A Whole New World -- Powdered Dairy

I have had a can of butter powder for awhile that I've been wanting to try out, so I opened it today and bravely used it in a batch of chocolate chip cookies. Well, I wasn't THAT brave, I used half real butter and half powdered butter. My husband always tells me that I try too many variations at one time and then things don't turn out as well. :)



And, just for kicks, here is my favorite thing: Powdered Eggs. I love to use these especially in baking, then I don't feel bad about eating dough or letting my kids eat the dough.

So here's my chocolate chip cookie recipe. I've been making these since I was 8 years old.

1 c butter (or in this case, 1 cube of butter and 1/2 c of powdered butter and 1/4 c water, maybe next time I'll do all powder)

3/4 c sugar

1 c brown sugar

MIX

2 eggs (powdered or regular)

1 t vanilla

MIX

3 c flour

1 t baking soda

1 t salt

1 1/2 c chocolate chips

Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.

Here's how the dough looked:

Pretty good! Note: I used 1/2 c butter powder to replace 1/2 c of real butter in the recipe--a straight 1 for 1 substitute. I also added about 2 T of water. The instructions on the can weren't very clear on how to use it, so I just guessed. Next time I will add a little more water, but they did turn out great anyway. ****Thanks to my sister-in-law for the info: When you use powdered butter, use 1 part butter powder 1 part water. Thanks, Cori!


And here's a second correction.   Now that I have made these several times. . . I have found that using a part butter powder and 1/2 part water makes the perfect cookies.  So, I have corrected the recipe above . . . again. . . sorry!

Here is the finished product. The missing cookie was in the process of being eaten at the time. I had to test them out! And they were good!!

Overall, I was VERY happy with how they turned out! I will be doing more experimenting with powdered butter in the future!




Pin It

How I Can Chicken

Due to recent bulk chicken sales. . . I've been busy canning chicken. I have hesitated posting about how I can because there are so many different ways, regulations and safety issues that I don't want to be responsible for anyone who does it the way I teach and it doesn't work out. So, here is my disclaimer: You take full responsibility for following this post and if you have questions about how I do anything, feel free to research it and do it a different way.

Having said that, I have canned hundreds of pounds of chicken this way and am still alive. :) I love it and think that canned meat is the BEST!

1. I prepare my work space first: get my jars ready. If they are new jars, I just take them out of the package and place them on a large cookie sheet. I like to do this to keep them all together and minimize the germs that get on my counters. If they are previously used jars, make sure they are clean and ready to go.

FYI: for canning meat, it is recommended that you use NEW jars-at least the first time you can-so you decrease the chance of a jar exploding under pressure that has a tiny crack or something. You don't always know where your older jars came from -yard sales, passed down from mothers or grandmothers- so they might have imperfections that could jeopardize your entire pot of meat. Once you have pressure canned using certain jars, keep those separate from all of your other canning jars so that you know they are safe to pressure can with).

2. Cutting the chicken. (Photograph courtesy of my 5 year-old.) I like to wear gloves and an apron and am very aware of what I touch and don't touch once I begin handling the raw chicken. The chicken must be thawed first (in the refrigerator). I cut off any big pieces of fat and then cut up the chicken just enough to fit it into the jars. These were large chicken breasts so I had to cut them more. I canned some chicken tenders once and they were so nice because they didn't need any cutting at all! Just stuff in the jar! Now, here is a little inconsistency I just found. I had learned that you stuff the chicken tight into the jar, but as I was looking up some info I found another person who said to pack it loosely. I have packed mine tightly.


3. Once all of your jars are full (make sure you know how many will fit in your canner first) take a plastic handle or something that won't break the jar (probably not a metal knife or fork) and slide it around to get any air pockets out.

4. I like to add canning salt to mine. I am not sure of the benefit of canning salt or if it's okay to use regular salt, so you can look that up if you have concerns about it. Canning salt does not have iodine in it or anti-caking agents and it keeps your water from being cloudy. And that's all I know.

Add 1/2 tsp of canning salt per pint or 1 tsp per quart.

5. Once the salt is added, take a wet paper towel or napkin and wipe rims of your jars. A dirty rim will prevent the lid from sealing to your jar.

6. Now, I put my lids on my jars. The lids must be heated. I like to use my handy-dandy Little Dipper (mini crockpot). I put my lids in it with water and plug it in before I begin so they are warm and ready to go when I put them on the jars. Otherwise you can heat them in a sauce pan on the stove. They need to be heated, but not boiled.

