Baby Steps with FoodStorageMadeEasy.net

So, during one my surfing sessions on the web I came across the most fantastic website called Food Storage Made Easy. This website was set up by two sisters's-in-law, Jodi and Julie, as they embarked on their journey to put together a year's supply of food. In order to avoid being totally overwhelmed by the task they broke it down into 10 baby steps and, luckily for us, created a website so they could share the information they discovered. To visit the website please click here. I know that I will be using the resources on this website during the year but it's just too good of a resource to keep secret!

Money Saving Tips - Laundry Detergent and Fabric Softener

Thanks to Stephanie Cooper for providing the instructions below on how to economically put together your own Laundry Detergent and Fabric Softener.

Liquid Laundry Detergent

1 bar Fels-Naptha soap (grated)
2 cups Washing Soda
1 cup Borax
Grate the soap bar into a small saucepan. Cover with hot water. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring continually, until the soap completely dissolves.
Put washing soda and Borax in a 5-gallon bucket. Pour in the hot, melted soap mixture. Stir well, until all the powder is dissolved. Fill the bucket to the top with more hot tap water. Stir, cover securely, and let set overnight. The next morning, stir the mixture. Mix equal amounts of the soap concentrate and water in a smaller laundry-detergent dispenser or container. Shake before using.
For top-loading machines: Use 1 cup of the soap mixture per load
For front-loading machines: Use 1/2 cup per load

Dry Laundry Detergent

1 bar Fels-Naptha laundry soap
1 cup Washing Soda
1 cup Borax
1/2 cup Oxyclean
In a large bowl, mix together the washing soda, borax,and the oxyclean. In a separate bowl, shred the Fels/Naptha bar with a hand grater. In a food processer, attach the metal blade and about 1/2 cup of the dry mixgture with the shredded soap. Process until it is the texture of sand. Dump the soap mixture intot eh remaining dry mixture and combint thoroughly. Use about 1 heaping 2-Tablespoon scoop per full laundry load. Make sure to put in the detergent in your washer first when water is filling. That way it can begin to dissolve.

Fabric Softener

2 cups hair conditioner (fragrance of your choice)
3 cups white vinegar
6 cups hot water

Combine all ingredients well. Store in a container and cover tightly. Old fabric softener bottles work well.
Use 1/4 cup per load.

Food Storage Cooking Made Easy

The following article was taken from the LDS Living Magazine and can by viewed by clicking here.

LDS cooks around the world have often looked at their freeze dried food and thought, “Can I actually make anything good out of this?” The answer is a resounding yes! Try out some of these delectable recipes and be surprised at how good food storage can actually taste.

Shepherd's Pie

• 3 cups dried potato slices
• 1 quart mixed vegetables
• Salt and pepper
• Paprika

Boil potatoes until tender and drain. Drain vegetables and pour into a greased 9 × 13 casserole dish. Spread potatoes over vegetables. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and paprika. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.

Beef Stroganoff

• 2 pounds ground beef
• Salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 can evaporated milk
• 3 tablespoons sour cream powder
• 1/4 cup water
• Egg noodles

Brown ground beef with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Drain fat. Stir remaining ingredients into browned meat. Simmer until heated through. Serve over hot cooked egg noodles.

Brown and Wild Rice Pilaf

• 1 (4-ounce) can mushrooms, chopped 
• 1/2 cup green onions, chopped 
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 
• 3 1/2 cups water 
• 3 teaspoons chicken bouillon 
• 1 cup brown rice 
• 1/2 cup wild rice 
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil 
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper 
• 1/2 cup frozen peas 
• 1 carrot, shredded

In a large saucepan, saute mushrooms and green onions in hot oil until tender. Add water and bouillon and bring to a boil. Add brown and wild rice, basil, and pepper. Cover and reduce heat. Simmer 40 minutes or until rice is tender and most of the broth is absorbed. Stir in peas and carrots and simmer 5 minutes or until heated through.

Split Pea Soup

• 1 pound dry green split peas
• 1 ham hock
• 1/2 cup minced onions
• 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon
• 2 1/2 quarts water
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup dehydrated diced carrots
• 1/2 cup dehydrated diced celery
• 1 10 ounce can evaporated milk
• 2 tablespoon butter (dried or fresh)

Combine split peas, ham hock, minced onions, bouillon, water, salt, and pepper into a large soup pot. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 1 hour, stirring frequently. Add carrots and celery and simmer additional hour or until tender. Remove ham hock; de-bone and chop ham. Return chopped ham to soup. Stir evaporated milk and butter into soup and heat through.

Applesauce Muffins

• 2 cups applesauce 
• 1/2 cup butter, softened 
• 1 cup sugar 
• 2 eggs, well-beaten
• 2 cups whole-wheat flour 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger 
• 1 teaspoon allspice 

Mix first four ingredients until well blended. Sift dry ingredients together. Stir into applesauce mixture until just moist. Pour into greased or paper-lined muffin cups. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until tops are golden brown. Yield: 2 dozen muffins.

Lemonade Cream Pie
Pie crust

• 1 1/3 cups whole-wheat flour 
• 1 1/3 cups unbleached flour 
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 3/4 cup shortening 
• 6 tablespoons cold water 

Sift flours and salt together. Cut in shortening until coarse and crumbly. Sprinkle in water a few tablespoons at a time. Blend together with fork until dough forms into a ball. Roll out on lightly floured surface. Gently roll dough around rolling pin and lift over pie pan. Unroll dough and gently press down into sides and bottom of pan. Trim crust 1/2-inch wider than pan. Fold edge under and pinch to flute. Bake according to pie directions. Makes 2 9-inch single crusts.

Filling

• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 1/3 cup powdered milk
• 1 pkg. lemonade punch powder
• 2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• Pinch of salt

Blend first 4 ingredients in a medium saucepan. Add water, lemon juice, and salt, and stir until dry ingredients are dissolved. Bring mixture to a boil. Continue cooking over medium-high heat, stirring continuously until thickened (7-10 minutes). Pour into baked pie crust; chill.

Excerpted from Cooking with Food Storage Made Easy by Debbie G. Harman, Covenant Communications 2009

Click here to download the recipes.