Sour Cream Enchiladas

Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

 4-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts cooked and shredded
1/2 c. Whisk Bliss Original or Gluten Free
1 c. water
1 c. sour cream
1/4 c. minced onion
1/4 t. garlic powder
4 oz can of chopped green chilies
salt and pepper to taste
2 c. of grated cheese
tortillas

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the Whisk Bliss and water together and bring to a simmer. Take prepared Whisk Bliss, sour cream, chilies, onions, and garlic powder and mix together in a bowl. Pour sauce, evenly, on the bottom of a greased 9" x 13" baking dish. Take a tortillas and place sauce, cheese and chicken down the middle of the tortilla. Roll it up and place the seam side down. Once pan is full, pour the remaining sauce over the tortillas. Sprinkle shredded cheese over the enchiladas. Place in an oven for 20 minutes.

Adapted from a recipe

Emergency Preparedness week 4

I know I haven't done a preparedness post in awhile. Shame on me!

This one is about Documents.

For level 1 preparedness:

1. Do you have a basic list of important  documents?
2. Do you have copies of these documents in a waterproof container in your 72 hour kit?
3. Do you have copies stored in a safe place outside your home (relative, deposit box)?

Level 2 preparedness:

These are the documents you need and get them notarized.
 Legal Documents

• Birth Certificates
• Marriage Certificates
• Will, Personal/As an Executor
• Passports
• Contracts
• Vehicle Titles
• Tax Returns (first 2 pages for the last 3 years)

Health Documents

• Vaccination Papers
• Health History
• List of current meds/prescriptions

 Insurance Policies (if you have them)

• Property (include Contact Information)
• Health (include Contact Information)
• Life (include Contact Information)
• Flood (include Contact Information)

Vital Records

• Bank Accounts (include Contact Information)
• Investment Accounts (include Contact Information)
• Retirement Accounts (include Contact Information)
• Debt Obligations (include Contact Information)
• Doctors (include Contact Information)
• Medications, prescription numbers (include Contact Information)
• Deeds and property records

Include a copy of the following:

• Durable Power of Attorney
• Living Wills
• Health care proxies (yours, as an attorney-in-fact, as a health care surrogate)
• Original Social Security cards

Level 3

In addition to the documents listed in Level 2 you should include copies of the following in your emergency kit, ready to grab:

• Scriptures
• Genealogy Records
• Irreplaceable Family Mementos
• Journals
• Military/Citizenship papers
• Transcripts/Diplomas
• Voter Registration
• Cash
• Credit Cards
• Pre-paid phone cards

Good luck and I hope this gives you some great ideas of documents that you will need if something happens.

Key Lime Pie

This is the world's easiest pie to make. My oldest will eat 1/2 the pie all by himself. He also begs to have this pie.

Ingredients:
1 packet of Shirley J's Whisk Bliss Dessert Creme
1/2 c. key lime concentrate
1 c. water
Pie Crust
Whip Cream

Directions: Put the first 3 ingredients in a bowl and mix on medium speed for 2 minute. Then place in pie crust, top with whipped cream and then place in the refrigerator  for 20 minutes.

Do you have any easy pie recipes to share?

Meals in a Roll

2	tablespoons yeast
2	tablespoons sugar
1	cup water
	Add
¼	cup sugar
1½	tablespoons salt
4	cups water
1	cup oil
1½	teaspoons vinegar
13 -15	cups flour (white, whole wheat or a mix of each)
½	cup wheat germ (optional)

Mix first 3 items in a bowl and let stand in a large bowl
2 Knead out until dough is soft and does not stick to your hands.
3 Cover and let rise 45 minutes.
4 Punch down and let rise 30 minutes.
5 Shape into buns and let rise for 2 hours.
6 Bake at 375 for 15-17 minutes or until golden brown.

I  freeze most of them unbaked without doing the final 2 hour rise that the recipe calls for. You can use your favorite dough recipe if you like. I like this one because it makes a ton all at once. I got about 90 rolls. I am sure you can get more, I just didn't roll out my dough super thin on some of them.

First let the dough rise the first two times according to the recipe. Then take a chunk of the dough and roll it out into a rectangle.
Put your toppings on it.

For Pizza Rolls: chop up some peperoni. Sprinkle the dough with Shirley J's Pizza and Pasta Seasoning, cheese, and pepperoni. Then roll it up.

For Ham and Cheese: Chop up some sliced ham (I used lunch meat) and sprinkle that with cheddar cheese all over the dough.

For Cinnamon Rolls: Spread butter and then sprinkle your cinnamon and sugar on top.
Pineapple Rolls: Do like what you did for the cinnamon rolls but sprinkle crushed pineapple on top too. You will want to get a bit of the juice out of the pineapple or it makes it hard to cut and roll the rolls. (These are SUPER GOOD)
For Hawaiian Rolls: Do the same as you did for the Pizza, but put cut up ham instead of pepperoni in it.

I am sure there are thousands of different ways you can do this. These are just some of the ones I did.
You then roll the dough starting at the long end. Seal the end to the roll. I cut these rolls with dental floss. You put the dental floss around the “log” and cross the two end to pinch and cut off a roll. This works much better than a knife. I place the rolls on a baking sheet lined with wax paper and then put them in the freezer. Once they are frozen solid I bag them in Ziploc bags.

