Store It Foods

If you don’t have an oven or just don’t want to go to the trouble of preheating one for a small cooking or crisping job, a countertop oven may be right for you. Especially in the summertime, an oven can make a kitchen overly hot and uncomfortable. It also uses more energy and heat than you necessarily need to get the job done. A countertop oven heats up fast, is easy to clean and can be moved around your kitchen wherever you need to use it.

If you choose a high-quality oven from a variety of countertop ovens, you can do everything from making toast to roasting a whole turkey in it. It can even take the place of a microwave for fast reheating and cooking, freeing up more room on your countertop. Whether you’re making a casserole from scratch or simply heating up a quick TV dinner, countertop oven saves you time and still does a quality cooking job. Choose one that comes with nonstick trays and nonskid feet for ease of use.

Soy milk is growing in popularity as a beverage.  In some homes it is even replacing dairy milk both as a beverage and as an ingredient in cooking.  This may be due to allergies, a desire to avoid all animal products in the diet, or for some other reason.  It should be noted, however, that soy is not the only possible substitute for that carton of pasteurized cow’s milk. Rice, oats, various nuts, and even potatoes are all qualified candidates.

These milks may look like the skim, 2% or homogenized milk so commonly found in the dairy section of your local grocery store, but they are not, of course, the nutritional equivalent of that milk, nor do they taste exactly the same.  There is nothing wrong with that.  They are simply different.  Whether they are better or worse depends upon what you expect from these various choices.

Some of the Options

Fresh, Pasteurized Cow’s Milk: Nutritionally rich, this milk is a prime source of Vitamin D, and well as calcium and a number of other minerals.  It is also high in protein and often fortified with Vitamin A, and some Vitamin C.  Carbohydrates are present in all forms of cow milk, although fat content will vary depending upon the type of milk chosen.  Skim milk, of course, contains the least with a calorie content of approximately 90 calories per cup compared to 130 for 2%.  Dairy milk is the basis for most yogurts and drinks such as egg nog.  With a shelf life of one and a half to two weeks and requiring refrigeration, in its liquid form it is not suitable for long term food storage.

Powdered Milk: Powdered milk is made from fresh milk which has been pasteurized, evaporated and then spray dried. Generally, skim milk is used, as fat content tends to lower shelf life.  Skim milk powder has a storage life of about 18 months (or longer if properly packaged).  There is little nutritional loss from the fresh product, but taste may be affected. Refrigeration of the unreconstituted milk is not required, but high relative humidity and high ambient temperatures while in storage can degrade nutritional values

Instant Milk: Although similar in appearance to powdered milk, and costing a little more, instant milk is produced using a freeze drying or crystallization process.  Nutrients are preserved, and many consider the taste to be superior.  It also is easier to mix than the powdered variety.

Soy Milk: This is the most common substitute for dairy milk.  Easily produced at home, espcially with use of a soy milk maker, soy milk is, indeed, a healthy alternative.  It has almost as much protein as its dairy counterpart, less fat, and no cholesterol.  Soy milk does have a lower mineral content than cow’s milk, but, on the other hand, it provides additional heart protection with phytochemicals, which are found in abundance in soy milk, whereas dairy milk lacks these helpful chemicals.

Soy milk can easily substitute for cow’s milk as a beverage, in recipes of all sorts, and in many other ways.  It can even be used to produce a nice, creamy home made yogurt.  Althugh not normally quite as thick as dairy yougurt, it can be thickened through the use of agar powder, corn starch or arrowroot.  If using corn starch, which is readily available, mix 2 tsp. of starch in 30 ml. of cold water and add the mixture to the soymilk just before boiling.

As has been said, the flavor is different, so a little experimenting might be in order.  Some, for instance, suggest adding a touch of vanilla flavoring to soymilk when using it on cereal. Soy beans have an 18 month shelf life, so home made soy milk is a good candidate for your long term, food storage program.

Rice Milk: Although it can be found in some stores, it is less common than soy milk.  Fortunately, it too can be produced at home.

Compared with cow’s milk, rice milk contains more carbohydrates, but no cholesterol or lactose. Neither does it contain significant amounts of calcium or protein. You will have to assure that you are getting enough of these two important nutrients in other ways. Rice milk is not as thick as dairy milk or soy milk, and seems to have a bit of a transluscent qualtiy.  It is naturally sweet, making it great for dessert recipes, but less useful where that sweetness is not needed or wanted.  Consequently, some people like it on cereal while others don’t - simply a matter of personal preference.  Rice milk can be used in the production of home made yogurt, but the end result is very runny, making it more of a yogurt drink than a food you would spoon from a bowl or cup.

