All About the Garden City LDS Cannery

604 E. 46th St. Garden City, ID

(208) 375-7893

We are some of the lucky members who have a church cannery in town. Many members have never been to the cannery so I thought I would do a newsletter to tell you all about it. Going to the cannery should never be something that intimidates you - like any other visitor's center or temple, there are plenty of kind people who will help you find just what you need.

Family Home Storage Center Hours - Dry Pack

9 AM to 5 PM Tuesday Wednesday & Thursday

9 AM to 3 PM Friday

Tuesday & Thursday Evening by appointment only

Saturday Morning by appointment only

Drop in during any of their regular hours. If you need an evening appointment, don't hesitate to call ahead. There are service missionaries who are more than happy to meet you there in the evening. When arriving, park on the east side of the building - it will be on your left as you approach the river. (If you get to the river, you have just passed it.) Look for the large, bright orange door. There is a door just to the left of the orange door which is where you enter to be able to purchase items.

When you first get there, you will be asked to fill out an order form. Then the service missionaries will help you pick up whatever it is you would like. (You can find current prices at providentliving.org - Just type "home storage order form" in the search box.)

You can purchase dry pack items whenever you want - there is no need to perform service first by helping with the canning. They have bulk items available or individual #10 cans full of product.  To purchase wet pack items, you need to perform service first and earn a "blue card." The card allows you to return one time during the year to purchase what you would like.

You can also purchase empty #10 cans and oxygen absorbers from the cannery and check out one of their dry pack canners. This way you can stock up on dry pack items that may not be available at the cannery and still package them up to make sure you can store them for long periods of time. I did this with lots of different pasta shapes as well as the brand of powdered milk that my family prefers since these products were not available at the cannery. We did it all one weekend in the garage and got them all canned up. It was a great way to include the kids in our preparedness efforts!

You can also check out wheat grinders from the cannery. If you have a bunch of wheat stored and would like to start using it, don't hesitate to borrow a grinder and grind a bucket full of flour. Then you can be ready to add wheat flour to all of your home baked breads, muffins, cookies, and cakes. Most all recipes work just fine if you replace 1/2 of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour. You can significantly increase the whole grain in your diet just by making that little switch.

The church announced recently that many of the food storage centers would be closing. They assured us that the Garden City Cannery will continue functioning as it has been. The following statement came from our area leaders.

"Despite some Food Storage Facility Center changes, the Garden City center will continue operations.  They will begin offering nine new pre-packaged items for purchase.  Portable sealing equipment will continue to be available for check out, and bulk product and cans will be available for purchase.  Detailed lists with changes and products are available through the Garden City Center."

The cannery has a blog where they post updated information. The following information I copied from their blog http://gccannery.blogspot.com/ Check it out for the most current information.

Purchasing Policy

Oct 2012

1.      You may purchase bulk dry pack items as well as pre-packaged items at any time in 
our Home Storage Center.  We accept debit and credit cards, checks, money orders, or 
cash.

2.      You may purchase products for yourself, your family, or for personal gifts.  (Ward 
canning specialists may bring orders and checks for their groups to purchase bulk 
commodities and supplies only).

3.      No products may be resold to other individuals.

4.      No returns or exchanges will be accepted after the 1st 30 days.

5.      All purchases must have a fully completed order form.

6.      We encourage you continue using our dry pack facilities to package the dry products that are available.  By packaging your own product, you are providing for your family and practicing the principles of self-reliance. Following your work here, we invite you to purchase the wet pack product that is available. 

7.      No appointment is necessary during regular hours, but it is encouraged for large 
groups.  Special arrangements need to be made for evenings and Saturday morning by calling the cannery. (208.375.7893)

8.      “Blue Cards” are issued only to those who have worked a wet pack shift (church or family) for a minimum of 2 hours.  The cards are issued one per family and surrendered at the time of purchase of any wet pack items (ie.  peaches, pears, etc.).

9.  No outside products may be brought in for canning.

10.  Children under 16 are not allowed in the wet pack area of the cannery, however they can accompany their parents for shopping in dry pack area.  

