Condensed and Evaporated Milk - Helpful Websites

Condensed and Evaporated Milk

• Cooking Tips
• Differences between Condensed and Evaporated Milk
• Storing Canned Milk
• History of Canned Milk
• Canned Milk Recipes

FHE Idea - Self Reliance in All Things

Teach your children the importance of self-reliance!

Self Reliance

by The Family Home Evening Spot

This recipe would be a great one to have after Family Home Evening!!

Skor Cake

1 box chocolate cake mix
1 small jar caramel topping
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 8 oz. container Cool Whip
1/2 - 3/4 cup toffee bits or crunched up Skor bars

Mix cake according to package directions. Bake in a 9x13 baking pan. When cake just comes out of the oven poke holes all over it with a fork. Pour caramel topping all over top. Then pour sweetened condensed milk all over the top. Let cake cool. Spread cool whip over top and sprinkle with toffee bits or Skor bar pieces.

"Instant" Pancake Mix

Instant Pancake Mix

by Alton Brown

6 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda (check expiration date first)
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons sugar

Combine all of the ingredients in a lidded container. Shake to mix. Use the mix within 3 months.

"INSTANT" PANCAKES:
2 eggs, separated
2 cups buttermilk
4 tablespoons melted butter
2 cups "Instant" Pancake Mix, recipe above
1 stick butter, for greasing the pan
2 cups fresh fruit such as blueberries, if desired
Heat an electric griddle or frying pan to 350 degrees F. Heat oven to 200 degrees F.

Whisk together the egg whites and the buttermilk in a small bowl. In another bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the melted butter.

Combine the buttermilk mixture with the egg yolk mixture in a large mixing bowl and whisk together until thoroughly combined. Pour the liquid ingredients on top of the pancake mix. Using a whisk, mix the batter just enough to bring it together. Don't try to work all the lumps out.

Check to see that the griddle is hot by placing a few drops of water onto to the griddle. The griddle is ready if the water dances across the surface.

Lightly butter the griddle. Wipe off thoroughly with a paper towel. (No butter should be visible.)

Gently ladle the pancake batter onto the griddle and sprinkle on fruit if desired. When bubbles begin to set around the edges of the pancake and the griddle-side of the cake is golden, gently flip the pancakes. Continue to cook 2 to 3 minutes or until the pancake is set.

Serve immediately or remove to a towel-lined baking sheet and cover with a towel. Hold in a warm place for 20 to 30 minutes.

Yields 12 pancakes

Recipes using Substitutions

TVP Tacos
(substitute meat with TVP)

1 1/3 cup TVP
¼ cup Taco Seasoning (or 1 pkg)
1 (14 oz.) can low sodium beef broth

In a large skillet, heat the broth over medium heat. Add TVP and stir well. Allow the TVP to reconstitute for 2-3 minutes. Add taco seasoning & stir well. Allow to cook for another 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Serve in place of ground beef in your tacos. Garnish tacos with refried beans, sour cream, lettuce, onions, tomatoes, olives and cheese

Soda Cake
(in this recipe, you can substitute eggs and oil with a diet soda)

1 chocolate cake mix (without “Pudding in the Mix”)
1 can Caffeine-Free diet Coke

Combine the box of cake mix with the can of diet soda in a medium mixing bowl. Bake cake according to box directions. Allow to cool in pans for about a half hour before you frost or try to eat your cake.

**You can also use a yellow or white cake mix with a can of diet 7-up

Chocolate Chip Cookies
adapted from Jessica's family recipe

1 cup butter
¾ cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar (not packed)
2 eggs (or use gelatin egg substitute below)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 ½ cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups Semi-Sweet chocolate chips

Turn oven on to 375. Cream margarine first, while mixing, add granulated sugar, then brown sugar. Slowly add one egg at a time. Now add teaspoon of vanilla and cream together. Combine flour, salt, and baking soda in a separate bowl and mix together with spoon. Turn on mixer, add slowly and cream together. Add chocolate chips and incorporate into cookie dough.

Use cookie scoop to shape cookies and place on cookie sheet, about 1 doz. Makes about 2 dozen large cookies. Bake for 8-11 minutes. Take cookies out of oven and let stand 5-10 minutes.

Gelatin Egg Substitute
(substitute an egg with this gelatin recipe)

1 tsp Knox unflavored gelatin (in the Jell-O section)
3 TBSP cold water
2 TBSP + 1 tsp warm water

Mix gelatin and cold water until dissolved. Then add warm water and mix. Substitutes for 1 egg!

Recipes with Milk (Powdered, Evaporated & Condensed)

Harvest Potato Soup

1 cup onion, diced
1 cup celery, diced
4 cups potato, diced
½ lb bacon, cooked and drained
2 cups instant potatoes
½ cups dehydrated carrots
8 chicken bouillon cubes
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk

Simmer all vegetables, bouillon cubes and cream of chicken soup in 8 cups of water until vegetables are fully cooked. Add instant potatoes and evaporated milk to achieve desired consistency. Garnish with grated cheese and bacon bits.

