Food and Water Storage
Prepare for adversity by storing an emergency supply of food and water.
Earthquakes, fires, severe storms, and power outages are just some of the potential emergencies we may encounter. Imagine that you have no electricity, no gas, no water and no telephone service. What would happen if you are told to evacuate your home in the next ten minutes? Imagine that all the businesses are closed and you are without any kind of emergency services. What will you do until help arrives?
The 3 day emergency food and water supply is meant to be a quickly accessed, portable source of food and water that can sustain you and your family for several days. It should be stored in one or two containers for quick portability. The foods chosen should be ready-to-eat without the need for cooking.
The 3 week/ 3 month emergency food and water supply are meant for a disaster where food and water delivery may be interrupted. Hurricane Katrina was a perfect example where the normal delivery of food was interrupted. Build a small supply of food that is part of your normal, daily diet by purchasing a few extra items each week. Expand on this until you reach your goal. Not all of these foods will be ready-to-eat and plans must be made to store the necessary means to prepare them.
Long term food supply is stored for one to many years. This type of food storage emphasizes a mixture of canned goods that can be safely stored for several years and low moisture foods that can be safely stored for long periods (10-30 years). These foods must be stored along with equipment to prepare them. A typical long term food supply for a family of four could weigh as much as 1500-2000 lbs. That’s almost a “ton” of food!
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Kitchen Tips and Helps
To grease your pans, and save money at the same time, simply save your butter wrappers in a baggie, and then use them to grease your pans when you’re ready!
A good way to use up the last drops of honey in the container is to add a cup of boiling water to the jar. Then add your favorite tea bag, let it steep, and treat yourself to a relaxing tea break!
Freeze clusters of grapes to float in punches. They keep the punch cold and add a lovely garnish as well.
To keep cheese longer in the refrigerator, moisten a paper towel with a bit of cider vinegar and wrap it around your cheese; then place the wrapped cheese in a plastic bag and seal. The acid in the vinegar will keep mold away. If the paper towel dries out, moisten it with a bit of water-vinegar solution.
Ricotta and cottage cheeses will store longer in the refrigerator once they’ve been opened if you turn the reclosed container upside down, thereby forcing some of the air out of the container. You can get the same results by taking the cheese out of its original container and storing it in a smaller glass jar.
If you find that the difference in price between large and small eggs is 8 cents or less per dozen, the larger eggs are the better buy.
You don't have to throw away the cracked raw eggs you find in the carton; use them, but only for egg dishes that are thoroughly cooked, such as hard-cooked eggs, or in baked goods.
You can tell whether eggs are fresh or not by placing them in a deep pan of water. Any floaters should be thrown away. If you've cooked some eggs, and are not sure if they're done, simply take one out and spin it. If it spins quickly, it's done, if it spins slowly and then stops; it's raw or needs more time.
When you need to store raw eggs without the help of a refrigerator, such as during a camping trip, coat the eggs with shortening. It will help to preserve them longer by sealing out air.
An egg poacher or fried egg mold can be made by removing the top and bottom of a clean tuna can.
Get more volume from beaten eggs by letting them stand at room temperature for about an hour before you beat them.
If you have the patience, a slow but easy way to separate eggs is to beat them one at a time into a small funnel over a cup. The white will pass through into the cup, and the yolk will be left behind in the funnel.
Here are some great tips on fruit I thought you'd enjoy....
Extra bananas? You can freeze them either peeled or unpeeled, cut into chunks, or mashed, depending on what you plan to do with them.
Here's a great use for ripe bananas: Slice the fruit, place the slices on a baking sheet, and freeze them until firm. Roll each slice in honey and then in your favorite topping, such as chopped nuts, coconut, or crushed rice puffs. Return them to the freezer and when frozen solid, put them into plastic bags and seal. These make wonderful frozen candy snacks.
Pureed bananas can be used in breads and cakes. Overripe bananas--too ripe to eat raw-are particularly good because they're so sweet.
Grapes
Frozen grapes make a fine natural snack; just lay them out on a baking sheet in the freezer so that they freeze separately, and then bag them for snacking later.
Lemons and Limes
You will get almost twice the amount of juice out of a lemon or lime if you drop it into hot water for a few minutes before you squeeze it. Heating the fruit breaks down the inner membranes so that they release more juice. Or instead of heating the fruit, try rolling it on a hard surface to break down those membranes.
If you want just a few drops of lemon juice, poke a hole in one end of the fruit with a toothpick. Squeeze the desired amount from the hole, replace the toothpick, and store the lemon in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for future use.
Grating
Grate your citrus rind over wax paper or foil to make pouring it into a measuring cup or mixing bowl easy.
Use a pastry brush to remove the citrus rind that is stuck in the holes of the grater.
Pineapple
They may be messy and prickly, but pineapple trimmings can make great pineapple juice. Pineapple processing plants use this trick all the time. Put it the trimmings and even the core into a blender with just enough water for processing and grind them up; then strain the juice through a very fine sieve or cheesecloth-line strainer and serve it up chilled. Fresh pineapple juice will ferment quickly, so drink it immediately.
Every pineapple top is a houseplant ready to happen. Twist it off with a circular motion so that you leave no fruit on the stem, and then remove 10-15 of the small, bottom leaves from the stem. You'll see little brown or skittish roots already tin place to grow. Put the stem in water about 1 inch deep, and leave it ion a warm windowsill for a couple of weeks, after which time you should have roots. Then you can plant it in a pot or in your garden if you live in a warm, frost-free part of the country. Being a bromeliad, the pineapple appreciates water poured into its crown as well as on its roots.
To keep pineapple fresh longer, cut slices from the bottom as you need them, leaving the green top growth intact. Wrap the unused portion, with the top growth attached, in plastic wrap.
