Ways To Cook With Your Fireplace

The open fire of your fireplace is a very versatile way to cook. There are many ways to cook with your fireplace and can be a great way to have a heated home and a hot meal when power is out. That one fire can not only give you heat, but you can bake, boil, roast, simmer a stew, and more. Pretty much like a campfire, but this is in your home.

One way to cook is by using a Cast-Iron Trivet. Remove some of the coals from the fire and place over to one side in your fireplace, place the trivet on top of that, and place your pot on top of that. Let it cook! You can boil water and make soups and stews this way. It is also a easy way to use your Cast-Iron Dutch Oven .


An easy way to roast some meat over the fire is by using a spit. Just impale the meat with the spit and place the meat over the fire to seal in the juices. Then move it further away from the fire and let it slow cook . Make sure that you have a big roasting pan under the meat to catch the dripping juices. Makes it safer and plus you can baste the meat with its juices while it is cooking.

A Reflector Oven is an awesome way to be able to bake and cook with a fireplace. Pretty simple way to cook. Place in front of fire and the heat reflects to the food. Kind of like the solar oven.

Some other tools to have for fireplace cooking are a hanging griddle, Pie Iron Sandwich Cooker, and a Heavy Duty Grill.

With all or any of these tools for cooking, you will be able to make great family meals for your family. No worries if a winter storm comes through and wipes out your power. 

15 Low-Tech Drafty Window and Door Fixes for a Cozy Home

 

 

15 Low-Tech Drafty Window and Door Fixes for a Cozy Home

 

If you are living in a drafty house, the good news is that there are lots of low-tech and low-cost options. There are some great DIY ways to keep in the heat and keep the cold out. Keep some wool blankets thrown over the sofa to use for keeping warm.

The Right Way to Make a Bucket Toilet

 

 

The Right Way to Make a Bucket Toilet - Primal Survivor

 This is something that everyone is going to need! Grab a bucket and some trash bags! Easy to create and will help so much with hygiene.  Having a way to take of business will be a lot safer and healthier. Don't want to take any chances.

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Learn Some Skills

What will happen to you and your family when SHTF? Will you be able to take care of your family? You most likely have a stockpile of food and other items, but do you have any skills that you will need to know to be able to just live or to continue having items on hand.

SKILLS TO BUILD:

1. Learn the art of bartering.

2. Learn how to hunt, fish, and trap.

3. You learned how to do the list of above, now learn how to butcher and clean your food.

4 Learn how to raise livestock. Even if all that you have room for are some chickens and rabbits, it will help your family.

5. You have got to learn how to garden. This will be a life-saver.

6. Learn some carpentry skills. There won't be any calling a handy man after SHTF.

7. Learn some basics of engineering.

8. Get yourself into a class for learning CPR and learn some first aid. Knowing emergency medicine can save your life or someone's in your family.

9. Teach yourself some basics of food production. Making your own cheese, butter, and bread can really be helpful and keep your days enjoyable.

10. Get some marksmanship skills.

11. Learn how to make your own ammo. Learn how to make some alternate weapons in case you run out of gun ammo.

12. Some skills in pottery making, sewing, knitting, and wood carving can be a great skill to have. Be able to repair items and make new items that are needed can really help your household go on.

13. Learn all that you can about herbal remedies and how to administer them.Your are not going to be able to run to the corner pharmecy. You can grow the herbs and use them.

14. Everyone in your family has got to learn how to purify water. You have to have clean and drinkable water.

15. Firemaking skills are a MUST! Learning how to build a fire can keep you warm, fed, and clean.

16. It might be a good idea for someone in your family to learn how to make wine or beer.

17. Learn the many ways to be able to cook! Solar cooking, fire, grill, rocket stove, etc. There are many ways to cook without power - LEARN THEM ALL!!!!!!!

18. Being able to make candles will give you light!!

Be Self Sufficient...

There are certain items that you have got to have on hand to help you to be more self sufficient. You already know about needing a stockpile of food, but you also need these items to be able to live comfortably during an emergency situation, disaster, or after SHTF. With the new year coming up it is a perfect time to get started with getting these things. If you are new to being a prepper than now is the best time to start.

1. A Solar Generator is one of the things that I really think is a number one must have item. Will greatly improve any situation that is a bad one.

 2. Having a Camp Shower would be a great way to make sure that your whole family is comfortable and can have a sense of normalcy.

