Easy 3 Ingredient No Bake Cookies

Have a sweet tooth? During a power outage, you may not be able to use your oven to make cookies. But you can use an open flame on your camping stove, or the heat from a charcoal grill to make these delectable chocolate-y, high fiber "bites".
We served these, made with the Grape Nuts, last night. I made mine with Smart Start cereal just as an experiment.

One warning. These are food storage items, but cereal has a much shorter shelf life than canned food. If you went out and bought a box of cereal today, it would expire in about 10 months. Chocolate chips also have about a 10 month shelf life (sometimes more, depends on the brand)..then they get white-ish and crumbly.

So if you purchase these, and store them away, make note on your calendar or somewhere to use up these items before the expiration date. These are packaged items...mice can eat through the cardboard and plastic packaging. The canned milk I have pictured here has a "use by" date of September 2, 2010 but I have used sweetened canned milk past its "use by" dates and it was still OK.

This recipe is better than the classic No Bake Cook recipe I have used all my life, so thank you to Chrissy Heiner for sharing this treat and this recipe with us. Last night, we heard there is another name for these "cookies" (actually, it is more like a fudge): Gorilla Poop.

Easy 3 Ingredient No Bake Cookies
(aka "Gorilla Poop")

1 (12 oz.)package chocolate chips
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups Grape-Nuts cereal (or other cereal, crushed)

Melt chocolate chips. Stir in milk and Grape-Nuts.
Drop by teaspoonfuls on wax paper. Cool.

Tallerone Recipe

Last night, we had our "Kick Off" meeting for our year of Preparedness Classes/Activities for our Relief Society sisters. We will meet each month on the last Thursday of the month (Except Nov., Dec.) for the year 2009. One of the dishes on the "tasting table" last night was Tallerone, a last minute choice I made. It was so quick to make on my stovetop. Then I put it in my crockpot to take to our meeting so I could plug it in to keep warm.

Here you see pictures of the ingredients and then the final product. Every ingredient is a pantry item. Since I did not pass out the recipe last night, here it is....

Tallerone

8 ounces medium egg noodles (half of a 16 oz. bag)
1 can No Beans chili (15 oz.)
1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 oz.)
1 small can tomato sauce (8 oz.)
1 can corn (15 1/4 oz.), drained
1/2 can of black olives,drained and sliced
2 Tablespoons Parmesan Cheese
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
black pepper (Optional)

Cook noodles in big 6 quart size pot and drain. Open the cans of chili, tomatoes, tomato sauce and dump the contents into the hot noodles. Open can of corn and drain it and dump corn into pot. Open can of olives, drain and take out half of the olives (about 3/4 cup or so) and slice them. (Save the other olives for the olive lovers in the family to snack on..or or another recipe.) Put them in pot, along with the 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan cheese. Add garlic powder and pepper (If you like pepper). Stir until all combined. Heat over low flame to warm it up more, transfer to a serving dish. Sprinkle with another tablespoon of Parmesan cheese.
Makes 10 one cup servings.
Serve with a side of cooked canned green beans or asparagus or something else green.

The Costco Emergency Food Bucket

I recently heard about this Costco offering. Currently it is not in our store here, but available online with free shipping to your door!

Here is the information. If you go online, you can read more about the contents and nutritional values.

Go to www.costco.com

type in....Emergency Food Kit

It is a 5 gallon bucket with a handle.

275 1 cup servings (most have to be simmered in water for 20 minutes)

It is a 5 gallon
Weather Proof Bucket with a handle.
The meals are 100% vegetarian and vitamin fortified.
On side of bucket is printed the nutritional information,
plus instructions.

20 Year Shelf Life

Item # 104893
$84.99
Shipping & Handling included

Coping with No Power In Icy Weather !

Today's map of the country and the huge storm system!