Watermelon
Got a surplus of watermelon? Scoop the pulp from the rind, removing the seeds as you go. Then run it through a food mill or blender, or mash it with a potato masher. Freeze the smooth pulp in ice cube trays, and you've got wonderful natural fruit pops.
Fruit Miscellany
Don't discard the rind of lemons, grapefruit, or oranges. It makes excellent flavorings for
Cakes, frostings, and such. Wash it well and grate, being careful not to include the bitter white part under the rind. Put it in a tightly covered glass jar, and store in the refrigerator.
Leftover apple, orange, or lemon rind can be put into your tea as it's steeping to add a wonderful flavor and aroma--just like the fancy gourmet tea blends.
For a quick dessert, an unsweetened can of fruit can be opened and frozen. When ready to serve, put the frozen fruit in a blender or food processor and spoon it into stemmed glasses. Top it with chopped nuts. You can make another easy, light dessert by freezing fresh fruit, like kiwi fruit or melon, and then shaving it into small chilled bowls
To freeze peaches and other fruits without sugar, use orange juice instead of the traditional sugar syrup. Slice the fruit into thawed orange juice concentrate, making sure the slices are thoroughly coated to keep them from darkening. Two large cans of concentrate will easily do for a crate of peaches.
A coating of lemon, orange, or pineapple juice will keep cut fruits from browning.
There's really no need to rehydrated dried fruit before you add it to a recipe, because even the hardest dried raisins or prunes will become soft and moist when cooked in recipes that contain plenty of liquid, like custards, puddings, stuffings, and moist tea breads.
There are several fresh fruits that, when included in a gelatin dessert of salad, will prevent the gelatin from firming up. They are pineapple, figs, papaya, and kiwi fruit. Save them for other uses.
Small berries, such as huckleberries, can be cleaned by gently rolling them back and forth with you hand across a dry terrycloth towel placed on the counter. They will come clean and as a bonus, they will have lost their little stems, which are so tedious to remove by hand.
To keep your homemade ice cream from crystallizing, add one envelope of gelatin for every 1 1/2 quarts of liquid in the recipe. Just heat some of the liquid and dissolve the gelatin in it; then add to the other ingredients.
You can have "sour cream": on your baked potatoes without the extra calories by using cottage cheese instead. Run it through a blender or food processor to smooth it out, and flavor it with chives. Plain yogurt is a good sour cream substitute, as well and it comes smooth right from the container!
To keep apple skins from cracking while they bake, pare a 1-inch band around each apple's center.
An avocado will ripen faster if placed in a plastic bag with a piece of banana peel.
To keep refrigerated avocado dip or half a sliced avocado from turning dark quickly, place the avocado pit in the center and wrap to form an airtight seal.
If you bring home a big bunch of bananas that you now you'll be separating and using singly, separate them right away by cutting off the "knob" that joins them all together. Make sure that you cut them so that a 1-inch tip is left on each. This tip will dry up and seal itself in a day or two. Then when you are ready to use the bananas, you won't have to bother breaking off one at a time, which can often result in splitting the top skin of several and exposing the open parts to bacteria!
So go bananas over all these tips and tricks, and join me again soon for some more ideas in the kitchen!
Grind up puffed rice and use it instead of sugar to sprinkle on cookies or pastries or try a light sprinkling of ground almonds.
If you have no wire racks on which to cool cookies, or not enough of them when making large batches, cool cookies on cotton dish towels or on a large cotton tablecloth folded in half.
A piece of bread or apple in the cookie jar keeps soft cookies from hardening.
For a flaky pie crust, use sour cream or yogurt for the liquid.
To add flavor to apple pie, sprinkle a cup of coconut over the apples before covering them with the top crust.
When measuring oil and honey for a recipe, measure the oil first so that it coats the spoon or cup, making the honey that's measured next slide out easily. When you're baking with oil and eggs, crack your eggs in a measuring cup first and then pour them into your mixing bowl. The eggs will coat the measuring cup so that when you measure the oil it will slide out easily, leaving no oil behind in the cup.
Dust buttered pans with cocoa powder instead of flour to keep dark cakes brown and beautiful.
Parchment paper can be used to line baking pans so that you don't need to oil or butter the pans. This saves calories and also saves cleanup.
To make a whole wheat bread rise higher and feel lighter, add 1 tbsp. of lemon juice to the dough as you're mixing it. This will add lightness but will not influence the taste.
To make sweetener-free bread, omit all honey and sugar from the recipe and add 1 tsp. of malt for every tablespoon of yeast called for. The malt provides the food that enables the yeast to grow.
Keep a plastic bag nearby when you're kneading bread or making pastry or pasta. When when the phone rings or you have to reach for a clean bowl, you can slip the bag over your messy hand and not spread the flour around the kitchen.
Lightly oil the dough hook on your Bosch before kneading your bread. The oil will keep the dough from "climbing" and will make cleaning up easier.
There's no need to go out and buy a fancy baking tile to produce a crisp bottom on your pizza or French bread. An unglazed terra-cotta tile purchased from flooring or tile store can just as easily substitute.
To keep pie shells from becoming soggy; sprinkle the bottom of a raw pie shell with instant tapioca before adding the filling. This will keep the crust from going soggy and help the filling to be thicker also.
A good way to use up the last drops of honey in the container is to add a cup of boiling water to the jar. Then add your favorite tea bag, let it steep, and treat yourself to a relaxing tea break!
Freeze clusters of grapes to float in punches. They keep the punch cold and add a lovely garnish as well.
To keep cheese longer in the refrigerator, moisten a paper towel with a bit of cider vinegar and wrap it around your cheese; then place the wrapped cheese in a plastic bag and seal. The acid in the vinegar will keep mold away. If the paper towel dries out, moisten it with a bit of water-vinegar solution.
Ricotta and cottage cheeses will store longer in the refrigerator once they’ve been opened if you turn the reclosed container upside down, thereby forcing some of the air out of the container. You can get the same results by taking the cheese out of its original container and storing it in a smaller glass jar.
