Food Storage Recipe - Pumpkin Cake Mix Muffins (2 ingredient)

 

This is a simple recipe- Yummy and easy.

All you need is a -

Box of yellow cake mix 

a can of real pumpkin puree  

Teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice

Mix it all together and put into muffin pan!

Bake for about 22 minutes.

 

Update to the Off-Grid Washing Machine

OK! I had to do some work on this off-grid washing machine. I had to get a second bucket and drill some holes into it and I drilled a few holes into the plunger. Now it works a lot better and the water can be drained out a lot easier. Drain it out of the bucket into the other bucket, pour that out , put clean water into it and repeat. Do it until the water is coming out "clean" - no soap. 

Going to try it out in a couple of days and see how it works. Might need to drill bigger holes.

 

Had To Get A New Washing Machine

 

My washing machine quit on me a few weeks ago and right now there is no way that I can go buy a new one. I plan on taking all of my blankets and towels to the laundry mat in a few days and just use this off-grid "washing machine" until I can save up money for a new washing machine. Maybe. I might just keep going with it...

It is a bucket from Lowes and a plunger from the dollar tree. Although my son said I should use a bigger tote. So more can fit in it. Not sure. Bigger tote would mean more water and be heavier. I have used this type of washer before and it does ok. It has been a few years since. I was healthier and younger then. 

Lets see how this goes. I know it will wash the clothes and then I can hang them up to dry, but I just worry about my back! LOL

Top 100 Items To Stockpile

 Top 100 Items You Want to Stockpile

1. Generators
2. Water Filters/Purifiers
3. Portable Toilets
4. Guns, Ammo, Pepper Spray, Knives, Clubs, Bats, Slingshots.
5. Duct Tape
6. Cook stoves (Alcohol, Propane, Coleman, Kerosene)
7. Fuels
8. Garden Seeds (Non-Hybrid A MUST)
9. Feminine Hygiene, Skin products, hair care, deodorant
10. Shampoo, Toothbrush/paste, Mouthwash, floss, nail clippers
11 Shaving supplies (razors, creams, talc, aftershave)
12. Baby wipes, oils, waterless & Antibacterial soap (saves water)
13. Propane Cylinders (Urgent: Definite shortages will occur)
14. Flashlights, LIGHTSTICKS, torches
15. Lantern Hangers
16. Mantles: Aladdin, Coleman, etc
17. Candles
18. Matches {"Strike Anywhere" preferred.)
19. Lamp Oil, Wicks, Lamps
20. Charcoal, Lighter Fluid
21. Carbon Monoxide Alarm (battery powered)
22. Coleman's Pump Repair Kit
23. Propane Cylinder Handle-Holder (Urgent: Small canister use is dangerous without this item)
24. Gasoline Containers (Plastic & Metal)
25. Hand can openers, hand eggbeaters, whisks
26. Cast iron cookware (sturdy, efficient)
27. Insulated ice chests (good for keeping items from freezing)
28. Aluminum Foil Reg. & Heavy Duty (Cooking and Barter Item)
29. Garbage Bags (Impossible To Have Too Many)
30. Toilet Paper, Kleenex, Paper Towels
31. Paper plates/cups/utensils (stock up, folks)
32. Clothes pins/line/hangers (A MUST)
33. Washboards, Mop Bucket w/wringer (for Laundry)
34. Laundry Detergent (liquid)
35. Bleach (plain, NOT scented: 4 to 6% sodium hypo chlorite)
36. Paraffin wax
37. Fire Extinguishers (or Baking Soda in every room)
38. Batteries (all sizes...buy furthest-out for Expiration Dates)
39. First aid kits
40. Boy Scout Handbook / also Leaders Catalog
41. Survival Guide and Emergency First Aid Books
42. Water Containers (Urgent Item to obtain.) Any size. Small: HARD CLEAR PLASTIC ONLY ( food grade if for drinking)
43. Garbage cans Plastic (great for storage, water transporting - if with wheels)
44. Hand pumps & siphons (for water and for fuels)
45. Atomizers (for cooling/bathing)
46. Writing paper/pads/pencils, solar calculators
47. Journals, Diaries & Scrapbooks
48. Board Games, Cards, Dice
49. Reading glasses
50. Scissors, fabrics & sewing supplies
51. Canning supplies, (Jars/lids/wax)
52. Knives & Sharpening tools: files, stones, steel
53. Bow saws, axes and hatchets. Wedges (also, honing oil)
54. Tarps/stakes/twine/nails/rope/spikes
55. Garden tools & supplies
56. Sleeping Bags & blankets/pillows/mats
57. Cots & Inflatable mattresses
58. Backpacks, Duffel Bags
59. Fishing supplies/tools
60. Rice - Beans - Wheat
61. Canned Fruits, Veggies, Soups, stews, etc
62. Milk - powdered & condensed
63. Popcorn, Peanut Butter, Nuts
64. Dehydrated fruits, vegetables
65. Graham crackers, saltines, pretzels. Trail mix/Jerky
66. Chocolate/Cocoa/Tang/Punch (water enhancer's)
67. Honey, Syrups, white/ brown sugar
68. Garlic, spices & vinegar, baking supplies
69. Soy sauce, vinegar, bouillon, gravy, soup base
70. Canned Salmon Fish
71. Vegetable Oil (for cooking)
72. Flour, yeast, salt
73. Teas
74. Coffee
75. Chewing gum/candies
76. Vitamins, Minerals, Medications, etc.
77. Sweatshirts/pants
78. Hats & cotton neckerchiefs
79. Gloves: Work/warming/gardening, etc.
80. Socks, Underwear, T-shirts, etc. (extras)
81. Woolen clothing, scarves/ear-muffs/mittens
82. Work boots, belts, Levis & durable shirts
83 Thermal underwear (Tops & Bottoms)
84. Rain gear, rubberized boots, etc.
85. Baby Supplies: Diapers/formula, ointments/aspirin, etc.
86. "Survival-in-a-Can"
87. Mosquito coils/repellent, sprays/creams
88. Mousetraps, Ant traps & cockroach magnets
89. d-con Rat poison, MOUSE PRUFE II, Roach Killer
90. Screen Patches, glue, nails, screws, nuts & bolts
91. Glue, nails, nuts, bolts, screws, etc.
92. Roll-on Window Insulation Kit (MANCO)
93. Cigarettes
94. Wine/Liquors (for bribes, medicinal, etc.,)
95. Lumber (all types)
96. Wagons & carts (for transport to and from)
97. Seasoned Firewood.
98. Bicycles...Tires/tubes/pumps/chains, etc
99. Big Dogs (and plenty of dog food)
100. Goats, chickens

