Breakfast Bag Meal is also a Mix for . . .

Apple Cinnamon Pancakes!

Here's the Recipe:

3 cups All-Purpose Flour
4 tsp. Cinnamon
2 1/4 Tbsp. Sugar
2 Tbsp. Baking Powder
1 1/4 tsp. Salt
2 1/4 Tbsp. Powdered Milk
1 1/2 Tbsp. Powdered Eggs
3/4 cup Dried Apple Pieces

Mix all ingredients until well blended and place into a wide-mouth 1-quart canning jar or 1 gallon-sized Ziploc bag.

To Make the Pancakes Add:

1 1/3 cup Apple Cinnamon Pancake Mix
*2 Tbsp. Vegetable Oil
3/4 cup + 3 Tbsp. Water

If you've used the pancake mix from the store, you've already tasted powdered eggs and powdered milk.

Note:
For fresh ingredients: You will replace the egg and milk powder with 3/4 cup Milk and 1 Egg.

Do NOT add the water if you make this change.

Instructions:

In a medium bowl, combine milk, egg, and vegetable oil. Whisk in Apple Cinnamon Pancake Mix until moistened but still lumpy.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat.

Pour batter, 1/4 cup at a time, onto the prepared griddle.

Cook both sides until golden brown, flipping when the surface begins to bubble.

Bag Contents:

1 (9-ounce) Bottle Water
1 Gallon-Sized Ziploc Bag:
Apple Cinnamon Pancake Mix
(Your *Oil is a Pantry Item.)
1 Small Bottle of Syrup
1 Bottle or Can of Fruit
1 Can Butter

Challenge:

Just try one batch with the powdered eggs and milk.  But . . . Don't tell your family what you did.

They'll never know!

If you've never canned Hamburger, Sausage, or Ground Turkey . . .


I TRIPLE DOG DARE YOU to give it a try. It's super easy and it's a great addition to your Bag Meals! YUMMMMMM!

 I have to admit the first time I saw canned hamburger I wasn't feelin' the love. It was pink and had a weird texture.  Times have changed . . . thank heavens!

The recipe I'm going to share with you has been pre-cooked. Now it just looks like it's been browned and put into a jar with a little bit of water.

The Hamburger is on the left and the Sausage is on the right in the picture above. Soooo much better!

When you have bottled meat on hand the possibilities are endless, and because it's already been cooked, it's safe to eat even if you have no way of heating it.

You could whip up a batch of Sloppy Joe's or Spaghetti in minutes and you won't even smell like cooked hamburger when you leave the house. A great reason in and of itself to can your own Hamburger and Sausage!

Here's the How To:

Remember . . .

You have to use a Pressure Canner to can meats!

Start by:

Browning your ground beef. I use onions to season my hamburger. (If you cook with onions, this is a great time saver.) I didn't add onions to my sausage.

Salt will be added at a later point in the process. It takes about 1 pound per pint jar and 2 pounds per quart jar. Strain the cooked hamburger to make sure that all of the fat has been removed.

 Place your cooked ground beef into sterilized jars.  Press down with your spoon and leave 1-inch head space.

Pour hot water into the jars.

You could put in 1/4 tsp. of salt if you wish at this point.

Heat the lids to a simmer . . . do not boil the lids.

Wipe the rims of the jars well.
Place the lid on each jar and secure it with a canning ring.

Add 3" of water to the Pressure Canner as well as 1-2 Tbsp. of white vinegar.

(This will help to keep the jars clear of hard water.)

Place your jars into the Pressure Canner. Process pint jars for 75 minutes at 15 lbs. psi. Process quart jars or 90 minutes.

If your pressure canner doesn't have a guage . . .make sure you get a good rock . . . before you start the clock!  Here's the finished product!

Looks Delish . . . and NO FREEZER BURN!

The texture of the hamburger is a little bit different than you are probably used to. The texture is similar to what you would find in a pot of hamburger stew.

If you want to crisp it up, just drain the juice and throw it into the frying pan for a few minutes.

(The meat is very lean, so you may want to add a little bit of oil to the pan before adding the hamburger.)

See how easy it is and once you have some on hand, you can make:

Tacos or Enchiladas, Shepherd's Pie, Beef Stroganoff, Taco Soup,

Sloppy Joe's, Lasagna, Spaghetti, Sausage Omelets . . . etc.

Sooo many possibilities!

Follow the same recipe for bottled sausage and turkey minus the onions.

It's a Bucket of Charcoal Briquettes!


Can you cook or heat the food you are storing?  Here is a safe fuel to store and cheap too!

You Will Need:

1 or 2 5-Gallon Buckets with Lids
1 to 2 Bags of Charcoal Briquettes
and The Printed document below plus the label for your buckets.

I haven't been able to confirm an expiration date anywhere for the briquettes.
The Document below says that Charcoal properly stored can last Indefinately!

I would recomend printing the page and storing it inside of your charcoal buckets.This Document on Charcoal was sent in by Mel Blocks from the Homeland Security Website. It will answer any of the questions you have about storing and using Charcoal.

