RSS

WHAT WE'RE SNACK'N ON: FRESH FIG SMOOTHIE

If you're like me and love this type of year when so many delicious Fall fruits and veges are in season and one of those you love is fresh figs, then this simple smoothie is for you. It's so healthy too.

FRESH FIG SMOOTHIE
serves 2

2 bananas, peeled & chopped
6 fresh figs, halved
3/4 C milk (I use almond milk.)
3/4 C orange juice
2-4 cubes ice

Place everything in a blender and blend until smooth. 
Serve immediately.


SAVE MONEY & MAKE YOUR OWN HOMEMADE VANILLA


BUY YOUR VANILLA BEANS HERE

I've always bought vanilla down in Mexico because it's so cheap but now that it's so dangerous there, none of my family is going anymore.

Have you seen the prices at your local grocery store of vanilla these days? My word!
$20.99 for 8 fl oz...you've got to be joking!

As per August 1, 2011 in New Mexico:
$20.99 McCormick pure vanilla extract 8 fl oz
$11.99 Rodelle pure vanilla extract 8 fl oz
$14.99 McCormick pure vanilla extract 4 fl oz
$8.99 Private Select Kroger pure vanilla extract 4 fl oz
$4.19 Kroger pure vanilla extract 4 fl oz
$9.69 Spice Islands pure vanilla extract 2 fl oz

So why don't you buy 2 ingredients and make your own like I do now.

HOMEMADE VANILLA

1 liter bottle vodka

You can make it in the vodka bottle you bought or use your own bottle.


Split the vanilla beans.



Scrap the beans and add to the vodka as well as submerge the beans in the vodka.




Store in a cool, dark place for at least 21 days. Shake the bottle every 2 or 4 days. The longer you let it sit, the darker it will become.

Day 1

 Day 41

Over 6 months

You'll have 34 oz of vanilla for only approx $14.50 instead of more than $89 of what you'd pay at the grocery store currently for 34 oz! 

vodka $7 (costco - bought 2 liter bottle for $14)
 Mexican vanilla beans from www.beanilla.com $7
------------------------------------
makes 1 liter (34 oz) vanilla

TIP: Do the same process but with Burbon for your fall baking - pumpkin pie, apple crisp, etc.

BUY YOUR VANILLA BEANS at BEANILLA

STOCK UP & STORE BULK GRAINS & OTHER DRIED FOODS

STOCK UP & STORE BULK GRAINS & OTHER DRIED FOODS

One of the smartest things you can do with food storage during this depression is buying and storing different types of grains. Storing bulk grain is an excellent way to be prepared in an emergency - natural disasters, war & sky rocketing prices - as well as saving money.

You can even make your own flour by grinding the grain. And some grains you can even sprout them to have fresh greens loaded with vitamin A & C. But probably the coolest thing is that if you store grain properly, it will last years and probably longer than any other food. I recently read that archaeologists have discovered still edible grains in the pyramids! WOW! I'm not promoting putting grain in your time capsule for future generations but rather your pantry or cellar to have in an emergency and/or to save money.

There are 5 things you need to consider when storing grains & dried foods in bulk. The simple tip to store grains is to keep out the air and moisture, away from high temperatures, consider the type of container and also protection from insects, rodents & chemicals.

CONTAINER:
You'll want to keep bulk grain in containers that will keep out the moisture and that the containers are crush proof. ALWAYS store your grains in new containers. The best containers are round mainly because it allows air to circulate around the container and it won't get too hot like stacking square shaped containers can do. If the container gets hot, the grain will sweat. Buy 5 gallon polyethylene buckets at paint supply or hardware stores. Buy Gamma Lids at http://www.thereadystore.com/emergency-preparedness-basics/gamma-lid?clickid=0004ad16d5ab401a0a8afd05282c2228 They're cheap and fit almost any 3.5 - 7 gallon bucket. Their also easy, air tight and spill proof.

WHERE TO STORE CONTAINERS:
The storage room should be cool, low humidity and dark or at least away from bright light.

The ideal temp should range between 45 to 65 degrees. Some of you may not have a room suitable so remember to rotate your grain and other foods. Eat up the older grain first and then replace it at harvest time when prices should be lower.

