Organize Your Food Storage / Pantry

The best thing that I ever did was organize my food storage. I found so much that I did not realize I had stored back and some items that were out of date. Really has already saved me a ton of money!! I am preparing for winter already and if we have a worse "second" wave of this pandemic.

I was really surprised at how much we have. This is not even all of it. With it being organized now, I can easily see what we do need and get more of it. I can see when we are getting low on something before we run out of it. It took me almost 2 days to organize it all. But, it was something that had needed done for a while.

I used the plastic shelving that are easy to put together and can hold quite a bit. Holds a lot , but keeps it easy to see it all. I also used some of those plastic shoe box sized totes to put items in that are small , like packages of gravy mix, oatmeal packs, candy, etc. The buckets have rice and dried beans in them.

Getting Through Tough Times: Essential Skills to Learn NOW

Getting Through Tough Times: Essential Skills to Learn NOW



great article to read now.

Starting Seeds Indoors

Starting seeds indoors! They are growing so good. I hope they transplant great. I have a shelf in my kitchen in front of a south facing window full of starts. Tomatoes, green beans, baby corn, lettuce, cauliflower, broccoli, green peppers, sunflowers, and more more. I am doing a garden 2 times bigger than I had last year. Also trying potatoes this year. So happy yesterday when I seen 2 little potato plants growing.


Everyone grow some food!! Anything!! Start a container garden if you have to.

I couldn't get to a store to get potting soil so I ordered this SPONGEASE Coco Coir Brick, Makes 2 gals Potting Soil for seedlings, Rooting, Vegetables, Berries, Roses, Orchids, House Plants, hydroponics, Worm Farms, Animal Bedding from Amazon. It worked great. I love it and will probably use it from now on.

DIY Face Mask | NO SEW | Upcycled Tshirt | 5 Minutes

How to sew a face masks with knit or fleece straps without using elastic...

NO-SEW Face Masks for All Ages -By Orly Shani

Food Storage Recipe - Split Pea Soup

IT IS COOKING!!

I know it is probably too warm to make this kind of soup, but I need some comfort food right now. This is my favorite soup and I can make a big pot of this and it will last me a couple of days. I am the only one in the house that likes it.

This morning I was looking for something in my pantry and I found 1 bag of dried split peas and 1 small can of ham!

I don't really measure anything. I put the chopped onion, chopped carrots, chopped up ham, and some seasoning in a big soup pot with a tiny bit of bacon grease. Saute it all until the onions are done - a few minutes.

Add the cleaned dried split peas and ( I usually use chicken broth) but, today I am just using water and a packet of Goya Ham flavoring. Also add salt and pepper.

Let it all cook until the split peas are tender. Eat. You can smash it all up if you want. To make it creamy. I just eat it like it is.

Face Mask, NO Sewing Machine❌From T-shirt| The Easiest DIY��

HOW TO DIY FACE MASK / NO SEW EASY TO MAKE / DOLLAR TREE DIY

Food Storage Recipe - Breakfast Skillet

Perfect meal!

We even have it for dinner!

Fry up some bacon until it is crisp , drain it (reserving the grease) , and crumble it up.

Put the grease from the bacon into the skillet and saute about a half a cup or chopped onions for a few minutes.

Add 6 cups of shredded hash browns and season.

Press into the skillet and cook until brown on bottom, flip and repeat.

Make 6 wells in the has browns and crack an egg into each one.

Cover and cook on medium low until the eggs are done.

Sprinkle with shredded cheese and the crumbled up bacon.

Recover and let the cheese melt.

The last couple of time that I made this I used the Dehydrated Potato Shreds by Augason Farms. Worked great.

DIY FACE MASK from old clothes in 2 ways - Washable & Reusable face mask...

This is probably the easiest face mask DIY I have found. Other than just folding up a bandana. I can't find bandanas anywhere! Sold out online and I am not going into a store any time soon. I am sewing some up for family members. I have a few on hand also just in case.

There are tons of videos on youtube showing how to make mask.

What I Am Reading Right Now - Flu: The Story Of The Great Influenza Pandemic of 1918 and the Search for the Virus that Caused It

I forgot that I had this book until my son started asking me about the FLU pandemicthat happened in 1918. I am going to read it again with him.
                  
