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.



Here is an article I found today