Prepare Every Needful Thing

Still here... plus one!

2012-01-29T11:16:00.003-07:00

Just a quick note to let you know that I'm still here! The newest addition to the family arrived a week ago Friday. The days and nights since have been a bit of a blur, and it hasn't left a lot of time for blogging (or much of anything else for that matter). Stay with me and I will post as soon as I can!

What I'm Buying - Smith's 1/18

2012-01-19T18:00:00.000-07:00

After Harmons, we stopped briefly at Target since it was right there in the same shopping center. I was looking for some yogurt (they didn't have it) and some applesauce (not on price cut in our area). I DID find a couple of toys leftover from the big clearance last week that were 70% off, and some Heinz canned gravy for .64 each.

After Target it was off to pick up the preschooler from class and then over to Smith's to grab some stock-up items for food storage. It was my lucky day, because I found a bunch of great stuff in the refrigerated markdowns! :)

Here's what I picked up:

(26) Chef Boyardee, on sale .88 (.71 after coupon)
(2) Trop50 orange juice, on sale 2.99 (1.99 after coupon)
(14) Oscar Mayer luncheables, clearanced to .89
(10) Hormel pepperoni, on sale 1.00 (.50 after coupon)
(5) Johnsonville summer sausage, clearanced to 1.79 (although looking at the receipt, one rang up at full price of 3.49 - GRRR!)
(2) Hormel pepperoni sticks, clearanced to 1.99
(2) Armor summer sausage, on sale 3.99

I used (1) 1.00/6 eCoupon for the pasta (see Smith's website), (5) .50/4 coupons for the pasta [see SS-1/1], (2) 1.00/1 printables for the juice [from a Facebook promo], and (5) 1.00/2 coupons for the pepperoni [see SS-1/15].

Quick clarification: I thought my particular store's coupon limit was 5 of the same kind (from inserts) and 2 of the same kind for printables. But when I asked the cashier yesterday, she said it was 4 of the same kind for insert coupons, but that she would allow me to use the 5 similar coupons for this particular transaction.

Total: $65.65

I went to more stores than usual this week, and spent more than usual this week, because I don't plan on doing any grocery shopping for the next two weeks if possible. The new arrival is scheduled to be induced this weekend, so I wanted to get this all done ahead of time. :)

What I'm Buying - Harmons 1/18

2012-01-19T15:30:00.000-07:00

Our middle stop for the day was at Harmons.

(3) Maid O' Clover whole milk, on sale 2.39
(1) Farmland spiral sliced ham, on sale 1.59/lb
(2) Post Honey Bunches of Oats cereal, on sale 2.50 (1.50 after coupon)
(20) roma tomatoes, on sale .78/lb
(4) Quaker cereals, on sale 2.50 (yeah, not a stellar price, but I was feeling generous in letting my kids have some cereals that we don't usually get)
(8) Tombstone frozen pizzas, on sale 3.00 (2.50 after in-store coupon wyb 8, not pictured cuz they had already been put away)
(1) Best Foods mayo, on sale 3.75 (abt 2.50 after special Unilever in-ad coupon for $5 off $15 Unilever purchase)
(5) Lipton onion soup mix, on sale 1.50 (abt 1.00 after special coupon)
(4) Knorr pasta sides, on sale 1.00 (abt .67 after special coupon)

The cashier had the special $4 coupon for the pizzas (it's a Nestle mix-and-match promo, buy 8 participating items and save $4) and the coupon for the Unilever items (save $5 when you buy $15 worth of participating Unilever products). I then used (2) 1.00/1 printable coupons for the Post cereal [see GroupA at GrocerySmarts].

Total: $72.02

What I'm Buying - Ream's 1/18

2012-01-19T13:00:00.000-07:00

After Macey's it was off to Ream's, just down the road. I have to tell you that I really miss my Sunflower Market for produce, but luckily Ream's has been able to fill that void mostly. I have been very impressed with their produce and their prices (on produce and meat - their prices on non-produce stuff still tend to be very high, even on sale).

Here's what I picked up:

(3) pkgs pork sirloin roast, on sale 1.89/lb
(2) 3lb bags clementines, on sale 2.99
(2) heads green leaf lettuce, 1.09 ea
(5) red bell peppers, on sale .79 ea
(6) d'anjou pears, on sale .99/lb
(5) dozen large eggs, on sale .99
(1) Western Family sour cream, on sale .99
(2) bunches bananas, on sale .49/lb
(4) cucumbers, on sale .39 ea

I did not use any coupons on this one.

Total: $49.64

The bell peppers get seeded and sliced or diced, and then put in ziploc bags in the freezer for use in various recipes. My husband was wondering what in the world I planned on doing with 5 dozen eggs, but then I reminded him that he can down an entire dozen in 24 hours if they are made into deviled eggs. Now I just have to find the energy to make the deviled eggs! Also, I was thinking I'd have some time to make some into egg patties for biscuit sandwiches (to also be put in freezer and pulled out for breakfasts), but the time is fast fleeing and the new baby is expected tomorrow, so those may have to wait for a week or so.

What I'm Buying - Macey's 1/18

2012-01-19T10:40:00.004-07:00

So, we start our marathon grocery shopping story at Macey's yesterday. It was a pretty quick trip, but the cereal was definitely going fast! Apparently each Macey's location has a different "list" of which cereals are included in the 10 for $10 sale, so the selection may vary. I got lucky and found that the West Jordan store had quite a few varieties they were including, which made for a nice haul! And there is no limit to the number of groups of 10 you can do (and they don't have to be 10 of the same item - it's a mix and match sale).

In fact, the early reports were for some varieties that I didn't think I'd really want, so I didn't actually bring enough coupons to cover everything I bought. The West Jordan location included Trix in the sale, and I haven't seen that on sale for months, so I grabbed it while I could, coupons or not.

Here's what I picked up:

(Sorry for the hideously blurry and dark picture)

(30) GM cereals, on sale 1.99 (1.49 after promo, .99 after coupon)
[Dulce de Leche Cheerios, Multi-Grain Peanut Butter Cheerios, Frosted Toast Crunch and Trix]
(20) Progresso soups, on sale 1.59 (1.09 after promo, .84 after coupon)
(6) Bubba's bagels, on sale 1.50
(6) Western Family canned chili beans, on sale .69
(1) head broccoli (not pictured), on sale .69/lb

I used (7) 1.00/2 coupons for the cereal [see SS-12/11], (1) 1.00/2 printable coupon for the cereal [see GroupA at GrocerySmarts], and (5) 1.00/4 coupons for the soup [see SS-12/11 or GM-1/8].

Total: $70.55

I could have saved another $5-$8 with more coupons for the cereal, but like I said, I wasn't sure exactly what was included and wasn't expecting to find the Trix included, so I didn't bring extras. The cereal was going fast, and since Macey's is a bit of a drive for me, I figured it was best to just get the cereal then and not risk it being all out if I tried to come back another day with coupons. Gotta pick your battles, right?

What I'm Buying - 1/18

2012-01-18T16:55:00.003-07:00

Five stores in three hours today...I'm exhausted! Wasn't sure I'd be able to make it, and I almost wasn't - ha ha! But stay tuned - I'll have posts up at some point, I promise.

How I Do Food Storage: The Theory, Part 1

2012-01-16T17:08:00.003-07:00

I can't tell you how many times I have started this post over the last two years...and then never finished. It's kind of a mammoth one to tackle, and hard to break into smaller more readable chunks that can be separated out into individual posts. But I'll try. Hang with me folks!

There are many difference approaches to food storage, and NONE of them are any more right or wrong than any other, EXCEPT ONE - NOT DOING ANYTHING! ;)

Before I was asked to serve as the food storage specialist in my previous LDS congregation, my husband and I had talked about food storage a little, and we even had maybe a dozen #10 cans of various items, but we really didn't have much of a plan. Back then, the LDS Church website (ProvidentLiving.org) had a page with a calculator where you could go and insert the number of people in your family, and it would tell you all of the long-term stuff you should store and how much of each to last approximately one year.

That was great and all, but I would look at the printout and think, "Awesome, I can go buy this stuff, but then what in the world do I DO with it?!? How do I split it up into meals? How do I ration it to make sure it lasts me and my family for one year, and more importantly, what exactly do I make with it???" There wasn't a comprehensive plan that I could follow, showing me what to fix for each meal and how much to use and recipes and all, and so it was more than a little daunting and overwhelming, which led me to the one food storage/emergency preparedness sin - not doing anything at all!

As I have researched and read more about food storage and preparedness, my ideas about food storage have evolved. What I have found works best for me is this method:

STORE WHAT YOU USE, AND USE WHAT YOU STORE

For me, that simply means that my food storage is basically just a bigger extension of my kitchen pantry. The same stuff that is upstairs in the day-to-day pantry is also down in food storage, just in larger quantities.

This method has worked for me because it means I am familiar with all the stuff in my food storage, I know how to prepare it, I have recipes that use it that I regularly prepare, and I don't need a comprehensive "plan" for how to ration it all out because I'm familiar enough with what is down there to know how we rotate it, and the stuff just fits into our regular everyday meals.

Now, this method is a little more labor-intensive than some of the other options. It means that I spend more time in the kitchen making meals from scratch (not necessarily a bad thing for your health, just time consuming some days) and I've had to learn a few new skills (like how to make bread, but I've been trying to do that since I was 6, so not necessarily a bad thing there either). This method allows me to rotate my food storage because we're actively and constantly using it. But that also means that I have to be more aware of keeping track of inventory (which is our current area of focus). This is what I have found works for ME and my family - it may not be for everyone, and that is TOTALLY okay!

There are other "methods" to food storage as well, and many fabulous options to meet your needs.

Here are a few:

- buy the long-term stuff (the grains, powdered milk, dry beans, etc.) and just store it until needed. Most of the long-term items have a 30yr shelf life, so this is perfectly acceptable.

- come up with a set plan of meals, multiply it out for a year's worth, then calculate how much you'll need for all those meals, buy it, and either store it, or occasionally rotate some of it. Usually you'll use regular meals that your family already enjoys, like spaghetti, casseroles, etc.

- buy some of the pre-assembled "raw ingredient" kits from food storage companies (like Shelf Reliance), and then either rotate the ingredients into your everyday cooking or just simply store until needed.

- buy some of the pre-assembled "full meal" kits from food storage companies (like Daily Bread), and simply store until needed. These are cans or kits of ready-to-go meals usually only needing to be reconstituted with hot water. Not much prep involved. Sorta like gourmet MREs.

- do a blend of any or all of the above.

Really, truly, the BEST food storage method is WHICHEVER method or combination of methods that works best for YOU!!!

Stay tuned and I'll go into more details on the various methods, and then we'll start exploring the specific stuff that I store and give you some ideas of what exactly I do with it.

Our Saga with Radon

2012-01-10T15:59:00.003-07:00

Our saga with radon starts in early December, when I came across an article on KSL.com about a man in Cottonwood Heights who parts of both lungs to lung cancer caused by radon gas in his home - never smoked a day in his life. (We've since found out that this wonderful man is the president of the stake that some of our friends attend.)

Now, I had actually heard about radon gas several years ago. For some reason there were some concerns in the area we lived in in Colorado back when I was in high school, and my parents had talked about doing some testing, but never got around to it. But at least I knew sortof what it was.

Fast forward about 20 years...but it just never occurred to me to have it tested in my own home once I "grew up". And until I read the article recently and did a little studying, I had NO IDEA how pervasive the radon problem was in Utah! Studies estimate that approximately 1 in every 3 Utah homes could test high for radon gas.

But it's not just a problem in Utah - it can affect any home, anywhere.

Radon gas is produced by the breakdown of uranium and other minerals in soil. It escapes out of the soil, through your foundation and into your home. It is ODORLESS, TASTELESS, INVISIBLE and worst of all, RADIOACTIVE! Radon gas is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States!!! [Now, just because you have radon in your home doesn't mean you're guaranteed to get lung cancer - it just puts you at higher risk.]

After reading the article, I finally figured enough was enough, and it was time to bite the bullet and order some tests. We live very close to the western Oquirrh mountain foothills (in the lower elevations) near a canyon and near a huge copper mine - which puts our property at greater risk for higher concentrations of radon due to the higher granite and mineral content of the ground underneath us.

So we ordered our tests. Did it online, in just a matter of minutes. Super easy. And for those who live in Utah, there is a program where the state will subsidize part of the cost of the test - so you can get tests for $6 (about half the normal cost). That price INCLUDES the test kit AND the testing/results. [It's a GOOD deal!!!]

We did two tests in our home - one on the main floor and one in the basement. It's a little charcoal tray and you set it out for 48 hours. After the time was up, we sent it in and waited for results.

I was shocked when we got the email with our results. The EPA suggests that anything over 4 pCi/L should be retested, and if still high, the homeowner should seek out mitigation options.

Our numbers...? 27 on the main floor, and 40 in the basement - that's 6 and 10 TIMES the acceptable limit! UGH!!! Needless to say, it was hard to breath for a day or two, just thinking about what we were drawing into our lungs.

We are on our second round of tests now to confirm, but with numbers that high it is a foregone conclusion that we will have to have a mitigation system installed. We've already contacted a company and discussed options and have an estimate. The good news is that mitigation systems are very effective and fairly easy to install - most systems run usually in the $1000-$1500 dollar range. Bye bye tax return, but at least it will give us some peace of mind.

The moral of my story is: I encourage EVERYONE to take a few moments and have your home tested for radon, especially those here in Utah where our risk is higher than the national average.

For more information on radon, check out the Utah Department of Environmental Quality's Indoor Radon Program web page or read through some of the great info available at the EPA's radon awareness site. They have a wealth of information there, including handouts, guides, maps, and even videos (some from a Dr. Oz show from February 2011 discussing the dangers of radon in your home). The site will also give info on the many options for radon testing, specific state programs you can participate in, and a list of approved radon mitigation companies should you find yourself in need of one.

And for those in Utah: Order short-term radon test kits online for discount

Additional links:

EPA - Consumer's Guide to Radon Reduction
Utah Radon Risk Map
National Radon Risk Map

Which food storage company should I buy from?

2012-01-09T15:12:00.002-07:00

Just wanted to highlight this great little post by Crystal at EverydayFoodStorage.net. She is the master guru of all things food storage, and absolutely without-a-doubt knows her stuff. :)

The only time where going with the cheapest may not apply, is when you are buying the freeze-dried or dehydrated full MEALS (in cans or boxes) as those will differ slightly in taste and quality among the various companies, and so for those you'll definitely want to sample first and compare cost vs. quality.

Food Storage Recipe: Taco Chili

2012-01-08T18:01:00.003-07:00

[Photo from Better Homes & Gardens - see link below for recipe]

I saw this recipe last week and decided to try it out for dinner this evening. I was supposed to put it in the crock pot before we left for church, but I totally forgot. So we just made it on the stovetop when we got home and let it simmer for about 30 minutes - still turned out just fine!

I also opted to use some ground turkey instead of ground beef because, well: a) we had it, and b) we needed to use it. ;)

It wasn't anything super-wow, but my kids tolerated it better than usual, and it is a slight change to the straight meat and bean chilis. We served ours over Fritos and topped it with cheese - YUMMY!

It comes together VERY quickly, and uses lots of canned items from your pantry or food storage!

Better Homes & Gardens Taco Chili

For recipe clarification:

I didn't know there was such a thing as canned chili beans with chili gravy, but there are. You'll find them with the other canned beans - they are basically canned pinto beans in a sauce. I found some in the Western Family brand at Macey's here in Utah, but there were two or three other brands on the shelf as well. I'd never seen them before because I guess I had never looked...

Also, I'm not sure about the seasoned tomato sauce with diced tomatoes - that I couldn't find. So I used 1 15oz can of tomato sauce, and 1 15oz can of diced tomatoes as a substitute. Seemed to work just fine. And we used whole kernal corn instead of hominy.

Did you know...?

2012-01-07T10:45:00.003-07:00

...That your smoke detector has a limited lifespan?

I didn't.

According to the US Fire Administration (a division of FEMA), you should replace your smoke detector batteries at least once a year, but you should replace the ENTIRE UNIT every 8-10 years! [HOWEVER - some types of alarms will expire at 5-7 years, so make sure you read the specific manufacturer instructions for your model.]

Here is the US Fire Administration's page with helpful information on installing and caring for smoke alarms in your home.

You should also know the difference between an ionization alarm, and a photoelectric alarm, and which is best for your needs (or a dual-sensor alarm).

And while you're at it, if you don't have a carbon monoxide detector on each floor of your home, time to install those, too! We found some great plug-in units (with battery backup) at Costco that we've been using - no need to install on the ceiling, just find an empty outlet.

And I can't believe I haven't posted yet about radon and radon testing - shame on me!...My story coming soon!

Great article to keep things in perspective

2012-01-06T19:27:00.002-07:00

Really enjoyed this article at KSL.com - not necessarily written from a specific emergency preparedness perspective, but it totally applies!

Article - "Mommy Moments: What would you save if you home was about to be destroyed?"

Murray Cannery Welfare Assignment - Help Needed

2012-01-05T11:30:00.002-07:00

If you didn't get a chance to get in on the frozen berries previously, this is a great chance to do some service AND get your hands on some of the berries!

From the Murray Cannery:

We are in need of a few helpers with our welfare assignment.