If you find that the difference in price between large and small eggs is 8 cents or less per dozen, the larger eggs are the better buy.
You don't have to throw away the cracked raw eggs you find in the carton; use them, but only for egg dishes that are thoroughly cooked, such as hard-cooked eggs, or in baked goods.
You can tell whether eggs are fresh or not by placing them in a deep pan of water. Any floaters should be thrown away. If you've cooked some eggs, and are not sure if they're done, simply take one out and spin it. If it spins quickly, it's done, if it spins slowly and then stops; it's raw or needs more time.
When you need to store raw eggs without the help of a refrigerator, such as during a camping trip, coat the eggs with shortening. It will help to preserve them longer by sealing out air.
An egg poacher or fried egg mold can be made by removing the top and bottom of a clean tuna can.
Get more volume from beaten eggs by letting them stand at room temperature for about an hour before you beat them.
If you have the patience, a slow but easy way to separate eggs is to beat them one at a time into a small funnel over a cup. The white will pass through into the cup, and the yolk will be left behind in the funnel.
Here are some great tips on fruit I thought you'd enjoy....
Extra bananas? You can freeze them either peeled or unpeeled, cut into chunks, or mashed, depending on what you plan to do with them.
Here's a great use for ripe bananas: Slice the fruit, place the slices on a baking sheet, and freeze them until firm. Roll each slice in honey and then in your favorite topping, such as chopped nuts, coconut, or crushed rice puffs. Return them to the freezer and when frozen solid, put them into plastic bags and seal. These make wonderful frozen candy snacks.
Pureed bananas can be used in breads and cakes. Overripe bananas--too ripe to eat raw-are particularly good because they're so sweet.
Grapes
Frozen grapes make a fine natural snack; just lay them out on a baking sheet in the freezer so that they freeze separately, and then bag them for snacking later.
Lemons and Limes
You will get almost twice the amount of juice out of a lemon or lime if you drop it into hot water for a few minutes before you squeeze it. Heating the fruit breaks down the inner membranes so that they release more juice. Or instead of heating the fruit, try rolling it on a hard surface to break down those membranes.
If you want just a few drops of lemon juice, poke a hole in one end of the fruit with a toothpick. Squeeze the desired amount from the hole, replace the toothpick, and store the lemon in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for future use.
Grating
Grate your citrus rind over wax paper or foil to make pouring it into a measuring cup or mixing bowl easy.
Use a pastry brush to remove the citrus rind that is stuck in the holes of the grater.
Pineapple
They may be messy and prickly, but pineapple trimmings can make great pineapple juice. Pineapple processing plants use this trick all the time. Put it the trimmings and even the core into a blender with just enough water for processing and grind them up; then strain the juice through a very fine sieve or cheesecloth-line strainer and serve it up chilled. Fresh pineapple juice will ferment quickly, so drink it immediately.
Every pineapple top is a houseplant ready to happen. Twist it off with a circular motion so that you leave no fruit on the stem, and then remove 10-15 of the small, bottom leaves from the stem. You'll see little brown or skittish roots already tin place to grow. Put the stem in water about 1 inch deep, and leave it ion a warm windowsill for a couple of weeks, after which time you should have roots. Then you can plant it in a pot or in your garden if you live in a warm, frost-free part of the country. Being a bromeliad, the pineapple appreciates water poured into its crown as well as on its roots.
To keep pineapple fresh longer, cut slices from the bottom as you need them, leaving the green top growth intact. Wrap the unused portion, with the top growth attached, in plastic wrap.
Watermelon
Got a surplus of watermelon? Scoop the pulp from the rind, removing the seeds as you go. Then run it through a food mill or blender, or mash it with a potato masher. Freeze the smooth pulp in ice cube trays, and you've got wonderful natural fruit pops.
Fruit Miscellany
Don't discard the rind of lemons, grapefruit, or oranges. It makes excellent flavorings for
Cakes, frostings, and such. Wash it well and grate, being careful not to include the bitter white part under the rind. Put it in a tightly covered glass jar, and store in the refrigerator.
Leftover apple, orange, or lemon rind can be put into your tea as it's steeping to add a wonderful flavor and aroma--just like the fancy gourmet tea blends.
For a quick dessert, an unsweetened can of fruit can be opened and frozen. When ready to serve, put the frozen fruit in a blender or food processor and spoon it into stemmed glasses. Top it with chopped nuts. You can make another easy, light dessert by freezing fresh fruit, like kiwi fruit or melon, and then shaving it into small chilled bowls
To freeze peaches and other fruits without sugar, use orange juice instead of the traditional sugar syrup. Slice the fruit into thawed orange juice concentrate, making sure the slices are thoroughly coated to keep them from darkening. Two large cans of concentrate will easily do for a crate of peaches.
A coating of lemon, orange, or pineapple juice will keep cut fruits from browning.
There's really no need to rehydrated dried fruit before you add it to a recipe, because even the hardest dried raisins or prunes will become soft and moist when cooked in recipes that contain plenty of liquid, like custards, puddings, stuffings, and moist tea breads.
There are several fresh fruits that, when included in a gelatin dessert of salad, will prevent the gelatin from firming up. They are pineapple, figs, papaya, and kiwi fruit. Save them for other uses.
Small berries, such as huckleberries, can be cleaned by gently rolling them back and forth with you hand across a dry terrycloth towel placed on the counter. They will come clean and as a bonus, they will have lost their little stems, which are so tedious to remove by hand.
To keep your homemade ice cream from crystallizing, add one envelope of gelatin for every 1 1/2 quarts of liquid in the recipe. Just heat some of the liquid and dissolve the gelatin in it; then add to the other ingredients.