Frosting with Evaporated Milk

6 tablespoons butter, softened
5 1/4 cups sifted powdered sugar
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Beat butter and powdered sugar in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add evaporated milk and vanilla extract; mix until smooth. Makes 3 cups.

Orange Julius

2 cups orange juice (NOT concentrated)
½ cups powdered milk (dry powder, do not mix with water)
½ cup crushed ice
2 TBSP sugar
½ tsp vanilla

Put all ingredients in a blender and blend until ice is totally crushed.

Magic Bars

1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 (14 ounce) can Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 cups semisweet chocolate morsels
(or use 1 cup chocolate chips and 1 cup butterscotch chips)
1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
1 cup chopped nuts

Heat oven to 350 degrees F (325 degrees for glass dish). Coat 13x9-inch baking pan with no-stick cooking spray. Combine graham cracker crumbs and butter. Press into bottom of prepared pan. Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over crumb mixture. Layer evenly with chocolate chips, coconut and nuts. Press down firmly with a fork.
Bake 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool. Cut into bars or diamonds. Store covered at room temperature.

Ultimate Hot Chocolate
from Our Best Bites

2 1-oz squares of unsweetened baking chocolate
1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
4 cups water
1 tsp vanilla

In your microwave or in a small saucepan over medium heat, heat the chocolate and the sweetened condensed milk until the chocolate is completely melted (about 2-2 1/2 minutes in the microwave). Whisk in vanilla, combine completely, and set aside. In a larger saucepan, bring 4 cups water to a boil. Remove from heat and whisk in chocolate mixture. Serve in mugs with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon if desired. Serves about 6.

Variations:

Mexican Hot Chocolate: Add 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon and 1/8-1/4 tsp cayenne pepper in with the vanilla.

Mint Hot Chocolate: Replace vanilla with 1 tsp mint (NOT spearmint) extract

Peppermint Hot Chocolate: Replace vanilla with 1 tsp peppermint extract. Serve with a candy cane instead of a spoon to stir.

Almond or Hazelnut Hot Chocolate: Replace vanilla with 1 tsp almond or hazelnut extract.

Whipped Topping

1 cup ice cold water
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup powdered milk

Whip at high speed until desired consistency is achieved. Store in refrigerator.

Substitutions with Powdered Milk

Whole Milk

1 cup water

1/3 cup powdered milk

Buttermilk

1 cup water

1/3 cup powdered milk

1 TBSP vinegar or lemon juice

Mix together and let stand for 5 minutes

Condensed Milk

1/2 cup hot water

1 cup sugar

1 cup powdered milk

Blend thoroughly in blender. Can be stored in refrigerator or frozen.

Sweetened Condensed Milk (Eagle Brand)

3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1 cup plus 2 TBSP powdered milk

Combine all ingredients. Heat to boiling. Cook until thick, this will take 15 to 20
minutes. **(Becky made this and said it only took hers 7-8 minutes to cook!!) This equals one can.

Evaporated Milk (or try this one using whole milk!)

1 cup water

2/3 cup powdered milk

Blend ingredients well.

or if you have butter on hand...

Evaporated Milk

by food.com

1 1/2 cups warm water

1 cup powdered milk
2 tablespoons butter

Mix powdered milk and warm water together. Add butter. In a small pan, heat mixture together. Beat well, cool, and store in the refrigerator.

Here's a great page all about Powdered Milk!

How to Be a Gourmet and a Mormon Too

Tired of finding a new recipe for the holidays, only to discard it when you discover that it calls for the use of wine? Gourmet cookery is the delicate blending of foods that makes use of the savors of one’s choice and need not include the use of liquors or wines. In recipes that do call for them, substitutions can be easily made.

Substitutions for Wine and Liquor in Cooking

In Soups and Entrees

Dry (unsweet) red wine:

• Water
• Beef broth bouillon or consommé,
• Tomato juice (plain or diluted)
• Diluted cider vinegar or red wine vinegar
• Liquid drained from canned mushrooms

Dry (unsweet) white wine:

• Water
• Chicken broth, bouillon or consommé
• Ginger ale
• White grape juice
• Diluted cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
• Liquid drained from canned mushrooms

In Cheese Dishes (fondue or rarebit)

Beer or ale:

• Chicken broth
• White grape juice
• Ginger ale

In Desserts

Brandy:

• Apple cider, peach or apricot syrup

Rum:

• Pineapple juice or syrup flavored with almond extract

Sherry:

• Orange or pineapple juice

Kirsch:

• Syrup or juice from black cherries, raspberries, boysenberries, currants, or grapes or cherry cider

Cognac:

• Juice from peaches, apricots or pears

Cointreau:

• Orange juice or frozen orange juice concentrate

Creme de menthe:

• Spearmint extract or oil of spearmint diluted with a little water or grapefruit juice

Red burgundy:

• Grape juice

White burgundy:

• White grape juice

Champagne:

• Ginger ale

Claret:

• Grape or currant juice or syrup or cherry cider

Note: To cut the sweetness of the syrups, dilute with water. Also, there are many flavor extracts, such as almond or pineapple, that can be added for interesting flavors.