We have a daughter in Missouri..and one in Maryland... They are sure being socked with icy cold. They each have 4 kids..school was called off in both places for days...too cold for the kids to wait for bus. Roads too dangerous for buses anyway.
Our daughter had to go out for food in dangerous conditions. I need to encourage her to have more food storage, especially chicken soups and other comfort foods.

Over a million poeple are without power in other states....

Read on...
More than a million wait in icy darkness across US
By DANIEL SHEA, Associated Press Writer Daniel Shea, Associated Press Writer 12 mins ago
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090128/ap_on_re_us/winter_storm/print

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Well over a million people shivered in ice-bound homes across the country Wednesday, waiting for warmer weather and for utility crews to restring power lines brought down by a storm that killed 23 as it took a snowy, icy journey from the Southern Plains to the East Coast.

But with temperatures plunging, utility officials warned that it could be mid-February before electricity is restored to some of the hardest-hit places. The worst of the power failures were in Kentucky, Arkansas and Ohio.

Just getting to their source was difficult for utility crews. Ice-encrusted tree limbs and power lines blocked glazed roads, and cracking limbs pierced the air like popping gunfire as they snapped.

In Kentucky, National Guard soldiers were dispatched to remove the debris. Oklahoma, already struggling to restore power there, planned to send crews to help in Arkansas later in the week.

"It looks like a tornado came through, but there wasn't a path; it was everywhere," said Mel Coleman, the chief executive officer of the North Arkansas Electric Cooperative in Salem. The power is out at his house, too, and he spent Tuesday night in a chair at his office.

The storm was "worse than we ever imagined," he said.

In Arkansas — where ice was 3 inches thick in some places — people huddled next to fireplaces, wood-burning stoves and portable heaters powered by generators. When it got too cold, they left for shelters or relatives' homes that weren't hit as badly.
"We bundled up together on a bed with four blankets. It's freezing," said Pearl Schmidt of Paintsville, in eastern Kentucky. Her family endured 32-degree weather Wednesday morning before leaving their house for a shelter.

Kyle Brashears' family rode out the storm in their Mountain Home, Ark., home before fleeing to relatives after half an ice-caked oak tree fell into their home.
"It caved the roof in and ripped the gutter off, although it didn't penetrate inside," he said. "I was walking around outside until about 1 a.m. and it was just a nonstop medley of tree limbs cracking off."

The number of homes and businesses without power totaled around 1.4 million Wednesday evening, in a swath of states from Oklahoma to West Virginia. Arkansas had more than 350,000 customers in the dark; Kentucky had about a half-million. The actual number of people affected the power failures could be much higher.

In Kentucky, the power outages produced by the ice storm were outdone only by the remnants of Hurricane Ike, which lashed the state with fierce winds last year, leaving about 600,000 customers without power. Gov. Steve Beshear said he was seeking a federal emergency disaster declaration, a key step in securing federal assitance for storm victims.

"We've got lots of counties that do not have any communication, any heat, any power," he said.

Various charities opened shelters across the region, but with the power out nearly everywhere — including at some radio stations — it was difficult to spread the word. Some deputies went door to door and offered to drive the elderly to safety.

Meanwhile, some community leaders buckled down for a long haul. Kentucky Public Protection Cabinet spokesman Dick Brown urged people to conserve water because power failures could limit supplies in some areas.

Since the storm began building Monday, the weather has been blamed for at least six deaths in Texas, four in Arkansas, three in Virginia, six in Missouri, two in Oklahoma, and one each in Indiana and Ohio. Some parts of New England were expected to see well over a foot of snow as the storm kept moving northeast, but because it turned to snow, ice-related power failures weren't as big of a concern.

That didn't mean a trouble-free day for commuters. Delays or cancellations were reported at airports including those serving Columbus, Cincinnati, Philadelphia, New York and Boston. Commuters on highways encountered a slushy mess.