7. Fill your pressure canner (DO NOT USE A BOILING WATER BATH CANNER) with 2-3 inches of water and place your jars with lids and rings on them into the canner. My canner is a Presto 23 qt and can hold two layers of pint jars. I put my first layer down ( you must have a rack on the bottom of your canner). . .

I have a second rack that I put down in between my layers of jars. If you don't have a second rack, don't place your top layer directly on top of the jars on the bottom layer, offset them.

8. Place your lid on your canner and let it get hot! I usually start my stove on high or near high.

9. Do not place your weight on the lid yet. As your water heats up, steam will begin to come out of the vent (small thing sticking next to the gauge). Let the vent steam for about 10 minutes.

10. After the vent has steamed for around 10 minutes, place your weight on the vent.

11. Wait and watch your gauge get to 12 lbs pressure (This is for my location--it depends on your elevation as to how much pressure you need for canning. Check with your local exension office to find out the PSI or pounds per square inch you should use while canning).

Once the pressure has reached the desired pressure, begin timing. 75 minutes for pints and 90 minutes for quarts (if you have both sizes in a batch, do 90 minutes).

Keep a close watch on your canner. You will have to turn your stove down little by little as the pressure creeps higher and higher. Try to keep it at the right pressure. By the time mine are done, my stove is usually on low. But make sure the pressure does NOT drop below the recommended PSI!

Once your timer goes off, turn off the stove and carefully remove your canner. Let the pressure go down to ZERO without releasing the weight. Once the pressure has gone down all the way, take the weight off and it is now safe to take your lid off and take the jars out of the canner.

12. I place a towel on my counter before putting the jars on it. Listen for the "ping" to hear the lid seal. If you have any jars that didn't seal, you can re-process them within 24 hours, otherwise just stick the jar in the fridge and use it up. Let the jars sit for 12-24 hours without moving them. Then take the rings off them and store in a dark cool place. Don't forget to label them (what it is and the year you canned them). Ta da! You did it!

13. Be sure to REALLY clean all of your germy counters, cutting board, and anything else you used. Lysol, bleach, whatever you use, be sure to clean thoroughly.

I hope I covered everything, I had several little interruptions as I was trying to get this done. I hope this is helpful to you!



Pin It

Top 77 items that will be gone before you get there. . .

A while ago, my sister emailed me this list from the emergency preparedness people in her ward. I found it very useful and thought I would pass it on to you.

The following is a list of items that get cleared out of the stores when people go into panic mode.
I know we don't seem to get many natural disasters or catastrophes around here (Idaho), but I would like to feel like I am prepared for anything--especially now with a family of four little kids. I want to always be able to care for them. So, these are some of the things that I will try to stock up on. And really, a catastrophe can be anything from an earthquake to a job loss. Peace of mind will come when you are prepared for any situation. I encourage you to go down this list and find the things that will be most helpful for your family to have.


1. WATER
2. batteries
3. flashlights
4. ice
5. candles
6. matches
7. toilet paper
8. paper plates & paper towels
9. heavy duty aluminum foil
10. water filters
11. flour
12. sugar
13. milk
14. powdered milk
15. Gatorade
16. canned soup
17. soup mixes
18. bouillon cubes
19. hand-held can openers
20. dry cereal
21. diapers
22. wet wipes
23. baby food
24. baby formula
25. sanitary napkins & tampons
26. bath soap
27. laundry detergent
28. waterless hand sanitizer
29. disinfectant
30. bleach
31. trash bags
32. re-sealable plastic bags
33. toothpaste
34. toothbrushes
35. shampoo & conditioner
36. shaving equipment
37. lanterns
38. lantern fuel
39. lantern wicks or mantles
40. butane igniter
41. charcoal grills
42. charcoal
43. camp stoves
44. propane for camp stoves
45. pocket knife
46. army knife
47. vitamin supplements
48. antacids
49. antibiotics
50. rubbing alcohol
51. hydrogen peroxide
52. laxative and diarrhea remedies
53. antihistamine
54. epsom salts
55. bandages
56. sterile gauze pads
57. first-aid tape
58. portable toilets
59. 5-gallon plastic buckets
60. gas-driven generators
61. gasoline storage containers
62. duct tape
63. chain-saws
64. cast iron dutch oven
65. cast iron frying pan
66. bug spray
67. mouse traps
68. mouse bait (d-con)
69. thermal underwear
70. insulated coveralls
71. heavy work gloves
72. boots / rain gear
73. band saws
74. axes
75. solar panels
76. hand-crank radios
77. canvas and nylon tarps
Pin It

Rising Produce Prices

I'd say that it's time to start thinking about your garden for this summer! Here's an article that will probably affect most of us.

http://www.ktvb.com/news/local/Produce-prices-on-the-rise-in-Idaho-116196239.html

BOISE -- We have been enjoying warmer temperatures recently in Idaho, but a deep freeze in parts of Texas and Mexico are causing some major problems when it comes to produce, and it could soon affect your pocketbook.