Thursday January 19th
Tuesday January 31st
SIGNUPS WILL START ON MONDAY JANUARY 9TH @ 8:00AM
Shifts are 2 ½ hrs The hours are
7:00-9:30, 9:00am-11:30, 11:00am-1:30 and 1:00pm-3:30.
Please only sign up for one day!

Those that work will be able to purchase frozen fruit.
While Supplies Last (one box per person)
Frozen Blueberries 30lb box $65.00
Frozen Strawberries 30lb box $35.00
Frozen Peaches 40lb box $42.00
Frozen Raspberries 20lbs $35.00

1) Scroll down to find the SIGN-UP TABLE.
2) Click on the "SCHEDULE THIS SHIFT" box in the column for the TIME you want to work. Work times are indicated at the top of the column.
3) Enter the required information and click on the "CONFIRM THIS SHIFT" button.

TO SIGNUP YOU NEED THIS EMAIL [or this blog post, he he]. THE LINKS BELOW NEED TO BE
CLICKED ON TO BRING UP THE SIGNUP SHEET. IT WILL NOT WORK IF YOU
TRY TYPING THIS INTO THE ADDRESS BAR!

http://www2.mysignup.com/cgi-bin/view.cgi?datafile=help_with_welfare_jan_19
http://www2.mysignup.com/cgi-bin/view.cgi?datafile=help_with_welfare_jan_31

Happy New Year!!!

Traci Johnson
Murray Cannery
4373 So Main Street
Murray, Utah 84107
801-266-1460

[If the signup links above don't work for some reason, PLEASE post a comment so I'll know to fix them!]

What I'm Buying - Macey's 1/4

2012-01-04T17:44:00.003-07:00

While I was out today, I grabbed a few things at Macey's. Some were on my list, some were not. ;)

(4) Betty Crocker berry muffin mix, on sale .89
(6) Guittard mint chips, on sale 1.49
(8) Pillsbury reduced-fat crescent rolls, clearanced to .50
(6) Pillsbury crescent dough full sheets, clearanced to .50
(2) WF chili beans, on sale .59
(2) WF great northern beans, on sale .59 (I wanted more, but they were completely out)
(2) Don Julio tortillas, on sale .88
(6) frozen tilapia fillets, on sale 2.99/lb
(2) bunches bananas, on sale .50/lb
(4) cucumbers, on sale .44 ea
(2) 2lb strawberries, on sale 2.99
(1) mango, 1.29
(1) red onion, .37
(4) green bell peppers, on sale .44 ea
(1) red bell pepper, 1.69 (holy cow!)

I didn't use any coupons - there were probably some for the crescent rolls and the muffin mix, but they were unexpected finds and not planned in advance, so no coupons with me.

Total: $44.35

The tilapia, mango, onion and red bell pepper are for Grilled Tilapia with Mango Salsa and the crescent rolls will be used for Taco Pizza and Baked Apple Dumplings, among other things! :)

What I'm Buying - Reams 1/4

2012-01-04T17:30:00.003-07:00

Had a few things on my list for Ream's this week - usually with a list this small I would probably be lazy and just price-match at Walmart. But the produce at Walmart is almost always sub-par in my experience. So, I opted to go right to Ream's, since I also wanted to grab a few things at Macey's, which is (relatively) close by.

I apparently was hungry when I went, because I ended up with a few things that weren't on my original list... ;)

(2) Reese's pb cups 18oz size, reduced to 3.50
(2) Hershey's chocolates large bags, reduced to 3.50
(1) Nestle Crunch minis, reduced to 2.50
(12) Hunt's SnackPak puddings, on sale .98 (.87 ea after coupon)
(2) WF real mayonnaise 30oz, 2.89 (we were totally out)
(6) Marie Calendar's croutons, on sale .99
(3) green leaf lettuce, on sale .79 ea
roma tomatoes, on sale .78/lb
large braeburn apples, on sale .99/lb

I used (4) .45/3 coupons for the puddings [see SS-1/1].

Total: $48.82

Don't know what possessed me to grab the candy, especially since I can't eat it with my gestational diabetes...but I do plan to vacuum seal it and put it in food storage to be used throughout the year for deserts for classes, parties, etc.

What I'm Buying - Smith's 1/4

2012-01-04T07:43:00.004-07:00

Smith's has a P&G sale this week - Buy 4 items, save $4. And there are some good coupons to match up with the sale! Some of the best deals were ones that I didn't even pick up, because I didn't need those items, so make sure you check out the whole list so you don't miss out. Some highlights that I didn't pick up in my trip:

Old Spice deodorant, .49 after promo and coupon
Secret deodorant, .49 after promo and coupon
Old Spice body wash, .49 after promo and coupon**
(This one isn't on the Utah PYP list, but I believe it is on sale for 3.49ish, making it 2.49ish after promo, and then paired with the 2.00/1 coupon from P&G-1/1, it'll be .49ish.)

Here's what I picked up this morning:

(4) Bounty paper towels 8ct, on sale 6.99 (5.99 after promo, 4.99 after coupon)
(1) Downy fabric softener, on sale 4.99 (3.99 after promo, 2.99 after coupon)
(5) Tide laundry detergent, on sale 5.99 (4.99 after promo, 2.99 after coupon)
(2) Bounce dryer sheets, on sale 4.99 (3.99 after promo, 2.99 after coupon)
(2) Charmin Freshmates, on sale 2.79 (1.79 after promo, .79 after coupon)
(2) Duracell AA batteries 4ct, on sale 3.99 (2.99 after promo, 1.49 after coupon)
(3) Tide Stain Release pacs 18ct, on sale 5.99 (4.99 after promo, 2.99 after coupon)
(1) Tide Stain Release liquid 36oz, on sale 5.99 (4.99 after promo, 2.99 after coupon)

I used (3) 1.00/1 coupons for the paper towels [from the packaging of a previous purchase], (1) 1.00/1 e-coupon for the paper towels [see Smith's website], (1) 1.00/1 e-coupon for the fabric softener [see Smith's website], (1) 2.00/1 e-coupon for the detergent [see Smith's website], (4) 2.00/1 coupons for the detergent [see P&G-1/1], (2) 1.00/1 coupons for the dryer sheets [from the packaging of a previous purchase], (2) 1.00/1 coupons for the moist wipes [from the packaging of a previous purchase], (2) 1.50/1 coupons for the batteries [see RP-12/11], and (4) 2.00/1 coupons for the stain release [see P&G-1/1].

Total: $66.59

P&G Sale at Smith's/Kroger

2012-01-03T15:16:00.003-07:00

Hold on to your coupons folks - it's a P&G Mega Event at Smith's this week! Time to stock up on deodorant and laundry detergent! :) It will be a Buy 4 items, Save $4 deal - so far it's looking like Old Spice and Secret deodorant will be .99 after the promo (.49 ea after coupons from last Sunday's P&G insert) and Tide (smaller size) will be 4.99 after promo (2.99 after coupon from last Sunday's P&G insert)!

The UT Smith's sale list and coupon matchup from PYP IS UP!!

A good reminder...

2012-01-02T14:59:00.005-07:00

This story illustrates exactly why you really need to have a rescue tool (window hammer/seatbelt cutter) in each of your cars...it could literally save lives!

The father in this situation was unable to open the car doors to get to his kids and couldn't release seatbelts to free them from the car. Thankfully passers-by were able to help, and with a gun (to break a side window) and knife (to cut seatbelts) they were able to free the children.

Story at Yahoo.com

The tools are $10-$20, sometimes less - TOTALLY worth it! Here's more information:

Car Rescue Tool Info

Remember - if you need to break a window, ALWAYS go for the SIDE windows!

Fun Clearance Finds!

2011-12-26T11:57:00.010-07:00

I avoid Black Friday like the plague...But the day after Christmas is one of my favorite times to shop. I love the after-Christmas clearance deals! In fact, the week after Christmas and the first week or two of January are AWESOME for all kinds of clearance deals on all kinds of things - clothes, coats, gifts, health & beauty stuff, holiday decor, toys, etc.

And every year is a little bit different - I never know what I'll find. There are some deals that come around pretty much every year, and then there are others that just sorta pop up out of nowhere. Here are some of the fun finds I got this morning at Walmart and Target.

Walmart

Ziploc storage and freezer bags, Holiday Limited Edition
Normal price: 2.88
Clearance price: 1.13 (these were not marked as clearance on the shelf, but did ring up on clearance price)
Use Ziploc Bags, any $1/2 (1-14-12) SS-12/4
or Ziploc products, any $1.50/2 (2-20-12) SS-11/20
Final price after coupon: .63 each (less if you use the SS-11/20 coupon)

Gillette Fusion ProGlide gift set + Gillette Fusion ProGlide Power 4pk cartridges
Normal price: 10.00 for gift set, 17.47 for cartridges
Clearance price: 5.00 for gift set
Use Gillette Fusion ProGlide Cartridge 4 ct. or larger, Buy 1 Get $5.00/1 Gillette Fusion ProGlide Razor (12-31-11) PG-11/27
Final price after coupon: FREE for gift set

I needed to buy the razor blades anyway, so I waited until after Christmas when I knew these gift sets would be half off and then used the coupon to get them free with my blade purchase. Not a stellar deal on the blades, but at least I got free stuff with it!

There is also a second Gillette Fusion ProGlide gift set that has a full-size deodorant and a thermal face scrub included, normally 15.00 and now clearanced to 7.50 - use the same scenario above and get the gift set (scrub, razor, body wash and deodorant) for 2.50 with purchase of blades.

I also got a few toys and stocking-stuffer kinds of things for the kids with all their holiday sets and certain toys on 50% off!

Target

Pillsbury Holiday Funfetti cake mix, clearanced to .84

Kellogg's PopTarts Holiday Gingerbread, clearanced to 1.07

Betty Crocker Snickerdoodle cookie mix, clearanced to .86
Use Betty Crocker Cookie Mix, any flavor 17.5 oz. or larger pouch .40/1 (12-31-11) SS-11/6 or SS-11/13 or SS-12/11
Final price after coupon: .40 ea

Oreo Cookies Winter Red edition, clearanced to 1.49

Nivea For Men gift set, clearanced to 4.99

There are lots of other deals out there besides just these, including Reynolds wrap (holiday design), hand soaps, Betty Crocker cake mixes, paper plates and cups, and other holiday-themed grocery items. And the Target I went to this morning had quite a bit of toys already marked to 30% off, with a few of the store brand items already at 50% off!

Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix from Food Storage

2011-12-22T10:46:00.003-07:00

I saw this recipe on Mel's Kitchen Cafe yesterday, and just HAD to try it since we ran out of the Stephen's stuff this week.

I loved that all the ingredients were already on-hand from my food storage. Because of all the dairy, I unfortunately cannot touch the stuff, but my husband had some and said it was good - very creamy. He likes his a little sweeter, so next batch I think I'll add just a bit more white chocolate chips and maybe another half cup or so of powdered sugar.

HOWEVER, I did have a question as to which form of "powdered" milk she used - the nonfat dry stuff (like you can get at the LDS canneries), or the "instant" kind (like Carnation) that you can pick up at the store. I used the nonfat dry stuff from the cannery, and it turned out fine (because at the time it wasn't clear which she used). BUT, in reading some comment responses on her blog post this morning, she says she used the instant kind, which probably accounts for the difference in sweetness.

So, if you want to use your nonfat dry stuff (good way to rotate it), you may want to up the sweetness just a little. Maybe I'll make up a batch with the instant stuff and have the hubs do a side-by-side comparison...

And because of the difference between the nonfat dry and the instant (one is approximately twice as "concentrated" as the other), if you use the nonfat dry, you can probably get away with making this up with water instead of milk. Will have to try that tonight.

Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix recipe

Oh, and if you've never visisted Mel's Kitchen Cafe, I highly recommend it - I get some of the greatest recipes from her site and not a single one has let me down yet!

More Ideas on Food Storage Gifts

2011-12-21T15:13:00.001-07:00

Great article at KSL.com on Food Storage Gifts That Make A Difference.

What I'm Buying - Walmart 12/19

2011-12-20T10:09:00.004-07:00

Ended up doing more price matching at Walmart yesterday - short on time and could't get to several different grocery stores this week, so I opted to get the deals at Walmart. Which, in my previous area, would have been unthinkable as my local Walmart was NOT coupon-friendly or price-match friendly. But the Walmart here in our new area has got to be one of the BEST for price-matching! My cashier even gave me some price-matches that I didn't even know about - SCORE!!!

Here's what I picked up:

(2) bags red seedless grapes, price matched to .79/lb (as told by cashier)
(3) Jack Link's beef jerky, 3.92
(1) Great Value soft taco tortillas, on sale .88
(2) Great Value white bread, 1.00
(2) green leaf lettuce, 1.48
(1) bag Snickers fun size bars, price matched to 2.00 (as told by cashier - for a school project - 1.50 after coupon)
(1) bag Milky Way fun size bars, price matched to 2.00 (as told by cashier - got a second bag so I could use coupon - 1.50 after coupon)
(2) Trop50 orange juice, 2.98
(8) Pillsbury cake mixes, price matched to .89 (Fresh Market)
(14) cans Dole pineapple, price matched to .89 (Macey's - .64 after coupon)
(4) Diet Sierra Mist 2-liters, price matched to .79 (as told by cashier - or .99 at Fresh Market)
(2) Jelly Belly candy canes boxes, 2.00 (for preschool class party)
(2) Duct packaging tape, 1.00 (free after coupon)
(4) Diet Sierra Mist 12-pk, price matched to 2.50 (Smith's)
(2) Great Value whole milk, price matched to 1.39 (as told by cashier)
(15) Great Value frozen veggies 16oz, price matched to .65 (Macey's, Fresh Market)

I used (7) .50/2 coupons for the pineapple [see SS-11/6], (2) 1.00/1 printable coupons for the tape [can't find where I got them from], and (1) 1.00/2 coupon for the chocolate bars [see RP-12/4].

Total: $75.36

What I'm Buying - Smith's 12/19

2011-12-20T10:00:00.004-07:00

Had a few things to pick up at Smith's yesterday. Not a huge savings though.

(2) Cottonelle Clean bath tissue 12 double pack, on sale 6.49 (5.74 after coupon)
(1) chuck roast super saver pack, 2.99/lb
(4) Diet Sierra Mist 12pk, on sale 4 for $10
(2) 3lb Cuties, on sale 3.99 (3.64 after coupon)
(2) green leaf lettuce, 1.29
(1) shredded carrots, 1.39
(2) Oscar Mayer chicken, clearanced to 2.99

I used (2) .75/1 printable coupons for the bath tissue [can't remember where I got them from now] and (2) .35/1 coupons for the Clementines [see SS-12/4].

If you need Cuties, and have a SuperTarget around, go there for a better deal - they have the 5lb box for 4.99 this week, plus there is a .55/1 coupon, so 4.44 total - much better deal that Smith's!

Total: $54.21

What I'm Buying - Target 12/19

2011-12-20T09:50:00.003-07:00

Quick trip to Target yesterday to grab some deals on turkey and ham. And some toddler sippy cups!

Here's what I got:

(2) Market Pantry frozen turkey breast, on sale .99/lb
(1) Archer Farms spiral-sliced honey ham, on sale 1.89/lb
(1) 5lb box Clementines, on sale 4.99
(1) Scrabble card game, on sale 3.99
(1) 2-pk Playtex no-spill cups, 7.49 (reg price)
(1) 1-pk Playtex no-spill cup, 2.49 (buy 1 get 1 50% off)

There is a coupon for the Clementines, but I didn't have it with me (wasn't expecting to find them on sale).

I used (2) 2.00/1 printable Target store coupons for the cups [see coupons at Target.com], and (2) 2.00/1 printable manufacturer coupons for the cups [register at Playtex.com]. Made it 1.98 for all three, or .66 per cup!

You could also get two of the single packs, and pay about .34 per cup (use only one store coupon though).

Total: $46.49

What I'm Buying - Walmart 12/7

2011-12-10T19:44:00.003-07:00

Sometimes I get great deals at the grocery store, sometimes I don't. This was one of those off weeks. But there weren't really any great sales at any other stores, either, so I did the best I could. Here's what I picked up:

(2) Great Value vanilla wafer cookies, 1.78 ea
(3) Great Value graham crackers, 1.64 ea
(2) bags red seedless grapes, 1.28/lb
(1) Hormal spiral sliced ham, 16.57
(2) Great Value tortillas, 1.48 ea
(1) honey ham lunch meat, 6.48
(1) turkey lunch meat, 3.98
(1) roll storage tape, 3.24
(1) gallon whole milk, 2.38
(1) summer sausage link, 4.98
(3) fall cookie/cake sprinkles, clearanced to 1.00 ea
(2) bunches bananas, .52/lb
(2) Kikkoman panko bread crumbs, 1.58 ea (free after coupon)
(1) Diet A&W rootbear 20oz, 1.48 (not pictured 'cuz I drank it on the way home)
(1) 2lb bag baby peeled carrots, price matched to 1.98
(12) roma tomatoes, price matched to .88/lb
(2) heads green leaf lettuce, price matched to .88 ea
(2) green onions, price matched to .39 ea
(8) limes, price matched to .10 ea
(2) dozen eggs, price matched to 1.25 ea
(9) Scotch single roll Magic tape, price matched to .69 (.36 after coupon)

I used (2) 3.00/1 printable coupons for the panko breadcrumbs (no longer available), and (3) 1.00/3 coupons for the Magic tape [see SS-8/7].