Put these labels on your buckets

Here is where the document begins:



Charcoal: Charcoal is the least expensive fuel per BTU that the average family can store. Remember that it must always be used out of doors because of the vast amounts of poisonous carbon monoxide it produces. Charcoal will store for extended period of time if it is stored in air tight containers. It readily absorbs moisture from the surrounding air so do not store it in the paper bags it comes in for more than a few months or it may be difficult to light. Transfer it to airtight metal or plastic containers and it will keep almost forever.
  Sixty Dollars worth of charcoal will provide all the cooking fuel a family will need for an entire year if used sparingly. The best time to buy briquettes inexpensively is at the end of the summer. Broken or torn bags of briquettes are usually sold at a big discount. You will also want to store a small amount of charcoal lighter fluid (or kerosene). Newspapers will also provide an excellent ignition source for charcoal when used in a funnel type of lighting device. (See Randy Anderson for this item, that is where I got mine it is $5-6 a bag--best deal I found) 
To light charcoal using newspapers use two or three sheets, crumpled up, and a #10 tin can. Cut both ends out of the can. Punch holes every two inches around the lower edge of the can with a punch-type can opener (for opening juice cans). Set the can down so the punches holes are on the bottom. Place the crumpled newspaper in the bottom of the can and place the charcoal briquettes on top of the newspaper. Lift the can slightly and light the newspaper. Prop a small rock under the bottom edge of the can to create a good draft. The briquettes will be ready to use in about 20-30 minutes. When the coals are ready remove the chimney and place them in your cooker. Never place burning charcoal directly on concrete or cement because the heat will crack it. A wheelbarrow or old metal garbage can lid makes an excellent container for this type of fire.
 One of the nice things about charcoal is that you can regulate the heat you will receive from them. Each briquette will produce about 40 degrees of heat. If you are baking bread, for example, and need 400 degrees of heat for your oven, simply use ten briquettes.
To conserve heat and thereby get the maximum heat value from your charcoal you must learn to funnel the heat where you want it rather than letting it dissipate into the air around you. One excellent way to do this is to cook inside a cardboard oven. Take a cardboard box, about the size of an orange crate, and cover it with aluminum foil inside and out. Be sure that the shiny side is visible so that maximum reflectivity is achieved. Turn the box on its side so that the opening is no longer on the top but is on the side. Place some small bricks or other noncombustible material inside upon which you can rest a cookie sheet about two or three inches above the bottom of the box. Place ten burning charcoal briquettes between the bricks (if you need 400 degrees), place the support for your cooking vessels, and then place your bread pans or whatever else you are using on top of the cookie sheet. Prop a foil-covered cardboard lid over the open side, leaving a large crack for air to get in (charcoal needs a lot of air to burn) and bake your bread, cake, cookies, etc. just like you would in your regular oven. Your results will amaze you.
To make your own charcoal, select twigs, limbs, and branches of fruit, nut and other hardwood trees; black walnuts and peach or apricot pits may also be used. Cut wood into desired size, place in a large can which has a few holes punched in it, put a lid on the can and place the can in a hot fire. When the flames from the holes in the can turn yellow-red, remove the can from the fire and allow it to cool. Store the briquettes in a moisture-proof container.


End Document


Burn charcoal only in a well-ventilated area!  Did You Know . . . That 1 Bag of Charcoal Briquettes will make it possible for you to cook 1 Meal a Day for a Whole Month?!?  That is 13-- 20 lbs bags will be good for 1 year. It is hard to find 20lbs bags anymore so figure on 260 lbs per year.

It's a great storage item to have on hand. Add a couple bottles of starter fluid and you're good to go!  (See Randy for this also. He sells it at ACE in Kaysville) He has a different brand, but a good deal at $2.99 a bottle. That was a sale price so ask him about it.

Don't Forget the Matches!

Think outside the Box

Food Storage is all fine and dandy to have in your basement, but what if you actually have to use the stuff you have stored? That is what the last several forums have been about.  Using What you Store!!!

Have you ever used . . .

Powdered Eggs

Powdered Milk

Canned Meats

or

Dehydrated Fruits or Vegetables?

These items are some of the easiest food storage items to start using in your everyday meals. I will be including these items in the Bag Meals, so I thought I'd give you a heads up.

Don't Worry . . .

They are easy to use and you won't notice a difference in the taste at all . . . in fact I have a feeling you'll be hooked.

So are you ready?

Do you have all of the ingredients you need? I'm excited for your to see how much easier and cheaper making meals for your family can be. Watch for future posts on Bag Meals!

Our last forum was on how to store and use fresh vegetables.  Here are some of the highlights of the class.


Storing Vegetables and Fruits at Home

Produce that requires cool-to-cold moist surroundings can be stored outdoors. All outdoor storage has the disadvantage of being unaccessible sometimes and is subject to damage by rodents and other vermin. A drained location is essential to prevent excessive aculimulation of water.

Usually the produce must be insulated for protection from frost and fluctuating temperatures. Insulating materials commonly used are straw, hay, dry leaves, corn stalks, or wood shavings, and some soil. Be sure that the insulating materials used are not contaminated with pesticides.

In-Garden Storage

It is possible to leave some root crops, such as carrots, turnips, and parsnips in the garden where they grew, for part or all of the winter. After the ground begins to freeze in the late fall, cover the root crops with a foot or more of mulch-straw, hay, or dry leaves. Do not place mulch on warm soil because doing so will cause vegetables to decay rapidly. Wait until the ground is cold.   Jane said she doesn't recommend this method because rodent eat her vegetable from undernether.

Storing Vegetables and Fruits at Home

Many vegetables and fruits can be stored in pits, cellars or basements without refrigeration during cool fall and cold winter months. Successful storage, however, depends on providing the right temperature, humidity, and ventilation.

Outdoor Storage

Produce can be difficult to dig out of the frozen ground, but it will not be adversely affected until the temperature around the roots drops to 25˚F or less.
Carrots are damaged at about 25˚F, but parsnips can go with somewhat lower temperatures.

If rodents are a problem, it may be wise to store produce in a buried container or an indoor storage area. One gopher can consume a whole row of carrots left in the ground. Parsnips, horseradish, and turnips actually improve in flavor by light freezing. At temperatures between 28˚F and 34˚F, the starch changes to sugar.

Other crops, such as beets, cabbage, Chinese cabbage, cauliflower, celery, endive, or romaine lettuce, kale, leeks, and onions can withstand the early light frosts and can be stored for several weeks under a heavy mulch.