3.You can never have too many Oil Lamps!! Great way to have some light and even cook with them in a time of need with the right set up. https://dlsoucy.wordpress.com/tag/oil-lamp-cooking/

4. Having a good set of Cast-Iron Cookware Set is a thing that is needed for being able to cook a great meal. You can cook on fires and more with a good set of cast-iron cookware.

5. Get yourself a lot of hand operated appliances, like can openers, hand mixers,grain mill, coffee grinder, and more.

6. Do your laundry easily off the grid with a laundry tub, clothes wringer, clothesline, and a Portable Compact Mini Washing Machine is another thing that is a huge help.

7. You need a grill, camping cook stove, and other ways to cook.

8. Keep a lot of warm clothing, coats, socks, good boots, rain gear, long underware, gloves, for all of your family members.

9. Keep a fire extinguisher in every room.

10. Having bicycles is a good thing to have for each family member.

11. Get all of the camping gear that you can find and as much as you can. It is very useful in lots of situations.

12. Gas Siphon Pump

13. A hand pump for a water well. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DIY STAND-ALONE RAINWATER COLLECTOR

 

 

STAND-ALONE RAINWATER COLLECTOR : 8 Steps (with Pictures) - Instructables

 

DIY that looks pretty useful. Catching rainwater could really help with gardening and more.  Everyone should have a way to catch rainwater.

Food Storage Recipe - Simple Lemon Meringue Pie

It is Easy to make this pie. My whole family loves it and I have to make it a lot. NEED:

2 packages of instant lemon pudding

3 cups of cold milk

1 container of whipped topping

1 graham cracker pie shell

In a bowl mix together the pudding mix and milk together with an electric mixer until it is thickened.

Pour it into the graham cracker pie shell.

Place in the refrigerator for about an hour.

Pour the whipped topping on top of the pie. Return to the refrigerator for an additional hour.

Serve. If you have any left , store it in the refrigerator. 

 

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Frugal DIY - A Rug

 I was needing a new rug of some sort to go between the living room and kitchen. Nothing fancy, just something to cover where someone had spilled some coffee.

I was at the Dollar Tree and noticed some little throw rugs and grabbed 3 of them that matched. Thinking I would just lay them there.

But, when I got home I had a light bulb go up above my head. Get out the Sewing Basket and sew them together and have a bigger and more solid rug.

I turned on an episode of Haven on Netflix and got to sewing the longer sides together. Leaving the fringe on the outside. Just a quick stitch by hand and now have a new rug that fits perfect for what I wanted it for. Plus, it only cost a few dollars!!!

Frugal home design at its best!! You could easily do this with as many rugs as you want. 

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Food Storage Recipe - Tater Tot Topped Casserole

This is easy to make and taste good.

 NEED:

 1/2 cup chopped onion

1/3 cup sliced celery

1 pound of lean beef

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 can of condensed cream of celery soup, undiluted

1 package of frozen tater tots

 1 cup of shredded cheese

In a skillet cook up the ground beef, onion, and celery. Cook until browned and drain well. Stir in the salt and pepper.

 Spoon the beef mixture into a greased casserole dish. Spread the soup over the meat mixture. Top with the frozen tater tots. Bake at 400 degrees or until the casserole is bubbly.

 Remove from the oven and top with the shredded cheese and put back into the oven and bake until the cheese is melted. 

 

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Cake Made With Soda

I really cannot believe that I just now found out about doing this. On the phone with my daughter and she was telling me that she was making a cake , but had no eggs or oil, so she was doing her favorite thing of using a can of soda! WHAT??? I could not believe it. I was dumbfounded. You actually can do it. 

 
NEED:

A packaged cake mix that is your favorite. Any flavor.

A can of your favorite soda. You can even use diet soda if that is all that you have. Makes it even more healthy.

Ignore the directions on the cake box --- Just add the one can of soda to the mix.

Mix it up and put it in a cake pan. Bake until it is done. Until a toothpick comes out clean. Serve.

 

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Off-Grid Way To Wash Clothes

This thought came to my mind the other day when I ran out of coffee and almost threw the can away.

The lid fits tight on these plastic canisters. It is big enough to be able to put underwear, socks, and other small items in. Put them in and add hot water and very little soap. Shake it up for a few minutes and then pour out into a sink or into a Salad Spinner .One of those helps a lot with getting the water out of the clothing after you have drained the water out of the clothes. After you get done washing your unmentionables you can then hang them on a Folding Clothes Drying Rack for them to dry. Great way to wash clothes while camping also. 

