Laugh at the Recession - Eat the Landscape

http://agnews.tamu.edu/showstory.php?id=1541

Sisters, you might find this article from the Hidalgo Extension Agency interesting!!

The title caught my eye!!

How do I get a year's supply of food?

"What have we done in our stakes and wards to see that every Latter-day Saint has a year's reserve of food to sustain life? Let's not only keep teaching the principle, but let's also teach our people how...Now you ask, 'Where do I get the money for these things? I agree we need them, but I'm having a hard time making ends meet.'
Here is how you do it. Use any one or all of these suggestions.
1. Decide as a family this year that 25 or 50 percent of your Christmas will be spent on a year's supply of food. Many families in the Church spend considerable sums of money for Christmas. Half or part of these Christmas monies will go a long way toward purchasing the basics. I recall the Scotsman who went to the doctor and had an X-ray taken of his chest. Then he had the X-ray gift-wrapped and gave it to his wife for their anniversary. He couldn't afford a gift, but he wanted her to know his heart was in the right plae. Brethren, give your wife a year's supply of wheat for Christmas, and she'll know your heart is in the right place.
2. When you desire new clothes, don't buy them. Repair and mend and make your present wardrobe last a few months longer. Use that money for the food basics. Make all of your nonfood necessities that you feasibly can, such as furniture and clothing.
3. Cut the amount of money you spend on recreation by 50 percent. Do fun things that do not require money outlay but make more lasting impressions on your children.
4. Decide as a family that there will be no vacation or holiday next year unless you have your year's supply. Many Church members could buy a full year's supply of the basics from what they would save by not taking a vacation. Take the vacation time and work on a family garden. Be together and it can be just as much fun.
5. If you haven't a year's supply yet and you do have boats, snowmobiles, campers, or other luxury possessions, sell or trade one or two or more of them and get your year's supply.
6. Watch advertised specials in the grocery stores and pick up extra supplies of those items that are of exceptional value.
7. Change the mix in your family's diet. Get your protein from sources less expensive than meat. The grocery bill is one bill that can be cut. Every time you enter the store and feel tempted by the effective and honest merchandising to buy cookies, candy, ice cream, non-food items, or magazines - don't!! Think carefully; buy only the essentials. Then figure what you have saved and spend it on powdered milk, sugar, honey, salt, or grain.
Now regarding home production: Raise animals where means and local laws permit. Plant fruit trees, grapevines, berry bushes, and vegetables. You will provide food for your family, much of which can be eaten fresh. Other food you grow can be preserved and included as part of your home storage.
Wherever possible, produce your nonfood necessities of life. Sew and mend your own clothing. Make or build needed items. I might also add, beautify, repair, and maintain all of your property." (Vaughn J. Featherstone, Ensign, May 19976, p. 116-117)

Week 2: The spirit

One of my nonmember friends asked last week asked how God spoke to me when we were talking about my decision to have a baby. How could I explain the spirit to her? How could I briefly differenciate between how I feel and think and what the spirit leads me to do? I thought about this question as I read the scripture thought of the week D&C 11:12-14) and chapters in 1st Nephi about Lehi's vision. The spirit communicates in many different ways.

Specifically, the verses in D&C 11 suggests what we have to do to get the spirit and what the spirit will do for us in return. Our part? "Trust in the Spirit," have righteous desires, and have "faith believing." In return promises that the spirit will help us to: do good, walk humbly, judge righteously, be enlightened, and to feel joy. Just like in Galatians 5:22-23 which describes the fruits of the spirit to recognize the spirit as you would a tree by its fruit, D&C 11:12-14 identifies fruits to recognize the spirit. These are the versus I used to describe to my friend Cindy the spirit. I'm not sure she completely understood, but it is a start.

40 Weeks Closer To Jesus Christ

Sisters, This church does have, running through its veins, the spirit of revelation which inspires anyone who feels of its influence. I am excited about the new challenge given us to read out of the Book of Mormon together as sisters of the Relief Society. As I began to read yesterday, I had so many promptings and I think it was because I was reading with the intent to share with each of you and my children and grandchildren some of the impressions that I received while reading and pondering - what a blessing! We have been given the most precious and priceless gift of the Holy Ghost at our baptisms and if we desire to feel of the Holy Ghost's presence always we need only to pray and immerse ourselves in the scriptures. The feeling comes with peace, assurance, love, acceptance and whatever feeling you need to help you feel as the Savior felt/feels and do as he did/does.

