Smoky Black Beans

These are so versatile, and so tasty!  And easy to boot!    I serve these on top of tostadas, over chips, as a filling for burritos or tacos, etc.  Or serve as a side dish with chicken and rice.  Shoot, they're even good on top of toast!  For reals.

Ingredients:

• 1 can black beans, with liquid
• 2 T. salsa
• 1/4 t. garlic powder
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1/2 t. cumin
• 1/2 t. beef/veggie bouillon

Directions:

     Combine ingredients in saucepan and bring to a simmer.  Mash/puree beans to desired consistency.  Serve warm or cold.

Tostadas

These are bonehead simple.  So there.

Ingredients:
  • 1 can refried beans -or- smoky black beans
  • salsa
  • tostadas OR tortilla chips

Directions:
1.  Combine refried beans with a splash or two of salsa in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.  Stir well and remove from heat.
2.  Top tostadas/chips with beans and your choice of toppings.

FSP Week 4

Week four of 13 weeks!  That's like a month of meals, planned and posted.  Go me :)

Mexican Monday: Tostadas

Oriental Tuesday: Panang

Twisted Wednesday: Potato Soup

Authentic Thursday: Chicken Parmesan

TGIFriday: Sloppy Fauxs

Simple Saturday: cold cereal

Special Sunday: Chicken Pot Pie

Shopping List

• 1 can refried beans OR black beans
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 can corn
• 1 can olives
• cheese (cheddar and/or mozzarealla)
• tostadas
• jasmine rice
• olive/coconut oil
• 1 bag stir fry mix OR pepper & onion mix
• 1 can mushrooms
• 5 cans chicken
• thai red curry paste
• 1 can coconut milk
• chicken bouillon
• salsa
• 5 medium russet potatoes -or- 1 bag frozen hashbrowns
• 2 small bags frozen veggies, Normandy/classic style
• 1 can carrots
• dried onions
• sweet potatoes -or- 1 large can sweet potato
• butter
• 1 can white beans
• spaghetti sauce
• flour
• eggs
• Italian bread crumbs OR bread
• Parmesan cheese
• TVP
• brown sugar
• apple cider vinegar
• Worchestershire sauce
• tomato sauce
• tomato paste
• 1 jar of roasted bell peppers
• chicken broth
• spices/seasonings: nutmeg, paprika, salt, pepper, steak seasoning, thyme, cumin

This week's Build Your Food Storage item is 6-8 cans of chili.  Good luck and keep on keepin' on!  *B

Tuna Melts

I thought tuna sandwiches were pretty basic, and that tuna melts were fairly common.  But then I realized that some people like their tuna "wetter" than others (using lots more mayo than I was used to using), and that some had never heard of open-faced tuna sandwiches with melted cheese.  So, here's a recipe for ya.  In case we're not on the same page ;)

Ingredients:

• 2 (7 oz) cans tuna, drained
• 1/4 - 1/2 c. mayonnaise (or equal parts plain yogurt and mayo)
• 2-4 T. chopped dill pickles
• 1/2 celery stalk, minced -or- 1/4 t. celery seed
• 2 T. dried onion, rehydrated
• lemon pepper seasoning, to taste
• garlic salt/powder, to taste
• salt, to taste
• 6-8 slices of favorite bread, toasted
• shredded cheese

Directions:

     Combine all ingredients but bread and cheese.  Spread tuna mixture on bread slices and top with cheese.  Broil for a few minutes until cheese is melted.  Serve with soup, french fries or fresh fruit.

Creamy Turkey & Rice Soup

This soup is such a great way to use leftover turkey or chicken.  I love to make this the day after Thanksgiving, but it's so good that I find excuses to make it throughout the year (using rotisserie chicken in place of turkey).  Filling and delicious, it's the perfect addition to your soup arsenal.