You can have "sour cream": on your baked potatoes without the extra calories by using cottage cheese instead. Run it through a blender or food processor to smooth it out, and flavor it with chives. Plain yogurt is a good sour cream substitute, as well and it comes smooth right from the container!
To keep apple skins from cracking while they bake, pare a 1-inch band around each apple's center.
An avocado will ripen faster if placed in a plastic bag with a piece of banana peel.
To keep refrigerated avocado dip or half a sliced avocado from turning dark quickly, place the avocado pit in the center and wrap to form an airtight seal.
If you bring home a big bunch of bananas that you now you'll be separating and using singly, separate them right away by cutting off the "knob" that joins them all together. Make sure that you cut them so that a 1-inch tip is left on each. This tip will dry up and seal itself in a day or two. Then when you are ready to use the bananas, you won't have to bother breaking off one at a time, which can often result in splitting the top skin of several and exposing the open parts to bacteria!
So go bananas over all these tips and tricks, and join me again soon for some more ideas in the kitchen!
Grind up puffed rice and use it instead of sugar to sprinkle on cookies or pastries or try a light sprinkling of ground almonds.
If you have no wire racks on which to cool cookies, or not enough of them when making large batches, cool cookies on cotton dish towels or on a large cotton tablecloth folded in half.
A piece of bread or apple in the cookie jar keeps soft cookies from hardening.
For a flaky pie crust, use sour cream or yogurt for the liquid.
To add flavor to apple pie, sprinkle a cup of coconut over the apples before covering them with the top crust.
When measuring oil and honey for a recipe, measure the oil first so that it coats the spoon or cup, making the honey that's measured next slide out easily. When you're baking with oil and eggs, crack your eggs in a measuring cup first and then pour them into your mixing bowl. The eggs will coat the measuring cup so that when you measure the oil it will slide out easily, leaving no oil behind in the cup.
Dust buttered pans with cocoa powder instead of flour to keep dark cakes brown and beautiful.
Parchment paper can be used to line baking pans so that you don't need to oil or butter the pans. This saves calories and also saves cleanup.
To make a whole wheat bread rise higher and feel lighter, add 1 tbsp. of lemon juice to the dough as you're mixing it. This will add lightness but will not influence the taste.
To make sweetener-free bread, omit all honey and sugar from the recipe and add 1 tsp. of malt for every tablespoon of yeast called for. The malt provides the food that enables the yeast to grow.
Keep a plastic bag nearby when you're kneading bread or making pastry or pasta. When when the phone rings or you have to reach for a clean bowl, you can slip the bag over your messy hand and not spread the flour around the kitchen.
Lightly oil the dough hook on your Bosch before kneading your bread. The oil will keep the dough from "climbing" and will make cleaning up easier.
There's no need to go out and buy a fancy baking tile to produce a crisp bottom on your pizza or French bread. An unglazed terra-cotta tile purchased from flooring or tile store can just as easily substitute.
To keep pie shells from becoming soggy; sprinkle the bottom of a raw pie shell with instant tapioca before adding the filling. This will keep the crust from going soggy and help the filling to be thicker also.
FREEZER RICE
Cook a large quantity of rice.
Divide into storage containers.
Freeze. Will store in freezer for up to 6 months.
To reheat; place in cup sized portions in a saucepan. Add 2 Tablespoons liquid (water, broth…) for each cup of rice. Cover and heat about 5 minutes or till the rice is heated through.
Divide into storage containers.
Freeze. Will store in freezer for up to 6 months.
To reheat; place in cup sized portions in a saucepan. Add 2 Tablespoons liquid (water, broth…) for each cup of rice. Cover and heat about 5 minutes or till the rice is heated through.
PERFECT WHITE RICE
1 cup long grain rice
2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon butter (optional)
In a sauce pan with a good fitting lid bring water, salt and butter to a boil.
Add rice and stir.
Cover and reduce heat to medium low.
You will know that the temperature is correct if a little steam is visible leaking from the lid. A lot of steam means your heat is too high.
Cook for 20 minutes.
DO NOT LIFT LID!
The steam that is trapped inside the pan is what allows the rice to cook properly.
Remove from heat and fluff with fork.
Serve!
2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon butter (optional)
In a sauce pan with a good fitting lid bring water, salt and butter to a boil.
Add rice and stir.
Cover and reduce heat to medium low.
You will know that the temperature is correct if a little steam is visible leaking from the lid. A lot of steam means your heat is too high.
Cook for 20 minutes.
DO NOT LIFT LID!
The steam that is trapped inside the pan is what allows the rice to cook properly.
Remove from heat and fluff with fork.
Serve!
Rice
RICE A RONI
½ cup uncooked spaghetti, broken into
1 inch pieces
¾ cup uncooked white rice
14 ½ ounces broth-any flavor
2 Tablespoons butter or margarine
Salt and pepper to taste
In medium skillet sauté broken spaghetti pieces in butter, stirring constantly, until the spaghetti begins to brown.
Add rice, stirring until the rice is well coated with the butter and spaghetti browns a little more.
Carefully pour in broth.
Simmer until liquid is absorbed.
½ cup uncooked spaghetti, broken into
1 inch pieces
¾ cup uncooked white rice
14 ½ ounces broth-any flavor
2 Tablespoons butter or margarine
Salt and pepper to taste
In medium skillet sauté broken spaghetti pieces in butter, stirring constantly, until the spaghetti begins to brown.
Add rice, stirring until the rice is well coated with the butter and spaghetti browns a little more.
Carefully pour in broth.
Simmer until liquid is absorbed.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Lesson on Holiday Debt Management
The spending is fun and well intended. The debt can be dreadful. With the holidays upon us, it's the perfect time to consider fiscal fitness.
We need to learn from past experiences and have to ask ourselves What factors caused me to overspend?
Maybe you were involved in too many projects; maybe you ended up going out to dinner, andthat made you overspend.