Food Storage Recipe - Homemade Chip or veggie Dip

 This is one of the reasons that everyone should have a well stocked seasoning cupboard. In a pinch you can make a lot of different home made items quickly. Better than the store bought , too.

This is homemade chip dip that I had to make yesterday! So yummy and the only bad thing was that it did not last long.

You need:

2 cups of sour cream

2 tablespoons mayo

2 teaspoons dried parsley

2 teaspoons dried dill

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon dried minced onion

salt and pepper to taste

Stir the sour cream and mayo up very well in a bowl that has a lid.

Add all of the seasonings and stir until well combined.

Cover and put in the fridge for a couple of hours to let all of the flavors to blend. 

Serve with your favorite chips or veggies.

Food Storage Recipe - Black Bean Soup

This is such a great soup that is not hard to make!

Vegetable oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 Jalapeno , seeded and finely chopped (optional)

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

3 cans black beans , drained and rinsed

4 cups of vegetable broth

1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies

salt and pepper to taste

In your large pot saute onion until it is soft and then add the garlic. If you are using Jalapeno add it too. Saute until fragrant.

Add the spices and stir them up to coat the onion mixture. 

Add the remaining ingredients. 

Bring to a boil and then Let it simmer for about 25 minutes.

If you have an immersion blender you can blend this up to make a thick and creamy soup. 

I do not have one that is fine, you can use a regular blender to blend up half of the soup and return it to the pot or not blend it at all.

Serve while hot. You can top with fresh cilantro, shredded cheese, sour cream , etc.

 

Food Storage Recipe - Black Bean Enchiladas

 This is a new favorite! I always have canned black beans in the pantry. They are a cheap and healthy to create low cost recipes. 

1 medium chopped onion

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 cup frozen corn

1 can diced tomatoes with Jalapeno , or salsa if you have some

1 can black beans 

shredded colby jack cheese

10 soft corn tortillas

1 can of enchilada sauce 

Fry the chopped onion and cumin up until it is tender.

Stir in the corn, tomatoes, black beans, and a cup of cheese.

As that is cooking warm up the tortillas in the microwave until they are softened.

Scoop some of the black bean mixture on a tortilla and roll up.

Repeat this - laying them in a 13X9 casserole baking dish.

Top them with enchilada sauce and remaining cheese.

Bake uncovered for about 30 minutes.

Serve with fresh cilantro and sour cream. 

I also made some Spanish rice to go with ours. 

Save Gas - Have A Staycation

With gas $4.79 here in our small town we will most likely not go anywhere on hubbies vacation. Which, gas will probably even more at that time anyway. So we are trying to come up with some Staycation ideas. These ideas are some that we have come up for ourselves to do this summer. You can come up with your own on things that you know your town has too offer.