Total: $80.04

Not great, but not too bad considering there is a ham in there and quite a few items not on sale and without coupons. I'm having a hard time adjusting to this hopefully temporary diabetic diet, and finding that I am totally addicted to carbs! If I don't have handy sources of protein around, I tend to eat heavier on the carb side and mess up my blood sugar, so the lunch meat, ham, eggs and summer sausage are attempts at having some easy proteins around for lunches and snacks. I'm still struggling with the eating 6 times a day though - I can barely fit in 3 or 4 meals/snacks, let alone 6!

What I'm Buying - Target 12/7

2011-12-08T17:13:00.003-07:00

Just a quick trip to pick up two items at Target today (which then turned into 5 items...you know how that goes):

The baby gift sets were ringing up at 4.49, down from 9.99. They are not marked that way on the shelf, but I took them over to the scanner just to double-check, and sure enough, 4.49! There are 4 different ones - Johnson's Baby regular, Johnson's Baby Bedtime Bath and the two Aveeno sets in the picture.

There was a 3.00/1 printable coupon good for any Johnson & Johnson Baby gift set, but they were out about 2 minutes after I printed mine. But there is a 2.00/2 printable coupon good for Johnson's Bedtime Bath items available here at the Johnsons Baby site (you'll need to register). NOTE: If you want to use this coupon, you'll need to buy TWO (2) Bedtime sets - each set counts as one single item.

But even if you don't use the coupon, I think 4.49 is still a fabulous deal for these! Makes it about 1.50 per item.

I also picked up some of the new Triaminic Fever Reducer - there is a great stack of store coupon and manufacturer coupon available.

Use: 1.00/1 Triaminic children's medicine, Target web coupon
Also use: Triaminic Fever Reducer Pain Reliever product, any $3/1 (2-15-12) SS-12/4
Final: 1.04 + tax

So my whole shopping trip was:

(1) Johnson & Johnson Baby Bedtime Bath gift set, on sale 4.49 (1.49 after coupon)
(2) Aveeno Baby gift sets, on sale 4.49
(2) Triaminic Fever Reducer, 5.04 regular price (1.04 after coupons)

Total after coupons: $14.03

Posts coming ... I hope

2011-12-08T17:10:00.003-07:00

Sorry folks - I have been absolutely slammed at work the last few days and haven't had a chance to write up any posts. I did find two great deals at Target yesterday, and I promise I will post them as quickly as I can.

Food Storage for Christmas!

2011-12-02T12:56:00.003-07:00

There is a great article in today's Deseret News about food storage gifts for Christmas! Check it out HERE.

More Gluten-Free Recipe Ideas

2011-12-01T15:46:00.002-07:00

I ran across another great blog the other day when I was looking for inspiration on making holiday pillow covers. (Long story, but we did the Christmas tree in blues this year, and the pillows on the couches in that room are a burnt red and just clash like crazy with the tree, and so I figured I could sew a few simple pillow covers with some blue fabric.) I headed to the site for crafty inspiration, but then noticed that there were a few gluten-free recipes - things like pumpkin pie and pumpkin bread!

So, for those of you on gluten-restricted diets, check it out at:

Design, Dining and Diapers

I'm always watching out for my gluten-free peeps out there!

Now, if I could just find a recipe for pumpkin bread that fits in, in large quantities, in a diabetic diet, because I can never eat just one piece... ;)

Food Storage Recipe: Ham Fried Rice

2011-11-29T17:50:00.003-07:00

I sometimes get asked how I incorporate food storage into regular everyday life. My answer is anything but earth-shattering: I just use it in my regular meals.

My other secret is that I store stuff that we use and will eat. :) If we don't generally eat it in our day-to-day meals, I don't store it, or I don't store much of it. The only exception to that being powdered nonfat dry milk - we don't drink it as our regular "milk" because well, as everyone knows, it's not the tastiest stuff around. But it is absolutely essential for long-term food storage. And I do use it in many recipes calling for milk, so it does get rotated. (Did you know that the famous Lion House Rolls recipe calls for the stuff? Great way to use powdered milk and rotate it - make lots of awesome Lion House rolls!)

When I say "food storage", I also include the stuff in my freezer. Sure, it isn't long-term storage that will last for 30 years, but it counts as your 3-month short-term stuff.

Two weeks ago I found a great deal on spiral-sliced honey half ham, and picked one up so we could have some in our freezer. It was already fully cooked, so all we had to do was dice it into smaller pieces and then vacuum-sealed it food saver bags with about 2 cups of ham in each.

I pulled one of those bags of ham out for tonight's dinner: Ham Fried Rice.

However, you'll have to forgive me - we were hungry and it was all gone before I even thought to take a picture!

Ham Fried Rice

1/4 cup butter
1 cup cooked and chopped ham (you can also use shrimp, pork, chicken or other meat)
1 med onion, finely chopped (2 Tbsp dried minced onions)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
3 Tbsp soy sauce
4 cups cooked rice
1 cup mixed peas and carrots (can use frozen or canned)
2 eggs, beaten

Melt butter in skillet and add chopped ham and minced onions. Sautee for about 3 minutes. Add rice, salt, pepper, soy sauce and vegetables. Mix thoroughly. Stir in beaten eggs and cook another 5 minutes, until the mixture starts to "dry" or you see the eggs are thoroughly cooked.

One of these times I'll even try it using my reconstituted powdered eggs to see how it affects the taste.

This is absolutely something you could make completely from basic storage ingredients, and you'd never know you were eating food storage! It is fast, easy and delicious!

What I'm Buying - Target 11/28

2011-11-28T17:12:00.005-07:00

More diaper deals at Target this week. Buy 3 boxes of the participating brands (Huggies or Pampers) and get a $10 Target gift card.

I also lucked out and found some Target store coupons to stack with some manufacturer coupons, for a total of almost 50% off the diapers!

Each store varies just a little in how they accept the store coupons - mine accepts two of the same Target coupon. Because I actually had two different types of Target store coupons, I was able to do two sets of three by buying 2 of one kind and 1 of another in each transaction.

Here's how I did it:

Transaction 1

(2) "boxes" Huggies Little Movers SlipOn diapers, on sale 19.79 (14.79 after coupons)
(1) box Huggies Snug & Dry diapers, on sale 19.79 (15.79 after coupons)

I used (2) 3.00/1 coupons for the SlipOn diapers (see single-page Walmart Huggies ad with coupons in 11/27 newspaper), (1) 2.00/1 coupon for the Snug&Dry diapers (see single-page Walmart Huggies ad with coupons in the newspaper a few weeks ago), (2) 2.00/1 Target store coupon for the SlipOn diapers (see LINK HERE), and (1) 2.00/1 Target store coupon for any Huggies 48+ count pkg (see coupons at Target.com).

I also used a Catalina coupon from my trip last week, good for $5 off a $50 Target in-store purchase.

Total: $43.00 + $10 gift card

Transaction 2

(1) Huggies Snug&Dry diapers, on sale 19.79 (15.79 after coupons)
(1) Huggies Little Snugglers diapers, on sale 19.79 (15.79 after coupons)
(1) Huggies Little Movers SlipOn diapers, on sale 19.79 (14.79 after coupons)

I used (1) 3.00/1 coupon for the SlipOn diapers (see single-page Walmart Huggies ad with coupons in 11/27 newspaper), (1) 2.00/1 coupon for the Snug&Dry diapers (see single-page Walmart Huggies ad with coupons in the newspaper a few weeks ago), (1) 2.00/1 coupon for the Little Snugglers (from a product mailer), (1) 2.00/1 Target store coupon for the SlipOn diapers (see LINK HERE), and (2) 2.00/1 Target store coupon for any Huggies 48+ count pkg (see coupons at Target.com).

I also used the $10 gift card from the first transaction.

Total: $39.34 + $10 gift card

Factoring in the final gift card, the net total was $72.34 for 6 boxes of diapers, making them $12.06 each!

[In order to have enough store coupons for two of these transactions, you'll need to have two computers, to print two of each store coupon, for a total of 4 each.]

Thank goodness for my blanket!

2011-11-28T07:00:00.000-07:00

It takes a lot of work and dedication to be prepared. You learn a lot, that's for sure. But sometimes the most surprising things you learn are when your preparations get used to help in non-emergency situations. You just never know when this stuff will come in handy - but boy are you glad when it does!

Two weeks ago, at 28wks into my third pregnancy, I did the standard glucose tolerance test to check for gestational diabetes. It was never an issue in my previous two pregnancies, so I didn't think much of it this time around - that is, until the nurse called to tell me that I had failed the test. They wanted further testing and so I had to go in for a 3-hr fasting glucose tolerance test, which I then scheduled for the next day, first thing in the morning.

For those who haven't had the pleasure of a glucose tolerance test, they make you drink a really sweet orange-soda type stuff that is a measured dose of pure glucose. It's like orange soda but without the fizz. You'll hear people complain all the time about the stuff, about how nasty it is, and it makes them sick to their stomach, etc. Honestly, the first two times I did the test, the drink didn't bother me, and I wondered what all the hype was about.

But this time - wow, that stuff knocked me for a loop. I was sick for most of the rest of the day after the preliminary (1-hr) test, and that was when I was allowed to eat food with it. It was much worse for the fasting 3hr test when I had to drink twice as much on an empty stomach. I drank the stuff, and within about 20 minutes started to feel sick. Only thing is, you can't leave the hospital. You have to stay there for the next three hours so they can draw blood every hour to test your blood sugar levels. I thought maybe they would have a little area with curtained-off chairs or something for those who had to stay around for this test...but no. Just the regular waiting room. And let me tell you, the chairs there are some of the most uncomfortable I have ever had the misfortune of "waiting" in.

I did the test first thing in the morning, and I was tired. Then I was sick and tired. Then I was sick, nauseated and tired - and bored. Even though I had brought stuff with me to do, I couldn't concentrate because I felt so miserable. There wasn't anywhere to lie down, and I was having a hard time staying awake. After the first hour blood draw, I just couldn't bear to sit for another hour in the waiting room. So, I thought maybe I would go sit in my car - it would at least be a bit more private and maybe I could lay the seat back and doze for a little bit in between draws.

Only, I have this thing about car seats and headrests...they just don't work for me. You know that annoying thing where you start to fall asleep but your head keeps flopping forward, or backward, or you just can't get comfy because there is no neck support? Yup, that's me. No matter how far I laid the seat back, there was no hope. And let me tell you, by this point in time, I was so nauseated and tired, I was absolutely miserable. But then I remembered that I had my emergency car kit in the back, and inside was a little $3 fleece blanket from Ikea, and some water bottles! Thank goodness for little miracles!!! I was able to use my jacket over me to keep warm (it was really cold that morning), the fleece blanket rolled up behind my neck and then covering the headrest to make it more comfy, and the water to help with the nausea. Worked like a charm because the next thing I knew, it was 30 minutes later and my alarm was going off to tell me it was time to go back inside for another draw. Rarely have I ever been so grateful for a blanket! :)

I know it may seem like a silly little story, but I really can't even count the number of times that I have used the stuff in my emergency car kit for things that weren't exactly what I thought of as emergencies, but I was certainly very glad that I had them with me!!! I've used the water bottles so many times, and the medicine and bandaids in the first aid kit, and now add the blanket to the list. You just never know when this stuff will come in handy!

Food Storage Inventory, Part 1

2011-11-27T16:39:00.003-07:00

So, my big project for the last two weeks or so has been working on getting my food storage inventoried so I actually know what I have! I've gotten very lazy about it lately, and we haven't been good about putting stuff away (we've just kinda let it pile up on the floor) so I've ended up buying more of stuff than I needed thinking that I didn't have any when I really did.

It's not as easy of a task as you might think. After the massive home canning project, we had to find someplace to fit all 100+ cans, which led to us having to shuffle stuff on shelves to make room, which led to "Well, we're moving stuff around so we might as well be counting it while we're at it", which then led to "Hey, do we REALLY need 24 cans of cranberry sauce?" and thinking about how much stuff we really need or WANT to store for our year's supply...

So we've been going shelf by shelf, making room, rearranging, counting, tallying, and then deciding how much of each item we want and/or need (or both) to store vs. how much room do we have. We have all of the food inventoried, and are now working our way through giving everything a permanent home. So far we've finished three of the six shelving units.

But this has brought up an additional question for us: How do we best keep track of all this? Since we are trying to incorporate food storage items into everyday meals, it means that we are pulling things from food storage on a fairly regular basis, and we need to keep an accurate count of what we are adding and subtracting.

Right now it is written across about 8 or 9 pages in a notebook, with tally marks next to each item. And for the short terms I'm considering making a clipboard for each shelf unit, and a list of what is on that unit, with the current total and the max total for each item, and then hanging the clipboard on the side of each so we can mark down when we add or take something. But that still means that I'd have to go down and review six different lists periodically to see what was needed. I could put all the info together in an Excel spreadsheet and track it that way so it's all in one file, but then everything we use something we'd need to log in to the computer, open the file, and mark it down. And realistically that just probably isn't going to happen on a consistent basis.

So today I was browsing to see if perhaps there were any apps for my phone that might work. I've found one that looks promising - I'll be testing it out this week and let you know what I think.

In the meantime, how do YOU keep track of your food storage or pantry inventory? Any suggestions you can share? What has worked for you? What hasn't worked? Tell me, tell me, tell me!

What I'm Buying - Walmart 11/21

2011-11-22T13:32:00.004-07:00

I had a few more things on my list for the big Thanksgiving meal and some other deals I wanted to get, so I figured it was best to just price match at Walmart rather than run to several different stores for the best prices. My local Walmart is AWESOME about price-matching! They make it so easy, and I've even had cashiers tell me of a price match that I didn't even know about. [I've shopped at other locations that are definitely not price-match friendly, so this has been a nice change for me.]

I also did this as a bit of a test - a great girl just up the road a ways from me runs a grocery site called "Deals to Meals" where she posts lists of all the grocery ads each week, ranks the best prices, and provides a 1-2 week dinner meal plan based on what's on sale that week. She even gives a grocery list that has the lowest price for each item and where to find it that week (or to price match at Walmart). She doesn't use coupons, but is still able to save a lot of money. So it's a great alternative for anyone who just doesn't want to hassle with coupons. I was able to get her 2-week Thanksgiving meal plan/grocery list and thought I would try it out. [Her service is normally $4.95/month.]

Here's what I picked up:

(2) lemons, price matched to .33 at Sunflower Market
(4) limes, price matched to .06 ea at Rancho Market
(1) cream of celery soup, price matched to .59 at Smith's
(10) roma tomatoes, price matched to .33/lb at Rancho Market
(3) green bell peppers, .58 ea (normal Walmart price)
(2) cilantro, price matched to .20 ea at Rancho Market
(12) tomatillos, price matched to .33/lb at Rancho Market
(2) 10lb bags russet potatoes, price matched to .13/lb at Fresh Market (Walmart did not carry the 15lb bags that Fresh Market has on sale, so they matched the per pound price - see, I told you these guys make it easy!)
(12) sweet potatoes, price matched to .39/lb at Reams
(6) yellow onions, price matched to .17/lb at Rancho Market
(1) pkg flour tortillas, 1.48 (normal Walmart price)
(1) bunch bananas, .52/lb (normal Walmart price)
(2) bags red seedless grapes, 1.18/lb (normal Walmart price)
(2) 18ct granola bars, 2.98 (normal Walmart price)
(1) sriracha hot sauce, 2.67 (normal Walmart price)
(1) wonton wrappers, 1.94 (normal Walmart price)
(1) GV white bread, 1.00 (normal Walmart price)
(1) loaf french bread, .98 (normal Walmart price)
(4) Meadow Gold whipping cream 8oz, price matched to .59 at Macey's
(2) GV whipped topping, price matched to .59 at Macey's
(1) Jiffy corn muffin mix, price matched to .50 at Ridley's
(2) refrig crescent rolls, price matched to .99 at Sunflower Market
(1) 2lb bag baby carrots, price matched to 1.98 at Fresh Market
(8) GV 1lb butter, price matched to 1.95 at Ridley's

I didn't use any coupons - just the price matching.

Total: $58.06

For me that is a very good total, especially not using coupons! This was all of the stuff for 2 weeks worth of dinners, except for Thanksgiving Day (had already bought that stuff earlier at Smith's) and except for the stuff I already had on hand and didn't need to buy.

That's such a far cry from my Walmart trip this same time 3 years ago, before I started couponing... ;)

I'm not endorsing the Deals to Meals site, nor being compensated, but just offering it as a possible alternative to coupons. If you'd like to check out her site, go HERE.

What I'm Buying - SuperTarget 11/21

2011-11-22T13:05:00.005-07:00

Target has a great sale going on this week for diapers - buy 3 participating packages and get a $5 gift card. Plus there are some great coupons that can be used with this. I split up my transactions so I could use the gift cards from the diapers to pay for some of my more expensive stuff.

Transaction #1:

(8) packages Huggies diapers, on sale 8.99 (6.99 after coupon)
(1) package Huggies Pure & Natural diapers, on sale 8.99 (5.99 after coupon)

I used (7) 2.00/1 coupons for the regular diapers [see SS-11/20], (1) 1.00/1 coupon for the regular diapers [see SS-11/20], and (1) 3.00/1 coupon for the Pure & Natural diapers [from a product mailer].