 

 

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Food Storage Recipe - Crispy Garbanzo Beans

We have been snowed in for the past 2 weeks. Have only been able to get out 1 time. I have a problem where I snack eat. I made some of these crispy garbanzo beans with the ranch seasoning and loved them. I don't have an air fryer , so I just put them in a layer on a pan and baked them in the oven for

 

 NEED

 

15.5 oz can Garbanzo beans, drained

 

Oil for spraying

 

CINNAMON SUGAR

 

1 Tablespoon granulated sugar

 

½ teaspoon Cinnamon

 

RANCH

 

1 Tablespoon ranch seasoning mix

 

CHILI LIME

1 teaspoon chili powder

 

½ teaspoon cumin

 

½ teaspoon salt

 

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

 

¼ teaspoon true lime

 

BBQ

 

1 ½ teaspoon paprika

 

1 teaspoon brown sugar

 

½ teaspoon celery salt

 

½ teaspoon garlic powder

 

½ teaspoon dry mustard

 

¼ teaspoon black pepper

 

Drain the garbanzo beans and place on a paper towel to dry out for about an hour. 

 

Place the garbanzo beans on a baking sheet and spray with oil. 

 

Set temperature to 450 degrees. 

 

After it is preheated add the pan of beans and bake for about 25 minutes.

 

Once chickpeas are done, remove and place in a bowl.

While they are still warm add the seasoning that you choose to use and shake them around to cover them all. ENJOY!

Food Storage Recipe - Meatball Stew

 This is really easy. Get out your crock pot for this one.

Thaw out a package of frozen meatballs and dump them into your crock pot.

Add 1 1/2 cup of frozen corn, 2 cans of Mexican style stewed tomatoes, 1 can of chicken broth, 1 teaspoon garlic, and 1 can of pinto beans.

Cover it and cook on low for a few hours.

Serve garnished with corn chips, shredded cheese, and fresh cilantro.

Make Newspaper Logs For Your Fire

 Step One: Roll dry newspaper
There is no need to roll up the newspaper around a pipe because the newspaper isn't soaked and doesn't need to be rolled as tightly. Roll the newspaper just like you would a sleeping bag.

Step Two: Tie string around the ends of the rolled newspaper log
This is simply done in order for the paper to stay rolled up tightly when it is soaked.

Step Three: Soak newspaper logs
Place newspaper logs in a bucket of detergent mixed water and leave for 3 days so that the log will soak evenly.

Step Four: Dry out logs for two to three days.
The logs shouldn't be completely dry, you want them to still be a little bit damp so that they won't burn as quickly.

Getting Prepped For Flu Season Or Any Other Disease

Just got a package of some supplies for getting prepped for cold and flu season. Or any other type of virus, etc.

Today , we got some goggles and a box of 20 respirator face mask. I also got a pack of these mask.

I also had gotten some gloves the other day. Some of those Nitrile gloves and then some thicker gauntlet style to put on over them. A pretty good start on the flu & cold survival kit. I also have stocked up on a bunch of different medicines , cough drops, tylenol, pepto, and any thing else that I could think of. Each week I have been buying and focusing on one thing medical wise. Now have a pretty good stockpile. Should last the whole cold season.
 

DIY Air Heater! Hot Air Furnace! (brick & stove-pipe air heater) - alcohol fueled heater! Easy DIY - YouTube

 

 

DIY Air Heater! Hot Air Furnace! (brick & stove-pipe air heater) - alcohol fueled heater! Easy DIY - YouTube

 

another great DIY to get heat. Look in the right side column, too, for tons of ideas. Having more than one way to have heat in an emergency can be a life saver.

 

Food Storage Recipe - Garden Skillet Dinner

Use your garden for this dish. Yummy and fresh.

NEED:

1 cup of uncooked long grain rice

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

1/2 cup chopped sweet red pepper

1 pound ground beef, browned and drained well

2 cups chopped and seeded tomatoes

Cook the rice up the way directions say on box. 

In another skillet heat the oil and saute the garlic, onion, and peppers until tender. 

Stir in the cooked beef , tomatoes, and the rice. 

Simmer until heated through.

Food Storage Recipe - Black-Eyed Peas Skillet Dinner

 

This is a yummy recipe. Using my favorite black eyed peas. 