Go "Camping" in your backyard. Set up the tent and have fun. Little kids really like this.

Go to a local pond and feed the ducks. Fish if you can. We have a local pond that is about 3 miles from our house and you can also fish there.

Take kids to the park - our park is within walking distance, so that could be something that we could do and the ice cream truck will be driving by there too soon.

Find out what the library will be doing for the kids this summer. Ours has reading programs for prizes and in the summer they have a movie night every Friday night after they close. Pretty fun and free.

There is a local Church in our town that also has movie nights in the summer. They always show great kid's movies. and it is free.

Take kids to the local farmer's market. Let them pick out the veggies they want to munch on.

County fairs are always fun. Check to see if there are any local flea markets too.

Go to a local pool.

Go play basketball or tennis at the local park.

Teach your kids how to sew, bake, cook, wood working, and more.

Have a family board game night.

Have a video game night. We love playing Wii bowling and that is something that the whole family loves to do.

This summer we are wanting to take one day and go to the local Apple Orchard. It is about 10 miles round trip from us, so not too bad. They have strawberry picking, hay rides, petting zoo, a park for the kids, and a restaurant.

Have a yard sale.

Fly a kite. Our house is on a hill and always seems windy enough to fly a kite. Maybe let little one make his own kite and then fly it.


You get the idea. When you start thinking of local things to do for a family staycation you will be surprised at how many things you can up with. Save money and stay close to home.





The Prepper's Pocket Guide: 101 Easy Things You Can Do to Ready Your Home for a Disaster

Off-Grid Clothes Drying Saves Money

 

To save money I have not been using my dryer. I need to get another clothesline put up outside, but until then I have been just using my wooden foldable clothes rack. I have been doing smaller loads to save money on power and water. One of the smaller loads fits right on this rack. I have 2 of them and a very large metal clothes rack that I use for when I wash towels. 

The day that I took this photo on had been raining and i just sat it up in my living room under the ceiling fan. The clothes actually dried pretty fast. 

I have the Duke energy app and I was so surprised at how much my dryer was actually using. SO MUCH!! I haven't used my dryer in almost 2 months and the power usage has went down A LOT!!  I will know how much I am really saving soon when I get my new bill. 

Preparing For a Widespread Disaster

 

There are at least seven global or widespread disasters that seem likely to occur at sometime in the future. A large asteroid hitting the earth is one of those seven. It is generally accepted by scientists that asteroids have struck the earth in the past causing widespread damage. It is believed that asteroids will continue to collide with the earth every now and then. Maybe every sixty million years a big one comes along that is large enough to have a global effect on survival of earth's living things. The chances of such an event happening in a particular person's lifetime are tiny. But that tiny chance is there.

It is unpleasant to consider such terrible things. But the best attitude, it seems to me, is to ignore, to a very large extent, the unpleasant feelings that the topic causes. That allows a person to consider what might be done to increase the chances of surviving a disaster. No way can a person be fully prepared. And since we cannot know just what is going to take place, it may be an exercise in futility. But you never know, simple basic preparations could bring you through some calamity.

And why not take the attitude that your efforts and interest in such preparation is something to feel good about. Those efforts can be fun and interesting. The topic certainly grabs my attention better than a Hollywood movie. By doing what I can to become prepared, I am doing something that could dramatically make my life much more pleasant should I be involved in a catastrophe. Disaster preparedness is an interesting and enjoyable hobby that could pay off big-time. Knowing that all the benefits of modern life are not necessarily a given, is a reason for enjoying them more.
The seven possible widespread or global disasters:

1). Very large volcanic eruptions. Huge volumes of gas and dust could spread around the globe. There is some evidence that these have occurred before. Doesn't that mean that it could happen again?

2). An epidemic. There was the flu epidemic of 1918 that killed 30 million people worldwide. There was the plague that killed about one fourth of Europe's population in the Dark Ages. Viruses and germs are known to mutate and change. They may become resistant to vaccines and medications, become more deadly, and become more contagious. Viruses and other pathogens cold mutate into virulent forms that could spread rapidly around the world by people using air travel.

3). Crop failures due to plant diseases, climate change, or ozone depletion.

4). Climate changes including global warming and the effects that might come with it such as extreme heat, drought, and severe storms.

5). Nuclear war.

6). Terrorist act which could bring about widespread effects. If, for instance, a nuclear device was detonated in Washington, D.C. and another wiped out Wall Street, the effects could be unpredictable and could include economic depression, anarchy, shortages of consumer goods, and war.