Total: $61.42 + $15 in gift cards

If any of you go to do this deal this week, be VERY, very careful to check your receipt after purchase and count the number of coupons it takes off. I watched the cashier scan all of my 9 coupons, and each one was accepted, but when I finished checking out, it was higher than I thought. I paid and then moved out of the line to check my receipt, and sure enough, only 5 of the 9 coupons had credited to my purchase. This is quite common on the gift card deals because of the way the register does the receipt - it bundles the items into groups of 2 or 3 and then adds in the gift card promo, so sometimes it skips the second coupon being applied to that particular grouping and only counts one, since it's only one line item on the receipt. If this happens, you'll need to go to Customer Service and explain that not all of your coupons were credited to you, and tell them what register you were on because they will have to go and pull the actual coupons.

Transaction #2:

(1) bunch kale, on sale .99
(1) Market Pantry frozen turkey breast, on sale .99/lb
(1) Archer Farms spiral-sliced honey half ham, on sale 1.89/lb

No coupons used, but I did use the three $5 gift cards from the diapers.

Total: $13.76

Murray Cannery - Frozen Raspberries, Peaches, Strawberries and Leftover Blueberries!

2011-11-22T12:56:00.003-07:00

From the Murray Cannery:

We will be selling frozen raspberries, peaches and strawberries! And leftover blueberries.

Tuesday December 6th
Wednesday December 7th

Please only sign up for one day for Raspberries. Please note because you are signed up for raspberries you are not automatically signed up for peaches and/or strawberries. You will also need to sign up for the peaches and strawberries on the link provided.

You must be signed up to purchase! If you want raspberries, peaches and strawberries. The peaches and strawberries are on a Separate link than the raspberries.

Signing ups will start on Monday November 28th @ 8:00 a.m.

If you do not get signed up please keep returning often to the links below to check for cancellations.

Raspberries -20lbs/case - $35.00 per case (2 Case limit per person)
Peaches – 40lbs/case - $42.00 per case (1 case limit per person)
Strawberries – 30lbs/case $35.00 per case (1 case limit per person)

In the past you were able to repackage the frozen fruit at the cannery. As part of a new policy you will not be able to repackage them here at the cannery. If you want to repackage them you will need to take them home and put them in your own bags.

TO SIGNUP YOU NEED THIS EMAIL. THE LINKS BELOW NEED TO BE CLICKED ON TO BRING UP THE SIGNUP SHEET. IT WILL NOT WORK IF YOU TRY TYPING THIS INTO THE ADDRESS BAR!

Click on the links below to see the signup heet and to sign up:

http://www1.mysignup.com/cgi-bin/view.cgi?datafile=raspberries_dec_6

http://www1.mysignup.com/cgi-bin/view.cgi?datafile=raspberries_dec_7

http://www1.mysignup.com/cgi-bin/view.cgi?datafile=strawberries_peaches

Please feel free to call or email with any question you may have!
801-266-1460
wel-ca-murray-wetpack@ldschurch.org

Traci Johnson
Murray Cannery
4373 So Main Street
Murray, Utah 84107
801-266-1460

What I'm Buying - Smith's 11/18

2011-11-19T17:21:00.004-07:00

Apparently Friday is a busy day at my Smith's - it was PACKED! At 1pm even! Good thing I didn't have a lot on my list.

Here's what I picked up:

(4) CocaCola product 12packs, on sale 4 for $10 (PLUS you save additional $3 off turkey)
(3) Ritz crackers, on sale 2.00 (1.50 after coupon, but coupon wouldn't print for me)
(2) green leaf lettuce, 1.09
(1) Mountain Dairy whole milk, on sale 2.48
(2) dozen eggs, on sale 1.25 (.98 ea after coupon)
(1) bunch bananas, .55/lb
(1) Kroger whipped topping, on sale .89 (FREE after coupon)
(1) 21lb Private Selection frozen turkey, $10 with $35 purchase ($7 after CocaCola discount)
(2) sprigs Rosemary, 1.99 ea
(1) bunch sage, 1.99
(2) Johnsonville Italian sausage 1lb, 3.99
(2) Hebrew National beef franks, clearanced to 2.49

I used (1) Catalina coupon for the free Kroger whipped topping [from a previous shopping trip], and (1) .55/2 printable coupon for the eggs [from a Facebook promo].

I also used $11 in Catalina coupons from last week's purchases (diapers and Kleenex).

Total: $40.64

I have one more trip to make before Thanksgiving, and I'm planning on doing it at Walmart so I can price match a few things.

If you're in Utah, and you're wondering what the best prices are for turkey or for common Thanksgiving meal items, check out the price comparison lists at PYP - for Thanksgiving Turkey Deals 2011 or for the Thanksgiving Meal Item Deals 2011.

How do you cook your Thanksgiving turkey?

2011-11-13T17:10:00.004-07:00

I've tried a couple different methods for cooking turkeys, and have been fairly successful with most of them.

But so far nothing has compared to brining my Thanksgiving turkey. Sure, it takes a bit more work and planning, but trust me - it's totally worth it! Plus, with Alton Brown's method (see below) I get a beautiful brown crispy skin on my turkey (which I never got before, even when using the oven bags).

Here's the recipe I use:

Good Eats Roast Turkey

Can 3,449 reviewers be wrong? ;)

New Prices at the Home Storage Centers (Canneries)

2011-11-12T13:53:00.004-07:00

The LDS Home Storage Centers (dry-pack canneries) have released an updated price sheet, effective November 1, 2011.

I have updated the link on the left under "More Information" to take you to the new sheet. However, I just realized there was a price change today, so I haven't had a chance to compare any of the prices to see what went up or down. I'll try to have that info for you later this afternoon or tomorrow.

UPDATE: Looks like there were very few price changes - most everything stayed the same from April. White beans in the #10 and regular oats in the 25# bag both went up slightly. Sugar and white rice, both in the 25lb bag and in the #10s, went down.

Homemade Peanut Butter

2011-11-11T16:19:00.003-07:00

Here's what you'll need:

15-16oz shelled and skinned roasted peanuts (about 3 cups)
1 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 - 2 teaspoon honey
1 1/2 tablespoons peanut oil

Put your peanuts, honey and salt into a food processor (in my case I used my BlendTec). Process for 1-2 minutes to chop up all the nuts into small pieces. Scrape the sides of the bowl and get all of the mixture back down to the center bottom. Continue to process and slowly drizzle the peanut oil into the mixture. Let it process until it becomes smooth. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.

[For a BlendTec - run the peanuts, honey and salt on one cycle at Speed 1. Scrape down sides, then process for one full cycle on Speed 5. Scrape down again and continue running cycles on Speed 5 until you get the right consistency and the peanut butter starts to move freely with the blades. It took me about 4-5 cycles on Speed 5.]

I used store-bought, already roasted and lightly salted peanuts because I was able to get a bunch for free at Smith's late last summer and they needed to get used! You can buy organic or non-organic, shell on and roast them yourself, or buy them already roasted in the bulk aisle. Whatever works easiest for you, although I've heard that there is no comparison to roasting them yourself as far as great flavor goes!

Also, your peanut butter may be a slightly thinner consistency than you're used to when it comes out the processor (this is especially true if you use a high-power blender) because it will be warm. Let it set up in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or so and it will be much thicker and more like the stuff from the store. (The stuff in the picture above was from a batch I made yesterday and had been in the fridge overnight.)

If you've never had "natural" peanut butter before, it is "drier" (for lack of a better term) than your average Skippy or Jif stuff, and it will definitely suck all of the moisture right out of your mouth, so have a glass of milk handy! ;)

What I'm Buying - Smith's 11/9

2011-11-09T17:39:00.005-07:00

This is the second week of the Mega Event sale at Smith's. Buy 10 participating items and save $5 instantly! (You'll see a .50 deduction under each of the 10 item, instead of the large -5.00 off at the end of the receipt like they used to - they changed that back in the spring.)

They've got some good deals on Thanksgiving Meal staples, and right now are leading most of the grocery stores on the lowest price for those items. You can check out the comparison list for common Thanksgiving meal items HERE at PYP - post brought to you by your's truly, so if you want us to track prices on an item that you don't see listed, just give me a holler and I'll add it to the list! :)

Anyway, here's what I picked up at Smith's today:

(1) Mountain Dairy whole milk, on sale 2.39 (1.64 after coupon)
(3) bags red seedless grapes, on sale .99/lb
(1) bunch broccoli, on sale .89/lb
(1) head cauliflower, on sale .89/lb
(2) Langer's apple juice 64oz, on sale 1.50 (one was 1.00 and the other was .50 after coupons)
(2) green leaf lettuce, on sale 1.09
(1) Huggies Supreme diapers, 9.85 (8.85 after coupon)
(1) Huggies Snug & Dry diapers, 9.85 (8.85 after coupon)
(1) Huggies wipes 72ct,
(4) Kroger cream cheese, on sale .99
(2) Land o Lakes butter, on sale 2.99 (2.49 after promo, 1.94 after coupon)
(4) Blue Diamond Almond Breeze, on sale 2.49 (1.99 after promo, 1.44 after coupon)
(8) Hormel chili, on sale 1.41 (.91 after promo, .64 after coupon)
(14) Pringles, on sale 1.49 (.99 after promo, .74 or .49 after coupon)
(2) V8 Fusion juice, on sale 2.69 (2.19 after promo, 1.69 after coupon)
(1) V8 Fusion Smoothie juice, on sale 2.69 (2.19 after promo, 1.19 after coupon)
(7) Kleenex, on sale 1.49 (.99 after promo, .86 after coupon)
(8) Sierra Mist 2-liters, on sale 1.49 (.99 after promo)
(4) Swanson chicken broth, on sale .99 (.49 after promo)

I used (1) .75/1 printable coupon for the milk [see GroupA at GrocerySmarts], (1) .50/1 printable coupon for the apple juice [Facebook promo HERE], (1) 1.00/1 coupon for the apple juice [from my Smith's Rewards mailer this week], (2) .55/1 peelie coupons for the butter [from on the product], (2) .55/1 coupons for the almond milk [see SS-8/7], (1) 1.00/2 coupon for the almond milk [see SS-10/16], (4) .55/2 coupons for the chili [see SS-11/6], (3) 1.00/4 coupons for the Pringles [see P&G 10/30], (1) 1.00/2 coupon for the Pringles [from a P&G mailer], (1) 1.00/2 coupon for the V8 [see RP-11/6], (1) 1.00/1 coupon for the V8 Smoothie [RP-11/6] and (2) .50/3 coupons for the Kleenex [see SS-11/6].

There is a coupon available for the chicken broth, but I didn't buy enough to be able to use it (you need 5).

I also used my $8 Smith's Rewards certificate that came in the mail this week.

Total: $79.50 + $11 in Catalina coupons good off a future purchase (from the diapers and the Kleenex and some other thing I don't know what) + $8 off coupon for Enfamil baby formula

There's an App for that...from FEMA!

2011-11-09T07:00:00.000-07:00

FEMA has now introduced a mobile app designed to give you information on how to prepare, how to register for assistance after a disaster, and how to find disaster recovery centers, along with other useful information.

The app is available for Android devices, as well as for iOS 5 devices (iPad, iPhone & iPod). Look for the app in the appropriate app store for your particular platform.

They have also announced that the app will be available for Blackberry devices, although I cannot confirm if the app for Blackberry has been released yet or not.

The new FEMA app will allow you to:

- Check off items you have included in your family's emergency kit(s)
- Enter your family emergency meeting location information
- Review safety tips on what to do before, during and after a disaster
- View a map of shelters and disaster recovery centers across the US
- Read FEMA blog posts

For more information, check out FEMA's blog.

Deals on Crest Complete Toothpaste Bonus Packs at Target

2011-11-08T10:55:00.002-07:00

Check out this blog post I did for PinchingYourPennies.com about some deals on Crest Complete Toothpaste Bonus Packs at Target. I was able to get 5 total, all for .69 or less each! Great way to stock up on some toothpaste!

Crest Complete Deals at Target

I apologize for the lack of "What I'm Buying" posts recently - I just haven't been feeling very well with this pregnancy. I will start adding new posts soon. Plus, I don't feel like I've been getting any really great deals lately - am I the only one feeling that way? Maybe I've just lost my mojo again...

Reminder: Emergency Alert System Test TOMORROW

2011-11-08T10:53:00.001-07:00

Just a reminder, the nationwide test for the Emergency Alert System will be tomorrow, Wednesday, November 9, 2011.

News article at Yahoo! site

Emergency Alert System Nationwide Test - November 9, 2011 2:00pm EST

2011-11-03T12:41:00.002-06:00

At the Federal Communications Commission's June 9, 2011 Agenda meeting, Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau Chief Jamie Barnett, joined by representatives from FEMA and the National Weather Service, announced that the first nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) would take place at 2:00 PM (Eastern Standard Time) on November 9, 2011. The purpose of the test is to assess the reliability and effectiveness of the EAS as a public alert mechanism.

This will be similar to the monthly emergency broadcast message alerts that you sometimes see, but the audio and video on the screen may be different. This is the first time that the system is being tested nationwide simultaneously.

What you need to know: You don't need to do anything - the alert will be broadcast on TV and radio stations automatically.

HOWEVER - IF YOU HAVE (OR LIVE WITH SOMEONE WHO HAS, OR TAKE CARE OF SOMEONE WHO HAS) HEARING IMPAIRMENT: You will need to know that while the audio portion of the broadcast message will indicate that "This is a test", the video portion may not, due to some technical restrictions. It may show on the screen that an emergency alert has been broadcast, but it may not show that it is a test. Please reassure those who might not be able to hear the audio portion of the test, that it is indeed a test of the system and not an actual emergency.

For more details, check on the information and FAQs at the FCC web site:

http://www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/emergency-alert-system-nationwide-test

Or the information from the FEMA web site:

http://www.fema.gov/emergency/ipaws/eas_info.shtm

Murray Cannery News - Frozen Blueberries!

2011-11-03T12:29:00.001-06:00

We will be selling Frozen Blueberries!
Wednesday November 16th
Thursday November 17th
Tuesday November 22nd

You must be signed up to purchase! Sign ups will start on Monday November 7th @ 8:00 a.m.

If you do not get signed up please keep returning often to the links
below to check for cancellations.

Blueberries-30lbs/case - $65.00 per case
2 Case limit per person

In the past you were able to repackage the berries at the cannery. As part of a new policy you will not be able to repackage them here at the cannery. If you want to repackage them you will need to take them home and put them in your own bags.

Please only sign up for one day!

Click on the links below to see the signup sheet and to sign up

http://www2.mysignup.com/cgi-bin/view.cgi?datafile=blueberries_november_16

http://www2.mysignup.com/cgi-bin/view.cgi?datafile=blueberries_november_17

http://www2.mysignup.com/cgi-bin/view.cgi?datafile=blueberries_november_22

Watch for our emails for raspberries, peaches and strawberries!

Please feel free to call or email with any question you may have!
801-266-1460
wel-ca-murray-wetpack@ldschurch.org

Gossner Foods UHT Shelf-Stable Milk - UPDATE

2011-11-02T07:00:00.005-06:00

A lot of people have asked about purchasing shelf-stable milk and whipping cream from Gossner Foods here in Utah. They used to have an online subsidiary that did orders, but that is no longer available. Here are the current ways you can get your hands on some of this stuff:

Visit the retail stores in Logan, UT or Heyburn, ID

Check with Honeyville Grains retail stores (if you live in AZ, UT or CA) - it doesn't show as a product on their website, but the retail store in Salt Lake carries them (Honeyville Food Products, Inc. at 635 N. Billy Mitchell Road).

Check your local Dollar Tree store - many locations in the mountain states have been carrying Gossner milk products recently

Check dollartree.com - when I checked this evening all I could find was the Hershey's boxed milk in chocolate and strawberry (I know Gossner Foods does produce some of the chocolate milk for the Hershey label, but I don't know if this particular stuff comes from Gossner or not)

Order from CampingSurvival.com, or Zuma Office Supply or other online providers

Order from Amazon:
whipping cream
whole milk 8oz

I haven't tried any of these except going to the actual retail store, so your success may vary. I will try to add additional sources when/if I find some.

My kids and husband love this stuff and all the different flavors! I love it because it works so well in my food storage, and I REALLY like having shelf-stable whipping cream that can be used in recipes at a moment's notice OR could be churned into butter (have you ever tried pricing the various food storage butter options - usually canned or powdered - SOOOO expensive!).

Is it cheaper to dry-pack at home?

2011-11-01T09:35:00.007-06:00

This is a really good question. And the answer is: it depends. It mostly depends on how much you are able to purchase your "product" (the stuff you are goind to can) for. Sometimes it is cheaper to buy your own and can at home, and sometimes it is cheaper to go directly through the cannery.

The Home Storage Center generally is able to get very good prices on their bulk items, and is usually cheaper than just picking up the same equivalent at a grocery store. When you go to one of the dry-pack centers, the items are already there for you to can, along with all the supplies. The tables are set up specifically for canning, and the can sealer machines are more automated and faster to use than the portable home units. Clean-up is fast, and you can do a lot of canning in not much time. Generally, all things being equal, I prefer to can AT the dry-pack canneries rather than at home.

So then, why would you want or need the dry-pack canner at home?

Well, there are a few reasons.

Reason 1: You want to can an item that isn't available through the cannery.