Flambés or Flaming Desserts

The only substitute that might be used is a sugar cube soaked in lemon extract, then set atop a dessert and burned.

by Winnifred C. Jardine Ensign, Dec. 1976, 47–48

Herb Substitutions

Basil - Oregano or thyme

Chervil - Tarragon or parsley
Chive - Green onion; onion; or leek
Cilantro - Parsley
Italian Seasoning Blend (of any of these) - basil, oregano, rosemary, and ground red pepper
Marjoram - Basil, thyme, or savory
Mint - Basil, marjoram, or rosemary
Oregano - Thyme or basil
Parsley - Chervil or cilantro
Poultry Seasoning - Sage plus a blend of any of these: thyme, marjoram, savory, black pepper, and rosemary
Red Pepper - Dash bottled hot pepper sauce or black pepper
Rosemary - Thyme, tarragon, or savory
Sage - Poultry seasoning, savory, marjoram or rosemary
Savory - Thyme, marjoram or sage
Tarragon - Chervil, dash fennel seed or dash aniseed
Thyme - Basil, marjoram, oregano or savory

by About.com

Spice Substitutions

Allspice - Cinnamon, cassia, dash of nutmeg or mace or dash of cloves
Aniseed - Fennel seed or a few drops anise extract
Cardamom - Ginger
Chili Powder - Dash bottled hot pepper sauce plus a combination of oregano and cumin
Cinnamon - Nutmeg or allspice (use only 1/4 of the amount)
Cloves - Allspice, cinnamon, or nutmeg
Cumin - Chili powder
Ginger - Allspice, cinnamon, mace or nutmeg
Mace - Allspice, cinnamon, ginger or nutmeg
Nutmeg - Cinnamon, ginger or mace
Saffron - Dash turmeric (for color)

by About.com

Quick & Easy Substitutions in Cooking

Egg Substitute

1 tsp Knox unflavored gelatin (in the Jell-O section)
3 TBSP cold water
2 TBSP + 1 tsp warm water

Mix gelatin and cold water until dissolved. Then add warm water and mix. Substitutes for 1 egg!

Egg Substitute

1 TBSP ground flaxseed

3 TBSP warm water

Mix together, substitutes for 1 egg

Buttermilk

milk (just under one cup)
1 TBSP white vinegar or lemon juice

Place a Tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice in a liquid measuring cup. Add enough milk to bring the liquid up to the one-cup line. Let stand for five minute. Then, use as much as your recipe calls for.

Self-Rising Flour

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

Mix together and use.

Butter - Use olive oil, measure for measure for sauteing and cooked dishes.

Cream or Half and Half - Evaporated Milk

Cake Flour - 1 cups cake flour = 1 cup minus 2 TBSP all-purpose flour

Fresh/Dried Herbs - 1 TBSP fresh herbs can be substituted with 1 tsp dried herbs

Sour Cream - Use yogurts, measure for measure, add a dash of salt if desired

Milk Results are In!!

Thank you all so much for participating in our fun little taste test. I received 19 surveys back and just finished calculating the results!! Remember that most of these milks have 3 versions - Original, Vanilla and Chocolate. I only bought one version for our taste test. Shelf-Stable milk has a shelf life of approximately 2 years and only needs to be refrigerated once opened, or in the case of Powdered Milk, once reconstituted.

We have a surprising winner!! It's Powdered Milk! Most everyone thought that the powdered milk tastes most like "real" milk.

Powdered Milk - 3.75

There are many different companies who make powdered milk, but I just used the Wal-Mart brand. Powdered milk only received 1 "disappointing" and had the highest amount's of 4's and 5's! Powdered milk's average was a 3.75

Almond Milk - 2.70

Almond milk had 6 "disappointing". We tried "original", but there is also Vanilla and Chocolate as well.

Shelf-Stable - 2.75Shelf Stable milk received 7 "disappointing". We tried the Vanilla flavor, which was very sweet and rich. Comments were "It's like drinking ice cream" and "It's too sweet". Even my 5 year old didn't like it. She does LOVE the chocolate version. I am sure that the Original flavor is not at rich as the Vanilla.

Soy 2.50

We did not try the Silk brand, but I can't remember which brand we did try! I LOVE Silk soy milk, however most people didn't share my sentiments. Soy milk only received a 2.50 and the most "disappointing" (8 total). I'll gladly share my Silk brand if anyone wants to give Soy milk another try :)

Rice - 3.25We tried original :)

SR Newsletter - "I Dare You to Milk It... Fake It"

Our meeting this month covered everything about milk and substitutions. We had a great time and ate some amazing food. Posts set to publish will cover everything in the newsletter and more! If you want to download a hard copy for your records, click the link below.

SR Newsletter - "I Dare You to Milk It... Fake It"

Self-Reliant Meeting This Week!!

