Cranberry Jelly

(makes 1 quart)
2 bags (12oz each) cranberries
1 ½ cups water, or cranberry juice, or orange juice
2 cups of sugar
1 box pectin
Sterilize jars and lids.
Wash and remove any mushy or unripe berries.
Bring water (or juice) to a boil in a pot.
Pour in berries and let soak 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until berries pop and split.
When ½ of the berries have popped and berries feel mushy, it is done.  Should take no more than 10 minutes over medium heat.
Crush and strain berries through a mill or a wire strainer.
In a clean pot, add berry juice and pectin, and bring to a boil
Add sugar and bring back to a full boil for 1 minute, then remove from heat.
Fill jars to ½ inch headspace
Put on lids and rings, then put in water bath.
Bath pints for 15 minutes, or quarts for 20 minutes.

Apple Cider Jelly

Apple Cider Jelly

5 cups sugar
4 cups apple cider
1 box fruit pectin ½ teaspoon butter
Sterilize jars and lids.
Put 5 cups sugar in a bowl and set aside.
Add juice into large pot, stir in pectin and butter.
Bring to a full boil over high heat.
Immediately stir in sugar and bring back to a full boil, stirring constantly for 1 minute.
Remove from heat and skim foam off the top.
Fill jars to ¼ inch headspace.
Put on lids and rings, and water bath for 10 minutes