Oat Milk: Oat milk like rice milk is a grain milk, and has similar nutritional qualities.  It lacks the pronounced sweetness, however, and some suggest the addition of honey as a sweetener in order to increase its palatability, although not everyone would agree that this is needed.  The lack of extra sweetness does, however, make it a better candidate for use in soups and sauces and other recipes where a sugary taste is not wanted. Described as light in texture with a very mild flavor, many agree that it substitutes very well for low-fat or fat-free milk.

Oat milk is lactose free, a great benefit to those who are lactose intolerant, but it does contain gluten, a fact that needs to be noted by those who have a gluten sensitivity. Oat milk is a good source of dietary fibre.

Potato Milk: Said to duplicate the texture of dairy milk, and to come amazingly close to it in taste, potato milk is increasingly being recommended for those placed on a wheat-free, dairy free diet.  Potatoes, being one of the most tolerated foods  (meaning very few people have allergies or intolerances to it), makes potato milk an ideal candidate for such uses. Many have tried it in smoothies, on cereal, and for baking with generally positive results. Potato milk does have a high carbohydrate content, but it also has a high potassium content as well as containing plenty of other vitamins and minerals.

You can make your own, but, unfortunately, potatoes do not have the shelf life of soy beans, nuts, and rice or other grains, so when it comes to long term food storage programs, potato milk has some deficencies in that regard.

Nut Milks: There is no lactose in nut milk, but it may contain other allergens, so care needs to be taken by those who might be affected.  Many, though, find it very digestible and appreciate its high protein content.

Nut milk has a creamy consistencey which is very comparable to soy milk.  The nutty taste makes it a very interesting, and some would say “delectable” addition to fruit smoothies and other creamy desserts and drinks. It may not be as useful in non-savory dishes, although, once again, personal preference will come into play.  Many report using it in general cooking quite successfully.  It can also be used in the making of yogurt, although, here again the end result is more of a yogurt drink than a creamy yogurt that needs to be spooned from its container

Those packages of water you placed into your 72 hour kit do have a fairly good shelf life.  If they are, indeed, designed for emergency usage they are probably expected to last you at least five years.  The same can be true for emergency rations. 

Naturally, that stock does need to be rotated eventually.  But does that apply to anything else in your kit?  Well, the answer to that question can certainly be, “yes”.

Consider, for instance, the change of clothes that you may have included.  If it is winter, summer clothes might not be so appropriate, and vice versa.  If you’ve gained or lost 30 pounds or so, you might want to switch clothes for that reason as well.  If your child’s kit was prepared when he or she was six, and that was four or five years ago, then most of those clothes just won’t fit, and the toys and reading material is unlikely to be age appropriate.

In other words, it would be wise to check your kits periodically to determine if there is anything within them that you either need or want to replace.

Believe it or not, food storage tools, do not need to be limited to food storage.  Case in point: the food grinder.

Take that food grinder, and grind together oatmeal and almonds.  To this add grated orange peel and some fresh yogurt (which could also be made at home).  The end result is not a new dessert or some sort of breakfast cereal.  What you have is a beauty product.  The oatmeal and almonds are exfoliants for removing dry, dead skin.  The yogurt / orange part of the mixture is very effective in softening and nourishing.

It is rather messy, so it is suggested that this skin treatment take place in the shower, but the end results justify that little inconvenience.  It works well, and can be much less expensive than using commercial preparations.

In April of 1815 an Indonesian volcano experienced a series of eruptions.  These, however, were no ordinary eruptions.  Mount Tambora is known now as the volcano that produced the “year without summer” because of the effect on North American and European weather.

Significant amounts of ash were thrown into the air, and finer ash particles remained in the stratosphere for several years.  As might be expected, world climate was affected, with the most significant effects being felt in 1816. 

In New England and southern Canada frosts killed crops. Snow falls were recorded throughout the months of June, July and August.  European nations also suffered.  Here is how Wikipedia describes it.

“This pattern of climate anomaly has been blamed for the severity of typhus epidemic in southeast Europe and the eastern Mediterranean between 1816 and 1819. Much livestock died in New England during the winter of 1816–1817. Cool temperatures and heavy rains resulted in failed harvests in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Families in Wales traveled long distances as refugees, begging for food. Famine was prevalent in north and southwest Ireland, following the failure of wheat, oat and potato harvests. The crisis was severe in Germany, where food prices rose sharply. Due to the unknown cause of the problems, demonstrations in front of grain markets and bakeries, followed by riots, arson and looting, took place in many European cities. It was the worst famine of the 19th century.”

