Molasses and Food Storage...Be Prepared!

YES! Be prepared all. It is a new post from me. I imagine you all think a miracle has occurred. Finally, I am beginning to feel a little better. It's amazing what 2 anti-depressants, spring flowers, sleep, sunshine, walking, and fresh strawberry jam scum will do for a person; not to mention Easter, General Conference, and more than a week off for spring break! WA-HOO! I am actually just wrapping up my spring break...back to school come Monday.
Anyway, to get to the heart of this post, I have been feeling impressed upon lately to be prepared. I have been working on a 72 hour kit, and building my individual food storage, as well as help Mom organize her pantry so we know what she needs to get for her storage and what we need to plant in the garden this year. I bought her some gamma lids (I highly recommend them) for her 50th wedding anniversary. I know, weird gift, but very practical. She was excited, so that's what matters. Today I bought three cases of strawberries. We froze enough for 2 batches of jam, plus some for misc. use later on, we made a batch of fresh jam, and I am dehydrating a tray of berry halves and a tray of banana slices, just to see how they turn out. I'm hoping they aren't hard as rocks. Plus I gave a few strawberries to neighbors, and Mom and I each kept some to eat. I couldn't pass them up. They were $7.99 for a case. My favorite part of making homemade jam is having jam scum to eat! YUMMY! Plus, I like seeing all the pretty jars, and it smells amazing in the house when we make it. Just like spring. Mmmm!

Pop Quiz Time

Nora is feeling impressed to be prepared because:

a- she is the daughter of a scout and emergency preparedness specialist
b- she is housesitting for people who have spent time in 3rd world countries
c- the prophets have warned us for years/our nation's government has me concerned
d- all of the above

Well, I have food storage all over my kitchen, waiting to be hauled downstairs. Now that I have the flooding issues taken care of, I am ready to get serious about food storage. I bought myself a couple of 5 gallon buckets and gamma lids. I ordered a bucket of honey through Kathy, and this month, my goal is to buy the essentials to make bread to go with all that lovely jam! Does anyone know anything about "living yeast"? If so, I'd appreciate some info. I even plan on grinding some wheat into wheat flour. Mom has a grinder, so I figured I'd better make good use of it.
With all of this, I bet you think I am going to post a recipe for jam, or maybe homemade bread. Nope! Had you fooled, didn't I?! (okay, so maybe the pictures gave it away...) I've decided to post a recipe I made clear back in the fall. I've wanted to post it for several months, but life was complicated, and I was stressed. Now I am ready.
The recipe is a Betty Crocker recipe from the Betty Crocker Cooky Book originally published in 1963. Brent gave me a copy of it, and he even called me the cookie queen. (I helped him break his cookie curse, but that's another story!) The recipe is the best cooky of 1930-1935 Molasses Crinkles. These are cookies that my grandparents & dad would have loved. They have been Mom approved! There are some interesting facts and notes on the page. For example, light molasses comes from the first boil of the sugar cane stalks; dark from the second. For this cookie, the recipe calls for light molasses. I didn't have any, so I used dark, and it was awesome. So, my guess is it just depends on taste. These cookies are thick, chewy and have crackled sugary tops. Cold milk is a must. In my oven, 10 minutes baking time is perfection!

Without further delay, (drum roll if you please)
I give you Molasses Crinkles! (please applaud)

Molasses Crinkles
3/4 c. soft shortening
1 c. brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1/4 c. molasses
2 1/4 c. flour
2 tsp. soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
granulated sugar

Mix shortening, sugar, egg, and molasses thoroughly. Measure flour, use knife to level off. (Do not tap or pack flour into measuring cup). Blend all dry ingredients; stir in. Chill.
Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Roll dough in 1 1/4" balls. Dip tops in sugar. Place balls, sugared side up, 3" apart on greased baking sheet. Sprinkle each with 2 or 3 drops of water. Bake 10-12 minutes or just until set but not hard. Makes 4 dozen cookies.

The answer to the quiz is d- all of the above! How many of you got it right? Hmm?!

By the way, you may notice the Be prepared buttons on my profile. If you click on them, it takes you to the Emergency Essentials website Be Prepared. If you post them on your blog, you can earn a free $10 card to Emergency Essentials. If you review the food storage analyzer, you can earn another $10 gift card. For those of you super bloggers, they also give gift cards to guest bloggers. AND...they have giveaways, ideas, recipes, links for emergency preparedness, & much more. So, if you need help being prepared, check it out. I might try the Food Storage Analyzer in the next few days. If I do, I'll let you know what I think.

Well, time to close this mini-novel. Love you all. Happy Easter!
P.S. Keep blogging!