The room should be low humidity. If you plan on storing your grains in the garage or shed, set your containers on boards or shelves so they won't be in direct contact with the concrete or ground.

The best place would be in a non damp cellar, but if you don't have one, it's best to be away from as much light as possible like in a dark garage or windowless pantry or under the cabinet.

When I have freezer space, I keep my flour, rice another other grains in the freezer in an air tight container to keep out the bugs, which leads us to the next subject.

KEEPING BUGS OUT:
Oh no! How many of you have ever found those tiny bugs in your flour, rice or other? I have a couple of times in my married life, unfortunately.

This is gross but all wheat and rice have tiny insect eggs that if left untreated will eventually hatch into insects that will eat you out of your food supply. When storing bulk grain and other dried foods, you will need to keep the oxygen out to keep the insects from growing. Again, store grain in buckets with new air tight lids and seals. You might also need to take further steps to kill all insect life in your grain. Here are three different ways:

Dry Ice
Before storing grain, first fill most of your 5 gallon container and place a section of a brown paper bag on the grain. On top of that, set 1/4 lb dry ice - cheap at your local grocery store. Press the lid gently down on the container so that some of the air can escape. When the dry ice has completely evaporated, remove the brown paper and seal the container. The carbon dioxide released from the dry ice should kill all insect life in the container. Always remember to handle dry ice with thick gloves or pads because it will burn your skin.

Freezing
This only works if you have the freezer space. When storing bulk grain, keep it in your freezer and it will kill all live insects. Unfortunately, it won't kill the eggs but keep them from hatching. Freeze your wheat and then leave it out at room temperature for 30 days. Then refreeze your wheat again. This should kill any insects that have hatched since the last freeze. The problem with this method is that it only lasts for 30 days outside of the freezer.

Diatomaceous Earth
This won't hurt people or animals who ingest it, but for bugs it's like eating a steady diet of razor blades. After eating this, they'll die. This is a safe, simple and organic way to get rid of bugs when storing bulk grain. It's also a good way to clear your internal system of parasites, so eating a little of it not only won't hurt you, it might also be good for you! 

For every 5 gallon container, put 1 1/4 C of diatomaceous earth. Then seal the container and roll it around until the dust is evenly distributed. Buy it at some horticulture stores as well as on Amazon. Do a google shopping search for it. 

EXAMPLES OF BULK GRAINS & OTHER FOODS TO STORE:
wheat
quinoa
corn kernels
beans
spelt
barley
kamut
rye
triticale
oats
flax
lentils
rice
millet
amaranth
buckwheat
chia
pasta & couscous
farina
wheat germ
wheat bran

WHAT'S FOR DINNER? BAKED SOUTHWESTERN EGG ROLLS



BAKED SOUTHWESTERN EGG ROLLS
makes 15-24

2 C fresh or frozen corn, thawed
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
2 C shredded cheddar jack cheese blend
1 can diced green chili, drained
4 chopped green onions
1 t ground cumin
1/2 t chili powder
1 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1/4 t cayenne pepper
1 package egg roll wrappers or spring roll wrappers

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients but the wrappers. mix well to blend. 


For egg roll wrappers: 
Lay a wrapper out on a work surface so that one of the corners is pointing toward you and place 1/4 C of filling in the center. Fold the trip closest to you up over the filling, roll a bit, then take the points pointing outward and fold them in toward the center. Continue rolling into an egg roll shape until a small part of the remaining point is still free. Dip a finger in water or beaten egg and lightly brush on the edges of the free corner. Finish rolling and press to seal closed. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling.

For spring roll wrappers: 


Place one wrapper either in a bowl or warm water for 40 seconds or under running warm/hot water for about 40 seconds, flipping with your hands to soften the wrapper and that it's pliable.
Place on plate or other work surface and put approx 1/4 C of filling at the top center of the circle. Gently fold the top part of wrapper onto the filling.


Fold the sides.



Now gently but tightly roll the filling part onto the rest of the wrapper.


Finish rolling and place seam side down onto a seasoned pizza stone or a greased baking sheet.


Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling.


Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly spray the tops of the egg rolls with cooking spray.


