MARCH/EAT WHAT YOU STORE AND STORE WHAT YOU EAT.

This month -march- our cooking club was so awesome and very informative. the 3rd ward hosted this months club. Danielle Mahoney and Jean Colarusso taught our class on food storage and recipes to go along will our Food Storage. Doing a Food Storage can be over-whelming for some, but what they taught and demoed. could so easily put ones mind at ease. I myself am excited about getting my food storage going. And everyone that attended was also equally impressed and excited. I personally thought it would be easy to do. And it is also something the whole family could participate in. Danielle gave a good point, if you teach the family to do this and to cook and how to use the food storage, is another way to be prepared in any circumstance that comes ones way. (D&C 38:30) Thanks to the 3rd ward for a very informative and fun evening. ---- Danielle and Jean are also the owners of : Dream Dinners ----

EAT WHAT YOU STORE AND STORE WHAT YOU EAT

"Build a small supply of food that is part of your normal, daily diet. One way to do this is to purchase
a few extra items each week to build a one-week supply of food. Then you can gradually increase your supply until it is sufficient for three months. These items should be rotated regularly to avoid spoilage."

Why is it important and why Bagged Meals makes it easier!
1. Helps rotate your storage and helps save money.
2. Helps you with what your family likes and thus what to store.
3. Teaches all family members( kids included) how to prepare dinners sing food storage.
4. You are comfortable eating and preparing these exact meals when real crisis comes and
you can have dinner done in 30 minutes or less.
5. Gives you a specific plan of action to began building your food storage.

Ways to store Bagged Meals
No matter how you choose to storage your dinners always label and date them.
1. Place all ingredients in a ziplock bag or grocery bag to keep together and store in rows in a box
oldest at front.
2. Stored in bags as mentioned above. Then bags are stored in large food safe buckets or containers
oldest at top.
3. Place all ingredients in small stackable Tupperware so it can be easily stored stacked and rotated.
If you choose this method pick a standard Tupperware size that will hold all the ingredients for one
dinner so that it can be taken down, used, refiled and replaced.

Other uses for Bagged Meals
Bring with you on vacation(great for camping)
Give to college student home to raid the pantry
Give as a Christmas gift (instead of a treat, a nutritious meal)
Give as a Bridal or Baby Shower Gift
Give to your Visiting Teacher
Give as a Thank-you Gift( great to bring when you stay at someone's house
they can either make it while you are there or save it for when you are gone)

Other resources for recipes and more:
www.backwoodshome.com -great article on food storage-
www.simplyprepared.com
foodstoragemadeeasy.net
www.providentliving.org
www.mormanchic.com
www.everydayfoodstorage.com look for the recipe page
RECIPES:

BEAN DIP MADE FROM FREEZE DRIED BEANS -(FLAKES)
1 1/2 cup dried beans
water-enough to blend to a refried bean consistency
season as you like.
Patricia Lacock made this and used it as a 7 layer bean dip.

APPLE PIE FILLING (EILEEN SEARS RECIPE) COMPLIMENTS OF JEAN DEAN

9 Quarts cut up or sliced apple
4 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 teaspoons cinnamon
10 cups water

Heat until thick and bubbly
Add 3 Tablespoons lemon juice and a few drops of yellow food coloring
Mix sauce with apples
To bottle this recipe process as directed according to process desired (steam,hot
water bath, ect)
Simply pour bottled apples into pie crust - if you want a Dutch apple topping
mix the following together and place on top of apple filling:

1 cup sifted flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup soft butter


ASIAN PASTA SALAD - BAGGED MEALS -
1 lb. Pasta ( I like pasta)
2 (12.5 oz) cans chunk chicken
1 (11 oz) can mandarin oranges
For Sauce:
1/3 cup soy sauce ( not included)
1/2 cup vegetable oil & 1 tsp sesame oil (in small
baggie or add later)
1/3 cup rice vinegar (separate bag or add later)
Seasoning: ( put in small baggie)
1/4 cup sesame seeds
3 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp pepper
2 Tbsp chives
Opened oil has a shelf life of 3 months max so if you pre bag
it make sure you rotate it within that time.
Boil pasta drain and set aside. Combine oil, vinegar,
and seasoning with a whisk to make sauce. Open and
drain chicken and oranges and add to pasta. Pour
sauce over pasta mixture and toss to coat.
Made by:

PUMPKIN WHITE BEAN SOUP - BAGGED MEAL-
1 can pumpkin
1 can coconut milk
2 cans white beans (drained and rinsed)
1 can vegetable broth
1 tsp sage or 1 tsp cinnamon
Combine ingredients and heat through.
Serve with bread or crackers.