Mounds, Pits

Mounds or pits are a very economical way to store cabbage and root crops, such as carrots, beets, celeriac, kohlrabi, rutabagas, turnips, and winter radishes

Select a well-drained location, and cover the ground with an insulating mulch. Making a shallow excavation (from 6 to 10 inches deep) and placing the produce partly below the surface will ensure better frost protection, but it will also increase the danger of excess water. Place mulch over vegetables. A ditch around the storage perimeter will help remove surface water.

Vegetables keep very well in pits and mounds, but once these storage areas are opened all the produce should be removed. After it’s removed, the produce will keep for 1 or 2 weeks at most. It does not keep as long after removal from storage as will freshly harvested produce. Root crops can be mixed, but should be separated with mulch to prevent cross-transfer of odors. (See “Separating Fruits and Vegetables,” ahead.)

Buried Containers

A 20-gallon trash can, buried in the ground, makes a convenient and economical storage for many kinds of vegetables. Metal cans are more rodent proof than plastic. (See fig. 3.) Several holes should be made in the bottom to facilitate drainage. The container must be free of substances that might give off-flavor to the produce. Never use drums or containers that might have held pesticides or other chemicals.

An insulated box or other container can be buried in a well-drained area. Buried containers are more easily opened and closed than mounds and trenches. This type of storage could be located in a breezeway, shed, or garage for easier access and greater frost protection. However, if you plan to store food in or near a garage, you must more carefully wrap and protect the produce from car fumes, which produce easily picks up.

Buried trash can storage.

Drill several holes in bottom for drainage. Set on rocks for drainage. 1–2’ of insulating material At least 2” above grade Layer vegetables separated by straw.

 Buried insulated box storage.

Locate inside a shed, breezeway, or other building for convenience separate compartments for fruits and vegetables.  There are many areas in dwellings that naturally provide, or can be adapted to provide a variety of temperature and moisture conditions for storage. These include the attic, unheated rooms, the basement, or cellar.
Assess your own storage possibilities. Use a thermometer to monitor temperatures. Any spot that is sufficiently and evenly cool (32˚F–60˚F) can be adapted for some type of food storage. The relative humidity of these locations will also affect what type of produce can be stored. Even basement window wells can be converted to small storage areas. They can provide cool, moderately moist conditions and can be used to store some types of apples or a variety of root crops. But be sure to separate the produce.  Insulate produce with bales of hay or straw.

A pantry or unheated room is useful for short-term storage of potatoes and onions, and long-term storage  of spices, vegetable oils, and nuts, 
Indoor Storage Area

 Low storage temperatures extend the shelf life of dried foods, such as dried beans, herbs, dried fruits and vegetables, and the life of other products, such as coffee, flour, rice, pasta, and cereals.

Use containers with tight-fitting lids to keep humidity low and rodents and insects out. Guard against freezing when storing in unheated areas. A warm storage area, such as an attic, can be a good environment in the fall for drying herbs, beans, walnuts, or hickory nuts.

Basement

A well-ventilated basement with central heating is generally dry and has a temperature range of 50˚F to 60˚F. It may be used for ripening tomatoes and for short-term storage of pumpkins, winter squash, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and onions.

If you will be storing only a small amount of produce, an old refrigerator placed in one corner of the basement may be an excellent investment. It can be used for storing head lettuce, cauliflower or cabbage, or apples.

For long-term storage over winter you will need to partition off a room and insulate it to control temperature and moisture. Build a storage room on the north or east side of the basement, if practicable, and make sure there are no heating ducts or pipes running through it. You will need at least one window for cooling and ventilating the room. Two or more windows are desirable, particularly if the room is divided for separate storage of fruits and vegetables.

A room 4 x 4 x 6 feet is large enough for most households. An area 6 x 7 x 7 feet will hold approximateIy 30 bushels of produce—5 bushels per month for 6 months. An area 8 x 10 x 7 feet will hold approximately 60 bushels of produce—10 bushels per month for 6 months.
To deter rodents, carefully install sheathings or screens on the partition walls so there are no openings at the floor or ceiling. Young mice can crawl through
a quarter-inch hole.

Two reliable thermometers (preferably that record minimum and maximum temperatures) should be used to observe and regulate storage temperatures carefully. Place one thermometer in the coldest location of the basement or cellar, and place the other thermometer outdoors. Regulate storage temperature by opening and closing doors, windows,other openings used as ventilators.

Outdoor temperatures well below 32˚F are necessary to cool storage air to 32˚F and to maintain that temperature. Once cooled to 32˚F, the temperature will rise again if ventilators are closed, even when outdoor temperature is about 25˚F. Close ventilators tightly whenever the outdoor temperature is higher than the storage temperature. Watch indoor and outdoor temperatures
closely. In most regions, daily adjustment of ventilators is usually necessary to maintain desired storage temperatures.

The danger of overventilating during subfreezing weather is that stored products will freeze if you are not careful. For example, in a study made of an insulated storage cellar partly above ground, full ventilation both day and night was necessary to maintain a temperature of 32˚F if outdoor temperatures ranged between 18˚F and 30˚F during the day and dipped to 10˚F at night. If
minimum temperature at night, with normal air movement, was 8˚F for 5 or 6 hours, the storage temperature dropped to 30˚F. During a night of high wind, however, a minimum of 12˚F cooled the cellar to 30˚F.

Keep a pail of water in the storage area in very cold weather; water will freeze before the crops. However, very low temperatures can cause chilling injury to
some produce, like potatoes, and leave them unusable or increase decay.

Maintaining Proper Moisture

The proper humidity level is also very important to long-term storage and maintenance of good quality produce. This is generally measured as relative
humidity, which is the percentage of moisture in the atmosphere at a given time as related to the maximum amount (100%) that could be retained at that temperature.