Adapted from The Farm Chicks

Ingredients:

• 5 T. butter, divided
• 2-3 carrots, sliced -or- 1 can carrots, drained
• 1-2 celery stalks, sliced -or- 1/2 t. celery seeds
• 2 T. dried onions
• 4 c. chicken broth
• 1 c. water
• 3/4 c. brown rice
• 5 T. flour (equal parts sorghum, brown rice and tapioca flour)
• 1/4 t. thyme
• 1/4 t. sage
• 1 1/4 c. milk (rice/coconut milk work well)
• 1-2 handfuls of leftover shredded turkey/chicken, chopped -or- 1 can turkey/chicken, drained
• 2 capfuls of apple cider vinegar
• 10 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled -or- 1/4 c. bacon bits
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1/8 t. pepper

Directions:

     Heat a large soup pot over medium heat.  Add butter and allow to melt.  Stir in fresh carrots and celery and cook for a couple of minutes (if using canned carrots, do not add at this point).  Add chicken broth, water, onion, celery seed (opt) and rice.  Stir well and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until rice and veggies are tender.  In the meantime, melt 4 T. butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Combine spices with flour and add to butter to make a roux; cook for 1 minute.  Whisk in milk and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until thickened; remove from heat and set aside.  Once rice is cooked, stir roux and mix well.  Add in turkey/chicken, canned carrots if applicable, and remaining ingredients.  Stir well and heat through.

Bayou Chicken Pasta

This isn't your typical pasta dish...  At least not the kind of pasta I'm used to!  But it is really, really tasty.  And pretty gosh dang simple, too.  With a lot of flavor and just the right amount of heat, it's sure to satisfy your taste buds and grumbling tummy.

Adapted from My Food Storage Cookbook

Ingredients:

• 1 - 2 T. coconut oil
• 1/4 large onion, chopped -or- 2 T. dried onion, rehdyrated
• 2 T. canned green chiles
• 1 t. garlic, minced
• 1 can chicken, drained
• 1 T. creole seasoning
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1/4 t. garlic powder
• 1 t. brown sugar
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 13.5 oz. can coconut milk
• 1 c. water
• 2 t. chicken bouillon
• 1/2 c. parmesan cheese (add more as desired)
• 1 handful chopped spinach -or- 1 can spinach, drained
• 2 c. penne or bowtie pasta

Directions:

   Melt oil in large skillet over medium heat.  Saute onion, garlic and green chiles.  Add chicken and spices; stir in tomatoes.  Add coconut milk, water and bouillon.  Stir in pasta and spinach and simmer until pasta is al dente, stirring continually so noodles cook evenly.  Top with cheese and stir until well mixed and sauce thickens.

Creole Seasoning

Adapted from Emeril's Essence Creole Seasoning

Ingredients:

• 3 3/4 t. paprika
• 1 T. salt
• 1 T. garlic powder
• 1 1/2 t. pepper
• 1 1/2 t. onion powder
• 1 1/2 t. basil
• 1 1/2 t. thyme
• 1 t. cayenne

Directions:

     Combine spices together and mix well.  Store in a sealed container and use as needed.

Farmhouse Cornbread

This is my all-time favorite cornbread recipe!  I make it in a 9x9 pan or in muffin tins (both normal and mini).  They freeze and reheat well, so make a large batch when you can.  I've made this so many times, and it always turns out amazingly well.  Slather it up with honey butter and eat alongside a warm bowl of soup for lunch/dinner, or top with jam and then serve with eggs for breakfast.  Either way, enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 c. cornmeal
• 3/4 c. flour (equal parts sorghum, tapioca and brown rice flour)
• 4 t. baking powder
• 3/4 t. salt
• 1 t. xanthan gum (unless using a GF flour mix that already has it listed as an ingredient)
• 1/4 c. brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 c. milk (DF of your choice)
• 1/4 c. applesauce
• 1/2 c. frozen corn -or- 1 can of corn, drained and rinsed

Directions:

     Mix together dry ingredients and set aside.  Whisk together the eggs, milk, sugar and applesauce.  Stir in the dry ingredients, then fold the corn into the batter.  Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes for muffins, 30-45 minutes for larger pan.

