From Dani: Long-Term Storage--Grains & Rice

This week's challenge is focusing on Home Storage again- especially grains and rice.

It is easy to incorporate more whole grains in your diet by adding some whole wheat flour in place of white flour in your favorite recipes- muffins, cookies, bread, etc.

Rice is another staple that is easy to make and a family friendly food. Use different types of rice to add variety to your cooking.
Arborio rice is a yummy addition- make a risotto
brown rice
wild rice

Spinach Risotto
1 - 10 oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach
4 c. fat-free chicken broth
1 1/2 tsp olive oil
1 T. butter
1 c. chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 c. Arborio rice
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
Cook spinach, drain and squeeze out as much water as possible. Heat the broth. In large, heavy pot, heat the oil
and butter; cook onions and garlic until golden. Add rice and cook stirring constantly until grains are shiny with
oil. Add broth by cupfuls until absorbed after each addition, stirring constantly (this will take 20 minutes). Stir
in the cheese, seasonings and spinach.

other grains to remember-
popcorn- that's right! You can grind it to make your own cornmeal for cornbread and keep all the nutrients!

No Crumb Cornbread
1/4 c canola oil
4 eggs
4 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup plain, nonfat yogurt
2 c corn meal
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 c sugar
3 c flour
3 c milk

Powdered milk and eggs work great in this recipe and homemade yogurt. Mix oil and sugar, add eggs, and cornmeal. In another bowl, mix remaining dry ingredients including 3/4 c powdered milk (unless using normal milk than omit). Alternate dry mix and 3 cups liquid ( water if using powdered milk, milk if not). Mix well. grease 9 x 13 pan and pour in mixture. Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.

Have any great grain recipes? We would love to hear them! Lets all work together, combine our knowledge and experience to prepare!

"If we approach adversities wisely, our hardest times can be times of greatest growth, which in turn can lead toward times of greatest happiness." -Elder Joseph B Wirthlin- Oct 08 ensign

A New Year, a New Plan

I've got a plan for 2009, with a focus for each of five areas each month. Here's the ones for January:

JANUARY: Whaddya Got? Whaddya Need

Spiritual Preparedness:
Focus on personal prayer

Emergency Preparedness:
Check & Replenish 72-Hour Kits

3-Month Food Storage:
Keep track of what your family eats and how much you spend on food for at least one week. Clean out those cabinets and closets to make room for more food storage. Keep track of spending for the month.

Home Storage:
Inventory current food storage--how many months do you have of the basics?

Financial Reserve:
Make a jar for saving change. Decide how much cash your family needs to put in your 72-hour kit and set aside 1/6 of that amount.

Yahoo Finance's Investment Pick: Food Storage!

I found this article interesting. Gotta love how the prophet’s counsel is always the best plan and we get advanced notice! It’s never too late to start—3 cans of wheat (enough wheat for one person for one month) cost $7.95. I think we can all scrape up enough change to pay for that. Buy it and I’ll give you a bunch of ideas on how to use it without making bread or buying a wheat grinder!