Our next meeting is this week! Everyone is welcome and if you don't know where the location of our host is, please email me at lisainnevada(at)gmail(dot)com, and I will let you know. I am not publishing last names and address for safety reasons.

Theme: "I Dare You to Milk It... Fake It"

Date: Thursday, December 2, 2010

Time: 6:45 P.M.

Location: Mollie's House

Powdered, Sweetened & Evaporated. Learn about the different types of milk that you can have in your food storage. Fake it? Learn all about different kinds of substitutions in cooking!

SR Newsletter - "I Dare You to Eat It"

I just realized i hadn't posted the newsletter from October!! Here it is... short but sweet

SR Newsletter - "I Dare You to Eat It"

72 Hour Kit - Food Options (Pros and Cons)

My personal opinion is that in your 72 HOUR KIT, you want foods that can be eaten without cooking, without heating and can be eaten while walking or traveling. You don't know what kind of a situation you will be in and if you will have access to heating elements.

Here are 6 different options with their pros and cons.

1. MRE's (Meal Ready-to-Eat)

• Pros - Variety of meal choices, is a complete meal (main dish, crackers, peanut butter, salt, etc), is a hot meal, long shelf life.
• Cons - Expensive, bulky, requires heating, does not come with a cooking source, may not be the type of food your body is used to eating, cannot be eaten "on the go"

2. Heater Meals

• Pros - Variety of meal choices, is a hot meal, comes with it's own heater, and water for cooking, is a complete meal
• Cons - Bulky, expensive, not a long shelf life, requires heating, cannot be eaten "on the go"

3. Dehydrated Meals

• Pros - Variety of meal choices, is a hot meal, very long shelf life.
• Cons - Expensive, requires heating, does not come with a cooking source, cannot be eaten "on the go", requires water to "cook"

4. "Regular Food" - Foods that you'd pickup in the grocery store, such as Hormel "Compleats"

• Pros - Variety of meal choices, is a complete meal, is a hot meal, more like the kinds of food your body is used to eating
• Cons - Expensive, bulky, requires heating, does not come with a cooking source, 1 to 2 year shelf life, cannot be eaten "on the go"

5. Survival Bread

image from ehow.com

• Pros - Nutritious, lasts indefinitely, easy to make, cheap, can be molded into the shape you want (i.e. bars, loafs, etc), can be eaten "on the go", does not require heating, compact
• Cons - Is not a hot meal, you must make it, just one flavor so you may need to supplement with snack foods.

6. Emergency Bars

• Pros - Nutritious, shelf life of 5 years, inexpensive, can be eaten "on the go", does not require heating, compact
• Cons - Is not a hot meal, just one flavor so you may need to supplement with snack foods.

72 Hour Kit - Water Options (Pros and Cons)

Click the picture above to download the PDF format of

"72 Hour Kit - Water Options"

1. Water Pouch

• Price - 4.2 oz 35¢
• Pros - Easy to fit into packs, lasts up to 5 years
• Cons - Hard to open without spilling, must be held while drinking, must purchase online, could be punctured

2. Aqua Blox

• Price - 8.45 oz .85¢ or 33.8 oz $2.95
• Pros - Small, durable, lasts up to 5 years
• Cons - Can be bulky, pricey, must purchase online

3. Water Bottles

• Price - 16.9 oz .10-15¢ (case price)
• Pros - Easy to find, cheap, drink mixes enhance flavor (crystal light, etc)
• Cons - Bulky, should rotate 1-1 ½1 years

4. Water Filtration Bottle

• Price - 28 oz. $16.50 (with 2 filters - $22.00)
• Pros - Filters 100 gallons per filter, discounted price if purchased through LDS Distribution Center
• Cons - Must find water to filter

Family Emergency Plan

Download the Family Emergency Plan from Ready.gov!

Meet with your family and discuss why you need to prepare for disaster. Explain the dangers of fire, severe weather, and earthquakes to children. Plan to share responsibilities and work together as a team.

Discuss the types of disasters that are most likely to happen. Explain what to do in each case.
Pick two places to meet:

• Right outside your home in case of a sudden emergency, like a fire.
• Outside your neighborhood in case you can't return home. Everyone must know the address and phone number.

Ask an out-of-state friend to be your "family contact." After a disaster, it's often easier to call long distance. Other family members should call this person and tell them where they are. Everyone must know your contact's phone number.

Discuss what to do in an evacuation. Plan how to take care of your pets.