Getting started late and having projects fail. Getting too tired to finish things. Getting sick or family members getting sick and not finishing things.
Set Spending Limits
Make a budget and then stick to it. If you can only afford to spend $100 in gifts this year, then find a way to make that money count. "Develop a spending limit for each person on the list," says Steve Blankenship, a Certified Financial Planner™ professional and principal of Heritage Financial Planning. "Stick to your limit! No matter how much your grandson would love the latest and greatest Xbox game, keep in mind that you will have to climb as high financially as the hole you dig for yourself."
What is the point of gift-giving? Is it to reciprocate the dollar amount of a gift that was given to us, or one that we think might be given to us in the future? No! The point is to acknowledge that other person's positive influence on your life. "Thank you" and "I love you" are phrases that don't come with dollar amounts attached to them, so don't allow yourself to be caught up in spending more on holiday gifts than you can afford.
I would like to think that people who care about me wouldn't want me to buy them something I really can't afford.
I've come to realize that I'd much rather get a gift I can USE! So I've adopted that philosophy also.
I like to bottle food. Everyone I know eats. It works for me.
Make a Family Rule – Many of us talk ourselves into spending extra cash when we locate the perfect gift. So to avoid overindulging, agree to spending limits with your family and friends. For example, no gifts over $10, $20 or $50. When families stick to the rule, everyone saves and no one feels bad or embarrassed that they didn’t spend more.
Homemade Décor Feels Like Home – There’s no need to go overboard on decorations. Making your own can be both economical and environmentally friendly. A little paint, glitter and a few pine cones are a fast and festive way to spruce up your holiday décor. And don’t forget about last year’s decorations. If they’re in good shape, don’t purchase new versions just because it’s a new season.
Stick to Cash
"If you really want to take control of your spending this year, forget credit cards altogether," says Blankenship. "Studies have shown that consumers spend significantly more when they use credit cards than if they had used cash. That is because cash if finite; it is easier to see your wallet’s cash supply is dwindling than it is to see credit card bills mounting."
Make a List
Know what and who you're buying for before you hit the stores. While it's not ideal to be preset on something (you may stumble on a great deal for something unrelated), do have an idea in mind. Does your sister love writing? Plan on a diary or a fine pen. Has your best friend taken up painting? Get her a new set of brushes or an easel. A well-thought gift will be much more appreciated than an expensive trinket they can't use. Keep track of what gifts have been already purchased to avoid duplicates.
Develop Your Own Gift Guidelines
There are lots of ways to temper the "gimmes" our kids can be so prone to during the holidays. Consider setting a specific dollar amount for each child, and sticking to it. Or decide that you'll limit the number of gifts to three items per child. Remember, there are always going to be people who will spend more on their kids, but attempting to "keep up with the Jones'" comes with a heavy price. Teach your children early that thoughtful gifts don't have to cost a lot of money, and what's most important is appreciating all that we've been given already.
What are some of the ways you have found to temper the gimmies with your kids?
Tally the Extras
It's not only the big gifts that put a dent on your budget. You also need to account for all the little things. "Make like Santa and list all your holiday expenses," recommends Freedom Financial Network, LLC, a credit counseling and debt-consolidation service. "Include small gifts to teachers, babysitters, newspaper carriers, etc., which can add up quickly. Don’t forget extras you may have, such as cards, food and beverages for entertaining, and holiday clothing purchases." Small $20 gifts can add up into the hundreds if you're not careful. You may have to consider dropping people from your list if you truly can't afford to buy something for everybody. Another option is to shop at discount stores for little knick-knacks that will count as a gesture rather than a gift (a scented candle, a box of chocolates, a wall calendar).
Get Crafty
While not everybody in your list will appreciate a batch of homemade cookies, some definitively will. You don't have to be especially talented to make homemade presents –Think a Death by Chocolate, a gift certificate for babysitting for a friend that desperately needs some me-time. If you do have a talent, put it to good use –Can you hand-craft soap? Do you know how to make your own potpourri? Do you have a secret recipe for chocolate chip cookies that everybody loves? Think outside of the box.
Don't shop for yourself.
Avoid the "one for you, one for me" shopping mindset. You'll end up spending double what you would had you shopped only for the loved ones in your life.
Ignore "big" sales. More often than not, they're not really sales at all. Those "Buy 2, Get 1 Half Off" deals only trick you into buying more than you would otherwise.
Remember, stick to your list.
Communicate with Younger Kids – The holidays are about much more than gifts. Remind younger children about the true meaning of the season and make it clear why expensive gifts aren’t needed, especially in the current economic climate. It’s also the perfect time to start new family traditions that don’t center on exchanging gifts.
Know when to Stop
According to Freedom Financial Network, LLC, it's important to know how to quit --"When you hit your budget limits, stop. If you need hard-core support to keep yourself in check, leave credit cards at home and put each person’s budget in an envelope, in cash. When it’s gone, it’s gone – and you’re done." Do your children really need 10 gifts each? Do you need six new glass ornaments? Establish your priorities well in advance.
Next question we should ask is; What holiday activities and events could have been scaled down without a negative effect?
Maybe the year before you had your whole family over for dinner, you prepared a very elaborate dinner, and it was expensive. Scale down; think of alternatives and allow yourself to be flexible.
Next year have a dinner at your house, because it’s something you enjoy, but maybe you can reconsider the meals and have smaller treats instead of a big dinner.
We should plan the holidays before they come up and include the whole family in planning. Talk about the expectations in your family.
What situations or events caused me to depend on my credit cards for holiday relief?
Things that make you use a credit card are the last minute things, things you haven’t planned on. Hence when you plan your holiday’s activities and expenditures you need to plan financially accordingly.
Holiday Parties on a Budget –
Being the host doesn’t mean the entire party should be on your dime. Throw a potluck and ask guests to bring their own beverages. These types of invitations are perfectly acceptable and can save a lot of cash. Or, just keep things small and intimate with your family and closest friends—your guests will appreciate just being together. Good conversation and laughter is free.