Split Pea Soup

I seriously LOVE soup!  All you need are a few ingredients to make an easy and filling meal.  And I love using ham hock for soups.  I've hardly had to even buy ham hocks, because I always end up going home from some large social gathering with a few ham bones.  I never understand why people throw out such a meaty bone after carving up a ham...  They add so much flavor and depth to a large pot of soup.  So the next time you find yourself with a large hock, don't throw it away!  Save it for something souper ;)

Ingredients:

• 2 c. split peas, sorted and rinsed
• 4 c. chicken broth
• 4 c. water
• 1 large and meaty ham bone -or- 1 c. bacon bits, or 1-2 cans of ham with liquid
• 2 T. dried onions
• 3/4 t. salt
• 1/4 t. pepper
• 1/4 t. thyme
• 1 t. garlic powder
• 1 t. brown sugar
• 3 carrots, sliced -or- 1 can carrots, drained
• 2 celery stalks, sliced -or- 1 t. celery seeds

Directions:

     Combine all the ingredients in a large soup pot.  Cover and bake for 3 hours at 275 degrees.  Remove from oven.  Carefully remove the bone, cut off the meat and dice; set aside.  Using a hand blender, blend soup until smooth.  Return meat to soup and stir well.  Serve warm with farmhouse cornbread and honey butter.

Fajita Bowls

I love a good fajita!  Especially in warm tortillas, mmm.  However, sometimes a bowl of rice really hits the spot...  I prefer to cook my rice in broth for extra flavor.  As for all the veggies, fresh is always best.  But if you want something fast, canned or frozen/dehydrated vegetables work great in this recipe.

Ingredients:

     • 2 T. olive/coconut oil

     • 1 can of chicken/beef (do NOT drain)

     • 1 can sliced mushrooms, drained

     • 1 small package of frozen peppers & onion mix*

     • 1 tablespoon cornstarch

     • 1/2 - 2 teaspoons chili powder (depending on how potent your chili powder is and how spicy you like it)

     • 1 teaspoon brown sugar

     • 1/2 teaspoon salt

     • 1 teaspoon paprika

     • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

     • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

     • 1/4 teaspoon cumin

Directions:

     Combine cornstarch and spices in a bowl and set aside.  Heat oil in a medium-large skillet.  Cook vegetables before adding spices; toss to coat.  Add chicken/beef with liquid and stir to combine.  Serve warm over prepared rice with salsa, cheese, and sour cream (or plain yogurt).

Note: Peppers and onions particularly dry well, straight from bag to dehydrator!  No blanching or prep work needed.  And then when you're ready for dinner, rehydrate them in water/broth and cook up as you normally would.  Make sure to give yourself enough water (about 2 c. water for every 1 c. dried veggies) and enough time (up to two hours).

FSP Week 3

Annnnd we're on to week three of food storage meal planning!  I've personally learned a lot this past week, and I'm excited for all the future knowledge I'm bound to gain in the next ten weeks of prepping.  I'm especially thrilled with the idea of dehydrating frozen foods.  Talk about easy and affordable food storage!  I'm testing out my very first batch right now in my brand new dehydrator, so fingers crossed I wake up to some dried veggies...

Mexican Monday: Fajita Bowls

Oriental Tuesday: Peanut Satay

Twisted Wednesday: Split Pea Soup

Authentic Thursday: Bayou Chicken Pasta

TGIFriday: Tuna Melts

Simple Saturday: cold cereal

Special Sunday: Creamy Turkey & Rice Soup

Shopping List

• coconut oil
• 4 cans of chicken
• 3 cans of mushrooms
• 1 bag frozen peppers and onions
• 1 bag of stir fry veggies
• cornstarch
• brown sugar
• salt & pepper
• paprika, onion powder, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, chili powder, cumin, ginger, thyme, celery seeds, creole seasoning, parsley, lemon pepper, garlic salt, sage
• peanut butter
• chicken broth (68 oz total)
• soy sauce
• pad thai style rice noodles
• can water chestnuts
• dried split peas (1 c.)
• bacon bits
• 1 can of ham (opt)
• dried onion
• 2 cans of carrots
• 16 oz. pasta
• canned green chiles
• 2 cans evaporated milk (or coconut milk)
• cans of diced tomatoes
• parmesan cheese
• 2 cans of tuna
• mayonnaise
• dill pickles
• loaf of bread
• shredded cheese
• favorite cold cereal*
• 1 stick of butter
• wild/brown rice
• flour (favorite GF blend)
• milk (powdered, favorite DF)
• apple cider vinegar

