Sunday, June 30, 2013

Well, the week got away from me too quickly.  We have a new recipe coming up for those of you who are gluten intollerant or experience problems with gluten.  We found several that we will be posting but to wet your appetite, the first will be Gluten Free Almond Flour Corn Bread.

To end this week though, I borrowed this from another blogger.  Something to think about.



“Let us be in a position so we are able to not only feed ourselves through the home production and storage, but others as well.”
-Ezra Taft Benson, ‘Prepare for the Days of Tribulation,’ Ensign, Nov 1980, 32


Sharing is such a tricky and often sensitive topic when it comes to our food storage. Many people may feel they have spent too much time, hard work and money putting together their food storage to share it with those who have idled away their time and resources. After all, they’ve been warned, right? And that neighbor who maybe is not a member of your faith and hasn’t been given the same warnings, well… they should have listened when missionaries came knocking at their door. Too bad for them, huh?
What silly, un-Christian talk! Brothers and sisters, ladies and gentlemen… be prepared to share! Be prepared in your heart, be prepared in your mind, and be prepared with your resources if possible.
There is a great talk by Elder Vaughn J. Featherstone entitled Food Storage (click HERE for the full talk), in which he says the following:
“I should like to address a few remarks to those who ask, “Do I share with my neighbors who have not followed the counsel? And what about the nonmembers who do not have a year’s supply? Do we have to share with them?” No, we don’t have to share—we get to share! Let us not be concerned about silly thoughts of whether we would share or not. Of course we would share! What would Jesus do? I could not possibly eat food and see my neighbors starving. And if you starve to death after sharing, “greater love hath no man than this …” (John 15:13.)
Now what about those who would plunder and break in and take that which we have stored for our families’ needs? Don’t give this one more idle thought. There is a God in heaven whom we have obeyed. Do you suppose he would abandon those who have kept his commandments? He said, “If ye are prepared, ye need not fear.” (D&C 38:30.)”
I’m so grateful for these messages from President Benson and Elder Featherstone. They are some of the reasons that in my Ultimate Food Storage Goal I have listed extra quantities of wheat, rice, oats, and other survival foods that can last a long time. It is not realistic for me to think that I can store enough of my ‘everyday food’ to take care of everyone and anyone I would like. But I can be prepared with extra survival foods that are inexpensive and have a long shelf life to help others. And my recipes that create more than my family can eat? I do not reduce them for my food storage menus. Instead, I plan to share my meals with my neighbors. (Won’t you be my neighbor? :) )
Well, this post has gotten long enough, but I want to say that how you choose to handle this subject is a completely personal matter. It’s between you (your family) and the Lord. Everyone is in a different situation and has different limitations, so you do what is right for you. But as for me and my house, we plan to share. :)
And may we all be blessed in our efforts!"

Thank you Debbie and your blog Food for Thought.

 LouAnn and I echo these same thoughts.  When we do what our Heavenly Father asks us to do, we will be blessed.

Bob and LouAnn

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Here is an official release from the Church about the canneries.  I am so thankful for revealed knowledge and inspiration rather than the fear and government conspiracy theories that others have written about.  Our Heavenly Father knows the beginning from the end and will always win over the evil designs of Satin and evil men.

News Release —  17 June 2013
Concern Over Changes to
Home Storage Centers Unnecessary
Salt Lake City — 
Over the past several weeks, misinformation and unnecessary concern has been circulating on blogs, over social media channels and by email regarding changes in operations at the Church’s home storage centers, which are located in the U.S. and Canada. No home storage centers are being closed, but the Church is making welcomed modifications in its operations at most of these centers that will help to better serve the needs of members of the Church, as well as significantly improve efficiency.
In all but 12 of the Church’s 101 home storage centers in the U.S. and Canada, patrons will no longer self-can products, but they may purchase these same items pre-canned or http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/media/640x360/Family-Canning.jpg 

These changes have been considered for some time as the Church has looked at the best way to provide home storage goods to Church members efficiently. Much of the discussion regarding this issue has suggested that this change is due to food safety regulation. While it has been a factor, the concern expressed regarding that issue has been overstated.
While many individuals have enjoyed self-canning at the Church’s home storage centers, the advantages of providing pre-canned or prepackaged goods include:
·         It’s more efficient and cost effective for the Church to produce and ship high-quality, pre-canned or prepackaged goods in bulk rather than ship the same goods and empty cans to a location where individuals can them on their own.
·         By offering the goods pre-canned or prepackaged, the Church utilizes less warehouse space.
·         Pre-canned and prepackaged operations allow for higher quality and safer preparation of home storage food.
·         It is much more costly to maintain and upgrade facilities that must meet food production standards (such as in a self-canning operation) than it is to maintain a facility that simply distributes pre-canned and prepackaged food. 
·         Volunteer personnel time can be used more efficiently.
The following 12 home storage centers will continue to offer self-canning for the time being as the Church continues to monitor the goods and services offered at home storage centers and makes adjustments as needed:
·         Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
·         Mesa, Arizona
·         Carrollton, Texas                                                      
·         Lindon, Utah
·         Logan, Utah
·         Ogden, Utah
·         Salt Lake City, Utah (Welfare Square)
·         Sandy, Utah
·         Springville, Utah
·         St. George, Utah
·         Idaho Falls, Idaho
·         Boise, Idaho
The remaining 89 centers will provide pre-canned goods. A list of all home storage centers is available here. <http://providentliving.org/self-reliance/food-storage/home-storage-center-locations?lang=eng>



Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.

(Doctrine and Covenants | Section 6:36)

Bob and LouAnn

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Here we go again.  I was given a challenge at work to come up with a recipe of anything made with our Honeyville Powdered Egg Whites.  After looking around on the web, I found Lemon Meringue Cookies.  OH BOY.  I made them today at work and they are wonderful melt in your mouth delicious morsels of delight with a light lemon flavor.  You can't eat just one of these so here we go with the recipe and is it so so easy.



Lemon Meringue Cookies

Ingredients
3 egg whites, this is 6 tsp powdered egg whites and 6 Tbsp hot water.
¼ tsp cream of tarter
6 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp grated lemon zest

In a large mixing bowl, beat egg whites until foamy.  Add cream of tarter, beat on high speed until soft peaks form.  Gently fold lemon rind into beaten egg whites.

Drop mix by tablespoon on 2 buttered and floured baking pans.  Bake in preheated 250 degree oven for 1 hour.
Turn oven off, do not open oven door, leave in oven 1 hour then transfer cookies to wire racks to cool.
                                                                          
I whipped them up in the Bosch.  I doubled the recipe using 12 tsp of Honeyville egg white powder, 12 Tbsp of hot water, 1/2 tsp cream of tarter, 12 Tbsp sugar and 2 Tbsp of lemon zest (4 lemons).  I ran the Bosch with the whisks on high for a couple of minutes until the egg whites were peaking then sprinkled in the cream of tarter, still on high.  I then slowly added in the sugar sprinkling it in abound the Bosch bowl with it on high.  I let it run about a minute after sprinkling in the sugar until you can take a little of the meringue and rub it between your fingers with a smooth feeling.  Turn the Bosch off and then put the meringue into a bakers bag with a large star tip or do what I did, I cut the corner off of a plastic bag, scooped the meringue into it and then twisted the bag and squeezed the meringue out of the cut off corner.  Make about quarter coin size cookies.  These are so good and fat free.  haha.  You can get dried lemon zest at http://www.firehousepantrystore.com/ to put in your food storage.


Enjoy
Bob and LouAnn