I found this recipe a year ago. I am sorry to say I don't remember where I got it. But I love it!

What's your favorite freezable recipe??

Fiesta Chicken

Fiesta Chicken Casserole:
 2 cups chicken breast grilled & cubed
 2 cups medium shell pasta cooked
 2 cups cheddar/jack cheese blend

1/2 c. Shirley J's Whisk Bliss (prepare it with 1 c. water in a sauce pan and simmer)
1 can Rotel
1 can green chilies
1/2 cup of milk
Cover with cheese salt and pepper to taste!
Bake at 350 for 20 minutes

I found this on Pinterest several months ago. The recipe was posted on Twitter. It is a bit spicy but good.

Pasta Milano from Macaroni Grill

I found this recipe about a year ago. I wanted to try it because I read that it was a freezable meal. I was on this huge "let's make freezable meals" when I was pregnant last year.
This is a great pasta and my family really enjoys it. Plus, it tastes so good you don't need to spend tons of money eating out to get the same great taste.

Ingredients:
3 slices of bacon (I use Turkey  Bacon)
2 chicken breasts (cooked, and cubed)
4 cloves of roasted garlic, mashed
1/2 c. sun dried tomatoes, chopped
1 c. white mushrooms, sliced (I don't add these because my husband doesn't like mushrooms)
1 c. water
1/2 t. Shirley J's Chicken Bouillon
1 c. heavy whipping cream (or half and half for lower fat and calories)
salt and pepper to taste
8 oz. bow tie pasta
1 c. shredded Parmesan
2  T. fresh basil

Directions:
In a large skillet over high heat, brown the diced bacon. Season the cut up chicken with salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the skillet and saute until lightly browned. Once the chicken is cooked, add the sliced mushrooms and saute until browned. Remove from pan and set aside.
Add the roasted garlic, sun dried tomatoes and chicken broth to the hot skillet. Allow it come to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes or until the tomatoes are tender. Add the cream and bring to a boil; stirring.Take off heat and add the bacon, chicken and mushroom to the sauce and set aside.
Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350 degrees and bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add dry pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain, transfer to a bowl.
Pour the chicken and sauce over the hot pasta and toss. Place in a baking dish and top with shredded Parmesan cheese and bake in preheated oven for 5-7 minutes until cheese melts.
Garnish with fresh basil and serve hot.

To make ahead/freezer meals – Prepare as directed, however cook pasta to barely al dente. There should be a bite to the pasta where it’s not completely cooked. Place pasta, chicken and sauce in an ovenproof container and allow to cool. Cover and freezer. When ready to prepare, defrost and bake in preheated oven as directed above.

Whisk Bliss

 

 

You have read before my description of what Whisk Bliss is. Now I want to share with you how it can help you save money and time. I know we all have better things we want to do besides cook and clean for our family.

 Me? I want to be reading a nice book all cuddled up in a blanket or be playing with my kids.

 

What if you had one item in your pantry that could make you over 100 different meals? Would you buy that item? What if that item could keep you from running to the store if you forgot to get something to make your meal? What if that item also helped you eat healthier so you could eat dessert if you wanted to?

 Whisk Bliss will make you anything creamy. See all these pictures of food. It made these items.

 I know you are thinking $17.95 for a bag of this stuff! Seriously this lady is CRAZY! I don't have the money for that.

 Think about it. How much do you spend, on average, to eat out at a restaurant? $60? $70? For my family of 4. I say 4 because the baby doesn't eat a plate of his own food. It's about $60 if we go out to Olive Garden.

 Let's say you buy Whisk Bliss ($17.95), Pizza & Pasta Seasoning ($8.95), a bread mix ($4.95), and a fudge brownie mix ($8.95). Then you buy some salad at the store ($2.00) and some chicken ($4.00) and pasta ($2). You take all of that and make Chicken Alfredo with bread sticks, a salad, and brownies for dessert. That would come to $48.80. Now mind you, you will have left overs. The left overs will taste fresh the 2nd day. PLUS, you still can make 7 more meals with your Whisk Bliss!! Your Pizza & Pasta Seasoning will give you at least 25 more items to season, depending on how strong you like it.

 You just saved $11.20, and that doesn't include how much money you saved on gas to drive for not driving to the restaurant!

 This one bag replaces 22 cans of your condensed cream soups! That's right 22! Bringing the price down to $.82 a can. I can't even find that at Walmart. You can use this in any recipe that calls for condensed cream soup.

 It also tastes better than the creamed soups you buy at the store. It has less sodium, calories and fat.

 So...now you are feeding your family something MUCH healthier than what you would find in the stores.

 It takes less time to make the sauce then it does to cook the noodles for Alfredo.

 You can even use it for side dishes. Like the one above. I made a Cheesy Asparagus Rice.

Share with me your meals that you think you could use the Whisk Bliss in.

Babies and Forgetting!

I don't know about you, but I forget A LOT! I call it my baby brain. I can't remember anything that goes on, went on, and....you get the picture. So, I want to actually remember what my kids have done, what they said, or let them know what I feel about them.
 This idea came from my mom, I love you mom. She kept a journal and wrote in it for me, when I was young. I decided that is what I wanted to do for my kids. I started a journal for each of my babies when I was pregnant with them. I wrote down what I felt, what I was doing, what was hurting me, if I had problems with the doctor, etc. Now I write all the silly things they do. I am so glad I did too! I totally forgot that my oldest had asked me why we go to church? I wrote down the whole conversation.