STORAGE LIFE OF DRY FOODS In Consultation with Stephen Portela NOTE: THESE PAGES HAVE BEEN DRAMATICALLY UPDATED IN DARE TO PREPARE — 4th EDITION Determining the storage life of foods is at best an inexact science as there are so many variables. These range from the condition your food was in when you first purchased it and many other factors. This page was written with input by Mr. Stephen Portela who has over 30 years of professional food storage experience. This information should be used as a general guide only, and should not be followed "as the gospel truth" because your results may be different. FOUR FACTORS THAT AFFECT FOOD STORAGE Factor #1: The Temperature Temperature has more to do with how long well dried foods store than anything else. The USDA states, "Each 5.6oC. (10.08oF) drop in temperature doubles the storage life of the seeds". Obviously, there is a limit as to how far this statement can be taken. However I expect it basically holds true from room temperature down to freezing. No doubt, the inverse could also be considered true. "Each 5.6oC. (10.08oF) rise in temperature halves the storage life of seeds." This theory holds true for non-garden seeds as well. Storage Life Depending on CONSTANT Temperature Note: this chart is not for a specific food but shows the relationship between temperature and storage life. Let's look at a couple of real life examples of good and poor food storage practices: About a year ago we got an unopened paper bag of white flour which had been stored at 70oF, in a dry climate. It had been sitting for 3 years in a closet. It made fine looking bread but had such an 'old' and bad flavor that it was difficult to eat. For another example, a couple of years ago in the Puget Sound area we were given a 4 gallon can of wheat that had been stored up high in a garage for about 30 years. This part of the country is not as hot as some places, yet in the summers the average garage still gets up into the 90's. Even though wheat will store for 30+ years under good conditions, the bread from this particular wheat was very bad tasting and after a few batches we ended up throwing the wheat away (something I always dislike doing). oF oC Storage Life in Years 37.6 3.1 40 48.4 9.1 30 59.2 15.1 20 70.0 21.1 10 80.8 27.1 5 91.6 33.1 2.5 102.4 39.1 1.25 Counter these stories with several examples told by Mr. Stephen Portela, Walton Feed's manager: He stores his long term food storage in his basement where the temperature hovers around 60oF. The experts give brown rice a 6 month storage life because of all the oils in it that go rancid. Yet, Mr. Portela has been eating from a supply of brown rice that has been in his basement over 10 years. It is still wholesome! In another example, there is a family living near him who purchased a supply of food in #10 cans 30 years ago. Their basement hovers around 58oF. After 28 years, Mr. Portela took a sample of many of these items to the Benson Institute at BYU to have it tested. The results can be seen at the bottom of http://waltonfeed.com/portela.html Mr. Portela's welcome page. You will see everything tested had a 'good' to 'satisfactory' rating except for the eggs which had a 'minimum passing' rating. After 28 years I think it is most interesting that it passed at all. Mr. Portela tells me as 30 years have now passed, their storage is still in very good condition. The bottom line is even with the very best packaging methods, if you are planning on storing your food in a warm environment, it will only last a fraction of the time it would last if stored in a cool, dry place. It is important you also find a place where the temperature remains constant. Frequent temperature changes shorten storage life. If you don't have a cool place for your food storage, plan on rotating your storage quickly enough to prevent food loss. Factor #2: Product Moisture Content By looking at the USDA nutritional tables, dry beans, grains, and flours contain an average of 10% moisture. Although it is very difficult and unnecessary to remove all moisture from dry foods, it is imperative that any food be stored as dry as possible. Foods with excess moisture can spoil right in their containers. This is an important consideration when packing food with dry ice as moisture condenses and freezes on the outer surface of the dry ice. For long term storage, grains should have a moisture content of 10% or less. It is difficult to accurately measure this without special equipment. Factor #3: Atmosphere the product is stored in Foods packed in air don't store as well as in oxygen free gasses. This is because air contains oxygen which oxidizes many of the compounds in food. Food storage companies have a couple of different processes for removing the oxygen: Displacing the oxygen: This is done by purging out all the air in the product with an inert gas. Nitrogen is almost always used because it is the most inert gas known. People doing their own packing occasionally use dry ice which gives off carbon dioxide gas, and probably works just about as well. Absorb the oxygen: Oxygen absorber packets do just that. Air contains about 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen, leaving about 1% for the other gasses. If the oxygen is absorbed, what remains is 99% pure nitrogen in a partial vacuum. If oxygen absorber packets are used, care must be taken to use a storage container that can stand some vacuum. As air is sucked into your container as the oxygen is absorbed, it reintroduces more oxygen that must be absorbed. Before long, the oxygen absorbers will have absorbed all the oxygen they can. Obviously, your product won't be oxygen free under these circumstances. Walton Feed gets around this problem with their plastic Super Pail buckets by purging the product first with nitrogen before tossing in the two oxygen absorber packets. This way the absorbers have little or no oxygen to absorb and don't create a vacuum within the pail. As cans work well under a partial vacuum, purging them with nitrogen isn't necessary before inserting the oxygen absorber packet and sealing the lid. Large seeds store better in nitrogen. On the other hand, small seeds, like many garden seeds store better in air. For this reason Walton cans their garden seed packs in air. Factor #4: The container the product is stored in To get the best storage life out of your product it must have a hermetic (air tight) seal. Containers that do this well are: #10 Cans Sealable food storage buckets Sealable food quality metal or plastic drums Whatever container you use, be sure it is food grade as your product can be tainted with whatever the container is made from. Plastic sacks are not good air tight containers, for even if they are sealed, the relatively thin plastic 'breathes,' allowing air to pass through. Paper sacks are of course even worse. There is some concern as to how good a seal is made by the lids on plastic buckets used by food storage companies. Manufacturer studies show an extremely small amount of air transfer. This amount is so small, however, that it can be considered a hermetic seal. It has also been found that the lids can be re-used several times without dramatically degrading the performance of the seal. People who purchase products from food storage providers are often concerned about receiving their buckets bulging or with one side collapsed in. Collapsed buckets occasionally occur when ordering from Walton's as the elevation of their packing facility is above 6,000 feet. As the buckets are shipped to a lower elevation, the increased ambient air pressure can sometimes push in one side. If a side is popped in, it is a great indication that the bucket is indeed sealed. And this also holds true for buckets that might be under a slight amount of pressure. If either condition concerns you, crack the lid to equalize the air pressure. You can do this