Flu: The Story Of The Great Influenza Pandemic of 1918 and the Search for the Virus that Caused It is a A national bestseller, the fast-paced and gripping account of the Great Flu Epidemic of 1918 from acclaimed science journalist Gina Kolata, now featuring a new epilogue about avian flu.

When we think of plagues, we think of AIDS, Ebola, anthrax spores, and, of course, the Black Death. But in 1918 the Great Flu Epidemic killed an estimated forty million people virtually overnight. If such a plague returned today, taking a comparable percentage of the US population with it, 1.5 million Americans would die.

Homemade Hand Sanitizer

Finding out that it is getting to be in low supply, but you can easily make your own hand sanitizer.

Food Storage Recipe - Loaded Potatoes

I make this so much. It is so easy, fills you up , and great leftovers.

NEED :

10 - 12 red potatoes , thinly sliced.

salt and pepper to taste

about a tsp of garlic salt

1/2 pound of bacon strips that have been cooked and crumbled.

1 onion , finely chopped

1 8 ounce package of shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 cup of butter, cut into small pieces

Line you slow cooker with foil and spray that with cooking spray.

Arrange about half of the potatoes in the slow cooker and sprinkle with the salt , pepper, and garlic salt.

Put half of the bacon, onion, cheese, and butter .

Repeat the layer.

Cover and cook on low for about 7 hours. or until the potatoes are tender.

Serve.

Keep Drafts Out Of Your House...

I live in a little house that has a back room that is not too sealed. It actually has the back door in that room. Always cold. MY desk had to go by the door to that room because I had no room to put it any where else.
Sitting there the last 2 days I actually felt like my toes had frost bite. So I went to dollar general and got a 3.00 curtain rod, I got one that sticks out from the wall a bit so I can move the curtain easily whenever I need to open the door. I had 1 curtain panel that is a heavy one to put up there. Sitting here at my desk I already notice a huge difference.

You could even hang a thick blanket if you have one. Anything to cut down on drafts getting into your house and save on your power (heat) bill. I might keep it up all year and see if it helps with the power bill in the summer also.

As soon as I can I will be working on sealing that back room up and getting a new back door.

Food Storage Recipe - Ravioli Lasagna

Things get tight sometimes - a lot here lately- BUT, we still want to eat different things. I pick these frozen ravioli up at the Dollar Store and we love them. This easy recipe is also frugal.

2 jars of marinara sauce

2-3 packages of frozen ravioli , thawed

1 jar of roasted red peppers , drained and chopped

1 package of shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup of shredded Parmesan  cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Spray a 13X9 baking dish with cooking spray.

Spread about half of one of the jars of marinara sauce in the pan.

Arrange a layer of about half of the raviolis onto the sauce and top with about half of the peppers.  Then spread the rest of the sauce over that.

Sprinkle with about half of the mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.

Repeat the layer.

Cover with foil and bake for about 35 minutes. Uncover and bake another 10 to 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly.

Sprinkle with the rest of the Parmesan cheese.

Serve with garlic bread.

A Preppers Best Friend - THRIFT STORES!!

 I love thrift stores so much. I have found so many prepping supplies, camping supplies, homeschool items, and more at them.
I don't get to go very much lately, but this past Wednesday I actually got to go by myself and found a lot of stuff. The best thing I got was this Metaltex USA Inc. Vulcano Drying Rack! This is going to be such a help while it is cold. I can't get out to hang my clothes up when it is too cold , so with this I can set it up in my kitchen and hang stuff up.

I also got a Stansport Folding Camp Stove Toaster! They are not a lot new, but I had a discount code for the thrift store so got this for 50 cents!!

You can find tons of items at thrift stores. I have gotten oil lamps, and so much more. 

Food Storage Recipe - 5 Can Soup

It is supposed to actually get cold here this week. Great time for a quick soup.
My son loves this soup. Usually have it with a grilled cheese sandwich.

1 can of diced tomatoes

1 can of whole kernel corn

1 can of ready to serve minestrone soup

1 can of mixed vegetables

1 can of drained black beans

Dump all of those cans into a big saucepan. Stir it up.