*Note: In case you haven't noticed, I schedule cold cereal for dinner once a week.  I do this for a few reasons...  For one, cold cereal is a treat as we normally have a hot breakfast every morning.  Secondly, sometimes I just need a super simple dinner option!  If me and the hub have a hot date lined up, then the kids get their special dinner of cold cereal (their choice).  Or let's say I have a fridge full of leftovers come Saturday night, so we are left with the option of cold cereal or leftovers for dinner.  Keeps things fun and easy, and seems to work well for our family.  If you would rather schedule an extra meal into your weekly plan, then fine by me!  Whatever floats your boat.

And don't forget this week's Build Your Food Storage: 20 lbs white sugar.  This is to be purchased in addition to what is listed above.  Remember, we're building up our long-term storage supply at the same time we're buying the ingredients necessary for shorter term storage.  Hopefully between the two, we'll have plenty of food to work with in case of an emergency!  *B

Coq Sans Vin (food storage version)

So, I have a pretty cool story behind this recipe.  Well, I think it's cool...  Anyway, I was fretting all week about converting one of my all time favorite meals (Coq Sans Vin) into something that would work for food storage and I just kept drawing blanks on ideas.  I mean, how can you turn a fabulous French meal into something using canned food???  I was almost embarrassed for even considering it!

But then this morning, I woke up with a dream fresh in my mind and suddenly I had an idea: make chicken patties with canned chicken.  Talk about answered prayers, because it totally worked!  Now, mind you, this version doesn't even hold a candle to the original.  But, BUT, it will suffice in times of emergency.  And for that reason I am calling it a miraculous success ;)

Ingredients:

     • prepared chicken patties

     • ¼ c. bacon bits

     • 1 T. flour (GF fine)

     • 2 c. chicken broth

     • 1 T. apple cider vinegar

     • 1 T. dried onions

     • 1/4 t. garlic & herb

     • 1/2 t. salt

     • 1/2 t. dried sage

     • 1 bay leaf

     • 1 large can whole carrots, drained*

     • 1 can mushrooms, drained 

Directions:

     Once chicken patties are transferred to warm oven, add bacon to the hot skillet used for preparing the patties.  Cook until crisp.  Add flour and stir, cooking for 1 minute.  Add vinegar and chicken broth a cup at a time, whisking until a thin gravy forms.  Add remaining ingredients and stir; turn heat to low and bring to a simmer.  Remove from heat and serve over prepared mashed potatoes and chicken patties.  Goes great with sweet & savory green beans!

Note: I'm pretty sure dehydrated carrots would be far superior in this than canned.  So that's my next experiment: cook with more dehydrated food.  And I'm pretty dang excited about the prospect of dehydrating frozen food!  Makes me giddy just thinking about it.  *B

Simple Chicken Patties

Not a whole lot to this, really...  Would make a great burger, goes well with a slew of sauces and sides, and pretty dang versatile if you consider all the potential seasoning options.  And it easily converts to a dairy/gluten free friendly meal.  Also, yay food storage!

Ingredients:

• 2 cans of chicken, drained
• 2 large eggs
• 4 T. milk
• 1 T. dried onion
• 2 c. bread crumbs (3 slices of bread)
• salt & pepper, to taste
• thyme, to taste
• 4 T. coconut oil

Directions:

     In small bowl, add 1 T. water to dried onion to rehydrate; set aside.  Beat egg and milk in large mixing bowl.  Add rehydrated onion and remaining ingredients, except oil, and stir well until combined.  Form mixture into 6-8 patties, according to desired size.  Melt 1-2 T. oil in large skillet over medium heat.  Add 3-4 patties to hot pan and fry for 4 minutes on each side.  Transfer to oven to keep warm.  Add extra oil as needed to pan and cook remaining patties.  Serve warm.

