Nachos Grande

A couple of nights ago I was crunched for time and had to make something for dinner that was quick and easy. Aha! Chips, the kids like chips and cheese, so dinner was born. This is a meal that can be adapted to any taste, use only food storage and is easy.

Here is what I did:

In a 3.5 quart casserole dish I poured in a bag of Fritos Scoops. Opened a can of chicken chunks & poured out the water, broke it up so it was in small, shredded pieces and then mixed that in. Added the entire cans of Ranch Style Beans and diced tomatoes, including the liquid, and mixed that in. Added an entire can of corn, without the water, and mixed that up too. Then I cut up an entire can of black olives and mixed that with everything else. I added about 1/3 cup of cheese, stirred the whole thing up again, covered it with foil and then popped it in the oven, at 400* for 25 minutes.

Everything in bold is changeable. Use the chips, meat, beans and veggies that you and your family like - make your own chips, use fresh veggies, etc.

Some Information on Food Storage

For me, food storage is the most difficult part of creating my Home Store. I spent such a long time trying to find out how much to buy, what to buy, where to get it from, how to store it and where to store it. I am including several sites or stores that I found to be very helpful in these areas.

• How much food storage does your family need?

On the Lds.about.com website, under Food and Emergency Prep, click on the food storage calculator. I also like the FEMA Food Storage Guidelines because it takes into account the higher calorie needs of nursing and pregnant women, and includes eggs. I decided to use a combination of the two food calculators. (If you would like a copy of the FEMA Food Storage Guidelines, I am happy to email it to you, just let me know. I do have a copy on this site, although it is a little small.)

• What should you buy?

At the bottom of the FEMA sheet I included some of the items that are available for food storage. Some additional items you may want to consider storing include: baking powder & soda, oil or shortening, yeast, fruits, vegetables, meat, butter, cheese, juices, sprouting seeds and spices/flavorings.

• Where can I buy items in bulk for food storage?

The best place by far to purchase your bulk food items is from your local Home Storage Center. Their price on red & white wheat (when available), nonfat dry milk, pinto, white & black beans, regular & quick oats, carrots, apple slices, onions & potato flakes, is the lowest. Other bulk items are available for purchase through local sources, which saves the shipping costs and long wait times.

If you have allergies to wheat products, I suggest contacting a local grocer, like Whole Foods, Sprouts, etc., and find out what they would charge for a bulk bag purchase of various other grains, such as oat groats, spelt, corn, or another grain that you would prefer and be able to use.

I did a Google search for wholesale suppliers in my area and found several that carry grains in bulk at a great price. I suggest doing this for your local area. It can save you money on shipping costs and the middleman fees.

I have two favorite online distributors of #10 cans that come sealed and ready to store. They are Thrive food from Shelf Reliance and Honeyville Grain. Links to these sites are listed in My Favorites. They each have monthly specials, and offer free or very low cost shipping.

• How do I store my food?

There are several different storage methods for bulk foods - #10 cans, mylar bags, and plastic buckets. #10 cans are available for purchase from the Home Storage Center and you can borrow a canner from them to can at home, or you can use the canner available through the stake. They also have small mylar bags available that will hold about the same amount as a #10 can.

Some people like to store their grains in plastic buckets inside of a large, bucket size, mylar bag. There are several different suppliers and types of buckets. I like M&M Industries because their buckets have a lid that is removable, like a gamma lid. They sell their buckets and lids together, at a price that I found to be cheaper than buying a gamma lid and bucket separately. If you can locate a plastic supplier in your area that carries M&M buckets, or any others, you can save money over local bulk food storage distributors.

• Where do I store my food?

One of the first things that I want to point out is that all food storage needs to be stored in such a way that they are raised up to allow air circulation and prevent the distribution of heat to your food from the concrete beneath your floors. You can do this by building a platform made of 2X2’s and a sheet of plywood, for your boxes, cans or buckets to sit on. You can also set them up on crates, an old table, or anything that will get them up off the floor. Since the idea is to keep your food cool, placing it in a dark place, such as in a closet, under a bed, in a pantry or a spare room will help you do this. Can you think of some other places in your own home where you can do this? Maybe create a side table or a small bench with boxes. It is possible to find a way to store the food you need.

It is my hope that you will be able to use this information to create that Home Store for your family so that you can be prepared for the future. We are living in a very tumultuous time and we should make every possible effort to gather the supplies that we will need to be prepared.

French Toast Bake

Today I put a twist on one of my favorite breakfast recipes, French Toast Bake, by using powdered eggs. I made this new version, along side one that was made from regular eggs, and my kids liked the one made with powdered eggs the best! What a shock!

I originally made up this recipe because it took so much time in the kitchen to make French Toast and I couldn't eliminate it as a breakfast option since it is one of the kids favorites. So - French Toast Bake was born. I adapted my recipe to be able to make it from food storage.

Here is the recipe:

10 eggs (20 tbsp of whole powdered eggs and 40 tbsp of water, mixed)
24oz loaf of bread, toasted
1/3 cup of milk (you can use the equivalent of powdered milk)
1 tbsp vanilla or almond extract
3 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 to 1 cup chopped nuts, if desired

In a medium sized bowl, completely mix together your egg powder and the water, being sure to press out any lumps. Add the milk and vanilla or almond to the eggs and stir until mixed. Slowly stir the eggs/milk as you add each of the spices. Mix in the nuts at this time if desired. Set this mixture aside and tear
the slices of toast into small pieces, placing them in a 3 quart casserole dish. Pour the egg mixture over the broken bread and then carefully mix to spread the liquid over all the bread. Cover the casserole dish with foil and bake in the oven, preheated to 400*, for 45 minutes. Remove and let cool for 5 minutes before serving. Top with syrup or a sprinkling of powdered sugar.

I have heard that if this type of casserole is made the night before, and set in the fridge, the bread will soak up the liquid and spices much more. I have not been able to plan that far ahead and try it out yet, but one day I will.