The home storage centers carry a pretty good variety of your basic long-term storage items, but they cannot accomodate all wants/needs, so they must limit the number of items they can offer. Because of health regulations and other considerations, you cannot bring in any outside food to can at the cannery. You may find that you want to store an item in your long-term storage that the cannery does not carry, and thus you would need to rent the dry-pack canner to use at home.

For example, I store quick and regular rolled oats in my food storage, but have found that my family prefers steel-cut oats for actually eating in oatmeal. It can be rather expensive to buy in small packages or in commercially canned #10s from food storage suppliers. I was able to find a source for bulk steel-cut oats, and wanted to add some to my food storage. Because it was not a normal cannery item, I had to can it at home.

I also have quite a few cans of the regular white flour available from the cannery, but have found that I like the Lehi Mills Turkey Flour brand a lot better when baking. So I wanted some of the "good stuff" in my food storage. In this case, it was more expensive than the other flour available directly from the cannery, but that was a conscious decision on my part to go with the more expensive product.

I also did Calrose rice this last weekend, which is not available through the cannery. (After spending two years living in Japan, my husband has definite preferences for specific types of rice.) The Calrose rice came from Costco. It's not cheaper than than the stuff from the cannery, but we prefer it over the extra-long-grain stuff sometimes, so we wanted to have some of that in our storage.

Reason 2: You are able to get some really good deals on your food items somewhere other than the cannery.

Here is Utah we are lucky to have case-lot sales (and even specific food storage sales) at some of the grocery stores, and occassionally they will put up product for a price that ends up being cheaper than what you can get at the cannery. Or if you use coupons, you can sometimes find great deals throughout the year. When this happens, it is often much cheaper to buy the product on a very good sale and then just can it at home (since you can't take it to the cannery).

For example, I was able to find 5lb bags of sugar on clearance at Target about 3 months ago for .98 each! The "canned by customer" sugar at the cannery is currently $6.00 per #10 can, and holds about 6lbs worth of sugar. Because I was able to get such a good deal on the sugar, I was able to can the equivalent for about $2.10 per can by purchasing outside the cannery and canning at home (that includes the $.90 for the can and lid).

And several times this summer Smith's had sales on dry pasta that coincided with some great coupons and made for FREE pasta! Much of it was kinds of pasta that are not available at the cannery, but even for the stuff that was the same as what you can get at the cannery (macaroni and spaghetti) it was cheaper for me to buy and can on my own. Since the pasta itself was free (except for sales tax), all I basically had to pay for was the can, lid and oxygen absorber, for a total of $1.00/can.

Reason 3: For any number of various reasons, it might be easier, faster, more convenient, etc., for you to can at home rather than at the dry-pack cannery itself.

Perhaps you'd like to do a Family Home Evening lesson on food storage, and your activity would be doing a couple cans of food to add to your storage, but you have younger children and don't want to drag them all to the home storage center. (Most locations are closed on Mondays anyway, but you ARE allowed to bring young children with you as long as they are properly supervised. But sometimes it's just easier to control the chaos at home.) Or maybe you live quite far from a home storage center, but your stake or ward has a portable machine available for use in your local area. Or maybe you are able to find a really good deal on a bulk order purchase by going in with a large group order. Or perhaps there are physical considerations that might make it difficult to work at the dry-pack center and it would be more comfortable to be able to do it in your own home.

For the most part, the stuff I have in my long-term storage all comes directly from the cannery (and was canned at the cannery) with a few exceptions:

When I can buy a product for cheaper than what I can get it at the cannery, then I'll buy it and can it at home.
A few specialty items, like the Turkey flour, steel-cut oats, and dry pastas, that cannot be purchased or canned through the cannery.
My wheat - I prefer to store mine in the 45lb buckets and have found that when I pick them up during Macey's food storage sales or at Costco when they are available, I can usually get them for cheaper than the equivalent number of cans from the cannery. (It also takes up less room to store it in the buckets than in the equivalent number of #10 cans. Plus I can stack the buckets along the walls in my food storage "room", freeing up valuable shelf space for other items.)

For the current prices and weights on what is available through the home storage centers, check out the most recently updated Home Storage Center price sheet and item list. It is a great way to compare prices and see whether you're better off going through the cannery or going through your own source.

Also remember that when you are comparing, you have to take into account whether the item you are buying is in a long-term storage container or not. The stuff you can right at the cannery already includes the price of the can, lid and oxygen absorber, whereas most of the stuff you would acquire on your own does not, so you have to factor in the extra cost for the canning supplies.

Using the Portable Canners from the Home Storage Centers

2011-10-31T10:35:00.010-06:00

So, we survived the Great Dry-Pack Adventure of 2011...barely! ;)

Who knew I had SO much stuff downstairs needing to be canned? That's what happens when you don't keep up on your inventory...ha ha!

Using the portable home canner from the LDS Home Storage Centers is a great way to preserve additional food items for food storage that are not available at the cannery locations, or for preserving items that you've been able to buy in bulk for really good prices.

The canner comes in a big red plastic crate that weighs maybe 50lbs or so. I've wrangled one into and out of my car by myself before without too much trouble; however, don't even think about trying it when you're pregnant! (The folks at the storage center will usually put it on a rolling cart to take out to your car and will help you load it up.)

You will usually need to call ahead to reserve a canner - each location has a limited number of canners available - and it is free to use. The few times that I've called the Murray location, the waiting list has been 1-2 weeks. I've almost always been able to pick up one same-day if I'm willing to go out to Magna. The one I have this weekend came from Sandy and I was able to reserve and pick it up the next day. Each location will vary depending on how many they have, how many are working at the time, and how much local demand there is at the time. Some of the locations have asked for photo id when I've picked the canner up; some have not.

You will also need to buy enough empty #10 cans, lids and oxygen absorbers for all of the items you plan to package. A can, lid and absorber will run you $1.00 right now. You will need an oxygen absorber for all items except sugar. If you are going to can items that are the same as what you would be able to purchase from the cannery, you can ask for labels for your cans (they're free). You will also need to know what items are acceptable for dry-pack canning, and what items are not.

And of course, you'll need to have the "stuff" to can.

From the Random Sampler article "Is Dry-Pack Canning for You?" in the August 1996 Ensign, the following items are NOT appropriate for dry-pack canning:

pearled barley
milled-grains and cereals
cornmeal
whole wheat flour
granola
nuts, roasted or raw
brown rice
yeast
baking soda
baking powder
bouillon
mixes containing leavening agents (like biscuit or pancake mix)
oil
spices
brown sugar

Once you've got everything you need, it's time to set up the canner. You'll need a counter or table with overhang. The canner will come with two large c-clamps to secure it. You'll also need access to a 3-prong electrical outlet or a heavy-duty extension cord (one of those orange ones).

There is a foot-long handle that extends out to the right of the canner - it will be clamped to the side when you pull it out of the plastic crate. Un-clamp it and secure it to the red triangle at the top right of the canner. There are two lines and a pressure guage on the end of the handle, to show you have far to pull and push the handle. DO NOT push or pull the handle past those lines or you will risk breaking the machine (and they are not cheap to repair or replace). However, you DO want to get fairly close to the lines - too far away and your lid won't seal all the way down.

The canners that I've used have had the instructions printed right on the top, and then other canning guidelines posted on the front column, so everything you need to know is right there. If it's your first time renting the canner, let the service missionaries know and they will usually pull one out for you and walk you through using it and setting it up.

You'll want to fill your cans with your product, up to about 1/4" from the top. Gently shake the can a few times as you fill it to get the stuff inside to settle.

Once filled, you're ready to add oxygen absorbers and lids and seal them up! You'll want to work in small batches because you don't want the oxygen absorbers exposed to the air for too long. I found working in batches of 6-8 was pretty manageable on my own, and we could do 10ish when there were two of us (one running the canner and the other prepping cans).

Place one oxygen absorber in each can, on top, and then stick a lid on your can.

Make sure to seal the oxygen absorbers back up in between batches.

Take your can and lid and place it on the white silicone circle base of the canner. Raise the red handle underneath to clamp your can down - it's a little wobbly so you'll need to make sure you center the can and lid as it meets the top of the sealer.

Start the sealer by pushing on the button at the bottom front. PUSH the handle AWAY from you, and hold in that position as the can makes THREE revolutions around (look for the seam line on the can, or a date stamp on the bottom edge, or a label if you're using them - make sure that goes around FOUR times, which will equal THREE revolutions of the can). Then let the handle go back to "neutral" and then PULL the handle TOWARDS you until it reaches the back line, and hold for another THREE revolutions. Once done, release the handle back to neutral, release the button to stop the can from spinning, and lower your can back down. Take your can off the sealer and check to make sure that you have a nice, tight, curved seal on the bottom edge of your lid. If it is "wrinkled", run it through the sealer again and make sure you are getting the handle close to the push and pull lines.

That's about it. Make sure you label your cans with the contents and packaging date! Now just keep doing this, over and over, until you've gone through all your cans! ;) Here's what it looked like when all was said and done this weekend:

We ended up doing a total of 108 cans that included steel-cut oats, flour, sugar, powdered sugar, calrose rice, long-grain rice, black beans, white beans, and pasta. And I've been informed that I'm not allowed to buy any more long-term food storage stuff until I have a current inventory list and can prove that it's a necessary purchase...he he he! ;)

Dry-Pack Canning Update 1

2011-10-29T19:02:00.003-06:00

Well, the canner is set up, and we've filled 47 cans so far. That held 50lb steel cut oats, 25lb black beans, 25lb white beans, 100lb calrose rice, 65lb extra long-grain white rice and just under 2lb powdered sugar. Lids are going on, then they're taking a spin on the canner and we'll be done with the first batch...

You'd think that would be a lot, wouldn't you? But no, we had to go BACK to the home storage center today to get 70 (yes, you read that right) more cans...I had NO idea I had stockpiled so many loose packages of rice, sugar, flour, etc. downstairs that were waiting to be sealed in cans. It was a lot more than I first thought! (See, this is why I should be keeping a better inventory of what I actually have down there in my food storage...)

Dry-Pack Canning at Home

2011-10-28T19:25:00.003-06:00

So, I have been collecting some long-term food storage stuff downstairs over the last year that really needs to get put into more permanent storage containers. Only, with the move last year, and then the struggle to finish our old basement and get our house sold, the canning of that food sorta went to the bottom of my priority list.

Thanks to a few purchases from the recent case lot sales, I'm running out of room on my storage shelves and I need to rearrange stuff so it's not in piles on the floor, or on boxes, or spread throughout the house. And I can't really rearrange the shelves until I have most of the long-term stuff accounted for in #10 cans. So I finally bit the bullet yesterday and called to see if I could get my hands on a portable canner.

One trip to the home storage center, one portable canner, 40 #10 cans, lids and 35 oxygen absorbers later (along with two 25lb bags of dried beans) and I'm all set to do some dry-pack canning this weekend and get my food storage "room" back under control! :)

Stay tuned for a step-by-step how-to post on using the portable canner. I'll be dry canning some beans, rice, white flour, sugar, powdered sugar, steel-cut oats and LOTS of various pasta!

Family Emergency Preparedness Guides - Resources

2011-10-28T07:00:00.000-06:00

If you are on the lookout for a handy emergency preparedness guide, check out a few of these free resources!Family Emergency Preparedness Guide - Salt Lake Valley Health DepartmentFamily Emergency Preparedness Book - Bozeman Montana LDS StakeFamily Emergency Preparedness Handbook - Lexington County WA Homeland Security Committee

The importance of shelter...

2011-10-27T10:11:00.004-06:00

The recent earthquake in Turkey has brought about a serious humanitarian crisis for many in that country - it is cold and wet, and many have been left homeless.

Article from Los Angeles Times

Tents and other forms of shelter are in very short supply. Aid is on its way, but it takes time.

Because Utah is in an earthquake zone, we could very easily face a similar situation here, especially were something to happen in the colder months of the year.

And keeping a tent around is not just for earthquake-prone zones. Tents would be very helpful for any situation in which your main residence could be damaged and unusable - hurricanes, tornados, etc.

I would highly recommend including a tent and sleeping bags in your emergency preparations. They don't have to be kept exclusively for emergencies - if you have some you use for camping, then you're good to go already. But if you don't have a tent or sleeping bags, put them on your list to purchase. It doesn't have to be anything fancy - they could even be used.

Try to store your tent and sleeping bags in an area of a carport, shed or garage that would be fairly easy to access were there to be structural damage to your home. Maybe even a front hall closet - somewhere that you could get to without too much trouble, even if you had to dig under a little bit of rubble to get to it. (A basement would not be an ideal place, because it could be rendered impossible to access.)

With the end of summer now, you might be able to find some great clearance deals in the store. A couple of years ago we were able to find a camping "bundle" that came with a 4-person tent, chairs, sleeping bags, mess kits and lantern all packed in a wheeled case. We do use it for camping, but we also consider it to be part of our emergency supplies, as well.

I can't find the same bundle we got, but here are some similar examples:

Ozark Trail Camping Value Bundle, at Walmart (free shipping)

Stansport 2-person Camp Set, at Walmart

Classic Series Camping Kit, at Cabela's

Recipe: Pumpkin Bread

2011-10-26T16:55:00.005-06:00

This is one of my all-time favorite treats for fall! I love this stuff, especially when it is topped with a beautiful layer of cream cheese. :) The best part about it is that the recipe is completely food-storage friendly!

Pumpkin Bread

3 1/2 cups flour
3 cups sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
3 eggs (or 3 Tbsp powdered eggs + 6 Tbsp water)
1 cup oil
2 cups canned pumpkin

Combine all dry ingredients. Then add wet ingredients and mix until blended. Pour into prepared loaf pans. Bake at 350F for 1 hour.

Makes 2 large loaves or 3 small ones.

For today's batch, I used part white and part wheat flour, because I had some leftover wheat flour from making bread last week. I also used half sugar and half Splenda because, well, I felt like it (and I had Splenda that needed to be used).

I also used powdered eggs - so I added 3 tablespoons of powdered dry eggs to the dry ingredients, and then added 6 tablespoons of water to the wet ingredients.

The pumpkin is a strong-enough flavor that you could easily disguise plenty of wheat flour in this recipe if you're just starting out adding to your family's diet.

I give you fair warning though - this stuff will NOT stick around very long, it is THAT good!!!

Food Storage Recipe: White Bean Chicken Chili

2011-10-24T09:50:00.006-06:00

All this cooler weather has definitely put me in a fall kind of mood (finally)! On the menu for dinner last night were two great options that came directly from food storage - hooray!

White Bean Chicken Chili

4 cups chicken broth (I had some leftover from canning chicken, but you can also use canned/boxed or bouillon)
3 cups cooked shredded or chopped chicken
3 cans great northern or white beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup dehydrated minced onions
1-2 4oz cans diced green chilis (my family likes about 1 1/2 cans)
4 cloves minced garlic
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp oregano (ground or crushed is best)
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Place all ingredients except cheese in slow cooker. Cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. (Or you could do this on the stovetop and cook for 30 minutes or so.) About 10 minutes before serving, add in the cheese and stir until melted.

Serve. You can add toppings such as sour cream, chives, Fritos, extra cheese, etc., if desired.

We paired our chili last night with Awesome Cornbread (also made from food storage).

Counsel: We need have no fear if we are prepared.

2011-10-21T11:53:00.004-06:00

I have to tell you, I read this quote when I first started in my calling with food storage, and I thought it was fabulous! But then I promptly lost it and have been unable to remember where in the world I first found it.

I was looking up this particular talk this morning because of another great quote and promise in it, and much to my surprise, ran right into the quote that I have been looking for!

We've had a few lessons in our new ward that have brought up this topic, and I know of several people who have expressed similar concerns. We are told over and over again to prepare, but the reality is that not everyone does. After seeing some of the widespread disasters over the last few years, and the devastation and destruction they can cause, and the ensuing panic among affected residents, it is easy to question what our obligation is to those who have not prepared. It is easy to be concerned that there will not be enough to go around. I know there are mixed feelings about this, and lots of differing opinions, so I hope this will be taken in the correct spirit in which it is meant.

Here is what Elder Vaughn J. Featherstone had to say on the matter while he was serving as second counselor in the presiding bishopric:

I should like to address a few remarks to those who ask, “Do I share with my neighbors who have not followed the counsel? And what about the nonmembers who do not have a year’s supply? Do we have to share with them?” No, we don’t have to share—we get to share! Let us not be concerned about silly thoughts of whether we would share or not. Of course we would share! What would Jesus do? I could not possibly eat food and see my neighbors starving. And if you starve to death after sharing, “greater love hath no man than this …” (John 15:13.)

Now what about those who would plunder and break in and take that which we have stored for our families’ needs? Don’t give this one more idle thought. There is a God in heaven whom we have obeyed. Do you suppose he would abandon those who have kept his commandments? He said, “If ye are prepared, ye need not fear.” (D&C 38:30.) Prepare, O men of Zion, and fear not. Let Zion put on her beautiful garments. Let us put on the full armor of God. Let us be pure in heart, love mercy, be just, and stand in holy places.

I KNOW that what Elder Featherstone said is true! I know that the Lord will not abandon those who have followed the commandments and have done what they can to prepare. He will not leave us helpless! The important thing is that we follow the commandment to prepare, and once done, we trust in the Lord and leave the rest up to Him.

