Ethleen's Eat of the Week: Pinto Fiesta Cake

Introducing "Ethleen's Eat of the Week" - creative ways to use your food storage!! Every Friday, Ehtleen Rhees is going to be emailing me a recipe. The woman is a genius when it comes to cooking with food storage. She's got a talent for it! On Saturdays, I will use the recipe - and my food storage - to create one of Ethleen's culinary masterpieces. I will photograph the entire process, and blog about it Monday mornings!! When all is said and done, you'll have a collection of tasty, useable, food storage recipes and knowledge to boot!

Bon apetite!!

**NOTE: Ethleen's directions are in regular font, my side notes/words of nonsense are in italics!**

And now for.... 

 

The ingredients line-up... 

You will need:

For the cake-

2 C cooked mashed pinto beans
2 C rehydrated apples
1 C sugar
1/4 C butter (or equivilant in butter powder rehydrated)
1 egg beaten (or equivilant in dried egg powder rehydrated)
1 C flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1 T vanilla
1 C raisins
1 C chopped nuts

For the Orange Glaze-

1/2 C sugar
1/2 C orange juice (or orange juice powder reconstituted)

1. Cream sugar & butter.

2. Add eggs and beans. You'll want to cook the beans using your preferred method ahead of time. My mom soaks/cooks them overnight on low heat. Make sure they're cooked through so they're easy to mash, and so you don't have little pieces of hard bean in your cake when you go to eat it. *Ahem* Of course that would never happen to me.

 

3. Mix together dry ingredients and add to sugar mixture.  

4. Add apples, raisins, nuts, and vanilla. Rehydrate by putting approximately 2 cups dry apple slices in a bowl and cover with water for about a half an hour.

5. Pour into greased 10 inch tube pan (bundt pan for those of you who are wondering... I of COURSE knew exactly what a "tube pan" was and did NOT have to consult Google... I greased the pan with Crisco and then I floured the pan on top of that... I might have been a TAD overzealous, but it's better than ruining a cake - aka death by sticking!!) and bake 45 min at 375. 

 

 

6. To make the Orange Glaze: Dissolve sugar in orange juice. 

7. Pour glaze on cooled cake and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

52 Weeks to Family Preparedness: Week 3

Download Week 3 here.

52 Weeks to Family Preparedness: Week 2

Download Week 2 here.

52 Weeks to Family Preparedness: Week 1

Here it is folks! In 52 weeks your family can be super duper PREPARED!!!!

Download Week 1 here.

Food Storage on a Budget

 

FOOD STORAGE on a Budget

Church Leaders have asked us to have our Food Storage at the ready! 

Now you ask, “Where do I get the money for these things? I agree we need them, but I’m having a hard time making ends meet.”

Here is how you do it. Use any one or all of these suggestions:

1. Follow the prophet. He has counseled us to plant a garden and fruit trees. This year, don’t just think about it—do it. Grow all the food you possibly can. 

2. Buy in bulk. If you cannot afford to buy in bulk alone, get together with other families in the Ward and buy in bulk together. You can buy in bulk from Winco, Cash-N-Carry, and Costco, as well as from many other online stores for a decent price.

3. Save during the Holidays. Decide as a family this year that 25 or 50 percent of your Christmas will be spent on a year’s supply. Many families in the Church spend considerable sums of money for Christmas. Half or part of these Christmas monies will go a long way toward purchasing the basics. Brethren, give your wife a year’s supply of wheat for Christmas, and she’ll know your heart is in the right place. 

4. When you desire new clothes, don’t buy them. Repair and mend and make your present wardrobe last a few months longer. Use that money for the food basics. Make all of your nonfood necessities that you feasibly can, such as furniture and clothing. 

5. Cut the amount of money you spend on recreation by 50 percent. Do fun things that do not require money outlay but make more lasting impressions on your children. There are many free entertainment opportunities in our community. The Springfield Library holds Story Time for young children, there are Summer Reading Programs, Home Depot activities for the Kids… etc.

6. Decide as a family that there will be no vacation next year unless you have your year’s supply. Many Church members could buy a full year’s supply of the basics from what they would save by not taking a vacation. Take the vacation time and work on a family garden. Be together, and it can be just as much fun. 

7. Sell something. If you haven’t a year’s supply yet and you do have boats, snowmobiles, campers, or other luxury possessions, sell or trade one or two or more of them and get your year’s supply. 

8. Shop smart at the Grocery store. The grocery bill is one bill that can be cut. Every time you enter the store and feel tempted by effective merchandising to buy cookies, candy, ice cream, non-food items, or magazines—don’t! Think carefully; buy only the essentials. Then figure what you have saved and spend it on powdered milk, sugar, honey, salt, or grain. Plan your meals for the week. This way you only have to shop once a week and you only buy the things that you need. Also use coupons, price match & shop sales. With the money you save use towards food storage. When something goes on sale for a huge savings, stock up on that one item. You will be able to accumulate your 3 months supply by doing this.

9. Have a Garage Sale. Sell all the clothes that your children no longer fit and the toys they no longer play with at garage sales, on craigslist or ebay. If your family is still growing, save all these things to use for your next child. Also shop garage sales to buy the things you need at a great price.

10. Take a lunch. Make your lunch every day to take it to work. Homemade lunches will save BIG time compared to eating out.

11. Shop Around - When you are purchasing large items, always research the item to find which one (style/model/brand) will be right for your family. Take your time. Do not make frivolous or quick purchases. Pray about it. Contact manufacturers and ask if they have a damaged version of the item you are looking for. Often times they are willing to sell scratched or slightly dented items at half price.

Where Do I Store My Food Storage?

Here is a great group of videos addressing the age-old question: Where do I store my food storage?

These were compiled by an Enrichment Group of Sisters from the Castle Ridge Ward in Nevada. This website covers SO many helpful subjects - I highly encourage you to take some wandering time around. They've been doing this for YEARS and it shows!

REMINDER: Provident Living Committee Meeting

The Committee Meeting is tonight - 7 p.m. - at the 66th Street Chapel.

Don't forget!!