Complete this Check list

• Post emergency telephone numbers by phones (fire, police, ambulance, etc.).
• Teach children how and when to call 9-1-1 or your local Emergency Medical Services number for emergency help.
• Show each family member how and when to turn off the utilities (water, gas, and electricity) at the main switches.
• Check if you have adequate insurance coverage.
• Get training from the fire department for each family member on how to use the fire extinguisher (ABC type), and show them where it's kept.
• Install smoke detectors on each level of your home, especially near bedrooms.
• Conduct a home hazard hunt.
• Stock emergency supplies and assemble a Disaster Suplies Kit (72 hour kit).
• Take a Red Cross first aid and CPR class.
• Determine the best escape routes from your home. Find two ways out of each room.
• Find the safe places in your home for each type of disaster.
• Practice and Maintain Your Plan
• Quiz your kids every six months or so.
• Conduct fire and emergency evacuations.
• Replace stored water and stored food every six months.
• Test and recharge your fire extinguisher(s) according to manufacturer's instructions.
• Test your smoke detectors monthly and change the batteries at least once a year.

www.redcross.org

Natural Disasters in Nevada

A disaster is when needs exceeds resources. Some examples of natural disasters in Nevada are:

• Flash Floods & Floods

• Earthquakes - We may not feel all the small earthquakes we get, but Nevada is 3rd highest in the US for earthquake activity. On FEMA.gov Nevada is listed as a "Very High Risk" for earthquakes

• Thunderstorms and Lightning

• Tornado - Nevada does get tornados, however they are very small, usually a 1 or a 2.

• Wind

• Winter Storms - Rare in Las Vegas/Henderson, but when it does happen, it affects us greatly! Las Vegas does NOT have snow plows, sand, etc.

• Extreme Temperatures - For Nevada we have an average of 22 days a year above 110 degrees!
  • 150 Days above 90 degrees
  • 97 Days above 100 degrees
  • 22 Days above 110 degrees
  • 35 Days below freezing

Shelter in Place

Whether you are at home, work or elsewhere, there may be situations when it's simply best to stay where you are and avoid any uncertainty outside.

There are other circumstances when staying put and creating a barrier between yourself and potentially contaminated air outside, a process known as "sealing the room," is a matter of survival. Use available information to assess the situation. If you see large amounts of debris in the air, or if local authorities say the air is badly contaminated, you may want to take this kind of action.

The process used to seal the room is considered a temporary protective measure to create a barrier between you and potentially contaminated air outside. It is a type of sheltering in place that requires preplanning.

To "Shelter In Place And Seal The Room"

• Bring your family and pets inside.
• Lock doors, close windows, air vents and fireplace dampers.
• Turn off fans, air conditioning and forced air heating systems.
• Take your emergency supply kit unless you have reason to believe it has been contaminated.
• Go into an interior room with few windows, if possible.
• Seal all windows, doors and air vents with plastic sheeting and duct tape. Consider measuring and cutting the sheeting in advance to save time.
• Be prepared to improvise and use what you have on hand to seal gaps so that you create a barrier between yourself and any contamination.
• Local authorities may not immediately be able to provide information on what is happening and what you should do. However, you should watch TV, listen to the radio or check the Internet often for official news and instructions as they become available.

information from Ready.gov

FHE Idea - Ready to Go!

image by Emergency Essentials

To see if our family is ready and knows what we need for our 72-hour kits.

Ready to Go!

by Safely Gathered In

Earthquake Preparedness and 72 Hour Kits

by Sarah Dye

Here's a super cute video from Playhouse Disney that your kids can watch

about putting together a 72 Hour Kit

Stove in a Can

Stores for 5 yrs and burns for 6 hours

Supplies:

• 1 new quart size Paint Can with lid (can be purchased at ACE, Lowes or Home Depot)
• 1 roll Toilet Paper (cheap kind and NOT jumbo sized)
• 1 bottle 70% rubbing alcohol (Isopropyl not ethyl)
• 12 oz can (chunk chicken type) with holes drilled in and vents cut around bottom, or #10 can w/vents (we used a #10 can)
• paint can opener (free from Lowes or Home Depot)

Directions:

1. Remove cardboard roll from inside toilet paper and discard
2. Fold toilet paper to fit inside the paint can
3. SLOWLY pour rubbing alcohol over toilet paper until covered.
4. Cover tightly with lid. Tap it down with a rubber hammer and it won't leak.

The first page of this PDF is a printout of the Stove in a Can. You can cut the bottom off and glue it to your can for future reference.

Here you can see how the stove (the small can) can fit inside a #10 can.

Your cooking pan will fit right on top. Make sure your #10 can has enough holes for ventilation. The PDF pictures shows a 12 oz can used for cooking.

Snap on your lid from the #10 can and it can hold your matches and a small paint can opener. You'll need the paint can opener to get your stove open.

Make sure you hammer down your top with a rubber mallet. It will create a seal, so the alcohol won't leak out of your stove when it's being stored.

Utility Shut Off and Safety

Thank you Lee Lloyd for allowing me to post this on our blog (and thanks to Tonya for demonstrating this on Friday night!!)

WHAT IF DISASTER STRIKES?

In the event of a disaster, you may be instructed to shut off the utility service at your home.
Do you know how to turn off your main water valve? Your electricity? Your gas?

Attached is some information that will help you in a natural disaster or even a problem that could become a disaster in your home at anytime such as a leaky water heater, faucet, tripped circuit, gas leak and many other problems. Just become familiar with these 3 things (water, natural gas, electricity) to protect your home, yourself, pets, and/or your family. It only takes 5 minutes to learn where these things are and 5 seconds or less for a disaster to destroy everything.