Cook it til it is hot and eat!!

That easy.

Food Storage Recipe - Biscuit Leftover Meat Pie

 

This is a good one for using up any leftover ground beef, leftover roast, leftover vegetables, and even chicken.

Maybe try with leftover turkey!

Put the meat into an Oven Proof Skillet . Add leftover diced potatoes, carrots, and chopped small onion.

I sometimes will also add leftover gravy if I have it. But, you can add about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water.

Add any seasonings you like.

Cook on the stove until heated through.

Add a can of biscuits to the top and place in oven , cook until the biscuits are done.

YUMMY and a great way to use up leftovers.

Ebola Pandemic Survival LISTS

Ebola Pandemic Survival LISTS: The 7 Lists that Show You How to Prepare and Keep Your Family Alive During a Pandemic Disaster (The Survival Lists Series Book 1) was a free kindle book when this was posted.

By reading this concise book, you will have the SEVEN LISTS that will show you what to prepare, so you can keep your family safe. And the key is you will have them in ONE place by purchasing this book. You just saved yourself numerous hours of searching over 22 emergency preparedness and survivalist websites to get this information. You’re welcome. Don’t wait until there’s chaos in the street, panic because of food shortages, and overall mayhem. BUY THIS BOOK. Then take some simple preparation steps now and give your loved ones a chance at a future after this first wave of Ebola. See you on the other side of disaster.

Food Storage Recipe - Dried Bean Patties

This is a good one. I will use left over cooked navy beans.

 Mash up about 2 cups of cooked dried navy beans

 Add them to-
             about 1/2 a cup of chopped onion
             some parsley

 Beat that up and then add -
              2 egg yolks
              2 Teaspoon milk
             salt and pepper

 Shape the mixture into balls and flatten them into patties.
Dip them into flour.
 Fry them slowly until browned. I use leftover bacon fat to fry them in.

 We have eaten them as sandwiches on buns or just to go as a side dish .The great thing about this recipe is that you can change it up as you like. Even use other type of beans. Black beans are a great one to use. On the "burger" you can add all of your favorite toppings.

Mend Your Denim To Save Money!

Learning how to mend your clothing items is a great way to save money. It is also a great way to give thrifted clothing an update!

Mending Matters: Stitch, Patch, and Repair Your Favorite Denim & More is a fun book showing ways to mend denim. Mending Matters explores sewing on two levels: First, it includes more than 20 hands-on projects that showcase current trends in visible mending that are edgy, modern, and bold—but draw on traditional stitching. It does all this through just four very simple mending techniques: exterior patches, interior patches, slow stitches, darning, and weaving. In addition, the book addresses the way mending leads to a more mindful relationship to fashion and to overall well-being. In essays that accompany each how-to chapter, Katrina Rodabaugh explores mending as a metaphor for appreciating our own naturally flawed selves, and she examines the ways in which mending teaches us new skills, self-reliance, and confidence, all gained from making things with our
own hands.


Denim Mending + Visible Mending for Beginners: 2-in-1 Compendium for Mending Denim, Knitted Fabrics, and Other Materials is another one that is full of ways to mend denim. Inside this book you will discover:
 A 9-step patching technique, to help you make the perfect patch and design for your denim

 1 jean repair 'pro-tip' that professional jean tailors will never reveal to you

 A versatile and robust mending technique that can repair your favorite sweater

 How to mend denim easily by hand, even if it is your first time, by using 3 classic Japanese stitching techniques

How to re-enforce the inner thigh of your jeans, with a simple but effective 8-step method

 1 secret tool that will make stitching easy, even if it's your first time

 The secret to finding and mending thrift store clothing

How to mend your favorite denim (and avoid cutting them into shorts) using the ‘sashiko’ method

How to patch jeans while keeping the distressed look

 How to hem jeans while keeping the original hem

 The biggest mistake you could be making when choosing a fabric to patch your denim

 1 mending technique that blends both mending and embroidery, giving you the best of both worlds

1 simple but crucial tip that will make patching easier for you

 The #1 stitching technique you should use when repairing pillowcases

 A mending technique from India, that is considered a ‘dying art’, and could be lost to the ages within our lifetime (it's also perfect for mending your socks)