Emergency Preparedness is a very important part of every community. In order to assist the community that I live in I (along with one other person), am coordinating an Emergency Preparedness Fair.

What is an Emergency Preparedness Fair you ask? Well it is where I coordinate 20 or 30 tables and booths where people set up displays of information and answer questions about being prepared for any and all situations.

I will have booths with information about a variety of topics.  From natural disasters to canning food.  From emergency 72 hour kits to treating burns and babysitting information.  I have been approved to host the event at the cultural hall (gym) of my church, but the event is for the entire city.  We have radio stations offering us free event advertising as well as the newspaper and local gathering places like the city library and senior center.

I am very excited to have this event take place.  If you have done something like this in your area I would love to know how it turned out.  I would also love any ideas you have.  I have ooddles on my own, but any help is great, I would have to miss a topic.

If you are in the Washington State area and would like to attend it is on October 7, 2010 from 6:00-8:00 pm and October 9, 2010 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm on Maiden Lane (behind Walmart) in Wenatchee, Wa.

More details to come, or feel free to contact me anytime using the contact form on my about page.

Emmaline

Many, many, many of you have been sending me wonderful messages wondering where in the world I am hiding since my last regular posts were last February. Well known to some of you, but not all of you I wrote a novel and it was published.  It is called Longbourn’s Unexpected Matchmaker and is an adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice (ahhh my favorite).

The official launch date of the book was April 15, 2010, but leading up to that I, along with my publisher have been publicizing and marketing like crazy.  It has taken every free minute of just about every day.  I have had close to 15 book signings around Washington State, have been reviewed at over forty websites and blogs. I have done radio and newspaper interviews and met with 3 book groups, which has been tons of fun.

The official launch of the book was phenomenal for a first time no name author, something that I can be really proud of.  I have really enjoyed my writing process but will also be glad for life to SLOW DOWN again.

I have another interview on Monday, another signing on June 18th and July 8th, then things slow down and I can focus on Living Provident.

This year I am going to bring you some awesome videos since I am hosting canning groups here at my house this summer.  There are many ladies in the area who want to can, but do not have the equipment or knowledge so I am going to have group days where I supply the knowledge and equipment and they bring their food and bodies to work.  Everyone in attendance will help everyone else with their food, thus streamlining the process and getting us all done faster.

Rhett has obtained some canning stoves that we will set up outside and just keep an assembly line going.

Our Bishop (one of the leaders at the church we attend), and another man in our ward went together and purchased an industrial dehydrator.  The thing stands a little over 6 foot tall and is 3 feet wide and 3 feet deep.  I am also coordinating dehydrating groups that will be similar to our canning groups.

it is really great that our church leaders support the living provident cause as much as they do.  It makes my life so much easier trying to coordinate products and events for the families in our area.

I am also coordinating (with another person) a city-wide emergency preparedness fair.  I will tell you more about it in the next post.

Until later, have a great summer.

Emmaline

Well the cold is upon us and I am very happy with our food stores.  I love to go and pull out a jar of tomatoes for spaghetti or some salsa for a snack.  The dried food is also great for snacks and it is easy to make more even in the winter time.

I do regret not having more frozen blueberries for my oatmeal in the morning but next summer I will make sure to get more for freezing, my 2 year old loves blueberries and knows how to open the freezer and get out a bag to eat (bottom freezer).  I have never really liked winter because back on the farm all of the trees produced no more fruit and the fresh food had to come from the store.  We all know that fresh produce from the store never compares to the stuff straight out of the field and garden.  So the winter meant going without unless we made preparations and canned some food.  I remember the damp smell in the pantry located in the basement of our farm-house.  The walls were cement and the shelves were full as we started into winter months. It was a good feeling but to be honest I do not think I had much appreciation for it at the time.  I had always had a full pantry growing up and so I did not know there was any other way.

When my wife and I lived in little apartments during our college years there was not much in the way of food storage and no pantry.  I felt a loss and a lack of comfort as we went into winter.  A dependency on stores and grocery outlets to get me the food we needed.  I survived mostly because I was young and the belief that I was immortal still lingered in the back of my brain.  Then the day came when we had kids and all of that changed.  I knew we needed to start to do more preparing for the future in many ways and one of those was through food storage.  Not only to save money for the two tons of diapers per child but to have that feeling of security and comfort while starting into the winter months.  My appreciation for food stores has increased greatly now that I have gone many years without.

I am not saying that we have mastered food storage yet but we are working toward that goal.  To get started I had to think on a quote that I really like it goes like this “Sever the ignorant doubt in your heart with the sword of self-knowledge.  Observe your discipline.  Arise”.  So I got out there and got my storage going and I will continue to work at it until I am long gone from this world.  If I can do it so can you!