As I read 1 Nephi 1:5-8, I was reminded of my conversion some 30+ years ago where I, too, received an answer to prayer which was undeniable . Just as Lehi prayed to the Lord with all his heart in behalf of his people I prayed to know if the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was true because I wanted the fruits of the gospel, not only for myself, but for my family. Several similar principles involved here: (1). The power of prayer when we pray with real intent, (2) The power of remembering others in our prayers, (3) The power of Heavenly Father to answer those prayers through the Holy Ghost in a vision or through an impression of enlightenment where our heart and mind become settled.

The Holy Ghost does desire to be our constant companion and is beckoning to us to come unto Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father. You and I need to be still so we can know that they are there for us always and our lives are better for realizing they can be more of a constant influence in our lives if we will but seek them daily and more frequently.

Sisters, I love you and pray as you take this challenge given to us by an inspired Relief Society Presidency that your lives will be enriched and filled with that joy that does not fade with the lights.

November Food Storage Item: SPICES

Benefits of spices:
Because basic food storage could become boring if eaten every day, once you have acquired some basic food storage incorporating spices and flavorings into your storage is important. As condells.com suggests, “Spices add vigor, flavor and passion to our recipes. Without spices our food would be bland and would lack the taste and subtle flavors that make eating enjoyable” (http://www.condells.com/articles.tips/store-spices.htm).

Great spices for storing: (from Josephine Newton, “Spicing Up Your Food Storage,” Ensign, June 1990, 72)
* BOUILLON (beef, chicken or ham) adds new flavor to rice, wheat, barley or any soup or sauce.
*SOY SAUCE adds a saltiness to fried rice or stir-fry
*FLAVOR ENHANCERS: red and black pepper, paprika, turmeric, vinegar, dry or prepared mustard, Tabasco sauce and Worcestershire sauce
*AROMATIC HERBS used for lifting soups, casseroles, salads, and sauces out of the ordinary include: marjoram, thyme, oregano, dill, basil, and sage
*AROMATIC SEEDS are great on breads and rolls or stirred into salad dressings
*SWEET SPICES (usually added to sweet foods): cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, allspice, and mace
*FLAVORINGS: vanilla, almond, lemon, and maple
*NONTRADITIONAL FLAVORINGS: Cocoa or cocoa mix turns plain milk into a treat; punch powder add variety to water, puddings and pie fillings.

Food Storage Guidelines:
Store spices in tightly closed containers in a dark dry location (not the refrigerator which may be too humid) like a drawer or cabinet. Old spices are less strong and may become bitter. To determine if spices are too old for use: look for color changes, caking, and lack of fresh odor or taste.

SHELF LIFE OF SPICES
Whole spices and herbs--> 1 year
Ground spice--> 6 months
Whole seeds and barks--> 2 years
Ground seeds and barks--> 1 year
(http://www.condells.com/articles.tips/store-spices.htm)