Here is what I wrote:
Son: Where are we going?
Mom: To church!
Son: Why are we going to church?
Mom: To learn about Jesus!
Son: Why do we learn about Jesus?
Mom: Because he did some very special things for us.
Son: Why did Jesus do that?

You get the picture. This was a special moment that I just forgot about. BUT!!! I remember them now because I recorded them in a book for my boy to remember. I love these books. My kids love their books. They ask me all the time about their books. They ask if I am writing in their book and to read from their book.
 You can totally go crazy with this idea. I had a friend that put pictures in her journal and taped them in and then journal about the pictures. Which would be perfect for my kids journals, then I could actually develop pictures and share the funny things they did or what we were doing.
 I also added an envelope for their journals to put their notes or picture they draw in it.

Do you have anything similar to this? Share! I would love to hear.

Chili Con Queso

Football is here!
 We love eating cheesy dip in our home and so this is a great way to do it.
Also, this can be Gluten Free!!

Ingredients:

• 19 oz Black Beans, Drained
• 4 oz Cream Cheese
• 4 ea. Fresh Tomatoes, Diced
• 7 oz Green Chilies, Diced
• 1 bunch Green Onions Sliced (Using Much Of The Green Stem)
• 4 oz Olives, Diced Or Sliced
• 1/2 tsp Red Chili Flakes
• 1 1/2 c. Shirley J Whisk Bliss Original
• 12 oz Velveeta Cheese
• 4 c. Water

Directions:

In stock pot combine water and Whisk Bliss Original, stir well. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to simmer add remaining ingredients except for onions and tomatoes. Simmer until cheese has melted. Remove from heat, stir in tomatoes and onions.

As always, please let me know if you try this recipe! I love to hear what you think!

Challenge # 3 First Aid and Medication

Ok, confession time.
Does anyone watch the show Revolution. Seriously?! That show has made me FREAK out about emergency preparedness.
If you have no clue what I am talking about it's a show that depicts a world that lost all electricity one day. They lost cars, phones, water, computers, EVERYTHING that had to deal with electricity. Basically they had to learn how to hunt, wash, clean, etc. all over again.

So...I have to admit that keeping up with the challenges needs to be done by the one sharing the information, me.
I have enough water for 72 hours, however, I need to get the water taken care of for 2 weeks.
Challenge # 2 I need to get a list of numbers put together of who we need to call. I purposely bought a home phone for my little kids. I know kids are all technologically more advanced than I am, but there is no way my little ones are going to know how to pick up my cell phone, find the screen to put in a phone number and dial 911 or anything else. So...we went  back to the 80s in our house. Plus, we have HORRIBLE cell reception in my area. All that is very important.

So on to the next challenge.
Challenge # 3.

Level 1

Do you have:

1. A basic first aid kit?
2. Small, basic first aid kit for the car?
3. A list of all of your prescriptions on hand (wallet/purse or 72 hour kit)?
4. A weeks supply of critical medications on hand at all times?

Level 2

Not all first aid kits are right for everyone. But, you should have 3 basic kits:

• A small, basic kit for the car.
• An intermediate kit for home or traveling.
• An extensive kit. This is for if you need a doctor or hospital but it's not an option.

Note: Check with your doctor for any recommendations. Your doctor would know best for what your family would need.

1. Decide what items your family needs.
2. Make a list of what goes in each kit.
3. Take inventory of what you have and what you will need to go and buy.

Chance are there will be LOTS of items that you might need to purchase, just buy one or two items each month and slowly get everything you need. This way you won't get so overwhelmed.
*Check your kits every 6 months.
*Use the items in your kit so that you know that they are fresh and not expired. But, make sure that you replace them.

Label and organize all first aid supplies. Use tubes, plastic bottles, or Ziplock baggies to help prevent contamination if items leak or break.
*Tape a list of all contents to the inside of each container.

Take a first aid or CPR class.

Level 3

It's all about an Intermediate Kit
 The list is extensive and I will post it in a following post.

Challenge #2, Communication

Are you prepared for...

•  Power outage
• Home evacuation
• Area disaster
• Medical emergency

Level 1

Do you have...

1. A way of communicating with others in an emergency?
2. A list of important phone numbers at hand (by the phone, purse, or wallet)?
3. A plan of whom to call in an emergency?
4. A battery-powered radio with extra batteries to tune into news about an area-wide emergency?
5. A small notebook & pen, whistle on a neck cord, small shatter resistant mirror in your 72 hour kit?

Level 2
* Do all the above and the following.

1. Teach children how to get help from neighbors and 911 and how to place long distance calls.
2. Post emergency telephone numbers near the phone.
3. Pick 2 meeting places: one near your home and one outside your neighborhood.
4. Develop an escape plan using a floor plan of your home in case of fire, and from your neighborhood/city in case of disaster. Practice emergency evacuation drills at least annually.
5. Install fire/smoke detectors in your home and check the batteries twice a year.
6. It may be easier to make a long-distance phone call than to call across town, so an out-of-town contact may be in a better position to communicate among separated family members.
7. Make sure everyone in your family knows the phone number and has coins or a prepaid phone card to call the emergency contact.

