Stockpiling beyond an extra can of something...

**Grainlady** · 01-01-2010, 09:10 AM

1. Do you stockpile a 1-year supply of the "Seven Survival Foods" which includes grains, legumes, sprouting seeds, sweetener/s, salt, oil and powdered milk?

2. Do you make your own "convenience" foods using the Seven Survival Foods?

3. Do you store and use dehydrated and freeze-dried food?

4. Would you like to use whole grains and powdered milk products and still be friends with your family?

I realize this type of stockpiling isn't for everyone, but for those of you are interested in changing to basic foods, reducing your food budget and reliance on over-processed and convenience foods, and increasing nutrition, perhaps we can use this thread for Q&A, recipes, and links to resources, for doing so.

Anyone interested?

**pinetree** · 01-01-2010, 01:21 PM

I am interested. I need to change to more healthy meals and grains.

**Grainlady** · 01-01-2010, 07:32 PM

Here's a link to a site with "tons" of recipes for using wheat and bulgur.

Whole Kernel and Bulgur Wheat
Preparation and Useage
Utah State University Extension

http://extension.usu.edu/files/publi...ion/FN_356.pdf

**pinetree** · 01-01-2010, 09:17 PM

Thank you so much, I'm going to try some of the recipies.
There is alot there, so its going to take me awhile to go through it all, but I can't wait! Again thanks!

**NewLeaf** · 01-01-2010, 11:23 PM

When I started stockpiling last year I started with the seven survival foods. I have enough of the basics to get my family through 3 months. Although I need to recount since we used alot of our stockpile over the holidays.

My weakness is making mixes and recipes from the seven foods. I would love to learn more about that. I tried a bisquick mix that flopped and I am determined to try again.

I am interested and could use all the help I can get! Thanks for the idea in starting this thread.

**Grainlady** · 01-02-2010, 08:33 AM

Mixes... There are plenty of recipes for all kinds of mixes, and I would include recipes for "in-a-jar" type mixes. Those Gifts-In-A-Jar recipes look just fine in my pantry, as they do as gifts to others, and I can alter the ingredients to suit my nutritional choices. Using the jar attachment on the FoodSaver, I vacuum-seal my mixes in a quart jar . This helps keep them longer.

Great source for recipes:

Saving Money with Homemade Convenience Mixes, Bulletin 4029
http://www.umext.maine.edu/onlinepubs/htmpubs/4029.htm

Check your library for:

Make-A-Mix Cookery and More Make-A-Mix Cookery by Karine Eliason, Nevada Harward & Madeline Westover.

Make Your Own Groceries by Daphne Metaxas Hartwig
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Magic Mix

This is a basic mix with a lot of uses and was developed by the Utah State Extension Service. You will find lots of variations of this recipe on-line. Some use butter or vegetable oil. There is a simple fat-free Magic Mix at this link: http://cru.cahe.wsu.edu/CEPublicatio...693/em4693.pdf

I use this one.

2-1/3 c. dry powdered milk (I use Morning Moo's, but other brands will work as well)
1 c. all-purpose flour OR 1/2 c. cornstarch (my choice)
1 c. (2-sticks) butter, at room temperature (I use coconut oil so the mixture will keep well without freezing or refrigeration. Coconut oil is the type of fat I keep in large quantities in storage because of it keeps much longer than other types of fats. It just never goes rancid....)

Combine dry milk, flour or cornstarch, and butter into a large bowl. Mix with electric hand mixer until it looks like cornmeal. Keep mix tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 8 months. Yield: 5-cups

Recipes using Magic Mix:

http://everydayfoodstorage.net/2008/...torage-recipes

http://www.storefood.com/Grain/ldscn/44.html

http://www.ehow.com/how_4545136_magic-mix.html

http://www.gardenguides.com/1953-magic-soup-mix.html

A recipe I came up with for making 2 servings of pudding from a 1-1/4 oz. packet of hot cocoa mix...

Cocoa Pudding
1 packet (1-1/4 oz.) hot cocoa mix
1/3 c. Magic Mix
3/4 c. water
1 t. cornstarch

Heat in a small sauce pan until thickened and pour into two serving dishes.
----------------------

I no longer use, or store, cans of Cream of ________ Soup once I started using Magic Mix.