*The pictures on the attached email are actual photo’s from my (Lee Lloyds) house. Most all of yours should look very similar.

Here is the 3 page PDF for you to print out and learn how to shut off your utilities!

SR Newsletter - "I Dare You to Pack it"

Thank you all for coming last night! For those of you not able to make it, here is the newsletter we pass out!

SR Newsletter - "I Dare You to Pack It"

72 Hour Kit - Comprehensive List

• Water (enough for 3 days)

• Food
• Ready-to-eat canned meats, fruits and vegetables
• Canned juices, milk, soup (if powdered, store extra water)
• Staples--sugar, salt, pepper
• High energy foods--peanut butter, jelly, crackers, granola bars, trail mix
• Vitamins
• Foods for infants, elderly persons or persons with special dietary needs
• Comfort/stress foods--cookies, hard candy, sweetened cereals, lollipops, instant coffee, tea bags

• First aid supplies
• Sterile adhesive bandages in assorted sizes
• 2-inch sterile gauze pads (4-6)
• 4-inch sterile gauze pads (4-6)
• Hypoallergenic adhesive tape
• Triangular bandages (3)
• 2-inch sterile roller bandages (3 rolls)
• 3-inch sterile roller bandages (3 rolls)
• Scissors
• Tweezers
• Needle
• Moistened towelettes
• Antiseptic
• Thermometer
• Tongue blades (2)
• Tube of petroleum jelly or other lubricant
• Assorted sizes of safety pins
• Cleansing agent/soap
• Latex gloves (2 pair) Sunscreen

• Non-prescription drugs
• Aspirin or nonaspirin pain reliever
• Anti-diarrhea medication
• Antacid (for stomach upset)
• Syrup of Ipecac (use to induce vomiting if advised by the Poison Control Center)
• Laxative
• Activated charcoal (use if advised by the Poison Control Center)


• Clothing, bedding and sanitation supplies (If you live in a cold climate, you must think about warmth. It is possible that you will not have heat.) *Include at least one complete change of clothing and footwear per person.
• Jacket or coat
• Long pants
• Long sleeve shirt
• Sturdy shoes or work boots
• Hat, gloves and scarf
• Rain gear
• Thermal underwear
• Blankets or sleeping bags
• Sunglasses

• Sanitation
• Toilet paper
• Soap, liquid detergent
• Feminine supplies
• Personal hygiene items
• Plastic garbage bags, ties (for personal sanitation uses)
• Plastic bucket with tight lid
• Disinfectant
• Household chlorine bleach


• Tools
• Mess kits, or paper cups, plates and plastic utensils
• Emergency preparedness manual
• Portable, battery-operated radio or television and extra batteries
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• Cash or traveler's checks, change
• Nonelectric can opener, utility knife
• Fire extinguisher: small canister, ABC type
• Tube tent
• Pliers
• Tape
• Compass
• Matches in a waterproof container
• Aluminum foil
• Plastic storage containers
• Signal flare
• Paper, pencil
• Needles, thread
• Medicine dropper
• Shut-off wrench, to turn off household gas and water
• Whistle
• Plastic sheeting
• Map of the area (for locating shelters)

• Special items
• For Baby
• Formula
• Diapers
• Bottles
• Pacifiers
• Powdered milk
• Medications
• For Adults
• Heart and high blood pressure medication
• Insulin
• Prescription drugs
• Denture needs
• Contact lenses and supplies
• Extra eye glasses
• Hearing aid batteries
• Important Family Documents (Keep these records in a waterproof, portable container.)
• Will, insurance policies, contracts, deeds, stocks and bonds
• Photo IDs, passports, social security cards, immunization records
• Bank account numbers
• Credit card account numbers and companies
• Inventory of valuable household goods, important telephone numbers
• Family records (birth, marriage, death certificates)
• Photocopies of credit and identification cards
• Cash and coins.
• Entertainment--games and books.

list from FEMA.gov

72 Hour Kit - Comfort Foods

Comfort Foods (aka Snack Foods or Extra Calories for your 72 Hour Kit)

Now these are not traditional comfort foods, but they would be in an emergency situation. In addition to my emergency food bars, I pack 3-6 small treat/snack in our 72 hour kits (1-2 for each day). Snack criteria for me is as follows...

• lightweight
• does not require cooking
• tastes great
• is something my kids would normally eat
• has a shelf life of at least 6 months, I would prefer a year if possible
• is individually packaged
• doesn't take a lot of room
• provides extra (somewhat healthy) calories

Snack ideas are...

• Beef Jerky
• Trail Mix
• Granola
• Fruit Snacks
• Fruit Leather
• Raisins
• Granola Bars
• Ready Mix Tuna Salad
• Dried Fruit

72 Hour Kit - Survival Bread

Survival Bread

2 cups oats
2 ½ cups powdered milk
1 cup sugar
3 TBSP honey
1 (3 oz.) pkg. orange or lemon Jello
3 TBSP water

In the mixing bowl combine the oats, powered milk, and the sugar. Mix well and set aside.