Tracey Ramey of Waynesville, Ohio, a village about 20 miles southeast of Dayton, said her husband left for his job as a plow operator late Monday with an overnight bag and hasn't been able to return. He did call her Wednesday morning to caution her not to go to her data-entry job.

"He said, 'There's 2 inches of ice on the road and there's no way you're going to make it to work,'" she said.
___
Contributing to this report were Associated Press writers Kantele Franko in Columbus, Ohio; Justin Juozapavicius in Tulsa, Okla.; Bruce Schreiner in Louisville, Ky.; Rick Callahan in Indianapolis; Ben Feller in Washington; Ben Greene in Baltimore; Dan Sewell in Cincinnati; and John Raby in Charleston, W.Va.; and Patrick Walters in Philadelphia

Put It Under The Bed !

(by the way, this is NOT our bed...it is a phot from the Internet)

Some folks say..where I will put my extra food storage? I loved this article from 3 years ago about preparing for the time when you are stuck at home...for days and days...

Read on...

Preparing for a Pandemic
An Expert Goes Over the Must-Haves if Bird Flu Cripples the Country
March 14, 2006 —
http://abcnews.go.com/print?id=1722484

Over the weekend, the government told Americans to start storing canned foods and powdered milk under their beds as the prospect of a deadly bird flu outbreak approaches the United States. The fear is that the bird flu will turn into a pandemic and drastically alter the course of American life for a time.
The Red Cross says that if there's a pandemic, we need to prepare for 10 days of being stuck in our homes, and that we may be without power and water during that time. In the event of a bird flu pandemic, Americans should plan for interruptions or delays in other services: Banks might close, hospitals could be overwhelmed, and postal service could be spotty. Experts also say that people need to begin stocking up on extra food and supplies like protective masks, flashlights, portable radios, batteries and matches.

"When you go to the store and buy three cans of tuna fish, buy a fourth and put it under the bed. When you go to the store to buy some milk, pick up a box of powdered milk, put it under the bed," said Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt. "When you do that for a period of four to six months, you are going to have a couple of weeks of food. And that's what we're talking about."
Previous pandemics occurred in 1918, 1957 and 1968, and the worst waves of illness seem to pass through communities in a matter of six weeks to eight weeks. Computer models suggest about 30 percent of people could be infected, but not all at the same time.

In the event of a pandemic, people must practice what the health officials call "social distancing," or keeping away from other people's germs. Schools and day-care centers could be closed, sporting events and other large gatherings could be canceled, and shaking hands could become socially unacceptable, at least for a while.

Darlene Washington, the director of disease prevention education at the American Red Cross, came to "Good Morning America" to go over some of the must-haves in the event of a bird flu pandemic.
Water

"We recommend that each member of your family has a gallon of water for each day, so a family of four needs to have 40 gallons of water available and you need that much water stored because there's a chance that your water will get cut off if there's a pandemic," Washington said. "Workers may not be able to make it, and plants may stop operating. Your family will need to drink water and for hygiene, for brushing their teeth and washing their hands."

Food
"You need foods that will not spoil," Washington said. "So you need canned foods like tuna. You also need to get foods that you don't have to heat, because just like your water, your powers may go out, too. In addition, to things like canned tuna, you should start storing peanut butter, protein, bars, crackers. Again, foods that have a long shelf life and that don't need to be heated. Make sure you have enough formula and baby food to get through that 10 days. You have to plan for every member of your family and that includes your pets. So get extra dog food or cat food, and make sure you have extra water for your pets. You need a 10-day supply for everyone."

Power Outages
"Stores are going to run out of what you need, too," Washington said. "So that's why you need to stock up now. And we encourage families to have supplies on hand like flashlights and batteries, matches. Hand-cranked or battery-operated radios, and a manual can opener, because you are going to need to open all those cans of food. And this may not seem important but you must get activities for your children and yourself, games, coloring books, cards."