**redmaples** · 01-02-2010, 11:14 AM

thanks Grainlady!
I am looking for the next step in cooking food from scratch using the 7 survival foods you list. Being cold weather, it is a good time for bread baking. I am wanting to learn pasta making too.

thanks for helping us out so much here. Much appreciated.

**savvy_sniper** · 01-02-2010, 12:32 PM

Thank you SO much grainlady! I started using coconut oil in my breads upon your suggestion a while back.

I had thought about the Magic Mix but was concerned about the butter going bad. It NEVER cross my mind to make it with coconut oil - DUH!!

I also bought the two Make A Mix books because you recommended them. I bought them used for very little money.

I also recently placed an order with Honeyville Grain because of your post about their sale.

I have saved this thread as a favorite and will be checking out ALL the links and information you have posted.

Thank you for passing on all your knowledge and information gathered over the years!

Originally Posted by Grainlady

Mixes... There are plenty of recipes for all kinds of mixes, and I would include recipes for "in-a-jar" type mixes. Those Gifts-In-A-Jar recipes look just fine in my pantry, as they do as gifts to others, and I can alter the ingredients to suit my nutritional choices. Using the jar attachment on the FoodSaver, I vacuum-seal my mixes in a quart jar . This helps keep them longer.

Great source for recipes:

Saving Money with Homemade Convenience Mixes, Bulletin 4029
http://www.umext.maine.edu/onlinepubs/htmpubs/4029.htm

Check your library for:

Make-A-Mix Cookery and More Make-A-Mix Cookery by Karine Eliason, Nevada Harward & Madeline Westover.

Make Your Own Groceries by Daphne Metaxas Hartwig
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Magic Mix

This is a basic mix with a lot of uses and was developed by the Utah State Extension Service. You will find lots of variations of this recipe on-line. Some use butter or vegetable oil. There is a simple fat-free Magic Mix at this link: http://cru.cahe.wsu.edu/CEPublicatio...693/em4693.pdf

I use this one.

2-1/3 c. dry powdered milk (I use Morning Moo's, but other brands will work as well)
1 c. all-purpose flour OR 1/2 c. cornstarch (my choice)
1 c. (2-sticks) butter, at room temperature (I use coconut oil so the mixture will keep well without freezing or refrigeration. Coconut oil is the type of fat I keep in large quantities in storage because of it keeps much longer than other types of fats. It just never goes rancid....)

Combine dry milk, flour or cornstarch, and butter into a large bowl. Mix with electric hand mixer until it looks like cornmeal. Keep mix tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 8 months. Yield: 5-cups

Recipes using Magic Mix:

http://everydayfoodstorage.net/2008/...torage-recipes

http://www.storefood.com/Grain/ldscn/44.html

http://www.ehow.com/how_4545136_magic-mix.html

http://www.gardenguides.com/1953-magic-soup-mix.html

A recipe I came up with for making 2 servings of pudding from a 1-1/4 oz. packet of hot cocoa mix...

Cocoa Pudding
1 packet (1-1/4 oz.) hot cocoa mix
1/3 c. Magic Mix
3/4 c. water
1 t. cornstarch

Heat in a small sauce pan until thickened and pour into two serving dishes.
----------------------

I no longer use, or store, cans of Cream of ________ Soup once I started using Magic Mix.

**Grainlady** · 01-02-2010, 03:44 PM

Tomato Powder…

Source: The Spice House
http://www.thespicehouse.com/spices/tomato-powder

Or check for best prices on-line…

Try a small jar to see how you like it, and how many things you can use it in.

By using tomato powder I can eliminate a number of canned tomato products in home food storage. I supplement tomato powder with dehydrated and frozen homegrown tomatoes. You can stuff an incredible amount of dehydrated tomatoes into a quart jar – for efficient food storage.

Benefit: it lasts indefinitely, and the only ingredient in the product is “TOMATO”, for those of you who are avoiding high-fructose corn sweeteners in tomato products, or want to make something sodium-free.

I store it in the refrigerator in a jar with a screw-top lid to prevent the powder from caking (there are no anti-caking ingredients in it). A refrigerator is a dry environment due to the frost-free function. I also place a silicon “pillow” (recycled from a nutritional supplement) in the jar of tomato powder to absorb any moisture from opening it to use from the jar.

Tomato Paste: for thick tomato paste mix 3 parts water and 1 part powder.

Tomato Sauce: 4 parts water and 1 part powder.