How I use items from the Cannery

Hot Cocoa Mix  - I buy the 25 lb bags! I know many of you are wondering how to use 25 lbs of cocoa. We bring it to all the family reunion campouts, we mix it up at home when we want a cup full, we mix it and then chill it and store it in the fridge in an airtight canning jar. When chilled, it tastes just like the chocolate milk you can purchase by the gallon at the grocery store. Mix 3/4 cup with 1 quart of extra hot water (it does not need to boil.) Mix with a wire whisk. Serve immediately or allow to chill. As it cools, the chocolate will settle some in the bottom, just give it a stir or if you have moved it to a jar, shake well and enjoy. At the current cost of $39 for 25 lbs, it costs $1.56 per gallon for chocolate milk or less than $.10 per cup - you definitely can't buy the little packets for $.10 per cup.

Potato Pearls - These are the best instant potatoes we've had. They are just add water - no butter or milk required! I top shepherd's pie with them or make them up quickly for a side dish. They are delicious on their own, but you can stir in a large spoonful of sour cream and add some chives to dress them up a little. Or make loaded mashed potatoes by adding cheese and bacon bits. They are a quick and easy side dish.

Powdered milk - We use the powdered milk in all our cooking and baking. It reduces the milk we go through at home by at least 3 gallons a week. That means it reduces my trips to the grocery store and gives me more time and money to do other things. It seems a little expensive to buy the whole bag, but it ends up being about $1.88 per gallon. It is best to mix using your blender and adding warm water. Use 3/4 cup of powder per quart of water or 3 Tbsp per cup. If you don't have a blender, whisk vigorously to get rid of all the lumps. Chill to allow the foam to settle and then use like regular milk in all of your recipes. Once heated in a recipe, you cannot taste any odd flavor at all. Even my cream soups are delicious and no one can tell they are full of powdered milk!

Dehydrated Carrots and Onions - These are great to drop into soups and stews. Simmering in warm water for 15 - 20 minutes makes them just right. I save hours through the Fall and Winter since I don't have to chop so many vegetables for making soup. If I just want to use some of the onions in another casserole or with my hamburger when I am browning it, I just put a tablespoon or 2 in a small glass bowl and cover them with water. Heat in the microwave for 20 seconds and they are ready to drop into whatever you are cooking.

Hopefully you feel a little more excited about using the great resource of the church cannery. It is also a great place to take your non-member friends so they can see a little bit about what the church welfare system is all about. They can also purchase items there if they would like. I'm sure that many of you have thought, "I should go to the cannery some day." Stop hesitating and get it on your calendar today!

Recipes Using Grains

You can store certain grains like white rice, wheat, and oatmeal for up to 30 years. But, instead of letting them sit on your shelf, try adding these dishes into your family meals, and learn to use your grains now.

White rice: Try cooking rice in chicken broth instead of water. Mix diced onion and garlic in with the rice as it begins to cook. Both options make rice much more flavorful.

Horchata

Ingredients

1 cup long-grain rice, rinsed

2 quarts water

1 cinnamon stick, broken into pieces

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup white sugar

Directions

·         In a large saucepan, combine rice, water, and cinnamon stick. Set aside for 3 hours.

·         After 3 hours, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Allow to cool.

·         Puree rice mixture in a blender until smooth. Strain through cheesecloth or a fine sieve. Flavor with vanilla and sugar to taste. Chill, and serve over ice.

Wheat: Most of us grind up wheat to make bread, but cracked wheat berries can be cooked whole (like cooking rice) to make bulgar or they can be sprouted.

Sprouted Wheat

Ingredients

Water

Whole wheat berries

Directions

·         Place 2/3 cup wheat berries in a bowl with 1 cup water. Stir to coat grains with water.

·         Let berries soak for 6 to 12 hours.

·         Drain by pouring through a strainer, and place wet berries into a quart-sized glass canning jar.

·         Place a stocking or piece of breathable fabric over the top of the jar and use a rubber band to hold it in place. It is important that air can get into the jar..

·         Let the berries sit for 8 to 12 more hours.

·         Rinse and drain them again.

·         Repeat the last two steps once more.

·         The berries should have little sprouts by this point and can be dried, ground, and used in bread recipes or puréed into a healthy and tasty cereal.

Oatmeal: Try using oatmeal to hold together your meatloaf or meatballs instead of breadcrumbs. Try making oatmeal in your crockpot. This oatmeal cookie recipe was too good not to include.