Cleaning Supplies
"You have to have all those on hand to keep your home clean and to have receptacles for all your trash," she said. "You probably won't have trash service and you need to account for that. You need to make sure to have paper towels, toilet paper and soap. Everything you need to keep your home clean and practice good hygiene."

Medication
"You need to get an additional 10 days of all your prescription medications," Washington said. "You should also have over-the-counter, fever-reducing medications; medications for upset stomach; and cold and flu medication. You'll also want to have fluids like Gatorade and Pedialite, which have electrolytes and will help a family member rehydrate if they get sick. Also, keep a few thermometers around in case someone gets sick."

If a Family Member Gets Sick
"The first thing is to strengthen your hand washing and to have the infected family member cover his mouth when he coughs," she said. "You should also keep that person isolated in a certain part of the house and identify a family member who will help him. You may have to take turns."
Copyright © 2009 ABC News Internet Ventures

At Winco Now...Cheerios for $1.50

When you walk into the front door of our local WinCO on Roy Roger's Drive and Amargosa, the first thing your eyes see is a big stack of Cherrios ...14 oz. boxes, priced at $1.50. Each box has 14 1 cup servings or 19 3/4 cup servings. The expiration date is January 2010. So if there are any Cheerios lovers out there...this price can't be beat. A good storage item.

Preparing For Water Shortage Due to Earthquake

Why did a spend 10 dollars on an aquatainer (from Walmart-camping section)recently? Because it was blue: I liked the color. I liked that it held 7 gallons of water and had a spigot and a handle. I can actually lift it when it is full of water. A gallon of water weighs about 8 pounds, by the way. The plastic is a safe kind of plastic for drinking water and it has a 5 year warranty. I will buy another one next week, then keep them both filled and on top of my counter next to the washing machine in our back hall. This way, I will be totally ready with 14 gallons of water if a major earthquake this weekend breaks our city's water lines. There is just the 2 of us in our household, so at a gallon of water per person per say) that will give us drinking water for 1 week. It's a start. (I already have plastic gallon bottles of water stored in various places in the house, but they are over 2 years old and will not be used for drinking.)

I also bought it because I read this in Monday's Daily Press!

span style="font-weight:bold;">Quake could knock out water for six months

BEATRIZ E. VALENZUELA Staff Writer VICTORVILLE DAILY PRESS
January 26, 2009 - 8:57AM
http://www.vvdailypress.com/common/printer/view.php?db=vvdailypress&id=10575

A major earthquake along the San Andreas Fault could knock out water service to many Southern California homes, including homes in the High Desert, for up to six months, according to a new study.

"This is why water storage is such a big part of earthquake preparedness," Andy Silva, spokesman for 1st District Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt, said.

Following November's Great Southern California ShakeOut, the massive earthquake drill, experts estimate in the event of a large earthquake - much like the 7.8 magnitude simulation - there will be about 1,000 leaks along water-transporting pipes, according to a statement.

To combat those problems, water districts need to stock more replacement pipe parts near the areas that are expected to have leakage.

Several water agencies in the county will be retooling their mutual-aid agreements in order to find the most effective way to distribute replacement parts or water from other states in order to restore water service as quickly as possible, according to the ShakeOut results.

As a rule, people should store one gallon of water per person for at least three days, Silva said.

"When dealing with an earthquake of this magnitude, three days would be the absolute minimum. I would say if you can store more, then store more," Silva said.

The lack of water will also hamper firefighting efforts.

Local fire officials also express concerns over the 1,600 fires expected to erupt due to naturalgas lines bursting and electrical fires, as well as how to get to the fires.

"There are only a few spots where fire personnel can get from Apple Valley to Victorville and back," said Deputy Chief Art Bishop, of the Apple Valley Fire Protection District. "If there is damage to either Highway 18 or Bear Valley Road, it can be a very difficult situation."

To alleviate that problem, many agencies are looking into using sat ellitetele phones which do not require cables or cell phone towers to remain operational, Bishop said.