7). Something unexpected. A disaster could be caused by a completely unknown event. It is unreasonable to think we are smart enough to be aware of all threats that could bring catastrophe.
There are many other plausible scenarios for widespread catastrophes. These include such things as a large solar flare that shoots out radiation and charged particles toward the earth; an object such as a black hole passing close to the earth; and a technology accident such as a genetically modified organism being released into the environment.

In recent years vast quantities of methane gas have been discovered on the sea floor where the water is very deep and in places where the water is very cold. It is believed that global warming or earthquakes could cause the methane to be released perhaps suddenly and in massive quantities. Methane is explosive and could displace oxygen causing suffocation.

Below are some things you can do to be better prepared for emergencies.

Store food and water: About a gallon of water a day per person is a reasonable goal. How many days worth is anybody's guess - you have to use your own judgment about what is practical for you. Know where to get water if your standby supply runs out. Water of unknown purity should be boiled at least 3 minutes to kill any pathogens. If boiling is not possible add 16 drops or 1/4 teaspoon of household bleach per gallon and let stand at least 30 minutes. Smell the water. If it does not have a slight bleach odor, repeat the process. Use bleach that contains nothing else other than water and 5.25 percent sodium hypochlorite. Bleach is most effective for killing bacteria but is not effective against parasitic organisms.

Choose long storage food such as canned goods, dry food such as nuts, seeds, beans, and grain products in plastic or glass containers. Most dried beans will need to be soaked and cooked before eating. Examples of dried beans that can be eaten after soaking and without cooking include split peas, mung beans, lentils and black-eyed peas. Wheat and corn can also be soaked and eaten without cooking. Peanut butter and vegetable oil are good choices because they are calorie rich, long keeping and require no preparation. Canned meat provides protein and requires no cooking. A multi vitamin will help with adequate vitamin requirements.

Keeping warm: The colder the climate where you live, the more important this is if the electrical power fails or you are forced to leave your home. Have enough heavy clothing and blankets in your home to keep you warm. Have ready to go to put in your car such as in a garbage bag: at least two changes of clothing that will keep you warm, a sleeping bag or a couple of blankets, gloves, knit hat, and sturdy shoes.

First aid kit: The most important items may be soap for washing a wound, an antiseptic ointment, and bandaging.

Tools and supplies for short-term emergencies: Flashlight and batteries, candles, matches, can opener, soap, battery-powered radio and batteries, face mask for filtering the air you breath,
Tools and supplies for long term emergencies: all of the items above for short-term emergencies plus the food items listed above plus: long lasting led flashlight, wind-up flashlight, wind-up radio, unscented 5.25 percent sodium hypochlorite bleach for purifying water, sturdy knife and sharpener, salt, grain grinder, food storage containers, shovel, blankets, rifle and ammunition.
Tools and supplies for your car: gallon of drinking water, blanket, extra clothes (sweatshirt, long underwear, boots, socks, gloves, hat), compass, rain gear, battery-powered radio and batteries, long storage and light-weight food, maps, siphon (20 feet plastic tubing, 1/2 inch diameter), gas can, wrenches, pliers, screwdrivers, portable light. Long-term and extras: bleach for purifying water, shorts or swimsuit, tube tent (or 10 by 10 tarp, cord), ground moisture barrier, closed cell foam sleeping pad, sleeping bag, insect repellant, sunglasses, sunscreen, soap, knife, backpack, duct tape, cord (i.e., seine twine, parachute cord, masons' twine).

Have a short-term plan: Discuss with your family how everyone will get home if their usual transportation is not available. If the phone systems are operating, one person could remain at home to take and relay messages. Have a place in mind in case you need to relocate to a different geographic area. Plan how to get there and what you will take along. If you believe you are not enough prepared, decide how to become so.

Stay informed: Have at least a battery operated am/fm radio with extra batteries. A wind-up radio not requiring batteries could be used if the power is off for an extended period. Emergency alert radios might receive broadcasts in a long-term power failure where the backup generators for am/fm radio stations have run out of fuel.

If situations develop so that longer-term solutions are needed, you will need other strategies. You may have to hunt for and gather food from the wild. Very long-term collapse of the present supply chain would require that you become self-sufficient in mending and making your own clothing. You might have to construct a shelter using basic tools and basic materials. The scope of this article does not allow for discussions of what you would need to know to survive extended collapse of society into how it was a couple of hundred years ago.

Alan Detwiler is the author of the ebook, Thrivers, a speculative science fiction novella describing a pandemic and climate change. Thrivers is available as a Kindle ebook - Thrivers In An Uncertain Future: A Speculative Fiction Novel About Likely Changes Coming In The Near Future It is also available as a Nook book at BarnesandNoble.com