A humidity level of 95% is almost rainfall and rather difficult to achieve indoors. A relative humidity of 90%–95% is very moist and good for storage of potatoes and other root crops. A relative humidity of 60%–75% is dry and good for storage of pumpkins and other squash. Two ways of maintaining proper humidity are first, to use water to raise the humidity of the storage
air, and secondly, to use ventilated polyethylene bags and box liners. Moisture can be added to storage air by managing a storage area....sprinkling the floor frequently, by placing large pans of water under fresh-air intake vents, by covering the floor with wet materials such as straw or odorless sawdust, or by a combination of these methods. However, these strategies will not prevent shriveling of root crops.

The easiest and most effective way to control moisture loss in root crops and in certain other crops is to put them in polyethylene bags or box liners. Cut many 1/4- to 3/8-inch holes in the sides of the bags or liners to permit ventilation. Tie the bags and fold over the tops of box liners, but do not seal them. Excessive humidity is conducive to mold and decay organisms, if water droplets are allowed to form on the surface of the product. Plastic bags and liners used for moisture retention should always be perforated at regular intervals to permit air circulation and prevent condensation.

Sanitation

At least once a year, remove all containers from the storage area and clean and air them in the sun. The room itself should also be thoroughly aired, cleaned and washed down with a disinfectant, such as diluted chlorine bleach (1cup bleach mixed with 9 cups water), to kill off any molds or bacteria that could lie dormant and ruin future crops.

Vegtables and fruits that are to be stored should be handled carefully to prevent damage. Give special attention to containers that you use for harvesting and
storing. Use containers that have smooth inner surfaces. Protruding wire staples in baskets and hampers are particularly damaging.

Lightweight tub buckets and plastic-coated stave baskets (egg baskets) are good containers for harvesting.

If the soil is sandy, rinse the containers frequently to reduce skin breaks.

Standard apple boxes and lug boxes used for shipping tomatoes, grapes, and nectarines are good storage containers. Slatted crates can be made easily from
wooden melon crates.

Discard all crushed, cut, or decaying vegetables and fruits. If damaged or infected garden products are placed in storage, serious losses from decay are
likely to occur.

See that vegetables and fruits have as little field heat as possible when you put them in storage. Harvest in early morning, or let the crops cool outdoors overnight before storing them.

Harvest during dry weather, not too soon after a rain, and allow the surface of the product to dry, since wet produce is very much more susceptible to disease.

Handle carefully when harvesting and preparing for storage in order to keep bruising to a minimum. Waxing vegetables for home storage is not recommended, although wax has been used for several years on certain fresh vegetables and fruits to improve their sales appearance and to reduce moisture loss.

Separating Fruits and Vegetables

If a large quantity of fruits and vegetables is going to be stored, it is advisable to separate the storage areas or add a central partition in a basement storage area to make two storage areas. Ideally, each area should have its own ventilation system. At least, store fruits and vegetables as far away from each other as possible. Wrapping fruits individually also helps to prevent cross-transfer of odors.

Do not store apples with potatoes or carrots. Ethylene gas produced by apples can cause potatoes to sprout and carrots to become bitter. Potatoes cause apples to take on a musty flavor. Cabbage and turnips can give their odors to celery, pears, and apples. Cabbage, kale, rutabagas, turnips, and winter radishes give off strong odors that could spread through a house, and, therefore, should be stored in outdoor storage areas only.

Apples ripen 5 times as fast at 50˚F than at 32˚F and become overripe rapidly at 70˚F. Pick apples when mature but still hard. Do not mix apples that have glassy spots in flesh (water core, overripe or injured) with good apples.

Length of storage depends on variety. Best for home storage are late maturing varieties: Winesap, Rome Beauty, Northern Spy, Newton.

Do not store apples with cabbage, carrots, turnips, or  potatoes; apples will pick up off-flavor or cause changes in the vegetables.

Grapes readily absorb odors from other vegetables and fruits. Store alone away from other produce. Harvest when mature but still hard and very green; ready
to pick when they change from deep green to pale green. Wrap individually in tissue paper and store in cardboard boxes lined with perforated plastic. Store with apples.

If held too long or ripened at too high a temperature, they will break down and become rotten on the inside.

Preparation

After first frost, pull with root attached. Store in outdoor storage areas (pits,
garbage cans, cellars) with soil around roots. Do not store in basement
because cabbage odor will spread through house. Do not store with celery,
ndive, apples, or pears, which pick up cabbage flavor. Cut off root. Leave protective outer leaves. Wrap and pack with loose moist sand in outdoor storage area, because it gives off strong odors. Or store in refrigerator in the basement.

Mulch in the garden until hard frost. Pull with root ball attached. Store upright close together in moist sand or soil. Tie leaves of endive together to help blanching. Do not store with cabbage. Store kale only in outdoor storage area, because it gives off odors. All others can be stored in a storage room.

All can be stored in garden by mulching with 1 foot of hay or straw if there
are no rodents. Parsnips, salsify and horseradish can withstand freezing but are injured by alternate freezing and thawing. Dig as needed.

Store rutabagas, turnips, and winter radishes only in outdoor storage areas
because they give off odors. Other root vegetables can be stored in basement
storage room. Dig when soil is dry. Cut plant tops 1/2 inch above crown. Store in layers of moist sand, peat, or sphagnum moss or in polyethylene bags with about four 1/4-inch holes. Storage at 45˚F causes them to sprout new tops and become woody. Store in the lowest areas of basement storage area (usually coldest, moistest).

Onions must be mature and dry to keep well. Ones with thick necks and those grown from sets are hard to keep. Before storing, spread on newspapers out of sunlight in a well-ventilated place to cure for 2–3 weeks or until skins are papery and roots completely shriveled and dry. Store in a cool, dry, well-ventilated place, such as an attic, or in an unheated room in well-ventilated containers like mesh bags.

Dry by threading mature fruit onto a string and hang in a well-ventilated place. Peppers should not touch each other.