April: "WHEAT is for Man" D&C 89:17

WHY EAT WHEAT?
* Excellent Nutritional Value
“Looking at a nutritional analysis, wheat has much of what we need to keep healthy, especially if it's been sprouted. Wheat sprouts containing 2900 calories produce 100% of the 50 essential nutrients except for the following which contain a RDA/DRV of only...
Fat 19%
salt 10%
Vitamin A 0%
Ascorbic Acid 63%
Vitamin B12 0%
Potassium 70%
Calcium 50%
Linolenic acid(18:3/n3) 19%
Adding...
3 glasses of milk
A cup of spinach or some other dark green leafy vegetable
2 1/2 tablespoons of flax seed
3 tablespoons of oil
A pinch of salt
...will fill all the deficiencies not found in wheat and give you a diet that could keep you alive for a long, long time. Naturally, you'd want a more varied diet than this if at all possible, but this is just an example of what a great food wheat really is and why it's often called 'the staff of life' and the core food for food storage.” (http://waltonfeed.com/rahn/wheat.html)
*Inexpensive
“Pound for pound, wheat is one of the least expensive foods available.” (http://beprepared.com/article.asp?ai=67&bhcd2=1206389591)
*Filling
Grain products expand in your stomach--satisfying you even if you eat less and, thus, saving you money. (http://beprepared.com/article.asp?ai=67&bhcd2=1206389591)
*Good Source of Protein
“…a good supply of wheat and beans will form a complete protein. Just a half cup of uncooked wheat contains 8 to 10 grams of protein. So, not only will wheat give you the protein needed for muscle growth and repair…” (http://beprepared.com/article.asp?ai=67&bhcd2=1206389591)
*High in Fiber
“Fiber is the undigestible carbohydrate in food which acts like a broom to sweep our the digestive tract. One slice of whole wheat bread contains 1.5 grams of dietary fiber; one slice of white bread contains 0.5 grams.” (http://www.smallgrains.org/WHFACTS/nutrflrs.htm)
*Low Fat
“Fats account for 2 to 23 percent of wheat foods, although wheat alone contains very little fat. Most often, the fat content in wheat foods results from fat added in production…” (http://www.smallgrains.org/WHFACTS/nutrflrs.htm)

***Want to know how to transition your family to eating more wheat?***
Check out the wheat handout at USU Extension, "Use It or Lose It," available: http://extension.usu.edu/htm/publications/publication=5767

COOKING AND EATING WHEAT

Substituting Whole Wheat Flour in your Favorite Recipes (from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
Wheat flour is heavier than white flour and needs more leaving. In yeast breads, use more yeast and/or let it rise longer. In baking powder leavened products, increase baking powder by 1 tsp. for each 3 cups of whole wheat flour. Recipes using baking soda do not need to be adjusted. In baked products using eggs, separate the eggs and beat the whites until stiff. Then fold in just before baking. For extra lightness, an extra separated egg may be added. Good for waffles and especially cakes.
NOTE: You will need to invest in a wheat grinder, either electrical or hand, if you plan to use the wheat as a flour. To defray the cost, share the cost and grinder with extended family members or close neighbors or friends.

Cooked Wheat Cereal (makes 4 to 6 servings)
lds.org
1 cup (250 ml) wheat
3 cups (750 ml) water
½ teaspoon (3 ml) salt
Use one of the following cooking methods:
Slow Cooker: Combine the ingredients. Cook six to eight hours or overnight on low setting.
Stovetop: Combine the ingredients. Cook about one hour, or soak overnight and cook for 30 minutes.
Thermos: Bring the water to boil in a pan. Put the wheat and salt into a one-quart (1 liter) thermos. Add the boiling water to the thermos, and screw the top on lightly. Allow it to stand overnight.
Oven: Combine the ingredients. Cook overnight at 150° F (65° C).

Wheat Berries
from Sister Arriaga’s wheat cooking class
2 c hard red wheat or heard white wheat kernels
4 c water
Wash wheat kernels, place in pot, add water, and bring to boil. Simmer for 45-60 minutes. Wheat berries keep in refrigerator for one week.
Options for using wheat berries:
Eat as cereal with milk and sugar for breakfast.
Sprinkle on a yogurt parfait: Layer yogurt, fruit and wheat berries
Add to casseroles, soups, chowders, chili, sloppy joes, spaghetti sauce, pizza, lasagna, meatloaf and hamburgers using browned ground beef as a thrifty beef extender. Add half a cup of cooked wheat to each pound of meat. (“Heaps More—with Wheat,” Ensign, Aug. 1991, 71)
In soup or stew, add cooked wheat to taste, in the same way you would add barley to your soup stock. (“Heaps More—with Wheat,” Ensign, Aug. 1991, 71)
Use to replace, partially or completely, rice in cooking (see below)

Chinese Fried Wheat
from Sister Arriaga’s wheat cooking class
¼ c oil
4 green onions
¼ lb diced ham
3 c wheat berries (or half rice and half wheat if you are not used to eating wheat)
¾ T. soy sauce
2 eggs
¾ tsp. salt

Heat some oil in heavy skillet. Slowly add beaten egg, stirring rapidly with fork so egg is light and fluffy. Set aside. Add to skillet more oil and onions; cook until tender. Add wheat, soy sauce, ham, egg, and salt for flavoring, if desired. Heat through and serve with extra soy sauce, if desired.