In the medium sauce pan mix the water, Jello, and honey. Place on the stove top and bring to a boil. Slowly add this into the oat mixture. Make sure it is all well blended together. If the dough is a little dry, add a small amount of water one teaspoonful at a time. It should be firm but doughy

Once it is ready shape the dough into a loaf, about the size of a small red brick. Place the bread loaf onto the cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. If you increased the recipe for multiple loaves you can place several at a time onto the cookie sheet for baking. Don't place them too close together.

Once the bread is baked remove from the cookie sheet and allow to cool completely. The bread can be wrapped whole in the foil for storage. This bread can be stored indefinitely.

72 Hour Kit - Top Ten List

We know that getting started on a 72 hour kit can be a daunting task, so here is a list (in order) of the top ten things you should have in your 72 hour kit. This has been revised from last year!

1. Container (Backpack, rolling duffel bag, rubbermaid container, etc)
2. Water (for 72 hours)
3. Food/Medication (special consideration for infants/pets)
4. Survival Supplies (shelter & omni tool)
5. Vital Info/Documents
6. Money (in small bills)
7. First Aid Kit
8. Flashlight/Batteries
9. Toiletries/Change of Clothes
10. AM/FM Radio/Batteries

A container is listed first, so that as you collect supplies you will have a designated place for everything. The first 4 items are a MUST! These will keep you alive for 3 days until help arrives.

Here are some other websites to get you started and motivated!

• Ready.gov
• FEMA (Are You Ready?)
• FEMA (Basic Disaster Supplies)
• Lou & Lou Safety Patrol (Watch the video "Get Ready, Get Set, Emergency")

72 Hour Kit - Helpful tips

Here are some helpful tips for 72 hour kits. A lot of this information (and more) is found at Equipped to Survive. Kira also has some wonderful 72 hour kit information on the Greenway Self-Reliant Sisters Blog.

Flashlights

• When purchasing flashlights LED lights are the best. If you use incandescent lights, make sure you have spare bulbs. LED lights have the advantage of not needing the spare bulb.

Batteries

• Never use so-called "heavy duty" batteries. These are old-fashioned carbon-zinc batteries that have a very short shelf life and run down quickly. Alkaline batteries have a decent shelf life about five years. Lithium batteries are even better, they typically have a ten year shelf life, work better than alkaline in the cold and also weight about half less. But, lithium is usually found only in AA and AAA sizes.

Cash

• Have small bill on hand for cash. People won't have change in an emergency & the ATM's will run out quickly too.

Perishable Items

• Keep a list of all the items in your 72 hour kit and when they expire. This will make it a lot easier to rotate them.
• I bought shampoo, deodorant & toothpaste in the brands that my family uses. Before the expiration date, I pull them out and give it to the kids. They think it's fun to use travel size items for a few days.

Documents

• Have copies of your important information - Birth & Marriage Certificates, Social Security Numbers, Credit Card Information, Immunization Records, Insurance Policies, etc.
• Laminate or keep these in a Zip-loc bag.
• Have photos of each family member and a group family picture
• Consider backing up your pictures & genealogy onto a CD/DVD or a Portable Hard Drive.

Any other tips? Just leave a comment :)

72 Hour Kit - With Pictures

This is my family's 72 hour kits. The kids have rolling backpacks and we have rolling duffel bags to hold more items. You can buy ready made kits, but I wanted to make our own so that I could personalize each one. Here are the things that we have in our 72 hour kits.

All of our 72 hour kits have a photo luggage tag, which contains a photo of them.

Food & Water

I decided to only buy food that doesn't need to be cooked. These food bars are from beprepared.com. I also supplement these food bars with our "comfort" foods, such as beef jerky, granola bars & candy. I also let the kids eat these every 6 months when I rotate certain perishable items. If you do buy items that need to be cooked, don't forget the camp stove, Sterno, can opener, pans for cooking, plates, bowls, cups, spoon, knifes, forks, etc for these items!


For our water I decided to purchase Water Pouches from beprepared.com. They also sell Aqua Blox, which is water in a juice box like container. I chose the pouches because of the size issue. The disadvantage to pouches is that they might puncture easier (thus they are in a Ziploc) and they are a little harder to drink from. I also have some water purification tables (not pictured) just in case we need water for more than 72 hours.

Clothing/Shelter

• Emergency Sleeping Bag
• Emergency Blanket
• Poncho
• Hot Hands or Hotties
• I also have a full size sleeping bag (rated zero degrees) for all of us. These will NOT fit in our kits, but can slip over the handle and be pulled along with our backpacks & duffel bags.

I keep all our clothing items in the 2 duffel bag kits. The rolling backpacks are not large enough to hold these. I don't have a full change of clothes yet, so our clothing items consist of:

• Socks
• Shoes
• Hats & Gloves
• PJ's
• Undergarments
• Diapers (if applicable)

First Aid Items

I bought our 1st Aid kits premade from Wal-Mart. The small one (top picture) is in our children's backpacks, and the larger one and the Bite/Stink kit are in our kits. Some other things to add to this (if not already in your kit) might be:

• Surgical Masks
• Surgical Gloves
• Cough Drops
• Vitamins
• Medicine (Cold/Pain)
• Burn Gel & Dressing
• Antiseptic
• Inhalers or Prescription Medication (If you can't keep these in your kit, KNOW where they are so you can grab them quickly!)