Powdered Milk and Cheese Making-

We had a fun class on Thursday talking about the uses of powdered milk and sampling different brands and varieties of it.  We then proceeded to make cheese.  First we made cottage cheese out of powdered milk, then we made mozarella cheese out of the powdered milk.  Rod Larkin's turned out the best!!  We think because his hands were stronger.  Thats our excuse anyway.  Virginia Stone told us of her method to make yogurt from powdered milk with just 5 minutes of effort.  Everyone got their own bunch of curds and made some cheese themself.  It was fun!!  Sorry you missed it if you were not there.  You really did miss out!!
How to make cheese:

Equipment you will need:


Equipment: 1. At least an 8 quart pot either enameled or stainless steel. (Do not use aluminum, cast iron or other reactive pots) 2. Thermometer. (A candy thermometer will probably work but a good digital thermometer is much better for accuracy.) 3. A couple measuring cups or something to dissolve the Citric Acid and Rennet in. 4. A big strainer to strain the Curds fro…

 First things First
1. Pour 1 teaspoon Citric Acid into 1/4 cup unchlorinated water and stir. Crush the Rennet tablet and pour it into the other cup of unchlorinated water. The Citric Acid should be dissolved by the time you have to use it. Most of the Rennet will be dissolved but there will still be some residue left. 2. If you haven't done so already, pour milk into your pot. Make sur…

Pour in the Citric Acid.
1. Pour the dissolved Citric Acid in the milk and stir for 1 minute. 2. Sprinkle the other teaspoon of Citric Acid in the milk and sir for another minute. You will probably see the milk start to curdle very shortly. Heat milk to 88-90 degrees F. Stirring occasionally.

This is not an error. You are not trying to pasteurize the milk. If you get it too hot or too cold, the Rennet will not make curds. Use a low heat so it doesn't go past the 88-90 degrees. It should take about 10-15 minutes.

At 88-90 degrees turn off the heat and stir in the Rennet solution for 15-20 seconds.

Cover the pot with the lid and LEAVE IT SET UNDISTURBED FOR AT LEAST 15-20 MINUTES until you can get a clean break. I usually let mine set for 15-30 minutes. Time is not critical here as long as you get the clean break.

Wait for a clean break.
This is what a clean break looks like. When you poke your finger into it and move for an inch or so and lift it out, the Curd and Whey should separate shortly. If it is still liquidy (Is that a real word?) and sticks to your finger let it set a while longer.

Cut the Curd.

Cut the Curds into 1/2 inch cubes from top to bottom as shown. Then do the same thing at a 45 degree angle.

Let the Curds set undisturbed for 5-10 minutes. Just let them sit there.

Apply low heat and heat to 108 degrees.

Apply low heat and stir the curds occasionally to keep them separated until they reach 108 degrees. This will take about 15 minutes. The Curds will shrink and start to sink as the Whey is expelled from them.

Turn off the heat.

Turn off the heat and continue stirring every few minutes for an additional 20 minutes. The Curds will keep shrinking.
 
After you have the curds you can make cottage cheese with them by separating the curds from the whey and adding cream to the curds.  Or to make mozarella cheese you press the whey out by setting the curds between two plates with a heavy object on top removing whey as necessary.  When the whey is gone, add 1 teas. salt and begin to fold the salt into the curds.  Continue to do this until the curds form a smooth shiney ball.....you have mozarella cheese!!!!
 
More info..... other methods
 
How to make cheese at home easily


Learn how to make cheese at home quickly and with little effort. Get the best milk you can find, lemons, and you can start making your all-natural fresh cheese.

Delicious and versatile, this white cheese recipe is the simplest way of cheese making at home. To give you a rough idea, the consistency you get reminds you of cottage cheese, Indian chenna/panir, Italian fresh ricotta or Catalan brossat.

The beauty of it is that to learn how to make cheese at home you don't need any special equipment or ingredients. So, here's how to make cheese...



Equipment for making cheese at home

• A large pan not aluminum.

• A colander

• A wooden spoon

• A cheese cloth or muslin cloth

• A bit of kitchen twine or string

• A large bowl to put the colander in – optional

Ingredients for this cheese making recipe

Yields about 3/4 pound of fresh homemade cheese

• 1/2 gallon (2 l) whole milk – use organic milk if possible

• 4 to 5 tablespoons lemon juice – freshly pressed

How to make cheese instructions

1. Pour the milk in a large pan that allows room for boiling. Heat it to a rolling boil over medium heat. Stir frequently with a wooden spoon to prevent sticking.
2. Meanwhile, squeeze the lemon juice.
3. When the milk boils, remove it from he heat. Immediately but slowly add the lemon juice to the milk.
4. While you add the lemon juice, gently move the wooden spoon through the hot milk in one direction. After some seconds, you should see the milk splitting into lumps of curd and watery whey. These curds are your homemade cheese.
5. Cover the pan and set aside for 2 hours. This allows the curds to settle properly. If you are in a hurry reduce the time to 30 minutes.
6. When the curds have settled, line a colander with a cheese cloth or muslin. If your cheese cloth looks very thin, cover the colander with two or more layers.
7. Place the colander in the sink, or a large bowl if you intend to collect the whey. Slowly pour the curdled milk into the colander.
8. When all the liquid is drained off, gather the corners of the cheesecloth together to form a bag. Tie this sack containing the cheese curds with a kitchen twine or any other piece of string.
9. Hang the bag with the cheese curds over the sink or a bowl to let any remaining liquid whey to drip off. A kitchen cabinet knob is generally suitable to suspend the bag with the fresh homemade cheese.
10. Leave for 3 hours, and your homemade cheese is ready for eating or refrigerating. It keeps well and appetizing in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.

Quicker way—

Take 1 gal of milk, heat gently, don’t let it boil. When about 88 degrees add lemon juice. Stir gently. When curds are formed, remove from heat and let set for 20 min. Drain as much as possible. Add 1 teaspoon salt. Fold salt into cheese for about 2 minutes or until cheese is smooth and shiny. You just made mozzarella cheese.