Other concerns raised by the simulation is how quickly electricity will be restored.

Some estimate it could take anywhere from 10 days to a few weeks.

"One of the biggest challenges is the ability to get down through highways and do inspections," Steve Conroy, spokesman for Southern California Edison, said. "We will have to find an alternate way to do it."

Many Edison customers can expect some sort of disruption to their service, Conroy said, and when it comes to restoration of services, the top priority always goes to hospitals and emergency services.

Experts estimate in the event of a large earthquake - much like the 7.8-magnitude simulation - there will be about 1,000 leaks in 450 miles of San Bernardino's East Valley Water District's pipe.

Home Storage Starter Kit

Want a Home Storage Starter Kit? Have one delivered from church distribution to your door!

The family home storage starter kit may be used to teach family home storage principles and help individuals get started with longer-term food storage. The kit includes materials that teach the importance of a three-month food supply, water storage, and savings and 6 cans of longer-term food supply items.

The kit contains:

* All is Safely Gathered In: Family Home Storage pamphlet
* All is Safely Gathered In: Family Finances pamphlet
* All is Safely Gathered In: Basic Recipes pamphlet
* Financial reserve and drinking water teaching aids
* Two #10 cans of hard red winter wheat (11 lbs. total net weight)
* Two #10 cans of white rice (10.8 lbs. total net weight)
* One #10 can of pinto beans (5.2 lbs. net weight)
* One #10 can of quick oats (2.4 lbs. net weight)

Item number: 06604000
$34.75 USD

Go to Distribution's website-see right hand of this page.

FDA Has Site For Product Recalls

This picture is what greets you lately on Food and Drug Administration site. Go to



fda.gov


that's it..easy to remember.

We have been told that jars of peanut butter on our grocery shelves are fine. It is
the institutional peanut butter in the big cans and the products that utilize peanut butter and peanut paste from the Georgia plant...like cookies, crackers, energy bars, etc. that should be avoided now. Girl scout cookies are safe.

Taking Off !

Sisters!... and Brothers, too...I have been discovering more and more sites about food storage. It is like a huge movement taking off ! The Internet (and many LDS women) helps to spread the word about this principle of self reliance! I put a few new links on the side...check out the Every Day Food Storage link...on the January 21, 2009 post, this gal shows you her food storage room. The Fund With Food Storage site is also very attractive and helpful!

My Favorite Peanut Butter

This is my opinion after trying every peanut butter on the market: Laura Scudders! I generally buy the salted variety...and crunchy. I love peanut butter on hot whole wheat toast! It is a great source of protein and fat and calories and therefore an excellent food storage item. These natural peanut butters do not have along shelf life, though, and need to be kept cool.

Girls Scout Cookies OK

Hi everyone! My granddaughter is selling girls scout cookies out in Missouri where she lives. I was thinking about how yummy their savannahs are..the peanut butter cookies. I wondered if they are to be avoided now because of the salmonella problem. Here is an article I found today that states they are OK...read on ...

Girl Scout Cookies are safe from salmonella peanut butter scare
12:43 PM EST on Tuesday, January 20, 2009
http://www.whas11.com/topstories/stories/012009whascwTopGirlScoutCookies.11977d94.html

Little Brownie Bakers, which is based in Louisville and supplies Girl Scout Cookies to Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana, said on its website, “The peanut butter used in all Little Brownie Bakers Girl Scout® cookie products is not sourced from the supplier involved in the current peanut butter recall…PCA (Peanut Corporation of America) does not supply peanut butter used in the Company’s Tagalongs® or Do-si-dos® branded Girl Scout cookies.”

According to Girl Scouts of the USA, neither of the two licensed bakers affiliated with Girl Scout Cookies, ABC Interbake or Little Brownie Bakers, purchase their peanut butter from the supplier involved in the current peanut butter warning.
FDA and other regulatory agencies have indicated that PCA is the focus of their investigation concerning a recent salmonella outbreak thought to be caused by tainted peanut butter. PCA does not supply peanut butter used in any variety of Girl Scout Cookies.

Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana CEO Terry Blackwell says, “Girl Scouts is confident in the product that we provide and the relationship we have with our vendor partners. The Girl Scout Cookie program teaches our girls vital business skills and we hope that everyone will continue to support the work of our organization.”

In addition, Girl Scout of Kentuckiana is offering to anyone who has purchased Tagalongs or Do-si-dos the opportunity to exchange those for a non peanut butter cookie. “We want to make sure everyone has confidence in our product,” Blackwell says, “and if someone wants to change their order, we’ll be more than happy to accommodate them.”

The cookie program is vital to girl leadership development. By participating in the program, Girl Scouts learn skills like goal setting, business communication, teamwork and money management, which result in girls having more confidence and a higher self-esteem. Proceeds from the cookie program help troops pay for their activities and adventures, as well as allow the Girl Scout Council to support its programs and maintain camp properties.

The annual Girl Scout Cookie program depends on the public’s support to make it successful. When you purchase Girl Scout cookies, you’re not only satisfying your sweet tooth, but you’re also helping our girls grow into strong, successful young women.
For more information, visit www.girlscouts.org or www.littlebrowniebakers.com

The Peanut Butter Crisis

Dear Readers: Have you been aware of the current salmonella problem in certain products that contain peanut butter from this company?

Read on...
The Peanut Corp. of America plant is seen on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2009, in Blakely, Ga. The plant that may be linked to a nationwide salmonella outbreak. Peanut Corp. of America voluntarily recalled peanut butter produced at the plant, pending the outcome of an investigation. (AP Photo/Elliott Minor)
5:27 p.m. ET, 1/17/09

In this undated photo provided by the Minnesota Department of Health, a container of King Nut peanut butter is seen. Lab tests found salmonella in the open 5-pound container of peanut butter from a Minnesota nursing home. The state Public Health Laboratory completed testing Monday Jan. 12, 2009 that showed a genetic match with the bacterial strain tied to 30 illnesses in Minnesota and others across the country.
10:10 p.m. ET, 1/13/09

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28646789/displaymode/1176/rstry/28695782/

Don't eat peanut butter, FDA official warns
Nationwide salmonella outbreak has killed 6, sickened hundreds

The Peanut Corp. of America plant of Blakely, Ga. voluntarily recalled peanut butter produced at the plant, pending the outcome of an investigation of a salmonella outbreak.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28695782/?GT1=43001

WASHINGTON - Federal health authorities on Saturday urged consumers to avoid eating cookies, cakes, ice cream and other foods that contain peanut butter until authorities can learn more about a deadly outbreak of salmonella contamination.

"We urge consumers to postpone eating any products that may contain peanut butter until additional information becomes available," said Stephen Sundlof, head of the Food and Drug Administration's food safety center.

But most peanut butter sold in jars at supermarkets appears to be safe, Sundlof said.
"As of now, there is no indication that the major national name-brand jars of peanut butter sold in retails stores are linked to the recall," Sundlof told reporters in a conference call.

Officials are focusing on peanut paste, as well as peanut butter, produced at a Blakely, Ga., facility owned by Peanut Corp. of America. Its peanut butter is not sold directly to consumers but distributed to institutions and food companies. But the peanut paste, made from roasted peanuts, is an ingredient in cookies, cakes and other products that people buy in the supermarket.
"This is an excellent illustration of an ingredient-driven outbreak," said Dr. Robert Tauxe, who oversees foodborne illness investigations for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

So far, more than 470 people have gotten sick in 43 states, and at least 90 had to be hospitalized. At least six deaths are being blamed on the outbreak. Salmonella is a bacteria and the most common source of food poisoning in the U.S., causing diarrhea, cramping and fever.