Equipment for Level 2

1. Hand cranked or solar radio.
2. Know who, of your neighbors, has medical experience.
3. Make sure everyone in your family has a current family photo.
4. Make sure every family member has the same emergency contact number, that is out-of-state.
5. Have a whistle in each bedroom to awaken everyone if there happens to be a fire or emergency.
6. Each member has cash, a phone card, or a prepaid phone to call, in their 72 hour kit.

Level 3
* Do all of the above plus:

1. Talk to your neighbors about emergency preparedness.
2. Find out what your work emergency plans are.
3. Compile an Emergency Preparedness handbook with important information and have it in your 72 hour kit. (can be found at www.ready.gov or at www.redcross.org)
4. Have walkie-talkies for family use in an emergency. You will want NOAA capabilities and GPS.

10 day challenge , Challeng # 1

Are you up for it? Can you do it? I think you can and so can I.
Here is the challenge, prepare yourself for the zombie invasion, natural disaster, economical disaster, or what have you type of disaster.
Each day I will post, except Sunday, a new challenge for you to take on. There will be a Level 1, Level 2, and a Level 3 challenge. Level 1 & 2 being a short term emergency preparedness. Level 3 being the BIG, MAJOR preparedness challenge.
More and more we need to be prepared for anything that might come our way. Now I hope, God willing, that I will never or you will never have to use any of these things because of a disaster or an emergency.
So....are you ready for your 1st challenge?

Water

Are you prepared for: water turnoff, earthquake, terrorist event, or contamination?

Level 1

To fulfill this level you must...

1. Have a minimum of 3 gallons of water per person, for 3 days. (6-2 liter bottles)
2. Have some stored in your car.
3. Store some for your pets.

Level 2
* do all of the above plus the following.

1. Purchase commercially bottled water in PETE plastic containers.
2. Fill the bottles with water.
3. Store them off the ground. Don't store them directly on concrete. If  you need to do so put cardboard or something down as a barrier.
4. Have enough water for 2 weeks. Again, a gallon of water per person per day.

Hidden Sources of Water:

• Hot water heater
• Water pipes
• Toilet tanks
• Ice

Preparation:

• Clean, sanitize, and thoroughly rinse all containers prior to use. A sanitizing solution can be prepared with household chlorine bleach. (1 teaspoon bleach to 1 quart water)
• Do NOT use plastic milk jugs.
• Do NOT use containers previously used to store non-food products.
• Containers should be emptied and refilled every 6 months, if it's tap water. Bottled water is annually.
• Store the water where leakage will not pose a problem.
• You may need to protect the water from light, heat or freezing temperatures. This is because of the container.

Supplies to purify water:

• Liquid bleach (Don't use bleach with thickeners or scents or any other additives)
• Water purification tablets.

Level 3
* Do all of the above.

1. Store enough water for 2 weeks and consider having extra for those around you that may need help.

Another cool idea is called the Water Bob. It can be filled up in your tub and you can pump the water out and use it.
I also found some great information at The National Terror Alert about water storage.

Good luck on your challenge!

All this information was gained through The Quest for Preparedness from the Desert Sage Ward.

Lemon Chicken Picatta and Asparagus Rice

Let me just tell you that my 6 year old couldn't stop telling me how good the chicken was. I too enjoyed the zest that the lemon added to the chicken. I hope you enjoy this great recipe.
Here is a break down of the cost.
Chicken $5
Asparagus $3*
Rice $1.50*
Whisk Bliss $1.62
Chicken Bouillon $.07*
Cheese $2.50
Flour $.50*
Butter$ .50*
Lemon $.33
Oil $.20*
 That comes out to about $15.22  for a family of 6!! That's a little over $2.53 a serving.
*These are just estimates because I don't use the whole product.
Just imagine how much you just saved by staying home and not going out to eat!
 If you go to Olive Garden. Let's say each plate costs about $11 per person. You spend $66 on the meal for 6 people. That doesn't include tax or a tip. Just on the food alone you saved $50.78!!!!


Cheesy Asparagus Rice
2c. long-grain rice
3 1/2 c. water
1 T. butter
4 c. water
1 c. Shirley J's Whisk Bliss Original or Gluten Free
1 c. fresh asparagus, chopped
16 oz. processed American cheese

Directions:
In a small saucepan, combine water and Whisk Bliss. Bring to a slow boil, simmer for 3-4 minutes, and add asparagus and cheese. Stir until cheese is melted, and remove from heat. In a stockpot, combine rice, water, and butter and bring to a boil. Turn heat to low and cover for about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and add asparagus mixture. Cover and let stand for five more minutes. Stir gently and serve.

Lemon Chicken Picatta
6 4 oz chicken breasts
1c. flour
1 t. Shirley J Chicken Bouillon
3 T. olive oil
6 T. butter
1/4c. lemon juice
3/4c. water
fresh parsley
lemon zest

Directions: Cover chicken breasts with plastic and pound, using a meat mallet, to about 1/4 inch thick cutlets. Coat each breast with flour, shaking off excess. Combine oil and four tablespoons of butter and, over medium-low heat, and in a heavy skillet, fry each piece until it is browned and cooked throughout. Remove chicken from oil, and set on a paper towel to drain. Add lemon juice, water, and Chicken Bouillon to the pan drippings. Stir and scrape until all is combined into sauce. Simmer for five minutes and add remaining butter. Serve sauce over the chicken. Garnish with fresh parsley and lemon zest.