Pizza Sauce: 3 t. tomato powder + 3 T. water. Add-ins: balsamic vinegar, sweetener of choice (I use honey or agave nectar), spices (Italian Spice Mix), use your imagination….

Add it to soups, color and flavor pasta, tortillas and wraps. I use it to make BBQ and spaghetti sauce. Even a fairly descent replacement for ketchup.

You can also make your own tomato powder.

How to:
http://www.recipezaar.com/tomato-pow...ydrator-390224

http://www.ehow.com/how_5321207_make...to-powder.html

**CrazyHomemaker** · 01-02-2010, 03:55 PM

I have a stockpile of about 3 months worth of food staples. I cook from scratch, so I have flour, rice, a couple of canned products, some paper products, some plastic wraps and bags (shame on me!), etc. I keep a well-stocked spice pantry for variety. I can some veggies and condiments.

Count me in on this one!

**alotofgooddeals** · 01-02-2010, 04:02 PM

oh my gosh.... i need to get some recipe cards so that I can write down these mix recipes that grainlady keeps posting... These will be a great help...

The magic mix that you make grainlady how does it comprare to pricing of the canned cream of ________ soups....

Thanks again for all the information you provide...

**Grainlady** · 01-02-2010, 04:25 PM

Originally Posted by alotofgooddeals

oh my gosh.... i need to get some recipe cards so that I can write down these mix recipes that grainlady keeps posting... These will be a great help...

The magic mix that you make grainlady how does it comprare to pricing of the canned cream of ________ soups....

Thanks again for all the information you provide...

I haven't calculated the price comparison, so there's a project for me

. There are a variety of recipes for these soup replacements besides using Magic Mix. I like it because I can control the ingredients - less sodium, no soy products (which I try to avoid), and any number of other ingredients.

Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
(source: I Can't Believe It's Food Storage)

1 c. Magic Mix
1 can (4.5-oz.) mushroom pieces and stems, undrained
1/4 c. water
2 drops Kitchen Bouquet (optional, for color only)
dash onion salt
dash pepper

Combine Magic Mix, mushrooms and liquid, and water. Stir constantly over medium-high heat until mixture thickens. Add Kitchen Bouquet, onion salt, and pepper. Use in any recipe calling for canned cream of mushroom soup.

Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup

1 c. Magic Mix
3/4 c. chicken broth
1 t. dried parsley flakes (optional)
dash onion salt

Combine Magic Mix and chicken broth. Stir constantly over medium-high heat until mixture thickens. Add parsley and a dash of onion salt. Use in any recipe calling for canned cream of chicken soup.

**shoiji** · 01-02-2010, 05:49 PM

Wow Grainlady, did not realize how easy it was to make condensed cream of soups. Can I use regular bisquik instead of the magic mix?

**craftypam** · 01-02-2010, 06:32 PM

Someone put a bread recipe on here for ezekiel bread and I need Millet flour and barley flour to make it. Where can I buy them? Thanks for this thread.

**Grainlady** · 01-03-2010, 11:01 AM

Originally Posted by craftypam

Someone put a bread recipe on here for ezekiel bread and I need Millet flour and barley flour to make it. Where can I buy them? Thanks for this thread.

When it comes to wholegrain flours, I can only suggest you use the whole grain and mill your own flour because that is the only way you can get the highest amount of nutrition possible. I personally would never use commercial wholegrain flours because the oils in them have already been compromised by exposure to oxygen and heat, and the nutrients have all but degraded - which begins within 3 hours after it is milled. FRESH IS BEST when using whole grains milled into flour.

If you can locate whole millet (a health food store), you can mill your own in a coffee/spice mill because it's a soft grain and easy to mill. They may also have whole barley available. Otherwise you will have to use on-line sources, such as Bob's Red Mill (www.bobsredmill.com).

You could also use pearled barley if you can't find whole barley grains, but it's had all its bran removed, so it's low on fiber. Whole barley or pearled barley CAN be milled in a coffee/spice mill, but it won't be very fine (so be sure to sift it on a fine sifter), and you'll need to mill only a small amount of grain at a time or you can burn out the motor. Not all coffee/spice mills are powerful enough these days to do grains very well at all, and most people don't have grain mills. You would never want to depend on a small coffee/spice mill for milling large quantities of grain. It's fine for small amounts, ONLY.