without seriously degrading the storageability of the product within the bucket. Remember to re-seal the lid after doing this. Bulging cans: Some bulging cans have been returned to Waltons. In almost every case, these cans held mixes that contained baking powder or soda. These cans were sent off for bacteria analysis and came back negative. It is believed that occasionally the extremely small amount of moisture found in the product interacts over time with the baking powder or soda and creates a small amount of carbon dioxide gas. STORAGE LIFE NOTES ABOUT SPECIFIC FOODS The Soft Grains Barley Hulled or Pearled Oat Groats Rolled Oats Quinoa Rye Soft Grains have softer outer shells which don't protect the seed interior as well as hard shelled seeds and therefore won't store as long. Hermetically sealed in the absence of oxygen, plan on a storage life of 8 years at a stable temperature of 70oF. They should keep proportionately longer if stored at cooler temperatures. The Hard Grains Buckwheat Corn, Dry Flax Kamut Millet Durum wheat Hard red wheat Hard white wheat Soft wheat Special bake wheat Spelt Triticale The Hard Grains all store well because of their hard outer shell which is nature's near perfect container. Remove that container and the contents rapidly deteriorate. Wheat, probably nature's longest storing seed, has been known to be edible after scores of years when stored in a cool dry place. As a general rule for hard grains, hermetically sealed in the absence of oxygen, plan on a storage life of 10-12 years at a stable temperature of 70oF. They should keep proportionately longer if stored at cooler temperatures. Beans Adzuki Beans Blackeye Beans Black Turtle Beans Garbanzo Beans Great Northern KidneyBeans Lentils Lima Beans Mung Beans Pink Beans Pinto Beans Small Red Beans Soy Beans As beans age they lose their oils, resist water absorption and won't swell. Worst case, they must be ground to be used. Storing beans in nitrogen helps prolong the loss of these oils as does cool temperatures. Hermetically sealed in the absence of oxygen, plan on a storage life of 8-10 years at a stable temperature of 70oF. They should keep proportionately longer if stored at cooler temperatures. Dehydrated Vegetables Broccoli Cabbage Carrots Celery Onions Peppers Potatoes Dehydrated vegetables store well if hermetically sealed in the absence of oxygen. Plan on a storage life of 8-10 years at a stable temperature of 70oF. They should keep proportionately longer if stored at cooler temperatures. Dehydrated Dairy Products Cheese Powder Cocoa Powder Powder Eggs Butter/margarine Powder Powder Milk Morning Moo Whey Powder Dehydrated dairy products generally store very well if stored dry in hermetically sealed containers. Plan on a storage life of 15 years if stored at a stable temperature of 70oF. They should keep proportionately longer if stored at cooler temperatures. One exception is Morning Moo. As a new whey based product, it hasn't been tested for long term storage. Plan on rotating this product after 5 years. Flours and Other Products Made From Cracked/Ground Seed All Purpose Flour Bakers Flour Unbleached Flour White Flour Whole Wheat Flour Cornmeal Mixes Refried Beans Cracked Wheat Germade Gluten Granola Wheat Flakes After seeds are broken open their outer shells can no longer protect the seed contents and seed nutrients start to degrade. Don't try to store unprotected flours longer than a year. Hermetically sealed in the absence of oxygen, plan on a storage life of 5 years at a stable temperature of 70oF. They should keep proportionately longer if stored at cooler temperatures. Pasta Pasta Macaroni Noodles Ribbons Spaghetti Pasta will store longer than flour if kept dry. Hermetically sealed in the absence of oxygen, plan on a storage life of 8 - 10 years at a stable temperature of 70oF. Pasta should keep proportionately longer if stored at cooler temperatures. Dehydrated Fruit Fruit doesn't keep as well as many dehydrated items. Hermetically sealed in the absence of oxygen, plan on a storage life of 5 years at a stable temperature of 70oF. They should keep proportionately longer if stored at cooler temperatures. Honey, Salt and Sugar Honey, salt and sugar should keep indefinitely if stored free of moisture. Watch out for additives in the honey. It is possible to buy honey with water and sugar added. This honey generally doesn't crystallize like pure 100% honey does when stored for a long time. If there are additives, there is no saying how long it will last. Peanut Butter Powder Peanut butter powder will not store as long as wheat flour. Hermetically sealed in the absence of oxygen, plan on a storage life of 4-5 years at a stable temperature of 70oF. It should keep proportionately longer if stored at cooler temperatures. Brown and White Rices Brown and white rices store very differently. Brown rice is only expected to store for 6 months under average conditions. This is because of the essential fatty acids in brown rice. These oils quickly go rancid as they oxidize. It will store much longer if refrigerated. White rice has the outer shell removed along with those fats. Because of this, white rice isn't nearly as good for you, but will store longer. Hermetically sealed in the absence of oxygen, plan on a storage life for white rice of 8-10 years at a stable temperature of 70oF. It should keep proportionately longer if stored at cooler temperatures. Seeds or Sprouting Seeds All viable seeds are hibernating tiny living plants that only need moisture and warmth to sprout. And much like a chick in an egg, all the nutrients this little life needs to spring into existence is contained within it's shell. Like boiling an egg, heating a seed will kill that little life within it. However, unlike an egg, a seed can withstand cold temperatures. As seeds usually remain edible after the life within it dies, we must use different criteria when determining sproutable seed storage life. And again the big deciding factor is temperature. The big seed companies freeze their seed between seasons to promote long life. Of course, you can also do the same thing. Plan on a storage life of 4 years at a stable temperature of 70oF. They should keep proportionately longer if stored at cooler temperatures. Rita Bingham's Sprouting Book suggests that "Vacuum sealed or nitrogen treated seeds store longest, with a shelf life of up to 15 years." This is presupposing they are kept very cool or frozen. Alfalfa is a unique seed as it actually germinates better if the seed is 2 or 3 years old. Most any sample of alfalfa contains 'hard' seed and 'soft' seed. Soft seed germinates within two days while hard seed germinates in about a week. The problem is, by the time the soft seed sprouts are ready to harvest, the hard seed may not have germinated yet. As storage time draws on, the hard seed turns into soft seed. Older seed germinates closer together. Stored in good conditions, alfalfa seed should have a good percentage of germination up until it is 8 years old. Total Vegetable Protein, made from soy beans, has an unusually long storage life. Hermetically sealed in the absence of oxygen, plan on a storage life of 15-20 years at a stable temperature of 70oF. TVP should keep proportionately longer if stored at cooler temperatures. Yeast, a living organism, has a relatively short storage life. Keep yeast in the original metal foil storage containers. If the seal remains intact, yeast should last 2 years at 70oF. However it is strongly recommended that you refrigerate it, which should give you a storage life of 5 years. Frozen yeast should store for a long time. All contents © 1996-2000, Al Durtschi. All rights reserved. This information may be used by you freely for noncommercial use with my name and E-mail address attached. Revised: 3 Dec 1996 Al Durtschi, E-mail: mark@lis.ab.ca Home Page: http://waltonfeed.com/