When the SHTF

I found this post on Pinterest yesterday and thought I would share some if the great items they came up with to barter with. I will also add some of my own ideas.

1. Alcohol
2. Cigarettes
3. Bullets
4. Soap
5. MREs
6. Silver Coin
7. Detergent
8. Matches & Lighters
9. Sugar
10. Toilet Paper
11. Water Filters/Water Purifiers
12. Bleach
13. Batteries
14. Candles
15. Water Bottles

You can find their reasoning on their website.


Here are some of the items I would add to the list:

1. Baby Formula- I am sure there are tons of mothers out there who would give anything to be able to feed their baby, especially if they are unable to breastfeed. Also, under extreme stress a mother's milk supply can dry up and if that happens there is no other way to feed that little guy or gal.
2. Diapers- This would be one less stress that you would have to deal with. I wouldn't want to have to learn how to wash, clean and diaper a baby using cloth. I know there are people out there who do cloth diapering, good for you. However, there are tons of people who don't. Plus, I have had people come up to me at the mall and ask to buy a diaper off of me because they left theirs at home. Yep! For one diaper they were willing to give me $5!
3. Pain Killers-  (Advil, Tylenol, etc.) How many times do we ask for an Advil when we are at work or at someone's house. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to get something in return for the 3 Advils that we give someone?
4. Toothbrushes- That is a little luxury that I would like to have. Plus, my church does hygiene packs for natural disasters and we always pack 2 toothbrushes, soap, small towel, comb, and toothpaste.
5. Small towels- So that you can give yourself a quick bath or wash that sweat baby.

What are some items that you would like to have if you needed to trade?

Where to Store and How to Store

 Now that you have a list of things you want to start storing, where and how do you store these items.
Well....you can store in a closet, under the bed, the top of your closet, an end table, in your pantry, and the list can go on.
 Above I have separated my food storage into 3 months. I have one month in boxes. Another month is on the 2nd shelf and the third month is on the bottom shelf. This is how I have sorted and organized my food storage. This just makes sense to me. I can see what I have for each month and I can see what I need for each month.

 My husband and I were doing brainstorming about our situation. Do we stay if there is an emergency or do we leave? If we leave we will be taking our 72 hour kit, but we don't want to leave all of our food storage. We put good money and time into it. We want to be able to quickly take some of it with us.
 So, we devised a plan on how to do that. We broke up our food storage into weeks. I got my diaper boxes together and put a weeks worth of our food storage in the box. Now as you see below I have a larger box full of items. That is my baking box. If I have time I will be carrying out that heavy sucker to the car. I labeled it. I labeled all of the boxes so that I would know what was in them. I also labeled them according to importance. I have one labeled Week 1 A and Week 1 B. I want the A box if I have to grab anything out quickly. If I happen to have more time, I will come back for box B and so on.
 This method is more money, but I figured it would be worth buying a smaller relish bottle so I can have my tuna with relish, instead of just plain.
 If you decide to do this, make sure you are rotating that food. Putting them in boxes does make it harder to get to so that it is rotated.

  I also have gotten creative on how to store flour, sugar, and many other needed cooking products. My husband goes through a lot of protein. So, I take off the label and write on the container what is in it and the expiration date. Now looking back I should have put it on a label because I will be rotating out the flour.
 In order to keep the bugs out of your food storage you will want to put the flour in the freezer for a little while, I did 24 hours. Then put a bay leaf in the container.
 Another way that I saw, on Pinterest, was putting your food storage in 2 liter bottles. That is another cheap way to put flour into a container. Just make sure you clean out the bottle well and put a bay leaf in the container, one in the bottom and one at the top.
 You can also do the glass mason jars, if you have them. I also have # 10 cans full of food. However, I can't always get to a cannery to do that. I also have air tight containers, like the one below.  So, there isn't just one right way to do it.

I hope this gives you some ideas on how you too can find solutions to your problems.

Food Storage Part 2

Let’s start with water. Everyone needs water to survive. What will happen if for some reason your area’s water supply gets contaminated or the water line breaks?

 You need to store 2 weeks of water for each person. If you have animals, please consider them in your planning.  Again, you will want 2 liters of water per person per day.  Also, you will want cleaning water. You have to clean the dishes or do your laundry.  I clean my house with vinegar and so when the bottle is all empty I fill the vinegar bottle up with water from the tap. Also, all of your laundry detergent bottles can be refilled with water. Just make sure you label everything. You will need to dump your water at least once a year.

Along with water you will want to start learning how to garden, if you don’t already know how. I knew nothing about gardening until I started reading and going to events where they talked about how to garden. Again, I was overwhelmed because I lived in a desert with poor soil.  All of the gardening books that I found were focusing on areas to the east of me. I did find one and started reading. So…educate yourself and start. It doesn’t have to be a big garden. If you have no space you can do container gardening.

I found this idea from here.

With gardening you will also need seeds. Buy Non Hybrid seeds.  Why? It has better nutritional value and you can use the seeds from the produce.

 If there happens to be some sort of crisis at your place.  It could be food shortage or maybe a job loss. You will want the basics to be covered for your family.

3 Month Supply

You will want a 3 month supply on foods that you normally eat and that are easy to make because it will take you about 3 months to convert over to using wheat, beans, rice, and other basics (that our great grandparents did).  Plus, sometimes it’s just nice to have a quick meal to eat.