We have been blessed on a couple of occassions to be able to give some of our food storage to those who needed it more than we did at that time, and EVERY SINGLE TIME, without fail, the Lord replaced what we had given with an overabundance in return! We've sometimes joked that our food storage is our "magic pantry" because no matter what we take from it, it seems to multiply somehow on its own and we can barely tell we ever took something from it in the first place! I KNOW IT WORKS!

Here is another wonderful promise from that same talk:

The Lord will make it possible, if we make a firm commitment, for every Latter-day Saint family to have a year’s supply of food reserves...All we have to do is to decide, commit to do it, and then keep the commitment. Miracles will take place; the way will be opened, and ... we will have our storage areas filled. We will prove through our actions our willingness to follow our beloved prophet and the Brethren, which will bring security to us and our families.

Elder Featherstone even goes into exact details in his talk of the steps you should follow to get your food storage, and home to complete each one. He even tells you how to go about finding the means to accomplish this goal! It is an excellent, excellent talk that I highly recommend!

"Food Storage" Vaughn J. Featherstone, Ensign, May 1976

Don't Get the Wrong Idea!

2011-10-20T11:50:00.003-06:00

I was at lunch with some family this week, and one of them mentioned seeing some of my posts on Facebook about canning all the peaches and pears and other stuff. She asked what other kinds of things I had canned this summer and I went down the list. She seemed a little incredulous and commented, "Wow, how in the world do you fit all of that in? That's amazing!"

It's not the first time that I've gotten that type of reaction when I tell people about some of the stuff I do. However, every time, it makes me pause.

I think people get the wrong impression. They tend to think that I am some type of domestic goddess.

I must set the record straight - I AM NOT!!! In fact, I am so far from it that if you all knew the truth, you'd die laughing! :)

What you don't see in all those canning posts and pictures, is the mountain of laundry that didn't get done for nearly two weeks - we literally had no more clean clothes in the house and my son went to school in dirty, re-worn socks for two days because I still hadn't gotten around to laundry and he was totally out of socks (among other things).

What you don't see in all those posts and pictures is the disaster that is the rest of my house sometimes - my toilets haven't been cleaned in about a month. The upstairs shower was cleaned, oh, last year just after we moved in, and hasn't been touched since. And I haven't yet been brave enough to post pictures of the disastrous mess that is left in the kitchen AFTER the canning is done, and which my loving husband cleans up for me over the next several days (yes, it really takes that long sometimes).

What you don't see in all those posts and pictures is the bazillion boxes down in the basement that are still unpacked from our move - many of them have been opened and stuff is spread out ALL over the floors, and you can barely walk around downstairs without tripping over stuff, and it's impossible to find anything anymore.
We have a path cut to get to the food storage shelves, but that's about it.

What you don't see in those posts and pictures is that I'm posting them while sitting at my computer, in my pajamas, with no makeup, no hair done, and I probably haven't had a shower in a few days. ;)

The reality is that I don't always fit it all in - in fact, that's probably the case almost all of the time. I rarely have it all together. So no being jealous, okay? ;)

Murray Cannery - Wet Pack Opportunity

2011-10-18T17:14:00.002-06:00

From the Murray Cannery:

We are in need of volunteers to help with our Welfare Cream of Mushroom Soup Assignment on Tuesday October 25th, Wednesday October 26th and Thursday October 27th.

You may start signing up on Wednesday October 19th starting @ 8:00am.

For those who come and volunteer you will be able to purchase while supplies last:

boysenberry syrup
($6.00 per half gal 1 case max)
chicken chunks
($46.80 per case 1 case max)
pork chunks
($57.60 per case 1 case max)
cream of mushroom soup
($24.00 per case 1 case max)
cream of chicken soup
($24.00 per case 1 case max)
corn
($14.40 per case 1 case max)

[Please note there is a max of 3 cases per person and a max of 1 case of any one product.]

The shifts are 2 ½ hours
· 9:00am-11:30am
· 11:00am-1:30pm
· 1:00pm-3:30pm

You will need to sign up on line. Click on the link(s) below to see the signup sheet for each date and to schedule a shift:

Sign-up for October 25

Sign-up for October 26

Sing-up for October 27

How to Pressure Can Chicken - A Step-by-Step Guide

2011-10-14T11:53:00.009-06:00

There are two types of canning methods approved for preserving food.

High-acid foods are processed in a water-bath canner. The natural acidity in the food helps to prevent bacterial growth. These canners reach an internal temperature of about 212F, the boiling point of water, which is hot enough to kill most molds, yeasts and some bacteria.

Low-acid foods don't have that same acidity to help protect them, and so must be processed at a higher temperature to ensure that all bacteria is killed. The only way to do that is with pressurized steam, which can reach 240F and is hot enough to kill the nasty little stuff.

Most vegetables and all meat/fish/poultry fall under the category of low-acid foods, and so must be pressure canned in order to be properly preserved. It sounds scary, but it's really not.

Having canned vegetables and meats is an awesome way to supplement your food storage, especialy since commercially canned meats can be VERY expensive.

I can chicken whenever I can find the 40lb boxes of boneless, skinless chicken breasts on sale for about 1.30/lb, which is usually about every 6 months or so.

For canning chicken, start by gathering all your supplies. You will need:

pressure canner (this is NOT the same as a pressure cooker)
chicken
jars
lids and rings (lids must be new, rings can be used)
salt
boiling water

You'll also want to have some tools handy. Here's what I use:

ladle (for filling jars after chicken is in)
wooden chopstick (for removing air bubbles from jars)
jar lifter (for moving jars into and out of hot canner)
tongs (for taking lids out of simmering water)
hot pads or hot mitts

Start by preparing your jars. Wash and dry them. For chicken, I add 1/2 tsp of salt to each jar. (The official instructions say to use pickling salt, but I've used regular kosher salt in the past with no problems.)

Then get your stove and pots all situated. You will need your pressure canner with the appropriate amount of boiling water (and vinegar to help reduce water spotting) - check your canner's instructions for how much water you need. You will need another pot with boiling water (for adding to the jars), and a smaller pot with simmering water so you can heat the lids.

Here's what my stovetop looks like on chicken-canning day:

Next, time to prep the chicken!

The big 40lb boxes pf boneless, skinless chicken breasts come with 4 bags inside. The breasts are butterflied, and have a little bit of fat on them which you'll need to trim off.

Cut the breast halves apart and trim any remaining fat. Keep the fat and trimmings in a separate bowl (you can use them to make chicken stock).

Cut each chicken breast into smaller chunks - doesn't have to be precise, just so they are easier to stuff in the jars.

Pack the chicken pieces semi-loosely into the jars, leaving 1-inch of space between the top of the chicken and the top rim of the jar.

You don't want a lot of big empty spaces, but you don't want to smash it flat beyond recognition, either. The chicken will expand while processing, and then shrink. If you pack it too full, you may prevent the lid from being able to seal (more on that later).

Next, add boiling water (or you can use chicken broth if you'd like) to within 1-inch of the top rim of the jar. Pour some water in, poke around the sides with a spatula, plastic knife or chopstick, to help remove air bubbles, and then fill a little bit more once the air bubbles are removed and the water has settled.

Once filled, take a clean wet rag or towel and wipe the rims of each jar to make sure they are clean and there is nothing there to impede the seal. Take a hot lid from your simmering pot, and place it on the jar, make sure it is centered, and then put on your ring.

Because the pressure canner uses steam that fills the entire container, you can double stack your jars in a pressure canner. Make sure the water in your canner is now at boiling. Place your jars in your canner according to the manufacturer instructions. Mine says to place the second layer of jars offset by half a jar, so the top jar rests on the edges of two bottom jars.

My particular model of canner can fit 16 pints jars at a time.

Once all your jars are in, put on the lid and process according to the instructions. (It's basically a process of: create steam, let it vent for 10 minutes to get all extra air out, put on stopper/weight, bring to pressure, then hold at pressure for specified time, turn heat off after time is up, let pressure reduce to zero naturally, wait ten minutes, then open the lid and carefully remove jars.)

For chicken, the processing time is 75 minutes for pints, and 90 minutes for quarts. (One pint jar holds about 1lb of chicken, and a quart jar holds about 2lb.) You'll need to look up in a canning book or in your canner manufacturer's instructions to find out what pressure to can at - here where I live it is 13 psi. You must keep your pressure at that amount (or higher) throughout the processing time - if it dips below that, you're supposed to start the time all over again. Because of that, I usually end up processing at 14 psi, because for the first little while the pressure will fluctuate as you get the heat settings figured out, and that way I have a few moments to adjust the heat before dipping below the 13 mark.

Once the jars are in, and you've vented the canner and brought it to pressure, there isn't much to do but sit and wait. I usually bring a book with me and just sit in the kitchen so I can keep an eye on the pressure. You will need to adjust your burner settings periodically, as the heat and steam builds up and the pressure increases. I start out at high for getting to a boil, venting and getting to pressure. Once at pressure, I can turn down to med-high, then turn it down little by little every 10-15 minutes or so, until by the end I'm down to med-low for the last half hour or so.

Once your jars are out of the canner, leave them alone for 12-24 hours and then test for seal. Press the middle of the lid - if it flexes down, it isn't sealed. If you can barely move it, then you've got a good seal. Any jars that don't seal can be reprocessed (with a new lid) or moved to the refrigerator to be used soon. After 24 hours, you can remove the rings, wash the jars, label the lids and add your canned chicken to your food storage!

[For specific instructions on the actual canning process, which I have not gone into here, I recommend the Ball Blue Book or the National Center for Home Preserving's web site at http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/.)

Royal Crest Camper 16-function Pocket Knife - 2.99!

2011-10-13T20:41:00.004-06:00

If you live in the south end of the valley, and have time to stop in at the Seagull Book location in The District shopping center, they have a TON of clearance and outlet deals.

Among them I found these little beauties:

Marked down from $14.95 to $2.99!

These are great to keep with your 72-hour kits and car kits. They are packaged in a small gray box, about 1x3x1 (at The District location they were on the first of the clearance table along the far wall of the store across from the entrance door, just left of the clothing, next to a pile of pashmina scarves).

Other Seagull Book locations may have some, but it you don't have a Seagull Book nearby, they are also available for that price online (althougth you'll have to pay shipping).

Royal Crest Camper 16-function Pocket Knife

Canning: Apple Pie Filling

2011-10-12T19:40:00.005-06:00

This was a fun one to can, but boy did it ever make a HUGE mess in my kitchen! :)

You can find the recipe at the Ball "Fresh Preserving" site:

Apple Pie Filling Recipe

This was my first time working with Clear Jel. It is a modified corn starch that can be used in canning (normal corn starch is no longer considered safe to use). It is not the easiest stuff to find, so you may have to hunt around for it a bit or order online.

I found some at Orson Gygi in Salt Lake, however, what I didn't notice was that the container I picked up said it was "Instant Clear Jel". Come to find out, there are two types - Instant and Regular (sometimes called Clear Jel A). The end result of both is about the same, but the application is VASTLY different!

For the pie filling, you want REGULAR Clear Jel. If you're in the Salt Lake valley, you can find it at Kitchen Kneads. I don't know whether Orson Gygi carries the regular stuff or just the instant. The batch above was made with the instant stuff, but it was my second attempt - the first batch was an utter disaster!

Why? Because the instructions assume you are using regular Clear Jel, which needs to be dissolved in liquid and then heated before it will gel. The instant stuff, however, doesn't require heat and will gel INSTANTLY when mixed with any liquid (yup, hence the "instant" in the title). So here I was following the instructions, not realizing that my Clear Jel was the wrong kind. It basically said to dump everything for the filling (except the apples) into a pot, mix, dissolve and then heat until thickened. So that's what I did. The Clear Jel was measured into the pot on top of the sugar. Then the apple juice was added. And INSTANTLY there were clumps - NOT a good sign! (And from many bad experiences with gravies and corn starch in my past, I know that once you get those clumps, you're pretty much done for - ain't no easy way to save it, baby.)

We boiled, we whisked, we strained - but no luck. So we had to toss the batch. (Thankfully we had not added the apples yet.)

We paused and I spent a few minutes looking up some Clear Jel instructions online, and found that I could use the instant stuff, but that to prevent it from clumping, I would need to mix it together with all the dry stuff FIRST, before adding any liquid, and then would need to whisk as the liquid was slowly added. So that's what we did, and it worked just fine.

So far it is holding up in the jars just fine, but some sites said the instant Clear Jel can tend to break down after being canned, or darken, so most of them suggested sticking with the regular Clear Jel (Clear Jel A) and skipping the instant stuff. That's what I would suggest, too, if you have the choice.

Moral of the story? Make sure you have the right ingredients for your recipe... ;)

[There was a little bit of pie filling left that didn't fit in the jars, so we dumped it into a pie plate and after dinner I made a crumb topping, sprinkled it on top, and baked it in the oven for a few minutes to make a psuedo apple crumble - DELICIOUS!!!]

Hearty Chicken Noodle Soup

2011-10-10T19:19:00.006-06:00

[Please look past the awful picture - I really need to take some photography classes. I assure you the soup is fabulous; however, the picture is not!]

This is a great recipe from the Lion House restaurant here in Salt Lake City. It tastes fabulous and is SO easy to modify for food storage!

I made this last week, and pulled all the ingredients from food storage - it took less than 15 minutes to come together and made for a terrific fall meal.

Here is the original recipe (not modified for food storage):

Hearty Chicken Noodle Soup

2 tsp. chicken bouillon
3 c. chicken stock
2 c. chopped carrots
2 c. chopped celery
3/4 c. chopped onion
2 cans (10.5oz) cream of chicken soup
1/4 c. evaporated milk or 1/2 c. whole milk
roux (2 c. flour + 1 c. melted butter, whisked together until well blended)
2 c. cooked diced chicken
4 c. cooked noodles
salt and pepper to taste

Heat chicken bouillon and stock together. Add carrots, celery, and onion, and simmer until vegetables are tender. Add cream of chicken soup and milk. Thicken with roux as desired, then add cooked chicken and noodles. Add salt and pepper to taste. Makes about 2 1/2 quarts, or 10 1-cup servings.

Now, here is the version I modified to use all food storage ingredients:

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

2 tsp. chicken bouillon
6 c. canned chicken broth
1-2 cans sliced carrots (or you can use dehydrated carrots from the cannery)
(I omitted the celery because no one in my house will eat it)
1/4 c. dehydrated minced onions
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1/2 c. milk (used shelf-stable Gossner's milk - you could also use powdered milk here very easily - 1 1/2 Tbsp dry powdered milk + 1/2 c. water)
1 pint jar canned chicken, drained
4 c. noodles (didn't pre-cook mine; I used a mixture of egg noodles and rotini because I ran out of egg noodles before I got to 4 cups)
salt and pepper to taste

I added the bouillon, broth, onions, soup, chicken and carrots to a large dutch oven on the stove to heat. When it reached a boil, I added the noodles and let cook until noodles were tender. I then turned down the heat, added the milk, and let cook until thoroughly warmed. I tasted and added salt and pepper as needed. That was it. I left out the roux part.

Of course, you don't have to use all food-storage items for this. Sometimes I make this with fresh carrots. I just happened to have some canned carrots that I wanted to try, and seeing as how I doubted anyone in my family would eat them straight out of the can, I figured this was as good a chance as any to use a few cans without sparking a family-wide food revolt... ;)

More Canning

2011-10-08T15:51:00.002-06:00

I ended up doing some apple pie filling yesterday - quite the adventure (and QUITE a mess)! I will post pictures, and details, and the recipe soon.

While I was out at the store finding the *correct* version of Clear Jel for my second batch of pie filling, I just *had* to stop at Ream's for their 40lb box of boneless, skinless chicken breasts - on sale this week for $1.30/lb (makes it $52.00 for the box). And that meant I wasn't quite as done with the canning as I thought...

So, this morning was spent canning chicken. Stay tuned for a detailed step-by-step how-to for canning chicken - it is much easier than you think - I promise! I've posted about the canned chicken before, but this time I remembered to take pictures of the various steps along the way! :)

[I have been making updates to the Prepare Every Needful Thing page on Facebook, in between batches of canning, but just haven't had time to do the full blog posts yet - feel free to susbscribe to the page on Facebook if you'd like.]

Another Adventure in Canning

2011-10-05T17:34:00.002-06:00

This one got a little dicey...I had one of my quart jars explode in the canner! Bottom blew right out of it! ARGH!!! Oh well - no harm done except to my nerves. :) I don't know what caused it - the bottle was still quite warm when I put it in, so I don't think it was thermal shock. Perhaps I had a large air bubble still that I hadn't gotten out? Or maybe the jar just had a weak spot - it broke right at the seam where the sides attach to the bottom. At least it was a clean break and didn't shatter.

We stopped in to Utah's "Fruit Way" in Brigham/Perry this weekend on our way home from a trip, to pick up some peaches and pears.

We ended up with 1 full bushel (two boxes) of peaches and 1/2 bushel (1 box) of pears. Together with a bag of grapes and 2 jars of maraschino cherries, I ended up with:

24 quart jars of sliced peaches
10 quart jars of pears (minus the one that exploded)
13 pint jars of fruit cocktail

I ran out of quart jars after the peaches. Apparently everyone else is canning this week, because there are NO wide-mouth quart jars in stock in ANY store within 20 miles of us!!! Thankfully, I was able to scrounge up enough to finish the pears by taking the ones I was using for storing vacuum-sealed chocolate chips, moving the chips to a FoodSaver bag, and then washing out the jars for pears.