And all of this was due to one volcano!

Could something similar happen again?  The likelihood of an eruption of that magnitude is unlikely, but it was also unlikely in 1815. Yet, it happened.

The lesson is that there is not much that we can do to prevent such happenings, or even to forsee them.  We are reminded, however,  that a long term food storage program is worth considering for a multitude of reasons — including unexpected, world wide, volcano induced, crop failures.

What have you got sitting in your car or truck for emergency lighting?  Most people have a flashlight or maybe even two tucked away in a tool box, under a seat or in a glove box.  It may not have been used for some time, but it does provide peace of mind, knowing that when needed it is there.

Unfortunately, it does happen that those flashlights may be there, but they may not be there in a working condition.  Standard batteries can fail with age.  They don’t like extreme cold or extreme heat, and once they’re dead, they’re dead.

Of course, you’re not likely to discover that fact until you need a light — such as a dark, rainy night when you’re stopped on a highway with the need to change a flat tire.

There is a simple solution.  Substitute that battery powered flashlight with one of the newer crank, squeeze or shake lights.  That way they’ll be ready to use whenever you need them as there are no batteries to fail.

You do not need to limit your meat grinder’s use to the grinding of raw cuts of meat.  Consider this very easy to make recipe for shepherds’ pie.

Ma Palmer’s Simple Shepherds’ Pie

Ingredients:

• Leftover roast beef
• Leftover gravy
• one onion
• approx. 2 1/2 cups mashed potatoes

Take leftover roast beef and one onion.  Grind together.  Mix with gravy and fill a standard pie plate.  Spread potatoes over the top.

Bake in 350^o F. oven for 30 minutes.

It is common knowledge that pulp is the “garbage” part of juicing.  Right?

Wrong.  Pulp may be a by-product of juicing, it may look unappetizing, and many people do discard it, but they may do so without realizing that there is much food value also going into the garbage.  Pulp is high in dietary fibre or roughage.  It can also contain many vital nutrients. 

Pulp can be used to thicken soups or casseroles, used in the making of carrot and apple or other flavored muffins, or be “layered” into lasagnes or similar dishes.  Fruit pulp might be used as ice cream toppings.  It could even be placed in a bowl, topped with a meringue and baked for a simple dessert.  There are many recipes available, including ones which will probably come with your juicer.  Check them out.  At the very least, pulps can be used as a mulching or composting material.

Just to get you started, here is a recipe using carrot and pineapple pulp, from an online posting by Epicurious:

Carrot Pulp Muffins

Ingredients:

3.5 cups carrot pulp
1 cup pineapple pulp
3 cups whole-grain flour
1 cup canola oil
1 cup honey
6 egg whites
1 tbsp vanilla
1 tbsp baking soda
2 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 cup crushed nuts

Directions:Preheat your oven to 350 deg. Mix up the pulp from carrots and pineapple well. Add egg whites, honey, vanilla and oil to the mix. Sift the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg together and add it gradually to mixture, stirring until it’s blended. Mix in the nuts.

For anyone who is serious about establishing a food storage program an investment in a handful of permanent markers is a good investment.  They will allow you to mark each item that is going to be going into your storage.

Most of the food items brought home from your local grocery will have an identifying date placed upon them somewhere.  This is standard practice when the food is packaged.  It may be coded in some manner, but it is normally there, and it will indicate when the packaging was done.

These dates can be useful, but they can also be both hard to find and hard to see.  A pen that will allow you to write upon a can of peas, a box of rice, or a jar of pickles can eliminate that problem.  Before placing that newly acquired food item into storage simply mark the month and the year upon it.  It doesn’t really matter where as along as it will be clearly visible to you at some future date.

The reason for this, of course, is that you want to rotate your food, using the oldest first.  If the date is there, in plain sight, that will make doing so much easier.

The same could and should be done, of course, with that produce you have canned, frozen or dehydrated yourself.

It is incorrect to believe that freezing will kill bacteria that existed in the food before it was frozen. Freezing can only stop growth of bacteria. Only cooking the food will ensure removal of harmful bacteria. Look up vital tips to frozen food storage:

• Cool cooked food before storing in freezer. Never freeze store food that is hot.

• It is not safe to freeze or store food at less than 0°F

• Keep an appliance thermometer to check freezer temperature from time to time.

• It is not safe to refreeze frozen food that has thawed.

• Use only moisture and vapor-proof containers.