Be on the Lookout for Scams
Another way to hold on to your money this Holiday season is by protecting yourself from scammers that take advantage of unsuspecting consumers. “This is typically the time of the year when many new and returning consumers begin to shop online for the upcoming holidays,” says Andrew H. Te, CEO of PowWeb, Inc., a Los Angeles global hosting company serving small and medium businesses. “Common sense should prevail when it comes to scams that arrive in the inbox of your email system. Don’t open email that looks suspicious, just delete it. "What else can you do to protect yourself when shopping online?
Know who you're dealing with – Check out the company or buy only from well-established businesses, read their refund and return policy carefully, and only order on a secure server.
Keep a record of your transactions, including receipts and any pertinent printout.
Other scams to watch out for are those related to organizations asking for donations –If you're giving your hard-earned money away, make sure it's really going to a worthy cause. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) offers a series of tips on its website on how to avoid scams this holiday season, including the importance of asking for written information to review before making a donation.
Look For Free Gifts
If you truly have no money to spend, there are many things you can give that can't be bought at the local stores --Take somebody to a free church or university concert, offer to baby-sit for a busy mom or cook for an elderly family member, or make a memory book with an inexpensive photo album. Remember, thoughtful gifts are worth a fortune.
Take Advantage of After Christmas Sales
f there are some people who you don't plan on visiting until after the Holidays, wait to get them a gift –No reason to pass on the incredible sales that start on December 26th. While you're there, stock up on goodies you can use throughout the year, including wrapping paper, discount toys, and winter wear.
Push Your Focus Away From Spending
"While gifts are wonderful to give and receive, we have allowed them to become the focus instead of simply another part of the celebration," says Heidi Wanken, founder of Shopping Holiday, a group that encourages people to take a holiday from shopping. Recover the spirit of the season by focusing on helping others (volunteer at a shelter, a hospital, or a soup kitchen), valuing the little things (the batch of cookies your elderly aunt took an hour to bake), or starting a holiday tradition with your family.
Plan your holidays 12 months in advance. The day after the holiday is over there are lots of sales on holiday items. You can go next day after Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Halloween, and 4 of July and buy items 75% off. That’s a great time to get your holiday themed decorations,napkins, paper plates, cards etc. Planning well in advance will also allow you to save on gifts.
We can avoid debt by saving money for celebrations throughout the year.
Let’s say you figured out that for Christmas next year you’ll need to buy gifts, decorations, food etc. you’ll need $2000 to do so. Then you need to divide $2000 by 12 months, it equals $167.
Heavenly Father wants us to be happy. He wants us to be provident.
If we were buying Heavenly Father a gift, would we use a credit card?
Make it a great year, by not going into debt for this Christmas. He will be proud of you and everyone around you will be too.
We need to learn from past experiences and have to ask ourselves What factors caused me to overspend?
Maybe you were involved in too many projects; maybe you ended up going out to dinner, andthat made you overspend.
Getting started late and having projects fail. Getting too tired to finish things. Getting sick or family members getting sick and not finishing things.
Set Spending Limits
Make a budget and then stick to it. If you can only afford to spend $100 in gifts this year, then find a way to make that money count. "Develop a spending limit for each person on the list," says Steve Blankenship, a Certified Financial Planner™ professional and principal of Heritage Financial Planning. "Stick to your limit! No matter how much your grandson would love the latest and greatest Xbox game, keep in mind that you will have to climb as high financially as the hole you dig for yourself."
What is the point of gift-giving? Is it to reciprocate the dollar amount of a gift that was given to us, or one that we think might be given to us in the future? No! The point is to acknowledge that other person's positive influence on your life. "Thank you" and "I love you" are phrases that don't come with dollar amounts attached to them, so don't allow yourself to be caught up in spending more on holiday gifts than you can afford.
I would like to think that people who care about me wouldn't want me to buy them something I really can't afford.
I've come to realize that I'd much rather get a gift I can USE! So I've adopted that philosophy also.
I like to bottle food. Everyone I know eats. It works for me.
Make a Family Rule – Many of us talk ourselves into spending extra cash when we locate the perfect gift. So to avoid overindulging, agree to spending limits with your family and friends. For example, no gifts over $10, $20 or $50. When families stick to the rule, everyone saves and no one feels bad or embarrassed that they didn’t spend more.
Homemade Décor Feels Like Home – There’s no need to go overboard on decorations. Making your own can be both economical and environmentally friendly. A little paint, glitter and a few pine cones are a fast and festive way to spruce up your holiday décor. And don’t forget about last year’s decorations. If they’re in good shape, don’t purchase new versions just because it’s a new season.
Stick to Cash
"If you really want to take control of your spending this year, forget credit cards altogether," says Blankenship. "Studies have shown that consumers spend significantly more when they use credit cards than if they had used cash. That is because cash if finite; it is easier to see your wallet’s cash supply is dwindling than it is to see credit card bills mounting."
Make a List
Know what and who you're buying for before you hit the stores. While it's not ideal to be preset on something (you may stumble on a great deal for something unrelated), do have an idea in mind. Does your sister love writing? Plan on a diary or a fine pen. Has your best friend taken up painting? Get her a new set of brushes or an easel. A well-thought gift will be much more appreciated than an expensive trinket they can't use. Keep track of what gifts have been already purchased to avoid duplicates.
Develop Your Own Gift Guidelines
There are lots of ways to temper the "gimmes" our kids can be so prone to during the holidays. Consider setting a specific dollar amount for each child, and sticking to it. Or decide that you'll limit the number of gifts to three items per child. Remember, there are always going to be people who will spend more on their kids, but attempting to "keep up with the Jones'" comes with a heavy price. Teach your children early that thoughtful gifts don't have to cost a lot of money, and what's most important is appreciating all that we've been given already.
