

Freeze-drying is a process of preserving food that retains the delicious taste and nutrition of fresh foods. Fresh or cooked foods are flash frozen and then put in large vacuum chamber that remains as cold as -50° F. Minimal heat is applied, and the ice evaporates without ever going back into the liquid phase. This removes almost all of the moisture from the product. Finally, the product is canned or bagged and labeled for long term storage for easy use at a later date. Although the freeze-drying method is generally more expensive, it generally produces a shelf life similar to that of dehydrated foods. It is a good choice for fruits and meats.

Advantages

• Food keeps texture and shape
• Quickly reconstitutes with warm water
• Lighter for carrying or backpacking
• Keeps full taste and size or bulk

Disadvantages

• Higher Price
• Need expensive equipment for freeze drying process
• Only cost effective for selective products– meats, fruits, and vegetables
• Requires more space to store since food remains full size

Meals Ready to Eat (MRE) (5 year storage plus or minus)

Are MRE's dehydrated or freeze dried?
No. Dehydrated or freeze dried foods typically require that water be added in order to be prepared and eaten. MRE main courses are "ready to eat", and do not require you to add water to the contents.

Can I eat the products cold?
Yes. The main entrees (such as Beef Stew, Chili with Macaroni or similar items) do not require additional cooking prior to being eaten. All products may be eaten cold, directly from the pouch. Heating of the products is considered optional, although most people do prefer to warm their food when possible.

How do I warm my food?
MRE pouches may be warmed in many ways. Although the pouch is a reasonably sturdy and durable container, it can be damaged if too high of a temperature is applied. DO NOT apply a direct flame to the pouch. DO NOT use any high temperature heating process that could harm the pouch or cause injury or damage to your skin. Instead, the following methods are suggested
1. The unopened pouch may be placed in a pan of warm water for 5-10 minutes.
2. Lay the pouch in direct sunlight, allowing it to warm;
3. The unopened pouch may be placed inside your shirt, allowing your body temperature to help warm the food inside;
4. The unopened pouch may be laid on a warm surface, to absorb the heat from the warm object; 5. The pouch may be opened and the food placed into a pan for heating.
6. MRE pouches may also be heated using Water-Activated Flameless MRE Heaters.

www.ki4u.com/mre.htm

Apple Crisp

4 cups dehydrated apples
8 cups hot water
½ C. Sugar
½ C. Brown Sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon

In a large sauce pan combine water, apple slices, sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes. Drain off liquid reserving about 1 cup to Add back to the apple mixture.

Ingredients for Topping:

3/4 cup of old-fashioned oats
2/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Dash of salt
1/2 cup of butter
1/2 cup of chopped walnuts (Optional)

Instructions:
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F Butter an 8 X 11 inch baking dish Place prepared apple mixture in baking dish. Mix old-fashioned oats, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl Add butter and rub into mixture until coarse crumbs form Mix in walnuts Spread topping onto apple mixture Place in oven and bake until topping is golden brown .(about 35-40 minutes)
Variations using different flavors of Ramen combined with different canned ingredients are easy.

King Ranch Market Ad - Now Printable

The King Ranch ad is now printable online. Go to their weekly ad page, click on any of the red "view ad" links. Click on "Download Printable AD", and it will open up the ad in Adobe format so that you can print the ad and take it to your local Walmart for price matching. Make sure your printing options are set to "fit to printable area" and (if you have a color printer) print your ad in black and white. Don't waste your color ink!!

You ad should print on 2 pages like this

Here's my closeup

If you don't have Adobe Reader you can get it here for free.

The Prudent Homemaker - Garden Tour

Desert Gold Peaches

I attended The Prudent Homemaker's garden tour on Saturday and it was wonderful. She took us on a tour of her beautiful garden and explained in detail about the fruits, vegetables and herbs she has growing. Here are some pictures that I took of her garden.

Green Onions that have gone to seed

Black Seeded Simpson Lettuce, Early Girl Tomato plant (with cage around it), and a harvested Radish

This is a new feature in her garden. Here she built an above ground planter. Currently there are green beans, tomatoes, watermelon, red and yellow bell peppers, spinach, pumpkin, and red onions.
Artichokes

Dorsett Golden Apples

Green Gage Plums

Brandy is full of knowledge and I would highly recommend attending the next garden tour. I know I'll be going again!

Free Movies this Summer

Thanks to Tisha for passing along these great links for free movies this summer!!

• Free Movies at Monte Lago Village at Lake Las Vegas
• Free Movies at Colonnade Stadium
• Free Movies at The District at GVR
• Free Movies (and other events) at the Henderson Libraries