Start by making a one week menu for your family. List out all of the ingredients that you will need. I made sure that mine were shelf stable, meaning that they can stay in the pantry for months at a time.

Here is an idea of what my week's worth of food looks like.
Breakfast: Cereal, Pancakes, Waffles, Biscuits and Gravy, Oatmeal, and Muffins.
Lunch: Tuna, Peanut Butter & Jelly, Mac & Cheese, Grilled Cheese, Sloppy Joes, Burritos and Hawaiian Chicken.
Dinner: Tacos, Alfredo, Spaghetti, Gumbo, Meat loaf, Taco Soup, and Potato and Cheese Soup.

Buy that week worth of food. Once you have a week, work on getting up to a month of food.

 Then list out another week worth of meals, with different dinners and/or lunches. List all of the ingredients and buy all of those to have another month worth.

Then start over with another weekly menu and purchase it all for a 3^rd month worth of food.

I read somewhere that you should list all the ingredients out and then when there is a sale at the grocery store you should buy all that you need. I tried that and my ingredients didn’t go on sale very often and I felt it was more important to have the food than to save 50 cents. 

I also read that your family can live on soups and breads. Think about it. What do you use to make soups? You use broths, beans, rice, vegetables, and a little bit of meat. You need vegetables, protein, and grains. Soups can help you achieve that. All of the ingredients are shelf stable too. Plus there are endless varieties of soups.

Another great thing is that beans can help you raise the protein value of your meal. You can grind them up and then put them in your soups.

There are different ways of doing this. I read about one lady putting all of the ingredients in a zip lock with the recipe. I also saw mason jar meals.  I even bought some just add water entrees. Whatever makes it easier for you to do food storage, do it. There isn’t one right way to go.

Here are some websites that have helped me:

http://www.provident-living-today.com/

www.providentliving.org

www.foodstoragemadeeasy.com              

Here is a great book that I read that also helped me:

Emergency Food Storage & Survival Handbook by Peggy Layton

 

Emergency Preparedness #1

Thinking about emergencies gets me all worked up and stressed out. I have had the feeling that I needed to get all of my emergency supplies in order for years. But every time I thought about it I got so overwhelmed I just quit.

 I finally buckled down the last few years and got some education and ideas. My ideas are no where near the way to do it. Every family has their needs and what works best for them. The following information is what works for my family.

1.  Get your 72 hour kit together.

 Why? Well, that is how long it typically takes for the Red Cross to get into the area and get set up.

What is a 72 hour kit? It is a kit that has all the basic necessities that you and/or your family will need for 72 hours. You can buy a premade kit anywhere. The prices range from $50 up to a couple hundred dollars.  When I first got married I bought a basic kit at Walmart. It had a poncho, rope, first aid kit, a compass, whistle, and some other items. I added to that kit and I still have that kit.

To hold your kit  you can use anything to hold it all. Some ideas are fanny packs, back packs, suit cases, rolling trash cans, wagons, and many more.

This is an example of what we have put all of our needs in. Sorry about the picture, it was starting to fall over.

You will need water. However, water is heavy. I have a few bottles of water, a water filter, and purification tablets. If you live in an area that has lots of rainfall you don’t have to worry so much about finding water. I, however, lived in Las Vegas. Yeah, you guessed it!  I was worried about finding water.  So, I had more bottled water in my pack.  You need about 4 liters of water per person per day.

You will also need food. I put all of my food, for one day, in a zip lock baggie. That way I knew that I had enough food for each person. You will want some sort of protein, snacks, grains, fruits, dairy, comfort items. In my packs I  buy items that my family loves to eat, but we don’t have them very often. That way they think they are having treats. My packs have jerky, trail mix, granola bars, tuna, crackers, gum, fruit snacks, apple sauce packets, pop tarts, milk, Capri Suns, and cereal bars. I also bought a few of Mountain House freeze dried food. It lasts about 5 years and it’s a full meal for 2 people. I didn’t buy a whole lot of them because I would have to heat them up and I just didn’t want to build a fire or what not to make a meal, especially if I was in emergency mode.

This is how I pack one day's worth of food.

Because I have young kids, I also packed some sort of fun item for them. My boy has a couple of cars and stuff to color. My girl has a doll. My baby has a soft blanket and some baby toys. I also packed a sling for me to carry him with. And the ever needed pacifier. Yep! I NEED to have one of those.

Also, I read somewhere that you should put a picture of your family, with phone numbers on the back. Just so that if somehow, heaven forbid, that you get separated from your child there is a way they can identify the parents and contact someone.

Each of my older kids have at least one days worth of food. Again, if we get separated then at least they have something to eat.

This is my boy's pack.

If you have any women in your home you will want feminine hygiene.

This is my girl's pack. She decided she wanted this pack. I don't care as long as she is happy.

Eye glasses or contacts? You want solution and maybe an extra pair of glasses. I packed my old, out of date prescription glasses.

Babies, you want diapers! I packed disposables, cloth diapers and wipes. You might also want to consider formula, even if you nurse, and a bottle. Many times when you are expecting a baby you are sent a sample of some formula so I just put that in my pack.