That deep freeze in the Southwest means some of your favorite produce items like tomatoes, zucchinis and peppers could double or triple in price.

Produce distributors say it's all a matter of supply and demand.

After the recent cold weather in the Southwest destroyed crops, remaining undamaged vegetables are now being sold at a premium.

Reggie States owns Reggie's Veggies at the corner of Ustick Road and Milwaukee Street in Boise. He says produce prices have already jumped.

For example, he says a case of zucchini that used to cost $18 is now priced at $50. And that means he is going to have to raise prices. As a small business owner that's hard to do.

"If you have a high price out there people think you're trying to get rich off of something, it's just a commodity, the prices are just up," said States.

Brad Foley with Grasmick Produce in Boise, a produce distributor in the valley, says it's normal to see fluctuation in produce prices, but he's never seen prices jump so high, so quickly.

"I've been in this business 25 years and never seen it happen overnight, usually the markets gradually go up, but it was like overnight," said Foley.

Foley says it could take a couple weeks before consumers see these higher prices at their local supermarket. He also says it could take months for vegetable prices to return to normal.

BAGELS!

I made bagels the other day and they were SO YUMMY!!!! I watched a video on how to make them, which helped me out. I hope this helps you make them.

I started out by putting the following in my bosch:

3 cups warm water
2 tbsp. yeast
1/3 cup sugar
3 cups flour (I used whole wheat)
4 tsp. salt



Then mix for a minute and add in 3-4 more cups of flour (My first batch, I used white, my second, I used wheat. I think I would do half wheat and half white next time. They turned out a little puffier, but the all whole wheat ones were good, too.)

Once your dough is pulling away from the sides of your bowl, that is a sign to stop adding flour.

Mix for 8 minutes.

Here's my dough after mixing:

Cover with a towel and let rise for 20 minutes. Here's what mine looked like:

Take your dough out. . .

And cut it into 16 balls of dough.

Next, you form the bagel. The trick is to make a ball out of the dough and then poke your fingers through the middle and stretch it out a little. You can kind of roll it a little, too.

Place them on a lightly greased baking sheet.

Put a towel over them and let rise for 20 more minutes. This is what mine looked like:

Once they have raised, bring a pot of water to boil, with 3 T of sugar in it. Put a bagel in (I fit 3 at a time in my pot, just depends on how big yours is) and boil it for 30 seconds on each side. I used a spatula to flip them over.

When they are done, place them on a kitchen towel to let the water drain off of them.

Put your bagels back onto the greased baking sheet. Mix together 1 egg white with just a little water (1-2 T) and brush it on the bagels. You may sprinkle any topping you like on it. I did some with poppyseeds, sesame seeds, and parmesean cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes. The whole wheat ones, I just left plain. Here is a picture of a whole wheat bagel:

And, here are the other kinds I made:

They were sooooooooooooooo heavenly! Notice I said "were" . . . they didn't last long! I can never eat store bought bagels again.

Now, if you want a nice sweet whipped cream cheese to go with them. Just take a block of cream cheese, softened, and whip it with a little sugar (1 T) and water (2-3 T). Delicious!! I hope you try these, they will be so worth it!

Pin It

Better than Kraft!

Well, I don't know about your kids, but mine love macaroni and cheese. Back in November, I found this cheese powder at Wal-Mart (I'm in Idaho, it was at the Nampa one off the Garrity exit). I finally got around to trying it today for lunch. There is a recipe right on the can for mac and cheese.




I used the macaroni out of my #10 can that we dry pack canned as a ward a few months ago.


I made this just like it was from a box. I cooked a cup of macaroni, drained it, added a little butter, milk and cheese powder. The recipe on the can was a large batch, so I made a smaller one and kind of guessed on amounts. . . it's a pretty forgiving meal. :)

Right as I was going to take pictures, my camera battery died, so in the 15 minutes it took to charge up the batteries, this is all that was left over from my girls. :) It was very creamy and yummy and I ate some even thought I don't usually eat macaroni and cheese. It has now become one of my year's food storage meals. I know it is something that everyone will eat.

I can't remember exactly how much this can of cheese powder cost but I can guarantee that it is cheaper than buying boxes of macaroni and cheese!!!! This can will make a TON (I don't know yet exactly how much, but today I used less than a 1/4 cup for our lunch.


And here is my macaroni monster! She definitely approved!!