SALMON AND PEAS OVER PASTA - BAGGED MEAL -
2 Tbsp butter (not included)
2-3 Tbsp flour (not included)
1 can chicken broth
1 cup freeze dried peas
1 can/pouch salmon
1 can evaporated milk
Spice Packet (in small baggie)
1/2 tsp. dill
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 lb. your favorite pasta
Cook pasta drain and set aside. Make a roux
from flour and butter, slowly add broth and cook
until thickened, then add milk. Add dehydrated peas
salmon and spices. Heat through. Serve over pasta.

BEEF STROGANOFF- ( bagged meal )
1 can beef chunks (drained)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can evaporated milk
1 bag of egg noodles
Seasoning packet ( in small baggie ):
1 Tbsp. onion flakes
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
Cook noodles, drain and set aside. Combine first 3
ingredients, add seasoning and heat through.
Serve over noodles.

Indian Curry haystacks - (bagged meal )
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can chicken ( drained )
1 can mandarin oranges ( drained )
1 can pineapple tidbits ( drained )
1 small baggie coconut
2 cups white rice ( in separate baggie )
Other topping ideas one small baggie of each is
plenty: cashews, almond, raisins, rice noodles, one can baby corn.

Cook rice with 4 cups water. Combine can of soup
with milk ( you can include one can of evaporated milk
with dinner) or water and add curry and chicken.
Heat through serve over rice and toppings of your choice.

INSTANT OATMEAL - ( BAGGED MEALS )
Combine the fallowing the ingredients in a small baggie:
1/4 cup oats
1/2 cup oats, blended until powdery
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar (optional)
1/8 tsp. cinnamon (optional)
You can also add dried fruit that is broken into small pieces like apples,
raisins, apricots. Seal baggie and store. I like to use an entire round
oats container and then store the baggies in the same container.
Stove top directions: Empty packet into pan. Add 1/2 cup
boiling water. Cook and stir over heat until thickened.
Microwave directions: Empty packet into microwavable bowl. Add 2/3
cup water or milk. Microwave on high about 1 1/2 minutes, stir.


CREAMY WHITE CHILI - ( BAGGED MEAL )
1 ( 10 oz. ) chicken
2 ( 4 0z. ) can chopped green chilies
2 ( 15 0z. ) cans great northern white beans
2 cups water
3/4 cup evaporated milk ( from a 12 0z. can )
2 tsp. white vinegar (not included)
SEASONINGS: (put in small baggie )
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. ground pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 tsp. chicken bouillon powder
DIRECTIONS: Rinse and drain the beans. Drain and shred the chicken.
Combine all ingredients except the vinegar and evaporated milk in a soup pot.
Bring to a boil, then simmer on low uncovered for 20 - 30 minutes. Finally, stir
in the vinegar and evaporated milk and heat through. Serve with bread or crackers.

CHEESY TUNA MELT - ( BAGGED MEAL )
1 lb. pasta (any shape )
2 Tbs. butter ( not included )
1/2 can evaporated milk
1 can tuna fish
CHEESY SEASONINGS: ( put in a small baggie )
1/2 cup dehydrated cheese powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. parsley flakes
DIRECTIONS: In a large pot, boil the pasta until tender ( about 12 - 15 minutes ).
Drain and transfer the pasta back to the pot. Stir in the butter until melted. Next,
make a well in the center of the pasta and pour in the 1/2 can evaporated milk and
cheesy seasonings. Whisk together the cheese mixture until well blended, then fold
in the pasta and tuna until well combined. Heat through on low to thicken the the
cheese sauce. ---- you could also add a can ( or frozen ) of peas to this recipe.

SANTA FE TORTILLA CHIP TOPPER
1/2 cup white long grain rice
1 cup water (not included )
1 cup whole kernel corn, drained
1 can black beans
1 can black eyed peas
1 ( 8 oz. ) can tomato sauce
1 can green chilies, chopped
1 Tbs. olive oil ( not included )
SEASONINGS: ( PUT IN A SMALL BAGGIES )
Directions: In a large pot bring 1 cup water to a boil, add the rice, cover and turn
down to low. Let simmer for about 15 minutes or until the water is absorbed and the
rice is tender. Drain and rinse the beans and add in the remaining ingredients,
including the seasoning packet to the rice pot. Stir well and heat through. Serve with
plain tortillas, taco shells or tortilla chips. Cheese and sour cream is great too!

CHILI IN A BAG
1 can kidney beans
1 can pinto beans
1 can diced tomatoes
1 ( 6 0z. ) can tomato paste
2 cups water ( not included )
1 can roast beef chunks
1 pkg. chili seasoning mix
DIRECTIONS: Drain and rinse the beans. Pour everything in a large pot. Cook on medium
heat, simmering and stirring occasionally until chili is thickened, about 10 minutes. Serve
with bread or crackers.

If anyone has any other ideas or recipes, please let me know and I will put them on the blog.
Thank-you for your patience.