Everyone in my house gets an extra pair of clothes and underwear. You want to think about what kind of climate you live in to determine the kind of clothing that you want in your kit. When I was in Girl Scouts they always told us, "If you go to bed with clean underwear and socks, you will stay warm." Everyone in my family has at least 2 days of clean underwear.

There are wool blankets and emergency blankets. I also have a large plastic container to hold water. I have flash lights, pocket knives, extra money, ponchos, first aid kit, glow sticks, matches, large trash bags, sewing kit, sun screen, lip gloss, latex gloves, toilet paper, extra medication, Advil or other pain reliever, and a mess kit.

This is no where near all of the stuff in my pack, but I am sure it will give you an idea of what you can put in yours.

Just know that you should start small and each year you check your kit buy a little more. Don’t think: “Oh, I need all of this stuff!” You don’t need to go out and pay hundreds of dollars all at once.  Plus, your needs will change as your family changes.

Always remember that you need to check your kit about every 6 months. I check mine in October and April.  You need different clothing during each time of the year.

Don't forget the animals! If you have animals you need to consider their needs too.

Some people believe in getting some sort of protection (gun, knife, etc.) to have in your pack.

My dad once told me to buy a bottle of alcohol and cigarettes. We don't smoke or drink so I was pretty surprised by this council. Well...addicts will trade ANYTHING to get it. If you need water or something, I am sure an alcoholic would trade you for it.

I hope this helps you get some good ideas on how to start your 72 hour kit.

Chicken Suzanne

 

I'm not sure if all of these ingredients are Gluten Free, but the Shirley J Whisk Bliss is! And I am telling ya, it was good!

 

This recipe was adapted. I found this recipe in a book I got waaaaayyyyy back when I first got married. My sister in law told me that it was good, so I thought I would give it a try. I was glad I did, and not so glad I did.

 

I know you are thinking, "Why isn't she glad she tried it?"

Here's why: It had all sorts of fatty things in it. I told my husband I will have to only make this once a month, he agreed because he is on a diet.

 

Anyways...You are probably thinking: "Lady get on with it."

 

So it's adapted. Shirley J's Whisk Bliss can substitute ANY cream soup. Which I love because I also, halved this recipe. I don't feed an army at home and leftovers go in the trash at my house, unless I eat them. You can't half a can of soup very easily without wasting money.

 

5 medium potatoes                                          1/2 c. Miracle Whip
4-5 boneless, skinless chicken                         2 T. lemon juice
breasts                                                              1 c. sour cream
1c. cheddar cheese                                           1/2 c. melted butter
1 c. Whisk Bliss Original or Gluten Free         2 c. water
1/2 t. Shirley J's Chicken Bouillon                   1/2 t. celery seeds (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel and slice potatoes and line the bottom of a 9 x 13 cooking dish with them. Cook the chicken and dice it. Put Whisk Bliss and water in a sauce pan and bring to a simmer, then add bouillon and celery seeds to it. Mix Miracle Whip, lemon juice, sour cream, cheddar cheese and Whisk Bliss mixture together. Put chicken over the potatoes and then pour mixture over all of it. Sprinkle bread crumbs over and melted butter. Cook for 35 minutes or until potatoes are done.

I think this would even be better without the potatoes and serve it over rice.

September's Emergency Preparedness Month

So, who wants to think about a disaster? NOT ME! I don't want to think about what could happen if something goes wrong. However, I need to and so do you. It is essential for us, as adults, to think of these things so that we can protect and prepare our little ones.
 My kids are probably so tired about hearing: "Nope, that's for emergencies." They aren't sure what an emergency is, thank goodness, but they know that if there is one there are things we are to grab and fun things in the emergency items.
 Anyways, I will be putting out a few posts about preparing for emergencies. They are no where near what others may have. I am just providing for you what I have learned. I will also be posting pictures and websites that have helped me.
 I hope this will encourage you to spend your September preparing for any small or major emergencies that might be coming. (Let's pray they never do, but prepare like they might.) I know I need to get some of my emergency items in order.
 Good luck and I hope you keep with me as I share what I have done.

Black and White Chili

Fall is coming and I don't know about you, but I love me some chili.
So, here is another great version of chili using Shirley J's Whisk Bliss Original or Gluten Free.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 c. Shirley J Whisk Bliss Original
• 2 tsp Shirley J Chicken Bouillon
• 1 tsp Onion Powder
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• 2 tsp Cumin
• 6 c. Water
• 2 15 Oz Cans Of Cannellini Beans(may substitute navy or other white beans)
• 1 15 Oz Can Black Beans(drained and rinsed)
• 2 12 Oz Cans Cooked Chicken(or other cooked chicken cut small)
• 1 6 Oz Can Diced Green Chilies

Directions:

In a medium pot, on medium heat, combine water, bouillon, onion powder, garlic, cumin, and Whisk Bliss Original; bring to a boil and simmer for about 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 10 minutes.

I hope your Summer has been fun filled!

Coconutty Macaroons

These are the latest edition to the Shirley J company. These are super easy and very delicious Macaroons.

 Head on over to www.shirleyj.com/6092 to check it out.

Nutella Pudding

Ingredients:

• 1 c. Nutella
• 5 oz Shirley J Whisk Bliss Dessert Creme
• 2 c. Water

Directions:

Combine Whisk Bliss Dessert Crème and water, mix well for 2-3 minutes with hand mixer. Blend in Nutella until combined. Great served immediately or chilled. Serve as is or garnish with sweetened whipped cream or chocolate curls.