How to make Yogurt from powdered Milk

I've made yogurt at home about a dozen times now, and it's pretty easy, fun and economical. And there's something gratifying about making a cultured food product of your own, without preservatives, thickeners and other additives that most store-bought yogurts have. This what you'll need:

• a medium-large cooler
• 2-3 glass or plastic quart-sized containers (like pitchers, empty soda bottles, etc.)
• a kitchen thermometer
• about a dozen glass or ceramic cups for the yogurt
• 1/2 gallon - 1 gallon milk (lowfat to whole; I personally haven't had much luck with nonfat)
• small container of unsweetened, unflavored yogurt with live cultures-- for a more consistent result, you might want to try a commercially-available starter.
• powdered milk, if you want your yogurt thicker - with a good starter.

1. Heat the milk

The for two reasons:
1. It kills any other bacteria that might be in the milk that would compete against the bacteria that convert milk to yogurt.

2. It changes the milk protein in a way that allows it to culture and firm up.milk needs to be heated to about 170-180F (76-82C).

Keep stirring the milk and do not let it go past 180F. If it scorches, your yogurt will taste bad.
2. Sterilize the containers
I use boiling water from an electric kettle to sterilize my (cleaned) containers. Add the boiling water, let it sit for 5-10 minutes, and then pour out the hot water.
3. Cool the milk and inoculate

Once the milk reaches 170-180F (76-82C), turn off the burner and continue to stir it as it cools. You only need to stir it for another 2-3 minutes, to prevent any of the milk from scorching at the bottom of your pot.

Once it reaches 105-110F (40-43C), mix up your plain yogurt in its container until it's liquid, and add it to the pot of warm milk. Stir it for a couple of minutes for the yogurt to milk. This will spread the bacteria (Lactobacillus, Bifidus, and other bacteria, depending on your source) throughout the milk and allow it to start to grow.
4. Pour into containers

Pour the inoculated milk into the containers.

5. Load into cooler and put in heat sources

Put all the containers into the cooler, along with the pitchers full of hot water from the tap. The heat from those containers will keep the containers warm. The heat should be maintained and stable throughout the process, so try to avoid opening the container at all until the end of the process. The fermentation takes anywhere from 4-8 hours (about 6 is ideal).

If the cooler/kitchen was a bit cool before you put everything in, you might want to quickly take those containers out at about the 1-2 hour point and refresh with hot water. But keep the cooler closed as much as possible, to avoid letting the temperature of the yogurt containers from dropping.

Also, avoid jostling the cooler, even if you have to open it up to refresh the hot water. It needs stillness to firm up.

6. Check yogurt to see if done

After about 6-8 hours (or a bit longer, if the temperature in your cooler is below 100F/39C), the yogurt should be firm. Test by gently turning it to see if it keeps its shape.

There will be some slightly yellowish, viscous liquid on the top. This is whey. You can either pour it off, or just mix it into the yogurt when you eat it.


Let me know how these methods work for you. Please let us know if you have other ways also.  Thanks and Enjoy!!

Beans....

HEALTH BENEFITS OF BEANS

The Healthiest Types of Beans and Legumes

There has been a lot of hype around the health benefits of the different types of beans and legumes. While it’s good to incorporate a variety of these foods into our diet, it’s also good to know which ones provide the most health benefits. This enables us to make a special effort to eat more of these types of beans and legumes. We are going to take a look at some of the healthiest beans and legumes and discover just why these particular foods are so good for the human body.

First of all, it doesn’t matter what type of beans or legumes you eat—they’re all good for you! Granted, some beans provide a few more nutrients than others, and preparation also has a lot to do with nutritional value. Beans are loaded with antioxidants. These are substances that help to counter the effects of oxidation in our cells by destroying “free radical” cells. Beans are an excellent alternative to meat which tends to be high in less desirable fats. Beans contain high amounts of protein and are a great source of “good fats” that can help lower cholesterol and fight obesity. If you’re wondering about carbs, well, technically beans are fairly high in carbohydrates, but we’re talking complex carbs. Complex carbs are great for the human body as they provide energy to the body’s muscles and brain. They can also encourage weight loss during the conversion-to-energy process.

Black beans are probably considered to be one of the healthiest beans out there. You may also know these beans by the name of “turtle beans”. Black beans have a super high antioxidant and fiber content and also provide the best quality of protein. They are extremely low in “bad fats” and due to their high fiber content, they are particularly helpful to those with blood sugar issues, as fiber helps to keep one’s blood sugar levels from rising too quickly. In addition to all of this, black beans can also add a substantial amount of iron, folate, vitamin B1, and magnesium to one’s diet. Dried black beans can be stored in their unopened plastic bag for nearly a year if they are kept in the right conditions. Remember that most dried beans can absorb the air’s moisture if kept in a damp area, therefore they should never be stored in the refrigerator.

Kidney beans are easy to spot because of their uncanny resemblance to the kidney organs. Kidney beans are a close second to black beans when it comes to healthiness. A cup of cooked kidney beans provides nearly half of one’s daily recommended amount of fiber and 177% of the recommended amount of molybdenum (a trace mineral). A cup of these beans will also provide about 30% of one’s daily fiber and 32% of one’s protein allowances. As with black beans, kidney beans are also high in antioxidants and are a good source of iron, folate, vitamin B1, and manganese. The storage guidelines for kidney beans are the same as for black beans. Once opened, most dried beans can be kept in an air-tight canister.

Lentils, of the legume family, will be the last addition to our list of the healthiest types of beans and legumes. Lentils are considered to be a veritable super-food because they are so high in protein yet also provide a decent amount of good fats. They dish out about twice as much iron as other legumes and are an excellent source of B vitamins, which stimulates one’s metabolism and promotes cell growth. Consuming lentils on a regular basis can also help to drastically reduce one’s likelihood of developing breast cancer, prostate cancer, and heart disease. Lentils must be stored in a dry, dark place—preferably a cool one—in an air-tight container. They should keep for about a year.

