If you are new to this blog . . .

If you are new to this blog you may want to check out the post on putting together a food storage meal plan so you can better understand how this blog is organized.

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Cinnamon Applesauce Ornaments

Everyone has their own loves during the holiday season. We're all about the Homemade Country Christmas at our house. We love popcorn garlands, gingerbread cookies, homemade candies, and singing carols together. The kids love to get in on some of the homemade fun. This is a very easy and low-cost activity. The ornaments turn out darling and they look great hung on the tree or tied to a jar or gift bag of goodies to give away.

This project only takes two ingredients - Applesauce and cinnamon. (I buy cinnamon in bulk at our local grocery store and keep it in pint jars.)

Start with 3/4 cup of applesauce or so. It's all a bit of a guess with this recipe. Mix in enough cinnamon to make a stiff cookie dough consistency. (Be careful when young children are helping you. Too much cinnamon can be harsh on young skin. I try to do most of the mixing with a spoon to avoid any issues.)


Here is our dough.

Roll out between two sheets of plastic wrap to about 1/4 inch thickness.

Remove the top piece of plastic and cut into desired shapes.

Place on a waxed paper lined baking sheet.

Use a drinking straw to cut a small hole in the top of each shape. Bake at 200 degrees for about an hour. After an hour or so, I just turn the oven off and leave the tray inside. The remaining heat helps dry out the ornaments completely. I'm sure you could make them in a dehydrator also. You just want to have them dry all the way through.

When done, you can paint with glitter glue to give them a shiny, glittery appearance. They also look fun with a small gingham ribbon glued on them. String a piece of yarn or thread through the hole to hang them on your tree or decorate up a package.

Friday, December 2, 2011

Food Storage and Provident Living Gift Ideas

Giving Food Storage gifts can be an inexpensive and fun way to show you care and help someone else be more prepared.  Since many gifts of this type are homemade it is often one of the best gifts we can give.  Below are a handful of fun gifts ideas for the holidays.  Enjoy!

Storable Baking Mixes Recipes

Storable baking mixes are a fun inexpensive gift that everyone loves.  You can package them up in jars with ribbons or ziplock bags inside fabric or paper gift bags.  Below are some recipes that you may enjoy or you might consider creating mixes from your own favorite recipes. 
Useful conversions:
1 cup fresh milk = 3 TBSP Non-instant powdered milk + 1 cup water
1 egg=2 TBSP dried egg powder + ¼ cup water
Add dry ingredients to your baking mix and wet ingredients to your baking directions

Delightful Apple Spice Muffins by Lisa T. (Allrecipes)
Dry Ingredients:
1 cup white sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground allspice
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda

Directions:  Mix dry ingredients together in a ziplock bag. Include baking directions on the bag or on a cute festive notecard.

Baking Directions:
Mix 1/6 cup margarine, 4 eggs, and 2 cups applesauce with muffin mix, place in muffin tins and bake in preheated 350 degree F oven for 17-20 minutes.  Makes approximately 24-28 muffins.

Pumpkin Muffin Mix (All Things Provident by Tamara Price)
Dry Ingredients
1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
1 ½ TBSP dry milk powder

Directions:  Mix dry ingredients together in a ziplock bag. Include baking directions on the bag or on a cute festive notecard.

Baking Directions:
Add ½ cup water, ½ cup pumpkin puree, 2 TBS oil, and 1 egg to muffin mix.  [Pumpkin puree can be replaced by applesauce, mashed sweet potatoes, or butternut squash.]  Place in muffin tins and bake in preheated 375 degree F oven for 15-20 minutes. 

Whole Wheat Blueberry Pancakes by Brosette Lewis (Allrecipes)
Dry Ingredients
1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
3 TBSP non-instant powdered milk
1/2 tsp salt
2 TBSP Sugar

Frozen Ingredient:
1 cup frozen blueberries

Directions:  Mix dry ingredients together in a ziplock bag.  Package the frozen blueberries in a separate bag or container.  (Be sure to leave frozen blueberries in clear packaging so they can be frozen immediately.)  Include baking directions on the bag or on a cute festive notecard.