It's That Time Again!

2011-09-28T18:48:00.001-06:00

It's General Conference weekend!!!

Time to:

- replace the batteries in your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide monitors

- check sizes and change seasonal clothing in your 72-hr kits

- check food in your 72-hr kits and rotate as needed

And if you don't have 72-hr kits yet, it's time to take 15 minutes and get 'em done!

Utah Earthquake Preparedness - Would you know what to do?

2011-09-27T17:30:00.001-06:00

How prepared are you for a 7.0 magnitude earthquake along the Wasatch Fault? Organizations throughout Utah are preparing for a coordinated training exercise with this scenario on April 17-19, 2012. This video is a reality check for your family and offers tips for preparation.

I'm back!

2011-09-27T15:44:00.002-06:00

Thanks for the patience over the last few weeks - they have been a whirlwind of activity and haven't left me much time for posting. We had a family vacation planned and just got back this weekend, and then the week before that I ended up having to work full-time, and it was one of the busiest weeks of the year for our office, which left me with little time to do anything but work and pack for the trip.

I am proud to report that we incorporated our food storage into our vacation! We planned breakfasts, lunches and snacks to take with us, and used many items from food storage (boxed shelf-stable milk, cereal, granola bars, fruit snacks, powdered eggs, water bottles, gogurts, etc.). We even made dinner twice in the hotel room - thank goodness for home-canned hamburger because it made fixing tacos a breeze! :)

From a wildfire evacuee in Texas...

2011-09-06T09:53:00.004-06:00

Texas could really use our prayers right now. They are estimating that over 1000 homes have been lost already and more than 5000 people have been evacuated, and there isn't a clear end in sight right now...

Article from CNN - Texas wildfire evacuee

Having had a little taste of what these people are going through (we had our own wildfire evacuation last year, but on a much smaller scale), I cannot stress enough how important it is to have an evacuation plan in place BEFORE an emergency. As the evacuee in this article states, she had 5 minutes to get out, and even though she had thought about it in advance, when the time came, she froze and didn't quite know what to do. I know many of my neighbors up the hill felt exactly the same way when they were given 10 minutes to evacuate last summer.

Make a plan NOW - put a list together NOW of all the things you would need/want to grab if you had 5 minutes to evacuate and you faced losing your home. What would be most important to you? Is it easily accessible? Is it easily portable? Is there any way to protect it from fire or flood danger if it isn't portable?

Post your list inside a kitchen cabinet so it is handy. List the item, it's location, and who is responsible for getting it and getting it out of the house.

Here are some lists that others have put together to get you started:

Evaucation Grab & Go List from Prepared LDS Family

Evacuation Grab & Go List from Be Ready Utah (courtesty of Zion's Bank)

Prioritized Grab & Go List from iPrepared

You will significantly decrease the amount of items on your list if you have 72-hr kits already packed and ready to go in advance. It can make a HUGE difference in an emergency evacuation situation where time is absolutely critical.

More Earthquakes

2011-09-02T10:36:00.003-06:00

Small earthquake in Los Angeles yesterday.
Los Angeles Times

Larger earthquake off the coast of Alaska today.
Story at CNN

American Red Cross Earthquake Safety

A note about canning ketchup...

2011-09-01T12:56:00.004-06:00

Canning ketchup...well, it's a bit more involved than just canning fruits or jams.

I have to tell you, honestly, this was not one of my favorites. It took FOREVER, and EVER, and EVER...I kid you not, I spent ALL day just doing ketchup.

And for all that work, I only got 9 pint jars out of it!

I'm so exhausted still that I haven't even tasted it yet. :)

I'm glad that I tried it, and now I can say I know how to do it, but it really wasn't worth the time or effort for me.

ESPECIALLY when I walked into Smith's on Wednesday and saw Hunt's Ketchup (the 100% Natural No-HFCS kind, the kind I like) on sale for 1.00 for a 24oz bottle! (Pint jars are 16oz.) And then I saw them for the same price at Target last night.

For making my own ketchup to can, I used an entire half-bushel box of tomatoes (24 lbs). It cost $12 just for the tomatoes. Then there's the vinegar and seasonings. And I only got 9 pints out of it. Right there it is already more than $1 per pint, which is smaller than the Hunt's bottle, so Hunt's ends up being cheaper. Plus it took me an ENTIRE day to make, and nearly three hours to reduce on the stove. No so with the Hunt's I can just buy from the store. ;)

I looked on the Hunt's label, and I could identify and pronounce every item on there - plus the front label says "100% Natural". That's a good sign.

So for me, after all is said and done, it's worth it to watch the sales and pick up the Hunt's, even if it's $1/bottle, rather than can my own. Does that make me evil in the home-canning world?

What I'm Buying - Smith's 8/31

2011-08-31T10:07:00.004-06:00

Smith's is running a Proctor & Gamble promo this week - buy 4 participating items and save $4 instantly at checkout!

The deals aren't quite as good as we've seen in the past, but I think that is because of the overall rise in prices of consumer goods, along with some inflation, and also maybe a wee bit of backlash from the "Extreme Couponing" effect that many stores nationwide are suffering.

[I will refrain from unleashing my torrent of fury regarding the Extreme Couponing show, it's effects, and the irresponsible programming of TLC in general... ;) ]

ANYWHO..... *chirp, chirp* Now that I've scared you all away...

Here's what I picked up at Smith's today:

(1) gallon milk, on sale 2.48
(2) Kroger vanilla almond milk, on sale 2.19
(1) La Banderita tortillas, on sale 1.00
(1) TortillaLand uncooked tortillas, 3.14
(1) bag rolls, clearanced to 1.29
(4) Hunt's HFCS-Free Ketchup, on sale 1.00
(3) stainless steel water bottles, clearanced to 3.33 ea
(4) Ken's salad dressing, on sale 1.99 (.99 after coupon)
(5) Gillette body wash, on sale 2.99 (1.99 after promo, FREE after coupon)
(3) Herbal Essences hair care, on sale 2.89 (1.89 after promo, .89 after coupon)
(8) Old Spice deodorant, on sale 1.99 (.99 after promo, .49 after coupon)
(8) Gillette Fusion Hydragel shave gel, on sale 3.59 (2.59 after promo, 1.59 after coupon)

I used (4) 1.00/1 coupons for the salad dressing [see SS-8/14], (5) 2.00/1 coupons for the body wash [were from previous product packaging, but you can also find some in the P&G-7/31], (3) 1.00/1 coupons for the hair care [see RP-8/7], (4) 1.00/2 coupons for the deodorant [see P&G-8/28] and (8) 1.00/1 coupons for the shave gel [also from previous product packaging].

I also used (1) $15 Smith's Rewards certificate from last quarter and (1) $10 gift card from the Kellogg's gas rewards promo.

Total: $26.76

What I'm Buying - Walmart 8/30

2011-08-30T14:01:00.003-06:00

I made a quick stop at Walmart this afternoon to grab some cereal from this week's sales (they end today) - normally I would go to the actual store that has the item on sale, but I was too lazy today and decided to just price match at Walmart.

(10) Kellogg's Frosted MiniWheats Strawberry Delight cereal, on sale 1.99 (Macey's - on sale for 2.49, then 1.99 with in-ad vendor coupon and purchase of 10, which Walmart will match)

(4) Cascade Complete trial packs 3ct, .97 [free after coupon]

I used (4) 1.00/1 Cascade coupons [see P&G-7/31], (2) 1.00/2 cereal coupons [see RP-7/24] and (3) 1.00/2 cereal coupons [see RP-8/7].

Total: $15.65

Canning Recipe: Raspberry Lemonade Concentrate

2011-08-29T16:41:00.005-06:00

I LOVE raspberry lemonade! So when I got my new canning book, I was so very excited to see the recipe for strawberry lemonade - that I could can! And I knew it would be no problem to substitute raspberries for strawberries.

I'm a big fan of the Simply Lemonade (Raspberry) drink you can pick up at the grocery store, but it just cannot compare to this homemade stuff. It is fabulous!

This drink reminds me of the amazing "aguas frescas" and fresh fruit juices that I used to get in Mexico and Ecuador - yum!!!

Raspberry Lemonade Concentrate
Makes about 6-7 pint jars

6 cups raspberries, washed and drained
4 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice
6 cups granulated sugar

In a blender or food processor, puree raspberries until smooth. Transfer to large stainless steel pot. Add lemon juice and sugar and stir to combine. Heat to 190F over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Do not boil. Remove from heat and skim off foam.

Ladle into prepared jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Process in boiling water bath for 15 minutes (25 minutes for Utah).

To reconstitute, mix one part concentrate with one part water or ginger-ale. Adjust to taste. (It can be a little sweet at this ratio, so we've been mixing it at about 1 part concentrate to 1 1/2 parts water.)

(Recipe adapted from the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving)

Hurricane Irene and Being Prepared

2011-08-29T10:45:00.002-06:00

Great article in today's Deseret News...

Hurricane Irene and Being Prepared

Canning Progress

2011-08-28T20:51:00.004-06:00

I was up to my eyeballs in tomatoes and salsa yesterday. I had hoped to get all the tomatoes taken care of, but then we decided it would save time if we had a food mill so we didn't have to blanch and peel all of the tomatoes for the sauce or ketchup. So then we had to find a local store that carried the right kind of food mill. And wouldn't you know it, it was 30 minutes away - at Orson Gygi. And it being my first trip to OG and all, we had to spend time perusing the entire store, and of course we came out of there with WAY more in our cart than we intended... ;) Anyway, that put us behind schedule for the canning, and the salsa ended up taking FOR-EHHHHH-VER...

So, Saturday's canning menu ended up being only one item, 15 pint jars of salsa. (But we at least got all the plums off the trees in the backyard by the end of the night.) My husband has decided that his favorite salsa recipe is the stuff we make right from food storage, and he's not so fond of the canned salsa, so I'm not sure if the whole canned salsa thing was really worth it. Oh well, had to try it at least once, right?

We've still got a TON of tomatoes, and many are going bad fast, so I'm going to try some ketchup and some tomato sauce which I will attempt tomorrow.

And then there is a quarter bushel of plums that need to be washed, and halved, and pitted, and canned or made into jam...EGADS! :)

On Tonight's Canning Menu...

2011-08-26T16:41:00.003-06:00

On tonight's canning menu:
Kosher dill pickles
Hamburger Dill Slices
maybe the starting of the salsa if I haven't keeled over yet

I went out to check on the plums on our trees today and they are ready to go NOW...

So tomorrow's canning menu is:
Salsa
Ketchup
Plain tomatoes
Plum jam

I don't think the box of peaches we picked up last weekend will hold out and I don't see me having time to get to them this weekend - maybe I'll just slice and freeze them. Except there's no room in the freezer. GRR!!!

Yes, I am completely insane - certifiable even. And I'm doing this all 4 months pregnant...don't know what in the world I was thinking...oh well, better than doing it at 8 months pregnant, right? ;)

Have a Communication Plan

2011-08-26T06:00:00.000-06:00

Here is an article from KSL reminding us all about the need to have a communication plan in place BEFORE an emergency occurs. Cell service was absolutely swamped for an hour or two after the earthquake on the East Coast. The same happened last summer here in Herriman during the wildfire and subsequent evacuations.

Story at KSL

Wish me luck!

2011-08-25T15:12:00.003-06:00

Here's what's on the canning menu for tonight:

Raspberry Sauce
Chocolate Raspberry Sundae Topping
Raspberry Lemonade Concentrate

All recipes courtesy of my new copy of the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving - I am LOVING this book!!!

Raspberries - $11.99/case

2011-08-25T15:04:00.002-06:00

Ream's on 90th South has raspberries on sale, $11.99 per case (a case is 12ct of 6oz clamshells - making them about $1/clamshell).

If you don't want a full case, they are $1.50 per clamshell individually.

What I'm Buying - Petersen Family Farm 8/25

2011-08-25T12:00:00.005-06:00

I haven't been posting my grocery purchases the last few weeks because, well, they haven't been all that exciting and I really haven't been doing much shopping quite frankly.

But I wanted to let you see what I picked up today. We have a local farm just two or three miles away, and we've had fun tasting some of their items from the local farmer's market on Saturday mornings. They also have a farm store that they operate on location Monday through Saturday, 9am to 6pm. I got on their mailing list two weeks ago after my first visit to their store. And I'm VERY glad that I did.

I've wanted to can salsa now for about two years, but have never gotten around to it. I was hoping I'd be able to at least make a small batch with my two tomato plants this year, but that hasn't exactly gone as planned. So when I saw the email from Petersen's this morning about a tomato sale, I figured there's no time like the present to dive into making salsa!

They are bursting at the seams with tomatoes, and need to move them quickly, so there are on sale! Here's what I picked up this morning:

(3) half-bushel boxes tomatoes, on sale $12 each (that's equal to or less than .60/lb)
(1) box pickling cucumbers, .99/lb so about $20 for the box
(2) pkg dried dill, $1.50 ea
(2) large yellow squash, .75/lb
(12) walla walla onions, I think 1.29/lb
(10) jalapeno peppers, I think 1.69/lb
(4) green bell peppers, .50 ea
(6) ears corn (picked this morning), .45 ea

Total: $68

All of the items are from this local farm except for the dill, which comes from a farm in West Jordan, and the onions, which came from a farm in the Layton area I believe.

I'm excited to try out some salsa and other tomato recipes this weekend - wish me luck! I may have taken on more than I can tackle!!! (Oh, and did I mention I bought two flats of raspberries yesterday that ALSO needed to be canned this weekend? Egads!)

Peru Earthquake

2011-08-24T16:04:00.003-06:00

7.0 magnitude earthquake in Peru today.

KSL story

And another wildfire is threatening the western borders of Herriman, Utah - this one is at least a bit further away from us that last year's, but it's closer to more structures this time. Started by lightning from a tiny little thunder cloud this afternoon - crazy!

Earthquake Preparedness

2011-08-23T14:14:00.005-06:00

Do you know what to do in the event of an earthquake?

There was a 5.3 magnitude quake south of Trinidad, Colorado this morning.

There was a 5.9 magnitude quake in Virginia this afternoon and it was felt all the way up into Canada.

AT&T, Verizon and Sprint all reported that their networks were swamped with calls immediately following the quake on the East Coast. That is a good reminder that you need to have a back-up contact plan in place - it is very feasible that cellphone networks will be down or swamped during and immediately following a disaster. Have an out-of-state contact that you can call to let them know you are okay and where you are going (if evacuation is necessary).

Oh, and lest we forget, there is a Category 3 hurricane bearing down on the southern half of the East Coast...

Earthquake Safety

Hurricane Safety

Food Storage Yogurt

2011-08-23T09:14:00.003-06:00

Think you can't have yogurt with your food storage? Think again!

It is easy to make homemade yogurt, and you can even make it with the powdered milk in your food storage! Fresh milk is not needed.

Check out the instructions and video from Crystal at EverydayFoodStorage.net.

I'm making a double batch with fresh milk today because I have a gallon in my fridge that is close to expiring. But even with the fresh milk, I'm adding powdered milk for more milk fats (makes the yogurt thicker). I've done the stovetop/cooler version before, and this time I'm trying the crock pot, which I think will end up being a bit easier.

I'm debating adding some dehydrated strawberries to the yogurt for extra fruit (I'm going to add some of my canned strawberry syrup to flavor some of the yogurt so it's not plain for the kids). And then some of the yogurt will be used to make yogurt cheese.

Uses for yogurt cheese

My next yogurt experiment will be to make soy yogurt (for the non-dairy youngster) from soy milk. I've heard it works just like the dairy-based stuff above, so wish me luck! And I've also got some peanuts that need to be used, so we're breaking out the blender and making homemade peanut butter! :)

Canning Season is Here!

2011-08-10T09:37:00.005-06:00

The late summer and early fall months bring lots of great harvests from the fields and fruit trees, and a wonderful way to preserve some of that goodness for use during the rest of the year is through canning.

It's not as difficult as you might think. If it's something that you think you'd like to try (and I HIGHLY suggest that you do), I recommend that you get yourself a copy of this lovely beauty, often referred to as the "canning bible":

The Ball Blue Book of Preserving - This is an older edition. The new cover looks quite a bit different I think.

It will teach you EVERYTHING you need to know, and it contains tons of great recipes to get you started! I've seen this available at Walmart in the late summer when they put out their canning supplies, but you can also pick it up online or get a copy from the library.

Another magnificent resource is this fine specimen:

I found a copy at Costco this week for only $12.99! I've been eying this one for awhile now and just had to pick it up. It is more of a recipe-book format, and although it does contain the basic information and instructions for the various types of canning methods, I thought the Blue Book was an easier guide to start with as a beginner.

I cannot wait to test out some of the recipes in this new (to me) book! There are certainly a lot of "gourmet" options that look very enticing!!

Homemade Microwave Popcorn

2011-08-09T10:55:00.005-06:00

We went to the local farmer's market this weekend and were able to pick up a few things from a local farmer. It was towards closing time for the market, and he had a HUGE box of dried corn cobs leftover. I asked what they were for, and he said they were for popcorn! We bought cucumbers and potatoes, and he threw in some popcorn cobs for our two kids for free. We went home and made homemade microwave popcorn and were very pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to make and how good it tasted.