While these three foods should ideally find their way into your diet at least three times every week, other beans and legumes, such as pinto beans, lima beans, and soy beans, should also be remembered. Don’t be afraid to get a little variety with beans. There is a huge variety to choose from and they all have their own balance of nutrients that can benefit one’s health.

Are beans a complete protein?

Beans are sometimes referred to as an "incomplete" protein since they don't provide one of the essential amino acids needed from food for building protein in the body. In actual practice, this isn't a concern. Grains (which lack a different essential amino acid) provide the amino acid missing from dry beans and vice versa. Together, they complement each other. Examples of complementary protein include beans and rice, a bean burrito (beans in a tortilla), and beans and corn. For non-vegetarians, the protein in dry beans also can be complemented by serving beans with a small amount of animal protein such as meat, poultry, seafood, dairy or eggs.

It is no longer considered necessary to eat complementary sources of protein together at the same time. Just consume them over the course of a day.

What can you do if dry beans give you "gas"?

Some ways to minimize the gaseous or "musical fruit" effect include:
• Discard the soaking water when preparing dry beans from scratch and rinse beans thoroughly before cooking them.
• Gradually increase the amount and frequency of beans in your diet. This will give your body a chance to adjust to them. For example, start with one-fourth cup of beans sprinkled on top of a salad or added to a serving of soup.
• Try Beano™, a non-prescription product available in the pharmacy section of many stores. It contains an enzyme that breaks down the gas-producing substances in beans. Beano™ is available in liquid and tablet form and is used immediately before consuming beans.

As with adding all types of fiber to your diet, drink plenty of fluids and maintain regular physical activity. This helps your gastrointestinal system handle the increased fiber.

Can one dry bean be substituted for another bean in recipes?

For the most part, any canned or dry-packaged bean variety can be substituted for another, according to the American Dry Bean Board. All types of beans blend well with a variety of foods and spices as they absorb flavors from other ingredients. Cooking times may differ if substituting one type of dry-packaged bean for another.

Adzuki Beans are small, with a vivid red color, solid flavor and texture. Originally from Asia, its name means "little bean" in Japanese. Its red coloring - red being the most important color in Eastern celebrations - means that it is greatly used in festive or special meals.

Large Lima Beans are large and flat with a greenish-white color. The bean has a buttery flavor and creamy texture. This bean is named after Lima, Peru, and is extremely popular in the Americas, both in its natural state and dried.

Pink Beans have beautiful pink color and are very popular in the countries of the Caribbean. Pink beans are of medium size (similar to the Great Northern and the Pinto) and have a refined texture and delicate flavor.

 Baby Lima Beans come from Peru and are very popular in the Americas. The baby variety is much loved in Japan for making desserts from bean paste known as "an." These are medium-sized flat beans with a greenish white color, buttery flavor, and creamy texture.

Small Red Beans are particularly popular in the Caribbean region, where they normally are eaten with rice. Dark red in color, small red beans also are smoother in taste and texture than the dark red kidney bean.

Dark Red Kidney Beans are large and kidney-shaped with a deep, glossy red color. They have a solid flavor and texture. These beans are produced mainly in the northern U.S.A. and owes popularity in America and Europe to the bean's large size, bright color and solid texture.

Black Beans are sweet tasting and soft, floury texture. These beans are medium sized, oval, with a matt black color. They are the most popular beans in the Costa Rica and Cuba.

Light Red Kidney Beans have a solid texture and flavor. They are characterized by their large, kidney shape and a pink color. This bean is popular in the Caribbean region, Portugal and Spain because of similarity to the canela bean.

Navy Beans are small, white and oval with a refined texture and delicate flavor. These are the beans used for the famous Boston- and English-baked beans because their skin and fine texture do not break up on cooking. These beans were named for their part of the U.S. Navy diet during the second half of the 19th Century.

Cranberry Beans are known for their creamy texture with a flavor similar to chestnuts. Cranberry beans are rounded with red specks, which disappear on cooking. These beans are a favorite in northern Italy and Spain. You can find them fresh in their pods in autumn. They freeze well.

Black-eyed Beans (or peas) have a scented aroma, creamy texture and distinctive flavor. These beans are characterized by their kidney shape, white skin with a small black eye, and very fine wrinkles. Originally from Africa, it is one of the most widely dispersed beans in the world. Black-eyed beans are really a type of pea, which gives it its distinctive flavor and rapid cooking potential, with no pre-soaking needed.

Pinto Beans are the most widely produced bean in the United States and one of the most popular in the Americas. Pinto beans contain the most fiber of all beans. Characteristically known for their medium-size, oval shape, they are speckled reddish brown over a pale pink base with solid texture and flavor.

Great Northern Beans are a North American bean, popular in France for making cassoulet (a white bean casserole) and in the whole Mediterranean here many beans of a similar appearance are cultivated. These beans have a delicate flavor and thin skin. They are and are flat, kidney-shaped, medium-sized white beans.

Garbanzo Beans or chickpeas are the most widely consumed legume in the world. Originating in the Middle East, they have a firm texture with a flavor somewhere between chestnuts and walnuts. Garbanzo beans are usually pale yellow in color. In India there are red, black, and brown chickpeas.

How To Cook Beans From Scratch

"Why should I go through the trouble when I can just use some canned beans" you ask? Although canned beans are convenient, they're NOT the healthiest way to go since they usually contain lots of sodium and preservatives.

Plus, once you learn how to cook beans and get the hang of it, you'll be whipping up beans and happily munching away on them every day!

There are MANY beans to choose from, and each has their own distinct flavor. Don’t limit yourself to the canned variety.

How To Clean and Prep Beans

Before I show you how to cook beans, you'll want to learn how to clean and get them ready for the cooking process.

MOST BEANS require soaking. Why? Because it helps your body to digest them easier, and it cuts the cooking time dramatically. Beans that DO NOT require soaking include Aduki (Adzuki), Black Soybeans, and Black-Eyed Peas.