Officials said new illnesses are still being reported in the outbreak investigation.
The salmonella case has touched the Kellogg Co., which has recalled 16 products as federal officials confirm contamination at a Georgia facility that sent peanut products to 85 food companies.

Kellogg had asked stores this week to pull some of its Keebler crackers from shelves as a precaution. But in a statement late Friday, the Battle Creek, Mich., company said voluntarily was recalling the crackers and other products.

“The actions we are taking today are in keeping with our more than 100-year commitment to providing consumers with safe, high-quality products,” said David Mackay, Kellogg’s president and chief executive.

The recall includes Austin and Keebler branded Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers, in addition to some snack-size packs of Famous Amos Peanut Butter Cookies and Keebler Soft Batch Homestyle Peanut Butter Cookies.

View This Video Now Re: S.Cal. Earthquakes

Please cut and paste this or type this into your address bar.

http://kcet.org/socal/2009/01/socal-connected-episode-115.html

This is the reality. This is the potential. You must see this. Have your family see this. I do not know how long this page will be up on this site.


Also..this just for Silver Lakes Ward Relief Society sisters:



Silver Lakes Ward RS
Preparedness Efforts
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mark Your Calendars!
On the last Thursday of
every month in 2009,
we will have an
Emergency Preparedness
activity/class.
6:30pm-8pm unless
otherwise stated. We will
not meet in Nov. or Dec.
(The last Thursdays of those months
are Thanksgiving Day and New Year's Eve.)
Joan Hulihan will be posting regularly on
readyandfearless.blogspot.com
(Do check out the older blog:
survivalmode.blog.com)
More information forthcoming.

Important Tip Re: Ring pull top cans

First of all, I was so pleased to see this morning that when I "googled" 72 Hour Kits the first site on the list was
lds.about.com/od/preparednessfoodstorage/a/72hour_kit.htm -
...and then after that was the homeland security site. Wow! Anyway, I learned a new tip: Do not use pull tab cans in your 72 hour kit..especially if you are storing it in your car or garage...they can explode with changes in temperature. You do not want the sticky syrup of your canned fruit cocktail all over everything in your kit! I learend this warning in the lds site
and I also learned that Jolly rancher candies melt.

What's In YOUR Pantry?

I have a confession to make...I have been having so much fun gathering canned and boxed goods for my food storage and working on the 30 day recipe challenge, that I am already using up some of it up. There have been afew times lately when I did not take the time to ask myself early in the day what I would make for supper. Then around 4 pm I would get hungry and my husband would start opening the fridge door looking for something to eat. No fear! I said to myself... Just dig into your boxes of your latest grocery store purchases and you will know what to do.

2 examples:
~ One night I made a wonderful Mexican style soup with canned pinto beans, the dried mashed potatoes, small can of canned chicken and some salsa verde. So good on a cold winter's night. And it took 6 minutes to make.

~ Another night: cooked up some boxed spaghetti noodles (whole wheat)and opened a can of turkey chili (my husband won't usually eat beef) to heat up and pour over the spaghetti. Yum.

SO: When you have a good amount of favorite items in your food storage, you won't be tempted to spend money eating out or ordering in...or being frustrated that you have to dash to the store at the last minute.

Here is one of many articles available on the Internet about...

ESSENTIALS FOR YOUR PANTRY
(The articles are so different from each other because of different tastes. Some folks just have to have sauerkraut at least once a week! Or some cannot live without
pesto. You have to decide what you want. This is a very good basic list for most folks.)

10 Must-Have Pantry Items
Make meal time a breeze by keeping key ingredients on hand so you never have to resort to take out again.

from http://www.myrecipes.com/recipes/article/0,28747,1866620,00.html

While the best way to avoid the "what's for dinner" 5:00 crisis is to plan meals in advance, there will still be nights that you stare into the pantry and wonder what on earth you can make with canned tuna, spaghetti noodles, and a can of coconut milk.