Baked Butternut Squash Pasta

This is a really different, but yummy, kind of sauce.  I grew up with basically two types of pasta sauces: marinara and alfredo.  But I'm definitely a sauce gal (seriously, I drench everything in sauce if it's available), and this butternut squash sauce is delish!  I've been able to find it at Costco for a great price, but it can be pretty spendy at your local grocery store...  However, since I don't end up using the entire bottle, I just pour what's left of it into a freezer bag and pull it out the next time I use it.  Voila!

Ingredients:

• ½ (25.5 oz) jar of butternut squash pasta sauce
• 2/3 c. cottage cheese*
• 1/3 c. parmesan cheese
• 1.5 c. water
• 2 t. chicken bouillon
• 1 T. brown sugar
• salt & pepper, to taste
• garlic herb seasoning, to taste
• basil, to taste
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1-2 cans mushrooms, drained
• 1 can black olives, drained
• 2 handfuls spinach, chopped
• 16 oz pasta
• 20-25 meatballs -or- 4 chicken sausages, sliced (might consider using TVP or canned chicken/beef, or omitting altogether, to make this more food storage friendly...)

Directions:

     Combine pasta sauce with cottage cheese and parmesan in a casserole dish; stir well. Combine water with bouillon and spices and add to sauce and stir. Add remaining ingredients and stir well.  Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees, stirring halfway through.

*You might have noticed that the total amount of cheese in this recipe is 1 cup.  I happen to have cottage cheese on hand, so that's what I used.  I'm sure ricotta would be amazing, but mozzarella would probably work too.  Basically, use 1 cup of your choice of cheese (maybe even yogurt???) and cross your fingers!  But seriously, it's cheese!  How bad can it possibly be ;)  Enjoy! *B

GF Baking Powder Biscuits

Still tweaking these a bit, but they're so dang close I just had to share anyway ;)

Ingredients:

• 2 c. flour blend (equal parts brown rice, sorghum and tapioca)
• 1 T. brown sugar
• 1 T. baking powder
• 1 t. salt
• 1/2 c. butter*
• 1 egg
• 1/4 c. - 1/2 c. milk (DF works well)

Directions:

     Heat oven to 450.  Mix dry ingredients together, then cut in butter until crumb forms.  Add egg to a liquid measuring cup and add just enough milk until total amount equals 3/4 c.  Using a fork, add milk-egg mixture to dough until moist enough.  If you'd like to roll and shape the dough, opt for a stiffer texture.  If you plan to make drop biscuits, you can afford to use all the liquid for a wetter dough.  Place biscuits on prepared sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes until golden.  Remove and serve warm.

*I've tried coconut oil with these, and they just don't quite turn out as well...  Feel free to experiment though and let me know how they work out for you!  *B

Basic Chicken Gravy

I make this gravy allllll the time.  It's beyond simple and still yum.  The kids always lick their plates and ask for seconds.  Win!  Feel free to make with fresh/frozen veggies and rotisserie chicken for a win-win meal that's sure to please :)

Ingredients:

     • 4 T. butter

     • 4 T. flour (equal parts brown rice, sorghum and tapioca)

     • 2 c. chicken broth

     • 1 c. milk (DF works well)

     • salt/pepper, to taste

     • thyme/sage, to taste

     • 1 can chicken, drained

     • 1 can mixed vegetables, drained

Directions:

     Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat.  Stir flour into browned butter and cook over low heat, stirring constantly for one minute.  Add broth 1 cup at a time.  Bring to a boil and whisk for 1 minute.  Season to taste. Add chicken and vegetables and heat through.  Serve over biscuits/mashed potatoes.

FSP Week 2

Welcome to week two of my food storage journey!  All right peeps, here's the deal: I don't particularly like cooking with canned food.  I'd much rather use fresh ingredients, and I usually do.  Unfortunately, fresh food (whether from the grocery store or your homestead) may not be available when emergency strikes...  It's always better to be prepared, just in case!

The meals I have planned for our 13 week supply are based off of our typical family meals.  Which means I am spending these next few months learning how to convert our normally fresh meals to more shelf stable options.  If you are following along and have no desire to build up your storage supply, then please be my guest and use fresh ingredients.