Baking Directions:
Add 1 cup water, 1 egg, and 1 TBSP oil to pancake mix.  Gently mix in blueberries last.  (Blueberries do not need to be defrosted prior to cooking.)  Cook pancakes on hot griddle.  Enjoy!

White Sauce Mix (All Things Provident by Tamara Price)
Dry Ingredients:
3 cups non-instant dry milk powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp salt

Directions:  Mix together all three ingredients into a ziplock bag.  Include baking directions on the bag or on a cute festive notecard.

Baking Directions: 
Whisk 5 Tbsp white sauce mix with 1 cup hot tap water in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thick. Use in any recipe calling for 1 cup white sauce. Many recipes ask for 1 cup of milk, some flour and a little butter. You can use this white sauce in any of those recipes. It is a completely fat free alternative and tastes great!  It will store for up to 5 years on the pantry shelf!

Cinnamon Apple Pie Topping Mix by Kate Patten
Dry Ingredients
1 cup lightly spooned flour
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Directions:  Mix dry ingredients together in a ziplock bag.  Include baking directions on the bag or on a cute festive notecard.

Baking Directions:
In small bowl cut ½ cup softened (not melted) butter (1 stick) into this mix until crumbly and use as the top crust for your apple or other flavored pie.  Sprinkle with white sugar for looks if desired. (Covers one 8” pie top.)


Christmas Ornaments Made from Food Storage


Cinnamon Ornaments (All Things Provident by Tamara Price)

Ingredients:  Cinnamon and Applesauce

Directions:  Combine equal parts cinnamon and applesauce.  Work with your hands until you have a dough ball that is not too sticky.  You may have to add extra cinnamon depending on how thick your applesauce is.  Roll out the dough and then cut with cookie cutters. Use a straw to make a hole at the top so you can thread ribbon through later or poke a thin piece of wire through the top of each ornament that you can use to hang it once it is dry.  Allow to air dry for a few days, turning as needed, to allow it to dry on all sides.  To speed up the drying process, you can place items on a baking sheet and bake at 200 degrees F until dry.  Again, flip items over, if needed to dry completely. Once the ornaments are dry, they can be painted with acrylic paints.  It is also fun to paint them with glitter glue.  Heating from the Christmas tree lights really helps the cinnamon smell comes out.

Dough Ornaments by ehow.com/ essortment.com
Ingredients:  1 cup salt, 4 cups all-purpose flour, and 1 ½ cup warm water

Directions:    Preheat oven to 200 degrees.  Mix salt and flour together. Add water slowly and kneed until dough is stiff. Roll dough out to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut desired shapes from dough using cookie cutters or similar objects. Make a hole in the top of each ornament using a pencil, straw, toothpick or similar object. Bake ornaments for 1 hour in 200 degree oven.

Allow to cool.  Then decorate with watercolors, acrylic, tempera or other type of paint or use colored markers.  Coat ornaments when dry with a clear protective coating if desired.  Put ornament hanger or ribbon through hole and hang.



Other Food Storage Gift Ideas

Homemade Jam
Homemade Wheat Bread
Bottled Fruit
Bottled Pie Filling, with pie instructions (really make it a hit and add the cinnamon apple pie topping mix)

Dehydrated fruits (peaches, pears and apples) or vegetables

Sprouting trays with seeds and instructions
Bulk spices and bullion in decorated pint jars
Recipes for food storage items and binders
Long-Term Food Storage Items (such as cans of wheat, beans, etc.)

Other Provident Living Gift Ideas

First aid kits

Emergency candles

72 hour kits
Hand wheat-grinder
Back packs

Alternative cooking stoves

Solar ovens and buddy burners
Propane Stove and Gas
Water filtration bottles and pumps
Water storage containers
Labeler machine