Chicken Alfredo Wraps

I found the recipe to this on Pinterest and I decided why not!? I will make this with Whisk Bliss Original and with the Pizza & Pasta Seasoning. In the original recipe it calls for 1/2c. butter, cream cheese and heavy whipping cream. UGH!!! To much fat and too many calories. Remember Whisk Bliss is only 135 calories for 1 c. prepared and we have no saturated fats or trans fats.

You will need:

9 lasagna noodles
2 ½ cups Alfredo sauce (make with Whisk Bliss Original or Gluten Free see directions below)
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
1 T. Pizza & Pasta Seasoning (If you don't have any you can mix 1/2 c. Parmesan Cheese instead, oregano,& garlic salt)
3 cups shredded Mozzarella, or cheese of your choice

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Cook your noodles until al dente. While your noodles are  cooking. Take out your Whisk Bliss Original or Gluten Free and measure out 2/3 c. of it. Put it into a sauce pan. Mix the Whisk Bliss with 2  and 2/3 water. Bring it to a simmer and simmer for about 5 minutes. Measure out about 1 T.  Pizza & Pasta Seasoning or add more to your liking. Pull out your noodles and rinse them in cold water, so they don't stick. Then lay them flat on some paper towels and pat them dry. Put about 1 T. or so of the Alfredo sauce onto the middle of the noodle then place the chicken and cheese on top. Be careful it will be hot! Wrap the noodle up and place it in your 8 x 8 pan. Do this with all of your noodles. Once you have the pan full use the rest of the sauce and pour it over all of the noodles. Sprinkle the top with more cheese and place in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes.

After all was said and done, my husband did the head bob which tells me that it was a winning recipe. Yeah!!!!

This can also be a Gluten Free recipe!!

Hawaiian Haystacks

These were so good. I had to have more! My husband even said this recipe was a keeper! Enough said in my house.

Here are the things that you will need. You may decide that you want other ingredients on your haystacks and that's all good with me.

1/3 c. Shirley J's Whisk Bliss Original

2/3 c. water

1/2 t. Shirley J's Chicken Bouillon

cheese (My cheese looks different because I added 2 different cheeses)

rice

1 cooked, cubed chicken breast

dried cranberries

crushed pineapple

green onions

tomatoes

Chow Mein noodles

Directions:

Put the Whisk Bliss and the water in a sauce pan. Heat it up until is simmers. Put your bouillon and cooked chicken in the sauce. You can make the sauce thicker or thinner depending on how you like it by just adding more water. Cook your rice. Layer everything in your bowl, starting with rice. Next add the chicken gravy, then put whatever else you want on your haystack.

I got this recipe off of pinterest here. This recipe called for butter and sour cream. That was just too much fat and calories for me.

Also, I saw all of those ingredients and I just didn't want to spend all the extra money on them. I didn't know when the next time I would use Ranch Dip seasoning again and so that added up to money wasted in my house. That is where Whisk Bliss Original saved me money and time. I made the gravy in less than 5 minutes! I only needed 3 ingredients! Plus! My sauce was only 135 calories (before I added chicken and bouillon)!!!

This recipe served 4.

Artichoke Dip

Ingredients:

• 1/2 c. Shirley J Whisk Bliss Original
• 1 Tbs Shirley J Pizza And Pasta Seasoning
• 1/2 tsp Shirley J Chicken Bouillon
• 2 c. Water
• 1/8 tsp Cayenne Pepper
• 2 c. Mozzarella Cheese(grated)
• 8 oz Cream Cheese
• 14 oz Artichoke Hearts(drained and chopped)

Directions:

Combine water and Whisk Bliss Original in small saucepan over medium heat. Heat to a boil. Remove from heat and add cayenne, Pizza and Pasta Seasoning, and Bouillon, whisk. Add cream cheese, artichokes, and mozzarella, stirring lightly. Remove to an ovenproof casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Serve with chips, crackers, or veggies.


I made this dip for a party that I had. It was very good and I couldn't get enough.

Slow Cooker Cooking!

And as always you can find these great products here.

Chicken Fried Steak with Country Gravy

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp Shirley J Onion Seasoning
• 4 ea 6 Oz. Beef Cubed Steaks
• 2 c. Flour
• 1 tsp Black Pepper
• 3/4 tsp Salt
• 1 1/2 c. Buttermilk
• 1 Eggs
• 1 Tbs Hot Pepper Sauce
• 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
• for frying Vegetable Oil

Gravy

• 1 c. Shirley J Whisk Bliss Original
• 4 c. Water
• 1/2 tsp Cracked Black Pepper

Directions:

Pound the steaks to about ¼-inch thickness. Place flour in a shallow bowl. In a separate shallow bowl combine the pepper, salt, garlic, buttermilk, egg, and Tabasco Sauce. Dredge each steak first in the flour, then in the batter, and again in the flour. Pat the flour onto the surface of each steak so they are completely coated with dry flour.
Heat the shortening in a deep cast-iron skillet to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Fry the steaks until evenly golden brown (3-5 minutes per side). Place fried steaks on a plate with paper towels to drain.
Meanwhile, in medium saucepan combine water and Whisk Bliss Original, whisking until blended. Heat to slow boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes. Add desired amount of pepper. Serve over steaks and whipped potatoes.