NEED:

1 pound of ground beef

1 chopped medium onion

1 chopped medium green pepper

2 cans ( 16 oz each ) of Black Eyed Peas, drain them well

1 can of diced tomatoes with the liquid, do not drain, 16 oz

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of pepper

Cook of the ground beef, onion, and green pepper. Cook it until the beef is brown and then drain the fat off of it very well.

Add the black eyed peas, tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Bring this to a boil and then drop to a simmer. Let it simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring it often.

Food Storage Recipe - Frontier Chowder

Food Storage Recipe - Country Mustard Chicken

 A recipe that the whole family will love. Would be great with anything.

NEED

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast

1 jar of chicken gravy

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

 Heat up a pan with a bit of oil in it.

Add the chicken and cook until browned.

Set the chicken to the side and in the same pan add the gravy, mustard, and garlic powder.

Heat up to a boil and return the chicken to the pan.

Reduce the heat to low and cover.

Cook until the chicken is done. 

Serve with noodle . vegetables, or mashed potatoes. 

 

DIY Homemade Solar Furnace

 

 

 DIY Homemade Solar Furnace



  A great looking solar furnace that I imagine a lot of us could make. Something to try. It  is going to be winter soon enough. Grab some wood pieces and a dryer hose to build this. Easy and low cost.

Food Storage Recipe - Taco Soup

This is an easy and quick soup to make. Taste very good , too. 

  NEED:

1 pound of ground beef or you can use the ground beef flavored tvp.

1 package of taco seasoning

1 can of Mexican stewed tomatoes

1 can kidney beans , not drained

1 cup of water

Brown the ground beef and drain the fat.

Add the taco seasoning, tomatoes, beans, and water.

Bring the soup to a boil and then simmer for a few minutes.

Serve. You can top this with shredded cheese, cilantro,  and sour cream.

How to make thermal drapes

 

 

 

How to make thermal drapes – Change-Making.com

 You can easily make your own thermal curtains if you have no way to buy some. 

These are easy enough to make. You can get those survival blankets cheap enough and could use sheets instead of buying fabric. Keep the cost even lower.  Low cost and end up saving you more money in the long run.

A Battery Powered Shower

I was looking up things online and looking for things to use off-grid and found this,  Battery Powered Shower. Wow! There are just so many useful things that can be found for using with no power! Why do we even need to depend on the power companies?

The kit comes with changeable dual shower heads:1 shower head and 1 Spray head, along with a separate battery compartment from the pump, prevents the need to immerse battery in water, reducing the risk of damage and enhancing safety. 7.2ft long hose, providing flexibility for multiple uses.

Portable & Convenience
All-in-one designed rechargeable and reliable camping shower kit with folding dry bag for ultimate portability, Take it anywhere you go and enjoy hassle-free sanitation and hygiene. Outputs:
Comfortable and stable water flow of 1 gallon/min
Operating time: 60mins

USB cable Charging
Powered by a built-in 2600mAh Lithium-ion battery, it needs to be charged for 2-5 hours and run up to one hour.

Package included:
1x Portable camping shower 1x Shower head 1x Sprayer head 1x 7.2ft hose with pump (detachable and washable Pump filter cover) 1x 2600mAh built-in battery 1x Exchangeable base for hanging hook and suction cup (included) 1x 13L collapsible water bucket 1x User manual 1x USB charger cable

Safe & Clean Water

Having clean water to drink is the most important thing to have. With this pitcher that filters your water from Clearly Filtered you can be positive that you will have the cleanest and freshest water. This pitcher is very easy to use and it is gravity fed filtered. A replaceable filter that takes out 99.99% of impurities. It even gets out Fluoride. The filter filters up to 200 gallons of water for your family so it is also a great value.

I was sent this pitcher and filter set and immediately started using it. I now only use it. I love it. I really noticed a fresher taste in my tap water as soon as I poured it in my glass. The chlorine smell was gone. No longer do we think we are at a city pool! Our city water supplier must use massive amounts of chlorine. That is the number one reason I started buying bottled water, the chlorine taste is so bad in our tap water that you would gag while trying to even take a small sip. Plus all of the other nasty things in it , like Fluoride and Mercury. It is just scary. But, now we can drink our tap water and know that it is saving us money and it is so easy to use.

How to Start a Homestead with Little Money

 

 

How to Start a Homestead with Little Money

 

Just sharing this site that has great info for low cost ideas on homesteading. I don't think it has to cost a lot to start a homestead. Who doesn’t want to shrink their carbon footprint, save money, and eat homegrown food whenever possible?