Cracked Wheat Cereal (makes 4 to 6 servings)
lds.org
1 cup (250 ml) cracked wheat (crack wheat with mill or blender)
3 cups (750 ml) water
½ teaspoon (3 ml) salt
Boil the water, and then add the cracked wheat and salt, stirring constantly as the cracked wheat is added to the water. Simmer for 6 to 9 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve with milk and sugar, if desired.

Sprouting Wheat
Julie Wardell, “Sprouting Wheat in a Jar,” Friend, Feb 1985, 16
Sprouted wheat is easy to grow, fun to see, and very nutritious to eat! You can eat the sprouts right out of the jar or add them to salads, soups, or sandwiches. You will need: 1-quart-size wide-mouthed glass jar, clean piece of old nylon stocking, 1/4 cup wheat, and rubber band.
1. Put wheat in jar; add 1 cup water. Place jar in warm, dark place, and let soak for eight to twelve hours.
2. After soaking wheat, cover mouth of jar with piece of nylon stocking, and secure with rubber band. Carefully pour water out of jar.
3. Place jar on its side in warm, dark place. Remember to rinse and drain wheat at least twice daily. Sprouts should develop in two to three days.

Wheat Treats
Loraine T. Pace, “Wheat Can Be a Treat,” Ensign, Sep 1973, 59
1. Soak wheat in cold water 24 to 48 hours, changing the water once or twice during this period; or boil wheat for 30 minutes (it will triple in volume).
2. Drain wheat and rinse. Remove excess water by rolling wheat on a cloth or paper towel.
3. In a heavy kettle, heat vegetable oil to 350–400° F. Put small amounts of wheat (about 1/2 cup) in a wire basket or strainer and deep fry in hot oil for about 1 1/2 minutes. Drain on absorbent paper. (An electric fry pan may also be used: carefully drop the wheat kernels directly into the pan of hot oil, and pour the oil through a wire strainer to remove the kernels after cooking.)
4. Season wheat with salt or other seasonings as desired: garlic salt, celery salt, onion salt, seasoned salt, cinnamon and sugar, etc.
5. May be eaten alone as a snack or added to salads as a topping, mixed with trail mix or as toppings for desserts.

Bulgur
lds.org
Bulgur is a pre-cooked, dried cracked wheat. In the Middle East its use in the daily diet dates back to Biblical times. Because it is pre-cooked, it aids the use of wheat in recipes. To prepare:
1. Wash wheat in cool water and discard water.
2. Cover wheat with water, 2-3 times the amount of wheat. Steam until water is absorbed and wheat is tender (about 35-40 minutes).
3. Spread cooked wheat, thinly, on cookie sheet and place in 200º F oven to dry (leave door open). Wheat must be very dry in order to crack easily (2-3 hours). A food dehydrator may be used.
4. Crack wheat in a mill, grinder, or in blender. (This step is optional, but produces a finer kernel.)
5. Store in air tight container on shelf.
6. Re-hydrate for recipes calling for “cooked wheat” or “cooked bulgur” by adding twice as much liquid as bulgur and boil 5-10 minutes. Bulgur will be approximately double in volume.

March: RICE

Storage: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints recommends storing 25 pounds per adult per month of white rice or other grains. In proper storage conditions, rice has a shelf-life of 30+ years.

Lengths: from USU Extension, "Use It or Lose It," available: http://extension.usu.edu/htm/publications/publication=5767
*Long grain rice is distinguished because its length is four to five times its width. The grains are clear and translucent. The grains remain distinct and separate after cooking.
*Medium grain rice is about three times as long as its width. This type is less expensive than long grain rice. This is because it requires a shorter growing season and produces a higher yield per acre. It is also easier to mill than the long grained variety.
*Short grain rice is only one and a half to two times as long as it is wide. It is generally the least expensive of the three lengths.