Fuel, Heat & Lighting

• Fire Sticks
• Wind/Waterproof Matches
• Emergency Candles
• Flashlight
• Lightsticks
• Headlight
• Fire Starter
• Hand Crank Flashlight (I don't have one yet)

Make sure that you don't store your batteries in your flashlights or radios. Wrap them with tape so that the ends don't touch. This was they will be fresh when you need them.
Personal Documents (not pictured)

• Immunization Records
• Birth Certificates
• Pictures
• Phone Number/Addresses
• Insurance Information (Life, Car, House)
• Family Emergency Plan
• CD's with Photos/Genealogy
• Marriage Certificate
• Social Security Numbers
• Emergency Contacts
• Family & Individual Photos
• Fingerprints
• Health Information
• Credit Card Information with Phone Numbers
• Cash in small bills

Personal Care Kit
I bought these small bags at Wal-Mart and filled them with everything we might need for our personal care. For deodorant, shampoo, toothpaste, and other things that have an expiration date, I bought each persons favorite brand. That way, if there is no emergency we can still use it here at home before it expires. Then I don't feel like I am wasting things, since I don't need to throw them away when they expire.

• Germ X
• Flushable Wipes
• Chapstick
• Deodorant
• Toothpaste
• Shampoo
• Soap
• Sunscreen
• Washcloth
• Toothbrush
• Cotton Swabs
• Comb
• Kleenex
• Toilet Seat Covers
• Nail Brush
• Tweezers
• Finger Nail Clippers
• Compact Mirror
• Sewing Kit
• Aloe Vera
• Vaseline
• Feminine Products
• Mosquito Spray

Miscellaneous/Survival Items

• Camp Towel
• Toilet Paper (with roll removed)
• Duck Tape
• Handy Sacks (or trash bags)

• Rope
• Multipurpose Knife (Swiss Army, Leatherman, or Generic)
• Heavy Duty Scissors
• Survival Whistle (with compass)
• Umbrella (don't have yet)
• Maps (for neighboring states as well)

• Camp Ax (adult kit)
• Camp Shovel (adult kit)
• Hand Crank Radio (don't have yet)
• Work Gloves (don't have yet)

• Corded Phone

This phone was about $5.78 at Wal-Mart and is a great buy. Phone lines have their own power source so if your power were to go out, you could still use this in case of emergency. Every home has a telephone interface box which is usually mounted on an outside wall where the phone lines runs into your house. You can plug your corded phone into this box (even if it's not your own home) and have a working phone line. Of course this is for EMERGENCIES ONLY!! Consider keeping a phone like this in your car, just in case!
Entertainment Items
Here is the special little section I have in each kit. It contains:

• Small Notebook (in our favorite colors)
• Pen & Pencil
• Scriptures
• Card Game (type varies per person)
• Crayons/Coloring Book or other fun item

Extras
These are items that you probably can't store all the time in your 72 hour kit, and will have to grab at the last minute.

• Medications
• Cell Phones
• Chargers
• Special Blanket or Stuffed Animal that your child can't be without.

Large Item
These are things that would be great to have near your 72 hour kit, but are too big to fit inside a backpack.

• Portable Toilet
• Porta Privy
• Family Size Tent (Such as one you use to go camping every summer)
• Camp Stove
• Sleeping Mats

Self-Reliant Meeting This Week!! (NEW Date & Place!!)

Our next meeting is this week! Everyone is welcome and if you don't know where the location of our host is, please email me at lisainnevada(at)gmail(dot)com, and I will let you know. I am not publishing last names and address for safety reasons.

Theme: "I Dare You to Pack It"

Date: November 5, 2010 (Friday!! - NEW DATE!!)

Time: 6:45 P.M.

Location: Lisa's House (NEW LOCATION!!)

Everything you need to know about 72 Hour Kits and emergency preparedness. Sample kits will be shown and literature on making your own emergency plan will be available.

How do I Use My Wheat Berries?

Cooked Wheat Berries

There are many different ways to use your wheat berries. You can add your Cooked Wheat Berries to:

• Burritos
• Casseroles
• Stuffing
• Cobbler (we had peach cobbler with wheat berries and it was great!)
• Spaghetti
• Taco Meat
• Salsa
• Salad
• Chili
• Rice
• Rice Pilaf
• Chicken Salad
• Chicken Fettuccine
• and many more!

Here's the links to our wheat berry recipes!

• Alton Brown - Video & Recipe
• Herb Crusted Cod with Cracked Wheat Berry Salad - Video and Recipe
• Greek Grains Salad - Video & Recipe
• Wheat Berry Recipe Collection - Sampled at October 7th meeting