What are some of the ways you have found to temper the gimmies with your kids?
Tally the Extras
It's not only the big gifts that put a dent on your budget. You also need to account for all the little things. "Make like Santa and list all your holiday expenses," recommends Freedom Financial Network, LLC, a credit counseling and debt-consolidation service. "Include small gifts to teachers, babysitters, newspaper carriers, etc., which can add up quickly. Don’t forget extras you may have, such as cards, food and beverages for entertaining, and holiday clothing purchases." Small $20 gifts can add up into the hundreds if you're not careful. You may have to consider dropping people from your list if you truly can't afford to buy something for everybody. Another option is to shop at discount stores for little knick-knacks that will count as a gesture rather than a gift (a scented candle, a box of chocolates, a wall calendar).
Get Crafty
While not everybody in your list will appreciate a batch of homemade cookies, some definitively will. You don't have to be especially talented to make homemade presents –Think a Death by Chocolate, a gift certificate for babysitting for a friend that desperately needs some me-time. If you do have a talent, put it to good use –Can you hand-craft soap? Do you know how to make your own potpourri? Do you have a secret recipe for chocolate chip cookies that everybody loves? Think outside of the box.
Don't shop for yourself.
Avoid the "one for you, one for me" shopping mindset. You'll end up spending double what you would had you shopped only for the loved ones in your life.
Ignore "big" sales. More often than not, they're not really sales at all. Those "Buy 2, Get 1 Half Off" deals only trick you into buying more than you would otherwise.
Remember, stick to your list.
Communicate with Younger Kids – The holidays are about much more than gifts. Remind younger children about the true meaning of the season and make it clear why expensive gifts aren’t needed, especially in the current economic climate. It’s also the perfect time to start new family traditions that don’t center on exchanging gifts.
Know when to Stop
According to Freedom Financial Network, LLC, it's important to know how to quit --"When you hit your budget limits, stop. If you need hard-core support to keep yourself in check, leave credit cards at home and put each person’s budget in an envelope, in cash. When it’s gone, it’s gone – and you’re done." Do your children really need 10 gifts each? Do you need six new glass ornaments? Establish your priorities well in advance.
Next question we should ask is; What holiday activities and events could have been scaled down without a negative effect?
Maybe the year before you had your whole family over for dinner, you prepared a very elaborate dinner, and it was expensive. Scale down; think of alternatives and allow yourself to be flexible.
Next year have a dinner at your house, because it’s something you enjoy, but maybe you can reconsider the meals and have smaller treats instead of a big dinner.
We should plan the holidays before they come up and include the whole family in planning. Talk about the expectations in your family.
What situations or events caused me to depend on my credit cards for holiday relief?
Things that make you use a credit card are the last minute things, things you haven’t planned on. Hence when you plan your holiday’s activities and expenditures you need to plan financially accordingly.
Holiday Parties on a Budget –
Being the host doesn’t mean the entire party should be on your dime. Throw a potluck and ask guests to bring their own beverages. These types of invitations are perfectly acceptable and can save a lot of cash. Or, just keep things small and intimate with your family and closest friends—your guests will appreciate just being together. Good conversation and laughter is free.
Be on the Lookout for Scams
Another way to hold on to your money this Holiday season is by protecting yourself from scammers that take advantage of unsuspecting consumers. “This is typically the time of the year when many new and returning consumers begin to shop online for the upcoming holidays,” says Andrew H. Te, CEO of PowWeb, Inc., a Los Angeles global hosting company serving small and medium businesses. “Common sense should prevail when it comes to scams that arrive in the inbox of your email system. Don’t open email that looks suspicious, just delete it. "What else can you do to protect yourself when shopping online?
Know who you're dealing with – Check out the company or buy only from well-established businesses, read their refund and return policy carefully, and only order on a secure server.
Keep a record of your transactions, including receipts and any pertinent printout.
Other scams to watch out for are those related to organizations asking for donations –If you're giving your hard-earned money away, make sure it's really going to a worthy cause. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) offers a series of tips on its website on how to avoid scams this holiday season, including the importance of asking for written information to review before making a donation.
Look For Free Gifts
If you truly have no money to spend, there are many things you can give that can't be bought at the local stores --Take somebody to a free church or university concert, offer to baby-sit for a busy mom or cook for an elderly family member, or make a memory book with an inexpensive photo album. Remember, thoughtful gifts are worth a fortune.
Take Advantage of After Christmas Sales
f there are some people who you don't plan on visiting until after the Holidays, wait to get them a gift –No reason to pass on the incredible sales that start on December 26th. While you're there, stock up on goodies you can use throughout the year, including wrapping paper, discount toys, and winter wear.
Push Your Focus Away From Spending
"While gifts are wonderful to give and receive, we have allowed them to become the focus instead of simply another part of the celebration," says Heidi Wanken, founder of Shopping Holiday, a group that encourages people to take a holiday from shopping. Recover the spirit of the season by focusing on helping others (volunteer at a shelter, a hospital, or a soup kitchen), valuing the little things (the batch of cookies your elderly aunt took an hour to bake), or starting a holiday tradition with your family.
Plan your holidays 12 months in advance. The day after the holiday is over there are lots of sales on holiday items. You can go next day after Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Halloween, and 4 of July and buy items 75% off. That’s a great time to get your holiday themed decorations,napkins, paper plates, cards etc. Planning well in advance will also allow you to save on gifts.
We can avoid debt by saving money for celebrations throughout the year.
Let’s say you figured out that for Christmas next year you’ll need to buy gifts, decorations, food etc. you’ll need $2000 to do so. Then you need to divide $2000 by 12 months, it equals $167.
Heavenly Father wants us to be happy. He wants us to be provident.
If we were buying Heavenly Father a gift, would we use a credit card?