Here's what you'll need:

- paper lunch sack
- stapler (trust me on this one)
- popcorn cob OR 1/4 cup loose popcorn
- butter or olive oil (2 tsp if using loose popcorn)
- salt

If using a popcorn cob, slather it with butter just like you would an ear of corn on the cob. Place buttered cob in sack.

If using loose popcorn, add popcorn and butter or olive oil to sack and shake to coat.

Fold sack over at top and staple (once or twice). STAPLES WILL NOT HARM YOUR MICROWAVE. No sparks involved folks - I promise.

Place sack in microwave and set timer for 2-3 minutes. Listen as corn pops, and pull the sack out when kernal pops begin to slow down (several seconds between pops). (I pulled mine out at about 1 minute 50 seconds, and it was a tiny tiny bit burnt.) Trust me, you do not want to let the popcorn go too long or it will burn, and NO ONE likes burnt popcorn (plus it takes weeks to get the smell out of your house)...

Remove sack from microwave, open carefully, add salt and shake to coat.

You can also add other seasonings if you like (seasoned salt, garlic salt, cajun spice mix, etc.).

Pour popcorn into a serving bowl or enjoy it right out of the sack!

It's Pickling Time!

2011-08-08T22:16:00.003-06:00

Here's what I worked on this weekend:

They must not have turned out too bad because two entire jars are already gone (I made them Saturday night). :)

I had hoped to be able to use some of the pickling cucumbers from my little plant outside, but we had some really strong windstorms a month or so ago, and both of my cucumber plants were damaged. I lost 2/3 of the big bush plant when the stalks snapped just above the ground on two of the three main vines. GRRR!!! The remaining stalk has produced two pickles...and one was picked a bit too early by an overly enthusiatic helper who was all too excited to show mommy what she found growing in the "garden". Ha ha!

Apparently I'm not the only one who had problems with pickling cucumbers this year. We have a family-run farm a mile or two down the road, and they have a farmstand open every day where you can buy fresh fruits and vegetables that have just been picked. I went in on Saturday to get some corn and squash and asked them about their pickling cucumbers, but they said they have been so popular this year that there is a wait list of 3 weeks to get a small box worth! Apparently a lot of people experience problems with them in their gardens this year. So, I had to use regular cucmbers, (and also tried out a seedless Japanese variety), but that's okay because they turned out just fine.

I also canned 9 jars of strawberry jam on Friday night, but forgot to take a picture before they were taken downstairs on Saturday to be put away...

A thousand apologies...

2011-08-03T18:41:00.002-06:00

I am still here, folks. Barely.

I apologize profusely for the lack of posts over the last few weeks. I have been battling some health issues and two severe colds almost back to back.

Plus I think I have a bit of writer's block. For some reason I just can't seem to find inspiration for interesting posts. Any suggestions?

Foods with Long Expiration Dates

2011-07-29T17:37:00.001-06:00

From a Yahoo! News article today:

Foods with the Longest Expiration Dates

Murray Cannery - Help Needed

2011-07-18T20:16:00.003-06:00

From the Murray UT Cannery:

We are in need of volunteers to help with our welfare assignment Tuesday July 19th and Wednesday July 20th. We are harvesting peas. The shifts are 3 ½ hours.

There are 3 shifts available
· 7:30am - 11:00am
· 10:30am – 2:00pm
· 1:30pm-5:00pm

Those of you that work will be able to purchase WHILE SUPPLIES LAST:

2 cases maximum
· Beef Chunks $ 79.20
· Pork Chunks $ 57.60
· Chicken Chunks $ 46.80
· Ground Beef $ 63.60

Click on the link below to see the signup sheet and to schedule a shift:

http://www2.mysignup.com/cgi-bin/view.cgi?datafile=murray_cannery_july_19

http://www2.mysignup.com/cgi-bin/view.cgi?datafile=murray_cannery_july_20

What I'm Buying - Harmons 7/13

2011-07-14T16:00:00.000-06:00

Found just a few items I wanted at Harmon's this week. Here is what I picked up:

(14) Kraft HandiSnak 4ct pudding, on sale .79
(10) Mrs. Cubbison's croutons, on sale 1.00 (except 1 rang up at 1.50)
(2) Food Should Taste Good sweet potato chips, on sale 2.00

No coupons used.

Total: $25.91

What I'm Buying - Ream's 7/13

2011-07-14T07:00:00.000-06:00

There has been a serious derth of good produce prices at my closest grocery store lately. Sometimes I have price-matched other ads at Walmart for produce, which is okay, but I have found the quality of the produce at Walmart to be not quite on par with some of the stuff I can get elsewhere. Since I was out and about yesterday, I figured it was better to just go straight to the source this week, so off to Ream's we went.

(1) Dole spinach, on sale 1.29
(2) strawberries 2lb pkg, on sale 2.99
(3) bunches bananas, .59/lb
(1) pkg sliced white mushrooms, on sale 1.99
(4) green leaf lettuce, on sale .79 ea
(4) lbs roma tomatoes, on sale .79/lb

No coupons used.

Total: $19.24

What I'm Buying - Smiths 7/13

2011-07-13T18:09:00.007-06:00

It's another Mega Event sale at Smith's this week. This time it's a "Buy 10 items, Get $5 off" deal. I got some good deals and felt like I found a little bit of my missing coupon mojo...

Here's what I picked up:

(2) Tide Coldwater Free HE detergent, on sale 5.99 (2.99 after coupon)
(5) Dannon Danonino yogurt 6ct, on sale 1.88 (.88 after coupon)
(1) Nature's Bounty Vitamin D, on sale 8.79 (6.79 after coupon)
(26) Kraft EasyMac cups, on sale .99 (.49 after promo)
(2) Silk PureAlmond milk, on sale 2.99 (2.49 after promo, 1.49 after coupon)
(8) Classico pasta sauce, on sale 2.29 (1.79 after promo, 1.29 after coupon)
(6) Pringles, on sale 1.49 (.99 after promo, .66 after coupon)
(4) PopSecret 3ct, on sale 1.49 (.99 after promo, .74 after coupon)
(3) Philadelphia cream cheese, on sale 1.49 (.99 after promo)
(1) SunnyD, on sale 1.49 (.99 after promo, .74 after coupon)

I used (2) 3.00/1 coupons for the detergent [from a coupon booklet that came with a previous purchase], (5) 1.00/1 coupons for the yogurt [see SS-6/5], (1) 2.00/1 e-coupon for the vitamins [see Smith's website], (2) 1.00/1 coupons for the almond milk [see SS-7/10], (4) 1.00/2 coupons for the pasta sauce [see SS-5/15], (2) 1.00/3 coupons for the Pringles [see RP-6/26], (2) .50/2 coupons for the popcorn [see RP-6/19] and (1) .25/1 coupon for the SunnyD [see SS-5/15].

I also used (1) 3.00 Catalina coupon from last week, (1) 3.50 Catalina coupon from last week, and (1) 5.00 cash card from the Kellogg's Cereal Cars 2 promotion.

Total: $45.59 + got (2) $1 Catalina coupons good off my next purchase (from the Classico purchase)

I really wanted some of the Tide StainRelease that is on sale this week, but my store was completely out. So, I stopped in at a Smith's Marketplace and found what I needed:

(2) Tide Coldwater Free HE detergent, on sale 5.99 (2.99 after coupon)
(4) Tide StainRelease, on sale 5.99 (2.99 after coupon)
(4) Tide StainRelease Free 18ct, on sale 5.99 (2.99 after coupon)

I used (2) 3.00/1 coupons for the Tide [from a coupon booklet in a previous purchase], (4) 3.00/1 coupons for the StainRelease [see P&G-6/5], and (4) 3.00/1 coupons for the StainRelease Free [from a coupon booklet in a previous purchase].

Total: $33.50

Bahn-Mi Wraps (and Gluten-Free Alternative)

2011-07-11T13:22:00.003-06:00

I saw an episode of Aarti Party on Food Network this weekend and she was making Bahn-mi wraps that looked SO good! (She has given instructions for making it gluten-free as well.)

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go back to my sick bed, pull the covers over my head and try to pretend that this isn't the SECOND time in 5 weeks that I've gotten horribly sick...with the SAME cold! Grrr...

Essential Food Storage: Vitamins and Medicines

2011-07-07T10:49:00.004-06:00

When putting together your food storage, don't forget about some of the "non-food" items that are also important to keep onhand.

Medications are probably near the to of that list. You probably won't be able to store a year's worth of prescription medicines, but you can easily put in a few months worth of vitamins and basic over-the-counter medications like pain relievers and cough syrups. Most of us have probably had an experience where we (or a child or spouse) ended up sick and when we went to get the medicine from the cupboard we were all out - NO FUN!

Because vitamins and medications have expirations on their potency/effectiveness (the compounds begin to break down over time), you will need to be fairly diligent in rotating these. Don't stock more than you could reasonably use in 6-12 months, otherwise it will go to waste. But do try to keep a bottle or two extra on-hand. I find it easiest to write the expiration date on the outside of the bottle or package in permanent marker so it is easily visible. When I go to get a bottle or package out of storage, I always look for the oldest one to use first. And about once a year I try to go through and weed out any that have gone past their expiration date.

As a general rule, you'll want to store vitamins and medications away from your regular food, and preferably behind a locked door or cupboard if there are children in your home.

Don't Forget the Picnic Supplies!

2011-06-30T16:27:00.002-06:00

Picnic supplies like paper plates, cups, plastic utensils and napkins are handy things to have in your food storage. They are good options for situations where water supplies might be limited (no dishes to wash and you can save the water for drinking). They are relatively inexpensive and have an incredibly long shelf-life. :)

This is a great week to stock up - I have seen some really good deals on these items at stores this week as everyone gears up for the big holiday weekend.

Macey's has Western Family paper plates 100ct for .99 - they also have Western Family paper napkins 250ct for .99 as well!

Another good stock up item this week? Western Family ketchup 24oz - just .77 ea at Reams!

Garden Damage

2011-06-29T15:57:00.003-06:00

Pardon me while I shed a few tears for my "garden"...we have had two days of intermittent strong wind gusts (enough to knock my pots over) and it looks like just about everything in my little "garden" has been affected. The wind snapped one of the main vines on my cucumber bush, and the two tomato plants look like they are absolutely dead. My cilantro is flatter than flat and the dill may not survive.

I did bring all of the pots and planters inside yesterday, and the plants looked okay then, but we put them outside last night thinking that the wind gusts had stopped and I guess they hadn't.

I'm guessing that if I go outside I will see that most of the plums have been knocked off the tree as well. :(

What I'm Buying - Smiths 6/29

2011-06-29T11:42:00.003-06:00

I was able to make it to the store on the first day of the sale this week. I seem to be a bit off my game though recently. The last few grocery trips have been significantly more expensive than usual, and I feel like I'm losing my coupon mojo...I don't know whether it's the rising food prices, lower coupon values, change in shopping behavior, or a combination of all of these plus other stuff.

If you're out and about, and happen to see my coupon mojo running around somewhere, would you please send it home? Thanks! :)

Smith's is running another Daytona Mega Event sale this week - Buy 10 items and save $3 instantly.

Here's what I picked up (a lot of this stuff I got today was definitely not necessary, so today's trip price was high because of all the extras):

(2) pkg T-bone steaks, on sale 4.99/lb
(2) 4lb pkg strawberries, on sale 3.99
(4) Stacy's pita chips, on sale 2.00 (1.45 after coupon)
(4) Minute Maid juice 12pk, on sale 2.99 + B3G1 Free (4 for 9.00 PLUS get a $3 Catalina wyb 4, so $6 for 4 12pks)
(4) Coke product 12pks, on sale B3G1 Free (4 for $10 at my store)
(4) Sierra Mist 12pks, on sale 4 for $10
(1) Nature Valley Vitamin D-1000 200ct, on sale 8.79 (7.79 after coupon)
(1) dozen donutes, on sale 3.49
(3) strudel bites, clearanced to 1.79
(3) Banquet Brown N Serve sausage, on sale .98 (.68 after promo)
(1) CountryTime lemonade drink mix, on sale 1.29 (.99 after promo, FREE after coupon)
(1) Breyer's ice cream, on sale 2.99 (2.69 after promo, 2.19 after coupon)
(2) Dial body wash, on sale 3.29 (2.99 after promo, .99 after coupon)
(1) Oreo Fudge Creme cookies, on sale 2.99 (2.69 after promo, 2.19 after coupon)
(11) PopTarts 12ct, on sale 2.69 (2.39 after promo, 2.09 after coupon)
(10) Oscar Mayer hot dogs, on sale 1.79 (1.49 after promo, .99 after coupon)
(1) Dove deodorant, on sale 1.99 (1.69 after promo, .94 after coupon)

I used (4) .55/1 coupons for the chips [see SS-6/26], (1) 1.00/1 e-coupon for the lemonade mix [see Smiths website to load to your FreshValues card], (1) .50/1 e-coupon for the ice cream [see Smiths website], (2) 2.00/1 coupons for the body wash [see RP-6/12], (1) .50/1 e-coupon for the cookies [see Smiths website], (1) 1.00/2 coupon for the PopTarts [from a Smiths coupon mailer], (3) 1.00/3 coupons for the PopTarts [see RP-5/15], (5) 1.00/2 coupons for the hot dogs [see SS-5/15 or SS-6/19] and (1) .75/1 e-coupon for the deodorant [see Smiths website].

Total: $129.83 + $3 Catalina good off next purchase

My "Garden" Update

2011-06-28T11:36:00.008-06:00

There are a few new additions to my make-shift "garden"...

My indoor herbs have gone the way of the dodo bird...except for the rosemary and sage plants that are somehow still hanging on by a thread. I think there just wasn't enough sunlight where they were sitting, so I thought maybe we'd try a few outside and see if they do any better. So far, so good.

We bought some of the rectangular "window box" type planters at Walmart and then found some window box supports as well, so we decided to put the planters on the railing of our deck - easier to monitor and water, and less likely that kids will knock them over or step on them.

We ended up getting two - one for herbs and one for peppers/cucumbers.

Here's the herb planter:

(from left to right: cilantro, German thyme, rosemary, dill)

Next the peppers and cucumbers:

(from left to right: cubanelle [sweet] peppers, jalapeno peppers, burpless cucumbers [non-bush kind])

I have managed to keep the tomato and cucumber plants alive - so far. Here's proof:

(Early-Girl tomatoes)

(burpless bush cucumbers)

(Roma tomatoes)

Chocolate Milkshake (with no ice cream)

2011-06-25T11:13:00.004-06:00

Here's an easy recipe for a great summer treat - chocolate milkshakes! Best of all, it uses food storage! (No ice cream involved).

1/2 C. Water
3/4 C. Dry Powdered Milk
1/3 C. Chocolate Powder (Nesquick or similar)
2 C. Ice

Layer the ingredients in a blender in the order listed and then blend until smooth. Serve immediately!

Even better, if you have Strawberry Nesquick you can make a strawberry milkshake, too!

[Note that the milk is the dry powdered stuff, from the LDS Cannery, NOT the Carnation instant stuff you find in the grocery store. If you have the Carnation instant powdered milk, then use double the amount called for in the recipe.]

What I'm Buying - Target 6/22

2011-06-23T14:31:00.005-06:00

There are some great deals to be had at Target this week! Sorry it has taken me so long in the week to post these, but if you hurry you can still catch them while there are still a few more days in the sale.

Up & Up ibuprofen 24ct, .99
Use: .50/1 Up & Up pain relief, Target WEB coupon
Final: .49

Up & Up hair detangler spray, 1.34
Use: .50/1 Up & Up hair care item, Target WEB coupon
Final: .84

Ritz Crackfuls crackers, on sale 2.40
Use: 1.00/1 Ritz Crackerfuls 6ct, Target WEB coupon
Also use: Ritz Crackerfuls Filled Crackers, any variety 6 oz. $1/1 (7-10-11) SafeKidsSS-4/17
Final: .40

A1 steak sauce, 3.19
Use: 1.00/1 A1 steak sauce 10oz or larger, Target WEB coupon
Also use: A1 Steak Sauce or Marinade, 10 oz. or larger bottle $1/1 (7-3-11) SS-6/5
Final: 1.19

Dannon Danimals Smoothies 6ct, 2.69
Use: 1.00/1 Dannon Danimals yogurt smoothies 6ct, Target WEB coupon
Also use: Dannon Danimals pack, any $1/1 (7-31-11) SS-6/5
Final: .69

Crayola ColorWonder items, on sale 3.23 - 12.00
(These all ranged from 3.30 to 6.00)
Use: Crayola Color Wonder product, any $1/1 (6-30-11) SS-4/3
Final: 2.30 - 5.00

Market Pantry pasta sauce (1.34) and pasta (1.09)
Use: 1.00/2 Market Pantry 26oz pasta sauce AND any dry pasta, Target WEB coupon
Final: 1.43 for both (.72 ea)

Oscar Mayer Lunchables with fruit, 2.69
Use: 1.00/2 Oscar Mayer Lunchables with Fruit, Target WEB coupon
Also use: (2) Oscar Mayer Lunchables Lunch Combinations with fruit, any $1/1 (7-10-11) SS-5/15
Final: 1.19 ea wyb 2

I also got Kool-Aid drink mix canisters for .97 ea and Bull's-Eye barbecue sauce for .37 ea - see the details for those deals HERE.