Kinds: from USU Extension, "Use It or Lose It," available: http://extension.usu.edu/htm/publications/publication=5767
Brown rice is the whole, unpolished grain of rice with only the outer fibrous, inedible hull removed. Brown rice requires more water and longer cooking time than white rice. It has a delightful, chewy texture, with a distinctive nut-like flavor. Brown rice shelf life is very short. It is not a good item for long term storage.
Regular milled white rice is rice from which hulls, germ, outer bran layers and most of the inner bran are removed in the milling process. The grains are bland in flavor and are fluffy and distinct when cooking directions are followed.
Parboiled rice—sometimes called processed or converted rice—has been treated to keep some of the natural vitamins and minerals the whole grain contains. It has been cooked before milling by a special steam pressure process. It requires longer cooking time than regular milled white rice, but after cooking the grains are fluffy, separate and plump.
Pre-cooked or instant rice—quick type—is completely cooked. It needs only to stand in boiling water to be ready for serving. Cooking this product will result in a gummy, indistinguishable mass.
Fortified or Enriched rice—This product is a combination of highly fortified rice with ordinary milled rice. A coating of vitamins and minerals—thiamine, niacin, iron, and sometimes riboflavin—is used to fortify rice. This coating adheres to the rice and does not dissolve with ordinary washing or cooking.
Wild rice—Wild rice is not rice at all, but the seed of a wild water grass found around the Great Lakes region. It is much more expensive than the types of rice described above. Many Americans have discovered this rice and developed a taste for it. The demand for it is almost greater than the supply.

What’s for dinner? RICE!

WHITE RICE GENERAL COOKING DIRECTIONS
White rice is enriched and should not be rinsed before cooking. Combine one cup (250 ml) of rice with two cups (500 ml) of water and ¼ to ½ teaspoon (1–3 ml) of salt. You may also add one to two teaspoons (5–10 ml) of oil to enhance flavor and nutrition. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Turn down heat, cover, and let simmer for 15 minutes or until all water is absorbed. Remove from heat, and let stand for 10 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork. One cup (250 ml) of dry rice makes three cups (750 ml) of cooked rice. For baked rice, use the same recipe and bake the rice covered for 30 minutes at 300° F (150° C). From Basic Cooking Directions by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Spice up your rice! “…Cook the rice in beef or chicken broth instead of water, or add one of the following herbs while cooking: one-eighth teaspoon dried thyme, oregano, sage, rosemary, basil, or savory; one-half teaspoon celery seeds or dried dill; seasoned salt in place of salt; three-fourths teaspoon dried marjoram; two teaspoons poppy seeds; or one small bay leaf. You can also substitute vegetable juice cocktail or tomato juice for one cup of the cooking water. For another direction in flavor, use one-half cup fruit juice (orange, apple, cherry, pineapple, etc.) in place of one-half cup of the cooking water. Or add a few drops of flavored extracts (orange, lemon, almond, or vanilla) to the water. You can also dress up cooked rice by adding sliced mushrooms, sautéed onions, crisp bacon pieces, toasted slivered almonds, grated cheese, sour cream, or chopped chives. Relief Society General Board, “Spice Up Your Rice,” Ensign, Feb. 1990, 73

Arroz con Leche (Mexican rice pudding)
submitted by Monica Perez
2 c. rice
1-2 c. sugar (sweeten to taste)
1 stick cinnamon
2 c. evaporated milk
2 egg yolks
2c. water
¼ c. raisins or more if desired
lime zest (optional)

Cook rice in 2 c. water. When the liquid has been absorbed, add the sugar, milk and cinnamon. Cook until the rice is tender. Remove cinnamon stick. Beat egg yolks, adding slowly to rice while stirring. Add raisins. Continue to cook and stir a few minutes longer until desired consistency. (NOTE: Do not overcook because the eggs will cause the pudding to curdle.) Serve hot or cold with lime zest and cinnamon sprinkled on top.