The Shipp’s Oatmeal Cookies (FavFamilyRecipes.com)

Ingredients

3/4 c. shortening

1 1/4 c. firmly packed brown sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/3 c. milk

BEAT UNTIL CREAMED THEN ADD:

3 cups quick oats

1 cup flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Directions

·         Mix at low speed just until blended. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls unto cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.

·         We add different extras to the cookie base, this time we did milk chocolate chips and toasted coconut and they were really yummy. Other yummy versions:

·         butterscotch chips

·         mini peanut butter cups

·         white chocolate chips with macadamia nuts

·         raisins

·         m&m's

·         white chocolate and dried cranberry

·         chocolate, mini marshmallows, and chopped almonds

How to Cook in an Emergency

If the power goes off for one or two weeks – How will you Cook? Read through this information and make a list of items your family is missing that would make it possible to feed your family during a longer power outage. Work the cost of these items into your budget and stock up on them a little at a time until you know you are ready.

Five Principles of Emergency Cooking:

1.       Cook Safely

2.       Do what is easy; use what you have

3.       Be efficient – use inexpensive methods and conserve fuel

4.       Make it interesting – add variety and “comfort foods”

5.       Practice your skills

Cook Safely

Choose cooking methods and fuels that are safe.  Never use charcoal indoors.  It depletes oxygen and gives off carbon monoxide, a deadly poison.  Be careful with volatile fuels such as white gas (Coleman fuel) that can spill, or evaporate and create an explosion hazard.  Always fuel white gas appliances in the out-of-doors, and away from buildings.  As always, be careful to avoid burns when dealing with hot appliances and utensils.

Do What is Easy

With no power, you can still do a lot of things to provide food.  Eat cold cereal and use up the milk in the fridge.  Eat everything else in your fridge before it goes bad.  Eat other items that don’t need cooking such as peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.  Leave your freezer closed as much as possible, and power it with a generator if you can. Eat things that might go bad before they do so. Be sure you have a hand-crank can opener for when the power is off.  Use disposable aluminum baking trays, paper plates, plastic utensils, and paper towels to reduce water usage.  MREs are easy to prepare and provide lots of calories.  You can use your propane BBQ, especially if it has a side burner, to cook in the same manner as you normally do. You will need to make sure you have enough fuel on hand. If you have an indoor fireplace or an outdoor fire pit, try some Dutch oven cooking.

Be Efficient

Efficiency can make limited resources do a lot and last a long time.  This may not matter if you use a wood stove to heat your home and you have several cords of dry firewood available, you can cook food on top of your stove.  However, if you only have your propane BBQ and it has just a few inches of fuel in the bottom of the tank, making it last a week will take some creativity.  Search the internet for information on building a haybox cooker, icebox cooker, or apple box oven. These are all very simple and inexpensive to make and allow you to conserve fuel during an emergency.  Think about the most efficient way to cook. Create a plan and a list of a few simple recipes that you can cook with items that you always have on hand. By thinking through the steps and having a plan, you will significantly reduce the stress during an emergency.

Make it Interesting

Adding variety can make your meals much more interesting and homey, as well as more nutritious.  Having some comfort foods can help your family feel better and can relieve some of the stress of the emergency. Stock up on favorite snack foods, chocolate, granola bars, etc. Think about what your family enjoys that can be stored for at least 3 months and make sure you always keep some on hand.

Practice Your Skills

Set a goal to cook a few meals as you would if there was no power. It's like having monthly fire drills - the more you practice, the less you are afraid if it really does happen. Create a menu that would get your family through 2 weeks of meals you can cook without power using your choice of cooking sources. Determine which day you are going to try out cooking these meals and go for it. I'm sure you'll learn some tricks that will make it easier when the true emergency hits.

To Cook, You Need: Heat, Food and Water

Heat – What to Cook With

Eight Methods - It is best to choose and acquire at least two methods so then when the emergency happens you have a couple of options since everything has its disadvantages.

1.       Don’t cook at all (see “Do What is Easy” above).

2.       Flameless Heating / MRE Heater

        a. Advantages: Great for a few people for a few days due to ease of storage and use.

        b. Disadvantages: For larger groups and longer periods of time is expensive, bulky and boring.

3.       Primitive Stoves, Fuel Tablets, Stove in a Can, #10 Can, Sterno, “penny” alcohol stove

        a. Advantages: Inexpensive, easy to use, can cook things other than just an MRE.  Sterno and alcohol stoves can be used indoors.

        b. Disadvantages: Difficult to control flame size, limited cooking capacity.  Alcohol presents spill hazards and the flame is invisible.