The soaking and cooking of beans remains a mystery for so many people. I should know because I used to be one of them! Hopefully the following instructions along with photos will help to take some of the mystery away so you can start cooking beans today!

Step 1: Measure one cup dry beans.

Step 2: Pick over beans. This means that you lay the beans out (I usually do this step in a long, flat Tupperware container) and pick through them, looking rocks, stones and dried, withered and discolored beans, then discard.

Step 3: Measure triple the amount of water as beans, in this case 3 cups.

Step 4: Place beans in a container with a lid (I use a wide-mouthed jar) and pour water over beans.

Step 5: Let sit 6-8 hours (or overnight). The beans do not have to be covered, but you may want to for cleanliness sake.

Step 6: Admire your soaked beans.

Step 7: Drain and rinse beans.

Now, that wasn't so bad was it?

How To Cook Beans

There are many ways to cook beans. I use a crock pot for mine and cook them all day or until tender. You can also use a pressure cooker, a pot on the stove top or your solar oven outside. Which ever method you use. Do not add anything with salt, acid or sugar until the bean is soft because these things will keep the beans from getting soft.

After they are soft use the recipes given in this post or choose your own. There are many online to choose from.

Always share your experiences with us….we want to hear from you.

RECIPES

Here is a sampling of recipes to get you started cooking with beans. They illustrate the many ways beans can be used in meals.

• Black Beans with Corn and Tomatoes 1 (15-ounce) can low-sodium, no-fat-added black beans
Red beans were substituted for the black beans in this example

• 1 cup cut tomatoes, fresh or canned

• 1 teaspoon fresh parsley, chopped

• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

• 1 cup frozen corn, thawed

• 1 clove garlic, pureed or roasted

• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper or more to taste

1. Drain and rinse beans.

2. In a bowl, combine beans, corn, tomatoes and garlic.

3. Add parsley, pepper and chili powder. Combine and serve.



Makes 4 servings

One-Dish Rosemary Chicken and White Beans

Makes 4 servings

• 2 teaspoons olive oil

• 1-1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

• 8 skinless and boneless chicken thighs (about 1 pound)

• 1 (14.5-ounce) can stewed tomatoes, undrained

• 1 (15-ounce) can navy beans, rinsed and drained

• 1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

2. Combine rosemary, salt and pepper; sprinkle over one side of chicken.

3. Place chicken in pan with seasoned side down, cook 3 minutes.

4. Reduce heat to medium and turn chicken. Add tomatoes and beans, cover and simmer 10 minutes or until chicken is done.

5. Stir in olives.



Italian White Bean Soup

Makes 4 servings

Part of the beans and liquid in this soup is pureed to make a thicker, creamy texture.

• 2 (15.5-ounce) cans white kidney beans (cannellini) or Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed

• 4 cups non-fat, reduced sodium chicken broth, divided

• 1/2 cup chopped onion

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 (16-ounce) can whole tomatoes with no salt, undrained OR 4 to 6 fresh plum tomatoes, peeled and chopped

• 2 teaspoons dried basil

• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

• 1/8 teaspoon white pepper

1. Combine one can of beans with two cups of the broth in a blender or food processor and blend until a smooth puree.

2. Transfer to a large saucepan. Stir in remaining ingredients.

3. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, about 10 to 15 minutes, or until beans and tomatoes reach desired tenderness.


Hummus

Makes 4 servings

Serve hummus as a dip with fresh cut vegetables such as carrots, or serve with crackers. Hummus also works well as a sandwich spread, in pita bread and spread in wraps. Some possible additions to hummus sandwiches are grated carrots, sliced or chopped tomatoes, salad greens, chopped or sliced red or green pepper.

• 1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 tablespoon white wine or cider vinegar; OR 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

• Dash cayenne

• 1/4 to 1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt

• 1/4 cup chopped parsley

1. Place all ingredients except yogurt and parsley in a food processor.

2. Add 1/4 cup of the yogurt and blend until smooth. Add more yogurt, if necessary, until desired consistency is achieved.

3. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the parsley.

4. Eat within two days for best quality and safety. Avoid letting hummus sit at room temperature for more than two hours, TOTAL TIME.

Southwestern Black Bean Salad

Makes 4 main-dish servings

Beans of all varieties are a natural as tasty additions to salads. This salad is substantial enough to serve as a light main dish.

• 1/2 cup light ranch dressing

• 1 large tomato, cut into bite-size wedges

• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

• 1 cup frozen corn, thawed

• 1 red bell pepper, chopped or cut into strips

• 1 shallot, chopped, OR 4 green onions (including stem), sliced

• 1 package (5-ounces) salad greens

• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, regular or reduced fat, coarsely shredded

• Black pepper, to taste

1. In a large bowl, combine all salad ingredients (EXCEPT cheese and black pepper) with ranch dressing.

2. Divide between large salad plates and top with cheese. Pass black pepper, preferably in a pepper grinder, so people can grind their own.

Three Bean Pasta

Serves 4-6

Beans are a natural combination with pasta and can be served as a main dish salad. Here's a sample recipe from the National Pasta Association. It's easy to create your own -- just combine beans, veggies, pasta and your favorite salad dressing. Refrigerate for about an hour to allow flavors to blend. ENJOY!

• 1 pound medium or wide egg noodles, uncooked

• 1 15-oz. can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

• 1 15-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

• 1 cup frozen green beans, thawed

• 1 small red onion, chopped

• 1 red bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed, chopped

• 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1. Prepare pasta according to package directions; drain. Rinse under cold water and drain again.

2. In a large bowl, stir together the pasta, kidney beans, chickpeas, green beans, onion and bell pepper. In a small bowl, stir together the remaining ingredients.

3. Toss pasta with dressing and serve.


Have fun learning to use this healthy and nutrious food!!