Homeschool minute - teaching the presidents

I have a little man that pretty much has to have everything be like games. We were going over the flash cards last night and he got bored by about the 10th card! This morning I got up early and using a printable that I had printed a while ago and some craft sticks I made him something that is funner for him and more hands-on.

Craft sticks

Printable of all of the presidents

Glue

Write the president name on front of stick. I wrote the dates and the number of which president they are on back of stick. Glue the head on! Easy and almost free! Craft sticks were a dollar at dollar tree!

Fun for him.

Beef Jerky In The Oven

This is an easy way to make beef jerky and you do not have to to have a Food Dehydrator to make it.

Beef Jerky

NEED:

2 pounds of flank steak, round, or lean chuck steak - let it be semi-frozen so that it is easier to cut into slices

1 cup of water

1 teaspoon of coarse salt

1/4 cup of soy sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons of liquid smoke

1 teaspoon of onion powder

1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon of black pepper

a dash of tabasco

Cut all o the fat off of the meat. Mix all of the ingredients , except the meat, in a bowl. Slice the meat into thin and long strips. Put the strips of meat into the mixture and let marinate for a couple of hours. Set the oven temperature to 200 degrees and hang the strips of meat on the oven rack. I bought an extra one just for using for making beef jerky. Leave the door open slightly and the strips should be ready in about 24 hours.

Cooking In Your Fireplace

If you are lucky enough to have a fireplace in your house than you have a great way to cook if the power ever goes out. It is not hard to do. Just need a few things, like a pie iron or a Dutch Oven, and you are on your way to having a meal while you heat your house.

For cooking with a dutch oven in your fireplace you should have some way to have it hanging over the fire. Sometimes fireplaces have a bar built in them to use for hanging pots. Or you could use a Campfire Tripod easily enough. A roasting fork would be easy to use also, just place a couple of hot dogs on it and hold over the fire. Yummy! Fun for the kids.You could also pop some popcorn over the fire with one of those long handled camping corn poppers.

 A Pie iron is a must. With its long handle it is the best for doing sandwiches in or take apart and use for a skillet. Just use a bit of butter or cooking spray and the stuff won't stick. You can do just about anything in a pie iron. Imagine cooking up some beans in your dutch oven over the fire and then having some corn bread done up in your pie iron! That is a great meal to have done in your fireplace!

Getting Ideas From The Walking Dead

I watch The Walking Dead anymore and all that I can think about is how right it would be to have a few of those Samurai Swords on hand! LOL Crazy thought , but it really does make sense. If SHTF how are we going to be able to have a steady stream of ammo for our guns? I seriously doubt that my family would be able to. Just thinking realistically. We have to think of other ways to have protection. There are many ways , not just Samurai Swords! But, that is one way. Plus, they would look good setting up on my shelf.

What others items can be used for protection?

food storage recipe - 10 minute fudge

I just made the fastest, easiest, yummiest peanut butter fudge in like 10 mins. Yum!

Here's the recipe:

1 lb box Confectioners sugar

2 T butter

1/3 C milk

1 C peanut butter

Place sugar, butter and milk in a large mixing bowl. Cook in the microwave 2 minutes on high. Take out, beat ingredients with hand mixer until combined. Microwave 30 seconds more, then add peanut butter and mix by hand or mixer until combined. Spread in foil or wax paper lined pan. Let cool then cut and ENJOY!

Food storage recipes - potato soup

Potato soup

Need:

5 potatoes ...peeled and diced

1 onion...chopped

2 carrots...sliced

1 1/2 cups of chicken broth

2 cups milk

Salt and pepper to taste

Saute the onions in a bit of butter.  Add the broth, potatoes, and carrots. Cook until soft and then mash them up slighty. Add the milk. Salt and pepper it and heat through. Do not boil it.

Free hot water...

I need to get on computer later to read this through. Looks like some ideas to try out...

http://www.shtfpreparedness.com/7-free-solar-water-heating-system-designs/

Food storage recipe - baked beans

Baked beans

Need:

2 cups of dried navy beans

A few slices of bacon

1 tablespoon of brown sugar

1/3 cup of molasses

1 teaspoon of dry mustard

5 tablespoon of ketchup

Soak the beans overnight and then drain and rinse them. Cook them in water until they are tender. Pour out the water into a bowl and set aside. Fry the bacon and add to the beans along with alk of the other ingredients. Add enough of the water you set aside to just cover the beans. Bake slowly in an oven that is set at 250 degrees for about 3 hours.

And Then What Can Do With The Broken Crayons...

When Little Man has broken some of his crayons that he has what seems like thousands of, I can then make Candles out of them.

Really easy and a great way to use up all of the broken pieces.

DIY Crayon Candles

You just need to get some of these - Votive Candle Wicks.

What to do with empty 72 hr survival kit bucket...

I was wanting to use my empty 72 hour survival ki bucket to make a survival car kit for my daughter. But, my little man found it and decided he needed it for his crayons! That's ok, I guess, just goes to show you that there are many things that you can do with one of those buckets!

What ideas can you come up with for one???