Rhett out

This is a traditional Mexican dish often served at weddings and for the New Year.

• 1 lb. bacon, diced
• 4 hot dogs, sliced
• 1/2 lb. ham, diced
• 1/4 c. onion, chopped
• 6 springs of fresh cilantro
• 1/2 lb. dried beans (any variety)
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 onion
• salt to taste

Bring beans to a boil and then simmer in 4-4 1/2 cups water with the clove of garlic and a large slice of onion until almost tender.  Add hot water as necessary to produce a savory broth, as in soup.  Meanwhile, fry bacon, hot dogs, ham and 1/4 cup chopped onion in a large skillet.

When the beans are almost done remove the clove of garlic and large slice of onion.  Add meat mixture and cilantro to the beans and salt to taste.  Simmer together until beans are tender.  Remove cilantro and serve.

Pressure-cooking greatly reduces cooking time and is not the treacherous cooking method that some people fear.  You’ll do fine if you follow the manufacturer’s instructions and make sure the vents on the cooker aren’t clogged by foam.  The risk of foaming is greatly reduced if you fill the pressure cooker no more than one third full with water and beans, and add a tablespoon of oil.

Certain legumes, split peas, lima beans, fava beans and soybeans are not recommended for pressure-cooking because they foam excessively.

Great Vegetarian Cooking Under Pressure by Lorna Sass deals extensively with pressure-cooking.

• Soak the beans using either the conventional or the quick-soak method described under Conventional Soak-and Cook Method above.
• Secure the cover on the pot and set the pressure regulator on the vent pipe.  Bring the cooker to the required pressure according to the manufacturer’s instructions and cook for the recommended time.
• Remove from heat and let stand at least five to 10 minutes.  Do not remove the lid until the pressure gauge has been released, all steam has escaped and the indicator shows pressure is completely reduced.

Preparation time for cooking beans is actually quite minimal, although the beans themselves can take their time cooking, It’s worthwhile cooking your own if you need a large quantity, say for black bean soup or red beans and rice.  You can also control the amount of salt and seasonings that go in.

There are several ways to cook beans:  Conventional soaking and cooking, pressure cooking, slow cooking and oven cooking.  Cooking time is determined by several factors, including simmering temperature, soaking time, the size and age of the beans, even the altitude at which you live.  Every cup of dry beans yields about 2-1/2 cups of cooked beans.

Serves 6

This spicy Indian specialty is a cross between a sauce, a soup and a dip.  Serve it as part of an Indian meal, or use chapatis (Indian bread) or wedges of fresh warm pita bread to scoop it up.  For a main dish, serve the dal on top of cooked grains.

• 1 1/2 cups raw red lentils
• 4 1/2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 or 2 small hot green chilies, to taste, minced
• 1 teaspoon each:  Freshly grated ginger, ground cumin, and turmeric
• Pinch of nutmeg
• Salt to taste

Rinse the lentils and combine them with the water in a large, heavy saucepan.  Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer until the lentils are quite mushy, about 40 minutes.

Heat the oil and skillet; saute the onion and garlic over medium heat until golden.  Add to the saucepan.  Stir in the remaining ingredients.  Cover and simmer over very low heat for 15 minutes.  Serve hot.

A favorite in Japan, these small, red beans can be found in natural food stores.  Because Adzuki beans are considered among the easiest to digest, they’re a good choice for the newcomers.  Adzuki beans cook faster than most beans, and the taste is comparable to red beans but more delicate.

• Their Oriental origin may inspire cooks to flavor them with Asian seasonings, such as ginger, tamari and miso.
• They also can be mixed with grains in pilafs and cold salads.  Substitute adzuki beans for red or pinto beans in Mexican dishes.  Add them to soups and stews.

Legumes are hardy and less susceptible to rancidity and pests than grains.  Look for uniform size, rich color and a plump, smooth appearance.  Make sure to buy beans from a source that has a good turnover rate.  After cooking, beans will last up to a week in the refrigerator, or they can be frozen for up to six months.

Stored in well-sealed jars, in a dry place, dried beans can last up to a year.  It’s best, however, to use them within two or three months of buying; after that they take more time to cook, taste less fresh and have a mealy texture.

If time was the issue, I’d rather reach for canned beans than forgo the pleasure of cooking with them.  The essential difference between them and those you cook yourself is the sodium content, which can be pretty darn high.  Drain and rinse the canned beans well before using them, and go easy on adding extra salt to dishes you prepare with them.  If you want a high-quality alternative, try the organic cooked beans available in natural food stores.