Most of the recipes as originally posted use a mixture of fresh and canned.  This also means that even though I have linked to the recipes I will be using, they may not be food storage friendly in their original format.  I plan on experimenting and tweaking as I go, so make sure to check the recipes frequently for updates.  Ideally, I would like each recipe to have the option to be prepared using fresh, canned, or dried ingredients.

For now, I suggest you print out the original recipes as they are, and then make notes as I edit them.  I certainly don't pretend to know all there is to know about food storage.  I'm learning!  It's going to take some time, some trial and some error.  So please, bear with me and enjoy the learning process ;)

Mexican Monday: Southwest Chicken w/Rice

Oriental Tuesday: Asian Soup

Twisted Wednesday: Chicken Gravy w/ Baking Powder Biscuits

Authentic Thursday: Butternut Squash Pasta

TGIFriday: Hearty Tomato Stoup

Simple Saturday: cold cereal

Special Sunday: Coq Sans Vin

Shopping List:

• salsa
• soy sauce (low sodium)
• 25 oz. butternut squash sauce
• apple cider vinegar (Bragg's)
• 4-5 cans of chicken
• 1 can of beef
• 1 can of black beans
• 2 cans black olives
• 3 cans diced tomatoes
• 3 cans mushrooms
• 1 can tomato sauce
• 3 mixed veggies (frozen or canned)
• carrots (fresh, frozen or canned)
• spinach (fresh/frozen/canned/dried)
• green onion (opt)
• cilantro (opt)
• garlic head OR garlic powder
• red potatoes (fresh, whole canned, or dehydrated)
• 64 oz.. chicken broth (can, carton, or prepared bouillon)
• 1 c. beef broth
• 2 eggs (opt, fresh or prepared powdered)
• chicken bouillon
• brown sugar
• dried onions
• butter
• oil (olive/coconut)
• flour
• instant mashed potatoes (2 family servings)
• wide rice noodles
• 16 oz. pasta
• meatballs or sausage (fresh, frozen or dehydrated)
• cottage cheese (opt)
• parmesan cheese
• bacon bits
• seasonings: cumin, ginger, cayenne, salt, pepper, thyme, basil, celery seeds, parsley, bay leaves
• favorite cold cereal
• milk (DF, powdered, whichever you prefer to use)

This week's Build Your Food Storage is 5 cans of chicken broth.  This is to be purchased in addition to what is listed above.  Remember, we're building up our long-term storage supply at the same time we're buying the ingredients necessary for shorter term storage.  Hopefully between the two, we'll have plenty of food to work with in case of an emergency!  *B

Quick Beef Stew

The first time I made this I was experimenting on guests...  Yes, I'm one of those people!  But I'm happy to say it turned out surprisingly well, and I will gladly serve this to my family, or guests, again.  And again.  And again.

Of course you can make this with fresh veggies and a chuck roast, and it would be super duper.  But if you're looking for a quick, filling, and food storage friendly dinner then this stew is it.

Ingredients:

•       6 T. butter

•       6 T. flour

•       4 c. beef broth

•       1-2 T. balsamic vinegar

•       1 T. dried onions

•       1 ¼ t. salt

•       ½ t. thyme

•       ¼ t. pepper

•       ¼ t. garlic & herb

•       ¼ t. sage

•       1/8 t. celery seed

•       1 bay leaf

•       2 cans whole potatoes, drained & quartered

•       1 can sliced carrots, drained

•       1 can sliced mushrooms, drained

•       2 cans beef, drained

Directions:

1.  Melt butter in large pot over medium heat.  Stir flour into browned butter and cook over low heat, stirring constantly for one minute.

2.  Add broth 1 cup at a time.  Bring to a boil and whisk for 1 minute. 

3.  Reduce heat and add balsamic vinegar, diced onions and seasonings; stir well.  Add vegetables and beef and heat through.