BLT Pasta Salad

Original Recipe Yield 10 servings

Ingredients

    1 (16 ounce) package medium seashell pasta
    1 pound sliced bacon
    1 1/2 cups light Ranch-style salad dressing
    1 small onion, chopped
    2 tomatoes, chopped

Directions

    Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the pasta, and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain, and rinse under cold water to cool.
    Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat until browned and crisp. Remove from the pan and drain on paper towels.
    In a large bowl, stir together the Ranch dressing, onion, and tomatoes. Mix in the cooled pasta. The pasta will absorb some of the dressing, so don't worry if it seems like too much. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Crumble bacon over the top just before serving.

Apple Cider Jelly

 Makes about 6 cups

3 cups apple cider
2 Tbs lemon juice
5 cups sugar
1 box fruit pectin
½  Tsp butter (optional but helps reduce foaming)

Process your jars and lids by boiling them for 10 minutes in canner to sterilize
Measure exact amount of apple cider into a 6-8 quarts sauce pan. Stir in lemon juice
Measure exact amount of sugar into a separate bowl
Stir pectin into apple cider and add butter
Bring mixture to a rolling boil on high heat stirring constantly
Stir in sugar quickly. Return to a rolling boil and boil for exactly 1 minute stirring constantly,  then remove from heat. Skim off any foam
Fill prepared jars to 1/8 headspace, wipe jar rims and secure lids with rings. Process in water bath canner at boil for 5 minutes. Remove jars from canner let cool and check for good seals .
Opened jars last about 3 weeks in refrigerator, store unopened and properly sealed jars in dark cool and dry place for about a year.

Amish White Bread

Original Recipe Yield 2 - 9x5 inch loaves

Ingredients

    2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
    2/3 cup white sugar
    1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
    1 1/2 teaspoons salt
    1/4 cup vegetable oil
    6 cups bread flour

Directions

    In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar in warm water, and then stir in yeast. Allow to proof until yeast resembles a creamy foam.
    Mix salt and oil into the yeast. Mix in flour one cup at a time. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Place in a well oiled bowl, and turn dough to coat. Cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
    Punch dough down. Knead for a few minutes, and divide in half. Shape into loaves, and place into two well oiled 9x5 inch loaf pans. Allow to rise for 30 minutes, or until dough has risen 1 inch above pans.
    Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes.

This is a foolproof recipe provided you just follow the steps, watch your measurements of flour, have good yeast, and keep the temp at least 65 degrees. For those who have had failures try weighing out your flour instead of measuring. NOTES FOR KITCHEN AID MIXER USERS: Proof your yeast in the mixing bowl then add the oil/salt, the add the flour approx. 1 cup at a time with the dough hook on low speed. Once all the dry ingredients are in come up to medium speed for 5 minutes. Then take the dough out, fold it over on itself to redistribute the yeast, make a ball, and place it back in the same bowl after you drizzle a tablespoon of oil (veggie or olive) and turn the dough to coat evenly. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and then a kitchen towel. There are a number of tricks if you think your kitchen is too cool. Turn your over on for 20 seconds and then right off. Put the dough in to rise. I set mine about 4 feet from the woodstove and turn it once. However, get it over 115 degrees and you'll kill the yeast. Just kneading it in the mixer will increase the temp of the dough. And by the way, I have cut the sugar down to 2 tablespoons and it is a classic farmhouse white bread. Hope this helps the few that are having trouble.