4.       Camping or Backpacking Stoves – Coleman White Gas, Kerosene, Propane, Butane, Jetboil, etc.

        a.  Advantages: Portable, powerful, can adjust flame size on most, butane is safe to use indoors

        b.  Disadvantages: Must have the right fuel for them.

5.       Wood Fire, Fireplace, Wood Stove, Kelly Kettle, Rocket Stove, Charcoal Briquettes and Dutch Oven

        a. Advantages: You can find fuel anywhere, heat output is easily controlled, can heat water and food separately.  Wood stove can heat your home.  Briquettes can be stored for years, Dutch oven cooking is delicious!

        b. Disadvantages: Need wood or other combustibles, wood fire can be smoky.  Charcoal must be used outdoors, can be difficult if raining.

6.       Volcano Multi-fuel Stove – Wood / Charcoal / Propane

        a. Advantages: Can use almost any fuel, heat output ranges from tiny to huge, can use propane to light wood fire.

        b. Disadvantages: Wood fire can be smoky; must have propane fuel if using propane fire ring.

7.       Propane Oven / Stove Combo or Propane BBQ

        a. Advantages:  Can bake or pan-fry or both.  Very easy to use, very easy to store fuel for, many BBQs have a side burner that you can use for cooking in a pan.

        b. Disadvantages: Must have propane to use; remember to fill the tank!

8.         Solar Oven

        a. Advantages: Can cook about anything that you would make in a regular oven

        b. Disadvantages: You need a cloudless day

Food – What to Cook

1.       MRE – the work is already done for you

2.       Prepared Fresh – more work, but more nutritious and delicious

3.       Dehydrated – you can purchase or dehydrate your own food and store it for everyday use or for emergencies

4.       Freeze Dried – somewhat expensive; good nutrition and flavor with ease-of-use – just add boiling water

5.       Canned – easy to store and can usually last several years

Water –you will need a minimum of 1-2 gallons of water per person per day.

For instructions on building and using different inexpensive stove options check out the following web address. 

http://www.byui.edu/Documents/community-connections/Handouts%202011/No%20Power%20Cookers%20Directions%202011%20-%20ALL.pdf

Source: http://emergencypreparednessexpo2012.blogspot.com/2011/12/cooking-in-emergency.html

Easy Recipes that can be Heated in Many Different Ways

Taco Soup
Serve with a dollop of sour cream and shredded cheese, if available, for a tasty meal.
2 (15 oz) cans kidney beans, rinsed		1–2 tsp taco seasoning
2 (15 oz) cans diced tomatoes		1 Ranch seasoning packet, optional
1 (15 oz) can corn, drained		¼ cup dry onions
1 lb hamburger
Combine all ingredients in a pan or crockpot. Add water depending on how much liquid you like. Heat through. You can use 3 cups precooked dry beans—kidney, pinto, or red beans work equally as well. The leftovers freeze very well.
Hobo Stew
Canned beef chunks are great in this stew.
1 can carrots		1 can green beans
1 can potatoes		1 can diced tomatoes
1 can green peas		½ lb hamburger, browned
1 can corn		1–2 tsp beef bouillon
Dump 1 can each of carrots, potatoes, peas, corn, green beans, and tomatoes in a pan. Do not drain. Add hamburger and bouillon and season as desired. We like this with a little oregano, basil, onion, and garlic added or you can use Italian style diced tomatoes. You really can use whatever combination of vegetables you like.
	Slick Rock Chicken
Over the years, I have come to realize that some of the pickiest kids will try something new if you can come up with a fun name for it. This helps to lighten the mood during an emergency as well.
3–4 chicken breasts		1 cup sour cream (plain yogurt)
1 can cream of mushroom soup		1 box chicken flavored stuffing mix
Mix stuffing according to package instructions. Combine soup and sour cream or plain yogurt. Place chicken in 9x13-inch pan or crockpot. Top with soup mixture and then with prepared stuffing. Cover with foil and bake at 350° F for 45 minutes or cook in crockpot on high for 3–4 hours. Sometimes I use cubed, precooked chicken or canned chicken in this recipe to speed things up. Then you only have to heat it through.

Recipe Source: All Things Provident by Tamara Price