Make it a great year, by not going into debt for this Christmas. He will be proud of you and everyone around you will be too.
New Favorite Food Storage Recipe
Cranberry Chicken in a Bag
serves 4
In the bag:
2 (10 oz.) cans of chicken
1 (12 oz.) can of cranberry sauce
2 cups potato pearls (in container) or 1 package stuffing mix
Seasoning Packet:
2 Tablespoons dehydrated onion
½1/2 cup packed brown sugar
½1/2 teaspoon dried orange peel
From the pantry:
1 cup ketchup
4 cups water (for potatoes)
To the table:
In a medium saucepan, combine the cranberry sauce, seasoning packet and ketchup.
Heat and stir until sugar is dissolved, and mixture is nice and hot.
Drain the chicken, and cut or shred into bite size pieces.
Stir chicken into sauce and heat through.
Mix potatoes in 4 cups boiling water OR make stuffing mix according to package directions.
Serve over mashed potatoes or stuffing.
Recipe from Dinner? It's in the Bag!
serves 4
In the bag:
2 (10 oz.) cans of chicken
1 (12 oz.) can of cranberry sauce
2 cups potato pearls (in container) or 1 package stuffing mix
Seasoning Packet:
2 Tablespoons dehydrated onion
½1/2 cup packed brown sugar
½1/2 teaspoon dried orange peel
From the pantry:
1 cup ketchup
4 cups water (for potatoes)
To the table:
In a medium saucepan, combine the cranberry sauce, seasoning packet and ketchup.
Heat and stir until sugar is dissolved, and mixture is nice and hot.
Drain the chicken, and cut or shred into bite size pieces.
Stir chicken into sauce and heat through.
Mix potatoes in 4 cups boiling water OR make stuffing mix according to package directions.
Serve over mashed potatoes or stuffing.
Recipe from Dinner? It's in the Bag!
Monday, November 2, 2009
A Few Ways To Use Those Green Tomatoes!
Elizabeth's Green Tomato Chow-Chow
This is like a sweet pickle relish
Makes 6 pints
9 pounds diced or grated green tomatoes
6 pounds finely diced onions
1 cup salt
4 cups water
4 cups white vinegar
1 cup water (original recipe calls for 2 cups, but I found it made it too thin.)
½ cup pickling spices
2 ½ lbs brown sugar
2 ½ lbs white sugar
½ cup cornstarch
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 red pepper, chopped finely
Soak the tomatoes and onions in the first amount of water and the salt over night.
Drain well in the morning
Put the spice in a cloth bag, tie shut with sting. Crush with a rolling pin.
Put the green tomatoes and onions in a pot with the vinegar and second amount of water, putting in the bag of spice. Stir gently.
Bring to a boil, then simmer for half and hour.
Add the sugars and simmer another half an hour.
Stir together the cornstarch, dry mustard and turmeric.
Add a little of the simmering liquid to make a paste, then stir it into the tomato mixture.
Add the chopped pepper.
Simmer for 1-3 hours until thick, will not be very thick yet. It will thicken slightly as it cooks in the hot water bath canner.
Be careful to not let it scorch. Because of the sugar content, it will scorch easily.
If you like a crunchy relish, simmer for 1 hour. If you like a soft relish simmer 2-3 hours.
Spoon into prepared jars and seal according to manufacturers directions.
Here in Utah, hot water bath for 25 minutes. Using a steamer is not safe with this recipe.
Recipe from recipezaar.com #99941
Raspberry (Green Tomato) Jam
2 cups green tomatoes, ground or grated
2 cups sugar
1 (3 oz) package raspberry Jello-O gelatin (or strawberry, etc.)
Grind or grate tomatoes.
Mix tomatoes and sugar.
Bring to a boil.
Boil 15 minutes.
Remove from heat.
Add jello and stir well.
Seal in jars or freeze.
Enjoy!
I'd freeze this as I am not sure how long to water bath for safety.
This is from recipezaar.com #89430
This is like a sweet pickle relish
Makes 6 pints
9 pounds diced or grated green tomatoes
6 pounds finely diced onions
1 cup salt
4 cups water
4 cups white vinegar
1 cup water (original recipe calls for 2 cups, but I found it made it too thin.)
½ cup pickling spices
2 ½ lbs brown sugar
2 ½ lbs white sugar
½ cup cornstarch
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 red pepper, chopped finely
Soak the tomatoes and onions in the first amount of water and the salt over night.
Drain well in the morning
Put the spice in a cloth bag, tie shut with sting. Crush with a rolling pin.
Put the green tomatoes and onions in a pot with the vinegar and second amount of water, putting in the bag of spice. Stir gently.
Bring to a boil, then simmer for half and hour.
Add the sugars and simmer another half an hour.
Stir together the cornstarch, dry mustard and turmeric.
Add a little of the simmering liquid to make a paste, then stir it into the tomato mixture.
Add the chopped pepper.
Simmer for 1-3 hours until thick, will not be very thick yet. It will thicken slightly as it cooks in the hot water bath canner.
Be careful to not let it scorch. Because of the sugar content, it will scorch easily.
If you like a crunchy relish, simmer for 1 hour. If you like a soft relish simmer 2-3 hours.
Spoon into prepared jars and seal according to manufacturers directions.
Here in Utah, hot water bath for 25 minutes. Using a steamer is not safe with this recipe.
Recipe from recipezaar.com #99941
Raspberry (Green Tomato) Jam
2 cups green tomatoes, ground or grated
2 cups sugar
1 (3 oz) package raspberry Jello-O gelatin (or strawberry, etc.)
Grind or grate tomatoes.
Mix tomatoes and sugar.
Bring to a boil.
Boil 15 minutes.
Remove from heat.
Add jello and stir well.
Seal in jars or freeze.
Enjoy!
I'd freeze this as I am not sure how long to water bath for safety.
This is from recipezaar.com #89430
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