Bake for about 15 minutes, or until lightly brown. 
(Now, I didn't do this but wish I had.) Turn half way through baking. 



Serve warm with salsa, guacamole and/or sour cream.


QUESTION #7: Can you freeze leeks?

This question comes from Emily W. in Oklahoma City, OK:

QUESTION: Can you freeze leeks? I only need one stalk but they came in a package of three. You seemed like a person who would know. :)

ANSWER: Why yes you can! They're in the onion family so it will be easier to dice, slice or mince them before you freeze them.


TIP #51: CUT IT, STORE IT, FREEZE IT

Do you ever buy produce and then it goes bad before you get to it? We all should run to our local farmers market or grocery store every 2 to 3 days to insure that our produce is fresh. It's just too hard sometimes to get to the store that often. Here's a tip to insure your produce doesn't go bad too quickly, to make it easy for soups, casseroles, pies, etc. and to make sure you have items that later on that might not be in season.

Wash vegetables or fruit. Cut, dice or slice. Store in Tupperware containers or freezer Ziploc bags. Remove as much air as possible by squeezing it out. Pat to flatten on countertop. Label the month and year as well as contents. Store in freezer until ready to use.




Ideas:
onions
leeks
bell peppers
peppers
chilis
squash, any
corn
peas
spinach
broccoli
cauliflower
carrots
beets
celery
eggplant
pumpkin
tomatoes
apples
peaches
apricots
strawberries
berries, any
pears
cherries
pineapple
plums
grapes
and others

WHAT'S FOR DINNER? MEXICAN "WE'LL SEE?!" SOUP

You may be wondering why this soup is called what it's called. My sister came into town and although I didn't have a recipe in mind, I knew I wanted to make a soup since it's so chilly out. We went to our local farm on the way home and picked up carrots, squash, corn, etc. among some other goodies. I didn't feel like going to the store so when we got home, I stood in the pantry then the fridge looking for items that might go together.

I started with aromatics; searing onions, carrots & garlic in a little hot oil. Then I started adding ingredients from my pantry with fresh ingredients from the farm. 

My sister came in and said, "That soup smells good! What is it?" I replied with a smile, "I don't know." She chuckled and asked if it would taste good. I said, "We'll see?!" smiling with a shrug. 

Relieved that it was actually GREAT!

MEXICAN "WE'LL SEE?!" SOUP

Heat stock pot to medium high with a little oil in it. Add 1 chopped onion, 1-2 chopped carrots & 1-2 cloves minced garlic. Stir occasionally until onions begin to soften and turn clear. 

Add 1 chopped squash. I chose a "calabacitas" green round squash but you could do patty pan, zucchini, yellow, butternut, acorn, etc. Cook, stirring occasionally for 5-8 minutes until squash is soft.

Add 2 bouillon cubes, 1 can Rotel undrained & 2 cans beans undrained. Any really, I had one can of Ranch Style beans & one can of black beans. Then 1-2 quarts water.

Turn to high heat. Meanwhile, shuck 1 ear sweet corn, wash & cut kernels off or use frozen or canned. Add seasonings if desired. I added 1 t sea salt & 1 T Simply Organic Mexican Seasoning. Add to soup. Bring to boil then reduce to medium and simmer for 30-45 minutes. 

To serve, squeeze 1/2 lime into each bowl. Ladle the soup into bowl. Top with a dollop of sour cream and sprinkling of cheese. Serve with tortilla chips or tortillas.


HARVEST GREEN CHILE SAUCE


Last week I made Green Chile Sauce for you. My wonderful mother-in-law gave me some fresh roasted green chile that I had to use almost immediately. And I had all these heirloom tomatoes I bought from a local farmer the other day that when I was making green chile sauce tonight, I thought it would be really good to have those beautiful tomatoes in there too. I love using fresh ingredients and buying local! 

HARVEST GREEN CHILE SAUCE 

2 T oil or lard
1 clove minced garlic
1 C minced onion
1 T flour
1 C water or more
2 C heirloom tomatoes or other, chopped
1 C diced green chile
salt to taste

Heat oil in a heavy saucepan, saute garlic and onion. Blend in flour with wooden spoon. Add water, tomatoes and green chili. Bring to a boil and simmer, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Add more water for desired thickness.