Avoid pantry meltdown by keeping yours stocked with our list of staples that can be used to make a variety of meals with little or no notice.

1. Canned or Pouch Chicken
With a storage life of up to a year, canned or pouch chicken is a lifesaver when you forget to defrost or think you have one extra cutlet in the fridge. It's best used in casseroles, stir-fries, creamy salads, or even shredded as a topping to a baked potato.

2. Pasta
Noodles (spaghetti, linguini, rotini, penne–the list is as long as your arm) add bulk to almost any meal. Serve them with Asian-style dishes or as an alternative to rice. Add them to soups or pair them with sauces for an Italian or home-style dinner in minutes.

3. Jarred Tomato Sauce
Paired with noodles, it's a simple meal in minutes, but tomato sauce can also be used in soups, stews, and chili recipes. Many come pre-seasoned, so your favorite herbs and spices are already included–no need to go digging through the spice rack to find "Italian Seasonings" when you're cooking with premade sauce. Find more ideas for using jarred tomato sauce.

4. Rice and Grains
Like noodles, grains can bulk up any dinner. Keep a variety of quick-cooking rices, bulgur, and barley on-hand as an easy side for almost anything. Add grains to chili to make a hearty meal even more filling. Serve with a simple stir-fry or mixed with veggies and an egg for an easy fried rice dish. If the rice aisle confuses you, take a peek at our quick crash-course in the nutrients and flavor behind different grains. Discover new ways with brown rice.

5. Canned Beans: Black, Pinto, Cannellini, Great Northern, Garbanzo
Beans are roaring into mainstream dishes and sides. Heat and mash them for a filling soup or drain and mix them with canned veggies for a light and flavorful dip or vegetable salad. They're high in protein, so they'll keep you satisfied no matter how you use them. For more ideas on main-dish bean recipes, check out our all-star bean recipes.

6. Canned Vegetables
Fresh-bought produce can wilt or go bad in the fridge if you take a night off from cooking, but canned vegetables are more forgiving. Combine an assortment with broth and seasonings for an easy vegetable soup or add them to pastas, dry soup mixes, casseroles, or rice for a range of dishes that offer a variety of flavors with limited ingredients.

7. Canned Salmon and Tuna
When you're cutting back on red meat but still craving protein, turn to canned salmon and tuna for easy meal ideas. Serve the fish in salads, pitas, pasta dishes, burgers, loaded potatoes, croquettes, and even as light appetizers or snacks to add protein and flavor to simple dishes. For more ideas, check out 7 Ways With Canned Tuna.

8. Canned Tomato Products: Paste, Stewed, Diced
Keeping a few cans of go-to tomato products on hand opens up a world of options for appetizers and main dishes. Add diced tomatoes to cheese for a melty queso dip, to ground beef and taco seasoning for a zesty burrito supper, or to a skillet with seasoning for a homemade pasta sauce. Stewed tomatoes are perfect additions to soups and stews, adding depth and flavor. Tomato paste is great to keep on hand for when you need bold tomato flavor–the concentrated mixture adds just that.

9. Peanut Butter
Aside from the classic PB&J, peanut butter can be used on the dinner table for Asian-inspired flavor in dips, sauces, and stir-fry. Serve it for a snack spread on celery stalks or apple slices, as a drink in a nutty smoothie, or keep it simple by pairing the spread with multigrain crackers. Plus, it's perfect when paired with chocolate for dessert anytime.

10. Canned Fruit
It's hard knowing what nights your meal plan might not make it from the fridge to the table and when you're filling in gaps, it's nice to have convenience fruit products on hand. Keep jarred cherries and an assortment of canned fruit, including pineapple, mandarin oranges, and even fruit cocktail in the pantry for nights when your pizza dinner needs a nutrient-boosting side. When you keep a supply on hand, you'll find yourself more likely to experiment, serving grilled pineapple with chicken, Asian-inspired mandarin salads, and fruited desserts.



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