Alonna's Banana Bread

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 1/3 cups mashed overripe bananas
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

Baked Cheesecake Squares

Baked Cheesecake Squares
By: R. Rosen
"If you like cheesecake, you'll love these bars."
Original Recipe Yield 1 dozen

Ingredients

    1/3 cup shortening
    1/3 cup packed brown sugar
    1 cup all-purpose flour
    1/2 cup chopped walnuts
    6 1/2 tablespoons cream cheese
    1 egg
    2 tablespoons milk
    1/4 cup white sugar
    1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
    1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 8 inch square baking pan.
    To make the crust: In a large bowl, cream shortening and brown sugar. Gradually blend in flour and        walnuts. Mixture will be crumbly.
    Set aside one cup of crust mixture. Press the rest of the mixture into the bottom of baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes.
    To make filling: in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar. Add in egg, milk, lemon juice and vanilla until well blended.
    Spread the filling over warm crust. Sprinkle top with remaining crust mixture. Bake for another 25 to 28 minutes. Let cool on wire

Apple Enchalada Dessert

Ingredients

    1 (21 ounce) can apple pie filling
    6 (8 inch) flour tortillas
    1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    1/3 cup margarine
    1/2 cup white sugar
    1/2 cup packed brown sugar
    1/2 cup water

Directions

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
    Spoon fruit evenly onto all tortillas, sprinkle with cinnamon. Roll up tortillas and place seam side down on lightly greased 8x8 baking pan.
    Bring margarine, sugars and water to a boil in a medium sauce pan. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring constantly for 3 minutes.
    Pour sauce evenly over tortillas; sprinkle with extra cinnamon on top if desired. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes.
    Makes 6 large tortillas; may be cut in half to serve 12.

"Almost Hamburger Helper" Mix in a Jar

"Almost Hamburger Helper" Mix in a Jar

2 cups nonfat dry milk
1 cup corn starch
1/4 cup beef bouillon powder
2 tablespoons onion flakes
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons dried parsley
1 tablespoon garlic powder

Mix the ingredients together and store in an airtight jar.

Attach the following recipes to the jar:

Chili Mac
 
1 lb ground beef, browned and drained
1 c water
1/2 c macaroni noodles (uncooked)
2 cans chopped tomatoes
1 T chili powder
1/2 cup Hamburger Helper mix
Combine all and simmer 20 minutes or until macaroni is cooked.

Stroganoff

1 lb ground beef, browned and drained
2 c water
1/2 c Hamburger Helper mix
2 c uncooked egg noodles
1/2 cup sour cream
Combine all except sour cream. Simmer 20 minutes or until noodles are tender. Stir in sour cream and serve.

Potato Beef Casserole
 
1 lb ground beef, browned and drained
3/4 c water
6 potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 c frozen mixed veggies
1/2 cup Hamburger Helper mix
Combine all and simmer, covered, until potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove cover and cook until excess water is evaporated.

Quick Lasagna
 
1 lb ground beef, browned and drained
1/2 c Hamburger Helper mix
1 onion, chopped
2 c water
16 oz tomato sauce
3 c lasagna noodles, uncooked, broken in bits
1/4 c parmesan cheese
2 c mozzarella cheese, shredded
Combine all except mozzarella in large skillet. Bring to a boil, let simmer for 15 minutes or until noodles are cooked. Top with mozzarella. Turn off heat and let cheese melt.

Upside down cake, Frieda Christena Royse Pierce 1929

Batter

1 c. sugar
3ggs
1 c. flour
¼ c. juice from fruit
1 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. Salt

Topping

1 c. brown sugar
1 large can Fruit
½ c. butter or margarine
Fruit slices, peaches, pineapple or what you like best, canned fruit is fine.
In heavy ovenproof skillet (around 9 or 10 in. skillet) melt the ½ c. butter and sprinkle on the brown sugar. Put fruit slices on top of the brown sugar and butter.
Have oven at 350 deg. Pour batter over fruit in skillet. Bake 45 minutes or until done.

Bread And Butter Pickles

Bread & Butter pickles, Great Aunt Ola (Leola Fay) Foster, Philo Ohio

1 gal. thinly sliced cucumbers
8 thinly sliced onions
1 sweet red sliced and
1 green pepper sliced, put in a large container, we use a 5 gal. bucket.
Then cover with 1/2 cup coarse salt (pickling salt) and ice cubes for 3 hours.
Mean while bring to boil.
5 cups sugar
5 cups vinegar
1 and 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
2 tab. mustard seed
2 tab. celery seed
1/2 tsp. ground cloves

      Rinse cukes and other veggies and stuff in jars, pour over hot brine. Cap and water bath 30 to 40 minutes.
We normally double this.

Keep It Simple Survival: Your Masters Are Angry

Keep It Simple Survival: Your Masters Are Angry