Stewing over a Souper 1st Year of Blogging on a Snowy Night

So tonight is the one-year anniversary of my blog's creation. I spent the evening looking back at some of my posts, and to be truthful, I am quite impressed at how much I have blogged! True, it was not monthly, but I did blog more than I thought I might. One thing I am not surprised about is how many of my blogs have sweet treat ideas (after all, my brother Brent called me the queen of cookies not long ago). So, I am going to work on posting other recipes as well. I actually enjoy blogging. Sometimes it is challenging to come up with a blog-worthy idea, but that is part of the reason to blog.
This winter has been super snowy where I live. My friend told me tonight that he thought we had 18"-24" of snow out there on the ground, and the weather forecast says more snow is on the way. Maybe I will take a picture of it tomorrow, but I did pull out my Canada boots today, so I could make my way through that winter wonderland beauty. I like snow. I like winter. Yes, it can be frustrating and long. Yes, shoveling all that snow gets old really fast. Yes, it is slick, but I got ice grips for my shoes for Christmas. Nonetheless...even with all its problems, I like winter. I just do.
Today I was at school, working on putting my new classroom together so that it is presentable when the students return after the new year. From my new windows, I watched the snow falling all day long. I was glad not to be out driving in the snow. Our roads have been super-slick and snow-packed. I got quite a bit accomplished at school, although I do have to go back tomorrow. Then I think I will be finished. No, correction. I will be finished, even if the room is not completely ready. There is always something else to work on, but there is more to life than school. Shocking, but true. My teacher friends will understand!
When I came home, I was positive I could smell Cheese and Potato Soup. Only one problem. Mom didn't make Cheese and Potato Soup. She made World-Famous Stew instead. I like World-Famous Stew. It is fabulous on a day like today. I'm not complaining. I just really like Cheese and Potato Soup as well. Oh well, there will be more snowy days to come for Cheese and Potato Soup.
Well, it is late, Henry is sleeping, and I have much to accomplish tomorrow. I'd better call it a night. Here are two recipes I think are worth keeping in your recipe collection. They are both filling and delicious. I like to make them and eat them, especially when it is snowing. Enjoy and keep posting!

Cheese and Potato Soup
4 medium potatoes, diced
1 large onion, chopped (*I use 1 Tbsp. onion flakes)
1 qt. water
1/4 c. butter
3 Tbsp. flour
1/2 c. milk
1 1/2 c. shredded cheese (I use cheddar)
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. seasoned salt
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/8 tsp. pepper

Combine potatoes, onion, and water in saucepan. Bring to boil, reduce heat & simmer until tender (about 20 minutes).
In heavy skillet, make a white sauce by melting butter, then stirring in flour, and finally adding the milk, whisking till smooth. Add white sauce to potatoes. Cook and stir until thick. Add cheese and seasonings. Serves 4-6.

(Note: this soup is good and filling. I like to serve it with my simple cornbread recipe from January '09)

Mom's World Famous Stew
makes 6 to 8 large servings

1-1 1/2 lbs good meat, cubed (sirloin tip meat preferred)
Saute meat until brown (add salt & pepper). Then roast meat in 350 degree F oven for 1 hour (pan covered) with the following added:
2 cans tomato soup
2 cans water
1 1/2 cup chopped onion (We use 1 Tbsp. onion flakes)
1/2 tsp. dry sweet basil
After 1 hour baking, then add diced:
4 medium potatoes
4 medium carrots
1/2 c or more of water
Bake 1 hour more, then salt and pepper to taste.

(Note: We now usually make this recipe on the stovetop in a large pan. We often make it with ground beef, which can be browned right in the bottom of the pan. On the stovetop, you can add all the ingredients at once after the meat is browned. We sometimes add other vegetables. Tonight's soup had celery in it, and I do have one brother that likes to make his with peas. Potatoes and carrots are traditional though. You can even make this in the crockpot. Just brown your hamburger first.)

Christmas treats come and go....

Hello everyone. I imagine you think that I have forgotten about my blog by now. Well, that's not the case. I still check the blogs regularly. Life has just been kinda crazy around here. In fact, it was so crazy, I made almost none of the regular Christmas treats that I normally make. I did help the family make Six-Month Fudge, and Mom and I made fruitcake as a demonstration at our Souper Thursday craft night, but that was about it for me and the treat-making this year. Thank goodness for friends, neighbors, and my students! We didn't go without, that's for sure. I hope you had an enjoyable Christmas and that you were able to feel the spirit of the season. Today's recipes are two of my favorite Christmas treats: Six-Month Fudge, and my friend Stephanie's awesome treat Sugar Crack. Let me warn you though...it is addicting! I'm going to call it good for today and go get my hair cut. Love to you all. Keep posting!

Stephanie's Sugar Crack:

3 cubes butter
2 c. sugar
2 c. corn syrup

Mix the above ingredients together in a saucepan on about med. heat. Boil for 3 min. Take off the heat and add 1/2 t. vanilla.

In a large bowl, add 1 large box of Rice Chex, 1 large box of Golden Grahams, and 1 c. sliced almonds. Pour the syrup over the cereal mixture, and mix until well coated. Let it cool slightly, then add 1 bag of white choc. chips. Mix well again. Enjoy!


Six Month Fudge:
Mix in a 4 qt pan: 1 lb Hershey's milk chocolate bar broken into small chunks.
16 oz. chocolate chips
1 pt. marshmallow creme
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. nuts (if desired)

In another pan (at least 4 qts)
Mix 4 1/2 c. sugar and 1 can evaporated milk. Boil for 4 1/2 minutes after reaching a rolling boil. Pour over previous mixture and stir until creamy. Pour immediately into a pan lined with a thin film of butter. Let sit overnight before cutting. Caution: Do Not Use a plastic spoon or bowl.