Whole Millet Pancakes

My mother in law makes these with whole spelt, and they are amazing!  So light and fluffy...  But since we try to avoid gluten, we make these with whole millet instead.  Still just as tasty :)

Ingredients:

• 1 c. whole millet/spelt

• 1 c. milk (DF milks work well)

• 2 eggs

• 1/3 c. applesauce OR 1 banana, pureed

• 1 T. honey OR maple syrup

• ½ t. salt

• 1 T. baking powder

• 2 T. ground flax

Directions:

1.   Soak millet/spelt in 2 c. water for 8 hours.

2.   Drain millet/spelt; add ingredients to blender and blend till smooth.

3.   Heat pan over medium heat, grease with butter or coconut oil, and add ¼ c. batter; cook until bubbles start to form.  Flip and cook until both sides are golden brown.

FSP Week 1

Welcome to the first week!  Start by reviewing the following recipes and coordinating shopping list.  Customize to your family's needs, and then hit the stores running ;)

Mexican Monday: Tortilla Soup

Oriental Tuesday: Hawaiian Haystacks

Twisted Wednesday: Pancakes

Authentic Thursday: Tuna Marinara

TGIFriday: BBQ Chicken

Simple Saturday: cold cereal

Special Sunday: Beef Stew



Shopping list

• butter
• olive oil
• milk (rice, coconut, almond -or- DF milk of your choice)
• eggs
• soy sauce
• beef bouillon
• BBQ sauce
• beef broth (canned/carton, opt)
• chicken broth (can, carton, or bouillon)
• balsamic vinegar
• applesauce
• honey
• corn tortillas/tortilla chips
• 1 head of garlic
• celery (opt)
• cilantro (opt)
• fresh parsley
• green onions
• corn (frozen, canned or dehydrated)
• canned diced tomatoes
• 1 can water chestnuts
• 8 cans of chicken
• 2 cans of black olives
• canned black beans
• 2 cans whole potatoes
• 1 can sliced carrots
• 1 can sliced mushrooms
• 2 cans of beef
• 2 cans of tuna
• canned Italian stewed tomatoes (72.5 oz total)
• canned pineapple chunks
• baking powder
• flax seed (ground or whole, opt)
• brown sugar
• flour (sorghum, brown rice, and tapioca -or- GF flour blend)
• rice
• chow mein noodles
• almonds
• shredded coconut
• whole millet (1 c. worth)
• salt & pepper
• dried onion
• dried herbs/seasoning (garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, bay leaves, ginger, Italian seasoning, basil, red pepper flakes, celery seed, thyme, sage, cayenne pepper)
• cold cereal of your choice

Start building up your year supply weekly by buying one item each week.  This week's Build Your Food Storage is 6 lbs. salt.  Just FYI, I buy most of my bulk items at Costco.  Love them!  You'll also want to find yourself a large binder so you can organize all your printed recipes and make notes as you continue storing...  Hope that helps!  *B

feeling peppy about prepping

Hello world!  Long time no write, eh?  Don't expect too much, but I thought it was high time to get back to posting...  I've been (re)bitten by the prep bug, and so I figured what better place to share my food storage journey than right here in my little corner of the blogosphere!  For the next 13 weeks, I will be sharing my weekly meal plans, including their coordinating recipes and shopping lists.  The beauty of the 13 weeks (3 months) plan is that it can be repeated three more times for a total of 12 months (1 year).  Instead of coming up with 365 original dinner ideas, I've come up with about 90 meals.  Some are of my own creation, and then a good portion of them I've pulled from other resources and will be experimenting.  I hope to tweak recipes as I go along, so read through the comments for each recipe for updated storage friendly ingredients (frozen, canned and dehydrated options).

As a side note, if food storage is totally and completely overwhelming for you (as it is for me), then I suggest you start simple with your 72 hour food kit.  Make sure it's full of good, and as nutrient dense as possible, food that your family will actually eat.  And don't forget to rotate them every six months!  I'm partial to what we've come up with for our family's kit, but feel free to use it as a guide to get yours started.

And since I've come across some pretty fantastic resources that will further my developing food storage, I'd like to pass these sites on to your for your own perusing prepping pleasure:

• Healthy Preparedness
• Mom with a Prep
• Food Storage Made Easy
• Prepared Housewives
• My Food Storage Cookbook

Here's to being self reliant and better prepared!  Oh, and happy new year.  *B