Dehydrators

So, since most of my posts lately have involved dehydrating, I've had some questions about what kind I have. I have a 9 tray Excalibur. Here are some of the features listed on this website: http://www.harvestessentials.com/exmoded2.html








*The Ultimate in Versatility - Removable door and trays – This is a MUST- in order to use every other tray or no trays at all, allowing you to dry large items, make yogurt, raise breads, dry crafts, bloom rice, dry sprouted breads, dry pie crust and more.. You do not have to take apart to check drying or add more food.
*Almost unbreakable - FDA approved for Food Contact trays. Inserts make cleaning a snap.
*Controlled environment for a wide variety of uses.
*24 page recipe book included with each unit
*Adjustable Thermostat 85 - 155 degrees
*CE Safety Certified

*Complete drying system in rear (includes thermostat and fan).
*Easy to clean... Spills fall on seamless bottom.
*Horizontal drying provides even drying, eliminating tray rotations. Fast drying...
*Adjustable thermostat allows perfect drying every time.
*Square design increases drying area "25%" with no holes in center of tray.
*Versatile... Trays can be removed to expand drying chamber.
*Controlled environment for a wide variety of uses, i.e. making fruit roll-ups, trail mixes and drying flower arrangements, herbs, art and crafts, photos.

In my words, I LOVE it.
-I love how the trays come out and I can put my jars of yogurt in to culture.

-I love how I can use every other tray if I am drying something that is taller and I can't fit every tray in.

-I LOVE how big it is. It really makes dehydrating worth it. I love dried apples and with my old little cheapo one, all the of the apples would be eaten by the time they were dry! :) I like doing things in larger quantities.

-I LOVE the thermostat and how big of a range it has. I really like how easy it is to use. This is right on the dehydrator:

It tells you what temperature to dry your fruits, veggies, yogurt, jerky, etc.

Now, I have had mine for at least 2 years now, I can't remember exactly when I got it. I bought it on ebay, new, at the best price I could find. I'm not sure what prices are the best right now, but I would look around at a few places to search out the best price if you are interested in a really good dehydrator. It is so worth the investment if you can do it.

Just a note: I just got some leather sheets for my birthday. I was looking on Amazon.com for the sheets that go to this dehydrator and found some others that were A LOT cheaper and from the reviews were even better. So, I was so happy with that discovery and I have really enjoyed them. When I bought my dehydrator, it came with 100 pieces of parchment paper that I used for leathers. Well, I used those up and I love my new leather sheets. Here's the link: http://www.amazon.com/Premium-Non-Stick-Dehydrator-Sheets--Excalibur/dp/B001PLE1O4/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1297054168&sr=1-1

Now, another dehydrator that I have heard is an excellent one is the

8-Tray Garden Master Dehydrator.

Here's the product description:

The FD-1018 Gardenmaster Pro Dehydrator is Nesco / American Harvest's top of the line dehydrator. In fact, the Gardenmaster Pro Deyhdrator is more powerful and larger than any other. Expandability? The Gardenmaster Pro Dehydrator can expand to an enormous 30 trays, which allows extremely large quantities of dehydrating! Power? 1000 watts ensures you complete drying capabilities.In addition, the Patented Converga-Flow® fan forces heated air up the exterior pressurized chamber, then horizontally across each individual tray, converging in the center, for fast, even and nutritious drying. Flavors simply won't be mixed, and you don't ever have to rotate trays!The Gardenmaster Pro Dehydrator has a fast, powerful fan that operates quiet at 2,400-RPM motor. This on top of a specially designed 4-1/2 inch fan mean faster, more nutritious drying. Additionally, the Gardenmaster Pro's adjustable thermostat allows temperatures to be changed from 95 to 155 degrees, which gives you the opportunity to adjust temperature settings for all your different foods (total dehyrdrating flexibility!)On top of all of this, the Gardenmaster Pro's Vita-Save® Exterior blocks light to help retain natural nutrients and vitamins during the drying process.

1000 watts of drying power!
Patented Converga-Flow®
Adjustable temperature control
Includes 52-page recipe and instruction book, 1 solid
sheet, 1 mesh sheet, and 1 packet jerky spice
4.5" Fan, 2400-RPM motor, adjustable thermostat, 1,000 watts
Dries in hours, not days: Fruit rolls, 3-6 hours; beef
jerky, 4 hours; apples, 4-6 hours; bananas, 5-8 hours;
pineapple, 4-6 hours
Opaque Vita-Save® exterior (blocks harmful light)
Expandable to 30 trays
1 Sq. ft. per tray
NO tray rotation required

So, those are my top recommendations. Take it for what it's worth. :)